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The Korean Cultural Centre Canada is pleased to present <Hanji and Minhwa: An Encounter>, on view from June 25 to August 12, 2026, featuring artists LEE Seung-chul, KIM Kang-mi, KIM Sun-hee, KIM Su-mi, NAM Jung-eun, YUN Su-kyoung, LEE Hee-jin, and IM Jin-sung.  This exhibition explores points of intersection between material and time, memory and perception, and tradition and the present through works that reinterpret hanji (traditional Korean paper) and minhwa (Korean folk painting) through a contemporary lens. The participating artists construct their own visual languages using diverse traditional materials and visual elements, including hanji, natural dyeing techniques, and munjado (letter paintings). Rather than simply reproducing historical forms, their works reconnect the temporal and sensory dimensions embedded within tradition with the language of the present. Exhibition Details - Exhibition: Hanji and Minhwa: An Encounter - Dates: June 25 – August 12, 2026 - Venue: Korean Cultural Centre Canada (150 Elgin St #101, Ottawa, ON K2P 1L4) - Featured Artists: LEE Seung-chul, KIM Kang-mi, KIM Sun-hee, KIM Su-mi, NAM Jung-eun, YUN Su-kyoung, LEE Hee-jin, IM Jin-sung - Exhibition Curator: LEE Seung-chul Featured Artists LEE Seung-chul 이승철 LEE Seung-chul has spent over three decades researching hanji and traditional natural dyeing techniques. His practice explores the relationships between preservation and disappearance, memory and continuity, anchoring these concepts in the materiality and temporality of nature. Drawing on extensive research in cultural heritage conservation, he continuously expands hanji beyond its traditional function, translating it into the language of contemporary aesthetics. KIM Kang-mi 김강미  <A Walk Through Time and Space (III)>, mixed media on jangi paper, 140 × 90 cm, 2025 KIM Kang-mi’s work reinterprets traditional chaekgeori (scholar’s bookshelf paintings) using authentic Eastern mediums and techniques, including hanji, persimmon dye, clay, and frottage. Her representative series, <A Walk Through Time and Space (시공산책 / 時空散策)>, explores the intersections between ideal and reality. By employing repeated structures and accumulated material traces, she visually manifests the dense layers of time. KIM Sun-hee 김선희  <Dream of Blue-and-White Porcelain>, white clay, colored engobe, cobalt pigment, matte transparent glaze, 2025 KIM Sun-hee bridges the worlds of ceramic art and traditional minhwa painting. Viewing ceramics as "a quiet universe shaped through the language of earth and fire," she uses clay as a canvas, inscribing Korean folk flowers onto the surfaces to create a profound artistic dialogue across time and space KIM Su-mi 김수미  <Forest of Momo>, pigment on hanji, indigo dye, 32 × 32 cm, 2026 KIM Su-mi creates narrative and poetic imagery on dak (handmade mulberry paper) infused with natural dyeing techniques. Viewing human life as an extension of nature’s recurring cycles, she treats stains and diffusion as more than mere material effects; instead, they embody the profound structures of creation and dissolution, presence and absence. NAM Jung-eun 남정은  <Fortune (福)>, mixed media on wood, 52.5 × 31 cm, 2026 NAM Jung-eun reinterprets traditional munjado (letter paintings), focusing particularly on the character bok (fortune) to explore the themes of relationship and happiness. By intertwining paint, thread, mother-of-pearl, and resin, she creates rich, layered expressions of emotion and time. YUN Su-kyoung 윤수경  <Wandering>, mixed media on hemp cloth, 64 × 134 cm, 2025 Grounded in the techniques and motifs of traditional Korean painting, YUN Su-kyoung’s work explores the concepts of rest and reflection in contemporary life. By incorporating tactile natural materials like clay, she reminds us that genuine rest is not a distant ideal, but something found within the spaces of everyday life. LEE Hee-jin 이희진  <Frosting – Everyday Confection>, mineral pigments on mulberry paper (sunjji), 110 × 45 cm × 5, 2026 Through contemporary reinterpretations of traditional minhwa, LEE Hee-jin merges classical iconography with modern motifs to explore the narratives of everyday life. Her works playfully bridge the past and present, offering vibrant, fresh perspectives on familiar experiences. IM Jin-sung 임진성  <Waterfall>, handmade hanji, 162.2 × 130.3 cm, 2025 Using hanji as his foundational medium, IM Jin-sung explores intersecting layers of materiality, time, and sensory experience. Moving beyond the traditional role of paper as a mere surface, he expands its physical and emotional qualities into a distinct contemporary visual language. Artist Statement / LEE Seung-chul  Rather than standing upon what has already been made, I wish to remain beside the moment of becoming. Uniformly cut paper, precisely measured colors, and flawlessly reproduced surfaces are convenient, yet they often feel too rigid to contain the trace of my own breath. So I make the paper again. I loosen the fibers, soak them in water, and wait through the passing time of flowing and drying until a surface is finally born. Within that surface remain delicate textures, the pressure of the hand, and the traces left by water. I do not simply place images upon it; I breathe together with the material itself. I believe color is not something merely given, but something drawn up from within. Pigments gathered from nature contain the time of light, air, and seasons. Even when made through the same process, they reveal different depths each time. I do not erase those differences. Rather, within such irregularities, I discover the place where images emerge. To create materials is to touch time before form. It is to place myself within the process that precedes completion. I do not seek to reproduce tradition. Instead, I hope to pass through myself the slow sensibility and the attitude toward material embedded within older ways of making. In doing so, I hope that a breath carried across time may continue once again here, in the present moment. My work is less about creating images than about questioning the ground beneath them. Upon what kind of paper do we stand. Through what colors do we breathe. Through what layers of time do we pass. Today again, I return to the place before expression begins. And there, slowly, I continue to shape my own language.

Presented in conjunction with the KCC exhibition <Hanji and Minhwa: An Encounter> Discover the art of making hanji (traditional Korean mulberry paper) in this special workshop at the National Gallery of Canada. Led by artist LEE Seung-chul, participants will learn about traditional hanji-making techniques while experimenting with natural dyes derived from everyday materials. This hands-on experience highlights the sustainability, material qualities, and adaptability of hanji across both historical and contemporary contexts.  Event Details  Date: - Friday, June 26, 2026 | 10:00–12:00 (ET) (Korean / English)  - Friday, June 26, 2026 | 13:00–15:00 (ET) (Korean / French)  Venue: National Gallery of Canada, Studio(380 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, ON K1N 9N4)  Registration:  - Friday, June 26, 2026 | 10:00–12:00 (ET) (Korean / English): https://www.gallery.ca/whats-on/calendar/workshop-hanji-past-and-present  - Friday, June 26, 2026 | 13:00–15:00 PM (ET) (Korean / French): https://www.beaux-arts.ca/a-laffiche/calendrier/atelier-le-hanji-dhier-et-daujourdhui  Free event  LEE Seung-Chul 이승철  LEE Seung-Chul is a Korean artist and professor whose practice centres on hanji (traditional Korean mulberry paper), natural pigments, and material-based installations. He is a Professor in the Department of Painting at Dongduk Women’s University in Seoul, and previoulsy served as Director of the University Museum and Art Gallery.  Lee has also worked as an Executive Researcher for Materials of Korean Traditional Art at the Kansong Art Museum, and received his B.F.A. and M.F.A. in Oriental Painting from Seoul National University. His work has been exhibited internationally at major institutions, and he has published extensively on hanji, natural dyeing, and Korean material culture.

The Korean Cultural Centre Canada presents <The Self Within Collective>, an exhibition featuring works by CHOI, Sejin and YOON, Sangyoon. Through painting, the exhibition explores how an individual is continuously shaped within collective structures, revealing the complex relationship between personal consciousness and social influence. Exhibition Details - Dates: March 12 – June 12, 2026 -  Venue: Korean Cultural Centre Canada (150 Elgin Street, Ottawa, ON) -  Artists’ Talk: March 12, 2026, 5 PM (ET) - Opening Reception: March 12, 2026, 6 PM (ET) <The Self Within Collective> explores how an individual is shaped within a collective through the works of CHOI, Sejin and YOON, Sangyoon. Both artists depict how personal consciousness is deeply intertwined with social influence, though each approaches this theme from a different perspective. CHOI examines how social conditioning and shared rituals leave traces on the body. In her familiar scenes of a school activity day, anonymous children participate in group activities. While the actions appear playful, they carry subtle traces of discipline, competition, and the pressure to conform. CHOI’s work highlights how repeated gestures and coordinated movements within a collective setting shape individual behaviour and memory, showing that the social body cannot be separated from personal experience. YOON turns inward to explore the interaction between the psyche and the social world. He utilizes a tripartite vertical composition: the submerged unconscious id, the figures at the surface representing the ego, and the figure above embodying the superego, internalized social norms and expectations. He portrays the constant negotiation between inner desire and external control, showing how the self forms at the intersection of personal impulses and collective pressures. Both artists navigate the tension between the individual and the collective through different approaches. One traces the social influence imprinted on the body, while the other maps the psychological structures shaped by it. Together, their works show that individual nature is never fixed but continuously formed and reformed at the intersection of memory, emotion, and social influence. <The Self Within Collective> invites viewers to reflect on how the groups and structures we inhabit shape our actions, memories, and identities, and to consider the interplay between personal consciousness and collective experience. CHOI, Sejin 최세진 CHOI, Sejin graduated from the Department of Painting at Ewha Womans University in Korea. Her practice centers on painting and drawing. Using children’s perspectives and play, she metaphorically explores patterns that emerge from society’s collective inertia and relational structures imprinted on individuals. She focuses on how norms, gazes, and roles operate within collective cultures, investigating narratives that arise from an individual’s existence, relationships, and roles within each group. CHOI, Sejin, Unfolding the Parachute, 194x130cm, oil on canvas, 2018 YOON, Sangyoon 윤상윤 YOON, Sangyoon graduated from the Department of Painting at Chugye University for the Arts and completed an MA in Fine Art at Chelsea College of Art and Design in the UK. His painting practice observes the sensations of “territory” and “gaps,” and the tensions between the individual and the collective. He has held solo exhibitions in New York and Shanghai, and participated in numerous exhibitions in Korea as well as international projects, including Art Central Hong Kong and exhibitions in Beijing and Suzhou, China. YOON, Sangyoon, Tea for Two, 162x130cm, oil on canvas, 2023

Presented in connection with the KCC exhibition <The Self Within Collective> The Korean Cultural Centre Canada (KCC) is pleased to host a special Artists’ Talk with CHOI, Sejin and YOON, Sangyoon on Thursday, March 12, 2026 at 5:00 PM (ET). Organized in conjunction with the exhibition <The Self Within Collective>, this talk offers audiences an opportunity to meet the artists, learn about their creative journeys, and gain deeper insight into their practices. Join us for this engaging occasion to connect directly with the artists, explore the expressive language of contemporary Korean painting, and discover the ideas and processes that extend beyond the exhibition space. Event Details * Date: Thursday March 12, 2026 at 17:00-18:00 (ET) * Venue: Korean Cultural Centre Canada (150 Elgin St #101, Ottawa, ON K2P 1L4) * Registration: https://forms.gle/XSsV2LBhiFzBCMVy9 * Free admission CHOI, Sejin 최세진 CHOI, Sejin graduated from the Department of Painting at Ewha Womans University in Korea. Her practice centers on painting and drawing. Using children’s perspectives and play, she metaphorically explores patterns that emerge from society’s collective inertia and relational structures imprinted on individuals. She focuses on how norms, gazes, and roles operate within collective cultures, investigating narratives that arise from an individual’s existence, relationships, and roles within each group. CHOI, Sejin, Unfolding the Parachute, 194x130cm, oil on canvas, 2018 YOON, Sangyoon 윤상윤 YOON, Sangyoon graduated from the Department of Painting at Chugye University for the Arts and completed an MA in Fine Art at Chelsea College of Art and Design in the UK. His painting practice observes the sensations of “territory” and “gaps,” and the tensions between the individual and the collective. He has held solo exhibitions in New York and Shanghai, and participated in numerous exhibitions in Korea as well as international projects, including Art Central Hong Kong and exhibitions in Beijing and Suzhou, China. YOON, Sangyoon, The Cool School, 91x116cm, oil on canvas, 2023

Beauty of Korea Blooming with Light: Jinju Silk Lanterns The Korean Cultural Centre Canada presents <Lights of Korea: Jinju Silk Lanterns> in Ottawa, in collaboration with the City of Jinju. This exhibition is part of the Touring K-Arts Project, supported by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and administered by the Korean Foundation for International Cultural Exchange (KOFICE). It showcases the graceful and shimmering radiance of Jinju’s signature silk lanterns, offering audiences a unique glimpse into Korea’s aesthetic sensibilities. Located in Gyeongsangnam-do, Jinju has long been a major centre of sericulture in Korea, cultivating a rich heritage of silk craftsmanship. Jinju silk lantern art, inspired by this century-old tradition and the iconic Jinju Namgang Yudeung Lantern Festival, has become a distinctive cultural symbol of the city.  This exhibition offers Ottawa audiences a rare opportunity to experience the vivid colours and refined artistry of Jinju silk lanterns. Exhibition Details - Exhibition: Lights of Korea: Jinju Silk Lanterns - Dates: December 23, 2025 – February 27, 2026 - Venue: Korean Cultural Centre Canada (150 Elgin St #101, Ottawa, ON K2P 1L4)

The Korean Cultural Centre Canada (KCC) and the Seoul Museum of Craft Art (SeMoCA) are pleased to present the special touring exhibition <The Drawings of Mother-of-Pearl Inlay Artisans>, on view from Thursday, October 23 to Friday, December 12, 2025. This exhibition is organized as part of the Touring K-Arts Project, supported by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and administered by the Korean Foundation for International Cultural Exchange (KOFICE). Focusing on the theme of “Mother-of-Pearl through Drawings,” the exhibition highlights najeon designs, the drawings that serve as blueprints for the intricate patterns created by cutting and inlaying pieces of shell. Featuring more than 100 works, it brings together rare designs and masterpieces by master artisans of the modern era alongside new creations by contemporary artists, offering a unique perspective on the enduring beauty and innovation of Korean mother-of-pearl lacquerware. Exhibition Details - Exhibition: The Drawings of Mother-of-Pearl Inlay Artisans - Dates: October 23 – December 12, 2025 - Venue: Korean Cultural Centre Canada (150 Elgin St #101, Ottawa, ON K2P 1L4) - Opening Reception: October 23, 2025, 17:30 (ET) * No registration is required. - Featured Artists: JEON Seong-gyu, KIM Bong-ryong, SONG Joo-an, SHIM Bu-gil, MIN Jong-tae, KIM Tae-hee, KIM Sung-soo, SONG Bang-ung, LEE Hyeong-man, SOHN Dae-hyeon, CHOI Sang-hoon, KIM Seol The Drawings of Mother-of-Pearl Inlay Artisans <The Drawings of Mother-of-Pearl Inlay Artisans> highlights the work of six Najeonjang (master artisans of mother-of-pearl inlay)—JEON Seong-gyu, who led modernization of the Najeon (mother-of-pearl) art, and KIM Bong-ryong, SONG Joo-an, SHIM Bu-gil, MIN Jong-tae, and KIM Tae-hee, who were influenced by JEON but developed their own distinct style, by focusing on the Doan (圖案, drawings). Najeonchilgi (mother-of-pearl lacquerware) is a Korean traditional craft that has continued for over a thousand years since Goryeo period. It involves inlaying thinly sliced abalone or turban shell onto surfaces of objects, completed through repeated coatings of Ottchil (lacquer in Korean). The doan functions not only as a blueprint for laying out designs but also as a vital component that shapes the visual language of the work. More than a design, it embodies cultural knowledge, aesthetic ideals, and symbolism of the time, while also revealing each artist’s philosophy, sensibility, and lived experiences. Until the early 20th century, artisans used an unsophisticated form of doan. Starting from the 1920’s, artisans began to use more modern methods—drawing doan on paper, then using them as templates for applying mother-of-pearl inlays. This led to greater efficiency and mass production, marking a turning point in modernizing the craft. The exhibition introduces the artisans who pioneered these changes and presents works by the next-generation artisans, who carry on the tradition today. From doan to the finished objects, we invite you to take a close look at the masters’ challenges, experimentation, and the enduring spirit of craftsmanship embedded in their creative making process. JUNG Eun-joo, Curator, Seoul Museum of Craft Art

The Korean Cultural Centre Canada will operate a Veterans Memorial Zone within the Korea Cultural Experience Pavilion during the 2026 Canadian Tulip Festival. In addition, on May 10 and May 17, cadets will present a special program reflecting on the sacrifice and bravery of Korean War veterans. We warmly invite your interest and participation. Date: May 8 - 18, 2026 Venue: Korea Pavilion, Commissioners Park Memorial Zone Hours: Weekdays 10:00 - 18:00, Weekends 10:00 - 20:00 Presentation:  May 10 & 17, at 13:00

The Korean Cultural Centre Canada will host performances by the Kukkiwon Taekwondo Demonstration Team  as part of the 2026 Canadian Tulip Festival. The performances will take place at Commissioners Park, Dow's Lake.  We look forward to meeting you there on Saturday and Sunday. Schedule: May 9, 2026 at 2:30 PM / May 10, 2026 at 6:00 PM Venue: Commissioners Park, Dow’s Lake * As this is an outdoor performance, the event may be cancelled in case of rain.

The Korean Cultural Centre Canada will operate the Korea Pavilion at the 2026 Canadian Tulip Festival from May 8 to 18. During the festival, visitors will be able to enjoy a performance by the Kukkiwon Taekwondo Demonstration Team, a memorial zone honouring veterans,  and a variety of traditional Korean cultural activities and games. We look forward to meeting you at the Korea Pavilion.  Date: May 8 - 18, 2026 Venue: Commissioners Park, Dow's Lake Hours: Weekdays 10:00 - 18:00, Weekends 10:00 - 20:00 More Information:  https://tulipfestival.ca/

The K-Pop Cover Dance Festival is an annual K-Pop cover dance competition for global Hallyu fans, hosted by the Korean Cultural Centre and The Seoul Shinmun Daily (서울신문). We are delighted to announce that the 2026 K-Pop Cover Dance Festival in Canada will take place at 5:30 PM on May 31, at The Orpheum in Vancouver. Through the online preliminary round, 15 teams from across Canada have been selected to perform on this stage and compete for the opportunity to represent Canada at the World Final, which will take place in Seoul, Korea, this fall. ● Event Date: Sunday, May 31, 2026 ● Time: 5:30 PM (PT) (approximately 2 hours) ● Location: Orpheum (601 Smithe St, Vancouver, BC V6B 3L4) ● Registration Opens: April 27 at 10:00 AM (PT) / 1:00 PM (ET) ● Registration Link: https://www.ticketmaster.ca/event/11006471BFD1AA50  We are excited to announce the finalists of the 2026 K-Pop Cover Dance Festival in Canada! These teams will compete for the chance to represent Canada at the global finals in Korea later this year. <FINALISTS> in alphabetical order *BUNNYHUGS *D*Aura *Dynamik *ER:A Dance *FEVER DREAM Dance Crew *Fire and Flow *Full Bloom Dance Crew *KATALYST_YVR *Little miss *Red Flag Dance Crew (RFDC) *SAVAGE UNICORNS *SOLARV *SORA Vancouver *TEAM SINK *UBC K-Wave Dance Team Please read the important details below: *You must obtain a valid ticket for entry through the Ticketmaster website. *Tickets are free of charge, however, Ticketmaster fees may apply through the ticketing platform. *Ticket purchases are limited to four per person. KCC and Ticketmaster reserve the right to cancel tickets that do not adhere to the ticket purchase policy (e.g., bulk purchasing, unauthorized reselling, etc) For any inquiries, please email: kpopcanadakcc@gmail.com  Note: Follow the Korean Cultural Centre Canada Instagram account (@kcccanada) and leave a comment “KCDF” on the designated post to receive a promo code that allows you to reserve tickets free of charge ($0).

In Celebration of 2026 Winterlude, the Korean Cultural Centre Canada (Director: KIM, Sungyeol) will participate in the Winter Celebrations on February 7, 2026 at Rideau Hall. Stop by to enjoy warm hoppang (Korean steamed buns) and try out a variety of fun traditional Korean winter games. Everyone is welcome! *Hoppang is available while supplies last. Date & Time: February 7, 2026, 12:30 - 16:00 (ET) Venue: Rideau Hall (1 Sussex Dr, Ottawa, ON K1M 2B5) Admission: Free  More Information:  https://gg.ca/en/visit-us/rideau-hall/events/winter-celebration

The Korean Cultural Centre Canada is excited to present the 2025 K-POP GALA! This year’s event will feature incredible K-pop dance teams and special showcases from the Korean Cultural Classes. K-pop dance teams from various cities will share their passion for K-pop through dynamic performances, and students from the Korean Cultural Classes (offered by the KCC) will present what they have been working on throughout the semester. Join the KCC in celebrating K-pop and Korean culture with amazing teams and performers! ● Event Date: Saturday, December 6, 2025 ● Time: 6 PM - 8:30 PM (ET) ● Location: Algonquin Commons Theatre (Robert C. Gillett Student Commons, Algonquin College, Ottawa Campus, 1385 Woodroffe Ave, Ottawa, ON) ● Registration opens: November 19, 12 PM (ET) ● Event Details & Ticket Link: Algonquin Students' Association | K-Pop Gala 2025 - Algonquin Students' Association  ※ Seats are limited. RSVP is mandatory. ※ Maximum of two tickets per person. Paid parking is available on-site. For any inquiries, please email: kpopcanadakcc@gmail.com