my timesThe Korea Times

Bereket Alemayehu

Contributor

Read more

Global Community

Migrant Indie Art Festival seeks artistic independence with Declaration of Freedom

The Migrant Indie Art Festival is back for its 15th year, but this time it's being held under a new name. Organized by the Asian Media Culture Factory, it started in 2012 as the Seoul Migrant Art Festival. This year's festival will be held in two venues from this Saturday to Oct. 25 in Seoul’s Yeongdeungpo and Seodaemun districts, featuring events including music and screenings of films made by migrants living in Korea. Founded in late 2011, the Asian Media Culture Factory is a nonprofit cultural and arts organization led by migrants. The organizers told The Korea Times that their mission is to support migrant-led artistic practices and build a cultural and artistic platform for people who arrived from overseas. “We believe that everyone should have the right to engage in the arts, regardless of nationality, ethnicity, religion or visa status," they said. “We hope to create a space where migrant artists and cultural practitioners, who often have limited cultural and artistic networks and few opportunities to present their work in Korean society, can showcase their work and gain rec

Oct 15, 2026By Bereket Alemayehu
Migrant Indie Art Festival seeks artistic independence with Declaration of Freedom
Global Community

Hwaseong-based Migration Stories Project gives migrant workers a space to create and connect

HWASEONG, Gyeonggi Province — Hwaseong, a rapidly developing city southwest of Seoul, has become one of Korea’s major destinations for foreign residents, particularly migrant workers. In an area shaped by manufacturing industries and immigration, the everyday lives of migrant workers often remain largely ignored. The Migration Stories Project, located near Balan Manse Market in Hyangnam, was launched in 2020 to change that reality by creating a space where migrants can share their experiences, memories, cultures and creativity in their own voices. The project brings together music, storytelling, photography, sound, video and community-based cultural activities to explore the lives of foreign migrants. Korean artist Kim Yang-woo founded the project under the slogan “World is Our Home,” as an art initiative that brings together migrant communities and local residents through interviews, art, music and community activities. She began the project during the COVID-19 pandemic, when restrictions on movement forced her to stay close to her hometown and made her think more deeply about

Sep 24, 2026By Bereket Alemayehu
Hwaseong-based Migration Stories Project gives migrant workers a space to create and connect
Foreign Affairs

Seongbuk District hosts Latin American Festival

The 13th Latin American Festival was held with the participation of 15 Central and South American countries' embassies on Saturday at the Baram Madang plaza area of Seongbuk District Office in northeastern Seoul. Launched in 2011 and marking its 13th edition this year, the festival was organized by Seongbuk District Office. About 22 booths offered sales and hands-on experiences, inviting visitors to enjoy Latin American foods such as arepas, empanadas, tacos and pupusas — as well as traditional hats, musical instruments, accessories and local specialties. A variety of cultural performances, including traditional Mexican Jalisco dance, Argentine tango, Ecuadorian traditional and popular music, Salvadoran traditional dance, Peruvian Latin music and Colombian traditional dance also provided entertainment during the festival. Angie Shakira Martinez Tejera, ambassador of the Dominican Republic to Korea, said the event offered an opportunity to introduce different sides of her country. The embassy brought her country's music, dance, food, crafts and baseball culture to Seoul as part of the

Sep 21, 2026By Bereket Alemayehu
Seongbuk District hosts Latin American Festival
Global Community

Lebanese traditional dance troupe tours Korea for 19th Arab Culture Festival

Hayakel Baalbeck, a celebrated traditional dance troupe from Lebanon, is touring across Korea this week. As part of the 45th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Lebanon and Korea and this year’s Arab Culture Festival, the Embassy of Lebanon in Seoul organized performances in Seoul, Gwangju and Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, between Sept. 5 and 10. The troupe's first performance was held on Saturday at the Yeakdang Theater in Seoul’s National Gugak Center, in collaboration with Korean traditional music from the southeastern island of Jindo. The event was attended by government officials, ambassadors and diplomats, business leaders, academics and members of the international community. They bring their acclaimed theatrical production “Laylet Farah” (A Night of Celebration) to Korean stages, featuring an 11-piece repertoire celebrating the values of hospitality and homeland. Curated to reflect Lebanon’s enduring cultural identity, the production weaves together authentic music and costumes with the theatrical storytelling and dynamic rhythms of Lebanese dabke. The Le

Sep 6, 2026By Bereket Alemayehu
Lebanese traditional dance troupe tours Korea for 19th Arab Culture Festival
Global Community

Corooted presents artistic vision of Indigenous migration in Seoul

Corooted, an art collective founded in Paris years ago, is bringing together Indigenous Buryad, Sakha, Oirad-Kalmyk and Korean artists for its first Korea exhibition titled “Tactics for Survival in Uncertainty (…),” on view at KOTE in central Seoul's Insa-dong neighborhood from Aug. 22-29. The artists, based in the Netherlands, France, Hungary, Mongolia and Korea, are mostly students or art schools graduates, living long-term away from their homelands. They have worked closely together for over three years, establishing a curatorial platform dedicated to supporting Indigenous artists from around Eurasia. Through exhibitions and collaborative projects, the collective explores identity, memory, migration, language and contemporary social realities. Following two exhibitions in France, the group now brings its project to Korea, examining the everyday rituals and personal strategies people develop to regain a sense of control. For Seoul-based Nastya Komarova, curator and participating artist, art has always been a way of looking across distances — geographical, cultural and emotiona

Aug 18, 2026By Bereket Alemayehu
Corooted presents artistic vision of Indigenous migration in Seoul
Global Community

US sculptor Austen Brantley exhibits at CICA Museum in Gimpo

American figurative sculptor Austen Brantley takes inspiration from artwork across many eras, from Mesopotamia and ancient Greece to the Gandharan period and African artistic traditions. “I feel like there's a lot of intention and spiritualism put into the craftsmanship of the work, and it's all saying something,” he said. A self-taught artist, he discovered sculpture when his ceramics teacher recognized his ability during his junior year at Berkley High School in Michigan. He has maintained a full-time professional studio practice since 2014, and he has made over 3,000 sculptures. His emotionally resonant sculptures explore the figure as a vessel for memory, identity, mythology and collective history. His sculptures are recognized for their introspective expressions, dynamic compositions, tactile surfaces and carefully developed patinas. “My figures often occupy quiet psychological spaces,” he said. “Their expressions and postures are introspective, allowing the viewer to encounter them slowly rather than through a single, fixed interpretation. I am interested in the tension

Aug 15, 2026By Bereket Alemayehu
US sculptor Austen Brantley exhibits at CICA Museum in Gimpo
Global Community

16 French-speaking artists to open exhibitions in Busan, Seoul on Korea's rapidly changing landscape

A collective of French-speaking artists called Nuances is presenting a group exhibition in Busan from Thursday to Aug. 30, bringing together filmmakers, photographers and visual artists who examine how Korean cities and landscapes experience a continual cycle of demolition, redevelopment and transformation. The exhibition, titled “ARCHÉOLOGIE DU PRÉSENT” (Archaeology of the Present), seeks to create a new form of contemporary archaeology where today’s disappearing spaces become tomorrow’s memories. Drawing on the dual influence of French and Korean cultures, the collective offers a sensitive and original perspective on contemporary Korean society through the richness of its contrasts and its rapid transformations. The group includes mostly French artists, but its identity extends beyond nationality. Among the participating artists are a Belgian and two Korean artists who lived in France for many years and are fluent in French. Filmmaker Sebastien Simon, one of the organizers and participating artists, told The Korea Times that their group was formed after a French artist showc

Aug 4, 2026By Bereket Alemayehu
16 French-speaking artists to open exhibitions in Busan, Seoul on Korea's rapidly changing landscape
Foreign Affairs

Rwandan Embassy celebrates Cultural Heritage Day for 1st time in Seoul

The Embassy of Rwanda in Korea celebrated its first Cultural Heritage Day in Seoul, highlighting Rwanda's rich cultural traditions and the growing friendship between the two nations at the Ambassador Seoul hotel on July 29. The event featured the renowned Kagoma Cultural Group performing the iconic Intore dance, recently inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, along with Korean performers in a showcase of cultural exchange, traditional music, dance and storytelling. Government officials, diplomats, business leaders, academics and members of the international community gathered to celebrate the country's vibrant heritage, highlighting the growing cultural exchange and friendship between Rwanda and Korea. Bakuramutsa Nkubito Manzi, the Rwandan ambassador to Korea, said in his welcoming remarks that culture is one of the most powerful ways of bringing people together. “Long before we become partners in business, tourism or development, we first come to know one another through our traditions, our stories and our people,” he said. He hig

Jul 31, 2026By Bereket Alemayehu
Rwandan Embassy celebrates Cultural Heritage Day for 1st time in Seoul
Foreign Affairs

Outgoing Irish ambassador reflects on 4 years in Korea

Michelle Winthrop has been Ireland's top envoy to Seoul since 2022. In her four years as ambassador, she has focused on strengthening the growing relationship between Ireland and Korea in several areas, including trade and investment, education, culture, innovation and shared democratic values. She will be remembered as a prominent advocate for mental health and well-being, encouraging more open conversations about emotional resilience, inclusive workplaces and healthy communities. She has spoken frequently about the importance of prioritizing mental health alongside economic and social development. Winthrop has only been with the Irish Foreign Service about 10 years, but she has a long background of working in development cooperation. She previously worked in Africa, particularly Ethiopia, East Africa, Indonesia and Latin America. While her time here coming to a close, she met with The Korea Times on June 18 to reflect on her time here. Q. What were your first impressions when you arrived in Korea? In Ireland, we have one-tenth the population of Korea but it's the same landmass size. My

Jul 17, 2026By Bereket Alemayehu
Outgoing Irish ambassador reflects on 4 years in Korea
Global Community

'Framed in Sound' project brings together photographers, musicians

A collaborative project between Korea-based global photographers and musicians will be presented with a photo exhibition and live music performances celebrating Seoul's international creative scene on Saturday. The project, "Framed in Sound," paired photographers with independent musicians during a photo walk on May 2, giving the photographers a chance to develop their portrait photography skills while providing musicians with professional promotional images. For the exhibition, 10 photographers will share five photographs each of their musician partners, who will perform later in the evening. The initiative was co-created by Filipino musician Nicky Juanite and Indonesian photographer Dhira Noor, who both saw an opportunity to support emerging artists by combining their respective communities. “We invited photographers and musicians to spend a day together at Hangang Park, with the hopes of benefiting from each other's talents," Juanite told The Korea Times. "Musicians received professional photographs they could use for their portfolios, promotional materials and future opportunities.

Jun 24, 2026By Bereket Alemayehu
'Framed in Sound' project brings together photographers, musicians
previous page
12345
next page

Top 5 stories

Korea Times
About Us
Introduction
History
Contact Us
Products & Services
Subscribe
E-paper
RSS Service
Content Sales
Site Map
Policy
Code of Ethics
Ombudsman
Privacy Policy
Youth Protection Policy
Terms of Service
Copyright Policy
Family Site
Hankookilbo
Dongwha Group
FacebookXYoutubeInstagram
CEO & Publisher: Oh Young-jinDigital News Email: webmaster@koreatimes.co.krTel: 02-724-2114Online newspaper registration No: 서울,아52844Date of registration: 2020.02.05Masthead: The Korea TimesCopyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.