Gwangju News April 2022 #242

Gwangju and South Jeolla International Magazine Gwangju and South Jeolla International Magazine

April 2022 #242

April 2022 #242

“Glory to Ukraine!”

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1 Gwangju & South Jeolla International Magazine

April 2022, Issue 242 Published: April 1, 2022 Cover

Monument to a legendary Ukrainian poet Taras Shevchenko in front of buildings damaged in a recent Russian shelling in the Kyiv region of Ukraine (March 2).

Photo courtesy of the Ukrainian State Emergency Service/ Eyepress News via AFP

THE EDITORIAL TEAM Publisher Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Chief Copy Editor Layout Editor Photographer Online Editor

Dr. Shin Gyonggu Dr. David E. Shaffer William Urbanski Isaiah Winters Karina Prananto Kim Hillel Yunkyoung Karina Prananto

The Gwangju News is the first English monthly magazine for the general public in Korea, first published in 2001.

Each monthly issue covers local and regional issues, with a focus on the roles and activities of the international residents and local English-speaking communities.

For volunteering and article submission inquiries, please contact the editor at gwangjunews@gic.or.kr.

Special thanks to Gwangju City and all of our sponsors.

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t’s April! No foolin’! The first of this month (Manu-jeol, in Korean), is not this year a time for the tricks and pranks and gaiety that usually accompany the day – not with the horrid nightmare that has unfolded in Ukraine. Back when we started planning for the April issue, before the invasion began, nothing Ukrainian was on our minds for inclusion in this issue. But things changed quickly.

With the harshness of the assault on Ukraine, we knew that the Gwangju News had to do something, but what, and so little time to do it. We put our thinking caps on and remembered that one of our earlier writers had an uncle living in Ukraine. We contacted her, she contacted him, and the result is our cover story from an on-the-scene perspective – impactful in so many ways.

Our cover for this issue captures the unthinkable destruction that has befallen the civilian population of Ukraine. The photo depicts the remains of residential buildings hit in an attack on the town of Borodyanka, north of Kyiv. You may be wondering who the battered bust is of. He was the 19th century Ukrainian poet Taras Shevchenko, who, by the way, penned the poetry on our back cover – words as meaningful today as they were when they were written.

Another extraordinary feature in this issue is a peek into North Korea and its English education through an analysis of their revised secondary school textbooks under their present head of state. Also in this issue is an interview with documentary filmmaker Roberto Santaguida, who is in town preparing an exhibit for the Asia Culture Center and has conducted a workshop at the GIC. This month, we take you on a tour of some of Korea’s great indoor skateparks. And we give you a tour around some of the fabulous sights to visit in Belguim. But warning: Don’t read this month’s Lost in Honam article – it’s about Geogeum-do.

Language Teaching this issue details what is arguably the best English language teaching event in the nation: the Korea TESOL International Conference, coming this month. To find out what “Don’t take me for an airplane ride” actually means in Korean, check out Everyday Korean.

There is so much more: eating vegan, the latest music, the whole Culture and Arts section. Check it out.

As always, stay Covid smart, stay Covid safe, be Covid protected, and enjoy the Gwangju News. And… “Glory to Ukraine!”

David E. Shaffer Editor-in-Chief Gwangju News

Gwangju News, April 2022

The Gwangju News is published by the Gwangju International Center: Jungang-ro 196-beon-gil 5 (Geumnam-ro 3-ga), Dong-gu, Gwangju 61475, South Korea Tel: (+82)-62-226-2733~34 Fax: (+82)-62-226-2731 Website: www.gwangjunewsgic.com Email: gwangjunews@gic.or.kr gwangjunews gwangju_news Registration No. 광주광역시 라. 00145 (ISSN 2093-5315) Registration Date: February 22, 2010 Printed by Jieum 지음 (+82)-62-672-2566

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Copyright ©2022 by the Gwangju International Center.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication covered by this copyright may be reproduced in any form or by any means – graphic, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise – without the written consent of the publisher.

From the Editor

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Photo of the Month

Gwangju News, April 2022

gwangjunewsgic.com

CULTURE & ARTS

By Anjel Iriaghomo

Highchord Hosted by Lizz Kalo at Loft 28, the Creative Social is an event held the first Saturday of every month that artists can attend from the surrounding areas to showcase their talent. Kalo, a South African native who’s lived in Gwangju for two years now, says her favorite aspect of the Creative Social is that “it brings the community together. It’s a platform for people to express themselves, share their work or artistic abilities, and socialize.”

Pictured left to right are Yeong-sun, Min-a, Seul-gi, and Gi-yeong, Chonnam National University students who’ve been in the band Highchord since 2021. This was the band’s first performance since pre-pandemic times. Look for them to perform regularly this year. Instagram @highchord_official and YouTube channel 전남대 하이코드.

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The Author

Anjel Iriaghomo is a senior animal science major from Clemson University in Clemson, South Carolina, USA, and is studying abroad this semester. She’s always loved to write, and photography is one of her favorite hobbies. If you see Anjel on campus, don’t be afraid to say hi! Instagram @__anjel

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Contents

ISSUE 242, APRIL 2022

NEWS

01. From the Editor 04. Gwangju City News FEATURES

06. “Glory to Ukraine!” – “Victory Shall Be Ours” 12. Making Filmmaking Personal: An Interview with Roberto Santaguida 16. The English of North Korea: Analyzing Kim Jong-un’s Revised English Textbooks 20. Blast from the Past: The Han in “Hanguk” – The Naming of South Korea TRAVEL

22. Lost in Honam: Don’t Read This Article – It’s About Geogeum-do 26. Around Korea: The Rise of Indoor Skateparks 30. From Abroad: Travel Blog – Touring the Heart of Europe TEACHING & LEARNING

COMMUNITY

41. Environmental Protection: Eating Vegan in Gwangju – Plant-Based Places to Try This Spring

02. Photo of the Month: Highchord 44. Photo Essay: Old Town Mokpo 48. Gwangju Writes: The Stolen Bride 52. GFN Radio: Top of the Drop 54. Comic Corner: Alan and Me – Episode 10. How I Met Alan, Part 1 56. Crossword Puzzle

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Gwangju News, April 2022

CULTURE & ARTS

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34. Language Teaching: “Teaching for a Better World” – Advancing the Field of English Education 40. Everyday Korean: Episode 52. 비행기 태우지 마세요 Please Stop Flattering Me

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Gwangju City News From the Gwangju Metropolitan City website (http://gwangju.go.kr)

Gwangju News, April 2022

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MONTHLY NEWS

Photo courtesy of Gwangju Tourism website

City Library Announces “2022 Book Start Project”

May 18 Archives Opens Class for Children

The Gwangju City Library, with its three facilities of Mudeung, Sajik, Sansu, is carrying out a social childcare support campaign operating under the slogan “Let’s start our lives with books” to promote and develop reading habits from birth. The project to realize this is called the “2022 Book Start Project,” which began on March 23.

The May 18 Democratization Movement Archives will visit schools and hold a class with the theme of “The May 18 Uprising” for the upper grades of elementary school (Grades 5 and 6), as well as a May 18 Democratization Movement Classroom for children beginning in April.

In the first half of the year, various programs such as the free distribution of book kits (consisting of a book bag, two books, and a guidebook) suitable for the growth stage from birth to eight years old, a book play program, and parent education are provided.

Applications are being accepted through the city library website from March 10.

Book kits are available for children living in Gwangju eight years old and under by completing an application form at the children’s room of each library beginning April 1 with a copy of resident registration or a document that can prove the baby’s age. A total of 810 kits are to be distributed by each library on a firstcome, first-served basis.

For more information, refer to the city library website or contact the children’s room of a branch library (Mudeung 062-613-7747, Sajik 062-613-7772, Sansu 062-613-7814).

Website: https://citylib.gwangju.kr

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This program is designed as a local community cooperation project in connection with the May 18 Archives and local schools. Its contents are designed for elementary students to understand the spirit of the Uprising through video recordings and photographs from the May 18 Democratization Movement.

Schools can apply for the program from March 14, and the program will run from April through June.

The May 18 Archives expects this education to be an opportunity to cultivate the spirit of democracy, human rights, and peace in children.

For more information, refer to the website of the May 18 Democratization Movement Archives or contact the management division at 062-613-8209.

Website: https://bit.ly/3ieyVrt Translated by Karina Prananto.

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Key Points from Gwangju Mayor’s March Press Conference

Gwangju Dong-gu (East District) Office News

“Fountain of Light” Beams the Spirit of May

• On March 15 in his press conference, Mayor Lee thanked Gwangju citizens who actively participated in the presidential election last March 9. Despite the current situation of COVID-19, Gwangju had the highest voter turnout in the country with 81.5%. Although it has been a few weeks since the election, the atmosphere in Gwangju is still heavy and the citizens are struggling a lot. The mayor promises to work hard to create a stronger Gwangju.

• The mayor will strongly request Hyundai Development Company, once again, to be aware of its heavy responsibility and to provide sufficient compensation to the affected citizens, such as prospective tenants and shopping malls, and to devote company-wide capabilities to repair damage and deal with accidents at an early stage.

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The Fountain of Light selected “Light and Fire” as its signature piece based on the events of May 1980, with a motif of torches of the citizens eager for democracy.

During the day, one can see streams of water from the Fountain of Light, but it comes to life after dark with an embedded kinetic sculpture, an extra-large water screen, a floor map of Democracy Plaza, and media art, all of which are expected to enhance the Spirit of Gwangju this May. For its creation, famous artists from home and abroad were invited, including general director Yoo Jae-heon, media artist Jin Si-young, composer Kim Hyung-seok, British media artist group Universal Everything, and Polish media artist Krzysztof Wodiczko.

Im Taek stated, “The May 18 Democratic Plaza fountain is located at a historical site symbolizing the May 18 Democratization Movement and serves to preserve, pass on, and promote the spirit of May, to be announced to the citizenry on March 31. And through the light of the fountain, it will turn Gwangju into a world-class cultural and tourism city.”

Gwangju News, April 2022

• On March 14, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport announced the cause of the collapse and measures to prevent a recurrence at the Hyundai I-Park disaster site in Hwajeong-dong. The main causes were unauthorized structural change and overall poor management, especially negligence in concrete quality control and general supervision.

The chief administrator of Gwangju’s Dong-gu District, Im Taek, officially unveils the Fountain of Light on March 31, 2022, at the May 18 Democracy Plaza (in front of the ACC). This fountain will play a key role in transforming the site into a world-class historical and cultural plaza beyond Gwangju.

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• The launch of a new government task force is the best way to reflect local issues and national tasks. Gwangju’s development shall continue uninterrupted even under the next government. Gwangju’s four-thousand public officials are committed to opening a new era of transformation in Gwangju. As soon as the new president’s government’s transition committee is formed, Gwangju will make every effort so that local pending projects such as the AI Representative City Project, Gwangju-Style Job – Season 2 Project, the airport relocation project, and the early start of the Dalbit highspeed railway project will be reflected in the new government’s national tasks.

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“Glory to Ukraine!”

“Victory Shall Be Ours”

Gwangju News, April 2022 gwangjunewsgic.com Gwangju News, April 2022 gwangjunewsgic.com

FEATURE

By Boris Yeghiazar yan

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T

o introduce myself, I will start by saying that I am the uncle of Christina Ghevondyan, who is currently doing a PhD at Chonnam National University in Gwangju in your beautiful country, South Korea. I am an artist, an Armenian by birth, living in Kyiv and a citizen of Ukraine. I am one who fought for Armenia in the 1990s and defended its borders with my volunteer squad. I was an active participant in two revolutions in Ukraine: the 2004 Orange Revolution and the 2014 Revolution of Dignity. In 2014, I was injured in Maidan in a battle with criminal authorities. In that revolution, Ukraine won, declared itself a democratic state, and elected as president Petro Poroshenko, who created from scratch a strong Ukrainian army in just five years.

We are grateful to the whole world that our army was armed with good defensive weapons. As a Ukrainian, I and the entire Ukrainian people are grateful to the beautiful country of South Korea and all your kind people for the fact that your state, which is one of the richest and most powerful states in the world, has openly condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine and participated in imposing sanctions against Russian banks. By this, your beautiful country has united and strengthened the entire civilized world in support of Ukraine.

Border cities such as Kharkov, Chernihiv, and Sumy were bombed from the sky by the Russian and Belarusian sides. We cannot answer them by bombing the territory of Russia and Belarus because ours is a defensive war. Cities in the south have also been bombed, including the city of Nikolaev, whose defense is led by Vitaly Kim, chairman of the Nikolaev Regional Council and a Ukrainian of Korean origin.

All these days, he heroically holds the line of the city with our soldiers. He also captured Russian armored vehicles. He is considered a Ukrainian hero and has been awarded the title “Order of Bohdan Khmelnytsky” (military award given for special merit in the protection of the state sovereignty of Ukraine) by the president. Some cities have been awarded the designation “Hero City.” Kim’s city is also considered to be a “Hero City.”

◀ Russian bombardment of telecommunications antennas in Kyiv.

(Photo courtesy of Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine [http://mvs.gov.ua] under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license)

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Gwangju News, April 2022

Today, more than 11,000 Russian soldiers are dead and more than 15,000 are wounded, and in addition, over 500 are now prisoners who themselves surrendered or were captured by our soldiers.

Captives are being treated in hospitals; they are all

For us as Ukrainians, it hurts a lot to know that more than 2,000 have died among our civilian population, including 30 children, and a lot of seriously injured children who doctors are trying to save in hospitals.

An obvious crime of this war is that Russian planes and artillery bombard even kindergartens and hospitals (patients in a psychiatric hospital are held captive by Russian troops who refuse to give us these unfortunate patients). Orphanages and even maternity hospitals have been bombed. Our son had a boy on the first day of the war, and for many days they could not go home because all the parents and newborn children were in the hospital basement due to the constant bombardment of Kyiv. And this situation continues to this day. People spend all their nights in basements, bomb shelters, or subways because sirens are wailing day and night to warn of air raids. gwangjunewsgic.com

The reality of military action is this: Russia expected to conquer Ukraine by blitzkrieg in two days – its plans failed. Moreover, at the time of this writing, it is the 12th day of the war (March 7), and Russian troops have advanced only to those cities that are close to the Russian and Belarusian borders and to Crimea. But they have failed to capture these cities to the point where they have surrendered. In all cities, Ukrainian troops, volunteers, and the local population have driven the Russian troops away.

Now the cities are surrounded by their tanks. But a huge number of Russian tanks, planes, helicopters, armored vehicles, and much military equipment have been destroyed.

given the opportunity to call their relatives to say where they are and what has happened to them. The Ukrainian side has conveyed many times that we are ready and want to create both a green corridor and an opportunity for the Russians to retrieve the corpses of their soldiers so that their mothers can bury their children. And for the captives, we are ready to hand them over if their parents or relatives come to pick up these children, because basically they are 20–21-year-old boys. However, the Russian side refuses to pick them up.

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Gwangju News, April 2022

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▲ An official from Kyiv's Department of Housing and Communal Infrastructure takes a little girl for a walk inside a metro station in Kyiv. All Kyiv metro stations are operating as shelters 24/7 since air raid sirens go off day and night. (Photo courtesy of Oleksiy Samsonov / Kyiv City Council [https://kyivcity.gov.ua/] under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license)

▲ Ukrainian civilians and soldiers take shelter under a bridge in Irpin, near Kyiv.

(Photo courtesy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine [https://mvs.gov.ua/] under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license)

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▲ Firefighters trying to put out a fire in one of the destroyed high-rise buildings in the Sviatoshynskyi district in Kyiv.

(Photo courtesy of Oleksiy Samsonov / Kyiv City Council [https://kyivcity.gov.ua/] under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license)

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Gwangju News, April 2022

▲ A man returned home to collect more clothes from his badly hit apartment complex in Kyiv.

(Photo courtesy of Oleksiy Samsonov / Kyiv City Council [https://kyivcity.gov.ua/] under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license)

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Gwangju News, April 2022

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▲ Soldiers enter a damaged NICU room in Mariupol in the Donetsk region where massive aircraft bombs destroyed a maternity hospital. (Photo: UNIAN)

All these cities and many more have been completely destroyed. It is terrible to see pictures of their destruction.

This had happened previously only during World War II. But despite all this destruction, neither our army nor the civilian population will ever surrender. This can be seen from the way the huge queues of the civilian population, men and women, are eager to volunteer for our territorial defense. My personal anguish is that I left the hospital only a couple of weeks ago after a major lung operation. My arm is still in pain and not working well, so I am unable to go to assist in our country’s defense.

We are grateful to the entire civilized world, to all the countries that are supporting us, and especially for the fact that we have been given many good defensive weapons.

The whole world is surprised at how our volunteers of the Territorial Defense Forces, who had not previously participated in a war for even a day, learn very well to master anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapons (yesterday the whole world was surprised by the manager of Ukrposhta [Ukraine’s postal service], who came to volunteer and on the second day shot down a Russian plane that had bombed Chernihiv). There are many similar stories of Ukrainian heroism.

There are also many stories of Russian crimes against humanity. One of many monstrous cases is that of an

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▲ Boris Yeghiazaryan (Photo: Svetlana Savelieva)

18-year-old girl who was driving along the road with passengers. Seeing a Russian tank column in front of her, she turned around to take another street, but the tank turned caught up with the car, and shot at it from close range.

Not only was there nothing left of the car, but nothing was left of the bodies in the car to bury. It is very painful and unpleasant for me to hear this, but unfortunately, there are a lot of Russian atrocities like this throughout Ukraine.

It is true that in some cities, when a lot of people go out to prevent tanks from entering, Russian tanks still break through but do not shoot at people. I think it is not out of humanity that they are not shooting but due to the realization that if they were to shoot

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11 people, the whole city would come out and throw Molotov cocktails at the tanks (these are bottles of gasoline that are ignited before being thrown). With several such hits, the tank is on fire, and the soldiers inside do not have time to jump out. It is all scary, but it stops the tanks.

The war is terrible; we also have many victims. But in addition to our regular troops and volunteers, Ukrainians throughout the nation are already beginning to prepare for guerrilla warfare. There are no winners in any war. There are only victims on both sides. But when the enemy comes to your land and kills your children, their mothers, and grandmothers, and wants to destroy your way of life and your future, this derives from evil. And a person who fights for his country and is ready to give his life for his family, for the future of his children, for his country – this person is a hero, and his deed is pleasing to God. This is how we now live and feel in a state of monumental and brutal war.

Boris Yeghiazaryan is an ArmenianUkrainian painter living and working in Kyiv, Ukraine. Although he was born and raised in Armenia, for many years he has been living in Ukraine. Boris is not only an artist but he is also always socially and politically active in both Ukraine and Armenia. In 2020, he was diagnosed with stage IV cancer.

At the end of 2020, war broke out again in Armenia. Due to circumstances of health, Boris was not able to participate in that struggle. However, while struggling with his disease, he painted day and night, selling his works for the rehabilitation of wounded soldiers, for their families, and for the families of those who died. Unfortunately, because of recent surgery, he is not able to participate in the defense of Ukraine as well.

However, he is very active on Instagram @borisyeghiazaryan and is regularly doing interviews related to the war and the current situation in Ukraine, trying his best to raise awareness of the truth.

▲ Remains of an apartment hit by a missile.

(Photo courtesy of the Ukranian Catholic University)

With the help of Gwangju citizens, the Gwangju International Center (GIC) is donating 6 million won to the Embassy of Ukraine in the Republic of Korea to help the Ukrainian people who are suffering untold casualties due to the recent Russian invasion. The amount was raised from the Ukraine emergency funding campaign with a supplement from the GIC’s International Solidarity Fund.

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Gwangju News, April 2022

Gwangju Stands with Ukraine!

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But I want to convey to you, our dear beloved Koreans, that Russian troops will not defeat our country; victory shall be ours. And it will be a victory for the entire civilized world. This will be a victory for your beautiful country as well. We think that you know well what a war or union with a “brotherly” people is. We have a national slogan in Ukraine, we say “Glory to Ukraine!” And the reply is “Glory to the heroes!” We often add, “Thank God for the fact that sooner or later, no matter what the ordeal, God’s love and God-given peace will win.” Once again, we thank all the countries and people who support us so strongly in this war. This strengthens our spirit and our faith in victory.

The Author

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Making Filmmaking Personal

An Interview with Roberto Santaguida

FEATURE

R

oberto Santaguida is a Canadian filmmaker working extensively in the field of documentary and experimental films. He completed his studies in film production at Concordia University, and his work has been screened at more than 400 international festivals, some of which are the Tampere Film Festival in Finland, the CPH:DOX in Denmark, the Contemporary Art Festival Sesc_Videobrasil in Brazil, Flickers’ Rhode Island International Film Festival in the United States, and Message to Man in Russia.

Gwangju News (GN): First of all, thank you for making time for this interview. When we first met in person at the GIC, you asked me a very interesting question, so I would like to start by asking you the same one: What is your story?

Gwangju News, April 2022

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Among his notable works are Miraslava, Goran, and The Universe According to Dan Buckley, and he is the recipient of the K.M. Hunter Artist Award

and a fellowship from Akademie Schloss Solitude in Germany. He has taken up artist residencies in numerous countries, including Romania, Germany, Norway, Australia, and Korea. At the moment, he is in Gwangju to present his latest exhibition at the Asia Culture Center (ACC), creating the opportunity and honor for the Gwangju International Center (GIC) to host his special Documentary Film Workshop in April, as well as for this interview for the Gwangju News.

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Roberto Santaguida: My story is that of a hotel porter. You know, the one who knocks at the door and is asked not to enter. That person on the other side of the peephole in the corridor. On a good day, an extra, to paraphrase Stephen Malkmus, in the movie adaptation of the sequel to my life.

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GN: You have conducted similar workshops all around the world, both in person and virtually, for experts and beginners. During the workshops, of course, you share your experience and expertise, but I am guessing that working with various people in many different places and through different mediums would enrich your creative process in some way. What are your takeaways from such workshops, and why do you keep doing them?

Roberto Santaguida: My workshops are a latticework

Gwangju News, April 2022

GN: Going one step back now, could you let us know why you have chosen documentary film as a medium to convey your messages and express your art?

Roberto Santaguida: If I could, I would be making flip books and thaumatropes, but I cannot draw. I do not hold any genres or subgenres in higher esteem

GN: Your recent workshop at the GIC was also focused on giving insight on the genre of personal documentary and its creation to participants of various levels of expertise in filmmaking. What were your impressions of the workshop?

Roberto Santaguida: I am interested in simple gestures of camaraderie. Sometimes I watch bus drivers raise a listless hand in greeting to a colleague whizzing past on the other side of the street. That blur of fingers carries lots of meaning. To answer your question, the workshop was crammed with several such gestures.

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GN: Having in mind that the genre of “personal documentary” is something you are deeply involved in, is “What is your story?” the leading question when creating one? Could you explain for our readers in a bit more detail what a “personal documentary” is?

Roberto Santaguida: There is some disagreement, but fortunately the debate is not heated and has never disrupted a good night’s sleep, as far as I know.

For example, I consider many avant-garde films to be forms of personal documentary film. In some cases, documentaries wielding standard devices like first-person narration are not necessarily personal.

The argument is capped off with the certainty of an expiry date.

than any others. I fell into documentary filmmaking during a moment of reconciliation, and I have never managed to extract myself. Fiction feature films remain a prime influence. I work in hybrid forms, so I fold in techniques whenever I find them.

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14 time bitterness and hostility. After meeting Goran, I forgot it on a bus.

▲ Roberto's office at the ACC.

Gwangju News, April 2022

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of dubious pedagogical methods, abandonwaretype games, anonymous statements, and creative formalities. Leading workshops is an endless source of joy. Participants and I fumble around, and occasionally we reach a conclusion. Somehow, after not making sense for ninety minutes, we begin to find something in the nothingness.

GN: I have read one of your quotes online. It was “It is a documentary; it is not a non-fiction film” and found it very interesting since most people definitely associate “documentary” as a genre with facts and, therefore, non-fiction. Would you introduce your specific documentary style through explaining the statement?

Roberto Santaguida: While the statement hums with familiarity, I am not sure what I meant by it.

I will take a guess. Once a filmmaker introduces editing, a documentary becomes less about facts and more about moments of recognition and empathy. Perhaps they are granted an allowance to make legend of the world?

GN: Since I am from Serbia, I cannot help but ask about the backstory of creating the documentary Goran. Could you please give us an overview of this project, as well as how it was received?

Roberto Santaguida: The choreographer and performer Saša Asentić and his organization Per.Art invited me to Novi Sad to produce a film about one of their artists, Goran Gostojić. They hoped the film would confront and challenge preconceived notions and stereotypes. Ten sets of hands relayed the project to shore. When I started the production, I was lugging around a tote bag that bore my long-

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GN: Moving onto the reason why you came to Gwangju this time, could you share some info about your upcoming exhibition at the ACC? What have you been preparing since last December? Let our readers know how they might be able to experience the project!

Roberto Santaguida: My exhibition at the ACC concentrates on the city’s waterways. On the other hand, the video is actually examining the marks that time leaves on the land, on the collective memory, how we document those traces, commemorate them, try to journal them, and suffer, silently, to live in the memory of our best days.

GN: What are your thoughts about Gwangju and Korea in general? Do you plan to come back in the future?

Roberto Santaguida: When I first arrived, I got lost in the city, on purpose, ignoring my map. I would wander down roads, reach a dead end, turn around, and start again. And even when winter was suffocating, and I did not know anyone, these solitary moments would resurrect me. In this way, the city and, by extension, the country have been kind to me.

GN: Do you have any final comments or thoughts you would like to share with our Gwangju News readers?

Roberto Santaguida: I want to express my gratitude to some people who either accepted my clumsy attempts at friendship or shared a spool of images I never would have imagined. In alphabetical order: Haryo Hutomo, Stella Jang, the two Yuri Lees, Arlo Matisz, Juhee Park, Irene Agrivina Widyaningrum, and Isaiah Winters.

Interview by Jana Milosavljevic.

Photographs courtesy of Roberto Santaguida.

The Interviewer

Jana Milosavljevic was born and raised in Serbia. She currently lives and works in Gwangju as a GIC coordinator. She loves exploring new places, learning about new cultures, and meeting new people. If you are up for a chat, she can talk to you in Serbian, English, Korean, Japanese, or German.

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Gwangju News, April 2022

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FEATURE

16

The English of North Korea Analyzing Kim Jong-un’s Revised English Textbooks

Gwangju News, April 2022

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An Inter view with Joo Yunha

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hrough my work at Chonnam National University, the Global Teachers’ University graduate program has brought me into contact with many intriguing academic fields and the brilliant researchers who contribute to them. Any of these scholars would be great to interview, but one recent doctoral graduate by the name of Joo Yunha had a research topic so interesting that I couldn’t resist reaching out to learn more. What follows is our interview concerning her fields of corpus linguistics and English education and how they intersect with North Korea’s revisions to English textbooks during the Kim Jong-un era.

Isaiah Winters (IW): Thank you for making time for this interview. I found your research particularly interesting for its unique analysis of English education materials in North Korea. Can you give Gwangju News readers a general overview of your academic research?

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Joo Yunha: My doctoral research involves analyzing secondary school North Korean English textbooks, and my recently finalized dissertation examines the reading passages in North Korea’s current middle school English textbooks. When Kim Jongun came to power, he announced the 2013 revised curriculum and changed the textbooks accordingly.

Therefore, the recent books differ from the previous ones published in the Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il eras, and I have worked to detail those differences in my research.

IW: In order to analyze North Korean English language textbooks, you first have to get your hands on them. How were South Korean scholars like yourself able to get these books, and where are they being kept now?

Joo Yunha: The exact route through which the textbooks entered South Korea has not been disclosed due to national security laws. It is presumed

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17 that the books were brought in by Korean-Chinese.

Someone who read my thesis and contacted me in the past said that there is a way to obtain North Korean documents or books through KoreanChinese, but they told me it would take time; also, it comes with risks and costs money.

Actually, Chonnam National University, Yonsei University, and other libraries accepting North Korean books have the textbooks, but only in CDROM format. Therefore, even I have never seen the originals. As far as I know, if you want to see the actual books, you have to go to the North Korean Resource Center of the Ministry of Unification.

However, even there some of the hard copies are not available. So, if you want to see the textbooks in their entirety, you can only check them out on CDROM. Given these limitations, when I was doing my research, I felt that information about North Korean textbooks was not being shared very well.

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▲ An image of North Korean happiness.

Gwangju News, April 2022

IW: Conversely, what were some of the things missing from the newer textbooks you analyzed and the possible implications of those changes?

Unlike in the older textbooks, now reading topics including criticisms and distortions of both American imperialism and South Korea, as well as lessons on fables, are not included. This shows that North Korea’s hostility is not revealed through textbooks and that many students are not being infused with it. Despite these alterations in reading passages, my analysis also confirmed that idolization in the texts has remained. This includes idolization of the Kim regime and certain occupations like that of soldier, scientist, and athlete. Idolization is thought to be an inevitable part of communist countries such as North Korea, but it appears less in

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IW: What were some of the more fascinating additions you noticed in the revised English textbooks, and what do you think these changes suggest about the evolving nature of English education in North Korea?

Joo Yunha: As previously stated, I mainly studied the textbooks of the Kim Jong-un era and compared them to textbooks of the previous eras through a comparative analysis. The revised textbooks I analyzed each consisted of 12 units, in which four units at a time are studied and then reviewed through a revision unit. In addition, each unit now consists of more diverse activities than before the revision. Furthermore, it was observed that the content and format of the textbooks were improved so that learners could more actively participate in class through pair/group activities rather than just by learning individually. A change in the textbook structure leads to a change in the class, which reflects North Korea’s change in perception and student behavior. After careful evaluation, these aspects suggest that North Korea, which has been cut off from the outside world and maintained only internal solidarity, nevertheless, aims for education that meets global trends in English learning.

Joo Yunha: In an English as a foreign language (EFL) country like North Korea, opportunities to use English outside of school are limited because the language is not widely used in everyday life.

Therefore, classroom English has great significance in North Korea, and the role of textbooks is very important. In the revised textbooks, specific communication-oriented goals related to school and daily life appeared as the main topics of reading passages.

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▲ Passages idolizing certain occupations and the Kim regime.

Gwangju News, April 2022

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the revisions compared to the past. Interestingly, one quintessentially North Korean detail that has been retained in the revised texts is the Juche calendar, which begins at 1912 (Juche 1), the birthyear of Kim Il-sung. Thus, revised texts from 2013, 2014, and 2015 appear alongside the respective years of Juche 102, Juche 103, and Juche 104.

IW: Based on the textbooks’ structure, you were able to find out about changes in North Korea’s secondary education structure, in addition to interesting links to the British government. Explain some of these findings for our readers.

Joo Yunha: Before the revision, North Korea operated a six-year secondary school education system. Since the Kim Jong-un regime, however, the school system has been reorganized into three years of junior middle school followed by three years of senior middle school. Junior middle school corresponds to South Korea’s middle school, and senior middle school corresponds to high school.

Another major change has been in terms of references. It has long been known that North Korea develops its own English textbooks, and in fact, there was no case in which reference books were specified in the textbooks before. However, in the 2013 revised curriculum, it was specified that books from Cambridge University Press were referenced.

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Since the 2000s, North Korea has received UN and Western social support. In particular, the British government has been sending support for educational development to North Korea for the sake of cultural exchange and is playing a leading role in changing the North Korean English education system by passing on English teaching methods. In addition, North Korea has received help from UNICEF to reorganize its English education.

With this aid, it received support for a new printing press, improving the quality of existing textbooks and enabling a turning point for compiling revised English textbooks. With this background in mind, it is no surprise that British spelling in North Korean English textbooks can be seen.

IW: Based on your research, what role do you think English plays in North Korean society today? Also, what are the most commonly taught languages in North Korean schools?

Joo Yunha: Before the revision in North Korea, English or Russian were the only languages taught in cities in 2003, but in 2013, English education was expanded nationwide. In the revised curriculum, foreign language subjects were unified into English, and the Russian language course was abruptly ended.

As a result, the number of hours spent by students in English classes has been greatly expanded (Cho

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19 et al., 2015). Moreover, English subjects are more emphasized than ideological education subjects, which have traditionally been very important.

This result highlights North Korea’s very peculiar decision to teach only one foreign language subject throughout a single country, and such a decision shows that North Korea strongly focuses on English today. Also, it can be said that this is a significant change that clearly demonstrates how much competence in English is being strengthened in education across North Korea.

IW: You’ve just completed your PhD in this lesserknown area and are now set to further your research.

What topics might you explore going forward as a scholar, and what’s your hope for your field of research?

Joo Yunha: Until now, I have been doing research mainly focused on reading passages at each school level in junior and senior middle school. In a future research project, I plan to further analyze North Korean English textbooks through the learning activities and question types related to these reading passages.

As for future hopes, despite the fact that copies of the 2013 curriculum are in South Korea, they are not widely shared. Therefore, when analyzing textbooks, the interpretation of the curriculum should be better supported, but support in this area is lacking. So, I hope that North Korea’s educational curriculum will be released more freely to the public soon for further research development.

IW: Thanks again for sharing your unique insights, and best of luck in your future academic endeavors!

The interviewer, Isaiah Winters, is on the editorial staff of the Gwangju News.

Graphics courtesy of Joo Yunha.

Joo Yunha received her PhD from the Department of English Education at Chonnam National University in February 2022. She is currently working with the GTU Masters’ joint program at CNU. Her research is mainly in the areas of North Korean English education and corpus linguistics. If you have any questions related to her research, please send her an email at 188884@jnu.ac.kr. ▲ An image featuring idolization of the Kim regime.

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Gwangju News, April 2022

The Interviewee

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References/Selected Works Cho, J. A., Lee. G. D., Kang, H. J., & Jung, C. K. (2015).

Education Policy, Education Curriculum, and Textbooks in the Kim Jong-un Era. Seoul: Korea Institute for National Unification.

Joo, Y., & Uhm, C. J. (2022). Analysis of reading passages in North Korean junior middle school English textbooks based on the 2013 Revised Curriculum. In KATE (Ed.), KATE SIG Proceedings. KATE. Lee, M. H., Kim, Y. H., Choi, K. N., Park, C. R., & Lee, M. I. (2013). Junior middle school English 1. Pyongyang: Foreign Languages Publishing House.

Lee, Y. C., Kim, W. S., Hwang, C. J., Park, C. R., & Lee, M. I. (2015). Junior middle school English 3. Pyongyang: Foreign Languages Publishing House.

Park, C. R., Lee, M. G., Oh, S. H., & Lee, M. I. (2014). Junior middle school English 2. Pyongyang: Foreign Languages Publishing House.

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20 Blast from the Past

The Han in “Hanguk”

Gwangju News, April 2022

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blast from the past

The Naming of South Korea

Our previous article in Blast from the Past (March 2022) discussed Korean han, referring to a sort of deep regret. This month’s article discusses another han, the “han” in the Korean name of South Korea: Hanguk. Is “han” a Chinese loanword? Is it unique to Korean? Why was it selected for the name of South Korea? Why do Koreans put so much meaning into this han? Answers to these questions can be found in the following article originally appearing in the March 2015 issue of the Gwangju News as “What’s in a Name?” and penned by Adam Volle, who also wrote the earlier han article. — Ed.

T

here’s an oddity in the names of countries that you may not have thought about before. When Germany was formally split into two separate nations in 1949, their respective governments naturally took on different names for their nations: the Federal Republic of Germany was the name taken by western Germany, while eastern Germany became the German Democratic Republic. Similarly, the division of Vietnam into two countries from 1954 to 1975 resulted in the rise of a northern regime creating the nation called the Democratic Republic of Vietnam and a southern regime naming their newly created nation the Republic of Vietnam. Both nations have “Vietnam” in their names, as was the case for divided Germany. And if you read the official English titles of North and South Korea (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and Republic of Korea, respectively), you might think that the two Koreas have followed this same Cold War era naming convention.

When the official names of the two Koreas are read in Korean, a curious disparity pops up: Each country has a different name, and neither uses the word “Korea.”

It was the Korean Communists in the north who made the natural choice, in 1948, of referring to their nation as “Joseon” (조선) when asked by the Russians, whose democratic republic they would be. “Joseon,” after all, had been the name of the land for most of the previous 543 years (and if you believed the ancient myths, even earlier than that). The official name for North Korea in Korean became “Joseon-minju-juui-inmin-

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gonghwaguk” (조선민주주의인민공화국; literally, Joseon democratic people’s republic). As an aside, the name “Korea” comes from “Koryeo” (고려), the name of the 500-year dynasty that preceded Joseon.

The new president in the south at the time, Rhee Syngman, offered a different word from “Joseon” for his newly formed country, when he proclaimed South Korea’s first republic: “Hanguk” (한국; lit., “the country of the Han”). The full name of this republic would become “Daehan Minguk” (대한민국; lit., “the Republic of the Great Han People”).

This wasn’t a big surprise either. In choosing “Daehan Minguk,” President Rhee and the National Assembly were only preserving the name under which Korean freedom fighters had fought their Japanese colonizers for 25 years. The freedom fighters, in turn, had derived their moniker from “Daehan Jeguk” (대한제국; “the Empire of the Great Han People”) because that happened to be the name that the very last king of “Joseon” gave to his kingdom when he abruptly declared it to be an empire and promoted himself to emperor.

That was a surprise. Mind you, Emperor Gojong’s heart was in the right place. The change reflected his overall effort at rebranding his dirt-poor kingdom as a modern nation-state, in the high hope that Japan would think twice about gobbling it up in their colonialization of East and Southeast Asia. He even bought stylish Western outfits for everybody. Sadly,

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21 the plan didn’t work; Japan simply decided to eat faster, annexing the peninsula in 1910.

Yet the Emperor’s spirit has this consolation: He may be remembered far less for failing to continue one of the world’s oldest dynasties than for gifting his country with a wonderfully appropriate sobriquet that it may wear forever: Hanguk.

woman his parents want for him rather than the woman he loves may create this han. So too might the crushing poverty many Koreans once fought off to survive. [See Blast from the Past, March 2022.]

True, on a surface level “the country of the Han people” seems an uninspired choice for the name of… well… a country full of people who’ve historically called themselves “the Han.” It was synonymous with, for example, renaming Israel as “the Country of the Jews.”

But the emperor’s placement of his subjects’ name on the national marquee was in itself, a revolutionary and empowering act, an acknowledgement of their stake in his state – and regardless, “Han” is far more than a mere label of an ethnic group.

More importantly, though, the word “han” (from a different Chinese character: 恨) is also used by Koreans to describe a particular emotional burden that they believe is endemic in Korean culture, even synonymous with it. It has no direct English equivalent, but it’s essentially a deep regret for a terrible loss, whether incurred by duty or disaster.

For example, a Korean man’s decision to marry the

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It’s slightly more complicated than this, though. Central to the idea of this han (恨) is a lack of reconciliation to the pain. It’s nothing like a vague, immature belief that everything will somehow be right in the end, nor is it a desire to actively seek justice. It’s just a grim conviction not to resign one’s self to what has happened, to never acquiesce in their heart to whatever evil they are otherwise helpless to resist.

This has proven a valuable national trait for Koreans in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Since Emperor Gojong’s failed attempt to save their homeland, Koreans have endured 38 years of foreign rule, a terrible civil war, and 60 more years of division, with half their people trapped in a Communist dystopia. It is almost as if the old ruler had realized the inevitability of his defeat and renamed his lost country as a future reminder to its subjects of whom they must be: a nation capable of enduring such misfortunes but never accepting them. Intentionally or otherwise, South Korea has preserved this message in its name and language ever since, and a hundred years after they were last independent and whole, the Han (韓) retain their han (恨).

Arranged by David Shaffer.

Gwangju News, April 2022

In addition, Korean has the native Korean word hana (하나) for the number “one,” and its adjective form is also han (한). Consider how “being first” is identified with leadership in every culture (e.g., our “first” ladies) and you’ll understand why there likely is a phonetic connection.

▲ Seal of South Korea

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In addition to being used in naming countries on the peninsula from ancient times (Ma-han, Jin-han) and being a Korean surname (both of which use the Chinese character 韓), “han” can also mean “great/ huge” and even “leader.” Although the word was first written in Chinese characters and the Chinese also call themselves “the Han people” (but using a different Chinese character: 漢), some scholars contend that the Korean han (韓) is not a loan from Chinese. Korean may have inherited the word from its Altaic ancestors, from whom Mongolian has also descended. In fact the word “han” is a Sino-Korean cognate of the famous “khan” (as in “Genghis Khan”), and han (韓) has been used in the names of ancient countries in both Korea and China.

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22 Lost in Honam

Don’t Read This Article

It’s About Geogeum-do

Gwangju News, April 2022

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TRAVEL TRAVEL

By Isaiah Winters

▲ A jumble of dusty desks in an insolvent university somewhere in Honam.

Next page: One of the many great beaches in Goheung – this one with tons of sand dollars. ▶

▲ Looking out to sea from the top of the island’s beacon mound.

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F

or years, I’ve tried in vain to find good beaches in Jeollanam-do. Jealous of other provinces’ many excellent, swimmable beaches, I’ve invested an unhealthy amount of time and energy into finding the best the southwest has to offer, only to conclude that the local coastline is nothing but slimy mudflats subject to dramatic shifts in tide. It’s officially time to stick a fork in it – all the beaches here suck. Go to Jeju Island, the southeast, and the east coast if you want proper beaches. Whatever you do, avoid this region as much as possible. That’s it for this article. The end.

(Are they gone? Good. Now let’s talk about Geogeum-do.)

There’s an island in Jeollanam-do, just off the southwest coast of Goheung, that I love so much I almost bought a second home there despite not having a first. The idea was simple: Buy land near the coast and build a microhome on it because it’s an amazing place to summer, winter, and spend weekends. Never mind the fact that I didn’t have a home in Gwangju – the housing quality is garbage and overpriced in the city anyway, so I might as well buy land I actually want and can afford over a couple dozen extortionate pyeong in the sky.

This thinking sparked an onrush of research and multiple visits to the island, including lots of back and forth with realtors in the area. But every time I’d get close to pulling the trigger, reality – the bane of my existence – kept rearing its ugly head. Over time, reality’s little, logical slaps in the face started to add up. “Man, driving two and a half hours one way sure is a drag, especially with fuel prices on the rise.”

“Dang, the land parcels for sale are either massive or minute.” “Crap, some saboteur owns the twosquare-meter ramp to the property, leaving buyers at his mercy.” Lather, rinse, and repeat these and other concerns for eight hopeful months.

Eventually, the steady trickle of reality water torture won out, so now I’m stuck in the city with lots of pictures detailing why the island is so special to me.

I’ll start with the beaches I love most: Ikgeum Beach (익금해수욕장), Geumjang Beach (금장해수욕장), and Ocheon Pebble Beach (오천몽돌해변). Broad and wide, Ikgeum Beach consists of fine, lightcolored sand that makes it a miniature version of Wando’s most famous beach. However, it’s not at all miniature, and it’s better in that it’s comparatively bereft of people. This is where I got closest to buying land before ultimately backing out. Geumjang Beach, which is darker with a mixture of sand and

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Gwangju News, April 2022

▲ The dark sand and pebbles on the shore of Geumjang Beach.

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24 pebbles, is my personal favorite on the island. I was excited to buy one of the houses in the village until the owner suddenly took it off the market, leaving me crushed.

▲ Sunset yellows as seen from the island’s main peak.

As you drive further towards the eastern edge of Geogeum-do, the cliffs get steeper, development becomes sparser, and things turn more industrial.

Gwangju News, April 2022

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Ocheon Pebble Beach is a tragic natural wonder that deserves a paragraph all its own. In terms of beauty, it’s right up there with the country’s most stunning pebble beaches. The stones are a light, sandy color that pairs beautifully with the blue of the sea – the only problem is the lowest point of the shoreline where the water meets the pebbles. There an unfortunate type of algae coats the rocks in a greenish-black slime that stinks enough to make swimming unthinkable. I can’t prove it, but I suspect a few of the food processing businesses right above the beach are to blame. One of their main functions is seaweed processing, and there’s an ungodly conduit channeling green and red runoff from them right out into the water. It’s maybe the most disappointing blight I’ve ever seen at an otherwise phenomenal pebble beach.

▲ The reflective rest stop statue that welcomes you to Geogeum-do. ▲ A stairwell view of Honam’s latest abandoned university.

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▲ An idyllic shady spot at Ocheon Pebble Beach.

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Photographs by Isaiah Winters.

The Author

Forged in the dairy fog and cow farts of Chino, California, Isaiah Winters left for Gwangju in 2010 following the great recession. He particularly likes sinking huge amounts of time and effort into fruitless endeavors, which is why he’s languidly writing a book about his regional finds in the hopes of becoming a future failed author. You can find much of his photography on Instagram @d.p.r.kwangju.

Gwangju News, April 2022

On my most recent visit to Geogeum-do, I decided to do the one thing I’d long neglected: hike one of its many lengthy ridges. There’s one ridge that’s particularly impressive, as it rings a huge basin that supplies the island’s largest reservoir. Although the ridge maxes out at just 600 meters, so much of it is at or near that elevation that you could walk for hours and never go below 400 meters. Once you reach the

ridge, the strolling is easy and the views leave you thinking you’re somewhere far more touristic. I went about two hours before sunset and caught views of a shimmering blue sea on one side and island-strewn channels splashed with sunset yellows on the other.

My wife and I then grabbed a beer from the local village and spent the blue hour in our beach chairs at Ikgeum. This we followed with a seafood dinner at Nokdong, the port city just north of Geogeum-do on the way back to Gwangju. It was one of those rare days when you realize the things you’re doing will become a great memory even as they’re unfolding – minus the two-and-a-half-hour drive back to reality.

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Eventually, the road ends at a lonely little land bridge leading to an even lonelier island. There a squatter with a penchant for farming planted a few yappy dogs behind a makeshift fence, thinking their incessant barking would keep most visitors away. I approached carefully and, upon seeing the dogs were all tied up, made my way onto the lonely island to check out something I’d seen earlier on the map: an old military installation. After a short hike punctuated by snarls and howls, I made it to what looked like a sizeable bunker ringed by concrete pillbox lookouts.

To my surprise, the bunker had several inhabitants who emerged from the underground upon hearing me: a family of black goats. Thank God they’d also been fenced in by the island’s squatter. The concrete lookouts were a lot of fun to explore and came with impressive views overlooking the sea. I was in heaven that day.

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26 Around Korea

The Rise of Indoor Skateparks

By William Urbanski

Gwangju News, April 2022

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TRAVEL

A

s a wee lad in Ontario, Canada, nothing was more exciting or mythical than an indoor skatepark. Even so much as a rumor of an indoor skatepark was enough to make my friends and I pile into a jalopy and hightail it off to the nether regions of the province. In the late 90s and early 2000s, the few and rare skateparks that existed in Ontario were nothing short of legendary and were literal hubs of skateboarding activity and culture. The stories of what tricks were done and what international pros came by to put on a demo are, to this day, firmly etched into my psyche. Not many of these skateparks lasted more than a couple of years at most (skateboarders are not exactly known for their business-prowess), but their effects live on through the ages.

journey, undertaken like a modern-day voyageur, traveling into the vast unknown.

Fast forward twenty-some years and I am happy to see that Korea is undergoing its own golden age of indoor skateparks. While free, outdoor skateparks are not difficult to find countrywide (except for in Gwangju*), they tend to be cookie-cutter and very hit-and-miss in terms of quality and fun factor.

Indoor skateparks, on the other hand, are almost always amazing and have excellent build-quality – probably owing to the fact that they are owned and managed by, you know, people who actually skateboard and are not the product of some fat cat in some city hall.

▲ Jeju Pipeline is a wonderland.

During the past winter, after being forced to cancel a trip abroad due to omicron-a-bing-bong restrictions, I decided that instead of bumming around the house like a Grumpy Gus, I would visit several of the newest parks around the country.

What follows is a chronicle of that wintertime

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JEJU PIPELINE (@jeju_pipeline)

Distance from Gwangju: 2 hours (by plane and bus)

Located near Seogwipo in the southern region of Jeju, Jeju Pipeline was by far my favorite indoor skatepark experience of the winter. In terms of “adventure,” fun factor, and all-around good times, this place was the best.

Taking a flight just to visit a skatepark may sound excessive, but depending on the time of year, flying to Jeju from Gwangju can be both quick and economical. After hopping from the subway to the airport, checking in and finding my way to the plane, it was only a forty-five-minute flight to the island. Being a domestic flight, getting through security and everything was a breeze, and

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27 from Jeju International Airport, there was a bus that dropped me off a mere ten minutes from the skatepark. All in all, from takeoff in Gwangju, I was at the skatepark in a little over two hours.

Located in a nice little building next to a hallabong orange orchard, Jeju Pipeline houses a perfect mini-ramp, a bowl, a “mini” mini-ramp, as well as a flat area for pushing around. The building itself is spacious, well lit, and very well laid out. A common problem with indoor skateparks is that they try to add too much, resulting in a “cramped” feeling, but Jeju Pipeline struck an excellent balance by focusing on building fewer but better ramps. To me, what really set this park apart was the incredible build quality of all the ramps: Only top-notch materials were used and the geometry of everything was perfect.

Overall, Jeju Pipeline had a very “family-friendly” vibe, and over the course of two days, numerous parents dropped by to watch and encourage their kids to skateboard. (On a sidenote, virtually all the kids who showed up went to international schools and spoke perfect English.) As is common in Korea, it was also nice to see a lot of women and girls skating.

SEJONG C.RUZA (@c.ruzapark_sejong)

C.RUZA is actually a skatepark franchise that started in Yangpyeong, Gyeonggi-do. The first park, which is still in operation, is, from what I can gather, the first indoor skatepark in Korea.

Now, there are also C.RUZA locations in Yangsan, Pohang, and of course, Sejong. As a bonus, the owner of the park is originally from Gwangju!

Of all the skatepark I visited, this one was probably the nicest. The building is brand new, all the

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One slight drawback about this park is that it is located in an industrial park, and I am not sure if it would be possible to get there using public transportation. You basically need a vehicle to get there, so my recommendation is to pack all your buddies into your car and make a day trip out of it. While the scale of some of the ramps and the location were slight drawbacks, the park overall is beautiful and a ton of fun. In the summer, I will be going back.

GIMHAE SKATEPARK (@gimhae_skateboard)

Distance from Gwangju: 3+ hours by intercity bus and car

This park was the “hidden gem” of my winter adventures. After seeing pictures of it on Instagram, I did not have high hopes, but I ended up having a

Gwangju News, April 2022

Distance from Gwangju: 2.5 hours (by car)

ramps are of exceptional quality, and it is just a fun place to spend the day. There are beautiful mini-ramps and a wide street course with perfect ledges and rails. One thing to be aware of is that the scale of some ramps is bigger than I expected.

For example, Sejong C.RUZA has a flawless bowl (which are quite rare and even harder to make), but it was way bigger and scarier than I imagined.

With some practice and more time, it would be possible to adapt to, but on this first trip, I had trouble doing even my basic tricks, and my buddy ended up giving himself a fat lip after slipping out and whacking his face on the bottom. He dusted himself off and was okay, though! gwangjunewsgic.com

Since it was not really feasible to come back to Gwangju on the same day, I ended up staying in a nearby pension that was not fancy but all-around decent, especially since there was a McDonald’s nearby. After two days of hard-skating, I was sorry to have to leave, and my only regret from this whole experience was that I was not able to make it back a second time (at least not yet).

▲ Sejong C.RUZA occupies a beautiful building housing a wide spectrum of ramps, rails, ledges, and even a bowl.

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28

▲ Gimhae Skatepark was the “hidden gem” of my winter skatepark escapades.

great time there. All in all, Gimhae Skatepark had enough elements that kept it interesting. My only minor gripe would be that some of the quarterpipes and the main mini-ramp were too steep and high for my liking, but like everything, with a little more time it would be no problem. Everyone at this park was super friendly and, as a sidenote, the owner of the park has even started his own skateboard deck and wheel companies.

UNION SKATEPARK (@union_skatepark)

Gwangju News, April 2022

gwangjunewsgic.com

Distance from Gwangju: About 3 hours by intercity bus

In the southeastern city of Changwon, Union Skatepark is a dream come true for anyone who likes perfectly built mini-ramps. While not extremely large and located in a building’s basement, this place was so fun that I actually went twice.

▲ What Union Skatepark lacks in physical space, it makes up for in amazing ramps and fun factor!

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This skatepark has a little bit of an interesting backstory. When it first opened up (in another location), it was below a coffee shop that complained so incessantly about the noise that the park was only allowed to operate when the coffee shop was closed (i.e., hardly ever), meaning that, basically, you could not ever go there. Thankfully, it moved to the new location and shows what can be accomplished when any space is used well. Similar to Jeju Pipeline, Union Skatepark strikes a great balance between having a good amount of ramps without having too many, resulting in a space that, while not extremely large, feels open and not-at-all congested.

If I were a kid growing up in Changwon, I would beg and plead for my parents to buy me a season pass to Union Skatepark and spend as much time as possible there. In addition to being an amazingly fun park, it had a “clubhouse” feel where people could also hang out and talk about all things skateboarding.

THE “SKATEBOARD ACADEMY” What the owners of skateparks in Ontario, Canada, all discovered in time is that it is actually really hard to make money by charging kids ten bucks apiece to skateboard for a few hours. There are a few ways around this conundrum: The most obvious one being city funding, which is hard to come by and opens the facility up to unwarranted scrutiny by outsiders (read: “Karens”). Most skateparks also run skate shops, which are also not exactly known to be money-making enterprises. Probably the most effective “indoor skatepark business model” that I have ever come across is having the park not be a stand-alone business at all, but rather a subsidiary or part of something larger. For example, a friend of mine had a massive print shop (for branded clothing) that had enough room for a skatepark in the back.

The Korean approach has been much different and makes for an interesting case study: Most of these parks actually act as quasi “skateboard academies.”

Parents drop their kids off and the park employees supervise and give lessons, followed by free time.

This is the rule, rather than the exception and also solves the reputational problems that North American skateparks struggle to overcome. Instead

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29

▲ Well-built basic obstacles are the foundation of any indoor skatepark.

of a gathering place for hooligans, Korean indoor skateparks are a place where kids can engage in a fun activity under the guidance of those who know what they are doing.

While I do not expect a legit indoor skatepark to open in Gwangju anytime soon, the ruggedness

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“Gwangju Skateparks: My Vision for Their Future.” https://gwangjunewsgic.com/community/sports/ gwangju-skateparks/

Photographs and graphic courtesy of William Urbanski.

The Author

William Urbanski is the managing editor of the Gwangju News and its special skateboarding correspondent. Instagram: @will_il_gatto

Gwangju News, April 2022

PUSHING FORWARD This article is just a small sample of the indoor parks in the country. In 2021 “skatepark academies” have popped up in Busan, Iksan, Wonju, Gyeonggi-do, and numerous locations in Seoul. And just to be clear, you do not have to take lessons at any of these places. For between fifteen and twenty thousand won, anyone can skate all day.

* See my August 2021 article in the Gwangju News,

gwangjunewsgic.com

Twenty years ago in North America, the “average skater kid” would have scoffed at the idea of charging for skateboard lessons. After all, skateboarding was supposed to be an activity far removed from the rules and scheduled practice times that characterize mainstream sports. But times have changed and South Korea’s skateboard lessons at indoor skateparks not only make perfect sense but also fit into an established social model (aka “the hagwon system”) while encouraging a healthy, productive activity that acts as an alternative to staring at a computer monitor for hours on end.

and tenacity of Gwangju skateboarders ensures longevity far beyond what a single, physical location ever could. That being said, the role that indoor skateparks play in growing and supporting the nationwide skateboard ecosystem cannot be overstated. Fortunately, the decentralized network of indoor skateparks in Korea is growing stronger by the day, and if you have ever thought about learning to skateboard, the time to start was yesterday.

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30 From Abroad

Travel Blog:

Touring the Heart of Europe

Gwangju News, April 2022

gwangjunewsgic.com

TRAVEL

By Aline Verduyn

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31

A

newly coined term in Korean is ranseon yeohaeng (랜선여행), which can be loosely translated as “online travel.” I was lucky enough to physically travel home recently and found it only fair to let you in on my travels. I visited the places that bring back fond memories, as well as landmarks I newly discovered as a tourist in my own country.

I would first like to introduce you to my hometown of Grimbergen. Grimbergen is a municipality in the Belgian province of Flemish Brabant, 10 kilometers north of the capital, Brussels. Grimbergen is the brand name of a variety of Belgian abbey beers. Originally made by Norbertine monks in the Belgian town of Grimbergen, it is now brewed by different breweries in Belgium, France, Poland, and Italy, and is even imported to Korea. Each Grimbergen is crafted from a classic recipe that dates back to the year 1128. The beer has been crafted with precision and care ever since.

A few kilometers closer to the center of Brussels, we have the Atomium. The Atomium was constructed for the first post-war universal world exhibition (EXPO 58). The nine spheres represent an iron crystal magnified 165 billion times. They represent the faith people had in the power of science and moreover in nuclear power. Still the most popular tourist attraction in Europe’s capital, the Atomium offers a surrealistic walk through tubes and spheres, the most beautiful panoramic view over Brussels and its surroundings, a permanent exhibition about the history of the building, and most importantly, a Belgian dining experience in the top sphere, overlooking the city at a height of 95 meters.

Belgium may not have any high mountains, but we do have a coast. On the northwest side, we have 67 kilometers of coastline along the North Sea. My favorite beach, Knokke-Heist, spans about 12 kilometers and is what I would call the Haeundae (해운대) of Belgium – elegant, exclusive, and yet

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Gwangju News, April 2022

▲ Rumbeke Castle, one of the oldest Renaissance castles in Belguim. ◀ The Atomium, near the center of Brussels.

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32

Gwangju News, April 2022

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In that same province we have Scherpenheuvel (translated as “sharp hill”), the most important pilgrimage site in Belgium. Once a holy oak on a hilltop, it was “Christianized” with a statue of the Holy Mary. Legend has it that around 1500 A.D., the Virgin Mary performed a miracle here, freezing into place a shepherd boy who tried to take the statue home. Ever since, devoted pilgrims have come to pray for the health and recovery of their loved ones.

Other traditions that have survived the centuries at Scherpenheuvel are the Kaarskensprocessie (procession of the candles) on November 2 and the blessing processions for people, pets, animals, and even vehicles. The popularity of the pilgrimage also has a lot to do with the year-round fairground atmosphere that characterizes the place: Many stalls sell souvenirs, sweets, and typical baked goods such as pepernoten and noppen; and restaurants of different kinds abound.

▲ Grimbergen

family-friendly. It has so much to offer: five beaches, a nature reserve, excellent sports infrastructure, architectural gems, and shopping galore. My favorite activity there is cycling along the dike and eating the local specialty – Zeeuwse mosselen – mussels with fries.

To the east, in the Limburg province that borders Germany, in an old town called Bokrijk, I discovered one of the World’s 100 Greatest Places according to Time magazine. “Walking on water may elude most of us, but this bike trail offers an experience that’s almost as divine,” Time spouts. Opened in 2016, Cycling Through Water is a unique and magical experience in which you cycle more than 200 meters through a pond. In the middle, the water is at eye level on both sides. You can feel, see, and smell the water. From a distance, you see people’s heads passing by just above the water level.

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▲ Cycling Through Water

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33 The basilica is surrounded by a beautiful and special seven-sided square. In the square is the candle chapel. I took the opportunity to offer a “candle of manifestation” to reflect on what I am grateful for, and also for what I would like to see manifested in 2022: world peace and an end to the pandemic.

It is said that there are more castles and châteaux per square kilometer in Belgium than anywhere else in the world. Whether or not this statistic is true, we do know there are more than 3,000 castles and chateaux dotted around Belgium, from the top of Flanders to the bottom of Wallonia. These castles may seem medieval at first glance, but they have a magical charm to them that is timeless. To maintain these castles, they are often occupied by public offices, or even rented out as wedding venues to complete every girl’s princess dream.

▲ Scherpenheuvel

That was my tour of the northern, Flemish half of Belgium. In another article, I will show you the beauty of Wallonia.

The Author

Aline Verduyn has been living and loving Gwangju for almost three years. In her spare time, she likes to take pictures of the local beauty Korea has to offer.

Instagram: @gwangjumiin

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Gwangju News, April 2022

Photographs by Aline Verduyn.

gwangjunewsgic.com

Situated in the northwest, Rumbeke Castle is one of the oldest Renaissance castles in Belgium and dates from the 16th century. The first Count of Flanders lived there, and it is considered the birthplace of Flanders. In the former coach house and caretaker’s lodge, the restaurant and bistro offer a magnificent view of the castle. I found the gray skies and chilly wind very fitting for the medieval setting.

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34 Language Teaching

“Teaching for a Better World”

Advancing the Field of English Education

Gwangju News, April 2022

gwangjunewsgic.com

TEACHING & LEARNING

An Inter view with Lindsay Herron

If you are a language teacher in the Gwangju area or a member of Korea TESOL (KOTESOL), the nationwide teachers’ association, you have quite likely heard of Lindsay Herron. She has spent well over a decade teaching in Korea and almost as long involved in KOTESOL. Lindsay is presently the president of the Gwangju-Jeonnam Chapter of KOTESOL, a past national president of KOTESOL, and the chair of this spring’s KOTESOL International Conference. Lindsay graciously agreed to the following interview to talk about teaching, the local KOTESOL chapter, the upcoming conference, and a bit about herself. — Ed.

K

OTESOL: Hi, Lindsay. Thank you for this interview that you are doing for the Gwangju News. To start things off, would you give us a bit of background information – things like what you did before coming to Korea, what brought you here, and what has kept you here?

Lindsay: Before I came to Korea, I worked in publishing in New York City, which was amazing. My entire life-path changed one Memorial Day weekend, though, when a friend invited me to join her for a Tsui Hark retrospective at the Anthology Film ▲ Lindsay Herron Archives.

I didn’t actually know what a “Tsui Hark” was, but I went with her anyway. I quickly discovered he was a superb Hong Kong film director, and the six films we watched that weekend were absolutely mesmerizing!

They reignited my love of film, and I started learning as much as I could about Asian cinema, including attending screenings of Korean films throughout the city. I started taking Korean language lessons after work, just for fun; and by 2003, I’d decided to quit my publishing job to pursue a master’s in cinema

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studies at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts.

At the time, there were many books available in English about most national cinemas in Asia, but I could only find three on Korean cinema, an appalling gap I resolved to fill. I decided to move to Korea for a year or two, master the language and culture, return to the U.S. to pursue a doctorate in film studies, and eventually become one of the foremost North American experts on Korean cinema. Pretty solid plan, right? What actually happened, though, was I got accepted to the Fulbright Korea ETA program; got assigned to a boys’ high school in Seogwipo, Jeju-do; and immediately fell deeply, irrevocably in love with teaching and my students the moment I walked into the classroom. I’ve been in Korea ever since, dedicating myself to teaching (and learning about teaching) with the same enthusiasm I used to devote to cinema studies. Ironically, I haven’t seen many Korean movies since I moved here, though I did get to meet one of my favorite actors, Yu Ohseong, in person, and I sat directly behind another one, Ahn Sung-ki, at a film festival awards ceremony during my first year here!

KOTESOL: You are quite active in KOTESOL (Korea TESOL) and have been for some time; indeed, you are currently the president of the Gwangju-Jeonnam

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35 Chapter. How did you get involved in KOTESOL, and what has kept you so involved?

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KOTESOL: Well, I am glad to know that I was instrumental, in a small way, in your present multifaceted involvement in KOTESOL. Moving on to a topic arguably more infectious, the Covid curse has curtailed the activities of so many organizations, and businesses as well. What has the Gwangju Chapter been doing during the Covid chaos? Do you see normalcy returning soon to chapter activities?

Lindsay: The Gwangju-Jeonnam Chapter of KOTESOL has continued to host regular events throughout the year, generally keeping to our usual schedule of meeting at 2 p.m. (KST) on the second Saturday of each month. We have, however, moved our events online instead of holding them in person – which has actually proven quite a wonderful opportunity for the chapter! Because our meetings are now on Zoom, we’ve been able to attract presenters from around Korea as well as around the globe, such as a recent workshop by a presenter based in China and our Q&A with a local Korean lawyer and her colleague overseas. We’ve also become more accessible to participants in other countries, including from our chapter’s new partner, the Okinawa Chapter of JALT [Japan Association for Language Teaching].

As Korea eases restrictions on public gatherings, we’ll start returning to face-to-face meetings, likely at our previous venue, Gwangju National University of Education. I anticipate retaining some online events,

Gwangju News, April 2022

What keeps me involved, though? Well, first and foremost, I adore KOTESOL people. KOTESOL is my home away from home; KOTESOL members are my community of practice, my support group, and my family in Korea. I also love being able to contribute to the organization in personally meaningful and motivating ways, growing not just as a teacher but in other ways, as well. KOTESOL encourages volunteers to identify an area of need and then take steps to address it, offering support, guidance, and resources throughout the process. That’s really how I keep getting sucked ever further down the rabbit hole: noticing a gap that needs filling or an area that can be streamlined and then figuring out how to do it!

That’s how I (re-)started the KOTESOL News email newsletter eight years ago, for example, and why KOTESOL Voices, our monthly online publication

▲ Lindsay, Dr. Lee Bo Young, Dr. Yeum Kyungsook, and other women leaders in Korean education at the 2019 KOTESOL International Conference.

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Lindsay: When I first came to Korea, I was eager for professional development (PD) and a professional learning community, since I felt desperately underprepared; but at the time, there weren’t many options for PD in Jeju-do. When I moved to Gwangju, I immediately searched the KOTESOL website for local, regional, and national events – and then I just started attending, often with a friend who was as excited about PD as I was. I didn’t start volunteering, though, until after the 2012 KOTESOL National Conference in Busan. As the conference ended, I decided on a whim to join the post-conference social dinner, where I got to meet the conference chair, Brad Serl, and a variety of National Council officers.

I remember being both surprised and thrilled to discover they weren’t as intimidating and aloof as I’d imagined; indeed, they were absolutely delightful – very affable and welcoming, if a bit tired from the conference. Shortly after that, you, Dave, asked me to write a review of the conference for The English Connection, KOTESOL’s quarterly magazine, and I was pleased to accept; when my writing evidently passed muster and you invited me to join the 2012 KOTESOL International Conference team, I didn’t hesitate. In the hectic months leading up to the conference, I thoroughly enjoyed working with the conference committee members, including Brad Serl, who served as registration director that year. I’ve been handling conference registration – and volunteering in other leadership positions – ever since!

featuring the personal perspectives and insights of our many diverse members, exists. I can’t resist a good challenge – and I’ve developed a plethora of unexpected skills along the way!

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36 though, as they’ve truly allowed us to expand our horizons in new, promising, convenient ways!

KOTESOL: This year’s conference theme is intriguing: “More Than Words: Teaching for a Better World.” Unlike most KOTESOL conference themes, it does not mention foreign language learning or ELT. How did the theme come about, and what is the message that it espouses?

Gwangju News, April 2022

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Lindsay: In my first inquiry class, one of the scholars we read pondered the question of what defines good research. He suggested that good research in some way promotes well-being, and that idea – the connection between the minutiae of research and the wider world – was revelatory to me.

Since then, I’ve been inspired by work that explores engaged pedagogies and humanistic approaches; that challenges traditional deficit narratives of what learning “looks like”; that centers transformative teaching and critical perspectives; that supports inclusion, diversity, equity, and integrity; and that ultimately envisions a more positive, compassionate, responsive world for teachers and students alike.

Making the world a better place – isn’t that what life (and especially teaching) is all about?

▲ Lindsay and the KOTESOL International Conference Committee for the most recent in-person conference (2019).

The theme is also partially in response to people who conceive of education in very discrete, limited, post-positivistic ways, who argue that we should “just teach English.” What does that even mean?

All of our decisions in the classroom are influenced by our own perspectives, experiences, and beliefs about the world. How we organize and manage our classrooms, how we evaluate students, the behaviors we value, the activities we choose, even

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the vocabulary we prioritize – everything is shaped by our own positionality and impacted by how we conceptualize “learning.” The idea that we can “just teach English” thus strikes me as a bit myopic, failing to fully consider all the influences that intersect in the classroom to inform our presence, preferences, and priorities as teachers. This is one big element the “More Than Words” part of the theme seeks to capture and what our conference seeks to explore.

KOTESOL: KOTESOL’s conferences always feature a number of invited speakers who address the conference’s theme. What and who do conferencegoers have to look forward to this year?

Lindsay: I’m absolutely ecstatic about this year’s slate of invited speakers! We’re reaching beyond the field of ELT-proper to explore the purposes and ideologies underpinning education as a whole; and we’ve sought, in particular, to include voices that are typically underrepresented.

First, we’re holding a special pre-conference plenary session featuring Anu Gupta, the founder of Be More with Anu and a former teacher in Korea himself, who has dedicated his life to educating organizations about breaking bias. You might have encountered him on The Oprah Conversation, on the TED Talk stage, or in the pages of Newsweek. Then throughout the weekend, participants can enjoy featured sessions

by Kurt Squire and Constance Steinkuehler, scholars from the field of informatics and cognitive science, who will challenge traditional conceptualizations of “learning” by exploring how learning and literacy are related to games and e-sports; Rebecca Oxford, an expert on peace linguistics and peace education; Staci B. Martin, who studies critical hope and despair and peacebuilding in education; Ryuko Kubota, who will explore antiracism in ELT; Meng Huat Chau, who will focus on the ways educators can enact principles of ecojustice and inclusion; Arran Stibbe, a scholar in ecolinguistics; Grazzia Mendoza Chiniros, an educator from Honduras presenting on the power of engagement and connection; and Tammy Gregersen, who will refocus the conversation inward as she addresses teacher well-being. I’m also looking forward to invited sessions on social-emotional learning, by Luis Javier Pentón Herrera and Gilda Martínez-Alba; the power of connection, by Nikki Ashcraft; and Francis Daehoon Lee, the director of the Trans-Education for Peace Institute in Korea.

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37 KOTESOL: What an array of luminaries and expertise! I cannot wait to hear their talks, but I am sure I would also enjoy hearing and meeting them in person. For the second language educators who enjoy attending face-to-face conferences but are not sure if they want to attend an online event, what are the plusses to participating in a virtual conference such as KOTESOL’s?

KOTESOL: For the person who has pretty much decided that they want to attend, what technology will

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▲ Lindsay with her GNUE students.

We’re supplementing Edzil.la with a mélange of complementary technologies. For synchronous sessions, a Zoom link will appear on the event platform’s “Live” page about ten minutes prior to each session’s start time. Asynchronous sessions will be available on YouTube throughout the conference and for a month following the conference. Posters will be created and shared in Padlet, allowing poster presenters to present information in more creative, interactive, multimodal ways than in the past. Finally, we’re using Discord to facilitate conversations among participants and to share important announcements.

These technologies are largely intuitive, so participants should be able to figure them out easily! Of course, we’ll also have staff actively manning Discord to answer questions and troubleshoot any problems that arise.

KOTESOL: Could you give us some idea of how many presentations there will be, what different types of formats they may take, and what the range of topics may be?

Gwangju News, April 2022

For me, personally, the convenience alone is worth the change. I love participating from home, saving the time, energy, and cost normally involved in traveling to an in-person conference. I can do laundry between sessions; attend in sweatpants; and save money on hotel rooms, transportation, and food. An online conference also offers convenience and savings in terms of organization: For example, we need far fewer volunteers and staff; the number of sessions isn’t limited by physical space; and we don’t have to rent any equipment. I think participants will really enjoy being able to partake of the sessions and socializing from the comfort of their own home – in pajamas, if they wish!

Lindsay: We’re primarily using an online event platform called Edzil.la which was developed by a colleague in our partner organization JALT. Participants will need to buy a ticket either on Edzil.la (payment by PayPal) or on the KOTESOL website (payment by bank transfer or Wise; available until April 15 only). Tickets are issued automatically for all payments via PayPal, but it’ll take a few days for payments by bank transfer or Wise to be received and tickets manually issued. Once you have a ticket, you’re basically ready to go!

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Lindsay: Oh, wow, where to start? Virtual conferences have many advantages over face-to-face conferences!

First and foremost, it frees the conference from the boundaries of time and space. Participants can join from anywhere in the world, making virtual conferences more accessible to people with less time or money or from countries with weaker visas or lower vaccination rates. We’re offering asynchronous sessions and recording many of the synchronous sessions, as well, providing convenient “anytime, anywhere” access, thereby facilitating participation by people whose attendance would normally be restricted by time demands – for example, people in less-convenient time zones, parents, people who work on the weekends, and people whose active participation is limited by health or other concerns.

By increasing access, we seek not only to promote equity and inclusion but also to increase the diversity of perspectives represented, making this a true agora of ideas. In addition, in-person conferences generate a lot of waste; though KOTESOL conferences in the past have tried to minimize waste, those efforts certainly can’t compare to a conference in which all the materials are digital and all the travel is virtual.

the conference be using, what technology should the conference-goer prepare, had how do they register for the conference?

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38 speakers. I feel the LCLE program has given me a well-rounded, critical perspective on education and educational inquiry. The coursework was interesting and challenging, and it built well to the qualifying exam and dissertation – which I’m still working on, unfortunately, after getting a bit sidetracked for the past two years.

KOTESOL: What do you like to do in your spare time, when such free moments present themselves?

Gwangju News, April 2022

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▲ Lindsay with her Seogwipo High School students on a field trip during her first semester of teaching (2005).

Lindsay: We’re still getting everything confirmed and set, but it looks as if we’re going to have about 150 sessions covering a wide variety of formats, durations, and topics. We’ve got everything from pecha kucha-style lightning presentations lasting just over six minutes each to 80-minute workshops and panels. We’ve got presentations on research as well as workshops offering practical take-aways teachers can immediately implement. Topics run the gamut from ELT-oriented areas such as teaching specific language skills to areas related to education and pedagogy more generally, such as creativity and critical thinking.

The days will be jam-packed from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. Korea time – and beyond, actually, as we’ve got quite a few asynchronous presentations that will be available via YouTube, and we’ll be recording many synchronous sessions, as well, for participants to view at their leisure in the month following the conference.

KOTESOL: I do not know where you find the time to do everything that you do – conference-related and otherwise. In addition to your day job at Gwangju National University of Education, you are also the membership chair at KOTESOL. And, oh yes, you are doing a doctorate with Indiana University. Could you tell us a little about your studies there?

Lindsay: I’m working on an EdD by distance through Indiana University Bloomington, and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it! The program is in the Literacy, Culture, and Language Education (LCLE) Department, and my doctoral minor is in learning sciences, so I’ve had opportunities to take a wide range of classes outside the field of language education – as you can probably guess from the diversity of the conference’s invited

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Lindsay: I don’t have much free time these days, but in rare quiet moments, you can find me reading on my veranda, trying a new recipe, catching up on various Netflix shows, or listening to a podcast while wandering around my neighborhood. In pre-Covid days, I also spent a lot of time traveling, going to the opera, watching movies, and scuba diving – my most recent hobby.

KOTESOL: Thank you for this comprehensive interview, Lindsay. Good luck with the April 30 – May 1 conference and with everything else you are involved in!

Interviewed by David Shaffer.

Photographs and graphics courtesy of Lindsay Herron.

The Interviewer

David Shaffer has been involved in TEFL and teacher training in Gwangju for many years. As vice-president of the GwangjuJeonnam Chapter of KOTESOL, he invites you to participate in the chapter’s teacher development workshops (now online) and in KOTESOL activities in general. He is a past president of KOTESOL and is currently the editor-in-chief of the Gwangju News.

USEFUL LINKS • Gwangju-Jeonnam KOTESOL: http://koreatesol.org/ gwangju • Facebook: Gwangju-Jeonnam KOTESOL • The English Connection: https://koreatesol.org/ node/330 • KOTESOL News: https://koreatesol.org/content/ kotesol-news-email-newsletter • KOTESOL Voices: https://koreatesol.org/content/ kotesol-voices

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Gwangju News, April 2022

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40 Learning Korean

Everyday Korean Episode 52

비행기 태우지 마세요 Please Stop Flattering Me

By Harsh Kumar Mishra

TEACHING & LEARNING

The Conversation 정민:

Grammar Points

네하:

아니요. 왜요?

정민:

그럼 옷을 왜 그렇게 예쁘게 입었어요?

네하:

이거 예뻐요? 인도에서 매일 입는 옷인데요.

Adjective~게 Use this suffix after an adjective stem to make that adjective into an adverb. Apart from this construction, there are many independent adverbs in Korean as well, such as 아주 (very), 빨리 (fast), 많이 (amply), 자주 (frequently), 항상 (always), etc.

Ex: 맛있게 드세요. Enjoy your meal.

(Lit., “Eat deliciously.”) 쉽게 했어요. I did it easily.

Neha:

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No, why?

Jeongmin: Then why are you all dressed up so prettily?

Neha:

Gwangju News, April 2022

오호! 오늘 뭐 특별한 날이에요?

Jeongmin: Wow! Is today some kind of special day?

Is this pretty? This is just what we wear everyday in India.

정민: 너무 예뻐요. 오늘 네하 씨가 하늘에서 내려온 천사 같아요.

비행기를 태우다 This is a frequently used idiom of Korean. It Jeongmin: It’s very pretty. You look like an angel from simply means “to flatter someone excessively” Heaven today. and is mostly used as a negative imperative expression to say “Stop flattering me.” Though 네하: 언니!!! 비행기 태우지 마세요. depending on the context, it can be used in a Neha: Eonni!!! Please don’t flatter me.

(Literally, “Don’t take me on an airplane ride.”) descriptive manner as well.

Ex: 저는 똑똑하지 않아요. 비행기 태우지 마세요.

I am not smart. Stop flattering me. 정민: 비행기를 안 태우고 있는데요. 진짜예요. 또 비행기 태워요.

Jeongmin: I’m not flattering you. It’s the truth.

You are flattering me again. 네하:

Neha:

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할 말이 없네요. 그렇게 봐 줘서 매우 고마워요.

I am out of words to say. Thank you so much for seeing things that way.

The Author

Harsh Kumar Mishra is a linguist and Korean language educator. He teaches Korean with TOPIKGUIDE.com and LEARNKOREAN.in.

Vocabulary 특별한 날 special day

천사

그렇게

비행기

입다 매일 하늘 내리다

like that to wear everyday sky to get down (off)

보다 말

angel airplane to see speech, talk, words, language

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Environmental Protection 41

Eating Vegan in Gwangju Plant-Based Places to Try This Spring

By Becca Buse

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On the other hand, if you are craving a salad, there are a few innovative restaurants across Gwangju.

My favorite is Slow Cali. There is a location in the Suwan area where I teach, and another near the Asia Culture Complex. I order their Oriental Tofu Bowl and add mushrooms or avocado. They also have a tomato soup that is delicious. Since I have visited so often, they will serve me extra mushrooms free of charge! Slow Cali is a great option if you are looking to meet a friend for lunch and enjoy a clean atmosphere.

When it comes to baked goods, these are the most difficult for vegans – yet still not impossible.

Locally in Suwan, there is Swallow Bakery. They make delicious sourdough bread. It has become

Gwangju News, April 2022

Indian food is another fantastic option

Traditional Korean restaurants are also an option but require higher language skills or a Korean friend to tag along with you. The other day, I was able to order bibimbap (비빔밥) without egg easily.

Another favorite Korean dish of mine is doenjang jjigae (된장찌개) – make sure to ask if they add fish to the broth or other animal products before ordering. Before coming to Korea, I had no idea the flavors I was missing out on. The unique broth boiled with the fermented soybean paste always satisfies my cravings. If you are feeling homesick, this is the dish for you.

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For starters, if you have not been there already, my absolute favorite place in Gwangju is Sujata (수자타). This is a Buddhist buffet located near the Mudeung Mountain Park entrance. I love this buffet for its variety of dishes and cheap price (7,000 won).

The only downside is you need to arrive between 11:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. They are open until 4:00 p.m. but normally stop people from arriving after 2:30 p.m. Consider a morning hike at Mudeung Mountain and a delicious meal at Sujata afterwards.

This spring will be the perfect time to enjoy blooming wildflowers and cool air before feasting on vegan food.

for vegans, and we have two in Gwangju: Raj Indian Restaurant near Chonnam National University and First Nepal Restaurant near the Asia Culture Complex. These are great for evenings out with a group of friends. Order a few options and share them all together.

COMMUNITY

T

his spring, I encourage you to get out of your routine eating habits and spice things up. Why not give plant-based food a try in Gwangju?

This past January, I participated in Veganuary (a 31day vegan challenge during January). I was unsure if I could be 100 percent vegan in Gwangju due to the lack of obvious dining choices. However, Veganuary challenged me to learn about hidden vegan options in Gwangju. Through a mixture of cooking at home, exploring new places, and improving my Korean speaking skills, I was able to successfully navigate being vegan in Gwangju. In the spirit of Veganuary, I have created a vegan dining challenge for you all. I have compiled my favorite places to eat in Gwangju; I hope you enjoy a few this spring.

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42

▲ Food at Sujata.

Gwangju News, April 2022

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my neighborhood addiction. Just be sure to check their schedule, as they are closed Sundays and Mondays, and usually sell out by 6:00 p.m.

Additionally, there are a few cafes in Gwangju that have vegan options.

Enough Mood is one that comes to mind. They also have a selection of gluten-free baked goods; all are clearly labeled with stickers. This cafe also sells small gifts and stationery.

If you enjoy cooking at home, I recommend buying your vegetables locally from iCOOP Natural Dream (아이쿱 자연드림). They are the largest coop in Korea and have various locations across Gwangju. As a member, you get discounted prices that make a difference when on a budget. All of their fresh produce comes from Korea or is sustainably sourced. They also have healing foods and vitamins to meet all your nutritional needs. Recently, they have added more vegan options to their selections such as vegan dumplings and XMeat vegan cutlets. Both can be found in their freezer section.

While it is exciting to write about the amazing food I have become acquainted with here in Gwangju, I

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▲ Sujata interior.

should also share that I have had a number of vegan fails as well (including taking a bus to the opposite side of Gwangju to find out the restaurant was closed). I would love to be able to say I have been 100 percent vegan since the day I started, but that is not true.

I am not perfect. But eating plant-based is not about being perfect.

It is about trying foods that will protect and sustain the Earth. It is about enjoying the food you eat and exploring new options you have never considered. When I have made a mistake and eaten fish by accident, it taught me about food culture in Korea and the Korean language. As a vegan, I have learned more than if I had not tried. Eating vegan is a fantastic learning opportunity.

One non-vegan place I recently visited was Ahorita, a Mexican restaurant. I met two non-vegan friends and knew I was being the annoying vegan. I asked the server about adaptable menu options, but none turned out to be vegan friendly. I ended up ordering a giant

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43 w

Featured Restaurants Sujata (수자타) 3 Dongsan-gil 7-beon-gil, Dong-gu, Gwangju 광주 동구 동산길7번길 3

11:30–16:00 (daily, last order: 15:00) 062-222-1145

First Nepal - Main Branch (퍼스트네팔) 6-44 Seoseok-ro 7-beon-gil, Dong-gu, Gwangju 광주 동구 서석로7번길 6-44

11:00–22:00 (daily, break time 15:00–17:00) 062-225-8771

side of tortillas and guacamole. With a margarita in hand and good friends, I called it a successful evening (and found more food the next day).

That being said, I hope being vegan will make a difference. Maybe someday when I ask, “Do you have soy milk?” they will have it. For now, I feel like a rogue vegan in a city of meat eaters. And I am okay with that because I have found a great community of friends to support me. We go hiking, try vegan options together, and even cook for each other. I could not have asked for a better place in Korea to live.

Related Links Veganuary: veganuary.com iCOOP Natural Dream: icoop.co.kr/coopmall/

The Author

9-7 Hodong-ro, Buk-gu, Gwangju 광주광역시 북구 호동로 9-7

11:00–20:30 (daily, close every Monday) 062-252-2200

Slow Cali Suwan Branch (슬로우캘리 광주수완점)

1F, 44-9 Suwan-ro 50-beon-gil, Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju 광주 광산구 수완로50번길 44-9 1층

11:00–21:00 (daily, break time 15:00–17:00) 062-955-6894

Slow Cali Dongmyeong Branch (슬로우캘리 광주수완점)

1Fl, 23-22 Jangdong-ro, Dong-gu, Gwangju 광주 동구 장동로 23-22 1층

11:00–21:00 (daily, break time 15:00–17:00) 070-8691-1238

Swallow Bakery (스왈로) Rich Tower 1Fl, 104 Suwan-ro, Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju 광주 광산구 수완로 104 1층 리치타워

11:00–midnight (daily, close every Monday and Sunday) 010-2663-5465

Enough Mood (이너프무드) 1Fl, 209-1 Dongun-ro, Buk-gu, Gwangju 광주 북구 동운로 209-1 1층

11:00–19:00 (daily, close every Monday) 010-5042-7132

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Gwangju News, April 2022

English teacher by day and writer by night, Becca Buse has been living in Gwangju for a year. As a global thinker, Becca is an advocate for protecting the Earth, caring for communities, and peace building. In her free-time she enjoys hikes with Gwangju Hikers Club, cooking, and reading fiction.

Instagram: @bkahbuse

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Photographs by Becca Buse.

Raj Indian Restaurant (라즈인도요리전남대)

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44 Photo Essay

Old Town Mokpo

Gwangju News, April 2022

gwangjunewsgic.com

CULTURE & ARTS

By Isaiah Winters

M

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okpo is such a great little city. Its geography alone is impressive, with rocky Yudal-san bookending the city’s peninsular core and shielding residents from the yearly barrage of typhoons. The city also sits at the mouth of the massive Yeongsan River, which originates in Damyang-gun, passes through Gwangju and Naju, and disgorges on either side of Goha-do. During the days of occupation, the Japanese similarly found the city to be of significant strategic value, as evidenced by its many well-placed coastal tunnels dug in preparation for U.S. attacks.

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45

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Gwangju News, April 2022

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Gwangju News, April 2022

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46

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On my latest visit, I did something a little more touristic than I usually do by walking through the older residential area nestled at the foot of Yudal-san. The twisted clutches of hanok and concrete homes yielded a few surprises and reminded me of the Yang-dong neighborhood back in Gwangju. The crooked alleyways, narrow staircases, and general zoning chaos made me appreciate the residents’ willingness to adapt, not to mention how far Korea has come in just a few decades.

These are a few images from my ordinary visit to the old town and the excellent mountain towering above it all. Enjoy!

The Author

Born and raised in Chino, California, Isaiah Winters is a pixel-stained wretch who loves writing about Gwangju and Honam, warts and all. He particularly likes revisiting old haunts like Mokpo, a city he’d love to live in if only it had better beaches. You can find much of his photography on Instagram @d.p.r.kwangju.

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47

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Gwangju News, April 2022

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48 48 Gwangju Writes

The Stolen Bride

Gwangju News, April 2022

gwangjunewsgic.com

CULTURE & ARTS

By Stephen Kagarise

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49

A

strange tale, this. In olden times, a man would carry off his wife-to-be in a chair held up by poles. This time, she was lost along the way. Her maidservants, too. All lost in the darkness of night. Her intended husband, the bridegroom, went mad with despair. It was the act of bandits.

He found some footprints near the empty chair and vowed to never stop pursuing them.

Not far on the path, he met a mason, busy with chisel and stone. “Why in such a hurry?” he asked.

“My bride was kidnapped by bandits. I intend to get her back.”

“Ah, not long ago, my own dear wife was kidnapped,” said the mason. “Let me come with you.”

Together they followed the trail of footprints till they met a woodcutter digging up roots. He too had lost someone special – his daughter. Next, a basket maker, who had lost his little sister. They made a pact to catch the bandits and recover their loved ones.

The mason got in the basket first. The other three would stay above and hold the rope. They slowly lowered him down, but before he got halfway, he was overcome by fear and shook the rope, signaling that he wanted to be lifted back up. The woodcutter went next, only to make it a little more than halfway

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The cavern’s eerie light grew brighter. Past a small hill, he was struck by the sight of a village full of row after row of tile-roofed homes. Outside the village’s front gate was a well. Beside it, a willow tree.

The bridegroom climbed up the tree. Soon after, a young woman came out holding a water bucket. He recognized her as one of the maidservants.

The woman was lifting water out of the well when a handful of leaves, torn off by the bridegroom, dropped into the bucket. “Please, willow, do not lose your leaves,” she said, “or I will cry.” She poured out the water and drew another bucketful from the well.

But he spoiled her work by tossing another handful of leaves. She heaved a great sigh. “I will cry, willow, if you lose your leaves!”

She heard a rustling and looked up to see the man perched on a branch. “Oh, aren’t you the bridegroom?” she asked. “How did you get here?”

She was beside herself with joy. He told her all that had happened since that fateful night. He meant to catch the bandits and needed her help.

“A hundred men cannot topple the bandit leader,” she said. “For a hundred days, he goes out to kidnap and steal, then he comes back for a hundred days to rest. Ten days ago, he set out. You should flee before you meet with disaster.”

“Nonsense, I just got here,” said the bridegroom. “I will wait and make plans for his death. Now show me where he lives.”

The maidservant had no choice but to do as he asked. She led him through twelve gates, each guarded by wild beasts. She threw food at their feet to keep them from leaping at the stranger. At last, they reached the bandit leader’s tile-roofed house.

It was massive, with dozens of side buildings. In one

Gwangju News, April 2022

The woodcutter went up the mountain to collect a pile of vines, which he used to make a rope hundreds of feet long. Still, it was not enough to reach the bottom. He kept at it for three days until the rope stretched to a length of three thousand feet.

Meanwhile, the basket maker wove a basket out of willow branches, large enough to hold a man. He attached it to the woodcutter’s rope.

It was up to the bridegroom now to ride in the basket. He told the others to wait at the top until he shook the rope. The descent took ages, but he finally made it to the bottom. It was pitch black all around, except for one streak of light in the distance. He crept towards it.

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For days, they crossed mountains and rivers. They passed through deep valley recesses no one had ever seen or heard of before. Suddenly, the trail stopped near a large rock. The four pushed and pulled, but try as they might, it would not budge an inch. The mason took out his hammer and chisel and began to chip away. After three days of work, it finally broke apart. A dark hole was revealed, and peering down, it seemed endless.

before he too got scared. The basket maker fared no better.

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50 of these, she guided the bridegroom to keep him out of sight.

Outside the door, still open, he heard her say, “Madam, the bridegroom has come.” He turned and saw his stolen bride, no longer his, but the bandit leader’s wife. She rolled her eyes and then glared at the maidservant.

Gwangju News, April 2022

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“That fool, lock him up in the cave,” she said, and slammed the door shut. Soon the servants came and escorted him to his new prison, a shallow cave with a stone door.

“That’s the bandit leader’s knife,” she said. “If you can wield it at your pleasure, you are ready to face him in battle.” The man could barely even lift the blade, so every night, fueled by ginseng water, he put all his effort into training. After three days, he was able to remove it from its sheath. After ten days, he could hold it in one hand. A week later, he could swing it around. In a month, he could parry and thrust like a true swordsman.

Three months were now past. One day, he heard a rumbling like thunder. “What’s that?” he asked the maidservant.

Alone in the darkness, he felt so much sorrow at having come all this way to rescue his faithless bride, only to be met with such a hostile welcome, that he considered ramming his head against the wall, so that he could die now instead of at the hands of the bandit leader. Before he could act on this resolve, the door swung open and in came the maidservant.

“The bandit leader’s coming,” she said.

“Sir, don’t lose heart. Now that you’re here, you can use this time to build up your strength and kill the bandit leader. Isn’t that what you wanted?”

“What did you bring for me this time?” she asked with a pettish smile. “I’ve been sitting here quietly at home, but I caught someone for you.”

“Yes,” he thought, “to die in this cave for nothing would be wrong.” He would follow the advice of the maidservant. From then on, he was brought three meals a day with a bowl of water. She also let him out every night so that he could train for his upcoming fight.

“Eh, you caught someone?” asked the bandit leader, a glint of anger in his eyes.

“See that rock there?” she said, pointing to a nearby boulder. “The bandit leader uses it to play marbles.

You need to be as strong as that.” It was past even budging for him. Bolstered by ginseng water and nightly practice, after three days he could move the boulder. After ten days, he could lift it to his waist.

A week later, he could raise it over his head. It took a month before he could fling it like a boy’s marble.

The maidservant showed him a stone tower, hundreds of feet high. “The bandit leader can jump to the top in a single bound,” she said. It was another month of hard training, leaping higher and higher, drinking bowl after bowl of ginseng water, before the man could do the same.

She pointed to a five-foot knife made of cast iron.

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The thunder became a crashing, till the whole earth shook. The sky darkened and a fierce wind blew.

Amid all this tumult, the bandit leader strode into the court. His wife, the stolen bride, rushed out in her ornate socks to greet him.

“My so-called husband somehow crept in here. I’ve got him locked in the cave.”

“Is that so. Well.” Glad for a chance to do something vile, he called over one of his bandits, ordering him to bring out the prisoner. The bandit hastened to the cave, but upon entering, was knocked to the ground with a single flick of the bridegroom’s finger. When the bandit failed to return, another was sent, who received a fist to the face, then another, dispatched with a kick in the gut. A fourth bandit was flung out by his collar.

The bandit leader was consumed with rage. He met the bridegroom outside the cave, where both drew their swords. The duel was intense, with a furious clanging as the blades met. To get more space for the combat, they leapt in the air, slashing at each other with deadly intent. It was no gentleman’s affair. The air was whipt up all around them, becoming a dense fog to the observers down below.

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51 Then something dropped from the sky. It was the bandit leader’s arm. But instantly it flew up to rejoin its owner. Then the bandit leader’s leg fell with a thud. It, too, flew up. Next came the bandit leader’s head. The maidservant ran off to gather some hot ash in her skirt. She poured it on the neck so that it could not reattach itself. That was the fatal blow. The bandit leader’s body fell lifeless.

The bandits, a cowardly bunch, surrendered themselves to the bridegroom. They broke open the storerooms where the leader had kept the treasure and his captives. The mason’s wife was there, the woodcutter’s daughter, and the basket maker’s little sister. On horseback, the bridegroom carried off his spoils of war, along with the women, now free, and the maidservant.

The rope, and only way out, was still there when he got back. He sent the women up first, then the treasure. When it was time for him to escape with the maidservant, there was no rope to be seen. His three fellows had run off, after claiming the treasure for themselves. In dejected spirits, the two wandered back to the village. They found an old man fishing by the river and asked him how they could return to the world above. He clapped, calling forth a white crane.

“Ride that,” he said. He gave them seven carp from

his fishing net. “Whenever the crane gets tired, give it a fish. If you fail in this, it will drop from the sky and kill you all.”

They thanked him and climbed onto the crane, the bridegroom in front, and the maidservant near the tail. The crane unfurled its wings. On the still air they beat a steady ascent. As ordered, the bridegroom kept it fed with fish. But soon they were down to one fish, then none, and the crane became listless without the strength to go on. The bridegroom fed it a piece of his leg, which the crane was gracious enough to vomit up later, placing it back on his leg. Thus the “knee,” that loose piece of flesh on our body, came into being, and the bridegroom and maidservant made their escape. They married, lived a long, happy life, and died the day before yesterday.

Photograph by Ian Chen on Unsplash.

The Author

Stephen Kagarise is an English teacher from Chapel Hill, North Carolina. He has been living in Gwangju since 2012, when he began studying Korean at Chosun University.

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Gwangju News, April 2022

The Gwangju International Center (GIC) is a non-profit 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 benefits!

• One-year free subscription and delivery of the Gwangju News magazine.

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• 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.

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Support the GIC! Be a Member!

2022-03-24 �� 9:37:37

52

Top of The Drop

By Daniel J. Springer

Gwangju News, April 2022

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CULTURE & ARTS

Each month, Daniel Springer of the Gwangju Foreign Language Network (GFN) picks his favorite newly released tunes that you may not have heard yet, along with some upcoming albums and EPs that you might want to keep on your radar. — Ed.

FLORENCE + THE MACHINE – “KING” In a twist of gender on the lead singer to Florence Welch’s upcoming Dance Fever LP, the acclaimed shapeshifting singer-songwriter is once again contorting into new form and royalty, which admittedly is well deserved. Here Welch is grappling with the meaning of femininity itself in a tune that unquestionably portends a very strong album, which would be her fifth. Keep a keen eye out for this LP, which drops May 13 via Republic Records.

JACOB BANKS – “JUST WHEN I THOUGHT IT” This single portends a new project for the highly lauded Nigerian-born, London-based singer-songwriter that still has yet to be officially announced.

A mesmerizing bit of heavily electronicized R&B heft and darkness, the song finishes with a massive choral crescendo that shows why this independent artist is getting hundreds of millions of streams and huge kudos from hard-toplease outlets.

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ROBERT GLASPER – “WHY WE SPEAK” (FEAT. Q-TIP & ESPERANZA SPALDING) Black Radio III is finally out, and it’s certain to gain nominations for album of the year in several categories. For those unfamiliar, this album series is the Houstonbased maestro getting away from his first love in jazz and giving a showcase in his other love, hip-hop, with defiant messages of positive change. A huge project that as usual features collabs with the biggest luminaries of the game, this one’s an instant classic.

CHARLI XCX – “BEG FOR YOU” (FEAT. RINA SAWAYAMA) For those of the more seriously taken monotheistic bent, this video might not be your favorite, as the artist and hard rock singersongwriter and model Rina Sawayama get together with a group of friends who are about to make a ritual sacrifice to Satan himself. The third single to the acclaimed pop star’s upcoming Crash LP, check out the full album which dropped March 10.

REGINA SPEKTOR – “BECOMING ALL ALONE” This is the lead single to the artist’s first album since 2016’s Remember Us to Life. The New York native will drop her latest, Home, Before and After, on June 24 but interestingly will be doing a group of select live dates in the lead-up to the fulllength drop, kicking off with a show at Carnegie Hall.

Interestingly, the artist will also be releasing a deluxe box set of her debut album 11:11 later this year as well, but this new LP feels big, so don’t sleep.

DREAMER ISIOMA – “SUNSET DRIVE” The Chicago-based singersongwriter just released Goodnight Dreamer, which is the artist’s debut LP and an existential utopian journey centered around the album’s protagonist named Dreamer. Coming on the heels of two EPs released in 2020, this album to the artist is just a start, stating, “Music is just like the foundation right now. In time, I

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53 wanna go bigger and better. I wanna make movies; do fashion shows; create video games, houses, interior design – anything, like everything. This is just a start.”

With the superlative quality of this album and the praise from high places garnered, don’t bet against any or even all of this becoming reality.

recordings, with the songs being a psychedelic garage rock trip. “Close Your Eyes” is the second single to the upcoming Always LP, out later this spring.

HURRAY FOR THE RIFF RAFF – “SAGA” Alynda Segarra’s project celebrating the misfits and weirdos of the world is out with their eighth album Life on Earth. The main question on this magnificent record is pretty simple: How will you spend yours? While past records have been centered on conceptual frameworks and character narratives, this one feels more general, with the input of Waxahatchee and Bon Iver producer Brad Cook being obvious.

Nilufer Yanya – Painless (3/4) Stereophonics – Oochya! (3/4) The Weather Station – How Is It That I Should Look at the Stars (3/4) Rex Orange County – Who Cares? (3/11) The Districts – Great American Painting (3/11) Widowspeak – The Jacket (3/11) Babeheaven – Sink into Me (3/18) Charli XCX – Crash (3/18) Yumi Zouma – Present Tense (3/18) Aldous Harding – Warm Chris (3/25) Barrie – Barbara (3/25) Placebo – Never Let Me Go (3/25)

PERSONAL TRAINER – “POPSTARB!TCH” This is a new project, with Nashville-based singer-songwriter Kayla Mickelsen and producer George Seay teaming up to make a vintage lead single to their upcoming debut EP. Reflex drops on April 27, and with this vintage tune that feels like Olivia Rodrigo and 2019-era Caroline Polachek getting together on a production, this should be an interesting release.

APRIL RELEASES

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The Author

Daniel J. Springer (aka “Danno”) is the creator, host, writer, editor, and producer of “The Drop with Danno,” broadcasting nightly on GFN 98.7 FM in Gwangju and 93.7 FM in Yeosu from 8 to10 p.m. Prior to this, he was a contributor to several shows on TBS eFM in Seoul, along with being the creator and co-host of “Spacious” and “White Label Radio” on WNUR in Chicago. You can find “The Damyang Drop,” his monthly collaborative playlist with The Damyang House, on YouTube and Spotify. Instagram, Twitter, Facebook: @ gfnthedrop

Gwangju News, April 2022

FOREST RAY – “CLOSE YOUR EYES” This veteran band led by Peter Sumić has added local drummer and Raised on Rhythm podcast maestro Nate Louis to their percussion. Born out of the Forest Ray Recording Studios in Seattle, the band has a distinctive live analog aesthetic to their

PUP – The Unraveling of PUPTHEBAND (4/1) Red Hot Chili Peppers – Unlimited Love (4/1) Calexico – El Mirador (4/8) Jack White – Fear of the Dawn (4/8) Omar Apollo – Ivory (4/8) Wet Leg – Wet Leg (4/8) Lucius – Second Nature (4/8) Kurt Vile – (Watch My Moves) (4/15) Fontaines DC – Skinty Fia (4/22) Hatchie – Giving the World Away (4/22) Toro y Moi – Mahal (4/29) Bloc Party – Alpha Games (4/29) Miranda Lambert – Palomino (4/29) The Head and The Heart – Every Shade of Blue (4/29)

gwangjunewsgic.com

WILLIS – “IN BETWEEN” The fourth edition of the unpretentious, Nashville-based band’s Locals EP series is out as of February, and the group is definitely honing their craft on this one while building up a very solid following. Ready to hit the road for a headlining tour ending in NYC later this spring, this band is on the rise in a solid way.

MARCH RELEASES

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Gwangju News, April 2022 gwangjunewsgic.com

CULTURE & ARTS

54 Comic Corner

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gwangjunewsgic.com

Yun Hyoju was born and raised in Gwangju, and somehow ended up married to an Irish guy named Alan. She has been working on her short comic, “Alan and Me,” which is about their daily life. She publishes a new comic every week on Instagram. It can be found here: @alan_andme.

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Gwangju News, April 2022

The Author

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56

CROSSWORDPUZZLE Created by Jon Dunbar Look for the answers to this crossword puzzle to appear in May in Gwangju News Online (www.gwangjunewsgic.com).

DOWN 1 2 3 4

Gwangju News, April 2022

gwangjunewsgic.com

5

ACROSS 1 5 8 12 13 14 15 16 18 20 21 26 29 30

Part of a door frame Zaha Hadid building in Seoul GIC coordinator Milosavljevic Dogs wag this Pocket flashlight battery Singer Tori Italian port on Adriatic Sea Tablo’s group (2 words) “Walking Through Time in ___” Billy ___ Williams Entertainment and retail company (2 words) Successor to Goryeo Eye layer “The cur did not bark, other than a single ___”

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31 33 34 35 37 39 40 46 50 51 52 53 54 55 56

“___ goes the weasel” Kitten’s cry Director Seung-wan Grand Prix competitors UK-based language test Civic group Gwangju Vegan ___ Artoo’s friend Island east of Java Recently banned graphic novel COVID-19 test Yemen’s capital since 2015 Global (abbr.)

What to do in Muju Walk back and forth anxiously

6 7 8 9 10 11 17 19 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 30 32 36 38 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49

Pay TV network Loud sigh Do-ol’s artist daughter Area around your car not visible in mirrors (2 words) Vegan-friendly restaurant on Seoseok-ro Weapons procurement agency “No ___, no gain” Rasta’s god French friend Eggy Christmas drink Byproduct of fire Cheong Kwan Jang maker Girls’ Generation song Dareuda Kimbap ___ “Happily ___ after” Goes with Gwangju or Yonhap Firefly captain Davidson of “The Crying Game” ___ Bapjip on Yesul-gil Neither snow ___ rain Hongdae cafe Music of Seopyeonje or Dongpyeonje Special effects Sault ___ Marie Phone installations Jagger or Foley Avant-garde art movement Baldwin or Guinness Joe Wabe’s book Reply to an oversharer “The ineffable sadness of being Korean” Track left by a wheel Important subject in Korea

2022-03-24 �� 9:37:40

GIC광주국제교류센터 GIC’s

Ch GIC광주국제교류센터

new Kakao Talk Channel!

Now, with our new Kakao Talk Channel, you can get the latest information on GIC’s events or inquire on any of GIC’s programs! Add us now on Kakao :) Opening Hours

Monday – Friday 9:30 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Saturday 8:30 a.m. – 5p.m.

Or leave us a message anytime and we will get back to you as soon as we can!

Supported Languages

Korean, English, Chinese, Japanese, Indonesian

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2022-03-24 �� 9:19:36

And glory, mountains blue, to you, In ageless ice encased!

And glory, freedom’s knights, to you, Whom God will not forsake.

Keep fighting – you are sure to win!

God helps you in your fight!

For fame and freedom march with you, And right is on your side!

From “The Caucasus”

By Ukrainian poet Taras Shevchenko (1814–1861) [Trans. John Weir]

Photo by Dave Beasley on Unsplash

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