안녕! Hello students of West High! As you may or may not be aware, Club Rush is rushing by, and so are the annual extra-curricular opportunities. Among them is Korean Culture Club. Like many things this year, it’s been thrown out of its natural order, but this does not sway the club’s board. They’ve gone through their own set of changes, and they’re ready to take on the new year.

   Mrs. Lee—the Korean teacher at West High and KCC’s advisor—proudly keeps her head up during the transition: “We have to think outside the box, and be creative…We’re going to try to be ‘business as usual’ as much as possible.” Though they won’t be able to meet face to face, meet they shall.

   Meetings are held on Zoom, every Tuesday during lunch, and the KCC crew is excited to show off their new agenda. Rachel Pham (10), the KCC representative, details their usual schedule. “It’ll usually start off with a slideshow about Korean culture or different holidays, like Chuseok…and then we’d do games like Kahoot,” Pham explains. It’s a little different from their normal routine, to accommodate the virtual circumstances. Kahoot is a bigger player in meetings, taking up a big chunk of the activities, but who doesn’t like a good ol’ fashioned game of Kahoot? The club’s also brainstormed about handing bagged goodies to club members (per health code of course), though that’s still in the testing stage. 

 Korean Culture Club is seemingly all set. But despite their excitement for the new year, they recognize the difficulties that lay ahead. Ivy Chan (11), one of two publicists on the KCC board, explains the challenges their club faces: “A lot of people [when they think of Korean culture] just think about K-Pop,” Ivy laments. “I think people should be more open to learning about a different country’s culture, because there’s a lot more than what we see here.” Take a chance on a club with an open mind, and they’ll receive you with open arms.

   In Korean Culture Club, something new can always be found. There’s not a thing in this world that doesn’t have a story, and Korean culture isn’t exempt from that. KCC wants this school to realize it. Mrs. Lee holds high hopes for that recognition. “We just need a little bit more patience and grace,” she finishes. “This year is gonna be just perfect.”