Oh Se-hoon calls Seoul 'an open-air museum' at 2026 Kiaf·Frieze Seoul opening

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon attended the 2026 Kiaf·Frieze Seoul photo call at COEX on Wednesday, joining prominent figures from the domestic and international art world to mark the opening of Asia's premier art fair.

Kiaf Seoul, South Korea's largest art fair, celebrates its 25th edition this year after launching in 2002, with 175 galleries from 18 countries taking part from Wednesday through Sunday. Frieze Seoul, which has been held jointly with Kiaf Seoul since its Seoul debut in 2022, runs Wednesday through Saturday this year, drawing more than 130 galleries from 30 countries and regions. A "Neighborhood Night" event will also connect domestic and international visitors, galleries, artists and cultural figures across gallery-dense areas of Euljiro, Hannam, Cheongdam and Samcheong.

Last year, Kiaf drew about 82,000 visitors and Frieze Seoul about 70,000.

"It has already been five years since world-class art fairs began coming together in Seoul," Oh said. "Thanks to the warm support and enthusiasm of Seoul citizens and people across the country, Kiaf·Frieze Seoul has been held to great success year after year."

He added that alongside Kiaf and Frieze, a range of events — including the Seoul Sculpture Festival, Design Miami Seoul and Seoul Light DDP — would transform the city into what he called "an open-air museum without a roof." Oh said he hoped the fair would "go beyond being a marketplace for buying and selling art, lead the direction of global art, and serve as an opportunity to further elevate Seoul's standing as a city of culture and the arts."

Oh posed for commemorative photos with Korea Gallery Association President Lee Sung-hoon, Frieze CEO Simon Fox and Frieze Seoul Director Patrick Lee, before touring the Kiaf and Frieze Seoul exhibition halls.

Before the photo call, Oh met with Frieze CEO Simon Fox to discuss the fair's continued growth and long-term cooperation with the city. They focused in particular on plans for Frieze Seoul to move to Dongdaemun Design Plaza in 2027 and 2028 due to COEX renovation work, exchanging views on how to ensure a successful event and strengthen domestic and international promotional and marketing cooperation. The two also explored a long-term framework for Frieze Seoul to grow as a world-class art fair, linked to the expansion of Seoul's exhibition and convention infrastructure, including a planned sports and MICE complex in Jamsil.