South Korea Transforms DOOH Screens into Open-Air Museums for AI Art

South Korean advertising agency INNOCEAN is turning large digital advertising screens in Seoul into an open art museum. Instead of showing only commercial advertisements, the screens are displaying artworks created by artists using artificial intelligence (AI).

The project, called INNOCEAN Open Museum (IOM), brings digital art to busy streets where thousands of people travel, shop and work every day. It allows people to enjoy art without visiting a traditional museum or buying a ticket.

INNOCEAN launched the project through its new AI creative research team, i-Lab. The team works with artists who use AI to create images and videos. The goal is to explore how digital technology can bring art into everyday city life.

The first artworks began appearing in mid-October on major digital out-of-home (DOOH) screens in Gangnam. The project is expanding to Myeongdong during November.

One of the main locations is The Monte Gangnam, a large curved digital screen measuring 32.96 metres wide and 10.24 metres high. Its total display area is about 337.5 square metres.

Another location is Shinsegae Gangnam Gate DS at Central City, where 13 screens show the artworks at the same time. The project also used Central City Underworld DS during October.

In Myeongdong, the artworks will appear on the K Finance screen, a vertical display measuring 11.5 metres wide and 18.7 metres high. The screen faces traffic entering one of Seoul's busiest shopping districts.

INNOCEAN has prepared different versions of the artworks for each location. The company considered screen size, building design and how people move through the surrounding streets.

The first exhibition follows the theme "OPEN" and features three artists or creative teams.

Visual director Kim Ji-young presents Alien Beauty, a work that uses unusual faces, liquid shapes and changing skin patterns to question traditional ideas of beauty.

Artist Kim Ji-hyun, who runs the creative studio ANREAL, presents APERTURE. The work uses the growth of dandelions to show unexpected changes in familiar natural forms.

Creative duo NEITHER.I presents BEHIND. Its video shows a large curtain covering the screen, with unfamiliar figures and scenes briefly appearing through openings. The work encourages viewers to imagine what exists beyond the screen.

Unlike traditional outdoor advertising, IOM does not focus on selling products. Instead, it gives artists a public space to share their ideas with people who may not normally visit art galleries.

The project also shows how DOOH screens can serve purposes beyond commercial advertising. Large digital displays are usually used to reach consumers, but they can also bring art and culture into public spaces.

For outdoor advertising companies, this approach offers another way to use their media networks. Public art can become part of the experience of visiting a shopping district or travelling through a city.

INNOCEAN plans to continue displaying the current artworks until the end of 2026. New artists and works will follow, while interviews and online materials will introduce their creative processes.

The company also plans to develop future campaigns that connect artists with commercial brands. These projects could combine the creative ideas of AI artists with brand messages on large public screens.

Through IOM, INNOCEAN is exploring how digital outdoor media can become a place for both advertising and public art.