Art (and cheese cake) in Seoul

On a happier note, the Samsung museum, called Lee-um, is one of the best museums in Seoul. It is conveniently located just above the end of Itewon Street, south of the Hyatt hotel (and on the same block as the home of the Samsung chairman). Lee-um not only has a big Richter and several of the most important modern artists of the world (Rothko, Francis Bacon etc.) on permanent display, it also has beautiful Korean modern art, as well as traditional pottery.
It's very easy to fall for the young painter Suh Se-Ok's "Dance" for example: a big ink and brush semi-abstract showing a troupe of dancers. You will find the pattern on a nice silk tie in the museum shop on the ground floor. The museum itself is a wonderful group of buildings, conceived by three of the most famous architects of our times: the Swiss architect Mario Botta, Jean Nouvel from France and Dutch Rem Koolhaas, who created the Samsung Child Education & Culture Center.
The cafe to the left just inside the entrance serves the best cappuchino and cheese cake in Seoul. However, if your appetite goes beyond coffee, gossip and shopping, beware: visitors to the museum itself must call in advance and make a reservation. Why it is called Lee-um? You'll figure it out...
Check out the museum here.