Top News Picks - K-ARTNOW
Top News Picks
Delivering essential Korean contemporary art news every week.

Latest News

Artist_News Seoyoung Chung & Hong Lee Hyunsook & Hyun Nahm Participate in the 59th Carnegie International Seoyoung Chung, Hong Lee Hyunsook, and Hyun Nahm, three contemporary Korean artists, will participate in the 59th Carnegie International, which is scheduled to open on May 2.
2026.02.24
Artist_News Christine Sun Kim Selected as Artist for ‘MMCA X LG OLED Series 2026’ The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea (MMCA), in partnership with LG Electronics, has selected Christine Sun Kim as the participating artist for 《MMCA X LG OLED Series 2026》, a project dedicated to presenting experimental and forward-looking practices in contemporary art.
2026.02.24
Museum_News Nam June Paik 20th Anniversary Commemoration: 2026 Major Programs at the Nam June Paik Art Center The Nam June Paik Art Center (Director: Park Namhee) has announced its major initiatives for 2026, grounded in the Center’s vision of “a museum connected through art and technology.” Reflecting this vision, the museum will actively implement exhibitions, educational programs, academic projects, and public events throughout the year.
2026.02.24

Made possible by

Artist

Artist_News Seoyoung Chung & Hong Lee Hyunsook & Hyun Nahm Participate in the 59th Carnegie International Seoyoung Chung, Hong Lee Hyunsook, and Hyun Nahm, three contemporary Korean artists, will participate in the 59th Carnegie International, which is scheduled to open on May 2.
2026.02.24
Artist_News Christine Sun Kim Selected as Artist for ‘MMCA X LG OLED Series 2026’ The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea (MMCA), in partnership with LG Electronics, has selected Christine Sun Kim as the participating artist for 《MMCA X LG OLED Series 2026》, a project dedicated to presenting experimental and forward-looking practices in contemporary art.
2026.02.24
Artist_News Nam June Paik’s〈Robot K-456〉, Revived After 30 Years On January 28 and 29, marking the 20th anniversary of Nam June Paik’s passing, the event 《AI Robot Opera》 was held at the Nam June Paik Art Center.
2026.02.10
Artist_News Artist Theresa Hak Kyung Cha’s Largest-Ever Monograph, “Theresa Hak Kyung Cha: Multiple Offerings” To Be Published The largest monograph to date on Theresa Hak Kyung Cha, renowned for her prescient masterpiece Dictée (1982), titled Theresa Hak Kyung Cha: Multiple Offerings, will be published this June.
2026.02.03
Artist_News Chung Sang-Hwa, a Master of Korean Contemporary Art, Passes Away at 93 On January 28, 2026, Chung Sang-Hwa (1932-2026), a master of Korean contemporary art, passed away peacefully at the age of 93 following a prolonged illness.
2026.02.03
Artist_News MMCA Announced Four Finalists for “Korea Artist Prize 2026” The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea (MMCA; Director Kim Sunghee), in collaboration with the SBS Foundation, has selected four artists—Lee Hai Min Sun, Hong Jin-hwon, Lee Jungwoo, and Jeon Hyunsun—as the sponsored artists for 《Korea Artist Prize 2026》.
2026.01.27

Museum

Museum_News Nam June Paik 20th Anniversary Commemoration: 2026 Major Programs at the Nam June Paik Art Center The Nam June Paik Art Center (Director: Park Namhee) has announced its major initiatives for 2026, grounded in the Center’s vision of “a museum connected through art and technology.” Reflecting this vision, the museum will actively implement exhibitions, educational programs, academic projects, and public events throughout the year.
2026.02.24
Museum_News V&A Museum to Open a Branch in Dongjak-gu, Seoul A branch of the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A), the United Kingdom’s leading museum of decorative arts, will be established in Sadang-dong, Dongjak-gu, Seoul.
2026.02.17
Museum_News Sunpride Foundation Brings Major International Queer Art Exhibition “Spectrosynthesis” to Seoul This March This March, Art Sonje Center in Seoul will present the large-scale queer art exhibition 《Spectrosynthesis Seoul》.
2026.02.10
Museum_News 'Seo-Seoul Museum of Art', Seoul’s First Public Museum Dedicated to New Media Art, Opens March 12 The Seoul Museum of Art (SeMA) announced at a press conference on January 27 that Seo-Seoul Museum of Art (Seo SeMA)—the first public museum in Seoul dedicated to new media art—will officially open on March 12.
2026.02.03
Museum_News Unveiling of MMCA 2026 Line-up and Major Project The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea (MMCA; Director Kim Sunghee) held a press conference on 6 January, and announced its exhibition plans for 2026 together with major initiatives.
2026.01.20
Museum_News MMCA Surpasses 3.37 Million Visitors in 2025 The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea (MMCA) announced that the number of visitors in 2025 surpassed 3.37 million (as of December 20, 2025), marking the highest attendance in the museum’s history since its opening.
2026.01.06
The One & Only Place
Where Korean Contemporary Art
Meets the World Every Moments
Join for Newsletters

& limited access to news & exhibitions

Follow Us on Social Media

Nonprofit

Nonprofit_News Call for Artists to Participate in PS Sarubia's "SO.S" (Sarubia Outreach & Support) Program PS Sarubia will hold a call for artists to participate in the “SO.S” (Sarubia Outreach & Support) program from April 26 to May 26. “SO.S” is a mid-to-long-term artist support program that has been implemented in Sarubia since 2015.
2023.05.17

Biennale

Biennale_News The 13th Seoul Mediacity Biennale Selected for Artforum's 'TOP TEN 2025' The 13th Seoul Mediacity Biennale, which concluded to great acclaim on November 23, has been selected for Artforum’s ‘TOP TEN 2025,’ the annual list published by the leading American contemporary art magazine.
2025.12.09
Biennale_News 13th Seoul Mediacity Biennale Unveils Film, Music, and Theater Programs Ahead of its opening on August 26, the 13th Seoul Mediacity Biennale 《Séance: Technology of Spirit》 has unveiled its film, music, and theater programs.
2025.08.05
Biennale_News Amal Khalaf and Evelyn Simons Appointed as Co-Artistic Directors of the Busan Biennale 2026 The Busan Biennale Organizing Committee has appointed Amal Khalaf (UK/ Bahrain) and Evelyn Simons (Belgium) as co-artistic directors of Busan Biennale 2026.
2025.07.29
Biennale_News 2025 Cheongju Craft Biennale “Re_Crafting Tomorrow” Open on September 4 Mona OREN, The 2025 Cheongju Craft Biennale, set to open on September 4, has officially begun its countdown under the theme “Re-Crafting Tomorrow”, envisioning a new world through craft.
2025.07.22
Biennale_News See Art Festival 2025 “Undercurrents: Waves Walking on the Water” Opens on September 27 The Busan Biennale Organizing Committee has announced that the Sea Art Festival 2025 will take place under the theme 《Undercurrents: Waves Walking on the Water》 at Dadaepo Beach and its surrounding areas from September 27 to November 2, spanning a total of 37 days.
2025.07.01
Biennale_News Korean Pavilion 30th Anniversary Archive Book, “International Architecture Exhibition — Korean Pavilion at the Venice Biennale 1996–2025,” Has Been Published The Arts Council Korea (ARKO) has published an archival publication commemorating the 30th anniversary of the Korean Pavilion: “International Architecture Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia, The Korean Pavilion 1996–2025.”
2025.06.17

Art Market

Art Market_News The Korean Art Auction Market in the 3rd Quarter of 2024 Saw 26% Decrease Compared to the Previous Year The "2024 3rd Quarter Art Market Report," released on October 31 by the Korea Art Authentication & Appraisal Research Center's corporate research lab KAAI, indicated that the slump in the Korean art market continues.
2024.11.19
Art Market_News South Korea’s MCST Plans to Implement Art Policies for the Continued Growth of the Korean Art Market, Which Exceeded 1 Trillion KRW in 2022 Over the past year, many local experts predicted that the size of the Korean art market would surpass 1 trillion KRW (Korean won) in 2022. This speculation has turned out to be true, as the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST) and the Korea Arts Management Service (KAMS) announced on January 4, 2023, that the size of the art market in 2022 was estimated to be 1.0377 trillion KRW (approximately $1 billion USD).
2023.01.09
Art Market_News "Korea Art Market 2022" Delivers Various Trends and Issues in the Korean Art Market in English The most-searched term in the Korean art world in 2022 was “Frieze Seoul.” The inaugural fair received not only explosive attention from the domestic art world but also aroused international interest in the Korean art market, bringing many global artists to Korea.
2023.01.02
Art Market_News Korean Arts Management Services Estimates the Size of the Korean Art Market in 2021 The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Korea (MCST) and the Korean Arts Management Services (KAMS) have been publishing a report on the previous year’s Korean art market since 2008.
2022.02.21

Auction

Auction_News Seoul Auction to Host ‘Connect Seoul 2024’ During Frieze·Kiaf Seoul Week Seoul Auctions hosts ‘Connect Seoul 2024,’ a series of exhibitions and events from August 24 to September 13 at its Gangnam Center, to coincide with Frieze-Kiaf Seoul Week. Connect Seoul consists of two special exhibitions highlighting major Korean and international artists of modern and contemporary art, a group exhibition of media art, and a preview of upcoming auctions.
2024.09.03
Auction_News SBI Art Auction to Host Its First Overseas Auction Preview at Art Chosun Space in Seoul Japan’s SBI Art Auction will present its first overseas auction preview, "Early Highlight Viewing in Seoul," from October 1 to 6 at Art Chosun Space (ACS) in Gwanghwamun, Seoul. The preview is part of the "68th SBI Art Auction | MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY ART" to be held on October 25 and 26.
2024.08.13
Auction_News Global Auction House Phillips Appoints Lim Yeon-ah to Lead the Korean office On the 5th, Phillips, one of the world’s top three auction houses, appointed Lim Yeon-ah as the head of its Korean office. Since joining Phillips in 2020, she has overseen Phillips exhibitions during the Frieze Seoul art fair over the past two years.
2023.12.11
Auction_News 3 Korean Women Leaders Who Are Demonstrating Their Leadership at the Asian Offices of the World's Top 3 Art Auction Houses Today, many women figures are active in the contemporary art world, trying to reflect diversity and fostering Korean art.
2022.11.28
Auction_News Phillips Will Hold Its First Exhibition in South Korea during the Frieze Art Fair in Seoul Phillips, one of the three largest auction houses in the world with headquarters in London, has announced that it will hold its first exhibition in Seoul concurrently with the Frieze Seoul and Kiaf Seoul art fairs.
2022.08.15
Auction_News Christie’s First Exhibition in South Korea, What Does This Mean for the Local Art Market? The booming Korean art market attracts many international art galleries and art fairs to Seoul. World-renowned galleries, including König Galerie, Thaddeus Ropac, and Gladstone Gallery, have opened a branch in Seoul, and Frieze has partnered with Kiaf SEOUL to hold art fairs in Seoul for five years from this year.
2022.08.01

Art Fair

Art Fair_News Highlights to Watch at ‘Kiaf SEOUL 2025’ From September 3 to 7, Kiaf SEOUL 2025, the largest art fair in Korea, will take place at COEX in Seoul. This year’s edition brings together 175 galleries from over 20 countries.
2025.09.02
Art Fair_News 10 Must-See Artists Selected by ‘Frieze Seoul 2025’ At Frieze Seoul 2025, a wide range of solo presentations will unfold across the Galleries, Focus Asia, and Masters sections. The fair will not only highlight the breadth of historically significant artists’ careers but also spotlight bold new works and large-scale installations by emerging talents.
2025.09.02
Art Fair_News An Open Platform for Artistic Discourse at ‘Kiaf·Frieze Seoul 2025’ At Korea’s largest art fairs, Kiaf·Frieze Seoul 2025, an open platform for artistic discourse, the “Kiaf x KAMS x Frieze Seoul Talk Program”, will take place from September 4 to 6 at Studio 159 on the 2nd floor of COEX, Seoul.
2025.09.02
Art Fair_News How to Enjoy ‘Frieze Seoul 2025’ to the Fullest The fourth edition of the Frieze Seoul returns to COEX in the city’s Gangnam neighbourhood from 3 – 6 September, and, in keeping with previous editions, will feature an expansive programme of live art and performance, film, talks and artist projects alongside presentations from 120 galleries.
2025.08.26
Art Fair_News ‘Kiaf SEOUL 2025’ to Unfold as a Vibrant Art Festival Kiaf SEOUL 2025, Korea’s largest art fair, will take place from Wednesday, September 3 to Sunday, September 7 at COEX in Gangnam, Seoul. During Kiaf Art Week, Kiaf will collaborate with Frieze Seoul as well as domestic and international art institutions to present a wide range of programs, offering audiences a unique opportunity to engage with art.
2025.08.26
Art Fair_News Korean Galleries Make Strong Statement at Art Basel Hong Kong 2025 Amid Market Slowdown Art Basel Hong Kong 2025 officially opened on March 26 with a VIP preview at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, drawing attention as Asia’s largest art fair resumes at full scale. Despite a global art market slowdown, Korean galleries are showing remarkable presence and vitality at this year’s event.
2025.03.25

Art+

Art+_News Galleries Associations of Korea & Gwangju Biennale Sign MOU to Advance the Globalization of Korean Art The Galleries Association of Korea (Chairman Sunghoon Lee) and the Gwangju Biennale Foundation (President Youn Bummo) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on February 6, 2026 (Friday), formally launching a collaborative partnership to expand the presence of Korean art both domestically and internationally and to strengthen global exchange.
2026.02.17
Art+_News Art Service Industry Reporting System to Take Effect This July With the enforcement of the Art Promotion Act, South Korea’s art distribution sector—previously operated as a free profession without separate qualification requirements—will be incorporated into a formal regulatory framework starting this year.
2026.01.13
Art+_News First Overseas Exhibition of the “Lee Kun-hee Collection” Surpasses 15,000 Visitors Within One Month of Opening Titled 《Korean Treasures: Collected, Cherished, Shared》, the first overseas touring exhibition of the Lee Kun-hee Collection—donated by the late Lee Kun-hee, former chairman of Samsung Group—has attracted strong local interest, surpassing 15,000 visitors within its first month since opening at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art in Washington, D.C.
2025.12.30
Art+_News Hyejin Park & Yoonyoung Park, Yifeng Wei & Penny Dan Xu Named Final Awardees of the Hyundai Blue Prize+ 2025 The final awardees of the global open-call program ‘Hyundai Blue Prize+’ for emerging curators have been announced for 2025.
2025.12.16
Art+_News Emerging Art Critic Yunjin Kim Selected as the Recipient of the 2025 SeMA–Hana Art Criticism Award Yunjin Kim (b. 1989), an emerging art critic, has been selected as the sole recipient of the 2025 SeMA–Hana Art Criticism Award.
2025.12.02
Art+_News Tina Kim Named to Observer’s ‘2025 Art Power Index’ Tina Kim, founder and owner of Tina Kim Gallery in New York, has been named to the ‘2025 Art Power Index’ announced by the New York Observer.
2025.12.02