13 Countries, One Delicious Festival

International students from 13 countries at Pusan National University (PNU) showcased their traditional foods and performances for campus members and the local community. The venue was bustling with students and local residents mingling.

The Department of Global Studies at PNU held the “International Food & Culture Festival” on May 9th, 2025, from 2pm to 5pm on the 4th floor of the Economics and International Trade Building. This flagship multicultural event, now in its seventh year, is held annually to introduce various countries, foods, and cultures. International students from 13 countries participated, including Koryo-Saram, Laos, Latin America, Russia, Malaysia, Mongolia, Vietnam, Singapore, Uzbekistan, China, Kazakhstan, France, and Korea, showcasing their traditional foods and cultures. Around 300 people attended, including students, faculty, staff, and local residents.

The venue was filled with the aroma of various spices. The Mongolian booth offered Khuushuur, dumplings made with savory lamb, while the Singapore and Malaysia booths prepared Laksa, a rice noodle dish. Traditional Kazakh music played throughout the venue. An Uzbek student Omina Juraeva (Dept. of Global Studies, 24) said, “I’m really proud to be able to introduce our country through this festival.” Sarah Amanda (Dept. of Global Studies, 21), who ran the Singapore and Malaysia booth, said, “Malaysia and Singapore have deep historical ties, so we’re running a booth together. I’m happy to have this great opportunity to introduce our traditional food.”

The venue was bustling with students amazed by the various foods and others delighted to taste dishes from their homeland. Students wore traditional costumes while operating the booths, played traditional instruments, and enjoyed traditional games. Kim Gyu-Taek (Dept. of Global Studies, 23), who ran the Korean booth, said, “I’m happy to serve Korean traditional food to people from around the world.” Nyi Oakkar Lin (Dept. of Tourism and Convention, 24), a student from Myanmar, said, “When I first came to Korea, I felt like international students were in a different world, but seeing everyone gathered together at this festival makes me feel good.”

Meanwhile, due to unexpected bad weather, the event was swiftly moved indoors. It was originally scheduled to be held in the plaza in front of the Economics and International Trade Building, but was moved to the 4th floor of the Economics and International Trade Building due to rain. Although the venue became smaller than originally planned, the hallways were filled with people, and participants even sat on stairs to share food. Lee Jung-Min, the chairman of the Department of Global Studies, said, “We had to move indoors considering safety due to the bad weather. Since the festival had been suspended due to COVID-19, we want to re-establish it as a representative school event every year starting from 2025.”

Reporter Lee Bo-Young

Translated by Thadar-Soe