Kent State Korean Culture Club provides an environment for students of all backgrounds and ethnicities to learn more about Korean culture and language.

Austin Bashore, president of Korean Culture Club, said he has two main goals this year: all members of the club will be literate in Korean and to have international movie nights hosted in the KIVA throughout the semester.

During their lecture-style meetings, members learn about Korean culture, history and language. There are also non-traditional meetings, where members watch Korean movies and do activities, like playing games.

“We are able to learn Korean culture through games and interactive activities, like Korean fashion or Korean history,” Bashore said.

Senior political science major Rachel Aul said she enjoys attending club meetings because she learns more about the issues going on in Korea.

“A lot of people in the club aren’t just interested in the music or the fashion. They’re interested in issues in Asia,” Aul said.

Aul said that later in the semester there will be a meeting on the topic of North Korea, which she finds interesting because it’s an area most people aren’t informed on. She said she also enjoys the opportunity to learn the Korean language, especially because Kent State does not offer Korean as a major. 

The club compromises of a diverse group of people, including members from Korea, who help assist in the teaching of the Korean language. There are also many international student members from countries including Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, India, South America, China and Japan.

“We are always looking for students to join who are interested in anything Korean, from politics, to history, to food and fashion,” Bashore said.

The club was founded in the fall of 2015 when Bashore met a group of people on Facebook who were interested in Korean pop music, similar to himself.

“We were formed to share an interest in Korean music and culture, as well as to have a place for the Korean students to feel less homesick and share their culture,” he said.

Freshman pre-nursing major Lujain Almadani said she decided to join the club after her friend, who is a member, convinced her. Almadani said she enjoys the social aspect of the club.

“Everyone is friendly, and we all hang out a lot. It’s a club, but it’s also just like a bunch of friends hanging out together,” she said.

Eryn Gebacz is the international students and issues reporters, contact her at [email protected].