By Diplomacy Journal Lee Jon-young Jujak-do is a symbolic painting that is considered one of the four immortal birds that guard the south in East Asian cultures, including ancient China and Korea. Jujak is depicted in the form of a red bird, reminiscent of a red phoenix, peacock, or phoenix, and is usually depicted as a male-female pair. The painting is not just a beautiful representation of a bird, but also symbolizes the order of the universe and carries a deeper meaning that is linked to the principles of nature. Symbols and roles Jujak symbolizes fire in the Five Elements of Principles, an
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo The vibrant culture and rich traditions of Thailand are set to come alive at the Sawasdee Seoul Thai Festival 2024: T-Pop Story, taking place on October 5th and 6th at the Cheonggye Plaza in the heart of Seoul. This special event will commemorate the 65th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Korea and the Kingdom of Thailand, celebrating the strong friendship and cultural ties between the two nations. Hosted by the Royal Thai Embassy in Seoul, the Sawasdee Seoul Thai Festival 2024: T-Pop Story will offer a unique opportunity for visitors
By Diplomacy Journal Kayla Lee “Baeksubaekbokdo百壽百福圖” is a traditional Korean folk painting that wishes for longevity and good fortune. Baeksubaekbokdo means “a hundred years of life,” which implies a wish for longevity. In addition, 'Baekbok百福' means a hundred kinds of 'blessings' and expresses the wish for various blessings in life. In this sense, Baeksubaekbokdo has a strong symbolic meaning as a wish for health and happiness. Composition and symbolism The Baeksubaekbokdo is mainly composed of various symbols and elements that symbolize longevity and good fortune. Some of the most common sy
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo The 6th International Diplomatic and Cultural PR Ambassadors Hanbok Festival will be held on October 15 at 5:30 p.m. The International Diplomatic and Cultural PR Ambassadors Hanbok Festival, a representative solo fashion show of “Hanbok Good Day”, is an extension of the “International Diplomatic and Cultural PR Ambassadors Selection Contest”, which was successfully held in April 2022, 2023, 2024, starting with the “Hanbok Good Day Fashion Show with Ambassadors” held twice in 2021. “The October 2024 event, in particular, is designed to impress the audience with
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo “Culinary diplomacy is my tool as food plays a significant role in connecting people. I tried to introduce Africa's rich traditions and diversity through food,” said the spouse of the Tanzanian Ambassador to Korea and author of the book "A Taste of East Africa: Uncovering Culture Through Cuisine.” In an exclusive interview with Diplomacy Journal, Chaba Rhuwanya Mavura said, “I think this cookbook has been published at the right time when the Korea-Africa Summit was held in June, which was the very first summit of its kind between our nations, it is quite clear
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo To commemorate the successive Peruvian and Korean Presidencies of APEC 2024 -2025, the Diplomatic Journal co-hosted a cultural exchange exhibition with the Embassy of Peru in Seoul from Sept. 4-10 at the Maru Art Center in Insa-dong, Seoul. The Korea-Peru cultural exchange exhibition featured 30 beautiful and amazing and 35 K-folk paintings by Korean Minwha artists. The Amazon is known as one of the world's most important biodiversity treasures, water reservoirs, and sources of natural resources. Delivering welcoming remarks at the opening ceremony of the exhib
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo The Korean-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry, led by President & CEO Martin Henkelmann, held “Guide Walkers” joint CSR event on August 31, 2024, at Olympic Park in Seoul, South Korea. Over 450 participants from KGCCI and its member companies and partners served as guide walkers for individuals with visual impairments at the 10th Harmony Marathon with Visually Impaired, organized by Seoul Disabled Sports Association. Launched last year in celebration of the 140th anniversary of Korean-German diplomatic relations, the “KGCCI Joint CSR Guide Walkers” ini
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo On August 26, the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev took part in the opening ceremony of the thirteenth International Music Festival “Sharq Taronalari”. The President of Uzbekistan greeted the guests and expressed his best wishes on behalf of the people. He noted that today, the “Sharq Taronalari” festival has become a festival of world melodies in essence and meaning. “How many fascinating, beautiful melodies have sounded over the past time under the starry sky of Samarkand! Thanks to our forum, the musical values formed in the ancient
By Diplomacy Journal Kayla Lee The Embassy of Peru in the Republic of Korea inaugurated on August 21 the exhibition “Conciencia/Awareness” by renowned graphic designer Ciro Palomino at the 172G Gallery located in 172, Sejong-daero, Jongno-gu, Seoul. The exhibition “Conciencia/Awareness” includes 43 illustrations that address various topics such as war and its consequences, the situation of the Korean peninsula, climate change, freedom of expression, emigration, education, among other topics. The pieces exhibited by Ciro do not need any interpretation, because as he himself points out, “each wo
By Diplomacy Journal Kayla Lee Among traditional Korean paintings, Goeseokmorando, or 怪石牡丹圖 has attracted the attention of many for its unique beauty and deep philosophical meaning. The painting depicts a strange rock found in nature, Goeseok, and a peony, which symbolizes wealth and honor, and it ehas become one of the most representative genres of the Joseon Dynasty. The history of Goseokmorando begins with the genre's development in the late Joseon Dynasty, especially from the 17th to the 19th centuries. This was a time when traditional landscape painting and flower-and-bird painting were f
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo The Turkiye Presidential Symphony Orchestra and pianist Kim Hong-gi will perform at Chuncheon Cultural Arts Hall in Gangwon Province. The event organized by the Music in PyeongChang Organization (Festival & Music & Education Organisation), just one country per year is selected for representation. The International Classical Music Days event will be held from 31 August to 5 September 2024 in the city of Chuncheon, in the Gangwon Province, Republic of South Korea, and is supported by the Korean Foundation for International Cultural Exchange, operated by t
By Diplomacy Journal Kayla Lee Artist Seo Eun-hye, who paints Korean wildflowers, has been selected to exhibit her work on the big screen in New York's Times Square for the second consecutive year. According to the Busan art community on July 4, Seo was selected as one of 12 artists from around the world to participate in the 'Art Forum: No Boundaries' exhibition organized by Vision Art Media, and had the opportunity to display her work as video art on the big screen in New York Times Square on July 19. This is the second year in a row that Seo has been honored with the selection, as she was t
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo The Association of Royal Crafts Culture of Korea and ORIHERI (Oriental Heritage) of Vietnam signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to promote bilateral cooperation in the exchanges of traditional cultural crafts between the two countries at the Janggyo Building in Seoul on Aug. 9. Lee Chil-yong, president of the Association of Royal Crafts Culture, and Tran Thi Ngoc Diep, chairwoman of ORIHERI, signed the MOU in a signing ceremony held at the Janggyo Building in Seoul. Under the pact, both sides agreed to promote cultural heritage exchange and introduce the
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Jon-young | President Yoon Suk-yeol sent congratulatory telegeams to each of the 14 South Korean athletes who have won medals over the past three days at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France. In his congratulations to Ban Hyo-jin, the youngest member of the Korean shooting team to win a gold medal in the women's 10-meter air rifle, the President said, “The entire nation held its breath during the last single shot of the youngest member of the Korean Olympic team in Paris and cheered when she won by 0.1 points.” He praised Ban's focus and boldness in winning Korea'
By Diplomacy Journal Kayla Lee Many Korean legends and myths are closely linked to nature. One of the most notable is the 'Manbyeonghwajodo' (萬病花朝圖). As its name suggests, this unique flower is said to have the mystical ability to cure all ailments, and the legends and stories surrounding it have been passed down through the ages. Manbyeonghwajodo is a painting that depicts the characteristic elements of the flower in a stylized manner, rather than in a realistic form. Each canvas is labeled with the names of flowers, such as Hangyuoknyeo Jikgeumhwa, Hongdohwa, Dongjeonghosangbuyonghwa, Yeongj