In late 2021, AREA Ruhr started an annual event called “AREA Tag” (or AREA Day) which seeks to explore traces of East Asia in North Rhine-Westphalia (“Auf den Spuren Ostasiens in NRW”) and to introduce them to a general audience.

In 2023, the event was jointly organized with the Landes-spracheninstitut in Bochum as “Korea Day” (28 October 2023). The approximately 850 visitors could take part in mini-language courses, interactive workshops (K-Pop Dance, Taekwondo), art (calligraphy, paper art) and music (Gayageum, Janggu drums), dress in traditional Korean clothes (hanbok), purchase books on Korea, and enjoy Korean food etc.

Additionally, members of AREA Ruhr and members of their chairs introduced all Korea-related study programs at RUB and UDE, the GRK 2833 and gave presentations on Korea-related topics:

  • Hannes Mosler, Florian Pölking, Felix Siegmund: Koreastudien der AREA Ruhr
  • Anja Batram: Korean Food Culture
  • Martin Gehlmann: Konfuzianische Ahnenverehrung (hands-on courses)
  • Florian Pölking: Südkorea – Außenpolitik und Internationale Beziehungen
  • Dennis Würtner: Baseball in Südkorea