Koreamagazine1706 en

Monthly Magazine

June 2017

June 2017

Cover Story www. korea.net

Marketplace Revival

With a dash of innovation, Korea’s traditional markets make a comeback

여행 준비는 잘 하고 있어요?

Yeohaeng junbineun jal hago isseoyo?

Traditional markets are great places to experience the spirit of the nation.

The sights, the sounds, the smells, the tastes ... markets offer an almost unparalleled sensory experience. It’s no surprise, therefore, that Seoul’s Namdaemun and Dongdaemun markets are among Korea’s most popular tourist destinations. Markets are changing with the times, too. In order to compete with department stores and supermarkets, outdoor markets are becoming multifaceted cultural spaces where commerce and the arts come together.

Young people, too, are creating markets of their own, injecting youthful energy and sophistication into a time-honored space.

In this issue of KOREA, we also breathe in the scent of green tea in Boseong, talk with a top metal artist, learn about director Bong Joon-ho’s film “Okja” and more. _ Editorial staff, KOREA

Are you ready for your upcoming trip?

Publisher Oh Yeongwoo Korean Culture and Information Service Executive Producer Park Byunggyu Editorial Advisers Cho Won-hyung, Lee Suwan, Park Inn-seok Email webmaster@korea.net Magazine Production Seoul Selection

여행 준비는 잘 하고 있어요?

네, 미리 기차표도 샀어요.

Yeohaeng junbineun jal hago isseoyo?

Ne, miri gichapyodo sasseoyo.

Are you ready for your upcoming trip?

Yes, I booked a train ticket.

Editor-in-Chief Robert Koehler Production Supervisor Kim Eugene

지난번에 드린 안내 책자가 도움이 됐어요?

Producers Park Miso, Woo Jiwon

Jinanbeone deurin annae chaekjaga doumi dwaesseoyo?

Copy Editors Gregory Eaves, Anna Bloom

네, 나래 씨 덕분에 여행 준비가 빨리 끝났어요. 고마워요.

Ne, narae ssi deokbune yeohaeng junbiga ppalli kkeutnasseoyo.

Gomawoyo.

Did the travel guide I gave you help you prepare your trip?

Creative Director Lee Seung Ho

Yes, you helped me finish preparing for the trip early. Thank you.

Designers Lee Bok-hyun, Jung Hyun-young

나래 Narae

밍밍 Mingming

Illustrator Jeong Hyo-ju Photographers ao studio Kang Jinju, 15 Studio Printing Pyung Hwa Dang Printing Co., Ltd.

Cover Photo Photographed by 15 Studio Gwangju’s 1913 Songjeong Station Market at night

V-고 있다 ‘V-고 있다’ can be attached to a verb stem directly and is used in the present progressive tense. Attaching ‘V-고 있다’ to the verb stem shows an action currently progressing or a continual action. In the latter case, it is mainly used to express the recent action that is being taken to carry out the plan.

Let’s practice!

Let’s talk about plans for this summer vacation.

Q: What are your plans for this coming summer vacation? 올해 여름 휴가를 어떻게 계획하고 있어요?

V-(으)ㄴ

비행기표

‘V-(으)ㄴ’ can be attached to a verb stem directly and is used in the past tense. This ending makes the verb into an adjective that modifies a noun and expresses an action or an accident of the past. When the verb stem ends with a consonant except for ㄹ, you can add –은. When the verb stem ends with a vowel or a consonant ㄹ, you can add –ㄴ.

plane ticket

기차표

train ticket

Korean Culture Most people usually go on vacation in the summer.

This is because the hotter it gets, the harder it is to study or work. In Korea, students on summer break or office workers often go on a vacation in the sizzling months of July and August. Although the summer is the best holiday season, more and more people are going on vacation at different seasons of the year.

When do most people take a vacation in your country?

What is the difference between a vacation in your country and a Korean vacation?

아르바이트

part-time job

운동

work out

바다

ocean

산

mountain

A

고향에 가기 위해 ______을/를 준비하고 있어요.

I’m planning to ______ to visit my hometown.

______을/를 할까 생각하고 있어요.

I’m going to ______ .

______에 가려고 ______을/를 준비하고 있어요.

I’m preparing ______ to go to _______.

Co nte nt s

04 Cover Story Market Revival Korea’s vibrant traditional markets make a comeback

24 Korea & I A Green Haven in the Heart of the City Changdeokgung Palace offers a natural refuge from the urban grind

26 Arts & Entertainment 1 Korean Octogenarian Artists Lead a Global Art Movement

38 This is Pyeongchang Sleeping Off the Beaten Track Gangwon-do, the host of PyeongChang 2018, offers some unconventional places to stay

40 Current Korea Building a New Korea As President Moon Jae-in assumes office, the new administration pledges to correct the mistakes of the past and to bring the nation together

Korean dansaekhwa artists attract New York and London curators and step into the global spotlight

14 Travel Sensual Healing Boseong, Korea’s green tea capital, soothes through all five senses

20 A National Craftsman People

Molten metal artist Park Sang-gyu keeps the artisanal spirit alive

28 Arts & Entertainment 2 ‘Okja’ Looks to Break New Ground

44 Flavor Juksun Tteokgalbi Savory favorite began as way to stroke royal egos

Director Bong Joon-ho and Netflix team up to challenge industry norms with latest film

30 Korean Culture in Brief Gangneung hosts Danoje Festival, exhibit pays tribute to Korean War fallen, actor Kim Woo-bin named honorary ambassador for PyeongChang 2018, Gangwon-do’s arts and heritage on display, film museum opens in Busan, two Korean films compete at Cannes

46 Learning Korean BTS Misses You One of Korea’s top pop bands says, ‘Bogosipda’

32 Literature No Mere Child’s Tale Hwang Sun-mi’s ‘The Hen Who Dreamed She Could Fly’ encourages children to reflect on who they are

36 Policy Review Not Just a Hip Way to Eat Food trucks not only diversify the dining scene, but boost youth entrepreneurship

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without permission from KOREA and the Korean Culture and Information Service. If you want to receive a free copy of KOREA or wish to cancel a subscription, please email us. A downloadable PDF of KOREA and a map and glossary with common Korean words appearing in our magazine are available by clicking on the thumbnail of KOREA at the website www.korea.net. Publication Registration No: 11-1110073-000016-06

Cover Story

»

Written by Linda Jeon

Marketplace Revival With a dash of innovation, Korea’s traditional markets make a comeback

Traditional markets have much more to offer than just the products they sell. Full of depth and color, they have, over the years, transformed into a venue for up-and-coming artists. Local markets are one of the best places for both locals and tourists to experience how things are done the traditional way. Several have undergone successful makeovers, thanks to vendors and artists passionate about reviving the traditional market scene. What has helped revive markets even more, however, are refurbishment projects that have transformed them into fascinating places where the old meets the new.

have been getting together to bring more fun and excitement to the traditional market experience.

For example, in April, a group of musical actors put on performances at Daegu’s Sinpyeong-ri market to revitalize the marketplace’s arts scene, which had been flagging over the years. Musical actors Jang Eunjoo and Son Hyun-jin, as well as students from Daegu Arts University, were among those who took part in this multi-faceted event that featured opera, music and dance performances.

Not just a thing of the past

If you’re ever stumped on where to go on your day off, traditional markets might be the perfect spot for you. In fact, some markets have turned into must-visit travel destinations, all thanks to local artists, vendors and, of course, word of mouth.

Nambu Market in Jeonju is a great example of one that has successfully re-established itself as a hip hangout spot that attracts both locals and tourists.

Located just north of Jeonju’s famous Hanok Village, the market really comes alive at night. You’ll find not only some of the best products at the market but also friendly and passionate people. It opens every weekend from 7 p.m. until midnight. From November until February, the hours are from 6 p.m. until 11 p.m.

The night market alone gets anywhere from 8,000 to 9,000 people every weekend, and the place is lined with unique shops and booths that sell everything from special Jeonju delicacies to scrumptious dishes from all over the world. You can enjoy roasted octopus skewers, Vietnamese noodles and Laotian

In the old days, markets served as a hub for both the young and the old. They were some of the best places for people to get together to share information, and they are still a great place for people to experience the sort of warmth and generosity that’s unique to traditional communities.

Many of the booths and shops lining the markets have been there for decades, and they’re owned and operated by people with a story to tell. You’re not just going there to shop. You’re buying produce these vendors handpicked themselves and one-of-a-kind crafts they made with love. You’re haggling with them and interacting with them. It’s these people that make the market experience unforgettable.

In the midst of our busy schedule, however, visiting a local market might not be the first thing that comes to mind. Just when it seemed like people were starting to lose interest, groups of artists and young business-minded individuals in various cities

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From abandoned lot to must-visit destination

© Robert Koehler

KOREA June _ 5

dumplings as you walk around the market, or sit down at one of the restaurants and enjoy a bowl of the famous Jeonju-style bean sprout rice soup.

On the second floor of the complex is the famous “Youth Mall,” where young shop owners have created somewhat of a haven for people looking to relax and enjoy shopping. The mall is what started to draw people to the market in the first place, long before the night market became popular.

Before the mall was set up, the marketplace appeared nearly abandoned. Most of the space was used as storage since a fire in 1999. Before long, however, young residents found a way to repurpose the neglected space. It has since become a hot spot. The mall is filled with workshops, restaurants, cafés and tea houses. It has literally gone from an abandoned lot to a place of hope for so many young people, a place where they can dream to be happy.

of the things you must try at the market is its special barbecue with Hanwoo beef, pen shell clams and shiitake mushrooms.

Another interesting thing about this place is that, as of 2015, the market became the first traditional market to implement a refund policy. Customers unhappy with the quality of the products they purchase can ask for their money back or get the item exchanged. That same year, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism awarded the Jeongnamjin Market a Korea Tourism Award.

Farm-to-table There’s a famous market in Yeongsan-myeon, Jangheung, which is led by urban farmers. The market is called the Jangheung Masiljang, which roughly translates to “a place to hang out.” First opened in April 2013, it’s only open once or twice a month.

Jangheung Masiljang offers an experience that’s quite different from the traditional local market to which we are accustomed. The main goal was to come up with a new market that combines the ambiance of traditional urban markets with the rustic qualities of a countryside market. Farmers here sell a wide array of herbs, produce, meats and handmade crafts. There’s even a booth where you can buy drip coffee made from beans that were ground with a millstone.

Visitors can also stop by the second-hand store that’s on site and check out workshops where they can learn how to use various tools to make simple everyday objects. The people who started this market are former city dwellers who moved to the countryside to enjoy a slower, more peaceful

The weekend market experience Jeongnamjin Jangheung Saturday Market, located in the southwestern province of Jeollanam-do, is famous for its high-quality produce, locally grown beef and other specialty products. Like most other places, vendors are warm and kind, and there’s a stage in the market that brings people together. About 700,000 visitors come to the market every year. Sales have increased tenfold since it first opened in 2005.

Surprisingly, it wasn’t always that busy. The market started attracting more people after it switched from operating as a five-day market to a Saturday market. It has now become one of the best places to purchase high-quality beef at affordable prices. One

© 15 Studio

© Gwangju Center for Creative, Economy & Innovation

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In the face of competition from supermarkets and convenience stores, some traditional markets are turning to design and youthful innovation in order to survive. Time-honored markets such as Gwangju’s 1913 Songjeong Station Market have worked to attract young entrepreneurs in order to bring a fresh, hip spirit to historical spaces. This, in turn, has drawn young customers, and their social media savvy, to the markets, breathing life into places once feared to be dying. 대형 마트나 편의점과의 경쟁에 위기를 맞은 전통시장은 생존을 위해 새로운 시도를 하기 시작했다. 광주 1913송정역시장의 경우 오랜 역사가 깃든 공간에 젊은 상인들과 예술인들을 끌어들여 신선하고 활기찬 분위기를 수혈했다. 덕분에 SNS에 능숙한 젊은 세대가 시장으로 몰려왔고 한때 고사 위기를 맞았던 시장은 새 생명을 얻었다.

© 15 Studio

KOREA June _ 7

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© Ha Ji-kwon

In Korea, markets weren’t just places where things were bought and sold. Markets were cultural spaces in addition to being commercial spaces. Singing, dancing, storytelling and circus acts not only attracted more paying customers, but also helped bring communities together. Some markets keep this tradition alive even today by transforming themselves into multifaceted spaces where the arts, both visual and performing, thrive. 한국에서 시장은 물건을 사고파는 행위와 더불어 문화가 있는 공간이었다. 노래와 춤, 이야기와 공연이 소비자를 모으고, 지역공동체를 하나로 묶는 역할을 했다. 오늘날에도 몇몇 시장들은 이러한 전통을 이어받아 장터를 예술이 살아 숨 쉬는 다채로운 공간으로 만들어간다.

KOREA June _ 9

More than just a tourist destination

life. Their motto is “sharing, not possessing.” These farmers have influenced others to open up similar markets across the country, including ones in Gangjin, Haenam and Boseong.

A lot of markets have become popular tourist destinations, as this is the only way for the local vendors to sustain themselves. Over the years, they’ve implemented changes to make markets more consumer-friendly by doing things like adding trendy cafés. The Seoul city government announced that, starting this May, markets will be installing mobile payment systems to allow visitors to pay with their credit card or smartphone.

Local governments are offering more funding to allow traditional markets to make a comeback. Now, the emphasis is on making traditional markets a fun place to visit on a regular basis. Many of the new government- and community-level initiatives aim to give the younger generation a chance to incorporate local markets into their everyday lives. A growing number of young Koreans are turning to these markets as a place to start new businesses, too.

Many young artists and entrepreneurs are using their talent to make the market experience memorable and exciting. They are the reason so many of these traditional markets are able to change with the times. They offer everything from food and art to invigorating entertainment.

More importantly, markets are about interacting with others. You’re not merely buying things, but also talking to the vendors and other shoppers. You’re encouraged to take greater interest in the things you buy and the people who make them.

Many of the new initiatives designed to revive this heritage strive to cultivate the arts and offer people a place where they can truly enjoy themselves. So why not head over to your local market this week?

1913 Songjeong Station Market Located just across the street from Gwangju Songjeong Station, Songjeong Station Everyday Market was one of the southwestern city’s oldest markets, founded in 1913. Like many other traditional markets around the country, however, the market suffered in recent decades, with stiff competition from large supermarkets and convenience stores.

In 2015, however, the Gwangju Center for Creative Economy and Innovation and Hyundai Card undertook a project to rejuvenate the historical market through design. While preserving the old market buildings themselves, the designers renovated and modernized the facilities. Signs and photos were hung at the market’s more historical shops to inform the passerby of the space’s proud heritage. At the market’s entrance, a grand clock and a sign reading “1913”proclaim the market’s 100 years of history.

While the market’s history may be old, many of its merchants are not. The Gwangju Center for Creative Economy and Innovation and Hyundai Card worked hard to attract young, creative entrepreneurs.

Opening hip restaurants, cafés and shops offering bold, trendy foods and products, these young merchants have helped turn 1913 Songjeong Station Market, as the space was renamed, into a social media sensation.

© Robert Koehler

© Robert Koehler

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Nambu Market’s Youth Mall helped transform the market into one of Jeonju’s hippest hangouts. Once a neglected storage place, the repurposed space is now home to several dozen ateliers, cafés, restaurants and shops operated by young, creative merchants. Its youthful vibe and picturesque facades have made it a social media hotspot. 청년몰은 남부시장을 전주에서 가장 감각적인 장소로 재탄생 시켰다. 버려졌던 창고 부지는 젊고 창의적인 상인들이 운영하는 아틀리에, 카페, 식당, 상점 등으로 변모했다. 활기찬 분위기와 톡톡 튀는 외관 덕택에 이곳은 소셜미디어에서 떠오르는 명소가 되었다.

© Ha Ji-kwon

KOREA June _ 11

Korea’s Noteworthy Regional Markets © Shin Youngcheol

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Daegu Seomun Market Formerly the “Daegu Big Market,” Daegu’s Seomun Market was, true to its name, one of the country’s three biggest markets of late Joseon times.

From the 1960s to the 1980s, the heyday of Daegu’s textile industry, the market was the center of the Korean fashion industry. Nowadays, the market is one of Daegu’s hottest travel destinations, especially at night. Powered by social media, the market has become a foodie destination. Its street food scene is especially vibrant. You’ll find an endless selection of street eats, from traditional favorites like flat dumplings, or napjak mandu, to more experimental dishes like fried rice cake in a carbonara sauce.

© Yonhap News

The southern island-province of Jeju has many local markets. Two of the more interesting ones are Bellongjang and Sehwa Folk Five-Day Market, both of which take place at Sehwa Beach, a strip of coastline on the eastern end of the island. Migrants from the mainland, some of whom run local guest houses and cafés, started the Bellongjang market in 2013. Sellers gather every Saturday on what is ordinarily a quiet breakwater in the port of Sehwa to sell their handmade or homemade goods, including jam, cookies, jewelry, bags and woodcraft. A night market is held once a month between June and September, too. In addition to providing a space to buy and sell handmade goods, the market also promotes communication between local Jeju islanders and more recent migrants. The Sehwa Folk FiveDay Market, meanwhile, is the largest traditional market in eastern Jeju. Held on the fifth, 10th, 15th, 20th, 25th and 30th of every month, the market isn’t especially big, but it is lively and offers fresh seafood and citrus fruit.

© Jung-Gu, Daegu Metropolitan City

Jeju’s Bellongjang and Sehwa Folk Five-Day Market

Bupyeong Can Market Busan’s famous Can Market, or Kkangtong Market, began around the time of the Korean War, when merchants began trading canned goods that had been misplaced or liberated from U.S. military bases. Being the largest market in Korea’s largest port, the arcade has long had a cosmopolitan aspect to it.

From U.S. canned goods, the market graduated to other international products. In the 1980s, for instance, it functioned as a clearing house for imported electronics. Nowadays, you’ll find lots of foreign-born merchants in the market, too. The market’s food scene reflects this. You’ll find international eats such as Vietnamese spring rolls, Indonesian noodles and Turkish kebabs.

© Marche@

© Jeongseon County © Jeongseon County

© Marche@

Jeongseon Arirang Five-Day Market Located in the mountains of Gangwondo, Jeongseon’s Arirang Five-Day Market was, until the 1980s, one of the busiest five-day markets in the country and the largest in its province. Korea’s industrialization and modernization, attended by a rapid decline in the rural population, nearly killed the market. In 1999, however, it got a new lease on life when a special train service to bring tourists to the market began. Thanks to tourism, the market now thrives once again. The merchants specialize in locally grown produce, including peppers, bell flower root, garlic, mountain herbs of all kinds and, of course, potatoes. While not Korea’s most cutting-edge market, what it lacks in flash it makes up for in oldschool charm. In fact, it may be the most “traditional” traditional market in the country. In addition to the buying and selling, there’s usually singing, dancing and other performances going on, too.

Seoul Marche@ The Marche@ is Seoul’s best known farmer’s market. Held every second Sunday at Marronnier Park in the Daehak-ro district, the market aims to bring together farmers, artisans, cooks and consumers in an urban space. The name of the space is the French word for “marketplace.” You’ll find lots of organic produce for sale at prices much more reasonable than you’d pay at supermarkets. There’s a garden kitchen, too, where you can enjoy mouthwatering dishes prepared before your very eyes. It’s a small-town market in the big city, proof that you don't have to go far into the countryside

to get a rural market experience. Before the markets open, participants gather to evaluate the goods to go on sale.

In addition to the buying and selling, the market also hosts workshops and other events. The market has proven so popular that sister markets have opened in Seoul’s Yangjae, Myeong-dong and Seongsu-dong districts, too.

KOREA June _ 13

Travel

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Âť

Written and photographed by Robert Koehler

Sensual Healing Boseong, Korea’s green tea capital, soothes the soul through all five senses

The picturesque green tea fields of Daehan Dawon present a mystical landscape.

KOREA June _ 15

Green tea, mountains and mist combine at Daehan Dawon.

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Boseong is a five-sense place.

There’s the scent of the green tea, of course. Even the Korean name of the springtime Boseong Green Tea Festival, if properly translated, would be the “Scent of Green Tea Festival.” There’s taste — not just that of the tea and the ice cream, chocolate and other delicacies made from it, but also the rich flavors of the county’s grilled pork and savory meat patties, or the zest of its freshwater clams. There’s touch — the waxy smoothness of the tea leaf, the kiss of the moist breeze off the sea, the refreshing bite of the mountain stream’s icy water. There’s sight — the endlessly rolling hills of green, their slopes an undulating quilt of meticulously arranged rows of tea bushes. Fields of barley dancing in the wind.

It’s the sounds of Boseong that leaves the strongest impression, however. On a wet, misty morning, the magpies sing and leaves rustle in the breeze as a light rain falls on the terraced fields of tea. Deep in the mountains, a gust shakes the bamboo forest; the cascade of a waterfall roars.

In the city, we condition ourselves to tune out the sounds of the world. In Boseong, however, the music of nature is as intoxicating as it is intense.

Fields of green

There are dozens of green tea plantations, large and small, in Boseong. While the tea harvest lasts from April to September, the earliest leaves are the most prized. The pickers, mostly local women, head into the hills in the early morning, when the temperatures are cooler.

The most visited tea plantation, by far, is Daehan Dawon. Arguably one of the most photographic — and photographed — places in the country, Daehan Dawon is 991,740 square meters of beautifully terraced hillside, covered by perfect rows of green tea bushes. Over 1 million people a year visit the plantation, which annually produces 120 tons of green tea. Pleasant walking paths take you up the hills to strategically placed lookouts with inspiring views of the landscape. Early morning is the best time to visit, when there are fewer people and, with luck, fog and mist hang in the hills.

The path to the plantation, lined by meticulously planted fir trees, is very picturesque, too.

Boseong’s green tea scene extends beyond the beverage.

Green tea ice cream, served at Daehan Dawon and elsewhere, is a hit with visitors, and deservingly so.

Green tea pork, the meat of pigs fed with a feed made with roughly cut green tea, is a local favorite for its tenderness and unique, tea-infused aroma. Another must is minced meat patties, or tteokgalbi, made with meat from cows or pigs fed with green tea.

(Top) Rolling hills of green define Daehan Dawon.

(Bottom) Visitors walk the tree-lined path of Daehan Dawon’s second plantation.

KOREA June _ 17

Where to eat Boseong’s most popular restaurant is Boseong Nokcha Tteokgalbi (T. 061-853-0300). You might have to wait in line, but the meat patties are worth it. In Beolgyo, try the kkomak jeongsik — clams with a table full of side dishes — at Gugil Sikdang (T. 061-858-0588), a charming place that’s been around for six decades.

Where to stay Boseong has a couple of small hotels and inns, but the selection is not extensive. The World of Spreading Green Leaves’ bed-and-breakfast (T. 061-852-7988) is worth a stay for the view alone. For something a bit more historic, try the Boseong Yeogwan (T. 061858-7528) in Beolgyo.

Getting there Buses to Boseong depart from Seoul’s Central City Bus Terminal (travel time: 4 hours, 30 minutes). You could also take the KTX from Seoul’s Yongsan Station to Suncheon (2 hours, 20 minutes), and take an hour’s bus ride from there.

(Top) Boseong’s famous meat patties are infused with green tea.

(Bottom) You can learn about Beolgyo’s dramatic past at the Boseong Yeogwan.

Boseong sound

Formerly a small fishing village, Yulpo has ridden the green tea wave to become a popular tourist destination in its own right. Picnicking families gather on its sandy beaches, which are lined by forests of gnarled pines. The waterfront is now home to seafood restaurants and a couple of very charming cafés. The real draw, though, is the green tea-seawater spa. Where else can you relax in a hot tub filled with seawater and green tea? There is no better place to recover after a day of hiking the hills.

The countryside around Yulpo is also something of a pilgrimage site for fans of Korean traditional music.

Jeong Eung-min (1896–1964), a master of Korean lyrical storytelling, or pansori, lived and taught in the area. Highly influential, Jeong originated a style that is now called “the Boseong sound.” His old home is now a museum. Deep in a mountain valley several kilometers from Yulpo is the Deokeumjeong, a pavilion overlooking a beautiful waterfall. Pansori singers come here to train, strengthening their voices against the roar of the water.

Tragic history and great literature meet

Beolgyo is an important market town on the road between Boseong proper and the neighboring city of Suncheon. During the Japanese colonial era, the imperial authorities developed the town as a transportation hub, allowing them to more efficiently exploit the agricultural resources of eastern Jeollanam-do. Colonial policies fueled social divisions, however. In the ideologically charged atmosphere following Korea’s liberation from colonial rule, those divisions deteriorated into an ugly cycle of violence that would continue until the Korean War. This tragic history forms the backdrop of novelist Jo Jung-rae’s magnum opus, “The Taebaeksan Mountains.”

Beolgyo is home to many old buildings from the colonial era, some of which figure prominently in Jo’s novel. The historical Boseong Yeogwan, a wooden Japanese-style inn, is the most impressive of these.

Lovingly restored and converted into a café, museum and guest house, the old inn is a good place to relax and learn a bit about local history over a cup of coffee. There’s a large museum dedicated to novelist Jo and his work, too.

Beolgyo is famous for its small saltwater clams, or kkomak. You can find restaurants serving this specialty all over.

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Gnarled pines and sand create a relaxing space at Yulpo Beach.

KOREA June _ 19

People »

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Written by Hahna Yoon Photographed by 15 Studio

A National Craftsman Molten metal artist Park Sang-gyu keeps the artisanal spirit alive

With a tan darker than most, Park Sang-gyu squints under the florescent light of his office. Dressed in dark blue coveralls outlined by a brick-red stripe on each side and splashes of white paint on his knees, he recognizes that his name probably doesn’t ring any bells, despite the fact that you’ve probably come across his work a dozen times.

A molten metal artist, Park is responsible for hundreds of iconic sculptures here in Korea. That King Sejong statue you’ve taken a picture of in Gwanghwamun Plaza?

The flower-like emblem of the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea you know by sight but not by name?

Those works and more are a result of Park Sang-gyu’s meticulous attention to detail brought to life.

The joys of crafting

“I didn’t really like to study,” confesses Park with a laugh.

In junior high school, he got the opportunity to visit the factory of an older cousin who created artistic sculptures, and the experience piqued his interest.

“Whenever I had a break from school, I would visit my cousin and I would run all these errands for professors and

artists and designers who came by the factory. They would take me out to eat and buy me popsicles, and I suppose that was a large part of the fun,” Park says.

The experience led him to go a technical high school where he would learn all the skills that he needed to pursue a career in this field.

“I found that it was so much more fun to work in real life than just to attend classes. In school, we could only work with small amounts of metal at a time, but in real life, we would be melting 100 to 200 tons of a metal a day,” he says, as if filled with a sense of nostalgia.

“Back then, we were working with black graphite. You know the stuff from which pencils are made? People would come out of work all coated in black with only the whites of their eyes twinkling. It was so fun that I never thought about whether or not it was dangerous.”

Keeping a promise

Even as Park started to work for one company after another, his cousin continued to serve as a role model. “He treated me better than a brother. He would ask me about books I

●

Metal casting requires specialized tools.

KOREA June _ 21

needed and try to buy them for me. He would give me as much as a KRW 1 million for any expenses I needed, which was a lot of money back then. ‘Make anything you want,’ he would tell me.”

Park and his cousin truly believed in molten metal and casting as an art form. “We bought a lot of land and made all these plans, but he died very suddenly in a car accident,” Park says. “To this day, I can’t really understand what he saw in me. I still wonder if I can live up to his expectations.

After he died, I vowed to be the best person in this field, in this country.”

Now that Park has started his own company, he believes that he has realized most of the dreams that he and his cousin had together. However, getting there and opening up his factory was definitely a journey of its own.

Park can list the places he’s worked, the years that he slept for only four hours a night and all the plots of land that he attempted to buy before finally settling down in Icheon, where he is today. “My motto was to sleep as little as possible because I wanted to learn as much as possible and do as much as possible,” Park explains.

“I bought this plot of land in 2005 and went to the government office to get my factory registered. When I went there, I discovered that none of the metalworking companies I had worked with had ever registered themselves! In that regard, too, I suppose some could say I am the first of my kind.” When asked why so few companies ever bothered to get their companies registered, he explains that one is required to have 10,000 square meters worth of space in order to melt metal and work with these kinds of chemicals. He adds that for most people in his line of work, a plot of that size is prohibitively expensive.

The artisan’s touch ●

Erected on Hangeul Day, 2009, Gwanghwamun Plaza’s statue of King Sejong the Great required 22 tons of bronze.

© Space Art

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The way that Park collaborates on each project can differ greatly. He may be shown the blueprints of a sculpture or be given a miniature of how the designer would like it to look in 3-D. From there, Park begins to give his input on what kind of materials they should use and the possible obstacles that may arise in delivery, placement and more.

“Previously, I didn’t feel like I could comment on the designer’s plans. I’ve even worked on projects I would consider trash, looking back on them now,” he says, going on to explain the lack of willingness to use quality materials.

“If someone is trying to make a work that requires KRW 100 to make, but refuses to spend any more than KRW 40, then you can only produce trash.” He stresses the artisan’s importance on a work, adding, “A sculpture can’t be judged based on the design alone. A work can change so much depending on who has touched it last.”

Perhaps the work that best shows Park’s attention to detail is also his most famous — the statue of King Sejong designed by Kim Yeong-won, erected in 2009. “I’ve done maybe 90 percent works commissioned by the government.

Which work am I most proud of? I guess I would have to say it’s the statue of King Sejong,” says Park rather humbly.

“King Sejong took me about six months to complete. The materials used to create it were the best in the country.

You can look at that one and think, 'Wow, this is really a sculpture.' It can last a thousand years because of the metal that was used.” He wishes more works could be created out of such durable material.

government begins to focus more on the arts, there should also be greater support for artisans like him.

Park has a lot of faith in the artisanal skills of people like him, and wishes that there would be a future for the younger generation as well. “Koreans are very skilled in this line of work, but they don’t want to do it anymore.

They would rather work as baristas in cafés or go out and do deliveries,” he says. When asked about a specific Korean style, it’s clear that Park has often thought about this issue.

“Koreans are so skilled at creating delicate fine lines.

Western sculptors are good at grander lines that cut deep.

We Koreans don’t appreciate our own skills enough. We go to Western countries and marvel at what they’ve done, but we don’t look at the sculptures here and think about how difficult it is to create smaller details.”

Dreaming of a national treasure age

© Im y Toda

●

In 2010, Park restored Gwanghwamun’s iconic statue of Yi Sun-sin, which was erected in 1968.

After 38 years in the industry and creating some of the most famous sculptures in the country, Park spends the little leisure time he has raising chickens and dreaming of a better future. He answers without hesitation when asked what he would do with all the money and time in the world.

In addition to wanting an exhibition and seminar space for artisans, he says there is one dream he would love to do before he turns 60 and his “eyes go bad.” He says, “I dream of a 20-meter pagoda engraved with traditional Korean stories, made from all the best materials.”

He wonders out loud. “If I could make something like that, couldn’t it become a national treasure?”

Standing up for support

●

The emblem of the National Assembly emphasizes trust and dignity. © Space Art

Initially, it seems difficult to find any grievance Park has for his work. He smiles through the long hours and lack of vacation days and even takes the danger of the job in stride.

He becomes serious, however, explaining the history of sculpture and the arts here in Korea, as well as the lack of appreciation for artisans here.

“Everyone thinks that a sculpture is the result of an artist or professor’s design and plans. No one considers that there is someone behind the actual creation of the work,” Park laments. “The more that the designer is recognized for a specific work, the more that the name of the artisan disappears. At least that’s what has been happening.”

Much of the work being circulated nowadays is outsourced to China, where sculptures can be made at a fragment of the cost. Park is adamant that as the

KOREA June _ 23

Korea & I

»

Written by Ben Jackson Illustrated by Kim Min Ho

A Green Haven in the Heart of the City Changdeokgung Palace offers a natural refuge from the urban grind

© Robert Koehler

Though Changdeokgung Palace was built, like Gyeongbokgung, in the early decades of the Joseon Dynasty, the original reasons for its construction are not clear. It was useful, however, for monarchs to have a spare palace to relocate to if the main palace burned down, disease broke out, or factional in-fighting made the court affairs too unmanageable.

What is clear is that Changdeokgung started out as a small palace, then expanded over the years. After the disastrous Japanese invasions of the late 16th century, when much of Seoul was destroyed, Changdeokgung was restored before Gyeongbokgung and remained Joseon’s principal palace for the next three centuries.

If I were a Joseon monarch, I would have restored Changdeokgung first, too. With its irregular layout, meandering woodland pathways and secluded pools, it’s a perfect place to get lost and spend a day shirking royal responsibilities by hiding in the woods with a good book. In the south of the complex is the usual palatial assortment of halls and pavilions, demonstrating the skill of Joseon’s carpenter-builders and embodying the ideals of Confucian statecraft with names like “Injeongjeon,” or “Hall of Benevolent Government.” © Robert Koehler

Integrating into the landscape But rather than the buildings themselves, Changdeokgung stands out for the wonderful way it integrates them into its landscape. This masterpiece of landscaping is largely responsible for Changdeokgung’s designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The global body calls Changdeokgung “exceptional for the way in which the buildings are integrated into and harmonized with the natural setting, adapting to the topography and retaining indigenous tree cover.”

Visitors heading north, beyond the main palace buildings, and approaching the flank of the mountain behind the palace will find Huwon, or the “Back Garden.”

Here lies Buyongji Pond, one of the complex’s most charming spots. The pond is square and features a small, round island in its center, reflecting the Joseon belief that “Heaven is round and Earth is square.”

On one side of the pond is Buyongjeong Pavilion, a structure half sitting on the bank and half suspended over the water, creating the sensation of being in a boat, for those who like imagining being in boats. On the opposite side of the pond stands Juhamnu Pavilion, a much larger building once used to

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house the Gyujanggak royal library.

Further north is Yeongyeongdang Hall, a complex built in 1827 for the conducting of a ritual to bestow King Sunjo’s posthumous name. Despite its location in a royal palace complex, Yeongyeongdang is modeled on a typical aristocratic manor house and is not painted with the colorful patterns that normally adorn palace and temple buildings.

56,000 reasons to visit Though Huwon is often known as Biwon, or “Secret Garden,” many Koreans reject the latter name on the grounds that it was coined in 1908, during the prelude to Japan’s colonization of Korea, and therefore lacks authenticity.

But the woods themselves are full of authenticity. UNESCO claims there are “56,000 specimens of various species of trees and plants” here. I haven’t counted them, but Huwon is certainly the kind of place that gets bombarded with the “haven of nature in the heart of the city” cliché at least 56,000 times a day, and for good reason.

From neighboring Wonseo-dong, Korean red pines dominate the view into the palace grounds, towering over the stone walls and echoing through the winter with the calls of magpies.

In spring, Changdeokgung comes into its own. Ancient scholar trees, zelkovas and maples produce new fanfares of bright green leaves, punctuated by splashes of pink, white and red plum trees and, later on, peonies and azaleas. Deeper in the woods, walnuts, white oaks, chestnuts, hornbeams and countless other species stir into life.

My favorite time to visit Changdeokgung is during the summer monsoon, when the whole place is swallowed by low clouds. The air is so saturated with water that it’s barely possible to tell when the rain stops and starts; the eaves of the buildings and the leaves of the trees drip endlessly onto the sandy ground. The palace is no longer in Seoul at these times. It’s in a sodden universe of its own, the calls of birds inside and the grunts and wheezes of buses outside absorbed by the fog.

What I like about Changdeokgung is that it’s a haven in the heart of the city, but for plants and animals more than humans. With the exception of a smattering of officially protected old trees tucked away in random neighborhoods, the only places in Seoul that a tree-hugger like me can go for some classic arboreal appreciation are the grounds of palaces and royal shrines, traditionally immune to the depredations of developers and firewood gatherers. Though Seoul’s wooded mountains and parks also offer fixes of leafy respite, they are seldom home to the kind of old and venerable giants found around palaces.

They say a house has to be lived in, or it rapidly starts to fall apart. Changdeokgung is no longer lived in — Korea’s royals are gone — and now its buildings must be kept from fire and decay by the officials of the Cultural Heritage Administration. But its woods live on and evolve, drawing locals back year after year.

KOREA June _ 25

Arts & Entertainment 1 » Written by Diana Park

Korean Octogenarian Artists Lead Global Art Movement Korean dansaekhwa artists attract New York and London curators and step into the global spotlight

© Gallery Hyundai

Lee Seung-taek’s “Paper Tree.” Lee is one of several artists in their 80s who are driving Korean art’s international popularity.

There is a saying that goes, “The older the grapes, the sweeter the wine.” In recent years, the work of Korean artists has been making waves in the global art market. The pioneers of the Korean art genre known as dansaekhwa are not young emerging artists, however, but octogenarians whose work expresses history through a modern aesthetic. Literally meaning “monochrome painting” in Korean, dansaekhwa refers to a distinctive painting style that uses

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monochromatic colors and meditative imagery. It was begun in the 1970s by young artists who sought to process and respond to the tumultuous post-Korean War experience through experimentation with new art styles. Though dansaekhwa was not without the influence of Western movements, like the Art Informel and Abstract Expressionism of the 1940s, it was mainly a collective result from efforts to bring out modern Korean expression in

© Gyeonggi Museum of Modern Art

Kim Guiline, “Inside, Outside,” 1980, oil on canvas, 195x520cm © Gyeonggi Museum of Modern Art

Park Seo-Bo, “Ecriture No.031219,” 2003, mulberry paper on canvas, mixed media, 182x228cm

Dansaekhwa was mainly a collective result from efforts to bring out modern Korean expression in a rapidly-changing yet turbulent time in Korea’s socio-political history.

a rapidly-changing yet turbulent time in Korea’s socio-political history.

While dansaekhwa has become one of the leading movements in contemporary Korean art, its global recognition is a quite recent phenomenon. The spark traces back to a 2014 exhibition at the Kukje Gallery in Seoul that led to a show at Blum & Poe in Los Angeles less than a month later. Decades after the movement’s establishment, these works finally stepped from the shadows into the spotlight of the global modern art market. This renewed critical and commercial interest stemmed from dansaekhwa’s sophisticated mixture of Western minimalist influences infused with traditional aesthetics. These factors drew attention at a time when international

buyers and dealers began to move away from works of young and new artists and grew interested in artists whose work had been long underappreciated.

Carriers of the global art movement Lee Seung-taek (b. 1932) is a well-known painter among the first generation of Korea experimental artists. This year in March, he held a solo show in Manhattan’s Lévy Gorvy Gallery. All 37 pieces, ranging from performance photographs to installations and sculptures, were sold, aside from 10 non-sale pieces, and resulted in a profit of USD 2.8 million. This was a rare case in which New York collectors with sophisticated tastes were enthusiastic about Korean avant-garde artwork.

Kim Guiline (b. 1936), another pioneer of dansaekhwa, also held his first U.S. solo show in March. It was held in the Lehmann Maupin Gallery, which has a history of exhibiting many international artists, including Korean artist Lee Bul, who was featured in their Hong Kong gallery’s inaugural exhibition in 2013.

Park Seo-bo (b. 1931) is perhaps one of the first figures who brought dansaekhwa to the global market. In 2016, he first held an exhibition at White Cube in London, and during a second exhibition this year, he sold half of the works in his trademark Ecriture series, which combines calligraphy techniques with abstract styles.

Marketability and relevance aside, perhaps what really captivated the international collectors is the unmovable grit and professionalism of the aging artists who dedicated their whole lives to the development of dansaekhwa. They express cosmopolitan themes poignantly while sticking to their Korean roots. As long as the artists’ hands grip their paintbrushes, the universal draw of dansaekhwa that has caught the fastidious tastes of Western collectors will continue to fascinate the global art circle.

KOREA June _ 27

Arts & Entertainment 2 » Written by Jason Bechervaise Photos courtesy of Netflix

‘Okja’ Looks to Break New Ground Director Bong Joon-ho and Netflix team up to challenge industry norms with latest film © Yonhap News

Director Bong Joon-ho, Tilda Swinton, Ahn Seo-hyun and Jake Gyllenhaal attend the Cannes Film Festival for the debut of their film, “Okja.”

Bong Joon-ho is not just a filmmaker. He is an industry pioneer. He looks ahead and breaks new ground. His debut, “Barking Dogs Never Bite” (2000), may have been a box office disaster, but it has since been credited for being ahead of its time for its use of social satire. Local film magazine Cine 21 issued an apology one year after its release, having failed to really acknowledge its significance. “Memories of Murder” (2003) remains one of the greatest Korean films of all time and came at a point when

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Korean cinema leapt onto the world stage.

“The Host” (2006) was a brilliant and record-breaking localized blockbuster outperforming Hollywood fare, while “Mother” (2009) centered on a female lead in her sixties, which remains rare in a male-dominated industry. “Snowpiercer” (2013) was a step into the unknown: a Korean film with English dialog based on a French comic. It was a game changer.

Even before its release here in Korea

in June, Bong’s latest film, “Okja,” is challenging industry norms. It marks the first time a Netflix-funded production has been invited into the Cannes competition.

It is also Bong’s first time to compete for the coveted Palme d’Or, which many argue is long overdue. The film, which is budgeted at USD 57 million, shares some similarities to “Snowpiercer” in terms of its global reach, illustrated through its casting of both Korean and Hollywood actors such as Ahn Seo-hyun, Tilda Swinton, Jake Gyllenhaal and Paul Dano, along with its English and Korean dialogue. “Okja” was also shot in different locations across Korea and North America. The investment this time, however, comes from the United States, not from a Hollywood studio, but from Netflix, the online streaming company that has close to 100 million subscribers worldwide.

It’s being produced by Brad Pitt’s Plan B Entertainment (“12 Years a Slave”), Kate Street Picture Company and Korea’s Lewis Pictures (“Haemoo”).

“Okja” was directed by Bong Joon-ho.

Okja is a movie — an expensive one — written and directed by a Korean director, funded by Netflix, that is premiering not online, but in Cannes.

Doing things differently When “Snowpiercer” was released in the U.S. in 2014, it generated some controversy owing to Harvey Weinstein’s attempts to edit the film for the U.S. market. Bong refused and so the film was released through the Weinstein Company’s subsidiary Radius-TWC, which gave it a significantly smaller theatrical release than initially planned, also making it available on video on demand (VOD) the same day. Yet, the film was a success on both mediums.

The theatrical release was expanded from just eight screens to 356 following strong word of mouth, and the film accumulated more than USD 10 million from both theatrical and VOD revenues by September 2014.

At home, the film was a risk, leading to CJ Entertainment having to foot the USD 39 million budget when other investors backed out, but the film amassed USD

Film poster for “Okja”

60.7 million in Korea despite some initial concerns that it was too dark. It was an audacious project, but so is “Okja.” It’s original content, which is risky business when it comes to Hollywood studios, which rely on franchises and reboots. This is where Netflix is beginning to thrive, however, following the success of TV dramas such as “Stranger Things,” which have helped boost subscribers, their primary goal.

Still, “Okja” is different. About a girl who will do anything to stop a multinational company from taking her best friend, a giant animal named Okja, it is a movie — an expensive one — written and directed by a Korean director, funded by Netflix, that is premiering not online, but in Cannes.

Therefore, industry observers will be watching closely to see how it is received, released and the subsequent effects it will have on the wider industry. How will it be released in the U.S and Korea, and when?

A small scale simultaneous release akin to “Snowpiercer”? If so, will it enter the awards race and compete with Amazon Studios, which has encountered success with “Manchester by the Sea” and Park Chanwook’s “The Handmaiden”?

There are also questions about the impact on the local industry, given Netflix’s increasing presence in films and TV. They see Korea as Asia’s creative hub, and they are not alone. Hollywood studios 20th Century Fox Korea and Warner Bros. Korea are also following suit after the commercial and critical success of Na Hong-jin’s “The Wailing” and Kim Jee-woon’s “The Age of Shadows.” In short, they see the strength of Korea’s media industry both in terms of talent but also in how this manifests into lucrative box office potential.

Bong Joon-ho, therefore, is once again at the forefront of these changes. With full creative control and a stellar cast, it’s not a question of whether “Okja” will break new ground. It is a question of how.

Jake Gyllenhaal plays the role of zoologist Johnny Wilcox.

KOREA June _ 29

Korean Culture in Brief »

© National Museum of Korean Contemporary History

Danoje Festival Held in Gangneung or ssireum, and, most spectacularly, a street procession in which participants enshrine the memorial tablets of the guardian spirits at an altar set up in the Dano Marketplace at Namdaecheon Stream. Because of its cultural importance, the festival was designated Important Intangible Cultural Property No. 13 in 1967 and a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2005.

The city of Gangneung hosted the Gangneung Danoje Festival from May 27 to June 3. One of Korea’s most important folk celebrations, the Gangneung Danoje Festival is, at its heart, a shamanist rite to honor the city’s guardian spirit and to pray for peace and prosperity. The festival includes shamanist rituals, masked plays, traditional music and dancing, folk games such as Korean wrestling,

‘Bring Them Home’ © Gangneung Danoje Festival Committee

© POCOG

Actor Kim Woo-bin Named Honorary Ambassador for PyeongChang 2018 Games Popular actor Kim Woo-bin has been appointed honorary ambassador for the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. As honorary ambassador, Kim will participate in promotional activities to boost local and international interest in the upcoming event. “I've always been interested in sports,” Kim said in a statement. “I'll try my best to get people interested in the PyeongChang Olympics, with less than

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To mark the anniversary of the start of the Korean War, the National Museum of Korean Contemporary History and the Defense Ministry’s Agency for KIA Recovery & Identification (MAKRI) are hosting a joint exhibit to commemorate the South Korean and UN soldiers who never returned from the battlefield.

The “Bring Them Home” exhibition, which runs through June 11, is also an opportunity to show the public what MAKRI does. Founded in 2007, MAKRI leads efforts to find and identify the remains of soldiers who fell in the Korean War. It has found 9,500 sets of remains so far, and 121 have been identified.

a year to go.”

Kim, a former model, is wildly popular both at home and overseas, particularly in East Asia. His career has blossomed with recent star turns in the TV series “Uncontrollably Fond” and the action film “Master.” His fellow honorary ambassadors include actor Lee Min-ho, L.A. Dodgers pitcher Ryu Hyun-jin and former figure skating star Kim Yuna.

Film Museum to Open in Busan

Special Exhibit Celebrates Traditions of Olympic Host Province © National Folk Museum of Korea

© Busan Metropolitan City

The National Folk Museum of Korea in Seoul is hosting a special exhibit to celebrate the nature, food and traditions of Gangwon-do, the host province of the upcoming PyeongChang 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

Running through June 20, “A Joy of Spring: Scenery, Blossoms and Delicacy” features crafts, folk artifacts and the

A museum dedicated to the past, present and future of the film industry will open in the southeastern port of Busan in June. The museum, conceived as a build-transfer-lease project, took 10 years to complete. It includes exhibit halls, classrooms, a film theater and more.

The museum lets visitors learn about the history and development of the Korean film industry, listen to film music and read archived materials, and even get some hands-on experience with film-making. The facilities incorporate the latest technology, including virtual reality, and embrace not only adults but also children.

work of 23 contemporary artists. The exhibit has three sections: Mountains, which celebrate the province’s rugged scenery; Flowers, featuring arts and crafts incorporating Gangwon-do’s spring blossoms; and Rice, with displays of Gangwon-do’s hearty local cuisine and related crafts.

© Jeonwonsa Film

Two Korean Films Compete at Cannes Bong Joon-ho’s blockbuster “Okja” and Hong Sang-soo’s “The Day After” competed in this year’s Cannes Film Festival, held in May. The two films joined 16 others in the “In Competition” section, the prestigious film festival’s main competition. It was the first time in seven years that two Korean films took part in the competition. Lee Changdong’s “Poetry” and Im Sang-soo’s “The Housemaid” competed in 2010.

“The Day After” was Hong’s fourth time in the “In Competition” section.

The auteur’s work previously competed in 2004, 2005 and 2012. “The Day After,” which stars Kim Min-hee and Kwon Hye Hyo, is only one of two films Hong has sent to Cannes this year. “Claire’s Camera," which stars French actress Isabelle Huppert, debuted in the “Special Screening” section.

KOREA June _ 31

Literature

»

Written by Chang Iou-chung Illustrated by Kim Yoon-myung

No Mere Child’s Tale Hwang Sun-mi’s ‘The Hen Who Dreamed She Could Fly’ encourages children to reflect on who they are © Robert Koehler

“The Hen Who Dreamed She Could Fly” has been exported to 29 countries.

In the course of life, there comes a time when people must step back and think: Who am I? What is my role in society? Author Hwang Sun-mi sets out to answer these questions — or to reflect upon them, at any rate — in her children’s book, “The Hen Who Dreamed She Could Fly.”

Children’s book writer, Hwang Sun-mi The influential Korean daily Dong-A

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Ilbo called Sun-mi Hwang, who now has more than 20 years of experience writing children’s books, a “power author” in the field of children’s literature. Hwang was chosen as the most influential Korean children’s book writer by eight out of 10 editorsin-chief at children’s book publishers.

The Dong-A Ilbo said she was leading the field of children’s literary books in Korea in the 1990s with works such as “The Hen Who Dreamed She Could Fly.” According to the newspaper,

Hwang feels that books targeted toward younger readers should provide an exit for the reader chosen themselves, instead of forcing upon them some adult’s concept of a “lesson” or trying to tell them something.

she describes how children feel when certain events or accidents occur in their day-to-day lives. She embraces young adults, even adult readers, as well; her stories are “well-structured with wonderful themes.” Indeed, they represent adults trying to see through a child’s eyes.

Hwang once revealed her secret in an interview when she was asked how to describe what children feel and think.

“I’m often asked that question, and the adults tend to ask whether I observe other kids, assuming I must have seen a child in that situation. You know what?

You don’t need to. All you need to do is to consider the child to be human. You try to be in the kid’s position in a certain situation.”

However, what really made her the most influential children’s book writer in the Korean market might be her philosophy about the child’s mind.

The market is biased toward “good” children’s books that can “educate” young readers, or so most adults think.

Hwang, on the other hand, feels that books targeted toward younger readers should provide an exit for the reader chosen themselves, instead of forcing upon them some adult’s concept of a “lesson” or trying to tell them something.

“Pippi Longstocking was banned for children when it was first published, I’ve heard,” Hwang said in an interview taken after her 20th year as a writer, in which she discussed being a “power” writer. “However, Pippi Longstocking became a classic now because children loved it. A book chosen by children remains and becomes a classic, not a book marketed by some publishers.

The life of a book is purely given by its readers, not by the marketing department. That’s the very basic nature that a book is supposed to have.”

The hen who dreamed she could fly “The Hen Who Dreamed She Could Fly” (2000) is a million-plus seller in the Korean language market. However, it took 12 years to sell one million copies after it was first published. There was a difference in views between the publisher, who claimed that the book was for young adults because it was too difficult for children to read, and the author, who wanted it to be published specifically for child readers. After its success, the book has been made into a stage play and an animated film. Its success has transcended borders, too. In 2013, the book was published in English and topped a bestsellers list in the U.K. In a 2011 interview marking the sales of one million copies, Hwang said that she wrote the book during a difficult time in her life. “We had an ill person in the family. Everyone was a bit depressed and it was difficult to focus.

There was a gap between my writing and me, who might soon lose an important person in my life, because writing was so much fun. I thought it would be nice if there was anything else I could do but write. When I was writing this, I didn’t think about publishing it or writing some kind of children’s book. I just thought I was making up a story.” Later, she said in several interviews that the model for the story was her father.

“The Hen Who Dreamed She Could Fly” is the story of a hen named Sprout.

Penguin Random House, the publisher of the English edition, describes it as “an anthem for freedom, individuality and motherhood.”

The story of Sprout at first reads as an adventure, as she dreams of a wild and unfettered life. Later, the story delves into child-rearing, as well. Throughout Sprout’s experiences and realizations, Hwang shares the frustrations and realizations we all face

KOREA June _ 33

as we pursue our dreams and try to reach our further goals.

Sprout lays eggs every day in the hen house but she never bears any chick of her own. She dreams of living like the hen that lives in the yard, who raises her own eggs.

As she’s no longer content just laying eggs, the farmer and his wife have her carted off to a pit, but during the process she escapes from the hen house and the yard. She starts a new life.

In the wild, she’s almost eaten by a weasel, but is saved by a mallard duck, Straggler, that she knew from the yard. Sprout, instead of remaining with Straggler, goes back to the yard, her dream place. However, the doorkeeper dog, the hen of whom Sprout was envious, and the rooster who’s in charge of order in the yard refuse to welcome Sprout. Her dream is frustrated and broken. But then, she finds an egg in the wild forest.

Out of nowhere, Sprout finds the egg and takes care of it with all her heart and energy. As it turns out, it was Straggler’s baby mallard, but the mother duck had been eaten by the weasel. Again with Straggler’s help protecting Sprout and his egg, she successfully hatches the egg. Straggler, at one scary point, even has to

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sacrifice himself to save the other two.

Sprout dedicates herself even more to properly raising the baby mallard.

She names the baby duck Greentop and mothers him like only a mother hen could. As Greentop grows up, he begins to realize that he’s somewhat different from his mother, and he wants to join a flock of migrating mallards. Greentop comes back to Sprout, however, as he feels frustrated among the flock of ducks. Nonetheless, as any supporting mother would, she encourages Greentop to return to them. Watching her little duck fly high with his fellow mallards, Sprout herself realizes that she wanted to fly, a concept that had never occurred to her before. This is life-long learning, a healthy message for young-at-heart readers of all ages.

Hwang’s works in English and other languages After the success of “The Hen Who Dreamed She Could Fly,” Hwang’s border-crossing appeal expanded to the rest of her oeuvre and to other languages. As of July 2016, the book has been sold in 29 markets around the world, and another one of her books was published in English in October 2016. “The Dog Who Dared to Dream,” which the author herself has chosen as her favorite work, is based on her father and his dog.

So, ask yourself the question. Are

you Greentop? Are you Straggler?

Or, indeed, perhaps you see things from the weasel’s point of view. Even children can begin to think about their identity and how they fit into society. Do not let an adult tell you what to do. This is what Hwang shares with us, and this is what we can all learn from “The Hen Who Dreamed She Could Fly.”

Sprout wondered how many eggs she had left inside her; she hoped this was the last one. With a sigh she peered outside. Because her cage was near the entrance she could see out beyond the wire mesh wall. The door to the coop didn’t quite fit its frame; through the gap she could see an acacia tree.

Sprout loved that tree so much, she didn’t complain about the cold winter wind that made it through the gap, or the pelting summer rain.

Sprout was an egg-laying hen, which meant she was raised for her eggs. She had come to the coop over a year before. Since then, all she had done was lay eggs. She couldn’t wander around, flap her wings, or even sit on her own eggs. She had never stepped outside the coop. But ever since she had seen a hen running around the yard with the adorable chicks she had hatched, Sprout had harbored a secret desire — to hatch an egg and watch the birth of her chick. But it was an impossible dream. The coop was tilted

forward so the eggs would roll to the other side of a barrier, separating them from their mothers.

The door opened, and in came the farmer, pushing a wheelbarrow. The hens clucked impatiently, creating a din.

“Breakfast!”

“I’m hungry, hurry, hurry!”

With a bucket, the farmer scooped out the feed. “Always so hungry! You better make it worth it. This feed isn’t cheap.”

Sprout looked through the wideopen door, focusing on the world outside. It had been a while since she’d had an appetite. She had no desire to lay another egg. Her heart emptied of feeling every time the farmer’s wife took her eggs. The pride she felt when she laid one was replaced by sadness.

She was exhausted after a full year of this. She couldn’t so much as touch her own eggs, not even with the tip of her foot. And she didn’t know what happened to them after the farmer’s wife carried them in her basket out of the coop.

It was bright outside. The acacia tree on the edge of the yard was blooming with white flowers. Their sweet scent caught the breeze and wafted into the coop, filling Sprout’s heart. Sprout got up and shoved her head through the wires of her cage. Her bare, featherless neck was rubbed raw.

The leaves laid flowers again! Sprout was envious. If she squinted, she could make out the light green leaves

that had matured and given birth to fragrant flowers. She’d spotted the blooming acacia tree the very day she was shut in the coop. A few days later, the tree shed its flowers, which flew around like snowflakes, leaving behind green leaves. The leaves lived on until late fall before turning yellow and then dropping quietly. Sprout was awestruck as she watched the leaves stand strong against rough winds and heavy rain before fading and falling. When she saw them reborn in light green the following spring, she was overcome with excitement.

Sprout was the best name in the world. A sprout grew into a leaf and embraced the wind and the sun before falling and rotting and turning into mulch for bringing fragrant flowers into bloom. Sprout wanted to do something with her life, just like the sprouts on the acacia tree. That was why she’d named herself after them.

Nobody called her Sprout, and she knew her life wasn’t like a sprout’s, but still the name made her feel good. It was her secret. Ever since she’d named herself, she’d gotten into the habit of noting the events occurring outside the coop: everything from the moon waxing and waning and the sun rising and setting to the animals in the barnyard bickering. (“The Hen Who Dreamed She Could Fly,” Penguin Books, 2013, p. 5-8)

KOREA May _ 35

Policy Review

»

Written by Lee Kijun Photographed by Robert Koehler

Not Just a Hip Way to Eat Food trucks not only diversify the dining scene, but also boost youth entrepreneurship

The Kimchi Bus, which serves Korean-infused Mexican food, has toured 34 countries.

As night falls on Seoul, a door to another world opens. The Bamdokkaebi Night Market, a new type of festival that incorporates a variety of concepts, opens at night and disappears by dawn’s early light like the night goblin, or bamdokkaebi, of Korean lore.

The night market was a big hit last year, attracting more than 3.3 million visitors.

The 2017 event started March 24 in five

36

Operating a food truck is an attractive startup for young entrepreneurs because it costs less than starting any other business.

locations in Seoul: Yeouido Hangang Park, Dongdaemun Design Plaza, Banpo Hangang Park, Cheonggyecheon Stream and Cheonggye Plaza. The markets, which will continue until Oct. 29, open every Friday and Saturday from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m.

The markets feature various handmade goods, fashion shows, musical concerts and dance performances. Their most popular feature, however, is the food trucks. “It’s

incredible that I can enjoy all kinds of food in one sitting, from Cambodian passion fruit yogurt to Mexican chipotle nachos,” said Lee Sungshin, who visited the Cheonggye Stream Bamdokkaebi Market.

“Those kinds of foods are not easy to find in Seoul.”

While Korea has long boasted a vibrant street food scene, food trucks — vehicles that have been renovated to allow people to cook in them — had been prohibited by law. They were legalized in Korea in 2014 as part of the government’s deregulation efforts.

Since legalization, food trucks are increasing rapidly. According to the Office for Government Policy Coordination, there are 448 registered food trucks, up from just three in 2015. The office expects the number to exceed 650 by the end of the year.

Operating a food truck is an attractive startup for young entrepreneurs because it costs less than starting any other business.

Some 65 percent of food truck operators are in their 20s and 30s. It takes about KRW 20 to 40 million, or USD 18,000 to 36,000, to start up a food truck business.

Jamaica Wasabi serves creatively prepared Japanese food.

City officials see food trucks as an opportunity for a more diverse food scene that can attract more visitors of all ages.

Getting hip and trendy The transformation of the food truck industry isn’t just numbers. Although they were illegal, food trucks selling tteokbokki or toast with ham and cheese have always been around. Nowadays, however, food trucks are getting hip with young chefs, sleek designs and creative foods.

Kimchi Bus is typical of this new generation of food trucks. It settled in Seoul’s Common Ground, a shopping complex popular with young people, when it opened in 2015. The truck sells kimchi-infused Mexican food, such as kimchi quesadillas. Most of its customers are in their 20s and 30s. “The food truck industry is really attractive because one can instantly communicate with the public and

Food trucks introduce new foods to a hungry market.

have fun with a small investment,” owner Ryu Si-hyung told the Joongang Daily.

City officials see food trucks as an opportunity for a more diverse food scene that can attract more visitors of all ages.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government invited more than 130 food trucks to its Bamdokkaebi Night Market. “We hope food trucks can lead Seoul’s food scene and start a new trend,” said Shin Yoonjae, director of the Seoul Design Research Institute at the Seoul Design Foundation, an affiliate of the Seoul government.

In January, the Suwon city government started renting out 18 food trucks to young people who want to start their own business. The government set up a Food Truck Zone in the Suwon’s Nammun Market so that young entrepreneurs can run their business there. “By accommodating food trucks in a traditional market like Nammun, they are provided with a suitable place for their business, and the market can attract young customers who’d like to visit trendy food trucks,” a city official said. “It’s a win-win strategy.”

Food trucks have become a staple at night markets.

KOREA June _ 37

This is Pyeongchang »

Written by Robert Koehler

Sleeping Off the Beaten Track Gangwon-do, the host of PyeongChang 2018, offers some unconventional places to stay The province of Gangwon-do, the host of the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, inspires with its soaring mountains, deep valleys and splendid seascapes. The best way to discover the region’s charms is to spend a night amid its rugged, natural beauty. While conventional hotels may be familiar and convenient, the province also boasts some unusual and creative places to stay as well. Let’s discover some of Gangwondo’s more exceptional lodging options, where accommodation is more than just a place to sleep, but an experience all its own.

Seaside sensations The city of Gangneung, which will host ice events like skating, hockey and curling, has been a tourist destination since at least the Joseon era (1392–1910), when aristocrats

ventured to the coastal town to take in the mountains and the scent of the sea. The city has a rich history, time-honored folk traditions and festivals and great local food. In recent years, it has even developed the country’s finest coffee scene.

Located near beautiful Gyeongpoho Lake, the Seongyojang is one of the largest and best preserved Joseon-era mansions in the country.

The graceful manor has been the family home of the aristocratic descendants of Lee Nae-beon, an 18th century statesman, for 10 generations. While the family still occupies much of the residence, several halls serve as guest houses where visitors can experience old Korea’s refined sense of beauty and charm.

Local authorities also built a new village of Korean-style Hanok homes near the Ojukheon House, the home of the Joseon poet and artist Shin Saimdang and the birthplace of her son,

© HASLLA ARTWORLD

Sculptures and other works of art grace Haslla Artworld’s guest rooms.

38

© Woljeongsa Templestay

the renowned scholar Yi I. The village has 19 units and 32 rooms for rent.

A less traditional but more artistic option is the seaside Haslla Art World Museum Hotel.

A married couple, both sculptors, operate the hotel, which overlooks the deep blue waters of the East Sea. The hotel itself is a work of art.

Art graces its individually appointed rooms and common spaces. Indeed, guests feel like they are staying in a museum or gallery rather than a lodging facility.

Participants in Woljeongsa’s Templestay program enjoy some walking meditation in the temple’s forests.

Pyeongchang is a county of rolling highland hills, lofty mountain peaks, fields of wildflowers and rustic warmth and charm. As close to the steppe as you’ll get in Korea, the region’s vast nature and big blue sky captivate visitors. Pyeongchang is especially lovely in winter, when its deep snows and enchanting scenery make it a popular skiing destination.

The mountain village of Duil-ri is typical of the region’s communities, its residents mostly making their livings from the land and forests.

Due to decreasing numbers of students, the local elementary school closed in 2009. The authorities renovated the old school, however, turning it into Yakcho Village Duil Elementary School, a place where visitors can stay and experience local life. .

If Yakcho Village Duil Elementary School is too much “of this world” for your liking, you can enjoy a more spiritual experience at Woljeongsa Temple, a historical Buddhist monastery deep in the mountains that make up Odaesan National Park. Like many temples, Woljeongsa hosts a “Templestay” program, which provides visitors an opportunity to experience Korea’s 1,700 years of Buddhist tradition.

Where a river runs through it Like its neighbor Pyeongchang, Jeongseon is a rugged place, roughly hewn by the wind, water and time. Ancient rivers cut deep, clifflined canyons through the mountains as they meander towards the lowlands of western

© Jeongseon County

Highland rusticity

Gariwangsan Natural Recreational Forest is a relaxing place to stay.

The best way to discover the region’s charms is to spend a night amid its rugged, natural beauty.

Korea. Most residents live along the rivers and the narrow valleys between the towering peaks.

Jeongseon’s dramatic landscape lends itself to picturesque accommodation. One such place is the Train Pension, a bed-and-breakfast located at Gujeol-ri Station, a former whistle stop on the Jeongseon Line. Gujeol-ri is also where you can take the Jeongseon Rail Bike, a scenic pedaldriven bike that runs along the discontinued train tracks through the mountains.

Visitors can recover from the stress and scars of daily life in Jeongseon’s verdant forests, too. The Donggang Riverview Natural Recreation Forest is a campground high in the mountains overlooking the Donggang River, a scenic waterway that snakes its way through the craggy landscape. Another option is the Gariwangsan Natural Recreation Forest, a collection of log cabins on the wooded slopes in Mount Gariwangsan. Guests can stroll amid the mountain’s forests, so thick the trees blot out the sky.

KOREA June _ 39

Current Korea

40

Âť

Written by Kim Eugene Photos courtesy of Yonhap News

Building a New Korea As President Moon Jae-in assumes office, the new administration pledges to correct the mistakes of the past and bring the nation together

“I will become a president who comforts people in sorrow. I will be a president who communicates with others. I will exert my authority in a humble and modest manner; I will build a country stronger than it has ever been. I will not be a president who is domineering and authoritative but one who communicates and promotes dialogue.”

Moon Jae-in was sworn in as the new president of the Republic of Korea on May 10.

The former democracy activist, human rights lawyer, presidential chief-of-staff and lawmaker is Korea’s 12th president; he is also serving the nation’s 19th presidential term.

“I will become the president for everyone,” he said in his inaugural address. “This date — May 10, 2017 — will go down in history as the beginning of the genuine unity of the people.”

A nation worthy of being called a nation

Taking the oath of office at the National Assembly of Korea in Seoul on May 10, President Moon pledged to create a “new Korea.”

President Moon took office following a resounding victory in May 9’s presidential election. He won over 41 percent of the total votes cast, surpassing his nearest rival by over 5.5 million votes. The vote differential was the largest in the history of Korean presidential elections. Nonetheless, the new president embraced his erstwhile rivals.

“There are no winners or losers in this election,” he said in his inaugural address. “We are companions to lead the new Republic of Korea together. Now we have to move forward hand in hand, leaving behind the moments of intense competition.”

Taking the oath of office at the National Assembly of Korea in Seoul on May 10, President Moon pledged to create a “new Korea.”

“Today, serving as President in the 19th presidential term of the Republic of Korea, I take the first step toward a new Korea,” he said.

“My heart is burning with enthusiasm to create a country that we have never experienced before. My head is now filled with blueprints for ushering in a new world characterized by unity and coexistence.”

Promising to break away from what he called the “erroneous practices” of the past, Moon said he would be among the first people to change. He vowed to make Korea a nation “worthy of being called a nation.” “In recent tough times, the people asked whether this is a country,” he said. “President Moon Jae-in will start anew from this very question. From today, I will be a president who makes this nation worthy of being called a nation.”

A Gwanghwamun president?

One change President Moon commits to bring is a freer political culture. Vowing to end the “authoritarian culture of the presidency,” the president has pledged to leave the comfort of the presidential mansion, Cheong Wa Dae, to begin what he calls “an era of the presidential office in Gwanghwamun Square.” He will venture forth into Gwanghwamun Square and markets to communicate directly with the people. His government will host large public forums at Gwanghwamun Square.

KOREA June _ 41

© Jeon Han

(Top left) President Moon gives his inauguration address at the National Assembly building on May 10.

(Top right) President Moon, flanked by the first lady and the head of presidential security, arrives at Cheong Wa Dae for his first day of work.

(Bottom left) President Moon talks with officials over a cup of coffee at Cheong Wa Dae on May 11. (Bottom right) President Moon visits an elementary school in Seoul on May 15.

“The President’s imperial power will be shared as much as possible,” he said. “I will make sure that agencies that have great authority remain completely independent from politics. There will be a system to keep these agencies in check so that none of them will be able to wield absolute power.”

The new president also pledged to bring the nation together, ending the era of political, economic and social conflict. He promises to promote equal opportunities, with fair processes and just results. Recognizing opposition parties as partners in state affairs, his administration will hold regular dialogues and meetings. He will appoint officials based on merit, not birthplace or political inclinations.

On the economic front, the president swears to end the allegedly close relations between the state and businesses. While

42

prioritizing the employment issue, he will also promote the reform of the country’s large business conglomerates. He also pledged to seek ways to resolve the hardships of irregular workers.

To maintain peace on the Korean Peninsula, President Moon pledged to strengthen its traditional friendships, while at the same time establishing a peace regime in Northeast Asia.

“For the sake of peace on the Korean Peninsula, I will crisscross the globe,” he said in his inaugural address. “If needed, I will immediately fly to Washington. I will also visit Beijing and Tokyo and even Pyongyang under the right circumstances.” He will work to bolster the long-time alliance with the United States. At the same time, he will talk with Washington and Beijing to resolve issues pertaining to the U.S. deployment of THAAD anti-missile batteries in Korea.

President Moon greets a speaker at the memorial ceremony for the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement.

He also stressed for Korea to enhance its ability to defend itself. “Strong security is made possible with mighty defense capabilities,” he said. “The government will also strive to further enhance self-reliant defense capabilities.”

The new president pledged to bring the nation together and to end the era of political, economic and social conflict.

He promises, instead, to promote equal opportunities, with fair processes and just results.

President Moon’s face appears on the cover of the Asian edition of the U.S. weekly Time.

World congratulates new president Leaders from around the world sent messages of congratulations and encouragement to President Moon and his new administration.

In a 30-minute congratulatory phone call, U.S. President Donald Trump said he looked forward to working with President Moon. He also invited him to Washington at an early date.

“President Donald J. Trump spoke today with President Moon Jae-in of the Republic of Korea to congratulate him and the Korean people on his great election victory and their peaceful, democratic transition of power,” said the White House in a press statement.

“President Trump and President Moon agreed to continue to strengthen the United StatesRepublic of Korea alliance and to deepen the enduring friendship between our two countries.”

President Moon expressed his desire to have a “heart-to-heart” talk on pending bilateral

issues. “The Korea-U.S. alliance is more important than ever for the Korean Peninsula, especially in our current state of uncertainty,” he said. “The Korea-U.S. alliance has always formed the basis of our policies related to diplomacy and national security. This fact will remain unchanged in the future.”

President Moon and Chinese President Xi Jinping shared a 40-minute phone call. “The two leaders agreed that they both feel quite close to each other, and they also exchanged their thoughts on a wide range of issues, including ways to expand bilateral ties overall, and ways to deal with challenges on the Korean Peninsula,” new chief presidential secretary for public relations Yoon Young-chan said in a briefing.

President Moon told President Xi, “We have the will to further develop bilateral ties so that we become practical strategic cooperative partners, with a relationship based on trust.”

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau were among the other foreign leaders who sent congratulatory messages.

Indian Prime Minister Modi even tweeted congratulatory messages in both English and Korean.

The international media also took great interest in the election. In particular, the Asian edition of the U.S. current events weekly TIME put President Moon, then only a candidate, on its cover. Major international news channels and newspapers, including CNN, the Wall Street Journal, BBC, NHK and CCTV gave Moon’s election significant coverage, too. The BBC, for instance, profiled the life of the new president, from his childhood near Busan to his election victory. The broadcaster stressed his desire to improve inter-Korean relations.

“On 9 May 2017 — more than two decades after he helped lead the country to its first democratic elections – Mr. Moon was voted in as president,” wrote the BBC. “What his tenure will mean for the country remains to be seen.

However, finding a way forward with North Korea will be high on his to-do list.”

KOREA June _ 43

Flavor

»

Written by Cynthia Yoo Photographed by ao studio Kang Jinju Stylized by 101recipe

Meat Patties with Bamboo Shoots Savory favorite began as way to stroke royal egos

How to make Juksun Tteokgalbi: Combine the fruit, onion, garlic and ginger in a blender and add the soy sauce, sugar and syrup to make the tteokgalbi sauce. Mix in the sauce with the minced beef and store the mixture in the fridge for a day. Add chopped green onions and sesame oil to the seasoned beef and form small patties. Grill the patties over charcoal or use a frying pan. Plate the beef patties and garnish them with bamboo shoots, greens and sesame seeds.

44

Tteokgalbi looks like a hamburger patty. Often, it’s minced beef and pork mixed together with a variety of ingredients and seasoning. Despite its humble appearance, tteokgalbi boasts rather royal origins. The story goes that a Joseon king complained that it was demeaning of him to chew meat off a beef rib. A clever cook in his court heard of his complaint and chopped up some ribs and shaped the meat into smaller patties. The patties reminded Koreans of tteok, or rice cakes, and that’s how the moniker tteokgalbi stuck.

This royal dish became popular among the aristocracy and elite families in the land and spread across the country.

It was also known as hyo-galbi (“hyo” means filial piety) and no-galbi (“no” means the elderly) because the minced meat patties were easier for the elderly to enjoy.

These days, tteokgalbi is popular among all walks of life, and many travel to famous tteokgalbi restaurants in Songjeong, Gwangju, Haenam, Hwasun and Damyang in Jeollanam-do. Diners can enjoy a variety of tteokgalbi dishes throughout the Jeolla region, but at this time of the year, juksun tteokgalbi, a signature dish from Damyang, is a great choice. Among Damyang residents, its tteokgalbi ranks top among the wide range of local favorites, and it’s easy to see why. The dish is famous for the high quality of its ingredients and the rich flavors of the meat patties.

Famous restaurants like Deokingwan use only top grade Hanwoo beef for its tteokgalbi, and instead of grinding the meat, they finely chop the meat close to the ribs so that the resulting patties are bursting with rich savory flavors.

From April to June, it’s bamboo season in Damyang, and visitors can enjoy a special treat: juksun (bamboo shoot) tteokgalbi. Bamboo shoots are low in calories but rich in dietary fiber, B-complex vitamins and various minerals, such as manganese and copper. These tender shoots have a great crisp and chewy texture but also, when prepared properly, have a mild flavor profile that goes well with a variety of ingredients and dishes. Here’s a juksun tteokgalbi recipe for cooks to try at home.

Learning Korean

»

Written by Lim Jeong-yeo Illustrated by Kim Yoon-myung

BTS Misses You One of Korea’s top pop bands says, “Bogosipda”

The Bangtan Boys, or BTS, is arguably the most sought-after K-pop group to date.

BTS is the first, and so far the only, K-pop act to enter the Billboard 200 chart four consecutive times.

The music video for BTS’s “Not Today,” released in February, received over 10 million views on YouTube within 24 hours. The only K-pop act to top that record was Psy, with his hits “Gentleman,” “Hangover” and, of course, “Gangnam Style.”

As for the latest album’s lead single, “Spring Day,” the music video was watched over 73 million times on YouTube within two months.

BTS’s Suga, who took part in composing and writing lyrics for “Spring Day,” said that he conveyed his personal account in the lyrics that tell of nostalgic longing for someone who has grown distant.

“Spring Day” repeats the line “Bogosipda (보고싶다).”

Bogosipda literally means “want to see.” The sentence can be completed with the addition of subjects and objects. For instance, “(I) want to see you” would be “Naega bogosipda.” To say you’d like to see a film, you can say, “Yeonghwa-reul bogosipda.” In conversation, however, bogosipda often means “I miss you.”

To say “to miss,” the expression geuripda can also be used. “(I) miss you” would be “Nega geuripda.”

In English, the lyrics for “Spring Day” say, “I want to see you. Now that I say it, I want to see you even more. I’m looking at your photo, and I still want to see you. Time is cruel. I hate us. It has become difficult for us to see each other. Here, it’s all winter. It’s winter even in August.”

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Korean Art Through Coloring

© National Folk Museum of Korea

Traditional bridal fan

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Reader Feedback The “Guardian Fever” article in the Arts & Entertainment section was my favorite from the April issue. I could easily relate to the article as I watched the drama and was pleased to read about its worldwide popularity. Also, having a section that covers fashion or makeup tips would be great!

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From the April issue, I was pleased to read about the Korean government’s efforts in supporting multicultural students in the Policy Review section. I’d like to suggest a section that covers foreign families with children who are receiving an education in Korea.

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I enjoyed most of the articles in April, but I really liked the articles in the Arts & Entertainment section. I liked discovering the origins of Korean dramas and peeking behind the scenes of what I’ve watched many times. Also, I suggest including more reviews or short articles about popular movies in Korea.

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여행 준비는 잘 하고 있어요?

Yeohaeng junbineun jal hago isseoyo?

Traditional markets are great places to experience the spirit of the nation.

The sights, the sounds, the smells, the tastes ... markets offer an almost unparalleled sensory experience. It’s no surprise, therefore, that Seoul’s Namdaemun and Dongdaemun markets are among Korea’s most popular tourist destinations. Markets are changing with the times, too. In order to compete with department stores and supermarkets, outdoor markets are becoming multifaceted cultural spaces where commerce and the arts come together.

Young people, too, are creating markets of their own, injecting youthful energy and sophistication into a time-honored space.

In this issue of KOREA, we also breathe in the scent of green tea in Boseong, talk with a top metal artist, learn about director Bong Joon-ho’s film “Okja” and more. _ Editorial staff, KOREA

Are you ready for your upcoming trip?

Publisher Oh Yeongwoo Korean Culture and Information Service Executive Producer Park Byunggyu Editorial Advisers Cho Won-hyung, Lee Suwan, Park Inn-seok Email webmaster@korea.net Magazine Production Seoul Selection

여행 준비는 잘 하고 있어요?

네, 미리 기차표도 샀어요.

Yeohaeng junbineun jal hago isseoyo?

Ne, miri gichapyodo sasseoyo.

Are you ready for your upcoming trip?

Yes, I booked a train ticket.

Editor-in-Chief Robert Koehler Production Supervisor Kim Eugene

지난번에 드린 안내 책자가 도움이 됐어요?

Producers Park Miso, Woo Jiwon

Jinanbeone deurin annae chaekjaga doumi dwaesseoyo?

Copy Editors Gregory Eaves, Anna Bloom

네, 나래 씨 덕분에 여행 준비가 빨리 끝났어요. 고마워요.

Ne, narae ssi deokbune yeohaeng junbiga ppalli kkeutnasseoyo.

Gomawoyo.

Did the travel guide I gave you help you prepare your trip?

Creative Director Lee Seung Ho

Yes, you helped me finish preparing for the trip early. Thank you.

Designers Lee Bok-hyun, Jung Hyun-young

나래 Narae

밍밍 Mingming

Illustrator Jeong Hyo-ju Photographers ao studio Kang Jinju, 15 Studio Printing Pyung Hwa Dang Printing Co., Ltd.

Cover Photo Photographed by 15 Studio Gwangju’s 1913 Songjeong Station Market at night

V-고 있다 ‘V-고 있다’ can be attached to a verb stem directly and is used in the present progressive tense. Attaching ‘V-고 있다’ to the verb stem shows an action currently progressing or a continual action. In the latter case, it is mainly used to express the recent action that is being taken to carry out the plan.

Let’s practice!

Let’s talk about plans for this summer vacation.

Q: What are your plans for this coming summer vacation? 올해 여름 휴가를 어떻게 계획하고 있어요?

V-(으)ㄴ

비행기표

‘V-(으)ㄴ’ can be attached to a verb stem directly and is used in the past tense. This ending makes the verb into an adjective that modifies a noun and expresses an action or an accident of the past. When the verb stem ends with a consonant except for ㄹ, you can add –은. When the verb stem ends with a vowel or a consonant ㄹ, you can add –ㄴ.

plane ticket

기차표

train ticket

Korean Culture Most people usually go on vacation in the summer.

This is because the hotter it gets, the harder it is to study or work. In Korea, students on summer break or office workers often go on a vacation in the sizzling months of July and August. Although the summer is the best holiday season, more and more people are going on vacation at different seasons of the year.

When do most people take a vacation in your country?

What is the difference between a vacation in your country and a Korean vacation?

아르바이트

part-time job

운동

work out

바다

ocean

산

mountain

A

고향에 가기 위해 ______을/를 준비하고 있어요.

I’m planning to ______ to visit my hometown.

______을/를 할까 생각하고 있어요.

I’m going to ______ .

______에 가려고 ______을/를 준비하고 있어요.

I’m preparing ______ to go to _______.

Monthly Magazine

June 2017

June 2017

Cover Story www. korea.net

Marketplace Revival

With a dash of innovation, Korea’s traditional markets make a comeback