Gwangju and South Jeolla International Magazine I August 2018 #198 I National Foods Mart: A Feeling of Home Far from Home
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From the Editor
A
August 2018, Issue No. 198
Published: August 1, 2018 Cover Photo:
National Foods Mart: A Feeling of Home Far from Home Story begins on page 8.
THE EDITORIAL TEAM Publisher Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Chief Proofreader Layout Editor Photo Editor Proofreaders Photography Team Online Editorial Team Researcher
Dr. Shin Gyonggu Dr. David E. Shaffer Wilson Melbostad Isaiah Winters Karina Prananto Lorryn Smit Di Foster, David Foster, Elisabeth Loeck, Gilda Wilson Annalise Reinhardt, Adam Travis, Sarah Pittman, JT White Karina Prananto, Shahed Kayes, Sen Nguyen Kim Joo-seong
The Gwangju News is the first public English monthly 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. 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.
Registration No. 광주광역시 라. 00145 (ISSN 2093-5315) Registration Date: February 22, 2010 Printed by Logos Color 로고스칼라 (+82)-62-672-2566 GwangjuNews
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GwangjuNewsGIC
For advertising and subscription inquiries, please contact karina@gic.or.kr or 062-226-2733. Special thanks to the City of Gwangju and all of our sponsors.
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What’s been happening recently? This issue tells you about our international community’s Eid Mubarak “fiesta.” We paint you a picture of Gwangju’s Art Players baseball team (they’re a big hit!). We walk you through the ACC’s From Vietnam to Berlin Exhibition and give you one person’s perspective on recent happenings in Vietnam (Vietnam 1984). You can learn about August’s holiday, Gwangbokjeol, and learn some language at the same time (Everyday Korean). And you can learn how to make language learners more effective learners (Korea TESOL). You won’t want to miss our Arts and Culture section. We bring you a book review (Medium Raw) by recently lost author, cook, and food enthusiast Anthony Bourdain. We offer My Poetry with a Bangladeshi flair. And our movie review is of a film that is set within the historical past when the Chinese came to Taiwan (The City of Sadness). Cool off with our refreshing Photo Essay and our Photo of the Month. As always, we bring you City News, August Happenings, the Theater Schedule, and the Community Board to keep you up to date and in the know as to what is going on in and around this great city of Gwangju!
David E. Shaffer Editor-in-Chief Gwangju News
August 2018
For volunteering and article submission inquiries, please contact the editor at: gwangjunews@gic.or.kr.
How can we help you “beat the heat” of August? Try our recipe for a Dog Days specialty (Samgyetang). Or spend some time with the coolest summer mistress (“Chilling with a Bamboo Mistress”). We also want to take you to some great places. Sample the pastries at Our Bakery; explore Gwangju’s Orphaned Art; venture out to Geumgok Village; travel to Boseong’s green tea plantation (Namdo Healing Tour). Want to travel in your own car? You can after reading Buying a Used Car in Gwangju.
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The 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 Email: gwangjunews@gic.or.kr
ugust is here, and it brings with it the heat of summer – the last of the Dog Days, Malbok, is not until the 17th. Similarly, the August issue of the Gwangju News offers “hot” reading of seasonal intensity. Our first feature, provides a taste of Gwangju’s international community by highlighting the National Foods Mart. Our second feature magnifies an unseen but rapidly growing, lifethreatening problem: fine dust particulates hiding in our air.
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CONTENTS
AUGUST 2018 #198 GWANGJU NEWS 04. Gwangju City News 05. Gwangju Theater Schedule 06. August 2018 Happenings 56. Community Board
FEATURE 07. National Foods Mart: A Feeling of Home Far from Home 12. What Can Be Done About the Fine Dust Problem? COMMUNITY 16. My Exposure to Diversity at the Eid Mubarak International Fiesta 34. Buying a Used Car in Gwangju TRAVEL 18. Lost in Gwangju: Gwangju’s Orphaned Art 22. Around Korea: Geumgok Village and Its Surroundings 24. Around Korea: Namdo Healing Tour SPORTS & ACTIVITIES 28. The Art of Victory: A Profile of Gwangju’s Art Players Baseball Team EDUCATION 31. Everyday Korean: Episode 8: Gwangbokjeol 32. Korea TESOL: Attributes of a Good Effective Language Learner
OPINION 54. Vietnam 1984
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August 2018
ARTS & CULTURE 40. From the Streets of Resistance to the Walls of the Gallery: The From Vietnam to Berlin Exhibition at the ACC 44. Gwangju Writes: My Poetry 45. Chilling with a Bamboo Mistress 46. Photo Essay: 30 Frames 50. Photo of the Month: The Ferry to Jeju 52. Book Review: “I Was So Supremely Naïve” – Medium Raw: A Bloody Valentine to the World of Food and the People Who Cook by Anthony Bourdain 53. Movie Review: The City of Sadness
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FOOD & DRINKS 36. Where to Eat: Picture Perfect Pastries: Our Bakery 38. Samgyetang: Heat Beats Heat
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Gwangju City News Compiled by Karina Prananto Reprinted with permission from Gwangju Metropolitan City Hall
GWANGJU NEWS
Air Philip Launches New Flights Connecting Gwangju to Gimpo
Air Philip, a new Honam-based passenger airline, opened its flight service at the end of June. The company will make three round trips daily on its Gwangju–Gimpo route.
The mayor visited areas thought vulnerable to Typhoon Prapiroon and searched for safe zones in order to emphasize securing and protecting the lives and property of Gwangju citizens.
The cheapest weekday ticket price is set at 70,000 won, while the most expensive weekday flight is set at 130,000 won. The weekend tickets vary from 90,000 to 130,000 won. For the first month of operation, the company will offer a 1+1 (buy one, get one free) package that provides a paying passenger with a free ticket for a companion. For more information, refer to the Air Philip website (https://www.airphilip.com/index.do) or call the company’s hotline number at 1522-8700.
The mayor checked sidewalk shade installation in the Gwangju area, the Gwangju Stream facility, the operational status of the auto warning broadcasting facility for use during heavy rains, and the maintenance status for the waterway. He also visited Yangdong Market to check local firefighting facilities, electrical equipment, and leak-prevention tests, and asked the local staff to prepare for potential accidents.
Gwangju to Invest Eight Billion Won in Youth Job Creation
Gwangju will invest 7.96 billion won, which includes 3.57 billion won in national funding, for youth job creation in the latter half of this year.
August 2018
From July, the city is beginning eight employment-related projects, including the Youth Dream Project and the Youth Startup Employment Win–Win Project.
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checked the safety of the facilities around the area.
The city plans to spend some 4.1 billion won on the Youth Dream Project and expand its reach. Also, 130 million won will be spent on the Youth Culture Planning Job Model Project, which will help local youth land employment in the culture field. The city will invest 1.35 billion won in the Youth Startup Employment Win–Win Project and 720 million won in the Village Venture Youth Employment Support Project.
Gwangju Mayor Lee Yong-seop Makes Promise for a Safe Gwangju
Newly elected Gwangju Mayor Lee Yong-seop, together with related organizations and citizens’ groups comprised of 500 people, met for a safety check event on July 7 at Gwangju Stream and Yangdong Market. Here the mayor
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Mayor Lee said that Gwangju currently has the highest rates of crime, traffic incidents, and suicide among South Korea’s metropolitan cities, and that measures urgently need to be taken. To counter these problems and to protect the city from various natural disasters, he said that it is crucial to propose a “Master Plan” and a “100-Year Gwangju Infrastructure Project” to make Gwangju the safest major city in the entire country.
2019 FINA Competition Ticket Prices Set
The Gwangju 2019 World Aquatics Championships Organizing Committee recently announced prices for its event tickets. The prices will vary from 10,000 to 150,000 won, with the average price being 36,000 won. Ticket prices for popular FINA events such as races, diving, and artistic swimming are set between 10,000 and 70,000 won. Prices for tickets to the opening and closing ceremonies range from 20,000 to 150,000 won. Ticket sales will begin early next year on the committee’s official ticket sales website. The Gwangju 2019 World Aquatics Championships will be held from July 12 to August 11 in 2019, while another major international event, the 2019 Gwangju World Masters Competition, will be held from August 5 to 18, overlapping the end of the aquatics championships.
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Gwangju Theater
62 Chungjang-ro 5-ga, Dong-gu, Gwangju (two blocks behind NC Wave) TICKETS: 8,000 won CONTACT: 062-224-5858 For more information, please visit http://cafe.naver.com/cinemagwangju * Synopses excerpted from Wikipedia, IMDb, and Hancinema. All English language films are presented with Korean subtitles; non-English international films are presented with Korean subtitles only.
I AM LOVE
아이 엠 러브 Genre: Drama Director: Luca Guadagnino Film Length: 114 minutes Language: Italian (Korean subtitles) Starring: Tilda Swinton, Flavio Parenti, Edoardo Gabbriellini Summary: Over two decades ago, Emma left Russia to follow Tancredi Recchi, the man who had proposed to her. Now a member of a powerful industrial Milanese family, she is the respected mother of three. But Emma, although not unhappy, feels confusedly unfulfilled. One day Antonio, a talented chef and her son’s friend and partner, makes her senses kindle. It does not take long before she embarks on a passionate affair with the sensuous young man.
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THE SQUARE 더 스퀘어 Genre: Comedy Director: Ruben Östlund Film Length: 151 minutes Languages: Swedish, English, Danish (Korean subtitles) Starring: Claes Bang, Elisabeth Moss, Dominic West Summary: A curator struggles with various personal issues, including the theft of his mobile phone and an affair with a journalist. Amid these distractions, a controversial promotional video for an art installation is published without his oversight, threatening his career and sparking a debate about freedom of expression and political correctness.
August 2018
SOSEONGRI 소성리 Genre: Documentary Director: Park Bae-il Film Length: 87 minutes Language: Korean (No subtitles) Starring: Kim Uiseon, Lim Sunbun, Do Geumyeon Summary: Soseong-ri, a rural village in the province of Gyeongsangbuk-do, shows how the deployment of the THAAD missile system in a village transformed a
THE GOOSE GOES SOUTH 대관람차 Genre: Drama Director: Baek Jae-ho Film Length: 108 minutes Languages: Korean, Japanese (Korean subtitles) Starring: Kang Du, Ji Dae-han Summary: Wooju was sent to Osaka to find his missing senior, Daejung, after a ship accident. On his last day there, he saw someone who looked a lot like Daejung playing a guitar in Pier 34, a small bar in Taisho, Osaka. He said his name was Snow and that he was the bar owner. After spending the night there, Wooju woke up late, missing both his flight to Korea and his phone. He quits his job and starts on an unlikely vacation.
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JUPITER’S MOON 주피터스 문 Genres: Science Fiction, Fantasy Director: Kornél Mundruczó Film Length: 128 minutes Language: Hungarian (Korean subtitles) Starring: Merab Ninidze, Zsombor Jéger, György Cserhalmi Summary: Aryan, a young Syrian refugee trying to make his way into Hungary from Serbia, along with his father, is shot down while illegally crossing the border. They are all caught and find themselves in a web of cynicism and corruption.
previously sleepy farming district into a domestic and international political battleground. Nothing can be done to reverse the placement of the missile system in their village, nor to placate the villagers’ grievances. To the senior citizens who have already experienced how human life can be destroyed on the battlefield, this situation is unacceptable, as it reminds them of the Korean War from 1950–53.
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August 2018 Happenings Compiled by Karina Prananto
08.3–08.05 GWANGJU NEWS GWANGJU NEWS
Gochang Mud Festival 고창 갯벌 축제
The Gochang Mud Festival is a leading ecological tourist attraction for visitors to collect clams, eel, crabs, and seaweed. The area provides a clean, gentle tidal flat that is suitable for recreation. Enjoy making unforgettable memories with a fresh sea breeze! Location:
Mandol Mud Flat Experience Ground, Mandol-ri, Simwon-myeon, Gochang, Jeollabuk-do 전라북도 고창군 심원면 만돌갯벌체험학습장
Gochang tidal flat. (Photo by Gochang County)
Admission: Telephone: Website:
만돌리
Free 063-560-2731 http://www.gochang.go.kr/mud-exp
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August 2018
07.27–08.02
Muan White Lotus Festival 무안 연꽃 축제
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. Location:
333 Baengnyeon-ro, Muan-gun, Jeollanam-do 전라남도 무안군 일로읍 백련로 333
Admission: Telephone: Website:
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Free 061-450-5472 http://tour.muan.go.kr/tour/festival/ lotus
▲ Muan lotus pond. (Photo by Muan County)
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08.25 Gurye Nature Dream Rock Festival
구례 자연드림 락페스티벌
This festival has taken place every summer since 2015, with more than 7,000 attendees annually. By appreciating music (樂=락=rock) and performances with beautiful Jiri Mountain in the background, visitors are invited to taste the beauty of nature at Gurye. Location:
Gurye Nature Dream Park, 107-66 Yongsan-ro, Yongbang-myeon, Guryegun, Jeollanam-do
전라남도 구례군 용방면 용산로 107-66 구례자연드림파크
Admission: Telephone: Website:
30,000 won 061-783-2200 http://www.naturaldreampark.co.kr/ main.html
08.31–09.02 Mokpo International Madang Art Festival 목포 세계 마당 페스티벌
Location: Admission: Telephone: Website:
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전라남도 목포시 영산로 67-2
Free 061-243-9786 http://www.mimaf.net/
August 2018
▲ Photos by Mokpo International Madang Art Festival.
67-2 Yeongsan-ro, Mokpo, Jeollanam-do
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This is a global festival where local and international artists and performers meet! This festival is regarded as one of the best street festivals in Korea. Visitors can see the glamor and glory of Namdo art at a glance in an exciting place where tradition and modern art meet!
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August 2018
FEATURE
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National Foods Mart: A Feeling of Home Far from Home Written by Harsh Kumar Mishra
G
lobalization is not the change seen in one aspect of a city, but all-around change that makes for friendly living among people of different cultures and nationalities. If you find the exact definition of globalization in the dictionary, you will find that it is a process of interaction and integration among the people, companies, and governments of different nations, which is driven by international trade and investment and aided by information technology.[1] This means globalization is not possible without the integration of different cultures.
Lee, who I can personally attest is an awesome human being, loves talking to international students who visit her store. She will always
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Located near Chonnam National University, National Foods Mart is an international grocery store providing products from countries like India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Indonesia, Uzbekistan, Morocco, Yemen, and some parts of Africa. Lee Jeong-hee, who runs the store, told me that this mart was started by her sister in the spring of 2015. Initially, Lee used to come to the store to help her sister out from time to time, but when her sister got busy with some other work and decided to close the store, Lee came to the rescue and asked her sister if she could run it herself. Her sister agreed to this and handed over the store to Lee.
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Recently, Korea has become one of the many countries to embrace globalization and multiculturalism very positively. It is inviting thousands of students and young minds to work and study in Korea every year. Gwangju, which is the next-to-smallest metropolitan city in Korea, is full of many international and multicultural centers, restaurants offering foreign cuisine, and international grocery stores to assist foreigners in every possible way. Among these many establishments is National Foods Mart.
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welcome you with a smiling face. National Foods Mart has got all the basic groceries from the above-mentioned countries, though there may be times when you need an item that is not readily available not only at National Foods Mart but also at the country’s other international stores. Lee is always curious about such products and keeps asking her customers if she should bring in anything new. She kindly keeps a record of new products’ names and has them available at the store the next time you visit. I still remember the day when I first went to National Foods Mart. I felt like I was at home when I saw all the Indian snacks, sweets, ready-toeat curries, lentils, etc. Since then I have become a regular at the place. National Foods Mart is heaven for vegetarians like me and for those who have dietary restrictions. It offers all kinds of halal meats, canned foods, spices, cookies, rice, flour, frozen vegetables, frozen paratha, and so much more. Chonnam National University’s large number of international students benefit greatly from the store. National Foods Mart is not just making Gwangju global but also providing a feeling of comfort to many international residents in Gwangju. Recently, as many multimillion-dollar online marts have started selling groceries targeting international shoppers, small businesses like National Foods Mart have begun facing difficulties in doing business. It is very sad to admit that the store that was once the only place to buy
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11 all your international groceries has become merely another option. I hope that the Gwangju community, especially fellow Chonnam National University students, helps this small business grow again. Let us show Lee some gratitude for what she has been doing for the past three years. National Foods Mart is open throughout the week from 1–9 p.m., except on Mondays. As I mentioned before, it is located right beside Chonnam National University, but for those who are not well aware of its location, the address and contact information are provided below for you to go and pay a visit. National Foods Mart Address: 2-1 Myeonang-ro, Buk-gu (북구 면앙로 2-1) Contact: Lee Jeong-hee, 010-8621-7950 Reference
What Is Globalization? (n.d.). Retrieved from the The Levin Institute – State University of New York website: http://www.globalization101.org/whatis-globalization/
[1]
The Author
Harsh is a Korean language and culture enthusiast who is pursuing his PhD in Korean linguistics at Chonnam National University. He has been living in Gwangju since 2015 and calls Gwangju his second home.
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August 2018
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What Can Be Done About the Fine Dust Problem? Written by Jennifer Marlton Special thanks to Dr. Shin Gyonggu Photographs courtesy of Gwangju Metropolitan City Climate Change Response Division
There are views that the government at different levels within South Korea has been unable to prevent or deal with the fine dust problem, which appears as a distinct failure on its part. The government has not made any longterm plans for dealing with the fine dust issue and has not educated the public well on the correlation between its activities and the increase in fine dust. The industries that are making this issue worse are only concerned with making a profit. In comparison to the South Korean government, the Chinese government has ordered a transition to electric cars and plans to phase out cars run on petrol in the next few years. Meanwhile, Korean electric cars are almost non-existent. South Korea has 53 power plants and plans to increase this number. Gasand coal-fired power plants have increased their output significantly in the last few years. Koreans’ electricity costs are subsidized, which encourages the thoughtless
waste of electricity. Although China is an easy target to blame, most of South Korea’s fine particulate matter is domestically produced, and the government needs to implement measures to counteract this and educate the public on all of the causes and effects. With over 10,000 deaths each year that can be traced back to air pollution, the public should not only be aware of how to deal with the pollution but also how to prevent it. Jeong Eun Song is an activist with the Korean Federation for Environmental Movements (KFEM) in Gwangju. It is a non-profit organization that is an important part of the community. It is the biggest environmental NGO in South Korea, with over 80,000 members and 50 local offices nationwide. The Gwangju branch is comprised of a mixture of scientists and environmental activists. It has 1,800 members, and at the branch there are four fulltimers, two part-timers, and twenty lecturers. The organization works in several environmental fields. Jeong stressed that although she views many environmental issues as important, several of them are quite pressing at the moment. One local environmental issue is that of the four major riverbeds, in which the conservative government pumped out sand from the rivers in order to make them deeper, resulting in them becoming polluted. There are also issues with mattresses releasing radiation, hundreds of children dying from humidifier chemicals, concerns about waste and energy
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August 2018
FEATURE
O
ne of the largest risks to respiratory health in South Korea is the rising problem of fine dust (미세먼지). The amount of pollution in the air has been rising steadily. South Korea is one of the most polluted countries in the world and is the most polluted of any OECD country, followed closely by Poland. Fine dust is chemically composed of potassium and levoglucosan, and is often produced by burning fossil fuels. The high levels of dust in South Korea can have a strong impact on locals living here and is an issue that may prevent expats from immigrating here or staying for long periods of time.
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▲ Air pollution monitoring screens.
reduction, and weather issues. KFEM’s current campaign is to reduce plastic waste by reducing the use of single-use plastic cups and encouraging people to use reusable cups instead. The organization issued a challenge for citizens not to use any plastic or paper cups. It would also like to encourage readers of the Gwangju News to participate and try to lower their consumption of plastic cups.
There are different pollution levels in Gwangju and in Seoul as well. Seoul’s pollution levels can rival those of Shanghai and Beijing, with their air quality in 2016 being deemed unhealthy for sensitive groups on 78 days of the year. Seoul’s average pollution level is twice the average for most OECD countries. While the general level of dust is lower in Gwangju than in other major cities, the level of small particle dust (particulate matter of less than 10 micrometers – PM10) is higher. Gwangju’s dust level was comparatively low until about four years ago, when it started to increase for reasons yet unknown. Jeong assumes that it may be caused by the restriction of airflow due to the number of high-rise buildings going up across Gwangju. She is not sure whether an increase in cars has also influenced this.
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There are theories that South Korea’s dust problem emanates from China’s rising problem with pollution; however, the reality is much more complicated. There is evidence that much of the pollution problem in South Korea is caused by its own fossil fuel consumption. According to Jeong, the dust may be caused from air flow from China. But it may also be from a combination of sources. The super-micro dust is mostly from cars, and this dust level is highest during rush hour. The levels of pollution in China and South Korea do not always correlate – the wind direction has to be from China to
South Korea for this to be measured. When it is not, then the levels of pollution tend to be very different.
August 2018
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▲ Air Pollution Gauge Center in Duam-dong, Buk-gu, Gwangju.
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August 2018
A public health warning is given to citizens if the amount of fine dust reaches a certain level. Citizens are encouraged to stay indoors, or if they must go outdoors, they should only remain outside for short periods of time and wear a dust mask. The warnings are particularly important for the very young and the very old, who are more likely to be sensitive to the effects of fine dust. The fine particulate matter can settle deep into people’s lungs and many hospital patients affected by the dust complain of wheezing and coughing that will not cease. As people are becoming more aware of the fine dust problem, they are staying indoors more. Public knowledge of the issue is generally high because of media campaigns. However, the level of early deaths is rising. In 2015, the Health Effects Institute (HEI) found that South Korea’s ambient air pollution, ranked fifth highest in the world as a cause of early death, is the number-one environmental risk factor in the country and has caused more deaths than malaria or HIV/AIDS. There are different public health warning levels. There is one that simply suggests caution, similar to a highlevel weather warning. The dust level for each square meter is measured. The World Health Organization has set the appropriate limit at ten micrograms (that’s 10 one-thousandths of a milligram) per cubic meter. In Gwangju, if there are 15 micrograms per square meter, then the lowest level dust watch is given. If it is from 15–30 micrograms, a medium-level warning is sent out. If the dust level is from 30–75 micrograms, then a highlevel warning is given. If a dust level of 75 micrograms continues for two hours, then there is a serious warning. If it goes up to 150 microgram for more than two hours, the highest level warning is given, which is equal to a national disaster. This highest level warning has been issued once this year, while the high-level warning has already been issued six times in 2018.
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▲ Air Pollution Gauge Center in Geonguk-dong, Buk-gu, Gwangju.
The high-level warning for Seoul is 50 micrograms, while Gwangju’s emergency measures are implemented when the fine dust level reaches 76 micrograms. The emergency measures in Seoul include the city closing government parking lots to reduce the amount of cars and ordering construction sites to reduce working hours. Authorities also make efforts to provide public transportation in Seoul for free. KFEM sees the fine dust issue as more pressing this year. The organization has established a counsel to talk about policy development. It is carrying out protection campaigns for people who are vulnerable and often organizes focus groups to investigate the issue. Jeong said that in order to tackle the issue, the local government has begun a two-tier system that allows cars to run only every other day, but it applies only to government cars in Gwangju. The organization wants this measure to be expanded to private cars in the community in order to further reduce pollution. KFEM recommends that outdoor workers’ hours be reduced and vulnerable people wear dust masks. The organization also wants the prices for dust masks to be lowered and for employers to provide them for outdoor workers. Jeong thinks the future is bright but the local government needs a more effective campaign. There are still many issues with the amount of pollution caused by the rising amount of traffic, but the government is not expanding the public transportation system significantly. The government’s measures should be more comprehensive. High-rise buildings are increasing and blocking the flow of air, which is worsening the fine dust problem in Gwangju. Measures to reduce fine dust levels need to be supported by the citizens, though they are often not willing to deal with the inconvenience. Jeong said she and
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15 those at KFEM are working to make Gwangju residents conscious of this issue.
The Author
Jennifer is from Australia and is currently working as an English teacher in Gwangju. She loves writing, traveling, and experiencing different cultures. She has enjoyed exploring and experiencing the different aspects of Gwangju during her time here.
Protect Yourself from Fine Dust! 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.
Refrain from staying outside for too long. Wear a mask whenever you go outside. Try to avoid places with the highest risk of pollution and refrain from doing too many activities. Wash yourself thoroughly after engaging in outdoor activities. Eat lots of vegetables and fruits with vitamin C and drink lots of water. Ventilate your house frequently. Refrain from activities that can cause pollution. Use public transportation more than private cars. Source: Gwangju Metropolitan City
Since 2000
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** The best landmark for our clinic is “Buk-gu District Office” ** On the 1st Floor of our building, there is a “Paris Baguette”. Our clinic is located on the 5th Floor.
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Phone: 062-525-0606 www.geomedclinic.com
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My Exposure to Diversity at the Eid Mubarak International Fiesta Written by Mazaher Akbari Photographs courtesy of Gwangju Muslim Cultural Community
COMMUNITY
I
n theosophy, Eid is interpreted as being anything new, whether it is clothes, lifestyle, or thinking. During Eid, people make new clothes and visit their relatives. Greetings of “Eid Mubarak” are exchanged with Eid meaning “celebration,” and Mubarak meaning “blessed.” In Kabul, Afghanistan, where I am from, and in countries that celebrate this festival, children are given gifts or money by their parents and relatives. Rumi, a famous theosophist poet in Persian literature, wrote the poem below to describe the Eid celebration: Like the sign of a reunion In the palm of your hands, May the sign of this Eid al-Fitr Bring lots of joy and happiness to you all! Eid celebrations are in abundance Wherever you go these days. If Eid is the sheer abundant joy Then let it remain in total abundance!
www.gwangjunewsgic.com
August 2018
It is very much appreciated that there are many local organizations that support the sharing of Gwangju’s various different cultures. Their support matters a great deal when it comes to enabling this diversity to be brought to the audiences attending these celebrations. The Eid Mubarak International Fiesta organized by the Gwangju Muslim Cultural Community (GMCC) took place on June 17 at the Mujin Hall of the Chungjang-ro YMCA. Though it did not fall on the “official” day of Eid Al-Fitr, which was on June 15, the celebration was still a lively one, filled with interesting performances and food sharing. As one of the organizers, I was tasked with cooking the national dish of my country, kabuli palaw, as well as being in charge of the fashion show. On that very D-day morning, I woke up early at 7 a.m. to prepare the rice dish with my friends for the fiesta. Besides that, I also made the music videos for the fashion show, which were to be projected and used for the background. These last-minute tasks really made me anxious about getting everything done before the event started in the afternoon. How these tasks ended up being so last-minute cannot be
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well explained without going back to how this all started. The idea was first suggested by a student from the Afghan community, but he could not participate much because the celebration conflicted with his examination period. Feeling sorry to let this idea go to waste, I decided to suggest it to Muslim communities from other countries. Fortunately, they agreed to participate in showcasing the traditional clothes of their countries. Eventually, my friend, Waziha Farha and I became responsible for the fashion show, which began with looking for models. Some were interested in going on stage but were worried about not being able to do well enough as models and so decided to pull out. As for some others, up until two days before the event, we only had their contacts and a promise to come – not their actual appearance to rehearse for the fashion show. As a result, both Waziha and I were in a constant search for models for the show. From contacting people for the stage preparation to rehearsing and finalizing the script and videos, all had to be done within a two-week period. Luckily, in the end, all ten models were found and able to be in the show. We managed to get models from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Korea, Malaysia, and Pakistan. Even on the event day itself, one model was changed at the last minute, while the Korean model had difficulty fitting into the hanbok (traditional Korean dress) that was prepared by others. Ready or not, the time for the show arrived. As the music of each country started to play, the models went up one by one as previously rehearsed. People who had not rehearsed for the show just went up on stage and copied what others before them had done! As the audience watched the show full of excitement, I did the introduction for each costume when the models went up on stage. A sense of relief washed over me after seeing that the show was going well. The fashion show, as part of the Eid Fiesta, not only reminded us about the celebration but also provided insights into how people in neighboring countries share similar traditional outfits. For instance, when looking at India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, we see almost identical outfits with similar names. Salwar kameez is the name
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17 of a dress commonly worn in India, while a slightly differently named dressed called qameez shalwar is worn in Pakistan. Similarly, as we go further west all the way from Bangladesh to Afghanistan, the vest commonly known as waskat across this region maintains the same pronunciation in four different languages: Persian, Hindi, Urdu, and Bangla. On the other hand, the baju kurung worn by the Malaysian model stood out among the international items of clothing, suggesting a localized version of Muslim clothing has been created in that region.
of culture even just within the circle of Muslims in Gwangju. The event, which also saw Korean young adults participate by sampling the food prepared by members of each country, was a great start for promoting acceptance and understanding of foreign neighbors who practice different beliefs and lifestyles.
The Author
This experience of participating in the event as an organizer has opened my eyes wider to the diversity
Hailing from Afghanistan, Mazaher Akbari has been a student at Gwangju’s Chonnam National University since April 2015. He is currently in his senior year studying business administration. He likes to meet new people and make new friends.
Models from Afganistan, Bangladesh, India, Korea, Malaysia, and Pakistan participated on the fashion show.
Delicious foods prepared for the event.
www.gwangjunewsgic.com
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A view of the crowd attending the celebration.
August 2018
Models modeling the clothes on stage.
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1818 Lost in Gwangju
Gwangju’s Orphaned Art
www.gwangjunewsgic.com
August 2018
TRAVEL COMMUNITY
Written and photographed by Ryan Berkebile
Nature reclaims an area from human neglect.
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s I stroll through a residential street in downtown Gwangju, I notice someone’s unfinished painting of a motorcycle. One tire has been painted in, but has begun to fade because of exposure to the elements. The rest of the motorcycle remains in outline, ready for anyone who passes by to complete the work of art. The incomplete canvas leans against a shuttered entrance next to a fake apple tree. This modern still life is an anomaly on my walks through the City of Light. On my jaunts, I usually come upon traditional Korean landscape paintings, ink renderings of the Indian monk Bodhidharma (달마), or colorful tributes to Buddhist Bodhisattvas left for the trash collectors. Sometimes I luck out and find folding screens with panoramic floral scenes on one side and hanja (Chinese characters) on the flip side. Seeing these magnificent works always arouses questions and theories about the causes of orphaned art. Besides the intense drive to modernize and move on, why do people leave their personal belongings behind? One plausible explanation for this phenomenon is rooted in Korean folklore. As the superstition goes, evil spirits will follow families moving to a new home if they aren’t conned
1919 20 into believing otherwise. How do you fool the incorporeal beings? Families leave behind material possessions, which deceives the ghosts into believing they haven’t departed for a new abode. This would explain why I’ve seen many abandoned households full of pictures of important events, like weddings or births. The pictures are a sacrifice – an act of appeasement in order for the family and the spirits to move on. Moving companies consult with families about which days are considered safe to move. These days are called son eopneun nal (손 없는 날), which literally means “damage/loss-free day” (i.e., a day that the evil spirits are at rest). For the non-superstitious, I suspect ghosts don’t cause distress as much as the feeling of being overwhelmed by possessions. In the course of living on this planet, we are constantly reevaluating and reconstructing the story of our “I.” Our material possessions reflect our former hobbies, fashions, and attitudes. Outgrown personal effects are put into our closets and forgotten about. It’s tricky to maintain a sensible balance between clutter and useful goods. It becomes difficult to be honest with ourselves whether we’ll ever use those skis or listen to those Steely
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August 2018
▲ Not even picture frames can save art left out in the elements.
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20 20
▲ Landscape paintings in various states of completion gather dust.
www.gwangjunewsgic.com
August 2018
Dan records again. The easy answer is to put off a definite answer and save it “just in case.” For people in stable living situations, stuff can pile up for decades, making it increasingly hard to differentiate the memories with the objects themselves. Come moving day, maybe leaving many of these things behind brings an unintentional sense of relief for packrats.
▲ Incomplete, unwanted art found near Daein Market.
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A few years ago in the Yang-dong neighborhood, a couple of friends presented their discovery of a forgotten hanok (traditional Korean house) that was someone’s art space. You could sense the history through the mud walls and thatched ceiling. It was probably built during Park Chunghee’s reign. In the living space, we came across brushes, carving tools, and canvasses in various stages of completion piled up in the residence. We learned the artist’s name through scattered photographs and accolades, and constructed a story about his life as an artist. From the stacks of canvas in the house, we could see the artist felt compelled to paint impressionistic landscape scenes. Within vivid, colorful scenes of mountains and streams, he included scenes
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21 of human life. Tiny houses and small cart paths of the human world complimented the striking beauty of nature. Stumbling upon these scenes intensified my awareness of orphaned art in Gwangju. Many things qualify as orphaned art. For example, art intended for outdoor display can even be considered orphaned. Sculptures originally intended to beautify and harmonize with nature are often left behind to fight a battle against unmanicured flora. During the spring, I visited a recently closed university campus and came across lifelike clay renderings of humans in what was once a shady, forested area. These works of art were so realistic that I was initially startled by them. I thought I’d come across a bunch of friends who were mourning the loss of their school. Upon further inspection, a male and two female cohorts appeared to have been having a deep existential conversation about the meaning of life. Off to the side, two uprooted figures that had been partially damaged from the move laid in eternal rest. Maybe the trio engaged in philosophical conversation were contemplating their fate as castaways.
Perhaps the most surprising place I spotted orphaned art at was in an unused greenhouse near Mudeung Mountain. My traveling companion and I were aimlessly wandering around, as is our wont. Curiosity took over after we spied said greenhouse being taken over by nature. Any structure overgrown with flora gets us excited about the possibilities of what lies inside. On this particular day, we found numerous works of art, including muddy, waterlogged calligraphy of hanja (한자, Chinese characters) and a portrait of Guan Yin Bodhisattva (관세음보살) still looking bright and serene despite the elements taking their toll. Why they were put there is anyone’s guess, but maybe the previous owners felt an ease of burden in doing so. Maybe Guan Yin’s relaxed expression mirrors the owners’ newfound freedom from anxiety over their possessions.
The Author
Ryan Berkebile is an English teacher, analog camera fanatic, and urban explorer living in Gwangju. He has been teaching in Korea since 2005 with brief stops in Vietnam and Japan along the way. Visit longdistancerunner. org or @zen_compass to see photos of his explorations.
www.gwangjunewsgic.com
August 2018
A water-logged Bodhidharma ink drawing leans in an abandoned house.
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Religious and spiritual art are common finds on the author’s explorations.
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Geumgok Village and Its Surroundings Written and photographed by Shahed Kayes
T TRAVEL
raveling and writing poetry are my passions. Over the past three years, whenever I have gotten the chance, I have spent a great deal of time wandering through the places around Gwangju and other parts of Korea. Last month, I explored the village of Geumgok (금곡마을) and its surroundings. It was a sunny summer day on June 10. A friend, Han Ki-yong, came with his car to my campus. With my other department friends, Stephie, Dinesh, Don, Sukpei, and Zico, we started from our dormitory at Chonnam National University for Geumgok in the morning. After a 40-minute drive, we reached our destination.
www.gwangjunewsgic.com
August 2018
Geumgok is a traditional Korean mountain village on the skirt of Mudeung Mountain (무등산) some 200 meters above sea level. Our friend and host, Kim Yangrae, had invited us as it is his village. During our visit, we explored the village, its small morning village market, the Chunghyo-dong pot-tery kiln and clay mineral sites, the Pungam-jeong (풍암정) pavilion, the nearby reservoir, lakes, and Gwangju Lake Ecological Park. THE PUNGAM-JEONG PAVILION We took the Pungam-jeong trail and hiked for a couple of hours through the village and the mountain forest, then we stood near the reservoir for some time. Next, we visited Pungam-jeong. Kim, our host, told us the tragic story about this pavilion. The story goes like this: Pungam-jeong was built by Kim Deok-bo in the middle of the Joseon Dynasty. It is believed to have been built before 1614, based on the book Pungam-gi (풍암기) by Jeong Hong-myeong, which was written that same year. The pavilion was given the name “Pungam” because it was surrounded by beautiful scenery. Kim Deok-bo was the brother of General Kim Deok-ryeong, who fought during the Japanese invasions of Korea (1592–1598). During a battle, their eldest brother, Kim Deok-hong, died, and Kim Deok-ryeong was executed under false accusations. Kim Deok-bo retired and built this pavilion in the Wonhyo Valley of Mudeung Mountain to alleviate his sorrow. He
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spent his later life in study, living like a hermit. CHUNGHYO-DONG CLAY MINERAL SITE AND MUSEUM After visiting the Pungam-jeong, we came to the Chunghyo-dong clay mineral site. The Mudeung Mountain area was formed by Mesozoic volcanic activity, and the area around the Chunghyo-dong kiln site is now composed of granite, andesite, and weathered soil. This kiln site was the place where pottery was produced from the end of the Goryeo Dynasty to the beginning of the Joseon Dynasty. We visited the Chunghyo-dong Museum of Pottery and kiln site. The museum guide told us about all the pottery items and white porcelain preserved in the museum. He also explained the history of our location. The guide spoke in Korean, but our friend, Han Ki-young, translated for us in English. The excavation research of the kilns at Chunghyo-dong has revealed that they would all have been tunnel-type climbing kilns without compartmentalized firing chambers built on the gentle slopes of the mountain. CERAMIC ARTIST’S WORKSHOP, KILN, AND STUDIO We had lunch at a Korean traditional restaurant in Geumgok. After lunch, we went to visit the ceramic workshop, kiln, and studio of local artist Lee Eun-sok. Lee explained how he makes the clay into pottery, then paints and varnishes each piece. A kiln, or pottery furnace, is a thermally insulated chamber – a type of oven – that produces temperatures sufficient to complete some process, such as hardening, drying, or chemical changes. Kilns have been used for millennia to turn objects made from clay into pottery. The whole process was very interesting but requires lots of patience. Lee gifted each of us a ceramic bowl, and Kim, our generous host, gifted us ceramic mugs, which were painted by us directly in the studio and would later be shipped to us after drying. GWANGJU LAKE ECOLOGICAL PARK In the evening, we visited Gwangju Lake Ecological Park. Our two friends, artists You In-rae and Louis Vinciguerra, joined us at the park. They also happen to live in the same village.
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Mountain view of Geumgok village.
Ceramic artist Lee Eun-sok showing how he transforms the clay into pottery, fires it in the kiln, and then paints it.
Paddy of rice seedlings at Geumgok waiting to be transplanted.
The Author
Shahed Kayes is a poet and human rights activist from Bangladesh. He has published three volumes of poetry in Bengali and has edited an anthology of Bengali love poems. He has also produced a book in English on the Gwangju Prize for Human Rights. At present, he is pursuing an MA in human rights at Chonnam National University in Gwangju.
August 2018
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We stayed at Kim’s beautiful house that night. The next morning, the mountain was foggy, the temperature was low, and rain showered down on the area. It was a really memorable trip to Mudeung Mountain! As city life is always very busy, serenity can be a hard thing to find in the hustle-bustle of our lives. If you want to enjoy a little fresh air and serene sights, you should make the trip to the mountain village of Geumgok and its surroundings.
www.gwangjunewsgic.com
The park is very popular and can get busy, especially on the weekend during mid-afternoon. You can see more than 170,000 kinds of wild flowers there, including azaleas, forsythia, rosebay, roses, royal azaleas, and hydrangeas. You can also enjoy the picturesque view of over 3,000 kinds of trees, including snowbells, quince, Chinese parasol trees, Japanese maples, and metasequoia. The most popular places in the park are the Buyeop Botanical Garden, the waterfront observatory deck, and the rock garden. Entering Gwangju Lake Ecological Park, I immediately became overjoyed and speechless by the beauty of the park! The park is a gorgeous green mountain range with a web of well-posted trails. It is a paradise filled with green forests, cool mountain streams, and quiet meadows where butterflies flit above the wild flowers. You will find the joy of a fantastic evening hike in the mountains here.
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Nam-do Healing Tour: Boseong and Yeosu
www.gwangjunewsgic.com
August 2018
TRAVEL TRAVEL
Written by Sarah Pittman and Jennifer Marlton Photographed by Sarah Pittman
The mature green tea bushes look like they might line the path of your grandmother’s garden, but the young leaves make the tastiest green tea.
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The Boseong Green Tea Plantation Written by Jennifer Marlton
T
he Namdo Healing Tour combines an afternoon admiring the beauty of the Boseong Green Tea Plantation (full name: Boeseong Green Tea Fields, Daehan Tea Plantation – 보성녹차밭 대한다원) with an evening observing Yeosu’s magnificent night view via cable car. The day of the tour was pouring with rain, giving it an ominous feel that was not helped by the emergency hurricane warning that appeared on everyone’s phones on the way to the green tea fields. However, the rain cleared by the time we arrived, and the gray, heavy sky and the water clinging to the leaves on the bushes created a fresh and unique atmosphere. This was my third visit to the green tea fields, and the atmosphere was completely different this time. A sprawling mist was covering the side of the main hill with its gray tentacles reaching out to hover among the edges of the rows of bushes and cedar trees. Tourists casually sauntered around as they happily snapped photos.
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August 2018
▲ The gift shop and green tea cafe at the center of the plantation.
www.gwangjunewsgic.com
The Boseong Green Tea Plantation has the only tea fields in Korea designed for tourism. At 5,000,000 square meters, the plantation is the country’s largest. Two Korean dramas have been filmed there, namely Summer Scent and Ugly Alert. There have also been movies and commercials filmed at this site. The Boseong Green Tea Plantation supplies more than 40 percent of Korea’s green tea. It contains 5.8 million plants and five separate hiking courses. Despite the muddy ground due to the rain on the day of the tour, many tourists were making their way to the top of the hill. The view from the platform on the hilltop is quite spectacular, with a sprawling view of the rows of green tea trees, the forest of cedar trees, and
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26 the edge of the ocean sparkling in the distance. “I LOVE BOSEONG” springs out of the grass near the entrance. The plotting of the green tea plants causes them to seem to move and twist in their rows from different angles, even as one stands still. There is a trail directly behind the top of the hill that leads down a rainforest-like path, past a waterfall, and through to the cedar trees. Once you have finished exploring the fields and hiking trails, there are several cafes where you can sample different cuisine flavored with green tea. Meals are also available, including greentea bibimbap (비빔밥) and cold green-tea noodles (naengmyeon, 냉면). Other offerings include green-tea ice cream, lattes, and churros, to name a few. The chairs and tables set out amongst the cedar trees outside the cafes at the base of the hill offer a relaxing place in which to savor the food while enjoying the view and the refreshing, calm atmosphere. If you head into the gift shop, you can see pictures of the green tea fields at different times of the year – from sunny and sparkling in summer, to white with snow in winter. The green tea plants are at their greenest in May, at the end of spring. Regardless of the time of year, the green tea fields always provide an interesting and fun afternoon.
The Yeosu Leg
www.gwangjunewsgic.com
August 2018
Written by Sarah Pittman Leaving the green tea plantation, we boarded the buses and rode for about an hour to Yeosu. When we arrived, we stopped to eat the tour-provided dinner in a family restaurant. Arriving at a large room, everyone on the tour removed their shoes, picked a table, and sat on the floor. The tables were set with a small assortment of side dishes and bottles of water. The main course was two different types of buttery white fish that separated easily from the bone. While the meal was very good, there was only one restroom stall for two busloads of tourists needing the facility. After dinner, we got back on the buses and drove for about 15 minutes to the Yeosu Maritime Cable Car. On the way, one of the tour guides stood up and talked for a bit about Yeosu in Korean. While the other tourists seemed able to understand the Korean commentary, and since the tour advertises itself in English, I , not being fluent in Korean, was expecting the guide to repeat what she had said in Korean again in English. That did not happen, so I was left guessing. The buses parked on the marina, and we crossed the street to Sunrise Tower. After riding the elevator up and crossing the bridge, a steep boardwalk ramp led up to the ticket box
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office on the right and a pretty cafe with a Korean pavilion (nugak, 누각) atop it on the left. The round-trip cable car ride costs 13,000 won and is not covered by the cost of the tour. While the cable car company offers to take 1,000 won off the price of tickets purchased in a group, the tour does not coordinate this, which ends up costing customers more. After I purchased my ticket, another girl from the tour and I headed up to the cable car. The windows of the cable car were closed due to the rain, making the air feel close inside the car. The lights on the marina were beautiful, and it was fun to look down over the water. We had only ten minutes or so on the far side of the marina before we were asked to head back. It was about 9:30 p.m. when we boarded the buses again and drove down to Hamel Lighthouse on the marina. While the lighthouse was beautiful, there was no explanation of its meaning, significance, or why it was on the “refreshing” tour. We stopped only long enough to take a group photo in the parking lot, then we got back on the buses. Each guest on the tour got an electric hand fan with the name of the tour printed on it. Then we drove back to Gwangju, arriving an hour ahead of schedule. After all was said and done, I loved the Boseong Green Tea Plantation, but Yeosu failed to impress. The tour was efficient and on time, but without English support, I can recommend it only to those fluent in Korean.
The Authors
Jennifer is from Australia and is currently working as an English teacher in Gwangju. She loves writing, traveling, and experiencing different cultures. She has enjoyed exploring and experiencing the different aspects of Gwangju during her time here. Sarah Pittman is a 26-year-old English hagwon teacher and a southern California native. She loves photography, swing dancing, the color teal, and her dog Cosmo. When she goes back to America, she hopes to either continue teaching or work in an office that allows dogs.
Namdo Healing Tour (남도한바퀴)
The tour operates daily in Korean. Fees: 9,900 won (19,900 won for island tours and 25,000 won for yacht tours). Fees only cover the transportation. Fees exclude entrance fees, meals, and traveler’s insurance. Ticket purchase and reservation: 062-360-8502 Website: http://citytour.jeonnam.go.kr The bus departs from Platform 32 of U-square Bus Terminal and from the Songjeong Terminal. Please check the website for more information on courses and itineraries. This tour is organized by the Jeollanam-do Provincial Government.
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The Yeosu Marina at night from the cable cars.
www.gwangjunewsgic.com
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August 2018
The steppes of the Boseong Green Tea plantation are more awe inspiring when seen in person.
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The Art of Victory:
A Profile of Gwangju’s Art Players Baseball Team
SPORTS SPORTS && ACTIVITIES ACTIVITIES
Written by Wilson Melbostad Photographed by Lee Seon-woo
The Art Players Baseball Team.
www.gwangjunewsgic.com
August 2018
C
an artists play baseball? Can baseball players create art? Can an obnoxiously loud journalist write an interview feature that is enjoyable to read? All of these questions will be answered in turn. Fasten your seatbelts – here comes an interview. One sunny weekday afternoon, Kim Hae-il shuffles into the Gwangju International Center to conduct his interview and, immediately recognized by the other coordinators and team leaders, starts chatting up nearly everyone in the office simultaneously. Kim is certainly well known amongst the Gwangju art and culture community. Whether it be for his work renovating the live music pubs on Sajik Park Road, managing local a cappella groups, or organizing festivals around Gwangju, Kim can seemingly find a mutual point of connection with almost anyone in this city. Part of this networking ability was the basis upon which Kim, along with a few other artistic leaders, decided to create a baseball team as a platform to create stronger bonds amongst the Gwangju culture and arts communities and unify pro bono efforts to help others around the city. The manifestation of
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this idea, established in 2012, is known as the Art Players Baseball Team.
Gwangju News (GN): Hi, Mr. Kim, thanks for coming down to chat with me! Can you tell me a little bit about how the Art Players Baseball Team first came together back in 2012? Kim Hae-il (Kim): Hey, Wilson, thanks for having me. Well, as you mentioned, the team came together six years ago in 2012. The original nucleus of the team essentially came from two local theater groups within the city, the Shinyoung and Olsu traditional performance groups. We already had this pre-existing relationship through performing together, and then after combining our mutual love for the game of baseball, we eventually decided to create a formal team. Word spread out to the other sub-communities of those two performance groups, and soon other actors, dancers, event planners, photographers, and screenwriters (essentially all forms of artists imaginable) came together to form this team. Naturally, due to our common ties as professional artists, we decided to call ourselves the “Art Players.”
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GN: That is quite a story! Seeing as much of the work that you guys participate in overlaps (i.e., event planners setting up a concert or performance project), I would imagine your ties outside of baseball must have become much stronger both as professionals and as friends. Kim: That is right, Wilson. Whatever work I do in the community, our other teammates are interested in it and become consumers of that content. As you mention, the event planners within our team and the performers have definitely collaborated in this way on multiple occasions. Our shortstop may do the lights, our catcher may serve as the photographer, and our pitcher may star as the main actor all in one show. But as you alluded to, it is not just on a professional level that we have gotten closer. Our team also operates as a family. Unlike other teams, our team’s utmost value is our relationship with one another. After a game is finished, we do not go home right away. Instead, we give feedback to one another, not just about baseball but also about what is going on with our work and perhaps any hardships that some of us might be having in our personal lives. This ability to be there for each other is also furthered by the trust that we form while playing together on the baseball diamond.
GN: That is beautiful, Mr. Kim! I understand you have a foreigner on the team. How has that experience been? Kim: By foreigner, are you referring to yourself, Wilson? GN: Oh, am I? Ah, yes, I suppose I am the foreigner on the team! I hope the readers do not think my membership as an Art Player precludes me from writing this interview. Kim: Well, before this interview completely spins out of control, let me just say that we love having Wilson on the team. When Wilson first joined the team in 2013, we were a little worried about aspects like communication, among others. However, as soon as he arrived, he fit perfectly within our team identity. Of course, postgame “liquid courage” also helped us break though some of the barriers in the beginning stages. We threw Wilson a goodbye party in 2014 when he went back to the States to attend law school. We sang, exchanged gifts, and said what we thought was going to be our final farewells. But we are so very happy that he has come back. GN: Oh, really? What nice sentiments, brother! Final question: I know you have some community-oriented goals for the Art Players, specifically those geared towards younger
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August 2018
A hard fought game always ends in handshakes no matter the outcome.
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www.gwangjunewsgic.com
August 2018
Kim Hae-il and the author give their approval for this miraculous interview.
folks. Can you talk about that a little bit? Kim: Yes, we definitely want to utilize the power the Art Players have as a baseball community for the benefit of local underprivileged children. These days, because of academics and other factors, Korean children do not have much time to go outside, and their overall physical health is suffering as a consequence. Sports provide good opportunities for kids to learn how to work together with others and problem-solve. But since kids spend so much time on the computer and on their phones, they are missing out on these critical skills. We hope to help sponsor some sort of youth team or baseball camp to help kids in this fashion. Players await their turn at the plate.
GN: What a fantastic endeavor! I think that would be tremendous for the community. Thanks for your time, Mr. Kim! Kim: My pleasure, Wilson.
The Author
Glove in hand, awaiting to take the field.
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Wilson Melbostad is an international human rights attorney hailing from San Francisco, California. Wilson has returned to Gwangju to undertake his newest project: the Organization for Migrant Legal Aid (OMLA), which operates out of the Gwangju International Center. He has also taken on the position of managing editor of the Gwangju News.
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3131
TOPIK Guide (topikguide.com) is the most comprehensive website devoted to the TOPIK exam. It’s been helping Korean language learners pass the TOPIK (Test of Proficiency in Korean) for more than seven years. On this website, you can get all the TOPIK updates, grammar and vocabulary material, and study tips.
Everyday Korean Episode 8: Gwangbeokjeol Written by Harsh Kumar Mishra Korean Language Expert at TOPIKGUIDE.COM
정민, 캘린더에서 8월 15일 광복절이라고 써져 있는데 그게 뭐야?
Ana:
[Jeongmin, kae-llindeo-eseo pal-wol sib-o-il gwang-bok-jeo-rirago sseo-jyeo in-neun-de geu-ge mwo-ya?] Jeongmin, on the calendar I saw “Gwangbokjeol” written for August 15. What’s that?
정민:
광복절을 몰라? 한국에 온 지 2년이나 되지 않았어?
[Gwang-bok-jeo-reul molla? Hangu-ge on-ji i-nyeon-ina do-eji ana-sseo.] Jeong-min: You don’t know about “Gwangbokjeol?” Hasn’t it been about two years since you came to Korea?
아나: Ana:
(웃음) 응 몰라. 한꺼번에 다 알 수 없잖아. 무엇인지 가르쳐 줘. [Eung, molla. Han-kkeo-beone da aal-su eop-jana. Mu-eo-sinji gareu-chyeo-jwo.] (Laughter) Yeah, I don’t know. You can’t know everything all at once. Now tell me about it.
알았어. 광복절은 한반도가 일본 제국으로부터 해방된 것을 기념하는 날이야.
아나:
아하. 한국인에게는 정말 의미있고 자랑스러운 날이겠군.
~은/ㄴ 지 Use this pattern to show the duration of time that has passed since the beginning of something. Ex: 한국에 온 지 3년 지났어요. It’s been 3 years since I came to Korea.
~ 아/어 주다 This pattern is used with verbs and conveys the meaning “to do something for someone.” Ex: 좀 도와 주세요. Please help me out. Note: Use 아/어 드리다 if you’re doing something for someone older than you and/or in formal situations. Ex: 금요일까지 해 드릴게요. I’ll do it by Friday.
#KoreaLifeHacks 1.
[Ara-sseo. Gwang-bok-jeo-reun han-ban-doga il-bon jegu geuro-bu-teo hae-bang-doen geo-seul gi-nyeom-haneun nari-ya.] Jeong-min: Fine. “Gwangbokjeol” is Korea’s Independence Day, celebrating liberation from Japanese colonial rule.
[Aha. Hangu-gin-ege-neun jeong-mal ui-mi-ikko jarang-seu reo-un nari-gekkun.] Ana: Ah-ha. It must be a very meaningful and proud day for Koreans.
2.
정민:
그렇지. [Geu-reo-chi.] Jeong-min: Yes, indeed it is. 아나: Ana:
좋은 걸 가르쳐 줘서 고마워. [Jo-eun geol ga-reu-chyeo jwo-seo goma-wo.] Thank you so much for teaching me.
광복절: Liberation Day 한꺼번에: all at once 알다: to know 한반도: Korean Peninsula 일본: Japan 제국: empire 해방되다: to be liberated 기념하다: to celebrate 그렇지: Yes (it is).
Visit the TOPIK Guide website or our YouTube channel to improve your Korean and reach your goal on the TOPIK test.
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August 2018
Vocabulary
3.
One of the best ways to learn survival Korean is to imagine, “How would I say this in Korean?” while doing all day-today tasks. For example, if you’re talking to a friend about meeting in an hour, try imagining how to say the same thing in Korean. It’ll help you with memorizing and recalling vocabulary effectively. Listening in on other people’s conversations is considered a bad habit, but when learning a language, it’s very effective. Whenever you’re walking outside in a crowd or traveling on the bus or subway, try channeling yourself into the conversation of people around you. It’ll help your listening skills in ways you haven’t even imagined. If you’re preparing for the TOPIK exam, the best way to prepare for it is by solving previous exams and making a note of all of the vocabulary and grammar points you weren’t already familiar with. If you solve and make notes for more than five previous exams, you’ll easily get to TOPIK level 3.
www.gwangjunewsgic.com
정민:
Grammar EDUCATION
아나:
2018-07-27 �� 12:15:21
32 Korea TESOL
Attributes of a Good Effective Language Learner
EDUCATION
Written by Dr. David E. Shaffer
E
veryone is different and everyone goes about learning in a slightly different manner. This applies to language learning as well. We often talk about “good” language learners and their characteristics, which include intensely applying oneself, keeping to a schedule, and studying long hours. But when students, after a decade or more of English study, still struggle in English to communicate their name, where they live, and what they do, it is difficult to refer to them as “good” English learners. This is the end result for far too many English learners in this nation: They study hard, unknowingly using flawed methods and applying mannerisms that are of little help in leading to improvement of their language proficiency.
www.gwangjunewsgic.com
August 2018
Here we will look at several language learning attributes that are considered to be highly effective in language acquisition. We do this with the expectation that the language teacher will keep these attributes in mind and pass them on to students so that they have the opportunity to become more effective language learners. DISCOVERING ONE’S OWN PATH Playing Follow the Leader can have detrimental effects for language learners who blindly adopt the ineffective methods their peers are using. All too often, learners will decide to memorize long lists of vocabulary items and scores of grammar rules for no other reason than that is what their peers are doing. One’s learning methods should feel comfortable and pleasing – no one enjoys rote memorization! – and they should produce results. The learner needs to try out different methods for improving the same skills, at times measuring their effectiveness, and go with the method that both feels right and is effective. This is an ongoing process throughout one’s language learning career. ORGANIZING LANGUAGE-RELATED INFORMATION How many times have you heard students complain that they forget things as soon as they “learn” them? Such
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students’ main problem is probably that they do not organize their intake well. Students should keep their own “collections” of new vocabulary, useful expressions, collocations, chunks, etc. Take vocabulary, for example. Students could keep a vocab journal. When they meet a new word, they enter it in their journal, paper-based or digital. They may add their understood definition or a dictionary definition. They can add the pronunciation and even a sketch. With time, after re-meeting the word, they can fine-tune the meaning and add example sentences and notes. They should, of course, review their entries regularly. Having many different associations with a single vocabulary word, or any language item, makes it so much easier to learn. We should encourage good language organizing habits in our students.
MAKING OPPORTUNITIES FOR LANGUAGE PRACTICE Communication is an interactive process: It takes at least two people to communicate. As such, it makes perfect sense that language practice should include communication with others. In mainly monolingual communities such as Korea, English-speaking opportunities may not be so frequent or obvious. The teacher should therefore offer guidance. For college-aged learners, there are volunteer opportunities
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33 at the Gwangju International Center (GIC) and frequent events there held in English. Numerous churches hold English services; several restaurant-bars around town have mainly English-speaking clientele. And then there are Skype, Hangouts, and Kakao that learners can use to keep in long-distance contact with their English-speaking acquaintances. Rather than allowing learners to spend all their time pouring over language learning books alone, we should encourage them to seek out ways to practice their English. MAKING GUESSES Part of the language learning process involves making guesses – in both listening and speaking. The more comfortable learners become with guessing, the better language learners they will become. At least part of the message that a language learner hears is often not completely understood. Learners must consider the context and the understood portion of the message to make an intelligent guess at what was not understood in order to make an intelligent response to the message. Similarly, language learners must often make guesses at how to formulate what they want to say or write in English: What word is best to use for the situation (e.g., made vs. built vs. constructed), what sentence structure (e.g., question or statement form), what tense (e.g., simple past vs. present perfect vs. past perfect), or what level of politeness or formality? As teachers, we must make our students aware of guessing strategies and make them feel confident in using them.
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The Author
David E. Shaffer is vice-president of the Gwangju-Jeonnam Chapter of Korea TESOL (KOTESOL). On behalf of the chapter, he invites you to participate in their 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. He is a long-time member of KOTESOL and a holder of various KOTESOL positions; at present he is national president. Dr. Shaffer credits KOTESOL for much of his professional development in English language teaching, scholarship, and leadership. He is chairman of the board at the GIC and also editor-in-chief of the Gwangju News.
GWANGJU-JEONNAM KOTESOL MONTHLY MEETING Date: August 11 (Saturday) Place: Gwangju National University of Education • Workshop Presentation: A Framework for Explaining Activities and Games to Learners with Limited English By Andrew Griffiths (Daejeon Education Training Institute) • SwapShop – Share with the group an activity or teaching idea that you have. For full event details: Website: koreatesol.org/gwangju Facebook: Gwangju-Jeonnam KOTESOL
August 2018
USING COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES We have all seen it happen: A student does not understand something in English or does not know how to say something, and freezes, not knowing what to do. We need to make students aware that there are more pleasant alternatives available. They can ask the speaker to repeat or speak more slowly, or they can ask for confirmation (“Do you mean A or B?”). If they do not know the right word
These are but a few of the characteristics of an effective language learner, but they are important ones. As language teachers, it is our duty to see that our students are aware of and armed with these strategies to make them more effective language learners.
www.gwangjunewsgic.com
FEELING AT EASE WITH MISTAKE-MAKING Not being correct in Korean society is not merely embarrassing; it is often face-losing. And nothing is more of a mistake-ridden task than language learning. We need to convince our students that mistake-making is an inherent part of the language learning process and that it is a positive part of that process. Effective language learners will take note of their mistakes, draw conclusions as to why their choice was a mistake, and make informed adjustments for the next time they wish to say the same thing. As an aside, I remember that my early Korean pronunciation had me asking for flesh rather than rice (sal vs. ssal / 살 vs. 쌀) and rat poison instead of toothpaste (jwiyak vs. chiyak / 쥐약 vs. 치약). But I did not let these mistakes get in the way of my language learning. I learned from them and never again asked for rat poison to brush my teeth!
for something, they can use circumlocution: explaining or describing the item. (I recall a student once successfully referring to an ashtray as a “cigarette goodbye station”!)
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COMMUNITY COMMUNITY
34
Buying a Used Car in Gwangju
www.gwangjunewsgic.com
August 2018
Written and photographed by Isaiah Winters
L
all the way to Daegu to test drive two disappointments. To avoid this fate, Moldeoncar (몰던카; mdcar.kr) is a website you can use to search through the bevy of used cars already here in Gwangju.
A good place to start shopping for a used car is online. To get a general idea of what’s out there, SK Encar (SK엔카; m.encar.com) is a Korean language website with offers from all around the country. When you find something you like, you can narrow your search to cars in Gwangju. Of course, if the best options are outside the City of Light, you’re free to travel to the four corners of the country to take a closer look. I have an acquaintance who traveled
You’ll inevitably be asked by your used car salesman what options you’re interested in, so be sure to read up on the options your car of choice may include. Typical options include a smart key, automatic folding side mirrors, heated/cooled seats, a navigation system, and a black box, to name a few. Simpler options can be added onsite the same day you buy your car, which is convenient. And as this is Korea, by the time you finish the paperwork, the car will probably be ready. Always try to keep in mind whether or not the options on offer justify the higher sticker price. If, for example, you’re simply too refined to have to insert a key into the ignition and turn it like a plebeian, then the smart key option will be worth every extra won.
ast month’s edition of Expat Living gave readers a detailed account of how to get a driver’s license here in Korea. Fittingly, in this month’s edition, I’ll draw from my two personal accounts of what it’s like to buy a used car (중고차) in Gwangju. The aim of this article isn’t to provide a definitive how-to, as there are many ways to buy a used car here. Instead, the goal is to give readers general information and recount some of the quirks of my two experiences. Make of them what you will.
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2018-07-27 �� 12:15:24
35 When you think you know what car and options you want, it’s good to get in contact with someone who has access to a few so you can actually sit inside them. On both occasions, I visited used car salesmen referred to me by trusted coworkers and friends. Both salesmen worked in offices at Pungam Car Dealership (풍암 자동차 매매 단지), a massive used car lot in Gwangju’s Maewoldong (매월동), where just about every vehicle make and model can be found across Korea’s five-color spectrum: black, charcoal, grey, white, and edgy beige. (As a former boss once told me, Koreans prefer these colors because any other “strange” color is likely to hurt the car’s resale value.) If you don’t have a prearranged meeting with a trusted salesman, then chances are that when you walk up and down the seemingly endless rows of cars at Pungam Car Dealership, a used car salesman or two will begin stalking you. (In case you’re wondering, yes, used car salesmen in Korea have the same reputation as used car salesmen in your country, so caveat emptor.) Like lions after gazelles, the better-fed ones keep their distance while the hungrier ones come straight at you and unlock the doors to whatever car you’re eyeing. In this respect, shopping for a car in Korea is a lot like shopping for shoes in Korea: you’ll be followed and waited on a lot, which can be obnoxious or helpful, depending on your personality. If you appreciate the salesman’s help, then take your time and ask lots of questions. Don’t feel rushed or rude for asking your salesman to show you around, that way you get exactly what you want (or deserve). Selling cars comes with lots of down time, so your local lemon dealer probably has nothing better to do anyway.
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Car insurance in a must in Korea. Without it, you probably won’t be able to drive off the lot. On both occasions, I used insurance companies recommended by people I trust. Immediately after my first purchase, the insurance company I contacted sent out an agent to my location with papers to sign. This is the “indirect” option for dealing with a car insurance company, and it may cost you extra. Following my second purchase, I contacted a different insurance provider more conveniently over the phone using the cheaper “direct” option. That time, I had to listen to a longwinded spiel by the agent and say “yes” in Korean whenever my native Korean-speaking confederate poked me in the ribs. Either way, you’ll pay a yearly lump sum for car insurance up front followed by monthly charges throughout the year. Most insurers give you the option to pay the initial lump sum in installments in case you’re short on cash, and you can cancel their coverage after one year. That’s about it for my experiences buying used cars in Gwangju. Other drivers you know may have managed to get used cars differently, so be sure to ask them how they did it. If you do end up buying a used car here like I did, you’ll find the experience pretty straightforward. As for the driving experience in Korea, that’s an entirely different story.
The Author
Originally from Southern California, Isaiah Winters first came to Gwangju in 2010. He recently returned to South Korea after completing his MA in Eastern Europe and is currently the chief proofreader for the Gwangju News. He enjoys writing, political science, and urban exploring.
August 2018
After you’ve test driven the car of your choice and negotiated a reasonable price (you’ll want a native Korean speaker with you for that), you’ll be ushered into the office to do the paperwork. This part can be lightning fast if everything is in order. If you’re a foreigner, bring your alien registration card and have an online banking app
Chief among the charges will be the price of the car (차량 가격). Be aware that at the last minute your salesman may propose lowering this price on paper so that you can pay a lower registration fee and he can skim the rest off the top. I’m not sure what the legal ramifications for this type of creative accounting are, so buyer beware. Second, you’ll have to pay a commission fee to the dealer (매도 수수료). My last dealer charged a little over 200,000 won for this. Third, you’ll have to pay a registration fee (등록비), which will be something like 10 percent of the car’s price on paper. If you don’t have enough money up front to pay cash for all these things, then you’ll have to see about getting on a payment plan with your dealer’s help. I have no experience with this and can only wonder what the interest would cost. You’ll definitely want a native Korean speaker with you should you go this route.
www.gwangjunewsgic.com
Seeing, feeling, and smelling the cars in person is a much more revealing experience than shopping online. In the run-up to my second purchase, I quickly soured on the car I’d originally researched online after just a few moments sitting in it. The flimsy indicator stalks, the rattling gearshift, the cheap center console and gauge cluster that looked like they came out of a 90s-era minivan – it was all so disappointing. My salesman also schooled me on the higher insurance fee I’d have to pay, as it was a coupe, which got me thinking of alternatives. The two alternatives recommended by my salesman looked just as soulless inside. They made me consider that if the car designers half-assed the interior, then there’s a good chance they half-assed the engine as well.
ready on your phone for making money transfers. Also, be sure to have a car insurance company lined up (more on this later).
2018-07-27 �� 12:15:25
FOOD & DRINKS FOOD & DRINKS EDUCATION
36 36 Where to Eat
Picture Perfect Pastries:
www.gwangjunewsgic.com
August 2018
Our Bakery
Written and photographed by Adam Travis
OUR BAKERY 아우어베이커리 Address: 87 Seosok-ro, Dong-gu, Gwangju 광주 동구 서석로 87
Telephone: 062-222-4230 Opening Hours: Daily 10 a.m. – 10 p.m. Website: https://www.instagram.com/ourbakerycafe/
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2018-07-27 �� 12:15:30
37
O
ur Bakery seems like it was designed for Instagram. Beautiful floral cups and bags, a modern diner-style drink menu, and unique offerings like a square loaf of bread branded with the “OUR_____” logo just beg to be photographed. Above the pastries, a trio of TVs plays a looped video of various people eating bread and pastries. Some delicately nibble at a chocolate croissant, while one man rips a loaf of bread in two. All this catches visitors’ attention: Most guests (myself included) thoroughly documented their trip. Our Bakery is a chain with a few locations in Seoul and one in Gwangju. The Gwangju branch is located near the northern corner of the Asia Culture Center. It has around a dozen tables and two floor tables on an elevated platform for those who prefer to do without a chair. Out back, there’s a small patio. But seeing as we were seeking refuge from the heat and humidity of the Korean summer, my companion and I stayed inside.
Across from the espresso bar is the full spread of baked goodness. Baguettes, croissants, brownies and more fill the trays and buckets. We opted for a canalé and a chocolate-dipped palmier, along with a pair of iced chai lattes.
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Despite the pan d’or, I have no hesitations about going back. While it has a number of locations, it’s still much more unique than your average A Twosome Place or Hollys . They also have quite a selection of pastries, many of which aren’t as readily available as a red bean bun or simple croissant. If you’re looking for a new café experience and some fresh content for the ’gram, Our Bakery is worth a look.
The Author
Hailing from the eastern Canadian province of New Brunswick, Adam Travis has been documenting daily life with a camera since 2012. When he is not teaching English to kindergarteners, he can be found roaming the streets of his Gwangju neighborhood, camera in-hand. He enjoys running, beer, travel, and food.
August 2018
The chai latte was tasty, if a little small given the amount of time we ended up spending in the café. It was a refreshing break from my usual diet of Americanos and blended ice drinks. The earthy, spicy flavors of the tea paired well with our sweet treats.
We finished up our drinks; I wiped the crumbs from my beard then grabbed a black pan d’or to go. It was a similar shape to the canalé, except several times larger. Dusted with cocoa powder, it seemed like a promising snack for the next day. Though it seemed amazing, its taste didn’t quite live up to its looks. Instead of cake or soft, gooey dough like the canalé, the pan d’or was closer to white bread. Inside was a pocket of chocolate filling, similar to Nutella. While this helped things along, I finished my half of the pastry feeling a little disappointed.
www.gwangjunewsgic.com
Guests step through an ornate, matte black door and are faced with a backlit menu with block letters – a sleek and modern version of the menu at a greasy spoon. There’s the usual fare of espresso-based drinks along with a chai latte, available hot or iced.
First to go was the canalé: a gumdrop-shaped pastry with a caramelized crust. Flaky on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside, it hit the spot (though I’d suggest getting more than one). The palmier was equally good. Strips of flaky pastry dough half-dipped in chocolate meant it was perfect for slowly snacking on, and the chocolate-topastry ratio was just right.
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www.gwangjunewsgic.com
August 2018
FOOD & DRINKS
38 Korean Food
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2018-07-27 �� 12:15:41
39
Samgyetang: Heat Beats Heat Written by Joe Wabe
M
Ingredients • 1 small broiler chicken (about 1–1.3 kg) • 2 fresh ginseng root • 1 cup of sweet rice, soaked 1 to 2 hours before. • 5–6 plump garlic cloves • 2 fresh ginger roots • 3 to 4 jujubes (dried red dates) • 1 chopped green onion • 1 tbs salt • pepper • 6 cups of water “Let’s do this!” I thought as I prepared my mind for this • 1 pack of milk vetch roots (these are sold together
any summers ago, when I first came to Korea and enrolled in a language course, I remember one hot summer day when our teacher took us out on a short field trip to experience the taste of Korean cuisine. The menu, as she described it, was going to be some sort of ginseng chicken soup called samgyetang (삼계탕). “Chicken soup on a hot day?” I remember asking with a bit of skepticism, but she was quick to reply, “Yes! Heat beats heat,” with a certain assurance.
Preparation 1. Rinse and clean chicken. Make sure the cavity is clean and dried.
2. Stuff the chicken with the rice, 3 garlic cloves, 3. 4. 5. 6.
and 2 jujubes then cross the chicken legs and tie them with a string. Add the water, chicken, ginseng, rest of jujubes and garlic, and the pack of milk vetch roots. Bring to boil and then simmer for about 40 min. Season the soup with salt and pepper. Garnish with chopped green onions and serve.
Your summer will be a lot cooler now. Have fun.
The Author
Joe Wabe is an established photographer and Gwangju local business entrepreneur. He has been contributing to the GIC and the Gwangju News for more than eight years.
August 2018
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with other roots for samgyetang)
• 1 hot summer day
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challenge. After all, I come from a family of “chickensoupers,” and I believed this act of defiance was going to be an interesting one. In my family, we love and worship chicken soup, and I was used to having it for all occasions – rainy days, Sunday lunches, hangovers, colds, late dinners, etc. – but never on a hot day! Our teacher explained that there are three days during summer considered to be the hottest – chobok (초복), jungbok (중복), and malbok (말복), according to the traditional Korean calendar – and in order to beat the boiling summer heat, samgyetang was a preferred dish to enjoy on those days. She also mentioned that it was considered highly medicinal due to one of its main ingredients being ginseng, which also gives the stew part of its name. The Chinese character for “ginseng” is pronounced sam, while gye is “chicken,” and tang means “soup.” One of the reasons why I love this recipe is not only because it’s a power booster, but also because it’s very easy to put together. Within an hour (including prep time), you’ll be enjoying an aromatic, flavorful, fulfilling, and nourishing summer soup that’ll keep you going for a full day. This broth is rich and delicious, and if my grandma were still alive, I’d tell her this is nothing like any other chicken soup we’ve tried before.
2018-07-27 �� 12:15:43
ARTS & CULTURE
4040
www.gwangjunewsgic.com
August 2018
▲ Graffitied boards stand in front of the landmark fountain outside the ACC.
From the Streets of Resistance to the Walls of the Gallery:
The From Vietnam to Berlin Exhibition at the ACC Written and photographed by Saul Latham
T
he world has acted out, written down, and turned over many pages of political resistance.
From Vietnam to Berlin skims back through some of these pages to open up a conversation about the role of art in political upheaval. The March–July exhibition at
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the Asia Cultural Center featured around 170 paintings, drawings, and engravings by 50 artists who lived through and documented moments in and between the Vietnam War and the fall of the Berlin Wall. From the comfort of a superbly designed Asia Cultural Center (ACC) exhibition space, I meandered through
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41 a reappraisal of protest art that, piece by piece, pictured visceral musings with subversive motifs, showing the humiliation, misery, and joy of humans coming together to fight oppressive power. At times, it was horrifying. At times, it was satirical and even funny. Almost always, it was clever; and necessarily so, given the function of the art. Resistance is the commonality between these works. It may be claimed as an art form, and art may be seen as always being resistant – but not all art is political. Art has all sorts of functions and values. It can idealize, romanticize, and inspire. Pragmatically, art can cover up our mistakes; it can soften the abrasive edges of our technologies, buildings, personalities, relationships, and histories. We can make art, show art, sell art, and buy into art. Across the road on Chungjang-ro (충장로), art plays all its tricks. Abstracted consumers go after the promises of abstract principles in a ceremonial observance of individualism, the free market, and artistic expression. The works on display at this exhibition were certainly political. Individually they pry open the gates of our historical reflections. Collectively they ask questions of our perspectives on current societal landscapes. Chronologically, the works were hung from a series of mirrored walls designed to reflect questions about paradigm, time, place, and interconnectedness. They depict an era of human tragedy: from imperial occupation by Japan, the Cold War, the Vietnam War, and civil rights movements through dictatorships, the fall of the Berlin Wall, and beyond into new-millennium representations of resistance iconography.
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I wondered if these paintings belonged in the exhibition hall – or if by being there, they had changed at all. I wondered if the sparks of resistance these works once flamed were suffocated in such a conventional environment. Still more, I wondered if this collection enlightened me at all as to the process, means, or condition of current protest art. Certainly, current resistance art is rarely shown by galleries until after the fact and often, if identified as such, is rejected by institutions. It is the working class, the proletariat, non-conformists, spontaneous activists, and impromptu artists that own and show resistance art. The struggle of the working class was a common thread throughout this exhibition. Renato Habulan’s large oil painting, Fullness of Time, uses realism to depict the ordinary yet heroic humanity of Filipino farmers who overcame a dictatorship. Set in a portrait frame, the image appears like a family photo. Behind the sky is yellow and red. I could not be sure if the sun was rising or setting.
Marx Brothers (1985) is a succinct message in red, black, and white paint applied with expression and disdain. Three bloodied, disfigured faces are bestialized against a white background. The title hints at their identity. The oil paints in The Tale of Akebono Village (1953) present Yamashita Kikuji’s vision of real events between controlling classes and the common farmer. A murdered activist lies face down in a pool of blood and beside a suicided grandmother hangs. Kikuji was part of a movement of Japanese painters that sought to reveal the contradictions of postwar Japan and the afflictions of its people. Known as Reportage, this cell operated from the
August 2018
Gwangju: the city of democracy. This area is a fascinating and inspiring part of Korea. Near the fountain, on the very site of the former provincial office that landmarked a pivotal fight for democracy in 1980, is the ACC. In that year, South Korean artist Hong Seong-dam (홍성담) was here unified with his people in dedicated protest. Thirty-eight years on, his series of woodcuts have hung just a stone’s throw away from the fountain in Theatre No. 3. These works were produced in 1989 and subsequently led to the artist’s imprisonment. They record the
Resistance art seeks to articulate alternative narrative courses. It seeks to deconstruct the hierarchies of unpreferred established culture. Compared with institutionalized art, these works and their makers have a different relationship with the public. So, should they become institutionalized, would the art in them remain resistant?
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In the dissident spirit of the artists whose work I am trying to relate, I will not review these works in chronological order. Instead, I will start with the here and now – Gwangju, 2018. As a young Maori man once said to me on the street, “It’s not where you’re from that matters – it’s where you’re at.”
enormous sacrifice that was made by common people. Hong evokes strong emotions using a uniquely dynamic style of simple cuts to show the spectrum of humanity in those moments. We see beating and torture, fire, pregnancy, and suicide; we see joy, celebration, and a unified spirit. We see an important, organic normality often overlooked by resistance narratives.
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42 frontlines of political upheaval wielding sketchbooks and pencils. Unlike the journalists and writers stumbling over economic and political pressure, fumbling truth and running from deadlines, these artists produced a slow qualitative approach to expression of the incumbent human condition. Other such groups are represented here, too. Coopérative des Malassis shares a massive 21-canvas stretch of the exhibition space. Le Grand Méchoui (1972) is a surrealist’s dream that criticizes the consumerist trends of French society and its ruling class during the 1960s.
Experientially, “The Torture Room” or La Torture by Group Denuncia was perhaps the most unique work of the exhibition. Behind the black curtains, I enter an octagonshaped room in the middle of which sits a solitary stool. Surrounding me are seven paintings, in each of which a naked man is tortured as described in the diary of the Brazilian victim. I see electric wire stuck in holes, blindfolds, buckets of water, skin, and flesh, all set against a black background. It is a seriously moody subject. I am left questioning both the inhumanity of the torturers and the humanity and purpose of this experiential episode of art.
www.gwangjunewsgic.com
August 2018
A diverse range of styles gave this exhibition spice and surprise. Alongside moody abstracts and blunt realism were pop-art, expressionism, and a vast array of cultural trimmings. Most exciting to me was the site of Andy Warhol’s Electric Chair (1971). Having turned from the popular pleasures of his previous prints, Warhol began musing on death by using grotesque photographs from tabloid newspapers. The bright colors and off-register contours in this piece charge the image with a visual electricity that relates the grim reality of the scene.
Bernard Rancillac’s Melody Under the Palm Trees (1965) is a rearrangement of pop-art’s figurative messages. In brilliant color, a typecast bikini-clad blonde woman stands under exotic palms trees. Rancillac flips the image upside down. Underneath a fully loaded bomber screams through the air. Here two frames are juxtaposed in one, showing the fragility of capitalist romanticism turned on its head by the reality of war. It is a slap in the face to a Western world busy daydreaming. It is paradise lost: war in Vietnam.
A public process.
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43 Amongst the airwaves, there is plenty of space at this exhibition for sound art also. Sung Ki-wan’s (성기완) Revolution Radio broadcasts the sounds and music of revolution and resistance between the 1960s and 1980s. It stands as an important piece of the resistance puzzle. The deep ability of music to bring people together is sensed by all. The processes and materials used in this exhibition were as varied as the artists and their subjects. Willie Bester’s portraits of South African activists are as much crafted shrines as they are paintings. Bester uses objects to tell stories and add aesthetic meaning. In his portrait Chris Hani, a bicycle tire surrounds the hero’s head like a laurel wreath, bullets sit next to an AK-47, and a homemade guitar illustrates togetherness. In two other portraits on display, Bester uses sheep bones and buck horns amongst guns, parts of vacuum cleaners, a slingshot, cups, and photos from newspapers. Otto Muehl’s wonderful abstract portraits, Strauss, Bush, and Reagan, were made using silk screen and include a messy and ambiguous self-portrait. Leon Golub used a meat cleaver to scrape paint, mimicking the violence he was depicting in the brutal realism of the 1984 work White Squad. Mickey Mouse and his friends are presented in Bernard Rancillac’s 1977 Bloody Comics, a satirical rendering of American geopolitics. The four Disney characters, in military suits hold a salute. Below, Popeye returns the salute wearing a hat on which is written “Jimmy.” This is a lampooning of America’s relationship with dictatorial Chile and a finger pointed at ignorance in both countries.
The final pieces of this exhibition were paintings of deceased icons by Chinese contemporary expressionist painter Yan Pei Ming. The first subject is a dead Mao, followed by a dead Kennedy, and then
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This art was about great individuals, but in the spirit of Gwangju it was more about communities. Proletarians wore resistance, having made it. Some died for it, some without it, and others tasted its sweet rewards. Artists recorded these resistances. Unknowns changed the course of events with acts and artistic works seen only in unwritten history. And what about our Earth’s place in it all? What about its story? In the Gwangju outside of the exhibition was a beautiful summer’s day. The sky was blue. Children played freely in fountains of mist rising from the pavement. Couples relaxed in the shade of traditional shelters from neighboring Asian cultures. I walked over to the fountain at the center of it all. It shot water up in a beautiful unison of sight and sound. In front of it stood three graffitied boards, on one of which was an image of Kim Jong-un. Near this famous face were the words “peace,” “love,” and “no war.” Peace and love are easy to write and worthy subjects on which to make art, but their existences are not always as simple as a choice. Sometimes it takes resistance, and resistance too can be beautiful and worthy of art. Peace and resistance go together like yin and yang. In order to keep peace, humans must be ready to resist oppression and in resisting we must remember peace. Integral with all this, art is a mirror for us all and ideally of us all. We need such art now and in the future. For there are many more pages of resistance to be written.
The Author
A Tasmanian writer of words and music, Saul Latham currently lives in Gwangju and is a big fan of free time. The best thing he has ever done is to run.
August 2018
The lack of female artists and subject matter became obvious by the final works. Certainly the lack of female antagonists of war tells us things about the masculine and feminine conditions, and suggests inclinations in our history telling.
I shoulder the final corner of the mirror-plated exhibition walls and come to the final work: a large canvas portrait brushed in black and white oil paint with countless shades – a fluidity of grays. Martin Luther King is the last of Ming’s death portraits. It is an epilogue witnessing history through a “great man” lens – hardly revolutionary. I am surprised that there is no reinterpretation or reshuffling of paradigm here, given the character of the exhibition.
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This exhibition raised questions about the role of institutions in shepherding and reinterpreting resistance art. In the sense that all writers or artists are propagandists – and certainly those who consciously politicize their art are – there was propaganda on the walls of the ACC. Yet, there were no propaganda works from regimes these upheavals opposed to balance the story.
a dead Che Guevara. These seem like obvious images with which to end, yet they seem a little tame in their depoliticized celebrity.
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44 44 Gwangju Writes
My Poetry Written by Shahed Kayes
ARTS ARTS && CULTURE CULTURE
All of us are born unique My Time Sometimes I just wonder where I stand! Once I wanted to be a voice of the voiceless Now I am silenced by the louder voices in the labyrinth of the so-called globalization It is a time when our ideologies divide us our beliefs build barriers… I can feel my own emotions consume me Sometimes I take a journey inwards and just wonder whether I can rewrite my story!
Sometimes I make mistakes I have faults and failures I always try to accept that The stream of pride and pain flows deep inside me which I use to turn my energies into pride and passion! My feelings are intimately connected to the deepest part of my being which is poetic and inspiring! My uniqueness at birth is the marker of necessary diversity.
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August 2018
Realization
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It was raining for the past few days I woke up early in the morning a thought stuck in my mind I am part of this huge universe an individual part of the collective breathing life into this planet darkness and light existing within me I looked deep inside me, inwards feeling something change becoming aware of every moment I see my journey unfolding into a life!
The Author
Shahed Kayes is a poet and human rights activist from Bangladesh. He has published three volumes of poetry in Bengali and edited an anthology of Bengali love poems. He has also produced one book in English entitled Laureates of Gwangju Prize for Human Rights Award: Who Really They Are? At present, he is pursuing an MA in human rights at Chonnam National University in Gwangju.
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Korean Culture
45
Chilling with a Bamboo Mistress Written by Cho Namhee
T
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Damyang, the county neighboring Gwangju, produces high-quality bamboo products, including “bamboo wives.” There are also a number of workshops for making bamboo goods in the local area. If you get a chance to go, check out a bamboo wife and feel how “cool” they can be! Best of all, no guilt feelings attached!
The Author
Cho Namhee, an overzealous sports fan, is a free spirit who calls Gwangju home. He studies communications at Chonnam National University and works for the 18th FINA World Championships, Gwangju 2019.
August 2018
The Korean term is a combination of juk (죽, meaning bamboo) and buin (부인, meaning wife), and it shares its etymological origin with similar terms used in other East Asian languages. It was called a “wife” because it was about an armful in size and because men mostly cuddled them in summer instead of their wives. Interestingly, this was in part the reason why sons could not inherit their father’s bamboo wives. There were also heat-busters available for women. They were called jukno
Most “bamboo wives” are machinewoven nowadays, but since there are more convenient technologies available, the bamboo heat-busters are a rarity these days. Ironically, only members of the wealthy nobility could afford this sleeping aid. It was handcrafted and required high-quality bamboo that had to be grown, stored, and processed meticulously. Only the best one-year-old bamboo was selected, and since twelve fine strips of the bamboo surface were used in the process, only one to two bamboo wives could be made at a time. Most importantly, only bamboo of the highest quality – such as that found in the Damyang region of Jeollanam-do – was used in the production.
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A “bamboo wife” or jukbuin (죽부인) is a body-length pillow, a woven tube of bamboo strips, with open spaces between the strips. It has traditionally been used in much of East Asia to alleviate the summer heat. “Dutch wife” is a similar term used in Western cultures; however, this often refers to more modern types of devices or even humanlike figures used on other sultry occasions. (I will leave this to your imagination.)
(죽노), which was a combination of juk (bamboo) and no (servant). They were a bit smaller than jukbuin and limited to the wives of wealthy families. (You are free to fanaticize further.)
ARTS & CULTURE
he most troublesome part of summer is the fact that it brings a long period of “tropical nights.” Oftentimes, this season makes you feel apologetic for running fans or the air conditioner all night long. However, you still have to keep them going; otherwise, the heat will never let you sleep. Since the Korean summer temperature has not abated over the centuries, it is worth learning how our wise Korean ancestors managed to get quality sleep throughout the summer nights. Remarkably, the secret was to have an extra wife (or spouse) – that is, a nonhuman one, made of bamboo.
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www.gwangjunewsgic.com
August 2018
ARTS & CULTURE
46 Photo Essay
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47
30 Frames Written and photographed by Adam Travis
I
t’s going to be 35 degrees for the next week. I’ve got my trusty hand fan, the AC is blasting, and I’ve chopped my jeans into jorts, but it’s still hard to gather the motivation to do anything – photography included. The thought of going out and lugging around a DSLR in the midday heat or a monsoon isn’t exactly appealing. With anything creative, it’s easy to get into a slump. Go a few weeks without picking up a camera, and you start looking back through your portfolio, wondering if you ever were any good. So one evening at the beginning of June, I rolled over and took a photo of my laptop with my iPhone in black and white.
The Author
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August 2018
Hailing from the eastern Canadian province of New Brunswick, Adam Travis has been documenting daily life with a camera since 2012. When he’s not teaching English to kindergarteners, he can be found roaming the streets of his Gwangju neighborhood, camera in hand. He enjoys running, beer, travel, and food.
www.gwangjunewsgic.com
Since then, I’ve taken a photo on my phone every day. Some days are easier than others – a KIA Tigers game is much more interesting than my apartment on a Sunday evening. Nevertheless, I found something to shoot every day for a month – and I intend to keep going.
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August 2018
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August 2018
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50
Photo of the Month
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August 2018
ARTS & CULTURE
By JT White
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The Ferry to Jeju The Author
Born on the small island of Newfoundland, off the east coast of Canada, JT grew up with a hockey stick instead of a camera. After moving to Korea in 2007, he began taking photos during his daily commute and hasn’t stopped since. His work has been published throughout the world, and he has hosted several Leica Akademies in both Canada and South Korea. He now calls Iksan, South Korea, home, where he lives with his wife, Seonju.
August 2018
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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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52 Book Review
“I Was So Supremely Naïve,” Medium Raw: A Bloody Valentine to the World of Food and the People Who Cook by Anthony Bourdain Written by Kristy Dolson
ARTS & CULTURE
T
he customary summer advice is to take up a little light reading. But I’ve been in an introspective mood this summer, and this month I have a few personal confessions.
to people he’d previously lambasted, and the hero/villain categorizing of the food world intended for a more general audience, the ex-chef fills his readers in on what came after commercial success. It wasn’t all good.
First confession: I was only vaguely familiar with Anthony Bourdain’s travel shows. A former co-worker recommended the Korean episode of No Reservations to me during my second year in Korea. I watched it out of curiosity and admired his enthusiasm for the strange food mixed with his blithe coolness towards local popular culture. I haven’t seen any of his other various TV appearances since then.
Third confession: This memoir moved me in a profound and peculiar way. From start to finish, I was totally entranced by Bourdain’s singular voice and his unique perspective on the world, humanity, and the realm of food. If you’ve seen his shows, you already know that he was an exceptional storyteller. It should come as no surprise that his thoughtprovoking book is both reverent and irreverent. When he warms to his subject in any given chapter, there’s absolutely no stopping him. But there are also moments of sweetness, and vulnerability. And it’s those moments when the reader glimpses through the celebrity status, the rage-filled exchef, the recovering drug addict, and sees a man who’s spent his life trying to fill a void in himself by any means necessary.
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August 2018
Second confession: I’m not a foodie. I don’t follow the world of food, I don’t recognize the names of most celebrity chefs or their flagship restaurants, and I certainly didn’t know Bourdain was also a celebrated author among them. If the foul-mouthed-chef-turned-TV-host hadn’t chosen to end his own life this past June, I may never have sought out his memoirs. And so my reading experience of Medium Raw: A Bloody Valentine to the World of Food and the People Who Cook was edged with the grief and sadness that comes from discovering greatness a little too late. Medium Raw is Bourdain’s second, mellower, wiser – but no less visceral and searing – memoir. His first memoir and surprise bestseller, Kitchen Confidential, may have brought him the notoriety that granted him his childhood wish to travel the world, but his second foray is a far more intriguing and engaging journey. This book is all about taking a step back and seeing things from a new perspective – and acknowledging this with humility and honesty. Bourdain examines the changes to his life and lifestyle in the decade of fame that followed the success of his first memoir. He never expected, nay, intended, that book to be read and adored by such a broad readership. He insists that it was written for people like him: the line cooks and chefs who slaved away in the kitchens of New York City. But amid the almost-apologies given out
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When the news of his death hit social media, there was an outpouring of tributes and memorials lamenting the loss of a person who wasn’t afraid to stand up and be loud about exploring the world, trying new things, and acknowledging your weaknesses while expanding your knowledge, skills, and empathy in the process. He may be gone, but we’re still here. In a world that’s increasingly heating up, dumbing down, closing off, and yet constantly on, we must remember the astuteness and struggles of Anthony Bourdain. We can’t let the bastards win.
The Author
(Photo by Lisa Crone)
Kristy Dolson lived in South Korea for five years before taking a year off to travel, read, and spend time with her family in Canada and Australia. She holds a Bachelor of Education and has just moved to Yeosu, where she splits her time between teaching at the new Jeollanamdo International Education Institute and reading as much as she can.
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Movie Review
53
The City of Sadness Written by Lee Suk Pei
In the movie as in real life, on February 27, 1947, Chen Yi’s government accidentally kills a Taiwanese while conducting an investigative operation into smuggled
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In the movie, the director tries to portray the life of the Taiwanese people after the Chinese government took over the island. Similar to Wen-qing becoming deaf – when he said he was too young to know its sadness and so still continued to be as naughty as before – many Taiwanese welcomed the return of the Chinese without seeing it as the return of another form of colonialism. The sensitive issue of Taiwanese independence and the subtle conflict between locals and mainland Chinese continues until today.
The Author
Suk Pei is currently studying for her master’s degree at Chonnam National University. Having been in Gwangju for almost one year, she is starting to extend her tentacles to meet different people and participate in various activities here in Gwangju. Gwangju is definitely more than what meets the eye.
August 2018
From here, the film portrays the upheaval of Taiwan’s power transition during this period. Following the end of World War II, the film shows how Taiwan was taken over by Chiang Kai-shek of China on behalf of the Allied Forces. While many in Taiwan had expectations of selfgovernance and a better life under the rule of the Chinese “motherland,” this thought was quickly doomed when Chen Yi, Taiwan’s chief administrator, concentrated all administrative, legislative, judicial, and military powers in his hands.
Seeing the inability of the government to calm the conflict, intellectuals form the 2.28 Incident Settlement Committee to calm both sides. However, the Chinese military, which later lands on the island, declare the committee illegal and prosecute all committee members. In the film, Teacher Lin, a character close to Kuan-rong (a friend of fourth son Wen-qing), was one of those committee members. White Terror (suppression of political dissidents under martial law, which lasted 38 years) looms, and the movie ends with both Wen-qing and Kuan-rong being arrested.
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The story is set between the years 1945 and 1949, which marked the end of Japanese occupation in Taiwan and the beginning of the takeover by the Chinese government (Kuomintang) following the end of the Chinese Civil War. The movie starts with the birth of a child to Lin Wenhsiung, the eldest of the Lin family’s four sons. Meanwhile, the second son, Wen-long, a medical practitioner, was sent to Luzon, Philippines, to become a military doctor. The third son, Wen-liang, became a translator for the Japanese in Shanghai but went crazy after returning home. The fourth son, Wen-qing, became deaf as a child and later worked as a photographer.
cigarettes. The long-contained grievance of the locals towards the government finally erupts. The next day, people protest and demand the government hand over the killer to be prosecuted. The military, however, responds by shooting into the crowd. This further spreads the conflict to the whole of the island. In the movie, outraged locals went on to punish the Chinese people, those they deemed the ah-shan, by checking whether they could speak Taiwanese or Japanese.
ARTS & CULTURE
G
wangju Theater screened four new movies in July, and three of them were from Taiwan. I had a hard time deciding which movie I should review. It was between A One and a Two, by Edward Yang, and The City of Sadness, by Hou Hsiao Hsien. A One and a Two talks about life’s transitions and ups and downs while The City of Sadness talks about the lives of a family affected by the transition of power in Taiwan following the end of Japanese occupation. Ultimately, I decided on The City of Sadness for its greater meaning for Gwangju citizens and even Korea as a whole.
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OPINION
54 54
Vietnam 1984
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August 2018
Written by Viv
I
n early June this year, protests[1] occurred throughout Vietnam, including the capital Hanoi and the economic hub of Ho Chi Minh City.
A local coffee shop owner tells me that a policeman in her area asked her to keep an eye on her neighborhood and inform him if she saw any sign of protest or dissatisfaction. It would be absurd to believe the police only talked to one local business owner. Most of the demonstrations are aimed at the government’s plans for new special economic zones where foreign investors would be able to rent land for up to 99 years and at the government’s new stringent cybersecurity laws. The protesters are fearful of having local markets invaded and of the effects of the legal foreign (especially Chinese)
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occupation of Vietnamese land. “This is not far from selling our land to the Chinese,” one local said. Some of the most worrisome stipulations of the cybersecurity laws include requiring companies like Google and Facebook to place their offices and store data in Vietnam. Why? It is so that whenever the police show up with an “official document,” all the personal data of a Vietnamese citizen suspected of violating the law or spreading ideas that do not fit the Communist Party of Vietnam’s vision must be handed over (Article 26, Paragraph 2).[2] These laws have already been passed and will be effective from January 1, 2019, while the duration of the special economic zone leases is currently being reevaluated. I have never seen protests on such a scale in Vietnam before. The government is not a big fan of any critics
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55 – anyone who speaks against it in any manner may be severely punished by law. Just ask Mother Mushroom,[3] a blogger sentenced to ten years in prison for her blog posts about land confiscation, police brutality, and freedom of expression. Or you can ask Tran Huynh Duy Thuc,[4] an engineer and political activist jailed for 16 years for numerous online comment entries about government policies and leadership. Simply observing and reporting government activities has also landed many in jail. Some have even been stripped of their Vietnamese nationality. Even if I stop myself writing right now, the police may still be banging on my door in a moment, making this endeavor increasingly unnerving with every word I write. I see an interesting analogy to Korea. In Vietnam, we get text messages from the authorities warning citizens not to listen to the “bad guys” and protests on the street. (Yes, the government identifies protesters as “bad guys” – the literal translation of kẻ xấu). In Korea, we get messages warning people about polluted air, high humidity, or a fire drill so that we can be well prepared. In Vietnam early last month, the police blocked major streets so citizens could not organize any protests near municipal offices. In Korea during the candlelight vigils last year, the police suspended traffic in downtown areas so citizens could sing in unison against the government of the time. The contrast is astounding. My worldview and disposition have been formed by the combination of these two cultures. I was trained to be both a conformist and a nonconformist.
Indifference has become the norm in Vietnam, as if seeing injustice clearly is not our business. We are taught to accept the given authority and that we must not criticize, examine,
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I can see, from where I am sitting, light cages hanging from the roof – a home décor statement that is admittedly mediocre but charming. Is it the universe giving me a visual metaphor for the entrapment of ideas? I do not know. But the light from the bulbs leaks outside anyway, casting its brightness over the entire room. In Vietnam, we have something called “frog markets.” They are made up of street vendors who run unauthorized stalls at street markets where you can buy just about anything. Whenever they see police, they jump and run. Hence the description “frog.” The small world of Vietnamese political critics is just like this, at least for the time being. References
Reuters. (2018, June 10). Vietnam police halt protests against new economic zones. Retrieved from the Reuters World News website: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-vietnam-protests/ vietnam-police-halt-protests-against-new-economic-zonesidUSKCN1J605X [2] Thu Vien Phap Luat. (2018, June 12). Luat: An Ninh Mang [The Law: Network Security]. Retrieved from the Thu Vien Phap Luat website: https://thuvienphapluat.vn/van-ban/cong-nghe-thongtin/Luat-an-ninh-mang-2018-351416.aspx [3] Human Rights Watch. (2017, November 30). Vietnam: Drop charges against “Mother Mushroom” – Hold security forces behind assaults on family, friends to account. Retrieved from the Human Rights Watch website: https://www.hrw.org/news/2017/11/30/ vietnam-drop-charges-against-mother-mushroom [4] Người lao động. (2010, January 20). Trần Huỳnh Duy Thức lãnh án 16 năm tù, Lê Công Định 5 năm tù [Tran Huynh Duy Thuc sentenced to 16 years in prison, Le Cong Dinh sentenced to 5 years in prison]. Retrieved from the Người lao động [Laborers Online] website: https://nld.com.vn/phap-luat/tranhuynh-duy-thuc-lanh-an-16-nam-tu--le-cong-dinh-5-namtu-20100120091945943.htm [1]
Disclaimer: As is always the case with our Opinion pieces, the views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Gwangju News, the GIC, or the Gwangju city government.
August 2018
It is not my goal to provoke anyone, but to have the ability and right to speak my mind, to be critical of the world I am in, and to show others the value of this practice.
The public’s silence suggests a collective mass of political non-criticism, either by choice or because of coercion. If a buffalo bays to you, know that the farmer has heard it too and that the animal is going to be taken to the slaughterhouse – the slaughterhouse of ideas.
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Reporting about the turbulence in Vietnam and in my own mentality is daunting. About a dozen people in my Korean social circle supported the idea of publishing it, but with great caution. In contrast, my ties in Vietnam recommended otherwise. “The government is highly alert at the moment. I don’t think you should,” a colleague advised me. A Korean executive working in Vietnam, who is a dear friend of mine, reminded me of Kim Dae-jung, a political activist who went to prison for his fight against an authoritarian regime and eventually became President of South Korea in addition to becoming the first Nobel Prize winner in the nation: “His story was admirable. But he was the rare lucky one who made it. There were thousands of activists like him during that time in Korea and not many survived.”
or judge it for ourselves. We leave it to the “superior” class. The culture of apathy is also endemic in classrooms, where students are rarely encouraged to question the rules or challenge the norm. Unchallenging education results in unchallenging individuals – we have bred a flock of silent lambs, or more accurately, gentle Vietnamese water buffalo.
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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.
Jayeon Saenghwal Vegetarian Restaurant 자연생활채식뷔페
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August 2018
Seoseok-ro 85beongil 12, Dong-gu, Gwangju 062-228-0482, 0485
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 learn English independently through storybooks and story-maps. We guide families 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.
available. To participate in the international cultural exchange programs, you may email peter.j.gallo@gmail. com or phone or text 010-9490-4258. GWANGJU FILIPINO ENGLISH TEACHERS (GFET) Every 3rd Tuesday of the month 10 a.m. – 12 noon, GIC, Room 3 (2F) We are a group of Filipino English teachers in Gwangju who conduct regular lectures and accent training to help fellow English teachers to become better educators.
For more information, please visit http://cafe.daum. net/konavolunteers or our Facebook pages for KONA Storybook Center and UNESCO KONA Volunteers. Also, you can contact Kim Young-im at 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.
VOLUNTEER TEACHERS NEEDED for the Gwangju UCC (Universal Cultural Center). English teachers in the Gwangju area for 2018 with any level of experience are welcome to participate. UCC has a Facebook profile if you would like to see what kind of other services are
CHINESE-KOREAN LANGUAGE EXCHANGE GIC Lounge, 1st Floor, 6:30–8:30 p.m., Wednesday Application: https://goo.gl/WjBZQQ The language exchange is casual, and you can turn up when you like. Welcome to bring and invite friends.
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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
Tel: 062) 222-0011
#402 Simsan Bldg, 342-13 Jisan-dong, Dong-gu, Gwangju Location: next to Gwangju District Court
Fax: 062)222-0013 duckheepark@hanmail.net
Gwangju Guide www.gwangjuguide.com For Information on Living in Gwangju Korean
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English
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Chinese
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Era of Yogic Science
Convergence of Yoga and Medical Science www.myyoga.or.kr Registration: +82 10 6327 1358 vykorea@naver.com
2018. 9. 1. ~ 9. 2.
Miryang Arirang Art Center
Fees: 180,000 KRW Special offer: 70,000 KRW Valid until 8. 10. *Only for foreign citizen
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2018 8
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2018-07-27
12:16:31