When Korea was invited as guest of honor at La Mar de Musicas, an annual music festival in the southern Spanish city of Cartagena, the Korean Cultural Center in Spain did not treat it as a concert booking. It treated it as a full cultural showcase.
{img}The result pulled in around 40,000 visitors and generated wide local media coverage. Musicians, films, food, photography, literature, calligraphy and crafts were all part of what the center put together for the event. Idol rock band W24 performed. So did contemporary gugak groups Dal:um and LEENALCHI. Eight Korean films were screened. A photography exhibition by renowned artist Koo Bohn-chang ran alongside the music. Twenty restaurants served Korean food-inspired tapas, Spain's signature shareable dishes.
"Although it's a music festival, we managed to showcase a variety of Korean culture there, including music, art, literature, food, calligraphy and crafts," said Shin Jae-kwang, director of the Korean Cultural Center in Spain, in an interview with The Korea Times.
{img}The work earned the center a special recognition from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism at its annual gathering of representatives from around 40 Korean cultural centers worldwide. Centers in Vietnam, Thailand, China and Japan were also recognized alongside Spain.
For Shin, the success at the festival reflected something broader about how Spaniards currently perceive Korea. "For many Spaniards, Korea is seen as a cool and trendy country with much to offer," he said.
The interest goes beyond K-pop and films. Shin also brought 20 Korean authors to Spain last year, including Bora Chung, known for the short story collection "Cursed Bunny," Kim Hye-jin for "Concerning My Daughter," and Kim Ae-ran for "My Brilliant Life." Nobel laureate Han Kang's novels have become particularly popular with Spanish readers.
{img}"Literature is something I felt proud of. It turned out to be a real success," Shin said. Research conducted by the center found that Spanish audiences follow Korean literature closely, behind music and films, suggesting a depth of interest that goes well beyond the most visible parts of the Korean Wave.
Looking ahead, Shin plans to launch a short-form film contest for Spanish creators, with winners receiving a trip to Korea and a screening at the center's annual film event. "People in Spain have a strong desire to create," he said.