New Delhi, October 24, 2026: Korean Cultural Centre India brought Korean music, traditional arts and contemporary entertainment to New Delhi with Korea Culture Day 2026, held at Select CITYWALK on October 23. Organised under the theme “One Light, Two Cities,” the festival celebrates cultural connections between India and South Korea through performances, food and interactive experiences.
The event incorporates the annual Rang De Korea festival into the broader Korea Culture Day initiative, bringing together Korean cultural traditions and contemporary popular culture. The celebrations draw a parallel between India’s Diwali and Korea’s Chuseok, highlighting the festivals’ shared emphasis on family, community and togetherness.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, South Korean Ambassador to India Lee Seong-ho highlighted the role of cultural exchange in strengthening ties between the two countries. He noted that despite differences in their traditions, Diwali and Chuseok share a spirit of cherishing family and community. He also emphasised that cultural exchange is not limited to presenting traditions to international audiences, but can help build mutual understanding and lasting connections between people.
The festival comes amid efforts by India and South Korea to expand cultural and people-to-people exchanges alongside their broader economic and strategic cooperation. At their April 2026 summit, the two countries agreed to strengthen such exchanges and promote greater understanding of each other’s cultures.
The two-day programme, continuing on October 24, features six Korean performance teams representing different aspects of the country’s performing arts. The line-up spans traditional music, martial arts, classical crossover, instrumental fusion and K-pop.
The Daekyeung University Taekwondo Demonstration Team opened the performances with demonstrations of Korea’s martial art, combining athletic skill, discipline and choreographed movements. Traditional music ensemble Eolssigu brought Korean musical heritage to the stage, while violin duo Ayuni presented classical crossover performances.
Atti Classic, a mixed-gender vocal quartet, added another dimension through vocal crossover music, followed by DEEPER, whose performance combined electronic dance music with live instrumental elements.
K-pop boy band NTX headlined the entertainment programme with a performance that also incorporated Indian music. The group sang “Kesariya” from the Hindi film Brahmāstra and performed a dance medley featuring popular Indian songs, including “Kaala Chashma” and “Koi Mil Gaya.”
Outside the main stage, visitors could explore Korean food, traditional games and K-content through interactive activities and participating brands. Star Entertainment, the Indian distributor of the film Hope, along with Orion and MIXXO, part of E-Land, participated in the festival, bringing entertainment, food and lifestyle experiences to the event.
A corridor-of-light installation served as a central visual feature, reflecting the festival’s theme and symbolising the cultural connections between India and South Korea. The installation complemented the performances and interactive activities, encouraging visitors to explore Korean culture beyond the internationally popular fields of K-pop and Korean dramas.
Kang Kwon Su, Director of Korean Cultural Centre India, said to The World Times that the event was designed to give a diverse audience, particularly young Indians, opportunities to experience Korean culture directly and deepen mutual understanding between the two countries.
He added that the centre would continue expanding cultural exchange programmes across major Indian cities, creating further opportunities for Indian and Korean cultures to engage with each other. Through its combination of traditional performances, contemporary music and public participation, Korea Culture Day 2026 continues the effort to bring Indian and Korean audiences closer through cultural exchange.
