Art & Guide

About Art & Guide

Art & Guide, operated by the South Korean startup Yeolmae Company, is a platform for fractional art investment. Founded in 2016 by CEO Kim Jae-wook, the company allows multiple investors to collectively purchase and own shares of high-value artworks by renowned artists like Picasso, Yayoi Kusama, and Andy Warhol. The business model democratizes art investment, traditionally accessible only to the wealthy, by enabling individuals to invest small amounts for joint ownership of celebrated art pieces. The company primarily generates revenue through the profit made when the co-owned artwork is sold at a premium, sharing the capital gains with the fractional investors. It boasts a model with no additional transaction fees for the end buyer.

The platform targets a diverse range of clients, including millennial investors in their 20s and 30s and financial experts such as fund managers who face restrictions on traditional stock trading. Art & Guide has seen significant growth, with the value of its purchased artworks more than doubling in 2022 to an estimated 50 billion won ($38.5 million), representing about 10% of South Korea's secondary art market. The average return rate for investors has been reported at 30%. In November 2021, Yeolmae Company secured 9.2 billion won ($7.8 million) in a Series A funding round with participation from SoftBank Ventures Asia, Korea Development Bank, Bass Investment, and E&Venture Partners. The company has been recognized by the Financial Services Commission (FSC), allowing it to register as a financial firm and issue art investment contract securities.