Gwangju and South Jeolla International Magazine
Gwangju and South Jeolla International Magazine
August 2022 #246
August 2022 #246
Kang Gi-Jung
Gwangju Mayor for Tomorrow
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Gwangju & South Jeolla International Magazine
August 2022, Issue 246 Published: August 1, 2022
Cover
Gwangju Mayor Kang Gi-Jung
Photo by Kim Hillel Yunkyoung
THE EDITORIAL TEAM Publisher Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Chief Copy Editor Layout Editor Photographer Online Editor
Dr. Shin Gyonggu Dr. David E. Shaffer William Urbanski Isaiah Winters Karina Prananto Kim Hillel Yunkyoung Karina Prananto
The Gwangju News is the first English monthly magazine for the general public in Korea, first published in 2001. Each monthly issue covers local and regional issues, with a focus on the roles and activities of the international residents and local English-speaking communities.
For volunteering and article submission inquiries, please contact the editor at gwangjunews@gic.or.kr.
Special thanks to Gwangju City and all of our sponsors.
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W
elcome to August, and the heat of summer! Gwangju, and much of the rest if the Northern Hemisphere, has already experienced consecutive days of mercurial temperatures, but the last of the “dog days” (Malbok, 말복) does not occur until August 15 – the same day that Korea observes Liberation Day (광복절) this year. And the “End of Summer Heat” (Cheoseo, 처서) does not arrive until August 23; so, continue to be careful at work, at rest, and/or on vacation. We also welcome you to the August issue of the Gwangju News. Our devoted and unrelenting staff has again worked its magic through the sultry summer sunshine to produce for our readership another “hot” issue. Being the August issue, we felt obliged to bring to you an august personage: We are doing this with an exclusive interview that we were able to obtain with the newly installed Mayor of Gwangju, Kang Gi-Jung. Turn the pages to our cover feature to see how Mayor Kang has hit the ground running in his mission to prepare Gwangju for a better tomorrow and to learn a little more about his earlier years. If you’re familiar with Gwangju, you are probably familiar with the Chungjang Festival that the city has held for the past 18 years. But this year, it’s going global with the inclusion of the very first Buskers World Cup, slated for this October. Read all about it in our feature with the organizers at the Dong-gu district office. Our third feature this month is about a man making waves – both literally and figuratively. If you know Andrew Vlasblom, you may already know what I am referring to: This Gwangju resident and composer has finally finalized the instrumental Waves, a composition six years in the making and released as a music video in memory of the Sewol ferry tragedy. Read about the making of the music directly from Andrew and how you can tune in. This issue’s final feature is by David Dolinger, witness to and recent author of an account of Gwangju’s May 18 (1980) tragedy. In this piece, Dr. Dolinger ponders the lasting effects on his life of those tragic days. There is, of course, much more for you in our 60 pages: Gwangju parking spots, area swimming spots, Deep Ocean music, taking in Busan, touring the DMZ, art in Mt. Mudeung. And Crescent curry, peace linguistics, Korean, Thunderstruck, and the rest of our regular columns. With Gwangju’s daily cases well over 1,000, stay Covid safe, and enjoy the Gwangju News!
David E. Shaffer Editor-in-Chief Gwangju News
Gwangju News, August 2022
The Gwangju News is published by the Gwangju International Center: Jungang-ro 196-beon-gil 5 (Geumnam-ro 3-ga), Dong-gu, Gwangju 61475, South Korea Tel: (+82)-62-226-2733~34 Fax: (+82)-62-226-2731 Website: www.gwangjunewsgic.com Email: gwangjunews@gic.or.kr gwangjunews gwangju_news Registration No. 광주광역시 라. 00145 (ISSN 2093-5315) Registration Date: February 22, 2010 Printed by Jieum 지음 (+82)-62-672-2566
From the Editor
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Copyright ©2022 by the Gwangju International Center. All rights reserved. No part of this publication covered by this copyright may be reproduced in any form or by any means – graphic, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise – without the written consent of the publisher.
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Photo of the Month By Kim Ji-yun
Gwangju News, August 2022
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“Sea View from the Observation Deck on Goha-do (고하도)”
The Author It was difficult to climb the mountain path to Goha-do’s observatory in the summer when the sun was shining, but the harmonious view between the Mokpo marine cable car and the blue beach from the top was a sufficient reward. I could feel the cool sea breeze and was proud of my effort! Why don’t you go to nearby Mokpo and see the ocean scenery that you can’t see in Gwangju?
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Kim Ji-yun is from Gwangju, South Korea, and has been doing an internship at the GIC since March 2022. She majored in English education, so she likes talking with global friends. Also, she loves taking walks, traveling, drawing, and listening to music.
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Contents
ISSUE 246, August 2022
NEWS
01. From the Editor 04. Gwangju City News FEATURES
06. Gwangju Mayor for Tomorrow: An Exclusive Interview with the Hon. Kang Gi-Jung 12. “Waves”: A Dedication to the Sewol Ferry Victims 16. May 18: Lasting Effects on a Life 18. The First Buskers World Cup in Gwangju TRAVEL
20. Lost in Honam: Odds and (Dead) Ends – Embracing Lowered Expectations 24. Around Korea: How to Rescue a Wet Weekend in Busan 26. Around Korea: On the Frontline – The DMZ TEACHING & LEARNING
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29. Language Teaching: Peace Linguistics and Its Connections to TESOL 30. Everyday Korean: Episode 56. 너 귀가 참 얇구나 You’re so easy to deceive! COMMUNITY
CULTURE & ARTS
02. Photo of the Month: Sea View from the Observation Deck on Goha-do 43. Art on the Mountain 46. Photo Essay: The Bridge Makes the City – Exploring the Bridges of South Jeolla Province 50. Book Review: Thunderstruck by Erik Larson 52. Music: Top of the Drop 54. Comic Corner: Alan and Me – Episode 14. Beondegi Curry, Part 1 56. Crossword Puzzle
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Gwangju News, August 2022
34. Local Entrepreneurs: Diving into Deep Ocean 38. Opinion: What Is a Parking Spot? – A Gwangju News Special Investigation 40. Food and Drinks: Crescent – A Curry Story
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4 safety for collectors in need of support, such as those over 65 years of age or the disabled, in accordance with the Gwangju Metropolitan City Recycling Collector Support Ordinance (enacted on May 15, 2015) and ensures efficient collection of recyclables.
Gwangju City News
Gwangju News, August 2022
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MONTHLY NEWS
From the Gwangju Metropolitan City Press Release (http://gwangju.go.kr)
Since 2016, Gwangju City has been providing safety products such as luminous vests, quarantine masks, and cold-protection products to recycling collectors twice a year – once in the first half and again in the second half – with an annual budget of 20 million won.
Gwangju City Expands and Operates Children’s Safety Experience Center Program The Children’s Safety Experience Center on the first floor of City Hall, where Gwangju Metropolitan City provides experiential safety education for children and is providing new experiences beginning as of July 5.
Gwangju City Supports Recycling Collectors with Safety Supplies Gwangju Metropolitan City will provide cooling sleeves (“cooltosi”) and safety gloves to 471 people by the beginning of July to protect the health of recycling collectors and prevent safety accidents. The cooling sleeves provided have a UV-blocking effect in preparation for summer heat waves, and the safety gloves have reflective tape on the back so that they can be seen at night. The Recycling Collector Support Project guarantees
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The program developed this time around is aimed at preventing infectious diseases with themes such as “Defeat the micro-bacteria robot!!” (for hygiene and safety education), which allows participants to properly wash their hands. Children can also learn safety rules through experiences from the driver’s perspective. There is also “Today I am the fire chief!!” (for fire safety education), which is taught together with voice recognition artificial intelligence. The additional program provided this time is a game-type program suitable for children’s eye level using new technology developed by Maro Studio, Korea’s first children’s safety education content “IQU” producer, which is in charge of operating the Children’s Safety Experience Center and was selected for the 2021 Experience-based Convergence Content Contest by the Gwangju Information and Culture Industry Promotion Agency (GICON). The Children’s Safety Experience Center, which opened in November 2015, operates a total of 13
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Operating Hours: Weekdays and Saturdays (2nd and 4th weeks), three times a day (10:00 a.m., 2:00 p.m., 4:00 p.m.) Reservations: https://bit.ly/3aqZWYm
The Gwangju Metropolitan Autonomous Police Committee will launch an intensive campaign on how to make a right turn at an intersection in line with the revised Road Traffic Act, in effect since July 12, to strengthen pedestrian rights.
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Through this campaign, the aim is to continuously inform drivers of the “pause in front of the crosswalk” rule through TV broadcasts by three local broadcasters and TBN traffic broadcasting radio to improve driver awareness. The Autonomous Police Committee previously provided information on transport workers belonging to 110 passenger transport businesses, including neighborhood buses and chartered buses, in addition to the 10 city bus companies, and 76 corporate taxi companies. Meanwhile, the police will provide guidance through warnings for one month before the new policy fully takes effect. Ten demerit points and a fine of 60,000 won will be imposed on those who break this rule.
Gwangju News, August 2022
Gwangju Autonomous Police Starts Campaign to Protect Pedestrians
According to the main contents of the revised Road Traffic Act, drivers are required to stop temporarily when pedestrians are waiting to cross a crosswalk. In addition, at a crosswalk without a signal within a child protection zone, it is mandatory to unconditionally stop, regardless of whether or not pedestrians are crossing. gwangjunewsgic.com
types of experiential educational programs, including cardiopulmonary resuscitation, emergency evacuation with push-ups, rescue calls, earthquakes, and elevator experiences for children aged 5 to 13, including kindergarteners and elementary school students. By the end of June this year, a total of 70,000 children had visited this center. The experience is free; however, reservations must be made in advance on the city’s website.
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GwangjuNews, News,August August2022 2022 gwangjunewsgic.com gwangjunewsgic.com Gwangju
FEATURE
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Gwangju Mayor for Tomorrow
An Exclusive Interview with the Hon. Kang Gi-Jung 2022-07-26 �� 3:50:12
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Born in Goheung, Jeollanam-do, on December 3, 1964, Mayor Kang Gi-Jung may be new to the mayor’s office in City Hall, but he is not new to politics. He first served as a National Assembly member in 2004. Prior to becoming mayor, he served as the chief of political affairs during former president Moon Jae-in’s administration. Mayor Kang’s economic map, which will include new growth for five new economic districts: the automotive, AI, next-generation battery, digital precision medicine, and MICE industries, hopes to make Gwangju a strong city that can lead in the industries of tomorrow. He wants his administration to be a creative one through which Gwangju can provide more opportunities to its citizens to grow and develop for their “tomorrow.” With these visions in mind, the Gwangju News was keen to meet with the mayor and sit down to ask him about additional plans he might have for the “City of Light.” Here is our recent interview with him. — Eds.
G
The 1980s were the era of a generation that desperately needed democracy because the military dictatorship of Chun Doo-hwan was suppressing our society. Just as the military came to power and caused the May 18 Uprising in 1980, it was a dark period in which the seeds of tacit democracy did not grow in our entire society. We had the democratization movement in that dark period, and at the forefront of it, the citizens of Gwangju, and those who longed and hoped for democracy all over the country, helped the buds of democracy blossom one by one. Based on that, the foundation of the present democracy in Korea was laid, and as a result, the semiconductor, automobile, and biomedical industries were built, making Korea the culture and IT powerhouse it is today. So, I believe that without the democracy movement of the 1980s as a foundation, neither industry nor culture would have prospered, and the IT industry in Korea would not have been able to grow. But it has grown because the government of former President Kim Dae-jung provided the people with a new daily tool – the internet – and aimed for a creative nation of culture. In the 1970s, the Park Chung-hee government revitalized the export-led industry and developed this mainly in the Yeongnam (Gyeongsangbuk-do and Gyeongsangnam-do) regions. As a result, the Honam (Jeollabuk-do and Jeollanam-do) region
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In my 20s, I was a pro-democracy activist who fought for the punishment of those responsible for May 18, and in my 40s, I worked in the National Assembly for political reform. Following that, I thought I should become mayor to meet the public’s desire for rapid change in Gwangju.
gwangjunewsgic.com
wangju News (GN): Thank you so much for accepting our proposal for an interview. It is an honor for us to meet with you. Please accept our warmest congratulations and best wishes for your success in office. I think that Gwangju citizens as well as the international community residing in Gwangju are well aware that you have served as a chief of political affairs in the Moon Jae-in administration. For the readers of the Gwangju News, please tell us a little more about yourself. Kang Gi-Jung: I am a typical member of the “386 Generation” in Korea. The “386 Generation” is made up of those born in the 1960s who attended university in the 1980s. They have continued to resist the hegemony of the United States, promote investigation of the truth behind the 5.18 Democratization Movement, and seek punishment for those responsible, such as Chun Doo-hwan and Roh Taewoo, which I did for my full four years of university life. When I was a sophomore in high school, the 5.18 Democratization Movement took place, and Daedong High School, which I attended, was the first school in the country to be closed by the government. I went through the turmoil in May 1980, and after that, I entered Chonnam National University and protested throughout my school days. I participated in the struggle to punish those responsible for the 5.18 Democratization Movement and for that, I spent three years and seven months in prison. Then, I started to get into politics because I wanted to reform Korean politics. I served in the National Assembly for 12 years, and after serving as the chief of political affairs at the Blue House for a year and eight months, I became the mayor of Gwangju.
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▲ Mayor Kang visits the eco-friendly automobile parts cluster on July 2022.
Gwangju News, August 2022
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remained engaged in only agriculture and fell behind in the tertiary service industry. GN: You were deeply motivated to become the mayor of Gwangju, where you spent your school days, and where you experienced history in the making. The new Gwangju slogan of the eighth administration is “Gwangju, City of Opportunities, Where Your Future Shines.” What does the slogan mean, and what plans do you have to move Gwangju toward a shining tomorrow? Kang Gi-Jung: A Gwangju with many opportunities, a city with many jobs, a city where you can enjoy yourself, a city where you can get married and raise your children in safety – I hope Gwangju can become a city of opportunity like this. For a long time, we in Gwangju have lived a difficult life on the treadmill of history, fighting for democracy, so we have been behind in matters of individual rights and enjoyment, family happiness, and economic wealth. These days, we are the only city with no large shopping mall complex. There has been no opportunity to realize dreams and hopes, and we were called a “boring”
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(노잼 “no-jaem”) city. So, let us make a city for “nae–il” This can mean “my job” (내 일, nae il), or “tomorrow” (내일, naeil), or the tomorrow of a near future. So, I made the slogan “Gwangju, where tomorrow is shining,” or interpreted the other way, “Gwangju, where my work shines” with the intention of making Gwangju a city where job opportunities abound, and the future is bright. GN: Gwangju’s previous administration focused on responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. What do you think is now the main challenge facing Gwangju from the coronavirus, and what plans do you have to solve those issues? Kang Gi-Jung: From January 2019, I worked at the Blue House for one year and eight months, helping President Moon Jae-in as the chief of political affairs. The COVID-19 crisis broke out at the end of December 2019. From then on, there was an emergency at the Blue House – the control tower of our safety – and, of course, at that time, I did not know that the pandemic would last this long.
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9 High interest rates and high inflation were the biggest problems, which made the people’s livelihoods quite difficult. Second, it was really difficult for small and medium-sized businesses to do business because of high interest rates. There was a plan to implement a policy guaranteeing small business owners about a two-percent interest rate, along with support for reductions, though this has become difficult due to a further rise in interest rates. There is one more policy worth mentioning: The Win-Win Card was suspended due to budgetary constraints. The budget of the Ministry of Economy and Finance has been suspended, and the Gwangju City budget has been suspended since June, but I will revive it. I will bring these back to life in Gwangju through a supplementary budget. In the end, we will do our best during the first 100 days by operating the People’s Livelihood Countermeasures Headquarters because the fundamentals of freezing utility bills, supporting interest rates, and reviving the WinWin Card are difficult. And as the importance of public healthcare has grown since the outbreak of the pandemic, a public medical center should be established in Gwangju. I think that there will be no great risk if we take good preventive measures and create an infectious disease response manual,
and then implement a response to any arising issues based on the manual. GN: As you mentioned earlier, the city is promoting as its main industries semiconductors, next-generation batteries, autonomous vehicles, the precision medical industry, and the international MICE industry. We would like to know what direction the implementation will take during your administration. Kang Gi-Jung: We have so many action plans, I do not know where to begin, but I first made a promise to draw a new economic map of Gwangju. Currently, Gwangju’s industry is very weak, with only 14 companies employing more than 300 people. So, we promise to create a lot of jobs by growing and expanding these industries. These key local industries – semiconductors, nextgeneration batteries, autonomous vehicles, precision medicine, and international MICE – constitute the “Gwangju New Economy Map,” represented by five new industrial districts and five new special vitality zones. Eleven strategic industries, including the kimchi industry, are being adopted, and two more industries, a semiconductor production complex and a next-generation battery complex, will be added
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Gwangju News, August 2022
▲ A visit to Gwangju Global Motors on July 4, 2022.
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10 to draw a new economic map for Gwangju so that industry can thrive. In particular, the industry that President Yoon Seok-Yeol’s administration wants to expand the most is the semiconductor industry, which is important not only for Korea but also for Gwangju. Therefore, Gwangju and Jeonnam are jointly promoting the creation of a semiconductor production complex as a strategic industry. Also, in the organizational restructuring, we will create a department in charge of start-ups for better startup promotion, create a 500-billion-won fund, and create an investment institution to revitalize startups and create a more interesting and vibrant industrial city.
You said that there are 40,000 foreigners living in Gwangju. In fact, we had a small team (within City Hall) called the Migrant Support Team, but recently, I have thought to change it into the International Cooperation Team and the Foreign Support Team, and establish more full-fledged measures for foreigners living abroad and in Gwangju. In particular, in order to help foreigners settle in Gwangju, the city has 39 ongoing projects, especially in Gwangsan-gu, but a total of 69 projects – the largest number ever – are to be carried out, and I know that the Gwangju International Center has been entrusted with a large number of them.
Gwangju News, August 2022
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GN: According to data from the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, there are about 40,000 foreigners living in Gwangju, which makes up 2.8 percent of the total number of Gwangju residents. The annual Gwangju Chungjang Festival is expected make 2022 a year of leaps and bounds as it expands into the upcoming Gwangju Chungjang World Festival. And various policies concerning immigrants are also being discussed. What is your view of the “Gwangju as a Global City” idea, and do you have any ideas
on policies or measures for various foreign residents and communities living in Gwangju? Kang Gi-Jung: I think that Gwangju is a competitive city only when it literally becomes an inclusive and global city. To do this, physically, it must become a gateway city, and as the airport is open and accessibility is close, many people can come to Gwangju. That is why it is important to create a gateway to Gwangju through its airport.
▲ Mayor Kang at the opening ceremony of the Solar, Wind & Earth Energy Trade Fair (SWEET 2022) at the Kimdaejung Convention Center.
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traveling with her family.
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▲ Mayor Kang at the Gwangju Work–Study Parallel Job Market on July 12, 2022.
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GN: Mr. Mayor, what else would you like for our Gwangju News readers to know about you? Kang Gi-Jung: I hope is for Gwangju to become a more inclusive and diverse city. Based on the values and identity of Gwangju, such as democracy, human rights, and culture, I want to create a city where people can open their hearts and have more exchanges among citizens and foreigners, mix cultures and knowledge, and fuse cultures and industry. I will do my best to help realize such a city, and I would be grateful if you would work hard at the GIC and the Gwangju News, and if the foreigner community would actively participate together. GN: Thank you, Mr. Mayor, for this insight into your life and your plans for Gwangju during your tenure as mayor to make for Gwangju a better tomorrow. Interview by Dr. David Shaffer and Karina Prananto Special thanks to Kim Minsu for the translation. Photographs courtesy of Gwangju Metropolitan City Hall.
Gwangju News, August 2022
Another thing is that I would like to promote Gwangju as a global city of culture and human rights by inviting diplomatic delegations to Korea on May 21 for Gwangju Citizens’ Day, and also for the Biennale and the World Human Rights Cities Forum. So, I would be grateful if the Gwangju International Center could give us ideas on international exchange
policy for Gwangju City with its know-how and experience.
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So, first of all, in order to transform and create a more global society in Gwangju, we will start to raise interest by making some changes to the city’s organization, and secondly, we are going to diversify our businesses. We believe that a culture of inclusiveness and diversity can be created only if public officials acquire a sensitivity to cultural diversity by increasing overseas education and training opportunities for public officials and expanding relevant overseas-training institutions. It is important to host international events as an indicator to measure whether a particular city is an international one, but Gwangju citizens can measure how many foreign friends they have, whether they have invited foreign friends to their homes, and how high the ratio of international students at universities is. To this end, I am trying to establish a “glocalization” measurement index for Gwangju.
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Gwangju News, August 2022
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FEATURE
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“Waves”
A Dedication to the Sewol Ferry Victims By Andrew Vlasblom
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Gwangju News, August 2022
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vividly remember the morning of April 16, 2014. While on a coffee break at school with my co-workers, news broke that a ferry en route to Jeju Island was in danger of sinking. This was alarming, of course, but we were mostly put at ease when the media reported that the government was taking care of the situation and that everyone on board would be rescued. We went back to teaching our classes until lunch time, when news reports stated that while the ferry MV Sewol (세월호) had all but sunk, everyone had been rescued. We collectively breathed a sigh of relief.
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14 That relief turned into horror by late afternoon, when the truth began to surface. The news reports could not have been more wrong. Passengers had been ordered to stay below deck while the ferry was sinking. By the evening of the same day, nearly 300 passengers were reported missing. Almost none of those missing survived, and April 16 marks a day of sadness, frustration, and anger for Korea when so many people – most of them high school students – died needlessly. Eight years have passed since that day. Every year on April 16, the nation solemnly remembers what happened. For most, life goes on, but for many families of the victims, every day is difficult.
The island video shoot had me feeling excited and inspired, as I recorded video at a beach, in a forest, and on a sand dune. Afterward, I sat at the top of the sand dune and gazed into the horizon while the sun set. April 16 had just passed, and the Sewol tragedy was fresh in my mind; perhaps that is why, as I sat there staring out into the endless ocean, my feelings of calmness and tranquility were mixed with melancholy and sadness. I thought of the Sewol victims and how after that fateful day, they would never see a sunset again. It occurred to me then that I had not yet visited the Sewol memorial
Gwangju News, August 2022
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Two years after the Sewol ferry disaster, I wrote an energetic and emotional composition on the piano titled “Waves.” The lively nature of the song drew many a crowd when I performed it around Gwangju, and especially at Open Space Dreamers, the little yellow shack in Daein Market (대인시장). While I had often thought about officially releasing “Waves” as a single, I wanted the composition’s release to be meaningful, and the more time that passed, the more I felt driven to develop the piece into something bigger than anything I had produced before.
In early 2022, I felt the time was right to fully develop the composition, and so I set about writing arrangements for various instruments that would be played by friends and session musicians in Gwangju and abroad. By early April, the project had turned into a full-scale music video, and I recorded footage with my digital piano around Korea, including Gwangju and Busan. When my school notified me that our school birthday would land on the Friday after Children’s Day (May 5) and we would have the day off, I jumped at the chance to lug my piano to Mokpo, board a ferry to a gorgeous island, and record video there.
▲ Andrew Vlasblom (center) joined by Hyeonje Choe (drums), Dongmin Lee (guitar), Aleksandra Svyrydenko (guitar), and Tommy Oliver (bass guitar).
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▲ Andrew Vlasblom plays piano at the Sewol memorial site in Mokpo.
site in Mokpo; I resolved to do so on my way back to Gwangju.
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Photographs courtesy of Kindle Records.
The Author
Andrew Vlasblom is a Canadian composer, musician, and English teacher based in Gwangju. He enjoys writing and producing music, and frequently collaborates with fellow Gwangju musicians. In 2020, Vlasblom founded Kindle Records, a nonprofit music label that has so far produced music with more than 40 artists.
Gwangju News, August 2022
While producing the ending of “Waves,” I was fortunate enough to work with some extraordinarily talented musicians from Ukraine and Taiwan. I explained the Sewol tragedy to them, and the meaning behind the ending. They added a level of emotion to my arrangements that left me speechless. Six years after writing a song that I have played virtually the same way every time since, with this new ending, I finally feel that it is complete.
“Waves” is now streaming on the Kindle Records YouTube channel.
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The next morning, I returned to Mokpo and took a taxi to Mokpo New Port, a barren area outside of the city, and the site of Sewol’s final destination since it was raised from the depths in 2017. Yellow ribbons along with notes and flowers for the victims and their families lined the fences encasing the government compound where Sewol rests. Visiting the rusted ferry and absorbing the site of the memorial in person brought a fresh wave of emotion to me, and I knew then that I would dedicate “Waves” to the victims of this senseless tragedy. I recorded video with the Sewol ferry in the background for this tribute, and wrote new parts for the piano, violin, cello, and double bass, completing a new ending to my composition for the victims.
When the Sewol ferry sank, the door was permanently slammed shut on more than 300 innocent lives. It is a tragedy and an injustice that can never be forgotten. My hope with this music video is that even one more tribute might help to raise awareness of what happened and to keep the memory of the victims alive. I humbly dedicate “Waves” to the victims of the Sewol ferry tragedy. They are all hearts to remember.
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May 18: Lasting Effects on a Life
Gwangju Gwangju News, News, August August 2022 2022
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FEATURE
By David Dolinger
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to life. I can provide vivid detail the long-lasting effects of witnessing and being threatened with violence.
I lost many a friend and acquaintance in May of 1980. Some I know gave their lives, and I can visit them at the 5.18 National Cemetery. Some I have been lucky enough to meet again. But it is the others I have never been able to meet again, the ones that I have no idea what happened to, that trouble me. After 5.18, I knew that if I contacted or met someone, they would be questioned by the police or the KCIA. I saw the consequences of violence on the human form, saw true courage and sacrifice from others, saw people come together, but I also saw the consequences of governments and how in real-time historical events were marginalized.
I did not fear “having an accident.” It was still a threat I knew existed, as I was being watched. The mental violence continued until I left Korea in July of 1981. I did not trust people, Americans or Koreans, unless I had known them prior to 5.18.
I have thought long and hard about what I could write for you, how I could regal you in tales about Gwangju and Jeollanam-do in the late 1970s and, perhaps, at a later time I will. However, I thought that since it has been forty-two years, and those of us who were there are getting grey or greyer, with fewer and fewer of us every year, I thought that I would talk a little about what does not seem to get focused on or, when it does, gets labeled and not really thought about. That is the lasting effect of 5.18 on those of us that were there.
I cannot say that any of us had any idea as to how our lives would end up when we were in our youth. Hopefully, we have taken our lives one day at a time and let our experiences guide us down a path that has been fulfilling and meaningful. One can be affected by state-sponsored violence in multiple manners, such as being a witness to or recipient of it; it can also manifest itself as both physical and psychological violence. Both can have long-term effects on a young, impressionable youth’s approach
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There is the mental side of the equation. For me, this was extended by my own government: being forced to resign from the Peace Corps, but even worse, being threatened to never discuss with others what I had observed, especially with other volunteers. This was only topped by the threat of violence, as I was informed that the U.S. government could no longer guarantee my safety and that the KCIA had already stated to the U.S. officials that something could happen if I talked or did not leave the country immediately.
While 5.18 has brought a lot of pain to my life, pain that I still have a hard time dealing with, it has caused me to focus, to take what I saw, what I witnessed, and the sacrifice of others, to heart. I have taken those examples and applied them to my life and to the way I help to raise my son. I have been lucky to work in a field that I find both fulfilling and frustrating, but one that I am in sync with: the field of diagnostics for diseases. During my life, I have never forgotten 5.18, the people that I met, nor the people I lost. I see them every day, and they have driven me to give my all in the field of diagnostics and, when I have the
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17 17
▲ The May 18 Democratic Plaza with the old Provincial Office building in the background. (Photograph by Asia Culture Center)
ability, to ensure that the products that I develop have an impact and can be accessed by all.
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of healthcare. David first came to Korea and Gwangju as a Peace Corps volunteer over 44 years ago. His experiences in Jeollanamdo, Gwangju, and Yeongam, and his involvement in the 5.18 movement have helped him focus his life’s work.
News, August August 2022 2022 News,
I am reminded of a quote from Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird: “I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It’s when you know you’re licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what.” To provide context, Atticus says this to his daughter, Jem, to contradict
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The most powerful thing that the people of Gwangju gave me during 5.18 was a birth, an identity, and, as I was told in the Provincial Office building, Gwangju citizenship. That is the proudest aspect of 5.18. I have always doubted myself, ▲ Sobering rows upon rows, showing the names and faces of martyrs and innocents at the especially about 5.18. I have always May 18 National Cemetery. (Photograph by Gwynevieve Farabee.) felt that I could have and should have done even more. On the morning of the 27th, as her image of courage, which is wrapped around the military attacked and there were pleas for the hypermasculinity and violence. This helps Jem to citizens to take to the streets and not to forget their understand that courage is the ability to persist colleagues in the Provincial Office building, I was through times of difficulty. dissuaded from going there. I thought that it would make a statement if a foreigner were willing to sit in The Author front of the Provincial Office buildings as a form of David Dolinger has his PhD in microbiology protest. I have always regretted not making my way and works in the diagnostics industry there, but I have to keep going. developing products for the democratization
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18
The First Buskers World Cup in Gwangju
Gwangju News, August 2022
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FEATURE
Once again establishing itself as a city of the arts, Gwangju is going to hold the very first Buskers World Cup in October 2022. Artists and musicians from all over the world have applied, and we expect a huge turnout at the event. We at the Gwangju News wonder how this event is being organized and about its backstory. So, we tracked down the people at Gwangju’s Dong-gu District Office – the main organizer of the event – to get more information. Below is our interview.
G
wangju News (GN): Thank you for agreeing to this interview and congratulations on organizing the very first Buskers World Cup competition! This seems to be a very big event. Why Gwangju? Also, how did this event fall into place, and who is responsible for its realization? Dong-gu: Gwangju has been called Korea’s “City of Culture and Art” because it is a place where people appreciate art and that has produced many artists. Gwangju has its own unique musical characteristics, and it can be said that it is the birthplace of Korean music, from pansori, a traditional form of Korean music, to K-pop.
Gwangju Dong-gu District Office and is sponsored by both the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism and Gwangju Metropolitan City. The Global Festival Promotion Team of Gwangju City Dong-gu and the Festival Secretariat are working together to coordinate the event. We want to create a festival where many musicians from all over the world come together to sing freedom and peace together. And through music, we would like to highlight the importance of “coexistence” in the world along with many issues like freedom, equality, peace, the climate crisis, etc. We think that is the true prize of the championship.
Gwangju is also a city of democracy, human rights, and peace. It is no exaggeration to say that democracy in Korea began in Gwangju. The May 18 Democratization Movement in Gwangju has had and is having an impact on the world, such as the “Jasmine Revolution” and the “Myanmar Spring.” While busking symbolizes freedom and peace, it interlinks with Gwangju’s values of “democracy and peace.” That is why the “Buskers World Cup,” with the values of “freedom, equality, and peace,” is being held in Gwangju, the “City of Art” and the “City of Freedom and Peace.”
GN: Being the very first world cup competition for busking, could you tell us more about how people can participate? Is it open to both Koreans and foreigners? Dong-gu: Any music busker who sings about peace and freedom can apply and join. Also, there is no discrimination between Korean and foreign musicians when it comes to busking.
In addition, Gwangju has been hosting the Chungjang Festival for the past 18 years, which is designated as a representative festival by the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism. We will hold the Buskers World Cup at the same time as the Chungjang Festival as well. The event is being organized by
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GN: How do you select the participants, and how will the event take place? Where can we see it? Dong-gu: Based on the videos submitted to the Buskers World Cup website, in the first round of the preliminary rounds, the jury will comprehensively evaluate the musicality, originality, skill, talent, and popularity of participating teams, and then select teams to advance to the second preliminary round. The teams that pass the first round will need to send their second preliminary song by July 25, and then 120 teams from the final qualifying teams will
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19 be determined. The jury consists of six members, including Joo Cheol-hwan (currently an Ajou University professor and former MBC Star PD) as the jury chairperson, Jo Jung-sun (former MBC Radio PD), DJ So Su-ok, Professor Chung Wonyoung, a jazz pianist, composer and singer, lyricist and composer Lim Heon-il, and singer Kim Wonjung.
The first-place winner will receive a trophy and a cash prize of 100 million won, while the secondprize winner will receive 30 million won. In third
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GN: What is your plan for the Buskers World Cup in future? Dong-gu: We hope to hold the event annually. Invitations to next year’s event will also be given to the 16 teams that make it to the finals this year. This year is the first, so it will probably be an adventure. If we make improvements every year, it may continue for five or 10 years, or maybe 50 or 60 years. We hope that five or 10 years from now, buskers from all over the world will fill Gwangju, and the streets will reverberate with busking, attracting people from all around the world to Gwangju in October to see this festival.
Gwangju News, August 2022
GN: What has been the reaction from the public so far, and how many participants have applied? Dong-gu: It has been wonderful. Gwangju residents are very interested in this event, as the Buskers World Cup will be the very first time the Chungjang Festival will be a global one. We hope that the Buskers World Cup will become a global event that extends beyond Korea. As a result of recruiting audition participants from May 2 to June 27, 539 teams from 46 countries applied as participants. And as of the writing of this article, 251 teams consisting of 638 people from 36 countries have been selected for the second preliminary round. They consist of 151 teams of 485 people from Korea, and 100 teams of 153 people from overseas.
GN: We understand that Gwangju is a city of art known worldwide through its Biennale and World Music Festival, but what do you think of Gwangju as a place for musical performers and busking in particular? Dong-gu: Gwangju played a pivotal role in the history and tradition of Korean music through both the Japanese colonial and democratization periods. Recently, with the strengthening of K-pop and Korea’s status as a cultural exporter, people around the world are increasingly interested in Korea, which has produced numerous world-famous singers such as J-Hope from BTS. Gwangju, which has established itself as a world-class city representing democracy, peace, and human rights, is now hosting the Buskers World Cup, and it is a golden opportunity to spread the core values and spirit of Gwangju to the world through music, the language that unites the global village. In Gwangju, music artists have freedom of expression. Here, many artists are busking all over the city. There are places that require a special permit to perform, but in general, if you are not obstructing pedestrians, and there is not any issue with the content of the performance, you can freely busk. We hope that through the global participation and interest in the Buskers World Cup, the status of Gwangju, a city of culture and tourism, will be raised.
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Starting with the welcoming ceremony for participating teams on October 7, the finals will be held live on-site from October 8–16. They will compete using their skills on the stage of the May 18 Democracy Plaza. Stages will be set up all over Gwangju, including at May 18 Democracy Plaza, ACC Haneul Madang, Sangmu District Food Alley, Yangrim Five-way Intersection, Chonnam University Back Gate, Gwangsan-gu Ssanam Park, and the former City Hall Intersection.
place, two teams will receive 10 million won each, and the four teams that come in fourth place will receive 5 million won each. Finally, the eight teams that get fifth place will receive 3 million won each. We will also support the 16 teams that made it to the finals to become stars through invitations to festivals and celebration performances in the future.
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20 Lost in Gwangju
Odds and (Dead) Ends
Embracing Lowered Expectations
Gwangju News, August 2022
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TRAVEL
By Isaiah Winters
▲ The flame-blue sunset I enjoyed on Imja-do.
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ecent high gas prices and a busy work schedule have greatly diminished the steady dopamine stream I get from regional travel. The ongoing novelty detox has forced me to rummage among my odds and (dead) ends for disparate tales worth weaving into a single article. (Don’t worry – I only phone it in like this about twice a year.) Among the jigsaw clutter, I’ve found a few experiences that, while unworthy of an article individually, work more or less as a whole. So, in a listless embrace of lowered expectations, let’s rifle through some of my better B-sides.
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Gwangju News, August 2022
The long, sandy shore along the northwest coast of Imja-do recently stunned me when I discovered that, even at low tide, the beaches had excellent sand as far as the eye could see. Even better, at high tide, I was able to wade chin-deep through clean water just a few dozen meters off shore. There were even some half-decent waves. What’s more, the facilities were brand new and included multiple restrooms with indoor and outdoor showers. Having grown up in California, being able to rinse off on a Korean beach while looking out to sea nearly brought a tear to my eye. It’s the simplest things that get me sometimes. The lifeguards there were still the same spoilsports they always are, but not even their stifling hallmonitorship of nature could kill my vibe once it was time to walk the beach and drink in the sunset. The memory of that long walk under flame-blue skies will remain with me until I die.
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SETTLING FOR THE WEST SEA If Korea’s three seas were its offspring, the West Sea would be the red-headed stepchild. Mud-splattered and prone to bipolar tides, it yields the fewest prospects for a good swim. Contrarily, the East Sea would be the country’s cold, fathomless firstborn, and the south its attention-loving last-born, soaking up as much adoration as sunshine. And yet, despite the West Sea’s inability to hold down a steady tide and just make peace with the sand, I’ve found at least one angle from which, if you squint your eyes and lean in a little, it redeems itself.
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Gwangju News, August 2022
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▲ Risky pool in stream near Gwangju that’s regularly patrolled.
Ultimately, when compared to Honam’s average beach, Imja-do’s northwest shore comes in at a strong (but hardly sublime) 7/10. Normally, I’d be reluctant to share this type of nice, uncrowded beach with so many readers, but it’s still nearly a two-hour drive from Gwangju, so the barrier to entry is high. What also inspires me enough to write this much about it is that my in-laws live close by, making it the most convenient beach in all of Honam for me to weekend at. I’m quite chuffed about that. So, what’s the name of this solid West Sea beach? I’ll let you discover that yourselves.
Though swimming in mountain streams has greatly reduced my fuel expenses and driving times, allowing for more regular weekday plunges, there are still some tradeoffs. Rangers can be the wettest of wet blankets if they catch you in the wrong places – though these are often the “rightest” of places – and Korea’s notorious mosquitoes will force a few unsolicited blood donations on you. That said, it’s entirely worth every drop lost. Getting chilled to the bone by cold mountain spring water and then warming up on the short drive home without the need for air conditioning is a luxury in summer.
THE BEACH VALLEY BOYS Despite my overall preference for open beaches, many valleys across Honam yield surprisingly refreshing swimming opportunities that don’t involve hours of driving, killjoy lifeguards, or layers of sun protection. It’s a worthwhile compromise if you live day-to-day in a city like Gwangju. To my shame, I never considered swimming in mountain streams a viable option until 2019, when a few local friends took me to a great (but crowded) stream near Jiri-san. Then last summer, a foreign friend showed me a few spots closer to home, and from that point, I’ve been thoroughly hooked.
In the end, though I’d like to write a full article on good mountain streams for swimming, I don’t want to give away some of the better spots shown to me in private, so this sort of article is DOA. By the way, the image I chose for this article isn’t one of those hidden valley spots – it’s instead a high-profile area that few dare swim due to heavy ranger patrols. Look around enough and you’ll find some hidden gems of your own. Happy hunting!
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TOURISM INFRASTRUCTURE THAT DOESN’T SUCK The southwest coast of Korea is home to many
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23 artificial tunnels made at the behest of the Imperial Japanese towards the end of WWII. Fearing an allied invasion of then-occupied Korea, the tunnel locations were strategically selected with the local tidal range in mind. According to one placard on Goha-do, the island closest to Mokpo Harbor, these usually U-shaped tunnels were both for “defense of the strategic points in the West Sea and for hiding suicidal special units” in preparation for an allied attack. The most famous example is probably the tunnel system behind Mokpo’s former Japanese consulate, which is extremely well preserved and open to tourism. My personal favorites, however, are on Goha-do and were the subject of our July 2021 photo essay. Since then, a lot has changed on Goha-do. The island has seen a surge in new tourism infrastructure, mainly in the form of an extremely long coastal deck that runs along the island harborside. Built on pillars embedded under water, one end of the deck finishes at Mokpo Bridge, and the other at my favorite pair of tunnels. Traversing the coastal deck for the first time a few months back, I had mixed feelings. While the deck undoubtedly offers superb views of the harbor and a much-needed historical explanation of the tunnels, selfishly, I felt I’d lost one of my secret spots, which now has many tourists where there were none before.
For old times’ sake, that day I decided to hike down to the tunnels anyway, gawkers be damned. (Seeing their discomfort was nothing short of glorious.) My favorite shot that day was taken from inside one of the tunnels looking out – the view the soldiers would have seen. I’d taken the same shot one year before without any deck hogging the center, so now the contrast shots I have are a nice memento of the past. In the end, the coastal deck is tourism infrastructure that, on balance, is pretty awesome, so I’ve come to embrace it. To see what a typical view from the deck is like, check out this issue’s photo of the month. Like I said, it doesn’t suck! Photographs by Isaiah Winters.
The Author
Born and raised in Chino, California, Isaiah Winters is a pixel-stained wretch who loves writing about Gwangju and Honam, warts and all. He particularly likes doing unsolicited appraisals of abandoned Korean properties, a remnant of his time working as an appraiser back home. You can find much of his photography on Instagram @d.p.r.kwangju.
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Gwangju News, August 2022
▲ Goha-do’s new coastal deck as seen from a Japanese occupation-era tunnel.
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24 Around Korea
How to Rescue a Wet Weekend in Busan By Adam Nash
TRAVEL
T
hey say the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry. Well, it turns out last-minute, half-baked plans can collapse just as quickly. Last month, after a sudden urge for sun, sea, and adventure, I booked a weekend away in Busan, including a sunset paddleboarding experience at Gwangalli Beach. There was just one small problem. If I had only bothered to do the most basic bit of research, I would have known that the forecast for that weekend was non-stop rain.
Gwangju News, August 2022
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So, there I was, on Saturday morning, looking out of my hotel window at the sodden streets below, with no backup plan, no umbrella, and no clue what I was going to do for the next 24 hours. After a quick regroup and Google search over breakfast and a strong coffee, I discovered my hotel was only a short walk away from Spa Land, one of Busan’s largest premier spas. This massive spa complex, located in Shinsegae Department Store, has 23 different types of luxury baths, all using 100% hot spring water pumped from 1,000 meters underground, as well as steam rooms, an outdoor foot spa, barbers, nail salon, restaurant, game room, and pretty much anything else you could possibly want. It is quite reasonably priced, too, at 20,000 won for four hours and an additional 3,000 per hour after that. Plus, your locker key has an electronic tag that keeps track of all your purchases, so you can settle up after you leave rather than carry your wallet around the spa with you. It was my first time at a Korean spa or jjimjilbang (찜질방), so I arrived a bit overprepared. My backpack was crammed with towels and toiletries, but all this is provided. You also definitely do not need to bring
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a bathing suit. Believe me, once you turn the corner and enter the dressing room, you are left under no illusion that swim shorts will not be necessary. Like in all Korean jjimjilbang, everyone in the segregated bathing areas was naked. For an English prude like me, it was a bit daunting at first; parading around in the buff while trying to find the showers. It was a bit daunting at first, but after a while it became quite liberating, and eventually, I just forgot about it. I spent the first hour or so in the men’s bathing area; working up a good sweat in the sauna before plunging into a cold bath, then finally settling down in the warm jacuzzi. After that, it was time to hit the shared communal area (luckily you are provided with robes for this part) to try out some of the 13 different themed steam baths. It is like a world tour of pampering experiences. You can enjoy a Finnish Sauna, then hop on over to the Pyramid Room, before reclining back in the Himalayan Salt Room. I will not describe them all here, mostly because
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25 I cannot think of enough ways to say “relaxing” (my thesaurus has been working overtime for this section). The Body Sound Room, however, was very interesting. It looked just like an empty room at first, but once you lie down on the wooden boards, you become aware of low, natural sounds subtly vibrating your body. It was very soothing and made a nice change from sweating in the saunas.
Spa Land is so big you could easily spend the whole day there. But, feeling fully rejuvenated and with a stomach full of baked eggs (a popular snack in jjimjilbang), I was in the mood for some culture.
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So, Sunday morning, I woke up and looked out of my bedroom window at the still sodden streets. The rain had continued to fall, but my outlook had changed. I had managed to salvage a gloomy weekend away with culture, cocktails, and hot springs. Not bad at all. Still, next time, I will make sure to check the forecast. The Author
Adam Nash is a proud Yorkshireman, born and bred in Sheffield, England. He loves traveling, football, and playing music. He has been a drummer for over 20 years but recently picked up the guitar, as a drum kit will not fit in his apartment. Instagram @adam_nash62
Gwangju News, August 2022
After that, it was time to hit Haeundae Beach in search of good food and a strong drink. The food was easy enough to find. Stop off at One Slice Pizza on Gunamro (구남로) for the most authentic-tasting, Americanstyle pizza you will find in Korea. If you are looking for something a bit more traditional, try the Goraesa
Finding a place to drink was a bit harder. The beach was such a wash-out that everyone had the same idea of hitting the bars early. This meant putting your name down on a huge waiting list. As we carried on walking, however, we did stumble across a hidden gem. Muse On is a vinyl pub just a 10-minute walk from the main strip. The walls are filled with vintage vinyl records, there is a nice selection of cocktails, and the music is excellent. You can even write a song request on a bar napkin, and, if they have it, the bartender will grab the vinyl from the wall and play it for you. It was an excellent place to unwind after a day of… well, unwinding.
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Luckily the Busan Museum of Art is a short walk from the department store and, better yet, it is completely free. The impressive gallery space spans across three floors, and each exhibition is designed to celebrate contemporary Korean art. The gallery space is filled with immersive works that range from the truly captivating to the slightly bizarre. A highlight had to be Lee Hyung-koo’s Illumination IV exhibition. Lee used his interest in human autonomy to create a series of realistic, life-sized skeletons of wellknown Disney characters. It was both unsettling yet comical, and I did find it amusing to watch children beg their parents to have their photo taken next to the skeletal remains of Daffy Duck.
Fishcake Shop next door, which is famous for its wide variety of eomuk (어묵, fish cake).
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26 Around Korea
On the Frontline: The DMZ
Gwangju News, August 2022
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TRAVEL
By Ellie Goodwin WHAT IS THE DMZ? In short, the DMZ (Demilitarization Zone) separates North and South Korea. Electrified fencing and landmines flank both sides as well as armed soldiers poised for war. To better understand what brought about the creation of the DMZ, here’s a crude summary of seven decades worth of history in a single paragraph. Drawn up in 1945, the 38th Parallel was intended to be a temporary division of Korea, north of which Soviet forces would accept a Japanese surrender, with U.S. forces doing the same on the south side. It was hoped that, now liberated, Korea would be ready for self-rule after a time, but the Cold War turned a temporary division into a fixed one. The U.S.-backed Syngman Rhee, and the Soviets turned to Kim IlSung. The two men established separate republics: the Republic of Korea (South Korea) and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea). In 1950, after years of conflicts along the border, North Korea launched a surprise invasion that triggered the Korean War. The UN intervened and sent a U.S.-led force to protect the South, driving the North Koreans back to around the 38th Parallel. Soviet troops had long since withdrawn by this point, but aid came to North Korea from China. The Chinese pushed the U.S. forces back to below the 38th Parallel, and a national emergency was declared by President Truman, who feared a third world war. However, by 1951, the fighting had stabilized and truce talks began. Fast forward to 1953: The signing of the an truce between the North Korean and U.S. forces brought an end to the fighting and the establishment of the DMZ. WHY VISIT THE DMZ? A trip to the DMZ is a surreal one. It is noted for
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being one of the most volatile regions in the world but is, simultaneously, a popular tourist attraction. Personally, I cannot think of many other places in the world that have such knife-edge tensions but can still be visited by ordinary civilians. This combination alone makes the whole experience truly unique and worth the visit. The only way to visit the DMZ is with a guided tour. Normally, I would turn my nose up at this kind of experience, thinking that they’re a money trap, but in regards to the DMZ, I could not have been more wrong. The informative tours are tailored to both history buffs and those interested in learning more about the separation of Korea. My guide’s retelling of the DMZ’s tension-filled past coupled with personal stories of friends who defected from North Korea gave me a deep appreciation for the country’s painful history, the kind that cannot be found in reading a book or watching a documentary. I’ll have to use the exhausted (but accurate) cliché in this instance: history was “brought to life.” And for a decent price. A few things to bear in mind: Firstly, during my visit, some parts of the tour were not open to visitors, though this may have changed at the time of writing, depending on political tensions. Rather than list all of the sights you may visit on a tension-free day, I’ve given a breakdown of the ones I was permitted to visit. Secondly, what you’ll visit depends on the tour package you buy. Needless to say, more is seen on a full-day package than on a half-day tour. THE SITES The Joint Security Area (JSA) Occupied by the South Korean and U.S. military, the JSA is a territory within the DMZ. Located in
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27 Panmunjom, it is the closest that a tourist can get to North Korea without being arrested or shot. The iconic blue-painted UN buildings create the image that will come to most people’s minds when thinking about the Korean border: handshakes between Kim Jong Un and President Moon Jae-in and, more recently, President Trump. Here, the world’s longest staring contest takes place: It’s the only spot in the DMZ’s 238-km length where unarmed South and North Korean soldiers face one another. For several years, this cold staring stand-off has been a daily occurrence. Also, when you enter one of these buildings, you’ll have the chance to physically stand in North Korea (even if it’s for a grand total of 5 minutes). The tour around the JSA is an unsettlingly quiet one. The soldier guide will point out seemingly ordinary spots that are home to memories of violent attacks, the most infamous being the murder of two U.S. soldiers who were hacked to death with axes by North Korean soldiers, as a U.S. work detail attempted to prune a tree that was obscuring a viewpoint. The Conference Room This is the room where the 1953 armistice agreement was signed and is also the place where you can cross the demarcation line that divides the room in two.
The two villages used to have the same rivalries as one may see between neighbors in the suburbs: playing music loudly (propaganda music, no top 40 chart toppers here), and trying to outdo the other by constructing the largest flag (North Korea won this round with its 300-kg flag flying from a 600-meter tower). Both villages can be seen from the viewing point at Panmunjeom. The Dorasan Observatory From here, you can look across the border and into North Korea and, if you’re lucky enough to be visiting on a clear day, you can see the bronze statue of Kim Il-Sung in the distance as well as Kaesong city. The ultra-zoom setting on the binoculars allows for a few minutes to be spent peering at North Koreans going about their daily business. The Third Tunnel of Aggression The incomplete tunnel was discovered in 1978, after the tunnellers outed themselves by setting off explosives. These explosions detected by the South side and, after four months of searching, the tunnel was discovered. It is believed that the tunnel (which can accommodate 30,000 men) was built with the intent of a surprise attack on Seoul. Like a sibling shifting the blame while being reprimanded by a parent, North Korea hastily denied any responsibility for building the tunnel and pointed the finger at South Korea, insisting that they were culpable. The story then changed when North Korea claimed that the tunnel was part of a coal mine network, though this seems pretty unlikely given that no coal has ever been found in the area. Though the North Koreans
Gwangju News, August 2022
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Daeseong-dong and Gijeong-dong With the signing of the Armistice Agreement came the creation of two villages: Daeseong-dong on the southern side and Gijeong-dong on the northern side. Gijeong-dong translates to “Peace Village” but has been renamed “Propaganda Village” by the South because all of the buildings are believed to be empty and uninhabited. Movement in the village is seldom seen, though the village is supposedly home to several hundred families and lights click on and off at the exact same time every day.
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▲ The North Korean flag, weighing almost 300 kg, as seen from a binocular lens at the Dorasan Observatory.
Walking from one side of the Conference Room to the other means that, technically speaking, one has crossed into North Korean territory. I’ll add this to my “countries visited” tally.
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28 Seoul. On arrival, you’ll then be transferred onto a bus along with the other DMZ train passengers and taken to the various sites, or you can wait for five hours at the station until the DMZ train returns back to Seoul (can’t imagine why anyone would want to do that, but each to their own). As mentioned, the only way to visit the DMZ’s civilian-controlled areas is through an organized guided tour, so getting there will depend on which tour company you’ve decided to go with. In my case, the tour company asked that my group and I meet at Gongdeok Subway station in Seoul. From there we took the tour bus (included in the package price), which took us directly to the DMZ. ▲ Reunification sculpture at the Third Tunnel.
Gwangju News, August 2022
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went as far as to paint the rocks black to support their coal mine story, it still hasn’t convinced many. Here, you can walk through the tunnel itself, though photography is not permitted. The Bridge of No Return Unfortunately, this was not accessible to the public at the time of my visit. Instead, my group and I had to settle for the guide pointing this out to us while we squinted into the distance (me thinking that my glasses needed a stronger prescription as I did). After the Korean War, prisoners between the two sides were exchanged on this bridge. Before crossing, the prisoners were given a choice: remain in the country of their captivity or cross the bridge and return to their homeland. The catch was that prisoners could not change their minds once they made their decision. The name of the bridge aptly describes it all: “no return.” This concludes the summary of the sites that can be visited during your tour. If you’re fortunate enough to visit on a tension-free day, then you’ll also have a chance to visit other places, too. Now, down to the less interesting (but important) part detailing things to note before taking a trip to the DMZ. Expect lots of rules thrown your way during your visit, all of which you must adhere to. GETTING THERE It’s possible to make your own way there by hopping on the DMZ Peace Train, which runs directly from
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A HEADS-UP BEFORE YOUR VISIT • You must bring your passport, no photocopies. It will be checked by army personnel at various intervals. • If you choose to visit the JSA, then you must sign a waiver agreeing that no one is responsible for an accident or injury involving you, or for your death! • Tours can end unexpectedly or be cancelled at any time if tensions rise at the border. • There is a dress code that must be followed in the JSA, so ditch the torn and tattered jeans, sleeveless shirts, and military-style outfits. Basically, dress as if you were meeting your significant other’s family for the first time. Interestingly, we were told that the reason for a dress code is owing to reports that North Korea has filmed tourists for propaganda purposes, drawing on tour members’ “dreadful” dress sense to bolster their self-perceived superiority. • There are strict codes of conduct in place at the JSA. Waving, pointing, or any other signal toward the North Korean guards is forbidden. • There are strict photograph restrictions in place. Your guide will alert you when you enter a zero photography zone. The Author
English teacher by trade and keen traveler the rest of the time, Ellie Goodwin has been to 35 different countries, lived in China for over three years, and has been living in Gwangju for as many months. In her free time, she enjoys (you guessed it) traveling, hiking, reading, and the occasional soju. Instagram @elliee_goodwin
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Learning Korean 29
Everyday Korean
민지 언니가 남자친구와 싸우고 헤어졌대요 어? 헤어졌다고?
Episode 56
너 귀가 참 얇구나 You’re so easy to deceive! By Harsh Kumar Mishra
Grammar Points
멍지에:
V ~ 는대요/~ㄴ대요 Adj ~대요
언니, 혹시 그거 들었어요?
Meongjie: Eonni, did you hear? 점민:
뭐?
Jeongmin: What? 멍지에:
민지 언니가 남자친구와 싸우고 헤어졌대요.
Meongjie: Minji eonni broke up with her boyfriend after a fight. 정민:
어? 헤어졌다고? 어디서 그런 말 들었어?
Jeongmin: What? Broke up? Where did you hear that? 멍지에:
준학 오빠가 그랬대요.
정민:
너 귀가 얇구나! 준학이 그거 농담으로 말한 건데 너 진짜 믿었어?
Jeongmin: You’re so easy to deceive! He told you that as a joke, and you really believed him? 멍지에: 네~ 오빠가 진지하게 말해서 나는 정말 그랬다고 생각했어요.
정민:
그 얘가 사람을 아주 잘 속여.
Jeongmin: He’s really good at deceiving people.
Vocabulary 듣다: to hear, 싸우다: to fight, 귀: ears, 얇다: to be thin, 농담: joke, 믿다: to believe, 진지하다: to be serious, 정말: really, 생각하다: to think, 사람: people, 아주: very, 속이다: to deceive
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귀가 얇다. This frequently used Korean idiom is used to point out someone who’s “easily deceived” or “gullible.” The literal meaning of this expression is “having thin ears.” Examples 나는 귀가 얇아서 누가 큰 거짓말을 해도 쉽게 믿게 돼요.
I’m so gullible that I easily believe someone, even if it’s a big fat lie. 다니엘 씨가 농담도 참말처럼 받아들여요. 귀가 얇아요.
Daniel takes jokes like they’re the truth. He’s gullible.
The Author
Harsh Kumar Mishra is a linguist and Korean language educator. He volunteers with TOPIKGUIDE.com and Learnkorean. in. He has also co-authored the book Korean Language for Indian Learners.
Gwangju News, August 2022
Meongjie: Yeah. He told me that in a serious manner, so I thought it really happened.
Examples 민주 씨가 9월에 결혼한대요. I heard that Minju is getting married this coming September. 네하가 토픽 시험이 어려웠대요. Neha said that the TOPIK test was difficult.
gwangjunewsgic.com
Meongjie: Junhak oppa told me so.
This grammatical ending is the spoken version of the indirect quoted speech ending “~는/~ㄴ다고 하다.” It’s used like English’s “I heard…” or “Somebody said…” and other similar expressions. When the verb ends in a consonant, use ~는대요, and when it ends in a vowel, use ~ㄴ대요. For adjectives and verbs in past tense, use ~대요.
TEACHING & LEARNING
The Conversation
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30 Language Teaching
Peace Linguistics and Its Connections to TESOL
Gwangju News, August 2022
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TEACHING & LEARNING
An Inter view with Jocelyn Wright
We are all familiar with the terms linguistics, applied linguistics, sociolinguistics, and psycholinguistics. But peace linguistics may not be so firmly seated in our lexicons. To find out more about this, we turned to Jocelyn Wright for an interview. You may remember that earlier she spoke with us about teacher and student well-being in this column [Gwangju News, July 2021]. Jocelyn is a longtime member of Korea TESOL (KOTESOL) and has been working in the Department of English Language and Literature at Mokpo National University for quite a number of years, too. Below is our interview. — Ed.
K
OTESOL: Annyeong-haseyo! Thank you for making time to meet again, Jocelyn. I believe your teaching focus has changed quite a lot over time – from a focus on teaching English skills courses to teaching content courses in English. To start things off today, could you tell us what the biggest differences have been for you? And maybe the biggest joys and challenges?
Jocelyn Wright: Yes, my work has changed quite a lot! When I started off as a lecturer, I mainly taught conversation courses in the liberal arts program and writing courses to English language and literature and English education undergraduate majors, but I also taught elementary ▲ Jocelyn Wright school children in the afterschool program and at camps, facilitated non-credit adult and lifelong learning classes, and participated regularly in in-service teacher training and other special programs. After becoming a professor, I have primarily taught and advised undergraduate and graduate-level students, and while I mostly focused on content in the early years, more recently, my courses have been about 60 percent content-based and 40 percent task- or project-based. However, I
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still adopt a skills-based approach when teaching Spanish. Usually, when I design a new English course, my focus is on using the language while developing other skills (e.g., creativity, computer literacy, research, nonviolent communication [NVC], leadership, peacebuilding, etc.) that are useful for students’ futures. Tasks and projects are built in because, following John Dewey, I want to ensure that students learn by doing. After all, skills require practice. The biggest challenges? Well, coming up with or adapting relevant, stimulating, and level-appropriate materials. Scaffolding project work to maximize efficient learning and minimize stress is another, and evaluating projects can take more time and energy. Nevertheless, when well planned and led, such work generally leads to more meaningful, more creative, and higher-quality work, which students are proud to exhibit at the end of the semester, such as the mounted paragraphs and animated poems they prepared for my English Composition for Inner Peace course. KOTESOL: Speaking of peace, I have noticed that you are still quite active on Facebook facilitating your group, Peace Linguistics. Would you explain exactly what “peace linguistics” is and how and why you have become so interested in this area of
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31
▲ Students’ multimodal exhibits (blurred for privacy).
“linguistics,” and why you started the group? By the way, I purposefully started off this interview with a Korean greeting, as it seems to tie in nicely with peace linguistics – “Are you at peace?”
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Jocelyn Wright: Well, as you can probably imagine, PL is most likely to be successful if developed by scholars, policymakers, curriculum planners, materials developers, teachers, and activists from a wide variety of backgrounds who share the goal of peacebuilding. At the moment, most members
Gwangju News, August 2022
Our values, attitudes, thoughts, and beliefs are shaped, mediated, and conveyed through language, so language awareness is key, for instance, to
KOTESOL: Who are the members of your Peace Linguistics group, and what topics are discussed in the group? Also, is it more about linguistics or more about peace and peace-building?
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Jocelyn Wright: Yes, it does. Through the group, I am trying to stimulate interest and involvement in this still relatively unknown interdisciplinary field. Peace linguistics or PL, as the name suggests, connects linguistics and peace studies. As far as linguistics is concerned, it belongs to the area of applied linguistics, which, as readers may know, covers many areas, including language teaching. PL means different things to different people, but one inclusive way to explain it is to imagine we are looking at what we do through a peace lens and trying to find strategies to reduce or transform violence and abuse caused by our communicative behaviors on the one hand and trying to cultivate cultures of peace and justice on the other, and this at various levels (micro, meso, macro) and across domains (psychological, social, cultural, political, ecological). Some may consider PL particularly relevant right now given the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, but PL is not only concerned with wartime communication. On a daily basis, we may talk to ourselves or others in ways that are not favorable to our well-being or harmonious relationships.
countering prejudices and stereotypes we hold as well as deficit mindsets. Metaphorically, van Lier (1995) says we are often not aware of the language around us, and it can hurt us and harm others, much like polluted water poisons fish. I studied linguistics as an undergraduate, but studying something and living it are not the same. I was quite focused as a language learner and novice teacher on comprehension, accuracy, fluency, and appropriateness. Gradually, I started to become more self-aware and more intentional in my language use. While absorbing the eye-opening work of Marshall Rosenberg on NVC, I serendipitously discovered the illuminating work of Francisco Gomes de Matos, a key pioneer and vocal advocate of PL. After searching some time for meaning, it just seemed so obvious that peace was the motivation for doing, as well as the means to achieving, what I wanted to do. (By the way, if interested, please read the biographical magazine article I wrote about him [see Wright, 2019]).
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32 of this international group probably have one of three major orientations: one more focused on linguistics (whether more theoretical, descriptive, or applied), one on education (e.g., peace, conflict transformation, and NVC, or critical pedagogy, social justice, and sustainable development), and another on peace language education or peace language teacher education. Some members who have joined, however, are specialized in intersecting disciplines, such as psychology, sociology, diplomacy, literature, or art, just to name a few. Depending on their orientations and experiences, they may contribute to enriching this field in diverse ways, so discussions encompass a broad range of topics that are historical, current, or anticipatory, and actions may be creative and/or critical.
Gwangju News, August 2022
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▲ Peace Linguistics Facebook group cover photo.
KOTESOL: Do you, or do you plan to, do any peace linguistics-related presentations or workshops with groups of teachers – such as groups of expat English teachers? Jocelyn Wright: Over the past two years, I have given a number of presentations related to peace linguistics both for linguists and language teachers in South Korea and abroad. As well, I have facilitated or supported a few online research article discussions and book clubs. With other group members, I have also given a workshop and participated in two conference panels, and there will be more to come! KOTESOL: Are you able to incorporate peace linguistics into your current university courses – such as devoting special class time to presenting or discussing the topic, or possibly doing some type of project work with the students? Jocelyn Wright: One essential thing about being a peace linguist is trying to be intentional in our activities. Since 2017, I have been incorporating
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NVC into my undergraduate courses, and I officially opened an NVC course in 2019. Then, in 2020, I began teaching an Intercultural Leadership course where I emphasize compassionate leadership and present case studies about compassionate careers. Last year, I taught a topical graduate-level course on PL, and this year, I started transforming my composition courses into English for Peacebuilding Purposes writing courses. Many teachers may not have the freedom I have to design their own courses. In these cases, doing what you recommend – devoting class time to presenting, or preferably getting learners to critically reflect upon, dialogue about, and negotiate the topic, or doing project work – can be a great alternative. I think it is important for the teacher, though, to gain an understanding of what peace and peacebuilding are, so that efforts are well directed. I have been devoting a lot of time to reading extensively about this topic over the past years. KOTESOL: I know you rarely teach English skills courses these days, but for our readers who do teach skills courses and TESOL courses, could you give them some ideas as to how they might incorporate peace linguistics into their teaching? Jocelyn Wright: Two areas of linguistics that are particularly pertinent are pragmatics and sociolinguistics. For example, we may want to emphasize certain functions over others. It is often beneficial, though it is not always easy, to ask questions or seek clarification rather than make assumptions, to make observations rather than evaluations or criticisms, and/or to make requests rather than demands. When considering language input (verbal and nonverbal), we may choose to raise awareness of the variants used and introduce and celebrate other varieties, or we may highlight inclusive language. As we teach, we may wish to keep in mind how we empower students to communicate. This is an area I have been focusing on self-developing over the past years, in line with Betty Reardon (1988/2021), who recommends we be “edu-learners,” or those who continuously try to learn while assisting others. Relational communication, which we would ideally model, can lead to harmony (via violence
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33 make the connection between these and peace, but I came full circle after getting into caring/relational approaches and NVC, which, as I said earlier, led me to PL. What compels me to learn about these areas and create these groups? I guess a vision of a better me and a happier and healthier world, along with the optimism and hope that this is possible with deliberate individual, as well as collective, effort. Perhaps, this is owing to the fact that I have been quite influenced by Paulo Freire’s various pedagogies. ▲ A sample of Freire’s pedagogies.
transformation or prevention), so rather than just teaching listening for details or for gist, we can emphasize mindful and empathic listening, and encourage students to express themselves in constructive and positive ways. Similarly, we can focus on teaching benevolent reading and audience-sensitive writing. Paying attention to and trying to improve the clarity of our instructions, and the kindness and helpfulness of the feedback we give are additional approaches. Then, there are the more education-focused aspects. Lots of practices we already do, such as storytelling, role plays, collaborative problem-solving, and reflective practice may serve in this way, too, if humanizingly envisioned and implemented.
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Reardon, B. A. (2021). Comprehensive peace education: Educating for global responsibility (2021 ed.). Peace Knowledge Press. (Original work published 1988) van Lier, L. (1995). Introducing language awareness. Penguin Books. Wright, J. (2019). Peace linguistics: Contributions of peacelinguactivist Francisco Gomes de Matos. Humanising Language Teaching, 21(6). https://www.hltmag.co.uk/dec2019/ peace-linguistics
Interviewed by David Shaffer. Photographs courtesy of Jocelyn Wright.
GWANGJU-JEONNAM KOTESOL UPCOMING EVENTS Check the Chapter’s webpages and Facebook group periodically for updates on chapter events, online and in person, and other KOTESOL activities. For full event details: • Website: http://koreatesol.org/gwangju • Facebook: Gwangju-Jeonnam KOTESOL
The Interviewer
David Shaffer has been involved in TEFL and teacher training in Gwangju for many years. As vice-president of the GwangjuJeonnam Chapter of KOTESOL, he invites you to participate in the chapter’s teacher development workshops and events (online and in person) and in KOTESOL activities in general. He is a past president of KOTESOL and is currently the editor-inchief of the Gwangju News.
Gwangju News, August 2022
Jocelyn Wright: Thanks, yes, when I was teaching in South Korea the first time, KOTESOL did not have a reflective practice (RP) group. I heard about RP after I left to pursue a Master’s in Education in France. When I came back here, I learned that this group was developing, and I was keen to participate, but Seoul and Daejeon were too far away, so I started a local group with support from a few GwangjuJeonnam KOTESOLers. Over time, my reflection became more critical as I began to examine strands of multicultural and intercultural education, social justice education, critical pedagogy, post-method pedagogy, global Englishes, etc. At the time, I did not
References
gwangjunewsgic.com
KOTESOL: Before the Peace Linguistics group was born, you were quite instrumental in organizing the Gwangju-Jeonnam KOTESOL Chapter’s Reflective Practice Group. And you also founded and led KOTESOL’s Social Justice SIG (special interest group). What is it that compels you to become so active, or proactive, in these areas?
KOTESOL: Thank you, Jocelyn, for your insights into peace linguistics, non-violent communication, and compassionate leadership, and how to apply them to the field of teaching. Annyeonghi gyeseyo (안녕히 계세요, Stay at peace).
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34 Local Entrepreneurs
Diving into Deep Ocean
Gwangju News, August 2022
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COMMUNITY
Inter view by Melline Galani
H
ouse music is an influential genre of dance music that has become a global phenomenon and changed clubbing forever. It has been keeping people dancing for decades, spawned subcultures, influenced technology, united people, and propelled music innovation. Our beloved City of Light is the host of one underground subculture hotspot called Deep Ocean (Simhae, 심해). Run by young enthusiasts who transformed their hobbies and passions into a lifestyle, the place is a must-see for music lovers of this genre. It is the place you have been searching for! I was in awe when I discovered it, not knowing that Gwangju had such a precious hidden gem.
studying while doing work related to culture, arts, and community. GGAX2: Hello. My name is Gado-gyun (가도균). I am from Icheon, Gyeonggi-do, and I have been living in Gwangju for four years. I work as a stage director at the Asia Culture Center’s Arts Theater and oversee the cultural community of Deep Ocean. (MG: They are the brains, hearts, and spirits behind the Deep Ocean phenomenon.)
Melline Galani (MG): Hello and thank you for taking time to do this interview. Please introduce yourselves to the readers of the Gwangju News. MORO: Hello. I grew up in Gwangju, but I lived abroad for a while. So, you may call me MORO (
MG: Could you tell me how and when your passion for music started? MORO: When I was in middle school, I learned how to play drums and became passionate about music from the time I was in the school band. Though I am not a professional musician, I am happily living a life close to music even now. DADA: I grew up listening to a lot of band music. I was shocked to see people playing at the Busan Rock Festival, which I happened to visit when I was 18 years old. Since then, beside only listening, I became interested in rave festivals and clubs with DJs. GGAX2: I have been interested in hip-hop music since I was fifteen. I would write the lyrics and record them. I was really impressed when I saw a performance by the band Oasis. I knew their music, but seeing so many people focusing on one stage performance in a large arena was a life-changing event for me.
DADA: Hi. Call me Dada (다다). Originally from Gwangju, I majored in visual design, and now I am
MG: When did you start DJing and how would you describe your own development as artists?
The interview below with the main founding members of Deep Ocean presents a different perspective on how passion for music can lead to a business and lifestyle. They are an inspiration for the young generation – interesting, joyful individuals that I got to know through the space they created for us: the Deep Ocean.
머로).
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35 MG: What were some of the main challenges and goals you had when starting out as a DJ, and how have they changed over time? MORO: It was both a challenge and a goal to show my favorite music to the public and share my taste. Even now, that part is still the same, but I select and play my music depending on the place and atmosphere. DADA: I started learning it as a hobby, but with the opening of the space called Deep Ocean Gwangju downtown, people started to come to listen every week, so I have taken a much more serious attitude towards DJing. I am also interested in studying how to incorporate the field of DJing in the arts. GGAX2: “Let’s mix my favorite songs to make a onehour mix set and upload it to Soundcloud!”1 was my first goal, and now I have made about five mix sets. Right now, I am taking lessons to make music, and my next goal is to make a performance with my songs.
MG: How did you come up with the idea of opening a business here? What are the biggest challenges of owning and running your own business?
Gwangju News, August 2022
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MG: Art can be a purpose, but it can also be linked to everyday life, take on a social and political role, and lead to more engagement. Can you describe your approach to art and being an artist? MORO In the past, the purpose was simply sharing our hobbies, but now, as representatives of the genre in Gwangju, we are thinking about artistic approaches that only we can do. DADA: For me, why you do it is important. The reason why is the message, and whether the message is light or heavy, art serves as the medium. The message could be one sentence; in my case, a story about “self ” to reveal who I am. It is a continuous process of thinking about who I am and what I want to show, and I consider that if I express this in various ways, I could become an artist. GGAX2: I think the approach to art should be both easy and deep. Sometimes, I close my eyes and draw, write, play an instrument, or express the things in my unconscious mind in a simple, natural way. Since social and political roles have a clear purpose, there is a way to essentially look at them and elicit a sense of the problem within them. For example, we can approach problems by substituting historical aspects, as in “techno culture has the meaning of rebellion and uprising in Germany,” for our current situation. Constant questioning seems to be important.
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MORO: I first started DJing in 2018. I played so many genres confusingly at the beginning, but as the years went by, I was able to play fairly stable stuff, and now the music that I am digging and playing has its colors. DADA: I started DJing five years ago. It is fun to reconstruct existing songs with materials to suit my taste, and when I listen to other DJs playing, I try to understand as much as possible what the DJs’ intentions were in preparing the set. My progress as an artist has taught me how to respect others. It is not about being right or wrong but about respecting each other's differences and enjoying ourselves in any situation. GGAX2: I attended a music hagwon when I was in Seoul in October 2016. I liked trap and hard bass, and after preparing thousands of songs to practice, my academy teacher told me after one month that I should stop attending, so I bought equipment and stopped going there. What I regret a little is that I should have learned more about DJ skills. I started with trap and hard bass, but I wanted to do various mixing of genres. At that time, I first found out about harmonic mixing on the homepage of DJ Bagage (@ bagageeviphex13) and realized that DJing was not just about connecting music. From then on, I fell in love with harmonic mixing. The more techno and house melody flows are mixed, the more important the harmonic mixing is, so I studied various mixing methods on YouTube and practiced them. I want to keep improving.
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Gwangju News, August 2022
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36
MORO: As we were all working together, somehow everything came together naturally up to the creation of the underground club we share with so many people now. Before the space was created, we used to hold irregular parties in various places, but it took too much energy to organize them. We started thinking about the possibility of having our own simple practice space that we could share with other people like us. That idea has been nurtured into the space it is today. The biggest challenge is money. It is a burden to keep it economically because we do not seek much profitability. DADA: Originally, the space was located elsewhere. The reason we made Deep Ocean Gwangju in the first place was because there was music we liked, and there were no clubs in Gwangju where that music was played. So, we made it for us and our friends to play music and have fun together. But we felt it was a pity that we were the only ones to enjoy it all; therefore, we moved to the present location to share this joy with many people. It was opened when COVID-19 was in full swing; therefore, it was difficult to run with all the restrictions and social distancing rules. However, we managed to survive. GGAX2: First of all, the subculture and the spaces where we could enjoy our favorite music had disappeared. Therefore, we started by saying, “Let’s make a space like that ourselves.” The biggest difficulty is the financial problem. Monthly rent and utility bills are a burden. Also, the interior design is not that fancy, since we did everything ourselves. I would like
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to give a small amount to the DJs who play, but the current situation is not easy. I hope that the labor put in will be properly returned to DADA (@dada_ hyeeeee), MORO (@moro_from_garden) Young (@66choiyoungwon99), AND Jiae (@4040404_l), who run the place together. This is the saddest thing. MG: What is the main concept behind Deep Ocean? MORO: I joined after the name Deep Ocean (심해 or “deep sea”) was chosen, so it may be slightly different from the original meaning, but now our concept is to dance together in the sea of diversity. DADA: The keyword of Deep Ocean is “underground.” We are aiming for a subgenre, and this world is like a deep sea unknown to many people. Deep down, there is freedom and infinity, making anything possible. Those who know this pleasure cannot get away from it! (Actually, the name “Deep Ocean” was chosen when I went on a trip to the beach with the members, and there was an episode where I said, “What if we get drunk and fall into the sea?” and someone said, “Then that’s a bad club.” Then we joked, saying, “Let’s work under the name of ‘bad’ / ‘deep sea.’” (It was a play on words: 심해 can mean both “bad” and “deep sea.”) This was the origin of the name. GGAX2: The main idea was to create something that did not exist before. Inspiration was mainly influenced by overseas festivals and venues, as well as clubs in Seoul. Of course, club culture and DJing are foreign influences, so we always keep an eye on them. The main concept is a deep-ocean culture that combines
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37 blue and red oceans. The integration of mainstream and non-mainstream genres, and our jellyfish logo are our brand marks. We wanted to create a space and content that “swim” in an unknown world. MG: What is your favorite or most rewarding thing about your job? What is the most challenging part? MORO: In the end, when many people visit, it is a time to enjoy our favorite music together. I think the most difficult part is the maintenance one. DADA: It is the most enjoyable when people are having fun and dancing together. At such moments, not only the guests but also the DJs are very happy. Thirty years later, when I look back and think, “Oh! It was really fun back then!” I hope I can smile. GGAX2: It makes me so happy to see people who are immersed in a rave with their eyes closed. This kind of music and atmosphere is being absorbed within yourself. Think that one out of ten people are like that. I think that the people who come to really listen to the music are in the minority. So, we are also doing our own musical research and analyzing the space, trying to make it more fun and comfortable.
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Seo Jiae (@4040404_l) DJ, Bartender She broadcasts live on Twitch and DJs for the trance and hardcore genres. With the game DJing Party, she created a party where ravers gather from all over the country and make songs. We make cocktails together on the weekend. ONE LAST WORD… We changed the name of our venue from “Deep Sea Lab” to “Deep Ocean Gwangju”! (@deepocean_ gwangju) Please follow us, come over, have a drink, chat, and laugh together. Note that Friday is for “Red Ocean” (hip-hop) and Saturday is for “Blue Ocean” (techno / house). Footnote 1
SoundCloud is an online audio distribution platform and music sharing website that enables its users to upload, promote, and share audio, as well as a digital signal processor enabling listeners to stream audio. (Wikipedia) Photographs courtesy of Deep Ocean.
DEEP OCEAN 심해
Address: 2F, 34-6 Seoseok-ro, Dong-gu, Gwangju 광주 동구 서석로 34-6번길 2층
Tel: 010-5947-8907 Opening Hours: Fridays & Saturdays 9 p.m. until late Instagram: @deepocean_gwangju @deepocean_official_
The Author
Melline Galani is a Romanian enthusiast, born and raised in the capital city of Bucharest, and currently living in Gwangju. She likes new challenges, learning interesting things, and is incurably optimistic. She loves living life as it is. This picture is taken outside of Deep Ocean with @ oxydoomer. Instagram: @melligalanis
Gwangju News, August 2022
Colleagues who make Deep Ocean’s story continue: Park Hyun (@promemoria._) DJ A friend who plays driving techno. These days, she cannot come out because she is studying, but in 2017, we met through a DJ training program that we made,
Choi Young-won (@66choiyoungwon99) DJ, Bartender A friend who attends GIST (Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology), an average graduate student during weekdays and a bartender during weekends, he plays techno and EBM genres, and we DJ together every week.
gwangjunewsgic.com
MG: Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, many businesses faced hardships. Please tell us how the pandemic has affected your business. MORO: We lost a lot of opportunities because of COVID-19. We could best show our charm offline, but I do not think we were able to show it enough, because people were restricted from gathering. I tried online content, but it was difficult due to the lack of realism. In the current situation, if you pursue the same content as us, I think the best response is to endure it. DADA: There were other places like ours for people to gather and have fun, but due to COVID-19, some of them closed and some were not open at the same time. I hope everything will be back to normal and there will be many more diverse spaces. GGAX2: Sales plummeted! As a global phenomenon, the dance music scene is declining, so people seem to have forgotten about dancing. I think people will be freer and express their feelings only when COVID-19 ends.
and we have been DJing together ever since.
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38 Opinion
What Is a Parking Spot? A Gwangju News Special Investigation
Gwangju News, August 2022
gwangjunewsgic.com
COMMUNITY
By William Urbanski
T
he problem of “where to park my car” is one that has perplexed and baffled the greatest minds since the inception of the personal automobile. As of August 2022, there is still no universally agreed-upon answer to this elusive question, resulting in literal pandemonium on streets and roads worldwide, especially in Gwangju. More so than solving the greatest mysteries of physics, medicine, economics, and mathematics, creating a universally agreed-upon answer to the question of where a car can and should be parked is the greatest intellectual challenge facing the world, and by extension, the city of Gwangju, today. ESSENTIAL DEFINITIONS A “car” is basically a large steel box with four wheels that quickly carries people along a flat surface called a “road.” “Cars” do move quite quickly most of the time, but occasionally the person controlling the car (called a “driver”) must stop and exit the vehicle. The verb that describes this cluster of actions (i.e., stopping and exiting a car) is “to park.” The simplest and most convenient place to park is, obviously, in the middle of a road, but doing so creates a dangerous problem. Other cars that are moving quickly (sometimes as fast as 50 km/h!), risk colliding into the non-moving car. Even in the best-case scenario, a car that parks on a road can prevent other cars from driving on the road. One possible solution to the safety hazard created by cars parking on the road is a bold and radical pilot project currently underway all over Gwangju and other parts of the world. According to this scheme, certain areas become specially designated places where a driver can stop his or her vehicle and then exit it safely with minimal risk of causing a collision
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or inconvenience to others. These specially designated places are called “parking spots.” In short, a “parking spot” is any place where it is OK to stop, exit, and leave a vehicle unattended. But, and this is the tricky part, not every place a driver stops automatically becomes a parking spot. By using all their available critical thinking skills, anyone with the intelligence to chew a stick of gum or tie their own shoelaces can learn to effectively identify and utilize these so-called “parking spots,” which have already begun to pop up all over Gwangju. HOW TO IDENTIFY A PARKING SPOT In a sense, a “parking spot” is more of an intellectual construct than a physical place. That being said, there are physical things that indicate where one may be found. The first thing to look for is that, generally speaking, a parking spot is delineated by solid white lines, each approximately fifteen centimeters in width, that have been painted on the ground. These lines create a rectangle pattern roughly the size of an automobile. Sometimes, there are only three lines (usually two long ones and one short one that connects them on the end), so it is necessary to use one’s full power of visualization to imagine that the fourth line is there. In even more specialized cases, there may only be two short horizontal lines. The main takeaway is that in the vast majority of cases, lines that suggest a large rectangle shape indicate a parking spot. The second telltale sign of a parking spot is some kind of sign or marking that says something along the lines of “this is a parking spot,” “it is OK to park here,” or “you may park here.”
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39 can walk freely where they should be allowed to, there is a huge reason – one that transcends that pesky notion of “inconvenience for others” – why drivers should only park in designated parking spaces. The reason is that if there is a fire or other emergency, emergency vehicles might have to actually access a building or home pretty quickly. So, whenever a driver parks, if nothing else, he or she should ask, “Could my vehicle potentially block a firetruck or ambulance while I’m sitting in a café drinking ice coffee and playing with my smartphone?”
▲ In what can only be described as a textbook case of using parking spots, these cars are using parking spots properly. Bravo!
Something that also exists in some high-density areas are large, flat areas with many of these socalled parking spots clustered together. These are called “parking lots.” Now, just because a driver enters a parking lot, it is important to remember that a driver may not just park anywhere he or she pleases. The idea is that the driver should choose an unoccupied spot and park their car between the white lines mentioned above.
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Photograph by William Urbanski.
The Author
William Urbanski is the managing editor of the Gwangju News. When he drives, he keeps his hands on the wheel and his eyes on the road. Instagram: @will_il_gatto
Gwangju News, August 2022
WHY SHOULD CARS PARK IN PARKING SPOTS? Besides the risk of collision with cars that use roads for, you know, driving, as well as ensuring that pedestrians (especially the elderly and handicapped)
This parking spot pilot project will most likely take many years to catch on. Even if the concept of a “parking spot” never fully penetrates the collective consciousness, it is encouraging to see that civil engineers and city planners worldwide are trying to find places where people can park their cars without causing massive inconvenience to others as well as risking public safety. Kudos!
gwangjunewsgic.com
While doing research for this article, an uncomfortable truth was uncovered about parking lots in Gwangju: In many cases, a person must pay a fee of about one thousand won per hour to park in a parking lot. One thousand won is a tidy sum, even considering that a car generally costs twentythousand times that. Paying for parking anywhere may seem like an unreasonable miscarriage of justice and a violation of one’s God-given right to park wherever one pleases, but it is simply part of the cost of operating a motor vehicle, particularly for those who wish for their cars to be safe when they are out and about.
PART TWO (AND BEYOND?) Now that we have looked at what parking spots are and why we should use them, in the next article, we will turn our attention to certain places where drivers should never park their cars, with a special emphasis on sidewalks and crosswalks. Spoiler alert: Sidewalks and crosswalks are not parking spots.
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FOOD & DRINKS
40 Restaurant Review
Crescent A Curry Story
Gwangju News, August 2022
gwangjunewsgic.com
By Melline Galani
A
ccording to its definition, curry is a food, dish, or sauce in Indian cuisine seasoned with a mixture of aromatic spices. The term curry is thought to derive from the Tamil word kari, meaning “sauce.” These days it refers to a variety of dishes from countries across Asia which, wet or dry, contain fish, meat, or vegetables and a blend of spices and chili. Curry, in Western usage, is a dish composed with a sauce or gravy seasoned with a mixture of ground spices that is thought to have originated in India and has since spread to many regions of the world. However, spicy, gravied dishes have been a mainstay of South Asian cookery since antiquity, perhaps deriving from sour-milk stews. They are also integral to the cuisines of Thailand, China, Indonesia, Japan, and the Caribbean islands.1 Due to this variety,
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even in Korea, curry comes in different flavors and styles from the original Indian ones that have been adapted to Korean dishes. Crescent (초승달커리) is a small, cozy restaurant in Yangnim-dong, close to the GFN radio station. It specializes in serving curry that has a unique flavor. However, it is not like the original Indian curry, nor is it like Korean-style curry. Here the dishes have a unique flavor that conquered my palate on the very first try. My favorite one is the Thailand-style curry because it is spicy, while the others are not. The simple but cozy interior makes the place perfect for a delicious lunch or dinner experience, a romantic date (they have a “couples” menu) or quality time spent with friends over a beer. All four curry dishes have a meaningful design with rice
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41 arranged in the shape of a crescent moon. Because the owner puts a lot of passion into his recipes, everything is made to order; therefore, the waiting time might be a little longer than at other restaurants. But do not despair, sometimes waiting makes the food taste even better! All curry dishes are signatures of Crescent. Moreover, one may opt to have noodles instead of rice with the chicken curry. The prices vary from 10,000–13,000 won per serving. The restaurant also offers pilaf with an option of chicken or shrimp and side orders such as wedge potatoes, karaage chicken, or tater tots (absolutely tasty). The curry sauce itself has a soft, mild taste adding savoriness to the well-made chicken and mushrooms included. The nasi goreng pilaf is a combination of Turkish pilaf and Indonesian nasi goreng, which, in my opinion, has a very interesting taste.
gwangjunewsgic.com
Though Crescent is quite new in the food business, having opened in 2020, it has become a well-known place among gourmands due to its unforgettable curry tastiness. Once discovered, it is impossible to not come back for more. Just try it! Photographs by Melline Galani. Source 1 https://www.britannica.com/topic/curry
광주 남구 천변좌로418번길 1 1층
Operating Hours 11:30 a.m. – 21:00 Break time: 15:30-17:00 Phone: 010-9342-5375 Instagram: @crescent_curry
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The Author
Melline Galani is a Romanian enthusiast, born and raised in the capital city of Bucharest, and currently living in Gwangju. She likes new challenges and learning interesting things, and she is incurably optimistic. She enjoys tasty food and is always in search of great places to dine or relax. Instagram: @melligalanis
Gwangju News, August 2022
CRESCENT / 초승달커리 Address 1F, 1 Cheonbyeonjwa-ro 418-beongil, Nam-gu, Gwangju
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42
Upcoming Events KIDZANIA GO! GWANGJU 2022 어린이 직업체험 특별전 키자니아 GO! 광주
Dates: Until August 28, 2022 Time Slots: (1) 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m., (2) 2:30–6:30 p.m. *Only for children between 3 and 14 years old; maximum 230 children per time slot Location: ACC Children Cultural Center Multipurpose Hall 아시아문화전당 어린이문화원 다목적홀 Admission fees apply Telephone: 1899-5566 Website: https://ticket.wemakeprice.com/ product/3000007999
BITGEOUL MUSIC FESTIVAL 빛고을 뮤직 페스티벌 Dates and Time: August 8–12, 2022, 7:30 p.m. Location: Bitgoeul Citizens Culture Hall, Cheonbyeonjwa-ro 338beon-gil 7, Nam-gu, Gwangju 광주 남구 천변좌로338번길 7 빛고을시민문화관 공연장
Gwangju News, August 2022
gwangjunewsgic.com
Admission: 5,000 won Telephone: 062-670-7954
GWANGJU FRINGE FESTIVAL
2022 광주프린지페스티벌 Dates: Every Saturday until September 3, 2022 (Neighborhood Fringe) Location: Around Gwangju (May 18 Democratic Plaza, Cheomdan Ssamgam Park, Suwan Lake Park, Yangsan Lake Park, Gwangju Biennale Square, Gwangju Energy Park Exhibition Hall, Green Road, etc.) Admission: Free Telephone: 062-670-7967 Website: http://fringefestival.kr/
BEER FEST GWANGJU
Dates: August 31 – September 5, 2022 Location: 30 Sangmu-nuri-ro, Seo-gu, Kimdaejung Convention Center 광주 서구 상무누리로 30 김대중컨벤션센터
Telephone: 062-611-2000 Admission: Free Website: http://www.beerfestgwangju.com/
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GOCHANG MUD FESTIVAL 고창 갯벌 축제 Dates: August 5–7, 2022 Location: 320 Aehyang-getbyeol-ro, Simwon-myeon, Gochang, Jeollabuk-do 전북 고창군 심원면 애향갯벌로 320 만돌갯벌체험학습장 Telephone: 063-560-2541 Website: https://www.gochang.go.kr/tour/
MUJU FIREFLIES FESTIVAL 무주반딧불축제 Dates: August 27 – September 4, 2022 Location: 326-14 Hanpungru-ro, Muju-eup, Muju-gun, Jeollabuk-do 전북 무주군 무주읍 한풍루로 326-14 무주등나무운동장
Admission: Free Telephone: 063-324-2440 Website: http://2021.firefly.or.kr/
THE JEONGNAMJIN JANGHEUNG AQUA FESTIVAL 정남진 장흥 물축제
Dates: July 30 – August 7, 2022 Location: 21 Jangheung-ro, Jangheung-eup, Jangheunggun, Jeollanam-do 전라남도 장흥군 장흥읍 장흥로 21
Admission: Free Telephone: 061-863-7071 Website: http://festival.jangheung.go.kr/festival
GEOMUN-DO & BAEK-DO ISLAND SILVER OCEAN FESTIVAL 거문도백도 은빛바다축제 Dates: August 12–14, 2022 Location: Geomun-li, Samsan-myeon, Yeosu, Jeollanam-do 전라남도 여수시 삼산면 거문리, 거문도 백도 일원
Admission: Free (some activities may require fees) Telephone: 061-450-5472 Website: http://www.yeosu.go.kr/tour/culture_festa/ geomundo/introduce *Note: all festivals and events mentioned above are subject to change depending on the COVID-19 situation.
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43
Art on the Mountain By Nicky Archer
CULTURE & ARTS
▲ Walking towards the Uijae Museum of Korean Art.
Retreating into the honest and harmonious mountainside of what is today Mudeungsan National
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You can explore his works at the Uijae Museum of Korean Art (의재미술관). Make your way uphill, over the red barricade, towards the Jeungsim Temple and, just past it, you will notice a sloping white building embedded into the landscape to the left. Opened to the public since 2001, the Uijae Museum of Korean Art was established by the Uijae Foundation and Gwangju City Council, with the hope that it would become a place where his works could be celebrated and brought back to life. With three gallery spaces in the museum, the permanent collection resides upstairs in the darkened gallery space. With works lit from behind, a real sense of intimacy is created. In contrast, downstairs is a
Gwangju News, August 2022
Born on Jindo Island, South Jeolla Province, Heo Baek-ryeon (1891–1977), better known by his pen name, Uijae (의재), became a master of his craft at an early age, studying under the great calligraphy master Kim Jeong-hui (김정희). Uijae won countless awards and exhibited widely. Despite his success as one of the best Scholar-painters of the 1920s, arguably he produced his best catalog of works later, after he moved to Gwangju.
Park, he was truly inspired. He painted and taught often, continuing to be guided by his principles and philosophy of “love for Heaven, love for earth, and love for people.”
gwangjunewsgic.com
N
ot only is Mudeungsan National Park a feast for the eyes and a burn on the thighs, but nestled within it lies an artistic delight: the works of Heo Baek-ryeon (허백련). A prolific Korean artist highly talented in painting, calligraphy, and poetry, he is regarded as one of the last masters of Korean Scholar painting.
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44
Gwangju News, August 2022
gwangjunewsgic.com
▲ Entrance to the Uijae Museum of Korean Art.
large, open, airy space that currently exhibits some beautiful paintings by his grandson, Jikheon Heo Dal-jae (직헌 허달재). His paintings of cherry and plum blossom trees are done on an impressively large scale, with each blossom individually and meticulously placed. His work modernizes the more traditional style you can see in the remainder of the main exhibition, just up from where you enter the museum. Running until the 14th of August 2022, Flowers and Birds Mingle (꽃과 새가 어울린 자리) is a thought-out collection including works by Heo Baek-ryeon and his younger brothers Mokjae Heo Haeng-myeon (목재 허행면) and Seonggwan Heo Jeong-du (성관 허정두), making it a real celebratory family affair. It is a delicate array of decorative paintings that mixes traditional East Asian painting techniques and broad brush strokes. These decorative works include varying flowers and plants such as plum blossoms, peonies, and daffodils. Used symbolically to express the seasons changing, they are truly elegant. The detailed fine lines and subtle use of color and imagery made this my personal favorite section.
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Entering the museum costs 2,000 won for adults – an absolute steal! A nice way to extend your museum visit is to purchase a 5,000-won ticket upon entering. As well as admission, that gets you a refreshing cup of green tea and some small, traditional Korean sweet baked treats to enjoy either before or after perusing the art. As Uijae was an avid tea drinker himself, I think he would have approved, too! With refreshments taken care of, you can further explore some hidden cultural relics of Uijae Heo Baek-ryeon just across from the museum itself. If you go through the gate opposite and cross the bridge, you will see an old teahouse and watermill. It was once a place where you could learn about the art of tea making and the traditional Korean tea ceremony process, which was also a big part of Uijae’s life, but unfortunately, the building has been closed since 2015. With no plans to reopen the building, it is somewhat abandoned and left to get overgrown, so there is not much to see. Following the path to the left, up some steps, you will find the house in which he spent the last 20 years of his life, painting and teaching his craft. You cannot enter
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45 the house, but it is enshrouded in a rich canvas of trees and plants, so you can imagine how he must have enjoyed a peaceful, simple life there, reborn in Gwangju as an Enlightenment thinker. Keep meandering slightly upwards through a little wooded area alongside the winding bamboo, and underneath some pretty maple leaves, you will reach his gravesite, which looks out towards Janggun Peak. At the foot of the steps, when in season, you can see some pink evergreen azalea flowers blooming, too.
▲ Uijae Heo Baek-ryeon’s gravesite.
▲ On display in the museum.
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For me, the highlight was seeing the artists’ work in situ at the gallery and having a chance to walk in the landscape that inspired him. It was a pleasant afternoon where I could take my time to soak up some traditional Korean art, learn about Uijae, and indulge my imagination. So, if you find yourself with a spare morning or afternoon, take the opportunity to re-appreciate the beauty and power of nature and art. Photographs by Nicky Archer.
The Author
Nicky Archer is an ESL teacher and animal rights campaigner from the UK. She is a foodie, art enthusiast, and somewhat of an adrenaline junkie. Living in Gwangju, she enjoys coffee-shop hopping, mountain hiking, and learning new things.
Gwangju News, August 2022
However, if flower and bird paintings are not your cup of tea, the next temporary exhibition will be more landscape focused, prioritizing mountains, rivers, and streams as seen in traditional Korean landscape art. Showcasing the work of Uijae and his students, the exhibition is currently scheduled to begin in September 2022.
▲ “Eight-Panel Folding Screen of Flowers and Birds” by Uijae Heo Baekryeon.
gwangjunewsgic.com
A mountain trek it is not. Taking approximately 30 minutes to walk from the museum’s doorstep to Uijae’s tombstone and back, the walk itself should probably not be the main focus of your visit. However, it is an enjoyable, relaxing way to extend your time in the area. A chance to absorb and imagine the life that once was. To walk amongst the very nature that Uijae immersed himself in, after having seen it reflected in his paintings, brought his work to life even more for me. If you are lucky, you might even get to see some of the birds that he captured in some of his paintings, fluttering above the ferns as you tread the stony footpath to his gravesite.
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46 Photo Essay
The Bridge Makes the City
Exploring the Bridges of South Jeolla Province
Gwangju News, August 2022
gwangjunewsgic.com
CULTURE & ARTS
By Kogay Vladislav
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T
here can be no doubt that bridges are both practical in use and so astonishing in shape. As a photographer, I would say that bridges become a target for taking good landscape photos, mixing the architecture design and beautiful view on the city. I came across several bridges during my travels in South Jeolla Province. Firstly, there is a bridge that is located close to the place I reside in. It is Unnam Bridge in Gwangju. It is small in size but looks astonishing when the sun goes down and the night comes out. I could take two long-exposure shots both on and under the bridge. You can see beautiful light trails from moving cars and trains. The next bridge is Mokpo Bridge in Mokpo city. In the last seconds of the golden hour, I managed to take a couple of silhouette shots of myself and my girlfriend with the Mokpo Bridge in the background. You can notice people enjoying the beautiful sunset. And the third bridge is Geobukseon
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47
gwangjunewsgic.com
Gwangju News, August 2022
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Gwangju News, August 2022 gwangjunewsgic.com
48
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The Photographer
Kogay Vladislav is from Uzbekistan and is majoring in non-government organizations at Chonnam National University. Photography is his passion; he loves doing portraits and taking landscape photos.
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Gwangju News, August 2022
There are lots of other bridges all over South Jeolla Province that I would love to see and take great photos of. Personally, every bridge stays in my mind when I start to think about any city I have visited in South Jeolla Province. It is safe to say that a bridge makes a city a vibrant place to live in and to visit. The bridge makes the city!
gwangjunewsgic.com
Bridge in Yeosu. Geobukseon Bridge produces a great night view of the harbor. What makes this bridge so memorable is the cable car crossing above the sea and harbor.
2022-07-26 �� 3:50:40
50 50 Book Review
Thunderstruck By Erik Larson “A Ripping Yarn of Murder and Invention.”
Gwangju News, August 2022
gwangjunewsgic.com
CULTURE & ARTS
Reviewed by Michael Attard
I
n this non-fiction book, Erik Larson sets out two distinct stories that appear to have no connection to each other. And it is also the case that the large cast of characters in each story never meet each other, nor do they ever have any desire or reason to meet. Yet, while one protagonist is crucial to the downfall of the other, the second protagonist is significant in the success of the former. The time in question roughly spans the last decade of the 19th century and the first decade of the 20th century. The heart of the story takes place in England. It is the end of the Victorian era and the transition to the more open reign of Edward VIII. On page four, we learn that there has been a gruesome murder, the details of which have captivated the minds and imagination of millions of people around the globe. But that line is left dangling, and we are introduced into the world of 19th-century physics. Our first protagonist is the famous Italian inventor Guglielmo Marconi. The author’s concise descriptions create a desire to know more. On the other hand, the scientific background presented will not be of interest to all readers, but I found it to be brief enough to enhance the story rather than detract from the main themes and plot. The crux of Marconi’s work may escape our 21st-century, technologically savvy minds. However, it was the case that “in 1894, no means existed for communicating without wires
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over distances beyond the reach of sight.” And this was Marconi’s quest. The author continually switches back and forth between stories. We learn about Marconi’s scientific successes and failures, as well as his sometimes socially obtuse character and personal romances. I found the more interesting story to be about a Dr. Crippen. The author’s way with words makes the reading easy. In his description of the doctor, he says, “Crippen was lonely, and genetic fate had conspired to keep him that way. He was not handsome, and his short stature and small bones conveyed neither strength nor virility. Even his scalp had betrayed him, his hair having begun a brisk retreat years before.” Nevertheless, the doctor had met a woman who later called herself Belle, and even though they were poles apart in virtually every way, they married. Throughout the book, we are reminded that to those who knew them, the couple appeared quite happy with each other. Marconi, on the other hand, is consumed by his work and his romances fail. Possibly, as with the scientific background, many readers will not be interested in the author’s description of the times or the details pertaining to the growth of Marconi’s company. Despite Dr. Crippen’s shortcomings, and his marriage to Belle, he and a younger woman named Ethel fall
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51 in love. Then one day, Crippen announces that his wife has run off to America and that he never expects her to return or to see her again. However, there are too many clues that something is not quite right with Crippen’s story, and Belle’s friends take their concerns to the police. The detectives conclude that Crippen’s and Ethels’ “responses and actions, indicate no deception at all.” Marconi’s company was struggling financially. His “transatlantic service was slow and fraught with problems.... But the system worked.” In fact, in 1909, Marconi won the Nobel Prize for physics. And yet, people were still not impressed, nor did they see any real compelling use for Marconi’s invention. After all, there already was an undersea cable crossing the Atlantic that connected Europe to the Americas. Why bother with wireless?
For Marconi and his company, it was a murder that finally convinced the sceptics that wireless was a practical tool. And what of Dr. Crippen and Ethel? It is in the epilogue. The Reviewer
Michael Attard is a Canadian who has lived in Gwangju since 2004. Though officially retired, he still teaches a few private English classes. He enjoys reading all kinds of books and writes for fun. When the weather is nice, you may find him on a hiking trail.
A body was found buried in the cellar of the Crippen home. But the doctor was gone, and many parts of the body were missing, making it impossible to determine whether the remains belonged to a man or a woman. Also, there was no way of knowing how the person had died.
Thus began waves of wireless messages across the Atlantic during the SS Montrose’s eleven-day voyage. Millions of people tuned in to the news of the chase, while the pursued couple was oblivious to the reality that the whole world through the wonder of wireless was right on their tail.
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Gwangju News, August 2022
It was July 1910, and the captain of the SS Montrose was preparing his ship for a routine voyage from Antwerp to Quebec City, Canada. Despite the age of the vessel, it had been installed with a wireless system. Three hours into the voyage, the captain saw something that he thought was “strange and unnatural.”
gwangjunewsgic.com
I do not think that I am giving much away here, as a criticism of the book might be that, from early on, the reader does not need to be much of a detective to ascertain who the victim is and who the murderer is. In that sense, the book is not a murder mystery. For some, this may be a failing. But, in fact, the real mystery all along is how these two stories, that of Marconi and that of Crippen, are connected. That is the ongoing, confusing part.
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Top of The Drop
Gwangju News, August 2022
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CULTURE & ARTS
By Daniel J. Springer
Each month, Daniel Springer of the Gwangju Foreign Language Network (GFN) picks his favorite newly released tunes that you may not have heard yet, along with some upcoming albums and EPs that you might want to keep on your radar. — Ed.
BLACK MIDI – “EAT MEN EAT” While back in 2019 this UKbased band’s debut Schlagenheim sounded more like a college rock band that was talented but hadn’t truly hit stride (although the critterati went absolutely gaga over it, it must be noted), the group’s latest album Hellfire (and sophomore LP Cavalcade) is just jawdropping. The meld of rock and jazz with other multi-genre influences on this record leaves the listener to wonder how much tighter this band can wind it moving into the future, as the technique of every element is already wound like a metal wire. LAYZI – “SHOP AROUND” If there’s any track this month where you need to “wait for it,” fair listener, this one is it. In a track that sounds like any other ho-hum, lo-fi-meets-indie track that’s far less than a dime a dozen nowadays, the gargantuan chorus hits so hard you might be wondering why you didn’t fall off your chair. Keep an eye out for this budding, independent artist, because Layzi has the voice and the production ear to go very far.
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LUNAR ISLES – “BALLOONS” For our local spotlight this month, we present Cheongju-based Scottish expat David Skimming. In the last two calendar years, the former rock guitarist has put out two albums and an EP under his new moniker, and the results are striking surf-tinged dream pop centered on his axe. “Balloons” is the artist’s latest standalone single, and for those who like to float a bit, this up-and-coming local is a great find. SAY SHE SHE – “TROUBLE” NYC-based band Say She She is the septet headed up by noted vocalist Piya Malik, and this is the third funky-as-hell single from the group. The band is the latest addition to Ohio-based soul superlabel Colemine Records and their sublabel Karma Chief, with the group being named as a sly nod to Nile Rodgers’ Chic Organization. Judging by what’s come out thus far, Prism is going to be a can’tmiss album that drops September 23. LIL SILVA FEAT. CHARLOTTE DAY-WILSON – “LEAVE IT” Bedford, UK-based veteran producer TJ Carter has been making some amazing dance singles and maxi EPs over the past 10-plus years, but the maestro of the famed “Silva Sound” now has a debut record with Yesterday Is Heavy. While the LP has been 10 years in the making, the artist notes work only really began in earnest back in 2019. I mean, the man was busy working with the likes of Adele, Mark Ronson, and George Fitzgerald, so it’s not like a decade of twiddling thumbs. The album itself is also an impressive list of collaborators with Little Dragon, Sampha, and Charlotte Day-Wilson making amazing appearances for a very solid debut record. PINE BARONS – “BABY BLUE” This is a band out of Southern New Jersey and has been around since their 2017 debut LP, The Acchin Book. This tune is the lead single to their covers album paying homage to legendary Japanese jazz psyche band Fishmans. I Love Fish
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53 dropped July 8 and shows that this Jersey band has some amazing instrumental and interpretive chops. J-HOPE – “MORE” For those wearing medals on the chest in the BTS Army, we’re not too sure whether you’re going to absolutely love or hate this track if the K-pop thing is your thing. That being said, this is a huge tune that’s well off the beaten path, with J-Hope ruminating over a colossal hip-hop and punk instrumental on how he’d like to be a successful singer and all of that, but knowing simultaneously that money and fame aren’t everything. The full album Jack in the Box dropped in full July 15, which is the first solo stuff since 2018’s Hope World.
LIZZO – “ABOUT DAMN TIME” While this isn’t exactly new, as “About Damn Time” was indeed the lead single to Lizzo’s sophomore LP Special, the album is out as of July 15, and it’s a force of nature. The album itself
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July LPs Burna Boy – Love, Damani (7/1) Moor Mother – Jazz Codes (7/1) Viagra Boys – Caveworld (7/8) Katy J. Pearson – Sound of the Morning (7/8) Metric – Fomentera (7/8) Beabadoobee – Beatopia (7/15) Black Midi - Hellfire (7/15) Lizzo – Special (7/15) Jack White – Entering Heaven Alive (7/22) Sports Team – Gulp! (7/22) Ty Segall – Hello, Hi (7/22) Maggie Rogers – Surrender (7/29) Beyoncé – Renaissance (7/29) Of Montreal – Freewave Lucifer fck (7/29)
August LPs
Lauv – All 4 Nothing (8/5) Kasabian – The Alchemist’s Euphoria (8/5) Danger Mouse & Black Thought – Cheat Codes (8/12) Kiwi Jr. – Chopper (8/12) Osees – A Foul Form (8/12) Hot Chip – Freakout/Release (8/19) Cass McCombs – Heartmind (8/19) Panic! At the Disco – Viva Las Vengeance (8/19) The Mountain Goats – Bleed Out (8/19) Ezra Furman – All of Us Flames (8/26) Julia Jacklin – PRE PLEASURE (8/26) Stella Donnelly – Flood (8/26)
Gwangju News, August 2022
DEATH GRIPS – “POSER KILLER” For more from the truly wild side of the hip-hop/rock mindmeld, this, while obviously a live cover of their own work from 2012, is still as enrapturing and revolting as ever. While it may not be a true fix for the heads out there as the group’s hiatus has been rather long, “Poser Killer” and “Fyrd Up” are enough for three minutes to derange you for a lifetime in all the right ways.
KATALYST FEAT. JAZZ IS DEAD (AKA ALI SHAHEED MUHAMMAD & ADRIAN YOUNGE) – “REFLECTIONS” One of the best labels out there in the jazz world has done it again with JID013 featuring Katalyst, which is LA-based pianist, producer, and composer Brandon Cordoba. With Jazz Is Dead, the label has been going more to the roots of the artform they love, this album goes to a more hip-hop roots side of things instrumentally, and the results are incredible.
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HUNJIYA – “OUTGROWN” Miami-based Korean Kim Hyunji (or Alice Kim for the extra cream in the coffee crowd) is a very unique voice in indie music today, with a collection of tracks and albums that span a variety of genres and subject matter. However, it seems like Hyunjiya and that absolutely stellar set of pipes are at their best with a simple acoustic guitar leading the way instrumentally. This tune is a real highlight on the coming-of-age record called Khamai, out everywhere as of July 13.
is about Lizzo trying to find intimacy, friendship, and acceptance but nothing phony. It’s about what’s indeed true, which does hurt. However, don’t be surprised to be nodding a bit too hard and bump your head or fall off your chair to this record. Oof.
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Gwangju News, August 2022 gwangjunewsgic.com
CULTURE & ARTS
54 Comic Corner
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gwangjunewsgic.com
Yun Hyoju was born and raised in Gwangju, and somehow ended up married to an Irish guy named Alan. She has been working on her short comic, “Alan and Me,” which is about their daily life. She publishes a new comic every week on Instagram. It can be found here: @alan_andme.
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Gwangju News, August 2022
The Author
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CROSSWORDPUZZLE Created by Jon Dunbar Look for the answers to this crossword puzzle to appear in September in Gwangju News Online (www.gwangjunewsgic.com).
DOWN
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Gwangju News, August 2022
gwangjunewsgic.com
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ACROSS
1 5 8 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 21 24 25 26 28 32 34
Korean poetic form MBC’s “___ a Singer” (2 words) Offers at an auction Goes with Cafe or Fati National Notary Association Military team Opposite of closed Goes with Sun or Lao Thought Eco-friendly refill station downtown Marcy who researches Gwangju Uprising Early K-pop band Main character in Pokemon, Evil Dead Opposite of on Benefits Armstrong or deGrasse Tyson Taxi
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36 Goes with relay or drag 37 Digital complex in southwestern Seoul 39 Judge, on the sports field 41 Peace Corps volunteer Warnberg 42 Fuel 44 Andean pack animals 46 Dessert café on Baekyang-ro 50 Hydroxyl compound 51 BTS’ “Boy with ___” 52 Nationwide version of JLP 56 All it takes to get vaccinated (2 words) 57 5G predecessor 58 Italian region producing spumante 59 Samsung financial R&D center 60 Paired with VID 61 US space agency
9 10 11 19 20 21 22 23 27 29 30 31 33 35 38 40 43 45 46 47 48 49 53 54 55
___ Paulo, Brazil Childish demon Biden or Pesci “Ready ___, here I come” (2 words) Gwangju football team (2 words) Coalition for 2 antipodean countries Gwangju Prize for Human Rights recipient Cynthia The Michael Simning Community ___ Award ___-Pacific region “Mon ___!” Dutch village Top exec Police officer Goes with galbi or mala Not at port Korean health service Not near Revolutionary US rock band Former Korean spy agency Terms, at university US type of marinated beef short ribs (2 words) “March for the ___” Actress Bo-ra or Rep. In-soon 1918 pandemic Jang Bo-go’s kingdom Bloc of Korea’s trading partners Green and Earl Grey Gangwon border county with fishing festival Lion’s noise Ballerina’s dress Official notification “___ a jungle out there” Affiliate of Hyundai Motor
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GIC광주국제교류센터 GIC’s
Ch GIC광주국제교류센터
new Kakao Talk Channel!
Now, with our new Kakao Talk Channel, you can get the latest information on GIC’s events or inquire on any of GIC’s programs! Add us now on Kakao :) Opening Hours
Monday – Friday 9:30 a.m. – 6 p.m. Saturday 8:30 a.m. – 5p.m. Or leave us a message anytime and we will get back to you as soon as we can!
Supported Languages
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2022 Daein Art Market
Namdo Dalbam Night Market Season 2 August 27, September 3, 5-10 p.m. Daein Market Dreamers Concert, Water Night Event, Busking, Culture/Arts Market, Food Alley
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