During President Lee Jae-myung’s state visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a cultural exchange event titled “Culture Connecting UAE and Korea” will be held on the 18th. The event will feature various artists from both countries, including La Poem and Jo Sumi, and will take place at the UAE presidential palace, Qasr Al Watan, in the “Spirit of Collaboration” hall, marking the first Korean performance at this venue. The event will be hosted by Korean announcer Oh Sang-jin and Salama Al Mheiri from Abu Dhabi TV.
The program will showcase a blend of traditional and modern performances from both countries. It will begin with the UAE’s traditional dance “Al Ayyala” and include a performance of “Chunyears Tamsae” by the National Gugak Center’s Jeongakdan, symbolizing the friendship and cooperation between the two nations. There will also be a unique collaboration between the Korean traditional string instrument gayageum, played by Seo Jeong-min, and the Arabic string instrument oud.
Korean popera group La Poem will perform hit Korean drama OSTs popular in the Middle East, such as “You Are My Everything” from “Descendants of the Sun” and tracks from “The Tyrant’s Chef.” Guitarist Jang Ha-eun will collaborate with a renowned UAE singer-songwriter, and world-famous vocalist Jo Sumi will introduce the charm of K-classic through songs including “Aria Arirang,” based on the folk song “Arirang.”
The UAE is known for its high affinity for Korean culture, with Korean dramas like “Queen of Tears” and “The Tyrant’s Chef” being very popular. Interest in K-food and K-beauty is also rapidly growing, expanding the influence of K-content.
The government aims to strengthen cultural exchange between Korea and the UAE through this event, showcasing various genres such as gugak, classical music, and OST. Additionally, a “Dream Concert” featuring nine K-POP artists will be held at Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Park on the 22nd. The presidential office stated that the preparation of the event involved actual collaboration between artists from both countries, creating new works together, and emphasized that this will deepen the special strategic partnership between Korea and the UAE.