The cream of Melbourne’s Korean community entertainment will be on display as Melbourne Victory take on South Korean heavyweights Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors in their first home game of this year’s AFC Asian Champions League campaign at Etihad Stadium on March 12.
The cream of Melbourne-s Korean community entertainment will be on display as Melbourne Victory take on South Korean heavyweights Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors in their first home game of this year-s AFC Asian Champions League campaign at Etihad Stadium on March 12.
The activities, which the AFC Asian Cup Local Organising Committee (LOC) is delivering in partnership with Melbourne Victory and the Korean Cultural Office, are being supported by a grant from the Australia-Korea Foundation.
AFC Asian Cup LOC CEO Michael Brown said the Korean entertainment was a taste of what will be on offer in January 2015 when Australia hosts Asia-s largest sporting event.
“Our goal is to give fans a unique experience when they attend Asian Cup matches in January 2015,” Mr Brown said.
“The 16 competing teams in the 2015 Asian Cup will all have their own styles on the field and we want to give fans a sense of the diverse cultures off the field as well.
“With Melbourne Victory playing against a Korean club in their first home game of the Asian Champions League, fans will get a sample of Korean culture and the type of atmosphere that they will see at stadiums in January 2015.”
Australia-Korea Foundation Board Member James Casey said: “The Australia-Korea Foundation welcomes Korea-s Jeonbuk Hyundai players to Australia and welcomes all passionate supporters, including those watching on television in South Korea and Australia,”
“The Foundation is pleased to support this celebration of culture while both Koreans and Australians cheer a hard fought sporting match.”
Activities will include a Korean cultural performance, Tae-Kwon Do demonstration, and a K-Pop DJ playing K-Pop classics and the latest Korean chartbusters. The entertainment will run from 6.15pm till 7.30pm (kick off) in front of Gate 5.
Korean kids also be involved as flag bearers who will enter the field with the players.
The Korean activities are supported by Korean Asian Cup Community Ambassadors, Korean Society of Victoria, Korean Soccer Association Victoria, SBS Radio, Melbourne Journal, Raon Magazine and Korean Today.
Mr Brown said the activities were also designed to build awareness of the Asian Cup and of football more broadly among Melbourne-s Korean community.
“We want Korean-Australians to not only come out and support matches at the Asian Cup but long-term to become supporters of the A-League and involved in football at levels,” Mr Brown said.
“We also want to raise awareness of the great contribution Korean-Australians make in our community and the importance of the relationship between Australia and Korea.”
Mr Brown said tens of millions of people in South Korea were expected to watch the 2015 Asian Cup on television and this provided Australia with an opportunity that on which to capitalise.
“The 2011 Asian Cup attracted more than 40 million viewers in Korea and with the Teaguk Warriors among the favourites for the tournament we expect those numbers to be even greater in 2015,” Mr Brown said.
“Korea is already Australia-s fourth largest trading partner and this tournament provides a unique opportunity to build economic, diplomatic and social links across the continent.”
AFC Asian Cup Australia 2015 will take place between 9-31 January 2015 with matches in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane Canberra and Newcastle. The event is being financially supported by the Australian Government and Governments of NSW, Victoria, Queensland and ACT.
For more information on AFC Asian Cup Australia 2015 visit www.afcasiancup.com.
