Saira @ The Korean Cultural Center In The Philippines!

I think we were meant to visit this place! The Korean Cultural Center in the Philippines (KCC), that is!

Before I flew out of the Philippines after my week-long summer vacation, I spent two nights in Manila to buy my favorites goodies to bring to Seoul, and to meet up with some friends. And one Friday night, friends who used to live in Seoul arranged for a get-together dinner.

                      (Saira posing at the KCC lobby)

Saira and her family used to live in Seoul, in the Nam-san area.  And that late afternoon, as she, her mom and I were navigating the traffic on our way to our get-together dinner with other Seoul friends at the Bonifacio Global City, I spotted a sign that looked familiar: 한국문화원 Korean Cultural Center!  I suggested we had to visit the place. The KCC is on a building at the 32nd Street of Bonifacio Global City. It's near St. Luke's Hospital.

Saira was born in Seoul eight years ago, when she and her family was still living in South Korea. She still has fun memories of her early years in Korea through her family photos when her mom and dad would carry her around for a stroll in the Nam-san area, in Itaewon and other places in Seoul. I once saw Saira, her mom and a babysitter enjoying a late afternoon in Itaewon; Saira was in a stroller.
 

 

On her first (and certainly not the last!) KCC visit, Saira re-connected with the Korean culture through the Center's exhibits, displays, and photographs. Although Saira now lives in the Philippines, she can still learn more about her country of birth through the KCC.  Saira also loves fashion and Korean souvenirs, by the way.  

While we were there, the 2014 Philippine-Korean Contemporary Art Exchange Exhibition was being held, and so was an awarding ceremony at the Korean Wave Hall.  

                               (Sungha Jung's poster at KCC. 
       He will be having a concert in Taguig and Cebu.)

And our visit to KCC couldn't have been more timely. This month, the Center is celebrating its 3rd year anniversary, and on this occasion, we all wish the Korean Cultural Center in the Philippines more success in its endeavor to bridge South Korea and its Filipino fans through its activities and events that promote the Korean culture, art, cuisine, music and other activities.  I heard these events and classes are very popular, especially when K-pop artists visit the Philippines.  

So, for Filipinos in Manila who love K-pop music and Korean dramas, or Filipinos who want to learn about Korean cuisine and hangul, or even K-pop dancing, the Korean Cultural Center has classes for you. And who knows? Someday, Saira would join these classes, too!