Cultural cooperation between Korea and the European Union has often been confused with cooperation between Korea and individual European countries. This confusion arises from the persistent public perception that "EU=Europe" and the unique cultural perspective of the EU. The EU's cultural perspective can be understood in three main aspects.
Firstly, the EU emphasizes "European cultural identity" to foster interest in European integration among its citizens and highlight the necessity of such integration. This concept differs from the traditional view of culture as a source of belonging based on a shared language and heritage. Instead of a single cultural identity, the EU acknowledges the need to recognize and coexist with each member state's unique culture. This is reflected in the EU's recognition of 24 official languages and the slogan "Unity in Diversity." The shared experience of World War II also forms a historical foundation for European integration, and various policy measures emphasize this. Cultural exchanges between Korea and the EU have primarily focused on the unique cultural traditions of individual member states rather than the EU's cultural identity centered on "war and peace." European countries have conducted cultural cooperation through their embassies or cultural centers in Korea, while the Korean government has facilitated cultural exchanges through organizations like the Korea Foundation, Arts Council Korea and Korea Arts Management Service. Thus, EU member states have played a significant role in cultural cooperation with Korea rather than the EU as a whole.
Secondly, the EU in 2016 stated in its Strategy for International Cultural Relations that it would actively use culture in partnerships with other countries. This aspect represents an evolved concept, where the EU has become a more proactive player in the cultural realm. Culture is seen as a key tool for sustainable social and economic development and for building peaceful inter-community relations. The EU promotes "cultural diplomacy" conducted by EU institutions, member states, cultural institutions and civil society to advance European values such as human rights, gender equality, democracy, rule of law and cultural and linguistic diversity. The European Union National Institutes for Culture (EUNIC) is part of this effort, forming a global network of cultural institutions from EU member states and associated countries. EUNIC Korea Cluster, for example, holds an annual EUNIC Film Festival to promote European culture.
Thirdly, the EU sees culture as a source of new growth. Amid aging populations and low growth, the EU sees job creation in creative industries as essential for maintaining competitiveness in the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Culture is a key element in this, and the EU includes cultural cooperation protocols in its FTA negotiations. During the FTA negotiations with Korea, the EU proposed adopting a Korea-EU Cultural Cooperation Protocol, emphasizing audiovisual co-production. This reflects a compromise between member states with a conservative view that culture should not be subject to negotiation and the recognition of cultural industries' importance for future growth. Korea was the first country to include a cultural cooperation protocol in its FTA with the EU, which had previously introduced this concept in its 2008 FTA with the Caribbean Forum.
Korea has achieved some success in cultural cooperation with the EU, when it was the only partner chosen from Asia to attend the annual Cartoon Connection content marketing event. From 2010 to 2019, this event facilitated meetings and investment discussions between Korean and European animation professionals. Although some success was achieved, the number of co-productions has not grown significantly. From 2010 to 2019, there were 26 co-productions with countries such as the Netherlands, Germany, France, the U.K. and Italy. Recent co-production achievements have been poor. According to the KoBiz database, only 11 out of 129 international film co-productions from 2005 to 2024 involved European partners.
On the other hand, the export value of Korean animation to Europe grew by 74 percent, from $19 million in 2010 to $33 million in 2018. Increased interest and recognition of hallyu, such as K-pop and K-dramas, fueled this growth. The number of Korean Cultural Centers in Europe has also expanded from four to 11 over the past decade.
Thus, to expand on this cultural cooperation, a more strategic approach is needed for substantial and meaningful cooperation. While Korea-EU cultural cooperation was initiated based on the EU's initiatives, establishing continuous communication channels with domestic industry professionals to understand challenges in co-productions and improving policies to facilitate cooperation is essential. With European interest in K-content at an all-time high, it is now time for Korea to take the lead and showcase the power of K-content.
Yoon Sung-won is a professor at the School of Business at the University of Suwon.
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