This is my first time attending St Patrick’s Day Festival. It is not really common to celebrate in Indonesia and Singapore (even though many foreigners there), but in Korea it is a little bit huge. I’d never seen so many foreigners like that in one place. It didn’t feel like in Asia at all.
What is St Patrick’s Day?
It is a religion holiday celebrated by Catholic Irish to commemorate Saint Patrick, the most famous patron saint in Ireland that brings Christianity to that country. Ideally they who celebrate it will attend service in church, but in some parts of the world (like Korea), it is just a festival to have fun, watch parade, dance to Irish song, wear green stuff, and drink beers.
How is the festival in Korea?
There was one big event in D-Cube Sindorim for Seoul St Patrick’s Day Festival held by Irish Association of Korea, with some performances of dances and songs. From there I become to know about BARD, a Korean band playing Irish songs. At first I thought (maybe not only me), ‘Why Asians? Where’s the Irish?’ But they’re really good! I felt bad to underestimate them in the beginning.
Anyway, this was the complete schedule:
12:30-13:00 US 8th Army Band
13:00-13:20 Introductory speeches by Irish Ambassador, Dr. Eamonn McKee and IAK chair Conor O’Reilly
13:20-13:50 Banu (traditional Irish group)
13:50-14:20 Tap Pung dancers (audience encouraged to join the Irish dancing)
14:20-15:00 Have No Name (Korean U2 tribute band)
15:00-15:30 Bard (Korean traditional Irish band)
15:30-15:45 Rince Dancers
15:45-16:00 Bard (Korean traditional Irish band)
16:00-16:30 Tap Pung dancers (audience encouraged to join the Irish dancing)
16:30-16:45 Banu (traditional Irish group)
16:45-17:20 Dara Sheehan (Irish contemporary)
17:20-18:00 Sweet Murphy’s Fancy (contemporary rock band)
Many people totally dressed up funny and unique. That’s one thing I like from western foreigners, they are confident with what they’re wearing, and do not really care about what other’s thinking.