If you are wondering what one can talk about kimchi (Korean pickle) and cheese in the Korean language for five minutes, you need to listen to Sadhana Sridhar! The Chennai girl, who secured third place ay The King Sejong Speech Competition held in Korea this September, talks in detail about her love for the language and the competition. “Participating in the contest was one of the most memorable experiences in my life. The topic that I had to speak on was kimchi vs cheese. I spoke about how these food items are an integral part of various cultures for about five minutes,” says Sadhana Sridhar. She was awarded a fully-funded scholarship for a three-month study program at Daegu University, sponsored by Kookmin Card.
A fourth-year law student at VIT University, Sadhana became interested in the Korean language around 2010 when the Korean drama Boys Before Flowers went viral. “I was in school back then and didn’t get to watch more TV series because I didn’t know how to access them. However, last year, I joined InKo centre for a K-pop academy where I learned Korean pop music and dance. By the time the classes got over, I started learning the Korean language! I also started watching a lot of Korean films and shows and I became more interested in the language,” explains Sadhana, who wishes to enter the Indian Army as a lawyer.
She adds, “The King Sejong Speech Competition is held in 105 King Sejong Institutes across the world annually. The winner from each centre is invited by the King Sejong Institute Foundation to participate in the Excellent Learners Cultural Exchange Program. I was the only winner from India to take part at the final competition held in Korea. It was an absolutely fantastic experience that I’ll treasure always!”
