By Honorary Reporter Alaa Atef Ebada from Egypt
Photos = Park Moo-ae

The Korean Embassy in Kuwait, along with the Kuwaiti National Council for Culture and Arts, on May 1 hosted a performance by the Little Angels at the festival "Rhythms of Korea" held at Abdulhussein Abdulredha Theater in Kuwait City. 

The event marked 60 years of bilateral energy cooperation and the 45th anniversary of diplomatic relations. Founded in 1962, the troupe has performed traditional music and dance in over 60 countries to spread the messages of friendship and peace.

The following are excerpts from an email interview from May 2-5 with the group's manager Park Moo-ae. 

How was the group formed and what is its purpose?

The Little Angels were formed during Korea's recovery after the Korean War, aiming to transform the nation's image into a symbol of peace through traditional performing arts.

Founded on May 5, 1962, our group consists of elementary and middle school children to promote Korean cultural arts globally. Since our inception, we've served as civilian peace envoys by performing in over 60 countries and more than 7,000 shows. Comprised of children ages 9-15, we specialize in dance and choir performances that showcase Korea's rich heritage of traditional arts.

What was the purpose of your group's performance in Kuwait?
We aimed to showcase the strong relationship between Korea and Kuwait and express Korea's outstanding traditional culture such as dance, which has contributed to making us a culturally rich country. We hope that audiences learn that Korea is far more than just K-pop and develop a deeper interest in our diverse traditions.

Describe the performance in Kuwait including the most memorable moments.

The performance in Kuwait showcased a variety of Korean performing arts including dance, music, choir and K-pop covers. Highlights included a modern take on traditional court, fan and sword dances as well as folk singing accompanied by the gayageum (zither). K-pop cover dances featured beloved tracks from the genre.

In addition to the Kuwaiti national anthem, we prepared the country's folk song "Watani Habibi," and many audience members sang along and responded enthusiastically during the performance. They also gave us a standing ovation during the show's finale.

What does your troupe hope to accomplish?

The Little Angels operate under the slogan "What is most Korean is also universal." We integrate tradition and modernity into our arts, effectively preserving our rich history within the framework of traditional art. With a mission to preserve tradition through art, we will keep playing a leading role in promoting to the world Korea's beautiful culture and ideals of peace.

msjeon22@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.