10 Magazine January 2010

Art • Theater • Concerts • Film • Community • Fitness • Dine & Drink • Nightlife • TRAVEL

Korea awaits! • JANUARY 2010 VOL. 2 NO. 4

INSIDE Planning Your Fiji Adventure Winter Fun in Hwacheon

Living History in Gyeongju The Ultimate Korean Hangover Cure New Burger on the Block

ith hing w nt T a s s ve Mi Don’t ationwide E tory! c N Dire Our r and a d n e l Ca Printed using 100% soy ink.

06 FROM THE EDITOR

A SHOT OF KOREAN 08

CONTRIBUTORS

10 LETTERS / Reader's 10

KOREA BY THE NUMBERS 12 KOREAN DESTINATIONS

EXPLORING THE PAST IN GYEONGJU 16 LIFESTYLE NEWS

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

18 A TASTE OF KOREA

HAEJANG GUK:

KOREAN HANGOVER CURE 20 IN THE KITCHEN

OMER YILMAZ: CHEF AT SULTAN KEBAB 22 10 QUESTIONS

ROBERT STARK: GENERAL MANAGER

AT THE JW MARRIOTT SEOUL 24 ASIAN-PACIFIC TRAVEL

FIJI: SOUTH PACIFIC PARADISE 28 THE 10 HOTEL & RESORT NEWS

16

24 02-790-5907

JANUARY 2010 vol. 2 No. 4 30

NIGHTLIFE WINE BAR REVIEW: DOVE QUANDO LIVE MUSIC AT V-HALL JUNGLIST PRESENTS RONI SIZE TATTOO PARTY AT REHAP

34 COVER STORY

THE EVOLUTION OF PETS 40 NEWCOMER DIRECTORY 41

CALENDAR & DIRECTORY 42 NATIONWIDE 46 REGIONAL 71 NETWORKING

46 FOODIE FINDS

BURGER B 63 KOREAN DESTINATIONS

ICE FISHING IN HWACHEON 70 LOCATIONS WITH 10 72 A HAPPY ENDING

SOCIAL LIBERAL, FISCAL MORON

34

59

Korea Awaits... Online !

List of 10 Magazine Online Features • Search 10 Find just the info you're looking for.

• Interact with 10 Post your comments and opinions on our articles.

• Read all the 10s Check out all of our issues with links to our online "e-book" format.

• Check Out Online Exclusives Bonus content from our terrific contributors.

• Join 10 Join us to get daily updates on hot events through Facebook and Twitter.

• Vote on "The Reader's 10" Give us your input on the best 10s in Korea! This month's poll: Who is your favorite DJ in Korea? Check out the results in our February issue.

(Hurry - you must vote by Jan. 15th!)

www.10magazine.asia

CEO

Sang-tae Kim sangtaekim@10magazine.asia

Executive Editor

Jai-yoon Kim jaiyoonkim@10magazine.asia Stephen Revere sr@10magazine.asia David Carruth dc@10magazine.asia Grace Sun gs@10magazine.asia

Managing Editor Assistant Editor

Contributors

Craig Alderson Michael Berry Randy C Drew Clement Matt Crawford Dann Gaymer Hospital Photography Paul Kang Hyeon-seong Ryu Daniel Lenaghan Joe McPherson Brielle Morgan

General Manager

Kyoung-hee Lim kl@10magazine.asia Dami Kang dk@10magazine.asia Jiheh Kim jk@10magazine.asia

Coordinator

R.L. Baldwin Adam Boothe David Carruth Maribeth Conway Frances Darwin Joshua Hall Dami Kang Jiheh Kim Kyoung-hee Lim Andrea Mackay Charles Montgomery Gus Swanda

Hugh Lee hlee@10magazine.asia Ethan James ej@10magazine.asia

Art Director Photography Marketing Inquiries Calendar Events Contribute Questions/Comments Subscriptions

marketing@10magazine.asia calendar@10magazine.asia contribute@10magazine.asia comments@10magazine.asia subscribe@10magazine.asia

Please Recycle This Magazine 10 Magazine January Vol. 2 No. 4 등록번호 서울 라 12065 (Registration: Seoul Ra 12065) ©10 Media Inc. Address 10-21 Nonhyeon-dong Gangnam-gu Seoul 135-010 서울시 강남구 논현동 10-21 Phone 02-3447-1610 www.10magazine.asia 10 Magazine is published monthly by 10 Media Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Printed by Kyohaksa Publishing. Co., Ltd.

FROM THE EDITOR

Shipyard in Geoje island, South Gyeongsang Province.

Samsung Heavy Industries’ LNG Carriers

S

o my search for 10 Magazine readers took me to an interesting place last month. I got to visit Geoje Island, Korea’s second largest island and home to both the Daewoo and Samsung shipbuilding yards as well as a community of almost 4,000 foreigners.

Who? How? Why? I was curious as well.

It turns out that when companies order multi-million dollar ships, they like to send some of their own people over to make sure they get built the way they ordered them. Being that Korea’s shipyards are known the world ‘round for building quality ships at fire-sale prices and in the time it takes most other shipyards to get their pants on, there are plenty of foreigners there helping make sure their ships get built to spec.

And as you may suspect, these people come from every corner of the world - just as the ship and tanker orders do.

There are so many foreigners making a life on the island, that they even have a “Geoje Foreign Resident Association” (gfra.net) with about 800 members. I was lucky enough to visit on “Fish & Chips Night,” and as soon as I walked in the door President Steve Davies ordered me a beer and coached me on the buffet. Let me tell you, they make some of the best fish & chips in Korea down there. I had no idea Brits poured curry on fries, er, chips like that, and that’s some delicious stuff! As good as any chili fries I’ve ever had. But I digress.

This club was full of great people enjoying their community.

Although men made up the majority, there were plenty of couples and families and it turns out there is even an international school there for the kids. Most of the members of the community are long-termers, ‘cause despite Korea’s impressive speed these monsters don’t get built overnight. A typical “project” takes 2 – 3 years to complete, and many of the people there were on their second, third or fourth project. When I’d inquire as to their length of stay in Korea, the typical answers were 3, 4 years and up. They’ve built a nice life for themselves down there with plenty of nature, camaraderie with both Koreans and expats, and plenty of hashing. No, nothing illicit here – Geoje boasts one of the largest Hash House Harrier runs on the peninsula.

My personal hope is that their new discovery of 10 Magazine will also help them enjoy their time in Korea. Being that we supply all of the festival, concert, theater, sports, movie, nightlife, travel and other event information for Busan and the greater Gyeongsang Province, including Geoje Island, hopefully their cultural and other events will now be working their way into our calendar and they’ll also be taking more ferry rides over to the mainland to see the great events on offer over here. And hopefully that will in turn give me another excuse to head down for some of that incredible fish and curry chips.

Stephen Revere Managing Editor

A SHOT OF KOREAN 별로 X – Byeol-lo X. – Not really X. / Not very X. Here’s a great, multi-purpose word. It is always used with a negative expression. In normal spoken Korean, however, people frequently don’t complete the final half of the negative expression, but instead simply cut it down to just the word “별로”. 별로 안 좋아요. – Byeol-lo an jo-a-yo. – It’s not very good. 어때요? [ Eo-ttae-yo? ] – How is it? 별로. [ Byeol-lo ] – It’s not very impressive. 배 고파? [ Bae go-pa? ] – Are you hungry? 별로 배 안 고파. [ Byeol-lo bae an go-pa. ] – I’m not that hungry.

(Or you could just shorten it to “Byeol-lo.”)

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

6 |

10 Magazine January 2010

KOBEAK FOODS® IS PROUD SUPPLIER TO:

Mexican Favorites Just Like Back Home!

ON THE BORDER IS THE NO. 1 MEXICAN RESTAURANT IN THE U.S AND currently there are 3 locations in Seoul. Famous for fresh, homemade dishes and the freshest ingredients, the fiesta at On the Border begins with crispy bottomless chips and salsa to go along with spectacular tacos, burritos, fajitas, enchiladas, chimichangas and tremendous margaritas. Visit us at one of our nearby Seoul locations today! www.ontheborder.co.kr Kobeak Foods ® is an Australian joint venture company specializing in supply to restaurants concerned with safe, high quality meat products from around the world. We carry all varieties of meats –beef, pork, poultry, lamb, venison, sausages, hamburgers and much more. Look for the "Kobeak Foods" mark at your favorite restaurant to ensure you are getting the best and safest quality products available.

3F, 59-11, Kuui-dong, Kwangjin-ku, Seoul, Korea | Tel; 02-454-3435 | Fax; 02-458-1302 Keep watching this page for special offers and opportunities from Kobeak Foods !

On the Border Locations Sinchon 02-324-0682

Coex CALT 02-565-0682

Times Square, Youngdeungpo 02-2672-0682

CONTRIBUTORS Charles Montgomery was born in California, because he felt it was important to be near his mother at that important time. 48 years later, he moved to Korea. He currently teaches in the English Literature, Interpretation and Translation Department at Dongguk University in Seoul. He studies Korean modern literature and is a fan of historical Korean architecture. Charles “knows kimchi” and yearns to move to the next step, but is hampered by shyness. He has had no such problem with soju or makgeolli. Charles can be reached at spunangel.com/morningcalm.html Matt Crawford has worked on and off in South Korea for over four years as an English teacher. During this time he has gone native to the extent of eating raw horse meat on Jeju Island, hiking obsessively, and taking shelter in many, many yeogwans throughout the country. Outside of Korea, his Asian travels have delivered him to places such as Ulaangom, Oudomxay, and Quiemo, while his writing has appeared in the Straits Times (Singapore), the Asia Times (Hong Kong), the Korean Herald, and various other publications. He can be contacted at mattcrawford@hotmail.com.

R.L. Baldwin caught an unquenchable travel-bug when she traveled to Okinawa eight years ago as an exchange student. She hails from the hippy-haven of Eugene, Oregon and has called Seoul home since 2006. Prior to Korea, Ms. Baldwin worked as a concert promoter and performing arts producer at the University of Puget Sound. Since being in Korea, she has savored the autumn sun in Gyeongju, feasted on squirming octopus, and hopes to add a variety of unique experiences to the resume of her soul. Check out her photo blog “Hearts of Artichoke” at http://heartsofartichoke.blogspot.com.

Brielle Morgan hails from good old Vancouver, Canada – home to Stanley Park, excellent sushi, month-long downpours and Modern Dog magazine. It was at Modern Dog that Brielle honed her sales/writing skills while scoring as many free samples as possible for her much-missed buddy, Oliver. (Skype just doesn’t cut it when it comes to dog chats.)

Currently working as an English teacher, Brielle is struggling to curb her tendency to pat her thighs and whistle at kids.

Drew Clement has spent the last two years working as an English teacher in South Korea.

He has been desperately drudging his way through "business" trips to Hong Kong, Jeju Island, Thailand, and most recently the Fiji Islands and has been an obsessive traveler all of his life. Whether you need to know how to find the best fake Rolex in Hong Kong, live in Thailand on less than $5 a day, or become a respected member of a Fijian warrior tribe, he is the one to talk to.

He may not know everything, but he will definitely pretend to.

8 |

10 Magazine January 2010

Frances Darwin contributed this month's article on the "Hwacheon Ice Fishing Festival" (page 63). Frances is a resident and local-celebrity in Hwacheon.

This summer, the national media nicknamed her "Wonder Woman" because she had been riding her bike to and from work, 36k a day.

In winter, she stopped biking and is now reportedly depressed due to her fall from fame (she has recently admitted to being a chocoholic). This will be Frances' second "Ice Fishing Festival". You can find her next to the hot chocolate booth, desperately handing out autographs to confused tourists.

Craig Alderson grew up in England when the rave/dance music scene was just exploding in the early 1990s and witnessed the rise of such legends as Sasha, Digweed and Carl Cox. Having finally recovered from those parties, he now puts his knowledge to good use informing 10 Magazine readers about quality parties, venues and the very best that the Korean DJ/club music scene has to offer.

DIS 10 CO % UN T Korean Musical

English Reservations koreamiso.com

2010년1월 - 12월 오후8시 8pm Jan.-Dec. 2010 Info. 02-751-1500 www.chongdong.com

No performance on Monday

LETTERS The Weekly 10 via e-mail is a great idea. Each month when I read your magazine, I make a mental note of the events I want to enjoy. As work gets busy, I forget about my plans until after the event has passed. Your weekly reminder will help make sure I don’t miss out on the best of Korea., Warm regards, Jim Oskey, Seoul Thanks very much Jim. Be sure to let us know if you would like any special events added to the list! If you would like to receive The Weekly 10, visit 10magazine.asia/1706/theweekly-10. We’ll scour the country (and cyberspace) to let you know the most fascinating things happening each and every week all over the peninsula, and you’ll have them waiting in your inbox every Thursday morning.

10

The Reader’s 10 We got tons of responses to our poll on the best Korean movies. Read on to see what made the final cut.

Don’t Miss a Thing with The Weekly 10

1. Old Boy (올드보이) – Takes the cake with a full 26% of the vote!

We do our best to print the best events in our monthly calendar, but unfortunately some sweet stuff is planned too late for us to hear about it. That’s where The Weekly 10 comes in. To hear about those last-minute events and to take advantage of our special offers and prize drawings, visit 10magazine. asia/1706/the-weekly-10

Greetings from the International School Songdo, in Incheon, Korea. I have only just arrived here at ISS and I came across your terrific 10 Magazine!

Don't ask how it arrived at the school but the articles and contents are "spot on". And "NO" I'm not from Australia. So besides raving about your magazine, I was making an inquiry as to the possibility of having your office forward a few copies of 10 Magazine periodically for our faculty and staff to read. I am fully aware that each copy is selling for 3,500 Won and my request may be over zealous.

Should you be in Songdo City at any time in the future we would welcome you or members of your staff to swing by ISS for a cup of coffee and a tour of our great school facilities.

Best regards, Don Wood (an avid 10 Magazine devotee), Incheon

Thank you Don. We are honored by the simple fact that we have a “devotee” and we would love to send magazines to everyone in Korea. We’re trying to provide better quality than a “free” magazine, however, and instead provide the low subscription price of W29,000. Convince some others at your school to join you and you can get big discounts though. Every subscription sent to the same address after the first one is only W19,000 per annual subscription! Get some other teachers to order magazines along with you, and you can save some serious won!

10

2. My Sassy Girl (엽기적인 그녀) –

Runs a distant second with 13%.

3. Welcome to Dongmakgol (웰컴투동막골) 4. The King and the Clown (왕의 남자) 5. Joint Security Area – JSA (공동경비구역) 6. Memories of Murder (살인의 추억) 7. Friend (친구) 8. The Way Home (집으로) 9. Taegukgi (태극기 휘날리며)

Korea By The Numbers Average number of 500 ml bottles of beer consumed by Korean adults in 2008.

74 4643 1.8%

Average number of 350 ml bottles of soju consumed by Korean adults in 2008.

Number of alcohol-induced deaths in Korea in 2008 The decrease in alcohol-induced deaths in 2008.

(There were 58 more in 2007.)

10 | 10 Magazine January 2010

10. Old Partner (워낭 소리) Thanks to everyone who voted, and be sure to vote in our next Reader's 10 by going to 10magazine.asia.

The Reader's 10 for next month?

Who is the best DJ in Korea?

Tell all your friends and make your voices heard!

Korean destinations

A

s evening descends just outside downtown Gyeongju, long shadows stretch from enormous burial mounds, the stone walls of the Cheomseongdae Observatory glow in the golden light, and Anapji Pond dances with reflected starlight. After a full day exploring local museums and important historical sites, both in the town and on its outskirts, it’s easy to imagine you’re standing back in the heart of the Silla dynasty (57 BC - 935 AD) at the height of its power. When the feeling passes, take a short walk to the edge of downtown and into any one of the friendly traditional Korean restaurants that dot Gyeongju - a small town with a giant history.

Even outside Gyeongju, you’ll notice that buildings have traditional Korean structures and roofs. In the 1970s, Gyeongju was restored and the national government mandated that no skyscrapers be built and that the “traditional character” of the local architecture be preserved.

In fact, dozens of national treasures and historical sites are preserved here (“preserved” often means “lovingly rebuilt”). Locals refer to Gyeongju as an “open-air museum.” Wherever you walk, you come across tombs, temples, shrines, remains of palaces, gardens, castles, Buddhist statuary, and even the oldest remaining astronomical observatory in East Asia. You can suddenly emerge from a cramped street overhung with flashy signs and festoons of cables into a bright open vista of tumuli (tombs) and gardens.

The effect is breathtaking.

The outskirts of Gyeongju contain several of its most famous destinations.

Don’t miss Bulguksa Temple (15 kilometers from town) or Seokguram Grotto (an additional 9 kilometers away).

These two sites combine breathtaking natural scenery with stunning architecture and artistry. Bulguksa is a sprawling compound of stone and wood artistry that needs several hours to adequately explore.

Seokguram is more compact, except for a short walk between its two main attractions. Visitors here can admire the golden Buddha encased in a man-made granite grotto looking out over the East Sea. If you are of a literary bent, you can stop off between Bulguksa and Seokguram to check out the Dongni Mokwol Literary Museum, which celebrates two of Gyeongju’s greatest literary masters (Dongni Kim and Mokwol Park).

Turning from antiquity to the modern, Gyeongju sits next to Bomun Resort, 12 | 10 Magazine January 2010

Gyeong ju Echoes of Empire Words by Charles Montgomery and shots by Charles and family a man-made lake below the fortress of Myonhwal-san. Bomun Resort has modern hotels, shopping areas, restaurants, an amusement park, a huge traditional water mill, a 12-meter-high artificial waterfall, and a 100-meter “performing” fountain.

While at the resort, you’ll find plenty to do at the Yukbuchon Convention Hall, Sonjae Museum of Contemporary Art, Bomun Outdoor Performance Hall, and the largest drive-in theater in Korea. When you’re ready to explore

the outdoors, several hiking trails, at all degrees of difficulty, lace the scenic beauty of the area.

If you aren’t into hiking, Gyeongju is also a bicycle town. Bikes can be rented for W7,000 per day and returned by 7 pm to the bike rental shop three minutes east of the Express Bus Terminal. Bikes can be used on some trails and within several of the city's parks. Some brave cyclists go as far as Bulguksa and Seokguram Grotto, but that might be better left to bus or taxi.

Gyeongju is less cosmopolitan than Seoul or Busan, but the residents are friendly and eager to help lost or confused tourists. Tours are available for those who prefer packaged travel.

Most begin in Seoul or Busan, and some cost as much as W400,000 for two days, although Western-style lodgings and meals are included in that amount.

GETTING THERE

Bus Service to/from Daegu, Pohang and Busan (depends on the terminal – but the terminals are shouting distance apart) arrive/leave at twenty minute intervals. Service between Gyeongju and Seoul is available every 40 minutes.

Train There are half a dozen daily Saemaul trains to Gyeongju from Seoul, but it’s a long ride. A better choice is to catch a bullettrain to Dongdaegu from anywhere in Korea and transfer to a slower train for Gyeongju.

If you plan to leave Gyeongju on Sunday, purchase tickets in advance. Outbound trains

fill early, and while standing tickets can be had, it can be a fairly uncomfortable way to travel.

Once in town, you can hire a guide (about W100,000 per day) or take a bus tour with Cheonma Tours. The latter costs between W10,000 to W12,000 and offers two different routes.

TOP 10 TOURIST DESTINATIONS

1. Bulguksa Temple: One of the most famous and beautiful temples in Korea.

2. Seokguram Grotto: A short hike or bus ride from Bulguksa Temple, this is a classic example of Silla art and architecture and a spectacular Buddhist site.

3. Anapji Pond: Some find this disappointing; it is largely destroyed, with only three buildings on a lake. But if you don’t go? You’ll meet someone at a cocktail party who did!

10 Magazine January 2010 | 13

Korean destinations

p 12-13 From top clockwise: Bulguksa main building, giant statue, lucky stones, gate, hallway Bottom: Buddha sculpture in Gyeongju National Museum This Page From top clockwise: Anapji, Seokguram (courtesy of Korean Tourism Organization), traditional market, Daereung-won Tumuli Park, Gyeongju National Museum Bottom: Cheomseongdae

4. Cheomseongdae: The oldest surviving astronomical observatory in East Asia is often teeming with hundreds of Korean schoolchildren on field trips.

5. Daereung-won Tumuli Park: There are over 200 massive burial mounds in Gyeongju, but the most concentrated array is found here. The Cheongmachong (Heavenly Horse) Tomb is open for display.

6. Gyeongju National Museum: The entire history of Silla including an astonishingly complete history of Anapji’s roof tiles.

7. Seobinggo Ice Storage House: This funky but interesting stone structure demonstrates how Koreans historically stored ice. On hot days it is worth visiting for recuperation as well as historical significance.

8. Covered Market: Near the Gyeongju train station is a classic Korean market with astoundingly fresh seafood, food stands and a scattering of textiles.

14 | 10 Magazine January 2010

9. Gyeongju Folk Craft Village: Towards Bomun Resort, the village has 45 traditional Korean houses supporting a variety of artisans and traditional products.

Around these houses are "souvenir" shops, which offer cheaper items of less certain provenance.

10. Korean Traditional Liquor and Cake Festival: The festival is held during March and April with traditional Korean events. The highlight is the rice cakes, traditional tea, and rice wines.

There are several first class hotels near Bomun Lake, including the Art-Deco style Gyeongju Hilton (from W150,000) and the Hotel Hyundai (from W230,000).

Gyeongju’s more inexpensive lodgings include yeogwan and love motels, which often include internet access, large screen TVs, and refrigerators in the rooms. The Hanjin Hostel features traditional small hostel-style rooms (W20,000) that share bathrooms, and three rooms with double beds and private baths (W40,000). The Hanjin has a small common area where Koreans and

WHERE TO STAY

foreigners hang out, talk, and watch TV. Mr. Kwon, the proprietor, is a genial man with decent English. It’s funky, but chic.

Hilton: 370 Shinpyeong-dong, Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do 780-290 www.hilton.com 054-745-7788 Hyundai Hotel: 477-2 Shinpyeong-dong, Gyeongju Gyeongsangbuk-do 780-290 hotel.ehyundai.com/gyeongju_en 054-748-2233 Hanjin Hostel: 173-1 Rose-Dong, Gyeongju Gyeongsangbuk-do 780-932 www.hanjinkorea.wo.to 054-771-4097

Gyeongju is one of the few cities in Korea that does not have a regional specialty. The closest to it is Hwangnam-ppang, a bread filled with red-bean paste. Ssambap (wrapped rice served with side dishes) is also a local favorite, and there is a “Ssambap Alley” at the southeast corner of Tumuli Park. Beyond that, you will find the normal range of Korean restaurants. Walking through an unfamiliar door will often result in great food served by friendly staff in the company of friendly locals.

WHERE TO EAT

WEBSITES

The best sites are provided by the Gyeongju City (gyeongju.go.kr/eng/main) and the Korea Tourism Organization (www.visitkorea.or.kr).

Final Fantasy Brings Fans a Fantastic Concert

ATEK NEWS

Bad Press Persuades Hate Group to Remove Offensive Content

Spanning twenty years, thirty game versions, and five movie versions—not to mention a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records—legendary game series Final Fantasy is now available for fans in the form of a concert. Music lovers and gamers will both want to attend the concert full of music from the series scheduled to be held at the Seoul Art Center on February 6th and 7th. A tour that has already shook Tokyo, Munich, Chicago, and other cities worldwide brings the 100 musicians of the Eurasian Philharmonic Orchestra with Arnie Roth conducting. Lucky fans may even spot master composer Nobuo Uematsu in the crowd. 1544-1681

New Menu at the Wolfhound Irish Pub

At Sticky Fingers, Vegetarians Have a Cake and Eat It, Too

Ever heard of a cake with no eggs, milk, or butter? This is exactly the devilishly clever concoction cooked up by bakery Sticky Fingers. Their new cake made of 100% plant products is just right for vegetarians and vegans, and people allergic to eggs, milk, butter, or nuts can take a bite without popping a pill. If you order in advance, you can even get special birthday greetings added in icing. Flavors include cherry, blueberry, chocolate, green tea, mocha, and vanilla. W30,000 – W50,000. stickyfingers.co.kr, 02-542-9724 16 | 10 Magazine January 2010

ATEK reports that progress has been made regarding the issue of racist and offensive material on the pages of a hate group made up of Korean netizens. After receiving unfavorable media attention, the group took down articles and images that could be considered offensive as well as photographs and information on foreigners that the group has been stalking.

Meanwhile ATEK has received positive press both in Korea and internationally, with articles in the Hankyoreh (a Korean newspaper) about ATEK and foreign teachers in Korean and an interview with ATEK communications director Dann Gaymer on national radio in Canada. ATEK (Association for Teachers of English in Korea) is a non-profit, non-political support group. To find out more or join, visit atek.or.kr

fish and chips

One look at the Wolfhound’s new menu and you’ll know this is no ordinary pub food. This ambitious menu boasts everything from beerbattered fish & chips and juicy burgers to garden fresh salads and spicy curries. Customer favorites include The Whole Shebang Breakfast, available all day, and The Beef Burger, a juicy beef patty grilled to perfection with melted cheese and crispy bacon on a toasted bun. This is the burger that food blogs zenkimchi.com and seouleats.com have praised as the best in Seoul. Even better, every dish is made to order, and the prices are reasonable. www.wolfhoundpub.com

Edited by Kyounghee Lim and David Carruth

Coex’s recent green initiatives have resulted in its selection as the site of the Business for the Environment Summit and Champions of the Earth Awards to be held in April 2010. In 2008, Coex initiated the Green Campaign in order to makes Coex a cleaner, greener place. By setting green standards for staff and visitors, increasing the number of green

spaces around the complex, monitoring energy consumption, and using alternative energy sources, Coex has been able to reduce its carbon footprint. In fact, the Business for the Environment Summit in 2010 will be the first event of its kind to be solely powered by renewable energy. It’s only appropriate that Seoul’s greenest convention center will be the place for global leaders to discuss the most urgent environmental challenges facing us today.

Eco-friendly Coex Chosen as Site of Environmental Summit

Marie & M Salon Offers Two for One Special Through the end of January, Marie & M beauty salon welcomes new customers with a two for one promotion. Anyone who gets a haircut during this period is eligible to receive another haircut free of charge within one month.

Customers getting their hair permed or dyed can also receive benefits with scalp and hair spa treatments. Unlike many salons that only style your hair, Marie & M is an Aveda concept salon that helps you relax your body and mind as well.

Open Mon – Sat 10 am – 9 pm. Reservations requested. 02-512 3798~9

Club Answer Ushers in the Night as Le Nuit Blanche Located in front of Hotel Prima in Cheongdam-dong, Club Answer has emerged from months of renovation as the new gala show restaurant and club Le Nuit Blanche. No longer just a dance club, Le Nuit Blanche showcases a European-style event space featuring fine dining and fantastic performances. Two floors of luxurious sofas encircle dining tables overlooking the stage.

Each day the lush red curtains part to reveal different performers which have included the circus group Il Circo, a team of synchronized swimmers, the Ministry of Sound, and Benny Benassi. Order a meal for a 50% discount on the W50,000 admission. lenuitblanche.com, 02-514-4311 10 Magazine January 2010 | 17

A TASTE OF KOREA

Haejang Guk

(해장국)

Korea’s Ancient Tradition of Hangover Soup Words by Matthew Crawford

K

orea is a country sometimes known for hard drinking. Few visitors and even fewer foreign residents leave without taking back at least one or two potent memories of soju and makgeolli. Less well known are the many hangover cures and remedies dating back to early Korean history.

These range from a trip to a hot spring to a hearty bowl of hangover soup, or even the desperate solution of haejang sul (해장술), known in the West as “the hair of the dog.”

Koreans from all walks of life enjoy hangover soup or haejang guk (해장국), and ajusshis are not the only ones who order it. The main types of haejang guk are popular enough that just about every neighborhood has at least one establishment for it. Each restaurant uses slightly different recipes, preparation techniques, and ingredients, so it’s worthwhile to sample a favorite kind of haejang guk in different cities, or even in different neighborhoods.

Regardless of its name, one does not need to be hungover to enjoy haejang guk. And because there is a wide range of hangover soups it shouldn’t be hard to find a soup that fits your taste. The

Guk (청진동 해장국), a quality chain restaurant. One location is across the street from exit 3 of Gireum Station in northeast Seoul. There you’ll find tripe and sunji soup for W4,000 (recommended), as well as sunji, pork spine, and bean sprout soup, each for W3,000.

A final recommendation is Chungdo Haejang Guk (청도 해장국), near Seoul National University. The able cooks here prepare spicy tripe and sunji soup, dried pollack, and pork spine soup for W4,500, while the signature sunji offering is priced at W3,500. From exit 4 of Naksungdae Station, head towards Naksungdae Shrine. The restaurant is on the right side of the street.

Ppyeodagwi Haejang Guk (뼈다귀해장국)

most loved and hated haejang guk would have to be sunji soup, which usually doesn’t appeal to the western palate. It must be kept in mind, though, that even many Koreans shudder at the thought of ingesting congealed cow or pig blood!

Typically, a bowl of haejang guk will cost W5,000. To sample the genuine article for a wildly cheap price, consider making a trip to Chungjindong Haejang

For the Times When You’re Drunk and Broke There are a slew of cheap haejang guk restaurants hidden away in an alley to the side of Tapgol Park in Jongno 3-ga. These gritty, oldtime diners are primarily visited by the older men who hang out at the park nearby. Soups (usually sunji or ugeoji) come with a bowl of rice and cost a mere W1,500 –possibly the cheapest dining experience this side of the DMZ.

The question of which haejang guk offers the best relief with the best flavor is open to debate.

Here are some of the best hangover soups to be found in Seoul and beyond.

18 | 10 Magazine January 2010

hangover soup contains marsh snail: pellet-sized, slightly chewy, and sharp-tasting.

Kongnamul Haejang Guk (콩나물해장국) Bean sprout haejang guk is perhaps the most westernerfriendly among the haejang guks.

full of fiery red pepper and tender meat morsels, is said to be good for your bones.

Ppyeodagwi Haejang Guk (뼈다귀해장국 or simply 뼈해장국) The choice of millions of Korean drinkers, pig spine haejang guk is a Kongnamul Haejang guk close cousin of Bok Haejang Guk kamja tang (potato (복해장국) stew). This one’s spicy.

Bok translates as “puffer fish.” Prices tend to be Sogogi Haejang Guk highest for this soup, ranging (소고기해장국) from W6,500 to W10,000.

Similar to yukgaejang, this features sliced instead of Sagol Haejang Guk shredded beef. Under the (사골해장국) spiciness lurks a rich flavor.

This richly flavored concoction,

All images courtesy of Chungjindong Haejang Guk

Sunji and Yang-Sunji Haejang Soondubu Haejang Guk Guk (선지해장국 and (순두부해장국) 양-선지해장국) Except for the tiny pieces of beef, The most common of the hangover tofu (soongdubu) soups, sunji haejang haejang guk is a nearguk features vegetarian choice. congealed pork or Hwangtae Haejang cow’s blood. Those Sunji Haejang guk who try it for the first Guk time often report a (황태해장국) surge of energy.

Featuring dried pollack Keep an eye out for (a common Korean the yang variety fish), this is worth (meaning tripe, or trying if you’re in the cow stomach). mood for something light and mild.

Yang-Sunji Haejang Ugeoji Haejang Guk guk (우거지해장국) Olgaengi Haejang Guk (올갱이해장국) Ugeoji are the thick, fibrous outside leaves of a cabbageAnother one of the milder like vegetable. haejang guks, olgaengi

IN THE KITCHEN

O

mer Yilmaz has quickly grown to become one of the most recognized and beloved personalities in the Seoul food scene. Starting out selling kebabs on a street corner in 2006, his Sultan Kebab concept has become quite an empire this past year with the third store opening recently in Nakseongdae to join the Jonggak and Itaewon locations. You could even say that Omer masterminded the kebab craze that is spreading beyond Seoul’s city limits.

Copycats have popped up, and not only in Itaewon. Large department stores in the suburbs now have kebab tables serving pale honey-mustardtopped impressions of the original masterpiece.

Omer believes in keeping it simple. “I give good food and good service. There’s no need to change.”

The only alteration he has made for the Korean market is the option of a spicy sauce that he makes himself from fresh ingredients. The components for his kebabs and other dishes are locally sourced when possible. The lamb and beef are imported, as well as some of the spices, but most everything else comes from local farms.

Before coming to Korea, Omer had been cooking for nineteen years in his native Turkey. He lived in Japan for a while and returned to Istanbul. He remembered how interesting Korea was during a vacation he took and decided to make the move. The

Sultan Kebab Hummus Ingredients • 500 g Chickpeas, dried • Extra Virgin Olive Oil • Fresh Lemon Juice • Salt • Tahini (found at international markets) 1. Cover the chickpeas in water and soak for two days.

2. Change the water and cook until very soft.

3. While the chickpeas cool, mix the olive oil, lemon juice, tahini and salt in a blender.

4. Use only a hint of lemon juice but be liberal with the tahini.

5. When you get the desired flavor, mix with the chickpeas and mash into a paste.

6. Serve with Turkish bread.

Note: there aren’t exact measurements because everyone should adjust according to their own taste.

Sultan Kebab

Chef Omer Yilmaz Words and shots by Joe McPherson

first few months were difficult. Omer struggled with housing, money and the language. To make ends meet, he sold kebabs at night out of a cooler. Within months he was able to set up a real shop, where he stood outside with his trademark greeting, “Hey, my brother!”

People didn’t remember the name right away, but the buzz got around about the killer kebab place with the friendly chef who called everyone “brother.” Omer went from selling a few dozen kebabs on the weekend to 350 kebabs a day. Now with three locations doing steady business, the number is way beyond that.

Yet even with all the growth and change, the kebabs in Jonggak taste just like they did at the first location in early 2007. He has also been one of the pioneers in getting the Korean market to appreciate lamb.

With even greater aspirations for the future, Omer still goes to each store and personally makes kebabs for his customers. He grows ecstatic talking about people and food. “People understand fresh taste. I’m happy. I like you. I like your stomach.”

Locations sultankebab.co.kr • Itaewon: 127-28 Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul 02-749-3890 • Jongno: 42 Jongno 1-ga, Jongno-gu, Seoul 02-730-4418 • Nakseongdae (Near Seoul Nat’l Univ.)

1687-23 Bongcheon-dong, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 02-887-8555 20 | 10 Magazine January 2010

10 Questions

General Manager

at the JW Marriott Seoul

Robert Stark Interview by David Carruth, shots by Ethan James

1. How did you get involved in the hotel business?

As I was growing up in Seattle, I ended up doing a lot of odd jobs, everything from paper delivery to washing dishes in an Italian restaurant. I guess the service business was my calling from the start. I went to college at Washington State with a US Army scholarship and started studying business. Around that time, there was a huge demand for hotel management, so I had my job lined up with Marriott International before I was out of college. Except for five months of active duty at the Officer Basic Course in Fort Knox just after college, I’ve been with Marriott International ever since.

2. Where has your career with Marriott taken you?

My first job was at the Marina del Ray Marriott in Los Angeles, California. Then I moved down to the San Diego Marriott, where I stayed for six years. Around 1994, my regional boss offered me the chance to open the Singapore Marriott Hotel. I hadn’t worked in Asia before, but the thought of going overseas thrilled me and I’ve had the travel bug ever since. Over the last 15 years, I’ve worked in Singapore twice along with stints in Jakarta, Indonesia; Bethesda, Maryland; Bangkok, Thailand; and even the Waikiki Beach Marriott in Hawaii. And Korea, of course! It’s been hard being away from my family in Seattle, but we have really enjoyed the new food, people, and cultures we could not have seen had we stayed back in the USA. 3. What sets the Marriott brand apart from other hotels?

The Marriott enterprise was started in 1927 by J. Willard Marriott. The amazing thing is that his son, Bill Marriott, now the leader of the company, has been so successful in carrying on his father’s vision. As Mr. Marriott says, “If you take great care of your people, they will take great care of your guests and the profits will take care of themselves.”

Taking great care of our staff (or associates as we call them) and guests is one of the reasons I love coming to work every day.

4. What can you tell us about the JW Marriott Seoul?

It is one of the largest Marriott hotels in Asia with 498 rooms. The really impressive thing is that there are nine food and beverage outlets on the hotel grounds as well as the Marquis Fitness Center, the largest such facility in any Marriott worldwide. The 3,100 members of this fitness center, most of them residents of the area surrounding the hotel, give the JW Marriott a distinct sense of community. We’re also proud of hosting the US Marine Ball for the past two years, being the headquarters hotel for the Seoul Air Show, and working closely with Seoul Saint Mary’s Catholic hospital just across the street to help promote medical tourism.

5. How many hotels does Marriott operate in Seoul?

With the recent opening of the new Courtyard Marriott in Yeongdeung-po near Yeouido, there are now five hotels in the Seoul Area. In addition to the Courtyard, there’s the Marriott Executive Apartments, also in Yeouido, the Renaissance and Ritz-Carlton in Yeoksam-dong, and of course the JW Marriott

here in Banpo-dong.

6. What would you like to accomplish at the Marriott over the next year or two?

As the head of the business council of Marriott hotels in Seoul, my main goal is to help the five hotels work together more closely. Obviously, the more resources and people you have, the more you can accomplish. You can save a lot of money purchasing a simple item like toilet paper, for example, through bulk purchases across all five hotels. So instead of scattered efforts here and there, you can concentrate your energy for a greater effect. In particular, we hope that more concentrated efforts will make a big difference in our charitable work, too.

7. What kind of charitable work is the JW Marriott currently involved with?

I always say that giving back to the community is key because the community is the main reason for the success of this hotel. Each year, the Marriotts in Seoul map out four major charity projects for the next year with responsibilities divided between the hotels. So far this year, we’ve donated W17,000,000 to charity. One of my favorite projects is Habitat for Humanity. For our last service day, we had 140 people turn out to help build houses. Other projects we’ve done are relief work for the oil spill at Taean, a donation drive for families of Marriott staff in the Philippines and Indonesia, and support for the children at the Shinmangwon orphanage.

8. How has your family adjusted to life in Korea?

We’re all really enjoying ourselves here, actually. My wife’s really adventurous, so she’s fallen in love with the place.

She loves making kimchi, kimchiguk and other great Korean dishes. My 8 year old son James is in the 3rd grade at the Seoul Foreign School. When he’s not in class, he likes going skiing, taking piano lessons and learning taekwondo. He’s only got one more belt to go before black belt!

9. What have you done to get more involved with your son’s education?

Just last year, I brought my son’s whole class on a field trip to the JW Marriott. The kids got to take a tour of the whole hotel, starting at the helipad and ending up at a hotel restaurant where they got to prepare their own pizza. I am also the soccer and baseball coach for my son’s class.

10. Do you have any advice for new arrivals in Korea?

First of all, learn some of the language. We’re guests in the country, after all, so it’s our job to be respectful. Also, I’d like to encourage everyone to get out there and enjoy the great things that this country has to offer. This past summer, I went down to Namhae (the southern tip of the country) for a golf outing. My family and I also enjoy going to ski slopes such as Bears Town and Konjiam. The key is to get there early on Saturday mornings as the slopes don’t get very busy until midday. The riverside parks are an awesome place to ride your bike and run on the weekends. Being knowledgeable is the key to being a gracious host, so get out there and learn something about your new home.

10 Magazine January 2010 | 23

ASIAN-pacific TRAVEL

Catching the Fijian Fever Words by Drew Clement Shots by Drew Clement and Andrea Mackay

P

lanning an island vacation without considering Fiji is like visiting France and not getting a snapshot of the Eiffel Tower. Miles of sandy, white beaches, succulent cuisine, a dizzying array of activities, and the laid-back island way of life are just some of the things that entice tourists and retirees to Fiji. Whether you are a scuba diver at heart, a beach lover, a fisher, or even a bird watcher, Fiji has something to offer. You can spend your day at a championship golf course, swim with bull sharks, zip line through the rainforest, or simply lay out in the tropical sun. No matter what you do, you are always welcomed back to your lodging by the unforgettable Fijian sunset.

Beyond the pristine beaches, Fiji’s warm culture, based on tradition and common values, make this tropical paradise one of the best places to release your worries and simply relax.

Once you spend your first night in the comfort of the famed Fijian hospitality you may find it hard to leave. The cheerful smiles, Yasawa waves, and greetings actually make the tropical heat seem cool in comparison. From the moment you step off the plane and adorn Viti yourself in a sulu (a traditional skirt for men) Levu or a sarong you will feel at home.

Suva Monuriki What really makes Fiji such an incredible destination is that you can turn it into whatever kind of vacation you desire. Carve 24 | 10 Magazine January 2010

out your own itinerary and create memories that will long outlast your suntan, no matter what kind of vacation you are looking for.

Scuba Diving in Fiji

O

Vanua Levu

Ovalau

Beqa Kadavu

ne of the reasons why people travel to Fiji year in and year out are the magnificent scuba dive sites located all over the islands. Even if you’ve never taken one breath underwater, there has never been a better time to start.

Choose between simple (and often complimentary) pool dives to get accustomed to life underwater or opt for a full licensed PADI Open Water Course available at many certified training facilities around the island.

In fact, it’s far more cost-effective to take PADI training in Fiji than in many other countries. This is especially true if you head to the Beqa Adventure Divers office in Pacific Harbour (contact info below).

The instructors at this surprisingly affordable course somehow manage to make holding your Savusavu breath fun.

Somosomo Once you feel comfortable in the water, move on to the world famous shark dive that the company offers four times a week. You can swim with tiger sharks, bull sharks, and a whole host of brightly-coloured aquatic life, and it is actually a lot safer than it sounds.

Experienced divers can of course skip the course and jump right into ancient shipwreck

dives, witness an abundance of coral splendour, and explore mysterious underwater caves. Plus, the water around Fiji is always warm enough for a deep ocean dive.

Cultural Experiences in Fiji

E

ven if you choose to stay at one of the luxurious resorts dotted around Fiji, it would be a shame not to encounter the hidden, authentic Fiji as well. Here are just a few of the cultural experiences available in Fiji that should make it into your itinerary.

Traditional Kava Ceremony

Kava is a traditional drink found in almost every village on Fiji. It is an alcohol-like beverage made from the aromatic roots of the kava plant and is drunk to create a bond between friends, family, and guests. While it does taste suspiciously like muddy water, the ceremony itself is something you will want to engage in. Share a coconut shell full of kava with a village chief and be ready to swap stories, watch traditional Meke dancing, and be drawn into the way of life

ASIAN-pacific TRAVEL

Top 5 Cultural Experiences • Navua River Tour with Rivers Fiji (Pacific Harbour) www.riversfiji.com, 679-345-0147 • Arts Village Cultural Centre (Pacific Harbour) 679-345-0065 • Fiji National Museum (Suva) www.fijimuseum.org.fj 679-331-5944

that surrounds you. If you`re lucky, you may even experience a traditional Fijian feast called a lovo prepared in an underground oven.

Rafting in the Upper Navua

If you have ever been white-water rafting, forget everything you may have learned and get ready for an entirely new experience. Rivers Fiji (www.riversfiji.com) offers a tour of your choice in or around Navua complete with lunch, beverages, local river guides, and a village tour. It’s your choice whether you glide through the class II-III waters on an inflatable kayak or a five person raft. If you are lucky you may even see a villager cruising down the river on a bilibili (homemade bamboo raft) delivering fresh produce to town. Just don’t forget to tip your white-water guide, because these guys really do work hard.

Seeking Thrills and Adventure in Fiji

P

acific Harbour is located on the southern end of Viti Levu (the main island) and is known as the adventure capital of Fiji.

If you’re up for an adventure, this is the place to be. You can go zip-lining through the rainforest with Zip Fiji (www.zip-fiji.com) in Wainadoi, take a full-day tour with the Jet-Ski Safari at the Uprising Resort (www.uprisingbeachresort. com), go parasailing along the shore, or simply spend an hour or two snorkelling around the majestic reefs that surround the area.

If that isn’t enough excitement, consider spending time in Port Denarau in Nadi during your trip. Soar above the island’s stunning scenery as you skydive back to your resort thanks to Tandem Skydive Fiji (www.skydivefiji.com.fj).

Whatever you decide to experience in Fiji, make sure your itinerary is as original and unique as you are.

• Waterfall and Cave Tours with Adventures in Paradise Fiji (Coral Coast) www.adventuresinparadisefiji.com 679-652-0833

Best Family Hotels and Resorts • Outrigger on the Lagoon Fiji (Coral Coast) www.outrigger.com 800-688-7444, 679-650-0044 • Castaway Island Resort (Qalito Island, the Mamanucas) www.castawayfiji.com 800-888-0120, 679-666-1233 • Treasure Island Resort (Luvuka Island, the Mamanucas) www.fiji-treasure.com 679-666-6999

Souvenirs to Bring Home • Handicrafts Select from the abundance of local seashell jewellery, carved wooden utensils, decorations, bowls, plates and tokens that are unique to Fiji.

• Black Pearls These are the cream of the crop when it comes to souvenir purchases in Fiji, as the country is famous for its elegant black pearls.

26 | 10 Magazine January 2010

• Traditional and Tropical Clothing You will find a variety of bright and cheerful sarongs, dress shirts, t-shirts, and skirts to put you into a tropical mood.

Accommodations for Romantic Getaways • Coconut Grove Beachfront Cottages (Taveuni) www.coconutgrovefiji.com 679-888-0328 • Turtle Island (Nanuya Levu Island, the Yasawas) www.turtlefiji.com 877-288-7853, 679-672 2921 • The Pearl South Pacific (Pacific Harbour) www.thepearlsouthpacific.com 679-354-0022 • Warwick www.warwickfijihotel.com 679-653-0555

Best Dive Sites in Fiji • Shark Diving (Pacific Harbour) Dive instructors bring along bait and lure massive tiger and bull sharks right alongside you about 100 feet under the water. It is one of the most exciting dives in the world and is an adventure that no scuba diver will want to miss. (Beqa Adventure Divers: www.fiji-sharks.com 679-345-0911) • Beqa Lagoon (off Beqa Island) This dive area offers a number of mysterious underwater locations such as Carpet Cove, Caesar`s Rock and the E.T. dive spot where you can see eels, barracuda and even octopus if you are lucky.

• Great Astrolabe Reef (Near Kadavu) This great reef may not be as well-known as the Great Barrier in Australia, but it does attract a lot of manta rays and the soft coral is pleasing to the eye.

• Namena Marine Protected Reserve (Near Savusavu) This is a barrier reef that is unlike

anything else you have ever seen. It is preserved in pristine condition and features an immaculate blend of hard and soft corals.

• Somosomo Strait (Near Taveuni) One of the most famous dive spots in all of Fiji. The soft corals are abundant and the Rainbow Reef is the location for many underwater camera shots. The snorkelling is fantastic as well, in case you haven’t quite mastered the art of scuba diving.

Array of Magical Islands • Monuriki Best known as the location for the Tom Hanks movie Cast Away.

It is located in the western part of the Mamanuca Islands and features cliffs, lagoons and an idyllic atmosphere.

• Yasawa Though narrow, it’s home to some of the best beaches in all of Fiji. The beaches mesh perfectly with the rolling hills to create scenery worthy of a postcard.

• Beqa Sitting off the southern side of Viti Levu, this island is almost as untouched as it is beautiful.

The Beqa Lagoon is the main attraction here but the interior is almost as mesmerizing.

• Kadavu One of the best preserved areas in all of Fiji. The area lacks a lot of the predators that prowl the main islands, allowing native wildlife to roam free and delight tourists. Kadavu also offers the perfect starting point for a dive along the Great Astrolabe Reef.

• Ovalau There is definitely a lack of fine beaches on Ovalau, but that means the area has been left alone by conglomerate resorts and hotels. The cliffs and scenery make the perfect backdrop for the traditional town Levuka.

Edited by Curtis Lee and Dami Kang

GM Eric Swanson Becomes Honorary Citizen of Seoul Millennium Seoul Hilton

The Square Promotion The Millennium Seoul Hilton is pleased to announce that its General Manager, Eric M. Swanson, became an honorary citizen of Seoul on October 28th, 2009. Honorary citizenship acknowledges the important impact foreign residents can have. Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon presented the award to Mr. Swanson for his ongoing contribution to the development of the local community, in particular, his contribution to the welfare of children in Korea. Mr. Swanson took over the helm of the Millennium Seoul Hilton in 2006. Prior to that, he spent over two decades of service in hotels worldwide, including at the Ritz-Carlton, Seoul. Most recently, Mr. Swanson headed up the SKAL Asia Congress, a convention of hotel and tourism industry professionals, which took place in Korea from May 21st to the 24th. Mr. Swanson has managed various hotels worldwide including the Ritz-Carlton, Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt; the Ritz-Carlton, Coconut Grove in Miami, Florida; the Leela Palace Kempinski Hotel in Bangalore, India; as well as the Marco Polo Parkside in Beijing, China. 02-317-3012

Gala Dinner on January 8th with of Hong Kong’s Finest Chefs

‘Globefish Special’ in Winter JW Marriott Seoul Authentic Japanese restaurant Mikado showcases their Globefish Special, considered most delicious in the winter, through Feb. 28.

Highly regarded in Japanese cuisine and still used in traditional Chinese medicine, the globefish, also known as blowfish, puffer fish and fugu, can be eaten fresh, fried, grilled or with vinegar. A specially licensed sushi chef presents a special set menu and a-la-carte selection of globefish dishes. The flavorful eight-course set consists of seasonal delicacies, 5 kinds of Japanese appetizers, globefish soup, One globefish sashimi, boiled globefish, fried globefish, globefish hot pot and rice porridge and pickled skin of globefish.

Musk melon and fresh fruit will follow.

Mikado also offers a variety of globefish dishes a-la-carte.

W130,000++ for the set, W25,000 won to W130,000 for a-lacarte dishes.

02-6282-6751

The Ritz Carlton Chee Hong, The RitzCarlton Seoul’s Chinese restaurant, will host one of Hong Kong’s most renowned chefs and food critics, Chef Chow Chung, and his special Chef’s Menu from January 7 to January 31, 2010. Chef Chow Chung’s January 8th “Gala Dinner” menu is a not-to-be-missed dining experience featuring famous Chinese dishes such as Dried Onion and Black Bean Chicken, Baked Crab with Chili and Black Bean Sauce, Shredded Duck and Beef Stir Fry with Spicy Vegetable and Silver Sprouts. Each course will be complemented by the wine selections of Ritz Carlton’s Paul Eun, 1st Place Winner at the 2006 Korea Sommelier Competition. W250,000++. 02-3451-8273 28 | 10 Magazine January 2010

Novotel Daegu City Center The Square, an authentic international buffet restaurant, offers the best Asian and Western dishes - now at a very special price. A variety of fresh seafood, delicious roast beef, French desserts such as fruit tart, éclair, crème brulee baked by the best pastry chefs in Daegu!

Throughout January and February 2010, buy 3 and get 1 free! Visit the Square and enjoy a weekly special lucky draw for 1 Royal Suite room voucher in the Novotel Daegu City Center.

20% discount for the Square members.

W35,000+, ages 6-12 get a 50% discount, under 6 free. novoteldaegu.com, 053-664-1168

Delmar Oriental Herbal Tea Promotion The Imperial Palace Hotel Imperial Palace Hotel’s lobby lounge Delmar is promoting energy-restoring oriental herbal teas that help blood circulation. SipJeon-Dae-Bo-Tang, in which ginseng, cnidium officinale, makino, angelica synensis along with a total of 10 herbal remedies are prepared, will be presented along with red ginseng tea and Chinese quince tea. These three kinds of tea are well known for their efficacy in helping yin and yang balance and also helping blood circulation and “Qi”. Tea includes one of 9 different Korean traditional rice cakes such as cactus rice cake, a royal rice cake covered with bean flour, and a squash wrapped with black rice paste. W16,000++. imperialpalace.co.kr, 02-3440-8000

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

“Do Not Disturb” Package

Hilton Golf & Spa Resort, Namhae From January 3rd to February 28th Hilton Resort in Namhae offers a tranquil winter holiday without interruption from the outside. A cozy and comfortable one-night in a Deluxe Suite (148.761m²) overlooking sunrise and sunset on the endless Namhae sea, a buffet breakfast at the restaurant Breeze, a Hilton Namhae seafood pizza, free entrance to The Spa to provide relief for winter fatigue, and late checkout until 2 pm are all provided. This package starts at W340,000 (for two persons, exclusive of tax and service charge). hiltonnamhae.com, 055-860-0100.

Special Microbiotic Selections

Lucky Winter Pickup

Novotel Busan Ambassador Through January 31st, Novotel Busan’s beach view wine bar, Le Bouchon, is offering a variety of incredible deals on upscale liquor sets. Sets include Johnny Walker Scotch specials like a 500 ml bottle of Johnnie Walker Gold plus a side dish reduced from W270,000 to W220,000 and Johnnie Walker Black (500ml) and side dish dropped from W190,000 to W140,000. For those interested in wine and champagne, specials include French Connection EOS ‘01 and a snack dropped from W150,000 to W110,000 and Zinfandel EOS ’02 with a side dish of your choice for only W90,000, reduced from W120,000. Order any one of these specials and be entered to win prizes including dinner for two at Ventanas, dinner for two at Seascapes premium buffet, a night in a deluxe ocean view room, and even a night’s stay in a Novotel Busan Suite! novotelbusan.com, 051-743-1234

Grand InterContinental's Marco Polo Marco Polo, located on 52F of the World Trade Center, offers its Special Microbiotic Selections from January 1st to January 29th 2010. A 5-course lunch menu and 6-course dinner menu are available. The dinner set starts off with tomato and potato croquette and baby leaf salad with balsamic sauce. Then shiitake mushroom soup is accompanied with truffle and avocado ravioli. For the main course, you get your choice of bean patty accompanied with pistachio, pine nuts and grilled tomato or a delicious perch with a brown-rice cream sauce. Dessert includes soymilk cheese cake sweetened with black berries and cherries. Microbiotic Set Menu diners will also be registered in the weekly drawing to win a Fissler Rice Cooker worth W700,000.

W38,000+ for lunch and W75,000+ for dinner. 02-559-7621

Stay Toasty

Seacloud Hotel Busan Seacloud Hotel is offering its Winter Package for your special winter Busan vacation. The package benefits include a special blanket that you can use for outdoor events and breakfast for two. There are even more benefits for guests who want to enjoy sightseeing and other activities around Haeundae. The hotel provides special discount coupons for tickets to the Busan Aquarium and the Busan Aquarium 3D Rider. Also, you can use the gym in the hotel. W130,000+ superior half ocean view, surcharge of W30,000 on weekends. seacloudhotel.com, 051-933-1000

Magical Snowland Ice Rink Opening

Sheraton Grande Walkerhill "A resort in the city," Sheraton Walkerhill features an 1800m2, oval-shaped, marvelous ice rink. For the 2009 winter season, the ice rink has been transformed into a "Magical Snowland." Now through February 15th, guests may take a journey back to their childhood and enjoy ice skating. As one of the largest ice rinks in Korea, it has the capacity to hold up to 500 skaters at a time.

An outdoor cafeteria with the capacity to hold 150 guests is led by Walkerhill’s head chef and will feature delicious Korean, Western, and Japanese cuisine.

Last year’s favorite, fishcake and tempura udon, will also be back on the menu along with donkatsu donburi, dosirak, and 15 other selections. 12 to 9 pm weekdays, 12 to 10 pm on weekends. Adult admission is W20,000 on weekdays and W30,000 on weekends. Skate rental W12,000. 02-2022-0000 10 Magazine January 2010 | 29

Shots by R.L. Baldwin (heartsofartichoke.blogspot.com)

NIGHTLIFE

Dove Quando Dove Quando Wine Bistro is a reasonably priced bistro with a great atmosphere atmosphere perfect for a date or a relaxed evening with friends. The place is rustic, romantic and intimate.

Dove Quando’s small but friendly interior makes it better suited for meeting a friend or date than holding a business meeting.

Flower-filled vases dot the rustic wooden tables, French musical posters adorn the walls, and classic 1950s jazz fills the air. The crowd here is young, mostly females and young couples on a budget.

This place offers Italian grill food, pizzas and pastas. The pastas were a little bland and lacked passion and care. The wood oven pizzas, though rich with punchy flavours, were simple and unpretentious like the

SuperColorSuper Paints Seoul in Electronic Technicolor

30 | 10 Magazine January 2010

bistro. My favourite was the gorgonzola pizza: a lovely thin crust, honey and tangy cheese. The service is fast and friendly.

The wine menu was reasonably varied and had a good selection of Italian, Chilean and American wines, all at reasonable prices.

We had Rodney Strong Knotty Vines Zinfandel 2005 from California. There were balanced black liquorice, animal and cedar notes on the bouquet as well as a nice line from entry to finish. It had a smooth entry, with violet, mint, bright raspberries and cherries; soft and well-integrated tannins, Hongdae's V-Hall is a spectacular venue, all the more so because organizer SuperColorSuper, represented

by Sean Maylone and Christine Cho, chose it to host American indie electropoppers YACHT and psychedelic dreamscaper White Rainbow. Both of these Portland, Oregon (USA) groups visited Korea after touring in mainland China. Seeing YACHT is like seeing James Brown reincarnated as two skinny kids dancing like crazy. Jona Bechtolt, the male lead, shimmies in ways that would make Marvin Gaye proud. In a white suit, shirt, and sneakers, his impersonation of generic TV evangelists is brilliantly rehearsed and yet utterly spontaneous. Joining him is the black catsuited Claire L. Evans, who assumes yogic poses before a video projection of hieroglyphs pulsing in time to the music.

It’s impossible to sit still at this show.

Earlier in the evening, local electronic duo Sighborg (of which Sean is a member) performed, creating ravaging, feverish carnival guitar soundscapes. After their set, I spoke to Sean and Christine, who, as SuperColorSuper, have made it their

complex and layered. A classic Zinfandel.

At W43,000 a bottle, it was a bargain.

The downside of Dove Quando is getting there. It’s at the very end of Samcheonggil near the tunnel, a 20 minute walk from Anguk subway station. However, if the weather’s fine, it’s certainly worth taking a stroll down this fashionable street as you browse through boutique shops and cafes.

by Joshua Hall mission to bring independent acts to Korea. As White Rainbow performs in the background, Sean lays out the inspiration behind SuperColorSuper.

“I started this because my band was big enough to tour around Korea and garner attention,” Sean says, adding that this is proof that bands from Korea can garner attention abroad.

As for the future of indie music in Seoul, he is optimistic, offering the example of SuperColorSuper’s Round Robin series, which promotes and supports local acts.

There's good reason to be optimistic.

Judging by the number of bands coming together in recent months and the crowds at the venues, it seems as though Seoul's underground scene is coming up for a breath of fresh air.

by Daniel Lenaghan SuperColorSuper: Sighborg: YACHT: White Rainbow:

V Hall:

supercolorsuper.com myspace.com/sighborg teamyacht.com myspace.com/ whiterainbowwhiterainbow vera.linuxtest.net/v_hall 02-338-0957

NIGHTLIFE

Junglist Delivers DnB with Roni Size Show

Roni Size at Mansion

Words by Craig Alderson, Shots by Hospital Photography

F

or drum and bass (DnB) events, one has to delve deeper in the club world. Beneath the glitzy fashionista super clubs there is a vibrant underground bubbling up with tasty treats and beats that can satisfy even the most seasoned of audio connoisseurs. One of those truly underground nights is Junglist.

On November 20th in the newly opened club Mansion in Hongdae, clubbers partial to rolling basslines and heavy breakbeats were blessed with the chance to check out two of dnb’s legends, namely Roni Size and Dynamite MC. Clubbers descending into club Mansion found Dynamite MC whipping up the crowd into a frenzy to welcome Roni Size as he dropped in his first track to an energized crowd atmosphere.

He started off his set with monster bass lines and buildups and later mixed in production classics and older dnb anthems for an unforgettable night.

Top notch support from residents DJ Fenner & MC Stride and the slick tune selections of DJ J-Path kept the night intense and diehard fans wanting more.

With Mansion, Junglist has found a new home, and if the next Junglist parties live up to this one, it has a bright future ahead of it. Electronic music fans will be excited by the news that Goldie is already booked for Friday, January 8th.

If this past Junglist was anything to go by, it promises to be one hell of a party. Roll on the next Junglist!

32 | 10 Magazine January 2010

Promoter/Venue Profile Who Junglist What Drum and bass parties Where Mansion (Hongdae) When Every 1-2 months Web Facebook: Mansion lounge/club Phone 010-2048-4924 Address 368-22

Seokyo-Dong,

Mapo-gu, Seoul Directions Hongdae St.

(line 2, ex. 5).

between By the Way

and Bobo Hotel at the

Crazy Ocean building B1.

DJ in the spotlight

Roni Size

Roni Size’s track record of world class drum and bass production has been nothing short of exceptional. With critically acclaimed production on his V and Full Cycle labels and the sublimely jazzy New Forms (1997) he took the DNB world by storm. Now in 2009, Roni has released an updated New Forms, and followed up with a world tour.

Club Rehap

is bringing class back to Jongno. The appearance of a culture-conscious dance club may raise eyebrows in an area more known for its high-rises and dirty dives. Walk past the hawkers and stalls at the old piano street (Jonggak St. ex. 12) till you see the club entrance on the right, looking as out of places as Alice at the Mad Hatter’s tea party. Tumble down the rabbit hole, though, and everything changes.

Cocktail-toting guests recline on sleek white sofas while clubbers groove to the music performed by some of Rehap’s eight resident DJs. But Rehap is more than a club rat’s dance track. Each week they have new bands, tattoo exhibitions, and other cultural opportunities to satisfy the sensibilities of a selective crowd. The club currently only runs weekends 8 pm – 5 am, though the lounge will open week nights 7 – 10 pm starting in February.

Basic entrance fee is W15,000, but 10 Magazine readers get free admission before 10 pm! rehap.co.kr, 02-732-7181

by David Carruth

Tattoo Party at Rehap December 12th, 2009 Shots by Randy C

10 Magazine January 2010 | 33

furry friends at Bau Haus, shot by Brielle Morgan

All you ever wanted to know about pet ownership both here and abroad.

I

n my former life as the advertising manager for Modern Dog magazine, I visited several pet product tradeshows and festivals per year.

From Woofstock in Toronto to Pet Fashion Week in New York, the booming array of new products Shot by Ethan James and services at each show was staggering. Grinning vendors peddled drag-queen-inspired pet wigs, testicular implants (yes, I said “testicular implants”) and diamond-crusted collars. Of course, not every booth boasted such extravagance; practicality had its place. Innovations such as indoor pet potties and quick-sensitive nail-trimmers proved quite popular.

Even the green movement was well-represented with dog poop composters and toys made from recycled pop cans. In the face of such a commercial onslaught, I couldn’t help but reflect on the evolving definition of “pet.”

10 Magazine January 2010 | 35

What do all these products say about our modern relationships with animals? Is this what people had in mind when they first attempted to domesticate dogs and cats?

According to an article published in Science magazine, dog domestication originated in China approximately 15,000 years ago. Exactly why our old school ancestors got friendly with the wolves is debatable.

The case with cats is a little clearer. Apparently, cats elected to domesticate themselves. Ha! How very cat-like of them. Roughly 12,000 years ago as people began to settle into villages, cats emerged from the woods in search of food.

According again to Science magazine, friendship was sort of a by-product of this hunt.

Team cat and team dog aside, it’s clear that the roles of domesticated animals have evolved beyond that of hunter, herder and guard.

Today Cambridge Dictionary defines a pet as “an animal which is kept in the home as a companion and treated kindly.” As a Vancouverite brought up alongside many furry companions, I can vouch for this definition’s general application to Canadian pet culture. But is this definition applicable in Korea?

Much research was necessary (especially considering I don’t have a pet here).

36 | 10 Magazine January 2010

I

found lots can be learned simply by taking a walk through one of Seoul’s famous markets. At the Hongdae Saturday Market located at the playground by Hongik University, university students sell hand-crafted dog feeders and leash hooks. Meanwhile Dongdaemun’s maze of, well, everything unsurprisingly turns out more than a few dog clothing displays. And maybe it’s just the winter season but it seems most dogs cruising the markets are dressed to impress. Martina, an English teacher living in Bucheon explains: "Those who have dogs really pamper them, and keeping your dog in fashion is highly encouraged. While Spudgy sports a neon green full body mohawk, the other dogs in the neighbourhood have pink ears and orange puffy tails. As the season changes, so do their outfits, sporting raincoats during the spring, feather vests in the winter, and summer dresses or hats Spudgy in the summer. Spudgy especially feels cool in his bright red pirate pants with black suspenders."

I’ve also seen dogs in strollers. If nothing else, one can definitely draw comparisons between Korea and North America’s commodification of the pet industry.

Venturing a little deeper into my comparison, I dug up a few stats. According to the Korea Pet Products Manufacturers' Association (KPPMA), the number of pet owners in Korea is on the rise with approximately

10 million Koreans (or 20% of the population) keeping a pet.

Likewise, American pet ownership is stronger than ever before and currently sits at 63% (according to American pet-focused marketing firm, Fetching Communications). The increasing number of Koreans with pets is stimulating the growth of new industries such as pet undertaking, pet kindergartens and petfriendly cafes.

I had the privilege of speaking to several pet-friendly cafe owners during my “tour de Hongdae.” Bali Cat, a cat-friendly cafe close to Hongik University, was launched by Kyong-hwan Lee (Jason). A Physical Education major, Jason was inspired by wooden cat dolls he came across as he traveled through Indonesia. Originally not intending to invite actual cats to his cafe, Jason started bringing his two fluffy friends to work upon the recommendation of a customer.

Now, Jason is happy to give people an alternative to full-time pet care, pointing out that pet abandonment is a big problem in Korea. Opt to spend time with the now four resident cats or BYOC–Jason’s cool like that.

Similarly, Gio Cat in Hongdae (cheekily located in an alley next to Smoothie King across from the park where Saturday markets are held) boasts artful touches and a

Shot by Ethan James

loving vibe. I was impressed by the sheer number of cats roaming around the sanitizer-wielding staff and the almost exclusively female clientele.

Having my fill of felines, I wandered closer to Hapjeong Station to check out BauHaus Dog Cafe. A barrage of barking dogs greeted me at the door and I fell instantly in love with about half the room (people excluded – not in a mean way). The staff was very friendly and the owner, Jun-Hyuk Huh, told me that he started the cafe because he is a big animal lover and he thought it would make a good experience for both people and dogs. While one customer expressed his concern over whether the dogs are exercised and stimulated enough, I was assured that the dogs are walked twice a day.

inhumane puppy mills and irresponsible breeders who treat them heartlessly, increasing adoption rates is an excellent development.

To avoid contributing to Korea’s stray pet population, it’s essential to think long-term about the animal you’re committing to. Many animals are forsaken when their owners deem them too big, too expensive or too impractical to relocate. John Preece, a lecturer living in Seoul and a volunteer for ARK, urges people to consider “upfront costs such as medical checks and neutering” or spaying as well as “ongoing costs such as food, toys, medicine, etc.”

Will you have time to walk the dog, brush the cat and keep that obnoxious boss happy? Also, if you’re not planning to stay in Korea for the next 18 or so years, it’s important to check out the quarantine laws of the next country you will be moving to or traveling through.

When full-time companionship isn’t an option, volunteering at one of Korea’s many animal shelters is an awesome second-best. Kirsten Binstock, an avid ARK volunteer, spends Saturday after Saturday helping out at Asan Shelter. For info on volunteering, check out the sites for ARK and KAPS: www.animalrescuekorea.org, www.koreananimals.net.

As the number of Korean (and foreign) families welcoming pets into their home grows, so does the need for education around responsible ownership. The companionship of an animal, when mutually beneficial, can be life-changing. Janice Ha, high school student and best friend to a 15 year old poodle named Ruby, put Shot by Ethan James

I

’d so far ascertained that Korea has its fair share of pet products and services but what about the bigger notion of responsible pet ownership? To get a sense, I turned to the experts – veterinarians, animal rights groups and straight-up animal lovers – and it seems there’s room for improvement. Many people (both foreign and Korean) spoke of bullying experiences from an old-school generation of people perhaps more inclined to think of dogs as livestock than family.

That said, I was told countless times that the past decade has seen extremely positive changes in Korea’s attitude toward animals. Dr. Jong-Il Choi of Mari Animal Hospital explains that many people previously “considered their pets as toys or possessions.” However more people are now considering their pets as “family or friends” deserving of “organic or high quality food” and, presumably, lots and lots of love. Likewise, people are more likely to point the finger in cases of animal cruelty. Sunnan Kum, Founder and President of the Korea Animal Protection Society (KAPS), says that “nowadays, if people witness animal abuse they take pictures, publish on the Internet, and fight together about the issue”. Chalk one up for the ubiquity of mass media.

In other good news, adoption is on the rise. When she’s not teaching English, Katherine Hall coordinates foster care and adoption for the Asan Shelter through Animal Rescue Korea (ARK). Hall says that “although many still opt for the pedigreed, accessory-adorned pets you can buy from a pet store, people are becoming open to the idea of adopting a pet, instead of buying one.” Considering pet stores often obtain their “stock” from 38 | 10 Magazine January 2010

it most eloquently: “When I was mad I would tell everything to Ruby and she seemed to understand my feelings... all those moments became the greatest reward I could get.”

Ultimately, the future of Korean pet culture depends on the ability of its greatest defenders – people like Janis, Dr. Choi and my friend Kirsten – to cultivate a nationwide recognition of animals as beloved companions rather than emotionless objects.

The good news is this movement seems well underway.

Top 10 Pet-Friendly Picks Charity Picnics: Check out MARI Animal Hospital’s annual fundraiser held in Mung Mung Land (20 min from Jamsil St., Seoul). With games, gifts and food for you and your animal bud(s), it’s good old-fashioned picnic fun. 02-323-7582

Walking Dogs or Playing with Cats: Spend an afternoon at one of Korea’s many animal shelters.

ARK offers a comprehensive list of shelters throughout the country. animalrescuekorea.org

Stress-Free Travel/Moving: Visit Sohee Yoon of Chungwha Animal Hospital in Itaewon, Seoul. A professional “pet shipper,” Sohee will help you prepare the paperwork necessary to get your furry companion from A to B. cwhospital.com

Pets Online: Check out Canadian couple Simon and Martina’s helpful tips/videos on sushi delivery, scooter tours, and most importantly, animal care in Korea. eatyourkimchi.com

Adopting or Fostering: Dr. Pet Animal Medical Center (in Gangnam, Seoul) hosts a Saturday adoption program through Animal Rescue Korea (ARK). Contact Ryan for further details. goesslry@gmail.com

Keeping Dogs Off the Menu: Visit the Korea Animal Rights Advocates (KARA) website and sign their petition against the dog meat industry. animalrightskorea.org

Urban Cruising: Grab your leash/carrier and hit the streets. Many coffee shops and boutiques will turn a blind eye to small, wellbehaved, (furry) co-cruisers.

Sweet Mini-Breaks: Book yourself a weekend at one of Korea’s pet-friendly pensions. Unfortunately (for us shamefully monolingual types), the websites are solely in Korean. duopension.kr, gaewool.co.kr, dolflower.com

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.

Coffee with a Side of Cat: Visit Gio Cat or Bali Cat cafes in Hongdae, Seoul, giocat. com, balicat.kr. For those north of the city, check out Cat Cafe in Ilsan. 031-966-2295.

Scenic Strolling: Near KAPS's Boeun shelter, there is a beautiful path called the “Bo-chong Reservoir Walk” that takes you through a forest to a reservoir. BYOD or invite a rescue dog from the shelter to join you.

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

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 listed foreign banks.)

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

Send it to comments@10magazine.asia 40 | 10 Magazine January 2010

Seoul Learns to Rock Just as K-pop acts like The Wonder Girls venture out of Korea into bigger markets, major groups from the US and Europe are starting to add Seoul to their Asian tours. Last month it was Guns and Roses, and this month music fans are treated to two of the hottest rock bands active today. continued on p.50

NATIONWIDE

42

SEOUL

46

GYEONGGI PROVINCE

59

CHUNGCHEONG PROVINCE

61

GaNGwon PROVINCE

62

GYEONGSANG PROVINCE

64

JEOLLA PROVINCE

68

JEJU ISLAND

69

NETWORKING CALENDAR

71

Muse

NATIONWIDE CALENDAR Ninja Assassin

NATIONWIDE

Movies Ninja Assassin

by Frances Darwin

The Bronze Medalists (킹콩을 들다)

Directed by James McTeigue

Directed by Keon-hong Park

Contrary to popular belief, this film is not directed by the Wachowski Brothers (famous for the Matrix trilogy). They produced Ninja Assassin, which in film industry terms means they had little to do with the actual film making.

Maybe if the brothers had resumed a directorial role, the plot would be more than a clichéd series of flashbacks glimpsed between shots of flying severed limbs and splattering computerized blood.

Ninja Assassin borrows elements from great films, but fails to be great itself, or even good. Take the sword from Kill Bill (without the incredible story line or technical artistry), mix it with the pathetic special effects of Hollow Man, add a little kitsch Orientalism à la Indiana Jones, and you've got the made-for-TV movie, circa the 1990s, that Ninja Assassin resembles. Let's just say that the success of this film (if there is any) relies on the fight scenes for the boys and shots of half naked Korean pop-star Rain (yum) for the girls.

This is easily one of my favourite Korean films of the year. Finally, a popular feel-good film that avoids the romanticcomedy genre. This film was inspired by a true story. Washed-up 1988 Olympic Bronze medalist Ji-bong Lee (played by Beom-soo Lee) reluctantly begins to coach a group of aspiring weight lifters—a bunch of under-privileged middle-school girls. At first, he just uses them as an excuse to install a personal kitchen in their training room, but he soon sees their passion and potential. Filled with sweet and sour adolescent triumphs and tribulations, The Bronze Medalist is a "gold medal" film: It's funny, it's inspiring, it's heart-wrenching. The cast of characters are unforgettable, including but not limited to a spandex-clad principal, a fat girl with a crush, and a semi-psycho school girl fit for a Japanese horror film.

Despite being a crowd-pleasing film about sports, it manages to incorporate beautiful cinematography and fantastic editing into its plot.

The English translation of the Korean title is “Lifting King Kong,” an appropriate title, as this film is also strong enough to lift up your spirits.

42 | 10 Magazine January 2010

NEW RELEASES January 7th

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs Family, animation. USA Directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller Starring Bill Hader, Anna Faris, James Caan, Andy Samberg, sonypictures.com/movies/ cloudywithachanceofmeatballs

January 14th Astro Boy Sci-Fi, animation. USA/Hong Kong/Japan Directed by David Bowers Starring Seung-ho Yu, Freddie Highmore, Kristen Bell astroboy-themovie.com Paranormal Activity Mystery. USA Directed by Oren Peli Starring Katie Featherston, Micah Sloat, Ashley Palmer paranormalactivity-movie.com

NATIONWIDE

The Road Thriller, sci-fi, drama. USA Directed by John Hillcoat Starring Viggo Mortensen, Charlize Theron, Guy Pearce, Robert Duvall theroad-movie.com

The Soloist Directed by Joe Wright Based on a book by Los Angeles Times columnist Steve Lopez, The Soloist realistically depicts what happens when a middle-class journalist (Robert Downey Jr.) befriends a talented homeless man (Jamie Foxx). Both actors are incredible in their roles, but couldn't be as convincing without the help of Catherine Keener (who plays Lopez’s former wife and editor) as well as the real homeless people who worked as extras. Curiosity begets responsibility, confusion and frustration. Mental illness is depicted in a terrifyingly realistic way. What if some people don't want to be "helped" the way one thinks they should be helped?

Surprisingly, this mainstream film tackles issues in a way that one would expect from an indie production, but The Soloist does it with star power. Hopefully this film will bring to light the issue of the homeless, of whom there are an estimated 254,000 in Los Angeles County alone.

Music Nirvana

Live At Reading January 21st The Princess and the Frog Musical, animation. USA Directed by Ron Clements and John Musker Starring Anika Noni Rose, Keith David, Jenifer Lewis, Ritchie Montgomery, Bruno Campos princessandfrog.co.kr 500 Days of Summer Romance, comedy. USA Directed by Marc Webb Starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Zooey Deschanel, Patricia Belcher, Rachel Boston, Yvette Nicole Brown foxsearchlight.com/ 500daysofsummer

January 28th Le Petit Nicolas Comedy, family. France.

Directed by Laurent Tirard Starring Maxime Godart, Valerie Lemercier, Kad Merad, Sandrine Kiberlain wildbunch-distribution.com/site/ petitnicolas

Universal

There have been scads written about Nirvana over the last couple of decades, which is only fitting given the impact they had on the music world during their tenure as the apotheosis of grunge. Not all commentary has been positive, but most acknowledge their importance, especially when earlier live shows are taken into consideration.

Thus, Live At Reading, probably the definitive

by Mike Berry

contemporary release that showcases the group’s electrifying 1992 performance at England’s Reading Festival, is something any serious lover of rock music must have. Even though at that time the band were going through one of their episodic spats, they delivered a blistering set of grunge classics. Live At Reading captures the power and passion of this performance perfectly, with the group pretty much at their artistic pinnacle. All the faves are here: from the opening salvo of “Breed” to the closing requiem of “Territorial Pissings,” Nirvana is smoking.

While much more could be said about this album, there’s really only one critique that matters: buy the damned thing and listen!

10 Magazine January 2010 | 43

NATIONWIDE CALENDAR

NATIONWIDE

them their place in alt-rock’s Aesgard, a place where talented musical warriors rest their chops, prepare for future skirmishes, and sally forth when required to deliver the faithful from musical mediocrity. As the man said, “it might not be art, but I like it!”

Bon Jovi The Circle

Island/Universal

Jack Johnson

Weezer

Brushfire Records

Interscope

En Concert

Another live release to offer up on the altar of alternative music for your consideration, En Concert is a collection of Jack Johnson’s musical musings from his 2008 “Sleep Through the Static” World Tour. Broad in scope and deft of touch, this album should appeal to any serious lover of Johnson’s multi-toned musical palette. From the kick off (“Belle/Banana Pancakes”) to the finale (“Better Together”), the album shifts between terse moodiness to softly lilting melodies that capture both Johnson’s songwriting ability and his musical acumen to powerful effect. The choice of music eerily epitomizes the sense of place for each stop on the tour: rootsy folk picking at Bonnaroo, warm percussive excursions in Barcelona, and string-bending ensemble work in Hawaii. Adding to the effect is the vocal power of Paula Fuga on “Country Road” in Santa Barbara and Eddie Vedder’s contribution (“Constellations”) at Bonnaroo, along with Johnson’s superlative backing band. Even if you’re not really a Jack Johnson fan, this album shines and is worth checking out.

44 | 10 Magazine January 2010

Raditude

Did you know that Weezer, with seven albums released and eight million records sold in the US alone, opened for Keanu Revee's band Dogstar at their first gig in 1992? Proving that anyone can put such moments behind them, River Cuomo’s irreverent rock quartet is showing just how much better things can get.

Raditude is another trademark Weezer release with its idiosyncratic guitar-driven sound and bright, hard, and solid delivery. Some of you may have been fortunate enough to catch some of these songs at this year’s Jisan Valley Rock Concert right here in Korea; three of the tunes on Raditude (“Can’t Stop Partying” “I’m Your Daddy” and “The Girl Got Hot”) were in fact first introduced at that very event. While few people will ever accuse Weezer of making music for future generations to deconstruct and quibble over–given their propensity for lightening up the mood in the here-andnow–there’s no denying

It must be stated at the outset that a Bon Jovi review is a bit incongruous for 10 Magazine.

However, taking the viewpoint that “everyone deserves a listen” (at least once), and considering that this is a performer who wins plaudits for longevity in a musical field overpopulated with transient acts, why the hell not? Actually, like most of Bon Jovi’s body of work, The Circle isn’t really that bad. An oddly countryrock mood permeates the entire release, though it’s also reminiscent of Springsteen at times, especially on the intro track “We Weren’t Born To Follow” and the hard ballad “Superman Tonight” Speaking of ballads (and what would a Bon Jovi album be without one?), “Live Before You Die” and “Learn To Love” certainly fit the bill, although most of the album is less ballad-laden than previous efforts. A couple of tunes even manage moments of curious intensity, particularly during their intros: “Work For The Working Man” with it’s Midnight Oil percussive intro, especially demonstrates this.

The semi-anthemic “Happy Now” also offers up some intensity, but it doesn’t really last. In a nutshell, the album isn’t that bad, but it doesn’t really offer up anything that new, either. For hard-core fans only.

Books January 1st. The annual bout of lying we call “resolutions.” Resolutions to get fit, earn more and become better. By February we’re sucking down beers in paper bags and hollering at random strangers. Still, for one glorious month we pretend change is possible. 10 Magazine presents: self-help books!

Money We want to be as rich as Croesus although only 10% of us know who Croesus was. Dave Ramsey’s The Total Money Makeover: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness promises to show us the way out of our single-wide trailers. Sadly, Ramsey favors common sense and work: “work hard, pay what you owe and stay out of debt.” If we could do that we wouldn’t have debt! Ramsey provides tracking tools, but the book’s strength is as a motivator.

Ramsey talks truth about the work it takes to eliminate debt.

Family Life Blending Families: A Guide for Parents, Stepparents, and Everyone Building a Successful New Family by Elaine Shimberg is not a revolutionary approach to cocktails. Many families in second marriages face challenges – emotional, financial, disciplinary, and personal. This book offers solutions and real-life tales of families who have survived the adjustment. I think I saw this on “The Brady Bunch,” but don’t remember due to my…

Alcoholism It’s difficult to discuss alcoholism with the kind of hangover I’m sporting.

Twelve-step programs are the traditional approach to drying out, but Dr. Roy Eskapa’s The

by Charles Montgomery

Diet Inside every fat person is a skinny one waiting to escape, along with maybe even another skinny person and possibly two fighting bulldogs. That’s why we look like we do. Amazon’s favorite diet book

is The Beck Diet Solution: Train Your Brain to Think Like a Thin Person.

Author Dr. Judith Beck, an authority in Cognitive Therapy, has created a six-week plan to help people stick with diets and keep weight off.

Emotional Healing Gloria Arenson’s Five Simple Steps to Emotional Healing: The Last Self-Help Book You Will Ever Need can’t achieve its claims, or no self-help book publisher would publish it. The author practices Meridian Therapy, allowing people to decrease their levels of stress by tapping

on eight spots on their bodies to alleviate anxiety, trauma, compulsive behaviors and other difficulties. At least one of those tappable spots leads us to…

Getting Ahead of Yourself Coping With Premature Ejaculation: How to Overcome PE, Please Your Partner and Have Great Sex. I don’t have a joke, just the desire to turn out the lights and weep myself to sleep. Two of America's best sex therapists (Michael Metz and Barry McCarthy) offer men and partners the most effective solutions available to overcome erectile dysfunction. I began reading this book but quickly stopped, so that I could research…

Procrastination Next month.

Happy New Year’s to all 10 Magazine readers!

Gear

Apple iPhone Lands in Korea At long last, KT has brought the iPhone into Korea. The prices depend on what contract you are on. You can choose from the original 3G-8GB, the 3GS-16GB, or 3GS-32GB (the “S” stands for “speed”). Get a piece of Korean Apple fan boy history. Retail price without a contract ranges from W682,0000– W946,000.

by Paul Kang

Barnes and Noble’s Nook in the Ebook Market

Ebook readers have come a long way over the past few years, and Amazon’s Kindle and Sony’s Reader have brought them to the mass market. What differentiates Barnes and Noble’s Nook from the others?

The major differences are that the Nook is Wi-Fi enabled with a colortouch screen, Micro SD slot, and LendMe technology allowing you to let your friends borrow your ebooks.

It will be primarily available in the US, but the Wi-Fi lets you roam.

Retail Price: $259 USD

Kodak Zi8

Whatever the experience you want to preserve, the Kodak Zi8 Pocket Video Camera will capture it in sparkling Full 1080p HD video. Plus, integrated image stabilization allows you to stay in focus. When you’re done shooting, plug it in and replay your memories on your HDTV or share the fun on YouTube with the built-in USB. The Zi8 pocket video camera gives you high definition at a low price.

Retail Price: $179.99 USD

Livescribe’s Pulse SmartPen

With this gadget, you’ll never have to worry about letting something slip by you when you’re taking notes. The Pulse SmartPen records what you hear and links it to what you’re jotting down on the special digital paper so that you can fill in the blanks later.

Look for the 4GB model which can hold up to 400 hours of audio. Great for business people, teachers, and students.

Retail Price: $199.95 USD 10 Magazine January 2010 | 45

NATIONWIDE

Cure for Alcoholism: Drink Your Way Sober Without Willpower, Abstinence or Discomfort promises to “cure” alcoholism without the need to stop drinking. The program includes pharmaceutical drugs, and time will tell if it works. For now? I’ll cure my drinking problem with another drink.

Foodie Finds

Burger B

A Real American Burger

SEOUL

Words and shots by Joe McPherson

W

hat is it about a burger that makes it taste so good?

One guy who wrote a book all about hamburgers thinks that it’s because they possess ingredients laden with umami, the Japanese word for the mysterious protein-happy fifth flavor.

That may be why most burger attempts in Korea have not gotten it right. Gunky saccharine brown sauces, cloying sweet pickles and lifeless vegetables have been the rule here for a good while. Then came the overpriced fake diners offering sterile atmosphere and plates of pretension. Yet a small burger renaissance is brewing.

Places like the Wolfhound and Jacoby’s started taking the burger seriously, and now there’s a new kid in town, and he has a serious chip on his shoulder—a delicious crispy fried chip.

It’s Burger B, a joint that refreshingly feels like it has come “in-n-out” of America. It sort of has. The owner lived in the States for a good while and became obsessed with burgers, traveling the country to gain inspiration. He

has brought this concept home and stubbornly refuses to compromise to the dark forces of bulgogi sauce.

The burgers are ordered on a pad. Check off the ingredients you want from a list including cheddar, Tilamook jack, mushrooms, bacon, a killer spicy mayo and all the veggies with no sweet pickles in sight. They also have quesadillas, real made-toorder milkshakes and crunchy shoestring potatoes, which can be smothered with cheese and chili if desired. The burger patties are just thick enough and well seasoned. The onions are shaved, and all the toppings are on the bottom of the burger so they remain cool and fresh.

What makes Burger-B stand out is its bun, a golden gem like brioche, which is toasted on the griddle. Soft, firm, slightly crispy and warm. No factory made this bun. It’s like embracing an old girlfriend—not the one who dumped you for that guy at the party—the good one

English and Korean menus Not permitted No veggie burger as of this writing There are a few steps W5,500 to W15,000—depending if you want fries with that Simple well-made American style burgers The cafeteria ordering style might confuse the first time around Mon – Thu, Sun: 11:30 am — 10 pm Fri – Sat: 11:30 am — 1 am 070-8870-9220 Seoul, Mapo-gu, Seogyo-dong 362-7

One block south of Hongik Park, on the right across from Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf.

46 | 10 Magazine January 2010

that you still miss on occasion.

The prices are decent, ranging from W5,500 to W7,500 for a burger. The pop burgers are playful treats, Burger B’s version of the slider. There is something fun about eating mini burgers, and the restaurant doesn’t skimp on the toppings and quality because of their size. They’re plump and quite the mouthful.

Burger B works because it’s simple.

It strips the burger down to its essential elements and improves on those elements.

There are no fussy gourmet gimmicks, no layers of Jackson Pollack-inspired squeeze bottle sauces, and no overpricing to attract the wanna-be yuppies that line up around other expensive but ho-hum burger barns. Just honest, well-crafted burgers.

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

SEOUL

Best American Breakfast in Korea?

That’s a gutsy proclamation but show us where you can find one better. Original Pancake Story on the northeast corner of the Hannam ogeori (intersection) is a tiny diner with high ceilings and blonde wood that puts one in the mood for a nice Saturday morning breakfast.

They make their own patty

sausage and have an extensive collection of goodies. Try the classic buttermilk pancakes or go for the veggie omelet stuffed with blue cheese. On the back of the menu is a real find—hotel quality Eggs Benedict. If you get there before 9:30 am, you can get a massive breakfast for under W7,000. 02-794-0508

Great Hongdae Munchies Lots of Korean street food feels as original as the factorystamped apartment buildings above it. It’s all nearly the same, so when someone tries to do something different, go for it. Sak (삭) is a little bunshik (snack food) hole-in-the-wall that takes the average street food offerings and tarts them up. The light and crispy fried offerings tantalize with scents of rosemary.

Fresh peppers give layers of dark character to the tteokbokki sauce.

Decently-priced Japanese beers occupy the cooler. It’s a classic barstool college hangout with character. Closes around midnight.

Sangsoo (line 6) Station, exit 1. Stop when you smell something really good. 02-334-5205

Co’m Bình Dân Looking for real Vietnamese food in Seoul where cilantro is not just an option that has to be dug out from the kitchen? Co’m Bình Dân is a little discreet holein-the-wall joint that creates down home Vietnamese food.

Opened by a Korean man and his Vietnamese wife, the name of the joint means “Commoner’s Rice” and is populated primarily by local Vietnamese families. Besides the silky aromatic pho, items to grab are the bright goi salads with fresh shrimp and

the hearty beef-laden Bo Kho plus Banh, with slices of crusty French bread instead of noodles. Sinseol-dong St. (line 1, ex. 11). Cross the street south past Sineol Rotary. Head south towards Cheonggyecheon and look for the little red sign on the right. 02-2232-1341

10 Magazine January 2010 | 47

SEOUL CALENDAR EDITOR’S PICK Through February 21st

Masterpieces of Italian Renaissance Frescoes

SEOUL

Italian frescoes painted

by Raphael, Da Vinci, Giotto, and other masters transformed the art world of the time and are still admired as classics.

Through new techniques, the frescos that were once literally stuck to the walls they were painted on are now movable. These 51 frescos by 21 artists are on display at a museum for the first time in history at the Seoul Art Center. 11 am – 7 pm. Fri till 9 pm. Closed Mon 1/25. Adults W13,000, teens W10,000, children W8,000. frescoart.co.kr, 02-3471-2020, 02-6000-0114 Through March 28th

Masterpieces from the Philadelphia Museum of Art

Including drawings, paintings, and sculptures by artists 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

Art Through January 7th Jin-hee Kim Exhibit Atelier705 near Yangjae St. (line 3, ex.

7). 10 am – 6 pm. atelier705.com, 02-572-8399 Through January 8th Kwangho Cheong Private Exhibit Yeonhui-dong Projects. 10 am – 6 pm. yhdprojects.com, 02-324-1286 Through January 24th Yeong-ho Gang: “99 Variations, Image Telling” Photo Exhibit Sungkok Art Museum near Gwanghwamun St (line 5). 10 am – 6 pm. Closed Mon. Adults W5,000, children W3,000. sungkokmuseum.com, 02-737-7650 Through 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 48 | 10 Magazine January 2010

“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 Through February 7th Myeong-deok Ju Photography Exhibit Focusing on landscape shots taken

by Ju over the last three years. Daelim Contemporary Art Museum near Gyeongbokgung St. (line 3, ex. 4). 10 am – 6 pm. daelimmuseum.org, 02-720-0667 Through February 16th How to Appreciate Sculpture Offering different artistic takes on the human body by twenty-one master sculptors. Seoul Museum of Art

Annex near Sadang St. (line 2, ex. 6).

10 am – 8 pm. Sat & Sun 10 am – 6 pm. seoulmoa.seoul.go.kr, 02-120

3), ex. 5. Adults W12,000, teens W9,000, children W8,000. 11 am – 7 pm. sac.or.kr, 02-588-8421

Through February 28th

January 13th – 17th KASF Teen Art Festival: What’s Your Name?

Get a glimpse of the future of Korean art with this exhibition featuring the art of around 300 current junior high and high school students. SETEC (Seoul Trade Exhibition Center) near Hagyeoul St. (line 3, ex. 1). kasf.co.kr, 02-796-0567

Through March 1st

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 Through March 7th Love and Pop Art Exhibit If you couldn’t get enough pop art at the Andy Warhol exhibit at the Seoul Museum of Art (see below), try this exhibit with more pieces by Warhol as well as Roy Lichtenstein, Robert Indiana, Tom Wesselmann, and Keith Haring. 63 Sky Art on the 60th floor of the 63 Building in Yeouido near Yeouinaru St. (line 5, ex. 4). 10 am 10 pm. Adults W12,000, teens W11,000, children W10,000.

63,co.kr, 02-789-5663 Through March 28th The Grand World of Andy Warhol The work of Andy Warhol unfolds before you with 210 pieces on loan from the Andy Warhol museum in Pittsburgh, including images of celebrities like Marilyn Monroe and the Campbell’s Soup series. 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 Georges Roualt: The Sacred and the Profane 170 pieces from the holdings of the Pompidou Center in Paris. Seoul Art Center near Nambu Terminal St. (line

Theater & Dance Open-run Nonverbal Performances

SEOUL

Indian Mythology Exhibit An excellent chance to see how folk paintings on Hindu themes vary by region. Cheonggyecheon Museum.

Weekdays 9 am – 9 pm. weekend 9 am - 6 pm. Closed Monday. Free. cgcm.go.kr, 02-2286-3410

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 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 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 Battle B-Boy Romance at a dance tournament serves as the setting for this exhibition of enormous energy, awesome dance routines, and soaring aerial moves.

Hongdae. Tue - Fri 8 pm Sat 6 pm, Sun 2 pm. W50,000. Sadly, the website is poorly designed and is in Korean only. sjbboys.com, 02-323-5233 Bubble World Though geared toward younger children, anyone can enjoy this creative presentation of bubbles, fans, lighting, and lasers. Myungbo Art Hall in Jongno. Wed 3 pm, Thu & Fri 3 pm & 8 pm, weekend 2 & 4:30 pm (and 8 pm on Sat). bubbleworld.co.kr, 02-2263-9742 10 Magazine January 2010 | 49

EDITOR’S PICK Through January 28th Film

Screening of New Czech Documentary on North Korea

Green Day

SEOUL

Seoul Learns to Rock (continued from p. 41)

First to arrive is alternative British rock band Muse, which have gained a loyal following over the last six albums they’ve released. This January, they stop in Seoul in support of their latest album The Resistance.

On stage a mere week and a half later is California punk-rock trio Green Day, famous for hit albums like Dookie, Nimrod, and American Idiot. Witness the bands’ ferocious energy and creative talent at the Gymnastics Stadium at Olympic Park, Olympic Park St. (line 5, ex. 3) at 8 pm both nights. koreagigguide.com January 7th: Muse. W55,000 – W99,000.

1544-1555.

January 18th: Green Day. W88,000 – W99,000. 02-3141-3488.

Muse

Welcome to North Korea! (2009), directed by Linda Jablonska, follows Czech tourists on a tour of North Korea as they are shepherded by guides through carefully prepared illusions. As the North Korean system is reminiscent of the Czechs’ own communist past, the travelers deal with conflicting feelings of sympathy, nostalgia, and relief that such a system is behind them.

Held at the Czech Info Center, Castle Praha Bldg., Hongdae, Hongik Univ. St. (line 2). Jan 13th (5:30 pm), Jan 7th, 14th, 21st, 28th (4:00 pm). Free. czechinfo.or.kr, 02-725 6765

January 8th – 17th Contact: The Musical You can question whether it’s really a musical, since no one sings, but you can’t question the excellence of Susan Stroman and John Weidman’s four Tony award-winning piece of theater.

There’s a lot of dancing but not very much speaking, so you won’t need Korean to enjoy three acts of people trying to connect with each other. LG Arts Center by Yeoksam St. (line 2, ex.

7). Tue, Thu, Fri 8 pm, Wed 4 & 9 pm, Sat 3 & 7 pm, Sun 2 & 6 pm. Dark Mon. W40,000 – W100,000. lgart.com, 1588-5212 January 12th The Melting Pot Creative Workshop This monthly meeting gives creative Seoulites a chance to gather and discuss performance projects of all sorts. Whether its puppetry or poetry, multimedia or musical theater, find like-minded souls and get involved.

Roofers in Itaewon. Call Simon Magnus at 010-8672-1166 January 12th - 13th Etoile Ballet Gala Vincero Entertainment brings four of Korea’s brightest ballet “stars” (the meaning of the French word “etoile”) to the stage at the Seoul Art Center.

Nambu Terminal St. (line 3, ex. 5). 7:30 pm. W30,000 - W150,000. sac.or.kr, 02-599-5743 January 20th – February 21st Mozart! The Musical 50 | 10 Magazine January 2010

This Austrian musical which depicts Mozart trying to break free from the adults who control and manipulate him has been performed in numerous countries in Europe and Asia. Sejong Center near Gwanghwamun St. (line 5, ex. 8). Weekdays 8 pm, Weekends 3 and 7 pm. Dark Mondays. W20,000 – W130,000. musicalmozart.co.kr, 02-6391-6333 January 22nd – February 15th Man of La Mancha: The Musical Imagine Don Quixote’s ridiculous romanticism, and now translate that into Korean. LG Arts Center by Yeoksam St. (line 2, ex. 7). Weekdays 8 pm, Sat 3 & 7 pm, Sun 2 & 6 pm.

Dark Mondays. W40,000 – W110,000. lgart.com, 02-2005-0114 January 26th – 28th and 29th – 31st

Cinderella: The Ballet Seoul Art Center near Nambu Terminal St. (line 3, ex. 5). sac.or.kr, 02-580-1301 January 30th - 31st Beyond…: The Play Artists Simon Magnus, Oliver Bedford,

and Kate Hamm collaborate on this play based on H. G. Wells’ short story “The Country of the Blind” that combines shadow puppetry, object theatre, mime, clowning and more.

The play draws upon the universal experience of arriving in a strange place and dealing with simultaneous excitement and anxiety. The Hive, Itaewon. W8,000. For tickets and times email beyondbookings2010@ gmail.com, rootexperience.com

Concerts

January 9th Seoul Youth Orchestra New Year’s Concert Performing Beethoven’s Namensfeier Overture and 9th Symphony. Sejong Center near Gwanghwamun St. (line 5, ex. 8). 5 pm. W5,000 – W25,000. sejongpac.or.kr, 02-399-1790 KBS Symphony Orchestra New Year’s Concert Seoul Art Center near Nambu Terminal St. (line 3, ex. 5). 8 pm.

W10,000 – W50,000. sac.or.kr, 02-580-1301 Euterpe Woodwind Quintet Euterpe, which meant “delight” in ancient Greek, was the muse of music. The ensemble performs pieces for quintet composed by Johann Strauss II, Robert Schumann, and Isaac Albeniz. Seoul Art Center near Nambu Terminal St. (line 3, ex. 5). sac.or.kr, 02-580-1301 January 11th Handbell Concert With five handbell choirs directed by Eun-mi Jo. Seoul Art Center near Nambu Terminal St. (line 3, ex. 5). 8 pm. W10,000 – W50,000. sac.or.kr, 02-583-6295 January 12th Gangnam Symphony Orchestra Seoul Art Center near Nambu Terminal St. (line 3, ex. 5). 8 pm.

W10,000 – W50,000. sac.or.kr, 02-580-1301 January 13th Korean Catholic Symphony Orchestra Memorial Concert In loving memory of Cardinal Suhwan Kim, who passed away a year ago. Program includes Karl Jenkins Requiem and Ariel Ramirez’ Missa Criolla. Seoul Art Center near Nambu Terminal St. (line 3, ex. 5). 8 pm.

W20,000 – W100,000. sac.or.kr, 032-612-1433 January 14th Thursday Mornings at 11 Concert Cellist Yeong-hun Song performs and

January 15th Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra Weber’s “Der Freischutz” Overture, Rachmaninov’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, and Schumann’s 2nd Symphony. Seoul Art Center near Nambu Terminal St. (line 3, ex.

5). 8 pm. W10,000 – W100,000. sac.or.kr, 02-580-1301 January 16th Opera Gala Concert Featuring winners from the 2nd Korean Opera Awards. Seoul Art Center near Nambu Terminal St. (line 3, ex. 5). 8 pm. W30,000 – W150,000. sac.or.kr, 02-580-1301

SEOUL

January 6th Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra New Year’s Concert Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concert in D Major, Debussy’s La Mer, and Ravel’s La Valse. Conducted by Myeong-hun Jeong with rising star Hyeon-su Shin on the violin. Sejong Center near Gwanghwamun St. (line 5, ex. 8). 7:30 pm. W10,000 – W50,000. sejongpac.or.kr, 1544-1887

then analyzes romantic melodies by Schubert and Mendelssohn. Seoul Art Center near Nambu Terminal St. (line 3, ex. 5). W20,000. sac.or.kr, 02-580-1300

January 17th Korean Senior Symphony Orchestra Seoul Art Center near Nambu Terminal St. (line 3, ex. 5). sac.or.kr, 02-580-1301 Classic Fantasy: Overture to 2010 This so-called “edu-concert” features overtures by Beethoven, Brahms, Verdi, and others that are likely to show up in music classes. Seoul Art Center near Nambu Terminal St. (line 3, ex. 5). 2:30 pm. W25,000. sac.or.kr, 02-580-1301 January 19th Seoul Oratorio in Concert As part of the “Music that Moves the Soul” concert series, the Seoul Oratorio presents Dvorak’s 9th Symphony From the New World and other pieces. Seoul Art Center near Nambu Terminal St. (line 3, ex. 5). 8 pm. sac.or.kr, 02-580-1301 January 22nd I Musici Chamber Orchestra New Year’s Concert The famed Italian chamber orchestra plays at the Seoul Art Center near Nambu Terminal St. (line 3, ex. 5). 8 pm. W40,000 – W120,000. sac.or.kr, 02-580-1301 January 23rd - 24th Vienna Boys Choir: New Year’s Concert Boys will be boys, except when they’re clad in sailor outfits and classically trained. See also page 64.

All the way from Vienna to the Seoul Art Center near Nambu Terminal St. (line 3, ex. 5). 8 pm. W30,000 – W100,000. sac.or.kr, 02-580-1301 January 28th Journey through Classical Music in Movies Featuring “violinist of fire” Laurnet Korcia, winner of the Paganini international competition and chosen as one of world’s sexiest men by People magazine. Don’t miss Korcia’s unique interpretation of music from films from Cinema Paradiso to Mission Impossible. 8 pm. Seoul Art Center near Nambu Terminal St. (line 3, ex. 5). sac.or.kr, 02-580-1301 10 Magazine January 2010 | 51

SEOUL CALENDAR Film January 5th - 30th Barbara Hammer Film Retrospective Screenings of films by lesbian filmmaker Barbara Hammer and others held at I-Gong Alternative Visual Culture Factory in Mapo-Gu and Seoul Art Cinema. W5,000 W6,000. igong.org, 02-337-2870

Family & Community

SEOUL

Through January 24th Hi Seoul 2010: Festival of Light The Seoul Festival of Light will set Gwanghwamun Plaza and City Hall Plaza a-glittering. Gwanghwamun Plaza (Gwanghwamun St., line 5) features a media art show with videos presenting the past, present, and future of Seoul on the sides of the Sejong Center and the KT building.

Other events include sledding at New Year’s and an ice sculpture display. hiseoulfest.org, 02-120

Marakech Night Restaurant Itaewon’s Finest Moroccan Cuisine

with Rhiti Mostafa former chef for the Moroccan Ambassador to Korea Hamilton Hotel

Itaewon Hotel

Noksapyeong Itaewon St. Exit.3

Hannam-dong Fire Station

Marakech Night Cheil Restaurant Communications Building

02-795-9441 | marakeshnight.co.kr 52 | 10 Magazine January 2010

Through February 15th Gwanghwamun Plaza Ice Skating Rink Seoul’s outdoor ice skating rink has moved from City Hall Plaza to Gwanghwamun Plaza near Gwanghwamun St. (line 5) and increased in size from 2,100m2 to 2,250m2. The expanded facilities even accommodate ice sledding. 10 am – 10 pm. W1,000. 02-120 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 Through January 4th Seoul Doll Fair 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 Through January 24th Hyeon-u Choe’s Magic Concert: Tarot by Destiny Mapo Art Center. Daeheung St. (line 6, ex. 2). Weekdays 8 pm, Sat 3 & 7 pm, Sun 5 pm. W44,000 – W77,000. mapoartcenter.or.kr, 02-3433-1751 Through February 15th “Movie and the Star” Wax Exhibit You may not be able to drool over your favorite divas in real life, but these wax models are the next best thing. The 120 wax replicas of stars like Beyonce and Madonna, formerly on display at

the Movieland Museum in the USA, are now at COEX at Samsung St. (line 2). 10 am – 7 pm. Adults W15,000, minors W13,000. The Korean website is very literally a Korean website: 월드스타체험전.com. coex.co.kr, 1544-1555 January 12th The Melting Pot Creative Workshop See Theater & Dance p. 50 January 15th – 17th Korean Spring Wedding Exposition The 250 Korean and international businesses represented at this expo offer information on everything from your honey’s wedding dress to your honeymoon destination. COEX at Samsung St. (line 2). 11 am – 8 pm.

W2,000. coex.co.kr, weddex.com, 02-6000-0114

Education & Conferences Through January 30th The Unforgettable Fall of 1989: Photos and Films This photography exhibit on the iron curtain is held on the 20th anniversary of the birth of democracy in Eastern Europe. Don’t miss human rights documentaries in former communist Czechoslovakia and modern day North Korea, Burma and Congo.

Czech Info Center, Castle Praha Bldg., Hongdae, Hongik Univ. St. (line 2). Free. czechinfo.or.kr, 02-725-6765 January 9th - 10th, 16th - 17th Comedy Courses with Aidan Killian Former investment banker Aidan Killian now delivers laughs from the stand up stage and wants to share his talents with you. Two intense weekend courses held in Itaewon show you how to be comfortable on stage, develop rapport with your audience, deal with stage fright, and much more. English-speaking Koreans and expats welcome.

Around W280,000 per course. aidankillian.com, aidankillian@hotmail.com January 12th RAS Lecture: Traditional Korean Music in Contemporary Society KAIST lecturer and ethnomusicologist Dr. Byeon Gyewon introduces and discusses the traditional Korean genres of sanjo and pansori with the assistance of a pansori singer and a haegeum (two-stringed fiddle) player.

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 February 23rd - 26th Workshop for Young Human Rights Activists Professors, lawyers, UN reps, and human rights activists discuss the role young people can play in promoting human rights in Asia.

Young adults from the local & international community are welcome.

Held at Korea University. Korean, English, and Japansese languages supported. W150,000 includes

EDITOR’S PICK Through February 21st

National Museum Presents the Incan “Children of the Sun”

SEOUL

It’s been 20 years since Korea and Peru secured a trade agreement and 100 since the first museum in Korea, but this exhibit stretches even further back from the earliest traces of civilization in the Andes to the end of the Incan Empire in AD 1532. Running through March 28th, the exhibit offers Koreans a chance to see 351 items selected from nine Peruvian museums, including pieces from Machu Picchu and the Lord of Sipán Tomb, displayed for the first time in Korea.

With everything from earthenware to Andean mummies, this exhibit offers a fascinating window into history. 02-2077-9000 program materials & meals. Register online by January 31st. achumanrights.org/asia_HR_ Forum/5th, achr@achumanrights.org Through January 24th Jung-geun An Exhibition This exhibition focuses on the philosophy and calligraphy of independence activist Jung-geun An, famous for his assassination of Japanese prime minister Ito Hirobumi.

Seoul Art Center near Nambu Terminal St. (line 3, ex. 5). Closed Mon. 11 am – 7 pm. Adults W7,000, minors W5,000. sac.or.kr, 02-580-1661 Through March 28th Nobel Science Exhibition: Energy and the Environment Kids get a chance to learn a little more about fundamental scientific principles with this exhibit (third out of a total of five). Explanations of current hot topics such as nuclear power and renewable energy sources are complemented by a plasma laser show, amazing scientific magic, and other displays. Seoul National Science Museum. 10 am – 7 pm.

Adults W10,000, minors W9,000. nobel.or.kr/science3, 02-538-9355 January 7th – March 1st Into the Pictures: Science in Art Exhibit This exhibit finally reveals the secret

behind Mona Lisa’s smile! Well, maybe not, but it does give you and your kids the chance to see the art of science and the science in art. Artists include Esher, Seurat, Arcimboldo, Vermeer, and (of course) Da Vinci. 11 am – 7 pm. 13 and up W9,000, children W11,000 (but dads get in for W8,000). Seoul Art Center near Nambu Terminal St. (line 3, ex. 5). sac.or.kr, 02-580-1301

Sport & Fitness Walks, Runs and Marathons

January 24th Boramae Park Marathon 10k, half and full at Dorim Creek by Boramae Park, to begin at 10 am.

W20,000 for all courses. Sign up by January 10th. tourmarathon.com, 1644-4219 January 30th Naenara Travel Marathon 10k, half and full at World Cup Stadium St., ex. 2. to begin at 10 am.

W20,000 for all the courses. Sign up

by January 18th. tourmarathon.com, 1644-4219.

February 6th Seoul International Race Championship 10k, half, 30k and full at the Jamsil section of the Han River Park, to begin at 1 pm. W40,000 for all 10 Magazine January 2010 | 53

SEOUL CALENDAR courses. Sign up by January 22nd. All foreign runners get a free Dokdo t-shirt (yes, we’re serious). champrace.co.kr, 02-477-0357.

Korean Basketball League (KBL)

January 23rd SK Knights vs Daegu Orions at 3 pm

All games held at Jamsil Student Gymnasium

January 28th SK Knights vs Daegu Orions at 7 pm

January 1st Seoul Samsung Thunders vs Anyang KT&G Kites at 3 pm

January 30th – 31st All Star Game

January 3rd SK Knights vs Busan KT Sonicboom at 3 pm

SEOUL

January 6th SK Knights vs Changwon LG Sakers at 7 pm January 8th SK Knights vs Jeonju KCC Egis at 7 pm January 10th SK Knights vs Incheon ET Land Elephants at 3 pm January 13th Seoul Samsung Thunders vs Jeonju KCC Egis at 7 pm January 15th SK Knights vs Wonju Dongbu Promy at 7 pm January 16th Seoul Samsung Thunders vs Busan KT Sonicboom at 3 pm January 17th SK Knights vs Anyang KT&G Kites at 3 pm

54 | 10 Magazine January 2010

January 21st Seoul Samsung Thunders vs Ulsan Mobis Phoebus at 7 pm

Travel January 16th - 17th Ice Fishing Festival with Adventure Korea Join Adventure Korea for this overnight trip to Hwacheon in Gangwon Province. W95,000 covers the chartered bus, ice fishing fee, two meals, and lodging. Depart from Express Bus Terminal St. (lines 3, 7, 9, ex. 8) and Hongik Univ. St. (line 2, ex. 1). adventurekorea.com, 018-242-5536 January 31st 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

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

Nightlife

January 8th 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, 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)

Round Robin Seoul Concert Produced by SuperColorSuper, the experimental Round Robin concert series puts the audience in the center, with bands set up around the perimeter of the room. Each band plays a song at a time, quickly changing through genres with no breaks. The current lineup includes Bridget and the Puppycats (folk), Quarkpop (electronic/ IDM), Ankle Attack (heavy rock), and Murmur’s Loom (post-rock). Club Freebird, Hongdae. 10:30 pm.

W15,000 in advance, W18,000 at the door. supercolorsuper.com, supercolorsuper@gmail.com

SEOUL

Every Thursday Hip Hop Night at Roofers ICONZ MEDIA’s Hip Hop night lets emcees, producers, poets, DJs, and b-boys showcase their talent. Wings, sausages & cocktails available.

Itaewon. 9pm - until late. No cover. info@iconzmedia.com, 010-9093-4409

January 16th Fatali New Album Release Tour at Club Volume Israeli psytrance artist Fatali comes to Korea in promotion of his fourth album Space Designer with guest performer Moon5150. Itaewon. 9 pm – 6 am.

W20,000 in advance, W30,000 at the door. 1 free drink. clubvolume.com, psykoisgod@gmail.com, 010-3229-2700

January 23rd Pimp & Hoes Party at BricX Let out your inner skank with a naughty costume party. Win great prizes lke scuba-diving lesson coupons, and Moet & Chandon champagne. As the live DJ spins out hot tracks, play the friend finder game. BricX.com, 02-795-5572 (Itaewon), 02-3141-5571 (Hongdae) To list an event, e-mail coordinator@10magazine.asia

Three locations serving original Turkish kebab.

The healthy fast food. Enjoy your meal guilt free!

Enjoy

Itaewon Main Branch: 127-28 Itaewon-dong Yongsan-gu 02-749-3890 Jongro Branch: 1F, 42 Jongro-1ga Jongro-gu (Jonggak St. Ex #1) 02-730-4418 Nakseongdae Branch: 1687-23 Bongcheong-dong Gwanak-gu All in Seoul (Nakseongdae St. Ex #8) 09-887-8555

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

No Butter, No Milk, No Egg No Trans Fat 100% Vegan Bakery from Washington D.C. 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

10 Magazine January 2010 | 55

SEOUL DIRECTORY Pungnap-dong Songpa-gu. amc.seoul. kr/eng, 02-3010-5001 Emergency 02-3010-3333

GANGNAM

Seoul Foreigner Assistance

SEOUL

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 Bomun 2nd & 4th Sunday 11:00 am 02-928-2049/02-924-2706 Chunma Sunday 3 pm Tagalog 02-765-0870 Dongducheon 2nd & 4th Sunday 4:30 pm 02-928-2049/02-924-2706 Hannam International Church • Sunday 11 am English • Sunday 11:15 am Italian • Sunday 12:15 pm Spanish • Sunday 6 pm French 02-793-2070 Hyewha-dong Catholic Church Sunday 1:30 pm 02-764-0221 (press 6) Jinjob 1st Sunday 3:00 pm 02-928-2049/02-924-2706 Keumchon 3rd Sunday 5 pm 02-928-2049/02-924-2706 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 Salesio labor center (Daelim 1 dong) Sunday 11:30 am Tagalog 02-765-0870 Sung-dong Social Welfare Center 1st, 3rd Sunday 11 am Tagalog 02-765-0870 Yoksam-dong church Sunday 9:30 am 02-553-0801 Catholics in South Korea Facebook Group, Annamarie at sunshineamore25@gmail.com

56 | 10 Magazine January 2010

CHIROPRACTIC & PILATES

Islam Seoul Central Masjid Friday 1:00 pm,

02-794-7307

Protestant Gwanglim Church Sunday 1:30 pm,

02-2056-5732

Jubilee Church Sunday 10 am & 1:30 pm, 02-569-2293 Kumnan Church Sunday 11:30 am,

02-490-7000

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

Myungsung Presbyterian Church Sunday 1:20 pm, 02-440-9000

Kyobo bldg.

Center Plaza Bldg 5F,510 Woori bank

Onnuri Church Sunday 11:30 am, 4 pm

BurgerKing

02-793-9686

BodyShop

Gangnam St. Exit #6

Hannam Bridge

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 Seorae Global Village (French) 02-570-6009 Ichon Global Village (Japanese) 02-760-2018 Itaewon/Hannam Global Village (English) 02-796-2459

CHIRO-PILATES

Korea Counseling Psychological Association krcpa.or.kr, 02-498-8293 Korea HIV/AIDS Prevention & Support Center khap.org, 02-927-4322 Ra Dental Clinic 02-569-8745

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 Transportation

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

Subway Line 2

Seoul Union Church Sunday 9:30 am,

02-333-7393

Somang Presbyterian Church Sunday 1:30 pm, 02-512-9191 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 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

(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

Terrific Burgers, Hot Dogs and Homemade Chili Itaewon St. Exit.1

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

02-797-3698 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

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

Asan Medical Center 24-hour service. ě†ĄíŒŒęľŹ í’?ë‚Šë?™ 388-1ë˛ˆě§€

American

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

02-795-1303

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

Medical Services

International Restaurants

Outback

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

02-337-9894 02-410-2114

TBS eFM Seoul FM 101.3 US American Forces Network Seoul AM 1530 / FM 102.7

Nike

Travel

Hostels Kim’s Guesthouse Olympic Parktel

Radio

Bulgarian Zelen The open kitchen shows off the Bulgarian chefs preparing authentic Bulgarian cuisine.

02-749-0600

Jaseng Hospital of Oriental Medicine Are you suffering from back or neck pain? Visit the non-surgical spinal specialists.jaseng.net, 02-3218-2167 Hus Hu Dental & Skin Clinic 02-514-8013

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

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

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

02-517-1135

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

Thai Garden Terrific cuisine made by Thai chefs served in a Thai palace-like interior. 02-792-8836

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

All That Jazz The Itaewon favorite when you’ve got the itch for some smooth jazz, typically with a guitar emphasis. 02-795-5701 Cheonnyeondongando (천연동안도) Diverse jazz music in the northeastern Daehangro area. chunnyun.com, 02-743-5555 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

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 Pancho’s Plenty of Mexican fare in a newly renovated, comfortable atmosphere. 02-792-4767 Taco Amigo Authentic Mexican fast food served up at very reasonable prices. 02-749-5253

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

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

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 My Thai Thai food in a comfortable atmosphere with great outdoor seating. 02-794-8090

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

Noxa Tasty Italian food by day and classy lounge by night, Noxa spices up the Noksapyeong area. 02-790-0776

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

Monkey Beach Thailand is just a subway ride away if you head to Monkey Beach in the heart of 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

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 이태 원동 119-10, B1, bricx.com. 02-795-5572

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

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 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

Middle Eastern Istanbul Grab a kebab, falafel or fish & chips on your way home in Noksapyung’s cheap eats street.

02-796-0271

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

02-796-9330

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 이태 원동 457-1 Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu. awakeinseoul@gmail.com, 02-749-0903

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 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

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

Seventy Four A beautiful and popular date spot featuring a menu with exotic drinks such as cheese martinis, banana mojitos and cuba libres.

Cheongdam-dong. 7 pm – 4 am.

02-542-7412

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

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

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

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

10 Magazine January 2010 | 57

SEOUL

Mexican Amigos Quality Mexican food from an international chain with frequent live music and events. 02-795-9711

Live Music

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

SEOUL DIRECTORY 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

SEOUL

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 Clubs

Blue Spirit Visit this Hongdae club famed for supporting local DJs and international guest artists. 10 pm – 4 am. 010-8671-405

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 partycrashers are all welcome. Noon - 2 am. blog.naver.com/so_much_more, 02-3447-7890

58 | 10 Magazine January 2010

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 용 산구 이태원동 137-8 (Basement 1) Itaewon-dong, 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 Seogyo-dong Mapo-gu. ohoo.net/m2, 02-3143-7573 Miro Be ready for a long night (or morning) at a stomping after-hours club with lounge, trance and psytrance. Fri and Sat 11 pm – 8 am.

Apgujeong near Seolleung St. (line 2).

02-544-9930 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 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 Vera Come for a fun night of funky house, electro-house, trance, and psychedelic. 10 pm – 6 am. 마포구 서 교동 356-1 Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu.

02-338-0957 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

GYEONGGI CALENDAR EDITOR’S PICK January 6th – February 28th Art

Sebastião Salgado Photo Exhibit: Africa

GYEONGGI

Meet Brazilian photojournalist Sebastião Salgado, renowned for his work documenting the lives of underprivileged workers in developing nations across the globe. The 100 works on display at the Aram Nuri Arts Center in Goyang have been selected from the shots he has taken in Africa over the past thirty years. Of particular interest are images from the Genesis project, underway since 2004, which presents images of African people and landscapes that suggest an earlier, simpler time and show us the way forward. Jeongbalsan St. (line 3, ex. 3). 10 am – 6 pm. Fri & Sat till 8 pm. Adults W8,000, children W7,000. artgy.or.kr, 031-960-0180

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 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 January 31st Modern Industrial Ceramics Featuring displays of modern industrial ceramics from the 19th - mid-20th centuries. Incheon Metropolitan City Museum. 9 am – 6 pm. Adults W400, children free. Closed Mon. museum. incheon.go.kr, 032-440-6734 Goryeo and Joseon Pottery and Modern Traditional Ceramics Two exhibits at the Gyeonggi Ceramic Museum in Gwangju. 9 am – 6 pm.

Free. ggcm.or.kr, 031-799-1500

Through February 21st Go to the Museum with Miffy The adorable bunny Miffy guides kids through an art gallery, an art school, a puppet theater, and more as they learn a little bit about modern art. Seongnam Arts Center near exit 1 of Imae St. on the Bundang line. 10:30 am – 6:30 pm.

Closed Mon. W12,000. snart.or.kr, 031-783-8000 Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty Photo Exhibit It would take months to visit all of these tombs in person, but with this exhibit you can see stunning shots of all 42 (31 in Gyeonggi Province, 8 in Seoul, 1 in Gangwon Province, and even 2 in North Korea) at one place. Gyeonggi Provincial Museum in Yongin. 10 am – 6 pm. Free. musenet.or.kr, 031-288-5300 Through February 28th Tiger’s Lucky Bag Exhibit Celebrating 2010, the year of the tiger.

Seongnam Arts Center near exit 1 of Imae St. on the Bundang line. snart.or.kr, 031-783-8000 Nam June Paik Art Center Prize Exhibit Featuring artwork by contest winners Eun-me Ahn, Ceal Floyer, Seung-taek Lee, and Robert Adrian. Call a week early for an English guide. Nam June Paik Art Center in Yongin. 10 am – 7 pm. Closed 2nd & 4th Mon. Free. njp. kr/ie_eng.html, 031-201-8527

10 Magazine January 2010 | 59

GYEONGGI CALENDAR January 15th - 21st Korean Calligraphy Online: Contest Winners Exhibition Incheon Culture and Arts Center near Arts Center St. (Incheon line). 10 am – 7 pm. Free. art.incheon.go.kr, 032-427-1522 January 22nd - 28th Seoul-Incheon Figure Painters Exhibit Incheon Culture and Arts Center near Arts Center St. (Incheon line). 10 am – 7 pm. Free. art.incheon.go.kr, 016-395-5873

Theater & Dance

GYEONGGI

January 16th - 17th My Dad Is Superman: Puppet Show Clown Theater presents an entertaining yet educational show that teaches kids how they can escape from dangerous situations and why they should obey their parents. Korean required. Incheon Culture and Arts Center near Arts Center St. (Incheon line). 1 and 3 pm. W20,000. art.incheon.go.kr, 032-465-3858 January 22nd - 23rd Chunhyang, True Love: Kids’ English Musical This classic Korean love story—now in English—has been performed in Singapore, in India, and at the Edinburgh Festival, and now Theater Seoul brings it to the Incheon Culture and Arts Center near Arts Center St. (Incheon line). W22,000 – W33,000. art.incheon.go.kr, 032-437-2733 January 22nd – 31st

January 30th - 31st Apple, Bump! Family Musical Yein Theater Group presents this Japanese children’s book as a musical.

A live band adds a new twist to old children’s songs with some sizzling rock beats. Incheon Culture and Arts Center near Arts Center St. (Incheon line). art.incheon.go.kr, 032-422-1543

Concerts January 8th Jin-young Park: Bad Party Singer and producer Jin-young Park (responsible for better or worse for the Wonder Girls and their songs “Nobody” and “Tell Me”) performs in this adultonly concert. KINTEX in Goyang, Daehwa St. (line 3), ex. 2. kintex.com, 031-322-2121 January 9th Aramnuri New Year’s Concert Soprano Yeong-ok Shin joins the Korean Symphony Orchestra for a dazzling selection of opera arias and other songs. Aram Nuri Arts Center in Goyang. Jeongbalsan St. (line 3, ex. 3).

7 pm. W40,000 – W90,000. artgy.or.kr, 1577-7766 January 9th - 10th Hello, Mozart! Concert Oulim Nuri Arts Center in Goyang.

Wondang St. (line 3, ex. 4). 11 am, 2 pm, 4 pm. W25,000. artgy.or.kr, 1588-3828 January 10th – February 28th Chicago: The Musical Set against the background of the gangsters and jazz riffs of 1920s Chicago, this tale of greed, betrayal, and murder is based on actual reports of murder trials. Seongnam Arts Center near exit 1 of Imae St. on the Bundang line. Tue, Thu, Fri 8 pm, Wed 3 & 8 pm, Sat 3 & 7:30 pm, Sun 3 pm. Closed Mon. W40,000 – W110,000. snart.or.kr, 031-783-8000 January 12th Goyang City Choir New Year’s Concert The Gyeonggi Philharmonic Orchestra joins the Goyang Choir for a rousing program of Western and Korean classics. Aram Nuri Arts Center in Goyang. Jeongbalsan St. (line 3, ex. 3).

8 pm. W10,000 – W30,000. artgy.or.kr, 031-967-9156

Contact: The Musical You can question whether it’s really a musical, since no one sings, but you can’t question the excellence of Susan Stroman and John Weidman’s four Tony award-winning piece of theater. There’s a lot of dancing but not very much speaking, so you won’t need Korean to enjoy the three acts of people trying to connect with each other. Aram Nuri Arts Center in Goyang. Jeongbalsan St. (line 3, ex. 3). Weekdays 8 pm, Sat 3 & 7 pm, Sun 2 & 6 pm. W30,000 – W90,000. artgy.or.kr, 1577-7766 January 27th - 28th Condors’ Dance Comedy This 11 member all-male Japanese dance team has redefined contemporary dance. Zany sketches and skits, hilarious video clips, and best of all outstanding dance skills have made the Condors a world-wide comedy sensation. Gyeonggi Arts Center in Suwon. 7:30 pm. W10,000 – W30,000. ggac.or.kr, 1544-2344

60 | 10 Magazine January 2010

January 15th New Year’s Concert in Incheon “Roman Carnival” by Berlioz, “Habanera” from Carmen by Bizet, and other pieces. Incheon Culture and Arts Center near Arts Center St. (Incheon line). 7 pm. W5,000. art.incheon.go.kr, 032-420-0731 January 17th Sejong Soloists New Year’s Concert A perfect line-up of string pieces from the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries

by Maurer, Mendelssohn, and David Diamond. Seongnam Arts Center near exit 1 of Imae St. on the Bundang line. 5 pm. W10,000. snart.or.kr, 031-783-8000 Vienna Boys Choir: New Year’s Hope Concert Boys will be boys, except when they’re clad in sailor outfits and classically trained. See also page 64. All the way from Vienna to the Seongnam Arts Center near exit 1 of Imae St. on the Bundang line. 5 pm. W20,000 – W40,000. snart.or.kr, 031-783-8000

Family & Community Ongoing 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 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

Education & Conferences Through January 10th Christmas Photo Contest It’s may be too late to get any gifts from Santa, but the Gyeonggi Arts Center in Suwon has still got some good stuff waiting for you. Submit a creative picture of the Christmas tree and lights at the plaza outside the center and enter the drawing for a netbook, dolls, MP3 players, digital cameras. Winners will be announced and notified in mid-January. Gyeonggi Arts Center in Suwon. ggac.or.kr, 031230-3440 Through January 24th Fan Yang’s Bubble Fantasy Canadian bubble legend (if there is such a thing) Fan Yang has performed on Oprah and Letterman and set numerous records. At the show at KINTEX in Goyang, watch for the hand laser, rainbow table, and mega bubble, among other tricks. Daehwa St. (line 3), ex. 2. 1 pm, 3 pm, 5 pm. Closed Mon. Lord of the bubbles Fan Yang costs W45,000 but his partner Denny can be seen for W25,000. bubblefantasy.co.kr, 031-810-8114

Sports & Fitness Korean Basketball League (KBL)

January 5th Anyang KT&G Kites vs Wonju Dongbu Promy Anyang Gymnasium at 7 pm January 7th Anyang KT&G Kites vs Daegu Orions Anyang Gymnasium at 7 pm January 9th Incheon ET Land Elephants vs Seoul Samsung Thunders Incheon Samsan Gymnasium at 3 pm Anyang KT&G Kites vs Busan KT Sonicboom Anyang Gymnasium at 5 pm January 14th Anyang KT&G Kites vs Incheon ET Land Elephants Anyang Gymnasium at 7 pm

January 16th Incheon ET Land Elephants vs Ulsan Mobis Phoebus Incheon Samsan Gymnasium at 3 pm January 19th Incheon ET Land Elephants vs Changwon LG Sakers Incheon Samsan Gymnasium at 7 pm January 21st Incheon ET Land Elephants vs SK Knights Incheon Samsan Gymnasium at 7 pm January 23rd Anyang KT&G Kites vs Jeonju KCC Egis Anyang Gymnasium at 5 pm January 26th Anyang KT&G Kites vs Seoul Samsung Thunders Anyang Gymnasium at 5 pm Incheon ET Land Elephants vs Daegu Orions Incheon Samsan Gymnasium at 7 pm January 28th Anyang KT&G Kites vs Ulsan Mobis Phoebus Anyang Gymnasium at 7 pm

gyeongGI province Transportation

International Taxi (English speaking) 1644-2255 Jumbo Taxi Service (more expensive) 02-8882000 Radio

US Armed Forces Network Dongducheon AM 1197/FM 88.3 Pyongtaek AM 1440/FM 88.3 Songtan AM 1359/FM 88.5 Uijeongbu AM 1161/FM 88.5 Bars/Lounges/Pubs

Frog and Toad One of Ilsan’s better known expat hangouts, Frog and Toad provides upstairs patio seating ideal for people-watching 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 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 KoreanEnglish speaking staff makes patrons feel at home. 7 pm – 4 am. 0102327-8882

CHUNGCHEONG CALENDAR EDITOR’S PICK Ongoing Art

“Fragile” Contemporary Art Exhibit

Art Ongoing

is South Korea’s first original musical.

It tells the tragic story of Empress Myeongsang, who was assassinated by the Japanese. Daejeon Culture and Arts Center. Korean only. Sat 4 & 8 pm, Sun 2 & 6 pm. 150 min. W40,000 – W120,000. djac.or.kr, 042-610-2222

Concerts January 9th Professor Concert 2 Daejeon Culture and Arts Center.

7 pm. djac.or.kr, 042-610-2222

Non-Painting: Ung-no Lee Exhibit To mark the 20th year since groundbreaking Korean artist Ung-no Lee passed away, the museum erected in his honor presents 35 tapestries and collages created from the 60s through the 80s. Ungnolee Museum in Daejeon.

10 am – 6 pm. Till 9 pm on Fri. Closed Mon.ungnolee-museum.daejeon.kr, 042-602-3270 Through January 31st Traditional Clothing of the Joseon Dynasty Since clothing decays so rapidly, it’s very rare one can see the actual stuff worn in the past. However, at a tomb excavation in 2004, 180 items of clothing from the Joseon Dynasty were discovered intact. They are currently on display at the Daejeon Prehistoric Museum. 9 am – 6 pm. Closed Mon. museum.daejeon.go.kr, 042-826-2814

Theater & Dance January 9th -10th The Last Empress: The Musical Not to be confused with the Chinese historical novel by the same name, this

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 Gonam Shell Mound Museum Archaeologists have increased their knowledge about Neolithic and Bronze Age Koreans through “shell mounds,” or piles of discarded shellfish that often contain artifacts. The dioramas, touch screen displays, pottery and stone tools on display here give insight into the lives of ancient Koreans. Located on Anmyeon Island in Taean-gun. 9 am – 5 pm. Closed Mondays. Adults and teens W1,200, children W700. museum.taean.go.kr, 041-670-2337

January 10th Sori Park Piano Recital Daejeon Culture and Arts Center.

5 pm. W10,000. djac.or.kr, 010-4608-7812 January 12th Daejeon Philharmonic Orchestra: New Year’s Concert The program includes selections from Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty as well as pieces by Strauss, Ravel, and others.

Featuring Hye-seon Han on the cello.

Daejeon Culture and Arts Center. 7:30 pm. W10,000 – W50,000. djac.or.kr, 042-610-2266

Family & Community Ongoing Daejeon O-World Amusement Park Take the kids out for a day full of fun and adventure at Daejeon’s biggest amusement park, featuring Zoo Land, Flower Land, and Joy Land. Rides include the pirate ship and giant drop.

Special attractions include a zoo safari ride and a sledding zone. 9:30 am – 6 pm. Basic admission is W8,000 for adults, W4,000 for teens, and W3,000 for children. No English site. oworld.kr, 042-580-4820

Korea Traditional Architecture Museum Most of Korea’s beautiful structures did not survive its various wars and uprisings, but at this museum you can see what Korean traditional architecture probably looked like.

Outside, exact replicas of Paljakjeong Pavilion and other buildings are worthy of attention, as well as the miniatures and photos on display inside. Yesangun. 8 am – 5 pm. Closed Mondays.

Adults W2,000, teens W1,500, children W1,000. English site available. ktam.or.kr, 041-337-5877 Temple Stay at Musangsa Temple The one week winter programs offered at the Gyeryong Mountain International Zen Center are best suited for serious students of Buddhism. Visitors must stay for the entire week in shared rooms. January programs start 1/15 and 1/30. Space is limited and you must apply two weeks before the program begins. 042-841-6084

World Bell Collection Anyone who has been to a Buddhist temple will know that Asian bells are usually tolled by striking the side with a mallet, whereas Western bells are rung from a clapper hanging inside.

See what other bats are in the belfry with this truly international bell selection provided by collectors Jeong-hui Ha and Jae-tae Lee. Jincheon Bell Museum in Jincheon-gun. 9 am – 6 pm. Closed Mondays. Adults W1,500, students W1,000, children W500. jincheonbell.net, 043-539-3850

Dine & Drink Ongoing Wine and Ginseng Train Tour Finally, a tour that takes advantage of those long hours in the train. Enjoy wine tasting (or ginseng) along with fun games as you ride this special Saemaul train to Yeongdong-gun. Once there, activities include soaking your feet in a wine bath and playing traditional Korean instruments. Tuesdays and Saturdays in January. Wine seats are W80,000, and ginseng seats are W75,000. 50% discount for kids. Departs 8:40 am from Seoul Station and returns by 8:30 pm. winekr.co.kr, wineyoon@yahoo.co.kr, 043-744-3211

Sport & Fitness January 2nd New Year Yeongi-gun Jongdan Relay Race yeongi.go.kr, 010-8439-8966

CHUNGCHEONG PROVINCE Hotels/Accommodations Yuseong (Daejeon) 042-822-9591 Golden Wave (Taean) 041-675-2008 The Sky Blue Bird (Seosan) 011-382-1862 Onyang Hot Spring Hotel (Asan) 041-543-2141 New Korea Hotel (Asan) 041-542-8151 Cheonan Central Hotel (Cheonan) 041-564-9100

Medical Services Sun Hospital (Daejeon) 042-220-8000 Konyang International Health Care Center (Daejeon) kihcc.kyuh.co.kr, 042-600-9978

Restaurants/Supermarkets Gasan Korean (Cheonan) 041-561-9500 Spain House Spanish (Cheonan) 041-571-7474 Olive Farms Buffet (Cheongju) 043-215-3311

Live Music Venues Bars/Lounges/Pubs Barker’s Live Bar (Gyeryong) 042-841-0470 Blue Moon (Cheongwon) 043-285-0399 Rolling Stones (Cheonan) 041-562-9824

10 Magazine January 2010 | 61

CHUNGCHEONG

In the past, artists tried to capture leaders and defining historical moments on their canvas, but artists today are more likely to draw from personal experience. This artwork in this exhibit avoids spectacular, shocking topics and takes private episodes from everyday life and presents them confidentially and delicately to the viewer. Planned by the curator of the St. Etienne Museum in France and sponsored by the Daejeon Art Museum and the Accademia d’Ungheria in Rome, “Fragile” gives 50 artists from around the world the chance to share their personal story with you through these 200 pieces. Daejeon Art Museum. 10 am – 6 pm. Fridays till 9 pm. Closed Mondays. Adults W500, minors W300. dmma.metro.daejeon.kr, 042-602-3253

Kumdori Land Kids will enjoy Kumdori and the other cute little extraterrestrial characters inhabiting this theme park, though adults may be less impressed. The main attractions include roller coasters, an ice skating rink, a sledding zone, and kiddie bumper cars. An unlimited pass is W20,000 for adults, W18,000 for teens, and W15,000 for children.

Cheaper tickets available. Weekdays 10 am – 5 pm. Weekends 10 am – 7 pm. Check website (Korean only) for exact times. kumdori.co.kr, 042-862-4000

GANGWON CALENDAR Indoor/Outdoor Skating Rink in Wonju For those who live too far out to make it to the skating rink at Gwanghwamun Plaza in Seoul, the Wonju Tattoo Performance Hall is offering another route to the ice. W2,500 per hour includes equipment, or opt for a one day pass at W5,000 for adults or W4,000 for teens and children. wonju. go.kr, 033-766-3313

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 “Observatory”: Architecture Exhibit Get a nuts-and-bolts view of the life 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

GANGWON

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 History of Pottery at the Sokbong Ceramic Museum With over 1300 pieces of baked clay on display covering the United Silla,Goryeo, and Joseon Dynasties, this exhibit is your definitive source of information on the history of Korean pottery. Sokcho. 9 am – 6 pm. Adults W3,500, teens W2,000, children W1,500. For an extra fee, you can try making your own pottery, too. Closed Mondays. dogong.net, 033-638-7711 The Korean War: Voice of the Records More then 59 years have passed since the Korean War ended, but the past still speaks through the records left by those who struggled and endured.

Sokcho Museum. 9 am – 5 pm. Adults W2,000, teens W1,500, children W700. sokchomuse.go.kr, 033-639-2977

January 16th - 24th

Outside Sculpture Exhibit in Yeongweol-gun The International Museum of Contemporary Art has 60 large-scale works by artists from various countries on display in its sculpture garden. ywmuseum.com, 033-375-2752 Becoming the Moon: Bangsan White Clay This exhibit at the Bangsan Porcelain Museum features white clay vessels modeled after the moon design popular during the Joseon dynasty.

Yanggu-gun. 9 am – 5 pm. Closed Mondays. Adults W1,000, teens W700, children W500. bangsanm.or.kr, 033-480-2664 Through January 10th Yong-hwan Lee Private Exhibition A free private exhibition featuring Western-style artwork. Bona Gallery in Wonju. wonju.go.kr, 033-762-7571

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 Migratory Bird Watching in Cheolwon-gun Tour departs from Goseongjeong People’s Resort at 10 am Wed, Sat, and Sun. Adults W7,000, teens W6,000, children W5,000. Call to reserve your spot at least three days in advance. tour.cwg.go.kr, 033-450-5365

Forest Art Museum Since 1991, photographer Jong-ho Won has planted around 12,000 young saplings and created his own forest.

In the middle of the grove is his atelier and museum where you can see his photos as well as other artwork.

Hoengseong-gun. 10 am – sunset.

Closed Wednesdays. Adults W10,000, minors W7,000. jjsoup.com, 033-342-6833

62 | 10 Magazine January 2010

Nature Activities at Takjangsa Village Yank your kids away from the computer and enjoy the fun outdoor activities that await you at this rustic village in Yangyang-gun. A guide will take you fishing with rods and nets, lead you on a romp through a pine forest, or show you how to make pottery on a traditional potter’s wheel.

Price depends on size of group. takjangsa.go2vil.org, 010-4248-6746

Daegwallyeong Snow Flower Festival Like the old adage “If life gives you lemons, make lemonade,” larger cities in Gangwon Province take advantage of their heavy annual snowfall by planning snow festivals.

At Daegwallyeong (in Pyeongchanggun), festival highlights include a 3m x 5m snow castle based on Korean as well as medieval European fortresses, sledding, snowmobile riding, bobsledding, and snow sculptures. snowfestival.net, 033-336-6112 January 22nd - 31st Taebaek Mountain Snow Festival This snow show features a parade, ice sculpture exhibit, huge snowmen, and an ice slide. Events held at the Taebaek Mountain Provincial Park. festival.taebaek.go.kr, 033-550-2081 Through January 31st

Pyeongchang Trout Festival In addition to the ice fishing and trout tasting you might expect to find here, there are also snow and ice game zones where you can hop on a snowmobile and sled or join in a game of ice soccer. Jinbu. Weekdays 8 am – 7 pm, weekends 7 am – 7 pm. festival700.or.kr, 033-336-4000

Education Ongoing Chuncheon Animation Museum Who didn’t love watching cartoons as a kid? Relive your childhood at the Animation Museum in Chuncheon with fun exhibits, giant figures of cartoon characters, and the “Animateque,” a small theater dedicated to cartoons.

Admission to the Stop Motion Center is included in your ticket. 10 am – 6 pm. Adults W4,000, minors W3,000. animationmuseum.com, 033-245-6444

Marisorigol Musical Instrument Museum Featuring 100 musical instruments from various countries on display and traditional Korean performances held on a regular basis, Marisorigol offers guests a great chance to learn more about the history of music. Hongcheon-gun. great.go.kr, 033-430-2016

Dine & Drink 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 Chuncheon Makguksu Museum Though Chuncheon is mostly famous for its dalk galbi (stir-fried chicken), another older dish with roots that go deep in the region’s history is makguksu, buckwheat noodles prepared in a chilled broth. Learn more about the dish and try it for yourself here. 9 am – 6 pm.

Adults W1,000, teens W700, children W500. makguksumuseum.com, 033-250-4134

Sports & Fitness January 17th Daegwallyeong International Bare Body Marathon This “bare-a-thon” seems best suited for cold-blooded masochistic exhibitionists.

It’s not the full monty, though: men wear shorts and women don shorts and a t-shirt. Choose from 5k and 10k, leaving from Daegwallyeong Doam Middle School in Pyeongchang-gun at 10:30 am. W25,000 for 5k, W30,000 for 10k. run1080.com, 042-638-1087 January 31st Taebaek Mountain Snowflower Climbing Contest Teams of four compete in the Danggol Course and Yuilsa Course at the Taebaek Mountain National Park.

Also see the Taebaek Mountain Snow Festival, held around the same time.

9 am - 3 pm. 011-360-8979 Korean Basketball League (KBL)

All games held at Wonju Chiak Gymnasium January 2nd Wonju Dongbu Promy vs Seoul SK Knights at 3 pm January 7th Wonju Dongbu Promy vs Seoul Samsung Thunders at 7 pm January 17th Wonju Dongbu Promy vs Ulsan Mobis Phoebus at 5 pm January 24th Wonju Dongbu Promy vs Seoul Samsung Thunders at 3 pm January 28th Wonju Dongbu Promy vs Incheon ETLand Elephants at 7 pm

KOREAN DESTINATIONS

The Hwacheon Ice Fishing Festival January 9th– 31st (화천 산천어 축제)

ust a few kilometers south of the snow-covered DMZ is the little town of Hwacheon. This year, the town is all lit up with over 16,000 fish-shaped lanterns. The warm lights beckon visitors to Hwacheon's magical winter wonderland, more commonly known as the Hwacheon Ice Fishing Festival.

Preparations for the festival have been in full swing for months. Professional ice carvers have been flown in from China, and local grandparents have been making fish lanterns all year long. There are so many fish lanterns, in fact, that Hwacheon will be registering their event in hopes of setting a new Guinness World Record.

Since it was founded in 2003, the Hwacheon Ice Fishing Festival has attracted over six million visitors (families and fishers alike) who have travelled from all over Asia to try their hand at catching the native freshwater trout known as Sancheoneo. But trying your hand at fishing here might be more “hands on” than you expect.

One of the most popular activities at the festival involves wading into an ice-cold tank and trying to catch Sancheoneo with your bare hands.

For a more traditional fishing experience, stay bundled up on the ice, huddle over a hole, and wait for the bait to work its magic—which shouldn't take long, as the river is constantly being stocked with fish. Once you snag a Sancheoneo, you can cook it at one of the many complimentary BBQ grills set up along the river bank or take it to a sashimi centre and try eating it raw. If you don't want to catch fish but still want to eat some, ask for the restaurant named Mulbit Nuri (물빛누리), which specializes in serving up Sancheono in all its culinary forms.

The best part about this festival is that it makes you feel like a kid again. If fishing isn’t your thing, there are over 40 other fun activities to participate in, including ice soccer, sledding, ice skating, snow tubing, four wheeling, snow mobiling and even ice bumper cars.

For those hesitant to join in the more rambunctious activities, there are plenty of sights to enjoy at a leisurely pace. You can stroll through exhibitions of beautiful ice sculptures crafted by artists invited from the Chinese city of Harbin, renowned for its exquisite ice and snow sculpture, watch a sled design contest, pose with a Korean celebrity, and watch various winter mascots dance to Korean pop tunes. One of the strangest sights at last year’s festival was the rickshaw-pulling robotic teddy bears, definitely something hard to see anywhere else.

At night, the lanterns shine and the snow sculptures are illuminated with multi-colored lights. Take a romantic walk along the river and warm up with a cup of hot chocolate (or steaming fish broth—whichever you find first).

Budget-conscious travelers will be relieved to learn that all this festival fun can be had for a nominal price. There is a small charge for fishing, but most other activities are free of charge. Any money you do spend Hwacheon (renting a sled, for example) will Seoul be partially or fully reimbursed to you in "Hwacheon dollars" after returning the rental equipment.

This festival currency can be used anywhere in Hwacheon, not just on the festival grounds. This ingenious system encourages you to help support the local economy.

GANGWON

J

Words and shots by Frances Darwin

Getting there To get to Hwacheon (화천), you must first take a bus to Chuncheon (춘천, the capital city of Gangwon Province) and transfer to the Hwacheon bus. If you are going on a weekend, be warned that the buses to Hwacheon fill up fast, but luckily they run every 20 minutes. The last bus to Hwacheon leaves at 9:20 pm. Upon arrival, just follow the crowds and fish lanterns to Busan the festival site.

10 Magazine January 2010 | 63 Jeju Island

GYEONGSANG CALENDAR EDITOR’S PICK Through March 7th Art

Architectural Ceramics: Now and New

Art Ongoing Shivering: Perceiving Space All of a Sudden This exhibit displays the installations, drawings, and art objects 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 January 10th

Realism Explained through Contemporary Art The 74 pieces on display cover social realism, hyper-realism, ironic realism, and other movements of the past three decades. Gyeongnam Art Museum in Changwon. 10 am – 6 pm. Closed Monday. Adults W1,000, teens W700, children W500. gam.go.kr, 055-211-0333

Theater & Dance Ongoing Jump The comic martial arts performance has enjoyed consistent popularity for a decade now. Lotte Art Hall. Tue - Fri 8 pm, Sat & Holidays 5 pm & 8 pm, Sun 6 pm. W40,000 – W50,000. hijump.co.kr, 051-744-4885

GYEONGSANG

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.” Artists, interior designers, and museum curators collaborate to challenge the way we conceive of constructing buildings and the materials that we deem appropriate to use. Of particular interest is the display of hybrid works of art that use mass-produced materials in surprising ways. Clayarch Gimhae Museum in Gimhae, just west of Busan. 10 am – 6 pm. Adults W2,000, students W1,000, children W500. clayarch.org January 19th Concert

Vienna Boys’ Choir New Year’s Concert

Yeong-suk Park: “Cry Crack Crazy” Photography Exhibit Park reflects on the female body and experience through her photography in order to restore harmony between the sexes. Goeun Museum of Photography. 10 am – 7 pm. Closed Mon. Decent English site. goeunmuseum.org, 051-746-0055 Through January 17th

64 | 10 Magazine January 2010

January 18th – 22nd

Jae-hun Jeong: “White Out” Exhibit Referring to the loss of vision that mountain climbers experience in heavy snow fall, “White Out” attempts to communicate fear and uncertainty about the future. Bongsan Cultural Center. Open 24 hours a day. Free. bongsanart.org, 053-661-3081 Through February 15th Ok-jin Shin Donation Art Exhibit Ok-jin Shin has donated 321 works of art to the Busan Museum of Art over the past 10 years. This exhibit honors her generosity by putting 24 of those pieces on display. Featuring engravings

by Renoir and U-hwan Lee. 10 am – 6 pm. Adults W700, students W300. art.busan.go.kr, 051-740-4241

There are hundreds of children’s choirs in the world, but there is only one Vienna Boys’ Choir, the oldest and grandest of them all. The first boys donned their choir robes back in 1498 at the order of a Hapsburg Emperor, but the group has lived on long after the empire fell.

Today, there are 100 choristers divided into five touring groups that present their adorable sailor outfits and beautiful voices at more than 300 stages worldwide.

Don’t miss them at the Busan Cultural Center. 7:30 pm.

W30,000 – W70,000. bsculture.busan.kr, 051-607-6058

January 8th – 9th Dibo’s Green Present: The Musical Designed for kids, this musical is an adaptation of the “Dibo the Gift Dinosaur” cartoon about the big dinosaur (perhaps related to Barney) who unzips his belly and pulls out a present for his friends. Daegu Citizen Center. 11 am, 2 pm, 4:30 pm.

W20,000. dgcitizencenter.or.kr, 1644-0515

Chang-yeol Kim Exhibit The 60 paintings and installations span the entirety of Kim’s career as an artist from his first work to still unpublished pieces. Busan Museum of Art. 10 am – 6 pm. Adults W700, students W300. art.busan.go.kr, 051-740-4241 Through February 21st

Korean Dance: Promenade Performance The Busan City Dance Troupe performs at the Busan Cultural Center. bsculture.busan.kr, 051-607-3100 January 31st Living Away from Home: Musical Theater Performed by members of the Ulsan Theater Society, this piece of musical theater is based on the songs and life story of Ulsan popular singer Go Boksu. Korean. Ulsan Culture Art Center.

7 – 8:30 pm. W10,000. ucac.or.kr, 052-266-7081

Concerts January 8th Daegu Philharmonic Orchestra New Year’s Concert Pieces by Chabrier, Sarasate, Tchaikovsky, and Strauss. Daegu Culture and Arts Center. 7:30 pm. artcenter.daegu.go.kr, 053-606-6313

January 15th Brass Band Kingston Rudieska in Concert Blending the sound of ska with Korean passion. Busan Cultural Center. 8 pm.

W30,000. bsculture.busan.kr, 051-607-6058

Busan Philharmonic Orchestra New Year’s Concert The program features Tchaikovsky’s Polonaise from Eugene Onegin, Mozart’s 2nd Flute Concerto in D Major, and other pieces. Busan Cultural Center. 7:30 pm. W5,000 – W10,000. bsculture.busan.kr, 051-607-3111

January 16th Yun-mi Jo Piano Recital Suseong Artpia in Daegu. 7:30 pm.

Free. ssartpia.or.kr, 010-4174-2187

January 20th Busan New Year’s Vocal Music Festival Hear the Sol Opera Group at the Busan Cultural Center. 7 pm. bsculture.busan.kr, 051-120

January 29th Jae-min Gong’s Gayageum Story Jae-min Gong sings pieces from five major pansori (Korean narrative songs) as she provides her own accompaniment on the gayageum.

Busan Cultural Center. 7 pm. bsculture.busan.kr, 070-7717-3715 January 30th Ulsan Academy Flute Performance Performed by the Ulsan Academy Flute Orchestra, the program contains what can only be called an interesting selection, including the themes to Titanic and Pirates of the Caribbean.

Just imagine Jack Sparrow with a flute to his lips. Ulsan Culture Art Center.

7:30 – 9:30 pm. Free. ucac.or.kr, 052-260-7268 Saturday Stage: Busan Philharmonic Orchestra

January 21st MBC Thursday Concert “Thunder and Lightning” by Strauss, “Sabre Dance” by Khachaturian, and The Barber of Seville by Rossini.

Busan Cultural Center. 7:30 pm. bsculture.busan.kr, 051-120 January 26th Seon-hye Song Violin Recital Beethoven’s 5th Sonata and pieces by Wieniewski, Bach, and Saint-Saëns.

Ulsan Culture Art Center. 8 – 9 pm.

Free. ucac.or.kr, 051-258-0302 Ulsan Far East Broadcasting Co. Children’s Choir Featuring the cantata “Silly Billy” and the original musical Sarah’s Christmas.

Ulsan Culture Art Center. 7:30 – 9 pm.

W5,000. ucac.or.kr, 052-256-2000.

January 27th Gyeonggi Province Folk Songs: “Delightful Korean Music” Old ballads from Gyeonggi Province live again on stage at the Ulsan Culture Art Center. 7:30 – 9:30 pm. Free. ucac.or.kr, 02-839-4196 January 28th Busan Gugak String Ensemble in Concert Busan Cultural Center. 7:30 pm. bsculture.busan.kr, 051-607-3100

downtown Daegu burgers & sandwiches tex-mex & greek western breakfast

Busan Cultural Center. 4 pm. Free. bsculture.busan.kr, 051-607-6056 Unicef Fundraising Concert Busan Cultural Center. 5 pm. bsculture.busan.kr, 051-501-0087

beer & cocktails wine & martinis

Family & Community Through January 3rd Busan Christmas Tree Festival The biggest concerts have already come and gone with the Christmas trees, but you can still enjoy a few remaining days of street performances lasting each day from 6 pm – 9 pm at Gwangbok-dong Outdoor Stage.

Korean website. btcf.kr, 016-557-7135 Gosin University Christmas Tree Festival Performances each evening from 6 – 11 pm. Yeongdo Campus of Gosin University in Busan. festival.kosin.ac.kr, 051-990-2177

w w w.theholygrillkorea.com Tel. 053-423-4048

Your ad here!

Get results with 10 Magazine. marketing@10magazine.asia 10 Magazine January 2010 | 65

GYEONGSANG

January 19th Prime Philharmonic Orchestra New Year’s Concert Dvorak’s Cello Concerto in B Minor, Haydn’s Trumpet Concerto in Eb Major, and Bizet’s Carmen Suite.

Busan Citizen’s Hall. 7:30 pm. citizenhall.busan.kr, 051-630-5200

I Musici Chamber Orchestra New Year’s Concert The Italian chamber orchestra plays at the Busan Cultural Center. 7:30 – 9:30 pm. W30,000 – W50,000. bsculture.busan.kr, 051-607-6057

GYEONGSANG CALENDAR Foodie Finds

January 22nd – 24th Busan Wedding Exposition Daegu and Busan both claim to have the biggest wedding expo. If you’re really that interested in multi-layer cakes and lacey dresses, you can judge for yourself. BEXCO (Busan Exposition and Convention Center). Fri 12 – 8 pm, Sat & Sun 10 am – 8 pm.

No English site. 051-862-8810 idreamkorea.co.kr/wedding

Education & Conferences January 5th – 14th Historical Adventure Play: The Museum Is Alive This fun, educational play follows young explorers as they search for treasure in an ancient Goguryeo tomb. Your kids will learn something about Korea without even realizing it.

Gimcheon Culture and Art Center. 11 am, 2 pm, 4 pm. 1 hr. 5 yrs and up.

W10,000. gcart.go.kr, 054-420-7823

Dine & Drink

GYEONGSANG

Brother’s Bar and Grill Brother’s Bar and Grill, one of Busan’s newest Western restaurants, is getting attention from the foreign crowd with a W12,000 all-you-can-eat Mexican buffet (including a frozen margarita) every Thursday night. Located a block up from Haeundae Beach, Brother’s features a simple dining room with a flat screen TV, dart board and an impressive menu of generous plates at low prices. A cheesy plate of lasagna chock full of meat and a heaping side of vegetables and buttery garlic bread is priced at W13,000. Pizzas start at W9,000, and a basic burger is W10,000. Owner Gus Swanda is also proud of his milkshakes (W5,000) churned from homemade ice cream. To find Brother’s Bar and Grill tell a taxi driver “Mipo gee chah geel” (미포기찻길) and look for the big sign on your left about a block before you hit the beach. Search for the Facebook group or call 051-721-5589 Words by Maribeth Conway, shots by Gus Swanda

January 9th – 10th Sancheong-gun Dried Persimmon Festival If you’ve never sunk your teeth into the sweet, syrupy goodness of a dried persimmon, you should add Sancheong-gun to your schedule.

See just how good the fruit are at free persimmon tastings and them buy them for unheard of prices at the Deoksan Persimmon Auction Hall. Plus, lots of other local products are available, including green tea, herbs, apples, strawberries, and honey. tour.sancheong.ne.kr, 055-970-8331

Sports & Fitness Walks, Runs and Marathons

Daegu Geumho River Marathon I 5k, 10k, half, 30k and full at the Daegu Dongchon Resort parking lot, to begin at 9 am. W10,000 for all courses. Sign up by January 7th.

2011.mapho.co.kr, 053-252-1472 January 16th Daegu Geumho River Marathon II 5k, 10k, half, 30k and full at the Daegu Dongchon Resort parking lot, to begin at 9 am. W10,000 for all courses. Sign up by January 14th.

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

Through February 15th Earth Exploration Team Challenge and Magic Bubble Show The activities at this event don’t seem to have anything to do with each other, but I’m pretty sure your kids won’t notice (or care). First, there’s a video of 500 Korean celebrities discussing the time they spent in 200 different countries and the customs and people there. Second, a magic bubble show. Third, an exciting jungle zone where you can see reptiles and other animals. Fourth, a game zone

66 | 10 Magazine January 2010

with a moonwalk. BEXCO (Busan Exposition and Convention Center).

10 am – 6 pm. Adults W11,000, children W13,000. bexco.co.kr, 051-740-8331 January 15th – 17th Daegu Wedding Exposition Whether it’s you or your kid who’s planning on tying the knot in the upcoming months, this expo gives you the info and contacts you’ll need. EXCO (Daegu Exhibition and Convention Center). 11 am – 8 pm. W3,000. wedexpo.co.kr, 053-601-5499

January 1st Busan KT Sonicboom vs Ulsan Mobis Phoebus Busan Sajik Gymnasium at 7 pm January 2nd Changwon LG Sakers vs Jeonju KCC Egis Changwon Gymnasium at 3 pm Daegu Orions vs Incheon ET Land Elephants Daegu Orions Gymnasium at 5 pm

January 3rd Ulsan Mobis Phoebus vs Seoul Samsung Thunders Ulsan Dongchun Gymnasium at 3 pm January 5th Ulsan Mobis Phoebus vs Incheon ET Land Elephants Ulsan Dongchun Gymnasium at 7 pm January 6th Busan KT Sonicboom vs Jeonju KCC Egis Busan Sajik Gymnasium at 7 pm January 8th Ulsan Mobis Phoebus vs Changwon LG Sakers Ulsan Dongchun Gymnasium at 7 pm January 9th Daegu Orions vs Wonju Dongbu Promy Daegu Orions Gymnasium at 3 pm January 10th Changwon LG Sakers vs Daegu Orions Changwon Gymnasium at 5 pm January 12th Changwon LG Sakers vs Anyang KT&G Kites Changwon Gymnasium at 7 pm Busan KT Sonicboom vs Wonju Dongbu Promy Busan Sajik Gymnasium at 7 pm January 13th Ulsan Mobis Phoebus vs Daegu Orions Ulsan Dongchun Gymnasium at 7 pm January 14th Changwon LG Sakers vs Busan KT Sonicboom Changwon Gymnasium at 7 pm January 17th Daegu Orions vs Seoul Samsung Thunders Daegu Orions Gymnasium at 3 pm January 20th Busan KT Sonicboom vs Anyang KT&G Kites Busan Sajik Gymnasium at 7 pm Daegu Orions vs Wonju Dongbu Promy Daegu Orions Gymnasium at 7 pm January 22nd Changwon LG Sakers vs Wonju Dongbu Promy Changwon Gymnasium at 7 pm January 23rd Busan KT Sonicboom vs Incheon ET Land Elephants Busan Sajik Gymnasium at 3 pm January 24th Daegu Orions vs Busan KT Sonicboom Daegu Orions Gymnasium at 3 pm Ulsan Mobis Phoebus vs Changwon LG Sakers Ulsan Dongchun Gymnasium at 5 pm

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

GYEONGSANG DIRECTORY

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

Hotels/Accommodations 4 – 5 Star Hotels Busan

Hami Mami’s American Serving one of Daegu’s best brunches along with classic American sandwiches. 50m from the US base. 8 am – 10 pm. 053-475-5242 Holy Grill American Owned and operated

by Canadians, the Grill provides expats with homemade gourmet burgers, mouthwatering sandwiches, Tex-Mex and Greek in a chilled-out environment that feels more like a lounge than a burger joint. See ad page 65. 053-423-4048 Leo Chow Mexican A neat little bistro serving a decent selection of burritos and tacos. 053-255-7111 Maya Indian Located across from Gyeongbuk University’s North Gate, Maya offers a mouth watering selection of set menus and individual dishes.

053-214-1916

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

TBS eFM Busan FM 90.5 American Forces Network Jinhae AM 1512 / FM 88.5 Daegu AM 1080 / FM 88.5 Pohang AM 1512 Waegwan AM 1080 / FM 88.5

Restaurants Busan Ganga Indian Opposite Haeundae Beach lies the Busan branch of this luxurious Indian chain restaurant. ganga.co.kr, 051-740-6670 Kebabistan Russian Located directly out from Busan station is this Uzbek restaurant serving a well priced selection of halal dishes including kebabs, soups and stews. 051-581-4050 Sunset Lounge American “Drinks, Western Food and Fun” is their tagline, and they deliver right next to Haeundae beach. 051-742-2959 Gumi Waegook Cook American Gumi’s original foreign owned and operated restaurant, serving up great steaks, hamburgers, seafood, pastas, and German cuisine. See ad this page. waegookcook.com Daegu Berkeley Italian Warm décor and lighting, well prepared and affordable Italian cooking. Located on Hof Street.

053-421-8577 Café Francesco Italian Italian cooking, sandwiches and good coffee. Located just off Rodeo Street. 053-252-9625 Dijon French An up-market establishment serving both French and Mediterranean cuisine. 053-422-2426

Siji Taco Mexican Good selection of spicy tacos with a variety of fillings at competitive prices 053-791-5050

Bars/Lounges/Pubs Busan Aligote A great selection of wines, fantastic platters of cheese and grilled vegetables, and excellent service and decor. 10 min from Haeundae. 6 pm – 3 am. aligote-busan.com, 051-731-3322

GYEONGSANG

Radio Stations

Samarkland Russian 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

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

011-1757-6349 Sosa Bar A cozy and pure latin bar, located very close to Pusan National University. 051-513-0070 Rock ‘n’ Roll House Western-style bar with darts and pool and a great view of Haeundae beach. 051-742-5553

Clubs Daegu Club That Located on the rodeo just down from the Samdok fire station.

010-6587-4147 Old Skool A hip hop bar that is a favorite among the expat community on the weekend, whether it’s for dancing, socializing or drinking.

Busan Maktum (Busan) A modern venue for club dancing, events, launching shows, sports parties. 9 pm – 6 am. maktum.co.kr, 051-742-0770 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

10 Magazine January 2010 | 67

JEOLLA CALENDAR EDITOR’S PICK January 16th - 17th Theater & Dance

Strange Soup: Science Fiction Show

January 14th Yun-beom Cho’s Power Classic with Quartet X Held at Sori Arts Center in Jeonju at 7:30 pm. sori21.co.kr, 010-3709-3117 January 29th I Musici Stringed Chamber Orchestra in Korea This famous Italian stringed chamber comes to Sori Arts Center in Jeonju. sori21.co.kr, 063-270-8000 January 30th Keulla Mu Philharmonic Orchestra New Year’s Concert Sori Arts Center in Jeonju. 7:30 pm. sori21.co.kr, 063-283-2511

Family & Community

January 10th Jeonju KCC Egis vs Ulsan Mobis Phoebus at 3 pm January 16th Jeonju KCC Egis vs Changwon LG Sakers at 5 pm January 19th Jeonju KCC Egis vs SK Knights at 7 pm January 27th Jeonju KCC Egis vs Busan KT Sonicboom 7 pm

JEOLLA PROVINCE Foreigner Assistance

Art director Roger Rynd’s all-English children’s science fiction show has been running for 10 weeks in Seoul, and now you have a chance to see it in Jeolla. Saturday the 16th at 1 pm and Sunday the 17th at 1 and 4 pm at Sori Arts Center in Jeonju. W30,000. sori21.co.kr, 02-5600-999

Art Through January 10th Mind Topology in Korea Painting, video and photography from nine different local artists. Gwangju Museum of Art. 9 am – 6 pm. Adults W500, teens W300, children W200. artmuse.gwangju.go.kr, 062-222-3574

JEOLLA

Through January 18th Byeoksan Traditional Woodworking Association Exhibition Approximately 80 woodwork creations will be on display. Mokpo Culture and Arts Center. mokpo.go.kr, 062-272-2171

Through February 7th Strange Tiger Exhibit Western paintings, Asian paintings, sculpture and crafts from 46 different local artists. Jeonbuk Province Art Museum in Wanjun-gun. jbartmuse.go.kr, 063-280-4343

Through January 31st Stream Exhibition of Namdo Art 29 works of art from 29 different artists give you the opportunity to discover the art of Namdo. Gwangju Museum of Art. 9 am – 6 pm. Adults W500, teens W300, children W200. artmuse.gwangju.go.kr, 062-222-3574 100 Year Anniversary of Korean Comic Book Exhibition 18 canvases, over 100 pages of comic strips and a video help you get insight into Korea’s comic books. Gwangju Museum of Art. 9 am – 6 pm. Adults W500, teens W300, children W200. artmuse.gwangju.go.kr, 062-222-3574

68 | 10 Magazine January 2010

Education & Conferences Through January 31st

Geumnanro Bungwan Pop Unfolding An exhibition from five different artists of over 40 works. Gwangju Museum of Art. 9 am – 6 pm. Adults W500, teens W300, children W200. artmuse. gwangju.go.kr, 062-222-3574 Stream Exhibition of Gwangju Contemporary Art A terrific look at contemporary Asian art with 21 different local Gwangju artists participating. Cheonnam National University in Gwangju. 062-530-3584

Concerts January 7th and 21st Jeonju Symphony Orchestra’s New Year Concert Held at Sori Arts Center in Jeonju at 7:30 pm. W5,000 - W10,000. sori21.co.kr, 063-281-2748

Gwangju International Center gwangjuic.or.kr, 062-226-1050

Hotels/Accommodations Gwangju Youth Hostel

062-943-4378

Museums Mokpo Natural Museum museum.mokpo.go.kr, 061-294-3655 Mokpo Ceramic Livingware Museum doja.mokpo.go.kr, 061-270-8480 Jeonju Traditional Alcohol Museum urisul.net, 063-287-6305 Jeonju Oriental Medicine Cultural Center hanbangcenter.com, 063-232-2500 Jeonju Traditional Cultural Center jt.or.kr, 063-280-7045

Through February 21st Mona Lisa’s Mustache Over fifty works on display from nine different artists, including sculpture, paintings, graphic and video art. Closed Mondays. Sangrok Gallery at the Gwangju Museum of Art. 9 am – 6 pm. Adults W500, teens W300, children W200. artmuse.gwangju.go.kr, 062-369-3515

Through January 24th Drawn by Jeoson: Gyeomjae Jeongsun Exhibition Lovely nature paintings in the traditional Korean style. Jeonju National Museum. jeonju.museum.go.kr, 063-223-5651 Through January 27th Ink Marks, Empty Mind: Chinese Calligraphy Exhibition Forty-three works of Chinese character calligraphy will be on display. Mokpo Culture and Art Center. art.mokpo.go.kr, 062-272-2171

Through 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

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

Restaurants/Supermarkets Our Mysterious Bodies: Exhibit It’s said that from dust we came and to dust we shall return, but sometimes you end up in a museum instead. At the Sori Cultural Arts Center, you can gawk at seventeen specimens of the human body as well as various internal organs.

Not models, folks, they’re the real thing, preserved through the process of plastination. Jeonju. 10 am – 6 pm.

Closed Mon. Adults W10,000, children W8,000. sori21.co.kr, 063-270-8000

Sport & Fitness Walks, Runs And Marathons

January 24th Jeongnamjin Jangheung Marathon 5k, 10k, half and full departing at 10 am from Jangheung Cheonbyeon Sports Park. Sign up deadline is January 10th.

W15,000 for 5k, W30,000 for 10k, half and full. jeongnamjin.marathonlife.net, 061-864-1188 Korean Basketball League (KBL)

All games held at Jeonju Gymnagium January 3rd Jeonju KCC Egis vs Anyang KT&G Kites at 5 pm

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

Theater & Dance

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 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 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. “Ujang,” traditional rain gear made of straw and grass, may look unusual, but it got the job done. Other odd items include oldfashioned 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

Medical Services Dr. Chung’s Pediatric Clinic 064-748-1546 chung56@pednet.co.kr

January 9th - 10th Snow White and the Seven Dwarves: Family Musical The musical is in Korean, but everyone already knows what happens to the jealous queen, adorable dwarves, and beautiful princess. Jeju Culture and Art Center. 11 am, 2 pm, 4 pm.

W20,000 – W25,000. Buy in advance for W5,000 off. jejuculture.or.kr, 010-8300-2410

Halla Arboretum Green thumbs and nature lovers will enjoy this collection of plants native to Jeju Island, featuring 500 tree species and 600 flower species. In January, experts recommend you keep an eye out for the narcissus, coral ardisia, and Japanese camellia. Jeju City. 4 am - 11 pm. Free. sumokwon.jeju.go.kr, 064-710-7575

Education

Seogwipo Astronomy Culture Center Jeju’s first observatory and astronomy museum gives you the chance to learn a little more about the universe.

Along with exhibits related to astronomy and outer space, take a look through the telescope at the sun and celestial objects in the night sky.

Tamna University in Seogwipo. 2 – 10 pm. Closed Mondays. No English site available. Adults W2,000, teens and children W1,000. astronomy.seogwipo.go.kr, 064-739-9701

Family & Community Ongoing Jeju Traditional Five Day Market Opening on the 2nd and 7th of every month, this market located on the outskirts of Jeju City has just about

Pyeonhan Dental Clinic e-pretty.co.kr, 064-758-2800

Radio Arirang Radio Jeju City Seoguipo City

FM 88.7 FM 88.1

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

January 26th Jeju Children’s Orchestra in Concert Pieces by Paul Hindemith, Liszt, and Tchaikovsky. Jeju Culture and Art Center. 7:30 pm. Adults W5,000, students W3,000. jejuculture.or.kr, 064-721-2588 January 29th Dongbaekdongmun Choir in Concert Jeju Culture and Art Center. Free. jejuculture.or.kr, 010-5699-5949

Hanna Women’s Clinic hannaobgy.com, 064-711-7717

Restaurants

Concerts

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

Alice in Wonderland Haunted House Join Alice at the bottom of the rabbit hole as you try to escape from this maze of mirrors and the monsters lurking inside. Kids will have a blast finding their way out of the haunted house. Older visitors will also enjoy trying out the hang gliding course only 400 meters away. Seogwipo.

064-794-4700

Travel

Through January 31st 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

Religious Services Jeju Anglican/Episcopal Church Sinjeju, Sundays at 11 am, 010-2500-6780

Through January 10th

Mythology of Nature: Jeju’s Natural Legacy Exhibit Korean artists from Jeju as well as the mainland present diverse views of famous Jeju landmarks such as Mt. Halla and Seongsan Ilchulbung Peak.

Jeju Contemporary Art Museum.

9 am – 6 pm. Adults W1,000, students W500. jejumuseum.go.kr, 064-710-7801

JEJU ISLAND

Ongoing Jeju Air Winter Special The three available travel packages are worth looking at if only for the entertaining names. “Aircar” gets you airfare and one day’s use of a rental car for W78,000 each. “Airtel” includes airfare and one night at a hotel for W89,000 each. And (wait for it) “aircartel” bags you all three for W108,000 each. Prices depend on departure day and hotel. They even throw in two free tickets to the Waterworld sauna and jjimjilbang (deluxe bathhouse). jejuair.net, 1599-1500

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

Bars/Lounges/Pubs La Vie No one’s quite sure whether it’s the company, the conversation, or arguably the best burger in Jeju that makes this such a popular watering hole for local expats. 064-700-1138 Modern Time With locations at Grand Hotel Sageori and City Hall, this microbrewery provides beer lovers with some of the best homemade ales in Korea.

064-748-4180

Subscribe to 10!

It’ll be the best W29,000 you spend this year. subscribe@10magazine.asia 10 Magazine January 2010 | 69

JEJU ISLAND

Through January 4th Cheol-jin Park: “The Beautiful Scenery of Jeju” Exhibit Jeju Culture and Art Center. jejuculture.or.kr, 011-691-5847

anything you could ever want to buy, and the crowds of customers and backed up traffic go to show it. One of the best buys here is the traditional brown “gal” clothing, once worn by the working class of Jeju Island. jejulife.net, 02-1330

LOCATIONS WITH 10 The following airlines carry 10 Magazine in their lounges. (Incheon Int’l, Kimpo Int’l).

The following fine hotels provide 10 Magazine in every guest room.

PA L A C E SEOUL

PA L A C E SEOUL

The following fine hotels offer 10 Magazine in their lounges and upon request.

The following establishments offer 10 Magazine to customers.

The following establishments have store copies of 10 Magazine available for viewing.

LOCATIONS WITH 10

On Sale at (구입처): Kyobo Bookstore (전국 교보문고), www.kyobobook.co.kr Subscriptions (정기구독 문의): subscribe@10magazine.asia, 02-3447-1611

Your Vote Counts with The Reader’s 10

Think you know the best Korea has to offer? Let us know each month with The Reader’s 10.

This month’s question:

Who is your favorite DJ in Korea?

To vote, visit 10magazine.asia and click on the link on the right side of the page.

70 | 10 Magazine January 2010

NETWORKING CALENDAR 2009 january

9

T

sat

th

2S2 Expat Community Meetup

This newly-formed society offers you a fresh way to expand your network. On the second Saturday of each month at 2 pm (hence 2S2), expats around Korea choose a place to meet and make connections with like-minded people. Search Facebook for 2S2 Community or visit 2s2community.blogspot.com

Tuesday, January 12th AWC Coffee Morning Got some questions about life in Korea that you’ve never had the chance to ask? Mingle with friends at this informal coffee gathering and ask Diane Hong, Korean language instructor and cultural trainer, everything you’ve been dying to know. 9:30 – 11:30 am.

Non-members, W15,000. awcseoul.org, awc.coffees@gmail.com

Tuesday, January 12th The Melting Pot Creative Workshop If you need some more art in your life, you may be interested in this chance for creative Seoulites to gather and discuss performance projects of all kinds. Whether its puppetry or poetry, multimedia or musical theater, find like-minded souls and get involved. Roofers in Itaewon. Call Simon Magnus at 010-8672-1166

Thursday, January 14th Go Skiing with SIWA at Bear’s Town

Thursday, January 14th SIWA Newcomers’ Meeting Learn more about SIWA and life in this sometimes fascinating, sometimes frustrating city. Seoul Club. 10 am. W8,000. seoulclub.org, siwapage.com

Friday, January 15th Guided Tour of the National Museum of Korea David Mason, long-term resident of Korea and author of several books on the subject, guides this SIWA-sponsored tour of the National Museum of Korea and its excellent collection of East Asian art and artifacts. The tour continues the following Friday. Ichon St. (line 4, ex. 2). 9:30 am – 1 pm. W20,000 for non-members (not inclusive of museum fees). siwapage.com

Monday, January 18th AWC Book Club Members meet for a couple hours of socializing and discussion of the month’s book. January’s selection is Olive Kitteridge

by Elizabeth Strout, winner of the 2009 Pulitzer Prize. La Bocca in Itaewon at 1:30 pm. awcseoul.org, gwoman@mail.com

Tuesday, January 19th ANZA January Global Café Catch up with old friends and meet new ones as you kick off the new year with coffee and some tasty pastries.

Grand Hyatt Hotel. 10 am. anzakorea.com

Wednesday, January 27th SIWA Mingle Night Dinner at Zen Hideaway Come out of your winter hibernation and get back into the social groove with this fun mingle night at the fusion restaurant Zen Hideaway (zenhideaway.com), located in Apgujeong. 7:30 pm. siwapage.com

Thursday, January 28th SIWA Tour to Antique Furniture Museum Tour If you like antiques, you’ll love the 1500 elegant pieces of furniture on display at the main building and ten Korean houses included in the tour. Museum located in Songbuk-dong.

10 – 11:30 am. W25,000 for non-members. siwapage.com

Saturday, January 30th AWC Skating Event Join the ladies of the American Women’s Club for an afternoon of skating at the Banyan Tree Club and Spa, located at Namsan. awcseoul.org

Saturday, January 30th “Féerie a Venise”: AFC Charity Gala French speakers may want to consider attending this charity gala organized by L’association des Francophones en Corée. All proceeds go to support the Korea Childhood Leukemia Foundation. Fantastic prizes include tickets to Paris and a Bali vacation.

Grand Hyatt Seoul. 8 pm. W200,000. afc-online.org, s.auxenfans@yahoo.fr

Wednesday, January 20th SIWA Coffee Morning Along with a classic cup of joe and familiar faces, sign up for classes and groups that interest you from options including art, cooking, and Korean language. Grand Ambassador Hotel. W17,000 for nonmembers. 9:30 – 11:30 am. siwapage.com

2S2 – 2nd Saturday at 2 PM AFC – Association des Francophones en Corée AWC – American Women’s Club SIWA – Seoul International Women’s Association

10 Magazine January 2010 | 71

NETWORKING CALENDAR

Hit the slopes in the morning and grab lunch on the way home. Leave 7:30 am from Freedom Center parking lot. W25,000 for bus fare. siwapage.com

Sponsored by Allied Pickfords

Social Liberal, Fiscal Moron Words by Adam Boothe, Artwork by Hyeon-seong Ryu

D

uring my first tour in Korea, I could be summed up like this: a social liberal and fiscal bonehead. In bars and clubs I made it rain like a Florida summer. I also spoiled myself – if it was hot outside, I took a taxi. If it was between the hours of 4 to 7, I took a taxi. If I could not see the subway station from where I was standing, I took a taxi. I went out as much as I could. If I wanted it, I bought it.

I was single-handedly doing my part to boost the South Korean economy (that is, if the economy is fueled by cocktails and convenience store food sales).

The craziest part about all this was that I was actually saving money. Life was good, but I got into bad habits and became delusional, believing I was a baller. This was back in early 2006 when the exchange rate was not cringe-inducing and all of us expats walked around with permanent grins. The economic boom allowed me to be a functional ballaholic.

In my former American life, I was a high school teacher in a poor, rural area. I was living paycheck to paycheck often choosing between dinner and gas. Well, I might be exaggerating a little bit, but let's just say that I never bought the fancy lunch meat and was often seen envying my neighbors with their name brand soda. Coming to Seoul was like winning the lottery.

Take a twenty-something kid from a poor background, drop him in one of the biggest cities in the world, take away major bills (rent, car, insurance), fill his pockets with monopoly money and what do you expect? Of course I went crazy. Money didn't seem real to me. I was spending like Monty Brewster on day 29.

But things were different when I came back one year ago.

This wasn't an idyllic Bob Ross painting full of bushes and rustic cabins just because. The wells were running dry because the exchange rate was so skewed that I took a 30% pay cut in the first few weeks back. Thank you, Global Economy. That means that I could not return to my former spending habits. Something had to give.

Shuffling around Seoul and feeling sorry for myself, I did what should only be done in times of utmost desperation -- I turned to math. I thought about my budget in terms of a fifth grade word problem. "You have W200,000 in your pocket at 8 pm, but only have W100,000 at 5 am. Using the given exchange rate, how many dollars did you spend? The answer was oddly comforting - right around $80. Less than a hundred bucks, I told myself. That's not bad for a night out.

Finally I saw the light. The poor exchange rate is a reason to spend, not a reason to save. I think "This would be so much more expensive in America" every time I buy something (except deodorant and cheese, strangely enough). And that is where my thinking stops. Anything more logical would be depressing.

As long as you never leave Korea, never purchase items from overseas, never invest money overseas, or never plan to pay/ accrue any debt in another country, your won is as good as it has ever been. Your money may not be worth much elsewhere, but it is doing just fine here. Saving does not make sense, so live a little. Push away any feelings of financial anxiety and go ahead and allow yourself to supersize that next meal.

Our New Year’s resolution?

Delivering Korea’s best to your doorstep every month!

Make the most of 2010.

Subscribe today for up to 30% off the cover price!

W29,000 for a year • W15,000 for 6 months subscribe@10magazine.asia 72 | 10 Magazine January 2010

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

Join us for Live Jazz Performances Tuesday — Saturday starting at 7:30 and Sunday at 1 o’clock.

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