BERLIN – Celebrating its 30th anniversary, the Korean Cultural Center, led by Envoy-Counselor Sangkeun Yang, presented its KOR3A WEEK 2024 from September 18 to 20 at Berlin’s renowned Kulturbrauerei in Prenzlauer Berg. Over three days, a wide spectrum of Korean culture was showcased to the Berlin audience. The offerings ranged from K-Pop to traditional culture, Hansik (Korean cuisine) and tourism.
Spectacular guest performances by K-Pop bands VERIVERY and NXD
To personally congratulate the Korean Cultural Center on its 30th anniversary, two K-Pop acts traveled all the way from Seoul. The hallmark of the K-Pop boy group VERIVERY is their creative music and original performances. The band has already successfully performed on stages in the USA, as well as in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Japan; now, thanks to KOR3A WEEK, they met their fans in Germany for the first time. Numerous fans had already spent the night on the grounds of the Kulturbrauerei to secure the best spots in the hall.
The four group members of the originally seven-member band (three are currently serving their military service) repeatedly sought closeness to their fans during their performance. They made great efforts to answer their questions, which were submitted beforehand, as precisely and humorously as possible. Moreover, they repeatedly expressed how much they enjoyed coming to Berlin.
The newcomer band NXD, although not having made their official debut yet, had already left a lasting impression on K-Pop fans worldwide through the project “Attack on Global.”
From the Chuseok feast to the K-Pop flea market
Since KOR3A WEEK and the harvest festival Chuseok, one of Korea’s highest holidays, coincided this year, various events were prepared to learn more about Chuseok. In addition to trying on the Korean national costume Hanbok, there were tastings of rice cakes Songpyeon and pancakes Jeon. There was also a Songpyeon-making workshop, which was fully booked within minutes after the registration link was activated on the homepage of the Korean Cultural Center.
A K-Pop flea market, where fans from Germany could offer their K-Pop merchandise for sale and exchange among each other, contributed to the festival atmosphere. On the last day of KOR3A WEEK, the event presented another highlight for the German audience: the film “A Hard Day” by director Kim Seong-hun.
Significance of the Korean-German Cultural Exchange
Various Korean organizations and associations participated in KOR3A WEEK, committed to cultural exchange between Korea and Germany. Members of the Association of Korean Nurses and Nursing Assistants shared their knowledge about the preparation of the rice cake in the Songpyeon workshop.
Native Koreans who came to Germany as guest workers in the medical field and are now aged 60-70, are widely regarded as a model for successful integration in German society and play an important pioneering role in the cultural exchange between the two countries.
The Korean National Tourism Organization (KTO), the Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA), and Korean Air also had their booths, offering information about their country.
To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Korean Cultural Center with fans on-site, the center also conducted a photo and video contest from August to September titled “30 Years of the Korean Cultural Center.” The images and footage were displayed in an exhibition that provided a retrospective of the history of the Korean Cultural Center over the past three decades.
The final day of the event (September 20) was themed “Dance from Korea.” Students from the traditional dance course at the Korean Cultural Center and the advanced class of this year’s K-Pop Academy concluded the festival with a joint performance that merged tradition and modernity.
Photos: AT/hz and LEE Dongjun