Mid-South Koreans ushered in 2007 with a bang! Loud drums and gongs were played to scare off evil spirits of the old year. Women wearing elegant dresses called hanbok and carrying large colorful folding fans signaled the start of the new year with a traditional fan dance. More than 200 people attended the Memphis Korean Association's New Year Celebration held at Woodland Hills Country Club in Cordova on January 7.

YoungJin Moon, President of the Korean Association of Memphis welcomed special guests Jincheol Yu, President of the National Korean Association and Haihong Pyun, Consul of the Republic of Korea. The evening included an awards ceremony, performances from Korean dancers and singers, a Tae Kwon Do demonstration, karaoke contest and a feast of traditional Korean food.

There are approximately 4,500 Koreans in the Memphis area. 1 out of 8 own businesses.

Like many other Asian countries, Korea has two different New Year's days according to the solar and lunar calendars. While many Koreans celebrate the new year on January first of the solar calendar, the lunar new year is still popular. This year the lunar year begins on February 18 making it the Year of the Pig.

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• Commercial Appeal-Greater Memphis
• Commercial Appeal-Midtown/Downtown
• Commercial Appeal-East Memphis
• Commercial Appeal-Whitehaven/SE Memphis
• Commercial Appeal-Cordova/Bartlett
• Commercial Appeal-Collierville
• Commercial Appeal-Germantown
• Sun Times
• VIP Magazine
• Proud Magazine