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| Music director and actress Kolleen Park, third from left, reacts after receiving a Lithuanian passport from Lithuanian Ambassador to Korea Ricardas Slepavicius, center, during a concert celebrating the Day of Restoration of the State of Lithuania at Myeongdong Cathedral, Seoul, Monday. Courtesy of Embassy of Lithuania in Korea |
By Kwon Mee-yoo
Music director and actress Kolleen Park, who is of Korean and Lithuanian descent, attended a concert commemorating the Day of Restoration of the State of Lithuania at Myeongdong Cathedral in central Seoul, Monday.
Park, who was born to a Korean father and an American mother of Lithuanian descent, is a well-known figure in the Korean theater industry, gaining popularity through her appearances in musicals such as "Chicago" and "Next to Normal" as well as being a judge for talent shows.
Park, who has applied for Lithuanian citizenship, received a Lithuanian passport from the Lithuanian Ambassador to Korea Ricardas Slepavicius during the event.
Ambassador Slepavicius said Park is an example of the human connection bridging Lithuania and Korea, which might be closer than people think, and that Park's mother, who fled Lithuania at the age of five to escape the Soviet Union's oppression, is still regarded as a cherished person of Lithuania.
The concert celebrated Lithuania's State Restoration Day, which falls on Feb. 16, and the 700th anniversary of the establishment of Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania on Jan. 25, with a performance by Lithuanian pianists Sonata Zuboviene and Rokas Zubovas.
Titled "Sounding Seas of Colors: Ciurlionis and Debussy," the duo played works of Mikalojus Konstantinas Ciurlionis, one of the most famous Lithuanian composers, as well as French impressionist Claude Debussy and Korean composer Chol-woo David Lee.
Ambassador Slepavicius also highlighted the historical similarities between Korea and Lithuania as well as the shared democratic values and collaborative efforts in upholding the rules-based international order.
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