Booking Choi Matthew's Photo Exhibition: Planning Your Yeonnam-dong Outing Before It Closes on the 12th

Booking Choi Matthew's Photo Exhibition: Planning Your Yeonnam-dong Outing Before It Closes on the 12th

If you are planning an outing to Yeonnam-dong to see Choi Matthew's photo exhibition, it is safest to choose a date other than Monday, November 9. The exhibition closes on November 12, and while Gallery Itrium notes that it is closed on Mondays, the artist's own announcement makes no separate mention of regular closing days.

▶ Book tickets for Choi Matthew's Photo Exhibition

Key things to consider when choosing a date are whether the gallery is open, whether you plan to attend the evening artist talk, and whether you have completed your reservation. This guide is compiled based on announcements from both the artist and the gallery through November 7, 2026. Because official updates do not state walk-in availability or remaining ticket counts, direct contact details have also been included below.

The exhibition is titled WHILE IT LASTS : 언젠가 사라질 것들 (Things That Will Someday Fade). An invitational solo show by photographer Choi Matthew, creator of the YouTube channel Choi Matthew's POST IT, this project marks the very first exhibition and photobook under his own name a decade after launching his YouTube journey.

• Reservations: Admission is free according to the artist's announcement, with advance bookings available via Naver Booking.
• Dates & Hours: Runs through November 12, open daily from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM. It is best to avoid Monday, November 9.
• Getting There: A 3-minute walk from Hongik Univ. Station (Exit 3). Per official gallery guidance, on-site parking is not available.
• Highlights: Look for pieces where digital photographs were re-shot onto Portra 160 film, displayed across print dimensions ranging from 420×420 mm up to A0.
• Artist Talk: Held on November 10 at 7:00 PM; requires a separate application apart from regular exhibition admission.
• Photobook: Available first on-site at the gallery during the exhibition run, with general bookstore sales scheduled to begin in mid-November.

How to Book Tickets

According to the artist's announcement, admission is free with advance reservation required. Ticket details and booking links are shared through the artist's channels rather than the gallery's exhibition page, so clicking the direct reservation link below is much faster than searching the gallery website.

The official platform designated for reservations is Naver Booking. Availability across specific dates changes constantly, so check the page below before locking in your plans.

Open Choi Matthew Photo Exhibition Booking Page

If you miss out on a reservation but still want to visit, it is best to call the gallery directly at 010-2505-3774 before heading over. You can ask about walk-in entry, opening status on November 9, and artist talk registration all at once to finalize your schedule.

Best Dates to Visit

The exhibition runs from Wednesday, November 4 through Thursday, November 12. As of November 7, the remaining days include the weekend of the 7th and 8th, Monday the 9th, and weekdays from the 10th through the 12th.

Both the artist's notice and the gallery guide list operating hours as 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM. However, the gallery officially operates Tuesday through Sunday and is closed on Mondays. Unless you have confirmed otherwise by phone, skipping November 9 is your best way to avoid a wasted trip.

For family outings, the weekend of the 7th or 8th is ideal, while those with flexible schedules can aim for November 10–12. If you want to see the exhibition and attend the talk, the 10th is the best fit. Waiting until the final day on the 12th leaves no alternative if slots fill up, so it is safer to secure an earlier date.

Getting to Gallery Itrium from Hongik Univ. Station

Gallery Itrium is located on the 6th and 7th floors of the Etribe Yeonnam Building at 233 Donggyo-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul. You can look up the building name directly in map apps, then head up to the 6th and 7th floors upon arrival.

The closest transit hub is Hongik Univ. Station, served by Line 2, the Gyeongui-Jungang Line, and AREX. It is just a 3-minute walk from Exit 3; simply stroll along the Gyeongui Line Forest Park trail until you spot the building.

Official gallery guidance states that there is no parking on-site, so public transportation is strongly recommended. If you plan to travel by car with children, consider switching to the subway or locating a nearby public parking lot in advance.

Exhibition Highlights: What to Watch For

The first thing to observe is how the photographs were produced. According to the gallery description, the artist re-photographed digital captures onto Portra 160 film. Because modern digital images were deliberately translated back through analog film, observing the texture and tonal depth up close will help you understand the core intent of the exhibition.

The artist describes the theme of this project as impermanence. The subtitle, "Things That Will Someday Fade," follows the same motif, making it rewarding to view each landscape and person as a passing moment connecting the entire series.

The gallery website previews several 2026 works, including House2, Life like Snow2, Matterhorn, Rest, and Summer Past. Sizes range from 420×420 mm up to full A0 prints. Alternating between close-up inspection and stepping back reveals how scale dynamically changes your experience of the same photographer's work.

Artist Talk vs. General Admission

The artist talk takes place on Tuesday, November 10 at 7:00 PM. Because seating is strictly limited and handled through a separate sign-up, reserving regular exhibition admission does not automatically secure a seat for the talk.

The talk starts at 7:00 PM, which coincides with the close of regular gallery viewing hours. If you want to hear the artist speak in person, you must manage both your exhibition booking and your talk registration separately. To see the gallery comfortably beforehand, plan to arrive earlier in the afternoon or early evening.

Where to Get the Photobook First

Sharing the same title as the exhibition, WHILE IT LASTS : 언젠가 사라질 것들 is Choi Matthew's debut photobook, announced on November 4. During the exhibition period, copies are available on-site before nationwide online and offline bookstore distribution begins in mid-November. Since retail launch dates can shift, picking up a copy at the gallery is the quickest way to get one.

The book gathers photographs and short reflections capturing Swiss landscapes and the people moving through them. Opening with the prologue "Where I Stand Now," it unfolds across five chapters—"Passing Things," "Moments Where Lives Overlap," "Just Once," "Things That Cannot Be Undone," and "While Existing"—before wrapping up with an epilogue.

The photobook was created by printing digital shots on paper, re-photographing them on film, and then scanning and reprinting the developed negatives. Reading through the book after viewing the gallery allows you to compare the images across different physical media alongside your memory of the exhibition prints.

Choi Matthew's photo exhibition concludes on November 12, and admission is free based on the artist's notice. To be safe, avoid Monday the 9th due to gallery closing policies, and check your preferred dates on Naver Booking first.

The artist talk on November 10 at 7:00 PM requires a separate registration from regular admission. With no parking at Gallery Itrium, walking from Exit 3 of Hongik Univ. Station is the simplest way to get there. If you want early access to his debut photobook, picking it up on-site during the exhibition run is your best option before it arrives in bookstores.

▶ Book tickets for Choi Matthew's Photo Exhibition