InterviewKCCUK director believes Korean philosophy is next K-culture

Installation view of "Bestselling and Beloved: Korean Literary Treasures" exhibition at the Korean Cultural Centre UK in 2024 / Courtesy of KCCUK

Sun Seung-hye, director of the Korean Cultural Centre U.K. / Courtesy of KCCUK

LONDON — When Sun Seung-hye, director of the Korean Cultural Centre UK (KCCUK), returned to the British Museum’s Korea Gallery in 2023 — some two decades after she helped ship initial artifacts from Seoul to London — she was struck by how dramatically things had changed. Back in the early 2000s, she worked quietly behind the scenes at the National Museum of Korea, coordinating Korea’s early forays into international cultural recognition.

“At that time, sending artifacts to overseas museums felt like the best way to represent Korea,” she said during an interview with The Korea Times at KCCUK on April 24.

"Now, it's everywhere — K-pop concerts at Wembley Stadium, Korean contemporary artists at Tate Modern and our literature winning global recognition like the Nobel Prize. It’s astonishing to see how far we've come."

Sun, now in her third year as KCCUK director, reflected on her journey from museum curator and public diplomacy expert to leading one of Korea’s foremost global cultural outposts.

With academic roots in aesthetics and art history, her career began at the National Museum of Korea in an era when simply placing Korean objects in international institutions was considered an achievement.

Working as the Cleveland Museum of Art’s Korean art curator, Director of Cultural Cooperation at Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and later leading the Daejeon Museum of Art, she shifted her focus toward international cultural policy.

During that time, she visited the U.K. and was drawn to what she calls its “unique combination of tradition and experimentation.”

“Unlike many places, the U.K. has a deep respect for heritage but also embraces the modern and the experimental,” she said, explaining why she applied for the position. “With my background in both traditional and contemporary Korean art, I felt this was where I could do the most meaningful work.”

Guests attend the opening of "Soundwaves of Science: Exploring the Science of Korean Music" exhibition at the Korean Cultural Centre UK in central London in April. Courtesy of KCCUK

London as stage for Korean culture

Sun arrived in the U.K. just as Korean culture was entering an unprecedented period of visibility. In 2024 alone, London hosted three major Korean artists simultaneously: Mire Lee at Tate Modern, Haegue Yang at Hayward Gallery and Cho Min-suk for Serpentine Pavilion.

The pop culture scene, too, saw historic moments, notably BTS’ sold-out concerts at Wembley Stadium in 2019, followed by BLACKPINK headlining the British Summer Time festival at Hyde Park in 2023. The British Film Institute dedicated a season to Korean cinema, aptly titled “Echoes in Time: Korean Films of the Golden Age and New Cinema” in 2024.

“Now, I can feel that Korean culture stands on its own,” Sun said.

"Mind" (2019) by artist group Shinseungback Kimyonghun is displayed during "Digital Heritage, Now! AI With You" exhibition at the Korean Cultural Centre UK in 2024 / Courtesy of National Museum of Korea

Under Sun’s leadership, the KCCUK has two major goals: to broaden international understanding of Korean culture beyond K-pop and to present Korea’s cultural heritage innovatively using digital technology.

“While K-pop has become a global gateway to Korean culture, our culture is broader and richer. We must also share our heritage, aesthetics and philosophy. Since it is difficult to physically bring our national treasures abroad, we use technology instead,” Sun said.

This year’s projects include immersive exhibitions featuring virtual reality reconstructions of Gyeongju, the host city of APEC 2025 in November, digital recreations of traditional Korean gardens and artificial intelligence-assisted explorations of key cultural artifacts such as Buddhist sculptures and ancient manuscripts.

“Here, Korea is known as the country of Samsung and Galaxy and it was a natural decision for us to use technology to present culture.”

Sun Seung-hye delivers a lecture during a Korea Day event at the University of Oxford in 2024. Courtesy of KCCUK

From K-pop to Korean philosophy

Sun emphasized that meaningful cultural diplomacy must blend popular appeal with historical and philosophical depth. KCCUK’s flagship programs offer British audiences diverse opportunities to explore Korean culture, including "K-history Unlock," connecting fans of Korean dramas to deeper historical narratives.

“Our recent series, 'Political and Social Roles of Women in Joseon Korea,' on the occasion of International Women’s Day, was very popular,” Sun said. “It's about understanding history, but also how that history shapes our values today.”

Literature also remains central. After the success of their exhibition "Bestselling and Beloved: Korean Literary Treasures" last year, Sun aims to expand partnerships with renowned literary events such as the Hay Festival in Hay-on-Wye and the Edinburgh Book Festival to promote Korean literature.

"Bestselling and Beloved: Korean Literary Treasures" exhibition introduces Han Kang, first Korean author to win Nobel Prize in literature, at the Korean Cultural Centre UK in 2024. Courtesy of KCCUK

The director is also keen to explore Korea’s deeper philosophical and aesthetic dimensions for British audiences.

“Whatever the cultural form, it ultimately arrives at philosophy,” she said. “We want to introduce Korean ways of thinking — the aesthetics and philosophy — not just the surface appeal.”

Sun believes that Korea’s success in the digital age comes from combining cultural passion with technological innovation.

“We must ask ourselves why Korean culture flourished now and not decades ago. My conclusion is that we successfully combined our innate passion with digital technologies,” she said. “From Psy’s 'Gangnam Style' to BTS and even 'Baby Shark,' Korea leveraged digital platforms to intimately connect with global audiences.”

Poster for the Korean Cultural Centre UK's upcoming K-Culture Forum in June / Courtesy of KCCUK

Nurturing the next generation

Understanding the importance of future generations, Sun also emphasized youth engagement in KCCUK’s activities. Korea Days and K-culture events at universities across the U.K. such as Oxford, Cambridge, Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds and Sheffield have sparked grassroots enthusiasm.

“In the past, it was primarily Korean students attending these events. Now at many universities, Korean student societies are small, but K-culture clubs have much more local British students,” she said. “I think Korean culture and K-culture are different. K-culture is broader and no longer just ours. It belongs to everyone who embraces it.”

The ripple effect is tangible. More students pursue Korean studies, translation of Korean literature and cultural research, building deeper, long-lasting connections between Korea and the U.K.

Sun’s ambitions extend beyond short-term successes. KCCUK’s upcoming K-Culture Forum in June will explore Korean creativity, aesthetics and philosophical ideas, reflecting her belief that intellectual engagement will sustain cultural interest long-term.

“Our next frontier is Korean aesthetics and philosophy,” Sun said. “We've seen global interest in our food, music and dramas. Now it’s time to explore deeper questions — our philosophy, our aesthetics.”

Ultimately, Sun envisions KCCUK as a cultural heritage hub, a place for philosophical and aesthetic dialogue.

Reflecting on her broader purpose, she quoted King Sejong’s proclamation in the preface of “Hunminjeongeum" — "To enable all people to easily express themselves and fulfill their potential."

“It was about giving people the tools to express themselves. That’s what I want KCCUK to do — help people explore and express through Korean culture,” Sun said.