[REVISION HISTORY]

Frieze Seoul and Kiaf SEOUL 2026 art fairs open at COEX

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2026-09-07 09:20 UTC → 2026-09-10 09:35 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Shinsegae Group has entered a five-year agreement to serve as the official headline partner for Frieze Seoul through 2030. The fair, held at COEX in Gangnam alongside the 25th anniversary of Kiaf SEOUL, has become a significant hub for the Asian art market. While the broader Korean art market has experienced a contraction for four consecutive years, the 2026 edition of the fairs opened on September 2 at the COEX convention center with high attendance during the VIP preview day. Kiaf reported visitor numbers comparable to the previous year. Frieze Seoul 2026 features 133 galleries from 30 countries, showcasing works by artists such as Damien Hirst, Louise Bourgeois, and Gerhard Richter, as well as prominent Korean artists Park Seo-bo and Do Ho Suh. High-value sales on the first day included an Adrian Ghenie work sold for 1.1 million euros and an Antony Gormley piece for 750,000 pounds. Kiaf SEOUL, organized by the Korea Art Fair Association, includes 175 galleries from 18 countries under the theme ‘Coexistence’, featuring branding and spatial design by creative director Jung Ku-ho. This marks the final year the two fairs will be held jointly at COEX; Frieze Seoul will relocate to the Dongdaemun Design Plaza in 2027 due to venue renovations, while Kiaf is expected to remain at COEX. Supporting these events, the ‘2026 Korea Art Festival’ is running throughout September, a nationwide initiative including four biennales and 96 participating museums. ~~Additionally, Design Miami Seoul~~ The festival’s ‘Art Travel’ program, which offers guided tours of museums, biennales, and artist studios, has ~~returned to the city, expanding its presence at the Dongdaemun Design Plaza~~ seen high demand, with ~~its second edition.~~ all 13 travel courses across five regions selling out within nine days of registration. The festival also includes experiential workshops in Dangjin and Wanju that integrate art and technology.

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