My name is Ronnie or just Ron for short. Whether you know very little or a lot about Korea I’m very honored to be able to share a part of my experience with you all. I lived in Korea for a year and a half, I couldn’t possibly tell you everything I’ve seen and done but I’ll give you a few highlights.
Korea has a rich history of music and dance, some of which I was able to see up close and personal. This is called Jangguchum (장구춤) a dance performed with drums. It’s usually done solo but can also be done in a small pairs. The one dance I saw that really enchanted me the most was a folk dance called Buchaechum (부채춤.) It is a fan dance performed in groups of female dancers wearing Hanboks. The colors were brilliant, their movements precise, vibrant and mesmerizing. I was told its origins go back to shaman dance. It’s done for different occasions. Kpop will undoubtedly cross your mind when you think about Korea but check out some performances to get a broader taste of Korea’s identity and watch some folk dances. There are lots of videos online if you can’t visit Korea(yet!) The music and dancing is one of a kind.
“Kpop will undoubtedly cross your mind when you think about Korea but check out some performances to get a broader taste of Korea’s identity and watch some folk dances.”
I also got to visit a Korean Folk Village. If you ever get the opportunity, I highly recommend it. You’ll see traditional houses and get a glimpse into the past to see how early Korean people lived.
One in particular had a few entertainment attractions, I rode this mechanical llama haha. I felt like a really big kid ^_^
Outside of swap meets here in the United States I’d never really seen anything quite like Namdaemun Market in Seoul. I’ll tell you this, keep your eyes WIDE open when you go to a Korean traditional market. Want to buy fresh fish? They got it. Want some chicken feet? They got it. Want to find socks, herbs, meats, stretch pants, housewares and more..They got it all, trust me. Just take care not to bump into people, but you will once or twice anyways because outdoor markets get crowded. Lol. You cannot go to Korea and not go to the markets, it’s an experience in itself 😉
We all love K-Dramas right!? I’d like to sign off by sharing a few of my favorites. If you love a feel good story, some romance, or just good ol’ hearty laughs then these will do it for you. Hope you guys and gals have enjoyed my guest post. Until next time, keep on learning, living and laughing.
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Photo Credit: http://www.wikitree.co.kr/main/news_view.php?id=141606
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April Jay is a style and travel content creator who loves sewing, Buffy The Vampire Slayer and rocking out to coldrain.
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