Belgium Life Festival kicks off with royal presence
Queen Mathilde of Belgium takes a piece of pork at the Belgium Life Festival held at S-Factory building in Seongsu coffee street. The festival will run from Thursday to Saturday. Korea Times photo by Jung Hae-myoung
By Jung Hae-myoung
Who could be a better guest for the Belgium Life Festival other than their majesties the king and queen of the Belgians?
In a building among coffee shops in Seongsu-dong, the Belgian Life Festival kicked off to entertain people interested in Belgian food and culture.
King Phillip and Queen Mathilde of Belgium joined the opening ceremony held on Thursday, enjoying performances, jewelry and chocolates. This was also their last official visit while staying in Korea.
The hall was packed with booths, in which over 70 local Belgian craft beers were introduced.
Different flavors of Belgian beers displayed at Liefmans booth at the Belgian Life Festival. Korea Times photo by Jung Hae-myoung.
Belberry's jam
“We are trying to introduce different kinds of lifestyles in Belgium through this festival. Beer was the product we focused on the most because there is an increasing demand for beer among young people in Korea," Park Soo-jin, manager of Prain Global, said to The Korea Times.
“Belgian beers are Koreans' third-favorite beer. Many Koreans only know the famous ones like Hoegaarden and Stella Artois. We wanted to show there are more options and local craft beers that are just as good."
The different colors of the beers was eye-catching.
“Young Korean people seem to like fruit-flavored alcohols, so we reflected the rising demand and brought fruity beers such as grapefruit, cherry and peach," a staffer at St. Louis Kriek said.
The festival venue was also chosen carefully, to be more accessible to people in their 20s and 30s who also share their love for craft beers. Indeed the festival is held at an area known for "hipsters." Seongsu-dong is a coffee street known as the “Brooklyn of Seoul.”
Aside from beers and liquors were some charcuterie, jams, milks and chocolates. Guilian, the most famous brand for chocolate, was also there, with a specially designed art piece by chocolatier Kim Eun-hye.
The place was filled with guests from Belgium including Peter de Crem, the minister of security and the interior of Belgium, as well as royal joint press and influencers from Korea and Belgium.
Dance performance with Min-hee Bervoets. Korea Times photo by Jung Hae-myoung
At the beginning, middle and end of the opening ceremony were performances featuring talented singer-songwriters from both countries ― Sioen from Belgium and Kang Echae from Korea ― both connoisseurs of musical instruments.
During the festival was a dance performance by Min-hee Bervoets who was adopted from Korea to a Belgian family. She infused the choreography with her story as an adopted child.
Royals lingered in front of a diamond, which is exclusively made in the Antwerp region in Belgium. Antwerp World Diamond Center (AWDC) and Golden Dew specially collaborated with each other to make a unique design.
“We are trying to hold the festival every year, if it goes well," Park Soo-jin said.
The festival runs at S-Factory in Seongsu, eastern Seoul, for three days from Thursday to Saturday. Entrance and tastings are free of charge.