The Columbia Korean Festival is more than the Korean-based food, games and performances. It’s a tradition that’s built off of faith as it places a root that blossoms into community for not only Koreans, but for everyone in Columbia.
The festival originated in 2005, and is held by the Columbia Korean Presbyterian Church. Throughout the years it’s grown in more ways than one. It initially started off small as a combination of Chuseok, also known as Korean Thanksgiving, and also an event the children in the church can go to instead of Halloween.
Nick Vincent, a festival-goer, brought his family to the event and said that Columbia's cultural diversity is one of his favorite aspects of living in the city.
"I think it's awesome that we live in a city where we can have these kind of experiences. This is just one of many different festivals that we have in the Columbia area. And I'm thankful to have that kind of diversity here," Vincent said.
Sue Shelton is one of the event committee members. She's attended the church she was 8 years old and has gotten to see first-hand the purpose of the festival.
"The festival's main purpose is for other people to learn about Korean culture in the community," Sue Shelton said.
General entry to the event was free, but food and vendor booths required tickets. The equivalent of one ticket is $2. So, visitors could get two pairs of earrings from a vendor such as USC third-year arts studio student Zoey Shelton's Jellybean Jewelry booth for one ticket or two spring rolls from the Columbia Korean Global Methodist Church for one ticket.
The festival had a total of seven food booths and several non-food vendor booths. All of the money from the event goes to local charities.
Brian Shelton is also part of the planning committee for the festival. He said prior to the event that he expected to see a whole street with everybody experiencing and appreciating Korean culture and how it's not that different from American culture.
"It's good to appreciate the differences and the similarities, and that's what I think is the extremely important part of it," Brian Shelton said.
Brian Shelton said the passion for Korean culture by those involved in the event is evident as it grows each year.
"It's just a complete act of love," Brian Shelton said.
The festival had a multitude of performances and events for everyone of all ages such as a Halloween costume contest, an authentic Korean attire contest, two K-pop dance contests solo and group, taekwondo performances, a gayagum player, traditional fan dance, a wedding and many more.
The K-pop showdown performers drew a large crowd. The youngest contestant for the K-pop showdown contest was 8-year-old Leah Watts.
"It was fun ... and I wanted to make more people happy,” Watts said.
USC first-year business student and church member Samuel Yim performed with Yim's Tiger Tae Kwon Do Academy. He participated in a sword martial art demonstration as a third-degree black belt. He's been performing at the festival since he was around 7 years old.
"I was born and raised in this Columbia area, so I've been coming to this church and seeing these people and this culture. It's my childhood, it's my life, it's my joy," Samuel Yim said.
Kiiwii Thompson and Zaniyah Ward came up from Charleston to go to the festival together. This was Thompson’s second time at the festival, and she said her favorite part was the craft jewelry vendor booth. She said her favorite booth was “Almond Cat” which sold an array of keychains, stickers and various K-pop themed accessories.
Ward went to the festival for her first time this year and said that it exceeded her expectations. Her favorite part was being able to see a culture that wasn’t her own.
Master Yim is the owner of Yim's Tiger Tae Kwon Do Academy and has attended and performed the festival many times. He said the festival has an impact on the Columbia area and its Korean community.
"Friendship, and I would say the warm heart of people gathering," Master Yim said.
More information about the Columbia Korean Presbyterian Church can be found here.