with Hyun: A quiet archive of mind and mood

‘with Hyun’ is a personal archive of beauty — a space where I keep what lingers with me, and sometimes, what resonates from afar.

Here, I write about art, architecture, hotels, and the moments that leave a mark. Some stories come from places I’ve visited or people I’ve met. Others come from images, spaces, or works I’ve never seen in person — but that I’ve found unforgettable.

This isn’t a guide or a travel blog. It’s a slow record of what draws my attention — places I hope to visit, artists I want to remember, and details I don’t want to lose.

Most of these stories come from my work as a magazine editor based in South Korea, writing about design, travel, and culture. But ‘with Hyun’ is different. It’s where I write without format or urgency — slower, and more personally.

This blog began as a quiet habit — collecting things that moved me: a hillside hotel, a fragile drawing, a museum I hope to see someday. This is where I keep them.

I’m drawn to spaces, creators, and brands that care about feeling, detail, and atmosphere. If that sounds like you — welcome.

English isn’t my first language. But I believe beauty often speaks beyond words. This blog is also my way of practicing how to write slowly, sincerely, and visually — like writing a letter to anyone, anywhere, who loves beauty.

Thank you for being here.

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Gagosian: How a Gallery Became a Global System

Long before I ever stepped inside a Gagosian gallery, I was already orbiting its influence. Not physically, but through images: James Turrell’s glowing chambers, Urs Fischer’s melting wax sculptures, Basquiat’s frantic collage energy. I came across them online, in books, in passing mentions. I didn’t realize it then, but many of these artists were drawn into the same center—a gallery that didn’t just show their work, but reshaped how it was seen. That gallery was Gagosian. And by the time I finally stood inside one of its spaces, I realized I’d been absorbing its language for years. This post is for anyone who's ever wondered how one gallery could become something larger: a system that shapes how art moves in the world. (Gagosian, 555 West 24th Street, New York. Courtesy Gagosian ) How Value Gets Built Larry Gagosian didn’t enter the art world through academia or collecting. He came in sideways—through instinct. Born into a middle-class family in Los Angeles, he was bri...

Whitney Museum: Where Architecture Makes Space for Art

I’ve written about art. I’ve written about architecture. But I never really thought about the buildings that hold the art—the museums themselves. It hit me one day, quietly: what does it mean to design a space for looking? Not just any space, but one that invites pause, attention, and maybe even awe. I started digging. One name kept coming up—The Whitney Museum of American Art. I’d heard of it before, somewhere between a press release and a passing mention. Designed by Renzo Piano. Set against the High Line in New York. That was enough to get me curious. So I looked closer—and the architecture was just as interesting as the art inside. Architecture in Harmony with the City The Whitney sits quietly at the edge of the Meatpacking District, between the start of the High Line and the slow, wide movement of the Hudson River. From some angles, it looks industrial—paneled in pale steel and slightly off balance. From others, it feels like a stack of terraces op...

The Retreat at Blue Lagoon: A Hotel Carved into Silence and Steam

Some places don’t ask to be visited. They stay with you from afar—through an image, a texture, a color that lingers. In the southwest of Iceland, where steam rises from lava fields and the land breathes warmth, a structure disappears into the earth. It’s warmed by geothermal water, shaped by volcanic rock, and surrounded by water the color of moonstone. For me, it was one of them—The Retreat Hotel at Blue Lagoon. The southwest of Iceland is unlike anywhere else. The land feels alive, warmed from beneath, and shaped by ancient forces. This is the Reykjanes Peninsula, a UNESCO Global Geopark, and home to one of the country’s most iconic natural phenomena: the Blue Lagoon. Fed by geothermal seawater enriched with silica, algae, and minerals, the lagoon stretches across the rugged landscape like a sheet of pale blue glass. Long believed to have healing properties, the water feels soft and steady—inviting pause. It’s here, settled into this raw landscape, that The Retreat was bui...

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