Kulture to Korea

Elaine Chan, Staff Writer

What better a place to drench yourself in the K-culture than to go to Korea?  Kulture Club is planning to embark on a 10 day trip to Korea from June 12-21, 2016.  This trip will involve exploring both the urban life of Korea’s biggest cities and the authentic customs of traditional villages.  With interest in Korean culture on the rise in these past few years, it is fitting to hold an international experience, to fully immerse students into the culture.  

Kulture Club is a Korean-culture based club at Irvington.  Last year, Kulture Club participated in Cultural Week by performing to a medley of  K-pop tunes. This year, the club is hoping to elevate interest in Korean culture by broadening students’ knowledge about culture beyond K-pop and allowing them to experience the country first hand.  As advisor Mr. Lee points out, “For this trip, I don’t want it to be just,’ Oh, I’m hopefully gonna see a celebrity’; it’s to be an educational trip with classmates and hopefully away from parents, away from their everyday life in Fremont.”

World Travels, the company sponsoring this trip, has planned excursions to multiple Korean cities.  At the capitol, Seoul, students will be living metropolitan city life by exploring open-air markets and tasting authentic Korean delicacies.  Students are also planned to visit notable historical monuments and cultural museums such as the famous demilitarization zone bordering the infamous North Korea, the third infiltration tunnel, and the National Folk Museum.  Lastly, students will taste a bit of true Korean village life by exploring a green tea field in Boseong and a Korean folk village in Yongin.

Other clubs have hosted similar trips to various other international locations in the past.  French club hosted a trip to France and the Netherlands during spring break of last year. Students and advisor Madame Cayla both described on what an unique cultural and historical experience this was.  International travel is definitely an expensive commitment. However, for the the diverse cultural experience, these kinds of worldly adventures are definitely something to think about.

Advisor Mr. Lee remarked, “You know when they say it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity, [students] can experience a place that they will most likely never see again.  Hopefully, we get enough heads to make a trip out of it.”