Headington Rye threw open its doors to welcome 50 visiting high school students and their teachers from Jeongeup, South Korea.
Guests deftly transformed the Hive exhibition space into a vibrant and joyful site of cultural exchange, tutoring Headington Rye pupils of all year groups in the complex skills required to master a range of traditional Korean games, some cerebral, others more physical, prompting some hilarious, failed approximations from those game enough to attempt them.
In a more disciplined vein, pupils were taught how to write their names in Hangeul script. Pupils and staff alike were schooled in the history and detail of Hanbok dress etiquette and enjoyed having the secrets behind the creative crafting of Korean silk key rings unlocked before them.
Dr Anne-Marie Stanton-Ife, First Deputy Head, said: “It was a wonderful afternoon of shared learning, laughter and genuine excitement as the 9,000 km separating our two cities dissolved into sheer enjoyment of our respective cultures, traditions, music and cinema.
“There were even spirited debates on the relative merits of Headington Rye branded shortbread versus (the very popular) Kancho Choco Biscuits!”
Headmistress Mrs Caroline Jordan opened the event with a speech, welcoming the students and staff from Jeongup along with the visiting dignitaries accompanying them from the Jeonbuk State Office of Education, Korean Education Centre UK, the Korea Tourism Organization, Jeonju Television and CoReza.
Dr Stanton-Ife added: “This event marks a significant milestone for our Korean Language Club, a flourishing part of the HRO cocurricular programme, which has been supported by the generosity of the Korean Education Centre UK since 2022.
“Welcome to Oxford. 옥스포드에 오신 것을 환영합니다”