Groove December 2015

A Light Christmas Affair for those seeking Seoul celebrations

KOREA • Issue 110 / December 2015

wishes you a Merry Christmas

Shimmy

ON DOWN TO SHINDIG!

Christmas Traditions: The Seoul Selection

EDITORIAL

November 2015

hristmas is coming and what better way to celebrate than right here in South Korea? Noel is not traditionally an Asian holiday but Koreans do recognize ‘Christmas Day’ as a national holiday although their approach to Santa, gifts and stocking fillers may be a little different to western customs. However, Korea is a fast-learning nation and as this month’s issue shows, there’s plenty of Christmas events around the country to keep you festive this winter season.

Hallie Bradley shares her ideas of how we can celebrate On The First Day Of Christmas and beyond with a guide suited to any level of Christmas mania. Whether you are looking for a few sparkly

lights, a traditional show or bargains from the Christmas market, find your festive fun here. For a luxury experience, the five-star hotels around Seoul are opening their doors and getting back to festive traditions with a choice of traditional Christmas dinner, a Christmas Eve party or winter cocktails. CanCham also have details on their own Christmas party and AK Salling opens her own studio kitchen to share secrets from a Danish-style celebration.

Rob Shelley offers his craft beer round up and Jordan Redmond visits Plant for their healthier options this month.

If looking to go abroad, Tom Godfrey offers his insights on the good and the bad in Taiwanese markets while Gil Coombe

keeps it Chritmassy with a choice of slopes to start off the skiing season. If wanting to stay close but looking for a change of scenery, then Jeju is a welcome weekend away that won’t break the bank.

As the sports season closes for the year, local clubs give us their roundup of 2015, Johan Stofberg looks at his first year as a triathlete and Luke Butcher gives us the lowdown on the Korean Baseball Season. Beginning to miss domestic soccer? The guys from 48 Shades of Football give their unique take on the K-league season with part one of a stonking two-part series that can’t be missed.

So whatever your plans are for the festive season, have yourself a Merry Christmas from all the Groove Korea Team.

C N O VT EH R O E

December 2015

Christmas is coming and for all you seasonal party goers, this month we offer a fantastic guide to some of the festive events happening around the country. One festive celebration is the Garden Of Morning Calm which boasts over 5,000 plants, gardens and scenic walkways which are magically lit up with over six million LED lights.

Cover Photo by Land of The Morning Calm

Pandora's Box -November 2015 Andrew Faulk should have been added as a photographer for the ‘Opening Pandora’s Box’ article Alma and Mi Casa -November 2015 Alberto Pretel of Alma is not and has not in the past served as a proprietor at Mi Casa.

Mi Casa is owned by Tina Wendel.

NOVEMBER 2015

What's in this issue KOREA

Vol. 110 December 2015

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34

EDITORIAL

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Seoul’s original vintage music dance party

KEY PEOPLE Meet Groove’s editorial team and a few of our talented contributors

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WHAT'S ON Festivals, concerts, happy hours, networking and events for every day of the month

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THE NEWS Former President Kim Youngsam dies.

Actors turn backs on Daejong Film Awards

INSIGHT 18

TO HOUSING AGAIN How Do Communities and Developers Steer Redevelopment?

A SPACE FOR DANISH HYGGE AK Salling serves up the best Scandinavia has to offer at the Mad Og Hygge Danish cooking studio

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A FOREIGNER’S FIGHT FOR THE RIGHT TO VOTE IN KOREA The battle for voting rights for foreigners

COMMUNITY 22

ON THE FIRST DAY OF CHRISTMAS… Whether a Christmas dinner, party or weekend break away, Seoul's finest hotels have just the ticket

www.groovekorea.com December 2015

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SEEKING SOME WINTER SOLACE… Whether a Christmas dinner, party or weekend break away, Seoul's finest hotels have just the ticket

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DAEJEON CARES. DO YOU? Become a volunteer at the Daejeon International Volunteer Experience and lend a helping hand this winter

THE BANYAN TREE CLUB & SPA SEOUL A tranquil and secluded weekend away awaits at the foot of Mount Namsam.

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HAVE YOURSELF A MERRY CANCHAM CHRISTMAS CanCham prepare for their annual Christmas party - and you're invited

ENTERTAINMENT 32

SHIMMY ON DOWN TO SEOUL SHINDIG With New Year just around the corner, it's time to experience the perfect Shindig

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THE BAND WITH BLUES IN ITS HEART Korean Blues with the boys from Shenanigans

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BRINGING HOME CLOSER TO YOU tbs eFM reaches its 7th year of 24-hour English radio

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K-FILM: THREE BY…ADVENTURE End the year with a sense of adventure, K-Film style with a look at The Himalayas, The Joseon Magician and The Tiger

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K-FILM: THREE BY…BIFF Simon McEnteggart shares his best picks from this year's 20th Busan International Film Festival p.31

Traditional Canadian Christmas celebration

What's in this issue KOREA

Vol. 110 December 2015

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THE SKY’S THE LIMIT Groove Korea spoke to director Steven Dhoedt about his latest release 'Reach For The SKY'

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GROOVE KOREA 9TH ANNIVERSARY PARTY Rememberiing the good times at our Groove Korea 9th Anniversary Party

SPORT 46

THAT WAS THE YEAR THAT WAS How was it for you? Expatriate sports clubs look back and ahead

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READY? SET GOALS. Triathlete Johan Stofberg reports on a satisfying season

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KBO Baseball on the peninsula will look back on 2015 with mixed feelings

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THE 2015 ALTERNATIVE K-LEAGUE AWARDS It's a K-League review, Jim, but not as we know it

FOOD&DRINK 56

Strap on your skis or snowboard and enjoy the best ski resorts Korea hasto offer

SINK YOUR TEETH INTO UNLIMITED FINE TUNA IN YANGJAE Dash for this decadent tuna feast at a reasonable price

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SUPERCHARGE YOUR FOOD COURT DINING Seek a Supercharged Food Court Experience at Power Plant

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SWEETEN YOUR HOLIDAY DESSERT GAME THIS YEAR Have a sweet holiday season with dessert to stay or take away

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www.groovekorea.com December 2015

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THE OAK AND BARLEY A new Itaewon gastropub you'll actually want to haunt.

TRAVEL 64

A HOLIDAY ISLAND ANY TIME OF YEAR With its own regional specialities, Jeju is a winter getaway that won't break the bank

RESTAURANT BUZZ

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CRAFT BEER IN “COFFEE CITY” Gangneung proves itself a true hidden gem on Korea's East Coast.

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NOGGIN’ SPLIT Go bananas for this yuletide dessert in a glass

SNAKE BLOOD AND TURTLE BILE One city and two different venues: Taipei's double-edged market sword POWDER PLAY For the novice or the professional, the ski slopes are back in action around the peninsula this holiday season

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GROOVE LISTINGS

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MAPS

p.58

Power Plant at Gwanghwamun’s D-Tower offers a gourmet take on the food court

Key people

KOREA 5th floor, Shinwoo Bldg. 5-7 Yongsan 3-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, Korea.

Contact info (010) 5348-0212 / (02) 6925-5057 Advertising ads@groovekorea.com General inquiries info@groovekorea.com E D ITORIAL D IRE CTOR

naheen MADARBAKUS naheen@groovekorea.com E D ITORIAL

Emma Kalka

Jordan Redmond A bornand-bred South Carolinian, Jordan has a deep appreciation for all things porcine and fierce opinions about mustard-based BBQ sauce.

Other perennial palate-based pursuits include all things Mexican and Japanese as well as the perfect preparation of various types of caffeinated beverages. Get in touch on Instagram @dwaegukin

Emma decided to be a music journalist at 15, and finally got her big break six years ago in Seoul. While she has focused on Korean hiphop the past two years and runs the hip-hop blog Discovering Korean Underground, she’s a fan of all live music, especially a good blues band.

Lauren Mays

Lauren Mays has lived in Daejeon for three years and is currently living in Singapore. She enjoys experimenting with Korean fusion and recreating recipes of foods she eats on her blog www.friedgreenkimchi.com while traveling. When away from the kitchen, she also loves spending too much time watching cute videos of animals on the internet.

COMMUNITY INSIGHT FOOD & DRINK ENTERTAINMENT TRAVEL SPORTS

naheen MADARBAKUS naheen@groovekorea.com anita MCKAY anita@groovekorea.com charlotte HAMMOND food@groovekorea.com naheen MADARBAKUS naheen@groovekorea.com naheen MADARBAKUS naheen@groovekorea.com liam RING liam@groovekorea.com COP Y E D ITORS

gil coombe, celeste maturen WRITE RS & CONTRIBUTORS

Sabrina Hill, Thorne Laudy, Steven Price, Natalie Hallemans, Patrice Reidy, Jessica Bremer, Luc Tremblay, Mark Kelly, Paul Carver, Luke Butcher, Johan Stofberg, Darren Bean, Yuna Lee, Jason Newland, Jordan Redmond, Robert Kienzle,Joe McPherson,Rob Shelley, Hannah Green, Mike Hanrahan, Bobby Kim, Yoo Jin Oh, Hallie Bradley,Lauren Mays, A K Salling, Naomi Blenkinsop, Emma Kalka, Simon McEnteggart, Steve Smith,Thomas Godfrey, CanCham, Maggie Leung, David Wellbaum, Peter Kim, Rianza Stofberg, Seo Ungjin, Korea Triathlon Federation, Body & Seoul, Seoul Survivors, Seoul Gaels, Deportivo Seoul, Adam Kohlhaas, Ellwyn Kaufmann, Daejeon Cares ,Judy Seo, Ariyana S, Andrea Cox, Lisa B. Vang, BIFF, HanCinema, Reach For The SKY, Chester Lee, Chris Tzitsis, Shenanigans, Robert Michael Evans, Universal Ballet, Jason T Chun, Herb Island Lighting Festival, The Garden Of the Morning Calm Lighting Festival, Yongpyong Resort, Conrad Seoul, InterContinental Seoul COEX, Grand Hyatt Seoul, The Ritz-Carlton, Seoul Illustrators Rachel McDonald ART & D E SIG N

ART DIRECTOR luke LELONKIEVITZ Luke@groovekorea.com CFO MARKE TING & AD MINISTRATION MARKETING DIRECTOR steve seung-jin LEE ACCOUNTING peter CHONG yi-seul OH WE B & MOBILE

Robert 'Bob' Kienzle

10 www.groovekorea.com December 2015

Tom Godfrey

Tom Godfrey is a writer and photographer from small town Massachusetts. He has been living in Korea for nearly 5 years. He enjoys riding his bicycle, learning to cook Korean food, and traveling around the country. He stays motivated to travel by maintaining a blog of travel photography at tomgodfreyphotos.tumblr.com.

Robert “Bob” Kienzle has lived in Seoul since 2006 working for public schools, universities, and businesses as a teacher and consultant. Bob was a 2014 and 2015 Toastmasters International semi-finalist in the World Championship of Public Speaking and is also a co-founder of PUSH: People Unite Against Street Harassment in the Haebangchon area. When not dining and drinking at restaurants, he enjoys motorcycling, camping, snowboarding, organizing social events, and traveling to new continents.

HIMES DESIGN www.himesdesign.com FINCH PROFESSTIONAL SERVICES www.finchproservices.com P UBLISHE R

sean CHOI sean@groovekorea.com

To contribute to Groove Korea, email submissions@groovekorea.com or the appropriate editor.

To have Groove Korea delivered to your home or business, email subscribe@groovekorea.com.

To contribute to groovekorea, promote an event or share your opinions, please email naheen@groovekorea.com or the appropriate editor.

The articles are the sole property of GROOVE MEDIA CO. Ltd. No reproduction is permitted without the express written consent of GROOVE MEDIA CO. Ltd. The opinions expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of the publisher.

©

All rights reserved Groove Korea Magazine 2015

What's on

MON

TUE

THU

WED

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DECEMBER CALENDAR

tbs eFM 7th anniversary concert ‘SEVEN COLORS OF GUGAK’ @ Nat ional Gugak Center / Seochodong Seoul / 7:30pm / Free concert (please use its image in the folder)

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New York harlem Singers Goody Bye 2015 @ Seoul Arts Center

Lang Lang Piano Recital @ Seoul Arts Center

15 Kazumi Tateishi Trio

Light s Garden @ Morning calm, Gapyeong

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Sicario, § In t he Hear t of t he Sea

4

SUN 6

Steve Barakatt in Korea @ Sejong Art Center

NE-YO live @ Jamsil Stadium / 8pm

5

11

Opera La Traviata @ Seoul Arts Center Dec 9-12

live in Korea @ Sejong Art Center / 8pm

SAT

FRI

10

9

Bosung Green Tea field Lights Festival @ Busung / Dec 11- Jan 24 T he Little Singers of Paris (Les Petits Chanteurs a La Croix de Bois) Christmas concert @ Seoul Arts Center

T he Nutcracker performed by Korean National Ballet @ Seoul Arts Center / Dec. 18-27

Star Wars: T he Force Awakens

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17 24

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T he Las t Witch Hunter

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New Year’s sunrise festivals

PyeongChang Trout Fes t ival / Dec 18 - Jan 31 Ronn Branton Group 15th Jazz Christmas @ Sejong Art Center / 5pm

Sunrise Fes t ivals @ Youngduk, Jungdongjin, Homigot, Dangjin Waemok 1

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BUSAN sunrise fes t ival

YOUNGDUK sunrise fes t ival

JUNGDONGJIN sunrise fes t ival

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HOMIGOT sunrise fes t ival, Pohang

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DANGJIN WAEMOK-maeul sunrise fes t ival

NATI ONAL NE WS

All stories are culled with consent from Korea JoongAng Daily’s website and edited by Groove Korea for length and clarity.

The opinions expressed here do not necessarily represent those of Groove Korea. — Ed.

In association with

This is the place where you can experience Korean culture and get information about travelling in Seoul.

December 2015 / www.koreajoongangdaily.com

ACTORS TURN BACKS

ON DAEJONG FILM AWARDS

WEEKEND DIY

K-FOOD COOKING

K-POP DANCE CLASS

HAECHI HALL EVENT

HANBOK (Korean Traditional Costume)

KOREAN PAINTING CLASS

EMAIL seoulcenter3789@gmail.com

EXIT

5

Euljiro 1-ga Station

WEBSITE www.seoulculturalcenter.com (English support) FACEBOOK www.facebook.com/Seoulcenter3789

Myeong-dong Tourist Information Center

10 min. walk

OPENING HOURS 10:30am - 7:30pm open everyday except New Year’s Day & Chuseok

Myeong-dong Theater

TEL 02.3789.7961 ADDRESS 5th FL, M-Plaza, 27 Myeong-dong 8-gil, Junggu, Seoul 5 min. walk

“The power of the award comes from the reDaejong Film Awards, the with is a “no show, no award” policy, which longest-running and once the was first announced by the organizing com- cipients and the spectators, not the awarder,” film critic Jung Ji-wook told the Korea Joonmost prestigious film event in mittee at a press conference on Nov. 14.

They said anyone who doesn’t show up at gAng Daily. “This is the result of them exKorea, lost luster in a big way ploiting their authority.” when none of the candidates in the best ac- the ceremony will not be given an award.

“The ‘no show, no award’ policy is a big “Having other individuals receive awards on tor and actress categories showed up at the 52nd edition of the awards held November 20 their behalf at a nationally televised ceremo- mistake,” he continued. “With the Academy ny is highly undesirable,” Cho Geun-woo, di- Awards, people are honored just to be nomievening.

Nine of the best actor and actress nominees rector of the event, said. He added that if the nated. Eliminating the nominee just because and two winners in the most popular actor nominees choose not to participate, they will they cannot participate is a sheer misuse of power. They are just making fool of thembe denied awards as well. category boycotted the ceremony.

The policy was reportedly withdrawn after selves.”

Hwang Jung-min of “Ode to My Father,” “The Daejong Film Awards have to start Son Hyun-joo of “Chronicles of Evil,” Yoo protests, but no official statement announced anew with completely new members,” Jung Ah-in of “Veteran” and “The Throne” and Ha a withdrawal.

Additionally, an online voting system for the said. “The management is too rotten; there is Jung-woo of “Assassination” said in advance that they wouldn’t participate. They were all most popular actor award, in which fans are no possible way to correct it. It has to start four of the nominees for the best actor award. required to pay to participate, came under fire. afresh.”

Friction between actors and the committee “It costs hundreds of millions of won to hold Kim Yun-jin of “Ode to My Father,” Jun Ji-hyun of “Assassination,” Kim Hye-soo of these film awards,” director Cho told local on- about attending the ceremony was also felt “Coin Locker Girl,” Umh Jung-hwa of “Won- line media outlet TV Daily. “I don’t know who in 2011, when the name of Shim Eun-kyung, who was nominated as best actress for “Sunderful Nightmare” and Han Hyo-joo of “The this film event is for.

“This is where the actors of Korea are now, a ny,” was excluded from the final nomination Beauty Inside” did not show. They were the very underdeveloped country,” he continued. list announced on the day of the event. five nominees for best actress.

Shim, who couldn’t attend the awards cereKim Soo-hyun and Gong Hyo-jin were to “Once people become stars, their behavior mony because of a school schedule, said that receive the most popular actor and actress completely changes.”

He said actors had a duty to participate in the she feels “bitter” toward the awards manageawards, respectively, and they also boycottevent so that they can show gratitude to those ment. ed.

At the ceremony, Lee Min-ho and Lee Officially, the actors said they couldn’t who supported them.

“Actors can come to these events in the midst Yoo-young received rookie actor and actress come because of personal reasons such as awards. They attended. Baek Jong-yeol, winbusy schedules. Insiders say the collective of a filming schedule,” he said.

The fracas was hurting the awards more than ner of the rookie director award, did not. “no show” was actually a protest of the way Winners of the best actor and actress the boycotting actors, according to industry inthe awards are managed. awards weren’t announced as of press time.

One policy actors particularly disagree siders.

EXIT

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5F

5 min. walk

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EXIT

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Myeong-dong Station

NATI ONAL NE WS

In association with

FORMER PRESIDENT KIM YOUNG-SAM DIES DEMOCRACY FIGHTER’S LAST WORDS WISHED FOR ‘UNITY, RECONCILIATION’

16 www.groovekorea.com December 2015

v nation - political supporters and Sangdo-dong faction, which refers to Kim detractors alike - mourned the Young-sam loyalists and is named for the locadeath of former President Kim tion of his residence.

Young-sam, an icon of Korea’s “He was an extraordinary hero who achieved democracy movement, who passed away No- great reforms during his term that cannot be copvember 22 at age 87. ied by anyone,” the lawmaker added.

Kim died at 12:21 a.m. at Seoul National UniAlso in attendance was the opposition New versity Hospital after suffering from septicemia, Politics Alliance for Democracy Chairman Moon or severe blood infection, and acute heart fail- Jae-in, who noted the late Kim’s achievements: ure, hospital chief Oh Byung-Hee said in a press “He led the democratic movement, established a civilian government, enabled economic justice briefing.

He had been hospitalized since November 19 through the real-name financial transaction syswith a high fever. tem and started a new trend of propKim was previously hospitalized erty registration for public officials.” for 18 months from April 2013 to Kim Young-sam is often rememOctober 2014 for stroke and pneubered for stating in 1979, when he was expelled from the National Assembly monia. for his antigovernment activities unA native of Geoje Island in South Gyeongsang, Kim served as the der the Park Chung Hee regime, “You first elected civilian president of may wring a rooster’s neck, but the Korea from 1993 to 1998, following dawn still comes.” decades of military rule.

This saying has become a catchKim Young-sam, 1927 - 2015 Former leaders of the country phrase for Koreans yearning for de[Joongang Photo] and current politicians flocked mocracy, and Moon recalled the to the former president’s wake at SNU Hospital quote on his Facebook account, adding, “Let us in Jongno District, central Seoul, on Sunday, to once more mull these words.” grieve his passing and recall his legacy of helping Other figures that attended the wake included to build a more democratic nation.

Choi Hyung-woo, a former minister of home Former Prime Minister Kim Jong-pil - who was affairs considered Kim’s right-hand man, and at times a rival and at times an ally to President former National Assembly Speaker Park Hee-tae.

Kim- arrived at the wake in a wheelchair. “He The late Kim’s wife, Son Myung-soon, attended will forever be remembered in the hearts of the the wake but did not speak to reporters. She marpeople as a leader of convictions,” he said. ried Kim in 1951 when she was a Ewha Womans The two-time former prime minister was one University student. She was not by his side when of the “Three Kims” that dominated the Kore- he died because she was at their residence in an political scene in the 1980s and 1990s, along southern Seoul.

President Park Geun-hye expressed deep conwith former presidents Kim Dae-jung and Kim Young-sam. dolences for Kim’s passing though her spokesFormer President Lee Myung-bak also paid re- man because she was in Malaysia for the East spects at the wake, saying, “The last symbol of Asia Summit and Asean-related meetings. this country’s democratic movement has passed.” “The government will, in accordance with relatRuling and opposition party leaders expressed ed laws and the wishes of the bereaved family, condolences for Kim’s passing at his memorial prepare a funeral with the greatest courtesy. I exaltar. press my deep condolences to the bereaved famRuling Saenuri Party Chairman Kim Moo-sung ily members and pray for the deceased [former wept at the wake and said, “My heart aches so President Kim],” said presidential spokesman much. I am former President Kim’s political child.” Jeong Yeon-guk, quoting Park.

The Saenuri chief began his political career as Likewise, former President Chun Doo Hwan an aide to the former president and has been - whom Kim pardoned after the former dictator known as a member of the party’s so-called was sentenced to death - released a statement

about Kim’s passing. “He must be in a better place now, as a devout Christian,” he said.

Former President Roh Tae-woo, who was also pardoned by Kim in 1997, expressed his condolences from afar since he could not attend the wake due to health issues.

President Kim led the country during tumultuous times, including the 1994 nuclear crisis.

Pyongyang had threatened to withdraw from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, but the crisis was defused in 1994 after U.S. President Jimmy Carter met with North Korean leader Kim Il Sung for the first time in Pyongyang. Kim had a strong will to improve inter-Korean relations, and Carter brokered the first summit between the leaders of North and South Korea for late July 1994.

Unfortunately, Kim Il Sung died on July 8 before the scheduled talks, and the first inter-Korean leaders’ summit was not held until six years later in 2000.

Kim’s term drew to an end during the panic following the Asian Financial Crisis of 1997, which forced Korea to receive a massive bailout from the International Monetary Fund and dealt a major blow to national morale.

The government held a Cabinet meeting, presided by the Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn, about Kim’s funeral. The interior minister is in charge of organizing the funeral.

“The late Kim Young-sam dedicated his whole life to democratize and develop our country as the 14th president,” Prime Minister Hwang Kyoahn said at the meeting. “The government will do its best to commemorate him with the state funeral.”

A state funeral for Kim was held at 2 p.m. on November 24, after a five-day mourning period.

His funeral procession departed from in front of the National Assembly, and he was laid to rest at the Seoul National Cemetery in Dongjak District.

Government buildings flew the Korean flag, or Taegukgi, at half-staff during the mourning period.

Kim is survived by his wife, two sons and three daughters.

Several weeks before his death, the former president gathered his family members for dinner at a hotel in Seoul, which was in a sense a “last supper,” recalled his younger sister, Kim Hoya.

The former president, a devout Christian, sang the hymn “All the Way My Savior Leads Me” with his family.

The younger Kim said his older brother then recited to them one of his favorite passages from the Book of Isaiah: “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

Kim had been dedicated to recovering until the end, according to his children. His last wish was to be able to attend the opening of the Kim Young-sam Memorial Library in Dongjak District.

However, the opening of the library has been delayed.

Kim left a final written message, which read, “Unity and reconciliation is what we need the most.”

I N S I G H T Edited by Anita McKay (anita@groovekorea.com)

18 www.groovekorea.com December 2015

Story by: Darren Bean and Yuna Lee Illustration by: Rachel McDonald

December 2015 www.groovekorea.com 19

How Do Communities and Developers Steer Redevelopment?

Yuna Lee is an English-speaking Korean attorney practicing in Seoul who has served as an auditor of real estate development committees under the auspices of City Hall. Darren Bean is a Californialicensed attorney based in Seoul.

Edited by Anita McKay (anita@groovekorea.com)

TO HOUSING AGAIN

indexes barely increase. Renters, particularly the impoverished or elderly, are forced to relocate, resulting in a decline in Seoul’s population.

But today we only briefly touch on the economic viability of continued housing redevelopment. Rather, we focus on the law governing redevelopment. What qualifies a district for redevelopment? What are owners’ and renters’ rights and options? And how are decisions made for the district?

The curved and crowded streets of old districts are a pleasant stroll but also a safety hazard. Emergency vehicles might not be able to traverse the streets, and on some hillsides one must take

the stairs to get home. The Act on Maintenance and Improvement of Urban Districts recognizes these areas as desirable targets for redevelopment. Moreover, if there is a lack in the quality of residence (such as wiring hazards, lack of sunlight or water or hygiene issues), those areas may also be redeveloped.

In the past, landowners would gleefully refuse to maintain homes in the hopes of redevelopment. The ability to get in on the “ground floor” of rocketing housing prices gave a huge financial incentive to redevelop. But as the fear of bubble markets creeps in, this is no longer the case and communities are often dramatically split regarding redevelopment.

A johap (redevelopment committee) is formed to determine the fate of the area. More proactive johaps, actively seeking redevelopment, can petition the gu office for designation of its district as a redevelopment target. Otherwise, the johap will be formed after the gu office decides to designate the area as such. In the johap, each landowner holds one vote. If two thirds approve of the redevelopment, it proceeds.

Landowners who sell get credit of the value of their holding against a new apartment. The difference in value must still be paid by the selling landowner, but the early valuation conducted by a jeongbi (urban rearrangement specialization manager) typically appraises a lower price than the market will hold after the apartment can be resold, hence profit to the landowner. Landowners who do not want to buy in will be compensated at the appraisal value of their real holdings.

Business owners will be compensated based on the receipts they can show from tax filings. Goodwill is often minimized and is a source of discontent among business owners forced to relocate. The red flags flying in Itaewon are landowners opposed to redevelopment, many believing they will be inadequately compensated.

The designation, regardless of the johap vote, also affects renters, as renters who entered into a contract (and registered it) before the designation can expect their contract to be fulfilled.

Those who enter into (or registered) a contract after the designation may be forced out, but the johap will have some liability in terms of giving notice to the tenant and paying a resettlement allowance.

Johaps are a common source of corruption and graft as the managers have the power to choose several important partners for the development. Law firms billing hundreds of millions of won, loans worth hundreds of billions of won, and other business is decided by the managers who often illegally claim a sum for referrals in addition to their compensation as managers.

Lacking a background in real estate development, johap members are often unable to spot problematic valuations or expenditures; hence City Hall recently established an auditing program to try to ensure appropriate procedures are followed in development. Whether the ongoing bubble can continue without graft and despite shrinking demand is yet to be seen.

I N S I G H T

HOUSING TO DIRT

hile Korea’s economic development has been stunning, it’s the ongoing redevelopment that currently brings awe. It’s difficult to turn a corner without seeing a concrete skeleton or a crane: new apartment complexes and rings of twenty-storied buildings open less than a year after dirt was leveled. Investors and developers have boasted stunning profits in an ongoing bull market for real estate that has continued almost uninterrupted since the IMF crisis of the late ‘90s was resolved.

However, this impressive feat is not without its dark side — functional homes are demolished by the dozen. Despite the seeming glut in supply, housing prices, particularly in metropolitan areas, soar year after year while other consumer price

Edited by Anita McKay (anita@groovekorea.com)

20 www.groovekorea.com December 2015

The Privilege

a woman that has been in Korea for over ten years; living in just about every type of community this country has to offer; from the smallest townships to the thronged jewel in the nation's capital, Gangnam, I can say with some measure of authority, I have lived in and experienced the many facets of Korean culture. Many of us who have been in Korea for any significant amount of time share these familiar experiences, and though we may move from city to city on occasion, Busan to Bucheon, we build circles of friends, engineer lives, and at times even start families here. We pay taxes, contribute to the local economy, and over time, this bizarre, tempting country becomes our home.

To learn more about the “A Better Seoul” campaign visit their Facebook at www.facebook.com/abetterseoul. To view and sign their petition, https://goo.gl/ZtteWV

December 2015 www.groovekorea.com 21

To offer home; To offer chance, to be a part of something truly great.

Story by Sabrina Hill Photos by A Better Seoul and the National Electoral Commission

A Better Seoul This month, the “A Better Seoul”-campaign launched a change. org petition asking the National Assembly, legislators who are running for election in April, the Blue House, and the NEC to reform the POEA. The mandate of the campaign is to extend suffrage to most long-term residents residing nationwide. Specifically, we would like the Election Act (POEA) to grant the right to vote to all long-term residents that have been in Korea for three or more years on the same visa and who are over the age of 18, the right to vote in municipal elections and referenda only. This framework already exists for some F-visa holders, but we would like to extend the franchise making it more inclusive. We would like the franchise to recognize the changing demographics in cities all across the country.

Since the launch of the campaign, the biggest allies of the push to extend these precious rights have been our hosts; the Koreans themselves. The response has been largely positive and very welcoming. Korea has come so far in such a short span of time; it appears that this change is one that can be embraced by many here.

We, as foreigners, are neither a blot on the political radar nor a substantial, existential threat to Korea's earnest sovereignty. We, as a community are too large to be so easily cast aside and ignored, yet too small to be a threat to any establishment. The goal of the A Better Seoul is to create a welcoming space in local communities for prudence and judgement; an important means to further establish a meaningful connection to the place millions of long-term residents now call home.

The kind of system we are asking for isn't anything more than what has been mirrored in many other cities and countries around the world. A system that is welcoming of those who have demonstrated a willingness to be apart of their community. In the heartening words of Ashim Shanker, “The lights became stars, which became streaks in the grayspace,” the drive, a push for plurality, tolerance, and equality cannot so easily be dismissed. More voices. Better ideas. A better Korea.

Edited by Anita McKay (anita@groovekorea.com)

A FOREIGNER’S FIGHT FOR THE RIGHT TO VOTE IN KOREA

A Continuum of Consciousness In 2006, Korea became one of the first nations in Asia to endow the right to vote to non-citizens, while the restrictions were considerable, Korea sent a powerful and unambiguous message to the world that it had turned a corner and was opening itself up. No longer were married foreign nationals and foreign born ethnic Koreans seen as a second-class group. Since that amendment nearly ten years ago to the Public Official Election Act (POEA), not much has changed, all the while Korea’s dynamic has shifted considerably. Many more foreigners are now choosing to stay in Korea for extended periods, though troubled to find the requirements to qualify for the visa necessary to vote deliberately prohibitive. By all objective measures, these educated, hardworking (non-citizen) residents are committed to their work, city, and families but are electorally estranged from their communities.

Since my meeting with the Gangnam District Office, I have been in communication with a number of elected officials, including Jasmine Lee of the ruling Saenuri Party, and both the Seoul Elections Commission and the National Elections Commission concerning this issue. While politicians have been slow to respond to the now named, “A Better Seoul”-campaign, the National Elections Commission (NEC) has been very helpful and has begun the researching the process of reforming the POEA. For there to be a change to the Election Act that governs the right to vote for anyone in Korea, foreigners included, the Korean National Assembly needs to vote on any proposed changes to the POEA. The “A Better Seoul” campaign has been working with the NEC and the campaign has been lobbying politicians for these changes. For such changes to occur, we need the expertise of the NEC and the support of elected members of the National Assembly. Complicating the issue is the coming 2016 election. In April of next year, Korea will be heading to the polls to elect a new government. The campaign will work with the NEC to get the proposed bill before a legislator who will then present it to the Speaker with at least ten other signatures from current members of the assem-

bly. Once the Bill is accepted, then it can go to committee to be edited, discussed, and finally to later be voted on by the General Assembly.

In communications with the NEC; they have acknowledged and accept the desire to reform the POEA, that it is important for contributing members of the community to vote, and that they have the fundamental right to participate in the democratic process.

They also acknowledge the difficult task ahead.

By not allowing long-term residents the right to vote (in municipal elections), the whole electoral process has been stripped from being fair; the electoral process becomes ‘a candle of very little light.’

Any semblance of righteousness flickers out as millions who live in Korea are overlooked; silenced.

I N S I G H T

I N S I G H T

AN ARGUMENT FOR SUFFRAGE:

Nearly a decade has passed to the day after graduating from university, a chapter of my life so distant now it seems to be more mythos than material. Korea has, in her seductive ways inveigled me, and unquestionably to the dismay of my family back in my native Canada. I have in some small, but absolute measure, made a life here.

This past August, the city of Seoul assessed me a small remittance, a levy, one that I liken as to ‘the privilege of living in the city.’ As a matter of principle, I informed the Gangnam District Office that I won’t be paying their “air tax.” I couldn’t in good conscience invest in a community that has shown a disinterest in investing in their residents. In a meeting and many subsequent emails and phone calls, I informed them that I felt uncomfortable paying what they have so named, their “equality tax”. In no uncertain terms I told them that until they make meaningful efforts to include longterm residents, such as myself and the many reading this, into the decision process of how such money is to be spent, I won’t be paying this, or any other, property tax.

Christmas Traditional Markets: C OMMUNI TY Edited by Naheen Madarbakus-Ring (naheen@groovekorea.com)

OF CHRISTMAS… Story by Hallie Bradley Photos courtesy of Universal Ballet, Jason T Chun, Herb Island Lighting Festival, The Garden Of the Morning Calm Lighting Festival, Seongbuk Global Village Center

Christmas is coming! Hallie Bradley shares all the festive treats in store for Seoul this winter

hristmas is just around the corner and while the holidays may be celebrated a bit differently here in Korea, that doesn’t mean you have to go without the lights, the markets or even the festivities. If you want to get into the holiday spirit and you need a little help from some little twinkling lights, a Nutcracker performance or a Noel sing-a-long, here are some events to look forward to.

For Lights:

Sparkling, shining, twinkling, glimmering, shimmering, gleaming and glinting; whatever word you prefer to use, here are two places that are sure to leave you lit up with holiday spirit.

Herb Island Lighting Festival

The Garden of the Morning Calm Lighting Festival

Nestled in the mountains just an hour outside of Seoul sits the beautifully curated botanical gardens of The Garden of the Morning Calm. With more than 5,000 plants in the gardens and scenic walkways, this garden is a must see year round but

Where: Gyeonggi-do Pocheon-si Sinbuk-myeon Cheongsin-ro 947-gil 35 Admission: Adults: KRW6,000; Children: KRW4,000 When: December 4, 2015 ~ March 13, 2016 Hours: 10am ~ 10pm (Saturday hours extended to 11pm) Website: herbisland.co.kr Nearby: Sinbuk Hot Springs, Pocheon Art Valley

during the holiday season, these gardens become a magnet for anyone wishing to view the dazzling six million LED lights that are strung this way and that. From the buildings, grass, and trees the lights sparkle and shine.

Where: Gyeonggi-do Gapyeong-gun Sangmyeon Sumogwon-ro 432

Admission: Adults: KRW9,000; Students: KRW6,500; Children: KRW5,500 When: December 4, 2015 ~ March 13, 2016 Hours: 11am ~ 9pm (Saturday hours extended to 11pm) Website: morningcalm.co.kr Nearby: Mongolia Culture Town, Gapyeong Sledding Hills

Set in Ginkgo Park in Seorae Village, the French Christmas Market fills bellies with wine, cheese, smoked salmon, crepes, foie gras and other delicacies that give the holidays a very delicious French twist.

Hosted by several European embassies, this market will provide some familiarity if your family usually celebrates European style. From Czech stroganoff to Spanish empanadas and German sausages, there delicious food for all.

This market may be small, just taking over a block of space, but it makes up for it with mulled wines, performances and carols.

Where: Seocho, Seoul (Express Bus Terminal Station Line 3, Exit 5) French School vicinity When: December 12, 2015 Website: www.facebook.com/ EuropeanChristmasMarket, www.global.seoul.go.kr/seorae

Where: Seoul, Hansung University Subway Station, (Line 4, Exit 2,) Seongbukchon Fountain Square When: December 5, 2015 ~ December 6, 2015; 12pm ~ 8pm Website: www.facebook.com/ EuropeanChristmasMarket

For Performances:

Jingle bells, noels, ballets with nutcrackers and little mice are sure to brighten up the coming winter months. From sing-alongs to rehearsed concerts and plays, there are plenty of events coming up this holiday season that will make you feel like you’re back home.

White Christmas Concert This concert brings together a classical quartet to showcase some classical winter pieces including: P. I. Tchaikovsky / String Sextet in d minor, Op.70 “Souvenir de Florence”, P. I. Tchaikovsky / “Nutcracker” Suite for Two Pianos, Op.71a, as well as pieces from the movies “Cinema Paradiso “, “ Misson”, “Elvira Madigan”, “Frozen” and of course the performance wouldn’t be complete without some Christmas carols, too.

Where: Seoul Arts Center, When: December 23, 2015; 8pm, Admission: Tickets: (R) KRW20,000 / (S) KRW10,000, Running time: 120 minutes, Website: www.sac.or.kr

The Little Singers of Paris Christmas Concert

The only all boy’s a cappella choir in the world is headed to Korea once again to perform classical greats from Mozart, Handel and Schubert as well as folk songs and Christmas carols.

The performance will have you on the edge of your seat and singing along, so don’t miss it!

Where: Seoul Arts Center When: December 20, 2015; 5pm Admission: Tickets: KRW110,000 / (S) KRW88,000 / (A) KRW66,000 / (B) KRW44,000 / (C) KRW33,000 Running time: 100 minutes Website: www.sac.or.kr

Korea Christmas Fair @Kintex

As the largest Christmas related event in Korea, you can be sure to find whatever Christmas goods you’re looking for from the trees and lights to holiday stationary and more. There will be wine tasting at the Christmas Wine & Spirit booth to cookies and instructions on how to make your own. Parades set to holiday songs sure to get you singing along and Santa Claus will make an entrance, too Where: December 11 – 20, 2015 When: Kintex Hall 4&5, Goyang, Gyeonggi-do Website: www.kintex.com

Santacon

If you’re one of those people that likes to be a part of the scene then Santacon is right up your alley. Dress up in that iconic red outfit, slap on a hat and maybe a beard and join hundreds of other Santas dancing around the streets between Sinchon and Hongdae for a night of merry madness.

Where: Starting at Bottle Beer in Hongdae When: December 12, 2015; 7pm – 4.20am Website: www.facebook.com/ OrganizerSanta

Universal Ballet’s: The Nutcracker Christmas

wouldn’t be complete without a little girl and her nutcracker, along with mice and sugarplum ferries twirling the night away to Spanish, Arabian, Chinese and Russian dances The Universal Ballet Company in Korea will be sure to fill the stage with a beautiful rendition so get your tickets now!

Where: Universal Arts Center When: December 18, 2015 – December 30, 2015 Admission: From KRW10,000 to KRW100,000 (Expats and tourists can get a 20% discount) Running time: 120 minutes Website: www.uac.co.kr

December 2015 www.groovekorea.com 23

www.groovekorea.com December 2015

Pocheon Herbs Island holds a “Light & Fairy Tale” Festival each year with millions of LED lights on the buildings, hanging from the rafters and blanketing the ground. Three hundred Santas in Santa’s Village welcome visitors to really get into the Christmas spirit after walking through a 300-meter long lighted tunnel into the vicinity.

To get your Santa and light fix all in one, this is definitely the place to visit.

European Christmas Market

Edited by Naheen Madarbakus-Ring (naheen@groovekorea.com)

ON THE FIRST DAY

French Christmas Market: Marche de Noel

C OMMUNI TY

Maybe shopping, mulled wines and other wintery treats are what you need to get you into the spirit. Here are the main Christmas and holiday markets to be on the lookout for to satiate all of your decorating, dining and lighting needs.

C OMMUNI TY Edited by Naheen Madarbakus-Ring (naheen@groovekorea.com)

Story by Naheen Madarbakus-Ring / Photos by Courtesy of Ritz-Carlton, Seoul, Conrad Seoul, Grand Intercontinental Seoul COEX, Grand Hyatt Seoul

hristmas is coming and with the holiday season fast approaching, it can sometimes be a little difficult to get a taste of home when it comes to festivities. However, the Christmas spirit is alive and well in Seoul with many of the top-end hotels offering a little winter solace away from Korean festivities. Here, the Ritz-Carlton, Seoul, the Grand InterContinental Seoul COEX, Grand Hyatt Seoul and the Conrad Seoul share some of their Christmas goodies with the expat community.

Christmas Treat: Winter Cocktails Hotel: The Ritz-Carlton, Seoul Cost: SKRW 30,000 (inclusive of taxes and service charge) Website: www.ritzcarlton.com Tel: 02-3451-8277

The Ritz-Carlton, Seoul has designed three exclusive Winter Cocktails to enjoy over the festive period. Cocktail favorites Hot Toddy, Irish Coffee and Hot Buttered Rum make a welcome appearance on the menu to while away those cold winter evenings. Carefully selected spirits have been combined with the freshest of winter herbs (in the case of the Hot Toddy) to develop a warm and deep flavor in these limited edition cocktails. Each drink is also accompanied by a side serving of lemon cheesecake (to match the citrus flavors of the Hot Toddy), a macaroon (to complement the coffee aromas of the Irish Coffee) or a soft muffin (to soften the rich butter and hot milk notes from the Hot Buttered Rum). Served in the warm and comfortable surroundings of The Ritz Bar, visitors can also enjoy the ambience of a wood-burning stove while sipping away at their beverages.

Christmas Treat: The Electronic Christmas Party Hotel: Grand Intercontinental Seoul COEX When: December 24 Cost: KRW 85,000 (Ticket + World Christmas Buffet), KRW 30,000 (Ticket + 3 beverages) (10% service charge and 10% VAT inclusive) Website: Tel: 02-559-7603

beef sukiyaki will be offered along with other oriental favorites. No meal is complete without dessert and the buffet has visited every country imaginable to bring Buche de Noel, Stollen, Panettone and Mince Pies to the table. Dining room entertainment sees traditional Christmas carols and live musical performances throughout the evening to accompany the fully decorated Christmas ambience and a photo zone where the festive evening can be remembered with the Conrad Santa Bear.

The InterContinental Seoul COEX are getting into the party spirit with a Christmas Eve party on December 24. Transforming the Harmony ballroom of the InterContinental Seoul COEX for one evening only, the Electronic Christmas Party will bring some high-energy entertainment, a selection of drinks and a special Christmas buffet to the festive season. Music from top Korean DJ and hip-hop artist KINGMCK and his crew will accompany the hot buffet station which will serve up some traditional Christmas fare.

The drinks will also be flowing with a ‘food only’ or ‘drink only’ option to cater for any party need. Head to the Harmony Ballroom this Christmas Eve to get the party started in style.

December 2015 www.groovekorea.com 25

24 www.groovekorea.com December 2015

Christmas Treat: Christmas Grand Dinner Buffet Hotel: Conrad Seoul When: December 24, 25, 26, 5.30pm-10pm Cost: KRW 120,000 (adults) / KRW 60,000 (children) Website: www.conradseoul.co.kr Tel: 02-6137-7100

For the ultimate Christmas dinner experience, head to the Conrad Seoul’s Zest & Atrio restaurant this month. For three evenings only, the biggest Christmas Dinner buffet will encompass the entire 2nd floor of the hotel to offer a tasty selection of the best Western and Eastern festive cuisine.

Alongside culinary holiday favorites roast turkey, roast pork and roasted vegetables, seafood stations will also serve the finest snow crab, abalone and scallop dishes. Over in the Asian Corner, Korean dishes galbi and

The Grand Hyatt Seoul presents its room package with a festive twist.

Bringing families and loved ones together, enjoy an evening in one of the hotel’s plush rooms which boast impressive views of Namsan.

Guests will have access to the Hotel Transylvania lounge to see Hotel Transylvania 1 with the Grand Hyatt, Seoul providing popcorn, nachos and other refreshments to enjoy the movie. The Hotel Transylvania lounge is a welcome addition over the festive period to celebrate the upcoming release of Hotel Transylvania 2 on Christmas Eve. Guests staying at the hotel in December will be given additional tickets to attend the premier. For children, the zone includes a coloring corner and a photo zone while the family can enjoy a 50% discount on tickets and skate rental fees at the ice rink. In addition, the indoor swimming pool facilities and 24-hour gym are available to all and receive 10% off all restaurants and spa treatments at the hotel to fulfil any holiday break need.

Edited by Naheen Madarbakus-Ring (naheen@groovekorea.com)

Celebrate one of the many Christmas and New Year festivities on offer at Seoul’s finest hotels this holiday season

C OMMUNI TY

Seeking Some Winter Solace…

Christmas Treat: Winter Movie Fun Package Hotel: Grand Hyatt Seoul When: December 4, 2015 – January 17, 2016 (excluding December 24, 25, 30. 31) Cost: Starting at KRW 250,000 (for 2 adults and 1 child under 12 – excluding tax and service charge) Website: www.seoul.grand.hyatt.kr Tel: 02-799-8888

C OMMUNI TY Edited by Naheen Madarbakus-Ring

DAEJEON CARES..

DO YOU?

Story by Lauren Mays / Photos by Daejeon Cares, Judy Seo, Ariyana S., Andrea Cox and Lisa B. Vang.

DIVE Lends a Helping Hand to Kids in Need with children. One of the largest causes for this is a lack of social support for unwed mothers.

Many women who have children outside of marriage find themselves disowned by their families and unable to find gainful employment.

Currently the government offers little support for single parents. Without any other options, many will choose to abandon the child.

What becomes of South Korean children who are suspended from their biological parents?

Daejeon International Volunteer Experience (DIVE), formerly Daejeon Cares, is a group led

by Canadian expat Kevin Manley. The group is based out of Daejeon and consists of primarily expat volunteers along with a growing number of Korean volunteers. DIVE visits local orphan-

ages monthly to provide children with meals, games and exposure to cultures outside Korea.

In addition, there are members of the group that provide free weekly English lessons at the orphanages.

Daejeon Cares began with a volunteer visit to a local orphanage in Christmas 2012. By August 2013, the group expanded in numbers and began making monthly visits to three separate orphanages in the area: Jahyewon, Jeongrimwon and Sion Children’s homes. In 2015, Daejeon Cares partnered with Daejeon International Social Gatherings, a non-profit organization that hosts international parties and language exchanges. Under its new name, DIVE receives KRW 250,000 a month in sponsorship from

THE FUTURE: EXPANDING & CREATING AWARENESS This Christmas, DIVE will again be attending the three local orphanages with hopes to include a fourth children’s home. The group often requests the children write a wish list of three gifts from Santa. Then the group welcomes donations to help fulfil the wish lists. On Christmas morning, these children will wake to the sounds of dozens of excited volunteers bringing them gifts, a Christmas feast & Santa Claus himself.

In the future, Manley says he sees DIVE expanding their volunteer opportunities. With a new partnership with DISG, the group now has more capabilities to communicate and solidify its stance within the community. The group would also like to reach more children’s homes. There are currently 25-30 in the city, as well as working with old age homes and promoting awareness for adoption & single parenthood within the community. He hopes to see the group reach non-profit status so that they can accept larger donations. In order to do that, he says the group will need volunteers that are comfortable taking on leadership positions and heading up new initiatives.

“I don’t think that groups like Daejeon Cares (DIVE) address the real problems with orphans in Korea, but we are at least raising awareness. If more people think about these kids then maybe that will help when other people try to change laws and policies surrounding these matters,” says Manley. “As much fun as www.facebook.com it is to play with kids like my group does /groups/ daejeoncares that is only treating the symptom- not the cause. I think there should be active social www.facebook.com movements to promote adoption and single /DaejeonSocialParty.n. languagemeetup parenthood….I hope that we can be a small part in social change.”

Slope Check Website Weekday (Mon-Thur) Adults KRW 27,500 / Child KRW 16,500 Weekend (Fri-Sun) Adults KRW 40,000 / Child KRW 30,000 Banyan Tree Club & Spa Seoul,60, Jang Chungdan-Ro, Jung-Gu, Seoul 100-857 Korea www.banyantreeclub.com

Dec 4- Mar 16 The Garden of the Morning Calm Lighting Festival

11am-9pm (until 11pm on Sat), Adults KRW 9,000 / Students KRW 6,500 / Children KRW 5,500,Mongolia Culture Town, Gapyeong Sledding Hills

Dec 4 BCCK 2015 Christmas Lunch

1 1.30am KRW 135,000 (members), KRW 145,000 (nonmembers), administrator@bcck.or.kr, Four Seasons Hotel Seoul, 97 Saemunan-ro, Jongno-gu,

Dec 5-6 European Christmas Market

12pm-8pm, Free, Seongbukchon Fountain Square, Hansung University Station (Line 4, Exit 2)

Dec 5 (and every Saturday) KISS Salsa Classes

7.30pm-8.30pm (beginner),8.30pm-9.30pm (intermediate) 10,000 won non-band nights/15,000 won band nights, SAMOS, Yonsero-5-dakil 22-3, 3rd floor, Chang Cheon-dong Sodemun-gu, Seoul

Dec 7 Leather Card Case making Class 4pm-6pm KRW 5,000 Yeoksam Global Village Center 16, Yeoksam-ro 7-gil, Gangnam-Gu, Seoul, Sign up at ygvc0417@gmail.com

Dec 9 MMPK Meeting

7 pm-9.30pm KRW 10, 000 Please check the website for the location www.mmpkorea.wordpress.com"

ilded Bookmark & Gilded G Greeting Card Making Class 4pm-6pm KRW 5,000 Yeoksam Global Village Center 16, Yeoksam-ro 7-gil, Gangnam-Gu, Seoul Sign up at ygvc0417@gmail.com

Dec 10 Registration for Korean Language Program (Absolute Beginner 1),

From 9am (for various classes), Free (except textbook), Details at http://global.seoul.go.kr/itaewon, Itaewon Global Village Center, 5f Hannam Building, 737-37 Hannam-dong, YongsanGu, Seoul 140-893

December 2015 www.groovekorea.com 27

26 www.groovekorea.com December 2015

In

recent years, the international adoption of South Korean children has rapidly decreased.

According to BBC News, a total of 1,200 children were adopted from Korea in 2005. Only a tenth of that number are adopted today. This change is largely due to stricter laws intended to prevent foreign adoption & increase adoption within South Korea. However, there are social taboos that have prevented Koreans from adopting either domestically or internationally. Familial bloodlines are extremely important in Korean culture, causing many to feel that domestic adoption is a less respectable option.

Currently, orphanages in Korea are overrun

their past struggles helped him to realize the effect he and other volunteers could have in their futures.

“I didn’t have the happiest childhood myself and those things made me feel a lot of empathy for the kids. I think back to the grown-ups that gave me happiness when I was young and realized that I have the ability to maybe be a good influence in these kids’ lives, too.”

Dec 4-Feb 29 Ice Rink & Sledding

Edited by Naheen Madarbakus-Ring (naheen@groovekorea.com)

I think back to the grown-ups that gave me happiness when I was young and realized that I have the ability to maybe be a good influence in these kids’ lives, too

2.30pm / Free Yongsan Center for the Disabled 2pm-4pm Free but sign-up prior to the session http://global.seoul.go.kr/Itaewon Itaewon Global Village Center, 5f Hannam Building, 737-37 Hannam-dong, Yongsan-Gu, Seoul 140-893

C OMMUNI TY

DISG that allows the group to do even more for the orphanages. Beyond the monthly visits, DIVE has taken groups from the orphanages to Everland, and arranged bowling days and hiking trips.

It’s not all fun and games during these visits, though. Manley realizes that the group isn't solving all the problems these children currently face and the difficulties that lie ahead for them as orphans in a very conservative society. His mentality is, "We aren't doing much, but we aren't doing nothing."

Manley shared a story about one of his more memorable orphanage visits. He was teaching one of his weekly English lessons to a group of middle school students when one of the girls began to display signs of trauma. She would actively participate then get quiet suddenly and refuse to respond. The girl then gave blank stares when spoken to in English or Korean. He later learned that she had been removed from her home when it was discovered that her mother would lock her in a dark closet for hours at a time. She had learned to withdraw at times as a defence mechanism.

“Since all the kids seem so normal it becomes really easy to forget that they often have dark pasts,” he said. “I’ve been introduced to babies that were found in trash piles and kids that were beaten by parents.” For Manley, learning about

Dec 4 Volunteer Activity

C OMMUNI TY Edited by Naheen Madarbakus-Ring (naheen@groovekorea.com)

people want to stay, of course. On a monthly basis, Mad Og Hygge has baking classes for parents and children. We bake simple things that don’t take too much time and, in my kitchen, the kids are allowed to play with the food. The huge benefit for the parents is that I clean up afterwards!

The kitchen can also be booked for private events such as school classes or those who would like to rent the space for their own events.

The classes are open for anyone who wants to join and doesn’t require any cooking experience or skills. The dishes and cakes are usually not super complicated therefore suitable for those who are baking for the first time.

I usually show how to cook the dish first and then the participants make it with my help. Because my Korean language skills are limited, I speak English most of the time but most participants enjoy the class even if they don’t speak a lot of English. Participants can choose to receive the recipe in English or Korean as I have a Korean part-time assistant who translates the recipes for me. People join in the classes because they can have a different cooking experience in a relaxed atmosphere and there are a lot of things to experience here.

Cooking Classes

hygge

A SPACE FOR DANISH

In Seoul

Cozy Comfort Foods To Make For A Tasty Winter

Story by AK Salling / Photos

by Adam Kohlhaas (portrait), Ellwyn Kaufmann (food pictures)

Mad og Hygge Although my name is Anne Katrine, everyone calls me AK. I was born in Korea and grew up in Denmark but have been living in Korea since 2013 after I decided to sell my apartment and quit my stable office job in Denmark to come and explore the peninsula.

Since March this year, I have been running Mad og Hygge, a small Scandinavian cooking and baking studio in the Sinchon/Hongdae in Seoul.

The name Mad og Hygge is Danish for ‘Food and Coziness’. The cozy concept is a huge part of Danish culture and represents the social interaction that is synonymous with our food. It doesn’t really translate directly but Danes do it quite a lot. The Food – mad - is also a big part of our culture so the name of the place came quite easily to me.

After any social event in Denmark, we often

say “It has been cozy” instead of actually saying goodbye so it seemed to fit quite nicely.

Mad og Hygge was created by me to provide a space in Korea that could introduce Danish “hygge,” and its subsequent culture and foods to the local community here in Seoul. I teach those who visit the studio how to make traditional family-style dinners (just like my grandmother used to make them), and other main Danish staples and cakes which are made from natural ingredients only.

I did not initially plan to open a cooking studio and I wasn’t even looking for a space— I just found the location by coincidence.

When I saw the space (which was a candle making school before) I immediately envisioned a Scandinavian cooking studio there.

I already knew Koreans who were running cooking studios so I knew it could work. My Scandinavian cultural roots, together with a

Cooking and baking classes are small and personalized. In fact, sometimes a baking class can be run for just one person, whereas other times, the cooking classes have been absolutely packed. Since it is a small room, the shyness between all participants quickly vanishes. I especially love it when people in class click and really enjoy the cooking and socializing. There is usually a lot of laughing during classes and often people like to stay and chat after we are done. Then I know, the “hygge” has been achieved.

Participants are usually single, working Koreans or foreigners with an interest in or a connection to Scandinavia. These days a lot of young Koreans are very interested in visiting or living in Denmark so the dinners and classes are a great way for them to learn about Danish culture and their food traditions. About 50% of people coming here are Koreans and the other half are foreigners.

People who have already been to Scandinavia come because they want to learn how to make a certain type of bread or cake they have tried eating before or they come to talk about their passion for Scandinavia. Others again, might join just because they are curious to try something new.

As more and more people are single and live alone, cooking can sometimes seem like a lot of work and it can also be lonely and boring to eat alone. So once a week I host an ‘open dinner’ where everyone can join in, and help out a bit with cooking dinner before we eat together. It is a great way to meet new people and experience a typical Danish dinner. This concept is something I tried a lot in Denmark; it’s like a food club with various friends where we meet at each other’s homes, cook and eat together. It is a common thing in Denmark because we tend to visit each other at home rather than go out for dinner. Afternoon coffee, lunches and dinners can go on for hours because of the coziness that makes

The Future For me it is quite special to have a space where I can show Koreans the culture and food I grew up with, and in this way, integrate my life in Korea with my own, very different cultural upbringing and background.

Throughout December, the cooking classes will be all about Christmas as it is the biggest holiday in Denmark with a lot of food traditions. People can join a Christmas cookie class, sweets classes, traditional Christmas party food-class, Christmas dinner-classes and paper cutting days where you can cut Christmas decorations to take home as well as try a special Christmas cake and drink.

Participants don’t have to bring anything except for their own drinks – Mad og Hygge provides everything else from aprons and cooking utensils to a print-out of vthe recipes for the cooks to take home.

The 7th Yeoksam Winter’s Tale

For participation, people can register on www.madoghygge.com, Mad og Hygge Scandinavian Cooking and Baking Studio Seoul Mapo-gu, book@ madoghygge.com, Prices range from KRW 15,000 to KRW 55,000 (transfer needed before the class to confirm a space) www.madoghygge.com www.anispoon.com

December schedule:

Wednesdays: Community dinner 7pm, cook, eat and “hyg” (have a cozy time) Fridays from 12pm6pm: Christmas Room – learn how to make a Danish Christmas snack, hot drinks and enjoy the goodies while making paper Christmas decorations to take home.

Mad og Hygge provides materials and have easy stuff for children and challenging for adults!

Friday from 7.30pm: learn how to create a wide range of toppings and condiments for open faced sandwiches for a Christmas party buffet, dessert and play Christmas games Saturdays 10.30AM: Bake Christmas cookies with your child – have a great time without all the stress of preparations and cleaning up Sundays 12pm: learn how to make an authentic Christmas dinner and dessert from scratch with all our traditional side dishes, play a traditional game and experience Danish Christmas

7pm-9pm Free Yeoksam Global Village Center 16, Yeoksam-ro 7-gil, Gangnam-Gu, Seoul Sign up at ygvc0417@gmail.com

Korean Christmas Fair All Day F ree Kintex,Kintex Hall 4&5, Goyang, Gyeonggi-do, www.kintext.com

Dec 12 CanCham Christmas Dinner

6.30pm-9pm KRW 65,000- KRW130,000 www.canchamkorea.org or call 02-554-0245 for tickets.

Four Seasons Hotel Seoul, 97 Saemunan-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Korean Cooking Class: Bossam and Kimchi

10am-12pm, KRW 12,000, Itaewon Global Village Center, 5f Hannam Building, 737-37 Hannam-dong, Yongsan-Gu, Seoul 140-893

Dec 13 Stitch n Bitch Meet

2.30pm, Free, De Lambre Coffee Shop Jongno-gu Jongno 2-ga 75-8

Dec 17 Korean Cooking Class

1 0.30am-12.30am, KRW 10,000,Yeoksam Global Village Center, 16, Yeoksam-ro 7-gil, Gangnam-Gu, Seoul Sign up at ygvc0417@gmail.com

Dec 20 Intro to Brewing Makgeolli Class 1pm-4pm, KRW 45,000 (Quote the code GROOVE1220 for a KRW5,000 discount), Susubori Academy, Chungjeongno, www. facebook.com/makgeollimakers

Dec 24 Electronic Christmas Party

6.30pm-9pm, (Perfomance 8pm-12am), KRW 85,000 (Ticket + dinner), KRW 30,000 (Ticket + 3 drinks), Harmony Ballroom, InterContinental Seoul COEX,

Dec 24-26 Grand Christmas Buffet 5.30pm-10pm, KRW120,000 (adults), KRW 60,000 (children)

est & Atrio (2nd floor), Conrad Hotel, Yeouido. Call 02-6137Z 7100 or go to www.conradseoul.co.kr

Dec 27 MMPK Soju Tasting Classes

pm-4pm, KRW 45,000 (Quote the code GROOVE 1227 for a KRW5,000 discount) Venue to be confirmed. Please check website. www.mmpkorea.wordpress.com or email mmpkorea@ gmail.com

Stitch n Bitch Meet

2.30pm, Free, De Lambre Coffee Shop Jongno-gu Jongno 2-ga 75-8

December 2015 www.groovekorea.com 29

28 www.groovekorea.com December 2015

recent increase in interest for Scandinavian culture in Korea, were my inspirations for opening the studio (aside from me missing certain foods and breads, of course).

Upper Beginner 1) From 9am (for various classes), Free (except textbook), Details at http://global.seoul.go.kr/itaewon, Itaewon Global Village Center, 5f Hannam Building, 737-37 Hannam-dong, YongsanGu, Seoul 140-893

Edited by Naheen Madarbakus-Ring (naheen@groovekorea.com)

After any social event in Denmark, we often say “It has been cozy” instead of actually saying goodbye so it seemed to fit quite nicely.

C OMMUNI TY

I teach those who visit the studio how to make traditional family-style dinners (just like my grandmother used to make them)

Dec 11 Registration for Korean Language Program (Absolute Beginner 1 –

C OMMUNI TY Edited by Naheen Madarbakus-Ring (naheen@groovekorea.com)

Enjoy the To Your Winter package with inclusive entry to the ice rink and sledding slope between December 4, 2015 - February 29, 2016 (excluding December 24, 2015 - January 3, 2016).

Address: 60, JangChungdan-Ro, Jung-Gu, Seoul 100-857 Korea Cost: To Your Winter room package: (includes breakfast, admission to the ice skating rink and sledding slope, Banyan Tree tumbler) from KRW 550,000 (10% VAT not included) Ice Rink Cost: Weekday (Mon-Thur) Adults KRW 27,500, Child KRW 16,500 Weekend (Fri-Sun) Adults KRW 40,000, Child KRW 30,000 www.banyantreeclub.com clubandspa-seoul@banyantree.com Tel: 02-2250-8000 / 02-2250-8074

BANYAN TREE CLUB & SPA SEOUL Something For All Seasons Banyan Tree Club & Spa Seoul proudly lives up its billing as the world’s best urban resort. Centrally located at the foot of Mount Namsan, the hotel’s main building is perched on a hilltop to embrace the views of the neighbouring mountain and is the perfect escape from the capital.

Open since 2010, the Banyan Tree Club & Spa Seoul boasts just 16 rooms and 18 suites, a conscious decision made to offer guests complete privacy. With a maximum of four rooms located on each floor, the generous floor space of between 50 to 105 sqm holds a plush king-sized bed, a spacious bathroom and a personal in-room relaxation pool for a quiet dip or period of reflection.

Downstairs, guests can enjoy all-day cuisine at the Granum Dining Lounge which specializes in Pan-Asian a la carte dishes including a mixture of Thai, Chinese, Indonesian, Korean and Singaporean favorites. Across in the Festa Bistro & Bar, live entertainment accompanies the European menu, which offers bistro classics and several Italian pasta specials.

The hotel also has a club member scheme

which offers access to the club house facilities.

However, you don’t need to be a member to enjoy the Banyan service. The Banyan Tree Club & Spa Seoul aims to provide a personal service for each and every guest. Hotel guests are uniquely identified as club members and will receive exclusive access to all club facilities throughout their stay.

Club members enjoy amenities including an indoor and outdoor pool, fitness classes, a rooftop gym and the use of sporting facilities; the tennis court, futsal field, basketball court and golf range are enough to suit any sport or fitness fan. Members also receive exclusive access to the Club Member’s Restaurant (alongside hotel guests) to taste the best of the Korean kitchen and other international cuisine.

If wanting to experience The Banyan Tree Club & Spa as a day guest, the hotel is equipped for every season. The outdoor swimming pool – dubbed The Oasis – is available for swimming and sun-bathing, acting as an escape from the city in the summer months. With perfect views of the mountain landscape, private cabanas are also available for rental and sunbeds with a waiter service are also on hand. In the winter,

the hotel prepares an outdoor ice rink for guests, club members and the public to enjoy between December and February. Tickets include day entry to the ice rink and a trip to the hotel is also an opportunity to sample one of the restaurants, with bookings recommended in advance (extra charges apply).

For day trippers, the hotel also houses the Banyan Tree Spa. Located in the Club, services are available for hotel guests, club members and the public. The Spa has 11 spa treatment rooms for individuals and couples which boast their own bathrooms and relaxation areas to complete the treatment experience.

Additionally, the spa suites are equipped with rain mist rooms for a unique tropical rain experience. A full treatment list can be found on the hotel’s website and the staff are ready to help build the perfect spa treatment for you.

The Banyan Tree Club & Spa Seoul has the location, the privacy and the amenities.

Whether for a weekend to while the time away in your own private relaxation pool in the hotel room or to mix with friends in the winter wonderland ice rink, the Banyan Tree Club & Spa Seoul has something for all seasons.

Story by CanCham Korea Photos by CanCham Korea

illed with heartwarming sights, sounds, and smells, Christmas is a special time of year to share with friends and family. The Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Korea (CanCham Korea) promises to make this Christmas one to remember with its 2015 CanCham Christmas Dinner. Held on Saturday, December 12 at the newly opened Canadian hotel chain, Four Seasons Hotel Seoul, the annual event will bring together the Canadian community as well as anyone with a special place in their heart for Canada. CanCham’s Christmas Dinner offers family-friendly entertainment, fine dining accompanied by Canadian wine, and a chance to meet business leaders, entrepreneurs, educators, students, and other prominent members of the Canadian community.

The event hall at the Four Seasons will be decorated with dazzling Christmas lights to help immerse you in the festive mood and celebrate the Christmas spirit. We expect this to be a cozy, Christmas night of friends and family gathering around a table of fine dining accompanied by Canadian wine. Our buffet will feature a wide-assortment of holiday dishes such as roasted Turkey with stuffing, ham, and cranberry sauce to get everyone in the festive spirit. To add some delight, there will also be an amazing selection of Christmas sweets and desserts.

... the annual event will bring together the Canadian community as well as anyone with a special place in their heart for Canada After enjoying your dinner, there will be a special sand art performance that will bring back treasured memories of Christmases past.

We’re also preparing special treats and a visit from Santa for the kids, so there is something for all your family members. Before the event closes, everyone will also get a shot at winning some amazing prizes at a lucky draw. So gather your friends, family, and colleagues and attend the 2015 CanCham Christmas Dinner at the stupendous Four Seasons Hotel Seoul for a memorable start to the festive season.

More info: The CanCham Korea Christmas Dinner takes place at the Four Seasons Hotel Seoul Cost: Member KRW 110,000 Non-member KRW 130,000 Children KRW 65,000 (*No charge under 4) Date: Saturday December 12, 2015 Time: 6.30PM – 9.00PM Website: www.canchamkorea.org" www.canchamkorea.org Facebook: www.facebook.com/ cancham.korea Email: info@canchamkorea.org Tel: 02-554-0245 Address: 97 Saemunan-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul

December 2015 www.groovekorea.com 31

30 www.groovekorea.com December 2015

Get into the festive spirit with a traditional Canadian Christmas celebration

Edited by Naheen Madarbakus-Ring (naheen@groovekorea.com)

Merry CanCham Christmas

Banyan Tree Club & Spa Seoul

C OMMUNI TY

Have Yourself

Story by Naheen Madarbakus-Ring Photos by Banyan Tree Seoul

Nov 27–Dec 2 Festival FestivalSeoul ndependent Film Festival The Himalayas, The Joseon Magician, Reach For The SKY,

Dec 3 Film Sicario

Dec 4-5 Music World Hiphop Nation Fest (Eric Bellinger, The Game, etc.)

ENTERTAINMENT Edited by Naheen Madarbakus-Ring (naheen@groovekorea.com)

(Soul Dive, RHYME-A-, Born Kim, Insane Deegie, etc.) ,7pm, KRW 15,000 in advance, KRW 20,000 at the door Club In2Deep, Hongdae

Shimmy on down to Seoul Shindig Seoul’s original vintage music dance party.

Dec 6 Music Iman’s league

(Singapore Skatepunk) Whatever That Means, The Kitsches, Full Garage, 7pm, KRW 5,000, 1969, Hapjeong

Dec 9 Music Hyundai Group Superstage Hyundai Group Superstage – Ne-yo, 8pm, KRW 70,000-KRW 180,000, Jamsil Indoor Gymnasium

Dec 11-12 Music Epik High “Trio of Legends” Concert,

Story by Naomi Blenkinsop / Photos courtesy of Robert Michael Evans, Chris Tzitsis & Chester Lee

7pm & 8pm, KRW 99,000-KRW 110,000 won, Olympic Park, Olympic Hall

Dec 12 Music The Geeks, Whatever That Means, Street Guns left Korea, he took Shindig under his wing and has evolved the event into one of the most popular regular dance parties in the city. In the past two years he's collaborated with DJs, bands, photographers and performers on a number of events, all of which have seen Shindig become more and more eclectic over time.

Although the great sounds of the 50s and 60s are still very much the backbone, Shindig has evolved and now presents a much wider range of nostalgic music for its followers. On any given night, they might be playing 50s rock n roll, classic soul, 80s punk, afrobeat, guilty 90s pleasure pop. Nothing is off limits if it fits the vibe.

Shindig has been such a smash on Seoul’s music scene that the concept has branched out into other musical endeavors. They now frequently team up with local bands and artists to showcase live music and DJs. Recent bands have included Used Cassettes, Streetguns, Nice Legs, The Monotones and many more. Plus they also hosted a gig with Tokyo legends Guitar Wolf. You’ll often see

DJ’s playing all vinyl sets with 60s style gogo dancers accompanying the bands on stage, lending a more nostalgic, Shindig vibe to the night.

They’ve also recently launched a new night called Jubilee, an offshoot of Shindig!, which celebrates British music from the 60s to the 90s. Think British mod and soul classics mixed with 90s indie anthems and pop. The regular parties take place at Kyungridan’s awesome Pet Sounds Music Bar. Shindig themed parties have become a regular fixture. Throwing everything from basement TIKI parties with surf rock and Latin funk music to 90s prom theme nights where the king and queen are crowned to a background of RnB and club classics. They’ve also become very well known for their wild

Halloween nights at Club MWG in Hongdae.

Despite all the new ideas that have come about in the last few years, Shindig is careful to stay true to its roots. Very much maintaining its laid back, house party-ish atmosphere where night owls and music lovers alike can kick back and get loose.

Shindig is still one of the best places in Seoul to go and hear some awesome bands, classic tunes and rare music – so why not add it to the Christmas party list?

Don’t miss Shindig’s next Christmas party extravaganza. Shindig’s Live Christmas Special will take place on December 19 at Freebird in Hongdae. There will be live bands, DJs and go-go dancers, and it promises to be yet another night of unadulterated Shindig fun to end the year. dig

m/seoulshin more: www.facebook.co

Chris Tzitzis – christzitzis.com

Chester Lee – chesterphotography.co.kr

8.30pm, KRW 15,000 (includes screening of Korean punk rock documentary “our Nation” and “Them & Us”, Ruail Rock, Hongdae

Dec 12- Mar 20 Art Exhibition National Geographic Exhibition: WORLD OF MYSTERY 11am-7pm, RW 8,000 - KRW 13,000, 2F, Hangaram Art Museum in Seoul Arts Center

Dec 17 Film The Tiger: An Old Hunter’s Tale Dec 17 Film Our Little Sister Diary)

(AKA Umimachi

December 2015 www.groovekorea.com 33

etting itself apart from Seoul’s predominantly K-pop, top 40s music scene, Shindig offers a more eclectic house party vibe in which to kick back and enjoy some great tunes. Whether you want to take a walk down memory lane - musically that is - or tear up the dancefloor, Shindig parties deliver a killer dose of nostalgia, good times and late night adventure.

Originally founded back in 2011, the dance event was a chance to fill a gaping hole in Seoul’s music scene; back then virtually no clubs played a certain kind of nostalgic or obscure music. Initially, Shindig began as a 50s and 60’s rock n’ roll and soul night, launching a potentially risky venture, with the original founders not even knowing if revelers had an interest. Slowly but surely, and through the power of word of mouth, Shindig soon built a loyal cult following which continues to grow year by year.

James Dawkins - aka Hawkeye Pierce - was originally a part of Shindig’s loyal following and after the original founders

Photos courtesy of Robert Michael Evans – facebook/robertmichaelevans

Edited by Naheen Madarbakus-Ring (naheen@groovekorea.com)

32 www.groovekorea.com December 2015

Dec 5 Music MUP Show & CLASH Charity Show for KUMFA

ENTERTAINMENT

7pm, 1 Day: KRW 66,000-KRW 99,000, 2 Day Standing VIP: KRW 165,000 VVIP (1 Day): KRW 165,000, Jangchung Gymnasium

ENTERTAINMENT Edited by Naheen Edited by Madarbakus-Ring chance dorland (chancedorland@gmail.com) (naheen@groovekorea.com)

Dec 18-20 Event Year End Parties at J.J Mahoneys KRW 40,000 KRW 50,000 (Dec 24 and 31) J.J Mahoneys at Grand Hyatt Hotel Seoul Seoul.grandhyattrestaurants.co.kr

Dec 20 Theater The Little Singers of Paris Christmas Concert 5pm KRW 33,000- KRW 110,000, Seoul Arts Center, www.sac.or.kr

Story by Emma Kalka / Photos courtesy of Shenanigans

Dec 23 Theater White Christmas Concert

8pm, KRW 10,000- KRW 20,000, Seoul Arts Center , www.sac.or.kr

Dec 23 Music Ameobahood Concert Aniverse (Dynamic Duo, Yankie, Zion.T, etc.),8pm,KRW

Indie band Shenanigans uses blues to bring the essence back to rock and roll in Korea Levano believes it’s trial and error when summer of 2013. Later that fall, they decided it comes to creating music, but they do to start a full band and recruited Kim’s friend really well together because everyone has Junjo Jeong on drums. But adding percussion something to contribute. And it allows each changed the sound, so Levano switched to member to develop his own thing further. electric.

And the band certainly puts a lot of thought They still needed a bass player and second into the music that they put out, attempting guitar. They found both in Choi Wooyong in to make sure every song has an “essence.” spring 2014, who had been in a school club They write songs that will appeal to a Korean with Levano. Choi didn’t know how to play audience by including content familiar to bass at the time and so learned as part of the them, but with a blues twist in order to act as band. While Levano admitted it would have a bridge. been easier to get a Hongdae session artist Their latest single, “Doumo,” was inspired to play bass, it’s been better for the band to by the song “Stagger Lee,” which is an learn and grow together.

American folk song that tells the story of the He said they settled on the name murder of Billy Lyons by “Stag” Lee Shelton.

Shenanigans at first because of all the names It’s been remade multiple times since the they had brainstormed, it sounded the most first version came around in the early 1900s. like a band name. But as time went on, they found the name pushing the band’s direction. “Doumo” talks about national hero Ahn Junggeun. Musically, the band took inspiration “When it comes to the name Shenanigans, from many Korean melodies and blues. But shenanigans is an action that is not approved the essence is that the song is Korean. of, so we don’t really care for standards when “I want to sing something about the land, it comes to rock and roll music,” Levano said. about the history of the land. And the history The four work in unison creating music. In of the people,” Levano said. “I don’t know the beginning, most of the band’s songs were how to describe it, it’s difficult. But when it written by Levano and Kim. But the last few songs have been more of a collaborative effort. comes to lyrics, we want to be authentically and irregretably pure Korean.”

Instead of writing a song and bringing it to For the band, creating music that is Koreathe others, the four meet in a rehearsal hall inspired while sticking to real rock and roll is and try to start from the beginning together.

When it comes to the name Shenanigans, shenanigans is an action that is not approved of, so we don’t really care for standards when it comes to rock and roll music.

Sam Levano of Shenanigans

their main goal. The history of blues resonates strongly with Levano, and how it started as a tool for freedom for African-Americans, how the spirituals and hymns sung on plantations during slavery developed into delta blues and folk music, eventually becoming rock and roll.

“All of that is being used as a tool for freedom. A future that is free of everything.

Free of tradition, free of prejudices. Free of materialism. Everything that is going to hold you down,” Levano said. “And as a band, we think that maybe our goal would be to try and show that to the people who are under… the industry of cool.”

It’s something that resonates with all the band members, especially in regards to the current state of rock music in Korea. Bassist Choi said that nowadays too many people are playing just for money and becoming famous, but lack passion.

“Nowadays, people play in bands to get money. People don’t do it for passion. They do it because they think of it as a job. And when you think of something as a job, you don’t enjoy it anymore,” he said.

Kim chimed in that fans in Korea don’t help much by having a narrow mindset when it comes to listening to music. Too often what’s deemed good is set by trends, which dictate the industry. He added that the worst part is that often money defines the trends.

Levano believes that it’s a shame that the true essence of rock and roll has never fully made it to Korea.

“When it comes to music history, usually rock and roll has been the engine for social change. But it’s never happened in Korea. I mean, it’s okay, and in some ways we’re trying to bridge the blues in that sense,” he said.

Despite all that, the band still has high hopes for their future, saying that as long as they are playing music, they’re happy. Still a relatively young band, Choi said he hopes they can find their own color. Levano said that while it’s good to be famous in some way, for him it’s more about finding freedom through music, which can go beyond image.

“Going beyond that is finding yourself…

Not trying to be someone else, but trying to be the best you that you can be,” he said.

The band plays nearly every weekend in Hongdae and Itaewon, often playing at Blues House and Radio Kitchen. For more updates on releases and shows, follow their page on Facebook by searching “Shenanigans.”

December 2015 www.groovekorea.com 35

There aren’t too many blues bands in Korea with musicians who consider their influences to be none other than the masters from days gone by -- BB King, Son House, Robert Johnson, and Joe Mississippi Hurt.

But Shenanigans is a band unlike any other.

Consisting of four friends who met at Seoul National University – guitarist Sam Levano, vocalist/harmonica Hansol Kim, drummer Juhno Jeong and guitarist and bassist Choi Wooyoung – the group says that they play for the love of music. And that they are trying to go back to the “old ways” of rock and roll.

“More often than not, it’s about being cool and like, ‘Oh, you look great and sound great,’” said Levano. “So we’re trying to go back… to the old ways in some sense…We’re trying to keep authenticity alive.”

Shenanigans started initially as an acoustic duo back in 2013. It was while skating through a fall festival at Seoul National University that w was stopped and invited to join a group drinking makgeolli. It turned out to be vocalist Kim. The two discovered that they both wanted to start a band, and decided to give it a try.

In three sessions they managed to put together 10 songs, with Levano describing their sound as “folksy and bluesy.” From there, they busked around Korea during the

99,000- KRW 110,000,Blue Square Samsung Card Hall

Edited by Naheen Madarbakus-Ring (naheen@groovekorea.com)

34 www.groovekorea.com December 2015

Sam Levano of Shenanigans

RW 10,000- KRW 100,000 (expats K and tourists get 20% discount) Universal Arts Center ( HYPERLINK "http://www. uac.co.kr" www.uac.co.kr)

ENTERTAINMENT

THEBAND

WITH BLUES IN ITS HEART

I want to sing something about the land, about the history of the land. And the history of the people.

Dec 18-30 Theater Universal Ballet’s The Nutcracker Check performance day

ENTERTAINMENT Edited by Naheen Madarbakus-Ring (naheen@groovekorea.com)

ENTERTAINMENT

BRINGING HOME CLOSER TO YOU Celebrating seven years of tbs eFM

2008 tbs eFM launched as South unknowingly auditioned for his own show at Korea’s first 24-hour English radio eFM and has been entertaining listeners ever station with the aim of bringing since. He describes The Steve Haterly Show as international and national news, commentary “pure fun” with “great banter” — in other words, and day-to-day laughs to the growing expat two hours of helping listeners escape the daily community. As it celebrates seven years on the grind. air this month, its aim may still be the same, “If Seinfeld hadn't said it first I would call it a but its passion and commitment is stronger show about nothing,” he says. From the weird than ever. to the wonderful, Haterly covers the lighter Steve Haterly is an eFM veteran having been side of the news discussing surveys and trends with the station from the beginning. Dabbling while challenging his audience with quizzes in radio since he arrived in Korea in 2000, he and games.

“People have a hard time in their daily lives, and I feel a tremendous sense of gratitude for being given the opportunity to entertain on a daily basis. I figure, if we can put a smile on someone's face — or even better, make them laugh by the end of each show — then we've done our job,” he says.

Since its launch seven years ago eFM has gone from calling itself an English speaking radio service to a foreign language radio service. Funded by Seoul Metropolitan City government, its reach goes far beyond the

everyone — from K-pop to politics it has you covered. Alex Jensen, host of This Morning, says that this is what sets the station apart from other English media. “There's great diversity — from current affairs, to culture, to music, to a Chinese language show,” he says.

“It's vital that we're relevant to our listeners and offer something so compelling that it can become a morning ritual.”

Staying relevant and delivering news in a compelling way to keep listeners up-todate and entertained is something eFM has to compete for. Jensen has been covering domestic and international current affairs on his morning show for just over three years.

While he recognizes that some expats may have lost faith in some local media outlets, he hopes that eFM doesn’t fall into that category. “I personally try to just keep things as real as possible,” he says. He describes his show, which provides a two-hour morning dose of in-depth analysis on current affairs, as an “evolutionary process.”

“It's not like you prepare for one show and that's it. It's a constantly moving entity and events are building all the time,” he says.

For Haterly and Jensen, eFM has gone from strong to stronger since it began and the

future seems bright. Engaging with listeners and providing them with the familiarity from home is what gives eFM its edge.

“Through the help of feedback from our listeners, I believe we have a station that now provides people with what they want and need as an expat here in Korea. We've grown and developed, our announcers have improved, and I really feel that we have a great radio station,” Haterly says.

Since its launch seven years ago Jensen says the station has been on an “inevitable upward curve in quality.”

Spurred on by the people who work there, he believes eFM has made its mark and is committed to producing quality radio for its audience.

“Everybody at the station's passionate, everybody's pulling in the same direction, everybody wants to keep going forward and those ingredients bode very well. To further abuse Voltaire’s oft-cited line — if tbs eFM didn't exist, it would be necessary to invent it.”

More information: Website: tbsefm.seoul.kr Facebook: facebook.com/tbsefm1013

December 2015 www.groovekorea.com 37

36 www.groovekorea.com December 2015

Story by Anita McKay / Photos courtesy of Hannah Green and courtesy of TBS eFM

English speaking population of Seoul. In 2013 it launched two hours of Chinese language radio to accommodate the growing Chinesespeaking population and it also provides content for eFM in Busan and Gwangju’s GFN. While eFM aims to provide content for non-Korean speakers, a sizable portion of its listenership comes from the Korean population. Whether they want to improve their language skills or just listen out of curiosity, the station’s main purpose is still to give useful information about living in Korea. However, foreign language media — English in particular — is not in short supply.

Radio shows, newspapers, magazine, podcasts and blogs about life on the southern peninsula are everywhere. While they all may have the same aim — to keep their audience informed — each needs something to set it apart. Hartley believes that eFM has something different to offer.

“You're more likely to find radio from "home",” he says. “It's difficult for me to speak [about] other shows, but I think the goal for all the shows is to provide news and/ or entertainment that could make expats’ living in Korea a little more comfortable.” eFM’s line up tries to include something for

K–FILM: THREE BY… ADVENTURE December’s K-Film releases provide some winter comfort

RELEASE DATE: December DIRECTED BY: Lee Suk-hoon STARRING: Hwang Jung-min, Jung Woo, Cho Seong-ha, Kim In-kwon DISTRIBUTED BY: CJ Entertainment

RELEASE DATE: December DIRECTED BY: Kim Dae-sung STARRING: Yoo Seung-ho, Go Ara, Kwak Do-wan, Jo Yoon-hee DISTRIBUTED BY: Lotte Entertainment

ecember is typically a quieter period in the film calendar compared to the rest of the year.

However, the line-up for 2015 is unusually strong and quite exciting, with the release of three very different adventure movies from the Korean film industry. Ready to enthral and entertain cinemagoers throughout the chilly winter months, contemporary tale The Himalayas depicts the trials of a team scaling the famous mountain range, The Joseon Magician offers a period fantasy-adventure about a dangerous love between a conjurer and a princess, and The Tiger explores the hunt for the last great beast roaming freely on the peninsula. The run up to Christmas looks set to be a great time for film fans hungry for a sense of adventure and exhilarating entertainment.

THE TIGER: AN OLD HUNTER’S TALE RELEASE DATE: December 17 DIRECTED BY: Park Hoon-jung STARRING: Choi Min-shik, Jeong Man-sik, Kim Sang-ho, Sung Yoo-bin DISTRIBUTED BY: Next World Entertainment (N.E.W)

Christmas calls for a little magic and fantasy-adventure fans are likely to find much to enjoy with The Joseon Magician.

The story tells of the greatest magician in Joseon, Hwan-hee, who wows audiences with his incredible flair and misdirection. Hwanhee’s graceful appearance on stage adds an even greater air of mystery. Life is relatively simple for the magician as he studies further tricks under the tutelage of Gwi-mol, and helps to take care of his older sister Bo-Eum, a blind gisaeng. Yet his fate is dramatically changed when he meets princess Cheongmyung, who is on her way to the Qing Dynasty to marry. As love develops between them, Hwan-hee and Cheong-myung find themselves in the midst of a dangerous con-

spiracy, with the great magician forced to use the role, Yoo studied magic and attended every means at his disposal to survive. action school to hone the martial arts skills Director Kim Dae-sung is no stranger to required for the film. either romance or the Joseon era, having helmed acclaimed drama Bungee Jumping of Their Own (2001) and more recently the erotic thriller The Concubine (2012).

To capture the Joseon period on screen, the production was filmed in several locations around the country, including Yongin, Namyangjoo, Moongyeong, Sokcho and Hwasun, on a five-month shoot.

The biggest release this winter - and quite possibly of 2015 – is the epic historical adventure The Tiger: An Old Hunter’s Tale.

When Japanese imperial forces colonize the Korean peninsula, the Joseon era is effectively brought to an end and the country is irreversibly changed. During this period, Dae-ho - the last great tiger in the peninsula - becomes a sought after prize by many and a hunt for the legendary beast begins. Retired tiger hunter Man-deok, once notorious in his youth for his prowess, also enters the fray, although his relationship with Dae-ho is more complicated than it first seems. The Tiger sees acting heavyweight

Choi Min-shik again take centre stage following his acclaimed and highly successful turn as Admiral Yi Sun-shin in last year’s Roaring Currents. The creative team are undoubtedly hoping for a similar outcome, particularly as both films deal with national pride during Japanese aggression. Furthermore, tigers are a national symbol of Korea so the film will also likely contain potent symbolic resonance.

DID YOU KNOW? The Joseon Magician will be the comeback film for actor Yoo Seung-ho following the completion of his mandatory military service. To prepare for

Writer/director Park Hoon-jung, who previously helmed the highly celebrated gangster epic New World, has been behind the megaphone during the lengthy production period, and with his impressive resume, The Tiger is looking to be one of the highlights of 2015..

DID YOU KNOW? Typically, Korean film release dates are revealed a month or two before they appear in cinemas; however The Tiger’s December 17th slot was announced way back in early summer. This is particularly important as it signifies that plenty of time and care have been taken during production, and that distributor N.E.W. has real confidence in the film.

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THE JOSEON MAGICIAN

DID YOU KNOW? Originally, Kim Myungmin (Detective K) and Lee Min-ki (Quick) were cast to star in The Himalayas. However, due to development delays and schedule complications, they were forced to drop out of the film.

Edited by Naheen Madarbakus-Ring (naheen@groovekorea.com)

Edited by Naheen Madarbakus-Ring (naheen@groovekorea.com)

Based on a true story, The Himalayas follows a group of mountaineers as they journey up the treacherous slopes of Mount Everest to

two of the highest grossing films in Korean cinema history. Meanwhile, Jung Woo’s popularity is also on the rise, having starred in TV drama Answer Me 1994 and romantic drama C’est Si Bon. The Himalayas is helmed by director Lee Suk-hoon, who is also continuing a hot streak after calling the shots on last year’s action-adventure The Pirates and 2012 family film Dancing Queen.

ENTERTAINMENT

ENTERTAINMENT

Story by Simon McEnteggart / Photos courtesy of Hancinema

THE HIMALAYAS

recover the bodies of fallen friends. Along the way, the team encounters unbelievably harsh conditions that push their survival skills to their very limits.

Actor Hwang Jung-min takes centre stage in The Himalayas as expedition leader Uhm Hong-kil. Hwang’s star power is on fire this year, having starred in both family drama Ode to My Father and action-comedy Veteran, films which have surpassed the coveted 10 million admissions mark and have become

K–FILM: THREE BY… BIFF This year saw the Busan

(AKA UMIMACHI DIARY)

DIRECTED BY: Hirokazu Koreeda COUNTRY: Japan GENRE: Drama STARRING: Haruka Ayase, Masami Nagasawa, Kaho, Suzu Hirose

Edited by Naheen Madarbakus-Ring (naheen@groovekorea.com)

Story by Simon McEnteggart / Photos courtesy of Hancinema

SICARIO DIRECTED BY: Denis Villeneuve COUNTRY: USA GENRE: Action/Thriller STARRING: Emily Blunt, Benicio del Toro, Josh Brolin

20th Busan International Film Festival was held on October 1-10, and lived up to expectations by featuring some of the best and most celebrated cinematic output from around the world. While there were a great number of films deserving recommendation, here are three top picks from the festival that cineastes should absolutely track down.

largely due to the action/thriller script featuring a female lead. It’s to his credit that the film finished with the narrative still intact; combined with his keen visual aesthetic and intensity, the result is an absolutely thrilling and suspense-fuelled journey into the darkest corners of the drug war. While Villeneuve deserves a pat on the back, Emily Blunt’s seminal performance as FBI agent Macer is truly remarkable, carrying the film on her shoulders by exuding her character’s no-nonsense attitude. She also demands the audience’s attention with her morality and determination to uphold the law, representing a career highlight for the venerated actress. As Review: Director Denis Villeneuve has not been Macer endures the clandestine horrors of the shy in stating the difficulties involved in se- US/Mexico drug war through an array of in- shady individuals, action/thriller fans are guarcuring funding to produce Sicario, which were credible set-pieces and confrontations with anteed to find plenty to enjoy.

REACH FOR THE SKY DIRECTED BY: Choi Woo-young, Steven Dhoedt COUNTRY: Korea GENRE: Documentary

for the Sky follows a selection of students as they prepare for suneung - can one day really determine the rest of their lives?

Synopsis: Each year and under an astonishing amount of pressure, Korean high school seniors sit the infamous suneung exam in order to determine which university they can attend.

The most coveted universities form the acronym SKY - Seoul National, Korea, and Yonsei Universities - with aspiring candidates studying meticulously for long hours to be in with a chance of being in the top percentile. Reach

Review: Reach for the Sky was one of the best-received Korean films at BIFF this year, and it’s clear to see why. While world leaders from Western countries have praised the results of the Korean education system, critics claim they are ignoring the pressure and suffering endured by Korean youths in their quest for perfect grades. Directors Choi Woo-young and Steven Dhoedt wisely avoid taking a side and simply capture the run up to suneung as it is,

and in the process, reveal demanding parents, profiteering teachers/organisations, religious fanaticism, and chiefly, young individuals who push themselves to breaking point over grades.

The film follows candidates from a variety of backgrounds to highlight the diverse forms of pressure youths endure, featuring boarding schools that resemble prison alongside militant, uncaring teachers to powerful effect. The directors also often include occasions of subtle yet witty irony, as when English teachers fail to write coherent sentences despite presenting themselves as saviors. For native Koreans, Reach for the Sky will likely depict nothing out of the ordinary; for non-Koreans, the documentary is a fascinating insight into the country’s education system and the stress placed on young adults during their formative years.

December 2015 www.groovekorea.com 41

The

Synopsis: Following a tip-off, FBI agent Kate Macer leads a specialized team to an Arizona suburb with the aim of rescuing kidnap victims; yet the horrors she uncovers at the residence far exceed anything she has ever experienced in her career. The discovery results in the involvement of special agent Matt Graver and his mysterious partner Alejandro, who prepare a covert black-ops squad to investigate the crime further, recruiting Macer into the team. Suddenly confronted with the horrors of the clandestine drug war between the US and Mexico, Kate becomes irrevocably changed.

Edited by Naheen Madarbakus-Ring (naheen@groovekorea.com)

40 www.groovekorea.com December 2015

absolutely delightful film. Director Hirokazu Koreeda has built a reputation for his ability to craft poignant family dramas and Our Little Sister is another stellar addition to his resume.

While the sisters are initially constructed as familiar stereotypes, the story subtly moves beyond such contrivances, revealing their evolving relationships and the traumatic experience of parental abandonment, both of which are explored with admirable grace and sensitivity.

A film of this nature could easily fall into melodrama, yet director Hirokazu wisely sidesteps such excesses to present a gentle tale of sisters who are merely seeking to find their place in the world. In the contemporary cinemascape Review: Adapted from Akimi Yoshida’s man- where apocalyptic storylines are so often feaga series Umicachi Diary, Our Little Sister is a tured, Our Little Sister is a welcome breath of beautifully realized, wonderfully scripted, and fresh air.

ENTERTAINMENT

ENTERTAINMENT

International Film Festival’s 20th Anniversary host a collection of unforgettable titles

OUR LITTLE SISTER

Synopsis: Sisters Sachi, Yoshino and Chika live together in a beautiful old house in the peaceful seaside town of Kamakura. After witnessing their father elope with another woman and witnessing their mother flee to escape the pain of the separation, the three sisters - now in their twenties - have formed powerful bonds as they rely on each other daily. Yet their lives are changed when news reaches them that their father has passed away, and that they have a teenage sister, Suzu. Inviting their newly discovered sibling to live with them, the sisters learn to live with the pain of their past as well as to look to the future with hope.

ENTERTAINMENT Edited by Naheen Madarbakus-Ring (naheen@groovekorea.com)

Story by Simon McEnteggart / Photos courtesy of Reach For The SKY

mongst the host of Korean independent films that premiered at the 20th Busan International Film Festival earlier this year, documentary Reach For The Sky was certainly the most well-received by critics and audiences alike. Co-directed by Steven Dhoedt and Woo-young Choi, Reach For The Sky offered an extremely revealing insight into the lives of teenagers preparing to take the infamous 'Suneung' test; an arduous national examination that dictates which university they can attend, and for many, determines their future prospects long after graduation.

Groove Korea was fortunate enough to be granted an interview with director Dhoedt, one of the creative masterminds behind the film, who claims his interest in the subject peaked while filming pro-gaming documentary State of Play. “It struck me that many of these young players told me they became or wanted to become a professional gamer because they wanted to escape the school system,” explained Dhoedt, “which was quite an amazing statement, because the lives of these professional gamers in Seoul are pretty

tough and very competitive. So I asked myself: ‘why would they want to trade in their school life for this?’” With his curiosity burgeoning, Dhoedt met with Choi Woo-young through a mutual friend and the pair hit it off immediately sharing their facets of interest in the Korean education system. While Choi’s Boda Media Group generated roughly half the required budget, Dhoedt also raised funds through his Belgium-based company Visualantics, with additional support arriving from the Seoul Film Commission, the Korean Communication Agency and National Geographic Korea.

While pre-production began in winter 2011, various setbacks and delays resulted in the shooting period an incredible four years, serendipitously enabling the co-directors to film events across three Suneung examinations in 2012, 2013, and 2014, respectively.

Such perseverance throughout the lengthy production resulted in an acclaimed premiere at BIFF and a nationwide release in cinemas just two weeks after the exam, and director Dhoedt kindly agreed to field some questions about his latest project.

You chose to explore the lives of several students taking the exam, although the documentary primarily focuses on two students who are retaking it. Why did you opt for this approach?

SD: Because the private education sector in Korea is rather unique and this is what sets it aside from other countries. Also, many people can relate to a high school student sitting for a final exam. But few people know what life is like inside these private institutions. As far as I know – and I might be wrong - it’s the first time a film crew was able to go inside these boarding schools.

You incorporate footage of individuals, organizations and religious institutions profiteering from the Suneung exam. Why did you feel this was necessary to include?

SD: Because more than anything, education has become a huge business, encompassing all aspects of society. It seems that everybody wants to have a piece of the cake. At the center are the parents and the students. Many of them are lost in this amazingly complicated system of tests and university applications.

So there is a huge demand for guidance, for someone to provide support, be it practically or spiritually. And that obviously comes at a cost. The online providers like Megastudy, the hagwons, the freelance tutors, but also the churches, the Buddhist temples, the shamans; they know there is this demand so they have merely grabbed an existing opportunity.

But I don’t believe it’s all about profiteering.

Many private teachers genuinely care about their students. Many consultants do provide meaningful information about this maze of application methods. But in the end, it’s just supply and demand. The root of the problem remains with society - parents, students, employers, teachers - putting so much importance on academic achievement and on the hierarchy of universities.

Throughout Reach for the SKY, parents and teachers are typically more critical than supportive. Do you think there’s

Were there any scenes or issues relating to the Suneung exam that you would have liked to included, but were unable to?

SD: You know those teachers who are taken out of school every year and assigned to draft the questions for the exam? They are locked up in a hotel somewhere, disconnected from the outside world and need to prepare the questions under the utmost secrecy. That could have made a great scene, but it was too difficult to arrange.

Reach For The SKY will be screened at the 40th Seoul Independent Film Festival (SIFF), which runs from November 27th - December 5th, www.siff.or.kr/eng/main/main.html, www.reachfortheskydoc.com info@visualantics.net

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In Conversation with Reach For The SKY Director Steven Dhoedt

While making the documentary, were you shocked at any point by what you discovered and/or witnessed?

SD: I didn’t think what I witnessed whilst making this film was particularly shocking, but it was definitely astounding in many ways. To have the Olympic stadium packed with students listening to the annual Megastudy conference was astounding. To have parents pay over 2000 euro a month for private tutoring for their child was astounding.

To repeat 3 times over and take the exam (and basically sacrifice several years of your life) just to get in to a better university, is astounding. To have a celebrity teacher making 4 million USD a year teaching English and publishing text books was astounding. To have a private tutoring company listed on the stock market was astounding. But none of it is ridiculous, if you understand the context.

And somehow, I hope that’s what this film can show.

Edited by Naheen Madarbakus-Ring (naheen@groovekorea.com)

THE LIMIT

What prompted you to explore the Suneung exam as a cultural phenomena?

SD: With State of Play, I wanted to show certain aspects of Korean culture and society through the phenomenon of ProGaming or eSports. With Reach For The SKY, I wanted to build on that further, this time by showing Korea through its education system. The phenomena are merely a hook to delve into the psychology of a culture. Through the film, I wanted non-Korean audiences to have a better understanding of the society and the culture. More importantly, I wanted them to be able to identify with it more, to relate to what the characters go through. And at the same time, I wanted a Korean audience to be able to look at the film and reflect on their own cultural identity.

a generational gap regarding education in contemporary Korea?

SD: Yes, there definitely is. That’s why there’s no short term solution. I believe things can change with the younger generations. For many Korean students these days, SKY signifies an old concept. SKY doesn’t have the same meaning anymore as it did a decade ago.

People are starting to see what is wrong with the system. Getting into a SKY university is also not as important anymore as it used to be.

Teenagers are also coming to terms with the fact that there are plenty of other possibilities to have a meaningful or successful life. Very often, it’s still the parents’ generation who hangs on to the old concept. So the meaning of SKY is very much a generation thing.

ENTERTAINMENT

THE SKY'S

(Groove Korea): How difficult was it to film Reach for the SKY? (Steven Dhoedt): When making a film like this, you have to be really close to your characters; in this case the students taking the Suneung exam.

They are the ones who are telling the story and to do that, you have to be with them for a long time and you have to be present on some very important and intimate occasions. So that’s not to be taken for granted. Perhaps the hardest part was to get the permission of the private institutions. This took us more than a year and it was also the reason why we decided to extend the production from 2013 to 2014 and shoot another Suneung exam. I really wanted to film in a private boarding school, because this type of study boot camp is such a strange concept. It really sums up the level of commitment that students and parents are willing to put in to get to a good university. It totally embodies the academic craze you find in the Korean education system.

I believe things can change with the younger generations. For many Korean students these days, SKY signifies an old concept

nd October 2015

ursday 22 Hoppy Duck, Platinum Beer Pub, Th

9 A E R O K E V O O R G

TH

Y T R A P Y R A S R E V I ANN ENTERTAINMENT

ENTERTAINMENT

by: Steve Smith

Edited by Naheen Madarbakus-Ring (naheen@groovekorea.com)

Edited by Naheen Madarbakus-Ring (naheen@groovekorea.com)

thanks to:

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44 www.groovekorea.com December 2015

the party was reaally interesting :)

SPORTS Edited by liam ring (liam@groovekorea.com)

Written by: Steven Price of kleaguefootball.com Photos by: Ara Cho

Deportivo Seoul’s season got off to a bad start with six losses in a row, but they have since turned their season around, going undefeated for three games after that poor run. Their biggest achievement this season was getting out of that seemingly never-ending bad run of results. Deportivo’s manager, Jarred Pellat, said that the run was even more frustrating as “other than one game, we weren’t even getting dominated. We were losing by one goal, usually an own goal or an unlucky bounce.” Two of

great players over the summer, but gained a number of quality recruits. However, our perfect record ended when we dropped a makeup match with the U.S. Military, who came out with some really athletic and skillful backline

www.seouldarts.net 7.30pm to 10.30pm Venue to be confirmed based on finalists

Sun. 13 Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Open Mat Rollathon

Pool League Finals www.itaewonpool.org

Fri. 18.

Itaewon Pool League

Written by: Liam Ring Photos by: David Wellbaum

ambition for 2016? “I would like to referee a middle school or high Ho-jun Jung’s year has seen him school match.” Hoe baulks, however, at the idea of refereeing a university training extensively while still struggling with the typical work- level match, citing the pressure involved in such a task. Asked for the load of a SKY university freshbiggest challenge in refereeing, he man. University rugby is generally seen as a massive step-up underlines the importance of seeing the whole picture when officiating. for a young man, and defeats during the year against Yonsei “You can’t just see the situation in University and semi-profes- front of you. You have to be able to see the overall game.” sional outfit Hanjung made for a tough baptism for Jung. To progress in officiating, time overseas and official examinations It was not a complete disaster through the World Rugby Organresults-wise though, with Korea isation will be necessary. “I want University overcoming Tokyo’s to pass level 3 and be an official at Waseda University. an international tournament.” This On a more personal note, leaves him unsure of his playing Jung may have found his true future. “I think eventually I will have rugby-calling in refereeing. Encouraged by coach Kim Yong-hee to choose between refereeing and playing. I need to focus on the one I (himself an official), Jung found his English ability an added help can feel better in. Especially as I still want to have a career outside of the and recently passed his level game.” one refereeing certification. His

End of year banquet at the Crown Hotel www.itaewonpool.org

Sat. 19 Seoul International Darts League End of Season Banquet www.seouldarts.net

Sat. 19 Seoul International Seoul Sisters Charity Fundraiser

Canned Goods Drive & Charity Auction, 9pm Start, Sin Bin Sports Bar, https://www.facebook.com/ Seoul-Sisters-Rugby-Football-Club382156324202/?fref=ts

Sat. 26 ROAD Fighting Championship 27

Dongbang Gymnasium, Shanghai www.roadfc.com

December 2015 www.groovekorea.com 47

Written by: Thorne Laudy Photo by: Seoul Survivors

We want to continue our strong showing in the KERA league. It’s the main source of competition for the Survivors and we always enjoy playing with the other expatriate teams around Korea.

Capturing the Yellow Sea Cup is always a big goal. We’ve had some close matches over the past few years and it would be a big statement for our team to finally bring the cup back to Seoul. We haven’t won it since its inaugural year (2005).

We hope to continue to have great relationships with all of our sponsors. They’ve made our lives much easier by helping out the team. We also hope to bring them some more business while representing them well on the rugby pitch.

Check out the Seoul Survivors Facebook page for more details.

To get involved, email Yoon Sok-hee at yscott0207@gmail.com.

Mon 7 Seoul Championship Game Seoul International Darts League

Sun. 13 2015 Seoul Super Itaewon Pool League

A Freshman Looks Ahead Sub-title: A Korea University looks back on his year – and onto the future. players. The Survivors rebounded well by going unbeaten in the last two tournaments of the season, capturing the KERA cup.

Personally, the highlights were the socials we organized (e.g., Tour de Han), but on the pitch we secured the KERA league, which was quite an achievement as Jeonnam – our biggest rival – had a fantastic season as well. We also had teams visiting from overseas and some of the Survivors even made it to the Hong Kong Seven’s.

Josh Haney went above and beyond for the club this year. He organized the design of our kit and singlets and helped organize a number of events throughout the year. We should also thank the management that has been in place for many years as they continue to do a good job leading and supporting the club. It’s never easy taking care of a bunch of man-children.

www.itaewonpool.org 7.30pm onwards Scrooge Pub Wonky Triangles, Shenanigans Boomtown Rats, Rising Stars, Dolce Vita Angry Birds and others Bars around the Itaewon area including Scrooge, Sin Bin, JR Pub, Dolce Vita and others.

www.seoulmartialarts.com, 3pm to 5pm Women’s open mat practice Body and Seoul in Kyungridan

we settle in for end of year banquets, award ceremonies and indoor only sports, it seems like a good time to catch up with some of the clubs that worked hardest throughout the year to make 2015 the best it could be. Here’s to a fantastic year and even better ahead for next year.

Seoul’s premier rugby outfit bring the curtain down on a great year Quote: Personally, the highlights were the socials we organized (e.g., Tour de Han), but on the pitch we secured the KERA league, which was quite an achievement 46 www.groovekorea.com December 2015

against Korean women’s side Ellis brought plenty of action with the Sisters having it far from all their own way against the local outfit. Add in the re-emergence of what had in the past been a yearly fixture against the Korean national team and the Sisters will be well satisfied with the last few months on the field.

The challenge to find new players is one that perhaps will be felt by a women’s rugby team more than most, but with players such as Frances Rogers from Ireland setting an example, there is sure to be plenty of inspiration for the new year. Even when wearing a cast – an injury

www.facebook.com/groups/598349626866355

A Big Season For The Seoul Survivors

The year started slowly in February when we started training again. The spring was very successful as we had some great performances that helped the Survivors stay unbeaten over the first seven tournaments. We lost some

the most important team members for Deportivo Seoul have been their vice-captain Ahn Jin Hyuk, who has done a lot of off the field work for the club, and goalkeeper Alex Zherdev. Pellat told us that Zherdev “has been incredibly patient and he always gives us a chance to win the match.” During Deportivo’s poor run, some of the players were rather hard on themselves and the club aims to try and have more fun next year and start enjoying their football again.

The Seoul Sisters can look back on a mixed bag in 2015, with great performances against touring teams and the Korea Women’s National side off-set by cancellations due to the MERS epidemic earlier in the year. Nevertheless, the group is ready for a bumper 2016 with an overseas trip in the pipeline and more matches against women’s sides from across Asia.

Given the cancellation of Hong Kong touring sides at the height of the epidemic, some might have worried that the Sisters would struggle to find top competition on the peninsula. However, matches

Wed 2. & 9th Itaewon Pool League Rounds

Edited by liam ring (liam@groovekorea.com)

talks to some of Seoul’s clubs finest about what they’ve done and what’s to come

Written by: Natalie Hallemans and Liam Ring Photos by: Maggie Leung

sustained playing Gaelic football – she could still be seen cheering players on from the sideline, even during training.

Looking to next year, the club will be continuing its relationship with sponsor Sin Bin of Itaewon while looking for extra sponsorship assistance to bring in new uniforms. Touring sides from Hong Kong may be making a return with a trip to either the Pearl of the Orient or China.

The club is also looking at a trip to the Philippines to start off the new season with some style. Looking for a sport that is a little more physical? The Seoul Sisters can promise you plenty of fitness and camaraderie next year.

Email: seoulsisters827@gmail.com Website: www.ssrfc.com

SPORTS

THAT WAS THE YEAR THAT WAS… Groove Korea

Scrumming Down With The Seoul Sisters A season punctuated by MERS leaves the Sisters eager for more in 2016

Springing From A Rut Overcoming a bad start has left Deportivo eager for the new season

Great Competition To Go With Great Memories Wolfhound Rovers face challenges typical of an expatriate side enjoy their time in Korea to the fullest. There are two people on the Wolfhound Rovers this season that deserve a mention. Sam Ballman is a seasoned player and our coach. She understands the concepts and strategies of soccer so well and is able to translate all that information into valuable drills for the team to learn and use in our games. In addition, she is intelligent, patient and encouraging. All the things we want in a coach. Cheryl Halverson is our ever so wonderful captain. She has such an innate ability to get all the players on the same page and excited for the practices and the games. She is always optimistic, punctual and encouraging, just like our coach. Along with the team Email: wolfhoundrovers@gmail.com manager, they are the leaders of Facebook: facebook.com/groups/wolfhoundrovers the Wolfhound Rovers and are the foundation on which the future of the team rests. However, the Wolfhound Rovers would be and will be nothing without the continued commitment of the players that join us every season they can.

5 Years Of Fitness Body & Seoul end the year on top

to expand into a much bigger, more comfortable space, with plenty of room to run around, swing kettlebells, and spar safely. We have trained fighters, helped people reach their fitness goals, taught people how to defend themselves, and helped people achieve balance in their lives. For us, this is our greatest achievement; helping people reach their fullest potential is our ultimate goal. Our aim for 2016 is to make sure our members continue to see improvement and become even better versions of themselves.

Website: www.seoulmartialarts.com Contact: seoulmartialarts@gmail.com

Finding Our Fury A co-ed club reflects on the Seoul Sunday Football League

Written by: Steven Price of kleaguefootball.com Photos by: Seoul Fury

As a newer team in the league, it has taken Seoul Fury a little bit of time to hit its stride with plenty of ups and downs over the course of the season. Given that many of the club’s players are in Korea for a limited period of time, it has been a big achievement for the club to be able to start looking

a bit further into the future and securing its status for the next few years. One of this year’s particular highlights was Seoul Fury’s appearance in the Ulsan Cup. Fury manager Angel Yon told us that each individual brings unique aspects to the team, and have each put in a lot of hard

Title: Hitting The Trails with Seoul Cycle Fun and discovery on two wheels Written by: Luc Tremblay Pictures by: Seoul Cycle

Seoul Cycle has nearly doubled in members this year and we hope you join our growing group in 2016. We’ve been around for three years now and 2015 was a great year for exploring all of the trails in Seoul and also all over Korea. This country has so many places to visit and there isn’t much better than seeing the smiles on various faces when we show them somewhere they didn’t know existed, such as waterfalls, having a beer in mountain-fed streams, rolling hills flowing beside rivers and amazing

food. Every trail is different depending on the time of the year, making any time a good time to ride the paths.

Our club looks to bring together a love of cycling with staying active and sharing some laughs together. As such, a highlight for us all was our weekend trips. It was fun to cycle the east coast trail and other 4rivers bicycle paths. Some of us have only just started our 4rivers stamp booklets while others already have all of their stamps and thus finished the entire booklet. We did the

work this season, especially team coach Ross Maloney and assistant coach Mahier Sydow. Over the next year, Seoul Fury are looking to strengthen their squad in order to challenge for promotion to the next league, and they will be looking to recruit some players in the New Year in order to help them achieve that. The offer of great banter, support and good times on and off the pitch mean that any player looking for a Sunday soccer fix should look no further than the Furies for 2016. www.facebook.com/seoulfuryfc/?fref=ts

east coast trail twice, stopping at many beaches and finding some random parties at night.

It is really lively in the summer.

Another cool trip was overnight camping and waking up to fog which stayed with us till 10am.

We got some great pictures and had some great food.

In 2016, we will organize more group rides around Seoul and also continue our weekend trips.

In addition to discovering cool places and continuing on the 4rivers trail, we also plan to cycle around Jeju Island and do some beach hopping on the east

reached the senior finals of the two-day competition, only to lose to Singapore and Abu Dhabi, respectively.

A very special mention this year must be given to Hansol Oh, our Community Officer and Oliver Cunningham, Ladies Assistant Coach, for their continued commitment to the club and their dedication in securing pitches for players to train on every weekend. This is no meagre feat in such a built-up, urban environment and it alone allows the club to continue developing and growing. For 2016, we hope this growth will lead to an increase in our playing numbers, and that our hurlers will advance to participating in a hurling-only competition in Asia. Of course, next year we hope to retain our titles in China and to undoubtedly bring the AGG senior cups back to Seoul.

Check out Seoul Gaels’ Facebook page for how to get involved.

coast. We will also start doing more social events on and off the bike, like a bike trailer beer keg, bike touring, fitness and bicycle maintenance/nutrition sessions. Join our Facebook page to keep current and share your pictures and stories about cycling.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/seoulcyclepage Website: www.seoulcycle.com Email: seoulcycle@gmx.com YouTube videos: www.youtube.com/channel/ UCUn3-8jDS56wvamQhSI1Tuw

December 2015 www.groovekorea.com 49

48 www.groovekorea.com December 2015

Written and photos by: Anna Desmarais

This was a fantastic year for Body & Seoul, as we celebrated our 5-year anniversary! We had a big party and gave out awards to recognize those members who had special achievements, but also just for fun. There were a few members present that have been with us for all 5 years, and they remember how we started out in a tiny, run down space with only one shower that ran out of hot water in 3 minutes and a third of the mat space we have now. Through the dedication of our instructors and members, we have been able

Written by: Patrice Reidy Photos by: Seoul Gaels

highlight of the year. Two ladies’ and two men’s football teams participated on the day as well as a men’s hurling team and a camogie team including players from the Gaels. Our Ladies A team fell at the last hurdle as did the Men’s B team. However, Seoul Gaels’ Ladies B team was triumphant in winning their competition and our Men’s A squad conquered Shanghai to win the Senior Cup. In September, we hosted the North Asian Games for a second year running. Players travelled from not only across the peninsula but also Shanghai and Myanmar, but it was the underage teams that truly shone on this day with about sixty kids from Shanghai and Seoul participating in the under-8 and over-8 competitions.

For all GAA clubs in Asia, the season culminates with the Asian Gaelic Games, which was hosted this October by Shanghai GAA. Both our men’s and ladies’ teams

Edited by liam ring (liam@groovekorea.com)

Edited by liam ring (liam@groovekorea.com)

We have reached the end of another successful season – our fourth – as the Wolfhound Rovers and we’ve had lots of memorable moments. All of our players have been committed and determined to improve their skills and technique while also making some great friends and creating awesome memories. Our greatest achievements have been those games where we have kept up with the men’s teams. With a lack of women’s teams, we challenge our bodies and minds by playing against Korean men’s teams. They are tough and they are fast, but each girl on the team always rises to the challenge and delivers her best.

The hard thing about working and living in Korea as foreigners is that people will always come and go. Thus, for the start of our spring 2016 season, we will have a small number of players. Our goal is to replenish the team with new players who are eager to play soccer again, meet new people and

The season kicked off back in late March and the numbers at each training session steadily increased as we approached the summer. Laochra Busan hosted the first round of the Korean League in April with the men’s and ladies’ teams competing in both football and hurling from all three clubs in Korea – Daegu na Fianna, Laochra Busan and Seoul Gaels. Traditionally each club hosts a round of the Korean League during the summer and, as always, Busan and Daegu proved to be excellent hosts and opponents. Seoul Gaels eventually topped both the men’s and ladies’ competitions.

Preparation for the All China Games in June kicked into gear following our trip to Busan. Hong Kong GAA hosted the All China Games this year and we travelled in strong numbers. Without a doubt, Seoul Gaels as a club dominated the China Games and our performance proved to be the

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Written and photos by: Jessica Bremer

Seoul Gaels Going from Strength to Strength 2015 has proved to be yet another successful year for the Gaels

Edited by liam ring (liam@groovekorea.com)

50 www.groovekorea.com December 2015

Story by Johan Stofberg Photos courtesy of Rianza Stofberg, Korea Triathlon Federation and Seo Ungjin

A TRIATHLON is a multiple-stage competition involving the completion of three continuous and sequential endurance disciplines. While many variations of the sport exist, triathlon, in its most popular form, involves swimming, cycling, and running in immediate succession over various distances.

Source: Wikipedia.com

What motivates you in training and racing?

I get motivated by pushing my body beyond the limits.

Setting a goal that might look too big is what drives me to train daily and pushes me to never give up in a race. The harder you work, the harder it is to surrender when the going gets tough. By doing this, I hope to encourage people around me to never give up on any challenge they face in their life.

What is the most important thing you’ve learnt this year?

The greatest lesson of many was that it is not about the end result, but about the journey along the way. For me, triathlon is about the people in and around the sport, the friends

that you make, the life lessons you learn, and most importantly using the talent my Creator has given me.

Who inspires you?

I have a lot of respect for Craig “Crowie” Alexander (3 times Ironman World Champion). He is an athlete who has experienced great success but who, at the same time, remains extremely humble.

How do you balance work and training?

Sacrifice. I have a full-time job as an English teacher. This limits my time for training during the week. I have realized, however, that if I want to perform well, I will need to sacrifice some extra sleep in the mornings and social time after a day at work.

ASK What are your triathlon plans for next year?

Going into 2016 I’ll make sure to prepare well during the cold winter. I think I’ve set the bar quite high for myself in this first year and will set some bigger goals for the new season. My greatest focus will be the Ironman 70.3 World Championships.

Since it’s such a big race, why not go for gold? My main goal is to take what I’ve learned this year and use it to improve on next year’s performance.

Setting personal goals are very important. It’s what gets you up and gets you going. Without goals, we wander aimlessly and find no satisfaction. My goal for 2016 is to aim high, to allow those goals to pull me forward, and to go to bed knowing I gave my all.

December 2015 www.groovekorea.com 51

Experiences of a beginner triathlete achieving high goals.

For any comments, questions or advice on triathlon training or racing, please post in the comments section below.

Alternatively you can contact me at stofbergtri@gmail.com.

Seoul Synergy Club Website: www.seoulsynergy.com (under construction) Seoul Synergy Club facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/seoulsynergy. fb/

Edited by liam ring (liam@groovekorea.com)

READY? SET GOALS.

I cannot take all the credit for my performance. It could honestly not have been possible without the massive support from those around me - my wife, who backs me daily, family, friends, Seoul Synergy, and the guys from Zone3. It was all surely a team effort.

If I get to do something I love, I give it my all. Since I’m so passionate about this sport, friends regularly ask me a lot of questions about it, including the following:

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The

year 2015 started off with two simple goals.

One was to see how I could perform in a triathlon and the second was to learn as much possible about the sport.

Since I was new to triathlon, I didn’t know what to expect. I just trained as hard as I could to make sure I gave my best effort in achieving those set goals.

My first race, however, I started off with the only expectation being, “Let’s see what I’m capable of.” Well, I ended up finishing 3rd in my age group. What an unexpected bonus.

This has been a good kickstart to the season and gave me hope to actually perform well in the races to come. From there I was able to finish on the podium at 80% of the races that I entered. After the second race, my focus started to shift to where it was my aim to win every event. Although this was being a bit over-confident, it is true to what I love to do challenge myself with almost impossible tasks.

I did not get achieve my aim every time, but I count all the experiences and growth as highly successful.

As the year continued, my focus stayed on the two Ironman 70.3 races in Incheon and Gurye. These were my main races and all the hard work was directed towards them.

Although it wasn’t my original goal at first, I later realized that I might be able to qualify for the Ironman 70.3 World Championships if I trained hard enough. Well, after a very tough day at the race in Incheon, I earned my spot, and will be joining 2,000 more qualifiers in Australia next year. Yes, I’m super excited!

Two weeks later, I competed in Gurye. This one did not go as planned though. Two flat tires on the bike leg led to the loss of about an hour. Luckily, I was able to finish the race, but it taught me that although you can’t always control what happens to you, you can control how you respond. Even though I couldn’t achieve my goal time, I still wanted to give my best no matter what. This event’s run leg ended up being my best half marathon time yet.

The season ended for me at the popular Tongyeong ITU Olympic Distance event.

With about 2,000 competitors I knew this would be a tough one. I finished the race as the winner of my age group and 4th overall against top athletes. To top it all off, I also received the gold medal for the Korean Triathlon Federation Series 2015, an award given out to triathletes who accumulate points in a series of races during the year and finish on top in the Tongyeong Race.

Still being new to the sport, I’m definitely most thankful for all these achievements. It showed me that hard work does pay off and that anything is possible if you put your mind to it.

Edited by liam ring (liam@groovekorea.com)

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Story by Luke Butcher Photos by: Korea Baseball Organisation

hey say when it rains it pours, and that was certainly the case for Samsung Lions at the end of

a Korean Baseball Organisation (KBO) season that had threatened to end in monotony. After the longest season of the KBO to date, Doosan

Chang-yong, the teams closer, An Ji-man, the best relief pitcher in the league and Yun Sunghwan, who topped Samsung’s pitching wins with 17 were found to have been spending their down-time betting obscene amounts of money.

Not only is this illegal, but it also went against a widely reported ‘no-betting of any kind’ clause in their contracts.

To be fair to the Lion’s, the reaction was swift.

Knowing how vital they were to winning the tournament, they could have easily kept the players in until the end of the series before dealing with the issue. But putting morality (more probably Samsung’s image) over winning

also fell short against the postseason Doosan juggernaut, Thames blasted his way through pitcher after pitcher and record after record, becoming the first player to hit 40 home runs and steal 40 bases (40-40) in a single KBO season. In only his second season in the KBO, Thames has become the hottest property and most feared hitter, and having signed up for another season could be about to blow out all records.

That leaves us the two teams that made it all the way to the Korean Series. Before it all began Samsung Lions looked like they would sleep walk to victory over ‘miracle Doosan’ after breezing to yet another regular season.

But cue a poorly timed, debilitating and disastrously timed scandal. Three key pitchers Lim

the series, the club dropped all three. Many have speculated that the players will have their contract terminated, and now it will be seen if any other players are involved.

The three will be left to massively regret their actions as Samsung were rolled 4-1 by the Bears who found their form at just the right moment. Pitchers Dustin Nippert shook off his injury-ridden season to dominate the pitching alongside Jang Won-jun and Yoo Hee-kwan, who re-discovered his early season wizardry to dry up the Lion’s runs. Struggling with the psychological and technical blow of losing their pitching core, the Samsung mound showed the resistance of paper in a hurricane and were blown away.

HERE IN SEOUL SAW A TOTAL CONTRAST IN FORTUNES. WHILE DOOSAN BEARS MARCHED ONTO THE KOREAN SERIES AND EVENTUALLY THE TITLE, JAMSIL STADIUM’S OTHER OCCUPANTS LG TWIN’S HAD AN ABSOLUTELY DISASTROUS SEASON

This season will never be looked back on as a classic, but it will go down as the season the KBO was finally thrown wide open by the team that dominated the last four years falling on its sword. The Lions have been wounded, the Bears are on top, but there is a strong indication that 2016 will be the closest and most exciting title defence in KBO history.

Korea Baseball Organisation website: www.eng.koreabaseball.com.

Check out the latest Korean baseball news at: www.mykbo.net/KBO_news

December 2015 www.groovekorea.com

52 www.groovekorea.com December 2015

This KBO season was not a classic, but it will go down as a ground-breaking year

Heroes losing out 11-9. This meant Mokdong stadium went out with a pulsating yet depressing bang for Nexen fans, with their team being dragged kicking and screaming virtually against their will to the brand new Gocheok Dome stadium on the outskirts of Seoul from next season. Only time will tell if the stadium will pull in the fans, especially now star-man Park Byungho will be joining Kang in the MLB from next year. The team will miss his 52 home runs.

This year though Park may well have lost out on the MVP title to American Eric Thames, who produced frightening numbers with the NC Dinos on their way to second place. Although they

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SAMSUNG’S BASEBALL MONOPOLY FINALLY BROKEN UNDER CLOUD OF CONTROVERSY

Bears took the Korean Series against the Lions, but that only tells half the story. Mired by a player betting scandal that now threatens to engulf the upcoming off-season, the reigning champs were forced to suspend three of their star men for gambling eye-watering sums of money illegally overseas, and the remaining team looked a shadow of their previous selves as they were taken apart four games to one in the showpiece series.

Before the scandal rolled its way across the league to strike down the previously undefeatable Lions, the KBO season had been interesting yet hardly as ground-breaking or nail-biting as expected. This was a season where the league added a tenth team, the beautifully named KT Wiz, making it the longest season in KBO history at 144 games a team before the play-offs. The hopes of huge attendance figures as a result were struck out of the park by the MERS outbreak which peaked in early June, keeping many fans further away from stadiums than home-run leader and Nexen’s latest MLBbound star Park Byung-ho can hit.

The length and brutality of the season took its toll most of all on the pre-season’s most talked about team Hanhwa Eagles. After three diabolical seasons in a row the management at the Eagles reached for the nuclear launch codes and brought back aging legend and Korea’s own “god of baseball” Kim Sung-keun to manage the team. Known for his military-like and ruthlessly long training regimes, he brought some respectability back to Hanhwa’s play and at the beginning of the season it looked like he could perform a miracle and put them in the play-offs. But in the later stages of the year, overused players like relief pitcher Kwon Hyuk looked dead on their feet and they ended a decent sixth. It leaves fans wondering if Kim’s ancient regime will ever work again.

Here in Seoul saw a total contrast in fortunes.

While Doosan Bears marched onto the Korean Series and eventually the title, Jamsil stadium’s other occupants the LG Twins had an absolutely disastrous season. Tipped by some as an outside pick for the play-offs, the Twins were only saved the humiliation of the wooden spoon by league-newcomers KT Wiz after their bats failed them, recording the lowest number of Runs Batted In (RBI) and the lowest number of Home Runs in a very hitter friendly league. The manager has since departed and is unlikely to want to live in Seoul for the foreseeable future.

Meanwhile Nexen marked the end of an era with a reasonable fourth place finish, only to be dumped out of the play-offs in a dramatic comeback by the eventual champions. Taking a comfortable lead into the ninth inning for a win that would force a deciding match, Nexen’s bullpen spectacularly collapsed in one of the most exciting games of the season, with the

Edited by liam ring (liam@groovekorea.com)

K-LEAGUE AWARDS Story by Mark Kelly and Paul Carver of 48 Shades of Football with special thanks to @ korearacing and Jinro Soju Photos courtesy of 48 Shades of Football

The “Inverse Ferrari” Award for the fastest time from hero to zero Most players are idolised by young fans and many embrace this role by doing things like hospital visits to sick kids; others, not so much.

Runner-up – Mixed-race player Kang Sooil has been on the fringes of the national team for a while now, and when he finally got called up to the national squad for a friendly against the UAE, he was being billed as soccer’s answer to Hines Ward. Unfortunately, a prematch drugs test revealed traces of anabolic steroids in his urine and he was sent home in disgrace. Blaming a particularly potent moustache-growing cream didn’t cut it with the authorities, who imposed a pretty much season-ending 15 game ban.

Winner – One would have hoped that Kang would have used his enforced sabbatical to train hard and try and redeem himself in the eyes of his fans and club. Unfortunately, the only sessions he seems to have embarked on were drinking ones and in late August, he was done for drink-driving after hitting a taxi in Uijeongbu. At first he tried to claim a friend was driving but as the police pulled his luxuriant moustache whiskers out one by one, he soon cracked and admitted he had been behind the wheel. Never mind, it’s all fodder for a Tony Adams-style autobiography.

You can catch the 48 Shades guys on their weekly podcast on Soundcloud and iTunes or on Twitter, YouTube and Facebook. Also check out www.thekleaguekilt.wordpress.com and www. the48club.wordpress.com or www.forum.rokfootball.com for all you need to know about Korean football. The guys will return next month with the second part of their 2015 run-down.

December 2015 www.groovekorea.com 55

54 www.groovekorea.com December 2015

A 48 Shades of Football take on an eventful if not always entertaining year for Korean football

The “I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Outta Here” Award Not every player views the K-League with the same love and devotion as a 48 Shades podcaster; some look to play their way to a better league while others are screaming for Ant ‘n Dec as soon as the silkworm larvae and chicken rectums are served at the welcome hwaesik.

Runner-up – Kim Shin Wook. One has to feel sorry for the man affectionately known as “The Wookie,” who has been hotly tipped for greatness for several years now without ever truly fulfilling his potential. Every year he is linked with a move overseas to emulate players such as Ki Seung Yong and Son Heung Min but every year nothing transpires. This year was no different with the man himself believing he would become more attractive after becoming exempt from military service due to being injured and not playing in the 2014 Asian Games final victory over North Korea (the very nation military service is in place for to begin with). Two transfer windows came and went, with a trip to Itaewon

The “Ball Beer” Award for the most unfortunate name From Danny Shittu to Anil Koc, football has thrown up its fair share of banter-worthy names and the K-League is no different. Official sponsor “Ball Beer’ isn’t the only name that has had foreign K-League fans sniggering in their beers.

Runner-up – Hwang Uijo – At first sight the Seongnam frontman seems to have a perfectly normal Korean name but that is until you consider the team’s most passionate foreign fan (Mark) just happens to be Scottish and worse still a Glaswegian and suddenly Uijo is pronounced “Wee Joe up front”. I’m sure it has been this moniker being screamed from the slopes of Tancheon that has inspired him to hit the form that he has this season.

Winner – Japa – There are a few Brazilians who could have been considered for the winner’s podium, We particularly like Gil, who has hit the ground running with Gangwon and is anything but a fish out of water, but Japa gets it for me. The man with an eye for goal up front has been a revelation since joining the likeable Suwon team. With the common Korean mispronunciation of “p” and “f,” one wonders if he wouldn’t be more suited to the orange shirts of Jeju United as opposed to the red and blue of Suwon.

Carlsberg probably don't do the footbal podcast but if they did it would be probably the best…

Edited by liam ring (liam@groovekorea.com)

THE 2015 ALTERNATIVE

The Stella Artois “Reassuringly Expensive” Award Every year, Korean teams are persuaded to sign foreign players to provide the silky skills to complement those of the domestic players.

Some they get right, but some cost them more than just the airfare and wages.

Runner-up – Ryan Johnson was one of Seoul E-land’s first signings and as such was probably subject to more attention than he merited. Having plied his trade mostly in the MLS – at one time under Eland coach Martin Rennie - he has cut a fairly disconsolate figure on the bench for most of the season. You have to imagine it took a fair sum of money (or perhaps just a photo of Seoul’s sunny blue skies) to persuade him to make the move from China, but a few impact substitute appearances hardly make it money well spent.

Winner – Andre Moritz’s short Pohang adventure started with a cameo role in the Steelers’ opening match of the season at Suwon, involved a lengthy ban for a UFC-style attack on an opposing player and also included several near bust-ups with fellow teammates. All this came in the few months before he was shipped back to Mumbai City in the Indian Super League (where he made one start). He came with some pedigree having played in England and but was last seen rusting away in the reserves back at Pohang. He was Pohang’s first foreigner for a couple of seasons and must have set them back a pretty penny.

the closest The Wookie has come to playing abroad. He’s become almost like the fat kid in Uli’s playground as he’s been pushed to the fringe of the fringe of the fringe of the national squad. Who knows what next year may bring but you have to imagine it’ll be Suwon in the snow rather than Southampton in the sun for the big man.

Winner – Edu. The signing of the former Suwon hero was viewed by many to be a coup by Jeonbuk. A former K-League performer who understood the ins and outs of Korean football culture would surely mean no issues with this samba signing. It looked like a match made in heaven early doors as Edu shot to the top of the golden boot chart while spearheading Jeonbuk’s title and Asian Champions League (ACL) charges. He looked to have settled back into the K-League family like an ESL teacher returning after Christmas. Things started to look a little glum for Jeonbuk when fellow returning hero Eninho left the club, citing his performances as being not worthy of a Jeonbuk player. Hardly had the fans managed to peel the Eninho letters off the back of their tops than Edu was following his compatriot out the door.

Flying off to China to join heavyweights Hebei China Fortune FC (yeah, us neither), he scored 12 goals in 15 games to lead them to promotion while Jeonbuk were spluttering and staggering to the K-League title like a fresh off the boat ESL teacher after his first shot of soju. Don’t worry though, Jeonbuk fans, as ex-hero Luiz Henrique has returned to replace Edu. Football fans just never learn, do we?

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hose resilient podders at 48 Shades of Football have put down their plastic Cass bottles in order to deliver the first part of their 2015 K-League review.

Edited by Charlotte Hammond (charlotte.hammnd@gmail.com)

FOOD & DRINK Edited by Charlotte Hammond (charlotte.hammnd@gmail.com)

FOOD & DRINK

Sink Your Teeth Into Unlimited Fine Tuna in Yangjae Story and Photos by Robert “Bob” Kienzle

hite waving maneki-neko cats and Japanese signage greet customers entering into Yangjae Tuna. A smiling hostess asks “Table, bar, or private room? Would you like to get to know the chef or would you like some privacy?” Opt for the bar for an interactive chef experience and tuna direct from knife to plate. The private room is suitable for footsy and kissing across the table or for private business discussions no one else should hear.

The menu is filled with 7,000-10,000 won options, but the real reason to come will run 40,000 won per person: unlimited raw tuna.

There are other options from 60,000 to 120,000 won for people who need to impress their dates and colleagues, but it’s not needed. The more expensive options allow for different cuts and types of tuna, but no matter what price is paid, endless tuna appears on one’s plate as if in a delicious tuna limbo. Keep in mind, though; all diners at the table will need to choose the same price option.

Food:

The best option is to eat the slices of raw tuna straight up. No fancy sauce or garnishes are needed. Some cuts of the fish disappear with the softest bite. Other cuts are thicker and call for more chewing. Seaweed paper, cocktail onions, sprouts, ginger, wasabi, and soy sauce are presented on the tuna plate for those who like to mix and match their seafood flavors.

There’s plenty more where that came from and no clock counting down time spent at the table.

Pink and red cuts keep coming and coming and the chef just smiles knowing how his diners feel. He’s playing a game: who will quit first?

Any sensible diner does not want to give up.

Yangjae Tuna’s fish is so smooth in texture and taste. Diners understand that eventually they have to lose this game since there is more fish than stomach space.

Tuna and dressings are far from the only foods brought to the table. Fried shrimp, fried crab, fried potato, fried onion, and fried veggies (gooljun and twigim in Korean, similar to Japanese tempura) are served with a warm soyAmbiance:

Service:

based dipping sauce. The onion is a bit thick and probably something that Shrek would enjoy, but still, everything is lightly fried superbly.

And then the finale. It’s tough to identify it at first. It’s got nuts, seeds, peppers, and thick brown sauce hiding its true figure. It’s warm. It’s heavy. It’s hard, but parts are soft. What is this thing? It’s a cooked tuna head. When it comes to eating tuna, this is revered as a special delicacy, and while the meat is thin and scattered around the skull, it’s absolutely delicious. Tuna head is something that should be available more plentifully in a perfect world.

During the meal, feel free to kick back cold bottles of beer for 6,000 won. Soju, or better, sake, is available by the bottle. Let your mind and stomach travel to Osaka, if only for lunch or dinner, before returning to the streets of Yangjae.

Address: 1st floor, Jungho Building, 287 Beonji, Yangjae-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul (see attached photo for address in Hangeul) Phone: 02-573-8962 Value:

Score:

December 2015 www.groovekorea.com 57

56 www.groovekorea.com December 2015

A Raw Indulgence that Won’t Leave You Broke

FOOD & DRINK Edited by Charlotte Hammond (charlotte.hammnd@gmail.com)

Edited by Charlotte Hammond (charlotte.hammnd@gmail.com)

SUPERCHARGE YOUR FOOD

Court Dining POWER PLANT AT GWANGHWAMUN’S D-TOWER OFFERS A GOURMET TAKE ON THE FOOD COURT

you're curious about what has been piquing the palettes of urbane young Koreans this year, you can't do any better than heading down to the Power Plant food court on the third floor of Gwanghwamun's D-Tower. A veritable zeitgeist of the gut, the operation features five foreign food darlings: Coreanos, Manimal, Gilbert Burger, Pizzeria d'Buzza, and Lobster Shack offering up basically full menus. Also, there is a wellstocked beer bar focusing on craft drafts.

Power Plant is a brand new venture from select street food company, Over the Dish.

The enterprise aims to give the giant mass of nearby office workers a one-stop to gnosh on high quality, yet reasonably priced, staples of Western cuisine in an area previously bereft of well-made burgers and tacos. The food court also looks to be a boon for uptowners who don't feel like braving the hordes of Itaewon food tourists.

Open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. every day, Power Plant works just as well for power lunches as it does for power couples. The interior is sleek with ample natural light during the day; at night the eating space feels glitzy with the

centrally placed bar enticingly visible upon entrance. This isn't the grungy food court of American malls or brutalist office building basements. It's a comfortable multi-functional space for serious dining and drinking and consistent sizable crowds show folks are buying in.

When entering, don't be fooled by the truncated menu placed on your table. Take a walk around. Each seller has much more extensive options at their stall, an impressive feat considering the shoebox size of their kitchens. Lobster Shack, not to be confused with

Itaewon's Lobster Bar, has appeared to be the top choice of most diners upon this reviewer's visits. You can go classic Maine or Connecticut style or walk the plank with novel variations such as wasabi or BBQ. The Maine roll set (21,000 won) here keeps it as simple as it should: chunky claw and tail meat coated in the requisite mayo on a buttered, grilled bun.

However, some purists might be perturbed by the inclusion of cherry tomatoes and microgreens or think there is a bit too much mayo.

Despite these minor quibbles, considering the set includes a heaping portion of seasoned fries and a palatable cole slaw, it's a rock solid deal.

Manimal Provisions is an outpost of Itaewon's Manimal Smokehouse and offers up a slightly different menu than their main locale. Their celebrated beef brisket is nowhere to be seen thanks to some unchill building

hours and regulations which don't allow for using a pure, true-to-the-game wood smoker.

Instead, Provisions proffers forth some succulent-sounding sandwiches like one with pork belly and another of spicy fried chicken.

The BBQ Chicken platter (26,000 won) is anchored by two sassy hickory-smoked chicken breasts, pleasantly charred and properly juice, and includes a few sides including some unexpectedly welcomed mashed potatoes and gravy. Diners would also do well to order a side of the green chile mac-n-cheese. It's golden baked top and creamy interior would be the pride of any Southern Baptist potluck.

Not to be overlooked, Pizzeria d'Buzza bids for space on your plate with ten different authentic Italian pies. At a slightly pricey 6-7,000 won a slice, it's still worth getting a piece to partner the galbi taco you snagged from Coreanos or that Gilbert Burger you Ambiance:

Food:

mean to split. D'Buzza justifies their price point by going the extra kilometer ingredient-wise, sprinkling fresh thyme or grating parmigiana generously onto your mortadella-and-marinated artichoke pizza.

Altogether, Power Plant’s concept looks to be a huge success, taking hip, buzzworthy restaurants with a reputation for caring deeply about the quality of their food and giving them exposure to a built-in customer base already hungry for what they do well. Everyone invested in the health of Seoul food scene, not to mention the availability of tacos citywide, should wish this place well.

Location: D-Tower, Gwanghwamun Station, exit 2, 3, or 4 Hours: 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Mon-Sun Phone: 02-2251-8333 Service:

Score:

December 2015 www.groovekorea.com 59

58 www.groovekorea.com December 2015

Review by Jordan Redmond Photos by Peter Kim

EVERYONE INVESTED IN THE HEALTH OF THE SEOUL FOOD SCENE, NOT TO MENTION THE AVAILABILITY OF TACOS CITYWIDE, SHOULD WISH THIS PLACE WELL.

FOOD & DRINK Edited by Charlotte Hammond (charlotte.hammnd@gmail.com)

NO TALENT WITH A HAND MIXER? WITH THESE HOLIDAY DESSERT OPTIONS, YOU HARDLY HAVE TO LIFT A FINGER Story by: Charlotte Hammond, Jason Newland and Yoo Jin Oh PLANT Photos courtesy of PLANT C27 Photos by Jason Newland Aux Petits Verres Photos by Yoo Jin Oh

Pre-Order Holiday Cakes, Vegan Style, at PLANT Mipa Lee’s PLANT is renowned as one of Seoul’s best havens for vegans in search of a cruelty-free meal. But also, let’s face it, her teensy cafe is a fabulous place for heavenly desserts no matter what your eating politics or dietary restrictions may be. Lee is constantly rotating her desserts on offer and experimenting with new vegan cakes, cookies, muffins and more. Many of her baked goods are nut-free and/or gluten-free in addition to being vegan, catering to those with all sorts of dessert-restricting allergies.

Christmas in Korea is big on cake, which is also the area in which PLANT excels. Vegan or not, PLANT’s seasonal pumpkin gingerbread cookie cream cake, boozy fruit cake, and ginger cranberry bundt cake—even in their names alone— outshine any holiday cake that comes in a certain, inescapable blue and white box. Skip the spongy milk cakes this year. Pre-order a cake from PLANT, which, in addition to its seasonal cakes offers its regular cakes (chocolate peanut butter, mocha layer cake, banana apple, red velvet) for order this time of year.

Orders tend to pile up for PLANT this time of year. Throughout the month of December, plan on ordering your cake about a full week in advance.

Address: 19 Chebu-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul TEL: 070-8231-2199

Address: 545-12 Sinsa-Dong Phone: 02-544-1572

1F, 63-15, Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul.

070-4115-8388

December 2015 www.groovekorea.com 61

Tartes to Stay or to Go at Aux Petits Verres Treat yourself to tartes this tinsley time of year.

This tiny French dessert shop opened by celebrity Chef Park Jun Woo (Master Chef Korea, Olive Show etc.) tucked away in Chaebudong

by Gyungbokgung, serves one of Seoul’s most delectable lemon and chocolate tarts. Opt to sit and enjoy the tartes with your fellow holiday reveler, or take some home or for a holiday party. Tarte takeout is not a problem here.

Their most famous lemon tart (7,000 won) bursts with the bold and rather surprisingly sour taste of lemon that is perfectly balanced by the crunchy crust. For those opposed to citrus flavors, go for the chocolate or the raspberry chocolate tart and spend the whole day savoring the lingering deep taste of dark chocolate (7,500 - 8,500 KRW). Aux Petits Vers also serves a variety of European teas and coffee in addition to Belgian beer and French wine all throughout the day. Treat yourself on a cold winter days and make your way down to Aux Petits Verres for a little sugar therapy with wine.

Christmas Cheesecake from C27 C27 Cheesecake and Coffee is a four-story cafe near Garosugil specializing in twenty-seven flavors of New York cheesecake. Their specialities include plain, red velvet, tiramisu, raspberry, and M&M cheesecakes. The tiramisu has a rich coffee-infused flavor, the M&M disappoints because the cake’s moisture ruins the integrity of the KitKat crust, and the white chocolate raspberry has the most American taste. Now to the strange part, C27 serves their cheesecakes with shredded cheddar and parmesan cheese.

Don’t worry, it’s on the side.

The massive cafe’s interior design is sleekly artificial, which could turn off those looking for a small, intimate cafe. But, C27 has arcade boxes with hundreds of free-to-play games, which makes it a fun date spot—there probably isn’t a classier place to play arcade games. When a cheesecake craving attacks, it’s hard to find better in Seoul. It’s not cheap, a slice is 9,800 won, and a coffee is 4,200 won, but it’s a quality slice.

As for taking a slice of C27 home for the holidays, they offer cheesecake “jars” : a Pinterest-friendly mason jar filled with the layered cheesecake of your choice. Yes, the jar is for keeps. Cheesecake jars are 9,800 and work well as gifts or just for a couch-bound dessert.

Edited by Charlotte Hammond (charlotte.hammnd@gmail.com)

60 www.groovekorea.com December 2015

Sweeten Your Holiday Dessert Game This Year

Late Night Sandwiches, Caveman Pork Chops, and a VR Beer App FAT CAT FOOD TRUCK 57-19 Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu

S

eoul's biggest buzz right now is Fat Cat “Food Truck” in Haebangchon.

Longtime Seoul chef and restaurateur Leo Jehns takes over a window at Fat Cat from 6 p.m. to 3 a.m. Friday and Saturday nights, serving hot subs, all under 10,000 won. The showstopper is the ample Meatball Sub, using Leo’s secret recipe. It’s accompanied by Mexican Chicken and Tandoori Chicken versions. A new Australian/New Zealand style Itaewon pub, Mozzie, serves mammoth sized pork

MOZZIE ITW Hotel, 126-7 Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu Phone: 010-9417-9554

chops and lamb shanks. They stay true by trying to source all their meats from Australia. They are located on the first floor of the I.T.W. Hotel, down from Itaewon Station, exit 3.

Not a restaurant, but there’s a new app from a Korean startup called LetseeBeer that lets you find out the details of a beer by just holding it in front of your camera.

It creates a cool augmented reality display.

The database is crowdsourced, and it’s just getting started, hence “start-up.”

Noggin’ Split

A TWIST ON EGGNOG WITH A CERTAIN, SPECIAL LOCAL INGREDIENT (banana milk!)

W

LETSEEBEER iOS and Android marketplaces wwwletsee.io

Craft Beer in “Coffee City”

GANGNEUNG, ON KOREA’S EAST COAST, IS A CRAFT BEER HUB TO WATCH Story and photos by Rob Shelley Photos by Giovanni Rotondo, Zac Metcalf, and Rob Shelley

inter is here and Christmas is near.

Some seek warmth in Hot Toddies and some take comfort in Eggnog.

The Noggin’ Split is a variation on Eggnog with a spiced and creamy combination of deliciousness. Starting with a whole egg dry shaken with Korea’s famous banana milk, it’s a real flip cocktail to please all eggnog lovers. Add the spiced rum, banana & creme de cacao liqueurs, and this dessert cocktail will be the surefire big hit at the holiday party. The banana split action comes along with the thick, chocolate syrup rim and peanut garnish. It’s the perfect gift to give your tastebuds this winter.

Happy Imbibing!

1oz Captain Morgan .5oz MB Creme de Cacao .25oz MB Banana .25oz Gomme syrup 1 whole egg (pasteurized) 1oz Banana Milk Chocolate Rim (Garnish) Peanuts (Garnish) Grated Cinnamon (Garnish) Grated Nutmeg (Garnish)

The Oak and Barley

Although import craft beer can be found in several locations around the city like the famous Anmok “Coffee Beach”, the exciting thing about Gangneung is the focus on local beer. Golondrina offers beer from local Korean breweries including Mungyeong Brewery, 7Brau, Craftworks, BrewOne, and Budnamu Brewery. They hope to soon be serving their own house beer brewed locally.

Budnamu Brewery strives to make two things: high quality craft beers that “speak to craft beer lovers” and “beers that incorporate traditional Korean ingredients, like our Pine City Saison, that uses a traditional fermented pine extract from a local source.”

Zac’s Trail Gait Brewing’s flagship Coffee Ale is made “with locally roasted beans” and “water from a spring on the nearby Baekdudaegan [mountain].” Trail Gait also offers a wide selection of other unique beers like a Lavender Ale and others made with artisanal teas.

Gangneung also has a homebrew scene. So Zac’s cafe hosted a homebrew festival recently that featured several talented home brewers. Metcalf also cites the influence of home brewer James Mangan as well as the local community center that has been teaching brewing classes since before the recent advent of the craft beer movement.

Given its history of supporting craft beer and, more recently, coffee, Gangneung looks poised to have its own craft beer boom. And with the Winter Olympics coming up in a few years, Gangneung beers have a chance to make some international impact.

Giving props to the work of both Rotondo and Lynch, Zac Metcalf is very optimistic about the future of craft beer in Pine City. “I would say that Gangneung is on the cusp of having a beer boom similar to the coffee boom, at the moment. The city [and] history lends itself to such crafts.”

Budnamu Brewery 93-8 Hongje-dong Gangneung 033-920-9380

Trail Gait Brewing Company Gangneung, Gangwon-do 1801-6 Gyo-dong, Takeji tel: 010-7519-1303

Story and photos by Michael Hanrahan verything is close to perfect at The Oak and Barley. They’ve set out to have delicious beer, great whiskies, and interesting Indianfusion bar food and they’ve come damn close to nailing it.

On the beer front you’re looking at paying 7,500 – 12,000 won for carefully selected, hard-to-find craft beers (and those beers are 2,000 won cheaper from 6-9p.m. every day). They have all their bases covered: From light pilsners to dark porters, and hoppy IPAs to Chimay on tap (!).

Some of the notable standouts are: the Heretic’s Hazelnut Porter. It’s strong and full with chocolate and caramel flavors but doesn’t leave you feeling like you just finished Christmas dinner. The Smuttynose Shoals Pale Ale is crisp, perfectly bitter and malty with just an undertone of fruit on the nose.

Vunderbar! Pilsner, also from Smuttynose, is a truly outstanding pilsner.

Again, whoever chose the beers for Oak and Barley outdid themselves and somehow managed to get the beers in at a very reasonable price. Also available is a long list of fantastic single-malt Scotch whiskies with selections from the Lowlands, Islay (although, disappointingly, there is no Lagavulin) and the Highlands. Scotch lovers of all biases can find a delicious choice here.

If neither craft beer nor whiskey appeal to you, there are the usual suspects of cocktails and also craft beer cocktails (10,000 won each).

Oak and Barley’s food (from 5,000 won for fries to 18,000 won for a full order of tandoori chicken, most orders are 10-12,000 won) calling for the “nearly” perfect qualifier on Oak and Barley overall. Their Indian classics plus some South-Asian takes on traditional bar food are a welcomed addition to the kind of bar food Ambiance:

www.budnamu.kr

Food:

Service:

The chic buffal o ken burg is a er m hig h enu lig h t

that dominates in Seoul. The buffalo chicken burger is a menu highlight. The chicken was perfectly juicy with a crispy batter wonderfully spiced with curry.

Sriracha mayo was the trendy sauce that perfectly completed the sandwich.

Other options include a bland but acceptable curry and equally bland and mild tandoori chicken. The new approach to bar food is commendable, but it may take some time and tweaking for the food to measure up to the rest of the bar’s excellence.

Oak and Barley’s atmosphere nearly makes up for the lumps in the current quality of the food menu. It’s a cozy place, tucked up in the third floor on the south street behind the main road of Itaewon. There’s wood paneling behind the bar, chalkboard walls, and a good view out the large window, which is lined with stools suitable for wistful gazing. It comes together to make a warm, inviting space that is perfect for warming one’s cockles through the cold winter months.

There’s a real dartboard tucked back near the kitchen, high (very high, petite people may complain) stools and tables, and a long wooden bar making each section feel intimate and warm. The laconic but obliging barkeep is the perfect presence to bring it all together making the Oak and Barley the kind of place you want to haunt.

Getting there Subway: Itaewon Station Exit 4; walk south on Bogwang-ro and turn right Bogwang-ro 59-gil (The south-side backstreet) and the pub is up on the 3rd floor. There’s a ground-floor sign for it.)

Address: 66-2 Iteawon-Dong 3rd Floor, Seoul Phone: 010-8689-5047 Open 6p.m. to late Score:

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www.groovekorea.com December 2015

Quality over flash at Itaewo n’s new pub

city of Gangneung, also called Pine City, is nestled on the shore of the East Sea. It is also known to many as Korea’s “Coffee City” due to its coffee farms, coffee roasters, and “coffee beach," coffee festival, and large amount of local cafes. For nature lovers, Gangneung offers white sandy beaches stretching for miles and miles. Gyeongpo Beach is beautifully nestled between scenic Gyeongpo Lake, the East Sea, and a river that flows down from the nearby mountains. Gangneung is also the best place in Korea to watch the sunrise. Tourists commonly arrive at Gangneung by overnight train, which drops them off directly in front of the nautical horizon at sun-up.

Gangneung is also a Korean city that’s becoming a craft beer destination.

Phillip Lynch of Budnamu Brewery, said he chose Gangneung to open a brewery because it’s “a city with a vibrant population that seems to be willing to learn about and enjoy craft beer.”

Giovanni Rotondo runs Golondrina, a restaurant offering delicious and affordable Mexican/Peruvian food and craft beer, which is inspired by the city’s natural beauty. “Gangneung has a mix of beach and mountain spaces to offer which are all a stone’s throws away from each other,” said Rotondo. He points to guys like Lynch for helping establish craft beer in the area.

Zac Metcalf of So Zac’s Cafe and Trail Gait Brewing takes a historical approach to explaining why Gangneung is a great place for craft beer.

Apparently five hundred years ago, liberal arts and abstract thought were suppressed throughout Korea’s Joseon dynasty — but not in Gangneung.

“Artists were offered free room and board and the local markets pulsed with all things creative. I think Gangneung retains that spirit and still cultivates locally made things [and] abstract ideas. I believe this is reflected in the coffee scene and, hopefully, the soon to be beer boom,” Metcalf said.

Story and photo by Bobby Kim

Edited by Charlotte Hammond (charlotte.hammnd@gmail.com)

Edited by Charlotte Hammond (charlotte.hammnd@gmail.com)

FOOD & DRINK

Story by Joe McPherson

ith winter fast approaching, there is no reason to put domestic travel on the back burner. Beautiful in any season, the southernmost point of Korea, Jeju, is on most “to do” lists for whatever length of time one is in Korea. The island – most famous for the views of Halla Mountain and its abundant supply of oranges to the rest of the country – has more than its fair share of cultural traditions, places to see and delightful delicacies to eat.

Jeju’s geography is fantastically simple, with three main areas attracting numerous visitors any time of year. The airport, located in the northern region is within close proximity of Jeju City, accessible and convenient for any whirlwind weekend away. The southern coast of the island hosts Seogwipo, with its lush sandy coasts and luxurious five-star hotels lining the shores. Finally, head to the center of the island for the mountainous regions surrounding Halla, the famous sight-seeing spot that can be seen from any part of the island.

Jeju City Jeju is a party island with celebrations and festivals at every corner.

Starting off in Jeju City, visit the many colorful and traditional food stalls in Dongmun market. Displaying the beautiful colors of seasonal fruit and veg for the eyes or the stomach to consume, weave through the aisles of the covered market to warm up for a few minutes.

Once ready to brave the outdoors, a mere five minute walk away is the spectacular grounds of Jeju Fortress, with a great wall and the grounds of Samseonghyeol to investigate. Many of the information points have English and Korean descriptions and the site is worth a wander, just to admire the traditional architecture if nothing else.

Seogwipo For those wanting to escape the city lights, Seogwipo lies in the south of the island, and caters for the five-star guest and their golfing

T R A V E L Edited by Naheen Madarbakus-Ring (naheen@groovekorea.com)

Mysterious Road Whatever part of Jeju you are located in, signs for Mysterious Road will be seen everywhere. Also known as Dokkaebi Road, the road runs across the whole island to connect two of the major highways.

A hilly road at the base of a mountain, it is the location of mysterious happenings and optical illusions. It is believed that objects and liquids roll up instead of down the hill which, which is thought by some to be trickery caused by the high altitude. To see is to believe.

Nightlife The locals in Jeju are no strangers to a spot of nightlife and the younger generation in particular head to three main areas to let their hair down. The City Hall area is close to the University of Jeju and is coupled with a shopping street for every shopping, eating and drinking need. However, City Hall has very little English and is aimed more at the locals. Shinjeju’s Baozen Street and the coastal Topdong is more tourist friendly and has many menus in both English and Chinese.

There are also more international eateries and the area boasts many drinking options.

Jeju Food For food, Jeju has a great deal of traditional fare on offer. A few blocks down from Dongmun, Guksu Geori – or Noodle Street – in Jeju City is a favorite for locals and visitors alike looking for a spot of traditional lunch. Various cold and hot pork broth noodle dishes are on offer with many lunch time sets including soup and a side of kimchi.

Although many menus are written in only Hangeul, the eateries are prepared for non-Korean visitors with picture menus displayed brightly on most restaurant walls.

For a fishier encounter, take a gentle stroll back toward the Jeju City portal coast Topdong to choose from a number of eateries which open up for both lunch and dinner (but are perhaps better suited in the evening to provide the freshest catches of the day). Lining the streets, side by side, Sashimi Street enjoys a healthy competition between

restaurants shouting their specials and waving their many set menus for customers to choose from. Being a local market however, none of the eateries dare price each other out with a meal starting at around KRW 30,000 per person, dependent on one’s taste and accompanying sense of culinary adventure.

If fish isn’t your thing, cross over the road to Black Pork Street for the best of Jeju’s black pork galbi. Open for lunch or dinner, this strip is particularly thriving at night, located near the main shopping street in the city center and marked by black pillars and signs welcoming visitors to the “Black Pork” area. The galbi restaurants display their Trip Advisor and Good Restaurant certificates proudly as all have similar quality meat and an experience that can only be found on Jeju.

Less fatty than your average galbi, the black pork certainly does have the taste factor going for it.

Jeju may not be the first island destination to spring to mind this winter but it certainly does offer a different kind of Korean culture.

The island embraces visitors from home or away and is a mere 45-minute plane ride to enjoy a climate ten degrees on average warmer than Seoul. Take a break from the palli-palli culture of the capital and head to Jeju for a weekend away that won’t cost an arm and a leg.

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64 www.groovekorea.com December 2015

Story and Photos by Naheen Madarbakus-Ring

Edited by Naheen Madarbakus-Ring (naheen@groovekorea.com)

A WARM WELCOME TO SUIT ANY SEASON

HEAD TO THE CENTER OF THE ISLAND FOR THE MOUNTAINOUS REGIONS SURROUNDING HALLA, THE FAMOUS SIGHT-SEEING SPOT THAT CAN BE SEEN FROM ANY PART OF THE ISLAND.

T R A V E L

JEJU

weekends away. Numerous beaches are within a taxi ride, but at this time of year, the multitude of strangely themed museums is perhaps a better – and warmer - option. Ranging from the teddy bear museum, a specially-themed Hello Kitty museum, and the more adult-themed Loveland, there is a choice for any interest. Jeju is also home to Jeju United, with the local orange-kitted favorites playing K-league games, although the Tangerines will not return for any competitive sport fixtures until March 2016.

T R A V E L Edited by Naheen Madarbakus-Ring (naheen@groovekorea.com)

So, I go for a walk.

The market, actually called Huaxi Street Tourist Market, is dead. The stalls along the outer edge are all closed and boarded up against the storm. The occasional gust of

wind turns my umbrella inside out. In the covered market a few businesses, mostly snake restaurants and massage parlors are open. At most a couple of hardy locals eat in silence. Generally, the cooks and wait-staff sit idly outside, looking wantonly at passers-by.

There seems to be a demarcation line at the back of the market. Once I pass this hid-

den boundary I find that part of the market is alive. The further I get into this tangle of backstreets, the more the place comes to life.

I can smell incense. I see candles and the lights of lanterns flicker behind glass. They cast a red light onto the street and into the puddles as people splash this way and that.

There are small shrines. They appear spo-

VIRTUALLY EVERY SMALL ANIMAL AVAILABLE AT THE PET SECTION OF E-MART IS THERE: MICE, FROGS, TURTLES, ALL THE WAY UP TO LARGE, COILING SNAKES. tling lanterns and blowing out candles is why people come here.

If the market of Jiufen, with its tea houses, pastries and knickknacks is the daydream of the whimsical, then Snake Alley is a thing of a fever dream and a different class of tourist.

I return to Snake Alley a few nights later with my friend Lara and the confidence of a companion. Life has returned to the whole market. We take in the smells and eat all that we can. Carts selling fruits, juices, grilled meats and boiled eggs. The storm is forgotten and the dank clouds are replaced with plumes of smoke coming from sizzling meat.

I stray from my usual Taiwanese snack of a savory steamed bun and buy a small tub of stinky tofu. It smells of earth and, frankly, body odor but it is delicious. The brown liquid it comes with spills all over my hands and I feel a part of the market.

I drag Lara into a packed, bare-bones restaurant with a cluster of dirty cages out front. Virtually every small animal available at the pet section of E-Mart is there: mice,

shows. The red light district has since been pushed back and the elaborate slaughtering of reptiles in front of awe-struck tourists has been toned down, but the edge still remains.

Our grilled snake ends up being bowl of emaciated turtle soup. We pick flecks of graygreen meat from its stumps of legs and from underneath the shell. Across the table is an old man glaring at us as he takes a bite of turtle foot. He opens his mouth again and out fall the bones and toenails. His side of the table is full of carnage while I am still adding Instagram filters.

The turtle wasn’t as scary tasting as I expected. We polish off our meal with a shockingly pleasant shot of turtle blood mixed with whiskey and a truly nightmare shot of bile that tastes like, well, bile.

Lara and I part ways and I head back to my room. I plop myself down onto the round bed of my love motel and eat a chicken and ketchup sandwich while letting out belches of turtle and blood. I think about calling posting that on to Facebook but think better of it.

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66 www.groovekorea.com December 2015

make a vain attempt to explore Snake Alley as soon as the typhoon is starting to leave Taiwan. Parts of the country are flooded. Outside of my hotel the storm raged but my room had no windows.

I had spent the last day watching ping-pong on TV and drinking alone when I wasn’t regretting my vacation choice.

frogs, turtles, all the way up to large and coiling snakes.

Beneath flickering neon lights we point to words on a picture-less menu. We are here to eat a snake.

Snake Alley was once a place for tourists with a bit of traveler’s blood lust. For a long time after its establishment, over 50 years ago, it was the place to come for sex and snake

Edited by Naheen Madarbakus-Ring (naheen@groovekorea.com)

Snake Blood and Turtle Bile Story and Photos by Thomas Godfrey

The appeal of the place is that it is otherworldly. From the man playing a haunting tune on his ocarinas to the pristine sea shells sizzling into plumes of white steam, everything suspends the idea of time and spacemuch the idea of Spirited Away. Walking narrow alleys that seem to be a part of the mountain, popping into tiny tea shops as a gust of wind races down the stone path, rus-

T R A V E L

TAIPEI’S NEW DELICACIES BROUGHT TO MARKET

radically throughout the alley and in each one there is somebody praying and other waiting.

For a moment I think that I have stumbled into some travelers dream and have found some place that is clean and happy and serene in the middle of a typhoon in the abandoned streets of Taipei. I take out my camera for the first time in days.

I realize pretty quickly that I am in the red light district. I see the first brothel less than a minute after the first shrine. Girls lean against the doorway and smile at me. Men old women stand in the street, harking and calling for me and everyone else who walks by to step inside dark rooms with flowing curtains.

Some of the things I took to be shrines are actually waiting rooms to the brothels themselves. In the middle of a typhoon, the only place really hopping is the red light district.

I go back to my hotel to another round of ping pong. I decide to go to Jiufen the next day.

Chances are you have seen Jiufen, with its crowded market street and lantern covered buildings before. You might not have seen it in the classic Taiwanese film, A City of Sadness, which dug the former mining town out of its post gold rush gloom; but you probably saw Hayao Miyazaki’s Spirited Away. The haunted spa town of Spirited Away is fictional but Miyazaki’s inspiration is not far off. Jiufen is often an island cut off from the rest of Taiwan by a sea of low clouds. Its market streets seem to wind its way into the heart of the mountain around cliffs spotted with paper lanterns.

It is hot and humid when I step from the taxi.

The typhoon is gone and Taiwan is waking up.

Jiufen specializes in the artesian with quality ranging from authentic Taiwanese crafts to tacky tourist fare. On the central artery of Old Street are shops with hunched old women with white hair and arthritic fingers painting traditional characters onto hand-sculpted ceramics, as well as booths run by teens selling Jiufen postcards and key-chains.

The smell of food mixes with the mountain air, creating a sticky-sweet fog that drifts with wafts of ghostly smoke. Brown eggs, preserved in a brackish black water sit next to steamed buns and buckets of sweet smelling breads. Everywhere, there are old wooden counters behind glowing windows selling colorful candies. Tea houses, some tiny, are cut into the rock or look out over the pathways of Jiufen and onto the Pacific Ocean, far below.

The markets along Old Street are nothing you can’t find in almost any market in Taiwan, or even Asia in general. Jiufen lent itself so well to Japanese animation because some of the architecture in the town is a direct result of the Japanese colonial years. The place is beautiful but also has a bit of sadness somewhere close to the surface.

POWDER PLAY

STRAP ON YOUR SKIS OR SNOWBOARD AND ENJOY THE BEST SKI RESORTS KOREA HAS TO OFFER Story by Gil Coombe / Photos by Yongpyong Resort

T R A V E L Edited by Naheen Madarbakus-Ring (naheen@groovekorea.com)

inter. For some that means it is time to hunker down inside with a good book, good TV, good company and good alcohol (though not necessarily in that order).

For others, it means it is time to layer on the thermals, strap on those skis or that snowboard, and dash down the side of a mountain as fast as possible, then line up to do it all over again. In Korea, the number of people choosing the latter is growing each year; recent statistics indicate that there are around 6.5 million visitors to Korean ski fields annually, representing respectable growth considering that the country’s first ski resort (Yongpyong on Mt. Balwangsan) didn’t open until 1975. With the Winter Olympics set for Pyeongchang in 2018, the popularity of winter sports is expected to grow further; thus, if you are familiar with the fervor with which Koreans can take to a new trend, it is probably best to satisfy your curiosity sooner rather than later.

For a country that is technically 70% mountains, Korea is not exactly overflowing with skiing options, mainly due the relatively

Yongpyong Resort Location: 715 Olympic-ro, Daegwallyeong-myeon, Pyeongchang-gun, Gangwon-do, Korea Website: http://www.yongpyong.co.kr/eng/index.do Getting There: 1. A direct shuttle bus from Seoul is available via the Purple Ski Shuttle Bus www.purpleskibus. com, KRW 34,000 for a round-trip) 2. Otherwise, Dong Seoul Bus Terminal to Hwenggye (Gangneung; 2 hours 30 minutes), and then take a free shuttle bus from there.

Ski-Lift Prices: Day pass (8:30-16:30): Adult - KRW 74,000, Child - KRW 59,000 Night pass (21:00-00:30): Adult - KRW 37,000, Child KRW 29,000 Half-day pass (8:30-12:30, 12:00-16:30, or 18:30-22:00): Adult - KRW 59,000, Child KRW 47,000 Single pass: Adult - KRW 15,000, Child - KRW12,000 Contact: Seoul office (Mapo Station): 02-3270-1231~3 Enquiries: 1588-0009

Elysian Gangchon Location: 강원도 춘천시 남산면 북한강변길 688 (남산면) 688 Bukhangangbyeon-gil, Namsan-myeon, Chuncheon-si, Gangwon-do Website: www.elysian.co.kr/global/eng/index.asp, www. elysian.co.kr/global/eng/index.asp Getting There: 1. Dong Seoul Bus Terminal to Gangchon Bus Terminal, and take a taxi from there 2. Gyeongchun Railway Line to Baegyang-ri Station and take a taxi from there.

Ski-Lift Prices: (at the time of writing, the prices for this season were not yet listed; below are the prices for the 2014 season) Four-hour pass: Adult - KRW 48,000, Child - KRW 34,000 Six-hour pass: Adult - KRW 62,000, Child - KRW 43,000 Eight-hour pass: Adult - KRW 70,000, Child - KRW 49,000 Night-to-dawn pass: Adult - KRW 40,000, Child - KRW 28,000 Contact:033-260-2000

Daemyung Resort Vivaldi Park Popular among those in their 20s and relatively close to Seoul at around 45 minutes by shuttle bus, Daemyung Vivaldi Park Ski World is one of the most visited resorts in Korea, though don’t let the prospect of crowds scare you away; it is known to have good facilities for children and is very beginner friendly. It has 12 slopes (2 beginner, 5 intermediate, and 5 advanced) ranging from 210 to 880 meters, with the steepest slope a mere 28o. The slope names should clue you into the clientele it is now servicing (Ballads, Rock, Funky, Techno I & II).

Daemyung Resort is also close to Ocean World, so make a weekend of it and hit the Indoor Zone to soothe the bumps and bruises the next day.

For the Expert:, Phoenix Park Given the relative novelty of skiing in Korea, it is not particularly surprising that most resorts tend to cater to intermediate skiers and below. There is certainly a paucity of challenging runs for

High1 Resort Location: 50강원도 정선군 고한읍 하이원길 500 (고한읍), 500 High1-gil, Gohan-eup, Jeongseon-gun, Gangwon-do (Gohan-eup) Website: www.high1.com/eng/ Hhome/main.high1 Getting There: 1. Dong Seoul Bus Terminal to Taebaek via Shingohan Bus Terminal (2 hours 50 minutes) and then take a taxi from there (approx.

KRW 8,000) Ski-Lift Prices: Full-day pass (8:30-16:30): Adult - KRW 74,000, Child - KRW 56,000, Half-day pass (8:30-13:00, 12:00-16:30, or 18:30-22:30): Adult - KRW 60,000, Child - KRW 46,000 Contact: 1588-7799

Daemyung Vivaldi Park Ski World Location: 강원도 홍천군 서면 한치골길 262 (서면) 262 Hanchigol-gil, Seo-myeon, Hongcheon-gun, Gangwon-do Website: www.elysian.co.kr/global/eng/index.asp" \h www.elysian.co.kr/global/eng/index.asp Getting There: 1. Shuttle bus from Sports Complex Station Line 2 Exit 6 (Daemyung Resort Bus Station; Reservations may be needed) Ski-Lift Prices: (at the time of writing, the prices for this season were not yet listed; below are the prices for last season) Full-day pass (8:30-17:00): Adult - KRW 68,000, Child – KRW 48,000 Morning pass (8:30-13:00): Adult - KRW 50,000, Child – KRW 35,000 Half-day pass (12:30-22:30): Adult - KRW 78,000, Child – KRW 55,000: Contact: 1588-4888

Phoenix Park Location: Gangwon-do, Pyeongchang-gun Bongpyeong-myeon, Taegi-ro 174 Website: interface.phoenixpark.co.kr/global/english/default.aspx Getting There: 1. Dong Seoul Bus Terminal to Jangpyeong Bus Terminal (2 hours 40 minutes) then a shuttle bus to the resort.

2. A shuttle bus from Seoul is available during the ski season (information here: www.phoenixpark.co.kr/pp/intro/traffic_foreigner) Prices: Full-day pass (8:30-16:30): KRW 53,000 Half-day pass (8:30-12:30 or 12:30-16:30): KRW 42,000 Night pass (18:30-22:30): KRW 42,000 Contact: 033-330-3000, prmember@ bokwang.com

December 2015 www.groovekorea.com 69

Please note: The prices and shuttle bus information are subject to change, so it is recommended that you check the respective websites below or the Visit Korea website www.english. visitkorea.or.kr/enu/ index.kto, for the most up-to-date information.

Korea Snow www. korea-snow.com is also recommended as an excellent guide to skiing in Korea.

low natural snowfall (artificial snow is necessary to sustain many Korean ski fields) and uninviting, low-lying terrain that requires a great deal of development before masses of Seoulites and others can descend upon it. Korea currently has 18 ski resorts, most of which are subject to the type of crowding you would expect when supply cowers in the face of demand. Still, for those seasoned skiers who just want to shake the rust off, or for those like me who are looking to reprise a newborn-baby-giraffe-on-skis impression, finding a slope or two to visit is not too difficult.

The Korean skiing season generally runs from the start of December until March, so now is the time to get out, kit up, and hit the slopes. Pretty much any ski field you choose in Korea will have gear rental, lessons for beginners, a variety of food options, and other entertainment facilities. If you are serious about putting in the hours on the slopes though, it’s best to try a couple and choose the one that best meets your requirements, especially if buying a season pass is on your radar. Listed here are the five most promising options.

High1 Resort High1 Resort is often claimed to have the best snow in Korea and has been labeled the most environmentally friendly because of its construction and dedication to preserving the native trees in the area. It lies between 680m and 1,370m on Baekwoon Mountain in Gangwon-do, and offers 18 slopes of 21 km in total length, two of which are World Cup Ski Championship slopes and built for speed (the others: 5 beginner slopes, 3 intermediate, and 8 advanced). High1 also offers ski lessons specifically designed for those with disabilities and a terrain park that caters for different levels of ability.

An added bonus: if you have any money left over at the end of your snow adventure, you can blow it all at Kangwon Land Casino (and in the company of Koreans too, as this is currently the lone domestic casino where Koreans are allowed to gamble).

Edited by Naheen Madarbakus-Ring (naheen@groovekorea.com)

For the Family: Elysian Gangchon For those looking for something closer to Seoul and more family friendly, Elysian Gangchon can (and does) boast that it is the only resort that can be reached by the Seoul subway in Korea. (Although, given the rate at which the metro system is expanding, I expect that this record will be surpassed before you finish reading this sentence.)

The trip itself is not exactly short (108 minutes from Seoul Station), so it may be better to go the express bus route, but it remains one of the most convenient options for families without a car. It has 10 slopes (3 beginner, 4 intermediate, and 3 advanced), with the longest measuring 1500 m and the steepest 54o.

those skiers and snowboarders used to the big mountains and even bigger snowfalls elsewhere. The answer for some may be to look for locations that offer an interesting terrain park - a place to practice jumps and other snowboarding tricks - or simply those ski fields with the highest quality snow and the longest courses.

Located 700m up Taegisan Mountain, Phoenix Park is set to be the venue for the freestyle ski and snowboarding competitions during the 2018 Winter Olympics. It currently has 22 slopes open, with 12 at a standard approved by the International Ski Federation. Of these, 7 are listed as beginner slopes, 4 as intermediate, and 7 for experts; one of these slopes is the famous Panorama Course, where beginners get to start at the summit of the mountain and work their way down the 2.2 km to the bottom. Of particular interest to snowboarders is Extreme Park, which is equipped with a half-pipe, a tabletop, and rails for all the tricks you can think of, and which is always being reworked to better suit the clientele. And once you have your fill of skiing, there is always the nearby indoor water park, Blue Canyon, for a little offseason swimming to round out your active weekend.

T R A V E L

68 www.groovekorea.com December 2015

The Grandaddy: Yongpyong Resort Located three hours drive from Seoul on Korea’s east coast, Yongpyong is the biggest ski resort in Korea and where it all started on the domestic front. Forty years later, it is still going strong. With 28 slopes (at a combined total of 13.6 km in length), many of which are relatively wide and gentle, it is popular with newbies or tourists or expats just looking for that one-off quintessential Korean skiing experience. However, it should not be assumed that it is where all the neophytes congregate to take pictures of each other falling over; it has hosted a number of international competitions in the past, and will be the location for the alpine competitions in the 2018 Winter Olympics. In fact, 10 of the 28 slopes are listed as advanced or “superadvanced” (in addition to 6 beginner and 6 intermediate courses), and the steepest run average a 39o incline with a maximum of 56o. With a relatively high snowfall for Korea (~250 cm), it also has a longer than average ski season that stretches into April.

LISTINGS

Edited by Sean Choi (sean@groovekorea.com)

EMBASSIES American Embassy (02) 397-4114 • 188 Sejong-daero, Jongno-gu, Seoul Canadian Embassy (02) 3783-6000 • (613) 996-8885 (Emergency Operations Center) Jeongdonggil (Jeong-dong) 21, Jung-gu, Seoul British Embassy (02) 3210-5500 • Sejong-daero 19-gil 24, Jung-gu, Seoul Australian Embassy (02) 2003-0100 • 19th fl, Kyobo bldg., 1 Jongno 1-ga, Jongno-gu, Seoul Philippine Embassy (02) 796-7387~9 • 5-1 Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul Spanish Embassy (02) 794-3581 • 726-52 Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul French Embassy (02) 3149-4300 • 30 Hap-dong, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul

HOTELS & RESORTS Banyan Tree Club & Spa Seoul (02) 2250-8080 • San 5-5, Jangchung-dong 2-ga Jung-gu, Seoul

Novotel Ambassador Gangnam (02) 567-1101 • 603 Yeoksam 1-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul

Seoul Samsung Hospital 1599-3114 • 50 Irwon-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul

Grand Hilton Seoul (02) 3216-5656 • 353 Yeonhui-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul

Asan Medical Center 1688-7575 • 88 Olympic-ro 43-gil, Songpa-gu, Seoul

Somerset Palace Seoul (02) 6730-8888 • 85 Susong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Keimyung University Dongsan Medical Center (053) 250-7167 (7177 / 7187) • 56 Dalseong-ro, Jung-gu, Daegu

Park Hyatt Seoul (02) 2016-1234 • 606 Teheran-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul Lotte Hotel Busan (051) 810-1000 • 772 Gaya-daero, Busanjin-gu, Busan Park Hyatt Busan (051) 990-1234 • 51, Marine City 1-ro, Haeundae-gu, Busan 612-824, Korea

Airlines Korean Air 1588-2001 Asiana Airlines 1588-8000

FAMILY & KIDS INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS Yongsan Intl. School (02) 797-5104 • San 10-213 Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul Seoul Intl. School (031) 750-1200 • 388-14 Bokjeong-dong, Sujeong-gu, Seongnam, Gyeonggi-do Branksome Hall Asia (02) 6456-8405 • Daejung-eup, Seogipo-si, Jeju Island Daegu Intl. School (053) 980-2100 • 1555 Bongmu-dong, Dong-gu, Daegu

Lufthansa (02) 2019-0180

Dulwich College Seoul

Garuda Indonesia (02) 773-2092 • garuda-indonesia.co.kr

Dulwich College Seoul offers an exemplary British-style international education (including IGCSE and IBDP) for over 600 expatriate students aged 2 to 18 from over 40 different countries.

6 Sinbanpo-ro 15-gil, Seocho-gu, Seoul, Korea. www.dulwich-seoul.kr admissions@dulwich-seoul.kr 02-3015-8500

EMERGENCY MEDICAL CENTERS Jeju Air 1599-1500 Gangnam St-Mary’s Hospital 1588-1511 • 222 Banpo-daero, Seocho-gu, Seoul

T’way Air 1688-8686

Yonsei Severance Hospital (Sinchon) (02) 2227-7777 • 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul

British Airways (02) 774-5511

Seoul National University Hospital 1339 • 28-2 Yeongeon-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Delta Airlines (02) 754-1921

Jin Air 1600-6200

Cathay Pacific Airways (02) 311-2700

Emirates Airlines (02) 2022-8400

D ETUR

PO NS MU

NDO

Eton House Prep (02) 749-8011 • 68-3 Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul A unique British-style Prep School for children of all nationalities from 2-13 years of age.

A broad, challenging and innovative curriculum preparing pupils for senior school and life beyond. / www.etonhouseprep.com AMUSEMENT PARKS Everland Resort (031) 320-5000 • 310 Jeondae-ri, Pogok-eup, Cheoin-gu, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do Lotte World (02) 411-2000 0 • 240 Olympic-ro, Songpa-gu, Seoul Pororo Park (D-Cube city) 1661-6340 • 360-51 Sindorim-dong, Guro-gu, Seoul Children’s Grand Park (zoo) (02) 450-9311 • 216 Neungdong-ro, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul Seoul Zoo (02) 500-7338 • 159-1 Makgye-dong, Gwacheon-si, Gyeonggi-do BOOKSTORES What the Book?

(02) 797-2342 • 176-2, Itaewon 1-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul • whatthebook.com Located in Itaewon, this English bookstore has new books, used books and children’s books.

Kim & Johnson 1566-0549 • B2 fl-1317-20 Seocho-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul

HEALTH ORIENTAL MEDICINE Lee Moon Won Korean Medicine Clinic (02) 511-1079 • 3rd fl., Lee&You bldg. 69-5 Chungdam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul Specializes in hair loss and scalp problems and offers comprehensive treatments and services including aesthetic and hair care products.

Soseng Clinic (02) 2253-8051 • 368-90 Sindang 3-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul Yaksan Obesity Clinic (02) 582-4246 • 1364-7, Seocho 2-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul • www.dryaksan.com FITNESS Exxl Fitness Gangnam Finance Center, 737 Yeoksam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul • www.exxl.co.kr Daily Morning Ashtanga Yoga Mysore Classes (English) Jivamukti, Forrest, Universal Yoga (Korean) Apgujeong Rodeo Stn, Exit 4 (02) 515-6011• www.taoyoga.kr

UROLOGY & OB Tower Urology (02) 2277-6699 • 5th fl. 119 Jongno 3-ga, Jongno-gu, Seoul

ANIMAL HOSPITALS Chunghwa Animal Hospital / Korea Animal Transport (02) 792-7602 • 21-1 Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul / www.cwhospital.com

HAIR & JOY Served as Art Director at London’s Renowned RUSH SALON and nominated by the Guardian for “Best Hairdresser”

Woori Pet Hospital (02) 393-6675 • 299-1 Youngcheon-dong, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul

MUSEUM & GALLERIES National Museum of Korea (02) 2077-9000 • 168-6 Yongsandong 6-ga, Yongsan-gu, Seoul The NMK offers educational programs on Korean history and culture in English and Korean.

National Palace Museum of Korea (02) 3701-7500 • 12 Hyoja-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul This museum has a program called Experiencing Royal Culture designed for English teachers to help learn about Joseon royal culture.

Seodaemun Museum of Natural History (02) 330-8899 • 141-52 Yeonhui-dong, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul Don’t know where to take your kids on weekends? This museum exhibits a snapshot of the world and animals.

National Museum of Contemporary Art, Korea (02) 2188-6000 • 313 Gwangmyeong-ro, Gwacheon-si, Gyeonggi-do Leeum Samsung Museum of Art (02) 2014-6901• 747-18 Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul 10:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Closed on Mondays, New Year’s Day, Lunar New Year and Chuseok holidays.

Kumho Museum (02) 720-5114 • 78 Sagan-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Closed on Mondays.

Gallery Hyundai (02) 734-6111~3 • 22 Sagan-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul The first specialized art gallery in Korea and accommodates contemporary art.

10 a.m.-6 p.m. Closed on Mondays, New Year’s Day, Lunar New Year and Chuseok holidays.

Plateau (02) 1577-7595 • 50 Taepyung-ro 2-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul 10 a.m.-6 p. m. Closed on Mondays.

National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Seoul (MMCA SEOUL) (02) 3701-9500 • 30 Samcheong-ro, Sogyeok-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul Daegu Art Museum (053) 790-3000 • 374 Samdeok-dong, Suseong-gu, Daegu Art space for local culture presenting Daegu’s contemporary fine arts and internationally renowned artists.

Trained at TONI & GUY and VIDAL SASSOON Academy in UK Color, Perm, Magic Straight, Treatment and more English Spoken For more info, call Johnny Phone 02.363.4253 Mobile 010.5586.0243

HAIR&JOY

Mapo-gu Dong gyo-dong 168-3_ 3F Seven Uniqlo Springs

HonhIk Univ. Stn. Line2 Exit8

www.hairandjoy.com Gangnam Apgujeong Branch

QUNOHAIR

Phone 02.549.0335 www.qunohair.com 10-6, Dosan-daero 45-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul

T-M-A-S Total Martial Arts System SPECIALIZING IN TRAINING MARTIAL ARTS FOR EXPAT Established in 2008, we are the first and only professional martial arts studio tailored toward the foreign adult and child community in Korea.

Over the last 8 years we have trained 2000+ expat students from 32 countries in a traditional Korean syllabus.

Our instructors are highly experienced in teaching both adults and children of all ages and levels, from toddler to professional fighter.

All classes are conducted in English by certified Korean Masters!

Total martial arts system www.t-m-a-s.com 02-796-7976​/ 010-8944-2198 totalmartialartssystem@gmail.com TMAS

Hamilton Hotel

Itaewon Main St. Tom N Toms

Gecko’s

Olive Young

For free trail lesson please contact to totalmartialartssystem @gmail.com or 010-8944-2198

From exit 1 of itaewon Station, go straight towards Nosapyeong for 70 meters, We are on the third floor, directly across the street from Tom n Tom’s Coffee.

ITAEWON (GYEONGNIDAN & HAEBANGCHON)

The establishments on our maps are carefully selected and based solely on recommendations from our editors, foodies and readers.

Groove strictly separates these pages from commercial advertisements. These maps are only intended to serve the interests and cravings of our readers

R1 Bao ASIAN A4 (02) 797-4769 • 658 Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul

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CAFE / BAKERY / DESSERT HAIR SALON / SPA

R10

Hanjin Villa

RESTAURANT

R3 Buddha’s Belly THAI A4 (02) 793-2173 • 673 Itaewon 2-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul

PUB / LOUNGE SHOPPING

R17 R5

L1 Magpie Brewing MICROBREWERY A3 (02) 742-2849 • 691 Itaewon 2-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul

WE CARRY PLATINUM CRAFT BEER

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L6

R4 Burger Mine BURGERS A2 070-8263-2034 • 45-9 Yongsan-dong 2-ga, Yongsan-gu, Seoul

Namsan Daerim Apts.

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C2 The Baker’s Table BAKERY CAFE A3 070-7717-3501 • 691 Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul

R5 Casablanca MOROCCAN A2 (02) 797-8367 • 44-8 Yongsan-dong 2-ga, Yongsan-gu, Seoul R8

R6 Pizzarium PIZZA A5 (02) 312-7580 • 529 Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul

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Hanjin Villa

Hansin Apts.

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Buy the Way cvs

MG Community Credit Cooperatives

Wellbeing Mart Seoul Digitech High School

IBK R22 L9 L11 L10 R1

R8 HBC Gogitjib KOREAN BBQ A2 (02) 796-5528 • 46-5 Yongsandong 2-ga, Yongsan-gu, Seoul

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L6 Bonny’s Pizza & Pub PUB A2 (02) 792 0303 • 44-17 Yongsan-dong 2-ga, Yongsan-gu, Seoul

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L7 Maloney’s Pub & Grill PUB B3 (02) 3785-1675 • 225-67 Itaewon 2-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul

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Itaewon Post Office

Pacific Mansion Gold

R9 The Booth PIZZA B3 (02) 1544-4723 • 705 Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul

CU cvs Rose Hill Villa

Itaewon Cheil Church

Itaewon Elementary School

Hyundai Villa

2 Itaewon Villa

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Green Mart

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R19 Kkaolli pochana THAI B3 (070) 8872-1995 • 706 Itaewon 2-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul A hole-in-the-wall Thai restaurant serving real Thai with generous portions at cheap price.

R10 Jacoby’s Burgers BURGERS A1 (02) 3785-0433 • 45-6 Yongsan-dong 2-ga, Yongsan-gu, Seoul

R12 Taco Chili Chili MEXICAN A5 (02) 797-7219 • 527 Itaewon 2-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul

R13 Trevia ITALIAN A4 (02) 794-6003• 557 Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul Their pizzas are Roman-style; the thin, crispy dough comes out of the oven literally smoking hot.

R15 Mi Madre SPANISH A4 (02) 790-7875 • 568 Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul

Stn

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L9 Craftworks Taphouse MICROBREWERY A3 (02) 794-2537 • 238 Noksapyeong-daero, Yongsan-gu, Seoul The first expat-owned microbrewery in Korea still offers some of the best brews around. Try out their seasonal tastes in a warm and inviting ambience.

R17 Kusina FILIPINO A2 (02) 790-1826 • 44-7 Yongsan-dong 2-ga, Yongsan-gu, Seoul R18 PIZZARIA RETRO ITALIAN B3 (02) 749-8947 • 712 Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul L10 The Springs tap house CRAFT BEER A4 (02) 795-7732 • 238 Noksapyeong-daero, Yongsan-gu, Seoul

S1 THE NAIL BAR NAIL SHOP B4 (02) 794-8549 • Manicure, pedicure, tanning and waxing

L11 PIER 39 BAR A4 (02) 749-0339 • 658 Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul

R23 MEATBALLISM BURGER C3 (02) 792-5161 • 225-143 Itaewon 2-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul

R22 DON CHARLY MEXICAN A4 (070) 8154-4475 • 250-12 Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul Authentic Mexican by Mexican chef

L13 UPPER DECK SPORTS BAR B3 (02) 749-1223 • 305-5 Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul. American sports bar & Grill

R24 ROBOT KIMBAP KIMBAP A4 (02) 794-9595 • 563 Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul

C3 STREET CHURROS DESSERT CAFÉ A4 (02) 792-1489 • 557 Itaewon 2-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul

C4 ONCE UPON A MILKSHAKE DESSERT CAFÉ A3 (070) 7435-3513 • 638 Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul

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Yongsandong Apts.

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Embassy of The Republic of the Philippines

2 1

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Hangangjin Stn.

R1

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ITAEWON (GYEONGNIDAN & HAEBANGCHON)

ITAEWON (OVERVIEW)

The establishments on our maps are carefully selected and based solely on recommendations from our editors, foodies and readers.

Groove strictly separates these pages from commercial advertisements. These maps are only intended to serve the interests and cravings of our readers

H

Grand Hyatt Seoul Hotel

R14

Leeum Museum

C3

2

R15 F4

Itaewon Elementary School

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ITAEWON (MAIN)

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R2 Linus BBQ SANDWICH B3 (02) 790-2920 • 56-20 Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul Pulled pork sandwich, Brisket sandwich, coleslaw, mac and cheese

R11 On The Border MEXICAN D3 (02) 792-0682 www.ontheborder.co.kr Authentic Mexican restaurant with homemade dishes and freshest ingredients with 25 margaritas to choose from.

L3 Reilly’s Taphouse BAR C3 (02) 792-6590 • 3F. 123-32 Itaewon 1-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul Reilly’s Taphouse boasts some 20 draft beers and is committed to carrying the best craft brews from Korea and around the world.

R7 Joongsim KOREAN B3 (02) 2235-0707 • 34-39 Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul

RESTAURANT

WE CARRY PLATINUM CRAFT BEER

R19

R9 Le Saigon VIETNAMESE B3 (02) 792-0336 • 74-33 Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul

F1 What The Book ENGLISH BOOKSTORE B3 (02) 797-4342 • 2F. 176-2 Itaewon 1-dong, Yongsan-gu,Seoul Located in Itaewon, this English bookstore has new books, used books and childrens’ books. www.whatthebook.com

HAIR SALON / SPA

SHOPPING

L1 Craftworks Taphouse MICROBREWERY A1 (02) 794-2537 • 238 Noksapyeong-daero, Yongsan-gu, Seoul The first expat-owned microbrewery in Korea still offers some of the best brews around. Try out their seasonal tastes in a warm and inviting ambience.

R1 HBC Gogitjib (Haebangchon branch) A1 KOREAN BBQ (02) 796-5528 • 46-5 Yongsandong 2-ga, Yongsan-gu, Seoul

R4 Vatos Urban Tacos MEXICAN B3 (02) 797-8226 • 181-8 Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul A unique ambience makes this upscale restaurant an ideal place to fill your stomach with authentic favorites.

R16

PUB / LOUNGE

L5

R9

R2 C2

Cheil L7

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CAFE / BAKERY / DESSERT

IP Boutique Hotel

L3 Hamilton Hotel 2 1 Itaewon Stn. 3 4

F1

F3

Hannam Foreigner’s Apts.

Bokwang Elementary School

L5 Wolfhound IRISH PUB C3 (02) 749-7971 • 128-6 Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul L7 Rocky Mountain Tavern BAR D3 010-6654-7202 • 736-12 Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul

C2 The Lab Store by STREET CHURROS CAFE A3 • 34-42 Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul

R15 Nari Jib KOREAN BBQ D2 (02) 793-4860 • 738-24 Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul Samgyupsal and Cheonggukjang (pork BBQ and soybean paste pot stew) C3 Richesse Velours CAFE D2 (02) 797-8878 • 741-17 Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul Try its signature dessert menu item, bottled cupcakes.

S2 ONE SPA THERAPY SPA & MASSAGE D2 (02) 749-0409 • 3rd fl., 124-7 Itaewon 1-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, Spa and massage packages starts at 20,000w.

R16 Gida Sushi JAPANESE D2 (02) 749-3558 • 683-125 Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul Sushi bar with reasonable prices.

L8 Yuda JAPANESE BAR D2 (02) 388-5081 • 683-126 Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul L9 Muntaro JAPANESE BAR D2 (02) 796-7232 • 683-124 Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul

F3 High Street Market GROCERY SHOP FOR IMPORTED ITEMS D3 (02) 2201-0652 • 727-24 Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul One-stop shop for imported groceries and coveted deli products.

L10 Bull & Barrel SPORTS BAR B3 (010) 9982-2423 • 44-82, Itaewon 1-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul A new hybrid bar and restaurant with a huge terrace and roof top and a state-of-the-art Dart Bar to throw at.

F4 Beaker SHOPPING D2 (070) 4118-5216 • 738-36 Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul Discover a wide array of fashion items by the best international designers including James Perse, Aspesi, Rag&Bone, Vince, Jack Spade and more.

R19 Left Coast Artisan burgers BURGER C3 (02) 6248-2998 • 131-20 Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu. Seoul

R14 Pizzeria D’Buzza ITALIAN E1 (02) 794-9474 • 743-33 Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul This trendy joint has a full range of Italian fare. Make sure to make a reservation.

Place to relax and unwind Oriental massage and Spa packages for couples available

R23 MIYA GOT THE BALLS ITALIAN A3 (070) 4231-4346 • 549, Itaewon 2-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul Korean-American chef from Master Chef Korea serving homemade meatballs, pasta and porchetta.

ONE SPA THERAPY

Foot massage 20,000w Full body massage starts at 30,000w

02-749-0409 (02) 793-2344

This tropical resort-themed lounge is a getaway from bustling city.

Seoul, Yongsan-gu, Itaewon-dong 112-3 Sun-Thu: 4:30 pm – 3 am Fri-Sat: 4:30 pm – 5 am

3rd fl. 124-7 Itaewon 1-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul

(3 mins from Itaewon subway stn.)

10am – 5am

ITAEWON (MAIN)

The establishments on our maps are carefully selected and based solely on recommendations from our editors, foodies and readers.

Groove strictly separates these pages from commercial advertisements. These maps are only intended to serve the interests and cravings of our readers

A

B

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CAFE / BAKERY / DESSERT HAIR SALON / SPA

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RESTAURANT PUB / LOUNGE SHOPPING WE CARRY PLATINUM CRAFT BEER

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L10 L19 L11

R14

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D’oro Hotel

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R6 L17

R10 L9 L8

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R22 R2

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Hamilton Hotel L1

L16

Shinhan Bank

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Itaewon Stn.

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Itaewon Fire Station

KB

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7-Eleven cvs

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ITW Hotel

CU cvs CU cvs

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R1

R1 Bulldogs HOTDOG D4 (02) 6248-2998 • 131-20 Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu. Seoul

R2 HBC Gogitjib (Itaewonbranch) KOREAN BBQ A2 (02) 796-5528 • 118-9 Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul

L13 Dillinger’s PUB B3 (02) 793-7232 • 72-32 Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul

R19 Marrakech Night MOROCCAN D4 (02) 795-9441 • 131-3 Itaewon-dong

R10 Maple Tree House KOREAN BBQ C2 (02) 790-7977 • 116-1 Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul

L16 Reilly’s Taphouse BAR D2 (02) 792-6590 • 3F. 123-32 Itaewon 1-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul

R11 Ho Lee Chow CHINESE C2 (02) 793-0802 • 119-25 Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul L1

L10 All that Jazz JAZZ CLUB D2 (02) 795-5701 • 112-4 Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul

R21 Un Deux Trois FRENCH D2 (02) 796-1244 • 123-33 Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul An authentic French brasserie where traditions and trends mix, symbolizing a Parisian way of life

R13 My Thai ASIAN D2 (02) 794-8090 • 123-20 Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul

L17

R14

L1 Rose & Crown PUB A2 (02) 794-2555 • 118-23 Itaewon 1-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul Classic British pub specializes in ales and carries 40+ draft and bottled beers R5 Zelen BULGARIAN B2 (02) 749-0600 • 116-14 Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul R6 Le saint EX FRENCH B2 (02) 795-2465 • 119-28 Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul L5 Baby Guinness PUB B2 (02) 792-2777 • 119-17 Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul R7 Pattaya THAI B2 (02) 793-4888 • 116-14 Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul L6 Gecko’s Avenue LOUNGE C2 (02) 790-0540 • 116-6 Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul

R14 Jonny Dumpling 2 CHINESE D2 (02) 790-8839 • 123-5 Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul

L17 The Glamping BAR&GRILL A2 (02) 792-3189 • 171-23 Itaewon-dong L11 Jeon Mandang KOREAN BAR D2 Recreate the feel of outdoor camping (070) 8749-5004 • 118-18 Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul and BBQ cuisine in the warm indoors.

L9 Prost PUB C2 (02) 796-6854 • 116-1 Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul

R18 Don Valley KOREAN BBQ C3 (02) 796-2384 • 127-12 Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul R22 Battered Sole FISH & CHIPS A2 (02) 749-6867• 2 fl., 118-9 Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul

L8 Glam LOUNGE C2 (010) 2657-6853 • 116-1 Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul R17 Gecko’s Terrace AMERICAN C3 (02) 749-9425128-5 • Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul L8

R17

L18 Hollywood Grill BAR&GRILL D2 (02) 749-1659 • 123-33 Itaewon 1-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul One of Itaewon’s favorite expat haunts. A real sports bar famed for its burgers and its broad range of pub fare.

L19 The Bungalow BAR D2 (02) 793-2344 • 112-3 Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul This tropical resort-themed lounge is a getaway from bustling city.

L19

#liveishere

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Euljiro 1(il)-ga Stn. 8 7 1 Lotte Hotel

7-Eleven cvs

5 6

KEB

Seoul

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Mr. Pizza

Myeong-dong Tourist Information Center

Metro Hotel

Skypark Hotel [II]

7-Eleven cvs

Skypark Hotel [Central]

Lotte Duty Free

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Lotte Avenuel

Lotte Cinema

Seoul YMCA

ABC Mart

Ibis Ambassador Hotel

R4

Hadongkwan

Osulloc Tee house

Seoul Royal Hotel

Starbucks

R2

Myeong-dong Donkatsu

OLIVE YOUNG

Myeong-dong Shinhan Bank Burger King Theater

Lotte Young Plaza

Jhill Hotel

Police Stn.

Nanta Theater

R3

Andong Jjimdak Myeong-dong Catholic church

OLIVE YOUNG

Frisbee

3

Hamheung Myeonok

R1

Chinese Embassy

Myeong-dong Kyoja Seoul lobal Cultural Center

Vips

Kyesung Girls’High School

CROCS

A-land

GS25 cvs

Savoy Hotel

Starbucks

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NineTree Hotel Shinhan Bank

Quicksilver & Roxi

CGV

The Grand Hotel

Skypark Hotel [III] TOUSlesJOURS

- DEC.18 2015 홍대 앞 무경계 음악 축제

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Migliore

R1 Myeongdong Kyoja KOREAN D3 With more than 40 years of history, Myeongdong Kyoja has been loved by the locals for many years. The restaurant is popular for its Kalguksu, a Korean noodle dish that serves handmade noodles and other ingredients in a bowl of thick chicken broth. The mini dumpling toppings add a zesty touch while the crazy chili kimchi gives you garlic breath that may be hellish for your companion, but well worth it. The pork dumplings are also highly recommended.

R2 Myeongdong Donkatsu KOREAN B2 Opened in 1983, this restaurant serves delicious donkatsu (Japanese pork cutlet).

The secret is in aging thick slices of seasoned pork fillet (150kg total) for three to four days making the meat tenderer.

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8 7 ng Stn. Myeong-do

R3 Andong Jjimdak KOREAN D2 Dak means chicken in Korean, and jjim means steamed, stewed or braised in a sauce. Andong Jjimdak, which originated from the city of Andong, is a spicy version that has become enormously popular since late 1990’s. Braised in a sweet and savory braising liquid, the dish gets its spiciness from dried whole red chili peppers and fresh fiery hot green peppers called Cheongyang gochu.

R4 Hadongkwan KOREAN D2 Opened in 1939, it is the most representative gomtang (traditional Korean soup boiled with beef bone) restaurant in Seoul.

With its long history, Hadongkwan provides an authentic taste of gomtang and it only opens its door until 4:30pm.

MYEONG-DONG

The establishments on our maps are carefully selected and based solely on recommendations from our editors, foodies and readers.

Groove strictly separates these pages from commercial advertisements. These maps are only intended to serve the interests and cravings of our readers

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