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A Tradition Day banner is seen on the gate to Deoksu Palace in Seoul on this undated file picture. Courtesy of Ministry of Tradition, Sports activities and Tourism
On occasion, Monica, 36, a working mom from Uzbekistan, and her Korean husband take their daughter Miso, 11, to the cinema close to their house in Seoul. Miso loves animated movies, and the household considers film outings a small however significant second amid their busy schedules. However, as Monica lately discovered, she has been lacking out on a profit designed to make such experiences extra inexpensive.
“We lately watched ‘Zootopia 2’ and paid full worth,” Monica advised The Korea Occasions. “If we had recognized a reduction was accessible on the final Wednesday of the month, we undoubtedly would have deliberate round it.”
The low cost Monica was referring to is a part of Tradition Day, a authorities initiative designed to make cultural actions extra accessible. Launched in 2014, Tradition Day gives lowered or free admission to a variety of cultural venues resembling film theaters, public museums, galleries, live performance halls and sports activities occasions on the final Wednesday of each month. In a 2024 survey by the Ministry of Tradition, Sports activities and Tourism, six out of 10 Koreans had been conscious of this system and 66.3 % had used the profit that yr, an indication that Tradition Day has turn into one of many nation’s flagship cultural insurance policies.
Backed by excessive participation, the ministry introduced plans earlier this month to broaden Tradition Day from a month-to-month occasion to a weekly program, with reductions accessible each Wednesday beginning in April. The ministry is presently endeavor the mandatory authorized procedures to implement the change.
“If reductions can be found each Wednesday, we’ll be capable to watch motion pictures extra typically with my daughter,” Monica mentioned. “And my Uzbek pals might be blissful to find out about Tradition Day, too.”
Whereas the coverage has been round for greater than a decade, consciousness of the coverage seems much more restricted amongst Korea’s rising inhabitants of international residents, which now exceeds 2.5 million, regardless of the coverage additionally making use of to international nationals.
Agrim Bhalla, a global pupil from India, mentioned he had by no means heard of Tradition Day throughout his three and a half years in Korea. After studying about it throughout this interview with The Korea Occasions, he expressed curiosity in utilizing the reductions as a approach to expertise extra of Korea’s tradition.
Ariel Schudson, an American resident who has lived in Seoul for six years, mentioned she is conscious of this system, however many individuals round her aren’t.
“I truly advised considered one of my shut pals about it simply the opposite day,” she mentioned. “I don’t suppose it’s very nicely marketed, particularly in locations folks examine recurrently — on-line media, Instagram, issues like that.”
Moviegoers take a look at posters on the CGV cinema in Yongsan IPark Mall in central Seoul, Wednesday. Yonhap
The Regional Tradition & Growth Company (RCDA), which oversees implementation of the Tradition Day program, notes the reductions are open to all, together with international residents.
“We don’t distinguish between Korean and non-Korean residents on the subject of having fun with cultural actions,” an RCDA official mentioned. “Anybody in Korea can profit from Tradition Day.”
Yoon So-young, a researcher on the Korea Tradition and Tourism Institute, added, “So long as they reside in Korea, there aren’t any further obstacles to benefiting from Tradition Day.”
Nevertheless, consultants level to ongoing accessibility points.
Choi Hye-ja, a professor at Sungkonghoe College, recalled how public notices throughout the COVID-19 pandemic had been typically offered solely in Korean, leaving many international residents at midnight for almost two years.
“It’s the identical subject — accessibility. At a minimal, fundamental info needs to be accessible in English, Chinese language, Japanese and different extensively spoken languages,” Choi mentioned.
With this system set to broaden from as soon as a month to each week, consultants anticipate consciousness to develop over time, reaching extra worldwide residents as nicely.
“As soon as reductions and different advantages turn into accessible weekly, I feel consciousness will naturally enhance, together with amongst international residents,” mentioned Kang Gained-jae, director of the Nowon Basis for Arts and Tradition.
Choi additionally views the weekly growth as an opportunity to foster deeper cultural exchanges, calling for the Tradition Day program to replicate Korea’s more and more various inhabitants not simply in its messaging, but additionally in its content material.
“If Korea really goals to be a cultural powerhouse as a center energy, we additionally want extra probabilities to come across different cultures — for instance Indonesian, Indian or Vietnamese,” she mentioned.
“If all we do is give attention to promoting Korean content material to different nations, when can we ever get to study concerning the cultures of individuals dwelling amongst us? That’s what would make Tradition Day genuinely inclusive, each in spirit and in apply.”
Guests stroll across the Nationwide Museum of Korea in Seoul, Dec. 11, 2025. Yonhap
The place to go to on Tradition Day
Advantages fluctuate by location and will embrace free admission, discounted tickets or prolonged night hours. Guests are suggested to examine particular person venues prematurely.
Main palaces and royal websites (free admission)
Gyeongbok Palace
Changdeok Palace
Changgyeong Palace
Deoksu Palace
Jongmyo Shrine
Joseon Royal Tombs
Museums and galleries (free admission, prolonged hours)
Nationwide Museum of Fashionable and Up to date Artwork
Nationwide Folks Museum of Korea
Performing arts venues (discounted tickets on choose performances)
Sejong Middle for the Performing Arts
Different
Reductions can be found for skilled baseball video games throughout all 10 Korea Baseball Group groups in addition to matches organized by the Korea Volleyball Federation.
Diminished charges can be found at Nationwide Recreation Forests, whereas reductions are additionally provided at SEA LIFE COEX in Seoul and Aqua Planet Ilsan in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province.
Public libraries could enable guests to borrow further books on Tradition Day.
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