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Title Foreign Students Join Outlookie to Explore Korean Traditional Culture
No 134 Inquiry 1071 Date 2018/05/14

□ The fourth group of Outlookie was inaugurated on May 11 at the Academy of Humanistic Spirit of
the Korean Studies Institute in Andong, Gyeongsangbuk-do, in a ceremony co-hosted by the Korean
Foundation for International Cultural Exchange (KOFICE; President Kim Yongrak) and GKL
Foundation (Chairman Chae Seung-mook) and sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and
Tourism.


□ Outlookie comprises members (foreign students in Korea) and supporters (Korean college students).
It is a program encouraging two-way cultural exchange among members and between members and
supporters. It renders support to foreign members so that they can get together with Koreans and build
a network of their own and become global leaders. The first group of Outlookie was launched in 2015
with 71 students from 10 countries, and the fourth group inaugurated this year has 120 from 23
countries.


□ During the ceremony, members of the fourth group of Outlookie took oaths and participated in
various team building programs to promote teamwork. On May 11–13, they took a tour to explore
traditional culture in Andong.


□ Outlookie members and Korean supporters also learned to play samullori, the percussion ensemble
of four instruments, and visited the Hahoe Folk Village where they watched Hahoe Byeolsingut
Tallori, the dramatic masked-dance ritual that originated from the village, and took lessons in the
mask dance from Lim Hyung-kyoo, chairman of the Hahoe Mask Dance Drama Preservation Society.
Experiencing the traditional art that can be difficult to access, the young men and women were able to
deepen their understanding of Korea.


□ In June, Outlookie members and supporters will go to Jeju Island and visit historic sites there. From
July through November, they will attend monthly events to enjoy global food. In August, they will go
on a five-nation tour for cultural exploration. In September, they will experience the traditional
festivities of Korea and attend the K-Culture Academy. In October, they will take part in the Global
Friendship Festival and other meetings for exchange. In November, the group will be disbanded and
all the four groups of Outlookie will meet in a reunion event, and the activities of the fourth group
will officially wrap up.


□ KOFICE President Kim Yongrak said, “Through the Outlookie program, we will support foreign
students to grow into global leaders by sharing friendship with Korean youths and deeply
understanding each other’s culture.” GKL Foundation Chairman Chae Seong-mook said, “I hope
members of Outlookie will be the national representatives of their own countries and play the role of
bridging between one another.”