About 120 people learning Korean in Havana
“Become friends with the land of K-pop and dramas
“I look forward to the day when Cubans will also get jobs at Samsung.”
“Establishing diplomatic relations with Korea… “When I saw the news, I cried with joy.”
Lisette Gonzalez (36), who lives in Havana, the capital of Cuba, was heartbroken upon hearing the news of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Korea and Cuba on the 14th (local time). It’s been 11 years since I fell in love with Korea and learned Korean after watching the Korean drama ‘Please Take Care of My Lady’ on Cuban TV in 2013. I had an overwhelming feeling that “the two countries have finally become ‘friends.’”
Mr. González, a teacher at a Korean language school in Havana, said in a phone call with the Dong-A Ilbo on the 15th, “Students were also happy, saying, ‘Now can we go to Korea too?’” and “The number of Korean language teachers in schools will increase, and more opportunities will be created for students.” “I think so,” he expected.
The Korean language school where Mr. Gonzalez works was established in 2022 with support from the Overseas Korean Foundation. Although there are only about 30 Koreans living in Cuba, there are more than 120 students learning Korean at Havana Korean School. The number of locals who know how to use Korean in Cuba is greater than that of Korean residents. Most of the students are around 20 years old, but even an 85-year-old grandmother of Korean descent is diligently learning Korean.
The popularity of Havana Korean School is also largely due to the Korean Wave. Even before diplomatic relations were established, Korean music and dramas were hot topics in Cuba. The same goes for Mr. González, who majored in mass communication at the University of Havana. Cuba is a country with excellent cultural nourishment, as represented by salsa and the movie Buena Vista Social Club (2001), which was a hot topic in Korea, but these days, “people in their teens and 20s prefer K-pop dance and are much better at it” (Mr. González) He says. Jeong Ho-hyeon, principal of Korean School, also added, “The number of Koreans in Cuba was 60 to 70 before the pandemic, but has now decreased significantly, but Cuba’s love for Korean culture is growing.”
There are also hopeful observations locally that the establishment of diplomatic ties with Korea will help Cuba’s economy. Recently, Cuba has been experiencing economic difficulties of unprecedented proportions due to skyrocketing prices. After the currency reform in 2021, the Cuban peso (CUP)-dollar exchange rate has soared more than 10 times in the unofficial market, making it difficult to purchase daily necessities right away. Principal Jeong said, “I have lived in Cuba for 18 years, and the inflation and economic difficulties we are experiencing recently are the most serious.”
“Won’t Cubans one day find employment at Samsung? I have great expectations that I will be able to visit Korea soon. Until then, I will study Korean harder.” (Mr. González)
New York =
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.