SONG In-hong (KSI Korean Cultural Centre London, left)
SHIN Moon-gyeong (KSI London, right)

In the UK, the country of The Beatles and a melting pot that represents Western Europe, the Victoria and Albert Museum is currently hosting ‘HALLYU! The Korean Wave’, the first European exhibition to be dedicated to the theme of Hallyu. A special exhibition on Hallyu being held in the UK, a country known for its quick adaptation to changing cultural trends, is symbolic, but what makes the occasion more significant is the fact the tickets to the paid exhibition, which first opened in September of last year, continue to be sold out. This month’s issue includes the story of two staff members from two separate KSI locations in London (KSI Korean Cultural Centre London, a Korean Cultural Center-affiliated KSI, and KSI London, a regular KSI), as the two work together to promote the Korean language and culture in London. The two staff members share their stories based on their first-hand experience of witnessing the rising interest in Hallyu among British people, which originated from K-pop fans and has now permeated to the general public.

Hello, SONG In-hong and SHIN Moon-gyeong. Please briefly introduce yourselves and KSI at the Korean Cultural Centre UK and KSI London.

SONG In-hong (SONG): Nice to meet you. My name is SONG In-hong, and I’m working at KSI Korean Cultural Centre Lon, Embassy of the Republic of Korea. KSI at the Korean Cultural Centre London, Embassy of the Republic of Korea has been in operation since the year KSIF was established. Currently, we have 5 instructors hired locally, who together are teaching 7 classes. There are approximately 20 students in each class.

SHIN Moon-gyeong (SHIN): Nice to meet you. I’m SHIN Moon-gyeong, and I’m in charge of general affairs at KSI London. It’s been three years since KSI London officially opened its doors in January 2021. KSI London is located inside Richmond University London, with a total of four instructors, who are a mix of instructors dispatched from Korea and those hired locally by KSI. Last fall, we offered 11 classes, and each of them had at most 15 students.

The two KSI locations are in the same city, but they are different in nature. As far as I know, KSI, Korean Cultural Centre London is a Korean Cultural Center-affiliated KSI run by the Korean Cultural and Information Service of the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, and KSI London is a regular KSI run by KSIF. What is the relationship like between the two KSI locations? Are there any difficulties or issues that arise because the two KSIs are located in the same city?

SONG: I can’t think of any difficulties. If anything, there are a lot of opportunities for cooperation because we are located so closely to each other.

SHIN: Because we are both based in London, we plan a lot of collaborative events together. With the pandemic turning to an endemic, both locations have been hosting quite a few offline events since last fall, and students from KSI London participate in events held at KSI at the Korean Cultural Center and vice versa. We are working together to offer cultural classes and events that British people can take part in.

What are some collaborations that the two locations have worked on together in London? Please give us some details.

SONG: We invite students from KSI London to participate in events held at KSI at the Korean Cultural Centre so that they can experience Korean culture. For example, we invite students from KSI London to watch Korean movies during the London Korean Film Festival, and we encourage them to join us at various Korean cultural events that we host.

SHIN: Also, in 2022, the two locations collaborated to offer a total of 74 offline culture classes. Most of these classes took place in either the Cultural Centre or Richmond University, with some of them, like the K-pop Dance class, taking place at a dance studio in downtown London that we rented. Because the classes are offered at different locations depending on the type and schedule, students are allowed to immerse themselves in these experiences in different surroundings.

With the ‘HALLYU! The Korean Wave’ exhibition currently being held in London, we are expecting an increasing interest in the Korean language and culture among local residents in London. What do you anticipate and what roles do you think KSI should play in that regard?

SONG: Korean culture is in the spotlight, not only in the UK but also around the world to the extent that the Victoria and Albert Museum in England is hosting an exhibition on Hallyu. The interest in Korean is high in the UK, with 5 KSI locations currently in operation. Universities in the UK are also considering opening classes on Korean language and culture. As interest in the Korean language rises, I believe the two KSI locations should begin discussing how to leverage this interest so that it can translate to an interest in Korea in general.

SHIN: The UK is an English-speaking country and London is an international city with a global presence. The fact that the Hallyu exhibition is being offered as an on-going, a special paid exhibition at one of the UK’s most renowned museums for nearly a year has a huge significance. We expect the interest in the Korean language and culture among British people to only grow from now, and once they get to experience K-content, including K-pop, it’s only a matter of time before Hallyu takes over the world. So, I believe it’s time for KSI at the Cultural Centre UK and KSI London to work together to promote the excellence of Korean culture through a wide variety of curricula and content so we can empower this Hallyu craze. It’s our responsibility to help Korea demonstrate its national prestige in an international city like London.

Although located in proximity to each other, the two KSI locations are different, with one being a Korean Cultural Center-affiliated KSI and the other being a regular KSI. How do you think the two can work together for mutual growth? Do you have any plans for 2023 in terms of collaboration?

SONG: Although the type of KSI we run is different, we share a common goal, which is to promote the Korean language and culture. Because we have the same goal, we can complement each other in areas where one of us may be lacking, which is also where communication plays a key role. For Korean culture to become more competitive going forward, it’s important for the two locations to put our heads together to determine what can be the most effective and appropriate method considering the local characteristics.

SHIN: I couldn’t agree more. In the end, we are one team, although the essence of our organizations is different. Because we share a common goal, we believe we can work together to effectively spread the Korean language and culture. For example, we can share our difficulties and experiences, which will open doors to more opportunities.

In 2023, we will continue to host performances by K-pop dance teams, music recitals, and Hangul exhibitions jointly with Sejong Culture Academy, just like we did in 2022. In addition, we hope to be able to offer a wider variety of culture classes so that more British people can experience Korean culture in 2023.