Ministry of Culture to Open 2nd Humanities Culture Festival at DDP on the 22nd

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, together with the Korea Arts & Culture Education Service, will host the 2nd Humanities Culture Festival at Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) from November 22 to 23.

In an era marked by deepening disconnection and competition, the festival focuses on the power of relationships restored through the humanities. A variety of events, including humanities talk concerts, exhibitions, and hands-on experiences, will allow participants to engage with the humanities in everyday life. This year's festival is organized around three subthemes: "The Moment I Lift Myself Up," "The Time We Lean on Each Other," and "People Moving Forward Side by Side."

The signature program, the humanities talk concert "Kind Conversations," will bring together speakers from diverse fields to share messages about restoring a compassionate perspective that connects oneself, others, and society in these disconnected times.

On November 22, Namkoong In, an emergency medicine specialist, Baek Gyeong, a firefighter, and Jung Siwoo, a film critic, will give lectures on "The Warmth of Ordinary People." Novelist Kim Youngha and writer Yozoh will speak on "A Single Life, A Single Moment." Director Yoon Hyesook, actress Choi Heeseo, photographer Lee Hwon, and playwright Kim Yeonjae will discuss "My Pocket of Plays." On November 23, writers Yang Dasol and Won Soyoon, along with publishing marketer Jo Aran, will present on "How to Spend Today Well." Jang Jaeyeol, editor-in-chief of the monthly magazine "Mind Health," psychiatrist Kim Jiyong, and cognitive psychologist Kim Kyungil will lecture on "To You Who Survived Today." Actress Ye Soo-jung, film director Yeon Sangho, and Professor Lee Sungmin of Korea National Open University will speak on "The Lives of Others, and Myself."

The program "Kind Moments We Open Together" will share examples of how humanities projects carried out this year have brought about change in the field. Under the theme "Changes and Tomorrow of Humanities in Everyday Life," the session will introduce specific cases showing how humanities experiences across different ages and regions have led to the restoration of relationships.

On November 22, coordinators of the "Humanities on the Road·Wisdom School" program, held at 700 cultural facilities nationwide, will vividly share moments of change they witnessed in the field. The session will also feature stories about "Humanities Encountered by Out-of-School Youth," sharing the significance and real-life examples of how humanities have supported recovery, self-reliance, and social connection among these youths.

In the youth section, in collaboration with the Youth Foundation, four young people who have experienced periods of isolation and withdrawal will share their journeys under the theme "The Kind Power That Connects Us." They will answer the question, "How did you return to everyday life through the humanities?" by recounting their concrete paths to recovery. The Jecheon Cultural Foundation will present a case from its program for middle-aged and older adults, "Welcome, Humanities Is Jecheon, Right?" showing how a middle-aged couple rekindled long-stalled conversations through experiential humanities activities.

On November 23, the "Stepping Stone Humanities" (the Korean version of the Clemente Course) program will highlight how the humanities have transformed daily life and relationships in correctional facilities, among the homeless, and in self-reliance settings. Choi Junyoung, CEO of Chaekgojip, actress Son Jina, and a participant with experience of homelessness will share real-life stories. The session will introduce specific changes, from "the moment the way of speaking changed" after reading and discussing books for the first time in a facility, to cases of understanding others and easing conflicts among the homeless and in self-reliance programs, and scenes where closed emotions opened up and trust was built during theater therapy.

There will also be a variety of experiential events, including exhibitions, performances, and films, where citizens can encounter the humanities in everyday life. Highlights include a special exhibition documenting humanities projects, the "Isolation and Seclusion, Rooms of Solitude and Loneliness" exhibition from the Youth Humanities Classroom, and a participatory exhibition "Transcription Cafe: We Accept Writing Instead of Money," a collaboration between artist Cheon Geunseong and the "Stepping Stone Humanities" program. This collaborative exhibition will connect poems and essays written by homeless participants in the "Stepping Stone Humanities" program with the public's experience of transcribing them by hand.

In the video conference room, the Amorepacific Foundation will host "Youth Mind Therapy (Scent & Drawing)," and there will be an "All Emotions Encyclopedia" emotional journaling workshop, both offering experiences focused on emotions and the inner self. In the video studio on November 23, there will be a screening of the winning works from the "2025 Humanities Video Content Contest," which interprets the humanities through various video formats.

On the outdoor lawn, performances will range from traditional parade acts to percussion, jazz, ska, and indie music, blending various musical genres and movement. There will also be humanities experience events for the whole family, such as the "Humanities Paper Airplane Contest" with the national paper airplane champion and the "Book Recommendation (Book Curation) Booth" run by local bookstores.

Further details about the festival can be found on the official Humanities Culture Festival website and the Humanities 360 Instagram account. The talk concerts, workshops, and some experiential events require advance reservations.

Lee Jeongmi, Director of Cultural Policy at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, stated, "The humanities are the cultural foundation for restoring social trust and strengthening community bonds. Through this festival, I hope people will practice the humanities in their daily lives, and that the humanities will serve as a starting point for our society to become more compassionate once again."