Chung Yongjin Reinforces Customer Experience Through Art... Shinsegae Joins as Frieze Seoul Partner

Official Partnership Through 2030
Chairman Chung Yong-jin Personally Oversees Entire Process

Shinsegae Group is joining forces with the world-renowned art fair 'Frieze Seoul' to strengthen its cultural content, as part of Chairman Chung Yong-jin's customer experience-centered retail strategy.

On August 3, Shinsegae Group announced it would participate as the official headline partner of 'Frieze Seoul 2026', continuing the partnership for five years through 2030. This marks the first time a Korean retail company has taken on the headline partner role for Frieze Seoul.

Provided by Shinsegae Group.

This partnership aligns closely with Chairman Chung Yong-jin's emphasis on retail strategy. He has consistently underscored that a retailer's competitive edge lies not only in product sales but in offering customers 'time and experiences'. Shinsegae Group has devoted significant effort to transforming its shopping spaces into complex lifestyle venues where culture, art, gastronomy, and entertainment can all be enjoyed together.

Chairman Chung personally oversaw the entire negotiation process for this partnership. He stated, "Content that provides customers with new experiences is Shinsegae Group's core asset and a key to our competitiveness," and added, "Through our collaboration with Frieze Seoul, we will provide a differentiated customer experience where retail and art blend naturally, reinforcing Shinsegae’s unique lifestyle platform competitiveness."

Frieze Seoul is a globally renowned art fair that originated in the UK in 2003. In 2022, it selected Seoul as its first Asian host city, and has since established itself as an international art event attracting leading galleries and collectors worldwide. This year’s event will be held from September 2 to 5 at COEX in Seoul, featuring over 125 galleries from more than 30 countries.

Shinsegae Group will support event operations while operating a 'Shinsegae Exclusive Lounge' accessible to all visitors. The group aims to integrate spatial design capabilities and lifestyle content from its affiliates to create a unique space where art and relaxation coexist.

This collaboration holds significance in linking cultural content to the group's customer experience strategy. Shinsegae also aims to expand exchanges among domestic and international galleries, artists, collectors, and cultural organizations, thereby playing a role in boosting the global competitiveness of Korean art.

Shinsegae Group has continuously expanded cultural and artistic content throughout its retail and lifestyle businesses. After opening the Shinsegae Gallery in 1963—the first art-dedicated space in the Korean retail industry—it has continued with initiatives such as the Starfield 'Byeolmadang Library', the emerging artist support program 'Open Art Competition', and Chosun Hotels & Resorts' 'Hidden Art Tour'. By organizing exhibitions, performances, and artist collaborations, Shinsegae has broadened its touchpoints with customers and supported the cultural and art ecosystem.

Shinsegae Group is positioning this partnership as a long-term project. Through five years of cooperation extending until 2030, it plans to help establish Frieze Seoul as Asia’s representative global art platform and further expand the foundation for Korean art to enter overseas markets.

In addition, Shinsegae Group will strengthen collaborations with domestic cultural institutions and expand exchanges with global culture and art networks to help raise the international presence of Korean art. The group aims to lay the groundwork for Korean artists and galleries to actively connect with the global market, and contribute to establishing Korea as an Asian hub for culture and the arts — the long-term objective of this partnership.

A Shinsegae Group representative said, "Based on our participation as the headline partner for Frieze Seoul, we plan to continue broadening efforts to connect art with daily life," and added, "We will keep setting new standards for customer experience through world-class cultural and artistic content, continuously contributing to strengthening the global competitiveness of Korean culture and arts."

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