Twenty-two students from the DTU Faculty of Korean Language of the School of Languages, Humanities, & Social Sciences (LHSS) and of the K-POP Club, took part in the Central Vietnam Korean Language & Culture Festival, winning a first and a second prize, and the “recycled hanbok” award.
Students from the DTU Faculty of Korean Language won first prize in Korean film dubbing. Photo: DTU
The festival, which took place on March 29 and 30, 2025, at the University of Foreign Languages of Hue University, was organized by the University of Foreign Languages, the Korea Foundation, and Kia corp.
Over five hundred students and lecturers from universities and Korean language institutions across Central Vietnam participated in the event.
First prize in Korean film dubbing
A contest many students at the festival looked forward to was that of Korean film dubbing. Among numerous competing teams, the DTU students stood out with a dub of the popular Korean series Reply 1988 that showed their exceptional skills.
This beloved feel-good drama, already a favorite among Vietnamese audiences, became even more touching through the DTU students’ emotionally rich voice acting.
The series recreates childhood stories full of memories and vividly depicts family bonds, friendship, and the challenges of life. With moments of humor and some moments so touching it brings tears to your eyes, the students made Reply 1988 once more strike a chord with many viewers by fully delivering the message of love.
The team’s meticulousness in each line of dialogue and each emotional nuance earned them a well-deserved first prize in this category.
“This is my second time at the Korean Culture Festival,” Nguyen Thi Thanh Ha, a K27 student in Korean for Translation & Interpretation at DTU, explains,“ but the first time I competed in Korean film dubbing.
“When preparing, we continuously practiced pronunciation, intonation, and emotional expression to portray the characters as authentically as we could.
“I was lucky to play the role of Deok-sun, the cheerful and sociable second daughter who feels neglected compared to her older sister and younger brother. The hardest scene for me was the birthday, where Deok-sun expresses all her bottled-up sadness.”
Second prize in K-pop dance & singing
The K-pop dance and singing performance by the DTU K-POP Club also impressed with its cheer.
They chose the song Sailing with the unique theme of “demon village”, which stirred up the atmosphere at the festival and fostered cultural exchange, learning, and new friendships. For the K-POP Club, the festival was more than a competition; it was a meaningful experience in its long history.
Lecturers and students from the Faculty of Korean Language celebrated the second prize in K-pop dance & singing. Photo: DTU
When they learned that they were to take part in this year’s festival, the K-POP Club started planning a month of training while juggling a packed midterm exam schedule.
To stay on track, they made the most of any free time they had, sometimes rehearsing until 1 a.m. to perfect their choreography.
Their hard work paid off as the club earned second prize. Much of this success was thanks to the support of two highly passionate DTU lecturers: Faculty of Korean Language Dean Dr Tran Thi Van and the Deputy Dean MA Nguyen Thi Thanh Xuan.
Recycled hanbok award
With their fashion design bringing a “Breath of the Future”, two students from the Faculty of Korean Language of the DTU School of LHSS, Doan Duy Tan and Tran Thi Minh Tam, demonstrated their distinctive creative ability in the hanbok design & recreation contest.
Using materials such as plastic and recycled paper, they created a unique hanbok infused with the breath of nature and modernity, outstandingly earning them the Most Popular Performance award.
“Breath of the Future”, a hanbok made from recycled materials, was most popular at the festival. Photo: DTU
The outfit uses three main colors - blue, white, and gray - to symbolize the harmony between humans and nature. Their hanbok design preserves traditional Korean motifs but is stylized using paper-folding and shaping techniques, making each layer of paper resemble clouds gently drifting across the sky.
More than a costume, the design delivers a meaningful message about environmental responsibility - that waste, if we know how to use it, can bring about new values that are both creative and humanistic.
“From what seems useless, we created a true piece of art,” Doan Duy Tan says. “The creation required precision, patience, and constant innovation, but that’s exactly what taught us invaluable skills.
“More importantly, when we finished our piece, I realized that just a little ingenuity can reduce waste and help protect our green planet Earth.”
The organizers awarded the most outstanding teams across various competition categories:
? Korean film dubbing:
• first prize: DTU
• second prize: University of Foreign Languages, Hue University
• third prize: Dong A University
• consolation prize: University of Foreign Language Studies, University of Danang,
? K-pop dance & singing:
• first prize: University of Foreign Languages, Hue University
• second prize: DTU
• third prize: University of Foreign Language Studies, University of Danang
• consolation prize: Dong A University,
• most voted recycled hanbok: DTU.
(Media Center)