Visit the Korean Cultural Centre in Nigeria

This centre was opened in 2010 to enhance friendship between South Korea and Nigeria through cultural and educational exchanges.  

With the growing interest in Korea across the globe, Nigerians are surely not left out. This was further indicated by a recent article on Korean dramas titled  "What do you think of Korean Dramas? Check out our Faves!" published on Bella Naija, the response was amazing. I had no idea that a lot of Nigerians have fallen in love with the sensational Korean dramas as well.

I remember the first time I found KCC, I was interested in Korea from watching K-Dramas and this led to me picking up the language. I was going to be in Nigeria over the summer so I went on my good 'ol friend google to find the address of the embassy so I could request for a language tutor. But lo and behold I found this precious gem of a place, you can imagine my excitement. I immediately emailed the centre and got a response from Mr Yoon who later became 윤 샘 (Teacher yoon) because he was the language teacher.

The traditional Korean Attire on Display at the centre

This was the beginning of my relationship with the centre and it became one of my favourite places in Abuja. It became a tradition for me to visit the centre the day I arrive in Nigeria regardless of how tired I am. When it comes to learning Korean my excitement is at an all time peak.

I digress...So here's what you need to know about their services..!!

[Review] Wagamama Japanese Restaurant Uxbridge

It is safe to say that every foodie, tom, dick, and harry have tried Wagamama. If you haven't, get on google and find the nearest one STAT!! So I suppose it is no surprise that I­— as well as most Brunelians (Brunel Uni students) and residents of Uxbridge, was excited for the opening of Wagamama in our dear town.

I waited with anticipation and planned on going to the opening but I unfortunately couldn't and had to keep putting it off, that is until tonight. I went for dinner with Gaya and a friend and to my surprise we had to wait for a table. I guess it is a smashing hit!! This might be because it's a Sunday night or because it recently opened, heck who am I kidding it is because it's Wagamama!!

We didn't have to wait for long but it was okay cos we got the chance to peruse the menu. One thing we noticed is that there's a difference from the regular menu and this one was limited  but most of the popular dishes were definitely on there (Calm down, there's a Firecracker ;). 

The sitting area was set out as the picture below and I liked it. It makes it comfortable whether you are in a group or alone. Plus I have a thing for East Asian architecture so I liked the way this was set up. The kitchen is an open plan setting and there are some stools around there as well. How nice to have your food prepared right in front of you (Note to self: try that out)

For the Love of Trot (트로트) Music.

My first encounter with Korean trot Music~트로트 was last summer. I attended the language class at the Korean Cultural Centre in Nigeria, where I took part in the Sejong institute speech contest. At the event, my classmates and I performed Arirang and a trot song by Jang Yun-Jeong, (You might Know her from the reality show, The Return of Superman), called '어머나~Eomona' which translates to 'Oh My', an expression generally used by females kinda like 'Oh my goodness'. I remember clearly the day 샘 (short form for teacher)  played the song for the first time and told us about performing. She acted out the song for us and I thought 와우...재미있어 (Wow, it looks fun). 

The tempo was upbeat, the rhythm was nice and we were all bobbing our heads to it. We were all excited to perform it except for maybe the one male person in our class because it is perceived as a feminine song. 샘 mentioned that Koreans have a soft spot for this song and it has been a popular choice at noraebangs for years. I made it a point to ask some Koreans I met afterwards and they all agreed, with some even singing the song with me.

My first K-pop Concert Experience: Mini concert with Super Junior'sDongHae & EunHyuk.

The first thing I noticed when I walked into the theatre was the stage. There was this huge lighting panels and bright lights with smoke and I thought, 'Yup this is it'!!! From when I got to the venue I could feel the general attitude and level of excitement, everyone was there because they loved Kpop and it was such a wonderful feeling being in that room. It was kinda like a community and this is where I belong...

Fans were handing out photo cards and banners and everyone was sharing kpop stories and asking about biases ( fave kpop idols) and what-nots. You could tell that the fans are very dedicated and this was not just a concert but it meant so much more...One of the fans designed a mini banner to celebrate the group's 9th Anniversary which was produced through Super Junior UK Fanclub and distributed at the event. The most surprising thing however is the demographic of the fans, as expected there were a lot of fangirls, but there were fanboys present as well as Mum's, Dad's and even Grandparents.

My 5 Faourite 'Kimchi-based' Dishes

October is not just the time when the leaves turn into beautiful shades of brown and when we enjoy warm nights filled with cups of spicy cocoa. It is also the time when Koreans begin to observe the timeless tradition of Gimjang— the art of making Kimchi. We all know Kimchi right? The dish that accompanies every Korean meal. There are so many variations of Kimchi  but the most common is Korean cabbage Kimchi.

My first taste of this fermented dish was very memorable because I was expecting to like it but didn't. I decided it wasn't my cup of tea and moved on. But then a few months later I had a try of Kkakdugi~Radish Kimchi — upon a Korean friend's recommendation— and I liked it. That was the first time I knew of Kimchi having variations. My friend told me that kimchi is an acquired taste and sometimes it takes people a while to get used to it.

With many trips to Korean restaurants under my belt, I have slowly discovered the world of Hansik and with it came some knowledge on different dishes. I have grown to like the taste of Kimchi, and like many Koreans, it is now a staple dish accompanying my Korean meals and it can usually be found in my refrigerator — sitting on the top shelf and affecting the taste of everything.

This year I plan on having my very first Gimjang experience and I am very excited about that. To share in my excitement, here are my 5 favourite kimchi based dishes.

2015 GLOBAL KOREA SCHOLARSHIP For Nigerians

This Scholarship program was created as part of promoting cultural exchanges between Nigeria and South Korea as well as maintaining  mutual friendship. It is designed for Undergraduate students who are interested in a study abroad program as well as interested in exploring foreign cultures. This is an opportunity for you to explore the world and enrich your university experience as well as expand your networks.

It is also a chance for those interested in Korea to fulfill their dreams of travelling and living in Korea!!!

You will be required to take a language course as part of the scholarship before commencing with your degree. So you not only get a degree out of this but also a Korean Language qualification.

The scholarship is all expense paid including Airfare and Health insurance. You can read all the details by clicking the link below. Hurry and apply, deadline is this Friday.

Application Period: September 1st ~ October 17th 2014
Announcement of shortlisted candidates: ~ October 31st 2014
Interview at Korean Cultural Centre Abuja: November 5th ~ 7th 2014

For further inquiries call: 08162626224 or click on the link below:

SCHOLARSHIP DETAILS

BEST OF LUCK TO YOU ALL 

 meera

My Family's First taste of Korean Food.

우리 가족을 한식은 처음 먹었어다

Mini Korean lesson before we start!!

우리 ~ My/Our

가족 ~ Family

한식 which is the short form of 한국 음식 ~ Korean Food
처음 ~ First time

I have been interested in the Korean culture for about two years now. It all started when a friend recommended the drama 'Boys Over Flowers' as a sort of "break" after a long study session. It was a nice distraction and the start of my love affair with Korea. My family eventually caught on to my love for Korea, well I guess it was pretty obvious because I couldn't shut up about it. Coming from Nigeria where there isn't that much Korean presence, my family wondered at how I ended with such fascination for this country. But they eventually got used to it.

I had always told them about Korean food but they never got to try it because you can't find Korean food in Nigeria. My mum however went on a business trip to Ethiopia and was delighted to come across a Korean restaurant, she then told her colleagues about my interest in Korea and suggested they have dinner at the restaurant. Unfortunately she didn't know the name of the dishes they were served because the waiter recommended it­— well except for the BBQ which by the way was served with lettuce, but they didn't know you were supposed to wrap the meat in the leaves so they left the leaves untouched ­— but they liked it.  Most Africans like 매운 음식 (Spicy Food) so there was no complain with that. I told my mum that I will take her to a Korean restaurant when they come to London so she could try my favourite dishes ­— and maybe know what she ate this time around.

Mum was hooked, time to work on the rest of the Family. 

My birthday was a few weeks ago, my only wish was that I wanted my family to go to a Korean restaurant to celebrate my birthday. Luckily my family was in London, I knew it was a rare opportunity to have them try out all the food for themselves rather than having to hear me gush about it. I decided on Kimchee restaurant because it was reviewed as a fusion Korean restaurant. I thought it will be more suitable for their palate and help to ease them into the Hansik flavour.

The first thing we noticed when we walked into the restaurant was this spectacular wall covered in Hangul