- “2026 Touring K-Arts” to support overseas tours of outstanding Korean arts and cultural programs

- Creating overseas opportunities for young performing artists and outstanding regional content

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (Minister CHAE Hwi-young, MCST), together with the Korean Foundation for International Cultural Exchange (President PARK Chang-sik, KOFICE), will officially launch the 2026 Touring K-Arts project to support overseas tours of outstanding Korean arts and cultural programs, with Korean Cultural Centers abroad serving as hubs.

Last year, the project supported tours by 47 arts and cultural programs in 34 countries, attracting local audiences totaling more than 170,000 and contributing to the spread of Korean culture and the arts. In particular, by organizing tours within the same region, the project reduced operational costs, including airfare and freight costs, compared to non-touring programs.

Diverse K-Culture Programs, from Regional Content to Korean Lifestyle, to Reach 45 Cities in 30 Countries

This year, a total of 46 programs, including performances, exhibitions, and classes, will travel to 45 cities in 30 countries. From outstanding regional content to Korean cuisine and beauty classes, the programs will be presented on the global stage, allowing local audiences to experience K-culture firsthand. Among the key touring programs, Namwon National Gugak Center’s signature changgeuk (Korean traditional opera) Chunhyang will showcase the essence of Korean traditional theater in Osaka and Okinawa, Japan, while Lee K-Dance Company’s All the Worlds, which blends contemporary dance with street dance, will tour Mexico and Brazil, conveying the dynamism of Korean movement.

In exhibitions, SONGEUN Art and Cultural Foundation’s Still/Moving: The SONGEUN Video Collection in Motion, which opened in Rome in April to mark the 10th anniversary of the Korean Cultural Center in Italy, will continue on to Austria in October, introducing the current state of Korean media art. Savina Museum of Contemporary Art’s exhibition Hanbok, Reborn as Art, notable for its contemporary reinterpretation of tradition, will tour the Philippines and the Korean Cultural Center in Malaysia, scheduled to open in the second half of this year, expanding the reach of Hallyu in Southeast Asia.

In addition, “MAT-MUT Box,” which introduces the cultural significance of Korean cuisine—including table settings, tableware, and feast culture—will be held in Beijing and Shanghai, China, while the “Touring K-Beauty Makeup Class,” where participants can experience the latest K-beauty trends with Korean makeup experts, will take place in Tokyo and Osaka, Japan. Through these and other arts and cultural programs, the project will showcase the wide-ranging appeal of Korean culture and the arts around the world.

Promoting the Value of Traditional Intangible Heritage and Supporting Young Artists Who Will Lead the Next Generation of K-Culture Abroad

Performances that showcase the essence of traditional intangible heritage will also reach overseas audiences. The National Intangible Heritage Center’s Pungjang KOREA, centered on nongak (community band music, dance and rituals in the Republic of Korea)—inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity—will tour Türkiye and Hungary. The National Dance Company of Korea’s Metamorphosis, a playful contemporary reinterpretation of Talchum (mask dance drama in the Republic of Korea), inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2022, will take the stage in New York and Washington, D.C., conveying the contemporary value of Korean traditional arts.

Building on the foundation of traditional culture, the project will also support overseas opportunities for young artists who will shape the future of K-culture. In connection with the “Young Artist Trainee Development Program” for national and public arts organizations, young artist trainees from the National Orchestra of Korea and the Korea National Opera will tour major Asian countries. The ARKO Ensemble, composed of young Korean musicians based overseas, will also expand cultural exchange with audiences through performances in Europe.