Who do you think is the most significant Korean artist, and where would you go to in Seoul to see their work?
It’s hard to pick just one! [The late] Kim Whanki is an important artist; if you have the opportunity during the fair, I would highly recommend seeing his work at the Ho-Am Museum in Yongin where there will be a wide-ranging survey show [until September 18] with more than 100 works. The setting is beautiful.

What was the last artwork or exhibition you saw in Seoul that wowed you?
The Heidi Bucher exhibition Spaces are Shells, are Skins at Art Sonje was amazing.

Which shops best highlight Korean design?
Mono Ha is great for ceramics and modern crafts; they have shops in Sungsoo Dong and Hannam Intersection. Boontheshop is a must-visit for those interested in fashion: it’s a concept store stocking a curated selection of high fashion brands—international designers like Comme des Garçons and Saint Laurent—but also home-grown talent like Hyein Seo and Kanghyuk.

What structure or architectural design most impresses you?
There are number of interesting new structures in Seoul including the [beauty conglomerate] Amore Pacific headquarters designed by David Chipperfield; SongEun Art Space designed by Herzog & de Meuron; and Space K designed by Minsuk Cho at Mast Studies. However, I really like a structure called Gongan Space which is the current Arario Museum in Space next to Changdeok Palace. Space refers to the architectural practice of Kim Swoo Geun, widely considered one of the most important architects and cultural activists, who was active from the late Sixties through to the mid-Eighties before his death. This structure housed the offices of his architectural practice, and I always enjoy walking through this building, imagining what it would be like as an office.

Where’s the best place to see traditional Korean art?
Leeum’s permanent collection of traditional Korean art is a great place to see well-presented national treasures ranging from the 4th-century Three Kingdoms period, through to the end of the Josun Dynasty. The National Museum of Korea also often has interesting, curated shows, and the National Folk Museum inside the Gyeongbok Palace is worth a visit.

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What’s your favourite bookstore?
For arts-related books, I like browsing Post Poetics in Itaewon. Book Society is also very popular among the art set.

There is a big drinking culture in Seoul; what’s your favourite bar and your go-to drink there?
I like this bar called Swallow in Itaewon—it’s a tiny place and so easy to miss—that has a side window so you can enjoy drinks while standing in the street. There’s also Cham Bar, on the west side of Gyeongbok Palace; it has an incredible cocktail menu using traditional seasonal Korean ingredients. Another one I like is The Edge in Uljiro, mainly thanks to their support of young local DJs. There’s also Cry Baby Bar in Apgujeong which always has great DJs—in fact, we held the launch party for Frieze 91, our new membership programme, there.

Where do you go for bibimbap?
I like Toenmaru Jip in Insa-Dong for their daeng jang bibimbap rice which is made with fermented soybean.

Ginseng chicken?
There are many good places, but one that is a bit obscure is Jangsu Han Bang Medicinal Herb Ginseng Chicken Soup, it’s really good and located near Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in the basement of a nondescript office building, so good luck finding it. For anyone new to Seoul, I’d recommend Toseokchon, which is in a traditional hanok [traditional house] and has a more appealing atmosphere, though Jangsu is the tastiest in my opinion.

Korean BBQ?
These days, I like Geumdwaeji for pork Korean BBQ, although it’s become super popular so can be hard to get a seat. 

Which is your favourite café in Seoul?
I’m a coffee freak; there are so many great cafés here. Seoul takes its coffee quite seriously—it’s almost too hard to mention a favourite; people are quite surprised by the sheer number of cafés in the city. There is a place called Champ in Itaewon— and now [also] in Leeum that I think serves good coffee. When in Seongsu, I tend to hit a place called Low Key; there is a place near Gwanghwamun called Felt that is good; and if you’re on the west side of Gyeongbok Palace, I would hit MK2, which is popular with the art set.

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What is your all-time favourite restaurant in the city?
On Yeoido Island, there is a place called Gayang Kalguksoo Buseot Maeuntang in the basement of a very old school office building that serves spicy mushroom stew. You cook fresh mushrooms in a spicy broth and keep adding them from large plastic bins. You dip the mushrooms in a sauce dabbed with a hint of wasabi. Afterwards, thick, handmade chewy noodles are added, then it’s topped off with a fried rice cooked in the same pot with egg and some of the leftover soup. The place has been around for decades, and when I first went cost maybe US$4 to eat there— though now it’s closer to US$10.

Another favourite is Bongsan Jib; the original is near Samgakji subway station and first opened in the early 1960s. It serves chaedulbaeki (thinly sliced beef ) that cooks in, like, three seconds, but the killer is their dipping sauce which is a proprietary recipe of a citrusy soy sauce with chopped onions and spring onions. The side dish is just a head of cabbage that you dip in spicy bean paste. Afterwards, you can order a stew with the chadeulbaeki served with rice. While a little pricier these days, it always delivers, and the combination of flavours ensures its inclusion in my top ten pantheon. 

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