This article is by Lee Jian and read by an artificial voice.

TAIPEI, Taiwan - As Korea's domestic art scene becomes increasingly crowded, more galleries are turning their gaze outward. This year's Art Taipei, which ran from Oct. 24 to 27, featured 15 Korean galleries, including big names such as Gana Art and Gallery Baton. But standing out just as much were smaller galleries - whose names are virtually unheard of in Seoul but whose booths bustled with Taiwanese collectors and visitors.

Unaffiliated with Korea's dominant Galleries Association of Korea, five Seoul galleries at Art Taipei 2025 have never participated in major art fairs in their home country, such as Frieze Seoul or Kiaf. Yet their performance at the Taiwanese event demonstrates how smaller players are cultivating international recognition - and, in some cases, achieving greater success abroad than at home.

Art fairs today serve purposes beyond commercial exchange: they function as crucial platforms for visibility, reputation and cultural prestige, particularly as public engagement continues to grow. In Seoul, two prominent fairs - Kiaf and the Galleries Art Fair - are both organized by the Galleries Association of Korea, and their rosters consist almost entirely of member galleries. Thus, for many collectors and casual visitors alike, the Korean art market can appear synonymous with this small, exclusive network.

At Art Taipei, however, the five Korean galleries stood apart. None were association members, yet together they formed a diverse cohort of independent, almost ragtag exhibitors.

For some, participation in Art Taipei reflected a calculated market strategy; for others, it signified both the allure of the Taiwanese art ecosystem and an aspiration for international exposure. The Korea JoongAng Daily spoke with three of these Korean galleries at Art Taipei 2025.

L Gallery

This year marks L Gallery's seventh appearance at Art Taipei. Yet the Seoul-based gallery has never exhibited at Kiaf, Frieze Seoul or any other Korean art fair.

It instead maintains a consistent presence across Asia, participating in art fairs in Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, Thailand and other parts of Taiwan through Art Taichung and Art Tainan. Its clientele includes high-profile figures such as Taiwanese singer-songwriter and actor Jay Chou and Singaporean musician JJ Lin.

"The atmosphere differs in each market - just because someone is a Korean artist doesn't mean they're popular in Korea," said Lee Baek, CEO of L Gallery. "Each artist has a market that aligns with their philosophy and distinctive character. Since the artists we represent weren't well-known in Korea when we began, our focus naturally shifted overseas - and that's how it has remained."

Kim Kwan-young, for instance, is familiar to collectors in Taiwan, though still lesser-known in Korea. His meditative series "The Memory of the Unconscious," characterized by thick layers of paint and rhythmic linearity, resonated deeply with the Taiwanese audience. Kim held his first solo exhibition in Taiwan in 2021, and according to Lee, his works sold out at this year's fair.

L Gallery's booth also featured works by Suzy Q, James San, Lee Sara, Qwaya and Sono Moon.

Lee recently closed L Gallery's physical space in Seoul, noting, "It's ironic that we're a gallery based in Seoul yet don't actually have a space in the city. But I'm constantly traveling, and no one was left to maintain it. I do hope to reopen it soon."

One of the gallery's current objectives, he added, is to help Korean artists expand internationally and build stronger global networks. "When we first came to Art Taipei, there were only two other Korean galleries here," Lee recalled. "The number has grown substantially as more Korean galleries aim to reach international collectors."

M Contemporary

M Contemporary joined Art Taipei for the first time last year as part of its strategy to expand its network of global collectors. The gallery also participated in Art Centra...