The Jeju Weekly Issue 75 by The Jeju Weekly

www.jejuweekly.com

Publisher : Song Jung Hee Editor-in-Chief : Todd Thacker Assistant Editor : Darryl Coote Designer : Yun Seong Un Address : Rm. 306 Jeju Venture Maru Bldg. 217 Jungang-ro, Jeju City, Korea Phone : +82-64-724-7776, 702-8885 / Fax : +82-64-724-7796

Vol. IV No. 75

FRIDAY, July 27, 2012

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INSIDE Environment SDJH

Jeju opens Asiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest aquarium +DQZKD $TXD 3ODQHW -HMX PD\ EH SULFH\ EXW LWŇ&#x2039;V JRW Ň&#x160;ZRZŇ&#x2039; IRU WKH ZKROH IDPLO\ By Jessica Sicard FRQWULEXWRU#MHMXZHHNO\ FRP

The search for Jejuâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first palm tree

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Cool off at these great locations

Sports SDJH

Opening its doors on July 14 after almost five years of preparation, Hanhwa Aqua Planet Jeju has already become a hot spot for Jeju tourists and locals. Located on the east side of the island in Seongsan, Seogwipo City, this beautiful new aquarium features marine life from around the globe just a short hike from Jeju Islandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s iconic Seongsan Sunrise Peak. Now Asiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest aquarium, with a floor

space of 25,600m2 and 10,800 tons of water collectively, Aqua Planet Jeju showcases about 48,000 aquatic animals in 500 different species within a state of the art facility that has a hip and modern feel and plenty of space for pedestrian traffic. The facility is divided into three sections: the aquarium, a performance hall, and a special education center for children. The childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s center requires an additional ticket for the modest amount of 1,500 won for kids and 1,700 won for adults. A colorful tank replicating the sea around Munseom, a small islet in Seogwipo City, greets guests as they

Remembering Debbie Peachy

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By Sachin Mahajan FRQWULEXWRU#MHMXZHHNO\ FRP

Sacrifice and successs of a Seogwipo golfer

enter the aquarium from the lobby. Visitors to the aquarium first meet tanks featuring marine life from the five oceans of the world: the Arctic Ocean, the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, the Indian Ocean, and the Antarctic Ocean. I was surprised to see that an Antarctic Ocean exists, but after some brief Internet research I discovered that thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an ongoing debate in the scientific community as to whether there are four oceans or five. Aqua Planet has designed its world oceans exhibit to feature each of the oceansâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; marine life in slanted tanks that give Continued on page 8

I have always considered Jeju to be a special place. It has so much natural beauty and charm to offer. But perhaps the one thing that

always draws me back to Jeju is the people who choose to call it home. Whether they stay one year or for the long haul, Jeju has a way of attracting such splendid spirits to its shores. Debbie Peachy was no different. Continued on page 4

02 Jeju Now

The Jeju Weekly

FRIDAY, July 27, 2012

Music, dance unites island community at the 2012 Expats in Jeju Summer Festival

Photos by (ULQ 0\HUV

By Erin Myers

www.jejuweekly.com

FRQWULEXWRU#MHMXZHHNO\ FRP

Jeju residents came together for the 2012 Expats in Jeju Summer Festival to showcase arts, crafts, and celebrate the island’s community with live musical performances on July 15 along the Tapdong waterfront in Jeju City. A free event held at the Tapdong Seaside Amphitheatre, the concert was open for all to enjoy and attempted to create an environment for the exchange of culture and arts among expats and the Jeju community as a whole. Hosted by Headline Jeju Inc., and sponsored by the Jeju Special SelfGoverning Province, the festival centered around the promotion of Jeju as a peaceful community where its citizens and expats live in harmony. Starting at 3 p.m. the Heirloom5 Harvest Farmers’ Market opened outside of the amphitheatre. Available for purchase were an assortment of homemade treats, pottery, and artwork giving residents a chance to showcase their creativity and cooking skills in open-market fashion. Following the market, the stage was brought to life from 4 to 8 p.m with musical performances ranging from accordion and cello to African drumming on the djembe. Jeju natives, expats, and

tourists wandered in from the Tapdong waterfront filling the venue with dance, laughter, and a sense of community that makes Jeju a special place to call home. In the opening ceremony that occurred

New Jeju Energy Corp. marks first steps in 2030 carbon free pledge By Darryl Coote GDUU\OFRRWH#MHMXZHHNO\ FRP

On July 10, the Jeju Energy Corporation (JEC) officially opened at the Jeju Chamber of Commerce and Industry. This marks one of the first steps towards Jeju achieving its recently announced “Carbon Free Island Jeju by 2030” plan, which aims to make the island completely self-sustainable through the use of renewable resources

by 2030. According to a provincial government press release, the main purpose of the JEC is to bring Jeju from its current 7 percent dependence on new and renewable energy sources to 100 percent by 2030. To manifest this goal the press release said the corporation will heavily pursue windpower and plans to have developed a 2GW ocean wind power infrastructure that will adequately supply all of the island’s energy needs.

during intermission, the audience enjoyed an hour long set from Jeju’s own South Carnival, a local reggae ska band formerly known as Socialism. In a nine person ensemble, their performance was filled with energy, brass, and singing from a crowd that was familiar with their uptempo sound. The idea for the summer concert came about when Chesoon Morelli put Headline Jeju in touch with expats Jessie Dishaw and Brady Paron. Dishaw and Paron play a large role in organizing expat events and open mics on the island. Compared to past events, “today’s concert is a much bigger scale, the sound system is amazing, the location is great, this event is a lot more official than events in the past,” said Paron. Planning for the summer festival began in early March. After Dishaw, Morelli, and Paron met with Headline Jeju to collaborate in organizing the show, a date was set, the word was out, and performance slots began to fill. “Headline did a really great job promoting the concert and making it a big thing ... If this could happen once a year in the summer, that would be awesome,” said Paron. Yun Cheol Soo, CEO of Headline Jeju, said that his company makes a point of covering events that involve expats on

To do this, the JEC’s first order of business will be to establish two ocean wind power plants that combined will account for 350MW of power by 2016 off the Hallim and Daejeong coast. On top of that the JEC has three other major roles: to manage previously constructed wind power complexes, to develop Jeju into a wind turbine test bed, and to host an international energy forum. Concerning managing older wind power complexes, the JEC’s first business, said the press release, will be to fix the Haengwon and Sinchon complexes which are in need of repair. The JEC’s next function will be to create a “domestic big wind turbine development test bed” on Jeju. And it will also plan, organize, and

Jeju. He realized that expats have many special talents and decided that a summer festival would be a nice way to share these talents with the Jeju community in an open and friendly atmosphere. “I hope that this festival will bring together many people under ‘Jeju love,’” said Yun in the concert pamphlet. Members of the Jeju Special SelfGoverning Provincial Council greeted the audience during the opening ceremony and stayed into the evening to enjoy the show. “I am very touched that this kind of festival is happening in Jeju City,” said Lee Sun Hwa, a Jeju Provincial Council member. “Jeju people have to know foreigners’ spirit and interests so we can change our attitudes and understand each other better. I would like to have more positive events like this in the future. Maybe once in the summer and again at Christmas, so we can love each other, get to know each other, and communicate with each other,” said Lee. “I am just so grateful to everyone with Headline News and the sound team, along with Jessie and Chesoon for the opportunity to have this event. It was such a nice way to bring people together on the island,” said Paron.

host an international renewable energy forum with the purpose of organizing a study group of experts, improve technology and research, and usher Jeju into a new and renewable resource era. These projects will be funded by 100 billion won from the Jeju Special SelfGoverning Province as well as from profits generated from present and future power plants. With its inauguration, the JEC is responsible for all new and renewable energy resources, traditional forms of energy (gas and oil), overseeing the Korean Institute of Energy Research, maintain wind power generating facilities, construct energy facilities, and conduct educational and personal relations activities to better prepare employees.

FRIDAY, July 27, 2012

The Jeju Weekly

Advertorial 03

Berjaya to the rescue Malaysian developer to transform Jeju’s tourism infrastructure By Darryl Coote

www.jejuweekly.com

darrylcoote@jejuweekly.com

Berjaya Jeju Resort Ltd. believes it has the solution to the island’s tourism dilemma. In the past few years Jeju’s tourism infrastructure has gone through an evolution. With the advent of the Olle walking trail network, the burgeoning coffee shop industry, and the apparition of new rustic guest houses all over the island, Jeju’s tourism has gone from appealing to newlyweds to budget travellers. “At the moment you see in Jeju they are recording millions of tourists with various demands, but the existing tourism infrastructure doesn’t fully accommodate such demand,” said Berjaya Jeju Resort Ltd. Project Director Tang Vui Woon to The Jeju Weekly from his office in Seogwipo City. But Tang believes that his company can diversify the island’s limited tourism infrastructure. “You have to create something for everyone,” he said And this is exactly what Berjaya is doing as the developer of the integrated resort in Yerae, Seogwipo City. In April 2008, this Malaysian company, which its name translates to “success,” signed a joint venture agreement with the Jeju Free International City Development Center (JDC) to bring its vision of building a high-end resort complex on the island to life. The project is one of six massive undertakings by the JDC to turn Jeju into an international city, with the resort complex hoping to lure VIPs to artists from home and abroad to live, invest, and work within Jeju’s shores. Spanning 183 acres in the idyllic little village of Yerae, Berjaya is set to build a massive resort complex that consists of a market block, a five-star hotel, a large casino, villas, condominium units, and much more at a cost of US$2.4 billion (2.7 trillion won). Though not necessarily the first of its kind, this resort town, said Tang, will be different from all those before it. Currently set for construction in Q3 once their building proposal is approved, the

Berjaya Jeju Resort Ltd.

market block will be a refuge “for cultural migrants from the mainland,” he said. The plan is to build 96 two-story units in six different styles with the ground floor to be used as a shop to sell artistic wares crafted by the building’s owner who lives on the second floor. The shop section can also be used as a coffee shop or a small restaurant. The market block, he said, would solve two big issues that Jeju, especially the southside, suffers from the lack of entertainment at night and the scattered nature of the island’s boutique shops. “We are trying to build something more centralized where people can gather together,” he said, and this would solve both of those issues. And once granted approval the units can be completed and up for sale in 30 months. As a resort town, it will also hold 51 villas in six styles. These 70 to 90 pyeong (230 to 300 m2) villas that will line the coast when constructed, Tang said, will target VIP customers, 70 percent from Korea and 30 percent from abroad. The large villas will come with individual pools, but the benefits to purchasing one of these units are not simply its physical features, but the additional benefits it comes with like that non-Koreans can be granted conditional permanent residency with investing over 500 million won, the island’s proximity to numerous large cities, and access to other Berjaya properties. “Just by buying a resort in Jeju they will be able to utilize facilities in other resorts that Berjaya owns,” he said. Because of the demographic this plan is targeting, Berjaya will build a five-star hotel with 505 rooms as well as a largescale casino of the like that has yet to be seen on the island. What is currently dubbed as “Casino Town” will not only be a place where one can try to best lady luck, but will also have shows like those in Las Vegas, and there will be shopping, lots and lots of shopping. And all these ventures will be offered through international brands, which Tang stressed is very important not only for the project but for Jeju. “To put Jeju in the international tourist

Berjaya Jeju Resort Ltd. Project Director Tang Vui Woon explains some of the features of villas to be built in the resort town. Photo by Darryl Coote

map you must have all the international brands. For anybody who wants to go overseas for holidays they will try to look for [name brands] ... but in Jeju they couldn’t find it except for Hyatt,” he said. Right now the plan calls for 935 hotel rooms and 1,531 condominium units that will accommodate a decent size population, but this “creative business leisure city,” as Tang referred to it as, does not currently exist past computer renderings. Even still, this plan alone has garnered Berjaya Jeju Resort Ltd. the Five-star Award for Best Mixed-use Development from the International Property Awards 2012 — Asia Pacific in April. On top of all this, Berjaya has and will

continue to expand its Berjaya Cares Foundation to not only Jeju but to Korea. This foundation was originally established, according to its Web site, to provide Malaysians in need with aid, to protect the environment, and promote the arts. With developing in other countries Berjaya brought their social responsibilities with it to the communities housing its resorts, and Tang thinks that Jeju will be no different. With the ground prepared, the buildings will begin construction once approved and in some short few years (expected to be completed by 2017) Jeju may have found its answer to attracting deep-pocketed tourists and investors to its shores.

04 Community

The Jeju Weekly

FRIDAY, July 27, 2012

Remembering Debbie Peachy Continued from page 1 I first met Debbie as her co-worker at Jeffâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Academy in Jeju City. I was still somewhat new myself, nearing the last quarter of my first contract in Jeju. I was immediately drawn in by her friendliness, charm, and fun-loving attitude and we quickly became good friends. She was there with me the first time we visited Udo Island. She was there with me when we enjoyed our first Fire Festival together. She was there for my first New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Eve on Jeju. Whether we were exploring the island, learning about the culture, or just having a relaxing night out on the town, Debbie was there, brightening the room with her smile. Debbie had many talents. She was a regular performer at La Vieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Wednesday night jam sessions and numerous open mic events. Her voice could draw you in just like her lively personality. She was athletic, intelligent, and great to work with. Like her surname would suggest, things were always peachy when Debbie was around. Like many people who come to Jeju, Debbie also found the love her life here. It wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t long before her and Rob Thomas were inseparable. When they both decided to move to Kaohsiung, Taiwan, in 2009, I was sad to see them go but also excited to have a new place to visit nearby. I finally made a trip there during Christmas 2011. Debbie and Rob had made a great life for themselves. They also had a small group of former Jeju residents in their circle of friends. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not surprising because, as many Jeju

long-timers can attest, no matter where you go, a part of Jeju will always be with you. I will be eternally grateful for that week last Christmas when I got to see Debbie happy, smiling, and joyful. She had just learned about her illness, but I was none the wiser that weekend. It was only after the holiday parties had passed that I learned about her condition. She had been diagnosed with colon cancer. When she and Rob told me they had news to share, I was hearing wedding bells in my head. This was the last thing I was expecting to hear. When the initial shock had passed, I did what any friend would do; I tried my best to look at the positives. She was young and she would recover. She would beat the cancer because she was a fighter. She has a strong network of family and friends that would help her get through this. During my visit, Debbie was admitted to the hospital to have surgery to remove the tumor from her colon. I spent the day before her surgery with her in the hospital. We wandered the courtyards and food court. We sat and talked in her room. We did our best to pass the time and keep our spirits up. When I said goodbye to her that evening, I never imagined it would be the last time we would meet. When I returned to Jeju later that week, the first news I heard was that the surgery was a success and the tumor had been removed. She still had a long road ahead of her. That is why her friends and family all banded

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together to raise money for her longterm care. My contribution was to be a small charity darts tournament, which was held on July 7 at Bullâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Darts Bar in Jeju City, near City Hall. But in the time between the initial planning and the day of the event, my worst fears had come true. Debbie lost her battle with cancer on June 22. She was 28. After a period of mourning and remembering all the good times we shared, my focus shifted to how best to celebrate her life. With the help of the Jeju community, we put on an excellent event and raised over 1 million won for Debbieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s family to help offset the costs of her medical bills and

funeral expenses. It was a small contribution for me, as a close friend. But I am always left in awe by the generosity and compassion of the Jeju community. Over these past few weeks, so many people that never knew Debbie showed their support in some form. Jeju is magical in that way; it doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t matter if you stay one year or 10, you will make friendships that last a life time. Debbie may be gone from this world, but her memory and the energy she brought to everything she touched will remain with us to keep us smiling on those otherwise gloomy days. That is what she always did best.

Local charity darts tourney scores a bullâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s-eye www.jejuweekly.com

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By Dave Cunning FRQWULEXWRU#MHMXZHHNO\ FRP

The inaugural Debbie Cancer Free Charity Darts Tournament is in the books, and will undoubtedly be remembered as a bullâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s-eye of an event. After besting 15 other teams and winning six consecutive games of cricket darts on July 7 in Jeju City, Jason Hiltz and his wife Seongmi walked away with the crystal championship trophy.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;We feel pretty good,â&#x20AC;? said Hiltz, after the victory. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We had to beat a lot of good teams to get here to the end. We had a lot of faith that if we played as well as we knew we could weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d have a good chance to win, but you still never know; you have to play the games to find out. If not for the awesome dart throwing of my wife, we never would have made it to the final round.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Oh yeah, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m so happy,â&#x20AC;? an excited Seongmi added after the win. The tandem owns â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Barâ&#x20AC;? in City Hall.

While they both have been playing darts for a number of years, they both no doubt picked up a little extra practice on the dart board that resides in their tavern. Of course, the charity tournament was about more than hoisting a trophy â&#x20AC;&#x201D; tournament organizer Sachin Mahajan setup the showdown to raise money for the family of his friend Debbie Peachy, a former Jeju resident who recently lost her battle with cancer. His event raised approximately 1 million won for Debbieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s family. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This tournament was held in her honor,â&#x20AC;? said Mahajan. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We originally started this tournament to help with her long-term care, but now the money will go to her family to assist in paying her medical and funeral expenses. In their time of need, I hope this is something that can help them out a little bit.â&#x20AC;? Mahajan was more than pleased with the success of the tournament, and especially with the participation and support of the Jeju community that donated auction items, their time, and their hard-earned money. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The tournament went better than I ever could have expected,â&#x20AC;? Mahajan conceded. â&#x20AC;&#x153;A

big â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;thank youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; goes to the owners of [Bullâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s] Darts Bar for hosting the tournament, all our sponsors that donated to the event, and everyone that participated. The local foreigner community on this island is amazing. The way people turn out to an event for someone theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve never met, and the outpouring and support we got is just wonderful. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why I love this island.â&#x20AC;? After the success of the tournament, Mahajan may look to organize more â&#x20AC;&#x153;Peachyâ&#x20AC;? events in the future. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll continue using her last name to do more of these kind of events to raise money to fight cancer. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an important issue. We lost a friend too young in Debbie, and thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s always a tragedy, but the fact that people can come together and do an event like this makes the burden a little easier to bear. I hope she enjoyed the event from wherever she is now. Every time I remember her, sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s smiling, and I thought the best way to honor her would be to celebrate.â&#x20AC;? Dave Cunning is a freelance writer from Kelowna, BC, Canada. Read his blog davecunning.wordpress.com and follow him on Twitter: @davecunning

The Jeju Weekly

FRIDAY, July 27, 2012

Environment 05

The glow of the firefly may be returning to Jeju There’s hope for renewal in habitat and population, say local experts By Kim Jung Lim contributor@jejuweekly.com

“Fireflies give humans the pleasure of a warm and tranquil feeling. In the memories from my childhood, when I was on my mother’s knee and stared at the midsummer night stars, the light of the firefly was there.” — Kim Ha Gon, firefly expert at the Muju Firefly Institute.

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As civilizations modernize, accompanied by an increase in electric light, the natural glow of the firefly will continue to fade. For one thing, the firefly needs dark conditions to reproduce. Deforestation and pollution have also resulted in a loss of habitat. However, according to firefly expert Kim Ha Gon, if urbanization is limited to certain areas, the environment of the countryside could renew itself and it is possible that the number of fireflies could increase. In July of last year, the Warm-temperate Forest Research Center, a department of the Korea Forest Research Institute (KFRI) located in Seogwipo City, announced that a research team led by Prof. Kwan Jino discovered Korea’s largest population of the unmunsan firefly (Luciola unmunsana Doi) at the Jeju Research Forest, located in a mountainous area of Seogwipo City. Then on June 26, in a press release sent out by the center, Kwon said that his team had found other places in Seogwipo which are inhabited by fireflies. “For a long time I have known of the possibility of unmunsan fireflies living in Seogwipo but I had to search carefully. After the announcement of last year, I expected more of them to be living in other places on Jeju,” Kwon said in a interview with The Jeju Weekly.

The unmunsan firefly is seeing a resurgence with roughly 200,000 of them spotted this June in Seogwipo City. Photo courtesy Warm-temperate Forest Research Center

Because the firefly can be seen flying in the wild between mid-June to mid-July, Kwan’s team had to wait an entire year to continue their study on the population of fireflies and their natural habitat. During the wait, in their laboratory the team examined the insects ecology with larval samples they had caught. It was at night on June 13 during a routine check of animals at the research forest that they had found the first two fireflies of 2012. This indicated that it was time for them to go out to find other fireflies flying about in addition to those at the research forest. Research was conducted from June 18 to 20 after 8 p.m. — when the fireflies start to appear. They found between 100,000 to 200,000 fireflies a day near the Beopjeong Temple in Hawon-dong, and hundreds of them at the Cheonjiyeon Waterfall. Other habitats are Donnaeko Valley, Yeongnamdong, and Mt. Gun, all in Seogwipo City.

Kwan said among the four species of firefly living in Korea, the one he found on Jeju this time is the unmunsan firefly. Unlike the other three (Luciola lateralis Motshulsky, Hotaria papariensis Doi, and Lychnuris rufa) which live underwater as larval, the unmunsan firefly’s larva stage occurs on the ground. “They are smallest (8 to 9 millimeters) and the weakest species and they are very sensitive to the environment,” he said, adding, “If agricultural chemicals are sprayed over their habitats, they die.” That’s why all the discovered habitats are located in mountainous areas far from tangerine farms and golf courses. He mentioned that “Because the unmunsan firefly is rarely found, there has been little research conducted on their life. One thing for sure is the fact unmunsa fireflies exist shows that the place is clean.” Now Kwon hopes that his discovery will

offer people a chance to enjoy the light of the fireflies, while he believes that the government should take a more active role to support this fragile insect. “First, more research on the habitat of the firefly has to be conducted. [The government] should also differentiate which area has to be protected and which should be [open to public and] used for eco-tourism. If it is just protected, who could enjoy it?” He added, “Now our research center’s role is to continue the scientific study on the ecology of the firefly and the [proper] environmental conditions needed. If a way to grow fireflies in a farm is developed, someday a farmer might take care of them and let them go out after they grow up,” he said, adding that this might make it possible to see fireflies flying through the Jeju sky. Kwon said he is happy his research showed that “the environment [has been] revitalized.” He added, “During my research, I deliberately brought a child with me to see his response. He was very happy [to see the firefly’s light] and he still tells me to take him there again. When I saw his face ... [I was happy, too.]” He suggested for Seogwipo City to assign an area for students to watch fireflies and learn more about them. For those interested in viewing fireflies, Kwon had a suggestion: Don’t use a flashlight, and don’t venture into the forest, just stay on the trail so as to not harm the larvae which lie on top of the ground. An additional suggestion: When traveling in the dark, do so in small groups and be safe. Also, since the firefly season has passed, you’ll need to wait until next year to bask in the glow of this fragile, yet brilliant, species.

The search for Jeju’s first palm tree By Darryl Coote darrylcoote@jejuweekly.com

The palm tree is almost as iconic to Jeju as the tangerine. And like the tangerine, the palm is foreign to these here lands. When I first heard this, that the palm is not indigenous to the island, I had to know its story. And after (surprisingly) months of searching, following up dead ends and false leads, The Jeju Weekly found it. Jeju’s first palm tree. A stone’s throw from Iho Tewoo Beach in Jeju City, there is an abandoned field with a single horse tethered to a post, and a cluster of palm trees at its northern end. Our guides, brothers Lee Yong Seok and Lee Jong Seok, walked The Jeju Weekly through the thick brush to

the trees. “So, let me see,” said Yong Seok pointing at two, tall though worn and sickly looking palms, “... These palm trees have been growing for 60 years,” These are the first palms in Jeju, planted in 1953. “In 1953 my father [Lee Jeong Jun, founder of Sumok Farm] read a newspaper story,” said Yong Seok, from a gazebo overlooking Iho Beach, about a Korean sailor who travelled to Singapore. There, he saw palm trees, collected some seeds from underneath, and came home to plant them, in Seoul. He succeeded, and the first 20 palm trees in Korea were grown in his house, not on Jeju, but on the mainland. “My father bought the 20 palm trees from the sailor,” said Yong Seok, two of Continued on page 18

Photo by Darryl Coote

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06 Scenes of Summer

The Jeju Weekly

FRIDAY, July 27, 2012

The Jeju Weekly

Scenes of Summer 07

Photos by 'RXJODV 0DF'RQDOG )OLFNU FRP SKRWRV GPDFVBSKRWRV

08 Discover Jeju

The Jeju Weekly

FRIDAY, July 27, 2012

www.jejuweekly.com

Photos by 'RXJODV 0DF'RQDOG )OLFNU FRP SKRWRV GPDFVBSKRWRV

Continued from page 1 visitors a closer look at each regionsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; aquatic animals. Fish highlighted in this section include the buffalo sculpin, kelp greenling, cod, rose starfish, lookdown fish, blue lined snapper, Picasso fish, blotcheye soldierfish, oriental sweetlips, longfin bannerfish, naso tang, yellow tang, emperor angelfish, dog face puffer, red toothed triggerfish, red lionfish, kelp crab, red starfish, smooth lumpsucker and sailfin sculpin. My personal favorites were the Picasso fish and the oriental sweetlip fish, not only because they have fun names but because they are vibrantly colored in an interesting way. The section following is dedicated to harbor seals, or, as the Aqua Planet workers refer to them as, the â&#x20AC;&#x153;dancingâ&#x20AC;? harbor seals. These seals have a lot of natural lighting, a characteristic of this aquarium that is unique, according to the aquariumâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s assistant manager of public relations and marketing, Kang Eun Young. The sealsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; swimming space amounts to multiple stories and several aqua tunnels for the animalsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; swimming and dancing pleasure. In fact, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s possible to see seals swimming on both the first and second floors of the aquarium. The aquarium walk continued on to the penguin section where both African

Photos by 'RXJODV 0DF'RQDOG

penguins and Humboldt penguins harmoniously resided. While these two penguins do not live together in the wild, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s possible to put them together here because they come from similar climates. Spectators can get up close and personal with these penguins by ducking down and crawling into a space with peep holes that look into the penguinsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; habitat. Later on, visitors get to walk through an aquarium tunnel where little penguins dart in all directions above and around Aqua Planet goers, and this ended up being my favorite photo opportunity. There are several special exhibits in the aquarium, including an area with Daepo Columnar Joint-inspired pillars dedicated to the fish of Jeju like the giant mottled eel, Japanese eel, Ayu sweet fish, stone moroki, and more. Following is an aqua safari highlighting fresh water animals like the Asian small-clawed otters and fish specific to some of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most famous rivers: the Yangze River, Han River, Mekong River, Mississippi River, and the Amazon River. One of my favorite tanks in the Living Ocean section is the one with the moray eels. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m very familiar with these animals, but it was apparent that Koreans are not because they were squealing with horror and delight, and that was entertaining.

One of the most interesting animals in this section for me was the garden eel, a worm-like eel with bright yellow eyes, and is poised and ready forâ&#x20AC;Ś I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know what. Other crowd pleasers include the clownfish and the Japanese spider crabs. With crabs that big, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s possible to get a good look at their faces, making me wonder how I ever ate something so terrifying. The aquariumâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s grand finale is a tank that is 23 meters wide by 8.5 meters high, and showcases Jeju Islandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ecosystem. With a super-sized acrylic glass at a thickness of 60 centimeters, this tank was custom made, costing 10 billion won, and it took two weeks to fill it with 6,000 tons of water. Fifty species of fish reside here including the impressive whale shark with its frightening appearance but gentle character. The whale sharkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s roommates include the mantra ray, the eagle ray, and more. On top of this, for the viewing pleasure of the guests in another tank that contains sardines and several small sharks, haenyeo (Jeju women divers) perform five times daily. The aquarium wraps up with a petting pool for children where they have the chance to pet fish. From there visitors are lead to a performance hall with a 1,500

person capacity where walrus, sea lion, dolphin, and synchronized swimming performances are held four times daily. The third and final section of Aqua Planet is an ocean Exploratorium for children (primarily in Korean) with various scientific exhibits pertaining to ocean tides, tsunamis, and more. Hanhwa Hotel and Resort, Koreaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading aquarium business, is the mastermind behind this beautiful new facility. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve also built a sister aquarium in Yeosu that opened in May 2012 for the World Expo, and they anticipate opening a third in Ilsan in December 2013. Previously, the largest aquarium in Asia was the Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium. The admission fee of 37,600 won for adults initially seemed expensive to me, but after doing a quick search for aquarium entrance fees in the US, this is the approximate going rate based on the Monterey Bay Aquarium and the Georgia Aquarium, both of which require $34.95 for adult entrance.

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By Susan Shain FRQWULEXWRU#MHMXZHHNO\ FRP

This article originally appeared in The Weekly in May, 2011. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Ed. From the aerial photos on display at the ferry terminal, Gapado Island does not look like much â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a rocky pancake of an island without a whole lot going on. Though an accurate assessment, this is not a flaw; rather, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s exactly where Gapadoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s charm lies. Most people pass by Gapado, a tiny island off Jejuâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s south coast, on their way to Marado Island, Gapadoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s neighbor and Koreaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s southernmost

point. Others visit Gapado for the Barley Festival, which was held this year in early May. But visiting Gapado at other times is a relaxed and authentic way to experience the island and its 200 or so residents. The journey to Gapado begins with a pleasant 20-minute ferry ride from Moseulpo port. Stepping off the ferry feels almost like stepping back in time, with no buses and few cars to distract you. Once on the island, there are no tourist attractions; more likely, it will be you that is the attraction. As a non-Korean, I was pointed and

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stared at more than usual and at one point was even ambushed and followed by a man who jumped out of a car and started frantically snapping photos of me. The entire island offers unique and beautiful views of Jeju and Mt. Sanbang. The best way to spend your time is to walk the lovely fivekilometer Olle trail. If you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t feel like walking, bike rentals are available for a very affordable 3,000 won per day. Ask at the the building with the bathrooms closest to the ferry dock. The shortest of the Olle bunch, Gapadoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s trail meanders around the islandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s perimeter and takes only about an hour to complete. It winds along the stunning shore, where jagged black rocks jut in striking contrast to the azure water. Piles of prayer rocks, burial mounds smothered in wildflowers, and carefully arranged stone fences provide endless photo opportunities. Even the buildings add to the islandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s charm, as many of the colorful houses are covered in vines, and many of the walls have brightly colored murals depicting island life. One of the highlights of my visit was the abundant barley fields. I had heard of amber waves of grain before but never experienced anything like this. Though more green

than amber, the shimmering fields have a magical quality that is impossible to capture with a photograph. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll just have to see it for yourself. There are a variety of small eateries clustered around the two ports. We received exuberant service at a restaurant whose specialty is kalguksu â&#x20AC;&#x201C; homemade â&#x20AC;&#x153;knife-cutâ&#x20AC;? wheat noodles in a flavorful broth. Their 7,000 won version featured kelp and orange sea urchins and was tasty and satisfying. The restaurant is accessible by turning right and walking up the hill for about five minutes from the dock. It is on the edge of the Olle trail before an expanse of barley fields. A thorough exploration of the island will not take more than a few hours and would be best on a sunny day, as its atmosphere is perfect for strolling, taking photos, and simply letting the salty breeze blow across your face. To visit Gapado, take any bus headed to Moseulpo. Walk five minutes to the port and purchase a ticket at the ferry office (8,000 - 10,000 won round-trip, depending on the day). Ferries usually leave at 9 a.m., 11 a.m., 2 p.m., and 4 p.m., returning at 9:20 a.m., 12 p.m., 2:20 p.m, and 5 p.m., but the schedule varies according to day and weather, so be sure to ask at the ferry office before departing, or call 064-7953500 ahead of time (Korean only).

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Exhausted by the heat? Cool off at these Jeju landmarks 2

Mt. Songak

From the top of the mountain, you can see Korea’s southernmost islands of Marado and Gapado. Not far from base are undulating, sea-carved cliffs which stand majestically along the shore.

Halla Arboretum

If you miss nature but feel like you never have time to leave the city, this may be the answer. This is a safe haven for nature, and nature lovers, on the edge of a bustling city.

Dragon Head Rock Cliff

A Global Geoparks Network site More than a million years old, it essentially covers the coastline of Mt. Sanbang. Part of a Tuff Ring, it was formed by ancient layers of volcanic ash that collected and eventually become rock.

Cheonjeyeon Waterfall

According to local legend, seven nymphs used to secretly arrive at midnight to enjoy some outdoor bathing here. The name translates as “the pond of the Gods.” 1

Jusangjeolli Cliffs

In the shadow of the Jungmun Tourist Complex, the cliffs offer a view that will take your breath away. With almost perfect hexagonal columns, jutting 20 meters into the air, the cliffs run for 2 km along the Daepo coast.

www.jejuweekly.com

Oedolgae

Oedolgae Rock protrudes 20 meters skyward from Korea’s rolling South Sea. According to a folk tale, Oedolgae was the wife of an old fisherman. When her husband failed to return home, she mourned him by the shore until her body stiffened and turned to stone. Her husband's dead body then floated to the surface to form a flat rock beside her.

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Cheonjiyeon Waterfall

Wonang Waterfall

10 11

A Global Geoparks Network site If you want to see something stunning, go straight to this site. The falls are most thunderous during typhoon season in July and August.

From the road you can hear the roar of the waterfall beckoning you. When you step on the wooden boardwalk, the path is shaded and cool. After a short walk, you arrive here: Wonang Waterfall, a split stream which tumbles 5 meters into the deep blue pool below.

Sonangmeori Spring

This icy spring is found on Olle Course No. 6. You can freshen up in the great outdoors.

Donnaeko Valley

The dense woods make this one of the most sought after destinations for tourism and peaceful contemplation. If you want to refresh your body and mind, just take a seat on a rock and place your feet in the crystal-clear water.

Jeongbang Waterfall

This is the only waterfall in Korea that falls directly into the sea. Ancient Jeju legend has it that a powerful dragon, whose spirit has cured illnesses and caused rain to fall during a drought, lives here.

Gyorae Natural Recreation Forest

If you want to go Gotjawal, this is the right place. As a haven for all plants, you can see warm-temperate and temperate plants growing here.

Bijarim Forest

This forest is home to nutmeg trees and is a national monument in the northeast of the island. The contrast between the red scoria paths and the deep green forest is impressive.

Manjanggul Lava Tube

A Global Geoparks Network site and a UNESCO Natural Heritage Site This 7.4 kilometer-long lava tube, formed from multiple volcanic events, is cool and mysterious thanks to its natural air conditioning.

Udo Island

Come here and take a break. This island, some 20 minutes from Seongsan Port by ferry, has great flat grassy areas to pitch a tent and a beautiful view of the ocean and Seongsan Sunrise Peak.

18 13

Seongsan Sunrise Peak

A Global Geoparks Network site and a UNESCO Natural Heritage Site This floating castle is one of Jejuâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s premiere landmarks and geological marvels.

Seosokkak Estuary

This beautiful beach and inlet are on the beginning of Olle Course No. 6. There is some good snorkeling to be found here.

Seopjikoji

The volcanic cone (called oreum in Korean) on which the lighthouse sits is beautiful and only takes about five minutes to climb. It has great views of the sea.

FRIDAY, July 27, 2012

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Cordelia

Yeosu

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Incheon

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