Korean Festival 2012

In an event that is becoming an annual celebration, the Korean students from the ITPS division hosted a festival on the Quad that included authentic foods, a mock wedding ceremony, traditional Korean dances, games, contemporary music sung in both Korean and English, and calligraphy.

All the food had been prepared by the Korean students from the Global Internship, TICKET and MAST programs. Jap-chae, a dish prepared with glass noodles; bulgogi, which is Korean bar-be-que; sanjeok skewer, a kabob-style dish with vegetables and meats; and bibimbap, known as a taste of harmony served with hot pepper sauce, were among the many dishes available to the College community. “These students have been preparing food for a week,” says Dr. Peter Jeong, vice president for ITPS.

The diners were treated to a wedding ceremony in which one of the Korean teachers explained the ceremony and its traditional rites. The bride and groom sit on opposite sides of a table after bowing to each other’s families and seal their vows by sharing a drink. The groom’s mother tosses nuts into an apron the bride and groom form to foretell the number of grandchildren she may expect.

Two dances were performed, a drum dance by a solo performer and a fan dance performed by a trio of performers. As they danced, the traditional skirts whirled around their feet in a rainbow of color. The dances were quite graceful and mesmerizing to the audience.

The younger generation also got into the act by performing contemporary rock songs in both Korean and English. While dancing was performed on the stage, a group of students replicated the moves off stage, obviously enjoying the similarities in the pop culture.

This event is eagerly anticipated by the college community each year and draws a huge crowd. “Sharing our cultures is one of the hallmarks of Bloomfield College,” says President Richard Levao. It was most certainly a delicious and educational way to spend an afternoon.

To see photos of the event, click here.