Frieze Seoul returns for its fourth edition at Coex from September 3 to 6 with 120 galleries, maintaining last year's scale. Asian galleries now represent 64 percent of exhibitors, up from 48 percent, signaling a stronger regional identity. Notable non-returning galleries include Blum, Karma, and Neugerriemschneider. Meanwhile, Kiaf Seoul will run concurrently with 176 exhibitors, and Art021 Group suspended its 2025 Hong Kong show after a single edition. Gallery Weekend Beijing concluded its ninth edition with a new invitation-only model, and several Asian-rooted artists are featured in London Gallery Weekend. New institutions opened, including the Photography Seoul Museum of Art and the Naoshima New Museum of Art, while the inaugural Bukhara Biennial program was announced.
This article matters because it captures a pivotal moment for Asia's art market, where fairs like Frieze Seoul are deepening their regional focus amid a challenging global environment. The shift toward Asian galleries and the suspension of Art021 Hong Kong reflect strategic recalibrations. The opening of state-funded photography museums and new biennials underscores Asia's growing institutional infrastructure, positioning the region as an increasingly self-sufficient and influential art hub.