Exclusive Interview with France's top curator in Asian art: Guimet President Dr. Yannick Lintz

프랑스 국립 기메 동양박물관 관장 야니크 린츠 단독 인터뷰

In this installment of our special stories to celebrate one-hundred-and-40 years of Korea-France friendship we share with you the thoughts of France's top curator of Asian art.
Our senior correspondent Oh Soo-young sat down with her for this interview which is also available in its full format on air at 10 P.M. Korea Standard Time.

Thank you Dr. Lintz so much for making time for us today.

It's a pleasure for me to welcome you here in Guimet Museum.

1. Guimet is very well known for being the biggest museum in Europe holding Korean arts, Asian art.
First could you introduce your Korean collection and why it matters as a reference point for Korean art in Europe?

Yes you're right we are so lucky to have one of the most important in the world I should say and what is also symbolic for us is our museum opened in 89 and four years later in 1893 we opened Korean galleries so it's really linked in the history of the museum and it was at this time in the heart of the collection.
So that's why it's of course still now after many many acquisitions donation one of the most important in the world and I should say the most important in Europe.
And what is also for us important 1893 is an important date it's just four years after the opening of the museum and it's seven years after the opening of the diplomatic relations between Korea and France.
So I think it symbolizes very well the importance of Korea in this museum.

3. From a curatorial perspective what do you think are still maybe underrecognized by the European audience when it comes to Korean arts?

My opinion is that here in Europe we don't know very well Korean art and it's our responsibility our mission to promote it better.
That's why this year 2026 we will have a special Korean season in Musee Guimet because here because of the relation with Japan for instance and what we call sometimes Oyon TISA during 19th century people here know better Japanese art for instance they know a little about Chinese porcelain or Chinese calligraphy but it for them very difficult to understand the place of Korean arts in in this area of Eastern Asia.
So I will be happy if in one year with all the visitors we are expecting here for Visit Korea season that I can hear, "Ah now I understand what and I see what is Korean arts."

4. I see and you play a very important very crucial role in promoting Korean arts of course here in France.
And would you say that the recognition has been growing by the years?

Yes I think of course everyone knows about the importance of the Hallyu movement the K Pop K beauty and we will have here as the first exhibition of the Korean year in March next March and K-beauty exhibition.
So I think to be able to be attractive for people to discover Korean art I think it's interesting to enter in it by the present phenomenon of K pop K beauty and I think it's a good way to understand the past through the present.

12. And finally as we look forward into the year of 2026 the 140th year of Korea France relations what kind of meaningful developments do you hope to see as cultural institutions in particular expand cooperation?

Of course, such a special celebration of the 140 years diplomatic relations between Korea and France has to be an opportunity to develop more relation and to build a fundamental projects for the future.
Of course: exhibitions, books, conference but also for me what is important is to know better all Korean artists musicians performers, of course, the Korean cinema.
So at the end of 2026 what I can tell you it will not be the end of Korean events here in Guimet Museum.


I see there's more to come and we hope to see you later in the year in Seoul.
Thank you very much for your time Dr. Lintz

Thank you.

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2026-01-23, 17:00 (KST)