▷ From K-Pop to Living Heritage: A New Global Connection

We live in an age where Mars exploration and artificial intelligence coexist with the global influence of K-pop. Amid this rapidly evolving landscape, Culture Masters, in partnership with metropolitan cities across Korea, is leading a new global movement—one that places intangible cultural heritage (ICH) at the very heart of urban vision, cultural sustainability, and creative innovation.

Intangible heritage is not a relic of the past; it is the living spirit of humanity. It carries our collective wisdom, artistry, and sense of belonging across generations. In the digital age, ICH is emerging as a vital bridge—connecting tradition and creativity, memory and design, local identity and global vision.

General Discussion Scene of the Intergovernmental Meeting on the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

▷ The Spirit of Humanity – Living Heritage

Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) is not a relic of the past.
It is the living soul of humanity — our collective creativity, wisdom, and belonging.
In the digital era, heritage becomes a bridge between tradition and innovation, memory and design, locality and global vision.

▷ Korea’s Leadership in Safeguarding Heritage

Since the 1960s, Korea has been a global pioneer in safeguarding intangible heritage.
Its 1962 Cultural Heritage Protection Act inspired UNESCO’s later framework,
and Korea played a leading role in the adoption of the 2003 UNESCO Convention.
Through continuous international programs and cultural diplomacy,
Korea has helped reshape the global conversation on heritage and sustainability.

▷ The Vision: WIN 2026 – World Intangible Heritage Festival Powered by Culture Masters

Looking ahead to 2026, Culture Masters, in collaboration with leading metropolitan cities and their regional cultural festivals, aims to host the World Intangible Heritage Festival (WIN 2026)—a global celebration uniting tradition, creativity, and innovation.

Under the theme “Living Heritage: Embracing Myth and Narrative,” the festival will invite performing groups representing UNESCO-inscribed intangible heritage from around the world. These include Vietnam’s Ca Trù, Mongolia’s Khöömii and Biyelgee, Kazakhstan’s Dombra and Orteke, Kyrgyzstan’s Manas Epic, Botswana’s Wosana Ritual, and the UAE’s Al-Taghrooda, among others.

Beyond showcasing diverse performances, WIN 2026 will serve as a living laboratory of urban imagination, where heritage bearers, creative directors, policymakers, and young innovators explore how cities can grow through culture.

Karsakbayeva Aigerim from Kazakhstan, appointed as an Arirang Master in 2024.

Beyond showcasing diverse performances, WIN EXPO 2026 will be a living platform of dialogue—bringing together heritage bearers, creative directors, cultural policymakers, and young innovators to imagine new ways of preserving and reinterpreting living traditions.

Mevlevi Sema Ceremony Performance

▷ WIN EXPO 2026 – A Festival of Cities and Living Traditions

In 2026, Culture Masters will coordinate the World Intangible Heritage Expo (WIN EXPO 2026) as an open, multi-city festival linking local celebrations across Korea.
Under the theme “Living Heritage: Embracing Myth and Narrative,”
UNESCO-inscribed heritage ensembles and creative artists from around the world will join Korean cities to present a shared vision of culture and innovation.

Rather than being hosted in a single city, the Expo will connect festivals in Suwon, Incheon, Gwangmyeong, Anyang, Siheung and other regions,
turning each into a stage where “cities design culture, and culture reshapes cities.”

▷ Heritage Designs the City

The Expo will combine performance, technology, and urban innovation through programs such as:

Mobile Cultural Parades: International troupes march and perform alongside local festivals.

Cultural Banquets and Global Feasts: Urban spaces transform into celebrations of music, art, ritual, and cuisine.

Heritage-Driven Urban Regeneration: Industrial and public spaces reborn as creative stages.

International Forum “Cities and Heritage”: Scholars and policymakers discuss how heritage advances urban sustainability.

Citizen and Youth Participation: Volunteers and artists join together in symbolic acts of cultural solidarity.

Ultimately, WIN EXPO 2026 is not merely an event but a strategic framework for cultural urban development.

▷ Creativity and Innovation Intertwined

The Expo will celebrate creative diversity through collaborative performances and interactive design.
AI, projection mapping, and VR technologies will bring ancient arts to life; Korean pansori meets media art, and traditional attire becomes a “Heritage Runway.”
Workshops and hands-on sessions will invite visitors to learn dance, crafts, and cuisine from around the world.

Night view of Suwon Hwaseong Fortress, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

▷ Sustainability and Global Partnerships

The WIN EXPO will be implemented through the collaboration of the UNESCO ICH NGO Forum, the International Advisory Board (IAB),
regional foundations, and private enterprises. Its core principles are sustainability, creativity, and shared responsibility.
Funding will combine public support, ticket revenues, corporate sponsorships, and ESG partnerships to build a resilient model focused on substance over scale.

▷ Toward a Global Living Heritage Hub – and WIN 2028

WIN EXPO 2026 is the launchpad for WIN 2028 – The World Intangible Heritage Grand Festival,
uniting Korea’s cities as a global hub where tradition and innovation coexist.
Like Cannes for film or Rio for carnival, Korean cities will become living laboratories of cultural creativity and urban diplomacy.

▷ Conclusion – Designing the Future through Heritage

Safeguarding heritage is not about preserving the past but designing the future.
WIN EXPO 2026 will be a global stage where myth, memory, and creativity converge.

Dr. SeongYong Park, President of Culture Masters, states:

“The future of culture will be built not on competition but on connection.
Living heritage is our shared human language — through it, we can design a more peaceful and creative world.”

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