ARMYs know well the art of Namjooning, a phrase that perfectly captures the very essence of BTS’s Kim Namjoon. At its core, it’s about living mindfully, creatively, and with a great sense of curiosity. A passionate art lover and collector, Namjoon has long encouraged fans to seek comfort and inspiration in the arts, be it painting, sculpture, or even books. His recommendations often inspire many to get away from their screens and head out to art galleries and museums themselves.
Now, one of his biggest dreams has finally come true. Namjoon has often shared his wish to one day showcase his own growing collection from over the years. Today that dream has been officially announced and is becoming a reality.
In a collaboration with The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA), they have announced they will host their first museum exhibition titled RM x SFMOMA. The exhibition will feature artworks from the personal collection of RM, who is a major curator, alongside co-curators América Castillo and Hyoeun Kim of SFMOMA. In an exclusive U.S. presentation at SFMOMA from October 2026 to February 2027, this exhibition will bring together 200 works from the collections of RM and SFMOMA, offering a rare chance to see modern Korean artworks in conversation with contemporary artworks from around the world. Many of the artworks have never before been exhibited to the public.
“We live in an age defined by boundaries. This exhibition at SFMOMA reflects those boundaries: between East and West, Korea and America, the modern and the contemporary, and the personal and the universal. I don’t want to prescribe how these works should be seen; whether out of curiosity or study, all perspectives are welcome. My only hope is that this exhibition can be a small but sturdy bridge for many,” said RM.
Drawn to the artist’s thoughtfully assembled collection of modern and contemporary art, SFMOMA invited RM to curate the first exhibition to showcase his collection in this collaborative presentation. “Visitors will have an unprecedented opportunity to explore RM’s beautiful and contemplative collection of paintings and sculpture in dialogue with works from SFMOMA’s holdings, inviting us to make new discoveries and reflect on our own relationships with art,” said Janet Bishop, Thomas Weisel Family Chief Curator at SFMOMA.
Among the key figures of modern and contemporary Korean art represented in the collection of RM are Yun Hyong-keun, Park Rehyun, Kwon Okyon, Kim Yun Shin, To Sangbong and Chang Ucchin, in addition to works by numerous notable contemporary artists based around the world. RM x SFMOMA will highlight resonances and themes shared among these works and complementary SFMOMA collection artworks by Korean artist Kim Whanki as well as American and European artists such as Mark Rothko, Agnes Martin, Henri Matisse, Georgia O’Keeffe and Paul Klee.
The exhibition will take place from October 2026 through to February 2027; tickets will be announced at a later date through Weverse and sfmoma.org. There is also the RM x SFMOMA newsletter available to sign up for all the latest updates.