Design Miami Seoul has returned to the Zaha Hadid-designed Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) for its second edition, running from August 31 through September 6, 2026. Developed in partnership with the Seoul Design Foundation and the Seoul Metropolitan Government, the fair unfolds under the central theme “Resonance,” exploring how objects carry memory, knowledge, and emotion across time and generations.
Design Miami Seoul 2026 Returns to DDP With Expanded Program and Samsung Partnership
The event coincides with Seoul’s major art week, alongside Frieze Seoul and Kiaf. Following a successful debut that consisted solely of the In Situ program, the 2026 edition has expanded significantly. According to Design Miami CEO Jen Roberts, the fair moved into the Design Lab 1F at DDP to accommodate a growing community and scale, supported by momentum from the inaugural outing. Curatorial Director Cho Hye-young returns for the pivotal occasion, shaping a program that features both regional talent and international galleries.
Samsung Electronics Presents Design is an Act of Love
Exhibition
As a lead partner for the 2026 fair, Samsung Electronics is showcasing a major exhibition titled Design is an Act of Love,
presenting a human-centered design vision rooted in understanding and care for people. The exhibition features works by 14 South Korean artist teams who reinterpreted eight different Samsung products spanning mobile devices, home appliances, and televisions, including the Music Studio 5, the Bespoke AI Family Hub refrigerator, and the Galaxy Z Fold8.
Participating artists developed their concepts using individual perspectives while employing artificial intelligence as a tool to expand their creative expression and amplify imagination. Mauro Porcini, President and Chief Design Officer of the Device eXperience Division at Samsung Electronics, noted that creativity starts with people and that AI helps take ideas further. The completed artworks are displayed on Samsung’s flagship OLED TVs—referenced as the S95H or SH95 in source materials—equipped with 14 custom frames crafted from different materials. These frames allow a single television to reflect diverse personal tastes and spaces, highlighting the company’s Expressive Design strategy and its float layer design where the screen appears to hover above a real-metal plate.
Broadening the Scope With International Galleries and Regional Craft
Beyond the Samsung collaboration, the fair introduces its first gallery program featuring six international dealers, including Charles Burnand Gallery from London, Side Gallery from Barcelona, and Vagujhelyi from New York. Meanwhile, the second iteration of the In Situ program highlights more than 30 designers and studios from Korea, Japan, and Taiwan.
The regional showcase emphasizes traditional craft traditions reinterpreted through contemporary design. Highlights include:
- Hwan Tae Kim: Creator of the Chimi Chair, translating traditional hanok roof ornaments into minimalist woodwork.
- Kim Byung-sub: Designer pairing red pine with centuries-old mother-of-pearl lacquer inlay (najeon chilgi).
- Kwon Jung-mo: Artist reimagining the traditional hanok window using layered hanji, walnut, brass, and LED elements.
- Yuki Nara: Japanese architect and ceramicist bridging ceramic tradition with digital design.
Five finalists of the 2026 Loewe Foundation Craft Prize also participate in the In Situ lineup. In addition, Korean lifestyle brand Alloso participates as a lead partner with an installation reworking its furniture collections in collaboration with contemporary artists.
Public Hours, Design Talks, and Community Engagement
The fair hosted an invitation-only VIP preview on Monday before opening to the general public. Public hours run from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily through September 5, and conclude on Sunday, September 6, at 6 p.m.
Design Talks are scheduled as a central part of the programming, featuring panel discussions moderated by Curatorial Director Cho Hye-young and LIVINGSENSE chief editor Shim Hyo-jin. Participants in the dialogue series include Samsung design executive Mauro Porcini and international contributors such as Japanese architect-ceramicist Yuki Nara, engaging industry voices on topics surrounding design, memory, craftsmanship, and the digital era.
