Frieze and Kiaf announce exhibitors for 2025 Seoul art fairs

Frieze and the Korean International Art Fair (Kiaf) have announced exhibitors for their respective art fairs for 2025 in Seoul, which both open concurrently from September 3rd–7th in the COEX exhibition center.

Now in its fourth iteration, Frieze Seoul 2025 will host more than 120 exhibitors from 30 countries. This year’s edition also features more than 20 newcomers from around the globe, including Athens space The Breeder, Hong Kong’s De Sarthe, and New York’s Carvalho Park. The main galleries section, featuring more than 80 exhibitors, sees blue-chip galleries such as Thaddaeus Ropac, Gagosian, and Hauser & Wirth returning to the fair, as well as Korean heavyweights such as Kukje Gallery and Gallery Baton.

Other sections at the fair are Focus Asia, featuring 10 solo presentations of emerging artists; and Frieze Masters, which will host 20 booths of works that span the Middle Ages to the 20th century. “The fair has quickly become an essential meeting point for Korean and international audiences,” said the fair’s director, Patrick Lee. The fair takes place during the third quarter, when the $200 million acquisition of the Frieze brand by an Ari Emmanuel-led venture is set to close. It will also coincide with the Armory Show in New York, which Frieze acquired in 2023.

The fair also announced a program of “Frieze Week” events and activations taking place across the Korean capital. These include late-night gallery openings, Frieze Live, Frieze Film, and Frieze Music events.

Kiaf Seoul, meanwhile, will host 176 exhibitors from over 20 countries for its 24th edition, down from 206 exhibitors at last year’s fair. More than 120 of the galleries taking part are from Korea, and the fair will also feature 22 first-time participants. These include Paris’s The Bridge Gallery, Korean space Yoonsun Gallery, and Hong Kong’s Art Of Nature Contemporary. In addition to the main galleries section, the fair will host the fourth edition of Kiaf PLUS, its curated platform for emerging artists and galleries which will feature 20 participants including Seoul’s THEO. The fair will also host panel discussions, in collaboration with Frieze and Korea Arts Management Service.

“This year, Kiaf is focusing on improving the quality of exhibition content and refining the selection of participating galleries, to continue our mission of elevating the strongest selection of both international and Korean art to our global audience,” said Sung Hoon Lee, president of the Galleries Association of Korea, which operates the event.