(EN) Gwangju News August 2017 #186

Gwangju and South Jeolla International Magazine I August 2017 Issue #186 I 2017 ACC World Music Festival

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Letter from the Editor

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August 2017, Issue No. 186 Published: August 1, 2017 Cover Photo: Courtesy of Asia Culture Center and DJ Vandal Rock Cover Art & Design: Karina Prananto

THE EDITORIAL TEAM Publisher Editor-in-Chief Managing Editors Online Editorial Team

Dr. Shin Gyonggu Dr. David E. Shaffer Kelsey Rivers, Anastasia Traynin Nathan Fulkerson, Karina Prananto, Nguyen Huong (Sen) Joe Wabe Creative Advisor Karina Prananto Layout Editor Lorryn Smit Photo Editor Eden Jones Chief Proofreader Brian Fitzroy, Joey Nunez, Gabi Nygaard, Copy Editors Kelsey Rivers Calen Cygan, David Foster, Angie Hartley, Teri Proofreaders Lyn, Ynell Lumantao-Mondragon, Joey Nunez, Stephen Redeker, Lauren Reyes Heo Suk-young, Jung Yu-jin, Kim Mi-yeon, Researchers Lee Hyo-jeong, Nguyen Huong (Sen) Gwangju News is the first public English magazine 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.

Gwangju News is published by 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 E-mail: gwangjunews@gic.or.kr Registration No. 광주광역시 라. 00145 (ISSN 2093-5315) Registration Date: February 22, 2010 Printed by Join Adcom 조인애드컴 (+82)-62-367-7702

Special thanks to the City of Gwangju and all of our sponsors.

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The biggest and most exciting event we have to look forward to this month is the ACC World Music Festival, our cover story. This annual event draws visitors far and wide for a weekend of music from international and domestic musicians. Bring a cold beverage and a mat to sit on, and enjoy the party-like atmosphere of this awesome festival.

And the music festival isn’t the only party happening this month. In this issue, we also cover the Fringe Festival, which takes over the downtown every Saturday of the month until December, as well as GPP’s newest production, No Man’s Land. We also have our “culture days” to look forward to, days designated by the government for citizens to take advantage of special discounts at movie theaters, museums, and other cultural facilities. 1930 Salon de Yangnim and Gwangju Theater are just two of many locations that are creating fascinating events to entice you to their doors.

With all of the fun festivals and events happening, it makes it all the harder to leave Gwangju and Jeollanam-do, but that’s what I’ll be doing come the end of August. It has been a pleasure and an honor working on the Gwangju News for the past two and a half years, and I have been continually amazed by the artistic talent to be found in our little corner of Korea. To all the readers and contributors, thank you for being a part of the Gwangju News.

Kelsey Rivers Gwangju News Managing Editor

GwangjuNews gwangjunews GwangjuNewsGIC

August 2017

For volunteering and article submission inquiries, please contact the Editor at: gwangjunews@gic.or.kr For advertising and subscription inquiries, contact karina@gic.or.kr

With the intense heat and humidity these days, you would think that we would all stay indoors and never move from in front of our airconditioning units. But the summertime seems to be when Gwangju is at its most vibrant, with so many festivals and events, it is difficult to fit everything into one’s schedule.

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

Copyright by 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.

ello Gwangju!

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Contents

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August 2017 #186

08 ACC World Music Festival 12

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GWANGJU NEWS 03. Gwangju City News 04. Upcoming Events: August 06. Gwangju Theater Schedule 56. Community Board

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

August 2017

FEATURE 08. ACC World Music Festival: Celebrating Their 8th Anniversary with a Weekend of Cultural Diversity COMMUNITY 07. WHRCF 2017: “Do We Live in Peace? – Human Rights Cities, Democracy, and Practice” 10. Don’t Shop, Swap!: Gwangju Freecycle 12. Sexuality in the “Spotlight”: New Gwangju Adult Store Takes a Uniquely Open Approach 15. 1930 Salon de Yangnim & Film Station 18. Fringe Festival: Gwangju-Style 20. No Man’s Land: An Interview with Thando Mlambo 48. Audiobook Kiosk: A Summer Romance 50. Expat Living: Tackling the Typhoon FOOD & DRINKS 23. A Smack of Chimaek (The Ultimate Beer-andChicken Combination, Part 1) 24. Monsoon Makgeolli 26. Where to Eat: McLeod 28. Kitchen Stories: Pan-Roasted Deodeok

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ARTS & CULTURE 30. Photo Essay: Smartphone Photography with Lorryn Smit 34. Photo of the Month 44. Gwangju Writes: Frames of Reference 46. Book Review: We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie 47. Movie Review: Roman Holiday TRAVEL 36. Around Korea: Geumo-do 39. Cheongsan-do SPORTS 42. Beach Camping: To Keep in Mind EDUCATION 51. Talk to Me in Korean: Dating & Marriage 52. KOTESOL: English Education Policy Before the Millennium OPINION 54. Hosting a GFN Radio Show for One Month: Traveling Through Time with Music!

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Gwangju City

News

Compiled by Jung Yu-jin and Karina Prananto

Mudeungsan Mountain National Park to conduct crackdown on violations Mudeungsan Mountain National Park Management Office said it will carry out an intense crackdown from July 29 to August 15 on illegal conduct and activities including cooking, camping, littering, night hiking, and smoking.

Some hiking tracks will be closed to ensure safety for hikers and preserve nature near those tracks.

Movie Taxi Driver holds screening event in Gwangju

Some valleys, such as Wonhyo Valley, will be open for the summer season.

A screening event for the film Taxi Driver was held on July 29 here in Gwangju.

Kim Bo-young, director of the resource preservation division at the office, asked for people’s cooperation in keeping the national park clean and safe.

There were members of May organizations, local taxi drivers, and citizens in attendance.

Premium express bus routes to expand

The film Taxi Driver will be released nationwide on Wednesday, August 2.

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The newly established routes are to include Incheon–Gwangju, Seongnam–Gwangju, Seoul–Mokpo, Seoul–Suncheon, and Seoul–Yeosu.

The two existing lines will also provide addition travel times for its users.

The number of registered vehicles in the city, however, has jumped by over 700% from 82,000 to 633,000. And by 2020, the vehicle count is expected to grow by an additional 14.2% to 723,000.

Seven out of 10 vehicles on the city’s roads are passenger cars while trucks make up 20% and public transportation, 10%.

The report shows the share rate of transport for passenger cars sits at 40.7% while public transportation, including taxis, buses and the subway, makes up 51.5% of all transit.

August 2017

The movie unfolds from the perspectives of two outsiders: a foreign journalist and his taxi driver, who had no idea about what was happening in Gwangju as the event wasn’t being shown on the news.

Premium express bus service, which has operated only two routes, connecting Seoul–Gwangju and Seoul–Busan, will diversify its routes.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport and the express bus service providers have said the two existing travel routes will be expanded to 14.

According to a traffic condition and prospect report released by the City of Gwangju on July 13, the city’s population has grown by 30% from some 1.14 million to about 1.49 million over the last 17 years. www.gwangjunewsgic.com

At the event, leading actor Song Gangho said he is honored to stand before the people of Gwangju and added that he wishes the movie to provide some comfort to the people.

Over last 17 years in Gwangju, population jumps 30% while number of vehicles increases 700%

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Upcoming Events Compiled by Nguyen Huong (Sen)

Exhibition

August

Jameel Prize Four: Inspiration from Islamic Tradition GWANGJU NEWS

자밀 예술상4 : 이슬람의 바람 This first exhibition of its kind introduces the Jameel Prize winners to art lovers in Korea. An overview of Islamic history and culture comes to life in artworks of 11 shortlisted talented artists and designers who are finally here at the ACC (Asia Culture Center).

Date & Time: June 30 – October 8 Tuesdays – Sundays: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Wednesdays & Saturdays: 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.

Entry is allowed up to one hour before closing.

Address: Library Park, Asia Culture Center.

38 Munhwajeondang-ro, Dong-gu, Gwangju 광주광역시 동구 문화전당로 38 Admission: Free Telephone: 1899-5566 Website: www.acc.go.kr

Performance

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

August 2017

Two university students visited an abandoned mental hospital to document a scary movie. In this hospital, a fire broke out 20 years ago. Also there were reports of mutilated bodies being disposed of in the hospital. In Room 6, they found a diary. What is the secret in the diary? Find out more by visiting this exhibit!

Scary Theater [Room No. 6] 공포연극 6호실

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Dates: June 23 – September 24 Times: Weekdays: 7:30 p.m.; Saturdays: 3 p.m. & 7 p.m.

Sundays & Public Holidays: 3 p.m. No performances on Mondays.

Address: U-Square Culture Center – Dongsan Art Hall Admission: 40,000 won (discount applicable. Please check their Facebook or Instagram page) Telephone: 062-351-1433/ 062-360-8437 Website: Instagram: ydmusicalcompany; Facebook: art9festival * This performance is intended for viewers aged 15 and above; it is not recommended for pregnant woman or those with weak hearts.

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Festivals Taking place at the home of the firefly, Muju, this festival provides an opportunity for visitors to explore the natural habitat of this creature and marsh snails. In addition to various activities and attractions, visitors are assured that they can witness the beauty of fireflies after 8 p.m., when they light up the sky.

Dates: August 26 – September 3 Address: 326-17 Hanpungnu-ro, Muju-gun, Jeollabuk-do 전라북도 무주군 무주읍 한풍루로 326-17 (설천면)

Muju Firefly Festival 무주 반딧불축제

Admission: TBA Telephone: 063-324-2440 Website: http://english.firefly.or.kr/index.html

As the name suggests, this event welcomes visitors to come and savor the white lotus flowers and lotus-themed activities. The beautiful and rare snow-white lotuses of Muan are one of a kind, as most lotuses in Korea are pink. Muan is the biggest home of the white lotus flower in Asia.

Dates: August 12–15 Address: 339-2 Baengnyeon-ro, Muan-gun, Jeollanamdo 전라남도 무안군 일로읍 백련로 339-2 Admission: 10,000 won for youth, 20,000 won for general admission Telephone: 061-450-5114 Website: http://tour.muan.go.kr/toureng/festival/korea_muan

Muan White Lotus Festival 무안 연꽃축제

2017 ACC 월드뮤직페스티벌 The world comes together through music at the ACC World Music Festival. Bring your own mat and enjoy musical performances from local and abroad artists.

광주광역시 동구 문화전당로 38, 아시아 문화전당

Admission: Free Telephone: 1899-5566 Website: https://www.acc.go.kr/worldmusic

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August 2017

Dates: August 25–26 Address: Asia Culture Plaza, Art Theater Big Door 38 Munhwajeondang-ro, Dong-gu, Gwangju

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

2017 ACC World Music Festival

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Gwangju THEATER 62 Chungjang-no 5-ga, Dong-gu, Gwangju (two blocks behind NC WAVE) TICKETS: 8,000 won INFORMATION: 062-224-5858 For more information, please visit: http://cafe.naver.com/cinemagwangju * Synopses excerpted from Wikipedia and Hancinema

LADY MACBETH 레이디 멕베스 Genre: Drama Director: William Oldroyd Film Length: 89 minutes Starring: Florence Pugh, Cosmo Jarvis, Paul Hilton Summary: In rural England in 1865, a woman, who is trapped in a loveless marriage to a much older man, begins a passionate affair with a man her own age. The movie is based on the novel Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District

by Nikolai Leskov.

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

August 2017

GRADUATION 엘리자의 내일 Genre: Drama Director: Cristian Mungiu Film Length: 128 minutes Starring: Adrian Titieni, MariaVictoria Dragus, Lia Bugnar Summary: A Romanian doctor takes matters into his own hands when an attack on his daughter jeopardizes her scholarship to a prestigious British university.

THE SHOWER 소나기 Genre: Drama Director: Ko Young-nam Film Length: 100 minutes Starring: Lee Young-soo, Jo Yunsuk, Kim Sin-jae Summary: Suk-ie, a young boy from the countryside, meets Yeon-ie, a city girl who recently transferred to his school. He has feelings for her, but he is unable to express himself, so he picks on her instead. One day when Yeon-ie is absent from school, Suk-ie waits for her by the stream she normally plays at. Following her return, an event of a shower brings them closer.

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YOUTH 유스

Genre: Drama Director: Paolo Sorrentino Film Length: 124 minutes Starring: Michael Caine, Harvey Keitel, Rachel Weisz Summary: Fred, a retired composer and conductor, vacations at a Swiss spa with his longtime friend Mick.

As Mick crafts what may be his final screenplay, Fred is given the opportunity to perform for Queen Elizabeth II. BAMSEOM PIRATES SEOUL INFERNO 밤섬해적단 서울불바다

Genre: Documentary Director: Jung Yoon-suk Film Length: 120 minutes Starring: Kwon Yong-man, Jang Sung-geon, Park Jeonggeun Summary: Bamseom Pirates is a band consisting of bassist Jang Sung-geon and drummer Kwon Yong-man.

Their music is an extreme mixture of grind core and punk, and they frequently combine their music with the breaking of things. Bamseom Pirates Seoul Inferno is a documentary that combines meaningfulness and entertainment, guerrilla style and elaborateness, punk and politics, in a unique amalgam about the lesser-known aspects of South Korean society.

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Human Rights Cities, Democracy, and Practice

COMMUNITY

Do We Live in Peace?

Written and photographed by WHRCF Secretariat

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Despite citizens’ resistance, democracy and human rights are facing a global crisis. The Philippine government’s war on drugs, declared in 2016, has resulted in the immediate execution of thousands of criminal suspects. Through the martial law and state of emergency declared in Turkey, an estimated 150 newspaper and TV broadcasting companies have been forcibly shut down in the name of “prevention of terrorism,” while cracking down on civilian and pro-democracy activists demanding freedom of speech. The

elements posing a threat to peace are not limited to such conflicts and political disputes. People’s fury and discontentment due to unequal distribution of wealth and severe social polarization has led to the deterioration of tolerance towards immigrants, the socially vulnerable, and the underprivileged, with claims of protecting their own within their communities. Examples of this are shown in the election of Donald Trump as the U.S. president and the withdrawal of the UK from the European Union (Brexit).

Amid ongoing, mounting upheaval and conflicts around the world, the Forum will serve as a space to offer insight into the world we are living in through the value of peace and to seek a better future for human rights cities.

August 2017

“Do We Live in Peace?” is the main theme of the Forum and a question that the Forum asks to us. Peace is a fundamental, crucial condition buttressing human rights and democracy, and a significant value to be implemented through human

rights and democracy. The last decade has witnessed the rise of citizen resistance against the deterioration of peace, such as the 2016 South Korean Candlelight Revolution, the 2011 Tunisian Jasmine Revolution, the 2014 Hong Kong Umbrella Movement, and the 2014 Taiwan Sunflower Student Movement.

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

he World Human Rights Cities Forum 2017 will be held at the Kim Daejung Convention Center in Gwangju from September 14 to 17, hosted by Gwangju Metropolitan City and co-organized

by Gwangju International Center and UCLG/CISDP (United Cities and Local Governments; Committee on Social Inclusion, Participatory Democracy, and Human Rights). In the Forum, participants including human rights experts, representatives from human rights cities, and others will discuss the main theme: “Do We Live in Peace? Human Rights Cities, Democracy, and Practice.’

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ACC World Music Festival:

Celebrating Their 8th Anniversary with a Weekend of Cultural Diversity Written by Josh Garcia Photos courtesy of Asia Culture Center

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

August 2017

FEATURE

W

hile the summer heat shows no sign of slowing down, Gwangju’s summer festivals have blazed through the rainy season and trudged through the dog days as we finally arrive in August. The city’s many festivals have brought out the local community for celebrations big and small, as many people take time away from the comfort of their air conditioning to enjoy food, art, performances, games, and nature. But as we approach the end of this month, the ACC World Music Festival will make its mark as a high point of the season in celebrating its eighth year of international music and collaboration.

Originally known as the Gwangju World Music Festival, this event has grown every year since its inception in 2010 to become one of the city’s most prominent summer activities with current attendance easily reaching into the thousands.

The festival takes pride in bringing musicians together from countries near and far to showcase their unique styles and collaborate. In 2016, the name was officially changed to the ACC (Asia Culture Center) World Music Festival, and it is now gearing up for its best lineup yet.

This year, the features include two full evenings of performances and activities, running from 5:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. on Friday, August

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25, and from 6:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 26. The musicians will hail from seven different countries, including Ghana, Mexico, Italy, India, Thailand, and the United States. Additionally, there will be children’s performances, a PyeongChang Winter Olympics zone, musical instrument merchants, and a variety of food vendors to enjoy.

One of the most intriguing performances is expected from Friday’s headliner and Seoul native, DJ Vandal Rock. Usually Vandal Rock’s sets are a mix of EDM with funk, pop, and hip hop, but this special performance will include a Brazilian element from the live instrumentation of Rapercussion, whose 120-member ensemble will rumble the festival grounds. Vandal Rock chose this collaboration for his love of musical variety and as a new experiment for his audience.

“I always pursue and develop my own style that nobody does by introducing various genres of music in my set,” he said. He enjoys the connection this brings between him and his audience, regardless of the different experiences people may be going through in their individual lives. “I feel different emotions every performance. This will be my first time at this Gwangju festival, so it is exciting, and I can’t wait to meet all the people there.”

Another highly anticipated performance is Thailand’s own, Asia 7. The group uses an assortment of instruments to mix Thai folk with Western styles to create their own blend of Asian jazz-pop fusion. Since forming at Mahidol University, the group has gone on to gain a following, leading up to a performance at the Thailand International Jazz Conference in 2016. “Our musical influences are world music, fusion, and contemporary jazz, and so on…

We want to create an identity for Thai folk musical instruments to be more prominent, by finding new rhythms, creating new melodies from Thai folk melodies, and combining jazz harmonies,” explains a member of the group. They have never performed in Gwangju before, and are very excited to be a part of the festival.

“We like to be on stage, and when we communicate with each other with different notes, it shows in the audience. But most importantly, we create and play music in the way we want to. It is happiness.”

Friday is set to kick off with performances from a few local groups before Yogesh Samsi takes the stage at 7:00 p.m. Samsi is a renowned tabla player from India who is known throughout his country as one of the top gurus of the instrument. For those unfamiliar, tabla are a set of South Asian hand drums, somewhat similar to bongos. While the tabla are

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▲ Top row, from left: King Ayisoba, Asia 7, Rapercussion. Second row, from left: Kwon Song-hee, Amado Leejaram Band, Paco Renteria. Third row, from left: Almoraima, DJ Vandal Rock, Los Amigos.

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folk influences.

The Latin gusto will continue into the next set with Paco Renteria, a virtuoso flamenco guitarist from Mexico. Renteria began playing guitar at age seven and has gone on to play around the world with music legends such as Carlos Santana and Luciano Pavarotti. As a composer, he has written over 300 pieces for guitar, some of which have been featured in major feature films such as Desperado and The Legend of Zorro.

His performance in Gwangju will be especially unique, as he teams up with South Korean pansori vocalist Kwon Song-Hee. Kwon is well known throughout the country for her soaring operatic vocal talent, and has explored beyond the foundation of her traditional Korean vocal teachings to incorporate a candid blend of flamenco, Italian, and other

Saturday’s set will feature Kim Juhong and his Korean drum group Noreum Machi. The ensemble was founded in 1993 as a way to continue the tradition of Samulnori, a traditional Korean style of music that features percussive calls and response, shamanistic chants, and acrobatic dances. Ju-hong leads the group as they use janggo drums, buk barrel drums, and a collection of gongs to expand this tradition to modern audiences.

As the syncopated rhythms of Noreum Machi pound through the finale of their show, the evening’s energy will drift into the melodic vibes of the Amado LeeJaRam Band.

This fresh talent from Seoul mixes folk and indie rock for a dynamic experience that smolders through

August 2017

At 8:00 p.m., a South Korean indie band, Hyukoh, will take the stage.

The band’s front man and singer, Oh Hyuk, has lived in various parts of China as well as South Korea, and is fluent in Mandarin, English, and Korean, giving his lyrics a true spark of linguistic diversity. They will be followed by Son Caribe, a salsa-merengue trumpeter from Hawaii who will be leading a special performance with Los Amigos.

The nine-member group has three vocalists and six instrumentalists who create a vibrant fanfare of

Brazilian and Afro-Cuban styles.

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

considered essential to Hindustani classical music, Samsi will be using this performance to collaborate with Sung Si-young, a master Korean flutist of the Seoul Metropolitan Traditional Music Orchestra, to venture into a hybrid territory of their two primary genres.

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10 their down-tempo ballads and rattles the walls with epic, guitar-driven jams.

Next on the schedule, Italy’s Almoraima is guaranteed to add a bold element to the day with flamenco fusion, rooted in gypsy panache.

The group will take the stage with Song Kyung-gun, a wind instrument player from the world music group, Gongmyung. His specialty in using bamboo instruments has kept him in the spotlight for years as an enchanting and effortless performer.

The festival will culminate with the festival’s headliner, King Ayisoba.

Ayisoba is one of the top performers of traditional Ghana music, using an instrument called a xalam, which many Westerners might consider the African ancestor of the banjo.

His vocal chants concerning world politics, community, and declarations of peace are interspersed over the syncopated grooves that carry his audiences toward hope and gala.

THE AUTHOR

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

August 2017

Whether you are looking to boogie the night away or entrance yourself in walls of sound, the ACC World Music Festival will make for a memorable weekend of unique, world-class performances. Find more information on their official website at https://www.acc.go.kr/worldmusic or their Facebook page.

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Josh Garcia is an English teacher who lives in Gwangju. He is a native Texan and uses most of his free time playing music and enjoying the outdoors.

Don’t Shop, Swap!: Gwangju Freecycle Written by Ashlyn Winter

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reecycle was started in January 2014 by a lovely lady named Lianne Bronzo. Many of her friends were leaving Korea and were overwhelmed with the things they had accumulated, and that they couldn’t take back to their home countries. Yet there were new teachers coming to replace them, so why should perfectly good things be thrown out, and unnecessary new things be purchased? Another motivation to start this great event was the difficulty of acquiring secondhand items in Korea. The “buy/sell” page on Facebook was an option, but what about smaller items like utensils and mugs? She also wanted to get Korean people to use secondhand items. She often saw perfectly good things on the side of the street that went to waste.

So, she thought it would be good to try to reduce waste as well as promote a sense of community through the event. Lianne’s goal was to have swaps twice a year and for people to be active in the groups.

She wanted people to give things away before throwing things away, and for people to seek secondhand instead of buying new. She has had a heart to promote the Freecycle event among Korean people, too.

I took over from Lianne in 2015 as she was leaving Korea to seek adventures in other countries. I was hesitant at first because I knew it would be a lot of work and I would need community support for this event to be a continued success. I didn’t know as many people in the Gwangju community as Lianne did, but I have a heart for serving the community and helping out the GIC, so I said yes, and trusted that there would be people to volunteer and help make each event successful. And this has been the case! Each time Freecycle comes up, I have enough people to help me sort donated items and set up for the event. So, thanks to all of you out there in our amazing Gwangju community. Without you, this event would not be possible!

This year, we will be having our 8th “Swap, Don’t Shop” Freecycle event hosted by the GIC on September 9, 2017. Past Freecycle events wouldn’t have been successful if it weren’t for the incredible Gwangju community and the GIC’s continual support.

Thanks to all who contribute and help out where you can. All of your help and support is much appreciated!

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PRESENTS THE EIGHTH

Sat., Sept. 9, 2017, 3 pm-5 pm

@Gwangju International Center Donations accepted from July 25 @GIC

Mon-Sat 09:30-18:30 Sun 10:00-17:00

* GENTLY USED * Clothes, Accessories, Art, Shoes, Boots, Home Goods, Electronics, Appliances

-Freebut please consider a donation to the GIC

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

Please do not donate: Used undergarments, swimsuits, socks, stockings, anything with stains, holes, or items in poor condition.

Only things others will put to good use. Thank you!

August 2017

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Gwangju Freeecycle 2017-08-22 �� 2:41:42

12 Local Enterpreneur

Sexuality in the “Spotlight” New Gwangju Adult Store Takes a Uniquely Open Approach

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

August 2017

COMMUNITY

Written by Anastasia Traynin Interpreted by Cho Namhee Photographed by Ben Robins

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tanding at a Gwangju downtown bus stop on a fall day last year, I saw a promotional sticker for an upcoming new shop. Though this sight in itself is nothing new, I was surprised about the shop’s business, something I thought I would never see in this city: a friendly and open adult products store. Sure, there are plenty of seongin yongpum (성인용품, adult paraphernalia) shops around town, but few, if any of them, give off a welcoming, clean, or pleasant vibe.

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Beyond selling a variety of sex toys, clothes, condoms, and lotions, Spotlight runs small informal monthly “sex-minars” about the use of their products. In addition, they provide private counseling sessions for those visitors with intimate questions.

Park said that some customers have little knowledge, from the basics of the proper condoms to purchase to more serious issues. Kang recalls a woman in her 50s who came in for a consultation about her husband and their sex life. She left with a much

Though the majority of their customers are women, they feel that being a couple gives them the advantage of having expertise about their products and being able to share from both the female and male perspective.

“In the future, we will organize a seminar like this especially for men,” Kang said. “Recently, there have been more women opening businesses in this industry, by being more open about their sexuality.”

With their shop’s central location, the couple have been surprised by the wide range in their customers’ ages, from people in their early 20s, who frequent the area, to those in their late 50s and 60s, who hold the Chungjangro area as part of their youthful memories.

Although adult product shops are not open to minors under 19, thanks to the company Instinctus selling greenpackaged Eve condoms, Spotlight

August 2017

Unlike other such couples, they decided that this high demand warranted the opening of an educational and sexpositive face-to-face business. Calling their shop “Spotlight,” they aim to

“At first, we were hesitant about this shop because of Gwangju’s conservative atmosphere, so we thought we would last three or six months,” Kang says. “But we find that there is a demand here in Gwangju, whether we are here or not.”

better understanding and no need for extra medical care.

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

The owners of the new shop felt the same way. Kang Min-gyeong, former office worker, and Park Seung-jae, her current boyfriend and then a university student, were just an ordinary couple in their 20s, looking especially for women’s adult products.

Not finding anything that suited them in the various local offline stores, they looked online and found a big supply and demand for their needs.

shine a collective light on sexuality in Gwangju and to help people find their individual “spots” that have remained hidden or confusing. They found their current shop’s location on a side street near the downtown YMCA and have been in business there since October 2016.

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14 is able to provide a service to the youngest sexually active citizens of Gwangju. Outside the window of their shop is Instinctus’ pioneer project started earlier this year, an under-19-only condom machine that allows youth to discreetly purchase inexpensive contraceptives without the usual stigma.

COMMUNITY

“Before opening our business, we thought about social responsibility, along the lines of seminars and workshops,” Kang said. “We were concerned about sex education at school. It is not properly done and can be misleading on some points. We have read and heard about experiences of teenagers misusing contraceptives or maybe not even being able to get condoms from convenience stores because they are looked at in a strange way and maybe scolded.

Some of the consequences of misusing or not using condoms are big issues in society. So we found the right place to install the machine.”

When it comes to the legality of their business, the couple explain that while “sex toys” exist as a business category, registering openly may limit their ability to open credit cards and to receive grants as a youth start-up.

“Still, people have very conservative and negative perceptions of these businesses,” Kang continued.

“The biggest challenge is that sex toys are yet to be defined by the government, so there is no fully developed legal infrastructure or systems.”

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August 2017

Kang further mentioned that while many women do not openly talk about their sex lives among themselves, her girlfriends were enthusiastic about the opening of the shop. Park said that his male friends regard him as a kind of “hero.” Their families were far more concerned about the couple running an adult products store, but after visiting Spotlight and realizing its open atmosphere, they began to understand.

SPOTLIGHT 스팟라이트 Contact Person: Jang Hyun-ju 정현주 Address: 101-6 Chungjang-ro, Dong-gu, Gwangju 광주광역시 동구 충장로 101-6 (충장로1가) 1층 1호 스팟라이트 Open Hours: 2:00 p.m. – 10:30 p.m. Tuesdays–Sundays and until 11:00 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.

Telephone: 010-2783-0056 Website: www.스팟라이트.com

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Despite mostly positive feedback from those around them, Kang lamented that the wider society has yet to become fully accepting of Spotlight’s mission. “We enjoy that there are people who come here and like it, but a lot of the feedback is negative and some people also think that we are in an unethical relationship, which is not true. Those are the difficulties, but the interest and appreciation gives us energy. One day, whether it is five or ten years from now, the awareness and acceptance towards these products will likely change in Korea.”

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1930 Salon de Yangnim & Film Station Written by Anastasia Traynin Photos courtesy of 1930 Salon de Yangnim and It da Interpretation by Heo Seok-yeong

COMMUNITY www.gwangjunewsgic.com

August 2017

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ultural events and activities in Korea are not limited to the weekends. In an effort to encourage hard-working Koreans to enjoy more of their well-earned time off, in January 2014, the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism designated the last Wednesday of each month as Culture Day, with museums, galleries, private exhibits, movie theaters, and other places opening their doors with free admission or at discounted rates.

In Gwangju, the Culture Day concept has given birth to a diversity of ideas for engaging city dwellers on that elusive Wednesday night. This month, we look at two ongoing events: 1930 Salon de Yangnim, a project of the Seoul- and Gwangjubased creative group Juice Come Funny, and Film Station, organized at downtown’s historical Gwangju Cinema by the local media social enterprise “It da.”

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

August 2017

1930 SALON DE YANGNIM Tucked away down a narrow alleyway in Gwangju’s old missionary neighborhood of Yangnim-dong, is Modern Girl Table, a cozy, old house divided into two unique parts: a vintage European-style café and a colorful hanbok shop. This is the headquarters of the 1930 Salon de Yangnim, a Culture Day project launched on the last Wednesday of March 2016.

On this hot, sunny afternoon, my interpreter and I welcome the cool, relaxed atmosphere in the café and the chance to chat with Lee Na-young, Juice Come Funny Gwangju branch ten-year veteran and deputy head, and also with her coworker of three years, Kim Kkot-bi. Having twice attended the Salon, I have seen the monthly nighttime transformation, when peaceful Yangnim-dong lights up with live performances by local musicians, and visitors wander the maze-like streets, stopping in at a café for a concert and a cup.

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▲ Previous page and above: 1930 Salon de Yangnim

I am curious about the significance of the year 1930. Lee and Kim explain that this decade, in the second part of the Japanese colonial period, was the start of Gwangju’s modernization.

The French word “salon” evokes a mood of poets, musicians, artists, and other creative types displaying and discussing their work over tea. It also matches the ambience that they seek to create. The word “nostalgia” comes to mind, but Kim says that this applies more to the 7080 Chungjang Recollection Festival that takes place in the fall. The Salon de Yangnim, on the other hand, is based on imagination.

Lee explains: “There are not many people from the 1930s era still alive today. Between the older and younger generations, people can imagine and create new ideas, and collaborate.”

Before 2014, the events in Yangnimdong were limited to certain fields such as classical music. After the start of Culture Day, the local government started focusing heavily on reshaping the neighborhood as a tourist space, with unique projects such as the artistic Penguin Village, shops related to missionary history, and a market street where citizens could directly participate with their own programs.

Kim highlights one café in particular, Suh Suh-pyeong, the Korean name of American Southern Presbyterian

Church missionary Elisabeth J. Shepping, who worked in various cities including Gwangju until her death in 1934 and burial in Yangnim’s Honam Missionary Cemetery. As Suh is known for her selfless and equality-based service compared with other missionaries, her namesake café has taken on the practice of “suspended coffee,” said to have originated 100 years ago in working-class Naples, Italy. A customer can pay for two cups of coffee with the intention of someone else being able to enjoy the second cup of coffee free.

The Salon de Yangnim maintains its overarching monthly theme, with special features such as a traditional play that resumed in July and an upcoming September hanbok fashion show. Local internationalKorean band Fantastic Mistake is just one of the many artists that perform in this event’s designated locations. If you are looking for a lively weekday evening cultural activity, mark your calendars for the last Wednesday of the month – 5:00-9:30 p.m. – and head across the Gwangju Stream to Yangnim.

FILM STATION On May 31, I had the pleasure of attending a free screening of the 2014 English movie “Pride,” imported into Korea last year with the domestic title “London Pride,” at one of Gwangju’s treasures, Gwangju

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17 Cinema, established in 1935. Best of all, there was a post-movie talk

by Seoul-based film director Kim Jo Kwang Soo, the first to register a same-sex marriage with his partner.

His talk was intermingled with a performance by local acoustic malefemale duo, Kkot-nim-I Band (꽃님이 밴드). This Culture Day event called Film Station was made possible by Kim Ji-a and her team at Gwangsangu’s It da, named after the Korean verb meaning “connect.”

Kim visited us at the Gwangju International Center to chat about the brand-new Film Station project, launched on the last Wednesday of April this year. She started by explaining further about the concept behind Culture Day. “Many Korean workers have no weekend and they do overtime, so the Korean government started using so-called culture vouchers for the weekdays,” Kim explained.

“On that Wednesday, with the voucher, they can leave work early and get discounts [at culture-related establishments].”

felt sad that central downtown’s relocation to the Asia Culture Center and Chungjang-ro areas meant a loss of awareness about the movie theater among the general population.

“Older people who used to come to the cinema don’t know that it is still there and young people don’t know the place at all, so we can create interest with new programs.”

In short, Film Station grew out of a need for the regular use of the Gwangju Cinema as a vital cultural space. It da works with the theater’s board members to create a monthly theme, with May having focused on human rights and June and July making use of its intimate screening room in the middle of the back garden, hidden from street view. As

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With these two great events in our city, we hope you enjoy Culture Day, the last Wednesday evening of each month in Gwangju!

▲ Top and above: Performances at It Da

August 2017

As a Gwangju native, Kim was embarrassed to visit the Gwangju Cinema as a university student for the first time. She developed a fondness for old buildings and

Kim characterizes It da’s vision as the desire for a fun workplace with activities that make the public happy, and eventually grow beyond Gwangju to other countries. If a night of music and film strikes your fancy on a weekday night, take a stroll down the street behind the towering NC Wave building, and find yourself at Film Station.

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

The Culture Ministry is working to specialize each region and, along with the coinciding Yangnim Salon, It da is representing the Gwangju area. As Juice Come Funny works to revitalize the old neighborhood of Yangnim-dong, It da’s Film Station hopes to attract more people to Gwangju Cinema, a long-standing but not well-attended city landmark.

Located in the tailor district on the former main street of the city near the Gwangju Stream and its first bridge, the classic movie theater retains its character of showing independent and arthouse Korean and foreign movies.

the event spans from 5 to 10 p.m. on the last Wednesday of the month, the free movie screenings are preceded by two hours of lively local music performances and art exhibits in Gwangju Cinema’s lobby.

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Fringe Festival Gwangju-Style

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

August 2017

SPORTS & ACTIVITIES

Written by Wilhelmina Asaam Photos courtesy of Gwangju Fringe Festival

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’m from the UK, and when I hear the words “fringe festival,” I immediately think Edinburgh: comedy, art installations, music, and drama productions. What definitely doesn’t come to mind is Gwangju, or even South Korea!

When eight small theater companies showed up to the larger Edinburgh International Festival hoping to perform in 1947, they were denied entry. Stubbornly unable to let that stop their performances, they instead set up their own productions in the smaller theaters around Edinburgh, hoping to steal away some of the attention of the large crowds that had gathered at the main festival.

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Robert Kemp, a Scottish journalist and playwright, wrote about these sideline productions, stating, “Round the fringe of official Festival drama, there seems to be more private enterprise than before... I am afraid some of us are not going to be at home during the evenings!” Thus, the term “fringe festival” was coined.

The founding principle of the fringe festival is that no one is denied their chance to perform; it is built on creative freedom. This means that anyone with a creative pursuit to showcase is able to apply and enter the festival!

The first fringe festival was established

at that incident in 1947, and it remains the world’s largest arts festival to date.

However, it has branched out a fair bit since then, with fringe festivals held annually all over the globe!

This amazing celebration of arts and culture finally reached Korea with the beginning of the Independent Arts Festival in 1998, which become the Seoul Fringe Festival in 2002.

This festival has showcased Korean arts for almost two decades and has also grown to include many international Asian acts, a path that Gwangju’s own fringe festival seems set on following.

This year marks the second year in

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Performances are divided into two parts: the main stages and many smaller-sized stages, including four open for “busking” (a term that typically refers to a more casual street performance). The three main stages are located in May 18 Plaza and Geumnam-ro, an area that is a pedestrian-only zone every fourth Saturday of the month.

The Gwangju Fringe Festival has been appearing every Saturday in the

downtown Geumnam-ro area (4–9 pm) since late April and will continue until December 16 and will be full of art installations, music performances, and a variety of cultural experience programs.

The festival coordinators believe that this is a cultural event at which anyone can join in and have fun, which is one of the main reasons for the excitement surrounding the event. It is clear that Gwangju is staying true to the origins of this festival, and that is what will help it grow as the original did.

Phone: 062-224-0323 or 062-601-4914 Attending: 062-601-4916 Performing: 062-601-4911/4912 Webpage: http://fringefestival.kr/

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Last year’s debut included many acts and performers, and drew a staggering 280,000 visitors to Gwangju. However, Yang Jin-seok, the person-in-charge, estimates that twice that many people will visit this year’s “May Is Freedom”

themed festival. The theme, with clear reference to the democratic uprising in 1980, is another clear indicator of why Gwangju is the perfect spot for this festival to flourish.

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

which this festival has taken place in Gwangju. The Lonely Planet (www. lonelyplanet.com) describes Gwangju as having “a long history of harboring artists…reflected in civic support for the arts that shines through at every turn.” With the regular and popular Biennale exhibition already under its belt, it is no wonder that people are flocking to this festival and expecting big things from Korea’s arts and culture center point, Gwangju.

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No Man’s Land: An Interview with Thando Mlambo Written by Kristyna Zaharek Photographed by Ben Robins

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I know at least one piece – a poem – that was written specifically by you.

How many other pieces are your pure creation?

Most of the choreographies are my own. Some were inspired from videos

I’m sure we can all guess that you’re passionate about the dances, but out of curiosity, what form of art – in this show, in particular – are you most excited about?

Hah! The weird thing is, I feel that’s what I would have thought as well – but it would have been nice to have some acting in the show. Some humorous skits would have been some good relief. But, yes. Dance is obviously something I have an extremely deep relationship with.

Poetry, I also connect to, but it feels more vulnerable to me.

What are some of the biggest challenges you have faced in the creation or production of this show?

I came into this show with big expectations. I’d finally gathered up the courage to give this a shot.

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Wow! That’s not something we usually think about in our dayto-day. What was your initial inspiration for NML? My initial inspiration was myself and my inability to speak. NML has been a long time coming. I’ve never had the courage to create it because I felt that I lacked resources, skill, theatrical background – everything that this needs to be put together. But, I’ve always internalized everything I see around me. Whether it’s directly related to me or to people I know, they’ve always played in my head. It was through creative images I used to write in poetry form. I’ve always wanted to say it out loud, but I’ve only ever known to create art. Art imitates life; it can speak for me. That’s how it began. I’ve just always wanted to do it. I wanted to put life into one big mess of a show.

I’ve seen or different cultural dances, but the finished choreographies I put together are my own. I look at pavement when I’m running; to me, that’s a picture of burden. I’ve always wanted to put that in a piece.

I imagine running from something, running to something. I wanted all of the pieces to be original in some form. There’s only one poem that comes to mind that isn’t written by me or someone else in the show. The songs, of course, aren’t original. But everything that’s choreographed is completely original. I wanted people to tell their stories. They’re our stories, you know. I want them to be told.

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Question: What is No Man’s Land?

Where does the name come from?

Thando Mlambo: No Man’s Land (NML) is like a mixed-media performance.

It incorporates different arts like music, dance, and poetry. All of them combine to tell a story of the rise and fall of mankind.

The name actually came later. I had so many ideas of what the name should be, but I’ve always felt that the people of the earth are treading on something that is not ours. Also, the idea of “no man’s land” actually exists. Between the borders of two countries, there’s always a piece of land that people are fighting over.

No one has claimed the part between the two countries. That strip of land is called “no man’s land.” You can do whatever you please there. The production is also a retelling of how the earth is something that we’ve taken control of. Like, it’s ours, but

it actually isn’t. Whether you feel it’s Mother Nature’s or a Higher Power’s, it’s not really ours. We’re slowly destroying it and taking ownership of it. It’s not a “no man’s land” to do with as we please. It also can be a state of mind, a place of nothingness between two places that are polar opposites.

The moment where your mind is at a loss between good and evil, or yes and no, fight or flight.

COMMUNITY

s one of the performers in No Man’s Land (NML), directed by Thando Mlambo, I can say I feel so blessed to be a part of this show. The first time I went into rehearsals, Thando called us to draw out hidden emotions and insecurities. It was uncomfortable.

But, through this, I can confidently say – and I probably speak for others as well – that this experience has also been healing. We’re all broken in some way, and we can all eventually find a way to rise again if we push through it. I am thankful to Thando for finding the time to do this interview with me.

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ARTS & CULTURE

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Because it’s so dear and close to me, I take everything to heart. Every. Single. Thing. Right from the start, I knew the pieces I wanted performed. I also knew I needed double than what I have now. I had to downscale the show – which is fine. But that, and people pulling out from the show, scheduling conflicts, not having a full production team, pulling and regrouping people, sometimes even begging – those are what have made this a challenging show to work with. I just feel that I have so much to prove.

I want to show that I can do something for Gwangju.

I’ve had to beg and chew and fight to get people to be involved. I’m so grateful for those who stepped up and offered to help!

Have there been any moments during rehearsals that were eye-opening for you? That connected you to the piece even more?

I’ve had quite a few. I have a tendency to not show or tell the performers. The most significant [instance] happened during a piece called “Bodies.” We were rehearsing, and things were coming along. Eventually, we tried to extend a certain section. The violin was playing and then just stopped, and there was this moment where I had stopped counting (during rehearsals, we had been trying to keep the beat consistent). “Bodies,” out of all the pieces, has the biggest place in my heart. It comes from a very personal struggle, especially with back home [in South Africa] where women are being abducted. Someone close to me

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almost lost her life to human trafficking. That moment in that piece struck a chord with me. It took me out of the rehearsing mind and reminded me why I chose that dance.

What are your expectations for the viewers? What do you want them to take away from this performance?

When it comes to destruction, we can only create art. I want them to keep an open mind. In Gwangju, we love art! It’s great. It makes us happy. We interpret it as small, fun performances. They leave happy. But I want Gwangju to experience interpretive art. They need to find their own emotions, their own story within the art instead of being shown what to emote. It’s been difficult for everyone involved. They have to find a side of themselves they don’t usually expose to others. I want the viewers to appreciate that, and to decide for themselves what the pieces draw out of them.

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION No Man’s Land will be performed at Yeonbaram Theater on September 16 and 17. There will be two performances on Saturday, at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. There will also be one on Sunday at 3 p.m.

Tickets can be reserved beginning mid-August. You can pre-order tickets at www.gwangjutheatre.com. Preordered tickets are 10,000 won, and tickets at the door are 12,000 won.

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Korean Food

23

A Smack of Chimaek

(The Ultimate Beer-and-Chicken Combination, Part 1) Written by Cho Namhee

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by a series of newly coined words in Korean such as 치덕후 (chideokhu, “chicken maniac”), 치킨공화국 (chikin gonghwaguk, “the Republic of Chicken”), and 치느님 (Chineunim, a blending of “chicken” and 하느님 [Haneunim, “Lord”]). These terms are often used and understood by the young generation; however, the fact that fried chicken is the typical yasik (late-night snack, often along with drinks) is understood in general among the people of Korea. So, how did such a dish, or more accurately, this snack, come to be regarded as a divine delicacy?

The majority of chicken eateries started off as bars, or “hofs,” in Korea.

The Korean expression “hof,” of German derivation, refers to a bar that typically sells beer. The term is no longer widely used since all fried chicken restaurants now serve beer with chicken. From the1980s, it became common for hofs to serve fried chicken and for fried chicken restaurants to sell alcohol, and as a consequence, they fused into one: the fried chicken restaurant.

In next month’s issue, we will examine in more depth fried chicken franchises and their various recipes, as well as the introduction of Korean draft beer and how the two have come together to form such a winning combination. Stay tuned.

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This style of cooking evolved and the chicken industry grew rapidly. More chicken-specializing food chains were introduced. In the late 1990s, when the nation faced a devastating financial crisis, the common notion surrounding chicken eateries was that it did not require special skills or an excessive amount of initial capital to start up a fried chicken business, which gave people who had lost their jobs an option when very few were available. Quite expectedly, the numbers of franchise chains grew exponentially, and more varieties of chicken dishes were introduced.

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Deep-fried whole chicken appears in Korean literature written in the late 19th century, but the recipe This chicken craze can be explained includes sesame oil instead of modern cooking oil. Ever since the 1970s, when vegetable oil began to be used widely among the public, deep-fried whole chicken, or tongdak, has slowly built up its reputation from the local markets where vendors fry whole chickens in large iron cauldrons. This style of cooking is now called yennaltongdak, (old-style chicken), which is now sold as a retro food found in traditional markets, and yangdongtongdak, (named after Ya n g - d o n g Market) would be the closest e qu iv a l e nt you would

find in Gwangju.

FOOD & DRINKS

elieve it or not, according to statistics from the Fair Trade Commission of Korea and a recent study on the fried chicken restaurants of Korea by KB Financial Holdings Management Institute (collected and studied in 2013), there are approximately 36,000 fried chicken restaurants registered in Korea, which is a thousand restaurants more than the number of McDonalds around the globe! The numbers are incredible. Needless to say, we take the combination of beer and chicken for granted. Consuming them together has become a social meme, even though Korea is not the original birthplace of either beer or fried chicken.

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www.gwangjunewsgic.com

August 2017

FOOD & DRINKS

24 Lost in Gwangju

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n o o s n Mo Written by Scott Brinkmeyer

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Pyojubak has got a simple menu, and their confidence in a limited offering is justified. If you’re there for the makgeolli (and really, why be anywhere else for anything else), then you’ve got to get jeon (전). The dish has meat and vegetables coated in eggs and flour, and it’s such a killer combination that it doesn’t need to be anything more. If you think their kimchi jeon isn’t something to write home about, then you must not have a home to write to. Never one for moderation, I recommend a platter of their assorted jeon (모듬전). They’ve got two different kinds of makgeolli.

It takes a bit of a palate to distinguish between the two, in my opinion, but I’ve always found volume to be more important than such minor flavor

distinctions. Once in a while, I like to get dongdongju (동동주), which is also on the menu here. It’s a lot like makgeolli, but has a bit of a deeper, earthier flavor.

Now, anytime someone is visiting Gwangju, this place is always on my list of places to take them. The combination of the traditional atmosphere and delicious food is always a big hit. They thank me for bringing them as if I were doing them some great favor instead of just finding any excuse I can to get back to Pyojubak. The trickier guests, of course, are the pickier Korean friends. Even in that category, I have yet to take someone to this place who hasn’t wanted to return. I indulge their requests to go back as often as I can, and I always make sure to overindulge myself while there.

PYOJUBAK 표주박 Address: 광주 서구 운천로17번길 9 (금호동)

Uncheon-ro 17-beongil 9, Seo-gu, Gwangju (Geumho-dong) Telephone: 062-383-3933

August 2017

A very traditional interior holds old, wooden tables. The areas where you don’t sit on the floor have big old tree stumps for stools. Their sturdiness becomes more important as you drink more makgeolli – just to beat the heat, of course. A trunk runs right up the middle of the place to really make it feel like an old hut. It’s likely just a well-disguised structural beam, but I have far less experience with engineering than I do with makgeolli, and I found

my appreciation of the aesthetic increasing in direct proportion to the amount of empty plastic bottles piling up next to me. I’m not sure how far back the tradition of soju ( 소주) girls goes, but there are enough cardboard figures in there to remind you that you haven’t actually gone back in time.

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

he first time I went to Pyojubak (표주박) in Geumho-dong, it was one of those notoriously humid, rainy summer nights of monsoon season. I was following some Korean friends to what they assured me was a great place for makgeolli (막걸리). My umbrella was busted, I was worried I was going to lose a sandal down the storm drains, and I hadn’t stopped sweating from the humidity in months. As soon as we got inside and I removed my steamed-over glasses, I was ready to concede that it was well worth the trip.

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www.gwangjunewsgic.com

August 2017

FOOD & DRINKS

26

Where to Eat

McLeod Written by Justin Ramsay Photographed by Justin Ramsay and Jin Song Pyo

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here’s nothing better than a hearty brunch on a Sunday morning or afternoon. Actually, brunch is great on any day of the week. Cooking and cleaning on a Sunday, or any other day really, are less great and often lead people to go looking for their brunch fix elsewhere. There are a number of Korean restaurants in Gwangju that open early and offer breakfast, unfortunately not the type that many people from abroad are used to.

A typical Korean breakfast is not that different from any other Korean meal and usually consists of rice, soup, and various side dishes. These breakfasts are great and very filling, but sometimes you just want a nice big plate of pancakes, French toast, bacon, and eggs. If your mouth is watering just from reading that list of brunch items, then you may want to give McLeod a try.

McLeod is a small, Western-style brunch eatery in the trendy, popular neighborhood of Dongmyeong-dong, very close to the Asia Culture Complex. The simple storefront showcases white walls and a small neon sign. Inside there are a couple of large, yellow island tables and five or six additional seats at the kitchen counter. It has a very home-like feel and one is remind-

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ed of a nice, weekend breakfast with the family. The restaurant is quite small and has a very small staff to match, with only one person in charge of taking orders, cooking the food, and delivering it to the tables (sometimes two staff will be present on busy days). The size and nature of the restaurant mean that it is not really suitable for large groups, and those who want a lightning-fast meal should rather head to McDonald’s.

The restaurant owner is very upfront about this, though, and includes a very well-worded disclaimer on the menu, which reads: “McLeod is a small, local brunch-and-dinner spot run by one brave man. He does it all. From cooking and cleaning to serving all the delectables. On busy days, there could be a long wait for your order, but it will be well worth it.

Please take a seat anywhere you like, and I will get to you as quickly as humanly possible. There is a self-service bar under the counter with water, sauces, and syrup.”

Once we had finished perusing the simple menu, the chef came to our table to take our orders. On the recommendations of several friends, we ordered the Eggs Benedict, a side of pancakes, and the brunch plate with French toast (there is a choice between pancakes, French toast, and waffles) and sunny-side-up eggs. The restaurant was quite busy so we were expecting quite a long

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The sausage and bacon were both well-cooked with a delightful crispy texture and neither was too oily. The onion salad added a nice splash of color to the plate, and both eggs were a perfect sunny-side up. The French toast was

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Of all the items that we tried, there wasn’t a bad thing to say about any of them. If you fancy a nice brunch and don’t mind waiting a bit longer for the extra quality, then I highly recommend a trip to McLeod.

MCLEOD 맥그로드 Address: 광주 동구 동명로 18 154-230 Dongmyeong-dong, Dong-gu, Gwangju Telephone: 010-8680-0031 Opening Hours: Mondays: Closed Tuesdays – Fridays: 11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., 6 p.m. – 1:00 a.m.

Saturdays: 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Sundays: 10 a.m. – 9 p.m.

Price Range: 6,000 – 15,000 won per plate

August 2017

Our pancakes arrived just as we were finishing up our first dish. We cleaned our plates, and then dug in to the tasty-looking pancakes. The pancakes were dusted with fine sugar, topped with two dollops of butter, and smelled great. The pancakes were a happy medium texture, not too doughy nor excessively fluffy, and tasted slightly of cinnamon. We were thoroughly enjoying our pancakes when the brunch plate arrived. Again, the food we were presented with looked every bit as good as it had on the menu, with a much tastier smell.

very thick, about the thickness of the honey bread that is served in most Korean coffee shops, so I was expecting it to be a bit too dry in the center. I was delighted to find that this was not the case, and it was the perfect texture, with flavor all the way through. The French toast was dusted with just the right amount of sugar, and it tasted amazing both with and without syrup. The final item on the brunch plate was rosemary potato wedges.

I’ve often been disappointed at how dry and flavorless the potatoes served on brunch plates like this end up tasting, but McLeod did not disappoint. The restaurant’s potatoes had exactly the right amount of seasoning and the texture was excellent. On top of the delicious all-day brunch on offer, there was also quite a large selection of foreign beers from Lost Coast Brewery as well as some domestic options, along with a range of cocktails and juices.

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wait. We did have a bit of a wait, but it went much faster than expected, probably due to the pleasant atmosphere, good background music, and divine smell wafting over from the grill. The Eggs Benedict was the first dish to arrive, and we were pleased to find that the food we were presented with looked almost exactly like the picture on the menu. The dish looked scrumptious, and I’m pleased to report that it tasted even better. The eggs were poached to perfection with soft, runny yolks without the whites being undercooked. The hollandaise sauce was amazing, which is extremely important in an Eggs Benedict. The English muffins that they were served on were good, too, and the generous helping of peppers and greens between the muffin and the egg completed the dish perfectly.

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28

Kitchen Stories

Pan-Roasted Deodeok FOOD & DRINKS

Written and photographed by Karly Pierre

▲ Kim Seon-hee

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

August 2017

I

t always rains when we meet. I notice rolling gray clouds forming in the distance as I hop into Kim Seon-hee’s car. The road to Hwasun winds through a tunnel and opens onto a view of lush green mountains. It is lunchtime, and as my stomach growls, I cling to her promise that she is taking me somewhere special. We finally reach Su Reu Che, a large roadside restaurant, and Kim’s small fingers reach out and clasp my hand.

Gwangju Health College for almost 25 years.

“This place specializes in fermentation,” she says excitedly.

As we walk through the bonsai-guarded entryway, the owner quickly recognizes Kim, greets us warmly, and leads us to our seats. Soon the table is packed with side dishes – fried shiitake mushrooms, a warm tofu and vegetable patty, a salad of noodle-thin strings of potato in creamy black sesame dressing, homemade bean paste (doenjang, 된장), and more. Two piping-hot stone bowls of rice with chunks of pumpkin and about four more side dishes are served along with the main dish, mixed pork patties (tteokgalbi, 떡갈비).

“I remember my mom making Korean pancakes (jeon, 전) for us when I was a child,” says Kim. “She would use perilla leaves that she gathered from our backyard at the start of the rainy season. I always cherish that memory.”

“I love my job,” says Kim as she takes a bite from a side dish.

Kim, 59, has been a professor of food and nutrition at

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“I taught myself to cook,” says Kim. “I haven’t always liked cooking, but I found studying food very interesting.”

A native of Gwangju, Kim was raised with three brothers and one sister by a father who was a businessman and her mother, a housewife.

Kim also recalls how native plants and household foods were important sources of medicine when she was growing up. She remembers in summer her grandmother tying bits of string around tall stalks of blooming white hollyhocks.

“Red hollyhocks are not good for medicine,” says Kim. “My grandmother would gather the white hollyhocks’ roots after the flowers had fallen, so it was important to remember which ones were which. She would make a tea from the roots, and it would help to soothe menstrual cramp pain.”

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29 Doenjang was also an important folk remedy.

“It was sometimes difficult to find a doctor quickly when someone got hurt,” says Kim. “I remember when I was young, a neighborhood boy fell out of a tree. The older people applied doenjang to his injuries.

This was a very common treatment in the past.”

Red pepper flakes mixed in soju is also known among older men as a cure for the cold.

“I don’t recommend you try it though,” says Kim with a chuckle.

A mother of two, Kim’s favorite cooking memory with her family is of gatherings during Chuseok, the harvest moon festival.

“I love the memory of making Korean rice cakes (songpyeon, 송편) with my family,” says Kim. “We would put dough on a large plate and all sit down together. Then we would mix everything together and steam the dough. It was a really wonderful time.”

PAN-ROASTED DEODEOK Kim emphasizes that there is always a medicinal element to traditional Korean food. When deodeok (더덕, lance asiabell) is consumed, it is said that the plant purifies the blood. In addition to the recipe below, Kim recommends readers also try making deodeok tea. This simple recipe includes 50 grams of peeled deodeok, 20 milliliters of honey, and 200 milliliters of milk.

Ingredients: 5 deodeok roots Cooking oil Whey powder (유장) 1 tablespoon of sesame oil 1 teaspoon of soy sauce (진간장) Sauce: 1 teaspoon soy sauce 2 tablespoons of red pepper paste ½ tablespoon of sugar Scallion (a little) 1 garlic clove Sesame oil (a little) Sesame seeds with salt (a little) Garnish: Black sesame seeds Small green onion

“Let’s get some coffee,” says Kim, smiling brightly.

As we drive away, a 1970s ballad on the radio has reached its emotional peak, and raindrops have begun to beat against the windshield.

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August 2017

“As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized how important it is to share my knowledge,” says Kim. “Food is an important part of our history, and it shouldn’t be forgotten.”

Cooking Instructions: 1. Finely chop scallion and garlic, then mix with a little whey powder and sauce mixture.

2. Add sea salt to water to make a brine. Carefully peel the deodeok and let soak in brine for at least 30 minutes.

3. Cut the deodeok in half lengthwise and then flatten with a mallet. Make a small mixture of sesame oil and soy sauce. Lightly coat the deodeok with the mixture. Sprinkle a little whey powder onto the deodeok.

4. Place the deodeok in a frying pan with cooking oil. On medium heat, pan fry lightly for a few minutes until the color is slightly golden.

5. Lightly coat the deodeok with the sauce mixture from step one and continue frying lightly.

6. Garnish with black sesame seeds and chopped green onions.

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At the end of our meal, we sip cups of silky moju (spiced makgeolli).

I’m completely stuffed, but as I look around at all of the dishes covering the table, I realize we made only a small dent in the meal.

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August 2017

ARTS & CULTURE

30 Photo Essay

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31

Smartphone Photography with Lorryn Smit Written and photographed by Lorryn Smit

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Some of my favorite photos have been taken on my phone. I think it was back when I got my Samsung S3 that I discovered the power of these cameras. My oldest dog, Dino, was sitting in his bed in this perfect light

when I grabbed my phone and took one of my favorite pictures of him.

I have enjoyed playing around and testing smartphone camera limits ever since.

A great photo has three important elements: composition, light, and feeling (often achieved with editing apps). To me, less is more. A simple composition is much more powerful than one with too many elements.

As soon as the eye becomes irritated when looking at a photo, the viewer gives up and moves on, no matter how cool the picture might be.

August 2017

To be perfectly honest, I almost exclusively take my personal photos with my phone and have been doing so for the past four years now. I find I can be more creative and focus more on the composition and mood of my photos without thinking about settings on my big DSLR. And

speaking of the big DSLR and all her lenses, my phone is so much lighter, and with the incredible zoom and portrait features of the iPhone 7, I really do not feel the need for using other lenses. Don’t get me wrong, I still love my digital camera, but the effortlessness of my phone makes documenting little moments fun and simple.

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W

ith technology constantly improving and changing, the cameras found on our smartphones today are phenomenal!

Gone are the days when we needed to buy an additional digital camera to document our travels or special memories with loved ones.

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32

Lighting should also be used to highlight the main focal point of your picture. A viewer’s eye is always drawn to the lightest part in your photo, so you should be sure that your subject is in that position.

As far as editing is concerned, I also strongly recommend keeping it to a minimum. To be able to process the photos you take beautifully, you do need to have a little background knowledge on contrast, white balance, highlights, shadows, and other such features.

Filters do help, but some basic editing is still needed. I personally enjoy using VSCOcam for their film-like filters, and after applying my filter, I do most of the processing in the app, too. If I need a little bit more advanced features like brushes and/or tone curves, I will use Snapseed, additionally.

To learn more of the basics of phone photography and some of my tips, I am hosting two workshops: one on August 12 and the other on September 23. Each session includes a practical hour where attendees can practice what they have learned that day. Some topics that will be covered are basic composition, seeing light, tips and settings on the phone, fundamentals of processing, and a Q&A. Spots are limited to first come, first serve.

Payment confirms your seat!

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

August 2017

For more information, visit the Gwangju News Facebook page.

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33

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August 2017

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34

Photo of the Month

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August 2017

ARTS & CULTURE

Written and photographed by A.P. Tolang

S

ummertime is really hot in South Korea. Normal daily life becomes very difficult. Everybody wants relief from the hot weather. When people have free time, they go swimming or to the beach, and play in fountains. I also planned to go to the beach in Wando. Myeongsa-simni is a very famous beach in the southern part of South Korea. During the summer season Wando is full of visitors, so it is hard to easily find a motel.

This is also my favorite beach in South Korea. When I had returned to my motel after swimming at Wando beach, I saw some children playing in a fountain. I didn’t want to leave this opportunity of summertime water fountain play undocumented, so I also played in the fountain and took some memorable photos. That was really cool and fun for me.

What can be more important than playing in water during the summer?

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35

August 2017

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www.gwangjunewsgic.com

Do you have any photos that you would like to show to Gwangju (and the world)? Gwangju News features a photo of the month to create more opportunities to promote more photographers based in the Jeollanam-do region and to show off our beautiful province from different areas and angles. Submissions can be posted in the “Photography in the South” Facebook group throughout the preceding month. Alternatively, you can also send your submissions to the editor by email: photos@gwangjunewsgic.com

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August 2017

TRAVEL

36 Around Korea

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Geumo-do Written and photographed by Stephanie and Ryan Hedger

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ANDO BEACH CAMPING One of the most popular camping beaches on Geumo-do is found at Ando Beach. Well-reputed among campers, this beach has a small mart, and shower and restroom facilities to ensure that anyone visiting for the beach or for camping has everything they need. Winding down the awesome roads of Geumo-do to find this beach hidden away is like being welcomed home after a long trip. There is a large shelf above the beach that can accommodate dozens of tents, though we have never had more than two neighbors on our visits. Further from the facilities, campers can find trees to provide shade and allow for hammocks to be tied up. In the afternoon, fortunately, this east-facing beach becomes heavily shaded from the nearby mountain.

GEUMO-DO COASTAL TREK – BIREONG-GIL Jeollanam-do has a multitude of coastal treks on its islands and peninsulas, but this five-part trail is unequivocally

August 2017

CONVENIENCES Getting to Geumo-do is fairly simple by car and only slightly more complicated when using public transportation. At the far end of Dolsan is Singi Port; ferries leave every half hour for the island. A 20-minute ride away, the island has a great many more luxuries than you would expect compared to other islands. Comprised of a handful of small villages and towns, Geumo-

do has plenty of marts and enough infrastructure to accommodate visitors, no matter their reason for visiting.

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etting to Geumo-do is fairly simple by car, but Geumo-do is a fairly large island off of the southern tip of Dolsan in Yeosu, Jeollanamdo. Island-hopping and exploring the numerous (373) islands claimed by the city is a great way to while away hot summer afternoons with a cool ocean breeze on your face and the lovely Jeollanam-do coast in front of you.

Geumo-do is the perfect prospect for a summer weekend with both surf and sand. After enjoying the beach, there are also kilometers upon kilometers of hiking trails on one of Korea’s most beautiful coastal treks. A Sunday hike after camping on Saturday is as close to a perfect outdoor itinerary as anyone could hope for.

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38 the most beautiful. This rolling trail perfectly balances time spent in the trees and time with stunning views of the island’s pronounced coast. With a total distance of 18.5 kilometers, Bireong-gil is quite a long trail, but ambitious hikers can absolutely complete it in a single day. For those wanting to hike a portion of the total course, there are ample opportunities to rest in large shaded areas, overlook areas with amazing vistas, and even a few restaurants for those inclined to mix a bit of light outdoor activity with coffee, soup, pajeon (green onion pancake), or some local makgeolli (traditional rice wine)! Starting at Hamgumi Ferry Terminal, Course One is a lovely trail through beautiful terrain and is considered to be the most beautiful of the five courses because of its towering cliffs and viewpoints. Regardless of how far you hike this trail, you would be hard pressed not to be blown away by its natural beauty.

SUMMER PARADISE Yeosu has dozens of islands worth visiting, but Geumo-do might just be the most well-rounded and stunning option available. With beautiful beaches, secluded camping, and the best coastal trek in Jeollanam-do, this island is a ferry ride away from the perfect summer getaway without having to travel very far.

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August 2017

THE AUTHORS

Ryan and Stephanie have lived, traveled, and worked in South Korea since 2013.

Based out of Yeosu, they are the duo behind Hedgers Abroad, their blog, which documents their lives through photography, videos, and shared stories. They freelance in their spare time and are on the road constantly.

Blog: www.hedgersabroad.com Facebook: /hedgersabroad Instagram: /hedgersabroad

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39

Cheongsan-do Written by Elizabeth Kaye Corpuz Photos courtesy of Slow City Cheongsan-do

TRAVEL www.gwangjunewsgic.com

August 2017

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40

“N

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August 2017

othing.” Does this word scare you? What kind of emotion does it elicit?

“I have nothing,” as the Whitney Houston song goes. When we come into this world, we have nothing in terms of possessions. As we grow, we gain things piece by piece. We pick up and develop things that will make us who we are. But, more often than not, the word “nothing” somehow equates to material possessions, and whether we accept it or not, what we have somehow defines us.

Personally, I could equate “nothing” to Cheongsan-do, an island in the southern part of Jeollanam-do: a place designated as a “slow city,” and a famous location site for the Korean movie Seopyeonje and drama series Pinocchio and Spring Waltz.

Yes, I felt anxious to have nothing on Cheongsan-do.

Due to a long trip the night before,

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my sister and I woke up late, as opposed to my original plan, which was for me to travel alone to Cheongsan-do from Gwangju by taking the first morning bus. I had set the plan already: take the earliest bus from U-square to Wando, then take the boat to Cheongsan-do and spend half a day on the island, then go back.

My sister asked if she could join, and I gladly welcomed her into my plan.

the possibility of having an overnight stay on the island was very likely. In addition, we did not bring any extra clothes and the battery of our powerbank was not fully charged. So much for the thrill. We forged ahead to the uncertain.

We woke up late, so the earliest bus we could get was the one departing at 2:00 p.m. I informed my sister that my remaining money might not be enough, and there was no ATM that could accept my card within the area, so we might have to go downtown to withdraw money… but then we might miss the bus at 2:00 p.m. In the end, we decided to just pool our money and go.

We rode the last ferry going to Cheongsan-do. During the ferry ride, I felt at ease, without any worries, not thinking about our dilemma, not thinking about where to stay on the island. It was my first ferry ride in my entire life. I thought I would be frightened, but I enjoyed the ride, especially when I stayed on the upper deck. My feeling of being somewhere, to be away, was satisfied. I felt a sense of fulfilment of my longing to be lost.

I felt that it was a representation of my independent self. I had no idea what would happen to us at our next

We were not early birds, but I think we still caught some worms, despite our difficulties. Because we left so late,

Was it worthwhile? Yes, definitely.

Nothing beats these kinds of adventures.

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destination, but my feeling was that that moment was priceless. I felt like I was a free bird. As the ferry was in the middle of the ocean, I felt that I was getting away from the bustling life of modern living. I told myself that I was getting too far away in my exploration. Was I scared? Yes, maybe because I did not know where or what I was getting into. However, I have learned that the farther I get away, the more I discover about myself.

We arrived on the island exactly as the sun was setting. It was a beautiful sight. The remaining sunlight struck the clouds violet, emphasizing their presence in a fiery orange sky. We could have walked in the fields and watched the darkness unfold in front of us; however, the stillness of the place made me uneasy. We had to find some place to stay. Without a prior reservation, we navigated through the alleys to look for a minbak (민박, a room for overnight rent in a family house), yet we did not know how it worked. Aside from the people at the port, there were no people walking

around, and it was quite depressing because we could not ask anyone.

After some time, fortunately, we met two ladies who wanted to find a place to stay, too. This meeting led us to our spontaneously fun night that continued until the following day.

technology-driven communication.

I was really amazed that with the few Korean words we knew, we built a connection with the two ladies: the one we called Halmeoni (할머니, grandmother) and the one she called Halmeoni.

Honestly, I did not fully enjoy the trip because I was in constant worry. It was only after a day that I realized that I almost missed the chance to be refreshed. I should not have worried too much because we had food, shared by the two ladies and cooked by the owner of Mother’s Minbak (어머니 민박), the shelter. We still had clothes, only a bit soiled. Neither our cellphones nor the power-bank were very significant as compared with the food, the house, and the bonding we had with the two ladies. We pretty much had the basic necessities. If a cellphone represents the social needs of man in the digital age, then the unexpected conversations and stories we had were testimony that personal communication is unfathomable and unequal to any

I had to step back in life to get a better view of it, and I got a 360-degree view of life at that moment as we absorbed the beauty of Cheongsan-do and its people. It is a slow city, indeed, that will make you reflect and heal. It allows your mind to drift away from impending deadlines and worries, and to be with nature.

To have nothing in this trip meant I had the time to gain new friends and enjoy a feeling of lightness. Sometimes, no, most of the time, being nothing or having nothing is a scary idea. But to embrace nothingness, it is as if we are embracing our true nature. Had I not let my sister join, I might not have gone, and would therefore not have been reminded that places like Cheongsan-do show us how life is supposed to be simple.

▲ Previous page: Slow Road Course 1 - Donggujeong Road; Above: Beombawi

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42

Beach Camping: To Keep in Mind

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

August 2017

SPORTS & ACTIVITIES

Written and photographed by Rachel Hill

I

have just realized that my only experiences camping in Korea have been on beaches. Camping here is about as opposite as I can think of compared with the camping I’m used to. Sure, you still sleep in a tent, and you still face formidable opponents with the various bugs trying to share their short lives with you. But most everything else is surprisingly different, for better or for worse. So, sit back and listen to a story with a few short lessons to keep in mind if you are planning to camp on the beach.

We left the ferry terminal as a fellowship of four and set out to an island for the weekend. Our supplies: two tents, clanking cookware, and an appetite for adventure. Rations for the trip were carefully laid in our packs, but we knew there would be a chance to replenish them at the sacred Nong Hyup.

Picture it: a cove and an empty beach in front of us, where directly behind us, following the curvature of the beach and equidistant from the surf, began a neatly organized clump of trees and the beach’s official campsite.

In the campsite, a few families were setting up. We continued past, lugging our goods down the beach as far as

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reasonably possible from any other campers. What is camping for if not being alone with nature and the serenity that comes with it?

We set up camp. The first tent, one of those instant pop-ups, we had lent to a friend the week before.

Upon opening it on this beach, we realized that it had been returned to us broken. But we were determined to succeed, borrowed some duct tape, used some nearby sticks, and made a semi-respectable tent. The second tent was more traditional, but showed the wear-and-tear of being secondhand: tape here and there, little holes (perfect for bug buddies), and a difficult zipper.

After a time, our stomachs raised the alarm for food. Setting up our camp stove and lighting the fire proved a challenge due to quick gusts of wind that had gone unnoticed as we had stood in the surf and heat. So, we grabbed a few umbrellas that we had brought in case of rain and set them up in a sort of fortification circle around the camp stove.

Generally, any beach you might endeavor to camp at will have a set up similar to what we saw here: beach with a treed windbreak some distance

from the surf. We learned that when making a fire or lighting a stove, using that natural windbreak would have been useful. But our stubbornness (also ingenuity!) let us continue cooking dinner. Be prepared for wind, or be prepared to stay in the safety of the trees.

After dinner, fueled with the success of the umbrella windbreak, we made a fire. Most of our ration pack was full of s’mores materials, so a fire was on the menu.

First: Here is my personal and completely anecdotal experience of building fires here. My rule is that if I see a Korean doing it, I’ll do it; if I don’t see anyone doing it, I’ll probably still do it but feel less comfortable about it. My findings on whether fires are allowed or not vary from “No, it’s totally not allowed” to “It’s probably not, but nobody cares.” So, if you choose to make a fire, please be safe about it. Enclose your fire in a pit, be considerate of others in the area, and be sure to put it out well when finished. Windy beaches mean dangerous embers.

Second: S’mores. As I’m sure you more avid (American) campers have noted, getting graham crackers in

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43 Korea is a no-go. I’ve found that a good alternative is Diget Original (Digestive) cookies as a substitute.

Chocolate is easy to find, and marshmallows can be found at the big box stores, usually, and sometimes even in Daiso.

We went to bed with full bellies and a warm happiness buzzing around our heads. Personally, I loved camping on the warm sand because I could make myself a little sleeping crater and was not cold for a change. Consciousness slipped from me with the soft lapping of the waves on the sand. Serenity.

After perhaps an hour or so, my eyes snapped open for a reason I couldn’t immediately identify. My heart picked up tempo, and my ears eventually focused on the much louder rush of waves. Woosh. WOOSH. W-OO-S-H. Unzipping the tent a heads’ width, I peeked outside and spotted the problem from the light of the moon. I woke the rest of our company and alerted them to our new plight: the tide was coming in, and if we didn’t want to get swept out to sea, we had better migrate to someplace else.

Feeling a bit like fools (but laughing also like it was the most hilarious turn of events), we picked up our already made-up tents and other supplies, and carried them to the safety of the windbreak area.

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We four surveyed the tent, which looked little better than a windbreaker jacket propped up by a few jagged sticks. It wasn’t worth lugging back on the ferry, so we found the proper receptacle and gave our tent a final farewell. Arriving back at the site, preparing to pack away the other tent, we stopped dead in our tracks. How was it even possible? Why was it so big? Nature, why? Right down the

front entry flap, as if painted there by a toddler, was a multicolored gift from a very obviously large bird, fresh and still on the drip.

We cut our losses, gathered tent two, and left it with the other in a heap.

Looking on the bright side, we had less to carry home! The fellowship then boarded the ferry home, nary to return.

Camping in Korea (specifically on beaches) has been a real adventure and a very different experience for me.

Whether on a beach or elsewhere, I hope you get out camping and try to be prepared for a different approach to the sport and a unique experience.

August 2017

Within the treed camp area, I shivered all night as my mosquito bites

bloomed and the stones beneath me were remarkably un-sandlike. In the morning, I woke to the sounds of tourists disembarking a bus to visit the beach. So loud. Admitting defeat, we began the process of packing up our tents.

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Maybe this is a totally novice mistake to not recognize how far tides come in. In most places, camping on the beach itself may not be allowed, so you might have to camp in the designated area (perhaps for tidal reasons). The beach we stayed at was very small and unmanned, so there was nobody to tell us not to camp on it. If you hope to camp on the beach, take these things into consideration, and further, remember the tides when choosing a spot.

▲ Top: The author (left) with her camping group.

Above: “A cove and an empty beach in front of us...”

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44

Gwangju Writes

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Frames of Reference

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August 2017

ARTS & CULTURE

Written and photographed by Stephen Schelling

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erberus sat inside a restaurant in Vientiane having a three-way conversation inside its heads.

The restaurant was small. There was no menu. There was no air-conditioning.

There was a lone metal fan attached to the wall, working tirelessly, fruitlessly against the void. Clean and dirty dishes and glasses congregated together on counters and shelves. No distinctions were made. The walls were painted in faded viridian. Ancient glass-door fridges buzzed and perspired in the heat. Two women labored inside where the sun shone through, blinding and burning with white heat. And outside this frame was the world. There was an entire world erupting outside, but its breadth could not reach inside. This was all these women could see: the world was a small section of a dismal, dirty street shown through the frame of the restaurant’s entrance. This was their frame of reference day-in and dayout. This was how they saw the world outside their window.

“We have entered this frame, their frame.”

“We will leave through this frame, their frame.”

“Us and everyone else who enters and leaves through this frame, their frame, will forever be mysteries to

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these women who are stuck within this frame, their frame, toiling in their own eternal mysteries.”

A cold glass bottle of Pepsi, lettered in an incomprehensible script to the uninitiated, was placed on the table by one of the women. Her shirt was monochrome and reached down over her grimy blue jeans. Her apron was bursting with flowers: pinks, reds, and yellows, and greens in between. One of the heads flummoxed in consternation.

She motioned to a rusted bottle opener next to a roll of toilet paper and three jars of indiscernible sauces boiling in the stagnant oven air. Another head grunted and was satisfied with the procurement of a plate of larb emanating flabbergasting greens and browns. The colors performed a vivid dance in the drab interior. The middle head laughed in derisive delight.

“We are all just frames – frames within frames observing other frames.”

“An endless array of frames. When will it cease!”

“What if we’re just a frame tale and we don’t exist?”

“Absurdity!”

“Balderdash!”

“Jabberwocky!”

“But possible.”

The three heads disappeared along with their body into the white heat leaving the restaurant’s frame in search of another. The two women forget them as though they had never been – carbon copies replicated daily. They wiped the tabletops and scrubbed the dishes all amounting to no avail. Occasionally one would peer out into the world and sigh.

“Sister, one day we will know,” said Sisyphus.

“Know what?” Tantalus asked.

“From whence they come and whence they go. We will follow them out, and we will take a picture of everywhere we will go, and we will set all the pictures within frames, within our frames, and they will all be ours, and we will know.”

“Hurry up and clean that table. I need help cooking.”

Again, she sighed; then continued.

THE AUTHOR Stephen Schelling is a writer and teacher, a pickler, and an Eagle Scout from America with a B.A. in journalism from Marshall University.

“Incomprehensible!”

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45

Gwangju Comprehensive Advising Service Day Saturday, Sept. 9, 2017 13:00 - 17:00 Gwangju International Center, 1F

15:00 - 17:00 Freecycle "Swap, Don’t Shop!"

Inquiry counseling@gic.or.kr, 062-226-2732(Min Park)

Schedule is subject to change.

Please check www.gic.or.kr for the most up-to-date info.

2017�8��.indd 45

August 2017

Address 5 Jungang-ro, 196-beon-gil (Geumnam-ro 3-ga) Dong-gu,Gwangju

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

13:00 - 14:30 Short Lectures - “Gwangju and Its History” - “Gwangju Immigration Office” - “Village Lawyers for Foreigners” 14:30 - 15:00 Informal Panel Discussion - What’s Going On in Gwangju’s Expat Community - Meet & Greet with newcomers *With special “Welcome Kit” for newcomers 14:00 - 14:30 One-on-One Meeting with Experts - 14:00 - 14:30 Immigration Office - 14:30 - 15:00 English-Speaking Lawyer - 14:30 - 15:00 Telecommunication

2017-08-22 �� 2:42:20

46

Book Review

Written by Sashai Yhukutwana

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

August 2017

ARTS & CULTURE

“W

e Should All Be Feminists is a brief and amusing book. You can bank on it being highly educational, too. One cannot help but have “Aha” moments.

Although, they may perhaps come out as a cringe-worthy “Oh dear” or a resigned “Yeah, I know all about that!” Author Chimamanda Adichie offers a glimpse into her personal experiences and musings on the absolute validity of feminism and its place in modern times – particularly in the context of African women in African society. She explores the significance of what it means to be a woman in a man’s world, something a huge majority of women can identify with. It is, hopefully, a perspective that men may appreciate, too.

Her essay is lively and engaging.

Succinct, yet deep in that it invites the imagination to pursue the debugging of cultural programming in the evolution of relational man.

It challenges accepted norms that downplay or outright ignore, even spurn, women and their significant contributions, while placing the male counterpart as superior or leader in all situations without question, unconsciously or otherwise. A broader horizon of acceptance, tolerance, and collaboration is offered – and begged for – to lead us to the real possibility of an exciting, creative, and collaborative future that receives a person as they truly are, without discrimination, in all their feminine or male glory.

SOCIO-HISTORICAL CONTEXT Many stereotypes exist in and about

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Africa as a whole. In this particular instance, Adichie, herself a Nigerian woman, speaks of the ideal and true meaning of what a feminist is or how feminism should be perceived, while challenging and unpacking the limits presented in abiding gender roles and stereotypes in the African context. This stereotyping, in turn, is internalized as a practiced reality. A reality that tends to stifle meaningful inclusion and awareness for a large portion of the African society: its women, to be exact. Enter patriarchy, a deeply entrenched social system in many parts of the continent, with a decidedly male voice defining its perception of what a woman is and where she fits in in society, without consulting her, nor learning about her unique qualities and complexities – to an extent that even women themselves are complicit in enforcing its tenets, sometimes unconsciously, but also to the ends of amassing power and status in their identified spheres of influence. We Should All Be Feminists, therefore, steps in to help us pause and truly see how culture has played us historically and given us a weak assumption of how we can truly reach for a higher existence as relational beings.

WRITING STYLE We Should All Be Feminists was adapted from a talk Adichie delivered in December 2012 on TEDxEuston, a platform staged annually to host conferences focused on Africa and its hot issues.

Anecdotal and autobiographical, no time is wasted in abstract preamble, but one is drawn immediately to

the thought being appraised, in both a philosophic and practical sense.

It is almost conversational, as if you are sitting right next to Adichie as she tells her stories. Many questions are included toward the end of her thought patterns, suggesting that this is no self-help kind of essay, but rather a call to honest introspection and encouragement to see beyond what culture has defined in relationships and communication.

MY THOUGHTS I enjoyed this book immensely and can see myself reading it over and over again in the future. I was amazed at the familiarity I felt as Adichie told her stories as I could see my own personal experiences in them, and just had to laugh at the fact that I finally get why I mentally and physically rebelled in my heart against what I now understand to have been patriarchy and gender discrimination playing out in so many ways in all of my life!

Of course, feminism is not always a black-and-white issue; it has so many gray areas, which individuals should have the space to navigate freely. This, in itself, has been a huge task in my adult life because it means educating others in how to allow me that sacred space – allowing me to find me and my own place in this world amid all the obstacles and trappings of human relations. Prepare to be challenged in a way you do not expect to be, especially in those closely held beliefs we each carry. On the other side is greater self-awareness, respect, and dignity. Not just for women, but for all the beautiful beings populating this earth. We all deserve it!

2017-08-22 �� 2:42:20

Movie Review

47

Roman Holiday Visiting Rome through the Eyes of Audrey Hepburn Written by Natale Ryan

A

2017�8��.indd 47

The places Ann visits during her holiday are real, and they can all be found in Italy. One famous scene takes place in a church in front of a sculpture, known in Italy as “The Mouth of Truth.” Hepburn said she had an amazing time filming abroad. Famous sights like the

Colosseum, the Tiber River, and the Trevi Fountain can all be seen. While dated, the music in the movie is brilliant and sets a wonderful mood for each scene.

Classic movies, in my opinion, don’t get reviewed enough in these modern times. Because of the lack of color, sometimes overacting was used to elaborate more on the beauty of things. Hepburn’s classic beauty and graceful movements can make the viewer feel like they are in the presence of a real princess. She can, however, switch her acting styles and act like a young girl who needs more freedom and flexibility. Peck, with his rugged appearance in the film and almost haughty personality, exhibits a no-nonsense confidence and is only using the princess for financial gain.

Roman Holiday is held in high regard by many. It is timeless, beautiful, and emotional. It is forever part of my library, and I encourage readers to watch it. And while you are at it, you could visit your local Audrey Hepburn café for a nice cup of coffee and pretend like you are having a Roman holiday – in Korea!

August 2017

In this film, Hepburn portrays Princess Ann, who is bored and stressed with her scheduled aristocratic life. The princess has been traveling through various countries, with a stop in Rome,

Italy. The actress plays her part well.

The audience can feel the princess’ frustration with her life during the opening scene, in which Ann must introduce herself to a long line of other aristocrats. Gregory Peck portrays Joe Bradley, an American reporter who is down on his luck.

Peck brings a charm to the classic film that is hard to find nowadays.

He happens upon Anya Smith, as she calls herself, who has run away from her guards. Recognizing her, the reporter decides to give her a proper Roman holiday to get the scoop on her while he is incognito.

The movie is a combination of Ann’s first experiences, invasions by the secret service, and romance. I won’t spoil the movie, as it is a funny and charming love story. The film sends a clear message of life’s enjoyment, while highlighting the beauty of Rome.

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

udrey Hepburn is a famous face in Korea. The Belgian actress’ face and name can be seen on shampoo, clothing advertisements, and on a logo for a brilliant South Korean café. These are but a few reasons why the actress is so popular here. In 2015, Hepburn’s son, Sean Hepburn, commissioned the Sewol Memorial Forest, in honor of those who lost their lives.

Ever since I was young, Audrey Hepburn has been one of my favorite actresses. In my opinion, her classy, calm demeanor and wise words have helped shape the world. It is not only her personality that has entranced me, but also her history. After being turned away from ballet school because of her height, she turned to acting. Her first major film role was in a movie called Roman Holiday with the handsome Gregory Peck.

Despite being her first major role, she would later receive an Academy Award for it.

2017-08-22 �� 2:42:20

48

Audiobook Kiosk A Summer Romance

COMMUNITY

Written and photographed by Peter Gallo

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

August 2017

Jangseong-eub is a small town about a 20-minute bus ride north of Gwangju.

Inquire at your local library to find out if Audiobook Kiosks are available in your town, and search for the app on your phone. Kiosk is a fictional character.

Any resemblance to a real individual is a coincidence.

A

talking kiosk sits in the lobby of the Jangseong Public Library. To my delight, it speaks some English. It is versed in some of the classics: Poe, Shaw, and Carol. It even has vast knowledge on the subject of science, which it wants to share with me. It will be there waiting for me, so I promise to return and listen some more. The kiosk seems lonely.

When I inquire inside at the library front desk, the staff informs me that it is an Audiobook Kiosk. It is a

2017�8��.indd 48

free service, provided by the public library system, and there is a free app for cell phones. It’s called, 오디언 키오스크 (Audio On Kiosk), which is available wherever you can download apps. The app reads the QR code on the kiosk screen and downloads the title using a Wi-Fi connection.

“Hmm,” I think. “I already have a library audiobook app.” It’s called OverDrive, and I use it almost every day to listen to mp3 audiobooks that I have downloaded from local libraries in the United States. I also have a healthy podcast addiction. My podcatcher provides more free audio content than I can keep up with, including some Korean language books that have been translated and made into audiobooks.

During my next visit to the library, I

find myself back in the lobby, enticed by free, potable water. I can tell that Kiosk wants someone to talk to, so I give it another chance.

“Dragon Tails, The Wizard of Oz, Classic Poems for Girls” it offers. It’s cute, but how old does Kiosk think I am? Each title has an illustrated book cover with the usual details of title, author, and publisher. There is also a QR code.

I complement Kiosk. “You speak English very well,” I say, “but that’s kiddie lit. I’m a sophisticated Westerner with access to more free audio adult-themed content than I can possibly ever consume in a hundred lifetimes.”

Kiosk starts to lecture in Korean language. I cringe, comprehending

2017-08-22 �� 2:42:21

49

less than five percent of the text. I feel pathetic, and apologize.

I download an episode of This American Life, and it cheers me up.

“I’m sorry, Kiosk, but I will never be fluent enough to listen to audiobooks in Korean.” What else do you have in English?”

The next week, Kiosk and I are back on with The Planets and the Solar System by Jen Green.

Pygmalion, the renowned play by George Bernard Shaw, appears on the screen and the reader’s voice begins to introduce the work in a pretentious English accent.

“Why are you being so difficult?” I yell at Kiosk. I am projecting my own frustration with technology onto this kiosk, but it’s a real concern.

Do I really need to complicate my overloaded life with another app and all its additional content?

We have had our first fight. It is painful, but when I get home,

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I say, “It also has a good reader with a loud, clear voice, and that’s one of the most important details of a good audiobook.”

Is Kiosk blushing?

Finally, I notice another work that I had been ignoring, because of the generic title. Compass Readers: Strange and Amazing (by Casey Malarcher, Kelly Shepherd, etc., etc.).

“Is this a science journal?” I ask, genuinely intrigued. “Good work, Kiosk. It looks like there are a lot of these… and all in English!” My encouragement is too much for Kiosk.

Other curious patrons have started to notice the impressive audio content, and are gathering around me and

I still visit the Jangseong Public Library regularly. It is relatively new, clean, and quiet. A comfortable place to escape the summer heat.

Kiosk and I are still on talking terms, but I suspect that Kiosk is happier working in its own native language.

I still haven’t been able to download the Audio On app, but Kiosk and I will always have that summer.

THE AUTHOR

Peter Gallo posts regularly at Anjeongchingu.com and to the Facebook group with the same name.

August 2017

“You’re just going to end up using up even more valuable space on my phone.”

Kiosk exists to please, so it just beams.

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

“I’ve already read this,” I complain, even though I’ve probably only seen the movie. “And anyways, your app is elusive.” My wife has successfully downloaded it, but I am tech-cursed.

The app doesn’t even appear when I search for it.

“Great content. How did you know I was into science?”

the kiosk. The next time I return to the library lobby, Kiosk is too busy with another patron to talk to me.

It is a young Korean girl operating the Hangul touch screen with speed and accuracy. I wonder if she will download the Poems for Girls title on her phone but at the moment she is listening to a sample from a Korean language audiobook.

2017-08-22 �� 2:42:22

50 Expat Living

Tackling the Typhoon

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

August 2017

EDUCATION

Written by Karina Prananto

S

ummer is the rainy season in Korea, and although we may regard this as a blessing since it lowers the temperature, it also brings some undesirable side effects – typhoons. A typhoon starts in the Pacific Ocean and often makes its way to the north. Some typhoons occur as early as June and are common to the end of September. A tropical storm is regarded as a typhoon if it has a wind speed of more than 33 meters per second.

The warm water, evaporation, and winds create tropical storms, and Korea, being a peninsula, is not exempt from the path of many typhoons. The southern part of Korea and Jeju Island usually receive the worst of these storms as they veer east towards Japan. Last year’s Typhoon Chaba was regarded as the region’s third most intense typhoon, and the strongest after Typhoon Sanba in 2012.

Since the chances are great that we will encounter at least one typhoon again this year, it is prudent to be aware of countermeasures we can take to lessen the dangerous effects of typhoons. Here are some tips from us at Gwangju News: 1. The number-one rule of thumb: Refrain from leaving your home unless absolutely necessary.

2. Prepare an emergency kit containing flashlights, warm clothes, a basic hygiene kit (toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, shampoo, sanitary items), water, and canned goods, and keep it in the house in case of emergency or evacuation. Check online for what items you should prepare.

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3. Close the windows. Tape an “X” on the windows, or use wet newspapers and stick them to the windows (use packing tape). When the typhoon hits and sends flying objects at the windows, the tape and newspaper will help block the objects from flying through and also prevent shattering glass from flying everywhere.

Try to stay away from windows or glass doors.

4. Clear the verandas of small objects that can easily be picked up by the winds, including flower vases.

5. Avoid walking near or under big billboards or road signs.

6. Avoid going to the roof of tall buildings or underground places where flooding and landslides may occur.

7. Avoid using the elevator.

8. Do not park your car near riverbeds or the riverside.

9. Find out what shelters may be nearby, remember the emergency number 119, and always keep updated on news about approaching typhoons.

10. Alert your family members of your current location.

11. Don’t stress yourself about something that you cannot control. It is better to stay home and cancel those meetings or appointments than to be sorry you went out at all.

For more updated information on the general weather and the status of typhoons, visit the Korea Meteorological Administration’s website: http://web.kma.go.kr/eng/ index.jsp

2017-08-22 �� 2:42:23

51 Survival Korean includes the most essential Korean phrases you need to know while traveling or living in Korea. The expressions come with detailed explanations as well as fun and useful information about the situations in which they are used.

Talk to Me In Korean

Dating & Marriage

Talk To Me In Korean and Seoulistic are proud to present to you

Survival Korean!

Make your stay in Korea much easier and enjoy it to the fullest with Survival Korean!

Whether you are just traveling or living in Korea, this book, the perfect size that can fit right in your purse, will come in handy whenever you want something.

영화 볼래요? [yeong-hwa bol-lae-yo?]: Do you want to go see a movie?

Movies may be the most popular date choice for couples in Korea. Go to any theater on the weekend and there will be couples everywhere. Try to reserve in advance for the best seats (especially for weekend showings) as movies are often sold out.

EDUCATION

밥 먹었어요? [bap meo-geo-sseo-yo?]: Did you eat breakfast/lunch/dinner?

This is a common phrase not just for dating situations, but also for day-to-day colloquial Korean. It is akin to the English phrase “How are you?” and, similarly, it is used as a greeting. In the past, eating three meals a day was not always guaranteed in Korea, and asking if one has eaten shows care and concern for people’s health and well-being.

무슨 영화 볼래요? [mu-seun yeong-hwa bol-lae-yo?]: Which movie do you want to see? 이번 주말에 시간 있어요? [i-beon ju-ma-re si-gan i-sseo-yo?]: Do you have time this weekend? 이번 주말에 뭐 해요? [i-beon ju-ma-re mwo hae-yo?]: What are you doing this weekend?

Instead of using 이번 주말, meaning, “this weekend,” you can ask what someone is doing next weekend by replacing 이번 주말 with 다음 주말 [da-eum ju-mal] (next weekend).

Blind dates are very common in Korea and are a big part of the dating culture. As blind dates involve a third party that both parties know, there is a certain level of safety and trust in every blind date, which is part of the reason why blind dates are so popular in Korea. When a blind date is strictly based on the assumption that both participants are looking for someone to marry, it is then called 선 [seon] instead of 소개팅. 선 is typically set up by the parents or friends of the parents.

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August 2017

This book extract from Survival Korean is available at MyKoreanStore.com

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

언제 밥 한번 같이 먹어요. [eon-je bap han-beon ga-chi meo-geo-yo.]: Let’s grab a bite together some time. 언제 커피 한 잔 해요. [eon-je keo-pi han jan hae-yo.]: Let’s have a cup of coffee some time. 소개팅 할래요? [so-gae-ting hal-lae-yo?]: Would you like to go on a blind date? 소개팅 시켜 주세요. [so-gae-ting si-kyeo ju-se-yo.]: Please set me up with someone.

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52 KOTESOL

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

August 2017

EDUCATION

Policy Before the Millennium Written by Dr. David Shaffer

W

hy do so many Koreans go to college? Why are there so many private academies (hagwon) all over the country? Does Korea do policy planning for English education?

These are some of the questions we will find answers to as we travel back to the years before the turn of the millennium, when a number of highly significant education-related policy changes were made that are still impacting society today.

During the 1960s, the Korean government’s focus was mainly on elementary education. The elementary school student population increased by 58 percent during this decade. For English education, which began at the secondary level, the National Curriculum emphasized listening and speaking, and suggested that these skills be attained through the adoption of the Audio-Lingual Method as the major teaching methodology.

Regardless of the national directive, traditional teaching methods such as the Grammar-Translation

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Method were pervasive, allowing little implementation of the AudioLingual Method.

The National Curriculum of the 1970s moved the emphasis from primary to secondary education. During this period, middle school teachers and students almost doubled in number, while high school teachers and students nearly tripled! For English education, it was mandated that less emphasis be placed on the GrammarTranslation Method and that a focus be placed on communicative skills. It was mainly during this decade that the U.S. Peace Corps was invited to provide volunteers to teach English in middle schools. These nativespeaking English teachers brought with them new communicative language teaching techniques. The introduction of these communicative teaching methods influenced the teachers at the Peace Corps volunteers’ schools, but the number of middle schools far outnumbered the Peace Corps volunteers available to teach at them. The Communicative Teaching Method established a foothold but

was not yet in widespread use.

As the nation moved into the 1980s, the government and the constitution were changed, providing Chun Doo-hwan and his Fifth Republic with greater authoritarian control.

The emphasis in education was to continue the modernization policies of the previous decade and to focus on higher education. The use of audio-visual teaching materials was encouraged. Greater emphasis was placed on listening and speaking skills, and the importance of communicative ability in everyday contexts was stressed. The National Curriculum also stressed the importance of testing across the four skills. These policy revisions, however, led to little change in teaching methods in the classroom: the passive skills of reading and listening remained prominent, as did testing of these two skills. Textbook topics did change, however, to using English in everyday situations as textbook approval was in government hands.

There

were

several

significant

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53 changes made soon after Chun Doohwan became president. In order to promote equal opportunities in higher education, the establishment of new colleges and universities was encouraged. There was an increase of 56 percent in colleges and universities (from 357 to 556) in the 1980s, and in the 1990s, that number more than doubled to 1,184. In addition to the increase in the tertiary student population created by the newly established institutions, the entering student enrollment quotas were drastically increased at existing colleges and universities. Due to these two measures, tertiary student enrollments more than doubled during the 1980s and again doubled during the 1990s, raising the number of college students from 600,000 to 3.3 million during the 1980–2000 period.

While this increase in student quotas was welcomed by students and parents, it was not so well received by instructors. It created a decrease in the average ability of the student body. In order to continue to teach to the middle of a class, the instructor needed to spend more time on specific topics, cover less material, and/or not delve as deep into specific concepts. In addition, tests became easier as material covered was less and because of the cultural aversion to failing students. The bottom line is that the quality of instruction that tertiary institutions offered suffered.

On top of this, in 1980 Chun Doo-

GWANGJU-JEONNAM KOTESOL MONTHLY MEETING Date: August 12 (Saturday) Place: Gwangju National University of Education

For full event details: Website: koreatesol.org/gwangju Facebook: Gwangju-Jeonnam KOTESOL

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The English education policies, and education policies in general, under the authoritarian regimes of the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, and into the 1990s were a mixed bag in terms of effectiveness. National Curriculums were often not put into practice in the classroom, the negative effects of increases in tertiary student quotas offset the benefits, and the untethering of the hagwon unleashed spiraling private education costs that the average household is struggling with yet today.

THE AUTHOR

David E. Shaffer is Vice-President of the GwangjuJeonnam Chapter of Korea TESOL (KOTESOL).

On behalf of the Chapter, he invites you to participate in the teacher development workshops at their monthly meetings (always on a Saturday). For many years, Dr. Shaffer has been a professor of English Language at Chosun University, where he has taught graduate and undergraduate courses.

He is a long-time member of KOTESOL and a holder of various KOTESOL positions, including First Vice-President and Publications Committee Chair. Dr. Shaffer credits KOTESOL for much of his professional development in English language teaching. He is also editor-inchief of Gwangju News.

August 2017

Creativity in the Classroom (Leonie Overbeek, Suwon) SwapShop – Share with the group an activity or teaching idea that you have.

hwan decided to ban all private education, known as gwa-oe (과외), to eliminate the financial burden it created for the less privileged.

However, in addition to removing the availability of supplementary advanced learning to higher-ability students, it removed the possibility of much-needed supplementary remedial learning for lower-ability students and ended up not pleasing anyone. The gwa-oe restrictions were gradually lessened until the ban was ruled unconstitutional in the late 1990s.

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

While this huge increase in tertiary student enrollment created the possibility of college entrance for almost anyone who wished to further their education (80–85 percent of high school graduates entered college), it initiated a degradation in the quality of instruction across tertiary institutions. Let us take an example. Since enrollments increased across the board, the topranked universities accepted more incoming freshmen than before.

These additional numbers would, by necessity, have to be students with lower college entrance exam scores than freshmen entering in earlier years, thus lowering the average student academic ability.

With colleges and universities of lower academic rankings, the situation was worse, and grew worse the lower the school’s ranking. At a medium-ranked school, for example, higher-ability students that usually enrolled in such a school were now able to enter a higher-ranked school.

What were earlier considered to be the middle-ranked school’s lowerability students were now their higher-ability students (without any increase in ability) and the remainder of their quota was filled with students of lower ability who would not have earlier been able to enter a medium-ranked school. For low-ranked schools, the situation was much worse: their entire freshman enrollment could now be made up of students of an ability level below that of the school’s entering students before the student quota expansions.

2017-08-22 �� 2:42:24

OPINION

54 Op-Ed

Hosting a GFN Radio Show for One Month Traveling Through Time with Music!

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

August 2017

Written and photographed by Kim Dong-hun (8ball)

B

ecoming a radio show host has been on my bucket list since I started listening to the Korean talk radio show Bae Cheol-soo’s Music Camp. Although it has been on the top of my list for many years and I have always dreamed about it, it never crossed my mind that I would actually be able to achieve it.

through June 30.

However, now I can cross that item off my bucket list because I earned the opportunity to be a GFN radio show host by winning the first GFN Listener DJ audition held in February.

For your information, the Viva DJ program is designed to offer GFN listeners the chance to step into the studio and host their own radio show. Even though it wasn’t easy for me to come up with various conversational topics during the show, wake up early in the morning for it, and repeat this daily/weekly routine for nearly one month, thinking back, it was worth the try to host this show as a DJ and interact with our listeners through text messages from them.

Following March and April with two DJs, and May with one DJ, I, along with my partner DJ Angelique, had the pleasure and privilege of hosting a radio show called “Viva DJ” on GFN, with a total of 25 shows that aired between 9:05 and 10 a.m. from Monday through Saturday, June 1

While feeling quite relieved and liberated now because I no longer need to go through these daily hassles, it also saddens me to realize that I cannot host this wonderful program anymore. However, I would like to share with you my radio show hosting experience, along with some details

2017�8��.indd 54

2017-08-22 �� 2:42:24

55 The Scorpions, U2, Wham, The Police, Whitney Houston, A-ha, Madonna, and Richard Marx. We concluded the show with some of the top artists from the 1990s, including Puff Daddy, Kriss Kross, MC Hammer, Radiohead, Foo Fighters, New Kids on the Block, Backstreet Boys, LeAnn Rimes, Nirvana, Ricky Martin, Christina Aguilera, Maria Carey, and No Doubt. Of course, we played other songs when we had requests from our listeners. As we played these good old songs that I am familiar with and fond of during the show, I could reminisce about my past as if I were reliving the good ol’ days.

In addition, we talked about these musicians and shared our personal stories throughout the show, mostly between the two of us as hosts, but also with guests who came to the studio. Once again, I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to the wonderful guests who graced our show with their presence despite their busy schedules.

I know I made some blunders during the show, but fortunately my partner DJ Angelique did a fantastic job, and she and I really hit it off while hosting the show for the month. I know she will no longer be in Korea by the time this article is published in the Gwangju News, but once again, I want to tell her that I really enjoyed co-hosting the show with her, and it was my greatest pleasure to get to know such a talented person. Salamat (“Thank you” in Tagalog)!

about this radio program.

THE AUTHOR Kim Dong-hun (8ball) is a free spirit working at the GIC. His major hobby is visiting different countries in the world and of all the 30-ish countries he has visited so far, his favorite country is Taiwan.

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

Our show aimed to play some hit songs that we might have heard before, ranging from the 1950s through the 1990s.

In the first and second weeks of the show, we started with some of the greatest musicians from the 1950s and 1960s, including Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, The Beatles, Simon & Garfunkel, Led Zeppelin, The Beach Boys, Ray Charles, and The Rolling Stones. These were followed by some great musicians from the 1970s, such as Billy Joel, The Bee Gees, Bruce Springsteen, The Eagles, Aerosmith, Pink Floyd, Queen, Michael Jackson, Chicago, Eric Clapton, and Stevie Wonder. Next came the 1980s with artists such as

Lastly, I would like to sincerely thank GFN and its staff for allowing me this great opportunity. Although I don’t host this program any longer, other DJs are able to host this wonderful program. So if you find it interesting, please visit the GFN website at www.gfn.or.kr or download the GFN app to your mobile phone. If you are eager to host a radio show like I did, please wait for another notice looking for guest DJs and apply for it. Who knows? You could be the next DJ, and I might listen to your program in the future.

August 2017

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2017-08-22 �� 2:42:25

56

Community Board

Have something you want to share with the community?

Gwangju News Community Board provides a space for the community to announce club activities and special events.

Please contact gwangjunews@gic.or.kr for more information.

UNESCO KONA VOLUNTEERS KONA Storybook Center (KSC) is a registered small public library supported by UNESCO KONA Volunteers (UKV). UKV is a registered organization that helps disadvantaged children to learn English independently through storybooks and story-maps. We guide the family and children to develop a love of reading storybooks in English. We also give guidance to volunteers in using storybooks. We are looking for long-term volunteers who desire to enrich their lives. We are asking volunteers to commit to helping at least once a month.

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

August 2017

The days of KONA volunteering and the facilities are as follows: 1. KONA Storybook Center Every Saturday, 3–5 pm 2. Gwangju Children’s Home 1st, 2nd, and 4th Saturday, 3rd Sunday, 3–5 pm 3. Grandmother’s Community Children’s Center 4th Friday, 4–6 pm For more information, please visit http://cafe.daum.net/konavolunteers or our Facebook page of KONA Storybook Center and UNESCO KONA Volunteers, or contact Kim Young-Im 062-434-9887, or email konacenter@gmail.com

GWANGJU INTER FC The Gwangju International Soccer Team (Gwangju Inter FC) plays regularly every weekend. If you are interested in playing, email gwangju_ soccer@yahoo.com or search “Gwangju Inter FC” on Facebook.

GWANGJU ART CLASS Summer Break: Starts on September 2 GIC, 2nd Floor, Room 3 12:30–3:00 pm, Saturdays Facebook: Gwangju Art Class Welcome art lovers and sketch enthusiasts from Gwangju and surrounding areas.

We are here to revive the art community in Gwangju and bring artists closer together through weekly drawing classes.

The classes are for anyone interested in developing their artistic skill, any age or level. Each class focuses on various exercises and art principles. We work with still life and nude model life drawing.

GWANGJU FILIPINO ENGLISH TEACHERS (GFET) Every 3rd Tuesday of the month 10 am – 12 noon, GIC, Room 3 (2F) We are a group of Filipino English teachers in Gwangju who conduct regular accent training and lectures to help fellow English teachers to become better educators.

GWANGJU ANIMAL SHELTER VOLUNTEERING Every Sunday. Meet at The First Alleyway at 12 for brunch and carpool to the shelter.

Walk dogs between 1–4 pm.

Please wear comfortable clothing.

See you there!

Facebook: Gwangju Animal Shelter Volunteering

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GIC ZUMBA WITH THANDO Summer Break: Starts on August 31 GIC Hall, 1st floor, GIC 7:00–8:00 pm, Thursdays Facebook: GIC Zumba with Thando Zumba is BACK at the GIC! It is a fun-filled cardio class that fits all levels, no experience needed.

Come get the body back for summer and have fun while you are at it.

Midweek fitness party.

Dress comfortably and be ready to sweat. Also, bring along water and a towel.

GWANGJU UKULELE CIRCLE Global Lounge Gallery, 1st floor, GIC 1:30–3:00 pm Every 2nd and 4th Sunday http://carleenkirksey.wixsite.com/ gwangjuukecircle Gwangju Ukulele Circle is an open group playing ukulele songs together.

It’s a great way to make sure you keep practicing and learning new chords and songs. A chord chart and music is available on the website under “song sheets,” so you can practice and become accustomed to the songs we’ll play that week and the chords we’ll use. All levels are welcome! Bring your ukulele to the GIC for the next circle!

TUESDAY NIGHT YOGA Summer Break: Starts on September 5 GIC Hall, 1st Floor 7:00–8:00 pm, Tuesdays Facebook: Gwangju Yoga with Emily This is a weekly class appropriate for all levels. Beginners and advanced practitioners alike are encouraged to join.

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Attorney Attorney Park’s Park’s Law Law Firm Firm We're ready to serve your best interests in legal disputes.

We provide affordable consultation & representation.

▶ Areas of Specialty contracts, torts, family law, immigration, labor ▶ Civil & Criminal Attorney Park, Duckhee

former judge, GIC board member Services available in Korean, English & Chinese

#402 Simsan Bldg, 342-13 Jisan-dong, Dong-gu, Gwangju Location: next to Gwangju District Court

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Tel: 062) 222-0011 Fax: 062)222-0013 duckheepark@hanmail.net

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