Ministry of Culture to Promote Korean Culture in UAE... Promotion Center Opening on the 28th

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced on the 19th that it will hold the 'Korea Season in Korea360' event in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on the 21st and 22nd, featuring Korean drama theme songs, fusion gugak performances, and Korean cultural experience events. This event was organized ahead of the opening of the UAE overseas promotional center 'Korea360' on the 28th. Through this performance, the Ministry aims to create an opportunity for local Hallyu fans to pay attention to the soon-to-open overseas promotional center 'Korea360'.

The Ministry, together with the Korea Foundation for International Cultural Exchange and the Korean Cultural Center in the UAE, has been conducting the '2024 Korea Season' since October last year. 'Korea Season' is a project that selects countries with a strong Hallyu effect each year and introduces various aspects of Korean culture, focusing on cultural and artistic performances and exhibitions over several months, including tourism and content. In the UAE, it will continue until April this year. In the UAE, a total of 13 performances, exhibitions, and cultural experience events will be held mainly in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

Fusion Gugak Group 'Queen'
[Photo by Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism]

'Korea Season in Korea360' held in Dubai, the largest city in the UAE, is the 12th event of this 'Korea Season' and was prepared in cooperation with the Korea Creative Content Agency Business Center. At the indoor performance hall of 'UAE Korea360,' popular Korean drama theme songs and fusion gugak performances favored locally in the UAE will be presented. In the exhibition space, fan sign events, Korean cultural experience activities, and screenings of K-pop and Korean drama promotional videos will be held, featuring singer K.Will, Gummy, and the fusion gugak group Queen.

'UAE Korea360' is a comprehensive Hallyu promotional center established in the Dubai Festival City Mall. Centered on the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, six ministries including the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, and Ministry of SMEs and Startups are participating. Various events such as K-content and immersive content exhibitions and experiences, as well as exhibitions and sales of excellent Hallyu-related industry products including agricultural and marine products, consumer goods, and cosmetics, are held to serve as a foothold for local market entry of K-content and related industries. 'UAE Korea360' will open on the 28th and, after a pilot operation period including visitor surveys and preference polls during the local fasting month (Ramadan), will hold an opening ceremony on April 11 and begin full-scale operations.

Kim Hyun-jun, Director of International Cultural Policy at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said, "We hope this event will raise local expectations for the overseas promotional center 'Korea360' and serve as an opportunity to connect the interested groups in Korean culture and arts with popular culture Hallyu." He added, "'UAE Korea360' will become a base supporting the entry of Hallyu-related companies into the Middle Eastern and Asian markets, along with 'Indonesia Korea360,' which opened in 2022."