Korea-Japan Festival Brings Cross-Cultural Performances and Exchange to Seoul
The annual Korea-Japan Festival opened at Coex in Seoul with traditional and contemporary performances, hands-on cultural programs and 53 booths promoting tourism, food and civic exchange.
SEOUL — South Korea and Japan’s largest annual private-sector cultural exchange event opened at Coex in southern Seoul on Saturday, bringing together artists, officials, businesses and visitors for a program built around performances, food and hands-on cultural experiences.
The Korea-Japan Festival 2026 in Seoul was held under the theme “Toward a Better Future, A New Step.” Organizers said the event was designed to expand cultural understanding through direct contact between citizens of the two countries. The festival began in 2005, when the neighbors marked the 40th anniversary of normalized diplomatic relations, and has since become a recurring exchange platform in both countries.
The opening brought together representatives from government, parliament, civic groups and business, alongside members of the Korean community in Japan. Organizing committee chairman Son Myung-sik said in remarks read on his behalf that the festival attracts more than 60,000 visitors each year and has grown beyond a one-day celebration into a symbol of coexistence and cooperation.
The stage program paired Korean and Japanese traditions as well as contemporary popular culture. A joint choir performance by the Dongdaemun District Boys and Girls Choir and the Seoul Japanese School Choir opened the event. Korean pansori singer Seo Eui-cheol then performed with Japanese traditional dancer Umekawa Ichinosuke, while later programs featured Korean traditional dance, Tsugaru shamisen, kabuki dance and shakuhachi music.
Pop-oriented performances included ballad, hip-hop, K-pop and J-pop acts, as well as a cosplay showcase. The closing program featured “Yosakoi Arirang,” a signature performance intended to blend recognizable elements from both countries.
Away from the stage, 19 Japanese local governments and 15 companies and organizations operated 53 booths introducing regional tourism, culture and food. Visitors could also take part in 37 experience programs, including flower arranging, tea ceremony and trying on kimono, while a food area offered Japanese dishes such as sushi.
Culture Minister Choi Hwi-young described the event as a message of reconciliation and coexistence at a time of conflict in the international community. Japanese Ambassador Mizushima Koichi welcomed the growth of citizen-level interaction alongside continuing communication between the two governments.
The festival also appointed the Korea-Japan creator duo known as Cookie Couple as official influencers and held an awards ceremony for a short-form video contest. Organizers presented those digital programs as a way to broaden participation among younger audiences while preserving the event’s emphasis on face-to-face exchange.