At a time marked by geopolitical fractures and technological competition, culture has re-emerged as a structural instrument of national power. No longer an ornament, no longer merely a promotional tool, but a strategic infrastructure capable of shaping alliances, influencing perceptions, and directing economic and tourism flows. Within this landscape, the axis between Italy and South Korea is steadily consolidating as one of the most compelling and forward-looking cultural dialogues between Europe and Asia.
Italy remains one of the world’s foremost expressions of historical and artistic heritage: a stratified civilization whose legacy coincides with the very memory of the West. South Korea, by contrast, is often portrayed as the emblem of contemporary Asia — dynamic, technologically advanced, and capable of transforming music, audiovisual production, aesthetics, and lifestyle into a powerful global soft power platform. Yet this apparent opposition is misleading. Both countries share a long and complex history, a deeply rooted cultural consciousness, and a state-level understanding of culture as a strategic asset.
In recent years, Seoul has built an integrated model in which creative industries, public policy, and digital platforms converge into a coherent international projection strategy. Rome, for its part, continues to stand as a global benchmark in heritage
