Latest news with #PierreMorcos
Korea Herald
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Cultural exchange between Korea, France to be strengthened in second half of the year
The Embassy of France in Seoul is set to embark on a second round of cultural events for the year, strengthening cultural ties between Korea and France across artistic fields ahead of next year's 140th anniversary of diplomatic ties. 'France has had a strong presence in contemporary creation, which continues to extend into areas that people might not typically expect, such as digital art and webtoons and other emerging fields," Pierre Morcos, cultural counselor of France in Korea, said Tuesday at the Embassy of France in Seoul. "Through artistic collaboration with Korea, we hope to explore and foster a sustainable and mutually enriching relationship,' he said. A number of French classical musicians, including violinist Olivier Charlier and pianist Emmanuel Strosser, will perform at "Music in PyeongChang,' a classical music festival held July 23- Aug. 2. Renowned French fiction writer Bernard Werber, who rose to prominence globally with his book 'Empire of the Ants,' will meet Korean audiences on Sept.1 at the French ambassador's residence in Seoul to introduce the author's new novel, 'The Age of Chimera,' set to be released locally on Aug. 20. The South Korea-France partnership is expected to be prominent in visual arts. French gallery Bernard Bouche will join the fourth edition of Frieze Seoul, scheduled from Sept. 3 to 6 at Coex in Seoul. Coinciding with the art fair, a survey exhibition of French American artist Louise Bourgeois will open at Ho-Am Art Museum in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, from Aug. 21 to Jan. 4, 2026. Works by Paul Cezanne and Pierre-Auguste Renoir, on loan from the Orangerie Museum of Paris and the Orsay Museum, will be featured at an exhibition at Seoul Arts Center from Sept. 19 to Jan. 25. Attending Tuesday's press conference were French artists Floryan Varennes and Mona Oren. Varennes is participating in an embassy-supported residency program from June to August at Villa Busan; Oren will participate in the Cheongju Craft Biennale, which kicks off Sept. 4. The second cohort of the Korea-France Film Academy, established by the Korean Film Council and Centre National Cinematographie in France, will take part in the Busan International Film Festival in September. To celebrate next year's 140th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries, Culture Minister Yu In-chon and French Culture Minister Rachida Dati signed a letter of intention on cultural cooperation in May in Paris, covering a record 492 official events — 389 in the cultural field alone — to strengthen the bilateral partnership.
Korea Herald
06-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Korea-France cultural exchange expands ahead of 140th anniversary of diplomatic ties next year
Greater focus on residency programs aimed at collaboration between artists Ahead of the 140th anniversary of Korea-France diplomatic relations in 2026, the French Embassy in South Korea is offering a wide range of cultural events to deepen the two countries' cultural ties. Spanning literature, music, arts and digital entertainment, each month in 2025 will offer unique opportunities for engagement. The focus will be on exchanges among artists and creators from both countries, providing a chance to share cultural values and foster the creation of new cultural expressions, Pierre Morcos, counselor for culture, science, and education at the French Embassy in Korea, told reporters during a press conference on Thursday. This effort is highlighted by residency programs in the webtoon, K-pop, arts and literature fields. The Webtoon Academy Residency Program, running from March to April, will bring three award-winning webtoon artists to Suncheon for a two-month residency, where they will create original works in collaboration with local studios. On June 1, the Villa Busan program will announce its second cohort of resident artists. Established through a partnership between Busan and Cannes, Villa Busan serves as a space for exchange among visual artists and professionals. Also in June, selected artists will participate in a three-month residency at Hongti Art Center. From March 24 to 30, the K-pop Atelier will take place at JYP Entertainment Studio, in collaboration with the French National Music Center, JYP Publishing, Amplified and Reway Music & Media. Four French composers will participate in this K-pop songwriting camp, working together to create new K-pop hits. From March 22 to 26, the third edition of the Goncourt Prize -- Korea program will bring together 161 students learning French from 25 educational institutions across Korea. Jean-Baptiste Andrea, the 2023 Goncourt Prize winner for "Veiller sur elle (Taking Care of Her)," will visit Korea as part of the program. South Korea is the second most significant country for French literature after China, with more than 500 French books translated each year, according to Morcos. The French Embassy has also curated cultural events, designating special themes for each month. February will focus on literature, highlighted by the Night of Reading event on Friday. This event will include French dictation, children's workshops, readings, music performances and film screenings. March, dedicated to Francophonie, will see Korean-French author Chai Seh-lynn on a literary tour, engaging with audiences on topics such as identity, cultural heritage and storytelling at Alliance Francaise centers and universities in Korea. Also in March, pianist Olivier de Spiegeleir will tour Incheon, Daejeon, Busan and Hannam University, performing French-language-related piano pieces, accompanied by commentary. Additionally, university students across Korea will participate in the Francomedia Video Contest, crafting humorous short films centered on French language use in daily life. French Film Week will run April 4-13 and the French National Orchestra's Korean tour will take place April 29 to May 2. The exhibition "Oceania: Art of the Pacific," showcasing over 180 masterpieces of Pacific art from the Musee du quai Branly -- Jacques Chirac, will open at the National Museum of Korea. In June, the Orchestre de Paris will perform a series of concerts with Korean pianist Lim Yunchan. In celebration of the 150th anniversary of Maurice Ravel's birth, the orchestra will present five concerts in Seoul, featuring French musical masterpieces. French Music Festival, June 1422, meanwhile, will feature over 20 performances across the country. 'In France, there is a strong fascination with all aspects of Korean culture, along with a strong desire for cultural exchange. France is eager to learn about Korea's content creation model and hopes to expand cultural exchanges," Morcos said, adding "The popularity of France in Korea is also evident, making the cultural exchange truly mutual.' Events for the rest of 2025 will be announced later, according to the embassy.
