Sinsa Shopping Guide

Figure and Ground

Figure and Ground is a complex cultural space with various spaces such as cafes, prop shops, exhibition halls, shared offices, and rooftops.

53 Nonhyeon-ro 153-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul

Introduction

The exterior is impressive, as if it is made of red brick blocks stacked on top of each other. Figure & Ground, which was created by remodeling an existing building that was over 30 years old, is a building that won the 39th Seoul Metropolitan Government Excellence Award. There is a cafe and a retail store selling interior accessories on the first floor. The use of the first and second basement levels is flexible and is often used as an exhibition space. In particular, the first exhibition, the ‘Lee Hyori we didn’t know about’ photo exhibition, was such a success that a lottery was held. The 3rd to 5th floors are shared offices, and from the rooftop, you can see the entire Sinsa-dong area and, on a clear day, even Namsan Tower.

Curation Details

Item	Description
Red-Brick Block Architecture	A remodeled building with a striking exterior composed of red bricks stacked layer by layer.
39th Seoul Metropolitan City Excellence Award	A building that won the 39th Seoul Metropolitan City Excellence Award after remodeling a 30-year-old structure.
Mixed-Use Commercial & Exhibition Space	The 1st floor houses a cafe and interior goods store; the basement and 2nd floor serve as a flexible exhibition space.
'Lee Hyo-ri We Never Knew' Photo Exhibition	The inaugural Lee Hyo-ri photo exhibition drew so much buzz that visitor entries had to be decided by lottery.
Rooftop Namsan Tower View	The 3rd–5th floors are shared offices. From the rooftop, one can take in the Sinsa-dong area and even Namsan Tower.