LA Korean Festival Brings K-pop, 300 Booths, and ‘Beyond Boundaries’

The 52nd LA Korean Festival will open on October 16 at Seoul International Park in Koreatown, featuring four days of cultural performances, food markets, and community events.

At a press conference on October 8 at Dauljeong, across from the park, the LA Korean Festival Foundation announced that this year’s celebration will highlight Korean culture and multicultural exchange under the theme “Beyond Boundaries.”

Running from October 16 to 19, the festival will showcase the cultural strength of the Korean American community while inviting all residents of Los Angeles to join in.

The program includes K-pop star performances, multicultural community shows, talent competitions, and a large marketplace with food and specialty products. About 300 booths will be set up throughout the park, featuring a Korean agricultural and fisheries expo, as well as information booths run by public agencies, nonprofits, and LAFC.

“The festival will allow visitors to experience and enjoy everything about Korean culture in one place,” the LA Korean Festival Foundation said.

To ensure public safety, the LAPD Olympic Community Police Station will deploy patrol officers across Seoul International Park during the festival. The Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) will also provide free DASH bus service from 7 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. in Koreatown throughout the event.

The foundation added that, in preparation for possible federal immigration enforcement during the festival period, locally hired staff will manage all sales at the Korean agricultural and fisheries expo booths.

BY HYOUNGJAE KIM [kim.ian@koreadaily.com]