“Millennium Silla” Goes to Paris KSI Center France Operates Special Culture Lectures
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작성일 2026-08-21
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“Millennium Silla” Goes to Paris
KSI Center France Operates Special Culture Lectures
KSI Center France Operates Special Culture Lectures
> Program held in conjunction with a special exhibition commemorating the 140th anniversary of Korea-France diplomatic relations, held in cooperation with the Gyeongju National Museum and the Forney Library in Paris
> Sharing Korean culture with local audiences through lectures and hands-on programs on Silla gold culture and Buddhist art
From July 2 to 4, the King Sejong Institute Foundation (KSIF) held a special culture lecture series commemorating the 140th anniversary of Korea-France diplomatic relations, organized by KSI Center France. The program was planned in connection with the special exhibition Silla: lʼOr et le Sacré (Silla: Gold and the Sacred), co-hosted by the Gyeongju National Museum and the Forney Library in Paris from May 20 to August 31, with the aim of deepening French audiences" understanding of Silla history and culture.
Promotional poster for the special culture lectures commemorating
the 140th anniversary of Korea-France diplomatic relations
the 140th anniversary of Korea-France diplomatic relations
◇ Discovering Korean Culture Through Silla Goldwork and Buddhist Art
The lecture series comprised three sessions held at KSI Center France and the Forney Library in Paris. On July 2 and 4, under the theme “Golden Silla,” the program introduced the history and characteristics of Silla gold crowns and offered a hands-on gold crown-making activity using educational materials developed by the Gyeongju National Museum.
On July 3, under the theme “The Spiritual Life of Silla,” participants attended a lecture on Silla Buddhist culture and the beauty of Buddhist sculpture, as well as a meditation experience. The sessions were led by Researcher Seo Jin-seon and Curator Jin Jung-hwan of the Gyeongju National Museum, and by Venerable Hyewon, who offered in-depth insight into the historical and artistic value of Silla culture.
On July 3, under the theme “The Spiritual Life of Silla,” participants attended a lecture on Silla Buddhist culture and the beauty of Buddhist sculpture, as well as a meditation experience. The sessions were led by Researcher Seo Jin-seon and Curator Jin Jung-hwan of the Gyeongju National Museum, and by Venerable Hyewon, who offered in-depth insight into the historical and artistic value of Silla culture.
Participants taking part in a gold crown-making activity at KSI Center France
Participants attending a class on Buddhist culture and meditation at KSI Center France
Program Schedule
◇ Strong Local Interest Draws 62 Participants
Participants taking part in a Silla gold crown-making activity at the Forney Library
A total of 62 people, including local residents, took part in the program. Encouraged by the strong local interest in Korean culture demonstrated at the event, KSI Center France plans to continue expanding special lectures across various regions of Europe and further contribute to the spread of Korean culture.
◇ Q&A with Director Min Bo-hyun of KSI Center France
In France, interest in Korea is expanding beyond K-pop and K-dramas to Korean history and traditional culture. The strong response to this special lecture series, held in celebration of the 140th anniversary of Korea-France diplomatic relations, was reflected in registration filling early and the high attendance rate. We spoke with Director Min Bo-hyun of KSI Center France about the program"s background, local reactions, and future plans.
Q. How would you describe public interest in Korea in France as the two countries mark 140 years of diplomatic relations, and was that interest evident in this lecture series?
A. Since being assigned to France in February, I began to notice strong local interest in Korean culture about two or three months after my arrival. Today, there are around 300 to 400 Korean restaurants in Paris alone, showing that interest in Korea is higher than ever. This enthusiasm was clearly evident in the special lecture series as well. Registration closed earlier than expected, and attendance remained close to 100 percent throughout the program, surprising not only me but also the office staff. The event reaffirmed the depth of interest and enthusiasm for Korean culture in France.
Q. When planning this special lecture series, was there a message you particularly wanted to convey in introducing Silla culture?
A. Rather than delivering one specific message, we focused on showing how diverse and wide-ranging Korean culture is. K-pop, K-dramas, and K-beauty are already familiar to local audiences with even a passing interest in Korea. By contrast, themes such as Silla gold crowns and Korean Buddhist culture are far less familiar in France.
For this reason, the special lecture series introduced aspects of Korean history and traditional culture that local audiences rarely encounter, with the goal of broadening their interest in Korean culture. In particular, we designed the lectures around hands-on experiences, which French audiences tend to prefer, so that participants could naturally become interested in and engage with topics that might otherwise feel unfamiliar. The response was very positive.
For this reason, the special lecture series introduced aspects of Korean history and traditional culture that local audiences rarely encounter, with the goal of broadening their interest in Korean culture. In particular, we designed the lectures around hands-on experiences, which French audiences tend to prefer, so that participants could naturally become interested in and engage with topics that might otherwise feel unfamiliar. The response was very positive.
Q. Did you make any particular adjustments to the lecture content or format to suit local audiences in France?
A. The special lectures were open to Paris residents and designed so that people could participate even if they were not KSI learners. Since some participants might not know Korean, we minimized text and structured the materials mainly around photographs to make the content easier to understand. We received the educational materials and scripts in advance, reviewed the content, and worked with the Gyeongju National Museum to adjust any parts that might be difficult for local audiences to understand. We also prepared and distributed separate in-depth materials for participants who wanted to learn more. Thanks to the Gyeongju National Museum’s experience in educational programming and its thoughtful collaboration, the lectures made the content accessible to local audiences.
Q. What follow-up activities are you planning so that Korean culture programs can lead to greater local interest in learning Korean?
A. From the K-Expo held in June to this special lecture series, KSI Center France has distributed informational materials introducing KSI content and KSI Center France at every outreach event.
In celebration of the 140th anniversary of Korea-France diplomatic relations, we have also received various proposals for collaboration. Among them, we plan to continue with activities that can promote KSIs and turn broader interest in Korea into motivation to learn the Korean language. In the second half of the year, we hope to promote KSIs and Korean culture in regional cities through the Sejong Culture Academy. If further opportunities arise, we also plan to pursue a range of initiatives to introduce KSIs to local residents who want to learn Korean.
In celebration of the 140th anniversary of Korea-France diplomatic relations, we have also received various proposals for collaboration. Among them, we plan to continue with activities that can promote KSIs and turn broader interest in Korea into motivation to learn the Korean language. In the second half of the year, we hope to promote KSIs and Korean culture in regional cities through the Sejong Culture Academy. If further opportunities arise, we also plan to pursue a range of initiatives to introduce KSIs to local residents who want to learn Korean.
