Clarksville, TN – The Korean Culture Club at Austin Peay State University (APSU) recently earned the Student Organization of the Year award in its first full year since its establishment.
Even though the organization has a short history, it has been active since its founding in Spring 2020 to appreciate and spread knowledge about South Korean culture in the campus and Clarksville community.
“The Korean Culture Club is to spread Korean culture throughout our community and the campus,” she said.
Each week, the organization meets on campus to discuss topics about the South Korean culture. The club also hosts Korean language lessons and helps members get more in-depth knowledge about Korean culture.
Jayla Milton, a student at APSU, is one of the founding members of the Korean Culture Club. She shared that being in the organization has broadened her knowledge about South Korea.
“Before I joined the Korean Culture Club, I was mainly interested in the Korean pop culture, but from the meetings and discussions, I got to learn more about current issues and the everyday things about South Korea.”
The club held events such as Squid Game Night in Fall 2021, based on the popular South Korean Netflix show “The Squid Game.” During the event, all the games – based on common children’s games in South Korea – from the show were recreated. The participants played each round and competed with each other to become the winner. The event drew over 50 participants to experience Korean culture while having fun.
In January 2022, the Korean Culture Club was featured at the Customs House Museum & Cultural Center in Clarksville, Tennessee, for their Exhibit “Celebrating Our Korean Culture,” partnering with the Korean American Association of Clarksville.
The organization also has a plan to represent the South Korean community on campus for the Asian and Pacific Islander month in May. The club is displaying South Korean artifacts and information about the organization in a display case beside the Starbucks in the APSU Woodward Library.
Additionally, the Korean Culture Club strives to create a friendly and welcoming environment for everyone, said Grace Kang, the vice president of the Korean Culture Club.
“People often think that our organization is for Koreans, and that is not true,” she said. “We are here to share and spread the knowledge about the Korean Culture on our campus, and we always welcome anyone to come to join. People from our organization did not know each other before the club, but we became a tight group of friends now.”
Tae Saito, the newly inducted president of the Korean Culture Club, agreed that the organization has a friendly atmosphere. She mentioned that being involved in the organization has allowed her to meet more people who share a common interest within the campus.
“Most of my friends I made at APSU were through Korean Culture Club, and like being in any club, is a really good place to meet other people and share interests,” she said.
Dr. Andrea Lee, an assistant professor of education, nominated the Korean Culture Club for the organization award and has been one of the club’s biggest supporters.
“The student leaders and club members are very creative and passionate about Korean culture. I’m looking forward to future events,” she said. “I hope the Korean Culture Club will continue to grow and promote Korean culture on campus and in the local community.”
The Korean Culture Club meets weekly on campus to discuss Korean culture, history and language.
Also, be sure to check out the club’s display case in the library throughout May.
