Park Han-sol reports on Korea's financial regulators, along with fintech and insurance. She previously wrote about the art world, from biennales and exhibitions to fairs and auctions, with a focus on Seoul and the figures shaping the scene. Before joining The Korea Times, she spent a year at ABC News' Seoul bureau, contributing to coverage of major Asia-Pacific events.
Define: Seoul 2024 to bring design, fine art back to youthful Seongsu-dong
A view of Define: Seoul 2023 in eastern Seoul's Seongsu-dong / Courtesy of Art Busan
By Park Han-sol
Define: Seoul, a boutique fair marrying fine art with design to cater to the rising wave of young collectors, is set to return this fall with an expanded sophomore edition.
Launched by Art Busan, the event will bring 40 domestic and global art galleries, studios and design brands — a 50 percent increase from last year — to eastern Seoul’s trendy Seongsu-dong from Oct. 30 to Nov. 3.
The roster includes local players such as Wooson Gallery and luxury handicraft brand Cheyul, alongside international names like German dealer Galerie Zink, Bangkok-based Yoomoota and Italian-British design duo Giopato & Coombes.
The goal is to continue uniting art and design without boundaries — spanning paintings, sculptures, crafts, furniture, collectibles and interior decor — into one cohesive event, according to Jeong Seok-ho, managing director of Art Busan.
Italian-British design duo Giopato & Coombes' hand-blown light sculptures "Maehwa: Into the Bloom" / Courtesy of Giopato & Coombes, Art Busan
Like its debut iteration, this year’s Define: Seoul is helmed by artistic director Teo Yang, an interior designer and founder of Teoyang Studio.
With the theme of “The Meaning of Simplicity: Attitude Towards Life in a Rational Era,” the five-day fair will be anchored around two venues — S-Factory and Y173 — set amid a lively backdrop of fashionable pop-up stores and cafes frequented by young trendsetters.
"Jari," a modern reinterpretation of seating, the shape of which is inspired by mountain ridges, by furniture designer Ha Ji-hoon / Courtesy of Art Busan
The fair’s highlights include an expanded lineup of special exhibitions.
Swiss design studio atelier oï is collaborating with rising “gugak” (traditional Korean melodies) musician Park Ji-ha to present a show that reimagines the boundaries of sound, art and architectural space.
At “CINEMATICA,” Park’s music, which blends classical Korean instruments with modern electronic elements, will complement atelier oï’s immersive design featuring oscillating copper frames and dynamic lighting.
Another standout project is the multi-sensory “Re:form plastic-ground” exhibition, spotlighting furniture designer Ha Ji-hoon’s innovative use of plastic as a primary material.
On display are 100 of Ha’s plastic “soban” (small, portable tables used in ancient Korea), “jari” benches inspired by mountain ridges and stools adorned with “dancheong” (traditional decorative patterns painted on wooden objects).
Visitors will be able to engage all five senses through interactive programs, where they can sip tea and listen to tranquil soundscapes while experiencing the fusion of heritage-inspired design and modern plastic materials.