American interest in South Korean culture has spiked over the past decade as the popularity of K-pop groups, K-dramas and Korean food soars. The K-pop group BTS is a household name, and the Netflix show “Squid Game” has found countless fans across the U.S.  

But with few classes associated with Korean culture and no Korean restaurants for miles, many Washington and Lee students have remained largely unfamiliar with what Korea has to offer.  

K-Club President Jaemin Kim, ’28, and Vice President Anna Lee, ’28, hope to change that with the Korean Club (K-Club). Though the club has existed in an unofficial capacity for several years, the two started the process of getting it officially recognized by the Executive Committee (EC) this year. 

“Me and Anna just turned the focus more towards opening up for people to actually come by and enjoy Korean culture,” Kim said.

For years, Korean students have gathered together on a sporadic basis to eat Korean food or watch the occasional movie. The level of commitment to planning events was highly variable and, without a formalized club structure, dependent on individual efforts.  

“When I got here as a first-year, I remember someone being like, ‘Oh, yeah, there’s a Korean club,’” Wonjun Jo, ’26, said. “And then within a week it’s like, ‘Oh, okay, it’s not an officially organized club.’” 

There has been a need for the club over the years, said business professor Soo Yon Ryu, K-Club’s faculty advisor.

“If you are the racial minority, it really is difficult, especially when you don’t see people like you around,” she said. “It really makes a difference when you know that there are people like you out there.” 

While shared Korean identity remains a core part of the club, K-Club also hopes to introduce all sorts of students to Korean culture.

“It’s really exciting to see people who’ve never heard of Korean music or have eaten Korean food,” Kim said. “The main hope is that they’ll come visit and then really learn about Korean culture.” 

Clubs are able to operate without official EC recognition, just as the Korean Club has been doing for some time. But recognition allows clubs to be listed on the EC website and included in EC publications, making it easier for students to hear about them.  

Being officially recognized also opens the door for clubs to request funding from the EC. 

Kim said the K-Club hopes to get funding for Korean food and snacks to serve during its events.  

K-Club holds movie nights, study nights and karaoke nights, many of which feature Korean snacks and ramen. The costs for these foods, however, have come out of the pockets of the executive board members.  

“Food is a really easy and fast way to grow accustomed to a new culture,” Kim said. “It would be great to get funding and introduce more food.” 

As K-Club becomes an official club that is open to a broader audience, Kim said he wants to feature more educational content. The hope is that K-Club will be able to teach people about Korean culture through events and games, he said.  

He mentioned an idea to show students Ddakji, a type of origami used to play various games. One of these games was featured in the first episode of “Squid Game.”  

“We’re looking into events that are fun or things you can eat,” Kim said.  

Social Media Chair Callie Meng, ’29, said that even though she’s not Korean, the club really resonated with her.  

“During the first meeting, it was more of us bonding and connecting over the shared, common Asian person experiences,” Meng said. “It was very special because, at this institution, that was the first time I’ve done that.”  

Jackson Weiser, ’29, said K-Club has helped him experience Korean culture to an extent that was impossible in his hometown.  

“W&L is really a hub for cultural exchange. I know it doesn’t exactly have a reputation of being the most diverse institution,” Weiser said. “But if you just go to these events, you’ll see it, you’ll see it in action.” 

Similar clubs based on Asian identity and culture already exist, including the Chinese Club and the Chanoyu Tea Society, which is based on Japanese tea ceremonies.  

Meng said she found Chinese Club less engaging than K-Club, in part because Chinese Club meets less frequently.  

“It doesn’t feel as really welcoming,” she said. “I get like one message there every three months.” 

Another cultural group for Asian students is the Pan-Asian Association for Cultural Exchange (PAACE). Leadership in PAACE represents five separate Asian countries and the club features around 10 total countries across its membership, PAACE President Joe Lee, ’26, said.

Anna Lee said the broader scope of PAACE limits its ability to foster connections between members. 

“I feel like PAACE isn’t a super, super tight-knit community,” she said.  

K-Club, Lee said, allows for a much closer environment.  

“It’s kind of a smaller community,” she said. “Everyone is able to [get to] know each other pretty well.” 

For a new club to gain official recognition, students have to submit an application to the EC detailing the mission of their club and the structure of their executive board in the form of a constitution. K-Club submitted its application in January.   

The application is currently under review. The EC will eventually vote on whether to recognize the club or not. 

EC Vice President John Beekman Youngblood, ’27, said K-Club should be no different, though the process has been delayed by technical difficulties as the EC switches to new software.  

“They shouldn’t have any issue,” Youngblood said. “I am happy to say they’ll be recognized.”