(c) Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST) is fostering overseas Korean Cultural Centers as cultural export hubs for K-culture and related industries.

The MCST announced on the 4th that it will establish 'Global K-Zones' this year in six overseas Korean Cultural Centers, located in Los Angeles and New York in the United States, Paris in France, Tokyo in Japan, and Beijing and Shanghai in China.

The Global K-Zones are experiential and promotional spaces permanently displaying consumer goods representing Korean lifestyles—such as K-beauty, K-food, and K-fashion—and introducing the stories, designs, and usage methods behind the products. Beyond simple product exhibition, the initiative aims to enhance understanding of Korean culture by hosting related cultural events together, leading to interest and purchases by overseas consumers.

In particular, based on Korea Centers where the Korean Cultural Center, Korea Tourism Organization, and Korea Creative Content Agency are co-located, the project links culture, tourism, contents, and consumer goods through collaboration with related organizations such as food and craft institutions.

The six Global K-Zones will open sequentially within this year. The Korean Cultural Center in Japan opens first on September 5. Until October, under the theme of K-beauty, it will exhibit 194 beauty products from 52 brands, including Amorepacific, Sulwhasoo, and Laneige. Experiential programs such as AI skin diagnosis, making lip gloss and cosmetic pouches, and tasting beauty drinks will be held, alongside a performance combining makeup and contemporary ballet, and a makeup event involving Korean and Japanese students.

The Korean Cultural Center in New York, opening on September 17, will collaborate with the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) and Sempio Yondu Culinary Studio to showcase K-beauty products and traditional Korean fermented paste products, including 'MU:DS' from the National Museum of Korea. Events linking products with cultural contents, such as Korean cooking seminars, will also be prepared.

The Korean Cultural Center in France, scheduled to open in October, will configure its space under the theme of "21st Century Palace" to introduce consumer goods related to K-beauty, K-food, and Hangeul. Experiential programs such as creative ballet performances, Hangeul education, and cooking classes will also be operated.

The Korean Cultural Center in Los Angeles will create an experiential space themed around Hanji (traditional Korean paper). Marking Hangeul Day, it will introduce Hangeul, Hanji, and modern crafts, while operating contemporary contents such as independent publishing, typography, and webtoons, alongside beauty, tourism, and fashion experience programs.

The Korean Cultural Center in China and the Korean Cultural Center in Shanghai will open their Global K-Zones after October to exhibit consumer goods in various fields such as K-beauty, K-food, fashion, and literature. They plan to hold related cultural events so that local visitors can directly experience everyday Korean life and culture.

The MCST plans to continuously operate the six Global K-Zones established this year in 2027 and additionally establish four more locations. Additional target sites will be selected by considering local Hallyu demand, the plan for clustering overseas institutions, and the conditions of each cultural center.

Kim Jae-hyun, Deputy Minister for Culture and Media Industry Policy at the MCST, stated, "We expect overseas cultural centers to go beyond being spaces simply to view Korean culture, becoming front-line bases for K-culture exports where visitors can experience the charm of K-lifestyle and various cultural products with all five senses, leading to consumer goods purchases." He added, "We will continue to expand Global K-Zones so that overseas cultural centers establish themselves as representative places of K-culture."

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