Groove Korea November 2014 by Groove Korea

Eating alone with friends The meokbang phenomenon brings new meaning to eating live in Korea

KOREA â&#x20AC;˘ Issue 97 / November 2014

Groove On with Dan Deacon Gentleman, composer and acclaimed DJ kicks off Groove Koreaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new concert series

Under a facade of profitability, free press is blighted by interference, incompetence and corruption

EDITORIAL

To comment, email editor@groovekorea.com

Do wnwa rd spi r a l

Traditional media’s dependence on advertising is leading to the slow death of journalism in Korea Editorial

By Lee Kijun, journalist at Newsweek Korea

Last year, I was writing a story on a public event held in South Jeolla Province. I called the public relations office to ask for their cooperation, but they rejected my request. I wondered why they had refused to grab an opportunity to promote their event. They said, “We helped a journalist to report our event before, and then he pushed us so hard to buy his publication. So we are concerned about cooperating with journalists on events.” I had to convince them that I’d never demand anything for the story. This is just the tip of the iceberg. It’s been a longstanding practice of Korean media outlets to force businesses or events to buy their publications or take out advertisements in exchange for a story. The most high-profile example of this was a conflict between two major business newspapers, the Maekyung and Hankyung. In February 2013, MK ran a story on corruption perpetrated by a former HK employee. HK countered with feature stories accusing MK of threatening corporations to sponsor them. According to HK’s reports, businesses that rejected MK’s proposals would be ferociously attacked in stories. Most interestingly, HK practically admitted that MK’s behavior was a “business practice.” On its front page, HK wrote that it “doesn’t intend to decide which company is better. Newspaper companies in Korea have overlooked each other’s corruption.” Kim Su-chan, the head of the planning department at HK, said in an interview, “If someone asks us if we are innocent, then we don’t have much to say. What we can say is MK’s abuse has been a bit worse than the others.” Without a proper revenue model, advertisements have been the sole lifeline of the media. Asking corporations for money in exchange for favorable coverage has become the new normal. Nowadays, it’s hard to find a news company that can survive without corporate sponsorship. According to the 2013 Survey on the Media Industry in Korea, published by the Korea Press Foundation, ad sales accounted for 56 percent of revenue in 2012, while revenue from subscriptions made up just 20.3 percent. Gross sales have also been declining rapidly. There’s one exception: business news companies. According to the Media Management & Marketing Institute, business dailies in Korea have continued to grow in the last five years. The annual combined revenue of nine business dailies increased from 59.1 bil-

lion won in 2008 to 68.9 billion won in 2013. On the other hand, the revenue of 11 broadsheets with national distribution decreased from 140.9 billion won to 131.9 billion won during the same period. How could the business dailies be so successful? The answer is simple. Most of their stories are about corporations, so they attract advertisements from them more easily. This trend indicates that the relationship between the advertising and editorial offices at newspapers is becoming closer and closer. It wasn’t like that before. “Editorial offices were far apart from those for advertising. We didn’t know each other because we didn’t need to,” said a news magazine editor-in-chief who has worked in the media for 20 years, asking not to be named. “We worked separately.” But nowadays these two departments have meetings to discuss moneymaking stories at least once a week at most media companies. Writers are also often asked to pitch stories likely to attract advertisements. The problem is a lack of a stable revenue model. Most media companies in the world charge for stories posted on their websites. But Korean companies got off on the wrong foot. Since the early 2000s, they have provided all of their stories for free. After a decade, Koreans have gotten used to reading news stories at no cost. Companies are increasingly dependent on corporate sponsorship because they can’t make enough money from online subscriptions. That dependence reduces the quality of stories, in turn leading to fewer subscribers. Fewer subscribers, less corporate sponsorship. That’s how the downward spiral proceeds. Media companies have to find a way to build trust and convince people to pay for their content. Although most Korean people read news online, they don’t differentiate click bait from quality reporting. Usually, they read news through search engines such as Naver and Daum. These search engines are so full of click bait that it is difficult to find meaningful stories. People are getting sick of it. The slang word “giregi,” a portmanteau of the Koreans words for “garbage” and “journalist,” is now used to describe journalists responsible for such worthless stories with sensational headlines. Media companies need to convince the public that there’s a huge difference between click bait and an important story. This would be a first step toward better journalism.

next up: DECEMBER 2014 Food

Trekking along the crumbling Great Wall

It’s officially the holiday season, which means you’re officially one of two things: sad to be away from your baby cousins and the cranberry sauce and the family get-togethers, or relieved –– wholly soothed, even –– to be as far from the merry madness as possible. Maybe you’re hanging winky lights all over your apartment and making decorations for your desk, or maybe you’re about to run screaming down the street with glee at the thought of missing your aunt’s bad jokes and that waterlogged stuffing (because admit it, there’s nothing good about stuffing). But no matter which side of the holiday spectrum you fall on, whether you love it or hate it, we all have one comfort to fall back on: hot spicy wine. And it’s super-duper simple. All you need is a couple bottles of booze, some spices and 20 minutes to kill, then you’ll be able to sip away all night long and make your Game of Thronesian “hot cup of wine” dreams come true.

My first day in Beijing was spent as a solo traveler begrudgingly tolerating hordes of tourists that followed flag-waving, megaphone-toting tour guides through the Forbidden City. The very last thing I desired was encountering anything similar along the Great Wall the following day. So for my second day, I decided to set off on an adventure to a less visited portion of that magnificent wall. Looking back, I underestimated the adventure that was to ensue. Rather than starting and ending a walk atop the Wall at the same location, I read it wasn’t too difficult to hike between more distant sections. I was determined to do just that. Numerous friends suggested portions of the Wall that were less touristy. The only problem was, less touristy is still touristy and I desired not touristy at all. I wanted to hike along an elegantly crumbling portion of the Wall.

Story by Shelley DeWees 4

Destinations

Magical mulled wine

www.groovekorea.com / November 2014

Story by George Kalli

CONTENTS

What’s in this issue

ISSUE 97 NO VEMBER 2 0 1 4

44 40 Music & Arts

40 Groove On with Dan Deacon WELCOME

INSIGHT

Traditional media’s dependence on advertising is leading to the slow death of journalism in Korea

If you’re fortunate enough to have some spare won to transfer abroad, Groove offers advice on how to get it there.

04 Editorial: Downward spiral 10 Key people

Introducing some of the editors, writers and photographers behind the November issue

24 Sending money overseas

11 The inbox

Electronic music maestro Dan Deacon kicks off Groove Korea’s new concert series with a Nov. 28 show at FF in Seoul.

42 Against the current

Multimedia artist Bright Baek puts her past behind her and sets her sights on Seoul’s visual art scene.

44 Cannibal Heart

Between their following in Hongdae and their crowd-friendly sound, this alt rock outfit is ready to eat your heart out.

46 While they watched

Opinions and feedback from readers

12 Must reads

A selection of our editors’ favorite articles

For his upcoming documentary, Jake Smith takes on a topic that hits close to his adopted home on the peninsula: human rights abuses in North Korea.

14 On the Cover

48 Artist’s Journey

Creative multitasker Michael Downey takes no prisoners in Seoul’s expat theater hotbed.

18 What’s on

Festivals, concerts, happy hours, networking and events for every day of the month

20 the news

Chasing Chinese at sea is perilous; nuclear fraud figures back on job; KCTU says abuse of watchmen must cease; in college admissions, lies outsmart

COVER STORY

26 Korea’s media malaise

Seen by some as the most liberal media in Asia, the Korean news industry battles high levels of government censorship and low audience expectations.

Check out our GrooveCast episodes on these stories at groovekorea.com.

50 At the box office

“Interstellar” (Nov. 6) “Dumb and Dumber To” (Nov. 27)

51 DVD CORNER

“The Client” (의뢰인) “The Attorney” (변호인)

CONTENTS

What’s in this issue

ISSUE 97 NO VEMBER 2 0 1 4

Community

80 Settle down there

Whether you’re a sports fan, concert-hopper or an advocate for community causes, Jeonju offers a slice of the big city with the quietness of the countryside.

84 Killin’ it in Korea

As the elder statesman of English comedy in Korea, Brian Aylward returns to the peninsula before his Asian takeover.

86 Combating disease,

one vaccine at a time Seoul’s International Vaccine Institute is drawing world-class researchers to the fight against preventable disease.

88 Dolls for a difference

The organizer of the capital’s most-anticipated musical fundraiser, Rubber Seoul, talks venues, dolls and an AIDS-torn region in South Africa.

FOOD

DEstinations

66 Eating alone with friends

72 Discovery

68 Fee-fi-fo-fum!

76 Zen and the art of bicycle touring

More evenings in the office, more hours in the classroom and more people living alone: Korea’s recipe for a boom in live eating broadcasts.

Busan’s Jack in the Beanstock offers a vegan food haven with a growing fan base.

70 A Russo-Ukranian consommé

90 Chance encounters

A trip to the Boseong tea fields helps rejuvenate one expat’s friendship with his travel companion — his mother.

On the 600 km road from Wando to Busan, you’ll need your wits, stamina and a thirst for the road less traveled (literally).

Groove correspondent Chance Dorland meets with a former East Berlin resident with familial ties to the infamous Kims of North Korea.

Roll up your sleeves and grab some rubber gloves: we’re prepping beets this month. Bring on the borscht.

Distractions

COMICS

GAMES

GROOVE LISTINGS Doctors, travel agencies, restaurants, hotels, airlines, nightclubs and more

HOROSCOPES

Check out our GrooveCast episodes on these stories at groovekorea.com.

Credits - Contributors

KOREA 4th floor, Shinwoo Bldg. 5-7 Yongsan 3-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, Korea.

KEY PE OPL E

Some of the editors, writers and photographers behind this month’s issue

Clinton Stamatovich Contact info (010) 5348-0212 / (02) 6925-5057 Advertising ads@groovekorea.com General inquiries info@groovekorea.com E D I TORIA L Editorial Director Elaine Ramirez elaine@groovekorea.com Insight Editor Matthew Lamers Community Editor Jenny Na jenny@groovekorea.com Music & Arts Editor Emilee Jennings emilee@groovekorea.com Food & Destinations Editor Shelley DeWees Editor-at-large John M. Rodgers jmrseoul@gmail.com Senior Copy Editor Jaime Stief Copy Editors Kevin Lee Selzer, Daniel Deacon, Bryoney Hayes GrooveCast Host Chance Dorland chance@groovemedia.co.kr Events Editor Celeste Maturen celeste@groovekorea.com Social Media Editor Merissa Quek ART & D E S I G N Art Director Park Seong-eun sam@groovekorea.com Illustration Director Wilfred Lee wilfred@groovemedia.co.kr Design Adviser Prof. Kim Duck-mo M AR KE T I NG & A D M I NI S T R ATI O N CFO Steve Seung-Jin Lee steve.lee@groovekorea.com Marketing Executive Jay Park jpark@groovemedia.co.kr Manager Peter Chong eschong@groovekorea.com Accounting Choi Hye-won Web, I.T. Dan Himes danhimes@groovekorea.com W R I TE RS & P R O O F R E A D E R S

Adam Ellerson, Alejandro Callirgos, Alexander Hall, Andrew Stokols, Anita McKay, Anna Schlotjes, Annie Narae Lee, Anthony Greene, Anthony Levero, Beryl Sinclair, Christopher Green, Connor Dearing, Conor O’Reilly, Conrad Hughes, Daniel Kang, Dave Hazzan, Dean Crawford, Deva Lee, Eileen Cahill, Felix Im, Gaea Dill-Dascoli, Gareth Sharp, George Kalli, Haeryun Kang, Harold Swindall, Hyunwoo Sun, Ian Henderson, Ian McClellan, Jamie Keener, Jayson Moore, Jean Poulot, John Power, Josh Doyle, Kellie Ell, Ken Fibbe, Ken Hall, Kyndra Love, Laine Ritter, Leslie Finlay, Liam Mitchinson, Matt VanVolkenburg, Megan Fox, Nate Finch, Paul Sharkie, Rajnesh Sharma, Remy Raitt, Ron Roman, Ryan Ritter, Sarah Edge, Sean Maylone, Shane Torr, Shireen Tofig, Simon Hunter-Williams, Simon Powell, Simon Slater, Sophie Boladeras, Stephanie Anglemyer, Stephanie MacDonald, Timothy Cushing, Tom Godfrey, Walter Stucke, Wilfred Lee

PH OTOGR A P H E R S & I L L U S TRATO RS

Adam Paul Czelusta, Aimee Anne, Andrew Faulk, Christina Singer, Colin Dabbs, Craig Stuart, Darren Farrell, Dirk Schlottmann, Don Sin, Dylan Goldby, Fergus Scott, Hannah Green, James Anderson, James Kim, Jen Lee, Jessica Lia, Jon Linke, Jungeun Jang, Kaegan Saenz, Kevin Kilgore, Merissa Quek, Michael Hurt, Michael Roy, Min Pang, Nathan Shacochis, Nicholas Stonehouse, Nina Sawyer, Pat Volz, Peter DeMarco, Rob Green, Robyn Viljoen, Sabrina Hill, Samantha Whittaker, Turner Hunt, Vanessa Sae-hee Burke

U.S.

Clinton Stamatovich, from Bristol, Indiana, graduated with a degree in journalism from Indiana University South Bend. He teaches English in Busan and works as a freelance journalist and illustrator, contributing to ARC online magazine as a writer and editor. Clinton Stamatovich contributed “Fee-fi-fo-fum!” this month.

Daniel Deacon U.K.

Daniel is from Leicestershire and has been using his MA in TESOL to teach in Korea, the Czech Republic, Germany and the U.K. He’s a freelance copy editor working with publishers, magazines and students, and spends most of his time appreciating good coffee, learning Korean, Instagramming and cycling along the Han River. Daniel is a copy editor for Groove Korea.

Simon Powell U.K.

Simon Powell is a London-born photographer, violinist, educator and bicycle traveler. Currently based on Jeju Island, Simon relishes roaming: “Traveling shatters the monotony of everyday life, forcing us to view life from fresh and original perspectives. It hones my eye by engendering in me a childlike curiosity at even the smallest ingredients of the day. For me, wanderlust and wonder are intimately entwined.”

Haeryun Kang Korea/U.S.

Haeryun Kang majored in German Studies at Macalester College, Minnesota. After graduating, she “returned” to Korea — she hadn’t lived in the country since 2001, so there wasn’t a lot to return to — and decided to try out living as a Korean. Still trying. She is currently living in Ulsan, and looking for journalism jobs in Seoul.

Publisher Sean Choi sean@groovekorea.com

Simon Slater To contribute to Groove Korea, email submissions@groovekorea.com or the appropriate editor. To write a letter to the editor, email editor@groovekorea.com. To have Groove Korea delivered to your home or business, email subscribe@groovekorea.com. To promote your event, email events@groovekorea.com. To advertise, email ads@groovekorea.com. 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.

U.K.

Simon is a freelance writer and photographer based in Seoul. He loves nothing more than going into the unknown with his camera to capture his particular take on the local color. He’s documented back-alley crucifixions in the Philippines and crashed ancient rituals in Indonesia, but won’t be satisfied until he makes a portrait of a monk riding a buffalo. Simon manages the blog and Facebook page The Secret Map.

TH E INB OX

To submit a letter, email opinion@groovekorea.com

Re: EFL education (October 2014) The article doesn’t mention how the public school systems couldn’t make good use of their NETs (native English-speaking teachers). I have worked at a number of hagwons and a public school. I put my all into my teaching at hagwons (private educational institutes) and I think that my teaching helped the students a great deal. I could actually see them improve! (But) I felt next to useless at the public school. Despite having a lot to offer, I couldn’t help much due to the curriculum, the system itself (widely varied levels of students in one class, infrequent English lessons, studying with different English teachers on different days of the week) and due to social pressures by certain co-teachers. Like hagwons, public schools are not consistent though, and I’m sure that every native teacher will have had a different experience. This article tells an important truth: If Korean students are not from rich families, learning English is nearly impossible. These problems do exist but this is also a symptom of the Suneung (university entrance) test system, and the desire to get into one of only a few top universities whose prestige comes not from the level of education that they offer, but the social connections. It’s related to the fact that Korea is dominated by large conglomerates and that midsized companies cannot provide decent salaries or working conditions, etc. The fact that parents spend so much on English classes and that getting this kind of education is really difficult or impossible for many is a big problem. However, focusing only on this issue is not going to solve the problem when it is largely a symptom of other unaddressed problems. Heather Lynne Kwon, via Facebook

Re: Adoptees’ right to their records; A silent sacrifice, a human cost (September 2014) On Oct. 20, 2014, 12:32PM, 뿌리의집 (@KoRoot_2011) Tweeted:

@groovekorea thanks for your last issue about overseas adoptees and single moms! More information KoRootIsMore: indiegogo.com/projects/koroot-is-morethan-a-guest-house-for-adoptees

MUST READS

A selection from our editors

M U S T RE ADs

Groove On with Dan Deacon

Despite being a classically trained musician, it’s the eight electronic albums that Deacon’s released since 2003 that have garnered him the most attention — well, that and his live performances.

Cannibal Heart

“Our ideas come from everyday life and what’s going on in our lives. We don’t write our songs from intellect, we write them from feeling. We’re pretty adamant about that.”

Korea’s media malaise

From the outside, South Korea’s media appears to be thriving, but just as it did for many other facets of Korean society, the Sewol disaster exposed a rot at the heart of this country’s news media.

12 www.groovekorea.com / November 2014

As Koreans have grown up in a more stable economic climate, meat has taken the foreground in the Korean restaurant scene. Sophia Kim, the proprietor of Jack and the Beanstalk in Namcheon, Busan, runs her restaurant with the polar opposite approach: no meat whatsoever.

CaVALIA

Already enjoyed by some 4 million people across North America, Europe, Australia and the Middle East, Cavalia is a lavish production involving 50 horses and featuring 40 riders, aerialists, acrobats, dancers and musicians from all over the world.

Discovery

From the moment I left Seoul’s urban sprawl with my mom on her second visit to Korea, green replaced gray as I unplugged from the city’s matrix and saw Korea with fresh eyes.

Fee-fi-fo-fum!

C OVE R Korea’s media malaise

In the immediate aftermath of the Sewol ferry disaster, many Koreans found themselves overwhelmed with grief, anger and, especially painful for the victims’ families, confusion. The coverage of the accident displayed the kind of frantic reporting that audiences have come to expect from tragic events, but there was something more: seemingly deliberate deception. The Korean media system, shaped during Japanese imperial rule and managed at arm’s reach from the government since then, has evolved into an industry with few watchdogs and even fewer whistle-blowers. Groove explores the sickness creeping through the body of Korean media, and how to beat the infection. Read the story on Page 26.

Cover illustration by Rob Green Cover design by Park Seong-eun

O u r past three iss u es

October 2014

September 2014

August 2014

Evolution, devolution, revolution See you in Sejong Korean punk struggles forward

Tracing an unknown past Silversmithing in Bali Vegan eats, vegan drinks, vegan love

An oasis out of the ashes At home in Korea Smoothie party!

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W h at ’ s O n SUN

MON

November

TUE

WED

THU

Happy Hour: 3,000 won off “bomb shots” (all night)

*All the events published in this calendar are subject to unforeseen changes by the promoters. Groove Korea does not take responsibility for any misunderstandings or third-party damage.

@ DOJO in Itaewon

Beer: Men’s night Standup comedy

For suggestions or comments, email events@groovekorea.com

(Wednesdays)

@ Craftworks in Noksapyeong (Thursdays); 2,000 won off single malts and 1,000 won off all beers

@ Tony’s in Itaewon; tonysitaewon.com

Family Tour to Nami Island

Seosan Chrysanthemum Festival

ANZA Korea Melbourne Cup luncheon

SIWA November Coffee Mingle

Social

@ Nami Island; 8a-4a; siwapage.com

FEstival

Music

@ Gagu-ri, Chungcheongnam-do; to Nov. 9; visitkorea.or.kr

@ UNIQLO AX; 6p; standing 110,000 won / reserved seat 132,000 won; www.uniqlo-ax.co.kr

Hwang Kyu-tae: Photography

MR. BIG Live in Seoul

Sport

Exhibition

@ Grand Hyatt Hotel, Yongsan-gu; 11a; 140,000 won nonmembers / 120,000 won ANZA members anzakorea.com

after Photography

2 For 1 fish & chips

@ Seoul Museum of Art; to Nov. 14; sema.seoul.go.kr

@ Wolfhound (Tuesdays); wolfhoundpub.com

Vassline, Crash, Yellow Monsters

SIWA and Diplomatic Community Bazaar

Murray Perahia & ASMF

Music

@ Prism, Hongdae; 6p; 30,000 won Social

Raskb’s Walking Through Joseon Dynasty

Network

@ 2nd Floor 63 Convention Center, Jongno; 10a-4p; siwapage.com

Music

Social

@ Itaewon, Apgujeong and Insadong; 10p - 12p; siwapage.com

Music

Kim Ganji × Ha Heonjin, Soultrain

Music

@ Strange Fruit, Hongdae; 8:30p; 15,000won Charity

@ Blue Square Samsung Hall, Yongsan-gu; 8p; to November 6; ticket.interpark.com

@ Neungla Babsang; 7p; 13,000 won-15,000 won; fb.com/ NKHRRescueFund

Maksim Mrvica Live

NKHR Hunger Banquet

Cavalia

@ Jamsil Sports Complex, Songpa ticket.interpark.com

@ Concert Hall Seoul Arts Center; Seocho-gu; 8p; sacticket.co.kr

Pasta night

@ Craftworks in Noksapyeong (Tuesdays); craftworkstaphouse.com

@ Deoksugung Palace, City Hall; 9a; register by Nov. 5; 25,000 won; raskb.com

See our story Page 36

16 Music

Epik High

@ Bluesquare Samsungcard Hall, Seoul; 6p; www.ticketbis.com

Christmas Decorations Market

SIWA Historic Jeong-dong Neighborhood Tour

Social

@ Express Bus Terminal Station; 10a; register by Nov. 16; 15,000 won; siwapage.com Musical

Nanta!

@ Myeongdong or Chung jeongno Nanta Theaters; nanta.i-pmc.co.kr

Travel

@ City Hall Station; 9:30a; 25,000 won; register by Nov. 17; siwapage.com

20 Margarita Party

@ On The Border in Itaewon

Half price fish & chips

Cheesesteak sandwich night

7-9p. 35,000 won; 4 free cocktails, endless draft beer and Mexican finger food

@ Big Rock in Gangnam; 500 won/ wing; bigrockbeer.co.kr

@ Hollywood Grill, Itaewon; (02) 749-1659

Jeong-dong raskb.com

Jason Mraz

Open Mic Night

Bill Callahan

Margarita Party

THEater

Tour

@ Deoksugung Palace; 1-4p; register by Nov. 19; 25,000 won

Music

Chvrches

@ UNIQLO AX; 7p; 77,000 won

Music

@ Grand Theatre, Sejong Center for the Performing Arts; 8p; ticket. interpark.com

The Prism Red by Choi Hyun-woo

@ The Magic Theater, Busan; to Nov. 30; mbcsamjooart.com/magic

Music

@ Camarata Music Studio, Haebangchon; 8-11p Musical

Music Show Wedding

@ Hongdae Music Show Wedding Theater; nanta.i-pmc.co.kr

Music

@ Sangsangmadang Live Hall; 8p; 44,000 won-55,000 won; ticketpark.com Social

Language Exchange Cafe @ Cafe in Hongdae; 7-10p; meetup.com/ Language-Exchange-Cafe

@ On The Border in Sinchon 7-9p. 33,000 won; 4 free cocktails, endless draft beer and Mexican finger food

FRI

Happy Hour: 2,000 won off beer/wine @ Craftworks in Noksapyeong; 4-6p; craftworkstaphouse.com

S AT

Social

5th Annual Seoul Zombie Walk

@ Seoul Forest, Seongdong-gu; 7:30p; “5th Annual Seoul Zombie Walk” on fb.com Social

Happy Hour: All-you-can drink

FFK Harvest Day Fair

Iron Lung, Scumraid, Dead Gakkahs, Bamseom Pirates, Gonguri, Yuppie Killer

Bras for a Cause Auction Party

FEstival

@ Thunderhorse Tavern, Gyeongnidan; 10p; fb.com/kiteflyingrobot Network

@ Big Rock in Gangnam; 25,000 won for Big Rock beer or 15,000 for OB; 7-10p; bigrockbeer.co.kr

Music

@ Badabie, Hongdae; 7p; 10,000 won

Bangeo Festival

@ Moseulpohang Port, Jeju; to Nov. 9

@ Franciscan Foreign Kindergarten, Yongsan; 10a -2p; Trick-or-treating and costume competition; marketday@FFKSeoul.com or ffkseoul.com

Social

@ Bull & Barrel, Itaewon; 8p; 10,000 won Music

Kite Flying Robot CD release show Seoul Swap

@ Noksapyeong Station, Itaewon; 2p - 4p

14 Social

Food Week with SIWA

@ COEX, Gangnam; 10a - 5p; siwapage.com

See our story page 54

Jason Mraz

Sondre Lerche

Music

@ KOTRA Exhibition Center, Daejeon; 8p; ticket.interpark.com Music

Music

@ Hongdae V-Hall, Mapo; 7p; 77,000 won; ticket.interpark.com Exhibition

MC Sniper, Dead’ P, BK, DJ Young, Urban Boy, Cool Kids, Jay Vito, Bredy

L’estuaire de la Seine

@ Prism, Hongdae; 7p; 30,000 won

@ Hangaram Art Museum, Seocho; 11a - 7p; to Feb. 15; sac.or.kr

29 Charity

Rubber Seoul 2014

@ Club Ta, Club FF, Club Big Bird, Gogos 2, DGBD in Hongdae; 9p; see our story on Page 88 Music

Music

Groove On with Dan Deacon

@ Club FF, Hongdae; 11p; 40,000 won; see our story on Page 40

9 and the Numbers

@ Mapo Art Center, Mapo; 7p; 40,000-50,000 won

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.

N a t i o n a l

N e w s

with

November 2014 / www.koreajoongangdaily.com

Chasing Chinese at sea is perilous Park Se-cheol fears dying at sea, but drowning isn’t what terrifies him. As a 32-year-old Coast Guard officer, he’s a strong swimmer. What haunts him are Chinese fishermen. “They’re really resistant these days,” he said, referring to the hundreds — and possibly thousands — of Chinese fishermen illegally fishing in the Korean West Sea every year. Government statistics show that 1,586 Chinese vessels were busted from 2011 to last July. Park’s job is to take part in those busts: to raid the vessels illegally fishing in Korean waters, confiscate the ships and cargoes and detain the crews, bringing formal charges against them. But that job is a lot riskier than it was in the past. Today, Park says, it’s “life-threatening.” “There’s a lot of them brandishing knives and beer bottles,” he said. “Constantly, I

ask myself: ‘Am I going to die today?’” A reporter from the JoongAng Ilbo followed Park in what he calls a “life-risking” tour. Soon after the reporter boarded a 3,000ton ship with Park at around 2:40 a.m. in waters 120 kilometers west of Gunsan, North Jeolla, a voice pierced the darkness: “Chinese fishing boat within visual distance!” Tension filled the air. A battle had begun. Four Coast Guard ships, including Park’s, navigated toward about 40 illegal Chinese vessels clustered together. The tide was high and the wind strong. The chase continued for 30 minutes. In the end only two boats were caught, with 3,000 kilograms of anchovies and 2,500 kilograms of other fish between them. The raids were accomplished without a violent reaction from the interlopers. That’s not always the case.

In October, a Chinese skipper, 45, was fatally shot during a raid in waters 144 kilometers west of Wangdeung Island, Buan County. In 2011, a Korean Coast Guard officer was stabbed to death by a Chinese fisherman resisting arrest. Illegal fishing has been a problem between Korea and China for a long time, but it rarely leads to diplomatic feuds. A recent report by the JoongAng Ilbo shed light on how the Chinese vessels are disposed of. The fishermen are charged a maximum of 200 million won to retrieve their vessels, but not many bother to pay the full amount. “We can’t store them forever,” said Jeong Myeong-gap, an officer at the Incheon Coast Guard. “Maintenance costs are another issue. So we discard them.” From 2010 to last year, the Coast Guard paid 133.6 million won to discard 12 Chinese vessels, he said.

Three high-level officials at a state-run — the Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Corenergy company who resigned from their poration and KEPCO E&C — removed 246 posts last year after a corruption scandal executives in the wake of the scandal that involving counterfeit parts in nuclear plants involved counterfeit and uninspected nuare back on the job, according to an opposi- clear parts. The faulty parts caused the affected power tion lawmaker. One of the three was re-employed in two plants to be shut down numerous times. After the parts scandal was revealed, the months, while the other two had their jobs public became outraged when the former back within nine months. The findings were presented by New Poli- government officials were rehired at smalltics Alliance for Democracy Rep. Chun Soon- er affiliates of state-run companies. The reok during a National Assembly audit hear- hiring was considered corrupt, and including yesterday for KEPCO E&C. ed other practices such as taking bribes for Chun said she found out about the rehir- parts supplies. Two executives from KHNP, the main ings while reviewing a document submitted by the company, a subsidiary of the Korea public corporation in charge of managing operations of nuclear reactors, resigned in Electric Power Corporation. “Rehiring these executives is a fraudulent January. However, top management at KEPCO E&C action against the public,” said Chun. “These people resigned on their own will after the followed suit only after it was unveiled that company was found to have been involved no one at the company had taken responsiin an illicit activity that allowed faulty parts bility and resigned. to be installed in nuclear plants.” That fueled a public outcry that resulted In June last year, two state-run companies in the immediate resignation of the three

officials. But the executives were found to have gotten new positions at the energy company as contract workers while receiving annual salaries of between 50 million won and 60 million won. The lawmaker said all three men are figures who have powerful influence within the company, as they have worked there for more than 30 years. They had even received paychecks of as much as 180 million won a year. One of the officials, surnamed Kim, who was in charge of management and planning, also acted as a proxy CEO for four months beginning in June 2013 after CEO Ahn Seung-kyu resigned in the face of mounting public anger over the corruption scandal. Kim now works in the company’s public relations department. “The rehiring of executives is unethical and completely violates the social responsibility made by the current CEO of eradicating corruption,” the lawmaker said.

Nuclear fraud figures back on job

In college admissions, lies outsmart Two years ago, when Mrs. Lee’s 20-yearold son was found to have lied on his college application papers and later was expelled from his university, she was furious. But she wasn’t angry because he had acted immorally; rather, she was more upset because, in her mind, it was useless to blame him for something everyone else did, too. “In Gangnam, everyone does this,” Lee reportedly told police. “Why is he the only one getting in trouble?” Further investigation proved that her son, surnamed Sohn, also had an accomplice — his teacher. When authorities looked into the case, they found that Sohn had received an undeserved award in an art competition for a piece he hadn’t created. His teacher switched the boy’s name with another student and submitted the work on Sohn’s behalf. His teacher’s recommendation letter also included details of volunteer work he had never completed. Sohn applied to college in the early admissions stage, which assesses an applicant’s transcripts, extracurricular activities, academic awards, volunteer work, recommendation letters and grades. In Korea, regular admissions normally evaluate applicants’ scores on the College Scholastic Ability Test, a standardized exam held every November. Thirty-five percent of the seats available at local col-

leges next year will be chosen via regular admissions, while the remaining 65 percent will be selected through early admissions. One in 4 early admissions slots will be determined through criteria similar to that which determined Sohn’s admission. But if Sohn’s case is any indication, university officials are mostly helpless at verifying certain information, and similar fabrications often fly under the radar. “There’s really not much we can do but believe whatever documents were authorized by the high school,” said one university admissions officer, who asked for anonymity. “It’s hard to tell which paper was fabricated when you have students and teachers collaborating in the scheme.” Kim Kyeong-bum, a Seoul National University professor who screens admissions materials, acknowledged that the screening process isn’t easy, but that he looks for inconsistencies or other telltale signs that a cover letter may have been fabricated — if an applicant volunteered at a hospital, for instance, ahead of school exams. Indeed, tracking lies can be difficult, especially when considering that references aren’t required in some universities, like Konkuk and Dongguk universities, as well as Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, all of which scored in the top 20 in this year’s college evaluation rankings by the JoongAng Ilbo.

Another problem is that admissions consultation companies prey on these weak points by ghostwriting cover letters in return for hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of won. And for parents like Mrs. Jang, 48, entrusting those companies is inevitable, as cover letters all come down to composition skills. “How different can high school students be in their extracurricular activities?” she said. “Really, it’s more about the way you present that record.” The early admissions procedures that focus on applicants’ track records in high school, rather than on numerical data like CSAT scores, were based on government efforts to provide better opportunities for students from rural areas and lower-income brackets, most of whom lack the financial means to enroll in expensive private tutoring academies, or hagwons. But Kim Kyung-suk, head of the Korean Council for University Education, argues that the procedure isn’t what is wrong with the system; rather, it’s the deception some teachers willingly choose to engage in with their students. “Though it might be a bit tiring for students, local universities should require evidential documents from them” to justify their recorded extracurricular activities, Kim said. For Sohn, it was a hard lesson to learn. He has since earned permission to enter a different school.

KCTU says abuse of watchmen must cease In response to an immolation suicide attempt by a security guard who allegedly was abused by the apartment dwellers he was hired to protect, the country’s largest leftwing coalition of labor unions demanded an apology from the residents’ committee. During a press conference held at the scene of the tragedy, the Shin Hyundai Apartments in Apgujeong-dong, southern Seoul, members of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions criticized the poor working conditions faced by security guards, due largely to rude behavior by some residents. “The incident was the result of disrespect and abusive language commonly employed by some residents,” the KCTU said. A security guard identified by the surname Lee, 53, attempted suicide at the Shin Hyundai complex, one of the poshest addresses in Seoul, by dousing himself with paint thinner and setting himself ablaze in a resident’s automobile, according to a briefing by the Gang-

nam Police Precinct. A resident who witnessed the act immediately called the police, and other security guards at the apartment complex subdued the flames with fire extinguishers, authorities said. Lee was transported to a nearby hospital to be treated in an intensive care unit for third-degree burns. The injuries were not life-threatening, police said. The KCTU released a photo of Lee to the press, which showed him wrapped in bandages from head to chest and breathing with the aid of a respirator. He hasn’t gained consciousness since the suicide attempt, the group said. “There may be several reasons behind the suicide attempt,” an officer from the Gangnam Police Precinct said. “We’re exploring possibilities including personal insults by residents.” Lee will be summoned upon recovery, the police said.

Lee’s coworkers at Shin Hyundai, who along with Lee are affiliated with the KCTU, were quoted by local media as saying that Lee was anguished by the behavior of some of the apartment residents. Lee was insulted by a particular resident right before the suicide attempt, guards said. The KCTU provided a few details about the suspected abuser. “We were told by Lee’s colleagues that a resident of building No. 103 frequently scolded him for doing a poor job on recycling,” and that the suspect hurled food at Lee, “making him feel mortified.” Shin Hyundai’s residents committee has yet to make a statement about the incident. In 2010 a security guard named Lee, 65, leaped to his death from the roof of an apartment complex in which he worked. In a suicide note, he said he hoped other guards wouldn’t suffer the same verbal and physical violence he had.

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INSIGHT Edited by Matthew Lamers (mattlamers@groovekorea.com)

The Money column

Sending money overseas T h i n k t i me . T h i n k c o s t. Column by Paul Sharkie / Illustration by Darren Farrell

Here is a frequently asked, genuine customer question and how we responded. Dear Shinhan, How can I send (an) overseas remittance using my Shinhan account here in Korea to my bank in the Philippines? Also, what necessary fees do I have to pay? — Remitting customer Dear customer, F irst and foremost, you must consider how quickly you need the funds delivered and how much you are willing to pay for this service. While Moneygra m will always be the fastest option, it is not always the cheapest. You may send money overseas using your bank’s own services (in this case Shinhan) or using an external service called Moneygra m that is also moderated via your bank. (Other banks also offer this service or another known as Western Union.) Depending on how much you wish to send, using one over the other could end up being cheaper in terms of fees. Also keep in mind that there are intermediary and receiving banks that may charge additional fees not counted here.

The basics for a bank transfer

Sending money from your bank normally takes three to five business days. In order to send money overseas from your bank, you need the following bank account details:

Receiving bank

• Name, address and branch name • Overseas routing number / international banking code, also referred to as the SWIFT code, ABA number, transit number, BLZ code, IBAN code, sort code or other routing number Receiving bank customer: • Name, phone number, address and bank account number With Shinhan, the following fees must be taken into consideration (please check your own bank’s applicable fees): 1. 8,000 won telegraphic transfer (T/T) fee 2. Shinhan handling fee (varies by mode of remittance and amount sent): • Less than or equal to $2,000 = 10,000 won • Less than or equal to $5,000 = 15,000 won • More than $5,000 = 20,000 won However, if remitted online or via an ATM, then this handling fee will be reduced by 50%. You must register for these services at a branch with your passport and ARC. 3. Intermediary bank fee (usually around $20, but check with your receiving bank) 4. Receiving bank fee

ABOUT THE writer Paul Sharkie is the Foreign Client Relationship Manager for Shinhan Bank’s Foreign Customer Department. Please visit Shinhan Expat Banking on Facebook for more information. The banking information provided in this column is based on Shinhan Bank policies and may not be applicable to all banks in Korea. — Ed.

24 www.groovekorea.com / November 2014

F irst and foremost, you must consider how quickly you need the funds delivered and how much you are willing to pay for this service. While Moneygra m will always be the fastest option, it is not always the cheapest. Going the external route

Alternatively, the Moneygram service can deliver your remittance in around 10 minutes. It is important to determine if your family or friend lives near a Moneygram collection center; if they do not, there is not much point in sending the funds to them via this method. In the case of sending to the Philippines, for example, the fees are as follows: Up to $100 = $13 charge Up to $300 = $14 charge Up to $400 = $16 charge Up to $500 = $18 charge Up to $1,000 = $20 charge To put this into context, if you were to send the following amounts to the Philippines, here’s how the two services compare: Amount

Shinhan Bank

(Regular)

(Online / ATM / mobile banking)

Moneygram

$100

18,000 won

13,000 won

$13

$300

18,000 won

13,000 won

$14

$500

18,000 won

13,000 won

$18

$1,000

18,000 won

13,000 won

$20

$5,000

23,000 won

15,500 won

$100

$10,000

28,000 won

18,000 won

$140

Note

• These fees are subject to change periodically. Please check with your bank for the most up-to-date figures. • The Shinhan fees listed above do not take into consideration any intermediary or receiving bank fees charged by the respective institutions. • The Moneygram fees listed above only apply to the Philippines; fees to other nations (including Bangladesh, Cambodia, Cameroon, China, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Japan, Mongolia, Nepal, Nigeria, Russia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, the U.S., Uzbekistan and Vietnam) vary by country and by the amount sent. For more information, call our Shinhan foreign language call center at 1577-8380 or (02) 3449-8380 on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

COVER story Edited by Elaine Ramirez (elaine@groovekorea.com)

Story by John Power / Illustrations by Rob Green and Sergio Mateos Additional reporting by Moon Soo-hyun

ne month after the Sewol ferry sank and killed join Newstapa, an investigative journalism outlet launched in 2012. more than 300 people, Korea’s second-largest “They will say it is quite advanced. But if you take a deep look inside newspaper ran a full-page apology. In it, the … the culture of the Korean media’s organization, it is almost like the JoongAng Ilbo sought forgiveness for its reporting 19th or early 20th century — still very authoritarian.” on the disaster, which had been riddled with On the surface, Korea’s media appears to be thriving, and misinformation and salacious speculation. even an example to a region where liberal democracy is “Our incorrect reports have caused confusion and the exception rather than the norm. The country’s pain to readers and the families of the ferry peaceful transition to democracy in the late ‘80s victims. We feel ashamed and apologize for promised journalists a newfound freedom to that,” the statement read, as cited in the report without fear or favor. Local-language Wall Street Journal. newspapers still boast circulations that The apology was just one of many would be the envy of media companies from media outlets that parroted in most developed countries: Chosun incorrect government reports of the Ilbo, the country’s largest daily, runs death toll, excluded voices critical of about as many print editions as the the official response to the sinking combined print and digital circulation of and even fabricated reports from the the New York Times, in a far smaller scene. As it did for many other facets of market. The local media continues to Korean society, the disaster exposed a be among the freest in Asia, according rot at the heart of the news media. to both Reporters Without Borders and Sewol exposed a low point in Korean Freedom House. journalism, but it was no exception either. Media But compared to other democratic countries, watchers and journalists describe fundamental, the laws protecting freedom of expression are longstanding problems facing the industry. They paint fickle. Korea’s rankings on Freedom House and a picture of a landscape blighted by government and corporate Reporters Without Borders’ yearly press freedom indexes are interference, corruption, incompetence and apathy. sliding, with the latter dropping seven notches to No. 57 this year. “If you take a look at the appearance of the Korean media terrain, Many journalists complain of pervasive government and corporate it’s quite good,” says Choi Kyung-young, a veteran journalist who pressure. Others routinely ignore basic journalistic principles, often left a long career at the Korean Broadcasting System last year to in apparent ignorance of why they matter at all.

GrooveCast GrooveCast host Chance Dorland speaks with journalist John Power about why the media in Korea isn’t doing its job. Subscribe to GrooveCast in the iTunes Store or listen online at groovekorea.com.

‘They ask for advertisements and if that company doesn’t give the money, usually the reporter has to write something bad about the company. ... I think I have gotten used to it now. It’s not good, but it’s how the newspaper companies work here.’ reporter, local financial newspaper

COVER story Edited by Elaine Ramirez (elaine@groovekorea.com)

Inside the ‘chulib cheo’: Join the club Much of Korea’s mainstream media culture is built on an intricate ‘journalists choose one web of connections between the outlets, the government and big of these two options. Option one, be companies from the top down. Because of a combination of unique just as a salaried worker: Just produce historical and cultural factors, producing news in this environment one to three articles per day based boils down to access to the elites and how to get it. on some press release documents The Korean media’s closest cousin is Japan. While newspapers distributed by the chulib cheo. Two, try first emerged in the late 19th century, many of the features of to be a real journalist: Even though it is the modern Korean press came into being in the 1920s during Japan’s colonial rule, meaning they were largely modeled after the hard for journalists who have a chulib Japanese newspaper system. This structure continued even after cheo to investigate labor issues deeply the U.S. occupation of Korea, says Lee Jae-gyeong, a journalism every day, make an effort to listen professor at Ewha Womans University. to people outside of the chulib cheo. One feature borne of this history overwhelmingly shapes how But, sadly, in my view, there are more journalism is produced to this day: a culture of journalist beats, or journalists who choose the “chulib cheo,” revolving around exclusive press clubs. first option in Korea.’ Each government ministry and chaebol typically has its own Heo Eun-sun, former press club that serves as its sole official source of information. Only OBS reporter members, typically journalists from the most powerful media, get access inside. These exclusive groups of journalists decide which other media organizations can join — and which can be kicked out. As with the “kisha” clubs of Japan, the South Korean equivalents often exclude foreign or minor media and freelance journalists. Such outside pressures on the media reach past the reporter As a cub reporter with Gyeonggi Province-based TV network network into management itself. On the corporate side, blackmailing OBS, Heo Eun-sun was tasked with winning access to the Ministry conglomerates to leverage ad revenue is a newspaper industry norm. of Education for her employer. Speaking on condition of anonymity out of fear of losing her job, “When we want to get the ability to get a desk in the press room, one journalist at a financial newspaper describes how her editors we should prove we are a ‘safe’ news company,” she says. In blackmail chaebol executives to take out ads by threatening them practice, this meant submitting an uncontroversial news report for with negative stories. daily review as well as extensive socializing with the members of “They ask for advertisements and if that company doesn’t give the press club. the money, usually the reporter has to write something bad about To prove she was a “good girl” not out to challenge the established the company,” she says, adding that it is common practice at most order, Heo had to demurely accept invitations to eat and drink with newspapers to approach firms in this way at certain times of the her seniors. year. “At that time, I wanted to quit because I didn’t know if I was a Similarly, she says her newspaper regularly carries glowing journalist or a businesswoman,” she says. coverage of chaebol in exchange for money. Unlike clearly labeled Once inside the club, reporters spend much of their time socializing “advertorials” in Western newspapers, such quid-pro-quo articles with government officials or company executives related to their give the reader no indication of the financial exchange. beat. Both Heo and Newstapa’s Choi believe these relationships Other pressure takes on a more personal flavor. Once, she says, often become too close for journalists to maintain the necessary an editor altered her story to put a negative spin on a visit by Seoul skepticism. Mayor Park Won-soon to the site of a major development project. “They eat together, they drink together, they become very friendly, The edited article portrayed the mayor’s visit as motivated by and they listen to stories from their beat, only from their beat,” says concern over his image rather than genuine interest in safety fears Choi. “They never prove their stories. They never investigate.” surrounding the project. The reason? The newspaper chairman Many journalists, Heo and Choi say, do little more than rewrite the disliked Park. press releases fed to them. Though conscious of the compromising nature of her work, she is “Journalists (here) choose one of these two options,” says Heo. resigned to the reality of her profession. “Option one, be just as a salaried worker: Just produce one to three “I think I have gotten used to it now. It’s not good, but it’s how the articles per day based on some press release documents distributed newspaper companies work here,” she says. by the chulib cheo. Two, try to be a real journalist: Even though it is hard for journalists who have a chulib cheo to investigate labor issues deeply every day, make an effort to listen to people outside of the chulib cheo. But, sadly, in my view, there are more journalists who choose the first option in Korea.”

28 www.groovekorea.com / November 2014

Freedom score (0=most free, 100=least free)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 14 15 18 28 33 46 50 57 59 61 88 99 111 118 130 132 140 144 145 146 147 149 150 171 174 175 178 179 180

6.4 6.46 6.52 6.7 6.82 7.02 7.43 8.5 8.55 8.98 10.23 10.47 10.99 16.91 19.93 23.49 23.82 25.66 26.02 26.55 30.3 31.33 34.03 36.03 37.94 38.15 40.34 40.97 41.43 42.58 42.73 43.69 44.29 71.22 72.36 72.91 80.81 81.96 84.83

Finland Netherlands Norway Luxembourg Andorra Liechtenstein Denmark Iceland New Zealand Sweden Germany Switzerland Canada Australia United Kingdom United States Taiwan Republic of Korea Japan Hong Kong Mongolia Greece Brazil United Arab Emirates Thailand Indonesia India Cambodia Myanmar Bangladesh Malaysia Philippines Singapore Lao People’s Democratic Republic Vietnam China Turkmenistan Democratic People’s Republic of Korea Eritrea

0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 0 3 1 2 2 4 14 3 7 6 3 10 15 3 4 5 7 0 1 6 2 2 2 1 3 2 2 1 1 1

Source: Reporters Without Borders

Rank Country

Press freedom in South Korea South Korea saw its ranking for press freedom decline in the indexes released by both Reporters Without Borders and Freedom House in 2014. The country’s rank in the former index slipped seven places from the previous year, from 50 to 57. In a summary of its findings, the Francebased NGO noted the prosecution of Choo Chin-woo, a SisaIN journalist, and Kim Oujoon, a host of the popular podcast “Naneun Ggomsuda,” on charges of defaming the

younger brother and father of President Park Geun-hye. The two were eventually acquitted in October 2013. Reporters Without Borders uses a questionnaire and its own assessment of the level of violence against journalists to compile its rankings, based on pluralism, media independence, environment and self-censorship, legislative framework, and transparency and infrastructure. U.S.-based Freedom House, which

dropped South Korea one place to 32 in its latest rankings, has yet to publish explanatory information for this year’s score. The 2013 index, however, cited the prosecution of citizens under the National Security Law and parachute appointments made by the Lee Myung-bak government as threats to press freedom. Freedom House’s index is based on three categories: political environment, legal environment and economic environment.

COVER story Edited by Elaine Ramirez (elaine@groovekorea.com)

Murky sources Anyone who opens a Korean newspaper or tunes in to the TV news is likely to be confronted with an abundance of anonymous sources. Information from unnamed government officials routinely forms the basis of articles, as was the case with reports during the recent Asian Games that the South Korean government intended to pay the cost of North Korea’s participation in the sporting event. Ordinary citizens, too, are regularly identified with nothing more than “Lee” or “Kim” when speaking about their experiences or an issue of public concern. “This is because of ... the environment that requires each reporter to write so many articles,” says Cho Soong-ho, a diplomacy and North Korean affairs reporter with Dong-A Ilbo, one of the country’s largest newspapers. “There is no time to meet multiple sources for double- and triple-checking. Most journalists try to double-check, at least, but there isn’t always time for even that. In that case, even if only one source confirmed something, if that source is reliable, reporters would often cite the source anonymously and go ahead and write the article.” The most prestigious names in news worldwide, such as the Associated Press and Reuters, strongly discourage the use of anonymous sources except in exceptional circumstances. Including a source’s name holds both the interviewee and journalist to account, making it much more difficult for either to lie or pursue a hidden agenda. Korean media outlets, by contrast, often appear indiscriminate in withholding the identities of their sources. Even convicted criminals are routinely not named in the media, in what is often an example of overcompensating for the dearth of privacy and human rights in past dictatorships, according to professor Lee. Reports also often fail to identify businesses or organizations that form the basis of the story — even when they are implicated in unethical or criminal behavior. In the wake of the Sewol disaster, the Joongang Ilbo

30 www.groovekorea.com / November 2014

reported on lax safety standards at businesses including a Seoul night club. Despite claiming the club was putting patrons’ lives at risk by failing to provide sufficient fire exits, the article declined to name the venue. Similarly, a rash of articles in August about a bar that briefly banned Africans over Ebola fears declined to identify the venue, JR Pub in Itaewon. “Every time I would write an article, when I quoted someone, I referred to them by their name, but some colleagues and superiors thought this was not a good idea,” says Heo, who worked as a reporter for SisaIN magazine after leaving OBS. “I disagreed with that.” In addition to strict defamation laws, advertising pressures fuel this endemic neutering of reporting, Lee suggests.

“Korea is a very small country. If you name a person or a branch of office, then you could immediately identify what kind of company (or) government branch is related to the issue,” Lee says. “So there is a little more caution on the part of the press and it has to do with the commercial pressure, the advertising situation. There used to be lots of deals between major corporations and the news media on how much identity is expressed in a story.”

Newsroom boot camp Some critics say that journalists’ ill-founded ethics go back to their lack of relevant training and education. Just as for many positions in Korean society, the path to a job in a local newsroom is unforgivingly competitive. Last year, some 2,000 people applied for 81 positions at 11 media companies, according to data from the Journalists Association of Korea, cited in The Korea Herald. Would-be journalists typically have to pass a five-stage recruitment process, culminating in several sleepless weeks on the police beat and a final interview. But before that, an exam — itself restricted to applicants with the best resumes and personal essays — forms a key part of the selection process. Along with essay writing skills, the exam will test an applicant’s grasp of “sisasangsik,” translated as “current affairs” but more accurately described as an extremely broad conception of general knowledge. Textbooks on the subject stretch to hundreds of pages of definitions and descriptions. Topics include everything from gerrymandering, the Engel coefficient and stagflation, to historical figures such as Oliver Cromwell and Julius Caesar. Reliance on this entrance exam — and being devoted to preparing for it — means that many budding reporters have little or no background in actual reporting in the initial recruitment stages. “The end result is people who are smart but ill-prepared, with few professional ethics,” says Ewha professor Lee, adding that other relatively arbitrary criteria such as English scores are used to sort potential journalists. “That’s how we have been maintaining the press system for almost the last 100 years.” Cho, the Dong-A Ilbo reporter, recalls the recruitment and training process as being of little value. “This is because they’re focused on developing the audacity to be able to carry out instructions regardless of how unfavorable the situation is, rather than on cultivating professionals specializing in a certain field,” says Cho.

‘The conservative government so far has been very, I must say, shameless in appointing people very close to the presidential influences as the CEOs or as the executives of KBS and MBC.’

Park Kyung-shin, law professor at Korea University, former member of the Korea Communications Standards Commission

While there is no dedicated journalism school in the country, dozens of universities offer media-related degree programs. But even there, theory and rote memorization are often placed above practical education, says Lee. “Korean journalism education is not really developed at all,” says Lee, adding that most schools mix theoretical courses rather than teach writing or reporting. Song Ji-min, a journalism major at the same university, says her coursework has included worthwhile practical assignments. Yet she laments the overemphasis on memorizing terms and facts that makes up a large part of her education. It is an approach that, she says, leaves students poorly equipped. “They have no time to think about what is a reporter, who is a reporter, what is the attitude for a good reporter,” she says.

COVER story Edited by Elaine Ramirez (elaine@groovekorea.com)

Controlling the airwaves Choi Kyung-young joined KBS in 1995, working his way to the status of a high-profile investigative reporter at the country’s largest broadcaster over a decade. In 2005, he was part of a team that uncovered massive tax evasion by a raft of public figures including judges and lawmakers. The story sparked the first resignation of a Supreme Court justice in Korean history and saw Choi and his colleagues shortlisted as finalists for the Investigative Reporters and Editors Awards held in the United States. But Choi’s position at the peak of investigative journalism wasn’t to last. In August 2008, he and fellow journalists protested former President Lee Myung-bak’s appointment of Lee Byung-soon as KBS president. They saw the move, along with the earlier removal of former chief Jung Yun-joo for alleged mismanagement, as an attempt to influence output at the broadcaster. Before long, Choi was pulled out of investigation and transferred to the sports desk, a reassignment he considers a demotion. Three other journalists and producers at the broadcaster lost their jobs after protesting the appointment. Choi is convinced that he, too, was targeted for his opposition to the conservative former president’s choice of chief. “My investigative team was literally disintegrated, disappeared,” says Choi. Frustrated, Choi took a career break in 2009 to study in the U.S. for a master’s degree in journalism. After returning to find the atmosphere at KBS little changed under yet another CEO, Choi left the broadcaster for good in 2013. Accusations of political interference at Korea’s broadcast networks have been relentless in recent years. In 2012, journalists at KBS, MBC and YTN, as well as wire service Yonhap News Agency, went on strike to protest management appointments and the quashing of stories critical of the government. The KBS president at the time, Kim In-kyu, had been a media adviser on the campaign of former President Lee. MBC chief Kim Jae-chul, meanwhile, was also known as a close associate of the president. KBS journalists went on strike again this May, accusing yet another KBS chief, Gil Hwan-young, of taking orders from the Blue House at that point occupied by incumbent President Park Geun-hye. The protests came after news chief Kim Si-gon claimed that Gil had attempted to control Sewol coverage at the behest of the presidential office. Just a week prior, junior reporters at the broadcaster had released a statement claiming coverage had been manipulated to give a favorable impression of the government. Allegations of state meddling seem endless, in part, because of how broadcasting is set up in Korea. At KBS, the chief executive is appointed directly by the president upon the recommendation of the company board. At MBC, the Foundation for Broadcast Culture, the largest shareholder, chooses the chief executive. But the board of the FBC is appointed by the Korea Communications Commission, whose makeup is stacked in favor of the government. “The conservative government so far has been very, I must say, shameless in appointing people very close to the presidential influences as the CEOs or as the executives of KBS and MBC,” says Park Kyung-shin, a law professor at Korea University and former member of the Korea Communications Standards Commission, a body under the KCC that regulates broadcast media and Internet

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content. Not only does the government exercise strong influence over management, it decides who gets on the air in the first place. Park says the government tightly controls news programming by requiring a special license for current affairs. Among countless cable and free-to-air channels, only 10 are allowed to broadcast news. “What other liberal democratic countries regulate, by licensing, those who want to do broadcast news?” he says, noting that any licenses are freely given out, especially as there is no scarcity of bandwidth with the advent of cable. More so than for other media, television in Korea has been heavily regulated from the start, University of Sydney Korean Studies professor Kwak Ki-sung writes in his book “Media and Democratic Transition in South Korea” (2012). KBS, originally the Kyeongseong Broadcasting Commission, was established in 1961, shortly after former President Park Chung-hee came to power in a military coup. The then-Ministry of Information required the station, along with the first two commercial stations established later during the decade, to submit regular reports on its programming and finances. The Basic Press Law, enacted in 1980 under the Chun Doohwan administration, established a long list of reporting “guidelines” that, among other things, forbade criticism of the government, support for North Korea and attempts to “confuse” the national economic order. Such naked censorship is no longer confided in law. In its place, the KCSC exercises wide discretion to censure reporting deemed objectionable through warnings, fines or suspension of broadcasting licenses. Like many other Korean institutions, it is predisposed to following the government line: The president and the ruling party each nominate three of its nine members. One of many broadcasts to fall foul of the commission this year was a KBS report on a verdict that the prosecution framed a North Korean defector as a spy for Pyongyang. The broadcaster was slapped with a warning, the second-highest sanction, for the report. “That exposé was severely sanctioned by the KCSC for broadcasting something that may affect the prosecutorial ability to reverse the decision in the higher court,” says Park. “All the program did was report on why the prosecutors lost in court in the first place.” He says that the commission only takes action against reports that clash with the government’s agenda. Another recently sanctioned report, broadcast on cable news channel JTBC, featured a professor critical of the Justice Ministry’s speedy moves to ban the far-left Unified Progressive Party after it was accused of plotting against the state. The strong hand of government may also be encouraged by the political aspirations of some media people themselves. Heo says that one of her former bosses at OBS later ran as a National Assembly candidate for the ruling Saenuri Party in Incheon. “Many politics section editors and deputy editors, society section editors and deputy editors, bureau chiefs and presidents of broadcasters have a dream of being a politician in the near future,” she says.

Freedom of expression Like democracies everywhere, South Korea promises its people freedom of expression. “All citizens shall enjoy freedom of speech and the press, and freedom of assembly and association,” reads Article 21 of the Constitution of the Republic of Korea. But in reality, the right to speak without sanction is weakly upheld in one of Asia’s freest countries, according to Shin Pyeong, a law professor at Kyungpook National University in Daegu. “Freedom of speech cannot be regulated as a rule in the U.S., whereas it can be controlled for public purposes in Korea. The difference in perceiving freedom of speech (in Korea) eventually led to considerable regulation of the freedom,” Shin said. The constitution itself qualifies its own provisions on free expression: Neither speech nor the press, it says, should “violate the honor or rights of other persons” or “undermine public morals or social ethics.” This article, which predates the 1987 amendment that ushered in the democratic era, has at times been controversial. One local civic group, Citizens’ Action Network, has called for its revision or removal. In effect, praising North Korea is a crime. So is lots of other speech that can be prosecuted as defamation, including statements about the government. “In Korea, people can be punished for expression even if what they said is true,” says Shin. Unlike in the U.S., where truth is typically an absolute defense, Korean law allows for the prosecution of truthful speech if it is not “solely in the public interest.” The law also carries the threat of up to seven years’ imprisonment, whereas in other jurisdictions like the U.K., defamation is a civil matter. Especially significant for journalists, there is relatively little protection of speech about public figures. In the U.S., public figures rarely sue and almost never win. In South Korea, it is unremarkable for even the president to file a defamation suit. Since the birth of Korean democracy, almost every presidential administration, liberal and conservative alike, has taken journalists to court over their reporting. The exception, the administration of Roh Tae-woo, oversaw the prosecution’s arrest of three dozen KBS reporters in 1990 for an illegal strike. In August, a number of local civic groups sued a Japanese foreign correspondent for supposedly defaming President Park in an article on rumors about her whereabouts on the day of the Sewol accident. While the law allows third parties to file a suit on someone’s behalf, Park could choose to halt the prosecution as the

subject of the alleged defamation. Tatsuya Kato, a correspondent with the Sankei Shimbun, a newspaper generally disliked in South Korea for its conservative and nationalistic leanings, was indicted in October and faces up to seven years in prison. Simply translating the offending article, meanwhile, has put one local online news outlet in the authorities’ sights. In September, prosecutors raided the home of a NewsPro reporter to locate a translator who transcribed the original article into Korean. “It is very unfortunate because the freedom of speech and expression is at the very foundation of democracy,” says Og Lim, a staff member at NewsPro. “We believe that the South Korean government is trying, through the prosecution, to scare and silence only us, a voice against the current administration. Especially given the fact that this happened immediately after President Park Geun-hye lashed out in the cabinet meeting against ‘offensive remarks about the president that were going too far.’ They may be afraid of South Koreans finding out through our translations how President Park and her administration are viewed and criticized by foreign media.” Lim also claimed that the prosecution lied about how it knew the location of the reporter’s house, saying it had followed the IP address of the article when it had in fact been posted in the U.S. Meanwhile, the investigated reporter’s wife, who had been in the house at the time of the raid, does not believe the document presented to her by prosecutors was a genuine warrant, according to Lim. No comprehensive statistics have been collected on the number of defamation suits taken against journalists. However, 3,223 people overall were convicted of criminal defamation last year. Meanwhile, the Press Arbitration Commission, a mediation body that can order outlets to pay compensation and issue retractions, handled almost 2,500 cases in 2013, the vast majority of which involved alleged defamation. Cases that do not see a settlement, which accounted for some 12 percent last year according to a sample of the data, are likely to go to court. Heo Eun-sun says that her last workplace, SisaIN magazine, was threatened with legal action “almost every week.” Heo herself has been investigated twice for defamation, including once for an article alleging that former Saenuri Party mayoral candidate for Seoul, Na Kyung-won, spent exorbitant amounts on skin care. Luckily for Heo, a drawn-out investigation eventually came down in her favor. “First the police and, then, prosecutors investigated … said that we didn’t do anything wrong,” she says.

COVER story Edited by Elaine Ramirez (elaine@groovekorea.com)

Real-life consequences of stifled speech Such a repressive climate can have tragic realworld consequences, notes Korea University’s Park. Three months before Sewol sank, a former employee of Chonghaejin, the ferry’s operator, reported the overloading of the ship to the ombudsman under the presidential office but was ignored. Because even truthful statements can be considered defamatory, Park says, whistle-blowers are strongly dissuaded from coming forward. “If the environment was favorable for whistleblowing or raising issues or reporting facts, I think he (the ferry employee) would have just put it on the Internet instead of going to ombudsman services to talk about the persistent overloading problem.” The bungled response to the sinking may also have been exacerbated by tepid reporting in a climate hostile to free speech, Park says. He notes that on the day of the sinking, one survivor told both KBS and MBC in interviews that the Coast Guard had done little to rescue the passengers of the ferry. Neither station, however, aired his remarks. “What’s really unfortunate was that he gave the interview on the day of the sinking, at 4 p.m. And the broadcast media could have just reported it right there, because they were covering it 24 hours a day already, and had that gone out at that time ... the subsequent rescue efforts from that point on could have been wildly different, pushed by public opinion.”

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‘We need to study more, we need to talk more about freedom of the press, quality of journalism and so on, so that we have a higher level of expectations that can translate into some kind of public pressure on the media institutions to perform better.’

Lee Jae-gyeong, journalism professor at Ewha Womans University

Search for solutions So is there any hope for Korea’s media to reform? Park puts priority on scrapping criminal defamation and the current licensing regime for broadcasters. For Choi, the culture of exclusive press clubs is the “fundamental” problem. Above all, pundits agree on one common remedy: the public. There is wide agreement that citizens, as media consumers, bear heavy responsibility for the quality of their media. Part of the problem, critics say, is they are not living up to this responsibility. “I think journalists should keep their eyes on the government and big companies and other things, but at the same time, readers should keep an eye on the Korean media,” says Heo. She says Korean journalists on the whole have failed to demonstrate the importance of their profession. As a result, the public doesn’t fully appreciate the importance of high-quality media. “If a good article has a good influence on Korean society, maybe Korean readers can realize good articles are important. And good articles should be published, but (readers) have no experience. They don’t realize why good articles are important.” Ewha professor Lee similarly describes the public’s understanding and expectations of journalism as extremely low. Greater discussion about why journalism matters is crucial to developing better media, he says. “We need to study more, we need to talk more about freedom of the press, quality of journalism and so on, so that we have a higher level of expectations that can translate into some kind of public pressure on the media institutions to perform better.”

advertorial

A m ag ic al e nc oun t e r betwe e n hu m an and horse World-famous traveling equestrian show stops in Seoul Opens November 12

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Audiences have found Cavalia exhilarating in scope, yet touching in the compassion shown by both horse and human.

advertorial

he equestrian theatrical marvel Cavalia, an innovative multimedia and multidisciplinary production created by Normand Latourelle, a cofounder of Cirque du Soleil, is set to open in Seoul on Nov. 12. Already enjoyed by some 4 million people across North America, Europe, Australia and the Middle East, Cavalia is a lavish production involving 50 horses and featuring 40 riders, aerialists, acrobats, dancers and musicians from all over the world. Cavalia’s depiction of the relationship between humans and horses virtually reinvents the equestrian arts. Thrilling and poignant, Cavalia is a celebration of beauty and nature encompassing imagery that whisks the spectator’s imagination over land and sea by displaying a vast array of equestrian and performing arts. Supported by state-of-the-art multimedia, Cavalia can be described as an epic adventure; a fantastic demonstration of horsemanship that transports the audience into virtual environments. Cavalia’s horse training is based upon a philosophy of understanding the needs, the preferences and the emotions of the four-legged stars. The tone of the show, embraced by the entire company, is one of mutual respect, kindness, patience and trust. Audiences have found Cavalia exhilarating in scope, yet touching in the compassion shown by both horse and human. In Cavalia, horses cavort with the many artists in front of a constantly changing digital background projected onto a 60-meter-wide screen, drawing spectators into dream-like virtual environments. Unlike traditional horse shows, Cavalia’s audience faces a single 50-meter-wide stage that allows the horses space to gallop at full speed, at times running completely free and unfettered by bridles or halters. Cavalia takes place under a white, 2,440-square-meter big top, some 35 meters high, that gives the horses an ample playground to perform with their trainers and artists. Cavalia’s gleaming White Big Top is the largest touring tent in the world. “Cavalia” is a fabricated word, inspired by the Spanish and French words for horse (caballo and cheval) and the English word cavalry. Latourelle says he’d love to open a dictionary some day and see “Cavalia” as an entry, defining his multimedia production about the historical relationship between humans and horses. Headquartered in Montreal, Canada, Cavalia Inc. is an entertainment company that specializes in the creation, production and touring of innovative shows for audiences of all ages. Founded by Latourelle, the company has expertise in equestrian and performing arts. It is also known for its use of cutting-edge technology, multimedia and special effects, all of which allow for the creation of never-before-seen theatrical experiences. Cavalia celebrates the relationship between humans and horses by loosely recounting the evolution of this bond. Latourelle’s follow-up effort, Odysseo, takes the next step, leading viewers on a great journey where horses and humans, together, discover some of the planet’s most unforgettable landscapes.

Cavalia’s horse training is based upon a philosophy of understanding the needs, the preferences and the emotions of the four-legged stars. The tone of the show, embraced by the entire company, is one of mutual respect, kindness, patience and trust.

Interview with

Fairland Ferguson, Cavalia performer

Fairland Ferguson is one of the 40 artists in Cavalia. Ferguson performs a breathtaking Roman riding act, in which she rides standing atop two horses while driving a team of up to four additional horses. She also performs trick riding, which consists of the gorgeous redheaded American doing crazy acrobatic stunts on one of her horses while he gallops full speed across the massive stage.

Why and how did you join Cavalia?

I was 4 years old when I started riding horses, but I didn’t start stunt riding until I was 23. I was very athletic growing up (I was heavily involved in sports, such as basketball and soccer). So when I had the opportunity to combine my love and passion for horses and my athleticism it became very natural to do tricks on horses! I auditioned for Cavalia when they were in America and a few days after the audition, I was hired! I think they thought I had a great presence on stage and my love for the horses was undeniable. I was so excited to meet the Cavalia horses for the first time!

What is your everyday training routine like? What is the most challenging stunt you have to perform in the show?

I get up, shower and go to the Cavalia site to play with my horses. To keep my body and mind healthy, I exercise every day, either at the gym, running outside or riding my bike to work. I do two different stunt riding acts in the show. One of them is Roman riding, where I stand on top of two horses, one foot on each. The other is trick riding, which consists of performing acrobatic stunts on my trick horse Poncho while he runs full speed across the stage. Sometimes I get a little nervous, especially when I perform a new trick in the show, but I trust my horses and they trust me. We are a real team, and every night is a beautifully inspiring learning experience.

Compared to human costars, what are the fun aspects and challenging difficulties performing with horses?

Here at Cavalia we don’t share horses. This minimizes any misunderstandings between us and them and allows us to develop that bond and partnership with them, on and off stage. What I learn working with horses is that they never make mistakes. It is

FACTS ABOUT CAVALIA THE ARTISTS • The 40 artists, acrobats, dancers and riders are from Canada, France, Belgium, the United States, Morocco, Australia, Moldavia, Spain, South Africa and Sweden. • The average age of the artists is 25 years old. • The artists apply their own makeup before each performance. They follow guidelines prepared by the makeup designer and refer to photos of themselves to ensure perfection every time. • A live band is required to react to the changes in the show due to the unpredictability of our four-legged performers.

THE HORSES • Cavalia features 50 horses of 11 different breeds. • The horses are from France, Spain, Portugal, Canada, the United States, Australia and the Netherlands. • The horses annually consume 17,500 bales of hay, 16,550 kilograms of grain and 795 kilograms of carrots. • Spacious showers are installed in the stables to groom our four-legged stars. • Large windows inside each stall allow the equine stars to see and communicate with their neighbors.

THE WHITE BIG TOP

us humans that need to be retrained. I bond with my horses by spending quality time with them and also by understanding them. I know when they are happy, when they are moody or when they are hungry. We learn from each other every day. It is a very rewarding experience to be with them. I wouldn’t change that for anything in the world.

Besides working with horses, what is the most fun and interesting thing about being in Cavalia?

I love to see the spectators’ reactions every night. I know most of them have never seen something like Cavalia before in their life, and to see their faces and hear them clapping is very rewarding. It’s like I get to give love and share my passion with 2,000 people every day! The traveling aspect of working with Cavalia is also lots of fun. I get to see the world, meet interesting people and learn from different cultures. It is my first time in Asia, and I cannot wait to discover what Seoul has to offer. I love my job. It is such a unique and extraordinary experience. The first time I saw the show, I was very much inspired by its beauty. I think it’s a true blessing to be part of such an amazing production. We are like a big family traveling the world together.

• The White Big Top peaks at 35 meters, equivalent to a 10-story building. • A 60-meter-wide screen serves as a backdrop for the projections and special effects. The stage is 50 meters long, equivalent to the length of an Olympic swimming pool. • 2,500 tons of sand and dirt (100 truckloads) are required to build the stage.

TOURING, TRAVELING and BACKSTAGE • The tour employs 120 people on a permanent basis. • 100 trucks are required to move the material. • 56 walkie-talkies are needed on site for all the staff to communicate with each other and to make sure the operation runs smoothly. • 120,000 liters of recycled water are pumped into the stage to create the magical lake.

Normand Latourelle FOUNDER & ARTISTIC DIRECTIOR

In his 40-year career in the performing arts, Normand Latourelle has followed a path that has led him through all aspects of the industry, having occupied every position from lighting designer to agent, production manager, director and artistic director. A pioneer of Cirque du Soleil from 1985 to 1990, he has been the driving force behind many impressive and memorable events, such as the sound and light show on Parliament Hill in Ottawa and the 350th anniversary celebrations for the founding of Montreal. A visionary on a constant quest for innovation, Normand Latourelle is renowned for combining different forms of artistic expression and reinventing the scenic space, with the ultimate goal of taking audiences to new dimensions. Since 2003, Normand Latourelle has been fully dedicated to Cavalia, instilling his talent, passion and imagination into the productions. In 2007, he received the Ordre national du Québec for his achievements.

Cavalia opens Nov. 12 under the White Big Top at Jamsil Sports Complex. It is a once-in-a-lifetime theatrical experience not to be missed. What

Cavalia: A Magical Encounter Between Human and Horse

When

Opens November 12

Where

Under the White Big Top at Jamsil Sports Complex

How much 50,000 won - 250,000 won Tickets

www.cavalia.co.kr, ticket.interpark.com, ticket.auction.co.kr, 1544-1555

Info

www.cavalia.co.kr, 1544-1555

Photos courtesy of the Windish Age

Story by Daniel Deacon

MUSIC & ARTS Edited by Elaine Ramirez (elaine@groovekorea.com)

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Groove Korea debuts music showcase with Dan Deacon live on Nov. 28

f you type “Dan Deacon” into a search engine, chances are, it’s not because you’re tracking down a writer slash copy editor based out of Seoul of the same name (that’s yours truly). No, the Dan Deacon you’ve more likely heard of is the renowned Baltimore-based electronic musician, composer, film scorer and founding member of the Wham City art collective, a man who has toured in a vegetable oil-fueled school bus and releases music with addictive melodic lines, distorted samples and acoustic textures. Though being a classically trained musician and dabbling in movie scores, it’s the eight electronic albums that Deacon has released since 2003 that have garnered him the most attention — well, that and his live performances. Fortunately, Deacon is returning to Seoul during his Asian tour to kick off Groove Korea’s music showcase, Groove On, with a manic, sweaty electronic dance party on Nov. 28 at Club FF in Hongdae.

A return to form

If there was one show that you did not want to miss back in 2012, it was Deacon’s sets when he hit up Busan and Seoul that January. “The audience in the last show in Seoul was rad. It was the last show of a small tour of Asia and the audience were by far the most wild,” he recalls. “(Coming to Korea) is one of my favorite memories out of years and years of

40 www.groovekorea.com / November 2014

touring. Everything about it was super fun. It felt like visiting the future.” Fast-forward to 2014, and Deacon’s gigs are still hard to beat. His shows are not your typical dance music gigs, and he’s known to go the extra mile to break down the barrier between performer and audience. There’s no standing quietly at the back of the room or staring up at the musician on stage; the audience is as much a part of the show as he is. “To me, the audience is … the most important part of the performance,” he says. Live, his songs build slowly, adding layers that rise and crest and recede and crest again until they break into a euphoric wave of synthesizers, drums and rippling vocals; watch the videos on YouTube and you’ll see that at his last gig in Seoul, he got his audience running around in a clearing in the room high-fiving each other and had bodies flailing around on the floor as he let the music loose. Expect flashing lights, lots of noise and an unusual pull toward the dance floor. Unlike most shows since the dawn of social media backlash, this is a concert where you won’t feel like a jerk for taking out your iPhone. Deacon’s app, powered by Wham City Lights, responds to ultrasonic tones to light up the screens of audience members’ phones, turning them into a synchronized light show. “Having lots of people interacting together, making something on the spot, creating something together and shifting the focus from stage to

audience to individual to group opens up a lot of possibilities for new things that would be impossible otherwise,” he says. You don’t get that at a Mariah Carey show.

Natural evolution

Having spent this past spring and summer touring North America with Arcade Fire and putting on his own shows, Deacon has still somehow managed to record a new album, which just entered the mixing stage. He says it will be a “return to synthetic sounds” with a lot of the songs “fixed on one chord” and his vocals sounding “much more ‘natural,’ or at least discernible, on this record.” So after years on the road and all his famous performances, he must have seen a lot of crazy things, right? “I always suck at ‘what’s the craziest’ questions. Every experience is unique and crazy in its own way,” he says. But what he does hope for the Seoul gig is for fans to “have fun and smile.”

More info j Groove On with Dan Deacon When: Nov. 28, 11 p.m. Where: Club FF, Hongdae How much: 35,000 won early bird; 40,000 won advance (to Nov. 27); 45,000 won at the door More info and ticketing: groovekorea.com

Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no standing quietly at the back of the room or staring up at the musician on stage; the audience is as much a part of the show as he is.

MUSIC & ARTS Edited by Emilee Jennings (emilee@groovekorea.com)

Against the current Bright Baek shines through the dark Story by Alex Verheul / Artwork by Bright Baek

right Baek is a Korean artist with a remarkable backstory. During a dysfunctional childhood she saw many dark places, but has managed to shine through it all and now wants to make waves in the local art scene. Here she gives her insight on what it takes to be an artist.

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Groove Korea: Tell us about your childhood. Bright Baek: I grew up in a very dysfunctional home, where my definition of normal never seemed to match anyone else’s. My dad was an alcoholic and a chronic smoker. The most vivid memories I have of him were when he slept, but, surprisingly, when conscious, he was a sweet man. My mom was very controlling and really the dominant one in the house. I remember one day I woke up and my mom was gone and she didn’t come back for two years. We lived with our dad at the time, surrounded by cockroaches in a basement apartment, but it was home. My mom all of a sudden stumbled back into my life, as if to say “I finally found something better for us.” So she took my sister and I to her boyfriend’s apartment. To my surprise, it was really nice and I wanted to live there at first. But it all changed after my stepdad abused me for the first time. He would give me impossible tasks, like remembering Chinese letters, and if couldn’t recall them he would hit me. The day came where I had enough and ran away. After this episode my father became ill with lung cancer, and shortly after he passed away. I struggled for a long time with depression. I went through some dark episodes, many of which involved hurting myself. I would drink and hurt myself a lot. My mom knew but she avoided that stuff. She never wanted to face problems; in fact, I don’t think she knew how to.

I used to paint myself in sadness a lot, but I’m in a great place now. I paint from the heart and not from my nightmares; I no longer feel the weight of my past. Bright Baek

When did your love of art begin? Ever since I was young I wanted to do art, but Korean education just didn’t cater to it then. I would come home and never do my homework; instead I would sketch and paint for hours. How did you first start out on your career path as an artist? I studied fashion design for two years. I still loved art, but I didn’t understand how I could make money doing it here in Korea. The typical Korean plan is to get an education and then a company job. For as long as I can remember I never acted according to some plan, so fashion it was. It was a form of art that generated a paycheck. But after I appeared on the show “Project Runway Korea,” I saw people who didn’t care about the art of fashion, but only about the fame. That’s when I turned my back on it. What did you do after fashion? I quit everything and worked at a restaurant because I thought if I started at the bottom, I could only go up. I had so much extra time I started to paint again. Painting was just a hobby at first, but after people continued to encourage me to sell my work, my mind changed. I hung up some work at a friend’s restaurant and I sold my first painting for $70. The money wasn’t a lot, but the work wasn’t that great either. I thought, I’m only 23 years old and I haven’t begun to scrape the surface. What was the next important moment for you? I went to an art show one night, met the gallery owner and told him about my art. After I showed him my work, he instantly asked me to hang it at his gallery. I did and I sold two pieces for $1,200. That’s when I realized I could make some good money doing this. Have you had any recent events for your artwork? I just recently had an art show in September at House Ming. It didn’t go well because of poor advertising. It didn’t feel good to have such a bad turnout, but I understand that art is a process of ups and downs. What parts of your life do you think inspire your art the most? I used to get most of my inspiration from my past and my dreams. It usually translated into some very dark work. I would normally express my feelings through my work, where I’d close my eyes and see my visions and put them on canvas. I used to paint myself in sadness a lot, but I’m in a great place now. I paint from the heart and not from my nightmares; I no longer feel the weight of my past. It’s as if I

am finally free and in control of my life. How do you classify your artistic style? My style has no limit, but right now what separates my art from others is my use of black and white paint. I primarily paint naked women with black wavy hair because Korean society is so uncomfortable with nudity and sex — so I mean to put it in their faces. I model cubism after Picasso, Henri Matisse and Salvador Dali, but primarily I work at developing my own style.

I believe there are many people out there who want to break free and do what they are passionate about. They just need to take the first step and surround themselves with the right people. Bright Baek Do you have any advice for people who may want to follow a similar path? I see people stressed out at work, hustling here, there and everywhere. I used to be them, working 9 to 7 or longer every day — you lose all your creativity that way. I remember when I did that it was exhausting. After work I’d go home and never want to paint; I just wanted to sleep. Now that I’m a freelancer I can work, paint and exercise with all my free time. It takes a willingness to struggle through the setbacks and stay motivated. But I believe there are many people out there who want to break free and do what they are passionate about. They just need to take the first step and surround themselves with the right people. More info j Tumblr: brightbaekart.tumblr.com

MUSIC & ARTS Edited by Emilee Jennings (emilee@groovekorea.com)

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Cannibal Heart Interview by Gabi Eliasoph / Photos by Joe Gans and Ilonka Miteva

eet Cannibal Heart, a North American-Korean alternative rock band based in Seoul. With Joey Mercadante on vocals, Andoni Flores on bass, Do Jung-ho (Johnny) on lead guitar and Jay Bee on drums, they make one kick-ass band. They recently added two new members and say this is really transforming their sound. They’re planning on recording soon, but in the meantime they’ve been making a name for themselves by performing at FF, Freebird, Woodstock and Club Jammers in Hongdae. All questions are answered collectively by Cannibal Heart.

‘Our ideas come from everyday life and what’s going on in our lives. We will try something and see if it’s what the song needs. We don’t write our songs from intellect —we write them from feeling.’ Cannibal Heart

More info j www.facebook.com/CannibalHeart

Getting there c To get to Didim Hall, leave Hongik University Station, exit 9, and walk toward the main street in front of Hongik University. Facing the university, cross the street, turn right, walk past the university then turn left at the first corner.

Groove Korea: What inspires you to write your songs? Cannibal Heart: The songs are always evolving. Each time we practice, they get better. When we play live, we find out what works and what doesn’t work based on how people respond to them. We go back to practice and refine them even further. Our ideas come from everyday life and what’s going on in our lives. We will try something and see if it’s what the song needs. We don’t write our songs from intellect — we write them from feeling. We’re pretty adamant about that. What are your gigs like? When Johnny picks up the guitar, I don’t hear anyone play like him. He has the ability to listen to a song and know what it’s asking for. Johnny tends to listen to our songs and ask himself how he can make them better. He gets upset at shows if anything is off. Jay Bee always says “music first,” while Andoni wants the audience to be entertained, have fun and come to see a show. And Joey wants the shows to sound good. He wants to hear the music and walk away thinking, that’s really good. We like to joke around, but Johnny is the moneymaker. After the show we’re always scared of what Johnny is going to say. If he doesn’t say anything, we know we need to practice more. I like this quality about him; we hold each other accountable. I guess that’s why we work so well together; we’re all so different. We think about the different elements and how they fit together. What are some of your future plans? We would love it if we got signed to a label. Our next step is that we’re going to start playing regular shows at Didim Hall (in Hongdae). Obviously, we want to release the music we’ve recorded. We are starting to shoot new music videos and even write a whole new album. Honestly, we’re tired of performing the same songs. We are working on polishing our new songs and writing some even newer songs with some of our newer band members. We’re also looking forward to what our new band members can contribute. We want to write songs, play those songs and try to live off of our music.

MUSIC & ARTS Edited by Emilee Jennings (emilee@groovekorea.com)

they

While watched Documentary explores the future of North Korea Interview by Corinne Eschenroeder / Photos courtesy of Jake Smith

he mystery of North Korea is unparalleled by any other country on Earth. Shrouded in extreme secrecy and careful propaganda, North Korea’s regime churns on steadily, holding its citizens hostage. Although the country holds its citizens with an iron grip, occasionally defectors are able to escape. According to Jake Smith, a ‘“While They Watched” documentary film producer, “We need to do more is set in the future than simply contemplate the curiosity that is North Korea. We need to act.” and talks in hindsight Smith credits his sister with sparking his interest about what the DPRK in North Korea. A year ago she gave him the book “Nothing to Envy” (2009) by Barbara Demick, and was, how it acted immediately after finishing it, he began to research and what people and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. The book explores the ordinary lives of North Korean the international citizens through refugee accounts. “I wanted to know if it was still happening like the way it was governing bodies did described in the book or if things had changed,” about it.’ said Smith. For the past few months, Smith has been working on “While They Watched,” his docuJake Smith mentary about North Korea. Through his research, Smith was shocked to discover how much information is readily available that exposes the abuses in the DPRK. Groove Korea spoke with Smith about his personal experiences during the stages of production, as well as his hopes for the future of the DPRK.

46 www.groovekorea.com / November 2014

Groove Korea: How did you decide to make this film? Jake Smith: My interest was ignited when my sister gave me a book called “Nothing to Envy” by Barbara Demick – it was a real eye-opener. Many films have been made about North Korea, but none that really asked the viewer questions about their involvement in the continuation of the status quo in the DPRK. I thought we should ask these questions of the bodies we elect to act on our behalf, like the United Nations; we have to ask if they are doing what we want them to do on this issue. For me, they aren’t (doing it). So I thought I’d make a film about a time where this issue had passed in order to make people realize they can affect things right now. It may sound like an unusual approach but when people realize they can help, maybe they will. How will this film differ from other documentaries about North Korea? This film is like no other documentary you have seen before about North Korea. I have done my research and spent some time watching what is out there. “While They Watched” is set in the future and talks in hindsight about what the DPRK was, how it acted and what people and the international governing bodies did about it. No other documentary I know of has taken this approach. What does this film mean to you personally? The message of this film, and the questions it asks, mean a lot to me. The defectors’ lives and their stories should mean a great deal to everybody because, at the end of the day, any one of us could have found ourselves in their shoes. We can’t choose where we are born. What do you hope to accomplish with it? What can anybody do about North Korea? Can we really change what is happening there? Does any of what we do matter? I’m unsure. These questions boggle the minds of people far more qualified than me. The film

runs alongside our campaign to put pressure on the Chinese government to adhere to international law and stop forcible repatriation of North Korean refugees. I think if we can mount pressure on China on this issue, it will hugely relieve pressure on North Koreans. How can people help the citizens of North Korea? I think being a conscious and active participant in politics or global affairs would mean that one was aware of what was going on in other countries. If you know that in the DPRK people are being tortured and killed for trying to oppose a dictatorship, how could you not want to help them? There are many NGOs working for North Korean people. I would suggest getting in contact with them and volunteering with various projects they have running. Donating money to help rescue refugees who are hiding in China is a direct way to help people who are really going through a tough time. NGOs like Liberty in North Korea and Justice for North Korea do good work. What surprised you the most during the process of gathering research? I was shocked by how much information is out there. There is a staggering amount of information about abuses in the DPRK. Michael Kirby’s Commission of Inquiry report from March 2014 examines in categorical detail the human rights abuses in the DPRK. It makes bleak reading. He has also said there are human ovens reminiscent of the Nazis. It’s truly shocking. What has been the most difficult part of creating “While They Watched?” Directing and producing a project isn’t easy — it takes time, energy, and then more time and energy. You really have to believe in what you’re doing. One of the most challenging things about making a film is finding talented people who are on the same page as you and who really want to see this message out there. Once I began posting on social net-

working media about the film, I began to get people approaching me who wanted to work on it. I guess I was lucky. How open are North Korean defectors to talking about their experiences? One defector I know lied about where he was from to people for five years before his new girlfriend at the time told everyone he was actually from North Korea! It really depends on the person. I’ve met a number of defectors: Some are newly escaped who don’t speak of the horrors they endured so easily, and then some spend all their time speaking about North Korean human rights, like Yeonmi Park. What are some roadblocks you’ve faced during production? I’ve been rejected by interview targets, had my funding applications turned down, lacked the equipment I needed and made technical mistakes. A host of errors that strangely only made me want to achieve more. There are always obstacles or roadblocks on productions, but as long as they don’t outweigh the positives and you stay committed to the message, then you can normally ride with them. How has this film affected you? At times it has made it difficult to think about anything else. More so than any other film I have worked on, this feels like it could really help people, and therefore I feel passionate about getting this story to people. It has made me a more determined person and value the freedoms most of us take for granted. A by-product of making this film is that it has brought me into contact with many passionate people, some of them defectors, who I have made good friends with.

More info j The teaser trailer for “While They Watched” can be found on www.whiletheywatched.com.

MUSIC & ARTS Edited by Elaine Ramirez (elaine@groovekorea.com)

ichael Downey is a director, actor and playwright who is, among many other things, quite busy, and appears to have been for some time. First there was the training as a performer at the Unitec Institute’s Department of Performing and Screen Arts in New Zealand. Then there was the master’s degree in drama studies from the University of Auckland. More recently, Downey has been an influential member of the Seoul Shakespeare Company, playing the title role in “Macbeth,” Prospero in “The Tempest” and Peter Quince in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” In addition to his current role as a board member of Seoul Shakespeare Company, he has also performed with a who’s who of English-language theater companies on the peninsula. Not one to rest on his laurels, Downey’s recent direction of “New Year’s Eve” won first prize at Seoul Players’ 10 Minute Play Competition this past September. Artist’s Journey’s Wilfred Lee caught up with Downey to talk about his progression as a multifaceted performer.

Artist’s Journey

Interview with Michael Downey, theater performer Column by Wilfred Lee / Photos by Edgebrook Images

48 www.groovekorea.com / November 2014

‘I think that being in Korea, and working in this community, has inspired me to work harder, take more risks and take on more challenges.’ Michael Downey

Groove Korea: How did you first get involved with the Seoul Players community? Michael Downey: I have lived here for four years, and have acted in plays for Seoul Shakespeare Company, Probationary Theatre Company, Cut Glass Theatre and Eurasia Theatre Company, but it wasn’t until December 2013 when I appeared in my first Seoul Players production, “The Real Inspector Hound.” What was the preparation process like for “New Year’s Eve,” which placed first in this year’s 10 Minute Play Competition? I was selected to be a director, and then Seoul Players sent me a list of all 16 plays in the competition. I then selected my top four choices. “New Year’s Eve” was my first choice, and fortunately that was the one I was given. The other directors and I attended two days of auditions, and once again we were asked to select our top four choices for each role in our play — again, I was fortunate to get my two top choices, William Roszell and Lindsey Nave. “New Year’s Eve” is a lovely, naturalistic, understated script, and in rehearsals I focused on the emotional shifts in the play and the relationship between the characters, and I tried to bring out the subtext as subtly as I could. I was very proud of the final product — the costumes, lighting and music augmented the text brilliantly, creating a very focused, unified piece of theater. And, of course, the two actors are very talented and were a joy to work with. How has your own experience as an actor helped in directing for this year’s 10 Minute Play Competition? It has undoubtedly helped a lot. My experience as an actor has helped develop my instinct when it comes to analyzing a text, and I think I am able to hone in on the important moments in a play and suggest ways of playing them that the actor can relate to. Being trained by some great directors who started out as actors — like Lexie Matheson, Murray Edmond and Raymond Hawthorne — has certainly rubbed off on me; there was always an emphasis on pace, clarity, telling the story and connecting to the audience when they were directing.

What are crucial traits of a great actor? Ha! Some of us aim to merely be a very good one! Well, I would say sensitivity, intelligence, versatility and the ability to be emotionally connected. Listening all the time, especially to your fellow actors, and also to everything that is said in a rehearsal. Being punctual, responsible and respectful. Reading widely and deeply. Being generous. Being prepared to make mistakes and take risks. Having some natural ability to begin with, probably! And possessing a thick skin. What is the expat theater community in Korea like? It is very active. There are two major expat companies — Seoul Players and Seoul Shakespeare Company — and between them they stage four or five major productions or events every year. Even though people are leaving all the time, there are always new people arriving to work as teachers who have maybe just graduated from a theater course, and they really want to be involved here so they can keep working on their craft. It is also a very supportive community — we help each other out by sharing rehearsal spaces, costumes, set pieces and sometimes even actors. We also regularly attend each other’s performances and fundraising events. It is also great to be able to work with people from so many different nationalities and cultures, with different modes of working. But of course, there are also many difficulties: language problems, crappy venues, things not turning out the way they should ... but that just makes the successes even sweeter — you become inspired to climb those mountains. The sense of achievement that you gain from that is amazing. I think that being in Korea and working in this community have inspired me to work harder, take more risks and take on more challenges. What are your aspirations for the future? I would really like to direct a full-length play in the future, and would also like to write more plays. My wife (Lauren Ash-Morgan, who is also an actor) and I are also keen to develop some projects together. I would also really like to take my solo play, “The Orderly,” to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. We are happy to stay in Seoul for a couple more years at least, and are very excited by the opportunities that are available here. 49

MUSIC & ARTS Edited by Jenny Na (jenny@groovekorea.com)

AT THE BOX OFFICE THE BIG SCREEN Preview by Dean Crawford

Dumb and Dumber To

Directed by Bobby Farrelly and Peter Farrelly November 27

There are certain movies we see as children that contain images so powerful they stay with us for the rest of our lives. Some of you will never forget the moment you saw E.T. go home. Others will always recall the first time they saw the Millennium Falcon take flight. Me? I’ll always remember the day I saw Lloyd Christmas get his tongue stuck to a pole in the Farrelly brothers’ “Dumb and Dumber” (1994). Two decades have passed since the movie’s release, but I would still rate it as one of my favorite comedies of all time. Though the film has many strengths, the original “Dumb and Dumber” was particularly memorable for the fantastic chemistry between Jeff Bridges and Jim Carrey, as well as the spoton direction of the movie’s slapstick moments. In fact, most of the Farrellys’ early output was equally hilarious. “Kingpin” (1996) made Empire’s list of the top 50 comedies of all time and “There’s Something About Mary” (1998) has become a modern classic. But where once their humor had audiences in stitches, the emergence of a new kind of comedy, kick-started by “The Office” and closely followed by the emergence of

Interstellar

Directed by Christopher Nolan November 6

There are a handful of directors who can generate a great deal of excitement when they release a new movie. Quentin Tarantino is one, as is Martin Scorsese, despite being in the twilight of his career, and I would also put Wes Anderson in that bracket. A person who also belongs in this category is Christopher Nolan, who I would argue delivers just as much excitement, if not more, than all of his current peers. You see, there are very few directors who can transcend the boundaries of what a summer blockbuster should be by successfully merging high-spectacle visuals with interesting concepts. “Edge of Tomorrow” (2014) and “Snowpiercer” (2013) are two examples that spring to mind (directed by Doug Liman and Bong Joon-ho, respectively), but they were not nearly as commercially successful as Nolan’s “Inception” (2010) or his “Dark Knight” trilogy (2005–2012). Nolan’s next movie is “Interstellar,” which, as you may have guessed by the title, is a film that takes place among the stars. Even with Nolan at the helm, the idea of a big

GrooveCast GrooveCast host Chance Dorland and columnist Dean Crawford talk movies. Check out the podcast at groovekorea.com. www.groovekorea.com / November 2014

Comedy U.S.

other comedic forces such as Adam McKay and Judd Apatow, meant that the Farrellys’ brand of humor simply wasn’t bringing the same laughs. The pair is hoping to reverse this trend with “Dumb and Dumber To,” the sequel to 1994’s “Dumb and Dumber.” (“Dumb and Dumberer” from 2003 doesn’t count, not just because it was terrible, but because it was a prequel and … it was terrible.) “Dumb and Dumber To” sees our two unlikely heroes, Lloyd Christmas (Carrey) and Harry Dunne (Daniels), heading out on another road trip. But this time they aren’t seeking love. Instead, they are looking for their long-lost children in the hopes of gaining a new liver. While I’m excited for the Farrellys to return to some much-loved characters, I approach the film with a great deal of apprehension due to the failures that were “Hall Pass” (2011) and “The Three Stooges” (2012). Here’s hoping that “Dumb and Dumber To” is a return to form, and if all goes well, we’ll see the trilogy be completed in another 20 years.

Action / Mystery / Sci-Fi U.S.

budget intergalactic extravaganza might have seemed quite risky a few years ago. But with the release of “Gravity” (2013) and “Guardians of the Galaxy” (2014), and when you take into consideration how many “Star Wars” films are going to be produced over the next 10 years, the time is definitely right for Nolan to explore a galaxy far, far away. While we know “Interstellar” stars Matthew McConaughey and Jessica Chastain, the story is being heavily guarded. According to Paramount Pictures, the movie revolves around a group of explorers who use a newly discovered wormhole to expedite space travel. Nolan elaborated on some of the underlying themes during his talk at Comic Con, telling the audience that the plot is “about human beings and what it is to be human.” Still not a lot to go on, but when you hear that the film has been described as Nolan’s most ambitious film so far, I think it’s safe to say that it’s time for us to all get very, very excited again.

KOREaN DVD CORNER THE SMALL SCREEN Review by Dean Crawford

Drama / Thriller 123 minutes

Directed by Sohn Young-seong PG-13

The Client 의뢰인

Despite the fact that Korea has produced attorney who is attracted to the case due to some interesting movies of late, there’s no de- the intriguing nature of the crime. In addition to nying that it has also produced its fair share of there being no body, there’s no evidence directstinkers. So whenever I’m looking for some- ly linking Han to the murder, which leads Kang thing new to watch, my fail-safe option is to to believe it’s simply a case of the police trying stick to what I know and make my way through to nail anyone they can. But as all the grizzly the back catalog of one of my favorite Kore- details are revealed, Kang finds out that nothing an actors, Ha Jung-woo. One such film that is simple about the case at all. passed me by was Sohn Young-seong’s court- “The Client” is everything you would expect room drama “The Client” (2011). from a courtroom drama in that it’s extremely The movie follows the story of Han Cheol-min dialogue-heavy and, up until the film’s climax, (Jang Hyuk), who is accused of murdering his you are never really sure what the outcome will wife on the night of their wedding anniversary. be. His wife’s blood is all over their apartment, but There are several red herrings thrown into the no body is found. mix to try and throw you off the scent, but if you Ahn Min-ho (Park Hee-soon) is the lead keep your wits about you, you’ll probably guess prosecutor and has no doubt that Han is guilty, the way the movie will end up (though perhaps as he was linked to another killing in the past, not the exact details). “The Client” might not be but released on a technicality. Heading up the “A Few Good Men” (1992), but is a must for defense is Kang Seong-hee (Ha), a cocksure fans of Ha Jung-woo.

Drama 127 minutes

One of the biggest hits of last year — and, coincidentally, another courtroom drama — was Yang Woo-seok’s feature debut, “The Attorney,” starring the amazing Song Kang-ho. Without ever directly referencing his name, the movie is based on the early life of Korea’s ninth president, Roh Moo-hyun, whose pre-political career was dedicated to preserving the human rights of students on the peninsula. Song Woo-seok (Song) is a tax attorney in his hometown of Busan. Despite being a success, he is looked down upon by others in his field due to his lack of a university diploma and his desire for financial gain. His outlook changes, however, once he sees police brutality directed at a group of students after they were falsely accused of being communists. It’s not uncommon for to me complain about the sudden tonal shift in Korean movies, but “The Attorney” is a perfect example of a director getting it spot on. Looking at the film’s jovial movie poster, you could be forgiven for thinking after the first 30 minutes that you are simply watching a comedy about an uneducated local man

Directed by Yang Woo-seok PG-13

The Attorney 변호인

making good. But once the protests happen and the subject matter darkens, so does the tone. Whereas a film like “Hot Young Bloods” (2014) would have benefited from keeping the mood primarily upbeat, that just wouldn’t have worked in a film about state brutality and torture. Song Kang-ho proves once again that he is one of the best actors working today as he delivers a passionate, enthusiastic performance. At times the acting veers into the melodramatic, such as when some of the courtroom scenes become full-on shouting matches, but where this might have been a turn-off in other films, Song is constantly captivating. The film’s final image of the character is bittersweet, depending on your politics, but knowing the circumstances surrounding the life of the real Roh Moo-hyun, it’s hard not to be a little sad in the face of such a tender moment. The film is ultimately a tale of right versus wrong, which most of us can sympathize with. It’s a fitting tribute to one of Korea’s most controversial leaders that everyone living in the ROK should see.

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R eal connections

K oreans meet non - K oreans at B u siness N et w ork K orea Story by Louis Oh

t all started in a typical classroom of a Gangnam hagwon. The gathering was meant to be a networking event, but to the handful of people still there it was pretty clear that the energy in the room was dying. Their attempt to connect with one another while promoting themselves was a dud. The organizer, the original founder of Business Network Korea, had higher hopes, but needed help. He looked to Justin McLeod and Liam Lusk, the two men from World Markets, a London-based marketing startup that had been the primary backer of the fledging event at the time. “Take this over,” he said. “You guys could really do it justice.” And they did. Since taking over BNK in July 2013, the two men have turned a group of five guys in a hagwon classroom into a crowd of 70 to 80 current and prospective businesspeo-

52 www.groovekorea.com / November 2014

ple engaging in a bimonthly gathering of speed-networking and panel Q&As taking place in conference rooms and pubs. In the

past year, active membership has reached a regular 100+ professionals, with its total number of members hitting nearly 800.

McLeod and Lusk wanted Business Network Korea to be different from other networking events; they didn’t want it to be midweek or expensive. For them it had to be accessible and, most importantly, something that people could actually benefit from. “A lot of the networking events in town charge you about 50,000 or 60,000 won to go through the door, and you don’t get anything given to you,” says McLeod. “You just basically stand with some executives, rub shoulders, have a glass of wine and a stale shrimp biscuit, and then you leave. You might have 10 business cards by the end of the night but you’re never going to do business with these guys.” BNK, on the other hand, makes sure you get to connect with people and really learn something. Running two half-hour rounds of speed-networking and presenting either a guest speaker or a panel, the event cur-

rently charges 30,000 won at the door and 25,000 by prepay, which mostly just covers the venue cost. In speed-networking, participants sit face-to-face for two minutes and each has one minute for an elevator pitch and to exchange business cards. McLeod and Lusk guarantee that you leave with 30 business cards from people you actually get to engage with. Guest speakers at BNK have included Kenny Park, cofounder of the popular Vatos Urban Tacos restaurant in Itaewon. McLeod says these guest speakers and panels have let participants ask questions such as how the entrepreneur transitioned from teaching English to doing business, or how to register a business in Korea. The organizers love it when people tell them they’ve had all their questions answered.

After the event, there is also what Koreans call i-cha, a second round at BNK’s sponsor Tiwi Lounge in Itaewon for more networking over drinks. “BNK has been a valuable resource for meeting like-minded entrepreneurs and working professionals in Korea,” says Joseph Gerocs, a senior consultant at Forte Communication. “In a short time you get to make valuable connections and hear from a

lot of interesting people.” “We’re more focused on our philosophy of Koreans meeting non-Koreans for business,” says McLeod. “We want real people who are either struggling to go from teaching to business or are students looking for work. They are not executives; they are people who are in the normal salary jobs who want to change or try an investment or try to be an entrepreneur.” While BNK was originally intended to be a vehicle to promote World Markets and Lusk’s company Artam Consultancy, the networking event has grown into its own, becoming more of a passion project. “This is a for-love thing for us. We don’t make money out of this. We get exposure,” says McLeod. “People know who we are and we get connected. That’s how we get paid for this one. We just get to build our brand in Korea.” Since then, the two men have merged their two Seoul-based businesses into World Markets Korea, the main sponsor of the event. They are hoping to strike a deal with the Seoul Metropolitan Government to expand into a free-admission monthly event, as well as improve opportunities to connect with non-English speaking Koreans and Korean small and medium-sized enterprises. “Koreans meeting non-Koreans for business is at the center of our philosophy and matches with the Seoul government’s goals of promoting globalization,” says McLeod. “Right now, the demographics of the events are 50-50 Korean-foreigner, and 50-50 male-female, but they’re all English speakers. That’s the issue for us right now. Getting Korean-based Koreans, people who haven’t been overseas and haven’t learned English, to communicate with us is going to be a big challenge.” “In addition to the translation services,” adds Lusk, “if we manage to get our events

there, we will be meeting them with what the mayor of Seoul is trying to do, which is to try and combine not only entrepreneurs in Korea and help them start their businesses, but also connecting them to Korean SMEs as well. I feel that if we get connected with the SMG, that would help boost our plan of getting more Koreans involved.” Regardless of whether the proposal to the Seoul government goes through, BNK plans to become a monthly event starting next year and alternating between VIP and open sessions. They hope to continue facilitating more business opportunities in an increasingly diversifying Korea. “Being a foreigner and working for a Korean company with long working hours, my opportunity to broaden my network here is quite limited,” says Ardini Ridhatillah, an analyst and relationship manager at Kookmin Bank. “BNK has not only given me opportunities to build bridges with other professionals from other industries, but also opened my door to connect with the entrepreneur community in Korea.” The next BNK event is on Nov. 15 from 2 to 5 p.m. at Platoon in Gangnam.

‘We’re more focused on our philosophy of Koreans meeting non-Koreans for business. We want real people who are either struggling to go from teaching to business or are students looking for work. They are not executives; they are people who are in the normal salary jobs who want to change or try an investment or try to be an entrepreneur.’ Justin McLeod, Business Network Korea co-organizer

Business Network Korea

World Markets

Website

www.businessnetworkkorea.com

Site (Global) www.world-markets.biz

Meetup

www.meetup.com/Business-Network-Korea

Site (Korea) www.world-marketskorea.biz

Facebook www.facebook.com/BusinessNetworkKorea

Facebook www.facebook.com/WorldMKTS

Twitter

www.twitter.com/BNetworkKorea

Linked In

www.linkedin.com/company/world-markets

www.linkedin.com/ groups?gid=5123836&trk=myg_ugrp_ovr

Twitter

www.twitter.com/WMKTs

YouTube

www.youtube.com/Worldmarketsbiz

Google+

www.plus.google.com/u/0/s/World%20 Markets%20Biz

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FOOD WEEK KOREA 2014:

Taste your way around the world A perfect opportunity to experience food and beverages from all around the globe

ood Week Korea â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the largest and best-known food show in the country â&#x20AC;&#x201D; promises a packed schedule full of exciting culinary experiences at Coex in Seoul, from Nov. 12-15.

54 www.groovekorea.com / November 2014

For all inquiries please contact Food Week Korea Secretariat T. 82-2-6000-8138 E. foodweek.info@coex.co.kr

Six unique sections Food Week Korea 2014 has launched six sections as part of this year’s new slogan, with a layout that now includes ASEAN Local Food, Health & Healing, Solar Salt & Low Sodium, Desserts & Delicate, Trendy Traditional Korean Food and Single & Simple Food. In the ASEAN Local Food section, visitors may find exotic cuisines and ingredients from ASEAN countries, before soothing their stress in the Health & Healing section by discovering new meal options that are both organic and nutritious. Visitors with a greater interest in health and wellness may also visit the Solar Salt & Low Sodium section to find out more about new products using this natural, non-artificial salt that is still high in minerals but contains less sodium. Meanwhile, the Desserts & Delicate section offers all the pleasures of sweet desserts, and the Trendy Traditional Korean Food section will include local specialties with a hint of contemporary flair. Last but not least, the Single & Simple Food section will be for those who are too busy to be in the kitchen or don’t want to buy huge amounts of food every week, providing a variety of ready-to-eat products.

Fresh ingredients, exotic flavors Food Week Korea 2014 will also feature Korea’s top bakery exhibition, the Seoul International Bakery Fair, which has been copresented alongside Food Week Korea since 2013. Guests will now be able to explore every aspect of the food and beverage industry, from fresh ingredients, drinks and desserts to machinery, furniture and packaging, all under one roof. Following its 2013 edition, the Craft Beer Festival will take place in conjunction with Food Week Korea under its new title, the Great Korean Beer Festival. Visitors may sample craft beer from all around the peninsula to savor the wide range of flavors and fragrances produced using expertly chosen spices and ingredients. Moreover, overseas buyers at Food Week Korea 2014 may participate in a one-on-one business-matching program featuring exclusive meetings between buyers and manufacturers in attendance. Food Week Korea 2014 will also feature food symposiums, vendor seminars, interactive workshops and demonstrations, as well as a live cooking show featuring star chefs. In its last edition, Food Week Korea saw 602 companies showcasing goods from 29 countries around the world to an estimated 75,000 buyers and visitors. This year, more than 1,000 domestic and overseas food- and beverage-related businesses will exhibit across 1,800 booths. All of this and more will take place in a world-class venue in one of the biggest metropolises on the planet, providing visitors with unique access to rapidly growing markets in Korea and Northeast Asia. Be sure to take advantage of these exciting opportunities by attending Food Week Korea 2014. For more information about the Food Week Korea showcase happening from Nov. 12 to 15 at Coex, please visit the event website, www.foodweek. info, or contact the Food Week Korea Secretariat by email at foodweek. info@coex.co.kr.

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56 www.groovekorea.com / November 2014

Annual event 3-D Printing Korea 2014 to be held alongside 22nd KOSIGN at Coex 3-D Printing Korea 2014 to offer insight into new advances in printing technology

isitors to the 22nd Korea Sign and Design Show from Nov. 5-8 at Coex in Seoul will be able to experience a whole new side of the signage industry this year, as the exhibition sees 3-D Printing Korea held concurrently for the first time.

Annual design showcase

An emerging market

Jointly organized by Coex and Korea’s 3-D Printing Industrial Association, 3-D Printing Korea will showcase a range of 3-D printers, printing materials, scanners, software, prototypes and organizations for research and education. Participants may also hear from 3-D printing industry leaders and specialists for insight into this new generation of printing technology. Adding to the impressive range of digital sign and design items already showcased at the annual Korea Sign and Design Show, 3-D Printing Korea 2014 is expected to further boost the show’s standing as a comprehensive business platform for the global signage and printing market. KOSIGN is the largest exhibition in the Korean outdoor advertising and digital printing industry, showcasing 179 exhibitors across 641 booths to more than 10,000 visitors last year.

In 2013, the World Economic Forum selected 3-D printing technology as one of the 10 most influential technologies in today’s market. The technology has also been selected by the Samsung Economic Research Institute as one of seven technologies expected to contribute most heavily to future industries. According to the WOHLERS Report 2014, the 3-D printing market was worth $3.07 billion in 2013, showing a compound annual growth rate of 34.9 percent. The industry is expected to grow at a remarkable pace over the next several years, fueled by sales of personal 3-D printers and expanded use of the technology for parts production. For more information about 3-D Printing Korea 2014 or KOSIGN, contact the KOSIGN Secretariat at kosign. info@coex.co.kr or visit kosign.info.

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The Greatest Band on Earth is coming Tenacious D performs live in Seoul Dec. 5-6

Date

Friday, Dec. 5 @ 8 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 6 @ 7 p.m. Olympic Park – Olympic Hall Venue Standing/Seat R: 121,000 won; Price Seat S: 110,000 won; Seat A: 99,000 won Age 18+ Tickets ticket.interpark.com/1544-1555 Inquiries (02) 563-0595

Pick of Destiny,” which was released in 2006. Having gained a reputation for being solid performers, their follow-up album of the same name climbed to No. 8 on the Billboard 200 chart and No. 10 on the U.K. chart. Unfortunately, due to Jack Black’s other commitments, a proper tour has not been in the works. Even with these scheduling conflicts, the band has still managed to make appearances on multiple main stages across the international music festival circuit: at the U.K.’s Reading and Leeds Festivals 2008 with Metallica; at the massive Bonaroo Music and Arts Festival in the United States; at Germany’s major festival, Rock am Ring; and the U.K.’s Download Festival. One of their shows at a theme park in Sweden brought in more than 20,000 fans, causing havoc at a venue that was not equipped for such an enthusiastic turnout. In 2012, Tenacious D released their third album, “Rize of the Fenix.” As expected, the lyrical content was delivered in their irreverent style, but, in addition to the hilarity of the content, the album’s melodies demonstrated the influence of such rock heavyweights as Led Zeppelin and former co-performers Metallica. Though it did not take the top spot on the U.K. charts, the album still reached the sought-after No. 2 position, and it peaked at No. 4 on the U.S. Billboard 200. As the best-selling album in the comedy-rock genre, it was no surprise when the release was also nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album in 2013. During their upcoming shows, the unpredictable and inimitable duo will not only display their talents and skills, but they will also display an accumulated 20 years of rock energy. These guys wear their fandom on their sleeves, so if you ever had even the slightest bit of interest in heavier, guitar-driven music, or simply just enjoy watching Jack Black’s movies, this rare opportunity to catch Tenacious D live in Korea must not be missed. Tickets to Tenacious D’s first live event in Seoul can be found through Interpark. There is an age restriction of 18+.

Contribution by Private Curve Co., Ltd.

nown for such popular movies as “School of Rock” (2003), “High Fidelity” (2000) and the animated feature “Kung Fu Panda” (2008), the world-famous Jack Black and his (tongue-in-cheek) self-proclaimed “greatest band in the world,” Tenacious D, will perform their very first concert in Seoul on Friday, Dec. 5. Having become one of the biggest cult bands in the Western music scene, Tenacious D’s stage presence, skill and spirit can be compared to the likes of the alternative and metal greats from the ‘90s that the pair so clearly idolize. The band consists of two members: One is the very well-known actor and comedian Jack Black, and the other is one of his closest friends, the charismatic guitarist Kyle Gass. What makes this concert particularly special, however, is that it’s happening at all: Jack Black’s lack of availability is no joke, sadly. Fortunately, the entertainment company Private Curve has been working hard for the past five years to make this event possible. The opportunity to see this band live is not something to be taken for granted. Just as a pack of cigarettes comes plastered with tobacco warnings, this band, too, has its own pre-show message, straight from Tenacious D itself: “Caution: The surgeon general of rock warns that viewing this band is equal to 29 orgasms.” The band began to gain popularity in 1997, when it had a comedic-live TV series on the popular U.S. cable network HBO. This show took them from the underground comedy scene to a major-label album deal, bringing with it a real start to the band’s career. By 2001 Tenacious D had released its debut album, “Tribute,” with the title track being an homage to the forgotten “greatest song in the world” (launching a tendency for the expression “greatest in the world” to be associated with the group). The album was certified platinum, and soon after Tenacious D started opening for bands like Pearl Jam and Foo Fighters. The pair also put work into a Tenacious D movie, “The

Tenacious D Live in Seoul

COLUMN • YONSEI UNIversity dental hospital

Oral appliance therapy for snoring and obstructive sleep apnea

Talking about causes and exploring treatment options

“M

y family complains that they can’t sleep because of my snoring.” “I don’t feel refreshed after a night’s sleep and feel exhausted all day.” “I cannot work properly because of daytime drowsiness, although I feel I sleep enough.” Snoring is known to cause sleep deprivation for both snorers and the people around them, more a bad sleeping habit than anything else. More recently, however, experts have pointed to snoring as the culprit for such issues as chronic headaches, hypertension, stroke and arrhythmia, making it a condition requiring active treatment.

For more information or reservations, call Ms. Kelly Soe, the English coordinator at Yonsei University Dental Hospital. +82 2 2228 8998 +82 2 363 0396 idc@yuhs.ac 50-1 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul www.yuhs.or.kr/ en/hospitals/dent_ hospital/Conserv_ dentist/Intro

Snoring and obstructive sleep apnea The familiar, intermittent sounds of snoring are caused by the vibration of respiratory structures due to obstructed air movement through the nose while sleeping. Heavy snorers may have excessively relaxed muscles surrounding their airways, or their airways may become temporarily blocked. Some snorers suffer from a condition known as obstructive sleep apnea, which occurs when snorers stop breathing for more than 10 seconds and five times per hour during sleep. Post-menopausal women and men above their 40s are at an increased risk for this condition, especially those who are obese or who sleep after drinking. The brains of those who have obstructive sleep apnea will be woken up often due to lack of oxygen supply during sleep. This leads to the most common symptom, excessive daytime drowsiness, though prolonged stretches of sleep apnea may cause strains on one’s heart and lungs and lead to serious complications such as hypertension, strokes, cardiac failure and even sudden death during sleep.

Diagnosis of snoring and obstructive sleep apnea Snoring and obstructive sleep apnea show a higher prevalence among people who are obese, or have receding chins, large tongues or enlarged tonsils, though the incidence rate increases with age. A questionnaire is used to check the severity of a patient’s sleep apnea, and a polysomnography is performed to confirm the diagnosis. Treatment of snoring and obstructive sleep apnea Light snoring and sleep apnea are treatable by shifting one’s daily habits such as sleeping sideways, losing weight, ceasing alcohol consumption or smoking, and exercising regularly. In severe cases, a continuous positive airway pressure machine, oral appliance or surgery are thwe main treatment options. Among these, the CPAP machine is known to be the most effective, but is reported by some to require an adjustment period before sleeping becomes comfortable again. Oral appliances show a similar level of effectiveness as a CPAP machine and are easier to use, have fewer complications and are thus recommended as a treatment of choice. Oral appliance therapy for snoring and obstructive sleep apnea A mandibular advancement device is the most frequently used oral appliance, advancing the lower jaw up to 50-70 percent of its maximum protrusion and thereby indirectly pulling the tongue forward. This widens the area behind the tongue and stabilizes pharyngeal space, thus preventing airway obstruction. Prior to treatment, a patient’s sleeping habits should be monitored using polysomnography and a physical examination should be performed to ensure the feasibility of oral appliance therapy. Regular follow-ups should be carried out afterward to address any existing symptoms while wearing oral appliances would aid in effective therapy.

Hyung Joon Ahn, DDS, Ph.D. Dept. of Orofacial Pain & Oral Medicine Yonsei University College of Dentistry

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Behind the bar Being a bartender has infinite possibilities Interviews by Moon Soo-hyun / Photos by Dukhwa

taewon is easily one of the hottest places in Seoul for evening outings, with its multinational crowd of visitors, openness and trendiness. Upscale establishments like Between, B1 Lounge club, Glam Lounge, Club Mute and Prost Pub & Grill are adding to the trendiness of Itaewon’s drink scene with their signature menus, distinct atmospheres and, most importantly, their innovative bartenders who are exploring new ways to make drinking more fun. “I think there is nothing that a bartender cannot use, only things that he chooses not to. I must think outside the box and enjoy myself for the customer to have an enjoyable experience,” says Cha Jung-ho, the bartender at Between. Groove Korea spoke with Cha Jung-ho at Between, Lee Honggyu at B1 Lounge, Kim Sun-kyung at Glam Lounge, Jeong Ho-bin at Club Mute and Lee Mi-young at Prost Pub & Grill talk about Itaewon, their respective bars, the art of bartending and their specialty cocktail recommendations.

Interview with Cha Jung-ho, Between Groove Korea: What favorite or signature cocktail would you recommend? Why is this special? I’d like to introduce a cocktail that you can make and enjoy easily at home using vinegar. Though there are a lot of ingredients that can add a refreshing taste like lemon or lime, vinegar gives a very unique and unexpected flavor and scent. There are a lot of people who enjoy gin and tonics or vodka tonics at home using Tanqueray No.10 gin or Ciroc vodka. If you add a touch of red vinegar (hongcho) to this simple mix, you can get a refreshing, red-tinted cocktail that looks and feels like something made by a pro at one of Itaewon’s finest bars. Tan q u e r ay No. 1 0 Toni c, Cir o c Toni c R e c ip es

Tanqueray No.10 Tonic • 30 ml Tanqueray No. 10 • 15 ml Hongcho red vinegar • 90 ml tonic water Ciroc Tonic • 30 ml Ciroc • 15 ml Hongcho red vinegar • 90 ml tonic water

You’re quite famous in the industry with all your wins at World Class competitions. What do you think is the most important qualification for your job? Bartending is a job that requires a lot of studying and practice. It’s a job you have to work hard at to develop your skills before you can start serving guests. Personally, I think it’s important to keep an open mind and think outside the box. If you can only ever picture a cocktail being served out of a glass, there are going to be a lot of limitations in terms of how you express yourself. There’s nothing a bartender cannot use; it’s only a matter of the things that he or she chooses not to try. I have to stay creative and enjoy myself, for the customer’s sake — we have to be able to express ourselves freely.

What do you like the most about being a bartender? How many jobs are out there where you can truly express yourself? Bartending is one of those jobs where you can totally be whoever you are. You can express your unique personality through your bartending technique, and in each cocktail you serve. How is Itaewon different from other places where you have worked before? With its tendency to attract a lot of foreign patrons, Itaewon is the perfect place to express myself to people from all over the world. On top of its foreign and local pedestrian traffic, Itaewon is also the center of what’s new and happening in Seoul, something I attribute to MYK; it’s definitely something that makes Itaewon special. How is Between different from other lounges? I think the strength of Between is its versatility; you can come and enjoy the dining menu, the lounge or just the general privacy of the space as a whole. More than just the hardware, like the interior design, but also by the software: the food, employee service and music. All MYK places have their own charm, with a good mix of modern and classic. You have a fair amount of experience in your trade. Would you ever consider running a class to pass on your experience to others? Holding cocktail classes and getting to know some of our customers better would certainly be a really worthwhile, exciting experience, but I’m not sure I could do it on my own; if it weren’t for all the other bartenders I work with, I would have nothing more to show than my cocktails. … It takes a team of people working together to make a great cocktail menu. In a way, I would say each of us holds our own cocktail classes every day of the year. The solid mix of cocktails, food, music and ambiance is not only thriving at Between but in every MYK place.

Roulette Between Lounge

Cha Jung-ho’s specialty drinks Roulette With it being autumn, I would like to recommend the Roulette — a reinterpretation of the Manhattan. Because of Itaewon’s particular character, we get a lot of foreign customers and Manhattans have become a popular order. But there was one time when a customer took a sip of the Manhattan I served and said it wasn’t real; even after six more glasses, the customer, who was from Manhattan, continued to tell me, “This this isn’t the Manhattan I know.” I was dying to know what I was missing. Back in January 2014, I happened to be traveling through New York City and tried Manhattans from many bars in the area. I can’t say that I figured it out, exactly, but I did feel that my Manhattan was still just an imitation of somebody else’s, not one with my own style or philosophy. In the end there was no definite answer. The cocktails were impressive, nonetheless. Shortly after I came back, Bulleit Rye was introduced in Korea, so I used its strong, smooth taste to try to capture my own take on the classic. After all of my research, I came up with the Roulette: It’s the queen of cocktails and captures the scent and delicate ambience of autumn.

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Interview with Lee Hong-gyu, B1 Lounge What’s special about B1? I would say our biggest strength is our combination of interior design, music, cocktails and service. For one, the antique interior, which brings to mind a Middle Age castle, captivates the customers. On top of that, there is the funky, groovy music, and we serve a variety of drinks like twists to classic cocktails — breaking the stereotype that clubs usually serve two mixed drinks — along with our own exclusive signature cocktails. I think these strengths and the good service from employees are the reason we are continuously loved by our customers. You have many fans as well. What’s the secret? The key is to be friendly and to make good cocktails. To develop and sustain friendships with customers is fundamental; it is also crucial to know and do your job within that relationship. When I first started my bartending job, the manager once told me, “Bartenders are doctors. Do you know why? People, lonely people, people going through hard times, everyone comes to get some comfort or to share happiness; it is the bartenders that tend to them and give them the strength they need.” I still keep this in mind. “Bartenders are doctors. The cocktails we make are the drugs” – I try my best to deliver.

Groove Korea: Tell us about your cocktail class. Lee Hong-gyu: As a bartender, I attended a variety of master classes and lectures, and I’ve always wanted to have my own class. I finally got to start one with a magazine not too long ago. I’ve held cocktail classes for employees at the bar before, but that was the first time I’ve taught students and ordinary people from other professions. The previous cocktail class was organized with the concept of “See Through,” with classes introducing cocktails to fit a variety of specific situations. One of them was a situation in which you wanted to seduce someone, and this class got a lot of eager attention. It was so popular that during the part of the class when they got to make their own cocktails, most of the participants made the seduction cocktail. If I get the chance, I want to do classes for companies or university students. What plans do you have for the class? There are no concrete plans yet. But if I were to hold more cocktail classes, I would want to do so for our loyal, supportive customers.

What do you think is the Itaewon’s biggest charm? Itaewon is really very different from other areas. During holidays we get an especially multinational crowd of customers, and it feels exotic. The customers also range in age from late 20s to early 40s, rather than only those in their early 20s. Another characteristic is that there are a lot of places with their own little charms and strong personalities; there are many that have a concept that would only be possible in Itaewon, and items that I think would not be very competitive if they were presented in other areas. What do you think are the most critical qualities a bartender needs? Bartending is a job that involves directly facing customers, so I would say your personality is the most important. It is also essential that you make good cocktails. If I order a cocktail and the bartender gives me a lousy one, I wouldn’t even regard that as a product to be sold; I would ask it to be poured down the sink at once. Bartending is a professional job, one that takes constant research, thought, new experiences, perseverance, passion and a clear goal and dream, and I find it vexing when I see someone who doesn’t take it seriously. Another important quality would be creativity. It’s important to have diverse perspectives in looking at a situation or object, and also to have the ability to materialize those diverse perspectives and points, because I think a bartender is not only someone who mixes drinks but a performance artist using spirits. It is a job that calls for relentless change and growth; it’s definitely not an ordinary job.

Shall we Sally B1 Lounge Club

Lee Hong-gyu’s specialty drinks Shall We Sally This was created especially for the Halloween season, inspired by the movie “Nightmare Before Christmas.” Its name comes from the main female character, Sally. It’s made from Bacardi’s lemonflavored rum, fresh lemon juice, egg whites and both raspberry and grenadine syrups. The tangy raspberry flavor covers the strong alcohol in it, and the egg white gives it its characteristic rich froth and smooth taste.

Red Moon Prost Pub & Grill

L e e M i - yo u n g ’ s s p e c i a lt y d r i n k s

Red Moon Red Moon is a cocktail made with strawberries, lemon, orange spritz and cranberry juice. The drink is mixed martini-style so it is relatively strong, but its fresh fruity flavor and scent make it friendly to female customers as well.

Interview with Lee Mi-young, Prost Pub & Grill Groove Korea: How is Prost Pub & Grill different from others? Lee Mi-young: There are a lot of classic bars opening these days, but I think Prost is on a different level. It does have a bar, but it is essentially a pub, so everyone — both the employees and customers — can enjoy a freer, more relaxed environment that’s characteristic of a pub. I also think its antique interior design adds a lot of charm. Another one of Prost’s strengths is that, in addition to being the largest pub in Itaewon, you can also enjoy plates prepared by a former chef at a Michelin three-star restaurant. Prost has larger selections of shooter cocktails than any other pub in the area. Any particular reasons? When we realized that there are almost no bars that sell shooter cocktails professionally, we made a bar dedicated to shooters — mixing and selling dozens of kinds — that stands out from other bars and gives our customers a new, fun experience. The shooters that sell are mostly made by stacking ingredients one by one, making a charming visual that you can enjoy with your eyes first. They’re very popular with our younger customers. What type of clientele orders shooters? Shooters are visually very pretty, so female customers tend to order them a lot, and with Itaewon being Itaewon, they’re also popular among foreign customers. What do you like the most about being a bartender? It’s very special to create something and see someone’s satisfaction with what you made. This is a really big draw for bartending — making diverse cocktails that suit each customer’s preferences and personality — and I would say is the foremost charm of being a bartender. Another charm is that it’s a job where you can meet many different people and talk about a lot of different things; you can relive many experiences indirectly by listening to people’s stories, and you also learn to regard others’ happiness, which you contribute to through your service, as your own. What do you think are the most critical qualifications for bartenders? First of all you, need a self-driven attitude. When you first start working at a bar there are a lot of things to learn, from a variety of jargon to the kinds of spirits, and there’s no one to teach these to you one by one, from start to end. It’s only through your own efforts and actively asking for help from people around you that you can really absorb everything from the experience. You should also have a caring mind. You would need an open, considerate attitude that can understand and accept others rather than judge them, be it a customer who shares a story you find hard to identify with or a colleague who works very differently than you do.

Interview with Kim Sun-kyung, Glam Lounge I hope I’ll get to enjoy the classes with more people in the future.

]

Groove Korea: You have held cocktail classes. Tell us about them. Kim Sun-kyung: The Glam Lounge terrace, Baron, is a very popular place. With its luxurious atmosphere and unique concept distinguishing it from the lounge below, Baron has been drawing more and more customers. To let more people know about what makes this place special, we decided to hold cocktail classes. We wanted to show people that cocktails are not difficult, complicated things, but rather something that everyone can easily enjoy, and we were happy as we got a lot of positive reaction. Do you plan to continue the classes in future? The cocktail classes will be continued, yes. I’m planning to redesign the classes so that more people can participate and to have more content.

You have worked in the Cheongdam area, which is known for its glamorous lifestyle. How is Itaewon different from there? There are distinct cultures in each area. I think the strength of Itaewon is that it’s a place where people can mingle with each other very easily. People can approach strangers, say hi and have a good time together without feeling awkward, and that’s special. It’s also a place that is always full of positive energy. What’s special about Glam Lounge? We’re doing our best to provide new items and superior service and keep our luxurious lounge concept. Our crew is busy making sure we meet our customers’ expectations, especially as we are trying to maintain our reputation as the hottest place in Itaewon. You have lots of fans. What’s your secret? Bartending is a job that involves a lot of live action, like mixing drinks in front of customers, so you always need star quality. I advise junior bartenders to pay attention to both the service and the drinks. A more specific tip would be to try to grasp each customer’s disposition and treat them accordingly; sometimes politely, sometimes wittily.

Groove Korea: How is Itaewon different from other places where you have worked before? Jeong Ho-bin: As we all know, Itaewon is known to be the best place to find locals mixing with people from all around the world. I think Itaewon’s biggest strength is that it’s often one of the first neighborhoods to embrace the newest trends in Seoul.

Rings of Saturn Club Mute

Jeong Ho-bin’s specialty drinks Ring s o f Satur n This cocktail is made with Irish whiskey as the base and has a unique visual that reminds you of the rings of Saturn. But as a person who mixes and creates a variety of cocktails, I have so many that I want to recommend. Also, each person has his or her own preferences, so each would have different cocktails that appeal to them. For this reason, I would recommend that all readers explore and try cocktails from many different areas, bars and bartenders, and find the one that suits them best.

What makes Mute stand out from other clubs? It’s hard to pinpoint, really: The cool interior design, with its unique DJ booth shaped like a bird cage; the title parties with techno, funky house, deep house and techno house music that captures the characters of the resident DJs; and guest parties where we invite famous local and foreign artists are all things that come to mind. We get a lot of great feedback from customers on our cocktails and overall drink menu — good drinks really boost the mood. I also think it’s our friendly bar staff here who make the drinks, and the overall service of the club. You have worked at both bars and clubs. What the charm of clubs? Bars and clubs have their own respective charms. A big characteristic of clubs is that they are places that are a lot more open than bars. The mood, music and cocktails let people enjoy themselves freely and forget about their stressful week. A club is also a place where anybody can

Praha Jaro Glam Lounge

Kim Sun-kyung’s specialty drinks Praha Jaro It means “spring in Prague” in Czech, and is made using Becherovka, a traditional Czech liquor. I’m trying to capture the flavor of the culture and air of different countries in the renewed cocktails, to fit the customers’ tastes. Praha Jaro’s motif is the historical Prague Spring of 1968. As customers are turning to spirits with lower alcohol percentages and seeking out a healthier drinking culture, I’ve put in a lot of thought into choosing a cocktail base accordingly. For this reason, I looked to Becherovka, the traditional Czech health-boosting spirit, and Jägermeister, a German traditional spirit made from a variety of herbs and spices.

Interview with Jeong Ho-bin, Club Mute

be in the spotlight. I think that’s their most fundamental charm. What do you like most about being a bartender? Bartending is one of those jobs that has infinite possibilities. People who haven’t experienced it themselves wouldn’t know, but it’s a job where you get to make everyone feel happier and more welcomed, be it at a bar or at a club, through a cocktail or some other service, by treating people like a friends and sometimes family. I think this is what the charm of this job comes from. If you want to know more about being a bartender or about cocktails, I recommend you to visit my blog: m.blog.naver.com/ghqlsdl1.

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Eating alone with friends AfreecaTV provides the platform for Korea’s meokbang phenomenon Story and Photos by Haeryun Kang

ourteen-year-old Jung-pil Choi sets his daily alarm to catch BJ Bumfrica’s broadcasts. “It’s not fun eating with family. We don’t talk when we eat. Eating is just for filling my stomach.” Watching the broadcast jockey’s show online every day, on the other Meokbang, short for hand, is both entertaining and fulfilling. “I get full just by watching meokneun-bangsong, is an him eat.” The “him” in question, Dongeating broadcast, but contrary bum Kim (aka Bumfrica), is a Busan native hosting a popular “meokbang” show to what TIME Magazine on AfreecaTV’s (“A Free Casting” TV) reported a few months ago it’s free online channel. not a burgeoning phenomenon Meokbang, short for meokneunbangsong, is an eating broadcast. But in South Korea. contrary to what Time magazine reported a few months ago, it’s not a new phenomenon in South Korea; even before the movie “The Yellow Sea” (2010), where actor Ha Jung-woo is said to have initiated the desire to see more eating on television, watching people eat has long been a popular pastime for viewers on AfreecaTV.

66 www.groovekorea.com / November 2014

A social network

On Jung-pil’s phone I can see that crab is on the menu tonight, with Bumfrica chatting about his day as his fans watch him eat from somewhere in Busan. Speaking in a heavy South Gyeongsang dialect, BJ Bumfrica swears a lot and opts for more of an honest image than a polite one. Maybe this is why he’s the bestknown host. BJ Bumfrica’s meokbang is just one of the many on AfreecaTV — actually, there are more than 4,800 of them. There is 14-year-old BJ Patu, who sometimes holds spicy ramen eating contests with guests, and even the rare female meokbang host BJ Diva has an inhumane appetite and can eat two king crabs plus dessert. But no matter the personality behind the plate, no matter the food, the basic idea is the same: Fans tune in and watch a stranger eat and talk for hours. Hosting a meokbang broadcast can also be quite profitable. Viewers can send the BJ “balloons,” or convertible digital currency, which really add up: BJ Bumfrica’s monthly net income is more than 30 million won (he got 40,000 balloons from a fan one night — nearly 3 million

‘There’s nothing to do outside’

The root of meokbang culture is still unclear, but might stem from the intersection between an increasing sense of social isolation and a growing comfort with online culture. According to the OECD, for example, South Koreans work 2,163 hours a year, the second-highest rate in the OECD (the average is 1,773 hours). In addition to spending longer stretches of time outside the home, Statistics Korea has reported that more Koreans are not coming home to anyone, with the number of single-person households jumping by 20 percent in the past 30 years. And even if a household

won). But for many — viewers and the broadcast jockeys alike — the appeal of meokbang isn’t monetary; rather, it’s the community created around the food. “I started meokbang because my parents both worked late, so I would often skip dinner,” says 14-year-old BJ Patu, or Kim Sung-jin, from Bucheon. “I didn’t want to eat alone. I love playing with my fans because they respond in a fun way, even when I’m talking to myself. It’s better than playing with

friends because with them (my friends), it’s just soccer or the PC bang.” AfreecaTV’s meokbang programming is often described as an outlet for loneliness, with viewers and broadcast jockeys both identifying with not wanting to be alone. Though the community is still small in comparison to networks like Facebook, it still shows how technology is changing the way we understand solitude and togetherness.

does include children, a 2013 article published by World Education News and Reviews reported that kids are busy, too: The average Korean child spends 13 hours a day studying. When these shifts in household social dynamics are combined with the country’s explosive growth in technology — KISA estimates more than 70 percent of the South Korean population above age 3 are smartphone users — one can’t help but acknowledge that the way people interact with each other is likely in a state of flux. The broadcast jockeys on AfreecaTV are in the right place at the right time, and the fans

are eating it up. Minsuh Kim is a 13-year-old fan of meokbang BJ Patu who says she prefers watching meokbang to eating with her family because there’s nothing novel about the latter. “Reality isn’t as fun as the broadcasts,” she says. “There’s nothing to do outside.” BJ Patu agrees. “There are good things but also bad things (about meokbang) but in broadcasts, it’s always entertaining … the fans respond to everything I say. Online, I’m always happy.” In a country like South Korea, meokbang offers not only a momentary solution to loneliness, but also an entertaining opportunity to escape physical reality. Sometimes the two bleed together — for example, BJ Patu once organized a “Running Man” game event in his hometown, and BJ Bumfrica invited a few of his fans to participate in the interview for this story — but for the most part, all the community’s interactions remain anchored in the virtual world. Beyond an epidemic of loneliness, however, the meokbang phenomenon also taps into an increasing tendency to avoid the complexities of human relationships altogether, sidestepping the tiring, awkward and boring aspects of connecting with people and instead reaching out to a simpler, always-entertaining world in the palm of your hand. Humanity is there. All you have to do is tune in.

FOOD & DRINK Edited by Shelley DeWees (shelley@groovekorea.com)

Fee-fi-fo-fum! Busanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Jack and the Beanstalk has vegan yum-yums Story and Photos by Clint Stamatovich

Getting there c Jack and the Beanstalk is on Haeundae Beach in Busan. Walk out of exit 5 of Haeundae Station and go straight down the street for five minutes, then take the third left. Turn right down Haeundaehaebyeon-ro 298 beon-gil and walk to the end of the street. Jack and the Beanstalk is on the first floor of the building on your right.

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ake a gander down any as well as through books and on the Internet. often traveling to Seoul to visit other vegan street or narrow pasBut the greatest help in developing my vegan restaurants, study recipes and ingredients, sageway in Korea and cooking has been my 13 years of (nonvegan) and broaden her approach. In the process of almost certainly a beef, restaurant experience, because I can apply it perfecting her veggie burger sauce, for examchicken or pork to my vegan cooking even though the restaurant can be ingredients are completely different. My found overflowing sense for cooking has helped to develop with bulgogi and Korean-style vegan dishes.” For Kim personally, the shift to vesamgyeopsal. Koganism was primarily for health. “I went rean BBQ joints, chimaek (chicken and vegan due to a health problem, but I beer) bars and gyeopsal eateries are came to know that being vegan was an enormously popular and line both the amazing thing, not only for health reabustling backstreets and popular areas sons but for environmental and lifestyle of Busan. If the number of meat-based reasons too. I discovered the value of it; restaurants in the country stands as any it’s priceless.” indication, the favorite foods seem to be In a country where even vegetarianism varied meats, with sides of meat, served is largely alien, Kim’s family has been over meat. very understanding of her decision to Historically, Korean cuisine has reopen this unique business venture. “My volved around rice, which almost always family members have been great suparrives accompanied with cooked or porters for me, although they’re not vegfermented side dishes and spicy, meatetarians or vegans. My partner especially based stews. But as Koreans have has cheered me on and assisted me figrown up in a more stable economic nancially, because (the restaurant) hasn’t climate, meat has taken the foreground, had much profit.” as have many Western-style Foods. Nevertheless, customers are satisCravings for traditional Korean (veg-ladfied. Kim has an American patron who en) comfort foods now face stiff comregularly travels from Yangsan to Nampetition from the numerous meat-centric cheon — almost an hour and a half in restaurants that have opened, as well as transit — to eat from her menu, which places that put emphasis on nonnative includes a bean cutlet much like the specialties like meat and cream pastas, Japanese tonkatsu (breaded pork cutlet steaks, burgers and fried chicken. with gravy); a veggie burger piled on with Sophia Kim, the proprietor of Jack and vegetables, her perfect sauce and an the Beanstalk in Namcheon, Busan, apple slice; and even vegan pizza with however, runs her restaurant with the cheese made from cashews. Her repeat polar opposite approach: no meat whatcustomers have been local as well as soever. “Jack and the Beanstalk is a foreign, and presumably, they have provegan restaurant … completely different moted her restaurant by word of mouth from other conventional Korean restauas she’s seen a big increase in her numrants,” says Kim. ber of customers lately. In addition to sidestepping the expo“Our customers love the dishes I’ve nentially popular meat dishes seen elsebeen making. I think it’s a natural rewhere, at Jack and the Beanstalk, Kim sponse (to the cooking style) because also steers clear of processed foods, I make each dish with sincerity. I’ve touting organic, eco-friendly and genetcommitted to using organic, eco-friendly ically unaltered ingredients. Many vegan-oriented restaurants products, regardless of cost.” “Vegetables, fruits and brown rice I Kim stands as a singularity with her atpurchase from certified organic farms; use frozen or processed items, but at Jack tention to detail and her creativity. Many whole grain breads are also from Toand the Beanstalk, each dish is created vegan-oriented restaurants use frozen jong Sikpum, a certified organic source; from the ground up with clean ingredients or processed items, but at Jack and the soy products are from an internationally and delicate recipes honed over time. Beanstalk, each dish is created from the certified supplier,” Kim says. “‘Certified ground up with clean ingredients and organic’ means they are passed by the delicate recipes honed over time. “I have a Korean government, as well as an independple, she consumed multiple burgers a day for responsibility. … It’s not just to serve healthy ent customer group’s inspection.” taste testing. “In the beginning, I learned dishes from a foods to customers, but more than that: I conThe restaurant owner is passionately comvegan chef who ran Loving Hut in Haeundae, sider myself a vegan food artist.” mitted to her lifestyle and livelihood as a chef,

FOOD & DRINK Edited by Shelley DeWees (shelley@groovekorea.com)

Seoul Veggie Kitchen

A Russo-Ukranian consommé We’re in the mood for borscht

Story by Shelley DeWees / Photos by Liz West

he first time I encountered borscht was at a friend’s fancy dinner party where, after one too many glasses of ridiculously delicious, properly stored, served-in-appropriate-stemware Bordeaux, a huge steaming pot of blood-red soup was placed on the table in front of me. As her husband ladled, I gawked — wait, it’s made out of what again? “Beets!” she said. “And some other veggies and stuff. Do you want a scoop of sour cream on top?” Oh, right. Beets. The divisive root vegetable you either love or hate. Beet-haters will tell you — and not incorrectly — that any-

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thing you have to roast for hours and cover in goat cheese to make passable should never be considered yummy. Those who pitch their tent in this camp might boldly say, “Shelley, I’m serious, those (expletive) things taste like dirt,” or like a coworker recently shared, “Well I like ‘em now, but I had to realize their flavor was never going to change.” She just accepted it; her relationship with beets is flawed, but I guess they’re better together? For me, this borscht experience was emblematic of the perfect food encounter, the kind of thing every foodie goes bibbledy over. First there was the sexy color, a deep saucy red that invoked all kinds of naughty thoughts as I gazed into it, not caring about the elegant dinnerware or fine spoon I was about to sully.

Then, as I slurped the first bit over my tongue, a second beautiful thing happened: I realized it actually tasted pretty, too, like some kind of sweet-earthy elixir of love. I freaked. I slurped again, freaked again. I became a beet-lover for life. And honestly, it’s a good thing, because beets are insanely healthy and cost very, very little (for real, less than apples). There are a lot of ways to learn to love them — a fried fennel and beet hash comes to mind, maybe with a few fried eggs or sausage if that’s your thing, or pasta tossed with a beet puree, or a rockin’ beet-n-bean burger — but personally I think the best way to find your inner beet-lover is to whip up a pot of borscht, where the beet is most iconic.

Serve it traditionally, with a blob of sour cream or mayonnaise and a sprinkle of fresh dill, or serve it naked — the soup, I mean (but only kinda).

Quickie vegetarian borscht Beets in Korea are usually sold without the greens (which is a shame, because they’re delicious), wrapped in plastic and tucked somewhere in the refrigerated section on the wall, near the lemons and avocados. You’ll see them — just scan carefully.

Ingredients • 2 tbsp olive oil • 2 big beets, peeled and diced (or shredded) • 1 carrot, chopped • 1 tomato, diced • 4 potatoes, diced (peel or don’t peel, up to you) • 1/2 cabbage, thinly sliced • 1 onion, diced • 2-3 garlic cloves, minced • 1 tbsp lemon juice • Dried parsley • Salt and pepper

Start by slicing and dicing everything — this represents about 80 percent of all the work you’ll need to do for this soup — and then heat the olive oil in your biggest soup pot over medium heat and add all the vegetables. Toss the mixture around a bit, add a healthy dash of salt, then cover and cook for 10 minutes (give it a stir once or twice in the interim). Once the veggies have softened somewhat, add 2 liters or so of water, enough to cover everything plus about 2 inches, then crank up the heat and bring the soup to a boil. When it’s really rollin’ you should cover the pot and lower the heat to medium so it can simmer without boiling over. Thirty minutes later, remove the pot from the heat and stir in the lemon juice, parsley and pepper. Serve it traditionally, with a blob of sour cream or mayonnaise and a sprinkle of fresh dill, or serve it naked — the soup, I mean (but only kinda).

Destinations Edited by Shelley DeWees (shelley@groovekorea.com)

Discovery O n e e x pat ’ s j o u r n e y t o a n e w r e l at i o n s h i p w i t h h i s m o t h e r Story and Photos by Simon Slater

’d grown tired of it: tired of the jostle and hustle of countless faceless bodies colliding with mine from every direction. Weary of the endless streams of traffic fumes filling the empty spaces of my lungs that the Beijing breeze hadn’t already blown in. I’d dreamed of living in Seoul for years — and I do love this city — yet the constant warring for bus space, the car horns filling my waking hours, and the side-stepping, dodging and weaving between streams of slow-stepping smartphone-entranced commuters had started to grind me down. I needed out. Not OUT, out — just enough of an escape to keep me going. City life turns me on, no doubt about it. But after a countryside upbringing, this existence amongst the noise,

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haze and super-sized Lego bricks of apartments could only sustain my sanity for so long. The timing of my breakdown was auspicious: late autumn in Korea is amazing, the time of year when the last few warm weekends beckon us to enjoy the outdoors. The air is kind, and a few day trips or weekends away are completely doable (that is, before most people start to hibernate). Alex Garland wrote that “escape through travel works,” and it does, because from the moment I left Seoul’s urban sprawl with my mom on her second visit to Korea, the sweeping views of rice paddies and small villages were instantly invigorating. Green replaced gray as I unplugged from Seoul’s matrix and saw Korea with fresh eyes.

As we stood gazing out at the most jawdropping vista Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d ever seen in Korea, where an amphitheater of green tea bushes primed an ocean laden with islands fading into the distance, there was a certain satisfaction at the extra effort weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d made to get here.

Destinations Edited by Shelley DeWees (shelley@groovekorea.com)

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The next day we found ourselves waiting for a local bus to take us to a green tea field plantation in the South Jeolla Province town of Boseong. As we sat among the weathered old folk with their life-worn faces, I wondered what was going through their heads — they just sat there, staring from tired eyes, looking like they’d lived a tough existence. Were they parents? Were they participants? Once we arrived at the plantation, we decided to break away from the other foreign tourists — they said “like” far too often — veering up a hill to an unmarked path and a whole new world: one almighty view, a panoramic feast for the eyes. Not one voice pervaded the air; we heard only birdsong. No waddling foreign rumps in sight, no fluorescent Korean hiking gear to blot the landscape; just beautifully cultivated natural bliss. As we stood gazing out at the most jaw-dropping vista I’d ever seen in Korea, where an amphitheater of green tea bushes primed an ocean laden with islands fading into the distance, there was a certain satisfaction at the extra effort we’d made to get here. This wasn’t in the guidebook. There was no “photo zone” sign or merchandise shop. There’s a good chance we might have been trespassing. It didn’t matter. That evening we happened across one of the only places left open, a tiny but kitsch little cafe called Honey Pie. As the only two customers we were able to watch a three-piece band called Acoustic Dabang do their dress rehearsal, and two songs in, we were both on the verge of tears. We were swept away as the female singer, Sewon, her powerful voice, as sweet as

bamboo wine, sang her cover version of 2NE1’s “Lonely.” Then we watched the sunset over the bay. Although switching between a phone and reality isn’t a healthy thing to do when trying to immerse oneself in the natural environment, it has its advantages: A couple of phone-taps later, I discovered it was Parents’ Day in Korea. As my mom walked ahead of me down the boardwalk, silhouetted against the fading sun, I registered what a perfect moment it was. Secretly passing a bottle of booze back and forth between us on the bus back to Gwangju, where we had a hostel to ourselves, I started thinking how relationships have a beautiful tendency to change as we age: Suddenly a parent isn’t just a person who raised us, sent us off to school, or someone we’re obliged to join for Christmas dinner every year or Skype with on a regular basis. Now they’re our friends, maybe our drinking buddies, our travel partners, someone more than just a parent. Like the life of a leaf, from a bud to a brightly colored ornament, my relationship with my mom had developed into something expressive and engaging, not just momand-kid stuff. Of all the discoveries I’ve made during my time here, this is the best: My own mother is one of the best travel partners I’ve ever had.

Destinations Edited by Shelley DeWees (shelley@groovekorea.com)

Zen and the Art of Bicycle Touring Story and Photos by Simon Powell

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Soothe your ravaged mind with one last geta way

Destinations Edited by Shelley DeWees (shelley@groovekorea.com)

his summer I explored Korea’s south coast: 600 kilometers in six nights on the road less traveled, from Wando to Busan. Dusty lanes meandered though ramshackle hamlets where gnarled hands clasped antiquated contraptions and wizened octogenarians lazed in the shade of ancient trees. Buzzing wetlands alternated with vast mudflats home to the throngs of slender-necked birds silhouetted against the distant horizon. Nestled between misty mountains, carpets of glowing green were dappled with brilliant pinks and luminous yellows, like dabs from an impressionist’s paintbrush. Dewy mornings turned to sun-drenched days, and in the early evening a warm light washed over the calm sea, wrapping the myriad offshore islands in a honeyed haze. In the fading twilight the landscape melted to smudged lilac and mauve, then dusky blue, before the amber flickers of far-away fishing boats speckled the darkness like fallen stars from the twinkling skies above. Why do I wax philosophical about my adventures? Because I travel by bicycle. Automobiles are sold with hollow promises of the feelings they can inspire, but in reality they’re air-conditioned, soundproofed cocoons designed to cushion, detach and isolate us from our surroundings. They get us to our destinations as quickly as possible, with as little feeling as possible. By contrast, on the bike saddle your every sense is fully immersed in the immediate environment; the intensity of the experience is heightened exponentially. You savor the beauty of fine details and pause to connect, rather than passively gawp as the world slips past your tinted panes in square frames, so much more like TV. On a bike, you’re in the scene — not just watching. Travel by bicycle and the road comes alive. Along the south coast crickets skipped helter-skelter all around, glossy beetles scampered in my wake, tail tips slithered out of sight and comical crustaceans scuttled for cover, claws held high. As I glided past, pocket-sized birds burst from bushes in unison, flashing bellies of iridescent turquoise. Further afield, their lanky cousins unfolded broad, milky wings like the flowing white hanbok of Joseon scholars, soaring away in majestic curves. Journeying by bicycle turns the body

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into an engine. A bicycle traveler doesn’t measure speed, distance, gradient or temperature by dials on a dashboard, but rather on their skin and in their muscles, gut and bones. A direct and intimate connection, physical and emotional, binds the rider to the land they travel. Every bump, crack and dip is transmitted up through the frame and along the spine. Each twist and turn of the road is felt through the handlebars’ movement, from the fingertips up to the neck. The accumulating miles wear on tiring joints, but even with eyes closed, the precise texture and topography of the land can be sensed — from the finest pebbles or blades of grass to the broad contours of a mountain range.

Automobiles are sold with hollow promises of the feelings they can inspire, but in reality they’re air-conditioned, soundproofed cocoons designed to cushion, detach and isolate us from our surroundings. In meditation, conscious breathing techniques are used to anchor oneself in reality, as feelings come and go like clouds in a windy sky. The rider’s breath is a constant presence; by concentrating on the cadence of inhalation and exhalation, they may come to perceive a reality drenched in rhythm: There’s the heartbeat and the perpetual pulse of pedal over pedal to the metronomic click of the chain; there are the wavelengths of the rolling, winding road and the bending coastline, lapped by the ebb and flow of the sea; and each day there are regular cycles of hunger, alternating periods of grinding exertion and overwhelming pleasure, oscillating illusions of boundless energy and insurmountable fatigue, all played out under the scorching gaze of the sun. In a world suffused with such sensory stimulation, you can become completely absorbed in a profound appreciation of the moment. And this is the very essence of

Zen. The past exists only in our memories, the future only in our plans. The present is our only reality, and the shadow stuck to the tires, stretching tall at the end of each day, is a persistent reminder of our presence. A bicycle tourer is acutely aware of the primacy of the present journey over the future destination. In turn, the journey becomes the destination.

In a world suffused with such sensory stimulation, you can b e c o m e c o m p l e t e ly absorbed in a profound appreciation of the moment. And this is the very essence of Zen. Do you want to try? The truth is anyone can do it, but three principles are paramount. First, do it alone. Devoid of distractions, the sense of adventure is heightened and deeper relationships develop both with the journey and with those you’ll meet en route. Secondly, use the little roads. Experience a more authentic character and discover the hidden corners that outsiders rarely see. Along the south coast I rolled through rustic hamlets far from the main highways, isolated between mountains and trapped in a bygone age. A backwoods route also ensures quietude, a closer proximity to nature and shelter from busy traffic. Country lanes

and farming tracks are well mapped in Korea, and they’ll often be all yours for hours on end. But most importantly, make your plans deliberately indefinite — travel, don’t just arrive. Lacking a predetermined route, you’ll remain receptive to the whims of fate, fortune and fancy as you forge your own unique path. There’s a tangible excitement and great freedom in not knowing where you’ll bed down at the end of each day. And given the Korean predilection for camping, there are always ample opportunities to sleep wild under open skies and remain safely undisturbed. Pagodas also conveniently dot the landscape at the most scenic spots: in suburban parks and rural villages; by idyllic beaches and dramatic coastline; on the banks of bending rivers and overlooking swaying rice fields; perched preciously on mountainsides, with magnificent panoramic vistas. Try them all. As a Zen cyclist, detached from all extraneous concerns, you can be in blissful harmony with the present. You’re at once cruising on autopilot and intensely aware — simultaneously peaceful and euphoric. Most evenings this last summer, as the sinking sun winked from behind a craggy peak, I found myself floating effortlessly through a dream world, possessing everything I needed to ride on endlessly to the edge of the Earth: The mild evening air cooled the sweat on my brow and an endorphin-laced ecstasy bubbled up from deep inside, flowing to every corner of my being in a skin-tingling wave and escaping in a broad smile,stretching wide from cheek to cheek. For such joyous moments, I’ll keep on rolling.

COMMUNITY Edited by Jenny Na (jenny@groovekorea.com)

Expat Enclaves offers a snapshot of the communities that expats in Korea call home. — Ed.

Settle down there

Expat Enclaves

J e o n j u ’ s g o t s o me t h i n g f o r e v e r y o n e , b u t k n o w y o u c o u l d b e t h e r e f o r a w h il e Story by Dean Crawford / Photos by Joe Wabe

hile you may know Jeonju for hosting one of Asia’s leading film festivals, what you might not be aware of is that beyond the cinemas and delectable cuisine, several close-knit communities make Jeonju a great place for expats. Sure, it doesn’t have as many bright lights as Seoul or a beach on its doorstep, but not to be outdone, Jeonju has a booming arts scene with musicians, painters and theater groups, one of which is gearing up for a series of one-act plays that will be on stage throughout December. It’s the

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sort of place that is home to people who like to give up their time to help others. It has a successful soccer team. And it has someone who wants to do their part for the city by simply making a good burger. Former Jeonju resident and British expat Chris Pearce sums up Jeonju perfectly: “Where I am now, there aren’t a lot of things to do apart from drink. But within a month of living in Jeonju I was a part of the local football team, heading down to parks for picnics and heading out to band nights. There’s a lot to do in Jeonju and I certainly took it for granted.”

Hotbed for music For a small city, Jeonju has a thriving music scene. One venue that gets its fair share of expat customers is Radiostar, owned by Park In-yeol. In the few years it has been open, the watering hole has become a hub for people to drink, play music and generally have a good time. You don’t need to have a band, as the Jeonju Rock Lottery demonstrates: On those nights, the venue offers free license to use the stage and accompanying instruments, with bands created and bonds formed in the process. “One thing (Jeonju) has more than any other city I’ve played in is diversity. No two bands here are alike, and they’re all full of talented and passionate musicians,” says Spencer LoSchiavo, lead singer of local band ‘I feel lucky to be in a Asleep Without Dreaming. “Recentcity where I can go to ly, we’ve also had an explosion of new bands coming out, like Harder the same place every Than Walking, an awesome new forweekend and see a eigner band. I feel lucky to be in a city where I can go to the same place completely different show every weekend and see a completely every time.’ different show every time.” Spencer LoSchiavo, Asleep AWD, formed in 2010, is one of Without Dreaming lead singer the more successful groups to come out of the city. The band has toured all over Korea and LoSchiavo points to the Jarasum Jazz Festival as a particular highlight: “It was a great moment for me. We played in front of a crowd of at least a thousand people going absolutely crazy for us. I felt a lot of love from that moment and I’ll never forget it.” While AWD tours all over Korea, their music never strays too far from home. “Jeonju reminds us of our humble beginnings. Our music is quite simple and any time we’ve tried to venture away from that style, it’s never quite worked.” They may well have had humble beginnings, but the rest of their story is anything but. In addition to a regular tour schedule, they have appeared on KBS and JTV and released their debut CD, “Forever Endeavor.” Work on the follow-up is underway.

COMMUNITY Edited by Jenny Na (jenny@groovekorea.com)

Winners at heart

Good neighbors A big part of the Jeonju community is Neighbourly, Neighborly, an organization that seeks to raise money for local orphanages and organizes regular visits to give the staff a much-needed break. The group was established in 2009 by Christina Murphy, who was inspired to get involved after her first visit to Hosung ‘(Volunteering is) also a orphanage on Christmas good way to meet people Day in 2008. “The kids were lovely and I saw that outside of the bars. I’ve they needed people to made great friends and spend time with them,” she says. “At first the orphanwatched the community ages were welcoming, but really come together.’ they were worried — not Christina Murphy, that we were dirty foreigners, but that the kids would Neighbourly, Neighborly get attached and we’d founder leave.” They visit one of the city’s four orphanages every month and volunteers spend two hours with the kids. The visits aren’t just beneficial for the children; they’re good for the volunteers, too. “I’d say Jeonju benefits from Neighbourly because it’s a rewarding way to spend time,” Murphy says. “It’s also a good way to meet people outside of the bars. I’ve made great friends and watched the community really come together.” This was evident during the last Neighbourly fundraiser. Local artist Derek Finn contributed several pieces of his artwork to an auction that helped raise over 3 million won for the cause.

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One thing that becomes apparent the more time you spend in Jeonju is how close-knit the different pockets of each community are. Nowhere is this more apparent than with the Jeonju soccer team. You see, in most ‘Within a month of living in parts of England on a Jeonju I was a part of the local Saturday afternoon, it’s not uncommon to find football team, heading down to yourself sitting amongst parks for picnics and heading 40,000 of your new out to band nights. There’s a lot best friends. That’s because supporting a to do in Jeonju and I certainly team is more than a took it for granted.’ pastime in the U.K. The team is a focal point for Chris Pearce, the community and a former Jeonju resident way of bringing people together. It’s the same situation in Jeonju — win, lose or draw. From humble beginnings playing on dirt fields, Jeonju United has gone on to play in some of the biggest league and cup competitions all over the country, winning the coveted Ulsan Cup in 2010 and, most notably, the Korean Foreigner Football League title and cup double in 2013. “Nothing will beat that,” says joint manager Steven O’Hara. “It went down to the wire in the final against our big rivals, FC Daegu, with our striker Andy Gray bagging a last minute equalizer, taking the game, which we won, to penalties. Having the same core of players over the past few years has allowed us to learn how each other plays. There are other teams in the league that are more talented, but none of them have the heart and desire that our team has.” But it’s not all victories: There’s no payment; it’s time consuming; players can be unreliable and there’s administrative work. So why does he do it? “For the love of the team,” he says. This pride and passion for the team where you’re from transcends into the stands. “The team likes to involve the community as much as possible by providing free bus trips out to the fields we play in,” O’Hara says. “Last summer a lot of our fans came with us on a bus to Yongsan stadium for the final against Busan United. They also saw us win the league in December. It was an amazing moment for the players and fans alike.” At one early Ulsan tournament, the team lost but the fans won an award for best supporters of the tournament. It really is a group effort. With players representing at least 12 countries, JUFC is a hub of the community and it doesn’t matter if you play like Lionel Messi or Lionel Richie; you’ll be welcomed with open arms and find yourself a part of the second family you never knew you had.

Extra service Jeonju United’s main sponsor is the Jeon- ‘There are other teams in ju Diner, a restaurant that owner David Van the league that are more Minnen describes as a “reasonable facsimile” of a diner he used to frequent in Canada. talented, but none of them He’s been here for over a decade, and it have the heart and desire was his idea — no, passion — to bring a dethat our team has.’ cent burger to the city. But it’s not just serving burgers in a down-home environment Steven O’Hara, that he seeks. He wants to help the comJeonju United manager munity in as many ways as possible. “People come to the diner for more than just food,” he says. “Sometimes it’s job search assistance, purchasing bulk products, having things shipped to this place as a kind of post office, even ordering things with the diner’s credit.” Since its opening, the diner has become a hub for foreigners. Whether it’s hosting Jeonju’s trivia night or giving up its kitchen for the day so local charities can raise money for their causes, Van Minnen strives to be an asset to the expat community. “This town is getting better, but it’s still not really that easy for foreigners to navigate and get what they want and need. I’ve always done whatever I could to ease that sense of isolation and frustration.” A Jeonju Diner burger and beer on his patio on a sunny day certainly does just that.

Something for everyone Places like the Jeonju Diner are just one of the things that makes Jeonju so appealing to expats and why they stay so long. If you find yourself in Korea lost and unsure of what it is you want from your time here, Jeonju is unique because it can be whatever the hell you want it to be. You want to party? You got it. You want nature? They’ve got that too. Adventure sports? Yep. A little slice of Seoul in the countryside? New Hyoja-dong is just that. Jeonju actually has something for everyone, which makes it such a great community to live in. But a community is nothing without the people to make it what it is. Walk into Mad Hungry, the current hot spot for drinks, and most nights of the week you’ll find the loquacious Stuart Scott willing to share a story or two. Find Bart Messina, who can show you the best trails for mountain bikers. Look for Lyndon Capon, a 12-year veteran who will take you flying at one of the best paragliding sites in Korea. Do yoga on a Sunday morning with Shelly Apsden. Or you could just drink a lot of soju and eat to your heart’s content with some of the people who have been here for years as they tell you why Jeonju is such a great place to live. Just make sure you don’t have any other plans for the foreseeable future; you could be here for a while. It’s not uncommon to find expats on their third, fourth and even fifth contracts. “Walking the streets in Seoul or Busan, you can go for months without seeing the same expat twice,” says Leon Rose, a resident of Jeonju for over 13 years. “Not in Jeonju. It’s a smallish, close expat community. If you don’t know a person, you can be sure one of your friends does. Jeonju has been good to me. People like each other in Jeonju, people help each other in Jeonju and, as a result, expats stay in Jeonju.” More info j

Jeonju Players present “Comic Sans” When: Dec. 6 & 7 @ 7:30 p.m. Where: Johnny B. Studio in Jeonju www.fb.com/jeonjuplayers

COMMUNITY Edited by Jenny Na (jenny@groovekorea.com)

Killin’ it in Korea Comedian Brian Aylward starts his third stint in Korea with a mega tour of Asia Story by Ian Henderson / Photos by Darrell Aylward

“W

hat’s the best thing about living in Korea?” “Thailand.” That’s how comedian Brian Aylward responded when he was interviewed about life in Korea in these very pages a few years ago. He was leaving Asia then for the second time, and although it was a funny joke, you could tell there was an element of truth to it. That said, comedians must always be equipped with a sense of irony as well as sarcasm, because he’s back for round three on the peninsula. Korea will serve as his launch pad for a stand-up tour taking in most of Asia, as well as his base of operations for the foreseeable future. Aylward kicked things off with a marathon 20 sets in one day at each of the 20 HBC Fest venues on Oct. 18. The feat gives him a stand-up comedy record that breaks the previous record of 13. He

84 www.groovekorea.com / November 2014

followed that up with a six-day run through Hong Kong and Guangzhou. Up next, he’ll tour Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam from Nov. 27 to Dec. 13, with possible dates in India, Thailand and the Philippines. He plans to top it all off with gigs in Korea next year. Aylward’s return brings his story, close to a decade in the making, full circle. Like many of us, he was here in his 20s as a lost soul. Then one day in 2005, he got up on stage in Anyang to take his first swing at comedy. After returning to his native Canada and a stint performing there, he and his wife returned for financial reasons on their second proverbial tour of duty, which ended in late 2010. It was during that second period in Korea that Aylward really came into his own as a performer. He started the local institution Stand Up Seoul, did shows all over Asia and arguably helped nurture

‘I left Stand Up Seoul in great hands.… They are doing a great job and it is awesome to see stand-up comedy alive and well in South Korea.’ Brian Aylward

the entire continent’s English comedy scene. Since then he’s had a good run of it in the Great White North, having been showcased in numerous festivals and opening for bigger acts such as Nikki Payne. He was a finalist in Yuk Yuk’s “Great Canadian Laugh-Off” and SiriusXM Radio’s “Canada’s Next Top Comic,” and also appeared on CBC’s “The Debaters.” During one Toronto performance he acted out a classic encounter with the dreaded dong-chim (poo-needle), a violating experience familiar to many teachers in Korea. One of his idols, Colin Quinn of “Saturday Night Live” fame, happened to be in the audience and came up to him afterward, saying, “Great story man. Very funny.” Nothing is without its tradeoffs, however, and Aylward’s latest go-round at 40 years old will be sans significant other. He’s been separated for over a year and says he is “most likely on (the) way to a divorce. … Crisscrossing the globe with my funny is not exactly a recipe for intimacy.” Nonetheless, he seems to be hitting the ground with a renewed optimism. Ambitious would be an understatement considering what he’s got in his sights. In addition to the ginormous tour, he’s also writing a book — a collection of stories about his “idiotic adventures” — with a publication goal of early 2016. While in Korea, he is going to film his first comedy DVD, to be released in the spring, and on his Asian tour he’s hoping to have a film crew with him to capture material for a documentary about the burgeoning Asian comedy circuit. Back in Seoul, the comedy institution Aylward started is thriving and now supports a growing local stand-up scene. With the number of awesome international headliners who have flown in to perform at the event, not to

‘I’m looking forward to the tour, filming my first DVD, writing the book. Just living life. Loving life. Who knows? Be open to what the world is saying. Plus, I just really miss Asia.’ Brian Aylward

mention the burgeoning local talent, the seeds Aylward once planted don’t seem to be slowing down in terms of bearing tons of funny fruit. In addition, the city saw its first international comedy competition this past August, organized by Dan Wiberg, another expat who cut his teeth alongside Aylward at open mic nights. “I left Stand Up Seoul in great hands,” Aylward says. “They are doing a great job and it is awesome to see stand-up comedy alive and well in South Korea.” In retrospect, what does he think about his parting words in 2010 concerning Thailand? He clarified, “‘The best thing about Korea is Thailand’ is just a great one-liner I had — a joke, of course. Everybody knows the best thing about Korea is kimchi jjigae.” As someone who gets the shakes if he’s gone too long without some local grub, this writer can totally empathize. It’s refreshing to see a fellow expat return with the type of unblemished outlook that only time and distance can provide. For his part, Aylward seems to be relishing his impending return to life as a Canadian expat in Korea. “I’m looking forward to the tour, filming my first DVD, writing the book. Just living life. Loving life. Who knows? Be open to what the world is saying. Plus, I just really miss Asia.” More info j Twitter: twitter.com/bagsofsoup Facebook: www.facebook.com/brian.aylward.1

Asia tour dates Oct. 23 & 25 Oct. 24 Nov. 27-28 Dec. 3-6 Dec. 7-13 Dec. 16 Dec. 19 Dec. 26

Hong Kong Guangzhou, China Jakarta, Indonesia Singapore Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Yangon, Myanmar Phnom Penh, Cambodia Bangkok, Thailand

COMMUNITY Edited by Jenny Na (jenny@groovekorea.com)

Combating disease, one vaccine at a time IVI develops vaccines for impoverished people in developing nations Story by Megan Fox / Photos courtesy of IVI

cientist Enusa Ramani has traveled the world in search of ways to combat diseases in developing nations. Growing up in Ghana, he saw the effects on communities firsthand. “My community did not have the ability to deal with many health problems,” he says. “All my life I’ve been looking for a platform from which I can network and collaborate with like-minded scientists to find effective, safe and affordable solutions to the diseases of the less privileged in the world.” His search brought him to Seoul, where he became involved with the International Vaccine Institute. IVI was created as an initiative of the United Nations Development Program, and 17 years later, it is an independent nonprofit that works in more than 20 countries worldwide. Its headquarters are nestled in a four-story building on Seoul National University’s campus, which houses the state-of-the-art laboratory facilities that power IVI’s work. There, Ramani works with scientists from around the world, with many from developing countries. “IVI echoed my life objective and that’s why I am here today doing what I am doing, helping save lives of children in the developing countries of the world,” he said. IVI was founded on the belief that the health of children in developing countries can be dramatically improved by the introduction of new and improved vaccines, and that these vaccines should be developed through dynamic interaction among science, public health and industry. When the time came for the U.N. to select a host country for the

86 www.groovekorea.com / November 2014

project, Korea won the bid based on its thriving economy, an emerging science and technology infrastructure and a strong commitment from the government to support IVI. The government provides a portion of IVI’s annual operating budget and donated its headquarters complex. Korean-American Deborah Hong, the head of communications and advocacy, feels that educating the public about these diseases is a vital part of what the organization does. “In the developed world, many have forgotten the days when whooping cough, polio and measles were deadly illnesses. This is thankfully because of vaccination,” she says. “The poor people we serve do not have the luxury to choose between receiving a vaccine or going without it.” The development and licensure of an oral cholera vaccine named Sanchol, approved for use by the World Health Organization, is one of IVI’s most significant, groundbreaking contributions to global health. Cholera is a bacterial disease usually spread through contaminated water. It causes severe diarrhea and dehydration, and if left untreated can be fatal. While one of the most effective ways to prevent and control cholera is improving the provision of sanitation and clean water, these are long-term interventions that require political will and resources that many developing countries are unable to commit. “Many say people just need clean water,” says communications associate Margaret Thomas. “But how many outbreaks will kill hundreds of people before clean water can be provided?” Vaccination, on the other hand, is a less costly and more feasible intervention that quickly yields results. IVI’s vaccine has been admin-

‘In the developed world, many have forgotten the days when whooping cough, polio and measles were deadly illnesses. This is thankfully because of vaccination. The poor people we serve do not have the luxury to choose between receiving a vaccine or going without it.’ Deborah Hong, head of communications and advocacy

Comprehensive medical head spa treatment program The following spa treatment procedures stimulate growth, restore scalp lipid balance and slow down the hair bulb aging process, which is one of the reasons for the appearance of gray hair. After the spa treatment procedure your hair will be silky, shiny and manageable, and will gain volume and vitality. Anti-stress Anti-Aging Medical Medical Head Spa Head Spa

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istered in cholera-afflicted areas in Haiti, Guinea, South Sudan, India and Bangladesh to an estimated 1 million or more people. Currently IVI is developing campaigns that make the impact of these diseases relatable to those outside of the scientific community. In July, IVI launched the video campaign Choose Your World, which shows what a significant impact small donations can make. The three-minute video depicts the cutting-edge research, development and vetting of new vaccines and vaccine delivery to at-risk regions. At the end of October, IVI created Deadly Beauty, a campaign in which models are adorned with what look like works of art but are actually the cellular images of eight neglected diseases. Locals and expats in Seoul participated via in-kind donations of time and energy. A third campaign geared toward the Korean population is called KIKI (Kids Helping Kids). This campaign educates children on the fun aspects of science and the rewards of charitable giving. Kits have been created in Korea that consist of a “Glow-Germ” experiment, which allow children to to see “germs” on their hands through a solution and light. The kits also include the campaign’s mascot, Sam the Bear, an educational coloring book and a piggy bank to encourage kids to save money and donate to charity. The kits are currently being passed out in classrooms throughout the country. “If we can teach people what these diseases are, they can begin to understand the impact they can have on developing countries,” Thomas said. “It’s not only through monetary donations, but through creating awareness on any level, from volunteering in this campaign to simply clicking a button to share it on Facebook, we can raise awareness for something that really does matter.”

Hair therapy (OX-therapy) Nourishing and revitalizing mask packs based on organic ingredients Relaxing massage (shoulders, neck area) Acupuncture herbal injections Nutrient cocktail (BB food) Duration

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Each medical head spa program includes • Diagnosis of scalp & hair • Consultation with Dr. Lee Moon Won • Medical Hair Lab service — A clever cut by a top hair stylist to emphasize your best features and create a feel-good hair style that suits you

+82-2-511-1079 (calling from overseas) (02) 511-1079 (calling in Korea) 3F, Lee and Yoo Building, 69-5 Chungdam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul Jinheung Billa

More info j IVI website: www.ivi.int Deadly Beauty campaign: www.facebook.com/events/726282870795781

LMW Korean Medicine Clinic L & U Building 3rd Floor

Woori Bank Nara Tower Cheongdam Neighborhood Park

Eastern Parangon

Millennium Wedding Hall Ivy Dental Clinic

VIPS Cheonggu Apt.

Cheongdam Catholic Church Exit 12 Cheongdam Stn. Line7

COMMUNITY Edited by Jenny Na (jenny@groovekorea.com)

Dolls with a difference Rubber Seoul returns with a night of music and charity

Story and Photos by Corinne Eschenroeder

erched on the wall of Caitlin Gillespie’s classroom, just above the art supplies, hangs a small beaded doll. It’s no bigger than the size of a pinkie finger, but Gillespie knows how much meaning it holds. It is a Little Traveller, a handmade doll sent all the way from KwaZulu-Natal province in South Africa. It was crafted by a woman whose life has been affected by HIV/AIDS, and is a symbol of awareness, progress and hope. Hope is something KwaZulu-Natal is in dire need of. More than 40 percent of the population in the province has contracted HIV/AIDS, one of the highest rates in the world. The dolls are part of a larger project by the Hillcrest AIDS Centre Trust in South Africa to generate income and provide services for those affected by the disease. The center is in turn supported by Little Travellers, an international organization with branches in Canada, the United States, the Netherlands, Australia and Korea. In the Korean capital, the cause is supported by a night of live music called Rubber Seoul that takes place at venues all over Hongdae. This year’s event is scheduled for Nov. 29, just two days before World AIDS Day on Dec. 1. Fans of music and charity are invited to come together to enjoy the show, and each person will go home with a gift of their very own doll. The best part? “One hundred percent of the profits go back to Little Travellers, so it’s a direct impact,” Gillespie says. Last year’s event raised over $4,000. Women workers at the Hillcrest AIDS Centre Trust produce Little Traveller dolls like the one that hangs in Gillespie’s classroom. When the dolls are sold, the profits go back to the women and their families and support the center’s programs and services. The Korean branch of

88 www.groovekorea.com / November 2014

the organization holds community events, including a photo scavenger hunt, to raise money for the cause. This is Gillespie’s second year running the event, which is now in its seventh year. She took over when her predecessor, Jenny Maxwell, moved back to Canada. Gillespie was more than happy to take the reins: “When I met Jenny Maxwell, the previous organizer of Rubber Seoul, we immediately bonded over our common passions for music and charity,” Gillespie says. “When she asked me to take over Rubber Seoul, I was so excited, I immediately said yes.” Last year, Gillespie put a new spin on things by inviting more Korean bands to participate. “Last year I made quite a few changes with sponsors and bands,” Gillespie says. “This year I’m hoping to have a better balance of Korean bands and expat bands.” Gillespie also hopes to showcase a variety of musical genres to appeal to every sort of music lover. More info j Rubber Seoul When: Saturday, Nov. 29; show schedules will be announced closer to the event date Where: Gogos 2, Club FF, Club TA, DGBD and Club Bigbird in Hongdae How much: Tickets are 10,000 won and give access to all the venues More: DoIndie Korea, Groove Korea and AngloInfo Seoul are all providing support for Rubber Seoul through raffle donations, advertising and volunteer services Volunteer: If you are interested in volunteering for this event, email Caitlin Gillespie at gillespieeventspr@hotmail.com Website: facebook.com/little.t.korea

Column by Dr.

Limgwarn Kang DVM

A pet hotel how-to Things to check out before you check in

s you make preparations to leave the city or country over the coming holidays, many pet owners must consider how they will ensure proper care for their animals while they’re out of town. Some owners may be fortunate enough to have a person who can take care of their pets in a pinch, but over busy holidays like Christmas, New Year’s Eve and Seollal, it’s not uncommon for friends to also have plans. Fortunately, Korea has a variety of options for these kinds of situations. Here are some things to consider and prepare for when boarding your dogs or cats in kennels, also known as pet hotels.

2. Indicate what kind of pet food your pet is eating Given the variety of food products available for dogs and cats (which are categorized based on age, indoor/outdoor, prescription, etc.), the hotel staff should be informed of the type and quantity of food you give your pet at mealtime. This is especially crucial when boarding pets with medical conditions.

3. Inform the hotel manager about your pet’s medical history For an animal, being separated from one’s owner can be a significant event. It’s much easier for them to become anxious without their owner present, and this uneasiness can impact a pet’s immune system, thereby predisposing animals to a possible infection or allergic reaction. For example, feline herpes viruses typically manifest when the cat’s immune system is interrupted by a stressful incident. The condition often carries symptoms such as sneezing and coughing and, most importantly, the herpes could easily be transmitted to other cats. For this reason, it is always better to give a heads-up to managers and provide them with previous health records.

4. Choose a pet hotel that is affiliated with an animal hospital 1. Prepare vaccination records Leaving your pets in a pet hotel is not as simple as you might think. Since there are other animals in the facility, hotels usually require you to bring rabies and core vaccination records in order to keep all pets free of detrimental and contagious diseases.

Although many hotels are adequately prepared for accidents, a facility that has trained medical staff on hand for any possible emergency is worth seeking out. Furthermore, if you notice your pets are not feeling well at the start of the stay, you can ask for a medical check-up when boarding.

Korea Animal Transport (KAT) & Chungwha Animal Hospital (02) 792-7602 21-1 Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul chungwha77@gmail.com

j www.cwhospital.co.kr

5. Sanitation and space to move should always be the first priority Pet owners should try visiting the pet hotel at least once before dropping off their pets so they can see the space and the degree of hygiene. Generally speaking, pet hotels with lots of room to stretch to find in larger cities, but seeking out a spacious pet hotels are hard to find in larger cities, but seeking out a spacious facility is worth the effort when you imagine your cat or dog locked in a cage for several days. Fortunately, there are several hotels in the Itaewon and Gangnam areas that provide sizable playgrounds for dogs and cats to roam freely during the daytime, and individual cages for them to sleep in at night. This advice was compiled by Pet Hotel M, a pet boarding facility affiliated with Chunghwa Animal Hospital that recently opened in Itaewon. Itaewon Station

Hospital hours Mon - Sat : 9 a.m.-8 p.m.

Exit 4

Exit 3

Grooming hours Mon - Sat : 10 a.m.-5 p.m. For reservations, call (02) 794-9967.

The Pet Hotel M (02) 797-3040 pethotelm@gmail.com

j www.thepethotelm.com

Chungwha Apt.

Chungwha Animal Hospital 89

COMMUNITY Edited by Elaine Ramirez (elaine@groovekorea.com)

Chance Encounters

North Korean gratitude and

the German lesson

A German speaks about family ties to Pyongyang and the effects of reunification Interview by Chance Dorland / Photos courtesy of Jakob Grotewohl

was in Kreuzberg, a hip area preferred by artists and expats in Berlin. Sitting across from me was Jakob Grotewohl, a well-dressed 30-year-old German with an impeccable American English accent. I was visiting to watch my old improv troupe perform, and it was the night of his debut show in the troupe. While everyone else dressed in street clothes, Grotewohl was dressed in dark pants and a white shirt, highlighted perfectly by suspenders, having just come from a dinner party hosted by the North Korean Embassy. His great grandfather, East Germany’s first president, had helped the North rebuild after the Korean War and the eternally grateful North Korean leader Kim Il-sung welcomed Grotewohl as part of his family after his great-grandfather died. Grotewohl has never taken the North up on the offer to visit since spending time there in his childhood, but has often accepted invitations from the embassy. My trip to Berlin was on the tails of the visit of South Korean President Park Geun-hye and Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon, who had come to Berlin to gain insight from German leaders on the 25-year-old success of German reunification; they were specifically interested in how its lessons could be applied to a reunified Korea, a vision the countries have sought since their separation in 1945. Despite the different circumstances and cultural values, their stories are similar: war, communism, democracy and, of course, America. The biggest difference, however, is how long one division has outlasted the other. While the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, North and South Korea not only remain separated, but the two countries are technically still at war.

GrooveCast GrooveCast host Chance Dorland spoke with Jakob Grotewohl in Berlin about reunification and how it can be applied to Korea. Subscribe to GrooveCast in the iTunes Storewww.groovekorea.com or listen online at groovekorea.com. / November 2014

Grotewohl notes that history remembers the divided countries the way the winners paint them, and that in spite of the bad reputation forced on North Korea and East Germany, he has experienced the positives of both. He was quick to point out that his experiences are unique and not representative of the common thought, but they nonetheless present a side of history that is often forgotten or misrepresented. Groove Korea spoke with Grotewohl about his family’s history with North Korea and the German lesson of reunification. Groove Korea: Tell us about your family’s connection to North Korea. Jakob Grotewohl: My great-grandfather was the first president of the DDR (German Democratic Republic). After the Korean War (1950-53), he sent a team of specialists to North Korea to help rebuild. My grandparents on my father’s side were both architects and they helped build schools, kindergartens and hospitals in Hamhung. My father was born in Pyongyang while they were there, and the families have kept a pretty close relationship with North Korea, at least until the DDR ended with reunification. My parents took the whole family to North Korea in 1986. I was there as a child in ‘92 and ’94 because the North Koreans provided medical treatment for my dad, which he wouldn’t have gotten in Germany. He had multiple sclerosis, and he got acupuncture and all kinds of treatment for free. So they were really helpful to us. I was there as a child, so my memories are very different from what I would think about if I were to go there now. I was pretty happy about everything, but of course the context of my impressions was not very complex.

You’re the only performer who dressed up tonight, but that’s because you came directly from the North Korean Embassy. The North Korean Embassy invites us for dinners. We don’t really have a strong connection, but they have some kind of loyalty to my grandmother and to my family, because (former leader) Kim Il-sung had a really deep gratitude towards my great-grandfather for sending a team of specialists immediately after the Korean War. In ’92, when I met Kim Il-sung, I was 8 years old. He said, “Your great-grandfather is dead, and now I’m your great-grandfather. You’re always welcome here.” I’ve never taken the Koreans up on that offer, but they really like to keep close ties with my family. They visit my grandmother a lot. What effect did German reunification have on you and your family? My parents grew up in the DDR before reunification, and even though they didn’t agree with the politics, a lot of the culture and values that were present in the society stayed with them. I guess the thing was that in the DDR, nobody really had to fight or fear for their existence. And that was a very different vibe than what we had after reunification, when my parents had to retrain and find new jobs, which was of course very different and very difficult for them. And my father got sick, so he had to take on a new job while he had multiple sclerosis. It was pretty crazy. I didn’t witness a lot of changes because my first year in elementary school was already after reunification, but my sister went to school five years earlier. So I have no ties to East Germany or East Berlin more specifically than West Berlin, but my sister feels a lot more at home in East Berlin. I see Berlin as Berlin, but for my family, home is a little more toward the East. It’s not that they’re ignorant toward the West, but there is definitely a cultural difference in people who are raised in the DDR and people who are raised in West Germany. I’m the first generation basically that doesn’t have that. Are you happy the DDR fell and Germany is now united? First of all, I didn’t play any part in it, so I can’t say. For me personally, I can say I’m really happy because I wouldn’t have been able to go to all those places I’ve been to, which is all over Western Europe, and I was an exchange student in the United States, which is now my home away from home. It’s kind of like North Korea: I don’t agree with the politics at all, but the country and the people are great. They’re both beautiful countries and I love them to death, but I just wouldn’t want to live there and don’t agree with the politics at all. But I’m really happy to have the ability to have choices. But, of course, in society, there are things the DDR had that kind of seem better than we have right now. We have much more of an income gap. I mean it was very, very small before. The people who earned the most, or the political elites, had, like, a house. Nobody had a palace. Nobody had five cars. Well, somebody did, but the income gap wasn’t that big. And poverty was a problem for society, but it wasn’t as much of an individual problem. So, I don’t have a yes or no, except for my individual experience. How can South Korea learn from German reunification? The thing I think about the reunification is that, as winners in history do, they like to condemn the previous system to make their system look good and to clearly show, “We won, and what they did was bad.” But what they don’t seem to see, or what a lot of people from East Germany might think is wrong, is that they condemn everything. They don’t just condemn the Stasi secret police, the SED (Social Unity Party) and the dictatorship and the murder on the Berlin Wall, which is right to condemn, but they also say the school system was bad, which they then reverted to later because the original system was better because it was based on the Finnish school system. What they kind of do is also condemn the identity of those people, because of course the life in the DDR was part of their identity. Politics maybe wasn’t, but the life was. It’s insulting because part of your identity is where you grew up. Chance Encounters is a column featuring interviews people on the street for unique perspectives on Korean news and culture issues. Interview answers are edited for length and clarity. —Ed.

COMICS

Games

EASy

Crossword - Sudoku

Medium

Across 1. Scour 6. Middle of Caesar’s saying 10. Soviet inits. 14. Jeweler’s eyeglass 15. Japan’s first capital 16. Call to a mate 17. Skilled 18. Track shape 19. Canaanite deity 20. Ardent 22. Showing a fancy for 23. Pitchers 24. “_ in the Rain” 26. Purloined

29. County Kerry town 31. Observatory observation 32. “__ Small World” 34. In any respect 37. Wine improver 38. Chinese chairman 39. What a kid’ll eat, in song 41. Wax producer 42. Great Greta 44. Sandwich source 46. Serb, e.g. 47. Tap 49. Droopyeyed 51. Unwrinkled

53. Animal track 55. Adolescent HArd 56. Spiritual goal 61. Bridge player 62. Makeup artist? 63. Pungent bulb 64. Straight as __ 65. Creole vegetable 66. Bridge alternative 67. Shea nine 68. Exploit, in a way 69. “Band Of Gold” singer Payne

21. __ vincit amor 25. “As __ Dying” (Faulkner title) 26. Pulled thread 27. Ancient Roman garb 28. Is intemperate 30. Marsh bird 33. Commotion 35. Bound 36. Tax 38. Defensive ditch 40. Eye protector 43. Anne, Charlotte and Emily

45. Tangle up Evil 46. Comparatively calm 48. Formerly, formerly 50. Remove by cutting 51. Driving force 52. Union general in the Civil War 54. Malaysian state 57. Motor racing’s Lauda 58. Suffix for the well-to-do 59. Wood stack 60. Irish New Age singer

Down 1. Openhanded blow 2. Musical postscript 3. Regrets 4. Swedish city 5. Happen 6. A hole __ 7. Pundits 8. Smell __ 9. Polish president Lech 10. Closet 11. Unsettled 12. Ringtailed animal 13. Bridge tower

Easy

Medium

HARD

EVIL

OCTOBER AnswerS

Crossword

LISTINGS

Edited by Sean Choi (sean@groovekorea.com)

EMBASSIES American Embassy (02) 397-4114 • 188 Sejong-daero, Jongnogu, Seoul Canadian Embassy (02) 3783-6000 • (613) 996-8885 (Emergency Operations Center) Jeongdong-gil (Jeongdong) 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, Seodaemungu, Seoul

TRAVEL AGENTS Fides Travel (02) 755 5470 • fidestravel.co.kr Prime Travel (02) 6739 3570 Shoe String Travel (02) 333 4151 • shoestring.kr/eng/abo01.htm Soho Travel (02) 322 1713 • sohoholiday.com Top Travel Service (02) 737 4289 • toptravel.co.kr/eng Unique Travel (02) 792 0606

DOMESTIC TOURS Adventure Korea (010) 4242-5536 • adventurekorea.com Discover Korea (02) 398-6571 • discoverkoreatour.com/en

Explore Korea sonyaexplorekorea.com Joy Leisure Service (02) 2307-8642 • joyleisures.com Panmunjom Travel Center (02) 771-5593 • koreadmztour.com Seoul City Tour (02) 774-3345 • seoulcitytour.net Tour DMZ (02) 755-0073 • tourdmz.com Travel Pants Korea (010) 9961 5765 • travelpantskorea.com

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 Grand Hilton Seoul (02) 3216-5656 • 353 Yeonhui-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul Somerset Palace Seoul (02) 6730-8888 • 85 Susong-dong, Jongnogu, Seoul

Seoul Samsung Hospital 1599-3114 • 50 Irwon-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul Asan Medical Center 1688-7575 • 88 Olympic-ro 43-gil, Songpagu, Seoul Keimyung University Dongsan Medical Center (053) 250-7167 (7177 / 7187) • 56 Dalseongro, Jung-gu, Daegu

Airlines Korean Air 1588-2001 Asiana Airlines 1588-8000 Lufthansa (02) 2019-0180 Garuda Indonesia (02) 773-2092 • garuda-indonesia.co.kr Jeju Air 1599-1500 T’way Air 1688-8686

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 Branksome Hall Asia (02) 6456-8405 • Daejung-eup, Seogipo-si, Jeju Island Daegu Intl. School (053) 980-2100 • 1555 Bongmu-dong, Donggu, Daegu

Dulwich College Seoul (02) 3015-8500 • 6 Sinbanpo-ro 15-gil, Seocho-gu, Seoul admissions@dulwich-seoul.kr www.dulwich-seoul.kr The curriculum from Toddler to IGCSE (ages 2 years to 16 years) follows the best practice of the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework and English National Curriculum enhanced for an international setting.

Jin Air 1600-6200 D ETUR

Park Hyatt Seoul (02) 2016-1234 • 606 Teheran-ro, Gangnamgu, 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

EMERGENCY MEDICAL CENTERS Gangnam St-Mary’s Hospital 1588-1511 • 222 Banpo-daero, Seocho-gu, Seoul Yonsei Severance Hospital (Sinchon) (02) 2227-7777 • 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul Seoul National University Hospital 1339 • 28-2 Yeongeon-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul

PO NS MU

NDO

British Airways (02) 774-5511 Cathay Pacific Airways (02) 311-2700

AMUSEMENT PARKS

Delta Airlines (02) 754-1921

Everland Resort (031) 320-5000 • 310 Jeondae-ri, Pogok-eup, Cheoin-gu, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do

Emirates Airlines (02) 2022-8400

FAMILY & KIDS

Lotte World (02) 411-2000 0 • 240 Olympic-ro, Songpagu, Seoul

INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS

Pororo Park (D-Cube city) 1661-6340 • 360-51 Sindorim-dong, Guro-gu, Seoul

Yongsan Intl. School (02) 797-5104 • San 10-213 Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul

Children’s Grand Park (zoo) (02) 450-9311 • 216 Neungdong-ro, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul

Seoul Intl. School (031) 750-1200 • 388-14 Bokjeong-dong, Sujeong-gu, Seongnam, Gyeonggi-do

Seoul Zoo (02) 500-7338 • 159-1 Makgye-dong, Gwacheon-si, Gyeonggi-do

BOOKSTORES

Animal hospitals

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.

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

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

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

MUSEUM & GALLERIES

HEALTH DENTAL CLINICS

UPENNIVY Dental (02) 797-7784 • 300-26 Ichon 1-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul Mir Dental (053) 212-1000 • 149-132 Samdeok-dong 2-ga, Jung-gu, Daegu Esarang Dental Clinic (02) 701-2199 • 26-16 Singongdeok-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul Chungdam UPENN Dental (02) 548-7316 • 131-20 Cheongdam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul SKIN CLINICS TengTeng Skin (02) 337-4066 • 10th floor, First avenue Building, Nonhyeon 1-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul If you have a skin problem, Dr. Julius Jon will take good care of you. English is spoken. Nova Skin (02) 563-7997 • 2 floor A Tower, 822-1, Yeoksam 1-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul 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

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, Jongnogu, 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.

FITNESS Plateau Reebok Crossfit Sentinel (02) 1577-7595 • 50 Taepyung-ro 2-ga, (02) 790-0801 • reebokcrossfitsentinel.com Jung-gu, Seoul 10 a.m.-6 p. m. Closed on Mondays. Exxl Fitness Gangnam Finance Center, 737 Yeoksam-dong, National Museum of Modern and Gangnam-gu, Seoul Contemporary Art, Seoul • www.exxl.co.kr (MMCA SEOUL) (02) 3701-9500 • 30 Samcheong-ro, Daily Morning Ashtanga Yoga Mysore Sogyeok-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul Classes (English) Jivamukti, Forrest, Universal Yoga (Korean) Daegu Art Museum Apgujeong Rodeo Stn, Exit 4 (053) 790-3000 • 374 Samdeok-dong, (02) 515-6011• www.taoyoga.kr Suseong-gu, Daegu Art space for local culture presenting Daegu’s UROLOGY & OB contemporary fine arts and internationally renowned artists. Tower Urology (02) 2277-6699 • 5th fl. 119 Jongno 3-ga, Jongno-gu, Seoul

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Reservations

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Restaurants

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AMERICAN & BRUNCH

JAPANESE

Jo’s Basket Grill & Dining (02) 744-0701 • 31-37 Dongsoong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Jin Donburi (02) 2235 1123 • 103-9 Jeodong 1-ga, Junggu, Seoul The chef here trained in Japan and serves an authentic Japanese-style donburi (donkatsu over rice) at an affordable price. Katsudon goes for 6,000 won.

KOREAN & BBQ Small Happiness in the Garden (02) 975-3429 • 28-3 Jeodong 1-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul Jang Sa Rang (02) 546-9994 • 624-47 Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul The menu at this traditional Korean restaurant ranges from classic kimchi pancakes and stone pot rice to an array of meats and veggies.

Dr. Oh’s King-size Donkatsu / O Baksane Donkatsu (02) 3673 5730 • 131-32 Seongbuk-dong, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul This place serves donkatsu the size of a car wheel and this restaurant dares you to finish it in one sitting.

Ondal (02) 450-4518 • 177 Walkerhill-ro, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul Looking to impress a date or a business partner? Head to the premier traditional Korean restaurant in Seoul.

Myeongdong Donkatsu (02) 776 5300 • 59-13 Myeong-dong 1-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul This is the most popular and oldest Japanese-style donkatsu restaurant in Myeong-dong. Try the wasabi.

Hadongkwan (02) 776-5656 • 10-4 Myungdong 1-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul This place simply has the best gomtang (beef soup) in Seoul.

Namsan Donkatsu (02) 777-7929 • 49-24 Namsandong 2-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul Since 1992, this casual Korean-style donkatsu restaurant has been a favorite of Namsan hikers and taxi drivers.

Two Plus (02) 515 5712 • B1 fl. 532-9 Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul Served here is a high-quality beef loin at a reasonable price. Tosokchon (Samgyetang) (02) 737 7444 • 85-1 Chebu-dong, Jongnogu, Seoul A popular Korean-style chicken soup with ginseng is popular at this place. Former presidents enjoyed this restaurant. A bowl of soup costs just 15,000 won.

070-7504-8090

Oriental massage spa in Itaewon at a reasonable price.

3rd fl. 124-7 Itaewon 1-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul 12pm-9pm

DONKATSU

INTERNATIONAL Battered Sole (02) 322-8101 • 52-23 Changcheon-dong, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul Battered Sole is a relative newcomer, but they serve up some of the best fish and chips in Korea. This is the real deal. Simply India (02) 744 6333• 1-79 Dongsung-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul

THAI & VIETNAMESE

VEGETARIAN

Pho Hoa (02) 792-8866 • 737-4, Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul

Sanchon (02) 735 0312 • 14 Gwanghun-dong, Jongnogu, Seoul www.sanchon.com

ITALIAN & FRENCH Pizza Hill (02) 450-4699 • 177 Walkerhill-ro, Gwangjingu, Seoul The first restaurant to serve pizza in Korea. MEXICAN & TEX-MEX Dos Tacos (Gangnam) (02) 593-5904 • 104 Dessian Luv, 1303-35 Seocho-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul The best and largest taco franchise in Korea; try out their shrimp potato burrito. Grill5taco (02) 515-5549 • 519-13 Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul

Veggie Holic 070 4114 0458 • 204-59 Donggyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul www.veggieholic.co.kr March Rabbit (02) 3444-4514 • 560 Sinsa-dong, Gangnamgu, Seoul Daegu 5th Lounge (053) 764-3579 • 207-10 Doosan-dong, Suseong-gu, Daegu This fabulous lounge does just about everything right. If you’re in search of space for private parties, this is the place. G’day (American & Brunch) (053) 746-1217 • 980-9 Suseongdong 4-ga, Suseong-gu, Daegu This Aussie brunch cafe serves the best brunch in Daegu at the best price. www.facebook.com/CafeGday

Night clubS The Paris (Italian & French) (053) 763-8998 • 207-10 Doosan-dong, Suseong-gu, Daegu This place offers fine dining in one of the few authentic French restaurants in town. Dos Tacos (Mexican & Tex-Mex) (053) 255-4885 • 34-4 Dongsung-ro 2-ga, Jung-gu, Daegu Pan Asia (International) (053) 287-7940 • 2 fl., 21-9 Samdeok-dong, Jung-gu, Daegu

La Luce (European) (053) 255-7614 • 40-63 Daebong-dong, Jung-gu, Daegu

The Pho (Vietnamese) (051) 256-8055 • Saeabusan town, Sinchangdong 1-ga, Jung-gu, Busan

Ariana Boccaccio Hotel Brau (Buffet) (051) 767-7913 • 200-1, Dusan-dong, Suseong-gu, Daegu

The Grill On The Beach (Pub) (051) 731-9799 • B1 fl. Sea star bldg., 1417-2 Jung 1-dong, Haeundae-gu, Busan This submarine-themed pub carries international beer and a wide selection of wine.

Thursday Party (Bar) • 21-23 Samdeok-dong 1-ga, Jung-gu, Daegu Busan

South St. (American) (053) 471-7867 • 664-10 Bongdeok 3-dong, Nam-gu, Daegu

Wolfhound (Haeundae, Busan) (051) 746-7913 • 1359 Woo 1-dong, Haeundae-gu, Busan

Bagel Doctor (Café) (053) 421-6636 • Samdeokdong 2-ga, Jung-gu, Daegu

Rock N Roll (Bar) • 2 fl, 56-5, Daeyeon 3-dong, Nam-gu, Busan

Miyako (Japanese) (053) 761-5555 • 402-5 Sang-dong, Suseong-gu, Daegu Beyond Factory (Italian/café) (053) 255-7614 • 40-63 Daebong-dong, Jung-gu, Daegu Italy & Italy (Italian / French) (053) 423- 5122 • 22-2, Samdeok-dong 1-ga, Jung-gu, Daegu

Wolfhound (Irish Pub) (051) 746-7913 • 2 fl, 1359, U 1-dong, Haeundae-gu, Busan Fuzzy Navel (Mexican Pub) (051) 754- 6349 • 178-13, Millak-dong, Suyeong-gu, Busan Farmer’s Hamburger (American) (051) 244-5706 • 35-1 Daechungdong 2-ga, Junggu, Busan

Paniere (Café) (051) 817-8212 • 225-1 Bujeon-dong, Jin-gu, Busan The European-style brunch restaurant/café serves fresh fruit juice and sandwiches.

DRINKS BEER AND COCKTAILS Big Rock (02) 539-6650 • B1 818-8, Yeoksam 1-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul This cozy expat mainstay imports premium craft beer from Alberta. Its comfortable atmosphere and huge space is perfect for just about every occasion. Once in a Blue Moon (02) 549. 5490 • 85-1 Chungdam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul A live jazz club in Seoul that hosts renowned musicians from Korea and around the world.

Octagon 175-2 Nonhyeon-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul Cocoon 364-26 Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul Eden Ritz Carlton 602 Yeoksam-dong, Gangnamgu, Seoul Elune 1408-5 Jung 1-dong, Haeundae-gu, Busan Mass 1306-8 Seocho 4-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul

Massage, Spa & Beauty Lucy Hair (02) 325-2225 • 2nd floor, 30-10, Chandcheon-dong, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul Look your best effortlessly with the help of Lucy. Her internationally trained hair stylists treat your locks with the best hair products in a modern and cozy environment.

Horoscopes Aries

NOVEMBER 2014

March 20 - April 20

Things aren’t exactly where you want them on the job? Practice patience. It’s OK to do the same thing over and over again; this kind of work ethic pays off in the long run. Socially, it’s time to meet new people. A Sagittarian makes a friendly overture this month. Accept.

Taurus

April 21 - May 21

Too much work and not enough play isn’t a good situation for anyone, Taurus, especially not for someone who’s been going at it for as long and as hard as you have. Take a break. Use this month to plan a special trip — and make it a long one. There will be plenty of time for work when you return.

Gemini

May 22 - June 21

If finances aren’t looking too good this month, it may be worthwhile to make a new plan. Take time out to budget your expenses for the month — or the year. Feeling creative? Make a flowchart and start noting where those unaccounted-for pennies are going. You’ll probably be surprised with the outcome.

Cancer

June 22 - July 22

This is not the month to be your usual practical self; it’s a month to treat yourself right. Is work stressing you out? Call in sick and enjoy some downtime. Your romantic outlook is good for the coming weeks, but move slowly if you want to secure victories in matters of the heart.

Leo

July 23 - August 23

You seem to be doing a lot of talking lately, Leo, and not enough listening. Wise up. A Gemini friend comes to you for career advice. You have the chance to play a starring role behind the scenes this month, a contrast from the spotlight you’re accustomed to. Don’t blow it.

Virgo August 24 - September 23

Work isn’t everything — practice reminding yourself of this fact over and over again. You’ll find things changing from stressful to dull often this month, and that’s OK. Don’t forget you can make your own challenges outside the workplace. Plan things to look forward to. New romance looks promising.

Libra

September 24 - October 23

Slow down, Libra. You’re trying too hard to do too many things — romance, work, friends, family, hobbies and downtime. There’s time for it all, but not in one day. Use this month to take time out for yourself. The weekend is a great time to focus on romance, but if things don’t go the way you want, don’t force it. Instead, let go.

Sagittarius

November 23 - December 21

If you think you’ve got the blues this month, try not to give in. Instead, focus on things that make you feel happy. It’s a great time to make efforts in health and fitness. Start a diet. Maybe even look into signing up for a class. Don’t be afraid to put yourself first this month; it’s a wise investment.

Capricorn

December 22 - January 19

Tired of trying to please an impossible boss? Don’t. Do things as you know how, and let him or her fix the rest. And definitely don’t take the aggravation home with you. Also, if your boss happens to be a Taurus, watch out for meddling. Know where to draw the line, and stand by it.

Scorpio

October 24 - November 22

Romance not going your way? Things can change this month, but it’s up to you. Are you going to keep dwelling on the past, or will you look to the future for happiness? It’s your choice. Don’t know where to look? Check right under your nose — you’ll like what you see.

Aquarius

January 20 - February 18

It’s your own fickleness that’s driving you crazy. Figure out what you really want. Trying new things has never been hard for you; it’s sticking to them that’s your problem. Want advice? Slow down, and set aside a period of time for that new activity — and don’t back down until the time’s up.

Pisces

February 19 - March 19

If you feel like you’re just going through the motions in romance this month, bring your heart back into the picture. You’re hit with some serious relationship questions. Think before you answer. Honesty and sincerity are the only ways to obtain the closeness you so desire. Weigh your options carefully.