By Honorary Reporter Geanina Voicu from Romania
Photos = Geanina Voicu

The Romanian-Korean Study Center at the Romanian-American University in Bucharest, Romania, hosted this year's K-lovers Festival and Korea Corner Gala from May 29-31. 

With support from the Korean Embassy in Bucharest as well as the Romanian Ministry of Culture, the event showcased Korean culture and tradition.

Starting things off were workshops for K-pop fans in addition to activities featuring samulnori (traditional percussion music), buchaechum (traditional fan dance), dancheong (traditional decorative coloring), calligraphy and mother-of-pearl decorations.

I found the workshops on samulnori and buchaechum the most interesting. In the latter event, students learned to walk and dance elegantly, breathe on the beat of music, and integrate every movement in the rhythm of birds chirping and flowers blooming.

Traditional fan dance workshop

The samulnori workshop began with an introduction to the history and meaning of the genre's four instruments: the janggu (traditional drum), jing (large metal gong), buk (drum) and kkwaenggwari (small metal gong) as presented by the leader of the traditional music group Pureun Narae. Attendees listened to the sounds of rain, wind, clouds and lightning from the four and learned to make music with only a few hits of their sticks. 

Samulnori workshop

On the second day, the live performances attracted more than 100 people to mark the third anniversary of the Korea Corner project, including an awards ceremony for the university's best students and performances by Korean artists. 

Before the final performance, Ambassador to Romania Rim Kap-soo in a speech stressed the importance of bilateral relations, the things he learned in Romania, and how his embassy will keep raising awareness and understanding between the people of both countries. He spoke in both English and Romanian, impressing the Romanians there.

The evening ended with K-pop and K-drama covers played by a five-member Korean group. The selections included ballads by BTS and BLACKPINK and music from the hit K-dramas "Descendants of the Sun" and "My Love from a Star." 

The finale was the Romanian song "Dragostea Din Tei" (Words of Love), which brought the audience up to its feet as they were impressed with the group's Romanian pronunciation and effort.

A five-member Korean act performs covers of K-pop hits and selections from K-dramas.

I found especially impressive the group's rendition of "Waves of Danube," a symbol of Romanian orchestral music, as well as Romanian vocalist Leyah's guest appearance that featured a piano arrangement of BTS' "Jamais Vu." 

This event made me feel as if I was back in Seoul, listening to street artists in Hongdae on a cozy evening with good music, friends and new memories.

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.