Gwangju News March 2023 #253

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From the Editor

March 2023, Issue 253

Published: March 1, 2023

Kim Kyung-jong, Chosun University Hospital Director

Publisher Dr. Shin Gyonggu

Editor-in-Chief Dr. David E. Shaffer

Managing Editor William Urbanski

Chief Copy Editor Isaiah Winters

Layout Editor Karina Prananto

Photographer Kim Hillel Yunkyoung

Online Editor 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.

Copyright ©2023 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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Special thanks to Gwangju City and all of our sponsors.

It’sMarch! What better way to start off a month than with a holiday (March 1st Movement Day, Samil-jeol) and with a new issue of the Gwangju News! And what more appropriately named month for Yu Gwan-sun to have “marched” for Korean independence in 1919 than this month.

At the same time, the Gwangju News is “marching” forward in its efforts to provide the community with current, interesting, and useful information. As we sense a slight warmness in the air and notice the budding of the green-plum trees, turn to Contemplations and Ponderings in this issue for more on the significance that March holds.

This issue takes a slight medical slant as our cover feature is on Chosun University Hospital, its international medical center, its new hospital construction, and how “smart” it’s becoming. This is accompanied by an article on Chosun University Hospital and its medical relationship with Saudi Arabia. We also feature the Gwangju Migrant Health Center and how its all-volunteer staff is helping the migrant community in our area.

Around Gwangju focuses on the district of Dong-gu and its well-known walking street, Chungjang-ro. Lost in Gwangju depicts the disappearing neighborhoods of Yang-dong. People in the Arts introduces Gwangju artist Lim Nam-jin and her paintings. Next, we trot down to Mokpo/Muan for a little twirl with Latin dance, and then we cross the waters to land for a winter vacay in balmy Okinawa.

What can be done with used and unwanted clothing? Find out in this month’s Environment column. And what can be healthfully done with the wholesome potato? Find out in our Rad Recipe column.

In the realm of teaching and learning, we give pointers on EFL coursebook selection [Language Teaching], we focus in on the meaning of “It’s darkest under the lamp” [Everyday Korean], and we deal with the learning environment in the classroom [Montessori Education]. We also bring you the stories of two joyous storybook-reading volunteers.

We have a book review of Bewilderment, more on a family holiday with Alan and Me, and after reading The Mysterious Case of the Missing Hiker, guess who wrote it.

Remember that if you’re away from your print copy of the Gwangju News, you can always go to Gwangju News Online for a new article each day and for previous articles in this and previous issues of the magazine. Happy reading!

David E. Shaffer Editor-in-Chief Gwangju News

Cover Photo

Gwangju

THE EDITORIAL TEAM

Photo of the Month

By William Urbanski

Punk Is Dead. Long Live Punk.

Punk Smash went down on Saturday, February 11, at Club Boojik in Gwangju. Dirty Rockhon (the Gwangju band featured in our January 2023 issue) was among seven different bands from around Korea that threw down great sets. Punk in Gwangju isn’t dead: It’s just been charging up.

The Photographer William Urbanski is the managing editor of the Gwangju News. He is married and can eat spicy food. Instagram: @will_il_gatto

Gwangju City News

Taxi Fare in Gwangju to Increase

Gwangju Metropolitan City has virtually finalized the plan to increase the basic taxi fare and is coordinating the application period.

The City announced on February 2 that it plans to increase the basic taxi fare by 700 won from the existing 3,300 won to 4,000 won. The application period is expected to be at the beginning or end of March.

It is the first time in four years since January 2019 that the basic taxi fare in Gwangju has been raised. The City is in the position that an increase is inevitable as the basic taxi fare is at the lowest level in the country, but the burden on ordinary people is expected to increase as the price of food products continues to rise following public prices.

Stop Before Turning Right at an Intersection

From January 22, a rightturn regulation was newly introduced due to the revision and implementation of the Enforcement Rules of the Road Traffic Act, and the Gwangju Metropolitan City Autonomous Police Committee requested that vehicle drivers comply with the law.

Due to the revision of the Road Traffic Act, which

strengthened the duty to protect pedestrians, from July 12 of last year, drivers are required to “temporarily stop if there is a pedestrian regardless of the signal.” You can only turn right when the signal turns green.

In places where a right-turn signal is installed, a fullscale crackdown is scheduled after a three-month trial period. There will be a fine of 60,000 won for cars and 40,000 won for two-wheeled vehicles for those who violate the rule.

Mandatory Installation of Automatic Fire Extinguishers in Residential Kitchens in All “Officetels”

The Fire Safety Headquarters of Gwangju Metropolitan City announced on February 6 that the standard for installing firefighting facilities has been strengthened according to the revision of the Firefighting Facilities Installation and Management Act on December 1, 2022.

Reinforced firefighting facilities include residential automatic fire extinguishing devices in kitchens, independent alarm-type detectors, sprinkler facilities, fire extinguishing facilities such as water sprayers, and automatic fire detectors.

In the past, automatic fire extinguishers were installed only in “officetels” of 30 floors or more, but according to the revised law, they must be installed in all “officetels.”

Gwangju Metropolitan City Reconsider Plans to Increase Public Parking Lot Fees in May

Gwangju Metropolitan City has decided to reconsider the plan to increase public parking lot fees in May.

Three public parking lots in Songjeong-dong, Gwangju, have raised their parking fees to almost double the usual amount (from 70,000 won to 130,000 won based on monthly passes).

Through the Gwangsan-gu Transportation Facility Team, it was said that it was an excessive increase during the already difficult economic situation, and the residents opposed the fare increase. Just in time, merchants at Gwangju’s traditional markets, such as Yangdong Market, strongly protested.

Facing stiff opposition, the City finally withdrew its plan to increase public parking lot fees and decided to maintain the current rate system, which is considered the right decision considering the economic situation and the difficulties faced by small businesses.

Gwangju Metropolitan City to Provide Gas Bill Support for Families with Infants and Toddlers

Gwangju Metropolitan City will offer support for heating costs to families with infants and toddlers, the only place in the country to do so.

The City decided to supply 200,000 won for heating costs per household with infants and young children to ease the economic burden of citizens caused by an unusual cold wave and soaring heating costs, and promulgated a related revised ordinance on February 13.

This new heating cost support program is for households with infant and toddler dependents (born between January 1, 2017 and February 28, 2023)

whose address has been in Gwangju as of February 1, 2023.

※ Infants: Preschool children under the age of six (Infant and Toddler Care Act)

The heating fund will be deposited into the child allowance account (아동수당 지급 계좌) of each family through the autonomous district on February 23.

For families without a child allowance account, such as those with newborns, they can apply through the Community Service Center in the jurisdiction where they live by March 15 and will be paid at the end of March.

COVID-19 Vaccination for Infants and Young Children

From February 13, Covid-19 vaccination will be available to infants and toddlers (six months to four years old).

A Pfizer vaccine will be available for infants for a total of three times at eight-week intervals, and they can be vaccinated at any of the consigned medical institutions listed below after prior reservation using the vaccination reservation system (ncvr.kdca.go.kr): Buk-gu: Bukgu Mirae Children’s Hospital, Eden Hospital; Seo-gu: Mirae-ro 21 Hospital, Mizpia Hospital, I-First Children’s Hospital, Woori Children’s Hospital; Nam-gu: Moa Maternity Hospital, Mirae Children’s Hospital, Aiwon Pediatric Clinic, Jinwol Pediatric Clinic, Hi Pediatric Clinic; Dong-gu: Balkeun Pediatric Clinic, Woori Ai Pediatric Clinic, Han Euijeong Pediatric Clinic; Gwangsan-gu: Hana Children’s Hospital, Hanam Sangsim Hospital, Hanmaeum Hospital

Call Center: 062-120

Translated by Karina Prananto.

Bitgoeul Gwangju

Chosun University Hospital

On to Become a “Global Smart Hospital”

The Fourth Industrial Revolution has brought about various changes in the medical service industry. Chosun University Hospital (CSUH) is also expanding its scope by expanding its International Medical Center with the motto of becoming a “global smart hospital.”

The hospital is directed by Kim Kyung-jong , who graduated from the Chosun University College of Medicine as a surgeon and has held various major positions at Chosun University Hospital, such as research support team leader, education research department head, external cooperation office head, and cancer center head. He is recognized for his research achievements, such as publishing a number of excellent papers in the field of basic research on the occurrence and progression of colorectal cancer, which was listed in Marquis Who's Who. He has also been active in academic activities as an executive director of the European Society of Coloproctology, Korean Surgical Society, the Korean Society of Coloproctology, and the Korean Society of Surgical Metabolism and Nutrition.

INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL CENTER

The International Medical Center’s treatment system has several very important features. First, there is accessibility. The hospital is establishing various channels to maximize accessibility for foreign patients. In addition to the Center’s homepage and email, there are channels such as social media, training medical staff from overseas, and cooperative base institutions. In addition, services beyond time and space are provided through online consultation sites and metaverses tailored to smart global hospitals.

Second, is the Center’s impressive service. When welcoming foreign patients, CSUH does a lot of information research for trust and stability. Things considered include cultural differences and religion. While traveling from Incheon to Gwangju, a oneto-one customized concierge service is provided, staff provide excellent protection and one-stop services while the patient is in the hospital, and a personalized local day tour program is provided in cooperation with Medi-Well Gwangju (Gwangju Medi Tour Center).

Third, there is an online consultation service with the International Cooperation Advisory Group. Prior to visiting CSUH, such non-contact consultations with medical staff are provided to introduce the hospital, information on diseases, and the medical staff, minimizing the anxiety of foreign patients and providing a decisive role for selecting medical tourism areas. Through the International Cooperation Advisory Group, medical staff teams are formed for foreign patient treatment and counseling, and doctors work hard to provide quick, safe, careful, and warm treatment for foreign patients.

NEW HOSPITAL CONSTRUCTION

Since its opening in 1971, CSUH has reached its present state through two expansions in 2007 and 2017. As the main building has been maintained and renovated over more than 50 years, patients and guardians have been inconvenienced in their movement inside the hospital. It became apparent that a new hospital space was needed to improve the quality of medical care and medical services.

In December last year, the board of directors of Chosun University finally decided to build a new hospital building on the site of the funeral hall next to the hospital, considering its connection with existing medical facilities, accessibility by subway, and cost reduction. The goal is to build a facility that patients and guardians can easily and conveniently

access directly from Namgwangju Station. Although the timing and size of the new hospital are a bit tight, it will be built with 700 beds, 12 floors above ground, and four underground floors, with the goal of completion in 2027 or 2028, and a bed total that will increase to 849, and later to 1,000. The site of the building additionally created due to the construction of the new hospital is planned to be eventually be used as a medical research and support facility.

In addition, the new hospital building will be reborn as a state-of-the-art smart hospital through transition to a digital medical environment with state-of-the-art medical equipment and facilities based on artificial intelligence. Planners expect to actively consider introducing cutting-edge systems such as the Internet of Things, robots, and digital twins, focusing on areas that can help improve the quality of medical services. In addition, there are plans to link Mudeung-san with the Chosun University campus to create the world’s only naturefriendly hospital.

“REAL WITH THE UNIVERSE AT CHOSUN” VIRTUAL SPACE

CSUH has built a digital twin space linking real and virtual spaces to overcome the geographical accessibility limitations of Gwangju with the “Real with the Universe at Chosun” virtual space (https:// zep.us/play/2Q9wwr). In this virtual space, one can experience the process of visiting CSUH from

▲ Chosun University metaverse “Real with the Universe at Chosun” at Incheon International Airport.

Incheon International Airport, and they can access real-time information such as transportation, hospitals, and Gwangju tourism information. In addition, the boredom of travel time can be reduced while traveling to Gwangju by enjoying various contents developed in the virtual space.

“CHOSUN TREND MARKETER” CIVILIAN DIPLOMATIC MISSION

CSUH formed a civilian diplomatic mission, “Chosun Trend Marketer,” with international students living in the region. Together these marketers who love Korea lead the medical “Korean Wave” trend by serving as a bridge to inform and connect Korean medical care, culture, and tourism to foreigners at home and abroad as a private diplomatic mission.

In particular, this civilian diplomatic mission helps develop the international sense of the local people through promotional activities. Through this, Gwangju is creating a beautiful city that embraces various nationalities, races, and cultures, all living together as a global human rights city. In the future, the hope is to expand the scope of this civilian diplomatic mission to include exchange activities between Korea and various countries in various fields, not just medical care.

OVERSEAS MEDICAL SERVICE AND EMERGENCY RELIEF ACTIVITIES

CSUH has been steadily carrying out volunteer

medical activities for the poor and other low-income groups suffering from diseases by visiting medically vulnerable areas and emergency disaster areas in underdeveloped countries, such as transfers of advanced medicine to local medical staff, visits to poor villages for treatment, quarantines in villages, and patient invites to Korea for free surgery when they cannot receive needed surgery abroad.

CSUH provided international medical care in the form of free eye surgery to a Cambodian patient with economic difficulties who learned of the hospital’s free offer through participation in overseas medical service in October last year. CSUH has also been steadily conducting volunteer medical activities since the opening of the Gwangju Clinic in Cambodia in 2014 and has invited patients in need of emergency treatment to CSUH for free treatment and surgery.

In addition, CSUH is conducting disaster relief activities in the Philippines, Nepal, and Ukraine. In the event of an overseas disaster, emergency relief teams are dispatched to the affected countries to carry out activities at the forefront of relief efforts, including emergency disaster recovery support. CSUH has thus been selected by the Ministry of Health and Welfare as an Overseas Emergency Relief Unit Cooperative Agency.

FOREIGN DOCTOR TRAINING PROGRAM

From 2015–2019, CSUH operated the Korean–Mongolian and Korean–Russian doctor training

▲ Volunteering in Cambodia.

▲ CSUH dispatch as an emergency medical support team to earthquake-stricken areas in Nepal.

programs under the Korea Medical Project in agreement with the Korea Health Industry Development Institute to promote the excellence of Korean medical care and to transfer advanced medical technology to medical personnel in other countries. Through this project, training opportunities were provided at CSUH to transfer advanced medical knowledge, medical technology, and training to Mongolia and Russia. CSUH also developed a standard model for training and education for medical personnel in Southeast Asia and other developing and underdeveloped countries.

In addition, CSUH was selected for the Middle East Doctor Training Cooperation Medical Institute project under the Ministry of Health and Welfare in September 2018 and has operated the project for five years. This project’s medical training is characterized by applying for limited medical practice to the Ministry of Health and Welfare at the end of the three-month pre-training portion of the project, and after the limited medical practice is approved and a doctor’s license is issued, medical practice can be conducted under the guidance of a

CSUH doctor. CSUH is currently the only hospital in Honam that has opened and operated a Middle East clinic. As a new target region for CSUH, it plays the role of an intermediary for entering the Middle East market, which is seen as a potential growth market for medical services.

CSUH’S DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION

CSUH has agreed to cooperate in various fields such as support and education for the healthy lives of Gwangju’s immigrants through an agreement with the Migrant Women’s Association. For example, CSUH operated a booth where medical staff were

▲ Completion ceremony for overseas research training for Saudi Arabian doctors.

▲ Opening ceremony for Arabic Clinic (Middle East) at Chosun University Hospital.

dispatched and provided medical support for visitors who participated in the Naadam Festival held at the Chosun University Gymnasium for Mongolian students, migrants, and workers. They also conducted “Human and Earth Reformation” through social media posts to spread a positive influence with the theme of environmental protection by reducing the use of disposable products.

“SMART HOSPITAL” BASED ON ADVANCED MEDICAL CARE AND DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

CSUH is also accelerating the establishment of a state-of-the-art “smart hospital” equipped with futuristic medical equipment and systems based on artificial intelligence. In order to do so, CSUH introduced the latest fourth-generation robotic surgical instrument last year, the da Vinci Xi, as well as establishing a robotic surgery center. In the future, CSUH will utilize information and communication technology in medical care to build a leading model that can enhance patient safety and improve the quality of medical care.

CSUH’S ROBOT SURGERY CENTER LEADING THE WAY WITH ADVANCED MEDICAL CARE

CSUH introduced the fourth-generation da Vinci Xi

robot system for the first time in Gwangju, unveiling it at the Robot Surgery Center on February 23 last year. It has since been operating mainly in surgery, urology, and otolaryngology since its first surgery the following April.

Robot surgery refers to minimally invasive surgery in which only a small opening is made in the patient’s affected area without an incision. Then the robotic arm is remotely adjusted, inserted, and operated at the adjustment booth by the surgeon. It is mainly used for sophisticated and complex, high-level cancer surgery, and it minimizes skin incision, reduces pain and bleeding, and decreases the incidence of scars and complications so that patients can recover quickly and experience improved treatment results. With the introduction and vitalization of robotic surgical instruments, it is expected that they will provide the best medical services to local residents by performing high-level surgeries that incorporate cutting-edge technology.

BECOMING THE BEST INSTITUTION IN KOREA FOR MULTIDISCIPLINARY CANCER TREATMENT

Since the Chosun University Hospital Cancer Center introduced multidisciplinary integrated treatment for the first time in the region in August

▲ Ryu Seong-yeop (left), chief of surgery at Chosun University Hospital, is performing gastrointestinal surgery using the da Vinci Xi robot.

2014, it surpassed 1,400 cases in the region in November last year, making it the top institution in Korea for multidisciplinary cancer treatment. At the Center, specialists from various fields gather in one place to provide customized treatment services for patients by planning schedules for diagnosis, examination, treatment, and surgery. In particular, patients and their guardians can participate in the integrated medical care, as well as in their own treatment, by listening to the pros and cons and effects of each treatment method from experts in various departments, asking questions and listening to answers in the process.

Currently, CSUH classifies major cancers into 13 types and has the following specialized treatment teams to treat each of them: the colorectal cancer team, gastroesophageal cancer team, breast cancer team, lung cancer team, thyroid cancer team, urinary cancer team, head and neck cancer team, hepatobiliary cancer team, blood cancer team, gynecological cancer team, skin cancer team, musculoskeletal cancer team, and central nervous system cancer team. For one patient, specialists from various departments, including the Departments of Hematology, Radiation Oncology, and Radiology,

as well as the department in charge of the cancer treatment, establish a step-by-step treatment plan and provide effective treatment. The teams have the policy of taking full responsibility for patients by monitoring them from diagnosis to treatment and complete recovery.

Chosun University Hospital

Address: 365 Pilmun-daero, Dong-gu, Gwangju

Direction:

- Bus stops: Chosun University Hospital Entrance/ Chosun University College of Engineering

- Subway: Namgwangju Station Exit 5

Customer Service: 1811-7474

Health Promotion Center: 062-220-3030

International Health Care Center: 062-220-3770

Emergency Care Center: 062-220-3119

Website: https://hosp.chosun.ac.kr/

▲ The multidisciplinary team at Chosun University Hospital explaining the direction of treatment to a breast cancer patient and guardian.

Translated by Karina Prananto. Photographs courtesy of Chosun University Hospital.

Stepping into the Paintings of Artist Lim Nam-jin

By Kang “Jennis” Hyunsuk

As a person who is interested in paintings, I have often heard the name of this artist who has been doing her artistic work for decades here in Gwangju. I once met a painting of hers in a gallery; I remember standing in front of it for a long while, touched by her work. In that piece, two dark buildings stood facing each other under a pale blue sky, and the few thin wires between them looked as though they were trying to connect the two isolated objects. I felt that she was expressing the relationship between people today. In this installment of People in the Arts, I introduce Lim Nam-jin. For this interview, I recently visited her studio in Sansudong.

Jennis: Thank you for this interview. I was moved by your artworks in an exhibition a few years ago. I think your unique blue color is hard to express with oil paints. Did you major in Oriental painting?

Lim Nam-jin: No. I majored in Western painting in the College of Fine Arts at Chosun University. But now I am using Oriental painting colors.

Jennis: What prompted you to make such a change in your painting materials?

Lim Nam-jin: One of my seniors received an order from a temple to paint tanghwa (Buddhist temple-style painting), and he asked me to help him complete the painting before the approaching ceremonial date. After the project was finished, my senior gave me the remaining Oriental painting materials, saying that I was good at tanghwa

I Am, You Are, 2021. Korean polychrome on hanji paper, 80 x 130.5 cm.

painting. I became fascinated with the tanghwa of the Goryeo Dynasty and became familiar with the gamro tanghwa style.

Jennis: What exactly is gamro tanghwa style?

Lim Nam-jin: Gamro tanghwa is the style of Buddhist paintings that especially deals with the souls of the dead. It expresses what people go through after death according to karma. I thought it would take me at least ten years to completely understand the essence of gamro tanghwa, so I immersed myself into gamro tanghwa painting for a decade.

was, it takes more than seven months. And for twothirds of that time, I draw the details of the draft. So, I do basic work for months before putting on any colors.

Jennis: What kind of paints do you usually use?

Lim Nam-jin: There is a special paint used for tanghwa, but I wanted to keep a distance from the feeling of traditional tanghwa, so I use bunchae, a kind of Oriental pastel colors. I majored in Western painting in college, but I liked the subtle colors of Korean painting. As I put the colors on the paper, the power of the combination of color, agyo-pul [a natural ingredients glue], and water, made accidental colors by themselves. I think this is the magnetism of Korean painting.

Jennis: In your painting Yeongheung Restaurant (영흥식당), there are many people intermingled with a lotus pond. What are you expressing in this painting?

Lim Nam-jin: Yeongheung Restaurant was located on Gwangju’s Art Street and was a meeting place for artists and makgeolli lovers. When the restaurant closed for good, I painted it while reminiscing on all those old memories, forgotten people, and my fading dreams. Beautiful lotus flowers grow in muddy, not in clear, water. It was a bar where you could see people without masks. By painting human figures living in the mud, I expressed my wish for a world of blooming lotus flowers.

Jennis: You painted many people in great detail in Yeongheung Restaurant. I would guess that it took quite a lot of time to complete it. How long did it take?

Lim Nam-jin: For a big piece of work such as this

Jennis: After the ten-year journey into tanghwa, you had your first solo exhibition. How did that go?

Lim Nam-jin: I received a lot of praise from the people who came, but after the exhibition, I started to be somewhat concerned about my painting style. For a while, I could not do individual exhibitions and only did group exhibitions.

Jennis: What caused you to lose confidence in your much-acclaimed gamro tanghwa?

Lim Nam-jin: In Western or Oriental painting, many artists learn these styles from replicating classical artworks as a process of study. But I did not consider that tanghwa was not my own, so I

▲ Yeongheung Restaurant, 2006. Korean polychrome on hanji paper, 220 x 292 cm.

▲ Liquid Lunch on a Day of Contemplation, 2009. Indigo dye on silk, 35 x 44 cm.

painted with all my might. Then, all of a sudden, I thought what would be my own painting without the form of tanghwa, which anyone can paint. So, I lost direction for quite a while.

Jennis: I have so many questions; I hope you do not mind. In one of your artworks, Liquid Lunch on a Day of Contemplation, there is a woman looking at an empty bottle in a paper boat enjoying the waves on a rough sea. And in another painting, The Island on a Day of Contemplation, the woman arrived on the cushion-island safely from a long journey. I feel that your Day of Contemplation series is like a set of self-portraits on the journey to finding your true self. Lim Nam-jin: You might look at it that way. If tanghwa was a projection of life in this world, then I think the Day of Contemplation series represented myself.

Jennis: In the work A Happy Day, there are three shadow-like characters serving a beautiful woman. What does this painting represent?

Lim Nam-jin: That is Agui (아귀), a kind of spirit from gamro tanghwa painting. Because of its greed in a former life, the spirit of Agui always suffers from

hunger. It is a creature with a big stomach but which cannot eat properly because of its narrow throat. It is said that Agui has a human-like soul, so I drew Agui with a human appearance, as humans have a desire for material things.

Jennis: Your work continues to change. When did your Still Life series start?

Lim Nam-jin: I had a lot of fun when I was working with tanghwa, but in the process of finding my own world of work, I got sick. I had a hard time physically and emotionally. At that time, I began to recognize the things around me that I never really realized before. For example, the sky came into my eyes. I could also see the faint daytime moon floating in the blue sky. They were just scenes that I had seen countless times in my life but never really took note of. So, I decided to depict them.

Jennis: The painting of two dark blue buildings that I saw in that gallery many years ago was titled Still Life. I thought the painting and the title were a great match. It reminded me of a movie also named Still Life that was quite moving.

Lim Nam-jin: Right, I saw that movie six times. When I was thinking about the direction of my painting, that movie inspired me. I wanted to express my insight into life. So, I named my work Still Life. “Still life” has a double meaning: One is of making still-life paintings, the other one is for living life calmly.

▲ A Happy Day, 2010. Korean polychrome on hanji paper, 110 x 80 cm.

▲ Letter from a Certain Memory, 2022. Korean polychrome on hanji, 100 x 100 cm.

Jennis: Your artworks are gradually transforming into simpler paintings. Last year, when I went to Art Week Damyang, I saw your work titled A Letter from a Certain Memory. I wonder how you came up with the idea of drawing folded paper letters. Lim Namjin: I wanted to put people’s hearts into something in my paintings. So, I expressed the feelings that we had when we were young. I painted the memory of each person in a different color.

Jennis: Your painting A Letter from a Certain Memory draws the viewer into it. Standing in front of the painting, the content of the letter could change with the person’s various memories, and from person to person. Only those with imagination can see what is inside. Very interesting! I want to ask, what might your future works be?

Lim Nam-jin: People say that the colors of my paintings are getting brighter these days. I will continue steadily the work I am doing now. And I am planning a series named Deun jari, nan jari (든 자리, 난 자리), somewhat similar in meaning to “Absence makes the heart grow fonder.”

The Korean proverb Deun jari mollado nan jari anda (든 자리는 몰라도 난 자리는 안다) means that we do not take particular notice of a person when then are with us, but their absence is strongly felt. We usually do not recognize how precious it is for someone to be by us. I also felt a lot of emptiness after my mother’s passing. Someday, I plan to release the series Deun jari, nan jari expressing “Absence makes the heart grow fonder.”

Jennis: Great! I will continue to view your works at your exhibitions in the months and years ahead –including Deun jari, nan jari. Thank you for your time for this interview.

AFTER THE INTERVIEW…

Lim Nam-jin is a painter who gives us subject matter to ponder, and her paintings give us a space to step into. I am curious as to what kind of memories you might recall when you look at her painting Letter from a Certain Memory.

LIM NAMJIN’S SOLO EXIBITIONS

2023 Attention, Please! (Group of Four, Art Center KUH, Daejeon)

2022 Still Life, Invitational Individual Exhibition (Shinsegae Gallery, Gwangju)

2021 Still Life, Herald Art Day Invitational Exhibition (Gwanggyo, Suwon)

2021 Still Life Blue, Invitational Exhibition (Starlight Museum, Sochon Art Factory)

2019 That Love – Feelings of Clouds & Rain (Art Space House, Gwangju)

2018 Still Life Blue (Yangnim Art Museum, Gwangju)

2018 Still Life Exhibition (G&J Gwangju-Jeonnam Gallery, Seoul)

2012 Flowers Bloom, Flowers Fade; Invitational Exhibition (Gwangju Shinsegae Gallery, Gwangju)

2010 A Boring Day, Invitational Exhibition (G.M.A. Geumnam-ro Branch, Gwangju)

2009 Island, G.M.A. Young Artist Invitational Exhibition (Light Gallery, Seoul)

2007 The Journey of the Soul (Gwangju Lotte Gallery, Gwangju)

MAIN COLLECTIONS

Gwangju Museum of Art

Jeonnam Museum of Art

May 18 Democratization Movement Archives

Sungbo Museum (Jikji Temple)

Jungheung Construction Co., Ltd.

Golf Zone Co., Ltd.

The Interviewer

Jennis Kang is a life-long resident of Gwangju. She has been doing oil painting for almost a decade, and she has learned that there are a lot of fabulous artists in this City of Art. As a freelance interpreter, her desire is to introduce these wonderful artists to the world. Email: speer@naver.com

▲ The Island on a Day of Contemplation, 2018. Korean polychrome on hanji, 80 x 52 cm.

Gwangju Migrant Health Center For the Healthy Lives of Migrants

By Karina Prananto

Gwangju is home to 1.43 million people, and of these, more than 40,000 people (2.8 percent) are immigrants.1 They choose Gwangju as their second home for marriage, to work, to study, for refuge, and so on. To put it simply, they hope to have a better life by taking the chance of living in this city. However, coming to live in another country completely different than one’s own can be an exciting as well as terrifying experience. While some of them are able to receive Korean language knowledge before coming, due to some unexpected circumstances, it is not possible for some to learn about the city or the language in advance. Problems may arise when emergencies happen, such as medical issues.

Luckily for them, there is the Gwangju Migrant Health Center (GMHC), which has been operating since 2005. Their office in Gwangsan-gu is bright, clean, and quite spacious, with different rooms for different examinations. A pharmacy is also available on the same floor.

The GMHC has more than 70 medical staff (volunteers) who are ready to lend a helping hand. They open their doors to all migrants: students, migrant women, migrant workers, and any who cannot go to medical institutions due to their legal documents or difficulty in communication. Their free medical treatment is offered every Sunday from 1–5 p.m. at their Center. With more than 2,000 patients coming

▲ Clean and spacious lobby at the Center. The pharmacy is located in the same area, making it easier for patients to purchase medicine.

last year alone, it is undeniable that their existence is crucial to the lives of migrants, whose occupations are mostly in construction or manufacturing fields where it can be dangerous work. The GMHC acts as the first line of medical treatment so those who require a more in-depth examination can be referred to the second or third line of treatment such as at university hospitals. To find out more about the GMHC, the Gwangju News went to the Center and met with the General Secretary, Ms. Choi Ji-yeon, to obtain more information:

Gwangju News (GN): Thank you for taking some time to do this interview. Could you please introduce yourself to our readers and tell us what your main responsibilities at the Center are?

Choi Ji-yeon: I am a social worker who has been working in the field of youth, multicultural, and family welfare for 11 years. I am currently an activist involved in free medical treatment for migrants. It is now my third year working at the Center. My main job is to help with medical communication and consultation for migrants who come to our clinic, plan necessary medical support, and provide administrative support for the people who participate in the medical volunteer activities.

GN: Could you please briefly introduce the GMHC and its main role for migrants?

Choi Ji-yeon: The GMHC is a volunteer organization in the medical field, and we protect the health rights of all migrants in medical blind spots and practice humanitarianism, serving people with no

discrimination in terms of nationality or race. We provide medical support to help protect basic human rights for the migrants to help them alleviate some of their difficulties settling down in our society and to support them to have healthy lives.

GN: Who is mostly coming to the Center to receive help?

Choi Ji-yeon: Those who come to our Center are mostly marriage immigrants and migrant workers. Refugees from Afghanistan and Ukraine also come to visit us, as well as international students.

GN: Are there any specific documents, prerequisites, or other requirements to be able to receive the Center’s services?

Choi Ji-yeon: Our Center is open to all migrants. There is no special documentation required. However, we need passports or ID cards that can prove one’s identity, that way we can provide basic medical treatment based on their age and gender.

GN: Is there any difficulty that the Center faces while providing assistance to migrants, and are there any way to solve it?

Choi Ji-yeon: Yes, there have been difficulties during the 18 years that we have provided services to migrants, but our biggest difficulty is the budget. We receive sponsors and budget support from the public and local governments, so with this we can provide basic medicine, which accounts for the largest portion of our expenses, and continue to provide free medical services. We also receive pharmaceutical sponsorships. The operational expense of the office

▲ Dental examination room.

▲ Health examination with a translator.

to support these activities is also being resolved through external public offerings.

GN: Do you also provide assistance to migrant workers who cannot come to the Center due to health conditions or long distances?

Choi Ji-yeon: Yes. Last year, when migrant workers from Thailand could not find a clinic or hospital nearby due to the severe Covid-19 pandemic, we provided emergency medicine through remote medical treatment. In addition, medical support such as health checkups and vaccinations were provided at places or events where many migrants gathered through “visiting health treatment,” and this year we also plan another visiting health checkup with Gwangsan-gu District Office.

GN: Have there been any memorable episodes while working at the Center?

Choi Ji-yeon: Around the end of June last year, Haenam-gun Family Center called us. There was a Vietnamese woman who had been in Korea for a little over three months to support her granddaughter, was healthy at the time of entry, and was hospitalized due to sudden acute diabetic shock. She fell into a coma and was hospitalized. We requested some support for her hospital expenses, but it was difficult, as she had overstayed her visa, but we managed to get partial support. There was also a male migrant worker from Egypt who visited our Center last year. He asked for a hospital that could support his surgery expense, as he was sick due to severe spinal stenosis. He could not work due to his illness and thus became an illegal alien. But it is difficult to find such a hospital in Gwangju, so we sent him to a medical facility in

Busan, and we supported his surgery cost partially. After he got better, he came to the Center to thank us. I will always remember that.

GN: Is there any way for the public to help the Center, for example, through donations or volunteering? If yes, then how so?

Choi Ji-yeon: Our Center relies on donations and volunteering. Medical staff (doctors), students, and translators help by donating their talents, and the public helps by cash donations. You can help us by being a member through paying a membership fee, or you can help us by volunteering. We do not require any experience or knowledge in the medical field, as long as you can understand Korean. We currently have five active translators and 76 medical staff.

GN: Please tell us about the upcoming projects and programs this year.

Choi Ji-yeon: This year we are preparing a special event to commemorate our one-thousandth free medical treatment, a discussion to talk about medical support for migrants in medical blind spots, and a sponsorship night event. We are also preparing a free visiting health checkup together with human rights sensitivity education and the Gwangsan-gu LaborManagement and Civil Affairs Council.

GN: Thank you so much for your time, and we wish the organization the best of luck.

Source

1 Ministry of Interior and Safety. (2022). 2021 지방자치단체 외국인주민 현황 [Status of foreign residents in local governments in 2021]. https://www.mois.go.kr/frt/bbs/ type001/commonSelectBoardArticle.do?bbsId=BBSMS TR_000000000014&nttId=96092

Translated by Karina Prananto. Photos courtesy of Gwangju Migrant Health Center

Gwangju Health Migrant Center

Address: 167 Saam-ro, Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju (across from the Gwangsan E-mart branch)

Phone: 062-956-3353

Free health examination: every Sunday, 1–5 p.m. (general, oriental medicine, dentistry) – no reservation necessary.

Bus stop: Gwangsan Middle School

Website: http://www.gmwcc.kr/index.php

Chungjang Street, Dong-gu District

By Umesh Mansukhani

Culture Complex Station is an underground subway station of Gwangju Metro Line 1 in Dong-gu District, which opened on April 28, 2004. Right adjacent to the station is the popular underground shopping mall, which features stores selling men’s and women’s clothing, fashion accessories, trendy shoes, hat, umbrellas, flowers, and watches, all at affordable prices.

The Asia Culture Center (ACC), which opened in November 2015, is located above the station. The

ACC is a world-class cultural complex specializing in cultural exchange. It has an exhibition hall, conference hall, grand lecture hall, theater, library, children’s playground, and bamboo garden. On the premises is a musical fountain whose theme is the “Butterfly Garden,” expressing the vision of flying across the world by carrying people’s hopes and dreams. The ACC also offers an international residency program to provide artists from different countries with spaces for their research.

Daein Market, started in May 1959, is one of the oldest traditional markets of Gwangju. This market is a wonderful example of the changes traditional markets have gone through to remain relevant in the modern world. It is a wholesale market specializing in fresh and dried seafood and vegetables, and it has maintained its old tradition of selling rice, clothing fabrics, silk, and nickel-silver pots. Shoppers seeking nostalgia, a human touch, and quality products will enjoy shopping here.

Chungjang Street, named after the posthumous title of General Kim Deokryeong, was the site of the 1980 Gwangju Democratization Movement. Today it is Gwangju’s major downtown area. The streets are lined with shopping malls, clothing stores, restaurants, cafes, movie theaters, banks, and hotels, providing the ultimate experience of modern culture in Gwangju. It is the city’s hub of fashion, both trendy and traditional.

Gwangju is said to be the home of the most delicious food in Korea. So, check out the restaurants to satisfy your palate. I recommend starting with restaurants like Wolgaesoo (for fried rice), Cheongwon Momil (for Korean noodles), Hwangsolchon (for barbecue), Gedeoling (for pizza and pasta) and Dongbaek Katz (for pork cutlet). The 5.18 Democracy Square, which is across from the ACC, is the site of the historic Gwangju Democratic Uprising that took place from May 18–27, 1980. The records of the uprising can be seen nearby at the May 18 Democratization Movement Archives’ History Museum.

Gwangju Art Street is dedicated to developing Gwangju’s traditional art scene through exhibitions of local work. It is a great place for art lovers to find original art pieces showcased by professionals and emerging artists. The art galleries offer a wide variety of Korean paintings, folk drawings, wooden sculptures, calligraphy materials, collector coins, ink, traditional clothing, ceramics, writings, classic books, incense burners, and industrial art. Every Saturday, an art flea market is held where one can hear the stories the collectors share about each part of their collection.

▲ Art Street

▲ Former Provincial Office and Asia Culture Complex.

▲ Daein Market

Chungjang Street has a wide choice of bakeries, too. The most famous is Gungjeon Jegwa, which was established in the year 1973 and offers 200 kinds of bread and 60 kinds of cake, not to mention their “dragon egg roll” and “butterfly pie” specialties. Visit Yunsil Bakery for their popular strawberry cake and the Ppanggwa Jangmi bakery for their vegan bread rolls.

For the coffee lovers, the place to be is Dongmyeongdong Café Street, which is home to a unique and vibrant coffee scene. The individual cafes work to set themselves apart with distinctive shop fronts, interiors, and drink menus. So, go and enjoy the atmosphere at Scones, Gaelande, Oriens, Casadel Coffee Tres, and Day of Night in the company of your family and friends.

Around Chungjang Street, which is also a financial district, all the major banks are located. Professionals will help you open an account at Hana Bank, Kookmin Bank, Woori Bank, Nonghyup Bank, and SBI Bank.

Good lodging and boarding facilities are provided at the comfortable hotels on Chungjang Street. The receptionists at these hotels will speak English. Best hospitality is provided at ACC Design Hotel, Ramada Plaza, Palace Tourist Hotel, Culture Hotel LAAM, and Chungjang S Hotel.

The Dong-gu District office supports foreigners and international residents by providing various services such as issuance of residence certificates and registration of births and marriages. The Dongbu Police Station will help you with

your complaints, and one can also get driver’s license renewals done here, too.

Nearby subway stations in the area are Geumnam-ro 5-ga and Geumnam-ro 4-ga.

I appreciate the people who were very kind to me when I went around Chungjang Street asking people for directions. We were welcomed with great warmth in all the shops we visited, and one of the shop owners even gave us her best tea to drink.

We travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us. I am not a great writer, nor am I a great artist, but I love art and food, so I am the perfect traveler.

Umesh Mansukhani is from India and is a freelance English tutor. He loves traveling, playing ping-pong, and watching Korean dramas.

The Author

Map courtesy of Gwangju Metropolitan City.

Gwangju Jeollanamdo Tourist Information Center Culture Complex Subway Stop Exit 1

Culture Complex Tourist Information Center Culture Complex Subway Stop Exit 5 (Tel: 062-601-4260)

Yang-dong’s Ninth Life

By Isaiah Winters

To mark my fifth year stewarding the “Lost” column, I’d like to return to Gwangju proper, specifically Yang-dong. This month, I’ll scribble the pages of the Gwangju News with a tale involving hostess bars, North Korean collages, menacing graffiti, courteous cult invites, and a tenacious cat I call Achilles who, like Yang-dong itself, refuses to die despite all odds.

We begin at Guseong-ro, the winding, two-way street that narrowly separates Yang-dong from Wolsan-dong. Recently, the stalled redevelopment project on the Wolsan-dong side restarted and then promptly jumped the road to gobble up a large block on the Yang-dong side faster than I could notice.

Very little remains of that block in Yang-dong save a trio of hostess bars, one of which is still being lived in. Through a gap in the construction tarp, an older couple goes in and out several times a day, with their vehicle regularly parked right out front. Once they are persuaded to leave, theirs and the adjacent bars flanking either side will surely be rubbled.

Of course, the redevelopment overspill won’t end there. Across Guseong-ro’s perpendicular 57th Street, the next block is almost entirely vacated and ready for demolition, and that’s where things get interesting. Dividing the abandoned block lengthwise is a long, bifurcated alleyway with paragraphs’ worth of findings almost every few meters. For the remainder of this article, we’ll scrape through these claustrophobic walkways together for the first and final time before it’s all gone.

Enter one of the alley forks and the first door you get to, marked “demolition” (철거) in red spray paint, gives way to a collage of newspaper clippings on Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un’s meeting with former President Moon Jae-in. It’s not the usual type of scrapbooking you see every day, so the resident must have been quite moved by this historic event. Apparently, one of the demolition crewmembers was also moved by the meeting, though with the opposite sentiment: He defaced one of President Moon’s pictures.

Further down the alley fork near to where the two prongs meet is another unusual sight, at least in Gwangju. There, an extensive jumble of red, spraypainted messages uglies the facades of vacant homes. Among the menacing scrawls are three red skulls with eyes x-ed out, something I’ve only ever seen in

▲ Yang-dong has its share of visual contrasts. ◀ Previous page: Seeing skull graffiti in Gwangju is a first for me.

larger cities like Seoul. While the word “demolition” communicates boundaries mainly to those involved with the demolition process, a skull is a far more personal message of intimidation aimed mainly at any holdouts still living in the area.

this, which I suspect is by design to keep people out. Using this narrower path to 57th Street also allows the remaining resident(s) to avoid all the ominous graffiti – the blighted cherry atop a neighborhood already in its last, agonal throes.

Down this more heavily graffitied alley is one such holdout. Spilling with belongings all covered in plastic tarp, the door to the home reads rather plaintively, “A person is living here. Please don’t enter.” Here, the alley gets so tapered by personal items that you can almost feel the warmth of whoever lives behind the façade. It’s still possible to complete the alley fork by shimmying through all the personal belongings and emerging back on 57th Street, but most non-residents would feel uncomfortable doing

Despite the cramped interstices with uninviting messages on every wall, locals still use these walkways even now. While photographing a painting of Hello Kitty right at the alley fork, one such local stopped to have a chat with me. Unphased by the large foreigner squatting low for a better shot, the grandma with hand truck in tow seemed to want to know all about me and fast. Midway through our conversation, she whipped out her phone and asked me if I went to church and what my phone number was. We got to talking about her church and, after a little Googling, I saw that it was a cult. Of course, I politely declined, and she was soon back on her way to Yang-dong Market. I’ve already written about my six-week experience learning Korean from this cult,

▲ A collage of Kim Jong-un, Moon Jae-in, and their spouses.

“A person is living here. Please don’t enter.”

so see my “TOPIK Hoax” article in issue #207 if that interests you.

Behind the Hello Kitty wall is another local holdout – a tenacious cat I call Achilles. Achilles’ hind legs are unfortunately paralyzed, so mobility is very limited. He just lies in the entryway of the home and watches passersby through cracks in the front door. It’s hard to tell whether Achilles’ injury is recent or longstanding, but I’ve noticed that on subsequent visits, he’s been breathing better than when I first saw him. Whenever I’m in the area, I pick up a few cans of cat food and, though it causes Achilles immense distress, enter the home and pour the food into a plastic bowl. He does eat, but I can’t imagine him having much of an appetite with such a bad injury. A bowl of instant noodle soup was also recently placed inside on the floor, so I might not be the only

one who knows about him. I can’t believe Achilles has survived this long, so I thought the vulnerable Greek warrior’s name was befitting. If you’d like to do more for Achilles, reach out to me through the Gwangju News or my Instagram account.

Much like Achilles, Yang-dong and its residents are hanging on as long as they can, but this may be their ninth life.

The Author

Hailing from Chino, California, Isaiah Winters is a pixel-stained wretch who loves writing about Gwangju and Honam, warts and all. He’s grateful to have had this opportunity to write for the Gwangju News all these years. More of his unique finds can be seen on Instagram @d.p.r.kwangju and YouTube at Lost in Honam.

▲ Achilles the cat probably just wanting me to go away.

In Search of The Karate Kid :

Okinawa

By William Urbanski

It is difficult to imagine a movie franchise that has had more of an impact on my life than The Karate Kid. A true underdog story, this epic tale is cemented in the minds of anyone born in the 1980s and features the enigmatic Mr. Miyagi who mentors the young Daniel (aka “Daniel-san”) in all things karate and life. Mr. Miyagi hailed from a mystical corner of Japan called Okinawa, and it is this island which serves as the backdrop of the second (and best) Karate Kid movie. With Covid-19 travel restrictions all but eased, it was finally time for me to make my own pilgrimage to the birthplace of karate and maybe learn a crane kick or drum punch along the way.

FROM SOUTH TO NORTH

There is a plentiful abundance of things to see and do in Okinawa, and for this reason, it is advisable to rent a car. While public transportation definitely exists, and there are all sorts of bus tours and stuff that depart from Naha (the main city), a lot of the really nice spots are slightly off the beaten path and hard to access without wheels. I had an overwhelmingly positive experience renting a car from SIXT rental agency. Located just a few hundred meters from Miebashi Station in Naha, it was easy to make a reservation and pick up the car. Even though it was my first time driving on the other side of the road (which was slightly nerveracking), drivers there were extremely courteous and cautious, which made it easier overall. If you decide to rent a car in Okinawa, just be sure to get full auto insurance and pick up your international driver’s license from the designated police station in your area (which costs eight thousand won and takes about twenty minutes). As well, just like in the

rest of Japan, Google Maps works amazingly well, so navigation is not an issue.

While a person could spend months exploring the island and pondering the nature of Mr. Miyagi’s stunningly effective karate tutelage, for the sake of brevity, I will focus on one special thing from the north and one from the city of Naha in the south, both of which had shockingly little to do with karate or The Karate Kid franchise.

CHURAUMI AQUARIUM

Located in the northwestern part of the island about a two-hour drive from Naha, this massive, fourstory aquarium was incredible. Starting on the top floor, visitors can see all sorts of crazy crustaceans and frisky fish that range from scary-looking to extremely rare and beautiful. The real star of the show was the gargantuan aquarium which features one of the few whale sharks in captivity. This huge tank, despite having few references to Daniel-san’s attempts to master the drum punch in face of Mr. Miyagi’s unorthodox teaching methods, was still one of the most impressive structures I have seen in person.

A bonus that came with the admission fee was that my wife and I were able to watch a really entertaining dolphin show which was much better and funnier than we expected.

There are some online criticisms of the Churaumi Aquarium which revolve around the notion that it is inhumane to capture, house, and feed sharks, dolphins, and various other types of ocean life. To that, I would say it makes no sense for people to go

Shuri Castle

Churaumi Aquarium

through so much trouble to build and maintain the aquarium facility if they just wanted to mistreat the sea life. Overall, the admission price of twenty bucks was a bargain.

SHURI CASTLE

Located right in Naha, Shuri Castle is an impressive and historically significant fortress complex which is easy to access from the monorail line. It is possible to just walk around the fortress free of charge, but to enter the main complex, it will set you back about five bucks (or “go hyaku,” as they say in Japanese). A word of warning about the main complex: Shuri Castle was completely razed by a fire a couple of years back, and it is undergoing an extensive reconstruction. While that may sound like a definite bummer in the summer, it also provides a glimpse into the reconstruction process and an opportunity to grasp the painstaking lengths Okinawans are going through to rebuild the castle in the most authentic way possible. What I personally found the most interesting is that the rebuilding process is not just about repairing the edifice but also passing down the knowledge of construction methods to the next generation.

While I would have much preferred that Shuri Castle included an activity that involved breaking blocks of ice with your bare hands as a test of strength, much the way Daniel-san did in the iconic scene from The Karate Kid 2, I would say it is still a really cool place to spend a couple of hours.

THE KARATE KID: THE SEARCH CONTINUES

One of the things that surprised me most about Okinawa was the serious lack of spontaneous karate demonstrations as well as the virtual dearth of enigmatic old men who were willing to use unconventional training techniques to turn me into a karate-fighting machine in mere days. But apart from this, Okinawa is by far one of the most beautiful places I have visited in Asia, and I enjoyed it quite a bit more than either Osaka or Fukuoka.

Even though it turns out the second Karate Kid movie was filmed entirely in Hawaii, Okinawa should definitely be on your list of places to visit. That’s what Mr. Miyagi would have wanted.

The Author William Urbanski is the managing editor of the Gwangju News. His favorite martial art is run-jitsu. Instagram: @will_il_gatto

Chosun University Hospital Establishes

Healthy Relations Between Korea and Saudi Arabia

By Kim Mira

We were full of excitement and anticipation as we set off for Saudi Arabia on November 30, 2022. Our first impression of Saudi Arabia – the land of mystery, the land of God – was a mixture of excitement and fear. When we arrived at Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport after a long 12-hour journey, we were flooded with unfamiliar yet unforgettable feelings. We were nervous while going through the airport entry procedures, but the cool breeze blowing in the sweet and pleasant scent relieved our fatigue and tension for a while.

Saudi Arabia smelled good wherever we went, including the airport, the hospital, the restaurants, the hotel, and the shopping centers. After taking the first step in Saudi Arabia, we met Saudi doctors returning from training at Chosun University Hospital. It was a huge pleasure to meet them at the airport, as they welcomed us with a Saudi Arabian breakfast. They said that Saudi Arabians use restaurants a lot to have breakfast, even at dawn. The breakfast was more than generous and wonderful.

▲ The CSUH team at the Dr. Sulaiman Al Habib Hospital.

Freshly baked using charcoal brazier bread, various jams, and vegetables including hummus, things were delicious, and just looking at the table setting was like a picture. It was a very good breakfast that tasted new but not unfamiliar.

People from various cultures and nationalities lived together in Saudi Arabia. The food was as diverse as that, and it could be seen that they were developing and upgrading into another culture in harmony with their traditional culture. On the way from Riyadh to Al-Qassim, the vast desert and magnificent architecture showed off their harmonious beauty.

The traditional and modern buildings exuded an exotic feel, and their aesthetic sense, which maximized the beauty of the buildings using colors and lights, was admirable. Looking at religion and culture, they all seemed similar in neat and consistent appearance, but the design of the buildings, lighting, hues, and scents, in addition to the colors and designs of the abaya (Saudi women’s traditional robe-like

outfit), were differentiated as symbols of splendor and individuality. We thought that change in Saudi Arabia was in the beginning stages, and it was just starting. So, we drove about four hours from Riyadh to Al-Qassim, an agricultural center located in the middle of Saudi Arabia and the Arabian Peninsula.

The state of Al-Qassim was very vast. It was a city where we felt relaxed for some reason. We visited Qassim University Hospital and Dr. Sulaiman Al Habib Hospital, where our doctor trainees were working, and had a meeting with the hospitals’ medical staff. In addition, while conducting seminars with doctors who were working at Qassim University and King Fahad Hospital, we felt proud of Korea’s medical technology and service level.

Based on the Saudi Arabian government’s interest in and support for medical care, the system, and physical environment, as well as the kindness and professionalism of the medical staff, we predict remarkable development of medical care in the

▲ Food served at the desert.

CUSH Desert Tour

▲ Riyadh Digital City

"Our first impression of Saudi Arabia – the land of mystery, the land of God – was a mixture of excitement and fear."

future. Many Saudi Arabians asked us to take a picture with bright smiles but also some shyness so we could not forget this memory. Through this experience, we were able to enter their culture, breathe, interact, and feel the real Saudi Arabia.

Another unforgettable experience was the Ghada Festival and desert camping, which takes place in winter. We participated in the event to see, hear, and feel the traditional culture of Saudi Arabia. In the evening, we also experienced desert camping as locals enjoy it. Dr. Ibrahim prepared a lot to welcome our team by making several arrangements with his friends secretly. On that day, many people gathered there and ate food in their tents. Also, there was a soccer game featuring Korea vs. Portugal, and their thoughtful consideration of welcoming their guests to the desert with a TV to watch the game comfortably was seriously admirable and considerate. Korea won the match, so everyone cheered and liked it. We were spacing out while staring at the campfire, and enjoyed traditional boiled lamb, Saudi coffee, desserts, and desert tours covering vast areas. What are the odds of experiencing this in our lifetime? We were a lucky team, right?

We moved to Riyadh with a lot of memories after finishing the Al-Qassim events. In

Riyadh, we visited Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Health, the Korean Embassy, KOTRA, hospitals, and held meetings while working hard. More places welcomed us on our visit and wanted to have meetings with our team, but due to our busy schedule, we regrettably had to decline, promising to do so next time. Riyadh was fabulous. Various lights highlighted the splendor. Riyadh’s fashion was unique, and many women wore colorful clothes, not only black types, which we usually saw. There was a famous theme park in Riyadh which was Boulevard City. It was so grand that it caught our eyes at a glance, and we wondered, “Why is this place so big?” It was enormous enough to feel like a representative place of Saudi Arabia’s big investments and efforts to develop the tourism industry. It was a popular attraction not only for

▲ Boulevard Riyadh City

▲ Al-Qassim Winter Festival.

Saudi Arabians but also for people from Europe and nearby Middle Eastern countries.

Riyadh’s night was a light that did not turn off. Many people wanted to enjoy the good weather of this season until dawn. As for our official business in Riyadh, we had the pleasure of visiting KOTRA and the Korean Embassy. We felt that it was our pride as a global platform connecting the future of Korea and Saudi Arabia and a hub for diplomatic activities that further strengthened the relationship between the two countries. We would like to thank Ambassador Park Joon-yong, Minister Counselor Geon Gyu-suk, Commercial Section Officer Waleed, Riyadh KOTRA Director Kim Do-sik, Riyadh KOTRA Deputy Director Jun Seung-yul, and Riyadh KOTRA Manager Kim Tae-min for helping our team keep schedules and do business smoothly in Saudi Arabia.

There were many difficulties while preparing for our business trip to Saudi Arabia. Nevertheless, we were able to finish our first successful visit to Saudi Arabia thanks to Dr. Haytham, our driver Kabir, Dr.

Ibrahim, Dr. Sultan, Dr. Michal, and Dr. Mohammed, all of whom helped us finish our journey, which was full of challenges and unexpected events, safely and on schedule. Chosun University Hospital will serve as a private medical diplomatic mission to promote the excellence of Korean medicine through Saudi Arabia’s medical staff training project and the Arabic Clinic, all in an effort to grow and develop with Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia is a must-visit place in your life. We recommend everyone go there.

The Author

community culture exchange communication sharing

Kim Mira was born and raised in Gwangju. She is currently working at the International Healthcare Center of Chosun University Hospital’s External Cooperation Team. She has a master’s degree in medical tourism management from Chosun University, and is now pursuing a doctorate degree. She actively interacts with people from various countries and cultures. As a person living in Gwangju, a global human rights city, she wants to play a role in protecting human rights and creating a beautiful society that can be respected.

GWANGJU INTERNATIONAL CENTER

For only 50,000 won/year, you help the GIC provide a space for exchanges for the local and international communities to learn and experience various cultures from around the world and to promote respect for diversity and inclusivity.

Bene�its as a GIC member:

Receive the Gwangju News every month by email. Priority for participation in programs. Get discounts on paid programs and space rentals.

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(61475) 5 Jungang-ro 196-beon-gil (Geumnam-ro 3-ga), Dong-gu, Gwangju, Korea Tel. 062-226-2732 Email. gic@gic.or.kr Web. www.gic.or.kr

Changing Perceptions on Dance

Couple Dance in General and Latin Dance in Particular

By Hong Nam-son and Jocelyn Wright

Singing is really not my thing, and casual group singing was not very typical in the culture I grew up in, so when I first arrived in South Korea, I was really surprised at how many noraebang (singing rooms) there were. I also found it strange when I heard stories about foreign friends being refused entry into night clubs or college-aged Koreans saying they didn’t go because they were “too old.” Dancing was a more popular and common activity among young (and not so young) adults in Canada. It was also something I enjoyed, even if I could not claim to be very good at it.

Fast-forward almost fifteen years, a Korean friend of mine, Professor Emeritus Hong Nam-son, who has been studying dance in Gwangju for a while now, is trying to establish a Latin dance culture in Mokpo. While many people seem curious about this, there also seems to be some resistance to and stereotypes about couple dance culture. To understand why this is so, and to raise awareness and possibly change perceptions about this social activity, I interviewed him for the Gwangju News.

Jocelyn Wright (JW): Hello and thanks for joining us here, Nam-son! Could you tell us a little about your dance background?

Hong Nam-son (HN): Until I was about forty years old, there was not really a couple dance culture in Korea. Couple dance was regarded as somewhat immoral. The first dancesport class started in my town, Muan, in 2005, but I couldn’t enroll alone. Back then, only married couples were allowed to register. I was only able to start couple dancing late in my life. When I was fifty-five, I began to learn

dancesport at the Center for Lifelong Education at Mokpo National University (MNU).

JW: Fascinating! So, you have been dancing for over a decade now, I guess. What can you dance? Did you specialize in one kind of dance or try a few?

HN: Well, since the first class, I have learned many kinds of dances. Dancesport usually consists of five standard and five Latin dances with a competitive element.

JW: Oh, have you competed?

HN: There is a Championship of Dancesport event in Mokpo every July: the Mokpo Beach Cup of Dancesport. Once, I won a silver medal, though it was not very competitive.

JW: I didn’t know that. Congratulations all the same! So, have you studied all 10 dancesport dances?

HN: Thanks! Well, I have learned all five Latin dances

▲ Dance party lesson.

(rumba, cha-cha, jive, samba, and pasodoble) as well as three standard dances (waltz, Vienna waltz, and tango). I have studied other kinds of dance, too: swing dance and traditional Korean dance (but this is not danced in pairs). These days, I am focusing on salsa, bachata, and Argentinian tango.

JW: Wow, that’s even more than I realized! Why do you think dancing is important? For me, it’s a holistic activity, since it allows us to engage the body, mind, and soul through physical exercise, social interaction, cultural learning, and artistic expression. How about you?

HN: A well-known psychologist, Abraham Maslow (1908–1970), said that humans have five categories of needs: physiological, safety, social, esteem, and self-actualization. When dancing, I feel all these needs are fulfilled at the same time. My ears listen happily to music. I feel safe in a cozy dance bar. I feel I am accepted by my friends. Many beginner dancers in my club respect me, and I am proud when I can lead a woman to dance gracefully.

JW: That all sounds really wonderful to me! So, why might many people in Korea feel uncomfortable doing couple dance?

HN: In Korean tradition, except for married couples, grownups were not supposed to touch someone of the opposite sex. The tradition is changing slowly. Some friends in my dance club still tell me that they have to conceal their dance life from their spouses, though. This seems to be the main reason why

Koreans feel uncomfortable.

JW: So, in your opinion, how can they overcome their discomfort and learn, for example, to appreciate Latin dance?

HN: To do is to get used to. Only if they are exposed to couple dance a little bit, can they understand that dancing is not a big deal. That is why I give free lessons – to encourage people to give it a try.

▲ Members after a regular lesson.

▲ Hong Nam-son teaching his first class at MNU in May 2020.

JW: You are one of the busiest people I know, but you still offer one of the best gifts there is: your time! It’s really kind and generous of you and so amazing for those of us who have experienced your classes! Could you share with readers what you have been doing to establish a Latin dance culture in Mokpo?

HN: In 2020, when you and your husband, Prabesh, asked me to teach you Latin dance, I opened a free dance class in a classroom at MNU. We started with salsa because it is one of the most common dances worldwide, but we also did bachata, which is a little easier. Since then, many residents from the surrounding area have joined us. Now, I’m teaching three different classes a week. I also held two dance parties last year, which were the first salsa dance events ever in Mokpo.

JW: And they were fantastic! The atmosphere was really friendly and supportive each time, never uncomfortable. What was also cool was that a partner from Gwangyang also organized a party with us in between! All of these events were aimed at beginner to low-intermediate dancers, and they started with some lessons, included a meal, and finished with a free dance, which allowed participants to try out their new skills or further develop what they had previously learned. In your view, how important is it to have events to encourage beginners?

HN: Lessons alone can be boring. Beginners may lose interest if there is no stimulation like dance parties. At the same time, they can feel intimidated if everyone else is already much better than they are

– this is especially true for men who typically bear more responsibility as the leaders in Latin dance.

JW: Right! Stimulating events and practice opportunities that are within what Lev Vygotsky (1886–1934) called their “zone of proximal development” are so necessary! Now, if anyone is interested, how can they learn more?

HN: In Cheonggye, Muan, there are free Latin dance classes on Thursday afternoons and Friday evenings. I also operate a paid salsa class in Mokpo on Saturday afternoons. Interested readers can feel free to call or text me at 010-3554-2617.

JW: Of course, there seem to be more and more opportunities to learn Latin dance in other nearby cities, with Gwangju maybe being the biggest hub, right?

HN: Yes, it’s possible to learn Latin (and other) dances here and elsewhere in Jeonnam (Suncheon, Gwangyang, Yeosu…), in addition to other major cities in Korea.

JW: I recall hearing about a Cuban dance party recently in Suncheon that sounded really fun and successful! These events are so exciting and maybe motivation to travel around a bit more and meet new people. Well, thank you so much for joining me in this interview and for everything you do for our local communities as a passionate dance teacher and enthusiastic cultural leader!

HN: It was a great honor for me. I have enjoyed talking about dance. I also appreciate that you and Prabesh have been by my side as we work on establishing a Latin dance culture in Mokpo/Muan.

The Authors

Professors Hong Nam-son from Korea and Jocelyn Wright from Canada have been good friends for about 13 years. They met at Mokpo National University, where they were colleagues in the Departments of Business Administration and English Language and Literature, respectively, until Nam-son retired a few years ago. Their first mutual interest was tennis, but they later began participating in the same Spanish club (and later teaching Spanish), and started Latin dance together in Mokpo/Muan. However, those are only a few of their common interests!

▲ Participants posing together at a dance party.

Looking for a Coursebook

By David Shaffer

Anew session is beginning at your school, and you need to select a coursebook for the EFL course that you will be teaching. What to do? Go to the ELT bookstore in your area to check out the coursebooks available. It would be easier to go online to look for and look at books, but online samples are very limited in scope, and at a bookstore you have all the books in one place to easily make comparisons. And you have bookstore staff to answer any questions that you may have.

GENERAL APPEARANCE

So, now that you are at the bookstore, what do you look for in a coursebook best suited for the class of students that you will be teaching? You pick up a book and start flipping through it, checking if its general appearance is appealing. Is it appealing to you? That is important, yes, but also ask yourself if you think it will be appealing to your students, as the lack of visual appeal can negatively affect student motivation. Is the coursebook up to date? You can check the copyright date, but even if that is recent, the contents may not be. If you see words in the text such as blackboard, tape recorder, pager, and floppy disk, it likely is dated in content. Looking at the description that a coursebook has of itself – often on the back cover – can be helpful, but also check if the contents match that carefully crafted and appealing cover hype.

If you are satisfied with all of the above, are you ready to make a decision? Do not rush. As you have the book in hand, check its technical qualities. Will it survive the course in good condition: strong cover, quality paper? Is the print easy to read for the level of students? Are the color illustrations and general

layout appealing – not just for you but from a student point of view?

APPROPRIATENESS

All seem quite acceptable? Good, but do not head to the cashier yet. Remember that the selection of the best coursebook available will make teaching for you and learning for your students much more enjoyable and efficient. If you are teaching in this part of the world – in Korea, for example – check on the culture aspects of the coursebook. Since many of the major ELT publishing houses are Western based and many authors are Western oriented, it is easy for coursebooks to have an overly Western weight. Do the characters in the book include people who your students can identify with and cultural aspects that they are familiar with?

If the cultural aspects are appropriate, we might next look at the appropriateness of the materials in the lessons. A unit on love and marriage (“Aargh!”) may not be appealing to young learners, and they may not be eager to roleplay an elderly person. Is the language focus – the vocabulary items, chunks, and structural patterns – at the appropriate level for your students’ proficiency? Also, check on the appropriateness of the activities in the lessons. Would a class of adult beginners want to be singing the Alphabet Song to learn their ABCs?

MOTIVATING MATERIALS

Motivation is a major factor in language learning. Though much motivation can be instructor related, much can also come from the coursebook selected. Are authentic or near-authentic materials still at the students’ proficiency level, and are they current in

content? Are the materials intrinsically interesting –Would the students be, for example, more interested in country-western music or K-pop? Do the materials relate to the students’ lived experiences? Is there a lot of variety in topics and in the pace of activities? Especially with young learners, it is helpful to have rapidly moving activities interspersed with more sedentary ones (“stirrers” interspersed with “settlers”) for classroom management. Are the activities interactive – not just interactive with the teacher but with student-to-student interaction, and possibly interaction with the community? Are the activities of a problem-solving nature (such as task-based activities), and do they encourage autonomous learning?

METHODOLOGY

Check on the methodology, or methodologies, that the coursebook espouses. Does it follow a currently widely accepted methodology such as task-based learning or project-based learning, or an eclectic combination, as opposed to an out-dated methodology such as the audio-lingual method of the 1960–1970s? Is the methodology one that students are familiar with or can easily adapt to? Korean students, for example, are more accustomed to being passive participants in the classroom rather than interacting and collaborating with others in problem-solving activities.

MACRO- AND MICROSKILLS

The balance among the macroskills – listening, speaking, reading, and writing – and the balance among the microskills – pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, spelling, etc. – as well as the balance between the macro- and microskills is also an important consideration in coursebook selection. Although whole language learning is promoted these days, it is often the case that a teacher will be required to teach a course on one of the macroskills, such as writing. In such a case, too, it is important that the coursebook incorporates reading, listening, and speaking skills to a certain degree. In Korea, due to the influence of outdated teaching methods, young learner materials often get an inordinate amount of emphasis on grammar. Check that the coursebook in hand does not do this and that is does provide an appropriate balance among the language learning skills for your course and for your students. One skill that teachers and coursebooks often overlook is language learning strategies. Check that the coursebook also introduces helpful strategies for the students to employ to become more efficient and more autonomous language learners.

Another balancing act that a good general EFL coursebook will succeed at is between fluency and accuracy activities. Both are quite necessary but should not interfere with each other; for instance,

the correction of grammar errors should not be a major concern when the focus of an activity is on improving spoken fluency. Communicative strategies are also important for students to learn to become effective communicators. Knowing when and how to change the topic of conversation or when and how to interject oneself into another’s ongoing utterance is both a linguistic and social skill. A good coursebook will also introduce such strategies.

INTRODUCING…

Check how new material, whether vocabulary or grammar, is introduced in the coursebook. To be most effective, it will be introduced in a context, making it easier to understand and easier to remember . Check also if there are sufficient activities to practice the new material and if that material is recycled in subsequent units. The gradation in the introduction of new material should be gradual, not too quickly increasing in degree of difficulty, yet not too slow. For example, one would not want their coursebook to introduce eat and drink in one lesson and jump to vocabulary such as appendicitis and colectomy in the next.

off language skills that they have achieved as they achieve them, or periodic checks on new material in the form of quizzes. Coursebooks need to offer students some form of feedback so that the learner can recognize and measure their language learning improvement.

WAIT!

So, that EFL coursebook that you picked up seems to adequately fulfill the requirements set out above. But do not make your coursebook decision just yet. There are other coursebooks for the same proficiency level by different publishers – and often by the same publisher – in the bookstore for you to scrutinize and compare. If the coursebook selection is small, you may wish to visit several other bookstores to make your book comparisons, including price comparisons. Once you are satisfied that you have conducted a good comparison and made the best decision, then it is time to walk up to the counter and arrange with the attendant the coursebook for your class. The attendant will be glad, and in the end, you will be gratified, and your students will be pleased.

Credit: Thinking image – Freepik.com.

INTERACTION

The importance of interaction should not be underestimated. After all, language use is the interaction of two or more persons. While some individual work is useful in the classroom, we would like for a coursebook to put focus on pair work, group work, and even whole-class work where students interact in true dialogue to communicate a real message. Such interaction also creates a sense of community which, in turn, creates a more nonthreatening environment for the students.

ASSESSMENT

What coursebooks often lack are forms of student assessment. These could include self-assessment in the form of can-do statements, where students check

David Shaffer has been involved in TEFL, teacher training, writing, and research in Gwangju for many years, almost totally as a professor at Chosun University. As vicepresident of the Gwangju-Jeonnam 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. Dr. Shaffer is a past president of KOTESOL and is currently the editor-in-chief of the Gwangju News.

GWANGJU-JEONNAM KOTESOL UPCOMING EVENTS

Gwangju-Jeonnam Chapter Workshop

• Topic: Linking Photography with Teaching

• Date: March 11, 2023

• Venue: Gwangju National University of Education

Check the Chapter’s webpages and Facebook group periodically for updates on chapter events and other online and in-person KOTESOL activities.

For full event details:

• Website: http://koreatesol.org/gwangju

• Facebook: Gwangju-Jeonnam KOTESOL

The Author

Everyday Korean

Episode 63 등잔 밑이 어둡다.

It’s Darkest Under the Lamp

By Harsh Kumar Mishra

The Conversation

지수: 혹시 그거 알아? 미국에서 큰 건물이 무너져서 많은 사람들이

다쳤대.

Jisoo: Do you know what? A large building collapsed in the United States and many people got injured.

정민: 아 그래요? 제가 외국 뉴스를 잘 못 봐서 모르겠는데 광주에서도

그러지 않았어요?

Jeongmin: Oh, is that so? I didn’t know about that, as I don’t usually watch foreign news, but didn’t something like that happen in Gwangju, too?

지수: 광주에서 건물 무너진 일이 있었어?

Jisoo: A building collapsed in Gwangju?

정민: 등잔 밑이 어둡다더니 우리나라 소식보다 외국 일을 더 잘

아네요.

Jeongmin: As they say, “it’s darkest under the lamp” – you seem to know more about foreign affairs than about Korea.

지수: 놀리지 마. 미국인 친구가 고향에서 그런 일이 일어났다고 해서

알아

Jisoo: Quit teasing me. I know because an American friend said something like that happened in her hometown. 정민

Jeongmin: I’m kidding. A building under construction collapsed in Gwangju, but fortunately no one was seriously injured.

지수: 다친 사람 없다니 다행이네.

Jisoo: Glad that no one was hurt.

Grammar & Vocabulary

~더니: This grammar point is a connective ending used with verbs and adjectives that indicate a subsequent action or situation about a fact learned from observation in the past.

Ex: 작년부터 열심히 공부하더니 공무원 시험을

He studied hard from last year and cracked the civil service exam.

등잔 밑이 어둡다: This frequently used proverb literally means “it’s dark under the lamp” and is used to point out that a person is unaware of things close to them.

Ex: 등잔 밑이 어둡다더니

한참 찾았어

휴대폰을 주머니에 넣고

As they say, “it’s dark under the lamp” – I was searching for my phone here and there only to find out that it was in my pocket.

등잔: lamp, 밑: under, 어둡다: to be dark, 미국: USA, 건물: building, 무너지다: to collapse, 다치다: to get hurt/injured, 소식: news, 놀리다: to make fun of, 고향: hometown, 농담: joke, 공사: construction, 다행히: fortunately

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.

How Can We Serve Better in the Classroom?

The Prepared Environment of Maria Montessori

By Kim Yul

When Maria Montessori opened the original Montessori school in Rome in 1907, she observed what she called the “the absorbent mind” of children. She realized that children have a constant interest in absorbing knowledge and manipulating materials from their surroundings and that, given the right tools, they can learn through the tools by themselves more than anyone else.

The reason that children work or study right after they get into the classroom is that they have curiosity. Curiosity and wonder, so evident in the enthusiasm of young children and so much a part of their life, are expressions of the basic human emotion of interest. Interest is vital to emotional health in childhood, and it remains critical throughout life. Without interest, there is no curiosity, no exploration, and no real learning. Interest may be a child’s first emotion, and this first emotion always leads children to a new world.

Infants show intense interest in something, and that is why they kick inside their mothers’ wombs. They become interested in things that are colorful, moving, beautiful, rhythmic, or harmonious. Young children are also quick to indulge their curiosity and interest in their parents’ lives. Sometimes they copy the adults around them, using the tools they see in many different ways, in an effort to figure out how to use them. They use their memories to find out the right way to use the tools, and if it does not work, they pretend it does work. These behaviors are all about their interest. They are always willing to satisfy their curiosity, interest, and will. In the Montessori classroom, they are working to fulfill their needs, including their interest and curiosity.

Maria Montessori emphatically declared that “the prepared environment” is very important for a student’s development. She believed that “The environment must be rich in motives which lend interest to activity and invite the child to conduct his own experiences,” (Montessori, 1995). All students are natural learners, and they naturally know how to do something. A child is a complete human with incredible abilities and has been created with infinite potential. Children are working toward overall happiness, self-confidence, and discipline when they are allowed to follow their inborn needs. They enjoy repeating activities over and over until their inborn need is fulfilled, and they are excited and energized through the work they do. As teachers, we need to find and research their needs and develop effective ways to provide an appropriate environment for them.

Children exercise their ability to learn when their physical needs, psychological stability, and safety are fully met. The educational environment of young children should be different from that of adults. They cannot sit at a desk for a long time. More active and diverse activities should be offered to them. The various activities provide observation and movement for their learning, and when children accept them in the perfect space for their needs, they promote their own development.

The Author

Kim Yul is originally from Gwangju and has taught in Cincinnati, Ohio, for many years. He is a Montessori elementary school teacher who believes education can change the world.

My Experience

Volunteering Online with UNESCO-KONA

By Shilpa Rani

I have had the privilege of being a part of UNESCO-KONA’s volunteer family since 2014, while I was a Ph.D. scholar at the Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST). The concept of learning through stories is something that had fascinated me about the KONA system. I returned back to India in mid-2018 after graduation. In 2020, when the pandemic hit and learning/teaching platforms moved online, it did not matter where in the world we were, as we could still connect. I reconnected with KONA and started my volunteering journey again.

The pandemic had brought like-minded KONA volunteers back together, this time via Zoom. Volunteers from Korea (KONA-families), India (myself), Canada (Kevan), other volunteers residing in Korea from Japan (Yoshiko), Bangladesh (Nayan), the U.S.A. (Alex), India (Shikha), children from Gwangju Children’s Home, and senior citizens in Gwangju all participate in a Zoom call from their respective homes on the day of volunteering. We split into breakout rooms and do the activities assigned for the day. Although we follow a strict curriculum, there is a lot of fun in between. The sessions begin with some physical exercise or meditation, and then we slowly begin our learning process. It is a pleasure to watch how Kim Yo-han, Kim Hae-ji, Kim Woo-young, Park Kil-su, and Lee Ha-yul from Gwangju Children’s Home are growing steadily and blossoming into more confident people.

This year I had the opportunity to support KONA volunteering through my active participation in content development with a presentation on 15 various Korean historical aspects which were to be introduced to students in Côte d’Ivoire (West Africa). Although I did not meet the African students in person, I know that my small contribution helped. During my research process, I was able to learn a lot about Korea and its culture. To list a few, they include the connections between the ganggangsullae dance performed in a circle by school children to this day and its association with the story of Admiral Yi Sunshin, as well as the scientific basis for the Korean language formed by King Sejong. I talk to people in my country about Korea’s rich heritage and culture when I am approached with conversations around K-pop or K-dramas. Foreign volunteers also share about their culture during the Saturday sessions with children.

I have also had the opportunity to engage with senior citizens who are interested in story mapping as a method of learning. Their zeal to learn and explore surprises me. I cherish my time with them.

We must be willing to share what we individually have of value with the rest of the world. You may never know how you are impacting someone’s life.

Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.

– Benjamin Franklin

“Volunteering for the Joy I Give and Receive”

Orating a Korean Folktale During the 2022 GIC Week

By Ha Hye-soon

Hello, I am Ha Hye-soon, a teacher who likes children and likes to read books. My daughter is now a freshman in college, but she learned English through stories at the KONA Storybook Center when she was in the second grade of elementary school. Now I have taken it up as a challenge to learn English and try my best with all my heart. I have known about the Gwangju International Community Week (GIC Week) event because my daughter volunteered there in the past. But unlike then, it was more meaningful to participate in this event this year under my own name, and not as a parent.

The venue for the event was around the May 18 Democratic Plaza, where several teams participated in the GIC Week event. I made puppets for fairy tale characters and practiced a lot with my family before the event. On the day of the event, I decorated my booth with national flags and traditional fairy tale books, arranged tables, and prepared even more for the event. During the event, many citizens showed great interest, and the UNESCO-KONA booth was very crowded. I enjoyed the visits of parents and young friends who are interested in English.

I orated the traditional Korean fairy tale The Rabbit’s Liver and encouraged participation by interpreting Korean slowly or quickly depending on the target, and sometimes alternately reading one line with the visitors. In the story, a brave Turtle went out to find a rabbit living on land because it needed its liver to heal the sick Dragon King. The Rabbit who came to the palace tricked and ran away to land again. It is an interesting story to learn the wisdom of the Rabbit, and it was so fun and enjoyable for young friends to listen to it with interest and react as if they were a rabbit. After the event, my throat hurt because I was orating so excitedly. I did not realize it then, but it was a really happy time. I was so glad to read fairy tales to my friends from Gwangju Children’s Home whom I had met at the children’s English library and asked how they were doing. One of my friends told me that he wanted to go to America because he wanted to learn English and know American culture.

Volunteering seems like service to others, but the joy and gratitude that came back to me in the end were also great. It was a precious day to adorn the history of our KONA Center that everyone helps make together. Thank you to all the participants who are part of the UNESCO-KONA family. I want to continue to volunteer for the joy I give and receive.

Resource Circulation The Evolution of Unwanted Clothes

By Hyunhwa Chung

Joseph Had a Little Overcoat, by Eric Carl, is a story about a man who changed his worn overcoat to a jacket, a vest, a scarf, a tie, and a button at the end, instead of throwing it away. When I was little, people would repair clothes, knit from old sweaters, and fix holes in socks. Those times are quite over.

I watched a shocking documentary about clothing waste. According to statistics, over 180 billion pieces of clothing are consumed every year steadily, except for 2020 and 2021 because of Covid-19, which is over 22 pieces per person on Earth. Out of this, 33 billion pieces, or four pieces per person – babies included – become waste, and quite a large amount of clothes out of these 33 billion pieces are thrown away unused because they were either unsold or just bought and never worn. The apparel market is set to grow in the following years despite this situation. The documentary pointed out that SNSs were playing a part in this because clothes were bought only for one or two pictures for SNS postings. This is only possible because of the fast fashion industry that supplies clothing items at such low prices.

So what? We have clothing collection boxes standing on corners of our neighborhoods. Who put the boxes there? Yes, in Korea, local district governments have the authority to put them there, and their contractor companies actually do the collection and use them to make a profit from the donations. This allows the districts to take care of

clothing waste, and the contractors make profits. About 40 percent are selected first for domestic secondhand shops, and the rest of these worn or unworn clothes are compressed and exported to other countries mostly in Africa. In markets such as those in Ghana or Kenya, about 40 percent of the imported secondhand clothes are sold, and the rest are burnt or just thrown away anywhere, much to our surprise. The clothes create mountains on land or drift into rivers, creating serious pollution there. These countries are not able to handle such great amounts of clothing waste, and learning this made me feel terrible.

I stopped buying new clothes three years ago to reduce plastic usage since most clothes contain PE plastic, and there were other environmental issues shaping my decision, too, including water consumption. (One T-shirt uses 2,700 liters of water to produce. ) I decided to minimize buying new clothes and live on what I already had. This was not difficult – in fact, it was easy. It saved me time and money, and clothing repair became one of my new projects. The old clothes became material, not waste.

▲ Australian Tiles from unwanted clothes: https://www.smh.com. au/national/how-to-make-new-buildings-from-old-clothes-20181211p50lgh.html

Fixing clothes or upcycling is good at the personal level, but thinking of the massive amount of abandoned clothes outside, I wondered if there were any solutions. I searched for what other people who care about this situation do to help with utilizing fabric waste resources.

Some companies with more sense of responsibility started using unsold clothes they would have discarded before to create new clothes. This was a bigger version of my repair project. Some other companies shred their clothing waste to make cheap, unwoven fabric that can be used for agriculture or construction. There are trials to produce rewoven fabric out of fabric waste, but I do not think this is very effective because it involves chemical processes or too much energy consumption.

The most innovative upcycling idea I found so far is creating products for architectural purposes. The first company that got my attention is run by Dr. Sahajwalla in Australia and makes ceramic tiles out of fabric waste. Another is a Swedish company named BAUX, which is producing acoustic insulation out of fabric waste. After finding these, I wondered if I could find such products in Korea. Whoa! I found one company that sounded amazing: Sejin Plus. This company produces beautiful panels from fabric waste. There is a sample house in Chungbuk Province entirely built with the company’s “Plusnel” products. What is more astonishing is that these products are manufactured by workers who have disabilities. This is because Mr. Park Jun-yeong, the CEO, is a parent of a child with a disability. He was awarded as the 2021 Contributor to Korean Society. I really think he is the biggest winner.

I tried searching for businesses like this in Gwangju. I even called City Hall, but sadly there are no recycling businesses that use fabric waste as material yet. I asked if there were any subsidies to encourage these upcycling startups or businesses, but at the moment there are none, and the public officer on the phone said that the rigidness of the system, the laws, and the policies are the obstacles to the innovation to convert waste into new resources.

So, what can we do? Having a personal goal of reducing clothing waste by consuming just enough is great. Exchanging clothes or buying secondhand clothes when necessary is good for not stimulating more apparel production. (This is good for your wallet as well.) Also, we have to raise our voices so that governments will try to have more constructive solutions rather than hiring companies to find a landfill in other countries unethically. We should try to take care of our own waste instead of passing it on to someone else’s yard. If it can create jobs, too, it will be super.

Some say without consumption, there is no economy. I am not saying we should not consume, but we should not overconsume so we can have a future. I miss the time when we could see the Milky Way and the floating fireflies on summer nights without worrying about the rising sea level. I wonder what Joseph would think of seeing the mountains of discarded clothes in Africa.

(If you would like to read more about the companies and their products in this article, please refer to the links under the pictures.)

The Author

Chung Hyun-hwa is from Gwangju and is currently leading Gwangju Hikers, an international eco-hike group at the GIC, and getting ready to teach the Korean language. Previously, she taught English in different settings, including Yantai American School and Yantai Korean School in China, and has worked for the Jeju school administration at Branksome Hall Asia in recent years. She holds a master’s degree in TESOL from TCNJ in the U.S.

▲ Swedish sound absorbing panels from old fabric: https://www.baux.com/

Golden ’Taties

By Julian Warmington

The humble potato is the global village’s most unassuming super food. Buried just below the surface of the soil as they grow, the French call them “apples of earth,” and as with apples, it is basically impossible to eat too many. Despite developing within the dirt, potatoes are amazingly healthy – until, that is, they are deep fried and covered in greasy cheese and awfully oily butter.

Andrew “Spud Fit” Taylor was obese and clinically depressed until he decided to eat nothing but potatoes and sweet potatoes for the year of 2016. He recorded and presented his meals on YouTube from his home in Australia. By the end of the year, he had lost 53 kilograms (117 pounds), his doctor had taken him off his depression meds. Perhaps even more surprisingly, despite never adding cheese or butter, he also never

got sick of eating the same thing for every meal, every day: He still loved eating potatoes!

Inspired by Aussie Andrew’s awesome example, I wondered: How can potatoes best be cooked that preserves both their flavor and nutritional value? I found baking potatoes best, using just a few simple, healthy herbs and spices to bring out their fullest flavor.

INGREDIENTS

• Potatoes and/or sweet potatoes

• Black pepper (freshly ground if possible)

• Turmeric

• Thyme

• Red pepper powder, or chilli powder

Add ingredients, put the lid on, and shake ’em all about!

INSTRUCTIONS

Turn on your oven to 180 degrees Celsius to warm up.

Prepare the potatoes by cleaning as much as possible and then peeling them as little as possible. Cut into your favorite shapes: halves, quarters, wedges, or smaller.

Place your prepared potatoes in a plastic bread bag, a plastic container with a lid, or even a pot with a lid. Sprinkle the other ingredients over the top sparingly, then close the plastic bag or put the lid on your container and shake around to mix up the ingredients evenly.

If your oven tray is not non-stick, put a small amount of cooking oil in the center of it. It need only be about the size of a coin. Use the straight edge of a piece of potato to spread out the oil to the edges of the tray. Then put the potatoes in the tray.

Cook for about 45 minutes or less, turning the potatoes over or shaking the tray to turn them around every ten or 15 minutes.

Serve with cracked pepper mustard, just a little tomato sauce (or what those funny folks from the USA call “ketchup”), or a sprinkle of nutritional yeast over the top.

HINTS

• To test whether the pieces of potato are cooked yet, stab them in the middle with a knife and lift straight up off the tray. If they slide down your knife back onto the tray, they are cooked properly. If they stay stuck on the end of your knife, they need a little longer.

• For greater variety, include other vegetables such as carrots, pumpkin, or even cauliflower.

• The flavour comes mostly from the black pepper and thyme. It is the combination of the black pepper and turmeric that gives this recipe its other major health benefit alongside the nutrition of the potato: black pepper and turmeric together provide the best anti-inflammatory effect known to modern science.

• It will take experimenting to find the right amounts of the extra ingredients to best suit your preferred taste. The first time you try this recipe, err on the side of caution and use less, especially of the turmeric. Potatoes do have their own creamy flavour anyway, which simply baking helps highlight.

The Author

Julian Warmington taught for twenty years at the university level in South Korea, half of which he spent in Gwangju. His favourite movies are Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret (2014) and What the Health?! (2017), his favourite recipe book is Thrive (2007), by Brendan Brazier, and, he misses all the veggies of downtown Gwangju’s peagbun and bunsik restaurants.

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Use the straight edge of a wedge of potato to smooth out the oil evenly all across your baking tray.

Potatoes, ready for baking.

Hot and tasty Golden Potatoes, ready for eating!

Bewilderment

Reviewed by Michael Attard

Richard Powers’ first book was published in 1985. His twelfth novel, The Overstory, released in 2018, won the Pulitzer Prize and was a #1 New York Times best seller. Bewilderment is his thirteenth book.

Theo and Robin are a bereaved father and son. Their wife and mother, respectively, was recently killed in a car accident. The untimely tragedy might be presumed to be the basis for the characters’ psychological struggle. This woman, Alyssa, is presented as almost saintly, as a philosophical ideal, as someone whose unselfishness could serve as a model for how to save the world. And this is the broader story. It is not about losing a wonderful, loved person, it is about losing the planet and all the bewildering life that inhabits this speck in the universe.

Theo is an astrobiologist, and his work involves simulating life that might exist on planets that are being discovered. Robin is only nine years old, but like his father, he is amazed at “the outrageous size of emptiness.” Theo wants to know that another world is alive. It seems that Theo is having a difficult time in finding meaning in the emptiness, or perhaps more succinctly, the nothingness. Robin relates to his father’s quest but has no trouble understanding that all life on Earth has incredible meaning. In fact,

it is the inexorable sprint by humankind toward the death of our planet that has created an eco-trauma for Robin.

Robin has troubles at school, and the involved authorities are quick to come up with a multitude of diagnoses and pharmaceutical suggestions. Theo will not agree to any such thing and says, “I developed my own crackpot theory: Life is something we need to stop correcting.”

An activity that helps Robin relax is listening to his father tell stories about his planetary simulations. Incredible worlds where, paradoxically, life can abound: “where science knew it could not live.” These science fiction-like accounts could not always distract Robin from his distress at what humans are doing to the Earth. This deep-thinking young boy thought that, perhaps, searching for life on other planets is futile. After all, we probably will not be here.

Throughout the book, the author describes several of Theo’s planets. While I did not find these sections of interest, it struck me later that, possibly, these wildly different planets were a metaphor for people. We all have our idiosyncrasies, which make us truly unique. It does not necessarily mean that something is wrong with us, right?

"It is not about losing a wonderful, loved person, it is about losing the planet and all the bewildering life that inhabits this speck in the universe."

The storyline revolves around Robin and his attempt to wake up the world. From drawings of endangered species to holding up protest posters in front of government buildings, much like his mother had done, Robin is clear on his mission. But his sensitive nature leads him to be prone to anger and utter frustration, even if he is the only one who gets hurt.

This leads his father, through an acquaintance, to allow Robin to try a form of neurofeedback. The researcher explains that this is “an assistive procedure,” a kind of behavioral modification program. As the researcher explained, “We train him how to attend to and control his own feelings.” There is an interesting twist to the story in that the researcher had previously collected and stored neurofeedback data on Robin’s mother. In one sense, she becomes his therapist. It may sound like the book has an element of science fiction, but there are currently many studies underway looking into how neurofeedback might serve as an emotional treatment for psychiatric disorders.

Theo could see the changes in Robin. “He was quicker to laugh now, slower to flare. More playful when frustrated. He sat still and listened to the birds at dusk.”

A portion of the fictitious story describes a shortsighted government bent on a self-serving agenda which has little use for anything not immediately providing monetary reward. Freedoms are being curtailed, there are fires and droughts, and there is a brain contagion among Texas cows. For Theo, it means the cancelation of funds for a telescope that would change our knowledge of the universe. For Robin, it meant the end of his trial neurofeedback therapy.

Robin regresses to an unhappy state: “a troubled boy, hurt by seeing what the sleepwalking world could not.” And Robin did see well – very well. He just could not understand how humans developed the habit of turning a blind eye toward what does not immediately affect them.

The author believes that we should be bewildered by the expanse of life that surrounds us. Perhaps if we slow down, even a little, we will come to realize that we are smaller than we think and assume a humbler

role as steward rather than master.

Robin and Theo go camping in the wilderness. Even there, far from people, they see pain imposed upon nature. Robin goes into the cold water in an attempt to help.

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.

The Author

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.

The Mysterious Case of the Missing Hiker

By Yu Ges-hu

Detective Johnny McGruff was a seasoned detective from North America who was in Gwangju, South Korea, for a short vacation. He had always been fascinated with South Korean culture and could not wait to explore the city. As he was walking down Geumnam Street, he noticed a commotion near the ACC in downtown Gwangju. Curiosity getting the better of him, he made his way over to the crowd to see what was happening.

Jessica Kim, a famous Instagram influencer from Gwangju, was in the middle of the crowd, frantically trying to find her friend who had gone missing while hiking in Mudeung Mountain. She was in tears as she explained the situation to the police officers who had arrived on the scene.

Detective McGruff was quick to offer his assistance and introduced himself to Jessica. After gathering all the details, the detective began his investigation by visiting the site where the hiker had last been seen. He carefully examined the area and found several clues that suggested that the hiker had not gone missing by accident.

The detective decided to pay a visit to the First Alleyway Restaurant, located at the foot of Mudeung

Mountain, where the hiker had stopped for a meal before embarking on his hike. He found out from the restaurant owner that the hiker had been acting strangely and was talking to himself. The owner also mentioned that the hiker had left behind a backpack which he had not come back to retrieve.

With this new information, Detective McGruff continued his investigation on the mountain. He found the backpack near a cliff, and upon further inspection, discovered that it had been torn open. The detective deduced that the hiker had been attacked, and that his attacker had taken something from the backpack.

Detective McGruff returned to Jessica with this new information and asked her if she knew what her friend had been carrying in the backpack. Jessica revealed that her friend was an archaeologist who had recently discovered a rare artifact and was on his way to donate it to the museum of ancient history.

The detective realized that the artifact must have been what the attacker was after, so it was imperative to find it before it was lost forever. He decided to search the surrounding area for any leads.

After hours of searching, Detective McGruff found a man lurking near a hidden entrance on Mudeung Mountain. The man was identified as the attacker and had the artifact in his possession. The detective apprehended the man and brought him back to the police station for questioning.

It was revealed that the attacker was a member of a notorious criminal gang who had been trying to obtain the artifact for months. They had planned to sell it on the black market for millions of dollars. With the help of Detective McGruff, the artifact was finally donated to the museum of ancient history, and the hiker was rescued.

Hasta La Vista, Old Man Winter!

By Park Nahm-Sheik

Spring is already in the pipeline. Avian messengers cum couriers of the season will soon appear in our skies. Among other birds of that ilk, swallows will be sighted here and there, almost always in pairs. As birds go, they are exceptionally smart. Smart enough to be able to fly across seemingly endless stretches of ferocious ocean. And smart enough to make their way back to the exact same nests they called home the previous year and settle back in those homes of yesteryear they had gone to such lengths to build. Sometimes after fixing them up a bit as necessary. As is the case with us humans, home is apparently where the heart is for these migratory avian pals of ours as well.

Jessica was overjoyed when she heard the news and thanked Detective McGruff for his efforts. The detective was content knowing that justice had been served and the artifact was safe.

From that day on, Detective McGruff had a newfound appreciation for Gwangju, South Korea. He knew that this city had a lot to offer, and he was grateful to have had the opportunity to explore it and solve a mystery at the same time.

Pictures generated by openai.com.

The Author

This story was written by ChatGPT with minimal input from the Gwangju News team.

“When January and February are gone and March comes around, swallows come back home from their southern abodes” goes a much-beloved pop tune from the pre-Liberation era. Going all the way back to 1929, this song reputedly helped light a fire under the then rooting-and-spreading pro-liberation sentiment, a wistful yearning for a country freed from the Japanese colonial choke hold.

Admittedly, the dates mentioned in the song here are all lunar. Whether or not they are lunar does not really seem to make that much of a difference, however, mind you. Any way you slice it, spring is a marvelous time in more ways than one. Above all, it is a time overflowing with life, beauty, and magic. It is a time of rebirth and renaissance, of revival and resurrection, and of freedom and liberty even. It is truly when we can afford to relish the first fresh breath of liberation from Jack Frost’s long and relentless reign of terror.

It is also worth noting here that the month of March

begins with a day of great historical significance. The First of March celebrates the full-on rollout of the Independence Movement of 1919. At twelve noon on that historic day, wave upon wave of ordinary citizens flooded out of their respective neighborhoods like in a storm surge and took to the streets chanting “Long live Korean independence!” and “Down with Japanese colonialism!” The loud and clear demand here was that Japan honor Korea’s sovereignty and leave the country alone as the sole architect of its destiny. This demand fed off the then trending premise of national self-determination vis-a-vis international relations.

Toning down our discussion a bit here, shall we now advert to the balmy season currently in the offing. The greenery of spring will soon be carpeting the fields all around. As you know, Gyeongchip (경칩) falls on March 6 this year. A major herald of the season, it is supposedly when creatures, holed up all winter, begin waking up from their hibernating ‘dens’ to finally come into the open. About a fortnight behind gyeongchip is its near neighbor Chunbun (춘분, the vernal equinox). By now, the arrival of spring is just

a matter of time. A happy gyeongchip and an even happier chunbun to you all!

It is always a joy watching everything around us coming so miraculously back to life in spring. The wonder of wonders is that all this priceless treat is completely for free to all. The sprouting greenery is so very refreshing and reinvigorating. Celebration of spring is celebration of life itself, is it not? Quoth Robin Williams of vintage TV’s Mork & Mindy fame, “Spring is nature’s way of saying ‘Let’s party.’” That said, the GIC itself more than deserves a spring break to party (up) with the entire GwangjuJeonnam community. More power to the GIC! And God bless the intercultural crusade of the Center!

Author

Park Nahm-Sheik has a BA in English from Chonnam National University, an MA in linguistics from the University of Hawaii, and a PhD in applied linguistics from Georgetown University. He is now a professor emeritus after a long and illustrious career at Seoul National University.

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C R O S S W O R D P U Z Z L E

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1 Womans university in Seoul

2 Brig o’ ___

3 Hot rum drink

4 Myeongseong

5 Environmental damage

6 Exclamation at sea

7 Chest bone

8 Germanic mythological creature

9 Thin high heel

10 China’s first imperial dynasty

11 POSCO's terminal in Gwangyang

17 Soon-rye or Jae-bum

19 Precursor of DMs

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