South Korea's 'KDAY' K-culture event in Tokyo draws 16,000 visitors, ministry says
In short
South Korea's Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said on 20 October that its K-culture event KDAY drew 16,000 visitors in Tokyo. The main event ran on 17-18 October at Omotesando Hills, after pop-up stores and experience events on 14-16 October. It was the second KDAY, following one in Bangkok in May.
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South Korea's Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said on 20 October that the K-culture event KDAY, held in Tokyo, drew 16,000 visitors. Newsis and Asia Economy reported that the event took place at Omotesando Hills on 17-18 October. Yonhap reported the announcement as coming from the ministry and the Korea Craft and Design Foundation (한국공예디자인문화진흥원). [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
The outlets differ on what the 16,000 covers. Yonhap said 16,000 local people visited the event held on 17-18 October. Asia Economy and Newsis said the total included the pre-events: 6,000 people came to pop-up stores and experience events on 14-16 October, and Asia Economy said 10,000 took part in the main event. Asia Economy said partner brands including Ringti (링티), GS25 and Anok (아녹) ran the pre-event pop-up stores and experiences. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Yonhap and Asia Economy described KDAY as an event that extends K-culture, previously centred on arts and content, to lifestyle areas such as food, beauty and fashion. Asia Economy said the ministry planned it with the Korea International Cultural Exchange Promotion Agency (한국국제문화교류진흥원) and the Korea Craft and Design Foundation. Asia Economy and Newsis said the Tokyo event followed a first KDAY in Bangkok, Thailand, in May and centred on design hanbok. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Yonhap and Newsis said the exhibition ran under three themes and that 37 Korean lifestyle brands took part. Asia Economy said 10 brands selected by the Korea Craft and Design Foundation showed hanbok, norigae, daenggi and key rings. Six hanbok brands took part in a design hanbok fashion show. Yonhap said visitors tried on hanbok and took photos with the models. On 18 October, Onew of the group Shinee appeared in a hanbok he chose himself, Yonhap and Asia Economy reported. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Experience events, such as making knot bracelets and scent sachets, were held 23 times. Asia Economy and Newsis said every session sold out as soon as pre-registration opened. Asia Economy also cited the Korea International Cultural Exchange Promotion Agency's 2026 overseas Hallyu survey, under which 90.7% of people in Japan had experienced Korean food content, the highest share, and the beauty share was 44.2%, up 7.4 percentage points from the previous year. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
A ministry official said the ministry hopes the K-lifestyle that Japanese people discovered and experienced at KDAY will carry into their actual daily lives. Asia Economy quoted the official as also saying the ministry would present a new form next year as a representative convergence K-culture event model. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Why it matters
The ministry presents KDAY as a way to extend K-culture beyond arts and content into food, beauty and fashion. The coverage rests on the ministry's own figures, and the documents give no independent assessment of the event's results.
Key facts
- The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said on 20 October that KDAY in Tokyo drew 16,000 visitors in total. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The main event was held on 17-18 October at Omotesando Hills in Tokyo. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Of the total, 6,000 people attended the pre-events on 14-16 October and 10,000 the main event. [ 1 , 3 ]
- A total of 37 Korean lifestyle brands took part in the main exhibition. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Six hanbok brands took part in a design hanbok fashion show, and Onew of the group Shinee attended on 18 October wearing a hanbok he chose himself. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Experience events were held 23 times, such as making knot bracelets and scent sachets; Asia Economy and Newsis reported that all sessions sold out as soon as pre-registration opened. [ 1 , 3 ]
- KDAY was first held in Bangkok, Thailand, in May; the Tokyo event was the second. [ 1 , 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- The ministry said KDAY in Tokyo had 16,000 visitors. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- KDAY presents K-culture through lifestyle areas such as food, beauty and fashion, going beyond its earlier focus on arts and content. [ 1 , 2 ]
- The Tokyo event followed a first KDAY in Bangkok in May and centred on design hanbok. [ 1 , 3 ]
- 37 Korean lifestyle brands took part in the exhibition. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- 23 experience events were held. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Still unclear
- Which dates the 16,000 visitors covers. Yonhap said 16,000 local people visited the event held on 17-18 October, while Asia Economy and Newsis said the total included 6,000 at pre-events on 14-16 October and 10,000 at the main event.
- Whether the event had any lasting effect on Japanese consumers. A ministry official said the ministry hopes the K-lifestyle that Japanese people discovered will carry into daily life; the documents give no evidence of results beyond attendance.