Kiaf Partners with Jung Kooho to Transform the Visitor Experience

September 2-6 at COEX: 175 Galleries from Korea and Abroad
Expanded Kiaf PLUS and Solo Booths
Held Concurrently with Frieze Seoul

"A new equilibrium between technology and sensibility."

Director Kooho Jung. Photo by Younghan Heo younghan@

Celebrating its 25th anniversary, Kiaf SEOUL has made "visitor experience" its main strategy for this year. For the first time, Kiaf has introduced an external creative director system, appointing Director Jung Kooho to oversee exhibition flow, spatial design, branding, and special exhibition planning. The goal is to go beyond simply displaying artworks, by reimagining how visitors move and linger within the art fair.

On June 9, the Galleries Association of Korea held a pre-event briefing and revealed the main participating galleries and programs for "Kiaf SEOUL 2026." This year, Kiaf SEOUL will take place from September 2 to 6 at Halls A and B, and the Grand Ballroom on the first floor of COEX in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. The event is organized by the Galleries Association of Korea and COEX, with the Kiaf Organizing Committee serving as the main host.

This year’s event will see participation from 175 galleries across 18 countries. Major Korean galleries such as Gallery Hyundai, Kukje Gallery, Gana Art, Sun Gallery, Pyogallery, Johyun Gallery, Wooson Gallery, Hakgojae, and Arario Gallery will be joined by international names including Whitestone Gallery from Hong Kong, Art of the World Gallery from Houston, USA, and Kornfeld Gallery from Berlin, Germany.

There are 20 new galleries joining this year. Internationally, 15 galleries are participating for the first time, including Nino Mier Gallery from New York, Jacob Arthur Gallery from Los Angeles, Anna Nova Gallery from St. Petersburg, Russia, and JD Malat from London, UK. Domestically, five galleries—Gallery Hesed, Hedbie Gallery, Karin, Hori Art Space, and CDA—will set up booths for the first time.

Kiaf SEOUL 2025 panorama. Kiaf

The most significant change this year is the adoption of an external creative director system. This is the first time Kiaf has appointed someone from outside the association as creative director. Director Jung has led spatial design and branding projects for the fashion brand KUHO, as well as for national art institutions’ performances and craft/art exhibition projects. At Kiaf SEOUL 2026, he will revamp the exhibition structure and visitor flow with a visitor-centric approach, and take charge of transforming the overall impression of the fair through special exhibitions and interactive spaces.

'Kiaf PLUS,' which introduces emerging artists and galleries, will also continue this year. In 2026, Kiaf PLUS will feature 19 galleries: 8 from Korea and 11 from overseas. Domestic participants include Azulejo Gallery, CDA, Gallery Hesed, Hedbie Gallery, Gallery Graph, PVG, Gallery Hue, and Karin. International participants include Joyman Gallery, Hyde Gallery, Sara Crown, Sistema Gallery, Tsutaya Books, and YOD Tokyo.

There will also be solo booths spotlighting individual artists. This year, 15 galleries will participate in the solo booth section—8 from Korea and 7 from overseas. Korean artists featured include Kim Seoyeon from Doing Art, Kim Nampyo from Hori Art Space, Kim Seoul from Art Factory, Joseph Choi from Yoon Sun Gallery, Kwon Hoonchill from Gallery Dool, Shim Chulwoong from Moin Gallery, Kwak Namsin from Phil Gallery, and Cha Hyerim from PV Gallery.

2026 Kiaf HIGHLIGHTS Semifinalists - 10 Artists (From top left clockwise: Gosari, Lee Jaesam, Lee Chaeyoung, Lim Nosik, Lim Hyunjung, Yui Suzuki, Xevi Sol, Mathew Stone, Ji Geunwook, Jo Kyungjae) with their respective participating galleries.

The ten semifinalists for the artist support program "Kiaf HIGHLIGHTS" have also been announced. The selected artists are Gosari, Lee Jaesam, Lee Chaeyoung, Lim Nosik, Lim Hyunjung, Jo Kyungjae, Ji Geunwook, Mathew Stone, Xevi Sol, and Yui Suzuki. This year, to provide a more focused presentation of the selected artists' work, a separate exhibition space will be set up within each gallery booth using an "in-booth" format.

Kiaf SEOUL will once again be held at COEX during the same period as Frieze Seoul. Frieze Seoul runs from September 2 to 5, while Kiaf SEOUL continues until September 6. The event will also be linked to the "Korea Art Festival" by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, as well as Seoul Art Week. Hannam Night will take place on September 1, Cheongdam Night on September 2, and Samcheong Night on September 3.

Integrated tickets will also be available. A limited number of Kiaf·Frieze integrated tickets will be sold at a 30% discount, with reservations open from 11 a.m. on the 15th via the official Kiaf website. To disperse visitor traffic, regular tickets will be divided into entry before and after 3 p.m.

Lee Sunghoon, Chair of the Kiaf Organizing Committee, stated, "Major galleries from around the world and leading Korean galleries will gather together to solidify Kiaf’s standing as an international platform that surveys the diverse trends and possibilities of contemporary art."

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