K-Event Coverage: Chingu Wave Festival 2026 in Aubagne, France

Writers: Riya Choudhary (Delhi, India) and Sabrina Soogrim (Paris, France)

Editor: Pooja Vishwanathan (Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh, India)

On the occasion of the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between France and South Korea, the associations Army Mums France and Kdrama 4 You organised the inaugural Chingu Wave Festival, dedicated to Korean culture. The event took place on June 6th and 7th at the Agora Convention Center in Aubagne, Southern France.

The festival’s program showcased everything that has made the Hallyu (Korean Wave) a global phenomenon. Visitors could explore a wide range of cultural experiences. They had a professional photographer’s booth, such as Sarah Varlet, as well as Korean illustrators and artists like Shisoh and calligrapher Mr. Kim.

K-pop also took centre stage, with numerous booths dedicated to the genre, as well as spaces celebrating Korean dramas and Korean cinema, hosted by various fan associations. Korean fashion was represented by Hapkido Shop, which also introduced visitors to Hapkido, the Korean martial art often considered a sister discipline to Taekwondo.

The festival also featured Korean cuisine (K-food), as well as dedicated areas for K-beauty and Korean literature, where visitors could discover a wide selection of novels and webtoons.

Here’s a look back at two days of bringing Korean Culture to France.

Day 1

The first day was filled with performances and conferences, creating a lively atmosphere throughout. From Sunder Crew’s K-pop cover performances and the Random Play Dance they hosted to Sasha’s captivating stage performance, there was always something happening on stage.

Visitors, during the day, also had the chance to take part in an Hapkido initiation workshop as well as a Jegi competition, which brought plenty of laughter and excitement to both the audience and the exhibitors. Everyone joined in with great enthusiasm, especially with prizes awaiting the winners.

The programme also featured a conference on the role of K-influencers, hosted by Illuminarts, as well as a talk on fairy tales in K-dramas by Marie Joncquez, author of several books on the subject.

Meanwhile, the lucky fans who secured a spot at Peakboy’s fan signing had the opportunity to meet the artist up close and exchange a few words with him.

Day 2

The second day opened with the captivating premiere of Lantou Orina’s storytelling performance, inspired by the encounter between French sailors washed ashore on the Korean coast and the local people, despite neither side sharing a common language. Through this moving tale, the audience was invited to reflect on our relationship with the “other,” showing how gestures, expressions, and human presence can communicate when words cannot.

​The day continued with another performance by Sunder Crews, followed by their Random Play Dance, which once again brought great energy to the festival.

The conference programme was equally engaging, featuring renowned French author Jean-Claude de Crescenzo, who gave a talk on Korean customs and amusing cultural habits before meeting readers during a book-signing session. Visitors could also attend a conference hosted by Ochima, who shared insights into what it means to be an artist in Korea.

Experiences

Ms. Sabrina Soogrim, who worked as the MC of this festival, shared her experience.

It was my first time hosting a festival, and what an incredible honour it was to be the MC for a Korean festival in France. I was genuinely surprised by people’s warm welcome and kindness. As I’m used to attending events in Paris, I could really feel that the south of France has a different atmosphere. There is a genuine sense of closeness and sincerity from both the visitors and the exhibitors, which made the whole weekend truly memorable.

I shared the stage with my co-host, Vanessa Pisano, who is not only a friend but also a colleague, so it was a real pleasure to host the event together. We have very different approaches to both people and hosting, which allowed us to bring different energies to the stage throughout the weekend. I believe that balance contributed to creating an enjoyable experience for the audience.

Overall, I was very happy to meet the visitors. Many of them expressed how happy they were to finally have a Korean cultural event in their region, without having to travel all the way to Paris to experience Korean culture. The wide variety of booths was also impressive. Whether someone was already familiar with Korean culture or discovering it for the first time, the two-day event offered an immersive experience showcasing some of the very best of Korea.

From conferences to performances, and from wandering around the booths to chatting with visitors and exhibitors, I could tell that every effort had been made to showcase Korean culture to the fullest.

Regarding the performances, I was blown away by the Hapkido demonstration, which showed just how powerful and disciplined this martial art is. I was also impressed by Sasha’s (from the famous TV show The Voice Kids) highly professional singing and dancing performance, worthy of a K-pop idol. I was mesmerised and energised by both Sunder Crew’s dynamic cover performances and Eric Delgome’s soft and soothing voice.

Last but not least, I really enjoyed Peakboy’s DJ set. It was a great stress reliever, and everything about it, from warming up the audience before his arrival to as soon as he arrived on stage to getting everyone dancing to his mixes and cheering him up, was simply a lot of fun. I cannot wait to see the second edition of this festival. 

Ms. Mathilde Sainte, a content creator and Korea enthusiast who was invited as a guest, shared her experience. 

I really enjoyed the Chingu Wave Festival; it was a truly wonderful event that showcased various aspects of Korean culture—both traditional and modern.

I was lucky enough to be invited to the event to give talks about my journey as a content creator focused on South Korea. So, one of the highlights of the weekend for me was those talks; I also had a great time at the afterparty with all the guests and during Peakboy’s DJ set. Overall, it was a fantastic weekend, and I’m truly very happy to have been able to participate in this event! Thank you so much!

Ms. Valérie, who participated as an exhibitor, shared her experience.

A very well-organized first edition by a passionate, friendly, and above all, kind team. And I think that’s what set the tone for the event. Unfortunately, there weren’t many people, but that also allowed us to have some time to meet each other and share our worlds. Designers, photographers, authors, artists, fan clubs, skincare specialists, a K-pop boutique—mostly women, actually, even though men were present, though fewer in number. My favourites for their work and personalities: Marie Lee, designer; Bojagi, closely associated with the BTS project; my lovely neighbour from Mooa Beauté en Harmonie; and Monsieur Kim, master of calligraphy.

I wasn’t able to attend the conferences, but I had the pleasure of enjoying the performances on the main stage. Lots of energy with the dance, singing, and taekwondo, and plenty of emotion with the dramatic reading of “1851: The Waves of the Narwhal” by Lantou Onirina. As for my participation, I thoroughly enjoyed interacting with a very curious audience.

Two incredible women led the organization, a close-knit and organized team, and then a huge shout-out to two other women, Sabrina and Vanessa, the festival’s masters of ceremonies—radiant, touching, and possessing a rare humanity that was truly uplifting! My daughter and a friend accompanied me and left with the same feeling. A beautiful and genuine event, and the shared moments seemed far too short. We hope for a second edition!

Conclusion

Chingu Wave Festival held at Aubagne took the French fans on a journey to celebrate 140 years of diplomatic friendship between France and Korea through various activities, including workshops, cultural conferences, panel discussions, a DJ set, and K-pop artist Peakboy’s fan meet. Fans also grooved to a DJ set, played and mixed by Peakboy, where he played a few K-pop hits, including BTS, such as ‘Body to Body’, etc. This large variety made the festival very rich and interesting to browse around. Especially for newcomers and those who have never visited Korea yet. This serves as a major milestone for Korean Culture Fans in Southern France and sets a foundation for vibrant future cultural exchange between France and Korea.

Have you attended similar events? Would you like to attend the Chingu Wave festival in the near future? Drop your thoughts here in the comments below.