The “2026 Korea National Brand Up Exhibition,” which examines how the Korean Wave has permeated the daily lives of people around the world and highlights the roots and spirit of Korean culture, opened on February 25, 2026.
Under the theme “Hallyu Becomes Global Culture,” the event is jointly hosted by Cyber Diplomacy Organization VANK (Voluntary Agency Network of Korea) and the national news agency Yonhap News Agency, with support from the Korea Heritage Service. The exhibition runs through March 2, 2026, at the underground walkway Nadeul-gil of the National Museum of Korea in Yongsan-gu, Seoul.
The opening ceremony held that afternoon was attended by Hwang Dae-il, president of Yonhap News Agency; Kim Jae-hong, executive director of BizPlus; VANK head Park Gi-tae; Lee Eun-bok, director general of global public relations bureau at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism; Kim Jong-kyu, honorary chairman of the Korean Museum Association; singer Kim Jang-hoon, a VANK public relations ambassador; and Nepalese broadcaster Sujan Shakya, among others.
In his opening remarks, Hwang said, “The Korean Wave has become a platform that grows together with the world beyond borders and a universal culture that people everywhere enjoy and relate to,” adding, “We will continue working with VANK to accurately promote Korea and further expand the horizons of the Korean Wave.”
Lee emphasized the need for greater care regarding the quality and accuracy of information. “As people around the world show interest in K-culture, advances in technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) are flooding us with all kinds of information,” she said.
Singer Kim Jang-hoon, who has attended the event every year for the past 15 years, said, “When I first formed ties with VANK about 20 years ago, it had 30,000 members. Now it has grown to 200,000.” He pledged, “As a public relations ambassador, I will carry out my role with pride and create opportunities to work together with young public diplomacy ambassadors.”
This year’s exhibition focuses on reaffirming the value and sustainability of Korean culture, which the world is once again paying attention to.
Korea’s deep cultural roots have become the foundation of the identity and influence of today’s K-culture.
Blending tradition and modernity, Korean culture is expanding as a hub of global communication, and Korea is strengthening its role as a “cultural platform nation.”
Amid these changes, the exhibition will show how Korea is growing into a country that connects the world through VANK’s private diplomacy efforts and Yonhap’s global communication functions.
The exhibition is organized into five parts.
Part 1, “THE ORIGINAL: Becoming Premium,” introduces a collection that reinterprets cultural heritage from Korean history that has drawn global attention as “K-premium brands.” It is followed by Part 2, “THE PRESENT: Captivating The World,” which presents how traditional Korean culture has been reborn in modern popular culture—such as films, dramas and music—leading the globalization of K-content.
Part 3, “THE BRIDGE: Connecting Cultures,” highlights Korea’s influence in the global cultural economy as a platform where innovation in culture, technology and policy is created and spread. Part 4, “THE VOICE: Driving Change,” introduces VANK and Yonhap News Agency as K-brands of private public diplomacy that connect the world.
The final section, Part 5, “The Next Wave: We Carry On,” is themed “What’s Your Next K-culture?” and invites visitors to complete an art wall through lettering and illustration.
Earlier in the day, VANK and Yonhap News Agency held a launch ceremony for the 13th Youth Public Diplomacy Ambassadors Program.
A total of 330 youths—elementary, middle and high school students, as well as university students—will spend the next month planning and producing digital content on Korean history and culture, and taking part in digital publicity planning and activities.