(EN) Gwangju News July 2014 #149

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www.gwangjunewsgic.com

July 2014 Issue No. 149

Gwangju’s New Mayor

YOON

Jang-hyun

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#149

July 2014 Publication Date: June 23, 2014

ON THE COVER Yoon Jang-hyun, the new mayor of Gwangju Image composite of Yoon Jang-hyun, with Gwangju City Hall

by Relja Kojic

THE EDITORIAL TEAM Publisher: Professor Shin Gyonggu

Website: www.gwangjunewsgic.com E-mail: gwangjunews@gic.or.kr Registration No.: 광주광역시 라. 00145 (ISSN 2093-5315)

Registration Date: February 22, 2010 Printed by Join Adcom 조인애드컴 Gwangju News is a monthly English magazine, published since June 2001, written and edited by volunteers. We welcome your contributions for proofreading, copy editing, administration, layout/design and distribution. Please write to gwangjunews@gic.or.kr 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.

GWANGJU NEWS PRINT Editor-in-Chief: Professor Robert Grotjohn Editor: Adam Volle Senior Coordinator: Kim Minsu Coordinator and Layout Editor: Karina Prananto Photo Editors: Karina Prananto, Simon Bond Chief Proofreader: Bradley Weiss Copy Editors: Brian Fitzroy, Heinrich Hattingh, Kate Jarocki, Joey Nunez, Jon Ozelton, Jenn Tinoco Proofreaders: Heather Aitken, Timm Berg, Paul Foskey, Don Gariepy, Britton Inglehart, Jessica Keralis, Fellin Kinanti, Jannies Le, Joey Nunez, Gabrielle Nygaard, SS Puri, Katie Rayner, Stephen Redeker, Pete Schandall, Teri Venable, Gilda Wilson Creative Consultant: Warren Parsons Researchers: Jo A-ra, Kim Yoo-joong, Kim So-hyun, Catherina Takoh, Park Eun-young

Gwangju News is published by Gwangju International Center Address: Gwangju International Center 1-2 Fl. 5, Jungang-ro 196beon-gil (Geumnam-ro 3 Ga) Dong-gu, Gwangju 501-023, South Korea Phone: +82-62-226-2733~4 Fax: +82-62-226-2731 Website: www.gic.or.kr E-mail: gic@gic.or.kr

GWANGJU NEWS ONLINE Editor: Ana Traynin Online Administrator: Carl Hedinger Online Editorial Assistants: Brittany Baker, Jacqui Page, Rebecca Weber

CORRECTION In June 2014 issue page 17, photos of page 16 were by George A. Boyle and his website address is georgeaboyle.com/misadventures.

We apologize for this error.

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

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.

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contents Featured Story

FEATURES 6 10 12

Mayor Yoon Jang-hyun's Community-Based Vision Gwangju Talks: What would you do for the city if you were mayor?

“Rumors” And Facts About The Gwangju Performance Project

LOCAL 14 16 18

6

20 21

Mayor Yoon Jang-hyun's Community- Based Vision

Gwangju City Hall News Why Are Universiades At The Center Of World Attention?

Gwangju Plays: The Uprising: Gwangju’s ROK-Ultimate Frisbee Team Gwangju Eats: Tiánmìmì Gwangju Cooks: Soy Sauce Potato Dish

PLACES TO SEE 22 24 26

Gwangju Sister Cities: Sendai, Japan Korea in the World: Lima, Peru My Korea: Geumo Island

PHOTOGRAPHY 28 29 30

12 “Rumors” And Facts About The Gwangju Performance Project

Photo of the Month: Time to Explore Long Exposures with Water Photo Essay: Portraits of Love

CULTURE 32 33 34 35

Korean Myth: Was “The Gwangju Republic” A Paradise?

Korean Sayings: “A mother-in-law makes her daughter-in-law work in spring and her real daughter work in the fall” Korean Poetry: “Like the Setting Sunlight” Gwangju Writes: “Nam and the Messenger”

GIC 38 40

GIC Culture Tour: Sinan, South Jeolla Province GIC Talk Preview and Schedule

GENERAL

18 The Uprising: Gwangju ROK-Ultimate Frisbee Team

42 44 45 46 48 50 52 55

Health: The Business of Growing BIRDS Korea: Just Keep Educating Korea Language Study: Ticket Reservations KOTESOL: Global Trends in English Language Teaching Fash-on: 10 Things I Know National Pension Service: Social Security Agreement for Foreigners Upcoming Events Community Board

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COVER STORY

Mayor Yoon Jang-hyun's Community-Based Vision Words by Blake Bouchard Photos by Relja Kojic

“I

nternational residents here should be considered members of the community,” Yoon Jang-hyun said on the morning of June 14, two weeks from becoming mayor.

His vision for foreign residents in Gwangju is the same as for all others: becoming an integral part of the strong community encapsulated in his policy proposals. In his interview with Gwangju News, he argued that migrant workers should not be marginalized, even those who are not legally allowed to work or live in Korea. Yoon “would like to provide them services, including medical and other social services for them not to be excluded from society.”

In the lead up to the June 4th local elections, many were calling the vote a major evaluation of the Park Geun-hye government. For Gwangju, traditionally a stronghold for the opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy (NPAD), the contest played out between the incumbent Kang Un-tae, running as an independent, and the NPAD's comparatively little-known candidate, Yoon Jang-hyun. Despite some controversy around Yoon's appointment, he was elected with over 57% of the vote.

Although relatively new to mainstream politics, Yoon has extensive experience working with community groups and NGOs. As a result, many of his policy proposals focus on community development and outreach. When asked about his comparatively limited experience in politics, Yoon explained that he feels his time working with NGOs has left him well prepared for this task.

Through a translator he explained that “the environment in NGOs is generally focussed on the

betterment of the society and this is the same whether it is in the NGO or governmental area; the scope of my activities has just expanded.”

Building on his roots as a student activist under South Korea's military dictatorship, Yoon certainly has a wealth of experience with NGOs, most of it centred on human rights and community support. His résumé features terms as both the Local and National Director of the YMCA, involvement with the Beautiful Store (an environmental and fair-trade social enterprise), organization of the Citizens Solidarity group, the position of Vice-Chairman of the Catholic Peace and Justice Commission, and ongoing position as a board member of the Asian Human Rights Commission.

One of Yoon's major projects from 1993 to 1998 was organizing a series of international conferences to bring attention to the May 18th events in Gwangju while expressing support for those living under repressive regimes. These conferences were part of the preparations for drafting the Asian Human Rights Charter, which was declared, at Yoon's suggestion, in Gwangju on May 17th, 1998. Despite years of discussions, drafting and public consultation, the charter is not a legally binding document. Rather, according to the preamble, it is “part of an attempt to create in Asia a popular culture of human rights.”

“I want to expand the concept of human rights [to include] economic human rights,” Yoon said when asked about challenges facing South Korea. Compared to the traditional view of human rights, which Yoon characterized as

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Yoon greets Gwangju’s parents at GIC English Language Class

legal or political, social and economic human rights receive less attention and are equally or more important in a community that has already shed its overtly oppressive regime. According to Yoon, there are two major components to consider: “job security for those who want to work … and social services for those who cannot work. Without these two in balance we cannot guarantee social economic justice or human rights of the citizens.”

“Making the city safe for the citizens [and ensuring that] even the weakest of the weak are protected” is Yoon's first priority. Community input and spirit are at the heart of Yoon's plans to ensure that these goals become a reality.

Communities take care of those who cannot take care of themselves. “Public service,” he explained, “should be like a flow of the water so that the lower part of society should be provided better services.”

“Social welfare is an issue of human rights and the community should secure safe life for the weak people,” Yoon explained. In his view, there

is little distinction between those born in Gwangju and those who have arrived from elsewhere. Everyone is part of the community and no group has a monopoly on need. When discussing the fact that several people have died of hunger and a lack of electricity, Yoon stated: “I want to make sure that nobody will be excluded from those kinds of minimum services.”

While the social welfare problems have several different facets, Yoon traced one of the sources to “neo-liberalism keeping the money at the top [resulting in] many people suffering from the lack of materials for a better life.” He links this inequality to the lack of job security for young people. To combat this problem, Yoon plans to foster job creation in Gwangju, particularly in the motor and electronic sectors. One of his dreams for the future is to have a motor industry valley centred on Gwangju. Paired with visions of industrial development, Yoon hopes that the opening of the Asian Culture Complex next year will allow further promotion of cultural tourism in Gwangju.

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2

1

3 1. Yoon shows off his ‘I Love Gwangju’ T-shirt 2. Yoon during the interview with Gwangju News 3. Yoon and the Gwangju News team after the interview

In keeping with his argument for balance and community, Yoon has developed an ambitious plan to create support for people currently living on the edge of society. According to Yoon, this neglected demographic includes orphans, elderly citizens and migrant workers. The project would renovate unoccupied housing to create clusters of complexes throughout Gwangju, with the side benefit of preventing areas of the city from becoming depopulated. Ultimately, the goal of these complexes is to create a “community including housing services [so people can] support themselves in their own community.”

Yoon also hopes to expand Gwangju's role on the global stage, not only as a leader in human rights but as a direct participant in disaster relief and assistance. Recently, Yoon helped organize the development of the Gwangju Clinic, a medical clinic in Cambodia supported by the people of Gwangju. Yoon hopes to see similar projects in the future. He argued that “we should not forget that human dignity should not be violated either by the state or even by a natural

calamity, so wherever that kind of tragic incident happens we have to extend our assistance to those who are suffering.”

Yoon asserted that human rights discussions must include input from all levels of society. As such, Yoon suggested that human rights events overemphasize input from scholars and administrators without seeking equal input from more vulnerable sectors of society. Taking last May's World Human Rights Cities Forum as an example, Yoon said: “I would like to expand that kind of event to include the weakest part of society. Without that kind of extension, the forum will be meaningless.”

With controversial issues such as services for non-legal migrant workers on his agenda, we can only wait and see if Yoon will be able to overcome the political hurdles to keeping community at the centre of his plan, but if Yoon succeeds in applying such ambitious principles and plans, Gwangju is headed for significant changes.

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[Gwangju Talks] Each month, a select panel of Gwangju residents gathers to discuss a topic of interest. What topics would you like to see discussed, and from what viewpoint? E-mail your requests to gwangjunews@gic.or.kr.

What would you do for the city if you were mayor?

Compiled by GIC Gwangju News Team (Jo A-ra, Kim Yoo-joong, Kim So-hyun, Park Eun-young and Catherina Takoh)

Erwan Mugit, Bruneian Student

Male, 27, Korean, university student

If I were mayor, I would start from the bottom and consider what makes minorities into minorities. I would listen to what they have to say and build a foundation toward a more inclusive system of justice and work my way through towards creating peace and harmony.

My goal would be to go against discrimination and aim towards unity.

If I was the Gwangju Mayor, I would make policies like this: firstly, I would stabilize housing prices or build rental houses to prevent some people from going to Seoul. Then I would create more jobs by inviting new enterprises. Important things are to increase labor supply and ease taxes. Next, I think Gwangju has to expand cultural facilities. The Asian Culture Complex will soon be completed, but we need our own highquality cultural facilities that are worthy of the name “Cultural City of Gwangju.� Furthermore, there are transportation problems. Constructing the No.2 subway line has to be fast for everyone's convenience. I would also try to decrease the transportation charge for taxis and buses. In the case of buses, expanding routes and increasing service hours are also urgently needed.

Male, 34, Korean, activist for university students Parking problems make me crazy. Even though there are not enough parking lots, the city regulates illegal parking. I think it would be better if the regulation is removed at night and commences once people have gone to work. I also hope the teenagers' cultural facilities are expanded. It would be great if healthy facilities for teens were built.

Edwin Jelenggai, Malaysian Exchange Student As mayor, I would make sure that the laws are being enforced. There would be no corruption in administrating the law or in terms of finances.

I would also be a representative for the people to address any problems with the federal government. I would make sure that I am always aware of the people's problems and regularly participate in various activities or charity events. As for city development, I would need to be smart when it comes to planning.

For example, I would build parks and commercial shopping complexes and make sure people are given equal rights to do business.

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Cho Yong-sun, Korean, Student If I were the mayor of Gwangju, I would build some connections. First of all, I would connect magazines with local people. I think major magazine publications do not care about local news. People thus always want to know what happens in Gwangju in more detail. Secondly, I would build relationships between magazines and university students.

Daniel Jeon Ju-seong, Korean, Student If I were mayor, I would change the education system in Gwangju. As Germany threw out their indoctrination system after World War II, I would change the education system so children could know the real happiness of learning. I would analyze foreign countries' education systems‌ I would build up a foundation to encourage students to question and to challenge. I would make many kinds of contests to help students think in creative ways. I would organize forums or meetings with representatives of each social class. By listening to their opinions, I might realize what I need to do in the future.

Junn Mendoza, Filipino Exchange Student If I were the mayor of my city, I would implement a better system for public vehicles. In the Philippines, there are lots of ways to use public transportation, but our government is not implementing a good transportation system.

Vehicles can stop anywhere they want to. There is no signage anywhere. Not having an organized traffic system affects all citizens.

According to on one study by Japanese researchers, Filipinos are losing millions of dollars in our GNP just because of heavy traffic, wasting time waiting instead of doing productive activities.

Female, 23, Korean, university student Honestly, I voted for the other candidate and in my opinion, this new mayor has benefited from the party because many Gwangju citizens tend to vote with consideration for the party, not the individual candidate. Therefore, I am a little bit worried that he is not suited for the position, and I will see how the new mayor will meet the citizens' expectations for the next 4 years.

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“Rumors” And Facts About The Gwangju Performance Project Words by Ana Traynin Photos by Jordan VanHartingsveldt

T

he Gwangju Performance Project (GPP), the local amateur performance troupe, is busy preparing this summer's production of “Rumors,” a farcical play written by Neil Simon.

According to GPP treasurer and cast member Joey Nunez, the story is “very line-driven” and “a conversational war between characters.”

The GPP was founded in 2011 by English teachers Travis Major and Jo Park. To get a sense of the play and of the Gwangju community theater, Gwangju News sat down with GPP staff and cast members.

Anna Volle, GPP's president and director of “Rumors”, chose this year's first performance in fall 2013, after the play “Why Torture is Wrong and The People Who Love Them” received a mixed response.

“The play itself was controversial and not all people who saw the show liked it,” Volle said.

“Black humor is hard in any language and it doesn't always cross borders… I wanted the new play of the year to be something that everyone could enjoy, something that was lighthearted and fun.”

That's exactly what “Rumors” is, says Lisa Mynhardt, vice-president of the GPP and the show's stage manager. “A glimpse into the unbelievable life of the insane upper class, it will get more than a chuckle out of everyone.”

Heather Aitken, who serves as the play's assistant director as well as GPP secretary, sees the GPP growing into a strong community project. “I want people to know that when we audition, it's open to anyone in the community. We aren't a clique.

Anyone can be involved. GPP can facilitate joining together the Korean and the foreign communities through the performing arts.”

1

“Rumors” casts a Korean actress in a GPP production for the first time. Susie Choe is a Gwangju native and fourth-year Chonnam National University student. After performing in the Gwangju Vagina Monologues this past April, Choe auditioned for “Rumors”.

“I didn't think I could do this, didn't even think about taking the audition,” Choe said, “because I'm not a native speaker.”

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3

2 A rehearsal for “Rumors”: 1. Justin Ramsay and Susie Choe 2. Anissa Ghali and Relja Kojic 3. Billy Pritchett, Relja Kojic and Jessica White 4. Elizabeth Benecki, Joey Nunez and Relja Kojic 4

Choe said that while being the only Korean is sometimes a challenge, it does not hold her back from participating. “I don't feel uncomfortable being with foreigners. The thing I'm worried about the most is bothering other people because of my English ability, but the directors have been so generous to me, so I have no problem so far. And yes I think other Koreans also can get involved if they are willing to. If I can, everyone can! I'm enjoying it, and I just can't wait to be on the stage!”

Volle's dream is for the GPP to become a fullscale Gwangju-based community program.

“People who would like to get involved in dance and theater can go to a workshop and learn a little bit and maybe they [can] try auditioning.”

Since taking over as GPP president in March, Volle has seen the group expand beyond theater, incorporating a new choir, an emerging dance troupe and monthly themebased performance workshops.

The “Rumors” performances are 7 p.m. July 12, 3 p.m. July 13, 2 p.m. + 7 p.m. July 19 and 3 p.m.

July 20, at the theater inside the Gwangju Foreign Language Network (GFN) building in Sajik Park. The performances will include Korean subtitles. GPP membership is 10,000 won per year.

She cites the recent raffle fundraiser as a particular success. “It dramatically changes your options when you have some funding to set things in motion in the first place, being able to fund more larger and daring projects.”

“What we're doing,” she summarized, “is leaving footprints in the Gwangju community for residents who will be here 5, 10, 15, 20 years from now. Our future looks very bright!”

For more information, www.gwangjutheatre.com

please

visit:

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Gwangju City Hall News Words by Carl Hedinger Compiled by Jo A-ra, Kim Yoo-joong, Kim So-hyun and Park Eun-young

Green Rainwater Infrastructure Coming Soon

Gwangju announced that it has secured a budget and is moving closer to instating a Green Rainwater Infrastructure Business (GRIB) as part of its Clear Water policy.

GRIB plans to construct green spaces at parking lots and on the rooftop of City Hall, using various Low Impact Development (LID) techniques such as rainwater tanks, wooden filtration units and rain gardens. GRIB will also build a green rainwater infra model and employ a Decentralized Rainwater Management System that simultaneously controls rainfall runoff and filters contaminants.

City Officials have big plans for this project and hope to use it as a learning opportunity for future generations. One official stated “after this project is complete, we are planning to utilize this space as a site for education and field trips for students.�

Gwangju Starts A Smile Campaign

The City has enacted its Greeting with a Smile campaign as part of preparations for large-scale events such as the Summer Universiade, the International Design Award, The East Asia City Of Culture Event and Gwanju Biennale.

Gwangju is promoting the effort through promotional video clips like Let Us First Have Greetings with a Smile and International Civic Movement for Smiles which have been running since last year and appearing in many popular places. For example, they can be found on bus guide systems, BitGo-Eul TV, and local radio and TV stations. The City will also distribute posters and leaflets at apartments, public offices, large buildings and popular meeting places.

City Collecting Discarded Batteries

In June, City officials started an initiative to collect batteries and will continue the drive through December of this year.

Used batteries can be deposited into collection boxes found at community centers and schools throughout the city. As an added incentive, those who bring 20 batteries to community centers can receive a set of new batteries at no cost.

Officials Urging Special Precautions Against HFM Disease

As the hot and humid weather returns, so has the risk of hand-foot-and-mouth disease (HFMD) spreading among children in kindergartens and nurseries. Gwangju's Public Health and Environment Research Institute (GPHERI) is urging parents of toddlers and infants to pay close attention to health and sanitation.

GPHERI is currently inspecting an outbreak of Enterovirus 71 among hospitalized children in Gwangju. This specific infection often leads to HFMD. The disease is caused by the Coxsackie virus A16 and the aforementioned Enterovirus 71. It is common in children aged six or younger.

The virus is usually spread through contact with the feces or mucus of an infected person and causes blisters and ulcers between four and eight millimeters in size on the hands, feet and mouth. In most cases the patient recovers within a week, but local health officials are urging citizens to follow sanitary and hygienic guidelines as a further preventive measure.

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May 18 National Cemetery (left) and Chunjang Shrine (right) Photos courtesy of Gwangju Metropolitan City

Gwangju Launched City Tour Bus

A city tour bus service has begun in an effort to draw tourists and is running every Saturday and Sunday. Visitors have a choice of two themed routes: Science & Exhibition or History & Culture.

The latter will visit the May 18th National Cemetery, Soswaewon Garden, the Riverside Eco Park, Chungjang Shrine, and Yangrim-dong, which is known for its cultural heritage and traditional village.

The Science & Exhibition Tour includes Kimchi Town and Gwangju's National Science Museum. For each trip, an interpreter will tag along and provide brochures and announcements in English to help accommodate foreign tourists.

IT Assistive Devices for the Disabled

Officials announced back in May that IT Assistive Devices would be distributed to disabled people throughout the city. The city will make available to the public 40 different types of devices for the sight-disabled, 12 for the brain-injured, and 16 for the hearing or speech-impaired.

The City hopes to help those who qualify under the Disabled Persons Welfare Law and receive benefits through the Treat and Support Law. The City will support 80% of the cost, and 90% in the cases of lower-income families.

Applications are being accepted through July 18 at the Information Office in City Hall by mail or in person. Online forms are available via the IT Assistive Device Homepage at www.at4u.or.kr.

The buses depart from Songjeong Station via Usquare and Gwangju Station. Tickets are 2,000 won for adults, 1,000 for children. Building admission fees and lunch are not included with the tour. For reservations, visit utour.gwangju.go.kr or call Gwangju's Tourism Bureau at 062-233-3399.

Photo by Joe Wabe

For more news on Gwangju please scan the QR Code

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Why Are Universiades At The Center Of World Attention?

Words and photos courtesy of 2015 Gwangju Universiade

I

f you find yourself among the lucky ones to be in Gwangju during the Summer Universiade next year, get a good look at all the athletes you will see in and around the arenas – for among them might be the next heads of state or star athletes. Did you know, for instance, that President Barack Obama of the United States and President Vladimir Putin of Russia have both competed in Universiades?

While studying at Harvard University, President Obama took part in a Universiade as a member of the American basketball team. Basketball proved to be a great way for Obama to make friends and meet new people. When he later organized his political campaigns, you can be sure he made use of the network of friends he made while playing sports.

President Putin is considered a fierce athlete, too. He earned a master's degree in sports in 1973 and became a Universiade Sambo champion while earning his law degree. Putin is not only a fan of Russian martial arts but sports of all kinds. He once again showcased his love for sports by personally attending the 2013 Kazan Summer Universiade in Russia.

The examples of Obama and Putin demonstrate that sports are not only about fair competition. Sports are also essential media through which students hone their physical strengths and problem-solving skills, cultivating such leadership qualities as boldness, wit, generosity, and solidarity.

Naturally, Universiades are also well-established cradles for future star athletes. Over 48% of all Olympic medalists in history won medals at Universiades before they performed on bigger stages. Examples are countless but include Michael Johnson, who symbolized an era with his triumph over physical handicaps; Larry Bird, the American basketball legend; Michael

Yang Hak-seon (left) and Son Yeon-jae (right)

Phelps, the emperor of swimming; and Nadia Comaneci, the Romanian gymnast.

Universiades have also heralded the emergence of legendary Korean athletes like Hwan Yeong-jo, the unbeatable marathoner; Lee Sang-hwa, who recently emerged as a speed skating champion at Sochi; Woo Ji-won, one of Korea's most beloved basketball players; and Park Chan-ho, the first Korean baseball player to make headway into American major league baseball.

For the 2015 Gwangju Summer Universiade, you can expect to see world-level champions and goodwill ambassadors like Yang Hak-seon, a gymnast of perfect artistry and technical mastery; Son Yeon-jae, the Korean princess of rhythmic gymnastics; Lee Sang-hwa, the goddess of ice sports; Ki Bo-bae of archery; and Choi Eun-sook of fencing. So come see the best of the past and the future at the 2015 Gwangju Summer Universiade!

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[Gwangju Plays]

The Uprising: Gwangju’s ROK-Ultimate Frisbee Team Words by Stephen Katona Photos courtesy of Irina Oh

T

he Uprising, Gwangju's official ROK-Ultimate Frisbee team, has just concluded its sixth season. Captained by handler standouts Mickey Joe Mojica and Charles Costello, the Uprising failed to capture the championship as in years past, but finished their last game with a respectable score of 6-10. There was no disappointment to be found on the team; the members say Uprising and ROK-U offers an experience that goes beyond wins and losses.

“With the league realigning rosters, we had a lot of new players,” Captain Mojica said, “but teaching the game is really enjoyable. And [ROK-U] is great for all skill levels; everyone gets involved on the field.”

Cutter-handler Ally “GoHard” Golightly mirrored

that sentiment. “Yeah, whatever your goal, you can have fun. Some people play to drink on the sidelines and share the camaraderie. Others like the athleticism and competition. It's really laid back.”

The most common themes that emerged when speaking to members of the Uprising were the friendships and experiences they took away.

“It's really unique and fun,” cutter Lana Kiss said.

“Having the chance to travel to different cities, hang out with friends, go to some great parties after the games, you meet so many people.

Playing Ultimate will end up being some of my favorite memories [in Korea]. It's great to have everyone [men and women] playing together, too.”

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advertisement

Welcome to July!

Triple B (Buffet, BBQ, Beer) Plan at Holiday Inn Gwangju 무제한 바베큐, 무제한 생맥주 그리고 뷔페 !

13세 이하 아동 무료 (어른1명당 소인3명) 기간: 2014 년 6월 3일 ~ 9 월 13일 (화-토) 45,000 원 (세금포함)

This spring began quickly, with two Gwangju wins against Daejeon and Gimcheon in games hosted in Daejeon. Playing out of his natural position, handler David “Carne” Miller led the way, with newcomer Micah Korinek corralling five goals on the weekend. After a long break, the team travelled to Busan for the Haeundae Beach games. There, the sand stole Uprising's major advantage of speed and the wind wreaked havoc with their new handlers. They lost all five games, but came back the next weekend to steal two from Gunsan and Uprising's sister team from Mokpo.

Alternating wins and losses put them in a difficult matchup in the tournament, against the topseeded Busan Evolution. Evolution displayed the skill that brought them there and managed to knock the Uprising out. But as usual, the Uprising won the league party held that weekend.

ROK-U is a co-recreational league. With 112 women and 189 men this season, line-ups on the field featured four men and three women. The Gwangju women had particularly good seasons, garnering universal acclaim and giving stalwart performances in the Finals. Many cannot return for the next season, however, and so recruitment has already ramped up.

Captain Costello is excited to add new members. “We can't wait for next season. Our team is really cool, and every time we add people it gets that much better.”

The Uprising takes its tradition and past championships seriously. But there is clear sentiment amongst the players, past and present, that the relationships and family-feeling are what best define the team. It was how the team was founded and what will help carry the Gwangju Uprising into the 2014 fall season and beyond.

BBQ

BBQ from the grill!

그릴에 구운 바베큐

BUFFET

International Buffet

인터네셔널 뷔페

BEER

Unlimited beers

무제한 생맥주

Enjoy a wide selection of freshly grilled meat and seafood prepared to order on open grill with selected unlimited OB draft beers and soft drinks.

Valid from June 3 - September 13 (Tuesday - Saturday) For only 45,000 won per person (including tax) (free for children below 13 years old)

홀리데이인 광주 호텔에서 야외 테라스 BBQ, 실내 뷔페 그리 고 무제한 맥주를 제공하는 프로모션을 진행 합니다. 기존 BBQ는야외 음식만 제공 하였으나 2014년에는 실내, 외 뷔페 모두 이용 가능합니다.친구, 가족, 회식에 Triple B Plan을 이용해 보시기 바랍니다.

To make reservations and for more information, please contact: 062-610-7062~3 or www.holidayinngwangju.com

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20 local

[Gwangju Eats]

Tiánmìmì

Words and photos by Jenn Tinoco

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sign reading “Chinese Food Town, Draft Beer” calls attention to passersby outside Tiánmìmì, a fairly new Chinese-Korean fusion restaurant in the commercial neighborhood of Pungam-dong.

Meaning “Sweet Honey,” Tiánmìmì is operated by Liang Diann Jiunn, a native of Taiwan who can speak Chinese, Japanese, and Korean fluently, as well as some English. He has worked most of his life as a chef and moved to South Korea for work. “I met my wife here nine years ago and we decided to open our own restaurant just over a year ago.”

Atmosphere & Service The exterior of the restaurant creates the feeling of entering a hut located next to a beach. There is a sort of patio that entices visitors by its open windows and romantic lantern lighting. Inside is a whole other welcoming world of impressive decorations. “I traveled for this vision of decorations in my restaurant, hailing from China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan… and yes those swords hanging by the door frame are real,” said Liang. He is a hardcore baseball fanatic as well; he often screens local games on the flat-screen TV. Food “This is a Korean restaurant with a Chinese taste to it,” explained Liang. “Most of our dishes here come from the Shan-Dong province in China, which if you look at a map, it is the closest point to Incheon, Korea.”

But a lot of his cooking also dates back to his work in Taiwan. Liang serves the famous jajangmyeong, but can cook it with black or white soybean paste. Plenty of other dishes have gained popularity among his customers too, including sweet and sour meats, fried noodles with rice and seafood. At night, several patrons can be seen enjoying Tsingtao beer served in a copa, a glass typically used for a margarita (a tequila-based drink). Liang ordered the glass saucers from Mexico since he liked the design.

Prices Tiánmìmì serves two menus. One is strictly Korean and Chinese, the other an English menu. Jajangmyeong is 5,000 won, along with some individual plates ranging from the same price to about 9,000 won.

Larger plates include the sweet and sour pork or chicken at 15,000 won as well as other meat, tofu or veggie dishes for about the same price.

Korean draft beer, bottled Tsingtao and soju range from 4,000 won and above. Chinese and Taiwanese tea is served to guests at no charge and exported tea is available for purchase. Chi qilai – eat up!

Tiánmìmì 첨밀밀 Address: 12 Pungam2-ro, Seo-gu, Gwangju (광주 서구 풍암2로 12) Phone: 062-655-5369 Directions: Using bus 01, 45, 47, 59, 75, or 78, get off at Pungam Woomi Apartment (풍암우미아파트) bus stop

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21 local

[Gwangju Cooks]

Soy Sauce Potato Dish Words and photos by Catherina Takoh

T

his is one versatile side dish that you can prepare quickly when you are lacking time. This recipe is for the dish's simplest form, but you can add ingredients like small dried anchovies, diced carrots, ham and chicken.

Ingredients (serves 3 persons) 1 tablespoon of cooking oil 2 regular size potatoes Half an onion 3 cloves of garlic 1 paprika 3 tablespoons of soy sauce 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce 1 tablespoon of sugar Half a cup of water

Preparation and Cooking Steps 1. Dice the potatoes and boil them.

2. Chop the onion, garlic and the paprika.

3. Add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil into the pan and sautĂŠ the garlic.

4. Add the potatoes into the pan and sautĂŠ until potatoes looks a little translucent.

5. Add the onion into the mix and stir for a few minutes.

6. Add half a cup of water, 3 tablespoons of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce, and 1 tablespoon of sugar into the pan.

7. Add the paprika and stir until all the ingredients are mixed.

8. Let the mix simmer until the liquid is absorbed by the potatoes.

9. Enjoy!

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22 places to see

Part Four of a Six-Part Series on Gwangju’s Sister Cities

Gwangju Sister City:

Sendai, Japan

Words by Ali Saleh Photos courtesy of Gwangju City Hall, All Japan Tours, and 8tokyo.com Interview by Kim Yoo-joong Special thanks to Saito Umizuki

S

endai, Japan, also known as “The City of Trees,” is the capital city of Miyagi Prefecture, and is the largest city in the Tohuku region. Home to just over one million, Sendai is as geographically diverse as it is culturally. Western regions are mostly mountainous and have many dormant volcanoes, while the central and eastern divisions are hilly or plains areas. Sendai's abundant natural sights, inner-city attractions and nationally recognized festivals sets it apart as one of Japan's most holistic cities.

Sendai's Tanabata Festival is the largest of the star festivals in Japan. Tanabata, meaning, “evening of the seventh,” is based on a legend wherein two love-stricken deities are separated by the Milky Way. They are allowed to meet once a year on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month of the lunisolar calendar, hence the beginning of the festivities. The date of the festival depends on the region of the city, so Sendai's celebrations occur between the sixth and eighth of August. Mostly celebrated throughout the downtown area, the festival's main feature involves thousands of hanging decorative streamers and various traditional paper ornaments.

Another major inner-city attraction is the autumn Sendai Street Jazz Festival. Volunteers first organized the event in 1991 and today it features over 700 domestic and international acts. The festival is staged on Jozenji-dori Street, in the center of Sendai, and it is famously lined with Japanese Zelkova trees. Joazenji-dori Street has become a symbol of Sendai, as it is the Zelkova trees that gave Sendai its nickname “City of Trees.” Even if someone is not in the

1

town for the festival, which takes place during the second weekend of September, one traveler recommended Jozen-dori as a “must-visit street in Sendai, as it is perpendicular to the famous Kokubuncho Avenue that has about 1,000 bars in 500 meters of streets and alleys.”

A local student of Sendai says that “Akiu Onsen is the most famous trademark attraction in Sendai.”

Located on the outskirts of Sendai, towards the northern part of Honshu, Akiu Onsen is said to be one of the three most famous hot springs in Japan and home to one of the country’s most beautiful waterfalls. From the Aukiu Bus Stop, you can also find shrines, temples and the Tenshukaku-Shizen-koen Natural Park, where a number of mountain streams are accessible to the public.

Aside from sights to see, Sendai is also famous for a number of culinary dishes, including beef tongues, fish cakes and mashed green soybeans.

A local also recommends a famous snack called Haginotsuki, a sponge cake with custard filling that is sought after by a lot of visitors to Sendai.

He added that if one happens to be at the right

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23 places to see

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2

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1. The “Gwangju Bus” in Sendai.

2. Akiu Onsen, famous for tourists from Sendai and other regions 3. Haginotsuki, famous Sendai snack.

4. Gyutan, Sendai’s specialty 5. Gwangju sent donations to Sendai on the tsunami incident

place at the right time, one can even get a free meal.

“Compared to typical Japanese people, Sendai people are not too shy to strangers/foreigners, and they tend to be more sociable,” this same local explained. “For people coming from other regions, Sendai people like to treat them to ox tongue.”

In 1992, discussion for Gwangju and Sendai's sister-city agreement began. Over the next decade various agreements and treaties were signed, leading to a final agreement out of the 2002 FIFA World Cup. Since then, Sendai has started operating a city bus named Gwangju

Bus. Gwangju has returned the favor with Sendai Street, a 1.8 km street passing the southwest gate of the Gwangju World Cup Stadium.

Sendai and Gwangju's relationship is a testament to reconciliation and the notion of peace, especially considering the tension that has existed between the two nations since the Japanese rule of Korea in the mid 20th century.

It is also noteworthy that Sendai has an official agreement with Tainan, Taiwan, which happens to be the same city with which Gwangju first instituted a sister-city relationship. It is a nice fullcircle effect of global bonding, of which we will hopefully see more.

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24 places to see

[Korea: in the World]

Lima, Peru

Words by Jenn Tinoco Photos courtesy of Peter Bang Special thanks to Miluska Meza Toledo

LIMA

P

eter Bang is one of the most influential Korean expats in Latin America today, with over 1,000 students attending his Korean Language Center each year in Lima, Peru.

“Back in 1996, while studying for my university degree, I met some Peruvians in England and they wanted me to help them change their home country, because Peruvians were not used to seeing and interacting with many foreigners,” explained Bang. With an interest in traveling, education and learning from different cultures, Bang was happy to go to Latin America and explore the region.

“My parents and I are natives to Busan, so I went there after graduating university and explained to them that I would be moving to Peru and would explore Latin America. They had no recognition of the country and had no clue what I would be doing there,” said Bang.

And Bang was not exactly sure either, since he did not speak Spanish and had no previous Korean contacts residing in Peru. He trusted his instincts and, luckily, had a few friends from England to help him out.

Bang has now been a Peruvian resident for 18 years. He is able to fluently speak, write and read Spanish and is the president and CEO of El Centro De Idioma Coreano, which translates to the Center of Korean Language, in the capital city of Lima, Peru.

Bang's non-profit organization focuses on expanding the culture of Korea. It has become a great success, with approximately 250

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students enrolling in courses each month. There is one director at the center who is also of Korean descent and several Korean teachers onboard, including Mr. Bang.

Bang knows how important it is to understand a culture through communication, so language is the center's main focus. In addition to language studies, Korean music and festivals are also explored. During the festivals, Peruvian natives proudly wear traditional Korean clothing and eat Korean food.

“My favorite food in Peru is ceviche,” explains Bang. Ceviche is a traditional seafood dish in Peru. It is made from raw fish that is cured with lime and lemon juices, and it is served with avocados and cilantro. Ceviche is always made to order and can be served with tortillas chips, sweet potato or plantains. Hot sauce and homemade tomato salsa can be added. The dish pairs well with an ice-cold beverage.

“I usually cook at home with my wife and we

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25 places to see

sometimes make kimchi stew, a comfort away from home,” said Bang. “Korean ingredients in Peru are hard to find, but there are restaurants here that serve Korean food. Believe it or not, there are about 1,500 Koreans living and working in Lima.”

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According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Koreans began migrating to different parts of Latin America over 50 years ago. The popular destinations for Korean migrants are Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Mexico. It was not until the late 1970s, when Park Man-bok was invited to live and work in Peru as a women's volleyball coach, that it was known for a Korean to reside there.

In the neighboring countries of Brazil and Argentina, a vast majority of immigrants have been Koreans and other Asians, bringing the total Korean population in Brazil to 50,000 and to 22,000 in Argentina. These numbers are mostly due to mass migration in the post-war era of the 1960s. In recent years, Koreans have moved to Peru for business reasons, typically the exporting of cars, computers and other services.

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4 1. Peter Bang and a student 2. Happy atmosphere at the center 3. The Korean Class at the center 4. Inauguration ceremony of the new office 5. A Peruvian ceviche

Kang Hyun-kyung, also known as Mario Yung, made headlines in the Korea Times as the first Korean native to hold a political position in all of South America. He first immigrated to Argentina in the 1990s. He later moved to Peru, where he ran for mayor of a central city and won. Losing two of his own children due to disease while living abroad, he has devoted himself to helping those living in poverty, and has concentrated his humanitarianism efforts in South America.

“I do visit Korea often to see my family and friends, but my heart is in Peru. The people here are very friendly, kind and caring,” stated Bang.

He has been able to travel much of Latin America, and recently obtained his doctoral degree in biology and intercultural studies from Fuller Theological Seminars in Pasadena, California.

His favorite part about living in Peru is being married to his Korean wife, and with her, helping to shape relations between Peru, Korea, and similar cultures.

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26 places to see

My Korea My Korea is a column for readers to share their experiences in Korean locations meaningful to them

Geumo Island Words and photos by Carl Hedinger

T

he boat back home differed from the first one. Admiring the beautiful islands and water seen on the first voyage? That energy, taxed. Along with some friends, my wife and I retreated to the inner cabin after a daylong hike around yet another of coastal Korea's treats: Geumo Island. Tired and exhausted, the possibility of any more physical exercise was long gone. The noisy scenes inside hardly fazed us after such a fulfilling day.

Smiles and laughter filled the room. Soju bottles filled cups while conversations permeated the cabin. Our first trip to Geumo Island last fall came to mind, providing a couple of chance encounters with similarly jolly people. This country is responsible for many of the greatest experiences I will ever remember, and one previous time on this island ranks near the top.

Yeosu people are spoiled with nature and openly boast about the more than 300 islands found nearby. Geumo Island is a more popular destination thanks to some truly wonderful scenery with hiking courses forming a circuit

around the island. We had set out to complete as many as possible on a beautiful day in September. At the end of each trail stands an open area with a water station and sometimes a drink stand or small restaurant offering standard fare.

After completing one, we refilled our bottles and prepared to move on when some Koreans grabbed our attention and called us over to a table at the very small restaurant. They had been diving in the water nearby and caught some whitefish, which we were more than welcome to try. The fish and complimentary soju boosted our spirits for the next path while the generosity of these kind people put genuine smiles on our faces as we continued.

That memory put a new smile back on my worn face many months later as our boat made its only stop on the way back, at Geumo Island's northern tip. After shuffling outgoing passengers for those heading back to Yeosu, the boat started up, and another golden memory of our September visit came to mind.

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27 places to see

Along the way, we bumped into a friend from Suncheon. We joined his party and walked until time called for lunch. A nice spot in the shade suited the Koreans and as we pulled out our kimbap, they indicated that we would be eating theirs instead because‌why else? It was better. No arguing. Just eat and enjoy. I am no expert on kimbap brand rankings, but free food should never be turned away – not in this country.

After eating together, we continued on through some more beautiful spots and enjoyed the rest of our walk with this great and friendly company. Shuttling back to the ferry terminal and getting back on the boat to Yeosu were sad reminders that we did not live on Geumo Island. Would we come back?

The feelings of leaving came back yet again as I stood up and moved out of the cabin. Now port side, I tried to have a moment's glance at the tiny uninhabited islands at Yeosu's edge.

The boat neared the mainland terminal, and more thoughts came to mind. Instead of memories, they were of happiness with the present and hopes for the future.

There is something to this, water life. I am not really sure if it is the cool air or the quiet and calm associated with listening to the waves smacking against each other, but islands and water seem to bring out the best in people.

Both are always so generous and kind.

Will I come back to Geumo Island? Hopefully.

But if not, something else will take its place physically, and will always remember those two amazing experiences with some kind and generous people.

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28 photography

Photo of the Month

Time to Explore

By Chris Cusick

T

here is something to be said of the freedom a long weekend affords. While those of a normal persuasion salvage an extra few hours in bed or at the bar, for the photographer a long weekend grants time to explore. I utilized this freedom to maximum effect in May, spending a full three days among the rolling green tea fields of Boseong, enough time to give this truly awe-inspiring location the attention to detail it deserves. I wandered from the beaten path to uncover a more intimate spot than one would find by rubbing shoulders at the tripod gauntlet of the main tourist attraction. As the day's last light faded slowly out, I had this place all to myself.

About the Photographer Chris Cusick is a travel photographer from Newcastle, England. His curiosity for culture and all things travel will soon see him embarking on an 18-month round-the-world trip, commencing March 2015. You can see more of what he does and follow his journey by visiting: www.thelostlens.co.uk.

Share your photography in Gwangju News!

Interested in having the spot for Gwangju News' Photo Of The Month? Send your pictures of Korea and background information to our Photo Editor: alternative_si@hotmail.com. We look forward to seeing what you have captured on film!

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29 photography

Long Exposures With Water Words and photos by Simon Bond

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his month our theme is another type of long exposure – long exposure with water. Taking long exposure photos of water can create a surreal, other-worldly look to a photo and often produces stunning results.

The location The best place for long exposures is where water is moving, as opposed to a lake or a pond (though those locations can also be interesting, for example if there is also cloud movement in the sky). The best places are waterfalls, fountains and coastlines where there are good-sized waves. It is worth remembering that water can be dangerous for both you and your camera, so take extra care if you are on a coastline, and be aware of matters like tide times.

The website www.tide-forecast.com gives tide time information, and it can be a valuable resource for coastal photography.

The technique: 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Compose your shot. Use the natural lines in the photo, such as a river, or perhaps rocks along the coastline. Often you can use one larger rock as the focal point in your frame for this type of shot.

You will then need to set up your tripod and make sure it is secure. The chances are you will be on uneven rocky ground, so use tripods with variable extension legs to stabilize the tripod and keep it steady.

As you will want to be exposing for at least 10 seconds, you will need to choose a time of day when it is getting dark, and/or you will also need to use a neutral density filter to lower the level of light coming into the camera. This timing allows you to expose the shot for a longer period of time. If you want to completely flatten the sea, you will be exposing the shot for 30 or more seconds.

Follow the steps suggested in our photo essay from June 2014 to keep the image sharp.

Make sure to lock the mirror up, use an external shutter release and make sure that the tripod used is sturdy enough.

The more interesting photos will come from exploring your local coastline. Getting out and spending most of the day walking along the beach or a mountain valley is how you will find the best locations and places other people have not shot. This form of photography is also best for using wide-angled lenses.

If you have any photography-related questions that you would like me to answer in an upcoming edition of Gwangju News, please e-mail me at: alternative_si@hotmail.com

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30 photography

[Photo Essay]

cÉÜàÜt|àá Éy _Éäx Words and photos by Lorryn Smit

L

ove, as a noun, is described by the dictionary as a deep, romantic attachment to somebody, and that's exactly what couple pictures are of: two people romantically attached to one another.

Couples' portraits are all about feelings, connections, interactions and the telling of their stories. They should be natural, as over-posing will immediately show. Telling the couple's story can sometimes be tricky but the key is to pay attention to what makes them tick, like inside jokes or little unique gestures that they use to show affection. Every duo is different and when you can capture their genuine moments, you have created some magic.

I haven't been at this for very long but I believe I have learned the most important lesson there is in taking pictures: a picture should be worth a thousand words. With every photograph that I create, I want to show it to people without a title, without an explanation, without a single word.

For more of Lorryn's work, you can visit her Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/LorrynSmitPhotography?fref=photo

July2014 2014.6.232:42PM Page31

31 photography

July2014 2014.6.232:42PM Page32

32 culture

Behind the Myth: Exploring Korean Tradition “Behind the Myth” explains the origins of Korean myths and traditions.

Was “The Gwangju Republic” A Paradise?

Words by C. Adam Volle Photo courtesy of Na Gyeong-tak (Gwangju Metropolitan City Hall)

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fter atrocities committed by the Republic of Korea Army (ROKA) on May 18, 1980 resulted in the population forcing them out of the city, Gwangju found itself without a government. The five days which followed, May 22 - 26, are now remembered as an inspiring example of communal spirit. During this period, boys and men organized themselves into a militia, the Citizens' Army. Women traveled from the outskirts of town to cook for them and clean the streets. Meanwhile, the community's major figures formed a Citizens' Settlement Committee to negotiate with the military. Crime and discrimination between social classes disappeared as everyone focused on the common goal of survival.

As always, the truth is more down-to-earth. These events happened, but the citizens' battle with the military did not magically turn them into heroes out of folk tales. For example, social class was definitely still a concern. Hwang Seog-yeong recalls that many people feared the new Citizen's Army because its members were minjung, “commoners” at the bottom of the class system.

There were also conflicting interests within the leadership. After the ROKA's retreat, a power struggle occurred among three factions: the city elders of the Citizens' Settlement Committee, the militia, and the university students whose protests against the recent military coup in Seoul brought the ROKA to Gwangju. The elders wanted to collect the militia's weapons and negotiate an honorable surrender before more lives were lost.

The militia considered the elders' position to be a betrayal of the ROKA's victims and often threatened them, but the militia's members lacked the social status to challenge the committee's leadership.

A procession of Gwangju citizens gathering food with which to feed the militia.

But the student activists did possess status, due to Korea's romanticized concept of the “virtuous scholar”, and they too were uninterested in surrender. This is why the militia leader Bak Namseon and a group of students led a coup of their own on May 25. The pro-negotiation committee members were pushed out of their meeting room at gunpoint. The settlement committee was dissolved and replaced by the Democratic Citizens Struggle Committee.

Roughly 150 members of this group are now celebrated as martyrs for remaining defiant until their deaths on the morning of May 27, when the ROKA retook the city. And they do deserve credit for our remembering 5.18 as a “democratic movement”: by forcing their way into the spotlight and resisting to the end, they helped insure Gwangju's uprising would be remembered as a principally idealistic fight against a dictator. As a result, you will find no historical dramas about 5.18 in which Gwangju's citizens threaten to kill each other, but you will find a human rights city.

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33 culture

Korean Sayings “Korean Sayings” expresses the meaning behind traditional Korean phrases.

“A mother-in-law makes her daughter-in-law work in spring and her real daughter work in the fall” 봄볕에 며느리 내보내고 가을볕에 딸 내보낸다.

Words by Won Hea-ran

W

hen Koreans think of the relationship between mother and daughter-in-law, it is usually about the seemingly infinite abuse of power by the former against the latter. The concept of controversy between Korean mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law is almost legendary and has long been a hot topic for dramas and movies. When did this tradition start?

Unlike what people might have imagined, Korea was not as male-family centered as other ancient societies, at least until the late Joseon Dynasty. Before then, men went to janga, a term now meaning marriage but originally meant a groom moving to the bride's house.

Yes, you understand correctly: married couples once lived in the bride's house, not the groom's.

However, customs and ideas started to change rapidly due to the instability resulting from the Japanese invasion in 1592 and the Manchu war of 1636. The rulers lost popularity because they could not defend their country well, resulting in complaints and threats to their status. In order to maintain power, the nobility accepted and followed Confucian ideals. Families started to emphasize patriarchy and to favor men over women. Women lost their rights to property and started to practice shi-jib, going to the husband's house after marriage. As a result, the mothers of sons received daughter-in-laws to monitor and scold.

This column's headlining quote describes the sort of discrimination that some mother-in-laws have practiced. While the mother makes the daughter-in-law do the harder work, like going outside to work on a hot spring day, she allows her own daughter do the easier work, like going out on a cool fall day. This implies that even though she was formally accepted as a member of the family, the daughter-in-law remains somewhat a namnam, a stranger.

Nowadays it is much less common to see the mother fiercely scolding her daughter-in-law because married couples often live in their own residence. If scolding or abuse occurs, it usually takes place during the holidays, and most families are peaceful anyway. We should not stereotype mothers-inlaw as evil after watching a typical Korean drama as children. Not only are all mothers-in-law not evil, but many of their relationships with their daughters-in-law often evolve into true friendship.

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34 culture

Korean Poetry

Yang Kyoon-won was born in Damyang in 1960. He made his literary debut in the pages of Gwangju Shinmun in 1981 and in the Lyrical Poetics in 2004.

He has recently published two books, “The Trend of American Poetry in the 1990s” (2011) and “Drawing a line in Emptiness” (2012). He is currently a professor at Daejin University.

Words and photos by Yang Kyoon-won Translated by Park Yeon-seong

Like the Setting Sunlight

석양 저 햇살로

Oh well, meeting you in person may not be the best way.

Like the setting sunlight_ Cause it's not too bright, I am gazing at the glow for a long while.

The setting sunlight, burning with darkness, the red inside of white charcoal, visible owing to tearful wind.

It is the yellowish breast of my mother, the color of roasted flesh of a sweet potato.

In the empty field far away lies a mountain, low and high.

With the setting sunlight the wet trace of bare feet is drying away.

Sparrows are being sprinkled from reeds like sowing seeds in the western sky.

In silence I am gazing it.

It may hesitantly pass by me; it may forget what kept in its heart; it may give me a glass of water; it may look at me empty-mindedly _ Seen, unseen, and then seen again.

All of a sudden it is walking side by side or coming to me like a setting sunlight or as a shadow of my beloved.

I wonder why the setting sunlight is reaching me this way?

Today when the postcard in a familiar handwriting has gladly arrived.

글쎄, 직접 만나야 좋은 것은 아닐 듯 석양, 저 햇살을 오래 응시할 수 있는 것은 눈부시지 않으니까 다만 안으로 타들어가니까 어둠에 섞여 타는 빛 눈물바람이 들춰낸 숯불의 내연 군고구마 불탄 껍질 벗기면 피어날 누런 엄니 젖무덤 그 너머 빈 들녘 먼 산이 자꾸 오르내리니까 그걸 멀리 보고 있으면 달궈진 자갈밭에 맨발 물자국들이 지워져가고 물억새 밭에서 참새 떼가 서녘 하늘로 씨 뿌려지고 그걸 가만히 보고 있으면 어쩐지 저건 내게 곧바로 오지 않고 몇 번은 스쳐가고 몇 번은 망설이다가 이젠 따져 확인할 것도 마음 안에 가둬 둘 것도 다 잊은 듯 마냥 바라보다가 그저 물 한잔 건네려는 듯 없다가 있다가 없다가 어느새 함께 걸어가는 누군가로 혹은 내 안의 그 사람의 그림자로 왜 석양은 내게 저 햇살로 오는 걸까? 낯익은 필체의 엽서가 성큼 도착한 오늘

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35 culture

[Gwangju Writes]

A short story by Nam Wae-guk

N

am was a young noble, long ago, in a little seaside county famous for its pottery. He had a virtuous spirit and a scholar's love of art. However, he had the misfortune of having a father with the same gifts, and so his family had little money for his education.

Reasoning that arrows were much cheaper to fletch than schools were to attend, Nam decided the art he should study was warfare, and took the military examinations that won him his post protecting the port from pirates.

In that role he distinguished himself and served for many years. Still he preferred to sit beneath the cherry trees on his family's estate, and listen to the magpies, and paint pictures of the chrysanthemums.

He was putting the final touches on such a picture one morning when he was startled by two riders – one in white whom Nam already knew, and a second in black, a stranger to him. To his surprise, the second man after dismounting did not bow.

“At peace, Commander?” asked the messenger in white.

“Until now, I was,” Nam snapped, his face reddening. “Who is this comrade, and where is he from that he has learned no manners?”

“My name,” answered the messenger in black, “is Yi Deok Chun, and I am from the land of Jeoseung.”

“What comrade, Commander?” said the messenger in white.

The blood left Nam's face.

“Jeoseung,” he repeated slowly, as if testing the word. “My father moved to that land, not too long ago.

What is the news?”

The messenger in white blinked in confusion, but said, “Commander, the new king has declared that his people should no longer live in fear of piracy. He has ordered his army to sail to the Land of the Rising Sun from which the vermin strike, and put their hideouts to the sword.”

Nam sighed. “I thought it might be something like that.”

But Nam was of virtuous spirit. He immediately ordered his servants to pack provisions. And in the morning he stepped out of his door, wearing bags under his eyes but also the iron-plated robes a nobleman wears to war. His wife, son and servants assembled in the courtyard to wish him well. She invited the local shaman for good luck.

The old woman observed his eyes and said, “Did you dream?”

“Yes. I was in the palace of the Dragon King at the bottom of the sea. He said, 'How did this man swim down here?' I told him I had been filled with iron, so I sank.”

“How auspicious!” she cackled. “We dream fortunes reversed!”

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“Yes,” said Nam, for why argue? Then, suddenly overcome with emotion, he gave his wife such a kiss as to deeply embarrass all in attendance. Thereupon, he mounted his horse.

“Wife,” he said, watching as Yi Deok Chun climbed onto his black steed, “I have a request. Lately, I have become enamored with the smell of oranges. Will my wife plant some orange trees for me? Perhaps in a circle around the house. So their scent will drift inside.”

“Must they all be orange trees? I am partial to peaches.”

“No peaches,” said Nam, and set off down the path to the port, flanked upon his right by his messenger, and on his left by the other. 死 When he rode back up again he rode more slowly and only one of the two riders still kept him company.

The approach to the house, he noted with approval, now required passing under the boughs of multiple, heavy-laden orange trees.

As he passed through the shadows of the trees Nam, turned to see if Yi Deok Chun would halt rather than continue. Far from stopping, the messenger reached and plucked one of the fruits for himself. Nam sighed and looked ahead.

His family and servants ran out of the courtyard to meet them. To his surprise, his wife ran out ahead and when he dismounted she leapt into his arms, giving him such a kiss as to deeply embarrass all in attendance.

“My love has came home!” she said. “What would my darling like? My husband is home and he can have anything!”

Nam looked from his wet-eyed wife to the messenger. He said, “Wife, let us buy a sapsaree.”

So, as a welcome gift for her husband, Nam's wife sent for a sapsaree, and of this dog let me tell you, the tales are true. As soon as it arrived it sensed Yi's presence and barked at him. It snapped its jaws. It did not stop objecting to the messenger all day, nor cease defending its master at night; it growled and howled and clawed at the window if it were inside. Tirelessly, it denounced the unwelcome guest, morning and noon and evening.

“Wife,” said Nam on the third night, “let us sell the sapsaree.”

So, Nam's wife sold the sapsaree. When she returned from town, she found her husband beneath the orange trees, listening to the magpies and painting a picture of a chrysanthemum. The messenger looked over his shoulder.

“Wife, forgive me,” he said. “It may cause our family great difficulty, but I am not returning to my post. With whatever time I have left, I have decided to study art. As soon as I can I will take the examinations.”

Nam's wife was not a foolish woman. From his strange requests and this fateful statement, she understood her husband was haunted. So, she put her arms around him and said, “Husband, I know that as a student of The Master you do not approve of the shaman, but would you let me invite her again for a ritual? For some time now I have felt uncomfortable. I think a spirit has taken residence in our home.”

Nam agreed and his wife sent for the shaman. The very next day the old woman arrived to hold the ritual.

She erected a display of liquor, food, and flowers to attract the gods' attention, then danced as Nam's servants played their instruments. Tirelessly she danced, morning and noon and evening.

“Wife,” Nam said on the third day, “let us pay the shaman.”

So, Nam's wife paid the shaman and a despondent Nam returned to his place beneath the orange trees to pick up his brush. To his surprise, he was joined by his son.

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Then, suddenly overcome with emotion, he said to his son, “My boy, I will be taking another journey, perhaps very soon. It may be that we will not meet again for a long time, so we should speak, you and I, of what course your life will take.”

“Mother tells me my father will be a painter,” said Nam's son.

“If there is enough time.”

“Every day my father was home from his post, I watched as he painted one picture of a chrysanthemum after another. I think I would like to be a painter too. I can paint a great orange tree.”

“That is a wonderful calling,” Nam said. “Join me here and we will study together.”

So, Nam and his son studied together under the orange trees, listening to the magpies and painting pictures of chrysanthemums and orange trees, one after another. And, Nam's loving wife kept them all fed with the little income left from their estate. The messenger took rice with them and sometimes watched them paint. Nam began thinking of him as an unwelcome housemate instead of an unwelcome guest.

Eventually, Nam traveled to the new capital to take the examinations, taking his son and Yi with him.

There he passed the many tests and the ministers, looking with wonder upon his pictures of chrysanthemums, appointed him a government employee of the eastern sixth senior rank, the highest possible status for an artist. They gave him a tag of deer horn with which to command respect. And, thus credentialed, he painted chrysanthemums for the government, until one day the king called him into his royal chambers.

“Paint me like one of your chrysanthemums,” the king said.

And so, Nam began painting pictures of the king, one after another, and in that role he served for years. 死 Nam was an old noble, long ago, in a little seaside county famous for its pottery. He had a virtuous spirit and a scholar's love of art.

One day his old friend Yi Deok Chun leaned over his shoulder, a little more closely than usual, to admire Nam's latest picture of the king. He whispered, “I have enjoyed the artist's hospitality, but I have received word from the King of Jeoseung that I must return.”

Nam put down his paintbrush. “I think I once told Yi the Messenger that my father is there. Perhaps I may accompany him?”

“Of course.”

The artist smiled. “The Messenger honors me. You know, I think he has become a good friend?”

Nam was of virtuous spirit. He immediately packed provisions for himself and the messenger in black. And in the morning he stepped out of his door, wearing a white face but also the black robes a nobleman wears to honor his ancestors. His wife, son and servants assembled upon a hill to wish him well. His wife invited the local shaman for good luck.

“Family,” he said, watching as Yi Deok Chun climbed up his own horse, “I leave our home in my son's care.”

“Perhaps I will plant more orange trees,” his son mused.

“No oranges,” said Nam, as he set off down the path once more, flanked on his right by the messenger.

*Note: The word “orange” here refers to the taengja (탱자), the trifoliate orange, rather than the edible fruit.

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[GIC Culture Tour] GIC Culture Tour

Sinan, South Jeolla Words and photos by Warren Parsons

Date: July 26 (Saturday) Price: GIC Members 45,000 won / Non-members 55,000 won Itinerary: Jeungdo Ecological Preserve - Taepyeong Saltern Experience - Lunch @ Jeungdo Town - Ujeon Beach Registration: Please sign up at the GIC website (www.gic.or.kr) by July 20 (Sun.) For more information, e-mail: gictour@gic.or.kr or contact: 062-226-2733 (Lee Boram)

J

uly epitomizes the splendor of summer as monsoon rains cool the air, hot from the sun, and fluffy white clouds contrast against bright blue skies. This month the GIC Culture Tour ventures out to the island county of Sinan to visit Jeung Island and experience the time-honored tradition of salt-making, as well as to enjoy an afternoon at the beach!

Jeung Island is a central point in the larger Dadohoe, UNESCO-registered biosphere reserve.

Not only that, but also the surrounding tidal flats and salterns are short-

listed as tentative world heritage sites. In addition, Jeung Island was among the first towns in Korea to be designated a “slow city� by the Italian organization Cittaslow. Coupled with this long list of accolades, the island boasts a recently-built bridge and plenty of shiny new accommodations. Needless to say, Jeung Island has become quite a popular tourist destination.

Due to its unique natural landscape, Jeung Island is also one of the county's largest sea salt producers. First begun in the late 19th century

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during the Joseon Dynasty and later expanded during the Japanese colonial period in the early 20th century, Korea's sea salt industry really began to grow after the Korean War as a means to develop impoverished coastal communities and to provide an essential commodity to the country's expanding economy – salt is indispensable in the kimchi and sauces of Korean cuisine.

Established in 1953 and incorporating reclaimed land between what used to be “outer” and “inner” Jeung, the Taepyeong salt farm is one of the largest in the country and is part of a vital industry in the outlying islands of Sinan county. At the saltworks, participants can learn about the history, culture and science of salt making by visiting the “Salt Museum” and through a handson salt making experience where everyone can take home a kilogram of salt to make everything taste better. This also includes a cup of “salt” ice cream to cool off with after working in the heat!

After a strenuous morning at the salt flats, the

tour moves by bus to Jeundo town for lunch and provisions. Baekhap soup is the main dish, which is made from local clams and has a refreshing clear broth, and being that Sinan is made up of 1004 islands surrounded by water, it is only fitting to enjoy some of the fresh seafood!

The final stop for the day will be Ujeon Beach for some summertime fun by the sea! With several kilometers of sandy beach and tidal sand bars, watched over by protective barrier forests and a modern beach resort, Ujeon is the epitome of summer vacation. Participants are free to enjoy the beach however they please, whether swimming, sun bathing or just enjoying the scenery!

Please come this month and get your feet wet and hands salty with the GIC Culture Tour! *** As with last month's Tour and befitting the summer season, the afternoon will be spent at the beach. Please pack accordingly and prepare such necessary items as: sunglasses, hats, swimwear, towels and sun block.

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[This Month’s GIC Talk]

My Life as a KoreanAmerican Student Words and photos by Esther Kim

M

y mother and father were born in Seoul, where they fell in love and decided to get married. In 1980 they moved to the U.S.A., due to the escalating tension between the government and the citizens of South Korea.

My oldest sister was born in Seoul. However, my middle sister and I were born in the U.S.A. I Writer (left) and Amherst, Massachusetts (right) attended elementary, middle and high school in a small town called International Education in South Korea. I was Amherst, Massachusetts. I attended the accepted into the program, and for the past University of Hartford, a private university in West year I have been learning Korean at Chonnam National University. I will be attending Yonsei Hartford, Connecticut.

University in the fall to earn my MBA. As a requirement for graduation, every student during their junior year had to obtain an I have been taking Korean classes for about internship outside of the university. I was seven months. However, having grown up with fortunate enough to land an internship at the Korean parents, I already have a familiarity with nation's largest health insurance company, the language, so it has not been too difficult for United Healthcare. During my time I was able to me to learn. I did not feel comfortable work with numerous senior level executives. They accepting a scholarship without giving were so impressed that I was offered a job with something in return to the citizens of South the company before I graduated. I accepted Korea, so during my study in Gwangju, I have the job offer and started working at the been volunteering my time at the Haein Temple. I genuinely love spending time with the company post-graduation. children there and feel as though I am not only After working for four years as a financial a teacher, but also a student. I hope that I can analyst, I decided I wanted to go back to help them build a bright future and I hope to school for my MBA. When I was younger, I also continue to keep in contact with them even dreamed of moving to South Korea in order to when I move to Seoul. In all honesty it was a bit learn more about my culture and ancestry. After difficult for me to get used to living in Korea due doing some research I was able to find a to the many cultural differences, but I feel very scholarship that fulfilled my hope of furthering blessed to have been given this opportunity my education in South Korea. That is how I and already feel a deep connection to my came to apply for the Korean Government ancestors here.

Scholarship funded by the National Institute for

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[ GIC Upcoming Talks ] Schedule for July Time & Place: Every Saturday, 3 p.m. - 4 p.m., The New GIC Talk room (Gwangju International Center 1st Floor) Watch highlight clips of previous GIC Talks at www.youtube.com/GICTALK Like us on Facebook! www.facebook.com/GICTALK GIC Talks welcome your proposals for presentations on topics, such as society, culture, politics, science, education or any topic of your interest. If you would like to be a presenter, please contact us at gictalk@gic.or.kr / +82-(0)62-226-2734.

July 5 Speaker: Esther Kim MBA student attending Yonsei University in Fall 2014.

BS (Economics and Finance) - University of Hartford.

Topic: My Life as a Korean American Student For more information, please see previous page.

July 12 Speaker: Noelle Easterday Graduate student at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, U.S.A. PhD. student in anthropology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, U.S.A. MA (Anthropology) - 2013, University of New Mexico BA (Anthropology) - 2006, University of Notre Dame Topic: Secrets of Adolescent Girls When does discontent in South Korean adolescence become “secret” and how is this frustration connected to the increasingly intense preparation for gendered work after secondary school? This presentation explores anonymous secrets submitted by hundreds of South Korean high school girls over the course of two years as part of the speaker's conversational English classes.

For you to cut out and keep handy!

July 19 Speaker: Hossein Moradian PhD. student in computer engineering, from Chosun University Topic: Iran – A Brief Overview This presentation gives an overview in history, art and culture pertaining to Iran. Since so many people have wrong ideas about Iran and they only have known Iran via its government, the speaker will prepare information that shows the real face of Iran and Iranians.

July 26 Speaker: Surjit Singh Puri Air Force officer, retired in 2004 Leader of the Indian Mt. Everest Expends.

Topic: Adventure Sports The origin of adventure sports, features of adventure sports and how different these sports are from conventional sports are discussed in this Talk.

Also included is a discussion of types of adventure sports, safety, training places, facilities in Korea and how the Indian Mountaineering Foundation can cooperate with the joint adventure sports expeditions of Koreans.

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The Business of Growing Words by Kristal Lee Photos courtesy of Pong and David Castillo Dominici/ freedigitalphotos.net

T

he younger generation in Korea definitely seems taller than the previous generation, and sometimes even taller than Koreans living in other countries. Is this just a trick of the eye?

In short, no – no pun intended! Numbers released by the Korean Agency for Technology and Standards (KATS) reveal that Koreans in their 20s are six to eight centimeters taller than the generation before them. Not only that, but those born in the mid-90s have a different bodyto-head ratio, with their legs getting longer in proportion to their bodies by up to two centimeters. Some reasons for this are natural, such as improved nutrition, but others are less so, such as growth-inducing treatment.

What's the hubbub?

A fear of falling below average has spurred the rapid success of growth-related businesses such as clinics, specialists, specific growth-related vitamins, and wearable products (special shoes or belts). While some products offer a temporary height boost, such as the famed “magic shoes” popularized by the former North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il, Koreans are now looking for more permanent solutions.

Parents desperate to give their child every opportunity to succeed enroll them in growth programs at clinics, as they would a private academy. The clinics' fees are paid on a monthly basis. Treatment involves coming into the clinic several times per week for two or three hours. Children are registered in programs that can cost up to three million won per month, easily adding up to tens of millions of won over the long term.

“Though my daughter is only 4, I am afraid she will be shorter than her peers,” says one mother. “A tall, beautiful outward appearance is crucial to success. I want her to be confident and avoid being teased.”

This mother's sentiment echoes the concern of many Korean parents. In a country where appearance prevails, mothers' worries that their children may not reach the average height are on the rise, as is the popularity of growth treatments and growth clinics.

This isn't new news, is it?

Actually, it is. Long ago, Koreans once valued people short in stature as either especially delicate and ladylike (if they were women) or gritty and robust (if they were men), a cultural ideal reflected in the adage, “The smaller the pepper, the bigger the spice.” Physical aspirations have changed, however, due in part to the spread of Western media. In a culture where there is a strong drive to obtain the “idyllic norm,” celebrities' tall, slender figures make being short a reason to stand out for all the wrong reasons.

Nowadays children feel shame for being short.

They fear becoming hwangdda, outcasts.

Because competitive parents sense a correlation between height and future success, they are willing to spend time and money on their children's physical growth.

What is treatment like?

Children can take supplements or use at-home remedies, but growth clinics are a growing business. Growth clinics offer a mix of Western

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and traditional Asian approaches. Methods include growth hormone injections, x-rays, blood tests and hair sample analysis, along with physical activity, posturecorrecting and spine-extending devices, herbal brews, aromatherapy, yoga, massage and acupuncture.

Are Korean children experiencing barriers to growth?

Current social practices are counterproductive to growth, as many clinicians note. Long days sitting at a desk, lack of sleep, and stress all create a challenging environment for children to grow. While some factors regulating height are hereditary, children do need good nutrition, appetite, fitness, sleep and a steady diet before adolescence.

What is Human Growth Hormone (HGH)?

Hormone therapy is very effective in increasing height.

In Korea, doses of human growth hormone are available on the commercial market and range from injections to oral sprays packaged similarly to children's vitamins. Originally intended for children unable to produce the normal amount of hormone, HGH was once extracted from the pituitary glands of human cadavers. This very time-consuming process yielded very little hormone and thus was an extremely expensive and dangerous treatment. Many patients were contaminated with pathogens that caused serious disorders. Since that time, the development of safer methods and artificial HGH has brought down costs and the risk of side effects.

Where will this focus on height lead Korea's future generations? Only time – and height statistics – will tell, but the good news is that HGH therapy has been shown to be safe and effective in promoting vertical growth in children. So grow on, kids.

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Just Keep Educating Words and photo by Dr. Nial Moores

W

orking for Birds Korea provides multiple opportunities to travel around the country, to survey remarkable speciesrich landscapes and to work with wonderful people. Professor Choi Jae-Cheon is one such person. As the top ecologist in the nation and president of the National Ecological Institute in Seocheon, Dr. Choi has a deep love and knowledge of the nation and the natural world.

Dr. Choi agreed to be interviewed for a film that Birds Korea is currently making. The film aims to tell the story of the diminutive Spoonbilled Sandpiper. This is a bird species, a little bigger than a sparrow, with a uniquely flattened spoon-shaped bill that enables it to feed on shrimp and other small animals found in the mud. It nests up in Arctic Russia, migrates through the Yellow Sea of Korea and China, and usually spends winters in the Bay of Bengal.

Fully dependent upon healthy estuaries and tidal-flats for its survival, this tiny bird's total population has crashed in recent decades, so that now probably only 300 remain worldwide.

For many of us, this is a deeply sobering thought. Throughout this vast region, once huge estuaries and tidal-flats used to support enormous fisheries and an abundance of other life, including human fishing communities and tens of thousands of Spoon-billed Sandpipers.

Now, these same tidal-flats are so degraded and over-exploited that only a few hundred of these tiny birds can survive.

The future of this species and of many others should be ensured through high-level intergovernmental agreements. Nonetheless, this and many other species continue to decline. Dr. Choi spoke with a gentle intensity about the Spoon-billed Sandpiper's plight.

“When the Spoon-billed Sandpiper disappears,” he said, “it is not just the extinction of that

Dr. Nial Moores (left) and Professor Choi Jae-chun

particular bird species. It is an indication of the degradation of a very valuable ecosystem.

And that will come back and hit us. We should be very careful when we plan to destroy any part of nature.”

In response, our next question was one that many of us ask ourselves each day. For the benefit of people as well as of biodiversity in general, what can any of us do to stop the extinction of the Spoon-billed Sandpiper, and to help conserve idal-flats and natural habitats? A warm smile grew across Dr. Choi's face. He simply said, “Education. If we just keep educating, then people will one day understand the importance of tidal-flats. Once they understand, then we don't have to do anything. They will do it. That is the beauty of the Korean personality.”

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Ticket Reservation

Words by Karina Prananto and Park Yang-im Photos by Edwin Jelenggai Special thanks to Ahmad Fouad, Nur Syuhada Binti Mastahir and Kim Seng-jong The summer holiday is coming soon and it's the time for travel. Let's learn how to reserve your ticket this month!

Staff:

어서오세요, 어떻게 도와드릴까요?

(Eoseooseyo, eotteohke dowa deureilkkayo?)

Welcome. can I help you?

Nur:

7월15일 일본 도쿄 왕복 비행기표를 예약하고 싶은데요 (chilwol sip-o-il Ilbon Tokyo wangbok bihaenggi-pyo-reul yeyakhago sipeundeyo.)

I'd like to reserve return tickets from Incheon to Tokyo for July 15th, coming back on July 25th, please.

Staff:

네, 잠시만 기다려 주십시오.

(Ne, jamkkanman gidaryeo juseyo.)

Please wait for a moment.

9시에 인천발 대한항공이 있습니다. 세금 포함해서 295,000원입니다. (ahob-si-e incheon-bal Daehan-hanggong-i itseumnida.

Segeum pohamhaeseo 295,000 won imnida.)

There is one departing from Incheon at 9 a.m. for 295,000 won by Korean Air.

Nur:

그걸로 할게요.

(Geugeol-ro halkeyo.)

Please reserve it for me.

[Reservation process...]

Nur:

이메일로 표를 받을 수 있나요?

(Imeil-ro pyo-reul badeul su itnayo?)

Can I receive (the e-ticket) by email?

Staff:

네, 이메일로 표를 받으실 수 있습니다.

(Ne, imeil-ro pyoreul badeu silsu itseumnida.)

Yes, you can.

Nur:

그럼 그렇게 해 주세요.

(Geureom geurohge hae juseyo.)

Ok, then please do that for me.

USEFUL VOCABULARY 표 (pyo): ticket 비행기 (bihaenggi): airplane 관광 (gwangwang): travel, tourism 왕복 (wangbok): return (journey) 편도 (pyeondo): one way (journey) 세금 (segeum): tax 도와 드리다 (dowa deurida): (v) To help (honorific) 포함(하다) (pohamhada): (v) To include 예약(하다) (yeyakhada): (v) To reserve 인천발 도쿄행 (Incheonbal Tokyohaeng): Flight from Incheon to Tokyo

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Global Trends in English Language Teaching Words by Dr. David Shaffer

L

ast fall, the president of the TESOL International Association, Deena Boraie (2013-14), identified eight current trends in the teaching and learning of ESL/EFL at a TESOL conference in Mexico (Korea TESOL is the Korean Affiliate of TESOL Intl. Assn.). This month I would like to review these trends and comment on their status in the Korean context.

Changes in the Goals of Teaching English For many years, the goal of teaching English has been to produce fluent speakers of English with pronunciation skills that are comparative to those of a native speaker. This is now shifting to producing competent speakers of English who are easily understood by other English speakers (whether English is their first or second language). It is now the case that there are more non-native speakers of English in the world than there are native speakers, and it is now recognized that a “native accent” is almost an impossibility for many English learners. However, sounding like a native speaker is still the goal of many English learners in Korea. We should try to direct their efforts more toward being easily understood rather than sounding like an American or Londoner.

A second change is a shift from the perspective of learning English as a final goal in itself to looking at English as a means to achieving other goals. Many of my students in the English Language Department are finding this out the hard way: they find that there are no jobs waiting for them after graduation, even though they possess admirable English skills. I try to instill in them the idea that, though their English skills may be sharp, they need an occupation to use them in. I encourage them to take a double major or gain certification in a job-related skill of their choice. Even English interpreter-translators need more than a knowledge of English to be hired for a job.

Teaching English to Young Learners This trend is for formal English learning to begin earlier in public schools. Japan introduced English at the elementary school level in 2012.

That year, Vietnam and Saudi Arabia began teaching English in Grade 4. And in 2012, Dubai, in the UAE, introduced English at the kindergarten level. Korea is experimenting with beginning English with Grade 1. However, “the earlier, the better” does not automatically apply to formal English education. The younger the child, the less cost-effective language learning becomes, and if age-appropriate teaching methods are not employed or teacher qualifications are less than optimal, teaching at a younger age could have a negative effect rather than a positive one.

Change in the Approach to Teaching Culture More students are learning English in nonEnglish-speaking environments (EFL) than in English-speaking ones (ESL). This means that the dominant culture of the learning and living environment is something other than that of an English-speaking country. Likewise, the English learner, in Korea and globally, is less likely to interact in English with a native speaker than with another non-native speaker. The 2020s will see Koreans using English more frequently in business dealings with Chinese, Japanese, and Vietnamese. Accordingly, the importance of understanding the cultural habits of native English speakers has less utilitarian value and is being dealt with less in the English classroom.

Change in the View of the English Teacher English teachers teach English as a second language pretty much globally. They teach in many different contexts, and different contexts require different sets of skills. The trend now is to place less importance on whether the teacher is a native speaker of English or not. The emphasis has now shifted to the English

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teacher's English proficiency, knowledge of English, and teaching skills. Regrettably, this shift in thinking has been slower in Korea than in some other areas. Many English learners, parents of learners, and administrators here still hold to the idea that the best English teacher is a blonde, blue-eyed, native speaker rather than the Korean with advanced qualifications in both English and teaching. The ability to communicate to Korean students in Korean and to understand their learning difficulties are also advantages that Korean teachers have that are often overlooked.

Change in Teaching Content A decade ago, the typical English conversation course book contained lessons on the life skills that a person would need for living in an Englishspeaking country – shopping, going to the post office, calling the repairman, etc. – all recorded by typical native speakers. Present course books contain a variety of native and non-native accents to acquaint the learner with. Courses are no longer limited to pure English conversation courses. Now available for secondary school students are science, math, and other courses taught in English, furthering the concept of English as a means to attaining other goals.

Emphasis on E-Learning The computer spearheaded e-learning, but hand-held devices have moved e-learning to a new stage. English materials are now not only available in much larger quantities; they are now available for access almost anywhere and anytime. Smartphones, tablets, and similar lightweight, portable devices make e-learning both in and out of the classroom much more practical. Since close to 100% of students in Korea carry a smartphone, many free apps can be downloaded for supplementing classroom content.

Shift in the Teaching and Learning Paradigm The student has long been viewed as an empty vessel that needs to be filled with knowledge by the teacher. The teacher used to be viewed as the provider of knowledge and the student was to listen quietly to receive it. The view is now that students need to experience things through interaction with others to learn. Teacher-tostudent and student-to-student interaction is now being encouraged in all areas of learning, including English. The utility of language games in the classroom has been recognized. There are

still those in Korea, though, who cling to the traditional ideas of games as not useful in learning and that learning must be hard work.

Teachers as Life-Long Learners The teacher is no longer done learning once they graduate from college. Advancements in the profession of TESOL are occurring so quickly that the teacher who does not continue studying and learning after becoming a teacher will be left behind. The desire and need for continued professional development is being realized by many in our field, contributing to the vitality of organizations such as Korea TESOL and the proliferation of graduate and certificate programs in TESOL. Gwangju KOTESOL Monthly Chapter Meeting Date & Time: July 12 (Saturday), 1:45 pm Place: Chosun University, Main Building, Left Wing, Rm 4211 Featured Workshops: o Out of the Class and into the Classroom: Turning Theory into Practice. By Jin Lee (Kumho Elementary School) o Awesome Online Tools for Project-Based Learning. By Lindsay Herron (Gwangju Natl.

Univ. of Ed.) Swap-Shop: Share your teaching ideas and activities with the group.

Admission: No Charge July 12 (11 a.m.): Reflective Practice SIG Meeting, Chosun University side entrance.

Facebook: Gwangju-Jeonnam KOTESOL Website: http://koreatesol.org/gwangju Email: gwangju@koreatesol.org Twitter: @GwangjuKOTESOL David E. Shaffer is the 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 Language at Chosun University, where he has taught graduate and undergraduate courses for many years. He is a long-time member of KOTESOL and a holder of various KOTESOL positions, including Publications Committee Chair. He is also a multiple recipient of the KOTESOL President's Award and a recipient of the KOTESOL Lifetime Achievement Award.

July2014 2014.6.232:42PM Page48

Fash-On with xxl jjdp

10 Things I Know Words and photos by jjdp

I

t is the height of summer and time to “take stock of things” to make sure that you look great every day while remaining cool and calm. For the most part, looking good is being comfortable in your own skin and doing things that work for you, your body and your style.

Below are 10 things I discovered or learned from others that allow me to look and feel my best while remaining true to myself.

1. When in doubt, wear black It is easy, simple and effective and when many are clamoring to stand out, sometimes toning it down might just be the right thing to do. Top to toe black is classy, unassuming but has gravitas.

A simple black v-neck says much more than an outlandish shirt or blouse. Pair your look with simple or bold accessories in any situation.

Saying Goodbye In Style Jarrod John Du Plooy is the co-host of GFN's radio program “K-Popular,” and for 3.5 years has written on fashion for Gwangju News. This installment is his last column for the magazine.

“Wow three and a half years has flown by! Thanks GN for the exposure, creative freedom and deadline extensions! To all the readers, thank you, thank you, thank you – I can't say that enough. Wishing everyone a happy and healthy year, and here's to bigger and better things for all of us!

Keep it real, xxl jjdp – FashON”

2. Invest in shoes, socks and underwear These basics directly correlate with your comfort level. Start with the underwear. Pay more and you will reap the benefits in comfort. As for socks, always have a few white pairs for athletic events, black pairs for formal occasions, multicolored pairs for a fresh look, and half or secret socks for the summer (they go well with a pair of TOMS).

3. Dress for yourself, not for others As long as you are comfortable and are appropriate for the occasion, do not care about what others think. Confidence outshines the most dazzling outfit.

4. Mix and match designer and high street Not everyone has the budget to always buy from designer racks. Outside of a designer handbag, you might never want to invest in expensive labels because trends are fickle and constantly change. Instead, invest in a classic designer piece and then mix and match items from department stores or high street in order to

July2014 2014.6.232:42PM Page49

obtain your look for the season and current trends.

5. Longevity For more formal items such as trousers and dresses, always go for a classic cut and color.

You can reuse these forever. For example, it is easy and less expensive to just change accessories for the same little black dress rather than spend 500,000 won on a trendy leopardprint dress.

favorite for moisturizer is Kiehl's collection.

Remember to drink lots of water and get plenty of sleep, too.

8. Shop online Save yourself the stress of busy stores and shop online. Gmarket is my favorite online store. It offers service in English, is easy to navigate and compares prices, so you can easily make decisions. Same or next day delivery is available, too.

6. Accessorize Are you a fan of keeping up with trends without spending all that money? If so, look for great bargains on scarves, belts, and other accessories to give your look a bolder statement. Just remember not to over-accessorize; finding a balance can be hard. Remember that accessories are seasonal. You can also save money by purchasing accessories that are similar to the top name designs.

9. Match your fragrance with your outfit Indulge and smell pretty. Invest in some great fragrances that will last. Calvin Klein offers great day and night fragrances, as does Issey Miyake, Chloe and Bulgari. If you are feeling dramatic, wear a heavier scent. Wear a lighter scent to go with a happier mood.

7. Take care of your skin Wash, tone, moisturize and apply sunscreen.

Your skin is more important than anything in your closet. Choose great products and invest in quality – you will thank yourself later. My personal

Peace, and remember to Fash-On

10. Finally, play around a little, get to know your style and then treat yourself.

xxl jjdp

July2014 2014.6.232:42PM Page50

50 general

[National Pension Service]

Social Security Agreement for Americans

F

oreigners who are aged between 18 and 60 and who are residing and working in Korea, regardless of their nationality, should be covered under the NPS. Foreigners whose countries do not cover Korean nationals, however, are excluded from the coverage of NPS.

Despite the above provisions, if there are relevant provisions under the Social Security Agreement(SSA) between Korea and any foreign countries, those provisions will be applied.

A bilateral SSA is concluded to coordinate the social security program of one country with a comparable program of the other country with the aim of addressing unfavorable conditions to the nationals of the two countries in the application of their social security programs.

To protect the rights of foreigners, during the next eight times the SSA with South Korea and each country (24 countries) will be featured in articles. This month we cover the U.S.A.

SSA between Korea and the USA entered into force : Apr. 2001 â– Exemption from Dual Coverage In general, an employee is subject to the legislation of a contracting country in which he/she is employed.

A self-employed person is subject to the legislation of a contracting country in which the person resides.

In the case where a person is considered to b e se lf - e m plo yed un d er t h e la w s of a contracting country but considered to be e m p lo y e d un d er t h e la w s o f t h e other contracting country for the same activity, that person is subject to the laws of the contracting country where he/she resides.

A detached worker is exempt from coverage under the laws of the contracting country which he/she is sent to for less than 5 years if he/she is covered under the laws of his/her h o m e c o u n t r y. Th is 5- yea r limit c an be extended to 8 years with the proper consent between agencies of the both country.

â– Benefits under this Agreement Even though your periods of coverage in one country are not sufficient to qualify for pension benefits, you may be eligible for benefits after this agreement has entered into force. This is possible due to the totalization of coverage in both countries.

Korean National Pension Benefits under the SSA If you are insured for more than 18 months in Korea but do not have enough coverage time (e.g., 20 years for Full Old-age Pension) to qualify for pension benefits under the Korean pension system, you may be able to qualify for Korean benefits by totalizing periods of coverage under the Korean pension system and the American pension system. However, those periods creditable under the American pension system must not coincide with the periods under the legislation of Korea. Your benefit is calculated by dividing the Korean periods of coverage by the total periods of coverage and then multiplying by the Theoretical Benefit. The Theoretical Benefit is calculated based on the totalized periods in both countries.

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â– American Pension Benefits under the SSA If you have been insured for more than 18 months in the USA but do not have enough covered time (e.g., 10 years for Full Old-age Pension) to qualify for pension benefits under the American pension system, you may be a b le t o q u alify fo r Amer ica n ben efi ts by t o t a liz in g per io d s o f co ver a g e un der the Korean pension system and the American p e n sio n s y s t em. H o w ever , t h o se peri ods creditable under the Korean pension scheme must not coincide with the periods under the American legislation.

The American agency shall compute a pro rata Primary Insurance Amount in accordance with American laws based on (a) the person's average earnings credited exclusively under American laws and (b) the ratio of the duration of the person's periods of coverage completed under American laws to the duration of a c o ve r a g e lifet ime a s d et er mined i n accordance with American laws. Benefits payable under American laws shall be based on the pro rata Primary Insurance Amount.

A person who is or has been subject to the laws of one contracting country and who res i des wi thi n the terri tory of the othe r contracting country shall, together with his dependents, receive equal treatment with the nationals of the other contracting country in the appl i cati on of the l aws of the othe r contracting country.

A Korean Lump-sum refund is paid to the USA nationals. However, whether a Lump-sum refund is paid to a national of a third country depends on the reciprocity principle stipulated in the Korean National Pension Act. Since there is no provision for a Lump-sum refund in the legislation of the American Pension System, Korean people cannot be paid a Lump-sum refund from the American Pens i on Sys tem. The contri buti ons to t h e American Pension System may be calculated toward pension payments according to the legislation of the American Pension System instead.

July2014 2014.6.232:43PM Page52

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Upcoming Events July 2014 Compiled by Jo A-ra, Kim Yoo-joong, Kim So-hyun, Catherina Takoh, Park Eun-young and Karina Prananto

Movies @ the Gwangju Theater Address: Chungjang-no 5-ga (two blocks behind NC WAVE) Admission: 8,000 won per person per film.

Check online for the theater’s calendar and prices at: http://cafe.naver.com/cinemagwangju Nymphomaniac: Vol. 2 님포매니악 볼륨 2 [19] Genres: Mystery, Drama Director: Lars von Trier Starring: Charlotte Gainsbourg, Shia LeBeouf, Stellan Skarsgård Language: English Synopsis: Continuing the story of “Nympho-maniac Vol. 1”,a woman recounts her erotic experiences with a man who saves her from abuse.

Yves Saint-Laurent 이브 생 로랑 [18] Genre: Drama Director: Jalil Lespert Starring: Pierre Niney, Guillaume Gallienne, Charlotte Le Bon Language: French Synopsis: This film follows French designer Yves Saint Laurent from the beginning of his career to his succeeding of Christian Dior, while exploring his relationship with Pierre Berge, his lover and business partner.

For No Good Reason 랄프 스테드먼 스토리: 이상한 나 라의 친구들 [R, 12] Genre: Documentary Director: Charlie Paul Starring: Johnny Depp, Hunter S. Thompson. Ralph Steadman Language: English Synopsis: As himself, Johnny Depp pays a visit to his friend and hero Ralph Steadman.

Frances Ha 프란시스 하 [R] Genre: Comedy Director: Noah Baumbach Starring: Greta Gerwig, Mickey Sumner, Adam Driver Language: English Synopsis: Frances sees no prospects for herself as a professional dancer, so she takes an apprenticeship at a dance company to pay the bills.

Non-fiction Diary 논픽션 다이어리 [15] Genre: Documentary Director: Jung Yoon-seok Starring: Go Byeong-cheon, Kim Hyung-tae, Park Sang-goo Language: Korean Synopsis: In 1994, Korean society was shocked by confessions of people who declared they had eaten human flesh and killed rich people. Kim Yeong-sam, the president of Korea, promised quick capital punishment to ease the tension of the people.

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Festivals

Performances

Happy Robot Band Tour Concert 해피 로봇 밴드 투어 콘서트 – 광주 Venue: Never mind (네버마인드) Date: July 11 Time: 8 p.m.

Directions: Using bus 06, 39, 54 or 56, get off at the Daein Market(North) Bus Stop, or by bus 37, 58 or 81, get off at the Chonnam Girls' High School (West) Bus Stop, or by bus 54 or 518, get off at the Chonnam Girls' High School (East) Bus Stop.

Admission: All Standing Seats 44,000 won in advance/ 48,000 won on the day of the show Website: http://ticket.interpark.com/ Play 'You Are The Main Character’ 당신이 주인공 – 광주 Venue: A Theater of Feeling Good in Chungjang-ro (충장로 기분좋은극장) Dates: July 3 ~ August 10 Times: Tuesdays - Fridays, 8 p.m. /Saturdays, 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. /Sundays, 3 p.m. and 6 p.m.

(No performances on Mondays) Directions: Using bus 09, 12, 36, 45, 51, 55, 59, 80, 95, 98, 150, 151, 518, 1000 or 1187, get off at the Asian Culture Complex Bus Stop.

Admission: All Seats are 30,000 won Website: http://ticket.interpark.com/

Gangjin Celadon Festival 강진청자 축제 Venue: Goryeo Celadon Porcelain Kiln Area, Gangin-gun, Jeollanamdo Dates: July 26 ~ August 3 Program: Visitors can see the production of celadon and also make their own pottery, participate in Korean paper celadon exhibitions, and see a Goryeo Celadon Mystery Sound Tunnel.

Directions: From the Gwangcheon Bus Terminal, take a bus to Gangjin. From the Gangjin Bus Terminal, use a local bus towards Masan Town and walk about 450 m. to reach the destination.

Admission: 7,000 won Phone: 061-430-3193 Website: http://eng.gangjinfes.or.kr

Sports KIA Tigers Baseball Club Date

Match Team

Time

1-3 11 12-13 22-24

Doosan Bears Lotte Giants Lotte Giants LG Twins

6:30 p.m.

6:30 p.m.

6 p.m.

6:30 p.m.

Venue: KIA Champions Field Directions: Using bus 16, 38, 51, 53, 89, 95, 98 or 151, get off at Mudeung Baseball Stadium Bus Stop.

Admission: Weekdays: Adults 8,000 won/ Children 3,000 won Weekends: Adults 9,000 won/ Children 4,000 won Website: www.tigers.co.kr Gwangju FC Football Club Date

Match Team

Time

19 27

Suwon FC Bucheon FC

7 p.m.

7 p.m.

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

Admission: Adults 5,000 won/ Children 3,000 won Website: www.gwangjufc.com

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Exhibitions Namdo Culture Exhibition V: Goheung 남도문화전v-고흥 Venue: Gwangju National Museum Dates: July 1 - September 28 Times: 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. (Closed on Mondays) Admission: Free Directions: Using bus 29, 48, 63, 84 or 95, get off at the Gwangju National Museum Bus Stop or at the Gwangju National Museum Entrance Bus Stop.

Phone: 062-570-7000 Website: gwangju.museum.go.kr

The Mideast Contemporary Art Special Exhibition: Songs of Loss And Songs of Love 중동현대미술특별전 : 상실과 사랑에 관하여 Venue: Gwangju Museum of Art Dates: May 20 - July 13 Times: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Admission: 500 won for Adults Directions: Using bus 64 or 83, get off at the Gwangju Biennale Bus Stop, or by using bus 83, get off at the Gwangju Biennale Entrance Bus Stop.

Phone: 062-613-7100 Website: artmuse.gwangju.go.kr

The 20th KBC Wedding Fair 제 20회 KBC 웨딩박람회 Venue: Kimdaejung Convention Center Dates: July 10 - July 13 Times: 10 a.m. - 8 p.m.

Admission: 2,000 won fee, or for free by completing an online registration on www.kbcwedding.co.kr Directions: Using bus 38, 64 or 1000, get off at the Kimdaejung Convention Center Bus Stop, or by bus 19, 20, 38, 62, 64, 69 or 1000, get off at the Kimdaejung Convention Center (Mareuk) Subway Station Bus Stop. By taking the subway, get off at the Kimdaejung Convention Center (Mareuk) Subway Station Stop.

Phone: 062-650-3048 Website: www.kbcwedding.co.kr The Infinite Poem, Moon Seungguen 문승근-무한의 시 Venue: Gwangju Museum of Art Dates: March 22 - July 22 Times: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. / Closed Mondays Directions: Using bus 64 or 83, get off at the Gwangju Biennale Bus Stop, or by bus 83, get off at the Gwangju Biennale Entrance Bus Stop.

Admission: Free Phone: 062-613-7100 Website: http://www.artmuse.gwangju.go.kr

The Exhibition of New Collection 2013 신소장품 2013 Venue: Gwangju Museum of Art Dates: April 24 - July 24 Times: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. / Closed Mondays Directions: Using bus 64 or 83, get off at the Gwangju Biennale Bus Stop, or by bus 83, get off at the Gwangju Biennale Entrance Bus Stop.

Admission: Free Phone: 062-613-7100 Website: http://www.artmuse.gwangju.go.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 clubs' activities and special events.

Please send us the information to gwangjunews@gic.or.kr.

Gwangju Ice Hockey Team

Looking for men and women of all ages to join us every Saturday night from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at Yeomju Ice Rink near World Cup Stadium.

If you are interested, contact Andrew Dunne at atdunne@gmail.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.

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” at #photogwangjuplus.

Join the Gwangju Performance Project Choir!

No experience is necessary and all are welcome. The choir will be learning and singing a wide variety of material, including Pop, Jazz, Choral, and Musical Theater!

The GPP Choir meets every Saturday from 12:30 - 2:30 p.m. on the second floor of the Gwangju International Center in downtown Gwangju. For more information, visit our Facebook page or e-mail at gwangjuplayers@gmail.com.

UNESCO KONA Volunteers UNESCO KONA Volunteers is a registered organization that helps underprivileged kids by teaching English through storybooks.

We are looking for long-term volunteers who desire to enrich their lives. We are asking volunteers to commit to helping at least once a month: one Friday afternoon, Saturday afternoon, Sunday morning or Sunday afternoon per month. Foreign volunteers who are interested in practicing their Korean and learning more about Korean culture are welcome to stay at the center on any Saturday afternoon for a short cultural exchange.

For more information, please visit: 1) http://cafe.daum.net/konavolunteers, 2) www.facebook.com (UNESCO KONA Volunteers) 3) contact Kona (Kim Young-Im) at 062-434-9887 or at konacenter@gmail.com.

Waygeek Waygeek is a Gwangju-based celebration of geek culture and a safe space for all geeks, regardless of race, gender or planet of origin. Check out our Facebook page and our website at waygeek.me and start preparing your cosplay costume for Alleycon on the weekend of September 26-27!

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Rank Institution

Country

core

1

Weizmann Institute of Science

Israel

100

2

California Institute of Technology (Caltech)

United States

100 100

3

Rockefeller University

United States

4

Harvard University

United States

100

5

Stanford University

United States

100

6

Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology

South Korea

100

7

University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)

United States

100

8

University of California, San Francisco

United States

100

9

Karolinska Institute

Sweden

100

10

University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB)

United States

99.9