The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (Minister CHAE Hwi-young, MCST) has selected 1,152 individuals from 98 countries for the 7th K-influencer cohort to promote Korean culture worldwide through YouTube. The 7th K-influencer cohort will officially launch on May 7 with a ceremony at the Arirang International Broadcasting studio. Launched in 2020, the K-influencer program identifies foreign content creators with a favorable view of Korea and promotes Korean culture organically through the videos they produce. This year’s open call for K-influencers, held from March 27 to April 17, drew 4,184 applicants from 134 countries—the highest number ever recorded.

This strong response reflects the significant rise in global interest in Korean culture. By region, Asia accounted for the largest share of applicants at 37.3%, followed by South America (19.6%), Africa (19.4%), and Europe (11.6%). The MCST assessed applicants’ content planning skills and commitment to promoting Korean culture, ultimately selecting 1,152 individuals from 98 countries: 122 residing in Korea and 1,030 residing overseas.

The 7th cohort includes content creators who already have large subscriber bases. Notable examples include Eye Candy Dance Crew (337,000 subscribers), which performs K-pop dance routines at major landmarks across Mexico, and Thailand’s Aiyaphat Wankawisant (105,000 subscribers), who has gained attention for a series exploring Korean subway stations. Aiyaphat Wankawisant, who was named an outstanding K-influencer in 2024, shared his aspiration, saying, “I want to show Korea as a living culture.”

The launch ceremony on May 7 will be attended by approximately 100 foreign K-influencers residing in Korea, while overseas participants will join via live stream on the official YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/Kinfluencer).