Overseas Korean Cultural Centers hold events to celebrate Lunar New Year

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Overseas Korean Cultural Centers hold events to celebrate Lunar New Year

Visitors try yutnori, a traditional board game played by throwing wooden sticks, at Incheon International Airport on Feb. 8, 2024. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

Visitors try yutnori, a traditional board game played by throwing wooden sticks, at Incheon International Airport on Feb. 8, 2024. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

 
Korean Cultural Centers around the world are celebrating the Lunar New Year with events where visitors can experience both traditional and contemporary Korean culture, such as the traditional games featured in the second season of Netflix's "Squid Game" (2021-).
 
As part of a series organized by Korea's Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, 22 cultural centers in 20 countries worldwide are hosting events to celebrate the annual holiday with games for residents.
 

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"With the recent release of 'Squid Game' Season 2, global interest in traditional Korean games has grown," said Choi Bo-geun, director of the Culture Ministry's international cultural promotion policy department. "So, we have prepared various events to allow participants to experience Korean culture firsthand in celebration of the Lunar New Year holiday."
 
The Korean Cultural Center in Washington is partnering with the Smithsonian American Art Museum to host events from Feb. 1 to 7 where families with children and fans of Korean culture can experience both traditional and contemporary Korean culture.
 
An installation of the robot Young-hee from Netflix original series ″Squid Game″ (2021-) stands in central Seoul's Gwanghwamun Square on Dec. 29, 2024. [NEWS1]

An installation of the robot Young-hee from Netflix original series ″Squid Game″ (2021-) stands in central Seoul's Gwanghwamun Square on Dec. 29, 2024. [NEWS1]

 
The program includes traditional Korean performances such as samulnori, a traditional percussion ensemble, and sangmo, hat spinning during samulnori. Additionally, exhibitions featuring globally popular Korean pop cultural content and a K-pop promotion zone have also been planned.
 
The Korean Cultural Center in Los Angeles hosted a hanbok (traditional Korean dress) try-on event and tea tasting on Saturday. From Feb. 1 to 2, the LA center will collaborate with the Huntington Library to present cultural performances for showcasing Asian culture and art education programs.
 
Similar events will also take place in Europe.
 
Children sing traditional songs to seniors at a community center in eastern Seoul on Jan. 23. [YONHAP]

Children sing traditional songs to seniors at a community center in eastern Seoul on Jan. 23. [YONHAP]

 
On Wednesday, Lunar New Year's Day, the Korean Cultural Center in Germany will offer traditional Korean games, such as gonggi, a variation of the five-stones game seen in "Squid Game" Season 2; yutnori, a traditional board game played by throwing wood sticks; and jegi chagi, a foot-shuttlecock game. Participants will also be served tteokguk, rice cake soup traditionally eaten during the holiday.
 
The Korean Cultural Center in Italy will host a traditional Korean music and dance performance on the same day. Sweden's cultural center plans a hanbok exhibition and a traditional Korean cultural performance for Korean culture enthusiasts and students of Korea's state-supported Korean language centers on Jan. 30.

BY YOON SO-YEON, YONHAP [[email protected]]
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