Frieze Seoul Will Move to a New, Zaha Hadid-Designed Location in 2027

The organisers of mega art fair Frieze Seoul have announced a change of venue for the fair’s sixth edition in 2027, in response to the planned redevelopment of its established location.

Frieze Seoul will move to Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) while Coex, which has hosted the fair since its launch in 2022, is being remodelled. DDP, designed by Zaha Hadid, is one of Korea’s most recognisable cultural venues and has welcomed more than 120 million visitors since it opened in 2014.

In a statement, Frieze Seoul organisers explained that the move will give the fair “a more concentrated footprint” and that the 2027 edition will be “carefully edited… allowing each gallery and presentation greater prominence within a single, focused environment”.

The relocation shifts Frieze Seoul from Gangnam to Dongdaemun. However, the fair’s wider programme, such as the Neighbourhood Nights initiative throughout Seoul’s gallery districts, will continue.

Frieze Seoul director Patrick Lee said: “Frieze Seoul has never been about a building. It is about the artists, galleries and institutions that make this city one of the most compelling places in the world to look at art, and about the audiences who come with real curiosity.

“DDP is an extraordinary setting and a landmark that Seoul has made its own,” he added. “Its distinctive architecture… will create new possibilities for our galleries, and I look forward to seeing how they respond.”

Kiaf Seoul will remain at Coex in 2027 and will continue to take place in partnership with Frieze Seoul. The two fairs will also continue to offer joint programming and visitors will still be able to purchase a ticket granting access to both events.

Frieze Seoul’s move follows the recent announcement of a new domestic headline partner for the fair, Shinsegae Group. The retail, leisure and hotel group’s partnership will last until 2030.

A statement from the group said that the partnership aims to boost the international status of Korean art by “strengthening collaboration with domestic cultural and artistic institutions and expanding exchanges with overseas cultural and artistic networks”, with a long-term goal of “establishing a foundation for domestic artists and galleries to connect more actively with the global market and to contribute to the growth of Korea as an Asian cultural and artistic hub”.

This is not Shinsegae Group’s first involvement with the art world. In 1963, it opened the Shinsegae Gallery, described as “the first art-specialised space in the domestic retail industry”. The group also operates the social-media-famous Byeolmagang Library at Coex and the Josun Palace art tour.