Thailand-Korea Soft Power Festival 2024 boosts cultural ties

Korea and Thailand’s cultural ties are set to be celebrated with the Thailand-Korea Soft Power Festival 2024, scheduled to occur tomorrow at Suralai Hall in ICONSIAM, Bangkok.

This vibrant event, orchestrated by the Korean Culture Centre in Thailand (KCC) alongside the Korea Thailand Communication Centre (KTCC), is an expansion of last year’s K-Soft Power Festival and aims to enhance economic development and international exchanges through cultural cooperation.

Thailand’s recent establishment of the Thailand Soft Power Strategy Committee showcases the nation’s commitment to harnessing cultural influence for economic growth. This festival embodies that strategy by bringing together various cultural government bodies and corporations.

Participants include the Embassy of the Republic of Korea, the Thai Ministry of Culture, the Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA), and the Thailand Creative Culture Agency (THACCA), each contributing to a display of both nations’ rich cultural heritage and contemporary expressions.

Korean Ambassador to Thailand Park Yong-min expressed enthusiasm for the event.

“Korea and Thailand, who have long maintained a close brotherly relationship, are both soft power nations with a rich blend of tradition and contemporary culture.

“This festival will serve as a means to further strengthen our friendship and lay the foundation for mutual growth through soft power cooperation.”

The festival’s program is divided into three segments, focusing on Tradition. This segment will feature performances highlighting the traditional cultural exchanges between the two nations. Following this, the For the Youth segment promises a dynamic showcase of K-POP and T-POP, reflecting the influence of modern pop culture.

Soft power

A highlight of the festival is the On the K online concert series, which gained popularity during the Covid-19 pandemic. This concert series will feature performances by notable Korean artists such as Taemin from SHINee, the girl group Secret Number, and boy bands ONF and The Boyz. These performances are set to captivate audiences and underscore the global appeal of Korean pop culture.

Adding to the excitement, Thailand’s popular T-POP group New Country from GMM GRAMMY will grace the stage with a live performance. The festival will also spotlight talent from the 2024 Thailand K-POP Cover Dance competition, with performances from the top two winning teams, reported Bangkok Post.

The For the Youth segment also includes the Show Your Soft Power competition. This contest invites 10 finalists, chosen from a pool of 100 auditioning teams, to showcase their talents in diverse acts such as dance, vocal performances, magic, and Muay Thai.