“Korea Season 2026” – A gateway to Korean arts and culture in Vietnam

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of the Republic of Korea, in collaboration with the Korean Cultural Center in Vietnam and the Korea Foundation for International Cultural Exchange, has officially launched the “Korea Season 2026” program series in Vietnam.

Over the course of 2026, a wide range of cultural exchange events—including dance performances, media art exhibitions, music festivals, and classical concerts—will be held across Vietnam, promising to create a vibrant cultural exchange space for both artists and audiences.

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Poster "Korean Season 2026".

Highlights of the “Korea Season 2026” program include the contemporary ballet performance “GAT” in May, the K-Live Music Festival (featuring Vietnamese and Korean bands) in October, the SM Classics Live concert in Hanoi in November, which will feature a chorus performance alongside the Vietnam National Symphony Orchestra, and a traditional Korean material-inspired art exhibition in December.

“Korea Season 2026” carries special significance as it is the first large-scale cultural exchange event held in Vietnam following the revision and signing of the Memorandum of Understanding on cultural cooperation between the two countries during the high-level talks between Tô Lâm and Lee Jae Myung. Each program is expected to serve as a bridge for cultural exchange, attracting government leaders, artists from both countries, and members of the diplomatic community.

Opening the “Korea Season 2026” series is the contemporary ballet performance “GAT,” scheduled to take place on May 27 at Ho Guom Opera House. Inspired by the traditional Korean “gat” hat, the production presents a fresh fusion between Korean traditional aesthetics and the physical language of contemporary Western ballet.

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“Korea Season 2026” – A gateway to Korean arts and culture in Vietnam
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The contemporary ballet performance "GAT" will take place on May 27th at the Ho Guom Theatre.

The performance recreates the forms and symbolism of traditional Korean headwear such as the Heukrip (the black hat worn by Confucian scholars), Satgat (the conical hat of ordinary people), and Jokduri (a bridal crown for women) through expressive choreography. Through movement, the stage production portrays the refined dignity of scholars, the calm determination of warriors, and the graceful elegance of women.

As part of the artistic exchange activities between the two countries, Artistic Director Yun Byul of the Yun Byul Company also hosted a workshop at the Vietnam Dance Academy on May 25. The workshop provided Vietnamese dance students with an opportunity to learn Korean ballet techniques as well as experience in organizing and operating dance classes, helping nurture artistic harmony and strengthen cultural exchange between the two nations.

Ms. Park Chan A, Director of the Korean Cultural Center in Vietnam, shared: “We have prepared a series of outstanding programs within the framework of ‘Korea Season 2026’ with the hope of bringing Vietnamese audiences richer and more accessible experiences of Korean culture. In particular, we are deeply honored to welcome guests who may work quietly behind the scenes yet play invaluable roles in connecting and promoting cultural exchange between our two countries, including Vietnam–Korea multicultural families, Taekwondo club students, Korean language majors, and teachers from King Sejong Institute, to attend the opening performance ‘GAT.’”

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