A membership association that trains people to introduce Korean culture to the world and helps them take the global stage.
Why We Were Founded
The Association is not a business operator — businesses are run by businesses. The Association exists to help members achieve results abroad, and to train and teach the people who will stand on the world stage. The standard is not career history, but a path to the global stage.
K-pop and K-beauty went global first, and people are next. There is not yet a path connecting the interest that content and products have opened up to people and to a stage. Designers, cosmetics companies, footwear and accessory makers, models, and hair and makeup artists all belong to different companies — none large enough to build a stage alone — and cosmetics span multiple government ministries, so there is no support system like the one K-pop has. As in the Paris, London, and New York Fashion Weeks, building the stage has always fallen to an association, in every country. That is why a membership organization brings these different players together on one stage.
Rather than end with a single season's event, we are building a standing organization that puts Korea's cultural talent on the world stage every season. The Association is in preparation, and its programs will begin once it is formally established.
What we do
- 01Talent Development
We find and train people through open calls and public auditions regardless of career history, and put selected talent on overseas stages
- 02Education & Information
We offer free practical training for going abroad, and research and publish information on overseas markets and certifications
- 03Member Support & Exchange
We build a record of members' overseas achievements, run cultural exchange programs with overseas institutions, and document every event in video and photos for members
Membership
Creators and companies in fashion, beauty, modeling, acting, music, and art. The Association is run on member dues and private sponsorship.
At a glance
| Name | Korea Culture & Trade Association |
|---|---|
| Status | In preparation for establishment · targeting incorporation within 2026 |
| Chair, Founding Preparatory Committee | Shin Sun-hee |
| Funding | Member dues · private sponsorship |
| Address | (00000) 00 ○○-ro, ○○-gu, Seoul, Floor 0 |
- Name
- Korea Culture & Trade Association
- Status
- In preparation for establishment · targeting incorporation within 2026
- Chair, Founding Preparatory Committee
- Shin Sun-hee
- Funding
- Member dues · private sponsorship
- Address
- (00000) 00 ○○-ro, ○○-gu, Seoul, Floor 0
Milestones
- 2026-09Seoul launch ceremony and public audition (LEVANTIS SEOUL 2026, September 18)
- 2026-10Paris on-site auditions and fittings (October 1–2) → "LEVANTIS Paris 2026" (October 6, Musée national des arts asiatiques – Guimet, Paris)
- 2026Association established (targeted within the year)