Preserving our culture in Delhi — Comprehensive summary of K-POP, Korean language school, Lunar New Year, Chuseok, and Korean sports leagues at the Korean Cultural Center in India

At the center of Korean cultural events in IndiaKorean Cultural Center India, KCCIThere is this. It is an overseas cultural center operated by the Korea Overseas Culture and Information Service (KOCIS) under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, New Delhi.Lajpat Nagar 4It is located in and is a representative K-Culture base for all of India.

KCCI’s representative regular event

• K-POP Contest India— Every year, regional preliminary rounds are held across India before the finals are held in New Delhi. It is customary for the winner to be given an invitation to the Korean finals, and this is the event that K-POP fans in India pay the most attention to.
• Indian Korean Film Festival— Starting with Delhi, it will tour major cities such as Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Chennai to screen the latest Korean films for free or at low prices.
• Namaste Korea Festival— It is a representative Korea-India exchange festival that combines Korean food demonstrations, Taekwondo demonstrations, traditional music and dance performances, and K-POP cover stages.
• Hangul Day and National Foundation Day cultural events— On national holidays, participatory programs such as Korean calligraphy experience, King Sejong special lecture, and Hanbok experience are held.

Regular course

In addition to festivals, KCCIKorean language course (King Sejong Institute), taekwondo class, Korean food, K-POP dance, traditional craft workshopIt operates on a regular semester system. Although it is mostly for Indians, Korean children or spouses can also register, and the course fee is a small amount per semester.

The lecture and event schedule changes every season, so be sure toKCCI official site (kccindia.in) and Instagram channelCheck the latest notices here. There are many events where ticket distribution closes early.FRRO Registration/USIM openingIt's a good idea to follow us first after finishing.

The thing expatriates’ families worry about most about living in India is usuallyMaintaining your child’s Korean language and identityno see. Even if you attend an international school in India or the Korean International School Delhi (KISND), it is common for Korean to quickly become awkward as most of your peer culture and learning environment is exposed to English and Hindi. So in Delhi NCRKorean language school supported by the Overseas Korean Agency (OKA)is open every weekend and offers Korean language, history, and culture classes from kindergarten to middle school.

Common characteristics of Korean school operation

• School days:mostlyEvery Saturday morning3-4 hours of class (varies by school)
• term:Similar to Indian Semester2~3 semesters per yearOperates as a summer/winter vacation.
• Target:Kindergarten (4-6 years old), elementary school, middle school (some schools have adult classes)
• Subject:Korean (reading, writing, speaking), Korean history, traditional culture experience, arts and physical education
• When to register:Normal2-4 weeks before semester startsApply online at

Confirmation points before registration

1. Prioritize schools close to where you live. There are Korean schools in Delhi, Gurgaon, and Noida, so it is not easy to continue attending school for more than an hour each way.
2. Each school has different class criteria (age, existing Korean language level), so please check before registering.level testPlease inquire about the procedure.
3. The tuition fee is small per semester.Separate textbook and event feesIn many cases, it is.
4. all year roundHangeul Day Baekiljang, Lunar New Year and Chuseok feasts, fun feastsThere are parent participation events, etc.

The exact registration window varies by school, soSearch for Korean language schools at the Office of Overseas Koreans (korean.oka.go.kr)InaEmbassy of the Republic of Korea in India websiteIt's safest to check the most up-to-date school listings and contact information at .

In India, we do not have public holidays for our holidays. Since work and children's schools operate as usual, it is difficult to hold a large event on the day of Lunar New Year or Chuseok, and in general,nearest weekendA community event will be held. You can celebrate the holidays in three main ways.

1) Korean Association/Korean School Holiday Events

• Korean Association in Indiaand regional Korean associations (Gurgaon, Noida, Chennai, Bengaluru, etc.) every year.Lunar New Year and Chuseok celebrationsOpen . The basic structure includes folk game booths such as rice cake soup and songpyeon sharing, Hanbok experience, Yutnori and Jegichagi, and in larger years, Korean traditional music performances and prize drawings are also included.
• Korean language schoolIn accordance with the provincial academic schedule, we hold special classes for holidays to experience New Year's greetings, ancestral rites etiquette, and traditional games with children.

2) National holidays and holiday receptions at embassies and cultural centers

• The Embassy of the Republic of Korea in IndiaLiberation Day (8/15), Armed Forces Day (10/1), National Foundation Day (10/3), Hangeul Day (10/9)Receptions are held on major national holidays. This is an event attended by overseas Koreans, local personnel, and corporate officials, and attendance is facilitated only with an invitation letter.
• KCCI is during the holiday season.Hanbok experience, Korean food demonstration, traditional play boothto introduce our culture to the Indian public.

3) Holiday treats served at home

Separate from official events, a culture of preparing holiday meals at each home has also become established. Tteokguk rice cake, songpyeon, whole ingredients, vegetables, fruits, etc.Korean grocery store and online mall in Delhi NCR(Eggrum, Silamat, Kim’s Mart, etc.) conduct special orders and pre-order sales every holiday season. Injeolmi, Jeolpyeon, and Sirutteok are minimal.Book 1 week in advanceThis is safe.

There is something that people who have lived in India for a long time unanimously say.“If you don’t want to get tired of local life, be sure to join a community that moves your body.”The Korean sports infrastructure in Delhi NCR is much more active than you might think. There are a variety of options, from company leagues to open clubs, so you can naturally expand your network of contacts within a month or two after taking office.

Communities for each representative sport

• soccer— The Korean Football Club in India operates a regular league centered on Delhi and Gurgaon. It is common to rent an artificial turf field at an international school on a weekend morning and hold a game, and in-house teams from companies such as Samsung, Hyundai, and LG also participate.
• golf— India has a large golfing population because green fees are cheaper than in Korea and there is ample room for rounds.Regular golf competition hosted by Korean Association in India and Korean Merchants AssociationHeld in the spring and fall, there are many major golf clubs in Delhi NCR (DLF·Classic·Jaypee Greens, etc.) where you can play a guest round without a membership.
• Tennis·Badminton— Small clubs utilizing the apartment complex’s clubhouse court are active. There are many groups that offer evening lessons with a coach, making it easy for beginners to join.
• Hiking/Trekking— Because it is possible to travel from Delhi to the start of the Himalayas in less than a day by car or train, weekend trekking clubs are active in the spring and fall seasons.

Sign up process

1. Search for clubs by sport on the Korean Association of India website, KakaoTalk open chat room, Naver Cafe ‘Indian Community Association’, etc.
2. After contacting the managementParticipation in trial (1-2 times)Check the mood with .
3. Check the membership fee (monthly/season) and equipment regulations and register as a regular member.

Sports leagues are more than just a hobbyA place for family events and information exchangeThis happens. Essential tips for living in India, such as information about a child's school, hospital recommendations, information on moving or buying or selling a car, are often exchanged at after-round parties after rounds or games.

Korean cultural events in India are generallyThree pillars: Embassy, ​​KCCI, Korean AssociationFill it out by dividing it into seasons. As long as you keep track of the big trends, you can draw a calendar of cultural events and events for the year.

Tips for securing invitations and tickets

• Embassy National Day receptioninvitation basedThis is the principle. Since applications are often made through the company (resident corporation), please notify the Human Resources and General Affairs team in advance of your intention to attend.
• KCCI Free eventApply online on a first-come, first-served basisThis is most of them. Popular events may close on the same day they open, so it's a good idea to turn on notifications.
• Since you will need to visit the embassy during the overseas election season, taking cultural event pamphlets with you during your visit will make it easier to make reservations for your next appointment.

The exact schedule and application method change slightly every year, soKCCI Official site, Embassy website, Overseas Koreans’ Office channelIt is best to check regularly.

Ultimately, in order for cultural events, holidays, and sports leagues to run,channel through which information flowsYou must enter first. The channels through which information is actually exchanged in Delhi NCR are as follows:

online community

• Korean community cafes such as Naver Cafe ‘Indian Community Association’— Real estate, used goods transactions, job openings, and event notices are posted the fastest.
• KakaoTalk open chat room— There are chat rooms by region (Gurgaon, Noida) and interests (child care, golf, stocks), and invitation codes are often received through referrals from cafes or acquaintances.
• KCCI·Embassy Instagram— Instagram is the fastest way to announce official cultural events. Leave your notification settings turned on.

offline bulletin board

• Korean cathedrals, churches, temples— The bulletin board after weekend worship and mass serves as a hub for local news.
• Korean grocery store bulletin board — Silamat, Kimsmart, Cape LensAt the entrance of the store, flyers for childcare, tutoring, used goods sales, and events are constantly posted.
• Korean School Parents Meeting— When a child registers at school, they are naturally invited to the parent KakaoTalk room for each grade. It is one of the channels with the highest density of information exchange in the early stages of settlement.

Women's/Professional Network

• Korean Women's Network (KOWIN) India Branch— Regular seminars and social events are held as a women’s leadership and career development network.
• Hansanghoe (World Okta OKTA India Branch)— It is a network for self-employed people, start-ups, and trade workers, and regularly hosts golf, seminars, and meetings.

In the early stages of settlement, you only need to activate two or three of these channels.Cultural events, holidays, sports, hospitals, children's education informationflows in naturally. To prevent your time in India from being lonely, I recommend that you open a community channel during your first month in office.