1. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will hold the Nordic Culture Festival at JCC Art Center and JCC Creative Center in Seoul from November 24 to 30.

2. The festival aims to enhance mutual understanding and exchanges between four Northern European countries -- Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden -- and the ROK by introducing the countries’ cultures and art to Koreans, and increase the interest of the Nordic countries, Winter Olympics powerhouses, in the ROK and the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games by promoting the festival among the Northern European countries.

o The festival, which will begin with an opening ceremony on November 24, will feature joint performances (November 25-26), the “Denmark Day (November 27),” the “Finland Day (November 28),” the “Norway Day (November 29),” and the “Sweden Day (November 30).”

3. The festival will consist of a range of special events to encourage people of different age groups to join them, including great performances by musicians from the four Nordic countries, a photo exhibition, a book exhibition, a film screening, and a performance for children.

o Performers from Denmark will be Birgitte Soojin, a Korean-born adoptee and promising jazz singer who was nominated for Danish Grammy Awards twice, and Northern Assembly, which plays neo folk combining Scandinavian and British traditions of music. A performer from Finland will be Maija Kauhanen, a young kantele virtuoso who won the International Solo Kantele Competition in 2011, and vocalist with a unique way of singing. Performers who will represent Norway will be Håkon Kornstad, who shows a fantastic combination of jazz saxophone and opera tenor, and Inger Marie, a jazz vocalist who already has a big fan base in the ROK. Performers from Sweden will be Emil Brandqvist Trio, which was selected to Apple Music’s “The A-List: Jazz,” Beatrice Eli, a singer-songwriter who won “Best Pop” at the gala hosted by the Swedish radio station P3, and Cherrie, a Swedish R&B star.

o Besides, as a side event of the Nordic photo exhibition , artist talks with Finnish photographer Konsta Punkka (25th), who captures breathtaking photos of wild animals, and Norwegian photographer Pål Hermansen (29th) will take place. The book exhibition will feature storytelling time for children and booths where characters that represent each country’s culture are displayed. A PR zone where people can experience virtual reality will also be established to promote the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

o On the 30th, the last day of the festival, Teater Tre , a Swedish performance for children, will be presented twice.

4. The festival is expected to help enhance Koreans’ interest in and understanding of Northern Europe, and promote friendship between the ROK and the Northern European countries by introducing various cultures and forms of art to people in the ROK.

5. All programs are free of charge. Those who want to join the festival need to make reservations on the festival’s official website (nordicfest.kr).

※ For reservations or queries, please contact Nordic Culture Festival Secretariat (nordicfest.kr/ 02)3216-1185)


* unofficial translation