‘Korea meets Sri Lanka’, a success

The Embassy of the Republic of Korea along with the Ministry of Culture and the Arts organised  ‘Korea-Sri Lanka friendship evening’, a cultural event titled ‘Korea meets Sri Lanka’ at the Nelum Pokuna Mahinda Rajapaksa Theatre recently.

The event marked the first anniversary of the state visit of Mahinda Rajapaksa to the Republic of Korea. First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa was the Chief Guest at the event, which was graced by ministers, senior Government officers and the members of the diplomatic corps.

Much glamour was added to the events proceedings by the performances of the Jinjo Crew, a globally recognised break dancing team and Queen, a female fusion Gukak (traditional Korean music) band that combines sounds of the East and the West. A dance troupe from the Ministry of Culture and the Arts performed a traditional Sri Lankan dance act as well.

The Embassy had invited 25 disabled war veterans to take part in the event. In addition, there was a cross section of the society from all walks of life attending the event on the two days. The large crowds attending the event on both days indicated the popularity of Korean pop culture in Sri Lanka.

This is largely due to the immense popularity of the Tele-drama The Jewel in the Palace, known as ‘Sujatha Diyani’. Many young children were also present at the event and they thoroughly enjoyed watching Jinjo Crew performing break dance and traditional music played by Queen. Many local K-pop fan groups and students of Korean language and culture were also in attendance on both days.

One of the most interesting segments of the show for the audience was the chance to learn a few break dancing steps and dancing with the Jinjo Crew. A B-boy and a B-girl were selected from the best dancers amongst the audience and were given a chance to perform with the dancing troupe, which gave them an unforgettable memory of the evening. 

The audience expressed that the show was a welcome change to the culture and the arts scene in Colombo as it brought a different kind of entertainment to the local audience. The Korean Government was of the view that this cultural event and many upcoming exchanges between Korea and Sri Lanka will promote friendship and strengthen ties between the two countries and enrich understanding between people.