10 Magazine December

Art

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Theater

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Concerts

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Film

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Community

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Fitness

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Dine & Drink

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Nightlife

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TRAVEL

Korea awaits! • DECemBER 2009 VOL. 2 NO. 3

Check Out ible 10’s Incred ndar Cale Nationwide New r u with O Directory!

Nationwide

In Search of a

good brew Plus • Discovering the Philippines • Great Places to Find that Christmas Gift • Making a Home for the Holidays • 10 Questions with Cheil COO, Bruce Haines

Printed using 100% soy ink.

Executive Chef Sebastiano Giangregorio, the best ingredients, the gracious Italian hospitality and the sophisticated atmosphere make dining at Antonio an evening to remember.

2 New Special Sicilian Set Menus!

Live Jazz — Throughout the Christmas season come and taste the new "Tagliatelle al Ragu Emiliano", sauteed in the great wheel of Parmigiano Reggiano and the classic "Zampone" with lentils.

Gangnam-gu Cheongdam-dong 93-8, Tel 02-3443-4333 www.antonios.kr

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CONTRIBUTORS

08 FROM THE EDITOR

A SHOT OF KOREAN 10 LETTERS

KOREA BY THE NUMBERS 12 CHRISTMAS FEATURE

• MAKING THE MOST OF THE HOLIDAYS

• TIPS FOR YOUR CHRISTMAS SHOPPING 16 LIFESTYLE NEWS 18 A TASTE OF KOREA

DAKDORI TANG: SPICY CHICKEN STEW 20 IN THE KITCHEN

ERIC HAUSSER, CHEF AT GUILLAUME 22 10 QUESTIONS

BRUCE HAINES,

COO OF CHEIL WORLDWIDE 24 TRAVEL YOUR GUIDE TO THE PHILIPPINES

Our family has always enjoyed the important things in life: preparing food made with fresh seasonal ingredients and sharing simple meals with “abbondanza”. That’s Italian for the passion and poetry of life... We hope you feel this when you visit Sortino’s!

Grazie.

Hamilton Hotel 1 2 Subway Itaewon St. 4 3 Fire St.

Itaewon Hotel

Cheil Communications

Weekdays Lunch 12 pm — 3 pm Dinner 5:30 pm — 1 am Kitchen last order 10:30pm Weekends 12 pm —1am Kitchen last order 10:30 pm

www.sortinos-seoul.com • 02-797-0488–9

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DECEMBER 2009 vol.2 No.3 28 THE 10 HOTEL & RESORT NEWS 32

NIGHTLIFE WINE BAR REVIEW: DULCE Y SUAVE LIVE MUSIC AT CLUB FREEBIRD HAPPY HOUR BLISS

36 COVER STORY

FINDING CRAFT BEER IN KOREA 42 NEWCOMER DIRECTORY 43

CALENDAR & DIRECTORY 44 NATIONWIDE 48 REGIONAL 73 NETWORKING

54 FOODIE FINDS

DONGARI: JAPANESE IZAKAYA 70 LOCATIONS WITH 10 72 A HAPPY ENDING

IF THE SHOE FITS

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Korea Awaits... Online !

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CONTRIBUTORS Joe McPherson authors Korea’s longest running food blog, the ZenKimchi Korean Food Journal and produces and hosts the acclaimed SeoulPodcast. He has been used as a source on Korean food for The New York Times, Lonely Planet, Serious Eats, American travel radio show Peter Greenberg World Wide, and the Travel Channel’s Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern. He hates long walks on the beach and is always looking for someone to share a table of grilled shellfish with him. zenkimchi.com

Andray Abrahamian was born in Chicago, grew up just outside London and is half Armenian, so naturally he gravitated to South Korea.

He spends a lot of his days trying to pair vegetarian food with beer, working on his ultimate frisbee skills and muttering to himself about how he should write more. He is ostensibly working on his doctoral dissertation in International Relations at the University of Ulsan.

Daniel Lenaghan is a three year resident of Seoul and first time contributor to 10 Magazine. Having perused the middling varieties of media in the locale he now calls home, he joined the up-and-coming indie garage rock band Arne Von Brill (myspace.com/ arnevonbrill), and after one too many letters to the editor, sent in his own contributions. He hopes that readers will detect the influence of what a previous professor famously called "the successful navigation between the Scylla of topicality and the Charybdis of complexity." He is also glad to have a bulletproof excuse to delve into Hongdae's indie music scene.

Originally from New Zealand, Joshua Hall has been living in Seoul since 2005. He left a career in PR to teach English in Korea.

Joshua studied wine at Montana Wine College and WSET and has taught wine tasting for 4 years in Korea. He has a weakness for vintage Burgundy and loves visiting Korean fish markets armed with a bottle of NZ Sauvignon Blanc. Read his blog on Korean food and wine at http://winekorea.blogspot. com/.

Holiday article contributor Chris Backe has called Korea home since March of 2008. Although his full-time job is teaching English, his passion for traveling and enjoying life in Korea take up almost as much time (don't tell the boss!). When not traveling to a new place every week or writing about his travels, he enjoys swing dancing with his girlfriend and blogging away as 'Chris in South Korea'. (http://chrisinsouthkorea.blogspot.com) 6 |

10 Magazine December 2009

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On the Border Locations Sinchon 02-324-0682

Coex CALT 02-565-0682

Times Square, Youngdeungpo 02-2672-0682

FROM THE EDITOR

T

he holidays are here. Korea is a great place to celebrate the holidays with friends and family, although it’s not exactly your typical holiday back home. The basics are there, which is great. There will be Christmas trees and tremendous light displays on buildings, city halls and along the streets (check out Chris Backe’s article on page 12 for details). Nutcracker showings will be abundant, and English services are easy to find in our directory and online at 10magazine.asia. There will be shoppers galore battling it out over the popular gifts and fashions, which I guess is really no different from any other season at a Korean department store. The winter’s chill will be warmed by chestnuts roasting on an open fire along with oil drums filled with a wood fire roasting toasty sweet potatoes to perfection. Christmas Eve will be spent on dates or getting drunk with friends, while Christmas will be spent recovering from the previous evening. Keep some haejang-kuk (hangover remedy soup) handy for Christmas morning. This aspect may be slightly different from what you are used to.

But you can make this holiday season one you’ll never forget here in Korea. Traditional Christmas dinners are easily accessible nowadays, whether they are self-prepared, ordered in, or enjoyed at restaurants or hotels. (Check out 10magazine. asia for a constantly updated list of the best options). And New Year’s in Korea offers everyone the experience of a lifetime – the Korean equivalent of watching the ball drop in New York City – hearing the bell of Jonggak being rung at midnight. One difference from New York, however, is that the fireworks are legal and abundant here. You’ll see more roman candles than you ever imagined if you head downtown to Jonggak (again, details supplied by Chris).

If you’re headed home for the holidays, we don’t blame you – it is about being with friends and family after all. But if you’re staying here, make Korea home. Share your old family traditions with the family and friends here and create some new ones. You’d be surprised how well kimchi goes with turkey and mayo - adds a nice little spice and crunch, kind of like sauerkraut. Avoid adding cranberry at all costs.

A Korean Christmas

Stephen Revere Managing Editor

A SHOT OF KOREAN I tend to avoid simply teaching words without context, but we’ll just assume the season is the context. 성탄절 – Seong-tan-jeol - Christmas 크리스마스 – Keu-ri-seu-ma-seu - Christmas 송년회 – Song-nyeon-hwoe - End-of-the-year Party.

(Your Korean friends will be having plenty of these, getting together for reunions with their elementary school friends, high school friends, old army buddies, etc.)

신년회 – Shin-nyeon-hwoe - Start-of-the-year Party (Reunions for those of you who missed the ones at the end of the year.) 새해 복 많이 받으세요. – Sae-hae-bok-man-i-bad-eu-sae-yo.

- Lots of luck in the New Year!

(This is a typical New Year’s greeting, which you will hear until well after the lunar New Year, which happens to be on February 14th next year).

Check out Survival Korean and Survival Korean: Basic Skills for more Korean lessons from 10’s Managing Editor, Stephen Revere.

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10 Magazine December 2009

DIS 10 CO % UN T Korean Musical

English Reservations koreamiso.com

2009년1월 - 12월 오후8시 8pm Jan.-Dec. 2009 Info. 02-751-1500 www.chongdong.com

No performance on Monday

LETTERS

The Reader’s 10 Your choices for the best Italian restaurants in Korea (all restaurants in Seoul unless otherwise listed): 1 Antonio – antonios.kr 2 Bazu – 02-515-9944 Image courtesy of Canada. Dept of National Defense/Library

3 Sorino’s Cucina – sortinos-seoul.com 4 La Bocca – 02-790-5907 5 Tutto Bene – 02-546-1489 6 The Kitchen Salvatore Cuomo – www.kitchensalvatore.kr 7 Addiction Plus – addictionplus.com 8 Ahndamiro – ahndamiro.com 9 Bitdol Classium

063-251-2635 10 Via di Napoli – viadinapoli.co.kr

More Canuk Sports Thanks for the article on "Hockey in Korea" in your November issue. I am glad to see that hockey in Korea has developed somewhat since an earlier assignment that I had in Korea, which I commented on in an article in the Korea Economic Weekly in 1996. I am not entirely convinced that hockey is that much more popular now among Koreans, or if the development of a real hockey community reflects the fact that we have a lot more Canadians in the peninsula than was even the case thirteen years ago. The article was a pretty good inventory of what is out there, although it does not mention the university teams here, which recently participated in the 64th Korean ice hockey championship.

Meaning to say that hockey goes a long way back. We used to have in the embassy a great Korean War era photo of a hockey game played on the frozen Imjin river by some of our Canadian troops - such a great image that it surely made too attractive a souvenir for someone over the years and disappeared. Nonetheless, it is clear that hockey was being played in the peninsula even before those earlier Canucks strapped on their skates.

I hope that has not exhausted the mention of hockey in your great magazine. If it has, I would recommend follow up articles on lacrosse, curling or Canadian football in Korea.

Regards

Mike Danagher, Seoul

Thanks very much for filling us in on Korea’s hockey present and past! We try to keep our articles on sports that are active in Korea and people can get out and participate in. We’re not very aware of the lacrosse and curling community in Korea, but if you’d like to make other expats aware of your activities, feel free to contribute an article to 10 by shooting us an email at contribute@10magazine.asia.

10 | 10 Magazine December 2009

Thanks to everyone who voted, and be sure to vote in our next Readers 10 by going to 10magazine.asia.

This month:

What’s your favorite Korean movie?

Korea By The Numbers People per square km in Korea, making Korea the 22nd most densely populated country in the world. The corresponding number for #1 Macau is 18,527. #178, the US, has 31 people per km2.

487

8.93

Births per 1,000 people, Korea has one of the lowest birthrates in the world.

42

The percentage of Korean respondents in a 2008 survey who claimed to never have spoken to a foreigner.

4,400

Number of islands in Korea. Under 500 are inhabited.

Christmas Feature Shinsegye Fountain

the comprehensive list of Christmas dining and New Year’s Eve parties at 10magazine.asia.

What to Do Christmas Light Display Sightseeing

The huge shopping area around Yongsan Station is annually decorated with lights and displays worth checking out. The Event Park located just above the train station is worth taking a date and/or a camera.

The most concentrated area of lights is easily the central part of Seoul, starting at City Hall. Seoul Plaza offers a large Christmas ‘tree’ display – at 21 meters tall and 10 meters around, this display is possibly the largest in Korea – and a place for the masses to ice skate. From there, walk to the Lotte Hotel in Jongno or down the street to Cheonggyecheon for some more seasonal decorations.

Also nearby is Myeongdong’s Shinsegae and the Words by Chris Backe nearby fountain, which get transformed into brilliant displays of light – go at night for the best views. The Lotte Young Plaza in Myeongdong featured a colorful snowflake display last year – take an evening with your hanks mainly to the relatively non-religious makesignificant other to explore this area of Seoul. up of Korea, Christmas is by and large celebrated as a secular holiday (about half of Korea is non-religious, while only about 25% of the population is Christian).

Lotte World This place is transformed into a Christmas wonderland for the In other words, you’ll see a lot more Santa Clauses than nativity holiday season. Expect parades, performances, and plenty of scenes and more Christmas cards than caroling. Whether one holiday music along with the excellent rides both inside and is religious or not, Christmas is a day off, making Christmas outside. Great fun for the young and Eve a chance to party and/or go out on young-at-heart, but expect crowds as a date. New Year’s is for the family – Lotte World Christmas approaches. Don’t forget on Christmas you’d better have a date. about the large indoor ice skating rink Being alone on Christmas Eve in Korea is in the basement. Jamsil Station, Lines 2 worse than, say, not wearing green on St. and 8. lotteworld.com, 02-411-2000 Patrick’s Day. If you find yourself single when Santa comes to visit, commiserate with your single friends and drown your Everland Also transformed for a Christmas sorrows in a local brew (see our cover festival, expect the Rudolph Band and story for the best options).

Carol Fantasy to put on a good show.

Once Christmas is over, it’s a few short Plenty of light shows and performances days to the Solar New Year. The place to be make this theme park in Yongin-si worth on New Year’s Eve is the Bosingak Belfry, the red bus ride. Take bus 5002 from the ‘Times Square’ of Seoul because of the Gangnam Station (line 2, exit 6). massive crowd and celebration that fills everland.com, 02-759-1940 the streets. The Belfry was used during the Joseon dynasty to tell people when the gates opened and closed (4 am and 7 pm).

Ice Skating The outdoor ice skating rink at These days, the bell is rung 33 times by the Gwanghwamun Plaza is the cheapest ice Seoul’s mayor exactly at midnight. To join skating ticket in town, but it's often the in the festivities, go out dark-blue line 1’s most crowded. Try going on a week night Jonggak station, exit 4. Leave early, expect for better luck; new sessions start every hour and a half. Opens a huge crowd, and enjoy the fireworks at midnight.

December 12th and runs through February 15th. Gwanghwamun St. (line 1, ex. 7). 02-120.

What to Eat Grand Hyatt Seoul has one of the nicest and largest ice skating rinks in all of Korea, but be prepared to spend some Here you pretty much have three options: diy vs. hotel vs. expat won. Don’t forget about their several excellent restaurants and restaurant/bar. For the do it yourself option, you’ll need the help first-class rooms. Noksapyeong station, line 6, exit 1. Cross of your friendly local Costco (costco.co.kr/eng), or one of the the road at the crosswalk, then take bus #03 to the Grand delivery services that sends foreign delicacies directly to your Hyatt Hotel bus stop. door (ugfoods.co.kr or ezshopkorea.com). For either the hotel seoul.grand.hyatt.com, 02-797-1234 option or the expat restaurant/bar option, you’ll want to check out

Making a Home for the Holidays

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12 | 10 Magazine December 2009

Seoul Plaza Skate Rink

Christmas Services, Plays, and Performances December 5th New York Harlem Singers of Christmas Classic spirituals, Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson and Christmas songs combine for an excellent sounding program.

The most expensive tickets are still affordable at 50,000 won apiece. 8 pm at the Seoul Arts Center. sac.or.kr, 02-580-1301 December 11th and 12th The Nutcracker Performed by the Seoul Ballet Theatre at Gwacheon Citizen's Hall. The company will move to Yongin-si Women’s Hall for performances on the 18th-19th, and return to the Seoul Open Theater in Chang-dong from December 30th-January 3rd. at City Hall ballet.or.kr, 02-3442-2637 December 19th Handel’s Messiah The timeless classic performed by a choir made up of university students, foreign residents, and Koreans alike.

Chung-dong 1st Methodist Church, City Hall station, lines 1 or 2, exit 2. 7:30 pm.

010-9006-8655 December 23rd 2009 SAC White Christmas The Kumho Art Hall Chamber Music Society performs Mozart’s Exsultate Jubilate and several other selections for you to enjoy with your sweetheart. 8 pm. sac.or.kr, 02-580-1300 December 24th Harpist Kwak Jung’s Christmas Concert Harp music for Christmas — what could be a more relaxing and refined date? Sejong Chamber Hall, Sejong Center (Gwanghwamun station, line 5, exit 1 or 8) at 7:30 pm. sejongpac.or.kr, 02-399-1114 Whatever you get into this holiday season, we wish you a 메리 크리스마스 (Merry Christmas), and 새해 복 많이 받으세요 (Lots of luck in the new year.)

Christmas Feature

Santa Claus Is Coming to Shop Words by Julia Paek and shots by Jen Murphy

t’s the time of year that brings Christmas cheer to all, but the thought of that dreaded Christmas gift list may have you shivering more than the cold. Fear not, because this year 10 Magazine will help you check the names off that list with a guide to the hottest places to go for your Christmas shopping!

Some of our favorite shopping locations are those nearby universities as these shops usually cater to the trendsetters and have fashion-forward yet inexpensive items to suit all tastes. The area in front of Ewha Women’s University is a shopper’s delight as it is home to Korea’s brightest and most fashionable women. Walk toward the university from the subway and you will come to an intersecting road with a strip of boutiques specializing in clothing, accessories, and beauty products.

Ewha Woman’s University If you are seeking a one-stop shop for everyone on your Christmas list, including the one friend who has everything, Kosney’s is your answer. Upon entering Kosney’s, you are greeted with an aroma of natural, handmade bath soaps in unique shapes. Kosney’s carries a plethora of beauty products, many imported brands from Japan, North America, and Europe. Check out the great selection of beautiful and detailoriented cards and stationary, perfect for those Christmas letters back home.

A snazzy planner to start the New Year is also a great gift for just about anyone, and Kosney’s carries a large range, from cheap, easy-to-carry paper planners to more expensive leather-bound diaries.

On the basement level, there is a clothing section with select fashionable pieces next to tables of beautiful, handmade jewelry and headpieces made by local jewelry designers.

Although a little on the pricey side, Kosney’s offers high value and quality, not to mention the variety available to you all under one roof.

Kosney’s

14 | 10 Magazine December 2009

The only thing missing is more opportunities to try out all the products, but overall this is a great source for all your gift needs.

Here are some gift suggestions from Kosney’s: For your shoe-a-holic lady friends, a fab and funky line of foot pads called Foot Secret to insert into shoes is a great little stocking filler.

For that lap-top toting man of yours, a stylish yet sturdy line of laptop bags will protect his gizmos and gadgets.

Kids have a variety of choices including stuffed animals, Playmobil toys and a Disney section dedicated to Winnie the Pooh dolls, Tinkerbell pens, and classic Mickey Mouse stationary.

The Kosney’s at Ewha Woman’s University (line 2) is the one featured in this article, but there are branches all over the city, including stores at Techno Mart in Gangbyeon (line 2) and downtown in Myeongdong (line 4).

Ewha Woman’s University location: 02-365-9201 Myeongdong location: 02-727-3601 Gangbyeon location: 02-3424-0734

San-chome Once in a while you come across a unique boutique dedicated to carrying all things cute. San-chome is one such store. Walk along the quaint yet colorful alleyways near Ewha University's front gate, and you will notice a diverse range of shops carrying the latest shoe and clothing trends as well as other knick-knacks from pocket umbrellas to rain boots. But San-chome stands out from the rest. Most products are Japanese inspired and indeed have been imported from our island neighbors. The staff speak fluent Japanese, but you won’t need to in order to find a cute wallet or lunch bag for yourself or pencil cases and toys for your favorite nieces and nephews. Take exit 3 out of Ewha Woman’s University Station (line 2), walk towards the university, and just before you get there take the third left down the small pedestrian street. Sanchome will be on the right. 02-313-7001

Express Bus Terminal

Hongdae (Hongik University)

When you are looking for a way to liven up your surroundings with some Christmas cheer, what better way than with Christmas decorations? Leave the large supermarkets and malls alone and instead try hunting for some treasures at Seoul’s Express Bus Terminal. Walk to the end of the underground shopping tunnel, and you will come to a section with shops carrying art supplies and random odds and ends. You are bound to find something to bring some Christmas spirit to your personal space.

Express Bus Terminal St. is found on lines 3, 7, and 9. The shopping tunnel is accessible underground from the station.

If you prefer an even livelier and louder shopping atmosphere, Hongdae is the place to be. Although this neighborhood may be more well-known for its nightlife, it is equally worth visiting for its outdoor market. As the weather gets cooler, you can pick up some handmade earrings or a reasonablypriced matching his-andhers hat and mittens set. Walk out of Hongik University St. toward the university and go straight for about 100 meters until the intersection, where you turn left. Walk about 50 meters and turn right down a narrow pedestrian street where outdoor merchants are set up.

Hongdae shopping

Edited by David Carruth

Chongdong Theater Presents New Performance For the past ten years, the flagship performance Miso at Chongdong Theater has delighted more than 500,000 viewers with its blend of the traditional and contemporary. This next year, the theater hopes to add more quality and professionalism to its traditional performing arts so that people from all over the world can have a more enjoyable experience.

The new performance, Miso II: ChungHyang’s Love Story, is a large part of this effort. Also, starting April of next year, the theater will begin having not one but two performances daily. koreamiso.com

On the Border Brings the Party to You The authentic Mexican favorites at On The Border, ranging from sizzling fajitas and hand-rolled enchiladas to fresh guacamole, salsa, and chips, have been favorites of the expat community in Seoul since it opened. Now their new catering and a la carte take out service let you bring On the Border’s festive style home with you. If you’re planning on throwing a party over the holidays, get out the sombreros and try On the Border’s catering service. Sinchon: 02-324-0682, COEX CALT: 02-565-0682, Times Square: 02-2672-0682

New Apgujeong Bar Offers So Much More Allow us to introduce you to So Much More, the new lounge/bar that was just opened on Rodeo Street in Apgujeong by the owner of the T8 Café in Itaewon. With a neat, stylish interior and a relaxing atmosphere, it functions as a café in the daytime and transforms into a sleek lounge in the evening. Unlike other bars, which charge for the juice when you order a bottle of vodka, So Much More gives you an unlimited supply. Keep this one in mind when planning parties great and small with friends and loved ones this holiday season. 02-3447-7980 16 | 10 Magazine December 2009

Concierge Service at Your Fingertips Life in a foreign land is full of confusion, but with the personal attention of Concierge K, you will start to feel right at home. The carefully trained staff offers the solutions you need for lifestyle, travel, and culture. Whether you’re looking to install high-speed internet or cable TV when you first move in or find cheap tickets for travel, Concierge K’s 24/7 staff work to keep you satisfied. Accomplish formerly impossible tasks with their no-boundary errand service. For Korea from A to Z, consider Concierge K. conciergek.com, 02-720-0022

Budget Airline Jinair’s International Service Takes Off Suji’s Deli Offers a Little Slice of Heaven You probably already know about New York style restaurant Suji’s for its fantastic brunch, but now they’ve expanded to include a deli.

Sink your teeth into one of Suji’s sandwiches, stuffed with homemade deli meats such as pastrami, corn beef, roast beef, turkey and ham and you’ll think you’re at a deli back in the Big Apple. Even if you don’t have time to eat in the restaurant, the whole menu is available for takeout and the deli meats can be delivered straight to your house. With locations in Itaewon, COEX, and Bundang. sujis.net, 02-797-3698

If you’re tired of sky-high ticket prices, try Korean Air’s less expensive affiliate Jinair, often 20 -30% cheaper than the competition. Starting December 21st, Jinair begins operation of its first international route with morning flights to Bangkok. In conjunction with this new service, Jinair is also offering an online auction promotion. Bid a sum ranging from W100 to W10,000, and if you’re the lucky winner you’ll get two roundtrip tickets for that price. Winners announced each Monday through December 21st. jinair.com

Naver Should Get Tough on Anti English Spectrum

ATEK is adding its voice to recent calls for NHN, the parent company of online portal Naver, to take action against Anti English Spectrum (AES), an online community that advocates vigilante tactics against foreign teachers. On the group's page it is claimed that foreign teachers are purposely infecting Koreans with AIDS and sexually The original Korean restaurant chain molesting children. Such racist Mad for Garlic has just opened its first comments regarding English store in Singapore - and to celebrate, teachers are in fact in violation of they’re sending 10 lucky winners to Naver's user agreement. It is ATEK’s Singapore! Simply visit Mad for Garlic position that Naver should enforce its between now and December 31st and enjoy user regulations and remove the one of their terrific Singapore-opening slanderous material from the group's site. commemorative set menus, and you’ll be entered to win one of 5 trips for two. The ATEK (Association for Teachers of English in two-night, three-day trips to Singapore includes airfare, hotel stay and of course Korea) is a non-profit, non-political support dinner for two at the newest location of Mad for Garlic! madforgarlic.com group. To find out more or join, visit atek.or.kr

Visit Singapore with Mad for Garlic

Old Wine in a New Wine Shop Wine lovers will want to visit the new Pieroth Wine Shop, located at VinVino, a wine and tapas bar next to the old Itaewon Hotel. Customers frustrated with paying high prices for cheap, “supermarket” wines will be pleased to know that here they can find top quality boutique wines at wholesale prices. In addition to tastings of select wines every month, service in English, and home delivery, this month you can even take advantage of the “Baker’s Dozen” special and get your 13th bottle delivered to you for free. service@pierothwines.co.kr, 02-711-9171 10 Magazine December 2009 | 17

A TASTE OF KOREA

Spicy Chicken Stew

Dakdori Tang

(닭도리탕)

Words by Paul Schenk Director of Food and Beverage InterContinental Hotels Seoul

T

he day I first encountered this ultimate Korean winter dish, I was out in the middle of Korea looking at some incredible small-scale chinaware workshops.

Around noon the boys told me I was in for an amazing lunch. After some time driving in what can only be described as the most remote countryside in Korea, we came upon a little farm house. Out in the back yard was a large fenced area for chickens to run around in. It must have been -5 degrees Celsius, and our teeth were chattering by the time we were invited inside. The second I came through the door, the smell of the savory chicken stock hit my nose. What a treat

was waiting for us!

Dakdori Tang is a spicy chicken stew brimming with a whole chicken (bones and all), big pieces of potato and carrots, some onions, and of course a wallop of gochu jang (red pepper paste).

Can you imagine a heartier winter dish?

Preparing the ingredients for the dish doesn’t take that much time, but be prepared to wait a while for the stew to cook fully. Overall, if How Far Would You Go for you want something that’s easy Dakdori Tang? to make but with great results try You’re in uncharted territory, your GPS is barely this one out. working, and your car is rattling its way up a The popularity of dishes rugged, one lane road in a deep ravine in the like Dakdori Tang show just shade of primeval woods. This is the Eobi Ravine how much Koreans love chicken (어비계곡) near Yangpyeong in Gyeonggi Province

DIY Dakdori Tang based on Shirley Hwang’s recipe at shirleyhwang.blogspot.com Ingredients • 1-2 pounds chicken • 2 potatoes • 1 carrot • 1 onion • 3 green onions • 1/4 cup chicken broth • 3/4 cup water

Sauce • 1/8 cup Coca Cola or Pepsi • 1/2 medium onion • 1/8 cup soy sauce • 1 spoon soju • dash of sesame salt • dash of pepper • 1 spoon minced garlic • 2 scoops red pepper paste (gochujang 고추장) • 1 spoon crushed red pepper (gochukkaru 고춧가루) • 1 spoon corn syrup (mulyeot 물엿) • 1 tsp sesame oil (chamgireum 참기름)

Instructions 1. Start boiling water and a couple tablespoons of soju in a big pot.

2. While the water is coming to a boil, put half an onion and the coke into a food processor and pulverize the onion into little pieces. Add all other sauce ingredients and mix.

3. When the water boils, drop the chicken into the water and cover. While the pot comes back to a boil, peel and chop the potatoes, onion, and carrot into large chunks.

4. Once the pot starts to boil again, wait 5 more minutes and then take the chicken out of the water and rinse it. Now put it in a new pot big enough to hold the chicken plus veggies. Toss the water.

5. Add chopped potatoes, carrot, and onion to the chicken. Add the chicken broth, water and sauce. Cover and boil on med-high heat for about 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

6. Reduce to low heat and add 1 inch pieces of chopped green onion.

Cover and reduce for another 15 minutes.

7. Turn off the heat and let stand for about 10 minutes to let the sauce thicken.

8. Garnish with chopped green onion and enjoy. It tastes especially good over rice.

18 | 10 Magazine December 2009

in every sense of the word, both as an animal and for its meat. For Koreans, the chicken is a symbol of reproduction, while the rooster represents diligence and hard work. Anyone who has seen some of the many restaurants serving dak galbi (stir-fried diced chicken), jjimdak (steamed chicken), or fried chicken knows that Korea is a chicken lover’s paradise.

The irony of Dakdori Tang is that some Koreans will tell you that the proper word is actually Dakbokkeum Tang (stirfried chicken stew), since Dakdori is a Korean-Japanese hybrid word meaning “chicken chicken.” This is the same reaction you may get if you say “odeng” (the Japanese word for fish cake) instead of “eomuk.” You can’t even say words like “dakdori” or “odeng” on Korean TV. The irony of course is that nearly all Koreans still say Dakdori Tang and Odeng when they order!

Whatever you choose to call it, Dakdori Tang is the perfect dish to eat with friends on a cold winter’s day. Enjoy it in typical Korean style with steamed rice, a variety of side dishes, and a quick shot of soju to warm things up.

K-Food – get into it!

(경기도 양평군), and it happens to be the location of a very distant yet delicious dakdori tang restaurant in the country.

It’s called Ginam Min’s House (민기남씨네), and it’s so far out in the wild that they can’t find anyone to work there so they make you serve yourself. Adding insult to injury, the dakdori tang costs you W40,000 per chicken (serves two). But where else can you savor amazing chicken stew in the middle of a gorgeous valley with a refreshing stream where you can dip your toes in the summer? Despite being located in Nowhere, Korea, this remote food shack fills up with customers, so make sure to avoid normal meal times. Guaranteed to be an unforgettable bowl of dakdori tang! 031-774-3386

10 Magazine Decemeber 2009 | 19

IN THE KITCHEN

I

n an undisclosed underground location in Hannamdong, French pastry chef Eric Hausser flashes a hint of giddiness.

“This is the first Bûche I’ve made in Korea.”

Bûche de Noël is a traditional French Christmas cake.

Chef Hausser spreads freshly whipped raspberry cream into a mold, layers it with thin crumbly sheets of cookie and gelled raspberry coulis, covers it in even more cream and refrigerates it to set before finishing. As the head of pastry for Apgujeong’s authentic French bakery Guillame, he plans his series of bûche to compete with the over-the-top Christmas cakes that are the centerpieces of Korean yuletide.

Eric Hausser has entered Korea with an

Guillaume

Chef Eric Hausser Words and shots by Joe McPherson

extensive pedigree hardly matched on the peninsula. He’s made his reputation in Paris as a great pâtissier at the Royal Park Evian Hotel’s Michelin rated Evian-Les-Bains and the two-star Place de la Concorde at the Crillon Hotel. Queen Elizabeth II, Jacques Chirac and Bill Gates have each been delighted by his creations.

For the past five years, Chef Hausser has been globetrotting, and was invited to come to Korea by Guillame Diepvens in his quest to establish true French bakery and café culture in his adopted homeland. How hard has it been to create French pastries in a country where bread is merely considered a snack?

Chef Hausser explains that he tries to source as much as he can locally, but there are areas where he just can’t compromise. Guillame imports organic French flour. He has also been concerned that Korean cream and butter are not as rich with fat content as French dairy. He hopes to remedy that in the future. When he came to Korea months ago, he ran into the same conundrum that Diepvens did when he was involved with the KTX high speed rail project. It was pleasing to find so many French-themed bakeries and cafés, but none of them had French standards of quality.

The mission of Chef Hausser and the team at Guillame has been to showcase

how real French pastry should taste so that locals will demand the great quality that they deserve. Guillame is still a young business in a highly competitive market. Yet if anyone feels empty and overwhelmed by gaudy ostentatious snowman cakes that lack any Christmas flavor, remember this lone bright light with its bûche de Noël; comparatively humbler on the outside but with rich Christmas memories in each bite.

Guillaum 88-37 Cheongdam-dong Gangnam-gu, Seoul, 02-512-6701 20 | 10 Magazine December 2009

Bûche de Noël Biscuit Joconde 1. Mix 175g almond powder, 175g powdered sugar, 50g flour and 250g egg with a whisk.

2. Make meringue with 325g egg whites and 80g sugar and mix with 1. 3. Spread thin on a skillet and fry for 8 minutes at 200˚ C Dacquoise Noisette Au Citron 1. Mix up 40g hazelnut powder and 30g powdered sugar 2. Make meringue with 50g egg whites and 15g refined sugar 3. Mix 20 grams of lemon jam with 1 and 2 Wild Strawberry Mousse 1. Put 60g wild strawberry purée, 1 egg, 1 egg yolk, and 40g sugar in a double boiler and boil to 82˚C 2. Add one pack of gelatin soaked in cold water to 1 and mix 3. Mix 60 grams of whipped cream with 1 and 2 Wild Strawberry Jello 1. Boil 200g wild strawberry purée, 20g sugar, and one squeezed lemon 2. After mixing 1 and 2 with 1 pack of gelatin soaked in cold water, spread flat and let cool Wild Strawberry Jello (Garnish) 1. Boil 40g wild strawberry purée and 10g sugar 2. Mix 1 with one pack of gelatin soaked in cold water 3. Mix 60 grams of white chocolate with 1 and 2

1. Pour the wild strawberry mousse in a jelly roll pan and fill the pan with the wild strawberry jelly and dacquoise noisette au citron 2. After adding the biscuit joconde to the bottom, place in the freezer for 24 hours 3. After removing it from the pan, boil the garnish to 40˚ C and finish by pouring it on the wild strawberry jelly 4. Garnish with wild strawberry macaroons

10 Questions

Global COO of Korea’s Largest Ad Agency, Cheil Worldwide

Bruce Haines Interview by David Carruth, Shots by Ethan James

1. How does a Londoner end up at the top of a Korean communications firm?

As long as I can remember, I’ve always been interested in communication. Even as a student in the UK, I was involved with school papers and the student council, and after I graduated, I got a job with advertising in London and stayed in that market for a number of years. In fact, I first got to know Samsung through the account that I was handling in London.

My first visit to Korea took place in 1990 while I was working on an account for Hyundai Motors. At the time, I don’t think I would have been willing to move to Korea, but fortunately Korea has changed quite a bit since then. Early in 2008, Cheil Worldwide approached me about coming to Korea. At first, I hesitated and wondered whether I could take the job without leaving my London office. In fact, it was my wife who made the final decision. With our kids grown up and my wife ready for an adventure, it turned out to be the right timing for the move, so I took the job.

2. Tell us about your first 18 months here in Korea.

Actually, they’ve been a complete roller coaster. I generally divide my experience so far into two parts, cultural and business. Before I came, I thought that it would be a lot harder for me to adjust culturally than professionally, but in fact things have not gone quite as expected. My wife and I have taken to life here like ducks to water, but adjusting to business culture turned out to be a bit more difficult.

3. What are some of the biggest obstacles you’ve encountered while doing business in Korea?

To begin with, it’s a little confusing. On the surface, business structure appears to be the same here as in the UK. However, once you go below the surface, you realize that so many of the business fundamentals that you tend to take for granted, such as the role of the human resources and financial divisions, are quite different. For example, communications firms in England are built around the creative department, but in Korea, account management is more central.

4. How does a typical ad campaign come to be?

First, of course, there must be the product to be marketed, a new mobile phone, for example. Next, the client sends us a brief containing technical information on the product, comparisons with competing products, and directions about the markets the client wants to target. With the brief in hand, we develop a creative strategy for the product, which we then pitch to the client.

Assuming somewhat optimistically that the client approves our proposal, we move on to production. We generally outsource technically demanding work like photography and filming to firms that specialize in it. Finally, we place the finished advertising content on TV, in the media, online, and in other places.

5. Can you explain your approach to using the Internet in marketing?

The internet is absolutely vital to a successful marketing strategy, but you’ve got to use common sense. To take an easy example, think about getting a new camera. How do you decide what product you are going to buy? Most people today go to the internet to find information and reviews about the product they’re thinking about purchasing. Basically, the internet has become the point of decision in the buying process even if the point of purchase remains an actual store. It’s crucial to cement the potential customer’s relationship with the brand while they’re online.

6. What is one current project that Cheil Communication is working on?

Samsung has an exciting new product that we’re handling right now. They’re already the world leader in TV manufacturing, and now they’ve released the PAVV LED TV. It’s just an outstanding product, as thin as a finger! We’re working on the next stage of the global ad campaign right now and you’ll see a lot of ads in the Korean market as well.

7. Who are some of your major clients?

Our clients include KT, Amore Pacific, Dongseo Foods, Pernod Ricard, and TESCO, but 45% of our projects come directly from various divisions within Samsung. In fact Cheil began as Samsung’s in-house communications firm, though we’ve since become more autonomous. It’s very common in Korea for chaebols (business conglomerates) to manage their own communication firm.

8. What’s one big difference between advertising in Korea and the UK? Celebrity endorsement—a huge proportion of Korean ads depend on famous people.

Of course, it’s not uncommon in the West for stars to endorse a product, but generally the ad has a core idea and makes use of the celebrity endorsement to enhance the original concept. Not so in Korea. In its crudest form, Korean advertising degenerates to beautiful people holding a bottle. This is one of the things holding back the reputation of Korean advertising worldwide.

9. Is there anything that irritates you about life in Korea?

The most annoying thing is the free-for-all on the roads in Seoul. The traffic situation has got to improve, and it will start when drivers realize that red lights are not just advisory.

I would also love to see Korea start feeling more confident about itself. Seoul is an extremely safe city, yet I still see dozens of buses full of riot police lined up whenever I go downtown. If there was one thing I could change about Seoul, it would be to get rid of all of those police buses.

10. What’s something you absolutely love about your life in Korea?

My wife and I got lucky. We live up in Gahwae-dong near Samcheong-dong. It’s a great location with a really friendly local community, and I wouldn’t change that for anything.

10 Magazine December 2009 | 23

ASIAN TRAVEL

The Philippines: Earthly Paradise Words by Aaron Allison *

* *

M

y first visit to the Philippines was 10 years ago, but I remember it like it was yesterday. My friends and I spent New Year’s Eve on a little beach south of Manila. It was one of the most memorable trips of my short traveling career. Now, nearly 25 trips later, there is still an excitement about arriving there that never fades.

The Philippines does that to you. It’s an ideal destination for any type of vacation, no matter how long you have. All you have to decide is how much you want to experience and how much time (and money) you have to spend.

MANILA will forever conjure up images of old concrete buildings, streets clogged with jeepneys, and packs of children running amok in search of wealthy tourists. A walk through many areas of Manila will provide you with these dreary stock images of a Southeast Asian city. But despite this impression, there is much to discover in Manila.

Although Manila has developed

into a modern city, the remains of its heartbreaking past are still visible. The Spanish conquered the Philippines in the mid-16th century, ruling for over 350 years. A walk through Fort Santiago at Intramuros is a step into that time.

The 20th century brought with it war, occupation, liberation, dictatorship, and the storied “People Power.” The Ermita district of Manila provided the backdrop for much of this, along

with Rizal Park, Manila Bay and San Augustin Church. Get another taste of that history at Solidaridad Book Store, a little independent shop founded by nationally-renowned author F. Sionil Jose in 1965, stocked with rare Asian titles. In a country that has been through so much, the people simply smile with their sense of bahala na (this too will pass).

After dark, Ermita is the place to let loose. The Hobbit House is a Manila institution. Stop in for a drink and say hi to the affable pintsized servers. Bar hopping along Adriatico St. and Remedios Circle is an adventure. If you are looking for something more upscale, the shine of Makati’s new entertainment complexes and shopping malls would probably be more to your liking. The Ayala area of Makati is as cosmopolitan as anything you will find in Asia. The Greenbelt complexes and Glorietta Mall are tourist destinations unto themselves.

The boat trip to Corregidor Island, located just on the edge of Manila Bay, is justly popular with tourists.

The island was originally used by Spanish armies and later occupied by both Japanese and American forces during WWII. Today, on a tour of the island, you can see monuments, war museums, and military remnants from these times.

HEAD NORTH

T

he main island of Luzon offers enough attractions for an entire vacation. There are side trips, island getaways, and scenic marvels to occupy travelers for weeks. But for the time-strapped traveler, there are a few must-sees. Those heading out of Manila often make Baguio their first destination, as it is a jumping off point for trips around Luzon. Travelers can fly in or take a bus up. On the way north, just past the end of the super highway, you can stop at Mount Pinatubo to see the crater, which holds a lake and is surrounded by hiking trails. Once you’ve arrived in 24 | 10 Magazine December 2009

Baguio, simply follow the Cordillera mountain range further up the perilous highways to the towns of Banaue and Batad.

A view of the rice terraces of the Ifugao tribe will definitely give you your first “wow” moment. Continuing towards the west coast, travelers will arrive in Sagada, an old hippie hangout and great place to do some caving. To the north, just off the coast, is tiny Vigan, once a city of genteel Filipino patriots, which was heavily influenced by Spanish culture.

Stay in a restored Hispanic-Filipino mansion and enjoy the regal ambiance.

HEAD SOUTH

F

or a short taste of island life, the island of Mindoro, just three hours south of Manila, is a great option.

Fun in the tropics could sound something like this: start the day with a morning scuba dive in reefs near Sabang Beach, take an early afternoon motorcycle trip and finish with a sailboat trip around Puerto Galera. On the way back to Manila, hiking enthusiasts won’t want to miss the town of Tagaytay and Lake Taal. For hikers, the walks and trails around Lake Taal are nothing short of breathtaking.

Photographers may not want to leave the cloud-filled craters.

Often, the least accessible attraction is the one most worth seeking out. This is certainly true for the hard-to-reach town of Donsol in southeastern Luzon. To snorkel with a school of whale sharks cruising beneath you is a once-in-a-lifetime event.

The best time to see them, however, is from February to May. THE VISAYAS are the group of islands south of Luzon.

Linguistically and culturally distinct, the Visayas constitute a country within a country. For island-hoppers, the Visayas offer

ASIAN TRAVEL

limitless opportunities for sun and adventure. The starting point is a flight into Cebu. Cebu City has tried to become more upscale without turning its back on the backpacker crowd. If your budget allows, dozens of golf courses, beach resorts, and full service day tours are available to you here. Otherwise, if you are looking for a peaceful hideaway, then there are two you can seek out, both within three hours of Cebu City. The first is the island Malapascua, located off the north tip of Cebu Island.

If it’s quiet time you seek, you’ll find it here, where diving and sunbathing take up most of the day. The second hideaway is Moalboal, located along the western coast of Cebu Island.

Pescador Island, off the shores of Moalboal, has some of Cebu’s best diving, while Panagsama Beach, just south of town, is the local sunbathing hangout.

The island of Negros is a short boat trip west from Cebu.

Dumaguete, the island’s southern capital, is a charming city, but the real attraction is just ten kilometers east. There you can find Apo Island, a marine sanctuary offering divers unspoiled coral and vibrant fish life. If you dive only once on your trip, dive here!

The island of Bohol is located east of Cebu. Bohol isn’t just diving and beaches, although Alona Beach, located on 26 | 10 Magazine December 2009

the southern end of Bohol, is certainly one of the nicest in the Philippines. The Chocolate Hills are the local attraction and offer visitors the consummate Philippine postcard moment.

Bohol is also home to the cuddly, fit-in-your-hand Tarsier monkey, which can be viewed at the Tarsier Protection/ Visitors Center.

Still in the Visayas, to the north of Panay lies an island which needs little introduction. Simply hearing the name “Boracay” almost brings with it a sense of excitement. Indeed, here you can find the biggest and brashest of all Philippine beaches.

MINDANAO has been dealt the worst hand when it comes to publicity. But turn off the news and give a traveler a chance to describe the island and you might hear the words “unspoiled island playground.” The northern edge of the island features zip-lining and whitewater rafting at Cagayan d’Oro. The island of Siargao has quickly become a world-class surfing area with scuba diving and caving available as well. Driving through the center of Mindanao on your way to Davao you can see one of the greenest landscapes on earth. Once in Davao, travelers can enjoy the comforts of the city. Take the ferry across to Samal Island and hang out at one of the resorts for the day. Davao’s seafood matches any you will find in the Philippines. The

Muslim Fish Market is a rustic collection of old eateries that serve up a feast of tuna and Lapu-Lapu.

For outdoor enthusiasts, PALAWAN is as good as it gets.

Jungle-trekking, wreck-diving, and snorkeling are only a few of the things travelers can enjoy. The northern island of Coron is home to several WWII-era Japanese wrecks, most of which can be explored. On the main island of Palawan are the caves of the Subterranean River National Park, the natural treasure of the Philippines.

Transportation Tips When it comes to transportation in the Philippines, you have to take the good with the bad. Convenience and speed are often at a premium. But here are some helpful hints for getting around.

•

Book early and get on e-mail lists: budget airlines like Cebu Pacific, SE Air, Air Philippines and Philippine Airlines offer frequent seat sales for domestic and international travel.

•

Learn the ferry schedules and look for specials: start with www.superferry.com.ph

•

Take advantage of private vans if you are traveling in a group, but negotiate the price first. Ask around about a reasonable price.

•

Take metered taxis or else negotiate the price right away.

Most trips around Manila won’t cost any more than $3.

The Philippines Online: Top 10 Websites 1.

Filipino Travel Center: filipinotravel.com.ph

2.

Backpacking the Philippines and Asia: backpackingphilippines.com

A great all-in-one travel agency once you are in the Philippines. Tours, packages, and hotels can all be booked from this one site.

For the traveler on a budget, this site has all sorts of deals, packages and discounts.

3.

Lonely Planet’s Philippines Travel Guide: lonelyplanet.com/philippines

“I don’t care if I lose my passport, as long as I still have my Lonely Planet!” – Anonymous 4.

Agoda: agoda.com

A great website for deals on mid-high range hotels in Asia 5.

Boracay: boracay.com

All you need to know about the Philippines most popular beach.

6.

Facebook: facebook.com

The Scuba Manila group is an excellent page dedicated to scuba diving without the commercial sales pitches of most websites.

7.

Philippines Insider: philippinesinsider.com

8.

WannaSurf: wannasurf.com

9.

Makati Night Life: makatinightlife.com

A comprehensive look at traveling and living in the Philippines.

For surfers of all levels, this site is a good place to start. Just follow the map to find information on the Philippines.

If you are staying in Makati, this site is invaluable. Lists include bars, restaurants, hotels and the local music scene, plus good maps.

10. Trip Advisor: tripadvisor.com

One of many sites with the accumulated knowledge of travelers. There are hundreds of useful little tidbits to make your trip more enjoyable.

Edited by David Carruth and Dami Kang

+ = subject to 10% VAT, ++ = subject to 10% VAT and 10% service charge

Winter Kitchen

Winter Memory Package

W Seoul Walkerhill

JW Marriott Seoul

This package includes one night stay at a Wonderful Room with view of Mt. A-Cha and offers buffet style breakfast for two. Also you can choose a special course dinner for two from the homestyle cuisine restaurant Kitchen or the contemporary Japanese restaurant Namu. You’ll also get a W Celebration cake delivered directly to your room. There’s also a 10% discount on treatment at Away Spa and a “Rouge Unlimited Crystal Shine,” lipstick

by Shu Uemura. Starts at W390,000++ and varies by room availability. wseoul@whotels.com, 02-2022-0000

Anytime after check-in at 4 pm, you and your favorite companion can grab a free take-out Americano or hot chocolate at the Lobby Lounge or Deli Shop and visit our gym featuring mountain fresh air, state-of-the-art equipment and a 25-meter pool. For fun further out, use the two complimentary Cinus movie tickets and see a show in the adjoining Central City complex and take advantage of the Yongpyong Ski Resort coupon book that comes with your room. W185,000++. For W40,000, breakfast for two at the Marriott Café is also available.

Dates on or near Christmas and the New Year holidays are regrettably unavailable. 02-6282-6262

Christmas Dinner Renaissance’s Manhattan Grill Renaissance’s traditional steakhouse, Manhattan Grill, will be offering a special Christmas set menu for both Christmas Eve and Christmas day. There are both 5 and 7-course options available, which include dishes like crab topped asparagus chowder and of course a nice Australian wagyu filet mignon. 5-course is W85,000++ and the 7-course is W138,000++. Reservations required. 02-2222-8637

Christmas Packages the Ritz-Carlton, Seoul The Girls Holiday Night Package includes an ample supply of finger foods, including party club sandwiches, sausage, salad, salmon and fresh fruits for up to four to enjoy along with admission for three to The RitzCarlton Hotel Club Eden, one of the trendiest clubs in Seoul. For a more romantic evening enjoy the Holiday Miracle Package and partake in a romantic fivecourse dinner in your room with that special someone and enjoy a complimentary movie viewing. Both packages include pool and fitness club access and are available from December 14th – 30th.

Prices start at W290,000++. ritzcarltonseoul.com, 02-3451-8114 28 | 10 Magazine December 2009

Christmas Celebrations Millennium Seoul Hilton The Millennium Seoul Hilton has placed a grand 10-meter Christmas Tree in the center of the main lobby through January 17th to welcome guests and warm people’s hearts with Christmas cheer. In the lower lobby, designers and engineers recreate a miniature village in the Alps, complete with snowcapped mountains, tunnels, wooden bridges and hot air balloons. The highlight, of course, for both children and adults who are young at heart, is the Christmas Train, a collection of over 120 exquisitely handcrafted locomotives and railroad cars that will chug their way through the little village. All proceeds from advertisements on the railroad cars are then distributed to Hyeshimwon Orphanage. Santa Claus will be making a special appearance in the hotel lobby every weekend from November 22nd to December 25th at lunchtime (noon – 2 pm) and dinnertime (6 pm – 8 pm) as well as on December 24th (Christmas Eve) from 6 pm to 8 pm. 02-317-3012

Now Open in Gangnam: Serviced Residence Artnouveau City II

Relaxing, impressive, unforgettable Artnouveau City offers comfortable accomodations carefully tailored to the needs of each client with luxurious design and convenient facilities.

Enjoy the convenience of life in the best location for traffic, shopping, entertainment and business.

Gangnam Artnouveau City II 1330-4 Seocho-Dong Seocho-Gu Seoul Korea, 137-070 Tel. 82.2.580.7500 Fax. 82.2.580.7511 www.ancsr.com

Edited by David Carruth and Dami Kang

+ = subject to 10% VAT, ++ = subject to 10% VAT and 10% service charge

Christmas Package & 2010 Sunrise Package

Seascapes Christmas Dinner Buffet

Seacloud Hotel Busan

Novotel Ambassador Busan’s premium buffet restaurant Seascapes invites you to enjoy tasty seasonal cuisine with spectacular Christmas decorations. A Christmas dinner buffet is available from Dec 21st to 31st presenting nicely roasted turkey stuffed with various condiments, cranberry sauce and giblet gravy, top quality roasted beef and ham with pineapple sauce. In addition, you can enjoy a variety of cold dishes such as smoked salmon and tuna, cold meat platter, king crab, sea scallops and various Korean and Japanese traditional dishes. Don’t miss the mouth-watering dessert section of assorted Christmas cookies, opera cake, American pumpkin pie, marble cheese cake with cherries, rice cake, punches and fruits. Christmas dinner buffet is available at W51,000.

051-746-8265

Experience Busan’s Haeundae Beach with the Seacloud’s holiday packages. The Christmas Package includes a wine buffet dinner for two, while with the 2010 package you and that special someone can enjoy a New Year’s Eve wine buffet dinner and the first sunrise of 2010 on the hotel roof. Both packages include breakfast for two and discount coupons for the Busan Aquarium, Busan Aquarium 3D Rider and Tiffany 21 cruise. Each package is W260,000+ for a superior half-ocean view, with additional charge for New Year’s Eve of W100,000. seacloudhotel.com, 051-933-1000

Novotel Ambassador Busan

Festive Package Novotel Daegu City Center Enjoy a warm and romantic Christmas in a room full of Christmas cheer with your family or lover. Packages includes accommodation in a Superior Room with balloons and a Christmas tree, a bottle of red wine and the cake of the day, free access to the fitness center, 50% discount on the sauna, and complimentary internet. Make unforgettable memories with a terrific city view of Daegu.

W259,000+. Reservations must be made at least 2 days in advance. For families, accommodation and breakfast are free for two children under 16 years old sharing a room with their parents or 50% for a separate room for the children. reservation@novoteldaegu.com, 053-664-1111

Christmas Gift Sets COEX InterContinental Hotel Seoul

China Exhibition and Winter Package Hilton Golf & Spa Resort, Namhae Hilton Namhae has been named Korea’s leading resort 3 years running by the 2009 World Travel Awards. To celebrate, they will be holding a lovely china and porcelain exhibition and offering a special winter package providing a 50% discount from the 2nd night’s stay on – the longer you stay the more you save! 055-860-0100 30 | 10 Magazine December 2009

Get the perfect present for anyone on your gift list with a gourmet gift set from the kitchens of the InterContinental Hotels. Traditions of home like Italian Panettone and British minced pies are available along with an assortment of holiday cakes and sweets. With terrific Christmas turkey and ham available as well, you may want to keep some of these gifts for yourself! Grand InterContinental Kitchen Deli: 02-559-7653, COEX InterContinental Deli Bon Bon: 02-3430-8660

NIGHTLIFE

Dulce Y Suave Wine Bar Review

Words by Joshua Hall

“Dulce Y Suave” means “sweet and smooth,” and this wine bar is certainly both. The interior is warm and inviting.

Red brick walls and dark wood tables are lit by the golden light of chandeliers and candles. It’s cozy without feeling outdated. There’s also a small garden courtyard at the back and a patio in the front, great for drinking chilled chardonnay when it’s warm once again.

The wine menu here is extensive with a great selection of wines from around the world. Cheaper wines starting at

W49,000 a bottle are listed first. All the wines are reasonably priced with a lot of good wines going for W80,000 a bottle.

Dulce Y Suave does volume rather than rare vintage wines, so make sure you check the vintage of the wine when it’s presented to you. What they have in stock is usually a different vintage from what’s on the menu. If you need them to recommend a wine be sure to ask one of the managers. The table staff are lacking in wine knowledge and skills and have even missed a corked wine on occasion. Don’t expect the same level of service you could find somewhere more up market. What you get here is exceptionally good value for money and a great atmosphere.

One of the lovely things about Dulce Y Suave is the cheese. A small cheese and salami platter is complimentary and unlimited.

If you’re feeling hungry, light pastas and salads are also on the menu. The garlic spaghetti is fantastic. We had a cheese and fruit platter to cleanse the palate

before the wine.

A good wine to drink at Dulce Y Suave is Jorio, an Italian red wine produced from 100% Montepulciano grapes in the Abruzzo region. There were smooth plums on the palate backed up with enough earthiness and tannins to keep the wine balanced.

Ripe liquorice and a little saltiness made this wine even more interesting.

The fruit reminded me of black forest ice cream I had as a child: vanilla ice cream, raspberries, blackberries and boysenberries in a cone. Jorio is a great value at W55,000 a bottle.

Dulce Y Suave is always packed with young and fashionable people, but you can usually find a single table.

It’s best to book if you have more than four people in your group. It’s on a street behind Garosu-gil close to Sinsa Station (line 3). Open every day from 5 pm to 3 am. club.cyworld.com/dulceysuave, 02-515-6750

Wine Connoisseurs Rejoice!

In Vino Veritas Words by Curtis Lee, Shots courtesy of In Vino Veritas

F

ine wine lovers, here is your chance to enjoy the finest wines the world has to offer here in Korea, along with great company and networking opportunities to match. In Vino Veritas is perhaps Korea’s first wine club ever, having been established in 1996. Started by the “father of Korean wine”, Sunju Lee, who started some of Korea’s first wineries, In Vino Veritas is the only wine club in Korea registered with the International Sommelier’s Association.

Meetings are conducted primarily in English, with a sprinkling of Korean just to make sure everyone understands exactly how things are working. They generally take place on 32 | 10 Magazine December 2009

the second Tuesday of every month at one of Seoul’s finer hotels, with interesting education and presentations on fine wines along with plenty of delicious wine tastings - of course paired with exquisitely prepared cuisine.

Gatherings also include entertaining challenges such as trying to guess the country and region of wines in blind taste tests and fun quizzes on all things wine. Members come from all walks of life, from CEOs and businessmen to professors and designers. It’s a great eclectic group of people who all come together to enjoy the truth that is found in wine – or the truth that you tell when you’re drunk, depending on how you choose to translate their namesake from Latin.

To find out what sorts of activities In Vino Veritas is planning this month and in future months, check out their website at ivvkorea.org.

NIGHTLIFE

Happy Hour Bliss COEX InterContinental Seoul

Words by Carmen Simmons and Vincent Walker, Shot courtesy of COEX InterContinetal Seoul

I

Freebird

Keeps the Indie Ethic Alive in a Pop Metropolis

Words by Daniel Lenaghan, Shots by Erika Lippert

O

n Halloween night, Freebird is loud, dark, and crowded in that surreal manner that only a space punctuated with the glow of stage lights can be. Colors reflect off ceiling-strung streamers exaggerating the already outlandish costumes present. A miasma of noise and smoke pours out of the second-floor entry onto those ascending the candle-lit stairwell in a nondescript building tucked into a side alley off of Hongdae’s club streets. Among those there are a blue-painted Kali, a fully uniformed quartet posing as Devo, and a mass of bloody zombies and ghouls. Inside the club it’s crowded, smoky, but as the music rises the sounds of the instruments are tonally rich and well defined, the vocals clear and resonant. Bands speak of Freebird as a perennial favorite due to its cozy size and sound quality, though I have to exit to talk to the performers between their sets as the volume inside the club makes it hard to hear.

The first act, The Moon, performs an initially acoustic set driven by the urgent vocals of Jason the hairy-legged witch and founded on the melodic bass of head wound victim Ross. Jake, the band’s drummer and the club’s lone chevalier tonight, joins the others, along with a convincing Mark David Chapman on backup guitar for the remainder of the set, pushing their amps to eleven and merging earnestness with a fun-loving DIY recklessness. I sank a bit to hear about the group’s impending demise.

They’ve evolved since their inception, fusing simple (even simplistic) noisy rock with pop melodies, making their music easy to enjoy and easy to move to.

The highlight of the evening was Seoul’s own On Sparrow Hills.

Evoking the likes of Arcade Fire and Broken Social Scene, OSH comprises a mini-orchestra of three guitarists (one of whom sings), a bassist, keyboardist, drummer, and an ecstatically-dancing supplemental percussionist who accentuates the band’s lush electronic texture with tambourine strikes and tom flams. OSH’s well-rehearsed repertoire suggests they aim to carve out a more particular niche for themselves and fans tired of the genre rehash bands all-too-common at Hongdae’s live venues. I applaud OSH’s attitude for being as distant as possible from the comfortable nostalgia which cover bands tend to rely upon for their acceptance.

For more information The Moon: myspace.com/wiretothemoon (new album upcoming) On Sparrow Hills: myspace.com/onsparrowhills Club Freebird: cafe.naver.com/clubfreebird, 02-335-4576

34 | 10 Magazine December 2009

f you’re looking for a relaxing, friendly atmosphere where you can enjoy the comforts of happy hour, you need to check out the COEX InterContinental Seoul Hotel.

Connected to the vast underground COEX Mall, the hotel is walking distance from Samsung St. (line 2, ex. 6). Our friends Forrest and Tracy, who seem to know all the cool places, took us there on Friday after work.

You don’t need to look for a separate bar since the happy hour is hosted right inside the hotel lobby, an airy space with a soaring ceiling. When you walk in you’ll hear the smooth sounds of a pianist with a relaxing, inviting voice. If you want something a little more lively and up-tempo, something you can bounce to, this is not it. She sings a wide range of old pop songs and adds a Korean flare from time to time.

Once you’re there, it’s really hard to leave. For W23,000, they offer a full buffet menu that consists of a variety of hot and cold dishes and all you can drink from a selected wine list. Buffet winners were a nice asparagus salad, chicken wings, sautéed fish, and crispy bread sticks. The food menu changes daily to keep the regulars guessing.

The open wine bar is what makes this spot special and gives it a value that’s hard to beat. The drink selection includes three red wines, two white wines, sparkling wine, rice wine, soju and Sangria.

We tried the Merlot, Cabernet, Chardonnay, and Sangria. In fact, it’s hard not to try them all. The wines are set up in a small hallway between the lobby seating area and the bar with around six self-serve tables full of wine that the staff keep replenishing. Gentlemen, always remember to ask your lady what she would like when you go get your glass!

Happy hour is Monday through Saturday from 6 pm to 9 pm, with a seating capacity of 150. Friday and Saturday are the busiest evenings, so if your group is eight or more consider contacting Belle Lee at 02-3430-8603 to make a reservation.

Modern Time Brewmeister/Owner Boris Demesones

Words by Andray Abrahamian,

with additional research by Kwon Yeong-min

The Beer Necessities

Craft Beer in Korea

K

orea is something of a beer desert, but oases are starting to appear.

Beer has undergone a renaissance in the last 20 years or so. However, ever since ancient Egyptians discovered how to control fermentation to make booze, wine has been for the wealthy, beer for the masses. Quality in beer has never been sought after, as it has with wine. What was important was that it was cheap, got you drunk and, more recently, gave you the impression that you’d have bikini-clad women flock to your side while your bros backslap and guffah in congratulations on how manly and awesome life is. Indeed, for most of the latter 20th century, aggressive marketing by huge beverage corporations combined with our inability to remember that what we eat and drink shouldn’t be industrially produced has meant that for most of the planet, having a beer means a glass of fizzy, off-yellow, tasteless, mixedgrain pee. Perhaps nowhere is that more true than in South Korea, where the mass produced lagers are about as bland as beer can be.

Shot by Brian Miller

Korea’s awkward relationship with beer can be traced back, like so much of its difficult transition to modernity, to the Japanese. Japanese colonizers brought their newfound taste for beer with them, but only local elites (read: collaborators) had the chance to share this new and interesting beverage. The Japanese big three set up breweries here, and then after liberation their breweries were doled out to newly-founded Korean companies OB, Cass and Jinro-Coors. The war came and quality suffered in the years of hardships that followed. Consumption, however, continued to increase as locals found a taste for the carbonated beverage. By the time Lee Hyori released her comeback album in 2008, more beer was sold than

all other Korean alcoholic beverages combined.

Beer has become big business here and is dominated by two well-connected and influential companies, Hite and OB (which owns the Cass brand, swallowing up Jinro-Coors during the 1997 financial crisis). The bad news is that these companies have been overly protected by the government, allowing them to vomit 10 Magazine December 2009 | 37

out inferior product for over half a century. The good news we'll get to in a minute.

The first dam holding back good beer is a whopping 30% import tariff. (To put that in perspective, the US has a 1% tariff on imported beer, the EU, China and Australia have none.) This has prevented all but the biggest foreign brands from having a crack at the local market and turns relatively decent, though not amazing, quality beers such as Hoegaarden and Guinness into Platinum something of a luxury item. Fortunately, the recently inked EU-Korea Free Trade Agreement includes beer and beer ingredients such as malts and becomes effective as soon as it is ratified. This trade deal doesn't face some of the hurdles that the US-Korea FTA faces, so it is expected to pass in early 2010. Automatically, beer from Belgium, Germany and the UK will be cheaper and easier to import, thus developing local interest and taste buds.

The second dam holding back the flow of quality beer onto our tables and into our bellies has been restrictions on microbrewing. To get a brewing license you have to brew an impossible 3,000 kiloliters of beer annually. No homebrewing, no brewpubs… nothing small scale. Japan had roughly the same Praha heavily restricted situation until 1994, when

the government removed almost all the restrictions on quantity. It is now home to one of the most lively craft brewing scenes in the world. (Try to get your hands on Hitachino Nest next time you’re there for a visa run or weekend break.)

In 2002, under pressure from the tourist industry and in anticipation of the World Cup, some restrictions were lifted. Small breweries with restaurants were allowed to operate and German brewmasters were brought in en masse to train locals in the art of brewing. Korean craft brewing was born in the curiously named O’Kim’s at COEX in Gangnam.

Hundreds of mostly German-style beer halls quickly popped up all over the peninsula, though stand-alone breweries were still not allowed and off-site sales (Continued on page 39)

Seoul: Gangnam Station, Itaewon, Hongdae This brewery is a Czechthemed place with a handful of locations around Seoul. A slight deviation from the Germanic brewpubs you usually find, the food menu is a bit more Bohemian and the beers more Czech-inspired, including a tasty Euro-dark lager style called Granat. It is also the only place to find Primator, an excellent Czech pilsner, in bottles. castlepraha.co.kr, Gangnam 02-596-9200, Hongdae 02-334-2121, Itaewon 02-3785-2181

Castle Praha

Busan: Oncheonjang Station (one stop from Busan University) A good example of a brewery that has remained largely faithful to the ingredients and methods that were brought in by German brewers, keeping the quality quite high and the styles true to their German lineage.

They brew decent if unadventurous versions of Pilsner, Weizen and Dunkels. This one, however, is attached to one of the best saunas in Korea. Less than W8,000 gets you a soak in dozens of pools, steam rooms and saunas (cherry or sandalwood bath, anyone?). Have a beer after the sauna, not the other way round. hotelnongshim.com, 051-550-2100

Nongshim Hotel Brauhaus

38 | 10 Magazine December 2009

and bottling remained prohibited. Compounding this cautious approach by the government were high tariffs on malts and hops, which still keep the prices high on the end product.

Still reluctant to relax on its chokehold on brewing, the government finally legalized bottling beer last year, but only for on-site sales. This law came into effect a few weeks before the global financial meltdown, and no one was in the mood to experiment with expensive new bottling equipment or untested markets. Ill-timing, but still, if you want, now you can take a PET bottle into a microbrewery and get it filled to take home to drink while watching your favorite KBL (Korean Basketball League) team on TV. The Korean Microbrewing Association is working with the government towards bottling and distribution in 2010, which is the game changer brewers and beer fans have been waiting for these six long years. This will certainly bring an explosion in choice, increased competition, and ultimately, better beer.

Okay, fine, but you can't drink hope for the future. It's rarely hoppy enough, for one thing. How to satisfy today's thirst? Seek out one of these brewpubs that are fighting through the web of restrictions and regulations to brew. With tough economic times causing a rash of brewpub closures in the last twelve months (perhaps over 50 nationwide, according to a member of the Korean Microbrewer's Association), you can get merry and warm this winter while supporting local beer at the same time.

Bauhaus

Daegu: Dunsan-Dong A good example of one of the (far too) many brewpubs that have apparently dumbed down the recipes that were imported in the early 2000s. The beers here are all a bit watery and thin, coming second, apparently, to the experience of dining in a booming, cavernous German beer hall. That said, the buffet dinner includes all you can drink beer, so one can easily get one's money's worth if hungry and thirsty. ariana.co.kr, 053-765-7776

Ariana Hotel

Seoul: Apgujeong The only brewpub in Korea that brews styles from all of Europe's beer nations. This includes styles you can't find brewed elsewhere in Korea, such as an English brown ale and Belgian witbier. They also have a beer buffet that is a good deal. platinumbeer.com, 02-466-6004

Platinum

Seoul/Sangchon: Miasamgori (blue line 4), Sangchon (the sticks) Ka-brew is the company that imports Alley Kat's wonderful North American pale ale from Edmonton. We have the government restrictions to thank for this one: the owner, Park Chul, frustrated by being forbidden to distribute and sell his own brews, went to Canada in 2005 and brought back this lovely beer, which is now available in foreigner-oriented bars all over the peninsula. Ka-brew, the brewpub, is the culmination of Park's longtime desire to make and sell his own beer. In addition to Platinum the brewpub, he has a facility in Gyeonggi province, where he not only brews but hosts corporate and group events. He and his brewing partner Michael Berry are very forward-looking, with plans to expand the line of beers they brew and bottle when legislation allows. kapa.co.kr 02-918-4082

Ka-Brew

Ariana Hotel

Ka-brew

Jeju: Grand Hotel Sageori, City Hall The brewmaster at Modern Time, Boris De Mesones, is almost certainly the brewer with the most education and experience in Korea, and it shows through in what are probably the best beers in the country. His outstanding chocolate stout and bright pale ale (laced with citrusy, fragrant North American hops) are not to be missed, as well as his crisp, experimental unmalted Jeju-grown barley ale. Beer lovers would do well to plan weekend trips to Jeju around this place, which wraps you up like a warm, beery blanket after a day walking the beach or hiking Mt. Halla.

Somewhat Korean hof-like in atmosphere, Modern Time has been successful enough to have spawned a second location by City Hall, one that Boris plans on infusing with more of his Spanish/German heritage, including a tapas menu and a broader selection of beers. 064-748-4180

Modern Time

The Sortino Family Welcomes You to Korea's First Italian Family-owned Cafe, Deli, Pastry Shop and Wine Bar!

W

e're a long way from beer meccas like Portland or Brussels, where to avoid good beer you have to lock yourself in the basement of a Jehovah's Witness church, but even in Korea, with a little effort you can find that unique satisfaction that only comes with a quality brew. And with the EU FTA and bottling-law change on the horizon, things are only looking up. Konbae!

10 Magazine December 2009 | 41

02-790-5907

NEWCOMER Directory (all English accessible contacts) Hotlines Emergency Police Directory Assistance Medical Information Center (This is a 24-hour, nationwide hospital information service available in English, Korean, Chinese and Japanese)

119 112 114 1339

Foreigner Assistance/Translation BBB 24-hour Language Assistance KTO Tourism 24-hr Infoline Korea Immigration Korean Customs Seoul Dasan (City Info)

1588-5644 1330 immigration.go.kr, 1345 customs.go.kr, 1577-8577 02-120

Transportation Domestic Airlines Asiana Busan Air Jeju Air Korean Air

flyasiana.com, 1588-8000 flyairbusan.com, 1588-8009 jejuair.net, 1599-1500 koreanair.com, 1588-2001

Intercity Express Bus Korea Railroad Corp.

Seoul Interactive Subway Map

kobus.co.kr, 1588-6900 korail.com, 1544-7788 smrt.co.kr

Taxi Mobeom Taxi Service Nationwide 1588-2255 (The nationwide “black taxi” number will put you in touch with a driver who speaks English, but these taxis cost about twice as much as taxis from the rest of the color spectrum.)

Otherwise call 1330 for regular taxis in your area.

Investment Assistance KOTRA Invest Korea

kotra.or.kr, 02-3460-7114 investkorea.org, 02-3460-7545 Korean Banks

(The following are the only banks that offer English online banking and international debit cards.)

Korea Exchange Bank (KEB - 외환은행) keb.co.kr, 02-729-0114 SC First Bank (SC 제일은행) scfirstbank.com, 02-3702-3114 Major Foreign Banks American Express americanexpress.co.kr, 02-2000-8100 Australia & New Zealand Banking Group 02-3700-3100 China Construction Bank ccbseoul.com, 02-6730-1718 Citibank citibank.co.kr, 02-3455-2114 Deutsche Bank 02-724-4500 Bank of America 02-2202-4500 Bank of China

02-399-0368 BNP Paribas

bnpparibas.co.kr, 02-317-1700 HSBC

02-311-0060 (Websites shown are specifically for the Korean branches of displayed foreign banks.)

Got an idea for info that should be added to our Newcomer Directory ?

Send it to comments@10magazine.asia 42 | 10 Magazine December 2009

NATIONWIDE

44

SEOUL

48

GYEONGGI PROVINCE

62

GaNGwon PROVINCE

64

CHUNGCHEONG PROVINCE

65

GYEONGSANG PROVINCE

66

JEOLLA PROVINCE

70

JEJU ISLAND

71

NETWORKING CALENDAR

73

The Nutcracker by The National Ballet Troupe p.49

NATIONWIDE CALENDAR New York, I Love You

NATIONWIDE

Movies

by Frances Darwin

New York I Love You Directed by: Natalie Portman, Jiang Wen, Mira Nair, Shunji Iwai, Yvan Attal, Brett Ratner, Allen Hughes, Shekhar Kapur, Fatih Akin, Joshua Marston and Randy Balsmeyer

T

his omnibus lured adults of all ages by billing 30 famous actors, including Blake Lively (Gossip Girls) for the teenagers, Eli Wallach (The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly) for the grandparents, and Natalie Portman for everyone in between. This is also Portman’s directorial debut. This film is the second of its kind, preceded by “Paris

Running Turtle (거북이 달린다)

44 | 10 Magazine December 2009

I Love You” and soon to be followed by projects in Shanghai, Mumbai, Rio and Jerusalem. Eleven directors weave together eleven short stories about different people in NYC. A few stories are touching and good. The rest are annoyingly poetic, reminiscent of undergraduate film or theatre projects, featuring such clichés as opera music, interpretive dance, and “clever” plot twists. This film reminds me of how glad I am that I graduated from film school, not because I can now appreciate artsy films, but because I graduated and don’t have to watch them as often.

The following

films are Directed by Yeon-woo Lee both in its lack of violence and available at Running Turtle is a light, likable in its sentimental portrayal of a local “DVD and predictable cop comedy. Yun- Bang” near you: small town life. Korean-speaking seok Kim plays a small-town, moviegoers will be impressed (or overweight cop who has nothing better befuddled) by the convincing southern to do than to bust local pimps—at least, accents. (Actress Woo-seon Seon, that is, until an escaped convict shows who plays Kim’s wife, had audience up. What follows is a wild-goose chase: members rolling in the aisles when she the cop and his gambling buddies team reprised her rural accent on stage at the up to catch the convict, outwitting both 2009 Daejong Film Awards in Seoul.) the “big city” police from Seoul and the This film was one of the top grossing local police force (from which the cop movies at the Korean box office this past was suspended). The film’s success lies summer.

Up

NEW RELEASES December 3rd

December 17th The Twilight Saga: New Moon Fantasy, romance. USA Directed by Christopher John Weitz Starring Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart, Dakota Fanning, Taylor Lautner, Ashley Greene newmoonthemovie.com

In the Electric Mist Mystery, thriller. USA, France Directed by Bertrand Tavernier Starring Tommy Lee Jones, John Goodman, Peter Sarsgaard, Kelly Macdonald, Mary Steenburgen tfmdistribution.com/dans-labrume-electrique

The Countess Mystery, romance. France/ Germany Directed by Julie Delpy Starring Julie Delpy, William Hurt, Daniel Bruhl, Anamaria Marinca, Andy Gatjen

Avatar Action, adventure. USA Directed by James Cameron Starring Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Michelle Rodriguez, Joel Moore avatarmovie.com

Into Great Silence Documentary.

France/Germany/Switzerland Directed by Philip Grönin zeutgeitfilms.com

December 23rd The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus Adventure, fantasy, mystery.

France/Canada/England Directed by Terry Gilliam Starring Heath Ledger, Johnny Depp, Jude Law, Colin Farrell, doctorparnassus.com

December 10th In the Valley of Elah Drama, crime. USA Directed by Paul Haggis Starring Tommy Lee Jones, Charlize Theron, Susan Sarandon, Jason Patric, James Franco warnerbros.com

December 24th Alvin and the Chipmunks 2 Animation, comedy, family. USA Directed by Betty Thomas Starring Jason Lee, Justin Long, Matthew Gray Gubler, Jesse McCartney, munkyourself.com

Astro Boy Sci-Fi, animation.

USA/HongKong/Japan Directed by David Bowers Starring Seung-ho Yu, Freddie Highmore, Kristen Bell astroboy-themovie.com Law Abiding Citizen Action, thriller. USA Directed by F. Gary Gray Starring Gerard Butler, Jamie Foxx, Leslie Bibb, Michael Gambon, Colm Meaney lawabidingcitizenfilm.com

Sherlock Holmes Action, adventure. England/ Australia/USA Directed by Guy Ritchie Starring Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Rachel McAdams, Mark Strong, Kelly Reilly sherlock-holmes-movie. warnerbros.com December 31st The Princess and the Frog Musical, animation. USA Directed by Ron Clements, John Musker Starring Anika Noni Rose, Keith David, Jenifer Lewis, Ritchie Montgomery, Bruno Campos disney.com 10 Magazine December 2009 | 45

NATIONWIDE

Directed by Pete Docter & Bob Peterson Up is the story of Carl Fredricksen, a quiet boy…who becomes a grumpy old man. The story compresses Carl’s entire adult life into a series of touching vignettes: marriage, miscarriage, love and loss. And then the story really takes off. Literally. In order to save his house from greedy contractors, Carl flies it to South America by way

of thousands of balloons. A freak storm, reminiscent of the one in the “Wizard of Oz,” miraculously lands Carl at his destination. As in Oz, reality is suspended for most of the film. Carl is joined by a boy scout, a strange bird, and a hilarious talking dog. (Pixar has updated the Disney cliché of a talking animal sidekick.) The film seems to be an homage to classic adventure films.

Although it is enjoyable, “Up” isn’t as memorable as some of its Pixar predecessors.

NATIONWIDE CALENDAR

Music

by Mike Berry

NATIONWIDE

tangents. All musicians shine – the trumpet of Arpad Kiss is especially compelling – but it is the silky vocal explorations of Melinda Csorba (eerily reminiscent of Beady Belle at times, and with a wry humour that reaches deep) that really link the disparate elements together so effectively. Definitely another addition to 2009’s “best of” list.

Find free downloads of EzA-Divat’s tunes online at the following sites: myspace.com/ ezadivat, budabeats.com/ bube006.htm, budabeats.com/ bube005.htm

–with telling effect–to firmly straddle the pop boundary. This album offers real jazz in all its diverse splendor. This one’s pretty much essential for any true jazzhead.

Various Artists

New Zealand might indeed be “last, lonely, exquisite, apart,” as Rudyard Kipling put it, but the music that emanates from that far southern outpost bespeaks a well-honed sense of belonging to the wider world of artistic endeavour. From the moment Dunedin’s Flying Nun Records burst onto the world’s indie scene in the 1980s, New Zealand has continued to offer up delectable musical fare to sate all manner of palates.

These latest musical victuals come hot off the grill from Wellington-based singersongwriter Ladyhawke (born Phillipa Brown in 1979), whose new self-titled release (actually out in 2008 in NZ, but it took another year to reach us…) brings the whole indie/ electronic rock spectrum to bright size life. Right from the opening tune “Magic” with its bubbly intro offset by jangly guitars and dynamic vocals, the album kicks right along. At times dredging up memories of the best of the Canadian alt/ indie sound of Arcade Fire and Christer, at others moving to an Aesop Rock-inspired tour de force (“Manipulating Woman”), the album maintains an unmistakable electro-rock vibe as the focal point, “My Delirium” and “Back Of The Van” being two prime examples of this. This is a strong, wellpresented, and beat-laden effort that deserves some serious attention.

View from the Tower Babel Music

Pixie Lott Turn It Up Mercury Records One of the things the British music scene has always been able to do extremely well is to take American music styles (blues, rock & roll, soul, pop, etc.) and rework them to produce a variation with a distinctly British twist. The latest purveyor of just such a derivation is Pixie Lott, the current pop sensation from England whose soul-tinged pop sound has taken the country by storm and who is proving to be much more than the proverbial “one-hit wonder.” The tune “Mama Say” from Turn It Up went straight to number one on the British pop charts, and a follow-up tune from the same album – “Boys and Girls” (by far the hottest, hippest tune on the CD) did the same a few weeks later. All this from the debut album of an 18-year old singer-songwriter (real name Victoria Louise Lott) from Essex whose soul-powered vocals shine through with a confidence and maturity that singers much older (and with more experience) can only gaze upon with wonder and envy.

This is a smashing debut album and proof positive that modern 46 | 10 Magazine December 2009

pop music can be more than the puerile pap all too common these days.

Ez-A-Divat Hello from the Neitherlands NarRator Records

Another very strong effort from Hungary’s leading Nujazz sextet, this album picks up where the previous seven tune EP From The Head To The Feet left off and not only demonstrates the group’s finely honed sense of style and timing, but elevates them to the plateau of “too good to miss” on any number of levels. Ez-A-Divat, which translates as “This Is Fashion,” takes a truly solid jazz foundation and layers hip, eclectic, and usually dynamic textures atop the tasty rhythmic discourses provided by bassist Jozsef Lakinger and drummer Janos Bene. Further punctuation from keyboards and sax produce infectious instrumental forays that take off on trippy and kaleidoscopic melodic

There has been something of a serious revival of original and very creative British jazz music of late; both older and newer collections of musicians in this under-appreciated realm of British music are striding forth once more, with vitality and imagination as their bywords for success. Helping lead this renaissance is Britain’s Babel music label, and, to celebrate their contributions in espousing the contemporary leading edge of British jazz, they have just released their 15th anniversary sampler View from the Tower—and a varied and interesting vista it is too. Artists such as The Hungry Ants, Julian Arguelles, and Billy Jenkins keep the jazz flame burning with their adventurous modernist approach, while Huw Warren brings a touch of classical into his jazz meanderings. Female vocalists Christine Tobin and Paula Rae Gibson evoke the offbeat styles of older singers like Annette Peacock, and Acoustic Ladyland and Polar Bear bring their brand of jazz

Ladyhawke Ladyhawke (S/T) Modular Recordings (Decca)

Books selection for any sports fan.

Do you know a nerd (this is not a first line stolen from Dr. Seuss!)? If you do, Guinness World Records 2010 might be an appropriate gift. The highest, the fastest, the longest and shortest, it’s all here. A great present for people who hang around bars betting for drinks or the Jeopardy set in Hollywood.

Need to let someone know you think they are smart? Any book by Malcolm Gladwell is a safe bet. His three books are The Tipping Point: How Little Things Make a Big Difference, Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking, and Outliers: The Story of Success, all of which were number one New York Times bestsellers.

If there is a child from ages eight to twelve on your list, Diary of a Wimpy Kid #3: The Last Straw is the answer. The book opens

at New Year’s with Greg, the narrator, noting, “It’s not easy for me to think of ways to improve myself, because I’m already pretty much one of the best people I know.” A combination of diary entries and drawings, this is a book aimed at children, but entertaining enough for adults.

Conspiracy theorists will adjust their aluminum-lined hats and retreat to their mother’s basement with a bucket of Cheetos™ and a 40 oz Pepsi™, if you give them either The Bilderberg Conspiracy

by Paul Jeffers or the semi-eponymously named The David Icke Guide to the Global Conspiracy: And How to End It. Be afraid.

Be very afraid!

If you’re in Korea, you know someone who loves Korean fiction. Korean modern fiction has moved far beyond stories of war and betrayal. Give a copy of Young-ha Kim’s I Have the Right to Destroy Myself, an existentialist meditation on life, death, and the meaning of art in the interim.

You know some young punk who believes reading is stupid but graffiti and skateboarding rule? Fool him with the graphic novel V FOR VENDETTA. Sure, the future sucks, but anarchists can topple the oppressive and totalitarian government of the United Kingdom! It’s up to you to help a misguided youth read.

Books, they aren’t just for burning anymore.

NOTE: Each and every one of these precious tomes can be found at Amazon or ordered from What the Book in Itaewon. whatthebook.com, 02-797-2342

Gear

by Paul Kang

Why You Should Blog logging is changing the way we communicate. Here are a few reasons why you should blog, too. Writing forces you to clarify and concisely organize your thoughts. Blogs serve as a stepping stone to journalism and allows you to record and share their thoughts and experiences. Blogging can develop rapport with an audience, help you connect and communicate information, and cultivate your style and voice. It is an excellent resume builder and some are lucky to make a nice living from it.

B

Top Blogging Platforms 1st Place: Wordpress is an open source blogging platform. There are approximately 62.8 million websites using Wordpress and 32 of the top 100 blogs in the world use Wordpress. Notable Wordpress bloggers include TechCrunch, Perez Hilton, Mashable, and Smashing Magazine. You can find more information on www.wordpress.com and

www.wordpress.org. This service is clearly the industry leader; however, it requires some technical know-how. Of course, you can always pay someone to help set it up for you.

2nd Place: TypePad and Moveable Type are created by Six Apart. The difference between them is that TypePad is the paid hosted service and Moveable Type is the free selfhosted version. Six Apart’s services are used by 28 of the top 100 blogs in the world. You

can find more information at www.typepad. com and www.moveabletype.com. This service is for those who appreciate paid technical support.

3rd Place: Blogger was bought by Google in 2003. It is the easiest to use and it’s free. Blogger hosts three of the top 100 blogs in the world, including Google’s Blogs. You can sign up at www.blogger.com. Blogger’s service is by far the easiest to use, but lacks customizability.

Honorable mention: Drupal is a content management system (CMS) more so than a blogging platform. It is free, but you may have to tinker with some code. You can find more information at www.drupal.org.

If you’d like assistance setting up your own blog, feel free to contact Paul Kang at paulkang@10magazine.asia.

Happy Blogging!

10 Magazine December 2009 | 47

NATIONWIDE

I hear those sleigh bells jingling, ring ting tingling too!

It’s either a concussion or a hangover.

With December here, it’s time to focus on Boxing Day (or Christmas, perhaps), and that means many of us will be looking for gifts to give to people we barely know.

Here are some suggestions from the bookstore: Got a Basketball Jones, or a friend who has it? There is no better present than Bill Simmons’ The Book of Basketball.

Simmons, ESPN’s “Sports Guy,” was born with “Spalding” printed on his forehead. This book covers everything basketball: who was better, Russell or Chamberlain; which team is the best of all time; what is wrong with the NBA Hall of Fame; and even what the box-score from the movie Teen Wolf must have looked like. It’s a solid

by Charles Montgomery

SEOUL CALENDAR EDITOR’S PICK December 2nd – 6th Design & Fashion

Seoul Design Festival

SEOUL

After exhibitions earlier in the year in Milan and Berlin, it’s arriving in Seoul.

As a promotional festival both for designers and for businesses, for design stars and for up-and-comers, the Seoul Design Festival gives anyone with an artistic bent a chance to expand their network. Exhibits this year include Korean Dining, Asia Creative Exhibition, and Current Design Trends.

COEX at Samsung St. (line 2). 10:30 am – 7 pm.

Tickets are W7,000 at the door and W5,000 online. designfestival.co.kr, 02-6000-0114 Starting December 5th Art

The Grand World of Andy Warhol

Though maybe not quite as popular as the king of pop, Andy Warhol is still the reigning king of pop art. This exhibit includes 210 works on loan from the Andy Warhol museum in Pittsburgh, including images of celebrities like Marilyn Monroe. Art aficionados will also be excited to see the Campbell’s Soup series and various photos documenting Warhol’s life. Seoul Museum of Art near City Hall St. (line 1 and 2), ex. 10. Weekdays 10 am – 9 pm, weekend 10 am – 7 pm. Adults W12,000, teens W10,000, children W8,000. warhol.co.kr, 02-548-8690

Art Ongoing French Express Lovers of French culture are in for a treat during the final months of the year. The French Cultural Center is sponsoring events from Seoul to Busan to Gwangju and supporting other events such as the Pusan International Film Festival and the Jarasum Jazz Festival. With concerts, performances, and plays, this festival gives you your French Fix. france.or.kr 48 | 10 Magazine December 2009

Through December 6th Byeong-u Bae Exhibit Ticket price includes admission to Deoksugung Palace. Deoksugung Art Museum near City Hall St. (line 1 and 2). Adults W6,000, teens W4,000, children W2,500. moca.go.kr, 02-2188-6000 Overseas Korean Youth: U.S.B. Art Festival U.S.B. stands for (you didn’t guess this one) Urban Nomadism, Species of Singularity, and Becoming Gestalt.

Seoul Art Center near Nambu Terminal St. (line 3), ex. 5. 11 am – 7 pm. W2,000. sac.or.kr, 02-580-1301

Beautiful Bridge Seoul Art Center near Nambu Terminal St. 11 am – 7 pm. Adults W2,000, minors W1,000. (line 3), ex. 5. sac.or.kr, 02-580-1300 Beginning of a New Era The National Museum of Contemporary Art will soon be opening its third branch at Kimusa, the former Defense Security Command building near Anguk St. (line 3, ex. 1). This exhibit celebrates the transformation from a place of fear and control to one of artistic liberty. Mon – Thu 10 am – 6 pm. Fri – Sun 10 am – 9 pm. Free. moca.go.kr, 02-720-1828 December 1st – 15th Jae-o Na: Korean Faces Exhibit Celebrating illustrator Jae-o Na’s 40 years of work depicting the peculiar characteristics of the Korean face.

Seoul Art Center near Nambu Terminal St. (line 3), ex. 5. 11 am – 7 pm. Free. sac.or.kr, 02-580-1301 December 1st - January 31st Seoul International Photography Festival In its third year, SIPF lets 60 professional photographers from Korea and abroad as well as 1500 amateur Korean photographers give us their best shot. The main exhibition, “Cross,” is concerned with digital technology in photography, and special exhibitions include “Interrogation between Reality and Synthesis” and “Photographic Sculpture.” Exhibition hall in Garden 5 (02-2047-4019) in Songpa-gu, Seoul. sipf2008@gmail.com, 02-2268-2613 Starting December 15th Georges Rouault: The Sacred and the Profane

170 pieces from the holdings of the Pompidou Center in Paris. Seoul Art Center near Nambu Terminal St. (line 3), ex. 5. Adults W12,000, teens W9,000, children W8,000. 11 am – 7 pm. sac.or.kr, 02-588-8421 Starting December 16th Masterpieces from the Philadelphia Museum of Art Including pieces from Monet to Picasso collected over the course of the museum’s 130 years of history.

Seoul Art Center near Nambu Terminal St. (line 3), ex. 5. 11 am – 7 pm. Adults W13,000, teens W9,000, children W7,000. sac.or.kr, 02-580-1301

Starting December 23rd Bologna Picture Book Illustrators Exhibit The illustration contest at the yearly book fair in Bologna is the biggest competition in the field. See the original winning entries at the Seoul Art Center near Nambu Terminal St. (line 3), ex. 5. 11 am – 7 pm. Adults W10,000, students W7,000. sac.or.kr, 02-580-1301

Theater & Dance Open-run Nonverbal Performances

Jump First performed in 2003, this nonverbal show combines a comic story with martial arts moves and impressive visuals. See what happens when a handsome stranger and a couple of mischievous thieves drop in on a traditional Korean family.

W40,000 – W50,000. 02-722-3995 Drawing Show Is it an art exhibit or a performance?

As fun to watch as it is hard to classify, the drawing show is, simply put, a dramatic presentation of the process of drawing. Held at the Drawing Show Theater in Daehangno in Seoul (Hyehwa Station, exit 1). Weekdays 8 pm. Sat 4 pm, 7 pm. Sun 3 pm, 6 pm.

Closed Mondays. Adults W30,000, children W20,000. cafe.daum.net/ drawingshow, drawingshow@gmail. com, 02-766-7848 Heart of the East and Todes Two shows in one, the first 30 minutes is an exciting performance of Korean traditional dance and song, including the fan dance and samulnori, culminating in an impressive coordinated drum show.

Then for the next hour and half an over two-dozen member dance team from Russia comes out and performs breathtaking numbers put together by renowned choreographer Alla Duhova. sheratonwalkerhill.co.kr/eng/ promotion/show_new_info.php, 02-455-5000 Miso Chongdong Theater, one of the best places to experience Korean culture, presents “Miso,” a story of one woman’s encounter with love told through traditional dance, percussion, and music. City Hall Station. 8 pm.

W20,000 – W40,000. Refer to the English site for more info. http://www. chongdong.com/chongdong_english/ index.asp, 02-7511-500 Nanta This kitchen percussion extravaganza is the non-verbal stage show that nearly everyone sees at least once.

Two Seoul locations and performances almost daily. Refer to the website for directions and performance details. W50,000 – W60,000. nanta.i-pmc.co.kr/en/index. asp, 02-739-8288 Pan Deok-su Kim, the producer of this performance, is the guy who brought us the creative clatter of Samulnori.

“Pan” is your chance to hear a unique

combination of Korean folk songs, minstrel music, and percussion of all varieties. Located at the Gwanghwamun Art Hall. Weekdays at 7:30 pm, weekends at 4 pm, closed Mon and Tue. 90 min. W30,000 – W50,000. ghmarthall.co.kr, 02-722-3416

Through December 6th Winners of the Korean Dance Awards Find out who won the grand prize at this year’s Korean dance awards.

Different troupes and different pieces each night. Arko Arts Theater, Hyehwa St. (line 4), ex. 2. 7:30 pm.

Closed on 11/28, 12/1, 12/3, 12/5.

W20,000. arko.or.kr, 02-744-8066 December 2nd – 3rd Lovers Filled with Delight: the Dance A series of short sketches by the Mi-ra Yun Dance Company. Sejong Center near Gwanghwamun St. (line 5, ex. 7). 8 pm. W20,000 – W30,000. sejongpac.or.kr, 1544-1555 December 6th – 7th Space for Sympathy: the Dance With the Jaeseon Choe Dance Company. Seoul Art Center near Nambu Terminal St. (line 3), ex. 5.

Sun 5 pm, Mon 8 pm. W20,000 – W30,000. sac.or.kr, 02-580-1301

Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion visit Korea this Christmas. Sejong Center near Gwanghwamun St. (line 5, ex. 7).

Weekdays 7:30 pm, weekends 3 pm & 7 pm. 12/25 – 12/25 3 pm & 7:30 pm.

No performance Mon 12/21.

W30,000 – W50,000. sejongpac.or.kr, 02-399-1114

SEOUL

Sa-Choom Meaning “dance when you are in love,” Sa-Choom is an exciting non-verbal dance performance telling the story of three friends’ coming of age. Tue – Fri 8 pm. Sat 4 pm and 7:30 pm. Sun 4 pm. W50,000. lovedance.co.kr/eng/01_sachoom/ sub01.html, mr4u@nate.com, 070-8249-3023

December 16th – 28th The Wizard of Oz: the Musical

December 18th – 24th The Nutcracker: the Ballet Two of Tchaikovsky’s classics of the stage in two weeks, and both by the National Ballet Troupe. Seoul Art Center near Nambu Terminal St. (line 3), ex. 5. Weekdays 7:30 pm, Sat 3 & 7:30 pm. W5,000 – W80,000. sac.or.kr, 02-580-1301 December 23rd – 26th Winter Story: Dance Musical Arko Arts Theater, Hyehwa St. (line 4), ex. 2. Wed & Thu 8 pm, Fri 4 & 8 pm, Sat 6 pm. 90 min. W20,000 – W50,000. pmarko.or.kr, 02-2263-4680 The Nutcracker in Nowon

December 9th – 13th Swan Lake: the Ballet

Tchaikovsky’s unforgettable ballet is performed by the National Ballet Company. Seoul Art Center near Nambu Terminal St. (line 3), ex. 5.

Weekdays 7:30 pm, Sat 3 & 7:30 pm, Sun 3 pm. W5,000 – W150,000. sac.or.kr, 02-580-1301 December 11th – 12th Cabbage Thoughts: the Dance Winner of the 2009 Arko Choice award, this piece comes courtesy of theNa-hun Park Dance Company.

Arko Arts Theater, Hyehwa St. (line 4), ex. 2. Fri 8 pm, Sat 5 pm. W20,000. arko.or.kr, 02-760-0604 December 16th – 20th Station of the Wind: Silent Play Another recipient of the 2009 Arko Choice award, Station of the Wind is the second in the Station series by late Japanese playwright Shoko Ota. Arko Arts Theater, Hyehwa St. (line 4), ex. 2. Weekdays 4 & 8 pm, Sat & Sun 3 & 7 pm. W10,000 – W30,000. arko.or.kr, 070-7501-0001

See the Wonguk Lee Ballet Company’s version of the enchanting Christmas ballet in northwest Seoul.

Nowon Culture and Arts Center.

02-951-3355. Wed 7 pm, Thu – Sat 2 & 6 pm. W15,000 – W20,000. nowonart.kr, 02-951-3355

Concerts December 1st – 2nd Suk-seon An and Sa-ik Jang: Holiday Concert If you’ve had your fill of K-pop, try out the more traditional tunes of singer Sa-ik Jang and pansori performer Suk-seon An. Sejong Center near Gwanghwamun St. (line 5, ex. 7). 7:30 pm. W20,000 – W130,000. sejongpac.or.kr, 02-585-5405 December 3rd Baroque Oratorio Handel’s Messiah Seoul Art Center near Nambu Terminal St. (line 3), ex. 5. 8 pm.

W30,000 – W150,000. sac.or.kr, 02-518-0144 10 Magazine December 2009 | 49

December 4th KBS Symphony Orchestra in Concert Selections from Handel as well as Dvorák’s New World Symphony. Seoul Art Center near Nambu Terminal St. (line 3), ex. 5. 8 pm. W35,000 – W90,000. sac.or.kr, 02-580-1301 December 5th Hanna Jang Cello Sonata

Alberto Urroz in Concert Spanish pianist Alberto Urroz performs the Suite Iberia by Isaac Albéniz. Sejong Center near Gwanghwamun St. (line 5, ex. 7).

W20,000 – W30,000. sejongpac.or.kr, 02-701-4879 December 10th – 11th National Chorus: Handel’s Messiah Seoul Art Center near Nambu Terminal St. (line 3), ex. 5. 8 pm.

W10,000 – W30,000. sac.or.kr, 02-587-8111

SEOUL

December 11th Gil Shaham and the Sejong Soloists

Guns N’ Roses in Concert December 13th

With smash hits like “Welcome to the Jungle” and “Sweet Child O’ Mine,” as well as more than 100 million albums sold worldwide, heavy metal act Guns N’ Roses changed the face of music in the late 80s and early 90s. Of the original members, only founder and frontman Axl Rose remains, but the release of Guns N’ Roses latest album Chinese Democracy last year suggests the band isn’t finished quite yet. Olympic Park Gymnastics Stadium near Olympic Park St. (line 5, ex. 3). 7 pm. W110,000 – W132,000. 02-3141-3488

Seoul Art Center near Nambu Terminal St. (line 3), ex. 5. 2:30 pm.

W33,000 – W77,000. sac.or.kr, 02-749-1300 New York Harlem Singers: Christmas Concert

Ensemble of Tokyo in Concert Pieces by Bach and Mozart. Sejong Center near Gwanghwamun St. (line 5, ex. 7). 7:30 pm. W20,000 – W30,000. sejongpac.or.kr, 02-3436-5929

December 19th – January 24th Art

Seoul Festival of Light Singing a cheerful mix of tunes ranging from Christmas carols to old-fashioned soul. Seoul Art Center near Nambu Terminal St. (line 3), ex. 5.

8 pm. W20,000 – W50,000. sac.or.kr, 02-580-1301

As the winter component of the Hi Seoul festival series, the Seoul Festival of Light will set Gwanghwamun Plaza and City Hall Plaza a-glittering. Gwanghwamun Plaza (Gwanghwamun St., line 5) is reborn as the Plaza of Light with a media art show that allows everyone to join in the play of lights. Look for the past, present, and future of Seoul in the videos playing on the sides of the Sejong Center and the KT building. The ice skating rink that used to open at City Hall Plaza is moving this year to Gwanghwamun Plaza, opening 12/11 through 2/15 from 10 am – 10 pm.

Events planned at the rink include figure skating on opening night, fireworks and a laser show at Christmas, sledding at New Year’s, and even an ice sculpture display. Meanwhile at City Hall Plaza (City Hall St., line 1 and 2) you can take a fifteen minute trip to Antarctica through the special display held there. W1,000 includes admission and skate rental. hiseoulfest.org, 02-120 50 | 10 Magazine December 2009

Haydn’s Violin Concerto No. 1 and No. 4 and Mendelssohn’s Octet in Eb. Sejong Center near Gwanghwamun St. (line 5, ex. 8). 7:30 pm. W30,000 – W110,000. sejongpac.or.kr, 02-399-1114

December 7th Jong-hwa Park: American Minimalism Pianist Jong-hwa Park presents pieces by John Adams and Steve Reich, masters of American minimalism. Sejong Center near Gwanghwamun St. (line 5, ex. 7). 7:30 pm. W20,000 – W30,000. sejongpac.or.kr, 02-3474-8315 December 8th Gangnam Symphony Orchestra Flutist Julien Beaudiment is the highlight of a program including Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5 and more. Seoul Art Center near Nambu Terminal St. (line 3), ex. 5. 8 pm.

W10,000 – W50,000. sac.or.kr, 02-3447-0424 December 9th Christmas Concert with Prague Children’s Choir Sejong Center near Gwanghwamun St. (line 5, ex. 8). 7:30 pm. W20,000 – W80,000. sejongpac.or.kr, 02-548-4480

December 12th SNU Symphony Orchestra Judge for yourself how good the Seoul National University’s College of Music is. Seoul Art Center near Nambu Terminal St. (line 3), ex. 5. 8 pm. sac.or.kr, 02-580-1301 December 13th Hélène Grimaud Piano Recital This will be French pianist Hélène Grimaud’s first concert in Seoul. Seoul Art Center near Nambu Terminal St. (line 3), ex. 5. 8 pm. W30,000 – W80,000. sac.or.kr, 1577-5266 December 15th Seoul Motet Choir 20th Anniversary Concert: “Sing-Along Messiah” Buy seats according to your vocal range and join in with this rousing performance of Handel’s masterpiece.

Seoul Art Center near Nambu Terminal St. (line 3), ex. 5. 8 pm.

W20,000 – W50,000, teens W10,000. sac.or.kr, 02-580-1301 December 15th - 17th Mask and Music Project: I-MyeonGong-Jak Multi-genre composer Yeonggyu Jang, fond of combining elements from disparate styles of music, presents I-Myeong-Gong-Jak as part of his Be-Being Mask Play Music Project. This composition approaches traditional Korean mask plays from a modern perspective. LIG Art Hall. 8 pm. Adults W20,000, students W15,000. Gangnam St. (line 2, ex. 8). ligarthall.com, 02-6900-3906

SEOUL CALENDAR December 17th KBS Symphony Orchestra Mozart’s Divertimento in D Major and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9. Seoul Art Center near Nambu Terminal St. (line 3), ex. 5. 8 pm. W35,000 – W90,000. sac.or.kr, 02-580-1301

www.stickyfingers.co.kr Contact Yoon Park 02-542-9274

No Butter, No Milk, No Egg No Trans Fat

December 19th Handel’s Messiah The timeless classic performed by a mix of university students, English teachers, and Koreans. At Chungdong 1st Methodist Church, City Hall St. (lines 1 and 2, ex. 2). 7:30 pm.

010-9006-8655

100% Vegan Bakery from Washington D.C. quartet have the answer with their always popular yearly Christmas concert. 12/24: Jangcheon Art Hall near Apgujeong St. (line 3, ex. 4). 8 pm. 12/25: Sejong Center near Gwanghwamun St. (line 5, exit 7). 4 pm and 8 pm. W30,000 – W50,000. musicalpark.com, 02-888-2698

December 19th – 20th The Nutcracker: Choral Play For kids who don’t “get” the form of ballet, consider this special choral play presented by the Seoul Children’s Choir and the Seoul Youth Orchestra.

Sejong Center near Gwanghwamun St. (line 5, ex. 7). 7 pm. W20,000. sejongpac.or.kr, 02-399-1114

December 25th Yuhki Kuramoto and Friends: Christmas Concert Despite never having attended a conservatory, Japanese composer and pianist Yuhki Kuramoto is regarded as having an exquisite musical talent and technique. Seoul Art Center near Nambu Terminal St. (line 3), ex. 5. 2:30 & 8 pm. W30,000 – W100,000. sac.or.kr, 02-318-4304

December 22nd Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra Program includes Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G and Spanish Rhapsody and Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique.

Seoul Art Center near Nambu Terminal St. (line 3), ex. 5. 8 pm.

W10,000 – W70,000. sac.or.kr, 02-3700-6300 December 22nd - 24th Club DJ This electronic music performance, featuring d-guru of Vu Records, brings the atmosphere and energy of the club into the concert hall. LIG Art Hall.

8 pm. W35,000. Gangnam St. (line 2, ex. 8). ligarthall.com, 02-6900-3906 December 23rd SAC White Christmas The Kumho Art Hall Chamber Music Society performs Mozart’s Exsultate Jubilate and several other selections for you to enjoy with your sweetheart.

8 pm. sac.or.kr, 02-580-1300 December 24th Seoul Sinfonietta Christmas Eve Concert Seoul Art Center near Nambu Terminal St. (line 3), ex. 5. 8 pm. sac.or.kr, 02-580-1301 Harpist Kwak Jung’s Christmas Harp music for Christmas. What could be a more refined date? Sejong Center near Gwanghwamun St. (line 5, ex. 8) at 7:30 pm. sejongpac.or.kr, 02-399-1114 December 24th – 25th “A Jazz Christmas” with Ronn Branton Ever wonder what Christmas carols like “Jingle Bells” and “Silent Night” would sound like with a jazz groove?

Jazz pianist Ronn Branton and his

December 26th Yiruma in Concert

t 4IJOTFHZF %FQBSUNFOU 4UPSFT @ Myungdong (B1) @ Gyeonggi (B1) t )ZVOEBJ %FQBSUNFOU 4UPSFT @ Mokdong (B2), @ COEX (B1) t -PUUF %FQBSUNFOU 4UPSF @ Gangnam, @Jamsil t ", 1MB[B @ Bundang

Family & Community Ongoing Make a Bamboo Flute Construct your own danso (a short bamboo flute) and learn how to play it at this Korean traditional instrument workshop. Great both for kids and for anyone interested in learning a bit more about Korean culture. Held the second and fourth Saturday of each month at 2 pm. W15,000 includes the materials you’ll use to make the danso. Namsan Korean Traditional Music Hall, Chungmuro St. (line 3 and 4), ex. 4. sngad.or.kr, 02-2261-0512 December 3rd Stand Up Seoul Comedy Night Enjoy an evening full of laughs as Korea’s finest English language

comedians deliver monologues and rants about expat life, world events, and other topics. All new acts are welcome, so contact Brian Aylward (brianaylward11@hotmail.com) to join the line-up. 9 pm the first Thursday of every month at the Rocky Mountain Tavern in Itaewon. Facebook: Stand Up Seoul December 5th International Dog Show & Championship Dog Show Pampered, privileged pets from Korea and further afield will parade across the stage at the dog shows organized by the KKF (Korean Kennel Foundation). Categories including baby, puppy, junior, intermediate, champion, and veteran accommodate every division of dog. SETEC (Seoul Trade Exhibition Center) near

Think Yanni with a crew cut. Seoul Art Center near Nambu Terminal St. (line 3), ex. 5. 2:30 & 8 pm. W44,000 – W99,000. sac.or.kr, 02-580-1301 December 28th Sarah Chang Violin Recital Seoul Art Center near Nambu Terminal St. (line 3), ex. 5. 8 pm.

W60,000 – W160,000. sac.or.kr, 02-541-6235 December 29th Solist Ensemble in Concert Yes, “Solist,” whatever that means.

Seoul Art Center near Nambu Terminal St. (line 3), ex. 5. 8 pm. sac.or.kr, 02-592-5727 December 30th Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra Beethoven’s 9th Symphony, known as “Choral” for the magnificent choral section toward the end of the fourth movement. Seoul Art Center near Nambu Terminal St. (line 3, ex. 5).

8 pm. W10,000 – W70,000. sac.or.kr, 02-3700-6300

-Expires December 31st-

December 31st New Year’s Eve Concert A wide variety of exciting selections from composers like Andrew Lloyd Webber, Strauss, and Ravel. Seoul Art Center near Nambu Terminal St. (line 3), ex. 5. 7:30 pm. sac.or.kr, 02-580-1300 10 Magazine December 2009 | 51

SEOUL

Eric Benet in Concert Private Curve presents American R&B and soul artist Eric Benet, famous for hits like “Spend My Life with You” and “You’re the Only One.” Yonsei University Auditorium, near Sinchon St. (line 2, ex. 3). privatecurve.com, 02-563-0595

SEOUL CALENDAR Hagyeoul St. (line 3, ex. 1). thekkf.or.kr, 02-2278-0661 SWW Masquerade Ball Seoul Writers Workshop presents their 2009 Masquerade Ball. Celebrate Christmas and the end of the year in style. Mask compulsory, costume or formal dress requested. DJs, big raffle/costume prizes and drink specials all night. Profits go to the Korea Sexual Violence Relief Centre.

The Hive, Itaewon-dong. 8 pm - late.

W18,000 or W15,000 per ticket pre-purchased in a group of ten. seoulwriters@gmail.com, 010-2891-7170

SEOUL

December 10th – 12th Digital Media Fair

Make your way to Meeting Rock at Dobong Mountain in northern Seoul to see the first sunrise of 2010.

Visitors will make New Year’s wishes, the Korean equivalent of New Year’s resolutions. tour.dobong.go.kr, 02-2289-1114

St., line 2). 10 am – 6 pm. W2,000 at the door, preregister for free admission. English site has yet to hit the road. seoulbike.com/index.phtm, (COEX) 02-6000-0114

Heaven Park Sunrise Festival Join the crowds at Mapo-gu’s yearly festival at Heaven Park near World Cup Stadium (line 6, ex. 2). 7 am – 8 am. mapo.go.kr, 02-3153-8354

December 27th Namsan Sightseeing Marathon 12k, 24k and full at the three-way intersection in front of the Namsan National Theater, to begin at 9 am.

W20,000 for all courses. Sign up by 12/22tourmarathon.com, 1644-4219

Acha Mountain Sunrise Festival Get off the subway at Gwangnaru St. (line 5, ex. 1) and follow the winding path up the hill for about 15 minutes till you reach the Sunrise Plaza. You’re standing on Acha Mountain, the first spot in Seoul from which you can see the sun rise. 7 – 8:20 am. gwangjin.go.kr, 02-450-1300

Education & Conferences

Organized by the Korea Communications Commission, this fair introduces you to the latest developments in technology and telecommunications. Get plugged into the IT market with the Digital Media Job Fair. 10 am – 5 pm.

W3,000 admission is waived with preregistration. COEX at Samsung St. (line 2). coex.co.kr, 02-2051-3322 December 12th – February 15th Gwanghwamun Plaza Ice Skating Rink Seoul’s outdoor ice skating rink, which always draws tons of visitors, is moving from City Hall Plaza to Gwanghwamun Plaza near Gwanghwamun St. (line 5) and increasing in size from 2,100m2 to 2,250m2. The expanded facilities even accommodate ice sledding. Also see Seoul Festival of Light on this page. 10 am – 10 pm. W1,000. 02-120 December 24th – January 4th Seoul Doll Fair

December 8th RAS Lecture: Joseon Korea Seen through Architecture Don’t miss this lecture by Peter Bartholemew, President of the Royal Asiatic Society, on fact and fiction surrounding Japan and the architecture of Joseon Korea.

Residents’ Lounge on the 2nd floor of the Somerset Palace near Anguk St. (line 3, ex. 6). 7:30 pm. W5,000 for non-members. raskb.com, 02-763-9483 December 12th – 14th The Art of Living Course Join over 300 million people worldwide to learn breathing and meditation techniques that can help you relax and face life’s challenges more gracefully. Two sessions on Saturday, one on Sunday, and one on Monday. W180,000. artoflivingkorea. org, 010-3632-8789

Sport & Fitness December 4th – 6th Seoul Bike Show

Walks, Runs and Marathons

Korean Basketball League (KBL)

All games held at Jamsil Student Gymnasium December 1st SK Knights vs Anyang KT & G Kites at 7 pm December 5th Seoul Samsung Thunders vs Incheon ET Land Elephants at 3 pm December 6th SK Knights vs Ulsan Mobis Phoebus at 5 pm December 8th Seoul Samsung Thunders vs Daegu Orions at 7 pm December 10th Seoul Samsung Thunders vs SK Knights at 7 pm December 12th Seoul Samsung Thunders vs Anyang KT&G Kites at 3 pm December 15th SK Knights vs Incheon ET Land Elephants at 7 pm December 16th Seoul Samsung Thunders vs Ulsan Mobis Phoebus at 7 pm December 20th Seoul Samsung Thunders vs Changwon LG Sakers at 3 pm December 24th SK Knights vs Seoul Samsung Thunders at 7 pm

Browse the exquisitely crafted dolls in exhibits like “Beauties of the Century,” “Classic Children’s Stories,” and “Doll Zoo.” There’s even a chance to make your own doll. COEX at Samsung St. (line 2). 10 am – 7 pm. Closes at 5 pm on the 4th. Adults W10,000, teens W7,000, children W4,000. coex.co.kr, 02-724-7750 January 1st Dobong Mountain Sunrise Festival 52 | 10 Magazine December 2009

DMZ Trip with Adventure Korea Adventure Korea’s trip to the demilitarized zone dividing North and South Korea takes you to Imjingak, the 3rd tunnel, Dora Observatory, and Unification Village. The cost includes transportation, lunch, and all entrance fees. Depart from Express Bus Terminal St. (lines 3, 7, 9, ex. 8) and Hongik Univ. St. (line 2, ex. 1). W41,000. adventurekorea.com, 018-242-5536 December 20th RAS Temple Tour to Odae Mountain National Park Join RAS on this exploration of Odae Mountain just west of Gangneung to see Woljong-sa, originally built in AD 645, and the Zen meditation temple Sangwon-sa. Depart at 8 am from the Yongsan Post Office, Sinyongsan St. (line 4), ex. 1. Return around 8:30 pm.

W58,800 for non-members. raskb.com, raskb@kornet.net December 25th - 27th Christmas Ski Trip With Christmas falling on a Friday, you can enjoy the long holiday by joining Adventure Korea on the ski slopes at Phoenix Park. Depart from Express Bus Terminal St. (lines 3, 7, 9, ex. 8) and Hongik Univ. St. (line 2, ex. 1).

W250,000 gets you there, in gear, and on the slopes for Friday and Saturday.

Return Sunday evening. adventurekorea.com, 018-242-5536 Gangwon Ski/Hiking Christmas Adventure With the mountains at its back and the East Sea at its front, Kangwon Land has become a major tourist destination for its scenic splendor, world-class casino, and one of the most modern ski facilities in Asia. Ski High 1 Resort the 25th and enjoy a great Christmas dinner, head out for hiking Seorak Mountain on the 26th and return early morning on the 27th. W225,000 includes ski pass, ski/board/winter clothing rental, transportation, accommodation, Christmas dinner and park entrance fee. koreansafari.com, 010-3170-9391

December 6th RAS Hiking Trip to Daedu Mountain Provincial Park Located between Jeonju and Daejeon, this 63 square kilometer park features dramatic rock formations and soaring birds of prey.

Depart at 8 am from the Yongsan Post Office, Sinyongsan St. (line 4), ex. 1. Return around 8 pm. W57,600 for non-members. raskb.com, raskb@kornet.net

January 1st – 2nd Return to the Past Jindo Island lies just off the southwest corner of the Korean peninsula, and this visit there is an opportunity to experience Korea’s traditional performing arts firsthand. Sleep your hangover off on the bus New Year’s morning and arrive to experience Korea as you’ve never seen it before.

W108,000 includes transportation, 2 meals, accommodation, performance, traditional music experience, and Uirimsanbang Gallery entrance. koreansafari.com, 019 542 2955

December 13th RAS Temple Tour to Gagwon-sa and Magog-sa Visit the immense bronze Buddha at Gagwon-sa at Daecho Mountain and see the tranquility of Magog-sa, established during the Silla dynasty.

Depart at 8 am from the Yongsan

January 1st – 3rd High 1 Resort Ski Trip Ski one of Korea’s nicest ski resorts and visit the Kangwon Land Casino when you’re off of the slopes. Trip departs at 10 am and has you night skiing on the 1st, all day on the 2nd, rest and arrive back on the 3rd. W245,000 includes ski passes, ski/board/winter

Travel

As Seoul tries to clean off the pollution stains to reveal the green beneath, we start to see more bike lanes on the road and more bikes in those lanes.

Following soaring bike sales is the Seoul Bike Show, your entrance to the world of two-wheeled transportation.

Dozens of companies show off their mountain bikes, road bikes, electric bikes, folding bikes, mini velos, kids bikes, and BMX trick bikes, as well as all the gear and attire you could imagine. Enter prize drawings held daily at 1 pm and 4 pm for your chance at three bikes and other equipment. Held at COEX (Samsung

Post Office, Sinyongsan St. (line 4), ex. 1. Return around 8 pm. W51,600 for non-members. raskb.com, raskb@ kornet.net

clothing rental, transportation, accommodation and dinner. koreansafari.com, 010-3170-9391

Dine & Drink Ongoing Toque Diner’s Turkey Dinners Get your turkey fix with help from Toque Diner. Groups of 15 or more who call a week in advance can get their own traditional turkey buffet set up at Toque Diner, or if you’d prefer, you can order half or whole turkeys with all of the fixings and have your own turkey dinner with friends at home. 02-794-3834

December 25th American Christmas Dinner at Suji’s Restaurant, Itaewon Traditional American turkey dinner buffet with roast turkey, honey-glazed ham steak, pastrami and all the fixins, including eggnog and pecan and pumpkin pie. W50,000. Be sure to make reservations. 02-797-3698 Toque Diner Christmas Buffet Get your traditional Christmas dinner at Toque all day long from 11 am – 10 pm. Call for menu details.

02-794-3834 Christmas Dinner at Wolfhound Turkey dinner with all of the sides, by reservation only. Email for details. wolfhoundpub@gmail.com, 02-749-7971 A Rocky Mountain Christmas A turkey buffet with stuffing, mashed potatoes and other sides along with all the Cass and house wine you’d like to partake in. 3 – 6 pm. W45,000. rockymountaintavern.com, 010-5775-2327

Nightlife December 4th Rose Party at BricX Every first Friday is Rose Party, which is basically an excuse for the club to bust out the rose décor and have a rose queen contest, with prizes including meal vouchers, champagne, flowers, and more. Live DJ plus a free cocktail for all ladies from midnight to 12:30 am. BricX.com, 02-795-5572 (Itaewon), 02-3141-5571 (Hongdae) December 5th Rubber Seoul 2009 For World AIDS Day, join Little Travelers and Medi Peace to help those suffering from AIDS and raise awareness about

December 11th Morgasm at Blue Spirit The French icon of rock dance brings the beat to Seoul. Blue Spirit in Hongdae. 10 pm – 5 am. W10,000 in advance gets you one free drink, W15,000 at the door. bluespirit.co.kr, psykoisgod@gmail.com, 010-3229-2700

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December 24th & 25th Table 34’s Christmas Luncheon The elegant French restaurant ‘Table 34’ at Grand InterContinental Seoul is preparing a special set menu with the most luxurious ingredients including lobsters, tender Wagyu beef and caviar regarded as one of the three delicacies in the world. Eric Peller, the head chef at the table 34, is ready to offer all diners a most unforgettable Christmas by preparing this exceptional and sophisticated Christmas menu. The gorgeous city view of the venue will also mean accompany. W180,000++.

02-559-7631

the importance of safe sex while having an evening filled with fun. W10,000 includes admission to FF, DBGB, and Jane’s Groove in Hongdae along with a Little Travelers doll. See facebook group or call Thency at 010-4363-0609 before 3 pm or Sue Bullas at 0105680-1800 after 3 pm.

December 12th Sexy Tattoo Party Pull out your sexiest attire and dress to the nines for this party with DJs including Hyde and Travice and tattoo artists Hernan, Mickey Bae, and more.

Ten lucky customers will get a tattoo worth W100,000 for free, and there are 100 coupons for 50% off tailor-made suits by Uan (uan.co.kr). Men W15,000, women W10,000 with one free drink. Club Rehap downtown near Jonggak St. (line 1, ex. 4). rehap.co.kr, 02-732-7181, clubrehap@gmail.com December 18th Paul Cayrol at Blue Spirit Talented house DJ and producer Paul Cayrol hails from France. Blue Spirit in Hongdae. 10 pm – 5 am. W10,000 in advance gets you one free drink, W15,000 at the door. bluespirit.co.kr, psykoisgod@gmail.com, 010-3229-2700 December 19th The 5th Element: Nu-Wave at The Hive Showcase of Hip Hop artists. Itaewon. thehiveuniverse.blogspot.com, 010-3994-6694 December 24th Cosmic Tone Korea Tour at Club Volume Israel’s top trance producer touches down in Korea on Christmas Eve with special guest Bio Mechanix. Club Volume in Itaewon. 10 pm – 5 am.

W20,000 in advance includes a free drink, W30,000 at the door. clubvolume.co.kr, psykoisgod@gmail. com, 010-3229-2700 December 24th and 31st Holiday Parties at BricX BricX gives you no excuse to stay at home and mope with its parties on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. Make new friends with the ice-breaking game, score a present or two, and join in the contest for presents including free scuba diving lessons, champagne, and dinner vouchers. bricx.com, Hongdae 02-3141-5571, Itaewon 02-795-5572 December 26th The Kids Want Hip Hop at The Hive Itaewon. thehiveuniverse.blogspot. com, 010-3994-6694 December 31st The Playhouse at the Hive Penthouse event. Invitation only.

Itaewon. thehiveuniverse.blogspot. com, 010-3994-6694, play.house.nye@gmail.com 10 Magazine December 2009 | 53

Foodie Finds

Dongari: The Secret Door Words and Shots by Joe McPherson

catchy pop tune yet with more substance.

The crispiness and flavor come from the superbly fried skin, as well as the vinegar sauce and marinated onion salad, which work to keep the chicken from being too oily. Even with the thin vinegar sauce, the skin stays crispy.

Hitomi’s Osakan roots prove true with her okonomiyaki, a no-holds-barred hash cooked on a flat top and topped with bonito flakes that is a favorite with Japanese punters. I had given up on okonomiyaki in Korea. I had never met one that I liked. It was always mushy and cloying with brown gunk sauce and way too much mayonnaise, like something your college buddy threw together during a late night stupor of inebriation and disturbing cravings. The version at Dongari is crunchy on the bottom and well balanced with sauces to give it a tangy smoky flavor. It’s the first okonamiyaki I’ve ever throughly enjoyed.

Make sure to try the deep rich curry and the wealth of exciting choices on their menu. The website has gorgeous pictures that make great food porn by themselves. Just remember it as the large izakaya with the tiny door.

From top: Fried chicken in vinegar sauce, Okonomiyaki, Odeng.

Yes, good vegetarian options

10 Magazine reimburses reviewers for their meals and never notifies restaurants that they will be reviewed.

Accessible Dishes range from W8,000 to W25,000 Excellent food, drinks and atmosphere Your friends may have a hard time finding it 02-3789-4919 192-11 Euljiro Jaeneung Gyoyuk Building, 1st floor, Jung-gu, Seoul

Asari bata

Ebishumai

Enoki Bacon

Ikamaruyaki

Tonpaiyaki

Sakenobatayaki

Entrance

Bar

Lunch: 12pm–2:30pm, Dinner 6pm–8:30pm for entrance www.dongari.jp 54 | 10 Magazine December 2009

Images courtesy of Dongari

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A

s you wander around Seoul City Hall, head to the President Hotel and make your way to the right corner of the building. There’s a small door with a little Korean and Japanese writing on it. If you don’t know what to look for it’s easy to miss. It’s like the little door in Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory. Go through this opening, and you enter a deceptively large airy space. This is Dongari, an izakaya (Japanese-style pub) owned by a lovely Japanese woman who will make you feel at home.

There are great charms in traditional Korean watering holes, but the Japanese-style drinking spots that have been popping up offer the bane of food lovers in Korea— “fusion.” This means cheap meats and bland dishes smothered in honey mustard, the magic sauce of wannabe Korean restaurateurs who try to be “international.” Dongari, however, has proven to be one of the few good guys in Japanese establishments. It offers a great assortment of sake and souchu with crisp dry Asahi on tap, and the food makes it stand out.

Proprietor Hitomi Majumoto has roots in Osaka, which is known as the stomach of Japan, and her dishes show great skill and heart. Let’s start with the fried vinegar chicken, something that has been stuck in my head like a

Modern Buddhist Cuisine: Baru

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Vegetarians love Korean Buddhist cuisine.

The rest of us eat it while thinking of the meat we’ll have after the meal.

Baru, on the fifth floor of the building across from Jogyesa temple in Jongno, takes the principles of Buddhist cuisine and creates the textures and flavors that all omnivores desire. The molecule-thin crispy fruit and veggie chips would be at home in any sports bar. Their playful sushi and woodsy mushrooms charm and transport the diner to mountain forests. Much of the food is picked wild on a mountain by monks. Also try the tea downstairs. Reservations required. 02-2031-2081

Memorable Sushi Experience It’s hard to believe that good sushi is so hard to find this close to Japan.

Daemyeong Ilsik is one of those neighborhood secrets that might get me in trouble for revealing. If you have the courage and the pocketbook, sit down at the sushi bar and say, “Omakase.” The chef will take care of the rest with the fattiest tuna, whole sea urchins and an exotic yellow fish roe that’s rarely seen off of Nippon shores. Be prepared for good food. Go to Gubeundari Station on line 5, exit 3. It has a black exterior and says “Japanese Restaurant” in English. 02-3427-0450

Czech Brewpub in the ‘Twon It’s only been a few years since microbreweries have been allowed to operate in South Korea. One of the most successful has been Castle Praha, a Czech brewpub with a dark medieval castle theme.

They have opened a more upscale franchise bistro in Itaewon next to the Itaewon Hotel. They offer a small selection of handcrafted beers, of which the pilsner gives some good bite. The food is pricey, and I recommend sticking to the Bohemian side of the menu with its hearty meats and apple-scented sauerkraut. And seriously, who wants to eat nachos in a castle? 02-3785-2181 10 Magazine December 2009 | 55

SEOUL DIRECTORY

Seoul Foreigner Assistance

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Seoul Dasan (City Info) 02-120 Seoul Global Center global.seoul.go.kr, 02-1688-0120 Yeoksam Global Village (English) 02-3453-9038 Yeonnam Global Village (Chinese) 02-6406-8151 Sorae Global Village (French) 02-570-6009 Ichon Global Village (Japanese) 02-760-2018 Itaewon/Hannam Global Village (English) 02-796-2459 Religious

Buddhist Seoul International Zen Center Sunday Meditation 1 pm, “Dharma Talk” 3 pm, 02-900-4326.

Vairocana International Buddhist Meditation Center “Dharma meeting meditation” Sunday 3 pm, 02-735-5347 Catholic Catholics in South Korea Facebook Group, Annamarie at intellectbellezza@gmail.com Hyewha-dong Catholic Church Sunday 1:30 pm, 02-764-0221 (press 6) Myeong-dong Catholic Cathedral Sunday 9 am, 02-774-3890 (press 0) Seongbuk-dong Catholic Church Sunday 9:30 am, 02-3673-4251 Yoksam-dong Church Sunday 9:30 am, 02-553-0801 Hannam International Church Sunday 11 am English Sunday 11:15 am Italian Sunday 12:15 pm Spanish Sunday 6 pm French 02-793-2070 Geumchon 3rd Sunday 5 pm 02-928-2049/02-924-2706 Dongducheon 2nd Sunday 4:30 pm 4th Sunday 4:30 pm 02-928-2049/02-924-2706 Bomun 2nd Sunday 11:00 am 4th Sunday 11:00 am 02-928-2049/02-924-2706 Jinjob 1st Sunday 3:00 pm 02-928-2049/02-924-2706 Sung-dong Social Welfare Center 1st, 3rd Sunday 11 am Tagalog 02-765-0870 Chunma Sunday 3 pm Tagalog, 02-765-0870

56 | 10 Magazine December 2009

Salesio Labor Center (Daelim 1 dong) Sunday 11:30 am Tagalog 02-765-0870 Philippine Center Monday ~ Saturday 8:30 pm Tagalog 02-765-0870 Pastral Center for Labor Sunday 1:30 pm English Sunday 12:30 pm Vietnamese last Sunday 3:00 pm Thai 02-924-2721 Protestant Somang Presbyterian Church Sunday 1:30 pm, 02-512-9191 Seoul Union Church Sunday 9:30 am, 02-333-7393 Yongsan Baptist Church Sunday 11 am & 6 pm, 02-796-0284 Yeouido Full Gospel Church Sunday 10:30 am for teenagers Sunday 10:45 am for children Sunday 5:00 pm for adult Friday 9:00 pm for youth 02-782-4851 Onnuri Church Sunday 4 pm 02-793-9686 Myungsung Presbyterian Church Sunday 1:20 pm, 02-440-9000 Gwanglim Church Sunday 1:30 pm, 02-2056-5732 Gumnan Church Sunday 11:30 am, 02-490-7000 Islam Seoul Central Masjid Friday 1:00 pm, 02-794-7307 Classes

Suseonjae Meditation and Deep Breathing Classes Achieve physical and mental balance through Oriental style stretching and meditation with danjeon (deep-core) breathing. jihye@suseonjae.org, 019-201-5958 Movie Theaters

Movie Theaters with English Subtitles for Korean Films Cinus at Myeong-dong Just outside Myeong-dong Station exit #6 Cinus at Gangnam Just outside Gangnam Station exit # 5 cinus.co.kr/Plus/english_service.asp 1544-0070 Travel

Adventure Korea Experienced guide Seokjin Park leads groups of foreigners to the most exotic spots in Korea. adventurekorea.com, 018-242-5536

Xanadu Travel English-speaking staff help travelers find package tours and reasonable airfare for travel in Asia and beyond. xanadu.co.kr, 02-795-7771 Hotels/Accommodations

4-5 Star Hotels Astoria 02-2268-7111 COEX InterContinental 02-3452-2500 Courtyard 02-2638-3000 Grand InterContinental 02-555-5656 JW Marriott 02-6282-6262 Millenium Hilton 02-753-7788 Renaissance 02-555-0501 Ritz-Carlton 02-3451-8000

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Hostels Kim’s Guesthouse Olympic Parktel

Korea HIV/AIDS Prevention & Support Center

khap.org, 02-927-4322 Ra Dental Clinic 02-569-8745 Hus Hu Dental & Skin Clinic 02-514-8013 Korea Counseling Psychological Association krcpa.or.kr, 02-498-8293

02-337-9894 02-410-2114

Medical Services

Asan Medical Center 24-hour service. ě†ĄíŒŒęľŹ í’?ë‚Šë?™ 388-1ë˛ˆě§€ Pungnap-dong Songpa-gu. amc.seoul. kr/eng, 02-3010-5001 Emergency 02-3010-3333

GANGNAM CHIRO-PILATES CHIROPRACTIC & PILATES

Jaseng Hospital of Oriental Medicine Are you suffering from back or neck pain? Visit the non-surgical spinal specialists. jaseng.net, 02-3218-2167

Dr. Andrew Park r 6 4 /BUJPOBM #PBSE $IJSPQSBDUJD %PDUPS r $FSUJĂ FE *#5 r $FSUJĂ FE &YFSDJTF SFIBC Sin-nonhyun St. Exit #6 Subway Line 7 Kyobo bldg.

Woori bank BurgerKing

BodyShop

Gangnam St. Exit #6

Hannam Bridge

Center Plaza Bldg 5F,510

Hotels/Accommodations

Seoul Interactive Subway Map smrt.co.kr International Taxi (English Speaking) 1644-2255 Jumbo Taxi Service (Even more expensive.) 02-888-2000 Radio

Subway Line 2

(02) 533-5124

APPOINTMENT FREE consultation by appointment

www.seoulchiropracticinfo.com Gangnam Chiro-Pilates Chiropractic & Pilates If you’re dealing with joint and muscle ailments, English-speaking chiropractic doctor, Dr. Andrew Park offers the best treatments to restore balance to your body. Stop in for a free consultation if you have symptoms including neck pain, sore back, headaches, scoliosis, numbness, wrist pain, sports injuries (golf) etc. Seochodong 1307-7 Center Plaza 5F 510. seoulchiropracticinfo.com, 02-533-5124 Seoul National University Hospital ě˘…ëĄœęľŹ ě—°ęą´ë?™ 28ë˛ˆě§€ Yeongeon-dong Jongno-gu. snuh.org, 02-2072-2114 Emergency 02-2072-2473~7 Severance Hospital at Yonsei University ě„œëŒ€ëŹ¸ęľŹ ě‹ ě´Œë?™ 134ë˛ˆě§€ Shinchon-dong, Seodaemun-gu. yuhs. iseverance.com/en, 02-2228-5800 Emergency 010-9949-0983

TBS eFM Seoul FM 101.3 US Armed Forces Network Seoul AM 1530/FM 102.7 International Restaurants

American

Terrific Burgers, Hotdogs and Homemade Chili Chili King Great burgers and chili served up by owner Kevin Cyr. In Itaewon, turn right at Dolce Vita.

02-795-1303 Suji’s Great American fare in a New York-style bistro atmosphere.

02-797-3698

10 Magazine December 2009 | 57

SEOUL DIRECTORY Toque An eclectic menu reflecting the many foreign influences on American fare. 02-794-3834 Austrian Chef Meili The most authentic deli and restaurant in Korea personally run by Chef Meili himself. 02-797-3820 Bulgarian Zelen The open kitchen shows off the Bulgarian chefs preparing authentic Bulgarian cuisine.

02-749-0600

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French La Cigale Monmartre The first and still one of the best terraces in Itaewon, La Cigale specializes in mussels along with their full French menu.

02-796-1244 Le Saint-Ex French chefs prepare daily specials paired with specially chosen French wines. 02-795-2465

My Thai Thai food in a comfortable atmosphere with great outdoor seating.

02-794-8090 Thai Orchid The original Itaewon Thai restaurant boasts a luxurious purple interior with plenty of Thai staff.

02-517-1135 Thai Garden Terrific cuisine made by Thai chefs served in a Thai palace-like interior. 02-792-8836 Wine Bars Thai Garden Terrific cuisine made by Thai chefs served in a Thai palace-like interior. 02-792-8836 Live Music

Italian Antonio’s Request a tune from Antonio on the piano while enjoying his fabulous Italian fare. 02-793-6144

All That Jazz The Itaewon favorite when you’ve got the itch for some smooth jazz, typically with a guitar emphasis. 02-795-5701

Sortino’s Cucina Classic Italian trattoria cuisine in a comfortable, homey atmosphere. 02-797-0488

Cheonnyeondongando (천연동안도) Diverse jazz music in the northeastern Daehangro area. chunnyun.com, 02-743-5555

Noxa Lounge Noksapung’s answer to N.Y’s Sex and the City! Great home style Italian cuisine with late night cocktail lounge. 02-790-0776 Villa Sortino’s An incredible Tuscan Villa interior matches perfectly with some delicately prepared Italian flavors.

02-553-9000 Mexican Amigos Quality Mexican food from an international chain with frequent live music and events. 02-795-9711 Pancho’s Plenty of Mexican fare in a newly renovated, comfortable atmosphere. 02-792-4767 On the Border The #1 American chain hits that craving for fajitas, chimichangas, tacos, burritos, enchiladas and even margaritas. See ad for free margarita! ontheborder.co.kr, Times Square: 02-2638-2000 Sinchon: 02-324-0682, COEX: 02-565-0682 Taco Amigo Authentic Mexican fast food served up at very reasonable prices. 02-749-5253 Middle Eastern Istanbul Grab a kebab, falafel or fish & chips on your way home in Noksapyung’s cheap eats street.

02-796-0271 Marakech Nights Terrific Middle Eastern cuisine from Moroccan chef Rhiti Mostaffa. 02-795-9441 Petra Authentic, quality Middle Eastern food at very reasonable prices.

02-790-4433 Thai Buddha’s Belly A lounge atmosphere with full bar and cocktails along with great authentic Thai food.

02-796-9330

58 | 10 Magazine December 2009

Eat Me Thai fusion dining and lounge, late night kitchen in Itaewon. Relax in the intimate yet casual dining area and outside patio. Sophisticated atmosphere is sure to please.

070-7624-3149

Club Palm Great jazz in a small, cozy atmosphere near the northwestern area of Hongik University front gate. clubpalm.co.kr, 02-336-9016 Club Evans Also near the Hongik front gate, you’ll get terrific jazz for the cost of a drink. clubevans.com, 02-337-8361 Once in a Blue Moon The classic south-of-the-river live jazz venue in the heart of Apgujeong/Cheongdam with a very classy and sophisticated atmosphere. No cover. onceinabluemoon.co.kr, 02-549-5490 Jammers Hosting bands exhibiting the slightly harder side of Korean alternative music. jammers.co.kr, 02- 325-3914 Just Blues Tucked away in an Apgujeong back alley they play classic rock covers from the likes of Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix. justblues.co.kr, 02-542-4788 SoundHolic Indie/alternatve Korean bands. cafe.daum.net/SoundHolic, 02-3142-4203 Bars/Lounges/Pubs

3 Alley Pub Rub shoulders with long-term Seoul expats and try your hands at darts or pool in this comfortable foreigner-owned pub.

116-15 Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu.

3alleypub.com, 02-749-3336 B1 B1 is one of the most hopping bars in Itaewon on any given night, with guest DJs and a good vibe that has most people up out of their seats dancing before the night is over.

Itaewon. 7 pm - 3 am. 02-749-6164 Bar Rouge Luxurious wine and tapas bar in the basement of the JW Marriot.

Great unlimited drink specials Tue - Thu during happy hour (6 pm - 9 pm). Tue: beer & whiskey night, W19,000++.

Wed: cocktail night, W19,000++. Thu: wine & buffet night, W50,000++. Fri: ladies night. 02-6282-6763 Berlin Café Lounge Combination restaurant, cafe & lounge, boasting a varied menu, fine selection of wines and all types of music from smooth and soulful to house and techno.

Noksapyeong St. (line 6). 용산구 이태원 동 457-1 Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu. awakeinseoul@gmail.com, 02-749-0903

BricX With two locations, BricX offers Itaewon revelers a Moulin Rouge-style dance floor, while partygoers in Hongdae can chill out in the Moroccan lounge. No cover. Hongdae 6 pm – 5 am, 마포구 서교동 409-1, B1, 02-31415571. Itaewon 7 pm – 5 am, 용산구 이 태원동 119-10, B1, 02-795-5572. bricx.com Coffee Bar K A Japanese franchise, they may just have the best bartenders in town. Cocktails cost W13,000 to W25,000. Mon – Sat 6 pm - 2 am.

Cheongdam-dong. 02-516-1970 Gallery Cafe Dahwa Half art gallery and half restaurant lounge, Dahwa lets you enjoy the private collection of Andy Warhol upstairs and then go downstairs for excellent pasta and a glass of wine.

Cheongdam-dong. 02-549-5464 Ghetto Vox The Hive’s sister venue, this is Itaewon’s first and only art and music space. 용산구 이태원동 132-5 (3rd floor) Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu. ghettovox.com, 010-3370-2979

Mixx Lounge A small and trendy bar that looks more like a white greenhouse than an actual bar serves up a killer mojito along with lychee martinis and cold beer. Garosu-gil. 7 pm – 3 am.

02-546-4090 Platoon Kunsthalle Showcases underground artists, studio residencies and a fine selection of cutting-edge stage performances to introduce the energetic potential of subculture. 강남 구 논현동 97-22 Gangnam-gu, Nonhyeon-dong. kunsthalle.com, 02-3447-1191

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Bliss With one of the best patios in Itaewon, this new restaurant lounge offers fresh beats played by DJ Shine and a reasonably priced food and drink menu. Itaewon. 4 pm – 4 am.

02-798-1125

Apgujeong. This popular Thai-style bar serves its drinks in buckets and has live fire shows and competitions. 7:30 pm – 5 am. 02-548-7930

Rocky Mountain Tavern Canadians feel right at home with all the hockey jerseys hanging on the walls and great live music and events, along with some of the best buffalo wings in Korea.

Don’t miss the Stand Up Seoul comedy night the first Thursday of each month. rockymountaintavern.com, 010-5775-2327 Scrooge Pub/Dicken’s Lounge A great little sports bar with pool, darts, delicious food and plenty of English speaking staff. Itaewon. 02-797-8201 Serein Located in Garosu-gil near Apgujeong, this is Korean women’s secret brunch spot. In the evenings, enjoy the small hidden patio with a nice steak or glass of champagne. 7 pm – 4 am. 02-515-9797 Seventy Four A beautiful and popular date spot featuring a menu with exotic drinks such as cheese martinis, banana mojitos and cuba libres. Cheongdamdong. 7 pm – 4 am. 02-542-7412

Jane’s Groove Offering unique drinks and various kinds of snacks, this relatively new bar in Hongdae is a good place for groups and walk-ins looking to relax over drinks. Weekdays 7:30 pm – 3 am, weekends 7:30 pm – 4 am, closed Mondays. janesgroove@gmail.com, 02-336-1664 New York Minute Get a taste of the Big Apple in Itaewon, plus weekly specials on tequila shots, bottled import beers, whiskey, appetizers, and more. Weekdays 6 pm – 3 am, weekends 6 pm – 4 am.

011-864-5091 Mike’s Cabin Western bar with a casual atmosphere that holds various special events with interactive games, DJs, dancers, and charity causes on special occasions. Sinchon near the Yonsei front gate. 02-325-7808 Monghawn Cozy atmosphere upstairs, artistic ambiance underground, Monghwan welcomes you with nice décor, live art and music events, and its signature cocktail soju.

Sincheon near Jamsil. club.cyworld. com/monghwan, 02-325-6218 Monkey Beach Thailand is just a subway ride away if you head to Monkey Beach in the heart of

So Much More Located in the heart of Apgujeong, Seoul’s hippest cafe and lounge complements its hip interior design with the hottest music and the coolest drinks every day. Trend-setters, club rats, and party-crashers are all welcome. Noon - 2 am. blog.naver. com/so_much_more, 02-3447-7890

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SEOUL DIRECTORY Tony’s Aussie Shop Authentic Australian food and beer. Every Wednesday: Open Mic Night at Tony’s with poets, fiction writers, comics, and a singer-songwriter or two. 8 pm – 11 pm. 용산구 이태원1동 455-35 Itaewondong Yongsan-gu. writers. meetup.com/779, 010-460-54326

SEOUL

Tutti Matti This multi-level former gallery has been transformed into one of Seoul’s most luxurious resto-lounges with an Italian chef in the kitchen along with Italian and Scottish staff on the floor and behind the bar. 강남구 신사동 532-6 Shinsa-dong Gangnam-gu. winnerkidd@hotmail.com, 02-511-0488 Watts on Tap Check out the parties, language exchange nights (not just English and Korean!), and open mike and live music nights. 6 pm – 2 am.

Shinchon. 52-84 3F Changcheondong. club.cyworld.nate.com/ wattsontap, 3142-8439 Wolfhound Terrific Irish/British classic food in a true Irish Pub atmosphere, including shepherd’s pie, toad in a hole, fish n’ chips, bangers n’ mash along with Guinness and Kilkenny on draft. wolfhoundpub.com, 02-749-7971 Woobar (W Hotel) Seoul’s trendiest hotel also boasts one of its trendiest bars, with professional bartenders who really know how to make a drink.

02-2022-0333

60 | 10 Magazine December 2009

CLUBS

Blue Spirit Visit this Hongdae club famed for supporting local DJs and international guest artists. 10 pm – 4 am. 010-8671-405 Eden Try out Seoul’s newest mega club with hanging Funktion One speakers, frequent bookings with top international DJs, and ever-popular model nights. Mon – Thu 7 pm – 4 am, Fri – Sat 8 pm – 6 am. 강남구 역삼동 602 Yeoksam-dong Gangnam-gu Ritz Carlton Hotel. eden-club.co.kr, 010-9913-3919 Elec A two-floor small but chic lounge and club that generally fills up after 3 am and keeps going until 10 am in the morning or later for all the die-hard dancers and music fans. Weekdays 9 pm – 6 am, weekends 9 pm – 10 am.

No cover. Cheongdam-dong. club. cyworld.com/eleclounge, 02-6326-1320 Function Itaewon’s first boutique club hidden in the fancy Macaroni Market restaurant. Tue, Wed, Thu 6 pm – 2:30 am; Fri and Sat 6 pm-3:30 am. 용산구 한남1동 737-50 Hannnam-dong Yongsan-gu. 02-749-9181 Heaven The newest member of Seoul’s club scene combines top-notch technology, including the NEXO sound system and Korea’s only hologram show, with divine DJs to create an unearthly dance floor rippling with house and electro beats. W30,000 general, W40,000 for after club hours.

Near Yeoksam St. clubheaven.co.kr, 02-3444-4997

Hive Discover a space of new possibilities, with art shows, live music, DJs, classes, and other events.

Thursdays are Ladies’ Night. 137-8 용산 구 이태원동 137-8 (Basement 1) Itaewondong, Yongsan-gu. thehiveuniverse. blogspot.com, 010-3994-6694 Joker Red A classic Hongdae venue playing minimal, techno, trance and other underground genres of electronic music, Joker Red sets the stage for those who dare to be different. Fri and Sat 9 pm – 5 am. W10,000 includes free drink. jokerred.co.kr, 019-345-7122

M2 One of Korea’s longest running clubs, M2 in Hongdae is where college students from all corners of Seoul gather to occupy the three large bars that wrap around a large dance floor and slit-level dancing stages. Sun – Thu 8 pm – 4 am, Fri and Sat 7:30 pm – 6 am. Sun - Thu W10,000, Fri and Sat W10,000 before 10 pm and W15,000 after. 마포구 서교동 367-11 Seogyodong Mapo-gu. ohoo.net/m2, 02-3143-7573 Mass The large dance floor, energetic and fashionable crowd, and prime location in central Gangnam make this dance club for the “masses” a top electronic club in southern Seoul. 9 pm – 6 am. Sun – Thu W15,000 (excluding special events), Fri and Sat W20,000. clubmass.net, 02-599-3165 Miro Be ready for a long night (or morning) at a stomping after-hours club with lounge, trance and psy-trance. Fri and Sat 11 pm – 8 am. Apgujeong near Seolleung St. (line 2). 02-544-9930

Pulse Come to drink and dance in a chilled-out atmosphere boasting all genres of electronic music with a massive sound system pumping out danceable tunes until sunrise. Drink specials every day. Itaewon. Everyday 8 pm – 7 am. Fri W10,000, Sat W15,000.

02-792-6662 Qvo Hongdae’s long-standing hip hop and R&B club. Mon, Tue, Thu, Sun 8 pm – 4 am and Wed, Fri, Sat 8 pm – 6:30 am. W10,000 - W15,000. 121-210 Ohoo B/D 367-1 Seogyo Dong. clubqvo.co.kr, 02-3148-7574

SEOUL

Koo Bar Formerly known as Club Air, Koo Bar is back to cater to Apgujeong’s classy crowd. 664-11 Shinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu. partyluv.com

Naked Taking Seoul by surprise as it leads the dance club scene into the early hours of weekend mornings. 10 pm – 8 am. W15,000 before 1 am, W20,000 after. 010-5417-4417

Vera Come for a fun night of funky house, electro-house, trance, and psychedelic. 10 pm – 6 am. 마포구 서교 동 356-1 Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu.

02-338-0957 Via Combines local DJs and VJs with the full spectrum of electronic dance music and then adds a twist of Western party flair. Hongdae. 011-257-5154 Volume A true “music lovers” club, Volume is equipped with a top of the line Funktion One sound system, enormous LED screens, Sollinger lasers, and a touch sensitive Ibar.

International DJs or costume parties every weekend. Fri and Sat 9 pm - 6 am. W15,000 - W30,000 (except for special events, please check website).

Itaewon in the basement of the Crown Hotel. clubvolume.com, 1544-2635

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GYEONGGI CALENDAR EDITOR’S PICK December 20th – 26th Theater & Dance

The Nutcracker Ballet in Gyeonggi Province

GYEONGGI

Whether you live in Seongnam, Suwon, or Incheon, you’ll have plenty of chances to see Tchaikovsky’s charming ballet. Three venues and three ballet troupes mean you can find the time and the price that’s right for you.

Novosibirsk National Opera Ballet Theater (12/22 – 12/26): Seongnam Arts Center near exit 1 of Imae St. on the Bundang line.

Tue & Wed 8 pm, Thu 11 am & 7:30 pm, Fri 2 pm & 7:30 pm, Sat 5 pm. W20,000 – W100,000. snart.or.kr, 031-7838000. Seoul Ballet Theater (12/24 – 12/26): Gyeonggi Arts Center in Suwon. Thu 7:30 pm, Fri & Sat 6 pm. W30,000 – W50,000. ggac.or.kr, 031-230-3440. Incheon City Dance Troupe (12/20 – 12/25): Incheon Culture and Arts Center near Arts Center St. (Incheon line). Weekdays 7:30 pm (except 12/24 3 pm & 7:30 pm), Sun 4 pm. W15,000. art.incheon.go.kr, 032-420-2788 Ongoing Family & Community

Festival of Lights at the Garden of Morning Calm

Most people wouldn’t think about visiting botanical gardens in below zero weather when all the flowers have fallen, but the romantic light display at the Garden of Morning Calm may make you think again. The lights come on at 5:30 pm, but the exhibit is open from 8:30 am - 8:30 pm. Be sure you dress warm for your walk through the Summer Scenery Garden, Moonlight Garden, Hometown Garden, Bonzai Garden, and the Garden of Eden. Located near Cheongpyeong St. near Gapyeong, east of Seoul. morningcalm.co.kr, 1544-6703 62 | 10 Magazine December 2009

Art Ongoing Leonardo Da Vinci Exhibition Open through March of 2010, this exhibit puts on display models and videos of the fantastic and inspiring inventions of the 15th century genius who drew the future in his sketchbooks. Gwacheon National Science Museum (scientorium.go.kr), Seoul Grand Park St. (line 4), exit 5.

9:30 am – 6:30 pm. Adults W11,000, students W10,000. davincikorea.co.kr, 02-3418-5060 Bad Boys Here and Now The era of riots and tear gas has faded, but artists have retained their political consciousness. The work of the thirty-six artists shown here reveals the politics of art since the 1990s. Gyeonggi Museum of Modern Art in Ansan, near Gongdan St. (line 4).

10 am – 6 pm. Free. gma.or.kr, 031-481-7007 Collection Highlights National Museum of Contemporary Art. Weekdays 10 am – 5 pm, weekends 10 am – 8 pm, closed Monday. Free. moca.go.kr, 02-2188-6000 Peppermint Candy: Korean Art in the World Returning to Korea after two years on loan to South America museums, this exhibit focuses on what has influenced Korean artists since 1980. National Museum of Contemporary Art. Seoul Grand Park St. (line 4, ex.

2). Weekdays 10 am – 5 pm, weekends 10 am – 8 pm, closed Monday. Free. moca. go.kr, 02-2188-6000 Face Museum Composed of over 1,000 “faces” ranging from stone figurines to ceramic dolls from Korea, China, and Japan, the pieces here form the private collection of theater director Jeong-ok Kim. Open from Fri – Sun 10 am – 6 pm.

On Tue - Thu, be sure to call ahead.

Adults W4,000, teens W3,000, children W2,000. Gwangju (Gyeonggi, not Jeolla). visagej.org, 031-765-3522 Central America Culture Center Tucked away in a small hamlet in Goyang just northwest of Seoul is this gateway to Central America. Browse through the Mayan, Aztec, and Incan historical artifacts on display at the museum, then move to the art gallery and sculpture garden outside for the work of representative Central American painters and sculptors. Sample some of the imported traditional Mexican tea on sale, or visit on a weekend between 11 am and 5 pm for some authentic Mexican food. It’s a bit hard to reach, so have a Korean friend help you with directions on the website. latina.or.kr, 031-962-7171 Elvis Presley Memorial Hall Why go all the way to Graceland when the King is here among us? Since it opened in 2000 with the support of the “Memories Forever” Elvis Fan Club, the Elvis Presley Memorial Hall has

been showing curious visitors the man behind the legend. Paju, northeast of Seoul. paju.go.kr, 031-948-3358 Through December 6th Creative Art Studio Exhibition: Variety Sixteen graduates of the Creative Art Studio give a report on their progress through the sixty-seven pieces of art on display at the National Museum of Contemporary Art. Seoul Grand Park St. (line 4, ex. 2). Weekdays 10 am – 5 pm, weekends 10 am – 8 pm, closed Monday. Free. moca.go.kr, 02-2188-6000 Byeong-u Bae Exhibit With ninety-seven of the photographs of Byeong-u Bae on display. National Museum of Contemporary Art at Deoksugung Palace in Seoul (City Hall St., ex. 3). 9 am – 8:30 pm. Closed Friday. Adults W6,000, teenagers W4,000, children W2,500. moca.go.kr, 02-2188-6000 Discovering More than Novelty

With this exhibit, the Goyang Art Foundation presents the work of six new artists. During the final weeks, encounter the artwork of Jun-ho Song and Yeon-hwa Yang. Oulim Nuri Arts Center in Goyang. Wondang St. (line 3), ex. 4. Tue – Thu & Sun 10 am – 6 pm.

Fri & Sat 10 am – 8 pm. Closed Mon. W2,000. artgy.or.kr, 031-960-9730 December 4th – 10th The Second Incheon Plaza Photography Exhibit Incheon Culture and Arts Center near Arts Center St. (Incheon line). 10 am – 7 pm. Free. art.incheon.go.kr, 032-440-4043 December 8th - 14th Suwon Hwaseong Castle Drawing Exhibition

Suwon Art Center. 10 am – 6 pm. Free. suwonartcenter.org, 031-243-3647

Theater & Dance December 3rd Se Han Do: the Dance

The Coffee Concert series at the Incheon Culture and Arts Center (Arts Center St., Incheon line) features Voiture, Korea’s first mixed voice choral group. Incheon Culture and Arts Center. 2 pm. W10,000. art.incheon.go.kr, 032-427-8401 Gyeong-hwan Kim: Trombone Recital With traditional hymns and carols including “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God” and “God Rest You Merry, Gentleman.” Seongnam Arts Center near exit 1 of Imae St. on the Bundang line. 7:30 pm. snart.or.kr, 031-783-8000

December 7th -10th La Bohème: the Opera This is your chance to see Giacomo Puccini’s hugely popular opera about the love between a poet and a sick seamstress set in 19th century Paris.

Times and prices to be posted soon.

Gyeonggi Arts Center in Suwon. ggac.or.kr, 031-230-3440

Concerts December 4th Soprano Mi-gyeong Kim Vocal Recital: “Memories of Song” Seongnam Arts Center near exit 1 of Imae St. on the Bundang line. 7:30 pm. W80,000 – W120,000. snart.or.kr, 031-713-2256 December 8th Cardias Flute Ensemble Gyeonggi Arts Center in Suwon. ggac.or.kr, 031-230-3440 Sejong Soloists in Concert Since the establishment of the ensemble in 1995, the Sejong Soloists have performed around the world and received accolades in numerous publications. Incheon Culture and Arts Center near Arts Center St. (Incheon line). 7:30 pm. W30,000 – W40,000. art.incheon.go.kr, 1588-2341 Soprano Su-mi Jo Recital: “Dream with Me” Seongnam Arts Center near exit 1 of Imae St. on the Bundang line. 8– 9:30 pm. W60,000 – W180,000. snart.or.kr, 02-569-4107 December 11th Bambini di Praga (Prague Children’s Choir) A premier Czech choral ensemble, Bambini di Praga will perform at the Gyeonggi Arts Center in Suwon. 6:30 pm. W10,000 – W30,000. ggac.or.kr, 031-230-3440 December 16th Christmas Scenes with A Cappella Group Voiture

December 16th - 17th Christmas Day: A Musical The Incheon City Choir, along with composer Su-hyeon Heo, present a musical full of heavenly harmonies that is at times sacred and at times sensational. Incheon Culture and Arts Center near Arts Center St. (Incheon line). 7:30 pm. W5,000 – W10,000. art.incheon.go.kr, 032-420-2788

December 31st Paju Sunset Festival See the sun go down at the meeting place of the Imjin and Han Rivers.

Simhak Mountain in Paju. 4 pm – 7 pm. tour.paju.go.kr, 031-940-8522

Education & Conferences Through December 6th Korean Empire: As We Were 100 Years Ago Celebrating the 100th anniversary of the establishment of Korea’s first museum, museums from all over Gyeonggi Province have loaned more than three hundred items to this exhibit. 3rd floor of the Comics Museum in Bucheon, near Bucheon Bus Terminal. comicsmuseum.org, 032-661-1282

Sports & Fitness December 4th - 5th 2009 KRA Korea World Cup Judo Tournament

December 19th Gwang-cheol Yeon and Myeong-hun Jeong: Schubert’s Winterreise Incheon Culture and Arts Center near Arts Center St. (Incheon line). 8 pm.

W30,000 – W70,000. art.incheon.go.kr, 032-420-2027

Opens late December Royal Sledding Slope Just an hour or so north of Seoul in Yangju is your cure for cabin fever.

Head out with your family or friends to the Royal Sledding Slopes and hit the fresh packed snow for some winter fun. Adults W8,000 and children W7,000. W1,000 off with coupon available on website through February 8th. Call for inquiries about opening day and transportation. esnow.co.kr, 031-844-0071 Victoria Sledding Slope Those living near Paju, northwest of Seoul, may want to venture out to the Victoria Sledding Slope this winter.

Facilities include nurse’s office, snack shop, and outdoor lighting, plus a

December 19th Anyang KT&G Kites vs Jeonju KCC Egis at 3 pm December 23rd Anyang KT&G Kites vs Ulsan Mobis Phoebus at 7 pm December 24th Incheon ET Land Elephants vs Busan KT Sonicboom at 7 pm December 26th Anyang KT&G Kites vs SK Knights at 3 pm Incheon ET Land Elephants vs Changwon LG Sakers at 5 pm December 29th Anyang KT&G Kites vs Incheon ET Land Elephants at 7 pm December 30th Incheon ET Land Elephants vs Wonju Dongbu Promy at 7 pm To list an event, e-mail coordinator@10magazine.asia

gyeongGI province Transportation

International Taxi (English speaking)

1644-2255 Jumbo Taxi Service (even more expensive) 02-888-2000 Radio

Family & Community Ongoing Animal Kingdom: Big Autumn Festival It’s the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Seoul Zoo, and there are lots of fun events for kids to take part in between the bear and lion cages. Don’t miss the chrysanthemum exhibit, the fall insect street festival, and a variety of weekend concerts and events (including a ventriloquist’s show!) on Sat and Sun from 3:30 pm to 6 pm. Seoul Grand Park St. (line 4). grandpark.seoul.go.kr, 02-500-7338

December 16th Anyang KT&G Kites vs Wonju Dongbu Promy at 7 pm

Head down to Suwon for some martial arts action as more than fifty judo athletes compete at this tournament held at the Suwon Indoor Gymnasium. The opening ceremony kicks off at 11 am on the 4th. judo.sports.or.kr, 02-422-0581

US Armed Forces Network Dongducheon AM 1197/FM 88.3 Pyongtaek AM 1440/FM 88.3 Songtan AM 1359/FM 88.5 Uijongbu AM 1161/FM 88.5

Walks, Runs and Marathons

Frog and Toad One of Ilsan’s better known expat hangouts, Frog and Toad provides upstairs patio seating ideal for peoplewatching on La Festa’s main strip. Also a favorite for darts and Wednesday late-night open mic performances. frogandtoadilsan@hotmail.com, Facebook Page: Ilsan Toad, 010-9950-7399

December 19th Yunghae 2009 Free Marathon 5k, 10k, and half, to depart at 10 am from the Buksen Stadium in Paju. The registration deadline is November 30th, but you can call later than that to see if spots remain. run1004.com, 1588-0692 Korean Basketball League (KBL)

All games held at the Incheon Samsan World Gymnasium December 6th Incheon ET Land Elephants vs Anyang KT&G Kites at 3 pm December 9th Incheon ET Land Elephants vs Ulsan Mobis Phoebus at 7 pm December 13th Incheon ET Land Elephants vs Daegu Orions at 3 pm Anyang KT&G Kites vs Changwon LG Sakers at 5 pm

Bars/Lounges/Pubs

West Island A friendly staff tends to attract friendly patrons. Come to this Ilsan bar for darts and drinks or a fiery flare show on Fridays and Saturdays. 6 pm – 5 am. club.cyworld.com/westisland, 031-917-2225 La Mia Cucina The kitchen is always open at this Italian pub. Stop in for some pasta, pool, hookah, or drinks. Outdoor seating is available during the summer months, and an all Korean-English speaking staff makes patrons feel at home. 7 pm – 4 am.

010-2327-8882

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GYEONGGI

By the Ballim Dance Troupe, with original choreography by Deok-sang Park. Incheon Culture and Arts Center near Arts Center St. (Incheon line). 7:30 pm. art.incheon.go.kr, 010-2274-2756

Seongnam City Gugak Ensemble in Concert An evening of traditional Korean music (gugak) at the Seongnam Arts Center near exit 1 of Imae St. on the Bundang line. 7:30 pm. snart.or.kr, 031-783-8000

restaurant with plenty of food to feed hungry mouths after an afternoon of fun. Look for the 50% discount coupon online. Open 9 am – 8 pm. W8,000. victorysnow.com, 031-942-3600

GANGWON CALENDAR EDITOR’S PICK December 31st – January 1st Family & Community

Sunrise Festivals on the East Sea

cycle of a building with “Observatory” at the Ilhyun Art Museum in Yangyanggun. The exhibit takes you through the entire architectural process through correspondence, conceptual diagrams, blueprints, records, and pictures. The exhibit entrance is kept shut for safety purposes, so please ask the staff to show you around.

10 am – 6 pm. Closed Mondays. ilhyunmuseum.or.kr, 033-670-8450 Haslla Art World Open since 2003, Haslla Art World, part garden and part museum, strives to achieve harmony between art and nature. It covers sixty-one acres of land with parks, galleries, overlooks and study rooms providing plenty of chances for children and adults to make their own artwork.

A full tour takes around two hours.

Adults W5,000, children W4,000.

Gangneung. haslla.kr, 033-644-9411

GANGWON

This New Year’s Eve, why cough on someone else’s smoke in a murky bar when you could be watching the first sunrise of 2009 with the fresh morning wind whipping off the sea?

Gangwon offers you the best options for the New Year with great scenery, exciting concerts, and loads of fireworks.

Gyeongpo (Gangneung): On the white sands of Gyeongpo Beach, find out why Gangneung is one of the best places to see the sunrise in Korea. gntour.go.kr, 033-640-5128 Jeongdongjin (Gangneung): Famous not only as the location of the drama Hourglass but also for its rugged natural beauty. gntour.go.kr, 033-640-5128 Donghae: The Chuam and Mangsang beaches here host a Korean flag parade and a fireworks show. dhtour.go.kr, 033-532-2801 Taebaek Mountain: Weary and aching from your climb, you reach the summit in time to see the sun rise above a sea of clouds. Concerts and other events held at Danggol Plaza. festival.taebaek.go.kr, 033-550-2081 Okkye (Gangneung): As well as offering a fine view of Okkye Harbor and Mangsang Beach, the Okkye rest stop hosts a singing contest, fireworks, and more. gntour.go.kr, 033-640-5129 Yangyang: There’s an old saying that if you make a wish as you watch the sun go down at Naksan Beach at Yangyang, it will come true. sunrise.yangyang.go.kr, 033-670-2723

Art Ongoing Mooee Arts Center Visiting the extremely creative website (all Korean, unfortunately) is nearly as cool as actually going to to Mooee Arts Center. If you do make it to Pyeongchang-gun, however, check out the sculpture garden, painting exhibits, or the pottery, illustration, and calligraphy workshops available for individuals and groups upon request (ask ahead please). 9 am – 7 pm. Adults W2,000, students W1,000.

Closed 1st and 3rd Mondays. mooee.co.kr, 033-335-6700 64 | 10 Magazine December 2009

Arari Puppet House Under the guidance of owner and director Jeong-ui An, former representative of the Seoul Puppet Association, the Arari Puppet House has been offering puppet shows, classes, and exhibits with no strings attached. Jeongseon-gun. The museum is open from 10 am – 6 pm except for Mondays. The website’s nearly a museum piece itself, so have a friend call for info on classes and performances. arari.net, 033-563-9667 “Observatory”: Architecture Exhibit Get a nuts-and-bolts view of the life

Joseon Folk Painting Museum Korean folk painting, or minhwa, refers to pictures of everyday objects and mythical themes painted by usually anonymous artists that expressed the feelings and character of the Korean people. To see a fine collection of minhwa, visit the Joseon Folk Painting Museum in Yeongwol. 10 am – 5 pm.

Adults W3,000, discounts for children. minhwa.co.kr, 033-375-6100 Teddy Bear Farm Located just south of Sokcho on the slopes of Seorak Mountain, the Teddy Bear Farm is a museum dedicated to the plush playthings. The owner says she was inspired by the Asiatic black bear, the symbol of Seorak Mountain.

The museum includes a garden, café, and shop. Adults W5,000, teens W4,000, children W3,000. teddyfarm.net, 033-636-3680 Byeolmaru Observatory Located 800 meters above sea level, the Byeolmaru Observatory located in the mountains east of Seoul is your best chance to see the stars on the Korean peninsula. See falling stars and planets with the 80 cm main telescope and explore the gallery, video room, and observation deck.

Five tours daily lasting an hour each start at 2, 3, 6, 8, and 9 pm. Adults W5,000, students W4,000. yao.or.kr, 033-374-7460

Concerts December 4th Wonju Philharmonic Orchestra in Concert Chiak Art Center. 7:30 pm. wonju.go.kr, 033-737-4302 December 7th Gangwon Gugak Art Troupe in Concert In Korean, the days of the week refer to seven fundamental elements (earth, fire, and so on). This “Seven Colors/ Seven Days” concert is composed of seven sections, each of which refers to one of those elements. Chuncheon Culture and Arts Center. 7:30 pm.

W10,000. ccac.or.kr, 033-244-9199 December 9th Wonju Yonsei Philharmonic Orchestra in Concert

Chiak Art Center. 7:30 pm. wonju.go.kr, 033-760-2752 December 23rd Wonju Philharmonic Orchestra Presents Holiday Concert Baekun Art Hall in Wonju. baekunart. wonju.go.kr, 033-737-3820 December 25th Holiday Concert with Nansae Geum and the Eurasian Philharmonic Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 along with pieces by Rossini and Sarasate.

Chuncheon Culture and Arts Center. 7 pm. W20,000 – W40,000. ccac.or.kr, 033-251-3474

Family & Community Ongoing Sledding Slope at Dreamland Try out the longest sledding slopes in Gangwon Province here at Dreamland. Adults and kids use separate slopes, so you can enjoy the rush of sliding headfirst without worrying about colliding with children.

Children younger than seven must be accompanied by an adult. Don’t forget to bring gloves! At Chiak Mountain near Wonju. Adults W9,000, teens W8,000, children W7,000. mydreamland.co.kr, 033-732-5800 Sledding Slope at Alps Valley Forget about the plastic discs and get into inner tube sledding for added safety and fun. Alps Valley is located near Chuncheon. 10 am – 4 pm.

W10,000. alpsvalley.kr, 033-243-2130

Education Ongoing Institute of Traditional Korean Cooking The facilities here include traditional Korean lodging, a traditional Korean cuisine museum, a traditional culinary gallery, a traditional cuisine restaurant, and even a traditional pond. Are you getting the picture? The institute was established to preserve Korean traditional cuisine and to share it with others. Details in the online English brochure. Located in Pyeongchanggun. ktfce.com/ktfce.pdf, 033-333-1012

Sports & Fitness Korean Basketball League (KBL)

All games held at Wonju Chiak Gymnasium December 2nd Wonju Dongbu Promy vs Daegu Orions at 7 pm December 12th Wonju Dongbu Promy vs Seoul SK Knights at 5 pm December 18th Wonju Dongbu Promy vs Seoul Samsung Thunders at 7 pm December 20th Wonju Dongbu Promy vs Ulsan Mobis at 3 pm December 27th Wonju Dongbu Promy vs Jeonju KCC Egis at 5 pm

CHUNGCHEONG CALENDAR EDITOR’S PICK December 25th Concerts

Jirani Children’s Choir in Concert

Ana Vidovic Classic Guitar Concert Although still in her 20s, this Croatian virtuoso guitarist has won prizes at competitions around the world.

Daejeon Culture and Arts Center.

7:30 – 9 pm. W20,000 – W30,000. djac.or.kr, 042-485-3355 December 4th Aulos Woodwind Quintet This Korean group performs pieces specifically composed for five woodwinds. KAIST (Korean Advanced Institute of Science and Technology) Auditorium in Daejeon. 7 pm. kaist.ac.kr, 042-350-2904

Art Through December 4th Exciting Art Exhibit Daejeon has a new art gallery, and it’s celebrating its opening with an exhibit featuring local artists. Art Zone Gallery in Daejeon. 010-3464-3522 Through December 12th Take Care of the Earth Using superheroes from popular children’s comics and blockbuster movies like Transformers, this exhibit shows kids how to respect and protect mother nature. Étant Children’s Museum in Daejeon. etantdj.co.kr, 042-489-4602 Through December 13th Asian Decorations and Aesthetic Sense Decoration in Asian art extends back to the first simple patterns found in Neolithic artifacts and forward to the sophisticated, beautiful designs of today. Asia Museum in Daejeon. 10 am – 6 pm, Sun 1 – 6 pm. Closed Mondays.

Adults W2,000, children W1,500. asiamuseum.asia, 042-863-0055 Through December 27th In Search of the Museums of North Chungcheong Province To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the first museum in Korea and to assist with networking and professional development for museum staff, the Cheongju National Museum is holding the second joint exhibit with over a hundred pieces contributed by the twenty-two participating museums in the region. Tue – Fri 9 am – 6 pm.

Weekends 9 am – 7 pm. Closed Mondays. Free. cjmuseum.org

December 4th - 8th Calligraphy Exhibit Gongju Culture and Art Center. acc. gongju.go.kr , 041-840-2467

Theater & Dance December 15th Handel’s Messiah The National Chorus of Korea performs Handel’s Messiah, still as popular and moving as when it was first conducted in 1741. Gongju Culture and Art Center. 7:30 pm. W10,000. acc.gongju.go.kr , 041-840-2467 December 17th - 20th Christmas Ballet: The Nutcracker For expats spending homesick holidays in Daejeon, Tchaikovsky’s classic ballet may come as a nice reminder of Christmas past.

Performed by the Belarus National Ballet Troupe. Daejeon Culture and Arts Center. Weekdays 7:30 pm, Sat 3 and 7 pm, Sun 3 pm. 2 hr. W10,000 – W70,000. djac.or.kr, 042-610-2222

Concerts

Ringing of Joy Concert Hear the heavenly harmonies of the Festival Handbell Ensemble with songs including “As the Deer,” “Gabriel’s Oboe” (from the acclaimed soundtrack to The Mission) and “West Indies Carol.” Yeonjeong Gugak Culture Center in Daejeon.

7 pm. W10,000. www.daejeon.go.kr/ yeonjeong, dkim21@hanmail.net 042-583-8841 December 6th Pianist Julius Kim Grand Tour Recital Kim performs pieces by Mozart, Liszt, and Chopin and others on his tour of the country. Daejeon Culture and Arts Center. 5 – 6:30 pm. W33,000 – W50,000. djac.or.kr, 02-2658-3546 December 12th Sarah Chang Violin Recital With Andrew Von Oeyen on the piano.

Daejeon Culture and Arts Center.

7 pm. W30,000 – W130,000. djac.or.kr, 042-610-2222 December 13th Mikhail Kornishin Classical Guitar Concert Gongju Culture and Art Center. 6 pm. acc.gongju.go.kr , 010-4136-2434

Family & Community December 18th - 20th Yeongdong Dried Persimmons Festival Yeongdong-gun, the number one fruit producing region in Korea, celebrates its most prized product, the dried persimmon. Festival contests include making persimmon jam, a persimmon peeling contest, and a persimmon seed spitting contest. Held at Nangye Gugak Theater and the Yeongdong YMCA. 043-740-3319 December 31st Sunset Festival Daecheon Beach, perhaps more famous for the yearly summer mud festival held there, is the site of this sunset festival. Enjoy the samulnori performance, a choir concert, and a candle procession as the sun sinks behind the horizon in Boryeong, west of Daejeon. ubtour.go.kr, 041-933-7051

Education & Conferences Alcohol Museum: Liquorium

Apparently a combination of “liquor” and “aquarium,” the Liquorium is a building swimming with alcohol. More accurately, it’s an alcohol museum, divided into sections containing explanations and objects divided into wine, oak casks, beer, Asian alcohol, and hard liquor. Located in Chungju in southeast of Seoul. 10 am – 6 pm. liquorium.com, 043-855-7333 December 17th - 20th International Education Robot Fair (EROFA 2009)

December 18th South Chungcheong Province Symphony Orchestra in Concert Gongju Culture and Art Center.

W3,000 – W5,000. acc.gongju.go.kr , 041-840-2467

December 1st Steve Barakatt in Concert New age pianist Steve Barakatt is accompanied by a string ensemble.

Seosan Culture Center. 7:30 – 9:30 pm. W10,000 – W30,000. Discount for students. seosan.go.kr, 041-660-2566

December 23rd South Chungcheong Province Yeonjeong Gugak Ensemble in Concert A free performance of traditional Korean music. Gongju Culture and Art Center. 7:30 pm. acc.gongju.go.kr, 041-852-7800

December 2nd Tenor Ian Bostridge in Concert With the KBS Symphony Orchestra.

Daejeon Culture and Arts Center. 7:30 pm – 9:30 pm. W70,000. djac.or.kr, 042-610-2222

December 30th Daejeon Philharmonic Orchestra: Master’s Series 10 Performing Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9. Daejeon Culture and Arts Center. 7:30 pm. W10,000 –

Robots haven’t replaced our teachers yet, but this expo is ready to show you all the ways they can supplement and assist with the educational process.

After browsing through the main expo, which contains 100 booths and 60 companies, check out the 11th Robot Olympiad, where competitors’ robotic creations will face off in events including Transporter, Prison Break, and Robot Dancing. Daejeon Convention Center (DCC). 10 am – 7 pm. Register online for free admission. erofa.or.kr, 042-821-0154 10 Magazine December 2009 | 65

CHUNGCHEONG

This concert’s theme is “Hakuna Matata,” but don’t expect to see any singing lions or dancing warthogs. The Jirani Children’s Choir is made up of children from the KorogochoDandora slum, the poorest district in Kenya. The foundation was begun by Tae-jong Im to build a junior high school for these children and to give them hope (“Jirani” in Swahili).

Your ticket not only gives you a wonderful evening hearing their angelic voices but also supports the ongoing construction of the school. Daejeon Culture and Arts Center.

7:30 pm – 9:10 pm. W20,000 – W70,000. djac.or.kr, 042-485-3355

December 5th Prima Ensemble: “White Christmas” This ensemble, composed of two violinists, one violist, one cellist, one bassist, and one pianist, play seasonal tunes by Vivaldi, Handel, and others. The first 160 people to call get a free ticket! Gongju Culture and Art Center. acc.gongju.go.kr, 041-840-2467

W50,000. djac.or.kr, 042-610-2266

GYEONGSANG CALENDAR EDITOR’S PICK December 29th – 30th Theater & Dance

National Ballet Troupe Presents the Nutcracker

Art Ongoing Architectural Ceramics: Now and New Open through March 7th of next year, this exhibition is divided into three sections titled “Art into Art,” “Design by Design,” and “City on City.” Encounter hybrids of mass-produced architectural ceramics with other genres of art and technology. Clayarch Gimhae Museum just west of Busan. 10 am – 6 pm.

Adults W2,000, students W1,000, children W500. clayarch.org Shivering: Perceiving Space All of a Sudden This exhibit displays the installations, drawings, and objets d’art of Ho-deuk Kim. Cyan Museum in Yeongcheon, east of Daegu. 10:30 am – 6:30 pm.

Closed Mondays. cyanmuseum.org, 054-338-9391 Through December 6th The Identity of Painting: Relationship or Difference Around thirty pieces painted within the Western and Korean artistic traditions shed light on relationship and difference. Bongsan Cultural Center. 10 am – 7 pm. Free. bongsanart.org, 011-526-9416

GYEONGSANG

The Nutcracker must be one of those phenomena that transcend national differences. After all, who doesn’t like dancing dolls, spinning sugar plum fairies, and Tchaikovsky’s graceful and whimsical score? The Korea National Ballet will liven up your holiday season at the Ulsan Culture Art Center. 7:30 – 9:30 pm. W20,000 – W50,000. ucac.or.kr, 052-275-9623 December 10th – 13th Concert

Daegu International Jazz Festival

Maybe it’s not quite as spectacular as the Jarasum Jazz Festival held early in October of every year, but Daegu’s jazz festival is notable nonetheless. Check out the great mix of Korea’s best jazz groups, including the Ungsan Group and Winterplay, and international artists such as George Garzone and Pulse Quintet. Donggu Arts & Sports Center. 7 pm. W30,000 – W60,000. Discounts available for two, three, and four day passes. dgculture.or.kr, 053-744-5235 66 | 10 Magazine December 2009

Strange Map: Exchange Exhibition This exhibit is composed of 127 pieces on loan from the Fukuoka Asian Art Museum, one of the world’s premier collections of modern Asian art. Busan Museum of Art. 10 am – 6 pm. Adults W700, students W300. art.busan.go.kr, 051-740-4241

Theater & Dance Ongoing Jump This comic martial arts performance has enjoyed consistent popularity for a decade now. Lotte Art Hall in Busan. Tue - Fri 8 pm, Sat & Holidays 5 pm & 8 pm, Sun 6 pm. W40,000 – W50,000. hijump.co.kr, 051-744-4885 December 1st Korean Classical Opera: “Rabbit, Let’s Go to the Water Palace” Based on a famous Korean tale about a dragon who gets a turtle to trick a rabbit to coming into the ocean so that he can eat his liver and restore his health. On second thought, don’t worry so much about the story and just enjoy the traditional Korean music. Seongsan Art Hall in Changwon. 4 pm and 7:30 pm.

Adults W10,000, students W5,000. sungsanart.or.kr, 055-288-3605 December 5th “Good Morning, Young Heo” and Other Performances Consisting of a mask play by the Changwon Keundeul Troupe, a folk guitar act, and a massive samulnori Korean percussion performance.

Seongsan Art Hall in Changwon. 3 and 7 pm. Adults W20,000 (W15,000 in advance), students W10,000. sungsanart.or.kr, 055-606-0802

December 7th La Rondine: Brunch Opera On a Monday morning, the Daegu Opera House offers the unconventional combination of, well, brunch and opera. Features a performance of Puccini’s La Rondine.

11 am. W15,000 with brunch and W10,000 without. 053-666-6000 daeguoperahouse.org December 12th – 13th Nanta in Changwon With daily performances at three dedicated venues in Seoul as well as tours in Jeju, Busan, and elsewhere, this non-verbal show continues to draw audience as it turns pots and pans clattering in the kitchen into infectious rhythms. Seongsan Art Hall in Changwon. Sat 3 and 7 pm, Sun 2 and 6 pm. W44,000 – W55,000. sungsanart.or.kr, 055-262-0117 December 24th – 27th Christmas Nanta Performance No, Santa’s not going to join in the Nanta fun, but Christmas is as good a time as any to see the non-verbal percussion show. Foreigners 10% off! Daegu Citizen Center. 12/24 6 and 9 pm, 12/25-12/27 3 and 6 pm.

W33,000 – W55,000. dgcitizencenter.or.kr, 053-762-0000 December 30th – 31st The Merry Widow: an Operetta Spend the last evening of the year with Hungarian composer Franz Lehár’s operetta The Merry Widow, first performed in 1905. Daegu Opera House. 7:30 pm. W10,000 – W50,000. daeguoperahouse.org, 053-666-6000

Concerts December 1st Daegu City Gugak Troupe: Suneung Concert Inquiring minds may want to know that “gugak” is traditional Korean music while the “suneung” is the Korean college entrance exam (think SAT in the US) administered every November. Daegu Culture and Arts Center. 11 am – 12:20 pm. artcenter. daegu.go.kr, 053-606-6327 Viva Brass Band in Concert Suseong Artpia in Daegu. W10,000. ssartpia.or.kr, 053-623-0684 December 2nd Arirang Pops Orchestra in Concert Concert held for the success of the Daegu World Track Competition, just in case you were wondering. Suseong Artpia in Daegu. 7 pm. W10,000. ssartpia.or.kr, 054-854-2000 December 3rd Hanna Jang Cello Recital Performing Brahms’ cello sonatas.

Busan Cultural Center. 7:30 pm.

W30,000 – W50,000. bsculture. busan.kr, 051-607-6042 December 5th – 6th Classical Guitarist Ana Vidovic in Concert At 29 years old, Croatian Ana Vidovic is one of the youngest virtuoso guitarists in the world. 12/5: Suseong Artpia in Daegu. 5 pm. W30,000. ssartpia.or.kr. 12/6: Busan Cultural

EDITOR’S PICK December 31st – January 1st Family & Community

Busan New Year’s Sunset and Sunrise Festival

Center. 6 pm. bsculture.busan.kr.

02-585-2934

Hall in Changwon. 7:30 – 9:10 pm. sungsanart.or.kr, 02-2658-3546

December 8th Myeong-jin Lee Cello Recital Pieces by Beethoven, Schumann, and Brahms. Busan Cultural Center. 7:30 pm. Adults W20,000, students and children W10,000. bsculture.busan.kr, 051-120

December 14th Sarah Chang Violin Recital Playing pieces by Johannes Brahms, Christopher Theofanidis, and César Franck. Seongsan Art Hall in Changwon. 7:30 – 9:30 pm. W40,000 – W140,000. sungsanart.or.kr, 055-268-7900

Julius Kim Piano Recital The so-called Chopin specialist presents pieces by that composer as well as works by Mozart and Liszt on his tour of Korea. Seongsan Art

December 20th Yiruma: “Movement on a Theme” Tour Soft and soothing new age piano music. Busan Cultural Center. 5 pm.

GYEONGSANG

If you’re not watching the ball drop or partying with friends, why not head down to the beach with the tens of thousands of Koreans who join in Busan’s Sunset and Sunrise Festival? As one of Busan’s most distinctive winter events, the festival is composed of the sunset fest at Dadaepo Beach, the bell tolling ceremony at Yongdusan Park, and the sunrise fest at Haeundae Beach. Tons of activities and games will keep you busy from 11 pm until the first daylight of 2010. festival.busan.kr, 051-888-3392

downtown Daegu burgers & sandwiches tex-mex & greek western breakfast beer & cocktails wine & martinis

w w w.theholygrillkorea.com Tel. 053-423-4048 10 Magazine December 2009 | 67

GYEONGSANG CALENDAR Foodie Finds

The Holy Grill Sports Lounge

GYEONGSANG

The Holy Grill, Daegu’s famed sanctuary from misguided fusion food, has recently expanded into a two floor operation.

Having already built up a solid reputation for offering top quality dishes including gourmet burgers and sandwiches, Greek and Tex-Mex, along with a menu overflowing with divine cocktails (including the often absent Bloody Mary), the Grill has also been catering to the city’s sports fans, showing recordings of NHL, MLB, NBA and a host of other acronyms. Now the Grill has taken the bold move of splitting its services across two separate floors. While the second floor offers the same selection of quality cooking and fine beverages, the third floor is now the Holy Grill Sports Lounge. With more standing room, two dart boards and a foosball table, and of course a wide screen television for all the previously mentioned sports recordings, the Sports Lounge brings a different atmosphere to the downtown bar scene. Throw in a pub menu full of the comforts of home (fish and chips or chicken wings depending on which side of the Atlantic you hail from) and Alley Kat ale all the way from Canada on tap, and you’ve got a bar worth writing home about. 053-423-4048

by Dann Gaymer W33,000 – W66,000. bsculture. busan.kr, 02-2658-3547 December 22nd Daegu Holiday Concert Daegu City Orchestra and the Daegu City Choir perform Stravinsky’s Octet for Wind Instruments and Beethoven’s 9th Symphony. Daegu Culture and Arts Center. 7:30 – 9 pm. artcenter. daegu.go.kr, 053-606-6313 December 23rd Busan City Choir in Concert Featuring music from movie scores and crossover choral pieces. Busan Cultural Center. 7:30 pm. bsculture. busan.kr, 051-120 December 29th New Prime Orchestra in Concert Busan Cultural Center. 7:30 pm. bsculture.busan.kr, 051-816-1104 December 30th Gracias Choir in Concert The concert at Seongsan Art Hall in Changwon is part of this choir’s nationwide tour called “Christmas Cantata.” W40,000 – W80,000. sungsanart.or.kr, 055-268-7900

Family & Community December 31st – January 1st Gangdong Coast Sunrise Festival Thousands are expected to be present for the meal and music provided as entertainment for this New Year’s festival located at Jeongja Harbor in Ulsan. sunrise.bukgu.ulsan. kr, 052-289-9999 68 | 10 Magazine December 2009

Ganjeolgot New Year’s Festival Visitors at Ganjeolgot, a picturesque promontory near Ulsan, get the first glimpse of the rising sun each morning throughout the continent of Asia. Be the first to welcome in the New Year by being there. ganjeolgot.org, 052-229-7642 Homigot National Sunrise Festival Join in traditional New Year’s activities such as releasing good luck balloons, flying kites, eating rice cake soup, and of course watching the first sunrise of 2010. Held at Homigot in Pohang. festival.ipohang.org, 054-270-2114 January 1st Catching the Sunrise at Uljin-gun The coastal county of Uljin-gun in the northeast corner of Gyeongsang Province boasts some great sites to see the first sunrise of the new year.

Sit on the sand at Nagok Beach or Hujeong Beach, dangle your legs off the pier at Jukbyeon Harbor or Hyeonnae Harbor, or admire the way the sun illuminates scenic spots like Wolsongjeong. tour.uljin.go.kr, 054-789-6902 Geoje Island New Year Sunrise Festival Held at Mongdolgae in Jangseungpodong on rustic and picturesque Geoje Island. tour.geoje.go.kr, 055-639-3546 Gijang Sunrise Festival A drum show and all of the other New Year’s events are to take place at Imnang Beach. Gijang-gun just outside of Busan.

tour.gijang.go.kr, 051-709-4084

Changwon Gymnasium at 7 pm

Ilwol Mountain Sunrise Festival For the best spot to watch the sun come up in Yeongyang-gun, try Ilwol Mountain. Sunrise is expected to take place at 7:25 am, but arrive by 7 am for the festivities. tour.yyg.go.kr, 054-680-6062

December 9th Busan KT Sonicboom vs Anyang KT&G Kites Busan Sajik Gymnasium at 7 pm

Seongju Sunrise Festival In addition to hoping for good fortune for the New Year, visitors to this festival offers up prayers for the safety of soldiers. Seongju, just west of Daegu. sjmelon.go.kr, 054-933-0021

Dine & Drink December 25th Christmas Day Feast at the Holy Grill Details to be announced, but you can count on turkey and loads of it. Call for more info.

053-423-4048, 010-3150-4048 December 25th & January 1st Traditional French Christmas & New Year at Novotel Enjoy a special festive buffet featuring French roasted turkey, Steak de Boeuf Facon Versailles, and gingerbread yule log. Discover the tradition of hot wine after dinner, festive atmosphere with special Lucky Draw and live entertainment. W50,000+, ages six twelve 50% off, under 6 free.

053-664-1168

Sports & Fitness Walks, Runs and Marathons

December 19th Geumho River Marathon 5k, 10k, half, 30k and full at the parking lot of the Daegu Dongchon Resort, to begin at 9 am. W10,000 for all courses.

Sign up by December 17th.

2011.mapho.co.kr, 053-252-1472 Korean Basketball League (KBL)

December 2nd Ulsan Mobis Phoebus vs Changwon LG Sakers Ulsan Dongchun Gymnasium at 7 pm December 3rd Busan KT Sonicboom vs Seoul Samsung Thunders Busan Sajik Gymnasium at 7 pm December 4th Ulsan Mobis Phoebus vs Anyang KT&G Kites Ulsan Dongchun Gymnasium at 7 pm Daegu Orions vs SK Knights Daegu Orions Gymnasium at 7 pm December 5th Busan KT Sonicboom vs Wonju Dongbu Promy Busan Sajik Gymnasium at 3 pm December 6th Daegu Orions vs Busan KT Sonicboom Daegu Orions Gymnasium at 3 pm December 8th Changwon LG Sakers vs Wonju Dongbu Promy

December 11th Daegu Orions vs Changwon LG Sakers Daegu Orions Gymnasium at 7 pm Busan KT Sonicboom vs Incheon ET Land Elephants Busan Sajik Gymnasium at 7 pm December 13th Ulsan Mobis Phoebus vs Busan KT Sonicboom Ulsan Dongchun Gymnasium at 3 pm December 15th Daegu Orions vs Jeonju KCC Egis Daegu Orions Gymnasium at 7 pm December 17th Changwon LG Sakers vs SK Knights Changwon Gymnasium at 7 pm December 18th Ulsan Mobis Phoebus vs Daegu Orions Ulsan Dongchun Gymnasium at 7 pm December 19th Changwon LG Sakers vs Incheon ET Land Elephants Changwon Gymnasium at 3 pm Busan KT Sonicboom vs SK Knights Busan Sajik Gymnasium at 5 pm December 20th Daegu Orions vs Anyang KT&G Kites Daegu Orions Gymnasium at 5 pm December 22nd Daegu Orions vs Busan KT Sonicboom Daegu Orions Gymnasium at 7 pm December 23rd Changwon LG Sakers vs Wonju Dongbu Promy Changwon Gymnasium at 7 pm December 25th Ulsan Mobis Phoebus vs Wonju Dongbu Promy Ulsan Dongchun Gymnasium at 3 pm December 26th Busan KT Sonicboom vs Seoul Samsung Thunders Busan Sajik Gymnasium at 3 pm December 27th Daegu Orions vs Seoul Samsung Thunders Daegu Orions Gymnasium at 3 pm Ulsan Mobis Phoebus vs SK Knights Ulsan Dongchun Gymnasium at 3 pm December 29th Ulsan Mobis Phoebus vs Daegu Orions Ulsan Dongchun Gymnasium at 7 pm December 30th Busan KT Sonicboom vs Changwon LG Sakers Busan Sajik Gymnasium at 7 pm

GYEONGSANG DIRECTORY

gyeongsang province Foreigner Assistance Busan Foundation for International Activities bfia.or.kr, 1577-7716

Hotels/Accommodations 4 – 5 Star Hotels Busan Novotel Ambassador 051-743-1234 Seacloud 051-933-1000 Daegu Novotel Ambassador 053-664-1101 Hostels Busan Arpina Zen Backpackers

051-740-3228 010-8722-1530

Radio Stations TBS eFM Busan FM 90.5 US Armed Forces Network Jinhae AM 1512 / FM 88.5 Daegu AM 1080 / FM 88.5 Pohang AM 1512 Waegwan AM 1080 / FM 88.5

Restaurants

Hami Mami’s (Daegu) Located on the ground floor of Club That, serving well priced breakfasts and sandwiches.

010-3815-8169 Sunset Lounge (Busan) “Drinks, Western Food and Fun” is their tagline, and they deliver right next to Haeundae beach. 051-742-2959 Waegook Cook (Gumi) Gumi’s original foreign owned and operated restaurant, serving up great steaks, hamburgers, seafood, pastas, and German cuisine. waegookcook.com French Dijon (Daegu) An up market establishment serving both French and Mediterranean cuisine.

053-422-2426 Italian Berkeley (Daegu) Warm décor and lighting, well prepared and affordable Italian cooking. Located on Hof street.

053-421-8577

Maya (Daegu) located across from Gyeongbuk University’s North Gate, Maya offers a mouth watering selection of set menus and individual dishes.

053-214-1916 Russian and Eastern European

Kebabistan (Busan) located directly out from Busan station is this Uzbekistan restaurant serving a well priced selection of Halal dishes including kebabs, soups and stews.

051-581-4050 Samarkland (Daegu) Affordable and authentic Russian cuisine, decent beer and cheap but pure Russian vodka, all just a stone’s throw from Daegu station.

053-252-4021

Nightlife Club That (Daegu) Located on the rodeo just down from the Samdok fire station. 010-6587-4147 Old Skool (Daegu) A hip hop bar that is a favorite among the expat community on the weekend, whether it’s for dancing, socializing or drinking.

GYEONGSANG

American Holy Grill (Daegu) Owned and operated

by Canadians, the Grill provides expats with homemade gourmet burgers, mouth-watering sandwiches, Tex-Mex and Greek. They take a simple menu to a new level, providing fantastic food and explosive drinks in a chilled out environment that feels more like a lounge than a burger joint. See ad on p.66.

053-423-4048

Indian

Ganga (Busan) opposite Haeundae Beach lies the Busan branch of this luxurious Indian chain restaurant. ganga.co.kr, 051-740-6670

Fuzzy Navel (Busan) Great drinks and great Mexican food as well. Four different locations, behind Seacloud Hotel Haeundae being the most popular.

011-1757-6349 Maktum (Busan) A modern venue for club dancing, events, launching shows, sports parties. 9 pm – 6 am. maktum.co.kr, 051-742-0770 Sosa Bar (Busan) A cozy and pure latin bar, located very close to Pusan National University. 051-513-0070 Rock ‘n’ Roll House (Busan) Westernstyle bar with darts and pool and a great view of Haeundae beach. 051-742-5553 NEO Starface “Latin Club” (Busan) This club at Haeundae beach offers free salsa classes weekdays from 8 pm.

Saturdays boast a live band and/or DJs. neostarface.com 051-746-1746 Vinyl Underground (Busan) Running strong for 6 solid years, the Vinyl Underground continues to deliver fresh breaks, house, funk, electro, tech house, hip hop. B2 Han La Building. 9 pm - 6 am.

051-628-0223

Café Francesco (Daegu) Italian cooking, sandwiches and good coffee.

Located just off Rodeo Street 053-252-9625

To inquire about getting a logo box for your business, email marketing@10magazine.asia

Mexican Leo Chow (Daegu) A neat little bistro serving a decent selection of burritos and tacos. 053-255-7111 Siji Taco (Daegu) Good selection of spicy tacos with a variety of fillings at competitive prices. 053-791-5050

To list your English friendly business or service, e-mail coordinator@10magazine.asia

10 Magazine December 2009 | 69

JEOLLA CALENDAR Art Ongoing Gochang Dolmen Museum

Little known fast: North and South Korea contain nearly 30,000 dolmens (prehistoric tombs), roughly 40% of all the dolmens on earth. Learn about our distant past at the Dolmen Museum in Gochang with a photography exhibit describing a dolmen dig and a train ride around various sites. 9 am – 5 pm. Closed Mondays. Adults W3,000, teens W2,000, children W1,000. gcdolmen.go.kr, 063-560-2576 Through December 13th Korean Fossil Exhibit The World Environment Department at Chonbuk National University in Jeonju is organizing this fossil exhibit. See the remains of prehistoric creatures including trilobites, the perennial favorites. 9 am. Free. Chonbuk National University Cultural Center. cnucc.chonbuk.ac.kr, 063-270-3393 Trade Between Baekje and Gaya: Necklaces and Beads Displaying artifacts from these former Korean kingdoms including silverware and pottery. Jeonju National Museum.

9 am – 6 pm. Closed Monday. Free. jeonju.museum.go.kr, 063-223-5651

JEOLLA

Through December 20th Twelve Months of Artifacts Story To wrap up the “Artifacts of the Month” exhibit series, the Jeonju National Museum is displaying the pieces that viewers liked the most as well as the pieces that didn’t make it into the original exhibits because of space requirements. 9 am – 6 pm.

Closed Monday. Free. jeonju.museum.go.kr, 063-223-5651 Through December 31st Welcoming in the Fall with Korean Paintings It’s not the fall, and this is a dinosaur museum, not an art museum, but why should that stop you from enjoying some good Korean art? Haenam Dinosaur Museum in Haenam-gun, south of Gwangju. 9 am – 6 pm.

Closed Mondays. Adults W3,000, teens, W2,000, children W1,000. uhangridinopia. haenam.go.kr, 061-532-7225

Theater & Dance December 24th – 25th Christmas Nanta Performance Nanta brings the Christmas cheer all the way down to Suncheon with this performance at the Suncheon Culture Arts Center. Sat 8 pm and Sun 3 & 5 pm. W44,000 – W55,000. scart.or.kr, 019-262-4861 December 30th -31st The Naked Angel’s Got Three Things to Say This mime performance turns Tolstoy’s earnest story “What Men 70 | 10 Magazine December 2009

Live By” into a comic discovery of what makes us and others happy. Sori Cultural Arts Center in Jeonju. 3 & 7:30 pm. 80 min.

W20,000. sori21.co.kr, 063-908-0691

Concerts December 1st Mokpo Symphony Orchestra in Concert Featuring Koussevitzky’s Concerto for Contrabass and Orchestra and Rachmaninov’s Symphony No. 2.

7:30 pm. Mokpo Citizen’s Culture and Athletic Center. art.mokpo.go.kr, 061-281-3108 December 4th Onsori Gugak Orchestral Ensemble in Concert The theme of this traditional Korean music performance is “The Story of Korean Shamanistic Rituals Performed

by Orchestral Music.” Sori Cultural Arts Center in Jeonju. 7:30 – 8:40 pm. sori21.co.kr, 010-8626-9462 December 8th Handel’s Messiah in Daejeon Daejeon Philharmonic Orchestra and the Daejeon City Choir join up for a performance of Messiah at the Daejeon Culture and Arts Center. 7:30 pm. W5,000 - W20,000. djac.or.kr, 042-610-2222 December 13th Haydn Trio Eisenstadt

This pianist, violinist, and cellist hail from the same small Austrian town as the great Haydn and play his music, too. Sori Cultural Arts Center in Jeonju. 4 – 5:30 pm. W30,000 – W40,000. sori21.co.kr, 063-270-8000 December 16th Voce Ensemble Concert For their fourth visit to the Sori Cultural Arts Center in Jeonju, this trio of flute, clarinet, and bassoon will perform classical music ranging from baroque to contemporary. Sori Cultural Arts Center in Jeonju. 7:30 – 9 pm. sori21.co.kr, 010-4600-4023 December 17th Suncheon Holidays Concert With cellist Myeong-hwa Jeong, soprano Jeong-won Park, baritone Jeong-hak Seo, and tenor Hyeon Lee. Suncheon Culture Arts Center. 7 pm.

W7,000 - W20,000. scart.or.kr, 061-749-3516

December 25th Expedition to Dokdo: Korean Classical Opera If you actually go to this kind of performance on Christmas day, you really must be Korean. Chonbuk National University Cultural Center. 5 – 9 pm. W10,000 – W40,000. cnucc. chonbuk.ac.kr, 063-270-2089 December 27th Bobby Kim and Beom-su Kim in Joint Concert Chonbuk National University Cultural Center. W44,000 – W77,000. cnucc. chonbuk.ac.kr, 062-650-3049 December 30th FT Island in Concert Five member Korean boy band FT Island stands for “five treasure island”—apparently each member is a treasure. Jeonju Hwasan Gymnasium. 063-287-7651

Family & Community December – February Geumho Family Land Sledding Slope Boasting the greatest length in all of Jeolla Province, this sledding slope is a water slide most of the year and a snow slope in the winter. The Geumho Family Land amusement park, located just north of Gwangju, also has a swimming pool, ice skating rink, and sports park.

Adults W10,000, children W9,000. fl.kumho.co.kr, 062-607-8000 December 31st Yeosu Hyangilam Sunset Festival Hyangilam, a temple near Yeosu on Geumo Mountain, is regarded as one of the most scenic places to view the sunset in Korea. In fact, the name itself means “temple facing the sun.” yeosutravel.net, 061-690-2042 Baeksu Coastal Road Sunset Event At the Chilsan Gazebo near Baeksu Coastal Road. In Yeonggwang west of Gwangju. ygtour.uokdc.com, 061-350-5752 January 1st Yeongam Lake Sunrise Festival Starting at 7 am, listen to military bands perform, release balloons, share the lucky rice cake, and write New Year’s postcards. If that doesn’t remind you of a typical New Year’s Day, just remember that this is Korea.

Plaza in front of Hotel Hyundai in Yeongam-gun, south of Gwangju. sunrise.yeongam.go.kr, 061-470-2255

Sport & Fitness Korean Basketball League (KBL)

All games held at Jeonju Gymnagium December 1st Jeonju KCC Egis vs Seoul Samsung Thunders at 7 pm December 3rd Jeonju KCC Egis vs Incheon ET Land Elephants at 7 pm December 5th Jeonju KCC Egis vs Changwon LG Sakers at 5 pm

December 10th Jeonju KCC Egis vs Wonju Dongbu Promy at 7 pm December 12th Jeonju KCC Egis vs Ulsan Mobis Phoebus at 3 pm December 17th Jeonju KCC Egis vs Busan KT Sonicboom at 7 pm December 22nd Jeonju KCC Egis vs Incheon ET Land Elephants at 7 pm December 25th Jeonju KCC Egis vs Daegu Orions at 3 pm December 30th Jeonju KCC Egis vs Seoul Samsung Thunders at 7 pm

Dine & Drink December 25th Christmas with McCarthy’s Christmas buffet with turkeys, dressing, and the rest along with a Secret Santa present exchange (W15,000 max). Seats are limited so make a reservation. 2 - 7 pm. W25,000 each.

McCarthy’s in Suncheon. See event on facebook. dsyfunctional_01@hotmail. com, 061-724-3034

JEOLLA PROVINCE Foreigner Assistance Gwangju International Center gwangjuic.or.kr, 062-226-1050

Hotels/Accommodations Gwangju Youth Hostel

062-943-4378

Radio TBS eFM Gwangju FM 98.7 US Armed Forces Network Gunsan AM 1440/FM 88.5 Gwangju F M 88.5

Restaurants/Supermarkets Underground Grocers Foreigner owned and operated, Gwangju’s local imported food shop has all of those hard-to-find cheeses, taco shells and other delicacies foreigners in Korea crave. One minute from the McDonald’s in Hwangguemdong. 062-232-2626

Live Music Venues Bars/Lounges/Pubs Art & Travel Cafe (Jeonju) Open mic nights every Wednesday from 9 pm. Facebook group, 011-9437-0208 Deepin (Jeonju) Popular expat bar with Texas Holdem on Sundays. 019-9646-1028 Speakeasy (Gwangju) The fun never stops at this fantastic bar owned and operated by a true Irishman in the heart of Gwangju. mdspeakeasy.com McCarthy’s (Suncheon) Grab some grub or listen to live music at this meeting place for expats and locals alike. The owner Harold Lear, who hails from Newfoundland, is always ready with a pint. dsyfunctional_01@hotmail.com, 061-724-3034

JEJU CALENDAR Art Ongoing Heung-su Kim and Gwang-jin Park Exhibit These two Korean painters’ works are featured in the permanent collection at the Jeju Contemporary Art Museum. 9 am – 6 pm. Adults W1,000, students W500. jejumuseum.go.kr, 064-710-7801 Da Vinci’s Dream: Art & Techne Work by sixteen artists depicts the meeting of art and technology. Jeju Museum of Art. 9 am – 6 pm. jmoa.jeju.go.kr, 061-710-4300 Enjoying Stories with all the Senses: Storybook Exhibit Old Korean folk tales and legends are dusted off and presented anew in this exhibit of original illustrated books.

Jeju Museum of Art. 9 am – 6 pm. jmoa.jeju.go.kr, 061-710-4300 A Walk Through Time: Exhibit These sixty-nine pieces by internationally recognized Korean artists, many of whom are natives of Jeju Island, go on display for the first time. Jeju Museum of Art. 9 am – 6 pm. jmoa.jeju.go.kr, 061-710-4300 Through December 12th Traditional Wooden Ware of Jeju

Jeju Women: What Did They Wear?

Focusing on the lives of the women of Jeju, this exhibit shows how the “waste not, want not” attitude of Jeju ancestors resulted in clothing that was comfortable, practical, and suited for a variety of uses.

Take “Ujang,” traditional rain gear made of straw and grass that looks unusual but got the job done. Other odd items include old-fashioned cosmetics, footwear, and even a traditional cradle. Jeju Folklore and Natural History Museum. 8:30 am – 6:30 pm. Adults W1,100, children W500. Discounts for Jeju residents. museum.jeju.go.kr, 064-710-7708

EDITOR’S PICK December 18th - 21st Sports

Jeju Island Tour Four Day Marathon

Theater & Dance Ongoing Nanta on Jeju Island Nanta, the non-verbal performance that’s been running for ten years, is a feast for the ears that turns ordinary kitchen pots and pans into a rhythm section. At Jeju Media Center in Jeju City (064-727-7800). 90 min. Sun 8 pm, Tue – Fri 8 pm, Sat 4 pm, 8 pm.

W40,000 – W50,000. ticket.interpark.com, 1544-1555

Concerts December 3rd Culture Plaza: Jang Gi Ha and the Faces If you’re tired of the Lee Hyoris and the Wonder Girls of the Korean pop scene, try out Jang Gi Ha and the Faces, an indie group whose ironic lyrics and catchy tunes in songs like “Cheap Coffee” brought them unexpected popularity last year.

Aramuse Hall at Jeju University. 2 pm. aramusehall.com, 064-754-2055 December 5th Halla Boy’s Choir in Concert Sway to a nice mix of soothing tunes, ranging from traditional tunes to the Beach Boys. Jeju Culture and Art Center. 7:30 pm. Free. jejuculture.or.kr, 010-9701-8614

Have you ever wanted to take a spin around Jeju Island?

This four day massive marathon gives you the chance to do that—literally. Four consecutive marathons take you around the whole island beginning at the Jeju Sports Complex in Jeju City at 10 am. All contestants receive a certificate of completion and a medal, along with other souvenirs depending on how many days you compete, and winners get up to W200,000 in prizes. Those looking for a place to sleep can find reasonable accommodations priced at W50,000 for one night and W150,000 for all three nights, with three meals included. Reserve your spot now. W25,000 per day of running. run1080.com, 042-638-1080

Family & Community December 30th Seong Mountain Sunrise Festival

Restaurants

December 6th Gwang-hun Lee Daegeum Concert In addition to Lee’s performance on the daegeum (a large transverse bamboo flute), the concert will also include a gayageum recital, a traditional dance, and more.

Jeju Culture and Art Center. 6 pm. jejuculture.or.kr, 010-4765-7484 December 19th Halla Wind Ensemble in Concert With pieces from Elgar’s Pomp and Circumstance as well as selected Christmas carols. Jeju Culture and Art Center. 7 pm. Adults W5,000, students W1,000. jejuculture.or.kr, 010-6798-1155 December 24th Yiruma: “Movement on a Theme” Concert With the verve of Yanni and the sensitivity of Enya, Yiruma is Korea’s new age sensation. Jeju Culture and Art Center. 7:30 pm. W33,000 – W66,000. jejuculture.or.kr, 02-2658-3546

JEJU ISLAND

Bagdad Cafe Indian Delicious, authentic Indian food made from local ingredients in a gorgeous atmosphere. Near City Hall in Jeju City. 064-757-8182

There’s no shortage of reasons for you to attend the Seong Mountain Sunrise Festival for the New Year.

The awesome wilderness around the mountain is considered a world heritage site, the festivals lasts three days instead of the usual two, and you can find some fine music, a street parade, a children’s festival, and even a “Frugal Fest” flea market.

Don’t forget, it’s probably the warmest place in Korea to enjoy the first sunrise of the New Year. Just east of Seogwipo. culture.jeju.go.kr, 064-760-2661

To list an event, e-mail coordinator@10magazine.asia

Dom Jang Japanese Absolutely spectacular sushi and sashimi in several fabulous locations all over the island. By far the best atmosphere is in Jungmun.

064-738-2550 El Paso Mexican Rather bland but adequate Mexican food in a central location in Jeju City.

064-752-8252 Island Gecko’s Western A varied menu of terrific Western food, plus maybe the best cocktails and service on the island. Island Gecko’s BBQ nights will blow you away. Ribeye steak, sausages, baked potato, fresh seasonal fish, and vegetables on the grill along with salad and a basket of homemade bread every weekend for only W19,000! In Jungmun.

064-739-0845

10 Magazine December 2009 | 71

JEJU ISLAND

This exhibit of the wood instruments once used by the residents of Jeju Island is based on the collection of Tae-gyeong Mun. While you’re at Jeju Stone Park, located east of Jeju City, consider taking a stroll through the mythology and traditional lifestyle of the island through the park’s three courses, which take about three hours to complete. 9 am – 6 pm.

Adults W5,000, students W3,000. jejustonepark.com/eng, 064-710-7755

Through December 27th Jeju Amateur Painting Association Exhibit Anyone going to the Seogwipo Citrus Museum to gorge on some gyul (Jeju tangarines) may be surprised to find an art exhibit instead. The twenty pieces on display, the work of members of the Jeju Amateur Painting Association, range from the traditional “four gentleman” flower paintings to more contemporary efforts. 9 am – 6 pm. Adults W1,500, teens W1,000, children free. citrusmuseum.com, 064-767-3010

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72 | 10 Magazine December 2009

NETWORKING CALENDAR December 1st TUE AWC Holiday Luncheon Buffet Enjoy a delicious luncheon with wine along with charming music provided by Beautiful Minds Charity. Sofitel Grand Ambassador Hotel Ballroom. 11:30 am – 1:30 pm.

Non-members W50,000. awcseoul.org, RSVP awc.coffees@gmail.com December 3rd THU SIWA Newcomer’s Meeting A great chance for those new to Seoul or new to SIWA to learn more about the city.

Seoul Club, between the Shilla and Tower Hotels. 10 am. W8,000. siwapage.com December 3rd THU Cultural Experience Tour in Insadong with SIWA Enjoy a day in Insadong including an English tour of the Seoul Museum of History, lunch at a temple, and the popular non-verbal performance Jump.

10:30 am – 5:30 pm. Non-members W10,000. siwapage.com December 4th FRI EUCCK Year End Party in Busan A delightful party with fellowship and fun, featuring a Korean drum performance.

Nurimaru APEC house. 7 pm. W80,000 (half off for EUCCK Busan members). pusaninfo@eucck.org

2009 DECEMber

5

sat AWC Deck the

th

Halls Charity Fundraising Gala

Help the American Women’s Club of Korea meet their fundraising goals with this exciting gala featuring a Christmas tree lighting ceremony, hors d’oeuvres, entertainment, cash bar, and silent auction. Citibank Korea Building in downtown Seoul. 7:30 pm.

W60,000. awcseoul.org, RSVP lis-awc@hotmail.com December 8th TUE R ASKB Lecture: Joseon Korea Seen through Architecture Lecture by Peter Bartholemew, President of the Royal Asiatic Society. 2nd floor of the Somerset Palace near Anguk St. (line 3, ex.

6). 7:30 pm. W5,000 for non-members. raskb.com, 02-763-9483 December 9th WED SIWA Christmas Coffee Morning Get in the holiday spirit with champagne mimosas and an interesting speaker. Nonmembers W17,000. Grand Ambassador Hotel. 9:30 – 11:30 am. siwapage.com December 10th THU SIWA Shopping Tour to Bangsan Baker’s Market Tag along with Wendy Hagen as she shows you where to find everything from cake pans to fancy boxes at the Baker’s Market.

10 am – noon. W10,000. siwapage.com December 12th SAT FKCCI Gala “Deauville: Un Homme et Une Femme” FKCCI recreates French coastal city

Deauville at this gala with special guests M. Philippe Augier, mayor of Deauville, and M. Claude Lelouch, director of the movie Un Homme et Une Femme. Grand Hyatt Hotel. 6:30 pm. Black tie and gown. Nonmembers W270,000. RSVP infos@fkcci.com December 13th SUN ANZA Family Christmas Party Feast on a fabulous Christmas buffet and enjoy a fantastic view of Seoul. Bring a small gift for Santa to give to your children when he visits the playroom. COEX Intercontinental Hotel. Noon – 4 pm. anzakorea.com December 14th MON AHK Gluehwein Sundowner Gluehwein refers to German hot mulled wine, of which there will be plenty. KGCCI Veranda. 6 pm. korea.ahk.de Editor's note: Since many people travel and spend time with loved ones over the holidays, there are few networking events planned for the second half of the month. Please refer to the 10 Magazine website (10magazine.asia) in mid December for information about special holiday events.

AHK–Korean: German Chamber of Commerce

and Industry ANZA Korea: Australia and New Zealand

Association of Korea AWC: American Women’s Club EUCCK: European Union Chamber of Commerce

in Korea FKCCI: French Chamber of Commerce and

Industry Korea RASKB: Royal Asiatic Society Korea Branch SIWA: Seoul International Women’s Association

10 Magazine December 2009 | 73

NETWORKING CALENDAR

December 5th SAT R ASKB Shopping Spree Tour Combine sight-seeing and shopping with this blitz through some of Seoul’s most fascinating markets. The tour takes you to Gangnam Terminal Market Jangan Pyoung Antique Market, and more. 10:30 am – 6:30 pm. Members W32,000, nonmembers W38,400 (transportation only). raskb.com

Sponsored by Allied Pickfords

If the Shoe Fits Words by Samantha Dix-Hill, Artwork by Hyeon-song Ryu

W

e all know that Cinderella was a real babe, even though her time management skills were a bit dodgy. But for the f irst time since I heard that tale of mice and pumpkins and evil step-sisters I’ve actually felt a little sympathy for those two ugly siblings and their huge feet.

The trouble started shortly af ter I arrived in Seoul. We were invited to one of the many balls that take place in and around this sparkling city. Having no Fairy Godmother to help I dashed off to the nearest department store and hit the shoe section with gusto. I expertly scanned all four thousand pairs of shoe, then set off to try on half a dozen that I’d stored in that special place in the brain that woman have for such important information. I approached the f irst nervous looking salesman and naively asked if I could try on a shoe. Charades this time were very limited as it’s pretty clear what’s needed when you hold up a shoe and count to nine on your f ingers, but I’m sure I saw him giggle when he realized my shoe size. I’m not a small girl by any means, but if I try really hard I can sometimes squeeze into an 8 ½.

Not to be deterred by one round of bad luck I moved onto the next store, and once again all I got was an embarrassed giggle and a sad shake of the head. A few stores later and I was f resh out of luck.

Being new to Korea it took me a while to realize that two forearms crossed over each other means “No.” I thought we were still discussing shoe styles and as hard as I tried to explain that I didn’t want

anything with cross-over straps I kept getting the same signal. It took one bold soul to say ‘No’ and that was my lesson for the day. I’m a fast learner. It was at this exact moment that I switched allegiances and became an ‘ugly sister sympathizer’. Determined to f ind a shoe I resorted to stuff ing my feet into shoes that were so small I actually stopped all circulation, causing pins and needles and a walk that looked like I’d been at the bottle for hours.

Why all this trouble for a pair of shoes? Because I believe you can tell everything about a person by the type of shoes they wear. Ever seen a woman in a beautif ul ball gown, only to look down and see a pair of shoes so lacking in imagination you could weep? Or a man wearing dull brogues with a sexy tuxedo? Then you’ll know what I’m talking about.

Finally I gave up and with one f inal, longing, backward glance I sloped out of the store thoroughly dejected and seriously considering foot liposuction.

Suddenly inspired I remembered that Itaewon is a place that caters to foreigners in many aspects so surely I would be able to f ind something there. Feeling much brighter I changed course and hit the high street. Eventually I found a tiny store that had some fabulous shoes. All high heels and sparkly and I just knew that within f ive minutes of wearing them I was going to be in absolute agony for the rest of the time. The ball went off without a hitch, nobody turned into a pumpkin at midnight, and best of all I was with my Prince Charming.

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W29,000 for a year • W15,000 for 6 months subscribe@10magazine.asia 74 | 10 Magazine December 2009