Seoul (VNA) - The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of the Republic of Korea (RoK) said on May 20 that it will organise the “2026 Korea Season,” in Vietnam and Thailand to promote Korean culture in Southeast Asia.
The “Korea Season” is an annual cultural project launched by the RoK in countries with strong potential to embrace the Korean Wave (Hallyu). The programme features performances, special exhibitions, and various cultural events organised throughout the year in collaboration with relevant agencies.
This year’s event will leverage major institutional milestones, including the relocation and reopening of the Korean Cultural Centre in Thailand and the 20th anniversary of the cultural centre in Vietnam.
The programme begins this month with a tour by the Yoon Byul Ballet Company, presenting "Gat," a production that reinterprets traditional Korean headwear through Western classical dance. The performance is scheduled for May 23 in Bangkok before moving to Hanoi on May 27.
By autumn, the initiative will shift toward modern programming with the "K-Live Festival" in October, which organisers said will feature collaborative performances by musicians from all three nations. In November, the Vietnam National Symphony Orchestra will partner with SM Classics to perform classical renditions of popular K-pop tracks in Hanoi. The year will conclude with multimedia exhibitions focused on Korean folklore, including a showcase of the National Folk Museum of Korea's "The Tiger God Shines" at the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology.
Beyond state-sponsored fine arts, the culture ministry is collaborating with various public and private organisations to host smaller interactive events. These will include K-beauty and design showcases, traditional musical theater, culinary workshops centered on kimchi and fermented pastes, and a "K-Game" week in Hanoi aimed at the region’s growing gaming market.
“The 2026 Korea Season” will serve as an opportunity to communicate more deeply through culture with Thailand and Vietnam, our major partners in Southeast Asia,” Kim Hyun-jun, the ministry’s international culture policy director, said in a statement./.
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