FRIEZE SEOUL 2025

At a time when everyone speaks of artificial intelligence, scientific technology, and growth, Gallery Chosun seeks to return to ‘Myth and Narrative.’. In an era where optimism for the future is fading, empathy is waning and uncertainty remains about whether things will improve, the power of storytelling is more vital than ever. The three artists Sunghong Min, Minjung Woo, and Sooryeon Choe summon narrative through diverse media and perspectives. Sunghong Min’s works reassemble discarded objects and deconstructed images, presenting traces and stories of the people who once used and cherished them. Through his hands, the emotions of those repeatedly forced to part with their familiar surroundings amid urban redevelopment and migration are reconnected. His pieces invite viewers to imagine the enduring narratives of objects and beings that are surely fated to be forgotten. Minjung Woo carves mythic images into clay panels. Her motifs figures in motion, forms of animals and plants, elements like fire and water remind us of the primordial order of birth myths before this universe was brought into existence, evoking continuity and a flowing time like running water. Her world shaped by the elemental forces of earth, fire and water, her world, complemented by the breath (air) of both artist and viewers - is strikingly intricate and dynamic. Sooryeon Choe paints traditional Northeast Asian female ghosts and celestial maidens. She then copies Chinese characters from incomprehensible Chinese myths on the canvases. Through her work, she demands that viewers engage with silenced and adrift women as well as the objectified ‘Orient’ in a fresh narrative in her expanded painting.

These artists offer new directions for people adrift in a world permeated with reason and logic. Through art, they seek to re-examine conversations about belief in humanity, connection with others, and the magic that transforms the impossible into possibility - we have long forgotten - by crafting new narratives and inviting fresh ways of reading. Gallery Chosun hopes that through their works presented at Frieze Seoul 2025, viewers may recover a sense of hope and anticipation for beauty.

Since its foundation in 2004, Gallery Chosun has introduced the work of artists who form significant currents in Korean art. In its 21st year of operation, the gallery has continued to reflect on its evolving voice, selected and introduced artists. It works with, supports and respects artists who question the expandability of their medium and strive to prevent art from being isolated from society. Since 2015, Gallery Chosun has also created video archives and sponsored international exchange projects to feature and share these artists’ unique worlds. We firmly believe such efforts leave a beautiful mark on art and society and contribute to preservation of the fragile realm of art.