'Strike balance between old and new'

Former Prime Minister Han Seung-soo, fifth from right in the front row; Choi Jung-wha, fourth from right, president of the Corea Image Communication Institute (CICI); U.S. Ambassador Sung Kim, in the back to Han’s right; and foreign participants and dignitaries pose for a photo at the Westin Chosun Hotel in Seoul, Tuesday, ahead of the fifth Culture Communication Forum. The three-day forum involved 16 foreign experts on culture and communication and tackled the theme “Culture — Mirror and Trigger of Change.” / Courtesy of CICI

By Kim Ji-soo

• Published Sep 2, 2014 4:59 PM KST
• Updated Sep 2, 2014 4:59 PM KST

5th Culture Communication Forum wraps up its Aug. 31-Sept. 2 run

By Kim Ji-soo

Participants at the 5th Culture Communication Forum (CCF) in Seoul agreed Tuesday that culture is a powerful force that enables stronger communications, not only among countries but within them too.

The CCF, hosted by the Corea Image Communication Institute (CICI) tackled this year’s theme of “Culture — Mirror and Trigger of Change” on the last day of the three-day forum at the Westin Chosun in downtown Seoul. Choi Jung-wha, president of CICI and James Bemowski, vice president of the CCF Organizing Committee, moderated the discussion.

The 16 participants agreed that Korea should hold on to its traditional culture even as it makes greater efforts to look outward.

“Why not exhibit Rodin’s ‘The Thinker’ and Korea’s Gilt Bronze Maitreya Bodhisattva and examine the similarities and the differences between the two?” said Catherine Chevillot, who is the director of the Rodin Museum in Paris.

Australian journalist David Salter, a speaker at the 5th CCF said, “You have to treasure your past and be proud of your tradition.”

“Korea has digested not assimilated Chinese culture, and I think that is the way for the future,” said Serhan Ada, director of Santralistanbul Art, Culture and Museology Research Center at Istanbul Bilgi University.

Brazilian chef Klaus Limoli Pahl, also a speaker, said, “I think you should export the ‘palli, palli’ or ‘hurry hurry’ culture.”

The 16 participants this year included Chevillot; German journalist Caroline Mohring; actor and president of PMC Productions president Song Seung-whan; Quebec Winter Carnival president Denis Simard; Chinese musical director Li Dun; Alexey Levykin, director of the State Historical Museum in Russia; Salter; Justin Albert, National Trust for Wales director and executive director on the International National Trust Organization board; Donna Williams, chief Audience Development Officer at the Metropolitan Museum of Art; Asian News International programming director Smita Prakash; Himpaunan Alumand president Hasan Dsoejono; Luca Sanjust, artist and owner of the Petrolo winery; Japanese guitarist Jiro Yoshida; Mexican visual artist Humberto Duque; Klaus Limoli Pahl; and Ada.

Before the main discussion, attendees visited Leeum, the National Museum of Korea, the Korea Furniture Museum, the Hyundai Card Design Lab. They also sampled Korean food.

“What’s different about this year’s forum was that we’ve experienced specific culture like calligraphy,” said Choi.The calligraphy lessons was held under the guidance of calligrapher Kang Byung-in at the Korea Crafts and Design Foundation in downtown Seoul.

The experts also discussed what Korean design might hold as much global appeal as K-pop, drama and Korean food.

Speaking about preparations for the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics to be held in eastern Gangwon Province, Simard recommended that Korea “turn differences into advantage and globally promote it.”