KOREAN NET

If you live abroad, Korean products are very precious. The more you use them, the more difficult it is to find products that are as good and reasonably priced as Korean products. Perhaps that is why the SSER community is very active among Koreans in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. In particular, a lot of SSER activities are carried out through a group chat room. Some sell products that are no longer needed after use or used products with little use, and some sell new products that are not used because they were purchased incorrectly at low prices. If you're lucky, you might get a really unexpected hit. In Ho Chi Minh, there is one more channel to purchase Korean products besides group chat rooms. It is the bazaar. Korean products can be supplied through offline bazaars that are often held, not only through group chat rooms. This is because many Korean companies have entered Vietnam, donating goods to the bazaars. These events are not only for Koreans, but their main purpose is to raise money for the less fortunate in Vietnam. Relatively many bazaars are held in Ho Chi Minh, and some of them are organized on a relatively large scale at the level of the Korean community. In addition, students organize small bazaars and use the proceeds for orphanages, poor areas, or Korean-Vietnamese families in difficult living conditions. The curious thing is that these events do not end as a one-time event, but are held periodically once a year. This is probably because the Korean community and students' love for Vietnam is at the center.

First, there is a Happiness Sharing Bazaar hosted by the Korean Women's Association for events organized on a large scale. This event is the largest bazaar held every year and has already reached its 20th anniversary. As it has been going on for 20 years, it has become proud of its 20-year history. This event is a collaboration between Korean companies that have entered Vietnam and Koreans who love Vietnam. Companies that manufacture daily necessities, such as LG Household & Health Care, sponsor daily necessities; sewing companies that manufacture global brand shoes sponsor brand shoes; sewing companies that manufacture clothes sponsor a variety of clothes; bags and cosmetics manufacturers sponsor bags and cosmetics; and companies that export Vietnamese specialties sponsor Vietnamese specialties so that people can purchase goods at a good price. As the size of the bazaar is large, many Koreans attend to purchase goods and have a good time while eating delicious food. What is unusual, however, is that the event participants are not only Koreans. Vietnamese residents and people of various nationalities visit these events. Since the globalization of K-pop, foreigners who have encountered various Korean foods visit bazaars to purchase Korean foods. At this time, the food made by the Korean women's association shines. Delicious jeon, kimchi, tteokbokki, various side dishes, and Korean snacks captivate their hearts and once again introduce Korea to the world.

The 20th Happiness Sharing Bazaar Cutting Ceremony

On the same day, a bazaar of love organized by high school students was held in Thao Dien, Ho Chi Minh City where the International Community is located. Despite the scorching heat of over 34 degrees, the students were busy selling madeleines, butter cookies, chocolate cupcakes, and five-flavor berry tea. Of course, these cookies are homemade by them. The bazaar was held to raise money to help Korean-Vietnamese families in need and Tien Giang, a small village located in the Mekong River region.

They were students studying in Vietnam for a long time as their parents, who had been doing business in Korea, moved to Vietnam. They said that after living in Vietnam for a long time, they were able to meet Vietnamese friends and wanted to know more about Vietnam. Then, while they were looking for something meaningful, they heard about a poor village in Tien Giang and wanted to contribute a little for the village. They also felt sorry for the Korean-Vietnamese families living a difficult life. They wanted to practice the noblesse oblige they learned at school.

While they were thinking about what they could do, a student who was interested in baking took the lead and organized a small bazaar with 3 or 4 friends. They have been participating in bazaars for several years to raise money by selling homemade cookies. The collected donations are delivered to the small village Tien Giang and Korean-Vietnamese families in need. They say that they are very proud of organizing a bazaar every year and giving small help, even if it is not a large amount, and they are continuing the bazaar with the hope that this bazaar can be passed on to their juniors. It might be the scenery of high school students quite different from that of Korea.

Children selling cookies in the scorching heat

The number of Korean and Vietnamese couples is increasing every year. It is said that there are already over 30,000 Korean-Vietnamese couples residing in Korea, and the number of Korean-Vietnamese couples residing in Vietnam has already exceeded 20,000, even though accurate statistics are impossible. This number is expected to increase gradually. On the other hand, many related systems are still lacking, and many Korean-Vietnamese families and their children are not receiving the benefits they deserve, including education and medical care. Moreover, about half of Vietnamese families living in Vietnam are experiencing hardships for various reasons. Although many Korean residents and students in Ho Chi Minh reach out to help them in various ways, there are still quite a few families that need a lot of help. I hope that one day, these efforts of our Korean residents and students will shine so that the economic situation of many Korean-Vietnamese families will improve and various systems will be established for them.