Korea Artist Prize 2026 finalists highlight diversity of contemporary Korean art
The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art announced the four finalists for the Korea Artist Prize 2026 on Monday, reflecting the breadth of contemporary Korean art.
Lee Hai Min Sun, Hong Jin-hwon, Lee Jung-woo and Jeon Hyun-sun were selected for their distinctive artistic languages, each working in a different medium and together reflecting the diversity of contemporary Korean art, according to the state museum.
Established in 2012, the state museum’s annual award aims to recognize promising contemporary artists in Korea.
Exhibitions of the finalists' new and previous works will be on view at MMCA Seoul from July 24 to Dec. 6, co-organized with the SBS Foundation.
Lee Hai Min Sun works primarily in painting, exploring fragility in humans and observing how objects persist and deteriorate over time. Hong Jin-hwon uses photography to examine power dynamics embedded in everyday life.
Lee Jung-woo, who worked as a film production designer, examines the data and conditions behind technological system malfunctions. Jeon Hyun-sun explores how images relate to space through painting, while also working across installation, video and sculpture.
The award winner will be announced after a jury review of the exhibitions in October. The finalists will be awarded 50 million won to produce new works and are eligible for additional support for overseas exhibitions.
The Korea Art Prize 2025 was awarded to Kim Young-eun, whose works earned recognition for examining how sound travels with migration within social and political contexts.
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