To commemorate the 1st anniversary of diplomatic relations between South Korea and Cuba, a Korean Wave cultural festival will be held in Havana, Cuba, in April. This is the first official cultural event hosted by the South Korean side since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
The '2025 Havana Korean Wave Cultural Festival (Proyecto Festival Havana 2025 K-Culture)' will take place from April 9 to 12, hosted by the Baek Bong Political Culture Education Institute (Chairman Ra Jong-il). It is a privately led cultural exchange event that excludes political purposes.
This event is organized by the Cuban Ministry of Culture, the University of Havana, and the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP), with the Cuban Film Arts Industry Committee (ICAIC) participating. In South Korea, the Korean Language and Culture Institute at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (HK+ Project Team) is cooperating, and the Korea-Cuba Cultural Friendship Association (ACCCA), the ArtCor (Proyecto Cultural de Arte Coreano de Cuba), the South Korean Embassy in Cuba, and the Cuban Embassy in South Korea are also sponsors.
At the opening and closing ceremonies, a keynote lecture titled 'Discovering the World: Perspectives from Korea' by Chairman Ra Jong-il is scheduled, along with speeches from Heo Yeoel, the South Korean ambassador to Cuba, and officials from the Cuban government.
The festival will consist of academic sessions, pop culture performances, film screenings, and K-food experiences. Director Kang Je-kyu will meet local fans through the film '1947 Boston' and explore cooperation possibilities between Cuban directors and the film industries of both countries. The production teams of the dramas 'Polar Star,' 'I-Duna!,' 'Sweet Home,' and 'Casino' will also attend to discuss joint production with Cuban producers.
The international academic conference will illuminate the intersections of South Korean and Cuban literature centered around Han Kang's novel 'The Vegetarian.' It will explore themes of oppression, desire, and identity through comparisons with Cuban writer Virgilio Piñera's 'The Body of René,' as well as discuss the potential for cultural diplomacy.
On the last day of the festival, Saturday the 12th, an event titled 'The Taste of K-Food' will be held. This will be an occasion for prominent figures from Cuba and Koreans residing in Havana to share bibimbap and foster harmony. The Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation (aT) is cooperating, and ArtCor is organizing this event. ArtCor is a Korean Wave cultural and artistic community run by local fans of the Korean Wave and descendants of Koreans in Cuba.