Do you have a feeling you know a lot about Korea but don't have an opportunity to showcase your knowledge and get recognition for your effort? Well, look no further, because QUIZ KOREA is the chance you were waiting for. As a King Sejong Institute student I was able to participate and test my knowledge on Korea so I am going to share my experience with you.
Quiz Korea is an annual international contest where participants can join a trivia about Korea with questions ranging from history and politics to drama and traditions. Quiz Korea was established by the Ministry of International Affairs of the Republic of Korea and KBS national channel in order to raise an interest in Korea and motivate foreigners to learn Korean language. It is usually held in countries where official King Sejong Institutes are located. This year Saint Petersburg was one of the 24 locations chosen for organizing this event which was held at May 24th, 2025.
The whole process of joining this quiz was divided into several sections and was fully in Korean language. The first step was a requirement selection procedure where we had to pass an online test and after the results successful candidates were contacted by The Korean Consulate in Saint Petersburg via email. After that, all successful candidates were invited to a second selection procedure. The semi-final ceremony was conducted at the Russian National Library in Saint Petersburg with a special visit from Consul General of the Republic of Korea in St. Petersburg - Park Ji Eun. Shortly after Consul Park Ji Eun's opening speech, the host started the quiz.
Just right аfter Consul's speech and before beginning of the quiz we were given an absolutely delighting performance of our local traditional Samul nori band (사물놀이). They made the atmosphere lighter and prepared us for the challenge in the best way possible.
First 10 questions were in a test form with prepared multiple answers. They were mostly connected to Hangeul, hanja and vocabulary. However, next questions were relevantly harder as they were mostly about idioms, proverbs and traditional Korean naming of subjects and only those who were truly interested in Korea could answer these questions. In addition, these were open questions, which means that we had to write the answer ourselves and we didn't have an opportunity to just use our luck and choose from the answers.
As someone who is interested in Korean culture and the country itself, it became harder to answer as I still have a long way to learn about this beautiful country. Some questions seemed too complicated but I tried my best to remember everything I knew. Interestingly enough, the question that made me struggle the most was a question about the traditional name of the fabric belt which Ssireum (씨름) athletes use while competing. Before I never even had thought that it has a special name, however, now I am aware that it is actually called - satba (샅바).
The best part was looking around at other participants' faces and finding comfort that we are all struggling but have no intention of giving up. This feeling brought a kind of acceptance that I choose the right community to join.
By the end of the quiz, the host named 5 finalists who scored the highest number of right answers. These people were chosen to record an introduction video for judges. The judges will choose 1 finalist who will represent Russia in the finale of the quiz in Korea, Seoul in September. However, despite the fact that other participants did not get the chance to visit Korea, we were each kindly gifted a present from the consulate - a big chancellery kit with KakaoTalk official popular characters.
Participating in this event gave me an opportunity to find out more about the country I once hope to visit and a chance to meet people with the same interests as me. I am patiently waiting for the next chance to join another event and learn more about Korea and the Korean language.
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