Korea Day Provides a Glimpse into the lives of Korean-Americans

UW-Madison student Youn Ku Choi says that learning percussion was passed down to him from his older peers in a Korean percussion club in Madison.

“It was founded in UW-Madison in 1998 with four students; they just kind of started from the bottom, and they passed it on to generations and generations and now we’re here performing at UWM.”

Choi was part of the seventh annual UW-Milwaukee Korea Day, held on Nov. 7 2014 in the Helene Zelazo center.

The space was covered in historic Korean maps, traditional Korean art, and cranes made from the Korean art of paper folding. The event included Korean dance and percussion performances, Taekwondo demonstrations, story telling and a UWM Symphony Orchestra Concert.

Nuri Jeong, a communications student at UW-Milwaukee was born in South Korea. Although she’s been living in America for seven years now, she stays true to her Korean roots by participating in events like Korea day at UWM.

“Korea Day is a day to introduce Korea to a variety of people. It’s a day to show our culture and identity to American people,” said Jeong.

Korean-American young girls performing dance routines to “K-Pop” or Korean pop, a popular genre of music in South Korea, kicked off the night. Their group, who call themselves, “Girls’ Generation” had synchronized dance routines and matching outfits while they were prancing around the Zelazo stage. One dancer said afterward that it only took them two days to memorize the dance.

The night then led to a drum performance by both UW-Milwaukee and UW-Madison students.

Choi described how his transition to America from South Korea when he was 16 was not as smooth as his drum playing.

“Usually when people come here from South Korea, they know some English and are prepared. I came here completely unprepared,” he said. “I was the only Asian kid in my school.”

Luckily, there are some resources for first-generation Koreans, who have moved to the America.

Seon Joo So, who moved here eight years ago, learned to speak English when she was 44-years-old. She teaches the art of Korean paper folding in Shorewood and founded the Korean Language & Culture School of Milwaukee in Oak Creek. The school is a resource center for Koreans who have just moved to America and is also a place for Korean children, or anyone to learn about Korean culture.

“I love to spread Korean culture in Milwaukee,” said So.

Along with many Korean-Americans at the event, there were also students and community members there to solely learn about Korean culture.

“I like the traditional music. The drums. They were very cool,” said Brazilian exchange student Hiugue Melo.