Ashraf AboArafe
Ambassador of Korea: 2025 will witness the celebration of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Egypt and South Korea
Amid a large diplomatic and public presence, the Korean Culture Week was launched yesterday at the Egyptian Opera House under the title K-Sound, in celebration of the 10th anniversary of the opening of the Korean Cultural Center (KCC) in Egypt.
For about an hour and a half, the Korean band “Linalchi” presented 13 of its most famous songs that combine pansori, a musical storytelling style that was popular in Korea in the 18th and 19th centuries, and alternative rock music, a style of music that emerged in the early 1980s and was distinguished by its departure from the rules of classical rock. The songs presented by the band, including “Tiger Is Coming”, were greatly appreciated by the audience as they look to the future but are also strongly rooted in tradition.
Indicating the strength of cultural exchange between Egypt and South Korea, Korean soprano Hana Lee and Egyptian soprano Dr. Dalia Farouk at the beginning of the celebration performed a joint song accompanied by pianist Greg Martin.
In his speech, Korean Ambassador Kim Young-hyun stressed the strength and solidity of bilateral relations between Egypt and South Korea, noting that the peoples of the two countries are linked by growing friendly relations on the cultural and economic levels. He said that cultural exchange has greatly contributed to deepening mutual understanding between the peoples of the two countries, despite the vast geographical distance between them.
The Korean Ambassador pointed out that next year will witness the celebration of the thirtieth anniversary of the establishment of full diplomatic relations between the two countries through a variety of cultural events, which aim to strengthen bridges of communication and understanding by strengthening two-way cultural exchange, which is based not only on introducing the Egyptian people to Korean culture but also presenting the rich Egyptian culture to Koreans.
For her part, Dr. Lamia Zayed, Head of the Opera House, said that cooperation between the Korean Embassy in Egypt and the Egyptian Opera House extends for many years, which in turn contributed to strengthening cultural communication between the two countries, confirming the fact that arts are the common language that can transcend borders, languages, and different cultures.
The Korean Culture Week activities continue until next Saturday, as the Ziad Bakir Hall at the Music Library at the Opera House hosts an exhibition entitled play k sound, which includes 15 introductory panels on traditional Korean gugak music and the Korean folk song Arirang, accompanied by the playing of gugak music. The Korean Cultural Center in Dokki also hosts Arirang art workshops, which provide participants with training on performing the song “Arirang”, as well as designing the traditional Korean fan. The cultural week concludes with traditional Korean music performances on September 28 on the small stage, where a group of Egyptian amateur musicians showcase their skills in playing traditional musical instruments, concluding the Gugak Academy for Traditional Korean Music, which was hosted by the Academy of Arts for two weeks. The closing ceremony also includes a singing performance “Arirang”, which reflects Korea’s rich cultural heritage and vibrant legacy.
