From Osaka to New York to Rome... K-Culture Travels the World with "Touring K-Arts"

Introducing Korean Culture and Arts through Overseas Korean Cultural Centers
46 Programs to Tour 45 Cities Worldwide

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, in collaboration with the Korean Foundation for International Cultural Exchange, is officially launching the '2026 Touring K-Arts' initiative to support the overseas tour of outstanding Korean cultural and artistic programs, using Korean Cultural Centers abroad as hubs.

This year, a total of 46 programs—including the changgeuk (traditional Korean opera) 'Chunhyang', the National Dance Company's 'Metamorphosis', media art exhibitions, and experiential programs featuring Korean cuisine and K-beauty—are scheduled to be presented in 45 cities across 30 countries, including Osaka, New York, and Rome. Last year, 47 cultural and artistic programs were introduced to audiences in 34 countries through this initiative, attracting approximately 170,000 local spectators.

Among the major performance programs, the National Gugak Center’s signature changgeuk 'Chunhyang' will showcase the essence of Korean traditional theater in Osaka and Okinawa, Japan. 'All the Worlds' by Rike Dance, which blends contemporary dance and street dance, will tour Mexico and Brazil, delivering dynamic Korean movement to international audiences.

'Naljomboso' China Tour Performance. Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism

The exhibition programs are also attracting attention. To commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Korean Cultural Center in Italy, the SongEun Art and Cultural Foundation’s 'Still/Moving: The SongEun Video Collection in Motion', which opened in Rome this April, will move to Austria in October to introduce the current landscape of Korean media art. The Savina Museum of Contemporary Art’s 'Hanbok in Art' will tour the Philippines and the soon-to-open Korean Cultural Center in Malaysia in the second half of this year.

Hands-on programs themed around Korean cuisine and K-beauty are also on offer. 'Matmeot Box', which introduces the cultural significance of Korean dining settings, tableware, and banquet culture, will be held in Beijing and Shanghai, China, while the 'Traveling K-Beauty Makeup Class', where participants can experience the latest beauty trends with Korean makeup artists, will visit Tokyo and Osaka, Japan.

Traditional intangible heritage performances will also meet overseas audiences. 'Pungjang Korea' by the National Intangible Heritage Center, focusing on nongak (Korean traditional folk music) recognized as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, will be performed in Türkiye and Hungary. The National Dance Company’s 'Metamorphosis', a modern reinterpretation of talchum (Korean mask dance) which was inscribed on the UNESCO list in 2022, will be staged in New York and Washington, United States.

Support will continue for young artists leading the future of K-culture to advance overseas. In connection with the government-supported 'Youth Education Troupe Training Program', young members of the National Gugak Orchestra and the National Opera Company will tour major countries in Asia, while the 'ARCO Ensemble', comprised of young musicians active abroad, plans to expand cultural exchange with local audiences through performances in Europe.

Kim Jaehyun, Director General for Culture and Media Industry at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, stated, "We expect that Touring K-Arts, with its regional touring system, will not only promote the global spread of Korean works but also provide a stepping stone for talented young artists to advance overseas. The Ministry will continue to uncover and support a diverse range of programs tailored to local demand, using overseas Korean Cultural Centers as hubs, so that people around the world can fully enjoy Korean culture and the arts."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.