By Honorary Reporter Susana Matondo from Spain
Photos = Susana Matondo

Imagine gathering the best features of a country and enjoying them for a day. For fans of Korea, the event "Ecos de Corea (Echoes of Korea)" in Spain on Oct. 19 provided such an opportunity.

The Korean Cultural Center hosted this comprehensive cultural event and experience at the Pangea The Travel Store in Madrid in cooperation with the Spain-based Hallyu fan club K-Culture Friends. This was also part of the overseas Hallyu community project of the Korean Foundation for International Cultural Exchange.

Though most of those attending were Spanish, expats in Spain who attended made this a multicultural event, which showcased the many wonders of Korea from beauty, K-pop and food to traditional activities and performing arts.

Ecos de Corea opened with a cooking master class given by Hobin Kang, head chef at the fusion Korean restaurant AKMA B.O.B. He made tteokkkochi (rice cake skewers) and sunjeong tteokbokki (spicy rice cake) that were sampled by visitors. Many of the cooking assistants there showed high interest in Korean food in trying kimchi, ramyeon (instant noodles) and tteokbokki (rice cake).

Afterwards, a K-beauty lecture was given by Sunny Cho, co-founder of the cosmetics brand Kossmetics. A Korean expert on skincare and facial yoga, she exuded a warm and inviting personality that captivated the audience, even those who admitted to being not so interested in K-beauty. Cho stressed the importance of the spread of Hallyu in Europe through K-dramas and K-pop to raise European interest in Korean cosmetics. Another K-beauty talk was given by Spanish YouTuber Emma Unnie, who spoke about the history of Korean cosmetics (hint: they have French origins), Korea's emergence as a giant in the global cosmetic industry and how Koreans have become global pioneers in beauty. "If anything is successful in Korea, it will be in the rest of the world,” she said.

But not everything at the event was about beauty and other things in the contemporary era. Tradition is crucial in Korean culture, and a powerful traditional dance featured the music, colors and movements of the Joseon Dynasty. The dance troupe DWD Spain performers performed modern dance covers but represented the timeless Korean spirit well, intriguing and captivating the public. Afterwards, a Spanish taekwondo team gave a demonstration of the indigenous Korean martial art, and even got volunteers to join to make it more dynamic and inclusive. Visitors could also play traditional Korean games such as tuho (pitch-pot) or attend workshops on skills such as Hangeul. A noraebang (karaoke box) was among the more popular activities at the event.

Finally, the event concluded with its most anticipated part, a K-pop space in which Spain-based singer-songwriter Hyemin led a magical performance. Spanish K-pop YouTuber Sisiuve Must Die, known for his opinions on K-pop music videos and theories about K-pop groups, held a Q&A with his fans. Wrapping things up was a powerful performance by the K-pop cover dance group Geo Prism, an acclaimed troupe that was a finalist in the famous K-pop World Festival, performing to hits by BTS and Blackpink.

Ecos de Corea was a resounding success with more than 500 attendees, showing the best parts of a culture both traditional and increasingly modern and trend-setting. Korea has a lot to offer, and its attempts to show the nation's treasures to the world have just begun.

chaey0726@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.