As Korean films, dramas, literature, music, and art gain global attention and the country becomes a 'cultural powerhouse', private companies have actively engaged in international exchange support projects. They have consistently supported the overseas expansion of Korean creators and are also contributing to helping foreign creators, making 'cultural contribution' a trend. This contributes to the deep rooting of Korean culture around the world.

The Samsung Cultural Foundation, which operates the Hoam and Leeum Art Museums, has been sending Korean artists to the international residency 'Cité internationale des arts' in Paris, France, since 1996. A total of 25 artists, including Jo Yong-sin, Yoon Ae-young, and Geum Joong-ki, have passed through the studio that the foundation has long-term leased. Selected residents receive airfare, a six-month living allowance, and activity funds through an annual selection process. This year, two artists were selected: Jang Hyo-joo, who visualizes the non-existent 'tactility' using traditional sculpture, and Lee Eun-sae, who explores new possibilities in contemporary painting with a unique perspective, both staying for six months to work.

The Cité residency is a space where artists from various genres, including music, dance, architecture, and literature, gather to create and conduct research, centered around visual arts. Established in 1956 by the French couple Felix and Simone Brunau, who were contemplating the social role of art after the world wars, it has served as a center for collaborative creation for artists from around the world, allowing them to communicate and realize creative freedom across borders during the Cold War era dominated by politics and ideology.

On the other hand, our country is actively supporting the increase of cultural exchanges by becoming a hub in Asia. The Hanse Yes24 Cultural Foundation, established in 2014 as a public interest corporation funded by Kim Dong-nyung, Chairman of Hanse Yes24 Holdings, is carrying out various cultural contribution activities primarily in Southeast Asia, where Hanse Industrial is based. Notably, it has been holding the 'International Cultural Exchange Exhibition' since 2015. Each year, exhibitions reflecting the artistic qualities and contemporary sensibilities of countries such as Vietnam and Indonesia have been held. In April of this year, the exhibition 'Thai Contemporary Art - Dreams and Thoughts' was held at the Hangaram Art Museum, showcasing 110 works by 24 Thai contemporary artists. This not only broadens the perspective of the Korean art scene but also expands mutual cultural understanding.



The foundation's cultural exchange in Southeast Asia was expanded in 2020 with the 'Southeast Asia Literature Series'. Literary works from this region, which are difficult to access domestically, are translated and published in Korean every year. A total of six volumes have been published to date. This year, three volumes of modern and contemporary literature from the Philippines, including Mika de Leon's romance novel 'Love on the Second Read', were published. Next year, literature from Indonesia will be introduced, and in 2027, literature from Malaysia will be showcased. Baek Soo-mi, the foundation's chairperson, stated, "While conducting international art exchange exhibitions, we realized that there are many excellent literary works from Southeast Asia that are unknown to us," adding, "I hope readers in our country's publishing market, which is concentrated on the US, Europe, and Japan, discover new joys of reading."

CJ Group's CJ Cultural Foundation is also seeking to expand its international reach through cultural contribution activities, not just limiting itself to various domestic support projects. In the film sector, it has been promoting the co-growth of Asian cinema by discovering and supporting emerging directors from China since 2014 and from Vietnam since 2018. In November and December of this year, short film festivals and exchange screenings will be held in both countries.

First, the 'Korea-China Youth Dream Growth Short Film Festival' is held annually in China in collaboration with the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries. As of last year, the cumulative number of submitted works reached 4,958. Each year, winners are also awarded opportunities to participate in a training program in Korea. Since 2018, the foundation and CGV Vietnam have been collaborating on the 'Korea-Vietnam Youth Dream Growth Short Film Production Support' project, which has supported 25 emerging Vietnamese directors with production costs and mentoring until last year. Through this, a total of 13 films have been invited to or won awards at prestigious film festivals such as Cannes, Berlin, Venice, and Locarno. 'Before the Sea Forgets' by director Le Ngoc Duy, invited to the short film section of the Cannes Film Festival this year, is also a supported work from last year. In addition, the CJ Cultural Foundation is engaged in various international exchange support activities across genres, including the 'CJ & TIFF K-Story Fund' in collaboration with the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), support for the 'K-pop Creative Choreography Education Program' in partnership with the University of California, Berkeley, and the CJ Music Scholarship Program for international students majoring in popular music.

[Jung Joo-won, Reporter]