The 2020 K-Culture Festival will be held online for one month from November 2 to 29, 2020, in cooperation with four cities that serve as regional tourism hubs.

Jointly organized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST, Minister Park Yang-woo) and the Korean Foundation for International Cultural Exchange (KOFICE, President Kim Yongrak), the event will be held to generate interest across the world for tourist travel to Korea. 

Held under the theme “Let’s Meet and Enjoy K-Culture Together,” the online festival will showcase K-pop concerts starring 50 popular artists to introduce major tourist destinations and cultural goods in Mokpo, Jeonju, Gangneung and Andong. In addition, a special “K-Culture Market” will be open online to bolster consumer markets that have been hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hallyu Stars Provide Global Audiences Contact-free Experiences while Touring Popular Local Destinations

“Ga-deurim” (K-Culture Guide) is a program that features Hallyu stars traveling to four major Korean tourist destinations to introduce and experience local food, attractions and each area’s unique culture:

Moon Bin and San-ha from the boy group ASTRO and singer Hwang Chi Yeul will visit major cultural heritage sites in Mokpo to experience the culture and introduce nine local delicacies prepared with seasonal ingredients. In Jeonju, fashionista singers Jessi and Tiffany Young will be joined by special guests (fashion designer Lie Sang Bong and models Song Haena and Yuri) to introduce the unique styles of traditional Hanbok. In addition, JooE and Hyebin from the girl group MOMOLAND and singer Hwang Chi Yeul will reenact famous K-drama sceness in Gangneung and highlight the city’s charm as a filming location for K-dramas. Lastly, in Andong, globally renowned choreography team Just Jerk as well as Kihyun and Minhyuk from the boy group MONSTA X and singer Hwang Chi Yeul will learn creative choreography inspired by the Hahoe Byeolsingut Talnori (Mask Dance Drama of Hahoe) and show the beautiful moves of traditional Korean dance.

“Ga-deurim” will air from 18:00 (KST) every day across the globe for the duration of the festival via K-Culture Festival’s YouTube channel and the SBS Entertainment channel. This unique program is expected to satisfy Hallyu fans’ desire to travel and to draw people’s attention to local tourism, redirecting their focus to regions outside the Seoul metropolitan area.

Online K-Pop Concerts Every Sunday Featuring 40 K-Pop Artists, including YeSung (SUPER JUNIOR-K.R.Y.)

K-Pop concerts reflecting the characteristics of a different major regional tourism hub will be aired for 70 minutes from 00:05 (KST) every Sunday for four weeks (right after midnight Saturday, starting November 8), via terrestrial channel SBS and the YouTube channels of K-Culture Festival, SBS KPOP and Korea.net.

In Mokpo, Golden Child, Na Tae-joo, Nam Jin, Park Hyun-bin, Sook Haeng, EVERGLOW, Wei, Yoon Soo Hyun and Jo Jung Min will sing the latest K-Pop hits as well as popular trot songs about Koreans’ joys and sorrows in the early 1900s. In Jeonju, a city steeped in tradition, Lovelyz, Rocket Punch, LUNARSOLAR, Song Ga In, Song So Hee, NCT U – Make A Wish, LEENALCHI, Jeong Sewoon, CHEETAH and PENTAGON will give audiences a chance to enjoy both K-pop and traditional Korean songs. Gangneung, a popular location for K-dramas, will feature performances by Gaho, Kim Tae Woo, DRIPPIN, LYn, BEN, YOUNHA, Weki Meki, CIX, TOMORROW X TOGETHER and TOO, who will sing popular songs from soundtracks to make the mood more festive. Lastly, in Andong, K-pop idols such as KANGDANIEL, THE BOYZ, OH MY GIRL, ONF, (G)I-DLE, APRIL, NCT U – From Home, YeSung (SUPER JUNIOR-K.R.Y.), Wei and TOO will bring impressive choreography to the festival’s final stage to highlight the city’s reputation as the home of Korea’s traditional Talchum (mask dance).

Hallyu Culture Market and Contact-free Special Drone Show

Throughout the K-Culture Festival, a special Hallyu culture market will open on Interpark. The online shopping mall will offer unique local specialties, including snacks, traditional craftwork and daily necessities as well as local tour options with discounts.

In a special contact-free show, 300 illuminated drones will create popular images and scenes from K-pop, -food, -cosmetics, -fashion and -dramas in the night sky. The drone show will be aired via the K-Culture Festival’s YouTube channel on November 8 and all four of the K-Culture Festival’s Sunday K-pop concerts.

“Held in different cities popular as regional tourism hubs, the K-Culture Festival will introduce various aspects of local Hallyu content. I hope this will serve as an opportunity to boost regional tourism,” said an official in charge of relevant policies at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

Schedules and detailed lists of artists appearing at the 2020 K-Culture Festival can be found in Korean, English, Chinese, Japanese and Spanish on the K-Culture Festival’s official website (www.kculturefestival.kr).