Groove Korea October 2014 by Groove Korea

Korean punk struggles forward Against all odds, the local scene perseveres

KOREA • Issue 96 / October 2014

8 th anniversary special

Evolution, devolution, revolution

8 years of pain and progress Groove shines a light on eight years of change in Korea since the magazine’s founding: what’s moving forward, what’s sliding backward and what is in need of a jump start

welcomes you to celebrate th

8 anniversary

pa r t y Friday, Oct. 10 7-10 p.m. On the Border Sinchon branch

Seoul, Seodaemun-gu, Changcheon-dong 29-75, 2nd floor

Free food and margaritas for the first 50 to register To RSVP, visit groovekorea.com MAP On the BORDER TomnTOms Burger King Line2

Sinchon Stn.

On the Border Sinchon branch

EXIT 4

Line2

Sinchon Stn. EXIT 5

Seoul, Seodaemun-gu, Changcheon-dong 29-75, 2nd floor (Sinchon Station, exit 4)

To RSVP, visit www.groovekorea.com

EDITORIAL

To comment, email editor@groovekorea.com

Dream big Editorial

Korea is rife with opportunities — take advantage of them

By Elaine Ramirez, editorial director

hen I first arrived in Korea, I was fleeing a disastrous life. I had graduated in the dawn of the Great Recession, the magazine I had cofounded in Chile was failing to get off the ground and I had returned to New York fight it out for crappy restaurant jobs. Friends began to disperse on their various paths, and I was left broke, alone and unhinged. Halfway around the world, there was Korea. The government was seeing the peak of its drive to put a native English teacher in every public school in the country, and its private industry equally in demand. Within weeks, I was on a plane. Like thousands of expats before me, Korea represented a fresh start, a new chance to make something of myself. Though teaching wasn’t my dream job, I was grateful for a new beginning. But now more than ever, Korea offers more. I realized opportunities were everywhere — it was just up to each of us to find and seize them. As I grew up, I witnessed the expat community do the same. There have been revolutionary changes in this niche of Korea, the results of expats with a vision who were breaking from limitations, taking a chance, pioneering new ideas and dreaming big. Because of Lance Reegan-Diehl’s big dream to foster local music, for example, what was once a collection of unknown rock bands playing in sketchy underground bars up the street from some roadside kimchi pots has become the twice-annual HBC Festival, launched the same year as Groove’s founding in 2006, which showcases some of the best acts the local rock scene has to offer. People’s big dreams have also led to big changes in Seoul’s culinary scene, where pioneering connoisseurs have brought the tastes of home and sometimes made them even better. Finally, a sandwich with authentic ingredients, curry from the heart and many a microbrew to wash the taste of Cass from our palates. Dan Vroon (Craftworks), Wahid Naciri (Casablanca), the Guru family (Everest), Troy Zietzlberger (Reilly’s) and Linus Kim (Linus BBQ), to name but a few, thank you for dreaming big.

Certainly, there is much cynicism to be had about Korea’s treatment of the foreign community here. The barriers to starting up a business are huge, especially for those who aren’t Korean or married to one. While the country has slowly been getting used to the presence of non-white foreigners, countless episodes have shown that racism toward black expats is still rampant, such as discrimination in job-hunting or, in recent memory, the sign at a restaurant banning Africans amid Ebola virus fears. Gays are still often discouraged from coming out in the workplace, and the safe spaces in society are on the fringes. These challenges are difficult to overcome, but not necessarily impossible. This publication itself is a product of big dreams, backed by dedicated, talented volunteers and visionary leadership. Since Groove’s humble beginnings as a 20-page glossy (then called The Groove) advertising Seoul singles and explaining the basics of Korean language and culture, this publication has evolved with the expat community itself. Now we serve as an ear to the ground for long-term expats nationwide who care about more than weekend plans, focusing on the stories that we believe matter to our small but growing society. Since taking the helm a year ago I’ve been lucky to work with an inspiring bunch of journalists and artists who are eager to help realize that dream, and we will continue to dream big in our commitment to providing the best journalism possible. To me, Korea is a place that’s far from perfect, but it’s one that offers a clean start to be whoever you want to be. All it takes is a vision, drive and a whole lot of help. The biggest dreams encounter the biggest challenges, but overcoming them makes success that much sweeter. So even if you don’t have the life you may have envisioned for yourself, you don’t have to waste away your time here; there are plenty of ways to improve yourself or make a difference to your community. Try something you wouldn’t dare “back home.” Do stand-up comedy. Start a business. Stand up for a cause. (Write for Groove!) Seek out people who share your interests or ambitions. Find those who inspire you to do better. Or, save up, get out and go on that yearlong backpacking trip. It’s okay to fail. Just do something. Take risks and dream big.

next up: NOVEMBER 2014 Food

The funnyman returns: Brian Aylward kicks off another Asia tour

With a stray glimpse down any street or narrow passageway in Korea, a beef, chicken, or pork restaurant can almost certainly be found. Prevalent dishes include bulgogi, marinated and grilled beef, and samgyeopsal, a grill-it-yourself barbeque dish of pork. Korean barbecue joints, chimaek (chicken and beer) bars and other meaty eateries line the bustling backstreets and popular areas of Busan. Favorite foods — if any indication of the amount of meat-based restaurants in the country — are varied meats, and lots of it. Sophia Kim, however, the proprietor of Jack and the Beanstalk in Namcheon, Busan, runs her restaurant from a polar opposite point of view. Kim steers clear of processed foods in addition to the exponentially popular meat dishes, touting organic, eco-friendly, and genetically unaltered ingredients. “I have been so strict to select each ingredient, checking not only organic aspects but for freshness. I have applied it to the products I sell in the Jack and the Beanstalk. It is my creed and pride to respond to the customers who come to Jack and the Beanstalk,” she says.

“What’s the best thing about living in Korea?” “Thailand.” That’s how comedian Brian Aylward responded when being interviewed in these very pages a few years ago. He was leaving Korea then for the second time, and although it was a funny joke, you could tell there was an element of truth to it. Apparently comedians must be equipped with a sense of irony as well as sarcasm, because he’s back for round three on the peninsula, which will serve as a launch pad for a stand-up tour spanning most of Asia and his base of operations for the foreseeable future. On Oct. 20, he kicked off with a six-day run through Hong Kong, Guangzhou and Macau, to be followed by Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam from Nov. 27 to Dec. 13. “Currently I’m working on dates for India, Thailand and possibly the Philippines. Once I get all that confirmed, I will be adding dates in Korea at the end of that,” he says. With that, his story would come full circle, a story close to a decade in the making.

Story by Clint Stamatovich

Community

Jack and the Beanstalk reaches new heights in vegan dining

www.groovekorea.com / October 2014

Story by Ian Henderson

ann

l a

p i h

rve u

1 3 . t readers c O y b t i m b Su

Love us? Hate us?

Tell us what you think. Win prizes. Visit groovekorea.com and fill out our survey by Oct. 31. Prize winners will be announced the following week. Thanks for 8 years of support!

www.groovekorea.com

CONTENTS

What’s in this issue

ISSUE 96 O CTO BER 2 0 1 4 COVER STORY

34 Evolution, devolution, revolution Eight years into its relationship with Korea, Groove takes a step back to assess the situation. The love’s still there, but we might need counseling.

36 Food

On the foreign food front, what was once a quest for proper cheese is now just a decision between neighborhood churro shops. Where did this come from?

38 Beer

32 WELCOME

INSIGHT

Korea is rife with opportunities — take advantage of them.

With the Great Leader absent from the newly reminted 5,000 won bill, could a 10,000 won note be in the works?

06 Editorial: Dream big 12 Key people

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

13 The inbox

28 The disappearing face of Kim Il-sung 30 Paying in to pension

If you’ve been putting off retirement planning for a rainy day, pull up a seat; informed decisions today mean more options in the long run.

Opinions and feedback from readers

14 Must reads

A selection of our editors’ favorite articles

16 On the Cover

FOOD

50 A metal bar for the masses

Come for the bands, stay for the sound quality: Thunderhorse is pulling Itaewon’s music scene back on track.

20 What’s on

52 Chewing the fat with Gemma Jane

24 the news

54 One easy lunch

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

North Korea addresses its human rights; Park’s day care pledges collapse with no funds; Ferry regulation limits profits for fishermen; Two soldiers die during torture-training exercise

The blogger behind A Fat Girl’s Guide to Food in Korea talks living kimchi-free in Seoul.

Bulgur ain’t the coolest grain on the shelf, but what it lacks in sexiness it makes up for in flavor, nutrition and being generally idiot proof.

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

It took half a decade to get off the ground, but Korea has finally one-upped the convenience of public drinking: a craft beer boom, and a brewery scene to go along with it.

40 Arts

In a place where connecting artists and audiences was always a crapshoot, social media has been a welcome game-changer.

42 Entrepreneurship

Groove explores the challenges, trailblazers and growing viability of foreign-owned startups.

42 EFL education

As the value of native English teachers starts to drop in Korea, the competition for jobs heats up.

44 North Korea

While Groove was launching its first issue in October 2006, North Korea was occupied by a launch of its own: a nuclear test with irreversible consequences for trade with the South.

46 Media

Former Groove editor Matt Lamers weighs in on how English-language media has evolved in the past eight years — and what may never change.

48 Openness

Advancing leaps and bounds on the economic front, Korea’s social politics keep many doors shut for women and nonnative Koreans.

CONTENTS

What’s in this issue

ISSUE 96 O CTO BER 2 0 1 4

72 80 Community

80 City of self-starters

Located at the dead center of Korea, Cheongju is a small-town city for people with a plan.

DEstinations

Music & Arts

62 See you in Sejong

90 Korean punk struggles forward

A small city outside Seoul features pristine parks, accessible hiking and low-key charm. Come check out the federal government’s new digs.

66 Relationship revamp

Resting at the base of the peninsula’s mountainous backbone, Jirisan represents a homecoming for one prodigal expat son.

70 Ghosts along the Mississippi

If you’ve got a stomach for the gruesome and an ear for the macabre, New Orleans has the sites to get your spook on.

HALlOWEEN

72 Haunts of the ward

When it comes to the abandoned Gonjiam Psychiatric Hospital, enter only if you can handle a little damage to your psyche.

76 Save your Seoul

Embrace your nostalgia and bust out your best costume; if you believe in ghost stories, the truth (and party) is out there.

78 Screen scare

Korean horror haunts with more ghosts, less gore

Though still only in its teenage years, Korea’s punk scene is on its deathbed; without new blood, it cannot survive.

96 Disturbing but beautiful

A Korean writer returns to her roots to explore the darker themes in the country’s social fabric.

98 Jacques Greene

84 Wicket game

Korea’s cricket league has been gaining traction since the ‘90s and is just hitting its stride.

86 Taking a walk on the urban side

Seoul Sub-Urban takes on the city’s transit system to document the hidden story behind each of the capital’s neighborhoods.

104

Montreal-born musician Jacques Greene drops in on Hongdae’s Cakeshop for a show and a taste of the local DJ scene.

99 Great big laff

The fall incarnation of HBC fest features a homecoming for local comedy darling Brian Aylward, plus more indie bands than you can shake a pumpkin at.

100 Artist’s Journey

With the launch of the “Chance and Dan Do Korea” podcast, comedian Dan Wiberg goes from seasoned opener to main attraction.

102 AT THE BOX OFFICE

“Gone Girl” (Oct. 16) “The November Man” (Oct. 16)

103 DVD CORNER

“Roaring Currents” (명량) “Snowpiercer” (설국열차)

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

Capturing Korea Freedom in the foliage Namiseom glows in autumn

Distractions

110 COMICS

111 GAMES

114

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

118

HOROSCOPES

Credits - Contributors

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

KEY PE OPLE

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

Christopher Green 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 A RT & 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 A RKE 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

P H OTOGR AP 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.K.

Christopher Green is manager of international affairs for Daily NK, the world’s premier source of inside North Korea news and opinion. He is also a Ph.D. candidate at Cambridge University and an editor of the periodical Sino-NK, where he publishes the Tumen Triangle Documentation Project, an open access journal on the China-North Korea border region. Christopher is the North Korea columnist.

Elaine Ramirez U.S.

Elaine tends to go wherever the wind carries her, and the most recent gust has swept her to Korea. After stints in New York and Chile, the California native now works as an editor in Seoul. When not editing for Groove or her newspaper, she’s off riding her motorbike along the Han, exploring the far corners of the peninsula, or sleeping. She tweets @elainegija. Elaine is Groove Korea’s editorial director.

James Michael Anderson U.S.

James Michael Anderson has lived in Korea for seven years and has made comics about expat life here since 2012. He is happily married and a proud father of a 5-year-old girl named Yasmine. James grew up in Tampa Bay, Florida, but is adapting to life in Korea quite well. You can see more of his work at facebook.com/landofthemourningclam. James creates the Land of the Mourning Clam comic strip.

Remy Raitt South Africa

After completing her bachelor’s degree in journalism, Remy worked as a news and lifestyle reporter, but then the gypsy wanderlust took hold. While planning where her passport will take her next, she enjoys pajeon and makgeolli pit stops on hikes, badminton in the park, taking in Korea’s burgeoning art and fashion scenes and craft projects at home.

Publisher Sean Choi sean@groovekorea.com

Dylan Goldby 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.

12 www.groovekorea.com / October 2014

Australia

Dylan is a passionate photographer who loves to speak in the third person. Knee-deep in kimchi and shooting it from every angle, he has been on the peninsula for nigh on seven years now. He is a freelancer and teacher of photography. He is a regular contributor to Groove Korea, a moderator at the Seoul Photo Club and loves to work with other photographers in the never-ending task of photographing Korea. Dylan contributes the monthly photography column “Capturing Korea.”

TH E IN B OX

To submit a letter, email opinion@groovekorea.com

On “Tracing an unknown past” (September 2014) The point (of the Korean adoption issue) is that we, as being within the context of the Korean diaspora, still have a part of the Korean history in us, and as long as that is being played down, “objectified,” used against us or being made to make us feel bad and guilty for wanting to know our past and our history, it is akin to emotional blackmail and guilt-tripping, which too many adoptees already are brainwashed to acquiesce to anyway. We may seem “well-adjusted,” happy, grateful etc., but the point is that we have a right to know our medical history, to meet people that look like us and, in spite of our enforced cultural imprint of the West, we still may choose to reconnect with our Korean-ness. Part of that is returning (often at our own expense) to the country that not only sent us abroad under often false and downright illegal premises resembling more child trafficking than “adoption,” but also made handsome money off us. As long as that is being trampled down by native Koreans, it is to me nothing but a betrayal of their own sense of guilt of not being able to support struggling families, single mothers who often have been coerced and emotionally pressured to “give their child a better future” rather than help them raise their own offspring. It’s so easy to be snotty and self-righteous and blaming adoptees for not being “content” and just “happy, clappy, sappy adoptees” who were “saved” by big white brother because they were/are considered the “better” parents. People … may laugh at us, or choose to be derisive, but it won’t make the national disgrace of Korea ridding itself of children in order to make money while at it go away. Saving money on health care, education (and) looking after their own ought to be a given in any so-called “modern” OECD nation. Korea hasn’t caught up with the 21st century since the baby-selling nation days that were first brought to a stark if unwelcome center of criticism shortly after the Olympics. A lot of so-called “lucky adoptees” have committed suicide. Plenty of Korean adoptees have been subjected to emotional, physical and sexual abuse as well as discrimination by their socalled “wonderful, better” parents — girls and boys: neglected, starved, made to pay off their adoption fee by slaving away as child labourers for their adopters, discriminated against in their own adoptive family. Yeah, choose to make of that what you will. The difference is that those happy adoptees don’t want to hear any of that because that’s the ever growing darker side of adoption. It’s a billion dollar industry where the child is the commodity for the neediness of infertile “rich” people in the West, indifferent, uncaring and profithungry “employees” lacking any conscience or true awareness of the consequences of their actions, of adoption agencies in Korea and, vulnerable and isolated and cut off from genuine help and support of families, of single mothers in Korea. You can maybe choose to make of it what you will; we were forced to. Therein lies the biggest difference. By Hanami, commenter on www.groovekorea.com

MUST READS

A selection from our editors

M U ST RE ADs

8 th anniversary

Coming to Korea means embracing a certain amount of change in your own life. The language, food and social norms can all come as a shock, things that inevitably reshape your outlook on normal. But if you step back and look around a bit, Korea is changing a lot too.

76 The fall of Korean punk

It’s Yuppie Killer guitarist Iain Whyte and singer Tim Sean’s birthday, but nobody cares. Everyone would have been there anyway, to see the surviving bands of Korea’s punk scene play.

Haunts of the ward

We follow coordinates from the bus stop to where Gonjiam Psychiatric Hospital stands, and a sign saying “No trespassing” in Korean warns us away. But that does not deter us.

Save your Seoul

For some of us, it’s not just a holiday: It’s a monthlong fiesta del diablo, culminating on All Hallow’s Eve. There are plenty of ways to get fiendishly fresh this Halloween.

City of self-starters

There is always someone to share a drink or game of darts with in Cheongju, a close-knit community just outside of Seoul where rock music is a draw and there’s plenty of space for people to share their talents.

104

CAPt uring KOREA

Marco Devon uses photography as a way to keep himself occupied while traveling, and the process of seeking out interesting subjects and eye-pleasing angles helps anchor him to the present moment.

14 www.groovekorea.com / October 2014

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C OVE R Evolution, devolution, revolution

Eight years into its relationship with Korea, Groove takes a step back to assess the situation. Korea has really pulled it together in some respects — namely food, drink and entertainment — though there are some areas that continue to be a source of conflict. We still have questions about the pressure Korea places on its already stressed out students, and are still not convinced of any long-term, institutional change on the gender equality front. Overall, however, there is a sense of gratitude for the opportunity to live and work in such a fascinating, evolving environment, and to continue to share these pages with Groove’s contributors. Read the story on Page 32.

Cover design by Park Seong-eun

O u r pa st three iss u es

September 2014

August 2014

July 2014

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!

Itaewon freedom Reflections on a restaurant Get your garden growing

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W hat’ s O n SUN

MON

TUE

@ Craftworks in Noksapyeong; craftworkstaphouse.com

@ Craftworks in Noksapyeong (Mondays); craftworkstaphouse.com Sport

NC Dinos vs LG Twins

@ Jamsil Stadium; 5:30p; sports. interpark.com

12 ARTS

Save your Seoul!

screening w/English subs @ Haechi Hall, Seoul Global Culture & Tourism Center; 3p; free; fb.com/ SeoulGlobalCultureTourismCenter

Seoul Fortress Wall Hike

Treasures of Jung-gu District Walk

Celebrate with blood and gourd this month; see our story of things to do on Page 76

Travel & Sport

Social

Open Mic Night

(first and third Tuesday) Camarata Studio, Haebangchon; 8p; fb.com/CMCinHBC

Edvard Munch and the Modern Soul

2 For 1 fish & chips

Music

@ Uniqlo AX; 8p; 80,000 won; koreagigguide.com

MUSICAL

Zorro

Grand Mint Festival

Ikseon-dong Hanok Village & Tteok Rice Cake Museum Tour

ARTS

Journey in Italy with Italian cinema film sets

@ Hangaram Design Museum/Seoul Arts Center; 9/19 to 10/6; sac.or.kr

Travel & Sport

@ Jongno 3-ga Station; register by 10/17; siwapage.com Musical

Happy Halloween with NANTA

Enjoy 40% off by bringing orange items *From Oct. 20 to 31 *Chung jeongno Theater Only

Nanta!

Saint-Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra @ Seoul Arts Center on Oct. 9 and 10 ARTS

Picasso & Great Artists

@ Daejeon Museum of Art; to 10/9; dmma.daejeon.go.kr

Network & Social

Encounter with Amitayus in Sukhavati

Korea Artist Prize 2014

RASKB lecture: Koryo and Korea Today

Sunday Buffet Brunch

Sport

Exhibit

@ National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art; to 11/9; mmca. go.kr/eng

Yoga

@ Indian Cultural Center, Hannam-dong; 50,000-80,000 won; indoculture.org

@ Conrad Seoul Hotel; 9:30-11:30a; siwapage.com

Movies

“Gone Girl”

hits theaters nationwide; see our story on Page 102

23 10% OFF Coupon

Travel & Sport

Explore Bulamsa Temple

@ Buddha Rock Mountain with SIWA; siwapage.com Network & Social

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

@ Big Rock in Gangnam (Sundays); 11,000 won; bigrockbeer.com

(Wednesdays)

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

@ Hengguksa Temple; to 10/26; museum.go.kr

@ Dongdaemun Design Plaza; to 10/8; culture.chanel.com/en

@ COEX; 10times.com

26 ARTS

ARTS

Culture Chanel

Exhibit

Korea Smart Grid Week

@ Olympic Park; 10/18-19; koreagigguide.com

@ Euljiro 3-ga Station; register at toursteam@siwapage.com; siwapage.com

@ Wolfhound (Tuesdays); wolfhoundpub.com

@ Chungmu Art Hall; to 10/13; cmah.or.kr

Music & Dance

Travel & Sport

SIWA Coffee Morning

@ Hangaram Art Museum/Seoul Arts Center; to 10/12; sac.or.kr

Perfume and Maximum the Hormone

Arts

Halloween

@ Anguk Station; 9a; siwapage.com

Wing night

“A Road to Sampo”

For suggestions or comments, email events@groovekorea.com

THU

Seoul Film Society:

*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.

Sunday Roast

WE D

October

Network & Social

@ Somerset Palace Lounge, Seoul; 7:30-9p; raskb.com FESTIVAL

Daegu International Opera Festival @ venues in Daegu; to 11/1; ticket.interpark.com or daeguoperahouse.org

Margarita Night @ OnTheBorder ALL You Can Drink!

(applied ONLY at Shinchon store) 1. Take a picture of this coupon. 2. Show the picture at the store. 3. Get 10% Off! 7:00 p.m ~ 9:00p.m Reservation 02-324-0682

29Music Show Wedding 30 10% OFF Coupon Musical

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

Margarita Night @ OnTheBorder ALL You Can Drink!

(applied ONLY at Itaewon store) 1. Take a picture of this coupon. 2. Show the picture at the store. 3. Get 10% Off! 7:00 p.m ~ 9:00p.m Reservation 02-792-0682

FRI

SAT

Global Gathering Korea 2014 @ Jamsil Stadium

10.3(Fri)-5(SUN)

Nam June Paik Archives: Rheinland, My Artist Heimat

@ Jara Island, Gappyeong-gun, Gyeonggi-do www.jarasumjazz.com

GROOVE 8th anniversary party

Free food and margaritas for the first 50 to register @ On the Border Sinchon branch; 7-10p To RSVP, visit groovekorea.com Music

Camarata & McKinney Consulting Networking Night and Fundraiser @ Grand Hyatt Seoul; 7-9p; camaratamusic.com

17 Comedy

Travel & Sport

Ganghwa-do Excursion

@ Ganghwa Island; raskb.com Music

2014 SAC Youth Concert

@ Seoul Arts Center; 5p; sac.or.kr Networking

Language Exchange (Saturdays & Sundays) @ Cafes in Hongdae & Gangnam; 3-6p; meetup. com/Language-Exchange-Cafe

Kyle Kinane

@ Renaissance Hotel; 10p; standup seoul@gmail.com; more on groovekorea.com FUNDRAISER bOOb crawl @ Bull & Barrel; 8p; 5,000 won donation; fb.com/BrasForACauseSeoul Music

HBC Fall Fest 2014

@ HBC; to 10/18; see our story on Page 99

24 FESTIVAL

Festival

Irish Association hosts the Ceilidh

@ D-Cube City; see our story on Page 88’

10th Busan Fireworks Festival @ Gwangalli Beach, Busan; bff.or.kr Music

Zehetmair conducts Schubert

@ Seoul Arts Center; 8p; seoulphil.or.kr FESTIVAL

Seoul International Dance Festival

@ venues in Seoul; 9/25-10/18; sidance.org

31 ARTS

Seoul Players present “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” @ Bull & Barrel, Itaewon; 10/31-11/1; seoulplayers.com

Music

Korean punk struggles forward

Club Spot’s final party before closing its doors; see our story on Page 90

USC Rossier Information Session @ Hollys Coffee in Itaewon; 11AM-2PM evan.siegel@usc.edu

Column by Dr. Lee Moon Won

Stopping autumn hair loss

Keeping a natural phenomenon in check

ust as the clusters of gingko and persimmon ripen on the autumn trees outside, our bodies also experience physical evolution throughout the year. While some of our bodily changes occur subtly and are barely noticeable, there are others that are easy to observe, with the most significant often being hair loss. At Lee Moon Won clinic, we continue to notice an increase in the number of new patients during the autumn season.

Like a tree losing its leaves

Compared to spring and summer, the fall months will cause the average person to lose hair at a rate about 1.5 times what they might normally expect. Is there a reason why everyone loses their hair in autumn? An easy analogy is to take a look at the natural phenomenon of trees losing their leaves the fall; it’s just part of a natural process that happens when some living things prepare for winter. During summer and spring, the abundance of sunlight and water make it possible for leaves to grow; during the autumn season, however, the most important minerals get redirected from the leaves to the branches, trunk and roots, which need extra nourishment to withstand the winter. As a result of this shift, the leaves to dry out, change colors and fall from the tree. The human body can be said to undergo a similar process. The body draws energy from skin, hair, nails and other nonessential body parts and reorganizes it into fat masses, which will be used during the colder months. For this reason, many people find that they gain weight more easily during autumn, as well as having dry skin and losing their hair. When it comes to adapting the human body for winter survival, there are also other changes — namely, those connected to male hormones — that increase the likelihood for hair loss during the fall.

Stopping autumn hair loss

In Korean traditional medicine, hair loss problems are often attributed to a patient having weak lung or heart function. In order to improve the activity of these body parts, we need to support our overall immune system. Fortunately, practitioners of Korean medicine can prescribe appropriate treatment that will improve your total condition and fix hair loss problems. Beyond this, as far as personal care goes, it is strongly recommended that patients make sure they’re getting enough sleep every night, as well as maintaining a diet with lots of fresh fruit and vegetables. The Korean medicine prescribed by our clinic is made using Korean organic herbs, is easy and safe to use and has an effect that can be seen throughout the entire body. It is a largely accepted fact that, at the beginning of autumn, most people will experience some degree of increased of hair loss. However, if one’s average amount of lost hair is more than 1.5 times what one might typically experience, it is strongly recommended to take action as soon as possible to help prevent one’s present condition from worsening.

Useful tips to prevent hair loss in the cold seasons Get enough sleep Fresh fruit and vegetables Improve the activity of lung or heart function

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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

October 2014 / www.koreajoongangdaily.com

Sex offenders barred from teaching jobs The government has announced a plan to ban schoolteachers and university professors convicted of sex crimes from ever teaching again. The Ministry of Education said it has prepared a plan to strengthen disciplinary measures against teachers, which would bar anyone convicted of a sex crime from working at any institution, public or private. The plan will require revisions to current laws governing education civil servants, kindergartens and schools, and the ministry said it would push forward with those changes. According to the ministry, sex offenders with teaching certificates will be prohibited from obtaining positions at kindergartens, elementary, middle and high schools and universities. Those currently working will be fired. Teaching certificates will also be revoked if a person is convicted of a sex crime against a minor. The min-

istry also said teachers will be subject to of faculty training. stronger disciplinary action even before The ministry also said it is reviewing a a conviction is confirmed by the highest plan to make information about teachers court. who are convicted sex offenders public Those accused of committing a sex even before relevant laws are amended. crime against a minor or a disabled perOver the past five years, 240 elementason, or those involved in any type of sex ry, middle and high school teachers were trafficking case — including the traffick- punished for sex crimes against chiling of adults — may be fired, even if their dren or adults, government statics show. convictions are not finalized. Among them, 115 are still teaching, SaeUnder the current law governing educa- nuri Party Rep. Min Hyun-joo said, citing tional civil servants, only those who are data provided by the ministry. actually convicted of a sex crime against According to the figures, 108 teachers minors and then fired or those who are committed sex crimes against minors, and ordered to pay a criminal fine of 1 million 33 are still teaching. Of the 132 teachers won or more for the crimes can have their whose victims were adults, 82 are still teaching certificates revoked. teaching. Under the government’s new plan, The statistics also showed that sex teachers or professors will also be re- crimes against minors by teachers were lieved of their teaching positions during increasing annually. In 2009, nine teachinvestigations in order to separate them ers were convicted of sex crimes against from students. Sex crime prevention edu- minors. That number grew to 20 in 2010, cation will also become a mandatory part and up to 29 in 2013.

For the past few months, fisherman Choi Chul-nam, who works on Daecheong Island, in Ongjin County, Incheon, has had no choice but to sell half his haul of crabs and fish at giveaway prices to visitors to the port. “I’ll sell a 3-kilogram mackerel, a rock fish and a couple of crabs for just 10,000 won,” Choi said. “It’s dirt cheap.” Since the Sewol ferry disaster on April 16, a tragedy that killed more than 300 passengers, a strict freight regulation that limits space on such ships has forced more fishermen to sell their products at lower prices. Before the tragedy, Choi and the other fishermen on the five West Sea islands, which include Daecheong, Baengnyeong

and Yeonpyeong islands, used to box their products in Styrofoam or plastic containers, then pile them in the spaces on ferries designated for cars — as much as they caught. But once the new regulation took effect following the accident, it became virtually impossible for them to load their entire catch. Now, fishermen must load their cargo into cars, then affix those vehicles to the ship to move them. To comply with the new rule, the men for a time used their colleagues’ personal cars, though it still proved inefficient. In an attempt to help, Ongjin County even rented a one-ton truck and five-ton truck to ease the difficulty, but they still didn’t provide enough space, and the county eventually ran out of funds in

Ferry regulation limits profits for fishermen

August to continue leasing the vehicles. “I don’t have enough space in my cold storage unit to keep everything I catch,” Choi said. “I can’t help but sell all my products cheap or give away the leftovers to my neighbors.” Since the water temperature has gone up, so too have fishermen’s hauls of mackerel, rockfish and spotty belly greenling around the five West Sea islands. “We are trying to transform space for cars into cargo compartments so that more fishery products can be transported onboard,” said Tak Dong-sik, the head of Ognjin County’s traffic administration. “As long as there are no safety hazards, I hope the Korean Register of Shipping will approve the change as soon as possible.”

Two soldiers die during torturetraining exercise Two commandos died and one was injured during captivity survival training by the Special Warfare Command, military authorities have announced. According to Army headquarters, two staff sergeants aged 21 and 23 died of apparent suffocation. Another 23-year-old staff sergeant was recovering after medical treatment. The incident took place at the 13th Airborne Special Forces Brigade in Jeungpyeong County, North Chungcheong. The deaths were the latest in a string of fatalities of service members, and the military has since admitted there was no safety manual for the training. According to the official reports, the accidents took place during training for how to deal with being captured by an enemy. The training is intended to teach special forces soldiers to endure interrogations and torture and how to possibly escape. This is a new training program and the accidents took place as a few elite special forces commandos participated in a final rehearsal, the army said. The military planned to provide the training to all members of the Special Warfare Command. That plan has now been halted. According to the military, 10 commandos participated in the training by playing the role of captives. “During the morning exercise, most of them managed to escape from the simulated captivity within an hour,” said an official of the Special Warfare Command. “The intensity of the training was strengthened in the later session and it appeared to have led to the deadly accidents.” The later session started at 9 p.m. Ten participants played the role of captives and another 10 played enemy captors. Four drill instructors supervised the exercise. Among the 10 supposed captives, eight were put in solitary cells, while two were put together in a cell. They were all forced to kneel with their hands tied behind them. Their heads were covered with bags made of black nylon cloth, the Army said. The aim of

the training was to break free from the binds and escape. “When we become captive, we will face torture,” said a member of the Special Warfare Command. “If you are wearing a bag on your face and put into a tiny cell, you will experience extreme fear. The goal of the training was overcoming that fear.” The instructors and the 10 commandos playing captors tightened the strings of the bags on the captives’ heads during the second session, said Lt. Col. Kim Hong-jeong, who is in charge of planning the training at the brigade. Around 10:30 p.m., some of the captives cursed and yelled due to their discomfort, but the drill instructors did not stop the program because they decided that was a part of the exercise. “There was no brutality during the training,” Kim said. After one of the captives collapsed, the program was stopped and the conditions of the participants were checked. Two more were found to be barely breathing. While the first staff sergeant regained consciousness after being treated in an emergency room at a nearby hospital, the other two died. The remaining seven were confirmed unharmed. Although the military said there was no violence or torture used during the training, criticism flared that the military operated the rehearsal without proper safety measures. The three participants had to be transported to a nearby hospital through ambulances dispatched after a call to the 119 emergency hotline, not military ambulances. Drill instructors, who were supposed to observe the participants from the hallway of the cells, left their positions during the training. “We sent an investigation team to review the entire system,” said Col. Na Seung-yong, public affairs officer of the Army. “We will stop the training and punish anyone who did any illegal actions.”

Park’s day care pledges collapse with no funds The Park Geun-hye government’s ambitious initiative to provide inexpensive day care services for working mothers has come to an apparent dead end due to a poor assessment of the budget required. Double-income families with children under the age of 12 were eligible for the government-run child-care program, in which a family could receive up to 720 hours of child care service a year, paying a relatively cheap rate based on income level, with hourly rates varying between 1,250 won and 5,500 won. According to government data, 51,393 households nationwide used the service last year. One mother from Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, who requested that she only be identified by her surname Lee, said she has been using the government’s child-care service for her young daughter since January, typically paying for about 10 hours a day. Lee, 34, who works at an insurance company call center, said the service would have previously cost her about 1.1 million won per month, but with the city’s subsidy, she only had to pay 350,000 won for her toddler, who is about to turn 2 years old. However, the service was recently interrupted abruptly. “The city telephoned me and said they would run out of money in the near future,” Lee said. “They said I should either pay the entire 1.1 million won or find an alternative child care service. ... I feel like a bomb just dropped on my house,” she added. “I have no idea where I should take my daughter now.” Several local governments, including the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the provincial governments of Gyeonggi, North Jeolla and North Chungcheong, have since either reduced or ended their services after they ran out of funds. “Since July, we have operated the program by reducing monthly service hours from 60 to 40,” said Oh Yeong-in, the head of the Gender Equality and Family Affairs Division in North Jeolla’s Jeonju city government. The child-care program faced an impasse after the central government failed to accurately assess the demand. Its expenses also rapidly increased this year after the government provided four major insurance plans to the program’s child-care employees.

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

The North Korea Column

The disappearing face of Kim Il-sung Even as the Eternal President’s face fades from currency, economic difficulties linger on Column by Christopher Green / Illustration by Craig Stuart

n late July, as summer was (not) kicking into gear, the central bank of North Korea replaced the country’s highest denomination currency unit — the 5,000 won bill. This was a big news story, but not for any economic reason: Just as in December 1947, April 1979 and July 1992, when all existing currency units were swapped, and 1998 and 2005, when single new denomination bills were issued, all the state had done was swap one bill for another at a rate of 1:1. The most interesting element was political,

and concerned the images on the new money. After paying visits to local branches of the central bank to make their exchanges, sources working with my company, Daily NK, confirmed the appearance of the new bill. On the front there is an image of the Pyongyang house in which the government asserts, seemingly falsely, that Kim Il-sung was born. On the back is the cavernous International Friendship Exhibition complex at Mt. Myohang. Buried in the side of a mountain, this is where the many gifts

bestowed upon Kim Il-sung, Kim Jongil and Kim Jong-un over the years are stored and displayed: a basketball signed by Michael Jordan, for example, and a famously unattractive, not to mention ethically questionable, stuffed alligator holding a tray of cocktail glasses. Therefore, the new money no longer incorporates any likeness of Kim Il-sung, the self-titled North Korean national founder and someone whose image had previously been on the country’s highest denomination currency unit for decades.

ABOUT THE writer Christopher Green is the manager of international affairs for Daily NK, an online periodical reporting on North Korean affairs from Seoul. The opinions expressed here are the author’s and do not necessarily represent those of Groove Korea. For more information, visit dailynk.com.

28 www.groovekorea.com / October 2014

This came as a surprise to ordinary North Korean people. The shock was nothing to do with concerns over the potential for a confiscatory currency redenomination measure like the one that the country suffered in November 2009. The only organization fanning the flames of that idea was the South Korean intelligence service, which proclaimed that it was designed to bring out all the hard currency squirreled away in society. Inside North Korea, where it actually matters, a handful of buyers and sellers did clash in urban markets over whether or not the soon-to-be old money could be accepted (it could), but incidents of this nature were few and far between. Most people were perfectly aware that this was a simple currency replacement, and not the shock of a currency redenomination. If this is the case, why was there any domestic surprise? It came from something else: namely, that people were told that Kim’s face would be on the new bills. In a process that began days before the replacement began, bank workers and other money handlers were given classes on upcoming changes to monetary policy; these were followed by gatherings of the people’s unit chairwomen, North Korea’s vast network of civilian snoopers. The two groups were informed in plain Korean that new money was impending, and that it would feature images of both Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il.

By the time you read this, the 10,000 won bill may be in circulation. But even if it is, the sad truth is that the introduction of a new bill will not solve North Korea’s economic problems. “Regional bank officials (told) heads of people’s units … that the 5,000 won (bill) would be switched,” one Daily NK source recalled. “They told the people’s unit heads to manage the new money very carefully as likenesses of the Great Suryeong and Great Leader are to appear on it.” Fortunately, the cognitive dissonance of the absence of smiling Kim family members from the new money soon became the reason the surprise was short-lived, and came to be replaced by a universal presumption about plans for the future. “I asked (name of source withheld) why he thought the authorities had replaced the old 5,000 won with a new one that doesn’t have Kim Il-sung on it,” one Daily NK North Korean reporter said. “He said it immediately: It’s because there is going to be a 10,000 won.” A variation on this theme was repeated across North Korea, from Sinuiju in the west, to the capital, Pyongyang, and across to Hyesan, Musan, Hoeryong and Rason in the distant northeast. By replacing the existing 5,000 won bill featuring Kim Il-sung with one that does not, locals presumed that the North Korean financial authorities opened up the political option of putting a 10,000 (or higher!) won bill into circulation. This could then feature Kim, or even “Kim and Kim” (Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il). Since inflation is eroding the value of North Korean currency, and the uptake of Chinese currency persists despite improving domestic economic conditions, this is an important step. Indeed, by the time you read this, the step may already have been taken, and the 10,000 won bill may be in circulation. But even if it is, the sad truth is that the introduction of a new bill will not solve North Korea’s economic problems. As a wise man once said: Any time it takes 10,000 units of your national currency to buy dinner, you know there’s a problem.

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

The Money column

Paying in to pension

Why knowing your investment options matters Column by Paul Sharkie / Illustration by Craig Stuart

hen it comes to seeking a pension plan provider, many foreign companies might not immediately consider Korean banks as an alternative or addition to other providers. As the global trend shifts toward DC (defined contribution) plan adoption, however, both employee and employer need to know their options as both parties (especially the former) need to be informed on which investment options would best suit their needs and desired risk exposure. Given their wealth of experience, banks are the leading pension service vendors in Korea, with around a 50 percent share of the market. Although Shinhan Bank is the No. 1 pension service provider, other service vendors are also worthy of consideration. In choosing the right vendor for you and your company, you will want to consider investment options, investment support and service to employers.

ABOUT THE writer Paul Sharkie is the Foreign Client Relationship Manager for Shinhan Bankâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;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. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Ed.

30 www.groovekorea.com / October 2014

Assuming you (the employee) not only care about the future of your investments but also want to understand the products you select and their potential returns … you might want to pay closer attention. Investment options Many foreigners in Korea who receive a pension simply accept their employer-selected plan with little-to-no awareness that there are other investment options available. Assuming you (the employee) not only care about the future of your investments but also want to understand the products you select and their potential returns, as well gain insight on the additional services available, you might want to pay closer attention. There are two types of product: performance-based and the generally safer fixed-income products. Although heavy regulation and competition has resulted in vendors being able to match nearly any offer and similar products overall, the service provider you select still matters. For those switching from a DB (Defined Benefit) plan (where the company takes care of the plan), this sudden involvement in maintaining your post-retirement funds can come as a shock; however, in the hands of a capable vendor, this is a process you should become accustomed to.

Service to employees: Investment support Given that the responsibility for DC plans largely lies with the employee and that the average Joe may not know the finer details of their plans and options, banks and other service vendors compete heavily to provide a range of consulting channels to ensure sound investment advice is given on a regular basis. Extra services can include regular on-site visits and one-on-one consulting, competitive loans for employees, fee exemptions (bank teller, ATM, internet transfers, etc.) and preferential foreign exchange (FX) services. These vary and depend entirely on the size of the client and the vendor’s role (either as an Operational Manager and/or Asset Manager) in the plan.

Services to employers: Assisting HR An active and engaging vendor is desirable for two reasons: first, to ensure a company’s employees are well taken care of and second, to establish a good relationship with human resources. Consideration must be paid to HR since it is they — along with Finance — who will assist with the management of employee contributions and other related matters. Service vendors are well aware that switching plans can be a burden so additional services must also be offered to HR to ensure a smooth transition. In special circumstances, professionals can also be dispatched to assist building up internal policy in line with the company’s needs and expectations in addition to setting up the actual framework to be used by HR. These tips can equip employers and employees with a more thorough understanding of the retirement options that are available to them in Korea, allowing them to make more conscious and educated decisions regarding their retirement funds.

COVER story

Groove Koreaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 8th anniversary special

Evolution, devolution, revolution How Korea has changed in the past 8 years

Food Page 34

Competition breeds glorious dining options

Beer Page 36

The revolution is here

Arts and culture Page 38

Social media breaks down barriers

Entrepreneurship Page 40

Opening a business is never easy, but opportunities abound

EFL education Page 42

As the English divide widens, the job market tightens

North Korea Page 44

The more it changes, the more it remains the same

Media Page 46

Why is Korea’s English media so awful?

Openness Page 48

Korea is diversifying, whether it’s ready or not

oming to Korea means embracing a certain amount of change in your life. The language, food and social customs can all come as a shock, things that inevitably reshape your outlook on normal. But if you step back and look around a bit, Korea is changing a lot too. Famed for having transformed itself from a developing, war-torn nation to a tech-savvy global influence in only 50-odd years, some types of evolution happen a little faster here than others. In this month’s special issue, we put the spotlight on eight issues that Groove Korea has reported on since its creation and how they affect the country and our society. As you’ll read, many expats have taken advantage of the adaptability of Korean culture, pioneering businesses and drink trends and making the ubiquity of social media work for them. Regardless of where you come from, Korea rewards industriousness — even if there are a few hurdles along the way. We also address some parts of Korean culture that have not seen as much growth in the eight years since Groove Korea’s inception: larger social issues that reflect a country still working out the logistics of political and economic stability.

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

Competition breeds glorious dining options

icture a house party,

circa 2006: Brian Aylward, Seoul’s future most successful expat comedian, stands at the kitchen counter, musing over a block of pepper jack cheese. When expats see cheese, they all stand around looking at it in wonder. “Wow, cheese!” How the times have changed. That’s the fundamental difference between Seoul’s food scene back then and its food scene now. Then it was, “I heard there’s a Thai restau-

12.2009

Cupcakepalooza (December 2009) When Brian Dye of kissmykimchi.com and Chalica Packk suggest cupcakes as a way to drum up some smiles in the dead of winter, they first have to tell you not to laugh — “Seriously, there are cupcakes in Seoul?! And they’re not even of the Ho Ho, Ding Dong variety?” It was, and still is, completely true. Most of the places these two cake connoisseurs discovered were on the newfangled Garosu-gil drag, but they were all completely awesome. “Cupcakes with zest, cupcakes with sprinkles, spongy cupcakes, dense cupcakes, cupcakes made of airy clouds — there’s a cupcake out there just waiting for you.” Who knew?

34 www.groovekorea.com / October 2014

rant in Itaewon.” Now it’s, “I heard there’s a good Thai restaurant in Itaewon.” Expats have moved on from searching for foods from back home to searching for the best example of foods from back home. “The last 10 years have brought dramatic changes to the food scene in Seoul,” said Micha Richter, owner of The Bakers Table in Gyeongnidan. “When there were only a handful places that you could consider halfway decent 10 years ago, these days it is a food paradise.”

01.2011

Tuesday taste-off There were so many choices for a Tuesday night Western-style dinner that Tyron Butler, Paloma Julian and Chris Jones set out to rate them, from 1 to 10, in a two-part series. Yeah, sure, all the restaurants were in Itaewon, and some of their experiences were rather curious — wood-paneled walls and the B-52’s over the loudspeaker, stuffed animals hanging from the ceiling amid a cloud of cherry-scented smoke, a gristly steak served without a knife — it nevertheless signified a fundamental shift in our Seoul foodscape. It was a glimmer of hope to those who were looking to skip on the rice, just this one damn time.

‘A lot more young, openminded talent is entering the scene. I just hope that they have enough strength to stand up to the big chains that control everything.’ Micha Richter, owner of The Baker’s Table

11.2011

Casablanca Writer Josh Foreman was schmitzing all over the place: “Their tiny kitchen … it’s an alchemist’s workshop. They create culinary gold from scratch.” This little unassuming shop is now a Haebangchon mainstay, and it’s crammed to the gills nearly every time you walk by. Wahid and Karim Naciri serve up mountains of fresh-made sandwiches every day to their drooling patrons, along with rockin’ lentil soup and — no joke — fried mashed potatoes. Haven’t you been there yet?

Story by Josh Foreman, former food editor / Photo by Nina Sawyer / Sidebar by Shelley DeWees

Take Mexican, for example. There was a time, around the same time Aylward joked about cheese at a house party, that Taco Chili Chili on Noksapyeong-ro was the only place in the city where you could get casual Mexican food. The food there was simple — tacos and rice-heavy burritos for not too much

02.2012

The Korean curry quest Not to be outdone by American and British grub, Indian restaurants smashed onto the scene back in 2002 with the advent of Everest, Dongdaemun’s super popular hole-in-the-wall joint with cheap beer and Bollywood on loop. Yeti popped up shortly after — its desert tent, Aladdinesque patchwork cushions and silk wall hangings making Josh Foreman look eagerly over his shoulder for opium and voluptuous, dark-haired women — then later Little India and the roving band of devoted patrons who swirl in and out of its modern, chandeliered decor. India came over to stay for good, and everyone got happier.

money. It wasn’t the most flavorful Mexican food or the most creatively prepared, but it was Mexican food. And the place was regularly packed. Then came Dos Tacos. All of a sudden, there was another option for low-cost Mexican. Then came Vatos. Then Don Charly.

03.2012

The changing of Noksapyeong dae-ro The closure of Istanbul and Namsan Kimchi Jjigae brought big changes and vacant buildings to Noksapyeong. “Anyone who ever had a bowl of Namsan jjigae is probably still lamenting,” cried food veteran Josh Foreman, “because that kimchi was just … special.” We were sad when they closed, but all was not lost. New restaurants filled the neighbourhood on a pizza-coffee-burger breeze: Trevia, Buttercup Coffee and the now-defunct M Burger tweaked “that little street between HBC and Itaewon.” Istanbul is missed, but its replacements are pretty freakin’ sweet.

Each place has its niche and its fans, but Taco Chili Chili is no longer the only place around to get Mexican. There’s competition — glorious competition. Seoul’s culinary scene has exploded over the past decade, with young, creative chefs and entrepreneurs taking risks on unique restaurants and artisanal food. The Booth in Gyeongnidan is a good example — Daniel Tudor’s pizzeria that has a ridiculously simple menu and ridiculously funky décor. Pizza choices are limited to pepperoni or cheese, and there aren’t many more drink options. The walls of the place are covered with graffiti and customers sit on wooden palettes. A place like that would be beyond the cutting edge 10 years ago; now, it’s representative of the bohemian eateries opening all over the city. Korean cuisine, too, is bucking against tradition. Restaurants like Damotori H in Haebangchon are exposing Seoul’s international crowd to the uniqueness and variety of Korean food. They serve a couple dozen different kinds of Korea’s most flavorful makgeolli, along with potato pancakes and other traditional snacks. But they do it in the comfortable and refined style of a Paris bistro. Susumu Yonaguni, the chef at OKitchen, brings an artisan’s touch to Korean ingredients, infusing sauces with makgeolli and elevating the lowly mackerel to culinary heights. “A lot more young, open-minded talent is entering the scene,” Richter said. “I just hope that they have enough strength to stand up to the big chains that control everything.”

04.2014

The rise of the sandwich Frustrated (and bloated) after too many Paris Baguette sandwiches? Totally grossed out by that nasty-ass sweet pickle and processed cheese? Hankering for a decent sammy but nowhere near HBC? No worries. There are a handful of restaurants making a killing on the sandwich market, and they all taste better than your average Paris Baguette acquisition. The Bakers Table, Cafe Mamas, Lord Sandwich and Michelle American Sandwich have joined Casablanca in the previously untouchable Seoul sandwich arena. You get to reap the benefits, and even vegetarians won’t find themselves wanting. Don’t ever get punched out by white cheese goo and “ham” again.

Beer COVER story Edited by Shelley DeWees (shelley@groovekorea.com)

The renaissance is here

he cognitive dissonance

suffered by microbrew fanatics in Korea eight years ago was so intense that a Budweiser tasted crisp, with a slight hoppiness and a clean finish — almost delicious, in fact. For hop-heads, the republic was a virtual wasteland, and the standard domestic swill made other countries’ shit beer seem downright gourmet by comparison. These days, though, especially where foreigners congregate, the beer scene is practically unrecognizable from a mere half decade ago. There are roughly a dozen brew-pubs or microbrew specialty bars in Gyeongnidan

03.2009

One fine ... brewery A few brew-pubs had popped up around Seoul, mostly using beer imported from other breweries overseas or brewing small batches on premises. O’Kims Brauhaus, Platinum, Castle Praha and Big Rock proved the market was evolving and gave many Koreans their first taste of actual beer. Evidencing how far we’ve come, the article is prefaced by an explanation of what a microbrewery actually is, something that would seem superfluous in the abundant climate of today.

36 www.groovekorea.com / October 2014

and nearby Itaewon, and that’s in addition to the countless draft handles featuring craft beers and hundreds of exotic bottled varieties all over the city. Shockingly, even some local family grocery stores have a jaw-dropping selection. It all started with a few key events: Ka-Brew, which operates a brewery northeast of Seoul, began importing Alley Kat pale ale to distribute in kegs, as well as brewing a few other varietals in the late 2000s, and in 2007, Canadian expat Robert Titley started Homebrew Korea, an online forum and website where ambitious drinkers shared information to help

01.2011

create their own malted treats. But then, in 2010, the gauntlet was dropped and things got real. Entrepreneur Dan Vroon spearheaded a group of six other expats and opened Craftworks, the famous gastro-brewery that has since become the cornerstone of what people are calling Korea’s “craft beer valley.” “At Craftworks, I think we were in the right place at the right time,” said Ted Gray, one of these aforementioned partners. “We managed to play a role in the beer revolution in Korea. The change is pretty amazing.”

Korean tastes are changing at breakneck speed, whether because of increased exposure to alternatives via overseas travel or the profound realization that your booze doesn’t have to taste like dog piss. And what began as a flurry with these pioneers soon snowballed into an avalanche. In 2011, a few government policies that had bottlenecked the beer industry were either loosened or removed completely; then-President Lee Myung-Bak signed a free trade agreement allowing American and European brews to hit the shelves and Rogue, Anderson Valley, Lost Coast and many more industry veteran brews were instantly up for grabs. To spur things on even further, the old legal framework requiring a brewery to have an impossibly large 1.8 million-liter capacity to be

10/11.2011

The new kid on the block: Craftworks Taphouse & Bistro

The beer situation in Korea/ My first beer + What’s brewin’

Fast-forward two years and the first reports of what would become “patient-zero” of Korea’s craft beer epidemic were being published. Most would agree this little pub seemed a rather unlikely candidate in early 2011; being hidden in an ugly alley in the backwaters of Gyeongnidan and a non-smoking environment were truly revolutionary characteristics at the time. When the author prophesied, “This bistro will quickly become a Seoul institution,” they must have had no idea how much of an understatement they were making.

Much like top or bottom fermenting yeast (used to make ales or lagers respectively), the beer situation in Korea was improved from both a top-down and bottom-up approach in 2011. President Lee Myung-bak lent a hand signing multiple free trade agreements. Lots of new brews showed up from overseas but the tariffs on ingredients for fermenting at home dropped into the realm of reasonable. Some industrious expats walked us through the steps of crafting our own grog using foodstuffs from Homebrew Korea and Beer School.

Story and Sidebar by Ian Henderson / Photos by Christine Pickering and Matthew Lamers

eligible for a brewer license was sliced down to 120,000 liters. Craftworks partnered with Ka-brew, and the wort began fermenting. Soon after, 7 Brau was issued the first brewery distributor permit since the OB/ Hite-Jinro duopoly came to dominate the nation –– the first permit to be given out in 77 years –– and now their handles can be found in watering holes scattered across the city. Later on, Magpie Brewery popped up near Craftworks and was quickly followed by The Booth and Springs Taphouse. Then, like wildfire, Itaewon saw Han’s Microbrew store open its doors along with a pub showcasing what is unquestionably the largest microbrew draft selection in the country: Reilly’s Taphouse. Featuring over 30 taps along with original beers such as Espresso Peculiar and Jeju Jubilation IPA, the pub is co-owned by Troy Zitzelsberger, Korea’s only certified cicerone. Joe McPherson, the proprietor of foodie-hub ZenKimchi, is right when he says it: “Seoul is going through a beer renaissance, and it’s long overdue.” This orgiastic liquid frenzy is not a foreigners-only enterprise, either. Korean tastes are changing at breakneck speed, whether because of increased exposure to alternatives via overseas travel or the profound realization that your booze doesn’t have to taste like dog piss; sales growth of domestic beer has remained steady while imports are on an exponential upswing. Department stores and big box retailers have expanded their selections to offer literally hundreds of brands, and even the suits at the top are scrambling to get a piece of the action: They’ve introduced a few almost-palatable options like Queen’s Ale and

04.2013

06.2013

At Magpie, a focus on simplicity

Just say no to bad beer

Originally, a concrete room, brewing equipment, a porter and an IPA were all that were needed for Magpie to stake a tract of land in the alleys which would blossom into the future “beeropolis” of Gyeongnidan. At first it was as stripped down an establishment as one could find. But at the time this article introduced them to the expat community, they had already begun experiencing growing pains such as starting to brew offsite, lacking seating and struggling to offer enough brewing classes.

Reilly’s Taphouse took the selection on offer at any one particular location to an entirely different level. Most beer connoisseurs would agree that on draft and out of a glass is the preferred method of imbibing — a notion Reilly’s is dedicated to catering to. Offering over 30 draft handles, they also brew up a couple of original concoctions of their own. Korea’s only certified cicerone, Troy Zitzelsbergerberger, is on site to help you perfectly pair those suds with some savory snacks.

Lotte’s Kloud. Nevertheless, it seems that our grassroots beer movement will keep going strong on its own. New establishments are opening every day featuring some delectable suds, and beer-savvy Koreans are spreading the word. Craftworks has two more locations now, one on Eulji-ro and another in the suburb of Bundang. Home-brewers are also holding events like Fermentation Celebration and the Homebrew Festival where curious members of the public can sample what these independent beer lovers have concocted. “When I first got to Seoul there was only Cass, OB and Hite,” reflected Gray, “so our bodies adjusted to waking up with severe hangovers. But there are a lot of very happy beer drinkers here now, so I guess the endless headaches of the ‘90s somehow paid off in the long run.”

03.2014

Home brewers lead the push to better beer Not just an online Shangri-la for the dedicated few, Homebrew opened a physical location in Itaewon to offer homebrewing supplies and instructional classes. With only about half of their customer base being comprised of foreigners, the numbers reveal that many Koreans have gotten wind of the new “hot thing” and, in true Han fashion, are scrambling to get ahead of the curve. Homebrew also helps organize beer fests in coordination with several local pubs in the Itaewon area.

COVER story Edited by Emilee Jennings (emilee@groovekorea.com)

Social media breaks down barriers

s the expat community

continues to grow and diversify, so too do the arts and music circles within. Over the last eight years, the scenes have welcomed new ways of thinking, creating, performing and sharing. Costa Rican photographer Joe Wabe, who arrived in Korea 11 years ago, has seen the number of active foreign photographers multiply. “Social media has been an incredible tool that has tripled the amount of people that can be involved in any project, and that has made a huge difference.” Canadian belly dancer and instructor Eshe

03.2011

Pinnacle & The Antidote: The sickness and the cure Pinnacle and the Antidote provide an atypical formula for collaborative musical success. Since winning the Stompers Battle of the Bands, they went to work on releasing an EP mixing hip-hop, rock, jazz, funk and blues. Pinnacle commands the vocals while his experienced band members use electric guitar, keyboard and bass instruments to trip up and jam down with their hooked audience. With songs that “span the gamut of hard-rocking, to dance-able, to just plain fun,” as Pinnacle puts it, it’s hard for listeners not to get caught up in the live show experience from these musical geniuses.

38 www.groovekorea.com / October 2014

agreed. “Everyone’s online presence has dramatically increased, so events are easier to find, book, promote and attend.” Eshe arrived in 2007, and within no time was able to begin teaching classes and forming her own performing troupe, Navah. The year 2010 saw an increased appetite for international activities, and this was the perfect time for Eshe to open Dream Dance Studio. Social media has also created an opportunity for Korea to share its wealth of creative talent with the rest of the world. Over the years, music collective Loose Union has received international attention and they’ve used this to

05.2011

help promote other musical talents born in the Korean expat scene. “We believe in independent music and culture in Korea,” said Adam Brennan, one of the group’s contributing artists. His comments are obviously not an idle claim if you look at the Korean gigs and North American tours they have organized for expat bands based here. As the cultural hub of both the Korean and expat art and music milieus, Hongdae has seen the rise of many artistic ventures. This is where the founding members of rock band Magna Fall first met and where they continue to play gigs. The band started playing five years ago and says a lot has changed since then. Members have come and gone, styles and influences have been transformed and personal musical abilities have developed and improved.

‘Everyone’s online presence has dramatically increased, so events are easier to find, book, promote and attend.’ Eshe

“It’s still tough to get your name out there and people at your shows,” the band’s drummer David Holden said. “But appearing on Korean TV shows like ‘Top Band’ has helped a lot,” added guitarist and singer Kevin Heintz. In the television world, opportunities for expat entertainers are on the rise. Stars such as Robert Holley, Sam Hammington and Bronwyn Mullen have made waves over the

09.2011

The sexy hips of Eshe

Behind HBC Fest

Korea’s most recognizable belly dancer, Eshe, is a sexy, powerful trailblazer. She performed around the world before opening Dream Dance Studio, becoming the first foreigner to open a dance studio in Seoul. It’s the only spot in Korea that offers American Tribal Style and improvisational classes, the latter creating a dance on the spot, and she encourages students to use their bodies to “speak to one another” through dance. “For me, the more interesting and rewarding work is in creating dancers,” she said, “whether they perform for themselves in their living rooms or on stages around the world.”

When Haebangchon Festival was started in July 2006 by Lance Reegan-Diehl and Jim Gaynor, 23 acts performed at three venues. Today those numbers have tripled and quadrupled to make the biannual shindig the go-to event for local expat indie talent. Thousands of music fans flock to HBC Fest for a night of big crowds, packed streets and omnipresent debauchery. Weird is often the way to go. “The local scene may not be as vibrant without something like the HBC festivals providing a larger audience and stage to players who many not get such a chance to play at any other festival in Korea,” said Reegan-Diehl.

Story by Remy Raitt / Photos by Dylan Goldby and courtesy of the artists / Sidebar by Ken Fibbe

Jake Pains

Eshe

Loose Union

Mike Stewart

Pinnac

Aoife Casey

05.2012

The trials and tribulations of SuperColorSuper The 3-D hybrid of art, live performances and partying made SuperColorSuper a staple on the Korean indie scene. The audience gets involved in its psychedelic art, crystals and shadow puppeteer hands-on art events from beginning to end. Artists attend to showcase their work, with well-known bands adding an ethereal, otherworldly feel to the event. Past acts include Caribou, Teengirl Fantasy, Mogwai, Coco Rosie and Toro y Moi. This continuous battery of beautiful sights and sounds turned the traditional party and musical performance on its head.

past decade, as has British TV personality and sought-after MC Jake Pains. He said the hard work has paid off for him too, and now he is able to pick and choose which events he performs at. “As the first ever foreign MC to do real emceeing in big clubs, not just ‘are you ready, let’s go!,’ I’m proud to see how there is a real club culture for MCs now.” Hip-hop artist Pinnacle TheHustler echoed Pains, saying he, too, now has more control over his career as there is more demand for hip-hop and other internationally influenced music. “The scene has developed considerably,” the American rapper says. “There are more creatives that are doing some great things in the expat community, and there are more Koreans taking risks.” And although the arts continue to gain more recognition and support, artists still run into obstacles, with the language barrier obviously being a big one. Irish visual artist Aoife Casey explains that finding gallery space and getting permission to shoot in particular locations

09.2012

would be made easier with a better grasp of the language. “However, there are organizations like PANK (Professional Artist Network Korea) which help facilitate and curate group shows for artists.” Mike Stewart opened Jankura Art Space, a place for artists to come together, create and learn in English, and said since he got his “artistic gears rolling again in 2006” he has seen more serious artists emerge. “It’s great to see people not giving up on what they had a passion for before crossing the sea,” he said — something all foreign artists and art enthusiasts in Korea can assuredly agree on. More info j Joe Wabe www.500px.com/joewabe Eshe www.eshebellydancer.homestead.com Loose Union www.looseunion.com Magna Fall www.magnafall.com Jake Pains www.facebook.com/beingjake Pinnacle TheHustler www.planethustle.com Aoife Casey www.aoifecasey.com Jankura Artspace jankuraseoul.com

03.2014

The rise of Eat Your Kimchi

Expat superstars

Married couple Simon and Martina Stawski use their jovial humor to compile entertaining videos for their Eat Your Kimchi blog. They dish out the latest info on K-pop – good or bad – to an English-speaking audience hungry for all things K-pop and Korean culture-related in 180 countries. It’s an official YouTube Partner with over a quarter-million subscribers, proving the duo’s influence in the Korean Wave scene, and this brings groupies and screaming fans. “The whole idea of celebrity is something very odd to us,” Simon said. “We’ve had people come up to us almost crying and asking for a hug. And for us it’s bizarre.”

Local morning TV mainstay Bronwyn Mullen, LG spokesman Jesse Day, rapper and TV host Jake Pains and hip-hop performer and entrepreneur Pinnacle TheHustler are at the top of their game in their entertainment fields. But it’s not all celebrity shoulder rubbing and VIP guest lists. Perfecting the language and communicating with Korean cast and crew, performing for audiences and sacrificing sleep and relationships has gotten these expats a shot in the Korean limelight. The path has been paved for future expat entertainers – so long as the newbies can catch up, because these guys will never stop.

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

Opening a business is never easy, but opportunities abound

ight years ago, it was nearly im-

possible for a foreigner to open a business in Korea all on their own. It meant miles of red tape, arcane and impossible to understand forms and, above all, being shifted from one desk to another as the relevant authorities passed you on to someone else, hoping that the other office knew how to deal with you. “A decade ago anything you tried to do as a foreigner was simply met with, ‘No, you cannot do that, you are not Korean,’” said Justin McLeod of Business Network Korea, a professional meetup group in Seoul. Now, the tide of globalization has washed many of these restrictions away. Sean Watts was the first foreigner to open a business in Korea without external aid. Aside from having a marriage visa, he opened the Watts on Tap pub in Sinchon with no Korean business partner to sign the documents for him. “There were more problems than I can recall,” Watts, 43, said. “Complications on the front lines, doing paperwork — this made actual business establishment initially illegal. Each

10.2007

government authority required another authority’s signed approval prior to their approval. No authority was willing to take a chance and be first to sign and approve a foreigner.” The problems weren’t only governmental. “Korean suppliers were afraid to work with foreigner pub owners,” Watts said. “They were afraid of doing business with English speakers, and having bills go unpaid. Very few Koreans wanted to deal with non-Koreans back then. I learned to speak Korean and pay on delivery, while competitors got better payment terms.” The biggest problems were health, immigration and police “inspections,” which could happen up to seven times a month, he says. Many of these were not inspections at all, but officials looking for bribes. Watts didn’t give them any. Things have changed dramatically since. There are foreign-owned businesses throughout Seoul and the provinces, and all of them opened without the Spanish Inquisition that Watts endured. Anna Desmarais, 37, opened Body & Seoul Martial Arts and Fitness Center in 2010. She is the sole proprietor, and her problems are

11.2011

07.2012

Real men triumph

Persevere, defend and make friends

Easy landing

Armed with a fluttering of Korean and a sense of adventure, Canadians Corry Day, Craig Roessel, Jaime Cottin and Tyler Deuling opened the Rocky Mountain Tavern 10 years ago. Despite the initial difficulties of setting up business in a country where even calling a plumber presented a language problem for expats, this bar has now become a fixture in Itaewon, and is a familiar home away from home to many in Seoul.

Looking for a gym that offered muay thai or MMA in the Itaewon area and finding none, Anna Desmarais did the next best thing and opened her own. With classes for a wide range of martial arts disciplines, Body & Seoul Martial Arts and Fitness Center now offers an environment for people to indulge in their love for martial arts with a sense of camaraderie that is often lacking in traditional gyms.

Having once been fresh off the boat themselves, Scot Sustad and Reuben Zuidhof saw a market for resettlement products and services in English and set up The Arrival Store, a onestop shop to help foreigners set up a home in Korea. Yes, it’s a business, but for Sustad and Zuihof there is something noble about providing a service that is needed, and often necessary, while eking out a living at the same time.

40 www.groovekorea.com / October 2014

Story by Dave Hazzan / Illustration by Adela Ordonez / Sidebar by Merissa Quek

‘The vast majority of difficulties I’ve encountered while running this business have been exacerbated by the language barrier. I speak Korean pretty well, but when it comes to legal and accounting terms and professional language, I have a lot to learn!’ Anna Desmarais, Body & Seoul Martial Arts and Fitness Center

more familiar to business owners in the West: what to buy, what services to offer, how to advertise and so on. She says she has had no problems with either red tape or obtaining permits. “The vast majority of difficulties I’ve encountered while running this business have been exacerbated by the language barrier,” Desmarais said. “I speak Korean pretty well, but when it comes to legal and accounting terms and professional language, I have a lot to learn!” But not all ailments have been cured. Working with a Korean business partner can still make life easier for the foreign entrepreneur. Todd Sample, 41, owner of Well Dressed, a men’s and women’s tailor shop in Gangnam, did just that. All the paperwork is in his partner’s name. “For this particular industry, the local knowledge of the tailors, which fabric suppliers are the best, which tailors are the best, there’s a lot of informa-

tion it would be nearly impossible for a foreigner to figure out,” Sample said. One setback is that while those who are ethnically Korean or married to one can establish residency here, non-Korean investors now need 100 million won to get an investment visa, double what it used to be, according to Steve McKinney, head of the Seoul Global Center, a space that provides free office space, mentoring and resources for foreigner-owned businesses. “But it is still better than what is required in most of Asia,” said McKinney. McLeod said local and national governments have stepped in to help. “Now, support and acceptance are coming at a more micro level and being directed by the Korean government, especially led by the Seoul Metropolitan Government,” McLeod says. “They have finally understood that true globalization comes from having (a) foreign business presence inside Korea.”

More info j Business Network Korea www.businessnetworkkorea.com Seoul Global Center www.global.seoul.go.kr

02.2013

07.2013

05.2014

Get down to business

Artist’s Journey: NYK Media

Making things happen

Twelve expat entrepreneurs talk about how they got their start and what it took to keep their business going. While most of these folks have called Korea home for more than a few years, it turns out that time in the country is not a prerequisite. People just got up off their behinds and created something people needed or wanted. Simply put, start, keep going and don’t give up.

John Weeke and Nick Neon, two astrologically well-matched and talented NYC film graduates, met in Seoul and decided to start NYC Media Group, a Seoul-based video agency. With clients ranging from JW Marriott to the International Vaccine Institute, the NYC Media Group is helping to translate language and culture between Korea and the West through their videos. Their ultimate aim is to become a fullservice advertising agency.

Between the large pay gaps and low hiring rates, improving women’s career options in Korea is no easy mission. The Seoul International Women’s Association has been working at this for the past 50 years, aiming to turn the tables by creating practical tools to help working women succeed. Their Working Women’s Network provides a unique opportunity for women to network, and has been met with resounding interest from both Korean and foreign women.

COVER story Edited by Jenny Na (jenny@groovekorea.com)

As the English divide widens, the job market tightens

o teachers in Korea,

last month’s report by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development that Korea has spent the most on private education among the member countries for 14 straight years would have come as no surprise. Its spending on overall education, the third highest in the OECD, was already noticeable at 7.6 percent of GDP in 2011, compared to the 6.1 percent average. But its private contribution, or the amount spent by individual families, sits at 2.8 percent, nearly triple the 0.9 percent average, the OECD said. Parents’ high demand fuels a 15 trillion won private industry, particularly on English, which they see as their children’s key to success. Meanwhile, public school English programs are being pared down. The consequence, education experts say, is that only the rich may be getting a better education, leading to

11.2007

better opportunities down the road and better career prospects. The education divide is widening, and with it, the native English teacher’s job prospects are getting slimmer. “Ninety-five percent of the teaching jobs in Korea aren’t really good,” said a teacher in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province. “I’m on my sixth year teaching in Korea and it all seems like a farce.” Eight years ago, plans for native English teacher–assisted education were ambitious. Government efforts to increase English communication in the classroom by hiring native English teachers hit a peak in the mid-2000s, when Korea dreamed of globalization and export-driven riches. At the time of Groove Korea’s founding, the public English program’s growth was explosive, and the national native English teacher head count grew by 200 to 500 percent per year from 2005 to 2009. But since then, those plans have been subject to budgetary tugs-of-war with other local

‘I see the quality of English education stagnating or going down, especially for kids in lower socioeconomic backgrounds. … The elites will do OK. It’s the poor I worry about.’ Chuck Hohenstien

10.2009

11.2010

Is the SKY the limit?

The tables have turned

In Korea, the CSAT (College Scholastic Ability Test) is king. It brings mothers to crowded temples to pray for their children’s success, forces businesses to change work schedules, and even quiets the Korean stock market. In 2005, over 100 students from Gwangju paid nearly 1 million won each to have test answers sent to their phones. Those who do well go on to top universities and maximize their career opportunities, while those who don’t often go home ashamed to start preparing for next year’s test. Or worse, they may take their own lives.

The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education cut 100 teachers before their contracts had started, challenging the belief that government teaching jobs are more reliable than private academies. Having already obtained visas, their preemptive termination prompted angry online responses from veteran instructors. SMOE’s overall indifference reminded teachers that while they are necessary in Korea, they are not always welcome. Schools complained about the maturity of the fresh teaching grads they’d hired, but as the number of positions increased along with the number of applicants, both sides had to adjust to make the relationship work.

In drive to expand rural EFL, dearth of support for teachers

42 www.groovekorea.com / October 2014

To keep up with the growth of EFL education in urban centers, the Korean government scrambled to fill rural schools with native English teachers. However, less than desirable living conditions led to some teachers walking out on their contracts. The number of teachers who left a contract early doubled from 2008 to 2009, worrying officials that their program lacked the pull to keep teachers long term — or even for their contracted year. Teachers pointed to social isolation and a lack of support from coworkers as the cause for them flying the coop, while media reports painted a picture of the teachers as unreliable.

Story by Elaine Ramirez, editorial director / Photo by Romin Lee Johnson / Illustration by James Kim / Sidebar by Josh Doyle

initiatives, such as the free lunch program and social welfare, policy observers say. Part of the issue is a “power game” every time the leadership changes hands in efforts to make their mark, noted Paul Jambor, an assistant professor at Korea University. “However, since none of them have any genuine training in English language teaching, the pendulum often swings violently back and forth out of control, without any real scientific or academic aim,” he added. One longtime teacher based in North Gyeongsang Province agrees. “In the 10 years I have been teaching, I have seen EFL education become very communicative and the quality was at its highest, but in only the last three years, educational institutions went backwards and decided that learning English for communication was not important, and all EFL education focused on exams and test scores.” Korean and native English teachers alike have complained about the same problems year after year: overcrowded classrooms, not enough class time, half-baked curricula and textbooks and too much focus on test results over conversation skills. Native English teachers themselves, often untrained and given little direction by their schools, have also been criticized over their usefulness amid a constant debate about whether to pursue practical English or

11.2011

Educational odyssey of the Korean student It’s common for Korean students to spend 10–12 hours a day in classrooms, with many attending private learning academies after regular school. The equation of studying hard to be successful is deeply engrained, but comes with consequences: The number of student suicides is at a new high. The situation is clouded further when even top university graduates face competition from students returning from abroad with advanced English skills. Employees work late and children are often neglected, and the odyssey continues its cycle as another generation spends its days poring over textbooks.

high test scores. Just as the NET program reached its goal of one NET per school nationwide, education offices began to reevalu-

ate the pricey programs. With NETs costing about twice as much as a Korean teacher, many offices began to downsize the program

03.2013

from 2011, hailing the Korean counterparts as now qualified enough to take over the classroom. So, with the door ever narrowing for public school jobs, positions for native English teachers — who make up more than 70 percent of Groove Korea’s readers — are squeezed into an already-saturated private industry. Nonetheless, Korean parents still cling to the belief that their child will learn “correct” English from a Western teacher — a demand that drives parents to spend over 300,000 won a month per child for private training in big cities. In comparison, the government has launched alternative after-school programs for those who can’t afford a hagwon, spending a comparatively paltry 13,000 won per student per month on them last year. In the end, teachers say it’s the economically lesser-off kids who will bear the brunt of the educational policy wars. “Until I see a major change in the curriculum … and in attitudes towards native speaker instructors ... I see the quality of English education stagnating or going down, especially for kids in lower socioeconomic backgrounds who can’t afford the ever-increasing price (of) hagwon or overseas immersion experiences,” said Chuck Hohenstien, who has taught on and off in Korea since 1996. “The elites will do OK. It’s the poor I worry about.”

09.2013

Is Korea’s EFL education failing?

Korea’s dying students

Korean students dream of attending a top university and working for a large corporation, success in both of which usually requires above-average English skills. The EFL education industry that has grown up around this necessity is the largest in the world, and yet Korea ranks middle of the pack globally in English ability. As EPIK decreases the number of native teachers in public schools, critics lament the program for hiring unqualified and poorly trained instructors. But the singular focus of Korean students on test scores and career advancement could be contributing to their mediocrity.

Korea has the highest scores for high school reading and mathematics in the OECD. It also has the highest suicide rate, with a large percentage being students. Most students who have considered suicide say it was due to an overly competitive school environment, but in recent years bullying has become a significant factor, driving an increase in youth help programs and antiviolence education. The government is painfully aware of this problem and its effect on their global image, and is changing the way the country deals with mentally ill and depressed individuals in hopes of curbing the trend.

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

The more it changes, the more it remains the same 08.2007

02.2011

n the history of Groove Korea, October 2006 may have been an auspicious month, but the same cannot be said for North Korea. Or can it? From the perspective of the Kim family dynasty, the country’s debut nuclear test on Oct. 9 that year was a triumph. Admittedly, the explosion itself was smaller than those of past nuclear wannabes. The yields of India’s first test in 1974, “Smiling Buddha,” and the first of a test series by Pakistan in 1998, “Chagai-1,” were considerably greater. It is said that the North Korean test might even have been a “fizzle,” where the device fails to operate as intended, or a conventional explosion dressed up as a nuclear bomb. Regardless, with a low premium placed on truth in the North Korean state media, the test was transformed into a complete success. The Korean Central News Agency, the North’s official news source, used a one-minute bulletin posted about an hour afterward to declare, “There is no danger of any radioactive release … (from) our test, which will contribute to peace and security on the Korean peninsula and surrounding countries.” Predictably, U.S. President George W. Bush disagreed with the positive North Korean spin on events, choosing instead to call the blast a “provocative act,” which just goes to show that the sort of external criticism lobbed at North Korea hasn’t changed much over the years. That being said, by managing to make any sort of formal comment, Bush was doing better than advocates of the Sunshine Policy, South Korea’s then-strategy of engaging 12.2011

Beyond the border

The Road to reunification

Teen defector determined to succeed

After 4 kilometers of lush, untouched DMZ, the gates of North Korea open to expressionless soldiers, but their roaming eyes seem to tell the rest. The traveling rules are simple: Stay on the tour, and do not take pictures without permission. Traveling to North Korea is anything but lonely, as travelers can only enter during planned hours. Itineraries are predetermined to ensure minimal contact. It is important not to stare and not to say the name of the Great Leader in front of a North Korean.

Reunification was a dream most South Koreans shared, but the issue is becoming more pragmatic for the younger generation. They’re less concerned with seeing family members and visiting former hometowns. They’re more concerned with whether reunification could collapse South Korea’s already stressed economy, and whether South Koreans could peacefully absorb North Korean culture. Older South Koreans still see reunification as the only way to long-term peace, but younger ones are starting to disagree.

Jo In-hee liked watching dramas and hoped to someday be a nurse. She was also a North Korean defector living in the South, and for two years she didn’t have any friends. She was also years behind in school. With inadequate support, for most North Korean defectors that gap only widens. With the help of teachers and mentors, Jo was able to adjust to her new life, but many North Korean defectors don’t get the support they need.

44 www.groovekorea.com / October 2014

Story by Christopher Green, North Korea columnist / Photos by Matthew Lamers and Nash Ang / Sidebar by Bryoney Hayes and Elaine Ramirez

with the Kim regime. The Korean government was shell-shocked: As promoters of jaw-jaw, they faced the very real possibility that generous South Korean aid flows had been de facto subsidizing Pyongyang’s nuclear warwar. The test thus slammed the door on Sunshine, and for the last eight years that door has largely remained shut. Meanwhile, ordinary North Koreans were dealing with problems of a different order. “The railroad between Kilju and Baekam counties has stopped taking trains, and repairs have started on the tunnels along the line,” said a source from North Hamgyong Province, the site of the nuclear test site. The source, one of the earliest to join Daily NK’s inside network, explained that the region’s aging railroad tunnels, understandably not designed to withstand nuclear detonations of any size, had been fractured by the explosion. The decision-making process that led to the placement of a nuclear test site near the Pyong-Ra line from Pyongyang up to Rajin and the Youth Baekdu Line from Kilju to Hyesan will have to wait for the opening of the Pyongyang archives. Who knows, perhaps the truth will come to light in another eight years. Or perhaps not: The practice of confidently asserting that North Korea is on the brink of collapse predates Groove Korea by more than a decade. Overall, North Korean market participants were ambivalent about the test, although a source in Chongjin admitted that it was the icing on the cake for incoming trader numbers, which had already gone into decline as a result of government policy forbidding the

03.2012

For North Koreans, balloons of hope Balloons often accompany occasions of fun and joy, but North Korea Peace has also turned them into symbols of hope. Lee Juseong, a North Korean defector and founder of the organization, organizes monthly balloon launches where volunteers head to the DMZ to send balloons filled with socks, worth about 10,000 won in the North, or 10 kilos of corn, sailing across the border. Lee sees reunification as a given, and he believes in sending the Northerners hope until then.

sale of some Chinese goods in North Korean markets. Pushed for an opinion, the weary source’s comment was all too familiar: “I do not care whether the North Korean government did the test or not. I am busy supporting my family and do not have time to think about it.” The more things change, the more they stay the same.

07.2012

Kill the dissenters, make no reforms, control the markets; Into China North Korea’s continued existence as a totalitarian dictatorship with an economy continually on the brink of collapse is remarkable, but something’s gotta give. Though North Korean nukes have blackmailed international communities into feeding the country, North Korean citizens are beginning to see behind propaganda smokescreens, and they more openly defy the regime. The Kim family has survived so far, but the jury’s out on how much more time the world’s last remaining communist monarchy has left.

‘I do not care whether the North Korean government did the test or not. I am busy supporting my family and do not have time to think about it.’ North Korean source

04.2014

Skiing to success in North Korea North Korea’s absence at the Sochi Olympics was in stark contrast to its London campaign, when it left with no fewer than six medals. Its athletes struggle to make an impact in events that have limited practicality beyond stadium walls. In other ways, they are ahead of the game. As many parts of eastern and northern North Korea are mountainous, with not enough land to grow food sustainably, the country produces many a competent skiier. This aptitude hasn’t translated into Olympic medals, but that is because skiing in North Korea has more practical applications.

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

Why is Korea’s English media so awful?

erhaps there is a better

way to frame the question: Is Korea’s mainstream English media as terrible as some people make it out to be? Of course, the answer depends heavily on perspective. The problem today is exactly the same as it was at the time of Groove Korea’s founding in 2006: Expectations. Non-Koreans expect The Korea Herald, Korea Times and the Korea JoongAng Daily to produce high-quality, investigative, unbiased reports for the country’s domestic audience of foreign nationals. But such expectations are not firmly based in reality.

05.2009

These media companies, which produce Korea’s three English-language traditional newspapers, make news for largely Korean consumption, with almost no effort expended to reach the non-Koreans living here, not to mention anyone outside Korea. They also have very limited resources and ad revenue from only two places — the governments and the chaebol. That the newspapers are made in English forces their editors to limit the scope of what can and what cannot be discussed on their pages. Though they are made primarily for Koreans, those making them are sensitive

08.2009

to the fact that, for many non-Koreans, their pages are an important source of information on Korean culture, business and news. For that reason, some topics that could paint Korea in a negative light are avoided, such as crime. In their place, Korean editors put glorified pieces about the Korean Wave and other trivial content, such as ribbon-cutting ceremonies, new free economic zones, issues over the Dokdo islets, the benevolence of His Majesty Yoon Boo-keun, the CEO of Samsung (if you read the JoongAng Daily), or His Graciousness Oh Joon-Kwon, the CEO of POSCO (if you read The Korea Herald), aliens from outer space (Korea Times and Herald – seriously, what’s with their obsession with aliens?) or random and absurd crimes committed in foreign countries. In this environment, most (English-speaking) expats cannot be expected to get a real grasp on what’s news, and what isn’t, in Korea. After all, how can you pick up on the newsworthiness of a subject when you consume a sliver of a country’s media and do not even speak the language? The news in Korea, like everywhere in the world, is driven by national narratives and trends. What media

Korean media, save for Groove and a few others, aren’t targeting nonKoreans in Korea because it’s not a large enough group to be marketed to on a massive scale — and likely never will be. 12.2011

Andrew Salmon on journalism in Korea

What’s going on?

English radio to change your life

Andrew Salmon made a career out of making Korea accessible to the rest of the world through his coverage for Forbes, The Times and many other publications. His Korean journalism career began in 1997, he was paid 100,000 won for his first restaurant review and 12 years of experience later his pay remained unchanged. After listening to many publications say “times are tight” he figured the field might be better served by blogs than books.

For years, the Korean media has been reporting sensationally negative stories about foreigners behaving badly on Korean soil — English teachers in particular. A lot of the reporting for these articles came from an online organization known as the Anti-English Spectrum Café, a group with a history of tracking the activities of foreign nationals and pushing for stricter visa regulations. In 2009, blogs such as Korea Beat and the Marmot’s Hole translated stories into English so the expat community could understand the claims and judge for themselves.

On Dec. 1, 2011, TBS eFM celebrated its third anniversary since the birth of English radio in Korea, with Canadian Steve Hatherly having been one of the first to jump on board in 2008. The radio presenter talked about bringing a little taste of home to the peninsula and how the radio station has helped to make expats feel more comfortable. “Before the station was around, there wasn’t any real opportunity for expats to hear Western-style radio programming in Seoul.”

46 www.groovekorea.com / October 2014

Story by Matthew Lamers, Insight editor / Photos by Dylan Goldby, Matthew Lamers and Todd Sharp / Sidebar by Emilee Jennings

can publish, and what people want to read, is actually quite narrow, considering their goal of selling “mass” media to a large population. Selling massive amounts of information to people does not involve deviating from the most commonly held notions by the target audience on the subject. So even though you might want more exposés on hookers and love motels, you won’t get them in the dailies because, at least at the time of writing, hookers and love motels aren’t part of any national narrative or trend. (Except at Groove Korea, which is all about hookers and love motels. We always have your interests at heart.) Korean media, save for Groove and a few others, aren’t targeting non-Koreans in Korea because it’s not a large enough group to be marketed to on a massive scale — and likely never will be. So what has changed in the last decade in Korea’s English media landscape? Groove exists, as does 10 and SEOUL magazines.

02.2012

The Three Wise Monkeys: The most dangerous expats in Korea Though English news is a big business in Korea, its revenue is sourced from Korean readership, meaning that stories are tailored for Korean consumers. The consequence of this setup is that for a long time there were few or no options for the growing foreign population to learn about local news — that is, until The Three Wise Monkeys website came along. The independent media outlet began publishing stories online in 2010 and gathered a large following with their breaking news stories that the English Korean publications had missed or ignored.

07.2012

For now. Those publications will only be around for as long as their editors want them to be, as Korean publishers have not pursued sustainable business models for newspapers or news magazines that make content just for Korea’s 100,000-plus English-speaking non-Koreans. The best English content on Korea is probably delivered via non-profit-seekers: blogs like the Marmot’s Hole, Gusts of Popular Feeling, The Grand Narrative and many others. What they write about is largely what you won’t find on A1 in the dailies — sometimes you won’t find it anywhere. There are also some excellent independent media outlets in Korea, such as The Three Wise Monkeys and Asia Pundits. What non-Koreans want is news about Korea — without the aforementioned bullshit, propaganda and advertorial distractions. Will someone ever deliver that in print in mass-scale? Don’t hold your breath.

09.2013

The menace of ‘foreign peril’ media

Suicide: Media must be responsible

In May 2012, a major Korean network ran a TV report titled “The shocking reality of relationships with foreigners.” The program accused foreign men of being creeps, and Korean women of being too easily seduced by foreign cads. A blogger posted the video along with English subtitles to his site Scroozle.com, and within one month he had garnered 8,000 angry supporters. Expats spoke out about what they felt was an inaccurate portrayal, seeking to contrast what they felt were biased claims on Korean TV.

Media has a big role to play in a society’s stance on issues such as suicide, which is an especially sensitive topic in Korea. Research has shown that the more details that are reported on specific suicides, the greater the chance that copycat acts will occur. Thirty years ago, Korea had a low suicide rate, and its growth in the decades since can be attributed to the country’s high expectations from its citizens resulting in fierce competition for jobs, honors and status. But as Daniel Tudor writes, “The Korean media is hardly innocent. … With the highest rate of suicide in the world, Korea should take extreme measures on how it is reported in the media.”

COVER story Edited by Jenny Na (jenny@groovekorea.com)

Korea is diversifying, whether it’s ready or not B ack when Groove Korea

was getting off the ground in 2006, Korea was busy launching its space program. A few years later it had its first female astronaut, Yi So-yeon, who was also the first Korean in space. But this summer she resigned, saying she wanted to spend more time with her family and pursue an MBA.

11.2007

Happy and gay Seoul’s LGBTQ population emerges from the underground, assisted by the Internet and the community around the “Gay Hill” neighborhood in Itaewon. Chat rooms and dating sites facilitate connections by day, while the network of bars on what is now known as Homo Hill keep the energy going after hours. Although these things transformed day-to-day life for the city’s sexual minorities, many lived double lives. The scene on Gay Hill, which didn’t exist 10 years prior, is complemented by its racial diversity, helping break down barriers. As one person says, “Anybody comes and anybody goes, everyone is always welcome.”

48 www.groovekorea.com / October 2014

Her move was surrounded by speculation that it had more to do with being stifled by the Korean workplace culture in which men occupy more seats in the boardroom and women are encouraged to leave their jobs after marriage. Whether or not this was the case, her resignation caps a period of slow progress for women’s empowerment.

09.2010

Despite Korea’s rapid economic growth, its social growth lags behind. Women, migrant workers, foreign brides, LGBTQ community members and other minorities struggle for acceptance, proper treatment and equality. Although progress in Korea comes quickly from the top when there is a political or economic goal, social minorities don’t have the critical mass needed to turn the tide. For women in the workplace, the glass ceiling is apparent in the numbers, with Korea consistently placing poorly in gender empowerment rankings and having the largest gender wage gap in the OECD. Working mothers often sacrifice their careers for caretaking, and the government is slow to expand support such as quality day care services, says Daniel Corks, a volunteer at the Korea Human Rights Foundation and primary editor and administrator of humanrightskorea.org. There are now 1.57 million foreign nationals in Korea, mostly from China and Southeast Asia. Many of them are foreign women who have come here to marry rural Korean men. Reports of domestic violence and a high divorce rate for this group have tarnished the image of Korea’s multicultural experiment, as

04.2012

Living in the shadows

Out with God

Korea’s undocumented migrant workers live and work in a system where accidents and abuse are part of daily life. Although the government has taken steps to ease life for this population, by allowing their children to attend school, it ignores the place they occupy in society by fulfilling an economic need for low-cost labor. Meanwhile, human rights groups like Amnesty International repeatedly urge Korea to stop crackdowns targeting undocumented workers and end human rights violations in current detention procedures, but their calls succeed only in making a dent in correcting the problems.

Pastor Daniel Payne and his Open Doors Community Church create a safe space for the LGBTQ community to explore Christianity without prejudice. But finding a place to worship was a challenge: One church asked ODCC to leave after realizing that heterosexual conversion wasn’t part of the plan. “The LGBTQ community has been burned many times by the Christian Church,” Payne says. Still, he is optimistic about what the church can do to build understanding. “Christian faith is far less about answers than it is about questions, and we at ODCC are on a journey together and the destination is love and justice.”

Story by Tom Godfrey / Illustration by Michael Roy / Sidebar by Jenny Na

‘The migrant laborer populations in Korea have increased dramatically over the past five years, but when people talk about foreigners the first thing that comes to mind is Westerners. This shows that these populations are socially and politically invisible to most.’

poor treatment in public. “The older generation is about the same,” says hip-hop artist Jason Waller, better known as Pinnacle TheHustler. “But the younger generation is a lot cooler and more accepting. It gives me a lot of hope for Korea’s future.” Prejudice and discrimination are also a part of daily life for members of Korea’s LGBTQ community, who struggle for acceptance in Daniel Corks, Korea Human Rights Foundation society. The community itself is squeezed into pockets in the capital and remains largely invisible elsewhere. Bullying and suicide are prevalent among the youth population, and those who choose to come out are often kicked out of their homes. Yet members of the community are taking steps to reverse these trends. Hong Seokcheon, now one of Korea’s most prominent gay celebrities, came out on national television in 2000, the same year the Korea Queer Culture Festival kicked off. He was followed by the appearance of Harisu, Korea’s first transgender celebrity. Pride festivities defy discrimination and draw a larger crowd each year. As Daniel Payne, pastor emeritus of Open Doors Community Church, the first church in Korea to accept members of the LGBTQ community, told Groove, “As Korean society slowhave the problems faced by a new generation ment) has been extremely slow to act.” of mixed-race children. Members of both the mixed race and South- ly — emphasis on slowly — opens up, many The visit from NFL MVP player Hines Ward in east Asian communities are trying to raise their young, gay Koreans are feeling more and more 2006 with his Korean mother threw a spotlight visibility, but obstacles still exist. The Migrants empowered to be out in other places and areas on the questions of multiculturalism, racism Trade Union was formed in 2005, but the of life.” The process of opening up can be painful at and who the country recognizes as Korean. government does not recognize the union as “Children of mixed marriages are more likely to a legal entity and has made several attempts times, but for Korean society, it is a crucial step toward establishing itself as a true success stonot be attending school,” says Corks, “which at union suppression by deporting its leaders. denies those children the opportunities that a Black residents also face a wide range of ry of economic development: equal access for regular Korean child would have. (The govern- prejudice, from job placement to instances of all.

07.2012

The truth about relationships with foreigners A report broadcast by MBC titled “The shocking reality about relationships with foreigners” exploited a long-held view of Western men as predators on Korean women, portraying them as hapless victims. Expressions of protest abounded, including a Facebook group 5,000+ strong. Groove asked readers to respond in words and pictures offering a positive portrait of international relationships. The damage had been done, with one reader saying that it “make(s) us feel that no matter how much we love Korea, it may not be open enough to be our home.”

02.2014

05.2014

Korea’s black racism epidemic

The women’s issue

Day-to-day life in Korea for black people often mimics life in the U.S., and it’s no wonder since the U.S. is the source of many of the racist stereotypes and practices that predominate in Korea. Anti-black sentiment has been fed by media portrayals that include K-pop bands appearing in blackface and ads featuring black people eating chicken or drawn as monkeys. The best way to end the discrimination here, says blogger Michael Hurt, is to push Korea’s racism into the global spotlight. If Korea were identified as the most racist country in Asia, he says, “Shit would change like that.”

Groove celebrates the women of Korea and examines the challenges they face: their struggles to defy prejudice, stereotypes and tradition; a glass ceiling that hasn’t moved in years; a lack of child care support; beauty standards that entice women to spend billions of won in a lucrative cosmetic surgery industry; the lack of choices in family planning; and the culture of blame surrounding abuse. We also highlight women’s successes in advocacy and activism, with profiles of women who are taking control of their own destiny and setting an example for future generations in the process.

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

f the live music scene in Itaewon were on par with its dining options,ㄹthis little neighborhood would be a much richer place. With the notable exception of the semiannual HBC Fest, Hongdae has always hosted the lion’s share of concerts — that is, until now. There’s a new kid on the block and a cause for optimism in the gu: Thunderhorse.

The ‘Horse originally opened in December 2012 down the street from Taco Bell, in a second-floor location. It moved to its current location in Gyeongnidan — next to Thunder Burger, coincidentally — last November. And while there are certainly other watering holes featuring bands, Thunderhorse is the only venue whose primary focus is on the music; everything else is secondary. No longer must audiophiles sit through shitty-sounding sets played on busted monitors and neglected drum kits. The owner, Kirk

50 www.groovekorea.com / October 2014

Kwon, is a professional sound engineer and has made it the bar’s mission to have nothing but high-quality, well-mixed concerts on topof-the-line equipment. “I just want to have a place where musicians and music lovers can be relaxed, feel at home and enjoy themselves,” he says.

A horse of a different color

Thunderhorse is the name of a song by fictional metal band Dethklok that’s featured on the Cartoon Network’s program “Metalocalypse.” Although he’s a metalhead and a fan of the show, Kirk laughs when asked about the name. The surprising truth is that it was a coincidence. As he tells it, he and his brother were discussing names, as well as their Harleys, which are called “iron horses” and “rolling thunder,” so they just put the names together. “We both watch the show, but it never dawned

Bands can record a live-track demo of their shows here, which is usually a far more costly and involved undertaking. There are perks for the general public as well: no cover charge. on us until afterward,” he recalls. “I think maybe Dethklok planted a silent seed and our discussion brought it out into the open.” Having been involved in the rock/metal scene throughout Korea and in his native Canada, Kirk has some rock ‘n’ roll bona fides; he worked as a sound tech and stage manager for headliners like Motorhead, Creedence Clearwater Revival and Slayer. For him,

A metal bar for the masses Grab your next beer at Thunder horse Story by Ian Henderson / Photos by Ken Robinson

life in Korea started with a girl, a city and a bit of luck: He moved here for a romantic interest and ended up playing in the band Captain Bootbois, as well as the melodic death metal group Fatal Fear. The contacts he made through these endeavors resulted in him relocating to Busan, where he worked with Jinsu Bae to build the legendary Club Realize. During this time he started mixing albums, too — with such bands as Method, Crack Shot and My Last Enemy — and eventually became a full-time audio engineer for Method and for Hellride, a small metal festival that comes to Seoul a few times a year. He’s not the only face at the bar that’ll be familiar to any long-term expats involved in the music scene, either: The venerable Dwayne Robertson, former proprietor of the now-defunct Rock Stompers (which many a foreigner will attest was the ultimate rock ‘n’

roll dive in Itaewon for years), slings drinks and shoots the shit at the bar.

Unbridled commitment to sound

Having a professional sound engineer should be enough to tempt any group looking to play, but Thunderhorse isn’t a one-trick pony. Bands can also record a live-track demo of their shows here, which is usually a far more costly and involved undertaking. There are perks for the general public as well: no cover charge. This helps gather a crowd without any commitment of paying to see a show they might not dig or feel like staying through, and it gives the bands exposure to a larger audience. Drinks here can be marginally more expensive than the going market rate, as in 4,000 won for a draft beer instead of 3,500 won, but keep in mind this negligible amount goes

toward maintaining and replacing the professional-grade equipment. And considering you get that level of quality without paying a cover charge, the minor expense is well worth it. Besides, notes Kirk with a subtle wink, the bartender is known to pour mixed drinks a little on the heavy side. Hails!

More info j Thunderhorse Tavern Website: www.fb.com/ThunderhorseTavern

Getting there c Noksapyeong Station, line 6, exit 2. Walk straight down the street for three minutes to the green pedestrian underpass. Take the stairs down, cross through and exit on your right. Thunderhorse is two blocks down on your left, next to Thunder Burger.

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

Chewing the fat with Gemma Jane The foodie behind A Fat Girlâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Food Guide to Eating in Korea Story by Mariyah Gonzales / Photos courtesy of Gemma Wardle

he Somerset native and British accent behind runaway food blog A Fat Girl’s Guide, Gemma Jane first arrived in South Korea nearly six years ago as a language instructor. Relatable and approachable, she’s the sort of friend you text first on a Friday night: This girl gets excited about her food. “Do you have an oven?” I ask, somewhat dimwittedly. “Yes, of course!” she responds. “I started out with a tiny toaster oven in my first year so I could make a roast dinner — start with the potatoes in first, then take them out, cook the meat and take it out. Then start on the Yorkshire pudding. I’d have dinner five hours later! I have a huge oven now. It’s improved my cooking life so much.” The guide came from a place of both ambition and necessity. Frustrated with the transient nature of Seoul’s morphing foodscape, Jane decided to start building her own. “I was a little irritated with people repeatedly asking me for restaurant recommendations. I felt like I was saying the same thing over and over again, but there was no other place for a foreigner to start.” It was only when she started sharing her insights on Facebook that the project really began to take off.

‘Many foreigners in their first year struggle with options, but the only foods available to those living outside the city are fast food chains. Not many people have access to familiar ingredients either — or kitchens that look like the ones back home — but, still, you can do a lot with what you’ve got.’

Groove Korea: You have quite a list of restaurants filed away on the blog. How do you pay for all your great dinners out? Gemma Jane: About 75 percent of my income goes to food (laughs), but I’m a creative shopper and always on the lookout for bargains. I get almost everything from my local shop around the corner, and I buy at the end of the day when things go on sale — strawberries and bananas for a dollar, blueberries for two. And then there’s Costco. Of course, I would love to make a living of eating, but for now I’m happy to buy and pay for things myself. It’s mostly just dinners out, but hey, it’s what I like to do: go out to eat and drink, lay down and watch TV, then eat some more. I don’t have any other cultural interests (laughs). How would you like to expand the project? I would love to do pop-up restaurants, a brunch one first. People love brunch! I like cooking, but I hate cooking under pressure, like you do in a restaurant. Still, I would do it, just to try. I did a drink pop-up at Casablanca in Haebangchon last Halloween with my mulled wine and cucumber gin-and-tonics. That was fun and simple — I would definitely do it again. How can you go out for all these meals, make such wonderful food and not weigh 800 pounds? For most of my life, I was extremely overweight. I was well over 200 pounds up until age 18, but then I joined a gym and started making better choices with food. I ate less junk and more vegetables. I cooked more. Nowadays, I start with a smoothie on my walk to work and snack on fruits, veggies and nuts for the rest of the day. But when I get home, I whip up whatever I’m craving for dinner and enjoy it. My one rule is to stop eating by 8 p.m. Otherwise anything goes. I may have inherited a great metabolism or some sort of deadly virus that’s keeping me thin. (Plus) I fit in about 10 minutes of exercise every day! But also, I walk everywhere and climb up every flight of stairs. I haven’t done the set at Noksapyeong yet — that’s next. Sweet! If you’re feeling healthier and brighter with your routine, you’re doing something right. Any foods you’ve turned away from? Rice has been a concern for me since my first year; I blame it for most of my weight gain during that time. Many foreigners in their first year struggle with options, but the only foods available to those living outside the city are fast-food chains. Not many people have access to familiar ingredients either — or kitchens that look like the ones back home — but, still, you can do a lot with what you’ve got. More info j A Fat Girl’s Food Guide, as Gemma styles it, is a kimchi-free zone — only non-Korean restaurants and ingredients need apply — and features recipes and restaurant reviews, tips for shopping and an extensive Google map featuring all her foodie conquests. Visit to see where her recommendations might take you. Website www.afatgirlsfoodguide.com

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

Seoul Veggie Kitchen

Are you really gonna eat at Pizza School for lunch until the end of time?

One easy lunch Spicy bulgur salad with carrots and pumpkin seeds Story and Photos by Shelley DeWees

About the writer: Shelley DeWees worked as a vegan chef for a Buddhist monastery before moving to Seoul. She is a columnist and the food editor for Groove Korea. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Ed.

54 www.groovekorea.com / October 2014

t’s October, and that means it’s time to get back to business. No more flouncing around Jeju for you (or me), and certainly no more late nights with gin, bourbon and the gang — there’s work to be done, deadlines to be met and bills to pay. There are also lunches to be made — a lot of them. And unless you’re one of the lucky few whose job includes a totally awesome lunch, one that you’re willing to eat every single, bloody day (really?), you’re probably opening your cupboards each morning with a sigh. How many times have you made that sandwich? The one that would be amazing were it not for the lack of any real dill pickles? Are you really gonna eat at Pizza School for lunch until the end of time? I should hope not. Instead, I’ve got someone you should meet: bulgur. You’ve probably seen it before, smothered in parsley and onion under the guise of “tabbouleh” (or “tabouli” or “tabbooli”) salad, but to consider bulgur as a single-dish phenomenon is to seriously discount its potential. Since bulgur comes to you precooked — it consists of wheat berries that have been boiled, cracked and redried — cooking time is almost nill and more a matter of steeping than actually boiling. Long story short, it’s a cinch, it’s delish and it’s totally lunchable. (And it’s also not a pickle-less sandwich.)

Spicy bulgur salad with carrots and pumpkin seeds Bulgur is available at most of the foreign marts in the Itaewon area, usually for less than 5,000 won. You can find it hanging out near the lentils and dried beans. Ingredients • 1 cup bulgur • 2 cups water • 2-3 medium carrots, shredded • 2 garlic stems, thinly sliced • 1 tbsp lemon juice • 1 tbsp clear vinegar (any kind, just not balsamic) • 1 tbsp olive oil • Dash of hot sauce • Handful of pumpkin seeds • Handful of raisins (optional) • Salt and pepper to taste

Bring the water to boil and dump in the bulgur. Cover and cook for two minutes before removing the pot from the heat and setting it somewhere to steep. (Note: You can put a weight on the lid to help keep moisture in; something like an upturned coffee cup.) While the bulgur is steaming in its own lovely juices, shred the carrots and slice the garlic stems. Dump all the vegetables into a big bowl, one suitable for some fairly heavy-handed stirring, and then add the lemon juice, vinegar, olive oil, hot sauce, pumpkin seeds and raisins if you want ‘em. By this time the bulgur should be almost ready — you want it chewy but not grainy — so go ahead and add it to the bowl. Stir everything well, then taste-and-season with salt and pepper. Serve it hold or cold, baby — it’s good both ways.

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The screaming need for two daily coffees had been reduced to a much quieter niggle â&#x20AC;&#x201D; far easier to ignore â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and my washboard-flat stomach made overeating such a thing of the past; who needs more french fries when your abs look like that?

Give juice aThankschance to Mercy Juice, cleanse is no longer a dirty word Story by Shelley DeWees Photos courtesy of Mercy Juice

t this time of year when the weather cools and we Costco strawberries in their refrigerator, no bananas and nothing stop running around like maniacs, it’s common to that would give me pause. As I walked out of their small but swank start thinking a little more inwardly and with an eye restaurant with 18 bottles of juice — everything I would eat for the toward assessment: What have we been doing badly next three days — I felt like I’d made the right choice before I’d even lately? Going to bed at 3 a.m. with a belly full of te- started sipping. quila? Slamming peanut butter and white bread while Day one commenced quietly. I went for my usual 5-mile run and walking to work? Dak galbi with coworkers followed by got dressed like normal, but instead of eating last night’s Cass-n-soju bombs with friends and one too many days leftovers or granola for breakfast I tossed back my without exercise? Times of indulgence are normal and first bottle of juice and headed out. Two hours later I necessary, but the effects can be a total drag, both in drank another bottle, then two hours after that another. the short and long term. Six bottles of juice went into my tummy that day, and It’s a good thing, then, that juice cleanses I wasn’t even sick of it by the time I went to are starting to catch on in Korea. The detox bed; they’re tasty and filling! I woke up on phenomenon used to be limited to Southern day two with a bit of a headache and lowered energy — both classic symptoms of the Californian movie stars and TV personalities body’s “healing crisis” as it’s known, to be with lots of extra cash, but thanks to a few expected at this point of a cleanse — and pioneering U.S.-based companies like BluePrint and Kaeng Raeng, juice cleansing has opted for 30 minutes of really chill yoga instead of a run. I drank my juice again, one become accessible to everyone. It was only a bottle every two hours, and started to feel matter of time before the detox breeze swept super duper awesome by the afternoon; holy around to Korea. hell, where did all this energy come from? I The idea behind a juice cleanse is simple: don’t even have the heartburn I usually get Every day we’re eating and drinking things on other juice cleanses! Rad! By the end of that are less than healthy — things that are day three I was feelin’ fine, and words like still floating around our bodies in various “vitality” and “pizzazz” flashed through my mind states of nastiness — but if you flood your as I went about my business (as opposed to system with raw, organic fruit and vegetable juices a whole lot more energy will be “heavy” and “lazy” and “idle” like last week). directed toward cleaning yourself out (the The screaming need for two daily coffees had same energy usually reserved for digestion). been reduced to a much quieter niggle — far Juice cleanses are also really good at breakeasier to ignore — and my washboard-flat ing dependencies on foods that undermine stomach made overeating such a thing of the good health — cravings are greatly reduced past; who needs more french fries when your after just three days without sugar, alcohol or abs look like that?! Days later, even after I’d coffee — and at boosting the body’s natural returned to regular food, the effects of the ability to heal itself. You’ll drop a few pounds, detox were still at play: Wine and sugar consumption stayed in check, and my clothes reset your goals and get some rest while slid around my body like a dream. you’re juice cleansing, which are all good Mercy Juice offers two different cleanses, things. This is why we detox. available in three- or five-day sets for around As a veteran juicer, I’ve always been able to 125,000 won and 200,000 won, respectively. recognize the need for another cleanse, and You can have them delivered, pick them up all at a few weeks ago I saw it — weeks and weeks once (bring a big bag and some muscles) or pick up daily of gin-suffused vacation had left me feeling soft, tired and six-packs one at a time if you live in the area. Mercy Juice also runs stupid. My shorts were tighter, my energy lower and my crankiness a full juice bar for whenever you crave whole, raw, 100 percent enquicker to fire than my kindness, so I immediately directed my steps vironmentally friendly juices, smoothies, shakes or grab-n-go vegan toward Mercy Juice in Garosu-gil. One of the rising stars of juice cleansing in Seoul, Mercy Juice’s cold-pressed concoctions attract- meals, and they’ll happily answer any of your questions — in English ed me with more expediency than the others because of their com- — on the phone, via Facebook or in person. They’re really ready to mitment to local products; there were absolutely no scarily oversized get you back on track for fall.

Getting there c Sinsa Station, line 3, exit 8. Walk straight down the street for about three minutes, then turn left on Dosan-daero 13-gil (otherwise known as Garosu-gil). Walk for five minutes, past a 7-Eleven on your right and an MCM store, and take the next right turn beyond Deux Cremes. Go left at the next intersection (you’ll see a Softree ice cream store on your right) before turning right one block down. You’ll see Mercy Juice around the corner on the right side. Look for a black sign.

More info j Find them on Facebook or call (02) 547-3595. For English, ask for Emily Yoon.

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Glam Lounge

Chef Park Hyun-soo takes tapas to the next level ority from the beginning. In high school, he worked part-time at a family-style restaurant that featured a Japanese course of sushi. Park fell in love with the cuisine. After several months, he was left alone to manage that section of the menu. “I wanted to learn more about it and take care of everything related to sushi,” recalls Park. Graduating with a degree in hotel and restaurant management, Park has spent the better part of a decade working exclusively in Japanese-style restaurants. Most recently, he spent several years training under An Hyo-ju at the Sushi Ho, a wellknown sushi shop in the Gangnam area. “I walked in and told Mr. An I wanted to learn to make everything from scratch,” says Park. “I worked sixteen to eighteen hours a day.” Glam Lounge has been a hotspot in

Itaewon for years. With its luxe interior, signature music and high-quality cocktails, Glam was ready to take its food offerings to the next level. Park says he was ecstatic about the job at Glam because he wanted to bring in a better quality tapas meal. “There are other Western-style tapas bars and lounges,” he says. “I thought the Japanese fusion would fit well here. I understand the bartenders and what the customers want at a luxury bar lounge. This way, everything moves together, like an orchestra.” The menu stays as dynamic as Park himself, changing with the seasons and what is available fresh at the Noryangjin Fish Market. Glam Lounge is a part of the District Community, three venues combined to facilitate a unique experience, and is open every night of the week.

Story by Nate Finch / Photos by Jessica Lia

hef Park Hyun-soo, a Seoul native, arrived at the Glam Lounge seven months ago. With a history of tapas and cocktails, Chef Park began overhauling the lounge’s menu from day one, mixing things up by offering fusion Japanese sushi and sashimi dishes. Things have not been the same since. “When we bring out the platters, our customers are surprised at the fresh sashimi and sushi we offer,” says Park. “The majority of bars and lounges don’t offer full service, so people are often surprised and wonder if we really made it in our kitchen.” He shrugs and adds jokingly, “It’s a little heartbreaking.” Surprising and delighting customers with his sashimi and sushi has been Park’s pri-

Groove Korea: What specialties or dishes are you especially proud of? Park Hyun-soo: I am especially proud of the assorted sushi plate. Sushi in general is not about cooking; it’s about the texture of the seafood. This can change every day, depending on what’s available. It depends on the quality of rice, the cooking of the rice and then the vinegar that goes into the rice: The combination is an art. The biggest challenge is getting everything together, the measurements and the luck of getting the right meat.

What feeling do you hope people will have after dining at Glam Lounge? We really hope people enjoy the food. When the plate comes back to the kitchen empty, we know that the customer really liked it. For example, the VIP plate is very complex to make. It involves many aspects of our kitchen staff’s skill set because it includes three different parts: fried traditional Korean food, sashimi and dessert. And, of course, it has to be very pretty. When that plate comes back empty, everyone in the kitchen is really happy.

What drew you to being a chef, and specifically Japanese fusion cuisine? Working in that family-style restaurant was very foundational for me. Being in charge of the Japanese sushi portion of the menu was really important to me and I began to really appreciate the cuisine. It was a great experience.

‘Several times a month, after my shift is over at the bar, I go to the Noryangjin Fish Market and will purchase the best fish I find to fill the platters with. It’s all part of the art of making this type of food. I love it!’

What drinks do you recommend to accompany your dishes? Chardonnay goes really well with the sashimi tapas; it supplements the cold sake in Japanese cuisine. We have begun recommending drinks for specific dishes since drink and food pairings are crucial to the overall experience of dining at Glam Lounge. Do you have a dish that is especially popular? Our customers really like our kimbap rolls that we have created — they’re pretty fancy. Many people like the tuna belly kimbap rolls. Everything is made from scratch.

— Chef Park Hyun-soo Is there anything else you would like our readers to know? Since our platters are technically bar food, a lot of people question if this is authentic, real sushi and sashimi. It definitely is! Several times a month, after my shift is over at the bar, I go to the Noryangjin Fish Market and will purchase the best fish I find to fill the platters with. It’s all part of the art of making this type of food. I love it!

Glam Lounge Sun.–Wed. 7 p.m.–3 a.m. Thurs. 7 p.m.–3:30 p.m. Fri.–Sat. 7 p.m.–5 a.m. Reservations 010-2657-6853 or 010-9764-6164 www.fb.com/districtitaewon www.districtitaewon.com Glam Lounge is located out of Itaewon Station, line 6, exit 1, behind Hamilton Shopping Center. Address Seoul, Yongsan-gu, Itaewon-dong, Hamilton Hotel Annex 116-1

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Story by Nate Finch / Photos courtesy of Platinum Beer

Platinum

Beer

No-fuss, wallet-friendly craft beer with imported premium ingredients

latinum Beer’s brewmaster got into brewing by accident. His original plan was to study medicine and become a doctor, but instead he began practicing chemistry of a different sort. Daegu-born Junhoon “John” Yoon is the brewmaster for Platinum Beer, a Korean craft beer company. While studying medicine in the United States, a friend’s father introduced him to home brewing and encouraged him to follow his passion. Yoon says he was repeatedly told, “The happiest person is the one whose job is their hobby,” and, heeding this advice, Yoon decided to switch professions. After falling in love with home brewing, he decided to enroll in the Brewers’ Program at UC Davis in California. “Drinking and studying beer together seemed perfect,” says Yoon. One of the few non-native English speakers in his class, Yoon struggled with some of the subject matter, especially German brewing terminology. However, while at UC Davis he was able to learn from some of the best craft brewing instructors, as well as sit alongside future brewmasters of noted breweries such as Lagunitas Brewing Company in California.

Returning to Korea, Yoon eventually joined up with Platinum Beer in 2010 as their brewmaster. A Korean craft beer company that got its start in 2002, Platinum Beer now offers five different beverages: a pale ale, a strong pale ale, a golden ale, a white ale and an oatmeal stout. All recipes are Yoon’s own, inspired by mentors and other beer judges he has worked with over the years. Yoon’s goal is to encourage all those living in Korea — native or otherwise — to appreciate and enjoy craft beers with more complex flavors than the typical Korean beer may offer. Part of Platinum Beer’s uniqueness comes from being modeled after the Californian style of brewing, as opposed to German or Belgian style. “The pale ale and the white ale are our best-selling products,” say Yoon. The pale ale uses seven different hop varieties, while the white ale is styled after the popular Blue Moon Belgian-style wheat ale, minus the clove notes — Yoon’s own preference.

‘Just enjoy the beer. Don’t get too serious about it.’ Yoon Jun-hoon, Platinum Beer “We want to share craft beer with Koreans and everyone else,” says Yoon. A pint of Platinum typically sells for 5,000 won or less in pubs, nearly half the price of other craft beers in Korea. This makes Platinum brews accessible to a wider audience, and has spurred Platinum’s quick growth in the past few years. The beer is now available in over 200 pubs and bars across the country. With this success in mind, Platinum is expanding their operation locally and globally. In the next year, they hope to sell in China, typically a difficult market for craft beer. Yoon and Platinum are also looking to open a brewery in North Chungcheong Province, where they can welcome customers for brewery tours. Even though Yoon is an international beer judge and master brewer, he keeps the bigger picture in mind. “Just enjoy the beer; don’t get too serious about it,” he says. For Yoon, craft beer is all about enjoying the experience with friends and family.

Platinum Beer www.platinumbeer.com Upcoming events Beer Fair @ Walker Hill Hotel — Oct. 11 Craft Beer Festival Korea @ Samgakji — Oct. 25 FoodWeek @ Coex — Nov. 12-15

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

See you i S c a l i n g

m o u n t a i n s

62 www.groovekorea.com / October 2014

a n d

s k y s c r a p

n Sejong Story by Adam Ellerson / Photos by Merissa Quek

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p s e u d o - c a p i t a l

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

64 www.groovekorea.com / October 2014

here’s a good chance that most people here you talk to wouldn’t be able to tell you where Sejong City is, but that’s likely to change in the years to come. The city’s role in the country’s long-term plans is simple enough: relocate a number of key government agencies and departments from Seoul to Sejong as a way to encourage a greater balance in national development. Ever since the plans were finalized, the centrally located city has quite literally become a metropolis in development, and officially “opened” on July 1, 2012. It was designed from the ground up to be one of the world’s leading sustainable communities, with over 50 percent of it designated for natural green spaces and an estimated 70 percent reduction in overall carbon dioxide emissions.

The whole place still has that fresh, new-city smell. Seoul may continue to expand outward, but Sejong offers something fresh and new: a city that has not yet gotten on its feet. Brunch on the stream

At first glance, the city is beautiful in an astoundingly futuristic way. It’s pretty, despite being entirely unfinished: empty streets, unending construction, traffic lights that have yet to be turned on are all common sights here. The whole place still has that fresh, new-city smell. Seoul may continue to expand outward, but Sejong is a city that has not yet gotten on its feet.

Your first stop should be the one with the best view of the future: Milmaru Tower. The tower is located near the downtown core and provides an excellent view of the serpentine, dragon-inspired government complex and surrounding districts. The base of the tower offers a small information center with complete scale models of the whole area, and they really emphasize the dramatic transformation happening here every day. Once you’ve worked up an appetite for brunch, hop on the 215 bus and head over to Handdeul Maeul. Though the plethora of dining options at the front may be appealing, head toward the back of the building where, on the first floor, facing a gentle rolling stream, you’ll find Café A-Pill. This cozy little place opens at 10 a.m. and specializes in Western-style breakfast foods. Whether you’re craving waffles or eggs Benedict over smoked salmon, they serve it fresh, even if it is a little bit on the sweeter side. The best news is that servings are also large enough to share, which means if you opt for the pancakes, you don’t have to eat the entire side of ice cream by yourself, even though you may want to.

Scaling the peak

After a breakfast like that, a little Korean-style cardio couldn’t hurt. Look no further than the decent-sized mountain that looms over the government complex, Wongsusan, which looks far more intimidating than it actually is. To get there, take the 215 bus to the Sejong Heol State Apartment bus stop. Continue straight, and on your right you’ll find a temple set back from the road and a trail beside it. Stick out the 40-minute hike to the top and you’ll get a completely uninterrupted view of the area; on a clear day, you can see the full layout of this developing green metropolis.

Later, after you’ve exhausted yourself, jump back on the 215 bus for some relaxation at Sejong’s Central Lake Park. This is the largest lake in Korea, and aside from being absolutely beautiful, the park surrounding it also offers a lot to see — feel free to grab some snacks from the convenience store or come prepared with a little picnic. You can check out Stage Island (which is exactly what it sounds like) and Water Play Island, and then rent kayaks or a small sailboat. Much of the area surrounding the park is still in development, but will soon also feature the Presidential Archives, the National Arboretum and a museum complex. When you’re ready for a real meal, zoom down to Sejong City Library. With its enormous curved roof (meant to resemble an open book), this branch of the National Library of Korea features an impressive range of books, magazines and digital content with a strong focus on Korean administrative resources, but it’s also home to a number of excellent dining options. Hands down, you’ll find some of the best steaks, salads, pastas and risotto dishes that Sejong has to offer at Hosu Maru, all the while enjoying the beautiful view from the floor-toceiling windows looking out over the lake and surrounding mountains. Perfect.

Getting there c Take the KTX to Osong Station and catch the express bus into the city. The whole trip will take about 90 minutes. Alternatively, you can take Korail’s Mugunghwa trains to Jochiwon Station and hop on the local intercity bus 601 or 620. They depart every 20 minutes from the station for Sejong.

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

R e l at i o n s h i p r e va m p A solitary hiker reconnects with Korea in Jirisan National Park Story and Photos by Jayson Moore

riendship comes in many forms. It seeps out of drunken conversation and screaming karaoke. It rings on Skype from halfway around the world. It follows both laughter and tears. But in its most piercing form, friendship comes from the locations we expats temporarily call home, and it’s often subtle, quiet and profound. We’ve all got relationships with Korea: Some are one-sided, some are abusive, others are great and last a lifetime. But we all know Korea and, no matter what we think of her, she shapes us every day. She’s a friend who helps you find yourself, whether you’re asking for it or not. For me, it took a two-day trek up a famed and unforgiving mountainside for me to reconcile this long-lost kinship.

I was at a sort of crossroads in my relationship with Korea. As a recent returnee, coming back to the peninsula presented a new array of issues: Friends had moved on, and I wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t sure if my previously wellestablished life now needed to be rebuilt or completely remade. Was she going to welcome me back? Was the ROK still my friend?

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

The base of Korea’s spine Jirisan holds a special place in the hearts of Koreans. Located at the southern tip of the Baekdudaegan mountain range, the spine of the peninsula that runs from Jirisan in the south to the border with China, this tail end is considered one of the three most important in the country — the Holy Grail of Korean hiking. Nestled in South Korea’s largest and oldest national park, Jirisan is also a true natural wonderland. With deep river valleys, towering peaks and infamous (read: excruciating) trails to hike for days on end, this was the formidable challenge I needed to undertake. It wasn’t a lazy Sunday afternoon decision either: Coordinating logistics, booking shelters and packing enough food and gear for a multi-day trek is no simple matter. A trip through Jirisan requires planning and a lot of mental stamina, but it was just what I needed — my personal “Heart of Darkness” (1899). This was as much about conquering Korea as it was about myself, and it came at the perfect time. At that point in my life, I was at a sort of crossroads in my relationship with Korea. As a recent returnee, coming back to the peninsula presented a new array of issues: Friends had moved on, and I wasn’t sure if my previously well-established life now needed to be rebuilt or completely remade. Was she going to welcome me back? Was the ROK still my friend? My return reignited a whole series of emotions and habits that had been missing while I’d been away, but with sudden brutish ease they were all coming back. It took me

68 www.groovekorea.com / October 2014

a few months to settle in and find The wind stings like the my niche again, and then once cracking of a whip from more the world got smaller. The the south; or is it the bubble started to build. north? My direction is Herein lies a troubling and off — I’ve clearly spun near-unavoidable issue that myself around somehow. many expats will face, regardIt’s so dark that even my less of how long they stay: the headlamp is swallowed by waygukin (foreigner) bubble. The the shadows. I pause to first time around, Korea herself check what I can see. became so familiar and comfortable that by the time I left I had Nothing. I raise my hand to question what I’d really gotten to my face, and the only from her, or rather, what she’d reason I know it’s there is gotten from me. She’d been because I can still feel it. kind, but had I returned the favor? She’d accepted me with open arms and few questions, but I was leaving with angst, confusion and a lack of compassion for her vulnerability. This balancing act is something many foreigners inevitably struggle with, and more often than not we become complacent and allow the expat bubble to stifle our connection with whatever region we happen to find ourselves in. Aware of this, I’ve tried to reconnect with Korea and have now found that she talks to me the most when we’re in private, when it’s just her and I in nature.

Speechless at the summit Back on the ridge in the dark, it was getting sticky, and daydreaming wasn’t helping me get through this last stretch. I needed focus. Looking around, I felt like my appreciation for this mountain had all but evaporated under a guise of extreme discomfort, both physically and mentally. But with every burning step I took I knew it was a race, not only against my swirling emotions, but against the clock as well. Using my rudimentary Korean — and the ranger’s even more basic English — I’d gathered the hike up from Chibatmok Shelter would take around three hours. Dawn would break at 5:30, so leaving at 2:30 seemed appropriate, but with no watch other than my mobile in my pack, I had to keep on. With every metal stair and every boulder, every misstep, the anticipation was building. Like that feeling you get when you leave for the airport or reunite with old friends: half nerves, half excitement.

And so, just after 5 a.m., I reached the peak. The wind was relentless. The stars were plentiful. (Did you know Korea had stars?) I was the first person to reach the peak that day, and for a few short, fleeting moments I was completely alone with my friend Korea. There wasn’t much said — I could barely catch my breath — but I stopped being afraid and was just content. As I sat down to recuperate, I was treated to one of the most spectacular sunrises I have ever seen. Looking down on the horizon, I was taller than the sun, and I felt like it too. I’d never really believed in the curative powers of physical exertion, but on that morning, despite my broken body, I felt refreshed and light. That sunrise was a thank you, a token of appreciation for having taken the time to seek out a long-lost friend. It was the start of something new, something I’d been missing. And in the end it was I who was thankful.

Getting there c Jirisan is a massive park, spanning three provinces with countless trailheads. For the course mentioned here (heading west from Daewonsa Temple), get to Jinju then take one of the hourly buses for Daewonsa where the Yupyeong course begins. Camping is prohibited in the park, so for multi-day treks you’ll need to book a shelter online at the Korea National Park Service website (english.knps.or.kr). Also, there are absolutely no facilities once on the trail other than the shelters — bringing in your own food and gear is essential. Come prepared, leave humbled.

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

Gh o s t s along t he M i s s i s s i p p i

A chilling tour of Gothic New Orleans Story by Ian Henderson / Photos by Chelsea Marie Hicks and Tom Thai

B e c a u s e N e w O r l e a n s w a s bu i l t o n a s w a m p be l o w s e a l e ve l , h e a v y r a i n s o f t e n r e s u l te d i n bl o a te d c o r ps e s a n d bo dy pa r ts l i tte r i n g th e s tr e e ts . M a u s o l e um s be c a m e th e b u r i a l m e th o d d e r i gue ur ; n a vi ga ti n g th e a l l e ys a n d pa t h w a y s be tw e e n th e s u n -bl e a c h e d to m bs a n d s a r c o ph a gi o f th e s e â&#x20AC;&#x2DC; c i ti e s o f th e de a d â&#x20AC;&#x2122; i s pe r h a ps th e be s t h i s to r y l e s s o n a va i l a bl e .

70 www.groovekorea.com / October 2014

eaning against the wrought iron gate, I tried to snap a picture of Gothic fiction author Anne Rice’s Victorian manor. Her prodigious body of work is centered in New Orleans, and more specifically, in this neighborhood known as the Garden District. As I continued walking, I couldn’t help but marvel at the columned estates, sprawling gardens and towering oaks whose writhing branches formed a permanent canopy overhead. The houses alternated between restored homes reclaiming the decadence of the French colonial period and dilapidated structures divided into apartments for the working class. It was in one of the latter where I’d been crashing with a friend — sleeping in a room with vaulted ceilings and peeling plaster walls — a sagging mansion telling of the inequities of both wealth and time.

H u r r ie dly e sca p i ng t h e t a c k y ne o n- de ge n e rac y o f c en t ral Bo u rbo n S t re e t , i t w a s n’t lo ng be f o re o u r o wn foot st e ps we re t h e o nl y s ounds e cho ing o f f t h e c obble st o ne s. C i t i e s o f t he d e a d

The wind picked up and I zipped my jacket, the sun only giving the faintest hint of warmth. A freak ice storm had occurred the night before, a rather surprising occurrence when considering that, like other former colonial ports in the South, New Orleans is oppressively muggy most of the year. I chose to visit this haunted city — a place with more supernatural street cred than perhaps any other place in the U.S. — in the winter, and had booked an otherworldly walking tour of the old quarter with some friends for later that evening. To continue my pretour preparation, I followed up Rice manor with LaFayette cemetery. Because New Orleans was built on a swamp below sea level, heavy rains often resulted in bloated corpses and body parts littering the streets. Mausoleums became the burial method de rigueur; navigating the alleys and pathways between the sun-bleached tombs and sarcophagi of these “cities of the dead” is perhaps the best history lesson available (the famous voodoo queen Marie Laveau is interred here, her white tomb covered in scrawled X’s and spiritual entreaties). Weeds

sprout from between the plots and some of the statuary has seen better days. Weatherworn angels with missing limbs stare down as you read about the city’s elite who had fallen prey to outbreaks of yellow fever, malaria and war. Afterward, I hopped on a streetcar and cling-clanged eastward on St. Charles Ave. toward the French quarter. Steam poured out of restaurant kitchens, filling the street with the scent of crawdads boiling in cayenne pepper. Old Dixieland jazz and blues also carried on the breeze as I came into sight of Congo Square, a place where slaves congregated on weekends to dance and play traditional African music. A statue of Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong now overlooks this park, the true birthplace of musical Americana. Across the street, I ducked into a voodoo temple and was immediately hit by a thick wall of incense smoke. I gazed at the dizzying array of dolls, feathers and other gris-gris stuffed into every nook and cranny as a small, older black woman stood up from her rocking chair to welcome me. Priestess Chamani was her name, and she was more than happy to tell me of the history of voodoo. Its intertwined mix of African, Native American and European belief systems was intoxicating enough to keep me in the temple for some chitchat. After sitting for a spell, I left to meet my friends at Lafitte’s, a former smithy-turned-pub and the oldest bar in the States.

with its two stories rounded to follow the corner of the road, our breath showed in the frigid night air and we shivered — but, for more than one reason: This place became an infamous landmark in 1834 when a slave girl started a fire to facilitate her escape from the nightmare unfolding within the house’s pristine exterior; when the firemen came and entered the house, dozens of slaves were found strung up, skinned and dismembered, with their blood slowly draining into receptacles. The ensuing mob violence caused Madame Dauphin LaLaurie to flee permanently, leaving tales of Nosferatu in her wake. We were spooked even further by the imposing Old Ursuline Convent nearby, with its white walls and domed belfry looming over the surrounding area. Rumors of vampires and ghouls have long circulated about some of the young girls sent to be nuns there, whom townsfolk once whispered slept on the third floor during the day with the hurricane shutters forever nailed shut. After the tour wound to a close, we stumbled upon a passage marked “Ye Olde Original Dungeon” and discovered three separate bars all connected by a labyrinthine series of staircases. We joined a rowdy group of locals and drank heartily, rocking out to old-school metal until the first rays of dawn sent us back underground.

A blood-chilling history

Sipping whiskey over packed ice, we waited for our tour in what was once home to pirate Jean Lafitte during the 1700s (illuminated only by candlelight, the bricks are charred with soot and you have to duck under coarse wooden beams to reach your seats), but our pause was brief. Our tour guide soon stepped through the doorway: a dude of average height with long, jet-black hair, a top hat and tailcoat. Oh, and fangs. Erring on the side of eccentricity, we’d booked the tour via a certain Lord Chaz (find him on TripAdvisor), and this was his assistant Alexander. Hurriedly escaping the tacky neon-degeneracy of central Bourbon Street, it wasn’t long before our own footsteps were the only sounds echoing off the cobblestones. The antique lamps cast long shadows as we strolled past shuttered buildings, the same ones that had once housed brothels and thieves’ dens. Stopping to look at the LaLaurie Mansion,

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

The door pauses, only letting out a small beam of light. With little hesitation, it abruptly creeks open again. The sharp sense that there is a third party in the room overcomes me. We get the intense awareness that we are unwelcome.

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Haunts of

the ward Abandoned Gonjiam Psychiatric Hospital toys with rational thought Story by Sarah Edge / Photos by Colin Dabbs

two-hour bus ride to Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province, takes us to the small town of Gonjiam. We follow latitude and longitude coordinates from the bus stop to where Gonjiam Psychiatric Hospital stands, but barbed wire and a sign saying â&#x20AC;&#x153;No trespassingâ&#x20AC;? in Korean warn us to stay away. That does not deter us. A small clearing next to a nearby fiberglass mill hints that perhaps this place is accessible after all. We hike for a bit and look behind us at the barbed wire fence that previously blocked our path. The famed abandoned hospital is only a short walk away now.

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

Marred by time

Upon approaching the institution, the signs of a timeworn place become clear — dead, unkempt grass, glass shards littering the premises, small shelters barely visible through the overgrown vines that cover them. For what purpose these buildings once served, we couldn’t know. They are in such a dilapidated condition that venturing into them seems pointless. Fortunately, the main building is in fairly good shape, and, as we soon discover, had been visited by two decades’ worth of trespassers. The main entrance had originally been barred shut, but someone eventually decided to break in, as no one would be breaking out now. As a result, a 1-meter-high opening exists where bars once were. It’s large enough to crawl through, but too small to walk through. Standing in the open hallway for the first time and looking back at the outside world through the remaining bars, I feel a deep sense of anxiety coming over me. The stark contrast between the air outside and the rancid stench inside can be picked up immediately. It is so acrid that even taking small, quick breaths felt like we were doing our lungs a disservice. It would be the first of many signs that we should not be here. The rain has taken its toll on the structure, with the walls stripped clean by water damage and oily puddles mingling with pieces of trash. Scattered across the floor are traces of the mental ward’s abandonment: psychiatric evaluations suggesting treatment for diabetic peripheral neuropathy, a computer manual for an IBM computer, a calendar dated 1996, ripped magazine pages featuring models with bangs too big for their faces. Life had certainly once existed here. As we move further inside, the rooms begin to show their true character. Through the square openings of closed doors we see rooms as dead as zombies, living caricatures of what they once were. The sheets are there. The mattresses, most of them, are still intact. Books are half-open, as if the reader had put them down for a short break. Fine curtains are still strung up above the windows, and only dust specks hint at their age. It is as if time has stopped. At the end of this hallway stands a ruined cafeteria, more reminiscent of a World War II relic. Time seems to stretch and slow as I linger here in this forgotten wasteland. A strong, putrid smell fills my nostrils and fades as quickly as it had come.

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Time seems to stretch and slow as I linger here in this forgotten wasteland. A strong, putrid smell fills my nostrils and fades as quickly as it had come.

Room 222

Logic has been by my side for the first 20 minutes of this experience, but room 222 calls into question my entire dependency on rational thinking. The door suddenly shifts open a smidge, giving a creak loud enough to alert both me and the photographer to the doorway. Neither of us utters a word. The air is foul and silent. I have not felt such heaviness in the atmosphere until now. Logic would say, “Just the wind. Keep walking.” But on the second floor there is no wind. The air is stuffy and has the lingering trail of humidity circa mid-July. No wind, no breeze, barely any oxygen — unless the putrid smell of water stains counts. The door pauses, letting out only a small beam of light. With little hesitation, it abruptly creaks open again. The sharp sense that there is a third party in the room overcomes me. We get the intense awareness that we are unwelcome. “It’s still only the wind.” Logic knocks on all corners of my membrane, but it ceases the moment we behold a shadow flicker across the beam of light. A shadow, I wonder. From whom? Another stray wanderer like us? We finally decide to keep walking. But the sharp rise in tension plagues us with an unshakable feeling of dread for every floor and every room thereafter.

The trail ends

Expat haunts

Breaking through the murky atmosphere are the scribbles of expats who, like us, wanted to test how haunted this was purported to be. It seems that over the two decades that this institution has been closed, a number of people wanted to add to the rumors. Thus, the tour of graffiti fail: “KILL” is written in large red letters, the paint dripped in such a way as to make it appear like blood. Good effort, but that isn’t blood and “KILL” wouldn’t be written in English. “She sees you.” Tell her I say hi. “I can’t breathe.” Sorry to hear that, buddy. I hope your friend dialed 1-1-9. “Don’t go in room 108.” Is that kind of like “The Shining”? Will an old woman rise out of the tub and seduce me? Despite the obvious attempts, it’s a nice mood lifter to see the effort put into keeping the folklore alive. Not to mention that after the more-than-serious encounter with room 222, we were in need of something light to occupy our minds.

We reach the end of our tour on the roof, where a recreational blacktop and basketball hoop have been set up. It is littered with the remains of soju bottles, partially evaporated half-filled cups of Coke and cans of Asahi and Hite. Whatever fear we had earlier encountered seems to melt away in these last few moments of sunlight. I look down at a Frisbee imprinted with a very old children’s logo and wonder how it had gotten there. What had happened to this place? Why is a broken phone from the mid-’90s with the cord still attached lying up here? Why are children’s toys strewn about? The results aren’t actually as mysterious as the fame of being an abandoned mental facility suggests. Poor financing and irreparable conditions forced the hospital’s closure. The staff moved on, patients were transferred or simply released and the owner moved out of the country. The place was abandoned in every sense of the word. What happened in those post-years of abandonment is where the real mystery lies. A lot of untold stories occurred here in the past two decades. Not all of them are sadistic in nature; most are just stories like this one — curious travelers stumbling upon an old building and observing the many artifacts left there over time: calendars, papers, beer cans and toys, but no knives or medical instruments as horror movies suggest. The only horror to be found here is the kind that plays with your mind. For one previous visitor, it was room 108; for us, it is room 222. Curiously enough, on our return down the stairs we discover that the doors on the second floor that were previously ajar are shut tight. “Coincidence,” logic would say. Perhaps, but who knows what untold story occurred there that would have managed to intertwine our present-day visit with some unexplained phenomenon from the past?

Getting there c To get to the hospital, take bus 500-2 from Gangnam Station, exit 7. The bus will be accessible from the bus stop in the middle of the street, just a short walk from exit 7. From there it takes roughly an hour and a half, or two hours with traffic. Get off at Gonjiam Bus Terminal stop, and track the coordinates 37.362433, 127.33474 with a GPS device to arrive at the hospital’s gate.

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

Have a ghoul’s night out this Halloween

Save your Seoul Story by Ian Henderson / Illustration by Pat Volz

or some of us, it’s not just a holiday: It’s a monthlong fiesta del diablo, culminating on All Hallow’s Eve. There are plenty of ways to get fiendishly fresh this Halloween. So c’mon, axe me a question about our favorite time of fear!

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Frights, camera, action!

I get into the spirit of the holiday with horror movies, and stockpile my list all year long. Last year, I discovered the film “Trick ‘r Treat” (2007), which is such an exquisite homage to Halloween you can practically taste the candy corn. The DVD bang is a great dark, dank, dungeon-like environment to watch morbid flicks, as well as a fantastic place to see Korean horror films with English subtitles. Check out Modern Korean Cinema’s website for recommendations.

Gore-tune telling!

Halloween was the Celtic New Year’s Eve, as Nov. 1 heralded both the beginning of their calendar and the coming darkness of winter. On this day they believed the barrier between the spiritual and physical realms was weakest, allowing communication with otherworldly spirits and ghosts. In Europe, tarot cards and palm readers were the most popular forms of divination, and both pastimes are fairly commonplace in Korea. Look near large shopping and nightlife areas for little tents with older women gazing into the future and giving advice on which path to follow. Bringing along someone who speaks Korean is advised.

Local scare-itage!

I’ve always loved graveyards in autumn, which is fitting as Halloween was originally called Samhain (pronounced sah-win) after the Celtic god of death. Visiting cemeteries is a great chance to soak up the atmosphere while reflecting on your own mortality. The Yanghwajin Foreigners’ Cemetery near Hapjeong has a particularly rich history, with graves dating back to the 1800s that hint at stories of Korea’s turbulent past. Best of all, there are free guided tours in multiple languages. For a little more intense fright-seeing, Joe McPherson of ZenKimchi spins a grisly yarn full of murder and malevolence on his Dark Side of Seoul tour of downtown.

Scream parks!

Unlike distress, “eustress” is getting terrified for fun! The wax museum in the 63 Building has the requisite chamber of horrors, and all three major theme parks are decked out in Halloweenesque fashion. Seoul Land’s haunted cave ride unearths traditional Korean folk demons, while Lotte World has a haunted house, an unearthly parade and a gothic musical called “Dracula’s Love.” Myeong-dong hosts a killer haunted house called Horror Kingdom, which features movie-studio-quality gore effects. Get “morgue” for your money at Everland, which is fully transformed into a gruesome wonderland with two haunted mazes and a cast of creatures and zombies who jump out to spook you. On Saturdays there’s a haunted DJ, so all you vampires can party until dawn (or closing).

Blood and gourd!

Carving a pumpkin and lighting it every evening during the week prior to Halloween is a magical tradition. In Ireland there’s a phenomenon involving light that appears over peat bogs at night, which was explained through the fable of Stingy Jack, a scoundrel who made a deal with the devil to avoid going to hell, but was so nefarious he couldn’t get into heaven either. Doomed to wander the physical plane, Satan sympathetically threw him an ember to help light his way, which Jack carried in a carved turnip. Thus, the jacko’-lantern was born. Little Korean cooking pumpkins substitute surprisingly well. The more dedicated can find the big orange variety at High Street Market in Itaewon or a traditional Korean food market.

Halloween weekend hosts a bevy of options: DJs, live performances of ‘Rocky Horror Picture Show,’ concerts and even a booze cruise. Punk and metal shows in particular have the right sort of revelry.

Musical en-strangle-ments!

The devil has always had the best tunes, right? Halloween weekend hosts a bevy of options: DJs, live performances of “Rocky Horror Picture Show,” concerts and even a booze cruise. Punk and metal shows in particular have the right sort of revelry, so check the listings for Club Spot and Three Thumbs in Hongdae or Thunderhorse in Itaewon. Kicking off the month with a bang is extreme metal-fest Hellride on Oct. 3 in Hongdae, featuring black and death metal bands from Finland, Korea, Australia and Japan. Then keep an eye out for Carcass, one of the most famous death metal bands ever, when they hit Seoul on Oct. 7.

Dress like a mummy’s boy!

Of course, the main attraction is to dress up, hit the streets and drink lots of boos! Stemming from the tradition of souling or guising, people would don ghastly outfits and go door to door to pray for the souls of the dead in return for treats, which eventually became trick-or-treating. The horrific garb also served to frighten demonic spirits back into the nether realm. Costumes and accessories are available through Gmarket or party supply stores. Hongdae can be loads of fun, but Itaewon “coroners” the market these days, sometimes even blocking off the street to car traffic. Remember, “evil” is “live” spelled backwards, so get out there and give the devil his due!

More info j Modern Korean Cinema www.modernkoreancinema.com Dark Side of Seoul Tour www.zenkimchi.com 63 Wax Museum www.63waxmuseum.com Horror Kingdom How much: 15,000 won for adults Website: www.horrorseoul.co.kr High Street Market www.highstreet.co.kr Club Spot www.fb.com/ClubSpotHongdae Thunderhorse www.fb.com/ThunderhorseTavern Hellride Fest 2014 When: Oct. 3 Where: V-Hall, Hongdae How much: 35,000 won (advance), 40,000 won (door) Website: www.hellride.co.kr Carcass Live in Seoul When: Oct. 7, 8 p.m. Where: Didim Hall, Hongdae How much: 85,000 won Website: www.fb.com/OfficialCarcass

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

Korean horror haunts with more ghosts, less gore

Screen scares Story by Pierce Conran / Illustration by Pat Volz

78 www.groovekorea.com / October 2014

orea is well known for its horror films, if not quite as well as its eastern neighbor; yet with Halloween upon us there is nary a Korean horror film to be seen on the local marquees. That’s because the Western holiday is still a baby here, and the traditional time for horror movies in Korea is during the hot, humid summers, as the chills provided by the genre are said to cool viewers down. Horror films from Korea, like those from other horror-producing nations, tend to be a mixed bag. The quality has dipped further of late, and each year seems to be a recurring case of diminishing returns. But don’t let that dissuade you from discovering the many treasures of Korean horror cinema that have sprouted here and there over the years. Korean horror differs from its Western counterparts in a number of ways. Slasher films, a staple of U.S. and European horror, are not common here. The vast majority of Korean films fall into the “haunting” category and the majority of the spirits that terrorize vacuous protagonists are vengeful high school girls. Films also tend to be more character-driven, and shamanism and local folklore often play a role. There is far less gore in Korean horror than might be expected given Korean cinema’s reputation for violence. The most famous Korean horror film is probably Kim Jee-woon’s “A Tale of Two Sisters” (2003), a handsome production that elevates the tension through exceptional mise-en-scène. But rather than relying on sound effects, it delivers scares by excavating a dysfunctional family’s deep psychological scars. Another option, and perfect for a marathon, is to explore the “Whispering Corridors” (1998) films, a five-part (to date) series that afforded rookie directors an opportunity to break into the biz. They’re all teengirl haunting films, but the best is “Memento Mori” (1999), a surprising horror film that blends ghost scares with psychological scars as it explores a high school lesbian relationship. Clever and exceptionally well written for a horror piece, the film builds to a conclusion manic enough to sate any viewer’s genre cravings. Lesser known is the shamanism-themed “Possessed” (2009). A layered work that employs subtle

symbolism and some exquisite, earthy photography, it’s more challenging than your typical horror film, but provides ample rewards for the discerning viewer. People sometimes say that Korean horror piggy-backed on the late ‘90s success of films from Japan like “The Ring” (1998) or “The Grudge” (2002). While there is some undeniable borrowing going on, as producers latched onto a successful, and cheap, formula, horror has a much longer history in Korea than most realize. Classic examples such as “The Devil’s Stairway” (1964) and “The Thousand Years Old Fox” (1969) were major influences on today’s filmClever and makers, and the local legends mined by these earlier exceptionally films made for some unique well written for additions to the genre. For most of the 2000s, a horror piece, K-horror was lauded for its (‘Memento Mori’) high production values, which builds to a were more in sync with topshelf Hollywood productions conclusion manic than with their cheaper coun- enough to sate terparts from Japan. With beautiful films such as the any viewer’s genre colonial-era chiller “Epitaph” cravings. (2007), K-horror had an advantage in Asia. But following a temporary downturn in the local industry, budgets were slashed and local films went digital and handheld. Soon, the major talent the genre used to attract opted for other projects and the quality of Korean horror films suffered greatly. Despite this poor state of affairs, Korean horror appears to be making a comeback. There may not be as many pure horror films as in the past, but horror elements are sneaking into more and more local films. Korea has always been good at hybrids, and recent successful experiments include the horror rom-com “Spellbound” (2011), high school horror comedy “Mourning Grave” and the horror romance “My Ordinary Love Story,” both released in 2014. Korean cinema has a remarkable capacity for evolution, and with a genre as intrinsic as horror, you can be sure that they’ll find a way to bring it back into the fold before long.

More info j Modern Korean Cinema www.modernkoreancinema.com

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

Expat Enclaves

Expat Enclaves offers a snapshot of the communities that expats in Korea call home. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Ed.

City of self-starters Cheongju plays host to close-knit, creative community Story by Remy Raitt / Photos by Laughlin McKee and Choi Won-seok

most foreign residents in the landlocked here is a close-knit commuprovince, with an estimated 400 English nity outside of Seoul called teachers working here. Cheongju where there is alIt’s only an hour and a half away from ways someone to share a Seoul and 40 minutes from Daejeon, so drink or game of darts with, it’s easy to get out on the weekends, alrock music is a draw and though there’s enough there’s plenty of space going on here to keep for people to share their ‘The cool thing about residents entertained talents. Restaurant Cheongju is that if you’re the whole year through. and bar owners caterAmerican David ing to the city’s expat interested in something and population know their you put it out there, chances Sparks, who has been customers by name, are someone else will share living in Cheongju for your passion and you can the past five years and and the host of sports, language and cultur- start something. Cheongju plays in two local bands, al clubs ensures that folks are proactive. It’s one sums up many expats’ those who prefer to of the reasons I love them.’ sentiments about the size of “The Cheong,” spend their social lives Helen Lloyd, South Africa as it’s affectionately sober have mates to do called: it with. “My wife and I really enjoy the size of our Located almost smack in the middle of city. The expat community is tightly knit, Korea, Cheongju has all the spoils of a so we always feel welcome, but it’s large big city but manages to maintain a smallenough that we can be wallflowers and just town charm. As the capital city of North hang around if we want.” Chungcheong Province, it also boasts the

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

Groups and gatherings

Bars and guitars “Music has always brought foreigners together here,” says Lee Won-jae, who has owned expat-friendly bars in the university area, Cheongdae Cheongmun, since 2002. “The rock music that played in the stairwell of my first bar is what drew English teachers in, and from there musicians would meet up, talk about and create music in the bars.” Open mic nights at The Bugle (previously known as Pearl Jam) and rock ‘n’ roll bar Soundgarden see Korean and foreign musicians get up and strut their stuff weekly. Local expat bands The Primary, OTL and the Prison Murder Gospel Choir also play regular gigs. It’s not just rock music that gets Cheongju going. Soundgarden has played host to successful Motown, garage and funk nights, while Buzz bar, Road King and MJs keep people dancing to ‘80s and ‘90s classics, house and hip-hop every weekend. Still, many agree that the live music scene is not quite what it used to be. “A lamentable development is the decline of the music scene here in Cheongju,” says American saxophone player and longtime resident Tim Crawford. “There used to be a good bunch of pretty decent musicians, but many of them left and no one has come along to replace them.” In an attempt to remedy the situation, Crawford, along with Sparks, has put on a few arts and music festivals that have gained national attention and had widespread community support. The Art from the Moon and Live from the Moon 1 and 2 events featured art exhibitions and auctions, local and national live music, DJs and juggling performances from American couple Bob and Trish Evans. “We’ve been actively involved trying to create a ‘culture initiative’ that crosses between Koreans and foreigners here,” says Sparks.

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Although it’s not uncommon to see foreigners crawling home as the sun rises on the weekend, many of them are up early to play sports. The Cheongju Tigers soccer team keeps many a beer belly at bay, while social male and female friendly soccer games take place during the week. The Reapers baseball team plays every weekend during the season, and American and Canadian hockey players hit the ice in winter. Ultimate Frisbee is also a popular way to keep in shape, as is cycling along the Musim River or to nearby Daejeon during the less extreme seasons. Language exchanges take place weekly across the city, and it’s not only Korean and ‘The expat community is English that are being shared: French, Ger- tightly knit, so we always man and Spanish exchanges also go down. feel welcome, but it’s Once a month, brains are flexed and egos large enough that we can flaunted at The Bugle’s pub quiz. Quizmas- be wallflowers and just ters come up with questions on a huge hang around if we want.’ array of subjects as quirkily named teams David Sparks, U.S. battle it out for the pot or a second-prize pitcher of beer. The Cheongju Art Club meets every Sunday for workshops with Matthew Anderson, and their efforts are exhibited at events throughout the year. Originally from the U.S., Anderson has been teaching art classes and art history since he received his MFA in painting from Miami University in Ohio in 1994. “I studied Eastern-style painting after graduate school and my teacher, who was Korean, taught me a lot about Korean culture as well,” he says. “This, along with my studies in Eastern art history from my university days and my enduring interest in Asia, led me to Korea.” Board games and role-playing games are other ways some Cheongju folks spend their free time. Canadian Joe Brady, who has been in Korea for close to six years, is involved with an ever-changing group of players who dive into games like Dungeons and Dragons, Warhammer and Silverline. “The groups change pretty regularly and the dynamic of the game changes with it. So some groups tend to use a lot more role playing, while others use meta-gaming a lot more.” He is also heavily involved with the Cheongju Board Game Nerds, which began in April and always welcomes new members. The group meets at Monopoly, a board game café in Cheongdae Cheongmun, which stocks a wide selection of English and Korean games. “Most of the games we play at Monopoly are strategy board games and card games, but everyone is very accommodating if someone wants to try something new or different.”

Green space Camilla Ugarte, a Canadian who recently returned to Cheongju, says the public parks and the walking and bike trails that line the city are some of her favorite things about living here. The most popular place to gather outside is the square beside the Musim River, just below the main bridge downtown. It’s a perfect place to rollerblade, skateboard, ride your bike, have a picnic or just people watch. The Sandangsangseong mountain fortress is also a popular spot ‘Music has always to get some fresh air. The for- brought foreigners tress wall dates back to 1716 and together here. ... The stretches over 4.2 kilometers in cir- rock music that played in cumference, and within it there are the stairwell of my first some great hiking trails, the brightbar is what drew English ly painted Suamgol cultural village teachers in, and from and a selection of restaurants from there musicians would which to enjoy the view. meet up, talk about and The nearby Hwayangdong River create music in the bars.’ within Songnisan National Park is also a top spot to visit with a picnic Bar owner Lee Won-Jae and bathing suit. Foreigners have often tried to find hidden swimming and drinking spots away from the demarcated areas, but park officials have wised up to this and now keep an eye out for pesky interlopers. Cheongju’s claim to fame is the Heungdeok Temple Site, home to the Early Printing Museum. There you can learn about Jikji, the oldest existing book printed using moveable metal type. Yes, Cheongju did it before Johnannes Gutenberg.

Online connections Cheongju residents don’t have to leave their houses for a sense of belonging in the community thanks to Amanda Hayes, an Illinois native and Cheongju resident since 2007. She keeps people in the know with the Cheongju Weebly site, which she says was a labor of love that took about five months of organizing, research and writing to create. “I just got tired of the same questions being asked over and over, and thought there had to be a way to compile all of this information about the city,” she says. “I would have loved to have a reference guide like this when I was first here.” It’s a sentiment that seems to be shared by many of the city’s new arrivals. “I’ve been getting a lot of good feedback, especially from newbies, saying that it’s helped them a lot,” she says. Hayes also moderates the What’s Going on in Cheongju Facebook group, which is the fastest way to peruse opinions about the area or get advice and even a laugh. Making people laugh is something Manchester native Mark Hulme certainly enjoys. Besides often making wisecracks on the Facebook group, the cheeky bugger has made a parody page. His What Street Shit is for Sale in Cheongju! group encourages people to post photos and bid on the furniture people leave out on the street for garbage collectors. Jokes aside, he’s proof that there’s a current of creativity running through the city that’s given rise to a community of self-starters, whether they’re seeking to share their art or engage in an enterprising new venture. “The cool thing about Cheongju is that if you’re interested in something and you put it out there, chances are someone else will share your passion and you can start something,” says South African Helen Lloyd, who recently left the city after two years. “Cheongju folks are proactive. It’s one of the reasons I love them.” More info j www.cheongju.weebly.com

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

Cricket terms to know By Owen Wibberley Googly: When someone who normally spins the ball to the left, spins the ball to the right with the same action in an effort to surprise the batsman. Silly mid-on: Someone fielding in a position right in the batsmanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s face; silly because it is a dangerous place to be. Box: Called a cup in baseball, it is to protect the crown jewels. Golden duck: To be dismissed on your first ball. Finger spinner: Someone who spins the ball with their fingers rather than with their wrists. Barmy Army: The fantastic legendary England supporters who travel the world and sing songs. Best fans in the world.

84 www.groovekorea.com / October 2014

W i cket game

Cricketer brings his love for the sport to Korea Story by Gareth Sharp / Photos by Joshua James Cowell

wen Wibberley is from an English village of 3,000 where cricket is a focal point of the activities in summer, with three or four teams and training for children. His dream is to recreate that sense of fun and community here in Korea. “I’ve been playing here for seven years and I can safely say I’ve met hundreds of people through cricket in Korea,” says Wibberley, who is the secretary of the Korean Cricket Association. “It’s just a great way to meet people and have a great time.” Cricket is a bat and ball game, with two teams of 11 players. The objective is to score runs, which you can do by either running between a 22-yard wicket in the middle of the field or hitting out over the ground. Similar to baseball, you can be out if the ball is caught and you can be run out. You are also out if the ball hits the stumps, which are three sticks at each end of the 22-yard wicket. The Korean cricket league started in the 1990s with four expat teams playing matches beside the Han River and at Seobinggo Elementary School near Itaewon. Today, the league has 13 teams, affiliate status with the International Cricket Council, and a new cricket ground in Incheon. Not all the teams have the same goals: Some are out to win, while others, like Wibberley’s, are more interested in the social aspects of the game. “We are a social team, so we go and play a game and then go for a beer afterward. We’re just in it for the fun,” Wibberley says. “I was captain of a team that won the national title twice in a row, and it all got a bit too serious, and me and my friends who were playing in that team said, ‘We’re getting old now, let’s take it a little easy.’” His team, the Seoul Exiles, welcomes anyone who wants to play, regardless of ability or prior experience with the sport. They play almost every Saturday from April to October (November this year) at one of two venues: Sungkyunkwan University in Suwon and Incheon University. Play starts at 10:30 a.m., but players sometimes arrive at 9 for a training session. Irfan Ghafoor is one of the many Pakistani nationals in the KCA. He arrived in Korea 20 years ago

and has been involved in the league from the beginning. Now a Korean citizen, he was captain of the first Korean national team that played in Australia for a Super 8 competition in Perth in 2001 and is now the league’s administrative manager. “If you want to learn something about cricket, we would love to have (you),” he says. This year, Wibberley and league manager Edward Rimmington are starting an indoor winter cricket league. There are no indoor cricket grounds in Korea, but there are many indoor baseball fields, so they are looking to play there. Westerners and Koreans of any level are welcome, and they’re hoping to make it a social event by having dinner together afterward. They’re also aiming to encourage more spectators to join the fun. “Make it a Sunday event,” says Rimmington, who started playing when he was 10 and now plays for Pacific Storm. “Watch your friend or come and play. Have something to eat, have something to drink while you’re out there.” Also in the works is a junior cricket team for kids. Wibberley’s goal is to get 10 to 15 kids together a couple of Saturdays a month starting next year to show them the ropes. “I’ve got a child, she’s only 2 at the moment, but when she grows I would like her to have the opportunity,” Wibberley says. The biggest cricket event in Korea this year is the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon, which started last month and ends on Oct. 4. Cricket is played every day of the games, and it’s free. The first eight days were for the women’s teams, while the last eight days are for the men’s. Wibberley was expecting the big guns to be Afghanistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka, and said he hoped the Korean team would do well, not only because he has friends on the team but also because a win would increase the profile of cricket in Korea. Prospective players should sign up on the league’s Facebook page and “they’ll be snapped up instantly,” Wibberley says. “There’s not a better way to spend a sunny day than sitting lazing by the side of a cricket field, having a beer and chatting.”

More info j Cricket Korea: www.facebook.com/groups/142523242496495 Contact Eddie Rimmington at eddie.sangmyung@gmail.com or Owen Wibberley at owenwibberley@hotmail.com. The Indian team has a website with a map of the SKKU cricket ground in Suwon: www.indiansinkorea.com 85

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

Ta ki ng a walk o n the urban sid e Blogging project Seoul Sub-Urban documents life through the city’s subway system Story by Jaime Stief / Photos by Merissa Quek and Elizabeth Groeschen

ot everyone who relocates to Korea arrives with ambitious plans for their time abroad. Charlie Usher certainly didn’t: When the Wisconsin native’s first two-year stint ended in 2007, he left feeling like he’d

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missed out on a lot of what Seoul had to offer. It was when he returned in 2009 that he came with a project in mind, something that could push him outside his previous boundaries and that he would be excited to stick with. It is from this goal of broadening his perspective that the Seoul Sub-Urban project was born.

A simple project

Seoul: imperfect but never boring

Seoul Sub-Urban is a blog that Usher started as a way to explore the city’s diverse neighborhoods while taking advantage of one of the best subway systems in the world. Each entry is a profile of a Seoul subway stop that follows Usher’s exploration of the surrounding neighborhood — including anything from its history, its appeal to locals and its obvious and not-so-obvious attractions — as well as offering a series of snapshots taken by one of his collaborating photographers. One characteristic that distinguishes Usher’s perspective from that of other travel journalism is his willingness to spotlight areas that wouldn’t necessarily capture the eye of the average Lonely Planet writer — he includes the commonplace sights alongside the tourist highlights. “We don’t just hit the more glamorous aspects, and we don’t try to ‘exoticize’ the place too much,” he explains. “We try to present it as ‘This is what this place is at this time.’” When asked about the more expository aspects of his work, he says, “I think the bulk of everyday life is not cool, and in this kind of project, where it’s not a one-off thing, if you’re going to be honest about what the place is you have to include some of those uncool moments.” Usher’s approach to writing is an extension of his own travel philosophy. For him, traveling “close to the ground” can help a person not just observe a local culture but better understand it; while an experience such as traveling to the top of Namsan Tower is culturally enriching (and, as Usher says, “the main attractions are the main attractions for a reason”), so is a jaunt through some of the back alleys of Gangnam. Meaningful travel, he argues, is about finding a way to bridge these two types of experiences. Blogging has helped him develop a greater appreciation for the simple pleasures that Seoul has to offer.

Looking back on five years of subway stops — the site’s archives feature more than 145 entries — Usher says that as the audience has increased in size, he’s felt a greater obligation to make sure he’s offering well-researched facts in addition to any of his own commentary. Though he tries to keep his posts more descriptive than political, he doesn’t feel any obligation to present an overly rosy picture of life in Seoul. “Every city has problems,” he says. Of his pieces that address the less savory aspects of Seoul’s push for urbanization (his melancholy portrait of a neighborhood slated for demolition comes to mind), he says he’s confident that his posts do not hurt the image of the city. “The problems of a neighborhood are as significant as its positive aspects,” he argues. Having traveled to over 30 countries in his time outside the States, Usher’s impression of Seoul remains optimistic — he’d be the first to admit that the city is a great place to live. This was emphasized by a recent trip to Copenhagen, Denmark, a city that he felt presented a much more cohesive urban environment than the chaos of the Korean capital. “Copenhagen is a lovely city, but it’s not a city I feel too terribly excited about because it seems like there’s nothing wrong with it,” he says, jokingly wondering about how day-to-day life there might compare to Korea: “I mean, aren’t you people bored yet?”

‘We don’t just hit the more glamorous aspects, and we don’t try to “exoticize” the place too much. We try to present it as “This is what this place is at this time.”’

‘This project tries to encapsulate each neighborhood’s particular characteristics, regardless of whether or not they’re of interest to the casual tourist.’ Merissa Quek

Charlie Usher

Documenting the city For the photographers who have worked with him on the project, Seoul Sub-Urban is more than a travel blog. According to former contributor Elizabeth Groeschen, a Kentucky-born photographer who now works out of New York, “Because there has been such an emphasis on the research behind each location … it’s a very thorough documentation of a city that is changing at such a rapid speed.” The project’s current photographer, Singaporean Merissa Quek, agrees: “I think that this project tries to encapsulate each neighborhood’s particular characteristics, regardless of whether or not they’re of interest to the casual tourist. … (It’s) taken on a documentary character.” Though Usher admits that the blog was initially an effort to get him writing more consistently, he is still quite humbled by where his efforts have taken him. Usher’s unique style of narrative captured the attention of U.K. newspaper The Guardian, which reached out to him to write a best-of list of Seoul subway stops. His work has also led to a regular column in SEOUL magazine, as well as a book, which will be released in English later this fall (the Korean version was released in March).

More info j seoulsuburban.com

COMMUNITY Edited by Emilee Jennings (emilee@groovekorea.com)

The Ceilidh Get your green dancing shoes ready Story by Emilee Jennings / Photos by Stephanie Anglemyer

eople are well familiar with St. Patrick’s Day in March, but October is time to embrace the céilidh. The Irish Association of Korea, in conjunction with the St. Andrew’s Society of Seoul, will stage The Ceilídh, a family-fun event on Oct. 18. A céilidh is a social event with Irish or Scottish folk music, singing and traditional dancing. Phonetically pronounced as “kaylee,” céilidh has its origins rooted in the Celtic culture of Ireland and Scotland. The festival will be packed with activities and a variety of Irish and Scottish dancing and music styles on show. The dances are very easy to learn and the entire day centers on giving people the chance to learn, and experience Celtic culture and have plenty of fun along the way. Among the planned lineup, there are, to name a few: Korean step dancers Tap Pung, Korean Celtic musicians Bard, the traditional Irish music group Ceoltoirí Seoul, a traditional Scottish bagpiper, Scottish country dancing and rock band Sweet Murphy’s Fancy.

The festival will be packed with activities and a variety of Irish and Scottish dancing and music styles on show. As well as all of this, there will be a special performance of Sean Nós and broomstick dancing. Sean Nós, or “old style,” is a casual style of dance that comes from the far west coast of Ireland, in a place called Connemara. During each performance, there will be an opportunity for all audience members to get involved and learn the simple dance steps. To finish in style, there will also be an after-party from 8 p.m. at The Wolfhound, Itaewon’s Irish bar. The evening event will be jointly hosted by the IAK and the Seoul Gaels Irish football team. So mark the date, get your dancing shoes ready and come join in these traditional Celtic festivities. More info j When: Saturday, Oct. 18, 1 p.m. – 6 p.m. Where: D-Cube City at Sindorim Station, lines 1 and 2, exit 1 How much: free After-party: The Wolfhound. From Itaewon Station, line 6, make a U-turn from exit 4 and turn right. After 100 meters, turn right again.

88 www.groovekorea.com / October 2014

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

Korean punk struggles forward Against all odds the Korean punk scene perseveres Story by Dave Hazzan / Photos by Andrew Faulk, Robyn Viljoen and Jon Dunbar

GrooveCast GrooveCast host Chance Dorland talks to punks about the local scene. Check out the podcast episode at groovekorea.com.

...Whatever That Means

t the end of a long alley in Hongdae, at Double A Studios, it’s time for Birthday Party Like Shit II. It’s Yuppie Killer guitarist Iain Whyte and singer Tim Sean’s birthday, but nobody cares. Everyone would have been there, anyway, to see Yuppie Killer, The Kitsches, Dead Gakkahs, Animal Anthem, FIND THE SPOT, SAGAL, Konorrea, Durchfall and Huqueymsaw play. Double A Studios has become a regular venue for hardcore punk shows in Hongdae. What is normally a small, soundproof practice space also serves as a venue where the bands play, accompanied by a large parking lot where the punks smoke, talk and drink plastic cups of riot punch. Tonight is a special night: Along with the usual soju, cider, Hot Six and

Christfuck

‘If Korean kids ever realize how bad they have it, how pissed off they should be, this scene would explode. If there’s a country that needs punk rock, it’s Korea.’ Jeff Moses, ...Whatever That Means

Banran

wine, there is Everclear in the riot punch. Its effects are ugly, but then so are the bands. In Korea, being punk is not normal. Besides being a form of fast and aggressive music, punk represents a defiant attitude that contradicts traditional Korean values of deference, obedience and career ambition. The movement was a shock to the West when it first came out in the 1970s; in Korea, its pulse is so weak that punk’s existence has been threatened ever since it began. Kang Yong-jun, 29, is the singer for Banran, a hardcore band not playing tonight. He learned about rock ‘n’ roll when he was young, and from there he kept “digging, digging, digging” until he discovered hardcore — and never looked back. Kang complains about Koreans being “twofaced” and argues that their nationalism sometimes borders on “Nazi” territory. For him, hardcore is about giving two middle fingers to mainstream Korean society. “I sing about anti-Korea things, which means people are really nationalistic here and most want convenience for everything,” Kang says. “For everyone, getting a job in Samsung is their goal. Everybody. Not just a few people, but every fucking person. … I’m so pissed off. I can barely meet people I can talk with.” With punk, Kang has a voice.

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

The rise and fall of Joseon punk Before the 1990s, South Korea heard very little outside music. Despite its rapid economic development with the Saemaeul (New Village) Movement, dictatorships kept the nation’s airwaves heavily censored. When the regime was finally toppled, however, the wall of censorship was dismantled and the young democracy was thirsty for new voices. Punk trickled into the Korean market alongside mainstream rock ‘n’ roll, blues, hip-hop, folk, heavy metal and other genres. “Suddenly, information democratized,” says Jon Dunbar, publisher of the punk magazine Broke in Korea. “They could listen to foreign music; they could go online and listen to foreign stuff, so they were introduced to several decades of music all at once.” There were no musical eras, no progression of one style to another. “The first bands that started made music that was kind of a compression of this. The influences would be from all (over),” says Dunbar, 35. The first punk bands in Korea included groups like Crying Nut and No Brain. They didn’t call themselves punk rock, but rather “Joseon punk” — meant to set themselves apart from the West, to say, “We’re not a punk band — we’re playing punk in a Korean way,” Dunbar says. The first punk “clubs” weren’t really clubs at all, but venues with no bar. Club Drug was an early one, and in 2004 Skunk Hell opened. Skunk Hell was all black, with old show posters and graffiti covering the walls. It was “basically a dingy basement,” Dunbar says. “It was never particularly nice.” Club Spot opened in 2007 in a basement across from the Hongdae playground, this time with a bar and a weekly lineup of shows. From 2004 to 2006, Korean punk reached its heyday. Club Drug was running, Skunk Hell was flourishing, bands like Crying Nut, Rux and Samchung were playing weekly and labels like Moonsadan and Culture Scam Organization were pressing CDs and booking bands. The shows were filled with kids in their teens and early 20s, often in full bondage gear and spiky hair, says Trash Yang, the bassist for …Whatever That Means, cofounder of BB Lucky Town in the early 2000s and one of the first women in the scene. It was at Club Drug where she finally got to hear punk live. Before, she had only heard the bands through cassette tapes. “I was really, really happy to see this,” she says. A huge boost to the scene came in the form of one short, energetic foreigner who worked incessantly to get Korean punk noticed. His name was Jesse Borison, and he was Korea’s “punk angel,” in Yang’s words. In the last seven years, the U.S. airman has brought over foreign bands like The Queers and NOFX, put up posters on weekends and introduced countless foreigners to the scene. American Jeff Moses, 33, of …Whatever That Means, first ran into him while Borison was putting up posters for The Queers at the Hongdae playground. “He saw me wearing a Social D shirt and he came over and tried to get me to come to the

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Queers show,” Moses says. Borison showed him where Skunk Hell was and two weeks later they went to the Korea-Japan Punk Fest. Moses now has a tattoo of Borison’s face on his arm. Borison declined to be interviewed for this article. Another “punk angel” was Won Jong-hee from Rux, a now-legendary band that dates back to the late ’90s. “He did a lot for the scene. He did almost everything,” Dunbar says. “He put on shows, he was in two bands, he apparently made a lot of clothes, he got into tattooing. I mean, you name it, he did it.” But around 2007 or 2008 he burned out. Won also declined to be interviewed. Punk’s boom became its downfall as the overcrowded scene began to rift. Along with Won, key people began to drop out, some creating their own scenes. “Especially around 2006, it was huge, with many punk bands going back then,” says Jin Lee, 28, guitarist for metal band Remnants of the Fallen. “And many actually disbanded because there were too many bands playing too many ‘Our aim is to get 2o0 shows.” people to pay outside The scene began fracturing along of bands, so that’s genre lines, with bands self-identivery difficult. I don’t fying as grindcore, hardcore, skater punk and so on, playing sepaknow why it’s so hard, rate shows and arguing amongst or why people are themselves. Different subcultures reluctant; maybe it’s no longer play the same shows, strange to them.’ says longtime fan Jae Kim, and the Tim Sean, Yuppie Killer scene has suffered for it. “I know this happens worldwide, but (the Korean scene) is too small for that,” says Kim, 26. Pulling in audiences was another problem. “There were plenty of bands, but not a lot of people listening to them,” Dunbar says. “So you’d go to a show and it would seem crowded, but that was because everyone was in another band. No one was paying to get in. That was a big problem in the old days.” This meant huge loss of revenue for clubs, especially those that didn’t serve drinks. People would buy cans of beer at the corner stores and bring them inside, which pulled even more revenue from the clubs, Dunbar says. After eking by on life support for at least a year, Skunk Hell closed in 2009. And like the other venues before it, Club Spot faces closure later this month. The problem persists today. “It’s so strange to live in a city of 20 million and you literally can draw every hardcore punk to a show and you’ve got 50, 60 people in a room,” says Tim Sean, 32, the lead singer for Yuppie Killer. “Our aim is to get 20 people to pay outside of the bands, so that’s very difficult. I don’t know why it’s so hard, or why people are reluctant. Maybe it’s strange to them.” “According to my friends who play in punk bands, the glory of the past days is actually over,” Lee says. “It’s become more indie-oriented and they usually play in small venues.”

Find the Spot

Yuppie Killer

Mixed Blood

Dissektist

Yuppie Killer

Jon Dunbar

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

Scumraid

Nowhere to go While the bands’ quality continues to thrive, today’s punk scene is not exactly brimming with possibilities. Some labels stopped pressing, older punks got respectable jobs and retired from the scene, and fewer kids have come in to replace them. “There are still a lot of us here in our 30s,” says Dunbar. “You go to a show now, you’ll see a lot of male pattern baldness.” “You’ve had basically the same core group of people for 15 years running the punk scene,” adds Moses. “There’s a small influx of younger kids in the scene, but not a lot. Most of the people got into it before the hagwon culture, before the Korean government pushed K-pop as their identity.” ‘If we were in L.A., Around 2010, new venues Rux wouldn’t be rose up in Mullae-dong. Close to Yeongdeungpo Station, Mullae playing $1o dollar was a graffitied neighborhood shows at Spot of art galleries, rehearsal spacanymore. Bands es and artists’ squats, some of that I really look them built over disused steel up to, we get to play foundries. New bands like the Veggers, the Kitsches, Banran with all the time, and Scumraid played there, inbecause there’s jecting fresh oxygen into the nowhere else for scene. Though the Mullae venthem to go.’ ues are now mostly gone, most of the bands still play in HongJeff Moses, dae and elsewhere. ...Whatever That Means “The bands remain extremely high in quality,” Dunbar says. “Even if you go see a band on their first show, they’re going to come out doing really well. Korean bands practice until they’re good at their songs, which is very different from North American bands.” The low demand for punk is a double-edged sword for the artists. Since major Korean labels have no interest in punk music, the bands are in the local scene to stay. “There is no shot of ‘making it’ in Korea as a punk,” Moses says. “Which kind of sucks, because it means you’re always going to have a crappy job. If you want to tour, it’s really hard because Korean jobs don’t give you any time off. But the good side with that is that big labels don’t come in and scoop up all the good bands. “If we were in L.A., Rux wouldn’t be playing $10 shows at Spot anymore. Bands that I really look up to, we get to play with all the time, because there’s nowhere else for them to go.”

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Shim Jihoon of Huquemsaw

Yoong Ghang Hwang of Sagal

Future of punk

Heimlich County Gun Club

Jae Kim, who has been following the scene for eight years, believes punk will never catch on. Mainstream Korea thinks it’s “wrong” to be different, and that’s why you “only see idol bands on TV.” “Other people, young students or others out of the scene, they don’t have a chance to experience (this music),” Kim says. “They don’t know how, or they don’t have the chance. It’s not really open.” Kim only found out when she wandered into Spot and then got a job there. “You walk around the streets, there’s only K-pop,” says Jang Sung-gun, 27, drummer for four different bands. “Every minute you hear another K-pop song, a different K-pop song, which is really disturbing. And after work, when you party with your friends, friends who are not in the punk scene, they go to the karaoke.” Jang says Korean pressure to conform is still powerful and it can “definitely” be very difficult to be different. “But I’m kind of used to it. I’ve been into this music for 15 years,” he says. So how does he deal with it? “I just ignore it. Isn’t it the same all around the world? I think so.” Moses says he has never felt more comfortable and more at home in a scene than here. “All the bullshit and divisiveness aside, for the past six, seven years, everyone’s been saying, ‘the punk scene is dying, the punk scene is dying,’ and it hasn’t,” he says. He feels Korea is ripe for more punk kids, given how awful life for a young person can be here. “If Korean kids ever realize how bad they have it, how pissed off they should be, this scene would explode,” he says. “If there’s a country that needs punk rock, it’s Korea.” While small, the scene is very accepting, especially among foreigners, Sean says. “You see a new face, you always want to say hello, make sure it’s comfortable. The Koreans are always nothing but respectful and kind. They’re always among the first to talk to you after a show and say, ‘Hey great, job,’ even if they’re being insincere. Insincerity is a great trait in a fan.” Yang has put her time, effort and 20s into punk because she believes punks are more mentally connected. The punks are filling in what they want, what they can’t get from the rest of the culture, or K-pop. “This place is like my other home,” she says. “This is the only place where I can say what I want, where I can be myself.” More info j

Pray to Punk

Club Spot will host “Still Alive,” Seoul’s original punk rock Halloween costume party, before closing its doors. When: Oct. 25, 6 p.m.-2 a.m. Where: Club Spot Address: Seoul, Mapo-gu, Seogyo-dong 358-34, floor B1 How much: 10,000 won with costume, 15,000 won without; includes 1 hour of unlimited free cocktails

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

Story by Remy Raitt / Illustration by Annie Ridd / Photos by Klarke Caplin

Disturbing but beautiful Writer explores her connection

to the complexities of Korean culture

here is something to be said for stories that leave images swimming in your psyche long after the last word has been read. Oxford-based writer L.P. Lee has that knack, and after reading her Korean-inspired piece â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Man Rootâ&#x20AC;? you will probably never look at a piece of ginseng in the same way again. Her haunting short stories are inspired by geography, culture and social practices, and they will soon be adapted for the screen. Groove Korea caught up with Lee to find out more about her writing process, influences and future plans.

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Groove Korea: When did you begin writing fiction? L.P. Lee: I’ve been scribbling on and off for a while. When I was a child, the earliest things I wrote could have been Rudyard Kipling knock-offs, with titles like “How the Giraffe Got its Long Neck” and “Why the Arctic Hare is White.” I would bind these into little books with illustrations and cardboard covers. How would you describe your work? I’ve dabbled in different styles to expand my range, though they all tend to have a focus on imagery. I draw a lot of inspiration from the visual arts, like painting and photography. I’m a bit uncomfortable ascribing adjectives to my own work, but people will often say it’s “haunting” or “disturbing but beautiful.” How does life in Korea influence your work? Stories for me are a way of exploring a subject, doing a bit of research and thinking through the different aspects for myself. Life in Korea has influenced me to think about topics like the relationship between city life in Seoul and the countryside, but we can also find universal themes here. Although I’ve written about other places, Korea is a special place for me because of my family connection, and fiction is a way to explore Korea with both my head and my heart. I can take something that I find compelling, like the history of ginseng, and weave it into a story. In your story “Reflections,” you explore plastic surgery and the constructs of beauty in Korea. Why did you choose to write about this? Plastic surgery in Korea has become a hot media topic, with a lot of people talking about it. Stories such as the Miss Korea 2013 beauty pageant went viral, for instance. In the midst of this, sometimes people can be very condemning of these women without critically approaching the context in which they make their decisions. In many ways, a Korean’s decision to go under the knife makes sense when we consider how important appearance is in Korean society, and how they believe that enhancing one’s beauty can significantly affect employment and marriage prospects. There was even a New York Times article that interviewed Korean doctors who said that their main patients are young women who have come to believe they must look good in order to survive. Then there are the direct personal relationships, which can include, perhaps, a fault-finding parent, or a partner who makes you feel inadequate the way that you are.

In “Reflections” I try to provide insight into how society might affect an individual’s reasoning. I also wanted to take into account how easy it is for bystanders to look at a complex situation and crudely simplify it to stereotypes, interpreting it unreflectively according to their preconceived worldview. So I included a scene where international students are making reductionist remarks about “Asian” women, revealing their prejudice. Unfortunately, this is a behavior that I have seen in Korea and abroad. What have people’s reactions been to it? One Korean-American lady said that the narrative resonated deeply with her because she was already tired of the predominant beauty standards that make her feel flawed. Because of her own experiences with conducting fieldwork on Vietnamese marriage migration to Korea, she also brought a perspective that related the dynamic between the stepmother and the automaton character to issues concerning the status and treatment of migrant domestic workers. What I find really interesting is how people interpret the character of the automaton differently. Some see it as an irrational and frightening machine — a monster. Others as a victim that reclaims control — a symbol of resistance. That being said, I think it’s important not to prioritize what other people think and be influenced by it too much. No piece of work can speak to everybody; it’s the nature of any art. Trying to please everyone will only compromise your vision. In “The Man Root” you seem to be exploring something more dark and personal. Do you use writing as a form of catharsis? Yes, writing can be cathartic for me. But some things that might seem like catharsis may just be a decision to do something in the interests of the story. In “The Man Root,” the exploration of themes like human and nature, and gender and power, led me to feel that the climactic scenes would be beneficial to the story’s arc. You have mentioned that some of your stories are being adapted for the screen. Can you share some more about this? I’m lucky to be working with some talented people who are developing my stories into short films. I’m collaborating with filmmaker Carrie Thomas on a film that has come out of “Reflections,” with Gaelle Mourre of the London Film School on “The Feast,” a fantasy allegory with a European setting, and with journalist-videographer Emiko Jozuka on “The House of Locks,” a psychological horror with a transnational twist.

Life in Korea has influenced me to think about topics like the relationship between city life in Seoul and the countryside, but we can also find universal themes here. Where else can you see your writing taking you? I don’t know where my writing will take me, but I’m happy to be a part of something creative. I’m very excited by the possibilities of creativity, and how it is accessible to all of us. Creativity provides us all with the capacity to envision a different reality from the one that we are already embedded in. It frees us to transcend those pressures and rules that may bind us or oppress us, and to see them for what they are: constructs that we have the power to change. Even in the simple act of transporting ourselves to other worlds, temporarily suspending the norms and regulations of our own reality, we are taking a step back. And from this stance we can question the validity of that reality and ask whether it can do with some improving.

More info j www.l-p-lee.com www.annieridd.co.uk

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

rock ‘n’ roll seoul

‘A lot of what triggered my early music was the emotional rawness and intensity of R&B; I still listen to R&B and rap on my downtime.’ J ac qu e s G r e e n e

The emotive power of music

J ac qu e s G r e e n e Column by Sophie Boladeras / Photos courtesy of Jacques Greene

acques Greene recently played a hot, pulsating, all-night-long set at Cakeshop in Seoul. With two albums under his belt so far — a Pitchfork reviewer described his samples as “graduate-level” compared to those by Top 40 heavyweights — the young and enigmatic Montreal native now resides in New York and tours the world playing his house music to enthusiastic club goers. Groove Korea: You are only playing one show in Korea; how did you come across Cakeshop? Jacques Greene: I had heard great things about Cakeshop. I’m from Montreal, and (the club) is owned by Canadians. It started from all this positive hearsay, like that’s the spot you should play at. I never thought I would come to a place this far from home! Did you have any preconceived notions about Korea? I have been really interested in Korea for a long time, especially Korean food. I think a lot of Korean pop is a more abrasive version of American pop, in the way that J-pop can be a weirder version of American pop. Korean food and Korean cinema are really what I’ve been interested in; I was excited to see this really burgeoning city. Seoul is up there with London and New York at this point, so I was really excited to see it. I was walking around the city today and the energy was so palpable — I love it here. So far I am totally smitten.

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How has your music progressed over time? A lot of what triggered my early music was the emotional rawness and intensity of R&B; I still listen to R&B and rap on my downtime. I love how intensely emotive it can be. It doesn’t try to hide under the pretense of pretension. One of my favorite things about music is that you can sit idly and listen to something and just the ideas of frequencies over time can push you to the point where you get shivers or you feel angry or amped up or you want a drink or you wanna kiss someone or you wanna cry. I love this almost hypnotist role that music can have. I think I’ve gotten better at making music that triggers the feelings I want to feel and those that I want to trigger in other people. That’s why I wouldn’t really classify myself as completely dance music. My ideal situation is me just doing two songs: one when you play it and everyone just feels so happy, and the other where everyone just bawls. What kind of music were you exposed to as a child? Beck’s “Mellow Gold” was the main soundtrack of my youth. I remember my mom wouldn’t let me listen to “Mellow Gold” anymore ‘cause I was in the playground as a 7-year-old singing the lyrics to “Loser” — “I’m a loser baby, so why don’t you kill me?” — and my mom was, like, you can’t sing that. I grew up on a diet of grunge and Talking Heads. I went to school with people from so many different backgrounds, and 50 Cent and Aaliyah were the biggest artists in my high school.

When I became aware of Pharrell and Timberland, that was when I became a big addict of pop and R&B. Do you have any exciting collaborations coming up? Last year I released a record with How to Dress Well and we are working on some new stuff right now. I am not that good at collaborating; there are few people I feel really comfortable with. But he and I get on so well, have the same ideas and work well together. Tiga is sort of a hero of mine, and we’ve been working on some music together that I’m really excited about. But for the most part I am a bit of a lone wolf. Creatively, I am a control freak about how I want my music to be perceived and what I want to put out into the world. What is your creative process? I usually do about 90 percent of a song in a few hours, then spend three weeks finishing the last 10 percent. I go through this stress and anxiety about it and try all these different things and question it all.

MUSIC & ARTS Sponsored by

Contributed by HBC Fall Festival 2014

Great big laff

Comedian Brian Aylward kicks off (another) great big Asia c o m e b a c k a t HBC f a l l f e s t i v a l 2 0 1 4

he 2014 HBC Fall Fest will take place Oct. 17-19 in Haebangchon and Gyeongnidan, with the addition of an opening jam session at Thunderhorse tavern on Oct. 16. The HBC Festival is the go-to expat music festival, featuring over 100 live acts in 20 independent venues spread over three days. It’s the largest independent artist showcase in Korea. The festival began in 2006 as a showcase for independent musicians, and is now in its ninth year. A staple of the local economy, the small street in Haebangchon where the action happens is famous as a local expat hangout. This area was further popularized by MBC and SBS showcasing certain restaurants and the unique culture of the area. Gyeongnidan has expanded in a similar way, with a good number of supporters for what is now a Yongsan independent music festival. “I actually see it as something that can become an entire week of indie music from around the world,” hints organizer Lance Reegan-Diehl. The latest addition to the Fest is the return of comedy, with Seoul’s comedy pioneer Brian Aylward making a return performance to HBC Fest during his Asian tour. Aylward started Stand Up Seoul, then continued “onward and Aylward,” as they say. His goal during HBC Fest is to perform a two-hour comedy spot with his old friends at V.F.W. Canteen on Oct. 17 at 10 p.m. after The Kimchi Cowboys open

at 9 p.m. Aylward is also setting his sights on the world comedy record: On Oct. 18, he will perform at every Fall Fest venue, starting at 2 p.m. and going until midnight. His goal is to film and perform short sets at every venue within one day. Street-level acoustic performers will entertain the busy bars, while below ground a plethora of rock, alt-rock, funk, blues and R&B bands will keep the air vibrant until 1 a.m. Once again, meetings with the local authorities bring about caution in the streets. This is still not a street party; revelers are asked to keep the music and the party inside the bars. The police are there to help people move and keep the traffic moving. Signs will be posted once again about traffic caution and being supportive of the local peace officers who are there to help. The festival is organized and paid for by local businesses to give independent artists a place to play, and to rejuvenate the local area once again. “The festival would not be a success without the perseverance of indie musicians out there, and the open mind and support of the local business owners that I have in this area,” says Reegan-Diehl. “I hope for the future that more owners and musicians see the benefit of supporting the festival and the efforts of my company DEELEEBOB Music.” T-shirts will be sold for 12,000 won to support the festival, available in Haebangchon right next to Fix pub. The DLB tent will sell T-shirts, fliers, maps and other festival items.

More info j HBC Fall Festival 2014 When: Oct. 17-19 Where: Haebangchon and Gyeongnidan How much: Free Website: www.hbcfest.com

Bands:

Solo/duo artists:

Max Reynolds A Couple of Cents Flat Diamond Randy Reno Kimchi Cowboys Studs Lonigan Experience The Bedsheets Jesper Kite Flying Robot Brett Elliot Band Boys in The Kitchen The Primary Reasco Drop Dead Valentine Triptych J.Han Laybricks Just-in Beavers Colin Phils Seoul City Suicides Sticky Fingers Pentasonic Diamond Dogs Tampas Dusk Sighborggggg

Brian Aylward The Two Guitars Yvon Malenfant Danny Valiant Brett Elliott Acoustic Adrian Smith Maggie Crossett Maggie’s Farm Geoff Goodman EARL John Redmond Mahavir Craig and Kira Cannibal Heart The Dukes of Heartbreak Pinadi Tony Boyd Michael Burkhardt Jordan Stewart Tony Hall Ben Akers John Valentine

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

Artistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Journey

Interview with Dan Wiberg, comedian Column by Wilfred Lee / Photo by Hannah Green

100 www.groovekorea.com / October 2014

rowing up enjoying the beautiful beaches of Tampa Bay, Florida, Dan Wiberg came across an Internet ad to teach in Asia in 2009 and has been in Korea ever since. Since breaking into comedy, he has parlayed his stand-up skills into being an opening act for such comedians as Tom Rhodes, Glenn Wool, Ben Kronberg and Danny Cho. Wiberg does a weekly Top 5 Internet review with NetSideBar.com, and is the creator of the Seoul International Comedy Competition, an unprecedented event that kicked off in August. He and Chance Dorland run the “Chance & Dan Do Korea” podcast, which presents a live monthly show in Itaewon, Seoul. He also played Hitler for a Korean TV history show. Artist’s Journey’s Wilfred Lee sat down with Wiberg to talk about breaking into comedy, meeting one’s idols and the perks of being fearless about the “dark stuff.”

Artist’s Journey: How did you get into comedy? Dan Wiberg: As far back as I can remember, I’ve loved comedy. Well, at least funny things. I think I always wanted to give standup a try, but never really had the opportunity or confidence to do it. After moving to Korea I heard there was comedy going on in Seoul, and the Stand Up Seoul group actually came down to Bundang, where I was living at the time, to put on a show. It definitely got me motivated to finally give stand-up a try. I got some advice from a couple of the comics and eventually gave it a shot at an open mic at Tony’s in Itaewon. What’s your writing process like? Most of the jokes I come up with are usually random thoughts I have. Some of it comes as a kind of response to something I hear or read, or during a chat with someone. I’ve found that a lot of the new material I write is based off my past jokes, whether it’s planned or not, so it’s sort of always evolving — or devolving, depending on if you like my jokes or not. What has it been like to perform comedy in Korea? It’s been really exciting and has changed my life. I’ve met some really awesome and unique people that I never would’ve met if it weren’t for comedy. Having the opportunity to travel around Korea with a bunch of my funny-ass, bastard friends just to tell jokes to a room full of strangers will be some of the greatest moments of my life. I’ve had the chance to perform with some great professional comics, like Tom Rhodes, who has always been a favorite of mine. Talking about all this, I wish I would have started doing stand-up a long time ago, like the moment I first considered it. What is the comedy scene like in Korea? I think I started right when the scene took off. That definitely had nothing to do with me, but I think that because of Stand Up Seoul having regular shows and touring, it gave people like me the chance to get on stage. Stand Up Seoul has their monthly comic showcase on the first Thursday of the month at Rocky Mountain Tavern in Itaewon. I remember when I first started, they had a sign-up list and were asking people in the crowd if anyone wanted to get up and try some jokes. Now there are so many comics in Seoul that only a few get to perform each month. It really shows the growth of the comedy scene, not just in Seoul. Busan has a big comedy scene as well, and those guys and Stand Up Seoul have done a lot together to really make comedy in Korea what it is now. With pros coming to Korea multiple times a year, I only see comedy in Korea getting more and more popular, maybe to the point where it’s a normal stop for all pros on an Asian tour.

What was the best show you’ve performed so far? I’d have to say the first time I opened for Tom Rhodes. That was huge. Sharing the stage with a comedian like Tom was something really special. I can’t thank Stand Up Seoul enough for giving me the opportunity to do that. That was a pretty unique weekend, anyway. I broke up with my (now) soon-to-be wife, got in a drunken bar fight, then opened for Tom Rhodes the following night. I have the video of that performance, and watching it now I can see how much I have improved at just being comfortable and confident on stage. I don’t think it was the best performance I’ve had to date, but it was definitely the biggest comedy milestone for me.

‘With pros coming to Korea multiple times a year, I only see comedy in Korea getting more and more popular, maybe to the point where it’s a normal stop for all pros on an Asian tour.’ Dan Wiberg

Who influences you in your comedy and why? I’m 33 going on 70. There are a lot of older comics I still enjoy, like Richard Pryor, Don Rickles and Rodney Dangerfield, but I think the ones who have influenced me the most as a comedian are Dave Attell, Norm Macdonald and Dave Chappelle. Attell (has been) my favorite comic, probably ever since I saw him live in Tampa in 2007. His album “Skanks for the Memories” is one of the greatest things in history — dare I say, greater than the Bible? His material is dark but so damn funny, and his crowd work is incredible. He seems to want the crowd to shout out random things during shows. Norm Macdonald I like because of the way he tells jokes and speaks to people. He’s a great joke writer, and also really dark. Dave Chappelle’s “Killin’ Them Softly” album came out at the perfect time in my life. His material, mannerisms and voices are really great and I think the album played a big part in my mindset of comedy. He hit everything: race, death, drugs, whatever. All the dark stuff.

More info j Seoul International Comedy Competition www.fb.com/seoulcomedycompetition Chance & Dan Do Korea www.fb.com/DoKoreaPodCast itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/chance-and-dan-do-korea NetSideBar netsidebar.com/author/dwiberg Twitter @danwiberg Instagram @thedanwiberg

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

AT THE BOX OFFICE THE BIG SCREEN Preview by Dean Crawford

Gone Girl

Directed by David Fincher October 16

Shortly after Josh Brolin was announced as the voice of Marvel supervillain Thanos in “Guardians of the Galaxy,” he mentioned his excitement at working with the multimedia entertainment giant, saying he loved that “they didn’t use directors that did music videos” and “would always look for people who had done stories.” This sentiment surprised me, and I wondered if Brolin really knew what he was talking about. It seems like he’s forgotten that some of the most visionary filmmakers in the business got their start in music: Mark Romanek, Spike Jonze, Michel Gondry, Jonathan Glazer and even Michael Bay all used MTV to launch their careers, and there is arguably none more talented than David Fincher, director of modern classics such as “Se7en” (1995), “Fight Club” (1999) and “The Social Network” (2010). Fincher returns this October with the thriller “Gone Girl,” which is based on Gillian Flynn’s international bestseller of the same name.

The November Man

Just as Fincher’s remake of “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” (2011) stayed pretty close to the book on which it was based, it appears as if his version of “Gone Girl” will remain true to its source material as well. Originally published in 2012, the thriller follows a man whose wife has disappeared, and whose composure begins to crack under the media’s intense speculation that he is the one responsible. Fincher has been quoted saying that he rewrote the ending, which should give book readers an added incentive to watch (or perhaps not, depending on how much you loved the book). As for Brolin’s justification for his prejudice toward music video directors — I’m still unconvinced, especially when you consider some of the talent that has come out of that world. In any case, I’m pretty sure Brolin would have loved having one of them directing him in “Jonah Hex” (2010), a box office flop that could have used both more style and more substance.

Directed by Roger Donaldson October 16

Action / Thriller U.S.

The lead-up to Oscar season can be an increasingly frustrating time for film fans in Korea. Blockbusters aside, it’s not uncommon to have to wait a few extra months for the releases of certain films, or even years in the case of “You’re Next” (2011). This leaves October feeling somewhat light when it comes to foreign releases, which should help David Fincher’s “Gone Girl” but doesn’t do much for us avid cinemagoers. I’ve been looking forward to Matthew Vaughn’s latest offering, “Kingsman: The Secret Service,” because if he could do to spies what he did to superheroes with “Kick Ass” (2010), we would all be in for a treat. But the release date has been pushed back to February — never a good sign — so instead I’m going to have to settle for another spy film, “The November Man,” featuring James Bond himself, Pierce Brosnan. Based on Bill Granger’s 1987 novel “There Are No Spies,” “The November Man” follows former CIA agent Peter Devereaux as he is brought out of retirement for one last mis-

sion: to protect witness Alice Fournier (“Bond” girl Olga Kurylenko). Because of Devereaux’s insider knowledge of a former CIA job gone wrong, he is declared an enemy of the organization, which sends his former best friend and protégée (Luke Bracey) to hunt him down and kill him. The film doesn’t appear to have any discernible edge that could elevate it above the other spy films that have come out as of late, such as “Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit” (2014) or Tom Cruise’s “Jack Reacher” (2012), yet “The November Man’s” sequel has been green lit even before the first film’s release. That’s a very strange move, considering Pierce Brosnan isn’t exactly Tom Cruise, who himself is having trouble getting the “Jack Reacher” sequel off the ground. Here’s hoping the confidence the producers are showing in the film means that the finished product resembles something that can rival Bond, Bourne and the rest. Even if it can’t measure up, at least there will be something for us to watch this month.

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

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Mystery / Thriller U.S.

KOREaN DVD CORNER THE SMALL SCREEN Review by Dean Crawford

Drama 128 minutes

Every so often a movie bulldozes its way into popular culture and becomes both a critical and financial phenomenon. One such film is Kim Han-min’s “The Admiral: Roaring Currents,” starring Choi Min-sik as Admiral Yi Sun-sin. Set during the famous battle of Myeongnyang, the film tells the story of how 12 Korean ships overtook a Japanese fleet of more than 300 in the 16th century. Just 18 days after its release, the movie became an unprecedented success. It overtook “Avatar” (2009) to become the most-watched movie of all time in Korea, and broke several other records in the process. At the time of this writing, the film had topped 17 million admissions. Given that Korea is a country of 50 million people, that is a staggering achievement. I did wonder whether these records had more to with the nationalistic subject matter than the quality of the finished film. However, I’m pleased to say that the film is solid, mainly due to the direction from Han and the performance of Choi. The veteran actor plays Yi as a stoic,

Directed by Kim Han-min PG-13

Roaring Currents 명량

troubled hero plagued by spirits, rather than as a god-like character on a pedestal. As the plot develops, Yi has to continually deal with doubts from his men, who feel his plan is near suicide. They revolt and even try to assassinate him. But he is not afraid to kill his men or set fire to his town to prove his point and rile his troops. Even his son asks him why he continues to fight, to which Yi simply replies, “Loyalty.” That is the essence of Choi’s character on screen; it’s a multifaceted portrayal of one of Korea’s greatest heroes. The final battle is huge, with one sequence being a single, uninterrupted take that pans around a large ship while hundreds of extras fight below. Despite knowing the outcome of the skirmish, I still managed to lose myself in the spectacle. Though I still prefer Han’s “War of the Arrows” (2011), there is no doubting that “Roaring Currents” is an impressive film. And much like the boats in Yi’s armada, the film shows no signs of slowing down.

Sci-fi / Action 125 minutes

Directed by Bong Joon-ho PG-13

With “Roaring Currents” becoming the most successful film in Korean history, I wanted a good companion piece for this month’s review section. The film I’ve been saving for the occasion is Bong Joon-ho’s instant classic, “Snowpiercer” (2013). Set aboard a self-sustaining, never-ending train that holds what’s left of the Earth’s population after a global warming experiment gone wrong, those at the front of the train live in luxury while those in the back live in squalor. Curtis (Chris Evans) leads a rebellion to demand better conditions from the train’s mysterious creator, Wilfred. “Snowpiercer” isn’t just one of the best Korean films I saw last year, but one of the best films I saw, period. What makes it so special is that, despite the premise, it feels so real, with social disparity being in the news more than ever, along with uprisings and police brutality. Whether we realize it or not, looking at “Snowpiercer” is like looking at ourselves, and that’s the skill that

Bong Joon-ho possesses as a master director. “Snowpiercer” also contains one of the best action sequences I’ve seen in a long time. The battle for the water tank is tense, violent and brutal, yet humorous at the same time. It would have been so easy to over- or underplay the scene, but the balance is perfect. The most surprising aspect about the film was the performance by Chris Evans. He is fantastic as Curtis and the depth of emotion he manages to display in what could easily have been written off as a simple action film is impressive. Those who don’t rate him highly as an actor need to take a look at one of the monologues he delivers to his costar; framed in a close-up that leaves Evans with nowhere to hide, it’s emotional and compelling stuff. With “Snowpiercer” finally getting a full North American release, I certainly hope it gains traction with audiences abroad and is a reminder to anyone who hasn’t seen the film to please go out and do so.

Snowpiercer 설국열차

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CAPTURING KOREA Edited by Elaine Ramirez (elaine@groovekorea.com)

104 www.groovekorea.com / October 2014

Freedom

in the foliage Namiseom glows in autumn Photos by Marco Devon / Interview by Dylan Goldby

105

CAPTURING KOREA Edited by Elaine Ramirez (elaine@groovekorea.com)

106 www.groovekorea.com / October 2014

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CAPTURING KOREA Edited by Elaine Ramirez (elaine@groovekorea.com)

108 www.groovekorea.com / October 2014

arco Devon uses photography as a way to keep himself occupied while traveling, and the process of seeking out interesting subjects and eye-pleasing angles helps anchor him to the present moment. While the South African opts for street photography and portraiture over landscape photography, he finds inspiration at the golden hour in Namiseom in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province.

Groove Korea: Introduce yourself: the man and the photographer. Marco Devon: I’m from South Africa and used to be a network engineer before becoming an English instructor in South Korea. I started photography in 2012. I knew absolutely nothing about photography at the time; I just enjoyed looking at images for hours on end. Eventually, I decided to actively pursue photography as a means to keep my mind occupied while being in another country by myself, and it basically snowballed from there. I really appreciate and respect art tremendously, which is why I try to incorporate it into my images as often as I can. I’ve never really been a fan of landscape photography, but street photography and portraiture is another story. That (type of work) really gets me excited because I feel like I can engage with it more on a personal level. Why visit Namiseom at this time of year? Namiseom is great to visit in the fall because of the beautiful display of foliage. The autumn leaves have already started appearing, and coupled with a beautiful surrounding landscape they really are spectacular. I wish I could tell you a time to go to Namiseom when it isn’t busy, but unfortunately such a time doesn’t exist. The island served as the main filming location for the TV show “Winter Sonata,” which aired in 2002. As a result, it’s inundated with tourists, particularly Japanese and Chinese people as the show was most famous in those countries. Do you have any favorite spots on the island that lend themselves well to photography? There are many, many good spots. The lanes are all very aesthetically pleasing, and there is even a main stage where concerts are held. I had the luxury of watching an amateur band there once, which was followed by a magic show. I enjoyed the Hands-on Learning Center, too. You can get up close and personal with glass makers and potters. As a photographer, you can always appreciate it when the subject you’re photographing doesn’t care if you’re pointing a lens at them. So for me, that was my favorite place to shoot because it was far more interesting.

What’s the best time of day to shoot Namiseom and why? I would seriously recommend late afternoon, just before golden hour. There are many trees, which means a lot of shadows that are very harsh and distracting, but the golden hour makes the island come alive. I find it more intimate during that time. That’s not to say that other hours are a definite “no”; I just had very little inspiration to shoot some areas during the day. While it’s an easy day trip from Seoul, how can one make a weekend trip out of Gapyeong? While at Namiseom, all the adrenaline junkies can give Zip Wire a try. The island and surrounding areas, including Cheongpyeong Lake in Gapyeong, also have many options for water sports. If you’re after something more chilled out, then hopping over to the Garden of the Morning Calm is a must. There is a beautiful light display at night during the winter. If you like museums and want to feel like you’re in France, then check out Petite France. It’s small but worth a look. They have occasional performances and exhibitions. I would recommend checking the schedule before visiting, though. More info j Website: www.fb.com/marcodevonphotography

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110

COMICS

Games

EASy

Crossword - Sudoku

Medium

Across 1. Spell 5. Adhesive 9. Low in volume 13. People of the Arctic 15. Wander 16. Salt, perhaps 17. Chop into small bits 18. Vexed 20. Lauded 22. Covered with fat 23. Trudge 24. Expose to public scorn

25. Environment 28. Sedimentary rock 29. Weird 31. Canvas cover 35. Reggae relative 36. Gossip columnist Graham 39. Enemy 40. Part of a split personality 42. Bird balker 44. Demean 47. Criminals 48. Having feelings

51. Cat call 52. “Key Largo” actress Trevor 53. Neatened 57. Star in Taurus 59. Container for liquids 60. Architect __ van der Rohe 61. Ocean liner? 62. Flower part 63. Sprightly 64. Ova 65. Dexterous

19. Of more than average height 21. Irish county 24. Taxonomic divisions 25. Boiled meal 26. Black 27. Be in front 28. Cake serving 30. “Siddhartha” author 32. 60’s hairdo 33. Swindle 34. Sunday seats 37. Curvilinear 38. Extravagant behavior 41. Most lenient

43. Cringed 45. Pointed remark 46. Drill bit? 48. Rascal 49. Songwriter Greenwich 50. Consumer advocate Ralph 51. Watches 53. Sharp taste 54. Deceive 55. Air service 56. Skin 58. Disdained newspaper

HArd

Down 1. Fourth dimension 2. Computer operating system 3. Litter’s littlest 4. Capital of Cyprus 5. “Peer Gynt Suite” composer 6. “Little __ Fauntleroy” 7. Former Mideast inits. 8. Iago’s wife 9. Vivid red 10. Exceed 11. Less constrained 12. Lingerie item 14. Bank employees

Evil

Easy

Medium

HARD

EVIL

SEPTEMBER AnswerS

Crossword

COLUMN • YONSEI UNIversity dental hospital

Dental practices for children Soothing a child’s nerves during dental procedures

hile visiting a dental clinic can be a source of minor anxiety for adult patients, for children the trip can be outright frightening. Some pediatric dentists give out candy to try and ease their young patients’ nerves, but this obviously can’t become a habit, as candy induces tooth decay. I’d like to share some of my professional expertise on getting the best out of your child’s behavior at their upcoming dental checkups.

Helping children get the best care

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

First, try using a calm yet stern manner in explaining the necessity of dental care. Tell them about the procedure, let them touch the equipment and point out other well-behaved children in the dentist’s office. Turning on a cartoon may also help. Children who are over age 3 can communicate with the staff, so allowing the hygienist to speak to the child (in a similarly relaxing but direct tone) is also effective. Of course, if the child behaves well, giving compliments and balloons is a must. A second option for children in extreme duress is having a parent or staff member help hold them in place. This is usually done while assuring the child that everything will be fine and that the procedure will be over soon, but because the restraint is usually done against their will, there is concern that it might lead to injury or mental trauma. As a result, this should be used as a last resort. A third possibility worth considering is sedation, namely, the use of laughing gas (nitrous oxide) or an oral supplement (pocral syrup, midazolam, etc.). Though only turned

to under extreme circumstances, these options have the dual benefit of both improving efficiency and preventing the children from having bad memories of the procedure. Sedation can be induced either lightly or in stronger doses, depending on the circumstances. Finally, general anesthesia may be used. Though this option might look scary, the procedure is both safe and efficient: The child will have no memory of the event, the needles or the sounds — nothing. This is especially helpful for children who will be receiving invasive treatment or multiple procedures. The safest way, however, is to undergo the procedure without sedatives, but if this is going to be too harsh on the child, we have to move on to sedation or general anesthesia. If carried out with care and precaution, these methods are not a risk to the patient’s safety.

Sedation: Is it really safe? The substances used for sedative treatments are known to be very safe when administered by professionals in a clinical setting. It should be noted that children with conditions such as allergic rhinitis, tonsillitis, obstructive sleep apnea syndrome or even a runny nose should avoid sedative treatments. In addition, the child should not eat or drink anything six hours prior to sedation, as many sedatives have the potential to cause vomiting. Sedative treatment is a double-edged sword; it adds to the convenience of modern medicine, but accidents can happen if it is carried out incorrectly. Like many medical procedures, sedative treatment is a helpful tool if the best practice guidelines are followed accordingly.

JE SEON SONG, DDS, Ph.D. Associate Professor, Department of Pediatric Dentistry Yonsei University College of Dentistry

LISTINGS

Edited by Sean Choi (sean@groovekorea.com)

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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

070-7504-8090

Oriental massage spa in Itaewon at a reasonable price.

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

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.

Plateau (02) 1577-7595 • 50 Taepyung-ro 2-ga, FITNESS Jung-gu, Seoul Reebok Crossfit Sentinel 10 a.m.-6 p. m. Closed on Mondays. (02) 790-0801 • reebokcrossfitsentinel.com National Museum of Modern and Exxl Fitness Contemporary Art, Seoul (MMCA SEOUL) Gangnam Finance Center, 737 Yeoksamdong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul (02) 3701-9500 • 30 Samcheong-ro, • www.exxl.co.kr Sogyeok-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul Body & Seoul 010-6397-2662 • www.seoulmartialarts.com UROLOGY & OB Tower Urology (02) 2277-6699 • 5th fl. 119 Jongno 3-ga, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Daegu Art Museum (053) 790-3000 • 374 Samdeok-dong, Suseong-gu, Daegu Art space for local culture presenting Daegu’s contemporary fine arts and internationally renowned artists.

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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

DONKATSU

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.

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

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

OCTOber 2014

March 20 - April 20

A family member may need a fiscal favor. Your generosity will go a long way. An unexpected turn of events could force you to cancel weekend plans. You may have to undo something you did midmonth. Procrastination may be the key. Keep a positive outlook.

Taurus

April 21 - May 21

Keep emotions in check at work, or you could soil your professional image. Think twice before being totally honest with a loved one. A little white lie isn’t so bad if it spares someone’s feelings. A difficult choice comes later in the month. Libra plays a significant role.

Gemini

May 22 - June 21

Something you’ve wondered about for some time will become crystal clear. You’ll realize that some things are more subtle than others. Plans for an upcoming trip need your attention. Try not to leave everything until the last minute. A strange coincidence on a Friday proves meaningful.

Cancer

June 22 - July 22

In a rut lately, Cancer? Don’t be afraid to explore new social options. When’s the last time you acted like a tourist in your own town? Try something new. If you’re looking for a new job, this could be a lucky time. Travel plans look promising. Unexpected cash comes your way.

Leo

July 23 - August 23

Has love led you into a difficult bind? If so, there’s only one way out – honesty. Look deep inside yourself to figure out what it is you really want – not just now, but in the future. You may be surprised. Virgo plays a role. A last-minute invitation sets the tone for the month.

Virgo August 24 - September 23

A situation that seemed horrible a few months back is actually bearable now. You’ll realize that time heals all wounds. If resentment is tearing a friendship apart, it may be time to talk things out. Keep flexible weekend plans. Something unusual happens later in the month.

Scorpio

October 24 - November 22

A loved one who’s down in the dumps needs some encouragement from you. Be kind and diplomatic with your words – especially if you’re trying to cheer up an Aries. A change at work could be just the beginning of a new stage. You may want to reassess your career goals.

Sagittarius

November 23 - December 21

A family member who had disappointed you in the past will do something to redeem himself/herself. You’ll be pleasantly surprised. A busier-than-usual social schedule gives the month some extra flavor. Make fitness a priority – especially if you have been tipping the scales.

Capricorn

December 22 - January 19

At work, don’t assume you’ll get the help and support you need. You must speak up if you want to be heard. Happiness comes with a high price tag in love this month. You’ll find that nothing good comes easily. Long-awaited news will finally come with a surprising outcome.

Libra

September 24 - October 23

You can put a stop to a bad situation by simply speaking up. You can’t expect loved ones to read your mind. They need to know how you feel. A trial situation will work out better than you had anticipated. Now’s the time to implement positive change. Go the extra mile when working on an important project.

Aquarius

January 20 - February 18

Get extra rest early in the month, or you could find yourself tapped out later when you need your energy. A work associate may try to drag you down with negativity. Don’t let it happen. Keep your usual positive attitude. An upcoming change gives you a lot to think about.

Pisces

February 19 - March 19

A family member shows you a side you never knew existed. You’ll wonder what else there is that you don’t know about. A love relationship may need some nurturing. Loving words and a tender touch go a long way. Meditation lifts stress from the daily grind.