Residents get a lesson in Korean culture

In an effort to showcase a rich culture shared by many local residents, the La Cañada High School Korean Language program presented a Korean Culture Night on Friday in the school’s auditorium that drew more than 200 people.

Sun Choe, the Korean Language teacher at LCHS, said the intent was to “highlight a lively culture and promote solidarity within our neighborhood, as well as illustrate La Cañada’s unique brand of cultural diversity.”

Sharing duties as emcees for the night were Jin Hyun Park and Michael Coppinger. Park provided commentary in Korean while Coppinger explained the various acts in English.

Among the presentations were three Korean dances: fan, Arirang and hour-glass drum; a tae-kwon-do demonstration by the Lee Shin Tae-Kwon Do Studio, and choral arrangements sung by the Korean-American Music Academy Choir. Student William Park played the moving piece, “Missing Home,” on the violin, and other students presented pop dances and music. A fashion show of traditional Korean garb capped off the program, which was followed by an offering of Korean foods in the school’s cafeteria.

In addition to the Korean Language program, sponsors for the evening were the Korean Ministry of Educational Science and Technology, the Korean Education Center in Los Angeles, the LCHS Korean-American Parents Association and La Cañada Unified School District, with school board President Scott Tracy addressing the crowd on the board’s behalf.

-- Carol Cormaci, Times Community News