The Korean community in Samoa gathered at the National University of Samoa gymnasium on Saturday to celebrate the "Taste of Korea", an event to showcase Korea to Samoans.

It was welcomed by laughter, joy and applause.

Leiataualesa Jerry Brunt said it was important for Samoans with blood relations in Korea to learn the culture and language. He said he may look Korean, but he does not know much about the language.

"I don't speak Korean even though I am from there. My eldest daughter has never been to Korea used the two years of lockdown to learn the language and learn about the country. She also wrote the Korean greetings that I did earlier on which I hope I said correctly. It also highlights the importance of Google and other means to learn about Korea," he said.

They also had performances from the National University of Samoa students and Korean students.  

Samoans who were present at the event said it is a great initiative. 

"I believe as a Samoan, we are always eager to learn new things. Today, it was learning about the Korean culture, and dances that they perform, the taste of their food, and so much more. The practices in their country are way different from here in Samoa. As someone who is obsessed with watching K-drama this was an eye-opening experience for me. To be able to have a clear picture of what Korea has to offer will help us know what to expect if we do decide to go to Korea one day," said Anna Talosaga. 

Most of the teenagers at the event were K-pop and K-drama fans and connected really well with the event. According to some of the participants, they know quite a few words just by watching Korean dramas. 

"It is a beautiful language to learn. Being here today, hearing and seeing all of these cultural aspects of Korea it's just amazing. Hopefully this will become an annual event," said Bernadette Petaia.