The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (Minister CHAE Hwi-young, MCST) will host the 2nd Humanities Culture Festival at Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) on November 22 (Saturday) and 23 (Sunday), in collaboration with Arts Council Korea (ARKO). In conjunction with the festival, 45 humanities programs have been taking place across 28 locations throughout Korea since November 1 and will continue through November 23.

Focusing on the restorative power of humanistic thinking in an era deeply marked by disconnection and competition, the ministry has organized a wide range of humanities programs, including talk concerts, exhibitions, and hands-on events, to enable the public to experience the humanities in their daily lives. The programs are categorized into three sub themes: “The Moment I Lift Myself Up,” “The Times We Lean on Each Other,” and “The People Who Pace Together.”

Talk concerts to restore the gaze of compassion that connects self, others, and society

The festival’s flagship program, the humanities-themed talk event “Compassionate Conversations,” brought together speakers from different backgrounds who shared messages on restoring a gentle, empathetic gaze that reconnects individuals, others, and society as a whole in an age of isolation.

On November 22, emergency medicine physician Namkoong In, firefighter Baek Kyung, and film critic Jung Si-woo will speak on “The Warmth of Ordinary People.” Authors Kim Young-ha and Yozoh will speak on the theme “One Life, One Moment.” Director Yoon Hye-sook, actor Choi Hee-seo, photographer Lee Hwon, and playwright Kim Yeon-jae will share their stories in a session titled “My Pocketful of Plays.” On November 23, authors Yang Dasol and Won Soyoon, together with publishing marketer Jo Aran, will speak on “How to Spend a Good Day.” Jang Jae-yeol, the editor-in-chief of the monthly Mind Health, psychiatrist Kim Ji-yong, and cognitive psychologist Kim Kyung-il will talk under the theme “To You Who Survived Today,” while actor Ye Soo-jung, film director Yeon Sang-ho, and Korea National Open University professor Lee Sung-min will present their stories on “The Lives of Others — And Me.”

The program “A Kind Time Together” shared real-life examples of how humanities initiatives conducted throughout the year have delivered real changes on the ground. Under the theme “Humanistic Changes in Everyday Life and Tomorrow,” presenters will share concrete examples of how intergenerational and interregional humanities experiences have helped restore human relationships.  In the youth segment, conducted in partnership with the Korea Youth Foundation, four young individuals who have gone through periods of isolation and social withdrawal will speak under the theme “The Gentle Force that Connects Us,” answering the question “How Have You Returned to Everyday Life?” with their personal journeys of restoration through the humanities.

Engaging with the public with a diverse lineup of exhibitions, performances, and films

The festival also prepared a range of cultural experiences, including exhibitions, performances, and film screenings, where the public could encounter the humanities in everyday settings. In addition to the main curated exhibition documenting humanities initiatives, the festival featured the Youth Humanities Classroom exhibition “Room of Isolation, Retreat, Loneliness, and Solitude,” as well as “Transcript Café: We Accept Writings Instead of Money,” a participatory exhibition created in a collaboration by artist Cheon Geun-sung and the Stepping Stone Humanities program. In this collaboration exhibition, visitors will hand-copy poems and essays written by the homeless who took part in the Stepping Stone Humanities program.

More details on the festival are available at the official Humanities Cultural Festival website (http://inmunfe.oopy.io) and the Inmun360 Instagram account (@inmun360). Talk concerts, workshops, and selected hands-on programs required advance bookings via the reservation page (https://booking.naver.com/booking/12/bizes/120119).