Poster for “BANDI WALK” exhibition at the Korean Cultural Center in South Africa / Courtesy of Korean Cultural Center South Africa
By Kwon Mee-yoo
A celebration of Korean culture is set to captivate audiences worldwide through a series of exhibitions and performances across 17 Korean Cultural Centers in 16 countries.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST) announced Friday the launch of the Korean Cultural Center tour program. This initiative aims to showcase the richness of Korean culture on a global stage, supporting cultural organizations seeking international exposure. By facilitating multi-country tours for these organizations, the program not only highlights outstanding Korean content but also offers a cost-effective approach to cultural exchange, maximizing outreach while minimizing costs.
The 2023 lineup for the tour includes 11 standout exhibitions and performances. The program will kick off with the “BANDI WALK: One Step Closer to Our Earth” exhibition at the Korean Cultural Center in South Africa. Running from June 3 to Aug. 30, this media art exhibition by the Asia Culture Center Foundation explores themes related to the climate crisis, featuring an exchange between Korean and South African artists. Following South Africa, the exhibition will move to the United Arab Emirates from Oct. 1 to Nov. 15.
Another exhibition, “Far, Far Side of the World,” hosted by the Seoul Museum of Art (SeMA), will tour through Tokyo (June 5-Aug. 1), Hong Kong (Aug. 14-Oct. 5) and Osaka (Oct. 18-Nov. 30). This exhibition showcases the works of four contemporary Korean artists from SeMA’s Nanji Residency, who interpret the theme of “connection” through diverse media such as photography, sound and video.
Poster for “Far, Far Side of the World” at Korean Cultural Center in Tokyo / Courtesy of Korean Cultural Center Tokyo
In a tribute to inclusivity and the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the Heart to Heart Orchestra, comprising musicians with developmental disabilities, will present “K-Classic” in Belgium on Sept. 4-5 and in France on Sept. 7-8, with the theme “Beyond Diversity to Inclusion.”
Other touring exhibits and performances include “Dance and Music of the Royal Banquet in Korea” by the National Gugak Center; “Hangeul Design Project” by the National Hangeul Museum; “Traditional Decorative Knots, Maedeup” by the National Folk Museum of Korea; “Production Design: Scene Architects Build On-Screen Worlds” by the Korean Film Archive; “Jungle — Sense and Response” by Korea National Contemporary Dance Company; “Forest Band” by the Namwon National Gugak Center; “Pansori Meets Chorus” by the Jeonju Pansori Chorus and Military Symphony Orchestra concert by the Patriotic Cultural Association.
Yong Ho-seong, head of the International Cultural Affairs and Public Relations Office at the ministry, noted that the MCST plans to rebrand the initiative as “Touring K-Arts” for 2025 and beyond.
“In the future, we plan to introduce more outstanding programs of Korean arts and cultural institutions as well as young and emerging artists,” Yong said in the statement.
“We will expand the scale of the program to include not only performances and exhibitions, but also lectures and educational programs to better introduce Korean culture and history.”
