It all began a few years ago with the introduction in Hong Kong of Korean TV dramas and other cultural productions, which triggered keen interest in Korean culture among Hong Kong people. In particular, the phenomenal success of the TV series Daejanggeum in 2005 helped to highlight the cultural similarities between Korea and Hong Kong.
Interest in Korean culture, which was sparked by Korean TV series, movies and music, has now expanded to include Korean food, fashion, traditional culture as well as Korean lifestyle in general. It is very encouraging that the number of Hong Kong people learning Korean language in various institutions has grown steadily to reach the present level of 4,000.
Against such a backdrop, friends of Korea who share a deep enthusiasm for Korean culture have come together to establish the Korea Hong Kong Friendship Association. Their aspirations are to further explore the different dimensions of Korean culture and share them with the people of Hong Kong.
I am delighted that with the support of the government of the Republic of Korea, and most importantly, the efforts of the friends of Korea, the Korea Hong Kong Friendship Association was officially launched on April 18, 2007.
This Korea Hong Kong Friendship Association website provides a platform for promoting Korean culture and networking among Korean lovers. I hope you find the resources in this website not only informative but also stimulating and engaging. The Learning Korean Language page, for instance, is designed to encourage and support Korean language learners. I hope you will take your time to explore this website, and your valuable comments and suggestions at the Visitors’ Forum would be very much appreciated.
Enjoy your journey!
Seok Tong-youn
Consul General of the Republic of Korea |
