Interview: Lee Beom-hun on Reviving Korea-China Cultural Exchange Post-COVID

"If I just ponder like Hamlet, why would I be in this position?"

Lee Beom-hun, Chairman of the Korea Arts and Culture Education Service (Arko), views his three-year term as a time for action. In an interview on August 6 at the Artist House in Jongno, Seoul, he stated, "I am working hard to make everything visible. No matter how good an idea is, it becomes meaningless if not executed." He added, "Dreaming and taking action is what I need to do."

His vision is to position Arko as a central hub for cultural exchange in Asia. With K-pop, dramas, and films having established a global presence for K-culture, he believes it is now time to expand the pathways for foundational arts to reach the world. His plan is not just to introduce Korean works abroad but to create a platform for artists, planners, and institutions to build long-lasting relationships.

The focus is on Asia. While maintaining established connections with traditional cultural powerhouses in Europe, he aims to restore weakened ties with China due to COVID-19 and establish a framework for international exchange that includes Japan, Taiwan, and Hong Kong.

The first test will be the Asian Art Roundtable (AAR), scheduled for October in Seoul and Gwangju. The AAR will bring together next-generation curators from Korea, China, Japan, and Taiwan. The event will feature over 30 visual arts experts, including 17 curators from Beijing's UCCA, Hong Kong's M+, and Taikoon Contemporary, under the theme of "Asia, Community, Spirituality, Migration." Kim Sun-jung, Artistic Director of the Art Sonje Center, and Philip, former Artistic Director of Taikoon in Hong Kong, along with Mami Kataoka, Director of the Mori Art Museum in Japan, will serve as advisory curators.

It is noteworthy that curators from China and Taiwan, amid heightened geopolitical tensions, will sit together at the table. While political and diplomatic relations are strained, artists are coming together to contemplate "Asia."

Lee emphasized, "The open vision of 'togetherness' itself is important." He noted the challenges of including Taiwan in official exchanges with China and expressed his desire to create a multi-layered network that connects artists and planners directly, rather than confining exchanges within national frameworks.

"I want to meaningfully develop culture exchange and cooperation projects specialized in Asia, such as creating long-term projects where pure art institutions and pure artist groups meet regularly," he said.

Lee, who majored in Eastern painting, has naturally formed connections with the Chinese art community, which shares a tradition of brush and ink. He has built rapport with Chinese artists over many years, serving as the Chairman of the Korea Art Association (2017-2020) and the President of the Korea Arts and Culture Organizations (2020-2024). In 2019, he was appointed as a tourism ambassador for Confucius in Shandong Province, and the following year, he organized a contemporary art exchange exhibition titled "Art and Peace" featuring numerous Korean and Chinese artists. In 2021, he continued this relationship through the "Sichuan Exchange Project."

Through these experiences, he learned about the Chinese concept of "guanxi" (关系), which emphasizes building trust through personal connections over shared meals. This approach aligns with his vision for international exchanges, focusing on continuous relationships rather than one-off interactions.

Lee stated, "I will work to rebuild the overall halted Korea-China exchanges due to COVID-19. Now is the right time. Following the Korea-China summit during the 2025 APEC in Gyeongju, there is a consensus between the two countries on restoring relations."

"There are inevitably rigid issues between governments. However, culture can lead flexible exchanges. This is why Arko, as a cultural and artistic institution, must take proactive steps," he added.

He also plans to establish a new paradigm for exchanges. Lee previously organized a peace art festival featuring artists from Korea, China, and Japan as an official cultural event during the PyeongChang Winter Olympics. He is now conceptualizing a peace project that promotes communication through art.

"Now that I am the chairman of Arko, I believe we can do it on a larger and more substantial scale than before. I plan to propose agreements with the Chinese Embassy in Korea and the Chinese Cultural Center in Korea if necessary. I will create a structure that allows exchanges to continue even after I leave Arko," he said.

Lee emphasized that a solid foundation in domestic culture and arts is essential for enhancing competitiveness on the international stage. Arko is planning to create a platform that circulates creation, distribution, enjoyment, and data, centered around Seoul and Naju. In Seoul, he aims to leverage the experimental and creative aspects of the Daehakro area, which has over 160 small theaters within a one-kilometer radius of Hyehwa Station. In Naju, where Arko's headquarters is located, he plans to develop "Arko Village" to serve as the cultural heart of the newly established Gwangju-Naju Integrated Special City.

He believes that culture holds the key to addressing the issue of population decline in rural areas. "We need to create reasons for people to visit areas facing population decline, to play, eat, and stay. Cultural and artistic experiences that emerge from detailed nuances can be crucial for revitalizing these regions. We need to develop the stories of rural villages in Jeonnam Gwangju Integrated Special City from a cultural content perspective," he said.

His interest in storytelling was sparked during a visit to a remote village in Shandong Province, where he witnessed a Peking opera performance in a place without electricity. "I saw grandchildren performing Peking opera passed down from their grandparents. We should also uncover the stories of our own villages and rural areas and turn them into plays or musicals," he added.

Lee also has an idea to create a separate space near Gwangju, where countries can build their own national pavilions during the Gwangju Biennale. "We can create a second field around Gwangju. In even-numbered years, we can hold the existing art biennale, and in odd-numbered years, we can focus on AI media art," he said.

He plans to revamp the gateway to the global stage as well. Changes are being considered for how the Korean Pavilion at the Venice Biennale selects its directors and artists. While maintaining the current application system, he is exploring the introduction of a recommendation-based selection process. Additionally, he is looking into having separate experts scout potential candidates directly, akin to undercover assessors. "We plan to try various methods, including introducing a recommendation system for about 20% of the selections," he said.

At the end of the interview, Lee mentioned his sense of mission.

"I have no expectations for how I will be evaluated three years from now when my term ends. My only focus is on fulfilling my sense of duty to give everything I can. I believe that if I do my best, something will remain," he concluded.