South Korea is commemorating the 80th anniversary of its liberation from Japanese colonial rule this Friday with an extensive program of exhibitions, concerts, performances, and participatory art projects taking place across the nation. The diverse cultural events range from celebrations of Korea's Olympic achievements and independence movements to explorations of memory, hope, and national identity, offering audiences opportunities to honor the past, engage with the present, and envision the future through music, art, invention, and storytelling.
The National Museum of Korea is hosting several significant exhibitions for the anniversary. The special exhibition "The Radiant Strides, Moving the World" celebrates Korean athletes who inspired generations, running through December 28. This exhibition traces the remarkable journey from Sohn Kee-chung's groundbreaking 1936 Olympic victory to the symbolic torch relay at the 1988 Seoul Olympics. Additionally, the museum's annex presents "Independence and Invention" until August 31, organized in collaboration with the Korean Intellectual Property Office, exploring the lives and innovations of five inventors who contributed to Korea's modernization.
Art museums across the country are featuring special exhibitions that explore themes of homeland and identity. The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Deoksugung, presents "Landscape of Homeland and Longing" from August 14 to November 9, a special exhibition of Korean modern art that examines the longing for homeland through the lens of division, displacement, and resilience. This comprehensive exhibition features more than 200 pieces spanning painting, photography, sculpture, and drawing by 86 artists. Meanwhile, the National Folk Museum's Paju branch hosts the video exhibition "The Reclaimed Light, the Enduring Song, Arirang" from July 15 to August 31, examining how Korea's most iconic folk song has evolved through times of resistance, reunion, and healing.
Musical performances form a central part of the anniversary celebrations. On Liberation Day, August 15, the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra will present a special concert marking both the anniversary of Korea's liberation and the orchestra's own 80th founding year in 1945. Conducted by Choi Soo-yeoul, the program honors the spirit of the independence movement and the values of freedom and peace. The concert opens with the Adagietto from Mahler's Symphony No. 5, followed by Ravel's Piano Concerto in G Major performed by pianist Kim Tae-hyung. Geomungo master Oh Kyung-ja will join for "Surijae," a geomungo concerto by Jeong Dae-seok that reimagines traditional Korean music in a contemporary orchestral setting, with the finale featuring the third and fourth movements of Sibelius' Symphony No. 2.
The same day will also feature a history musical gala show at the outdoor plaza of the National Museum of Korea in Seoul. This concert brings together powerful scenes from historical musicals such as "Baekbeom," "Watch," and "Shinheung Military Academy," all productions based on Korea's independence movement and the lives of independence activists including Kim Koo and Yun Bong-gil. The National Gugak Center contributes two special concerts to the anniversary celebrations, presenting "The Light We Sing" on August 14 and 15, an evocative performance weaving together themes of harmony, memory, hope, and future through traditional Korean music.
Additional major performances will extend the celebration beyond Liberation Day itself. On August 16, the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts will present "8.15 Seoul, My Soul" at Seoul Plaza in front of City Hall. This free outdoor gala, starting at 7 p.m., pairs timeless songs from "Les Misérables" with stirring numbers from the Korean hit musical "Hero," featuring top musical theater actors such as Yang Jun-mo, celebrated for his portrayal of Ahn Jung-geun in "Hero," and Min Woo-hyuk, acclaimed for his role as Jean Valjean in "Les Misérables." On August 20, "Harmony," a large-scale commemorative concert featuring both Korean traditional instruments and a Western orchestra, will be staged at the National Theater of Korea, highlighting the meaning of liberation through musical unity.
The Seoul Foundation for Arts and Culture has organized a citywide program running from August 9 to 17, featuring exhibitions, performances, and participatory events marking the 80th Liberation Day. At Nodeul Island, large-scale Taegeukgi installations have been created, including a facade display of the historic 1919 Jingwansa Taegeukgi, 16 period flags, and a 40-meter installation made with 1,000 pinwheels. An indoor exhibition showcases historical photographs and portraits of 80 female independence activists. On August 14 and 15 at Theater Quad in the theater district of Daehangno in central Seoul, the foundation presents "Train No. 37," a sung-through musical created with Kazakhstan's National Academic Koryo Theatre, memorializing the 1937 forced migration of Koreans to Central Asia and the survival of the Korean language and culture in exile.
Participatory art projects allow citizens to engage directly with the anniversary's meaning. Until August 16, "My Taegeukgi, Our Taegeukgi" runs at the Seoul Foundation for Arts and Culture's five regional culture and arts education centers, where participants can design their own artistic Taegeukgi using DIY kits, encouraging reflection on the flag's symbolism and Liberation Day's significance. The National Asia Culture Center in Gwangju commemorates the anniversary with two programs honoring independence activist Park Yeol. On August 15 at 3 p.m., Theater 2 stages the musical "Park Yeol," based on the true story of Park and Kaneko Fumiko following the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake, blending traditional Korean arts with drama to portray their unwavering resistance under colonial rule.
The cultural celebrations conclude with film screenings that bring historical stories to contemporary audiences. On August 16 at 2 p.m., the Asia Culture Center's Theater 3 will screen Lee Joon-ik's award-winning 2017 film "Anarchist from Colony," starring Lee Je-hoon and Choi Hee-seo, which vividly depicts Park Yeol's courtroom defiance based on actual trial records. These comprehensive cultural programs demonstrate how South Korea continues to honor its liberation through artistic expression, ensuring that the stories of resistance, hope, and national identity remain alive for future generations.
