World's First Festival Celebrating Korean TV Series and K-Culture in Sorrento

The first world festival dedicated to South Korean TV series and K-culture will take place from March 14 to 17 at the prestigious Teatro Tasso in Sorrento. This monumental event, the result of two years of collaboration between Italian and South Korean scholars, is part of the activities to celebrate 140 years of diplomatic relations between Italy and South Korea. Since 2020, the popularity of K-Dramas in Italy has skyrocketed, captivating an enthusiastic audience that has grown so much to become one of the largest Hallyu fandoms in Europe, with 870,000 people in 2021 alone, showing strong growth. K-Drama Festa aims to provide a platform for the continuously expanding community of fans and scholars of South Korean series and culture. The festival aspires to strengthen relations between Italy and South Korea in various sectors, including trade, politics, culture, and academia. The support from esteemed organizations such as Sapienza University of Rome, the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Italy, the Korean Cultural Institute of Rome, Campania Region, Campania Film Commission, Enit, underscores the importance of this cultural celebration. Not surprisingly, the Minister of Tourism Santanchè, during his visit to Seoul in 2023, expressed hope that K-Dramas can serve as a bridge between Italy and Korea, fostering positive synergies in tourism and cultural consumption. K-Dramas represent a remarkable example of national identity communication, perfectly blending tradition and innovation. K-Drama Festa includes a four-day festival dedicated to South Korean TV series with the presence of celebrities, an international academic conference, and an exchange between professionals in the entertainment and food industry. Sorrento was chosen as the venue for its rich cinematic heritage and its territorial configuration that allows accessibility to events for both citizens and tourists. The festival highlights include the international conference "K-Drama Festa: bridging cultures, translating emotions" scheduled at the Teatro Tasso on March 14-15 with opening greetings from Ambassador Seong-ho Lee and the participation of eminent scholars, including Jong-yil Ra (Director of the Baikbong Research Institute, former Security Advisor to the Korean President, former ambassador to Japan and the United Kingdom), or prominent figures like Director Ye Jin Chun of the Korean Cultural Institute. The afternoon of the 15th continues with a meeting with the revolutionary screenwriter Kim Eun Hee (Kingdom, Signal, Revenant), and the screening of "Road to Boston" in the presence of director Kang Jekyu. Saturday, March 16, continues with events dedicated to actor Oh Jungse (It’s ok not to be okay, Death Game, Sweet Home 2) and actresses Ye Jiwon (Thirty But Seventeen, Another Miss Oh, Never Twice) and Kim Hyeeun (Twenty-Five, Twenty-One, Itaewon Class, Doctor John, Mr. Sunshine, Dr. Romantic) and a glamorous award ceremony in the evening featuring performances and the much-anticipated red&blue carpet. The festival concludes on March 17 with an event where Italian seriality meets K-Drama, starting with the successful series "Mare Fuori" (The Sea Beyond, Rai and Netflix) with the participation of Maurizio Gemma (Campania Film Commission), Francesco Pinto (Producer), Cristina Priarone (President of Italia Film Commission), Lee Hwanjin of Sbs, and CEO Billy Acumen (BA Entertainment, producer of the latest K-Drama hit Flex x Cop). The event closes with an event dedicated to actor Yu Jun Sang, the face of the most beloved K-Dramas in Italy (Alchemy of Souls, The Uncanny Counter). K-Drama Festa is realized in collaboration with the city of Sorrento by Lars-Roman Semiotics Laboratory, the Urban Space Creativity and Media Research Unit of Sapienza University of Rome, and the Baikbong Institute of Seoul. The contents are kindly provided by Netflix, Mbc, and Sbs. To ensure an authentic and complete Korean experience, AT Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation will offer a free tasting of Korean delicacies. On Saturday, March 16, at lunchtime, inside the bistrot of Teatro Tasso in Sorrento after the film screening, it is possible to taste typical dishes of Korean cuisine. New flavors to discover and try such as tteokbokki - pan-fried rice cakes seasoned with a spicy gochujang (chili-based) sauce, gimbap - rice rolls with vegetables, meat, and fish, rolled in dried seaweed sheets, mandu - typical Korean dumplings, and ramyeon - a soup made with noodles, mushrooms, vegetables, and egg. In the evening, a gala dinner with VIPs, institutions, and the celebs of the most famous K-Dramas, in the suggestive location of the Hotel Management School, San Paolo Institute, with Korean chef Sun Young Koo and chef Mario Affinita of the Don Geppi Restaurant (1 Michelin star) of the Majestic Hotel in Sant’Agnello.