In June 2025, global art media outlet ‘Artnet News’ named Art Busan 2025 as “one of Asia’s most promising art fairs,” spotlighting the strategic potential of Busan as a rising counterpoint to Seoul’s dominant position in the Korean art market. Rather than a mere expansion in size, this year’s edition distinguished itself through curatorial depth, maturity of market participants, and a structural approach to cultivating emerging artist ecosystems—offering a new model for art fairs in East Asia.
 
With 109 galleries from 17 countries participating, Art Busan 2025 positioned itself not just as a platform for transactions, but as a site for curatorial experimentation, long-term relationship-building, and intellectual engagement. Artnet quoted Marius Wilm, director of Berlin’s Société gallery, who noted that “visitors are arriving well-prepared, asking better questions, and seeking deeper interactions.” This, he suggested, reflects the emergence of a trust-based collecting culture developing organically at the regional level.
 
Among the most compelling elements was the ‘CONNECT’ curatorial section, organized under the theme ‘Territories and Boundaries.’ Structured as 11 independent presentations, the section achieved museum-level storytelling and sensory depth within the context of an art fair—an experimental model that Artnet highlighted as a meaningful attempt to reconcile market dynamics with exhibition value.

Also notable was the ‘Future’ section for emerging galleries, which introduced the inaugural ‘Future Art Award’ this year. This marks a strategic shift from simple discovery to sustainable integration—providing structural support for young artists to grow and remain active within the market. Artnet praised this development, noting that Art Busan is “reinforcing its role as a platform for supporting young talent.”

The potential for Busan as a regional base with global reach was another highlight. Several international gallerists remarked that audiences in Busan are “well-prepared, serious, and focused more on building relationships than on one-off consumption.” This suggests that Busan is not merely a satellite of Seoul, but a self-sustaining platform within the broader art market ecosystem.

However, to avoid letting these achievements become momentary successes, the fair must now prepare for its next evolution. First, programs such as CONNECT and Future must be embedded as part of Art Busan’s long-term identity, with stable funding and consistent curatorial evaluation systems. Second, support for emerging artists must extend beyond discovery toward facilitating international careers and institutional validation. Third, deeper and more structural international networking is essential—including long-term engagement with the art scenes of Southeast and East Asia, and stronger partnerships with critics, collectors, and institutions worldwide.

Art Busan 2025 has redefined what a "good art fair" can be through the three pillars of curatorial strength, participant composition, and audience engagement. But now, the challenge lies in whether this promising structure can evolve into a truly sustainable platform.

Artnet’s recognition is more than an external endorsement—it signals a shift within the Korean art market itself. If Art Busan can strategically harness and expand upon this momentum, it could solidify its place as a core node in a multipolar Asian art world, transcending Seoul’s centrality and shaping the future of contemporary art across the region.

References

• 아트넷 (Artnet)