In recent years, Busan has emerged as a popular destination for international visitors. With its port and maritime tourism infrastructure, film and music festivals, and the growing wave of K-culture, the number of global tourists has steadily increased. Against this backdrop, Busan has sought to move beyond being a tourist destination to establish itself as a world-class city of culture and the arts.

In September 2025, Seoul once again draws the attention of the global art world. Marking its 24th edition at COEX, Kiaf SEOUL 2025 adopts ‘Resonance’ as its theme. The fair emphasizes not just market expansion but the creation of deeper structures through the shared reverberations of artists, galleries, and institutions.

On August 8, Seoul’s National Assembly Members’ Office Building played host to a marathon policy seminar, ambitiously titled “Legal Support Measures for Art Market Revitalization.”

In 2025, two of Korea’s most prominent art figures have returned to lead major cultural institutions. Yoo Hong-jun, former Administrator of the Cultural Heritage Administration, has been appointed Director of the National Museum of Korea, while Yoon Bum-mo, former Director of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA), has taken the helm as the new CEO of the Gwangju Biennale. Both are respected art historians, critics, and curators with long careers in the field. Their return has inspired expectations of “stability” and “experience.”

Since the early 2020s, the global art world has undergone a rapid reconfiguration. At the heart of this transformation is an unprecedented focus on Black artists. From major museum exhibitions to art fair demand and collector interest, the entire ecosystem reflects this shift. Yet this isn't merely a passing trend. Rather, it is the visible outcome of two converging cultural forces: Postcolonialism and Political Correctness (PC).

The solo exhibition of Australian hyperrealist sculptor Ron Mueck, currently being held at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA) in Seoul, is drawing more than 5,000 visitors per day and is expected to surpass 500,000 visitors within two months.