The 3rd edition of Rang De Korea, the biggest Korean culture festival in India, was organised by Korean Cultural Centre India at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Auditorium in New Delhi. The showpiece event has become a symbol of Korean culture in Delhi, offering a platform to enjoy and experience it. Launched in 2022, the event has firmly established itself in a short span of time.
This year’s event was a megaton-level festival encompassing various genres of content such as K-beauty, K-food, K-fashion, K-snack, K-craft and K-play with performing artists representing Korean culture, alternating between indoor performance hall and outdoor plazas of the venue. The semi-final of the 14th All India K-Pop Contest, exclusively sponsored by LG Electronics India, was this year held simultaneously along with the Rang De Korea event.
The gala event was inaugurated by H.E Chang Jae-bok, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to India, in the gracious presence of Mr. Jaideep Mazumdar, Secretary East, Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India. The event aimed at fostering the cultural bond between Korea and India and further deepen the cultural ties between the two nations.
Speaking on the occasion, Ambassador of Republic of Korea to India H.E. Chang Jae-bok said, “It is truly heartfelt to see the ‘Rang De Korea’ event growing each year with more Indian fans joining to celebrate Korea and its vibrant culture. The friendship between Korea and India is built on mutual respect, shared stories, and deep cultural ties. We honour the enduring legacy of the matrimonial alliance between the Indian princess from Ayodhya and the Korean King Kim Suro, as well as the spiritual bonds fostered through Buddhism. Over the centuries, these exchanges have flourished, and today our partnership remains vibrant across various sectors like economy, education, technology, and global governance.”
Performance groups at the event included K-pop’s ‘NTX’ and ‘Ha Minwoo’; Fusion Concert’s Uuheeska, a modern reinterpretation of Korea’s traditional comedy play; Balkwang, who created an action comedy using Taekkyeon, a traditional Korean martial art; Pax Arari, which created an ensemble by combining traditional Korean instruments and piano.
NTX, who debuted in March 2021, are a rising rookie star, and this was their first visit to India. They enthralled the audience with their performance and also interacted with their fans in a special ‘Fan Meet and Greet’ event. They showed their immense respect for the diverse Indian culture and expressed their desire to visit the Taj Mahal. In the middle of their performance, they interacted with the crowds by using Hindi phrases such as ‘chalo chalo’ and ‘main aapse pyaar karta hoon’. They ended the performance by thanking the crowd with a ‘dhanyavaad’.
Ha Minwoo, who was visiting India for the third time, said that the Rang De Korea event was a special moment for him. He used this occasion to show his love and respect for the Indian audiences and also presented some unreleased songs.
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