From Missionary’s House to a Space for Art: The Story of Missionary John T. Underwood’s House

Narrative

In the Yangnim-dong neighborhood of Gwangju, a former missionary residence has taken on a new life as a contemporary art space. This house was once home to Missionary John T. Underwood (1922-1994), grandson of Horace G. Underwood (1859-1916), the founder of Yonsei University. He lived there with his wife, Jean W. Underwood, while serving as a professor at Honam Theological University and Seminary. During the May 18 Democratic Uprising in 1980, he actively participated in efforts to reveal the truth behind the military’s suppression and helped share the situation with the outside world. Today, the house is known as the Horanggasinamu Art Poligon, a place where past and present, faith and art, truth and remembrance intersect.