Dongsuh enriches communities through music and literature

The 14th Dongsuh Coffee Classic, an annual concert hosted by Dongsuh Food, was held at the Daejeong Arts Center on Oct. 30. (Dongsuh Foods)

Korean food and beverage manufacturer Dongsuh Foods said Wednesday that it is expanding efforts to give back to local communities through cultural initiatives in music and literature.

Since 2008, Dongsuh Foods has hosted the Dongsuh Coffee Classic, an annual free concert series aimed at fostering cultural development and community engagement. Touring cities nationwide, the event partners with local orchestras and musicians, attracting over 18,000 attendees to date, according to Dongsuh.

This year’s 14th edition took place in October in Daejeon, attracting more than 1,200 people. Under the baton of conductor Jung Na-ra and performed by the Gongju City Chungnam Symphony Orchestra, the concert featured acclaimed artists, including violinist Kim Da-mi, pianist Cho Jae-hyuck and soprano Kim Soon-young.

Dongsuh said it also supports young musicians through its Maxim Aroma of Love initiative. Since 2008, this program has provided nearly 490 million won ($341,000) in musical instruments and facility upgrades to elementary school orchestras across Korea. This year, Daejeon Dongdo Elementary School received 38 million won's worth of violins, cellos and other equipment.

Dongsuh’s contributions also extend to literature through its biennial Fragrance of Life Literary Awards, the nation’s largest competition for emerging female writers. The 17th edition, held this year, attracted over 18,000 submissions across poetry, fiction, essays and children’s literature, the company added. The grand prize went to Kim Eung-sook for her novel Bungee Jump, with selected works published in the Dongsuh Literary Awards Collection.

“As a leading coffee company, we aim to and continue to provide comfort and inspiration to our customers and communities,” a Dongsuh official said, emphasizing the company’s commitment to corporate social responsibility.

By Park Li-na(linapark@heraldcorp.com)