(EN) Gwangju News March 2017 #181

Gwangju and South Jeolla International Magazine I March 2017 Issue No.181

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Gwangju & South Jeolla International Magazine

Get Involved!

March 2017, Issue No. 181 Published: March 7, 2017 Cover Photo: Courtesy of Gwangju International Center Cover Art & Design: Joe Wabe

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

Dr. Gyonggu Shin Dr. David Shaffer Kelsey Rivers, Anastasia Traynin Nathan Fulkerson Joe Wabe Karina Prananto Lorryn Smit Eden Jones Brian Fitzroy, Joey Nunez, Gabi Nygaard David Foster, Di Foster, Paolo Mondragon, Ynell Lumantao-Mondragon, Stephen Redeker, Lauren Reyes, Terri Venable Ahn Hyerang, Jang Jaehee, Park Chulhan, Yu Ri

Gwangju News is the first local 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.

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

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

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

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

Email us today and start getting involved! www.gwangjunewsgic.com

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.

Join the GN Team

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

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

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GwangjuNews

@GwangjuNewsGIC

Volunteering Inquiries and Feedback: gwangjunews@gic.or.kr Advertising and Subscription Inquiries: karina@gic.or.kr or 062-226-2733~34

March 2017

Registration No. 광주광역시 라. 00145 (ISSN 2093-5315) Registration Date: February 22, 2010 Printed by Join Adcom 조인애드컴 (+82)-62-367-7702

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Contents

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

March 2017

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GWANGJU NEWS 04. Gwangju City News 05. GIC Talk March Schedule 06. Upcoming Events 07. GIC Talk Preview 08. Gwangju Theater Schedule 09. Community Board COMMUNITY 14. Organic Foods: Why and Where (in Korea) 16. Hansalim: The Origin of Korea’s Eco-friendly Local Food Cooperative Movement 18. Lost in Gwangju: Pungam-dong 42. Sports: Five Reasons to Love K-League 48. Expat Living: Spring Colds

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FEATURE 20. Gwangju Women Link: Creating a World Free of Discrimination 22. Back to School: Perspectives on Korean Education EDUCATION 49. Talk to Me in Korean: Hair Salon 50. KOTESOL: Activating Your Language Learning Activities ARTS & CULTURE 24. City of Art: Guide to Gwangju’s Art Museums and Art Street 26. The 3rd Annual Gwangju Performance Project Cabaret 28. Photo Essay: Your Eyes Are Magic: Finding Stillness in Southeast Asia 32. Photos of the Month

TRAVEL 34. Around Korea: Gwangyang Maehwa Festival 44. Tequila: The Essence of Mexico 46. Insights of a Traveler: The Second Trip FOOD & DRINKS 37. Korean Food: The Spring Five – Oshinchae 38. Kitchen Stories: A Recipe Series Exploring Food and Identity 40. Where to Eat: Thai Holic OPINION 52. Jane Jacobs: Citizen, Activist, Good Neighbor 54. International Students’ Views on the Korean Presidential Scandal (Choi Sun-sil-gate)

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Letter from the Editor

W

e are entering March, coming out of the winter freeze and springing into the next season of the rotation. Spring brings with it the warmth and joy of rejuvenation, an increase in activities and in the flow of the juices in the foliage and fauna and the humanity that lives amongst them. The staff of Gwangju News, however, did not slow down during the winter, bringing you each month a magazine filled with interesting, relevant, and current information on the goings-on in our part of the peninsula.

Every month is spring at Gwangju News! Being newly appointed as editor-in-chief of our magazine this year, I am just becoming familiar with the staffing side of Gwangju News who (most of them being purely volunteers) continuously amaze me. They freely contribute endless hours each month to bring you a fresh, new issue of our publication.

Our writers step forward, choosing to pen the well-crafted pieces that this magazine provides. Their dedication and volunteerism is certain to continue to provide you with outstanding reading material. And so it is that the contributions of the GIC staff and our volunteer writers’ dedication bring you yet another superlative edition of Gwangju News.

With spring comes new beginnings, and one of these is the launch of the new school year. Our feature on education offers snapshots of how students and their parents prepare for the new semester. As March 8 is International Women’s Day, our second feature highlights Women Link, promoters of social change and women’s rights. Another beginning in this issue is Karly Pierre’s debuting of her new column on secret Korean recipes. This issue also takes us to the neighborhood of Pungam-dong, reviews the notable Chonnam Back Gate restaurant Thai Holic, gives us a peek into the upcoming Cabaret show, and brings us much more.

So sit back, turn the pages, and let March bring you warmth and joy.

David E. Shaffer Editor-in-Chief

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

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March 2017

CORRECTION “Songjeong Surprise: 1913 Songjeong Market” published in the February 2017 issue was printed as being written

by Rachel Johnstone. The author is Bridgette Britton. We apologize for the mistake.

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GWANGJU NEWS

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Gwangju City

News

Compiled by JANG Jaehee, YU Ri and PARK Chulhan

Centers Nationwide Provide Free Interpreting Services

Jeju Airlines Launches Low-Cost Service to Gwangju

For multicultural families with low levels of Korean language skill in Korea, multicultural family support centers across the country are offering free translation and interpreting services beginning this month. Under the program, the centers’ language specialists will visit administrative institutions where they will translate Korean documents necessary to settle in Korea.

For Chinese immigrants, the multicultural center in Jeollanam-do’s Yeosu City is providing the service until the end of the year. People can request the service by visiting the center or by phone.

The center in Seoul is providing a free translation and interpreting service in Vietnamese, while the facility in Goyang of Gyeonggi-do provides the service in both Chinese and Vietnamese.

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

March 2017

Non-stop Train Service to be Launched for Seoul– Gwangju Route The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport has announced it will launch a new non-stop bullet train service between Seoul and Gwangju that will take just one hour and 30 minutes. Previously, the ministry announced a nonstop train service from Seoul to Busan that was to begin in June, but it has decided to launch the Gwangju route as well, shortening the current trip by 20 to 40 minutes.

A new, low-cost airline option connecting Gwangju to Jeju Island will launch this spring. Jeju Airlines will begin a twice-daily roundtrip service beginning March 28 to take advantage of warm-weather tourism.

It has been reported that Jeju Airlines is currently working together with the Gwangju metropolitan government to secure route permission and appropriate facilities. Once all plans are finalized by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport, round-trip flights are expected to begin in the morning and late afternoon.

The new flights will bring the total number of flight services to Gwangju Airport to 17 and are expected to draw an additional 20,000 passengers to the local airport facility.

However, airport officials have stated that due to financial difficulties, there are no further plans to relaunch other domestic services.

Currently, the KTX and the new Super Rapid Train (SRT), take about two hours for the Gwangju–Seoul route, stopping from anywhere from two to seven stations along the way. Of course, passengers can expect non-stop fares to be higher than the current price for both the KTX and SRT services.

Non-stop service between the capital and Busan was first launched in December 2010, but was halted after seeing failing financial returns.

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March Schedule The monthly GIC Talk will showcase talks from speakers who would like to share their areas of expertise with the GIC Talk audience, with new topics throughout 2017.

Time & Location: Saturdays 4–5 p.m., GIC Auditorium (1st floor) For more information and for a GIC Talk application, contact gictalk@gic.or.kr.

:: March 18

Speaker: William Harris Topic: Healthy Masculinity: How We Can Create Cultures Free from Violence See the Talk Preview on page 7.

:: March 11

Freecycle (11 am to 4 pm) There will be no GIC Talk this Saturday.

Gwangju Women Link, founded on March 11, 2000, is working to get rid of discrimination and marginalization in the workplace, at home, in the community, and in everyday life. The organization also strives to build a world of women’s participation. We are striving for a society without gender discrimination – with equal participation for women in social life, politics, the economy, culture, and all other areas – and for a society with harmony between nature and people. Through the GIC Talk, Gwangju Women Link hopes to spark discussions about the world and problems that Women Link is working to alleviate.

March 2017

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Speaker: Gwangju Women Link Topic: A World Without Discrimination

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

::March 25

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Events

GWANGJU NEWS

Upcoming

March

UNESCO Creative City of Media Arts Gwangju Platform

Opening March 1, 2017 Bitgoeul Citizen Cultural Center 7, Cheonbyeonjwa-ro 338-beon-gil, Nam-gu, Gwangju Admission Fee: Free “Hologram Theater” and “Media Playground” admission fees apply. *Tickets can be purchased online Telephone: 062-670-7454 Website: http://www.gjmp.kr/

Gurye Sansuyu Flower Festival March 18 to 26 Sandong-myeon, Gurye-gun, Jeollanam-do

Admission Fee: Free Telephone: 061-780-2726 Website: http://sansuyu.gurye.go.kr/ sanflower/

Spring comes along with fields of yellow Sansuyu flowers at the foot of Jiri Mountain. This annual flower festival attracts visitors from all over the nation for this once-ayear flower scene.

Gwangju became a member of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network as a city of media arts in 2014. In order to create a venue for communication and exchange with other UNESCO creative cities, and to re-establish and utilize the media arts industry as a sustainable force for urban development, the Gwangju Cultural Foundation is now opening the Gwangju Media Arts Platform, a venue specializing in media arts and consisting of six spaces for creativity.

Six Spaces of Light

Hologram Theater (admission fee applies), Media Playground (admission fee applies), Hologram Facade, Media 338, Digital Gallery, Media Arts Archive

[Musical] Phantom

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

March 2017

[Exhibition] 2017 – Moon and Light Initiate a Conversation Until April 2, 2017 Gwangju Museum of Art

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

The works of Gwangju and Daegu photographers will be exhibited at the Gwangju Museum of Art to create a bond between not only the photographers of Gwangju and Daegu, but also the citizens of the two cities. This exhibition will utilize photography as a medium of cultural exchange, and for historical and social bonding.

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March 11 to 12 Gwangju Culture & Arts Center Grand Theater

Admission Fees: VIP seats: 140,000 won R seats: 120,000 won S seats: 90,000 won A seats: 70,000 won Times: (170 minutes) March 11: 2 pm, 6:30 pm March 12: 2 pm, 8 pm Telephone: 1588-0766 Website: http://gjart.gwangju.go.kr/cmd

Based on the novel “The Phantom of the Opera”

by Gaston Leroux (1910), this musical first premiered in Houston, Texas in 1991.

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Talk Preview

SWEET 2017

March 15 to 17 Exhibition Hall, Conference Room Kimdaejung Convention Center, Gwangju Admission: Free Exhibition hours: 10 am to 5 pm Website: http://www.sweet.or.kr Telephone: 062-611-2215

The Solar, Wind, and Earth Energy Trade Fair celebrates its 12th anniversary and will continue to maintain its reputation as a promising exhibition for companies in the renewable energy industry.

March 11 Party Town 57 (Jungang-ro 160 beongil 23-4, Dong-gu, Gwangju)

William Harris is an alumni and veteran member of Men Can Stop Rape’s Men of Strength Club (MOST Club). During this GIC Talk, William will explain some of the ways that MCSR works with

This GIC Talk will feature an interactive mini-workshop designed to simulate the type of conversation that would take place during one of MOST Club’s meetings, an explanation of the methods used by MSCR to help end violence against women, and a question and answer segment where you can ask the presenter questions about the talk or its subject matter. Come and join the GIC Talk; listen, discuss, and share your thoughts this month at the Gwangju International Center.

March 2017

Time: 7:30 pm Admission: 20,000 won (Includes: One seat at a VIP table (seats four) and a complimentary dessert and cheese package (per person).

Website: www.gwangjutheater.com, gpptickets@gmail.com For more information, please refer to page 26

young men in the United States and around the world to help combat men’s violence against women.

Men Can Stop Rape’s youth development program, the Men of Strength Club, is the US’s premier primary violence prevention program for mobilizing young men to prevent sexual and dating violence.

The Men of Strength Club provides young men with a structured and supportive space to build individualized definitions of masculinity that promote healthy relationships. www.gwangjunewsgic.com

Gwangju Performance Project The Third Annual Cabaret MASQUERADE

M

en Can Stop Rape (MSCR) seeks to mobilize men to use their strength for creating cultures free from violence, especially men’s violence against women. In 1997, the founders of Men Can Stop Rape pioneered a different way of addressing the epidemic of violence against women. Though the majority of violent acts against women are committed by men, the vast majority of prevention efforts are riskreduction and self-defense tactics directed at women. The founders wanted to shift the responsibility of deterring harm away from women by promoting healthy, nonviolent masculinity. This vision offered a plan for prevention that outlines positive, proactive solutions to engaging men as allies, inspiring them to feel motivated and capable to end men’s violence against women.

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GWANGJU THEATER GWANGJU NEWS

62 Chungjang-no 5-ga, Dong-gu, Gwangju (two blocks behind NC WAVE) TICKETS: 8,000 won INFORMATION: 062-224-5858 Synopses excerpted from Wikipedia.

Snowy Road

눈길

Genre: Drama Director: Lee Na-jeong Time Length: 121 minutes Starring: Kim Yeong-ok, Kim Hyang-ki, Kim Sae-ron The drama depicts the sad and beautiful friendship between two friends from the same village.

The Light Between Oceans 파도가 지나간 자리

Genres: Drama, Romance Director: Derek Cianfrance Time Length: 132 minutes Starring: Michael Fassbender, Alicia Vikander, Rachel Weisz A traumatized and withdrawn hero of World War 1 is hired as a lightkeeper off the coast of Western Australia where he meets and marries a local girl.

Toni Erdmann

토니 에드만

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

March 2017

Genre: Drama Director: Maren Ade Time Length: 162 minutes Starring: Peter Simonischek, Sandra Huller, Ingrid Bisu A divorced music hippie with a passion for bizarre pranks decides to reconnect with his workaholic daughter who lives in Romania.

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On the Beach at Night Alone 컨택트

Genre: Drama Director: Hong Sang-soo Time Length: 116 minutes Starring: Kim Min-hee, Jeong Jaeyeong, Seo Young-hwa After an affair with a married man, celebrated actress Young-hee decides to take some time out.

SPECIAL MOVIE SCREENING BY DIRECTOR JIM JARMUSCH 짐 자무쉬 감독 특별전

Dead Man

데드 맨

Genre: Drama Time Length: 121 minutes Starring: Johnny Depp, Gary Farmer, Billy Bob Thorton An accountant from Ohio moved to the frontier company town of Machine to assume accounting work in the town’s metal works, only to discover that the position has been filled, and is driven out from the workplace at gunpoint.

Coffee and Cigarettes

커피와 담배

Genre: Comedy Time Length: 95 minutes Starring: Michael Fassbender, Alicia Vikander, Rachel Weisz This film consists of 11 short stories that share coffee and cigarettes as a common thread.

Night on Earth 지상의 밤

Genres: Comedy, Drama Time Length: 128 minutes Starring: Winona Ryder, Gena Rowlands, Giancarlo Esposito The film is a collection of five vignettes, taking place during the same night, concerning the temporary bonds formed between taxi drivers and their passengers in five cities.

Stranger Than Paradise

천국보다 낯선

Genres: Comedy, Drama Time Length: 90 minutes Starring: John Lurie, Eszter Balint, Richard Edson The film is a three-act story about Willie, who lives in New York City, and his interaction with the two other main characters.

Mystery Train

미스테리 트레인

Time Length: 113 minutes Starring: Youki Kudoh, Masatoshi Nagase The film comprises a triptych of stories involving foreign protagonists unfolding over the course of the same night in downtown Memphis.

For the full March movie calendar, please visit: cafe.naver.com/cinemagwangju

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Community Board

Have something you want to share with the community?

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

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

UNESCO KONA VOLUNTEERS KONA Storybook Center (KSC) is a registered public small 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 family and children to develop the 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.

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

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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.

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.

March 2017

GWANGJU ANIMAL SHELTER VOLUNTEERING Every Sunday. Meet at the Alleyway at 12 for brunch and carpool to the shelter. Walk dogs between 1–4 pm. Please wear comfortable clothing.

See you there!

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

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

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Tuesday Night Yoga

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

March 2017

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Start from March 8

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www.gwangjunewsgic.com

March 2017

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Kruimelta art

A minimum of 5 students are required for class opening.

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

March 2017

FREECYCLE

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www.gwangjunewsgic.com

March 2017

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COMMUNITY

14 LOCAL ENTREPRENEURS

Organic Foods

Why and Where (in Korea)

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

March 2017

Words By Douglas Baumwoll

L

ast year it came to me that I wanted to try an experiment. I went to Emart and bought two sweet potatoes, one “organic” and one “conventional.” I similarly bought two tomatoes.

I took them home and performed some basic observations on these foods.

Before I get to my observations, allow me to quickly define some of the pertinent terms to our discussion. You will have to look into these more on your own, but when talking about this topic, and when shopping, you need to distinguish between the following descriptors: organic, pesticide-free, additive-free, and natural. Regarding

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“organic” produce, technically it must have been grown without the use of either synthetic chemical fertilizers or chemical pesticides. So, for example, a “pesticide-free” fruit or vegetable may still have been grown using a synthetic (human-made) fertilizer. This is a problem. Did you know that nitrogen fertilizer is created from ammonia and natural gas? Apart from any human health ramifications, simply fabricating the substance requires large amounts of fossil-fuel energy input. Also, the applied fertilizer migrates into soil and water (rivers, lakes, sea), as plants use only a small percentage of that which is applied. In 2016, according to United

Nations data, 195 million metric tons of nitrogen, phosphate, and potassium fertilizers were produced and consumed worldwide.

Okay, back to my experiment. After cooking the sweet potatoes, I cut them open. The color was totally different, as were the texture and taste. The organic one was a beautiful, rich, orange color, and the texture was soft and homogenous. The conventional potato was a washed-out, brown-yellow color, and the texture was very fibrous. The taste, most importantly, was completely different. Can you guess which one tasted better? Now, on to the tomatoes. The or-

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15 ganic one was smaller, and when cut open was a deep, rich, red color; the smell of tomato laded the air. The conventional tomato was mealy, light pink, and appeared sort of water-logged.

Again, the organic specimen tasted much more intensely like it should.

My experiment was a nonscientific, qualitative, subjective assessment. It turns out, however, that there is objective scientific backing for the observations I made. National Geographic reported in 2014 that results of a peer-reviewed university study found organic foods to contain between 18 and 69 percent higher levels of a range of antioxidants, as well as lower levels of pesticides. “So what?” you ask. Well, these antioxidants, aside from any possible cancerpreventing benefits, also account for plants’ “organoleptic” qualities – that means taste, aroma, and “mouth-feel” to you and me. Other studies indicate that organic foods contain 25 percent higher levels of 11 nutrients.

Now, the price of organic foods here in Korea is typically double that of its conventional counterpart. The last time I checked in Emart, one head of broccoli was about 4,000 won. You must consider, however, that in terms of antioxidants and nutrition, you need to eat about 1.25 to 1.69 times as much in the weight of a conventional fruit or vegetable in order to ingest the same amount as its organic equivalent. Furthermore, you must reflect on other consumer concerns, as highlighted below.

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March 2017

Okay, you have decided you want to buy organic foods. The Korea Times has reported that availability of organic products is on the rise in Korea, and some enterprises, such as Hansalim, are centering their businesses on the organic foods movement.

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

On a global scale, the main issues to consider as to increasing organic farm production include biodiversity (more pest-eating bugs, spiders, and earthworms in organic crops), jobs produced (more in organic), land use (more land needed for organic), family-owned vs. corporate farming (more family-owned, organic farms), crop yields (lower in organic), and energy input (less fertilizers, pesticides, and cultivation methods).

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COMMUNITY

16 LOCAL ENTREPRENEURS

Hansalim

The Origin of Korea’s Eco-friendly Local Food Cooperative Movement Words by Anastasia Traynin Photos courtesy of Hansalim

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

March 2017

T

hough the language/information barrier can be daunting, international residents in Gwangju and Jeollanamdo who want to support local organic food producers have a few options to choose from. This month, we are introducing Hansalim, the oldest and most established national member-based local eco-friendly cooperative, which celebrated its 30-year anniversary in 2016. A one-time lifetime membership fee is required to join, and the application is available online or directly at a local branch. Products can be purchased in the store, over the phone, or online. Hansalim does not sell imported products.

The native Korean words han and salim come together to create the meaning “save all living things.” In 1986, amid concerns about the opening of the agriculture market and food imports of questionable safety, social activist Park Jae Il started Hansalim as a small rice store in Seoul. Since then, the cooperative has expanded into a nationwide partnership between producers and consumers for di-

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rect exchange of a wide variety of eco-friendly products.

Throughout Korea, more than 150 Hansalim stores serve 550,000 consumer members from over 2,000 producer members, representing every city and province in 23 designated local cooperatives.

While most visible as a storefront, Hansalim member activities extend well beyond the business to include regular meetings with producers, hands-on agriculture experience for adults and children, food education programs, festivals, and giving international solidarity and aid to people in North Korea, Afghanistan, and other countries struggling with food security.

Hansalim opened in Gwangju in 2003 and now has six branches in the city, with others located in Boseong, Mokpo, Muan, Suncheon, and Yeosu. The five Gwangju districts currently have around 10,000 citizen cooperative members, with community representatives at the monthly meetings to plan the production targets that

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17 strive to avoid food waste. According to the proportion of the population in each area, 100 volunteer board members are elected independently by members.

Park Seon-hwa, the current chairperson of Gwangju Hansalim’s board of directors, has been an active leader for seven years in the rice field and agriculture education project at Ilgok-dong’s Hansaebong Dure nature reserve. Last year, she started her two-year term as chairperson at the Gwangju office headquarters, also based in Ilgok-dong. At a neighborhood café on a chilly February afternoon, we sat down with Park to find out more about the cooperative’s regional activities.

“Rather than just ‘producers,’ each region calls themselves a ‘community,’” Park said. “In Haenam, there is the sweet potato community; in Damyang, there is the bamboo forest community; and there are others. Once a month, they organize roundtable discussions to set price and quantity goals for products in that area. Through the spirit of Hansalim, the communities also have workshops and back-to-the-land education so members can be ‘real’ consumers and producers.”

Members who do not attend meetings or workshops still have the opportunity to visit regional food producers before buying their products, scheduling appointments that match with the growing season. Park said that there is also a special focus on organized programs for children.

The established cooperative was at the forefront of the national organic law created under former President Kim Dae-jung’s administration. Hansalim continues to fight for awareness about imported genetically modified (GMO) products and overall food safety and security in Korea.

For more information on activities, store locations, and how to join, please visit Hansalim’s English website: http://eng.hansalim.or.kr and Gwangju website: http:// gwangju.hansalim.or.kr/. You can also follow Hansalim on Facebook and Twitter.

HANSALIM BRANCHES IN GWANGJU

Dong-gu Branch Dongmyeong-ro 20-beongil 43-5, Dong-gu, Gwangju Telephone: 062-224-3539 Opening Hours: Mon–Sat: 10 am - 8 pm, Sundays closed Suwan Branch Jangdeok-ro 40-beongil 7, Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju Telephone: 062-956-6285 Opening Hours: Mon–Fri: 10 am - 8 pm, Sat~Sun: 10 am - 6 pm Bongseon Branch Posco Apartment 2 #107, Yongdae-ro 53-beongil 9, Nam-gu, Gwangju Telephone: 062-672-6285 Opening Hours: Mon–Fri: 10 am - 8 pm, Sat: 10 am - 6 pm, Sundays closed Buk-gu Branch Ilgok Maeul-ro 21, Buk-gu, Gwangju Telephone: 062-575-6500 Opening Hours: Mon–Fri: 10 am - 8 pm, Sat~Sun: 10 am - 6 pm Sangmu Branch Hoban Regency Ville #105, Sangil-ro 55, Seo-gu, Gwangju Telephone: 062-384-6285 Opening Hours: Mon–Fri: 10 am - 8 pm, Sat: 10 am - 6 pm, Sundays closed Pungam Branch Moa Apartment #108, Pungam1-ro 20, Seo-gu, Gwangju Telephone: 062-652-6285 Opening Hours: Mon–Fri: 10 am - 8 pm

March 2017

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Hansalim’s wide network includes related cooperatives and peasant groups such as the My Sister’s Garden plots run by the Korean Women Peasants’ Association and the Catholic Farmers’ Association. They often share the same fields with these producers and sell the product under their respective brands, particularly when there is leftover produce that can still be sold. Additionally, according to Park, many small farmers can rely on Hansalim to sell their produce and keep them more stable.

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

“Under the name ‘Life School,’ we organize overnight camps for members’ children during summer and winter vacations,” Park said. “They visit producers, hear their stories and have direct experience. For example, in the winter, they can help persimmon growers take insects off the persimmon skin.”

Since Hansalim focuses on selling only domestic products, Park explained a few of the challenges faced by the cooperative. A rice-saving initiative has been necessary to fight the negative impact from the opening of the rice market, which she said threatens Korean farmers’ livelihoods. Another challenge is the increase in single and childless people living alone and consuming more processed and instant food not sold by the cooperative. These and other issues contribute to product price fluctuation. Hansalim is also working to resolve a local distribution limitation.

“The local and organic food movement is very important,” Park said. “Take sweet potatoes, for example. There are producers in Gyeonggi-do and in Haenam, Muan, and Hampyeong. Those places are local to Gwangju. However, the government makes us send it all to our distribution center in Anseong, and then send it all the way back to Gwangju. This consumes too much time and energy. Jeo-

llanam-do still cannot get totally fresh food, so we are in the process of changing the distribution system.”

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COMMUNITY

18 LOST IN GWANGJU

Pungam-dong Words and photos by Amy Badenhorst

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

March 2017

H

aving lived in Gwangju for over six years, I have been around the block… literally. I have lived in Nam-gu, Buk-gu, Gwangsan-gu, and now Seogu. And of all these places, I have decided to settle in a little dong called Pungam. Now, most of you may know Pungam-dong because of the World Cup Stadium and Lotte Mart, but right on the other side, there is a little town within a town. Pungam-dong is mostly residential – which means a lot of high-market apartment buildings.

This kind of neighborhood also provides wonderful facilities for spending time outside, whether for social or recreational purposes. Now, I could write a few articles about the variety of restaurants, coffee shops, and sojubangs – Pungam-dong has them all – but for this article, I will provide you with my treasures: places that have made me feel at home and have made life in Gwangju just a little bit more memorable.

WORLD CUP STADIUM AND LOTTE MART As I have mentioned, the Gwangju World Cup Stadium is situated in Pungam-dong. Here, the Gwangju soccer team plays regular matches, and every now and then, the stadium also hosts a K-pop concert. Also next to the sta-

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dium are indoor tennis courts, a driving range, and an indoor swimming pool. Right behind the World Cup Stadium is the Lotte Mart. The department store is not as big as the Suwan Lotte, but comfortable for walking around with all the brand names from Nike to Levi’s and also a Uniqlo. The grocery store has recently been renovated with a “Home” section, where you can buy relatively cheap things to spruce up your apartment.

PUNGAM LAKE AND RESERVOIR Every morning at 8 am, Benji (my three-year-old Shih Tzu) wakes me up and cannot wait for me to take him on his morning walk to Pungam Reservoir. It is beautiful every day! The morning air is fresh; ducks in the lake are quaking away; a familiar face is there to say “hello” or invite you over to a bench for a cup of flask coffee. Rain, snow, or sunshine, Pungam Reservoir makes you feel happy – just walking around and enjoying the fresh air.

The trees and birds will make you forget for a few minutes that you are living in the city. Right across from the reservoir is Pungam-dong Mountain. It is a relatively small mountain, but the hike up the hill is quite challenging at times. It will take you about an hour to get up to enjoy the

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[Previous page] Pungam Lake and Pungam Reservoir with Pungam-dong Mountain in the background. [This page, clockwise from top] Pungam Lake is beautiful during spring, lined with blossoming trees; 다 드루와 (Da Deuruwa) is the writer’s favorite mom’s kitchen; Ettore Pang is a recently opened bakery in Pungam-dong.

side dishes and make you an extra fried egg just in case.

MY FAVORITE BAKERY Recently opened in Pungam-dong is a bakery called Ettore Pang. The baker is also the owner, and he and his wife run the business together. This bakery to me is the sister bakery of Verviers. The baked goods are light and tasteful, and come in a variety of different doughs from gluten-free to whole wheat. The goods can be a little bit pricey but are worth every cent. You can also order custom items on request: a real treat and the only one of its kind in Gwangju.

GETTING AROUND GWANGJU FROM PUNGAM-DONG Travelling to Buk-gu and Gwangsan-gu will set you back a taxi fee of around 15,000 won, or probably take about an hour by bus. But Pungam-dong is only a 6,000 won taxi ride from downtown, the bus terminal, and Bongseondong, and is ideal for Friday and Saturday night getaways.

It is also situated right next to the highway, which makes it comfortable for getting around the city if you have a car.

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March 2017

MY FAVORITE MOM’S KITCHEN This is the best place in Pungam-dong to have kimchijigae – or any jjigae for that matter. It is called 다 드루와 (Da Deuruwa). The owner is an old lady from Gwangju who feeds both hungry strangers and her family from her kitchen restaurant. Even if you insist that you are not that hungry, she will shower you with all kinds of wonderful

OVERALL FEELING Pungam-dong is safe. In this neighborhood, everyone knows your name! There is a sense of community and kinship here. I have never felt isolated or alone in Pungamdong – or scared. After two years, I can confidently recommend a visit to Pungam-dong – at least occasionally.

Every visit will be a welcoming experience.

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

scenery of Seo-gu and beyond.

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FEATURE

20

Gwangju Women Link

Creating a World Free of Discrimination Words by Anastasia Traynin

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

March 2017

photos courtesy of Gwangju Women Link

O

n March 8, people around the world will celebrate the annual International Women’s Day. While originally turn-of-the20th-century day of commemoration for female garment workers on strike in New York City, the day has become a means of reflection and bringing awareness to a range of issues. Women’s everyday struggles have recently loomed large in Korea, with the Gangnam murder incident of May 17, 2016 bursting open a national public conversation.

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The Korean women’s rights movement grew out of the general surge in civic activism that accompanied the late 1980’s democratization period. One feminist NGO celebrating its thirtieth anniversary this year is Korea Women Link (한 국여성민우회, Hanguk Yeoseong Minwoo-hoe, in Korean), based in Seoul with nine other local branches that have started up around the country. Their mission is working for gender equality and a world without discrimination, collaborating with environment, labor, disability, and other activist groups.

Gwangju Women Link was founded on March 11, 2000 and is now located in the office building next to Gwangju International Center. The group takes part in the women’s group associations in Gwangju, serving on the executive board of the annual Women’s Film Festival and as a member of the gender session at the annual World Human Rights Cities Forum. We sat down with a representative (known as “Joolbi”) in the neighboring office to learn more about the origins and various activities of Gwangju Women

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21 ers, and to fight misogyny in online and offline forums. Beyond fighting for reproductive rights, a February 12 conference to combat a recent rise in sexual harassment on university campuses has led to supporting those victims who have a difficult time handling these cases on their own.

Link and their plans for this year’s Women’s Day. “In my opinion, most of the regional groups started outside of the major cities because big cities have a women’s hotline to support domestic and sexual violence victims,” Joolbi said.

“Isolated, progressive, women wanted to establish a Minwoo group. In Gwangju, we have the Spirit of May and the Gwangju Women’s Association [which] came from university student and professor activists.”

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A 2016 map on a Ministry of the Interior website showing women in the 15 to 49 childbearing age was taken down amidst fierce criticism. Gwangju female activists took to the streets with stickers on their backs reading “Kim Uterus” or “Park Uterus” to ridicule government policy.

“The birthrate is lower now, so they are more strict with the policy,” Joolbi said. “However, the country has no right to control how many children women have.”

Through the street actions and awareness-raising campaigns, Gwangju Women Link works to affect public policy on a wide range of women’s issues. Joolbi highlighted the need to change the culture around everything, especially LGBT issues and teenag-

“The March 8 idea is that there is no democracy without gender equality.

With the thirty-year anniversary this year, we want to have more minority voices, such as LGBT and people with disabilities. There will be a candlelight vigil. In 2017, we are focusing on the women’s association in Gwangju.”

Gwangju Women Link welcomes members who want to provide emotional and financial support to the movement, with over 300 members in the local area. There are three ways to become a member: 1) Through the website (see link below).

2) By phone at 062-529-0383.

3) Via the Google Docs form from the website.

The organization has also launched an instant donation text message campaign.

For more information, visit the Gwangju Women Link website: http:// www.gjw.or.kr/gjwomenlink/ and follow them on Facebook and Twitter at the handle @광주여성민우회. To hear more about Gwangju Women Link from activist and staff member “Dodam,” please come to the March 25 GIC Talk.

March 2017

Gwangju Women Link differs from other centers with a more individualand feminist-oriented counseling.

Beyond in-house work, the organization runs a shelter for victims. Additionally, staff members and volunteers accompany victims to their

Apart from the serious one-on-one work, Joolbi said that the Gwangju chapter is especially known for its short videos and carefully practiced indoor theater performances, as well as street theater and demonstrations.

The regular Wednesday demonstration at the downtown post office has touched on the issue of the recently upheld abortion ban.

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

While they cannot provide direct medical or legal help, the organization is authorized by the Ministry of Family and Gender Equality to be a counseling and education center for sexual violence victims, with a mandatory 100 hours of training for each of the eleven staff members. In addition, Women Link gives referrals for further outside assistance.

“Government resources are used by everybody, and they [government organization staff members] do not have a long time to talk,” Joolbi said. “Minwoo counselees need more depth and detail.”

legal meetings, monitoring whether the language used blames and further traumatizes the victim – a common occurrence that has launched their socalled First Person campaign to listen and speak out against victim-blaming.

To keep a feminist consciousness alive in the local community, the group runs study sessions on feminist history and theory, as well as education workshops on gender equality. In this spirit, Joolbi talked about the upcoming Women’s Day in Gwangju, with the official celebration taking place Saturday, March 4. A parade will start at 4 p.m. on Geumnam-ro and finish with speeches and discussions at the 5.18 Democracy Plaza.

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Back to School

Perspectives on Korean Education FEATURE

Words by Kelsey Rivers photos courtesy of KAt Sten and Kelsey Rivers

M

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

March 2017

arch sees not only warm spring breezes sweeping into the country and flowers blossoming on trees, but hordes of students returning to school after a long winter vacation. In the spirit of the season, we decided to talk to moms and students to learn their thoughts about the annual return to school, and on Korean education in general.

My first interview was with a long-time resident of Mokpo, Kat Sten. She is both a literal mom, as well as the figurative “Mom of Mokpo,” the go-to person to ask about anything relating to living in our fair seaside city. Come August, Sten will have lived in Mokpo for five years, having worked in all sorts of places around town – from hagwon to public school, kindergarten to English library.

Originally, she left the US to pursue her traveling dreams while she was still young and single, and “if only [she] had known … moving to Korea was one of the best crazy decisions of [her] life.”

Now she resides in Mokpo on a permanent basis, with a Korean husband and children.

I expected Sten, as a teacher, mom, and international resident, to have some very interesting insights on Korean education, especially as she intends for her own children to attend the Korean public school system. Luckily, I was able to squeeze in lunch and an interview with Sten, despite her busy schedule, which includes juggling two children, free-

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lance English tutoring, and part-time work with a hagwon.

The flow of our conversation circulated around the differences between Korean and American schooling, and whether these differences were positive or negative. Throughout our discussion, some important points came up: continuity and use of time, play, and accountability.

Sten put into words an aspect of the Korean school year that has always struck me as odd: continuity. For example, finals typically take place in the last week of November or the first week of December, but then there remains a full four weeks before the end of the semester. From the western perspective, this is a highly unusual use of time.

Kat saw this in the Korean timeline as a kind of “buffer” zone that gave students time to relax before moving on to the next phase of school. She pointed out that this, along with the “graduation week” that divides the winter vacation into two halves, is seen from the Western perspective as an inefficient use of time, and very different from the kind of school continuity in the US. American students are not given buffer time – they simply move on to whatever is next. She saw this aspect of Korean education in a more negative light in that it did not accurately prepare students for real life, where when one project ends, the next immediately begins, and no buffer time is given to catch your breath.

Sten also pointed out the things that

she wished would be adapted into the American school system. Kat told us that she saw more “play” in Korean schools. She saw this in how homework was assigned, as well as in the incorporation of break time into the daily routine.

Korean elementary school students receive little to no homework from their teachers (if they have homework, it is from their hagwons), and so when school is out, the students can have carefree playtime, unlike American students who typically have several hours’ worth of homework each night. I commented that the difference between elementary school and middle school must be jarring, though, for students to go from a more stress-free learning environment in elementary school to something that is, in a lot of ways, like adulthood, with the strict rules, uniforms, and studying that middle school requires.

Sten, however, liked that in middle and high school students do not have to change classrooms between classes. The students are given built-in breaks between classes to unwind. In American schools, that time is spent traveling between classrooms, not relaxing.

Our lunch finished on the greater degree of student accountability she saw in the Korean school system. She noted that there is a whole different culture surrounding schooling – especially when it comes to who carries the blame when students fail. In the US, teachers are more often than not the ones blamed

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▲ Sten and her two children

for poor test scores, creating a current of hostility against standardized testing amongst teachers. But in Korea, there is more accountability on the shoulders of students and parents. Students are the first to be questioned when they fail – they are held responsible for their learning and grades.

Accountability is also instilled in that Korean students are made to clean their own schools – which gives students a greater sense of ownership for their school and motivates them to respect the property. This is less so in the US, where students do not have to clean their classrooms.

“But surely,” I asked, “there are things you like about school?” For Soon-jin, art class and other non-core subject classes were what made school interesting. It was in art where Soon-jin felt like she could express herself, where she could tell her stories and portray her emotions. Catherine focused on the social atmosphere of Korean education, “[the] school has a great sense of community. Students spend the whole day with their class … they do many things together, which seems to foster a sense

of belonging.” Catherine also pointed out an aspect of Korean culture reflected in the school setting as a positive aspect of school: “There is also a great culture of older students taking care of younger students, and the younger students looking up to them. This seems like a special relationship that did not really exist in my American high school.”

Not surprisingly, through the course of these interviews, alternative interpretations on the same subjects came up.

While Sten saw it as a positive that students were not given homework, Catherine saw this in a different light: “We do not have the culture of going to academy … so American students are more likely to be given a decent amount of homework that they have to complete on their own at home. This makes our studying more student-driven because we choose how much we study.” From Catherine’s perspective, more homework instils greater academic accountability, as opposed to attendance at a hagwon, in which studying is controlled by parents.

Ultimately, as Catherine says, “These two systems produce very different people, and there are definitely positives and negatives to each.” So good luck to the parents, students, and teachers out there with the beginning of the new school year!

March 2017

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Soon-jin and I discussed the positive and negative aspects of Korean education over cups of hot chocolate at Starbucks. Perhaps as is typical of an angsty teenager, Soon-jin focused her thoughts on the things she dislikes about school.

She felt that Korean students face a great deal of stress from their intense study schedules, and that this, combined with strict rules and little free time between the demands of school and hagwon, caused students to suffer from mental and physical illness. Catherine also brought up the intensity of Korean education and how this negatively impacts students on a very personal level: “The school system … creates a great deal of stress, and it seems that school is the only thing many Korean kids have time to do. Because of this, they learn and memorize a lot of information but do not get to develop their identity as a person outside of school very much.”

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

Having examined Korean education from the mom perspective, I also wanted to see what students, those most affected by school, had to say. I had two interviewees: Catherine Lee and Jeong Soon-jin. Soon-jin is a third-year Korean middle school student in Mokpo, a vivacious girl who has a true gift for English. When Soon-jin was my student, she continually impressed me with her desire to speak English and learn more about the world from her foreign teachers. Catherine Lee is a 19-year-old from Minnesota, living and studying in Gwangju on a gap-year Rotary exchange program. She first arrived in Korea last August and will remain in Gwangju until June.

▲ Jeong Soon-jin

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www.gwangjunewsgic.com

March 2017

ARTS & CULTURE

City of Art

Guide to Gwangju’s Art Museums and Art Street Words by Bridgette Britton Photos courtesy of Gwangju Metropolitan City

G

wangju sits in the middle of a fertile valley surrounded on all sides by mountains. In spring, the cherry trees blossom along the streets and streams. In autumn, Mudeung Mountain is awash in color.

Even in the chill of winter and the heat of summer, beauty surrounds us. It is a city replete with inspiration for all manner of artists, from painters to poets.

Known as the “City of Light,” Gwangju enjoys its position as both a center for freedom and a center for art: two avenues that are often connected with each other. But where does a new community member, traveler, or native child go to find out about such avenues?

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Gwangju offers a street dedicated to art, two museums, and a handful of galleries. In even-numbered years, it hosts the Biennale, a large international art show, which wrapped up its 2016 show in November. Any of these places can be enjoyed individually or can be visited over the course of a day trip to the area.

GWANGJU MUSEUM OF ART (52 Haseo-ro, Buk-gu) The best place to begin is the Gwangju Museum of Art. It is the farthest away from the other three and also the only one that is not easily reached. Opened in 1992, the museum is now a part of the Gwangju Biennale Committee and is located near Biennale Hall. It is

home to over 500 pieces of art, including works by Oh Ji-ho and Yang Su-ah.

Avenues like this one continue to promote local and regional arts through education programs and shows.

The Gwangju Museum of Art is an enjoyable respite from the busy city. It has plenty of space to sit and contemplate the artwork on display both within the building and outside in the surrounding park area. The artwork is a mix of modern and traditional. During the Biennale, some of the galleries are part of the show.

Other area attractions include the Gwangju Folk Museum and Biennale Hall.

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▲ From far left: Gwangju Museum of Art, Uijae Museum of Korean Art, Woo Jae-gil Art Museum, Art Street.

ART STREET (Yesul-gil, Dong-gu, Gwangju)

the 09 bus to Mudeung Mountain (the last stop). This is the primary entrance for hiking into the mountain, and it has a plethora of restaurants and coffee shops. Walking towards Jeungsim Temple, the park area fades away and a few small buildings appear. Pause near the bridge to the tea shop and turn to the left. This is the entrance to the Uijae Museum of Korean Art.

WOO JAE-GIL ART MUSEUM (140-6 Uijae-ro, Dong-gu)

The highlights of the museum are on the second floor, where the calligraphy work is displayed. Heo Baekryeon’s work is also on display at the Gwangju Museum of Art.

Gwangju’s artistic side is alive and well.

While known for the turbulent events of May 18, Gwangju has taken its tragic past and turned it into something beautiful.

UIJAE MUSEUM OF KOREAN ART (155 Jeungsimsa-gil, Dong-gu)

The entrance fee is 2,000 won for adults, 1,000 won for youth, and children six and under are free.

From the Asia Culture Center, take

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March 2017

Art Street is also the home to several smaller art galleries with rotating shows. Saturdays turn into an open-air market where people can shop or experience many artistic activities.

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

The focus is on the art and history of Heo Baekryeon, a Gwangju local who was instrumental in the rebuilding of the city after the Japanese departure and subsequent war. The location where the museum is currently used to be connected with Heo Baekryeon’s agricultural school. Some of the buildings are still accessible, including what is now a tea shop.

After finishing your trip to the mountain, return to the 09 bus, and get off at the Unlim Middle School stop. Cross the street, and you will see the Woo Jae-gil Art Museum, another Gwangju native. The word “museum” is a bit of a misnomer – do not expect a quiet building. It is a coffee shop, gallery, and museum all rolled into one. The museum aspect is outside on the patio and in other various pieces inside. A gallery to the left as you enter has a rotating show.

This museum would be a great place to relax after visiting Mudeung Mountain or while out exploring the area.

It is quirky, open, and a good place to contemplate the light that comes from Gwangju’s art scene.

Returning to downtown Gwangju, the rest of the way can be traversed on Bus 09. The easiest way for any artist to find their feet in the city is by wandering down Art Street, which parallels Geumnam-ro and is behind the Gwangju International Center. Along the street, you can find one of the master potters of Korea, Kim Ok-soo, whose pottery explores traditional Korean forms and modern design. Down the street, a woman creates bojagi, traditional Korean patchwork cloths primarily used for wrapping presents or wall-hangings. There are handcrafted gifts for friends and family, traditional hanbok, as well as art supplies and antiques.

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The 3rd Annual Gwangju Performance Project Cabaret

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March 2017

ARTS & CULTURE

Words by (Paranoid) Peter G Photos courtesy of Ben Robins Photography

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“V

27

oulez-vous coucher avec moi?” (Do you want to sleep with me?)

— From “Lady Marmelade” to appear in Cabaret 2017

she has plenty of blood on her hands. One should not be surprised that she is overseeing all the dance acts in Cabaret this year.

I recently sat down with Ender Waters, the director of the Gwangju Performance Project’s 3rd Annual Cabaret, and he revealed some shocking information about this year’s show and the GPP in general. The organization is apparently run by an all-volunteer staff, and he believes Cabaret is “First and foremost about the community.” But what drives this community to give so much of itself so freely?

Ashley Johnson, as producer of Cabaret, has been identified as a major contributor to GPP. According to Waters, she “has been our cheerleader, always pushing [us] on to do bigger and better things.”

Well, when this girl is not putting on shows, she also masquerades as one of Tequilaz’ bartenders.

Sex. There, I said it. I even have it on tape. Consider this year’s masquerade theme. Promotional material has stated that “Attire is formal, and we request that you come with a mask.” Who wears masks, I ask you? Criminals.

Sexual deviants involved in criminal activity openly on display as community performance.

“Yes, well, there is nothing wrong with a little adult fun, as long as it is legal,” you might say. “And, it is community theater!” Well, who exactly are these community members?

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Waters’ idea of introducing an element of authentic social-commentary is to include stand-up comedy acts this year – and we all know how potty-mouthed comedians can be, so be prepared to cover your ears. Waters has stated that Cabaret is “just a way to bring everyone together,” but after having had a few cups of Korean instant coffee, he admitted that his aim in the project is “to give a decadent feel of an Italian Late Renaissance Masquerade Ball...

Cabaret has always been one of the more adult nights in Gwangju. It is sexy, not obscene, just flirtier and a little bit seductive... sexual.”

I rest my case.

And to the community responsible for GPP Cabaret, I say “Itchi gitchi ya da,” which, I think, means “Break a leg.”

*Thank you also for the cooperation of GPP President, Monique Dean Onyema.

March 2017

The “fantastic” Thando Mlambo is another talented pillar of this theater community that will be performing with a dance troupe. As choreographer for the comedy-horror “Little Shop,”

Cabaret mostly features acts from pop music and musical theater, which may sound innocent enough, until you translate some of the French-Creole lyrics from Lady Marmalade, which is listed as one of the songs for Cabaret. And if you thought Lady Gaga’s song “Bad Romance” could not get any raunchier (I want your psycho/ your vertigo shtick/ want you in my rear window/ baby you’re sick), wait until you hear the jazz cover that is rumored to be in the works for Cabaret. Masquerade versions of standards like “Cellblock Tango” (Chicago) and songs from the original Cabaret will also be part of this Saturday night to regret. Waters also shamefully admitted that some rather innocent Disney tunes may even appear, which, I have

to say, is wrong on another level.

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Waters identified several of them at our meeting, and the names should not really surprise you. If you have attended any of the events that GPP puts on such as the recent murder fest, Little Shop of Horrors, you would recognize Cabaret’s vocal director, the “fantastic” Cat Neil. She was one of the three street urchins that brought the house down during the December performances at GFN’s Peak Music Theater this past year. She is the current GPP vice president and director of last year’s production of Shakespeare’s irreverent A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Tequilaz, itself, may be connected to the scandal that is the GPP Cabaret.

Certainly, the bar staff are, since Stel Deianne has also been implicated by Waters as being responsible for several aspects of the upcoming show. Apparently “she is whipping up a special cocktail just for the event.” Per Waters, Stel is the space coordinator, and she has arranged the venue, Party Town 57. And according to Waters, it is “perfect... could not imagine anything better.”

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Photo Essay

Your Eyes Are Magic

Finding Stillness in Southeast Asia

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

March 2017

ARTS & CULTURE

Words and photos by Mallory Dowd

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March 2017

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March 2017

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y husband and I stood on the lawn of the Grand Palace in Phnom Penh. I was taking a photo of a boy chasing pigeons in the grass when a young Cambodian woman approached me and said, “Madame, picture?” This was not the first time a stranger had asked to take a photo with me in Asia; I am young, white, and blonde. After the photo, I turned to the woman and asked, “What is your name?” When the woman only smiled, I tried a follow-up question. “Do you live here?” “Sorry, no English”, she said. I bowed politely, and we parted ways.

It is both a challenge and an advantage that, as travelers, we encounter so many languages we do not speak. As a resident of South Korea determined to learn the language, I often forget what it is like to be forced to connect with others without any common language. The truth is, it is hard.

In January, we took a short trip to Southeast Asia, a mere three weeks spent in Bangkok and various parts of Cambodia and Laos. Surely we knew this would not be enough time to get to know such vastly

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different countries, but onward we marched, as so many foolhardy travelers do.

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March 2017

Pico Iyer famously said, “Nowhere is magical unless you can bring the right eyes to it.” He suggests using your eyes to find stillness through travel. So, what can you do, having found yourself in a new place, with no common language to guide you? Sit and find the magic. Inspect the details of the grand, ancient sites. Observe the child playing blissfully alone and the way the rain changes the textures of the sea during a storm. Gather that stillness, and carry it with you through the commotion of your world.

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If you asked me to describe my experience in Southeast Asia, I would say that you need more than a month to connect with a place. I would tell you that in this part of the world, commotion and stillness co-exist: hot, noisy markets flank one street, ancient temples decorate the next. The relentless calls of tuk tuk drivers cannot override the quiet joy shared between two young friends, a sunset, and their smartphones. I would tell you that Cambodians have the greatest rock music, and the Mekong River is magical, whether you are sitting on its hilly bank in Luang Prabang or sharing yakitori and Lao beer as teens pop wheelies on motorbikes along the boardwalk in Vientiane.

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Photos of the Month

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March 2017

ARTS & CULTURE

Words by Aren Goodman

Shot on a Sony A7ii using the FE50mm 1.8 at 1/60 f7.1 ISO 200

I

was taking a leisurely stroll through the streets of Jongno, in Seoul, and this scene caught my attention. Motorcycles have become the focal point of my time in Korea. I have been living and riding here for five and a half years, and Korea has become my favorite riding country globally.

South Korea truly is a motorcycle paradise with its newly paved, twisty mountain roads, and ocean and valley views, with no snow in the southern regions. In the city, I am usually busy dodging delivery scooters, but seeing them dormant seemed like a peculiar sight. It was the Lunar New Year holiday in Seoul, and the bikes were taking a break. Seeing all these delivery scooters chained up struck a chord with me because I had recently sold my own bike in preparation for my move back to Canada. So here is a melancholy image to represent a melancholy time. Follow me on Instagram @goodmango

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33

▲ Photo by Lorryn Smit

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March 2017

Gwangju News is now going to feature several photos of the month, instead of only one, on a regular basis. By making this change, we hope to create more opportunities to promote more photographers based in the 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.

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▲ Photo by Martin Bennie

2017-03-06 �� 3:57:54

TRAVEL

34 AROUND KOREA

Gwangyang Maehwa Festival

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March 2017

Words and Photos By Stephanie and Ryan Hedger

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T

he month of March signals a change in South Korea that seems to breathe life into every corner of the peninsula. The air itself changes and the world seems to come back to life, waking from its cold slumber in brilliant displays of rebirth. Flowers start to bloom, birds return to flight, and festivals celebrating the changing season resume to lure people back into the world after a cold hibernation. While the cherry blossoms of April get the majority of the praise when it comes to Korea’s beautiful spring blossoms, the Maehwa Festival in Hadong comes a month earlier. This festival truly welcomes the warmer months and kicks off the festival season for the year to come.

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35

March 2017

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The plum blossom (maehwa) festival in Hadong is one of the first flower festivals of the year.

Located near South Korea’s southern coast, just north of Gwangyang, the climate in this region allows for thawed soil and warmer winds often weeks before the northern provinces emerge from the frigid depths of winter. The cherry blossoms are certainly the most iconic heralds of winter’s end, but the Maehwa Festival is special in that these trees are often the signal of warmth to come. The weather during this festival is often frigid enough to make festival-goers question the wisdom of the plum trees, but the celebratory nature of this event, reveling in the beauty and thankful exodus from the cold months, acts more as a promise from nature that the months to come will be as majestic as the maehwa.

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36

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March 2017

Located along the Hadong River, the sprawling acres of plum trees at this festival are not the only stunning scenery that visitors can enjoy. The entire river valley is dotted by small clumps of newly budded plum trees as well as other signs of the coming spring. The brilliant white flowers of these plum trees may be most concentrated where the festival is held, but the drive into Hadong from the southwest is nearly as majestic as the festival itself.

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Lining the winding roads into the area are thousands of the same plum trees awaiting festival participants, which makes the journey almost as spectacular as the festival itself. The winding paths through the plum farm create beautiful landscapes for photographers and nature enthusiasts alike. There are thatchroof pavilions to rest in, tents filled with food and shopping, musical performances on stage, scenic overlook locations, and enough space to escape the crowds. The Maehwa Festival is not the most popular or largest festival in South Korea, but it might be one of the most welcoming. Its size, atmosphere, and timing combine to make this festival stand out in ways that only visitors to Hadong will understand.

From March 11 to 19, the Gwangyang International Maehwa Festival will be a welcoming sign from nature that spring’s breath of life is present among the trees and animals. This festival is not nearly as popular as some of the other flower festivals in South Korea, but each year it brings the first sign of relief from winter and the atmosphere at the Maehwa Festival is palpable with communal excitement. From the live music and serenity of the plum tree groves to the festival food vendors and handmade crafts made by local artisans, this festival is a true gem. The budding of the maehwa has long signaled Korea’s first rustlings from hibernation, and now is the perfect time to coax yourself out of your warm apartment to enjoy the birth of spring!

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KOREAN FOOD 37

The Spring Five:

Oshinchae Words by CHO Namhee

Most of the oshinchae vegetables are used as spices and garnishes in Korean dishes, but garlic, chives, and dallae are often used as a muchim, or raw salad. They are also great companions for meat dishes. Along with other spring plants and herbs that sprout up during the beginning of the year, Koreans believe that the first plants out of the ground are the freshest of all. If the upcoming spring is making you feel lethargic, you now know what to look for to get the boost you need.

March 2017

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From not only Korean historical records but also from other places around the world, it has been learned that each of the original “penta-veggies” have their own distinctive benefits. First of all, the three relatively common vegetables we eat from oshinchae are garlic, spring onions, and chives. According to ancient Egyptian history references, garlic, widely known as a strength enhancer, was distributed to the builders of the pyramids to maintain their strength and productivity. A discovery of well-preserved cloves of garlic found in the tomb of King Tutankhamen makes this more evident. If consumed consistently, spring onions with a strong

scent are known to assist blood circulation and invigorate the body. Chives are full of iron, which is helpful for our cells. On top of this, ever since they became known as a staminabooster, chives earned the nickname “energetic grass.” Chinese squill is a garlic-scented herb grown in China, known to be used as a digestive medicine, with a smell stronger than garlic. Lastly, dallae, Korean wild chive, is similar to common chives but with a small bulb at the end. As with others in the same chive genus, it is spicy and has a pungent smell.

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Oshinchae refers to the five spicy vegetables that include garlic, spring onions, garlic chives, Chinese squill, and dallae, Korean wild chive. They are also known among the Buddhist monks as the “forbidden foods,” due to their intense scent and spiciness, which may cause distraction during meditation. Unlike the Buddhist abstention from these pungent vegetables, fresh salads of oshinchae were known to be served at the royal table as a spring delicacy during the Joseon Dynasty. During this period, the fresh vegetables were gathered from underneath the snow-covered grounds in the wilderness of what is today Gyeonggi Province and delivered to the royal family during the spring to whet their lost appetite.

The composition of oshinchae was varied and changed depending on the time and place, and often other vegetables or herbs with intense flavors, such as water parsley and other wild buds, were included in the set of five. It is believed in China that having oshinchae during the first month of the Chinese calendar prevents infectious diseases for the whole year.

It is interesting to know how general dietary beliefs differ from those in Buddhism.

FOOD & DRINKS

T

he five traditional colors of the Korean color spectrum – blue, red, yellow, white, and black – and the qualities they represent, put an emphasis on how much the number five means to the heart of Korean culture. In addition to the colors and their hidden meanings, oshinchae (오 신채, 五辛菜), another set of five, gains attention as the gentle spring breeze replaces the frigid winter air.

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March 2017

FOOD & DRINKS

38 KITCHEN STORIES

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Kitchen Stories

A Recipe Series Exploring Food and Identity Words and Photo by Karly Pierre

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T

hroughout human history, our need for food has informed a good deal of our behavior. This need scattered nomadic tribes across the world and laid the foundation of civilization. It drove humans to daily experiments in their first laboratories – the kitchen – and from their results an array of cultures began to distinguish themselves.

Food does not just sustain our bodies.

It is the framework of identity – a tangible way to access the history of a culture at a level more fundamental than language or music. What is French culture without cheese? What is England without tea? What is Korea without kimchi?

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After my recent trip home, I returned to Korea a little heavier but very inspired. Korea, especially Jeolla, has become like a second home to me, so naturally I have a desire to learn more about the culture. Understanding the rich history of Jeolla’s food helps me understand its people. So, I decided to start a project to celebrate the stories of Korean women through their cooking experiences. This year, with the help of Gwangju News, I will interview mothers and grandmothers in Jeolla, collecting their recipes and the personal stories behind them. I hope you will enjoy these stories in the upcoming issues.

If you would like to submit the name of a Korean woman (50+) to be interviewed, you can contact me at karly. pierre@gmail.com. The series will begin next month. Until then, enjoy my personal story and family recipe.

SUNDAY SMOTHERED CABBAGE Here is my Grandma Mae’s recipe for smothered cabbage. She would cook this every Sunday for lunch with smothered chicken and rice.

Sundays were always a chore for me as a child. My family would wake up at 6 a.m. to get ready for church, where we would spend the next few hours. For my mother, church was, in large part, a social affair. I spent a lot of time tugging at my thick, scratchy stockings and praying that she would stop chatting so we could go home. When we finally did arrive home, we would get dressed in casual clothes to meet my aunts and uncles at my grandmother’s

house for lunch. My mother had seven siblings, so with the addition of my cousins, this was a raucous event. My Uncle Kenneth and Aunt Debra entertained us with their impersonations of celebrities, and my mother filled everyone in on the latest church gossip. My grandmother insisted that she was smarter than anybody at the table, although my Aunt Lois questioned the logic of her conclusion. Meanwhile, in the living room, I tried to tune everyone out as I adjusted the bunny ears on my grandmother’s TV. Reruns of “Magnum P.I.” were playing, and nothing else mattered.

INGREDIENTS 1-2 cabbage heads 1/2-1 onion 1-2 tablespoons cayenne pepper 1-2 tablespoons black pepper 1-2 teaspoons salt 1-2 tablespoons garlic powder (optional) 3 tablespoons honey 2-3 strips of smoked bacon (A smoked hock, smoked turkey leg, or smoked turkey neck is better, but unfortunately they are not available in Korea to my knowledge. But feel free to let me know if you run across any.)

Wash the cabbage heads thoroughly.

Remove and discard any leaves that are discolored. Cut the cabbage in half. With the cut-side facing down, cut the cabbage in thin 1-inch slices. Discard the cabbage core. Cut the strips of bacon as thinly as possible. Chop the onion. Put the bacon in a large, deep pot, and sauté over medium heat. When the bacon begins to release fat, add the onion and sauté. When the onions begin to caramelize, add the cabbage. Season with cayenne pepper, black pepper, salt, and garlic powder, then add about 1 1/2 cups of water to the pot, and cover. Let the cabbage cook down (about 40 minutes).

Be sure to check the pot periodically to make sure that the water has not completely evaporated or your cabbage will burn. If the water has evaporated, add more water and adjust heat. When the cabbage is well-cooked (limp and translucent), stir in the honey, also thoroughly mixing in the seasoning. Caramelize the cabbage for 5-10 minutes. Be careful not to burn the cabbage. Taste and adjust seasoning, and serve.

March 2017

Though my family never taught me how to speak Creole, they made sure I knew how to cook like a Creole. They cooked by instinct, guided by taste,

feel, and tradition. Some of my fondest childhood memories are set in the kitchen with my family. I remember helping my grandmother grind fresh meat for hamburgers with a worn cast iron grinder. I remember helping my Aunt Margret dollop gooey caramel onto sheets of aluminum foil to make pralines. And every Christmas Eve, I wax nostalgic for the all-nighters my sister and I would pull preparing Christmas dinner for our family. Those moments have shaped who I am today.

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I began thinking about how food informs my own cultural identity after a recent trip home to Louisiana. I gave my mother a call a few days before my trip. We talked about the basics: arrival time, clothes I should pack, people I would have to visit. Then she asked the only question I wanted to hear: “What do you want me to cook?” My mouth began to water. I casually told her one or two dishes, trying not to seem desperate. But I was. My mom is a great cook. I know everyone says that about their moms, but seriously, my mom is a great cook. Every woman in my family cooks well. It is a point of pride for every Southern Creole woman (to be accused of cooking bland or watery red beans is a reason to hang your head low in the community). Besides a basic proficiency in Creole staples, you are expected to refine a signature dish.

My Aunt Debra’s macaroni and cheese is unmatched. Grandma Mae’s white beans are creamy perfection. Grandma Yola’s spicy tripe is unforgettable. Aunt Lois’s red beans and rice have just a touch of sugar. And my sister’s mustard greens are a sophisticated take on a traditional recipe.

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March 2017

FOOD & DRINKS

40 WHERE TO EAT

Thai Holic Words and Photos by Sean D’Angelo

T

he world’s political climate seems to have everyone on edge these days, but I am here to say there is some good news out there for foodies in Korea.

While the leaders of the “free world” are closing borders and raising import tariffs, Korea is leading a charge in the opposite direction with a bevy of multilateral trade agreements that have given birth to a succulent revolution of flavor. You might even say that free trade is really starting to “spice up” fine dining in Korea. Folks who live near a big supermarket like Homeplus will be the first to feel the immediate effects, but take a trip over to your favorite international restaurant, and you may be surprised to find the taste has ever-so-slightly improved.

That is what has happened at Thai Holic behind Chonnam University. After struggling through a difficult few years, owner Ahn Jun-hyuk says the restaurant hit its stride when a 2015 free trade agreement with Vietnam

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cut costs and opened the market to authentic ingredients like palm sugar, kaffir lime leaves, and lemongrass. If you have been to Thai Holic in the past, then this is a change you really have to experience firsthand. While Ahn still caters to his predominately college-aged Korean clientele and their appetite for fusion, the food has markedly improved, and certain dishes taste much as you would expect from a restaurant in Seoul, at twice the price.

Experts agree that the first measure of a Thai restaurant’s quality is its pad Thai, the iconic rice noodle dish served with peanuts, bean sprouts, cilantro, and lime. Pad is one of the few Thai dishes with a governmentally codified recipe, and was essential in establishing Thailand’s unique cultural identity in the 1940s. The base of pad Thai, its sweet and sour sauce, gets its flavor and silken texture from palm sugar, a product produced much like maple syrup from the sap of coconut palm trees. With-

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41 out palm sugar, you cannot call it pad Thai. The difference in quality is subtle but crucial, and Thai Holic does not skimp on this important detail. Another tipoff to Thai Holic’s dedication to authenticity is that the seasonings are offered in piles on the side of the dish so customers can tailor the taste to their liking. Although the recipe is constant, proportions of ingredients vary widely from region to region in Thailand, so seasoning after the dish reaches the table is an easy way to make sure everyone is happy. Ahn, who is not just the owner but also the chef, gets top marks for his attention to detail.

The other dishes at Thai Holic are in line with standard expectations. A variety of dumplings, spring rolls, seitans, and fried finger foods grace the appetizers section, while curries, stirfries, and noodle dishes make up the bulk of the entrees. Most of the dishes offer a selection between shrimp, beef, chicken, and vegetarian, with a side salad or rice accompaniment. One new feature on the renovated menu worth checking out is the whole-fried softshell crab, served in a curry of its own flesh and stir-fried with veggies. Crispy, crunchy, chewy, and smooth, it is like a rhapsody in your mouth.

Those familiar with Thai Holic may remember a branch in Sangmu that recently closed; do not be disheartened! While it is a loss for Sangmu, Ahn is channeling all of his energy and passion into his Chonnam location, so the service and quality are better than ever before. Prices range from 8,000 to 25,000 won, with options for takeout. Seating is limited, ideal for groups of four to six maximum, but reservations usually are not necessary.

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THAI HOLIC 광주 북구 면앙로 6번길 81 Myeonang-ro 6-beongil 81, Buk-gu, Gwangju (Chonnam National University Back Gate area) Opening Hours: 11:30 am - 10:30 pm Reservations and Take Out: 070-4092-5229

March 2017

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42 SPORTS

Five Reasons to Love K-League

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March 2017

SPORTS & ACTIVITIES

Words by Ryan Walters Photos provided by the GIC

K

-League football teams across the country will open their gates for the first time this year on March 4, with hopes of luring new fans to the beautiful game. Here are just five reasons to get to a game and why you will love this league.

1. BRING YOUR OWN Let us start with the basics: this league is extremely friendly on the wallet. Not only are tickets merely 10,000-15,000 won, but K-League is exactly like the beloved Korean Baseball Organization in allowing fans to

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bring in as much food and beverage as they can carry. Stuff your backpack with a six-pack of your choice and plenty of snacks, and carry a large pizza to share with friends out in the open; they absolutely will not stop you at the gate. Should you forget to pick up your favorite tasties, fret not: most stadiums have GS25s or Mini Stops where you can buy beverages and snacks at the exact same price you would at the corner store.

2. FREEDOM K-League has some truly magnifi-

cent venues, including six World Cup stadiums from the 2002 tournament held here, and you are free to explore them from every angle. Unlike elite European leagues, where you must sit in the same seat and watch the match from the same angle without any ability to move around, most KLeague tickets are general admission and allow fans to roam the majority of the stadium at will. With this freedom fans can get much closer to the pitch than in other leagues and truly get a feel for the speed of the game, watching players race by and hear-

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43 to what you usually watch on TV? In all honesty, K-League cannot match the star power and sheer skill seen in Europe’s top leagues; none outside of the moneyed European leagues can.

But you can rest assured that Korean football is some of the absolute best in Asia and has the trophies to prove it. The Asian Football Confederation Champions League is a ten-monthlong competition that spans all the way from Australia to Iran to Japan and everywhere in between. Just last year, K-League added another Champions League trophy to its cabinet when Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors took home the 2016 title. In fact, of the 35 AFC Champions League competitions, a K-League team has won an astounding 11 – more than double that of the next closest league, Japan’s J-League, which has won five.

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For news, updates, and analysis on all things K-League, go to KLeagueUnited.com or follow on Twitter @KLeagueUnited.

March 2017

3. CHAMPIONS OF ASIA Worried the quality will not live up

4. EVERY TEAM HAS A STORY This season sees a glut of storylines and drama from top to bottom. Perhaps more than in any other year, the title is truly up for grabs in 2017, with each of the 12 teams believing they have a shot at glory. From the newly promoted and highly ambitious Gangwon FC signing Korean stars like 2016 MVP Jung Jo-gook to perennial frontrunners and defending champions FC Seoul seeking their first Champions League crown, every team has something to play for. There can be only one champion, but a topthree finish will guarantee a spot in

5. “SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL” Across the globe, there is an unwritten rule among football fans to “support your local,” meaning you should support the club you are connected to, even if that connection is as simple as where you currently live. Be proud of your city and your team!

Because with this pride can come a connection to the people within the community. It can also include being embroiled in a fierce and enthralling rivalry like the Seoul vs. Suwon Super Match or the Jeonbuk vs. Jeonnam Jeolla Derby. For expats, supporting your local is a great way to bridge a cultural gap with Korean fans through the common bond of football. It is an easy way to meet new friends and an even easier excuse to spend time with them. After all, there are far worse ways to spend an evening than sitting outside for a few hours sharing drinks and laughs with friends while enjoying cheap entertainment.

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ing them shout instructions. If being close is not your thing, then you are free to move just about anywhere else in the stadium. Prefer to sit near the top and sip your beer while talking tactics with a friend? Go for it. Want to bring in a blanket and have a family style picnic on the concourse? You are more than welcome. The match day experience you have in the stadium is limited only by your personal preferences.

the 2018 Champions League, which means the top five or six teams will likely clash for those spots until the last game. Even the teams at the bottom of the table have something to fight for as only 12th place is assured relegation. The 11th place is given a second chance if they win a two-game playoff against a lower-division opponent. If all this is not enough, there is also the KFA Cup. The nationwide tournament is open to pro and amateur teams, and sees a slew of upsets and unexpected heroes, with the winner also getting a place in the 2018 Champions League. So even if a team is struggling in 7th or 8th place in the league, the KFA Cup can provide a much-needed lifeline. Whether it is fighting with the league’s best for the title, scrapping for every point to avoid relegation, or continuing an unlikely run in the KFA Cup, quite literally every team has something to play for all season long.

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44 FROM ABROAD

TRAVEL

Tequila

The Essence of Mexico

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March 2017

Words and Photo courtesy of Joe Wabe

A

shot glass filled to the top, going deep inside your system, here comes the burning feeling, the deep frown, the chaser comes quickly after, a lemon wedge, salt; was that the right order? Who cares – it feels good!

Perhaps this is the most common memory most of the world has about tequila; however, when a person drinks a shot of tequila, they’re probably not aware of the complexity and richness involved in the making process nor the vast quantity of products, tools, and jobs that have

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been committed to the production of this blue agave wine for hundreds of years. While many have only sampled cheap tequila in the form of shots or margaritas, good tequila is a jewel that should be enjoyed like a fine cognac, scotch, or wine. This zesty drink, and the pride of Mexico, has taken its place in modernized western culture just like wine and whisky. A fact not well known by many is that just as true champagne must hail from France, tequila has “Denomination of Origin,” meaning that it has to be produced in Mexico, primarily in the area surrounding the

city of Tequila, state of Jalisco, in order to be called “tequila.”

WHAT IS TEQUILA? Tequila is made from blue agave, a native plant of Mexico, which flourishes in the silicate-rich volcanic soil of Jalisco and the surrounding areas.

There are more than 300 varieties of agave; however, by law, only blue agave can be used to make tequila.

Other variations are used to make mezcal, which is a similar drink, confused many times in other countries with tequila (sold sometimes with a worm inside). According to Mexican

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45 Official Standard rules and regulations, all agave grown for tequila production must be registered with the Tequila Regulatory Council. Agave reaches maturity between 5 and 12 years. Plants grown in the highlands take longer than those grown on the plains or in valleys.

The harvesting of the agave is all done by hand, using centuries-old techniques by the jimadores, or agave harvesters. Once the plant has reached maturity, the jimadores use a long knife call coa to remove the long, spiky leaves, leaving only the center called piña, which looks similar to a big pineapple. These ripe piñas have an average weight of 32 kilograms.

The piñas are then sent to the different distilleries, where they are first cut in half and then fed into ovens, where they are steam-baked to convert the starchy fluids into fermentable sugar.

The process of steam heating and later cooling off could take somewhere between 16 and 48 hours.

After cooking, the piñas are shredded and crushed in order to release their sugary juices. These juices can now be converted into alcohol by using yeast. The fermentation process typically lasts 24 to 96 hours, depending on the type of process.

Most well-known tequila brands are owned by large multinational corporations, and only a few are family-owned brands. There are only as few as 100 distilleries in the area, and they are responsible for making over 900 brands of tequila in Mexico. There are over 2,000 brand names registered for tequila; each bottle must contain a serial number, regardless of which distillery it was produced in, to identify its origin.

Multiple brands of tequila are likely to come from the same distillery.

TEQUILA ETTIQUE The first time I visited Mexico, I was surprised when I was offered tequila

Tabasco and tomato sauce are also a common way of accompanying tequila in some parts of Mexico; they are served in separate glasses and drunk separately, one after the other, but mixing the content of both in the mouth before swallowing.

These are a few ways to enjoy tequila; however, it is my opinion that the best way is in the company of good people and for the purpose of a good time. Tequila is universal. The richest man can raise his drink to the poorest, and while the tequila flows, all will be well. Even if you’re not Mexican, take a little pride next time you sit down to enjoy the essence of Mexico: Tequila!

March 2017

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HISTORY AND LEGACY OF CUERVO In the local Nahuatl language, the word tequila means “volcanic rock,” referring to the inactive volcano located in the surroundings of Tequila.

By the 17th century, “agave wines” produced in the town of Tequila and its surrounding areas began to gain attention due to their quality. It’s likely that the introduction of copper stills and distillation methods by the Spanish were the cornerstone of the industry. In 1902, finally, tequila acquired its official definition, separating itself from other agavebased spirits, which continued to be referred to as “mezcal.” One of the first pioneers of the industry was Jose Antonio de Cuervo, who bought the first lands to start the plantating and production of tequila. Later on, his son Guadalupe de Cuervo was granted by Spain’s King Carlos IV the first license to commercially make tequila, leading the way for others into the industry, like Don Cenobio Sauza, the founder of Sauza Tequila and the first tequila businessman to export tequila to the United States.

in a wine glass. There weren’t any lemons or salt on the table, which according to some, was a practice that originated in the northern part of Mexico by the North Americans who couldn’t handle it straight, as well as a practice promoted by the film industry. And although salt and lemon are used in Mexico as well, the rituals and practices differ in many ways.

Tequila can be a fine drink just like a scotch or wine when enjoyed correctly, and it isn’t only for shots. Our host recommended that when drinking good tequila, it should be served in a low-ball glass, or in a caballito, which is a Mexican traditional shot glass, at room temperature and should be sipped slowly. The rich aroma should prevail; therefore, there is no need to shake or sniff the glass, as oppose to wine. High-end tequila should be labeled “100% Agave.” If the label doesn’t specify it, then it’s possible that it is mixto, which means its flavors have been cut by 49% sugar and water. Jose Cuervo Gold, which is the most common kind sold at regular bars, is from the mixto family (the extra sugars added can explain bad Jose Cuervo hangovers).

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Tequila must be distilled twice. After the first distillation, the product is called ordinario and can’t be called “tequila” yet. This first process produces a spirit of about 20-25% alc./ vol. The second distillation produces tequila, and it is usually 55-75% alc./vol. and can be bottled and sold as tequila “blanco” or “silver.” Reposado and Añejo are aged in oak, which gives them a special character, smoothness, and color. Additives such as coloring, glycerine, sugar syrup, and aromatizers (only those permitted by the Mexican Ministry of Health) may also be added to all categories of tequila. However, the total dry matter must be less than 1% of total volume.

Tequila bottled in Mexico by regulations must be between 35% and 55% alc./vol.; the U.S. market stipulates a minimum of 40%, while in South Africa it’s 43%, and in Europe, 37.5%.

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46 FROM ABROAD

TRAVEL

Insights of a Traveler The Second Trip

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March 2017

Words by Elizabeth Kaye Corpuz Photos courtesy of Macbeth Omega

O

n April 11, 2016, my sister and I began our cultural immersion once again and made our way to Gimhae International Airport. I had one thing on my mind: I needed to intimately know the cities of Busan and Daegu. As we traveled to our rented house, a sense of familiarity ensued, and I reminded myself to be open to the small details I might be tempted to overlook in order to achieve my objective. Even as night fell, I knew that there was going to be something different about this trip.

Good morning, Busan! Here we are!

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The first thing I noticed that first morning was that the backdrop of our house was a beautiful mountain.

As my sister and I went out and made our way to the main street, we became suddenly curious about what a nearby food stall was selling and decided to stop. There, we found that the food that had caught our interest was called twigim (fried vegetables and tempura), and from then on, every time we passed by that street, we always bought it as our snack. We also felt at ease buying in the kimbap store. These shops became our staples for to-go meals, especially in the mornings. Amazingly, even with

our limited knowledge of Korean, we were still able to communicate, and there were always warm exchanges of smiles.

Being lost is not such a bad thing.

There was a night when we could not find the way back to our house. As we were walking, we realized that we made a wrong turn, so we retraced our steps. We were going in circles and ending up at dead ends for about an hour when, luckily, we found our way before the night became too dark. For sure, it is frightening to roam lost in a place you do not know, but that is the beauty of it. You may

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47 stumble upon something that is not common or you may learn something about unfamiliar territory. After that night, my sister and I had the benefit of knowing the place like the back of our hands. While surveying Busan’s landscape, I realized that the uphill ascent and close proximity of the houses was reminiscent of the housing landscape in my own country.

My sister had not prepared a detailed itinerary for our Busan trip; it was a come-what-may type of journey.

Fortunately, our host where we were staying was good enough to suggest we visit the nearby Nakdong Rapeseed Festival. I remember gazing at the field and thinking how picturesque it was, suited to becoming the setting for a classic scene between two lovers. As I noted the families and loved ones enjoying their time together, a question popped up in my mind: could there be any beauty in sadness?

If there is serendipity in science, I would say there is serendipity in traveling, too. When we were in Gamcheon Cultural Village, my sister wanted to go to a tourist landmark referred to as “the 100 steps,” but I told her that we should just follow the trail on the map. As we were looking for one particular spot in the trail, we suddenly realized that we had been unknowingly ascending the 100 steps all along! Sometimes you do not have to plan for everything because the most unexpected path makes for the best memories.

Gamcheon Cultural Village turned out to be the stimulus of our journey and I felt fulfilled having seen its colorful houses and its alleys. I was even further impressed when I discovered the history of the location.

The village had been built through a concerted effort to uplift the spirit of the community. As I surveyed the beauty of my surroundings, I thought to myself, “This is what I want to see – not the tall buildings, not the glamorized living.” Should I pat myself on the back for checking off many things

on my travel list? I do not think so.

It was all thanks to my surroundings.

Busan had presented itself to me without any pretensions. I went in merely a tabula rasa – a blank slate.

As my sister’s birthday fell on one of the days of our travels, I was overjoyed for the chance to celebrate a simple day with her. She cooked seaweed soup, then, in the afternoon, we ate strawberry cake. My sister later suggested that we split up for a bit to get some much-needed alone time and meet up in Oncheoncheon Park later on. After visiting Seomyeon Church, I found a perfect place to write my thoughts under the PNU station, and for a brief moment, I felt almost as if I lived there in that place. Was it luck that I found a four-leaf clover in the park before I went to meet my sister?

Maybe.

“Why do they call it ‘Dynamic Busan?’”

I wondered to myself as I walked. For me, Busan was the laid-back version of Seoul. It, too, offered a lot, but was less rowdy and more relaxed than its bustling counterpart. It smoothly merged business with the daily routines of its citizens. To me, Busan was like the “girl-next-door” type.

March 2017

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us, our trip might have been much less eventful.

▲ Nakdong Rapeseed Festival

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While my sister and I were exploring the festival, we saw an old man hopping from table to table, attempting to start up conversations with strangers. When approached by the man, though my sister and I did not entirely understand him, we could sense that he was lonely and longing for company. Together with the gentleman, we sat at a table and I guessed he knew right away that we were foreigners. He tried to talk, and we tried our best to reciprocate, only having mild success trying to communicate through hand signals and body gestures before the man gave up and moved on to another table. Before we left, I tried to look for the man and caught him sitting alone, looking out at the field. In that moment, I was hit with the conviction that people are all the same, whatever race we belong to.

We live under the same sky and have the same troubles. And here was this man, simply looking for someone to talk to. Had the Nakdong Rapeseed Festival not been recommended to

◀ Previous page: Busan Tower

2017-03-06 �� 3:58:09

48 EXPAT LIVING

Spring Colds Words by Karina Prananto

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

March 2017

A

fter months of cold winds and chilly air, I am sure many of us are longing to see the end of winter. As it happens, we are in spring now! February 4 is regarded as 입춘 (Ibchun), or (officially) “the beginning of spring.” However, do not get too excited just yet! In Korea, there is the saying 꽃샘추위 (ggotsaem-chuwi), or in English, “spring cold.” This phrase can be translated literally as: flower (꽃) jealous (샘) cold (추위). Since Korean grammar is different from English, the literal meaning of this saying is “The cold is jealous of the flowers.”

vers more easily. After long days of winter, we all surely cannot wait to start wearing thin layers of clothes, instead of bundling ourselves with thick jackets, and do more activities outside. Still, there are days when the weather can suddenly change with cold winds, even though it is spring – this is where the term 꽃샘추위 comes from. The cold is jealous of the beauty of spring (symbolized by flowers) and returns with a vengeance. Sometimes the cold can last for a couple of days, so do not wash your jackets quite yet. Keep at least one coat just in case the 추위 comes.

Korean weather can be unpredictable, especially during the transition of seasons where temperatures can drop or increase quite drastically, causing people to catch colds or fe-

The good news is, 꽃샘추위 usually occurs only at the beginning of spring.

The bad news is, we do not really know when! It might come in March, April, or even May – but rarely. So,

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bear with it, and get ready for the long-awaited spring! One more synonym related to coldness in Korean is 삼한사온 (samhan-saon), which literally means “three colds and four warms.” In Korea, although winter is sometimes harsh (it can reach up to minus 20 degrees Celsius in northern areas), we are still blessed with warmer days where the winds are not blowing too hard and the sunshine is warm. From this comes the phrase “three colds and four warms,” or “a cycle of three cold days and four warm days.”

So, enjoy the very last phase of winter, and get ready for those beautiful spring blossoms!

2017-03-06 �� 3:58:10

49 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

Hair Salon

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

Survival Korean!

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어떤 거 하러 오셨어요? [eo-tteon geo ha-reo o-syeo-sseo-yo?] : How may we help you?

When the hair salon receptionist (or the owner of the hair salon if it is a small salon) does not know whether you want to get a haircut, a perm, styling, or a treatment, he/she will ask you this question.

EDUCATION

예약하고 오셨어요? [ye-ya-ka-go o-syeo-sseo-yo?] : Did you already make a reservation?

Most hair salons accept reservations and may not take walk-ins. It is not advisable for anyone to walk in and try to get an appointment that day, since you might have to wait for a long time, especially if you are visiting a larger salon.

어떤 거 literally means “what kind of thing,” so listen for this expression! 어떤 거 하시게요? [eo-tteon geo ha-si-ge-yo?] : How may I help you?

The way “how may I help you?” is said to you really depends on the person. In addition to this phrase, another common phrase is “뭐 하시게요?” meaning “what do you intend to do?” 머리 자르려고요. [meo-ri ja-reu-ryeo-go-yo.] / 커트하려고요. [keo-teu-ha-ryeo-go-yo.] : I want to get a haircut. 머리 means “head” or “hair,” and 자르려고요 means “I want to cut,” but the English word “cut” is also very commonly used to mean “haircut.” 파마하려고요. [pa-ma-ha-ryeo-go-yo.] : I want to get my hair permed. 파마 is the Konglish word for “perm.” However, 펌 [peom], the Korean pronunciation for the English word “perm,” is also commonly understood nowadays.

COLORS 빨간색 [ppal-gan-saek] = red 검은색 [geo-meun-saek] = black 갈색 [gal-ssaek] = brown 밝은 갈색 [bal-geun gal-ssaek] = bright brown 어두운 갈색 [eo-du-un gal-ssaek] = dark brown 노란색 [no-ran-saek] = yellow

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

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March 2017

SAMPLE SENTENCE 빨간색으로 염색해 주세요. [ppal-gan-sae-geu-ro yeom-sae-kae ju-se-yo.] = Please dye my hair red.

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

염색하려고요. [yeom-sae-ka-ryeo-go-yo.] : I want to dye my hair. 염색 is the Korean word for “dye.” To be specific about what color you would like, you can just say this phrase and point to a color you want in a hairstyle brochure or photo, or you can use the next phrase (see below). (color) + -색으로 염색해 주세요. [(color) + sae-geu-ro yeom-sae-kae ju-se-yo.] : Please dye my hair (color).

2017-03-06 �� 3:58:10

50 KOTESOL

Activating Your Language Learning Activities

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

March 2017

EDUCATION

Words and Photo provided by Dr. David Shaffer

D

o your students seem disinterested in the language learning activities that you provide them? Do the language learning activities in your coursebook seem to have little effect in improving your students’ language proficiency?

Rather than quickly concluding that it is the students’ fault for not listening, we should first take a look at the activities themselves to see if they were actually well designed in all aspects. And there are many aspects to consider in making a language learning activity that is a really good language learning activity.

APPROPRIATENESS — Is the activity appropriate for the students’ proficiency level?

Written text or recorded material that is beyond the students’ level of understanding will be disheartening and demotivating. Material that is below their proficiency level can be thought of as childish and therefore not be motivating for students to even participate.

— Is the activity appropriate for the students’ age?

Exposing young learners to video material that includes graphic killings, or the blood and violence of so many of today’s movies, in addition to being repugnant and not resulting in any language learning, could also be emotionally disturbing.

— Is the degree of difficulty of the activity appropriate?

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Even though the language level of a task may be appropriate and the content is a good match for the students’ age, asking young learners to plan a curriculum for a university major would most likely result in failure, while asking them to plan a birthday party could be surprisingly successful. A good activity is challenging, but able to be successfully completed, giving the students a sense of pride in being successful while learning!

LANGUAGE CONSIDERATIONS — Does the activity involve working with the target language (L2) in some manner?

Sometimes the teacher gets so involved in making a language learning

activity fun that they forget to include the use of the target language, or any language, as a requirement to successfully complete the activity.

— Does the activity focus on some aspect of the target language or of language learning?

Though a language activity may incorporate several or many aspects of language use in the course of completing the activity, there should be one, or very few, aspects of the language that the activity is particularly designed to focus on. It may be the past perfect tense, adverbs of frequency, the pronunciation of /z/, making requests, using reading strategies, or a combination of these suggestions. Every activity should have a

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51 clear, attainable goal that the student is made aware of.

— Are the instructions to the activity clear?

The easiest way to make an activity fail is to not make the instructions clear. Whether written out or given orally, the instructions should be at the learners’ proficiency level, clear, concise, and in chronological order.

It is always helpful for the teacher to model the activity for the students, or do a dry run with a couple of students in front of the class.

GETTING THE JUICES MOVING — Is the activity on a topic of interest to the students?

Learning is much more likely to occur, and will occur faster and more effectively, if the topic is one that the students are interested in. Accordingly, it is important for the teacher to discover in advance where the students’ interests lie.

— Is the procedure of the activity enjoyable?

It is not enough to just have an interesting topic, if the action involved in the activity is not pleasant, the activity will have little effect. That action may be in a board game, a song or dance, a skit, or just talking with a

classmate.

— Is the activity engaging?

Similar to the above, a good activity is engaging. By this I mean that the students should want to continue with the activity, even when the teacher wants to wrap the activity up, even when the end-of-class bell rings.

— Does the activity create a sense of agency in the learner?

Agency is created by allowing students to have a sense of them having control rather than only the teacher.

This can be achieved by giving students choices: which activity to do, how many students in a group, etc.

DEEPENING UNDERSTANDING — Does the activity involve inquiry?

Rather than spoon-feeding information to our students, we should create environments in which they can discover new knowledge: constructing meaning, constructing grammar rules, understanding differences in intonation and in structures.

Project work is great for inquiry and problem-solving.

— Does the activity involve critical thinking?

Critical thinking is a life skill as well as a language skill. We can foster it by creating materials in which students

need to consider the parts to infer an answer rather than be given it. Example text: He hopped on the combine and headed towards the wheat field.

Questions: What is he going to do?

What season is it?

— Does the activity involve interaction?

Interaction is essential to language acquisition – first and second. Our activities should involve students using the target language to communicate with the teacher and with each other in pair work, group work, and project work.

— Does it relate to the real world?

As educators, we are expected to prepare students for the real world. If our language learning activities mirror real-world situations, we can prepare them all the more for life outside of the language learning classroom rather than just inside the classroom.

Keeping these characteristics in mind when creating your next language learning activity will put you and your students a quantum leap ahead of the teacher who decides to “just have them play Uno.”

Date: Saturday, March 11 Place: Gwangju National University of Education Theme: Stepping Up in an Increasingly Connected World

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

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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 upcoming chapter conference and in teacher development workshops at their monthly meetings (2nd Saturday of the month). 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.

March 2017

Plenary Session by Dr. Eric Reynolds 20 Presentations to choose from.

ELT presentations include stands in Technology, Professional Development, and SLA. Morning (10:30) Reflective Practice Session

THE AUTHOR

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

GWANGJU-JEONNAM KOTESOL ANNUAL CONFERENCE

2017-03-06 �� 3:58:11

OPINION

52 OP-ED

Jane Jacobs

Citizen, Activist, Good Neighbor

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

March 2017

Words by Matt Furlane

I

n New York City during the 1950s there was a famous battle between resident Jane Jacobs and city developer Robert Moses over whether or not New York could demolish more than 1,000 homes to put in an expressway. After years of fierce debate and passionate organizing, Jacobs effectively helped block the plan and saved a large part of New York. Her victory resonated across the U.S. and Canada for decades and helped preserve the rights of citizens to have a say in what happens to their communities. Today, Jacobs’ historic fight against forced

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development has inspired a new generation to be more active not only in promoting good urban planning, but good citizenship as well.

Personally, I am inspired by Jacobs because she was an ordinary person who did not fall into any strict modernday “ism” or political camp. She was a journalist, author, a loyal wife, and a faithful mother of two children who cared about her community. Her view of America was not simply as a marketplace with skyscrapers where you can buy lots of new toys and stress out

about getting the biggest car or newest iPhone. It was about shared humanity.

Being an American to her meant being an informed, active citizen – not just a consumer.

I believe Jacobs’ life highlights the essential need for local activism, and the negative consequences in any culture when people neglect their civic obligations and instead choose endless consumption over community involvement. There are several important concepts about activism I want to discuss that Jacobs exhibited in her

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53 life and that deserve some notice.

First, look in the mirror and be honest about who you are and what you can do well. What made Jacobs effective was not financial backing from secret donors or promoting violence in someone else’s community. What made her effective was that she was living in New York, and her cause was also her neighbors’ plight. What affected her husband and children also affected other people’s families. What was disrupting her life was also disrupting the lives of her neighbors. This is important to recognize. A person might be concerned about an issue and want to organize people to affect change, but unless they personally have something at stake and are from the community in which they want to see change, people will be hesitant to listen. Do you really care? Are you ready to openly debate the issue? Can you make a long-term commitment to see the process through to the very end, whether you win, lose, or compromise? If not, then do not get involved.

As we celebrate women’s history month, Jane Jacobs should be remembered, not just as a former New York City activist, but as a person who inspired all of us to be better caretakers of our cities and of democracy.

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Lastly, part of living in a healthy democracy is learning to respect the validity of other people’s perspectives and seeking a broader understanding of those differences through public debate, especially if you are all sharing the same tax dollars. One of the criticisms that Jacobs faced was that she was not taking into consideration the need for New York to address its traffic congestion. The counter criticism was that Moses did not care about Jacobs because she was a woman, and he cared even less about the needs of small communities. And this is why public debate is so important – so everyone involved can hear what is going on. For example, in America, the state of Montana offers the right to openly carry a gun. The people of that state voted for this freedom, but in California they did not, so it is illegal there.

The issue was debated, and each state chose what was best for its citizens. Likewise, in parts of California the minimum wage is being raised to 15 dollars an hour. But rural regions of America cannot handle this increase, and the long-term economic consequences are still being addressed, so it is still not national law.

But whatever the issue, public opinion should be considered, and debate should always be pursued. Without an open, factbased discourse, democracy may stagnate or be threatened.

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Second, everyone should dedicate some time in their life to look at their community and identify real problems. Jacobs walked through her neighborhood every day and openly challenged government assessments that her neighborhood was only a slum and needed to be torn down. So, maybe once a week, take a walk through your community and look at things like the roads, sewers, or garbage collection. Ask yourself what changes need to be made to make these things work better. For example, maybe there is trash everywhere, and it makes the city look terrible. You can then ask questions: How much would it cost to adopt a more efficient garbage collection system? Are citizens being provided with convenient facilities to properly dispose of trash? What have other modern cities done to manage their trash? The solution to the problem may be as easy as providing the community with bigger trash bins or as complex as increasing taxes to fund more consistent trash collection. But maybe the problem you see is more serious, like children being hit by cars. Instead

of waiting for another accident, there should be an immediate analysis of streets, crosswalks, and what makes for a safer environment for all pedestrians. If citizens are actively identifying problems and proposing solutions, then resolutions can be more quickly achieved, and the government is more effective.

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54

OPINION

International Students’ Views on the Korean President Scandal (Choi Sun-sil-gate) Introduction and Interviews by Kim Yoon-ho, Chonnam National University student Photos by Kim Hee-seung

R

ecently, there has been an unprecedented political scandal in Korea, and society is feeling its negative effects. All Korean media is focusing on this scandal, and the political scene is changing immensely. On December 9, 2016, the National Assembly ultimately moved to impeach President Park Geun-hye in a plenary session, but there have still been many people taking to the streets, protesting.

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

March 2017

The international media is paying attention to this shameful scandal as well. The fact that the president of Korea committed such a crime disappoints not only Koreans but people in other countries as well. However, at the same time, they are surprised by the Korean people’s peaceful candlelit demonstrations every week. In this situation, I wondered if international students’ thoughts about what is going on in Korea are different from the foreign media’s, and so I asked the students of Chonnam National University about it.

Q. How do you feel about the Korean presidential scandal?

A. (Uzbekistan) I have been in Korea for about eight months, but it is the first time for me to feel such an intense reaction from the Korean people. When I arrived here for the first time, I thought everything was okay and that it is so peaceful here. But, recently, almost every Korean person has said negative things about Korea, in presentations or daily conversation. So, I got to thinking that that situation is really messy, through news about demonstrations in Seoul and what I heard from Korean friends. In short, I am so surprised because I have never experienced this in my country. Although Uzbekistan is also a republic with similar rules as Korea, we have never demonstrated because we really respect our president.

A. (France) It is the first time I have personally experienced [this type of] Korean issue, even if I did not go to protest.

What surprises me is that the public has asked the presi-

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dent to resign, but she is still staying in the Blue House. She lost face. In this situation, demonstrations are very useful usually, but I do not think the demonstrations have been so effective in Korea because the president was sleeping while the people were protesting. She is really mean. She hasn’t done anything [to alleviate the situation]. She should have tried to find a way to make the situation better. I heard that she was elected because she does not have her own family – like kids and a husband – so people thought she could be fully dedicated to Korea. But, she is just listening without taking any action, in my view.

A. (Philippines) When for the first time I heard about this news, I was surprised. I felt it is strange that the president asked for advice from a person not even related to politics.

So, as an international student, I kind of feel like I should care about this issue. Most politicians around the world who use personal links for politics are usually seeking advice from someone related to politics, like a person who has worked in government, so they can match their ideas together. But, in this case, Choi Sun-sil has never had anything to do with politics.

A. (Japan) I was so surprised because I could not even imagine that a normal person would give out confidential documents about government issues, let alone the elected president. It is unbelievable, I think. That was my first impression when I heard the news about this scandal.

A. (United States) What is really interesting is that the Korean people are so passionate about their country. I heard that when Korea was almost bankrupt, a lot of citizens gave the government their own gold. It is incredible. So, because of the fact that the president is corrupt, a million people went to protest against their president. I think it shows a lot about the Korean people. Every country has corruption. I do not think it is only a Korean problem, but the thing is that Korea’s corruption was discovered. If the corruption

2017-03-06 �� 3:58:12

55

was not discovered, it would still be there, and we would not know about it. So, I do not think it is exactly just a problem in Korea. At the same time, in America, there is definitely corruption in government as you can see from the recent election, and South Africa is also seriously corrupt. I mean, as an international student, I do not focus only on Korea but the whole world. It is unfortunate that the problem happened in Korea, but at least we know that the problem is there so we can fix it.

ties, like the stages. I thought it was like a concert. I believe this kind of peaceful, but not quiet, protest is the best kind.

This kind of protest is very different from Japanese protests.

Basically, Japanese people are not that interested in politics, so they do not protest as actively as Korean people do.

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March 2017

An interesting aspect of their opinions is that they focus on the protest more than the political scandal itself. Perhaps this is because political corruption is repeated historically all over the world, but it is quite difficult to find millions of people coping with the government through an entirely peaceful movement, especially as one of the problems of the recent world is political apathy of the younger generation. Therefore, the Korean people’s candlelit protest is All of the students I interviewed regard candlelit rallies in quite meaningful to every country.

Korea as a very positive way to make change. What’s more, the students assured me that they are willing to protest if Q. What do you think about the fact that millions of their home-country faces such a crisis of corruption. people demonstrated?

A. (Philippines) I was touched by it. I was so impressed Q. If you were a Korean, or if a similar scandal happened by how Koreans are fighting for their rights and what they in your country, what would you like to do? demand.

A. (Uzbekistan) During the Soviet Union period, many people of the older generation demonstrated to ask for inA. (Japan) If people do not do anything, the president can- dependence back then. So, I would go protest if this kind of not know their anger. I think going outside and showing scandal was happening in my country; I cannot imagine it, their anger is a good [thing]. And also, I could not imagine though. I will go demonstrate to protect my country. that such a number of people would come to protest. I visited the protest in Gwangju on the 19th. I was impressed by A. (France) We would do the same thing. In France, there the protesters intense emotions, attitudes, songs, and facili- are large demonstrations against the president and govern-

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

A. (United States) It is awesome because the population of Korea is just 50 million, and that means 1 in 50 people went to protest. That is amazing. That shows how much Koreans are willing to show pride in their nationality and patriotism because they are willing to give up their entire weekend.

Almost all bus tickets were sold out to Seoul and traffic went crazy, but it shows how many people have passion about their country. Better yet, the protest was so peaceful.

In American protests, there are many violent people, but it is very peaceful here.

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56

▲ This page and previous page: Peaceful rallies are held every Saturday on Geumnam-ro (downtown Gwangju) beginning at 6 pm.

ment every single year. Especially since there were terrorist attacks recently, people get together not to demonstrate, but to stand against terrorism and pray for victims.

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

March 2017

A. (Philippines) First, I would need to make sure that the story was real and get a lot of information about it before reacting. And then, if it is real, I would protest by walking down the road, being a part of the people and shouting.

A. (Japan) Maybe I would protest like the Korean people do. In fact, I did not go to protests in Japan because I was scared of protesting. But I went to the Korean people’s protest and got to know what kind of mood there was, so now I could do it in Japan as well; Korean style is too dramatic to do in Japan, though.

A. (United States) As you can already see, there are a lot of protests and fighting against Trump, but I think it is a little bit of a different issue. This is not against corruption but a person they do not like. But, if I were a Korean, I would definitely want to participate in marches and protests everywhere.

At the very least, these five students are showing the passion that they are willing to devote to their country, which is a welcome difference from the political apathy that is widespread around the world. Nowadays, it is much easier to get information through the Internet and social media than it was in the past, especially for the young. Even a person who is not that interested in politics can usually be

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exposed to various news sources through the Internet in general. Choi Sun-sil-gate was revealed to the Korean people in this way, and it led to the miracle of candlelit rallies of public anger. Last of all, these brilliant interviewees have left messages of support for the Korean people.

Korean people know what they want and try to act now.

It is a very good way to achieve something.

(Uzbekistan) I think it is good to try; I am not sure it will work, though.

(France) Keep fighting for what you stand for.

If you think you are doing it for the right thing, keep doing it and never give up until you get to that point.

(Philippines) I think Korean people are energetic.

I envy Korean people. Go for it!

(Japan) You should continue to protest peacefully, and do not give up. A lot of Americans are inspired by Korean protests.

(United States) For more information, you can visit Kim Yoon-ho’s blog: http://m.blog.naver.com/kyho9242/220905023658

2017-03-06 �� 3:58:19

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