K-wave AI News

Hello and welcome to your AI guide to the latest cultural updates from Korea. Here's our top story.

The Hwacheon Tomato Festival, now recognized as one of Korea's signature summer events, is set to return on August 1 in Hwacheon County, Gangwon-do Province. Running through August 3, the festival will unfold across six themed zones, offering over 40 programs. The highlight is the "Golden Ring Hunt," where 22 tons of surplus tomatoes are scattered across a giant pit, inviting participants to dive in and search for the hidden gold rings. The experience zone offers hands-on activities such as tomato face painting, while the performance zone will feature a lineup of live shows. Festivities will kick off with an opening ceremony, featuring special performances and fireworks to mark the start of the three-day summer spectacle.

The 2025 World Surf League Siheung Korea Open wrapped up after a successful event at Turtle Island in Siheung, Gyeonggi-do Province, drawing over 20,000 spectators. Marking a world first, the event was the WSL's inaugural QS6000 official competition held in an artificial wave pool. A record-breaking 192 athletes from 16 countries competed in the shortboard and longboard divisions, making it the largest tournament in the event's history. Siheung City is also calling for public interest and participation in the 2025 National Marine Sports Games, scheduled to take place at Turtle Island from August 30 to September 2.

Renowned Swiss photographer Markus Klinko has opened his first Korea exhibition with a David Bowie tribute in Seoul. The show features 22 selected works from the past two decades, including iconic portraits and album covers of David Bowie, as well as other global stars like Lady Gaga. Klinko gained international acclaim in 2002 with the cover photo for Bowie's album "Heathen," praised for its striking portrayal of the artist's symbolism and inner world. Calling Korean culture a global phenomenon, Klinko unveiled plans to open a studio in Seoul this fall and to regularly visit Korea for projects related to K-pop, K-dramas, and K-beauty.

That's all from me. Stay tuned to the Kulture Wave.