Art Busan returns this May for its 15th anniversary, reinforcing its ties with the global art scene amid a cautious art market.
The fair has long been regarded as one of Korea’s leading art fairs, attracting international galleries, VIP collectors and art lovers alike. Its momentum, however, has slowed in recent years, reflecting a broader downturn in the art market.
“We are always keeping the possibility of overseas M&A open and remain attentive to opportunities as they arise, although it is not something we’re looking to pursue in the immediate one to two years,” Jung Sun-joo, head of fair and exhibition at Art Busan, told The Korea Herald in Seoul on Tuesday.
Jung appeared publicly for the first time in a leading role alongside managing director Jung Seok-ho and founder Sohn Young-hee.
This year’s edition will feature 110 galleries from 18 countries, with international participants accounting for about 24 percent. The event runs from May 22 to 24 at Bexco in Busan.
It has faced recurring speculation over potential mergers with global mega fairs such as Art Basel and Frieze, though it has never confirmed such plans.
Instead, Art Busan has expanded its international reach in recent years through VIP exchanges with fairs across Asia and beyond, including Tokyo Gendai, Art Jakarta and Art Central Hong Kong.
“By sustaining VIP exchanges, Art Busan has built one of the most active collaborative networks in East Asia — a level of engagement unmatched by any other fair in Korea,” Jung said.
In October, during Frieze London, Art Busan will collaborate with Minor Attractions — a weeklong fair hosted by the Mandrake Hotel — to support Korean galleries’ expansion into overseas markets.
“We took a similar approach in our partnership with Tokyo Gendai last year,” Jung said on the collaboration with Minor Attractions. “Rather than limiting participation to Busan-based galleries, we focused on identifying galleries across Korea."
The 2026 edition of Art Busan introduces new sections that signal a structural shift, including “Lighthaus,” which reimagines booths as curated exhibitions and “Define,” which bridges design and art, alongside “Connect” and “Future.”
Curated by Ko Won-seok, director of the LINE Cultural Foundation,“Connect” will present collaborative exhibitions under the theme of urbanism and locality, while “Future” spotlights emerging galleries established within the past five years.
“One of Art Busan’s key strengths is that we go beyond the format of a conventional fair. Through curated exhibitions like ‘Connect,’ we continue to expand the role of the fair as a site for presentation, not just transactions,” Jung said.
yunapark@heraldcorp.com
