YU In Chon, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST), attended the opening ceremony of the New York Korea Center on June 27 (Thur) at 7p.m. (New York local time).

Established in 1979, The Korean Cultural Center New York celebrates its 45th anniversary this year. The Center initially rented part of the 6th floor in a 22-story building on Park Avenue in Manhattan since its opening. As local interest in Korean culture continued to grow rapidly, the Korean Cultural Center NY was established, leading to the expansion and relocation to its current location on 32nd Street in Manhattan. The Center now houses several organizations dedicated to promoting Korean culture, including the Korean Cultural Center, Korea Tourism Organization, Korea Creative Content Agency, and King Sejong Institute. It provides a comprehensive (one-stop) service that seamlessly integrates various elements of Korean culture through cooperation among each organization. New York is the sixth city to host such a center, following LA, Shanghai, Tokyo, Beijing, and Paris.

A seven-story building serving as a comprehensive cultural and arts space, equipped with a 190-seat performance hall, exhibition hall, library, and cooking class facilities

The New York Korea Center is a seven-story building serving as a comprehensive cultural and arts space, equipped with a 190-seat performance hall, exhibition hall, and cooking class facilities. It occupies the entire building, covering a total floor area of 3,383 square meters, from the basement to the 7th floor above ground. It features a performance hall for performances and movie screenings in the basement, a media wall on the first floor, an exhibition hall and garden on the second floor, a library on the third floor, and a cooking class facility on the fourth floor. During its soft opening from March to June, the center welcomed over 8,000 visitors, marking the beginning of its journey to becoming a hub for Korean cultural experiences in New York. Furthermore, the Korean Cultural Center, Korea Tourism Organization, and Korea Creative Content Agency, will collaborate as resident organizations to provide comprehensive (one-stop) services on Korean culture, tourism, and content to global visitors in New York City, serving as a leading international cultural center. This initiative seeks to bolster the national brand’s value and stimulate economic growth by boosting cultural exports and attracting international tourists.

The opening of the New York Korea Center to be celebrated with a diverse array of cultural and artistic events

The opening ceremony will mark the inauguration of the New York Korea Center, with over 150 distinguished guests from prominent local cultural institutions in attendance. Notable attendees include Minister YU In Chon, Jordana Leigh, Senior Director of Artistic Programming at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts; John Pai, Korean-American sculptor; producer of the musical “Great Gatsby” and head of OD Musical Company, SHIN Chun soo, and Linda CHO, a Costume designer.

In addition, a diverse array of cultural and artistic events were hosted to celebrate the opening. The National Gugak Center, renowned for its representation of Korean traditional music, blessed the center’s future with performances such as “Mun-gut” and “Chukwon Binari,” as well as “Suryongeum” and “Newly-Sinawi,” showcasing the beauty of Korean traditional music through various Gugak performances. The New York Classical Players (NYCP), New York City’s chamber orchestra, captured the essence and allure of the city with their performance of “Rhapsody in Blue.” For the concluding performance, the National Gugak Center and NYCP collaborated to deliver a concert blending New York–style music with the quintessential Korean piece, the “Arirang Semachi,” promising a heartfelt response from the audience. In addition to the performances, visitors can explore the exquisite hanbok displayed in the exhibition hall of the New York Korea Center. Professor LEE Jin Hee of Korea National University of Arts, well-known as a costume director for historical dramas, presented a special exhibition showcasing “Hanbok featured in films”.

The Korean Cultural Center New York will also commemorate the opening with a series of events aimed at promoting Korean culture in New York City. The Hangeul Wall Project[1] will feature a selection of 1,000 Korean phrases chosen from 8,000 submissions from around the world, forming a Hangeul wall within the New York Korea Center.

Minister YU In Chon stated, “The site of the New York Korea Center holds personal significance for me because I made the decision to acquire it over 15 years ago during my tenure as minister. At that time, I could not have foreseen that Korean culture would achieve such popularity in New York today. However, the enthusiasm of Korean Wave fans for K-dramas and K-movies has now extended to K-food like kimbap and ramen, which have gained global exposure through Korean dramas and movies, are influencing the food industry. By establishing the Korea Center in New York, a city with significant influence in the global cultural market, I hope it will empower Korea to become a cultural powerhouse where people worldwide not only embrace Korean culture and tourism but also eagerly consume and enjoy all products associated with Korea, rather than simply promoting Korean culture.”