2nd Anniversary of Cheongwadae Opening... Filled with Exhibitions, Performances, and Concerts

Special Exhibition 'Handshake of Leaders, Promise of Freedom' Held
'Ukraine Children's Art Exhibition' and 'Open Concert' Also Featured

Various cultural and artistic events will be held at the Blue House, which is celebrating its 2nd anniversary of opening to the public. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Blue House Foundation announced on the 30th that exhibitions, concerts, performances, and multi-arts will be showcased starting next month.

At the Main Building, a special exhibition titled "Handshake of Leaders, Promise of Freedom: Welcoming the Leaders" will be held from the 1st of next month until July 29. It showcases South Korea's journey as a rising global hub nation. The exhibition culturally interprets the achievements of summit diplomacy in science and technology, defense, culture, and industry over the past two years through cultural technology and collaborative media art with artists. The most eye-catching exhibit is the full-length portraits of various world leaders painted on large hanging scrolls, generated by artificial intelligence (AI) trained in the characteristics of traditional Korean painting.

The exhibition hall also offers various interactive contents. These include a photo zone called "We Are Leaders," where visitors can take commemorative photos with leaders of different countries, and a diplomatic knowledge quiz "Beat Cheongmaru" where visitors compete against the virtual diplomat "Cheongmaru." Visitors can also experience interactive media art by artist Lee Inam, where they touch a tablet to send a blue dragon, a motif from white porcelain, flying into the sky. Other exhibits include "Blue Beret," where Cheongmaru travels back to the Korean War to converse with veterans, and works by artist Kwon Minho depicting Korea's industrial presence in the world through projection mapping.

On the 2nd floor of the Chunchoogwan, in connection with the special exhibition, the "Children Drawing Hope: Ukrainian Children's Art Exhibition" will be held from the 1st of next month until June 3. Visitors can see over 150 drawings by local children that President Yoon Suk-yeol and the First Lady admired last July at the Children's Rights Center in Kyiv, Ukraine. Each piece reflects the daily lives and hopes of Ukrainian children who have experienced war. A Ministry of Culture official explained, "This exhibition was made possible through a proposal from the Ukrainian Ministry of Culture, Policy, and Information."

On the 7th of next month, the Grand Garden will host KBS's "Open Concert" under the theme "The Blue House with the People, K-Culture Meeting the World." About 400 general citizens, including national merit recipients, socially disadvantaged groups, and multi-child and multicultural families, as well as approximately 700 foreign residents such as diplomatic envoys and international students, will be invited. The stage will feature diverse music genres including Korean traditional music and classical music, performed by artists such as Danny Koo, SG Wannabe, Heize, MeloMance's Kim Min-seok, STAYC, Akdan Kwangchil, La Poem, and the percussion group Tago.

Other cultural and artistic events will be held mainly on weekends in various spaces. On the 4th and 5th of next month, outdoor spaces such as the helipad will host events like the "Classical Family Concert," "Blue House Kids Concert," and "Blue House Bubble Train." On the 18th and 19th, the helipad, Nokjiwon, and the PR Hall will host the "Korea Traditional Performance Festival," featuring Nongak (farmers' music), traditional music, tightrope walking, and mask dance.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Blue House Foundation are expanding convenience facilities and foreigner guidance services to meet the increasing visitor demand. Following the renovation of the restroom in Yeomin 1 Hall this month, parts of Yeomin Hall (2nd and 3rd halls) will be improved into caf?-style lounges and libraries by next year. The Blue House website, previously available in Korean and English, now also offers Japanese and Chinese. A Ministry of Culture official stated, "We plan to develop the Blue House into a complex cultural and artistic space," adding, "We will operate various programs in the fall to provide abundant attractions and allow visitors to experience the uniqueness of the Blue House."