Korea reimagines overseas cultural centers as gateways to Korean lifestyle

Korea’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism plans to turn six overseas Korean Cultural Centers into permanent hubs for Korean beauty, cuisine and fashion under the Global K-Zone initiative. The rollout starts Saturday in Tokyo, with New York, Paris, Los Angeles, Beijing and Shanghai to follow. Officials say the program is meant to turn interest in Korean pop culture into direct consumer purchases and support small and medium-sized exporters.

Tokyo will showcase 194 beauty products from 52 brands, including Amorepacific, Sulwhasoo and Laneige.

Visitors in Tokyo can try AI skin diagnostics, make lip glosses and watch performances combining makeup artistry with contemporary ballet.

New York will later this month feature artisan fermented pastes, culinary workshops and merchandise from the National Museum of Korea alongside domestic cosmetics.

The six centers are planned to continue through 2027, and the ministry aims to add four more hubs worldwide.

Published Sep 4, 2026 1:22 pm KST

An interior rendering of the Global K-Zone at the Korean Cultural Center Los Angeles / Courtesy of Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism

Korea’s cultural footprint has long been defined by chart-topping pop bands and Oscar-winning cinema. Now, the government is leveraging that soft power to fuel a commercial transformation.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism revealed plans, Friday, to turn six overseas Korean Cultural Centers into permanent promotional hubs for everyday consumer goods. Under the newly minted Global K-Zone initiative, diplomacy will merge with commercial retail as hubs in Tokyo, New York, Paris, Los Angeles, Beijing and Shanghai showcase Korean beauty, cuisine and fashion.

The initiative marks a pivot from passive artistic diplomacy to active economic export. By housing these zones within existing Korean Cultural Centers — hubs that consolidate state tourism, content and language agencies — officials aim to convert global fascination with screen culture into sales for tangible consumer products.

The rollout begins Saturday in Tokyo, where the local cultural center will showcase 194 beauty products across 52 brands, including industry titans like Amorepacific, Sulwhasoo and Laneige. Visitors can experience AI skin diagnostics, craft lip glosses, and watch performances blending makeup artistry with contemporary ballet.

Later this month, New York will highlight artisan fermented pastes, culinary workshops and merchandise from the National Museum of Korea alongside domestic cosmetics. By October, the Paris center will unveil a space inspired by 21st-century royal palaces, pairing Korean language workshops with creative ballet. Meanwhile, Los Angeles will focus on traditional hanji paper, typography, webtoons and lifestyle goods. Centers in Beijing and Shanghai will follow later in the autumn.

The economic strategy reflects a broader trend across Asia, where governments increasingly use pop culture as a gateway for broader economic expansion. As global demand for Korean skin care and food continues to skyrocket, turning state-run cultural posts into immersive retail environments allows small and medium-sized Korean enterprises to gain direct exposure in major foreign markets.

Looking ahead, the ministry plans to sustain these six centers into 2027 while adding four more hubs worldwide.

"We expect the Global K-Zone to serve as a forward base for cultural exports, going beyond passive viewing to offer hands-on experiences that lead directly to consumer purchases," said Kim Jae-hyun, head of the ministry’s Cultural and Media Industry Bureau.

The initiative reflects the ministry's broader effort to translate global enthusiasm for Korean pop culture into tangible consumer spending.

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

韩国文化体育观光部计划将六个海外韩国文化中心改造成韩国美容、美食和时尚的永久性中心，作为“全球K区”计划的一部分。该计划将于周六在东京启动，随后将在纽约、巴黎、洛杉矶、北京和上海陆续推出。官员表示，该计划旨在将人们对韩国流行文化的兴趣转化为直接的消费购买，并扶持中小出口商。

东京将展出来自 52 个品牌的 194 款美容产品，其中包括爱茉莉太平洋、雪花秀和兰芝。

东京的游客可以体验人工智能皮肤诊断、制作唇彩，还可以观看将化妆艺术与现代芭蕾舞相结合的表演。

本月晚些时候，纽约将展出韩国国立中央博物馆的手工发酵酱料、烹饪工作坊和商品，以及韩国国产化妆品。

这六个中心计划持续运营至 2027 年，该部还计划在全球范围内增设四个中心。

发布于2026年9月4日下午1:22（韩国标准时间）

洛杉矶韩国文化中心全球K区内部效果图 / 图片由韩国文化体育观光部提供

韩国的文化影响力长期以来都以热门流行乐队和奥斯卡获奖电影为标志。如今，政府正利用这种软实力推动商业转型。

韩国文化体育观光部周五公布了一项计划，拟将六个海外韩国文化中心改造成日常消费品的永久性推广中心。根据这项名为“全球K区”（Global K-Zone）的新举措，外交与商业零售将在此融合，东京、纽约、巴黎、洛杉矶、北京和上海的这六个中心将展示韩国的美容、美食和时尚。

这项举措标志着韩国的外交政策从被动的艺术外交转向积极的经济输出。通过将这些区域设在现有的韩国文化中心——这些中心整合了国家旅游、内容和语言机构——韩国官员旨在将全球对影视文化的热情转化为实际消费品的销售额。

此次活动将于周六在东京拉开帷幕，届时当地文化中心将展出52个品牌共194款美妆产品，其中包括爱茉莉太平洋、雪花秀和兰芝等行业巨头。参观者可以体验人工智能皮肤诊断、调制唇彩，并欣赏融合了化妆艺术和现代芭蕾的精彩表演。

本月晚些时候，纽约将重点展示韩国国立中央博物馆的手工发酵酱料、烹饪工作坊和周边产品，以及韩国本土化妆品。到10月，巴黎中心将推出一个以21世纪皇家宫殿为灵感的空间，并将韩语工作坊与创意芭蕾相结合。与此同时，洛杉矶中心将聚焦传统韩纸、字体设计、网络漫画和生活方式产品。北京和上海的中心将于秋季晚些时候陆续开放。

这一经济战略反映了亚洲的整体趋势，即各国政府越来越多地利用流行文化作为拓展经济的门户。随着全球对韩国护肤品和食品的需求持续飙升，将国营文化场所改造为沉浸式零售环境，能够帮助韩国中小企业直接进入重要的海外市场。

展望未来，该部计划将这六个中心维持到 2027 年，同时在全球范围内增设四个中心。

“我们希望全球K区能够成为文化输出的前哨基地，超越被动观看，提供能够直接促成消费者购买的实践体验，”韩国文化和媒体产业局局长金宰铉表示。

该举措体现了韩国文化部将全球对韩国流行文化的热情转化为切实消费的更广泛努力。

本文由生成式人工智能协助发布，并由《韩国时报》编辑。