'Hwarang Art Fair Closes as Largest Ever...Prudent Consumption Drives the Market'

169 Galleries Participate, Drawing 50,000 Visitors
Solo Booths and Emerging Artists in the Spotlight
Active Trading of Mid- to Lower-Priced Works

The longest-running art fair in Korea, the Hwarang Art Fair, concluded its five-day run at COEX in Samseong-dong, Seoul, on April 12. This year's event was the largest ever, with 169 galleries participating, and attracted around 50,000 visitors, including the VIP preview, reaffirming the strong interest in Korea's art market in the first half of the year. However, the trading pattern was clear: rather than high-priced works, practical consumption focused on moderately priced pieces and emerging artists stood out.

2026 Hwarang Art Fair Solo Booth. Korea Art Dealers Association

Jointly hosted by the Korea Gallery Association and COEX, this year's Hwarang Art Fair enhanced the density of its exhibitions with a special show celebrating the Association's 50th anniversary, expanded solo booths, and the Emerging Artists Special Exhibition "ZOOM-IN Edition 7." On the opening day, April 8, a long queue formed before the doors even opened for the VIP preview, which drew about 4,500 attendees. During the general admission period, there was a steady influx of younger generations and families, leading to a total visitor count of approximately 50,000.

The most distinct trend at this year's fair was cautious spending. While there were some high-value transactions, overall sales were evenly distributed among mid- to lower-priced works. A representative from a mid-sized gallery remarked, "The Hwarang Art Fair has always seen a significant number of sales for works priced around 5 million won. This year, too, visitors and collectors carefully considered their options and explored their individual tastes."

In fact, even at major galleries, transactions were more active for works in comparatively accessible price ranges than for high-priced pieces. At Kukje Gallery, works by Julian Opie in the 90 million won range, as well as pieces by Kim Yoon-shin and Lee Hee-jun, were sold; at Jason Ham, one work by Lee Mok-ha was traded for about 200 million won. Concrete Gallery, LEE & BAE, Ewhaik Gallery, and Gallery Sklo also reported sales, but it was the broad demand for mid- to lower-priced works, rather than ultra-high-priced transactions over 100 million won, that drove the overall market.

2026 Hwarang Art Fair view. Korea Gallery Association

This trend was even more apparent at the booths of emerging artists. At Now Gallery, Kidari Gallery, Gallery Bakyoung, and UM Gallery, works priced at or below 1 million won, or in a comparatively reasonable range, were sold out or sold briskly. Among Millennials & Gen Z collectors, there was a continued demand for "first-time purchases," illustrating that the Hwarang Art Fair remains a gateway for new collector engagement.

In terms of exhibition composition, the expansion of solo booths was notable. The single-artist spotlight section, introduced last year, was expanded this year to include 19 galleries and was placed along the main route in Hall C, increasing the time visitors spent at the fair.

Patrick Hughes at Park Yousook Gallery, Chae Lim at Hakgojae, Moon Hyungtae at Gana Art, Kim Jeonghan at PILLAR Gallery, and Jung Hyun at PKM Gallery all drew significant attention on site. The format of intensively showcasing a single artist proved effective for both viewing and consultation.

Long-established galleries also asserted their presence in their own ways. Chosun Gallery, a founding member and former president of the Korea Gallery Association, highlighted its historical and symbolic significance at this fair. Saemteo Gallery presented the works of Dansaekhwa masters Park Seo-bo and Yun Hyong-keun alongside the sculptural works of artist Lee Myung-sook, layering tradition and contemporary sensibility within a single booth. The 50th anniversary special exhibition, which retraced the Association's history, offered a concise overview of the formation and evolution of the Korean art market through archival materials and interview videos with former presidents.

2026 Hwarang Art Fair Emerging Artists Special Exhibition ZOOM-IN Edition 7 Exclusive Booth. Korean Art Dealers Association

The Emerging Artists Special Exhibition "ZOOM-IN Edition 7" was also a major highlight of this year's Hwarang Art Fair. Ten artists—Kim Sooyeon, Park Siwol, Song Daseul, Yoon Inseon, Lee Suji, Lee Shina, Lee Jin-yi, Jung Mijeong, Jung Jin, and Ha Sungwook—participated, each presenting a contemporary sensibility through different media and perspectives. Works were also sold on site. The Grand Prize went to Song Daseul, the Excellence Award to Ha Sungwook, the Merit Award to Jung Jin, and the KB Star Award to Joyce Jin and Song Inwook.

This year's Hwarang Art Fair, held on an unprecedented scale, concluded with strong attendance, but sales were centered on mid- to lower-priced works and emerging artists, reflecting a more cautious market sentiment.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.