On November 24, 2024, KVibe Ltd. will host the 2024 Korean Cultural Festival in the Bay Water Park in Lekki, Lagos. The festival, with the theme “East meets West: Culture Reimagined,” is in its fourth year. While honouring the two countries’ similar values and cultural dynamics, the event seeks to improve ties between South Korea and Nigeria. Live concerts, karaoke competitions, dance shows, Korean food, virtual reality, and traditional games are some of the festival’s highlights.
Two of the main events are a Korean speech competition with cash prizes of up to ₦300,000 for the winners and a Hanbok Fashion contest that combines traditional Korean clothing with Ankara fabric. Miss Oreoluwa Ademulure, KVibe’s representative, highlighted how Nigerian and Korean values—like respect, diligence, and cultural preservation—align. She further emphasised that the festival aims to foster a friendly environment for Koreans and Nigerians. The festival is supported by PUAC, which acknowledges its role in engagingly promoting Korean culture, according to Mr. Cho Hong Seon, President of the Peaceful Unification Advisory Council.
South Korea has made investments in Nigeria’s energy sector.
Over time, the two bilateral relationship of the two countries has grown considerably, characterised by respect for one another and collaboration in trade, education, and cultural exchange. While Nigeria has been a significant trading partner, sending natural resources like crude oil to South Korea, South Korea has also made investments in Nigeria’s energy, telecommunications, and Infrastructure sectors. People-to-people interactions, mutual understanding, and cooperation beyond economics are all greatly enhanced by occasions such as the Korean Cultural Festival.
With hundreds of attendees, the first Korean Cultural Festival in 2022 laid the groundwork for a distinctive cross-cultural conversation. Highlights of the festival’s growth in later years included interactive workshops on Korean language and calligraphy, traditional Korean performances, and K-pop dance competitions. Many attendees have noted that this was their first introduction to Korea’s colourful customs, and many have commended the event for its immersive experiences. For example, the “Fusion Food Fair” in 2023 was a noteworthy event that included Nigerian variations of Korean cuisine, such as bulgogi served with jollof rice.
Both cultures stress their mutual appreciation for cultural preservation.
These innovative partnerships demonstrated how the festival combines the two cultures to produce mouthwatering gastronomic and artistic encounters. Building a bridge across cultures, Nigerian and Korean communities place a strong emphasis on community, family values, and respect for elders. Both countries value tenacity and hard effort, as seen in Korea’s explosive Economic Growth and Nigeria’s spirit of entrepreneurship. Furthermore, both cultures emphasise their mutual appreciation for cultural preservation by celebrating their past with lively festivals, colourful clothing, and traditional music.
Furthermore, the friendliness and inclusivity of the festival are frequently praised by previous attendees. “It was incredible to see how much we have in common,” Chiamaka, a college student who competed in the 2023 K-pop competition, remarked. It seemed to be a celebration of solidarity. Likewise, Mr. Kim Soo-hyun, a Korean expat, said, “I felt so at home here.” Our cultures coming together is encouraging and serves as a reminder of the value of cross-cultural interaction.
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Additionally, by encouraging tolerance and understanding between people, the Korean Cultural Festival strengthens diplomatic ties and acts as a soft power tool. In addition to promoting the rich cultural legacy of the Korean nation, it gives Nigerians a forum to discuss their customs with Korean citizens, encouraging a mutually beneficial exchange of ideas. By demonstrating how cultural appreciation crosses boundaries and fosters friendships and partnerships that meaningfully deepen bilateral connections, such events support international peacebuilding.