SEOUL, May 12 (AJP) - The Avignon Festival, one of the world’s leading performing arts festivals, will spotlight the Korean language and contemporary Korean productions during its 80th edition in July, marking the first time an Asian language has been selected as the festival’s official invited language.
The Korean-language spotlight program coincides with the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between South Korea and France, highlighting the growing cultural exchange between the two countries beyond the global popularity of K-pop, film, and television dramas.
Held annually in the southern French city of Avignon, the festival runs from July 4 to 25 and is regarded as one of Europe’s most influential theater and live performance events. Founded in 1947 by French actor and director Jean Vilar, the festival is known for presenting contemporary and experimental productions in historical venues across the city.
This year’s program also marks the first time the festival has centered on a single national language as part of its invited language initiative, which highlights the arts and culture of a selected linguistic community each year. English, Spanish, and Arabic were previously featured in 2023, 2024, and 2025, respectively.
A total of nine Korean productions will be presented in the festival’s official "In" program, the main section featuring curator-selected works staged across the festival’s principal venues.
Among the featured productions is "Oiseau," a staged reading based on Nobel Prize-winning author Han Kang’s novel "We Do Not Part." The performance will take place at the Cour d’Honneur of the Palais des Papes, the festival’s signature venue, and will star French actress Isabelle Huppert alongside Korean actress Lee Hye-young.
Other Korean works include playwright and director Jaha Koo’s "Cuckoo," "Haribo Kimchi" and "The History of Korean Western Theatre."
Additional productions explore themes ranging from Jeju Island’s haenyeo culture and the Jeju April 3 uprising to the climate crisis and contemporary Korean identity. They include “MULJIL,” "Island Story," "1 Degree Celsius," "KIN: Yeonhee Project I" and "Snow, Snow, Snow."
The lineup reflects the expanding global reach of contemporary Korean performing arts as Korean-language productions continue to gain visibility on major international stages.
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