Yeonsoo Chee

Yeonsoo Chee, a specialist in modern Korean painting and Joseon court art, joined the Art Institute of Chicago as the first curator of Korean art in 2020.

In her role at the Art Institute, she is working to grow the Korean art collection and programs to support the museum’s goal of representing the expanse of art across the Asian continent. In November 2024, she debuted a newly expanded gallery of Korean art. Previously, Yeonsoo spent over nine years as a curatorial leader of the USC Pacific Asia Museum in Pasadena, contributing to growing both the collection of and programming featuring Korean art as well as expanding the Korean Gallery. In 2017 she was recruited by the Korean government to be the curator and director of exhibitions and publicity at the National Palace Museum of Korea. Her publications include Selections from the Korean Art Collection at USC Pacific Asia Museum, National Palace Museum of Korea in Seven Themes, and Hyomyeong: Crown Prince and Patron of the Arts.

Yeonsoo holds a BA in English language and literature from Ewha Womans University, Korea, and a BA and a MA in art history from California State University Long Beach.