K-Street Festival | For the Love of All Things Korean!

Back when K-pop and K-dramas weren't as popular as they are today, I had to go to great lengths just to purchase an album of my favorite K-pop group and I had to scour the internet to watch properly-subbed episodes of K-dramas. These days, with the continuous rise and the growing dominance of Hallyu around the world, one can easily stream K-pop songs and currently airing Korean dramas through smartphone and smart TV apps. Fangirling has definitely become easier through the years!

But wait - it gets better.

For the first time ever, the Korean Cultural Center (KCC) of the Philippines will be hosting the K-Street Festival, a celebration of all things Korean - from the culture itself, to food, fashion, and beauty. The event will be held at Bonifacio High Street’s C1 Park from May 31 to June 1, and at the BGC Amphitheater from June 1 - June 2.

K-Street Festival!

As part of BGC’s Summer on the Street series, K-Street Festival promises awesome offerings such as performances from Pinoy K-pop Star winners, Korean street food & pop up shops, k-merchandise, all-day fun & games, and so much more. This one-of-a-kind festival promises to delight everyone with traditional and contemporary Korean activities that showcase the wonderful culture of this country.

Celebrating the depth and breadth of Korea’s rich culture, K-Street Festival will have seven zones at the C1 park, plus a whole lot more activities at the BGC Amphitheater that will make you feel like you’ve been transported to Korea. Get ready to check all these out for must-try experiences!

What's your fandom?

Music, merchandise and more
Crazy about BTS, Blackpink, or EXO? Then head over to the K-Pop zone, the first of seven zones at Bonifacio High Street’s C1 Park, where you can listen to your favorite K-pop artists and play exciting games to win different freebies. This zone, organized with the Philippine K-Pop Convention, Inc. (PKCI), will also offer an assortment of K-pop merchandise to kickstart (or complete!) your collection.

Are you a K-drama fan? Then indulge in some of your favorite Korean shows through Netflix and VIU’s streaming services at the street festival. Enjoy Korean dramas and movies you’ve never seen before, all offered with multiple language subtitles.

Hansik - traditional Korean food.

Savor the flavors
Treat your taste buds over at the K-Food Zone, where you can enjoy authentic Korean food and eat to your heart's content. Whether it’s kimchi, bibimbap, kalbi-jim, or good ol' ramyeon, you’re sure to find mouthwatering delights that will get you burping in no time.

Plan your (next) trip
If you can’t wait to visit Seoul’s spectacular sights, head over to the K-Tour Zone, where you can check out the various tours and travel options available. Organized by the Korea Tourism Organization which has promoted diplomatic relations between the Philippines and South Korea over the past 70 years, this zone will give you a sneak peek of why Korea is visited by over 10 million tourists every year, and why my son and I keep coming back to Korea.

Wear a hanbok
There's also the K-Fashion and Beauty Zone, organized in partnership with Hanbok Palace. Here, you can try out some Korean traditional clothing and take selfies while you're at it. 

Gadgets galore
If you want some high-tech fun, head over to the K-Tech Zone, which promises to enthrall you with cutting-edge Korean innovations. Enjoy the ultimate VR experience with Samsung, allowing you to enjoy movies and video games on a whole new level. You can also get your hands on Coreon Mobile, an innovative mobile postpaid service from IT Corea that lets you enjoy 3 numbers in one SIM card.

Kukkiwon Taekwondo Demonstration Team in action.

Taekwondo like you've never seen before
Finally, at the the K-Sport Zone, you'll be able to witness a one-of-a-kind taekwondo demonstration  by the world-renowned Kukkiwon Taekwondo Demonstration Team. With their high-flying, gravity defying martial arts skills, you'll see taekwondo moves like you've never seen before.

Indulge in the K-mmunity K-POP Madness 
As an added treat, head over to the other side of the festivities at the Bonifacio High Street Amphitheater where BGC in partnership with Globe Prepaid, Globe at Home and Pulp have lined up huge surprises for fans of K-pop heavy weights TWICE and TVXQ! Attendees can get first dibs on concert tickets, win exciting freebies, and participate in themed booths and activities.

Save the date!

So for all you K-pop and K-drama fans and K-culture enthusiasts (like me), make sure you free up your weekend schedule for these exciting activities. For twice the fun, bring your family, friends, and fellow stans along! :)

For more details, you may check out Bonifacio High Street’s official Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/BoniHighStreet/

Martial Arts 101.

Martial arts is a popular type of self defense that emphasizes discipline and focus. Today, it's taught primarily as a tool for physical fitness, sports, confidence and mental discipline, but it originated as a method of self defense that was taught to soldiers and used in combat.

Bruce Lee.

What is Martial Arts?
The term “martial arts” includes various types of fighting techniques that are used primarily for self defense. Martial arts originated thousands of years ago within the cultures of China, Japan and India. China is home to one of the oldest types of martial arts, called Oigong, thought to have been practiced as long as 5,000 years ago. Qigong, which means "energy cultivation," is a martial arts technique that was developed to increase the flow of energy in the body. According to Chinese philosophy, a person's life energy is responsible for strength and health throughout their lifetime.

What are the Types of Martial Arts?
Some types of martial arts are practiced without self defense weapons, while others include weapons like swords, knives and daggers. Whether armed or unarmed, the desired result of all types of martial arts is to achieve physical power over an opponent. The different types of martial arts fall into categories that include striking arts, joint lock arts and throwing arts.

Lyoto Machida, Shotokan Karate black belter.

Striking Arts
The striking arts method of martial arts is one of the oldest techniques. Striking arts techniques focus on striking the opponent in vulnerable body parts in order to defeat him. Striking arts include Karate, Tae Kwon Do and boxing. While Karate and Tae Kwon Do employ various punches and kicks to the body, boxing focuses on hitting the opponent in the upper torso using boxing gloves.

Photo credit: Aikido Auckland.

Joint Lock Arts
In joint lock arts, you must learn how to push and manipulate your opponent's joints past their normal comfort zone. This self defense technique is especially helpful when a small person is pitted against a larger person. Aikido, a disciplined type of martial arts, uses joint lock techniques, but these techniques require years of study and are extremely hard to master.

Roger Gracie, grandson of Carlos Gracie - creator of Gracie Jiu Jitsu.

Throwing Arts
Throwing arts, practiced in Judo and wrestling, focus on knocking your opponent off their feet. Hapkido and Braazilian Jiu-Jitsu use a combination of striking, joint lock and throwing arts performed with fluid movements that are meant to take an opponent quickly to the ground.

Chan Sung Jung, and throwback to UFC 163.

Last Saturday, 'Korean Zombie' Chan Sung Jung battled it out on the octagon with Featherweight Champion Jose Aldo at the HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. And while the odds may not have been in favor of the Korean contender, the fact still remains that Chan Sung Jung is the first Asian to headline a UFC main event and fight for the championship title.

Photo credit: MMA Weekly

A native of Pohang, South Korea, Chan Sung Jung made his professional debut in June 2007. He made his debut in the UFC four years later, in March 2011 at UFC Fight Night 24. Chan Sung Jung's ability to fight aggressively and withstand heavy blows from his opponent has earned him several accolades in the UFC, including the 2012 Submission of the Year and 2012 Fight of the Year awards.

UFC 163 would be the biggest day in Chan Sung Jung's career as a mixed martial arts fighter, and in a pre-fight interview, the Korean Zombie said that he felt great physically and mentally, and will do his best to beat Jose Aldo.

Photo credit: Fighter Fashion

When asked as to how it felt to have reached the pinnacle of his MMA career, the 26-year-old Taekwondo black belter said, "It's been my goal and dream for several years now, so it means the world to me. I know that it would push MMA in Korea to the next level if I win, so a victory would be that much more important."

Unfortunately, the Korean Zombie dislocated his shoulder during his match against Jose Aldo, which brought about a TKO loss in the fourth round. This would be his first loss in four UFC fights.

Photo credit: MMA Fighting

"...when I separated my shoulder, I tried to put it back in myself, but it didn't work, and I think Jose noticed my shoulder was out, and he kicked me three times really hard. So unfortunately, the shoulder was not able to be put back in," said Chan Sung Jung during the post-fight press conference. Thankfully, the medical team was able to pop the shoulder back in and the Korean Zombie was able to speak before the press (together with his translator) - arm sling, bandages, and all.

Would the Korean Zombie ask for a rematch?
"As far as the rematch goes, I would love to get a rematch," he answered. "I would love to ask for a rematch, but I think there are other people that are waiting in line, and I probably have to get a couple more wins in the division before they'll give me another shot at the title."

Sure, the Korean Zombie would have to work his way back up to the Featherweight ladder, and even he knows that for a fact. Here's hoping that he gets better soon - last I heard he also has an orbital fracture on top of the dislocated shoulder. His fans in and outside of Korea (including me!) will be looking forward to his return to the Octagon, and hopefully, for another shot at the title.