Meetup group focuses on Korean language and culture
If you’re interested in the Korean language and culture, you’re invited to join a group of like-minded people who take part in educational and social events together.
The DMV Korean Language & Culture Meetup Group welcomes anyone in the D.C. area who wants to learn Korean and meet Koreans, Korean-Americans, and Korea enthusiasts who share the same interests, says the group organizer Chasta Piatakovas.
The group has about 250 members and holds about 45 events a year.
Activities planned for group members include K-pop dance lessons, trips to restaurants and multicultural festivals, game nights, and Korean language study groups and practice sessions.
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They’ve had several meetups at Annandale restaurants, including Oegadgib on Little River Turnpike and SB Han’s Korean Food in the food court at the K Market on John Marr Drive. “Even the group members from Maryland like to come to Annandale for the food,” Piatakovas says.
Korean language study groups are held at Soricha Tea & Theater on Columbia Pike in Annandale.
The meetup group is planning a trip to the KORUS Festival in Annandale in May and plans to take an Annandale food tour with Virginialicious.
They’ve taken a calligraphy class GMU and are going to an escape room in D.C. They’re planning a group trip to Korea in October.
The group is looking for more engagement with the Korean community in Annandale, Piatakovas says, including native speakers who can help members learn the language.
You don’t have to be interested in learning the language to join the group, she says. Some members are just interested in K-pop or enjoy watching Korean movies and reading the subtitles. “It’s all about cross-cultural understanding and friendship.”
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Piatakovas herself isn’t Korean; she grew up in Germany as an Army brat. But she is a linguist and Korean is her 10th language, although she is not yet proficient. During the pandemic, she took Korean language classes and watched a lot of Korean dramas on Netflix.
“If I’m going to invest time and energy in a language, I’m going to immerse myself in it,” she says.
Join the group and learn more here.