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Felix and Jun Ji-hyun Named Honorary Ambassadors for France-Korea 140th Anniversary
The French Embassy in Korea has appointed Stray Kids' Felix and actress Jun Ji-hyun as honorary ambassadors to mark 140 years of France-Korea diplomatic relations.
March 8, 2026
K-Pop and K-Drama are now officially part of France's diplomatic playbook. The French Embassy in Korea has appointed Stray Kids' Felix and veteran actress Jun Ji-hyun (전지현) as honorary ambassadors to mark 140 years of diplomatic relations between France and South Korea.
A Historic Milestone Gets a Hallyu Face
The 140th anniversary of France-Korea diplomatic ties is no small occasion. To mark it, the French Embassy in Korea selected two figures whose global reach spans pop music, film, and fashion: Felix, the Australian-Korean rapper and dancer at the center of Stray Kids' global rise, and Jun Ji-hyun, one of the most recognized names in Korean cinema history.
Both ambassadors will attend key cultural and arts events hosted by the French Embassy throughout the year, using their platforms to promote the France-Korea relationship across creative industries.
The choice of Felix is notable. Born and raised in Sydney, Australia before training under JYP Entertainment in Seoul, Felix represents Hallyu's increasingly borderless appeal. He is already the global brand ambassador for Louis Vuitton, giving him deep ties to French luxury culture specifically. Tapping a Stray Kids member to champion France-Korea relations carries weight in markets where K-Pop holds serious cultural influence.
Jun Ji-hyun: Korea's Enduring Cultural Export
If Felix represents the current wave of Hallyu, Jun Ji-hyun represents its foundation. The actress behind "My Sassy Girl" (2001) and "The Thieves" (2012) remains one of Korea's most bankable and internationally recognized stars more than two decades into her career. Her 2013 drama "My Love from the Star" became a continental phenomenon that introduced Korean content to new audiences across Asia and beyond.
Her selection by the French Embassy reflects how Korea's cultural influence on the global stage is not a recent phenomenon but a long-building one, rooted in decades of storytelling that travels well.
Jun Ji-hyun was recently in the news for her appointment as TOPTEN10's brand ambassador, cementing her status as a first-call choice for brands seeking cultural credibility in Korea.
Stray Kids in 2026: The Timing Is No Accident
The French Embassy's appointment arrives at a moment when Stray Kids are entering one of their busiest stretches of the year. The group is set to hold their sixth official fan meeting, "STAY in Our Little House," across two weekends: March 28 to 29 and April 4 to 5, at Inspire Arena in Incheon. HITKULTR has more on Stray Kids' packed 2026 schedule.
Selecting Felix now places the spotlight on him at peak visibility, amplifying the embassy's messaging through the natural promotional cycle of one of K-Pop's biggest active acts.
Soft Power, Hard Results
This appointment is a continuation of what France has done across industries: using culture as a bridge. For Korea, having its pop and film stars formally recognized in a diplomatic context signals how far the country's cultural exports have traveled from niche appeal to mainstream legitimacy.
It also underscores the specific overlap between France and Korea in fashion, film, and the arts. Louis Vuitton's long relationship with K-Pop talent, the Cannes Film Festival's embrace of Korean cinema, and now this ambassadorship all point in the same direction: the two countries have found genuine common ground in culture.
