The year 2025 marks the 80th anniversary of Korea’s liberation, a significant milestone in the nation’s history. To spread the truth about Korea’s history across the globe, Yonhap News Agency and the Cyber Diplomacy Organization “VANK” are hosting the 14th Korea National Brand Up Exhibition.

While the global K-Pop and drama phenomena continue to rise, there remain many inaccuracies in AI search results and digital content related to Korea’s history and culture.

This exhibition aims to reaffirm Korea’s identity by drawing inspiration from the spirit of independence fighters, helping the world better understand the true history of Korea.

Exhibition Overview:

Act 1: Presenting Korea’s True History and Culture

“We will correct the erroneous AI search results!” The misrepresentation of Korean culture, such as traditional hanbok, Gyeongbokgung Palace, Cheomseongdae, and kimchi, remains a pressing issue. Together with youth public diplomacy ambassadors, Yonhap News and VANK are launching a project to correct these inaccuracies and properly represent Korea.

Act 2: Korea’s Ambassadors Who Shone Amid Darkness During the Japanese Occupation

• Homer Hulbert – Educating the world on the truth of Korea through 324 writings
• The Hague Special Envoy – Advocating for Korea’s sovereignty
• Ahn Jung-geun – Fighting for peace in Asia as an independence activist
• Ju Si-gyeong – Preserving Korea’s spirit through Korean script research
• Shin Chae-ho – Instilling national pride through historical writings
• Ahn Chang-ho – Presenting a vision for a democratic republic

These independence activists were Korea’s first global ambassadors! Even during the harsh years of Japanese colonial rule, they worked tirelessly to introduce Korea to the world. They were not merely revolutionaries but true diplomats who represented Korea on the global stage.

Act 3: The Metaverse Exhibition of Korea: Promoting Korean History and Culture Beyond Time and Space

• Korean History and Hallyu Stars Exhibition
• Dokdo Exhibition
• Foreign Independence Activists Exhibition
• Teen Independence Fighters Exhibition
• VANK 20th Anniversary Exhibition
• Overseas Koreans Exhibition
• Global Climate Ambassador School Exhibition
• Jikji Exhibition

The exhibition will present a comprehensive Metaverse experience created by VANK, gathering all these diverse displays in one immersive space.

Act 4: Empowering Youth to Shape Policy and Pave the Future of Korea as a Cultural Powerhouse

Examples of Korean youth ambassadors’ efforts:

• Correcting errors about Dokdo and the East Sea in Harvard textbooks
• Updating East Sea references on the global marine information platform, ‘Marine Insight’
• Fixing inaccuracies about Jikji in the Britannica Encyclopedia

Through national policy proposal platforms like ‘Woollim’ and communication platforms like ‘Yeollim,’ Korean youth ambassadors actively participate in shaping policies related to history, culture, tourism, diplomacy, and education, working toward a brighter future for the nation.

Act 5: The Power of Korean Media Diplomacy: Yonhap News

Yonhap News provides news services in multiple languages: 🇰🇷 Korean | 🇬🇧 English | 🇨🇳 Chinese | 🇯🇵 Japanese | 🇫🇷 French | 🇪🇸 Spanish | 🇸🇦 Arabic

Working in partnership with 96 news agencies across 81 countries, Yonhap News spreads the latest updates from Korea to the world.

Act 6: Photo Zone – We Are the Digital Diplomats

“Complete the vision of the Korea the independence fighters dreamed of as your own.”

A photo zone commemorating the October 1919 Korean Provisional Government Cabinet photo, featuring figures such as Shin Ik-hee, Ahn Chang-ho, Hyeon Soon, Kim Cheol, Yoon Hyeon-jin, Choi Chang-sik, and Lee Chun-sook.

The 2025 National Brand-Up Exhibition is being held at the underground passageway of the National Museum of Korea from February 20 to February 25, 2025.

On December 20, 2024, Cyber Diplomacy Organization VANK and the Korea Heritage Service held the ‘Global & Digital National Heritage Best Ambassador Awards Ceremony’ at the National Palace Museum of Korea Auditorium.

The event was attended by VANK’s Director Park Ki-tae, officials from the Korea Heritage Service’s International Heritage Cooperation Division, global and digital national heritage ambassadors, and VANK researchers, totaling 13 participants. During the ceremony, VANK and the Korea Heritage Service selected and honored the best ambassadors among the global and digital national heritage ambassadors, who were trained through initiatives targeting youth and young adults. The achievements of the awardees were shared, and the recipients were presented with certificates from the National Heritage Administrator.

The ceremony, hosted by VANK researcher Kwon So-young, commenced with an introduction of guests and welcoming remarks, followed by presentations of the awardees’ achievements, the award presentation, and a group photo session.

All awardees are VANK members, including Truong Thi Ngoc Anh (Vietnam), a third-term Global National Heritage Ambassador; Chaerani Mutiara (Indonesia), also a third-term Global National Heritage Ambassador; and Lee Soo-hyun, a seventh-term Digital National Heritage Ambassador.

During the achievement-sharing session, Truong Thi Ngoc Anh reflected, “Through my activities comparing and introducing the intangible heritage of Korea and Vietnam, I gained an opportunity to understand and respect the rich traditions of both nations. This experience allowed me to recognize cultural diversity and learn from each other’s heritage.”

Chaerani Mutiara shared, “One of the most memorable activities was connecting Andong Hahoe Village with Indonesia’s traditional Batik clothing. Being able to introduce Batik, which I have worn since birth, alongside Korea’s traditional culture was truly meaningful.”

Lee Soo-hyun introduced her global petition advocating for the inclusion of ‘Hanji’ in English dictionaries, saying, “Through my ambassador activities, I made foreign friends and enjoyed engaging in cultural exchanges online.”

VANK Director Park Ki-tae remarked, “This awards ceremony reaffirmed the crucial role that youth play in promoting and safeguarding Korea’s cultural heritage globally. Their passion and dedication have borne fruit today. Sharing and understanding cultures is an essential process in the global era.” Addressing the winners, he added, “Through your efforts, you have presented the future of Korean culture to 200 million Hallyu fans worldwide and demonstrated coexistence with other cultures. This is more than just cultural exchange; it represents a significant step toward true cultural coexistence. Thank you for proving our dreams possible.”

Administrative Officer Park Ga-yeon from the International Heritage Cooperation Division commented, “By introducing Vietnamese and Indonesian cultures alongside Korean culture, we have been able to spread even greater cultural value worldwide.” She expressed gratitude to the awardees, stating, “Your dedication and enthusiasm play a crucial role in raising global awareness of our national heritage.” She further emphasized, “We hope that both the public and international audiences will continue to engage with our national heritage, and we look forward to ongoing collaboration with VANK.”

Since signing a memorandum of understanding with the Korea Heritage Service in 2021, VANK has been actively promoting Korea’s cultural heritage worldwide while jointly addressing historical and cultural misrepresentations by neighboring countries. Their cooperation extends across various fields, including training digital cultural heritage ambassadors, engaging youth as UNESCO guardians, countering historical distortions in collaboration with cultural heritage organizations, and supporting World Heritage inscription efforts. VANK emphasized, “In the Hallyu era, it is not enough to simply promote Korean culture; we must also embrace and coexist with diverse global cultures.” They highlighted the essential role of youth in disseminating the value of national heritage worldwide.

Moving forward, VANK aims to strengthen its partnership with the Korea Heritage Service and continue nurturing ambassadors to accurately promote Korea’s cultural heritage in an era where 200 million global Hallyu fans are eager to learn more about Korea’s rich history and traditions.

At the 16th Siheung Lifelong Learning Festival, a special program titled ”To Me, Siheung is the Earth“ focused on climate crisis and carbon neutrality. The event aimed to raise awareness about global warming and inspire environmentally-conscious action among citizens. On October 25, 2024, the opening ceremony featured a keynote speech by Park Ki-tae, Director of VANK, who spoke under the theme ”We are the Global Climate Ambassadors Saving Humanity.“

Referencing the drama Mr. Sunshine, Park highlighted the strong resolve of anonymous independence fighters who sacrificed their lives to defend Korea from Japanese occupation. He connected their legacy to the modern-day, urging Siheung citizens to act as climate ambassadors—protecting humanity from climate threats as the independence fighters once protected Korea.

Following Park‘s speech, three VANK youth researchers gave presentations:

Koo Seung-hyeon shared her involvement in projects promoting Korean history worldwide. She recounted discovering that the island of Ulleungdo was misidentified as Japanese territory on a major international mountain climbing site. Her efforts, along with public protests, led to a partial correction of the error. Koo highlighted that this same commitment to defending Korean territory extends to addressing climate issues, urging Siheung to take a leading role.

Seong Hye-seung discussed her work defending Korea’s rights over Dokdo and correcting historical inaccuracies as part of VANK’s outreach. She noted that climate change, including rising sea levels, is not confined to the polar regions. Seong emphasized the importance of taking action for the planet’s future, especially on ”Dokdo Day,“ calling on everyone to become climate advocates.

Kim Ji-hye expressed her pride in rejoining her hometown community. She recalled participating in a VANK event as a middle schooler, traveling alone from Jeju to Seoul, demonstrating her dedication. Now, she works with VANK using AI technology to resolve inaccuracies related to Korean history and Dokdo. She expressed hopes for continued cooperation between VANK and Siheung to drive meaningful environmental efforts.

VANK has recently promoted the achievements of foreign independence activist Dr. Homer B. Hulbert (1863–1949) to Korean school teachers across the United States.

VANK’s Director Park Ki-tae delivered a special lecture on the topic, “We Are the Hallyu Ambassadors,” at the 2023 National Association for Korean Schools (NAKS) Annual Conference and General Meeting, held on July 22, 2023, at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in San Francisco.

Founded in 1981, NAKS is an organization consisting of 14 regional chapters, with approximately 8,000 teachers educating around 80,000 students on the Korean language and culture.

During his lecture, Director Park introduced Dr. Hulbert’s life to the educators attending the event from across the United States. He emphasized, “By appointing Dr. Homer Hulbert as an honorary ambassador for promoting Korea, we can further enhance Korea-U.S. relations. Particularly, if Korean school teachers and Korean-American youth across the U.S. lead an initiative to erect a statue of Dr. Hulbert in his hometown in the United States to mark the 70th anniversary of the Korea-U.S. alliance, it would significantly strengthen the ties between our nations.”

Director Park also highlighted the growing interest in Korean culture in the United States, driven by the ongoing Hallyu wave. With the increasing number of young Americans interested in Korea, introducing Dr. Hulbert—an American youth from a century ago who dedicated his life to promoting Korean history and culture and supporting Korea’s independence—will surely resonate with Americans.

Vice Principal Lim Min-soo of the Silicon Valley Korean School, which has approximately 1,000 Korean-American students, remarked, “After hearing Director Park’s lecture, I was deeply moved by Dr. Hulbert’s story. I will introduce Dr. Hulbert to our students in future lessons. Additionally, I will actively participate in VANK’s global petition campaign to appoint him as a Korean ambassador and erect a statue of him in the U.S. alongside Korean-American youth, and help raise awareness in the U.S.”

Kim Young-sook, Principal of Silicon Valley Korean School, also expressed, “We will use the various materials provided by VANK to teach our students about Dr. Hulbert and Korea’s history and culture.”

Through this campaign, VANK is rallying support from Korean-American youth and educators to honor Dr. Hulbert’s contributions to Korea’s independence and promote greater recognition of his efforts in the United States.

2023 Korea National Brand Up Exhibition Opens

The 2023 Korea National Brand Up Exhibition, themed “Talking with the World through Hallyu,” opened today, February 16, 2023, at the underground walkway of the National Museum of Korea. Organized by the Cyber Diplomacy Organization VANK and the Yonhap News Agency for the 12th consecutive year, the event will run until February 21, 2023, with the support of the Cultural Heritage Administration.

This year’s exhibition aims to discover and introduce untold Hallyu stars from Korea’s rich history to the global stage. Much like the continued global fascination with BTS and BLACKPINK, the exhibition highlights figures from Korea’s past who could captivate international audiences. These include King Sejong, Admiral Yi Sun-sin, independence activist Yoo Gwan-sun, King Gwanggaeto the Great, poet Yun Dong-ju, General Jang Bo-go, and scientist Jang Yeong-sil, all of whom have the potential to inspire people worldwide.

The exhibition also features a selection of iconic artifacts from Korea’s 5,000-year history, including Paleolithic stone axes, Gojoseon bronze mirrors, Goguryeo armored cavalry, Baekje gilt-bronze incense burners, Silla gold crowns, Goryeo celadon, Joseon maps, and relics from the March 1st Movement during the Japanese colonial period.

In addition to showcasing Korean cultural heritage, the exhibition compares it with the cultural achievements of ASEAN nations, offering visitors a unique perspective on the role both cultures have played in shaping global civilization. The display highlights landmarks such as Changdeok Palace and Brunei’s Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque, Seokguram Grotto and Myanmar’s Shwedagon Pagoda, King Sejong and Thailand’s King Ramkhamhaeng, the Jikji and Cambodia’s Angkor Wat, as well as Korean independence activists and Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh.

The exhibition also offers a broader view of the splendid cultures and monuments from around the world, aiming to foster greater appreciation for global cultural heritage while celebrating Korea’s own historical and cultural pride.

A special section of the exhibition focuses on the 20-year journey of VANK, which has been instrumental in promoting Korean culture globally since its inception in 1999. Over the years, VANK has trained over 26,000 global Korean ambassadors, distributing more than 1.88 million copies of Korean historical materials worldwide. The organization has also created Korean cultural promotion websites in multiple languages, including English, French, Italian, and Russian, and worked to include Korea’s cultural heritage in international textbooks and encyclopedias.

In addition, VANK commemorates the legacy of Dr. Homer Hulbert, the first foreigner to serve as Korea’s cultural ambassador. Arriving in Korea in 1886, Dr. Hulbert played a pivotal role in promoting the Korean language and history by publishing articles on the excellence of Hangeul in the New York Tribune and authoring the first Korean language textbook, Samminpilji. He also translated the preface of the Hunminjeongeum into English, helping to spread knowledge of Korea’s unique writing system.

The exhibition also features a Time Magazine Cover photo zone, allowing visitors to experience what it’s like to be a global Hallyu star, just like BTS and BLACKPINK, who have graced the cover of Time. This installation symbolizes the idea that everyone who visits the exhibition can be part of the Hallyu phenomenon.