(EN) Gwangju News June 2017 #184

Gwangju and South Jeolla International Magazine I June 2017 Issue #184 I Shaping the Ships in Samho

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Letter from the Editor

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June 2017, Issue No. 184 Published: June 2, 2017 Cover Photo: Martin Bennie Cover Art & Design: Joe Wabe

THE EDITORIAL TEAM Publisher Editor-in-Chief Managing Editors Online Editorial Team Creative Advisor Layout Editor Photo Editor Chief Proofreader Copy Editors Proofreaders Researchers

Dr. Shin Gyonggu Dr. David E. Shaffer Kelsey Rivers, Anastasia Traynin Nathan Fulkerson, Nguyen Huong (Sen) Joe Wabe Karina Prananto Lorryn Smit Eden Jones Brian Fitzroy, Gabi Nygaard, Kelsey Rivers Lianne Bronzo, Calen Cygan, David Foster, Di Foster, Terri Lynn Jung Yujin, Kim Miyeon, Lee Hyojeong, Nguyen Huong (Sen)

Gwangju News is the first public English magazine in Korea, first published in 2001. Each monthly issue covers local and regional issues, with a focus on the roles and activities of the international residents and local English-speaking communities.

Copyright 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.

Registration No. 광주광역시 라. 00145 (ISSN 2093-5315) Registration Date: February 22, 2010 Printed by Join Adcom 조인애드컴 (+82)-62-367-7702 For volunteering and article submission inquiries, please contact the Editor at: gwangjunews@gic.or.kr For advertising and subscription inquiries, contact karina@gic.or.kr

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GwangjuNews

@GwangjuNewsGIC

June is the month for weddings and music. Check out the Upcoming Events for a variety of performances, both traditional and contemporary. Wedding bells ring out at this time of year. Hear (and see) what they have to say about Korean wedding culture in this month’s Photo Essay.

June is the month to behold, and in addition to the above, this issue presents much to feast your eyes on. Start with the Photo of the Month, witness the Jindo parting of the sea, and travel to Dreamy Café.

Behold the Gwangju Follies, the Mokpo Language Exchange, the secrets of Hadong, and one person’s self-realization through candlelight vigils.

It is a time for beginnings and endings. An exciting baseball season is beginning; read how you can be part of the excitement! And ending is our journey along the Silk Road; travel through Turkmenistan to its culmination in Azerbaijan.

And every month is a month to eat. Read what our June issue says about the restaurant Ronnique, and what it serves up about raw fish and kimchi rice soup. Partake of these as well as the other delectable offerings on the Gwangju News’ June menu.

David E. Shaffer Editor-in-Chief

June 2017

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

June is often considered to be the month of change.

It is the time when spring transitions into summer, but look inside to find out what historic change the BBC is planning to bring to the Korean Peninsula.

And find out how Couchsurfing can change your life.

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

elcome to June, and welcome to this month’s issue of the Gwangju News. We offer you another issue that we hope you will enjoy. This month’s feature is a little different than what you may be expecting, but we like to bring new and different things. Discover what life is like for one person in the shipbuilding yards of Jeollanam-do.

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Contents June 2017 #184

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June 2017

GWANGJU NEWS 03. Gwangju City News 04. Upcoming Events: June 56. Community Board ARTS & CULTURE 16. Photo Essay: Korean Wedding Culture – The Old and New 20. Photos of the Month 42. Gwangju Writes: Catching the Last Subway Home 48. Book Review: Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov 49. Movie Review: A Petal OPINION 54. South Korea in the Doldrums: Going from Worse to Bad?

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FEATURE 07. Shaping the Ships in Samho 10. BBC Breaks Ground in South Korea, Hopes to Reach the North 12. Mokpo Language Exchange: Speaking and Sharing Together COMMUNITY 32. Baseball: Korea Style, Gwangju Style 46. Let’s Keep Our Lungs Healthy!

50. Expat Living: Package Delivery EDUCATION 51. Talk to Me in Korean: Package Delivery 52. KOTESOL: English Education in Korea – From Whence It Came

TRAVEL 14. Hunting for Gwangju’s Follies 22. Around Korea: Hadong – Underrated Korean Perfection 34. The Legend of the Sea-Parting Miracle: The Story of Grandmother Ppong 36. Effortless “Real” Travel: Couchsurfing 38. Follow Our Silk Road – Part 3: Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan FOOD & DRINKS 24. Introduction to Hoe: Raw Fish Dishes 26. Where to Eat: Ronnique 28. Kitchen Stories: Kimchi Rice Soup 30. The Dreamy Camera Café

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Gwangju City

News

Compiled by Grace Lee Hyojeong

Ex-President Park’s Trial Has Begun

Jin Air Launches Gwangju-Jeju line

Number of Children Continues to Drop Due to Aging Population and Low Birth Rate

The trial of former President Park Geun-hye began May 2, with a preliminary hearing on the corruption and influence-peddling charges that led to her dismissal from office.

Jin Air will launch 2 roundtrip routes between Gwangju and Jeju starting June 30.

The number and proportion of children in Korea has been sharply decreasing due to the rapid aging of the population and low birth rate.

The former leader faces 18 criminal counts of bribery, abuse of power, coercion, and leaking of government secrets, mostly involving her longtime friend Choi Soon-sil and key former aides.

Park is the country’s third former president to stand trial over corruption allegations, after Chun Doohwan and Roh Tae-woo.

The court is expected to hold two or three more preliminary hearings before opening the first formal hearing around the beginning of June.

With the launch of Jin Air’s flights, there will be a total of 14 roundtrips connecting Gwangju and Jeju per day.

The number of flight users is expected to grow from some 150,000 won to 190,000 won with the launch of the new line.

In the month of March, there were some 108,000 people who took flights between Gwangju and Jeju. Since Jeju Air launched its Gwangju-Jeju line at the end of March, some 148,000 people took flights between Gwangju and Jeju per month on average.

According to Statistics Korea, the number of children aged 5 to 14 this year sits at 4.58 million, or 8.9 percent of the total population.

In the 1980s, the number of children reached 8,910,000, 23.4 percent of the population, but has steadily decreased since then, falling to 5.95 million in 2009, representing 12.1 percent.

The Statistics Office predicts that the number of children will continue to shrink to 4.52 million by 2020 and to 4.05 million in 2030, respectively.

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June 2017

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Upcoming

Events June

Compiled by Nguyen Huong (Sen)

GWANGJU NEWS

ACC Theater and ACC Music Lounge

The most passionate musicians from around the world today are here at the Asia Culture Center (ACC). The ACC proudly presents the Gwangju Symphony Orchestra Ensemble; traditional Korean musician, Jeon Yeong-rang; jazz band, Prelude; the Youn Woo Park Trio; pianist, Remi Panossian; World Music group, Leading Tone; TrioBonBon; and vocalist, Jeong Songyi. Grab yourself a ticket before the magic ends.

Dates: April 12 through June 7, 2017 (every Wednesday) Address: Theater Open Hall, Asia Culture Center, 38 Munhwajeondang-ro, Dong-gu, Gwangju Admission: Free Website: https://www.acc.go.kr Telephone: 1899-5566

The audience can see various films and videos in addition to commercial movies by attending this collection and introduction of different movie genres that link experimental movies and video art, two genres that are felt to be unfamiliar to the public.

Dates: Already open and continuing through June 25 Tue, Thu, Fri: 2:30 pm / Wed: 2:30, 4:30 pm Sat, Sun: 11:00 am, 2:30 pm Address: Asia Culture Center, 38 Munhwajeondang-ro, Dong-gu, Gwangju Admission: Free Website: https://www.acc.go.kr/ Telephone: 1899-5566

Millennium Naju’s Art of Fierce Fight Performance

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June 2017

Gungdong Street Art Festival “Pretty Gungdong”

Black Box Cinema

Hosted every Saturday, this festival promises to bring a wide range of fun, experimental activities, and well-organized performances.

Visitors will get to explore how to make a caterpillar toy, learn about 3D printing, flower art and balloon art, sit down for a Taro experiment, and so much more.

Dates: April 1 through October 28 (every Saturday from 2 to 7 pm) Address: 21 Gungdong Art Street, Dong-gu, Gwangju Admission: Free Website: http://blog.naver.com/butterflyart (Korean only) Telephone: 062-224-0323

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At this special event, visitors will have the opportunity to enjoy a historic experience and scenery arts that demonstrate the historical background of the Joseon Dynasty and cultural assets of Jeollanam-do. The event will be full of Naju’s traditional art theater performances, including Naju’s Samhyeon-yukgak (3 stringed, 3 wind instruments), deul-norae (farmers’ paddy-side songs), folk songs, Korean traditional opera, pansori (Korea’s musical storytelling genre).

Dates: May 6 through October 28 Address: 8 Geumseonggwanggil (Gwawon-dong), Naju, Jeollanam-do Website: http://www.naju.go.kr/tour (Korean only) Telephone: 061-339-8582

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5 Feel So Good! Pilbong

This performance demonstrates Pilbong Nongak, or farmer’s music of Pilbong, which is honored in the UNESCO list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The program also consists of deulenorae (songs used to entertain farmers while doing paddy-side work), and other regular performances. “Feel So Good! Pilbong” will satisfy the audience’s senses with various other activities such as ricecake and pizza making, handkerchief and mask making, and information sessions about Pilbong Nongak.

Dates: April 6 through September 28, (June through September: Thursday), 8 to 9:30 pm Address: Outdoor and Indoor Stage of Pilbong Culture Village 272 Gangun-ro, Gangjin-myeon, Imsil-gun, Jeollabuk-do Admission: Free (Admission applied for regular performances) Website: www.pilbong.co.kr (Korean only) Telephone: 063-643-1902

Namwon newly-appointed governor’s procession performance

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Dates: Already open and continuing through September 3 Weekday Operations: Tuesday through Friday, and Sundays: 10 am to 6 pm Wednesdays and Saturdays: 10 am to 7 pm. Closed on Mondays Address: Space 4, Asia Culture Center, 38 Munhwajeondang-ro, Dong-gu, Gwangju Admission: Regular tickets 7,000 won, student tickets (ages 13–24) 5,000 won, children’s tickets (ages 6–12) 3,000 won Website: https://www.acc.go.kr Telephone:1899-5566

Culture Clock of Thursday

The Asia Culture Arts Archives Lecture and Experience Program is held every Thursday at 3 p.m. to provide in-depth contents about Asian culture and art. The contents are composed of the sounds and music of Asia, displays, film and video, and modern construction.

Dates: Already open and continuing through December 31 (every Thursday 3 to 4 pm) Address: 38 Munhwajeondang-ro, Dong-gu, Gwangju Admission: Free Website: https://www.acc.go.kr/ Telephone: 1899-5566

June 2017

Dates: April 1 through November 26 (every Saturday and Sunday, 2 to 3 pm) Address: Plaza of Love and Gwanghallu Garden, 17 Yangrim-gil, Namwon-si, Jeollabuk-do Admission: 2,600 won at Gwanghallu Garden Website: www.nwcf.kr (Korean only) Telephone: 063-620-6164

With the theme of Asian Modernity, this exhibition showcases the rapid economic and technological development in Asia over the last decades, along with the region’s previous conflicts from pre-modern times, Western colonialism, the Cold War, and the formation of modern nation-states.

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This fusion performance is a storytelling parade to celebrate Byeon Hak-do, who was appointed as Namwon governor in the tale of Chunhyang. Starting from the Plaza of Love and moving to Gwanghallu Garden, the parade will demonstrate a number of shows including a fan dance by gisaeng (female entertainers), a yukbang performance, a military processional music performance, and a performance of Gisaeng Jeomgo (pansori, musical storytelling) Aside from enjoying these spectacular events, visitors can spend time at arranged photo booths and play folk games.

Interrupted Survey: Fractured Modern Mythologies Exhibition

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GWANGJU THEATER

62 Chungjang-no 5-ga, Dong-gu, Gwangju (two blocks behind NC WAVE) TICKETS: 8,000 won INFORMATION: 062-224-5858 For more information, please visit: http://cafe.naver.com/cinemagwangju * Synopses excerpted from Wikipedia and Hancinema

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June 2017

JANE 꿈의 제인 Genre: Drama Director: Cho Hyun-hoon Film Length: 104 minutes Starring: Lee Min-ji, Koo Gyo-hwan, Lee Joo-young Summary: So-hyeon, a runaway, is left alone after her close friend Jung-ho disappears. By accident, she gets to know a transgender woman named Jane. She joins Jane and her close-knit community of runaways, who are as comforting and loving as a real family. Sohyeon feels happy and at peace, but her happiness does not last long… for there is something wrong with Jane’s health.

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OUR PRESIDENT 노무현입니다 Genre: Documentary Director: Lee Chang-jae Film Length: 109 minutes Starring: Noh Moo-hyeon Summary: In 2002, the Millennium Democratic Party elected their first presidential candidate by introducing a popular election system. While politicians like Ki Raseong joined the race, Noh Moo-hyeon, with only 2 percent approval, threw in his hat. This is the story of a nation and the nation he led.

DELTA BOYS 델타 보이즈 Genres: Drama, Comedy Director: Ko Bong-soo Film Length: 120 minutes Starring: Baek Seung-hwan, Lee Woong-bin, Shin Min-jae, Kim Choong-gil Summary: Four men who live at the bottom of the social ladder prepare to enter a quartet contest. Circumstances seem less than favorable for these four as each is lacking in something. Delta Boys is a brilliant, humorous film about the trials and tribulations of young men.

BLUE BUTTERFLY EFFECT 파란나비효과 Genre: Documentary Director: Park Moon-chil Film Length: 93 minutes Starring: Bae Mi-yeong, Lee Soo-mi, Kim Jeong-sook Summary: This film follows a struggle that occurred in the relatively conservative district of Gyeongsangdo, Seongju, due to the U.S.’s deployment of their Terminal High Altitude and Defense (THAAD) program. At the center of it, all are young mothers.

The struggle begins out of worry that the mothers’ children would be harmed by radioactive rays. The more these women learned about THAAD, the more they realized it was a weapon that Korea didn’t need.

These women, who were once indifferent to social matters, become leaders demanding peace. They then found a community to fight against what they don’t believe in. However, the governor of Seongju betrays the people and gives in to deployment of THAAD. Then the struggle hits a wall...

BORN TO BE BLUE 본 투 비 블루 Genre: Drama Director: Robert Budreau Film Length: 97 minutes Starring: Ethan Hawke, Carmen Ejogo Summary: Set largely in 1966, Chet Baker, a jazz musician, is hired to play himself in a movie about his earlier years when he first tried heroin.

He romances actress Jane Azuka, but on their first date, Baker is attacked by thugs and his front teeth get smashed in. As Baker recovers from his injury, his embouchure (the way in which a player applies the mouth to the mouthpiece of a brass or wind instrument) is ruined, and he is unable to play trumpet any better than a novice. Meanwhile, the struggling musician must answer to a probation officer and ensure he is employed, all while sticking to his regime of methadone treatment.

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Shaping the Ships in Samho Written and photographed by Kelsey Rivers

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However, working for the shipbuilding industry is a tenuous business these days. Last year, the industry went through a rough period, with many companies going bankrupt due to a combination of trade stagnation, low shipping rates globally, and an oversupply of ships on the market. According to Sam, the industry suffered a sixbillion-dollar loss. With no way out of their staggering debt, companies were forced to restructure or declare bankruptcy, resulting in massive layoffs. Sam was one of the unfortunates, losing his job with Jeyngsu and forced to bounce around to three different companies, joining each one briefly before it too went under. He remembers the false hope of being offered a position, but with the company’s reluctance to give him a contract, he kept having to wait for something more solid (and legal) to come his way.

When we arrived at Sam’s company, we snuck over the metal gate blocking the entrance and made our

June 2017

Now, I’ve met countless Koreans around Mokpo who work in some capacity for the shipyards as engineers, safety inspectors, etc.

I’ve also met a fair share of foreign workers, from Greece, France,

Samir (Sam) came from Nepal about four years ago, hired on a five-year contract to work for the shipbuilding industry. Before coming to Korea, he was working on a University degree in business, but when he heard about this opportunity to come earn money in Korea (one month’s salary, enough to live on for a year!) he took the necessary tests and studied a little Korean to qualify, and then he was on his way. “I knew that it would be a job in an industrial place,” he said, when I asked if he knew what he was getting into. He worked his

first job at a company called Jeyngsu Engineering, for about three years.

He liked it there – his job was to assist engineers in making calculations, his salary was good, and the work environment was friendly.

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When you travel to the end of the Yeongsan River, where it opens up into the sea, you will find yourself in Mokpo. This port city has a seedy reputation (I’ve heard murmurs that it was the inspiration for a gangster movie), but really this is an up-andcoming city, the provincial capital of Jeollanam-do, with new high-rise apartments going up in the expensive Namak suburb all the time. But from the trendy, second-floor windows of the coffee shops along the shore, you can see an altogether different city, just across the dam. This is Samho, the heart of Mokpo’s economic development, the location of one of Korea’s largest shipyards.

Italy, Finland… Almost all living in the same fancy neighborhood of Namak. However, there is a whole subset of workers whom I rarely come into contact with, but their presence becomes readily apparent when you walk around the streets of Samho. Every other shop is an Asian or halal mart, hawking so much coveted cilantro that it puts the sprigs available at Emart to shame.

Uzbekistani restaurants stand next to Filipino bars, and Chinese-style lamb BBQs are seemingly the most popular eateries around. This is a whole other world from Mokpo, one that doesn’t feel quite so Korean. This is where Samir Chhetri, one of my closest friends in Korea, lives and works.

FEATURE

I

zipped along the deserted streets of Samho, perched on the back of Sam’s dusty moped, the wind whipping my hair into my eyes and the purr of the engine drowning out our voices. We were on our way to his company, so I could learn a little bit more about this place opposite Mokpo, the mirrored city across the river.

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June 2017

way towards a large building across the yard. The yard was strewn with metal parts in all shapes and sizes, the pieces to some ship-shaped puzzle that I couldn’t begin to imagine. The warehouses at the back had a narrow passage between them that Sam ducked into, moving to an electrical box to turn on lights deeper in. As we made our way to the entrance of the warehouse, the high walls of the buildings blocked out the sun, creating such deep shadows on either side of me that I couldn’t tell if there were walls there or not, so eerily dark that it felt like I was walking next to an abyss, making my hair stand on end.

When we maneuvered through exposed piping and hanging wires to a small door on the side of the building, I stepped into a huge, cavernous room, with all the walls painted black and made of some flexible, tarp-like material. Spaced at regular intervals around the room were large pipes and ducts, rusting and dull now, waiting to be blasted in preparation for painting. Sam stooped and pinched up some of the sand and black dust gathered in drifts all over the floor. He explained that this was iron dust, a mix of what was used to clean the metal, as well as what was actually blasted off. The dust gets everywhere and surely isn’t good for your health, if the signs posted outside exhorting you to wear a suit and mask are to be believed. My eyes, throat, and nose were already starting to itch and water (and would do so for the rest of the day.) Sam said that sometimes when the dust got into your eyes, you had to use a magnet to get it out – demonstrating the proper technique to magnetically attract iron dust out of one’s eye.

Later, over a cup of coffee at a café in Mokpo, Sam seems tired. He gestures to his face, where once his skin was smooth, but now is breaking out. He explained that he is a “blaster,” he uses a high-powered hose to sandblast the

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▲ Sam inside the factory

grit and surface off of the metal parts that go into making a ship, preparing them for painting. The pressure and force of the sand blasted from the hose is so powerful that if you get hit, it could kill you. It’s terribly loud, so they have to wear ear plugs, a full body suit, and a helmet – he says it reminds him of an astronaut’s suit.

The air is so dusty and cloudy; you can’t see too far in front of you. And even though Sam dons a full body suit and air-tight helmet, the dust still manages to get in, getting everything dirty. Attached to the helmet is a tube that pumps fresh oxygen into the suit while you’re working. If the hose

gets disconnected or stops working, you have to hurry outside of the warehouse and remove the helmet as it will get steadily harder and harder to breathe – you could asphyxiate before long. The job is tough and seems as though it would be a likely candidate for Mike Rowe’s Dirty Jobs.

The work isn’t painful, but it is definitely physically demanding. I tried to lift the hose that Sam uses to blast, and even without the powerful force of the sand being blasted out, it was heavy. He said that if you weren’t careful, you could get knocked off your feet by the force. “It’s hard, but

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9 I like it here” he said.

When we left the building and were headed back to the moped, a barking dog made us look towards the company dormitory on the other side of the yard, where some young men watched us with interest. Sam of course knew them, and so we were invited into the communal kitchen to share a late lunch of curry, rice, and fried fish (caught by the Nepali workers themselves from the Yeongsan River). The men made room for us at the table, and two quiet women smiled cautiously. Sam was friends with one of the guys, a football player; Sam moonlights as a photographer for the Nepali football team, one of the many community organizations that keep the foreign workers feeling less isolated while they are so far away from home.

The Nepali community is indeed quite large, with its own community organizations to match. Sam jokingly called the Nepali group the “Mokpo chautari” which means something like “gathering place” in Nepali, but has connotations of criminal activity.

This organization puts together picnics, festival celebrations, and trips to different parts of Korea. And when members are going through difficult

times financially (or otherwise), the group raises funds to help those in need. Sam said that it was not difficult for him to meet friends from Nepal, that the Nepali group is very tightknit and helps create a home-awayfrom-home feel. Sam refers to each of his friends as his “brother,” and with this self-created family, households are fluid and characterized by camaraderie. One’s door is always open in the Nepali community.

Back on the moped, we zoom down the streets of the industrial area, eerie six-lane roads devoid of all movement and life, except for the occasional moped like ours, the ubiquitous form of transportation for the foreign workers of Samho. The huge scale of the roads and warehouses meant to accommodate the movement of half-completed oil tankers and barges emphasized how deserted the shipyards are on the weekend. Sam said it livens up during the week, but still I wonder how lively it can be with the industry slogging through a slump. Although his current job is exhausting and dangerous, the company is also stable, so he feels that he can stay with them for at least the rest of the year, no matter what shape the shipbuilding industry is in by 2018.

And after Sam has completed his fiveyear contract? There are many roads open to him, including renewing for another five years. However, Sam feels the need to move on. He said that bringing in foreign workers like this is “good for the Koreans and good for us, too. But, it’s a waste of time and energy from what I really want to be. I can make money here, but it is not what I want to do.”

Sam has a lot of dreams, dreams that every day he is working towards.

Korea, although valuable in exposing him to other cultures and people, is simply a pit stop. He is positive that the future holds bigger and better things for him.

THE AUTHOR

Kelsey is an English teacher and proud resident of Mokpo.

She began working with Gwangju News over two years ago, moving up the ranks from copyeditor, to chief proofreader, and finally to managing editor. Besides her work with Gwangju News, she helps facilitate the Mokpo Language Exchange and Book Club, and volunteers at orphanages in Mokpo and Illo.

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June 2017

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10 In Town

BBC Breaks Ground in South Korea, Hopes to Reach the North

FEATURE

Written and photographed by Eden Jones

O

ur “little” Gwangju is host to a surprising number of distinguished guests each year. You may just be unaware that the person sitting across the café might very well be a Harvard PhD holder, world-class artist, or even Dan Damon, a long-time reporter for the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), one of the world’s oldest, largest, and most far-reaching media outlets. When I first heard of Dan’s visit to Gwangju, I leapt at the opportunity to interview him and see what he was up to.

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June 2017

Dan, native of London who now resides in Wales with his wife, Siân, has been working for the BBC since 1974. Over the years, he has worked his way up from “boy engineer” to his current position as presenter of the daily radio show, “World Update,” which delivers an hour-long dose of news, commentary, and features. Dan came to Korea to oversee a project that has been years in the making: to establish a Korean BBC branch since, until now, none has existed.

The project to bring the BBC to Korea all started with the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe. Dan was reporting there during this historic time, and seeing what could happen in that country made him think of North Korea. He says, “I realized that the BBC should be doing for the Korean language what it had done in the cold war for Bulgarian and Hungarian and Russian.”

Those less familiar with the BBC or the specific struggles of the Cold War may not be aware of the measure of the BBC’s impact during this time. Many people living in communist Eastern Europe had extremely limited access to unbiased information about the events happening in their countries and in the rest of the outside world. The BBC made it their mission to overcome these barriers and bring truthful information to these people. “We learned from people like Vaclav Havel, the Czech dissident who became postCommunist president, that the BBC broadcasts in those

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languages were immensely important in maintaining the morale of the repressed democracy movement and helped create an atmosphere of resistance,” says Dan. Dan hopes to accomplish a similar feat in North Korea with the opening of the BBC’s Korean branch.

Dan began to campaign for a BBC branch in Korea in 2014, and was eventually able to convince the BBC and the British government to back the project. Of course, the supporters wanted to ensure the project could be successful before officially giving the green light, so they asked Dan to do some research.

“I was able to prove that, in the North, although it’s difficult to assess who will hear it, it will be heard. One way or the other, information gets through,” says Dan, who isn’t so concerned with how large the audience of the broadcast is, but more with the task of getting information through to closed-off North Korea. Dan says, “The BBC has a mission to bring information to people who don’t get it… not just in places where information is inaccessible, but also, just that there should be a BBC version of the news, you know, trying to be impartial, trying to be objective, available to everybody.”

Hearing Dan speak firsthand of the BBC’s commitment to impartiality in the media was refreshing, as this is becoming an increasingly hot-button issue in Korea and the U.S. as well as in many other parts of the world. Dan noted that, in addition to overseeing the BBC’s establishment in Korea, he is currently also working on PhD research in relation to the country’s national security laws, which make objective reporting difficult for Korean journalists. He hopes to learn more about the issues involved and even, perhaps, be able to assist in some ways with his findings. We hope to hear more from Dan on that in a later issue.

As for the contents of the new Korean BBC broadcast Dan

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11 is developing, it will include news (regional, global, and Korea-specific) as well as features that will teach English, culture, and other information one might expect to find on a radio program. To begin with, the daily broadcasts will be one-half hour each with an accompanying website for listeners to access photos and other media. Dan says that the program will develop with time, and with this, they hope to establish an FM partner for the broadcast as well.

Dan was sure to clarify: “It [the broadcast] is a Korean language service. It’s not BBC North Korea. It’s Korean because, obviously, we want it to be accessible to all Korean speakers.” Once the broadcast is on air (which Dan hopes will be by the end of the year), it will provide information to people across the peninsula using short and medium wave radio frequencies (a special type of radio used for long-distance communication and for covering large areas).

Although North Korea is the target audience of the broadcast, Dan does hope South Koreans will tune in, too.

He believes South Koreans will be especially interested in the English education portion of the program. He also hopes to receive feedback from the South Koreans in order to improve the program and make it the best it can be. One issue is accessibility, as there are some major differences between North Korean and South Korean parlances. For example, South Koreans use many Konglish loanwords: words borrowed from English that are less likely to be found in the North Korean dialect. Of course, the BBC will not rely only on the feedback from South Koreans, but have also employed linguists to assist them. Another issue the broadcast is likely to stumble upon is the correct way to refer to historical events of sensitivity or points of tension between the North and South so as to offend as little as possible. In these matters, having the South Koreans’ perspective will be crucial.

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THE AUTHOR

Eden came to Korea in 2014 as an English teacher and soon after began contributing to the Gwangju News as a writer. She later volunteered as a proofreader and copyeditor before being promoted to chief proofreader in February 2017. When she isn’t proofing articles or writing stories, she may be found playing her fiddle about the city.

June 2017

While I was mesmerized with hearing about the broadcast project that brought Dan to Korea, I still wanted to know, before ending our chat, why he came all the way down to Gwangju. As it turns out, this is not Dan’s first visit to South Korea. His first trip was years ago, but what initially brought him to Gwangju was a content fair he was invited to a couple of years back. During that time, Dan gravitated toward the city’s rich culture and history, in addition to making great connections with people living here. He found the Asia Culture Center (ACC) to be an especially

impressive area and looks forward to showing his wife, who is a photography teacher at an art college, around when she joins him. Dan says that now, whenever he visits Korea, he makes it a point to stop by the “City of Light.”

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The team members who will be necessary for the broadcast have already been recruited, including multiple members originally from North Korea. The crew consists of fourteen journalists, with six in Seoul and the others coming over from Britain. Their training will begin this July, according to Dan.

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COMMUNITY

12

Mokpo Language Exchange Speaking and Sharing Together

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

June 2017

Written by Joey Nunez Photos courtesy of Mokpo Language Exchange

M

okpo residents have an excellent communications resource at the North Town Café, in Hadang, behind Formo Cube. Every Wednesday evening, the Mokpo Language Exchange is available for both Korean and international residents to meet and enjoy each other’s company, teach, practice, and learn their languages of expertise. This bridges barriers that occur if different people groups do not interact with each other.

Current Korean group members communicate through Facebook about the group’s discussion points and activities before attending, while current international group residents invite other interested international friends to

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attend. Kelsey Rivers, Gwangju News’ print editor, is an international two-year participant and enjoys what the group offers.

Rivers explained that the Language Exchange’s time is divided into two parts. Before participants meet, a topic and associated discussion questions are posted earlier in the week for Korean and international participants to consider individually. When they gather at 8 p.m., the group talks in English about the topic and answers the questions for one hour. Then at 9 p.m., the group switches languages, from English to Korean, for the next hour. The format from 9 to 10 p.m. is slightly modified, for high-level

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13 to be better listeners.”

The Mokpo Language Exchange also enjoys “second round” drinks and/or noraebang singing sessions after their meetings, as well as gatherings for parties and social events.

“We also have a yearly Christmas party, a sports day and a summer weekend trip.

These activities keep the group feeling very tight-knit,” Rivers said.

Rivers joined the group soon after moving to Korea. “I wanted a safe, non-judgmental space to practice Korean, since I didn’t have access to a Korean classroom.” Rivers stayed in the group not just to learn Korean, but also because of her growing relationships with both the Korean and international residents in the group. “I love this group because of the friends I get to hang out with each week … and this group is also an interesting way to learn about many diverse cultures.”

Rivers sees promise in the group’s growth and progress.

Even with the number of international residents of Mokpo coming and going constantly, Rivers mentioned that the group has learned to navigate through these fluctuations.

She added that the primary Korean group leaders of Mokpo, who stay and participate in this group, provide the best support. Because of these consistent Korean members, Rivers knows the Exchange Group will continue going strong for many years to come.

Lee Shinae, one of the group’s founding members, said that her English ability was very low when she first started attending. However, she was determined to learn, because she desired to travel and did not want communication limitations while exploring. Over time, the group helped her to improve her English dramatically, and she has made lifelong friends.

Interested Korean residents can search for “Mokpo Language Exchange” on Facebook. For anyone with any more questions, they can contact either Lee Shinae or Kelsey Rivers, the group’s Korean and international representatives.

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June 2017

Rivers has learned how important offering hospitality to others is in this group setting. “There are times when a newbie will sit there quietly, not say a word, and then never come back to another meeting. But if [I] go up and talk to that person, give them the opportunity to find their voice and make a connection, then they will come back and be more confident the next time. We have the power to help others feel more confident in their language ability, which is awesome.” While participating, Rivers has also observed changes among group members. “We have learned to be more sensitive to other cultures, to not be judgmental and

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international learners to discuss a topic using Korean, while low-level international learners are partnered oneon-one with a Korean to work through a Korean textbook.

Lee’s advice to Koreans desiring to learn English is to first make a friend with an international resident and then to keep communicating with that friend, no matter how difficult it may be. For the longest time, she didn’t notice a difference in her ability, until one day she was trying to text her friend, but she got impatient, so she just called her friend instead and had the conversation in English, over the phone.

Speaking in a different language over the phone, and having it be a successful conversation, is one of the hardest things to do. It was at this point that she realized that she had improved so much.

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14 Lost in Gwangju

Hunting for Gwangju’s Follies Written by Kelsey Rivers Photos courtesy of Gwangju Folly

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June 2017

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golden pavilion, standing at a crossroads, swirling with revelers on a Friday night. Stark concrete stairs leading to nowhere, people reclining on the steps, waiting for their buses to whisk them away.

A sidewalk lit up by alternately colored, softly glowing, suspended boxes that turn an otherwise drab street magical. If you have wandered the streets of downtown Gwangju, you must have surely noticed structures in the most unusual of places, decorative, but perhaps functional, as well.

But what are they? These public art works are another endeavor in Gwangju’s push towards being a global hub for culture and arts. The first of these works appeared during the 2011 Gwangju Biennale, the result of “Gwangju Folly,” first conceived by the curators of the Biennale, Seung Hyo-sang and Ai Wei Wei. Beginning with Gwangju Folly I, over the course of the next consecutive Biennales, Folly II and Folly III have also made an appearance in the artistic landscape of Gwangju.

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The works associated with the Folly projects are primarily the creations of international designers, who contribute to one of the explicit goals of the Folly projects: to “boost Gwangju’s image as a design city.” By having international designers contribute to the projects, Gwangju is co-opting some of their “brand name power” in branding itself.

The term “folly” has a very specific meaning in the context of architecture. A “folly” is a structure that has lost its functional purpose, and instead, simply plays a decorative role in an environment. Follies, in fact, are noted for being spaces that do not necessarily work cohesively with the environment, or created space, in which they are situated, but are “strategic places of madness and satire freed from the constraints of societal norms (gwangjufolly.org).”

The Gwangju Folly projects (which is what they are now becoming, projects of their own outside of the Biennale), take follies as a “new and creative spatial alternative that is able to overcome contextual limitations of existing urban cities and facilitate greater communication with the

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15

▲ From left: “Infinite Elements under the Universe, above the Earth” by Guk Hyeun-geol and Shin su-kyeong;

“Spectrum” by Leif Hansen (Denmark); “Boxes of Memories” by Go Seok-hong and Kim Mi-hee

public (gwangjufolly.org).” That is, unlike other follies, which exist for primarily aesthetic purposes, as “frivolous spaces,” the Gwangju Follies are meant to engage with and reimagine the public spaces of Gwangju.

While there is a distinct pleasure in happening upon the Follies randomly in the course of one’s wanderings around the city, for those of us without such patience, check out gwangjufolly.org for maps and descriptions of the Follies.

June 2017

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The Folly projects take some of their inspiration from the May 18 demonstrations as well, a defining moment in the history of Gwangju that has shaped the course of Korean politics and the identity of the city and its citizens. The demonstrations redefined the space in which they took place – what was designed with one purpose in mind was transformed into a space of political fomentation, which triggered a string of repercussions and events stretching far into the future, changing the course of Gwangju’s history. While perhaps with not such grand aspirations in mind, the Folly projects are meant to redefine the spaces in which they are situated.

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The first of the Folly projects, Gwangju Folly I, was created with the specific goal of revitalizing the downtown area surrounding the Asia Culture Center. As is the case for the rest of the country, and perhaps the world in general, the forces of globalization and rapid economic development are not kind to the individual idiosyncrasies that mark a place as unique. The downtown area has, for a long time, been experiencing a “hollowing out” and loss of characteristic charm. The Folly projects were meant to help in the regeneration of the area and to contribute a cultural asset to it and to Gwangju, in general. In fact, the first Folly was designed to situate the various installations of the project in key locations of the former Gwangjueup Castle that used to be located in this area, but over the course of time has been almost entirely erased. The Folly project is a bridge between the present day and the

past, contributing in some small measure to the sense of history that has been stripped from so much of Gwangju over the years for the sake of development.

2017-06-02 �� 3:57:55

ARTS & CULTURE

16 Photo Essay

Korean Wedding Culture The Old and New

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

June 2017

Written by Kuamah Lee Photographed by Lorryn Smit

“

Does your fiancé have money for a house?” “How much will you provide for your marriage dowry?” These were the first questions I was asked by my friends when I told them I was getting married. The idea of marriage in Korea has changed a lot from the old days. In the past, marriage was more complicated and focused on family, but today it is simpler and more individualistic.

Here is a basic overview of how Korean weddings have changed over time.

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Traditionally, Koreans considered marriage a very important event.

People believed that two families became one through marriage. Harmony within the extended family was the most important aspect of the marriage union, not the happiness of the bride and groom. In other words, the main focus of marriage was not on the bride and groom, but on their parents and families. Because family happiness was most important, arranged marriage was common in Korea and based on the compatibility

of a bride and groom, as determined through gung-hap (궁합), or the reading of a couple’s traditional Korean horoscopes. Before a marriage, parents would verify whether their children were a good match through gung-hap. This was the case with my grandparents. I remember my grandmother telling me that she saw my grandfather only once before they got married. That was in 1945. Because she didn’t choose her partner, she felt a great deal of psychological burden after their marriage. The

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June 2017

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June 2017

pressure to make both families happy by pretending their parents’ choice was right, weighed heavily on her.

In addition to the bride and groom having no input as to who they would marry, the procedure of the wedding ceremony was very complicated, and contained much symbolism. For instance, during the ceremony the bride and groom would sit at a large table, called sang, with various items in front of them, all with special meaning.

This included a live rooster, which represented the groom and his responsibility to protect his family; and a hen, which represented the wife and her responsibility to have many children; various fruits such as jujubes, for longevity; chestnuts, for having sons; pollock, to protect against evil spirits; and pine and bamboo branches, representing a changeless love for one another. The wedding also sometimes lasted all day and involved the entire village. It was a big event and very expensive.

Today, wedding culture in Korea is simpler. Weddings do not contain as many symbols as they used to, and they are generally more procedural. Most Koreans are married in wedding halls and the whole ceremony takes only 30 minutes. Guests give money to the couple, eat a meal in the wedding hall after the ceremony, then leave. Seu-deumae is a Korean expression referring to the expenses of

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the wedding, such as the studio photos (seu), the wedding dress (deu) and tuxedo, and facial treatment and full makeup (mae) for the bride. The wedding hall must also be rented. All this costs a great deal of money, resulting in a greater emphasis being placed on money for weddings than in the past. In this way, weddings today are more expensive. Also, the focus is heavily on the bride and groom, and not on their families.

Today, Koreans can choose who they want to marry, and weddings are less formal and more individualistic.

Although some traditions continue from the old days, such as wearing hanbok and sitting at a small symbolic sang after the wedding in a ritual called pebaek, most aspects of the ceremony are different. In some cases, modern couples choose to have a traditional wedding because they want to be unique. The ceremony is slower and longer, so the bride and groom, families, and guests can really enjoy the special moment.

Regardless, marriage should be based on two people’s love and happiness. June is a popular season for weddings in Korea. If you are lucky enough to get invited to a Korean wedding, go and enjoy the scenery and unique culture.

Chuk-ha-hae-yo – congratulations!

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June 2017

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20

Photo of the Month

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

June 2017

ARTS & CULTURE

Written and photographed by Marco Clarkson

T

he dictionary defines charm as “the power or quality of giving delight or arousing admiration.” I’m fairly comfortable with using this word to describe the city of Gwangju. I had 20 hours to spend in Gwangju before moving on again.

I had had a fairly eventful and physically strenuous day by the time this image was created. Allow me a moment to explain how I arrived at the creation of this image.

I journeyed from Seoul to Gwangju at the crack of dawn and was greeted with a city that operated at a pace I’d almost forgotten. I had a great brunch at a place with no crowd in sight. Catching up pleasantly with a friend was easily achieved at which point I was then shown around. I got a good feel for my surroundings when I had an opportunity to walk around for a few hours on my own. Within those few hours, I was able to explore a traditional market, stumble upon a temple, and patiently wait for a monk to exit and walk into a frame I’d prepositioned myself in front of – it was a success.

Dinner arrangements involved chicken and beer in a park, which I was eagerly enthusiastic about.

It was Buddha’s Birthday, which meant there were lanterns everywhere. I have a very childish curiosity for lanterns as they remind me of Christmas in my house when I was growing up. I loved the colors.

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Finally, no interference from other artificial light sources and great leading lines, too. I thought this was the perfect scene to make something because of the way the shadows, lanterns, and bench were engaged in something of a dance together. I once again waited for a human element to add a bit of mystery to the image. It would have been a bit dull or lifeless without it. It came together nicely, and I’m glad I was patient.

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21

June 2017

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Do you have any photos that you would like to show to Gwangju (and the world)? Gwangju News features a photo of the month to create more opportunities to promote more photographers based in the Jeollanam-do 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. Alternatively, you can also send your submissions to the editor by email: gwangjunews@gic.or.kr

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www.gwangjunewsgic.com

June 2017

TRAVEL

22 Around Korea

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23

Hadong

Underrated Korean Perfection Written and photographed by Stephanie and Ryan Hedger

1. RICE FIELDS Just outside of the small town of Hadong, there is a valley of rice fields renowned for their beauty and symmetry.

While many rice fields in Korea are oddly shaped to fit into whatever space is available, this valley has mostly square fields at the foot of towering mountains, with parks and decorative trees planted in the middle of it all. These fields are truly a unique sight in Korea. You can hike or drive up the mountain directly behind the fields to Hanasa Temple

2. GREEN TEA While Boseong gets most of the praise when it comes to the country’s green tea, Hadong also has its own fields and flavor. Being more off the beaten path than the more famous fields means that you can enjoy an exceedingly relaxing and genuine experience while sipping from hand-thrown pottery in the middle of the countryside. Walk along the fields and take photos without worrying about them being ruined by hordes of people. Afterward, be sure to check out

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June 2017

to get a view of how expansive they really are. From this ancient building, you have a spectacular perspective on the expansive fields below. In the fall, just before they harvest the rice, a festival is held, and the fields are burned in specific patterns to reveal a massive Hadong city logo in the most Hadong-style possible.

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small town like Hadong has no place on a list of big travel destinations. You will not find Hadong on very many top-10 or must-see lists, but that is a huge part of the charm. While this quaint town does very little to draw attention to itself, it manages to encapsulate, perfectly, the spirit of South Korea in one effortless swoop.

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24 the Green Tea Cultural Center, which is also located outside of town. In the spring, these fields are lined with stunning cherry blossoms that make for an extremely satisfying experience.

ARTS & CULTURE

3. CHERRY BLOSSOMS Hadong might be the best place to enjoy trees of cherry blossoms without being surrounded by thousands of other spectators. Jinhae, Yeoido, and countless other places might claim to have the best area for cherry blossoms, but the Cherry Blossom Road (벚꽃길) near Ssanggyesa Temple provides six kilometers of natural beauty every fall. While still drawing a local crowd, this road is just as beautiful as the top cherry blossom destinations, with far less of a crowd.

4. JIRISAN MOUNTAIN Hadong happens to be one of many trailheads that make up the Jirisan Mountain Range. If you are spending the weekend in the area, consider using one of your days to hike to the top of the tallest peak on the South Korean mainland! There are plenty of smaller peaks for hikers who just want to leisurely enjoy a nice walk, too. Most of the trailheads can be found near the Green Tea Cultural Center, and since the trails are not as popular here, you can enjoy hiking in relative seclusion. You would be hard-pressed to spend much time in Hadong without being mesmerized by the surrounding mountains, so why not go for a hike?

5. PLUM WINE All of those plum trees are not just grown for the fruit alone, but mostly for making Korean plum wine! This sweet and often overlooked alcohol can also be found in most convenience stores across the country, but Hadong is where they are all grown and made! Take a walk around one of the many fields to see how they are grown. These fields are also great places for impromptu photo shoots! There are many shops around town that sell the wine, so grab a bottle for your picnic or camping trip while supporting the local economy!

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June 2017

6. GEUMOSAN MOUNTAIN Yet another hike near Hadong, the Geomosan Mountain hike definitely stands out from others you can do around Korea. At the top is a large wooden platform for lounging and picnics, which sits picturesquely among the

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rocky outcroppings and overlooking the sea that stretches clear out to Namhae Island. The mountain is a good hike and is around 850 meters high, which can take you anywhere between four to six hours to hike depending on what kind of shape you are in and how often you stop to rest and take pictures. Driving to the top of the mountain is also possible, and camping on the platforms to see the sunrise from Geumosan is definitely worth your time.

THE AUTHORS

Ryan and Stephanie have lived, traveled, and worked in South Korea since 2013.

Based out of Yeosu, they are the duo behind Hedgers Abroad, their blog, which documents their lives through photography, videos, and shared stories. They freelance in their spare time and are on the road constantly.

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

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Korean Food

25

Introduction to Hoe Raw Fish Dishes Written by Cho Namhee

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When choosing the right seafood restaurant for hoe, look for what side dishes they serve. Ranging from seafood such as sea squirt, sea cucumber, and oysters to salads, fries, and soups, it all comes as a single table when you order any kind of hoe by weight. The better the side dishes, the better the hoe!

THE AUTHOR

Cho Namhee is a coordinator at Gwangju International Center. He also currently studies communication at Chonnam National University.

June 2017

There are no significant signs of the people of the Koryo Dynasty eating raw fish because of Buddhism, the dominant religion of the period. Buddhist practitioners aspire for an ideal world and vegetarianism is the ideal diet. Since the Joseon Dynasty, however, when the teachings of Confucianism were introduced and as per the Analects of Confucius referring to hoe “to be thinly sliced,” the animosity towards raw fish slowly diminished among the people. Ever since then, there have been records of raw fish being served to the king and anecdotes of the love for certain raw fish, which proves that the raw fish culture settled into Korea a long time ago.

When the taste of hoe is mastered, the sauce should not matter, however, the sauce matters to those who are new to the unexpected taste. Ssam or lettuce for wrapping is a typical way of eating hoe, but having the fish alone is undoubtedly better in discovering its true taste. Red chili-pepper paste with vinegar is the most basic sauce to start, and soybean paste or soy sauce with wasabi for the advanced.

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Along the streets of an area called 먹자골목, or the “eatery alleys,” it is not too difficult to encounter different kinds of fish and other sea creatures swimming languidly in tanks out on the sidewalk, though they aren’t as spacious as aquariums. Despite the fact that there are fish markets near every port, there is no need to put much effort into finding fresh seafood anymore, since nowadays there are restaurants specializing in hoe in every neighborhood.

Getting down to the more practical facts of hoe, hoe can first be differentiated into two colors, white and red.

Snappers, flatfish, and rockfish are the representative white-flesh fish, and tuna and salmon are representative of the latter. Tuna and salmon are relatively well known as sashimi in Japanese, and tuna or salmon specialty restaurants can easily be found around town. Of the white-flesh fish, snappers are said to be the chewiest in texture, and flatfish is so soft that it practically melts in your mouth. Rockfish is somewhat in-between the two.

Depending on whether they are caught wild or farmed, the texture and taste will differ, and perhaps your bill, too.

FOOD & DRINKS

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t can be easily understood that ingredients are healthier in their original, raw state, containing various, unaltered nutrients. This may sound like a convincing explanation of Korea’s love of hoe, or raw fish, but there are simply far too many stories floating around to derive its origin with accuracy. Raw beef is also called hoe, however, this month’s issue will focus on raw fish since the upcoming season is undisputedly regarded as taboo for eating it.

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26 Where to Eat

Ronnique Written and photographed by Justin Ramsay

The interior of the restaurant is simple yet elegant: white walls and spread-out tables with a few interesting but unobtrusive photos and artworks adorning the space.

A large wine rack is seen immediately upon entering, displaying the vast array of wines on offer to be enjoyed with your meal (some pricier than others). A friendly, well-dressed waiter enthusiastically greets us and shows us to our table. The table is set with a pristine white tablecloth and a number of items of cutlery, not the usual spoon and chopstick fare.

There are no paper menus here, but rather our waiter brings an iPad to the table that displays the wine list and the various dining options available. The wine list was long and varied, containing more than 50 different options from France, Chile, Australia, Spain, Italy, and

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June 2017

FOOD & DRINKS

P

ortmanteaus (a linguistic blend of two words) seem to be a very popular thing here in South Korea. Seemingly any combination of words can be blended to include the meaning of both or to create a new, hip buzzword of sorts. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. In the case of Ronnique, the restaurant’s name perfectly encapsulates the theme and the core dining experience of this fine dining/molecular gastronomy establishment located in the youthful, bustling area of Dongmyeong-dong. According to owner Kim Yong-in, Ronnique is a blend of his English name, Ronnie, and the word unique. The restaurant certainly lives up to this tagline, and most dishes are unique in flavor, presentation, and preparation method. It is more of a dining experience than a simple dinner out, and nowhere in Gwangju can really offer up a similar experience or menu.

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when preparing escargot, but this was not the case, and the taste and texture of the snail was perfectly complimented by the gruyere cheese that it was served with.

Follow-up courses included a delicious, salted raw salmon salad, impossibly smooth, and creamy carrot soup with home-made focaccia, and the restaurant’s signature dish: chicken mousse in a spaghetti dome with bacon and carbonara foam. Every course was phenomenal, the chicken mousse creation being a particular highlight.

Before being served our mains, we were given a final palate cleanser of grapefruit sorbet, which again had excellent presentation and tasted great.

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Overall, Ronnique is not a daily eatery where those on a strict budget will find themselves very often for lunch and dinner, but it delivers a culinary experience like no other in our lovely city. For special occasions, dates, celebrations, or just as a little treat, I highly recommend that you give Ronnique a try for its interesting menu, friendly and accomplished staff, and overall high standard of service and food.

RONNIQUE 광주 동구 동계천로 137-13 137-13 Donggyecheon-ro, Dong-gu, Gwangju Opening hours: Lunch: 11:30 – 15:00 Dinner: 17:30 – 22:30 Reservations: 062-454-4501 E-mail: kyi9092@naver.com Price range: 25,000 won – 100,000 won per person.

June 2017

While waiting for the first course to arrive, we found that the atmosphere and ambiance of the restaurant made it very easy to have a chat and enjoy each other’s company.

There is no loud, disruptive vocal tracks but rather soft, instrumental music reminiscent of a French café filling the silence and creating a very warm, intimate atmosphere.

When our amuse bouche arrived, we were given a nice explanation of what each dish was by our waiter, who then left us to enjoy our interesting-looking appetizers. These were comprised of escargot with gruyere cheese, egg cooked in truffle oil with beet foam, and a surprisingly delicious palate cleanser of chilled celery juice served in a test tube.

The presentation and taste were exquisite in the case of all three appetizers. Chefs often tend to use too much garlic

There were a few options for the main course, but we tried the duck confit and lamb ribs. The confit was superb, crispy on the outside, and soft and juicy on the inside. It was served with orange sauce and small buttons of beet, carrot, asparagus, and pumpkin. The lamb, too, was very good, served with mashed potatoes, red wine sauce and wine salt, and a side of spring onion. The lamb was juicy and perfectly cooked to a medium rare. By the conclusion of the main course, we felt suitably well fed, and the tea/ coffee and small, homemade coconut biscuits rounded the meal off nicely. www.gwangjunewsgic.com

the USA. The price per bottle ranged from 35,000 for a nice Chilean wine to a much heftier 800,000 for Dom Perignon. Fear not if you’re on a budget, though, as a nice glass of the house wine will only set you back 6,000 won.

We decided on our wine, and then looked at the food options, which luckily were far less varied and complicated than the encyclopedia of a wine list. There were a la carte options including lamb rib, duck confit, duck breast, and beef tenderloin, all around the 30–35,000 won price range, various pastas from 14–19,000, and a couple of multi-course set menu options. In order to sample as many different dishes as possible, we decided on the Ballade Set Menu (45,000 won per person).

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28

Kitchen Stories Kimchi Rice Soup FOOD & DRINKS

Written and photographed by Karly Pierre

K

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June 2017

im Yeonsim gives a nervous smile with each click of my camera. She adds rice to a pot of simmering broth and slides out of the camera’s view. Though she had anxiously rehearsed for the photo session a few days before with her husband, the presence of a curious stranger in her kitchen makes her blush.

Kim, 61, grew up in Sagok-myeon, Gwangyang County in Jeollanam-do in a large family with six siblings. During her childhood, Sagok-myeon was home to the second largest goldmine in the nation and was an important Japanese colonial interest.

“My maternal grandfather used to work at the mine. At that time, there was a mine in our neighborhood, although it is long gone now,” recalls Kim. “Now people consume pork to fight yellow dust, but back then, people in my village would eat pork to clean the dust from the mine out of their lungs. The mining company would offer a whole pig to its workers once a week. The pig was sliced and placed on a yellow paper that was distributed to each worker. This paper was also used to store cement. People would wrap the cement twice or three times in this paper… When my grandfather brought the meat home, we would eat pork soup. There were nine of us, so there was more water than meat.”

2017�6��.indd 28

Her family would prepare the soup in a large aluminum sot (가마솥, pot). To the meat and water, they would add kimchi, radish, garlic, soy sauce, and salt.

“Although there were a lot of us, we all shared the soup together,” says Kim. “I guess I was always so hungry, which is why I was so happy when my grandfather brought some pork from the mine. As I grew older, I tried to make the soup with the same recipe, but I realized I couldn’t recreate that same taste from the past.”

Since Kim had several older sisters, most of the cooking duties in the household fell to them. Kim didn’t begin cooking until she was 18 and had moved away from home.

At the age of 24, she married into a large family and began cooking in earnest. As a mother of three children, she called upon memories of her childhood meals to do more with less in the kitchen.

“I mostly prepared simple dishes,” says Kim. “When my children were born, we didn’t have much to eat. Sometimes we would just eat rice, a fried egg, and kkakdugi (깍두기, cubed radish kimchi). Sometimes I would also cook fried eggs with sausage. I learned how to make castella bread, so we had that, too. I was happy because my children ate happily. But I didn’t cook anything special. In the winter,

2017-06-02 �� 3:58:05

29 I made kimchi rice soup. In the summer, I made kal-guksu (칼국수, wheat flour noodle soup). At that time, people ate kal-guksu to save as much rice as possible. Because of the lack of rice, the government at that time encouraged people to eat more flour-based dishes. But now the situation is very different.”

Kim ladles kimchi rice soup into my bowl. The table is set with slices of red and yellow bell pepper, pajeon (파전, green onion pancake), and blanched angelica roots with fish sauce.

“It’s good for your immune system,” she notes as I take a bite of the angelica roots.

Shocked and a little amused that I recognize the taste of fish sauce on the angelica roots, she encourages me to eat more. By the time I am on my way out the door, I am no longer a stranger. She hands me a paper bag loaded with fresh vegetables from her mother’s farm in Sagok-myeon. After so many years of making do with very little, she now has more than enough.

KIMCHI RICE SOUP 김치국밥 Kimchi rice soup was a typical dish that Kim ate growing up. “When I was young, because there were nine people in my family, there was only one bowl of rice left for lunch after we ate breakfast,” says Kim. “The portion was way too small, so we also ate sweet potatoes. We would make soup with the rice. In the winter, the rice soup would help us fight the cold and hunger. I always loved the memories of my family eating together, so I often made the soup for my children. The soup is made differently in every region. I make the broth using anchovies, while my mother-in-law made the broth using oysters, probably because they lived so close to the sea.”

INGREDIENTS 1/8 of one well-fermented kimchi cabbage 2 strips of fresh seaweed cut into 13x30 cm pieces 30-40 anchovies (5-7 cm) 1 1/2 bowls of cold cooked rice 1 green onion 2 teaspoons of minced garlic 1 egg 1 teaspoon of pickled shrimp 2 spicy green chilies (or to taste) 1 teaspoon of sesame oil 2 pieces of toasted seaweed cut into 20x25 cm pieces

June 2017

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www.gwangjunewsgic.com

COOKING METHOD 1. To make the broth, pour 1700 ml of water into a pot and add the anchovies and fresh seaweed. Boil for 5 minutes on high heat. Lower to medium heat and continue boiling for about 25-30 minutes. Remove the seaweed and anchovies.

2. Cut the kimchi into approximately 2-cm pieces. Slice the green onion lengthwise and cut the chilies into thin pieces.

3. Add the kimchi to the broth. Add the cold cooked rice and stir in evenly. Bring to a boil.

4. After boiling for another 5 minutes, stir in the minced garlic, green onion, and chilies.

5. Crack the egg and add to the broth. Don’t stir the egg in until it is done cooking.

6. Add a teaspoon of pickled shrimp. (If you prefer your soup bland, you can skip this step.)

7. Turn off the heat, and after 2-3 minutes add a teaspoon of sesame oil.

8. Mix in some strips of toasted seaweed to the soup and use the rest for garnish.

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30

The Dreamy Camera Café Places you’ll only find in Korea Written and photographed by Amy-Leigh Braaf

W

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

June 2017

FOOD & DRINKS

hen I first arrived in Korea, four things stood out: how kimchi is served with every meal, how hospitable and motivated people are, the cherry blossoms, and coffee shops. Coffee shops in Korea are guaranteed to always provide comfort and intrigue, anywhere and anytime. With so much exposure to so many different types of coffee from Starbucks’ cherry blossom inspired café mochas to coffee in a can from nearby convenience stores, I found myself looking for more. I was in search of the ultimate coffee shop, one that blends the two things I am absolutely passionate about: cappuccinos and cameras. I present to you a coffee shop whose design is inspired by a red vintage camera called the Rolleiflex twin-lens camera: The Dreamy Camera Café.

ADDRESS:

341-13 Jungwon-ri, Yongmun-myeon, Yangpyeong, Gyeonggi-do Phone: 031-771-3264

THE AUTHOR Amy-Leigh Braaf is 22 years old and has a BA in film production and English literature from the University of Cape Town. She is currently living in Ilsan, Gyeonggi-do, and working as an English teacher. She has worked for The Varsity Newspaper in Cape Town, freelanced as an illustrator and filmmaker, had her own radio show, and even started her own baking business.

However she feels the happiest when she writes about the stories she experiences along with the photographs she takes.

Her passion for photography and art has grown upon her arrival here, and it has become a driving force in the way she lives my life and how she intends on capturing it.

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Located in Yongmun-myeon, Yangpyeong, Gyeonggido, this coffee shop should have taken me three hours to get to from Daehwa Station; however, I am prone to getting lost and arrived there seven hours later. I had taken two buses, one subway, one train, and a taxi to get to this magical spot and back. I had gotten stuck in a storm, experienced a free K-pop street concert, and witnessed 70-year-olds standing on drums, singing karaoke in the street – all whilst waiting for a bus that would only arrive two hours later. But this was all worth the effort.

After arriving and stepping out of the taxi, I stood in awe in front of the shop. Taken aback by its idiosyncratic design and its welcoming aura, I took a moment to enter.

As if I had been thrown into a retro Dr. Seuss novel, I looked around me, still holding onto the door knob.

Next to this two-story shop was a quaint house that I found out was the humble abode of a married couple (the owners) and their daughter. The house and coffee shop were situated in the middle of luscious greenery and an open sky that looked as if it were experiencing daylight for the first time. There is only one word that can describe your first interaction with this quirky landmark, and that word is “surreal.”

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31

Park Sung-hwan and his wife Kwak Myung-hee are both collectors of vintage cameras, which they keep on the shelves that surround the shop. They take photographs together when they have time, and one can find their stunning pieces hanging on the walls of their cafe. On each level is a giant hole in the wall, protected by a window that mimics the lens of the twin-lens camera. I walked into the shop hysterical with excitement and relief after my long journey, and I was welcomed with beaming smiles and unbelievable hospitality. It felt as if I had come home from university for Christmas to have my family offer me a warm cup of tea and a slice of fruit cake. However, this time I was offered a menu and a piece of paper asking me to write down my dreams with a selection of colorful pens to choose from, which they then printed into an A7 size for me to keep in my pocket.

I was shocked by their dedication to helping others.

How can two people like these exist, I wondered.

The happily married couple, with a hunger for art and pushing others to fulfill their dreams as they had, truly touched me. On the wall by the staircase, a picture hung of the original plan that they had of their Dreamy Camera Café, which took them three years to design and build. Every corner was filled with an aesthetic piece that filled up the shop to create its whimsical aura.

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June 2017

These two individuals inspired me to write down the things that I want and slowly work towards, illustrating them into becoming a reality. What an enchanting place that is guaranteed to give you an out-of-world experience and have you leave with a fresh perspective on how you experience that crazy thing called life. If you ever find yourself in Korea, and are willing to take a bus or two, go to the Dreamy Camera Café. You are sure to leave it feeling touched by its magic.

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

The circular windows created a wonderful illusion of looking through a lens, or even a picturesque photograph. Polaroids of previous visitors filled up sections of the wall like the initials we engraved on trees as children. Only in Korea will you find a menu as creative and heartwarming as the one I found here. Their tea selection consisted of Lady Grey, Winter Dream, Green Angel, Apple Refresh, and Sweet Raspberry; their side menu contained honey bread, cheese cake, Kaya toast with cheese, and tiramisu cake.

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32 32

▲ Kia Tigers pitchers: From left, Hector Noesi, Lim Gi-young, Pat Dean, and Yang Hyun-jong

Baseball: Korea Style, Gwangju Style Written by Giovanni Pieve Photos courtesy of Kia Tigers and Lorryn Smit

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

June 2017

E

very year, spring brings with it beautiful weather, cherry blossoms, and the wonderful game of baseball. Since the start of April, the 10 teams of the KBO (Korean Baseball Organization) League have been competing every day for one of the five coveted playoff spots. After barely scraping into the postseason last year, our Gwangju Kia Tigers have dominated the first few months of the 2017 season. It’s an exciting time for the Tigers as both the team and their fans are hoping for another championship to add to their impressive collection. If you haven’t experienced a night at the ballpark yet, then now is truly the time to go.

Baseball is Korea’s most popular spectator sport, and Korea excels at both the international and domestic

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levels. Korea’s national team is ranked third in the world. The KBO League is often compared to leagues in the middle of the North American minor league system (AA ball usually. For soccer fans that’s about equivalent to League 1 in England.) In fact, except for a few different strategies here and there, the game here is largely the same as it is back in North America.

This provides many of us expats with a great way to escape to something familiar in a world of unfamiliarity.

With that said, while the game is the same, the fan experience is a whole other “ball game,” and this is apparent from the moment you arrive at the ballpark. When you enter the stadium, you immediately notice a European, soccer-like atmosphere, where the fans of each team are split

into different areas of the stadium.

Kia’s fans are always on the thirdbase line while the away fans (albeit, a much smaller and sometimes barely existent group) sit on the firstbase line. Each team’s supporters’ group is led by an MC who directs all of their chants and cheers. This is a far cry from the Major Leagues, as the vast distances between teams have always made it difficult for away fans to go to games. Because of this, the “supporters’ group” culture never had a chance to develop in the big leagues.

As the game begins, the fan sections can be heard singing and chanting various songs and cheers to support their teams. These chants go beyond the generic “Let’s go, team” chants that one would hear at a Major

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33 League game. In Korea, these chants are full-out songs that every die-hard fan has memorized. It doesn’t stop there either, because each individual position player (excluding pitchers) has his own song as well. While a Kia Tigers player is hitting, the fans will sing his customized song. The lyrics are usually shown on the electronic displays that line the façade of the upper deck. This makes it easy to follow and sing along, that is, if you can read Hangeul… just think of it as extra motivation to finally crack open that Korean textbook you bought during your first week here.

After singing the player’s theme song, fans will switch to a clapping chant that will be very familiar to North American baseball fans. At the end of the clapping, they will scream the players name followed by “anta” (hit) or “homerun,” depending on the type of hitter at the plate. Power hitters will get “homerun” cheers while contact hitters will get “anta” cheers. Just be sure to clap your hands and then point to the outfield when you say “anta” or “homerun”!

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The Tigers official online ticket seller is Ticketlink. Unfortunately, this is where it gets a little tricky because there is no English ticket site. If you have a basic grasp of Korean, then you might be able to navigate the website, but if you aren’t confident enough, then it might be best to have

The baseball season will last until the end of September, followed by a five-team postseason leading up to the Korean Series. This leaves plenty of time to attend a few games.

Don’t limit yourself to just Kia, either! There are nine other teams in different cities such as Seoul, Busan, and Daejeon. One of the teams in Seoul, the Nexen Heroes, even has an indoor stadium. There is no better place to be on a rainy day in Seoul!

Each stadium has unique cheers and experiences, and they are all worth checking out. If you find yourself in another city, be sure to check the schedules online on the KBO League’s English website.

Korean baseball provides fans with both a high-quality game and a fun, lively atmosphere. Whether you grew up with the game or not, the baseball stadium has something for everyone. This summer, be sure to check out a game or two, and support our Gwangju Kia Tigers!

June 2017

If you enjoy having a cold one while watching the game, then Korea has you covered with its cheap and refreshing beers. Canned beers are sold at the in-stadium convenience stores at prices similar to those found outside the stadium. If you prefer

By now, you are probably thinking, “I need to see this for myself.”

Lucky for you, attending a game is easy and affordable. The stadium is conveniently located just a short walk from Gwangju U-Square Bus Terminal. Tickets range in price, but generally, seats on the lower deck will cost about 10,000 to15,000 won, depending on how close to home plate you want to be. Upper-deck seats will cost about 8,000 to 9,000 won. Most of the time, it’s safe to just show up at the stadium the day of and purchase a ticket; however, some weekend and holiday games do sell out, so depending on the day, it might be better to purchase tickets beforehand.

a Korean friend buy them for you.

Alternatively, you can contact the wonderful people at Butler’s Korea.

They will handle everything for you and send you the reservation number so you can claim your tickets at the stadium.

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

Now, after a few innings of cheering and chanting, you might work up quite an appetite. The stadium has everything you need, just not necessarily everything you’d expect.

Instead of nachos, pretzels, and ballpark hotdogs, one will find squid chips, ddeokbokki (ricecake sticks in a hot sauce), and other Korean snacks. If Korean snacks aren’t your thing, there is always fried chicken and pizza available, and if that’s still not enough, remember, you can bring in outside food and drinks! Imagine doing that at a Major League game!

draft beer, then not to worry! There are draft beer stations all around the stadium that use special cups that fill from the bottom. The future of draft beer is right here in Gwangju, and its only 4,000 won per beer!

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TRAVEL

34

The Legend of the Sea-Parting Miracle

The Story of Grandmother Ppong

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

June 2017

Written by Mukhammadolim Alimov Photographed by Mukhamaadolin Alimov and courtesy of Jindo County

“I

n 1480, near the beginning of the Joseon Dynasty, Son Dong-ji was condemned to exile on Jeju Island. During his voyage to the island, the ship was wrecked in a storm, and Son drifted ashore at a place named Hoedong, or ‘Tiger Place,” because of the many tigers in the area. Son and his descendants lived in Hoedong for over 200 years.

Life was hard and villagers were frequently attacked and killed by the tigers. Finally, Son’s descendants took a raft and moved to the nearby island of Modo. However, an elderly woman

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named Grandmother Ppong was accidently left behind. The old lady longed to be reunited with her family and prayed for help night and day to the Dragon King of the Sea. Then one night early in March, the Dragon King appeared to her in a dream and told her to cross the sea by walking on the rainbow that he would provide for her. When she awoke, she ran to the sea and once again prayed to the Dragon King. Immediately, a rainbow-shaped opening appeared in the water between Hoedong and Modo. Grandmother Ppong started

out over the rainbow path, but the exertion was too much for her, and she collapsed. Her family, crossing the rainbow from the other side, found her, and as she died in their arms, she said ‘I am happy because the Dragon King has reunited me with my family.’ The inhabitants of Jindo Island still perform an annual ritual in remembrance of the seaparting miracle and grandmother Ppong, and many people come here to pray for their children and the people they love, so that their wishes come true.”

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35 This Legend of Grandmother Ppong is written on a stone in three languages (Korean, English, and Chinese) near the shore where the annual sea-parting takes place. The Jindo islanders have made rituals from the story into a big, interesting, cultural festival. As a result, a substantial number of tourists and international people who reside in Korea visit Jindo each year to take part in this festival.

The festival gives people enjoyment, and additionally, contributes to Jindo’s economic growth. For example, upon entering the festival area, visitors must pay a fee. But it is very cheap. And there are a lot of local merchants selling sea-boots and food. It gives a remarkable chance for local people to earn money. This is a good deed that the administration of Jindo Island provides for its inhabitants.

The administration cares about the safety of visitors. During the festival, you could see many police officers and military personnel since the festival was near the sea. They also led the participants across the sea because the crossing on foot wasn’t an easy task. And one couldn’t be 100 percent safe. To avoid any unpleasant situations, there were organized rescue boats at the ready. But no one really noticed that they were rescue boats because there was a ship parade in the middle of the day.

The ship parade demonstrated some interesting rituals with music, and they poured blue and red coloring into the water representing the flag of Korea.

There was also a color dancing game. The participants bought white T-shirts with the game’s name on them. They then colored each

other’s T-shirt with powdered colors.

This dancing activity was similar to a festival that usually takes place in India, the famous “Holi Holiday.” It was a lot of fun.

The actual sea-crossing took place after 6 p.m. because the level of the seawater was three meters high during the daytime, so it was impossible to cross. We knew that at night the tide was out and that the sea would leave “gifts” for everyone, oysters, for example. The line of “sea-crossers” was a few hundred meters in length.

The main sea-crossers of the event consisted of people who came to Korea from English-speaking countries to teach English and others who came to study in Korea.

Events such as this amaze international residents, for how can Koreans create such big events from such little legends? This little annual ritual has now become a huge event.

THE AUTHOR

Mukhammadolim Alimov is from Uzbekistan. He is 25 years old and a second-year student of Chonnam National University. He likes playing tennis and chess, and swimming.

June 2017

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▲ The writer (right) before the sea-parting journey

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

This year, the event took place on April 29. The number of visitors was in the thousands. To make the day full of joy, the organizers of the festival arranged many interesting shows. While walking along the seashore, you could hear traditional Korean folk music like “Arirang.”

At the entrance of the festival was a local open theater where artists demonstrated and performed in shows related to topics about Korean folk culture. Korean traditional and modern dancing are examples of the kinds of shows I observed. And when trained dogs performed several tricks, the mood of the whole audience became lighter. The trainers of the dogs were very skilled, so they had taught the dogs to do many difficult routines. One of the dogs could even count by barking, and this surprised many of the visitors. At the center of the event grounds was a circle, and it was surrounded by various food tents of different nationalities such as Korean, Japanese, Chinese, Turkish, German, and Vietnamese. So, everyone could enjoy different tastes in a small space. Also at the center, there was a square with sand where wrestling matches were held. Many wrestlers fought with each other, making the day more enjoyable.

There were some girl wrestlers who competed against boy wrestlers and won their matches. Although wrestling between two different genders is against the sport’s rules, their performance entertained the audience, and female visitors loudly applauded when a girl wrestler won.

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36

Effortless “Real” Travel: Couchsurfing

TRAVEL

Written and photographed by Wilhelmina Assam

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

June 2017

T

he aroma of sizzling cheese and corn dough fills the small, family kitchen – the grease splatting messily on the countertop. Several pairs of smiling eyes are on the strange foreigner seated at the dining room table in her pajamas. They watch with judgement and anticipation. I am about to sample my first homemade pupusa (a thick, corn tortilla stuffed with a savory filling, typically accompanied by spicy coleslaw), the national dish of El Salvador.

Notoriously known for having one of the world’s “murder capitals,” it isn’t always a tempting option for travelers to venture off the Central American tourism path into El Salvador. Even less likely is for a tourist to attempt to stay with and connect with the locals there.

However, that’s exactly what I was able to do in January 2016, thanks to Couchsurfing.org. This is a website that self-proclaims that “couchsurfers open their homes and share their lives,” allowing travelers to “connect and be inspired.” And it truly does. It lets you stay on the couch/ bed/floor of a stranger in any city, for no money at all; the

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currency on Couchsurfing (CS) is kindness. You repay your host in good stories and good vibes.

I started couchsurfing with this trip, mainly as a way to save money and keep my backpacking fund going for longer. But meeting people like Susan and her family solidified my love of CS, whatever my budget. I was given delicious homemade food every day, taken to some remote spots (I now know where to swim in a natural hot spring and get the best pupusas in Ahuachapán!).

Honestly, I was “living the vida local,” which is something all “true” travelers dream of! All this in a country that everyone back home had warned me to be careful of.

Gwangju CS host, Park Hwee-sung, thinks that hosting can be just as eye-opening when travel isn’t an option.

“In Korea, people have to work all the time. They’re very busy. Sharing cultures, food, and travel stories happens naturally [when hosting] with CS.” Park began using CS as a surfer whilst overseas, and when he returned to his hometown of Gwangju, he felt it

2017-06-02 �� 3:58:10

37 was important “to give back and provide as a host” as had been done for him abroad. He enjoys it so much that he decided to skip a potential career in anthropology and, instead, build a life around housing travelers. Park has recently set up his own guesthouse; however, he still uses CS, opting to give travelers a bed in his place when there is space.

I’m sure you’re now thinking how to sign up.

Getting started with CS is easy: You just sign up with your email address or Facebook account to make a profile. It’s really helpful to fill out your personal profile with plenty of information about yourself and past travels to make it easier to find kindred souls.

And just how do you trust those kindred souls?

First off, CS has a paid verification process using your ID, address, and/or telephone number.

However, this is optional, and to be honest, most people opt out. The most reliable method

for choosing safe and fun couchsurfers is the reference system. After staying with a host or hosting, you are required to fill out either a positive, neutral, or negative reference. This should include lots of information about the stay and the person who hosted you.

As a solo traveler, I would never stay with someone with less than two positive references and would especially rely on references from other females. However, I have hosted people with absolutely zero references and not yet experienced anything terrible. Well, there was the Spaniard who somehow managed to break our toilet seat, but that’s a funny story for another time.

As Ibn Battuta has said, “Traveling – it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller.”

Likewise, that’s the thing about CS. You build up a wicked repertoire of stories about people from all over the globe, and all at no cost. So, what are you waiting for?

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

June 2017

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2017-06-02 �� 3:58:10

38 From Abroad

Follow Our Silk Road

Part 3: Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan TRAVEL

Written and photographed by Áine Byrne and Fabio Tardim

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

June 2017

S

o far on this journey along the Silk Road, we have traveled through Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. As we exited Uzbekistan into Turkmen territory, it was with exhilaration for what lay ahead, and melancholy as our journey was nearing its end.

In this month’s article, we explain more about hermit Turkmenistan and modern Azerbaijan, and why we ended our Silk Road journey in Baku rather than Iran or Turkey.

Turkmenistan’s border crossing was equally as detailed as Uzbekistan’s, but as far as a border passing can go in this region, it was actually not too bad. We moved away from the settled traders of Uzbekistan into the Karakum Desert, Darvaza Craters, Ashgabat, the Caspian Sea, a desert dash back up to Kazakhstan, and enjoyed a taster of Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan, though not part of the Silk Road, was the perfect way to end our trip, with its modernity

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and thriving cultural scene. If all went as planned it would have been a miracle, but that said, traveling the Silk Road is a wonderful, mindaltering experience that will only open your mind. If you decide to go, you will find out for yourself.

isolated Central Asian republic, but it wasn’t always like this. It used to be known as Turkmenia, and it was the crossroads of many civilizations for hundreds of years; the city of Merv was one of the biggest of its time and an important stop for caravans.

Let’s discover more about Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan.

The history of the Turkmen people is closely related to Iran and Turkey, since they were also under the rule of the Seljuk Empire. Though there hadn’t been a Turkmen nation until the Soviet Union, nomadic Turkmen tribes were always staunchly independent, feared, and respected. Despite significant resistance, Russian forces eventually occupied and annexed Turkmenistan in the late 1800s. Turkmenistan became a province under Tsarist rule, then a Soviet Republic, and finally an independent state in 1991.

Turkmenistan is the richest of the “-stans,” as it has the world’s fourth largest reserve of natural gas.

TURKMENISTAN Traveling the hermit kingdom was never meant to be an easy task. Even in the context of bureaucratic former Soviet republics, Turkmenistan is on another level. Strict visa rules and tight border controls are second only to North Korea, and often a visa application can be refused without further explanation. That said, for those who make it there, Turkmen hospitality is the source of legend, and some of its sights are truly remarkable and startlingly unique.

History in Brief Turkmenistan is

today’s

most

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39 Top Highlights Despite the country’s lack of interest in promoting tourism, there are a number of interesting places to keep visitors busy. The main problem is the lack of infrastructure that ends up making the country one of the most expensive in the region. Trains are old and painfully slow, but incredibly cheap. Otherwise, you have to hire a (shared) taxi.

• Konye-Urgench: In the northwest of the country, this city used to be the ancient capital of Khorezm (now a province of Uzbekistan). The city was renowned for its beautiful mosques and madrassas. Great scholars lived here and the city had many resourceful libraries; it was also known as “the capital of a thousand wise men” and “the heart of Islam.”

Most of its current sights date back to the 14th century.

• Darvaza Gas Craters (aka “The Gates of Hell”): This unusual site is one of the most popular among

visitors. It’s a man-made crater as a result of a natural gas field exploration that collapsed. Apparently, geologists set it on fire to prevent the spread of methane gas. It was meant to burn for a few days, but it has been on fire for more than 40 years. It’s in the middle of the Karakum Desert, quite hard to get to but a “hell” of a sight at nighttime.

• Ashgabat: The old city was completely levelled by the tragic earthquake of 1948 (magnitude 7.3).

Under Soviet rule, it was rebuilt as a typical boring Soviet city. But after independence, the eccentric President Niyazov left a curious imprint on the city. Nowadays, the city is more like a bizarre cross between Las Vegas and Pyongyang.

• Merv: This city used to be the lynchpin for caravan traders. Its foundation dates back to the third century B.C., and its name has changed several times since. In its heyday back in the 11th century, it

was known as “Queen of the World.”

Merv was the place to be for scholars, artisans, and traders. As with any other city in the region, it all came to an end when the Mongols decided it was a good idea to check it out. Little remains today as a faint reminder of ancient glories.

The more you know about Turkmenistan, the stranger it gets. It is an odd entity, but it has improved a little bit since egocentric President Niyazov (aka Turkmenbashi) died in 2006. It represents a challenge even for experienced travelers, and perhaps it is a better idea to visit it on an organized tour or with a licensed guide.

AZERBAIJAN Republic of Azerbaijan Our passage to Azerbaijan was due to Turkmenistan’s “transit visa” rules, so our journey could only end in Baku.

Nevertheless, it was a great end to our

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

June 2017

▲

Konye, Urgench, Turkmenistan

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June 2017

40

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41 Silk Road journey. Some consider Azerbaijan as European, others Asian, but we will describe it as Eurasian with a dash of Turkic-Persian culture. Combining two esteemed empires, it was the ancient Persians and the Seljuk Turks of the 11th century who established the country. In an ode to its Zoroastrian faith and vast petroleum provisions, the name Azerbaijan means “Land of Fire.”

History in Brief Understanding Azerbaijan’s unique and complex history requires a deep knowledge of Persian, Arab, Turkish, and Soviet empires. Prior to 642 A.D., Azerbaijan’s history is vague; however, it was known as a wealthy province of the Arab empire. When that empire fell, the country was ravaged by the Mongol invasions. After that it prospered under the Shirvan Shahs, the Mongol Il-Khans, and the Safavid Dynasty of Persia.

As Azerbaijan is located near Central Asian and European trading routes, it was fought over by the Ottomans, Persians, and the Russians for centuries. In the end, in 1828, it was the Russians who divided the land. The last dynasties of native Azeri khans were quenched and controversial borderlines were developed – which are still debatable today. From the 1870s, the establishment of the oil field industry led to Azerbaijan prospering prior to WWI. Soviet rule took over in 1919, and there were continuous battles for freedom. The nation was captured again and officially became a union republic of the U.S.S.R. in 1936, much to the dismay of nationalists. Continuous turbulence occurred until Azerbaijan was finally declared independent on August 30, 1991, when the Soviet Union collapsed.

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A visit to Baku in the Land of Fire will not leave one feeling transported to Doha or Dubai; there is quite a big difference. The city is very cosmopolitan and driven by oil wealth, but it has a distinct European atmosphere.

And as soon as you leave the confines of the capital, you will see another exquisite world. The surrounding countryside will astound you with its remarkable scenery and wildlife, helped along by the kindness of the Azeri folks.

THE AUTHORS

Áine Byrne and Fabio Tardim are an intrepid traveling couple currently journeying across Central Asia while writing a series about each country for the Gwangju News. They will also publish articles for multiple media outlets about their trip in spring 2017. To find out more about Central Asia and how to get there, follow their travels via www. followoursilkroad.com.

June 2017

Previous page: From topmost: ◀ Gates of Hell, Turkmenistan ◀ Ashgabat, Turkmenistan ◀ Old City, Baku ◀ Baku, Azerbaijan

Old Azerbaijani Proverb “Speak not of what you have read, but about what you have understood.”

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Top Highlights The “Land of Fire” will simply captivate you with its mesmerizing countryside and ancient blend of historical empires. Azerbaijan is a rapidly transforming landscape super-charged by its oil-rich fields and petroleum wealth.

While Shaki in the north mesmerizes, the multicultural and cosmopolitan capital city of Baku in the south simply amazes with its neo-modern architecture and ancient dwellings perched next to the shining sapphire of the Caspian Sea. • Fazıl Labarynth – Shaki: Dating from the second to seventh centuries B.C., an archeological site of graves and dwellings has been unearthed. Remains of animal

sacrifices, pottery, jewelry, and lots more can be found at the labyrinth.

• Gobustan National Park – Baku: A UNESCOprotected site, Gobustan will stun you with its magnificent mountain views. Wandering through Gobustan, one will find thousands of primordial petroglyphs (stone carvings) depicting ancient warriors and animals.

• Old Walled City – Baku: Explore the alleys of the Old Walled City, which dates back to the Paleolithic era. Visit the Maiden Tower and join a medieval workshop. One can also visit the beautiful Palace of the Shirvanshas, the museum, gardens, and courtyards, or try out the old bathhouse.

• Maidan’s Tower – Baku: Go wander through a 12thcentury historical monument located on the beautiful Caspian Sea. Besides a view of a nice castle and panoramic vistas, you can learn a bit about the history and architecture of Baku, and learn about the legends of the monument.

• Gizil Agach State National Reserve – Lankaran: Take a trip to Gizil Agach Bay, located in Lankaran, in the southeast of the country. Gizil Agach is overrun with natural flora and fauna. The wildlife features spectacular bird species, not to mention marine life.

• Mud Volcanoes – Qobustan: Located on Daşgil Hill south of Baku, Qobustan is a peculiar accumulation of miniature mud volcanoes. The mud volcanoes are pointed embankments that burble, dribble, and sometimes explode!

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ARTS & CULTURE

42 Gwangju Writes

Catching the Last Subway Home

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June 2017

Written by David Summers

T

he teacher was tired.

After a long and crappy day at work, he was finally going home to his crappy little one-room apartment.

He would microwave something, grab a beer, and maybe watch a movie or something before finally crashing. Only to wake up early the next day and go back to his crappy job and start the whole process again.

This was not what he wanted out of life. He had dreams and the desire to escape somehow, but right now, he was focused on just getting home.

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He entered the metro station, waved his metro pass over the turnstile, and started taking the stairs to the subway platform. There were not many people. It was a Thursday and already late at night. That was good.

It meant that he could just zone out and mostly ignore the locals.

Why Korea?

Seriously, why? This country was grinding him down. The language was impossible to learn. The food was either boiled to death or painfully spicy or both. He suspected

his boss of underpaying him with his monthly paycheck on some pretense about “withholding 5 percent for tax purposes” or some such flimsy excuse. He had no friends, his job was a total dead end, and his life sucked in general.

Three years. Three years like this, and he felt more and more miserable with every day.

Finally, he arrived at his platform and waited for the last train to arrive.

They had those barrier glass doors and advertising panels separating the

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43 platform itself from the rails below.

One too many cases of suicide.

Some poor soul would be having a bad day, and then they would throw themselves onto the tracks of the oncoming subway train. So, a while back, the Seoul Metro authorities had installed the barrier doors.

Trains arrive and come to a stop, and then the train doors and the barrier doors open together and people can embark or disembark.

He stood at one of the barrier doors and blankly stared at the tracks just below him.

It would be the final train of the evening before they shut the station down. He was tired. This country was no longer of interest to him.

Oh, he had planned to save some money and learn the local lingo, but there were always little expenses and his take-home pay was not much to begin with. Yes, he had taken a stab at learning Korean but… nobody cared. Locals just wanted to speak English with him, even the cashiers at McDonalds. After only a few months, he had given up on the whole idea of trying not to be just an “ugly American.” It just was not worth the effort; especially after a hard day. Who wants to study after work when your brain is fuzzy and your energy level is low?

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“DEAR.” Swiftly, silently, along the tracks…

“SWEET.” Into the darkness of the tunnel, and it was gone from sight…

“GOD!” he screamed.

He stumbled back in horror from the edge of the platform. That thing.

That nightmare thing. He turned to the closest person next to him for support.

“Did you see it? Goddamnit. You saw it?”

The ajumma looked up from her cell phone blankly.

“Are you kidding me? Really?? OH COME ON! WAKE UP!!! Motbwasseo? Bwasseo-yo? Did you see it?”

The ajumma dropped her gaze resolutely back to her cell phone and awkwardly backed away from him.

They must have seen it. They must have. It was fast, sure, but somebody must have seen it. Oh, dear god. That thing. It was… it was…

“You saw it? Anybody?” he said with his voice rising in panic. He gestured wildly for attention. Somebody.

Please, somebody. Somebody else must have seen it.

“Hey. I’m talking here.” He yelled at the other people scattered along the platform. “Who saw it? Hey. HEY!” There was one couple fairly close by who looked on at him in curiosity.

He rushed to them to explain, and they immediately shied away from him. Nobody wanted to get involved with the crazy foreign guy late at night.

His panic mutated into frustration and anger. Why were they not listening?

“You stupid idiots!” he ranted. “You stupid, stupid selfish, bastards. How can you all not have seen it? That’s insane. Right there! Right goddamn there just beyond the glass barrier doors.”

He ran his fingers through his hair in despair. “How can you NOT have seen it? That thing was… it… oh hell, it was big.”

It was at this point that two station security guards showed up. As if by magic, they appeared right behind him.

“Hi?” said the first station guard.

“Oh, finally. Yes. Yes. Yes,” babbled the teacher in relief. “There’s something on the train tracks.”

“Slow please,” said the guard, smiling gently.

“Yes, slowly. Of course. Um…” The teacher took a deep breath to steady his nerves. “Um, this is an emergency.

Emergency, understand? OK? There’s something… something… on… the… tracks. Up there. In the tunnel.

Up there!”

The teacher waved his hands violently in the direction of the tunnel for emphasis.

“Tunnel?” said the guard.

“Yes, yes, tunnel. The tunnel. You have got to stop the last train. Um... danger? Um… jo-shim-hae-yo? I think? Crap!”

June 2017

He needed to get out though. Quit his job and just go. This was not him.

His whole attitude toward life had changed since his time here, and he was not comfortable with the change.

He complained more than he should,

It slithered past his field of vision…

There were a couple of teens a little distance away, but as he shouted at them and made a move towards them, they backed off too. There was nobody. He was alone in the rapidly evaporating crowd.

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He had been here too long. He had become cynical and embittered and petty-minded. The teacher wanted out. To just leave Korea. Go home.

Yet that was not really an option.

Not really. He still had way too much student debt back home to take care of, and at least here, teaching jobs were relatively easy and reliable to get.

and he drank more than he should, and he…

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44 Both guards stood silently looking at him.

“Um, no. That’s not it. I… Hangookoh… Hangook-ok. No, that’s not right. Just please. Please. You’ve got to get the people out of here. Right now.”

The guards remained silent and continued to watch him curiously.

A couple of people started sliding closer to the center of the action, cell phone cameras in hand.

This was not working. They couldn’t, or wouldn’t, understand him.

Dammit. It was then that he saw the emergency alarm mounted on the wall behind the guards.

The fire alarm! That would do it.

People had to be warned. There was no other way. He made his move.

The guards were watching him very carefully, however. They anticipated him trying to do something reckless and instantly, with well-practiced moves, restrained him.

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June 2017

It was hopeless. He didn’t even come close to reaching the alarm. One minute, he was making a desperate attempt to push past them, and the next, he was down hard on the platform concrete with the wind knocked out of him and his arms pinned behind his back.

Heaving for breath and in pain, the teacher was pulled to his feet by the security guards.

“Alcohol? You go bar, yes? Bar today?

Soju, yes?” said one of the guards.

“No. You don’t... Oh god, please.

I’m not drunk. Drink no. No drink.

LISTEN TO ME,” the teacher pleaded.

But the guards were in no mood to listen. It was almost the end of the

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shift, and after the last train picked up the last of the passengers, they were going home. Drunks were common at this time of night. The only difference was that this happened to be a foreign drunk. Oh well. They had a job to do.

With his arms firmly held behind his back, the two guards got ready to frog-march the teacher away from the platform and up to ground level and then into the station office/ holding cell.

“NO,” wailed the teacher. “You don’t understand. Oh god. Please somebody help.”

Yet just as they were ready to leave the platform, the station duty officer arrived. He was only a junior officer, but the official duty officer of station security nonetheless. This was his station and his watch, and he wanted to know what all the fuss was about.

The two ajeossi guards saluted smartly and explained in rapid-fire Korean the situation. The officer said something in return and, instantly, the teacher was free, though the guards stayed very close by him on either side.

“May I help you?” said the junior officer.

“I… I… wait. Do you speak English?” said the teacher.

“I’m sorry. Only little. Is there a problem here?”

The teacher hesitated. He had to make the officer understand. “There is an emergency. I tried to explain before. But, oh hell, you’ve got to listen to me.”

“What happened?”

“Just over there. I saw it. On the tracks. You’ve got to get everybody

out. I was waiting for the train. Oh god! The train. Those people. It will be here any minute. You’ve got to stop the train. You’ve got to.”

“I’m sorry. What did you see?”

Again the teacher hesitated. What should he say? How could he possibly describe what he saw? That brief glimpse of… that thing… that horrifying… what words could possibly explain it?

“There’s this thing. In the dark. It went into the tunnel up there. It’s on the tracks. Never seen anything like it before. Came out of nowhere.”

“A thing?”

“Yes. Some animal maybe. No. No, that’s not right. I mean… it was… I can’t… some kind of a monster. Big and fast. I only got a look just for a split second. These men were going to arrest me for being drunk. I’m not drunk. I saw it.”

“Please sir, you need to go home. Go home now. No trouble here, please.”

“NO. GODDAMNIT! YOU’RE NOT LISTENING. YOU CAN’T. YOU’VE GOT TO LISTEN TO ME. PEOPLE ARE IN DANGER HERE! DON’T YOU GET IT? DANGER! IT’S REAL. IT’S RIGHT UP THERE IN THE DARK. OH GOD!” The guards grabbed him by his shoulders and arms. It was over. It was late, and they all just wanted to go home. What could he do? He had blown his chance to explain. They didn’t get it. They didn’t get him.

In one last attempt, borne of desperation and fear, he strained half-free of the vise-like grip of the guards and leaned in towards the officer. And from deep within his soul, a word came from some longforgotten Korean class.

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45 “Jebal.”

His eyes made contact with the junior officer. “Jebal,” he begged.

The officer looked back at him in shock and surprise. The guards hesitated.

Once more. “Jebal.”

The officer made a slight gesture and the guards released their prisoner.

The teacher stood there, gasping for breath, not daring to move in case he broke the spell.

“In the dark?” said the officer.

“Ne. Ne. Ne. Yes. In the dark. Up that tunnel.”

The officer turned to the emergency broadcast intercom and pressed the button.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” he intoned, his voice booming across both platforms and all upper floors, “the last train tonight is cancelled due to technical difficulties. We are closing the station ahead of time.

For your own safely, please follow the designated exits, and leave in a quick and orderly fashion. Make sure to take your belongings with you. If you require assistance, please contact station staff. On behalf of the Seoul Metropolitan Subway Service, we apologize for any inconvenience.

Thank you for your cooperation.”

A barely audible groan of frustration rose up from nearby passengers as they heard the announcement. This was going to be very inconvenient for them all.

The officer turned back to the teacher. “No train now. Everyone will leave the station. We will do a safety check.”

“Oh, thank you, sir. Thank you.

Thank you very much, sir,” sobbed the teacher with relief.

“Yes. Everybody has to go. Get everybody out as fast as possible.

Yes.” The officer approached his men and started giving instructions.

The teacher felt almost giddy with happiness. Against all odds, he had managed to get through to them. The station was to be cleared and not a moment too soon.

With a smile on his face, the teacher walked off to the exit stairs nearby, eagerly gesturing to disappointed passengers to hurry on up the stairs and leave. It was over. They’d shut it all down and called in a SWAT team or the Army or something. Everyone was going to be safe.

In dribs and drabs, the people left.

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June 2017

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46 Soon the platform was almost deserted. The teacher turned back to the platform to check on the security crew, but to his surprise, he found they were gone. Puzzled, he returned to the spot where he’d left them.

One of the barrier doors was manually ratcheted open, gaining access to the tracks below. He peered through another closed glass barrier door further up.

June 2017

And then came the screams.

“NO!” he cried in terror.

Down on the tracks, torches on and pointed dead ahead, the security crew moved slowly and deliberately forward, step by step, closer and closer into the darkness of the tunnel gaping before them.

The teacher blindly turned to run away, but immediately stumbled against the large fire safety cabinet set against the wall. Pushing himself back up, he caught his own reflection in the glass cover of the cabinet. He saw himself, stripped naked by his fear. His life revealed in a flash in all of its petty smallness.

A creature that was powerless and pitiful… and yes, cynical and embittered. A wave of self-loathing and contempt surged from within.

The track safety check!

“No,” he spat out.

The teacher rushed to the nearest barrier door and slammed his hands against the glass.

That image in the glass revolted him.

Acting on pure instinct, he smashed the glass and the reflection it held.

He reached in past the broken glass of the cabinet door and grabbed an emergency torch in one fist and a metal fire extinguisher in the other.

He raced to the open barrier door and jumped down onto the tracks.

There, beyond the sealed glass doors was the junior officer and his two men.

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Petrified, the teacher held his breath. Starting from the far end of the platform, the lights blinked out one by one, the darkness bleeding slowly out from the tunnel to envelope the platform beyond.

“NO” he cried, his voice muffled by the thick glass and steel. “NO. GET OUT OF THERE. GET AWAY FROM IT. COME BACK. PLEASE.” He slammed his hands against the glass. Again and again and again. They had to stop. They had to get out from there. Torches and pepper spray were not going to help them.

The officer and his men had a job to do. They were resolved. Whatever it was in there that had disrupted the Seoul Metropolitan Subway Service, well, they were going to find it out. It was their station. The darkness of the tunnel would not deter them from their duty. Never.

The guards with their junior officer were beyond view into the darkness just ahead.

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“Hold on,” he gasped. ”I’m coming.”

And then, he dashed forward and was swallowed up by the darkness.

I

f you have been outside at all in recent months, you can’t have helped but notice that beautiful blue days are few and far between, and that in general the sky is an unwholesome gray color, if not outright blanketed in smog and pollution. While this is generally attributed to the “yellow dust” phenomenon, in which sand and dust from the Gobi Desert in China are blown over to Korea, the hard truth is that only about 30 percent of the pollution we experience originates from there – the rest is homegrown (according to Greenpeace). This is a problem that needs to be seriously examined, considering that South Korea has become one the world’s most polluted countries; Seoul these days often overtaking notorious Beijing in terms of air pollution in daily rankings.

Why the seemingly sudden spike in air pollution? One area of blame is that reliance on clean nuclear energy has dropped sharply, while shares in coal-powered energy sources have been on the rise. A reason for this is the numerous scandals surrounding Korea’s nuclear power reactors, including falsified safety certificates for faulty equipment (among other problems), which has made the

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Health

4747

Let’s Keep Our Lungs Healthy!

Written by Kelsey Rivers

Korean public wary of nuclear energy. It does not help either that, in general, the Korean media portrays the air pollution problem as cyclical, not chronic. If the governmental and societal solution is to take shortterm preventative measures and pin the blame on China, why would they go the hard way and actually enact long-term policy changes?

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AIR PURIFIERS To be honest, the benefits of air purifiers are more anecdotal than scientifically proven, but in smaller, more poorly ventilated rooms, they can have an effect in reducing indoor air pollution. Air purifiers work by sucking in air, trapping particulate matter or gases by means of filter materials or electrostatic attraction, and releasing the clean air into the room.

PLANTS Not only do plants naturally remove toxins from the air while simultaneously producing fresh oxygen, they are also beautiful and less of a blow to the wallet than the energy-using air purifiers. Easy-tomaintain air-purifying plants include areca palms, snake plants, money plants, and bamboo palms. There are plenty of other suggestions online for other air purifying plants, so if you can’t find a few of these at your local kkotjib (꽃집, flower shop), then you can research for further suggestions.

June 2017

Although the ultimate solution

MASKS What is most important when buying a mask is the filtration system and the fit of the mask. A lot of masks do not have sophisticated filtration systems in place, so they only block the larger particles in the air. What they really need to be blocking is PM2.5, or the particulate matter that is small enough to get into the lungs and enter the bloodstream.

And if the fit is not quite right, unfiltered air can seep in at the edges and render the mask useless.

While you may just want to rely on your typical convenience storepurchased mask, consider investing in a more expensive mask in which you can replace the filters, and that is designed to more closely fit the face.

When buying a mask, make sure to take note of its anti-haze index. This shows the percentage of pollution it can filter out of the air. For example, an N95 mask filters 95 percent of the particulate matter out of the air you

breathe. It is recommended to buy an N95 or above.

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Why do we even care? If the pollution just causes a sore throat and some sinus issues, that’s not so bad, right?

Actually, the ultrafine pollution, “PM2.5,” for which the government has already issued at least 85 warnings of unhealthy levels this year (twice the number of the whole previous year’s warnings of 41), is labeled a first-degree carcinogen by the World Health Organization (WHO). PM2.5 can carry all manner of pollutants, including arsenic and lead, and when it penetrates deep into the lungs, it can cause serious illnesses, including cancer and heart disease. It is estimated by WHO that air pollution contributes to three million deaths a year! As is often the case, children and the elderly are the most at-risk groups for developing illness due to pollution.

would be for Korea to enact regionwide policy changes to limit pollution and find cleaner sources of energy, on an individual basis there is not much we can do beyond taking measures to protect ourselves from exposure.

Here are a few ways you can protect your lungs.

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48 Book Review

“Lolita” by Vladimir Nabokov Deconstructing “Lolita” Through the Eyes of a Disreputable Narrator

Written by Amy-Leigh Braaf

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June 2017

ARTS & CULTURE

“Lo-lee-ta: the tip of the tongue taking a trip of three steps down the palate to tap, at three, on the teeth. Lo. Lee. Ta.” – Vladimir Nabokov, Lolita

T

he word association for the name “Lolita” has been used to describe a sexually precocious female who is undergoing puberty. When you read Vladimir Nabokov’s novel Lolita, you are guaranteed to experience a process of guilt as you uncover the sordid actions of the narrator Humbert Humbert as he forms an obsessive desire for his landlady’s 12-year-old daughter, Lolita.

“Lolita” is a word that has been reproduced and oversaturated in the media through many forms. Japan’s “Lolita culture” is as intriguing and unsettling as the novel itself. This fashion subculture inspired by Victorian and Edwardian clothing seems to be a playful mimicry of it.

One might simply think that it is just a new generation’s retake on 20th century fashion; however, for those who have read Lolita, the word association is more likely to trigger themes of pedophilia, which is skillfully written about, however eerily justified, through the eyes of Humbert Humbert.

This book is incredibly well-written as its content causes the reader to question both their own beliefs as well as their environment. The fact that it was published 62 years ago and is perhaps even more pertinent today proves that Nabokov’s work is timeless. The novel follows a European intellectual who has a history of mental illness and a fetish for whom he calls “nymphets,” young preteen girls whom he finds sexually attractive. For a novel with controversial content such as this to be written during the 1950s and to be over-consumed by the public only furthers how it exposes and reveals the human desire for what is forbidden. Taboo subjects have changed over the decades; however, pedophilia has been morphed and repackaged through fashion trends that promote sexualizing the “Lolita girl” instead of chastising it.

We see it in the music industry with Lana Del Rey’s song Carmen, in which she describes her love affair with her “old

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man” and quotes Nabokov’s words, “Light of my life, fire of my loins,” which is among the most famous lines from the novel Lolita. In cinema, there have been adaptations of the novel by directors such as Stanley Kubrick, Adrian Lyne, and South Africa’s Jahmil XT Qubeka, whose film Of Good Report, portraying themes from Lolita, was banned by the Film and Publication Board based on the fear of promoting pornographic content. However, he did receive an award for artistic bravery from the Durban International Film Festival. An incredibly talented lecturer, Professor Imraan Covaadia, previously gave a lecture on this novel and also received a backlash from some students who deemed it inappropriate. His 2010 talk “How to Read Lolita” explains that it is a complex novel that should not simply be discredited because of its content but rather analyzed through scrutiny and deconstruction.

It is evident that this novel has had a global effect on how the media and the public interact when faced with taboo subjects. How can a novel that follows the life of a pedophile, who justifies his calculated manipulation of a young girl over many years, be deemed as one of TIME Magazine’s 100 best English-language novels published between the years 1923 to 2005? It is a question for the reader to sit on. The reader must evaluate their beliefs and their understanding of the novel by using their perception of the world that they live in and the effects that come with fetishizing and appropriating specific cultures and demographics to benefit one’s own desires, whether personal or for mass consumption.

Vladimir Nabokov’s novel may be an extremely complex one, perhaps not in his writing style but in the context through which he tells this story; it is a timeless masterpiece that forces us to question one very important thing: who are the people that feed us information and how will we receive it?

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Movie Review

49

꽃잎

A Petal Written by Cole Clouse

T

The introduction to our no-name protagonist, Girl (for ease of reading), shows us a normal pre-teen dancing, singing popular songs, and trying to impress older boys. But within the first ten minutes of the movie, we see her become a disheveled mess: crooked and rotting teeth, homeless, and non-verbal. Meeting a man by chance, she follows him, only to be raped. Yet, she doesn’t know any better and follows him for some type of security. She has both a roof and food, dirty as they are. And still the rapes continue.

Coming into this movie, I was surprised at how little Gwangju factored into the run-time and in its effect on the protagonist.

Few scenes are dedicated to Girl during the Gwangju Uprising itself.

Instead, we are shown the aftereffects that continue to haunt her: the aforementioned corpse escape, a ghostly appearance on a train, selfmutilation with a pair of scissors, beautifully drawn but grotesque animated nightmares that prevent her from even escaping during sleep. It almost feels as if Girl is personifying the Korean people.

A horrible incident occurred.

Physically surviving, but emotionally and mentally scarred, Girl is left wandering aimlessly from place to place, trying to make sense of the world.

To say this would be the worst of the movie is wishful thinking. Lee Junghyun (a famous pop singer from years past) gives a fantastic performance as a broken down, lifeless child who can’t even make sense of the world around her. Her life is haunted by memories of where her life, in essence, ended.

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A Petal is not an easy watch. The

short run-time is to the benefit of the viewing audience. While there is welcome respite from seeing Girl suffer, this creates a detriment to other parts of the movie. A subplot of Girl’s friend, and scenes of the documentary crew trying to locate Girl, are underdeveloped. The timelines are told out of chronological order, but even then, it feels they are only used to show that Girl does have some sort of future love and hope.

And maybe not just for her, but for the countless like her that we have in our world today. As one of the crew says, “If you see the girl on the streets begging, don’t act like she isn’t there.” People may be quick to fight but are slow to pick up the pieces of the conflict. What results is Girl: the shell of a person to be used, abused, and discarded.

Note: The acts occurring in Gwangju from May 18 through 27, 1980, are a controversial topic for Koreans to this day. Sides are very passionate for their own opinions about what happened. As a foreigner/guest in this country, I speak as neutrally as I can in reviewing this movie in hopes of not only respecting the views of the readers, but also of those who died during the nine days of violence.

THE AUTHOR Cole loves watching movies. Movies are meant to be watched. It’s a match made in heaven.

June 2017

While in Gwangju, Girl is caught up in the sudden rush of political violence. Protestors to Chun Doohwan’s military leadership are caught in a violent clash with soldiers. Girl is left alive and somehow ends up grouped with dead corpses in the aftermath. As the bodies are dumped by soldiers, Girl emerges a survivor but carrying the horror of the event with her. She continues on without a family as none of them survived the tragedy.

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he violence that occurred in Gwangju on May 18, 1980 is referred to in various ways: The Gwangju Uprising (in historical text), the May 18 Democratic Uprising (by UNESCO), and (to some in Jeollanam-do), the Gwangju Massacre. For the main character of the movie A Petal, the event had no name. For the character, it was simply the end of normalcy and any attempt at what humanity she could have had.

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50 Expat Living

Package Delivery

COMMUNITY

Written by GIC Staff * From Gwangju Guidebook , 3rd Edition

GENERAL PARCEL DELIVERY Korea’s infrastructure is already considered a developed one, which makes delivery and transportation very convenient. It generally takes a day to have a parcel delivered, but in some cases, like on long holidays when there is an overload of mail, it may take two to three days. Please take note that all deliveries to Jeju Island will usually take about two days minimum and the fee may be double the regular fee of mainland post. Usually a deliveryman receives the parcel directly from a customer’s house, office, or other location and delivers it to wherever the customer wants. Rates vary depending on distance, parcel type, and weight. It is called “prepayment” (선불) when the sender pays, and “cash on delivery” (착불) when the receiver pays.

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June 2017

KOREA POST Korean Postal Service delivers mail nationwide and internationally. You can buy packaging boxes directly or use your own boxes to send parcels. Rates are usually calculated by box size and weight. If you cannot visit the post office directly, you can also apply for pick-up service at your preferred location (home, office). Rates may be slightly higher than if visiting the post office directly. For more information and rates, check their website: https://parcel.epost. go.kr/auth.EpostLogin.parcel CONVENIENCE STORE PARCEL DELIVERY Several convenience stores send and receive parcels by courier whenever you visit the store and pay appropriate rates for the parcel delivery. Students and office workers normally prefer this method since convenience stores are open 24 hours and are very strategically located. CU and GS25 use CJ Express, and Ministop and 7-Eleven use Lotte Express (previously Hyundai Express). Rates can go as low as

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2,600 won for a parcel of 350 grams and below for CU, GS25, and 7-Eleven, and 3,000 won for Ministop (this rate for same-region delivery).

GS25 and CU Post can also send parcels abroad. For more information, please check their websites: https:// www.cupost.co.kr/postbox/main.cupost# (CU Post), http://www.cvsnet.co.kr/postbox/m_home/index.jsp (GS25) EXPRESS BUS PARCEL DELIVERY This delivery service uses an express bus that sends registered parcels from Gwangju’s U-Square Gwangcheon Bus Terminal. The service also sends messages or calls to receivers about relevant express bus arrival information. If the receiver is late, the parcel will be delivered to the parcel service office at the bus terminal. Express bus parcel services only handle prepaid (선불) parcels.

KTX PARCEL DELIVERY This express delivery service sends articles in a quarter of a day. Taking advantage of the KTX train service ensures arrival time to be quite accurate and the parcel to arrive safely. If you want to use the KTX parcel service, visit the business office in the train station or use an affiliated quick service.

QUICK SERVICE This delivery service quickly sends small parcels by motorcycle or truck in 24 hours. You should make reservations online or by telephone, and pay the fare in cash or by bank transfer. If it is sent cash-ondelivery, a delivery person will ask the receiver for the fee. This service is usually only available within the same region or the same city.

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51 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.

Talk to Me In Korean

Package Delivery

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택배 [taek-ppae]: delivery / package 택배 아저씨 [taek-ppae-a-jeo-ssi]: delivery man Since most package deliverers are men, the general term to address an older male, 아저씨, is used.

(time) + -전에/이후에 와 주실 수 있어요? [(time) + -jeo-ne/i-hu-e wa ju-sil ssu i-sseo-yo?]

Can you come before/after (time)?

Deliveries in Korea cannot be requested to arrive at specific times, but the delivery men are often asked to come before/after a certain hour. When placing an order, it is best to write this phrase in the space for special instructions. If you forget to include this and your package comes when you are not home, the delivery man will call the phone number you provided, and you can then use this phrase. Depending on the delivery service company or the delivery person’s schedule, the deliverer might not be able to come back to the neighborhood again just for you alone, so it is best to let them know beforehand.

EDUCATION

Sample Sentences 택배 아저씨 왔어요? [taek-ppae a-jeo-ssi wa-sseo-yo?] = Did the delivery man come?

Sample Sentences 세 시 이후에 와 주실 수 있어요? [se si i-hu-e wa ju-sil ssu i-sseo-yo?]: Can you come after 3:00? 경비실에 맡겨 주세요. [gyeong-bi-si-re mat-kkyeo ju-se-yo.]: Please leave it at the security desk.

Most homes in big cities in Korea are apartments rather than stand-alone homes. Many apartment buildings/ complexes have a security desk and security guards, which makes this phrase the most common instruction for deliveries. Use this phrase when a delivery man calls to deliver your package and you are not at home to receive it.

택배입니다. [taek-ppae-im-ni-da.] / 택배인데요. [taek-ppae-in-de-yo.]

(This is a) delivery/package.

When delivering a package, delivery men will say either of these two phrases through the door or phone. 집에 계세요? [ji-be gye-se-yo?]: Are you at home (now)? 집에 언제 계세요? [ji-be eon-je gye-se-yo?]: When are you home?

You’ll hear this phrase when a delivery man is calling before arriving at your home.

This book extract from Survival Korean is available at MyKoreanStore.com

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June 2017

지금 집에 안 계셔서 전화드렸어요. [ji-geum ji-be an gye-syeo-seo jeonwa-deu-ryeo-sseo-yo.]

I’m calling you because you are not at home now.

This phrase is often the first phrase the delivery man says when calling you.

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문 앞에 놔 주세요. [mun a-pe nwa ju-se-yo.]

Please leave it in front of the door.

If you live in a building that has a separate entrance door to the building that only residents can open, you can safely tell the delivery person to leave the package in front of your building entrance.

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52 KOTESOL

English Education in Korea: From Whence It Came Written by Dr. David Shaffer

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June 2017

EDUCATION

W

hat do Imperial Japan, foreign missionaries, Peace Corps volunteers, and the USAID program have in common? Teaching English as a foreign language… in Korea.

Many of us may be informed about the teaching of English in the presentday Korean context – test-driven learning, the English Divide, being required from grade three through high school, supplementary hagwon classes, grammar rule and vocabulary memorization – but knowing a little about how these practices came about might give a bit of perspective to the present situation and even inform our classroom performance.

I select the end of World War II (1945) as our starting point, when the defeat of Imperial Japan and the division of the Peninsula led to the formation of the South Korean government and civilian services. During Japanese colonial rule, English had been taught in the few specialized secondary schools in Korea, but as the war effort increased and English was viewed as the language of the enemy, English teaching was discontinued. PostWWII Korea found itself in a situation in which no English had been taught to anyone for nearly a decade and all the former English teachers (who were Japanese) had returned to Japan.

At the same time, American military rule necessitated the influx of large numbers of military and civilian

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Topmost: English class at St. Joseph Girls’ High School in Gangjin County, Jeonnam, 1970.

Peace Corps volunteer and his Korean co-teacher teaching English to a middle school class through song (c. 1970). ▲

▲ U.S.

personnel. Many of these volunteered to teach English in Korea’s schools in their free time.

Soon, however, another disrupted the fledgling

conflict English

education attempts: the Korean War (1950–53). During this period, education was intermittent, if not completely discontinued, due to human resources being directed to the war effort and school facilities being

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53 destroyed. After the war, Korea lay in ruins. Before education could resume, the infrastructure needed to be rebuilt.

International aid flowed in, much of it from the U.S. To support English education, hundreds of Koreans went to the U.S. for formal English education and teacher training. At the same time, USAID programs brought English teaching specialists to Korea to support English programs that were being started at the secondary and post-secondary school level.

One of these USAID specialists to Korea was Robert Maston, stationed in Seoul in the late 1950s and early 1960s to develop English teaching methods and materials. He was producing “pattern practice” charts, a key feature of the Audiolingual Method, in Korea even before the method gained popularity in the U.S. However, these new methods had little effect on English education in Korea (and soon fell out of favor even in the U.S.) with Korean teachers who had learned foreign language for years via the ubiquitous and longlived Grammar-Translation Method.

Teachers teach the way they were taught, as the saying goes.

The 1980s were an explosive decade in Korea in more ways than one.

Secondary and tertiary school enrollments ballooned; the number of colleges and universities skyrocketed; and hagwons were no longer banned, mushrooming throughout the country. These all had repercussions for English learning that are still being felt today.

THE AUTHOR

David E. Shaffer is Vice-President of the GwangjuJeonnam Chapter of Korea TESOL (KOTESOL).

On behalf of the Chapter, he invites you to participate in the teacher development workshops at their monthly meetings (always on a Saturday). For many years, Dr. Shaffer has been a professor of English Language at Chosun University, where he has taught graduate and undergraduate courses.

He is a long-time member of KOTESOL and a holder of various KOTESOL positions, including First Vice-President and Publications Committee Chair. Dr. Shaffer credits KOTESOL for much of his professional development in English language teaching. He is also editor-inchief of Gwangju News.

GWANGJU-JEONNAM KOTESOL MONTHLY MEETING Date: June 10 (Saturday) Place: Gwangju National University of Education Two Main Session Presentations on EFL Topics SwapShop – Share with the group an activity or teaching idea that you have.

For full event details: Website: koreatesol.org/gwangju Facebook: Gwangju-Jeonnam KOTESOL

June 2017

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It was also in the early 1960s that U.S. President Kennedy established the U.S. Peace Corps, and by 1966, there were groups of volunteers headed for Korea. The main programs that they were in were public health, and middle school and university English programs. Being a former Peace Corps/Korea volunteer myself, I may be a bit biased, but I think that it was the Peace Corps presence in Korea (1966– 80) that drew the roadmap for today’s English programs in Korea. Peace Corps coordinated with the Korean government in placing volunteers in schools in cities and less populated areas throughout the country. Middle school teachers, especially, introduced co-teaching practices to their Korean counterparts. They also introduced the latest in teaching techniques: studentcentered activities, such as pair-work, and language learning in fun ways, such as through song. But even more important than this, during summer and winter vacation periods, Peace Corps English teachers conducted in-service teacher-training programs approved by the Korean government.

These training programs led to the creation of today’s city and provincial educational training institutes, and current EPIK programs in Korea in many ways mirror the Peace Corps’

English program blueprints of a generation earlier.

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But let’s be careful not to give these U.S. government initiatives and specialists like Maston more credit than they deserve. Mention needs to be made of the early western missionaries, predominately Presbyterians, Methodists, Baptists, and Roman Catholics, who came to Korea’s shores before the turn of the 20th century. In addition to churches and congregations, they established schools and hospitals. Today’s Yonsei University, for example, had its beginnings as a missionary hospital (1885) with a formal medical school opening in 1899. In the first third of the 20th century, mission schools began appearing outside of Seoul in population centers across the Peninsula. In their secondary schools, English was usually taught though their missionary teachers often

had little training in EFL teaching techniques other than their nativespeaker English skills. One missionary educator of note was the Reverend Dr. William Scott, who was using pattern practice-like techniques in Hamheung in the 1930s, long before Maston’s work in Seoul. After Japanese rule and the Korean War, missionary schools began to thrive again, and along with them, so did the teaching of English. While mentioning notable educators, Yonsei University, and the post-war period, we would be remiss not to note the American linguist (phonologist) Fred Lukoff, who was at Yonsei from 1957 to 1963 setting up a model English language program.

Dr. Lukoff also developed numerous coursebooks for learning Korean.

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OPINION

54 Op-ed

South Korea in the Doldrums: Going from Worse to Bad?

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

June 2017

Written by Kim Dong-hun (8ball) Photographed by Lorryn Smit

F

irst, I want to start by clarifying that I was born and raised in Korea, and I am still proud of being Korean, although I don’t see myself as a dedicated patriot.

I studied political science in university, but politics had never been my forte, and seemingly complicated political situations had never interested me at all. Therefore, when it came to political issues, I was nothing but a schmuck.

However, something unpredictable and unimaginable erupted last year that totally changed my mind. Since then, I have become keenly interested in pending political issues at home and abroad. I also decided to learn more about such issues through podcast shows and news on YouTube.

But why?

Once again, I had never paid much attention to any ongoing

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political issues because I thought things would never look up, no matter what I did and no matter how hard I tried.

Thus, I turned a deaf ear and a blind eye to every political issue as if it were none of my concern. I just thought politics and political decisions were like something beyond my pay grade, and all I did was shift blame on politicians and the president for any misery, tragedy, or unhappiness. I was merely skeptical and pessimistic about Korea’s political future. Then, something happened that made me realize now is as good a time as any to turn over a new leaf and do something. It was October 2016 when I returned home from my trip to Vietnam with my parents. Before flying to Vietnam, I saw some people gathering for a rally after an alleged presidential scandal, but at the time, I thought it was just another political conspiracy or rumor arising

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55 without any substantiated evidence and that it would last only for a while because I regarded myself and others as easily influenced and duped by individuals and the media.

However, when I came back to Korea, the number of people participating in the rally had drastically grown. It also astonished me that more solid evidence and crucial witnesses emerged despite these perpetrators’ denials of any wrongdoing. Accordingly, I decided to join the weekly candlelight vigils, which became an eye-opening experience when I saw people from all walks of life sitting down for hours, chanting and belting out songs together.

While regularly joining these peaceful but sustainable vigils for several months, I was constantly overwhelmed by people’s strong desire and enthusiasm in their calls for changes to be made by impeaching the accused president, and for bringing all those responsible to justice and making our country better; this made me firmly believe that justice shall prevail, although we still have a long way to go.

Now, that president has been impeached and is behind bars, while her accomplices have been charged with collusion. The Sewol Ferry has finally been salvaged after being under water for nearly three years, while search efforts continue for traces of those nine souls still missing.

The United States’ controversial THAAD system has been deployed, angering China and bringing economic retaliation to Korea. North Korea continues its saberrattling by conducting missile and nuclear tests amid mounting tensions between the U.S., the two Koreas, and their neighboring countries.

tell you one thing for sure: Things will not get any worse, because we have already hit rock bottom in some ways.

Two former presidents have ruined almost everything, including the economy, politics, and our own lives. So far, we have been reluctant to pay attention to these things, and we fear making changes. But now we know exactly what consequences will ensue if we don’t take appropriate action in a timely manner. We learned our lessons the hard way.

What should we do now?

As we kept saying throughout the rally, and as the Constitution says, we are the sovereigns of the country, and the so-called leaders should not be authorized to do anything on their own without our approval. Instead of allowing them to make decisions for us, we should get involved, make our voices heard, and take action if necessary. Getting involved and voicing my opinion in unison with others during the rally has given me a sense of responsibility for what has happened and what will happen. Let us not forget why things have gone wrong in the first place and how hard we have tried and should try to fix them. In this way, we can make our country better again as our grandfathers and fathers have done.

Note: The views expressed here are solely those of the author.

THE AUTHOR

8ball (Kim Dong-hun) is a free spirit working at the GIC. His major hobby is visiting different countries in the world and of all the 30-ish countries he has visited so far, his favorite country is Taiwan.

With all these things happening, does our future bode well? Honestly, I have no idea, because I am not a magic 8 ball, although my nickname is “8ball”. However, I can

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

June 2017

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56

Community Board

Have something you want to share with the community?

Gwangju News Community Board provides a space for the community to announce club activities and special events.

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

UNESCO KONA VOLUNTEERS KONA Storybook Center (KSC) is a registered small public library supported by UNESCO KONA Volunteers (UKV). UKV is a registered organization that helps disadvantaged children to learn English independently through storybooks and story-maps. We guide the family and children to develop a love of reading storybooks in English. We also give guidance to volunteers in using storybooks. We are looking for long-term volunteers who desire to enrich their lives. We are asking volunteers to commit to helping at least once a month.

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June 2017

The days of KONA volunteering and the facilities are as follows: 1. KONA Storybook Center Every Saturday, 3–5 pm 2. Gwangju Children’s Home 1st, 2nd, and 4th Saturday, 3rd Sunday, 3–5 pm 3. Grandmother’s Community Children’s Center 4th Friday, 4–6 pm For more information, please visit http://cafe.daum.net/konavolunteers or our Facebook page of KONA Storybook Center and UNESCO KONA Volunteers, or contact Kim Young-Im 062-434-9887, or email konacenter@gmail.com

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.

GWANGJU ART CLASS GIC, 2nd Floor, Room 3 12:30–3:00 pm, Saturdays Facebook: Gwangju Art Class Welcome art lovers and sketch enthusiasts from Gwangju and surrounding areas.

We are here to revive the art community in Gwangju and bring artists closer together through weekly drawing classes.

The classes are for anyone interested in developing their artistic skill, any age or level. Each class focuses on various exercises and art principles. We work with still life and nude model life drawing.

GWANGJU FILIPINO ENGLISH TEACHERS (GFET) Every 3rd Tuesday of the month 10 am – 12 noon, GIC, Room 3 (2F) We are a group of Filipino English teachers in Gwangju who conduct regular accent training and lectures to help fellow English teachers to become better educators.

GWANGJU ANIMAL SHELTER VOLUNTEERING Every Sunday. Meet at The First Alleyway at 12 for brunch and carpool to the shelter.

Walk dogs between 1–4 pm.

Please wear comfortable clothing.

See you there!

Facebook: Gwangju Animal Shelter Volunteering

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GIC ZUMBA WITH THANDO GIC Hall, 1st floor, GIC 7-8 pm, Thursdays Facebook: GIC Zumba With Thando Zumba is BACK at the GIC! It is a fun-filled cardio class that fits all levels, no experience needed.

Come get the body back for summer and have fun while you are at it.

Midweek fitness party.

Dress comfortably and be ready to sweat. Also, bring along water and a towel.

GWANGJU UKULELE CIRCLE Global Lounge Gallery, 1st floor, GIC 1:30–3:00 pm Every 2nd and 4th Sunday http://carleenkirksey.wixsite.com/ gwangjuukecircle Gwangju Ukulele Circle is an open group playing ukulele songs together.

It’s a great way to make sure you keep practicing and learning new chords and songs. A chord chart and music is available on the website under “song sheets,” so you can practice and become accustomed to the songs we’ll play that week and the chords we’ll use. All levels are welcome! Bring your ukulele to the GIC for the next circle!

TUESDAY NIGHT YOGA GIC Hall, 1st Floor 7–8 pm, Thursdays Facebook: Gwangju Yoga with Emily This is a weekly class appropriate for all levels. Beginners and advanced practitioners alike are encouraged to join.

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Attorney Attorney Park’s Park’s Law Law Firm Firm We're ready to serve your best interests in legal disputes.

We provide affordable consultation & representation.

▶ Areas of Specialty contracts, torts, family law, immigration, labor ▶ Civil & Criminal Attorney Park, Duckhee

former judge, GIC board member Services available in Korean, English & Chinese

#402 Simsan Bldg, 342-13 Jisan-dong, Dong-gu, Gwangju Location: next to Gwangju District Court

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Tel: 062) 222-0011 Fax: 062)222-0013 duckheepark@hanmail.net

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