Design Miami Seoul broadens its perspective on contemporary design

Design Miami Seoul has opened its doors to the public at the Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP), the iconic building designed by Zaha Hadid, where it will remain for six days, coinciding with one of the most important weeks on the South Korean capital's art calendar, also marked by Frieze Seoul and Kiaf. In its second edition, the fair consolidates its presence in Seoul and significantly expands upon the project presented in 2015, when its program focused exclusively on the In Situ section.

Under the title Resonance , this year's edition proposes a reflection on the capacity of objects to preserve and transmit memory, emotions, and stories between generations. The exhibition is organized in collaboration with the Seoul Design Foundation and the Seoul Metropolitan Government, and once again features Cho Hye-young as curatorial director. More than thirty designers and studios from Korea, Japan, and Taiwan are participating in In Situ, a section that once again focuses on Asian creativity and the connections between tradition, craftsmanship, and contemporary design.

One of the most striking features of this edition is precisely its dialogue with Korean artisanal traditions. Several pieces reinterpret techniques and materials linked to the country's culture from a contemporary perspective. Kwon Jung-mo, for example, transforms the window of the hanok—the traditional Korean dwelling—through a composition of hanji, walnut, brass, and LED technology. Kim Byung-sub combines red pine wood with the ancient technique of lacquering inlaid with mother-of-pearl, demonstrating how procedures passed down through centuries can acquire new forms and meanings in contemporary design.

The fair's international dimension is further strengthened by the inclusion, for the first time, of a gallery program featuring six international distributors. These include Charles Burnand Gallery from London, Side Gallery from Barcelona, and Vagujhelyi from New York. Joining this group are five finalists for the 2026 Loewe Foundation Craft Prize, as well as the Japanese architect and ceramicist Yuki Nara, thus expanding the dialogue between design, craftsmanship, and artistic creation.

The program thus reflects a scene in which the boundaries between disciplines are increasingly permeable. Design is understood not only as a functional or formal matter, but also as a territory capable of preserving knowledge, activating memories, and establishing links between different cultures and generations. In this sense, "Resonance" functions as a common thread that connects the various proposals present at the fair.

Technology also plays a prominent role. Samsung Electronics, a new principal partner of Design Miami Seoul, presents a selection of works by 14 Korean artists who have reinterpreted the company's products. The pieces are displayed on OLED televisions installed with specially designed frames, making the technological devices part of the exhibition's narrative. Meanwhile, the Korean furniture brand Alloso, also a principal partner, presents an installation in which its own furniture collections are reinterpreted in collaboration with contemporary artists.

The program is rounded out by Design Talks, a day of conversations and debates moderated by Cho Hye-young and Shim Hyo-jin, editorial director of LIVINGSENSE , which will delve into some of the key issues at the heart of this year's event. In this way, Design Miami Seoul positions itself not only as an exhibition and sales space, but also as a meeting point for reflecting on the present and future of design.

In Situ participants include beformative (Kiyong Lee), Byungsub Kim, Coco Sung, Designsurfing (Yen-An Chen, Object Weiv, Li-Sheng Kang and Hsieh Chen Lin), Fabrikr, Haemi Lee, Hyunhee Kim, Il Hoon Roh, Jieun Park, Jinsik Kim, Jongin Lee, Jung Hoon Lee, Jungmo Kwon, Kew-Hong Lee, Kyung Ran Choi, LEJE, MANO Design Studio (Bo Ah Kim), Mokamjunamoo (Hwan Tae Kim), Nara Lee, NICEWORKSHOP x Roham Shamekh, SABO, Sangwoo Koo, Seongil Choi x Hyunseo Kim, shallwedance (Kyunggu Lee), shinsozak, Somyeong Lee, Soohyun Cho, Sukwoo Lee, Taeseon Son, WKND Lab, Woorim Kang, Woosun Cheon and Yuki Nara.

The gallery program includes ALEX TURCO, Charles Burnand Gallery, IN GALLERY, SIDE GALLERY, STACK, and Vagujhelyi, creating an edition that highlights Seoul's growing importance as a meeting point between Asian design and the international scene. The fair will remain open until Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and until 6 p.m. on its final day.