Overly kind, or not quite right: This exhibition might be a little too relatable

You are 50 minutes late for an anniversary date. The moment you open the door, your partner barely looks at you, but their face says it all — frustrated, disappointed and seriously reconsidering the relationship.

You mumble a quick “sorry,” quietly close the door and step into the next room.

A teenage girl is inside. The moment you open the door, she shoots you a look so full of disgust that you instinctively back out. 

The awkwardness feels almost painfully real.

These scenes are performed by professional actors inside life-size rooms at the interactive exhibition “Too Kind / Not Exactly Wrong, But…” (translated) currently taking place in Jongno District, central Seoul.

The exhibition has gone viral on social media by bringing relatable everyday moments into the exhibition space, allowing visitors to step into the scenarios and see themselves in them.

Originally created by Japanese creative group Entaku, whose emotion-based exhibitions have attracted more than one million visitors, the Korean edition was developed in collaboration with local creative group Comorebee to recreate the same immersive experience for Korean audiences.

The exhibition is divided into two sections: “Too Kind” and “Not Exactly Wrong, But…”

The first celebrates people who make you think, “They're way too kind.”

Someone who always speaks formally to ChatGPT; an idol who calls every woman under 100 noona (older sister); the person who helped make USB-C universal; and K-pop star G-Dragon liking an Instagram reel someone uploaded “just for fun.”

These are just a few of the exhibits that make visitors think, “That's just too nice.”

Some exhibits consist of nothing more than a single sentence. Others use illustrations or photographs of real actors recreating the situations.

They're so oddly specific that the exhibition hall is constantly filled with laughter and lively debates. During the visit on Wednesday, couples nudged each other, friends burst into laughter and mothers debated with their daughters over which examples best described them.

“That's literally you.” “No way. That's flirting.”

For the other half, “Not Exactly Wrong, But…,” it pokes fun at opinions that are technically correct but somehow annoy and irritate the listener.

One display features an illustration of two characters enjoying a beautifully plated pancake. One of them says in a speech bubble, “You could've made that at home for 3,000 won ($2).” In another display, one character tells another, "Just quit if the work isn't fun," as though it were something the other person didn't already know, but simply couldn't do because of reality.

On a table, nine nearly identical lipsticks are lined up. Next to them is a sign that asks, “Don't you already own several lipsticks in this exact same shade?”

Toward the end is the “Neck-Grabbing Section,” named after the Korean expression dwitmok japda, for moments so irritating they make you instinctively clutch the back of your neck.

Among the exhibits are a set of colored pens with just one pen out of order, a television remote that has somehow survived four years without its battery cover and a row of shampoo, conditioner and body wash bottles — with the body wash inexplicably placed between the shampoo and conditioner. Tiny annoyances.

“Many visitors discover the exhibition through social media,” a staff member said. “On weekdays, most visitors are couples, groups of friends in their early 20s and families.”

The staff member added that the exhibition has recently begun attracting more visitors in their 40s and 50s as well. Foreign visitors occasionally stop by after seeing the exhibition online, though some leave after realizing multilingual support is not available.

Still, the exhibition uses relatively simple Korean, making it approachable for foreigners with a basic understanding of the language.

The content will be refreshed in mid-August, according to the staff member.

The exhibition is funny, deeply relatable and, at times, unexpectedly piercing. By the end, it leaves visitors reflecting on their relationships and seeing their everyday lives in a new light.

Located on the third floor of Ara Art Center in Insa-dong 9-gil 26, Jongno District, central Seoul, the exbition opens from 10:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and from 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday through Sunday.  It runs through Aug. 30. 

Admission is 13,000 won ($9). Tickets can be purchased both online and on-site.

BY WOO JI-WON [[email protected]]