IN THE KNOW: New Korean Cultural Center in the Philippines 2022

If you are an enthusiast of Korean culture, then you might want to take a visit to the newest home of the Korean Cultural Center in the Phil...

If you are an enthusiast of Korean culture, then you might want to take a visit to the newest home of the Korean Cultural Center in the Philippines which has officially opened its doors to the public.

 

Originally, the Korean Cultural Center in the Philippines, or KCC, was established on July 19, 2011 with the goal of expanding the understanding and appreciation of Korean culture, and promoting a more active people-to-people exchange between the Republic of Korea and the Philippines (Korean Cultural Center, n.d). It is the 20th KCC that operates under the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in the Philippines and the Ministry of Culture, Sport and Tourism (MCST).

Fundamentally, It has been a center of opportunity for Filipinos to take a diverse range of programs which includes class offerings in the Korean traditional dances, Korean language, Taekwondo, Korean singing, Mooninhwa, Hansik or Korean cooking, Minhwa and musicals.

KCC’s Vision is to provide enjoyment of Korean culture to every Filipino with the Mission to deepen the understanding and appreciation of Korean culture through diverse programs and events and foster more cultural exchange between the Philippines and Korea. True to their promise, the center holds various exhibitions as well as administering the Test of Proficiency in Korean (TOPIK) twice a year. Furthermore, it also has a library with more than 6,000 media and book titles that includes an array of Korean films, TV series and literature. The multi-purpose area of the center, also considered as “Hallyu Hall”, is where the different classes for taekwondo, dance, film screenings, demos and special performances take place.

On March 23, 2022, an opening ceremony for KCC commenced which marked the beginning of a new cultural experience for the Filipinos. The new building showcases different facilities that highlight Korean-style interiors for visitors to appreciate.

The center’s ground floor has a permanent interactive cultural exhibit that features Hansik (Korean Food), Hangul (Korean language) where guests can experience writing their names in the language, Hanbok (Korean national costume) where guests can try wearing the country’s traditional clothing with a virtual photo booth, and lastly, Korea’s famous tourist destinations.

The mezzanine contains KCC’s library with rooms, nooks and spaces for visitors who would like to read and listen in solitude as well as spaces for children who want to read Korean children’s books. A common area outside the classrooms is also available for students to have a chance to interact with one another in the spirit of cultural exchanges.

On the third floor, a Cooking classroom and K-studio is available for students to learn free sports, dances and how to cook Korean food. Guests also have the opportunity to rent the place for any Korean culture-related events.

Finally on the fifth floor, this is where the art installations and exhibits are placed. This 2022, the first kinetic media art installation in the Philippines entitled “Punghwa: Light of ASEAN,” which was initiated from the fondness of light culture of both the Philippines and Korea, will be managed by KCC. The artwork was created by the Korean interactive design group SILO Lab, an interactive media art studio.

There is so much more to explore in the new Korean Cultural Center as activities and diverse programs await you. For more information and updates, visit the Korean Cultural Center in the Philippines’ official website and Facebook page. You may also check out their New KCC Building Tour Guide video.

Article Source:
Korean Cultural Center in the Philippines has a new home

This article is written by Cathrine Grace S. Alcachupas, a Digital Marketing Department Intern of PS Media Enterprise and an AB Communication student in De La Salle University-Dasmarinas.