Nine Korean performing arts works have been officially invited to the Avignon Festival, one of the world's largest performing arts festivals. The organizing committee announced on January 8 that Korean has been selected as the "Guest Language" for the 80th Avignon Festival, running from July 4 to 25. This marks the first time an Asian language and the first time a single country's language has received this designation. It is also the first time Korean works have been included in the official program (IN) in approximately 28 years, since "Aspirations of Asia" in 1998.
Festival Artistic Director Tiago Rodrigues cited "the rich creativity and diversity of performing arts based on the Korean language" as the reason for the selection.
The most eye-catching work is a reading performance based on Nobel Prize-winning novelist Han Kang's "We Do Not Part." Presented at the Cour d'honneur du Palais des papes, the festival's symbolic venue, the performance will feature French actress Isabelle Huppert and Korean actress Lee Hye-young together on stage. This work, which crosses the boundaries between literature and theater, was co-produced through collaboration between the Avignon Festival and the Seoul Performing Arts Festival (SPAF). It is scheduled to be presented at the Seoul Performing Arts Festival in October. Italian director Daria Deflorian's new work "Terrible Pain and Love," also based on the same novel, will be unveiled at the festival.
Works by playwright Ku Ja-hwa, the first Asian recipient of the International Ibsen Award, often called the "Nobel Prize of theater," are also prominently featured. Three of her works will meet audiences: "Cuckoo" and "The History of Korean Theatre" from her acclaimed "Hamartia" trilogy, along with "Haribo Kimchi." Her work, which intersects personal memory with social narrative, has already garnered attention both domestically and internationally, and this occasion marks her formal debut on the world stage.
Works capturing contemporary Korean society through various approaches also stand out. These include "Matter" by Elephants Laugh, a participatory performance company; "Island Story" by Creative Vaki, which addresses the Jeju April 3 Incident; and "1 Degree Celsius" by Heo Project, a sensory exploration of the climate crisis. The selection spans diverse genres and formats, from "GIN: Deconstruction of Traditional Performing Arts Project I" by Liquid Sound, which combines traditional Korean performing arts with contemporary dance, to Lee Jaram's "Snow, Snow, Snow," a pansori reinterpretation of a Tolstoy short story.
This invitation was the result of approximately two years of research and collaboration. The Korea Arts Management Service, together with the Seoul Performing Arts Festival, has worked with the Avignon Festival to prepare the work selection and program composition. During the festival, "K-Stage Rendezvous" will be held, where performing arts presenters and programmers from around the world will explore collaboration possibilities with Korean artists.
Support for next-generation artists is also expanding. Through the residency program "Transmission Impossible," young creators will be helped to exchange ideas and develop their capabilities on-site. This is an attempt to build human networks and co-production foundations beyond simple work invitations.
"The selection of Korean as an official guest language is a symbolic event demonstrating the international standing of Korean performing arts," said Kim Jang-ho, President of the Korea Arts Management Service. "We will showcase the expansiveness of Korean arts to the world through collaboration with various genres including literature and visual arts."
