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Renowned Design Miami 'naturally' brings first Asia fair to Seoul

Published: 01 Sep. 2025, 14:40 Updated: 03 Sep. 2025, 05:57

WOO JI-WON
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Design Miami's special exhibition “Illuminated: A Spotlight on Korean Design” is held at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Jung District, central Seoul. [ILDA KIM/ DESIGN MIAMI]

For the first time in its 20-year history, the world-renowned design fair Design Miami has landed in Asia — and it chose Seoul.

The Florida-based fair held a press conference for its special exhibition “Illuminated: A Spotlight on Korean Design” at Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) on Monday, ahead of its public opening on Tuesday.

“We’ve been paying attention to Seoul for a long time and there is a history of great collectors in the city,” said Jen Roberts, CEO of Design Miami, at the conference in Jung District, central Seoul.

“In the past decade, we’ve seen such an increase of participation in the design community from Korea,” she added, noting that Korea's “having the contemporary rooted in the historic is extremely important for us because of a culture of appreciation and storytelling through design and art.”

Stone & Steel Bench, 2025 by Park Won-min for Carpenter's Workshop Gallery at "Illuminated" by Design Miami.In Situ in Seoul [ISABELLA SZUKILOJC]

Design Miami's “Illuminated: A Spotlight on Korean Design” is held at DDP. [ILDA KIM/ DESIGN MIAMI]

Cha Kang-heui, head of the Seoul Design Foundation, which co-organized the exhibition, said the question should not be why Seoul, but rather that it should be “naturally Seoul,” given the K-culture wave and the significance of the city.

Cha first met with Design Miami executives during Milan Design Week in April, where he proposed holding a joint event in Seoul to coincide with art fairs — Frieze Seoul and Kiaf — in order to further elevate the international profile of Korean culture and design.

Design Miami is a prestigious Florida-based event held annually at the end of the year, where designers, galleries, collectors, curators and critics from around the world come together to showcase works of exceptional collectible value.

The Seoul special exhibition is being held under the new Design Miami.In Situ initiative, a global program launched to celebrate the fair’s 20th anniversary, and marks the first multiday event under the initiative.

Design Miami's “Illuminated: A Spotlight on Korean Design” held at DDP [ILDA KIM/ DESIGN MIAMI]

Design Miami's “Illuminated: A Spotlight on Korean Design” is held at DDP. [ILDA KIM/ DESIGN MIAMI]

Roberts emphasized that holding the exhibition at DDP was especially meaningful, as it holds "great significance to Design Miami."

"The architect Zaha Hadid received the Inaugural Designer of the Year Award from Design Miami’s first edition, and now, 20 years on, we are honored to present our first-ever exhibition in Seoul here in one of her iconic landmarks," the CEO said.

The exhibition presents over 170 pieces of Korean design from 71 designers, represented by four Korean galleries and 12 overseas galleries. It highlights the creative contributions of Korean designers and brings to light the unique spirit of Korean design — ranging from ancient mother-of-pearl furniture to inventive uses of unconventional materials such as horsehair.

Yeon Jin-yeong’s Floral Sofa Model PufferPupa, presented by Side Gallery in Barcelona [ILDA KIM/ DESIGN MIAMI]

Yang Seung-jin’s Blowing Love Seats are displayed on the right. [ILDA KIM/ DESIGN MIAMI]

Salvage Series Stool, 2022 by Jay Sae Jung Oh for Salon 94 Design at Illuminated, Design Miami. In Situ, Seoul 2025 [SALON 94 DESIGN]

Highlights include works by Park Jong-jin, presented by J. Lohmann Gallery in New York, who layered up 1,000 sheets of paper to form spectacular millefeuille vessels with colorful and unique textures. Other works include Yeon Jin-yeong’s Floral Sofa Model PufferPupa, presented by Side Gallery of Barcelona, which uses padding to create a sofa. Yang Seung-jin’s Blowing Love Seats is made with epoxy resin and balloons, while Chun Jong-up’s Celadon Vessel with a Long Neck was designed using AI and 3-D-printed techniques.

The exhibition was curated by Cho Hye-young, who led the press tour on Monday and explained in detail how each object was made as well as the background of each artist. “Koreans have a DNA of not allowing their hands to do nothing,” she said during the tour, emphasizing that Korean designers excel in materiality and craftsmanship.

She was also donning one of the jewelry pieces created by Lee Dong-chun, who presented works made with wood, silicone, rubber and sterling silver, including a piece titled Tears Mind, shown by Gallery O.

Roberts hopes that this fair "spotlights the distinctiveness of Korean design, celebrating the luminaries who shaped the country’s design landscape while inspiring the next generation.”

The exhibition runs through Sept. 14 at DDP's Yigansumun Exhibition Hall.