'Culture Day' goes weekly with surprise performance by minister

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism staged a surprise performance Wednesday at Seoul Station to mark the expansion of “Culture Day,” a monthly initiative that will now take place every Wednesday starting in April.

Culture Minister Chae Hwi-young took to the makeshift stage sporting black sunglasses and a brown leather jacket. There, the longtime hobbyist musician — who formed the band “Jo-Tenda” (translated) with friends in 2011 — played guitar alongside other musicians to help raise awareness for the initiative.

Traditional Korean musicians Park Ae-ri and Choi Jae-myung also performed the traditional Korean folk song, “Arirang,” followed by vocalist Yoo Ha-ra, who carried the momentum with a jazz rendition. Around 20 dancers dressed in hanbok also joined the guerrilla performance.

The “Culture Day” initiative was introduced in 2014 and has been held on the last Wednesday of each month. The day includes benefits such as free admission to national and public cultural institutions, as well as discounted access to private venues, such as movie theaters.

The ministry has since decided to broaden the program and extend these benefits to a wider audience. Beginning Wednesday, “Culture Day” shifts from a once-a-month event to a weekly one.