BMW Korea joins Frieze Seoul and Frieze Music as official partner

Roy Kim, DJ Apro perform before crowd of about 300

New iX3 — first Neue Klasse production model — on display

Collaboration with artist Lee Kang-so also featured

BMW Korea displayed the next-generation all-electric sports activity vehicle, the new BMW iX3, at Frieze Music 2026, held Thursday at Dugaheon in Jongno-gu, Seoul. [BMW Korea]
BMW Korea displayed the next-generation all-electric sports activity vehicle, the new BMW iX3, at Frieze Music 2026, held Thursday at Dugaheon in Jongno-gu, Seoul. [BMW Korea]

BMW Korea extended its culture-driven brand marketing by displaying a new electric vehicle at a music event tied to the global art fair Frieze Seoul.

BMW Korea announced Friday that it hosted Frieze Music 2026 on Thursday at Dugaheon in Jongno-gu, Seoul. An official partner of Frieze Seoul, the automaker has taken part in the event every year since Frieze Music was first held in South Korea in 2023.

Singer-songwriter Roy Kim and DJ and producer Apro performed at this year's event. Roy Kim took the stage first, followed by Apro's DJ set, with an audience of about 300 in attendance.

BMW also displayed the recently launched all-electric sports activity vehicle (SAV), the new BMW iX3, at the venue — an effort to broaden customer touchpoints by placing a new model in a cultural and artistic setting rather than limiting its exposure to conventional auto events.

The new iX3 is the first mass-production model to adopt BMW's next-generation vehicle development strategy, Neue Klasse. It features sweeping changes to electric vehicle-specific technology, vehicle software, the user interface and the driving control system.

BMW Korea officially launched the new iX3 in South Korea in June. The vehicle offers a maximum range of 611 kilometers on a single charge under domestic certification standards and supports ultra-fast charging at 350 to 400 kilowatts. The model earlier won both World Car of the Year and World Electric Vehicle of the Year at the 2026 World Car Awards.

Separately from the music event, BMW Korea also collaborated with Korean contemporary artist Lee Kang-so at this year's Frieze Seoul. The BMW Excellence Lounge at the fair was transformed into an exhibition space incorporating the artist's works.

BMW has served as an official partner of Frieze Seoul every year since the fair made its South Korean debut in 2022. The company has been shifting away from traditional auto-show-centered marketing, instead linking new models to cultural events in art and music to expand its brand reach.


kwater@heraldcorp.com