By Korea.net Honorary Reporter John Paul Vergonia from the Philippines
Photos = John Paul Vergonia

Can you learn about Korea through volunteerism? I’d say it really is possible. You can learn more about Korea and its culture by spending your spare time volunteering in various events particularly those that are organized by the Korean government-supported institutions and non-profit organizations near your place where you can also get to enjoy and meet new friends who share the same passion as you.

One of these institutions where you can be a volunteer at events is the Korean Cultural Center (KCC). The non-profit institution, which is under the Korean Culture and Information Service, was established with the primary aim of promoting Korea and its culture in different countries from every continent through diverse cultural activities, events and programs that are held year-round.

Currently, there are 32 Korean Cultural Centers that have been set up in 27 countries across the globe. In the Philippines, the 20th center opened its doors in 2011 to actively promote an appreciation and further understanding of Korean culture as well as to cater to the growing community of Hallyu enthusiasts in the country. As the KCC Philippines continued to introduce the diversity of Korean culture to Filipinos, the center’s supporters' group, The Krew, was initiated.

It was launched four years ago as Project Annyeong with the aim of establishing an official supporters' group for the Korean Cultural Center in the Philippines. The pilot program was later improved and is now called The Krew but still with the same purpose. The members become the center’s affiliates and extend help as volunteers and support its events and programs. While it continues to earn both praise and success at every term, the initiative now has its seventh batch of supporters that usually have six months to a year of affiliation with the Korean Cultural Center. As a member of The Krew for about three years, I will be sharing a part of our journey so please join me as I chronicle our volunteer life which is not just about the experiences but also how we were able to learn and become immersed in Korean culture.

Most of the members of The Krew are university students, young professionals and enthusiasts who have skills and expertise in the fields of journalism, multimedia arts, film production, web development, and international relations, among others. We all have differences, yet we do share the same passion as everyone has a great interest in everything about Korea. Our main task as part of the supporters' group is to help out as volunteers at various cultural programs organized by the Korean Cultural Center.



Our volunteer journey begins by signing up for upcoming events. But before doing it, we make sure that our schedules don’t conflict with the event day. We are usually assigned to tasks relevant to our field of expertise such as a writer, photographer, videographer, program assistant, and booth staff to cover and lend a hand in the event program. Along with the Korean Cultural Center, our core goal is to promote the culture of Korea and make the events relevant while at the same time making sure they are successful. The Korean Speech Contest, Global Taste of Korea, Pinoy K-pop Star, Korean Film Festival and Philippines-Korea Cultural Exchange Festival are just few of the cultural events that the center holds every year, which can be a good opportunity to learn everything about Korean culture. As we attend these events as volunteers, we learn something new about Korea while at the same time showcasing our expertise and honing our craft. In addition, there are also art exhibitions, film screenings, a cultural day and other relevant activities set each month so the journey of being a volunteer and learning about Korea can be a whole lot of fun.

Learning about Korea through these events is indeed a great opportunity as you will get the chance to immerse yourself in the culture. Like, for instance, the series of cultural caravans which are mostly held in various schools and universities. These cultural caravans showcase cultural activities that everyone will definitely enjoy such as educational forums to debate issues that Korea is facing at present, exhibitions promoting the beauty of the country’s culture, friendly competitions among students that highlight cultural exchanges between both countries, and an experience zone where all will be able to appreciate Korean culture first-hand doing such things as wearing the traditional Hanbok clothing, taking part in traditional art and cooking workshops, and more. Through such activities, we are able to introduce Korean culture to the academia while also learning more about Korea in the process—its history, arts, cuisine, music, society and tourism.

Volunteering your time can be an extraordinarily positive experience besides the journey to learn more about Korea. You can as well take the opportunity to be involved in significant programs such as medical missions and various projects with a good cause through partnerships of the Korean Cultural Center with other private institutions which are mostly based in Korea. This kind of program is more than learning as you will able to help other people and their community as a whole, which only shows that volunteerism can also result in a good purpose.

Likewise, we are also able to learn how to socialize with people with different faces. Taking the journey of becoming familiarized with Korean culture together with them is an amazing experience. As part of The Krew, promoting and learning everything about Korea all at once with my fellow peers is what I am always looking forward to at each event as it gives me a sense of fulfillment and self-development.

Attending an event as a volunteer is a rewarding journey as you get to immerse yourself in Korean culture, learn more things and gain a whole new experience along with your colleagues. You really can learn a lot by just volunteering especially if these events are with a good purpose and you are driven to do it with passion. Be involved not just in this noteworthy initiative as there are, as well, many other programs out there with the same purpose of gearing toward people’s enrichment where you can take part and even learn and improve yourself at the same time. Rebel with a cause and try to be a volunteer at least once as it’s really a journey of accomplishment.

wisdom117@korea.kr

* This article is written by a Korea.net Honorary Reporter. Our group of Honorary Reporters are from all around the world, and they share with Korea.net their love and passion for all things Korean.