‘K-Culture Forum: Beyond the Headlines’
The ‘K-Culture Forum: Beyond the Headlines,’ organised by the Korean Cultural Centre UK (KCCUK) will return to London on Monday, 24 October 2025. The forum will unveil ‘2025 Korean Trends in the UK’ based on the in-depth analysis of media coverage across 20 major British outlets. The event will also highlight the noteworthy Korean cultural keywords shaping public perception through ‘Top 10 K-Culture Keywords’.
Seunghye Sun, Director, Korean Cultural Centre UK, said, “K-soft power is emotional power. It connects the world through an emotional language fused with cutting-edge technology. K-Culture has become a global standard of emotional expression in digital culture. I like to call this essence of Korean aesthetics ‘the joyful expression of one’s will’ — the fundamental human desire to express one’s intent, to feel joy when it’s fulfilled, and frustration when it’s not.”
Part I: Keynote Speech – K-Initiative & Culture
Dr. Seunghye Sun will open the forum with the keynote speech ‘A Life in K-Culture’. In the keynote, Sun presents five key cultural domains as the ‘2025 Korean Trends in the UK’ that reflect how British audiences are engaging with K-Culture today.
- Literature – Han Kang’s Nobel Prize in Literature and Susan Choi’s Flashlight being shortlisted for the Booker Prize; the inclusion of Korean web novels at the Edinburgh International Book Festival
- Visual Arts – Courage and healing expressed through Mire Lee’s Open Wounds at Tate Modern and Haegue Yang’s Leap Year at Hayward Gallery
- Music – The global fandom showcased by BLACKPINK’s concerts at Hyde Park and Wembley Stadium
- K-Pop – The rise of the digital alpha generation represented by KPop Demon Hunters
- Cultural Heritage – AI-driven projects such as Digital Heritage: AI with You (2024) and Endless Bonds: AI and Korean Heritage (2025), redefining the emotional connection between technology and Korean aesthetics
Following her address, Dasuk Kim, Press Officer, KCCUK, will present ‘Top 10 K-Culture Keywords’, analysing articles from 20 leading UK media outlets to reveal trending topics. The top 10 keywords included: KPop Demon Hunters, Squid Game, Plot Twist, Son Heung-min, BLACKPINK, Tteokbokki, Gochujang, Do Ho Suh, Glass Skin, and Haenyeo. Kim notes that OTT platforms have dramatically expanded access to K-content, while K-food continues to expand its reach beyond Korean restaurants into the realm of “everyday experience.” He adds, “Korean words are now being used directly in English words, reflecting the growing influence and familiarity of K-Culture.”
Part II: Panel Talk – K-Culture Unwrapped
With K-Content and K-Cuisine driving cultural growth across the UK, the second session will explore the expansion of these two sectors.
Sue Lee, Communications Manager of the KCCUK, said “This year’s forum highlights two of the most dynamic areas of K-Culture in UK media coverage — K-Content and the newly emerging K-Food. We invited experts who can vividly convey ▲how BBC’s coverage of Korean culture has evolved from trend-focused to more in-depth reporting ▲the main features of Korean culture that captured the attention of the global young audiences, and ▲how Korean cuisine captivates both popular and high-end culture.
Yoonnyung Lee (BBC, Senior Journalist) highlights that the BBC’s coverage of Korean culture has evolved from trend-focused reporting to in-depth, analytical perspectives with socio-cultural storytelling, citing KPop Demon Hunters as a case of K-Culture’s global resonance.
Armand de Lambilly (YouTuber, ARMAX Productions), known for his appearances on Korean Englishman, emphasises authenticity and emotional connection as the key strengths of Korean culture among British youth, stating that “UK audiences—especially in their 20s—are drawn to the warmth, detail, and sincerity found in Korean content.”
Jisu Han (CJ Foods UK, Managing Director) discusses how interest in Korean cuisine, sparked by K-content, has evolved into an ‘experience-led culture’. Citing Bibigo’s global expansion, she outlines strategies focusing on “on-the-table” expansion, consumer engagement and activations marketing, and the creation of a broader K-ecosystem.
Jihoon Kim (Executive Chef, Mandarin Oriental London Mayfair), shares insights from Somssi, a fine dining restaurant introducing refined Korean aesthetics to the London scene, emphasising craftsmanship, emotion, and cultural storytelling as the future of K-food.
Part III: Open Forum
The evening will conclude with an open forum, inviting the audience to share thoughts, ask questions, and exchange ideas. It will facilitate a rich exchange of ideas on the future trajectory of Korean culture and its global resonance.
For more details about the ‘K-Culture Forum: Beyond the Headlines’, please visit https://kccuk.org.uk/en/programmes/k-creative-forum/k-culture-forum-beyond-headlines/