The Korean Cultural Centre Nigeria (Director: Jun Joo-ho) showcased the richness and diversity of Korean culture at the Lagos Multicultural Festival, held on October 4 at Banana Island — the economic and cultural hub of Lagos.

The festival, recognized as one of the largest annual multicultural events in Nigeria, featured an international food fair and dance performances, bringing together more than 3,000 guests, including government officials, members of the diplomatic corps, and local residents.

The Korean booth, organized by the Centre, drew considerable attention as visitors immersed themselves in Korea’s traditional food and culture. A wide variety of Korean dishes such as gimbap, bulgogi, kimchi fried rice, seafood pancake (haemul pajeon), and japchae were served, attracting long queues of guests eager to experience authentic Korean flavors. Visitors shared enthusiastic reactions, noting that “it felt exciting to finally taste the food I’ve only seen in Korean dramas,” and “spicy tteokbokki made me feel closer to real Korean culture.”

In addition to the culinary experience, the booth also featured interactive cultural programs such as hanbok (traditional attire) dressing, traditional games including yutnori and jegichagi, and a traditional mask coloring activity. Families and children eagerly participated, with one family sharing, “It was a long-time dream to try on a hanbok, and this event made it come true,” while others expressed that “after watching so many K-dramas, experiencing Korean culture in person made me want to visit Korea even more.”

A special highlight of the event was the energetic performance by B-Stars, the third-place winners of the 2024 Lagos K-POP Festival (Dance Category), whose dynamic choreography received thunderous applause from the audience. The festival organizers commended the Korean booth for its creative design and high level of public engagement, describing it as “one of the most popular attractions of the day.”

The event served as a meaningful platform for the Korean Cultural Centre to engage directly with festival attendees and promote mutual understanding and cultural diversity within Nigerian society. Director Jun Joo-ho remarked, “It was deeply inspiring to see so many participants greeting us in Korean and showing genuine curiosity about our culture. Through continued cultural exchanges, the Centre will keep promoting Korea’s national image and building new opportunities for cooperation across various sectors.”