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Kim Whanki's 1971 painting fetches $8.4M at auction, second-highest for Korean art

Published: 18 Nov. 2025, 14:45

Kim Whanki's '19-VI-71 #206,″ painted in 1971, is featured in this image provided by Christie's. [CHRISTIE'S]

A 1971 dot painting by Korean abstract master Kim Whanki (1913-1974) has sold for $8.4 million at a Christie's auction held in New York, achieving the second-highest auction price ever for a Korean artwork.

The painting, "19-VI-71 #206," measuring 254 by 203 centimeters (100 by 79.9 inches), was sold during Christie's 20th Century Evening Sale on Monday. With the auction fee included, the final price exceeds $10.29 million.

Christie's described the piece as "the zenith of Korean modern abstraction, embodying the purest and most transcendent ideals of art." According to the Whanki Museum in Seoul, the artwork was created while Kim was living in the city, a period when "his search for the essence of nature evolved into a most pristine and complete form of abstraction."

The late abstract pioneer also holds the record for the most expensive Korean artwork ever sold at auction. His monumental 1971 blue-dot painting, "Universe 05-IV-71 #200," fetched approximately $11.3 million at a Christie's Hong Kong auction in November 2019.

Yonhap