출처 https://gulfnews.com/entertainment/arts-culture/k-pop-cultural-performances-at-the-11th-korea-festival-2023-1.1698162103034

Here’s some good news for K-culture fans. The annual Korea Festival is returning to the UAE this week.

The Embassy of the Republic of Korea to the UAE and the Korean Cultural Center have announced that the 11th Korea Festival 2023 will be held on October 27 and 28 at Umm Al Emarat Park in Abu Dhabi.

With the theme ‘Sustainable Culture: Flowing into the Future’, the two-day festival will celebrate Korean culture and feature Pansori, a Korean genre of musical storytelling performed by a singer and a drummer; Minyo, which is Korean folk music and K-pop.

The annual event began in 2013.

“This year's festival will place special emphasis on the theme of ‘sustainability’ and envisions this event as a meaningful occasion to highlight eco-friendly and cultural sustainability,” said a press release ahead of the event.

On the first day, attendees can expect a lineup of performances, including 'K-Maestro' by the National Gugak Center, which is considered the primary institution in South Korea for learning Korean traditional music, including both court music and folk music.

The Namwon City Art Troupe will perform 'Mut and Sinmeong: Elegance and the Divine Spirit' and there will be a Taekwondo demonstration by the Ark Unit.

K-pop sensation Dios, a band that debuted in 2021, will also be seen performing at the event.

The second day’s lineup includes performances ‘K-Music, Soul’ by the Chungbuk Cultural Foundation and the event’s highlight, a K-pop concert titled ‘Kite: K-Pop in the Emirates’.

Additionally, ‘On the K: Taekwon’, a show which merges the martial art of Taekwondo and K-Pop will also be screened on the second day.

Visitors will have the opportunity to explore the Korean Culture Experience Zone, offering a glimpse of K-tourism, K-beauty, hanbok (traditional clothing), Korean traditional games, and traditional art workshops.

According to the press release: “Yong Hee Lee, the Cultural Attaché of the Korean Embassy, emphasised… that the Korea Festival 2023 has been thoughtfully curated to introduce performances that revitalise traditional Korean dance and music, seamlessly fusing them with contemporary expression. He also hoped that these diverse efforts and innovative interpretations by the National Gugak Center, Namwon City Traditional Art Troupe, and Chungbuk Cultural Foundation will resonate with the local audience.”

In addition to the two-day event at Umm Al Emarat Park, K-culture enthusiasts can also enjoy a K-Maestro Exhibition from October 23 to 29 and the 11th UAE Korean Speech Contest on October 29 at the Korean Cultural Center in Abu Dhabi.

Following this, the Medical Korea 2023 seminar will take place on October 31, at Dusit Thani, Abu Dhabi. To culminate the festivities, the Korean National Day Reception will be held at the St. Regis Hotel, Abu Dhabi on October 31.

Entrance to all events is free, with a park admission fee of Dh10. More details are available on the Korean Cultural Center’s website.