By Reporter Kayla lee

DROPDOT, a private space for art collectors, has begun its journey as a public space.

"If you want to create your own unique space with art that's not “one of them” and invest in rare art, DROPDOT is the right place. We pride ourselves on matching our customers' tastes with the artwork they're looking for." 

“I admit, I didn't know where to look when I walked through the doors of the DORPDOT.” Hernan Bas, one of the most sought-after artists internationally, paintings by Roby Dwi Antono, which are considered both artistic and affordable, and furniture by Charlotte Perriand and Ib Kofod Larsen, which I'd only seen on international auction news and therefore not in real life. “I keep my eyes and ears open 24/7.”

During the day I work with domestic dealers and collectors, and in the evening I compete with people from abroad. You have to live a sensitive and perceptive life to be able to deal with global pieces. 

It is important to have the feeling that the artwork becomes my family and when I see it shining in my space, words can’t describe how happy I am. In the mid-2010s, when subcultures were general trend, Lee Ki-woong and Hwang Hyun-seok, co-founders of DROPDOT met each other while collecting art toys and pop art. 

There is saying that ‘true masters recognize each other.’ They realized they had the same goals, they decided to run a gallery professionally. Their quick information and drive satisfied collectors, and DROPDOT quickly became a trusted partner. 

There is no doubt that their action helped Art Toy become a part of the collecting culture. DROPDOT subsequent foray into fine art has been talked about in the art world and among celebrities, but the company hasn't actively promoted its brand. 

It was all about the customer. "A major can't beat an Otaku. (Laughs.) We get daily updates from around the world. In this place, you can even hear very trivial stories surrounding the exhibited artworks. DROPDOT prioritizes credit. Is that because big capital is moving in? It's still not a positive thing to collect art in Korea.
 
We think it's more important to have a long and deep relationship with our customers." DROPDOT rise to the surface of the art world is certainly eye-catching. 

Currently, DROPDOT plans to maintain a private presence in Sinsa-dong while focusing on discovering emerging artists and showcasing international artists in future new spaces. As the Korean art market continues to grow, I was curious about the activities DROPDOT has in store. They expressed a concern that in an era where many people can enjoy art, they wondered if they were fully utilizing their capabilities.

Certainly, there was a strong belief that this artist would exert influence in the art world, but there was a lack of means to communicate this to the public. There have been instances where exhibition opportunities were passed on to other galleries. Looking ahead to 2024, there are plans to organize an exhibition at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts. Through these endeavors, the goal is to advance and develop through various art exhibitions, including interdisciplinary arts.

After that, we will showcase artists guaranteed by DROPDOT At the same time, we want to provide practical help to emerging artists, which can be understood as a primary market role. 

All in all, our goal is to crack the Korean art world by showing that this is how the contemporary art market works through DROPDOT.