Samsung’s Lee Kun‑Hee Collection lands in London
Samsung Electronics, in partnership with the British Museum, officially opened the “Korea” exhibition on 30 September 2026. The gala, held in the museum’s Joseph Hotung Great Court Gallery, celebrated the European leg of the Lee Kun‑Hee Collection’s world tour – a travelling showcase of Korean art that began in late 2025 at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art in Washington DC and later attracted over 115,000 visitors at Chicago’s Art Institute.
A historic moment for the British Museum
The British Museum has not presented a dedicated Korean‑art exhibition for more than 40 years, making this a landmark cultural event for the capital. Curated jointly by the British Museum, the National Museum of Korea and the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea, the show weaves together artefacts that span two millennia of Korean history. Organisers describe the narrative as a “unified story” that highlights how Korea’s aesthetic values have been re‑interpreted across generations.
What visitors can expect
- 100 masterpieces are on view, ranging from ancient bronze ritual objects to contemporary paintings.
- The collection includes 10 National Treasures and 13 Treasures of Korea, underscoring the rarity of the pieces on loan.
- Over 20 works are debuting internationally, such as the bronze artefacts from Bisan‑dong (Daegu), a set of bronze rattles, and a celadon incense burner with a girin‑shaped lid.
- Modern highlights feature Nam June Paik’s video‑art piece Brahms, Lee Jung‑seop’s Bound People and Park Rehyun’s Woman – all making their UK premiere.
The exhibition will remain open until 31 January 2027, giving the public ample time to explore the depth of Korean craftsmanship, from the disciplined precision of early bronze work to the imaginative flair of 20th‑century avant‑garde.
Samsung’s cultural‑heritage push
The Lee Kun‑Hee Collection is a national cultural asset in South Korea, assembled over three generations of the Lee family. Samsung founder Lee Byung‑Chull began the collection, his son Lee Kun‑Hee expanded it, and the late chairman’s daughter Hong Ra‑Hee (Director Emerita of the Leeum Museum of Art) helped shape its modern‑contemporary wing. Samsung positions the collection as a testament to the company’s long‑standing belief that art and technology can coexist.
At the gala, Samsung Executive Chairman Jay Y. Lee reminded guests that Samsung has operated in the UK for 80 years, with the country serving as the hub for its European activities for more than five decades. He also paid tribute to three Korean‑War veterans in attendance, linking the exhibition to broader historical ties between the two nations.
Who turned up?
The opening attracted a mix of royalty, politicians, business leaders and academics:
- Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal formally opened the show.
- UK ministers such as Chancellor of the Exchequer John Healey, Minister for Artificial Intelligence Kanishka Narayan, and former Deputy Prime Minister Sir Oliver Dowden were present.
- Diplomatic representation included Ambassador Kim Heung‑chong of the Republic of Korea.
- Business figures from BT Group, Vodafone, Sainsbury’s and Standard Chartered mingled with tech CEOs like Christophe Fouquet (ASML) and Kai Beckmann (Merck).
- Academics from Oxford and Imperial College London, as well as cultural leaders from the Tate Modern, V&A and Lisson Gallery, rounded out the guest list.
Quotes from the night highlighted the exhibition’s significance. George Osborne, Chair of the British Museum, said the Lee family’s contribution “helps us understand and interpret the past, so that we may understand the future.” Minister for AI Kanishka Narayan added that the show offers a “gateway into Korean culture” beyond the tech collaborations that already link the UK and South Korea.
Why it matters to Samsung’s UK audience
For readers who follow Samsung’s Android devices, the exhibition underscores the brand’s broader strategy of cultural engagement alongside its technology leadership. Samsung’s UK marketing has increasingly tied product launches to heritage and design narratives – think the Galaxy Z Fold’s “foldable art” campaign earlier this year. By championing Korean art on a world‑class stage, Samsung reinforces the cultural cachet that underpins its premium smartphone positioning.
Moreover, the event arrives at a time when K‑culture – K‑pop, K‑drama and Korean cuisine – enjoys heightened popularity in Britain. The exhibition provides a deeper, historical context that can enrich the brand’s storytelling around its Korean roots, potentially influencing consumer perception of Samsung’s flagship Android phones.
Visitor numbers and expectations
The Washington DC leg attracted roughly 80 000 visitors, while Chicago saw 115 000 – figures that suggest strong demand for Korean art in the West. The British Museum expects similar footfall, especially given the high‑profile guest list and the novelty of seeing national treasures that have rarely left Korea.
Tickets are sold through the museum’s website, with a standard adult price of £25 (discounts for students, seniors and families). The museum has also announced a series of talks and workshops, including a lecture by a Korean art historian from the University of Oxford and a hands‑on workshop on traditional celadon glazing for school groups.
Looking ahead
The Lee Kun‑Hee Collection will continue its tour after London, with planned stops in Paris and Berlin later in 2027. Samsung has hinted that future collaborations could involve augmented‑reality experiences that blend the museum’s artefacts with Samsung’s Galaxy devices – a potential teaser for Android enthusiasts eager to see how cutting‑edge tech can enhance cultural consumption.
The information in this article is drawn from Samsung’s global press release dated 1 October 2026 and corroborated by the British Museum’s exhibition page.
