Vote for Daesung D-Cube City in the MIPIM Awards 2012

D-Cube City Plaza is where the IAK held its Irish Dance and Music festival in September 2011…and it’s also where we will hold the 2012 St Patrick’s Festival on Sat March 17th from 12:30 to 18:00 (more news about that tomorrow)!

We like the space there a lot, so if you’ve enjoyed the festival there last September or are planning to come to our St Patrick’s festival, or if you just like the design out at D-Cube (maybe you are a Pororo fan and have been to the theme park out there) why not go and vote for D-Cube City in the MIPIN Awards 2012?

Daesung have been very generous to the IAK over the last number of years, hosting our festivals and providing much appreciated support for our activities. We’re very grateful to the Daesung Group and want offer thanks on behalf of all our members and all of those who have enjoyed IAK events.

St Patrick’s Day – did you know?

Here at IAK towers we are finalising details for the annual St Patrick’s Day festival in Seoul. This year will be the 12th occasion of the festival in Seoul, a fact which we are all proud of.  Full details to come in the next few days, just keep Sat March 17th day and evening free in your diary.

In the meantime here are some facts about St Patrick (whaddya mean he didn’t drive the snakes out?!)

http://www.visitdublin.com/events/St_Patricks_Festival_2012/Did_You_Know/

Congrats to Sungyi Kim at Dublin Institute of Technology

Dublin’s Lord Mayor hosts a reception for international students each year. You can read about the event here (and why Dublin is one of the world’s best cities to study in). Korea was represented by Sungyi Kim who is studying for a masters of Science in Construction Cost Management at Dublin Institute of Technology.

DIT's Robert Flood, Dublin's Lord Mayor Andrew Montague, Sungyi Kim

Irish Ceili Dancing

Check out the pictures of our Ceili dancing and music meetup.  Details of our next meetup coming soon!!!!!!

http://iak.co.kr/events/irish-ceili-and-set-dancing-feb-2012

Inaugural Irish-Korean Essay Competition Winners Announced!

The Irish Association of Korea, and the Embassy of Ireland, South Korea, in association with the Emerald Cultural Institute, Dublin, are very proud to announce the winners of the inaugural Irish-Korean Essay Competition for university students in Korea. The competition raised awareness about connections between both Ireland and Korea. The lucky winner receives a month long opportunity to study at a leading Irish language institute. Second prize will receive a sum of money, while the remaining Runners up will also receive cultural prizes.

Details of the Competition

The competition was administered by the Irish Association of Korea, a non-profit organization which actively seeks to promote Ireland and all that falls under the banner of ‘Irishness’ within Korea, and supported by the Embassy of Ireland in Seoul. The competition was designed to highlight Ireland as a leading location for study abroad, and as a unique and fascinating cultural destination.

Conor O’Reilly, the chairman of The Irish Association of Korea and a lecturer in Kyunghee University, explained that the closest and strongest bonds which exist between Korea and Ireland are between the people and their own personal experiences. “There are stronger connections between Irish and Korean people than you may think” he explained. ” More and more Korean people are connecting with Ireland on a personal level, and it is because of these individual connections that Korean people and Irish people are developing a stronger affinity together”, Mr. O’Reilly explains.

“The topic for the Essay competition was quite vague – deliberately – to allow essayists to show their creativity as well as their language and research ability. ”

The first prize winner ‘How Korean Women may learn from Irish Women’ is a thought provoking piece on social change in two very different but traditionally socially conservative societies. I am proud that the competition provided a space for such topics to be discussed” said judges for the competition.

It is through this inaugural Irish-Korean Essay Competition in Korea that the The Irish Association of Korea and the Embassy of Ireland in South Korea sought to strengthen these personal ties by offering Korean university students the special opportunity to experience Ireland first-hand, and to develop their own relationships with Ireland.

Winning Essays

1. How Korean Women May Learn from Irish Women
   Paek Jung Won
2. Exclusion and Revival of the Indigenous Language of Ireland and Korea
   Choi Min Jeong
3. ‘The Wake’: A Window for Viewing Ireland and Korea
   Nam Ji Hyun
4. Freedom, Creativity and Harmony that Korea Should Learn: Irish Street Arts and Culture
   Yun Chae Young

Less than 30 days until St Patrick’s Day – time to practise your Irish céili and set dancing in Dongdaemun-gu on Sat Feb 25th. Beginners welcome

IAK continues its series of monthly Irish céili nights with an evening of dancing next Sat Feb 25th in Dongdaemun-gu. Different location, same welcoming atmosphere.

Further details here

Here’s a dance that will probably get performed – The Siege of Ennis

See – lots of  fun!

Ambassador’s Message, February 16, 2012

As spring approaches, Irish thoughts begin to turn to the annual celebration of St. Patrick’s Day.

Many of you have been enthusiastic participants in previous celebrations and we hope that those who have not or have just arrived will come along this year. The events have been organised by the Irish Association of Korea over the past decade and I salute all their tremendous volunteer efforts to bring a flavour of Ireland and our culture to the streets of Seoul.

This year the IAK is hoping to continue the tradition with a city centre event on Saturday 17 March. However, the major challenge remains funding. It needs resources (for the hire of equipment) and staffing necessary for a public event that last year attracted some 10,000 visitors, expats and Koreans alike.

If you or anyone you know would be interested in becoming a sponsor, I would greatly encourage you to contact the IAK. Further information and contact details are available at their website http://www.iak.co.kr and email – irishassociationkorea@gmail.com.

Best wishes,

Eamonn

Irish-Korean Essay Competition Shortlist Announced!

The Irish Association of Korea and the Embassy of Ireland in South Korea, in association with Emerald Cultural Institute, are proud to announce the shortlist of ten candidates in contention for winning the inaugural Irish Korean Essay Competiton.

This competition commenced in October of 2011, and final entries were received on November 30, 2011. Since then, over 110 entries have been independently and anonymously read, assessed and judged according to strict criteria.

Full details of the competition can be found here.

Today, after much deliberation, we are happy to release the shortlist of candidates in line for winning the grand prize of one month study in the Emerald Cultural Institute in Dublin, plus spending money.

Congratulations to all entrants who have made it to the shortlist stage of the competition!

Due to a continued policy of anonymity so that the final judging process remains impartial, the essays can only be referred to by title.

Irish Korean Essay Competition – Shortlist

1. Freedom, Creativity and Harmony that Korea Should Learn: Irish Street Arts and Culture
2. Transition Year: Opening Yourself up to Dreams
3. My Favorite Children’s Song and Ireland
4. ‘The Wake’: A Window for Viewing Ireland and Korea
5. Partnership Beyond the Commanality
6. Barley – A Story of Resilience
7. Make Ireland Maze Island
8. How Korean Women May Learn from Irish Women
9. Exclusion and Revival of the Indigenous Language of Ireland and Korea
10. Ireland and Korea, a Step Forward

Winners will be contacted on Friday, February 17^th, and following this the full details will be posted on both websites of the Irish Association of Korea and the Embassy of Ireland.

Each competition entrant has already been contacted directly in relation to their submission. The judging panel regret that no particular comment can be made in relation to any essay. We would like to thank all entrants for their submissions and we encourage all eligible entrants to try again in 2012.