Korea Heritage Service to bring Seokguram Grotto exhibition to Paris

The Korea Heritage Service will open a Seokguram Grotto exhibition in Paris on Oct. 1 to mark 140 years of Korea-France diplomatic ties. Titled The Millennium Mystery of Buddhist Art: Seokguram, it will run through March 13 at the Korean Cultural Center in France. The show is organized with the center, the Gyeongju city government and other institutions. A companion festival, Korea on Stage in Paris, will run from Oct. 1-7.

Seokguram is an eighth-century artificial stone grotto near Gyeongju that houses a large seated Buddha statue.

The grotto became one of the first Korean sites added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1995.

The exhibition will include a digital installation, photographs, a tactile 3D model for visually impaired visitors and works by contemporary Korean artists inspired by Silla-era Buddhist relics.

Published Sep 14, 2026 2:29 pm KST

The main Buddha statue inside the Seokguram Grotto near Gyeongju / Korea Times file

To celebrate 140 years of diplomatic ties between Korea and France, one of Asia’s most celebrated spiritual and architectural masterpieces is heading to Paris.

Starting Oct. 1, the Korea Heritage Service (KHS) will unveil a landmark exhibition dedicated to the ancient Seokguram Grotto, bringing centuries of East Asian artistic brilliance to the heart of Europe.

The exhibition, titled "The Millennium Mystery of Buddhist Art: Seokguram," will run through March 13 at the Korean Cultural Center in France. It is being organized with the center, the Gyeongju city government and other institutions. Seokguram is an eighth-century artificial stone grotto near Gyeongju that houses a large seated Buddha statue and is considered a masterpiece of Silla Dynasty Buddhist art. In 1995, it became one of the first Korean sites added to the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The exhibition will feature an immersive digital installation projecting a three-dimensional scan of the grotto's interior across the walls and floor of the center's auditorium, along with photographs, a tactile 3D model designed for visually impaired visitors and works by contemporary Korean artists inspired by Silla-era Buddhist relics.

The exhibition will be accompanied by Korea on Stage in Paris, a seven-day cultural festival running from Oct. 1-7. Highlights include outdoor performances of traditional Korean music and dance at landmarks like the Trocadero, educational programs for local students and immersive sessions on Buddhist meditation and temple cuisine led by world-renowned chef-monk Jeong Kwan.

The opening ceremony on Oct. 1 is expected to draw about 400 guests, including diplomats, UNESCO officials and local cultural figures.

The KHS said it hopes the events will introduce the value of Korean heritage to French audiences and encourage more visits to Korea.

This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.

为纪念韩法建交140周年，韩国文化遗产厅将于10月1日在巴黎举办石窟庵展览。展览名为“千年佛教艺术之谜：石窟庵”，将在法国韩国文化中心展出至3月13日。此次展览由韩国文化中心、庆州市政府及其他机构联合举办。同期举办的“韩国舞台在巴黎”艺术节将于10月1日至7日举行。

石窟庵是位于庆州附近的一座建于八世纪的人工石窟，里面供奉着一尊大型坐佛像。

该石窟于 1995 年成为首批被列入联合国教科文组织世界遗产名录的韩国遗址之一。

展览将包括数字装置、照片、为视障参观者提供的触觉 3D 模型，以及受新罗时代佛教遗物启发而创作的当代韩国艺术家的作品。

发布于2026年9月14日下午2:29（韩国标准时间）

庆州附近石窟庵内的主佛像 / 韩国时报档案照片

为庆祝韩国与法国建交140周年，亚洲最著名的精神和建筑杰作之一即将前往巴黎。

从 10 月 1 日起，韩国文化遗产服务处 (KHS) 将推出一个具有里程碑意义的展览，专门介绍古老的石窟庵，将几个世纪以来东亚的艺术辉煌带到欧洲中心。

名为“千年佛教艺术之谜：石窟庵”的展览将于3月13日前在法国韩国文化中心展出。此次展览由韩国文化中心、庆州市政府及其他机构联合举办。石窟庵是位于庆州附近的一座八世纪人工石窟，内供奉着一尊大型坐佛像，被誉为新罗佛教艺术的杰作。1995年，石窟庵成为首批被列入联合国教科文组织世界遗产名录的韩国遗址之一。

展览将展出一个沉浸式数字装置，将石窟内部的三维扫描图像投射到中心礼堂的墙壁和地板上，同时还将展出照片、为视障参观者设计的触觉 3D 模型，以及受新罗时代佛教遗物启发而创作的当代韩国艺术家的作品。

展览期间还将举办“韩国在巴黎”文化节，这是一个为期七天的文化盛会，从10月1日至7日举行。亮点包括在特罗卡德罗广场等地标性建筑举行的韩国传统音乐和舞蹈户外表演、面向当地学生的教育项目，以及由世界知名厨师兼僧侣郑冠主持的关于佛教冥想和寺庙美食的沉浸式课程。

预计10月1日的开幕式将吸引约400位嘉宾，其中包括外交官、联合国教科文组织官员和当地文化界人士。

韩国文物遗产协会表示，希望这些活动能够向法国观众介绍韩国文化遗产的价值，并鼓励更多人访问韩国。

本文由生成式人工智能协助发布，并由《韩国时报》编辑。