K-wave AI News

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

The Seoul Outdoor Library will reopen next week after its summer break. With foreign visitors making up 11% of total attendance in the first half of the year, the library plans to expand cultural exchange programs in the second half in partnership with several countries, including Ireland, Peru and China. International visitors can also enjoy over 2,000 foreign-language books, translated Korean novels, and a special "curation zone" featuring travel guides and information on Seoul's landmarks. The Seoul Outdoor Library will run from September 5 through November 2.

Seoul's Dongdaemun Design Plaza, the city's iconic landmark, has welcomed over ten million visitors this year. With a busy lineup of exhibitions and events scheduled for the fall and winter seasons, annual attendance is expected to top 20 million. The DDP Design Museum, now hosting a special exhibition of contemporary art icon Jean-Michel Basquiat, is fully booked through March 2028. "Seoul Beauty Week," "Seoul Fashion Week," and the first-ever Asian edition of "Design Miami" are set for early September, while October will feature the city's signature design festival, "2025 Seoul Design Week." The highly anticipated "DDP Rooftop Tour" will officially launch in November and is expected to attract both local and foreign visitors.

A special retrospective exhibition will open next week to mark the 50th anniversary of the passing of Korean cinema master Lee Man-hee. Lee, a leading figure in Korean film during the 1960s and 70s, is celebrated for his sophisticated direction and versatility across genres, including melodrama, war, noir, and thriller, which helped expand the expressive range of Korean cinema. Running from September 4 to 13 at Cinematheque KOFA, the exhibition will showcase Lee's signature works, featuring the first public screening of the 4K restored version of "The Soldier Without a Serial Number," along with 35mm screenings of "Assassin" and "Zero Hour."

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