From K-pop to calligraphy: festival brings a flavour of Korean culture to York

York St John University is hosting a day of special events celebrating Korean culture on Saturday 17 July 2021.

The Yor-K festival will share both ancient and modern aspects of K-culture - from traditional music, dance and calligraphy to K-pop and film which are now hugely popular across the world.

The Korea Day festival has been held annually in the UK since 2013, providing local and international communities with an opportunity to enjoy Korean culture and art. Yor-K festival 2021 hosted by York St John University and in partnership with the Korean Cultural Centre UK and the City of Chuncheon, will bring a flavour of Korea to York for the day.

A unique collection of outdoor, family-friendly Korean cultural activities will take place in the historic Quad at York St John University from 10am on Saturday 17 July. The activities include a Korean traditional costume (‘Hanbok’) show, Korean traditional games, crafts, calligraphy and a selection of Korean food to try. Guests to the event must pre-book tickets which are available in one-hour timeslots from 10am until 1.45pm.

York Theatre Royal will host the Yor-K: Korean Music Night from 7pm to 9pm on Saturday 17 July, offering an eclectic showcase of traditional and contemporary Korean music and dance. The evening will feature dynamic performances from the Shilla Ensemble and the String Trio, Korean traditional music reinterpreted on Western instruments and the first UK performance of the winning song from the Korean Cultural Centre’s K-Pop lyric writing competition. K-pop is now a global phenomenon thanks to its distinctive blend of addictive melodies, slick choreography and production.

York St John University teaches a lively series of language courses, where Korean is one of two East Asian languages on offer. Students are able to study abroad and take part in exchange programmes, developing their cultural capital with a global, multilingual experience. Accessible to students from all backgrounds, Korean language courses at the University are increasingly popular and provide opportunities to develop life skills and career prospects.

Dr Yeji Han, Lecturer in Korean & Linguistics at York St John University said:

“The Yor-K festival gives visitors the opportunity to experience first-hand both new and old elements of Korean culture. Interest and demand for places on our Korean language course at York St John has really grown over the past few years at York St John and so we are delighted to be able to be part of this exciting programme of events.”

Professor Karen Bryan, Vice Chancellor of York St John University added:

“Korea has rightly gained its place as a cultural, economic, and technological powerhouse. We are pleased to be partnering with the Korean Cultural Centre UK to provide a platform to share fascinating aspects of Korean culture, alongside showcasing the talent of our Korean language students and lecturers.”

More information and free tickets to the daytime event can found on the York St John Eventbrite booking page.

Tickets to the evening showcase cost £5 and can be purchased online from York Theatre Royal.