- Five national cultural institutions to launch special K-Culture programs starting March 20

- Offering K-Culture content—such as exhibitions, performances, and cultural merchandise—for global audiences

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (Minister CHAE Hwi-young, MCST), in recognition of BTS’s global cultural influence, will launch special programs from March 20 (Friday) in partnership with five major national cultural institutions—the National Museum of Korea (NMK), the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea (MMCA), the National Folk Museum of Korea (NFMK), the National Museum of Korean Contemporary History (NMKCH), and the National Library of Korea (NLK) —to offer visitors traveling to Korea for the group’s March 21 comeback concert a deeper experience of K-Culture.

This initiative is expected to enhance Korea’s cultural standing by turning the BTS concert into a comprehensive cultural festival that brings together Korean history, art, and literature, while attracting more visitors interested in K-Culture. Each institution will present a wide range of programs reflecting its distinctive character, including exhibitions, hands-on experiences, educational activities, and performances.

The National Museum of Korea will present special content under the theme “Korean Cultural Heritage with BTS.” Starting March 21, the museum will release videos in which English-speaking docents introduce artifacts known to be of interest to BTS members, such as the gilt-bronze pensive bodhisattva and moon jars. In collaboration with HYBE, the National Museum Foundation of Korea will also develop cultural merchandise—BTS album merch—featuring items inspired by the museum’s collection, which will be available at museum gift shops and other outlets from March 20.

The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea (MMCA) will run “MMCA: Meet the K-Art,” a docent-led program for international visitors from March 20 to April 19.

From March 20 to April 30, the National Folk Museum of Korea will present a special program, “K-Culture Folk Experiences with BTS.” The museum will offer exhibition commentary programs featuring artifacts of interest to BTS members, such as traditional funeral bier ornaments. In the outdoor courtyard, a “K-Playground” will allow visitors to try traditional games—including tuho (arrow throwing), top spinning, and jegichagi (shuttlecock kicking)—featured in the holiday episode of the YouTube series Run BTS! Every Saturday, the museum will also host a special performance, “K-Heung Hanmadang,” where visitors can enjoy BTS songs such as “IDOL” and “ON,” which incorporate Korean elements, along with traditional instruments, rhythms, and hanbok featured in the group’s work.

The National Museum of Korean Contemporary History will display a time capsule donated by BTS, along with related video content, from March 14 to May 31. To mark the 100th anniversary of director NA Un-gyu’s film Arirang (1926) and connect it with BTS’s 2026 “Arirang” performance, the museum will also run a children’s educational program, “Arirang of Rak (樂),” from April to June. The program will highlight “Arirang” as an element of popular culture in modern and contemporary Korean history and introduce future generations to Korean cultural identity.

The National Library of Korea will host a book exhibition at its Digital Library from March 20 to April 12 under the theme “Books That Inspired BTS’s Music!” Visitors will be able to explore literary works known to have inspired BTS members—such as Almond by SOHN Won-pyung and Human Acts by HAN Kang—along with related research materials and other books, all in one place. In addition, the library will continue to operate its “Writer’s Note” exhibition, where visitors can experience Korean literary works through interactive media art, visually conveying the beauty of K-Literature.

An MCST policy official stated, “These linked programs will provide a valuable opportunity for people around the world to experience firsthand not only BTS’s music, but also the depth and diversity of Korean culture.” The official added, “The MCST will continue to identify and support a wide range of policies that help promote the appeal of K-Culture, thereby further solidifying Korea’s cultural standing.”