What if your first K-Culture experience could take you all the way to South Korea?
The Talk Talk Korea Contest 2026 invites people from around the world to share their personal connection with Korean culture through video, photography, illustration or writing. Organized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of the Republic of Korea and the Korean Culture and Information Service (KOCIS), this year’s theme is “My First K-Culture Moment.”
The contest is free to enter and offers 124 prizes, including cash awards, gift cards and Korea Travel Vouchers worth up to $2,000 USD for selected first-place winners.
Quick Facts
- Opportunity Type: International Creative Contest
- Theme: My First K-Culture Moment
- Host: Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism & KOCIS
- Location: South Korea / Worldwide
- Format: Online
- Entry Fee: Free
- Total Winners: 124
- Top Prize: Korea Travel Voucher worth up to $2,000 USD
- Categories: Video, Photo Book, Illustration and Writing
- Age: No strict age limit.
- Work Experience: None required.
- Degree: No educational degree required.
- Nationality: Open to non-Korean nationals worldwide
- Application Deadline: September 28, 2026, at 11:59 PM KST
- Winner Announcement: November 5, 2026
What Is the Talk Talk Korea Contest?
The Talk Talk Korea Contest is an international creative competition celebrating people’s experiences with Korean culture.
For 2026, participants are invited to interpret the theme “My First K-Culture Moment” and share a personal story about how they first encountered Korean culture.
Your entry could focus on anything from your first Korean drama or K-pop song to food, fashion, language, traditional culture or another memorable K-Culture experience.
The contest gives creators an opportunity to showcase their creativity while connecting with an international community interested in Korean culture.
Choose Your Contest Category
Participants can enter through four creative categories.
1. Video
Create a 30–60 second video showing your first experience or memorable encounter with K-Culture.
Video entries are submitted through YouTube and must follow the specified submission and hashtag requirements.
2. Photo Book
Use a collection of photographs to tell the story of your first experience with Korean culture.
The format allows participants to communicate their story visually through a series of images.
3. Illustration
Create original artwork or illustrations representing your relationship with or first experience of K-Culture.
This category is suitable for artists and creators who prefer visual storytelling.
4. Writing
Share your K-Culture experience through writing.
Participants can submit a slogan and a short written story or proposal describing their first encounter with Korean culture. Submissions can be written in English or Korean.
What Can You Win?
There are 124 winners across the four categories.
Prizes include:
- Cash prizes
- Gift cards
- Special awards
- Korea Travel Vouchers
Selected first-place winners can receive a Korea Travel Voucher valued at up to $2,000 USD, which can be used toward a trip to South Korea.
The contest therefore offers more than recognition for your creative work — selected winners can also receive an opportunity to experience Korea.
Is There an Application Fee?
No. The contest is free to enter.
There are no application, registration or participation fees required to submit an entry.
Participants should still follow the official contest rules regarding submission formats, eligibility and content requirements.
Who Can Participate?
The contest is open internationally to people who do not hold Korean nationality.
You can participate whether you are:
- Living outside South Korea
- Currently residing in South Korea
- A student
- A working professional
- A content creator
- An artist
- A writer
- A K-Culture enthusiast
Republic of Korea nationals are not eligible to participate.
Important Submission Rules
There are several important requirements creators should check before submitting their work.
Entries must be original works created on or after January 1, 2026.
The contest also states that generative AI tools are prohibited for creating entries.
Participants should therefore make sure their submission follows the official rules before uploading their work.
Why Consider Talk Talk Korea 2026?
You don’t need to be a professional creator to participate. The contest is built around a simple idea: your personal first experience with Korean culture.
Whether your story started with K-pop, Korean food, movies, dramas, language, fashion or another aspect of Korean culture, you can turn that experience into a creative submission.
And with 124 winners and prizes that include Korea Travel Vouchers, the contest offers several opportunities for creators to have their work recognized.
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