The Korean National Opera introduced Park Hye-jin, the company’s newly appointed Director and Artistic Director at a press conference at the Seoul Arts Center N Studio on May 28, 2026.

During the course of the conference, Park outlined her vision which centered on what she described as “expansion through connection. Her strategy is organized around connecting works and audiences, bridging the local and the global, and linking the present to the future.

On the repertoire front, the National Opera Company will pursue a phased production of Wagner’s complete “Ring cycle” through 2029, running in parallel with popular programming designed to attract a broad audience base. The company also plans to expand its roster of collaborators, seeking conductors, directors, and vocalists with both international standing and contemporary sensibility.

Audience development will be obtained via expansion of the company’s children’s and family opera programming, including a production of the family opera “Pinocchio” scheduled for March 2027, and will continue its “Kinder Opera” initiative for elementary and middle school students. Outreach to younger audiences will focus on social media and digital content, including collaborations with webtoon artists and YouTubers, while middle-aged and senior patrons will be engaged through a revitalized sponsorship culture.

The company will also take opera beyond the concert hall, deepening partnerships with institutions such as the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art and the National Museum of Korea, and expanding outdoor opera programming to increase access for general audiences. This season, the company plans 66 performances at military bases, special schools, and detention centers.

On the international stage, the National Opera Company is pursuing co-production agreements with the National Center for the Performing Arts (NCPA) in China and the Nikikai Opera House in Japan. A Korea-China-Japan Gala Concert, to be hosted at the National Theater, is planned for next year as a first joint undertaking.

Park also expressed interest in original Korean opera, “K-Opera,” as a central institutional priority.

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