K-Webtoon Zone at KCCI Exciting news for all K-Webtoon fans! The Korean Cultural Centre India (KCCI) has launched a dedicated, immersive space where you can explore the magic of Korean digital comics like never before. What to Expect? ✅ Interactive touchscreens to browse and read popular K-Webtoons ✅ Large screens showcasing stunning webtoon trailers & animations ✅ A cozy reading space with webtoon books ✅ A vibrant atmosphere designed for fans to connect with Korean storytelling  📍 Now open at KCCI, New Delhi! So who’s visiting first? 

-Holi meets Obangsaek: A Cultural Kaleidoscope at the Korean Cultural Centre India -Korean Cultural Centre India blends Holi festivities with Obangsaek traditions Korean Cultural Centre India hosted a lively and joyful celebration that delighted participants, giving them not just a fun-filled day but also a wonderful chance to learn about the rich symbolism of colours in Korea. The event was a vibrant blend of festivities and cultural exchange, leaving everyone with colourful memories and new insights. The event introduced Indian audiences to the Korean concept of ‘Obangsaek’, also known as the ‘Five Cardinal Colours’. Obangsaek is a traditional Korean colour scheme that uses five colours: White, Black, Blue, Yellow, and Red. Colours reflect the historical and cultural identity of a country and its people, and in Korea these colours play an important role in various aspects of life such as art, clothing, food, architecture and religion. In the midst of the colourful Holi festivities, participants learned about the unique significance of each colour and their importance to the Korean people. Each colour is associated with a specific direction, element, and virtue, collectively representing the harmonious balance of the universe. For instance, the colour ‘red’ is associated with the direction ‘south’, the ‘fire’ element and the virtue of ‘propriety’. Similarly, the colour ‘blue’ is associated with the direction ‘east’, the ‘wood’ element and the virtue of ‘benevolence’, and so on. The event was a colourful cultural exchange between Korea and India, as participants explored Holi and Korea's Obangsaek, discovering the meanings behind the vibrant hues in both traditions. At the celebration, both Indian and Korean participants applied vibrant colours on each other. There was a palpable sense of excitement as a few Korean citizens were playing Holi for the very first time. People danced to popular Holi songs such as “Balam Pichkari”, “Hori Khele Raghuveera” and “Rang Barse”. Some participants at the event wore ‘hanbok’, Korea’s traditional attireSome participants at the event wore the ‘Hanbok’, the Korean traditional attire, to showcase their respect for the Indian festival and the unity between Korea and India. Presently, in Korea, Hanbok is often worn for special occasions, such as wedding ceremonies, children’s first birthdays, and seasonal holidays including the Lunar New Year’s Day and Chuseok. Hwang Il Yong, Director of Korean Cultural Centre India said, “Colours hold deep cultural significance in both India and Korea. Just as Holi in India symbolizes the victory of good over evil and the joy of togetherness through vibrant hues, Korea’s Obangsaek represents harmony in the universe, balancing the five cardinal colours with nature and philosophy. This shared appreciation for colours reflects the deep-rooted connections between our cultures, celebrating life, tradition, and unity through the language of colours.

A Colourful Encounter Between Korea and India: Celebrating Holi with Traditional Colours, Obangsaek  This event highlights cultural exchange between Korea and India through colors. By exploring Holi, the Festival of Colors, and Korea’s traditional Obangsaek colors, Participants will explore the meaning and symbolism of Obangsaek (the five traditional cardinal colors) while experiencing its vibrancy. Through engaging activities such as playing with Holi colours, an energetic group dance, and a Hanbok photo session featuring Obangsaek colours, attendees will be able to celebrate and appreciate the beauty of Korea's traditional colours. This cultural exchange event provides a platform to deepen the understanding of color symbolism in Korea and India while fostering mutual respect for cultural diversity.    ●Date: March 11, 2025 (Tuesday) 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM ●Venue: Korean Cultural Centre India ●Main Activities: - Introduction to Korea’s Obangsaek and India’s Holi colors - Play with Holi colours and group dance - Hanbok photo session with Obangsaek colours and group photos

Korean Cultural Centre India showcases Korean contemporary art at India Art Fair 2025   - Director General of National Gallery of Modern Art, Dr. Sanjeev Kishor Goutam, was the chief guest at the KCCI exhibition booth - Dr. Sanjeev Kishor Goutam closely appreciated the artwork by Korean artists and interacted with artist Kim Deok-han - KCCI exhibition booth blends Korean traditional heritage with contemporary artistic expression   The Korean Cultural Centre India's exhibition booth at the India Art Fair 2025 had an enthusiastic opening, with Dr. Sanjeev Kishor Goutam, Director General of the prestigious National Gallery of Modern Art, gracing the occasion as the chief guest on the opening day. Dr. Sanjeev Kishor Goutam interacted with the Korean artist Kim Deok-han, whose lacquer works were on display at the booth, and closely examined and appreciated all the artworks displayed at the booth.   (From left to right) Kim Deok-han, artist; Dr. Sanjeev Kishor Goutam, Director General of the National Gallery of Modern Art;  Saurabh Wasson, Director of the India Art Fair; Hwang Il-yong, Director of the Korean Cultural Center in India;  Park Cheol-hee, President of the Asia Arts Management Association. Dr. Sanjeev Kishor Goutam, Director General of the National Gallery of Modern Art,  and his wife viewing artworks at the special exhibition hall of the Korean Cultural Center in India. With the growing influence of Korean culture in India, interest in Korean fine and visual arts has been on the rise. Reflecting this increasing enthusiasm, the Korean Cultural Centre India was invited by the India Art Fair to operate a dedicated Korean exhibition booth. This special invitation brought the essence of Korean contemporary art to the 16th edition of India Art Fair, which is being organized from February 6 to February 9 at National Small Industries Corporation Exhibition Ground (NSIC) in New Delhi.   Participating in the institutions sector representing Korea, Korean Cultural Centre India’s K-Art special exhibition booth features works by veteran Orientalist artist Kim Keun-joong; Korean painter and paper work artist Lee Gil-woo; and Kim Deok-han, an artist of the new generation who is a master of lacquer works.   The India Art Fair, which celebrates its 16th anniversary this year, is the world's largest art fair in terms of number of visitors, with an average of 100,000 visitors per day. The KCCI exhibition booth at the 2025 India Art Fair presents a unique perspective that harmoniously blends Korean traditional heritage with contemporary artistic expression. Artist Kim Keun-joong’s works reinterpret ancient murals and traditional Korean paintings with bold colours and intricate detailing. His series “Flower World” highlights peonies, symbolising prosperity and wealth. “I wanted to move beyond traditional depictions of desire and instead express the essence of the human heart,” he said.   Lee Gil-woo is known for his distinctive incense-burning technique on ‘hanji’ (traditional Korean paper). His double-pose works combine traditional landscapes with modern characters in a pop-art style, exploring the coexistence of Eastern and Western cultures. “The burned silhouettes reflect the duality and complexity of human nature,” said Lee. The artist is known for his exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery in UK during the 2012 London Olympics, the 2010 Grand Prize at the 'Bangladesh Asian Art Exhibition' – the first Biennale in Asia.   Kim Deok-han is an artist of the newer generation who expresses the sense of subtlety through the traditional material of lacquer. He layers lacquer in multiple colours and repetitively peels them off, leaving only traces of each layer. This laborious process takes a long time as each coloured layer must dry completely before the next is applied. The artist explains that this process creates a record of time and space. By peeling off each layer and leaving only its traces, he captures individual moments of the past on the plane of a single artwork. Kim’s meditative approach to his materials and his choice of earthy colors inspired by traditional Korean ‘hanbok’ dresses leave a strong and profound impression in his works.   Hwang Il Yong, Director of Korean Cultural Centre India said, “The status of Korean culture in India is on the rise. The Korean Wave, which was sparked by K-pop and Korean dramas, is now becoming increasingly diversified and segmented. It is now expanding into Korea’s traditional culture, fine art, and visual arts. We have been planning and preparing through long-term consultation with India Art Fair team over the past year to showcase carefully the essence of selected Korean fine art and visual art at India's largest art platform, India Art Fair. We are grateful to the organiser, India Art Fair, for their continued interest and cooperation.”

Korean Cultural Centre India celebrates Seollal  with Indian secondary school students - The highlight of this year’s Seollal celebrations was the enactment by Indian artists of a Korean folktale - Heungbu and Nolbu - Activities planned for the day included playing traditional games, wearing the Hanbok and eating Tteokguk, a rice cake soup - The cultural event was planned to provide the experience of Korean New Year culture to Indian school students △An introduction to the Korean Lunar New Year customs   On 29th January 2025, the Korean Cultural Centre India celebrated Seollal, the Korean Lunar New Year, with a vibrant cultural event at its centre in New Delhi. The celebration brought together 80 Korean language learners from ASN Senior Secondary School in Mayur Vihar.  △ Students actively participating in the discussion by asking questions after hearing an explanation of Korean Seollal customs △ Korean language instructors guide students in learning Sebae, the traditional Korean bow △Indian students participate in, 'Phalssireum', Korean-style arm wrestling △ Students learn how to play Yutnori, a traditional Korean board game The day's activities featured Yutnori, a traditional Korean board game, and Phalssireum, an exciting arm-wrestling competition. As many as seven students were adjudged as the winners in their respective games and were given a traditional Korean bookmark as a gift.  △ Indian students try tteokguk and Mandu(Korean dumplings) The students also enjoyed eating Tteokguk, a rice cake soup, that is a special festival dish that is prepared on Seollal. Tteokguk, which consists of broth and white ‘tteok’ (rice cakes), symbolises purity and new beginnings. It is a traditional Korean dish served during Seollal and it holds deep cultural and symbolic significance.  △ Indian artists perform the Korean traditional folktale 'Heungbu and Nolbu  Amid all the cultural extravaganza, the highlight of this year’s Seollal celebrations at the Korean Cultural Centre India was the enactment by Indian artists of a Korean folktale - Heungbu and Nolbu. △ Students enjoy the storytelling performance of the Korean traditional folktale 'Heungbu and Nolbu' △ Students at the Seollal event take a group photo with the storytelling performance team