KoreaFest is an annual Korean cultural festival held in Raleigh, North Carolina, hosted by InWave, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to “Celebrating Unity Through Korean Culture”. As the first organization of its kind in North Carolina, InWave successfully launched KoreaFest in February of 2017. For the past seven years, KoreaFest has consistently offered educational opportunities, experimental arts, and cultural experiences that expose the beauty of Korea.
KoreaFest’s core values align with InWave’s conviction that a united society is cultivated through the sharing of cultures without boundaries. We recognize arts and culture as an integral part of a society that encourages creativity, individuality, and inclusivity. Our commitment to giving back to the community is demonstrated through our support of local cultural initiatives, volunteer work at community events, and donations to local organizations. Building on the concept of the ‘Hallyu’ (Korean Wave), InWave’s KoreaFest harnesses popular Korean culture to facilitate inter-community collaboration, communication, and understanding, leveraging the ‘Hallyu’ as a tool for human development and cross-cultural connection.
KoreaFest serves as a conduit for artists to share their cultural traditions and art forms with attendees, promoting cross-cultural exchange, increasing cultural understanding, and spreading the love for Korean culture. Specifically, we harbor activities and performances such as traditional Korean dance, K-pop dance competitions, dance parties, and more! Alongside activities and performances, we offer a variety of vendors ranging from popular Korean food to Korean merchandise of all kinds, like K-Pop merchandise and K-Beauty products. We hope to see you at our festival this upcoming spring! You surely won’t want to miss it!
