10 February 2000

Colourful Korean Day Celebrations

A 35-strong traditional Korean cultural group will be in Christchurch to help the local Koreans celebrate their national day in March.

The group will come from Songpa-gu, a sister city of Christchurch, along with a Samul Nori traditional musical group.

The two groups will give performances in Christchurch from 2 March until 5 March.

The chairman of the Christchurch Korean Society, August Kim, said the groups would perform at the James Hay Theatre in the Town Hall on four evenings and also take part in a special parade on 4 March.

He said the cultural folk group will perform various dances and play drums.

The parade on March 4 will leave Cranmer Square at noon with members of the local Korean community, members of the New Zealand Army’s K Force, and a Takwon Do martial arts group. "Everyone will be in traditional costume. It will be very colourful and exciting," Mr Kim said.

The parade will go from Cranmer Square into Rolleston Avenue, past the Canterbury Museum before going alone Worcester Street to Cathedral Square.

There, dancing and music will be held until 2pm.

The Korean ambassador to New Zealand, Moon Bong Ju, will attend the concert in the James Hay Theatre that night with the Mayor of Christchurch, Garry Moore, 350 dignitaries and the public.

An exhibition of Korean antique musical instruments, art objects, and traditional costumes will be in Ballantynes, City Mall from 28 February. On 5 March the performers will give their final performance at the Arts Centre at 1.30pm.

The Christchurch Korean community has celebrated Korean Day since 1996.

The leader of the cultural group will Kim Kwang Ja, a professor at the Hyun Soo Won Women’s University.

Further information:

• Augie Kim:
• 025 327 327
• 379 2755
• 349 8181.