This paper examines the resurgence of salon culture in Korea, with a special emphasis on the role of arts entrepreneurs in cultivating and navigating this renaissance from the late 2010s onward. Rooted in historical practices that encourage collective discussions on music, art, literature, and politics, the revitalized Korean salon culture has emerged as a dynamic intersection of traditional and digital realms. The evolution of salons as collaborative spaces mirrors the convergence of diverse interests, facilitated significantly by arts entrepreneurs who have seamlessly integrated aspects of music, art, economics, and food, thereby fostering communities of shared interests and expressions. Utilizing the Mullae Cultural Salon as a focal point of study, this paper aims to unveil the underlying mechanisms and impacts steered by arts entrepreneurs in the flourishing contemporary salon culture.
Arts entrepreneurs have been instrumental in characterizing the salon as "collective," "social," and "interactive," orchestrating spaces that amplify aesthetic responses and interactions with various art forms. This study navigates through a spectrum of aesthetic engagements, from professional critiques to casual appreciations, meticulously exploring how entrepreneurs facilitate a vibrancy and variety of audience engagements. By anchoring on established conceptual frameworks like Rand’s participation model, the research meticulously dissects the entrepreneurial strategies that influence, sustain, and diversify audience participation in salons.
The study's findings illuminate the transformative role of arts entrepreneurs in enhancing the accessibility, diversity, and richness of cultural arts experiences within the salon culture. Their influence is particularly profound in synchronizing Korea’s communal cultural nuances with innovative, digitally enriched strategies, thus widening participation and lowering barriers to engagement in the arts. By fostering an ecosystem that champions collective expression and interaction, arts entrepreneurs have propelled the salon culture as a pivotal force in redefining and expanding the cultural arts landscape in Korea, contributing to a robust framework for audience development and sustainable artistic communities.