By ARGYLL GEDUCOS
BUSAN, South Korea – While Hallyu or the Korean wave continues to take the world by storm through their food, culture, and entertainment industry, the Philippines is also looking to make the same impact in South Korea, starting by filling up their stomachs.
As Filipinos enjoy the Korean culture by listening to K-Pop groups like BTS, watching dramas, and eating in different Samgyupsal (pork belly) restaurants in the Philippines, South Koreans are also getting a taste of the Filipino culture.
And according to Philippine Ambassador to South Korea Noe Wong, Koreans seem to be enjoying Filipino culture in their land as well.
In an interview here, Wong said that Filipinos are making an impact in South Korea even if Philippine culture has not really started a wave just yet. He said the country is trying to start a trend in the East Asian nation.
“As far as culture is concerned, we’re making good here. There are series of projects, shows, contests that we always participate which is culturally related and we always win. But as far as that millennial happening now, it has not really penetrated. We’re trying to work on that,” he said.
Wong said there are two Filipino restaurants doing good in Seoul – Jovy’s Grill and Hapunan. He said Jovy’s Grill was owned and operated by a Korean who lived in the Philippines and brought Filipino cook and staff with him to Seoul.
“It’s making good. And would you believe, most of the customers are Koreans,” he said. “They are fond of our sisig and inihaw na pusit. Because they are fond of drinking,” he added.
According to Wong, the cultural exchange between the Philippines and South Korea is blooming, noting that there are 57,298 Filipinos living and working in South Korea and that there were 93,000 Koreans in the Philippines.
Wong also said that there were 1.6 million Korean tourists who visited the Philippines last year, while there were 490,000 Filipino tourists who went to South Korea.