KIAF Seoul (Korea International Art Fair) and Frieze Seoul opened at COEX in Gangnam. Frieze, in its fifth edition, features 133 galleries from 30 countries including major international galleries (Gagosian, Hauser & Wirth, David Zwirner, Pace, White Cube) and leading Korean galleries (Gallery Hyundai, Kukje Gallery, Gana Art). Works by artists such as Damien Hirst, Yoo Youngkuk, Park Seo-bo, Kim Whanki, Nam June Paik and Lee Kang-so are on view. Curated sections include Spotlight (reassessing overlooked 20th-century artists), Material Practice (exploring materiality between art and design) and Focus (introducing next‑generation galleries).
KIAF, organized by the Korea Gallery Association, hosts 175 galleries from 18 countries (127 Korean) with programs like KIAF Plus (for new galleries), KIAF Highlights (gallery‑recommended artists) and KIAF Portrait (documentaries on Park Seo-bo and Kim Chang‑yeol). The biennial-themed special exhibition HUMAL (Coexistence) and its AR extension VIRTUAL VITAL examine relationships among humans, animals and technology. VIP previews begin today; public viewing runs Frieze through the 5th and KIAF through the 6th, with related events across Seoul including concerts, media art projects and neighborhood gallery nights connecting domestic and international visitors.
