BKS Chuseok Dinner 2024
Written by: Douglas Barrett | Posted on: September 22nd, 2024
BKS Chuseok Dinner 2024
Chuseok is a wonderful time of year to be in Korea. The monsoon rains have ended; the humidity of the hot summer months is a distant memory. The skies are clear blue; the moon is full; the leaves are beginning to turn golden brown and the temperature is just perfect for exploring the great outdoors of the peninsula.
Chuseok (the Korean harvest festival) is the most important holiday in the Korean calendar. It is a time to celebrate and to spend quality time giving thanks with family and friends. All of Korea is on the move – train tickets during Chuseok sell out weeks in advance. And if you live in Seoul (as I did) the city empties – and gives the opportunity to explore without crowds.
Around 50 BKS members were fortunate enough to celebrate Chuseok with Ambassador Yoon Yeocheol and his staff at his residence on 16 September, Chuseok eve.
Ambassador Yoon said that Chuseok was a time for family and giving thanks. He gave thanks to those who served in Korea during the Korean war – and noted that he visited the Korean War Memorial in Bathgate during a recent visit to Scotland.
Ambassador Yoon reflected on last year’s successful State Visit and the Downing Street Accord which expanded our trade and investment relationship. It was more important than ever for Korea to stand united with the UK.
His wish is for a free, prosperous and peacefully united Korean Peninsula. He also thanked those who run the BKS which has been going strong since 1956.
BKS Chair Simon Smith said that he felt the Society’s main role was to bring our two people’s together. There was great enthusiasm for everything Korean in the UK. His wish is to expand our activities to other parts of the UK such as a visit to Oxford.
Simon noted that Koreans have successfully played a part in building the UK. This was reflected in now having two councillors in New Malden – Robert Kim and Elizabeth Park. Simon felt it would be a great idea to do even more in New Malden. Finally, he thanked Ambassador Yoon for his hospitality and generosity.
BKS Co-Chair Sir Stephen Brown also thanked Ambassador Yoon for his generosity – the UK has been blessed with wonderful Korean Ambassadors for over 20 years. He also praised the work done on last year’s State Visit.
We heard some wonderful guitar playing by Ye young Jeon from North Korea who gave us renditions of “Arirang”, “My Way” and “Nodeul Gangbyeon”
We were then treated to a wonderful Korean dinner consisting of galbi, dakgangjeong, bossam, mulhoe, just to name a few, and of course, songpyeon.
Our thanks go to Ambassador Yoon and his staff for a wonderful Chuseok reception and dinner. It was a fantastic reminder of Korean hospitality at its best.
Chuseok in 2024 is 17 September. In 2025 Chuseok will fall on 6 October.
