President Park Geun-hye speaks to the audience after the K-culture in Nairobi concert on May 31 in the Kenyan capital.
Korea and Kenya have exchanged their heartfelt emotions through music, sports and dance.
A cross-culture performance, the K-culture in Nairobi concert, was held in the Kenyan capital on May 31 in honor of President Park Geun-hye’s official state visit. A crowd of some 2,000 people, far bigger than the expected number of about 1,100, enjoyed its time learning and understanding each other’s pop music, sports and traditional dances.
The concert began with the K-pop boy band N.Flying. Local fans sang along to its songs and displayed their passion for the rapping quartet by shouting, “Saranghaeyo!” (사랑해요!) which means, “I love you!” in Korean. Following the pop music, a traditional Kenyan dance was performed by a Maasai dance troupe. There was atarumbeta African dance group, too, and it was followed by a taekwondo demonstration by young martial artists kicking and punching as the song “Arirang” played in the background. The audience erupted in wild cheers and applause every time the taekwondo athletes smashed a wooden board or showed off one of their high-level maneuvers.
Screaming fans wave their hand-made placards and show off their love for the boy band N.Flying during the K-culture in Nairobi concert on May 31.
President Park Geun-hye (center) and Kenyan First Lady Margaret Kenyatta (left) clap during the K-culture in Nairobi concert on May 31.
President Park herself, who attended the concert, was brought to the stage as the performances wound to an end. Mentioning the opening of a King Sejong Institute in Nairobi, a new Korean studies department at the University of Nairobi, and the rising number of taekwondo practitioners in the East African nation, the president said that this learning and understanding of each other’s sports, music and traditions would brighten the future of Korea-Kenya relations. “The arts narrow the distance between peoples, and helps them to communicate, beyond national borders,” the president said, saying that she hopes that the two people would understand each other better and deeper throughout these cross-cultural exchanges.
The audience at the concert was really excited by what it saw on stage. “Alongside the K-pop songs, the taekwondo moves were really great,” said Sheila Amod, who runs a Korean pop music fan club. She said that she hopes there could be more opportunities to see and enjoy Korean pop music in Kenya.
School teacher Mollen Nyambura said that, “Music unifies people into one, beyond nationalities or languages. Today’s concert was an example of this. Korea and Kenya became one through music.”
By Chang Iou-chung
Korea.net Staff Writer
Photo: Jeon Han, Korea.net Staff Photographer
icchang@korea.kr
Performers put on a traditional Maasai dance during the K-culture in Nairobi concert on May 31.
Young taekwondo athletes demonstrate their moves during the K-culture in Nairobi concert on May 31.
Boy band N.Flying performs in the K-culture in Nairobi concert on May 31. The audience waves its hands in the air and sings along to the band’s songs.
Students clap during the K-culture in Nairobi concert on May 31.
