□ The Korean Foundation for International Cultural Exchange (KOFICE, president Kim Yong-rak), in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST, minister Park Yang-woo) and the Korean Culture and Information Service (KOCIS, director Kim Tae-hoon), is inviting some 40 members of Hallyu communities based in five European countries from Tuesday, July 2, to Sunday, July 7, who will participate in the “K-Community Mentoring” program offering Korean cultural experiences and customized education by various field experts.

□ Newly organized this year by KOFICE and KOCIS, K-Community Mentoring was initially planned as an event to precede the 2019 K-Community Festival held in October which offers extensive Korean cultural experiences to Hallyu fans in Belgium. This program was intended to encourage and vitalize communication and exchange among overseas Hallyu communities, which have grown beyond groups of fans into international ushers of Korean culture.

K-pop, samullori, minyo, buchaechum, and talchum communities from five European countries

□ Joining the program are five teams selected earlier this year through a public contest that toured around major European countries: K-pop community “K-POP Belgium Society” from Belgium, samullori community “Keun Soriro” from Poland, minyo community “Kingdom of Hearts” from Great Britain, buchaechum community “Daebak Korea” from Germany, and talchum community “DWD Spain” from Spain. Each having consistently fostered their love of Korean culture at home, these communities will meet in Seoul for a chance to experience Korean culture up close.

□ Over the course of five days, the participants will receive intensive lessons beginning with a special lecture by a K-pop performance director, followed by training in samullori, minyo, buchaechum, and talchum from specialists in each field. In addition, the program will provide a range of Korean cultural experiences encompassing both traditional and contemporary aspects, from visits to a broadcasting station and the Korean Folk Village, to a Korean cuisine cooking class, enabling a broad understanding of Korea.

Participants to introduce Korean culture through a shared stage at the K-Community Festival in October

□ After receiving mentoring in Korea, the five teams will put on a joint performance to serve as advocates of Korean culture together with a popular K-pop band at the K-Community Festival scheduled for October in Belgium. Also, the mutual cultural exchange programs prepared as a part of the festival such as the Korean culture experience class and local community service events will play key roles in creating a strong bond among Hallyu fans in Europe.

□ KOFICE president Kim Yong-rak notes, “It will be a meaningful experience for participants from different countries to gather and develop friendships through their common love for Korean culture. Hopefully, this mentoring program will help participating community members to open their eyes to Korea’s various charms and become figures central to cultural exchange.”