16 minute read
Th e End is Near
▲ Figure 1. The various names for Korea’s end-of-year parties.
The End Is Near!
Advertisement
Mangnyeon-hoe
As the end of the year approaches in Korea, it is customary for groups of friends to gather around a table for dinner, conversation, remembrances, gaiety, and often alcoholic beverages. Over the years, as Korea has transformed as a nation, the name by which these get-togethers have gone has also experienced change. Prof. Shin Sang-soon wrote about this in his The Korean Way column in the January 2006 issue of the Gwangju News. That article, “Mangnyeon-hoe, the Year-End Party,” with some additions, has been resurrected for this end-of-year issue of our magazine. — Ed.
As the end of a year nears, many Koreans, especially Koreans had to endure throughout any single year in those in the 20–50 age bracket, will feel obliged those times, there is little wonder that people wanted to to attend several social gatherings at which some forget the bad times that they had endured, and the name kind of alcoholic beverage, strong or mild, depending on for these year-end get-togethers stuck: mangnyeon-hoe. the occasion, is likely to be served. The meeting will be of school classmates, alumni, colleagues, or of business As Korea was transforming from the underdeveloped associates, friends from the same childhood village nation of the 1950s and 1960s into a developing nation or town, or other affinity group. If the get-togethers in the 1970s, industrialization was taking hold and the take place in the latter half of December, one may have decade began to record double-digit annual growth rates. something scheduled for almost every other day. By Life was not as harsh – indoor plumbing was no longer their nature, these meetings may be generalized as year- unheard of and portable TV sets were appearing in living end gatherings to reconfirm friendship with each other. rooms for the first time. People began to have a more These end-of-year events have gone by various monikers positive outlook on life, and this positivity began a trend in Korea. The first of these was mangnyeon-hoe (망년회; to change the Chinese characters for mangnyeon-hoe (see see No. 1 in Figure 1), whose Chinese characters give it No. 2). With a single character change for mang, the morethe literal meaning “forget-the-year meet.” upbeat meaning of mangnyeon-hoe was transformed into This name was widely used in the colonial days when “looking-forward-to-the-coming-year meet.” times were tough for Koreans while under the heavy- Since the two terms (No. 1 and No. 2) were homophones handed rule of Imperial Japan. Almost immediately and their meanings referred to the same year-end event, after the end of colonial rule, the Korean War (1950– the only real discrepancy came when writing them. At 1953) broke out and devastated much of the already- the time, Chinese characters were still widely used in the impoverished peninsula. With all of the hardships that print media – instead of the Hangeul alphabet (especially
While the written form of mangnyeon-hoe had changed in Chinese characters, when written in Hangeul, which was gradually replacing Chinese characters in newspapers and elsewhere, form No. 1 and form No. 2 were pronounced the same. This made it difficult to dispel the negative connotation connected to mangnyeon-hoe No. 1. This situation initiated another name change, again changing only the first character of this year-end affair. Mang was changed to song (see No. 3), newly naming the long-established event as songnyeon-hoe (송년회). This new label, literally meaning “send-off-the-year meet,” no longer carried the negative connotation or the original denotation of mangnyeon-hoe, and better represented the more sanguine times Korea was experiencing as it began its metamorphosis into an advanced nation.
As the new millennium rolled in, so did some new terminology: yeongshin-hoe (영신회, “welcome-thenew-year meet”). This term, however, lacked the staying power of any of its predecessors, losing out to its firmly established predecessor, songnyeon-hoe. A variant of yeongshin-hoe does live on, though, in the term for the early morning Christian worship service on the first day of the new year: yeongshin-yebae (영신예배).
Another recent attempt at changing the event’s name has also been undertaken due to the problem arising from the way in which some year-end party participants consume alcohol. At some of these get-togethers, the attendees take pride in downing strong drink. As a starter, they gulp down what is called poktan-ju (폭탄주, “bombdrink,” i.e., a bomb shot or depth charge), a glass of beer with a shot of soju, or whiskey, added. In turns, everyone at the drinking table is often required to scarf down their “bomb.” The atmosphere is such that no one can resist. Some males fear that their failure to comply would put their manhood into question. A few rounds of drinking these “bombs” is enough to make the party-goers intoxicated. After the party, it is common to proceed to a nearby norae-bang (노래방), a karaoke singing room, to vent any and all pent-up frustrations or express their joys by singing loudly to give the culminating year a thunderous send-off.
Considering the aftermath of such drinking bouts, it is said that a law enforcement officer introduced a quite novel term for the year-end occurrences (No. 5), which is pronounced the same as Nos. 1 and 2 (mangnyeonhoe) but has Chinese characters that give it the meaning “spoil/ruin-the-year meet.” He warned against drinking excessively during this festive time of the year even though it was not customary to leave drink out of the jovial occasion. According to him, out of the annual traffic accidents caused by drinking, the accident rate at the end of the year and at the beginning of the new year was the highest. Statistics issued by the Traffic Security Administration bore this out. Although the Gwangju area marked the lowest traffic accident rate among the major cities in 2004, out of the total traffic accidents of 220,755 in Korea that year, 25,150 (11.4%) cases were caused by drunken diving. Out of these, fatal cases were 875, comprising 13.3% of the total traffic deaths of 6,563 for the year. Korea had notoriously been a world leader in traffic deaths. [In recent years, however, Korea’s traffic deaths have dropped significantly, falling to 3,349 in 2019.]
The law enforcement officer disclosed his anguish in having to deal with traffic accidents and the suffering they caused. He had a philosophy of his own, saying that punishment alone was not a sufficient remedy to the problem. Along with strict enforcement of the traffic laws related to drinking and driving, the officer suggested a measure that would permanently reflect the offender’s evolvement in a traffic accident (similar to the registering of sex offenders in the U.S.). After all, one should be aware of the dangers of falling into the temptation of driving under the influence and thinking that one will manage to avoid any police checks. Irresponsible drinking and driving in connection with year-end parties can turn the jubilant event into a mangnyeon-hoe in the ruinous sense of No. 5!
Over the years, as more and more people have become car owners, the amounts and frequency that car owners drink appears to have been decreasing. After drinking, the responsible car owner may leave their car in the parking lot and take a taxi home. Or they may call a driver service to come and drive the car, and its owner with a high blood alcohol level, home safely.
May your songnyeon-hoe this year be a responsible and a safe one.
Original article written by Shin Sang-soon. Adapted from the original by David Shaffer.
Old Uniform Experience On the Suncheon Drama Film Set
Suncheon Dram Film Set
Written and photographed by Emmanuela Sabatini
The Korean Wave is real! As a foreigner who loves to watch Korean dramas and movies, I have become interested in visiting filming locations. Fortunately, I have had the chance to pursue my master’s degree in Korea since 2018. While studying, I have also spent some of my time visiting filming locations in Korea, and one of those places is the Suncheon Drama Film Set (순천드라마촬영장) in South Jeolla Province.
The Suncheon Drama Film Set is a film set creating a background of Korea in the 1960–1980s. This place is divided into three villages, Seoul Street in the 1980s, Seoul Bongcheon-dong in the 1970s, and Suncheon in the 1960s. The Suncheon Drama Film Set has become popular as a tourist attraction after many Korean dramas, movies, variety shows, and K-pop MVs (music videos) were shot there. Among them are Gangnam Blues (1970), Love and Ambition (2006), East Eden (2008), Running Man (2012), Ode to My Father (2014) and Monsta-X MV (2016). available at the film set. There are various uniforms to rent, including black and blue school uniforms and also military and training uniforms for men. Women can use the men’s uniforms if they want, and my friends chose to wear the military training uniforms. I chose a black
school girl’s uniform, which was the general uniform worn at school in Korea in the 1970s. Th e rental price is 2,500 won for 1.5 hours; the use of other accessories such as bags, hats, and headbands are subject to an additional charge.
Th e uniform rental building is located in the Seoul Street of the 1980s village area, right aft er the entrance. Th ere is also a big theater in the center where scenes of dramas and movies fi lmed there are shown, creating a feeling of nostalgia. We also went to the game center and House of Disco, where we felt the sensation of old disco from the 1980s!
As a highlight of the Suncheon Drama Film Set, we went to the Seoul Bongcheon-dong village area of the 1970s. Th ere we could see a hill of housing. We also did a little bit of hiking to get to the top where you can see all the areas of the fi lm set from above! Finally, do not forget to visit the village representing Suncheon of the 1960s, which is used as the set for South Korea aft er the Korean War.
It is very easy to visit the Suncheon Drama Film Set because it is located in Suncheon City. Aft er arriving at Suncheon Bus Terminal or Suncheon Station, take buses 71, 777, or 991 to the fi lm set. It will take about 30–40 minutes to arrive there. So, would you like to feel the sensation of Korea in the old days?
▲ Suncheon Dram Film Set display.
The Author
Emmanuela Sabatini is originally from Jakarta, Indonesia. She graduated with a master’s from Keimyung University, Daegu, and is currently doing an internship at the Gwangju International Center. Meanwhile, she is enjoying her new life in Gwangju and is ready to visit many places in South Jeolla Province. You can follow her travels at www.emmasabatini.com
Support the GIC! Be a Member!
Th e Gwangju International Center (GIC) is a nonprofi t organization established in 1999 to promote cultural understanding and to build a better community among Koreans and international residents. By being a member, you can help support our mission and make things happen! Join us today and receive exciting benefi ts! • One-year free subscription and delivery of the
Gwangju News magazine. • Free use of the GIC library. • Free interpretation and counseling services from the GIC. • Discounts on programs and events held by the
GIC. • Up-to-date information on GIC events through our email newsletter.
Annual Membership Fee
General: 40,000 won; Student: 20,000 won; Group: 20,000 won (min. 10 persons). Inquiry: member@gic.or.kr / 062-226-2733
Th e Gwangju News has been serving the community since 2001 by delivering news and information to the international communities of Gwangju. Send the Gwangju News to your family and friends back home, and let them know about Gwangju!
Annual Subcription Rates
• Asia and Australia: 40,000 won (US $40) • Europe: 50,000 won (US $50) • America, Africa: 60,000 won (US $60)
Payment can be made through bank transfer, cash, or Paypal.
Bank Transfer: Kwangju Bank (사)광주국제교류센터: 134-107-000999 Paypal: gic@gic.or.kr Inquiry: gwangjunews@gic.or.kr or 062-226-2733
A Chuseok Adventure inGeoje
▲ Inside Oedo Nursey Café. ▲ Wahyeon Beach, a view of our pension and favorite coffee shop, Blanc Blu.
Written and photographed by Maria Moschini
With summer very quickly coming to an end, we were headed for a Western-style restaurant called Spoons, decided that we absolutely had to get a beach which we learned was known for delicious sandwiches vacation in before that. We looked at the and paninis. What I really liked about this place was that map and did some research on a road trip-worthy place there were lots of options on the menu and the food was and found Geoje Island, which is in the province east of super fresh. After lunch and a quick grocery stop at Lotte Jeollanam-do, called Gyeongsangnam-do. Geoje is the Mart (also in Okpo), we decided that it was time to head second biggest island in South Korea and is easy enough for our pension. to get to by bus or car. From Gangjin, armed with loads of snacks and a road trip playlist, it took us just under Our pension was called Sun Mind Pension, located right three hours to drive there. The drive was easy with only across the road from Wahyeon Beach. We managed to a handful of tollgates, hardly any traffic, and beautiful book it through Airbnb quite easily. The host was really scenery. accommodating and her response time was good. It We arrived around lunchtime and went straight to one of which was equipped with two outside tables, two Oedo Nursery Café, which is located in an area called barbecues, and a good view of the beach across the road. Irun, close to Gujora Beach. This was one of the most Since most of our group was South African, we decided picture-perfect cafés that I have been to here in Korea. that it was necessary to have a South African style braai, It had plants everywhere, wooden beam ceilings, and so we spent most of our first evening on the balcony loads of windows, giving you the feeling that you are in with some good food and music. Geoje is a well-known a greenhouse. The window at the counter was filled with holiday destination among Koreans and foreigners alike, some interesting-looking rainbow cakes, but I decided so it was not long before we found some other foreigners to go for a simple slice of lemon cheesecake and an iced and spent the rest of the evening sitting on the beach, Americano. We decided to take advantage of the sunny watching the fireworks. day and beautiful view of Gujora Beach and went outside accommodated eight people and had two balconies – where there were ample seating and umbrellas for those The next morning, we were up early and visited a café looking for a bit of shade. We met up with some friends close to our pension called Blanc Blu, which was run by there and spent ages sitting outside, catching up, and the friendliest English-speaking family and had really enjoying the view. great cappuccinos. These became our morning staple for the rest of the time we spent there. For our first morning Next on our list was Okpo, which is the downtown area there, we decided to go to the Prisoner of War Camp and filled with loads of shops, restaurants, clubs, and bars. We do the rollercoaster zipline but, since it was Chuseok, it
▲ Okpo Park was closed, so we made our way to Hakdong Mongdol Beach. It was the fi rst time that I had visited a pebble beach and, although I found it underwhelming and quite diffi cult to walk on, it is one of the things that Geoje is well known for. Next on our list was Th e Windy Hill, which is a grass-covered hill that is famous for its giant windmill, views of the sea, and surrounding islands, and which has become a popular tourist spot since its appearance in more than one Korean drama. Aft er some great photo opportunities, we headed back to our pension for some dinner and a second night on the beach.
Th e next day, aft er our morning visit to Blanc Blu and a nice, relaxing morning on the beach, which included some kayaking, we were off in search of some lunch and our next adventure. We drove back to Okpo and went to a restaurant called Ciao Bella, which was a bit pricey but so worth it. Th ere were so many options on the menu that it made it diffi cult to choose, but everyone eventually chose diff erent pastas, and none of us were disappointed with the portion size or taste. Aft er lunch, we jumped back in the car and saw that Okpo Park was close by and, knowing that Geoje has one of the largest shipyards in the world, we hoped we could catch some good views of it. We managed to get some spectacular views of the sea, surrounding islands, and some of the ships.
We decided that we wanted to spend our last night indoors with some takeaway and a movie. Th ere is a delivery service called Max Delivery on the island, which is super easy and convenient. We picked up a Max Delivery booklet on our fi rst aft ernoon there (at Spoons) and saw that it had all sorts of food options in it. We decided on Indian food and ordered, in English,
▲ Hakdong Mongdol Beach via Kakao Talk. It was fast and effi cient, and the driver brought it straight into our kitchen for us – we were well impressed. Depending on where you are staying, the delivery fee varies, but it ultimately is not that much, especially when splitting the cost equally among your group. We made ourselves a “Christmas bed” on the fl oor of the lounge and spent the evening eating good food, watching a movie, and recounting our favorite moments from the trip.
Th e next day, aft er a delicious morning fry-up and one last visit to our favorite coff ee shop, we hit the road. We stopped in Tongyeong on the way back, which is a little fi shing town that is about thirty kilometers back in the direction of Jeollanam-do. Aft er a quick bite to eat, we took a stroll through Dongpirang Mural Village, which reminded me a lot of the Gamcheon Cultural Village in Busan. It had some wonderful murals and some charming little coff ee shops along the way.
With that came the end of our adventure. We never expected to enjoy Geoje as much as we did; there is plenty to do on the island, and since we did not get to a lot of it, we are heading back soon. I defi nitely recommend taking a few days to explore it, as it is an absolute must-see while you are in Korea.
The Author
Maria Moschini is a high school English teacher living in Gangjin. Originally from Johannesburg, South Africa, Maria moved to South Korea in April 2019. Instagram: @mariamoschini
