Beyond hallyu
It’s been a little over a decade since the Korean Cultural Center (KCC) was established in Manila. I got to visit their former space back in 2013 to cover one of their events and it’s always been a fond memory. It was the first time I got to delve deeper into their culture. I even donned a hanbok.The Korean wave or hallyu was already pretty strong in the country at that time and it wasn’t difficult to draw in a huge crowd of young Filipinos to their event. Now, in their new home, the KCC is ready to get into the next phase of cultural exchanges with Filipinos.
I had the pleasure of getting a private tour of their new, multi-story building in Taguig and sit down with KCC director Im Young-A quite recently. I left feeling inspired and a tad jealous with how well Korea had wielded their culture into one of the most impressive examples of highly effective soft power.
Their new building boasts of technologically advanced, interactive displays that showcase their traditional culture. It’s a great way to say “we’re modern but we value our rich cultural heritage.”
Traditional paintings are turned into motion graphics to keep the younger generation’s attention. Touchscreens teach visitors how to write their name in hangeul. Beside it, a gorgeous visual display of how their writing system came to be and even a section talking about Korean food and the way their people eat. Visitors who come in to try the hanboks don’t even have to change clothes. Standing in front of a screen and moving your arms to choose the style and color is more than enough. Think Cher in the ’90s movie Clueless but better as you get a digital image of you in traditional Korean clothing.
Read more at: https://mb.com.ph/2022/04/09/beyond-hallyu/