August 2023

Global Korea

Manila, Philippines

K-pop Festival in Manila, Philippines,
Draws 5,000 Fans

Approximately 5,000 people attended in July a K-pop festival in Metro Manila, the Philippines, showing the heated popularity of Hallyu in the archipelago.
The Korean Cultural Center (KCC) in Taguig on July 3 said the event “Everyone’s K-pop: Manila” was held at Robinsons Galleria Ortigas in Pasig and jointly hosted by the KCC, Seoul Shinmun Daily, Philippine K-pop Convention and Robinsons Galleria Ortigas.
The festival’s purpose was to promote the diverse appeal of K-pop in going beyond dancing and singing and covering games and fashion, as well as emphasize the enjoyment of K-pop culture through communication and becoming one with Philippine fans.
On the morning of the festival, participants in the program K-pop Playground looked around fan club booths for 14 K-pop groups. Mission card events throughout the venue added to the fun by offering gifts to visitors for completing missions.
The stage at the venue showcased games and K-pop performances.
The K-pop Cosplay Show attracted the most visitors as they wore K-pop costumes and gave performances. The Philippine groups Ver5us and Eclipse presented random play K-pop dance with the audience.
Visitors told the KCC that they had fun playing games that they saw on Korean entertainment shows and a good time looking at the booths of other fan clubs to meet people with the same interest.
Later in the afternoon, the finals of this year’s K-pop Cover Dance Festival were held.
Among the 13 teams from all over the country, Alpha came out on top after dancing to “Talk That Talk” and “Dance the Night Away” by the K-pop girl group Twice. The winner will represent the Philippines in Seoul in September at the annual K-pop Cover Dance Festival World Final.
Throughout this month, the KCC will also open the venue K-Space every Friday on its multi-purpose hall on the fifth floor to K-pop communities for hosting their own events.

Sao Paolo, Brazil

KCC in Brazil
Displays Lanterns from Jinju

Brazil’s largest city of Sao Paolo is hosting an exhibition of the cultural content of the southern city of Jinju, Gyeongsangnam-do Province.
The Korean Cultural Center (KCC) in Sao Paolo through Aug. 20 is hosting “Lights of Korea: Jinju City Exhibition.”
The exhibition is part of an agreement signed in July last year between the KCC and Jinju City Hall to promote regional cultural content and Hallyu (Korean Wave).
On display are about 1,200 lanterns used at the Royal Culture Festival held at Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul and the Jinju Namgang Yudeung (lantern) Festival.
Hamo, the otter mascot of Jinju, greets visitors at the entrance of the exhibition dressed in silk Hanbok (traditional clothing).
Other highlights are photo zones at a tunnel strewn with Jinju lanterns, Jinju silk fashion show at an eight-m photo zone and lantern-making event for children.
The KCC said exhibition-related posts on its Instagram account are seeing high interest from locals, with about 125,000 responses including “likes” and comments.
In its first 10 days, the exhibition drew about 14,000 visitors, and Sao Paolo’s tourism board designated it a weekend tourist attraction on the city’s official Instagram account.
“We’re very pleased to organize this exhibition through cooperation with the city of Jinju,” KCC Director Kim Cheul Hong said. “We will continue striving to introduce to Brazil the beautiful cultures of Korea’s many regions.”