From the Editor

October 2021, Issue 236 Published: October 1, 2021

Cover Photo

Gabriela Ramos

WHRCF 2021 Plenary Speaker

THE EDITORIAL TEAM

Publisher Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Chief Copy Editor Layout Editor Photographer Copy Editing Online Editor Content Support

Dr. Shin Gyonggu Dr. David E. Shaffer William Urbanski Isaiah Winters Karina Prananto Kim Hillel Yunkyoung Joey Nunez, David Foster Karina Prananto Melline Galani

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 ©2021 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.

The Gwangju News is published by the Gwangju International Center: Jungang-ro 196-beon-gil 5 (Geumnam-ro 3-ga), Dong-gu, Gwangju 61475, South Korea Tel: (+82)-62-226-2733~34 Fax: (+82)-62-226-2731 Website: www.gwangjunewsgic.com Email: gwangjunews@gic.or.kr gwangjunews gwangju_news

Registration No. 광주광역시 라. 00145 (ISSN 2093-5315) Registration Date: February 22, 2010 Printed by Jieum 지음 (+82)-62-672-2566

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

Special thanks to Gwangju City and all of our sponsors.

As I saunter along the sidewalks of Gwangju, I notice a tinge of yellow beginning its march over the ginkgo trees’ fan-shaped leaves, and on the ground, I navigate round the trees’ fallen fruit. These are the first signs that October is here, announcing the coming of autumn in its fullest. This is a important month for Gwangju: The annual World Human Rights Cities Forum (version 11) opens on October 7 for a four-day run, and the Gwangju Design Biennale (version 9) runs until the end of the month at venues across the city. We hope you enjoy them both to their fullest.

To help you with that enjoyment, this issue of the Gwangju News brings you an interview with a major plenary speaker at the Forum, UNESCO’s Assistant Secretary-General Gabriela Ramos, a crusader for social justice. If you haven’t been to the Design Biennale yet, you are sure to want to go after reading our interview with a major exhibitor at the exhibition, Gwangju’s international award-winning designer Choi Tae-ok.

This year is 4354 by the Dangun calendar, the calendar followed in Korea until the Japanese colonial period, and October 3 is the date that the founding of Korea is observed. Read the story about how the Korean nation was formed and about its king, Dangun, in Blast from the Past. Our other features this issue are on the Universal Culture Center and its work with migrant workers, and on media artist Park Sang-hwa, who is part of a two-month exhibition traveling around the province.

As our final feature in this issue, we pay homage to The First Alleyway, the most-loved restaurant by expats and others in Gwangju and beyond. The Alleyway regrettably closed its kitchen doors recently, and numerous regular consumers pay tribute through the written word [Do Not Go Gentle…].

There is so much more inside this issue. Lost in Honam finds Yongwolsan’s “sky road.” Our restaurant review is on “the meanest burger in Gwangju.” We have articles on GFN radio’s Hello Korea program, on the layouts of old hanok houses, on more trees for Gwangju’s environment, on school bullying, and on English teachers. And our regular columns are anything but regular: Photo Essay will knock your socks off, and Top of the Drop will keep you attuned to the latest tunes.

As always, stay Covid smart, stay Covid safe, get Covid protected, and enjoy the Gwangju News.

David E. Shaffer Editor-in-Chief Gwangju News