Exhibitions in Ottawa and Los Angeles introduce Korean aesthetics through silk lantern installations.
Jinju City is gaining international attention as its signature cultural content, the “Jinju Silk Lanterns,” continues to attract audiences through touring exhibitions in North America. Following strong public responses during exhibitions in three Asian countries last year, the project is expanding its global reach as a growing example of Korean cultural content.
As part of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism’s “Touring K-Arts” program, the exhibition titled Lights of Korea – Jinju Silk Lanterns is being presented at Korean Cultural Centers in Ottawa, Canada, and Los Angeles, the United States, through the end of February.
The Ottawa and Los Angeles exhibitions feature approximately 1,000 vividly colored Jinju silk lanterns, along with traditional silk hanbok displays. Together, the installations highlight the elegance and refined craftsmanship associated with Korean aesthetics. Visitor areas such as promotional displays and photo zones have also been arranged to encourage audience engagement.
The Los Angeles exhibition was curated by director Yoo Gwan-sook, who previously received positive reviews for presenting Jinju silk lanterns at major cultural events in Korea, further enhancing the artistic quality and overall presentation of the exhibition.
Since launching overseas exhibitions in Brazil in 2023 and 2024, followed by tours across three Asian countries in 2025 and the Ottawa exhibition late last year, the program has recorded a cumulative audience of approximately 311,000 visitors. This steady growth reflects the exhibition’s emergence as a representative form of Korean cultural content extending beyond its regional origins.
The Vietnam exhibition held late last year also attracted approximately 37,000 visitors through collaborations with local cultural festivals, demonstrating sustained interest in Korean visual culture across host countries.
Jinju City plans to continue expanding the exhibition to additional countries, including Australia, Germany, and Hungary, while strengthening links between cultural exhibitions and related creative industries to support broader international engagement.
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Source: Jinju City Office© Korea.info