First Ladies Kim Hea Kyung and Brigitte Macron visit Hanji exhibition in Paris

During South Korean President Lee Jae Myung’s state visit to France, First Lady Kim Hea Kyung and French First Lady Brigitte Macron attended the ‘Hanjimania’ special exhibition at the Hotel de la Marine in Paris.

Part of Paris Design Week and commemorating the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between South Korea and France, the exhibition features collaborative works by Korean and French artists using traditional Korean mulberry paper, known as hanji. The two women participated in a performance to complete a hanji artwork and discussed the cultural value of the material. Kim highlighted hanji’s durability and its use in restoring cultural assets at institutions like the Louvre, expressing hope for its upcoming UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage listing in December.

Singer Hwasa also attended the exhibition, presenting Kim and Macron with signed albums encased in hanji. Hwasa later performed at a state dinner hosted by President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace, which included various leaders from the business and cultural sectors.