2024-08-01 12:14:48
“The tteokbokki is spicy, but it’s delicious, so I’ll eat it slowly.”
Julie Chiago, a Danish tourist whom we met in front of the snack corner inside the ‘2024 Paris Olympic Korea House’ in downtown Paris, France on the 31st of last month (local time), said, “Korean food is unfamiliar but also attractive.”
Korea House, which was set up by the Korean Sports Council and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to promote Korean culture in preparation for the Paris Olympics, is gaining great popularity locally. On this day, the ‘Bibigo Market’ set up in the garden of Korea House showcased Korean snacks such as tteokbokki, dumplings, and rice balls. Not only Parisians but also tourists from all over the world who came to celebrate the Olympics were waiting in long lines at the snack corner.
“It’s great that I can listen to exciting K-pop music with other people while eating snacks like at a Korean restaurant,” said Karina Camu, a Parisian who came to see the TikTok promotional material with her daughter. The 500 servings prepared that day sold out in an instant.
Korea House opened its doors on the 25th of last month, renting the entire building of the academic conference hall ‘Maison de la Cimi (House of Chemistry)’ near Invalides, where the Paris Olympic archery competition was held. Operating until the 11th, this place is providing a variety of Hallyu content with a total of 15 organizations, including private companies such as CJ Group, OB Beer, Hive, and Photoism, as well as public institutions such as the Korea Tourism Organization, Korea Creative Content Agency, Korea Ceramic Foundation, and Korea Foundation for International Cultural Exchange.
Each company and organization is operating a variety of booths, including Korean food, K-pop, and self-studios. The studio where you can take sticker photos and the exhibition hall where you can try on fancy hanbok are especially crowded. In the garden, you can also see people dancing in groups to the lively K-pop music.
Korea House has been used as a place to support athletes and interview medalists during the Olympics. However, this year, it has established itself as a hub for promoting Korean culture with various companies. According to the organizers, 16,019 people visited Korea House in the five days since it opened to the public on the 26th. About half of them were foreigners. The Korean Sports Council explained, “We will continue to use Korea House as a space to experience Korean sports as well as K-content during the Olympics.”
Paris = Correspondent Jo Eun-ah [email protected]
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2024-08-01 12:14:48