As K-pop’s global profile has expanded, so has attention toward its most famous figures, popularly referred to as “idols.” These figures attract strong fan followings beyond their records, spreading their influence through fashion, visuals, and, in several cases, art.
Over a period of growth that mirrors the rising global profile of K-pop, South Korea’s contemporary art scene has blossomed over the past decade with new and established collectors, artists, and galleries making global waves.
Several K-pop stars are regular presences in both the domestic and international art world. Museum visits and art fair appearances have become familiar territory for many, often shared in passing on social media. Actual art collecting, though—in the sense of acquiring and living with artworks—remains far more selective, and often deliberately private.
This list offers a clearer picture of how art collecting shows up in the lives of a handful of K-pop’s most visible figures—shaping personal taste, creative reference points, and, in some cases, long-term cultural patronage. It focuses on stars whose collecting can be traced through credible reporting, artist confirmations, or institutional documentation. Some of these collections operate at a museum-adjacent scale; others are commission-led or intimately domestic.
1. RM, BTS
RM (Kim Namjoon), who leads the boy band BTS, is widely regarded as one of South Korea’s most credible young art collectors with a sustained focus on Korean modern and contemporary art. His interests lean toward artists from the 20th century Korean art movements of Dansaekhwa and post-war abstraction movements, with documented engagement with major artists including Kim Whanki, Yun Hyong-keun, Lee Ufan, Lee Jung-seob, and Kwon Jin-kyu.
Collecting, in his case, has extended beyond private ownership. In 2022, for example, RM lent Jin-kyu’s Horse (ca. 1965) from his personal collection to the Seoul Museum of Art for the artist’s centennial retrospective.
That institutional engagement has since expanded: In October 2025, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art announced RM x SFMOMA, built around works from RM’s personal collection and co-curated by RM himself. Opening in October, the exhibition brings together artworks from RM’s holdings and SFMOMA’s collection, placing modern Korean art in dialogue with international modern and contemporary works, many of which have never been publicly exhibited.
RM is also a regular presence at museums such as the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea, and the Busan Museum of Art’s “Space Lee Ufan,” as well as major international exhibitions including “Yun Hyong-keun: A Retrospective” at Venice’s Palazzo Fortuny. He has also supported the art ecosystem more broadly through donations to reissue rare Korean art catalogues for distribution to public libraries nationwide. His collecting is thus positioned within a research-driven model of patronage.
2. T.O.P, formerly of BIGBANG
Known both as a former member of boy band BIGBANG and, more recently, for his appearance in the second season of Squid Game, T.O.P (Choi Seung-hyun) was one of the earliest K-pop figures to pursue serious fine-art collecting, well before idols and contemporary art became a familiar pairing.
T.O.P has spoken openly about dedicating a significant portion of his income to acquiring art, building a collection that moves between Korean modernism and international contemporary practice. His collecting has been documented across multiple art world sources, with reported holdings including works by Andy Warhol, Gerhard Richter, and Kim Whanki. According to an interview with Larry’s List, a selection of contemporary artists he collects includes Kohei Nawa and Jina Park.
That interest became further visible in 2016, when T.O.P spent over a year collaborating with Sotheby’s on the curated auction #TTTOP. The sale, which featured 28 works and achieved $17.4 million, exceeded pre-sale estimates and drew coverage from CNN and other international outlets. The project positioned him as a market-literate collector operating across Asian and Western contemporary art contexts.
3. G-Dragon, BIGBANG
Few figures have shaped K-pop’s visual language as decisively as T.O.P’s bandmate G-Dragon (Kwon Ji-yong), whose influence extends well beyond music into fashion, design, and image-making. That sensibility carries over into his relationship with contemporary art. G-Dragon’s collection includes high-value modern and contemporary works, with ownership documented through pieces by artists such as Richard Prince and George Condo, several of which have been photographed and identified inside his Seoul residence.
Those glimpses, drawn from home images and editorial features, point to a private collection built around blue-chip contemporary art. He has also engaged directly with the art market, participating in auctions and platform-led initiatives, including a recently concluded 11-city world tour for his digital art exhibition, “Übermensch.”
This activity has attracted attention from international art publications, which have noted his position at the intersection of pop stardom and serious art collecting. Visually bold but carefully considered, G-Dragon’s collection reflects an approach shaped as much by instinct and taste as market awareness.
4. V, BTS
Unlike the museum-facing collections associated with some of his peers, V of BTS’s engagement with art has remained intentionally low-key. He has developed a small but verifiable profile as an emerging art collector, and his collection centers on contemporary works seemingly chosen for personal resonance.
Among his documented acquisitions is a deer sculpture by South Korean artist Kim Woo Jin— its purchase was publicly acknowledged by the artist—as well as Lunatic Beauty (2022), a painting by Woo Kuk Won that has appeared repeatedly in photographs taken inside V’s home.
He has also supported emerging artists directly. During a visit to Dallas in 2018, V purchased two paintings by Marc Dominus from Kettle Art Gallery, a sale later confirmed by the artist and subsequently visible in BTS documentary footage. Modest in scope but clearly documented, his collecting reflects an instinctive approach shaped by discovery and lived connection.
5. Taeyang, BIGBANG
Taeyang’s reputation as an art collector is one of the most clearly documented within K-pop. Best known as the soulful vocalist of BIGBANG, his collecting came into sharp focus in 2017, when he confirmed the record-breaking purchase of Stag (1996), a major video sculpture by Nam June Paik. The acquisition at Seoul Auction’s 22nd Hong Kong Sale, shared publicly, drew attention following his winning bid of HK$4.6 million.
The work is widely regarded as a significant example of Paik’s late practice, highlighting Taeyang’s interest in post-war and new-media art. Beyond that headline moment, Taeyang is reported to also own works by David Mach, Jonas Wood, Ryan Sullivan, Mr., Takashi Murakami, and Gerhard Richter. Occasional glimpses of his home collection, along with his presence at major art fairs, suggest a collecting practice shaped by long-term interest.
6. Cha Eun-woo, ASTRO
Cha Eun-woo’s collecting is still in its early stages. Known globally as a member of ASTRO and as a film and television actor, his interest became visible in 2024 when photographs from his home revealed contemporary artworks installed in his personal space.
One of the most clearly identified works is Neo Flower (2024) by South Korean artist Hyun Ju Kim, the acquisition of which was later publicly acknowledged by the artist. Additional pieces confirmed through artist statements include Wounded Healer (2021), a ceramic sculpture by Heesu Suh.
Alongside fine art, his home also features collectible design objects, reportedly including an Eero Aarnio “Puppy” sculpture. While limited in scale, these purchases establish a collecting practice rooted in ownership rather than proximity.
7. Key, SHINee
Key’s approach to collecting has been selective and closely tied to his visual identity. Best known as a member of the influential group SHINee, he has focused on commission-led acquisitions.
In 2021, he revealed a newly acquired artwork by contemporary illustrator Kim Se-dong, who works under the name SAMBYPEN, first sharing the piece during a livestream and later on Instagram. The work was commissioned directly by Key and developed from the cover imagery of SHINee’s EP Everybody, with the artist given freedom to reinterpret the group through character-based visual language.
Key has spoken openly about the process, confirming that the artwork was created specifically for him and now forms part of his personal collection.
8. Suho, EXO
Suho’s relationship with contemporary art has unfolded gradually and largely away from public display. Known internationally as the leader of EXO, his engagement predates recent art-fair activity. In 2017, for instance, he attended the opening of American painter Jesse Mockrin’s “XOXO” exhibition at Perrotin Seoul.
In more recent years, public engagement has extended into documented collecting. In editorial coverage for Frieze Viewing Room, Los Angeles 2025, Suho was described as having “made his own art acquisitions.” He also curated “Suho’s Top Picks” for Frieze’s platform, with selected works including pieces by Janaina Tschäpe and Park Seo-Bo.
While specific details of his collection remain private, Frieze’s acknowledgement provided institution-level confirmation of his role as an active collector rather than a casual attendee.
from Artsy News https://ift.tt/kxPvA03
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