The Shinsegae Lounge to be installed at Frieze Seoul 2026 [Shinsegae]
The Shinsegae Lounge to be installed at Frieze Seoul 2026 [Shinsegae]

Shinsegae Group will present the "Shinsegae Lounge" at Frieze Seoul 2026, running Wednesday through Saturday at COEX in Seoul.

The Shinsegae Lounge brings together the group's spatial and content planning capabilities as it begins a five-year run as headline partner of Frieze Seoul starting this year. The space is grounded in Chairman Chung Yong-jin's philosophy of creating cultural spaces woven into everyday life where customers want to linger.

This year's centerpiece is a special exhibition by French artist Paul Cox titled "L'Immensité du Quotidien: The Monumental Everyday." The show marks the world premiere of 336 works from Cox's "Diary" series — watercolor records of meditations the artist has practiced daily for years. One of his signature works, "Diary 16 05 26," will be rendered as a large-scale image on the lounge's exterior.

Shinsegae has long positioned retail spaces as destinations for culture and the arts. That tradition dates to 1963, when it opened Shinsegae Gallery, the first dedicated fine-art space in the domestic retail industry. The flagship department store's rooftop is home to Trinity Garden, where visitors can view works by leading contemporary artists. The group also operates the Starfield "Byeolmadang Library" and an art tour program at Josun Hotels & Resorts.

"Shinsegae has pursued a lifestyle platform that adds artistic richness to the retail spaces where customers shop and spend time," a Shinsegae Group official said. "We hope visitors to Frieze Seoul will use the Shinsegae Lounge as a place to pause, see the familiar in a new light, and discover the beauty within their everyday lives."


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