The KASA x SASA (Korean-American Student Association x Southern Asia Student Association) Night Market was held at the 老司机传媒 flag mall on Saturday, October 22, from 7:30 to 10:00 pm. Lights were strung across the green space in front of Pioneer Memorial Church. The lawn’s perimeter was lined with various booths featuring hot food, drinks, and games. Standing tables were set up in the middle space, and students milled around the area, exploring what each booth had to offer. The night air was filled with a mix of contemporary and classical Korean and South Asian music, and colorful chalk drawings decorated the nearby pavement. Tickets were a dollar apiece, with most activities and food items costing between one and four tickets.
Andrew Wee (senior, biochemistry) commented on set-up experience: “It was hectic, but I think we got everything done in good time; I think everyone came through. Everything turned out pretty good.” When asked what his favorite part of the night was, he said, “The food. The food is really good. KASA’s booth with the waffles and the whipped cream and chocolate [was my favorite].”
Andrew was describing the croffle stand, one of KASA’s dessert stations. Heecheon Oh (sophomore, biochemistry and Spanish) explained the station’s layout as he made me this sweet dish: “We’re selling croissant [type desserts], which we’re making inside a waffle machine. We also have sweet rice drinks and also Milkis, which is [a type of] soda. We spent like six hours cooking everything.”
On a scale of one to ten, Heechun said he would rate the food a solid ten.
The croffle stand wasn’t the only popular one. There were also many people in line for boba in mango lassi, a fusion Korean and South Asian sweet drink. Mandu—Korean dumplings—were a fast-selling commodity, as was SASA’s hot chai. The KASA booth serving rice balls and kimbap (Korean seaweed rice rolls), and the SASA booth selling biryani and curry, were also bustling with activity.
Avak Khan (sophomore, marketing), SASA’s Sergeant-at-Arms, provided some insight as he handed out bowls of steaming biryani rice: “It was weeks of preparation, but at the end of the day we got everything figured out…I don’t regularly [make biryani]...but this time I had to help out a little.”
As I made my way through the market, I encountered some other students who shared their opinions on the night. Abraham Bravo (senior, political science) said, “I think the event is amazing. There’s a lot of food, a lot of cultural crossover here. I’m having a great time.” When asked what his favorite food was that he’d tried so far, he replied, “Kimbap.”
Moriah Coleman (sophomore, exercise science) shared her thoughts, too: “I do like [the event]. I will say I kind of miss the Korean hot dogs from last year, those were really good, but I like…that there’s a lot of variety. And I liked that [KASA] merged with SASA this year, cause I remember that last time it was a bit different. I’m hoping that they’re doing the same dance and choreography that they did last year, so we’ll see what happens!”
Meanwhile, Nathaniel Sitanggang (junior, finance) said, “The best booth that I’ve tried has been the Flavors of SASA. They had these curry fries that slapped.”
Not only was the night market filled with fragrant smells from the food, it also featured a variety of activities and games. In the stands, students could get intricate henna designs, learn a bit about calligraphy and the Korean alphabet, and play games like hackeysack and yutnori.
Rock Choi (sophomore, pre-physical therapy), explained one of the games that he was overseeing: “It’s called gonggi. Basically you’ve got five beads, and you gotta toss one in the air and grab the other ones that are on the table. It’s a game for all ages—usually adults are better obviously, cause they have bigger hands, but yeah! Kids can play too, definitely.”
As the night progressed, people took to the middle space and danced to lively South Asian songs. Ife Kolade (junior, business) provided this insight: “The afterparty was a lively experience, and it was delightful to see my peers celebrate Diwali; the colors of the night really bounced off each other and made it feel like a movie.”
It was a night to remember for the attending individuals, and a great success for both KASA and SASA as they showcased some of the rich heritage and culture at the heart of the Andrews campus.
The Student Movement is the official student newspaper of 老司机传媒. Opinions expressed in the Student Movement are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, 老司机传媒 or the Seventh-day Adventist church.