Master potter Lee Hyeong-woo, left, and ceramic master Park Gwang-cheon / Courtesy of Grand Korea Leisure
Korea is turning to an unconventional stage for cultural diplomacy, placing award-winning traditional ceramics inside a casino in Seoul in an effort to attract foreign tourists and promote regional arts.
Grand Korea Leisure, which operates the Seven Luck foreigner-only casinos, said Tuesday it opened a special exhibition featuring master ceramists from Yeoju at its Coex branch in Gangnam District. The exhibition runs through June 30.
The company said the display is part of a broader initiative to link tourism with regional culture and support local festivals, including the upcoming Yeoju Ceramic Festival scheduled to begin May 1.
Two artists are featured in the exhibition: master ceramist Park Gwang-cheon and Yeoju city master potter Lee Hyeong-woo. Each has contributed five works, which are displayed on the third floor of the casino’s dedicated exhibition space.
Grand Korea Leisure CEO Yoon Doo-hyun said the venue attracts more than 360,000 foreign visitors annually, making it a strategic platform for cultural outreach.
Yoon said the exhibition is intended to introduce visitors to Korea’s traditional craftsmanship while also drawing attention to regional cultural events.
The company said the initiative is part of a “regional coexistence model” that integrates tourism services with cultural programming, aimed at expanding the reach of Korean cultural assets beyond conventional museum and gallery spaces.
Grand Korea Leisure also said it is pursuing broader tourism-related initiatives, including support for medical tourism, public-private partnerships to boost travel consumption and cultural content programs targeting underserved communities.
Officials said the exhibition reflects an effort to diversify the cultural experience offered to foreign visitors in Seoul, blending entertainment venues with traditional arts.
Source: Korea Times News
