3rd Edition World ARTE Festival 2025 Prepares to Bring Global Artists to South Korea

Since 2023, the South Korea-based World ARTE Festival has been an attractive event in bringing creative people together. This year, the third edition of the festival will take place from August 1-3, 2025, at Jeongseon Arari Village, a cultural village located in Gangwon Province, South Korea.

Ahead of the August festival, I had the pleasure of attending a pre-festival meetup held from June 6 to 8, where global artists and cultural practitioners participated in diverse workshops, cultural experiences, and performances. The organizers explained that last year’s festival attracted 140 artists from 14 countries, who represented South Korea, Japan, China, Germany, France, Vietnam, Spain, Canada, India, Ireland, Mexico, Kazakhstan, Bangladesh, and the DR Congo.

The global festival was founded by Choi Younyoung, the CEO of Company Duellim Co., a musician, entrepreneur, and cultural visionary who has dedicated her life to preserving and modernizing Korea’s rich folk heritage. A winner of the 2015 KBS Korean Traditional Music Awards – Grand Prize in the Folk Song Category in 2018, she began her journey as a traditional singer from Gyeongsang-do, collecting and sharing the region’s beauty through music.

This festival, with a mission of Hearing the World and Healing the World, held annually in the Jeongseon Arari Village, has grown into a dynamic platform for cross-cultural exchange, solidarity, and promotion of the world’s traditional arts. Starting modestly in Yeongdong village, Chungbuk Province, the first festival featured musicians from countries including New Zealand, the U.S., Canada, Thailand, and Myanmar.

The organizers say their project’s heart lies in building solidarity among traditional and folk musicians, both professionals and those still struggling for recognition. The festival invites about 150 artists each year, musicians, painters, performers, and creators, who collaborate across genres and mediums. Over the years, nearly 400 artists have participated, creating a growing global network that transcends cultural boundaries.

During an interview, Artistic Director Sun-jae Clemente Min told Pressenza that beyond music, the festival now includes exhibitions of visual and performing arts to deepen the spirit of collaboration.

“Artists from Japan, Bangladesh, Colombia, and Germany are among the many invited. Bangladesh and Nepal hold a special connection through an ongoing artist residency program. The festival is generously supported by the Jeongseon Arirang Culture Foundation, whose director and president, Choi Jong-Soo, shares his vision for culture-driven community building. The center provides food, accommodation, and transportation for participants, recognizing the importance of meaningful artistic gatherings over commercial spectacle.” He added.

One of the unique highlights is the annual collaborative production, where artists co-create new musical works rooted in the Jeongseon Arirang. This beloved Korean folk melody was listed in the UNESCO Representative Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in December 2012. By blending this with improvisations and traditional instruments from around the world, they create a collective voice that honors both heritage and innovation, including using AI technology.

The pre-festival meetup was filled with interesting programs, such as cross-disciplinary art experience sessions, icebreaking & getting to know each other, festival planning & ideation discussions, cheerful games and quizzes with prizes, watching a representative musical performance from Jeongseon Arirang folk song, artists’ networking, and an after-party.

Here are images from this attractive, creative event: