On April 18, 2025, the HSE campus on Staraya Basmannaya Ulitsa hosted Secret of the Korean Tiger, a festival devoted to Korean culture and mythology organised by the HSE Hanryang Korean Club. Attendees immersed themselves in an engaging quest based on Korean myths and legends, experiencing the atmosphere of ancient tales and traditional divinations.

The festival was organised by students of the Bachelor’s in Asian and African Studies and members of the Hanryang Korean Club, along with Daria Trifonova, head of the club and visiting lecturer at the School of Asian Studies, HSE Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs. Daria Trifonova noted that this kind of cultural festival is a new initiative at the university: ‘We chose myths as the central theme in Korean culture. We selected six mascots: the tiger, hare, snake, bear, phoenix, and magpie. The idea is that they have come to us from Korean myths and legends and tell the story of Korean national culture.’

The quest offered six activities: Korean calligraphy, a Korea-themed quiz, a matching game (where participants had to pair terms, meanings, artworks, authors, or find Korean word translations), K-pop dancing, traditional games, and fortune-telling.

‘HSE offers incredible opportunities for academic growth. But alongside that, it is important to develop students’ extracurricular lives too. Events like this allow students not only to unwind but to learn something new—about Korea, for instance. It can be tough to attend lectures and write papers throughout the academic year. But coming to a celebration of culture and art, where they can play games, join in activities, and watch performances, gives students a tangible sense of what Korean culture is like. It is fun and educational, and such events also help to bring students together,’ said Daria Trifonova.

The head of the Hanryang Korean Club also highlighted that organising such events helps students develop skills that will benefit them in their future careers: ‘These are teamwork, creativity, and being well-rounded,’ she explained.

After the quest, the evening continued with a festive concert showcasing a unique combination of Korean traditions with modern cultural trends in music, dance, and song.

‘I am pleased to see the Korean Club growing and attracting not just HSE students but prospective applicants too,’ said Pavel Leshakov, head of Korean Studies at the School of Asian Studies, Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs.

Uliana Strizhak, Academic Supervisor of the Asian and African Studies programme, gave a short presentation to the festival guests, aimed primarily at applicants. ‘Our students are already academic authors—they write articles and analyse data. Recently, for example, they conducted a study titled “How English Is Replacing Korean in K-Pop Music.” If you join our programme, you will study the Korean language, traditions, and culture—and find your niche in Korean studies,’ Uliana Strizhak remarked.