In September 2025, Kiaf and Frieze Seoul returned to COEX and the Jamsil area, reaffirming Korea’s position as a central hub of Asian art despite the uncertainty of the global art market.
 
The most striking feature of this year’s fair was the prominence of young Korean artists. In their 30s and 40s, these artists presented a wide range of practices—from abstract painting to installation, video, and sound—signaling not only commercial success but also a generational shift and aesthetic transformation within contemporary Korean art.
 
Among the highlights of Frieze Seoul 2025 were the presentations of Chu Mirim, Im Youngzoo, and Hyunsun Jeon.

Baik Art introduced new works by Chu Mirim, whose practice combines sound, video, and sculptural objects to immerse audiences directly into the work’s environment. Rhythmic vibrations and projections expanded the experience beyond visual perception into physical sensation. Visitors lingered in the booth, responding bodily to the pulsations emanating from the work.
 
Selected for Frieze Focus Asia, Im Youngzoo drew international attention with a large-scale video installation addressing political narratives and collective memory.

Themes such as division, migration, and national identity were woven together using drone footage, archival images, and recorded interviews. Large screens and multi-channel sound surrounded viewers, producing the sensation of standing amid fragments of history and present-day tensions. Im’s work extended beyond a strictly Korean context, symbolizing how Asian contemporary artists engage in dialogue with the world.

Another significant moment was the introduction of Korean painter Hyunsun Jeon by the renowned German gallery Esther Schipper. Jeon is known for her vivid palette, humorous line drawings, and the ability to transform everyday scenes into mythic imagery.
 
At Frieze, her canvases intertwined figures, objects, and symbols in a dynamic composition that maintained a distinctly Korean sensibility while also presenting a universal visual language. This collaboration with an international gallery underscored the potential for her work to expand beyond the local context into the global art scene.

Meanwhile, Dew Kim attracted international attention with installations and performances that merge queer identity with religious iconography. His works visualize the boundaries of gender, corporeality, and desire, demonstrating how contemporary Korean art can connect to broader global discourses.
 
Together, these cases reveal three common tendencies among the younger generation. First, the post-Dansaekhwa generation reclaims materiality and painterly gesture, signaling a return of abstract painting. Second, issues of queerness, identity, and social narratives have been brought to the forefront, aligning with the language of global contemporary art. Third, experiments with sound, video, and installation dissolve medium-specific boundaries, proving that art fairs can function not only as sites of commerce but also as platforms for aesthetic experimentation.
 
Yet challenges remain alongside these achievements. Beyond short-term exposure in overseas markets, young artists require sustainable internationalization and network building. Institutional foundations—museums, archives, and critical platforms—must be strengthened to document and support their growth. The rapid rise of prices and collector interest must not reduce their practices to short-lived commodities; a balance between market and critical discourse is essential.
 
For emerging galleries, international expansion will require greater resources and networks. Above all, the translation of uniquely Korean experiences into a globally legible language remains an urgent task.
 
Kiaf and Frieze Seoul 2025 thus confirmed the potential of young Korean artists to leap onto the world stage. The works of Chu Mirim, Im Youngzoo, Hyunsun Jeon, and Dew Kim expanded the spectrum of Korean contemporary art and fostered active dialogue with global audiences. But for these achievements to evolve into lasting success, structural foundations and the accumulation of critical discourse must accompany them.