The Ultimate Guide to Planning a Korean Party Theme — 40+ Ideas

Dreaming of bringing Korean culture to your event? You can do it through a Korean party theme.

This article will tell you how you can throw a Korean-themed event. There’s something for everybody, even if you’re on a budget.

All the Korean party theme ideas are based on research about their culture and country.

Whether you’re planning a small private event or a large-scale public event, this article has your back.

Let’s get into the details of how we can include the sights, sounds, and tastes of Korea in our event.

A. Set up the Korean event atmosphere

To make your event attendees feel like they’ve entered a Korean scene, incorporate these:

1. Bust of Color — Colorful decoration is a good representation of the optimistic Korean culture. Think of decorating with bursts of color like red for passion, yellow for good luck, blue for harmony, etc. An ideal way to incorporate colors is to hang colorful lanterns, streamers, and flags
2. Seoul Street — Have you ever seen the beautiful streets of Seoul? They’re bright and busy. The colorful signage and closely set up shops have a different vibe. Try achieving that with stalls and signage that glows in the night
3. K-pop — If you’re going for a young target audience, you can’t miss including K-pop elements. Try to stream/display K-pop songs or K-drama scenes and posters. These will be instantly recognizable to your audience and create an exciting atmosphere
4. Nature Elements — Koreans respect nature a lot. You can’t be missing elements of nature in your event. Try including cherry blossoms or bonsai trees. Don’t forget to decorate them with fairy lights to create a magical atmosphere

Pro Tip: Visit your nearest Korean grocery or convenience store. Look for inspiration in the commodities they sell. You’ll get creative ideas in such a setting.

B. Korean foods you can serve at the party

Korean delicacies go beyond ramen. Here are a few delicacies you must have if you’re going for a Korean party theme:

1. Kimchi Bar — Did you know you can basically create Kimchi out of any vegetable? Set up of stall that allows your attendees to try all kinds of Kimchi from radish to cabbage. You can also serve other side dishes like Japchae (glass noodles), Dubu Jorim (braised tofu)
2. Korean Barbecue — BBQ is not just a way of eating, but an emotion for Koreans. Set up a hot place and provide marinated meats. This can include Bulgogi (thinly sliced beef), Galbi (marinated short ribs), and Dak Bulgogi (spicy chicken). Along with it, don’t forget the dipping sauces such as Ssamjang (Korean BBQ paste) and Gochujang (Korean chili paste)
3. Bibimbap — These are colorful rice bowls that allow customization. Add toppings to rice bowls with seasoned vegetables and meat. Allow your customers to pick and choose toppings
4. Street Food — Serving elaborate dishes at events can be hard. Serve popular finger foods like Tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes), Odeng (fish cakes), and Gimbap (Korean seaweed rice rolls).
5. Drinks — Some famous Korean drinks include fruit punch or fruit Soju which is non-alcoholic. Other beverages include Soju (rice liquor), Makgeolli (a sweet rice wine), and Korean teas like barley tea or Yuja tea
6. Dessert — Finish the feast with Korean sweets like Bingsu (shaved ice with toppings like condensed milk, fruit, and red beans). Hotteok (sweet-filled pancakes), and Songpyeon (rice cakes with sweet bean filling) are also good options

C. Stall ideas for a Korean party theme

The success of your event can’t ride on delicious Korean food alone. You need to re-create Korean experiences in your event too.

1. Play Dress-Up — Hanbok is the traditional dress of Korea. Have some hanboks (good thing they’re mostly free size) in the stall. Allow attendees to wear and pose in the cultural dresses
2. Paper Crafts — Partner up with local artists who can teach people Korean crafts. You can have Hahoe mask painting, Buchae fan painting, or origami workshops. Allow participants to take home some souvenirs from their Korean party theme
3. Photo Booth — Your photo booth can include a lot of props and attractions. Some examples are oversized sunglasses, Korean hats (gat), or cardboard cutouts of K-Pop stars
4. Calligraphy — Hangul is the famous Korean calligraphy. Your stall can be for temporary Hangul signage on body and clothes
5. Gaming Booth — No, not video games. Introduce your guests to Korean games! Set up a stall with traditional games. Some examples are Yut Nori (a board game played with sticks), Jegi (footbag kicking), and Tuho (arrow throwing)
6. K-Pop Flash Dance — Hire a dance instructor to teach simple and catchy K-Pop dance routines. This is a fantastic way to let loose and celebrate Korean pop culture
7. Cultural Stall —Set up a stall with informational displays about Korean culture. Include information about Korean history, traditional clothing, festivals, and social customs. Additionally, you can offer free brochures and take interactive quizzes

Pro Tip: While all of these ideas are very appealing, ensure that you study your target audience first. Consider the age group, interests, and budget when choosing stalls.

D. What can you sell at a Korean-themed event?

Don’t think you can get away with simply Korean food stalls. Go beyond that and bring the Korean commodities for sale too. It’s way better than selling unrelated goods which will be a big bummer for attendees. Here are a few ideas for you:

1. Thrifted Korean Apparel — Korean clothes are distinctive with pastel colors and minimal designs. You can easily thrift them and sell it to attendees
2. K-beauty Products —Partner with a local beauty store or vendor to sell Korean beauty products. This stall must have sheet masks, BB creams, and lip tints
3. Accessories — Examples include cute hair clips, colorful socks, or phone cases featuring K-Pop group
4. Stationery — Cute sticky notes and washi tapes, yes, please! Go for the adorable stationery collections that Koreans offer
5. Neon Sign Boards — Neon signs are a trendy element in Korean culture. Incorporate them with Korean phrases like “Welcome” (いらっしゃい) or “Thank You” (감사합니다) and sell those boards
6. K-pop Art — Sell artwork featuring K-pop stars or scenes from Korean music videos. This caters to younger audiences and adds a pop culture vibe
7. Korean Pottery — Buncheong is the traditional Korean pottery. It has a celadon glaze and unique patterns. You can sell bowls and vases made using this style

E. How to entertain guests at a Korean theme party?

Your Korean party theme is incomplete without showing Korean cultural performances. While it’s okay to have a K-pop playlist playing in the background when you’re on a budget. However, if you can, you should consider including the following performances:

1. K-pop Dance Performance — If you’ve ever heard K-pop songs, you must know that it’s more than just good music. They have elaborate dance routines for each song. You could be showing a performance of the same at your event
2. Korean Drum Performance — Samulnori is the traditional drumming art form. Hire a professional Samulnori group with awe-inspiring performances
3. Taekwondo Demo — Showcase the power and grace of Taekwondo with a martial arts instructor. This can be a great way to inspire interest in this traditional martial art
4. Karaoke Night —Don’t spend extravagant amounts on performers. Rent a karaoke machine with Korean songs and let attendees perform instead

F. Event decor for Korean party theme

Of course, we aren’t going to let you go without suggesting some unique ideas for Korean event decor. Other than natural elements like cherry blossom decor, consider incorporating this into your decor:

1. Lucky Charms — Koreans have many symbols for good luck. Consider the Haetae (a seahorse-like creature symbolizing safety) or Chilseok (the Seven Star constellation associated with wishes). You could have large displays of such symbols as decor
2. Knots — Korean decorative knots symbolize longevity, good luck, and harmony. You could be hanging these as streamers
3. Folding Screens — Get ones printed with traditional Korean paintings depicting landscapes and flowers. Arrange them to segregate different sections within your event like stalls, food, and restrooms
4. Papercrafts — Origami cranes or intricate paper flowers (Daenggi Kkot) make for a good DIY decor solution
5. Folk Paintings — Known as Minhwa, these paintings often depict animals, folk stories, or nature. Hang them as wall art or use them as tablecloths

G. Swag bags for Korean party theme

Everyone loves freebies, especially at ticketed public events. Here are some cost-effective ideas to curate swag or goodie bags for your attendees:

1. Korean candy such as Choco Pies, Pepero (a biscuit stick dipped in chocolate), or Yeot (a taffy candy made from rice)
2. Korean snacks such as gim (roasted seaweed) and honey butter chips
3. Tea bags such as barley tea, yuja tea (made from a citrus fruit), or ginseng tea
4. Mini Korean fans which are known as Buchae
5. Pair of reusable chopsticks in a cute case
6. Face masks
7. DIY kit with origami paper and basic instructions for origami figures
8. Seed packets for Korean flowers like Korean azaleas or Korean bellflowers

Pro Tip: Swag bags or return gifts are a great way to have repeat attendance. A simple thank you note too will go a long way in building your brand.

H. FAQ

1. How can you have a Korean party theme?

You can incorporate the Korean party theme into any event by deeply understanding their culture. A typical Korean-themed event has elements such as K-pop references, ramen, and other street food, along with colorful decor.

2. What are some Korean games that can be played at a Korean-themed event?

Korean games can be an interesting addition to your Korean party theme. Here are a few Korean games for events:

• Yut Nori — A board game played with sticks and four marked wooden pieces
• Jegi — This is a footbag-kicking game where players try to keep the Jegi (a colorful fabric pouch filled with sand) in the air for as long as possible
• Tuho: This is an arrow-throwing game where players try to land arrows in a target hole. You can create a DIY version using cardboard boxes and paper arrows

I. Key Takeaways for EventTubers

Congratulations on making it to the end of the article. Here’s everything we have discussed so far.

Set the ambiance with vibrant colors, Korean lanterns, and K-Pop vibes.

Your food menu must include Korean BBQ, Bibimbap bowls, and a kimchi bar. Offer Korean street food, drinks, and sweet treats like Bingsu.

Go beyond food! Sell Korean clothing, K-beauty products, K-pop accessories, and more.

For activities dress up in Hanbok, learn Korean crafts, or try traditional games like Yut Nori. Get active with a K-Pop dance flash mob.

Event entertainment is incomplete without K-pop dance performances, Korean drumming, and karaoke.

For decor, incorporate lucky charms like Haetae, Korean decorative knots, or folding screens. Add a touch of nature with cherry blossoms and papercrafts.

Send all guests home with curated Korean goodie bags.

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