KOREA FOUNDATION

From June 7–28, the KF conducted its “Art for a Better Community” program, which uses Korea’s mural villages as a model to facilitate Korea-Vietnam art exchange, in the small fishing village of Tam Thanh, Vietnam. Five Korean mural artists, 12 youth volunteers each from Korea and Vietnam, village residents, and art teachers teamed up to clean up the town, cover walls with pastel tones, and then paint the walls with images of the local residents and scenery.
  After three weeks of painting in summer heat that topped 35˚C, the walls and homes of 120 residents were revitalized with over 70 paintings of all kinds, infusing the village with a vibrant new energy. As the artists and young volunteers looked upon their work with pride, the residents expressed their own delight with the village’s new look. As the first Korean-style mural village in Vietnam, the project received widespread attention from visitors as well as coverage by the Vietnamese national broadcaster VTV1.
  Through such endeavors to improve the quality of life of local communities worldwide, the KF is taking the lead in public projects to advance environmental protection and sustainable development through art and culture, thereby helping to boost Korea’s image as a globally responsible nation.