Thousands flock to ‘2025 Korea Festival On the Go’ for ‘golden’ K-Culture weekend in Cagayan de Oro City

(CAGAYAN DE ORO, PHILIPPINES, 26 September 2025) – Cagayan de Oro became a vibrant stage for Korean culture over the weekend as the ‘2025 Korea Festival On the Go’ took over SM CDO Downtown Premier on September 20–21, drawing over two hundred thousand foot traffic.

Organized by the Korean Cultural Center (KCC) in the Philippines, the event celebrated the enduring and ever-golden friendship between Korea and the Philippines. For two full days, the venue was transformed into a bustling cultural village, filled with interactive booths, stunning performances, and activities catering to all ages.

(From left to right) Gracing the event was the presence of key dignitaries and cultural leaders. Among the honored guests were Mr. Joey Tumolva, Assistant Vice President of SM CDO Downtown Premier; Atty. Roy Hilario Raagas, City Administrator of Cagayan de Oro; President Lee Jinwook of the Korean Association in Cagayan de Oro; Undersecretary Ferdinand Jumapao of the Department of Tourism, His Excellency Lee Sang-hwa, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to the Philippines, Governor Juliette Uy of Misamis Oriental, Director Kim Myeongjin of the Korean Cultural Center in the Philippines and Regional Director Marie Elaine Unchuan, Department of Tourism Region 10.

Cultural exchange took center stage with breathtaking performances from fusion Korean traditional music band Yeobaek, and the Liceo Folkloric Dance Troupe, which featured the Philippines’ rich folk dance traditions. Adding a thrilling edge to the festivities, the Korean National Taekwondo Demonstration Team of the Korea Taekwondo Association (KTA) delivered a powerful martial arts performance and even led a special demonstration class for the audience.

Festival-goers also experienced the beauty of Korea’s past and present through hands-on experiences like hanbok (Korean traditional clothing) wearing, maedeup (Korean knot) making as seen on the hit animated film ‘KPOP Demon Hunters’, Hangeul (Korean alphabet) writing, and Korean traditional lantern photo stations. Meanwhile, fans of Korean pop culture enjoyed K-beauty demonstrations, popular Netflix series ‘Squid Game’-inspired challenges, and a random play dance.

On stage, KTO’s K-Creators Club members CJ Galsim and RM Enrico also shared stories from their recent trip to Korea, which was a part of their K-Culture Challenge Tour.

Booths from the Korea Tourism Organization Manila (KTO) and the Korea Copyright Protection Agency (KCOPA) further enriched the cultural experience, highlighting Korea’s travel offerings and the importance of intellectual protection and copyright awareness.

Another major highlight of the weekend was the talent-packed competition ‘Everyone’s KPOP Cagayan de Oro’, which brought together aspiring performers from across the region. In the song cover category, Mary Joy Delfin clinched first place with a heartfelt ballad rendition of Girls’ Generation’s ‘Into the New World’, while Stacy Mendoza placed second with ‘Breathe’ by Lee Hi. In the dance cover category, WILDKARD wowed the crowd with ‘Gnarly’ by KATSEYE, taking first place, followed by SAIZEN with their youthful performance of ‘Plot Twist’ by TWS.

The 2025 Korea Festival On the Go was made possible through the support of its partners Korea Tourism Organization Manila (KTO), Korea Copyright Protection Agency (KCOPA), Hyundai Philippines, LG Philippines, Innisfree, SM CDO Downtown Premier, and The Korean Association in Cagayan de Oro Inc.