For the first time ever, Eleanor Roosevelt High School is incorporating a Korean Club into the variety of extracurricular activities the school offers. The club will include four main activities, learning the Korean martial art of Tae-Kwon-Doe, Korean language, Korean pop music dances, and traditional Korean folk dance and music, according to ESOL teacher Mr. Huh, who initiated the formation of the club.

Mr. Huh, a South Korean himself, is extremely knowledgeable in Korean culture after spending the majority of his childhood and early adult life in Korea. Mr. Huh was inspired to start the club in hopes of stimulating interest in Korean culture and promoting an in depth understanding and appreciation of the culture. He plans to focus largely on helping students in the club master the Korean language and is also hoping to start a Korean language class at ERHS by next year.

Mr. Huh was surprised at the amount of students who showed interest in the idea of a Korean club stating “initially I thought maybe 10 students would be enough, but then about 30 students signed up to join which was many more than I expected.” The increased interest in Korean culture at Eleanor Roosevelt is not only a motivation for Mr. Huh, but for Korean students at ERHS as well. Ezra Cho, a sophomore born in South Korea elaborated on this. “There are not many opportunities I come across as a Korean to preserve my nationality at school, but I feel that because of this club, my country is able to be well represented.” According to Cho, the club provides a place for him to not only learn aspects of his culture that he would have otherwise never participated in such as Korean folk dancing, but has also increased the pride he feels towards his Korean roots. “I feel so proud of my history when I see so many people genuinely interested in Korean culture, regardless of their backgrounds” said Cho.

Gabriella Hall, a senior at Eleanor Roosevelt who recently joined the club,  expressed her interest as a non-Korean. “I am so interested in Korean culture. I love everything about their language, food, and music, and I’m hoping to maybe even minor in Korean language in college.”

Like many others in the club, Hall’s interest in Korean culture initially started through her love of Korean television dramas and Korean pop music. “Because I was so into Korean dramas, I eventually wanted to learn everything about the culture and history of Korea” stated Hall.

Mr. Huh hopes that the club continues to gain popularity so that more students are able to learn about Korean culture. The club is open to anyone hoping to learn about a new culture and language regardless of background, and of course, to have fun.