Korea's biggest art fairs, Frieze Seoul and Kiaf, return to COEX in September

Frieze Seoul and Kiaf Seoul, South Korea's two biggest art fairs, will open at COEX in Seoul on Sept. 2.

Frieze Seoul 2026 runs Sept. 2–5 at COEX in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, with more than 125 galleries from 30 countries taking part, according to Frieze.

Co-hosted with Kiaf Seoul, operated by the Korea Gallery Association, Frieze Seoul will draw more than 70 percent of its participating galleries from the Asia-Pacific region. More than 50 of those galleries also maintain permanent spaces in Seoul, underscoring the city's growing status as a major hub for the art world.

This year Frieze Seoul introduces two new curated sections — Material Practice and Spotlight — and has expanded its Focus section, which showcases emerging galleries, to include participants from Europe and the Americas.

The addition of Material Practice, which foregrounds craft and materiality, signals Frieze Seoul's broader strategy to extend its reach beyond K-art into K-craft.

The main Galleries section will feature more than 85 leading galleries. International heavyweights including Hauser & Wirth, David Zwirner, White Cube, Pace Gallery, Lehmann Maupin, Esther Schipper, Thaddaeus Ropac and Tina Kim Gallery are on the roster, alongside major Korean galleries such as Kukje Gallery, Gallery Hyundai, Arario Gallery, Gana Art, Hakgojae, PKM Gallery and Johyun Gallery.

"Frieze Seoul has established itself as a key platform on the global art calendar, reflecting the strength of the Korean art scene and the growing influence of the Asia-Pacific region," said Christelle Chadé, global director of Frieze fairs. "The new curated sections will offer a more multidimensional view of the role Seoul plays in contemporary cultural discourse."

Kiaf Seoul, marking its 25th anniversary this year, will bring together 175 galleries from 18 countries to present works across a wide range of genres.

Leading Korean galleries — including Gallery Hyundai, Kukje Gallery, Gana Art, Sun Gallery, Pyo Gallery, Johyun Gallery, Wooson Gallery, Hakgojae and Arario Gallery — will be joined by international participants such as Whitestone Gallery from Hong Kong, Art of the World Gallery from Houston and Kornfeld Gallery from Berlin.

Twenty galleries will make their Kiaf debut this year: 15 international galleries, including Nino Mier Gallery from the United States, Anna Nova Gallery from Russia and JD Malat from the United Kingdom, and five Korean galleries — Gallery Hesed, Hedvig Gallery and Hori Art Space among them.

Designer Chung Gu-ho will serve as overall director this year, overseeing exhibition layout, branding and special programming. It is the first time Kiaf has appointed an outside creative director.

Chung plans to redesign visitor flow with the audience in mind and strengthen spatial presentation to create a more immersive experience. The fair will center on the main Kiaf Galleries section, complemented by Kiaf Plus, which introduces emerging artists and galleries, and a Solo Booth section offering an in-depth look at individual artists' practices.

"Leading galleries from around the world and Korea's top galleries will come together in one place," said Lee Sung-hoon, chair of the Kiaf organizing committee and president of the Korea Gallery Association. "We will maintain our standing as an international platform that surveys the diverse currents and possibilities of contemporary art."