By Honorary Reporter Surbhi Dwivedi from India
Photos = Surbhi Dwivedi

The Rang De Korea Festival, India's largest event for Korean culture, ran from Oct. 18-19 in Delhi. Hosted by the Korean Cultural Centre (KCC), the gala attracted fans of traditional Korean arts and modern K-pop.

Visitors attended interactive workshops, made traditional masks, designed jewelry boxes, tried on colorful Hanbok (traditional attire) and took photos, immersing themselves in the beauty of Korean fashion.

Participants attended a workshop for designing traditional jewelry boxes.

Attendees try on Hanbok.

A group based in India performed samulnori (traditional percussion music) with the janggu (hourglass drum) and jing (large gong) while blending in an Indian song. This was followed by a taekwondo demonstration that included a dance, captivating the audience with a mix of discipline and entertainment.

For K-pop enthusiasts, finalists of the K-pop Contest India from cities like Mumbai, Arunachal Pradesh and Kolkata showcased their talent. A dance workshop led by Korean choreographer Jay Kim from the renowned 1 Million Dance Studio taught K-pop routines and held random dance play and a dance-off.

The festival's cultural performances included taekwondo demonstrations, samulnori (traditional percussion) and K-pop dance.

The opening ceremony set the tone for the festival, with the national anthems of Korea and India played on the piano. Then came speeches by Ambassador to India Chang Jae-bok, KCC Director Hwang II Yong and Secretary East Shri Jaydeep Mazumdar of the Indian Ministry of External Affairs.

A comedic traditional performance by Balkwang Entertainment, "Let's Go See the Fight," brought to life Joseon Dynasty fighters with action scenes starting with a garak (traditional melody). Its combination of humor and action made it a fan favorite. 

Uheeska's "Ninano Concert" fused traditional instruments like the janggu and the kwaenggwari (small and flat brass gong) with modern sounds such as the saxophone and drums. The group's infectious energy had the audience dancing along by the end of the show.

msjeon22@korea.kr