They say that gloomy weather on your wedding day is a bad omen, so good thing it was only student volunteers and not a happy couple who walked down the aisle at UC San Diego’s Korean Day Festival. The festival, held on Oct. 11 on the East Lawn in Sixth College, was the second of its kind at UCSD. Organized by UCSD’s Korean Language Program and the Korean Cultural Center, Los Angeles, this event immersed students in various aspects of Korean culture, including a traditional Korean wedding replicated by the group.
As students queued up for free keychains, fans, and other Korean goodies, they were treated to a traditional drumming performance. A group of children dressed in long, red, yellow, and blue-colored attire sat on the ground and welcomed those pouring in with their percussive rhythms, and one was even doing backflips to accompany the song. One adult, clad in all-black with a large, multicolored headpiece, held a kkwaenggwari, a small cymbal-like instrument, that they led the performance with.
“I think [the festival is a] good opportunity for KCCLA to promote Korean culture with UCSD students…” said KCCLA Consul and Director Sangwon Jung.
The wedding, scheduled for 4:15 p.m., started late, as weddings often do, but there was no shortage of activities to keep attendees entertained. Students wandered between stations for Korean calligraphy and jagae ring-making. Hanbok, traditional Korean garments, hung on a rack for students to try on in the “photo zone.” KOTX, a K-pop dance team at UCSD, performed routines by iconic groups such as Blackpink and TWICE. Volunteers even handed out Korean yakgwa cookies (Julio-preferred) and rice punch (Samantha-preferred) — the closest thing to an on-campus cocktail hour we’ve ever gotten.
While we gorged ourselves on snacks and enjoyed all the festivities, the wedding — what we considered to be the real star of the show — finally started. Acted out by student volunteers, we observed the intricacies of a traditional Korean marriage ceremony, complete with authentic clothing and music.
As the students led the wedding performance, Kelly Che, Korean Culture Center’s Performing Arts and Festival Manager, guided us through the significance of each element. “[In] Korean culture, the thread represents the life, … and [the couple] exchanges the thread together, so they exchange their life as a couple,” she said as two volunteers handed off the strings.
Soon after, the crowd clapped and the “couple” was finally wed. While not a “real” wedding per se, what we saw at the Korean Day Festival was just as joyous of an occasion. Though the sun was setting and the night was cold, we could not help but feel warmed by the (non-romantic) love in the air.
Second-year Dareum Kwon, one of the student volunteers involved in the wedding, stated, “I’m excited for people to just experience, like, Korean culture, whether it’s through any of the activities or the ceremony.”
When asked what she would like UCSD students to take away from this event, associate professor of Korean and comparative literature Jin-kyung Lee stated, “…more than anything, just have a fun time.”
As we walked back to the office — heads, stomachs, and hearts full — we agreed that, in that regard, the Korean Day Festival was a success.
