Korean March: 3 Parisian Dates To Celebrate Female Creativity From Seoul To The Seine
Cinema, literature, performance: in March, the Korean Cultural Center rolls out a very feminine red carpet. Three evenings, three artists, one common thread: giving voice to today's Korean women. Ready for the journey?
A Korean breeze over the capital
Just a stone's throw from the Champs-Élysées, the Korean Cultural Center (20 rue La Boétie) has established itself as a must-visit address for anyone looking to understand the Hallyu wave beyond K-pop.
After attracting more than 60,000 visitors in 2023, a record, the institution makes a strong impression with a 100% female program from March 19 to 26.
On the agenda: a hard-hitting feature film, a rare literary exchange, and a performance blending poetry and meditation. An opportunity to explore artistic perspectives and societal questions about the role of women, here and elsewhere.
March 19: "Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982," the phenomenon to (re)discover
Released in 2019, Kim Do-young's film adapts Cho Nam Joo's best-seller. In South Korea, the novel sold over 2 million copies and has been translated into 18 languages, a sign of a female fed-up that transcends borders.
The Paris screening will be an opportunity to (re)dive into the seemingly ordinary life of Jiyoung, a woman in her thirties grappling with the everyday sexism of her life. Between silences, small humiliations, and suppressed anger, the film paints a striking portrait of a society still marked by patriarchy.
Good to know: the session is free upon registration, but seats usually go in less than 48 hours. A piece of advice? Turn on notifications...
March 20: Cho Nam Joo in front of the Parisian audience
This is the literary event of early spring: the author will participate in a unique meet-and-greet and question-and-answer session. Her voice matters: in 2020, Time Magazine included her in its list of the 100 most influential people for sparking a national debate on gender equality.
In Paris, she will discuss the journey of her book, its film adaptation, and the impact it has had, sometimes violently, on her own life.
For those who appreciate beautiful autographs, the team at the Center plans to have a bookstore corner with the French edition published by Nouveaux Millénaires. It will also be an opportunity to discover her more recent essay, "Miss Kim Knows."
March 26: The Venerable Ju Seok, When Poetry Brushes with Zen
Buddhist nun and artist, Ju Seok (affectionately called "Seonim" by South Koreans) has been exploring the resonance between ancient chants and contemporary art for twenty years.
On stage, she blends sung poems, mantras, and dynamic calligraphy, all projected in real time. The result: a suspended moment, halfway between performance and collective meditation.
A rare format in Europe, even more so in an intimate venue with 100 seats. Close your eyes, let yourself be carried away: the room transforms into a temple for an evening.
Why these appointments are (really) not to be missed
- Hot Topic: The issue of gender equality remains a central concern in Korea, ranked 105th out of 146 countries according to the Global Gender Gap 2023.
- Interdisciplinarity: Cinema, literature, performing arts... three complementary gateways.
- Free of charge: All activities are available for free with simple registration. A boon in an often expensive Paris.
- Rarity: Cho Nam Joo rarely gives public interviews outside Asia. As for Ju Seok, this is his first French appearance since 2018.
The Hallyu wave continues to swell.
South Korean soft power is no longer just about boy bands. In 2022, the country's cultural exports exceeded $13 billion, a figure that has increased by 8% despite the pandemic.
Netflix series like "The Glory," Oscar-winning films ("Parasite"), or webtoons adapted into dramas... The French audience follows, curious and loyal: according to the CNC, the market share of Korean cinema in French theaters has almost doubled over the last five years.
This programming from the Korean Cultural Center is therefore part of an underlying movement that mixes discovery and democratization.
Practical information: dates, registrations, access
Address: 20 rue La Boétie, 75008 Paris (metro Saint-Philippe du Roule / Miromesnil).
Reservation: via the official website coree-culture.org (Events tab).
Schedule: screenings and performances at 7:00 PM sharp, doors open 30 minutes prior.
Price: 0 €, subject to availability of seats.
Accessibility: PRM equipped room, simultaneous translation into French during the literary meeting.
Brief Vocabulary Break
• Hallyu: literally "Korean Wave," a term that refers to the global popularization of South Korean culture since the 2000s.
• Seonim: an honorific title given to Buddhist nuns in Korea.
• Mantra: a sacred formula chanted or recited, believed to channel the mind.
Note: The figures mentioned come from official South Korean reports and French cultural institutions, cross-checked as of February 1, 2024.
In conclusion: a feminine March, a diverse Paris.
Whether you're a film buff, an avid reader, or just curious looking for an out-of-the-box evening, these three events open a window onto contemporary Korean women's creation.
A mirror, too, of our own debates. For even though the streets of Seoul and those of Paris are 10,000 km apart, aspirations of freedom, recognition, and equality seem, indeed, universal. So, shall we meet at the Center?
