What is Multicultural Family Music?
Multicultural Family Music has been broadcasting since August 2008. It is being operated by Digital KISS Radio and Digital Skynet and sponsored by Woongjin Foundation. According to Shin Hyeon Ung, “The broadcasting service will provide cultural comfort and help migrants to become members of a community that has a clear role to play in Korean society.” He is the president of Woongjin Foundation. {Source: Korea Focus}
FROM DJ REGINA TO DJ GENNIE
There are currently eight shows in the Multicultural Family Music. Each show is broadcast in the native language of its DJ: Thai, Russian, Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, Mongolian, Filipino and Iranian. The original DJ of the Filipino broadcast is DJ Regina. I was able to guest on her show back in 2010.
DJ Regina passed the mic to DJ Gennie after returning to the Philippines in 2013. Back home, DJ Regina is involved in commercial pursuits as well as promoting education through a privately funded library called “Aklatan sa Kostal” (visit their FB page). The Philippines seriously need more people like her.
DJ Gennie Kim has a soothing voice over the radio. She plays Filipino music most of the time and interviews special guests. She also provides insights on living in Korea as well as up-to-date information on EPS (Employment Permit System) as well as information from the Philippine Embassy. Among those who have graced her show recently are Rep. Jasmine Lee of the National Assembly of Korea, the Philippine Ambassador Raul Hernandez, MICA or 4th Impact, and she was even able to interview Mr. International 2014 Neil Perez.
RADIO JOURNALISM AWARD
Multicultural Family Music broadcast received the Radio Journalism Award from the Commission of Filipinos Overseas or CFO in 2011. The chairman of Woongjin Foundation travelled to the Philippines to accept the award. Last year, 2015, DJ Gennie Kim also received awards for the radio program she is hosting. The recognition is true to the radio program’s objective of providing comfort and information to Filipino immigrants in South Korea.
SMARTPHONE READY
I used to just listen to the Multicultural Family broadcast through their website. Honestly, I couldn’t listen regularly before because I find it a little inconvenient to listen to a radio show through a PC. That’s why I’m glad that the program is also available through a smartphone app ~ Multicultural Music
To download, just search using the term “multiculture music”. Click on the first result and install…
Open the app. You will be shown two channels…
Click on the face of the DJ (Ms. Gennie Kim for the Filipino broadcast) to play. Her show is ON AIR at 3am, 9am, 3pm and 9pm. Remember that ~ 3939 so you won’t miss her show.
Also, the app has a “Freeboard” where users could send in their music requests and even ask for help. Perhaps you could also send a note and dedicate a special song request ~ just like we used to do in the Philippines.
FOLK TALES IN FILIPINO FOR FILIPINO KIDS
Multicultural Family Music broadcast app is not only for listening to the radio programs. It is also a great source for Filipino folk tales ~ not only for Filipino-Korean kids. The Filipino folk tales are available in Korean and Filipino languages. This is a nice way of exposing your child to the Filipino language.
The Filipino folk tales are shown in an animated video that kids will surely enjoy to see. This is a great way to teach the Filipino kids of the millennium the stories we loved to hear when we were young.
So don’t forget to listen to DJ Gennie Kim through the Multicultural Family Music broadcast. And of course for your kids, expose them to Filipino folk tales using the app.
Thanks to Woongjin Foundation for its commitment to the multicultural family in South Korea.