KCCUK highlights Key Achievements and hosts a Special Talk on “Creativity, AI Society and Culture”

The Korean Cultural Centre UK highlights Key Achievements and hosts a Special Talk on “Creativity, AI Society and Culture”

Jan 2026, Online | Korean Cultural Centre UK | https://www.youtube.com/@thekccuk

The Korean Cultural Centre UK held an online K-Culture event in January 2026. The event reflected on achievements over the past three years and presented a forward-looking vision for Korean culture. It was held to review the spread of K-culture in the UK from 2023 to 2025 and to explore future directions in an era shaped by rapid digital and AI-driven change.

In Part 1, “2023–2025 Highlights and Achievements,” Dr. Seunghye Sun, Director of the Korean Cultural Centre UK, outlined the Centre’s core cultural diplomacy strategies and key achievements over the past three years. Based on a SWOT analysis, she highlighted a strategic shift away from event-focused programming towards an emphasis on “discourse and connection.”

Director Sun stated, “K-soft power is now evolving from ‘influence’ to ‘empathy.’ Over the past three years, the Korean Cultural Centre UK has moved beyond hosting events to become a strategic platform connecting mainstream British society with Korean culture, grounded in the Korean aesthetic of ‘unfolding meaning.’ Through this process, we have established ourselves as an international hub for K-soft power.”

She added, “Under the vision of ‘K-soft Power: From Influence to Empathy,’ projects that were once one-off events have been developed into annual campaigns such as ‘Connect Korea’ and ‘Korean Culture, Now!’ Our greatest achievement has been strengthening our traditional advantages in music and film, while transforming relative weaknesses—such as literature and education—into new strengths by directly linking them to platforms like the Booker Prize and leading institutions including Oxford and Cambridge.”

The Centre further highlighted key achievements, including ▲ expanding academic networks by hosting the first “Korea Day” at Oxford and Cambridge Universities; ▲ fostering intellectual discourse through the establishment of the K-Culture Forum; and ▲ implementing three-year projects integrating AI and cultural heritage, such as K-Heritage and Digital Cultural Heritage.

Part 2 of the event, “Special Talk: Creativity, AI Society and Culture,” featured a talk between Director Sun and Professor Youngjin Yoo of the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). Under the theme “Aporia: Perfect Algorithms and Unconventional Humans,” they engaged in an in-depth discussion on the role of creativity and culture in the AI era. Topics included the concept of an AI society, human–AI co-evolution, and artistic perspectives on AI aesthetics beyond managerial or philosophical frameworks.

Director Sun emphasised the cultural strategy for an AI society, stating, “This is a golden moment for Korean culture to contribute to human civilisation. With its advanced digital technology and strong global fandom, Korean culture must move beyond technological achievement and propose universal values of empathy and solidarity.”

She added, “Our task is to design AI not merely as a tool, but as a warm and meaningful link that connects human hearts.”

Professor Yoo noted, “As generative AI advances rapidly, concerns about areas once considered uniquely human—such as creativity and empathy—are increasing. Rather than framing AI simply as beneficial or harmful, this moment invites deeper reflection on what creativity truly is and how it is formed.”

He further emphasised that evaluating AI requires a broader societal perspective, stating that technological impact must be examined not only at the individual level, but also in terms of how technology reshapes organisations, capital structures, and society as a whole.

The event was produced as video content and released on the official YouTube channel of the Korean Cultural Centre UK. A detailed record of activities and achievements from the past three years is available on the Centre’s official website.

To watch the full video of the K-Culture event, please visit the official YouTube channel of the KCCUK at https://www.youtube.com/@thekccuk.