In Tehran, ‘Korea Culture Week’ receives welcoming response

Iranians wearing the Korean traditional dress hanbok make a heart shape with their hands during the Korea Culture Week in Tehran, Iran, on May 2, 2016. (Yonhap).

SEJONG, May 3 (Yonhap) — “Korea Culture Week” in Tehran, Iran, has drawn big attention from the locals, the culture ministry here said Tuesday.

The cultural festival was organized by the South Korean government to coincide with President Park Geun-hye’s historic three-day state visit to the Middle East country on May 1-3.

According to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, many locals joined in various activities designed to introduce Korean food, traditional culture and TV series to Iranians.

In the concert hall of Milad Tower in the capital city, a performance of the Korean traditional martial art taekwondo attracted some 1,600 spectators.

Mana Sabaur, an architect student at Guilan University, said she was really “impressed” to see the athletes smashing tiles with their bare feet and hands.

At the exhibition hall of the tower, a presentation of Korean cuisine made following halal traditions captured the attention of Muslim visitors.

People lined up to taste a variety of the Korean dish kimchi — fermented vegetables with various seasonings — made following halal methods.

Taekwondo players perform during the “Korea Culture Week” at the Milad Tower in Tehran, Iran, on May 2, 2016. (Yonhap)

“I’ve tasted kimchi before but this is my first time to taste kimchi that is actually imported from Korea,” Samaneh Ebdali said. “I really like the event because I can sample Korean foods. The kimchi was a bit hot but was really tasty.”

The export of kimchi to 16 Middle East countries amounted to US$3.91 million last year, taking up 5.3 percent of the total volume of kimchi exports.

The traditional attire hanbok also received attention at the exhibition.

Shabnam Yazdani, who tried on the dress herself, said, “There seemed a lot in common between Korea and Iran. I feel very close to hanbok and Korean food and I am sure many Iranians will feel more comfortable with the Korean culture as they get used to it.”

Iranians join in a screening event of popular Korean TV series at the Milad Tower in Tehran, Iran on May 2, 2016. (Yonhap)

The event hall that screened two Korean TV series, including SBS TV’s period soap “Six Flying Dragons,” was fully packed with Iranian fans of Korean culture. Also attending were fan club members for popular Korean idol groups like Girls’ Generation, Infinite, EXO and Super Junior.

The ministry said it hoped the festival would mark a watershed moment where more Korean cultural products could be exported to Iran. Moreover, the government will continue working to enhance cultural ties with Iran by opening a Korean culture center in Tehran, hopefully by next year, and pushing for more regular cultural exchanges.