"2022 Mokkoji Korea," a festival promoting the Korean lifestyle and culture, will be held in Uzbekistan and Malaysia. Shown is a scene from last year's festival held online showcasing traditional Korean games. (Korean Foundation for International Cultural Exchange)

By Lee Kyoung Mi

Hallyu festivals will be held in Uzbekistan this month and Malaysia in November to promote Korean culture.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on Sept. 13 said the ministry and Korean Foundation for International Cultural Exchange will hold "2022 Mokkoji Korea" in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, from Sept. 24-25 and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from Nov. 12-13.

First held in 2020, the event this year marks its third edition to allow Hallyu aficionados to learn and enjoy Korean lifestyle culture including food, beauty, fashion and games. The term mokkoji is a purely Korean word that refers to a game, festival or any activity that involves a gathering of people.

The festival was held online in 2020 and last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, so this year's edition will be the first to be hosted offline. The ministry said that since this is the first offline event, it will hold various programs to meet the expectations of Hallyu fans.

To mark the 30th anniversary of ties between Korea and Uzbekistan this year, the festival will feature Mokkoji Square to showcase Korean dramas and webtoons; Mokkoji Market, where visitors can try Hansik (Korean food); and Mokkoji Concert, where music will heat up the atmosphere.

The square will display popular K-dramas such as "Extraordinary Attorney Woo," "The Red Sleeve," and "Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha" and hit webtoons such as "Minam Hotteok" and "Sehwa, On the Way" (unofficial translation). Another program will allow visitors to try on royal Hanbok (traditional clothing). Mokkoji Kitchen will offer traditional snacks like gimbap (seaweed rice rolls).

Another space will promote Korean companies seeking to do business in Uzbekistan and their products as well as allow Hallyu fan groups to conduct exchanges in Korean culture.

The festival's closing event in Uzbekistan is Mokkoji Concert, which begins at 6 p.m. on Sept. 25 and features performances by renowned K-pop singers such as Kai and Ailee, traditional Korean games and a talk concert on Korean food. Ailee will also perform with the winning team of a K-pop dance competition during the festival.

Admission to the festival is free. The ministry said the festival's high popularity has led to people in 24 countries including Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan applying to attend, adding that demand will exceed the number of prepared seats.

More information on the festival is available in English and Uzbek on Mokkoji Korea's official website: mokkojikorea.com.

Details on the event in Malaysia and the featured acts will be released at the end of this month. 

These are promotional posters for the festival "2022 Mokkoji Korea" in Malaysia (left) and Uzbekistan. (Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism)