Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to Host Large-Scale K-Culture Festival in Mexico for North and Central America World Cup

Exhibitions, Performances, and Media Art to Be Showcased in Guadalajara and Beyond

Honoring Korean War Veterans and Highlighting Korea-Mexico Friendship and Solidarity

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on June 4 that, together with the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Mexico and the Korean Cultural Center in Mexico, they will hold a large-scale 'K-Culture' festival in Mexico during the '2026 FIFA World Cup North and Central America'.

This festival, themed 'Connecting through Passion', 'Connecting through Light', 'Connecting through Perspective', and 'Connecting through Rhythm', will feature a variety of cultural events including media facade displays, contemporary art exhibitions, traditional performances, and K-pop cover dance shows. The 'K-Initiative Council', established around overseas diplomatic missions, plans to create a unique venue for a sports and cultural fusion festival where football fans from all over the world and local residents can come together and enjoy.

Mexico, where the Korean national football team will play all three of its group stage matches during this World Cup, is considered a key hub for the spread of the Korean Wave in Central and South America. Interest in Korean culture continues to rise in various fields such as K-pop, dramas, beauty, and food, and this World Cup is expected to further expand local interest in K-Culture.

Through this event, the Embassy, Cultural Center, and Korea Tourism Organization's Mexico office plan to showcase cultural content that encompasses both Korea's tradition and modernity, while broadening the scope of exchanges and mutual understanding between the two countries.

On June 6, in Zapopan, Jalisco, which is part of the Guadalajara metropolitan area, the 'Korea Day' festival will be held—a comprehensive cultural festival that integrates 'K-Food', 'K-Culture', 'K-Content', and 'K-Sports'. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced that the event will promote the appeal of Korean culture to local residents and football fans from around the world, and that two Korean War veterans have been invited to commemorate the friendship and solidarity between the two nations.

On the same day, the media facade artwork 'Connecting through Light' by artist Lee Lee-nam will be unveiled on the exterior wall of the Basilica in Zapopan, Jalisco. This large-scale media art piece, which fuses cultural symbols of Korea and Mexico, is expected to deliver a message of World Cup excitement and cultural exchange.

At the National Museum of World Cultures in Mexico, a contemporary art exhibition titled 'Translating Tradition, Imagining the Future' will reinterpret Korean traditional culture through media art and artificial intelligence (AI) art. The exhibition is co-organized with the Savina Museum of Contemporary Art in Korea. In the Global Village within Chapultepec Park in Mexico City, a multi-purpose Korean promotional center will operate, linking Korean tourism resources with 'K-Content'. In collaboration with the National Museum Foundation of Korea, the Cultural Center will also host a special exhibition from the National Museum of Korea within the promotional center, showcasing the appeal and excellence of cultural products that combine Korean tradition and modernity.

Additionally, celebratory performances wishing for the successful hosting of the World Cup and for Korea's national team will be staged not only in Zapopan but also at major venues in Mexico City and Monterrey. Traditional performance groups such as Yeonhee Nanjang Onal (ON), K-Tigers, The Gwangdae, and local K-pop cover dance teams will participate in these events.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that, as the 2026 FIFA World Cup North and Central America will be a meaningful international stage to showcase the creativity and appeal of K-Culture to the world, they will continue to hold a variety of cultural events throughout the tournament to facilitate communication and foster closer ties between the peoples of Korea and Mexico.

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