Curious eyes watched as Ellie Kim (11) stamped the smooth dalgona, Feb. 16. The sweet smell attracted more Balboa Park visitors to the House of Korea’s stand. Intrigued customers wandered around the tables of delicate snacks, brewed tea, and stationary items the House of Korea’s committee had for sale. 

This year, Kim became president for the Young Ambassador’s Executive Committee of the House of Korea. As president, she leads the planning of big events for the organization while also overseeing the design, public relation, logistics, and management team leads. 

Since Kim has become president, she has hosted a Dalgona Fundraiser which was two day-long events at Balboa Park, Feb. 15-Feb. 16.

To sell the sweet Korean snack, dalgona, the members first had to prepare materials and practice. For Kim, this was her second time making dalgona. 

“It was a struggle getting it to work at first because the measurements and timing had to be perfect,” Kim said. “You needed to add a specific amount of baking soda so it wouldn’t turn out too foamy or puffy. When you flatten and shape it, there is also a certain time to do it. I had to practice a couple of times [but] after practicing I got the hang of it.”

The event attracted many visitors, overall making the fundraiser successful. Kim said the profit made at the event all goes to the program’s annual Dandelion Day.

“Dandelion Day is an event that we have for the Korean adoptees in San Diego,” Kim said. “[During Dandelion Day] we have Korean food, Korean performances, and Korean games and activities for them. [We do this] because they haven’t had the same opportunity and experience with their heritage and culture. Adoptees range from grandparents to kids.”

Besides big events, the committee opens the House of Korea itself every weekend for visitors to tour. All of the program’s young ambassadors must host at the cottage in three-hour shifts. 

According to Kim, different countries each have cottages in the cultural oasis of Balboa Park. 

“There’s cabinets with artifacts that people can see,” Kim said. “Near the back, there is a kitchen where we will usually boil water and then make ginseng tea for people. My favorite activity is writing people’s names in Korean because it starts up conversation and I like talking to the visitors.” 

On days Kim has shifts, she spends her time making sure visitors have the best experience.

“[Visitors will] ask questions if they have any or start up conversations,” Kim said. “Sometimes, if I see someone looking at something for a little bit, I’ll ask them if they have any questions. There’s certain people that are really invested in things culturally which makes it not just easier but also fun to talk to them.”

Kim said that she often reminds the other young ambassadors on how to interact with visitors to ensure a satisfied experience at the cottage. 

“The main thing to worry about is probably attitude,” Kim said. “I think it’s important to make a good first impression not just of the house but of our country in general.”

Kim said that during her time at the cottage there are some memorable moments and people that came through. 

“There’s this grandpa that comes in [and] I’ve seen him every week I’ve gone.” Kim said. “He’ll just come in and start a conversation with one of us that sometimes lasts an hour and we’ve all gotten to know him. He did this thing for a while where he would come in with a joke and ask if we had one for him which was really fun.” 

Kim said although she has a new responsibility as president, she enjoys the process. 

“Every time I do events like this, it solidifies the fact that I really do love working with people and meeting new people,” Kim said. “I also enjoy planning these things so it wasn’t really much of a hassle. Getting everything in order at the beginning of each event is the hardest but there’s always someone that is willing to help me when I need it. There’s also a satisfaction when I see everything together.”

From all the events Kim attended and planned for the the House of Korea’s Young Ambassador’s Committee, she said she has learned more about her culture. 

“Whether it was learning about those artifacts or objects in the cottages so I could explain it to people if they ask, or it was about Korean food, I feel like it forced me to look more in depth into my culture,” Kim said. “I grew up in a Korean family, [but] besides my mom making me learn the language, I feel like I wasn’t as exposed to the history of the culture. I feel like [being in the program] got me more exposed to my culture. I also got to make an impact with teaching people my culture, work with people my own age, and make connections with all these different people.”