National Cultural Cities Expo Opens in Miryang: A Comprehensive Look at Changes in 37 Cities

The "2026 National Cultural Cities Expo," which offers a comprehensive view of the changes across 37 designated cultural cities nationwide, will be held through September 13 at Yeongnamnu Pavilion and along the Miryang River in Miryang, Gyeongsangnam-do.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced on September 11 that it will host the National Cultural Cities Expo in partnership with Gyeongsangnam-do Province and the National Association of Cultural Cities under the theme "United Localities, Shaping the Future of Cities Together." The aim of this expo is to share and showcase the progress and achievements of cultural cities nationwide with the public.

Cultural City is a policy in which residents, municipalities, and planners collaborate to create a unique regional culture brand and revitalize the city by leveraging distinctive local cultural assets. Since the first designations in 2019, a total of 37 cities have been selected, connecting content, spaces, and people to drive regional transformation.

At the entrance to the expo venue, the Policy Promotion Hall offers visitors an overview of the Cultural City designation status and the implementation process. Changes brought about by the Cultural City project in seven areas—such as resident participation, utilization of cultural spaces, and local problem-solving—are highlighted with city-specific case studies. There will also be a hands-on coloring experience and a photo zone on the exterior of the Policy Promotion Hall for visitors to enjoy.

Beyond the Policy Promotion Hall, individual promotion halls representing each cultural city will be set up. Here, officials from each city will introduce their representative cultural assets and major initiatives directly to visitors. The 12 pioneering cities from the first and second rounds of selection will have a special hall to showcase their accumulated achievements to date.

Throughout the expo, visitors will have the opportunity to engage firsthand with local people and content that have flourished in their regions. Along the Miryang River, an art market featuring works by local artists, a local content booth, and a youth food booth staffed by young entrepreneurs will be open. In particular, the youth food booth will feature 10 startup teams that emerged from the Miryang Cultural City Project’s “Local Project Planner Training Program,” offering food made with local ingredients and upcycled craft items.

The opening ceremony, scheduled for 5:20 p.m. on September 11, will present a unique performance that reinterprets the region's cultural assets as a live show. The Miryang Arirang Arts Group's Young Troupe will stage "Arirang Dongdong," which blends traditional rhythms and farming movements with Miryang Arirang to showcase the energy and communal spirit of rural life. Also featured will be the waterborne fireworks musical "Mirimi Dongguk," inspired by the ancient name of Miryang, and "Miryang River Eohwa Fireworks Show," which takes its cue from the illuminated fishing boats on the Miryang River. These performances will continue into the night on a special water stage on the river, with Yeongnamnu Pavilion serving as a scenic backdrop.

Additionally, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will present commendations to 10 public officials and contributors recognized for their significant contributions to the development of cultural cities at the local level. Five cities that achieved outstanding results in last year’s cultural city performance assessment will also be recognized. Yeongwol and Chungju were chosen as "Cultural Cities of the Year," while Miryang, Suyeong District of Busan, and Sokcho received awards for being designated "Best Cultural City," along with plaques and certificates.

Kim Youngsoo, the First Vice Minister of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, will visit Miryang on September 11 to tour the Cultural City Promotion Hall and attend the opening ceremony, where he will offer encouragement to the contributors and stakeholders in cultural city development.

Vice Minister Kim stated, "Culture is the key foundation for making a region a 'desirable place to live.' Through this expo, we hope to share the achievements made by cultural cities nationwide and allow the public to directly experience the transformations that culture has brought to their local communities."

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