McKeldin Mall in display during the Maryland Day on Saturday, April 25.
Children and parents alike flocked to a table in the Stamp Student Union Grand Ballroom, at which the guides wore brightly colored hanboks, traditional Korean attire.
As part of the Maryland Day kids’ carnival, Marence Edu, a junior sociology major and the acting president of this university’s Korean Pop Culture Appreciation club, and her fellow club members entertained a diverse audience with games and treats.
A group of students taking a Korean class formed the club last year after discovering their mutual passion for everything relating to the South Korean musical genre. Ganji, the club’s K-pop dance group, has 32 members listed on Facebook.
“There was no club on campus that catered to K-pop,” said Edu, one of the founding members. “There was the Korean students’ association, but I do not believe they do anything K-pop-related, and we all had interest in K-pop before we knew each other.”
Soon after the club’s formation, the members created a Facebook page and voted for officers. They also established a schedule of twice-weekly club meetings. Mondays focus on dance practice, and the club votes on songs to learn and perform. Every Wednesday is a group discussion of topics in Korean culture based on ideas members bring up on the Facebook page.
“[The discussions] can be anything from a new law that they just passed in Korea to, like, a celebrity and another celebrity getting into a scandal,” said Edu. “It’s pretty much anything that is happening in Korea.”
And on Maryland Day, the group decided to impart Korean culture through educational activities. Edu taught a crowd of young children how to play the Korean version of rock, paper, scissors, while parents came to the station to how to say Korean words and phrases such as “Thank you,” “I love you” and “friend.” The table was covered with posters featuring Korean phrases, their English translations and their pronunciations, such as “ah-n-nyoung” for the Korean word for “hello.”
“I’m surprised how well people can pronounce the words,” said Rebekah Williams, a junior film studies major and one of the club’s founding members.
The club also handed out stickers and traditional Korean candy after attendants rolled a die adorned with Korean numbers. Edu said she was surprised that the station drew many parents who were willing to learn about Korean culture.
Going into Maryland Day, the Korean Pop Culture Appreciation club was fresh off a performance during Korean Culture Day on Thursday at the Language House. The festivities included Korean street food, games and the club’s musical performance.
Williams, who said she got involved with the club because of her interest in Korean music and shows, urges others to see what it’s all about.
“It’s a way to get a closer look at Korean culture,” she said. “And it’s a good way to learn Korean.”
Edu noted that wearing the Korean apparel wasn’t exactly comfortable for her and Williams, as another club member waved a Korean fan at her. But as curious attendants approached the table, the club’s founders greeted them with eager smiles, prepared to familiarize guests with a little bit of Korean knowledge.
