KOREA FOUNDATION

The ASEAN Culture House opens on September 1 in Busan, in commemoration of both the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the Year of Korea-ASEAN Cultural Exchange. The house is aiming to become a permanent space for building mutual understanding between Korea and the 10 ASEAN members. In celebration of its opening, the house will present a comprehensive package of exhibitions, performances and programs designed to promote regional friendship.
  In the first-floor Special Exhibition Gallery, an exhibition entitled Celebrating the Beauty of Marriage: ASEAN seen through Wedding Traditions and Cultures will be held through November. By focusing on the institution of marriage, the exhibition will express the wish that the Korea-ASEAN partnership will likewise grow ever stronger in the years ahead. The exhibition will be accompanied by related events vividly showing the wedding cultures and traditions of ASEAN countries. The Memorial Hall on the first floor and the Permanent Exhibition Gallery on the second will offer visitors easy access to Southeast Asian history and traditions by showcasing the unique characteristics of each ASEAN member country, highlighting their UNESCO-recognized cultural heritage.
  To mark the opening of the house on September 1, the ASEAN-Korean Traditional Orchestra will take to the stage, while in October, a Hallyu or “Korean Wave” performance will delight fans from Southeast Asia and Korea alike. The KF extends an invitation to all members of the public to attend.
  These programs will be followed by a rich assortment of cultural events including exhibitions, performances, film screenings, culinary experiences, and educational and academic exchanges that will establish the house as a solid platform for building friendship and understanding between Korea and ASEAN countries.