Asians show off traditional cultures

Pyounghwa Plaza in World Cup Park in Mapo-gu was filled with unfamiliar sights on Sunday as people from different Asian countries gathered to introduce their traditional cultures. 

The annual “Asia Culture Festival,” hosted by the Asia Culture Festival Organizing Committee and supported by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and Seoul Foundation for Arts and Culture, was held under the theme “One Asia,” aiming to provide a venue to experience different Asian cultures and thus improve understanding of neighboring countries.

Visitors crowded at the “Asian Village” where booths representing each participating country -- Thailand, Mongolia, Vietnam, Japan, Nepal, China, Philippines, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kyrgyzstan, Myanmar, Malaysia, India and South Korea -- were set up.

“This is a nicely organized festival where we can see different cultures in one place. I am enjoying how we can get first-hand knowledge about different Asian cultures,” said Lubna, a tourist from Pakistan who was learning how to play musical instruments at the Nepal booth. 

Visitors look around the Japanese booth at the Asia Culture Festival on Sunday. Lee Sang-sub/The Korea Herald