The busy Seoul art week started on a sunny Sunday with the soft opening of Frieze Seoul and a beautifully curated selection of gems inside a traditional Hanok hosted by designer and collector Teo Yang who told Observer that he “wanted dealers to have a chance to explore and enjoy Korea’s traditional heritage before the fair begins.” A big party at Paradise City, which houses one of Korea’s most extensive collections of contemporary art, officially kicked off the week the following night—co-hosted by Pharrell Williams and JOOPITER, it coincided with the opening of Josh Sperling’s first museum exhibition in South Korea at Paradise Art Space. On Tuesday, the Hannam district was activated with gallery openings and after-parties, as people warmed up for a full day of fairs on Wednesday.
As art dealer Joon Yub Lee from Gallery Shilla told us, “After three years of Frieze in the city, the art week really became something cultural. People in Seoul and in Korea now really look forward to September, not only for the fairs but also for the events and parties.”
Despite this now-established enthusiasm, Frieze and Kiaf’s openings were much less hectic this year than in previous years. Although collectors and sundry art aficionados started to slowly arrive in the early afternoon, it was nothing compared to the packed aisles of the last Frieze. However, it turns out this was by design. A representative from the organization explained that in 2024, there were simply more VIP slots allocated. A Gagosian representative confirmed that early access was more selective this year, and the social influencers only appeared toward the evening.
The smaller audiences appeared to be highly engaged at both Frieze and Kiaf. While Korean collectors can be slower to make buying decisions, this is also a sign of how sophisticated the local collectors’ tastes are and how an evolving market has prompted more thoughtful acquisitions. Although growth in the South Korean art market might have slowed, as in all the other parts of the world, it still plays a big role in the market of the region, with a value of over $750 million, as reported by the country’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. And according to one study by Morgan Stanley, South Korea was also the world’s biggest buyer of luxury goods in 2023, with $16.8 billion in sales, with a 24 percent rise compared to the previous year.
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International collectors and cultural figures spotted around the two fairs included Morakot Aimee Sangtaweep, Aisha AlAhmadi, Manuela Ammer, Baby Monster, Tobias Berger, Marisa Chearavanont, Ha Chong Hyun, Evan Chow, Carolyn Christov-Bakargiev, Elizabeth Chun, the Oketa family, Diana Freundl, Massimiliano Gioni, Dj Peggy Gou, Park Hae-jin, Ong Puay Khim, Rain, Margit Rosen, Beatrix Ruf, Alain Servais, Jasper Sharp, Hans Ulrich Obrist, Jovanna Venegas, Victor Wang, Mariet Westermann and Yolande Zola Zoli van der Heide.
Notably, the Seoul art fairs are getting increasingly international not only in terms of exhibitors but also in terms of attendance—this year, around the aisles, you were more likely to see foreigners, with a mix of expats living in the region and art collectors who traveled to the fair to discover the vibrant art scene. Most of these started at Frieze, while Kiaf was packed from the early hours with local collectors.
With 116 exhibitors this year, Frieze Seoul provided a series of excellent presentations, not limited to more sellable two-dimensional works but also featuring ambitious multimedia works and large installations. At the entrance hung a robotic jellyfish sculpture by Brooklyn-based Korean artist Anicka Yi, similar to the ones now on view in her extensive survey at Leeum Museum. A Gladstone gallery representative confirmed that the sculptures at the museum are already sold, and this is the only one available, with an asking price of $200,000. By the end of the day, the gallery had sold two paintings by Italian artist Salvo for $375,000 and $150,000, several drawings by Keith Haring for $125,000 each, paintings by Ugo Rondinone that sold for between $70,000 and $170,000 along with a series of watercolors for $55,000 each and several works by Brooklyn-based Korean artist Joeun Kim Aatchim (who is new to the gallery) sold for between $11,000 and $22,000.
Just a few booths down, the historical Korean Shilla Gallery was offering, for an asking price of $100,000, a sculpture made of sand and seashells on the floor surrounding a drip with blood by experimental Korean artist Kim Young Jin—part of the first-generation Korean avant-garde artists who expanded the horizon of installation art. Ho Chi Minh City-based Galerie Quynh was presenting a series of hanging sculptures reminiscent of Calder’s creations, part of the visual universe and imagination of artist Tuna Andrew Nguyen linking to the show presented last year at the New Museum. That booth eventually was awarded a Frieze Seoul Stand Prize, selected by a jury of institutional directors and curators comprising Christopher Lew, Wassan Al-Khudhairi and Victoria Sung.
One of the most exciting and experimental booths was in the Focus Asia section, where Tokyo’s Parcel Gallery presented a new video investigation of spirituality, shamanism, ancient Buddhist traditions and new digital expressions by visionary Hangzhou artist LuYang. The gallery’s presentation deservedly won a Stand Prize, as it captured the attention of many curators and museum directors.
The openings of the Busan Biennale and Gwangju Biennale this weekend attracted several notable international museum directors and curators to Seoul, there to check out the more experimental and installation-based proposals that some galleries invested in.
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Several galleries were Frieze Seoul first-timers. Among them, Zurich-based Mai 36 dedicated an entire section of the booth to the nebulous and mysterious paintings of suspended fragments of reality between memories and experiences imagined by Chinese-born and New York-based artist Leon Xu. All the paintings were priced at $18,000, with one already sold and one on hold as of the first hour. A gallery representative told Observer that they have collectors in China but not yet in South Korea, and so they were there to expand their reach in what they consider to be an important market.
The Mexican gallery Proyectos Monclova also made the track to present two playful glass sculptures by Edgar Orlaineta, two paintings by the talented young painter Hilda Palafox and a series of works by Gabriel de la Mora, including his signature compositions made of fragments of real butterflies (all priced at $30,000). The gallery is a regular presence at Art Basel Hong Kong and already has collectors in the region, but they were inspired to extend their reach into South Korea, founder Teófilo Cohen told Observer. The gallery also participates in the Armory Show, which opened the following day, and the team had split up, but Cohen traveled to Asia to experience the Seoul art scene firsthand.
There were, of course, the million-dollar masterpieces, such as Andy Warhol’s combination of idols and celebrities presented by Robilant+Voena and various Lucio Fontana works around plus the various Dansaekhwa masters. Other galleries, like Chantal Crousel, focused on new ” masters,” such as Pierre Huyghe, whose video work is now on view in his major show at the Pinault Foundation in Venice.
Moving to other sections, visitors were welcomed by a “salon style” wall of some of the most in-demand international painters on the MassimoDeCarlo roster, including France-Lise Mcgurn and Tomoo Gokita. In front, mega galleries like David Zwirner, Hauser & Wirth, Pace and White Cube presented great mixed programs of post-war masters and more contemporary art stars.
Dominating Zwirner’s booth was a series of iconic Yayoi Kusama works as well as a yellow Josef Albers square painting. At Hauser & Wirth, women artists were showcased, with a series of delicate guaches and sculptures by Louise Bourgeois. The large Rita Ackermann at the center immediately sold to an undisclosed private collector, and a small but intensely psychological work by Ambera Welman sold at the opening for $40,000 to a private collector in Korea following the gallery’s recent announcement of her representation and her participation in the Gwangju Biennale, opening in a few days. By the end of the preview, the gallery reported several more sales, primarily to Asian collectors, including Avery Singer’s Free Fall (2024) for $575,000, a work by Angel Otero for $285,000, a canvas by Henry Taylor for $450,000 and a tryptic on copper and wood by Nicholas Party for $350,000. James Koch, an executive director and partner at Hauser & Wirth, told Observer that the “majority of the exceptional works we placed on opening day have been acquired by respected collectors in South Korea and wider Asia, which was our goal for this fair. The incredible enthusiasm and engagement we’ve experienced today is a true indication of the region’s highly informed and sophisticated audiences.”
A few booths down, White Cube was showing a new sculpture by Marguerite Humeau priced at $150,000, along with a large canvas by Howerdana Pindell for half a million and a miniature painting by Lynne Drexler from 1962 priced at $650,000. Observer spoke with its Hong Kong director and learned that the gallery just started to work with both of these recently rediscovered artists and despite there being no date yet, it will soon have a show of Drexler’s works in one of their locations. The top spot at Pace Gallery’s booth was given to an abstract work by Kylie Manning, who is currently having an exhibition at Space. Paula Cooper showed a series of tattooed wood body fragments by Paul Pfeiffer.
Gagosian reported sales of works by Derrick Adams, Urs Fischer, Cy Gavin, Ewa Juszkiewicz, Hao Liang, Rick Lowe, Sabine Moritz, Takashi Murakami and Ed Ruscha. Nick Simunovic, Gagosian’s senior director in Asia, told us that they’re “thrilled to participate in Frieze Seoul for the third consecutive year. Korea’s art scene is as dynamic and vibrant as ever, and we were delighted to place essential works by gallery artists in major Korean museums. Gagosian was also enormously proud and grateful to present Derrick Adams’ first-ever show in Korea at Amorepacific’s headquarters.”
Thaddaeus Ropac, which also now has an outpost in Seoul, reportedly sold multiple works, including a Georg Baselitz painting for $1.1 million, a Martha Jungwirth painting for $333,000, a David Salle work for $50,000, a Tom Sachs work for $30,000 and a painting by new-to-the-gallery Korean artist Heemin Chung for $32,000. PKM Gallery succeeded with Yoo Youngkuk, selling a painting for $1.5 million plus other works, including a Chung Hyun bronze sculpture for $20,000. Local powerhouse Kukje Gallery also reported early success with a Haegue Yang artwork, Heejoon Lee’s acrylic and photo-collage on canvas works, a Julian Opie work and three watercolors by Ugo Rondinone alongside two sculptures by Jean-Michel Othoniel, who is very popular in Korea.
Kiaf SEOUL is much more vibrant this year, with high-quality presentations by both local and international galleries at different price points. The fair attracted 206 exhibiting galleries, with 34 first-times including 193 Gallery (Paris), Albarran Bourdais (Madrid), Bavan Gallery (Tehran), Crossing Art (New York), dR (Seoul), EGG Gallery (Beijing), Ethan Cohen Gallery (New York), gallery kabinett (Seoul), Lechbinska Gallery (Zurich), Olympia (New York), PIERMARQ* (Sydney), SNOW Contemporary (Tokyo) and WOAW Gallery (Hong Kong). PIERMARQ* it made several sales of works by Cannon Dill and Jeremy Shockley on the first day.
Some Korean galleries like Kukje Gallery decided to have a booth at both fairs this year, demonstrating that Kiaf is still a key point of reference for many Korean collectors, especially for a specific generation who grew up with the fair. The local powerhouse reported multiple day-one sales of works by artist Kim Yun Shin, with prices between $75,000 and $90,000 for the acrylics on aluminum and between $15,000 and $18,000 for the acrylics on canvas. Another local gallery, EM, reported selling out of the enigmatic black and white works by Monassi priced at around $4,000. The Columns Gallery nearly sold out of small paintings by Kangyong Kim priced between $6,500 and $11,000.
Some international galleries with bases in Seoul opted for Kiaf over Frieze, including Peres Project, which was presenting some of the most loved artists from its roster like Pablo Salvador Rocha, Rebecca Ackroyd and Korean artist Keunmin Lee. The gallery’s partner, Nick Koenigsknecht, told Observer how it is essential to show Korean collectors that they’re now a local fixture, fully integrated into the scene and community. They’ve mounted booths at other Frieze fairs, but here—in one of their leading markets in Asia—they intentionally show at Kiaf.
Among the other international galleries, Carl Kostyal brought a mix of artists popular with younger collectors, like Felix Treadwell and Tony Toscani, as well as more established names such as Karyn Lyons and Austin Lee. By the end of the first day, both the intimate paintings by Lyons were sold for around $30,000. Brooklyn-based Carvalho Park’s first-day sales included two paintings by Yulia Iosilzon priced at $29,000 and $25,000, a mirrored mica on silk by Rosalind Tallmadge for $23,000 and an oil by Kristian Touborg for $15,500.
Antwerp-based Newchild also returned this year, presenting the work of Chris Oh, James Owens, Ella McVeigh and Victor Mattsson along with a series of drawings by Madeleine Blake after her sold-out last edition. One of the directors, Diego Castaño, told Observer that evening that “it was a successful day at the fair; we placed one of Chris Oh’s abalone shell works with a collector from Japan. Works by Madeleine Bialke, Viktor Mattsson and James Owens were placed with some of our known collectors in Portugal, Belgium and the U.S. We have also noticed that Kiaf SEOUL attracts collectors from neighboring countries such as Singapore, Taiwan, China and Japan, providing us with an exciting and truly international audience.”
Milan-based Cassina Projects brought the work of Paris-based artist Lisa Signorini and Italian painter Alessandro Fogo, along with the sculptures of Yves Scherer and works by Gert and Uwe Tobias. A mysterious painting by Fogo was later placed with a young collector from Hong Kong. Meanwhile, the ballroom at Kiaf SEOUL 2024 was dedicated to masters and masterpieces. Here, Dongsanbang Gallery presented the work of pioneering artist Suh Se Ok at prices between $44,000 and $110,000. (A tribute to the artist was on view upstairs at the LG sponsor booth.) Notable works were also offered by Opera Gallery, including pieces by Alex Katz Wilfredo Lam and a $3.3 million Ed Ruscha work. Houston-based Art of the World presented four large panels by Botero from 1998.
Upstairs, the Kiaf Plus section featured twenty-seven galleries showcasing emerging artists, including 333 Gallery (Bangkok), Biscuit Gallery (Tokyo), La Heen Gallery (Seoul), LKIFGallery (Seoul), MAAT Gallery (Paris), SARAHCROWN New York (New York), The Spectacle Group (Hong Kong), THEO(Seoul), This Weekend Room (Seoul), WE COLLECT (Madrid) and YOD Tokyo (Osaka).
The fair also presented a series of multimedia installations and performances across the aisles, curated by multimedia specialist Seungah Lee, director of Urban Art Lab in Seoul. Centered around the theme of “Invisible Transitions,” the works on show explored alternative narratives emerging from the multi-layered changes brought by technology, such as decentralization, transboundary interactions and hyper-connectivity. Among those were boundary-transcending experimental performances by the artist duo Jin & Park. In the aisles, Kat Austen shocked many Korean visitors by interrupting the quiet flux of attendees by walking in a “disconnected way” with wearable technology that responded to her movements in space.
Observer will share further updates toward the end of Frieze Seoul and Kiaf SEOUL, which continue through September 8 at COEX.
