BMW Korea is marking its 30th anniversary with a bold fusion of art and mobility, unveiling a special collaboration with Korean artist Lee Kun-yong at Frieze Seoul 2025. The project wraps Lee’s artwork around the German automaker’s flagship electric sedan, the BMW i7, which is on public display at Coex in southern Seoul this week.
In an interview at the art fair on Wednesday, Joo Yang-ye, head of brand management at BMW Korea, said the collaboration underscores how BMW’s hallmark traits of dynamism, speed and energy are being reinterpreted in its most premium electric offering.
“This year, we selected the pinnacle of our flagship lineup, a model that embodies BMW itself, and collaborated with Lee Kun-yong. This holds special significance as we celebrate the 30th anniversary of BMW Korea,” Joo said. “Among the diverse powertrain options in the 7 Series, we wanted to firmly show that the electric vehicle can be the ultimate model of our brand, offering both outstanding performance and a vision for the future.”
Lee, a celebrated figure in contemporary Korean art, is best known for his "Body Scape" series, in which he creates drawings by tracing lines generated by the reach and movement of his body. His work, honored with the grand prize at the Lisbon International Drawing Biennale in 1979 and Korea’s Eungwan Order of Cultural Merit in 2022, embodies dynamism both in the process and the final piece.
According to Joo, this quality resonated deeply with BMW’s design philosophy. “BMW’s design conveys a dynamic aura, as if the car is in motion even when standing still. Lee’s unique expression of movement perfectly matched this aspect of BMW,” she explained.
The six-month collaboration between Lee and BMW Korea, with full support from the BMW headquarters, was not only a design experiment, but also an exploration of how art can inspire the brand’s identity. “These collaborations are ways to express BMW’s vision to the public, while serving as inspiration for our own design journey,” Joo said.
She added that while BMW faces challenges from digitalization to sustainability, its forward-looking design philosophy remains constant. “Though some designs have sparked controversy, they have ultimately resonated with customers,” she said.
Since its launch in 2022, BMW has partnered with Frieze Seoul to connect with Korean premium car buyers through cultural initiatives. The Korean market is now the third-largest for BMW’s 7 Series, with 4,985 sold here in 2024, according to the Korea Automobile Importers & Distributors Association.
“BMW headquarters understands that if it is recognized in Korea, it will be recognized globally,” Joo said. “Meeting the demanding needs of Korean customers ultimately resonates worldwide.”
forestjs@heraldcorp.com
