Frieze Seoul Debuts, the Art Fair’s First Edition in Asia

Frieze held its first fair in Asia from 2 to 5 September 2022 at COEX, the convention centre in Seoul’s Gangnam district. Frieze Seoul brought together more than 110 galleries from 21 countries, and it ran alongside Kiaf Seoul, the long-established fair of the Galleries Association of Korea, which filled the neighbouring halls.

It was the fourth city for Frieze, after London, New York and Los Angeles. About 30 per cent of the participating galleries were Asian. Besides the main section of contemporary art, the fair included Frieze Masters, devoted to historical works and held for the first time outside London, a section for younger Asian galleries, and a film programme featuring ten Korean artists.

The director, Patrick Lee, explained the choice of Seoul by its sophisticated and inquisitive collectors, its artists, its museums and the depth of its gallery scene. The international galleries that had opened branches in the city in the preceding years had come to the same conclusion, and Korea levies no import duty or sales tax on most works of art, which helps.

The first day confirmed the judgment. Galleries reported strong sales from the opening hours, and several remarked on the youth of the buyers, many in their thirties and forties, a younger group than is typical at fairs in Europe or the United States. Dealers in rare books and antiquities, showing in Asia for the first time, were surprised by the crowds. The visit of RM, the leader of BTS and a serious collector, was widely noticed and said something about the place of art in Korean popular culture.

The week around the two fairs has since become a fixture of the Asian art calendar, held each September, with museum openings, gallery nights in Hannam-dong and Samcheong-dong and events across the city. Together with Art Basel in Hong Kong each March, it gives the region two major international art weeks.

For visitors to Seoul, early September is now one of the best moments to see the city, and one of the hardest to find a hotel room. COEX is in Gangnam, close to Josun Palace and Andaz Seoul Gangnam.