Abu Dhabi: An upcoming six-week programme on Korean pop music — K-Pop — is being organised in Abu Dhabi by the Korean Cultural Centre, giving residents the opportunity to learn about the popular music genre.
Now in its third year, the K-Pop Academy has proven to be one of the centre’s most popular programmes with large numbers of participants signing up each year to take part. This summer’s programme will run from July 7 to August 16. Applicants who wish to register can do so through the centre’s official website: http://uae.korean-culture.org.
“K-Pop Academy will offer participants a direct experience to this leading cultural content of Korea, which is gaining more and more fandom each year. This year’s K-Pop Academy includes Korean culture and K-Pop dance classes throughout the six-week-course, which starts on July 7,” said Lee Jun-ho, director of the Korean Cultural Centre.
“Participants will briefly learn about general Korean culture at first and then start learning dance moves of the latest K-Pop songs. By the end of the course, they will be able to complete the whole performances of a few songs,” he added, explaining what participants can expect.
Jun-ho said K-Pop’s popularity was growing in the UAE, with large crowds turning up for K-Pop events, including 1,700 people for a concert held this year.
“During the visit of Korean President Moon Jae-in last March, a K-Pop concert was held in Abu Dhabi as a part of a cultural exchange and gathered 1,700 people in the National Theatre. There was also the SM Town Live Tour in Dubai during April [featuring several K-Pop bands].
“We are constantly getting requests from fans to hold K-Pop events in the UAE, with these requests becoming more and more frequent over the years,” he added.
UAE-Korea cultural ties
Jun-ho also spoke positively on the growing cultural ties and exchanges between the UAE and South Korea, which he said formed an important role in strengthening people-to-people relations.
“When two countries have diplomatic or economic exchanges, it’s a government-to-government connection which enables the two countries to advance forward together as partners. Cultural exchanges are another very important connection for a relationship between two countries, as they connect people to people.
“Through cultural exchanges, people learn about each other’s lifestyles, customs and spirit, ultimately understanding each other more deeply and forging a bond of friendship,” he added.
Jun-ho paid explained the Korean Culture Centre’s work in fostering a cultural dialogue.
“Since the opening of the Korean Cultural Centre, we have had a permanent venue for people to culturally interact anytime, and we also have more programmes and events offering chances for people to experience Korean culture,” he said.
“It has been a huge leap, engaging with more people to build tolerance with different people from a different culture within the community,” he added.
