all in eng
c u r a t e d
E N G L I S H
p a p e r z in e
featuring
kang kang hoon Verbal jint soo lee www.bridgezine.com
ￌ2,000/us $2.00
h
01 a p ri l 2 n d 2012
lis
BRIDGE #
9 772234 882004 ISSN 2234-8824 04
2000
CONTENTS
issue
01
CEO HANS LEE & SARAH BYON
PUBLISHER
april 2nd 2012
HANS LEE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SARAH BYON
EDITOR IN CHIEF SANG-AA PARK
MANAGEMENT DIVISION DIRECTOR
JUN - HO LEE
MANAGER
JEONG-A AHN
FINANCE MANAGER
SU-JUNG LEE
EDITORIAL DIVISION CONTENT DIRECTOR (EN) WRITER
KEEYEON WARREN (rm@roking.co.kr)
CHI NGUYEN (chi@roking.co.kr)
TRANSLATOR / EDITOR ASSISTANT
SY KIM (sy@roking.co.kr)
MIN-JUNG CHOI (choi@roking.co.kr) CONTRIBUTING WRITER
LYMAN MCLALLEN (mclallen.hufs@gmail.com) JUNG-YOON CHOI (eeyagis@gmail.com) TOM WALSH & JEN MOELLER (www.tomeatsjencooks.com) CHRIS BACKE (chrisinsouthkorea.com) JEN LEE (dearkoreacomic.com) CONTRIBUTING TRANSLATOR BO-RA KIM (nicediplo@nate.com)
DESIGN DIVISION ART DIRECTOR
DA - WOON YI (dwjjat@roking.co.kr)
PR & MARKETING DIVISION DIRECTOR (EN)
RELEVANT MATTER (www.relevant-matter.com)
MANAGER
JI - HOON SUN (sun@roking.co.kr)
PARTNERSHIP RELEVANT MATTER (www.relevant-matter.com) F.OUND (www.foundmag.co.kr) SEOULIST (www.seoulistmag.co.kr) ARTIST FANCLUB (www.artistfanclub.com) MONT STUDIO
PUBLISHED BY ROKING KOREA inc.
5 8 12 14 16 18 22 26 30 32 34 36 38 40
RECAP special theme FOOD FOOD TRAVEL art & people entertainment entertainment bridge people bridge people LIFESTYLE THESE DAYS COLUMN REComMENDATION
Launch party revie thaking the first step He Said, She Said : Gopchang taxi fare : chIckEn soup foR thE soul Gilsangsa kang kang hoon Verbal Jint by F.OUND Soo Lee by F.ound Sudip Banerjee Michael Elliot over the counter Chocolate naval base dispute on jeju island It’s not Konglish, but Korean-English fresh spring kit
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193 - 32 NONHYUNDONG GANGNAMGU SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA TEL (070) 4147 - 0701 E - MAIL INFO@ROKING.CO.KR
MARKETING DEPT tel +82 - (070) - 4147 - 0701 FAX +82 - (2) - 6280 - 0701
ADVERTISEMENT INQUIRY TEL (070) 4147 - 0701 INFO@ROKING.CO.KR
Bridge Paperzine is published by Roking Korea inc. Reproduction without permission is prohibited. Printed in South Korea.
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about
49,000,000 South Korea’s population in 2012
1,418,149 Number of expats
50 Percentage of the South Korean population that can speak English
0 Current number of domestic English magazines in South Korea
Bridge Paperzine is the first of its kind Launched in April 2012, Bridge is not an English publication created solely for foreigners, but is one designed to engage both the expat community and the local English-speaking community. We are a biweekly publication that will feature the personalities, happenings, and cultural affairs that matter to our audience of diverse individuals, united by a common language. We cover important issues in South Korea these days, people, entertainment, travel, food, and lifestyle. Start reading Bridge if you haven’t, and keep reading if you already are. We're sure there's something in there to pique your interest.
SUBSCRIPTIONS 1 YEAR SUBSCRIPTION (24 ISSUE) : ￦48,000 (BANK TRANSFER, PAYPAL) PAYPAL : ROKINGKOREA@GMAIL.COM TEL (070) 4147 - 0701 E - MAIL INFO@ROKING.CO.KR
to advertise in bridge, contact info@roking.co.kr
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BRIDGE launch party Over 200 guests came out to Garage Sale on February 11th to celebrate Bridge’s Pre-Issue Launch. With sounds DJed by F.OUND, drinks concocted by Bacardi’s master mixologists, and awesome raffle prizes donated by generous sponsors, it was a great time to be had for everyone. Many thanks to everyone who came to the party and supported us!
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letter from bridge staff Dear Bridge People
on this project with a passion for doing something that hasn’t been done by other English publications currently available in Korea. We didn’t want to create yet another foreigner-to-foreigner publication highlighting the usual batch of travel destinations to see or restaurants to try out. Instead, our aim is to put a little more spotlight on the Korean subculture which we feel deserves your attention. We’re talking about indie bands, lesser-known artists, off the beaten path travel locations, hole-in-the-wall restaurants, and that’s just the beginning. To make this possible, we work in a uniquely multicultural and multilingual team, even though the final product is fully in English. We have Koreans, foreigners, and our adorable mascot Bichon Frise – all putting our different perspectives together to create Bridge Paperzine. Bit by bit, the passion project we started out with became a much more ambitious goal that’s driving our focus. We hope our passion translated into a publication that will be just as meaningful to you as it is to us. Enjoy! Best, Bridge Team
Wow! First of all, we would like to thank everyone who came out to our launch party in February. We really were surprised to see so many people come out in support of Bridge Paperzine. It's been a crazy month since the party as our team went into planning production. Along the way we listened to feedback from both Korean and expat communities and we think we are getting closer to finally offering Korea a new type of English publication that will engage both the local English-speaking community as well as the expat community. Throughout this process of finetuning, we settled on how to proceed with all future cover page images. For each issue of Bridge, we will showcase up and coming artists who live in Korea. For this issue, we are proud to feature Kang Kang Hoon's photorealistic painting of actor Lee Jung Jae (you thought it was a photograph too, didn’t you?). We're not done with our finetuning yet, but with every content meeting and with every feedback from our readers, we know that we are on the right track. We set out
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special theme
taking the first step Gi-ok Gwon
M i l e s D a i s h er
A kayak in the sky!
The pioneer female of the Korean Air Force, she’s also an independent woman!
Miles Daisher enjoys an adrenaline-inducing sport which requires one to dive underwater from 4,000 meters in the air. In one year, he set a whopping record for going cliff-jumping 2,750 times and skydiving 3,000 times. People say that he has nerves of iron to pursue such dangerous thrills.
In 1925, Gi-ok Gwon became the first Korean female pilot, joining forces to fight against the Japanese colony. Her loyalty to the Korean Air Force led was rewarded with the Order of Military Merit. She puts the stereotype of weak women to shame!
King Go-jong
Se o n g - h a J e o n g
The real coffee prince
Conquer Youtube with a single guitar
Coffee shop after coffee shop can be found on most streets in Korea today; it is simply a coffee paradise. How many of you knew that we owe this passion for coffee to King Go-jong, the 26th king of the Chosun Dynasty? As the first and best-known coffee lover in Korea, he was the real coffee prince!
Guitar prodigy Seong-ha Jeong is the first Korean person to receive more than 300 million hits on Youtube. He first attracted the web’s attention at the young age of ten with an inspiring guitar performance. He went from an ordinary student to a guitar phenomenon, inspiring many others since then to turn over a new leaf .
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People who do not achieve their dreams like to make the excuse, “I am not talented enough.” If that was truly the reason though, all the people who have achieved their goals would say that they are gifted, but none actually say so. They say instead:
And to those of us who want to follow the paths that have already been well established by others:
“Without challenge, nothing happens in the world.”
“I have only continued working with ardor on what I really wanted to do.”
-Oprah WinfreyThe world as we know it today is the result of centuries of overcoming challenges. Roking Korea boldly faces the 21st century with its latest project <BRIDGE>. With this, we hope to leave our imprints on the world!
- “Letters Shop,” Gitagawa Yasushi -
Si - b a l
E di s o n
“The first car in history”
This is an Edison-effect!
Si means “initial” and bal means “leave,” so this uniquely-named car literally means “initial leave.” The design of this car was submitted by Mu-seong Choi in October 1955 at the Industrial Exhibition in Gyeong-bok-gung, celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Independence Movement. Its gorgeous design won Choi the Grand Prize Award that year. Since then, 3,000 cars with this design have been sold to the public.
“Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration,” Thomas Edison famously quoted. Never one to give up, he is most well-known for inventing the light bulb and the gramophone, but let us honor the man whose gift to society was a total of 1,093 patented items.
Nei l Arm s t r o n g
Ye o p - j u O h
A great leap
First double eyelid surgery recipient
July 20, 1969. The world watched breathlessly as 38-year-old Neil Armstrong, a test pilot for NASA, entered history books as the first man to step on the moon.
The double eyelid surgery: it is the most common procedure performed today in Korea’s mecca of plastic surgery. Yeop-ju Oh, a woman with a very interesting background, was the first Korean person to undergo this surgery in Japan. After returning to Korea, she became the first hairdresser, not to mention the first hallyu actress to leave her mark in Japan.
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BY_ SANG-AA PARK / TRANSLATED BY_ BO-RA KIM ILLUSTRATION BY_ DA-WOON YI
Just as this is the first issue of BRIDGE, there is also a first for everything. BRIDGE’S “First Step Award” honors the courageous and passionate folks who were pioneers in their field. Whether their achievements were widely influential or just amusing stories to tell, we honor them for being the first to do what they did.
photo essay
“ FRESH ” Fresh air and blue skies in the springtime. Crisp white linens freshly laundered and pressed. A bottle of Chamisul Fresh Soju. A single word can evoke a hundred different responses; that is the beauty of language. Photographer Nam In Geun’s take on “ fresh ” is presented in this issue’s Photo Essay through a series of shots that were taken on picturesque Jeju Island.
What images do “fresh” trigger in your mind?
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11
BY _CHI NGUYEN / PHOTOGRAPH BY_ INGEUN NAM (www.mecafore.co.kr)
food
a twist on korean bbq
gop chang h e s a id
s h e s a id
tom
je n
Like most newcomers to Seoul, we have spent our time getting lost and trying to find our way around, but what we’re really interested in is eating. Luckily for us, Bridge Paperzine generously offered to take us to some of the more unusual places in Seoul as long as we take pictures and talk about it. I’m meant to do the man’s perspective whilst Jen adds the wisdom.
All I could think of was poo as I stared down at the giant skillet filled with what looked like little sausages, slices of onions, and a pile of chives. The place was loud—a playlist of sizzling grills, clattering plates, and raucous drunks. Upon arrival, we were herded with loving aggression to our table. And then, the ajummas swooped in on cue—one for dirnks, and another for banchan. A third delivered the platter that was now in front of me.
And so Bridge decided to start us off with gopchang, which I guess was in an attempt to see how tough we are. Gopchang, if you don’t know, is the small intestine of the cow, and is a real specialty here in Korea. At the restaurant we went to in Shinchon, people arrived in large groups, drank as much ‘somaek’ (a shot of soju in a full glass of beer) as possible, and then ate.
This was my introduction to gopchang. It sat there, frying away, and I discovered that hidden underneath the chives were slices of heart. This was a wonderful, secret starter. I was starving, and to be honest, the cube of raw cow’s liver wasn’t hitting the spot.
If you are squeamish about some of the more unusual cuts of meat you will need to bolster yourself with alcohol as the snacks you get to start are thin slices of raw cow stomach and kidney and lightly cooked slices of heart.
Luckily, heart is probably one of my favorite things in the world, and this was beyond delicious. It would convert even the pickiest California cheerleader. Hopefully no one noticed my greediness as I gobbled most of it up.
Whilst you are munching on those, the gopchang sizzles in a pot with some vegetables, resembling a long gristly little finger sliced into chunks. It slowly sweats out insane amounts of fat whilst crisping up. You eat the vegetables first, and then finally, right at the end, the gopchang is ready. If you feel squeamish; don’t be. It is like crispy bacon on the outside and has a slightly soft and chewy texture on the inside.
Once the gopchang was golden brown and crispy, it was time to dig in. I think of myself as an adventurous eater, and the only thing I won’t eat is yogurt - plain (but that’s a story for another time). So after all my travels, cow intestines don’t scare me. But man, they sure make me curious. If there was no poo in there, why was it still round? What was I about to eat? Was this just a little poo filled cocktail sausage?
Whilst I knew I could manage gopchang after eating some pretty strange cuts of meat in China, I was surprised that I actually liked it. Next time a guest comes into town for a couple of days, I am going to take them to try it.
After a little research, I found out that Koreans call what’s inside the gopchang, ‘gop,’ which is essentially the solidified matter of the intestine. Koreans think it’s especially important because they say it determines the entire flavor of the gopchang. Get rid of it, and you’re throwing away the best part. Sitting there, I still had to wonder if the ‘gop’ I was about to eat would eventually become poo. My brain was on overdrive, until I took my first bite. After that, nothing else mattered. It was crispy, rich, smooth, and earthy all at once. I had to have another. I can’t say if the restaurant we went to is the best gopchang in town, but I can say that I am definitely going back.
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history of Gopchang If soju had a main squeeze, then samgyeopsal might be it. For the non-samgyeopsal lover, however, gopchang comes to the rescue
Gop - chang (n) : small intestines of the cow
Admittedly, the definition of gopchang doesn’t conjure a pretty image in one’s head. But in fact, if it has been well-prepared under the expertise of Korea’s skilled kitchen ajummas, something of such humble origins can transform into quite an amazing dish. Gopchang first became popular when the famous Joseon Dynasty doctor, Ho Jun, mentioned it in his Traditional Book of Medicine, also known as Dongui Bogam. According to Ho Jun, intestines contain more vitamins and iron than other cuts of meat. Thus, eating it can enhance one’s stamina, help prevent diabetes, and strengthen the spleen and stomach. Nowadays, women regard it as a beauty food because it is a rich source of collagen. Being so abundant in protein and enzymes also causes intestines to have a strong smell, which must be removed beforehand by repeatedly scrubbing it with wheat flour and salt, followed by marinating it in garlic and ginger. Gopchang can then be prepared in numerous ways: grilled (kui), stir fried (bokkeum), or made into a stew (jeongal). When eaten at a grill-style restaurant, the meal starts out with a plate of raw liver and cheonyeob. This is enjoyed raw and dipped in a savory sauce. Next, a plateful of raw gopchang, yeomtong (heart), and vegetables are brought out for the grill. Gopchang takes a long time to cook, so one can eat the yeomtong medium rare while waiting. Once the gopchang takes on a golden-brown appearance, it is finally ready to be eaten. Koreans love the combination of the “cholgi cholgi,” or chewy texture, and oily crispiness that grilling creates. Of course, they love it even more when enjoyed with a shot or two of soju. Gopchang is enjoyed by old and young Koreans and can be found in both working-class neighborhood joints and luxurious fivestar restaurants.
Follow the authors at
TomEatsJenCooks.com
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INTRO BY_ CHI NGUYEN / WORDS & PHOTOGRAPH BY_ TOM WALSH(WALSH02@YAHOO.COM), JEN MOELLER(JEMOELLER2778@GMAIL.COM)
The cow’s stomach actually has four chambers, of which gopchang is only one part of it. Koreans further classify it into several parts: yang, beoljibwee, and cheonyeob. The first chamber, the yang, is very high in protein and is often cooked into a broth to cure weakness. Beoljibwee, also known as honeycomb tripe due to its appearance, is the second stomach chamber. The outer portion of the intestines, cheonyeob, has a similar appearance and texture to tripe and is popular as a diet food because it is low in calories. Finally, gopchang, named for its curvy shape, is the counterpart of daechang, which are the large intestines.
food
taxi - fare
C h i c ke n S o u p for
the Soul It’s 3am, Saturday night (er, Sunday morning). You’ve had too much fun. The subway has shut down. You can barely even make out whatever neighborhood it is you’re stumbling around in. At this moment, taxi drivers are your lifesavers. But your friendly cabmen can do more than just comfortably chauffeur you straight to your front door on those late nights out. They also harbor the secrets to the best local eats around town. Delicious, cheap, and most likely hidden in the back alleys of Seoul – these are true matjip (literally meaning “taste house”). Without superb Korean skills though, weeding this information from said taxi driver isn’t always easy. The Bridge team is on a mission to taxi-hop around Seoul – one subway station at a time – get to know the people behind the wheel, and find out what their favorite matjip are. Then each week, we will introduce one to you, lucky reader.
point of de p a r t u re mr . im ' s matzip pick (L in e
8)
장원 닭 한마리 (Jangwon Chicken)
gil
gil 16 -r o Sa m am
Taxi Driver Im Lee Taek Taxi driver of 10 years His workday starts at 4am, but he takes every third day off to get some R&R. Enjoys meeting diverse people, and is not shy about practicing English with foreign passengers. Least favorite part of the job? The drunk customers who neither pay nor get off the cab.
17
-r o
15
Sa m am
gil
Amsa Station (Line 8)
How to ge t t h ere From exit 2 of Amsa Station, immediately turn around and walk 20m towards Amsa Station Intersection (암사역 사거리). Cross the street and turn right. Walk straight down Sangam Street (상암로) for 450m (this will take about 10 minutes), and Jangwon Chicken will be on your left.
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Nestled in the outskirts of Seoul, Jangwon Chicken has been a popular family-owned restaurant for 18 years. Upon entering, you must take your shoes off before sitting down criss-cross applesauce at one of the large low tables. On a brisk day, the wonderful ‘ondol’ heating will keep you comfortably warm. The kind owner and her husband will happily serve you the specialty here, which is ‘baeksuk,’ a very hearty chicken soup that’s warm and filling. It’s cooked with a whole Harim chicken (rumored to be the best chicken in Korea), potato cubes, white cabbage, green onions and red peppers in a clear, flavorful broth. One taste of it and you’ll never want to go back to Campbell’s Chicken Noodle Soup again. For 19,000won, three people will be served enough ‘baeksuk’ and ‘banchan’ to leave happy and full. 29,000won will serve up to five people. Jangwon Chicken doesn’t cater to solo diners, but it’s a great place to go with the whole family or a large group of friends. The more, the merrier.
BY _THUC CHI NGUYEN / PHOTOGRAPH BY_ NAK-HYUNG JU
Am sa
St at io n
490-19 Amsa-dong Kangdong-gu / (02) 481-8222
baeksuk
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hidden seoul
buddha at the house of ill repute The ambassador of Angola lives in the neighborhood. So does the ambassador of Portugal. And Canada. And Sweden and Columbia, for good measure. Walking to Gilsangsa is a geography lesson as much as anything else, and a reminder that power remains concentrated in the same spaces it was decades ago. Before it became a temple, Gilsangsa was Daewongak, one of three restaurants in Seoul where the well-connected would pull off back-door politics amidst food and gisaeng (female courtesans or entertainers). In 1987, the owner of the restaurant, Kim Yeong-han (a former gisaeng herself), donated the land worth 100 billion won to the Venerable Beopjeong to enable the creation of a Buddhist temple. Initially he refused her offer, but after ten years he accepted and Daewongak became Gilsangsa Temple in 1997. Kim Yeong-han’s charitable act was motivated by the Ven. Beopjeong’s bestselling book, “NonPossession” (무소유), which discouraged a lifestyle hindered by unnecessary materialism. Her last wish was to hear the clear and great sound of a temple’s bell resounding on the
land. The statue of Buddha inside Gilsangsa’s main hall looks more like the Virgin Mary, which comes courtesy of the Catholic sculptor Choi Jong-tae (최종태). The Venerable Beopjeong asked him to sculpt a statue of Buddha, in the interest of harmonizing religion. The sculptor refused, saying a Catholic should not make a Buddhist statue. Eventually, the sculptor relented, and the statue was created. When the temple opened, a Catholic cardinal came to celebrate the opening; even now, some Catholic nuns come here to walk amongst the peacefulness. Like any Korean Buddhist temple, it has the traditional bronze bell and other instruments to wake the spirits in the morning. What makes this place so wonderful is the story behind the temple’s creation, and the many meditation halls to contemplate the universe in almost complete silence. You're still in Seoul, but it sure doesn’t feel like it.
how to get there directions Hansung University Station, line 4, exit 6. Walk to the first bus stop,then catch bus 1111 or 2112. Get off at the third stop, then keep walking in the same direction. Turn right up the side street before 성암탕 (Seong-am-tang, a public bathhouse), and start climbing the hill. There’s a free shuttle bus run by the temple that makes the 10-minute bus ride 8 times a day. Catch it about 50 meters from the same exit as above. Buses leave at 8:10am, 9:10, 9:30, 9:50, 11:45, 12:45pm, 2:45, and 4:15.
Admission _ free Phone : 02-3672-5945 / Website : http://www.gilsangsa.or.kr/ aaa_eng/home/default_in.asp hours Open year-round. An Englishlanguage Buddhist service is at 11am every Sunday.
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Most of Baek Seok’s literary works were never publicly released because he was a North Korean poet. Of the few that have been recovered from his collection, “I, Natasha, and a White Donkey,” is one of his most famous poems. Written in 1938, Natasha refers to none other than Kim Yeong-han.
Bridge Insight
I, Natasha, and a White Donkey
Gilsangsa’s Enlightened Lovers At age 22, Kim Young-han met 27-year-old North Korean poet Baek
Because I, this poor one,
Seok, and the two were enamored He lovingly called her Jaya after
snow falls thickly tonight.
a character from a famous poem.
As for loving Natasha, I do,
But upon finding out that she was
and as for the snow, it falls thickly as
a gisaeng, Baek Seok’s parents
I sit sadly alone drinking soju.
forced them to end their three-year
As I drink, I think-
relationship. He asked her to run away together to Manchuria, but for
Natasha and I,
his sake she refused and later moved
in the evening as snow piles up deeply, we
to Seoul. The couple never saw each
will ride on a
other again, but continued to love
white donkey.
one another. This inspired Baek Seok
into the mountain. Let’s live in a grass
to write a number of beautiful poems
hut deep in the
dedicated to her, and she in turn also wrote several books about her
mountain village where
lover. Kim Young-han never married
the echoes murmur.
and became the successful owner of
Snow falls thickly, and
Daewongak. After she donated the
I think of Natasha-
land for the construction of Gilsangsa,
no way she won’t be coming.
she reportedly said, “One hundred billion won is a large amount, but its
She has already come quietly and talks
value is much less than one of Baek
to me inside.
Seok’s poems.”
Going to the mountain is not surrendering to the world, but leaving it and all its filth. Snow falls thickly, the beautiful Natasha loves me, and somewhere a white donkey may cry for joy of this night.
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BY_ CHRIS BACKE(CHRISINSOUTHKOREA@GMAIL.COM) / PHOTOGRAPH BY_ SOO (http://www.cyworld.com/pixsoo)
love beautiful Natasha,
with each other from first sight.
art & people
0 1 m o der n b o y
kang kang hoon are we truly happy
? In September 2009, at the age of 31, kang Kang hoon opened his first individual exhibition. It was a late debut, but it was brilliant. Located in a spacious gallery in Cheongdam, the opening attracted a lot of press as well as a large number of celebrities. Kanghoon’s artworks are shockingly realistic, like photographs, but they are in fact paintings. His models are all different, but they have a similar feel. They share a quality unique to Kanghun, as he brings out the “Modern Boy” in each of his models.
Tell me about your life prior to your debut. Before my debut, I struggled a lot to balance my career and livelihood. After I graduated college, for practical reasons, I ended up going to graduate school. At the time, I thought it was the best option. While getting my master’s degree, I worked as an assistant professor and also had other part-time jobs, so my progress was slow for about a year. I worked on a lot of murals and photography before I finally picked up a brush again in 2006. For about a year and a half I stuck to only paintings. I was painting day and night. There was no time to even think about giving up. It was the first time I had ever fought
with myself like that. It became an important time in my career. During that time, when I was so focused on my work, I would often post photos of my current life and my artwork on my mini-homepage so my friends could see. One day, a friend of mine who was working as curator at the Park Yeosuk Gallery saw my work online and scouted me. Since then, we’ve been working closely together. How did you end up going to art school? That was a sudden decision. I’ve enjoyed drawing since the age of four, and I spent my youth drawing, but when I was in middle and
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high school, I felt that I needed to study and so I put that dream of becoming an artist aside. But then I realized that I was avoiding my true talent and the opportunity to be different from others, so in the middle of my senior year of high school, I decided I wanted to go to art school, even though my chances were slim. At the time, I only had five months to prepare for the art school entrance exam, so I had to really manage my time well. I’m really thankful to my 19 year-old self for not allowing me to give up on my dream.
Modern Boy-custom oil on canvas, 193.9Ă&#x2014;130.3cm, 2011
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Portraits are difficult to tackle, and I knew that the Korean art market was a hard industry to break into, but I was not afraid. I think that more than anything, an artist needs to be able to express himself without reservation through the medium he desires in order to enjoy what he does and be able to face his inner self. Tell us about the subjects of your work. I like using people as subjects, but in this day and age, as an artist who has to step on people’s toes, it was my mission to deal with the problems of modern people. We each dream about the person we want to become, but when we don’t become that person, we ignore the situation until one day we realize we want to get away from that conflict. I wanted to portray the problems that stem from modern people on a twodimensional plane. In the end, people’s problems can all be seen as the same or similar. I enjoy portraying those problems through shallow and stupid caricatures of modern people. Through the imagination, I want to express the harshness of the real world, step into reality, and awaken the senses. Moreover, through my paintings, I want to depict the modern person who dreams of an escape from his inner turmoil.
How do you find your models? I drew my friends and people around me. But for my first individual exhibition, actors Lee Jungjae, Jeong Wuseong, Noh Juhyeon, and many other famous people sat for my paintings. They offered to model for me at a gallery, and their positive feedback made it a really great experience. We work in different fields, but we all came together through the pureness of art. We shared a really positive energy. What is the meaning behind the props that the models are wearing? As a theme, I used neckties and sleeveless shirts. This was used as a symbol to show the contradicting images of the ego of modern people and the innocence of youth. To put it simply, the necktie represents the oppression of the structure of society to which we yield, while the sleeveless shirt symbolizes our freedom. Glasses, pipes, hats, or other props that have significance to the subject are used to round out the story. Facial expressions also have to be generated. However, as time goes by I’ll find myself straying from the original plan and one by one draw out the expressions from within the models. Most of the time, even more than my own creation, I’ve enjoyed working with the models’ acting abilities. What’s the hardest part of the face to paint? It’s different for every painting. The components of each painting are similar, so the differences depend on a lot of factors, such as the models’ feelings and conditions, the stage of the painting, the lighting, etc. But out of all those factors, I believe that to determine the unique characteristic of a person’s face, “proportion” is the most important. Because of that, when I sketch things, I actually handmeasure them out before moving to the canvas. This ensures that my paintings are as realistic as possible.
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When do you do most of your work? A lot of artists are able to focus best in the early mornings. I listen to a lot of New Age, but when it’s too quiet or when I feel really secluded from people, I turn on the TV and work. Although, I don’t watch, just listen. It’s important to keep a rhythm in which you take frequent breaks. I personally enjoy short exercise routines and coffee. I also enjoy drinking, but I can’t go out really early in the morning, so I’ll sometimes make myself some stirfry to have with a cold beer. Do you want to be an artist forever? If I didn’t have that kind of conviction, I never would have picked up a brush. I can’t imagine knowing what your life’s passion is and not pursuing it. As far as direction goes, I won’t be straying too far from realism. However, after experimenting with a variety of things, I want to tackle a big long-term project. I don’t know what changes will come with what opportunities, but my number one goal is to create a 2-dimensional world unique to myself as an artist, that will overcome the power of the media. What are your goals as an artist? I think my goal should be to become an artist who is featured in museums. I want to be an artist who has the power to make people think and see beyond the marketability of contemporary art. There are a lot of people who produce average quality stuff that has popular appeal because it’s easy, but I don’t believe in that. Yet, I want to be an artist who is loved by a lot of people. I think finding that balance is the hardest thing to achieve, but I believe that I am a person who can touch people around the world with my aesthetics. I firmly believe that is why Van Gogh was so loved.
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BY_ Acompany (www.a-company.kr) / TRANSLATED BY_ SY KIM / IMAGE BY_ KANG-HOON KANG
Why do you draw portraits? My current style emerged in my work for my final undergraduate exhibition, but there was no clear event that triggered my decision to do portraits. I think I just wanted to find a different way to express myself. Ever since I started painting again, I realized I was able to connect the problems of modern people to the characters in my paintings.
modern boy unuseful weapon oil on canvas / 162.2cm X 130.3cm 2009
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a p l e a s a n t c re a t o r
Verbaljint Since making his debut in 2001 with the album â&#x20AC;&#x153;Modern Rhymes,â&#x20AC;? Verbal Jint has been in the center of controversy in the South Korean hip-hop scene. Then in 2010, he caught the public's attention with a new mellow sound different from his past works. Now, his elite background and career as a voice actor has people wondering, where did this guy come from?
2011, the year that marked his 10th anniversary, was one to remember for Verbal Jint. He rose as a popular hip-hop musician both in the media and among fans. The year had been "an interesting one," as he coolly recalls. He sustained that calm and collected tone throughout the interview, except when he discussed music-making, at which point his voice slipped into a blissful tone, a clear reflection of how he feels about his work.
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2011 for Verbal Jint What’s your weekly schedule like? I have a fixed schedule, two radio appearances and two TV gigs, and then there’s a gig with MTV where I introduce the pop music chart. I’ve also got about three voice acting gigs, and sporadic performance and voice acting gigs now and then. Sounds very busy. Did you have time to plan for the year 2012? My goal for the new year is to put out two albums: “Modern Rhymes 10th Anniversary Album,” and “Go Hard.” I wanted to do this last year, but didn’t get around to it.
You were at the height of your career and also went through some changes last year. Tell me what the year 2011 was like for you. It was an interesting year. Like you said, I was exposed to the public the most, which helped me broaden the areas that I can explore for the next album. It also provided me with more choices to choose from. For example, the year before last year when I asked people to be featured in my songs, their reaction was, “Who the hell is Verbal Jint?” And now it’s the other way; people ask to be featured in my songs. I credit the management company and CEO Rhymer for that. I’m just not the type of person who aggressively goes after selfpromotion, and the company came up with various chances where I did what I can do without being awkward.
Do you feel sorry that the public following came quite late? No, not really. People get interested in music that affects them. I have to admit that the albums “Nameless” (2007) and “False Charge” (2008) didn’t have many elements that would appeal to the mass. But even before, I always thought that a lot of people listened to my music. So I don’t feel sorry or think, “Why do I have girls following me now?”
T w i t t er h t t p : / / t w i t t er . c o m / f ree v j F a c eb o o k h t t p : / / w w w . f a c eb o o k . c o m / v j p a p er
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How was your first solo concert last year? It was fun. I was more satisfied than I had expected to be. I tried to make a detailed list from the structure of the music to the story line. It gave me a headache, but also got me thinking that I should perform more. Also, it got me thinking that I should have more songs where I can get the audience involved and interact with them, rather than me giving a solo recital.
Looking Ahead
You published one album and five singles. You must’ve had an appetite for writing music last year! The timing worked out last year, so I put out a lot of music. But I am always passionate about writing. If I compare appearing on TV and making music, I absolutely prefer the latter. Some say, “It’s better to have a busy schedule.” I don’t agree with that. I think working on musicmaking is much better. There are so many ideas that I want to mold into my work and show to the people.
I read somewhere that you started preparing to become an artist since your sophomore year in high school. What type of artist did you have in mind? Just someone who puts out music and enjoys the reaction.
You’ve been doing this for more than 10 years. Are you still enthusiastic when it comes to work? Yes. My taste in music has changed bit by bit over time, and I have ideas continuously flowing in me that I want to try out. I can’t stop myself. I think I’m greedy when it comes to that. What are your personal gains through making music? I won’t be living a hundred years, and while I live and breathe on earth I want to be creating something rather than consuming things. I draw satisfaction from doing something that is creative. Big or small, leaving a footprint that is only possible because it was made by Kim Jin-Tae (Verbal Jint’s Korean name) is very satisfying. I feel happy about that.
And what made you think that you want to become like that? At first it was a vague idea. I enjoyed listening to the music first and then organically wanted to make it myself. I thought I’d be good at it. People dream of becoming a celebrity when they are young. Or some people take a further step and take action, going to the auditions and learning to become one. But that wasn’t the case for me. I did not wish to be a celebrity. I just wanted to make music. And how does it feel to be an artist? It’s great (laughs). And it’s fun. I’m thankful for many things. If I took one wrong road and went into a different direction, I might not be living this life. I was lucky. This year marks the 12th anniversary of your debut. How do you feel looking back? That word, 12th year, just sounds awkward. It almost feels like I have to define my past ten years. But I don’t look to the past.
You just look straight ahead of you? Yes. And I’ve been like that all the time. I don’t know where this attitude came from. Even when I’m by myself, I don’t look back on the past twelve years, reminiscing how it was like in 2001, thinking that I’ve made it through the turmoil, etc. When I drink with my fellow musician friends, there are some who shed tears thinking of the past times. But I don’t think that way. I just think that I’ve enjoyed running up to this point. Tell me about the two albums you’re planning for this year. There has been much progress. I write the lyrics and make melodies and then set it aside, to tell you briefly about how I make music. I forget about it for a while, and later I work on putting it into sounds, making arrangements. That’s the hardest part. It takes a lot of work. I’ve finished the lyrics and melodies for both “Modern Rhymes 10th Anniversary Album” and “Go Hard.” And all that remains is work. I’ve been putting it off for different reasons, but I am planning to get on it soon. You’ll get to see both of the finished albums this year.
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BY_ NA HA-NA /PHOTOGRAPH BY_ LEE BOM-YI / COOPERATION_ REEBOK / CONTENT ALLIANCE_ F.OUND MAGAZINE (WWW.FOUNDMAG.CO.KR) / TRANSLATED BY_ SY KIM
Fixated on Creating
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A Musician W h o K n o w s N o B o u n d a rie s T h e F u t u re M u s i c i a n
Soo lee Soolee is not merely a DJ and a producer. He is a sound designer and media artist. This experimental musician, committed to broadening his range, has pushed the boundaries and established himself as a musical pioneer. In 2010, Soolee represented the country in ‘We Call It Techno,’ one of the many events in a 3-day series that celebrated the 20th anniversary of German reunification. Since then, he has consistently appeared at both large and small scale events. With the use of Sound Effector and other programs, Soolee has found his own individual voice. And in an effort to master live music as well, he is part of the interactive audio-visual group, ‘Future Jazz.’ An innovator in his field, Soolee invites us into the infinite world of computer music.
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Computer Music: The Total Package Outside of being a DJ and producer, you are currently involved in a lot of activities. ‘HouseBug,’ your electronic music forum runs the DJ Seminar: Attention series, and you're also leading the band, ‘Future Jazz Project.’ I’m just trying to do everything I want to do. I’m not doing it for the money... I’m always trying to fight the notion that creative people have to stick to one thing. I don’t want there to be limits when it comes to my work.
How long have you been into music? When I was in high school, I played guitar for a band. I was obsessed with Death Metal back then. I even grew my hair out. Those early days have continued to influence me today. More than the strength and intensity of the genre, I think I had an admiration for the beauty of darkness. It was through music that I discovered that side of myself.
But the work you’ve done with the local label and the EP you released don’t seem to have that vibe. To be honest, the music that I really want to do is techno. But in Korea, there’s no real opportunity to introduce that kind of music through an album. I’m still working on some darker stuff now. I’m sure I’ll have the chance to one day release it in an album.
When did you start composing computer music? When I was in 7th or 8th grade... Back in the DOS days. I really wanted to do music, but my family was dead against it. I wanted to play the guitar, but couldn’t without getting in trouble with my parents, so I started using the computer. When I realized I could use the computer to make music, I got programs through my friends and started to play around. Then when Windows came out, music programs started to become a lot more advanced. Computer music hasn’t been around for that long... maybe 30 years? But they’ve come a long way in that short time. Do you remember floppy disks? They had about 1.4MB of space, not even enough for one MP3. And the advent of VJ artists came with projector technology. Computer music develops with technology.
It seems as though the concept of computer music is becoming ambiguous. These days, even band music is entered into a computer and then altered and mixed. So in theory, you could say that band music is also computer music. If you add electronic beats or deconstruct the song to sound totally different, that could be considered computer music. Actually, nowadays music is really hard to categorize. Because of the extensive use of computers to create music, the boundaries between genres have become blurred.
So you’re saying that more than capturing the essence of the sound source, taking it and deconstructing it to make new music is really what computer music is? Yes. It’s probably easier to understand when the weight is put on making sounds with the computer. The majority of music these days is a hybrid. That’s because when we have difficulty expressing what we want with electronic music, we’ll turn to analog sounds.
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Experimenting with Infinite Sounds Was there something that triggered you to quit playing in a band and start focusing on computer music? If I had any talent for performance, I probably would have continued to play in a band. But I really wasn’t meant to be on stage. (He chuckles) And I could never practice guitar for 7-8 hours a day, but sitting in front of the computer for that amount of time was never a problem.
What in particular attracted you to computer music? What made you fall so in love with it? If you play the guitar, you can only make a guitar sound. But what if you need a 100-man orchestra? With a computer, I can create that sound on my own. I can use the computer to evoke the sounds of any real instrument. I become the conductor. I can also use existing sound clips. And what’s more, I can use a variety of techniques to create unprecedented sounds. That’s the fun part for me.
When did you start Dj-ing as a career? I think it’s been about 5-6 years. I was working as just a producer and sound designer before that, but since I started DJ-ing, I’ve been exposed to a wider range of music, which has undoubtedly been helpful to my recording. In movie terms, a DJ is like a director. He needs to control the emotional dynamics of the plot until the twothirds point, where the climax hits. DJs are able to do this with good sense and song selection.
Was it hard to come back and work in Korea after the education and experience you gained in New York? As they say, “Ignorance is bliss.” I’m sure that if I hadn’t seen and experienced as much as I did, I would be much happier making music. But on the other hand, because of the knowledge I gained abroad, I can continue to change as an artist and I think I can show people a lot of new things. And that’s what’s fun.
In your latest EP <Breathe>, the songs that were fused with traditional music were really impressive. Flower petals, clouds, and the forest became alive, and the way static scenes in nature were depicted was interesting as well. It’s a project I started as soon as I returned to Korea from New York. I worked on it consistently for 4-5 years. There’s a traditional Chinese instrument called the ‘gu-zheng.’ I thought the sound was so pretty, so I started a project with it. When you use traditional music to create a fusion, it often evokes a certain emotion in people. But the sounds in this album are definitely outside of the existing framework of ‘fusion’ music. Last year, I was able to first release the album in Japan through a Japanese label. The great response has given me the opportunity to introduce the album in Korea with an added track.
Is your future looking the way you had hoped it would? S:Yes, in the sense that all of my influences have laid the foundation for me to create new things and pave new paths. I believe that to experiment, you have to learn and experience a lot. You need to invest and sacrifice a lot in order to grow. I hope that the fire and passion that I have now never dies.
To create computer music, you clearly need to study both computer hardware and software extensively. For you, was technology always merely an instrument for you to make music? If you don’t know the techniques, you can’t make the sounds. Depending on what kind of music a person is trying to produce, they may or may not know certain techniques. But I want to be able to create my own techniques. Those who don’t have the knowledge will not only never progress, but they’ll die out. Also, new programs and new versions along with new techniques are constantly coming out. You have to keep up to be able to continue to create new material. It’s all for the sake of making great music.
What do you see yourself focusing on in the future? Of course I’ll continue to record albums, but I hope to focus a bit more on Future Jazz. Playing electronic music live and expressing those sounds in a different way through the computer is really fun. It’s just not that well known yet. We need to pave the way for it. However, there’s no one clear way to do so. It’s undiscovered territory. There was no one to write the manual for us, so when we face problems, we’ll have to figure them out on our own. It’s not going to be easy, but that’s what I love about it.
site h t t p : / / w w w . s o o l ee . kr F a c eb o o k h t t p : / / w w w . f a c eb o o k . c o m / s o o l eem u s i c
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BY_ HA-NA CHO / PHOTOGRAPH BY_ YOON-KEE CHUN / CONTENT ALLIANCE_ F.OUND MAGAZINE (WWW.FOUNDMAG.CO.KR) / TRANSLATED BY_ SY KIM
A Musician With a New Path
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bridge people
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sudip banerjee He’s a Bengali-American engineer for Samsung, but you probably know him best as Hassan from 2011’s blockbuster film "Wandeuki" <"Punch," 완득이>
Did you end up doing that? I taught English and studied Korean like crazy for one year. During that time, I also met my wife, but I came back to America after that and found a computer job in Monrovia, California. For two and a half years I worked there and then I came back in 2004. I got married and I’ve been here ever since.
Where did you go from there? After I graduated, I found a job in computer science, which was my major, but I didn’t take it. I started to go to a Korean church, and another friend gave me a Korean dictionary. I told my parents I’m going to go teach English in Korea. They kind of gave me the silent treatment for six months. I found a job in San Diego, but I didn’t accept the offer and then I went to Korea anyway one month after graduating from college. I didn’t know anybody here. My main objective was just to learn the language. That’s all I wanted to do.
What’s the biggest difference between working for a tech company in the States versus here? In America, you know when people are going to go home and in Korea, you don’t. That’s the hardest thing. It’s hard to gauge. It’s also very formal. You have fun nights out, but you kind of have to go. It’s just the culture here. You have to follow it to a certain degree.
drop in my life. I don’t smoke either. It’s really hard in Korea. You have to be firm. If you know what’s right for you, don’t let people tell you what to do. If you’re too wishy-washy, then they’re going to make you drink. It’s funny, but at the end of a night out, maybe I’ll have a kebab with some milk and I’ll go home. How did you go from software engineer to actor? I’m very outgoing, so I like to go to parties and foreigner events in Seoul. I met casting directors that way. My first movie was Venus and Mars [ 싸움 ] in 2007. I met the casting director in 2006. I gave him my card and when a movie description came along, they would contact me out of the blue. For some reason, they just passed on my information. Good things happened without me even trying. My phone number is just floating out there somewhere (laughs). When Wandeuki came around, they needed a 20-30 year old Southeast Asian man. They told me, “You fit the description and they like your look in the pictures, so send us your profile picture.” I didn’t have a professional picture so I just took one of those ulzaang shots (laughs). I guess they liked it. The director really loved my mustache. It fit my movie role.
How do you make a living in Korea? I’ve been a software project manager at Samsung for four months now. I worked at LG for seven years in mobile. Before that, I worked at a small Korean IT company.
I understand that you don’t drink. It’s hard to refuse a drink offered by your boss in Korea. How do you get around this? I don’t drink at all. I’ve never drank a
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Do you relate to your role as Hassan in Wandeuki at all? The thing is, I did everything by the law when I came here. The character didn’t. The character was really kind, and I’m also seen as kind, but he didn’t follow the law so he got deported. I don’t relate to him in that way because he should’ve gone through the process. The problem is that when people come to Korea and they want to work for their families, they’ll do anything possible. The dirty work, the dangerous and difficult work. I have a heart for them more, so I try to be nice to anyone. And people see me as that too. How have you liked the fame? It’s really cool because if you go on Naver, you can find me now. People on the street recognize me once every couple of days now. It used to be every day, but now it’s dying out. I like it because it’s just enough. It’s not a crazy amount. No one calls me at crazy hours or anything like that. Did this affect your work at Samsung? It’s good PR for them. Internally, they’ve already written a couple of articles about me. Almost everyone at Samsung knows me now. I
BY_ CHI NGUYEN / PHOTOGRAPH BY_ JEN MOELLER
Tell us where you grew up and how you became interested in Korea I grew up in Cerritos, California and went to college at UCSD [University of California San Diego]. During my fourth year of college, I met my Korean roommate’s sister and she’s into K-pop – S.E.S, FINKL – and I really liked it. I realized I wanted to learn some of the songs and be able to sing along. My friend taught me, and pretty soon I didn’t want to just talk about the music. I wanted to learn the language. After teaching me for ten months in a really methodical way, I loved the Korean language. I felt like God gave me the heart to learn it too.
decision. It’s not like majority rules. Your opinion is there, but it might not matter. That’s something that’s hard to adjust to living here.
want to concentrate on my work and see where the future goes.
worked at LG so they know me now too. You can get yourself a promotion, maybe? Maybe, but people might get jealous and they’ll want me not to get promoted (laughs). You just have to be careful and do a good job at work. It’s good and it’s bad. They might look at my work [Wandeuki], and think, “He doesn’t know how to do his work really well.” Do you plan to do any more acting? I want to, but I have to concentrate on my work more. My job is number 1. It’s actually my field, and acting’s more of a dream. My mind is open to anything, but for now I
You’re married to a Korean woman and you have a stable job. Do you plan to live in Korea permanently? I don’t know. As long as the job’s fine, I want to stay. Who knows? I didn’t even know I was going to be in Korea. I didn’t know I was going to work at Samsung. I didn’t know anything. I don’t know my future. If for some reason I can’t find a job, and there’s no acting jobs, then my backup plan is to go back to America. Funny backup plan to have.
In America, I go to restaurants alone. I do a lot of things alone. Here, it’s looked down upon and it was hard to get used to. If you went to a BBQ place to get one serving, they don’t let you sometimes. They say you have to get two servings. I ask why? I just want one. That was kind of annoying, but I also understand that it has to do with the cost. If you have one person, you still have to light the fire pit for that one person. What if people are alone though? Then they can’t ever eat anywhere, but at a bunshik. I think it’s sad. I wish they would make a culture where you could eat by yourself and not be ashamed.
What do you like the most about Korea? I like the language. That’s the reason why I came here. It’s a tool to help me in my life. Food is good, I love the food here, but I love the language even more.
What about in the work culture? The one thing about a Korean working environment is that it’s very hierarchical. You can’t go above your main boss. It’s very army style, so it’s hard to speak comfortably. Like at LG, my boss decided where we would have our monthly dinners. He would ask us where we want to go. We say we want to go here, there or another place. He goes, oh it’s nice, but let’s go here. He would make the
What’s your favorite food here? Does BBQ count? (laughs) Sort of. What’s your favorite real Korean food? Tolsot bibimbap. I like the nurungi [burnt rice] at the end. What are some cultural differences that you’ve had to adjust to?
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On the other hand, you feel more kinship with your coworkers. You get to know each other more. Break time is also more freely had here. But in America, it’s more strict and stringent. It’s hard to get to know your coworkers back home. People just run back to their families. Here, people don’t run back to their families so you get to know them pretty well. You never leave your coworkers, but I actually enjoy getting to know my coworkers a lot. What is your proudest accomplishment in Korea? I got to do so much in Korea being here. I’m so happy I’m here. What helped me the most is that I learned the language. If I didn’t learn Korean, I wouldn’t have gotten my job. I wouldn’t have gotten a movie role. It really helped me. But I’m proudest of my movie role because I’ve never gotten so many accolades in my job. At work, I don’t get that many accolades or congratulations for doing a good job at, say, this cell phone development work. But with this movie, I get interview after interview, I got to do everything that the stars would do, but on a smaller scale. That was my biggest accomplishment.
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Michael Elliot What was your motivation for moving to Korea and learning the language? I’ve long been interested in Korea’s true culture—not so much the pop culture that often imitates America. Although I rarely listen to K-pop, I’ve studied Korean traditional music and architecture for years. Korea has transitioned a lot in recent decades. For example, it’s a shame to see hanok and other traditional ways of life disappearing. I wanted to be able to speak to Koreans and hear their stories firsthand. What was your greatest difficulty in learning the language? As a foreigner here, I am viewed as a walking, talking English opportunity wherever I go. For example, I stopped at a bakery earlier and the worker there spoke English to me from the get-go. But I feel that, living in Korea, foreigners should learn Korean and Koreans should at least try to speak Korean to foreigners once before using English. It’s a misconception that foreigners don’t want to learn Korean. I’ve devoted ten years of my life to it. I never dreamed that I would still be struggling to get Koreans to speak Korean to me at this point.
What reactions do you get when you discuss this with your Korean friends? Everyone says that speaking in English is being “considerate” of foreigners. But an automatic assumption that foreigners can’t speak Korean should not be confused with kindness. It’s especially discouraging for those who are struggling to learn Korean and are left with no opportunities for practice. I love a lot of things about Korea. I think the people are sincere, hardworking, down to earth, and realistic. On the flipside, I wouldn’t sign off on the idea that Koreans love foreigners. Korean people take pride in how kind they are, but like people from any country, there are some who like foreigners and some who don’t. It’s okay to face reality and acknowledge this.
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How does always being perceived as an outsider play a role in your daily life? Honestly, it hurts when people force me to speak English and treat me like someone who just got here yesterday. I’ve spent my entire adult life in Korea, and being praised for menial tasks like eating kimchi or using chopsticks feels more like condescension than a compliment. I think a Korean who had lived in the U.S. for ten years would feel the same way if someone complimented them on being able to use a fork properly or being able to eat pizza, etc. These “compliments” in fact serve to perpetually cement foreigners’ identity as that of outsiders. I had hoped for more inclusion, especially with how much time I’ve devoted to assimilating. I also feel that international couples are treated poorly here. When foreigners date Koreans, I don’t understand why people immediately assume it is some kind of extortion to learn English or get a visa instead of true love. Is it always somebody using someone else? Bigotry is born out of such misconceptions. There are some positive stereotypes about foreigners, but there are plenty of negative ones too.
BY_ CHI NGUYEN / PHOTOGRAPH BY_ JEN MOELLER
Michael has lived in Korea for ten years (and counting). The Colorado native has mastered the language, and has over 10,000 daily listeners using his online English lesson podcasts. But upon sitting down with Michael today for a talk, what is even more interesting than his language background are his thought-provoking perspectives on foreigners, stereotypes, and the unacknowledged discrimination that— more often than not —is left untold at the table.
Where do you think these stereotypes originated? I think the media has a lot to do with it. They take the 70,000 English teachers here, and then they broadcast the five people who acted in a despicable way, over and over. They rarely showcase the foreigners here that are doing volunteer work or positive things in the community. This tendency to run with the negative stories works people up into a frenzy, so naturally there is going to be a backlash. Do you think that other foreigners share the same frustrations? Because I wasn’t here to teach English, in the beginning I also believed the media reports that portrayed native teachers as lazy and just here to party. But then I met a lot of native teachers who were really hard workers and I was impressed by how much they cared about their classes. They also tried really hard to learn Korean, but it was hard for them too because the truth is that Korean people don’t want to speak Korean to them. I wish Korean society would encourage foreigners to learn Korean, not make it nearly impossible.
Do you use your radio show as a platform to remedy that? There’s a foreigner microcosm here — I suppose the capital of it would be Itaewon —where much of the foreigner discourse on Korea is born. Then, there’s the way Korea portrays itself in the media and the way Koreans see themselves. These two realms have a disparity that’s never bridged. My podcast is about teaching English primarily, but I make a point of teaching what it’s really like being a foreigner. I try to do it as gently as possible by showing through anecdotes how I came to think the way I do. I try to express how my statements on Korea are not unfounded claims. Tell me more about this disparity you mentioned. There’s a disconnect between what is said and what is put into practice. In front of foreigners, the superiority of Korean culture is often touted, but the way Koreans act seems to show that they themselves don’t believe that. For example, people almost never wear hanbok anymore, not even on Seollal or Chuseok. And no one seems to care when the last hanok of the neighborhood is demolished. Modern-day Korea has chosen to abandon that part of the culture and it may partly be because of a fear that others would perceive it as backwards.
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Do you think that Korean perspectives of foreigners will change in the future? For that to happen, Korea has to love itself first. The people have to feel a real, not fake, pride. Once there is a deeper love for Korea’s innate culture, including the hanbok and Korean traditional music, there will be a profound change. When Korean people develop a real pride, they’ll come to understand that Korean culture is every bit as great as western culture. Once Koreans stop thinking that foreigners look down on them, they’ll start to treat foreigners with a genuine kindness. Despite all this, why have you chosen to live in Korea for so long? I love the Korean people and I love the more important, substantial things, like traditional Korean culture. There’s energy and forward thinking here. Everybody’s united in a goal to make Korea better. There’s this push. It’s very competitive, but it keeps people moving and advancing in a way that is rarely seen back home.
Courtesy of
life style
over the counter chocolate
writer
Sean Lim Sean Lim is Seoulist's resident critic and connoisseur of democratized goods. A California native working in English broadcasting, he also blogs at theseoulite.com and is not as anal as he seems.
When life hands you disappointment -
beer, cigarettes, soju – these cheap mortal comforts can be had at any convenience store in Korea. Everyone has an elixir, and some prefer to soothe the soul through small amounts of chocolate. What started off as a bitter energy drink in pre-historic Latin America became a favorite of Spanish royalty in the 16th century. Then it turned into its sweet solid form in the 19th century England from which it has now become a $50 billion worldwide industry. That’s a lot of human misery. We ranked some Korean-made chocolates commonly available at the nation’s corner stores. And we focused on their effects of lifting us out of the blues. Why? We noticed that happy children don’t run in for chocolate. They want bright, fruity flavored things. Only poor downtrodden-looking types seem to pick up the chocolate. Being more a fan of calorie-free antidepressants, we noticed that chocolate’s effects were way too temporary, albeit delicious. Chocolate just seems to lift you gently out of your blues before dropping you right back down to where you started. Some lift better than others for certain moods, but it’s all up to you to do something in that abeyance.
The chocolate ratings were based on a 5 point scale with 5 being highest. Keep in mind, the scores are scaled for a sample of corner store chocolate, not gourmet confections.
1. ABC Chocolate
2. Chocolate
3. To You
4. Ghana
5. Market O
Taste Texture Mood Elevation Package
Taste Texture Mood Elevation Package
Taste Texture Mood Elevation Package
Taste Texture Mood Elevation Package
Taste Texture Mood Elevation Package
Prescription Nostalgia; care-free childhood bliss
Prescription Clarity
Prescription Compassion
Prescription Anesthetic
Prescription Patience
ABC won first prize because eating a little square feels like hugging a puppy or teddy bear. These little individually-wrapped chocolates look like modest hard candies, but don’t let their plastic wraps fool you. There’s a lot of flavor in these little morsels. At first, it’s a bit waxy but all chocolates in this group were waxy. Nevertheless, soon after popping an ABC into your mouth, the chocolate rolls over your tongue like a fudgesicle bar on a hot summer day. Suddenly you’re transported to childhood and want to toss some of these ABC chocolates to those around you to share in the love and joy.
Confusion. Self-doubt. Indecision. Snap out of it with a taste of this dark, dark chocolate. There’s a little rum in the aftertaste after a heavy shock of espresso flavor. There’s no false sense of warmth as in the other sweeter chocolates. It’s a clean, bitter taste for someone who needs to clear the air from all of their ‘issues’. You don’t get anyone holding your hand with this chocolate. You’re totally on your own. But maybe it’s high time to learn how to stop depending on others.
Feeling a bit jealous or abandoned? The creamy, roasted flavors of this bar will envelop you in a sense that you, too, have what others have. But of course with all things achieved without cost, the truth is but an illusion. And in this case, the true flavor of chocolate never arrives. Just when you expect it, the cavern of your mouth is enveloped in a sour aftertaste. So if you were feeling covetous, expect to feel the tang of envy once again. But for that brief moment in the middle, you’re floating close to compassion.
If you want to dull the sharp edges of life with sweet nothings, this is the chocolate for you. You don’t know what’s wrong, yet you feel bad. You don’t want to fix your problem, but would rather wallow in your melancholy with the dark sounds of violas stroking mechanically in the background. There’s no real chocolate taste in this bar, just like there’s no real problem with you. You may be on your way to an epiphany, but lack the will to see the thought through. If you want to just float mindlessly along life, you can while nibbling this chocolate.
Want to stop tapping your feet or calm yourself down from wishing something great would happen to you? Take a bite out of this over-produced bar from the selfproclaimed gourmand brand of the convenience store. When you want something special without doing anything special to get it, try a hand at this chocolate. The whole package screams I’m too good to be in the aisle of this store. Yet it does little more than offer a brief moment of relief from wanting the best out of life. We recommend you toss the chocolate, save the calories, go for a run and use your pent-up energy to do something grand, rather than try to find a bit more patience.
The standout winner was the ABC Chocolate
for giving us a brief reminder of those moments when we were truly happy as children. Chocolate should be a simple pleasure and ABC has proven why it has been a favorite standby of domestic chocolates for generations. Pick up a bag and share with others because perhaps that’s the part of true happiness we overlook while trying to medicate - our connection to others. Pretty soon, you may find that you don’t need the chocolate.
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BY_ SEAN LIM / PHOTOGRAPH BY_ YAERI SONG / CONTENT PROVIDED BY_ SEOULIST(www .seoulistmag.com)
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These days
you might have started noticing the huge colorful flags that hang from buildings as you walk down the street. Bearing grinning faces of politicians, carrying different numbers and pledges – such markers of the election season are everywhere. With the legislative election being held on April 11 and the presidential election scheduled to be held on December 19 this year, the political debate in South Korea between the ruling and the opposition party is more heated than ever. Currently the politicians are gauging their stances on various political agendas. Resolving public discontent on the passing of Korea-U.S. FTA is a key issue, along with improving the economy. Lowering the ever-increasing college tuition and unemployment rate is also important. And then there is the issue of the Jeju naval base construction. Jeju Island, undoubtedly the most popular tourist destination in South Korea, has become the eye of the storm this time.
To be exact,
the place that found itself in the middle of this controversy is Gangjeong, a small village located in the south of the island. Originally a quiet fishing and farming village, Gangjeong was disrupted five years ago when it was selected as the site of the South Korean naval base. The
Military officials say building a naval based on a site that surrounds a well-sheltered harbor, will help protect the nation against intrusions by Japan, China or even North Korea. President Lee Myung-bak said at a press conference in late February that the project was critical for the country’s security.
To the South Korean military, this picturesque island is the perfect place to build a naval base – a strategic location that can guard the country’s southern flank from possible invasion. To its residents, its small-town feel, harbor and coral reefs make it close to perfect just the way it is.
Village mayor Kang, 56, argues that the site selection was done hastily without thorough examination of the effect.
The conflict between the two visions has turned into a South Korean David and Goliath story, with Mayor Kang Dong-kyun of the town of Gangjeong leading the majority of its 1,930 people in fighting the giant. While the plans for naval base building has been going on for years, recently the issue became highly publicized as the government gave approval to the Navy and the construction company to start key constructions in early March. On March 8, the navy started blasting the historical coastal rock bed, Gureombi, in Gangjeong. Hundreds of protesters flew down to rally against the construction, while the police hindered them, hauling dozens of them to the police station. Some villagers climbed the fence to reach the rock bed, while others sat in the crane to halt the construction. Some tried to approach the blocked part of the port by riding on kayaks, but were soon interrupted by the navy. The navy’s stance is firm.
“Building the Jeju naval base is an immediate project for both national security and the development of Jeju,” Hwang Ki-cheol, vice chief of naval operations, told
the South Korean press last week.
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“Gangjeong, a place surrounded by three UNESCO World Natural Heritage sites, is in danger,” said Kang. “How can the military, which should guarantee the people’s peace and livelihood, ruin it so easily for Gangjeong people?” The residents agree that the project will wreak both economic and environmental disaster. The new base will subsume the picturesque harbor and its security perimeter will shut out fishermen and women who for generations, have dived for abalone, sea cucumbers and brown seaweed. The 125-acre naval base would also cause significant damage to miles of coral reef offshore, they say, endangering local species such as the red-clawed crab.
But most of all,
the villagers say they cannot follow through with a decision that was undemocratic. The navy says residents actually voted in favor of hosting the base in 2007. The mayor says that the ballot should be discounted because only 87 people voted. The result was so unpopular that residents demanded the resignation of the mayor who supervised it. Weeks later, with Kang now in charge, they voted again. This time, 680 people voted, and they rejected the project. The mayor says the important thing is not to be pushed around by the military. “It’s not that we don’t understand the importance of national security,” he said. “But we have to ask the right questions: Why here in Gangjeong?”
BY_ JUNG-YOON CHOI
naval base dispute on jeju island
government announced plans to make the base into a combined civilian and military tourist port, which will revive the town’s economy and bring jobs. Yet the villagers have been opposing the construction fiercely. Now there are protests all the time and the villagers clash with the police daily.
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Column
Lyman McLallen
A professor in the English College of Hankuk University of Foreign Studies
M
ore than three-quarters of all the people in the world who use English today aren’t native speakers, yet these people bring fresh perspectives to the language, changing it as they make it their own, enhancing it for everybody. There’s no one right way to speak and write English and no single authority who can dictate what’s good English and what’s not, for even in its native speaking countries English is not uniform, and of the countless variations of the language, none is so different from the others that it is unintelligible to the rest of us. The Oxonian easily understands the Australians, the Africans and the Indians who speak many languages but who all use English publicly, and watching BBC World from Hong Kong, it strikes the viewer that the Hong Kongers are the equal of the best-spoken Londoners. What’s important today is not whether a person is a native or second-language user, but does that person speak, think in, and write the language well. People from different nations speak English with their unique phrases and idioms, bringing color and richness to the language it wouldn’t otherwise have. You hear English spoken everywhere, and many speakers – native or not – are erudite with the language, for they are well-read, speak with intelligence and wit, write beautiful English that is often a sheer delight to read, and increasingly this is true of the Koreans.
When the Koreans speak their English with their Korean voices, you hear their distinct Korean rhythm and style. But before the American Army arrived here in 1950, it was the rare Korean who knew any English at all. Today, though, millions of Koreans begin their studies of English in childhood, such that by the time they become teenagers they speak, think, read, and write in English without having spent even a semester abroad in an English speaking country. Astute foreigners working as native English speaking teachers in Korean middle schools soon realize that for more than just a few of their students, English is already alive in their minds and voices, and they are so intelligent with the language that it’s all the teachers can do to keep up with them. Still, the notion persists that everything the Koreans say and write in English that isn’t “standard practice” (a term revealing more about the person saying it than it does about English usage) is Konglish. There is Konglish, but the Koreans have coined English words and phrases particular to them that aren’t Konglish. A Konglish term is a word or group of words borrowed from English and made into Korean. The Koreans spell Konglish words in Hangul and often give them definitions similar to their American meanings but still a little different. The noun, shoopuh (슈퍼), is a Konglish word that you see on signs above small grocery stores all over Korea. The Koreans have taken the American term, supermarket, shortened it
to super (“shoopuh,” as it sounds to my American ear), and spell it in Hangul. A shoopuh isn’t a giant supermarket, nor is it a convenience store owned by a big corporation. It’s a small grocery usually owned and managed by an older woman and man – a “mom-and-pop” we call them in America. “Beenil Housuh” (as I hear the Koreans say it) is another Konglish. A beenil housuh (비닐 하우스) is what Americans call a green or hot house where professional gardeners mostly grow flowers. Years ago, a few resourceful Koreans salvaged sections of steel tubing discarded by the American Army, shaped and cut the tubing into semi-circles, spaced these pieces a meter or so apart for the length of a field, raised the whole thing to form a steel skeleton, covered it with clear plastic vinyl (also left by the American Army), thus building their “beenil housuh,” where they could then grow watermelons, tomatoes, strawberries, among other fruits and vegetables, during the winter. The Koreans have created other terms they use in both English and Korean, such as “hand phone,” and the Konglish “handuh pone” (핸드폰). “Hand phone” is good English – and whether native speakers say it this way or not – the term accurately describes what Americans call a cell phone, or a “cell” (after all, you hold the phone in your hand). Also, what Americans call a business card, the Koreans call a “name card,” which again is good English and is perfectly logical, for the most important feature of a business card is the
person’s name that’s on it. My favorite, though, is the valediction the Koreans say instead of the American, “Have a good day.” What you’re likely to hear a Korean say is, “Have a good time.” And though it’s not much of a difference, it’s a nice touch. “Have a good time.” Sometimes when I’m walking through the neighborhood, a knot of little boys will call out to me with, “Hello,” probably because they want to practice English but also because they are little boys and they are eager to talk to foreigners. (By contrast, when they see a Korean man, they stop and bow without saying a thing.) “Hello,” I say back to them, “how are you?” “We are fine, thank you. And you?” “I’m fine too,” I say. “Where is your hometown?” they say, by which they mean to ask me where I’m from. “I’m from America,” I say. “America!” they say with their youthful exuberance. “We LOVE America!” “Well, you know what, boys? I love Korea too.” “Yeah!” they say. “We are KOREAN!” Being little boys, they’re ready to run off to their next adventure, but before they go, they wish me well by saying: “Have a good time.”
ILLUSTRATION BY_ JEN LEE (HTTP://DEARKOREACOMIC.COM)
writer
BY_ LYMAN MCLALLEN(mclallen.hufs@gmail.com)
It’s not Konglish, but Korean-English
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r e c o m e n d a ti o n
fresh spring kit Cleaning has never been this fun!
Food Waste Disposer
Spring’s arrival signifies sakura trees blossoming, warm rays of sunshine appearing post-winter hibernation…and the dreaded task of home spring cleaning. Never fear! Bridge has put together a kit of tools to make cleaning so fun, you’ll forget you’re doing chores. Go ahead and don your most ajumma-like apron, blast those upbeat K-pop tunes that you love to hate, and in no time your home will be shiny and spotless!
In Korea, we're required to separate our food waste. Gross. But this food waste container makes that icky task a lot less unpleasant. Just collect your waste inside the container and let the water drain out. The contents can then be easily disposed. | ￦ 7,900 | E000032483626
Recyling Organizer Set Recycling-- it's good for the environment, but can sometimes be a hassle. Well, not anymore! With this handy organizer, recycling is easy. Included are three brightly colored bags that sit straight up, but collapse and store away easily. Each bag features easy-to-read labels, handles for easy carrying, and velcro strips that hold the bags together so they don't move around. | ￦ 9,000 | E000032255529
"Sejehyeokmyeong" literally means detergent revolution, and it does what the name says it will. It cleans, sterilizes, bleaches, and deodorizes! It comes in a huge package, so share the magic with your friends and family. | ￦ 15,000 | E000032413721
HAAN Steam Vaccum Slim, light, and easy to store, HAAN is every housewife's dream. This steam vacuum will leave your floors squeaky clean and looking brighter than ever! | ￦ 115,000 | 8809142471400
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BY_ SANG-AA PARK / TRANSLATED BY_ SY KIM ILLUSTRATION BY_ DA-WOON YI
Sejehyeokmyeong Detergent
Dust Cleaning Slippers
Robot Vacuum
The ultimate way to multitask-slide around your house in these dust cleaning slippers. Wiping the floors was never this fun!
A mop and a vacuum all in one, and it's hands-free! This cutting edge robot vacuum will take care of your floors while you freshen up the rest of the house.
| ￦ 16,000 | 594910
| ￦ 399,000 | E000032271354
Character Window Wipers Elephant Wipers
A cute spin on window wipers. Have these fun little characters do your spring cleaning and then use them to decorate your house.
This adorable elephant is no ordinary stuffed animal. Open up his arms and use his tummy to polish off your mirrors, windows, and even cell phone displays!
| ￦ 34,000 | 587626
| ￦ 10,000 |478278
Yuhanlax Bleach Yuhanlax is a multi-purpose bleach that can be used to get rid of stains on your white clothing or to clean your bathroom. The original formula has a strong odor, but this fresh scent formula is perfect for spring. | ￦ 3,110 | 8806006508876
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Animal Keyboard & Monitor Cleaner Computers need cleaning too. Use the brush on the bottom to get rid of dust stuck in your keyboard and the felt on the side to erase fingerprints from your monitor. | ￦ 3,500 | 87681
Mega Hand Spin Cleaner Most Korean floors are hard surfaces that need to be wiped down with a cloth. But constantly having to clean a mop and wring it dry in the middle of cleaning can be a real pain. With Mega Hand Spin Cleaner, your problems are solved right in the bucket. Use the spinner to clean and wring out your mop, and you're good to go! | ￦ 34,900 | E000032286932
Mini London Taxi Vacuum
Magic Block
The world's smallest vacuum comes in the form of this battery-operated toy car. With a vacuum this cute and fun, even your kids will want to help out with this year's spring cleaning!
The solution to all your grime and scum this spring is in Magic Block! This powerful sponge is made from an eco-friendly microfiber called melamine. Just wet the sponge with water and wipe your surfaces clean. How? Who knows, but it works!
| ￦ 11,300 | 295352
| ￦ 9,500 | E000032255533
where to purchase
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Bridge Reader
Coupon 3,000won
discount per person
Trickeye Museum
Must show this coupon. Limited to four persons per coupon. Expires 4/30th, 2012.
Hongdae—an adult’s playground. But while infamous for its eclectic hodgepodge of restaurants, bars, cafes, and clubs, Hongdae is also often considered the art mecca of Seoul. Home to the young artists of Korea, the bohemian character of this party-goer’s haven boasts a certain je ne sais quoi not found in other areas of the city. Now dig a little deeper, and in the basement of Seogyo Plaza, amidst this tightly packed cluster of food and entertainment, you’ll discover a whole new grounds for play. Trickeye Museum is a unique art gallery that houses trompe l’oeil paintings. French for “deceive the eye,” trompe l’oeil is an art technique that creates the optical illusion of a 2-dimensional art piece being 3-dimensional. So rather than simply view and admire the pieces, visitors can interact with and actually become subjects of the artwork.The museum inspires creativity and imagination while being silly and fun. People of any age are sure to have a good time, and for shutter-happy Koreans and tourists seeking fun photo-ops, this museum is a must see. And the Trickeye Museum is just one of the attractions in Santorini Seoul, a multi-cultural space housing several exhibitions and a performance hall, which feature contemporary art and Greek Mythology among others. So those who are looking for something a little more mature have other realms to explore. And to cap off their experience, visitors can grab a fresh cup of organic brewed coffee at Café Santorini.
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Museum Information Adults: 13,000 won / Group: 10,000 won Youths & Children: 11,000 won / Group: 8,000 won Children 3 years old and younger: Free (Group: 20 people or more)
Directions Hongik University Station (Subway Line2), Exit 9. Walk straight ahead to the corner and turn left. Walk straight ahead to the Starbucks located just before the second street on your left. Standing with Starbucks on your left, look right across the road and there is a little lane. Cross over and walk down the lane about 100-150m and the Museum is in a building on your right. Don’t miss the small sign on the electric pole on the right side.
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distribution
Bridge paperzine can be found at the all major cafe in korea and local businesses in Seoul
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