Korean Culture Club
The aim of the UT Korean Culture Club is to unite people interested in Korean culture. We hold various events such as workshops, movie nights, lectures, and other events to introduce different aspects of Korean culture and society at the university. Our events are free and are open to everyone.
The events for the 2025/26 autumn semester can be found below.
Your Next Destination – Exchange Studies in Korea
November 21, 6 PM, Lossi 3-319
‘Why would you choose a place that’s so far away?’ asked my grandmother when I first brought up my wish to go on an exchange. If you want to make your family sigh in worry as well, then the UT Korean Culture Club’s November event is exactly ✨that✨ introductory event to put you on the right track with your plans to go on an exchange semester to Korea.
Two of our club members - Merilin and Anna Maria - will discuss their experiences as exchange students in South Korea and the application process. Merilin went on an exchange to South Korea for the 2024/25 school year to Chung-Ang University (중앙대학교) through UT’s Student Exchange Agreement. Anna went on an exchange to South Korea for the 2024/25 autumn semester to Korea University (고려대학교) through the ISEP program.
During the event, you will be able to ask your burning questions regarding any aspect of going on exchange. Topics discussed include, but are not limited to, dealing with the never-ending bureaucracy, travelling to and staying in Korea, and what other fun activities you can get up to during your time abroad.
Board Game Bonanza
December 5, 6 PM, Lossi 3-319
Come and join UT KCC as we conclude another year filled with events.
We will open a board game café, where people can mingle and play a variety of games together.
There is a vast selection of games to choose from, such as traditional Korean board games, which include the so-called Korean poker or Korean Hanafuda Seotda (섯다) and Yutnori (윷놀이), similar to Ludo or Reis Ümber Maailma. Korea is also famous for board game cafés, where, by renting a small room, you have access to a vast majority of board name of international origin. Some favourites of the Koreans that we will also play include Halli Galli and Don't Break the Ice. Korean board game companies have also been making waves in the board gaming communities, some of which will also be represented at this event, including Coffee Rush (커피 러시) and Koryo (고려). The aforementioned are only a small list of board games that will be available to play, so if anything here doesn't call out to you, we're bound to have something that will!
Bring a friend (or a few) and join for an evening filled with strategy, betrayal, and laughter.
Past events
Crash Landing on Hangeul
September 27, 6 PM, Lossi 3-319
Have you been meaning to start learning Korean for a while, but the foreign writing system seems too scary to even try? The time has come to face that fear!
Hangeul is the alphabet of the Korean language, which was created by King Sejong in 1446. The alphabet was originally created to be easy to use for peasants and is thus regarded as one of the simplest writing systems in the world to master. This autumn we will test out that fact!
Over the course of three hours, you will get an overview of the structure of the alphabet as well as a chance to then practise reading through games. Before playing, there will be an introductory crash course, and the event will conclude with a bingo (with prizes!).
The event is open to both complete newbies and old-timers – there will be fun activities to practice Hangeul for everyone!
The event is held as part of Tartu Student Days.
Bojagi workshop: Learn traditional Korean wrapping
October 20, 6 PM, Lossi 3-319
Bojagi wrapping (보자기 포장) is a traditional Korean wrapping method, commonly used with traditional gifts, in weddings, and Buddhist rites. Bojagi (보자기) refers to the cloth itself, typically made of silk and ramie, square in shape, and comes in a variety of colours. In Korean folk tradition, wrapping something in a Bojagi was thought to protect it and attract good fortune. It symbolised care, respect, and the passing on of blessings. Today, it is especially popular as an eco-friendly and elegant gift-wrapping method. This, along with various wrapping and tying methods, creates an effective package that will surprise even the most expectant of receivers.
Members of the Tallinn’s King Sejong Institute Pumpkins Crafting Club will guide you through techniques ranging from simple functional knots to decorative styles.
The workshop is free, and all materials are provided. No prior registration is necessary.
A Flower in Hell (지옥화) (1958)
November 11, 6 PM, Lossi 3-328
A Flower in Hell opens with what is basically documentary footage of daily life in postwar 1950s Seoul. Shots of U.S. soldiers predominate and while the film’s main focus is on seemingly interpersonal drama between petty criminal Young-shik and sex worker Sonya, the film’s visual focus shows how the tensions caused by the American presence seep into the personal relationships of everyday Koreans. Choi Eun-hee’s Sonya is a classic femme fatale figure, who is a victim of her circumstances but viewed as a dangerous seductress by the men around her. Choi’s performance caused controversy at the time of her release and paved the way for many complex female roles in Korean cinema.
A Taxi Driver (2017)
NB! Pre-registration is needed for this event. You can register on Elektriteater's homepage.
November 26, 8 PM, Elektriteater (University of Tartu Church - Jakobi 1)
May, 1980. Man-seob is a taxi driver in Seoul who lives from hand to mouth, raising his young daughter alone. One day, he hears that a foreigner is willing to pay a large sum of money for a drive down to Gwangju city. Not knowing that he’s a German journalist with a hidden agenda, Man-seob takes the job. From there, events unfold that change the lives of both men and the course of South Korean history.
Through Man-seob’s narrative, A Taxi Driver uses a touching personal story to symbolise a broader event - in this case, the Gwangju Uprising, which is one of the most significant events of the 20th century in South Korea. In May 1980, demonstrations against the dictatorial military government of Chun Doo-hwan were violently suppressed, and Korean media coverage of the event was censored. Despite this, information about the uprising spread through the efforts of foreign journalists, the most well-known of whom is Jürgen Hinzpeter, who is also depicted in the film. The Gwangju Uprising preceded other democratic movements during the late 1980s that pressured the regime into democratic reforms and ultimately led to free presidential elections in 1987.
The screening is organised by the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Estonia and the University of Tartu Korean Culture Club.
Mother and a Guest (사랑방 손님과 어머니) (1961)
December 9, 6 PM, Lossi 3-328
Shin Sang-ok's Mother and a Guest focuses on the role and societal expectations placed on widows. The film depicts the widowed mother of a household who is attracted to her houseguest but is bound by the moral demands, which required widows not to remarry and instead to devote their life to the families of their husbands. Although the film is based on a novel set in the period of Japanese colonisation, it was produced during a short window where films were free from the harsh censorship that came after. This allows Shin to explore the changing gender roles and sexual ethics of post-war Korea and Choi Eun-hee to play another woman bound by the rigid traditions of the society around her.
Past events
The March of Fools (1975)
September 24, 6 PM, Lossi 3-328
‘The March of Fools’ is a 1975 tragicomedy, which depicts the university life of Korea in the 1970s. The two main characters of the movie have just entered university and, for the first time in their lives, they have to seriously consider their future path. The movie itself is characterised by the political turmoil of the time, and how the two young men navigate it in hopes of finding their place in the world. The movie is considered to be a Korean classic, and with its depiction of university life under a dictatorial regime, it remains topical. Additionally, despite the movie being set in Korea fifty years ago, the worries and joys that the students face are universal and relatable even today.
The length of the movie is 1h 45min and is preceded by a short introduction to help provide more context for a deeper understanding while watching. The movie is in Korean with English subtitles.
The event is held as part of Tartu Student Days.
Dream (꿈) (1955)
October 14, 6 PM, Lossi 3-328
Shin Sang-ok’s second feature film Dream both shows the technical limitations of the post-war Korean film industry and takes advantage of them. The film’s simple story of a Buddhist monk who runs away with a noblewoman is an important touchstone in Korean cinema. Choi Eun-hee’s role as the noblewoman is not as transgressive as some of her later roles, but provides an insight into the connection between religion and its attitude towards women.
We started the academic year with an introductory event where we refreshed our knowledge of hangeul while meeting other students. During both semesters the club held handicrafts events - during both the autumn and spring semesters we held an event focusing on learning norigae (Korean knotting). Additionally, in the spring semester we also hosted an event where we practiced traditional Korean painting techniques. The club also continued our regular lecture events - in the autumn semester we held a mini-lecture event, where speakers held short lectures on topics related to Korean culture and society, and in the spring semester we hosted a Korean guest lecturer Dr. Kang Byoung Yoong. Lastly, we also continued holding game events in both semesters - in the autumn semester we focused on Korean board games, and in the spring semester we played games featured in the Korean hit series Squid Game.
To celebrate the publication of the Estonian translation of Han Kang's Vegetarian, the club held an event to introduce the novel and its author. Our guests were Anni Arukask, who translated the novel to Estonian, and Triinu Tamm, who is the head editor of Loomingu Raamatukogu, a series in which the novel was published. The club members also continued to organise regular movie nights. During the 2025/24 academic year, we held 6 movie nights - 3 on both semesters. The movie nights focused on women directors in Korean cinema. During the autumn semester we focused on films by filmmakers associated with New Korean cinema and watched Take Care of My Cat (2001), Waikiki Brothers (2001) and The Way Home (2002). On the spring semester we watched films by upcoming female directors - A Girl at My Door (2014), Microhabitat (2017) and Lucky Chan-sil (2019).
We started the academic year with a guided tour through Tartu Botanial Garden, where we focused on plants that can be found on the Korean peninsula. During both semesters we had an event that focused on learning the Korean language and hangeul - during the autumn semester we learned hangeul with the lyrics from well-known Korean songs and during the spring semester we further refreshed our knowledge on the Korean alphabet. We continued with our regular lecture events - on both semesters we held mini-lecture events, where speakers held short lectures on topics related to Korean culture and society. Lastly, we also held game events in both semesters - in the autumn semester we focused on traditional Korean board games, and in the spring semester we played games that are often played during variety shows in Korea.
The club also started organising regular movie nights. During the 2023/24 academic year, we held 12 movie nights - 6 on both semesters. The movie nights were collected under the name Korean Cinema 101, where we focused on the classics of Korean cinema. During the autumn semester we focused on classic films from the 20th century and watched The Housemaid (1960), An Aimless Bullet (1961), March of Fools (1975), Seopyeonje (1993), A Single Spark (1995), and Joint Secutiry Area (2000). On the spring semester we watched contemporary classics from the 21st century - My Sassy Girl (2001), The King and the Clown (2005), The Host (2006), Moonlit Winter (2019), Kim Ji-young, Born 1982 (2019), and Escape from Mogadishu (2021).
We started the academic year with an event celebrating Chuseok. We continued with our lecture events - during both semesters we held events where club members introduced their Korea-related academic research. We also held workshops related to Korean culture - in the autumn semester we held a workshop on Korean traditional painting (minhwa) and in the spring semester we explored the art of tea ceremony and made our own jogakbo bookmarks.
During the spring semester, we focused on deepening our knowledge of the Korean language by holding a two-part workshop, which focused on learning Korean with the help of webtoons. The first workshop focused on speaking skills and the second one on reading and translating. We also held a movie night during both semesters - in autumn semester we watched Scandal Maker (2008), and in spring semester Korean animated film Leafie, A Hen into the Wild (2011).
