BRIDGE ISSUE #02

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

Koo Egene KIM Myung han standing egg

www.bridgezine.com

ￌ2,000

/ us $2.00

Artwork by_ Koo Egene

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BRIDGE

# 02

CONTENTS

issue

02 april 16th 2012

6 special theme 12 he said, she said 14 taxi fare 15 travel 19 hidden seoul 20 cover artist 24 entertainment people 26 art people 30 bridge people 32 bridge people 34 LIFESTYLE 36 THESE DAYS 38 COLUMN 40 REComMENDATION

Turning Points Yukhoe Today’s Menu at Kamnamu Americano, Joh-A, Joh-A, Joh-A Seoul’s Great Grit Koo Egene Standing Egg Kim Myunghan Justin Kim Loren James Bennett A Whole New World What’s (Not) So Funny?

It’s Not Konglish, but Korean-English (part 2) New Hair, New You!

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about CEO HANS LEE & SARAH BYON

PUBLISHER HANS LEE

49,000,000

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SARAH BYON

South Korea’s population in 2012

1,418,149

EDITOR IN CHIEF SANG - AA PARK

Number of expats

EDITORIAL DIVISION

50

CONTENT DIRECTOR (EN) WRITER

Percentage of the South Korean population that can speak English

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 WRITERS

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LYMAN MCLALLEN (mclallen.hufs@gmail.com) JUNG - YOON CHOI (eeyagis@gmail.com) TOM WALSH & JEN MOELLER (tomeatsjencooks.com)

Current number of domestic English magazines in South Korea

Matt Kelley (discoveringkorea.com) Contributing Artists Sean Conway (travelingfarstandingstill.wordpress.com) Jen Lee (dearkoreacomic.com) CONTRIBUTING TRANSLATOR Haebin Park

DESIGN DIVISION ART DIRECTOR

Bridge Paperzine is the first of its kind

DA - WOON YI (dwjjat@roking.co.kr)

MANAGEMENT DIVISION DIRECTOR MANAGER

JUN - HO LEE JEONG - A AHN

FINANCE MANAGER

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.

SU - JUNG LEE

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

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letter from bridge staff Dear Bridge People,

As winter melts away and we move into the spring, we at Bridge hope that you all get to enjoy the beautiful weather before it gets too hot and muggy. We all know how icky Seoul summers can be.

After releasing our launch issue and now issues #1 and #2, it’s safe to say that things are in full swing here at the Bridge office. This issue of the magazine addresses the idea of change. We’ve featured notable people as well as locals who have either been through significant changes themselves or made significant contributions to the community, which we hope will inspire positive changes in all of you. Also, read up on our hairstyle tips on the recommendation page to dress up those tresses this spring!

We’d like to thank all of our readers for their support during this start up process. We couldn’t be happier with all of the great feedback and encouragement. Also, we’re only three issues in, yet we are excited to announce that Bridge is already expanding internationally! You’ll be able to find us in Las Vegas, LA, and Seattle, so be sure to look out for us if you’re abroad.

Other highlights of this issue include the story behind Kim Myunghan, owner of aA Design Museum Café, an interview with indie band ‘Standing Egg,’ a trove of never-ending foreign literature, and an all new Taxi Fare.

We are constantly making improvements in every issue, so please continue to stand by us as we work hard to bring you the best magazine possible. Thanks again!

- The Bridge Team -

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Life at the intersection We live the fast life, often too busy going our separate ways to stop and notice the little interactions that happen everyday. Whether spontaneous or planned, each person we meet, each situation we encounter all contributes to a process – it is that thing which we call change.

PHOTOGRAPH BY_ SEAN CONWAY(SEANKELLYCONWAY@YAHOO.COM)

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BY_ CHI NGUYEN

turning points In Yo Han

“I am finally 100% Korean!”

In Yo Han excitedly raised the Korean flag over his head as he was granted Korean citizenship for his medical contributions last month at the Justice Ministry. The Yonsei University graduate has done much to contribute to the medical care system, such as design an ambulance that can navigate Seoul’s narrow streets. He is the first non-Korean to be granted citizenship for his own achievements, and not those of his ancestors.

Born in Jeonju and raised in Suncheon, John Linton is his birth name, but he later adopted the Korean title In Yo Han. In comes from a line of missionaries and doctors who have all served in Korea. His great-grandfather, Eugene Bell, was the first to start this tradition in 1895 when he arrived as a Presbyterian missionary. In’s dedication to medicine is greatly influenced by his father’s death in 1984, due to the lack of emergency care he received following a tragic car accident.

In is now director of the Severance International Health Care Center. In his autobiography, “My Hometown is in Jeollado, My Soul is in Korea,” In explains that he does not see himself as a foreigner. His spirit is in Korea and his love for the country stems from the opportunities he has received here, such as the chance to attend Yonsei. His great contributions are his way of giving thanks.

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Someone was hurt before you, wronged before you, hungry before you, frightened before you, beaten before you, humiliated before you, raped before you. Yet, someone survived. You can do anything you choose to do.

Maya Angelou Although it is inevitable, humans instinctively fear change. Sometimes change is a small act that does little to disturb life’s daily rhythm. It is like choosing to wear a bright hue of red today despite having grown comfortable in your usual shades of black and grey.

Other times, change can throw one’s life into a chaotic whirlwind of debacle. It may be entirely involuntary, a consequence of the unique circumstances each individual must face. Change can be cruel and force you to rethink your values. But withstanding those challenges can also lead to the greatest reward in life. Here are the stories of two individuals who emerged from significant life experiences and were changed for the better.

Hong Seok Cheon

Coming Out, Moving Forward “Do you prefer men in real life?”

When Hong Seok Cheon answered this question affirmatively on a live talk show in 2000, his response took the nation by storm. His career went downhill overnight. The network immediately canceled the sitcom he was starring in, “Three Men, Three Women,” and no other entertainment company would take his calls. Hong started receiving so many death threats that he locked himself up with alcohol and cigarettes, and contemplated suicide.

12 years later, he has reclaimed his life and risen to stardom again. Instead of being the victim of demeaning threats, he is now applauded as the first celebrity to come out of the closet. Instead of giving it all up after his acting career collapsed, he chose to start fresh by opening a restaurant called “Our Place,” where his friends, family and supporters could visit him. It wasn’t easy at first, as customers would hurl insults once they found out that the restaurant’s owner was gay.

In a conservative, Confucian-driven culture like Korea, Hong’s decision to come out when he did was a very risky one. His influence on South Korean society is apparent, as the nation’s perspective on sexuality and orientation continues to head towards a more liberal stance, especially amongst the younger generation.

PHOTOGRAPHs BY_ matt douma

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INTRO BY_ CHI NGUYEN / WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHs BY_ TOM WALSH(WALSH02@YAHOO.COM), JEN MOELLER(jlmoeller2778@gmail.com)

Steak Tartare, Korean-Style

Yuk hoe h e s a id

s h e s a id

tom

jen

One of the interesting things about being a foreigner in Seoul is that sometimes you stumble across synchronicities or similarities between Korea and your old life that you never knew existed.

More often than not, I leave a restaurant with that not so fresh feeling. My round belly reminds me that I have pushed it too far. Tom and I have a code for this. It’s called “TFF.” The family friendly version translates to “Too Fat for Fun,” and what that means is both of us end up groaning in discomfort until we fall into a food coma. Don’t get me wrong. I love Korean food.

But all the meat and beer and meat again usually points me in the “TFF” direction. That is, until last Wednesday night.

One of my favorite dishes back in Europe is steak tartare, which is beef fillet chopped up and served with an egg yolk and some shallots and capers. There’s absolutely no cooking involved and everything – including food poisoning – depends on the quality of the beef.

When we walked in, I instantly fell in love with the place. The kitchen was king, allowing for only a few tables to be crushed against the sidewalls. It felt like we were just lucky bystanders who were given an opportunity to try what the kitchen had to offer. And I could feel that something special was about to happen.

I had heard that Korea had a similar dish called yukhoe and had previously attempted to eat it. I found a recommendation for a restaurant in Sinsa-dong, but either due to my idiocy combined with the infernal address system in Korea or the fact that it had closed down, I spent an hour walking around in minus 15 degree weather and never found it.

The place had a calmness that was a welcomed change of pace. The ajumma behind the counter was quietly focused.

The yukhoe bibimbap and naengmyeon came first. This was not cooking with a heavy hand. Both dishes were so refreshing, so light. The seasoning was perfectly balanced—a hint of sweetness, and a spicy kick at the back of the mouth.

Each bite offered something new to experience. I couldn’t help but inhale the naengmyeon as it was my favorite of the two.

Luckily, Bridge Paperzine managed to find a yukhoe place right by our house so I couldn’t get lost. Since yukhoe (or steak tartare) depends on the quality of ingredients, I think it is fair to say it is better to go to a restaurant focused on good food and not lavish decor. This restaurant struck a nice balance of intimate atmosphere and high quality food. The chef is an old Korean woman who stylishly sports American Apparel in the kitchen whilst grinding the beef.

Then, we made room for the signature yukhoe. Framed by finely sliced pear and shreds of perilla leaf, it looked so lovely and red with a raw yolk nestled on top. One taste, and my eyes rolled back into my head. Tender, delicate, and wonderfully seasoned. This was someone who knew yukhoe and knew exactly how it should be served.

We had the yukhoe in three ways. The first way was closest in resemblance to the European style— plain with a raw egg on the side and some matchsticks of pear. However, unlike steak tartare, yukhoe is marinated in sesame oil and some mirin or sweetener. Quite frankly it was better than the European version. The meat was so tender that it reminded me of premium grade tuna (chutoro) and the taste was spot on.

The other two versions were a yukhoe bibimbap (비빔밥) and naengmyeon (냉면). For those of you who are still familiarising yourselves with Korean food, the bibimbap version mixes the yukhoe with rice and vegetables, and the naengmyeon version serves the raw beef over cold noodles. Both were complete successes in the use of yukhoe in ways that I hadn’t expected.

After the table was cleared, I felt as if I had attacked every the plate like a rabid dog, yet that “TFF” feeling never crept in. No, instead I felt refreshed, relaxed, and perfectly content.

Follow the authors at

TomEatsJenCooks.com 12

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a h i s t o ry o f y u k h o e Shakespeare once wrote, “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” The same principle applies to raw beef.

Regardless of the name it is called by – steak tartare, schlemmerschnitte, kitfo, or boeuf à l'américaine – it is a popular delicacy in almost every part of the world. Each culture has a slightly different take on the dish, but it essentially boils down to sliced and marinated meat from the cow’s most tender cut.

Yuk means meat and hoe means sashimi, which is why Korean people call their version of raw beef yukhoe. The exact origin of the dish is unclear, but it is rumored that it was imported from China during the Goryeo Dynasty. Once a delicacy served only to the Korean Royal Court, today it is a dish readily prepared at a number of specialty restaurants for anyone to enjoy. Tucked away in Gwangjung Market in Jongno District (Northern Seoul) is Yukhoe Alley, an entire back street of restaurants that only serve this specialty.

Korean people have a reputation for making magic with beef (hello, bulgogi!) that can only be maintained through strict regulation of the beef industry. Date of butchering, place of origin, and cut differentiation are carefully looked at to determine grade quality. Butchers even post announcements stating what day of the week their freshest cuts arrive.

There’s no denying that Koreans take their beef seriously.

The beef used for yukhoe must be the freshest cut of rump steak or tenderloin available, which is the most tender and expensive part of the cow. It is usually sliced thinly, and then marinated with sesame oil, soy sauce, and garlic. It is then topped with a raw quail egg and served with julienned pear slices above a bed of perilla leaves. The result? A vibrant, gastronomically pleasing dish that doesn’t come cheap, but is worth every single bite.

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BY_ CHI NGUYEN / PHOTOGRAPHS BY_ NAK-HYUNG JU

taxi - fare

T o d a y ' s Me n u a t

Kamnamu ro

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Yeo nna m-

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As introduced in the last issue, taxi drivers are not merely expert navigators who are there to give you a lift in times of need. 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”).

The Bridge team is on a mission to taxi-hop around Seoul and get to know the people behind the wheel as well as find out what their favorite matjip are, so you too can get in on the secret.

Donggyo - ro

Hongik University Station (Line 2)

How to ge t t h ere Take exit 2 from Hongik University Station and turn left before Hyundai Oilbank. Walk 1 block down Yanghwa Street, then catch the green bus #05 across the street. It will be a 3-minute bus ride to Golong Apartments 104 Station. When you get off, cross over to the other side of Yeonnam Street and you are there!

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Hon gik Uni v. S tati on (Lin e 2)

point of de p a r t u re

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Im Geon Ho

- Taxi driver of 30 years - “I enjoy picking up foreigners.

They are usually chatty and smile a lot.”

- Hates it when customers run off without paying their fare Kimchee jjigae is one of his favorite foods, which leads us to his matjip pick…

mr.im's matzip pick 감나무 집 기사 식당 (Kamnamu Restaurant)

515-19 Yeonnam-dong Mapo-gu 02-325-8727

A favorite for taxi drivers on lunch break near Hongdae, Kamnamu has been thriving for fifteen years. In addition to serving hearty portions, the restaurant boasts a huge parking lot – both pluses for busy drivers who want a decent, sit-down lunch. The restaurant isn’t exclusive to taxi drivers though; everyone is welcomed with friendly service at Kamnamu.

A sampling of their menu: kimchi stew, grilled fish, tofu stew, stir-fried pork, and bulgogi. According to Mr. Im, the kimchi stew here is “very delicious!” All meals are served with 6-7 different banchan and cost 6,000₩ per serving. Kamnamu also specializes in a dosirak delivery service. There are 6 to choose from, and each lunch box comes with rice, a main course (e.g. donkkatseu or tempura), and several banchan. At 7,000₩ each, the dosirak are a treat for both the eye and the stomach.

Kamnamu is neither fancy on the inside nor outside, but the constant slew of customers who come in and out all day long are proof that the food is satisfying. Want to enjoy a meal by yourself? No problem. While it can be awkward and embarrassing to eat alone at most restaurants in Korea, Kamnamu actually caters to drivers who come here solo on their lunch breaks, so you can eat in peace without being the object of those judgmental stares. Do you love Korean dramas? Great! The restaurant has several big screen TVs displayed to keep you entertained while you eat.

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BY_ CHI NGUYEN / PHOTOGRAPHS BY_CHI NGUYEN

Americano, joh-a, joh-a, joh-a Seoul is a city teeming with coffee shops. It’s perfect for lovers of Americanos, long gossip sessions, kitschy-cute interiors, or all of the above. Even the popular Korean indie band 10cm has a song dedicated to the national coffee drink.

Those who are loyal to Gangnam like to frequent Garosugil, where perchance a celebrity might even be spotted, sipping coffee on the patio. For those who prefer the down-to-earth university neighborhoods of Gangbuk (north of the Han), there’s the indie café culture of Hongdae.

Leave it to Korea, though, to make use of every unoccupied nook and cranny of property. So for the foodies and bloggers who are starting to find the two main drags of Garosugil and Hongdae a bit of a snooze, there’s good news.

garosugil buccella

In recent years the streets that run perpendicular to Garosugil have become dotted with so many restaurants and cafes that they demanded a fancy name of their own, too. Now known as Saerosugil, there are many hidden treasures tucked in these pockets of back streets.

Tokyo panya

Thunder burger

Mug for rabbit

Nodabowl

Latte king

Garosugil

Dosandaero 11gil

Momocot

13gil

gil daero 152 Gangnam

Sarubia

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Cafe de beanside

Hongik University

Hongdae Hapjeong Sangsu

sangsangmadang Hongikro

Caffeine laboratory

Jandariro

Chans

Davant

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ro Wausan

If Hongdae was a metropolitan city, then the clusters of cafes that have popped up on the roads leading towards Hapjeong and Sangsu Stations might be considered suburban sprawl. They all carry the artsy touches that are characteristic of cafes one would find close to Hongdae station, and have excellent coffee to boot, especially hand drip.

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WORDS&PHOTOGRAPHS BY_Matt Kelley

Seoul’s Great Grit An unconventional tour of Jongno’s diamonds in the rough.

As a fellow Seoulite, perhaps you can relate to the disorienting realization that a building - or an entire neighborhood - is suddenly gone. It seems that everything is temporary here. Since arriving in 2003, the Canadian Jon Dunbar has chronicled the city’s unstoppable churn on his blog, www.daehanmindecline.com. His photos capture the curiously beautiful decay of funky villas and abandoned amusement parks before they’re razed to erect rows of beige towers named “We’ve.”

If you’re also a fan of urban grit, what follows is a tour of six sites in Seoul’s Jongno district that you probably won’t find in a tourism bureau pamphlet. If you’re interested, you better hurry. Just like everywhere else in Seoul, these places probably won’t be around for long.

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Sewoon Sangga

We start our tour outside exit 6 of Jongno 3(sam)-ga Station in a cluster of some 130 traditional homes, called hanok.

While the polished Bukchon Hanok Village is a destination for many, but a home to few, the modest Ikseon-dong is a living and breathing neighborhood. Single-family homes, hole-inthe-wall BBQ restaurants and dry cleaners front four alleys. In lieu of proper maintenance, however, several of these gritty hanok are wrapped in plastic tarpaulins to keep the rain out.

Despite a 2009 city-led effort to preserve the rustic pocket, many of the area’s elderly residents have called on officials to raze and replace their brittle abodes with something new.

Five hundred meters south of Ikseon-dong is an icon of Seoul’s post-war modernization. Completed in 1967, the 13-story Sewoon Sangga is one of four arcades that were built atop a former WWII firebreak. Located on a 1km stretch between Jongno and Toegyero avenues, the massive buildings are among Seoul’s first high-rise apartments.

Indeed, in period photos, the arcades look like a procession of white container ships amidst a sea of shanties. In recent years, Sewoon’s hulking façade has entered a sorry state that’s been mirrored by the dwindling sales of its surveillance equipment and porn vendors. In 2008, the northern-most arcade was demolished as part of an 8-year plan to replace the Kim Swoo Geun-designed buildings with a greenbelt and high rises. Those plans appear to be on hold, but you may want to steal a glance inside the sun-filled, multi-story atriums before they’re gone.

Hanok Hamlet

The Un-Cheonggyecheon

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Seoul Metro Line 1

Ihwa Mural Village

Subway Spectacle

Moonville Makeover

It’s fitting that every destination on our tour can be reached via Seoul’s inaugural subway line. That said, calling the 38-year-old rail line a subway is a bit misleading since over 90% of its 200km of track was laid above ground.

Regardless, public transportation provides fantastic people watching opportunities, and much about Seoul’s Line 1 is superlative—it boasts the most pungent smells, the sharpest elbowed ajumma and the loudest trot CD vendors.

If you seek more eccentricity, gaze out the window at the thousands of immaculately trimmed topiary planted alongside the tracks. Or, as your train car shudders to a stop, alight and observe the festival of tile mosaics that line every inch of floor, wall and ceiling.

In the post-war years, the shantytowns that emerged on Seoul hillsides were called daldongnae, or “moon villages.”

Over decades, improvised accommodations became permanent housing. Only recently have the moonvilles like Mt. Naksan’s Ihwa-dong attracted the desire of real estate speculators. Unlike dozens of other “New Town” developments, however, Ihwa-dong has so far seen only cosmetic improvements. In 2006, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism’s “Art in City” project brought together dozens of residents and artists to paint 60 murals and other installations under bridges and on staircases and retaining walls. The mix of whimsical art and poverty has turned the village into a popular photo op for youngsters.

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Jongmyo Square

Perhaps you avoid mixing grit with your grub, but Seoul’s longest-running market is also the best place to enjoy a diverse array of street food. Gwangjang Market’s central arteries burst with carts carrying vats of simmering tteokbokki rice cakes, stacks of pig’s trotters, the so-called “narcotic” kimbap, and the big daddy of them all—bindaetteok. With a texture somewhat akin to hash browns, vendors fry platesized rounds of crushed mung beans and veggies atop a large skillet. Around dusk the activity ratchets upwards as office workers, students, tourists and seniors rub shoulders atop picnic benches wrapped in heated blankets. As they munch, eccentric market regulars like the top hat-clad “General” play the sax. Late into the night, the thick steam clouds might make everything hazy—or is it the makgeolli?

A visit to the park in front of the entrance to the Jongmyo Royal Shrine makes this much clear: relative peace and prosperity have made Korea’s youngsters soft—at least when compared to their grandparents’ generation. At virtually any time of day, Jongmyo Square is filled with hundreds of rustic and robust grandpas who drink, loiter, quarrel and bond over board games like baduk and janggi. In case you’re wondering, headwear denotes seniority. While septuagenarians sport a feathered fedora hat and cane, the 60-somethings seem to prefer a simple cap, sometimes emblazoned with military insignia. While taking in the spectacle, one is reminded that just as there is charisma evident in old buildings, so too is there charm and beauty in human entropy.

Street Eats Smorgasbord

Hardcore Harabeoji

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K o o E ge n e

An Artist and a Storyteller BY_ ARTIST FANCLUB (http://artistfanclub.com) / IMAGES BY_ EGENE KOO / TRANSLATED BY_ HAEBIN PARK

A painter who enjoys stories as much as painting, Koo Egene still enjoys reading fairytales, and hopes to one day write a picture book for adults.

Koo's artwork begins with a story from the heart, and from that, a new story arises.

Before we start talking about your paintings, tell me about yourself. As an artist, your personal characteristics must appear in your work. What kind of person are you?

I don't really know. It's hard to recognize what kind of person you are, and to express myself in words is even harder. The moment I think I know myself, I change or a new part of me emerges.

People say my work and I show similar characteristics, but I don't quite get it.

What are some of the keywords that describe your work?

It varies with each piece, but some of the consistent keywords are story, inner world, children, desire, femininity, and oneself.

What significance do those keywords have in your personal life?

They’re words I’ve come across while questioning my life and work.

I would say that I had to gain a strong grasp of what those words meant and use them as guides during times when I was leading an anxious and volatile life. The more I live, the more my work and life seem to become intertwined.

Tell us about the painting <Putting on the Dress>.

The girl looks like she's having a hard time.

This painting was inspired by the Brothers Grimm's <Fitcher's Bird>.

An unidentified sorcerer kidnaps a naïve girl, and locks her up in a mansion. She is given a key and an egg, which she is to carefully carry with her everywhere she goes. She is also told not to open the door to the forbidden room. In the painting, the girl discovers a beautiful dress and tries to put it on, but she has a hard time because she cannot let go of the egg. As the girl starts to obsess over the mysterious egg, the dress begins to tighten around her body.

You once made a painting that depicted a large hand protecting foreign children. Was there a particular inspiration for that?

All of my paintings had always started with a story, and I was looking to try something new.

I attended an event that was supporting children from third world countries, and as I looked at the photos of the children, I found myself wanting to paint them. And in reality, it’s not just those poor children, but all of us who are in need of a helping hand.

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When I was a child, I had some storybooks that I didn’t want to share because I loved the illustrations so much.

Your artworks feel like pop-ups of those illustrations. I’m curious as to how you apply your point of view on these stories and the elements of fairytales to your work.

I am very attracted to old things.

They don’t always have to be stories, but the transcendence of time, vivid descriptions, unique magical quality, and simple clarity of a story is appealing to me.

Many people think fairytales are for children, but saying so is limiting our perspective of fairytales to the definition. They are just childfriendly; they’re intimate and magical, and they are ordinary yet paradoxical. But they’re also very psychological and have much deeper implications. I wouldn’t say that I intentionally drew scenes from fairytales, but that I related to those scenes, and happened to express them through my work.

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As an artist, you are bound to have critics, people in the industry or public who don’t like what you’re doing. It must be hard to find a balance between what you want and what the people want.

Creation is something that comes from within, that starts with the self. However, it is also a means of communicating with others.

So sharing artwork is one form of creating relationships. Sometimes I don’t notice when things are off-balance. Sometimes I make deliberate choices. Recently I realized that I need to take a good look at what I’m trying to accomplish through any given project, and then do what I need to based on that. In my current situation, I would like to move toward using my artwork as a form of communication with others.

Have you ever hit a slump before? How do artists overcome those slumps?

Working on my art is sometimes like being in a relationship. Just like in human relationships, things have their ups and downs; working is the

same. I might have to work hard to overcome a slump, but for the most part, time is the best cure. And in the end, you learn something.

I would like to talk about your most recent work, <Island of Birds that Don't Fly>. In this piece, bread, birds, flowers, and dress shoes constantly appear.

What story were you trying to communicate here?

I got my inspiration from Hans Christian Anderson’s <The Girl Who Trod on the Loaf>. The poor girl becomes a maid in a rich house and meets a nice master. The girl is fortunate and lives a blessed life. Then one day, she wears her favorite dress shoes and goes to see her poor parents. She comes across a mud puddle, and not wanting to ruin her shoes, she takes the large bread loaf, which was supposed to be a gift for her parents and throws it into the puddle to use as a stepping stone.

However, the bread sinks and the girl’s shoes are ruined. This scene really struck me. I actually went through several versions of this

piece. I wanted to depict human greed through this girl who couldn’t let go of her shoes, even on a sinking loaf of bread.

When I look at your recent work <Staying Alone>, I feel intimidated, and perhaps it’s the color tone, but it also has a scary feel to it. What does <Staying Alone> mean to you?

I tend to stay in my studio by myself. But then one day as I was thinking to myself, I wondered, “Have I ever really been alone before?” I appeared to be alone on the outside, but in reality, I have never been free. And then I wondered what it meant to be truly free. I questioned myself again. This work expresses the contradiction of being alone, but not really alone.

Your artworks seem very similar to the Korean traditional art of flowers and birds. You often use animals and insects. Is there a specific reason for this?

I wanted to take a look at the things that are not physically apparent in

human beings. Even our actions stem from our inner feelings. In order to give shapes to the things that don’t have physical forms, I had to draw things that were human, but not, such as animals, plants, elements, etc. I used a combination of these things to give shape to the things inside us that we can’t see. My work may remind you of traditional Korean art because I might have been inspired by that type of art at the time.

Where do you get your inspiration for your work?

Stories, especially old ones. When a scene from a tale connects to my experiences or interests, I turn it into a painting.

I want to know more about your personal life. Is there anything you’re passionate about outside of your work in the studio? Any hobbies or TV shows you enjoy?

I am currently reading in preparation for my next project. I'm not reading a fairy tale this time. I don't know how reading a new genre will affect my work, but I'm looking forward

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to it. When I watch movies, it’s to relieve my stress or to stimulate my dulled emotions. I enjoy reading and traveling. They are my hobbies, yet an extension of my work.

You have been painting mostly. Is there any other form of art you would like to try?

I'm not sure when, but I would like to publish a picture book. Having an interest in tales and paintings, I am obviously attracted to picture books. Rather than painting to make a picture book, I want to use the aspects of my current work that would most naturally be able to produce a picture book.

If you were to write a fairy tale about Koo Egene, what kind of story would it be?

I think it would be about a little girl who travels around to find her place in the world.

What are you plans for the future?

In preparation for my next series, I have been reading, travelling, and meeting various people. I have also been taking nutritional

supplements. I don’t know how to explain it, but I am looking forward to doing something different.

As an experienced artist, what would you say to those who are training to become an artist?

If you have decided to become an artist, trust yourself. Because you don’t know what kind of person you are or what kind of artist you are, it’s important to at least have strong faith in yourself. Don’t stress over the future, or get lost in unrealistic fantasies and try to have everything, or set the bar too high for yourself.

Be happy with who you are, and just keep walking. But really... this is what I am telling myself. (smiles)

ENTERTAINMENT people

0 2

S t a n di n g E gg

Their Way of Sharing Music Those that create put their ideals into their creations.

Full of their dreams and things they want to escape from-One day in May like a sweet, calm spring breeze, the Korean indie band Standing Egg swept in and began communicating with the world through their placid music, filled with utopian dreams. They promote themselves with the image of a towering egg, and under the wacky names of Egg #1, 2, and 3.

Egg #1, #2, #3! What unique names! They remind me of a robot or a missile... Is it some kind of a mystical marketing strategy?

Rather than our names or faces, we used the names, Egg #1, #2, #3.

We weren't trying to be mystical at all. We all tend to be very shy, and we don't enjoy being exposed too much to the public. The biggest reason behind the names was that we wanted people to focus more on our music rather than our personal profiles or images.

The band is unique in that it’s made up of songwriters, unlike other bands, which revolve around vocalists. I usually expect bands to be strongly characterized by the color of the vocalist.

Hmm... I believe a singer’s voice is one instrument that’s used to create a song. But changing the instrument doesn’t necessarily change the color of the music. In fact, I think it’s more difficult to change the identity of the music.

For example, even if a novelist writes in a different genre, his

I heard Standing Egg was originally a project group composed of lyricists and songwriters. What are your individual roles in the band?

Egg #1 and #2 write the songs, and Egg #3 writes the lyrics. We make the songs and they are sung by guest vocalists.

BY_ SANG-AA PARK / IMAGES BY_ STANDING EGG / TRANSLATED BY_ HAEBIN PARK

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voice will still carry through. The same idea applies to musicians.

I believe that a musician’s unique voice will shine through even when different musical techniques are used. We actually believe that using various guest vocalists is one of our greatest strengths. We have the ability to produce music in a variety of styles. We take a great interest in different musical styles, and we intend to continue to deliver our music in a variety of styles in the future.

Now that I think about it, I think you're right. Then, what are your criteria in choosing a vocalist for a song to convey Standing Egg's music?

We try to have it figured out while writing a song. By the time a song is written with the lyrics, we have a vague idea of the singer in our minds. That's when we try to imagine the song and voice as one. We can see certain voices that would go along well with the song. Next, we finish the song, and start looking for the singer. We look for a vocalist who can sing with a delicate touch, but also someone who is easy to listen to. We try to stay away from people who exaggerate too much in expressing the song or employ too much technical skill in their vocals. People tend to think that singers who can belt high notes and do fancy runs are good singers, but we believe it’s too much, and takes away from the song.

I think that’s why Standing Egg's music is always so comforting and easy to listen to—that slow, calm sound of the guitar floating through the air, accompanied by a beautifully quiet voice. I noticed you have a lot of songs that are about girls and love. Where do you get

the inspiration to write these songs?

It's different all the time. I sometimes get ideas just sitting around with a vacant mind.

Sometimes I’ll sit in front of a piano and get motivated to write a song.

Our band members like to chitchat a lot, and the things that we talk about, such as movies, books, and documentaries, sometimes become the subject matter for our next song. We write a lot of songs about love because we like love songs, but we also want to connect with our listeners through our lyrics.

We stay away from vulgar and childish expressions. Also, we try our best to arrange our music so it doesn't sound too commercial or retro.

enthusiastic about Korean indie bands?

I'm not quite sure. It's hard to say something on behalf of all indie bands because indie bands are very different and varied in the kinds of music they strive for.

However, I think K-pop tends to be highly dependent on trends. On the other hand, indie music deals with the sensitive issues in our lives, so it speaks to people. Even with language barriers, music allows us to share our feelings—sadness, joy, comfort, happiness, etc. Also, genres such as jazz, country, folk, and blues, which share origins, are still popular outside of Korea.

Therefore, that acoustic sound that flows through indie music might appeal to foreigners.

It seems like Standing Egg wants to keep the purity of music rather than mess around with it.

We don't want to be a joke when it comes to music. Low quality and cheap lyrics are all over the place these days. We don’t want to be associated with those things.

Do you have any upcoming plans for festivals, albums, or overseas concerts?

We would love to go visit our fans outside of Korea. We don't have anything planned specifically, but we have been invited to several music festivals in Asia. There might be some good news coming up soon.

The media is all about K-pop these days, but in fact, many foreigners in Korea are more excited about the sub-culture music (indie bands). As an indie band that represents Korea, why do you think they are so

I heard you have an album coming out soon. Is there anything special that we should be aware of?

We are actually all done with our next album. We are just wrapping

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up the music video and a few other things. This album took much longer than our last one, <With>.

I guess we put in a lot more effort.

We decided to name the next album <LIKE>, and incorporated all kinds of music that we wanted to try. We really like all our songs in <LIKE>, so look forward to the release.

Lastly, anything you want to say to our foreign subscribers that are fans of Korean indie music?

It was really nice to meet you all. We thank and respect you all for your interest in Korean indie musicians, even though we rarely appear on the media. Looking for music that isn't at the forefront of the media really shows passion and deep admiration for music. We ask you all for your continued support for Standing Egg. We promise to be hard working musicians who demonstrate a genuine passion for music. Thank you.

art people

0 3 Ki m My u n g h a n

Emotional & Acoustic Furniture Sharing Joy Together A friend of mine who studied design often did his work at aA Design Museum Café in Hongdae. Sitting in an old chair, he would look up at the high ceiling of the café, and his heart would feel lighter, freed from the burdens of life. Then he would draw. If Kim Myunghan of aA Design Museum Café met my friend, he would nod his head with an approving smile. Collecting furniture for over 30 years, Kim Myunghan has applied the concept of “togetherness” to his café.

The Story: Me & The Furniture

Recently, I’ve had to travel for various reasons. Whenever the local government starts a project with a cultural theme, as a person who has lived in Seoul for a long time, I provide suggestions and ideas.

I’m not too familiar with this line of work so I don’t get involved very deeply, but I try to give as much as I can. I also travel outside of Seoul to look for old tree species, but I’ll tell you more about the trees later. I try to make time for myself on my trips after all the boring business stuff. I love to travel. aA Design Museum Café might be a new space for some people but for me, it is a very familiar place. So once in a while I like to escape from my regular

furniture regularly in my mid-thirties.

I travelled to many countries such as Japan, France, England, Italy, etc.

When you don’t know anything, start with the retailers. After dealing with them for a while, you’ll learn.

It’s like investigating a crime.

Collecting little by little, I’ve made it to this point. It’s kind of a lot, about 100,000 pieces. From chairs and tables to drawers, 100 years of history, from 1910 to 2010, is all in my furniture. I had to study a lot, read books and go to museums and exhibitions. With true passion, no one needs to be told what to do.

One will have the energy to study on one’s own. My criteria when choosing furniture? Of course, I

surroundings. Travelling is nothing fancy for me. I like to just go look at the world the way it is. You know, just people, nature, and culture. My heart flutters just hopping in a car or on a train to go somewhere. I get excited.

I was in my twenties when I developed an interest in furniture.

Back then I didn’t have much money so I would do a lot of legwork just to buy a piece or two. That was already 30 years ago. Nowadays, I have a solid network, so it’s much easier to find new furniture.

But back then, it was much more difficult and I couldn’t travel outside of Korea either. I started collecting

have several. First, no counterfeits.

Many people buy counterfeits for financial reasons; however, just like writings and music, furniture has copyrights. I wish people would be more considerate. Also, I do not buy furniture that I can’t afford.

Knowing your limit is the most important thing for a collector. I might pay up to several thousand dollars after careful consideration, but once an item gets up to the hundreds of thousands, I don’t look back. I’ll leave those pieces for those who have more than me. You shouldn’t be greedy.

BY_ HA-NA NA /PHOTOGRAPHS BY_ HEE-UN KIM / KOREAN CONTENT ALLIANCE_ F.OUND MAGAZINE (WWW.FOUNDMAG.CO.KR) / TRANSLATED BY_ HAEBIN PARK

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People often ask me, “Why do you collect furniture?” The answer is simple, because I like it. What more do they expect? And I think that more than appreciating it with your eyes, it is important to experience using it, which is why I opened aA Design Museum Café. I wanted to share the inspiration I get from furniture with others in a way that they could not only look at it, but also use it. I hope their experience at aA affects their daily lives. And when I say that, I don’t mean to be pompous or pretentious—if they get ideas for decorating a new apartment or office, that’s enough for me. I hope aA can be helpful to those who study architecture or any kind of design. I started issuing a design magazine <Cabinet> for this very reason; I wanted to share the things that I felt and observed. aA hosts numerous seminars, parties, and concerts as well, so an annex to aA Design Museum opened in Sogyeok-Dong, Seoul.

If anyone needs this space, I will share, and if people want to see new furniture, I will exhibit my furniture for them.

Now, I think its time to go back to trees.

I am actually looking around for tree species for my new business, aA Acoustic Furniture. I have been planning to launch my own furniture brand for a long time. I want to make furniture that people can easily afford. Furniture made by foreign designers is very nice but it’s not affordable for most people.

I am planning to make high-quality furniture at a low price; furniture that is practical and long lasting, that people can easily buy. You’ll probably be able to start buying pieces by this spring.

Furniture makes up my past and present, and my future in furniture makes me travel in search of new pieces. Because furniture exists, I am motivated to create new spaces, and I get joy out of seeing a new piece of furniture, as it is something new that I can share with others.

That’s what life is about—sharing.

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bridge people

Justin Kim A one-stop media shop, Justin Kim is a video/music/event/nonprofit producer by day, DJ by night, and a food and photo blogger in his spare time.

He’s a guy who knows how to keep his creative juices flowing 24/7. This multi-talented KoreanAmerican recently came back to his motherland to take his creative career to the next level, all the while rediscovering the cultural roots that he always wanted to know more about growing up.

BY_ CHI NGUYEN / PHOTOGRAPHS BY_ JUSTIN KIM / Interview by_Keeyeon Warren / Article by_Chi Nguyen

Please tell us about your background and where you grew up.

I was born in Seoul, but my family moved to the U.S. when I was one. I was raised outside of Philadelphia and attended Cornell.

After graduation, I moved to NYC and lived there for 13 years.

After seeing and experiencing so much – including the 9/11 crisis – I reevaluated my life and decided to get in touch with my roots and that’s why I moved to Korea.

What did you study at Cornell?

There wasn’t a strong Korean Studies program at the time, so I went into Asian Studies. I studied

is your senior), who graduated from international schools like SIS (Seoul International School) and SFS (Seoul Foreign School), and could swear as well in English as they could in Korean. They would make you drink till you passed out, but they’d pick up the tab. I became fascinated with contemporary Korean culture and realized that there was so much more to learn about it.

Japanese theatre and learned about Korea by way of Japan, so I had that reverse perspective. I also minored in Asian-American studies and did a lot of research on the LA riots.

Did you go through a period where you weren’t proud to be Asian?

It wasn’t so much dissatisfaction with who I was as it was a longing to find out more about my heritage.

I picked up bits and pieces of Korean tradition and war stories from my parents, but I knew little about the pop culture which was relevant to me then. When I got to college, my curiosity exploded. I met some sunbae (someone who

After you graduated with a degree in Asian studies, how did that translate into the work environment?

My major did little to help me transition into the “real world,” in a practical sense. What actually came in handy while trying to join

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the entry-level workforce was the “model minority" stereotype. Here’s an Asian male, a diligent worker who should probably have excellent math skills, but surprisingly also has good English spelling and grammar. I think both fulfilling and contradicting the stereotype actually gave me a leg up during the early dotcom era when I worked at a streaming media company called SoftCom. I started out as a production assistant, and worked my way up to project manager. I got to work on pretty innovative websites and online ad campaigns for TV shows like <The Sopranos>.

What kind of work did you do for <The Sopranos> website?

I wrote abstracts for each episode, but I didn’t have cable TV, so I didn’t actually see any of the episodes.

I got the synopses and made my abstracts from those. My little claim to fame is the subtitle “Cunning Linguists,” which I came up with for one of the episodes. I’d like to think I coined that phrase (laughs), although I highly doubt it.

How did your career in film take off after that?

I went to New York in hopes of starting a career behind the camera. Right after the dotcom “bubble burst,” 9/11 happened, so I took a look at my life and decided to follow my original dream of doing film. I went to NYU for a Post Production program to learn the process. I emerged as an editor and started working in the DVD industry cutting trailers for Asian films. I also translated and subtitled a couple Korean films, such as <Attack at the Gas Station> and a Korean version of <The Ring> called <Phone>.

In 2005 you co-founded <Cut&Paste>. Can you tell us what that was all about?

I wanted to create platforms for other artists who wanted to collaborate, so my friends and I started <Cut&Paste>, which was a live design competition. It’s similar to the show <Iron Chef>, but instead of cooking, it was about designing things with secret ingredients, on the spot. We would give the competitors themes and image assets and had them create designs on the fly that were not just pretty, but also relevant to things that they would actually create during the course of their day at work. Creating a magazine cover, for instance.

What other creative projects have you worked on?

In 2007, fellow <Cut&Paste> cofounder James Kim and I partnered up to found a marketing and branding agency called Catharsis NYC. We worked with partners and sponsors in the US and Korea to produce music and design events. We also created another competition for product design and architecture.

What was the turning point that made you decide to come to Korea?

As James and I matured, personally and career-wise, we wanted to do more in the nonprofit sector, so we started B.E.A.T., which stands for Bridging Education and Art Together. B.E.A.T.’s purpose is to bring cool, relevant programs to handicapped children in underprivileged areas like the Bronx and Manhattan. There’s Beat Rockers, which is a free after-school beatboxing program for blind kids led by Taylor McFerrin; Beat Breakers, a Bboy/Bgirl program led by the legendary Ken Swift; and a music production program on iPads called Beat Makers led by DJ Dhundee.

Working with kids’ programs resparked my desire to do something I always wanted to do, which is to travel abroad and get in touch with my roots, while also teaching kids.

That was my ticket here, but I also came to collaborate with some of my friends, so I’m fortunate that I get to apply what I had learned in New York to creative projects here in Korea.

Many people say that they want to have a creative job, but few actually pursue it like you. What’s your take on it?

Having a creative career is not easy. It’s hard to keep that fire burning while also making the ends meet, but my curiosity keeps me going. When it comes to this kind of career, it’s not about the final destination; it’s all about experiencing the journey along the way.

Do you see yourself in Korea 2 years from now?

Yes most likely, but when the time is right, I’ll wrap things up here and ship back to the States.

Do you have any milestones?

I want to start a brand that bridges contemporary and traditional Korean culture, which I feel is getting lost in modern times. I want to introduce Korea’s culture to the rest of the global community in a cool and relevant way, and to generate interest within Korean youth about their own rich heritage.

It is still undiscovered and needs resources from above, such as the Korea Tourism Organization.

Beyond that, I want to put out my first film, which is a dream I set out to do in New York but want to finish here. Lastly, I want to improve my Korean, so I’m forcing myself to get more immersed in the culture.

Learn more about what Justin does at flavors.me/justinrhyme Catharsis NYC www.catharsisnyc.com B.E.A.T. NYC www.beatnyc.org

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bridge people

Loren James Bennett For the past three years, every Friday night at promptly 6pm, Loren and a small group of volunteers have been meeting without fail at Sookmyung Women’s University Station.

They head over to the Resurrection Center soup kitchen and each person proceeds to don a pair of heavy-duty gloves, rain boots, and waterproof aprons. In the hour that follows, hands and feet move nonstop like parts of a well-oiled machine. Meals are served, tables are cleared, and hundreds of pieces of silverware are washed, making it possible for about 180 homeless men to come in famished and leave with full stomachs for the night.

These helpers are part of PLUR (Peace, Love, Unity, Respect), Seoul’s largest group of Korean and foreigner volunteers who, since 2007, have been dedicating their time to serving meals at soup kitchens, distributing food to homeless people, and visiting kids at a local orphanage. Loren has been the leader of Feed Your Seoul for over a year now. He gives us a glimpse today at the societal issues that affect Koreans and how PLUR dedicates itself to alleviating them.

BY_ CHI NGUYEN / PHOTOGRAPHS BY_ CHI NGUYEN

Where are you from and what brought you here to Korea?

I’m from Long Island, New York. I attended St. John’s University for my undergraduate in adolescent education and my master’s in ESL. Throughout college, I worked for a federal government program called Gear Up that helped pay tuition if I volunteered my time at inner city schools. I didn’t teach, but I helped students apply for scholarships and loans. It was my first experience working with people who are less fortunate, especially kids and single mothers. After doing that for two years, I knew I wanted to become a teacher. I graduated in 2009, but that year many teaching jobs got cut back home, so I decided to work abroad. I got a public school teaching job through SMOE (Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education) and I moved to Seoul that year. I’ve been working at the same boys’ high school in Seodaemun for three years.

for a long time. Danny thought that one great way to change this would be to get them directly involved with helping the needy and homeless in Seoul. One of the reasons why I’m so passionate about this is because I really see a need to change the negative opinions that Koreans may have about foreigners. Anything we can do to create a better impression is a great thing.

How did you get involved with PLUR? For me, coming to Seoul was partly an economic refugee and partly some deep soul searching. I wasn’t satisfied with the life I had in New York. The relationships I had with people weren’t good and I wanted to change it up. I became a Christian after I came here, which has given me a strong desire to be involved and help other foreigners share that experience. I learned about PLUR through a friend who was volunteering for another event called Help your Seoul. I’ve been doing it ever since fall 2009 and I started leading the weekly Feed Your Seoul event about a year ago.

Do you have any particular experiences through PLUR that gave you new perspectives on Korean culture?

A couple of months ago, I was serving rice. We were in a hurry so I hastily scooped rice onto one man’s plate. He threw his plate down and yelled at me, causing a big scene and had to be escorted out. Afterwards, the Korean man who runs the kitchen explained to us that the man was upset with how I had served him his

Can you tell me more about how PLUR started?

Danny Oh, who is Korean-American, started PLUR in 2007 because he wanted to help foreigners be a part of what’s going on in Seoul and bridge that gap. Foreigners have had a rocky relationship with Korea

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food. Koreans really value respect, especially towards your elders, and that’s something I’m trying to learn as I pick up the language and customs. It’s a big part of this Confucian society, so when I hastily put rice on his plate, I wasn’t being respectful.

I had to rethink the way I present even the smallest things. Food is so intricate in Korean society, and everything you do at the meal is very important, even the way you hold a glass or pour a drink. It’s the bedrock of Korean society. Ever since that experience, I try to go in not thinking that I’m going to feed all these men, but that I’m going to treat each individual with respect because even though there are problems causing them to come here, they deserve some level of dignity.

Do they come here for meals only or do they also stay at the shelter?

There is a shelter for temporary stay, but it can’t accommodate everyone because it’s small. The men have to maintain a job or do certain things in order to stay, so that encourages them to take on responsibilities. Some of the men who come in look like typical homeless men, and a lot of them are mentally ill, but there are also clean-shaven guys who come in wearing nice clothes. It’s a great, diverse kitchen, but they’re all needy.

Give your shameless plug: why should people volunteer with PLUR? I encourage everybody, Koreans and foreigners, to volunteer. But the thing I try to stress is that foreigners here are usually lumped into one big population no matter which country each person is from, so we need to think about how we act if we want to earn more respect here. Foreigners need to take more responsibility in how we behave in Korean society because we’re guests here, and one of the best ways to do that is to volunteer.

If you were the president of South Korea, what would be the first change you’d make to better society?

One of the things I’ve become increasingly aware of is the big orphan population here. In Korean society, the cost of raising a child is relatively high, so if you can’t afford a baby, one of your options is to give it up to an orphanage. These kids end up getting involved in sex trafficking or other dangerous jobs. Part of it is a political problem that I think the government can work on, but it’s also a social problem that the people can come together and change. There are a lot of good people out there who run orphanages to help the kids, but there should be something in Korean culture to prevent people from giving up their kids in the first place. I wish there was something that would change in that part of society.

Here’s how to get involved with PLUR! 1. Join the Volunteer for PLUR group on Facebook 2. RSVP to the event invitations. Each event only takes a certain number of volunteers, so reply fast!

PLUR hosts these events on a regular basis:

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Feed Your Seoul

Every Friday & Sunday, they go to a soup kitchen and help feed the homeless.

Help Your Seoul

Every Sunday, they go to Seoul Station and pass out food to the homeless who sleep and live in/near the station.

Teach Your Seoul

Once a month, they go to Hyang-ae Orphanage to visit and do activities with the children there.

Courtesy of

life style

A Whole New World When the foreign section of a mega bookstore just doesn’t cut it, consider World Magazine your deliverer.

Tucked away in the side streets of Nonhyeon-dong is a studiolike shop called World Magazine that stocks an exhaustive list of foreign titles. Though the store opened its doors just three years ago, the owner has been in the wholesale business for a whopping 17 years. Needless to say, he’s nothing short of a magazine connoisseur.

As soon as I step through the sliding doors, I’m overwhelmed by the sight of magazines and books I’ve never even known existed. The space is a bright white, serving as a blank canvas for the hundreds of alluring covers unfolding before my eyes.

I reach toward and rifle through a Damien Hirst book, For the Love of God: The Making of the Diamond Skull—a flashy tome that retails at Barneys New York for 200 USD. Sprinkled along the white shelves are colorful book spines imprinted with the celebrated publishing house names of Rizzoli and Taschen that make my heart skip a beat. And inconspicuously peeking out under a stack of magazines, I find a vintage 1967 Harper’s Bazaar for 100,000 won, which I’ll have to pass on—at least until money starts growing from the tree in my imaginary backyard.

But not all the offerings here are on the rare (a.k.a. indulgent) end of the spectrum, nor is the place anything close to being

pretentious. There are also the ubiquitous titles you expect to see at a bookstore: Vogue, Elle, GQ—though I can venture to guess that people don’t come here just to get the latest issue of Cosmopolitan. The various sections are a bit of a blur as they aren’t labeled in any way, but the organized mess is part of the charm. The thrill of combing through different magazines and discovering something fresh is an experience almost guaranteed at every visit.

The store’s customers are mostly made up of designers (aka people in the know), so it’s no wonder the space is brimming with avant-garde, edgy periodicals. They’re also the exclusive dealer of Vogue Paris—an extremely smart move considering its highly coveted status among those in the fashion industry and a must-have for retail bookstores. But whether you consider yourself a fashionista, a foodie, an art enthusiast, or even a fan of wizards (with Harry Potter leading the way), it’s not just an overused phrase when I say that there’s literally something for everyone.

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Snapshot : Magazine Circulations Around the world

1. UnitedStates | AARP The Magazine [Aging Issues] 2. Germany | ADAC Motorwelt [Automotive] 3. Netherlands | AutoPrimeurs [Automotive & Life Style] 4. France | TV Magazine [Entertainment] 5. Sweden | Buffé [Food] 6. United Kingdom | Asda Magazine [Food] 7. India | Mangalam Weekly [News & Society] 8. Canada | What's Cooking [Food] 9. Russia | Cosmopolitan [Women’s Life Style] 10. Spain | Pronto [Women’s] 11. New Zealand | AA Directions [Automotive] 12. Australia | Australian Women's Weekly [Life Style]

Have you heard of The Watchtower? Chances are that you’ve seen the Jehovah’s Witness publication before. At a whopping distribution rate of 42 million copies per month, it is currently the most widely circulated magazine in the world and is sent to 236 countries in 180 languages. Even its closest competitor, AARP Magazine, trails far behind at a circulation of 22.4 million.

Take a look to see which publications the rest of the world is flipping through. After all, they say that you are what you read.

BY_ JENNY KIM / PHOTOGRAPHS BY_ JON BREITFUSS / CONTENT PROVIDED BY_ SEOULIST(www .seoulistmag.com)

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what’s (not) so funny BY_ JUNG-YOON CHOI After spending seven years in the States, and attending part of high school and college there, I developed a taste for American comedy. I enjoyed stand-up shows that made fun of people and offended them. It seemed like there were no boundaries for American comedians.

But upon returning to Seoul in 2009, my beloved comedy was nowhere to be found. I couldn’t find a show to my liking on Korean TV. The humor was mostly slapstick and situational, which I didn’t find that funny. And the strangest part was the absence of political satire.

I couldn’t stop wondering why.

Everyday South Korean politicians were constantly making mistakes that would have made perfect comedy material, but those mistakes were never lampooned.

What was wrong with Korean comedians? Were they not smart enough to put a satirical spin on current issues? Was there simply no demand for satire?

I firmly believe the answer is no. In fact, I think it’s quite the opposite.

It’s not that satire doesn’t exist.

Whenever an issue occurs, I always find hilarious parodies and satire,

but it’s all online. Netizens produce content that is circulated through the web.

But then where’s that sharp-witted satire on national television?

I quickly realized it was because of the South Korean government’s lack of ability to make fun of itself.

It’s essentially not part of the culture. Leadership must be taken seriously.

Recent scandals in the Korean media have exposed the government’s illegal surveillance of civilians. Some of those who were watched and monitored included several celebrities who weren’t afraid to voice their opinion on current issues.

Kim Je Dong, a popular comedian whose performance routine most closely resembles the stand-up comedy form, was also watched and was labeled as “left-wing” personnel. It was reported that Kim also lost his job on a major TV network several years ago because of the ideas he represented in his comedy. South Korean authorities just didn’t find his satire amusing.

Three months ago, a South Korean photographer was detained for violating the National Security Law. Park Jung Geun, 23, re-tweeted some of the posts from a North Korean Twitter account on several different occasions. Park’s actions, according to the prosecutors' office, "praised and/or supported an enemy of the state.” A member of the South Korean socialist party, Park often lampooned the “Dear Leader,” and was merely poking fun at the Kimsters, but the government couldn’t take a joke.

“My Tweets, which were mistaken as praise of the North Korean regime, were jokes,” Park wrote in a letter addressed to President Lee Myung-bak. “I am not going to decrypt all the jokes and metaphors that I Tweet, because you’re not doing justice to your satire if you end up making an excuse for it.”

This drew large criticism from people not only within South Korea, but also from abroad. The foreign press widely reported on this preposterous happening, drawing international attention.

"It is a sad case of the South Korean authorities' complete failure to understand sarcasm,” Sam Zarifi,

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Asia-Pacific director of Amnesty International, said in a statement in February. "The charges against Park are simply ludicrous and should be dropped immediately."

One month later, a public trial of Park's case was held. Attendants, including Park, couldn't stop bursting out in laughter every time the lawyer read what Park had Tweeted aloud.

"This one Tweet is quite well known.

'Car sex means Kim Jong Il,'" read the lawyer. The audience choked on their laughs.

Despite the obvious absurdity of the case, the charges against Park have not been dropped. Released on a 10 million KRW bail that was raised by the sympathizing public, Park will be tried again this month.

In such an environment, it is natural that people be intimidated and apply self-censorship to what they put out in the public. It will be years until we see a sharp political satire on a major television network.

It is one thing to be serious about national security and politics, but South Korean politicians need to lighten up a little. When you

look into South Korean history, the leadership was not always as uptight as it is nowadays.

Anecdotes about the highly regarded scholars and the king enjoying satire are found in texts, and the public was not afraid to laugh with jesters who ridiculed shallow yangban (noblemen) and Buddhist monks.

I hope that in the upcoming election, the people choose leaders who can appreciate comic relief.

I think the chances are slim, but I at least hope they will understand that trying hard to shut the mouths of the people who make fun of political slips will not help them hide their own shortcomings as leaders.

It will actually make them look more foolish and narrow-minded.

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It’s not Konglish, but Korean-English

Column

writer

(part 2)

BY_ LYMAN MCLALLEN(mclallen.hufs@gmail.com)

Lyman McLallen

A professor in the English College of Hankuk University of Foreign Studies

F

oreigners such as myself soon discover that we can’t properly pronounce Korean words and phrases unless we learn to read Hangul (한글) which is the set of phonetic symbols that King Sejong and his scholars devised almost six-hundred years ago for the Korean language. But you don’t really need to know Hangul to get around Korea because English is posted on signs everywhere (and so are Chinese characters, and in some places, even Japanese), especially at train stations, airports, on main streets and expressways, at the big stores in the big cities, and even at many restaurants.

Besides, just about anywhere you go in Korea, you can always find Koreans who speak English, who are glad, even eager to help you.

Still, you won’t really learn much about Korea unless you know how to read Hangul.

Most all the Koreans I know maintain that Hangul is one of the world’s great inventions, and I think they’re right about that. Before there was Hangul, the Koreans had to learn Chinese characters (of which there are well over twenty thousand, many of them rather intricate) if they wanted to read and write. Except for the lucky few whose families could afford the necessary years of schooling by learned (and expensive) scholars of Chinese, literacy was not even a dream in Korea.

But Hangul allowed the Koreans to transform themselves into one of the most literate people in the world. With only twenty-four symbols – fourteen consonants and ten vowels – and just a few simple syntax rules, even a child can learn to read Hangul quickly. Indeed, most Koreans learn Hangul from their mothers and fathers – “My parents taught me,” they will tell you – before they are old enough to go to kindergarten. So you can see why the Koreans think that Hangul is one of the greatest inventions ever.

Many Koreans say they reach a point in their English studies when they no longer have to translate every single English word into Korean (and vice versa), but begin to think in English. However, even Koreans who are competent with English, even those who have learned the language almost exclusively from native English speaking teachers since they were small children, and even those who have lived in English-speaking countries for more than a few years, report that they still translate English into Korean, and back again, because they just cannot ignore their Korean sensibilities – even when they’re thinking in English.

Living in this country where all their ancestors have lived for fivethousand years influences them so deeply that they speak and write in Korean ways with idioms and phrases in English that come straight from the Korean heart, and I don’t see that they can help that, nor do I see any reason why they should. This is what makes

ILLUSTRATION BY_ JEN LEE (HTTP://DEARKOREACOMIC.COM)

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the English that the Koreans learn and speak and think with, KoreanEnglish. Even so, when I’m talking with Koreans who are good with English, it’s easy for me to forget that they aren’t native English speakers.

I hadn’t been in Korea even a week before a young man asked me if I’d had lunch yet. Nobody’d ever asked me that before, at least not as casually as he did, and it was unsettling, if only just a little. Yet he wasn’t being rude.

“Have you had lunch yet?” he said, and I didn’t know what to say. It was the first time anybody’d ever asked me that. Since then, many Koreans have asked me that same thing. Still do to this day.

“Have you had lunch yet?”

Soon after I got to Korea, I became friends with a man who was maybe twenty years older than I – Mr. Cho – who during his working life was a high school music teacher in Masan on Korea’s south coast, not far from Busan. Mr. Cho was a child at the beginning of the Japanese military occupation and a grown man when the Japanese left. Without benefit of formal classes or even a teacher, Mr. Cho taught himself English by listening to tapes and talking with American servicemen whenever he could. Mr. Cho taught me a lot about Korea and one of his history lessons was about the greeting, “Have you had lunch yet?”

Mr. Cho explained that “Have you had lunch yet?” (밥먹었어요?) is a standard greeting in Korea today, much like the American

“How do you do?” and “How ya doin’?” When Koreans first asked this question of other Koreans, though, it was during a time when many in the country were starving, so it wasn’t just a greeting in those years, but often meant the difference between eating and not eating, between life and death.

To keep their fellow citizens from starving, women came together at the grassroots in communities all over Korea and cooked enough food so that they could feed the people who didn’t have any. They knew that their fellow Koreans wouldn’t beg for food, even if they were hungry. But if they were asked if they had eaten, they would confess that they hadn’t. So the women asked them, “Have you had lunch yet?” And this is how these great women kept many people from starving.

“So you see,” Mr. Cho said. “Many Koreans are alive today because in that terrible time, those heroic Korean women who cooked all that extra food asked at least some of their ancestors the question, ‘Have you had lunch yet?’ And when those starving people told the women that they hadn’t had lunch yet, those great women fed them so they could live another day, and in Korea, that’s why this greeting lives on.”

So, if you come to Korea, how would you respond to somebody if they ask you, “Have you had lunch yet?”

You won’t be in Korea long before somebody will ask you that.

broncolor

broncolor

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New Hair, New You! BY_ CHI NGUYEN / PHOTOGRAPHS BY_ MIN-JUNG CHOI

With the arrival of spring, treating yourself to a hair makeover will be the perfect pick-me-up! Here are the cuts, colors and styles that are trending for spring 2012. Visit the salon today and try out a new look. We’re confident you’ll be flipping your hair a-la-Herbal Essences when you leave.

Think pink

More Volume, Please

Spice up your hair color by going for bold, edgy pinks or reds instead of brown or blonde shades. It’s definitely eyecatching, without being over-the-top (think Katy Perry, not anime character). If you’re afraid of commitment, go for a semi-permanent color that will fade out after a few weeks.

Natural is in. Get volume on top and natural curls on the bottom with the Volume Magic Perm. Easy to maintain, yet classic and elegant, there’s a reason why it’s one of Korea’s most popular hair treatments.

Bringing Retro Back Looking like you just rolled out of bed has never been sexier.

All-over wavy layers with plenty of bounce were popular in the past, and now they’re back again. Who doesn’t love a low-maintenance hairstyle like this?

The Short, Messy Bob

Central Part

The Slickback

The bob cut has been a symbol of the sophisticated, independent woman since the 1920s. Update the classic do this spring with a slightly messier look by asking your stylist for tousled waves to go with the cut.

Parting your hair in the middle is an edgy look that’s in this season. It works whether you like your hair straight or curly, and the best part is that it won’t cost you a penny to try it out.

Slicked back hair that pays tribute to the 90s grunge scene is back. Fake the freshly-wet hair look by rubbing a few drops of argan oil between your hands and running it through your hair.

Bonus: argan oil will make your hair healthier!

Bridge Hair Makeover I was born with a head of very thick, very black hair. My mother called it a blessing. She said I would be thankful when I grow old and my hair starts thinning. I called it a curse. I despised how my hair always refused to hold a curl. But that angst slowly died out over time, as I learned to embrace my God-given locks. And hey, maybe Mom was right. When I’m sixty and balding, at least the thickness of my hair might disguise any bald patches that start to appear by then.

At long last, the process – made more enjoyable by Mr. Kim’s friendly chatting – was over.

I looked in the mirror and was shocked. My hair looked natural and voluminous at the crown, but the ends were curly – actually curly – just like I never thought I could have.

I walked out of the salon all smiles that day, flipping my hair like a girly-girl for the first time in my life.

I highly recommend the friendly, professional service at Kim Song Jeong Salon. To get there, take Exit 3 from Yeongdeungpo Station on Line 1 and cross Kyeongino Street (경인 로). His salon is located on the 2nd floor of the building to the right of Holly’s Coffee (above GS 25).

Even so, what girl doesn’t get tired of having the same hairstyle in her 20s as she did all throughout her teens? Fortunately, hair salons in Korea do top notch work for a fraction of the price back in the States. After many years of having the same straight, mid-length hairstyle, I took the plunge and went to Kim Song Jeong’s Salon in Yeongdeungpo to get a much needed hair makeover.

Why this salon over the hundreds of others in this city? Mr. Kim himself is actually the patented creator of the original Volume Magic Perm. He was an environmental studies major who later switched over to hair styling and used his background expertise to create a revolutionary treatment that would give women natural-looking waves without the damage of harsh chemicals. It sounded too good to be true.

I went in nervous about what to expect, but Mr. Kim, who speaks some English, was friendly and reassuring. And so began a four-hour process whereby my hair was washed, applied with a gentle perm chemical, rewashed, and applied with some more “secret” product. At one point, I was placed under a strange contraption that had my hair hooked up to the machine in about twenty different sections. I looked like an octopus with a bunch of tentacles coming out of my head.

Kim Song Jeong Salon 김송정머리터 Seoul-shi, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Yeongdeungpo-dong 3-ga 10-11 02-2068-4881 / Website: http://www.hairting.com/ Kakao Talk ID: givemenews0902

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Bridge Patron

Coupon Discounted admission won

10,000 discount per person

Trickeye Museum

Must show this coupon.

No excluded adult and children. Maximum four persons for one 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.

ManyCar.com

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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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Bridge Paperzine can be found at local businesses in Seoul and at major cafes throughout Korea HOTEL SEOUL Bestwestern Walkerhill Hamilton Courtyard by Marriott Seoul Times Square IP Boutique Hotel Grand Ambassador Seoul Grand Intercontinental Seoul Parnas Hotel Seokyo Hotel Seoul KyoYuk Munhwa Hoekwan Imperial Palace Hotel Mayfield Hotel Renaissance Seoul Hotel Seoul palace hotel Sheraton Grand Walkerhill Hotel INCHEON Best Western Prima Songdo Park Hotel Paradise Hotel Sheraton Incheon Hotel CHUNGCHEONG-DO heongpung Resort Ramada Plaza GANGWON-DO Alpensia Resort Hotel Interburgo Wonju Kensington Flora Hotel Kensington Hotel GYEONGSANG –DO Best Western Gumi Hotel Hotel Concorde in Gyeongju Hotel Interburgo Daegu Hotel Interburgo Exco Hyundai Hotel Gyeongju Kolon Hotel Komodo Hotel Lotte Hotel Busan Novotel Ambassador Busan Paradise Hotel JEJU Hyatt Regency Jeju

RESIDENCE SEOUL Casaville Vabiensuite Starvill CO-OP Residence Fraser suite Fraser place DMC ville Windroad and Windflower

GUEST HOUSE SEOUL HAPPY GARDEN GUESTHOUSE MAMA GUEST HOUSE NAMSAN GUESTHOUSE TREE GUESTHOUSE Myeongdong GUESTHOUSE Bangranghostel BONG HOUSE KIM’S GUESTHOUSE TEA GUESTHOUSE HONG GUESTHOUSE Backpackers INSIDE Banana Backpackers Grape Garden House HEY Backpackers Seoulbackpackers TravelersA Seoul Guesthouse

TOUR SEOUL Gyeongbokgung Myeongdong Itaewon Gwanghwamun Global Center tourist information office Gimpo International Airport Namdaemun Market Dongdaemun Myeongdong Itaewon

COEX Hongdae INCHEON Songdo convensia Incheon Airport GYEONGSANG-DO Andong Hahoe folk village Gyeongju Station Gimhae International Airport Busan Bulguksa Terminal Haeundae JEOLLA-DO Gwanghallu Jeonju Traditional Culture Center JEJU Seogwipo-si Jeju

UNIVERSITIES SEOUL University of Seoul Korea University Seoul National University Hankuk University of Foreign Studies Seogang University Yonsei University Hanyang University Konkuk University Dongguk University Dong Yang Mirae University SungKyunKwan University Soongsil University INCHEON Inha University GYEONGGI-DO Catholic University of Korea Eulji University CHUNGCHONG-DO KAIST Kongju National University Soonchunhyang University Hanbat National University GYEONGSANG-DO Kyungpook National University Keimyung University Pukyong National University Ulsan College Chinju National University of Education Korea Maritime University JEOLLA-DO Song Won College Sunchon National University Chonnam National University Honam University

ENGLISH CENTER SEOUL Global Village (Seorae ) Global Village (Yeoksam) Global Village (Yeonnam) Global Village (Yeonnam) Global Village (Itaewon ) Global Business Center Gangdong English Center Nowon English Village Seoul English Village (Gwanak) Seoul English Village (Suyu-dong) Seoul English village (Pungnap) INCHEON Incheon Seo-gu Global Education Center GYEONGGI-DO Gyeonggi English Village Yangpyeong camp Gunpo Blaobal Education Center SeongNam English Town Ansan Hwajeong English Village Icheon Global peace village Americancity GYEONGSANG-DO Global Village (Busan) Changwon Geoje English Village Gyeongju English Village Daegu Gyeongbuk English Village

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Busan Global Village Sangju English Town Yeongju English Center JEOLLA-DO Gwangju International English Village Gurye Foreign Language Town Gunsan English Learning Center Mokpo English Village Muju Global Education Center Yeosu Foreign Language Center Imsil English Center Jeonju English Center

INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL SEOUL Namsan International Kindergarten Rainbow International school Rainbow Children Center Seoul Foreign School Asia Pacific International School Korea Kent Foreign School Lycee International Xavier Korea International School (Gaepo) INCHEON Chadwick International School Canada Maple International School GYEONGGI-DO International Christian School Korea International School (Bundang) Big Heart Christian School GYEONGSANG-DO Gyeongnam International Foreign School Busan International Foreign School Okpo International School Handong International School JEOLLA-DO Kwangju Foreign School SunCheon Foreign School JEJU North London Collegiate School

ITAEWON SEOUL Nashville Neal’s yard The flying pan blue La Cigale Montmartre London Tea My Chelsea Macaroni Market Manhattan Moghul Bit 1 Villa Sortino Sortino’s Suji’s Spicetable Ashoka Alsaba Indigo Chakraa Cup&Bowl Thai Garden Tacobell Pattaya Panda King Pancho's Alt Swiss Chalet Phillies Pub Salam scrooge pub Steff Hotdog The Hungry Dog

CAFE SEOUL 405kitchen Deux Cremes Espresso Public Coffeesmith aA Design Museum