Embassy of Germany in South Korea Presents Techno Diplomacy in Seoul
From Berlin to Seoul: Techno as a bridge between past and present divisions
October 06th, 2025
In August 2025, the Embassy of Germany in Seoul presented an innovative cultural program that transformed electronic music and sound art into a vehicle for diplomacy. Through the concept of “techno diplomacy,” the embassy highlighted Germany’s creative vitality while promoting dialogue between Europe and East Asia. The central event took place on August 16 at Seoul National University’s Power Plant, a former energy facility recently repurposed as a cultural venue under the SNU Institute for Culture and Arts. Organized in collaboration with local partners, the program featured Berlin-based sound artist Nik Nowak, who presented his monumental sound sculpture The Mantis.
Weighing two tonnes and reaching four meters in height, The Mantis consists of 23 Cold War-era loudspeakers and recalls the “loudspeaker wars” that once reverberated along the border dividing East and West Germany. In Seoul, Nowak reinterpreted that history through the lens of Korea’s own division, drawing a striking parallel between the Berlin Wall and the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) separating North and South Korea. “Sound has always been used as a tool of influence and control,” Nowak explained, comparing North Korea’s propaganda loudspeakers to psychological operations during the Vietnam War. His earlier project Symphony of Silence sought to create a neutral artistic space between North and South Korea, yet it was censored by Pyongyang — a reminder, as he observed, that “even the idea of silence is never neutral.” Through these works, Nowak transforms instruments of propaganda into platforms of reflection, turning the noise of division into a conversation about unity.
The Embassy’s participation reflected Germany’s broader approach to cultural diplomacy, using contemporary art and music as means of exchange and understanding. Public Diplomacy Officer David Bieger emphasized that Berlin’s techno scene, recognized on March 13, 2024, when it was added to UNESCO’s lists of Intangible Cultural Heritage, embodies inclusivity and freedom — values at the core of Germany’s international engagement. Hosting the event at the Power Plant added symbolic depth: once a generator of electricity, the site now produces cultural energy, mirroring the embassy’s goal of transforming creative expression into connection.
Through this August initiative, the Embassy of Germany in Seoul demonstrated how art and sound can transcend geopolitical boundaries. By linking Germany’s own experience of division with Korea’s ongoing separation, the project bridged histories and geographies, showing that diplomacy today can also resonate through rhythm, memory, and hope — a sonic bridge uniting divided worlds through shared humanity.
References:
- https://www.koreaherald.com/article/10556341
- https://niknowak.de/the-mantis-2
- https://shorturl.at/xty8a
- https://alexanderlevy.de/news/nik-nowak-at-permit-seoul-national-university-powerplant
- https://en.snu.ac.kr/snunow/snu_media/news?md=v&bbsidx=138947
