August 1-3, 2025. At the mountain village of Ararichon in Jeongseon, Gangwon County, over 150 artists from 22 countries gathered for the World Arte Festival, under the slogan, “Hear the World, Heal the World.”
For the third time, the festival organizers and local officials welcomed global artists, cultural practitioners, and visitors at the Arari village theme park in Jeongseon, situated in the heart of the Taebaek Mountain range, surrounded by mountains on all sides and boasting breathtaking natural scenery, with the flowing waters of Auraji. On the first day, the healing program kicked off with a parade of world artists adorned in traditional attire and national flags, which transformed the theme park into a vibrant stage for international artistic exchange and solidarity.
The Arari Village Theme Park in Jeongseon is an exhibition arena where visitors can stay for a few days as they choose and see what the people life was like in a rural village during the Joseon Dynasty that lasted for 505 years, from 1392 to 1910 in South Korea. It was mentioned that the uniquely calm and peaceful natural surroundings have come a long way in the formation of their own local housing culture and industrial activities over many generations.
For three days, the festival facilitated various healing programs including live music and paintings, yoga and meditation, martial art, exhibitions of visual and performing arts to strengthen a deeper sense of collaboration, among artists and cultural practitioners from Korea, Japan, Bangladesh, Colombia, Uzbekistan, Ethiopia, Spain, Sudan, Russia, the Philippines, Uganda, China, and Germany among the many invited. Annually, the festival invites about 150 global artists, including musicians, painters, performers, photographers, and creators, who collaborate across genres and mediums.
The World Arte Festival, 2025, a picture gallery…
The World Arte festival was founded by Choi Younyoung, the CEO of Company Duellim Co., a musician, entrepreneur, and cultural visionary who has dedicated her life to preserving and modernizing Korea’s rich folk heritage. A winner of the 2015 KBS Korean Traditional Music Awards – Grand Prize in the Folk Song Category in 2018, she began her journey as a traditional singer from Gyeongsang-do, collecting and sharing the region’s beauty through music.
In her post-event message as a Project Manager, she highlighted that while returning to her everyday life as a musician, throughout the festival, she was filled with joy and comfort at the thought of making the music she loves again. She is a full-time artist, mainly working through performances, recording albums, and teaching.
“Each year, this festival has grown: more participants, deeper coordination with Jeongseon, and more things to prepare. Honestly, the thought of doing it again is daunting and scary at times. But when I see your joyful faces, your happiness, and the memories you’ve made, I’m moved,” she said.
For Russia-born Stanislav Ossovsky, a pianist, composer, an assistive device inventor for the visually impaired, and a passionate collaborator in all things music, participating for the second time was offering not just music, but a bold voice for creative freedom, as he strongly asserted the holiness of art.
“I don’t represent a country, I represent the holy art,” he said to Pressenza Press during a post-performance interview. Stanislav believes that art should not serve political interests or nationalistic agendas, but instead be a force for human betterment. “The only purpose of art is to make people better.” He added. At the end of the festival, he was nominated for a Free Spirit Award certificate and got a cash prize. He’s currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Music Psychology at the University of Tasmania and previously completed a D.M.A. in Piano Performance at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA.
Spanish Flamenco Dancer La Cobriza, a passionate dancer and cultural connector, has been a recurring presence at the World Art Festival, attending for the third year in a row. She was born and raised in Hamburg, Germany, and studied at the Amor de Dios school in Spain. Through her travels around the world, she has drawn inspiration from diverse musical and dance styles in creating her unique dance expression.
“I was introduced to the festival by Toketori, with whom I began collaborating in 2022. This festival is truly special; it builds a bridge between cultures and celebrates diversity through art.” Her participation this year included a powerful fusion crossover performance featuring Korean percussionists, as well as guitar and piano accompaniment. “Each time I come, I discover new artistic dimensions. This year, the collaboration was especially meaningful,” she said.
La Cobriza also sees clear signs of the festival’s ongoing development. “There’s progress, more people are coming, and I see new faces along with the familiar community. That blend of continuity and new energy is greatly exciting,” she noted.
Despite the summer heat and scorching sun, in the end, thanks to the organizers, we were happily connected, sharing common human values of solidarity, peace and healing, realizing that art can transcend borders and bring people together in profound and joyful ways. The 2025 World Arte Festival was supported by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province, Jeongseon-gunjeongseon, Arirang Cultural Foundation, Jeongseon DMO Business Group, Company Duellim Ltd, and World Music Nonina.
Visit noninaworld.com/25festival or follow @world_arte_festival on Instagram for more information.
Photo Credits: Media Director Min Cheol-hee and Bereket Alemayehu