The 2022 Korea Travel Fair that happened at the Glorietta Activity Center, and was held last September 10 – 11 of 2022, was a great Korean experience.
From travel tips, Korean culture, K-pop performances, food, and freebies…there are lots of experiences that I want to unpack and tell you how I felt. Being a foreigner planning to go to South Korea hopefully next year, it is very important for me to have a clear understanding of what Korea really is.
In this article, I will be sharing with you my 2-day experience and I hope you can learn so many things as I have learned so many things too.
There were 2 different stages (Main Stage, and Sub-Stage) and each stage had a different event, or sometimes, they interchange events.
Each stage helped each other by streaming it either on the large screen at the center of the substage or at the large monitor screen.
The main stage was more for artists & guests and where different types of equipment or needed for a segment, while the substage was more for segments dedicated to the public.
Here is a table of contents so you can navigate through the post.
Hanbok Fitting
They had a stall where you can try out different styles, colors, and other pieces of clothing for a Hanbok.
This section had long lines all throughout the day that I was forced to try out the next day which I really didn’t mind.
Funny story that I picked a dress for females initially (and yes…that was really awkward), and as a short guy, I had a hard time fitting it out as I don’t want the pants to get too baggy. I eventually figured it out.
Hanbok’s parts vary between men and women.
For women, the hanbok’s parts are:
- goreum
- jeogori
- norigae
- kkeutdong
- chima
While for men, the hanbok’s parts are:
- dongjeong
- jeogori
- jokki
- baji
- moka
They asked me to change my footwear to a more traditional one which I believe is called “Moka”. I mean who wants to see a guy with a Hanbok wearing a pair of Converse sneakers, right? Wrong. Of course, it is to pay respect for the traditional clothing, and also Korea as a whole.
Here is an article I also wrote if you want to know more about Hanbok and what other things Korea is known for.
Traditional Korean Folk Dance
Speaking of the Hanbok, we got a performance of traditional folk dance with talented women dancing in Korean clothing.
It is not the usual pop music, however, I saw the audience’s respect and focus on the dance itself. An instance where I felt really happy about everyone’s behavior.
The folk dance presented was “Ganggangsullae” (강강술래). It was a very long dance presentation and it involves a lot of spinning.
If you want to watch a video on how it is performed, here is a video uploaded by Arirang Culture.
The women dressed in Hanbok clothing displayed a great sense of passion, and you can really see that they enjoyed the dance.
The most mesmerizing part of the dance is that it goes faster and faster. At the end of the performance, the host of the show and the dancers taught them a few of the dance steps of the dance’s choreography.
The best thing about this certain segment was something that the host (who is Korean but can still speak Filipino) said something so beautiful about the Philippines and South Korea.
*Paraphrasing*
The Philippines accepted my culture accepted my culture in any way possible, and as thank you, I would like to pay the same amount of respect to the Philippines.
Travel Agency Stalls
I believe that this is the main dish of the event as it focuses on the agencies that help people have their Korean visas.
For interaction, there was a 10 Stamp Challenge where you can ask for the stalls for stamps. All of them were very helpful about our inquiries and they will give you a stamp even if you didn’t ask them anything. In my case, I did ask them some questions I’ve been wanting to ask them.
What I got was a Dalgona Set that gained popularity from the South Korean TV series, Squid Game.
Each stall had different gimmicks, information, and freebies. They were all so friendly about everything which made the event lighter even if the space was kind of on the narrow side.
They even had thick books and freebies with travel tips that have valuable information about South Korean travel which will be very helpful for me in the long run.
Here are some of the questions that I asked different agencies:
Can you still apply for a Korean VISA if you don’t have an ITR?
Yes, you can still get accepted for a Korean VISA only if you provide a Letter of Explanation on why you can’t provide an ITR or Income Tax Return.
Would it help if your current Philippine passport is blank, but your old passport has a lot of travel stamps?
Yes, it would really help your chances of getting a VISA. Just provide it along with your other requirements.
Are digital bank certificates and bank statements acceptable when applying for a Korean VISA?
Yes, they are allowed and there will be no problem.
For me, I would still have bank statements and bank certificates for accessibility.
Korean Pubs (Jumak) and Street Food
People that attended the event did not miss the different street foods from the kiosks. An example of street food served there would be the Tteokbokki.
There was also a Korean Hangeul class on the right side of the pub where people will be taught about basic Hangeul.
There were also Korean tables where people can sit or kneel when eating.
There was also a picnic zone there where you can sit while you watch the performances on the main stage or eat the street food you just bought.
K-pop Performances
RPDs (Random Play Dances), dancing, and singing…the K-pop culture was very much alive throughout the event. Intros from popular songs drew screams from fans that you can hear everywhere.
While watching the cover performances of the groups, I had an epiphany that I would like to share. Prepare to hear something cheesy.
K-Pop holds a very special place in my heart. Not just because of the different genres of melodies and the peace that its harmony is giving to me. Watching my fellow Filipinos sing and dance their heart out to their favorite songs, I realized how K-pop really melded as a part of the Philippines’ culture.
One of K-pop’s effects on people is that it gives them confidence. Seeing them expressing with swag, sweetness, sadness, and anger was truly a beautiful sight. The language might be different, yes, but the effect it does on people can be the sole reason why it became successful in a country that is known to be kind of conservative.
My favorite performance was the K-Pop medley (video by Fan Boy Doll Arch). I didn’t have time to take a picture of them as I was heavily invested in their passion for dancing.
The Korea 2022 festival was a fun, and enjoyable experience for me.
It allowed me to experience South Korea even inside a small area and for a small time. The Philippines and South Korea have different cultures, and this event made me realize that each country can respect both. It doesn’t matter if you have a bad upbringing, you know what is good and proper, to what is bad and inappropriate.
Always choose respect, not by race, culture, or country. Choose respect as we are all human.