Day unites Korean Americans

Twelve-year-old Courtney Lehmann was excited to see some of her friends from Korean American summer camp for the first time this year as she walked into the Chemistry Building this weekend. As an adopted child in a white family, she rarely has the opportunity to experience her cultural heritage.

Korean heritage and culture was celebrated with a children's program and a cultural show as part of the sixth annual Korean Cultural Arts Festival, which featured a community service program on Saturday afternoon and an evening cultural show. The events drew about 500 people.

ADRIANA YUGOVICH/Daily University students perform a traditional Korean fan dance during the Korean Cultural Arts Festival on Saturday night in the Chemistry Building.

"It's exposure to their culture," said Al Lehmann, Courtney's father. "It's the only time they can come and not be a minority."

LSA senior Christina Ryook, the event's coordinator, said about 200 Korean American children from adopted households attended the program. Most of the children, Ryook said, were adopted by white households, and the event allowed the children to gain a sense of their cultural identity. Other Korean American and Korean children also were invited.

"It was to give the adopted Korean kids a sense of community or culture they might not otherwise be exposed to," Ryook said.

During the day, booths with various cultural activities including arts and crafts, Korean food and a history lesson were on display.

LSA senior Ronnie Rhoe, who tended the history booth, said the day was an opportunity to educate the children on important Korean American figures and history.

"It's important to get them exposed to the depth of Korean American history," Rhoe said. "A lot of the kids know more about Korean American history than I thought."

Rhoe said he begins his lesson by talking about history after 1965, but that there is a gap in many people's knowledge of Korean American history before 1965.

"It's important to know your place in American history," Rhoe said.

The festival included an evening program, featuring keynote speaker Steve Park, a Korean American actor who was on the television program "In Living Color," and has appeared in the movies "Fargo," "Desperate Measures" and "Falling Down."

Park spoke about the difficulties of being an Asian American actor and the racism and prejudice that exists in the Hollywood community. Park took a stand against racism in the Hollywood community by writing his "Hollywood Mission Statement."

"I felt like I needed to explain the truth - what is the truth, what really is happening?" Park said.

Park encouraged the audience to follow their dreams despite the stereotypes that exist.

"If you just blindly follow what people tell you to do, you don't serve anyone," Park said.

The show also featured both traditional and modern musical and dance performances by students, including a performance by C.O.L.D. - a Korean American band - musical performances of popular Korean music, a hip-hop dance, a traditional fan dance and a drum dance.

Korean Students Association President Jeanah Hong said that the show was an opportunity to display the diversity of Korean Americans.

"We tried to cover different aspects of Korean culture," Hong said. "I think it went really well. We're glad with the turnout."

About 150 students attended the evening show.

"I thought it was really fun," said Engineering first-year student Judy Na, who performed a traditional dance. "I was glad I had the opportunity to perform."

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