5 Things to Watch Out For in The New Korean Cultural Centre in The Philippines

Everything you love about Korea in one building—a museum that shows the rich cultural history of the country, a dance studio that mimics the training grounds of your favourite K-Pop idols, and a captivating kinetic art installation by Silo Lab await guests

If at some point, you or someone you know has bawled his or her eyes over a touching K-Drama, danced to a pop hit by popular K-idols, or enjoyed a samgyeopsal feast somewhere in the Metro, you probably have an idea how big "Hallyu Wave" is in the Philippines.

Korea's rich culture continues to play a big role globally in modern times. If you still don't think so, just look at the whopping USD 5.9 billion worldwide revenue of the popular fast food chain McDonald's when it decided to offer BTS Meals; or if that's not enough, wait until Manila opens its own Korea Town in Malate.

If there is one thing that these circumstances have proven, it is that the craze over anything Korean is no longer a mere trend or something that everybody follows for a short period of time.

In case you missed it: Korea Town in Manila is Soon to Rise: 5 Reasons We're Excited To Visit

Above KCC Public Relations Officer Clarizzah Tualla and Jang Seonji tour Tatler around the new building (Photo: Jove Moya)

To help Filipinos understand Korean culture better, the new Korean Cultural Centre (KCC), which stands in the quiet road of Bayani in Taguig, offers a mini museum, library and classrooms for short courses, and a dance studio in one building.

This week, Tatler had the opportunity of stepping into its welcoming quarters. Here's everything that we saw inside:

1. Cultural Museum

Photo 1 of 2 A mini museum awaits guests at the ground floor (Photo: Jove Moya)

Photo 2 of 2 A mini museum awaits guests at the ground floor (Photo: Jove Moya)

Did you know that in Korea, men, women, and children's sujeo (chopsticks) vary in sizes and materials? In Korea, children receive their own sujeos on their first birthdays. A larger sujeo would replace the smaller one as the child grows. When a newly-wedded couple starts a family, the wife prepares the sujeo for them to use for the rest of their lives together.

You can learn all that and more when you visit KCC's mini cultural museum on the ground floor. "In this area are different themes in Korea: food, language, clothes, everything you want to know about them are here," says KCC public relations officer Clarizzah Tualla.

2. Mini Library and Classrooms

The mini library in KCC allows guests to read books that depict the rich history of Korea and watch their favourite K-Dramas (Photo: Jove Moya)

Photo 1 of 3 The mini library in KCC allows guests to read books that depict the rich history of Korea and watch their favourite K-Dramas (Photo: Jove Moya)

Photo 2 of 3 The mini library in KCC allows guests to read books that depict the rich history of Korea and watch their favourite K-Dramas (Photo: Jove Moya)

Photo 3 of 3 The mini library in KCC allows guests to read books that depict the rich history of Korea and watch their favourite K-Dramas (Photo: Jove Moya)

Photo 1 of 4 The classroom at KCC (Photo: Jove Moya)

Photo 2 of 4 The classroom at KCC (Photo: Jove Moya)

Photo 3 of 4 The classroom at KCC (Photo: Jove Moya)

Photo 4 of 4 The classroom at KCC (Photo: Jove Moya)

KCC also offers sets of classes that Filipinos can avail of on its official website. The cultural hub offers basic Korean lessons which aim to introduce the basic concepts of Hangeul (Korean alphabet) to beginners, or more advanced Korean E1, Korean E2, and Korean INT1 to help students use the language in formal and informal conversations.

3. Dance Studio

Above The dance studio where Filipino boy band SB19 performed (Photo: Korean Cultural Centre)

If your dream is to become "The Next Big Thing," then get your gears, tie your laces, and dance non-stop in KCC's new dance studio.

Tatler Trivia: Popular Filipino boy band SB19, whose members include Justin, Stell, Pablo, Felip, and Josh, performed their hit single 'Go Up' in this dance studio.

4. Learn With Tech

Write your name in Korean (Photo: Jove Moya)

Design your virtual hanbok in KCC (Photo: Jove Moya)

Photo 1 of 3 Write your name in Korean (Photo: Jove Moya)

Photo 2 of 3 Write your name in Korean (Photo: Jove Moya)

Photo 3 of 3 Design your virtual hanbok in KCC (Photo: Jove Moya)

Have you ever wondered how you'd look like in a Hanbok? Or perhaps you've Googled how to write your name in Hangeul so many times but ended up getting incomprehensible phrases... In KCC, there are technologies that would help you design your own Korean national attire and even tell you how to write your Korean name properly.

5. A Mesmerising Kinetic Art Installation by Silo Lab

The best part of the building is hidden on its fifth floor. It features Punghwa: Light of ASEAN, a kinetic media art installation created by Korean interactive design group SILO LAB. It presents immersive imagery with light and sound that you can stare at all day long.

Tatler Trivia: The Punghwa: Light of ASEAN is the Philippines' first kinetic media art installation.

The KCC is open to the public from 9am to 4pm on weekdays and from 10am to 4pm on Saturdays. You can visit them at 59 Bayani Road, Taguig City. No admission fee is required. For more information visit their official Facebook account or website.

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Here's What to Expect Inside the New Korean Cultural Centre in Manila

1. Cultural Museum

2. Mini Library and Classrooms

3. Dance Studio

4. Learn With Tech

5. A Mesmerising Kinetic Art Installation by Silo Lab