All India Korean Culinary Challenge 2021 Came to an End

Vivek Shamra, 22^nd October 2022, New Delhi: Korean Cultural Centre India and Banarsidas Chandiwala Institute of Hotel Management, New Delhi (BCIHMCT) hosted the grand finale of All India Korean Food Cooking Contest which was done in hybrid mode, a combination of online & offline contest.

Yashasvi Yadav, Manohar Kumar and Aniket Jadhav bagged 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd position in professional category and Isha Bajaj, Esther C pottakkal and Deepti Nair took 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd place in open category respectively.

Korean Chef Kang Dae Han was surprized by the popularity Korean food in India.  The interest on K-food was felt through creativity on dishesThe curiosity on Kimchi was unexpected. He added that he would like to see India again through Korean food that can communicate with the world and health.

Korean Chef Lee Ju Been thanked the centre for inviting and said, ‘India is a beautiful country where a long history and mystical nature coexist. The love for Korean food was evidently visible from the sparkling bright eyes of participants. I was deeply moved by it. I hope that food and cultural exchanges between the two countries will develop into a stronger friendly relationship in the future as well.

 

The event was conducted in two phases: online round, registration which started on 26^th August to 11^th September in which the Participants shared their own cooking video of any one Korean cuisine by using authentic recipe or innovative fusion cuisine.  

 

Participants were allowed to choose any Korean culinary with authentic recipe or innovative fusion with Indian cuisine. The best 20 videos based on the criteria, creativity, performance, authenticity (recipe, ingredient, etc.), cooking skills, final dish demonstration, video editing, etc were selected for the 2^nd round.

 

 

The best selected 10 videos from both the categories, (1)professional(Hotel management & Culinary school students included) (2)open to all based on the criteria(creativity, performance, authenticity, cooking skills, final dish demonstration, video editing, etc.) by BCIHMCT`s professional faculty members was selected for the next round. 5 videos from both the categories were selected for final round on basis of counts of likes and views of the video till 30th September.

 

The grand finale, offline round was hosted at BCIHMCT campus where the finale participants presented authentic Korean or progressive Korean fusion cuisine which underwent the scrutiny of eminent judges.

Email id : reporter.cnpn@gmail.com

 

Audience Rocks at "Rang De Korea" Festival

  

Vivek Sharma, 15^th October 2022, New Delhi: On the occasion to commemorate the 10th anniversary of establishment of the Korean Cultural Centre India (KCCI), the centre organized ‘Rang De Korea’, the two days Korean Cultural fest which opened today at DLF Avenue Saket.

 The festival begun with the lightening of the lamp by Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to India H.E. Chang Jae-bok and chief guest Shri Kumar Tuhin Director General, ICCR, in presence of other dignitaries and thousands of energetic viewers.

H.E. Chang Jae-bok while welcoming the ‘friends of Korea’ said, the journey of Korean Culture Centre over the past 10 years in popularizing Korean culture in India has been truly momentous. Thanks to its dedication and efforts, Indian people, particularly youth who are better aware of Korea and its multi-hued culture.  Today, from music to movies, fashion to food, Indian youths have begun loving everything Korean. He also acknowledged the support of Indian partners and the Government of India without whose active cooperation, the cultural centre would not have crossed this significant milestone. We look forward to your continued support. He also appreciated artists, performers and other cultural personalities who played important role in this journey.

The festival started with traditional Korean Music Samulnori and Haegeum performance, which was followed by the first ever Korean traditional wedding ceremony taking place in India on such a grand stage. Two couples got selected through a preliminary event, today, Indian Couple Vishal Gupta and Jyoti Gupta tied their knot in traditional Korean style in the presence of their family and friends. Korea and India both having the same values put a lot of meaning and importance to this gracious occasion, its customs, ceremonies, traditions, and celebration. This special event will be a mirror of Korean culture, reflecting traditional music, dances, and etiquettes.

 The noon saw the energetic Taekwondo performance by K-Tigers who are globalizing Taekwondo (Korean Traditional Martial Arts & Sports) through well-made performances and demonstrations.

Then came the ‘ID’ Korean fusion music band that combined the traditional Korean music with the rhythm and modes of the Western music. It made the audience tap their toes on their beats.

The evening could have never been so trilling with enthusiastic performances of boy group ‘Kingdom’ and  of K-Pop girl group ‘BugAboo’ , the rookie groups which are going to lead the new K-pop generation.

The day 1 evening closed with ‘Hanbok’ fashion show directed by Samuel Chung,  vice president of the Korean Culture Promotion Association, who is a veteran and has various experience in the world's fashion capitals like Paris (just coming from the latest fashion show in Paris). He personally designed and directed the fashion show in India along with his own designers and directing team from Korea. It was excited to see how the Korean traditional clothing, Hanbok was reinterpreted to show India its potential to lead the global fashion trend.

Email id : reporter.cnpn@gmail.com

#CALCEBharat #IndiaKorea #VivekSharma #KoreanCulturalCentreIndia #RangDeKorea

Do you know what is Dano Festival ?

New Delhi : The World has been gripped by various K-trends recently. But are you familiar with a Korean festival day which has K- food, k-beauty, and K entertainment all three in one? 

You might have heard about Korean festivals Seollal (Lunar New Year) and Chuseok (Mid-Autumn harvest Festival), but have you heard of Dano? Dano, also known as Surit-nal (day) is a Korean traditional holiday that falls on the 5th day of the fifth month of the lunar Korean calendar, this year 3^rd June will be “Dano” festival day. The character 'Dan (단)' in Dano means the first, and the character 'Oh' means 'five'. It had been regarded as a representative holiday along with Seollal and Chuseok before in Korea. it is the day with the most yang energy in the year, and various events are held nationwide. 

Meaning

The meaning of Dano is the season of the beginning of the summer, and it represents a wind festival to end rice planting and pray for a good harvest.  

K-Fashion and Beauty

According to Prophecy Market Insights, a specialized market research and analytics company’s 2020 article, the global K-beauty products market accounted for US$ 10.3 billion in 2019 and is estimated to be US$ 31.6 billion and to be registered a compounded annual growth rate 12.0% by 2029*.K-beauty products emphasize significantly on wellness and health, which could be attributed to it’s past traditions. One such example is dano festival which on this day women wash their hair in water boiled with sweet flag plant which is a common plant believed to make one's hair shiny. Women also put Angelica polymorpha flowers in their hair out of the belief that its aroma would repel evil. People wore blue and red clothes and dyed hairpins red with the iris roots. Men wore iris roots around their waist to ward off evil spirits.

*(https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2020/06/10/2046337/0/en/Global-K-beauty-Products-Market-is-estimated-to-be-US-31-6-Billion-by-2029-with-a-CAGR-of-12-0-during-the-Forecast-Period-PMI.html )

 K-Food

Traditional foods consumed on this special day included various kinds of rice cakes, that have a wheel pattern on them as Surit-nal the former name of Dano, the word surit harks back to suri, meaning "wheel" and “nal” means day. Herbs wet with dew on Dano morning were also collected and consumed, as they were said to heal stomach aches and wounds.

K-entertainment

For entertainment many traditional games were played on Dano like -

1. Ssireum which a folk wrestling style and traditional national sport of Korea that began in the fourth century. Ssireum is also inscribed in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists. It is also enlisted as the 131st Intangible Cultural Property.

2. Seokjeon, The stone battle game, where as a form of martial training two teams throw stones at one another. The first known record of the stone battle game in korea  describes it being played by people of the Goguryeo dynasty in the sixth century C.E of Korean Peninsula.

3. Taekkyon –  Taekkyon is the first martial art enlisted as the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. It is also the 76th Intangible Cultural Property of South Korea. It is Taekkyon it is said has also influenced the name and conceptualization of Taekwondo.

4.Swing games

Traditionally the swing game was played by women, while Ssireum was a wrestling match among men at Dano festival. In addition, mask dance used to be popular among peasants due to its penchant for satirical lyrics flouting local aristocrats.

Though, the celebration of Dano has become weak in Korea these days, remembering and appreciation of the traditions has important meaning and stance. Tradition comprises our root or origin of identity. I have observed many similarities between the two countries, India and Korea more in its traditions, we can say we are connected and have shared similar root like family.

Writer: Hwang Il-yong

Director of Korean Cultural Centre India

60 Korean Exhibitors Showcasing Wide Range of Products at KFI 2022

 Vivek Sharma, New Delhi. June 1, 2022: Bilateral trade between India and South Korea reached the highest ever figure of US$23.7 billion in 2021, up by 40% as compared to the previous year's total of US $16.9 billion despite years 2020 and 2021 remained affected with Covid-19 pandemic. 

This was disclosed by the Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to India, Chang Jae-bok while inaugurating 4th edition of the Korea Fair in India (KFI) 2022 in New Delhi today. After concluding a
successful event in the year 2021, the 4th edition of the Korea Fair in India (KFI) aims at promoting Korean products, trade, and culture, and is being organised (June 1-5 at Select City Walk (Saket), by the Korea Trade-Promotion Agency (KOTRA). KOTRA is the Commercial Section of the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in India.

Ambassador Chang Jae-bok said, “Korea and India have a strong economic partnership that is rapidly expanding. According to data from Korea's Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy (MOTIE), bilateral trade between the two countries reached $23.7 billion in 2021, surpassing $21.5 billion in 2018. This was the highest-ever trade volume between the two countries, representing a 40% increase over the previous year's total of $16.9 billion (year 2020).”

KOTRA, the commercial section of the Embassy of the Republic of Korea, is evolving this year’s KFI as a platform to explore new ways to boost trade between India and Korea.

Korea Fair in India 2022 promises to be a diverse and innovative event that will bring the Korean industries and India’s most prominent businesses together, under one roof for 5 powerful days of business and direct networking opportunities. As a result, a variety of about 150 Korean products from over 45 Korean companies will be showcased. From beauty cosmetics, F&B, electronics, and utility to confectionary, pet products, and jewellery, an abundance of K-goods will be ready to meet the demands of Indian consumers. Among these over 40 products are being introduced to the market for the first time.

The fair was inaugurated by Korean Ambassador to India, Chang Jae-bok and Managing Director, South Asia, KOTRA, Joonhwa Bin.  Mayank Aggarwal, Senior Director of Flipkart Marketplace also joined the inauguration to announce KOTRA-Flipkart collaboration with the launch of K-Mall, a dedicated space for KOTRA promoted products on Flipkart.

Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to India, Chang Jae-bok in his opening speech said, “Korean products have a global reputation for being best-in-class at a fair price. Korea Fair in India, in its fourth year, has already become a big hit with the Indian public. Last year, the fair drew an enthusiastic response from Indian people. There are over 60 Korean exhibitors, showcasing a wide range of products, including cosmetics, household appliances, kitchenware, toiletries and other daily-life products. The good news is Korean products are now available online and the Indian public can buy them via the K-mall on India's largest e-commerce platform Flipkart. I wish the organizers, exhibitors and visitors an exciting experience and useful business contacts.”

Furthermore, Indian consumers will also get a chance to experience Korean culture, cuisines, beauty tips, and much more through product launching, food tasting, and beauty events that are scheduled throughout the entire period of the fair. KFI2022 has invited also Indian businesses to come over to identify Korean products that they would like to include in their existing product offering. KOTRA, after successfully hosting the New Delhi KFI, is planning to host the same event in Bangalore (4th of July till 10th of July) and Chennai (tentative) as well. This fair is supported by the Embassy of the Republic of Korea to the Republic of India, and Korea Tourism Organization India.

Email id : reporter.cnpn@gmail.com

Deepak Saini Takes up Mimicry of Rakesh Tikait: “ICC ke Khilaf Aandolan Hoga”

 

New Delhi: A well-known mimicry artists Deepak Saini has taken up the Mimicry of Rakesh Tikait. His mimicry is also available on the official YouTube channel named “Deepak Saini Comedy”.  Deepak Saini is a Well-known Mimicry artist and Stand-up comedian and former laughter challenge participant at Star One TV from New Delhi.  He has done mimicry of many famous politicians including PM Narendra Modi. His mimicry of Laloo Yadav, Mulayam Singh, Manoj Tiwari, Rajnath Singh, Arvind Kejriwal, Narendra Modi and Rakesh Tikait is very famous on social media. His mimicry of Rakesh Tikait is on fire in social media with millions of views. His mimicry across party lines is appreciated by one and all. During his mimicry he is seen taking up social issues, politics, spirituality and religion also. Deepak is the guest for many national tv news channels. His mimicry is not just for laugh but for critical analysis of the decisions taken and activities around us. He is also working to promote Indian Culture in many countries through his artistic work and performances. His cult

ural engagement started with his engagement as Laxman in Ramlila. That exposure gave him opportunities to rise and grow. Even today he performs as Laxman in Ramlila.  He has performed in Holland, Oman, Dubai, Singapore, Myanmar, China, Thailand. He is the First comedian who host mega conclave, Chunav Manch on India tv in 2019. He is called for stage performances in different parts of the country and the world. Since Childhood Deepak Saini was very impressed by Arun Gemini.  He started his career from Kavi Sammelan and he told that “In my life my first stage performance was due to Arun ji, he gave me the first opportunity to come on stage and perform and whole life I will be the very thankful to him from my heart.”

https://www.youtube.com/c/DEEPAKSAINICOMEDY

https://www.facebook.com/DeepakComedian

Digital News Startup ‘Tricity Today’ has Come Up with New Opportunities for Journalists

New Delhi: ‘Tricity Today’ media house brings ample opportunities for the position of Bureau chiefs in Chandigarh, Meerut, Saharanpur, Agra, Aligarh and Moradabad

Noida: During the pandemic media is one segment of the society which even after being in the frontline has suffered a lot. But the potential of the segment cannot be denied. Digital News Startup ‘Tricity Today’ has come up with ample opportunities for journalists.

Pankaj Parashar joins Digital News Startup ‘Tricity Today’ as Editor. Under his mentor and guidelines the media house all set up for its expansion in western Uttar Pradesh and Chandigarh after Noida and Delhi. The media house announces the opportunities for the position of Bureaus to be hired in Chandigarh Tricity, Meerut, Saharanpur, Agra, Aligarh and Moradabad divisions. Pankaj Parashar said that experienced journalists will be appointed at the divisional level. The in-charge of the Bureau will himself appoint correspondents in the districts.

The platform focuses on urban population and current happenings. It also surveyed political and election scenario in Uttar Pradesh for current assembly election. It also claims to be the only focused media house which has a bench of journalists over Development and Infrastructure. It comprehensively covered the Noida International Airport project from the initial day.

The seven year old digital news startup has gained sizable readership in Delhi-NCR, Chandigarh and Uttar Pradesh with experienced journalists and engineers of news media.
Tricity Today has 20 person team with rich experience of Political, Crime, Infrastructure and Urban issues. We are a alone media house which has a bench of journalists over Development and Infrastructure.

Interested partners / candidates can connect through mail info@tricitytoday.com or via contact number 01204223626 by 31st January.

CSDR Foundation's PRARTHNA-2022 to Help Oldage Homless W0men

New Delhi : The pandemic situation at present is aggravated due to Omicron scare. While the challenges for everyone have increased, the most burnt is done to the homeless. Many social organizations have reached such persons in the difficult times. One such organization is CSDR Foundation, registered in Delhi with presence in many cities in India. Foundation’s PRARTHNA-2022 (Program to Reach, Act, Relax & Thank Homeless at Night-shelters Around) was held on 1^st January 2022. People from one of the night shelters specially run for women appreciated the initiative taken by the Director of Centre for Social Development and Research Foundation (CSDR Foundation) Vivek Sharma and his team members when they reached at the shelter. The foundation reached the shelter to distribute winter clothing and uncooked raw food packages on new year eve of Gregorian calendar year 2022. This is the twelfth such drive in a row. The food packets contained raw rice, sugar, poha and salt. Specialty of the drive was that the organization could arrange new winter clothes and sarees for the homeless women rather than used clothes. The women of the shelter at Shankar Gali, Asaf Ali Road, Delhi were very happy receiving soaps and hair oils along with this and blessed the organizers for this initiative to reach to the needy. During this drive the foundation thanked the contribution of Vipin Gaur (NAI), Divya Aggarwal, Kapil Arora, Vikas Dhyani, Pooja Gola, Shobha Juyal, Prashant Mittal, Khyati Gupta, Parveen Juyal, Divya Gupta and Chetan Arora to the social cause. Vivek Sharma added that the people should come forward to help the needy in the difficult times. Together we can fight this pandemic.