Kim Hyun-bin began his journalism career at Arirang TV from 2012 to 2017, specializing in defense, foreign affairs and the economy. In 2018, he joined The Korea Times, covering society and business, and is currently responsible for embassy affairs.
Argentina, Uruguay envoys mark Tango Day in Seoul
Dancers perform during the Tango Day event in Seoul, Thursday. Korea Times photo by Kim Hyun-bin
By Kim Hyun-bin
The ambassadors of Argentina and Uruguay marked Tango Day with a joint cultural celebration in Seoul, Thursday, emphasizing the shared heritage of the Rio de la Plata region and the global resonance of tango as a UNESCO-recognized cultural treasure.
Opening the event at the Yongsan Art Hall, Argentinian Ambassador Dario Cesar Celaya Alvarez thanked local organizers for hosting the ceremony.
“On behalf of the Embassy of the Republic of Argentina in Korea, I would like to thank everyone present, Yongsan District and the Korea Tango Cooperative for organizing this event,” he said.
The ambassadors highlighted the work of local partners who helped prepare the ceremony. Celaya thanked officials from Yongsan District, the Korea Tango Cooperative and embassy staff for their support.
Uruguayan Ambassador Pablo Ernesto Scheiner emphasized the importance of cultural promotion, noting UNESCO’s recognition of more than 600 intangible cultural practices worldwide. “Culture is a living expression that shapes our societies and transmits identity from generation to generation,” he said.
Argentinian Ambassador to Korea Dario Cesar Celaya Alvarez, right, stands next to Uruguayan Ambassador to Korea Pablo Ernesto Scheiner during the Tango Day event in Seoul, Thursday. Korea Times photo by Kim Hyun-bin
The event commemorated Tango Day, observed every Dec. 11 in honor of Carlos Gardel, considered one of the most influential figures in tango’s history.
“Tango is a musical and cultural expression that Argentina and Uruguay share,” Celaya said. “Buenos Aires and Montevideo were its birthplace — a creation of two shores, a child of the Río de la Plata and a cultural bridge that unites our countries.”
The ambassadors reflected on tango’s origins in immigrant communities and working-class neighborhoods.
“Tango is the perfect melting pot,” Scheiner said. “Histories, languages, nostalgia and rhythms converged in tenement courtyards and dance halls, giving the genre the strength to transcend time and borders.”
Celaya added that tango has spread worldwide through dance, music, film and performance. “That’s why we are celebrating it today in Seoul, which is already a tango-loving country,” he said.
Recognizing Korea’s rapid embrace of the genre, Scheiner noted the rise of tango academies and an increasing number of milonga, the social events where tangos are often danced. “Korea has a vibrant tango community,” he said. “Tango expresses itself in the embrace, the steps, the turns, the silences — gestures that transcend language.”
Scheiner also highlighted that while the Seoul event was underway, the city of Tacuarembó in Uruguay was hosting the Carlos Gardel International Tango Festival, bringing together musicians and dancers from across the region. “It reminds us that tango is still alive, dynamic and inspiring future generations around the world,” he said.