The Korea Art Authentication and Appraisal Institute (KAAAI) released its "2025 Art Market Analysis Report" on January 21, 2026, revealing that the Korean art market grew 5.16% in total auction sales to 142.7 billion won, despite a decline in the number of lots offered. The global market saw a similar trend: combined sales at Christie's, Sotheby's, and Phillips rose 11.1% to $4.56 billion, but the number of works sold fell by 33.3%. Demand concentrated on high-priced blue-chip works by artists like Gustav Klimt, Claude Monet, Mark Rothko, René Magritte, and Jean-Michel Basquiat, while ultra-contemporary art sales plunged 39.1%.
This matters because the report confirms a deepening polarization in the art market, where only works by proven, historically validated artists survived the economic downturn. The shift from speculative, pandemic-era buying of emerging artists to a focus on long-term sustainability signals a fundamental change in collector behavior. Experts predict a quiet recovery in 2026, but one that will remain concentrated in specific categories and regions rather than spreading evenly across the market.