Mijin Kim (L) sneaks a sample of food from Sue Lee and Yeong-Iee Song, hosts of foodie sessions at Korean Day 2022. Photo / Greg Bowker
Mijin Kim (L) sneaks a sample of food from Sue Lee and Yeong-Iee Song, hosts of foodie sessions at Korean Day 2022. Photo / Greg Bowker
Korean Day is returning after a two-year hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and organisers are promising a "hands-on" experience of Korean culture, food and arts.
The 2022 Korean Day, hosted by the Korean Society of Auckland, is one of the biggest days on the community's calendar and will be held at the Eventfinda Stadium on October 16.
Society vice-president Mijin Kim said the aim this year was not just to let people experience the Korean culture but to show New Zealanders how it can be part of their lives.
Sue Lee and Yeong-Iee Song will be hosting sessions on how to make kimchi and kimbap at Korean Day 2022. Photo / Greg Bowker
Among the activities held for the first time are sessions with local Korean restaurateurs and food experts teaching skills such as kimchi making and kimbap rolling. Participants will also get to learn and play Korean traditional games.
"Auckland is so multicultural now, and all of us enjoy experiencing the different cultures of the people who now call this city home. But we feel one of the best ways to share our culture is to show how it can be useful and practical in daily lives too," Kim said.
"Kimchi, for example, is becoming really popular and it could become a good change to coleslaw or salad that can accompany meals, or kimbap can be a great alternative to a sandwich for the school lunchbox."
Kim said Korean traditional games, especially after the popularity of Netflix drama series Squid Games, could be used to add some fun to family gatherings or birthday parties.
Korean Society vice president Mijin Kim is excited about sharing the Korean culture at Korean Day. Photo / Greg Bowker
Sue Lee, owner of Dae Bak Korean Restaurant, will be hosting the kimbap making session. Kimbap looks like sushi, but instead of raw fish for the fillings, cooked or preserved items like canned tuna, kimchi, grilled bulgogi or ham and cheese are used.
"Every Korean mother knows how to make a kimbap, and the magic of kimbap, like Kiwi sandwich, almost anything can be used as a filling," Lee said.
"It can be catered to the taste of any child, and a perfect skill for all mothers to learn."
Yong-Iee Song, of Woori Kimchi, says she is excited about sharing the secrets of kimchi making with non-Koreans. Her business has been producing the traditional Korean salted and fermented vegetable dishes for over two decades.
Korean Day will of course also have the usual food stalls, beauty demonstrations, stage cultural performances and K-Pop dancing that the event is known for.
This year's Cannes best director-winning Korean movie "Decision to Leave" will screen at the Korean Film Festival this week. Photo / Supplied
Meanwhile, the Korean Cultural Day is being held at the Ellen Melville Centre on October 8 to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Korean-NZ diplomatic relations.
Highlights there include a series of K-cultural workshops and outdoor performances.
A spokeswoman for the Korean Consulate said the Skytower will be lit in red and blue on Oct 5 - the colours of the New Zealand and Korean flags - to commemorate the diamond anniversary of bilateral relations.
The consulate is hosting the 11th Korean Film Festival from Thursday Oct 6 to Saturday Oct 8, with the highlight being the screening of this year's Cannes best director-winning Korean movie "Decision to Leave".
Directed by Chan-Wok Park's the film attracted favorable reviews and ratings after winning the best director prize at this year's Cannes Film Festival.
Other award winning films to screen also include Minari (2021) and Parasite (2019).
