Which Korean Actress Will Grace New York's Times Square This Christmas After Suzy?

Actress Kim Tae-ri, dressed in an elegant Hanbok, will grace the billboards of New York's Times Square this Christmas Eve.

According to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on December 19, a Hanbok-themed promotional video featuring Kim Tae-ri will be displayed on Times Square's billboards on December 24 (local time).

The Ministry has been running the “Hanbok-Linked Hallyu Collaboration Content Planning and Development” project since 2020, aiming to expand the reach of Hallyu to include traditional Korean culture. In previous years, actress Suzy and former figure skating Olympic champion Yuna Kim served as models for the campaign in 2022 and 2021, respectively.

This year, four domestic Hanbok brands, selected through a competitive process, participated in designing Hanboks that blend traditional elegance with a modern aesthetic, showcasing the timeless charm of Korea's cultural heritage.

In addition to being featured on the Times Square billboard, Kim Tae-ri’s Hanbok campaign will be introduced in the January issue of Marie Claire Korea, set to release on December 21. The promotional video will also appear on large screens at the Citadium Caumartin in Paris from December 23 to 29 and at the K-Culture Screen at the National Museum of Korean Contemporary History in Seoul from December 23 to 31.

Furthermore, visitors can view actual Hanbok pieces at the “Graceful Lines, Majestic Pleats” exhibition, held from January 15 to February 11 next year at the Culture Station Seoul 284, the former Seoul Station building.

Lee Jung-woo, Director-General of the Cultural and Arts Policy Office at the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, stated, “Korean traditional culture, including Hanbok, is expanding Hallyu alongside modern pop culture. This project is expected to play a significant role in showcasing the unique elegance and beauty of Hanbok to the world.”

Meanwhile, Kim Tae-ri was recently named the “Actor to Watch in the Coming Year” in a consumer preference survey conducted by the Korea Broadcasting Advertising Corporation (KOBACO) involving 2,000 participants. Her recent performance in the drama Jeongnyeoni, portraying the dreams of teenage girls striving for success in 1950s national theater, has also drawn considerable attention.