THE first virtual edition of the Philippines-Korea Cultural Exchange Festival was successfully held on 31 October 2020 via the official social media channels of the event organizers, the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), Korean Cultural Center, Embassy of Korea in Manila, and the United Korean Community Association.
Now on its 29th year, the Festival, through its theme, "We Rise Together", remained steadfast in advancing the bilateral relations between the peoples of the Philippines and the Republic of Korea by offering cultural and artistic presentations from both Filipino and Korean nationals. In his congratulatory remarks, NCCA Chairman and concurrent President of the Cultural Center of the Philippines stated, "We Rise Together, is a reminder that we can overcome the challenges and threats brought about by this pandemic if we work together. The healing powers of our cultures and their artistic expressions give us relief and a sense of order, that the sciences may not be able to give at these trying times. Music, poetry, dance, film, food, and other manifestations of our cultures, nourish the mind, body, and soul. Let us therefore be recharged by this unlimited supply of inspiration and hope, and rise above and come out stronger and more resilient from this adversity. The staging of this Festival online is proof that culture can spread faster than the virus. Indeed, our predecessors and future generations would share our joy and pride!"
The program, hosted by Sam Oh and Pao Ocampo, featured time-honored commemorative speeches from the event organizers, and performances from the World Music Band ID of Korea and the Celso Espejo Rondalla of the Philippines. To showcase Filipino pop music, a rousing performance was rendered by NCCA Music Ambassador, Ms. KZ Tandingan, with her songs Imposible, Labo, and Nag-iisa na Naman. Prominent P-pop stars SB19, donned in attractive attire featuring Filipino traditional textiles, showcased the group's singing and dancing prowess that was shot against the iconic backdrops of the National Museum of Natural History and Luneta Park.
The program ended with the collaboration of the guest artists performing Ikako bringing the message that we can overcome any challenges if we stand together.
The 2020 Philippines-Korea Cultural Exchange Festival may still be viewed online via this link: https://www.facebook.com/KoreanCulturalCenterPH/videos/653031412035998.