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This event was a collaboration between CSSA and KOMMA. This collaborative event between a Korean culture club and the Chinese Culture Club was a vibrant tapestry of cultural richness and harmonious celebration. Although I forgot to take selfies, I took of photo of the interior design of the party, which was held inside an art gallery on Newbury street. The decor showcased a fusion of elements from both cultures. On the other hand, the music playlist that the DJ was playing also mirrored the collaboration, seamlessly transitioning between k-pop, k-hiphop, to c-pop. During the event, I was also able facilitate basic Korean conversations with the many Koreans at the party, allowing me to make new friends. The various Korean grammars and conversations that I learned in class helped me forge meaningful connections with my fellow new Korean friends, essentially transcending the cultural boundaries that I've had before. By the end of the night, I had not only enjoyed dancing to the music but also built lasting connections with the fellow Korean attendees. My use of Korean not only enhanced my personal experience at the party but also contributed to the cultural exchange that made the event a true celebration of diversity and friendship.

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This event was hosted by various Asian culture clubs at BU. At the start of the ball, there were many K-pop dance performances that I really enjoyed watching. From the iconic moves of BTS to the catchy songs from Blackpink, all the dance groups captivated the audience with their charisma. The atmosphere cracked with excitement as the crowd cheered after each performance. I also had a chance to had fun with my friends at the dance floor once the DJ started playing various Korean songs from different k-pop groups. The venue was bathed in dynamic hues of neon lights, and the dance floor was a kaleidoscope of movement, with everyone dancing to the music. What's surprising was that they also played k-hiphop music, which was my favorite rap music of all time. The culinary delights at the party were at diverse and flavorful as the music that filled the air. I really enjoyed eating the mochi and mooncakes served there. As the night unfolded, the K-pop dance performances became a highlight, not just for their technical brilliance but for the sense of unity they brought to the celebration of Korean culture. Overall, I had a good time at the Korean dance party with its dynamic fusion of music, dance, and culinary delights.

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Korean Exhibit at the Museum of Fine Arts - Lauren Chung

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Korean Exhibit at the Museum of Fine Arts - Lauren Chung

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I visited the Museum of Fine Arts and spent a lot of time in the Korean exhibit. I wanted to learn more about my Korean heritage as well. At first glance, there was a lot of cool, beautiful pieces of pottery and artwork. There were also many religious and cultural pieces throughout the exhibit too. Specifically, I began to learn more about the Joseon period. The Joseon period was from 1392-1910. Also known as the Yi period, it was founded by Yi Seonggye after defeating the Goryeo kingdom and setting up a new capital at Seoul. The prolonged enforcement of Confucianism for over 500 years complicated other religions, as Buddhism was suppressed oftentimes. I also learned that there was a social hierarchy during this period. There were three strict status groups based on status. The yangban were the highest in this hierarchy, as they were elitists. Below the yangban were the commoners, then the slaves/base people. Specifically, the yangban enjoyed plain, simple, and white porcelain works and monochrome ink paintings. However, during the 16th and 17th centuries, Japanese and Machu invasions caused social, cultural, and economic losses, as many were taken as prisoners to Japan, including potters. These prisoners then were influenced by Japan's porcelain industry. There was so much rich history to learn about at the MFA Korean Exhibit, and it was so cool to visit!

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Elise and I went to the reading of the famous and award-winning South Korean author, Kim Junghyuk. After arriving at the event, there was a table with different Korean snacks like Choco Pie and rice cakes. The most interesting thing about this event was that Kim Junghyuk read his book called "C1+y = :[8]:" with students of LK460 and a professor/translator. The title is interpretive, as some interpret this as "skateboard" and relates to street signs. In fact, the story focused on passing by many street signs and artwork around the city that was referred to as "scraffiti." This idea of scraffiti is the combined idea of scribbling graffiti. Each city has its own unique pieces of scrafitti. The author, the translator, and the students rotated while reading a section each of this book. During this, there was also a slideshow of different scraffiti works throughout the city. Initially, I was worried about understanding only little of the reading because the book is entirely in Korean. However, the students presented their own interpretations of the story to demonstrate their understanding of the story. Specifically, Kim Junghyuk wanted this book to be interpretive and have unique meanings personalized to each reader. He combined personal anecdotes with humor and imagery, which made it a fun hearing. My favorite part was definitely being able to follow along with both the different interpretations and the slideshow pictures. Kim Junghyuk's book taught me more about how each city is so distinct from one another through scrafitti and his personal experiences.

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For my second culture pass I decided to go to the MFA and I visited the Korean Art exhibit. There were so many porcelain pieces in a very pretty teal/jade color. They were so intricately designed and such a beautiful color. Some of them were from the 13th century which was the Goryeo dynasty in Korea. The others were from the Jonsen dynasty in the 16th and 17th century. Ceramics was very popular during this time and lot of the jars were used in religious ceremonies. My favorite piece was the Prunus Vase with inlaid bamboo and cranes. It was a beautiful mint colored vase with these white cranes on it. I also found the flower shaped cups very pretty. They were very likely used to serve tea which was a big part of Korean culture at the time. There was also a duck shaped water dropped that I thought was very cute. Water droppers were used to add water to ink blocked used to write and do calligraphy in ancient Korea. The pottery was very interesting to look at and some had inscribed flowers or dragons on them. Most of the jars were used to store flowers or wine in ancient Korea. It was very interesting to see the importance of ceramics in ancient Korea as they were everyday objects. I enjoyed my time at the museum and I learned a lot.

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Jacqueline Lo - Global House Culture Fair

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Jacqueline Lo - Global House Culture Fair

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At the Global House Culture Faire, there were many different stands with different cultures, and one of the tables was about Korean culture. There were a couple games and activities available at the station, some that were familiar to me already and some that were new. On the left were a couple sheets for Hangul practice. There were also 3 games: 공기, 제기차기, and 윳놀이. 제기차기 is a game that I've played since I was a kid, and I grew up with a paper jegi at home that I would play with. On the other hand, I've seen both 공기 and 윳놀이 in variety shows and clips online, but I've never played them myself. The people running the stand explained to me how these games work. In 공기, the player tosses one game piece into the air while trying to pick up the rest of the stones on the table before catching the flying piece. When they finally manage to catch all the pieces, they attempt to toss them all in the air and catch all the pieces on their backhand. I tried a couple times to play this game, but it was incredibly difficult just trying to pick up pieces from the table before catching the flying piece. I couldn't manage at all to catch the pieces on my back hand either. In the end, I asked about 윳놀이 instead. 윳놀이 is a game in which players compete to cross a finish line before others, a bit like monopoly with 4 sticks that act similarly to the dice. Players throw these yut sticks to see how many moves they can take. It was interesting to see how these games are similar to other games I've played before in childhood, and after attending the Global House Culture event, these games felt much more easier to understand.

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This museum isn't in Boston but it is located very close by in New York City. Over the Thanksgiving break, I decided to visit The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. This Museum featured many different types of art, from all over the world. The Korean exhibition part of the museum intrigued and fascinated me. I am very interested in Porcelain objects that have intricate designs. So when I saw a Porcelain jar with a dragon on it I was shocked. I couldn't believe how many details the jar with a dragon on it had. The amount of attention to detail and patience the artist had to paint this was crazy to me. I learned that dragons were "imperial emblems" which were very important and symbolized a lot of strength back in the 17th and 18th centuries in East Asia. These types of Porcelain jars were used for flowers in official ceremonies. I believe they were used for the image of a dragon and because of the beauty of these jars. Dragons not only signified strength but also a sense of welcome. The face of the dragon seemed to be happy or content which shows that although dragons are meant to be creatures for us to be terrified, they also can be calm and welcoming. I noticed this exhibition also included pieces from the Goryeo dynasty, which made me realize that many of these paintings and other mediums had a lot of flowers in/on them. Many artists shown in the exhibition such as Seokyeon and Kwon Young-woo use Hanji- a Korean traditional piece of paper. The various uses of Hanji were interesting to me as these artists really changed and made this piece of paper into artwork.

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The first culture pass event I went to was the chuseok festival event. Chuseok is sometimes referred to as the Korean Thanksgiving. It is a holiday where Koreans give thanks to their ancestors for an abundant autumn harvest. It is celebrated by having family come over and enjoy a feast. Chuseok is a three day holiday that falls on the 15th day of the eighth month of the lunar calendar. At the event, we were served a popular chuseok snack called songpyeon which is a rice cake filled with red bean paste, sesame seeds, and more. In addition, we played traditional Korean games which I wasn’t very good at but they were fun to play. The first game was called tuho, which is a game where you try to throw arrows into a wooden barrel. I did not get any arrows into the barrels, but others who were there were pretty good at it. The second game was called jegichagi which I’ve seen being played in a lot of kdrama’s before. It is a game where you try to keep a pompom in the air by kicking it back and forth for as long as possible. This one I was really bad at and I couldn’t get past one kick. It was very embarrassing but it was fun to watch others who were good at it. The last game was ddakji which was the most tame out of all the games and the only one I could do. First, we had to make the square out of origami paper which was a bit difficult at first but in the end I got it. Then you have to slap it on top of another one in an attempt to flip it over. I’ve seen this one played on some Korean variety shows before and it is hard to flip them over sometimes, however, I was able to do it unlike the other games. Overall, the event was very informative and the songpyeon were delicious.

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miXxhibition 2023 was the first time that I had ever performed dance in public before, and it would not be an understatement to say that it was a life-changing experience. The miXx community is extremely welcoming to all levels of dancers and I met some of my most favorite people in this club. There are a variety of different K-pop songs that miXx performs, and every week, many projects get opened that each member can audition for. This semester, I was fortunate enough to be a part of three different projects: "In Bloom" by ZEROBASEONE, "I AM" by IVE, and "Tell Me" by Wonder Girls (NewJeans version). Each project that I was apart of required hours of preparation for their respective auditions, and even more effort afterwards to learn the full song. In miXxhibition, I was able to perform "In Bloom" and "I AM", and live out my K-pop idol fantasies on stage. "In Bloom" was a song that I had many center parts for, and it was exhilerating to move up to center of the stage to dance. K-pop's global community has stretched so far across into the crevices of the internet and it was so exciting meeting people in college that share the same passion that I do despite their different backgrounds. miXx held a variety of different events throughout the semester in which members were able to try out different korean foods (including tteokbokki, japchae, bulgogi, and more). These, along with actual dance practices, allowed me to bond with the people who enjoyed K-pop like I do. In high school, I never had the experience of a K-pop dance team, and I never realized how much I missed out on this experience until my first filming for "In Bloom" when my friends visited to watch. The korean dance community (not just K-pop) is also so diverse, with the variety of styles that dancers incorporate like tutting, waacking, breaking, and more. The intersectionality of different cultures that come together to form K-pop dance is one of the most beautiful aspects of the industry. I highly recommend my fellow classmates to show up to at least one miXx workshop next semester, as the club is extremely fun even if you are not apart of many projects. However, no other experience will rival dancing in front of 300+ people to my favorite songs.

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Ethan Quach - Global House Culture Fair 2023

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Ethan Quach - Global House Culture Fair 2023

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At the Global House Culture Fair 2023 were a variety of different traditional korean games that I had never played before. In my childhood, I was seldom exposed to any cultural games from Vietnam, so it was very enlightening to see these ones. One of the games that I played today is called 'gongi', which consists of five different levels/rounds. In each level, the player tosses one "stone" into the air and picks up stones from the table/playing field. Each subsequent level requires players to pick up more and more stones, and at the end of very level, they must toss the stones onto the back of their hand and catch them in the air. Prior to today, I had never played before and found that it was a very difficult game to play with the amount of hand-eye coordination needed. I asked one of my korean friends if she knew how to play and she impressed me with the skills that she amassed since childhood. Another game that I played is called jegichagi, which is easier to explain but as difficult as gongi. Each player kicks a jegi into the air and tries to keep it airborne by kicking it. Whichever player manages to kick the jegi the most consecutive times wins. The most interesting part about these games is how different they are from the typical playground-style games that I am accustomed to in American culture. However, it is heartwarming to imagine the universal idea of children playing together in an organized way. Another activity at the Korean booth/table was learning how to write in hangeul. Clearly, I am very skilled at reading and writing, but it was fun to learn more about the history behind the writing system besides what we learned in class. After this event, I plan on playing gongi with my friends often, once I practice some more and master the game.

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Before attending the Pepero Day event, I did not know what Pepero Day was or even what a Pepero was. After the event, I have learned a great deal about the origins of Pepero Day, what a Pepero is, and what people do on Pepero Day.

So, Pepero Day is on the Eleventh of Novembe and is celebrated nationwide in South Korea. It was rumored that the start of Pepero Day was thanks to two Korean Middle School girls.

"who exchanged Pepero sticks with each other. They did so in hopes of becoming tall and thin."

However, this story was how the Lotte Corporation(who manufactures Pepero) advertised Pepero Day back in 1997.

The shape of a Pepero stick is long and slim. On a original Pepero, the outmost layer consists of a layer of chocolate that is covered 3/4 of the way, leaving some room for consumers to hold without getting their hands dirty. The middle layer is a type of cookie layer that produces a CRUNCH sound when taking a bite. The last layer is within the second layer, and in the original Pepero, the innermost layer is filled with chocolate.

Although some say that Pepero and Pocky are the same thing, I disagree. They may look similar in shape, however, Pepero sticks are thicker and has a chocolate filling. Pocky sticks are a bit skinner with a solid cracker as the second layer.

Pepero day is usually celebrated by giving boxes of Pepero to other people, for example: friends, family,etc. However, it is more common for couples to exchange Pepero boxes as a sign of affection. Also, for people who do not like chocolate or Pepero, money Pepero is usually offered. Anyways, it was a lot of fun making the Peperos ourselves!!!

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Jassie Fang - "Hello Stranger" (Korean Wave)

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Jassie Fang - "Hello Stranger" (Korean Wave)

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"Reenacting, remixing, and speaking back to the K-wave from below: northbound media tourism in Thai destination cinema " was a information session by Dr. Brian Bernards. During his presentation, Dr. Bernards talked about two things: defining "K-wave" and the satiricalness of the Korean beauty standards through the movie "Hello Stranger". The Korean Wave was the spread of Korean entertainment forms on a global level. The initiation of the K-wave was through the striking popularity of Korean Dramas.

As the K-Wave reached a new peak in popularity, Korean beauty standards followed as well. In South Korea, the beauty standards consists of having a v-shaped face, pale skin, double eyelids, higher nose bridge, and being slim. Also, the K-wave increased tourism in South Korean, and these aspects related to the K-wave were displayed or hinted at in the movie "Hello Stranger".

"Hello Stranger" depicted the acquaintance of two heartbroken souls during a trip to South Korea. Both leading characters were from Thailand, who were moved by the K-wave to make a trip to the home of the K-wave. Throughout the movie, the main leads kept their names anonymous, which symbolizes that they have not yet let go of their past relationship and refuses. The two head on to tour many famous sights such as N Seoul Tower, Dongdaemun, Myeongdong, and Chenggyecheon. All of these places have appear in Korean dramas that were broadcasted in Thailand.

Before going to this session, I did not even know that the K-wave had made it's way to Thailand. Thus, I was even more shocked that K dramas were very very popular in Thailand. However, after the session I was amazed at the evolution K-wave has gone through and inspiration it has given to other countries.

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asian american reception at the HTC : Nicole Lee

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asian american reception at the HTC : Nicole Lee

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on september 11, i attended the asian american community reception hosted at the howard thurman center. This event was hosted by multiple asian club orginizations on campus including BUFSA and BUTSA. At this event, I got to meet so many cool people coming from a range of backgrounds. Learning about their culture and socializing with those from a different upbringing than my own was very interesting for myself. At this event I also met some of my closest friends at the moment! During the event we also played bingo containing Asian American descriptive topics and got to eat some very missed asian food. We also got to talk to some of the cultural clubs hosting this event. At this event I got to learn a lot about what the HTC is and its values as an organization. The HTC works to support students of color and their journey at BU. Socializing with the student groups, I also had the opportunity to learn about their events and what they stand for. In the future I hope to attend more of these events. One really interesting thing at this event was also the petition that someone was trying to get individuals to sign. This petition was about wanting to start an Asian student specific center at BU. The idea is that with this institution, the voices of Asian American students would be amplified. While the HTC is there to help students of color, they are often more focused on African American or Black students. By signing this petition, we would be making our voice heard to the larger community at BU. I personally would really like to see this come to fruition.

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I attended one party hosted by ASU called Moonlight Ball. It was actually fun by clubbing inside. Navigating the electric atmosphere of an Asian Korean party night, I find myself immersed in a pulsating world of rhythmic beats and dazzling lights. The DJ seamlessly weaves K-pop anthems into the tapestry, creating kinetic energy through the crowded dance floor.

Many people were dancing on the dance floor and following the flow of K-pop songs. It was actually so much fun to see people improvising with the Korean songs. Thus, the night unfolds as a dynamic fusion of K-pop hits, intricate dance moves, and the euphoria of being part of a community brought together by the universal language of music. Each track feels like a sonic journey, connecting me to the heart of contemporary Korean music.

I spent time with my friend group. It was a night of revelry and cultural immersion, where the fusion of tradition and modernity painted a vivid portrait of Korea's multifaceted identity, leaving everyone with a deeper appreciation for the country's cultural richness. Overall, the experience leaves me with a deep sense of joy and cultural enrichment as I navigate the festive space that beautifully encapsulates the spirit of Korean celebration.

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On september 13, i attended the first KSA meeting hosted at BU for the school year. I was quite nervous going into this event as I only came with one of my friends but was eager to see who else I could meet. Coming from the suburbs of Chicago, i didn’t have that much of a strong asian american population at my school. While I had wanted to join more Asian american oriented clubs there were far and few. coming to bu it was my hope to induce people who share a similar background to myself. This event was mostly based on trivia surrounding korean topics. when we came in we were put into six different groups and had the opportunity to socialize within them. I was shocked by the sheer number of people i. attendance. I also loved seeing how not everyone there was just korean and how instead there were people from a multitude of backgrounds. the trivia topics ranged from korean food to k dramas. my personal favorite was when they asked where a famous kimchi slapping scene was from. through trivia i also learned some new korean slang phrases that i did not previously know and funnily enough, how to do some kpop dances… after this event i found a community that made me keep wanting to come back. i have now found a ksa big who feels like a small family at BU. she has helped me maintain my korean language skills which is also amazing as i miss talking to my parents back at home.

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The second culture pass that I went to was the literary translation of Kim Junghuk’s short story. The title of the book was C1+y = :[8]: . He talked about how this title could mean different meanings to different readers. Some read this as C1 + y = 8, while others read it as city as a skateboard. This is open to interpretation to the readers, which is something Kim Jung-hyuk wanted the readers to do. He chose this more interpretive title because he wanted it to represent a design similar to a street sign. This story talked about formulas and signs represent the city. It was ultimately a story about signs. It was super cool to see a bunch of 4th semester Korean class students translated this work, and hearing them give their interpretations of the story. The slideshow was also super cool, and it contained a lot of pictures of cool graffiti and street signs from different places. It was cool seeing pictures of art and signs in Boston, especially ones I have recognized by seeing them on walks or driving around. Overall, the story was super cool to listen to and it was cool hearing about a popular Korean author and his work.

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For my second culture event, I went to another dance party hosted by KOMMA and BUCSSA on Nov.18. I forgot to take a photo inside, but I have a photo of my friend and me wearing the semi-formal dress to the party. Different from the previous Korean party night, I made Korean friends that night at the party. Amidst the vibrant atmosphere, I had the joy of making new Korean friends, their warm welcomes echoing the hospitality embedded in Korean culture. Engaging in animated conversations about K-pop, sharing laughter over the intricacies of language, and exchanging stories, our connection felt instantaneous. It was so much fun communicating with Korean people and using my limited knowledge of Korean.

It was the first time I used knowledge from real-life class to talk with Korean people. Meanwhile, learning about each other's traditions added a beautiful dimension to the event, making it not just a celebration of culture but also a platform for forging meaningful connections with new friends.

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My first culture pass I decided to go to was the Korean Exhibit and the Museum of Fine Arts. I decided to go because I thought there would be a lot of cool art that related to Ancient Korean Heritage! I found a lot of cool ancient traditional pots and bottles which related to the Joseon Dynasty, like moon bottles, water droppers, and brush holders. There were so many cool looking ceramic art pieces, along with pretty ancient korean artwork. There was also a lot of religious pieces related to old religious traditions in Korea. Most of the art was very plain and lacked colors, due to the Korean tradition of simplicity and its correlation to wealth. The elite Yangban were the top of the societal pyramid, and their architecture was based around simplicity due to their high level of authority in Korean society. They also revolved this exhibit around pottery. This is because pottery was at an all time high in the 16th and 17th century, when prisoners were taken to Japan. All of the art related to the Joseon Dynasty, which was about the period of time when Yi Songgye defeated the Goryeo Kingdom and established a new capitol in Seoul. My favorite piece was the Moon Jar. This white porcelain jar caught my eye because it didn’t take a symmetric form, but was more imperfect. Its simplicity represented Korea’s love of natural forms. This jar was especially popular in Japan in the 20th century. Overall, the art and exhibit was super beautiful and overall was so cool to go and see!

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For my second culture pass event I went to the belated Pepero Day celebration with Alison and Jasssie. Pepero is a thin cookie stick which is dipped in chocolate and sometimes dipped in something like nuts or crushed cookies to give it more flavor. They are produced by the Lotte Confectionery Corporation. At the event we first listened to a short presentation that explained the history of Pepero Day and gave fun facts. Then, we got to make our own pepero and decorate cards and bags to put them in. From the presentation, I learned that pepero is normally celebrated on 11/11 since the ones look like pepero. The celebration was created in 1983 and is a very big holiday in Korea. Versions of it are also celebrated in many other countries, going by different names like Pocky Day in Japan and Singles Day in China. The “lore” of Pepero Day is that two schoolgirls thought that eating them would make them tall and skinny. One fun fact is that there are 32 different flavors of pepero. Another fact is that New Jeans is the global brand ambassador for pepero and we got to watch their pepero ad. On Pepero Day, people normally give pepero to loved ones, which is why we got to decorate cards. For my pepero, I dipped them in milk chocolate and covered them in crushed Biscoff cookies. They were so delicious!!

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The second event I went to was the Murder Mystery Night. I decided to go because I used to speak Spanish and watch telenovelas and now I am taking Korean and watching K-dramas. It felt like the perfect mix of the two cultures I have learned about. The event was about playing detective and finding out what happened to the characters. We were given a description of all the characters at play and how they were related to each other as well as some pieces of evidence. The main characters were Gloria and Lee Yoon-Cheol who had been dating but recently Gloria saw him murdered. We were told that Yoon-Cheol had a twin brother and that his parents had died. They were chaebols, which meant they were really rich and considered the elite of Korean society, but their company had a scandal before his parents’ death. We were also told that Gloria’s ex-boyfriend was still in love with her and had threatened Yoon-Cheol. Gloria’s father also didn’t trust Yoon Cheol. There was very vague evidence given and my group had very different ideas about what happened. In the end, we found out that Yoon-Cheol actually wasn’t actually dead but had murdered his twin brother in his place to inherit his family’s company. I thought that was the case and I also thought that he had murdered his parents since they died in a car accident and that is a very typical plot in K-dramas. After we solved the mystery we were given some Korean and Spanish food. It was interesting to see the fusions between the two cultures’ food. It was a very fun event and I would love to do something like that again.

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The first event I went to was the Chuseok festival & Korean major launching party. The event started with Korean Language Professors introducing themselves and the Korean major. I learned a lot about how to major in Korean and what classes I would need to take to do so. It was very informative and inspired me to think about minoring in Korean. After that, the professors explained the meaning of Chuseok and how it is celebrated in Korea. I learned that it was a holiday for people to go back to their hometowns and celebrate with their families. I also learned about typical foods prepared during Chuseok such as yakgwa and different types of tteok(rice cakes). I tried some of the different rice cakes which were interesting because they had different colours and fillings. I also tried sikhye which I found out was a drink made from rice. After trying some of the food we played some traditional games. I played Tuho which is a game where one throws arrows into a barrel, while I tried many times I could only get two arrows in. I also played jegichagi with a friend, it is a game where you try kicking a jegi(the one we played with was similar to a pompom) as many times as you can. I was also bad at this and could only kick it one time before it fell but the friend I was with was also bad at it so that made it better. The only game I was good at was ddakji where you fold two pieces of paper to form an interlocked square, then you throw your square against another player’s to try to flip it over. The folding part was easier for me since I like to do origami. In the end, I won a key chain for playing all the games, it was a really fun and informative event. I got to learn more about the Chuseok festival and try new things which was great.

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The event that I attended was the midnight ball. It was hosted by ASU and many of the other Asian clubs on campus. While this did function as a sort of school dance, it also highlighted many of the Korean cultural clubs at BU. We got to watch different dances from the many KPop dance clubs on campus. There were two groups that performed a variety of different dances from modern Korean music. It was really interesting to watch and it was really evident how much effort went into learning the dances. The night was also filled with different Asian foods. My personal favorite was food was the mochi boba they had. My favorite drink was Yakult, which I found out is actually Japanese. The Yakult was a childhood favorite of mine so it was very nostalgic. I found out that I really didn't like mooncakes. This was disappointing because they looked tasty but I really hated the texture. While this wasn't a specifically Korean event, there were many interesting Korean aspects. We got to learn about the different dances that are currently popular. It was really fun watching people I know in their element and getting to show off their hard work.

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I visited the Art of Korea section of the Museum of Fine Arts this past weekend and explored Korean art throughout over 2000 years of history. Due to its location, Korea has been influenced, invaded, and occupied by its neighbors. The MFA collection of Korean art includes paintings, metal wares, and the country's famed ceramics, all of which reflect the history of Korea. The ceramic collection took up the largest amount of space, and it was interesting to compare ceramic pieces throughout different times in Korean history. For example, one section explored Goryeo celadon, green-glazed high fire stonewares, and in which the decorative inlay technique known as sanggam was invented by Korean potters. In contrast, one of the pieces in the contemporary ceramics display, Translated Vase by Yee Sookyung, combines these techniques with a Japanese technique recycling celadon fragments by gluing the shards together and decorating the joins with gold. Another contemporary piece, Lee Youngjae's Spindle Vase, imitates the shape of the traditional Korean moon jar by joining two separately thrown bowls at the leather-hard stage. Currently, Korea is well-known for their innovative skincare, and I was able to observe the roots of this speciality even in some of the ceramic pieces from the Goryeo Dynasty that emphasized the importance of beauty regimen. These objects included oil bottles with stoppers, a lidded cosmetic box with a bud-shaped knob, a flower shaped mirrow with a knob and raised border, hair pins, and even metal tweezers and nail cleaners. The amount of detail and decoration put into each small and intimate object was surprisingly intricate. Not only did the ceramic collection reflect the historical values of Korea, the paintings also revealed parts of history in ways I didn't expect. One of the objects on display was a panel from a folding screen in the Joseon dynasty (19th century), and painted on the panel were various colorful objects, from books and ink stones to musical instruments. This imagery is associated with chaekgeori, a genre of still-life painting from the Joseon period that features books as the dominant subject, and also represents the noble tastes of the literate class. During the Joseon era, Korean society was divided into four distinct classes: the elite yangban, the middle class chungin, the commoners sangmin, and slaves or nobi. The imagery on the folding screen panel mirrors the taste of the higher class. I learned so much from this visit to the MFA, and it was especially fascinating seeing how Korean art is so closely tied to the country's history!

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The cultural event I attended was K-Drama/Telenovela Murder Mystery Night. Before starting the murder mystery, the people managing the activity gave us a brief introduction and history of these top-rated genres of dramas. Since I am very familiar with the telenovelas and K-dramas tropes, I thought it fascinating to learn that they had similar characteristics/tropes. One that I found really interesting that is very common in K-dramas and telenovelas is the "love triangle". This trope wasn't mentioned as one of the most common for telenovelas but I saw this trope the most while growing up.  I did realize a major difference between K-dramas and Telenovelas where the episodes tend to be longer in K-dramas. Still, there seem to be fewer episodes, whereas in telenovelas they are shorter but more than 100 episodes. For the actual murder mystery part, I worked with Allison, Sarah my roommate Claire and my friend Bridget. We were given famous actors from telenovelas and K-dramas that fit into a trope that they gave us. In the mystery, Gloria sees her boyfriend, Lee-Yoon Cheol, die. We got evidence, such as text messages, an article about her boyfriend's family, and information about the death. Our group's theory was that Le Yoon-Cheol's brother was actually the one who was killed by his brother and he did so to keep having an affair with his wife and keep his dad's company. In the end, we found out our group's theory was right and the people who sponsored the event also brought us a mix of Korean and hispanic food. There were so many different varieties but I have to say my favorite was a kimchi quesadilla. It was the first time I had ever tried a kimchi quesadilla, and I loved it the flavors mixed very well together. Overall, I enjoyed the event and I would definitely do it again!!

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The second cultural event I went to was the "Kpop: A Century in the Making" talk by Professor Pil Ho Kim. He has an upcoming book about the impact of the song "Gangnam Style", but at this event, he talked more about the history of K-pop. To entertain the audience he first brings up BTS and how they've reached back to traditional Korean music and heritage. The most memorable video was of the "Idol" performance in 2018 at MTV. It was cool to see how they incorporated things like the fan and lion dance into their pieces. He then brought our attention to about a whole century back. It was cool to learn that Itaewon was actually the birthplace of K-pop because they used to have shows there to entertain the U.S. military. I knew that Korean music was somewhat influenced by the U.S. but I didn't know that it was to a much greater extent. Even in the older songs he played, there were hints of American jazz tunes. Korean trot music was also influenced by an outside nation. Surprisingly, it was influenced by Japanese music but wasn't really listened to widely because it was looked down upon due to the time and history of the century. I was shocked to find this out because I would have never guessed Japan had an influence, I always thought it was the other way around so it was interesting to learn. It was really interesting to learn that K-pop and Korean music have such a long history. I know that many people enjoy the music and I hope that one day they can know the history too!!

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The cultural event that I went to was the K-Drama/Telenovela Murder Mystery Night. During the event, we learned a little about the history of both these genres. Then we got to solve a murder mystery put together by the leaders. It was very interesting to learn about these genres because before this I didn’t know much about either. I also thought it was interesting to learn about the similarities between k-dramas and telenovelas, the biggest similarity being romance. Other interesting things to learn about were the common plot devices for each genre. For k-dramas, these devices included: rich guy and poor girl, fates encounter, love triangle and family conflict. For the telenovelas, these included: prohibited love, someone is hospitalized, problematic wedding, and priest is fully aware of all wrongdoing (or evil). One difference between the two genres is that k-dramas tend to have less, longer episodes. Telenovelas tend to have more, shorter episodes. For the murder mystery part I worked in a group with Allison, Camila, and two other people. The mystery was that Gloria witnesses a murder and thinks that it’s her boyfriend, Lee Yoon-Cheol, that is the victim. We then got a lot of evidence including texts, conversations, and an article about problems concerning Yoon-Cheol’s dad and his company. My group came up with the theory that Lee Yoon-Cheol wasn’t actually dead; he murdered his twin brother and then impersonated him to inherit their parents’ company. At the end of the event, we found out that our group was right!!!

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The cultural event that I went to was "Reenacting, Remixing, and Speaking Back to the K-Wave from Below" by Brian Bernards. His talk was centered on "Hello Stranger" from 2010 which focuses on a Thai couple that meets on a tour in Korea. It was shocking to see how much impact Korean movies, shows, and music had on Thailand. I love that even though there is a language barrier, both sides can have a mutual understanding through actions. Bernard spoke of a movie scene where the Thai couple did not understand what the literal words of the Korean movie were, but they could still conceptualize the overall plot through their actions. I think that although we all may come from different cultures it's a beautiful thing when we can come together despite our barriers.

The only thing that I could not fully be on board with was the change in beauty standards. Because of this heavy influence on light skin, perfect noses, and double eyelids, Thai people would also strive for these qualities. It's true that they already had these ideals, but Korea made it cheaper and easier to access. He showed a clip of the show where a girl just kept on getting surgery after surgery on her trip to Korea and every time her family would call her even more beautiful. It was crazy to see that Thai men had to compete with Korean men for the attention of girls too.

Overall, I did enjoy many parts of the talk. It was interesting to see how influential the K-wave was in Thailand because it's not mentioned or shown in my media. Although the talk only pointed to Thailand, I think that many other countries have been influenced by the K-wave as it's growing every day. I hope to go to more talks like this as it was very interesting and I learned a lot!

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The cultural event that I went to was the murder mystery night. By going to the murder mystery kdrama telanovela I learned about the commonalities between the two. It was interesting to see how both have dramatic storytelling and an emphasis on romantic storylines. Learning about the differences in music styles and emphasis on background versus storyline made the comparison between kdramas and telanovelas more logical. I found the telanovela trope of the priest knowing everything amusing and it reminded me of the friar from Romeo and Juliet. I also found it really funny that some of the most popular kdramas are the ones that my mom watches. It was really fun to sort through the evidence. It was also nice to see my classmates outside of the class room and getting to collaborate with them. Our theory was that the victim wasn’t actually dead and had murdered his twin brother and parents. I felt really bad for Gloria because she watched someone die from burning to death and even more so because she thought it was her boyfriend. The text between Gloria and her boyfriend’s sister in law really increased the drama. Finding out that Lee Yoon-Cheol had cheated on Gloria was a fascinating discovery. It was also really fun getting to meet new people. Listening to the other groups theories and finding out the truth. It was even better because our theory was correct.

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Students will attend two Culture Pass Events organized by WLL or cultural events held in other departments or in the Boston area this semester. This assignment will count 2x2%=4% of the final grade. You will write two separate postings for two events you participated in. Students will be asked to write a 15-sentence report (in English) describing the event and what they have learned from the event. Please also take a photo of yourself attending the event and upload it together with your report. When you upload your posting, please do not forget to add your name so that I know whose posted it is and give you a credit. Both culture pass reports are due by the last day of class, which is December 11th.

Good luck on participating in the event!

I'm excited to hear all about them.

Prof Roh