This year, Frieze Seoul will feature over 125 galleries from 30 countries. The event is scheduled to take place from September 2 to 5 at COEX in Gangnam, Seoul, according to organizers on June 9.
Frieze Seoul will be held in conjunction with KIAF Seoul, organized by the Korea Galleries Association, with more than 70% of participating galleries based in the Asia-Pacific region. Additionally, over 50 galleries currently operate permanent spaces in Seoul, highlighting the robust network of the Asian art market.
Top-tier galleries from around the world will participate, with the main section, 'Galleries,' featuring more than 85 leading galleries. Notable participants include Commonwealth and Council, Esther Schipper, Gallery Lelong, Gladstone, Hauser & Wirth, Lehmann Maupin, Lisson Gallery, Meyer Riegger, Pace Gallery, Sprüth Magers, Thaddaeus Ropac, Tina Kim Gallery, White Cube, and David Zwirner. Axel Vervoordt Gallery, David Kordansky, and Mendes Wood DM will also return to Frieze Seoul.
Galleries based in the Asia-Pacific region, such as Asia Art Center, Drawing Room, and Gallery Vacancy, will showcase a broad spectrum of contemporary Asian art.
Major Korean galleries will also be prominently featured. Arario Gallery, Gallery Baton, Gallery Hyundai, Gana Art, Hakgojae, Jason Haam, Johyun Gallery, International Gallery, Rian Gallery, P21, and PKM Gallery will present a wide range of contemporary Korean art. Anomaly, Maho Kubota, and Nanjuka Japanese Gallery will also participate.
Additionally, galleries from Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa will join Frieze Seoul for the first time this year.
Frieze Seoul will present a multifaceted perspective on contemporary art through a curatorial section led by three independent curators. A new section called Material Practice, led by independent curator Cho Hye-young, will explore the boundaries between fine art and materiality, focusing on the intersection of contemporary art and material expression.
The 'Spotlight' section, which focuses on solo exhibitions of 20th-century artists, will be introduced at Frieze Seoul for the first time this year. Curated by Go Won-seok, director of the Line Cultural Foundation, this section will highlight lesser-known artists from the existing Eurocentric art history and works that need to be reexamined today.
Now in its fourth year, the 'Focus' section will be operated under the guidance of curator Lee Seol-hee, featuring solo presentations from 16 young galleries established since 2014. This year, participation will expand beyond Asia to include galleries from Europe and the Americas.
During Frieze Week in September, a variety of exhibitions and programs will take place. Highlights include solo exhibitions by Koo Jeong-a at the Leeum Museum, Seo Do-ho at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Seoul, Lee Bae at Museum SAN, Hamyang A at Art Sonje Center, Kim Mu-young, Sol LeWitt: Open Structure at the Amorepacific Museum of Art, and Art Spectrum 2026 at Hoam Art Museum.
Frieze House Seoul will feature a solo exhibition by Tanabe Chikuunsai IV, known for his large bamboo installations, presented by the Japanese gallery Yumekobo. Neighborhood Nights, taking place during Frieze Week, will continue in major areas of Seoul, including Euljiro, Hannam, Cheongdam, and Samcheong, from August 31 to September 3.
Patrick Lee, director of Frieze Seoul, stated, "This will be a space that enriches the cultural landscape of Seoul and Korea, fostering deeper connections with artists and galleries, as well as Korea's unique cultural heritage."
Meanwhile, the 2026 Frieze Seoul Artist Award, sponsored by Bulgari, has been awarded to the artist collective Yagwang. The visual arts duo, consisting of Kim Tae-ri and Jeon In, has explored social structures surrounding gender, body, and labor through their work, which spans sculpture, video, installation, and performance.
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.