KCC launches first global stop of Jinju silk lanterns exhibit in Taguig

GMA Network

23-05-2025

The Korean Cultural Center (KCC) Philippines has launched the first global stop of their exhibit 'Lights of Korea: Jinju Silk Lanterns' at their headquarters in Taguig City on Friday.
In collaboration with representatives from Jinju City, Gyeongsangnam-do, KCC installed over 800 traditional silk lanterns imported from Jinju City, South Korea.
The exhibit was meant to replicate the city's lantern festival, called the Jinju Namgang Yudeung Festival, displaying the unique art and history behind the traditional Korean silk culture.
'The lanterns you will see today are more than just decorations. Each one is handcrafted in the native land of artistry and creation, with a touch of Korean imagination and so it illuminates space as well as sheds light on the resilience and creativity of Korean culture. In a way, they remind us that even in darkness, there is beauty to be found,' said South Korean Ambassador to the Philippines Lee Sang Hwa.
'I hope this exhibit becomes a part of a larger cultural composition between Korea, and the Philippines, and our neighbors in Southeast Asia, because everytime we share our culture we build bridges of friendship, understanding, and shared creativity,' he added.
The Jinju lantern festival, which dates back 400 years since the Seige of Jinju in 1592, is an annual festival wherein Koreans make wishes while allowing their lanterns to float down the Namgang River.
Held every October, participants bear witness to floating silk lanterns of all colors, shapes, and sizes.
Special guests of the exhibit, which include representatives from Jinju City, KCC Philippines Director Kim Myungjin, representatives from the Malaysian Embassy, and representatives from the NCCA, pose in front of the Jinju silk lanterns display at the KCC in Taguig. Photo: Jiselle Anne Casucian/GMA Integrated News
Photo: Jiselle Anne Casucian/GMA Integrated News
The exhibit featuring the festival intends to further boost cultural exchange between Korea and the Philippines and allow Filipinos to experience their taste of Jinju's traditional festival.
National Commission for the Culture and the Arts Executive Director for Operations Bernan Joseph Corpuz compared the floating lanterns to the Filipino parol, stating that both light ornaments helped Koreans and Filipinos have hope.
'As I enter this gallery and took in the delicate craftwork of these lanterns, I found myself reflecting on how familiar they [are]. In their white glow, they echo something deep within our own Filipino traditions—the Filipino parol or the Christmas lantern… It symbolizes hope and peace, and is usually made from bamboo frames or Capiz, or paper, with an ardent prayer of hope and enlightenment and aspirations,' he shared.
'Though originated from different times and places, the Jinju lantern and the Filipino parol share more than just a core, but they echo the same message. Both are expressions of our faith, cultures, and traditions… We hope that the light of these lanterns continue to shine brightly in our shared journey and may this be a meeting point of traditions that speak across languages and borders."
Representatives from Jinju City, the Malaysian Embassy, and the NCCA were present during the event launch, along with South Korean Ambassador Lee Sang Hwa, Palestinian Ambassador to the Philippines Mounir Y.K. Anastas, and Malaysian Ambassador to the Philippines Dato' Abdul Malik Melvin Castelino Anthony.
'Lights of Korea: Jinju Silk Lanterns' is part of the Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism's 2025 Touring K-Arts Program.
Following the Philippine exhibit, the lanterns will be sent for display in other KCC Centers in Indonesia and Vietnam.
'Lights of Korea: Jinju Silk Lanterns' is open Mondays to Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the KCC Building in Taguig City.
—CDC, GMA Integrated News