Korea House Opens in Milan... Showcasing K-Culture Throughout the Olympics

by Park Pyunghee

Published 06 Feb.2026 11:47(KST)

The Korean Sport & Olympic Committee announced that it held the “Korea House Opening Event for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics” at 4:00 p.m. on the 5th (local time) at Villa Necchi Campiglio in Milan, Italy, and officially began operating Korea House.

Korea House is a space jointly created by the government and the private sector to promote K-culture at the Winter Olympics and to serve as a hub for K-sports diplomacy. Villa Necchi Campiglio, where Korea House is located, is a historic architectural and cultural venue in downtown Milan. Designed in the 1930s, it is a modern architectural landmark and museum, and is well known as a filming location for movies such as “House of Gucci.” The interior of the villa will be used as a space for high-level meetings and dinners for sports diplomacy, the outdoor tennis court will serve as a promotional space for K-culture and K-tourism, and the basement area will be used as a relaxation space for the athletes.

The opening event was attended by Yoo Seungmin, President of the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee; Choi Hwi Young, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism; Lee Sookyung, Head of Team Korea; Noh Heeyoung, Head of Korea House; Kim Jaeyoul, IOC Member who was elected to the IOC Executive Board at the 145th IOC Session held in Milan on the 3rd; Ban Ki-moon, former Chair of the IOC Ethics Commission; as well as many other IOC Members, presidents of National Olympic Committees (NOCs), officials from International Federations (IFs), representatives from global sponsors and related organizations, totaling around 130 participants.

Yoo Seungmin, president of the Korea Sports Council, delivered a welcoming address on the 5th (local time) at Villa Necchi Campiglio in Milan, Italy, at the opening event of the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics Korea House. Photo by Korea Sports Council

The event began with the screening of a promotional video for the opening of Korea House, followed by a hanbok fashion show in collaboration with the Korea Craft & Design Foundation, a congratulatory performance by the Milan Conservatory ensemble, opening remarks by the Head of Korea House, a welcoming speech by the President of the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee, congratulatory remarks by the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism and IOC Members, a K-pop congratulatory performance, a toast, and a commemorative photo session.

In his welcoming speech, President Yoo Seungmin stated, “Korea House is a space where visitors can directly experience and enjoy the diversity of Korean culture,” and added, “During the Olympic Games, we hope to share with the world the charm of the Republic of Korea, which has inspired people around the globe through its culture, food, K-pop, and sports.” He went on to say, “I hope many people will enjoy Korea House and extend warm support to the challenges and performances of the Korean athletes.”

At Korea House, there will be group cheering events and press conferences for Team Korea, as well as medal ceremonies. It will also serve as a hub for international sports exchange and sports diplomacy, and operate as a promotional platform for the Republic of Korea that comprehensively showcases K-culture (sports, tourism, food, fashion, traditional culture, and more).

Korea House will feature a variety of permanent spaces, including the Team Korea promotion zone, the K-culture zone, the K-food zone, the K-Dailycation experience zone, and a goods shop. A wide range of programs will be offered, such as hanbok experiences, traditional games, traditional craft experiences, exhibitions of Korean tourism content, and sales of official merchandise.

Foreign models are staging a hanbok fashion show at the Korea House opening event for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics on the 5th (local time) at Villa Necchi Campiglio in Milan, Italy. Photo by Korean Sports Association

The Korea Tourism Organization, National Museum Foundation of Korea, Naver, and Cass are collaborating to present a rich array of Korean content. CJ and the Korea Tourism Organization are operating an exhibition and experience space inside Korea House under the “K-Dailycation” concept, and plan to introduce the charm of Korea to global visitors in a multidimensional way through experiential content that combines everyday Korean culture with tourism, food, and lifestyle. Naver is supporting content linkage and promotion using its digital platforms, while Cass, as an official sponsor, is offering brand experience elements in connection with the operation of the event.

The National Museum Foundation of Korea is selling “MU:DS” products inspired by Korean cultural heritage, as well as official Team Korea merchandise symbolizing the Korean national team, so that visitors can experience the value of Korean culture and sports through everyday souvenirs.

The Korean Sport & Olympic Committee stated that, through the operation of Korea House, it plans not only to support and cheer on Team Korea, but also to expand international sports exchange. It added that it will continue to widely promote the diverse attractions of Korean sports and culture to the world and to sustain sports and cultural exchanges initiated by the Olympic Games.

Korea House is open from 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., and anyone can visit by making an advance reservation through the website or by registering on-site.