King Sejong Institutes, a chain of overseas Korean language and culture institutions, will hold Korean cultural programs for students and visitors on the last Wednesday of every month starting from June, as part of an expansion of the Korean government’s Culture Day initiative.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced it would hold its Culture Day program overseas to promote Korean culture. The Culture Day initiative was launched in 2014 to promote cultural activities. It designates the last Wednesday of every month as Culture Day. On these occasions, people are encouraged to visit museums and watch movies, musicals, plays and dance performances. They can get special discounts or even free admission.

“The overseas Korean Culture Day is in response to Korean language learners at King Sejong Institutes who want to experience the diverse aspects of Korean culture,” said Lee Hyoung-ho, director general for culture policy, at a press conference Monday.

Some 50 King Sejong Institutes in major cities such as Paris, Tashkent and Phnom Penh will design and host the Korean culture programs in their countries. Programs will consist of movie screenings, K-pop songs and dance classes. There will also be Korean folk games and art exhibitions showcasing the works of Korean modern artists.

“It will start with basic programs that are easily accessible to students and visitors in each country,” said Lee. 

There are a total of 138 King Sejong Institutes in 54 countries. 

This month‘s Culture Day, which falls on March 30, presents a diverse mix of performances and events throughout the country, such as the Arirang traditional music concert at the National Gugak Center, a poetry recital and a talk concert featuring former soccer player Ahn Jeong-hwan and female duo singer Rooftop Moonlight.

For a complete listing of Culture Day programs, visit www.culture.go.kr/wday.

By Lee Woo-young (wylee@heraldcorp.com)