The successful execution of the G20 Seoul Summit in November 2010 brought more global citizens’ attention to this country in Far East Asia named Korea. Should you be reading this post, I very well assume that you might also be one of those global citizens seeking for more information about Korea. Well, if you were looking for a place to learn about Korea and the Korean culture, check this out!
Since the opening of the first Korean Cultural Center in Tokyo in 1979, the Korean Cultural and Information Service Centers across the world have been connecting Korea with the outside world, over the last three decades.
As of January 2011, there are 16 Korean Cultural Centers across the globe including the Korean Cultural Centre in Aduja, Nigeria – the first center of its kind to be located in Africa – which opened to the public last February.
The Korean Cultural Service Centers have been engaged in getting in touch with the locals through an extensive roster of activities from organizing Korean culture festivals to hosting classes on Korean topics, dedicated to providing insight and information on Korea.
As the nature of interest in Korea differs from country to country, each Korean Cultural Center has held a number of “personalized” cultural programs. In this regard, the centers host an array of events such as exhibitions, performances, movie screenings, Korean language classes, Taekwondo contests, cultural lectures and symposiums to better suit local and regional needs. The centers aim to encourage and further reinforce bilateral cultural exchanges, as well.
Nam June Paik Exhibition held at the “Gallery Korea” located inside the Korean Cultural Service, New York
The Korean Cultural Centre in UK has been one of the most active centers. It supported “The 5th London Korean Film Festival,” which officially came to an end on November 23rd. It has also hosted more than sixty “Korean Film Night” events, screening Korean movies on a monthly basis.
In conjunction with the 60th anniversary of the Korean War, the Korean Cultural Centre UK consecutively held two Charity Auctions in October 2010 in close collaboration with Sotheby’s and the Royal British Legion to raise funds for the Relief Fund of The British Korean Veterans Association. This particular event was recognized as the best practice by the Korean government.
Meanwhile, the impact of Hallyu (Korean Wave) has dramatically changed the Centers’ program agenda. A great number of centers started to see great potential for Hallyu to help spread interest in Korean culture. Argentina, which never experienced the first wave of Hallyu, is no longer considered one of the toughest places for the Korean Wave as it was several years ago. The second wave of music and k-pop is truly gaining momentum; the gentle breeze is turning into a tornado, with the help of programs and support from the Korean Culture Center.
![Bang Jeong-hwan. Photo courtesy of The Korea Bang Jeong Hwan Foundation.]](http://blog.korea.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/bangjeonghwan_photo-130x94.jpg "bangjeonghwan_photo")
