KSI La Rochelle, France, Hosts Korean Cultural
Festival - ICI EN COREE to Celebrate
Chuseok and Hangeul Day

> Ten-day celebration across the city of La Rochelle featuring performances, exhibitions, and hands-on cultural programs

> Offering immersive experience of Korea’s traditional and modern culture to local residents and tourists

The ninth Korean Culture Festival – ICI EN CORÉE (Here in Korea) was successfully held from October 1 to 10 in La Rochelle, a port city on the Atlantic coast in southwestern France. The festival was co-hosted by KSI La Rochelle and the Neoreumsae Franco-Korean Cultural Association, with collaboration from the Seoul School of Integrated Sciences & Technologies (aSSIST University), the University of La Rochelle, and KSI Korean Cultural Center, France.

This year’s festival was themed around two of Korea’s most representative holidays, Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving) and Hangeul Day. For ten days, La Rochelle residents and tourists enjoyed performances, exhibitions, lectures, workshops, and cultural experiences held throughout the city that showcased the harmony between tradition and modernity in Korean culture.
 
 

On the opening day, a lecture titled “Korea’s Traditional Holiday, Chuseok” was held at the Médiathèque de La Rochelle, followed by two traditional Korean performances, “Baekgwang” and “Patterns of Emptiness,” at the Maison de l’Étudiant (Student Center) in the evening. After the performances, attendees enjoyed tastings of traditional Korean treats such as songpyeon, hangwa, and mini yakgwa, which received an enthusiastic response.
 
 

Celebratory performance at the festival’s opening
ceremony Participants dressed in hanbok, the traditional
Korean attire

Throughout the festival period, the La Rochelle Library showcased exhibitions of minhwa and other Korean artwork, highlighting the beauty of Korean art. In addition, local libraries and bookstores held children’s art exhibitions that attracted many family visitors.

On October 6 and 7, various Chuseok-themed activities took place, including songpyeon making, workshops on hanbok, daenggi, and pouches, and traditional games such as tuho, gonggi, and ttangttameokgi. French residents and students dressed in hanbok joined in the festivities, enjoying the cheerful atmosphere of a Korean holiday. Participant Cécile Lafont said, “Making songpyeon and playing Korean traditional games for the first time made me feel as if I were really in Korea.”
 
 

Participants learning a Korean mask dance
at the Talchum Atelier Participants enjoying the traditional game tuho
while wearing hanbok

From October 8 to 9, a bilingual Korean fairy tale reading and a special event featuring a Korean author were held in celebration of Hangeul Day. French children and parents listened to Korean fairy tales read in both Korean and French by the invited Korean author, received signed books, and experienced the beauty of Hangeul along with the depth of Korean storytelling. During the same period, the Hangeul Atelier also attracted local participants with creative workshops on designing and crafting handwritten artwork using Hangeul consonants and vowels.

Lee Hyun-ok, operations coordinator of KSI La Rochelle, said, “Planning a Korean culture festival here overseas to celebrate Chuseok, a cherished Korean holiday, and Hangeul Day, a source of national pride, was a very meaningful experience. I was proud that we could present the abundance and family warmth of Chuseok together with the scientific and aesthetic value of Hangeul in one event. I hope this festival created unforgettable memories for everyone who loves Korean culture.”
 
 

Opened in 2015, KSI La Rochelle celebrated its 10th anniversary this year. From the latter half of this year, the Seoul School of Integrated Sciences & Technologies (aSSIST University) will be the new domestic operating institution. KSI La Rochelle is now being operated as an affiliated KSI model in partnership with the University of La Rochelle. KSI La Rochelle plays a key role in promoting Korean culture within the local community by teaching more than 1,000 learners and hosting over 18 cultural events each year. Jointly created by local institutions and citizens, this year’s Korean Culture Festival – ICI EN CORÉE commemorated a decade of achievements and was a meaningful venue for cultural exchange.

Article by KSI Correspondent Seo Hyi-gyeong