140th Anniversary of Korea-France Ties... Ministry to Hold Large-Scale Cultural Exchange Events in France

A Variety of Cultural Events at the Guimet Museum, Paris Museums, Cannes and Avignon

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced on the 10th that it will hold a variety of cultural exchange events to commemorate the 140th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Korea and France.

The ministry stated that throughout 2026 it plans to organize a wide range of cultural events that explore the past, present and future of Korean culture in visual arts, performing arts and content under the official slogans of "Creativity," "Opportunity" and "Solidarity." It emphasized that, through these events, it aims to reaffirm the friendship between the two countries and build a solid foundation for future cooperation in the cultural sector.

In the field of visual arts, exhibitions by leading Korean artists will be held at major French cultural and art institutions. Since October last year, the Korean Cultural Center in France has been holding a special exhibition on contemporary art and digital art under the theme of "Colors of Korea." From April to June, a special exhibition by media artist Kang Iyeon and a group exhibition by young artists, linked to this project, will be held at the Fiminco Foundation. At the Mus?e National des Arts Asiatiques - Guimet in Paris, a series of special exhibitions will be presented, including "The Secret of Korean Beauty: From Joseon to K-Beauty" (March to July), "Silla, Gold and Sacredness" (May to August), and "The Illusion of Knowledge: The Secret Trompe-l'Oeil Art of Korean Painting" (September to January 2027).

In the performing arts, on May 23, to coincide with "European Night of Museums," various performances will take place at major museums and art museums across Paris, including the Mus?e d'Art Moderne de Paris. At the Avignon Festival, one of the world's leading performing arts festivals, to be held in July, "Korean" has been selected as an official invited language, and outstanding Korean works in theater and dance will be showcased, along with a variety of side events covering literature, Korean food and more. In October, a competition between leading b-boy teams from both countries is scheduled to take place at the Th??tre du Ch?telet in Paris.

In terms of content, Korea will participate as the guest of honor at the International Market of Communications Programs in France in March. In May, it will operate a Korean Film Promotion Pavilion at the March? du Film in Cannes to further enhance the status of "K-content" in France. In addition, a variety of projects are planned, including "Concept Korea" events during Paris Fashion Week (scheduled for March and September), a business-to-business (B2B) event for Korean tourism companies in June, and a Korea-France publishing and cultural exchange program throughout the year.

A policy official at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said, "The diverse cultural events held to mark the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and France will be a valuable opportunity for the peoples of both countries to gain a deeper understanding of each other's cultures and strengthen their friendship," adding, "We hope that, while widely promoting the appeal of K-culture in France, these events will also serve as a springboard for cultural and artistic exchanges between the two countries to advance to the next level."