Celebrity influence on the art industry has always been extensive, especially in Hollywood where A-list stars such as Beyoncé and Jay-Z, Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt are known to be avid art collectors. Similarly, the South Korean art market has also seen a rise in celebrity enthusiasts who not only support the local art scene by attending major fairs such as Kiaf Seoul or Art Busan but have also shelled out millions in collecting some of the most unique pieces. Additionally, some K-pop stars like T.O.P (originally Choi Seung-hyun) are now widely known for their impressive art collections.
With the mere mention of art and K-pop, one of the first names to appear front and centre is also BTS’ RM. The leader of one of the biggest K-pop groups in the world is known to be an avid art collector and is often spotted at galleries as well as other significant events to acquire unique works that range across paintings, sculptures and more. However, he is not the only one to enjoy the art patron status. The culture of collecting artworks has been steadily increasing over the past few years and the earliest South Korean celebrities to be named among global art collectors were BIGBANG bandmates G-Dragon and T.O.P. In 2019, the musicians were listed in “50 Art Collectors to Watch” by ARTnews.
Even though it is hard to determine exactly how much these K-pop stars have spent on their art collections, their massive net worths denote that these celebrities haven’t held back in splurging for valuable pieces. Whether it is the Richard Prince painting Millionaire Nurse owned by G-Dragon or the Roni Horn sculpture in RM’s collection, check out the most unique and famous pieces owned by K-pop stars and their extensive art collections.
K-pop stars with the biggest art collections
T.O.P, Choi Seung-hyun
Popular artworks in his collection: Andy Warhol paintings and polaroids, Mark Grotjahn sculpture
Appearing on MBC’s Radio Star in 2016, T.O.P made a startling revelation of how he spent 95% of his income on buying new art pieces. Not only that, he further revealed how his eclectic collection includes works from artists like Andy Warhol and Kim Whanki among others. Additionally, the K-pop star mentioned that he has also installed a refrigeration system in his house to preserve these exclusive art pieces. However, today one can say this was only the beginning of T.O.P’s foray into the art world given that since then he has not only invested in significant artworks but also taken up the role of a curator.
A tour around T.O.P’s (BIGBANG) living space: A hanged artwork is worth a jaw-dropping amount of 1 million USD#TOP #TTTOP #탑 #최승현 #ChoiSeungHyun pic.twitter.com/8hS28oYINh
— T.O.P ⭐ Updates (@TOPupdates_1987) February 28, 2023
The former BIGBANG member made his international debut as a guest curator at Sotheby’s auction of Western and Asian contemporary art in Hong Kong in 2016 and spoke about what drew him towards the role saying, “Since my childhood, I’ve liked artwork pursuing minimalism with philosophy or pieces with a unique visual quality.” He further added, “I hope young people find more interest in art through my debut as an art curator.”
Interestingly, T.O.P’s connection with the art world also has a deeper meaning considering he hails from a family of artists. According to ArtNet, the singer’s maternal great-grandfather was Kim Whanki, a postwar artist in Korea, whose abstract paintings have sold for as much as USD 13 million at auctions. As for his own art spending, the BIGBANG rapper’s first major purchase was at the age of 19 when he debuted with the group and shelled out USD 7,000 each for four paintings by KAWS. Years later, his art collection now includes more than 200 paintings and 40 sculptures from renowned artists like Gerhard Richter, Andy Warhol, and Lucio Fontana.
BTS’ RM, Kim Nam-joon
Popular artworks in his collection: Roni Horn glass sculpture, KAWS figurines
BTS’ RM (originally Kim Nam-joon) serves many roles; he’s not just the main rapper and leader of BTS but also a youth icon who is constantly pushing the boundaries as a K-pop idol. Among his many likeable traits, the BTS star has also gained popularity for being an art connoisseur with a keen eye for Korean artists and impressionism. In 2020, RM made the headlines for donating a whopping USD 90,400 to the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Seoul which also earned him the honour of being named as the Art Sponsor of the Year. Impressively, RM has not only established himself as an avid art collector but is also known for intricately studying the works of famous artists.
2022.08.04
🐨 IG post: Untitled (“But the boomerang that returns is not the same one I threw.”) Roni Horn, 2013-2017@BTS_twt #BTS #방탄소년단 #RM pic.twitter.com/J9MjFKcd0S— bora (rest) (@bora_twts) August 4, 2022
Besides ARMYs, anyone who follows the K-pop idol on Instagram is instantly made aware of his art patron persona given how he is often seen posting about his travels which include art indulgences like visits to museums, galleries and more. In fact, during one of his visits to Art Basel, he also highlighted several works by Korean contemporary artists, including Yoo Youngkuk, Lee Seung Jio, Do Ho Suh, and Nam June Paik. For his debut solo album Indigo, RM also paid tribute to one of his favourite artists, Yun Hyong-keun by featuring the Blue painting by the late artist on his album cover.
In terms of his own art collection, one of the most expensive pieces owned by the BTS leader is Roni Horn‘s translucent, solid glass cylinder measuring 50.8 cm. x 91.4 cm worth USD 1.2 million. In 2020, he also grabbed eyeballs for purchasing a painting by Joung Young Ju worth USD 42,100. Previously, in an interview with ArtNet, RM had revealed that the first painting that he ever bought was an untitled, work by late Korean artist Lee Daewon at auction. Apart from paintings, RM’s art explorations also include figurines by contemporary American artist Brian Donnelly, better known as KAWS. In addition, the BTS leader is also known to be a fan of Japanese artist Takashi Murakami.
G-Dragon, Kwon Ji-yong
Popular artworks in his collection: George Condo and Richard Prince’s works
G-Dragon is often regarded as an artistic genius thanks to his musical achievements as well as his other creative endeavours. The K-pop star has never shied away from flaunting his luxury indulgences whether it is his expensive accessories or his swanky apartment that boasts of a millions-worth art collection. According to Koreaboo, the rapper’s living room alone once housed artworks worth USD 4.5 million.
Among some of the most expensive paintings that G-Dragon has invested in include Richard Prince’s Millionaire Nurse which is worth an estimated USD 3.3 million. He has also been pictured with George Condo’s Big John, which is worth an estimated USD 985,000 and is also the owner of Condo’s four-piece set – Jean Louis, Jean Louis with One Ear, Jean Louis’ Wife and Jean Louis’ Wife’s Sister worth around USD 370,000. A fan of collecting contemporary works, the rapper also owns Rudolf Stingel’s untitled piece worth USD 2.6 million. According to HypeBeast, the BIGBANG member enjoys collecting rare antiques and hence another fascinating find in his collection is also a rare Man Ray chess set, worth “hundreds of thousands of dollars.”
Furthermore, G-Dragon is an artist himself and previously also auctioned one of his own paintings. A portrait of Salvador Dali painted by the rapper was estimated to be worth USD 10,000. His custom designs when it comes to his label PEACEMINUSONE merch further showcase his creative abilities and how he draws inspiration from the artworks in his collection.
Cha Eun-woo
📸 The artists ‘HyunJu Kim’ and ‘Heesu Suh’ have shared photos of their artworks acquired by #CHAEUNWOO on their Instagram accounts.#차은우 #チャウヌ #车银优 #ชาอึนอู #車銀優 pic.twitter.com/HoZVQxJPg8
— CHA EUNWOO INTERNATIONAL (@ChaEunwooINTL) January 30, 2025
Popular artworks in his collection: Eero Aarnio model, Hyun Ju Kim artwork
While ASTRO’s Cha Eun-woo may not be particularly known for being an art collector, the K-pop idol’s recent Instagram post provided a rare insight into his minimalistic home design which also featured some impressive art pieces. During the Lunar New Year celebration, the K-pop star shared a series of photos that captured a glimpse of his beautiful home. As he posed alongside his adorable dog, eagle-eyed fans spotted South Korean artist Hyun Ju Kim’s Neo Flower artwork on the wall.
Other unique pieces that stood out in the photos include a ceramic sculpture by Suhheesu as well as Finnish designer Eero Aarnio’s innovative model of Puppy — a matte-coloured dalmatian designed from moulded polyethene. Aarnio’s artistic furniture design has been featured all over the world including at the Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art and more. The ASTRO member has also shown his love for KAWS figures and is known to own the Holiday Space Figure in silver.
Eun-woo’s art appreciation goes beyond collecting and he is often spotted attending exhibitions to appreciate and understand art. In 2024, he attended the opening night of the Saint Laurent Pinault Collection exhibition.
BTS’ V, Kim Taehyung
Popular artworks in his collection: Kuk Wonwoo painting, Kim Woo-jin sculpture
BTS’ V has shown his varied talents both as a performer in the group as well as a solo artist and even beyond music, his distinct creative spirit has been captured in his original artworks that have been popularised under the pseudonym Vante – a name inspired by photographer Ante Badzim. From photographs to paintings and even custom-made merch, the K-pop idol has designed everything under Vante and according to ARMYs, there is even a possibility that V may end up opening his own Vante gallery someday.
Besides his own creative endeavours, Kim Taehyung also has an appreciation for modern art and hence has invested in some pieces that reflect his love for it. The BTS singer is known to have an eye for unique pieces, among which he owns a deer sculpture designed by South Korean artist Kim Woo-jin. The singer’s home also displays artist Kuk Wonwoo’s Lunatic Beauty painting and it has featured as a backdrop to several photos of Taehyung. The oil on canvas painting famously features author Graham Greene’s quote: “Innocent is a kind of insanity.”
Yet another eye-catching painting seen in the K-pop star’s home is the abstract painting Chief by American artist Franz Kline. Often known as Kline’s “action painting,” the artwork reflects the artist’s spontaneous impulses capturing abstract expressionism. While no details are available about its price, BTS’ V reportedly purchased this piece from MoMA (Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art) in New York.
Just saw this in episode 7. I’m thrilled to be a part of V’s home. Thank you Army for all your support these last few years. #BTS_Monuments_BeyondTheStar #BTSARMY @USBTSARMY @BTS_twt pic.twitter.com/omvn7rvDwZ
— Marc Dominus (@Marcdominus1) January 10, 2024
Besides owning works of well-known artists, V has also showcased his fondness for collecting artworks that truly speak to him and hence one of his most famous art purchases to make the headlines was from a Dallas-based unknown artist Marc Dominus. In a chance encounter, the members of BTS walked into the Kettle Art Gallery, to avoid being hit by the rain and during this visit, V was floored by two paintings that were being exhibited there and purchased them for a humble price of USD 450 a piece.
As per Koreaboo, the artist later recalled, “The paintings were 24 x 36 acrylic on canvas. I painted them about ten days before he bought them. As a matter of fact, he had bought two of the most recent paintings I had done.” The two paintings later also featured in the group’s docuseries, BTS Monuments: Beyond the Star in the backdrop at V’s home in one of the scenes.
(Main and featured images: RM/Instagram; G-Dragon/Instagram)
The information in this article is accurate as of the date of publication.