Various cultural events will be held throughout this year to mark the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between South Korea and India, including K-pop concerts, a seminar on Korean culture and exhibitions, the culture ministry said Friday.
Since the two countries established diplomatic ties in 1973, they have developed friendly relations in the cultural field through various milestones, such as signing a cultural agreement in 1974, opening the first Korean Cultural Center in Southeast Asia in 2012, and the adoption of Korean as a second foreign language in India in 2020.
To celebrate the 50th anniversary, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will host a seminar on Korean culture in New Delhi on Friday to be attended by students from the King Sejong Institute centers in the country.
The number of students learning the Korean language at the centers has jumped from 2,082 in 2020 to 9,696 last year due to growing interest in Korean culture among Indians, according to the ministry.
During the seminar, local youths will share their experiences and dreams related to the Korean language and culture.
On the same day, the ministry will give a K-pop concert at a theater in the capital city. The concert will feature K-pop group MustB, along with Indian singer Neeti Mohan and local K-pop cover dance teams, among others.
The cultural exchange events between the two countries will continue throughout the year.
There will be a festival in which visitors can get first-hand experiences of Korean culture from Oct. 28-29. Its programs will also include a K-pop concert, traditional Korean cultural performances, a hanbok fashion show, Korean culinary experiences, and various programs, such as a "Squid Game" event.
In addition, the ministry will hold a Korean tourism festival in New Delhi and Gurgaon from Friday to Sunday.
From Sept. 23-24, there will be a screening of Indian Bollywood films at the Asia Culture Center in Gwangju, southwestern South Korea, while an exhibition on Korean ink paintings will be held at the Korean Cultural Center in New Delhi in the same month.
In December, the National Museum of Korea will host an exhibition on early Indian Buddhist artworks at the museum in Seoul, and in the same month, there will be a "cultural exchange gala show" in India. (Yonhap)