by The 2nd’ Korea Culture Day’ event was held with great success on the 19th (local time) in Siena, Italy, which retains the traces of the Middle Ages.
The event, co-hosted by Professor Im-Sook Jeong of Korean Studies at Siena University of Foreign Studies and Dr. Hee-sun Moon, consisted of various programs such as film screenings, poetry readings, presentations introducing Korean traditional dance performances, and Korean quizzes.
In particular, many programs in which Siena University of Foreign Studies students participated directly drew attention.
Undergraduate and graduate students introduced the beauty of Korea and the charm of Korean culture. They even presented a K-pop performance with the skills they had honed in the meantime, drawing applause.
In the presentation about Korea, first-year undergraduate students showed off their extensive knowledge of Korean music, from pansori to trot. They also received attention for analyzing the entire history of Korean art.
The Korean Culture Day event, which started in 2019, was not held last year due to the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19).
Although there was a gap of two years, the interest and enthusiasm of the locals were hot, Professor Im-sook Jeong said.
It is said that citizens of various ages, from students in their 20s to the elderly and students in their twenties, attended the event. This proves that the interest in Korean culture has grown significantly.
The general opinion is that the local people’s perspective on Korean culture has changed a lot due to the Academy Award for Best Picture for the movie ‘Parasite’ directed by Bong Joon-ho, the popularity of BTS, and the craze for the Netflix original series’ Squid Game.’
Professor Im Sook Jeong said, “I was able to feel that the area of interest in Korean culture expanded and deepened at the same time.” “Next year, we will prepare more colorful Korean cultural events.”
The Department of Korean Studies at Siena University of Foreign Studies, opened in 2017 under the leadership of Prof. Jeong, started with 30 first-year students in the first year but has now grown into a top-level department with around 240 students in both undergraduate and master’s programs.
It is considered one of the four major Korean studies centers in Italy, Sapienza University in Rome, Oriental University of Naples, and University of Venice.
