President Lee Jae Myung (right) and French President Emmanuel Macron shake hands after a toast during a state luncheon on Friday at Cheong Wa Dae, held as part of Macron’s state visit to Korea. (Yonhap)


A state luncheon ? bringing together K-pop stars and corporate heavyweights ? offered a vivid snapshot of 황금성게임다운로드 Korea-France ties, where culture now moves alongside economic, security and strategic cooperation.
Following the summit between President Lee Jae Myung and French President Emmanuel Macron 릴박스 on Friday, around 140 guests from across politics, business and culture gathered to mark the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries at Cheong Wa Dae.
Among the a 바다이야기부활 ttendees were actor Jun Ji-hyun and members of the K-pop group Stray Kids ? a telling presence in itself. According to Billboard France, the group was the most-streamed K-pop act in France in 2025, un 체리마스터모바일 derscoring the scale of the Korean Wave in Europe.
Felix of Stray Kids, along with Jun, has also been appointed an honorary representative for the 140th anniversary by the French Embassy in 릴게임사이트추천 Seoul.
Lee, in a toast, framed the relationship as one ultimately sustained not by governments, but by people.
“Above all, the force that deepens the friendship and connects the times between France and Korea lies with the peoples of our two countries,” he said, adding that “what is even more encouraging is that a growing number of French youth are now knocking on Korea’s door.”
Highlighting the growing cultural resonance, Lee noted that France ranks among the top consumers of K-pop in Europe and is among the top 10 globally. Lee also expressed appreciation for first lady Brigitte Macron’s well-known interest in K-pop.
“France’s consumption of K-pop is the highest in Europe and ranks among the top 10 in the world. Madame Macron’s interest in and affection for K-pop has also become a major topic of conversation in Korea,” Lee said. “I would like to extend my special thanks.”
As Lee spoke, Macron and the first lady were seen smiling and nodding. Lee's remarks drew applause from attendees, while the first lady, seated nearby, turned toward the Stray Kids members and acknowledged them with a slight bow.
For Brigitte Macron, the presidential office prepared a gift set including white porcelain tableware and CDs signed by K-pop stars such as BTS, Stray Kids and G-Dragon, reflecting her affection for K-pop.



Samsung Electronics Chair Lee Jae-yong (right) and Mistral AI CEO Arthur Mensch are seated together at a state luncheon hosted by President Lee Jae Myung in honor of French President Emmanuel Macron at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on Friday. (Yonhap)



Beyond pageantry, business leaders show summit’s depth

Yet beyond the soft power on display, the business delegations on both sides revealed the strategic depth of the visit ? anchored in advanced industries, energy and defense.
On the Korean side, the presence of conglomerate leaders such as Samsung Electronics Chair Lee Jae-yong and Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Chung Euisun pointed to strengths in semiconductors, future mobility and manufacturing. Executives from Naver, Celltrion and Hotel Shilla reflected capabilities spanning digital platforms, biotech and tourism.
Participation by representatives from Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power, LIG Nex1 and Korea Aerospace Industries underscored Seoul’s focus on nuclear energy, aerospace and defense.
The French delegation, meanwhile, was heavily weighted toward deep tech sectors ? including artificial intelligence, quantum computing and aerospace.
It brought together leading figures such as Air Liquide CEO Francois Jackow and Renault Vice Chairman Francois Provost, alongside emerging tech leaders including Mistral AI CEO Arthur Mensch and Quandela CEO Niccolo Somaschi.
The luncheon featured executives from mobility, batteries and clean energy, including Verkor’s Benoit Lemaignan, OPmobility’s Laurent Burelle, Framatome CEO Gregoire Poux-Guillaume and Orano CEO Nicolas Maes.



A traditional Korean menu was served at the state luncheon hosted by President Lee Jae Myung for French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday, reflecting the French leader’s preference for local cuisine during overseas visits. Pictured is the three-colored wheat wraps appetizer, whose colors symbolize France’s national motto of liberty, equality and fraternity. (Cheong Wa Dae)



Korean cuisine and symbolism

The luncheon itself was designed as a showcase of Korean tradition, tailored in part to Macron’s well-known preference for experiencing local cuisine during overseas visits.
The menu featured a full Korean course, including three-colored wheat wraps, Jeju sweet shrimp wraps and East Sea scallop wraps with truffle, highlighting Korea’s ssam culture while carrying a message of harmony between the two countries.
“The three colors of the wheat wraps were meant to evoke the French republican ideals of liberty, equality and fraternity,” senior presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said in a statement, referring to the official national principles enshrined in France's Constitution.
Even Lee’s attire carried symbolic weight. Lee “wore a tie featuring the colors of the French flag to mark the significance of President Emmanuel Macron and his wife’s state visit to Korea, expressing respect for France and a gesture of welcome,” Kang added.



Korean first lady Kim Hea Kyung (right) and French first lady Brigitte Macron make finger hearts for visitors at the National Museum of Korea in Seoul on Friday. (Pool photo via Yonhap)



History meets Korean pop

Earlier in the day, as the two leaders held summit talks, first lady Kim Hea Kyung and Brigitte Macron visited the National Museum of Korea, where they toured artifacts tracing both Korea’s history and the long arc of cultural exchange between the two countries.
The two viewed major national treasures, including a gilt-bronze pensive bodhisattva, royal protocols from the Oegyujanggak archives, a Silla gold crown and the 10-story stone pagoda from the Gyeongcheonsa Temple site.
Introducing the Oegyujanggak Uigwe ? royal records that were once taken to France and later returned to Korea ? Kim described them as "valuable documents that found their way back home," according to Ahn Gwi-ryeong, deputy spokesperson at the presidential office.
Brigitte Macron remarked that the records were "very well preserved" and could serve as a meaningful educational resource for future generations, Ahn said.
Their conversation also turned to contemporary Korean cultural content. Looking at depictions of animals in the exhibits, Kim noted that the tiger character "Derpy" from the Netflix animated film "KPop Demon Hunters" had become highly popular. Brigitte Macron said she was well aware of the film as a major success and added that she had also been impressed by "Squid Game," Ahn said.
Kim also introduced cases in which the National Museum of Korea had collaborated with the K-pop group Blackpink on special projects. She noted that the museum’s official merchandise line, known as "Mu:ds," had become so popular that some items sold out, making them difficult to purchase, according to Ahn.