Korea Opportunities: How Frieze Seoul is Shaping South Korea’s Cultural Landscape

Ahead of the second Frieze Seoul, Prestige catches up with director Patrick Lee and head of VIP and business development Minju Kweon, who explain why the task of cementing their country’s reputation as a global cultural juggernaut extends well beyond the fair itself.

In 2008, Gwangju, a metropolis in the southwest of South Korea, hosted its seventh Biennale, the country’s oldest contemporary art fair. Until then, the fair had been a regional affair, but what set the 2008 edition apart was the enlistment of Massimiliano Gioni, the Italian-born director of New York’s New Museum, as curator. The move resulted in unexpected international attention.

“It was a seminal moment in the recognition of the Korean art scene” says Patrick Lee, director of Frieze Seoul.“ It was the first time in my memory that significant patrons of the arts had ever come to Korea. They were really wowed by it, and I sensed from that day on things would progress quickly.”

Fast-forward 15 years, and not only has Seoul seen an influx of international galleries, including Thaddaeus Ropac, Lehmann Maupin, Pace and, most recently, White Cube, but in 2022 the Korean art market surpassed 1 trillion won (US$780 million) in total sales for the first time. And as I write, South Korea is poised to host the international art community en masse when the second Frieze Seoul opens next month.

Founded in 1993 as an art publication, Frieze later launched a fair in London in 2003 before expanding to New York in 2012, which was followed seven years later with a presence in Los Angeles. But when it set sights on Seoul, Frieze was heading into uncharted territory.

“Frieze had been looking for the right place to launch in Asia for some time” explains Minju Kweon, head of VIP and business development for the fair. Lee agrees, adding that “they really hit a home run with Seoul, because they look at cities that appreciate their culture. And Seoul isn’t just about art; it’s about fashion, it’s about music, it’s about film. And art, in a way, is the most inaccessible at this level.”

The fact that in recent years Korean culture has been riding a wave – or in Korean terms, a hallyu – hardly needs stating. From pop music and TV drama to cuisine, it seems we can’t get enough of Korean content – not to mention the many luxury brands that have been heading to the region, with Gucci holding its Cruise show at Seoul’s Gyeongbokgung Palace just months ago. However, until now the country’s art scene hasn’t enjoyed quite the same level of global attention.

The announcement of Frieze’s entry into Seoul caught some in the art world by surprise. Although historically vibrant, the city wasn’t regarded as on par with other art capitals, such as Paris, London or New York.

For those on the ground, however, it’s testament to a burgeoning art scene that’s been growing organically. “Frieze coming to Seoul is more of a validation of what’s happening,” says Lee. “The art scene here is genuinely deep, with strong roots and excellent infrastructure. The collecting culture is robust, and we have incredible artistic talent, museums and non-profit organisations. I believe Frieze realised the depth of that last year and got a sense of the immense potential here.”

Kweon believes people view Frieze as a “cultural barometer” and emphasises that having the name of one of the world’s leading contemporary art fairs is instrumental in attracting the international audience that came in droves last year.

The 2023 edition will be held again at the COEX centre in Gangnam, hosting 120 galleries from 30 countries. While Kweon says the scope is international, the fair’s core focus is on Korean and Asia-based galleries, with heavyweights such as Gagosian and Hauser & Wirth joined by prominent local names such as Hyundai, Korea’s oldest contemporary gallery.

There will also be a Frieze Masters division for works created before 2000 and a dedicated Focus Asia section in which 10 young Asia-based galleries will each present a solo artist. “The Focus Asia section was important for us to include, because there’s always a huge amount of interest in up-and-coming talent” Kweon says.

With Frieze Seoul running alongside Kiaf, “the joint programming gives us the opportunity to appeal to a great range of collectors and art lovers,” she says. “Together, we can have a great collective impact internationally.”

At its best, an art fair should be a place of cultural exchange; if done right, it should serve as platform to propel Korean artists to international recognition, but with galleries from Europe and North America bringing their own artists, is there a danger of Frieze becoming one-sided?

“I’m very bullish on that” says Lee, “because the talent is there, everything is there, so now you’re going to see even more exposure of amazing Korean artists.”

As for this year’s highlights, Lee says he’s excited about the programming, which will comprise films, talks and the debut of the Frieze music initiative in Seoul and reflects the fair’s ethos that “it’s not just about the art but the cultural set”. For her part, Kweon, whose role is to facilitate introductions for VIPs, is feeling equally zealous in the run-up. “Last year there were still some travel restrictions in place, but now we’re expecting even greater numbers of collectors from across Asia,” she says.

Another exciting addition will be a commission from fabric installation artist Woo Hannah. Winner of the fair’s inaugural Artist Award, Woo was chosen by a panel of leading critics and curators, with the aim of providing international visibility to an emerging artist. Her installation The Great Ballroom, made from draped fabrics, will be installed in the COEX venue throughout the fair.

“Last year was the first go-around, we were sort of just getting the fair open,” says Lee. For the second edition, Frieze is doubling down on efforts to ensure the momentum extends well beyond the fair. “The whole city will be activated – every museum and every gallery and all the major institutions,” he adds.

Art spaces in districts such as Hannam- dong and Samcheong-dong will participate in late opening nights, while 14 artists will be showing at non-profit spaces across the city. Frieze has also been working closely with the government to reschedule other events to coincide with the fair, so all benefit from cross-participation. The Seoul Biennale of Architecture will now open on September 1, and Seoul Fashion Week, usually held in October, has been rescheduled to run on September 5-9.

One gets the impression the fair’s success won’t be measured solely by the number of visitors or sales, hugely important though both may be. Instead, it’s about the city proving its reputation to the international audience. While Kweon says she hopes Frieze Seoul will be “a window on to the wider cultural landscape of South Korea”, Lee adds.

“We hope visitors will maximise their time and explore the city. I really hope that we can continue the progression that we saw last year, and that Seoul can further solidify its position as a dynamic place that people feel compelled to visit to experience the art and culture.”