Frieze and Kiaf to Return to Seoul with Even More Galleries

By Michael Irwin
Seoul
7 June 2023

Both fairs have expanded their supplementary sectors, Kiaf Plus and Frieze Masters.

Kiaf SEOUL 2022. Courtesy Kiaf SEOUL.

In September, veteran Korean art fair Kiaf Seoul and the new Frieze Seoul will return for their second joint appearance at the Coex Convention & Exhibition Center.

Both fairs have announced new additions to their line-ups.

Frieze Seoul’s second edition will feature around 120 galleries—including those showing in Frieze Masters—when it returns from 6 to 9 September. That’s up slightly from the 110 galleries who took part in 2022.

The lineup includes local galleries and leading international galleries such as Gagosian, Hauser & Wirth, Lehmann Maupin, Lisson Gallery, Pace, Sprüth Magers David Zwirner, White Cube, and, Almine Rech.

Johannesburg’s Goodman Gallery, San Francisco’s Jessica Silverman, and Tokyo’s SCAI The Bathhouse are among those participating in Frieze Seoul for the first time.

Frieze Masters will present historic and 20th Century artworks from 20 galleries, including Axel Vervoordt, Cardi Gallery, and Gana Art, during Frieze Seoul. The Focus Asia section will also return with ten solo presentations from Asia galleries.

Kiaf Seoul will mark its 20th anniversary this year with more than 210 galleries taking part from 7 to 10 September. That number is a big step up from the 164 participants last year, and exceeds pre-pandemic participation.

Newcomers include New York’s Denny Gallery, who will present work by emerging painter Jessie Edelman. Other newcomers include Munich’s Galerie Thomas, Hong Kong’s Lucie Chang Fine Arts, Beijing’s Triumph Gallery, and Seoul galleries IAH and Space Willing N Dealing.

They join 130 Korean Galleries including Arario Gallery, Kukje Gallery and PKM Gallery, and international galleries such as London’s Carl Kostáyl, Galleria Continua, and Whitestone Gallery.

Kiaf Plus, which made its debut last year will be more closely connected to the main fair this year. The platform dedicated to emerging artists, new media, and NFTs will occupy the COEX Grand Ballroom, showcasing works from 32 galleries.

The full list of participating galleries for Frieze Seoul is here, and for Kiaf Seoul can be found here. —[O]