Korean popular culture is taking the world by storm with Korean entertainment, beauty, and food becoming increasingly prevalent in western countries. However, with a rise in the acclaim of such trends, there seems to be a lack of representation concerning traditional Korean heritage. Thus, Annika Lim (9) and five other Korean American Bulldogs decided to create the Korean Culture Club (KCC), a club that intertwines education with activities, to shine a light on a side of Korean lifestyle that has been otherwise left in the dark. 

“I wanted to help start this club because I felt that there were a lot of Korean people in our school, many of whom do not know much about the Korean culture despite being Korean,” said Harin Ryow (9).

Meeting on the first and third Thursdays of each month in B139, KCC is advised by Spanish 1 teacher Ms. Joanne Park. Valuing both Korean heritage and often stressing the importance of cultural education, Park seemed like the perfect candidate to help lead KCC and administer its values.

The officers are President Lim, Co-Vice President Kate Lee (9), Co-Vice President Grace Kim, Secretary Ryow, Treasurer Kayla Kim (9), and UCC Representative Daniel Choi (9). Highlighting the importance of a board that holds Korean culture in high esteem, Lim sought officers who would not only bring knowledge, but a passion for their heritage to KCC.

“To me, Korean culture means resilience coupled with fun. This club helps me outwardly portray my Korean identity and share my heritage with the people,” said Kim.

A typical club meeting at KCC generally consists of a traditional or popular Korean song playing in the background as students make their way in. Followed by a warm greeting by each of the officers, traditional Korean snacks like hangwa, a sweet, glutenous confection, or yakgwa, a wheat-based sweet, are passed around. A short lesson on how to pronounce and use basic Korean words or phrases, like “annyeong-haseyo” which means “hello” or “jal jinaesseoyo” meaning “how are you?” is given. Ending the meeting, a traditional game is taught by Lim and played by the members.

“My favorite game so far has been ‘Dalgi,’ which means ‘strawberry’ in Korean,” Lee said. “You clap your hands to a rhythm while saying ‘dalgi’ and the last one standing gets Korean snacks as a prize. The game helped teach an aspect of Korean culture while letting students have fun.”

Both Bulldogs of Korean and foreign descent are welcomed to KCC. Students who grew up surrounded by the culture have the chance to find their community through the club, while people who are unfamiliar with Korean customs are able to experience a glimpse of another country on the local level.

“Our club can help other Korean students to be more aware of their own culture, while others who are not Korean who are interested in the culture are able to learn more about it,” Ryow said.

Unlike most culture clubs which limit their meetings to being purely informational, KCC attempts to intertwine instruction with fun, inviting members to not only develop head knowledge, but a heart for Korean culture as well. 

“Something that is unique about this club is that this club is for fun. Most clubs are used for service hours, while our club not only is educational because we learn more about the culture of Korea, but we also play games from the country making it more entertaining for our club members,” Ryow said.

KCC, being recently established, still has many plans ahead, some of which include expansion, outside events, incorporating new activities, and outreaching to non-Korean students. 

“Our goal is to have many more students come out,” Lee said. “We want to have at least 50 more students in the future, and we’re making progress.”