Even though waterworks play an important role in society, few people think of them as artistic venues. Yet in the hands of creative individuals, abandoned waterworks can become inspiring spaces of arts and culture.

In this issue of KOREA, we visit two such facilities in Seoul.

The first is Seoul Street Arts Creation Center, a former water purification facility that now trains Korea’s next generation of street performers and circus artists. The second is the Yoon Dong-ju Literature Museum, a former pumping station that has been transformed into an architecturally sublime tribute to one of Korea’s most beloved poets.

Also in this issue of KOREA, we learn a few things about Korea’s drinking water, talk with an “alternative pop band” rewriting the history of traditional Korean music, look at character collaborations and more.