▲ A visitor takes a look at artworks on display at the Galleries Art Fair, held at the COEX exhibition center in southern Seoul, on April 8, 2026. (Yonhap)

art fair-closing

Galleries Art Fair closes with 50,000 visitors, posting strong midrange sales

SEOUL, April 13 (Yonhap) -- The Galleries Art Fair, also known as the Hwarang Art Fair, closed this weekend after a five-day run that drew approximately 50,000 visitors, organizers said Monday.

A noticeable trend this year was a rise in younger and family visitors eager to buy low- to mid-range priced artworks.

Among the notable sales were an oil painting by figurative painter Lee Moka in the 200 million-won (US$134,600) range, offered by Jason Haam gallery; a work by Julian Opie around 90 million won and a sculpture by Kim Yun-shin at around 40 million, both from Kukje Gallery; and three sculptures by Kug Kyung-oh totaling 80 million won from Concreate Gallery.

Organizers pointed to a broader base of art consumers this year, with healthy sales of lower- to mid-range works even amid what they described as a "cautious buying trend."

The annual event, held at the COEX exhibition center in southern Seoul from April 8-12, attracted a record 169 member galleries.

Established in 1979, the fair is the first of its kind in the country and has long served as a barometer of the country's art market trends.

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