"ASEAN on the Move: Transportation and Digital Lifestyle" is a special exhibition hosted by ASEAN Culture House that spotlights modes of transportation and digital lifestyles of ASEAN member nations

ASEAN Culture House is pleased to present To A Faraway Friend: Beyond Afro-Southeast Asian Affinities, the second collaborated exhibition with the ASEAN Foundation, as part of the KONNECT ASEAN supported by the AKCF (ASEAN-ROK Cooperation Fund). Based on the re-constructed international situation after the World War II, the exhibition highlights the regional exchange made between Africa and Southeast Asia, and the attempts of affinities extended toward Korea.

The ASEAN Culture House (ACH) is pleased to host the special exhibition Tea Time & Coffee Break. The custom of taking time during the day to relax with a cup of tea or coffee is a virtually universal one that is not at all unique to Western society. The long-standing practice in most ASEAN countries of serving tea to guests evolved into diverse formats over centuries of actively interacting with not only neighboring India and China but also cultures that were encountered during multiple colonizations. This exhibition focuses on three concepts—coffee, tea, and a pause—and features, in five sections, the work of Jungki Beak, Changwon Lee, Hwa Young Park, GoWaSeo graphic design studio (founded by Goeun Park and Seokyung Kim), and the spatial design team Mujindongsa.

Till We Meet Again: 2021 Mekong-ROK Exchange Year Photo & Design Exhibition 2021.9.23.~10.31. The ASEAN Culture House (ACH) and the Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) are pleased to present the winning entries of two art contests held in celebration of 2021 as the Mekong-ROK Exchange Year.   Mekong-ROK Exchange Year Photo Contest “Mekong in Korea, Korea in Mekong” The year 2021, officially designated as the Mekong-ROK Exchange Year, marks the 10th anniversary of Mekong-ROK cooperation. To commemorate this occasion, the Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs hosted a photography contest that was open to anyone with an interested in Korea and the five Mekong nations (Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam). Over 28 days (June 7 through July 4), 163 photos were submitted to the contest, which was conducted under the theme of “Mekong in Korea, Korea in Mekong.” The entries portray many different instances of cooperation and exchange between Korea and the Mekong region; this exhibition features the 35 winning photos that were selected in a screening by experts in photography and the Mekong region.  

2021 ASEAN Culture House’s special exhibition ASEAN Animals: Depictions of Animals in ASEAN Arts & Cultures draws attention to depictions of animals in the arts and cultures of the ASEAN region, starting with an exploration of each member state’s symbolic animals and the values associated with them. The close, everyday bonds forged between ASEAN peoples, who have long maintained agricultural societies, with animals such as chickens, water buffaloes, and elephants remain strong today. Stories about personified, deified, and imaginary or mythical animals are found throughout the many legends and folk tales of traditional ASEAN cultures.  Through the records and audiovisual materials on display, we hope visitors can learn more about the friendships that existed between ASEAN peoples and animals. The animal depictions on this exhibition’s diverse artifacts and artworks offer a glimpse of the fascinating world of ASEAN imagination.

This permanent exhibition of the ASEAN Culture House displays the unique cultures of each country through its handicrafts made from their own indigenous materials. The exhibition consists of handicrafts donated by the ten ASEAN countries. These include wooden crafts made from bamboo, rattan, and palm trees; clothing made from fibers extracted from fruits such as pineapple and coconut; marine handicrafts made from mother-of-pearl; metal crafts produced with mineral resources; and textiles made from natural dyes and threads from indigenous plants. Although the same natural materials are often used by different cultures – due to the similarities in geography and environment – designs, colors, and patterns vary from artisan to artisan. Craft making has become a way of life and a tradition that connects generations. The crafts displayed are not just tools, but the beautiful manifestations of tradition and art reflected in life. Through this exhibit, we hope to enhance your understanding of the aesthetics of deliberateness portrayed in the elaborate and delicate handicrafts crafted over long periods of time by the ASEAN people. In addition, we hope to promote respect for cultural values that cherish the artistic sense and tradition of the ASEAN people which can never be imitated by machines.

The ASEAN Culture House (ACH), operated by the Korea Foundation (KF), is pleased to host the special exhibition Light of ASEAN, One Community and Harmony, first held at the Asia Culture Center in Gwangju from October 17–November 17, 2019 in commemoration of the 30th anniversary of ASEAN-ROK dialogue relations.   This exhibition is the first joint project between the ACH and the Asia Culture Institute (ACI, Gwangju) since the two institutions signed a memorandum of understanding to establish a comprehensive mutually cooperative relationship.   The kinetic media artworks Breeze Fire and Mysterious Fire, produced by media artist group SILO Lab, have motifs based on aspects of ASEAN culture related to light. Breeze Fire presents lanterns flying into the sky and shining light onto the surface of a river. Mysterious Fire is made of about 270 incandescent bulbs and projects images symbolizing ASEAN through the slow ignition and disappearance of these analog lights.   Light casts out darkness and allows for the world to be seen clearly; it has carried implications of hopes and dreams across the globe and throughout time, from ancient days up through the present. You will be able to read a yearning for peace and harmony between Korea and ASEAN in the rising lights and flashing incandescent bulbs on display.

The Korea Foundation ASEAN Culture House proudly presents the third edition of the ASEAN Culture House Photo and Video Contest exhibition. We received a total of 750 submissions by participants hailing from 15 countries during the 54 days (March 2 – April 24, 2019) that the contest was held. The exhibition, Friendship Diary, features 77 photos and 17 videos that were selected as finalists by an expert screening panel and online vote that was open to the general public.   A friendship diary is a diary that is exchanged between close friends. This exhibition encourages the formation of such close friendship bonds between Korea and the ten ASEAN countries. Featured works show the process by which we get to know others and build relationships of trust through everyday events—which may be special, trivial, or small or large in scale. The exhibition is also graced by the efforts of visual artists, Dong-keun Lee and In-ji Hwang, who have long been interested in the stories of ASEAN immigrants to Korea. The contest, contrary to previous years, was conducted under multiple unforeseen constraints. This, however, did nothing to dampen the passion of participants in capturing the special moments of everyday moments in both Korea and the ASEAN region to create works of art. The ASEAN Culture House hopes that this exhibition can be the first step of a contemplation of ways in which people from Korea, ASEAN, and—ultimately—all of Asia can communicate flexibly, appreciate each other’s differences, and coexist in a genuinely peaceful manner. - close

In celebration of 2020 Busan UN Week (October 23–November 11, 2020), the ASEAN Culture House offers this opportunity to reflect on memories of the Korean War, which began 70 years ago.  During the conflict, support was offered by the United Nations Forces, which included countries from ASEAN. This pop-up exhibition features the memories of war veterans from the Philippines and Thailand, actions of gratitude by the Korean people and government, and records of history through a variety of audiovisual resources including photographs and other images.  The lives and memories of these Korean War veterans are testimony to the deep-rooted diplomatic friendship between ASEAN and Korea; they were willing to devote themselves to freedom and peace on the Korean peninsula in the face of tremendous danger and despite different climate conditions, languages, and cultures.  We hope this exhibition containing their voices serves as confirmation of the continued development between ASEAN and Korea of a solid friendship based on an enduring gratitude.  - Supported by: Busan Metropolitan City, Embassy of the Republic of the Philippines, Royal Thai Embassy  - With Cooperation from: Korean Culture and Information Service, The War Memorial of Korea, Korea JoongAng Daily