South Korea to Make Culture Day Weekly; President and First Lady Attend

Seoul, South Korea — President Lee Jae-myung and First Lady Kim Hye-kyung attended a performance on September 18 at the Dream Center in Daehangno, Seoul, as part of a public outing to promote the government’s culture policy, Culture Day.

The Blue House said in a written briefing that the couple watched the original musical 긴긴밤 (Long Long Night) at the Daehangno venue to highlight the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism’s Culture Day program, which the ministry plans to expand from next month to a weekly schedule.

긴긴밤 is a musical adaptation of a children’s fairy tale, which debuted in early 2024 and was revived this year due to its popularity, according to the briefing.

Before the show, the president and first lady had dinner near the theater. A restaurant owner who spoke to reporters said his daughter works as a civil servant in Gyeonggi Province, and the couple exchanged greetings and took photographs.

After dinner, the couple walked around Maronie Park, greeting nearby citizens and taking selfies with those who approached them.

During the stroll, a double-casting actor from the musical happened to be nearby and expressed disappointment that the show order on that day was not the planned performance. The president suggested taking a selfie and called out “Fighting” in encouragement.

Following the performance, the president and first lady met with the cast and production staff to offer encouragement. The president inquired about how many performances are held per day and whether the show appeals broadly to female audiences.

Kim Hye-kyung commented on the penguin character’s vocal strength and, noting the actor is 13 years old, expressed surprise at the actor’s age.

The couple ended the day by greeting fans who had waited outside the venue for photos and handshakes.

Context for international readers: Culture Day is a government program intended to broaden access to arts and culture across Korea. The ministry’s plan to make Culture Day a weekly event marks a notable expansion of government support for the creative sector, with potential implications for Korea’s cultural export industries, domestic tourism, and public engagement with the arts. For the United States, the move underscores how South Korea integrates culture policy with public diplomacy, entertainment production, and cross-border media collaboration, and it could influence Korean content pipelines, partnerships with U.S. studios, and the rhythm of cultural events that attract international visitors and media attention.