It’s been 70 years since the Korean peninsula was divided into the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and the Republic of Korea (South Korea). It is a story of divergence in almost every realm imaginable: political, economic, social, and of course, cultural. American University’s Katzen Arts Center’s parallel exhibitions highlight the artistic dimension of this split. 

In seeking to raise its international profile and influence, Taiwan can take lessons from South Korea’s growing soft power. Its soft power has been expanding through the growing appeal and attraction of its popular culture worldwide. As a result, the government has vigorously promoted Korean popular culture, taking advantage of its growing popularity to enhance Korea’s international standing

South Korea's Cabinet on Tuesday endorsed an enforcement ordinance of the public diplomacy act, marking yet another move to bolster the country's diplomatic profile on the global stage. [...] The new ordinance is expected to offer fresh momentum for South Korea's efforts to court foreign countries to promote its commercial and cultural products and bolster multilateral security cooperation.

An event will take place this week to help students from South Korea and Japan better understand each other's culture through dancing. The organizers -- the Soorim Cultural Foundation and the Japan Global Cultural Exchange Foundation -- on Sunday said they will hold a cultural exchange program titled "Seoul-de Dance, Dance, Dance" from Thursday to Monday.

Changsha, capital city of central China's Hunan Province, has been awarded the title of the "2017 Culture City of East Asia" in a program established by China, Japan and South Korea in Beijing. [...] The three candidate cities were judged by an 11-member committee of experts in the fields of cultural exchange, cultural service system construction and intangible cultural heritage protection and inheritance.

Baum + Whiteman food consultancy recently chose Kimchi, Korea’s traditional fermented vegetable dish, as one of the top food trends for 2016. According to Google, Bibimbap was one of 2015’s top five ‘rising’ foods by search query volume. And T.G.I. Friday’s—the north star of mainstream Americana—has even experimented with adding Korean tacos to its menus.

Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida and his South Korean counterpart, Yun Byung-se, affirmed in Laos on Monday their intention to implement the landmark bilateral settlement on the “comfort women” forced into Japan’s military brothels during the war by setting up a foundation this week designed to help the surviving victims.