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Tag: cultural exchange

  • Swedish Royals Visit SM Entertainment — A Cultural Bridge Between Korea and Sweden

    Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel of Sweden visited SM Entertainment’s headquarters in Seongsu-dong, Seoul, to experience the heart of K-pop creativity firsthand.

    The visit was part of the Swedish royal family’s official itinerary to Korea, focusing on cultural and creative industry exchange. Touring SM’s studios and recording rooms, the royals observed the K-pop production process up close. They expressed particular interest in the collaboration between Swedish songwriters and SM Entertainment, praising how K-pop continues to generate cultural synergy in the global music market.

    Their schedule also included a meeting with rookie girl group HARTS TO HARTS, where they discussed music training and daily practice routines. The members gifted the royals autographed CDs and official merchandise, to which the Crown Princess replied that it was “an unforgettable present.”

    During a discussion with SM executives, the main topics included K-pop’s global influence and the sustainability of its creative ecosystem. Both sides agreed that combining Sweden’s musical creativity and technology with K-pop’s cultural power could yield even greater synergy.

    Crown Princess Victoria concluded by saying, “We are delighted that Sweden can contribute to the growth of K-pop,” and expressed gratitude for SM’s warm hospitality. The visit has been hailed as a symbolic moment of cultural cooperation and artistic exchange between the two nations.

  • A Global Stage for Korean Culture: ‘Unboxing Korea’ Takes Over Belgium

    The Korean Cultural Center in Belgium and the EU will host a large-scale cultural festival, “Unboxing Korea: Scoop the Trend,” in the heart of Brussels from October 18 to 19 (local time).

    Now in its second year, the festival offers visitors a chance to experience the full spectrum of Korean culture — from K-culture, K-beauty, and K-food to K-tourism — all in one place. The event aims to showcase both the emotional depth and industrial power of modern Korean culture.

    The festival will take place across two main venues.
    At the Korean Cultural Center, guests can explore the K-Beauty Zone and K-Tourism Zone, while Place de la Chapelle, one of Brussels’ most popular spots, will transform into the K-Culture Zone and K-Food Zone.

    A highlight of the K-Culture Zone will be the “K-pop Demon Hunters Zone”, created in collaboration with Netflix EU, where visitors can try on hanbok and traditional accessories for photo experiences. There will also be K-pop cover dance performances and traditional craft workshops, offering European audiences a hands-on taste of Korean creativity.

    At the K-Food Zone, Korean rice-based food companies will present tteokbokki, traditional liquor cocktails, and Korean-style desserts. The K-Beauty Zone will feature small and medium enterprises showcasing their products through personal color analysis sessions and live makeup demonstrations. The K-Tourism Zone will include Korean travel tarot readings, Jeju keyring crafts, and photo booth experiences.

    “Unboxing Korea” serves as more than just a festival — it’s a global cultural exchange platform that blends Korea’s artistic spirit with its contemporary lifestyle and industry trends.