Kim Woong-ki, chairman of Global Sae-A Group, Seo Kyung-bae, chairman of Amorepacific, and Lee Seo-hyun, president of Samsung C&T, have been named among the top 200 art collectors in the world.
According to the '2026 Top 200 Collectors' list released on October 7 by the American art publication ARTnews, the three join a roster that includes global entrepreneurs like Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon. ARTnews selects and publishes a list of the top 200 art collectors annually.
Lee Seo-hyun is recognized for continuing the art collection legacy of her late father, Lee Kun-hee, former chairman of Samsung. ARTnews noted that since Lee's passing in 2020, she has taken on this role.
Lee Kun-hee left behind over 20,000 artworks, including pieces by Francis Bacon, Marc Chagall, Alberto Giacometti, Claude Monet, Pablo Picasso, and Mark Rothko, as well as Korean traditional and contemporary art. Many of these works have been donated to major museums in South Korea.
Lee serves as the chairperson of the Samsung Welfare Foundation and president of Samsung C&T's strategic planning division. She is also the chair of the Leeum Museum, which ARTnews describes as a leading private contemporary art museum in Korea.
Kim Woong-ki has been recognized as a collector of modern and contemporary Korean art, with his notable piece being Kim Whanki's 'Universe 5-IV-71 #200' (1971). This artwork was sold for $10 million at a Christie's auction in Hong Kong in 2019, setting a record for the highest price for a Korean artwork at auction. Kim's ownership of this piece was revealed in 2022.
Under Kim's leadership, Global Sae-A Group has opened an exhibition space called S2A in Gangnam, Seoul. ARTnews reported that Kim's collection includes significant works of modern and contemporary Korean art, as well as pieces by Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama.
Seo Kyung-bae is highlighted for his involvement in museum operations and support for international art institutions. Quoting Seo, ARTnews reported, "Amorepacific is not just a company that sells cosmetics; it is a company that spreads culture."
Amorepacific established a museum in 1979 to research and exhibit Korean art. In 2008, the company donated $300,000 to support the creation of the 'Women’s Quarter' in the Korean gallery at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). Three years later, Seo committed to providing $200,000 annually for five years to assist in acquiring contemporary Korean art for LACMA.
In 2022, the Pace Gallery opened Amorepacific's tea brand O'sulloc Tea House in Seoul. Mark Glimcher, president of Pace Gallery, stated that the tea house was an idea led by Seo.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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