Various traditional Korean cultural events, including hanbok, crafts, traditional performances, and Korean cuisine, are held year-round at Korean cultural centers around the world.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism noted on the 10th that it will collaborate with the National Gugak Center, the Korea Food Promotion Institute, the Korea International Cultural Exchange Agency, local governments, and local cultural and arts organizations to hold various traditional Korean cultural events, including hanbok, crafts, traditional performances, and Korean cuisine, at 26 Korean cultural centers in 25 countries throughout the year.
First, the Korean Cultural Center in Belgium and the European Union will host the 'Hanbok on the Road' photo exhibition from March to May. In Germany, the event 'Mask & Dance – The Land of Songs and Dances, South Korea: The Excitement and Spirit's DNA' will take place in September, and Kazakhstan will hold the 'Korean Music and Dance' event in November to showcase the charm of traditional Korean music.
A hanji event will also be held. In Italy, a hanji exhibition with students from the National Academy of Fine Arts in Rome will take place in June, and in July, a natural dyeing training session using hanji will be held in collaboration with the Vatican Museums.
Traditional cultural events will also be held in Asia. The Korean Cultural Center in Osaka will present seasonal craft exhibitions showcasing traditional crafts such as spring moon jars and court flower arrangements, summer gold leaf, autumn earthenware, and winter quilting. In China, an exhibition titled 'The World of Korean Traditional Music: Stories of the Old Music of Koreans' will run from March to June, followed by a youth exchange concert from June to July. Thailand will offer traditional cultural classes year-round.
In the Americas, the Korean Cultural Center in Washington, D.C., will introduce the traditional Korean sport of ssireum in October in collaboration with the Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art. On Nov. 22, a kimjang cultural experience event will also be held to commemorate 'Kimchi Day' in Washington, D.C. In Los Angeles, United States, and Ottawa, Canada, special exhibitions titled 'Mother-of-pearl Craftsmanship - Mother-of-pearl as Seen Through Paintings' will be held in August and October, respectively.
In Brazil, a book encompassing traditional food production processes and culinary attractions will be published in the second half of the year. In Argentina, classes on Korean culinary culture will be offered so that locals can experience traditional Korean ingredients and recipes. In Australia, an event introducing traditional sweets using Jeju tangerines will be held in April.
Kim Hyun-jun, director of international cultural policy at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said, 'The overseas Korean cultural centers will continue to strengthen their role as major hubs for introducing traditional cultural content overseas by collaborating with domestic and international cultural and arts organizations.' He added, 'The ministry will actively support the expansion of the popularity of K-Culture, which has been focused on popular culture, to include traditional culture such as hanbok, Korean cuisine, and hanji.'