[Sayart = Joy, Seoul] The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of South Korea is deepening cultural ties with the global community through a series of collaborative performances, including dance, classical music, and theater, held both in Korea and abroad.

The initiative, titled "Kore·A·Round Culture," launched its second year on June 7 as part of the Busan International Dance Festival. The opening performance, "Rotas Afora," was a joint creation by Brazilian dance troupe Grupo Tápias and Korean artistic director Park Jae-hyun. The show later traveled to São Paulo on July 28 and Rio de Janeiro on August 4.

This year’s program features partnerships with artists from Brazil, Thailand, Ukraine, Turkey, and other nations, with events scheduled through December 15.

In September, the Korean Cultural Center in Thailand and the Contemporary Arts & Culture Industry Promotion Trade Association (CAPT) will present a collaborative theater production titled “The Little Tiger for Korea.” The play will be staged at Modu Art Theater in western Seoul’s Seodaemun District on September 4 and at Banweol Art Hall in Gyeonggi Province on September 6.

The program also includes a joint concert featuring the Odessa Philharmonic Orchestra from Ukraine and Korean pianist Kim Jun-hee at the Aram Nuri Arts Center in Gyeonggi on October 2. The Ministry describes the performance as a "message of solidarity and world peace."

On September 4, another Korean pianist, Kim Hong-gi, will perform with the Turkish Presidential Symphony Orchestra at the Chuncheon Culture & Art Center in Gangwon Province. The collaboration will continue with a follow-up performance at CSO Ada Ankara in Turkey in December.

“As the global popularity of K-culture grows, we’re seeing increasing interest in artistic collaborations with Korean talent,” said Choi Bo-geun, head of the International Cultural Affairs and Public Relations Office at the Ministry. “We hope these joint efforts will help rediscover each other’s cultures and result in exceptional artistic achievements.”