Photos by CATHERINE JAYIN JUN UCLA students practice the
traditional Korean triple drum dance for their performance at the
Korean Culture Night to be held today at 7 p.m. in Royce Hall.
By Michelle V. Gonzales
Daily Bruin Contributor
Thunderous drums and gongs echo through the walls of Schoenberg
on a Saturday afternoon. Several students gather to practice
traditional drumming, working off each other’s rising
rhythms. Anticipation is growing for one of the most memorable
nights of a student’s college career.
Spring quarter marks the culture night season for many student
groups on campus. Han-Ool-Lim, the on-campus student organization
will present Korean Culture Night at Royce Hall on Tuesday. This is
the first time that the organization will hold culture night at
Royce, marking a milestone for the organization.
According to Han-Ool-Lim president Steve Kim, a fifth-year
psychobiology student, the organization’s name means
“one clear loud sound” and represents the voice of
Koreans and Korean Americans on campus while also dealing with
cultural and social issues like immigrant transitions and
developing a sense of community.
The organization sponsors a Korean Culture Night staff who helps
plan and coordinate a night of performances that reflect issues
students have encountered. The performance at Royce Hall symbolizes
the growing presence of the organization within the UCLA
community.
 Photos by CATHERINE JAYIN JUN
This year’s theme for Korean Culture Night is “Rose
from Ashes” and is based on the 1992 Los Angeles civil unrest
and the changes that have occurred in the following 10 years. The
theme conveys a double meaning; literal rising action from ashes
and a rose flower rising amidst the ashes.
The topic was a difficult topic to approach, but the
organization collectively decided the theme and researched the
topic in order to present an unbiased presentation on the causes of
the Los Angeles event and its effects on the Korean community and
Korean American community.
“The fact that we rose up and developed a community where
we had political power, where we have a place for our future
generation today, that is considered very beautiful,” said
Chul Kim, culture night director and fifth-year psychobiology
student.
The night will include skits, spoken word, tae kwon do, hip-hop,
Korean traditional drumming, and documentaries sharing the
students’ perspective on the events.
This year, African drumming will accompany the traditional
drumming, working with the theme of the night and the topic of
difficult race relations. The group hopes to shed light on the
racial situation by letting the audience create their own
interpretations and perspectives.
 Photos by CATHERINE JAYIN JUN
“All the performances are tied into the theme where we try
to embody our philosophy, “ said Steve Kim.
“For example, when Japan colonized Korea, people used tae
kwon do as a form to fight off their oppression,” he
added.
Educating the audience as well as each other is also a main
component of the performances that students consider when
developing the production, adding to the large amount of personal
time that planning and rehearsal takes up.
“It is hard, we have to sacrifice a lot, we spend a lot of
time with each other so it’s like a family,” said Kevin
Park, a third-year psychobiology student and the coordinator for
traditional Poongmul drumming. “Friends and parents come and
get to see something productive other than just studies.”
The production is one that is part of the entire college
experience. Each performance builds upon previous years.
“From past experiences from people that have done it
before, once it’s over it is the best experience you could
have,” Park said. “There’s something magical
about it.”
The night also symbolizes the prominence that groups have gained
within society and the UCLA community.
“There are a lot of Korean and Korean Americans on campus,
and it’s very difficult for a lot of them to come together
for a couple of reasons,” said Chul Kim. “For that one
night, hundreds of people are with each other, getting to know each
other, and it sets up a setting to show what students are capable
of.”
With the efforts throughout the months, students hope to bring
the community together to witness a flowering of culture and
history that has risen from a difficult contemporary Korean and
Korean American history.
CULTURE: The performance will begin at 7 p.m.
at Royce Hall tonight. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Tickets may be
available at the door before the performance.