Love, language learning, and cultural appreciation went hand in hand at the Soulmates Game Night hosted by the Korean Culture Club.
The recent “Soulmates Game Night” held at the Graham Center on Thursday, February 15th was a special event that delved into how Koreans celebrate Valentine’s Day.
The main focus was on traditional Korean variety show games such as “Scream of Silence,” “Drawing Relay,” and the traditional Korean game “Touch.” The choice of a game show format for this event was intentional.
According to second-year communication major and club president Amelia Villas Aienroth, the club provides a great platform for members to come together and foster a sense of community.
“People can be shy at events, but at game nights we have teams where people can work together, make friends and build community,” Ienroth said.
One of the standout activities of game night was a board decorated with heart-shaped sticky notes paying homage to Namsan Tower (Seoul Tower), where couples traditionally place their love locks.
In honor of that romantic tradition, participants wrote their own notes and pasted them on the board.
Founded in 2013, the club has grown from a small group sharing an interest in K-dramas and K-pop to a vibrant community that embraces all aspects of Korean culture and tradition.
“The Korean Culture Club is a space where individuals can share their passion for Korean culture,” Ienroth said.
Aienroth joined the club in 2021 during her sophomore year through a professor, looking for a place to share her interests in language and culture. Aneiros gradually immersed himself in the community, serving as vice president the following year and now as president. , As a senior.
The club’s main purpose is to share lesser-known aspects of Korean culture and showcase the richness of Korean traditions, from cuisine and hanbok to calligraphy and classical music.
“People mostly know about K-dramas and K-pop, so we want to share more about Korean culture, not just the mainstream ones,” she said.
Throughout the school year, KCC organizes countless events to coincide with various Korean celebrations.
They host the Chuseok Banquet, which celebrates Korean Thanksgiving, around the end of September, the Korean Festival, the Korean Lunar New Year Lantern Festival Gala in the fall, and the grand Korean New Year Festival, which usually takes place in the spring.
A feature of the Korean Culture Club is that it actively collaborates with other Asian clubs.
KCC partners with clubs such as the Japan Club, Korean Empowerment Club, and Asian Student Union.
A new member of the club, Areeba Hameed, shared some of her favorite things about Korean culture and traditions.
“What I love most about Korean culture is the food,” Hamed said.
Another new member, Emma Gonzalez, said she gained a personal appreciation for the country’s flavorful cuisine after experiencing it first-hand when she visited the country last summer.
This love of the culinary arts aligns with the club’s mission to educate members about all aspects of Korean culture.
FIU’s Korean Culture Club continues to evolve, but its commitment to providing a comprehensive understanding of Korean culture remains steadfast.
Beyond the glamor of K-Pop, K-Drama, and K-Beauty, the club’s events such as “Soulmates Game Night” are a testament to their dedication to sharing the diversity of Korean culture with the FIU community. is.