On March 6th, the Association of British and Chinese University Students (ABACUS) and K-pop Society jointly held a Chimaek Night for members.
On March 6th, the Association of British and Chinese University Students (ABACUS) and K-pop Society jointly held a Chimaek Night for members.
ABACUS x QM K-pop Soc Chimaek Night was an opportunity for members to mingle, eat some delicious friend chicken and play beer pong.
Chimaek is a hybrid word derived from the Korean words ‘chi’ (for chicken) and ‘maekju’ (for beer). This dish dates to the mid-to-late 20th century when vegetable oil was first introduced in Korea. As fried chicken grew more popular, cold beer was considered to pair well with the dish. Often depicted in K-dramas and other pop culture, today, Chimaek is a highly popular dish that has traversed the globe and become a go-to meal for many.
Attendees of the QM Chimaek Night shared their thoughts on the event and provided insight on why they got involved with each society.
Find student interviews below.
Eunice
Eunice: “I was really grateful that many people attended and was glad that everyone had fun interacting with new friends. The best part of the night for me was definitely participating in beer pong; it boosted the mood to a real high. It was my first time organising an event in collaboration with ABACUS soc and it was indeed a positive experience for all of us.”
Harki, Rachel, Zane, Yvonne and Ling (left to right)
Harki: “We strive to combine different aspects of all Asian cultures, and chimaek is part of Korean culture and we thought it would be fun more members to experience this during Asian heritage month, especially because it was a collaboration between K-pop society and ABACUS.”
Bella: “Going to a university event like the Chimaek Night for the first time was really refreshing! It helped me step outside of my comfort zone and I ended up meeting some really lovely people. The vibes were really nice too! The food and drinks brought us all together and I enjoyed myself a lot talking, laughing a ton, and playing beer pong! I went home thinking like "damn, I really wanna do that again."
I joined the QM K-pop society because in secondary, it was only me and very few others who knew about it or liked it. So, I'm so happy to have been able to join a society where myself and dozens or even hundreds of other people share the same interests, humour, passions and have fun! The friends I've made there are definitely the highlight of my first year, and the experiences I've had with the society have been absolutely amazing.”
Sarah and Blaire
Sarah: “Despite growing up in Glasgow for 18 years I was still surrounded by Asian culture since my parents are Chinese. I also have many Asian friends who are also like me that grew up in the UK. I have loved listening to K-pop since 2018 and I’m very happy that there is a K-pop society at QMUL. By joining K-pop club I have been able to make lots of amazing friends who have similar interests as me!”
Fu-Hou, Nicky, Xuan-Wei
Fu-Hou: “The event was really fun and was a great opportunity to meet people and make new friends.”
Nicky: “As someone who is Chinese and grew up in the UK, I found myself being part of this cultural niche. However, the ABACUS society has brought these people together and given me the opportunity to meet many other like-minded individuals who I can now call friends.”
Xuan-Wei: “This was one of the first ABACUS social events that I have attended in some time, so initially, I was feeling a little hesitant (also because my friends did not want to come :( ). However, that feeling disappeared as I met some friends there that I had not seen in a while. It was great catching up with old acquaintances that I would not have otherwise met outside of these events. Also, the welcoming and inclusive atmosphere made networking so much easier for those who went alone. It was definitely a great time making new friends with people of different backgrounds, and socialising while having fun.”