Despite external chaos, Frieze Seoul soldiers on
The fourth edition of Frieze Seoul (3-6 September) took place alongside the Korea International Art Fair (Kiaf) at the Coex convention centre in Gangnam, amid economic concerns and a slower art market. Despite a modest 0.8% expected growth in South Korea's economy and fewer Western exhibitors, the fair saw strong institutional attendance, including curators from M+, the Museum of Modern Art, and the San Francisco Asian Art Museum, as well as celebrity visitors like BTS members and Blackpink's Lisa. Galleries reported cautious but steady sales, with a notable presence of Asian collectors, particularly from Japan, and a Stand Prize awarded to Kohesi Initiatives for a politically charged booth by Timoteus Anggawan Kusno.
