National Brandup Exhibition opens in Seoul, spurring K-culture, national branding

SEOUL, Feb. 25 (Yonhap) -- An exhibition highlighting the global presence of Korean pop culture and exploring the roots and spirit of Korean culture opened Wednesday in Seoul.

Titled “Hallyu Becomes Global Culture,” the “Nation Brand Up Exhibition” is jointly hosted by the Voluntary Agency Network of Korea and Yonhap News Agency, under the sponsorship of the Korea Heritage Service. The event runs through March 2 at an underground walkway gallery of the National Museum of Korea in Yongsan Ward.

Attendees at the opening ceremony included Yonhap News Agency chief Hwang Dae-il, Bizplus Executive Director Kim Jae-hong, VANK chief Park Ki-tae, Lee Eun-bok, director general for overseas public relations policy at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Kim Jong-kyu, honorary chairman of the Korean Museum Association, VANK goodwill ambassador and singer Kim Jang-hoon, and Nepalese broadcaster Sujan Shakya.

In his opening remarks, Hwang said, “Hallyu has evolved into a platform that grows together with the world beyond borders and has become a universal culture enjoyed and shared by people globally.” He added that Yonhap will continue working with VANK to promote accurate information about Korea and further expand the horizons of Korean culture.

Lee underscored the importance of ensuring the quality and accuracy of information amid rapid technological advances such as artificial intelligence, noting that global interest in K-culture continues to rise.

Singer Kim Jang-hoon, who has attended the event every year since its launch 15 years ago, said VANK’s membership has grown from 30,000 to 200,000 over the past two decades and pledged to actively fulfill his role as goodwill ambassador while creating opportunities to collaborate with young public diplomacy envoys.

The exhibition focuses on highlighting the value and sustainability of Korean culture as it garners renewed global attention. It underscores how Korea’s deep cultural roots have shaped the identity and global influence of K-culture, and how the fusion of tradition and modernity has positioned Korea as a “cultural platform nation.”

The exhibition is divided into five sections.

The first section, “The Original: Becoming a Masterpiece,” reinterprets globally recognized Korean cultural heritage as premium K-brands. The second section, “The Present: Captivating the World,” explores how traditional culture has been reborn in contemporary popular culture, including film, television dramas and music, driving the globalization of K-content.

The third section, “The Bridge: Connecting Cultures,” presents Korea’s influence on the global cultural economy as a platform generated and expanded through cultural, technological and policy innovation. The fourth section, “The Voice: Leading Change,” introduces VANK and Yonhap News Agency as private-sector public diplomacy brands connecting Korea with the world.

The final section, “The Next Wave: Carried Forward by Us,” invites visitors to complete an art wall through lettering and illustration under the theme “What’s your next K-?”

Earlier in the day, VANK and Yonhap held a launch ceremony for the 13th class of youth public diplomacy ambassadors.

A total of 330 youths, including elementary, middle and high school, and university students, will take part over the next month in planning and producing digital content on Korean history and culture, as well as engaging in digital promotional activities.

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