(EN) Gwangju News August 2013 #138

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www.gwangjunewsgic.com

August 2013 Issue No. 138

On The Cover:

Gwangju International Film Festival Previewing Films from Around the Globe

Henry Sosa D.R. Baseball Player Shares His Perspective

The GIC’s Moving!

See How to Help and What is Next!

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Gwangju News is the longest-running English magazine in Korea and is the representative English magazine in Gwangju and the Jeollanam-do area. Its print and online versions bring Gwangju to the world.

Does your business cater to the international community? Target your customers by advertising with us.

Please contact us for more details: 062-226-2732~34 karina@gic.or.kr or minsu@gic.or.kr

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Gwangju News August 2013

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August 2013 www.gwangjunewsgic.com

ON THE COVER

Gwangju News is a monthly English magazine written and edited by volunteers. We welcome your contributions for proofreading, copy editing, administration, layout/design and distribution. Please write to gwangjunews@gmail.com to tell us your area of interest.

Gwangju News also welcomes letters to the editor regarding articles and issues. Articles and submissions may be edited for reasons of clarity or space.

Cover Photo: Kimura Bunyo, director of “Where Does Love Go”, featured in this year’s Gwangju International Film Festival Photograph: Courtesy of the Gwangju International Film Festival

THE EDITORIAL TEAM Publisher: Dr. Shin Gyonggu GWANGJU NEWS PRINT Editor-in-Chief: Kathleen Villadiego Editor: Joey Nunez Sub-Editor: Shay Meinecke Layout Editor: Karina Prananto Coordinators: Karina Prananto, Kim Minsu Photo Editors: Karina Prananto, Simon Bond Chief Proofreader: Bradley Weiss Copy Editors: Heinrich Hattingh, Joey Nunez, Jon Ozelton, Jenn Tinoco, Bradley Weiss

Proofreaders: Somin Cha, Paul Foskey, Don Gariepy, Britton Inglehart, Brian Kelly, Dhyana Kim, Sera Kim, Carrie Levinson, Stephen Redeker, Pete Schandall, Kelly Shepherd, Greg Tomao, Nancy Valley, Teri Venable Creative Consultant: Warren Parsons Researchers: Choi Junyong, Cheon Soyeon, Cho Haeri, Lee Jungmi, Park Kyungjin Illustrator: Faiz Alban

GWANGJU NEWS ONLINE

This Month’s Features 14 The Gwangju International Film Festival Returns in 2013

By Jenn Tinoco

18 Henry Sosa: When Every Game is Away

By Adam Volle

24 The Artificer of Seongnam ByJordan VanHartingsveldt

Editor: C. Adam Volle Online Administrator: Carl Hedinger Online Editorial Assistant: Brittany Baker Gwangju News is published by Gwangju International Center Address: Jeon-il Building 5F, Geumnam-no 1-1, Dong-gu, Gwangju 501-758, South Korea

Phone: +82-62-226-2733~4 Fax: +82-62-226-2731 Website: www.gwangjunewsgic.com E-mail: gwangjunews@gmail.com Registration No.: 광주광역시 라. 00145 (ISSN 2093-5315) Registration Date: February 22, 2010 Printed by Logos (Phone +82-62-444-8800) Publication Date: July 23, 2013 Copyright 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 publishers.

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

Photo by Jordan VanHartingsveldt

Gwangju News August 2013

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news 7 9 10 21

contents

The GIC is Moving!/ Karina Prananto and Dr. Shin Gyonggu This Month in Gwangju/ Carl Hedinger Upcoming Events Korea Halts U.S. Wheats due to GMO Contamination/ Michael Bielawski

features 14 18

The Gwangju International Film Festival Returns in 2013/ Jenn Tinoco Henry Sosa: When Every Game is Away/ Adam Volle

art 22 24

Hanji Community in Jinwol-dong/ Bradley Weiss The Artificer of Seongnam/ Jordan VanHartingsveldt

community 17 26

Third Annual Single Mother’s Day Raises Awareness/ Kaley LaQuea Jeolla Safety Alliance/ Maria Lisak

photography 28 29 30

Photo of the Month/ Yvan Christian Filters/ Simon Bond Suncheon Bay Garden Expo/ Simon Bond

travel 34 45

GIC Culture Tour to Land’s End and Bogil Island/ Warren Parsons Travel Tips/ Matt Furlane

culture 32 36 37 53

Korea: In the World/ Samantha Richter The Future Greatness of Kim Il-sung/ Adam Volle Despair is the Death of the Youth and the Death of the Youth is the Fall of the Nation/ Won Hea Ran Dear Korea/ Jen Lee

health 38

Demystifying Hair Loss/ Kristal Lee

fashion 40

Summertime: Crazy Crazy Crazy Madness/ jjdp

language & poetry 42 44 46 48 49

Selected Poems by Moon Tae-jun/ Translated by Song Chae-Pyong and Anne Rashid Korean Postcards/ Bon Dae-soon Old Habits Die Hard/ Dr. David Shaffer At the Bank/ Karina Prananto and Hong Song-i Learn Korean Idiomatic Expressions with Talk To Me in Korean/ Sun Hyunwoo

food 50 51

Mul Naeng Myeon: Cure for the Summer Heat 2/ Jannies Le Milk Patbingsu/ Lee Jongmi

52 54

Crossword/ Mike Schroeder Community Board

Gwangju News August 2013

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Gwangju News Wish List Feel free to contact us with your interest and ideas to be involved!

Gwangju News Print Team Wish List E-mail: gwangjunews@gmail.com

Proofreaders Photographers

Gwangju News Online Support Team Wish List E-mail: gwangjunewsonline@gmail.com

Media Editor Site Administrators

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news

By Karina Prananto and Dr. Shin Gyonggu Photos by Kim Taehyung

A

ll the staff at Gwangju International Center (GIC) felt blessed by the enthusiastic support from the community, both local and international, on its move. The monetary contribution alone reached 10 million won (approximately US$10,000) in May. The “Save GIC Day” event raised another 10 million won on May 4, in which more than 1,000 people took part. The GIC will use the funds to cover the expenses to take care of the drawing and inspection of the process of renovation, which will be funded by the Gwangju City Government.

Interior and exterior shots of the GIC's new home, opening September 2013 At the end of last year, the GIC was

informed to leave its current location of 11 years in the Jeon-il Building, the fate of which is still in discussion. It may be torn down or undergo a complete renovation. After a lot of research and numerous visits, the GIC has finally decided to make Samho Center its new home. The building is located just 380 meters away or 6 minutes on foot from its current location. It is conveniently close to multiple banks, bus stops and a subway station. The GIC's space will increase by 30 percent. Moreover, the new office will occupy the first and second floors, which will give it a more strategic location for first-time visitors as well as its regulars.

The building's first floor will be a community space, where programs, such as the GIC Talk, the GIC Counseling Service and the GIC Library, in the form of book-café, will be provided. The administrative offices will be located on the second floor, surrounded by seminar rooms and classrooms to be utilized for meetings and Korean language classes. With this layout, the GIC hopes to create a better working and sharing atmosphere with the community.

While looking for the place to move in, we painfully found that the rent is extremely high and that it is extremely difficult to meet the requirements of the Korean property market. And due to the uncertainty of funding, the plan to move was postponed until recently, when the City Hall decided to help us. The new building also will require two months for renovation before it is ready to house the GIC, its newest occupant. The earliest moving date is thus predicted to take place at the end of August.

The GIC will still need help from the community for the move, including further fund-raising, interior-design expertise, vehicles to transfer items and even physical labor on the moving day. We are also planning to have a “Move GIC performance” from the current location to the new location. Please let the GIC know via e-mail at gic@gic.or.kr about any areas you might be interested in! Thank you for your support again, and we are excited for what the future holds for the GIC, and what it will do next!

Gwangju International Center 광주국제교류센터 New address: Geumnam-ro 3 Ga 1-23, Dong-gu, Gwangju, South Korea Directions: Subways: Geumnam-ro 4Ga, Culture Complex Buses: 98, 150, 151 get off at Geumnam-ro Park (금남로공원), 06, 39, 49, 70, 74, 170, 184 get off at Art Street Entrance (예술의 거 리 입구), 09, 12, 36, 45, 51, 55, 57, 58, 59, 61, 80, 95, 98, 151, 518, 1000, 1187 get off at Culture Complex (국립아시아문화전당) Gwangju News August 2013

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Meet a GN Contributor

Jenn Tinoco (U.S.A., Copy Editor) Dear Gwangju, Ever since stepping foot on "Kimchi-Land" in the summer of 2011, I was enticed by the sweaty-humid-tropical weather, bananamilk goodness and the friendly faces of those residing here; both foreign and native. I hail from the “City of Angels,� also known as Los Angeles, California. Experiencing the melting pot of my own culture, along with hundreds of others, I grew up speaking Spanish and English, eating spicy foods before I could walk and traveling to places, admiring the beauty of different lifestyles. Along with these memories came my desire to document it all with photos and journaling. I graduated from Cal State University L.A. with my B.A. in Journalism, specializing in TV/ Film/ Media studies, or should we say, the "smart phone era" of today. Joking aside, I successfully pursued a career in radio, which in turn led me to meet other exciting people. Inspired to keep traveling, I decided to move overseas to teach ESL to smart, young Korean individuals. I am proud to finally be involved with an eminent magazine that the entire community can contribute to, along with those who already have had some part and effort into making it what it is today.

Extraordinary, with a dab of gochujang on top!

Cheers!

Jenn Tinoco

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This Month in Gwangju A brief roundup of news stories from in and around Gwangju

By Carl Hedinger Photos by Joey Nunez

First Private Elementary “Alternative” School to be established Changes to Gwangju's Mass Transit System Starting on July 19th, there are some major changes to occur within Gwangju's public transportation system. The system will expand to include some nearby cities: Naju, Damyang, Hwasun, Hampyeong and Jangseong buses. For example, passengers who transfer from a Naju city bus to a Gwangju bus will pay a 50-percent reduced fare when getting on the second bus. Free transit is allowed within 30 minutes of getting off the first bus, with an unlimited transit number of times. Most importantly, all transit passengers must touch their transportation card to the card reader when getting on a bus.

Important Notes: a. If a departure point and a destination in Gwangju go through an intercity bus, there will be 50% discount. b. Discount benefits for transit are applicable only when using a transportation card.

Gwangju to Tighten Mineral Spring Purity Controls In order to provide safe mineral water for citizens, Gwangju plans to intensify purity regulations for the city's 13 springs. City officials will conduct more frequent water analyses to account for the rising numbers of people who use the springs during the rainy season. During the peak hiking season in autumn, inspections will increase to twice each month, from the previous once-a-month cycle. As a whole, checkups will be conducted 10 times each year, up from the previous six, and the City also intends to toughen-up on interpretations of test results. According to a Gwangju official, “We will do our best to control waterpurity and facilities. However, people should be mindful and watch the results of water analysis before drinking mineral water.”

On July 3rd, the Gwangju Metropolitan City Office of Education (GMOE) approved the local Wolgwang Church's request for an educational foundation, thus establishing the first private elementary alternative school in Gwangju. The Gwangju Wolgwang Educational Institute (GWEI) is set to open in Hwajeongdong (Seo-gu) on March 1, 2014 and plans to have a total enrollment of 216 students for its inaugural school year. The school will try to accommodate dropouts, socalled “mal-adjusted” students, and multicultural family students who are having problems coping with their current school environments. GWEI students' curriculum can be organized according to individual preferences, with 20 percent defined by the code set by the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. GWEI also plans to promote a variety of courses geared towards art, physical education and religious instruction. The first school year will cater to grades 1-6, but GWEI is also pursuing the establishment of a complimentary middle school program.

City Addresses Traffic Problems at Tolls Beginning in September, a transportation card can be used to pay tolls on Gwangju's Beltway Entrance in Nam-gu. Mayor Kang announced that to reduce traffic jams, a faster system was necessary. The idea came about to make transportation cards available to the public. The Hanpay card, Highpass card and deferred payment card of commercial banks will all be accepted payment methods under the new transportation card framework. The system's introduction faced a lot of problems when private enterprise and the City could not agree on how to fund the idea. The City hopes that adding additional services to the system, along with the increased traffic to Gwangju, should help fund this system and thus place fewer financial burdens on local citizens.

Gwangju News August 2013

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Upcoming Events: August 2013 Contributors: Choi Junyong, Cheon Soyeon, Cho Haeri, Lee Jungmi, Park Kyungjin (GIC Gwangju News Team)

Movie @ the Gwangju Theater Address: Chungjang-no 5-ga (two blocks back behind Migliore) Phone: 062-224-5858 Films change weekly to bi-weekly Fee: 8,000 won per person per film Check online for calendar and prices: http://cafe.naver.com/cinemagwangju (in Korean) A Late Quartet 마지막 4중주

Genre: Drama Director: Yaron Zilberman Starring: Catherine Keener, Christopher Walken, Philip Seymour Hoffman Language: English Synopsis: This story is about members of a world-renowned string quartet, Fuga. One day, Peter, who is a cellist and plays the mentor in the quartet, is diagnosed with Parkinson´s disease. So, the four members are grieved and confused as to what to do. Taking this opportunity to play, they express their hidden emotions to each other and stand at the crossroads of their lives in their music. Meanwhile, Peter is concerned about the breaking-up of the string quartet because of his condition. So, he suggests that they perform together.

The Garden of Words 언어의 정원 Genre: Animation Director: Shinkai Makoto Starring: Irino Miyu, Hanajawa Kana Language: Japanese Synopsis: On a rainy morning, Takao skips school to sketch a print in a garden. One day, he meets a girl, Yukino, who always drinks beer with chocolate in the morning. They continue to meet morning after morning and become close; however, as the end of the rainy season approaches, it is uncertain what will happen next.

Passion 패션, 위험한 열정

Genre: Thriller Director: Brian De Palma Starring: Rachel McAdams, Noomi Rapace, Karoline Herfurth Languages: German, English, Spanish, French Synopsis: Isabelle, a competent employee at an advertising company, is attracted to Christine, who is her beautiful and excellent boss. Isabelle thinks Christine shares similar feelings and thus treats their relationship more special. However, one day, Christine steals Isabelle's ideas and tramples on her pride, and Isabelle is left hurt and upset. So, Isabelle takes revenge, in the name of passion.

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Gwangju News August 2013

The Place Beyond the Pines 플레이스 비욘드 더 파인즈 Genre: Crime Drama Director: Derek Cianfrance Starring: Ryan Gosling, Craig Van Hook, Eva Mendes Language: English Synopsis: Ruke, a motorcycle stunt rider, meets Romina and they stay together for one night happily. But a few years later, he meets her again and hears from her about his baby. So, Ruke decides not to become like his father, who deserted him when he was young. But Ruke is poor; so, he robs a bank. However, he is killed by a police officer, Avery. After saving the bank and people's lives, Avery becomes popular and has success. Then, another 15 years later, Avery's son, A.J, meets Jason, the son of Ruke. As a result, new troubles begin.

Exhibitions Russian Modern Time Photography: “Methaphor and Symbol of Time” 러시아 현대 사진전 '상징과 은유의 시대 ' Venue: Gwangju Lotte Gallery(1F in Kwangju Bank Building) Dates: July 20 - Aug 13 Time: 10:30 a.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Directions: Buses 07, 37, 52, 58, 81, 152 or 180, get off at the East Fire Station Bus Stop Buses 19, 38, 52 or 81, get off at the Lotte Department Store Bus Stop Admission: Free Phone: 062-221-1807 Website: blog.naver.com/glotteart “Gwangju and Jeonnam” Old Photo Exhibition 순백의 기록 Venue: Gwangju National Art Museum Dates: Aug 1 - Nov 3 Time: 10 a.m. - 7 p.m. / Closed on Mondays Directions: Buses 64 or 83, get off at the Gwangju Biennale Bus Stop, Buses 29, 48 or 63, get off at the Old Jeollanam-do office of Education Bus Stop Ticket Prices: Adult Tickets are 500 won, Youth Tickets are 300 won and Children Tickets are 200 won Phone: 062-613-7100 Website: www.artmuse.gwangju.go.kr

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Welcome to August! Here's what's happening at the brand new Holiday Inn Gwangju.

Location: Hourglass Restaurant

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Venue: Gwangju World Cup Stadium (광주월드컵경기장) Directions: Buses 6, 16, 20, 26, 47 or 74, get off at the World Cup Stadium bus stop.

Admission: VIP 10,000 won, GOLD 5,000 won (10% discount for online ticket purchases) For more information, visit: www.gwangjufc.com

KIA Tigers Baseball Team August Match Schedule Date

Match Team

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1 2 3-4 10 - 11 15 16 17 - 18* 27 - 28 29 - 30 31

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On Sunday, if all three generations of the family have the buffet at Hourglass, the senior generation (grandparents) will be offered a free Lunch or Dinner.

“Ladies Day” Lunch 29,700 won; Dinner 41,500 won (includes VAT) Every Monday, any group of four ladies will pay for the price of three, and they each will be provided with one free cocktail. This is the equivalent of 22,275 won for Lunch and 31,125 won for Dinner, per person.

Location: Hourglass Restaurant Outside Terrance

Venue: Gwangju Mudeung Baseball Stadium (무등경기장) Directions: Buses 16, 38, 51, 53, 58, 89, 95, 98, or 151, get off at the Mudeung Stadium bus stop Admission: Adults 9,000 - 13,000 won Website: www.tigers.co.kr * August 17 - 18 Matches: Venue: Gunsan Baseball Stadium(군산야구장) Directions: Take the bus to Gunsan from the U-square Bus Terminal (takes around 1 hour and 30 minutes). From the Gunsan Bus Terminal, take buses 33, 34, 38 or 85 and get off at the Kumho Apartment Bus Stop and walk about 5 minutes.

Ticket Prices: Adults 9,000 - 13,000 won Website: sports.gunsan.go.kr

Offering delicious food and draft beer in a lovely outdoor setting.

Summer Hit Package Each evening (weather permitting), we offer dining for two with draft beer included, and three food platter choices: chicken wings, pizza or a fruit platter. This is the equivalent of 27,700 won, inclusive of VAT. For reservation and more information, please contact: 062-610-7061~7062 (Hourglass Restaurant) or www.holidayinngwangju.com

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Festivals

Photo courtesy of Suncheon Sky Light Festival

2013 Suncheon Sky Light Festival 2013 순천하늘빛축제 Dates: June 8 - October 27 Venue: Suncheon Dong-cheon Jang-dae Park, Suncheon-si, Jeollanam-do Program: Classic music performances, glow-inthe-dark nail art, a tea party, sailing paper boats and glow-in-the-dark face paintings Directions: Take the bus to Suncheon from the USquare Bus Terminal (Interval Time: 10-30 minutes).

From the Suncheon Bus Terminal, take a taxi or walk for about 10 minutes to Jang-dae Park.

Phone: 061-749-4517

Photo courtesy of Mokpo Maritime Cultural Festival

2013 Mokpo Maritime Cultural Festival 2013 목포해양 문화축제 Dates: August 2 - 6 Venue: Peace Square, Mokpo, Jeollannam-do Programs: Sea Fireworks Show, Teenager Festival: Superstar M and a Rock contest Directions: Take the bus to Mokpo from the USquare Bus Terminal. Interval Time is between 20-30 minutes. From the Mokpo Bus Terminal, take buses 10, 13 or 112, and get off at the Peace Square Bus Stop. Finally, walk for about 5 minutes.

Phone: 061-270-8441 12

Gwangju News August 2013

Photo by Simon Bond

Suncheon Bay Garden Expo 2013 순천정원박람회 Dates: April 20 - October 20 Venue: Suncheon Bay, Suncheon, Jeollannam-do Programs: Expositions and Celebrity Performances Directions: Take the bus to Suncheon from the USquare Bus Terminal. Interval Time is between 1020 minutes. From the Suncheon Bus Terminal, take buses 1, 101 or 111 and get off at the Myeongmal Bus Stop. Finally, walk about 12 minutes.

Phone: 1577-2013

Photo courtesy of Goheung Mudlympic Festival

2013 Goheung Mudlympic Festival 2013 고흥 머드림픽 축제 Dates: August 3 - 4 Venue: Seonjeong Meodeulim, Goheung, Jeollannam-do Programs: Various events, a Performing Troupe exclusive and the Healing Concert Directions: Take the bus to Goheung from the USquare Bus Terminal. Interval Time is between 20-30 minutes. From the Goheung Bus Terminal, take a rural bus and get off at the Seonjeong Bus Stop.

Phone: 061-835-9807

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Performances Musical Monte Cristo 뮤지컬 몬테크리스토 Venue: Grand Theater, Gwangju Cultural and Art Center Dates: August 31 - September 1 Times: [August 31] 3 p.m., 7 p.m. / [September 1] 2 p.m., 6 p.m.

Ticket Prices: VIP Seats 120,000 won / R Seats 100,000 won / S Seats 80,000 won Phone: 062-650-3062 Sibellius 2013 Masterwork Series 광주시립교향악단 제288회 정기연주회 Venue: Recital Theater, Gwangju Cultural and Art Center Date: August 22 Time: 7:30 p.m.

Ticket Prices: R Seats 30,000 won / S Seats 20,000 won / A Seats 10,000 won Phone: 062-524-5086 Gwangju World Music Festival 광주월드뮤직페스티벌 Venues: Chonnam National University, Gwangju Biennale, Bitgoeul Citizen Culture Hall Date: September 6 - 7 Time: 6 p.m. - 10:50 p.m.

Ticket Price: Free Phone: 062-410-3458

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feature

The Gwangju International Film Festival Returns in 2013

By Jenn Tinoco Interview translated by Han Jae-rim Photos courtesy of the Gwangju International Film Festival 2013

T

his year marks the 13th annual Gwangju International Film Festival (GIFF), with a rough total of 80 films due to screen. Residents from all over South Korea are invited to partake in this spectacular, cultural awareness festivity.

Yeom Jeong-ho, the festival director, who has actively collaborated with other film festivals throughout the country for the past 13 years, states that, “the overall mission for GIFF is to bring peace and awareness to South Koreans.”

The May 18th political events that occurred over 33 years ago paved the way for democracy and human rights awareness in Korea. Not only were families of the deceased affected by traumatic outcomes from hundreds of student protesters being harassed, threatened and killed by government officials, but also many Koreans were angered. Many can agree that the residents of Gwangju have, therefore, expressed themselves positively with art, creativity and cultural awareness.

One great example is the Gwangju Biennale, which was founded in September of 1995 in

memory of those who were murdered by the 1980 Uprising. The main focus was, and still is, to bring about a global perspective on contemporary art.

Yeom was keen to expose films from around the world to the audiences of the city and to actively bring in residents of Jeollanam-do. Yet, being Asia's first Biennale, it was not successful. He knew that the Biennale alone would not provide sufficient exposure for international films. Thus, the GIFF was born.

Working together for the past three years, Pock Rey Cho, who resides in Seoul, and Yeom helped finalize the yearly cut for both shorts and feature films for the annual GIFF event. With a team of interns, volunteers and dedicated staff members, about 80-90 films are now chosen seasonally for the yearly event. Taking place in various theatres around town over a span of five days, foreigners and natives alike are welcome to sit down and let the reels turn.

Some of the most popular works among Korean audiences during the previous GIFF screenings has been the work of a Tunisian-French actor, film director and screenwriter Abdellatif Kechiche. He made a directorial debut with La Faute à Voltaire, also known as The Poetical Refugee, in which the plot revolves around a young man named Jallel, fleeing from political repression in Algeria to Morocco. Along with others facing the same situation, Jallel finds himself on the streets as an immigrant street peddler barely staying afloat in a universe of withdrawing economic prospects.

Moreover, Kechiche has been globally recognized for his work not just as a director, but also as an actor in his introduction to a vast majority of English-speaking audiences, starring as a taxi driver named Ashade in the 2005 thriller Sorry,

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oes re D Whe ; ) n a (Taiw here T e r ua w Yo I Kno : t f e l From

Haters. This film was an official choice in the American Film Institute's Festival. Just this past spring, he won the highest possible award, the Palme D'or, at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival for his latest film, Blue is the Warmest Colour.

Another talented film festival participant who excites Korean audiences year after year is the idiosyncratic, posh art/filmmaker Gim Gideok (KiDuk Kim). The 52-year-old South Korean native studied fine arts in Paris during the early 1990s and commenced his screenwriting efforts in South Korea upon his return.

He has won numerous awards internationally, including his latest in 2012 from the Venice Film Festival for his film titled Pieta. Not only did his work receive a Golden Lion award, but it was also the first Korean film in history to ever receive three honorable mentions from film festivals in Venice, Berlin and Cannes, all in the same year.

However, interestingly enough, his 2000 movie, The Isle, was delayed for release in the United Kingdom, due to animal cruelty depicted in a scene where a frog gets skinned alive and several fish are mutilated. Soon after, Kim gave a statement expressing his concerns towards the audience, explained that they cooked and ate all the fish used in the film and further stated that he had “done a lot of cruelty on animals in [his] films.

And [he] will have a guilty conscience for the rest of [his] life.”

The Top Three Confirmed Film Titles for the 2013 GIFF include:

1) I Know You Are There (Taiwan) Synopsis: A film about Chinese and Taiwanese

.A.) (U.S fect r e P ost ; Alm pan) a J ( Go Love

immigrants starting a new life in Indonesia in a town called “Aceh,” where most locals have intense memories from the tsunami that took place in 2004. The people in Aceh are banned from learning Chinese by their government and, thus, take means into their own hands by trying to learn the language through Buddhism doctrine.

After losing family members from the tsunami, the locals wish to start a new life with religion and volunteering. This film will be premiering in the World Vision section at GIFF, which introduces new movies from new directors.

About the Director: Ho Chiao-Lin was born in Taiwan and studied film at the Beijing Academy of Film. She made her first movie shortly after earning her Masters at the Taiwan National University of Arts. She has previously participated in the 5th annual GIFF.

2) Where Does Love Go? (Japan) Synopsis: Inspired by true events, this film follows the criminal life of Hirita Makato, who is supported by his wife, Yoko, who risks everything by going out into society with a false identity. Hirita was a member of Aum Shinrikyo, a cult terrorism unit that was involved in multiple criminal acts. One late spring night, Hirita and Yoko both long over the memories of the earthquake that struck the Eastern side of Japan, a year prior on March 11, 2011. After 17 long years together, Hirita decides to do something to come up for a better solution to his misery.

About The Director: Kimura Bunyo is an-up-andcoming director born in 1979 in Hirosaki City. His directorial debut was in 2008 with his first feature film titled: Goodbye, written by Maekawa Asaki.

The film surrounded the lives and works of a family Gwangju News August 2013

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Bertha Bay-sa Pan, the director of Taiwan movie, “I Know You were There”

Top: Musicians at the GIFF 2012’s Opening Performance Bottom: Megabox will be serving as the venue for the 2013 GIFF

at a nuclear fuel plant in Rokkasho Village.

Goodbye has been screened at the 2008 Cairo International Film and at the 2009 International Film Festival in Rotterdam.

including Slim Kid Tre of Pharcyde, among other popular children bands, by directing their music videos.

3)Almost Perfect (U.S.A.) Synopsis: The plot depicts the life of a “go-to” family girl named Vanessa, who at age 34, still saves her mother, father, brother and others from their own troubles. Although she finally runs into an old friend who may just be the perfect man for her, the eye of the storm closes in on her when a chain of family events prevent Vanessa from pursuing her life goals and romantic dreams. The only one she needs to save at this point is herself!

About the Director: Bertha Bay-Sa Pan was born in New Jersey and raised in Taiwan. She received her BA from Boston University in Film and Art, and then earned a Masters of Fine Arts degree from Columbia University in 1997. As well as winning the Directors Guild Award for Best Asian American Student Filmmaker with her graduate thesis film, Pan, she has also collaborated with music artists, 16

Gwangju News August 2013

The opening ceremony is on August 29th at Bitgoeul Citizen Culture Hall, and the festival will continue until September 2nd. For more information on the schedule of events and volunteering opportunities, please check-out: www.giff.org

Gwangju International Film Festival 광주국제여화제 Venues: Megabox Gwangju, Gwangju Visual Content Center (downtown) Date: August 30 - September 2 Time: 10 a.m. - 8 p.m.

Ticket Price: 5,000 won Phone: 062-228-9968/9978 Website: www.giff.org (For more information on movie schedules, please refer to the website)

August2013 2013.7.233:19PM Page17

community

Third Annual Single Mother's Day Raises Awareness

By Kaley LaQuea Photo by GIC Talk Team

S

ince 1953, nearly 200,000 Korean children have been adopted overseas, with 89 percent of the children born to unwed mothers. More than 17,000 adoptions occurred in the past decade. South Korea's birth rate remains among the world's lowest, yet the government continues to promote adoption as a viable alternative for keeping families intact.

This past May marked the third anniversary of Single Mother's Day, an international conference established by the group TRACK (Truth and Reconciliation for the Adoption Community of Korea). Single Mother's Day serves to promote domestic adoptions after May 11 was designated as Adoption Day. TRACK, organized by adoptees who have returned to Korea in search of their birth families, has mobilized those affected by unethical adoption practices and created a grassroots movement to keep the Korean government accountable. Since 2009, TRACK has successfully promoted public awareness and lobbied for transparency in adoption cases.

Korea's current voluntary birth reporting system allows for the circumvention of legal documentation. Birth certificates do not serve as a legal document when presented at the hospital and can be given without a child's name present.

So a birth is not recognized until it is officially recorded at the local administrative office. This allows predatory agencies to profit from adoptions and enables adopters to sign on as the child's biological parents, violating the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Article 7, paragraph 1 states: "The child shall be registered immediately after birth and shall have the right from birth to a name, the right to acquire a nationality and, as far as possible, the right to know and be cared for by his or her parents.”

Organizations like TRACK, Dandelions and KUMFA continue to petition the government to address birth registration policy reform and child support responsibility. Although awareness is growing, resources for unwed mothers remain limited, leaving them ostracized in Korean society.

Michelle Lee Jones speaking about Single Moms at her June 2013 GIC Talk.

During a KoROOT event in 2007, Park Eun-Jeong, a single mother in Seoul, described the abuse her daughter incurred at a daycare center. Mothers at the daycare center repeatedly locked the little girl in a room by herself because they did not want Park's daughter interacting with their children.

“It seems that no matter how much initiative I take in order to create a better life for us, the problem of being able to find [a] decent job is insurmountable,” Kong Mi-Kyung explained, a single mother with the Seoul Single Parents' Association.

Dandelions Group for Families of Origin supports family members, who have been affected by intercountry adoption practices, by aiding to reunite adoptees with their biological parents.

“Dandelions wants to make a society where we can raise our own children,” Noh Geum-Ju, Dandelions co-chair stated. “As parents, we want to let the society that is still sending children for adoption without any policy measures know how hurtful that is, and we want to lead the way in settling the adoption culture.”

For more information about these organizations and their upcoming events, visit their resources: The TRACK Online Library at : www.adoptionjustice.com/library/ Korea Unwed Mothers Families' Association Facebook Group at: www.facebook.com/groups/kumfa/ Gwangju News August 2013 17

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feature

Henry Sosa: When Every Game is Away

By Adam Volle Photos by Simon Bond, Joe Wabe and courtesy of the KIA Tigers

Photo by Joe Wabe

T

here are nights, says KIA Tigers pitcher Henry Sosa, that he waits in the stadium after games instead of going directly home, even if it is very late. He does it to avoid the fans; he loves them, of course, but that is the problem.

maybe for him it is. After all, it is pretty hard to become a baseball player too. For over 10 years now, Sosa has shown himself to be very good at getting people who are looking for talent to notice him.

“Some players can ignore them,” he explains, “but I can't do it.”

Born in the rural El Seibo province of the Dominican Republic, Henry Sosa Esther (his full name includes his mother's family name) may never have had the opportunity to impress baseball talent scouts, if his family had not decided to try city life when he was 16. But he certainly made use of the opportunity when he received it, showing off a 150 KPH fastball.

In 2004 he accepted an offer to play minor league baseball in the U.S. for the Arizona Giants as a pitcher. The year afterward he joined another minor league team, the San Jose Giants. His relationship with San Jose had its high points. In 2007 he won recognition for having the best fastball in the South Atlantic League and recorded a 2.58 ERA over 27 games total (an ERA is an “earned run average,” the runs given up by a pitcher every nine innings.) Sosa's 2.58 ERA would generally be considered quite good for a minor league starting pitcher.

If a group of fans recognize Sosa and ask for autographs or pictures with him, he knows he will simply have to grant all their requests - and as one of only two foreign players allowed on the Tigers by the Korean Baseball Organization (KBO), as well as the only black sports star in Jeollanam-do, Sosa may be one of the most easily recognizable men in Gwangju.

He uses the time he spends waiting in the stadium to write. “Movies. I already have an agent in America and someone interested … [The script] is about a baseball player in New York getting involved in fights.”

“Write what you know, huh? That's pretty impressive,” a Gwangju News staff member says.

“It's hard to get into the movie business.”

“Not really. It was pretty easy,” he answers – and 18

Gwangju News August 2013

His association with the Giants would turn out to be a very long relationship, though. He spent six years on that team, waiting year after year for a

August2013 2013.7.232:36PM Page19

promotion to the Major Leagues that gradually seemed less and less likely to happen. According to www.myworldofbaseball.com, his prospect status fell from number 5 in 2008 to 13 in 2009, number 16 in 2010 and finally, number 29 in 2011.

Injuries also played a part in the career troubles.

Sosa needed patellar tendon knee surgery in 2007 and strained his shoulder in 2009. But sources indicated that Sosa may have been a victim of mismanagement by the coaching staff. If you read past examinations of Sosa by baseball analysts and fans in the U.S., you will find most of them have the same opinion: Sosa was valuable but wrongly used.

A sampling of reports from Sosa's time with the Giants include: he was “a solid late-game reliever” (www.gradingonthecurve. com). He “ultimately probably better profiles as a reliever” (www.rotoworld.com). “The Giants still need to decide how they want to use him, be it as a starter or a reliever, where he may be more valuable” (www.bleacherreport.com).

He “may be best suited for the bullpen” (www.myworldof baseball.com). Instead of finishing games for his team, however, he usually started them.

Photo courtesy of the KIA Tigers

When Sosa did receive the unexpected chance to play Major League Baseball in 2011 as a pitcher for the Houston Astros, his new team made the same mistake as his old one.

The Astros made him a starting Photo by Simon Bond pitcher in 10 games. That year Sosa registered a 5.23 ERA. On May 18, 2012, Houston sold him to the KIA Tigers. By May 25, he was playing games here in the ROK. No, no, do not get the wrong idea. Sosa did not start a new life in Korea with only one week of notice. He, his wife and his cousin moved to Korea with only three days' notice, because he needed to practice with the Tigers before playing with them the next Friday. He did not expect that those practices would be more difficult than American ones. “They work so hard! I mean, my other teams worked hard, but these guys [work] like… double.”

Sosa describes team practices that can last until 11 p.m. Most of his life is spent with the team, which unfortunately means he does not have much opportunity to get out in the Gwangju community.

He is interested when he is told that Gwangju has a

Photo by Simon Bond Gwangju News August 2013 19

August2013 2013.7.232:36PM Page20

Photo by Simon Bond

writing club. He asks if Tequilaz has authentic CentralAmerican food. Tragically, he has never come across an issue of Gwangju News.

Fortunately he likes his teammates. Communication with them is not a problem, he says. The coaches know enough English to communicate with him and he knows a little Korean, so he can encourage others. Like the team's other foreign player, Antony Lerew, Sosa has endeared himself to the team and fans by clearly enjoying Korean food. In particular, Sosa is reported to like Korean-style fish so much that his teammates have nicknamed him “Fish Killer.” Sosa also likes Korean barbeque but mainly eats his wife's CentralAmerican cooking at home.

The KIA Tigers' Public Relations Departments likes to share this story. Before boarding a flight back to the Dominican Republic in 2011, Sosa learned that his bags full of Major League souvenirs was over the passenger weight limit. He opened the bags and quickly distributed their contents to surprised and delighted travelers around him, even giving away his official winter coat.

It is easy to imagine Sosa doing that, once you have talked to him; he is the relaxed sort, even about the current season.

As you might expect, the KIA Tigers are using Sosa as a starting pitcher this year, but the Tigers' difficult team practices (and their fish dinners) may have helped Sosa to improve in the position. The man's stats keep getting better, albeit incrementally. The KIA Tigers certainly appear content that he is giving them what they want in return for his $160,000 annual salary.

He is not hoping to return anytime soon to the Major Leagues in the U.S., although it is probably nice to know the foreign pitcher he replaced – Horacio Ramirez – is now pitching for the Chicago Cubs. The KIA Tigers have given him a good home, along with some great material for his movie scripts.

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Gwangju News August 2013

Photo by Simon Bond Photo courtesy of the KIA Tigers

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news

Korea Halts U.S. Wheat due to GMO Contamination

By Michael Bielawski

S

eoul – South Korea has halted imports of U.S. wheat, about half of the country's total wheat supply, amid the discovery by the U.S. Department of Agriculture of a Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) contamination.

The culprit is a specific GMO strain called RoundUp Ready Wheat, which contains in-grown pesticides from the bio-tech industry leader Monsanto. Never approved for U.S. farming, this “frakenwheat” was tested in 2005 on more than 100 fields across 16 U.S. states, when and where the contamination is believed to have occurred.

U.S. Farmers are thus suing Monsanto for this contamination. One law firm, Susman Godfrey L.L.C., stated: “We believe Monsanto knew of the risks its genetically-altered wheat posed and failed to protect farmers and those crops from those risks.”

In response, Monsanto is suing over 400 farmers and 50 small businesses for over 23 million dollars for “stealing” Monsanto's patented GMO strains.

Part of the problem is the “revolving door effect” between the bio-tech industry and government regulators. The Ecologist reported that Michael Taylor, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Deputy Commissioner, who had worked on labeling regulations for rBGH (a drug for dairy cattle), had worked previously as a Monsanto lawyer. Furthermore, a WikiLeaks report stated that the U.S. government has threatened “military-style trade wars” against nations rejecting GMOs. Recently igniting anti-GMO sentiment was a twoyear Cain University study in France, published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Food and Chemical Toxicology. The study published controversial photos of huge tumors in rats that were fed Monsanto GMO and/or Monsanto herbicide for at least 90 days.

generations of eating GMO, the hamsters were almost infertile.

The Reversing Autism Foundation believes a potential link exists between autism and GMOs. They say bio-pesticides may be causing intestinal problems, which can affect behavior. An Atlantic Monthly report says one in 90 U.S. children has autism and 70 percent of those children have gastrointestinal (gut) issues, such as stomach inflammation and/or chronic constipation. The NY Times reports about one in 36 children has autism in South Korea.

The Institute for Responsible Technology released this statement: “Several animal studies indicate serious health risks associated with GMO food, including infertility, immune problems, accelerated aging, faulty insulin regulation (diabetes) and changes in major organs and the gastrointestinal system.”

According to a Global Citizens Report, GMOs require more pesticides, produce smaller yields and possess none of the draught or salt-resistant traits the bio-tech industry had promised. Could bio-tech actually be used to genuinely improve food? Radio talk-show host Alex Jones says yes; however, he goes on to say that it is not being used in that manner.

Speculation aside, there is little doubt that the momentum of the GMO debate is turning against the industry, and the popularity of organic foods and farmer's markets are growing. Even where GMOs are still prevalent, private chain stores like Whole Foods are mandating GMO labeling. There was a time not long ago when organic food was simply considered “food.”

In Russia, the National Association for Gene Security discovered increased infertility in hamsters that were fed GMO soy. Dr. Alexey V. Surov, an author of the study, explained that researchers gave hamsters varying amounts of GMO: none, some and maximum. Results showed that after three Gwangju News August 2013

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art

Hanji Community in Jinwol-dong

By Bradley Weiss Photos by Simon Bond Interview translated by Shim Gyu, Cheon Soyeon and Lee Jongmi This article is the second of a three-part series about the art form that is Hanji Craftmaking

“T

he moment I felt the texture of hanji, I decided my future.” Lee Misun, owner of the Habaek hanji craft shop in Jinwol-dong, described how an unplanned visit to a hanji craft shop five years ago helped shape her future course.

Before participating in an introduction program during that visit, Lee knew nothing about hanji; traditional Korean craft with mulberry paper. At the time she was working as a nurse at the Gwangju Christian Hospital. “I was under a lot of stress, but just the touch of hanji relieved my stress, and while making hanji crafts, I felt a warm and soft feeling embrace me. I had previously had the idea to try a new challenge before I turned 40, so I could have a new career path in my 40s, and it was then that I decided to pursue hanji craftmaking as a job.”

However, before she opened a shop to later teach her own students, Lee needed to become more skilled. “I continued working as a nurse, but on my days off, I took a professional hanji course,” she explained.

After completing the course, Lee opened her shop in Jinwol-dong in November 2012. There her own work is on display, both for sale and to provide examples for the students she instructs to choose what project they want to attempt.

Lee said the sense of achievement between her past and present professions is similar, but also different: “Being a nurse, you heal people to bring them back to a normal state; but in hanji craftmaking, you are creating something new, like giving birth.”

As far as comparing the two aspects of operating her shop, Lee says she enjoys both creating her own work and teaching, but she prefers teaching because she wants “to spread the feeling of hanji.”

She further stated, “When a person who previously knew nothing about hanji craft-making finishes her/his first project, the expression of achievement on her/his face gives me a warm feeling.”

Lee begins the students' instruction by simply

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Gwangju News August 2013

Lee Misun

making them familiar with hanji. Most students start by making a hanji lamp as their first project. “The lamp-making allows the students to experience the soft and warm feel of hanji,” she said. When finished, Lee turns down the lights and lets the students turn on the lamp for the first time, and both the sense of accomplishment evident on the students' faces and the newly-made lamps light up the little shop. Hanji lamp-making is actually one of Lee's specializations and provides her with a connection to her faith, as the lamps remind her of candles used in Christian worship. “When the lamp is on, I can feel God's presence in its glow,” she explained.

While a hanji lamp marks the first step for most students, Lee's instruction progresses through three

August2013 2013.7.232:36PM Page23

levels: beginner, intermediate and high. “There's no regular pace for advancing through the levels,” Lee explained. “Generally, when students complete one or two projects, they can pass to the next level.”

Students pay for the cost of materials, with prices for various projects ranging from as low as 6,000 won, all the way up to 500,000 won. The hanji itself comes from Jeonju, well-known for its high-quality production, while the project frames and other miscellaneous materials are purchased locally or online. Students can choose to attempt projects as diverse as the aforementioned lamps, to boxes, drawers, decorative clocks, to even medium-sized tables.

Lee stated that most of her customers are women, usually in their 30s or 40s, ranging from housewives, to teachers, doctors or nurses. The atmosphere of the little shop could be described by the Korean idea of sarangbang, or what might be called a “sewing circle” in English. There is a small set of regular customers, to which less frequent visitors and newcomers alike are warmly welcomed, who gather to learn and work on a craft that will adorn their home or perhaps serve as a gift with a personal touch. Knowledge of hanji, however, is not all that is shared, but also friendly talk, a sense of community and not infrequently fruits or baked goods brought in by students, with even a break to enjoy kimchi and rice.

Lee asserted that hanji craft-making is not difficult.

However, she regrets that it is generally not wellknown and speculates that the relatively high cost of materials keeps many people away. She added, “My shop is in a small neighborhood, so it is difficult to spread awareness about it.” However, she participates in a program at the Gwangju Cultural Center to promote both her shop and hanji awareness in general.

Beautiful, ornate hanji drawer

Lee and her hanji lamp

Despite these challenges, the number of students at Lee's shop is steadily growing. She, as of yet, does not have any plans to expand. She explained, “As a business owner, I'm more focused on learning new skills than just making money. I would like to gain fame as a craftsperson, but my teaching level is still beginner.”

As for the larger future for hanji craft-making, Lee points to its inclusion in psychological therapy programs, which “provides emotional stability, a sense of achievement and motivation.” She added, “I would like all people to gain these benefits.” Lee is certainly doing her part in spreading the benefits of hanji craft-making and community in her little shop in Jinwol-dong.

Hanji lamp Habaek Hanji Craft 하백한지공예 Address: 489-3 Jinwol-dong, Nam-gu, Gwangju Phone: 062-655-4876 Directions: Buses no. 55, 59, 76 and get off at Jinwol Reservoir (진월저수지) Gwangju News August 2013 23

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art

The Artificer of Seongnam Words and photos by Jordan VanHartingsveldt This interview was made possible by Seo Young-deok and the Gwangju News staff. Many thanks to both parties for their ongoing support of Korean culture.

S

eo Young-deok sits across the table, homebrew coffee in hand, silently awaiting the questions typical from interviews. His eyes are dark and glazed, yet emote the depth of spirit unmistakably characteristic to the artistic crowd.

A 2009 graduate from the Department of Environmental Sculpture at the University of Seoul and a current graduate student there, Seo is a sculptor specializing in a peculiar medium – chain links. His work is slowly gaining international recognition, as it is exhibited in galleries around the world, the most recent a 2012 solo exhibition in Istanbul, Turkey.

Art, says Seo, cannot be defined. It is vast and changeless. No matter the audience, it will be seen as something different. To that end, it cannot have limitations. If something is created in the pursuit of artistic expression, it must be called art.

In a way, he is saying any subject can be depicted, regardless of social constraints. Pain is as fair a topic as love.

Seo is aware every person struggles in some way.

Many times the conflict occurs where no one else can see, a persistent thorn from within. He knows mental disease is a real issue throughout the world and is unfortunately stigmatized, making it something to which few people want to admit. He hopes to bring these silent struggles to public attention through his art, and in so doing, convince those that suffer they are not social outcasts.

His collections reflect the agonies from, considerations of and victories over human brokenness. “Anguish” predominantly exhibits male forms dealing with varied stages of internal struggle. Many are doubled over in the fetal position, gripping or hanging their heads in pained gesticulations.

“Meditation” shows faces from both genders in contemplative state. “Nirvana” features female forms mimicking confident poses, many with their faces turned upward.

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Gwangju News August 2013

These themes are not foreign concepts to this artist, as they are also alluded to in the works of Antony Gormley and Lee Jaehyo, two active artists whom Seo lists among his chief influences. A similarity between his own work and that of Michelangelo was pointed out; Seo admitted the Renaissance artist was not an immediate influence but could understand why some could make such an assumption.

While the style was influenced by Gormley and Lee, the love for art itself originated from within familial bonds. Seo admired his father, a tailor, for his unbelievable talent to piece together beautiful outfits from scraps of fabric. The son was mesmerized and wanted to find his own niche.

He found it in elementary school when he was given a lump of clay during art class. The tactile sensation of creation stuck with him, but has since been refined.

Psychology and art make for some wonderful studies in human geography; Seo's creative process betraying a perception that goes beyond superficial impressions.

He looks at the world for inspiration, specifically people and the emotions they convey. After which he returns to his apartment, turns on some music, consumes a cold beverage and reflects on the things he's seen. He repeats the cycle until he has that “Eureka!” moment.

Seo never stopped playing with clay, as evidenced in the early stages of his current projects. He first creates a clay form based on a selected model. A reinforced plaster mold is laid over the model and pulled away in several manageable pieces when dry. The chain links are placed in the mold and temporarily fastened after gravity has conformed them to the plaster. Seo then goes through the tedious process of welding the links together. When everything has been sufficiently interconnected, the molds are released and the finished piece is polished to a glossy sheen.

August2013 2013.7.232:37PM Page25

1

2

3

4

1. A work in progress; 2. Fastening the chain links to the plaster mold; 3. Molds of sculptures past; 4. An unnamed piece sitting on a workbench

Each piece, from conception to completion, takes between two and seven months of full workdays.

Throughout the process, Seo fills his workspace with music. He has an eclectic taste and will listen to mostly anything as he works. The genres he singled out as his favorites were House, Techno and Classical.

But why chain links and not something more classic or easily handled? The answer is found again in Seo's love for human geography. He neither sees a population nor a group of people. He sees individuals. Each chain link represents one person as a part of a whole population.

His emotional works have played on the heartstrings

of many a Korean “chain link” and have been the focus of some international audiences too. He always looks for new venues during his travels and contacts those he deems suitable. As a result, he will be exhibiting in Hong Kong later in 2013.

He hopes to exhibit in Gwangju again one day, his first experience with the city being in 2011, when a friend helped him join the Space K Gallery opening exhibition. He remembers the city to be interesting in both culture and history, a lovely place.

And although his parents still hope he will someday get a “real” job, Seo has found ample support from other artists and the general public, support which helps him continue on, in his pursuit of artistic expression.

Gwangju News August 2013

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community

By Maria Lisak Logo image by Jen Lee JSA Card contributed by Nancy Harcar

J

eolla Safety Alliance (JSA) was created in November 2012 in response to a rape in Gwangju. The JSA Facebook group is a forum for the international community to share information on staying safe and helping others in need. Since its creation JSA has been gathering information, fact checking and raising awareness.

The three founders, Nancy Harcar, Maria Lisak and Laura Sparley, have researched and written different materials for JSA. A community that seeks to understand and help in emergencies and accidents in Korea is slowly being coordinated by connecting different groups of people with different organizations offering assistance.

The JSA founders have developed relationships with the police in Donggu. Officer Lee Hye-gyoung has spent several volunteer hours translating laws and disclosing statistics on foreign victims and crimes. JSA members have also begun work for conducting emergency training calls with English speakers and for editing new law changes on brochures and public announcements. This relationship between JSA and the Donggu Police Station will act as a guide for more outreach with the other police districts in Gwangju.

Harcar and Lee gave a presentation on safety during a May GIC Talk. In addition, Sparley has tracked down resources with the Korean police and the offices of different embassies. Lisak has visited psychologists, One Stop Emergency Centers and emergency rooms to verify access to English translation and has mapped out locations for non-

26

Gwangju News August 2013

Korean speakers. Meetings and advice from lawyer Park Duck-hee continue as the team has visited him to discuss proper police procedure and legal precedents, all in order to provide legal representation to those in need.

The JSA has also benefited from online and faceto-face meetings. Currently the JSA website is being prepared by Adam Greenberg and the JSA logo has been created by Jen Lee. A public service announcement video has been created

by William Harris regarding access to the One Stop Center. The One Stop Emergency Care Center in Gwangju has also been established, with an allfemale staff, to assist foreign residents by providing medical care, police assistance and therapy in cases of sexual attacks or domestic violence.

As the founders continue to set up an organization that supports accurate information, provides reliable resources and bridges the gap between those who need help and those who can offer help, Sparley is leaving. She has been a connector in the community; finding people who were too embarrassed or shy to ask for help and assisting them to get the help they needed. As she steps into her next adventure, Amanda Serrano has stepped up to help lead this organization.

JSA would like to start planning outreach activities for the fall. Please contact the Facebook group to get involved: www.facebook.com/groups/531604226867515/.

We are currently looking for people to volunteer to

August2013 2013.7.232:37PM Page27

check for resources in their area (medical and police) and find out how accessible to English these locations are and to help set up a “phone tree� style of assistance for those in emergency situations. Additionally, Lisak will be coordinating a project with her university students to deliver packets of information from the BBB phone, the GIC and the JSA to help train emergency center in-take personnel to help assist foreigners who do not speak Korean.

TIPS: 1. Awareness.

While Korea may feel safer than your home country, you should still practice safety tips suggested in Korea.

2. It can happen to everyone.

Women are not the only people at risk of violence.

As foreigners we all stand out. Attackers choose victims who do not have access to any support group. Know how to be safe in your surroundings, regardless of your gender.

3. Get educated.

Being an expat in Korea presents its own special cultural, situational and legal challenges. Share what works well for your safety on the JSA Facebook Group Wall, as well as by checking out our website.

4. Help each other.

Sharing information, discussing questions with others, using a buddy system, watching out for others while being out and designating safe spots for those in trouble are all ways to help each other stay safe.

How JSA can help you JSA helps victims of crime with expenses incurred as part of being a victim of violent crimes that are not covered by insurance, including hospital fees and transportation costs to/from the hospital.

If JSA refers a victim to a lawyer, the initial legal consultation to see what the victim's options are will be paid for by JSA. JSA supports speakers at JSA-sponsored events who are experts in safety issues by providing nominal speaker fees and reimbursement for travel.

JSA may provide free services or giveaways relating to safety, such as whistles and information cards, to increase safety and awareness in the foreigner community.

http://jeollasafetyalliance.com

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Photo of the Month

Aww, yiss~

By Yvan Christian “The photo was taken in Kumho World. It was actually just a test shot taken in a camera shop there. I took it as the object of my photo because I found the expression funny.�

About the Artist: Yvan Christian is an Indonesian who was a graduate student at Chonnam National University. He had been attracted to photography since high school, but cameras were so expensive for him back then. Ever since he got his first DSLR from his brother, he has been indulging himself in taking pictures in his spare time.

His passion in photography started from the regular things in daily life, and over time, it has become a hobby for him. This passion of his especially flourished in Korea as a way to escape the fast-pace of life and capture his surroundings. So Yvan will continue with his photography as he continues his life journey to Malaysia.

Photo taken at a camera store in Kumho World, Gwangju 28

Gwangju News August 2013

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photography

Y|ÄàxÜá

Words and photo by Simon Bond

Simon Bond is a professional photographer living in Suncheon, Jeollanam-do. He has travelled throughout Asia, and his work has been published in many publications.This and other articles will be available online through Sim on's website: www.simonbondphotography.com

I

n photography, filters are an important way to improve the photos you take and can give you more artistic choices. A filter is something that you put onto the front of your lens to change the way light comes into the camera, made of either glass or plastic.

Important filters There are many types of filters out there, but some are almost essential. The main filters every photographer should have in their bag are the circular polarizing filter (CPL), the ultraviolet filter (UV) and a selection of neutral density filters (ND).

CPL – This filter enhances the colors in a photo. The CPL filter can also make clouds more prominent and increase or reduce reflections in a photo. It does this by polarizing the light, so that light from only one direction enters the camera.

UV – These filters can reduce the haze on the horizon. They are also a great way to protect the front of the lens from getting scratched, as a scratched UV filter is cheaper to replace than a scratched lens.

ND – These are filters that let less light into the camera and come in different strengths. The weakest ND filter is the ND2, and the strongest is the ND1000. ND2, 4 and 8 are popular filters to use when there is too much light and you want to use a prime lens at a high aperture. ND2, 4 and 8 are the same as “stopping down your aperture” (decreasing the aperture size) one, two or three times, so going from f4 to f5.6 to f8.

The much stronger filters like the ND400 or ND1000 are more artistic in their use and are for daytime long exposure shots where you will need a tripod.

Graduated filters Any landscape photographer worth his salt will have these, so if you do not, you are not even in the game. These are filters that are half clear, half filtered and can therefore be used to balance light across the frame from foreground to the sky. The usual filter set here is to have the GND2 (Graduated neutral density), GND4 and GND8 filters. This means if the sky is two stops brighter than the land, then you

No filters; Here the sky is blown out.

With filters; A GND filter balances the light across the frame.

These important filters are used for landscape photographers.

would want to use the GND4 filter to bring the sky into balance with the rest of the scene.

Other filters There are many filters out there; some will create starburst effects on lights at night, and others change the color of the scene to a vintage tobacco tone. It can be useful to have some sunset filters in the bag, as these will come in a range of warmer-toned colors, depending on the effect you want to produce.

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photo essay

Suncheon Bay Garden Expo Words and photos by Simon Bond

DREAM BRIDGE Inside the Dream Bridge showcases what young children imagine.

PARK ENTRANCE

SUNCHEON LAKE GARDEN

The Expo: a good place to escape the outside world.

The landscape artificial lake displays some cool lines.

I

n April of this year, Suncheon began hosting the 2013 Garden Expo, undoubtedly the biggest event ever held. The Expo has transformed large parts of the city, but why was it chosen and what is there to see there?

Not far from Suncheon city are some of the world's rarest and most unique wetlands, that of Suncheon Bay. The Bay has a unique ecosystem, and the viewpoint from the Yongsan Observatory is probably one of the best landscapes you can see in South Korea. This unique area of wetlands and the ideas Suncheon present on environmentalism are reasons for the city hosting this year's Garden Expo.

The Expo site itself has many gardens to visit, not just Korean but also examples of gardens from around the world. The Expo site is large as well, so expect to spend a bare minimum of three hours there. If you are looking for only the highlights, the Dream Bridge, the Dutch Garden and the landscaped artificial lake are the best sites to see.

In next month's issue I will show you some of the cultural performances that are also happening during the Garden Expo.

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news

SUNCHEON BAY INTERNATIONAL WETLAND CENTER Shot at Waon Beach, Suncheon Bay is famous as a wetlands.

SUNCHEON BAY ECOLOGICAL PARK The view from Yongsan observatory is iconic around Korea.

THE CASTLE AND LINE Pagodas and gardens are accessible to stroll through and enjoy.

DUTCH GARDEN The Dutch exhibit connects Korea with the world at Suncheon.

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culture

KOREA: In the World Words and photos by Samantha Richter In this monthly segment, Korea will be featured, from another country, and how Koreans and their culture are making a global impact. Samantha Richter, this month's writer, resides in England, has previously taught English in Gwangju and currently serves as a proofreader for Gwangju News. If you are someone who sees Korea in another country or you know of someone who sees Korea in another country, please email gwangjunews@gmail.com.

W

e are all travellers. Our journeys are distinctly our own, and yet, all so similar.

Looking at Korea, particularly Gwangju, I marvelled at the low cost of living, enjoyed the quality and abundance of coffee and despaired at the long working hours. Some arrived in South Korea as teachers, where we stayed for a year, maybe two or longer.

learn, we thought English would be easier for us.

For almost half a century now, South Koreans likewise have been crossing oceans to find new places. But they are not leaving their country for a year of adventure before returning home for a fresh start. They are making their fresh start, even now, in the U.K. So when the South Korean flag began appearing above restaurants and supermarkets here in England, it brought a new world into ours, which people are gradually getting to know.

GN: Did you learn English before you came here?

Grace: I learned basic grammar and vocabulary in school but only basic speaking skills.

Having had a profoundly unforgettable experience of my own in Korea, I was intrigued to discover the Korean foreigner's perspective on my country. The branch of Korean Foods supermarkets, Seoul Plaza on Mill Road, Cambridge, provided such an opportunity.

GN: What was your first impression of English people?

Grace: I thought that English people were patient and calm, because when I first took my child out, I saw a young child protesting against going back home, and the mother explained the reasons why they had to go home, calmly and carefully. I admired her. I think, although it can take some time for English people to open up, I like the way individuals sometimes say “hello!� to strangers passing by on the street.

The unassuming shop front leads into a typically Korean store with everything a Korea-phile like me could want: Kimchi of all kinds and Peppero in every delicious flavour, sold by Koreans. The manager, Kong HyeKyoung (her English name is Grace), was originally from Seoul, and she was happy to share her perspective on living as a Korean in the U.K. Gwangju News: What brought you to the U.K.?

Grace: I've been here for 12 years now. We came here because my husband found a job in England.

He works as a computer engineer designing semiconductors in microchips. Before we came to England, we actually lived in Germany for two years because my husband worked there for Samsung. We really admired the European way of life but thought that because German is hard to 32

Gwangju News August 2013

GN: How did you feel about leaving Korea?

Grace: At first I was nervous about communicating with people because my English was poor. I was also worried about leaving my family in Korea, but on the other hand, I was excited about the prospect of going to a new place.

GN: So straight off the plane, what were your first impressions of England?

Grace: Cold! That day was the end of September, which was usually hot in Korea, so we wore shorts and T-shirts. We were surprised when we were greeted by freezing rain.

GN: How do your children find it here?

Grace: They're very happy to be here. The schools are a very caring environment with chances for them to speak their opinions on different topics, as well as being [in a] dependable environment. I also like the fact that it is not just based on academic subjects but also creative and philosophical subjects. I always try to encourage them to speak Korean at home, because I don't want them to forget their home language to keep in contact with our relatives in Korea. I think they have adapted to both cultures, they choose the most useful skills from both, and therefore, they

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3

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1. The shop front fits well within this bohemian area of Cambridge; 2. Look for the camera-shy girl behind the shelves.

3. Korean goodies: sights to see and joys to buy!; 4. The welcoming faces of Seoul Plaza: Grace and fellow staff member

create a new way of thinking.

GN: What is your impression of British culture?

Grace: I grew up listening to a lot of English pop songs, a lot of the Beatles and Elton John, as they were the stars when I was a teen. I also love the fact that there are so many musicals in London, as I enjoy them, and we try to see at least two musicals a year.

GN: What is your impression of other Korean people in the U.K.?

Grace: I think Koreans are a bit timid and scared of speaking incorrect English. Apart from this, Koreans are usually friendly but have a tendency to stick in groups of Koreans. But they do their best in everything they do.

GN: What is the Western view of Korea?

Grace: A few years ago, Korea was a small country, unknown to many Westerners. However,

with Korea flourishing from the Olympics, the Soccer World Cup, and the booming industries of companies like Samsung, Korea has become much more popular and a point of interest.

GN: What do you miss most about Korea?

Grace: Family and traditional Korean food.

However, as I work at Seoul Plaza, I find my ingredients easily and make the food myself with my improved cooking skills.

Grace is easy to be around, smiles readily and has an amazing generosity of spirit. She seems so at ease here, fitting perfectly into British culture.

I was not always content during my teaching career in Korea, and I grew tired of being a foreigner and longed for home. By talking to this gracious woman, so far from her own country but seemingly so at home in the U.K., I feel like I can see myself more clearly here, too.

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event preview

[GIC Culture Tour] GIC Culture Tour

2D1N Land's End and Bogil Island Words and photos by Warren Parsons

Date: August 31 - September 1 (1 night/ 2 days) Price: GIC Members 130,000 won, non-members 140,000 won Itinerary: Land's End - Lunch at Ferry Terminal - Nohwa Island Abalone Aquaculture Center - Bogil Island Seyeon Pavilion - Yesong Pebble Beach Registration: Please sign up at the GIC website (www.gic.or.kr) by August 18 (Sun.) For more information, e-mail: gictour@gic.or.kr

A

ugust brings summer to a close with back-toschool preparations and the gradual easing into cooler months ahead. This month the GIC Culture Tour holds on to the laid-back summer spirit with a one-night, two-day excursion to Land's End and Bogil Island.

Land's End is the southernmost point on the Korean peninsula and is a departing point for ferries headed to several of the many offshore islands surrounding Jeollanam-do. The very tip of the peninsula is a rocky point jutting into the sea with fine views of the islands in the distance.

A shaded walkway follows the coast and comes to an iconographic stone monument signaling Land's End. From the end of the path, stairs lead up to an observatory for those who want an even grander view of the surroundings. On the way down, trails lead back to the port and to a collection of delicious seafood restaurants below. Alternatively, for a small fee, participants are welcome to ride the tram line instead of climbing.

Lunch, appropriate to the place, is fresh sashimi over rice and vegetables with an assortment of delicious side dishes inspired by the sea. After eating, the tour transfers by passenger ferry to Sanyang Port on Nohwa Island and then on to the Abalone Aquaculture Center.

Abalone is a delicacy not only in Korea but also throughout the world. This interesting shellfish has a rich flavor and is covered by a beautiful shell prized in making mother-of-pearl products. Nohwa produces more of the mollusk than anywhere else in Korea, by some accounts as much as 50 percent of the nation's total production. In any case, there is no better place to learn about or to buy this

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Gwangju News August 2013

culinary delight.

At the Center, participants will be joined by a local fisherman who will explain the ins and outs of abalone aquaculture before boarding a fishing vessel for a tour of the cultivation areas in the sea.

Serving not only as an educational experience, this visit allows participants to get their hands on abalone at wholesale prices for grilling up a truly special dinner in the evening!

With wobbly sea legs, the Tour moves by bus to Bogil Island and to Saeyeon Pavilion for a land-loving stroll through a Joseon-dynasty pleasure garden. Yun Seon Do, who also went by the pen name Gosan, was an important 17th century scholar, administrator, tutor to princes and prolific poet.

After the Manchurian invasion of Korea and the disgraceful surrender of the kingdom to the Chinese, Gosan moved back to his home in Haenam and planned to retire on Jeju Island. In 1637, on his way through the South Sea by ship, he saw the mountains of Bogil Island and enthralled by its beauty he decided to stay. He built Saeyeon Pavilion, a masterpiece of landscape architecture, incorporating the surrounding streams and valleys, and the result is a place which is “cleaned by clear water and thus cannot but purify your spirit.”

Yun's famous poem, The Four Seasonal Songs of Fishermen, extols island life and participants can carry these words in their heads while appreciating this harmonious garden: “Keep singing with pleasure, and the body becomes fresh like a cool breeze and fresh rain from the sea is created inside the mouth. It is as if I play alone in another world without thinking about the secular world.”

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1. The boat to Nohwa Island 2. Beautiful Yesong Pebble Beach 3. Seyeon Pavillion 4. Tasty abalone ready to be barbecued!

Yeasong Pebble Beach is the last stop for the day and is the destination for the Tour's over-night stay.

This unique beach, rather than having fine sand, is made of blue-gray stones polished smooth by the waves. The sea, cool and deep, is great for swimming, and along the shore, a subtropical evergreen forest of laurel, beech and camellia protects the village beyond. Accommodations will be in minbaks, the homes of local villagers renovated and expanded into guesthouses.

Participants are free to enjoy the beach and the village, relax and unpack, and get ready for a dinner of grilled abalone prepared in a courtyard full of the sounds of the sea.

Please come out this August with the GIC Tour for some boat riding adventure, ethereal island nature and fresh food where the land meets the South Sea! ** This is an overnight tour with both light trekking and beach time. So please pack accordingly and remember to include: walking shoes and sandals, sunglasses, hats, sun block, towels and toiletries, and extra money to purchase incidentals and additional food items.

ITINERARY

August 31st 8:30 a.m.: Departure from the GIC 10:30 a.m.: Explore Land's End 12:00 p.m.: Lunch 1:00 p.m.: Ferry to Nohwa Island 2:00 p.m.: Abalone Aquaculture Experience 4:00 p.m.: Saeyeon Pavilion 6:00 p.m.: Yeasong Pebble Beach September 1st 9:00 a.m.: Breakfast 10:00 a.m.: Free Time @ Yeasong Beach 12:00 p.m.: Lunch @ Nowha Island 2:00 p.m.: Ferry to Mainland 5:00 p.m.: Arrive at the GIC Gwangju News August 2013

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culture

Behind the Myth: Exploring Korean Tradition This series of articles will shed light on some Korean myths, folklore, traditions and superstitions. Every country has their own share of beliefs, fact or fiction, and many foreigners living in Korea are yet to hear or understand the basis of various Korean beliefs as they become apparent.

The Future Greatness of Kim Il-sung

By Adam Volle

The amazing leadership of Kim Il-sung, founder of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a myth that DPRK citizens may never stop believing – even after their country falls.

A

ndrei Lankov from Kookmin University shares a similar belief. In the May 4, 2011 article for the Asia, he suggests “the inevitability of Kim Il-sung revisionism” is when South Korea absorbs North Korea, North Koreans will find themselves without one resource everyone needs: pride. In wealth, skill and even height, North Koreans will be inferior to their southern brothers and sisters. Their complete lack of social status will be humiliating.

Since North Koreans will not be able to assert economic, intellectual or physical equality, their only venue for self-respect will be moral and cultural equality (or even better, superiority). Since North Korean morality and culture are DPRK inventions, some may do the seemingly unthinkable: defend the DPRK's honor.

Believe it or not, some North Koreans will be willing, because they will not need to respect the DPRK as it exists at the time of some future collapse; they will only need to love the DPRK as it began (or as they will imagine it began) in 1948, under Kim Ilsung's leadership. For comparison, Lankov points to his native Russia, which freed itself from Soviet rule 22 years ago. Joseph Stalin, father of the Soviet Union, is now popular again there. Celebrated for defending the country against invasion, his crimes and failures are ignored, downplayed or blamed on other officials. Is a similar rebirth hard to imagine for Kim? In fact we need not imagine it; it is happening.

While interviewing North Korean defectors for a book, Bradley K. Martin discovered that most North Koreans understand their country is a wreck and their government is responsible – but they blame Kim Jong-il, Kim Il-sung's father. One defector said, “The moment Kim Jong-il came into power, the

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Kim Il-sung

problems started. I still revere Kim Il-sung, think very highly of him. Probably all the defectors here think that way.”

This myth of Kim Il-sung's innocence is receiving some unintentional support from modern historians.

Researchers such as Bruce Cumings have revealed that some unflattering stories about Kim are also myths made by his enemies. Correcting these inaccuracies without improving Kim's deservedly bad reputation is a difficult balancing act.

When the Republic of Korea absorbs North Korea, it will have to be careful too. Communism (or “Kimilsungism”) will be outlawed, of course. Yet, with the DPRK gone, many people will consider social harmony more important than historical facts. When North Koreans eventually become voters, their sensitivity about Kim will become important to politicians. Ironically, the failure of Kim's legacy will then have secured his myth.

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culture

Korean Sayings This series of articles will explore traditional Korean phrases and provide background information associated with these words. Every country possess terminology that uniquely shows the country’s identity, so these articles, written by a Korean, brings to light words from history.

Despair is the Death of the Youth, and the Death of the Youth is the Fall of a Nation 낙망은 청년의 죽음이요, 청년이 죽으면 민족도 죽는다 – 도산 안창호

By Won Hea Ran

I

n August 15, 1945, Koreans hugged each other and raised their Taegeukki (the national flag of Korea) high. It was the first day of freedom since 1910, when Korea was colonized by Japan.

The Independence Day must have been sweet and cheerful for a new start, but it was also a precious day earned over thousands of years of bloodshed.

Many people fought and died for the freedom of the nation. In one famous independence movement called the Sam-Yil (3.1) Movement, in which 2,000,000 men participated throughout the nation to shout for freedom, over 7,000 men were killed, over 15,000 men were injured and 45,000 others were captured and tortured. Despite the ceaseless bloody suppression, Ahn Chang-ho (안창 호), a political speaker who participated in several independence movements and encouraged people not to lose hope.

With the pen name of DoSan, Ahn wrote a particular quote that carries an inspiring message to Korean youth, whose future was not so bright at the time of colonization. He told them not to lose hope and said: “As far as we keep our hopes alive, Korea will not fall.”

Ahn was then and is now a cultural and educational icon in the days of colonization. In contrast to Yun Bong-gil (윤봉길) and Ahn Jung-gun (안중근), who both gave up their lives winning independence from the Japanese officials in Korea, Ahn survived and worked passionately to improve the country's industry and education, by building the first co-educational school of Korea: Jeom-Jin School. Ahn was also known as a heartmoving public speaker and the publisher of Gongrib Shinbo (the Public Newspaper) and Daehan Maeil Shinbo (Korea's Everyday Newspaper).

Ahn Chang-ho

Koreans fighting for liberty

Ahn especially loved young children. When he was in Shanghai (상해), he helped the regional Boy Scouts in several ways. Once, a boy asked him for money for the May ceremony of the Boy Scouts.

Ahn did not have the money at that moment, so he promised the boy that he would visit him in April 26 and give him the money. Ahn kept his promise and brought him the money, but that particular day was when Yun Bong-gil bombed Japanese officials in Hong-Gu Park of Shanghai. The Japanese policemen were searching for Independence activists like him in Shanghai. Despite all the danger, Ahn kept the promise to the boy, but he was caught by the police as a result and was imprisoned for three years.

Another quote Ahn penned was: “The first step to make the people sound is to make yourself sound.

He was not only an Independence fighter, but he was also a man who could see the future. He valued education and the youth, and he left his mark, and in his quotes, in Korean history.

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health

Demystifying Hair Loss

By Kristal Lee Illustrations by Faiz Alban

60 percent of hair loss sufferers would rather have more hair than money or friends.

Almost half (47 percent) of hair loss sufferers would spend their life savings to regain a full head of hair.

Roughly a third (30 percent) of hair loss sufferers would give up sex, if it meant they would get their hair back.

O

ver the last several years, hair-raising reports have been released regarding hair loss in Korea. People are beginning to seek answers as their questions flood newspapers, blogs and social networking sites. Are people really losing more hair these days? Why do more men lose hair in comparison to women?

Worldwide, the number of hair loss sufferers seeking medical treatment from 2004 to 2008 has increased exponentially. Analysis of hospital bills by the National Health Insurance Corporation has shown that an increase in patients seeking medical treatment for hair loss is at an all-time high.

Surprisingly, a majority of these patients were in their 20s or 30s.

However, the information at hand does not mean that more people are losing hair, nor can it determine that people are balding at younger ages. The raw data simply tells us that more people are actually seeking treatment for hair loss than before, and now, many of these patients are between 20 to 30 years old.

It is important to understand that there are many types of hair loss.

Ranging in characteristics and causes, the on-set, duration and remedy are uniquely dependent on the type of hair loss being experienced. The following are examples of common on-going hair loss problems: Male pattern balding is genetic and progressive if untreated.

Alopecia universalis is an auto-immune disorder, occurring at any age, where hair is lost over the entire body.

Alopecia areata (patchy hair loss) occurs suddenly in children and young adults but is temporary, with hair returning in a few years.

Trichotillomania, seen most frequently in children, is exceptionally difficult to treat. Considered a neuro-biological disorder, it compels a person to pull out and sometimes eat their own hair.

Other common causes for hair loss include but are not limited to: medication, anemia, child birth (temporary extra shedding of “hair buildup�), hair appliances and fungal infections.

Women hair loss process

Trying to explain why they lose their hair, people have believed some myths that are just simply not true: Myth #1: Women Lose More Hair than Men Contrary to popular belief, hair loss is just as common for men as it is for

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women. Hair loss affects roughly 50 percent of women. Similarly, 40 percent of men have noticeable hair loss by age 35, 65 percent by age 60 and 80 percent by age 80. Men and women begin to lose their hair at about the same rate. Hair loss in men is simply more noticeable because it occurs in a specific pattern, “male pattern balding,” at the top and front of the head.

This patterning creates obvious bald spots, whereas women lose hair throughout a wide area of their scalp and thus their overall hair feels and appears thinner. As a result, men in their 50s actually have more hair on the sides and back of their heads then women of the same age.

Myth #2: Short-Term Stress Causes Hair Loss There has always been a mythological connection between stress and balding. Luckily, for over-worked parents and Type A personalities, the “fizzling out of your brain” does not equate to the fizzling out of your follicles. Shortterm daily stresses, such as running late to work, tackling a heavy workload or even semi-weekly rows with your significant other, are not going to cause your hair to fall out. However, traumatic psychological stress that affects your sleep patterns, dieting or hormonal balances could affect your body in a way that causes hair loss.

Myth #3: Constant Dieting, Eating More Meat lead to Hair Loss The “Western diet” is a favorite scapegoat, whenever talking about health problems, and though it is loosely defined and all-inclusive that it resembles the reasonably-priced buffets that characterize it, it is not the exact culprit.

Instead, any lack of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that your body needs can lead to hair loss. This obviously includes people on strict weight-loss diets trying to achieve “K-Pop Idol” thinness and people who have limited access to fresh produce in the winter season.

One myth particularly pervasive around Korea is that eating too much meat causes hair loss. This is absolutely false. Protein is actually good for your hair's nutrients. Too little protein can damage healthy hair and inhibit new follicles from forming.

Myth #4: Sex Hormones A newspaper has quoted a doctor who reported that eating too much meat and fast food can cause children's bodies to release sex hormones prematurely, throwing them into early puberty and consequential premature hair loss. First, as mentioned, meat does not contribute to balding, nor does fatty foods. However, government regulation do allow several hormones in the food supply, including estradiol, estriol, testosterone, progesterone and other sex hormones that can cause imbalance and temporary hair loss. Many meat and dairy animals are treated with hormones, which get passed on to consumers. Hormonal influence is not exclusive to consuming contaminated food products, as hormone-disrupting chemicals can be found in every-day products, such as soaps, cosmetics and cleaning products.

Though the most common cause of hair loss is hereditary, hormonal changes and in genetically-predisposed people, certain sex hormones trigger a particular pattern of permanent hair loss. Many people believe testosterone causes baldness but this is also not the case. Hair loss is influenced by the transformation of testosterone into dihydrotestosterone (DHT). If an individual has increased levels of a hormone known as 5-alpha reductase and this transforms testosterone into DHT, then they may suffer from hair loss.

Men hair loss process

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fashion

Fash-On with xxl jjdp

Summertime : Crazy Crazy Crazy Madness Words and photos by jjdp

S

ummertime means fun in the sun, celebrating!

This month we will look at some great day-today summer styles to get you through this humid season. There is also advice on how to best dry your clothing to avoid mold, mildew and that musty smell! Easy, breezy, Fash-on!

Here is a quick rundown of some of the essentials you will need! First, you need a great pair of shorts that will take you anywhere. Then, you need some comfortable slip-on shoes that won't leave your feet hot and sweaty all day; I loved mine so much that I bought them in red, blue and black.

Also invest in some light cotton V-neck T-shirts for the day and night. It is a classic. This season I stocked up on them, in my favorites colors of hot pink, gray and white. Neutrals can be worn nearly every day, and if you want a burst of color, just go for hot pink or another brighter shade. Wear under a cotton shirt or a denim one for a night look.

and non-greasy all day, and Kiehl's also really like to pack in the samples.

Finally, don't forget your summer fragrance! Some of my favorites are from Calvin Klein. I have CK One for day, CK be for Night and also CK In2U to keep me smelling cool all summer long.

Now, here are some tips to properly dry your laundry in the humidity. First, think about your laundry needs, and yes, it might take a bit more planning but will result in clothes that dry properly without a funky smell. I would also suggest investing in a clothing drying rack which you can move around your house for better circulation.

Next don't forget that the typhoons are approaching, so always keep your rain boots handy! Make a splash and keep your feet dry.

Next, survey the position of your house. Where does the sun shine in the most or where is breeziest? This is where you need to hang your clothing, so having a moveable drying rack makes it so much easier. Sun and air drying is the best but we all know that sometimes it is impossible. My clothing rack is in my kitchen, which never sees the sun, so I have had to come up with some other ways on how to keep my clothes smelling fresh.

Round it all off with some funky retro and tribal jewelry and accessories. Sunglasses are a must and my essential lip balm and facial products come from Kiehl's. They keep your face fresh, moisturized

If you plan on washing your clothing at night, check the weather for the next day. If the next day will be rainy, drying your clothing will be difficult. A little planning goes a long way.

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Try washing similar fabrics together for effective drying. For example, light T-shirts will dry faster than heavy cotton towels. Also in this weather, I would suggest not using large body sheet / beach towels.

Use the smaller, Korean hand towels which are lighter and thus dry more easily. Ensure that you take the clothing out of the washing machine as soon as possible. The longer it stays in the machine, the more likely it is that it is going to start getting musty.

Wash smaller loads than usual, because you need air to circulate between your hanging clothes. If you pile and layer clothes on the racks, your clothes with take much longer to dry. If you are running out of space, drape lighter linens or fabrics over chairs or on the top of your doors. If you need to dry small and/or light items of clothing in a rush, just use a hair dryer. Vary the settings from hot to mild, in order to dry clothes quickly, such as underwear and socks.

Another great tip is that if you have a home fan, position it to blow directly onto the clothing, as circulation is of utmost importance. In the monsoon

season, the air is thick with moisture and really does not move freely.

As an added bonus, dry out the air in your apartment with your air-conditioner at a relatively normal temperature for your comfort, let it run to remove moisture and don't forget to close the windows. Also try purchasing some handy Korean dehumidifying Hippo containers. You can get about nine for under 10,000 won and all you do is put one in your closet or around your house and clothes. It will remove the excess moisture for you, which will prevent clothing damage and mold.

Now that drying is taken care of, just concentrate on looking good. peace, xxl jjdp Clothing: Kiehl's - Shinsegae; V-necks - H&M; Rain Boots - Home Plus; Shirts - 8 seconds; Fragrance - Olive Young; Shoes - Mister Street/ Gmarket; Silver Jewellery - Forever 21 / Seoul Gwangju News August 2013

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poetry

Selected Poems by Moon Tae-jun Translated by Song Chae-Pyong and Anne Rashid Photo by Joey Nunez

Moon Tae-jun (1970-) has published five collections of poetry: Chattering Backyard (2000), Bare Foot (2004), Flatfish (2006), Shadow's Development (2008) and A Faraway Place (2012), as well as other essays and commentaries. One of the most popular poets of the younger Korean generations, Moon uses deceptively simple poetic language with profound lyricism, commenting on the struggle of daily life. Grounded in Buddhist philosophy, his poems speak with reverence for all forms of life and emphasize the necessity of emptying oneself. Moon is a recipient of many prestigious awards, including the Dongseo Literature Award (2004), the Midang Literature Award (2005) and the Sowol Poetry Award (2007).

Translators Brief Biography Song Chae-Pyong was an associate professor of English at Marygrove College in Detroit, Michigan, where he taught from 2001 to 2012. He published articles on modern fiction, as well as translations of Korean poetry and fiction. His translations of Korean literature have appeared in Gwangju News, The Korea Times, New Writing from Korea, Illuminations, Metamorphoses: Journal of Literary Translation and Azalea: Journal of Korean Literature and Culture. Along with Anne Rashid, he won the Grand Prize in the Poetry Category of the 40th Modern Korean Literature Translation Awards for translating Kim Hyesoon's poems. His fields of interest included twentieth-century English literature, postcolonial literature, translation studies and globalization of culture. He sadly passed away in February of 2013.

Gwangju News is proud to publish Chae-Pyong’s translated work posthumously.

Anne M. Rashid is an assistant professor of English at Carlow University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

She and Chae-Pyong Song received the 40th Korean Literature Translation Award in Poetry Translation given by The Korea Times. Rashid and Song have published translations in New Writing from Korea, list, Gwangju News, Azalea: Journal of Korean Literature, Women's Studies Quarterly and Illuminations.

Following the Old Tibetan Monk

티베트 노스님의 뒤를 따라 걷다

Putting on an old, worn out robe, taking a few steps and stopping, a few more steps and stopping, keeping distance, slender, like a bird's footprints, counting for a long while as though standing at the end of time, bending as if standing on a soft red perimeter of peonies, like when I look into your eyes I have missed, like a traveler who keeps on traveling, with an anticipation that I may reach less, as I go.

낡고 헐거운 옷을 입고서 가다 멎고 가다 멎으며 뒤를 두되 새의 발자국처럼 가느스름하게 시간의 맨 끝에 선 듯 오래 헤아리며 허리를 아주 굽혀서 모란꽃의 보드라운 붉은 둘레에라도 선 듯이 그리던 당신의 눈동자를 바라볼 때처럼 고요하고 사랑의 감정으로 가고 가는 행인으로서 가도 어차피 덜 도달하게 되리라는 예감으로

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The Hill and the Boy

비탈과 아이

There is a boy curious about the hill.

비탈길이 궁금한 아이가 있다

He is running down the slope.

아이가 비탈길을 뛰어 내려오고 있다

He laughs as if his cheeks may gradually burst.

점점 뺨이 터질 듯이 웃는다

Just like thunder rolls toward the south,

천둥이 남쪽 하늘로 구르듯이

is there something in his soft chest that compels him to roll?

무른 가슴을 구르는게 있는가

As the crescent moon waxes every day,

초승달이 매일매일 커지듯이

is there a white light that grows in his small chest?

앙가슴에 자라나는 흰빛이 있는가

Leaning continuously toward me,

계속 기울어져 내 쪽으로

he is running as though emptying himself out.

쏟아질 듯 뛰어 내려오고 있다

This overflowing–

저 흘러넘침을

how would I receive it?

나는 어떻게 받아안을 것인가

I, who am trapped like a rock.

바위처럼 박히어 있는 나는

The Morning

아침

A flock of birds descended, like thunder, upon a short tree.

They pecked on the berries and pooped.

As they moved to a tree a few feet away, the tree, considered nothing more than a boxwood,

새떼가 우르르 내려앉았다 키가 작은 나무였다 열매를 쪼고 똥을 누기도 했다 새떼가 몇발짝 떨어진 나무에게 옮겨가자 나무상자로밖에 여겨지지 않던 나무가 누군가 들고 가는 양동이의 물처럼 한번 또 한번 출렁했다 서 있던 나도 네 모서리가 한번 출렁했다 출렁출렁하는 한 양동이의 물 아직은 이 좋은 징조를 갖고 있다

rolled once more, once again, like water someone carries in a bucket.

Even for me who stood over it, my four corners rolled at once.

This rolling, waving water in the bucket still bodes well.

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poetry

Korean Postcards Words by Bom Dae-Soon Photos and translated by Park Yeon-seong

Bom Dae-Soon is an English Literature scholar, poet and emeritus professor of Chonnam National University. He has published 15 books of poetry, three books of criticism, two books of academic studies and three books of translation, including the Complete Works of Bom Dae-soon. He has also been awarded the Korean Poets' Association Prize, the Kumho Academy Prize and the Gwangju Citizen Award. He has climbed Mt. Mudeung 1,100 times and reached Seo-seok Dae, its summit, 150 times.

Park Yeon-seong is a researcher at Dakook University and Instructor at Chonnam National University. She has published numerous literary articles, academic books and translated books.

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travel

Travel Tips Words and photos by Matt Furlane

A

ugust is a month for traveling for those working in Korea. Some schools take a longer break, and for those of us who teach, it is our opportunity to take a break too. In our advanced modern era, online booking and new transportation links are making it easier to travel to any destination.

And with more opportunity to travel comes a greater need to think ahead in order to enjoy your vacation. Here are some basic tips I think will help anyone get the most out of traveling.

1) Why? – Before you begin booking your flight, consider why you want to travel. This will help you focus and keep you from wasting your money. Are you looking for an exotic, solo-backpacking adventure or a city-bound cultural bus tour? Do you want to go clubbing or see World Heritage sites?

Places like Angkor Wat can better suit travelers interested in history and culture, while Bangkok can attract people interested in a vibrant nightlife.

Consider your primary vacation goals and find areas that are best suited to your interests.

2) Planning – Depending on the type of person you are will depend on how detailed your plan is. A well-researched itinerary will save both time and money. Some people just like to “wing it,” but with so many travel websites and online reviews, there is no reason to “fly blind.” Top travel sites include TravelPod.com, VirtualTourist.com, Lonelyplanet.com and Ricksteves.com. Additionally there are popular travel iPhone apps like TripAdvisor, Kayak and TripIt that are worth using too.

3) Don't do it! – In February, an American woman traveled alone to Turkey and was murdered. In June, 10 Western tourists were killed by Islamic terrorists in

Cranes of Peace: In Hiroshima they celebrate peace every year with these large lit cranes.

Pakistan while mountain climbing.

I cannot reiterate enough how important it is to be smart when traveling and weigh carefully the cost and benefits of what you are doing. Do not throw away your life taking unnecessary chances that benefit no one. For more information, visit and consult: Travel.State.Gov. 4) Physical Health – This past A photogenic June, American actor grandmother and James Gandolfini died of a curious heart attack while granddaughter vacationing in Italy. heading to a Although there are picnic. numerous factors to consider, being physically fit before going on vacation is important. Changes in altitude, environment, sleep schedule and diet can all put enormous stresses on the body. Take Vitamin C and get into shape. At a minimum you should be able to walk long distances and climb stairs without losing your breath.

5) Eat smart – Back home you may have been used to eating hamburgers, fries and nothing Asian except fried rice and fortune cookies. But now you want raw oysters, live octopus and uncooked egg entrees?!? It is best for sensitive or inexperienced travelers to stick to foods like noodles, broiled chicken or steak dishes with wine. Do not ruin your vacation by being hotel bound with food poisoning.

Hopefully these tips make your upcoming trips and any future trips enjoyable and worth sharing with friends.

Above the clouds: Hiking to Mudeung Mountain with Gwangju, down below.

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language teaching

Old Habits Die Hard

By Dr. David Shaffer Photo courtesy of KOTESOL

I

f you are in any way familiar with the Korean education system, you most likely have seen something that made you ask yourself, “Why do they still do it that way?” It would appear that the saying “Old habits die hard” would apply here. And the reason for it could be found in another saying: “We teach the way we were taught.” But should we just dismiss older methods as being less effective than more recentlydevised ones? Do we not need more to base our opinions on? We will take a look at some of the long-entrenched methods and practices employed in Korea in teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL) and see what works and what does not.

The Grammar-Translation Method The Grammar-Translation Method (GT) of teaching languages has been with us for a long time and it can be found in use today in classrooms around the globe. Basically, it consists of teaching students the grammatical rules of the target language (L2) and then having the students apply these rules to practice in translating from one's L1 to the language being learned. Hundreds of years ago, when this method was used mainly by the clergy to translate religious tracts from one language to another, it worked satisfactorily, but it was being used to teach written language skills only.

Over the years, the goal of language teaching has moved from teaching written skills to being primarily for oral communication. However, for many, the GT method of teaching has not changed. A method originally employed for writing has become used for teaching oral skills, without relevant changes in the method. The GT method has no advocates today; indeed, it does not even have a theory as its foundation. As a language teaching method for today's needs, GT is highly inefficient. This is because it relies on memorization of grammar rules, not internalization. It does not include interaction in exchange of information, and it does not include oral-aural practice. The GT method needs to be replaced with something more relevant to the 46

Gwangju News August 2013

Rote memorization is still the preferred learning method of English learners and teachers. students' needs. However, doing occasional translation exercises as part of a larger course design can be beneficial.

Learning by Memorization By “memorization,” we refer to rote learning, the memorization technique based on repetition without regard to understanding. This is a very common learning technique in Korea. Its origins and popularity probably stem from the need to learn thousands of Chinese characters in order to be considered a literate Korean in the Silla, Koryo and Chosun Dynasties. Rote memorization does have an advantage – it is possible to remember something quickly. But its main drawback cancels out its advantage – one can forget what they learned just as quickly as they learned it. For this reason, and because it is not concerned with understanding, rote learning, by itself, is also a very ineffective learning method.

Meanwhile, meaningful learning relates the new information to be acquired with previouslyacquired knowledge. Active learning refers to several models of instruction that focus the responsibility of learning on the learners themselves, where learners interact with each other in numerous ways. These latter two learning methods are effective because knowledge gained through

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these methods tends to “stick.” In language learning, vocabulary, grammatical phenomena and pronunciation all tend to be retained, when used in numerous ways with numerous things and when there is interaction with others. After all, communication is an interactive process. Rote memorization does have a degree of effectiveness when practiced in association with other modes of learning, but by itself it is woefully ineffective.

Teacher as Provider of Knowledge The stereotypical image of an in-session classroom that most of us have is one with all the students facing front-and-center where a teacher stands behind a lectern. And in the Korean classroom, whether or not a language class, this is not just stereotypical, but typical. English is thought of as a subject just like History, Science and Mathematics, where the teacher is the imparter of knowledge to the students who are supposed to absorb that knowledge and exhibit that they have mastered it by answering questions on a test. But English does not work that way.

While academic subjects like History can be, with some degree of success, taught by students being spoon-fed information from a teacher, such methodology falters terribly with English. This is because the teaching of English should not be viewed as an academic undertaking but as the acquisition of a skill. A skill is not acquired by a teacher spending most of their time giving lecturestyle classes, providing facts about the skill. One does not learn to play tennis or ride a bicycle in a classroom, listening to a teacher talk all the time.

The student must experience, experiment and execute playing tennis or riding a bike. The same is true of English. For students to learn to communicate in an L2, the teacher must be much more than just a provider of knowledge.

The Teacher-Centered Classroom The metaphor of teacher as provider of knowledge portrays a one-way flow of knowledge from the teacher to the student. However, instruction can be made a two-way street by incorporating question-and-answer checkups and the like. Such classrooms are still teacher-centered.

The teacher exhibits control over every aspect of the lesson and monopolizes the talking time, with knowledge flowing from teacher to student.

Learning in this manner, deductive learning, has been shown to be much less effective than inductive learning. With inductive learning, it is the role of the teacher to provide the learner with information which they can analyze, discern patterns in, formulate rules for, test their hypotheses, fine-tune them and retest. In other words, one learns something better if they figure it

out for themselves rather than be told. Therefore, rather that provide the student with a fish to eat, the teacher should teach the student how to fish.

In order to teach the students the skill of “fishing,” the teacher must relinquish much of their talking time and some of their control to make considerable portions of the lesson studentcentered, where there is not just interaction with the teacher, but sustained periods of interaction between students in a pair or in groups. Through this student interaction, students get the muchneeded practice that they need to learn English.

We must never lose sight of the fact that the ability to use English is a skill, much like playing soccer or singing. Students need practice time, and methodologies such as Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) and Task-Based Teaching (TBT) that give practice and active interaction.

In summary, CLT and TBT are immensely more effective in teaching language skills than is the antiquated Grammar-Translation Method. And rote memorization is immensely ineffective as a learning strategy. It is much better for the teacher to facilitate inductive learning for the students to learn and to provide sufficient practice time with student interaction speaking in English.

Gwangju-Jeonnam Monthly Chapter Meeting Date & Time: August 10 (Saturday), 1:30 p.m.

Place: Chosun University, Main Building, Left Wing Featured Workshops: - Memorable Vocabulary Teaching and Learning (Jessica Magnusson; GNUE) - Guided Teacher Reflection for Busy Teachers (Roger Fusselman; Seoul Chapter) Swap-Shop: Share your teaching ideas and activities.

Admission: No Charge Facebook: Gwangju-Jeonnam KOTESOL Website: http://koreatesol.org/gwangju Email: gwangju@koreatesol.org Twitter: @GwangjuKOTESOL

David E. Shaffer is the current President of the Gwangju-Jeonnam Chapter of Korea TESOL (KOTESOL).

On behalf of the Chapter, he invites you to participate in the teacher development workshops at their monthly meetings and special events.

Dr. Shaffer is a professor of English at Chosun University, where he has taught graduate, undergraduate, and postgraduate courses for many years. He is a long-time member of KOTESOL and holder of various positions. He is also the recipient of the KOTESOL Lifetime Achievement Award.

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language study

At the Bank

By Karina Prananto and Hong Song-i Illustration by Faiz Alban

Staff

: 안녕하세요, 어떻게 도와 드릴까요? (annyeonghaseyo, eotteokke dowa deurilkkayo?)

Hello, how may I help you?

Customer : * -----고 싶어요. (*---- go sipeoyo.)

I would like to * -----------Replace * ------------ with: 출금하다 (=돈을 찾다) (chulgeumhada = doneul chatda) To withdraw 입금하다 (=돈을 넣다) (ibgeumhada = doneul neohda) To deposit 송금하다 (=돈을 보내다) (songgeumhada = doneul bonaeda) To wire 통장 만들다 (tongjang mandeulda) To open an account 환전하다 (hwanjeonhada) To exchange money 통장을 해지하다 (tongjang haejihada) To close an account 인터넷 뱅킹을 이용하다 (inteonet baengking-eul iyonghada) To use internet banking Staff

: 신분증을 좀 보여 주시겠어요? (Sinbunjeung-eul jom boyeo jusigesseoyo?)

Could you show me your identification card, please?

Customer : 여기 있습니다. (Yeogi itseumnida.)

Here it is. 오늘 환율이 어떻게 되나요? (Oneul hwanyuri eotteokke dwenayo?)

What is the exchange rate today?

Staff

: 오늘은 1달러에 1,000원입니다. (Oneureun il-dalleoe cheon-won imnida.)

Today's rate is 1,000 won for 1 USD.

Customer : 알겠습니다. 100달러 환전해 주세요. (Algetseumnida. Baekdalleo hwanjeonhae juseyo.)

Okay, I would like to convert 100 USD to Korean won.

Staff

: 여기에 서명해 주세요. (Yeogie seongmyeonghae juseyo.)

Please sign here. 모두 처리 되었습니다. (Modu cheori dwe-eosseumnida.)

All your transactions have been processed. 금액을 확인하시겠어요? (Geumaekeul hwainhasigetseoyo?)

Could you verify the amount?

Customer : 맞습니다. 감사합니다. (Matseumnida. Gamsahamnida.)

That's right. Thank you.

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language study

Words and photos by Sun Hyunwoo There are a lot of interesting idiomatic expressions that stem from cultural backgrounds and are difficult to translate literally. Every month in collaboration with「Talk to Me in Korean」, you can read about some fun and useful Korean expressions.

불 난 데 부채질 하다

[bal nan de bu-chae-jil ha-da]

Literal translation: to fan the fire Actual usage: to make the problem worse

불 means“fire”, 불 난다 means“fire happens”and 데 means“place. 부채 is a “hand fan” and the act of using a hand fan is 부채질. So this expression literally means “fanning the fire.”This idiomatic expression means “doing something that would make the problem worse,” “to add fuel to the fire,” but without being aware that someone is making the problem worse. For example, if your friend broke up with his/her lover, he/she is trying to move on, but you keep bringing up the subject because you want to comfort him, that is 불 난 데 부채질 하다.

Variations and examples 지금 불 난 데 부채질 해요? [jigeum bul nan de bu-chae-jil haeyo?] = Are you trying to add fuel to the fire? 왜 불 난 데 부채질이에요? [wae bul nan de bu-chae-ji-ri-e-yo?] = Why are you making matters worse?

아직 멀었어요

[a-jik meo-reo-sseo-yo]

Literal translation: It was still far away.

Actual usage: I still have a long way to go.

아직 means “not yet” and 멀었어요 means “it was far away” and put together means “I’ve still have a long way to go.” This idiomatic expression is almost always used in the past tense, even if it is to express that something is far off or for a project that will take a long time to finish. This expression can also be used when you receive a compliment and you want to sound humble. You can say“아니예요. 아직 멀었어 요." In this case, you can also use the similar expression “아직 잘 못 해요.”

Variations and examples 제 영어 실력은 아직 멀었어요. [je yeong-eo sil-lyeo-geun a-jik meo-reo-sseo-yo.] = My English still has a long way to go. 매일 연습하고 있는데, 아직 멀었어요. [mae-il yeon-seu-pa-go it-neun-de, a-jik meo-reo-sseo-yo.] = I am practicing every day, but I still have a long way to go.

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food

Mulnaengmyeon Cure for the Summer Heat 2 Words and photos by Jannies Le

N

aengmyeon (Cold Noodles Soup) is another “hot” item on menus for the hot summer days in South Korea. This dish can be traced back to the Joseon Dynasty. Surprisingly, this chilly dish was a staple in the mountains during winter because buckwheat grew then, as now, well in high altitudes.

The noodles are handmade from flour and buckwheat. The most popular recipes are Mulnaengmyeon (Water Cold Noodles) and Bibimnaengmyeon (Mixed Cold Noodles). The first dish is topped with an egg and vegetables (cucumbers, daikon radishes and pears) in a coldvinegary beef soup. Some restaurants add pieces of beef to the dish. Normally mustard and extra vinegar are served on the side, to top off the flavors in this dish. The latter dish is made with a spicy pepper sauce with not much broth. The meal also comes with a pair of scissors to cut up the long noodles, but traditionally the long noodles have represented longevity. 국수나무 (Guksu Namu) www.namuya.co.kr This restaurant chain translates into Noodles Tree and has many locations throughout South Korea.

They specialize in (you guessed it) noodles, but they do serve up a variety of hot seafood based noodles and udon, rice dishes and pork cutlets.

Another plus is that the menus are in both Korean and English.

Area: This restaurant chain has multiple locations within Gwangju. For this review I visited the Chonnam University Back Gate location. From the two Chonnam University Back Gate bus stops (north and south), walk towards Dunkin Donuts and turn down that alley. The establishment is on the second floor on your right-hand side between two clothing stores.

Atmosphere: The Noodles Tree restaurants all include simple designs centered on wood. The tables and some of the chairs or booths are made of light-colored varnished wood. This look gives a clean and quick feel of visiting a fancier fast-food 50

Gwangju News August 2013

chain establishment. Around lunch time, I saw a 30minute turn-over time.

Service: The service was efficient and straight forward. Sometimes it took time for the waitress to respond to my table's bell because of the lunch rush. But, the food arrived hot, or cold and steamy, within a 10-minute wait.

Food: There was a choice of five different cold noodles dishes at this restaurant. I went with the traditional Mulnaengmyeon (Water Cold Noodles), but there was also bibim, a spicy soup, and regular noodles available as alternatives to buckwheat noodles. The soup my noodles came in was savory; I could taste the meat in the broth. The noodles were the way I like them, not too chewy or too soft.

After the initial tasting, I cut my noodles and added the vinegar and mustard before digging in. The dish was deliciously refreshing, in contrast to the weather this summer.

Prices: The prices for the cold noodles ranges from 5,000 to 6,000 won. All other dishes on the menu were under 10,000 won.

Tips: Cold noodles can be found year-round in most kimbap, barbeque, bulgogi and sometimes seafood restaurants as a post meal snack. One of the most delicious bowls I have ever had was at a bulgogi restaurant in Yangsang-dong.

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food

우유팥빙수 Words and photo by Lee Jongmi

S

pring has passed into summer. In order to beat the heat, Koreans usually eat Patbingsu. We can make Milk Patbingsu quickly and easily. Although you may not have a machine for grinding ice, you can make it conveniently without the machine. Milk Patbingsu is made from frozen milk, where the milk is like a slush. If you want to add more ingredients, you can put fruit, chocolate syrup or ice cream in Patbingsu also.

Things to prepare (serves 2 - 3 persons) 200ml of milk, 4 tablespoons of red beans, 8 slices of rice cake (tteok), some slices of watermelon and 1 tablespoon of cereal

Cooking Method 1. Freeze 200ml of milk for about 3 hours.

2. Prepare the other ingredients.

3. Pour the frozen milk onto the plate and crush it.

4. Put on red beans.

5. Add the rice cake, watermelon pieces and cereal.

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[CROSSWORD]

By Mike Schroeder

[Across] 1 6 8 9 12 15 16 17 18 19 22 26 29 30 31 34 35 36

52

Two-player basketball game Second largest California city Really stupid Wolf Blitzer's channel Largest mall in North America Long-lasting, pain perhaps Wander "___ the cows come home" Musician with groupies?

Rock drummer Ulrich Final Girl who enjoys rough outdoor activities NBA's all-time leading scorer R. Rodriguez dir., 2005 film A single stroke under par Fourth largest Scotland city Capital on the Danube Customers

Gwangju News August 2013

[Down] 2 3 4 5 7 9 10 11 13 14 20 21 23 24 25 26 27 28 32 33

Genesis woman No longer used, out of date Way to get hostage back Upcoming Scorsese film Martini ingredient Walking stick Band who created Vs. album This part of speech invariably is Jessica Alba's birthplace Mythical mountain "man" "Seinfeld" uncle Grave robber Having a dislike of humankind Throb - hurt Second largest German city Grateful Mix together Workbench attachment Carson successor Japanese dish

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[CROSSWORDS] Last Month’s Answers

Gwangju Guidebook Want to do, see and experience more in Gwangju? Find out what to do, what sights to see and what fun to be had through Gwangju Guidebook. Or if you need information on the go, the Gwangju Guidebook is now available through its mobile version. Easy to read and navigate, now you can have all the information about Gwangju, in your hands on your phone! For accessing the Guide, please visit: www.gwangjuguide.or.kr

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Community Board Have something you want to share with the community?

Gwangju News’ community board provides a space for the community to announce club’s activity, special events and so on.

Please send us the information to gwangjunews@gmail.com.

Translation Services Available at the GIC

Translation services are now available at the GIC. Languages include English and Korean for reasonable prices. Types of documents that can be translated are: certificates, newsletters and/or reports.

For more information, please contact the GIC at 062-226-2733/34 or gic@gic.or.kr

Let's Move the GIC!

The GIC will move to its new location at the end of August. We would like to invite you to "move" together with us. Please send us an email about your interested area of volunteering to gic@gic.or.kr. Volunteering areas include: arranging and moving things, organizing the GIC Library and/or interior decoration.

Gwangju Ice Hockey Team Looking for men and women of all ages to join us every Saturday night from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Yeomju Ice Rink near World Cup Stadium. If you are interested, contact either Andrew Dunne at atdunne@gmail.com or Chris Wilson at: kreeco@rogers.com

Gwangju Inter FC The Gwangju international soccer team (Gwangju Inter FC) plays regularly every weekend. If you are interested in playing, e-mail: gwangju_soccer@yahoo.com or search ‘Gwangju Inter FC’ on Facebook.

Sung Bin Home for Girls Sung Bin Home for Girls is looking for creative/ active/ energetic/ outgoing/ enthusiastic long-term volunteers to join in our regular Saturday program. We would like you to give at least two Saturdays per month. Meet every Saturday at 1p.m. in front of downtown Starbucks. All are welcome. For more volunteering information please contact Daniel Lister at: daniellister7@hotmail.com.

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Photo Gwangju Plus For photographers, Google+ has become a tool and part of their overall social media strategy. There is a lot to love. If you are an aspiring photographer that is looking for inspiration, education and other individuals to connect with and share your passion for photography, we have an opportunity for you. If you are serious about photography and want to walk a couple steps higher, there is a community that shares pictures that you are more than welcome to join.

For more information, please visit “Photo Gwangju Plus (#photogwangjuplus)” at: https://plus.google.com/u/0/communiti es/110687342506867002799

The Gwangju Photography Club The Gwangju Photography Club is a place where many different people can meet, share advice, give ideas, and practice photography. Every month, the Photography Club goes on a photo outing to different places around the city and country to capture the moment and practice new techniques. Anyone is welcome to join the photography group and help share in the experience. To join the group, search Gwangju Photography Club on Facebook.

Gwangju's Young Adult Cross-Cultural Exchange Korean students from Chonnam and Chosun Universities and foreign English teachers from Gwangju and Jeollanam-do meet together to engage in Gwangju's Young Adult CrossCultural forum. Events are held at the American Corner at the Mudeung Library, sponsored by the U.S. Embassy. These forums serve as a means for people to come together and discuss issues in a culturally comparative lens. So far, topics have included Education Inequality and Food, Health and Sustainability. All are encouraged to attend. Please contact Connor Dearing at connordearing@gmail.com for more information.

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