Seoul has the most private art museums of any city in the world, a survey says.
Larry's List, an editorial and research group for contemporary art collectors, on June 14 posted on its website the report "Private Art Museum Report 2023" on such museums around the world.
With 446 private art museums worldwide, Germany led the list with 60, followed by the U.S. in second with 59 and Korea third with 50.
Seoul topped the global city rankings with 17, followed by Berlin with 14; Beijing, China, with 11; New York with 10; and Athens, Greece, with nine.
In Korea, 76% of the museums were built after 2000 and 55% after 2010.
Mentioning K-pop celebrities RM of BTS and G-Dragon of Big Bang, the report said, "These next gen collectors are very open about their acquisitions and often share their collections and love of art on their Instagram profiles. This has had the effect of elevating the status of art and art collecting among their many fans."
Larry's List project leader Jamie Bennett added, "Private art museums are making their marks on Instagram, reaching out to new and established audiences, and cultivating cultural clout through the platform."
This year's report is the second of its kind. The inaugural one in 2016 ranked Korea first in the number of private art museums among major countries with 45 and Seoul No. 1 among global cities with 13.
