The Korean American Society of Greater Kansas City and UMKC’s Applied Language Institute brought Korean culture to UMKC on Saturday, Sept. 27, at the KC Arirang Festival.
The annual KC Arirang festival is a one-day event that celebrates Korean culture. From delicious street food to a traditional wedding ceremony, the festival provided attendees with an authentic experience.
“I think this is super dope because this is something that I think Kansas City definitely needs, ” said event attendee Q. “They have everything from the food to the classes, to culture, to just learning about who we are as Koreans.”
The festival had a packed schedule of performances and experiences, which included Korean folk dances, a Korean school choir, Spicy Buldak Ramen Challenge, K-pop dance crews, a traditional wedding ceremony and much more.
In addition, workshops were offered that ranged from basic Korean language skills to Bojagi wrapping and Norigae crafts.
Not only were attendees able to immerse themselves in the culture, but they were also able to support local Korean vendors. With a variety of K-pop merchandise, Korean beauty and skincare and traditional garments, attendees had a wide array of options to choose from.
Festival attendee Litzy Alvarado enjoyed being able to learn and experience a bit of Korean culture here in Kansas City.
“It’s definitely been very educational. I didn’t realize there were so many of these K-pop dance groups, and it’s nice to see the food and try it out,” said Alvarado.
The event’s main purpose is not only to educate KC locals on Korean culture, but also to provide a space for the local Korean community to celebrate their heritage.
KC Arirang event coordinator Ben Ahn says that the Korean population is one of the largest Asian communities here in KC, and that the event is for them to take pride in their culture.
“The event brings some Korean-American pride,” said Ahn. “This event is meaningful for us to share our culture with others and join together.”
Ahn also said that if students or locals would like to learn more about foreign cultures, including Korean, they should reach out within their own communities.
“Korean culture is not just in the music videos. They are someone from your community, maybe your friend is of Korean heritage and you can learn from talking to them.” Said Ahn. “We also have a lot of Korean events going on.”
To learn more about upcoming Korean culture events, visit the Korean American Society of Greater Kansas City’s website here.
