Rotorua’s Te Arawa Maori Group has taken on South Korea at its own game.

Performing in Seoul’s Myeong-dong district in October to celebrate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between New Zealand and South Korea, the kapa haka troupe performed their own version of the wildly popular ‘Gangnam Style’ by South Korean popstar Psy.

The song has made Psy a global superstar and recently became the most-watched YouTube video of all time.

Video of the kapa haka group’s performance was posted both on the New Zealand Embassy’s Korean Facebook page and YouTube.

The group's renditions of Korean love song Arirang (아리랑) and Maori song Pokarekare-ana were reportedly well-received by the crowd. Koreans know Pokarekare-anaas 연가. The song was taught by Maori soldiers to the Korean people during the Korean War.

“The reaction of the Korean audience to one of our top kapa haka groups was stunning. What a great opportunity for Korea to experience Maori culture in the middle of Seoul’s busiest street shopping district”, said New Zealand Ambassador Patrick Rata after the event on October 23.

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source: newshub archive