The art world landed in Seoul this week for the inaugural edition of Frieze in Asia, as the vibrant South Korean capital looks to position itself as the region's next art hub. Previous Frieze fairs have been held in traditional art capitals like London, Paris and New York, but industry experts say Seoul was a natural pick for the first Asian edition of the prestigious event. South Korea has emerged as a cultural powerhouse in recent years with the global success of the Oscar-winning film "Parasite" and the Netflix series "Squid Game", and with K-pop superstars BTS sweeping the Billboard music charts. "I think Frieze Seoul coming to Korea is really more a validation of the strength of the market, of the infrastructure of the cultural scene," Patrick Lee, the inaugural director of Frieze Seoul, tells AFP. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES