(EN) Gwangju News June 2016

Gwangju and South Jeolla International Magazine

GWANGJU News issue

#172

5

June 2016

Charles Landry

at ACF 2016

ASEM 2016

Promoting International Cultural Cooperation

2

Get Involved!

Gwangju & South Jeolla International Magazine

Join the GN Team

June 2016 Issue No. 172 Published on June 02, 2016 Cover Photo: Charles Landry Cover Art & Design: Joe Wabe Photographed by: Lukas & Joe Gwangju News is the first local English magazine in Korea, first published in 2001. It covers local and regional issues, with a focus on roles and activities of the international residents and local English-speaking communities.

Copyright by Gwangju International Center. All rights reserved. No part of this publication covered by this copyright may be reproduced in any form or by any means — graphic, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise — without the written consent of the publisher.

Gwangju News is published by Gwangju International Center 5, Jungang-ro 196 beon-gil (Geumnam-no 3 Ga), Dong-gu, Gwangju 61475, South Korea Tel: (+82)-62-226-2733~34 Fax: (+82)-62-226-2731 Registration No. 광주광역시 라. 00145 (ISSN 2093-5315) Registration Date February 22, 2010 Printed by Join Adcom 조인애드컴 (+82)-62-367-7702

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

June 2016

THE EDITORIAL TEAM PUBLISHER Shin Gyonggu EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Joe Wabe MANAGING EDITOR Katrin Márquez ONLINE EDITOR Callum Holmes COORDINATOR AND LAYOUT EDITOR Minsu Kim & Joe Wabe PHOTO EDITOR Lorryn Smit CHIEF PROOFREADER Kelsey Rivers ONLINE EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS Jacqui Page, Sam Page COPY EDITORS : Laura Becker, Timm Berg, Brian Fitroy, Robert Hinderliter, Victoria Lee, Joey Nunez, Jon Ozelton PROOFREADERS Jannies Le, Carrie Levinson, Gabrielle Nygaard, Jon Olsson, Stephen Redeker, Teri Venable RESEARCHERS Shin Hyerin, Lee Tae-beom, Lim Byeong-ji, Park Seong-yeol, Lee Hye-yoon

Volunteering Inquiry and Feedback: gwangjunews@gic.or.kr Advertising and Subscription Inquiry: minsu@gic.or.kr or 062-226-2733~34 Special thanks to the City of Gwangju and all of our sponsors.

gwangjunewsgic.com

GwangjuNews

@GwangjuNewsGIC

Are you looking for ways to be actively involved with your community while spending time with fun and engaging people?

Gwangju News always needs volunteers who want to share their expertise or gain some.

We have plenty of opportunities for writers, copy editors, photographers, web and blog editors as well as graphic artists and creators.

Please contact our managing editor at gwangjunews@gic.or.kr for volunteering inquiries.

Email us today and start getting involved!

Letter from the Editors Dear Readers, It seems like spring has passed in the blink of an eye, and summer is already beginning to heat up. Now is the time to go outside and enjoy the sunshine, with plenty of things to do both in and out of Gwangju.

There are always interesting things to do and see in Gwangju, and with the weather warming up, there is even more happening. Interested in trying a new sport? A cricket tournament hosted by the Bangladesh Community is underway this month, and you can read more about the sport in this issue’s article (“The Gwangju Premier League Goes On”). Or just prefer a leisurely stroll in a park? Check out “Sajik Park and Surrounding Areas”, and discover one of Gwangju’s outdoor gems. Perhaps the most exciting of all the events occurring in Gwangju this month is the 7th Asia Europe Culture Ministers Meeting (ASEM Conference), which is featured in our cover story. What is more fitting for our artistically-inclined city to host than a meeting to bring together great minds to discuss the importance and future of the creative industries?

If you want to get out of Gwangju though, and take in some cool, refreshing ocean views, take a peek at our article on a weekend trip to Yeosu (“Yeosu, South Korea – A Weekender’s Paradise”). Or if a trip to experience more of Jeollanam-do’s history is more appealing, seaside Mokpo is a quick day-trip away. Mokpo’s Old Downtown provides some interesting relics from the Japanese Occupation era, and one of the most romantic is “The House Filled with Happiness”, one of the few remaining Japanese houses that is a good pitstop for a pleasantly atmospheric coffee-break.

But no matter what you decide to do this month, be sure to read “Summertime Skincare” on how to take care of your skin, so that you can protect yourself and keep looking your best.

Stay cool, Gwangju!

Chief Proofreader Kelsey Rivers

Holiday Inn Gwangju provides the attractive dining experience.

Join our seasonal event and get a limited benefit.

HOURGLASS (1F) TRIPLE B PLAN Enjoy a wide selection of freshly grilled meat and seafood prepared daily to order on the open charcoal-fired grill with unlimited draft beer. You can feel soft summer breeze on the outdoor terrace and savor the dining experience of selecting food from the full buffet spread with great BBQ items.

Period : ~ 27th August Price : 45,000 won (VAT included) per person Reservation : 062- 610-7061, 2

LA PLACE (10F)

MODERN & CASUAL CUISINES

Modern & Casual restaurant of the hotel located on the 10th floor, is designed to awaken all the senses.

We present a variety of meats and pasta, guests can experience 5 star hotel chefs high quality of cuisines with the reasonable price. The sylish décor and the spectacular view are breathtaking.

Period : ~ 30th June Opeation hours : 18:00 – 24:00 (Sun-Thu) 18:00 – 02:00 (Fri-Sat)

Our team is committed to producing the greatest Korean and most authentic Western food A Unique Lifetime Experience at Holiday Inn Gwangju For more information: 062-610-7000 www.holidayinngwangju.com

4

Contents June 2016 40

26

46

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

June 2016

GWANGJU NEWS 5. Gwangju City News 6. GIC Talk 8. Upcoming Events 10. Asia Culture Forum 2016 12. WHRCF 2016 13. GIC Tour COMMUNITY 14. New in Tow: Solène Heurtaux 15. The Confucius Institute at Honam University 18. Gabriell Zilla 20. Summer Skin Care 22. Getting a Phone

FEATURE 24. ASEM 26. Kia Motors 30. Charles Landry TRAVEL 34. Yeosu 39. Lost in Gwangju: Sajik Park

34

SPORTS 48. Gwangju Cricket League EDUCATION 50. KOTESOL 54. Alliance Francaise 56. Talk to Me in Korean

FOOD & DRINKS 16. A Taste For The Mediterranean 36. Mokpo: House Filled with Happiness 38. Korean Food: Naengmyeon ARTS & CULTURE 40. Photo Esssay: Benjamin Plouffe 44. Photos of the Month 46. Traditional Korean Wedding 52. Gonjiam: Psychiatic Asylum

issue

#172

Gwangju City

News

5

Compiled and Edited by Lee Hye-yoon, Lee Tae-beom, Lim Byeong-ji, Park Seong-yeol,

Dajung-Dagam Gwangju Tour

Gwangju City Library will run a program, “2016 Humanities Reading Academy-Movies, Read in Humanities,” from May 20 to August 19. The city library has plans to give twenty lectures divided into four sub-themes: art, natural science, social science and philosophy. It will be held on the first floor seminar room and meeting room in Mudeung Library.

The classes are limited to fifty students per class for each subject, and they are free of charge. Apply by visiting or calling the literature department at Mudeung Library at 062613-7752.

A total of one hundred students from the agriculture department, Gwangju City officials and South Jeolla Province officials participated in this event.

This garden is part of the GwangjuJeonnam cooperative project for the year. Students who wish to return to farms will use the garden as part of their agriculture education and get hands-on experience in farming and beekeeping with the appropriate farming tools provided.

Lee Hangseuk, head of the Gwangju Metropolitan Agricultural Technology Center, said, “Bitgoeul Vegetable Gardens will help students returning to farms consequently bring out competent farming skills.”

June 2016

For more information, call the Office of Gwangju City Tour (062-4019926) or visit the website at www. gjmiin.com.

The Gwangju Metropolitan Agricultural Technology Center created “Bitgoeul’” Vegetable Garden in Mareuk-dong of Seo-gu, and started providing education on crop seedling, planting and beekeeping on April 29.

‘Movies, Read in the Humanities.’... City Library, the Humanities Reading Academy is running.

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

“Dajung-Dagam Gwangju Tour” is a tour program held under the theme “The Footprints of Prominent Figures of Gwangju,” along Asia Culture Center (ACC). Starting this year, the “Urban Trail Tour” will involve the stories of five figures by following their footprints. In addition, each course includes experience programs and visiting important tour sites located in the outskirts of the city. Gwangju City Hall is promoting the tour for participants seeking to join in front of the ACC every Saturday and Sunday and in front of the Gwangju Fringe Festival Event Hall every second and fourth Saturday of the month.

City Healing, Try Farming

6

June Schedule

GWANGJU NEWS

GIC Talk Monthly Theme: “Turn the Ignition for a Better Life” This GIC Talk Monthly Theme will showcase GIC Talks from Speakers who would like to share their areas of expertise to GIC Talk audience that continues on into 2016.

Time & Location: Saturdays from 3 p.m. – 4 p.m., GIC Auditorium (1st Floor) For more information, contact gictalk@gic.or.kr

:: June 4

Speaker: Nancy Harcar Topic: The Michael Simning Community Builder Award Presentation Ceremony Michael Simning was a Canadian expat, Gwangju business owner, community builder, and friend to many in Gwangju, who left us way too soon. This award is to remember all that he did for Gwangju, and to encourage those who would continue his legacy of good works.

Come join us to celebrate his life, and recognize those who will receive this award named in his honor. In keeping with the celebration theme, we ask attendees to wear their best and loudest Hawaiian shirt-one of Michael’s favorite fashion statements.

:: June 18

Speaker: Jure Sutar Topic: I lived with Buddhist monks and you should too.

How I went from roaring alcohol-fueled parties to silent meditation and the impact it had on my life. I’ll be talking about my life in the monastery, the lessons I learned while living with Buddhist monks and the new perspective I got on business and life. I’ll also share some of my entrepreneurial experiences as well as the things I learned while mentoring others and working in the consulting business.

In other words, I’ll take you on a spiritual business journey that will shake your beliefs and give you a different perspective on life.

:: June 11

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

June 2016

Speaker: Nathan Fulkerson Topic: Program or Be Programmed The technology industry is one of the fastest growing in the world today, and many news reports emphasize the huge demand for skilled developers for everything from mobile phone games to websites to finance systems— a demand that is hard to fill. This speaker would like to share how he went from zero programming skill to adept skill, how you can too, and exactly why everyone should learn these skills.

:: June 25

Speaker: Chris Witko Topic: The 2016 Presidential Election in the U.S Professor Witko will discuss the current party nomination contests and upcoming general election in the fall from the perspective of current political science research.

He will address questions like: why had Donald Trump become the likely Republican nominee? What does this mean for the general election contest in November against likely Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton? What does the rise of Trump and the popularity of Bernie Sanders mean for the long-term future of the U.S. political party platforms and domestic and international policy? Following the talk he will take questions from the audience.

7

Program or Be Programmed Speaker : Nathan Fulkerson

H

It may seem like a daunting task. The lack of a comprehensive computer science curriculum in most school systems has left us in a place where the sight of a command line or a few lines of HTML strikes fear and dread in most.

You should take heart though because programming is a skill like any other. I have no formal education in computer science, yet I have become comfortable jumping into JavaScript code, managing a web server, publishing code to a Github repository, and building iOS apps. All the resources at my disposal are equally at yours, and I will show you where to find them and how to use them.

Instead of finding yourself unemployed and replaced by a computer program, you could instead be equipped to be the one who writes these programs. Or, you could simply make your workday easier now, and hopefully retire into a life of luxury when the robots take over. In my GIC Talk, I will spend a little time going over the pros and cons of automation, and how knowing a little bit of code can make your life easier.

Even if you do not have any aspiration to make phone

While you are at it, think of any mundane tasks you do on a regular basis at work or home while using a computer.

Chances are, that task can be automated. The benefits of automation are undeniable, and they do not bode well for many workers. By some estimates, as much as half of the world’s workforce can be replaced by automated software within the next 30 years.

Join us at the GIC on Saturday, June 11th to start on your programming journey and level up your computer literacy.

June 2016

games or websites, programming is an indispensable skill that can still have a lot of utility in your life. Knowing the basics of how the web and software work can give you more power and mastery over the tools you use every day, and also help you navigate the Internet more safely.

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

ave you ever wanted to build a game? An app?

A website? While tools exist today that make it easy to drag-and-drop designs and publish them quickly, many will soon find their creative ambitions choked back by the limitations of one-size-fits-all programs, or deceptive “free” website builders that charge a premium for extra features. One can always hire a developer (or team of developers), but doing so can be costly: a simple website could cost $500, an e-commerce site can run upwards of $10,000 or more. 2D or 3D games with unique visuals and sound effects can easily cost double those figures. But there is another way: you can learn to code and build it yourself.

8

Upcoming Events June

난타

Nanta

04

Dates: June 04 15:00, 19:00 / June 05 14:00 Venue: Gwangju Culture & Arts Center Admission Fees: 66,000 won (VIP Seat) 55,000 won (R Seat) 33,000 won (S Seat) Website: www.gjart.net Telephone: 062-374-3304

17

뮤지컬 맘마미아

Musical MAMMA MIA!

18

International Manufacturing Technology (PPURI) Fair 2016 국제뿌리산업전시회

Dates: June 15~18 (10:00 ~ 17:00) Venue: Kim Dae Jung Convention Center (First floor of Exhibition Building) Admission Fee: 3,000 won

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

June 2016

Telephone: 062-611-2216

Dates: June 17 19:30 June 18 14:00, 19:00 June 19 14:00

29

2016 문화가 있는 날 2016 Culture Day Dates: June 29 19:30

Venue: Gwangju Culture & Arts Center

Venue: Bitgoeul Citizen Cultural Center

Admission Fee: 140,000 won (VIP Seat) 110,000 won (R Seat) 80,000 won (S Seat)

Genre: Fusion Korean classical music

Website: www.gjart.net Telephone: 062-417-6022, 1588-0766

Admission Fee: Free Website: bitculture.gjcf.or.kr Telephone: 062-670-7945

9 UPCOMING

ACC - ASIAN CULTURE CENTER

GWANGJU

THEATHER

Chungjang-no 5-ga 62, Dong-gu, Gwangju (two blocks behind NC WAVE) TICKETS: 8,000 INFORMATION: 062-224-5858 JUNE 2 The Piano Teacher (La Pianiste) (2001) (Musical & Performing Arts, Drama) (Michael Haneke) 130min.

Isabelle Huppert, Annie Girardot, Benoît Magimel Erika Kohut is a piano teacher at the prestigious Vienna Conservatory. Her sex life consists of voyeurism and masochistic self-injury. Lonely and alienated, Erika finds solace by visiting sex shops and experimenting with masochism. At a recital, she befriends Walter, a handsome young man, whom explores her darkest sadomasochistic fantasies, which eventually lead to her undoing.

1960s Cambodian Lost Rock N’ Roll

28

Dates: June 26 Location: ACC Library Park (B3), Blackbox 1 Admission Fee: Free Website: acc.go.kr

Based on the life and work of Korea’s renowned poet, Yun Dongju, known to have created hundreds of poems during his time in jail where he spent the last two years of his life, Yun passed away at the young age of 27. Although it has not been proven, some believe he died due to medical experiments that were performed on his living body.

JUNE 9TH Born to Be Blue (2015) (Biography, Drama, Music) (Robert Budreau) 97min.

Ethan Hawke, Carmen Ejogo, Callum Keith Rennie Born to be Blue, is a reimagining of jazz trumpeter Chet Baker’s life in the 1960s. When Chet stars in a film about himself, a romance heats up with his costar, the enigmatic Jane (Carmen Ejogo). Production is shelved when Chet’s past comes back to haunt him and it appears he may never play music again, but Jane challenges him to mount a musical comeback against all odds.

If You Were Me (2016) (Drama, Omnibus) (Choi Ik-Hwan, Lee Kwang-Kuk, Shin Yeon-Shik) 95min.

Kim Dong-Wan, Oh Kwang-Rok, Park Joo-Hee, Seo Young-Hwa, Yoon Yeong-Min

For the full June’s movie calendar please visit: cafe.naver.com/cinemagwangju

June 2016

An omnibus movie consisting of three shorts by Choi Ik-Hwan, Shin Yeon-Shik, and Lee Kwang-Kuk. A delightful dissection of human rights in this day and age through a student who gets punished for wanting to eat ddeokbokki, a man with delusions of grandeur, and an insurance agent who spends a strange day.

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

ACC Library Park will collaborate on a special exhibition for popular music of Cambodia with “Cambodia Vintage Music Archive” which is a professional organization for the collection and preservation of materials related to the Khmer music of Cambodia. This event will introduce the popular music of Cambodia, which is unique in the world, along with materials related to Sinn Sisamouth, the father of popular music of Cambodia. In addition, the ACC Library Park has prepared various programs to celebrate the golden age of popular music of Cambodia in the 1960s, including a screening, talk program and DJing.

Dongju: The Portrait of a Poet (2015) (Drama) (Lee Joon-Ik) 110min.

Kang Ha-Neul, Park Jung-Min, Kim In-Woo

GWANGJU NEWS

10

Asia Culture Forum 2016 Scholars and Practitioners in the Field of Arts and Culture Coming to Gwangju

By Jeong Sohee

The

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

June 2016

Asia Culture Forum, inheriting the legacy of the Asia Culture Symposiums (2004-05) and marking its 10th anniversary this year, has gained recognition as the “Forum of Asia” since its inception in 2006 by providing a platform for arts & culture scholars and practitioners around the world to sit together and share experiences and knowledge on

Prof. KIM Uchang

Asian culture as well as promoting international exchange in the field.

The Republic of Korea Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and Gwangju Metropolitan City will jointly convene this 10th forum under the theme “Culture, Technology and Creativity: Creative Industry and City” to further develop and extend the dialogue with scholars and practitioners around the world.

Professor KIM is critical on the current trend of putting culture as a device for industry, claiming “Culture should not serve the need of industries, but industries need to serve culture.”

11

Leading personalities in the field of arts and culture from 7 countries, including Asian nations such as China, Japan and Singapore, along with the UK and Australia, will come to Gwangju to participate in this Forum to be held in conjunction with the 7th Asia Europe Culture Ministers Meeting (ASEM CMM7). Kim Uchang , Chair professor at Ehwa Women’s University, also known as a representative intellectual in Asia, and Koichiro Matsuura, the former Director-general of UNESCO, will be keynote speakers for the Forum.

Charles Landry is expected to engage in a heated debate regarding the creative cities, as well as giving a keynote speech, along with Masayuki Sasaki, Professor at Doshisha University.

Charles Landry’s involvement in this forum draws special public attention.

Landry helps cities identify and make the most of their potential by trigger-

ing their inventiveness and thinking.

According to his website, Landry aim is to help cities become more resilient, self-sustaining and to punch above their weight.”

His speech, armed with his own theory of the Creative City and his counseling experience, will draw people’s attention to this Forum.

This year’s Forum will be an open forum, to encourage not only culture experts but also the general audience to participate through a newly organized Thesis Presentation, where participants are offered a chance to give a presentation on “Urban Regeneration.” In addition, the “Youth Camp” program will be run for Korean and international youth interested in culture and creative industries, to build momentum for them to become future leaders in the development of Asian culture. Videos showing urban spaces will be organized by the Gwangju Biennale during Spe-

cial Session II, and a session called “Hello, Media. Let’s Play!” organized by the Gwangju Cultural Foundation will run during Special Session III. Additionally, the Korean Literature Special Exhibition will be held under the theme of “Cities: Spaces of Life and Dreams,” which is expected to further enrich the Forum.

You can pre-register for the Asia Culture Forum 2016 from May 9 to June 12, 2016. For more information and pre-registration for the Forum, please visit our website at: http://asiacultureforum.org

June 2016

In 1978 he founded Comedia, a highly respected globally oriented consultancy working in creativity, culture and urban change. He has completed several hundred assignments for a variety of public and private clients and given key note addresses and workshops in 58 countries across the continents including South Korea, Japan, China, USA, Canada and so on.

“This year’s Forum will be an open forum, to encourage not only culture experts but also the general audience to participate”

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

From his website biography: “Charles Landry is an international authority on the use of imagination and creativity in urban change. He invented the concept of the Creative City in the late 1980’s. Its focus is how cities can create the enabling conditions for people and organizations to think, plan and act with imagination to solve problems and develop opportunities. The notion has become a global movement, changing the way cities think about their capabilities and resources.

MATSUURA Koichiro, Former Director-General, UNESCO

12 Discussion Groups will be divided according to these different areas of interest and participants can attend any of the eight sessions at the forum.

Each Discussion group is expected to meet before the Forum to discuss their interests and expected findings.

After the Forum, they will reflect on their findings and present on their experience. During the pre-forum Discussion Group sessions, writing guides and practice opportunities will be provided to give all participants a chance to bring their thoughts together in an English essay format.

WHRCF 2016

By Ana Traynin

How to Help Build ‘Human Habitat Friendly Cities’

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

June 2016

S

ince 2011, Gwangju has hosted the World Human Rights Cities Forum (WHRCF), inviting Korean and international speakers to share their expertise, collaborate and build solidarity on a wide range of human rights topics. The sixth annual World Human Rights Cities Forum (WHRCF) 2016 once again invites the Gwangju community to engage with those on the front lines of human rights work in Korea and around the world. This year’s theme is “Building Human Habitat Friendly Cities,” with special focus on Urban Development, Housing and Environment.

While in previous years the forum has been held at the Kimdaejung Convention Center, this year it has been moved to downtown’s Asia Culture Center, which opened in September 2015. Additionally, while it has traditionally coincided with the commemoration of the May 18 Democratic Uprising, this year’s forum is scheduled for July 21-24. It is co-organized by the Gwangju International Center and the UCLG (the Global Network of Cities, Local and

Regional Governments) Committee on Social Inclusion, Participatory Democracy and Human Rights, with collaboration by multiple local organizations.

As a supplement to the conference, the Gwangju International Center is organizing the third Discussion Groups program, open to all local and international Gwangju/Jeollanam-do residents interested in going deeper into human rights issues and becoming advocates in their community.

Discussion Group participants will have a chance to work with diverse members of the Gwangju community and attend the forum’s thematic sessions that give concrete approaches to tackling human rights issues. Under the overarching theme of “Building Human Habitat Friendly Cities,” the 2016 forum will cover 8 related subtopics, including: Environment, Gender, Disability, Social Economy and Urban Regeneration, Housing for the Elderly, Children & Youth, Education Policy and School Autonomy and Migrants & Refugees. The

To participate in the program: - Assemble a Discussion Group team of 5 to 7 members or request a placement among existing Discussion Groups. Each group must have at least 2 non-Korean members from any other country.

- Group representatives fill out an application form indicating their areas of interest and making a commitment to attend a certain number of group sessions before and during the forum.

- Each group submits one initial Expectations Proposal (~400 words) of their planned forum attendance and future involvement in human rights and one Reflections Proposal (~2,000 words) after the forum, reviewing what they learned and their experience as a group.

Beyond the opportunity to gain valuable experience in an international conference setting, we are pleased to offer cash prizes to the strongest Discussion Groups.

The Gwangju International Center looks forward to working with this year’s Discussion Group participants.

Please send your applications by the deadline of 11 pm, June 10.

For more information and to receive a Discussion Group Application, please e-mail Ana Traynin, GIC Coordinator: whrcf2016dg@gmail.com.

13

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

June 2016

NEW IN TOWN

COMMUNITY

Solène Heurtaux

New In Town

S

olène is a French native and a GIC intern, who has been passionate about Asian culture for many years.

This passion led her to study Chinese for several years and later allowed her to embark on a trip to study in America. This trip shaped her life and dreams, leading her to a new adventure in Korea.

June 2016

After Korea, she dreams that soon she will be able to go travel around the countries of people she has met, and learn and enjoy their culture and ways of life.

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

Interview and Photo by Joe Wabe

14

She has adapted to Gwangju quite well, and fresh bread and cheese is not something she loses sleep over, however, from time to time, her cat, family and friends makes her feel a tad “nostalgique.” Here is a short interview with GN. How did you decide to come to Korea?

Three years ago, I decided to study for a year in America. This year changed my life, as I got to meet people from all around the world. This is also when I met my Korean boyfriend.

He is the main reason why I chose to come to Korea, first to travel, and

then to do two internships as part of my studies. I was already interested in the Asian culture, as I had studied Chinese for several years and had many Asian friends in America, but I had never thought about going to Korea before meeting him.

What do you do here in Gwangju?

Right now, I am completing an internship at the GIC (Gwangju International Center) for the second time.

I am in charge of the GIC Talk program as well as the GIC Library, but I also help with the Youth Camp of the Asia Culture Forum 2016 which will be held in June this year. I present the GIC News on the radio twice a month and also give a hand to anyone needing my help at the office.

How do you like to spend your free time?

Jeollanam-do is a beautiful region to discover, so I like to travel in Gwangju and its surrounding areas, go hiking, visit temples, eat ice cream or go to coin karaoke with my boyfriend. I also like to go to Daein Market on Saturday nights after work to enjoy street food and live music, and to have a very unique “Korean experience.” Otherwise, when I feel like resting at home, I like to paint Kore-

an calligraphy, watercolor painting or to cook chocolate cakes and cookies.

What have you learned while living in Gwangju?

My time in Gwangju has taught me so much! People are just so generous and always willing to help me discover new places, new foods or new traditions. I am super thankful to the host family I stayed with last year, who showed me how to live as a Korean. I also had the chance to attend Korean weddings, enjoy a temple stay, participate in tea ceremonies, and to take calligraphy as well as Korean classes. I keep learning more and more every day and I love all of these experiences!

What is something you miss the most about France?

You might think that I miss eating fresh bread or cheese but actually I am surviving this lack of French food. I enjoy Korean food so much and my mom keeps sending me so much chocolate, so it is not such a big problem for me. What I miss the most about France is my cat and my friends. Here in Korea, I cannot have a cat in my small one-room apartment, so it is something I miss. But otherwise I did not have any adaptation problems when arriving here.

15

Collaborating to Build Chinese Community and Culture

In

Gwangju, China’s growing global influence is expressed through the important roles the Confucius Institute at Honam University serves in the city. Located in Ssangchong-dong, the institute is also known as Gongja—sometimes called the Gongja Academy due to the classes they offer.

Outside of language instruction, the institute’s programming builds community. He Tao, a native Chinese teacher through CPIK, says that the center provides resources for Chinese residents since it allows for a central meeting place for Chinese teachers. She adds that the institute also has social programming that allows newly-arrived Chinese residents to be better acclimated to Korean life.

Non-Chinese Gwangju residents can benefit from the many cultural opportunities the institute provides—like food festivals or Chinese-language speech and singing competitions for students.

Korean-language information about the institute can be found at gongja.honam.ac.kr.

June 2016

As Wang’s words suggest, the institute provides a number of valuable services for Gwangju residents. At the institute there are Chinese classes for every level of learner, from beginner to advanced, as well more specialized topics like pronunciation or character writing. To further im-

prove Chinese instruction in Gwangju, the institute also has Chinese teacher training programs. In fact, the native Chinese teachers in Gwangju who came through the institute’s programs outnumber those who came through CPIK—Chinese Program in Korea, the Chinese equivalent of the more ubiquitous EPIK program run by the Korean government. Additionally, the institute has developed various textbooks for Chinese study, including a book meant to speed up language acquisition for children and a reference guide for the Korean delegation that attended the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

The Confucius Institute at Honam University first opened nearly a decade ago in December 2006. It resulted from an on-going collaboration between Honam University here in Gwangju and Hunan University in Changsha, Hunan Province, China. The institute is jointly run by the two universities. Since its creation, the institute has been dedicated to teaching the public about Chinese culture.

According to a press release on the Hunan University website, in 2014, the Chinese Counsel General Wang Xianmin visited Gwangju and praised “the institute’s colorful work and considerable achievements in teaching Chinese” and promised to provide continued support so that the institute may “increase understanding and friendship between [the] peoples of [China and Korea].”

by Katrin Marquez

LOCAL ENTREPRENEURS

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

June 2016

COMMUNITY

photo by big fat noodle

16

A Taste For The Mediterranean Comes From Canada

By Willow Fiddler

If

you are looking for an alternative to the usual kimbap and donn cassuh, then look no further than Kebab Plus Gwangju!

The food delivery and catering business has customers raving about the falafels, hummus, fast delivery and professional, friendly service. And who can blame them – the Mediterranean-Greek fusion menu is loaded with nine flavors of homemade hummus, tzatziki, and chicken and falafel kebabs served with shawarma, donair or gyro-style using tortilla wraps and pita pockets.

“Such a breath of fresh air!” says one of the several 5-star customer ratings on the Kebab Plus Gwangju Facebook page.

Ulysses Lachinette arrived in South Korea with his wife and son in 2007 from Canada. It was not long before he started helping out at a friend’s food truck.

Their customers were mainly international teachers looking for something different. At the time, Lachinette says there was zero competition in Gwangju – no one delivering fresh kebabs to customer’s doors and no food trucks catering to the lunch crowd. Eventually, Lachinette took over his friend’s business and started marketing his menu to local Korean residents. Now he is swamped with orders for business functions, school meetings and picnics.

“Some days I go to bed dreaming of kebabs because I’ve made so many in a day.”

Lachinette said one of his favorite parts of operating his own business in Gwangju is the number of people he gets to meet. “That and of course people enjoying my food. I just love it when I get great reviews from everyone.”

“I take great pride in preparing and cooking my food,” said Lachinette, adding that he hand picks his ingredients from a local grocer daily – a fundamental learned when he apprenticed under a 5-star Italian chef in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The downside? “Dishes! I loathe dishes.

Sometimes it is the long hours. But would I trade this for an office job? No. I love my job and what I do.”

Customers will be happy to know it does not look like Kebab Plus Gwangju is going anywhere anytime soon. Lachinette recently announced on Facebook plans to only relocate Kebab Plus Gwangju downtown.

But, if you cannot make it downtown? No problem. Lachinette says he can ship his food anywhere in the country within a day. A full menu and ordering information can be viewed on the Kebab Plus Gwangju Facebook page.

17

GIC Tour June Namwon

Gwanghalluwon Garden - [Lunch] Loach Soup (Chueotang)- Manboksa Temple Site Making a lacquered necklace with mother-of-pearl- Tomb of Chunhyang- Yungmojeong Pavilion- Guyong Valley

girukabi

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

June 2016

Date&Time: Saturday, June 25, 09:00-18:30 Registration: By Sunday, June 19 Participation fee: 30,000 won (GIC members) 40,000 won (Non-members) / 20,000 won (Pre-schoolers) More Info: Jeongmin Lee 062.226.2733 / gictour@gic.or.kr

COMMUNITY

18 COMMUNITY LEADERS

Gab’Zilla’:

Freestyle Poetry Artist

By Eden J. Jones

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

June 2016

The

first time I met her, I was at a board game café with friends. We had been sitting around a table playing “German Uno” when in walks this Filipino-Korean girl.

She was head to toe sass—gold hoop earrings, pink lipstick, high-arched eyebrows, and bleach-blond hair.

Her name is Gabrielle Do, but she is better known by her stage name, Gab’Zilla.’. Just months after arriving in Korea, Gabrielle has already performed her freestyle poetry at multiple events such as the recent Big Day South festival in Gwangju and has hosted multiple poetry workshops at the GIC. Here is the need-to-know about one of Gwangju’s newest artists from the woman herself.

Where are you from?

The States. I grew up in Jersey, but I moved to New York by myself after high school and [had]a one-year stint

at a seminary in the Midwest.

Talk to me about your family background.

I am half-Filipino and half-Korean.

My father adapted quickly to my mom’s family in the 80s when he immigrated from South Korea, so it was inevitable for my brother and I to be raised more Filipino. In all honesty, I owe a lot to my family back home and both my cultures; they instilled an excellent work ethic and drive. I actually chose to pursue the educational field here because I wanted to understand my Korean roots.

Tell me more about your life as a freestyle poetry artist in Korea.

I have only been here for about five months, but performing at Barim Theater for Big Day South was a pretty hefty venue. The artist lineup was incredible, and I was just grateful to be on stage and rhyming again. I

will be traveling to Busan and Seoul for a few shows at the end of May and early June.

My workshops at the GIC are monthly-esque, and I say that loosely because I have not lived here long enough to make it a regular engagement. I am hoping to get to that point by the end of this year.

In general, my workshops run under #ZILLA101 where I teach freestyle poetry, a niche in the spoken word community. #ZILLA101 derives from my stage name, Gab‘Zilla’, and exemplifies personal life lessons through poetic messages. Stemming from a theatrical background of didactic poetry, prose, and live freestyle, I teach workshops to enhance performance and crowd participation as well as infuse traditional writing styles with free verse. #ZILLA101 fuses a balance of structural writing

prompts, reading assignments and impromptu theatrical sessions to improve performances.

Do you find yourself writing about any particular themes or issues these days? What topic are you most passionate about?

I am an Asian-American female in

Note: You can find out more about Gabrielle’s writing and workshops at her website, www.zilla101.com. The artist would also like to note that she does not blog regularly because, she claims, it is not her “forte.”

June 2016

Who/what inspires you/has influenced your work?

When it comes to muses, it is mostly my family, my faith, as well as all my failed relationships, as ridiculous as that sounds. I write with more clarity when I am struggling through different situations, and there is an intensity I cannot teach when I freestyle during a heartwrenching time. I am constantly looking for God in my work, thanking my parents for their constant sacrifices, and ranting about men who should have loved me better or men I should have loved longer.

a predominantly African-American male-run industry. I fight the hype every day to keep credentials as a woman as well as a Korean-Filipino one who makes a living through freestyle. I am constantly speaking on interracial relationships, interfaith communication and personal growth. I am quite bold with my words, so I stick to what I know.

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

Photos by Gabrielle Zilla & Johan anh

19

20 HEALTH

Summertime Skin Care Translalted by Lim Byeong-ji

COMMUNITY

By Won Jun-ho

It www.gwangjunewsgic.com

June 2016

skin.

is summer, when mountains and ocean lure us out.

Summer, with its scorching sun, can be brutal for our skin. So here are a few ways to protect your

First, avoid UV rays. Staying indoors all day, however, is not the best option. When you go out, wear a hat or put on sunscreen. When picking a sunscreen, choose one with 30 or greater SPF and PA++. Instead of putting it on right before you go out, applying it15 minutes before going out will maximize the benefits.

The amount you apply is also crucial. You can protect your whole palm with just enough sunscreen to cover your fingertips. You will not reap the full benefits if you do not apply enough, though. Do not apply it only on your face but everywhere not covered by your clothes: your neck, back of your hands, arms and calves. If you do not sweat profusely, the effects will last around two hours, so you need to reapply regularly.

If you go into water, the time of effectiveness will shorten,

and even if it is waterproof, you should not expect it to last more than one hour. Sometimes we do not feel the need to apply sunscreen on cloudy days, but we still need sunscreen because the intensity of ultraviolet rays is the same, even though clouds may be covering the sun.

In the past, sunscreen consisted of Zincoxide or Titaniumoxide that reflect light, which made one appear whiter after applying sunscreen. Now, there are many products that reduce the quantity of Zincoxide’s and Titaniumoxide’s inorganic substances, or make inorganic substances smaller, and that use organic compounds which absorb light and protect against ultraviolet rays.

These products feel good, preserve original skin tone and have a longer effectiveness time. When you put on these products, they do not make your skin white, but if you have sensitive skin, they might cause you to develop contact or irritant dermatitis. When pregnant women wear sunscreen for a long time, its components could end up in breast milk.

21 you will need to make up for the lack of oil on your skin.

Without this process, many problems can arise because of collapsed skin barriers in the case of sensitive skin.

If your skin becomes red, stings from sunburn or desquamates (what comes off in scales), we recommend that you visit a dermatology office. Apart from the UV rays, heat makes your skin hard. Due to the increasing amount of sweat and evaporation from the skin, you need to drink water more frequently.

While drinking normal water is good enough, vitamins and antioxidants are also helpful to drink with water. As you sweat more, certain areas of the skin, such as armpits and thighs, can become red and itchy. These areas can develop severe wounds, so it is important to make your skin cool with water, and then allow it to dry naturally.

Dr. Won June-ho Water and Light Skin Clinic Address: 2 Seomundaero 701, Nam-gu, Gwangju Phone: 062-361-7575

At this point, put the products containing vitamin C and which have anti-oxidative qualities on your face.

These products will reduce free radicals from your skin, stretched by UV. Because your skin will likely be dry at this time (due to the removal of sun creams and lipids),

June 2016

So, what should we do to care for our skin after we have finished our daily work? First, we should remove all of our make-up. Sun cream applied to our faces cannot be removed by water because the lipids have melted into our skin cells. So, using cleansers is the best way to remove grease. After that, stay cool and refresh your skin by using face packs, skin mists and lotions.

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

In situations where you cannot avoid being outside, and you cannot use clothes or hats to protect against sun rays, it is a good idea to use sun creams which do not use nanoparticle ingredients, such as Zincoxide, Titaniumoxide, and others. You also should take vitamin C to protect skin health. Dermatology departments have long prescribed using vitamin C to enhance skin recovery and protect against skin cell damage from UV rays.

COMMUNITY

22 EXPAT LIVING

Getting a Phone in Korea

It

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

June 2016

may sound straightforward but getting a cell phone is also difficult for Koreans. It is hard to imagine living without a cell phone these days since staying connected in an unfamiliar environment makes living easier for everybody. Whether you are visiting or temporarily staying in Korea, having a cell phone is the best way to keep in touch with your friends and family. There are two main ways of staying connected for international visitors – bringing your own phone from your home country or buying a new one in Korea.

There are three major service providers in Korea – LG Uplus, SK Telecom and Korea Telecom (KT). You can see branches of these service providers every few steps you walk on the streets. It makes using a cell phone much simpler if you choose to bring your own to Korea. All you need to do upon arriving in Korea is to buy a USIM card and subscribe to a mobile network service for your phone. Subscription fees vary by providers from 24,000 won (KT) to 39,600 won (SKT).

Then making your choice among the plans provided is the next most important step. The heavier the plan is, the more allowance (data, SMS, national calls and more features) you will receive, which is quite straightforward.

The plans tend to vary depending on the service provid-

By Shin Hye-rin

ers. However, they all offer the minimum usage so you can avoid being extravagant. Pre-paid phones are very unusual in Korea and they cost much more than monthly plans.

The other option is buying a new phone. Phones in Korea are typically more expensive than in your home country unless it is an iPhone. Therefore, they are often purchased in instalments, either with two or three-year contracts.

However, as an international resident, since the providers do not accept foreign credit ratings, some companies ask for a 200,000-250,000 won deposit or to pay monthly bills up front upon subscription. In this case, you can bring along a Korean friend as a translator and a facilitator to make the process smoother.

All you need is to bring your Alien Registration Card (ARC) and passport to get a Korean phone. If you are not eligible for an ARC yet, you can use your passport. But, you are only allowed to have the service for 90 days due to your Visa condition. It is ideal to have your ARC when you register to have a new cell phone.

For more information, visit: http://asiaenglish.visitkorea. or.kr/ena/RE/RE_EN_1_2_4_1.jsp

23

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

June 2016

24

Through ASEM, Gwangju Promotes International Cultural Cooperation

By Katrin Marquez

O

Each year ASEM attempts to address an issue of importance for European and Asian countries. ASEM “is an informal process of dialogue and cooperation bringing together the 28 European Union member states, 2 other European countries, and the European Union with 21 Asian countries and the ASEAN Secretariat” which “addresses political, economic and cultural issues, with the objective of strengthening the relationship between [the] two regions, in a spirit of mutual respect and equal partnership” according to the conference’s

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

June 2016

ver the last few years, Gwangju’s international profile has increased as the city continues to engage in international events and discussions of social and cultural importance, like the completion of the Hub City of Asian Culture Project and serving as host for last year’s Universiade. In keeping with this pattern, Gwangju Metropolitan City will host the 7th Annual Asia Europe Culture Ministers Meeting— better known as ASEM CCM—at the Asian Culture Center from June 22nd to the 24th.

Photos courtesy of ASEM

website. The theme of this year’s ASEM CCM is “Culture and Creative Economy.”

This year’s conference will attempt to build on the progress made in previous meetings in order to better understand how culture impacts the development of the creative economy.

A thorough understanding of the so-called creative economy is important as the concept increasingly impacts economic shifts in advanced countries and development plans in poorer countries. According to a

“ ASEM is an informal process of dialogue and cooperation bringing together the 28 European Union member states, 2 other European countries, and the European Union with 21 Asian countries and the ASEAN Secretariat”

FEATURE

25

2013 special report by UNESCO, the term “creative economy” was popularized in 2001 by writer John Howkins in reference to the recognition of “cultural activities and processes as the core of a powerful new economy [that] is also concerned with manifestations of creativity in domains that would not be understood as ‘cultural.’” Essentially, the creative economy refers to the creation of new products and services with economic value— an idea that especially matters in the age of start-ups and disruptive technologies. As such, based on discussions which initially emerged during the 2014 ASEM CCM, this year’s organizers hope the various workshops and events will lead to a better understanding of the impacts the creative economy can have on traditional cultures as well as information technology developments.

The second workshop will deal more explicitly with the issue of “culture” as conventionally understood by discussing the threats and opportunities the creative economy presents for traditional cultures—Can the creative economy improve culture dispersal or does threaten cultural values in a globalized context?

Though there will be multiple opportunities to discuss other relevant concerns, the planned workshops will primarily deal with three issues: 1) The future of information and communication technologies, 2) traditional culture and the creative economy, and 3) international cooperation for vitalizing creative economies. The published concept note for the event states that the first workshop will allow for discussion concerning the roles of governments and industries in creating policy which prevents the growth of the digital divide between richer and poorer countries as well as the role of information technologies in dispersing “cultural content.”

Other events at ASEM will include special sessions, a culture tour of Gwangju, social programs and a performance by the National Theater of Korea and the National Dance Company of Korea.

The last workshop will be more practical in nature, focusing on actionable steps to effectively integrate cultural concerns with the creative economy.

The discussion will focus on identifying where the difficulties may lie in order to appropriately develop “necessary international cooperation network[s]” with a special concern for identifying “[how] can each country share and spread its experiences in terms of policy and outcome with regards to developing the creative industries.” www.gwangjunewsgic.com

June 2016

By hosting this conference Gwangju joins Beijing, Paris, Kuala Lumpur, Pozna, Yogyakarta, and Rotterdam in leading the way for improved collaborations between Europe and Asia.

Gwangju continues to cement its place as an emerging hub of international cultural exchange.

26

by Jonathan Joseph Chiarella

A Look at Local Giant:

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

June 2016

KIA MOTORS

Photos courtesy of KIA MOTORS

G

wangju’s most significant economic entity is Kia Motors. In Gwangju, Kia Motors employs 7,800 people, produces 34% of local economic output and 39% of locally-made exports across 3 factories covering 1.2 km2 of land—with Factory 1 being the title-holder for J. D. Power and Associates’ highest-quality producer in Asia. Kia is also a contributor to the greater regional and national economy. Hydrogen technology inputs are 95% sourced from domestic companies. Exported Kia vehicles go through Mokpo. Kia pumps out 570,000 cars, busses and light-weight cargo trucks (“Bongoes”) per year in Gwangju—an impressive comeback from the 1999 Asian financial crash (1998 production fell below 60,000) and the late 2000s slump and cutbacks in employment (falling from 7,605 staff in 2004 to 6,388 in 2008). Physical production and productive capacity have steadily risen: 160,000 made with 200,000 possible in 2000; 180,000 and 350,000 in 2004; 310,000 and 420,000 in 2008; 440,000 and 500,000 in 2012; and 569,000 and 620,000 in 2014. While many local factories employ foreigners, Kia’s foreign employees work exclusively in white-collar roles outside of factories.

The heart of the motor company began as “Asia Motors” on May 3, 1962, just weeks after Park Chung-hee’s coup, and was chartered as part of his plan for industrializing South Korea with protectionist measures to substitute imports and eventually grow as an exporter of high-end goods. The company’s first major plant opened on July 2, 1965, in Gwangju with funds from local business person Lee Mun-hwan. Kia, founded in 1944, grew from a from contracted original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and licensed producer of foreign brand goods in Korea to an independent producer after buying Asia Motors in 1976. Park’s vision was for a single Korean-owned vehicle maker, but Hyundai Motors’ opening in 1967 brought competition to the domestic sphere. However, in the end, the original vision was realized. Foreign-owned firms have domestic production and Daewoo Bus remains a Korean company, but Hyundai Group is the sole Korean maker of consumer cars. After the 1997 Asian financial crisis, Hyundai bought Kia, forming the Hyundai Group.

(Hyundai owns 34%, but functions as a mother company.)

Daewoo’s car division became General Motors Korea. In 2011, Ssangyong was bought by Indian firm, Mahindra.

FEATURE

27

“Gwangju’s most significant economic entity is Kia Motors.” www.gwangjunewsgic.com

June 2016

28

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

June 2016

Currently, the flagship SUV (Sportage) and All New Soul models have the most resources dedicated to production, and for the immediate future hopes for expansion are with increased sales of the Sportage. Looking beyond, overhauls of the Bongo and heavy bus lines and new electric models are hoped to be the source of growth, since existing Bongo and bus sales have stagnated. As long as the means of production remain in private hands, new products become necessary for workers as a whole in the industry. (Existing lines become more efficient and mechanized, requiring fewer workers to make the same amount of product with each product becoming cheaper.)

By 2020, Hyundai group hopes to offer 22 green models (hybrid, electric, hydrogen) and become #2 in the world green car market (currently #5 in all cars). Hydrogen is the youngest green tech, with Kia’s development having begun in February 2015. The goal is for production of 10,000 vehicles per year in 2025. Hyundai Group’s larger plan is for all future domestic expansion at Kia facilities in Gwangju—whose local government envisions a future of producing one million vehicles per year. In April, Chinese electric car maker Jiu Long announced a 250 billion won

investment in production in Gwangju. In May, Mayor Yoon, the Democratic Party and GIST formed a task force to attract business.

Gwangju could see a major shake-up of its production environment in coming years. The government claims it wants a more “ideal work-labor environment” with an industry salary of 40,000,000 won (an official says 58.9% of jobs here net less than 20,000,000 won). As reported in Hankyoreh, they want to emulate the successful German model—one of cooperative labor management councils that steer production, hiring and work shifts. It reduces layoffs, but has its detractors for unilateral and blanket cuts on hours and salaries and co-opting of unions (but co-optation has not materialized as much as feared).

Though the touted “Gwangju-style job” is a monetary gain for most, several workers will see huge cuts. The city wants to see Kia lower its average salary of 90,000,000 won, possibly by legislating a pay-by-day tied to physical product made. Throughout June, chapters of the national umbrella labor union, KCTU, will debate the matter.

FEATURE

29

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

June 2016

30

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

June 2016

photos Courtesy of Charles Landry

The Founder of COMEDIA,

Mr. Charles Landry

at the Asia Culture Forum 2016

by Cho Namhee

T

he Asia Culture Forum will be held as an official forum of the 7th Asia Europe Culture Ministers’ Meeting (ASEM CMM7) from June 21 to 22 focusing on creative cities and culture. During this period an art workshop will be organized by Gwangju Biennale Foundation, and a media art session by Gwangju Culture Foundation. The visitors can browse the display of diverse English translations of Korean literary works by the Korea Literature Translation Institute such as The Vegetarian by Han Kang, the winner of the 2016 Man Booker International Prize. Most importantly, the forum participants will enjoy rare opportunities of listening to a group of world-class speakers in the forum including Charles Landry.

Charles Landry works with cities around the world to help them make the most of their potential. He is widely acclaimed as a speaker, author and innovator. He facilitates complex urban change projects.

ASIA CULTURE FORUM 2016 is fortunate to have Charles Landry as one of the keynote speakers of the forum. Gwangju News had an opportunity to speak to Mr. Landry prior to his visit to Gwangju.

GN: We cordially welcome you to Gwangju. We understand it is your third visit since 2005. What does the city of Gwangju mean to you?

CL: When I come here I always think how Gwangju plays a part in the Korean renaissance and explosion of its creative imagination. Gwangju is becoming a city in the global imagination, as people now know that it lies at the heart of Korean democracy.

GN: What potential did you see in the city on your first visit? What would you like to see this time?

CL: My first visit was in the winter and with snow and that helps you see things more clearly. It was a slightly spiritual experience. The Asia Culture Center was not yet built and was hoping that some sense of intimacy could be maintained in the urban fabric and in how the city would evolve as a whole.

Then we focused from the mid-1980s onwards on what we now call the creative industries – we produced perhaps 50 reports for cities from Glasgow to Barcelona and Krakow and tried to show how these would become an important part of the new economy and that it would have special power in showing the distinctiveness of place.

Thus our initial focus was on arts and culture more narrowly defined… that focus then broadened.

From the mid-1990s onwards, I began to look at the city as a whole as I believed that you cannot have a creative city if other sectors are not creative like the public bureaucracy, or the business sectors or the social sectors.

Since 2000 onwards when the big version of my book appeared, I have been trying to change how we think of the assets and the potential of the city – holistically – so I emphasize now 3 phases in city making. The City 1.0 – the hard urban engineering approach. This matches the world of factories and very hierarchical approaches. Then the City 2.0, where the hard and soft are better aligned and where we think more of public space and aesthetics and urban design and its more participatory approach and awareness of peoples’ needs. Lastly, now I talk of the City 3.0 where we are more shapers, mak-

June 2016

GN: Please, do you mind telling us briefly about how you first came up with the idea to establish the thinktank, COMEDIA? Were you interested in city making for the whole time?

CL: I have always been interested in how people can express their full potential. This was my main motivation to start Comedia.

In 1978, at first I was interested in how alternative groups got their message across. In fact the name Comedia is a combination of communications and media…. In other words, how do you get your message across?

Initially we produced about 40 books on various topics about how communications was changing, how the arts and culture help create distinctiveness.

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

Acting as a critical friend, Charles works closely with decision makers and local leaders helping to find apt and original solutions to seemingly intractable dilemmas, such as marrying innovation and tradition, balancing wealth creation and social cohesiveness, or local distinctiveness and a global orientation.

An international authority on using imagination in creating self-sustaining urban change, Charles has worked and given talks in over 60 countries and helped shift how we assess and harness possibilities in reinventing our cities.

FEATURE

31

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

June 2016

32

ers and co-creators of our evolving city. Here there is both top down and bottom up in conversation in trying to find best outcomes. Here we think less about developing just one creative building, but a creative zone and overall atmosphere and environment.

GN: What do you think is the most crucial element for a city to be recognized as a creative city?

CL: Openness and a willingness to allow people and organizations to

think, plan and act with imagination in solving problems is the key element, and creating opportunities so that the city can be and become the best it can be.

But there are other qualities and I list them below. A city should have: Courage, tenacity, boldness It should overcome the power of denial and be honest about its real situation – the good things and bad things about a city.

A city needs strong values (Gwangju has these I hope) & farsighted perspective.

The bureaucracy must learn to be cocreative with citizens and become an enabling and facilitating and not controlling institution.

Widespread leadership ‌ there are many leaders in different fields in a creative city.

Crisis should be seen as an opportunity to see if you can make things better.

“Openness and a willingness to allow people and organizations to think, plan and act with imagination in solving problems is the key element, and creating opportunities so that the city can be and become the best it can be.”

A creative city encourages bi-partisanship (different political parties agreeing on some big issues), it also has an active discussion culture & active citizens.

It encourages both the mainstream activities & the alternative as the innovative alternative often becomes the mainstream later – this is an organic process of development.

A creative city creates choices for living & working and has forwardfocused urban design.

Love & passion for your place is vital Sophisticated learning landscapes – lifelong learning is key.

They collaborate across the boundaries of disciplines, sectors and age groups and cultures.

A creative city has many hubs & hotspots.

It balances many, many small projects with the occasional big one.

It develops a compelling story or narrative about itself – Gwangju has this – but refreshes it always.

Most importantly a creative city tries to be authentic – so the message is ‘be yourself.’

GN: The youth of the city have been Gwangju Metropolitan City’s main emphasis since a few years back.

What does the youth mean to you?

CL: Youth has freshness and sometimes a positive naivety. They often

Collaborative projects between the young and the old are wonderful experiences for me…. I do not believe in separating out the different age groups.

GN: What would you like the audience of this year’s forum to look forward to?

CL: In an ideal world, I would like to inspire the audience in two ways.

First, to give them a sense that they can understand the global dynamics of cities and how they are evolving.

Second, I would like to make them feel it is possible to make a great city in Gwangju and that they can have a strong role in that process.

GN: Thank you very much for your time Mr. Charles Landry. Please share with us any concluding thoughts you might have regarding the city Gwangju and its citizens.

CL: Finally, I hope we can discuss what role Gwangju can play in Korea, in Asia and the wider world and whether, being as honest as possible, it has achieved its aims and how it can move forward.

June 2016

They thus harness all talents and are participative & inclusive.

This city measures itself against the best.

have energy, motivations and a desire to create a better world… they have not as yet made the compromises so many of us older people make.

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

A creative city realizes that we need new skills for new times… one of the most important is the ability to connect and to collaborate and to develop partnerships.

FEATURE

33

34

Yeosu

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

June 2016

TRAVEL

A Weekenders Paradise

Photos and Story By Ryan and Stephanie Hedger

Y

eosu City on the southern coast of South Jeolla Province is a shining example of a city that deserves far more exposure than it actually receives. While Yeosu has several notable attractions that draw a fair crowd, tourism has been moderate since the 2012 Yeosu Expo. The famous naval outpost Jinnamgwan and the lovely Hyangiram are some of the more traditional destinations for the majority of tourists, but we would like to share some of the more modern attractions Yeosu has added in recent years for anyone wanting to visit this lovely city.

Ungcheon Beach This up-and-coming neighborhood in Yeosu has quickly established itself not only for its beautiful beach and views, but for its awesome collection of restaurants packed into a small area. This condensed area offers visitors many attractions beyond dining, though. Outdoor recreation is the main draw of Ungcheon, and the assortment of watersport toys (kayaks, swimming area, speedboat and jet ski rentals, etc.) is sure to impress anyone with an adventurous spirit.

Dolsan Park and Cable Cars Starting at Jasan Park near the Expo, Yeosu’s cable cars transport visitors across the beautiful bay to Dolsan Park on the nearby Dolsan Island.

If the vistas from the cable car were not enough, the view of Yeosu and its bridges from the park will not disappoint. Yeosu’s coast is beautiful, and this park has some of the best views.

One of the most popular sights is the Dolsan Bridge, which was featured in Busker Busker’s “여수 밤바다” music video. At night the whole landscape comes alive with colorful lights, making it arguably one of the most romantic places in Korea.

Yeosu is one of the most underrated cities in South Korea. Its location prevents many people from visiting, but those able to take the KTX to Yeosu Expo Station will be glad they made the trip. With an excellent blend of both nature and city, Yeosu is sure to provide an enjoyable experience and to leave visitors wanting to return.

For more information and in-depth guides to Yeosu, check out its official website: http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/ SI/SI_EN_3_4_10_11.jsp

“Just a short walk from the turtle ship and Jinnamgwan, this neighborhood is filled with art and charming alleyways ”

About the authors: Two wanderlusts from Oklahoma, Ryan and Stephanie sold all of their belongings and moved to South Korea in 2013. They are the duo behind Hedgers Abroad and have fallen in love with travel, photography, and South Korea. Be sure to head over to their blog for more of their travels.

Blog: www.hedgersabroad.com Facebook: /hedgersabroad Instagram: /hedgersabroad

June 2016

Angel Alley In Goso-dong is a newly renovated hilltop village with quirky and fun art adorning the walls. Just a short walk from the turtle ship and Jinnamgwan, this neighborhood is filled with art and charming alleyways reminiscent of the larger Gamcheon Village in Busan. With an ever-growing number of cafes and art installments, this area is a wonderful place to stretch your legs between the amazing vistas of Gamak Bay and the downtown area of Yeosu. Photo opportunities abound in this quaint and colorful district.

35

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

The Yeosu Expo Site In 2012, Yeosu hosted an environmental exposition highlighting the importance of oceanic protection and ethical handling of animal and plant life. Located across the street from Yeosu Expo Station, there is much to see and do at the Expo grounds including the Sky Café at the top of an old grain silo, the Hanhwa Aquarium with mermaid performances, and Odongdo Island with its hiking trails.

The architecture is stunning as you make your way through the grounds.

If you have spent the day at the Expo and the sun is starting to set, you must visit the Big-O Show. A laser light performance with water cannons on the waterfront, the show is the perfect end to an afternoon at the Expo.

AROUND KOREA

36 WHERE TO EAT

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

June 2016

Mokpo

S

The House Filled with

ometimes it is nice to get out of Gwangju to experience new culinary delights, and Mokpo, an easy day-trip from Gwangju, is hiding some surprising café and restaurant gems. A local favorite that is well worth a visit is the aptly named “The House Filled with Happiness,” or 행복이 가득한 집.

When you arrive in Mokpo, take a bus or taxi towards old downtown. As you travel from one end of the city to the other, the apparent age of the city changes, as you leave the shiny new-ness of Namak and Hadang behind and arrive in the old downtown, a district of older, decaying buildings intermingled with new high-rise apartments. The neighborhood at the base of Yudal Mountain

is composed largely of derelict buildings that crowd the streets, with no sidewalks or greenery to speak of. But hidden within this gritty neighborhood are the remnants of Mokpo’s colonial past, when Mokpo was a strategic port town during the Japanese occupation. A number of Japanese buildings from that period have been preserved and still remain today. While the most conspicuous are the former Japanese government buildings now converted into museums, at least one residential building has been saved. This is The House Filled with Happiness, a former Japanese residence now serving as a café.

Atmosphere and Service The House Filled with Happiness is a lovely little café that

37

The Food The drinks-only menu includes coffee, tea, juices and ades, and wine. A simple cup of hot chocolate will set you back 6,600, tea ranges from 6,600 to 15,000, and wine is 15,000 for a glass and as much as 240,000 for a bottle. The coffee and tea are high quality, but similar to what you would find at most coffee shops. What sets this café apart, besides its romantic atmosphere, is the buffet that the staff arranges near the kitchen. Simple snacks, such as fruit, hard-boiled eggs, japchae, salad and pastries are available, and with the purchase of a drink, you are welcome to help yourself. This is usually only available during the day on weekdays and all day on the weekend. During weekday evenings, there are usually no free snacks to sweeten the deal, so the rather steep prices might drive you away. The café is significantly less busy during the week, however, and you can more fully enjoy the contemplative atmosphere.

by Kelsey Rivers

Address: Mokpo City, Jungang-dong 3-ga 1-3 Phone: 061-247-5887 Opening Time: Tuesday through Sunday, 11am to 10pm How to get there: Take bus 60 or 112

June 2016

one could easily walk past if not on the lookout for it. The House is surrounded by a high stone wall, and old trees in the garden hang over the entryway, masking the blue gate that is left open to welcome curious visitors. Once through the gate, you can go in through the side entrance or go directly onto the front patio that faces onto the sunlight-dappled garden and connects with the central space of the house. The house has dark wood and low ceilings, but strategically placed lamps cast a warm, mellow glow that makes the interior feel cozy and welcoming. Comfortable, mismatched chairs and tables are tucked into nooks and crannies to give privacy, influencing patrons to respect the quiet calm that pervades the house. The house is chock-full of antique furniture, fabrics artfully

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

h Happiness

If you find yourself in Mokpo some afternoon, and perhaps decide you need a break after tackling Yudal Mountain, The House Filled with Happiness is a wonderful place to rest and relax and experience some of Mokpo’s history.

FOOD & DRINKS

folded and stacked in cabinets and baskets, and other homey objects that make the house feel lived in. However, perhaps due to the furniture or the crowded feel of the house, children are not allowed in the café. Orders are taken at a counter at the back of the house, near the kitchen. The friendly staff will bring you the drinks when they are ready, and are able to find you no matter which secluded corner you have claimed as your own. When it rains, it is nice to find some comfortable chairs near a window facing the garden so you can enjoy the water dripping from the eaves onto the leaves below. When it is sunny, sitting under the awning on the front porch or heading up the narrow staircase to the second floor and the upstairs patio is a pleasant way to while away the day with a cup of coffee.

38

Naengmyeon:

or dongchimi, a variety of kimchi that is best consumed during the winter.

The latter is served with a spicy red chili paste dressing and garnished with marinated fish, usually skate, and mixed with noodles.

Not only does the way the noodles are served vary, but so do the ingredients of the noodles themselves.

The noodles for Pyongyang Naengmyeon are made from buckwheat, while the noodles of Hamhung are usually made from sweet potato or potato starch, which makes the noodles chewier in texture. As a spinoff to Hamhung Naengmyeon, Hoe Naengmyeon is also popular among many people. It is served with marinated fish like Hamhung Naengmyeon, but the garnished raw fish may vary depending on the type of the restaurant. Thus, Hoe Naengmyeon is exclusively served at sushi restaurants or bars and thus positions itself as a seasonal delicacy.

Chill for the Summer

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

June 2016

By Namhee Cho photo by Joe Wabe

“N

aengmyeon” is regarded as the best dessert served alongside “galbi” (Korean barbeque) all year round.

However, when it comes to summer, a bowl of chilled buckwheat noodles becomes the most refreshing and irresistibly tempting meal.

According to the documents of “Dongguksesigi,” a book of Korean traditions, and “Chinch’an uigwe,” the royal records from the 19th Cen-

tury, Naengmyeon was consumed by both royal families and commoners, especially in winter. It is not surprising that the icy and chilled broth was only available during that period.

They come in two main varieties of noodles – Mul Naengmyeon and Bibim Naengmyeon. Interestingly enough, both of them are original delicacies from North Korea; Pyongyang and Hamhung respectively. The former is served in a cold soup in broth made from beef, pork, chicken

Coming into the 20th century, few noodle restaurants were first opened in the heart of Pyongyang. Within a decade or so, several restaurants were opened in the city and eventually they reached far down into Seoul. It was only after the Korean War that South Koreans encountered and began cooking with the culture of Naengmyeon. Nowadays it is recognized as the must-have dish for Korean summers.

A bowl of chilled Naengmyeon would definitely save you from the heat waves. If you cannot decide on which variety to have on the upcoming hottest days of summer in Gwangju, why not have them both? You can always order one and ask for either a warm broth or red chili dressing on the side at any restaurant, and then, visit the restaurant again later. Stay chill for the summer thanks to what you eat!

and Surrounding Areas

By Calen Cygan

LOST IN GWANGJU

Sajik Park

39

photos courtesy of korean tourism organization

G

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

June 2016

wangju is a beautiful city, and there are plenty If folk music is your thing or you are interested in checkof great spots to catch gorgeous views. One of ing it out, you are in luck! All of the little cafes on your the most convenient spots to enjoy a great view way down the hill are folk cafes. Do not be shy, pop in to any of the 10 quaint cafes! The owners are all of the city is in Sajik Park, and spequite friendly and accommodating, happy cifically in the newly-completed observation to play you any of the tunes that are in tower. This tower stands at 13.7 meters tall, their wheelhouse. Know a tune or two on top of a large hill that overlooks the of your own? Grab a guitar and strum entire downtown area, and also provides a few jams-the shopkeepers would be excellent views of Mount Mudeung (무 등산). With the free high-power binocmore than thrilled! And do not worry if the cafes do not seem to be busy- the ulars that have been installed atop the area does not heat up until after 9 p.m. observation deck, you can see nearly the So hunker down, enjoy a drink and entire city! some wonderful complimentary snacks, and enjoy the rustic feel of the cafes.

Guests can easily bring up a packed lunch or a few beverages and sit with friends or loved If you would rather be outside, visit the local conones while taking in the view. The third floor of the tower is filled with photos of Gwangju through the years, venience store for refreshments and head down to the showing the growth and progress the city has been through river. This relaxing and calming path is where you can go over the last few decades. And the fourth floor patio of the for a leisurely stroll, or enjoy the sights and sounds from tower offers a 360-degree view, with an open floor plan a spot on the rock pathway. that is spacious and clean. The observation structure is Whatever you prefer, Sajik Park and the surrounding area open from 9 a.m. until 10 p.m. every day. is a place not to be missed during a visit to Gwangju!

However, there is more to Sajik Park than just its observation tower. Sajik Park has been a staple of Gwangju for the last few decades. In the 1980s, it was an amusement park, Pedro’s House and Voyagers Café are located in Ssangcomplete with a swimming pool and zoo. You can even chon-dong, Seo-gu. Pedro’s House is a comfortable and see the remnants of the original observation deck left as convenient guesthouse for friends from out of town or a memorial to the park. Walk down the hill past Gwangju family visiting from abroad. Come check out Voyagers Foreign Radio Network (GFN), and maybe you will bump Café for a getaway experience without leaving Gwangju. into one of the station’s DJs, or perhaps you will be lucky Check out the travel books while enjoying a wide vaenough to catch a concert put on in the park. The concerts riety of beverages and snacks from around the world” are usually in the style of Korean folk music, which was www.pedroshouse.com extremely popular in the ‘70s and ‘80s.

40

Photo Essay

A Photographer’s Best Friend Story and photos By Benjamin Plouffe

D

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

June 2016

ogs are some of the best hiking companions and models that an outdoor photographer can bring along on photo adventures. Whether you leave at 3 a.m. to catch a sunrise on a mountain, or at Midnight to find some stars deep in the countryside, these canine companions eagerly spring up from that half-asleep state and are immediately ready for any adventure.

Their primal excitement and boundless energy motivate me to go out and take their pictures. My dogs cannot speak but they sure know how to enjoy the moment. Watching them discover new smells and new environments is beyond satisfying, and catching these raw behaviors on camera in diverse landscapes has become somewhat of a recurring theme in my photography.

41

spread out all over this country. Korea is after all 70 percent mountains.

Living in Korea has given me a unique opportunity to explore new colors, compositions, shapes and textures with my wife and two dogs.

Most dogs are welcome in outdoor places (except for National and Provincial parks), as long as the owner monitors the dog and keeps them on a leash in busy public places. There is most definitely no shortage of fascinating locations in Korea to take pictures of our four legged companions. My favorite locations so far have been Jeonju Hanok village, random beaches along the west sea coast and, of course, the many mountain trails

My two biggest challenges in taking appealing dog photos has been keeping the dogs in focus and the Korean weather/ pollution conditions. Dogs are very much like kids on an extreme sugar rush x100, at a Chucky Cheese birthday party. They run around and you do not know when or where they will stop. It is especially tricky when you are after those “shallow depth of field� shots.

With repeated practice and a lot of playing around with camera settings, it has become easier to get the shots that I want.

June 2016

It is not to say a landscape itself does not tell a good enough story, but being surrounded by dogs has encouraged me to tell a different kind of narrative through my lens, which has helped me fill in much of that artistic void. To me, dogs add such a pleas-

ing and inviting sense of scale and character to my images.

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

Despite the fact that I have a soft spot for traditional landscape photography, it does sometimes leave me with an empty, unfulfilled feeling artistically. A big reason behind that response might be due to my background in animation storytelling. At times, it feels like I have this insatiable hunger to tell a story, to go beyond that same old landscape shot taken by many others before me.

42

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

June 2016

Weather on the other hand is something that cannot be controlled with knobs and switches. Most weekends the weather and lighting is really uninspiring, but when the weather does sync up with my schedule and gives you amazing conditions, be it some nice layers of fog and mist or a Miyazaki-picturesque sky, Korea transforms into the most inspiring set that allows me to explore my creative take of dogs exploring Korea.

After living in Korea for 5 years, I feel like I have only scratched the surface of what this country has to offer visually and so the adventure continues, with my dogs alongside me.

43

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

June 2016

44

Photos of The Month Story By Lorryn Smit

“

We cannot stop the winter or the summer from coming. We cannot stop the spring or the fall or make them other than what they are. They are gifts from the universe that we cannot refuse. But we can choose what we will contribute to life when each arrives.” Gary Zukav

Summer represents passion, color, creativity, creation and action. It is a time for lazy days, afternoon walks, beach time, picnics, parties and fun. This time celebrates the triumph of light over darkness. Summer is associated with solar energy. We are physically drawn to the light of the sun, with color splashes from all the lush fauna, to the life source.

For many years, the summer solstice has inspired many outdoor festivals. People join together to enjoy and celebrate life. This month’s photo spread represents exactly that: a celebration of life. Enjoy summer!

The Gwangju News is now going to feature a few photos of the month instead of only one on a regular basis. By making this change, we hope to create more opportunities to promote more photographers based in the Jeollanamdo-region and to show off our beautiful province from different areas and angles. Submissions can be posted in the “Photography in the South” Facebook group throughout the preceding month.

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

June 2016

Photo by Joe Wabe

45

Photo by Lorryn Smit

Photo by Duy Quang Nguyen

Photo by Hedgers Abroad

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

June 2016

Photo by Abhishek Sahu

46

A Traditional Korean Wedding

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

June 2016

ARTS & CULTURE

By Lorryn Smit

T

raditional weddings in Korea are a rising trend.

In the past it was considered old-fashioned among young couples to host a traditional ceremony. However, the likelihood of being invited to a traditional wedding now is much higher than a few years ago.

A lot of Korean tradition originates from Chinese culture, having been adapted through the years to fit Korea’s unique culture. Korean traditional weddings are usually identified with the fourth step of the traditional Chinese wedding procedure; however, it has adopted many unique aspects that make it almost incomparable to a Chinese wedding. In the past the wedding was held in the court-

yard of the bride’s home and then she would be taken to the groom’s home to greet her new family by means of a tea ceremony (pyebaek), however nowadays traditional ceremonies are held in a traditional wedding house.

There are dozens of traditional wedding houses in every city around the country, replicating beautifully decorated hanok-style architecture. The courtyard will often be draped in colorful cloth and more often than not a lively traditional music group (Samulnori) will entertain the guests with an array of percussion instruments.

The ceremony is composed of a series of elaborate traditions, procedures and symbols. The clothing, accessories

KOREAN CULTURE 47 and the groom will make a deep bow once in return. This will be repeated and finished off by the couple kneeling down on a mat in order to complete the third stage of the ceremony, hapgeunrye.

Hapgeunrye is the part of the ceremony where the couple drinks (usually rice wine) together to signify their union and their harmony together. There are two variations of this stage. In the first, the couple uses the same cup to drink from with their helpers passing the cup back and forth between the bride and groom. In the other variation, the couple drinks from two separate halves of a gourd. In this case, the gourd symbolizes the bride and groom coming together as one unit. The groom will drink first and the bride will follow by only sipping on the wine or even pretending to take a sip. This procedure is repeated once more and once the bride and groom have finished they stand up and join together. Hapgeunrye is completed with three bows: once to their parents, once to the ancestors and once to the guests.

In the modern version of the traditional ceremony, guests will be entertained with a performance or two—usually prepared by close friends or relatives of the bride and groom. Lastly, the couple will throw a live chicken up in the air to convey that they don’t live with their parents anymore, and are ready to start a family.

and drinks, as well as positioning and bowing, all have specific meanings with regards to the unification of the couple and their families. In the traditional wedding, there are three stages: Jeonanrye, Gyobaerye and Hapguenrye.

June 2016

Gyobaerye proceeds. At this stage the bride will enter with her two helpers (arms covering her face) and she takes her position on the left side of the table. The helpers will then wash the hands of the bride and groom and the couple proceeds to bow to each other to promise that they will live happily together. The bride will bow twice

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

The ceremony starts with the two mothers entering the ceremony and each lighting one of two candles which symbolize the two families that are about to join together.

This leads the way for the first stage: Jeonanrye. During Jeonanrye, the groom enters with his gireok-abi (the bestman) leading the way with the wooden wild goose. The girukabi will then hand the goose to the groom who will put it on a table and bow to his mother-in-law. The wild goose is known to only mate with one partner in its lifetime and so this symbolizes the promise of loving only one another. The groom then takes his position on the right side of the wedding table.

After the ceremony, formal photos of the couple and their guests are taken and a large buffet meal is set up for guests to enjoy while waiting for the bride and groom to complete the pyebaek ceremony.

48

The Gwangju Premier Cricket League

Goes On!

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

June 2016

SPORTS & ACTIVITIES

By Dr. Bijon Sarker and Shamima Nasrin Photos by Kim Heeseung

A

fter a long snowy winter, the lovely spring comes to Korea. Along with the arrival of spring, outdoor activities have sprung up in full fashion across Korea. The Bangladesh community in Gwangju has also started playing cricket, one of their most enjoyed pastime sports. However, some people might not be very familiar with cricket.

With the aim of popularizing cricket in Korea, the Bangladesh Community in Gwangju has started a big tournament this year. This year is the second successive year the Bangladeshi Community is arranging a cricket league.

More precisely, this time the Bangladesh Community has organized a cricket league named the Gwangju Premier Cricket League, abbreviated as “GPCL,” with new spirit and experience from last year.

Bangladeshi students studying at universities in Gwangju have been playing cricket on the Chonnam National University field since 2009. In the earlier years, the number of Bangladeshi students in Gwangju was relatively small— less than since 2014 onwards. In those days, the number of students increased in all universities, particularly at Chonnam National University and at Chosun University.

Consequently, arranging any tournament among Bangladeshi students has become more convenient and at the same time more competitive. One of the fundamental objectives of holding this kind of tournament is to create cricket awareness among the community.

After forming a cricket league committee, the journey of GPCL started with the invitation of arranging a cricket team. With respect to the rules and regulations that were

SPORTS 49

The inaugural ceremony of GPCL was held on May 1st, with the first cricket match between the Gwangju Hawks and the Wrecking Bull. The colorful jerseys of the teams and game slogans have drawn the attention of many Ko-

On the very first match, Wrecking Bull gave the target of 133 run to Gwangju Hawks. Finally Gwangju Hawks won the match by 7 wickets. Srijan, a player from the winning team, was awarded with the “Man of the Match.”

The Bangladesh Community in Gwangju cordially invites everyone to enjoy this tournament. The tournament is listed on the Facebook group “Gwangju Premiere Cricket League 2016.”

June 2016

As the students are central to participating in this tournament, most cricket matches are scheduled on the weekends. As a result, the cricket league will be continuing for roughly a month and a half.

rean and international university students and others alike.

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

set at the beginning of the tournament, the GPCL committee has selected three teams to participate in this tournament. The teams are Wrecking Bull, Gwangju Hawks and Bengal Warriors. Each team consists of 14 players.

Along with Bangladeshi students, this tournament has remarkably attracted students and other residents from different countries, including but not limited to, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and South Korea.

50

Performance-Based Activities

By Kristy Dolson

EDUCATION

for the EFL Classroom

A

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

June 2016

language is best learnt and practiced by using it.

Textbooks and rote memorization drills can only take a student so far. Performancebased activities must be brought into the classroom to give students more opportunities to practice using and negotiating their target language.

These activities also build confidence and provide exposure to real-language contexts.

In this article, I aim to introduce some performance-based activities that can be used in the classroom to great effect. As you read, please keep in mind that these activities must be adapted for your particular environment and learners. Be sure to assess the needs and levels of your students before attempting any activity. I have chosen activities that can be completed within one classroom period, although many of them can be made into longer activities for an afterschool class or camp.

Activity 1: Stranded!

This is an activity that can be easily modified for your learners. The basic idea is to tell the class that they are

stranded on an island. Hook them with a dramatic story, using visual aids, and encourage them to play the part of adventurers. They can work in pairs or small groups. For younger learners it is advised that you teach 8–12 survival items and practice the vocabulary before allowing them to choose 4–6 items. Older learners can be encouraged to think of their own survival items, using dictionaries or asking the teacher for translation help. The speaking part of the exercise is for the students to explain their final choices of survival items. Taking this activity further, the teacher can tell the students to give up half of their items (they were stolen, got lost in a storm, etc.), and ask them to again give their reasons. Another variation is to have two groups merge, but they can only bring 2–3 items each. Here the groups are encouraged to make their decisions using English, before again explaining their choices.

Activity 2: Scavenger Hunts Scavenger Hunts are wonderfully adaptable. They can be simple and extremely complex. Simple hunts include activities like people BIN-

GO (also known as Find Someone Who…) where students must ask questions to their classmates in order to fill in a 9 x 9 chart. I like to use this as an icebreaker activity, but it also works well in units about hobbies, chores, experiences, and home life.

Sample questions include “Do you like to watch movies?” and “Do you wake up at…?”

More complex hunts include reading clues and finding objects and/ or further clues. These hunts can be done within the space of a classroom, but it is better to have a larger range. Students can work in larger groups, but it is more manageable if only 2 students from each group are hunting for clues at a time. Student pairs can take turns in order to give all students the opportunity to hunt.

Clues can direct students to certain locations and to look for certain objects. Groups must read the clues carefully in order to find the correct clue or object. The found object could be a word or an envelope containing multiple words. Once groups have retrieved all the words, the next task will include making a sentence, which students will then read out

51

loud. Another idea is to have students search for people: the clues use descriptive vocabulary, and students must return with the correct persons.

If their language level is high enough, groups can then make a story about the people they have found. This can then be shared with the class.

Activity 3: Drama Warm Ups I love using drama in my classroom, and I have adjusted several activities for EFL learners. A great activity for practicing and expressing different emotions and intonation is called Open Scenes. These are very basic dialogues for partners, consisting of two lines. An example would be: A: Help me.

B: I can’t.

Or: A: What are you doing?

B: What does it look like?

Students are given the dialogues and an emotion. After performing, the class has to guess the emotion. Students can practice a variety of emotions before choosing one to perform.

For higher levels, student A and B could have different emotions that they have to guess from each other, or have the class guess both. Usually

the lines are repeated several times, going from quiet to loud to express the emotion from subtle to extreme.

Another warm up activity is called “This Is a Watch”. This is an excellent activity for concentration and intonation. Students make a circle, and the teacher has one item, not a watch. I usually use a board marker. The dialogue exchange for this activity goes like this: A: This is a watch.

B: A what?

A: A watch.

B: A what?

A: A watch!

B: Oh, a watch. (At this point student B takes the item and turns to the next student, becoming student A and repeating the dialogue.)

Students continue saying the dialogue and passing the item. If your learners are very young or lower level, one item would be enough. But the concentration part really comes into play when you introduce a second item. The dialogue remains the same, but the item name is changed. I usually pass a board eraser and say “This is a pencil.” Then there are two items being passed around (from opposite

Place: Gwangju National University of Education

For more details: Website: http://koreatesol.org/gwangju

The Author Kristy Dolson is a member of the Gwangju-Jeonnam Chapter of Korea TESOL (KOTESOL). On behalf of the Chapter, she invites you to participate in the teacher development workshops at their monthly meetings (2nd Saturday of the month). Kristy is an English teacher at the Hwasun Foreign Language Center. She has bachelor’s degrees in both integrated art and education from Brock University. Her main topics of interest are performance-based education and integrated curriculum design. Presenting and participating in KOTESOL events aids her continuing professional development.

June 2016

•Workshop: Collaborative discussions on ELT topics of interest •Reflective Practice morning session.

I hope this article has given you some motivating performance-based ideas that you can adapt for your learners and classroom situation. Happy learning!

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

Gwangju-Jeonnam KOTESOL Monthly Meeting Date & Time: June 11, 2016 (Saturday), 1:45 p.m.

directions), and students must focus on what the items are being called in the dialogue, especially when a student finds him- or herself in the role of student A and B simultaneously.

For higher levels, I make this an elimination game for students who lose focus and slip up on the dialogue.

In that case, we continue until only 4–5 students are left in the circle. For larger class sizes, divide the class into 2–3 smaller groups.

52

Inside Korean Culture

Gonjiam

The Abandoned Psychiatric Asylum

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

June 2016

By Stephen Redeker

T

here is an urban legend alive on the outskirts of Gwangju. Not the familiar Gwangju in South Jeolla Province, but the other Gwangju located up north in Gyeonggi Province. The legend concerns an abandoned building in an area called Gonjiam, about a twenty-minute ride south of Gwangju. Off a side road, through a locked gate and down a tree-lined path into a wooded area lies a weathered, run-down, abandoned psychiatric hospital. What happened behind its walls is anything but ordinary.

The spine-chilling story of the Gonjiam asylum gives it the reputation as one of the creepiest places in Korea.

Rumor has it that the building is haunted, filled with the spirits of the patients who once lived there. Many of the patients in the hospital were clinically insane and kept hidden away from society. Their treatment and ultimate

fate were also kept a secret, adding to the ghostly aura of this grim monument. The hospital was run by an administrator who was allegedly as mentally unstable as the patients he oversaw. Stories of inmates being locked up, tortured and treated like prisoners were circulated by former staff and witnesses. Relatives of deceased patients complained that they received vague or little information about why or how their loved ones died at the asylum. All this turmoil caused the aforementioned owner to flee the property and disappear to a place where nobody, including his victims, could find him.

This account has all the markings of a scary ghost story, but in all actuality is not much more than a failed business. Other sources claim the hospital closed its doors for a number of reasons including sanitation issues and a sewage disposal problem. Instead of another business

53 cleaning up and taking over the property, it was just locked up with all the contents still inside. There is some truth to the story about the owner; he did in fact flee the country due to the legal issues surrounding his mismanagement of the hospital.

The building is closed to the public and people are forbidden to trespass on the property. Still, every year a number of curious thrill seekers, tourists, and ghost hunters break in and explore the grounds of the empty hospital. Visitors hope for a glimpse at the hallowed halls of a relic frozen in time. Squeezing past a locked gate and through broken windows, they explore filthy, bug-infested corridors filled with garbage, rusted-out appliances, moldy mattresses and other decaying items. There have been no reports of paranormal activity within the hospital grounds.

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

June 2016

EDUCATION

54

Since 1983 in Gwangju

The Alliance Française

By Solène Heurtaux

Mrs.

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

June 2016

CHOI Seung-Eun, a ratatouille lover who fell in love with the French language when she was in high school, is the director of the Alliance Française in Gwangju. She will present this center, which is both a language school and a cultural center, where she has been working for 15 years.

The Alliance Française is an international organization, first created in Paris in 1883, which promotes the French language and culture around the world. The Alliance Française’s primary objectives are to teach French as a second language and to organize various cultural activities. Currently, there are close to 1000 centers in the world, located in 137 countries.

In South Korea alone, you can find 7 Alliances Françaises in Seoul, Busan, Daejeon, Incheon, Daegu, Gwangju and Jeonju. Every Alliance Française works as part of a network with the French Embassy as well as the French Institute. They jointly plan the French language classes as well as the different cultural events. A Comity of nine francophone professors, architects, directors, and company workers also helps find partners when organizing the cultural events.

The Alliance Française is the place to go if you are interested in learning French language or culture, or if you are planning on studying in France. It provides a lot of information about studying in France, and is also a certified center for the DELF exam (diploma awarded by the French Ministry of Education to certify the Frenchlanguage skills of non-French candidates). All levels of classes are offered and classes host from five to fifteen students. Intense DELF classes are also provided, to prepare your child or yourself to study in the country of Molière. Most of the students taking classes at the Alliance Française are middle or high school students planning on studying in France, but adults also like to join the class for the pleasure of learning or because of curiosity for the culture.

The Alliance Française in Gwangju provides a free access to the French TV channel “TV5” during the opening hours, as well as a large library of French books and other documents that can be borrowed after paying a 20,000 won deposit. The distinctive characteristic of the Alliance Française of Gwangju is the 50-seat screening room located on the third floor of the building. A French movie with Korean

55 subtitles is screened for free every Tuesday at 4:00 pm and Wednesday at 6:30 pm.

This year, to celebrate the 130th anniversary of diplomatic relations between France and South Korea, the Alliance Franรงaise in Gwangju organized a concert in March of French popular songs by Chris Mouron as well as two exhibitions of the French artists Julien Spiewak and Ann Massal. On June 18th, a second concert will be given at the Gwangju Theater by Maxime Zecchini and David Bismuth. This piano performance will be followed by a screening of the movie Seymour: An Introduction. Later this year, the Alliance Franรงaise will organize more exhibitions, a jazz concert and a Beaujolais Nouveau Party in the Fall. All these events are open to both French-speaking and non-French-speaking participants.

You can find the updated list of movies and more information about their cultural schedule on their website at www.afgwangju.co.kr.

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

June 2016

56

Talk to Me In Korean Food Delivery

여기 (address) + -인데 (menu item) + - 배달해 주세요.

[Yeo-gi (address) + in-dae (menu item) + bae-dal-hae ju-se-yo.]: Please deliver (menu item) to (address).

This phrase combines the two most essential parts of food delivery: address and order. This is all the information needed for ordering delivery over the phone. Often the person at the restaurant who answers the phone expects you to say this right away after he or she answers the phone and greets you. In some situations, however, you may be asked preemptively for your address or order before you have had a chance to speak.

Sample Sentence 여기 한국 아파트인데 치킨 한 마리 배달해 주세요.

[Yeo-gi han-guk a-pa-teu-in-dae chi-kin han ma-ri bae-dal-hae ju-se-yo.] = I’m here at Hanguk Apartments. Please deliver one order of chicken.

To ask for your address, someone might say: 주소가 어떻게 되세요? [Ju-so-ga eo-tteo-ke doe-se-yo?] : What is your address? 어디세요? [Eo-di-se-yo] : Where are you? (Asking for address).

In Korea, addresses are written and said from general to specific in this order: city, ward, street name, building number, apartment/room number. Since the majority of delivery services are typically nearby, you only need to state the neighborhood, building number, and apartment/room number, as saying the ward and city are unnecessary.

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

June 2016

뭘로 드릴까요? [Mweol-lo deu-ril-kka-yo?] : What can I get for you?

Respond by stating your order in this fashion: (food order) + (number and/or size) + 주세요 [ju-se-yo].

Sample Sentences 치킨 한 마리 주세요. [Chi-kin han ma-ri ju-se-yo.] = Please give me one (order of) chicken. 페페로니 피자 세 판 주세요. [Pe-pe-ro-ni pi-ja se pan ju-se-yo.] = Please give me three pepperoni pizzas.

Talk To Me In Korean and Seoulistic are proud to present to you: Survival Korean!

Survival Korean includes the most essential Korean phrases you need to know while traveling or living in Korea. The expressions come with detailed explanations as well as fun and useful information about the situation where they are used.

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 contact gwangjunews@gic.or.kr for more information.

GWANGJU INTER FC The Gwangju International Soccer Team (Gwangju Inter FC) plays regularly every weekend. If you are interested in playing, email: gwangju_soccer@yahoo.com or search ‘Gwangju Inter FC’ on Facebook.

UNESCO KONA VOLUNTEERS Our group is a registered organization that helps underprivileged kids to learn English Independently through storybooks and story-maps.

We are looking for long-term volunteers who desire to enrich their lives.

We are asking volunteer to commit to helping at least once a month.

For more information please visit http://café.daum.net/konavolunteers or our Facebook group UNESCO KONA VOLUNTEERS or contact Kim Young Im 062-434-9887 email konacenter@gmail.com

COMMNUNITY CLASSES AT GIC Weekends Art Club – Room 5, 2F 12:30 - 3 p.m. Saturdays Participation fee varies depending on Class theme and material FB page: Gwangju Art Class *The regular class will resume in midFebuary.

GWANGJU Petit à Petit 쁘띠 따 쁘띠 프랑스 그룹 – Room 5, 2F 4 - 6 p.m. Saturday, December 5 FB page: GWANGJU Petit à Petit 쁘띠 따 쁘띠 프랑스 그룹

GIC Book Club – Room 3, 2F 4 - 6 p.m. Saturdays FB page: GIC Book Club COMMUNITY GROUPS IN GWANGJU

Gwangju – 광주 Gwangju Flea Market Gwangju Pets Gwangju Freecycle Gwangju Performance Project Global Families of Gwangju Gwangju EPIK Teachers Gwangju-Jeolla Job Bank Ladies of Gwangju and Vicinity Gwangju Yoga Gwangju Veggies

2016 GWANGJU INTERNATIONAL CENTER KOREAN CLASS The Gwangju International Center (GIC) provides Korean classes to international residents in Gwanjgu and Jeolla provinces. which help them learn Korean and understand Korean culture. Please join our Korean classes to improve your Korean skills with our awesome Korean teachers!

Tuition Fee: Weekdays classes 120,000 won (100,000 won for GIC Members) Saturdays classes 90,000 won (70,000 won for GIC Members - How to register: Try online registration through the GIC website www. gic.or.kr or drop by the GIC - More information: Jeongmin Lee, the GIC coordinatior (email: language@ gic.or.kr / phone: 062.226.2733) WE ARE LOOKING FOR WRITERS! Get involved and make Gwangju News an outlet for you to express yourself.

For more info: gwangjunews@gic.or.kr Gwangju News is only as great as it is because of the community it serves, and the writers, photographers, layout designers and proofreaders within it who regularly volunteer their services.