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Frieze operates some of the world’s most prominent art fairs, whether they be staged in New York, Los Angeles, or, most recently, in Seoul. Held from September 3 to 6, 2025, in the city’s vibrant Gangnam district, this year’s edition of Frieze Seoul showcased how exciting the contemporary art scene is not just in Korea, but in Asia as a whole.
But, even with its emphasis on Asian art, Frieze Seoul maintained a global perspective, gathering more than 120 exhibitors from 28 countries. The fair’s various galleries and institutions perfectly encapsulated that attitude, featuring international heavyweights like David Zwirner, Hauser & Wirth, Gladstone, White Cube, and Sprüth Magers, among others. Significant participation was also recorded from Japan, Taiwan, and China, as well as Indonesia and Thailand.
“[The fair’s] momentum carried throughout the week, reaffirming Seoul’s role as a vital meeting point in the global art calendar,” Patrick Lee, director of Frieze Seoul, said. “Most significant is the way Frieze Seoul continues to strengthen connections between Korea’s rich ecosystem of institutions, scholars, dedicated collectors, and the international art world.”
It should perhaps come as no surprise, then, that the art fair saw some remarkable sales. Hauser & Wirth, for instance, made major placements across Asia, including Mark Bradford’s 2025 triptych Okay, then I apologize for $4.5 million and George Condo’s painting Purple Sunshine for $1.2 million. Thaddaeus Ropac snagged $900,000 for an Alex Katz Painting, while White Cube sold a Cerith Wyn Evans neon for $150,000.
This isn’t to say that Korean galleries didn’t perform equally well. Hakgojae sold several works throughout the week, such as Kim Whanki’s 1962 oil on canvas Cloud and the Moon for about $1.4 million. Kukje Gallery placed over 30 pieces, most notably a Park Seo-Bo mixed media work in the $540,000 to $648,000 range. New York’s Tina Kim Gallery secured $350,000 for a Kim Tschang-Yeul painting, and Gallery Hyundai sold a Chung Sang-Hwa painting for around $600,000.
Aside from its strong sales, Frieze Seoul offered two specialist sections, contextualizing and exploring Asian art history and culture. Frieze Masters showcased post-war and modern art from the region, with a particular focus on Japanese abstraction, the Taiwanese avant-garde, and more. Focus Asia, on the other hand, prioritized 10 solo presentations by emerging artists, exemplifying the fair’s commitment to blue-chip artists and rising stars alike.
Taken in its entirety, Frieze Seoul should be considered a success—at least that seems to be the overwhelming opinion of its exhibiting galleries.
“Within the first ten minutes of the fair opening we met amazing American museum patrons at our booth and sold multiple works, including to a U.S. institution,” Atsuko Ninagawa, founder of Take Ninagawa, remarked. “Something in particular that Frieze Seoul delivers for us is an abundance of female collectors and I am grateful for the opportunity to place works with great collections here run by women.”
Max Bossier, director of Lisson Gallery, echoed the sentiment: “We were positively surprised by the energy of the fair this year. Local collectors and museums came on the first day to view works in person and acquired a majority of the pieces on our booth.”
“Seoul really delivered this year—not just at the fair, but across the city,” Tina Kim added. “It’s clear that the Korean market remains resilient and is becoming an increasingly vital hub for serious collectors, curators, and institutions.”
To learn more about upcoming events and art fairs, visit the Frieze website.
Held in the city’s vibrant Gangnam district, this year’s edition of Frieze Seoul celebrated the contemporary art scene not just in Korea, but in Asia as a whole.
Photo: WeCap Studio
Photo: WeCap Studio
Photo: WeCap Studio
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Photo: WeCap Studio
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The renowned art fair gathered more than 120 galleries from 28 countries.
Photo: WeCap Studio
Photo: WeCap Studio
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Aside from its innovative selection of art, Frieze Seoul saw major success in sales, both for blue-chip and emerging artists alike.
Photo: WeCap Studio
Photo: WeCap Studio
Photo: WeCap Studio
Photo: WeCap Studio
Photo: WeCap Studio
Photo: WeCap Studio