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Showtime! The 41st L.A. Korean Festival opens tonight

September 18, 2014

People from Korea Tourist Souvenir Expo are putting up a banner on their booth. (The Korea Times / Park Sang-hyuk)

The 41st Los Angeles Korean Festival opens today for the largest four-day celebration of Korean culture and tradition in the United States.

Themed “Cultural Diversity: A Celebration of Hope for the Ages,” the festival will be held at Seoul International Park from Sept. 18 to 21.

Festivities will kick off at 3:30 p.m. with a traditional street dance performance by UCLA’s Hanwoolim, followed by an opening ceremony at 6:50 p.m. featuring Poppin’ Hyun-joon and Park Ae-ri, flutist Jasmine Choi and traditional dancer Lee Kyung-hwa.

Los Angeles Korean Festival Foundation President Kim Joon-bae, Korean community organization representatives, California Board of Equalization Vice Chair Michelle Park Steel, L.A. City Councilmembers Herb Wesson and Tom Labonge and Irvine Mayor Choi Seok-ho will also attend to congratulate the opening of the event.

They will be joined by South Gyeongsang Province Governor Hong Joon-pyo, Korean assembly members Kim Eul-dong and Song Ho-chang, Tongyeong Mayor Kim Dong-jin, Yeosu Mayor Joo Cheol-hyun and Busan Deputy Mayor Jeon Yong-sung.

Organizers installed about 270 booths at the park in preparation for the festival — food vendors and business promoters will fill these booths during the festival.

The foundation said the event would provide rest areas. It will also set up donation booths for UNICEF around the park.

Festival attendees can use three parking lots — on 3670, 3450 and 3530 Wilshire Boulevard — served by free shuttle buses coming every 15 minutes and operated by the foundation.

The full festival schedule is below:

Thursday, Sept. 18

3:30 – 4:20: UCLA Hanwoolim
4:30 – 5:20: Los Angeles Poilice Department band
5:30 – 6:00: “Flowers That Never Fade” comfort women cartoon
5:30 – 6:30: Korean jazz band summer pop recital
6:50 – 8:00: Opening ceremony
8:00 – 9:50: Opening ceremony performances

Friday, Sept. 19

1:00 – 1:20: Seoul International Park’s line dance team
1:30 – 2:40: The Primaries band
2:50 – 3:50: Los Angeles Nice Body Contest
4:00 – 4:20: No Hee-yeon Kyeonggi folk song
6:10 – 7:10: Sahama band
7:20 – 7:50: United for Christ chorus
8:00 – 9:50: Made in K-Town dance contest

Saturday, Sept. 20

11:40 – 11:50 a.m.: Los Angeles Senior Citizens Society pungmulnori
12:00 – 2:00: Stage performances
2:00 – 2:20: Song Eun-hwa dance team
2:30 – 2:50: Jin Choi ballet team
2:50 – 4:30: K-pop cover dance festival
3:00 – 5:00: 41st Korean Parade
4:40 – 6:10: Singing competition
6:20 – 7:50: Radio Seoul youth talent show
8:00 – 10:00: Hidden X Trot Super Concert

Sunday, Sept. 21

12:40 – 1:10: Hwarang Leo
1:20 – 2:20: CCM festival
2:30 – 3:20: Dance sports academy
3:30 – 3:50: Ko Kyung-min line dance class
4:00 – 4:50: Los Angeles norimadang
5:00 – 5:20: Lee Jung-im dance team
5:30 – 7:30: 2014 Miss High Teen Contest
7:40 – 7:50: Closing ceremony
8:00 – 10:00: Cravin band, FLASHE performances