Barcelona-born artist Antoni Muntadas takes a peek into the intense and conflict-ridden relations between Japan, South Korea and China with Asian Protocols, his exhibition that opens on Saturday in Tokyo aiming to spark a debate on self-censorship.

Boy band EXO and actor Yoo Ah-in were ranked as the most influential celebrities in Korea according to the annual ranking of the country’s version of business magazine, Forbes. [...] The list, titled Korea 2016 Power Celebrity 40, ranked celebrities based on sales, media exposure, broadcasting activities and professionalism.

An exhibition to introduce South Korea to the world to increase its national brand awareness will be held in Seoul later this month. The non-governmental organization Voluntary Agency Network of Korea (VANK) and Yonhap News Agency will cohost the "National Brand (UP) Exhibition" at the National Museum of Korea in Yongsan, Seoul from Feb. 23-28.

At the Corea Image Communications Institute’s annual award ceremony last week, which honored individuals who have popularized Korean culture worldwide, over 60 foreign ambassadors and diplomats engaged in an evening of cultural diplomacy. 

It also launched a presidential committee to set and implement detailed goals and action plans. The 22-strong panel now chaired by art director Pyo Jae-soon held its first meeting with newly appointed members on Dec. 16. Park, for her part, has proven to be the nation’s top culture ambassador herself on the world stage. 

President Park Geun-hye participated in diverse events aimed at promoting Korean culture and expanding cultural ties with France and the Czech Republic during her visit to the European countries last week. [...] At a Cabinet meeting in August, the President said: "We need to discover those neglected cultural values and reinterpret them in a modern way so we can recreate our culture."

Kitty is just so cute. Cute and mute. She's a cypher, a logo: and yet magically so broad in her appeal that she has become a carrier for and a manifestation of Japanese soft power throughout East Asia and beyond, Yano says. She's the globally recognised ambassador for Japan's cute or "kawaii" culture.