Korea Week Berlin 2026

Three Decades of Korean Culture in Berlin

Korea Week Berlin was launched in 1994 when the Korean diaspora in the federal capital was numerous but not very visible. Today, 31 years and thousands of K-Pop fans later, the festival is no longer just a meeting point for the community but a cultural bridge between Berlin and Seoul. The Korean Cultural Centre Berlin – the official representative of the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs for cultural matters – organizes the series annually.

Kulturbrauerei – A Venue with Atmosphere

The Kulturbrauerei in Prenzlauer Berg, Schönhauser Allee 36, is a former Schultheiss brewery from the 19th century and one of Berlin's most beautiful event complexes: cobblestone courtyards, brick buildings, several concert halls, cinemas, restaurants. For Korea Week, the entire complex is used – main stage in the courtyard, film hall in the Cinéma, K-Pop flea market in the halls, K-Food area in the lounge.

Program Between Tradition and the K-Wave

The concept works by combining generations: while the older generation of the Korean diaspora appreciates tea ceremonies, traditional music (Pansori, Samul Nori), and Hanbok exhibitions, younger K-Pop fans come for DJ sets, K-Pop dance showcases, Wattpad fan meetups, and the K-Drama marathon. Both worlds meet at K-Food – at the Bibimbap stand, during the Kimchi workshop, and at the Bulgogi BBQ.

Pankow and the Rise of Koreans in Berlin

Berlin has a long Korean history: in the 1970s, West Berlin recruited Korean miners (who ended up in the NRW coal mining regions) and nurses – the nurses stayed in Berlin and built the first generation of the Korean community. Today, the diaspora is in its third generation, with its own bars (Pankow, Friedrichshain, Neukölln), bakeries, and restaurants. Korea Week is the annual collective platform for this history.