This line-up places the narratives of Korean modern art (Cheon Kyeongja, Chae Yong-shin, Kim Ki-chang) alongside contemporary formal inquiry (Lee Ufan, Lee Kang-so) and the global economics of the sign (Andy Warhol). Different eras and sensibilities intersect so that narrative, form, and symbol circulate—this is the tone of the sale.


 
Highlights

Cheon Kyeongja, Scent of Mimosa (1977) — Estimate KRW 500–800 million (about USD 360,000–576,000)

A field of yellow mimosa governs the painting’s mood. The outward gaze meets an inwardly accumulating sentiment; memories from the artist’s Paris days and the lyricism of the female portrait are condensed. The triangle of narrative–color–gaze holds steady.

 
Lee Ufan, With the Wind (1990) — Opening bid KRW 900 million (about USD 648,000)

A transitional breath from the physical pressure of the brush in the From the Wind series toward the traces of the atmosphere. The vehemence of the stroke settles into a contained rhythm, foreshadowing a turn toward Correspondence. Attend to the work’s static tension.
 

Andy Warhol, Campbell’s Soup II — Estimate KRW 500–1,000 million (about USD 360,000–720,000)

Repetition, uniform scale, grid. Warhol’s standard time of the image is on full display. When the standardized emblem of everyday life locks cleanly with the viewer’s memory, liquid value is generated.

 
Andy Warhol, Dollar Sign — Estimate KRW 450–800 million (about USD 324,000–576,000)

The “$” symbol is pushed to the fore, declaring the equation sign = desire. In 2025 Seoul, the irony remains fresh—branding and value intersect in their most minimal form.

Supporting Line-up

Lee Kang-so, Untitled–91016 (1991, 200-size, 193.7×259.4 cm) — Estimate KRW 140–300 million (about USD 101,000–216,000)
 
A material blow the camera can’t deliver. The density of gesture takes the room.

Chae Yong-shin, Portrait of Shin Gi-young (late Joseon)

A historical portrait balancing documentary value and painterly force, expanding the sale’s time axis into the past.

 

Unbo Kim Ki-chang, Image of the Primordial Age (Taego-ui Image)

At the crossroads of East Asian vital brush energy and modern abstraction; the line acquires rhythm and sets the surface pulsing.
 


Preview Tips

Cheon → Lee Ufan: view them in sequence with the keywords “gaze” and “breath.” The contrast between stillness and flow makes each work’s respiration audible.

Warhol pairing: compare repetitive array (Soup) and single emblem foregrounded (Dollar) side by side; feel how one artist’s semiotics demand different modes of looking.

Scale check: in front of Lee Kang-so’s large canvas, change distance and angle for at least a minute to catch the gesture’s waves.


 
Market Notes

The sale ultimately underscores a narrative premium. Domestic collectors continue to respond to verified stories and quality (Cheon Kyeongja, Lee Ufan). As a global icon, Warhol is sensitive to FX shifts yet benefits from recognition and liquidity. From a portfolio perspective, the hybrid mix of modern, pop, and historical portraiture diversifies risk and widens a collection’s temporal horizon.

This evening, narrative weight and image liquidity meet on the same stage. Between well-written history and free-floating symbols—write your valuation in your mind first. The auction has already begun.


 
Sale Details
Auction: Monday, August 26, Seoul Auction Gangnam Center
Preview: August 15–26, free admission
Lots: 94 works / Aggregate estimate ~KRW 6.1 billion (about USD 4.39 million)
* USD figures are approximate, converted at ~KRW 1,388 per USD.  

References

• Seoul Auction