26 Korean Cultural Centers, in 25 countries around the world, are preparing to host a wide range of cultural events throughout the year—incorporating hanbok, crafts, traditional performances, and cuisine. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (Minister YU In Chon, MCST), in collaboration with the National Gugak Center, the Korean Food Promotion Institute, the Korean Foundation for International Cultural Exchange, local governments, and overseas local cultural and arts institutions, will all coordinate events.

Showcasing Diverse Traditional Korean Culture: Hanbok, Performance, and Hanji in Europe; Crafts, Gugak, and Jinju Silk in Asia; Ssireum, Lacquerware, and Korean Cuisine in the Americas

The heart of Europe is the location for the first event, running between March and May, a photo exhibition at the Korean Cultural Center in Brussels, Belgium. Titled Hanbok on the Road, and featuring 21 photos of locals in traditional Korean attire at iconic Brussels, Antwerp, and Dinant locations, it aims to introduce the garment’s beauty to European audiences. Elsewhere, a performance titled Tal & Dance – The DNA of Korea’s Joy and Spirit (Translated), will be held in Germany in August, featuring the traditional mask dance, Taepyeongmu (Dance of Peace), and gayageum (traditional Korean musical instrument) performances. Also, the Music, Song, and Dance of Korea (Translated) event is set for November in Kazakhstan, offering locals a chance to experience traditional musical instruments such as the piri, daegeum, and haegeum (traditional Korean musical instrument).

Other events showcasing the unique longevity of hanji (traditional Korean paper), and its suitability for restoration work, will also take place. In June in Italy, there will be a special hanji exhibition in collaboration with students of the Accademia di Belle Arti di Roma, followed in July by a natural hanji dyeing workshop for local artisan restoration and conversation experts, offered in collaboration with the Vatican Museums. Furthermore, France, Sweden, and Austria will all host traditional Korean music lectures, while a craft exhibition will be held in Spain, and an event in Hungary will showcase traditional Korean embroidery. Elsewhere, the United Kingdom, Türkiye, and Russia are locations for “Korean Cuisine Month”, culinary competitions, and a hands-on food experience.

Korean Cultural Centers across Asia will also be very active. The Osaka center will present seasonal craft exhibitions, featuring moon jars and royal silk flower arrangements in spring, gold leaf crafts in summer, and earthenware in autumn, before signing off in winter with a quilted clothes exhibit. Between March and June, in Shanghai, China, the National Gugak Center will host The World of Traditional Korean Music: Stories of Old Korean Sounds,(Translated) shortly followed by a youth exchange concert in June and July, co-organized by the Korea National University of Arts (School of Korean Traditional Arts) and the Shanghai Conservatory of Music. Elsewhere, in collaboration with the city of Jinju, the centers in the Philippines, Indonesia, and Vietnam will play host to the traveling exhibition, Light of Korea – Jinju Silk Lanterns,(Translated) in May, September, and October, respectively. It highlights the artistic and cultural significance of the renowned Jinju silks. Finally, in Thailand, there will be traditional cultural lectures held year-round.

Turning to the Americas, the Washington, D.C. center and the Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art will co-host an introductory event for ssireum (traditional Korean wrestling), in October. Later, to celebrate Kimchi Day (November 22) a hands-on “kimjang (traditional kimchi-making) experience” is planned for Washington D.C. Meanwhile, in August and October in Los Angeles and Ottawa, local centers will host a special exhibition, Drawings of Najeonjang, part of the “Touring K-Arts program”[1]. The event will showcase the beauty of Korea’s traditional lacquerware craft.

Further south in Brazil, a book featuring notable Korean food spots and traditional cooking methods will be published for the first time locally in the second half of the year, alongside a sister event to share the cuisine’s cultural background and philosophy. In neighboring Argentina, a culinary education course will be made available to locals seeking a hands-on experience with the country’s traditional ingredients and techniques. Elsewhere, an April event in Sydney, Australia, will introduce traditional hangwa (confectionery) made with Jeju tangerines, inspired by recent hit K-TV drama, <When Life Gives You Tangerines>. Finally, in Nigeria and South Africa, traditional cultural experiences—involving Korean food, hanbok, and crafts—will be offered to further showcase the country’s unique heritage and cultural traditions.