[Inside 4482: Meet the Team] Hyeryoung Jun, Curator

21 hours ago
3 min read

Inside 4482: Meet the Team is an ongoing project where we take you behind the scenes of 4482 through short interviews with the people who make it all happen. Throughout the year, we’ll sit down with different team members to hear how they joined 4482, what they’re working on, and the moments that shaped their journey here. It’s a way to share the stories, personalities, and collaborations behind the work—and to show how our team grows, learns, and builds together over time.

Introduce yourself and tell us the story of how you joined the 4482 team.

Hello:) I am Hyeryoung Jun, a curator at 4482[SASAPARI], though most people here in London know me as Jennie. Currently, I also work at the Barbican Centre, focusing on international touring exhibition production.

Before moving to the UK, I studied sculpture in Korea, which was quite a challenging path, especially surviving as a female sculptor! While working on my own practice, I was constantly haunted by questions: "How can emerging artists survive in this tough art scene? How can we make the public truly curious about their stories?" These questions naturally led me to pursue an MA in Cultural Policy and Management in London. That’s when I discovered 4482. It was a community doing exactly what I had dreamed of! Using my master’s thesis as an excuse to find interviewees, I basically "pushed my way in" because I wanted so badly to be part of the team. I remember the moment over a bowl of Pho with Lead Curator Geesun and Director Sujin when they asked if I’d like to join—I shouted "Yes!!" without a second thought.

What is the most memorable exhibition or event you’ve been a part of at 4482?

Every project is precious to me because each one has its own intense "behind-the-scenes" story. But if I had to pick just one, it would be ‘K-Art Now 2025: The First Movement.’ For a year, 4482 had been introducing performance and installation artists through interviews and artist talks. Then, it suddenly hit me: "Why not bring them all together for a physical show?" We eventually held the exhibition at DR Gallery. I really wanted to explore the theme of 'Process and Presence', blurring the lines between the act of creation and the final presence of the work. That aligned perfectly with the artists' work, and the whole process from prep to execution just "clicked" so smoothly. It was a moment of pure curatorial thrill.

What do you love most about being a member of the 4482 team?

The biggest thing for me is having a 'London family.' To me, 4482 is more than just a team; they are my friends and neighbours. I’ve been in London for nearly five years now, and whenever I feel exhausted and think about packing it all up to head back to Korea, it’s the 4482 family that keeps me here.

Another reason is the 'limitless possibility.' We all have creative itches that a structured 9-to-5 job can't always scratch. At 4482, everything is possible. The team always supports and cheers for whatever new idea I want to try. It’s a place that has allowed me to grow both as a person and as a professional. I guess that’s why I call them family.

Where is your ‘soul gallery’ in London? Where do you go to recharge your artistic energy?

I’d have to say Somerset House. I love how they never stop experimenting with new and unconventional ideas. Whenever I see exhibitions there that break the mold—especially those merging art with other disciplines—I get a fresh shock that humbles me and makes me want to study even harder!

On the flip side, when I want to awaken my 'inner commercial gallerist,' I head to the galleries on Bond Street. I don't want to lose touch with the latest trends in the art market or miss out on what kind of works are captivating the public.

What's the most unexpected or touching feedback you've ever received from visitor?

Working in a non-profit like 4482, we often survive on "carrots" (encouragement) rather than "sticks" (pressure). There’s one specific feedback I hear consistently from visitors, curators, and artists alike: "Thank you for doing this. If not 4482, who else would?"

That hits me much harder than a simple "I liked the exhibition." It’s incredibly rewarding when people recognise the inherent value of what we do. Someone might ask, "Why spend years studying and working so hard on something that doesn't make much money?" But I believe that changing the world and moving people's hearts isn't always about the bottom line. It’s this kind of feedback that keeps me in this "game"!