First ladies of Korea, France share cultural exchange at National Museum of Korea

First lady Kim Hea Kyung, right, and Brigitte Macron, first lady of France, use their hands to make a heart toward visitors at the National Museum of Korea in Seoul, Friday. Joint Press Corps

First lady Kim Hea Kyung accompanied French first lady Brigitte Macron to the National Museum of Korea on Friday, where they shared a cultural exchange during President Emmanuel Macron’s state visit to Seoul.

They first toured key exhibits at the museum, including the Room of Quiet Contemplation featuring two pensive Bodhisattva statues, the Oegyujanggak Uigwe royal protocols, a Silla-era gold crown and the 10-story stone pagoda from Gyeongcheon Temple.

According to the presidential office, Brigitte Macron expressed admiration for the exhibition, describing the Bodhisattva statues and the display space as “very beautiful.” Kim noted that the statues, which capture a moment of deep contemplation and enlightenment, reminded her of French sculptor Auguste Rodin's "Le Penseur" ("The Thinker"), drawing agreement from her French counterpart.

The two then viewed the Oegyujanggak Uigwe, which holds historical significance in Korea-France relations. The Joseon-era documents were taken to France by French troops during the Byeongin Yangyo in 1866. After 145 years, the royal books were returned to Korea in 2011 under a long-term loan agreement.

The Uigwe are state-authored records documenting major royal ceremonies and rituals — including weddings, funerals, investitures and palace banquets — compiled into detailed volumes, many of which were originally produced exclusively for the king.

First lady Kim Hea Kyung and Brigitte Macron, first lady of France, stand in the Oegyujanggak Uigwe Gallery of the National Museum of Korea in Seoul, Friday. Joint Press Corps

Kim described the collection as “a valuable cultural asset that was once taken to France and later returned,” adding, “We are grateful that it was carefully preserved in France, allowing us to exhibit it today.” Macron responded that the documents were “very well preserved” and could help children learn important values.

The pair also examined digitized Uigwe records on a large display. When a tiger illustration appeared, their conversation turned to popular culture, including the Netflix animated hit "KPop Demon Hunters."

Kim remarked that the tiger resembled a popular character from the film, the blue tiger Derpy, and Brigitte Macron replied that she was aware of its popularity and watched it with interest.

They later moved to a gallery featuring artifacts from the Silla Kingdom (57 B.C.-676 A.D.), where audio guides narrated by K-pop superstar girl group BLACKPINK were available. The girl group had previously participated in a charity event hosted by a French hospital foundation led by Brigitte Macron.

During the visit, museumgoers welcomed the two by calling out “Welcome to Korea,” prompting Brigitte Macron to suggest they pose together making while making a heart with their hands in response.