The "2020 Myung Won World Tea Fair (K-TEA Festival),” which was hosted by the Myung Won Cultural Foundation and sponsored by the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, and the Seoul Metropolitan Government, will be held at COEX B Hall in Seoul for four days from Aug. 6 to 9.
Marking its 25th anniversary this year, the event features a photo exhibition commemorating the 100th anniversary of the birth of the late Myung Won Kim Mi-hee, founder of the Myeung Won Cultural Foundation, and a healing fair that can heal the tired body and mind with the outbreak of COVID-19, as well as experiencing luxury teas at home and abroad, tea ceremonies and tea culture in Korea.
The late Kim Mi-hee, a pioneer in restoring and disseminating traditional Korean tea culture, drew public attention to Korean traditional tea through the nation's first tea conference in 1979 and the "Korean Traditional Tea Ceremony Presentation" in 1980 and was posthumously awarded the Order of Cultural Merit in 2000 in recognition of her contribution.
Kim Mi-hee is the wife of Ssangyong Group founder Kim Sung-gon and the current chairman of the Myung Won Cultural Foundation Kim Eui-jung is the second daughter of Kim Sung-gon, and Ssangyong Engineering & Construction Chairman Kim Seok-joon is the second son of Kim Sung-gon.
At the venue, visitors can also get the information on teas representing the world’s 10 countries and purchase domestic luxury teas directly through booths prepared by Korean tea production sites such as Boseong, Hadong and Jangheung.
On Aug. 9, judges from around the world will hold an award ceremony to evaluate Korean tea, and Korean tea will be introduced through the K-TEA Blending Contest, which will compete for blending teas mixed with locally grown and produced tea, herbs and flower teas.
In addition to appreciating court life tea ceremony and experiencing traditional tea ceremony, a variety of attractions will also be offered, including the "Color & Free Your Mind" program, which introduces trends in traditional culture, natural environment, tea ingredients, and music videos, as well as the "Healthy Tea Bar" booth run by them.
The World Tea Forum, which identifies trends in Korea and the world, will also give lectures to 50 people who pre-registered on ▶tea trends (Kim Jin-pyeong, Tea sommelier) ▶ the fourth industrial revolution and tea culture (Professor Yoo Yang-seok of Kookmin University) ▶ Introduction of teas from 10 countries around the world (CEO of Australia Tea Masters Sharyn Jonston).
kslee@koreaittimes.com
