SEOUL Magazine 2010 October by Seoul Selection

SEOUL OCTOBER 2010

OCTOBER | 2010 FILM ISSUE

SEOUL IN THE MOVIES • YANGDONG VILLAGE

SEOUL IN THE MOVIES

DIRECTOR LEE JEONG-BEOM TOP CINEMAS YANGDONG VILLAGE GETTING AN iPHONE STAND UP COMEDY GOINGS ON GUIDE:

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Issue NO.87

C/o/n/t/e/n/t/s

exploring Seoul

SEOUL ON CELLULOID Re-enact your favorite Korean movies with our guide to the city‘s top film locations

cultural hot spots

SOMETHING FOR THE WEEKEND Seoul's best cinemas

travel

Old Confucian Charm Newly registered with UNESCO, Gyeongju’s Yangdong Village is the epitome of Joseon beauty

C/o/n/t/e/n/t/s

24 27 30

38 40

streetwise in Seoul

Autumn Hues a tale of Seoul

KEEPING IT REEL Seoul personalities

Lee Jeong-beom tourist spot

Jongmyo Shrine special report i

KOREA AND THE G20 Seoul dining for beginners special report ii

MIXING IT UP IN MUNGYEONG

hotel news

event calendar

goings on around town

SEOUL LIVING 64 66

special report iii

AN EYE FOR AN iPHONE dining out

FRENCH CUISINE IN A HANOK nightlife

STAND UP FROM SCRATCH lifestyle & leisure

EXPAT EXERCISE shopping

LIFE AT THE HIGH END

Seoul of zen

community page

oriental medicine

TRAVEL & CULTURE

Maps & Guides

Subscribe Now! October 2010 Issue No. 87

Publisher Seoul Metropolitan Government Seoul Selection President Kim Hyung-geun (Hank Kim) Editorial advisor Chung Kyung-a Kay Editor-in-Chief Robert Koehler Production Editor Ben Jackson Copy Editor Colin Mouat Staff reporter/Coordinator Ko Yeon-kyung head designer Jung Hyun-young designers Min So-young Kim Young-ju, Lee Bokhyun, Shin Eun-ji Photographer Ryu Seunghoo advertising & Sales Choi Goya Kim Yunjung, Koo Yongsung Contributors Sonya Beard | Gregory Curley Daniel Gray | Kim Kihyun Kim Sungjin | David B. Mann Patricia Park | Raimund Royer Subul Sunim | Gitte Zschoch address 2nd flr., 138-7 Hwa-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul 110-210, Korea Tel 82-2-734-9567 fax 82-2-734-9562 E-mail hankinseoul@gmail.com Website www.seoulselection.com registration no. 서울 라 09431 Copyright by Seoul Metropolitan Government & Seoul Selection Printed by Prinpia (Tel 82-2-3282-8589) All rights reserved. No part of this publication covered by the copyright hereon may be reproduced in any form or by any means — graphic, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise — without the written consent of the publishers. SEOUL welcomes letters, faxes and e-mails to the editor (writer@seoulselection.com) regarding press releases, specific articles and issues. All correspondence may be edited for reasons of clarity or space. In addition to our monthly magazine SEOUL, we offer a free online SEOUL WEEKLY, which tells you where to go, what to do, and who to see while you are staying in Seoul. E-mail your subscription request to sense@seoulselection.com (82-2-734 9567, www.seoulselection.com).

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ree Tickets!

SEOUL is again offering two free tickets to original Korean musical “Miso” at Chongdong Theater to winners of our “Cover My Cover” competition. All you have to do is take a camera and recreate any of the shots on this page, the cover of this month's SEOUL, or the cover of this month's Maps & Guides. Upload your snaps to Seoul Selection's Facebook page (you'll have to "like" it first) by October 31. We'll announce the winner on November 1. For more details contact writer@seoulselection. com. Good luck!

Special thanks to our October guest models Martina, Simon and Spudgy of well-known international Korean video blog Eatyourkimchi (www.eatyourkimchi.com). They risked steep gradients, hungr y mosquitoes and rapidly descending darkness to pose in the twilight of Haneul Park near western Seoul’s Sangam World Cup Stadium. SEOUL recommends Haneul Park for its great views over the city from which it still manages to feel removed and even a bit natural. Above all, it’s a good place to sit at twilight wearing 3D glasses and pretending to watch a film. If you aren’t already one of Eatyourkimchi’s 18,000+ followers, be sure to check it out immediately.

Photographer: Ryu Seunghoo Assistant: Ko Yeon-kyung

streetwise in Seoul

auTumn huES

When the trees turn, Seoul becomes a wonderland of color Written by Robert Koehler

t’s autumn, which means it’s time to take in Seoul’s colorful autumn foliage. The Korean autumn is a wonderful time of year, when the hillsides turn red and gold beneath a high sky of cobalt blue. It’s a hiker’s paradise, so if you're the outdoors type, tie up your boots and head to the hills. Even if you’re not particularly fond of hiking, there are plenty of more urban areas to enjoy the colors without breaking a sweat.

• mt. namsan: Located in the middle of the city, Mt. Namsan is an easy stroll for just about anyone. It’s also covered in maple and ginkgo trees that light up in autumn. If you’re looking for a relaxing hike, this is it. Getting there: There’s a cable car that will take you to the peak (fare: 7,500 won round trip, 6,000 won one way). The lower terminal is a 10 minute walk from Exit 3 of Chungmuro Station, Line 3 or 4. There are also regular buses that depart from near Exit 2 of Chungmuro Station—they run between 8am and midnight.

Late...but colorful Thanks to this year’s odd weather, the foliage will change color relatively late this year. The mountain areas will turn quickest, with Mt. Soraksan in the northeast turning color beginning Oct 3. Seoul’s Bukhansan National Park will begin to turn from Oct 22. This is roughly 15 days later than the average year. To compensate, however, this year’s foliage is expected to be especially bright and colorful. The bigger the difference in nighttime and daytime temperatures, the more spectacular the colors, and the temperature gaps are expected to be quite severe this year.

forests & streets • yangjae forest: Together with the restored Yangjaecheon Stream, Yangjae Forest has earned a reputation for fine autumn foliage thanks to its many maple trees. If you live south of the Hangang River, it’s the largest forest around. Getting there: Take a local bus from Exit 7, Yangjae Station, Line 3.

• Seoul forest: Seoul’s answer to New York’s Central Park, Seoul Forest is a wonderful, expansive green space in the heart of Seoul. The riverside location accentuates the autumn colors. Getting there: Ttukseom Station, Line 2, Exit 8.

Where to see the colors Needless to say, you need to go where the trees are. Seoul’s surrounded by mountains, so if you have a penchant for hiking, you’re in the right city. Likewise, there are a number of urban forests that are also great places to take in the foliage.

Mountains • bukhansan national Park: The most dramatic scenery in Seoul can be found in the imposing peaks and cliffs of Bukhansan National Park. Compared to some of the city’s lower hills, it can be a challenging place to hike, but the views are worth it. Getting there: Many park entrances. See http://english.knps.or.kr for maps.

12 SEOul October 2010

• Samcheong-dong road: Running along the eastern edge of Gyeongbokgung Palace, Samcheong-dong Road is lined with beautiful ginkgo trees that turn golden in autumn. Also nearby is the Jeongdok Public Library, the garden of which is a favorite autumn location of this writer. Getting there: Exit 5, Gyeongbokgung Station, Line 3.

• Garosu road: Like Samcheong-dong Road, this road in Sinsa-dong is lined with graceful ginkgo trees that radiate gold in autumn. Lined by trendy cafés, it bills itself as a little piece of Europe in Seoul. Getting there: Exit 8, Sinsa Station, Line 3.

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exploring Seoul

SEOul On CEllulOid

Re-enact your favorite Korean movies with our guide to the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2DC;s top film locations Written by Gitte Zschoch | Photographs by Ryu Seunghoo and courtesy of Korean Film Archives

Above: dongjak bridge—but what's under the water? Left: dongjak bridge scene from “The host”

hereas people from Japan, Vietnam and Taiwan are crazy about Korean dramas and pop music, people from Denmark, France or Canada are more likely to have watched Korean films before arriving in Korea. With a busy and internationally successful film

industry, Seoul and Korea have become the backdrop for quite a number of movies. SEOUL takes you to some of the most beautiful settings in Seoul that were used in films by three of the most prolific contemporar y Korean filmmakers.

travel & culture SEOul 15

exploring Seoul

Bukchon & Seongbuk-dong In “3 Iron” (Kor. Bin Jip or ‘empty house’), the 2004 film by the infamous Korean director Kim Ki-duk, a rather taciturn guy rides through the city of Seoul on his silver-colored, spot-free BMW, attaching advertisements for delivery Chinese, chicken and pizza on doors in such a way that they cover the door lock. It’s his method to spot temporarily empty houses that he then uses to live in. While riding from neighborhood to neighborhood, this motorcyclist draws a perfect picture of the different characters of the city, almost creating a sociological profile of Seoul. He drives through well-off neighborhoods like Seongbuk-dong or Pyeongchang-dong in the hilly north of the city, but also explores poor neighborhoods, old, decaying apartment complexes just years away from complete destruction, like the Jeongreung Sky Apartments, built in 1971, just a stone's throw away from the rich lodgings of ambassadors and movie stars. The most famous area explored by the motorcyclist, who is at some point is joined by an unhappy wife he picks up on his forays, is Bukchon, the hanok village between the two palaces. They walk down Gahoe-dong 31-gil, a rather steep alley lined by hanok , traditional Korean houses, newly restored to their former beauty. At the top of the hill is a stunning view of Seoul’s inner city’s high rises, including the landmark Jongro Tower and Namsan N Seoul Tower, forming a nice contrast with the sturdy roof tiles of the hanok in the foreground. Bukchon, translated as “northern village,“ is the area of town where in the times of the Joseon Dynasty (1392—1910) the yangban , the aristocratic elite, used to live—in convenient vicinity of the royal court. It is an area that seems to have kindled director Kim Ki-duk’s creativity.

More info Bukchon is best explored starting from Anguk Station, Line 3. If you exit through Exit 6, after a few meters you will reach a Tourist information booth. There, maps of the area are handed out, making it easiest to find the famous Hanok alley at the top of the mountain.

Bukchon: the setting for many scenes from “3 Iron” and “Dream”

16 SEOUL October 2010

Seongbuk-dong can be reached from Hanseong University Station, Line 4, Exit 6. Walk up the main road for about a kilometer. Suyeon Sanbang will be at the right, in a small alley across from Deoksu church. Open from noon to 10:30pm. T. (02) 764-1736.

More info The vast Hangang Park can best be reached from Yeoinaru Station, Line 5, Exit 2 or 3. Walk east and you will pass Wonhyo, Hangang Iron, Hangang, Dongjak and finally Banpo Bridge—all of them backdrops for “The Host.” Nonetheless, Hangang Park is always a worthwhile trip, with the water taxis taking you across longer distances, for example toward Olympic Park in the east or Seonyudo Park in the west.

His more recent movie “Dream” (Kor. Bimong , 2008) also takes place there. “Dream” is basically a “journey that takes you along the many remaining hanok in Seoul”, as one Korean blogger poignantly put it. As the workshop for the male protagonist, a seal maker, served a gallery-café in Gahoe-dong that has since closed down; the female protagonist designs her fashion in another modernized hanok , as well; some scenes take the viewer into the rooms of luxury hanok -hotel Rakkojae; and the hanok -style town office of Hyehwa-dong has been transformed into a police station. “Dream” also visits places in Seongbuk-dong. The two main figures, connected through a strange dream mystery, visit a doct or/ psychologist/shamanist who set up her office in Yi Tae-jun’s hanok , the Suyeon Sanbang. Yi Tae-jun was one of the most prolific writers of Korean modernity, building a rather large mansion there in the 1930s that incorporated modern Japanese influences—most visible in the glass (and not paper) windows—into the

traditional architectural style of Korea. His granddaughter turned this home into a cozy teahouse. It feels like entering someone’s living room; the home-made tea further emphasizes that. In the movie, however, the space feels cold and scary, due to the energy the shaman counselor exudes. The twisted and surreal film ends with white ice and a red bridge— Seongsan Bridge in the west.

Hangang River Bridges along the Hangang River are the backdrop for many a movie. For Bong Junho’s “The Host” (Kor. Goemul , 2006), one of the most successful and critically acclaimed movies in recent Korean film history, the bridges become the main scene of action, allowing the viewer to see them from new perspectives, climbing through them and under them and across them. A monster that mutated from waste jumps out of the Hangang one day and abducts a child, hiding it in some corner under a bridge. As the story continues, the child's

Another riverside scene from “The Host”

travel & culture SEOUL 17

exploring Seoul

Namsan Cable Car

family uses all the weapons at their disposal—be they arrows, bullets or improvised Molotov cocktails—to find the child and kill the monster. They hurry along the southern banks of the river, passing or traversing almost every bridge, from Seongsan in the west to Banpo in the east, which becomes the rainy scene of an unsuccessful attempt by the family to shoot the monster. One of the little kiosks at Hangang Park on Yeouido serves not only as the family’s source of income but also as their home and the headquarters of the search. Unfortunately, these little stores have been replaced by modern and smartly equipped convenience stores in the course of the reconstruction project on the Yeouido river banks. Nonetheless, Hangang River Park is always a worthwhile trip, with the water taxis taking you across longer distances, for example toward Olympic Park in the east or Seonyudo Park in the west.

18 SEOUL October 2010

Namsan Cable Car Hong Sang-soo is truly a master of variation. He manages to narrate the same story over and over again, in ever different constellations, with different settings, and (mostly) different actors. The backdrop of his movies is usually the archetypical Korea of the ‘70s and ‘80s that is slowly disappearing—simple, often almost rotten motels; down-to - earth restaurants with interchangable names like “Our Restaurant“; drinking holes. Yet the movie that he is most famous for, “Virgin Stripped Bare by Her Bachelors” (Kor. Oh! Sujeong , 2000), features two scenes that are very easy to recognize, making them stand out against the otherwise unspecial settings even more. One is Gyeongbokgung Palace, the biggest of the five palaces in Seoul. The other one is Namsan Cable Car. Taking the cable car to reach the top of Mt. Namsan, is, for the main female protagonist Sujeong, a trip that lets her gain a distance from what’s been happening. Rising high up above Seoul serves as a metaphor for her making up her mind. Coincidentally, the

More info The lower terminal of Namsan Cable Car is a 10 minute walk from Exit 3 of Chungmuro Station, Line 3 or 4. Fare: 7,500 won round trip, 6,000 won one way.

Pete Kang

cable car gets stuck midway—a hint to the fact that reaching new heights is not always positively connoted. The film is shot entirely in black and white, strangely setting the story into a non-time, detaching it from historicity. This is successful only to a certain degree. If you take the cable car in 2010, ten years after the film was shot, the utter speed in which this city changes becomes starkly apparent. Time is relative, after all—what is a decade elsewhere, is an era in Korea. And this is what is most striking—the fact that these films almost serve as a visual memory of the city.

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Kim Ki-duk’s “Samaria” (2004) is set partly in the garden-park on the island of Seonyudo, attached to the southern river banks by a rainbow-shaped bridge. The two girls of this movie play in weeds, hide behind sculptures, and walk through in the golden ginkgo leaves of early fall. “Modern Boy” (2008, dir. Jeong Ji-woo, feat. Kim Hye-su), a historical movie set in the time when Korea was colonized by Japan, follows around a dandy in the Seoul of the Jazz Age. Locations that most Seoulites are familiar with— Myeong-dong, Gyeongbokgung Palace, Seoul Station and the rooftop garden of the Shinsegae Separtment Store in Myeong-dong—are shown (or painted in the background) in their original form.

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More info Seonyudo Park is best reached via Hapjeong Station, Lines 3 and 6, Exit 8. Take a bus for one stop (603, 760) or cross the river halfway on Yanghwa Bridge.

travel & culture SEOul 19

cultural hot spots

SOmEThinG fOr ThE WEEKEnd Exploring Seoulâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cinematic best

Written by Patricia Park | Photographed by Ryu Seunghoo

20 SEOul October 2010

t’s easy enough to pop into your nearest multiplex for the latest Hollywood (or Hallyu ) blockbuster, but for those cinephiles craving a perhaps more...artistic alternative will be delighted by Seoul’s lively art house scene. The world of Korean film has risen from cult status to international fame, which has led to a growing number of indie cinemas boasting not only the newest Korean releases, but also an eclectic selection of foreign favorites. Whether you’re hankering for Hitchcock’s oeuvre (head to the Korean Film Archives’ Library), the best in Mexican film (check out Seoul Art Cinema), or a Francophile fix (Hypertheque Nada’s weekly Cine France series), Seoul’s theaters will have a little something for everyone. Some things to know before you go: all theaters accept reservations (online, in-person, and sometimes by phone) not only for show times, but also for seat numbers; check websites for seating plans. Subtitles vary by film; Korean “festival screening” films almost always have English subtitles, but on the whole they vary by the distribution company. Foreign films are usually subtitled in Korean and sometimes in English. SEOUL has compiled a list of cinemas that consistently offer English-subtitled films, but it's best to call ahead to confirm.

CineCode Sonje What: CineCode Sonje is the theater arm of ArtSonje Center, a sleek gallery space nestled among Samcheong-dong’s traditional hanok houses. Much like the neighboring architecture, CineCode, too, seeks to meld old and new, from a Marguerite Duras retrospective to a screening of ”Resilience” by up-and-coming American director Tammy Chu (English and Korean subtitles). Other recent films include ”Heartbreak Library” and ”The White Ribbon.” Make it dinner and a movie at Dal, the Indian restaurant on the first floor of the Center. Where: Line 2, Anguk Station, Exit 1. admission: Weekdays 7,000 won, weekends 8,000 won. T: (02) 730-3200 Website: http://cafe.naver.com/artsonjearthall; http://cinecode.co.kr

Hypertheque nada What: An art house cinema located in the multimedia Dongsoong Arts Center, Hypertheque Nada specializes in contemporary Korean indies, documentaries, and foreign screenings. Re c e n t t i t l e s i n c l u d e ” E a r t h’ s Wo m e n” (Ddang-eh Yuja ), ”Oki’s Movie” (Oki-eh Yunghwa ), and the Spanish-language documentary ”El Sistema.” Check out their Cine France series every Tuesday at 8:20pm (Korean subtitles); this month’s screenings include ”Nathalie Granger,” ”Tout Est Pardonné,” ”India Song” and ”Le Herisson.” Make it dinner and a movie at Kokdu Café on the first floor of the Center, and leave time to explore the back garden.

2 1

1. Sponge house 2. hypertheque nada

Where: Line 4, Hyehwa Station, Exit 1. admission: Mon—Fri 7,000 won; Sat—Sun 8,000 won; discounts for members. T. (02) 766-3390 Website: http://dsartcenter.co.kr (Eng, Kor)

travel & culture SEOul 21

cultural hot spots

Arthouse Momo What: Cinema featuring Korean art films and foreign indies on the Ewha Women’s University campus. Recent screenings include ”Bedeviled,” Intangible Asset No. 82, and Cannes favorite Thai film ”Uncle Boonmee.” Those arriving early may wish to stroll through the other shops, restaurants, and cafes of the “underground” campus complex, designed by French architect Dominique Perrault (of French National Library in Paris fame). Where: Line 2, Ewha Womans University Station, Exit 3. Admission: 8,000 won (weekdays), 9,000 won (weekends) T. (02) 363-5333 Website: http://cineart.co.kr

Seoul Art Cinema/ Cinematheque What: A cinema space affiliated with the Korean Association of Cinematheques Archives, Seoul Art Cinema groups its film screenings in series; recent runs include the 11th Mexican Film Festival, Director Jang Sun Woo Special, DMZ Docs, and a Japanese Film Series. After the movie, get a taste of history by visiting nearby Tapgol or Pagoda Park, a key site of the Korean independence movement. Where: Lines 1, 3, 5 to Jong-ro 3-ga Station, exit 5; Line 3, Anguk Station, exit 4. Admission: 6,000 won T. (02) 741-9782 Website: http://cinematheque.seoul.kr 22 SEOUL October 2010

Korean Film Archives (KOFA) What: Korean films dating from 1946 on, as well as K-dramas from 2002 on and select foreign art house classics are available for free viewing at this non-profit institute, library, theater, and museum. To access the library’s archives, simply show up and search the database for your desired film. You will be handed the DVD and headset and directed to a booth (seats 1—2 people). Parties of 3 — 10 can call ahead to reserve a room. KOFA’s theater comprises three screening rooms. Check the site for the daily schedule; recent titles include ”Snow Falls on the B l o o d y S t r e e t , ” ” H a r m o n y, ” ” A B e t t e r Tomorrow.” Korean films are subtitled in Korean and English; foreign films in English. Follow up a visit with a stroll through scenic World Cup Park, a former 92 million ton waste site that now boasts some of the best views of Seoul. Where: Line 6, Susaek Station, Exit 2; then bus 7711, 7730A, or 7730B to DMC Gallery (5 min). Admission: Free Library Hours: Mon—Fri 10am-7pm; Sat—Sun: 10am—5pm. T. (02) 3153-2051 Website: http://koreafilm.org For more information on locations of the places mentioned here, see our Maps & Guides supplement.

4 5

2 3 1. CineCode Sonje 2, 3. Seoul Art Cinema/ Cinematheque 4. Sponge House 5. KT&G Sangsang Madang

• Sponge House Small theater located on the first floor of the C-Square Building, between Donghwa Duty Free shop and Deoksugung Palace | Line 5, Gwanghwamun Station, Exit 6 T. (02) 2285-2095 | www.spongehouse.com (Korean) • Cinecube Two-screen cinema in the basement of the Heungkuk Life Insurance Building: good selection of Korean and foreign independent films | Line 5, Gwanghwamun Station, Exit 6 T. (02) 2002-7770~1 | www.icinecube.com (Korean) • KT&G Sangsang Madang Independent films, shorts etc at this all-round cultural center in Hongdae | Line 2, Hongik University Station, Exit 5 T. (02) 330-6263 | www.sangsangmadang.com • Filmforum More Korean and foreign independent films... | Come out of Ewha Womans University back gate, cross the road and head east until you reach the Hanuisol Building. T. (02) 312-4568 | www.filmforum.co.kr • Kring This distinctive building houses a cinema among other creative and cultural stuff. | Line 2, Samseong Station, Exit 3 T. (02) 2051-4921 | www.kring.co.kr

travel & culture SEOUL 23

a tale of Seoul

hen a projector somewhere in Seoul gave Koreans their first taste of the moving picture in the final years of the Joseon Dynasty, who could have predicted that the events brought by reality over the next hundred years would be every bit as cruel, strange, exciting, tragic, miraculous and unpredictable as the contents of the movies that struggled to keep up with them? By the time director Lee Chang-dong accepted the Award for Best Screenplay at Cannes Film Festival for his film “Poetry” earlier this year, Korea had been through colonial occupation, world war, national division, civil war, dictatorship, democratization and plenty more. Lee’s film was one of three major Korean pictures at Cannes this year; the country’s actors, directors and films now enjoy a reputation for quality and originality among cinephiles across the world, and Lee is by no means the first to score success on the international stage.

Early days The date of Korea’s public film screening is uncertain: one account pinpoints 1897, while another cites a newspaper advertisement to give the date of 1903. Whichever date is correct, this was a period when Korea was being buffeted by external powers after a period of long national isolation. Western imperialism ran rampant, while Meiji Japan also eyed up continental Asia in a bid to become Asia’s first colonial power. The first films to come into Korea were foreign, while most movie theater ownership, owing to Japan’s annexation of Korea in 1910, was Japanese. The entertainment quality and exciting new knowledge and ideas offered by foreign films proved strongly attractive to Korean audiences. As Korea’s film-watching culture developed, so did the desire for a piece of the creative action. Korea’s first homegrown efforts emerged in 1919, in the form of a genre that combined live actors performing on a stage with a film projected onto the background. The country’s first feature film, a silent flick dating from 1923, was quickly followed by young director Na U n - g y u’ s “A r i r a n g . ” Pe r h a p s t h e f i r s t acknowledged masterpiece of Korean film, “Arirang” told the story of a mentally ill antiJapanese protester who kills the son of a wealthy landowner and was said to be both politically and artistically outstanding. The film, however, appears to no longer exist. 24 SEOUL October 2010

KEEPING IT REEL

A short history of Korean film

Written by Ben Jackson | Photographs courtesy of Korean Film Archives

Shadows of colonialism and war Films with sound first emerged in 1935, but the tightening screws of Japanese censorship in the buildup to World War II saw Korean filmmakers suffer. Japan’s 1945 defeat and withdrawal from Korea provided what proved to be only a fiveyear window, during which several films addressing the colonial past and, later, communism, were produced. The Korean War (1950—1953) then threw everything into chaos again. The 1950s and 1960s saw a burgeoning of Korea’s film industry. Audiences loved the entertainment, while various tax exemptions were granted to help production. Early hits like “The Tale of Chunhyang”—a version of perhaps Korea’s most famous tale of love and morality— were followed by groundbreaking works such as Kim Ki-young’s “The Housemaid,” which exploited film’s capacity to attract audiences and critics with controversial themes. Kim’s explosive tale of adultery and domestic mayhem was the subject of an eponymous remake, released this year but considered by many to be inferior to the original.

Dull 1970s Korean film entered a slump in the 1970s through government censorship, cumbersome regulations, competition from television and poor production quality. The 1980s brought

mixed fortunes: legal changes allowing some independent production came in 1984, while 1988’s lifting of import restrictions brought direct competition from foreign films.

Take-off The late 1990s saw the emergence of many of today ’s leading Korean directors, such as arthouse hero Hong Sang-soo, Lee Changdong, bad boy Kim Ki-duk and international superstar Park Chan-wook. The 1999 spy action blockbuster “Shiri” is considered the turning point into a strong phase of domestic and international success for Korean film. From 2001 until 2007, Korean films sold more tickets at the box office than foreign imports, a rare

1. Lee Chang-dong's "Poetry" (2010) 2. Na Un-gyu's "Arirang" (1923) 3. Kang Jae-kyu's "Shiri" (1999) 4. Yi Gyu-hwan's "The Tale of Chunhyang" (1955)

travel & culture SEOUL 25

a tale of Seoul phenomenon in a world dominated by the power of Hollywood. Korean films, directors and actors picked up prizes at Berlin, Venice, Cannes and other global festivals, where other Korean directors often sat on judging panels. Korea’s own Pusan Film Festival became a major date on the global film industry’s calendar. Korean conglomerates suddenly took an interest and got involved, CJ Entertainment being a prime example.

Creativity compromised? Challenges remain for Korean film. In some ways, the industry has suffered from its own success. “Everybody is waiting for strong new directors to emerge, like Kim Ki-duk and Hong Sang-soo did earlier,” says independent film director Kim Ki-hyun. “But that isn’t happening at the moment. Over the last ten years, there has been a shift of power from directors to producers and even investors. Before, a director would have an idea for a film project and a producer would work to realize it. Now, it’s more a question of a producer having a concept—often based on an existing, successful film—and finding a director who can make the film according to the predetermined budget and schedule. And directors are tending to conform to these trends, rather than pushing through their own, original styles and ideas.”

Competing with Hollywood At the Korean box office, however, domestic films are still capable of filling seats by the million. “Korean cinema has put out some strong offerings in the last two years like last year's tsunami disaster movie ‘Haeundae’ and this year's hit spy thriller ‘Secret Reunion,’” says Nigel D’Sa, a Seoul-based producer at WE Pictures. “But, for the first time in years, a Hollywood film (‘Avatar’) [2009] took the place of a Korean movie (‘The Host’) [2006] as the biggest audience draw of all time at the Korean box office. The advent of 3D studio blockbusters poses a new challenge for Korean genre films.” Attributing the general preference among Korean audiences for easy digestible—albeit sometimes strongly violent—blockbusters to a conception of going to the cinema as primarily a social event that demands a “formula-driven entertainment package,” D’Sa also suggests that the phenomenon of art house directors scoring greater success in “certain overseas niche markets” than at home is one that “seems to be 26 SEOUL October 2010

the case the world over.” He regards the presence of large companies such as CJ Entertainment in the industry as a mixed blessing, providing the power needed to compete against Hollywood with big, effectsheavy projects while potentially threatening diversity by overwhelming competitors. With the end of 2010 already in sight, questions for the industry next year remain. What will we see from Korea’s talented, committed and hard-up independent directors and their staff? What other effects-heavy juggernauts will Hollywood send over, and will Korea come up with some of its own? Will the “Korean action movie” proto-format we glimpsed in “The Man from Nowhere” this year take shape as a genre in its own right? In the meantime, try to get down to Busan this October for a true taste of international cinema.

Korean actor Lee Byung-hun (right) costared with Josh Hartnett (left) in Tran Anh Hung's 2009 film "I Come with the Rain." (photo courtesy of the Pusan International Film Festival)

Seoul personalities

ee Jeong-beom has scored a hit. In midSeptember, barely six weeks after its release, his action thriller “The Man from Nowhere” has drawn more than five and a half million viewers and is fast closing in on Christopher Nolan’s “Inception” in terms of highest total admissions in 2010. Starring heartthrob Won Bin grinding his way through increasingly nasty ranks of gangsters in a bid to save a young girl’s corneas, “The Man from Nowhere” has drawn particular praise for its combat scenes, even sparking talk of the emergence of a “Korean action” genre. SEOUL caught up with Lee to hear more about his first blockbuster.

A tale of healing Despite the stir created by “The Man...”’s action scenes, Lee says, the film’s message is one of personal growth and healed trauma. Former special agent Cha Tae-sik (Won Bin) leads a deflated life running a small pawn shop after his pregnant wife is crushed in front of him by a speeding truck. He develops a friendship of sorts with So-mi (Kim Sae-ron), the young daughter of his drug addict neighbor. When things go wrong and So-mi is abducted by a vicious drug gang with a penchant for child slavery and organ t r a d i n g, Ta e - s i k e m b a r k s o n a n uncompromising martial arts-driven mission that won’t stop until he gets her back. But will success be enough to heal his emotional scars? “People say this is a film about Tae-sik saving So-mi,” says Lee. “But actually she saves him because of the process he must go through to save her. I didn’t plan this as a revenge movie or for the sake of its martial arts. It’s a story about a man recovering from deep emotional scars, and growing in the process.” “ The Man...”’s seemingly open ending, too, is not meant to be judged according to the characters’ future prospects but by what has already happened and the state it leaves them

A MAN FROM NOWHERE; A DIRECTOR GOING PLACES Director Lee Jeong-beom’s tale of scars healed and inflicted rocks the Korean box office Interview by Kim Kihyun Photographs by Ryu Seunghoo and courtesy of Delight

travel & culture SEOUL 27

Seoul personalities

in as individuals. “People have been surprised at the lengths to which Tae-sik goes to save So-mi, even though they’re totally unrelated by blood, but that’s not meant to be an important element of the film either,” says Lee.

Beginning at the end Born in 1971, Lee graduated from the School of Film, TV and Multimedia at Korea National University of Arts and made his debut in 2006 with “Cruel Winter Blues,” a tale of gangster revenge derailed by emotional complications. Meeting SEOUL at a café hidden in Samcheong-dong, Lee is disarmingly modest and shows no sign of media fatigue despite the avalanche of attention that “The Man...” has unleashed. “When I write a screenplay, I start with the ending,” says Lee. “It was the same with ‘The Man from Nowhere.’ Originally, I wanted the protagonist to be an older man, a former South Korean special agent who had been sent on missions into North Korea. There are many such men, quite old now, and they were highly trained in close combat, able to fight to the last even if all they had left was a toothpick. This character, isolated and approaching the end of his life, would cure his emotional scars by saving a young woman whose life was just beginning. But we were having difficulties with casting. Then Won Bin got hold of the script and liked it, so we changed our plans.”

28 SEOUL October 2010

Grounded in reality Landing a star of Won Bin’s status in the leading role, however, left Lee looking for ways to “bring the film down to earth” and maintain the realism he sought. “There’s a ‘fantastic’ star quality about Won Bin and we needed to counter that.” The search for a talented arch-baddie led Lee all the way to Thailand and actor Thanayong Wongtrakul. “I wanted a foreign actor for the role, but preferably from a ‘yellow race.’ Thanayong had good, deep eyes that suited the character we needed.” Thanayong plays Vietnamese mercenary Ram Ro-wan, a character of few words and much fighting ability who p r o v e s t h e t o u g h e s t o f Ta e - s i k ’ s m a n y adversaries. “Ram Ro-wan’s character and history are at least as complex as those of Taesik,” says Lee. “I sat down with Thanayong and discussed his character for two hours before we started shooting.” Perhaps the best performance comes from Kim Sae-ron, the prodigiously talented 11-yearold who plays the part of So-mi. It is hard to fault Kim’s mature and utterly convincing handling of a p a r t t h a t i n v o l v e s a t l e a s t o n e l o n g, emotionally charged monologue. Her character deserves to pull off a few plucky tricks but is unfortunately reduced largely to victim status early on. “Kim’s parents never sent her to acting school,” says Lee, “so her acting is fresh and not at all clichéd.” Kim and the other child actors will have to wait a long time to watch the film, which is rated 19 in Korea. “I directed them mainly by describing each scene in terms of the

“What Makes You See This?” Learn the Answer at Anguk Zen Center

emotions they had to display: ‘You’re sad because this nasty man has locked you up,’” says Kim.

Chopping through martial art stereotypes Again, for a director who set out to use martial art scenes merely as a means to an end—Taesik’s emotional growth and healing—”The Man...” has excelled. “I wanted to create a new, fresh style of fight scene and discard the usual cliches where each baddie waits in turn to go at the protagonist and every scene is full of improbable flying kicks,” says Lee. “I like firstperson POV (point-of-view) video games and wanted to replicate this style, so the cinematographer stuck a DSLR camera on a helmet that the actors used in fight scenes. We used Filipino Kali and Brunei Silat styles a lot.” The result is an unembellished but rapid and intense form of hand-to-hand combat, sometimes using knives and reminiscent of the Jason Bourne trilogy. It remains to be seen if Lee’s refreshingly real style will develop into a Korean action genre of its own. Lee is giving little away about his next offering, other than to say that it will be in a similar “hot, masculine” vein to “The Man...” He hopes to go abroad for research later this year before writing a script in 2011 and releasing the film in 2012. Will Lee continue his strategy of balancing blockbusting gang violence with messages of personal growth and development? We’ll have to wait and see.

Zen Practice

Those who are interested in practicing Zen. Can receive special instruction from Zen Master Subul Sunim.

English Lecture

Buddhism and the culture of Buddhism 2:30~4:00 pm every Saturday (except national holidays)

Gahoe-dong Catholic Church The Constitutional Court of Korea

Jaedong Elementary School Exit 2, Anguk Station

Tel. 732-0712 / 744-0772 www.angukzen.org

tourist spot

Jongmyo Shrine The majesty of Joseon Korea Photographed by Kim Sungjin

onsidered one of the most sublime pieces of Joseon-era (1392â&#x20AC;&#x201D;1910) architecture, the Jongmyo Shrine houses the memorial tablets of 19 kings and 30 of their queens. Composed of long, simple but beautifully cloistered halls, the shine complements the surrounding woods and hills, exuding the restrained but confident beauty so characteristic of old Confucian Korea. During the Joseon Dynasty, kings would come here five times a year to perform the Jongmyo Jerye, an ancestral rite that was considered one of the kingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most important duties. This rite, accompanied by beautiful Korean court music and dance, is per formed by the descendants of the old royal family to this day. Jongmyo Shrine was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995. The Jongmyo Jerye was listed by UNESCO as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity in 2001.

30 SEOUL October 2010

Originally held five times a year, the Jongmyo Jerye is now performed only once, on the first Sunday of May. You can purchase an all-inclusive ticket (10,000 won, valid for a month) that allows you to visit Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Changgyeonggung, Deoksugung and Jongmyo. While you must join a guided tour on weekdays and Sunday, you can walk around the shrine at your own leisure on Saturday!

More information Hours: 9am to 6pm (March to Oct), 8am to 5:30pm (Nov to Feb). Must be part of a guided tour: English tours are given four times a day, but feel free to join a Korean tour (nine times a day). Admission: 1,000 won T. (02) 765-0195 Getting there: 10 minute walk from Exit 11, Jongno 3-ga Station, Line 1. travel & culture SEOUL 31

travel

Old COnfuCian Charm Newly registered with UNESCO, Gyeongjuâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Yangdong Village is the epitome of Joseon beauty Written and photographed by Robert Koehler 32 SEOul October 2010

orea’s newest UNESCO World Heritage site, Yangdong Village is no kitsch folk village of recently built traditional homes cobbled together to give domestic and foreign tourists a taste of old Korea. Located deep in the countryside northeast of Gyeongju, with buses dropping you off a good 30 minute walk from the village itself, it’s a place that takes pride in its isolation, which has helped keep it as one of Korea’s largest and best-preserved Joseon-era communities. Delightfully picturesque, it is a case study in Confucian aesthetics and Korean reverence for nature, with simple, rustic tile-roof and thatch-roof homes lining the hillsides and valleys in perfect harmony with the natural topography.

The seonbi spirit Yangdong Village was formed in the 15th century by two aristocratic Korean clans, the Yeogang Lee and Wolseong Son families. The village grew and prospered throughout the Joseon era (1392—1910), producing a number of great Confucian scholars, most notably “Hoejae” Lee Eon-jeok (1491—1553), one of the so-called “Five Great Sages of the East.” Many of the homes have, in recent years, been converted into restaurants and guest houses, but several are still lived in by members of the Lee and Son clans, and clan members who live elsewhere return regularly for annual ancestral rites ceremonies. The village has over 160 homes—many over 200 years old, and a couple over 500 years old—spread out along several valleys and ridge lines in accordance with feng shui principles. From overhead, it resembles the Chinese character “勿.” It is often compared to its better known cousin, Andong’s Hahoe Village, together with which it was registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Both are clan villages formed by illustrious families in the Joseon era, and while there are similarities, the differences are also noteworthy. Topography is an obvious one: while Hahoe Village is a typical oxbow village, Yangdong Village is built along the hillsides, the roof lines blending with the undulating terrain. Kim Myung-soon, a culture and tourism guide with Gyeongju City, noted a cultural difference as well. “Hahoe Village was made up of government officials, but Yangdong Village was made up of seonbi ,” referring to the gentleman scholars who passed their days studying the Confucian classics amidst the beauty of nature. “As you can see, the houses are smaller and more humble,” reflecting the rustically charming modesty of Korea’s Confucian scholar. By examining the village landscape, one can gather a bit about the hierarchical social order of Joseon society. Tile-roof homes—those belonging to Korea’s yangban aristocracy—are found higher on the hillsides. Below them are thatched roof homes that once housed the tenant farmers of the yangban who owned the farmland in the valleys below. Household servants lived within the yangban compounds themselves.

Designated Treasure No. 412, the Hyangdan is a beautiful Joseon mansion that overlooks the entrance to Yangdong Village. travel & culture SEOUL 33

travel

Korean beauty All of Yangdong Village is designated a cultural property (and, of course, a UNESCO World Heritage Site), but 24 of the village’s assets are separately designated as heritage properties. The large manor houses are the most spectacular, especially the Hyangdan (Treasure No. 412), a stately mansion built atop a hill overlooking the entrance of the village. Built in 1543 for the mother of Lee Eon-jeok upon his appointment as governor of the province of 34 SEOUL October 2010

Gyeongsang-do, it originally had 99 rooms— only the king could live in a bigger home—but many were sadly lost during the Korean War. At another beautiful compound, the Gwangajeong, visitor and amateur photographer Park Jong-gil of nearby Pohang stands behind the tripod, deep in concentration. “I come here from Pohang when I have time,” he says after snapping some shots. “This is the photographic center of the village...You can create images with real Asian beauty shooting through the windows.” What he means becomes clear once you look gaze out the windows. In the distance, the while clouds float over the green hills against a blue sky; in the foreground, just beyond the wood and paper sliding panels, a lone tree stands in the garden. You can easily imagine yourself a seonbi scholar, passing the day sitting here, book in hand, enjoying the autumn breeze and captivating scenery.

Not so hidden anymore When this writer first visited Yangdong Village two years ago, hardly a visitor could be found. Gyeongju might be one of Korea’s most touristed towns, but the popular sites, most of which date from the ancient kingdom of Silla (57

BC—AD 935), are located in or near the town itself. Yangdong Village, dating from the more recent Joseon era and located far off the beaten tourist path, was until recently able to avoid the flood of weekend tourists that descends on the rest of Gyeongju or, for that matter, Andong’s Hahoe Village. This might be changing, however, thanks to the attention newly focused on the village following its registration with UNESCO. On this visit, several classes of school children on a field trip could be spotted wondering around the village. A couple of tour buses were parked at the village entrance, the drivers enjoying a chat and a cup of coffee in the shade of a nearby tree. The increase in visitors might be a boon to the local tourism industry, but it also raises concerns about preserving the village’s uniquely serene atmosphere, which set it apart from boisterously touristed Hahoe Village. Kim, the tourism guide from Gyeongju, said, “After the village was registered with UNESCO, we’ve been getting many more tourists. I sometimes think we should adopt a system like that at Changdeokgung Palace, where limited numbers of visitors are brought around with a guide.”

WHAT TO EAT 2 1. The Gwangajeong typifies the rustic tastes of old Korea's country gentry 2. Entrance, Gwangajeong

A number of the traditional homes in Yangdong Village now function as restaurants. One of the most famous of these is Uhyangdaok (054-762-8096), an old yangban home that specializes in jeongsik : soup, rice and plenty of side dishes. The home also serves as a guest house. Yangdong Village is also famous for cheongju , a clear Korean rice wine similar to Japanese sake.

WHERE TO STAY Some of the homes also serve as guest houses, including Uhyangdaok (see above) — call ahead to the village information center at (054)-779-6105 (Korean). Of course, you can stay in Gyeongju, too, where there’s a much greater choice of accommodation.

GETTING THERE The quickest way to get to Gyeongju is to take the KTX from Seoul Station to Dongdaegu Station (two hours), and then take an express bus to Gyeongju (one hour) from Daegu Express Bus Terminal, a short walk from Exit 2 of Dongdaegu Station. There are also direct trains to Gyeongju and intercity buses from Seoul Express Bus Terminal, but these take longer. From Gyeongju, take bus 200, 201—8, 212 or 217 to Yangdong Village (about 40 minutes). The easiest place to do this is from in front of Gyeongju Station, but you can catch one of these buses from a short walk from Gyeongju Express Bus Terminal (ask the tourist info booth at the terminal). Be warned: the bus drops you off about 2km short of the village, so be prepared to stretch your legs.

travel & culture SEOUL 35

special report i

KOrEa and ThE G20 By bridging the gap between developed and developing, Seoul hopes to contribute to global economic prosperity Written by Robert Koehler | Images courtesy of Seoul Metropolitan Government

eoul will host the fifth G20 summit on Nov 11—12. As the first non-G8 member and the first Asian nation to host the prestigious gathering, bringing together the heads of government of the world’s most influential economies, the summit seeks to be an important milestone in global efforts to promote economic recovery and sustainable development. It is also an opportunity for Korea to show the world the fruits of the Miracle on the Hangang River, one of the most inspiring national success stories in history.

from rags to riches Seoul’s hosting of the G20 summit might seem natural today. Korea, after all, is the world’s 15th largest economy and one of the globe’s most important trading states. Yet Korea’s joining of the ranks of the developed nations, let alone assuming the chairmanship of the world’s top gathering of economic heavyweights, stands as nothing short of miraculous considering where Korea was just 50 years ago. Following the dual calamities of Japanese colonialism and the Korean War, Korea was ranked as one of the world’s poorest nations, 36 SEOul October 2010

with a per capita income less than that of many sub-Saharan states. With an economy largely dependent on subsistence agriculture, little in the way of industry and almost no exportable raw materials, economic prospects appeared bleak. The damage inflicted by the Korean War, which destroyed much of the country’s housing and infrastructure, put even greater strain on the new nation, which was highly dependent on foreign aid, particularly from the United States. To many experts, the country was the proverbial basket case, with little reason for optimism. Beginning in the early 1960s, however, a new group of Korean leaders, determined to raise Korea out of its post-war poverty, adopted a bold series of economic reforms that, in time, would produce a dramatic transformation in Korea society. Making use of the country ’s strengths and mitigating its weaknesses, Korea adopted a policy of export-led growth, first concentrating on labor-intensive light industries and later, as Korea’s access to domestic and international capital increased, on capitalintensive heavy industries like steel, shipbuilding and automobiles. Korea’s economic development was matched by that in its political arena. In the early stages,

Robert Koehler is the editor-in-chief of SEOUL.

Korea’s leaders emphasized efficiency above all; values like democracy and human rights were less highly regarded. Korean society grew more affluent, however, and by the mid-1980s, public pressure for democratization could no longer be contained, leading to democratizing reforms in 1987. When Seoul hosted the 1988 Summer Olympic Games, the world found in Korea a nation far removed from the poor, war-torn land of the 1950s. Instead, they found a wealthy, urbanized and industrialization country, where tradition and modernity existed side-by-side. This miraculous development, coined by observers as the “Miracle on the Hangang River,” has continued through the 1990s and first decade of the 21st century, as the Korean economy transforms once again into a knowledge-based economy utilizing Korea’s first-class information t e c h n o l o g y i n f r a s t r u c t u r e , a n d Ko r e a n democracy continues to strengthen and deepen.

Bridging the gap between developed and developing As a nation that was once poor but now rich, Korea has a very important role to play as host of the G20 summit. Thanks to its unparalleled development experience, Korea is almost uniquely placed to serve as a bridge between the developed and developing worlds. Speaking at a forum in Seoul in September, SaKong Il,

president of the Presidential Committee for the G20 Summit, said, “We feel that (South) Korea is well positioned to play the role of bridging the advanced world and the emerging and developing world....For the purpose of achieving the G20's macroeconomic objective of strong, sustainable, and balanced growth, the role of emerging and developing economies should be counted on.” In particular, Seoul believes that the promotion of the eco-friendly green economy is key to sustainable development in both the developed and developing worlds. Korea’s crisis management experience will also prove invaluable at the summit. The Seoul summit comes not long after the global financial meltdown of 2008, which threatened the world with almost unprecedented economic c a t a s t r o p h e . Wi t h t h e g l o b a l e c o n o m y experiencing a strong but fragile rebound, Korea’s own successful comeback from economic disaster in 1997 offers many teachable points. It is noteworthy that while the 2008 crisis wreaked havoc on the economies of much of the West, Korea weathered the crisis in good form based on the lessons learned in 1997. In particular, Korea will be pushing for strengthened global financial safety nets to help countries during times of capital volatility.

Giving back to the international community Ko r e a’ s h o s t i n g o f t h e G 2 0 s u m m i t i s representative of the nation’s transition into a proactive member of the international community. Koreans have never forgotten the great kindness the world showed their nation during its early struggles, including the thousands of foreign troops sent to Korea at its hour of greatest need. Once an aid recipient, Korea is now an aid giver: in 2009, Korea became the first former aid recipient to join the OECD Development Assistance Committee, a collection of some of the world’s top aid givers. Korea has played an active role in UN peacekeeping and international security as well. As World Bank president Robert Zoellick said in his message to the summit, “The eyes of the world will be on the Republic of Korea this year as it assumes the presidency of the G20.” What they see will be a thriving, technologically advanced nation striving to assume a role in global affairs commensurate with its growing national strength. By bridging the gap between developed and developing, Korea looks to help build the basis for sustainable economic growth in the 21st century. travel & culture SEOUL 37

Seoul dining for beginners

FIRST ENCOUNTERS WITH KOREAN FOOD

SEOUL's Editor-in-Chief, Robert Koehler, offers a select handful of Korean restaurant recommendations for absolute novices. All restaurants marked in Maps & Guides by

Korean Meat Dishes

Popular Korean meat dishes include galbi (ribs, either beef or pork), bulgogi (marinated beef grilled atop an open flame) and samgyeopsal (Korean-style bacon). Meat is typically eaten wrapped in a lettuce leaf with condiments.

Gogung T. (02) 736-3211 Hours: 11am—9pm Prices: Around 10,000 won Getting There: Exit 6, Anguk Station, Line 3. Located in the basement of Ssamji-gil in Insa-dong. The southwestern city of Jeonju does the best bibimbap in Korea. Gogung is the next best option.

Bamboo House T. (02) 555-6390 Hours: 11:30am—2:30pm, 5:30pm—10:30pm Prices: 40,000 won and up Getting There: Exit 7, Yeoksam Station, Line 2. Walk 10 minutes in the direction of Gyeonbok Apartments (or take a cab — if you’re eating here, money is clearly not an issue). Pricey; does some of Korea's best barbecue and grill in a multilingual setting. Housed in a stunning Frank Gehryesque building.

Bon Bibimbap T. (02) 736-4288 Hours: 9:30 am—10pm Prices: Under 10,000 won Getting There: Exit 3, Jonggak Station, Line 1. Walk toward Tapgol Park. Hang a left right before the park. Gogung is right there, across from the park, near the entrance to Insa-dong. The flagship store of this chain does an assortment of bibimbap at reasonable prices.

Soups and Stews

Many tasty options include doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew), kimchi jjigae (kimchi stew), sundubu jjigae (tofu stew), seolleongtang (milky beef soup) and samgyetang (chicken ginseng soup).

Maple Tree House T. (02) 730-7461 Hours: 11:30am—10pm Prices: Around 30,000 won Getting There: Exit 1, Anguk Station, Line 3. Walk about 20 minutes along Samcheong-dong Road—the restaurant is near Korea Banking Institute. Samgyeopsal with a beautiful wooded garden in Samcheong-dong.

Bibimbap Simple dish of rice mixed with seasoned vegetables and red pepper sauce. Gwyneth Paltrow likes it. Served in a metal/plastic bowl or a stone pot (dolsot bibimbap ).

Toetmarujip Doenjang Yesul T. (02) 739-5683 Hours: 10:30am—10pm Prices: 10,000—20,000 won Getting There: Exit 5, Jongno 3-ga Station, Line 5. Enter Insa-dong. Face the Seoho Art Gallery at the Insa-dong Intersection and make a left into the alleyway. Hearty North Korean-style doenjang jjigae; traditional ambiance. Particularly popular is the doenjang bibimbap (rice mixed with vegetables and soybean-paste stew).

Tobang T. (02) 735-8156 Hours: 10:30am—10pm Prices: Around 5,000 won Getting There: Exit 6, Anguk Station, Line 3. Enter Insa-dong. Tobang is on the left. Standard Korean fair like kimchi jjigae, dubu jjigae and doenjang jjigae. Also famous for its marinated crab side dish. 38 SEOUL October 2010

Cheolgil Wang Galbisal T. (02) 332-9543 Hours: 24 hours Prices: Around 25,000 won Getting There: Exit 5, Hongik University Station, Line 2. Walk 20 minutes in the direction of the Sanollim Theater—the restaurant is in the alley across from it. Wonderful beef galbi; outstanding bean-paste stew. Very popular.

Bukchon Gamasot Seolleongtang T. (02) 725-7355 Hours: 11:00am—10:30pm Prices: 6,000—10,000 won Getting There: Exit 1, Anguk Station, Line 3. Located in alley in front of Jeongdok Public Library. Korean traditional building. Specializes in seolleongtang; also has good manduguk (dumpling soup) and other dishes. Food served on Korean traditional ceramics.

Jiho Hanbang Samgyetang T. (02) 916-3999 Hours: 11am—10pm Prices: 12,000—14,000 won Getting There: Exit 2, Mia Samgeori Station, Line 4. Walk 10 minutes to Dongseong Car Inspection. Samgyetang is a Korean summer specialty. A young chicken is stuffed with rice and boiled in a broth of ginseng, jujube, garlic and ginger.

Myeong-dong Gyoja T. (02) 776-5348 Hours: 10:30am—9:30pm Prices: Under 10,000 won Getting There: Exit 4, Euljiro 4-ga Station, Line 5. Swing a right at the first alley. Quite possibly the best Pyongyang-style naengmyeon outside of North Korea. This legendary eatery also does outstanding meat dishes but is highly expensive. Choice of mul naengmyeon (served in a mild, chilled beef broth) or bibim naengmyeon (served with spicy red pepper sauce). Jaha Son Mandu T. (02) 379-2648 Hours: 11am—9pm Prices: Around 10,000—35,000 won Getting There: Exit 5 of Gyeongbokgung Station, Line 3. Take a taxi from there, as it’s a long walk. This place in lovely Buam-dong does a variety of mandu dishes.

Hanjeongsik/Palace Cuisine

Hanjeongsik is a full-course Korean meal featuring rice, soup and a table full of side dishes; palace cuisine is Korean traditional cooking at its most sublime.

Sanchon T. (02) 735-0312 Hours: 11am—10pm Prices: 22,000 won (lunch), 39,600 won (dinner) Getting There: There: Exit 6, Anguk Station, Line 3. Head down Insa-dong and turn left into the alley at Atelier Seoul. Sanchon is at the end of the alley. One of the ten best restaurants in Asia, according to the Asia Wall Street Journal in 2007. Run by a Buddhist monk. Temple cuisine accompanied by Korean traditional music and dancing.

Woo Lae Oak T. (02) 2265-0151 Hours: 11:30am—10pm Prices: 10,000 and up Getting There: Exit 4, Euljiro 4-ga Station, Line 5. Swing a right at the first alley. Quite possibly the best Pyongyang-style naengmyeon outside of North Korea. This legendary eatery also does outstanding meat dishes but is highly expensive. Choice of mul naengmyeon (served in a mild, chilled beef broth) or bibim naengmyeon (served with spicy red pepper sauce).

Dalhangari T. (02) 733-7902 Hours: 11:30am—10pm Prices: Around 25,000 won Getting There: Exit 1, Anguk Station, Line 3. Walk along Samcheong-dong road until you get to the Prime Minister’s Residence. Dalhangari is in front of it. Organic Korean home-style hanjeongsik that is both tasty and good for you.

Dumplings and Noodles

Korea does a number of unique noodle dishes, including kalgukgsu (knife-cut wheat noodles in a rich broth) and naengmyeon (chilled buckwheat noodles). Mandu (Korean-style dumplings) are also popular.

Yongsusan T. (02) 732-3019 Hours:noon—3pm/6pm—10pm Prices: 38,000—125,000 won Getting There: Exit 3, Anguk Station, Line 3. Walk towards Changdeokgung Palace, and swing a left. Keep walking till you see Yongsusan on your left. Goryeo-style royal cuisine served in a beautiful setting. Highly recommended.

Goongyeon T. (02) 3673-1104 Hours: noon—9pm Prices: 30,000—92,000 won Getting There: Exit 1, Anguk Station, Line 3. Turn right at Anguk Intersection and walk to Jaedong Elementary School. Swing a left at the intersection across from the school. Run by a master chef who studied old manuscripts to rediscover proper Korean court cuisine.

Seokparang T. (02) 395-0265 Hours: noon—3pm/6pm—10pm Prices: Around 45,000—100,000 won Getting There: Exit 3, Gyeongbokgung Station, Line 3. Take Bus 0212, 1020, 1711, 7018 or 7022 to Sangmyung University. The restaurant is a Koreanstyle building near there. Housed in a Joseon-era villa, this lovely eatery specializes in Joseon royal cuisine, served on antique ceramics.

Baru (Temple Stay Information Center) T. (02) 2031-2081 Hours: 11am—2:30pm, 5:30pm—9pm Prices: 25,000—50,000 won Getting There: Exit 2, Jonggak Station, Line 1. Walk 70m to Jogyesa Temple. The Temple Stay Information Center is across the street. On the fifth floor of the Temple Stay Information Center. Serves Buddhist temple cuisine.

Quick Korean Eats Don’t have time for a full meal? There are plenty of places to score low priced, quickly served food like gimbap (rice rolls), ramyeon (instant noodles) and tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes).

Gimbap Cheonguk Hours: 24 hours Prices: Under 5,000 won A chain with shops almost everywhere, this place serves good, cheap Korean fare, including gimbap , and noodle dishes.

Vegetarian

Korea probably could not in fairness be called a paradise for vegetarians, but vegetarian food can be scored if you know where to look.

Sindang Tteokbokki Alley Hours: 24 hours Prices: 10,000—20,000 won Alleyway near Sindang Station lined with restaurants doing tteokbokki, one of Seoul’s signature dishes. Rice cakes pan-fried with a spicy red pepper sauce, vegetables, dumplings and noodles: cheap, filling and tasty.

travel & culture SEOUL 39

special report ii

et’s face it: life in one of the world’s biggest, busiest cities can be tiring. Stress, smoking, high consumption of red meat and alcohol, air pollution and relentless noise all contribute to a collective longing for escape to an blue-greenwhite alpine amalgamation of Switzerland, New Zealand and Hokkaido. But pristine nature and healthy organic food can be found much closer to Seoul: welcome to Mungyeong, home of apples, omija berries and the nutrient-packed spectrum of roots, stems and leaves that goes into some of Korea’s best sanchae bibimbap — rice mixed with mountain vegetables.

Mungyeong cuisine Located in the heart of Korea, in the inland mountains of the Sobaeksan range, Mungyeong has developed a unique cuisine. Surrounded as they are by endless pristine mountains, the hearty people of Mungyeong make frequent use of mixed grains, mushrooms and mountain vegetables. Frequent found ingredients include Mungyeong omija , apples, mushrooms of all kinds and medicinal herbs. Because Mungyeong is a mountainous region, it is home to a number of both large and small Buddhist temple. Because of this, the influence of Korean Buddhist temple food can be seen in the local cuisine. Mungyeong dishes tend to be healthy and mild-tasting, not unlike the food eaten by Buddhist monks. The local culinary culture is also highly developed thanks to the town’s nationally famous ceramics tradition.

MIXING IT UP IN MUNGYEONG

Rice and mountain vegetable alchemy produces sanchae bibimbap Written by Ben Jackson | Photographs by Ryu Seunghoo

40 SEOUL October 2010

Mungyeong bibimbap The bibimbap : mixed rice with vegetables. It may be Korea’s best known dish, but it is also its most varied, as every region does it differently. The Mungyeong bibimbap is no different. Utilizing Mungyeong’s natural ingredients, the Mungyeong bibimbap is the perfect harmony of taste, nutrition and high culinary culture. Adhering to the philosophy, “That which is most Korean is most global, and that which is most Korean is most local,” the dish remains true to its local roots, utilizing even Mungyeong’s renowned ceramics and brassware. The Mungyeong bibimbap comes in three forms: • Course A: Designed for the solo eater, Course A comes with three side dishes and a bibimbap with seven different herbs and vegetables.

• Course b: For someone who wants a bit more. Seven side dishes, four course dishes (depends on the season) and a bibimbap with seven different herbs and vegetables. • Course C: For the true epicurean. This full course meal features a gut-busting 12 side dishes, seven course dishes and, yes, a bibimbap with seven different herbs and vegetables.

Understanding the Mungyeong bibimbap To fully appreciate the Mungyeong bibimbap , you must understand what’s in it. • mungyeong omija: Growing wild in the deep mountains of Mungyeong, omija —so named for its five distinct flavors—is a nutritional wonder berry that not only tastes great in a variety of teas and foods, but is good for you, providing medicinal effects on a variety of ailments. • Pyogo mushroom: Better known by Westerners as shiitake mushrooms, these delicacies are good seasoned, broiled or sliced and added to other dishes. • mountain Vegetables: With so many mountains, it’s no surprise Mungyeong produces a wide variety of mountain vegetables and medicinal herbs. About forty kinds, in fact. The tastes and health benefits of these vegetables, roots and herbs are as varied as their shapes and colors. You find some of them in the bibimbap itself, and others as side dishes.

SEOUL recommends "Mungyeong Sanchae Bibimbap," a top restaurant for sampling, er, Mungyeong sanchae bibimbap . Located just next to the all-year sledging slope by the road leading into Mungyeong Saejae Provincial Park, the restaurant is best reached by taking a bus to Mungyeong-eup. The staff is friendly, the interior has great natural lighting, the ingredients are fresh and the cooking is topnotch. T. (054) 571-3736

GeTTinG To MUnGYeonG It takes two hours to get from Dong Seoul Bus Terminal to Mungyeong by intercity bus.

The pristine taste of nature Fo r 5 0 0 y e a r s t h e g a t e w a y t o Ko r e a’ s southeastern region of Yeongnam, Mungyeong hosted travelers for generations: traders peddling their wares, officials conducting provincial inspections, and young scholars heading to the royal capital of Seoul to take the all-important civil service exam. Nowadays, visitors come to Mungyeong to take in its pristine natural environment and tastyyet-healthy foods. Rather than being just a transit point, it has become a destination in itself—the "homeland of well-being," as it prefers to call itself. Capturing the natural essence of the land from which they came, Mungyeong’s foods enrich both body and soul.

travel & culture SEOul 41

hotel news CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN FALL MENU

/ Park Hyatt, Daechi-dong

Fall is the time to be on America’s east coast,

“My cooking role model growing up was my

following the turning leaves southwards from

best friend Nicholas’ mother. We are both Italian,

Maine. If you can’t make it this year, though, the

and his mom used to go all out. Braised, studded

next best thing is to take in some contemporary

legs of lamb, veal bolognese, pastas, home

American cuisine from visiting chef Michael

made desserts, Barolo braised beef ribs,

Santoro of Park Hyatt Washington’s Blue Duck

panzanella salads, etc.

Tavern. Santoro’s dishes combine simple and

“The difference between the Blue Duck Tavern

traditional American cooking methods and

and other American restaurants is that the BDT

modern technology to produce dishes using

extensively sources its ingredients from local and

seasonally farm-fresh seafood and meats, slowly

national purveyors, farmers, fishermen, and

roasted in a wood-burning oven.

growers. We only use ingredients at the peak of

The wide selection of dishes on the menu

their season.”

includes such appetizers as foie gras candy bar,

For a taste of Santoro’s cuisine, head to the

crumble of clam with apple and lemon emulsion

Park Hyatt’s main restaurant, Cornerstone, any

and kabocha squash savory bruléed custard,

time from October 14 to 24.

and such main entrees as parmesan tortellini with

How much: lunch set (except weekends) 35,000

potato veloute, toasted king prawn with roulade

won, dinner set 68,000 won, weekend brunch

of chicken thigh and braised wagyu beef cheek,

78,000 won, cooking class 90,000 won (contact

along with desserts that include apple tart tatin

Park Hyatt for dates). All prices incl. service, excl.

with cinnamon ice cream, and Spanish french

tax.

toast with goat’s milk ice cream.

Contact: (02) 2016-1220~1 or http://seoul.park. hyatt.com.

In Michael’s own words:

Autumn Package

/ JW Marriott Seoul, Banpo-dong

One night in a Superior Room, free access to fitness club and swimming pool, breakfast buffet for two and one bottle of 10th anniversary wine worth one hundred thousand won. When: Sep 1—Nov 30 How much: 249,000 won (excl tax and service) Contact: (02) 6282-6282 or www.jw-marriott.co.kr

US Steak Promotion “Verona” Restaurant, Imperial Palace Hotel, Gangnam Various mouthwatering cuts of juicy US steak at Imperial Palace’s Italian restaurant. When: Oct 15—Nov 30 How much: from 57,000 won C o n t a c t : ( 0 2 ) 3 4 4 0 - 8 1 3 5 ~ 7 o r w w w. imperialpalace.co.kr

42 SEOUL October 2010

Cartier Exhibition

/ Walkerhill Duty Free Shop, Mt. Achasan

Renowned French watch brand Cartier’s top-rated, limited edition watches with prices ranging from 20,000 USD to 1 billion USD will be available for purchase. When: Sep 25—Oct 10, 10am—9:30pm Contact: (02) 450-6350 or www.walkerhill.co.kr

La Petite Partie

Novotel Ambassador Gangnam ‘La Petite Partie,’ referring to a ‘mini-party,’ is a small outdoor picnic or home party menu set featuring luxury delicacies made by the hotel chef. When: from Sep 1 How much: from 150,000 won for 10 people Contact: (02) 531-6604 or http://novotel.ambatel. com/gangnam

Autumn Room Package

Hotel Samjung, Yeoksam-dong

One night’s accommodation, breakfast for two, a bottle of mineral water per night and a special treat on the Mt. Namsan cable car. When: Sep 1—Nov 30 How much: 138,000 won (excl. tax) Contact: (02) 556-8572 or www.samjunghotel.co.kr

W style

W HALLOWEEN PARTY WITH DJ JOKERS OF THE SCENE The only place worth being seen on October 30 Photograph courtesy of W Seoul

W Seoul, one of the capital’s most stylish destinations, has a reputation for putting on the best Halloween parties in the city at its magnificent first floor WooBar. Each year’s demonic celebration takes place on a special theme: this year sees neon colors, brilliant laser lighting and spooky decoration take center stage. On the turntables will be top global duo DJ Jokers of the Scene from Ottawa, Canada, leading partygoers into an ecstatic and sensual world of electronic music. DJ Jokers of the Scene have made a whole spectrum of music ranging from modern soul to minimal tech their own, setting the trend in global house music. Their fantastic music and dazzling performance is set to drive Halloween at the W to a climax. Watch out for some ultra-stylish Halloween costumes on WooBar’s bartenders, too. More info Time: Oct 30 (Sat) 10pm—4am Tickets: 50,000 won (in advance, via Interpark) or 60,000 won on the door Dress code: stylish Halloween Contact: (02) 2022-0333 or woobar.wseoul@whotels.com

Guests staying at the W can also enjoy a W Style Halloween room decoration service, featuring black and orange balloon decoration and pumpkin baskets with candles, party hats and candy (150,000 won excl tax).

10 EVENT Calendar SUN

MON

TUE

WED

31 - The World Festival of National Theaters (National Theater of Korea) - Where Time and Light Remain (National Museum of Korea)

2010 Playground Music & Camping Festival

- Techno Live Concert: Project GAS by Wolfgang Voigt (National Theater of Korea)

- Nam-Yun Kim Violin Recital (Seoul Arts Center)

- Korean Craft Fair (aT Center) thru 8

- Keith Jarrett, Gary Peacock, Jack Dejohnette (Sejong Center for the Performing Arts) - Michael Anderson— Happy Mascots (Jay Gallery) thru Nov 2

- Richard O'Brien's ‘Rocky Horror Show’ (COEX)

- Performing Arts Market in Seoul (National Theater of Korea) thru 15

13 - Centennial Celebration of Yi Sang's Birth (Arko Art Center)

Centennial Celebration of Yi Sang's Birth

17 - Theo Jansen—Animals Modular (Gwacheon National Science Museum)

19 - The 31th Seoul Dance Festival (Arko Arts Theater)

20 - SIDance 2010 (Major theaters in Seoul)

SIDance 2010

- NIKE We Run Seoul 10K (Ttukseom Resort)

- Lucerne Festival Strings (Seoul Arts Center)

- Romeo & Juliet (Seoul Namsan Gukakdang)

46 SEOUL October 2010

26 - Sarah Brightman Live in Korea in 2010 (Jamsil Indoor Gymnasium)

27 - Jang Sa-ik---Yeok (Sejong Center for the Performing Arts) thru 28

THU

FRI

SAT

- 2010 Playground Music & Camping Festival (Chuncheon-si, Gangwon-do) thru 3

For detailed info on the events, go to “Goings On Around Town.” Green color letters indicate closing date of event. -Ed

- Hi Seoul Festival 2010 (Hangang River area) thru 10 - Seoul Performing Arts Festival 2010 (Major theaters in Seoul) thru Nov 14

- PIFF (Busan) thru 15

- Ballet: Badisches Staatstheater Karlsruhe’s ‘Midsummer Night’s Dream’ (National Theater of Korea) thru 9

- 2010 Global Gathering Korea (Hangang River Nanji Area)

- Digital Dance: In a Cycle (Seongam Art Hall) - Seoul Design Fair 2010 (Jamsil Sports Complex and four design clusters)

14 - Chunhyang 2010 (National Theater of Korea) thru 17

- Seoul Soul Festival 2010 (War Memorial of Korea) thru 10

- Jarasum International Jazz Festival (Jara Island, Gyeonggido) thru 17

- TAAL Performance (COEX) thru 24

- Lendvay Violin Recital (Seoul Arts Center)

21 - Placebo— Live in Seoul (AX-Korea)

- Seoul International Fireworks Festival (Yeouido Hangang Park)

- Without You (KT&G Sangsang Art Hall)

- Formula1 2010 Korean Grand Prix (Yeongam-gun, Jeollanam-do)

- Grand Mint Festival 2010 (Olympic Park) thru 24

Long Running Performances & Exhibitions Performances - Seopyeonje, the Musical (Dongsoong Art Center) thru Nov 7 - The 5th Theatre Olympics in Seoul (Daehangno Area) thru Nov 7

Exhibitions - Seoul, The City of Movies 7080 (Cheong Gye Cheon Museum) thru Nov 14 - Media City Seoul 2010-- Trust (Seoul Museum of Art) thru Nov 17 - Korean Avant-Garde Drawing 1970-2000 (SOMA Museum of Art) thru Nov 21 - Inside Paul Smith… His Art, His Photography, His World (Daelim Contemporary Art Museum) thru Nov 28

- Seoul Fashion Week S/S 11/12 (SETEC) thru 28

- 2010 Bakery Fair (aT Center) thru 31

- Korea National Ballet-- Prince Hodong (National Theater of Korea) thru 30

- Hatebreed (V-Hall)

- The Yeoncheon Jeongok-ri Paleolithic Festival (Yeoncheon gun, Gyeonggi-do) thru Nov 2

Jarasum International Jazz Festival

travel & culture SEOUL 47

gOINgS ON ON AROUND AROUND TOWN TOWN

Upcoming Events

Digital Dance: In a cycle

Have you ever wondered what the interaction between Korean dance and computer music would be like? Wonder no longer: armed with a spirit of experiment, Korean traditional dancer and choreographer Lee Mi-hui has created digital dance “In a Cycle,” an exploration of human life and identity. “In a Cycle” uses “Digital Dance” to direct reciprocal communication between the characteristic emotional expression and body metaphors of Korean dance, the semantics of East Asian philosophy and choreographic methodology that uses digital media.

Korean Avant-garde Drawing 1970—2000

Southeastern Seoul’s extensive Olympic Park is a great place to visit in autumn. Soma Museum of Art is located in the park itself, so why not head down there one weekend this October and enjoy the current exhibition of 30 years of Korean avant-garde drawing, featuring more than 300 works by 70 leading Korean artists?

grand Mint Festival 2010 (feat. Teenage Fanclub)

A festival based on being distinct from other festivals and on diversity of taste, Grand Mint Festival is now in its fourth year and consists of a Mint Breeze Stage where you can “enjoy a music picnic on a lawn,” a Club Midnight Sunset with “concentrated direction and visual art,” a Loving Forest Garden with “sentimental performances based on singer-songwriters” and an open-air Cafe Blossom House with a simple stage.

p.59 p.55

p.56

Lucerne Festival Strings

Switzerland’s greatest chamber ensemble makes a Korean debut, playing alongside young Korean piano virtuoso Cho Sung-jin. Watch them play through a program of Liszt’s “Malediction for Piano and String Orchestra S.121,” Tchaikovsky’s “Serenade for Strings Op.48,” and Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons.” Swiss chamber music has never sounded this good.

p.52 48 SEOUL October 2010

Inside Paul Smith... His Art, His Photography, His World

PREVIEW

Performing Arts Market in Seoul (PAMS)

PAMS (Performing Arts Market in Seoul) is an international performing arts market, where members of the industry, including artists, arts groups, managers, theater programmers, festival artistic directors and performance planners, can gather together in one place, share artistic visions and exchange information on performance art trends. PAMS provides opportunities for the promotion of performing artists and is a valuable networking event for the industry.

p.54

Seoul Performing Arts Festival 2010 (SPAF)

Every year, SPAF attracts large public audiences and media attention by introducing major international and domestic contemporary performances covering drama, dance and multidisciplinary arts. Marking its tenth year this year, SPAF is one of the most prestigious culture and arts brands of Korea. The festival’s theme this year is “SPAF Strikes Sparks.”

p.54

15th Pusan International Film Festival (PIFF))

Along with Tokyo, PIFF is one of Asia’s two leading film festivals. Add to that the unique atmosphere of Busan in the autumn and an influx of film lovers, global film stars, industry professionals and more and you get one of contemporary Korea’s most unforgettable cultural highlights. Go for the films, atmosphere, master classes, parties or whatever takes your fancy. International guests this year include Juliette Binoche, Abbas Kiarostami, Oliver Stone, Zhang Yimou and many more.

Lendvay Violin Recital

Lendvay & Friends first visited Korea in 2006: this October marks their fifth recital in Korea. Audiences here have been thoroughly seduced by the group’s beautiful Eastern European gypsy music. This time sonatas by Brahms and Franck are on the menu, with “gypsy music” by Sarasate and Ravel for dessert.

p.61 p.52

Inside Paul Smith... His Art, His Photography, His World

The first Korean exhibition on the work of British designer Paul Smith in Korea comes courtesy of Daelim Contemporary Art Museum. Despite having no formal training as a designer, Smith has become a worldrecognized name in design and fashion, famous for his cheerful but well-balanced use of color. This exhibition explores the relationship between Smith’s personal art collection and his own design and photography.

Seoul International Fireworks Festival

Since 1964, the fireworks promotion team of Hanwha Co. Ltd has continuously worked to improve firework technology to provide touching and impressive moments to customers. This is being achieved through the development of various new firework products and concentrating on research into safer and more effective launching techniques. Based on this firework technology, Hanhwa has developed new genres: multi-media fireworks displays and multiperforming fireworks shows. This festival will give a taste of the kind of pyrotechnic magic that is now possible.

Without You (with Anthony Rapp)

Writer and performer Anthony Rapp presents his turbulent journey through the convergence of two life-changing events: the early days of “Rent”— including the untimely passing of Jonathan Larson—and the illness and death of his own mother. Based on his New York Times bestselling memoir, Rapp uses a mix of original music and songs by REM and Larson in a stunning oneman show about grief, hope, and triumph.

p.53

p.59 p.59

Stone Jazz “Crossover Korean Soul”

Stone Jazz, a professional Korean traditional music-jazz crossover band, has gathered an enthusiastic following in its first few years. Since the 1990s, pianist and composer Lee Won-su has been taking widely known folk and pop songs and arranged them in his own imagination-defying way to produce a series of albums. This concert takes place at Changdeokgung Sogeukjang (“small theater”), a venue just opposite the main gate of Seoul’s Changdeokgung Palace.

p.56

TAAL Performance

Welcome to a new performance based on Korean traditional mask dance from Hahoe Village, Andong. The characters in this production are modern adaptations of the original lineup of a traditional Andong Hahoe mask dance, reinterpreted to reflect the world we live in today. Incorporating genres as diverse as hip-hop, Korean pop, tap dancing and five-drum dance, the production promises to be an interesting take on the traditional play.

Where Time and Light Remain— Photographic Images of World Heritage Sites In Korea

There are 10 UNESCO World Heritage sites in Korea. This exhibition at the National Museum of Korea in Yongsan features the work of several Korean specialist cultural heritage site photographers, using the medium of photography to express anew of the beauty of the form of Korean world heritage sites including the royal shrines at Jongmyo, Changdeokgung Palace, Hwaseong Fortress in Suwon, the Joseon Dynasty royal tombs and the historic villages of Hahoe and Yangdong.

p.57 p.50 travel & culture SEOUL 49

Goings on Around Town

African Musical Instruments Exhibit: Jambo Africa! National Folk Museum of Korea Thru Oct 4 Free (02) 3704-3114 Anguk Station, Line 3, Exit 1 or Gyeongbokgung Station, Line 3, Exit 5. Walk along Samcheongdong street. The museum is located on the left. Green bus No. 11 is available.

Jongno Elegy Seoul Museum of History Thru Oct 30 Adults (ages 20—64): 700 won, Others: Free (02) 724-0524 Seodaemun Station, Line 5, Exit 4. Walk 300m.

Joseon, Land of Hats Space*C, Coreana Art & Culture Complex Thru Oct 30 Adults: 3,000 won, Students: 2,000 won (02) 547-9177 Apgujeong Station, Line 3, Exit 2. Walk 5 minutes along Segwang Street behind CGV theater.

Golden Splendors— The Royal Tomb of Silla "Hwangnamdaechong" National Museum of Korea Thru Oct 31 Free (02) 2077-9000 Ichon Station, Lines 1 (Jungang Line) & 4, Exit 2. Walk 150m toward Yongsan Family Park.

Seoul, The City of Movies 7080 Cheong Gye Cheon Museum Thru Nov 14 Free (02) 2286-3410 Wangsimni Station, Lines 1 (Jungang line), 2 & 5, Exit 7. Transfer to maeul bus No. 3 or 8. Get off at Seoul Metropolitan Facilities Management Corporation.

White Porcelain Jars— Bearing the In (仁) and Ye (禮) of the Joseon Era Free (02) 2077-9000 Ichon Station, Lines 1 (Jungang Line) & 4, Exit 2. Walk 150m toward Yongsan Family Park.

Buncheong Ware Ritual Vessels Horim Museum Sinsa, Horim Art Center Thru Nov 28 Adults: 4,000 won, Students: 2,000 won (02) 541-3523~5 Gangnam-gu Office Station, Line 7, Exit 3. Turn around and go left at the corner. Walk straight and cross the road at Hak-dong Intersection. Go left and walk straight. The center is located on your right.

Tomb Murals of the Four Guardian Deities from Gangseojungmyo National Museum of Korea Thru Nov 28 Free (02) 2077-9000 Ichon Station, Lines 1 (Jungang line) & 4, Exit 2. Walk 150m towards Yongsan Family Park.

Kokdu Museum Thru Nov 30

National Museum of Korea Thru Oct 31 Free (02) 2077-9000 Ichon Station, Lines 1 (Jungang Line) & 4, Exit 2. Walk 150m toward Yongsan Family Park.

50 SEOUL October 2010

Gold Crown, a Symbol of Silla National Museum of Korea Thru Feb 13, 2011 Free (02) 2077-9000 Ichon Station, Lines 1 (Jungang Line) & 4, Exit 2. Walk 150m toward Yongsan Family Park.

National Museum of Korea Thru Nov 14

Kokdu Move

Where Time and Light Remain—Photographic Images of World Heritage Sites in Korea

Walk three minutes from Samgakji Station, Line 6, Exits 11 & 12, or five minutes from Samgakji Station, Line 4, Exit 1.

Adults: 5,000 won, Children: 3,000 won (02) 766-3315 Hyehwa Station, Line 4, Exit 1. Turn right along CONUS. Walk 100m toward the hill on your right. Dongsoong Art Center is located on your left. The museum is on the 2nd fl.

Special Korean War 60th Anniversary Exhibition War Memorial of Korea Thru Nov 30 Adults: 5,000 won, Youths: 3,000 won, Children: 2,000 won (02) 709-3139

Classical Music Yuhki Kuramoto— Piano Poem Concert Hall, Seoul Arts Center Oct 2, 8pm R: 100,000 won, S: 80,000 won, A: 50,000 won, B: 30,000 won 1577-5266 Nambu Bus Terminal Station, Line 3, Exits 4 & 5. Walk 5-10 minutes or take shuttle bus, or bus No. 12, 4429.

Oboist Francois Leleux Invitational Concert Concert Hall, Seoul Arts Center Oct 3, 2:30pm

Mystery of the Shark Seodaemun Museum of Natural History Thru Feb 27, 2011 Adults: 3,000 won, Youths (ages 13—18): 2,000 won, Children (ages 6—12): 1,000 won, Others: Free (02) 330-8899 At Sinchon Station, Line 2, Exit 1 (in the direction of Donggyo-dong), transfer to bus No. 110 or 7720. At Exit 3 (in front of Shinchon Rotary), transfer to green bus No. 03. At Hongje Station, Line 3, Exit 3 (in the direction of Muakjae), transfer to bus No. 7738 or 7739.

Ancient Japanese Culture Special Exhibit Seoul National University Museum Oct 14—Feb 28, 2011 Free (02) 880-5333 Seoul National University Station, Line 2, Exit 3. Take the green bus No. 5511. Get off in front of SNU Business School.

Ethnic Earthenware from Asia's Heart National Museum of Korea Thru Sep 11, 2011 Free (02) 2077-9000 Ichon Station, Lines 1 (Jungang line) & 4, Exit 2. Walk 150m towards Yongsan Family Park.

Grossology— The (Impolite) Science of the Human Body War Memorial of Korea Open Run 12,000 won (02) 541-3174 Walk three minutes from Samgakji Station, Line 6, Exits 11 & 12, or five minutes from Samgakji Station, Line 4, Exit 1.

VIP: 70,000 won, R: 50,000 won, S: 30,000 won, A: 20,000 won (031) 392-6422 Nambu Bus Terminal Station, Line 3, Exits 4 & 5. Walk 5-10 minutes or take shuttle bus, or bus No. 12, 4429.

2010 Oliver Kern with Eclat Kumho Art Hall Oct 3, 7:30pm 20,000 won (02) 586-0945 Gwanghwamun Station, Line 5, Exit 7. Walk 200m in the direction of Seodaemun.

Nam-Yun Kim Violin Recital Hoam Art Hall Oct 4, 8pm S: 50,000 won, A: 30,000 won (02) 751-9606~10 City Hall Station, Lines 1 & 2, Exit 9. Walk 5 minutes. The hall is located inside of the Joongang Ilbo bldg.

Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra— Mahler 2010 Series Ⅱ Concert Hall, Seoul Arts Center Oct 7, 8pm R: 50,000 won, S: 30,000 won, A: 20,000 won, B: 10,000 won 1588-1210 Nambu Bus Terminal Station, Line 3, Exits 4 & 5. Walk 5-10 minutes or take shuttle bus, or bus No. 12, 4429.

Conductor, James DePreist

Museums

Russia Novosibirsk State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre— Prince Igor Opera Theater, Seoul Arts Center Oct 7—8, 7:30pm / Oct 9, 5pm / Oct 10, 4pm VIP: 250,000 won, R: 200,000 won, S: 150,000 won, A: 100,000 won, B: 50,000 won (02) 2650-7481~2 Nambu Bus Terminal Station, Line 3, Exits 4 & 5. Walk 5-10 minutes or take shuttle bus, or bus No. 12, 4429.

Munus Ensemble— Latin & Tango Sejong M Theater, Sejong Center for the Performing Arts Oct 8, 8pm R: 66,000 won, S: 55,000 won, A: 44,000 won (02) 720-3933 Gwanghwamun Station, Line 5, Exits 1 & 8.

Budapest Festival Orchestra Concert Hall, Seoul Arts Center Oct 9, 8pm VIP: 170,000 won, R: 140,000 won, S: 110,000 won, A: 70,000 won, B: 30,000 won (02) 2000-6309 Nambu Bus Terminal Station, Line 3, Exits 4 & 5. Walk 5-10 minutes or take shuttle bus, or bus No. 12, 4429.

The Very First, The Very Best MIK Ensemble Sejong Chamber Hall, Sejong Center for the Performing Arts Oct 10, 5pm R: 66,000 won, S: 55,000 won (02) 2658-3546 Gwanghwamun Station, Line 5, Exits 1 & 8.

REDISCOVER YOUR ROOTS IN YEONCHEON Yeoncheon Jeongok-ri Paleolithic Festival (Oct 29—Nov 2)

ong ago, longer ago than we could ever imagine, people lived in Jeongok-ri. Since then, several new civilizations have risen and fallen, while these original people’s flesh and bones melted away in the red earth of Jeongok-ri, seemingly forgotten forever. But they left behind plenty of things that did not crumble away. It seemed we had forgotten that even the smallest pebble under the midday sun could be an essential tool to them. Yeoncheon Jeongok-ri Paleolithic Festival aims to meditate upon their hard lives and attain new status for their culture. Jeongok-ri in Yeoncheon is well known for its prehistoric site. The Paleolithic Festival aims to provide “edutainment”on the paleolithic and prehistoric culture found in the area through a variety of games, experience programs and educational activities under the theme of “the sound of breathing in Jeongok-ri.” Activities for the whole family to enjoy include a “prehistoric archaeology experience school,” a “prehistoric barbecue,”a “prehistoric experience international expo” and even education on “the use of fire by prehistoric people.” There will also be a farming life cultural experience program to give a taste of life down on the farm.

The main stage at the festival will see performances on paleolithic themes, on regional culture and for youngsters, giving chances to meet several stars. Fireworks displays, meanwhile, will light up the sky. Why not make your way to Jeongok-ri in Yeoncheon County, at the heart of the Korean Peninsula, and see exactly how fun celebrating prehistory can be?

Getting there Subway Line 1, Dongducheon Station. Take an overground commuter train bound for Sintanri and get off at Hantangangri Station.

More info See p. 60.

Violinist Dong-suk Kang`s Request Concert (with English Chamber Orchestra) Concert Hall, Seoul Arts Center Oct 13, 8pm R: 100,000 won, S: 80,000 won, A: 60,000 won, B: 40,000 won (02) 720-3933 Nambu Bus Terminal Station, Line 3, Exits 4 & 5. Walk 5-10 minutes or take shuttle bus, or bus No. 12, 4429.

Denis Sungho & Alcan Quartet 2010 Recital Mapo Arts Center Oct 14, 8pm R: 50,000 won, S: 40,000 won, A: 30,000 won (02) 3274-8600 travel & culture SEOUL 51

Goings on Around Town Daeheung Station, Line 6, Exit 2. Go straight and turn right at the intersection.

John O'conor Piano Recital Kumho Art Hall Oct 14, 8pm R: 30,000 won, S: 20,000 won, Youths: 8,000 won (02) 6303-7700 Gwanghwamun Station, Line 5, Exit 7. Walk 200m in the direction of Seodaemun.

Lendvay Violin Recital Concert Hall, Seoul Arts Center Oct 15, 8pm R: 100,000 won, S: 70,000 won, A: 50,000 won, B: 30,000 won (02) 3463-2466 Nambu Bus Terminal Station, Line 3, Exits 4 & 5. Walk 5-10 minutes or take shuttle bus, or bus No. 12, 4429.

Lucerne Festival Strings Concert Hall, Seoul Arts Center Oct 25, 8pm R: 100,000 won, S: 70,000 won, A: 50,000 won, B: 30,000 won (02) 599-5743 Nambu Bus Terminal Station, Line 3, Exits 4 & 5. Walk 5-10 minutes or take shuttle bus, or bus No. 12, 4429.

Nov 1, 8pm R: 100,000 won, S: 80,000 won, A: 60,000 won, B: 40,000 won 1577-5266 Nambu Bus Terminal Station, Line 3, Exits 4 & 5. Walk 5-10 minutes or take shuttle bus, or bus No. 12, 4429.

Alexander Melnikov Piano Recital Concert Hall, Seoul Arts Center Nov 6, 8pm R: 70,000 won, S: 50,000 won, A: 30,000 won, B: 20,000 won (02) 888-2698 Nambu Bus Terminal Station, Line 3, Exits 4 & 5. Walk 5-10 minutes or take shuttle bus, or bus No. 12, 4429.

Dance

Admission depends on program (02) 3216-1185, www.sidance.org

Arko Arts Theater Sep 29—Oct 19, 7:30pm

For three weeks this September and October, 58 dance groups from 20 countries perform at venues around the capital. Talented artists from Cuba, Italy, Israel, Spain, Japan, France, Portugal, Macedonia, Togo, Brazil, Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Lebanon, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, the U.S.A., Mexico and, of course, Korea, will drop in to Seoul to give a taste of the world’s best dance moves. Look out for the opening performance by Cuban DanzAbierta, which promises to be a spectacle best described by the phrase “electronic feeling on romantic beach of Cuba.” Also make extra sure to get a ticket to MASDANZA Special for promising next-generation choreographers, featuring none other than Seoul’s May 2010 cover model and dance genius Lee Sun-a...

20,000 won (02) 744-8066 Hyehwa Station, Line 4, Exit 2. Turn left and pass by Marronnier Park. The theater is located on your left.

Sejong Grand Theater, Sejong Center for the Performing Arts Oct 29, 7:30pm

S: 30,000 won, A: 20,000 won, B: 5,000 won (02) 2280-4115~6 Take shuttle bus at Dongguk Univ. Station, Line 3, Exit 2 or take yellow bus No. 2 at Exit 6.

R: 150,000 won, S: 100,000 won, A: 80,000 won (02) 548-4480 Gwanghwamun Station, Line 5, Exits 1 & 8.

'KB Haneul Youth Theater', National Theater of Korea Oct 29, 8pm / Oct 30, 3pm, 7pm 30,000 won (02) 2280-4115~6 Take shuttle bus at Dongguk Univ. Station, Line 3, Exit 2 or take yellow bus No. 2 at Exit 6.

Absolut Trio Guro Arts Valley Oct 31, 4pm 10,000 won (02) 2029-1700~1 Daerim Station, Line 2 & 7, Exit 4. Transfer to maeul bus No. 10, 11. Get off at Guro Community Center.

Yundi Li Piano Recital Concert Hall, Seoul Arts Center 52 SEOUL October 2010

Sep 30—Oct 20

The 31th Seoul Dance Festival

The Red Star Red Army Chorus and Dance Ensemble

Korea National Opera— Arang

13th Seoul International Dance Festival (SIDance 2010) Seoul Arts Center, Hoam Art Hall, Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, Sogang University Mary Hall and other venues

Ballet: Badisches Staatstheater Karlsruhe’s 'Midsummer Night’s Dream' Main Hall 'Hae', National Theater of Korea Oct 8, 8pm / Oct 9, 3pm VIP: 90,000 won, R: 70,000 won, S: 50,000 won, A: 30,000 won (02) 2280-4115~6 Take shuttle bus at Dongguk Univ. Station, Line 3, Exit 2 or take yellow bus No. 2 at Exit 6.

Ballet: Korea National Ballet—Prince Hodong Main Hall 'Hae', National Theater of Korea Oct 29, 8pm / Oct 30, 3pm, 7pm VVIP: 80,000 won, VIP: 60,000 won, R: 40,000 won,

Ballet: Universal Ballet— La Bayadere Opera Theater, Seoul Arts Center Oct 29—Nov 5, 7:30pm (weekdays), 3pm (weekends, no performances on Mondays) VIP:100,000 won, R: 80,000 won, S: 60,000 won, A: 20,000 won, B: 10,000 won 070-7124-1733 Nambu Bus Terminal Station, Line 3, Exits 4 & 5. Walk 5-10 minutes or take shuttle bus, or bus No. 12, 4429.

Musicals Café In Art One Theater

Thru Oct 3, 8pm (weekdays) / 4pm, 7pm (Sat) / 2pm, 6pm (Sun, no performances on Mondays) R: 45,000 won, S: 35,000 won (02) 3273-2223 Hyehwa Station, Line 4, Exit 2. Walk along the KFC alley. Turn right in front of Beer Cabin.

The Song of Corean Wonder Space Thru Oct 3, 8pm (weekdays) / 3pm, 7pm (Sat) / 2pm, 6pm (Sun, no performances on Mondays) 40,000 won (02) 747-5811 Hyehwa Station, Line 4, Exit 1. Walk straight and turn right in front of Changjo Concert Hall. Turn left to the alley along Sangbaekgol. Wonder Space is located at the end of the alley.

Kim Jun-soo Musical Concert—Levay with Friends Gymnasium No. 1, Olympic Park

Oct 7—8, 8pm / Oct 9, 7pm / Oct 10, 4pm VIP: 120,000 won, Floor R: 110,000 won, R: 99,000 won, S: 88,000 won, A: 77,000 won, B: 55,000 won Tickets: http://ticket.interpark. com/global 1544-1682 Olympic Park Station, Line 5, Exit 3.

Richard O'Brien's ‘Rocky Horror Show’ (Original Broadway Cast) Artium, COEX Thru Oct 10, 8pm (Tue, Thu— Fri) / 4pm, 8pm (Wed) / 3pm, 7:30pm (weekends) R: 110,000 won, S: 88,000 won, A: 66,000 won Tickets: http://ticket.interpark. com/global www.musicalrocky.com Samseong Station, Line 2, Exits 5 & 6.

The Sorrows of Young Werther Universal Arts Center Oct 22—Nov 30, 8pm (weekdays) / 3pm, 7pm (Sat) / 2pm, 6pm (Sun, no performances on Mondays) R: 100,000 won, S: 80,000 won, A: 60,000 won, B: 40,000 won (02) 501-7888 Achasan Station, Line 5, Exit 4. Walk 3 minutes.

The Palace (Gung), the Musical Theater Yong, National Museum of Korea Thru Oct 24, 8pm (weekdays, Sep 21—23) / 3pm, 7pm (weekends, no performances on Mondays) R: 80,000 won, S: 60,000 won Tickets: http://ticket.interpark. com/global Ichon Station, Lines 1 (Jungang line) & 4, Exit 2. Walk 150m towards Yongsan Family Park.

Party + Musical: The Twelfth Night Daehangno Starcity Thru Oct 26, 8pm (Mon—Thu) / 5pm, 9pm (Fri) / 3pm, 6pm (weekends) VIP couple seat: 120,000 won, Andrew proposal seat: 100,000 won, Adults: 40,000 won, Univ. Students: 30,000 won, Youths: 20,000 won (02) 567-2123 Hyehwa Station, Line 4, Exit 3.

Rock of Age Woori Art Hall, Olympic Park Thru Oct 30, 8pm (Tue—Thu) / 4pm, 8pm (Fri—Sat) / 3pm, 7pm (Sun) VIP: 120,000 won, R: 100,000 won, S: 80,000 won, A: 60,000 won, B: 40,000 won (02) 764-7858~9 Olympic Park Station, Line 5, Exit 3.

Grease Chungmu Art Hall Sep 29—Oct 31, 8pm (weekays) / 3pm, 7pm (Sat) / 2pm, 6pm (Sun & holidays, no performances on Mondays)

/ 3pm, 7pm (weekends, no performances on Mondays) Weekdays— S: 77,000 won, R: 88,000 won / Weekends— S: 88,000 won, R: 99,000 won (02) 708-5001~3 Jongno 5-ga Station, Line 1, Exit 1. Walk 30m along 5-ga pharmacy alley.

42nd Street Charlotte Theater Sep 29—Nov 21, 8pm (Mon— Tue, Thu) / 3pm, 8pm (Wed, Fri—Sat) VIP: 120,000 won, R: 100,000 won, S: 80,000 won, A: 50,000 won, B: 30,000 won (02) 501-7888 Jamsil Station, Lines 2 & 8, Exit 3. Walk straight beside Lotte Dept. Store and cross the road. Walk straight and turn right.

The Great Gatsby Art One Theater

Oct 15—Dec 31, 8pm (weekdays) / 3pm, 7pm (Sat) / 3pm (Sun, no performances on Mondays) R: 50,000 won, S: 40,000 won, A: 20,000 won (02) 1577-2365 Hyehwa Station, Line 4, Exit 2. Walk along the KFC alley. Turn right in front of Beer Cabin.

Theater Shaubühne Berlin— Hamlet Namsan Arts Center Sep 29—Oct 1, 8pm Adults: 30,000 won, Youths: 20,000 won (02) 758-2150 Myeong-dong Station, Line 4, Exit 1. Turn around and walk about 300m along the hill on your right. Cross the road. The center is located next to 7-eleven convenience store.

VIP: 70,000 won, R: 60,000 won, S: 50,000 won, A: 30,000 won 1588-5212 Sindang Station, Line 6, Exit 9. Walk 50m in the direction of Dongdaemun Stadium.

Without You (with Anthony Rapp) KT&G Sangsang Art Hall Oct 16—31, 8pm (weekdays) / 3pm, 7pm (weekends, no performances on Mondays) Special section: 88,000 won, R: 66,000 won, S: 44,000 won Tickets: http://ticket.interpark. com/global 1544-1682 Samseong Station, Line 2, Exit 2. Walk 100m.

Rock Musical: Tick, Tick... BOOM! Chungmu Art Hall Sep 30—Nov 7, 8pm (weekdays) / 3pm, 7pm (Sat) / 2pm, 6pm (Sun, no performances on Mondays) R: 50,000 won, S: 40,000 won 1544-1555 Sindang Station, Line 6, Exit 9. Walk 50m in the direction of Dongdaemun Stadium.

Seopyeonje, the Musical Doosan Art Center Thru Nov 7, 8pm (weekdays)

The 5th Theatre Olympics in Seoul Daehangno Area, National Theater of Korea, Myeongdong Theater, Namsan Arts Center Sep 24—Nov 7 Admission depends on program (02) 747-2903 www.theatreolympics.or.kr If theater fans are feeling left out by the embarrassment of music and dance riches this month, they need worry no longer because the 5th Theatre Olympics in Seoul is running throughout October at the National Theater of Korea and other venues in Myeong-dong, Mt. Namsan and Daehangno. On the theme of “Sarang: Love and Humanity,” this year’s Theatre Olympics feature the work of world renowned directors such as Robert Wilson, Suzuki Tadashi, Thomas Ostermeier and others.

travel & culture SEOUL 53

Goings on Around Town Seoul Performing Arts Festival 2010 (SPAF)

Arko Arts Theater, Seoul Arts Center, Sejong Center, Gwanghwamun Square, Namsan Arts Center and other venues Oct 2—Nov 14 Admission depends on program (02) 3673-2561~4 www.spaf.or.kr

Slovak Chamber Theater—Tango Small Hall 'Dal', National Theater of Korea Oct 21—22, 8pm / Oct 23, 3pm R: 50,000 won, S: 30,000 won, A: 20,000 won (02) 2280-4115~6 Take shuttle bus at Dongguk Univ. Station, Line 3, Exit 2 or take yellow bus No. 2 at Exit 6.

Jungdo, Chuncheon-si, Gangwon-do Oct 1—3 For one day: 33,000 won, two days: 77,000 won, three days: 88,000 won 070-7725-0385 www.musiccamping.com It takes two hours to get from Seoul to Chuncheon by express bus.

Cyrano de Bergerac Myeongdong Theater Oct 22—Jan 14, 2011, 7:30pm (weekdays) / 3pm (weekends, no performances on Mondays)

Goyang Lake-Park Arts Festival 2010 Goyang Lake Park Oct 7—10

Free (except performance 'Red Shoes') (031) 960-9717~8, www.gylaf.kr Jeongbalsan Station, Line 3, Exit 2.

Performing Arts Market in Seoul (PAMS) National Theater of Korea Oct 11—15 On-site registration required (02) 742-8191 www.pams.or.kr Take shuttle bus at Dongguk Univ. Station, Line 3, Exit 2, or take yellow bus No. 2 at Exit 6.

D. Festa Daehangno Area Oct 11—Nov 7 Admission depends on program (02) 741-4188, http://cafe.daum. net/2008D-FESTA Hyehwa Station, Line 4.

33 Variations Dongsoong Art Center Oct 15—Nov 28, 8pm (weekdays) / 3pm, 7pm (Sat) / 3pm (Sun, no performances on Mondays) R: 50,000 won, S: 40,000 won, A: 20,000 won (02) 766-3390 Hyehwa Station, Line 4, Exit 1. Turn right along CONUS. Walk 100m towards the hill on your right. The center is located on your left. 54 SEOUL October 2010

Theater Yong, National Museum of Korea Oct 30—Dec 31, 2pm (Tue, Wed) / 8pm (Thu) / 2pm, 8pm (Fri) / 2pm, 6pm (Sat) / 2pm (Sun)

2010 Gap Born To Rock Concert AX-Korea Oct 2, 3pm 25,000 won (02) 3444-9989 www.gapconcert.com Gwangnaru Station, Line 5, Exit 2. Cross the road, turn left and walk 5 minutes. The hall is located behind the youth center.

Lasse Lindh V-Hall Oct 2, 7pm / Oct 3, 6pm

R: 50,000 won, S: 35,000 won, A: 20,000 won 1644-2003 Euljiro 1-ga Station, Line 2, Exit 6. Walk straight and turn left at the Myeong-dong Intrance. Walk a couple minutes and you'll be able to find the theater on your left.

Take Care of Mom

20,000 won (02) 322-8488 www.letsrock.co.kr Mapo-gu Office Station, Line 6, Exit 7. Transfer to bus No. 8773.

2010 Let's SPRIS Rock Festival Vol.4 Hangang River Nanji Area Oct 2, 12pm

44,000 won http://cafe.daum.net/inFREEDOM Hongik Univ. Station, Line 2, Exit 5. Go straight and turn left at the intersection. Cross the road in front of Richemont Bakery. Walk along the GS25 alley. The club is on your left.

Inger Marie

R: 60,000 won, S: 50,000 won, A: 40,000 won 1544-1555 Ichon Station, Lines 1 (Jungang line) & 4, Exit 2. Walk 150m towards Yongsan Family Park.

The World Festival of National Theaters National Theater of Korea Thru Oct 31 Admission depends on program (02) 2280-4115~6 www.ntok.go.kr Take shuttle bus at Dongguk Univ. Station, Line 3, Exit 2 or take yellow bus No. 2 at Exit 6.

2010 Global Gathering Korea (feat. Fatboy Slim and more) Hangang River Nanji Area Oct 9, 2pm

Concerts Jazz: Love Actually Dream Hall, KT Olleh Square Everyday except Monday 1,000 won 1577-5599 Gwanghwamun Station, Line 5, Exit 2.

2010 Playground Music & Camping Festival (feat. Tahiti 80 and more)

99,000 won Tickets: http://ticket.interpark.com/global (02) 322-2406 www.globalgatheringkorea.co.kr Sangsu Station, Line 6, Exit 1. Transfer to shuttle bus (scheduled every 15 minutes). / Mapo-gu Office Station, Line 6, Exit 7. Transfer to bus No. 8773. Well known as the massive global dance music festival that brought global names like the Prodigy, Underworld and Röyksopp to Korea, Global Gathering is back for 2010. This year’s line-up makes typically dazzling reading: Fatboy Slim, Armin van Buuren, Justice, Idiotape, Seoulscape, Vesper MJ, Risque Rhythm Machine, Astro Voize, Shut Da Mouth, Fhifan, J-Path, Mongoloid, ST80 and Boris (Lazy B). So don’t spend the night of October 9 rock climbing or knitting or making a Lego Death Star or gambling at an illegal poker den— make sure you get to Global Gathering Korea.

A: 11,000 won (02) 3274-8600 Daeheung Station, Line 6, Exit 2. Go straight and turn right at the intersection.

Seoul Soul Festival 2010 (feat. Sean Kingston, Musiq Soulchild and more)

Jarasum International Jazz Festival Jara Island, Gapyeong-gun, Gyeonggi-do Oct 15—17 For one day: 25,000 won, two days: 40,000 won, three days: 50,000 won Tickets: http://ticket.interpark.com/global (031) 581-2813~4 www.jarasumjazz.com Jamsil Station, Lines 2 & 8. Transfer to bus No. 7000 and get off at Gapyeong. Nature, family, relaxation and music. All these are available in abundance at this popular autumn festival not far from Seoul. This year sees the likes of The Watts Project with Jeff “Tain” Watts featuring Branford Marsalis, Terence Blanchard and Robert Hurst; Dutch funk saxophonist and vocalist Candy Dulfer; another leading saxophonist from the Netherlands in the form of Yuri Honing; busy Swedish trombonist Nils Landgren; trumpet and flugelhorn master Paolo Fresu; pianist, singer, composer and arranger Tania Maria and her trio; The DIZZY GILLESPIE™ ALL-STARS featuring The Heath Brothers; double bassist and composer Kyle Eastwood; guitar tapper Stanley Jordan; Swiss trio Rusconi; and prolific pianist Michel Bisceglia. Don’t miss it.

Mapo Arts Center Oct 3, 6pm R: 60,000 won, S: 50,000 won, A: 30,000 won (02) 3274-8600 Daeheung Station, Line 6, Exit 2. Go straight and turn right at the intersection.

Rufus Wainwright AX-Korea Oct 10, 6pm 99,000 won Tickets: http://ticket.interpark. com/global (02) 563-0595 Gwangnaru Station, Line 5, Exit 2. Cross the road, turn left and walk 5 minutes. The hall is located behind the youth center.

The RockTigers & Conny and Red Hots Joint Concert V-Hall Oct 16, 7pm 25,000 won www.rocktigers.com Hongik Univ. Station, Line 2, Exit 5. Go straight and turn left at the intersection. Cross the road in front of Richemont Bakery. Walk along the GS25 alley. The club is on your left.

Placebo—Live in Seoul AX-Korea Oct 21, 8pm 99,000 won (02) 517-0394 Gwangnaru Station, Line 5, Exit 2. Cross the road, turn left and walk 5 minutes. The hall is located behind the youth center.

Grand Mint Festival 2010 (feat. Teenage Fanclub) Olympic Park Oct 23—24 For one day: 75,000 won, two days: 110,000 won Tickets: http://ticket.interpark. com/global (02) 322-0014 www.grandmintfestival.com Olympic Park Station, Line 5, Exit 3.

Sarah Brightman Live in Korea in 2010 Jamsil Indoor Gymnasium Oct 26, 8pm

Shadows Fall— Live in Seoul Ye-Hall Oct 10, 6pm

'KB Haneul Youth Theater', National Theater of Korea Oct 3, 7pm 10,000 won (02) 2280-4115~6 Take shuttle bus at Dongguk Univ. Station, Line 3, Exit 2 or take yellow bus No. 2 at Exit 6.

12th Ssamzie Sound Festival

Keith Jarrett, Gary Peacock, Jack Dejohnette—Trio Concert in Seoul 2010

10,000 won www.ssamziesoundfestival.com Gongneung Station, Line 6, Exit 1.

VIP: 200,000 won, R: 150,000 won, S: 100,000 won,

For one day: 88,000 won (Eve: 77,000 won) Tickets: http://ticket.interpark. com/global Walk 3 minutes from Samgakji Station, Line 6, Exits 11 & 12. Or walk 5 minutes from Samgakji Station, Line 4, Exit 1.

A: 70,000 won, B: 50,000 won (02) 399-1114~6 Gwanghwamun Station, Line 5, Exits 1 & 8.

Techno Live Concert: Project GAS by Wolfgang Voigt

Sejong Grand Theater, Sejong Center for the Performing Arts Oct 6, 8pm

Peace Square, War Memorial of Korea Oct 9—10 (Eve of SSF: Oct 8, 8pm)

/ Kuchu-Camp: Sinchon Station, Line 2, Exit 1. Transfer to bus No. 273 or 7011. Get off at Sanwoollim Theater bus stop. Cross the road and walk by Buy the Way. KuchuCamp is located on your left.

Seoul National Univ. of Science and Technology Oct 9, 1pm

Renaissance—The 1st & Last Concert in Seoul Mapo Arts Center Oct 9, 7pm / Oct 10, 6pm R: 130,000 won, S: 120,000 won,

Around 50,000 won http://cafe.daum.net/inFREEDOM Apgujeong Station, Line 3, Exit 2. Turn around and go right at the corner. Walk straight and cross the road. After you passed Kookmin Bank, turn right and walk 30m. The venue is located on your right.

VIP: 220,000 won, R: 165,000 won, S: 99,000 won Tickets: http://ticket.interpark. com/global (02) 3141-3488 Sports Complex Station, Line 2, Exit 6 or 7.

Fishmans & More Feelings Festival Hangang Floating Stage / KuchuCamp Oct 13, 5pm / Oct 14, 7pm For one day: 50,000 won (02) 338-7917 http://kuchu-camp.net Hangang Floating Stage: Yeouinaru Station, Line 5, Exit 2.

Hatebreed travel & culture SEOUL 55

Goings on Around Town V-Hall Oct 30, 6pm 60,000 won (02) 333-7677 Hongik Univ. Station, Line 2, Exit 5. Go straight and turn left at the intersection. Cross the road in front of Richemont Bakery. Walk along the GS25 alley. The club is on your left.

Mew—Live in Seoul AX-Korea Nov 13, 8pm 88,000 won (02) 323-2838 Gwangnaru Station, Line 5, Exit 2. Cross the road, turn left and walk 5 minutes. The hall is located behind the youth center.

5,000 won (02) 747-3809 www.indiegugak.com Anguk Station, Line 3, Exit 3. Walk straight until you see the stone wall of Changdeokgung Palace. Turn left and pass Wonseo Park. The theater is located in the left alley.

Stone Jazz 'Crossover Korean Soul' Changdeokgung Theater Sep 25—Nov 20, Every Saturday, 7pm

Free (02) 742-7273 Jongno 3-ga Station, Lines 1, 3 & 5, Exit 7. Walk 300m. The theater is in the Dongwon Bldg.

Flaming Lips— Live in Seoul AX-Korea Nov 20, 7pm

AX-Korea Nov 29, 8pm 99,000 won Tickets: http://ticket.interpark. com/global (02) 563-0595 Gwangnaru Station, Line 5, Exit 2. Cross the road, turn left and walk 5 minutes. The hall is located behind the youth center.

National Orchestra of Korea—Eobusasisa Main Hall 'Hae', National Theater of Korea Oct 1, 8pm / Oct 2, 3pm

R: 50,000 won, S: 30,000 won, A: 20,000 won (02) 2280-4115~6 Take shuttle bus at Dongguk Univ. Station, Line 3, Exit 2 or take yellow bus No. 2 at Exit 6.

Admission depends on program (063) 232-8398 www.sorifestival.com It takes three hours to get from Seoul to Jeonju by express bus.

Morning of Changgyeong Palace

Bukchon Changwoo Theater Every Tue, Wed, Fri, Sat, 7:30pm thru Nov 6

56 SEOUL October 2010

40th Yupa Pansori Festival

Yeakdang, National Center for Korean Traditional Performing Arts Oct 8, 7pm / Oct 9, 3pm S: 30,000 won, A: 20,000 won (02) 566-9457 www.koreapansori.com Nambu Bus Terminal Station, Line 3, Exit 5. Transfer to green bus No. 12 or 4429.

Center for the Performing Arts Oct 27—28, 7:30pm R: 100,000 won, S: 80,000 won, A: 60,000 won, B: 40,000 won, C: 20,000 won (02) 396-0514 Gwanghwamun Station, Line 5, Exits 1 & 8.

Korean Dance Ulsan Metropolitan Dance Company— Sinmyeong: 1,000 Years of Light Main Hall 'Hae', National Theater of Korea Oct 5—6, 8pm R: 30,000 won, S: 20,000 won, A: 10,000 won (02) 2280-4115~6 Take shuttle bus at Dongguk Univ. Station, Line 3, Exit 2 or take yellow bus No. 2 at Exit 6.

Free (02) 580-3054 Nambu Bus Terminal Station, Line 3, Exit 5. Transfer to green bus No. 12 or 4429.

Jeonju-si, Jeollabuk-do Oct 1—5

2010 Myriade Wave Concert

Free (Admission required for palace entrance) (02) 580-6133, www.gung.or.kr Gyeongbokgung Station, Line 3, Exit 5.

Byeolmajiteo, National Center for Korean Traditional Performing Arts Oct, 10, 4pm

Jeonju International Sori Festival

Korean Music

Sujeongjeon, Gyeongbokgung Palace Oct 3, 3pm

The Hillsides of Mt. Umyeonsan Green Concert

99,000 won Tickets: http://ticket.interpark. com/global info_english@mpmg.co.kr Gwangnaru Station, Line 5, Exit 2. Cross the road, turn left and walk 5 minutes. The hall is located behind the youth center.

Jónsi— The 1st Live in Seoul

Korean Traditional Music at Gyeongbokgung Palace

Changgyeonggung Palace Oct 2, 7:30am

Free (online reservation required) (02) 580-3300 www.gugak.go.kr Hyehwa Station, Line 4, Exit 3. After walking straight for 100 meters, take a right and traverse the Seoul National University medical campus. Once you reach the big road, take a right and you will see the main gate of the palace across the street.

The 13th Seopyeongje Boseong Sori Festival

Boseong Indoor Gymnasium, Seopyeonje Boseong Sori Hall Oct 16—17

Free (061) 852-5225~6 www.boseong.go.kr/sorifastival It takes four hours to get from Seoul to Gwangju by express bus. Transfer to bus for Boseong.

The National Orchestra Company of Korea— Noon Recital with Hwang Byung-ki Main Hall 'Hae', National Theater of Korea Oct 19, 11am

10,000 won (02) 2280-4115~6 Take shuttle bus at Dongguk Univ. Station, Line 3, Exit 2 or take yellow bus No. 2 at Exit 6.

Digital Dance: In a Cycle Seongam Art Hall Oct 7, 8pm 10,000 won 010-8712-3438, www.saart.co.kr Gangnam-gu Office Station, Line 7, Exit 2. Walk 10 mintues. Seongam Art Hall is located on the alley of your right.

Mask Dance: Cheoyongmu (Dance of Cheoyong) Umyeondang, National Center for Korean Traditional Performing Arts Oct 10, 5pm Free 011-737-6336 Nambu Bus Terminal Station, Line 3, Exit 5. Transfer to green bus No. 12 or 4429.

Gugak Concert, Dadam

Umyeondang, National Center for Korean Traditional Performing Arts Oct 26, 11am 10,000 won (02) 580-3300 Nambu Bus Terminal Station, Line 3, Exit 5. Transfer to green bus No. 12 or 4429.

Jang Sa-ik—Yeok

Sejong Grand Theater, Sejong

Korean Theater Andong Maskdance Festival 2010 Andong-si and vicinity, Gyeongsangbuk-do

Sep 24—Oct 3 Admission depends on program (054) 840-6398, 841-6397~8 www.maskdance.com It takes three hours to get from Seoul to Andong by express bus.

Art Exhibitions Blooming Itaewon Special Exhibition by Expat Artists

Gallery Through Thru Sep 30

Free (02) 3444-9700 Itaewon Station, Line 6, Exit 2. Take a left turn at Chosun Antique.

A Tour of World Architecture in Currencies Architecture

Bank of Korea Museum Thru Oct 3

Chunhyang 2010 Main Hall 'Hae', National Theater of Korea Oct 14—15, 8pm / Oct 16—17, 3pm VIP: 70,000 won, R: 50,000 won, S: 30,000 won, A: 20,000 won (02) 2280-4115~6 Take shuttle bus at Dongguk Univ. Station, Line 3, Exit 2 or take yellow bus No. 2 at Exit 6.

Free (02) 759-4881~2 Hoehyeon Station, Line 4, Exit 7. Turn left throught the alley besides Outback Steak House. Go straight till you see the main street. The museum is located on the opposite side of the street.

Lee Sang-hyun— Caligraphy Caligraphy

Hangeul Gallery, The Story of Sejong Thru Oct 3

Seoul Design Fair 2010

Sway

Design

Contemporary Art

Jamsil Sports Complex and four design clusters (Dongdaemun DDP District, Mapo Hongdae District, Guro Digital Complex, Gangnam Sinsa-dong District) Thru Oct 7 Free (02) 412-0729, 0745 http://sdf.seoul.go.kr Jamsil Sports Complex—Sports Complex Station, Line 2, Exit 6 or 7.

Handcraft

aT Center Oct 5—8 Free (02) 2698-0003, www.kocap.or.kr Yangjae Station, Line 3, Exit 7. Transfer to bus No. 470 or 471 and get off at Yangjae Flower Market.

Realism in Asian Art Asian Contemporary Art

National Museum of Art. Deoksugung Thru Oct 10 Adults: 5,000 won, Youths: 2,500 won (02) 2188-6000 City Hall Station, Line 1, Exit 2 or Line 2, Exit 12. The museum is located inside of Deoksugung Palace.

Free (02) 399-1150~4 Gwanghwamun Station, Line 5, Exits 2 & 3.

Seoul Namsan Gukakdang Thru Oct 24, 8pm (weekdays) / 3pm (weekends, no performances on Mondays) Adults: 30,000 won, Youths: 20,000 won (02) 2261-0514 Chungmuro Station, Lines 3 & 4, Exits 3 & 4. Walk 200m along the alley between Dongguk Univ. Culture Contents Complex and Maeil Business Newspaper bldg.

Arario Gallery, Seoul Thru Oct 10

North Pavilion of Jamsil Main Stadium, Jamsil Sports Complex Thru Oct 7 Free (02) 120, www.sdaexhibition.com Sports Complex Station, Line 2, Exit 6 or 7.

The Essence Contemporary of British Art

Painting

Marble Art

Design

Free (02) 760-4850~2 Hyehwa Station, Line 4, Exit 2. Turn left and pass by Marronnier Park. The center is located on your right.

Kim Myung-sook— The Work for Workers

Subodh Gupta

Seoul Design Assets Exhibition

Arko Art Center Thru Oct 13

Adults: 4,000 won, Youths: 3,000 won, Children: 2,000 won (031) 783-8041~6 Imae Station, Bundang Line, Exit 1.

Adults: 5,000 won, Youths: 2,500 won (02) 2188-6000 Seoul Grand Park Station, Line 4, Exit 4. Take the shuttle bus.

Romeo & Juliet (English subtitles available)

Special Exhibition

Seongnam Arts Center Museum of Art Thru Oct 14

National Museum of Contemporary Art Thru Oct 3

R: 50,000 won, S: 30,000 won, A: 20,000 won (02) 738-8289 Samseong Station, Line 2, Exits 5 & 6.

Centennial Celebration of Yi Sang's Birth (Yi’s Emergence)

British Contemporary Art

La Sombra del Habla. Colección MACBA

Artium, COEX Oct 16—24

Free (02) 736-0900 Anguk Station, Line 3, Exit 6. Walk along Insa-gil Road. Ssamziegil is located on your left. The gallery is located inside the building (B1 fl.).

Korean Craft Fair

The Shadow of Speech

TAAL Performance

Gallery Bob Thru Oct 10

Free (02) 723-6190 Anguk Station, Line 3, Exit 1. Walk 5 minutes in the direction of Jeongdok Public Library. The gallery is located on your left.

Savina Museum of Contemporary Art Thru Oct 15 Adults: 2,000 won, Youths: 1,000 won (02) 736-4371, 4410 Anguk Station, Line 3, Exit 1. Turn left at the exit. Turn left in front of the Post Office.

Daze— Solo Exhibition Graffiti

Watergate Gallery, Seoul Thru Oct 16 Free (02) 540-3213, 2332 Hakdong Station, Line 7, Exit 1. Walk straight and turn right at the intersection. Walk 50m.

travel & culture SEOUL 57

Goings on Around Town Korean Painting Fantasy Korean Painting

Nam Seoul Annex Building of Seoul Museum of Art Thru Oct 16 Free (02) 598-6247 Sadang Station, Lines 2 & 4, Exit 6. Walk 1 minute.

a New Space Installation Art

Goyang Oulimnuri Arts Complex, Goyang-si Thru Oct 24 3,000 won (031) 960-9730 Wondang Station, Line 3, Exit 4. Walk in the direction of the underground motorways. Turn left and walk 15 minutes through the alley of Oulim apt.

4429.

Kwon Ki-soo— Solo Exhibition Contemporary Art

Gwangju Biennale 2010—10000 LIVES

Free (02) 6325-3400 City Hall Station, Line 2, Exit 10. The gallery is located in Korean Air bldg.

Biennale

Ilwoo Space Thru Oct 31

Haegue Yang— Voice Over Three Contemporary Art

Art Sonje Center Thru Oct 24

Adults: 3,000 won, Students: 1,500 won (02) 733-8945 Anguk Station, Line 3, Exit 1. Walk 7 minutes in the direction of Jeongdok Public Library.

Kim Ji-eun— Planned Obsolescence Installation Art

Brain Factory Thru Oct 17

Free (02) 725-9520 Gyeongbokgung Station, Line 3, Exit 5. Walk along the west side of the walls of Gyeongbokgung Palace. You will find Brain Factory on the corner at the first traffic light.

Theo Jansen— Animals Modular Kinetic Art

Gwacheon National Science Museum Thru Oct 17 Adults: 13,000 won, Youths: 8,000 won, Kindergardeners: 4,000 won 1566-0329 www.theojansen.co.kr Seoul Grand Park Station, Line 4, Exit 5.

Extended Senses Installation, Media, Photography

Alternative Space LOOP Thru Oct 23

Free (02) 3141-1074, 1377 Hongik Univ. Station, Line 2, Exit 4. Turn right and turn left along Buy the Way convinient store. Walk 5 minutes. LOOP is located on your left.

Invitation to

58 SEOUL October 2010

Marking the 100th Anniversary of the 1910 Japan`s forced annexation of Korea: Road of Writing brush, Road of History Caligraphy

V-Gallery, Seoul Arts Center Thru Oct 24 Adults: 3,000 won, Students: 2,000 won (02) 580-1660 Nambu Bus Terminal Station, Line 3, Exits 4 & 5. Walk 5-10 minutes or take shuttle bus, or bus No. 12, 4429.

Holidays & Nights: (02) 2124-8800 City Hall Station, Line 1, Exit 1 or Line 2, Exits 11 & 12. Walk 5 minutes.

Shin Sung-hy—Nouage Nouage

Gallery Hyundai Thru Oct 31 Free (02) 734-6111~3 Anguk Station, Line 3, Exit 1. Walk along Samcheong-dong street. The gallery is located on your right.

Works in the Open Air Special Exhibiton

Gyeonggi Museum of Modern Art, Ansan-si Thru Oct 31 Free (031) 481-7007~9 Gongdan Station, Line 4, Exit 1. Walk 15 minutes in the direction of Choji sports arena intersection.

Gwangju Biennale Hall and other venues in Gwangju Thru Nov 7 Throughout the exhibition period— Adults: 30,000 won, Youths: 20,000 won, Children: 10,000 won One day—Adults: 14,000 won, Youths: 5,000 won, Children: 3,000 won (062) 608-4114 www.gb.or.kr It takes three hours to get from Seoul (Yongsan Station) to Gwangju by KTX. Take a cab. It will take another 10 minutes to get to the venue.

Over the Rainbow— 9 Journeys of Dorothy in the Museumland Contemporary Art

Sungkok Art Museum Thru Nov 7 Adults: 5,000 won, Students: 3,000 won (02) 737-7650 Gwanghwamun Station, Line 5, Exit 7. Walk in the direction of Seodaemun. Turn right at the alley between the Salvation Army Hall and the Seoul History Museum and walk 300m.

The Masters of Korean Modern and Contemporary Art

Onggi Expo Ulsan Korea 2010

Michael Anderson— Happy Mascots

Pottery

Paintings, Drawings

Modern and Contemporary Art

Adults: 7,000 won, Youths: 5,000 won, Children: 4,000 won (052) 257-8830 www.onggiexpo.com It takes about five hours to get from Seoul to Ulsan by express bus.

Free (02) 2666-4450 Anguk Station, Line 3, Exit 5. At B1 of the SK-HUB bldg., there is a place called "Art Center". Pass by several galleries, then you can see an open-air garden outside. Jay Gallery is located there at the open-air garden.

Adults: 12,000 won, Children: 11,000 won (02) 789-5663 Yeouinaru Station, Line 5, Exit 4. Walk 80m in the direction of MBC.

Oegosan Onggi Village, Ulju-gun, Ulsan Sep 30—Oct 24

Jay Gallery Oct 6—Nov 2

Formula One, The Great Design Race Design

Hangaram Design Museum, Seoul Arts Center Thru Oct 31 Adults: 12,000 won, Students: 10,000 won, Children: 8,000 won (02) 580-1705 www.sac.or.kr/f1 Nambu Bus Terminal Station, Line 3, Exits 4 & 5. Walk 5-10 minutes or take shuttle bus, or bus No. 12,

Analog Forest Outdoor Exhibition

Seoul Museum of Art Thru Nov 7 Adults: 700 won, Youths: 300 won, Others: Free Weekdays: (02) 120,

63 Art Hall, 63 Sky Art Thru Nov 7

DMC Media Art Festival Media Art

Digital Media City Thru Nov 9 Free (02) 120, 340-9965 3153-7134, http://sedco.sba.kr www.curator.or.kr DMC Station, Line 6, Exit 2. Transfer to bus No. 7711 or 7730 and get off at Sangam Worldcup Park 5-danji Apt.

Media City Seoul 2010— Trust Media Art Biennale

Seoul Museum of Art and other venues

Thru Nov 17 Adults: 3,000 won (ages 20—23: 2,000 won) (02) 2124-8981 www.mediacityseoul.org Seoul Museum of Art—City Hall Station, Line 1, Exit 1 or Line 2, Exits 11 & 12. Walk 5 minutes.

Busan Biennale 2010— Living in Evolution Biennale

Busan Mouseum of Art and other venues of Busan Thru Nov 20

Photo Exhibit

Da Vinci, the Genius

Photography

Traveling Exhibition

Hangaram Art Museum, Seoul Arts Center Oct 29—Dec 8 Adults: 10,000 won, Youths: 8,000 won, Kindergardeners: 6,000 won 1544-1681 www.ngphoto.co.kr Nambu Bus Terminal Station, Line 3, Exits 4 & 5. Walk 5-10 minutes or take shuttle bus, or bus No. 12, 4429.

Adults: 7,000 won, Students: 4,000 won (051) 503-6111 http://2010.busanbiennale.org It takes three hours to get from Seoul to Busan by KTX.

SOMA Museum of Art Thru Nov 21

Adults: 3,000 won, Youths: 2,000 won, Children: 1,000 won (02) 425-1077 Mongchontoseong Station, Line 8, Exit 2. Inside the Gate of Peace, walk 200m to the right.

Korea Drama Festival 2010 Jinju-si, Gyeongsangnam-do Oct 1—12

No More Daughters & Heroes Special Overseas Exchange Exhibit

Goyang Aramnuri Arts Complex, Goyang-si Oct 7—Dec 12 Adults: 3,000 won, Youths: 2,000 won 1577-7766 Walk from Jeongbalsan Station, Line 3, Exit 3.

Forgotten War, the Division of Reality Painting

National Museum of Contemporary Art Thru Dec 26 Free (02) 2188-6000 Seoul Grand Park Station, Line 4, Exit 4. Take the shuttle bus.

Inside Paul Smith… his Art, his hotography, his World Special Exhibition

Daelim Contemporary Art Museum Thru Nov 28 Adults: 4,000 won, Students: 2,000 won (02) 720-0667 Gyeongbokgung Station, Line 3, Exit 4. Walk 5 minutes in the direction of the Blue House.

Yuki Onodera Photography

The Museum of Photography, Seoul Thru Dec 4 Free (02) 418-1315 Mongchontoseong Station, Line 8, Exit 2. The gallery is located on the 19th fl. of Hanmi Tower.

National Geographic

Adults: 15,000 won, Youths: 12,000 won (02) 541-3174 www.davincithegenius.com www.davincithegenius.co.kr Walk 3 minutes from Samgakji Station, Line 6, Exits 11 & 12. Or walk 5 minutes from Samgakji Station, Line 4, Exit 1.

Festivals

Korean Avant-Garde Drawing 1970-2000 Korean Avant-Garde Drawing

War Memorial of Korea Sep 28—Feb 27, 2011

Free (online reservation required) (055) 755-2363 www.kdfo.org It takes more than three hours to get from Seoul to Jinju by express bus.

Suwan Station, Line 1. Transfer to bus No. 2, 7, 7-2, 8 or 13 to get to Jongno Intersection (Hwaseong Haenggung).

2010 The Great Battle of Myeongryang Festival Usuyeong Tourist Site, Haenamgun & Nokjin Tourist Site, Jindogun, Jeollanam-do Oct 8—10 Free (061) 286-5251 www.myeongryang.com It takes more than three hours to get from Seoul to Mokpo by express bus. Take the shuttle bus at Mokpo Terminal.

Seoul International Fireworks Festival Yeoeuido Hangang Park Oct 9, 7:30pm Free www.bulnori.com Daebang Station, Line 1; Yeouinaru, Yeouido and Mapo Stations, Line 5; National Assembly, Saetgang Stations, Line 9.

Korea-Japan Festival 2010 in Seoul Seoul Plaza & Cheonggye Plaza Oct 2—3 Free (02) 734-0552 www.omatsuri.kr City Hall Station, Lines 1 & 2.

Hi Seoul Festival 2010— Oh! Nonverbal Hangang River area and other venues throughout Seoul Oct 2—10 Free (02) 3290-7150 www.hiseoulfest.org

Chun Kyung-ja's Spirit Modern Art (Painting)

2010 Mungyeong Apple Festival Mungyeong-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do Oct 9—31 Free (054) 550-8266 http://mgapp.com/main/index It takes three hours to get from Dong Seoul Bus Terminal to Mungyeong by bus.

Seoul Museum of Art Thru Dec 31

Seoul Reed Festival

Adults: 700 won, Youths: 300 won, Others: Free Weekdays: (02) 120, Holidays & Nights: (02) 2124-8800 City Hall Station, Line 1, Exit 1 or Line 2, Exits 11 & 12. Walk 5 minutes.

Free World Cup Stadium Station, Line 6, Exit 1. Haneul Park is a 30 minute walk from there.

Haneul Park Oct 9—17

2010 Great Baeke World Festival

Memories of the Future Contemporary Art

Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art Thru Feb 13, 2011 Adults: 10,000 won, Youths (ages 7-18): 6,000 won (02) 2014-6900 Hangangjin Station, Line 6, Exit 1. Walk 100m towards Itaewon. Turn right at the first alley and walk the hill.

Suwon Hwaseong Cultural Festival Hwaseong Haenggung, Yeonmudae and other venues Oct 6—10 Free (031) 228-2621~4, http://shfes-eng.suwon.ne.kr

In and around Buyeo and Gongju, Chungcheongnam-do Thru Oct 17 Adults: 8,000 won, Youths: 6,000 won, Children: 4,000 won (041) 857-6955, 6957~8 www.baekje.org It takes two hours to get from Seoul to Gongju or Buyeo by express bus. travel & culture SEOUL 59

Goings on Around Town The 6th Busan International Fireworks Festival Gwanganni Beach & Gwangan-daegyo Bridge, Busan Oct 21—23 Free (051) 888-3395 www.bff.or.kr It takes three hours to get from Seoul to Busan by KTX. Transfer to Busan Subway Line 1. Transfer again to Line 2 at Seomyeon Station and get off at Gwangan Station or Geumnyeonsan Station.

Jeonju Bibimbap Festival 2010 Jeonju Hanok Village, Jeollabuk-do Oct 21—24 Free (063) 281-2541 www.jjpnj.com/bibim.htm It takes about three hours to get from Seoul to Jeonju by express bus.

Korea Food & Tourism Festival 2010 Jeonju World Cup Stadium, Jeonju-si, Jeollabuk-do Oct 21—27 Free www.koreafoodfestival.or.kr It takes about three hours to get from Seoul to Jeonju by express bus.

The 17th Gwangju World Kimchi Culture Festival Gwangju World Cup Stadium, Gwangju Oct 23—27 Free (062) 613-3641~2 http://kimchi.gwangju.go.kr It takes three hours to get from Seoul (Yongsan Station) to Gwangju by KTX.

The Yeoncheon Jeongok-ri Paleolithic Festival Prehistoric Site of Jeongok-ri, Yeoncheon-gun, Gyeonggi-do Oct 29—Nov 2 Free (031) 839-2561~3 http://goosukgi.org Dongducheon Station, Line 1. Transfer to bus No. 39, 39-1, 39-5 or 3300. Get off at Jeongok Station and walk 15 minutes.

2010 Korea Chrysanthemum Festival Hampyeong Expo Park, Jeollanam-do Oct 29—Nov 14 Free

60 SEOUL October 2010

(061) 322-0011 www.hampyeong.jeonnam.kr It takes four hours to get from Seoul to Hampyeong by express bus.

Other Events Bucheon World Intangible Cultural Heritage Expo

(031) 810-8044 www.worldbikeshow.com Daehwa Station, Line 3, Exit 3. Transfer to shuttle bus.

2010 Bakery Fair

Sports

At center Oct 28—31 5,000 won (02) 3487-1659 www.bakeryfair.co.kr Yangjae Station, Line 3, Exit 7. Transfer to bus No. 470 or 471 and get off at Yangjae Flower Market.

Bucheon Visual Culture Complex Sep 28—Oct 12

Robot World 2010

Adults: 5,000 won, Youths: 4,000 won, Children: 3,000 won (032) 625-8320 www.bucheonexpo.org Songnae Station, Line 1. Transfer to bus No. 5-2, 7-2, 37 or 87 at the north square.

5,000 won (02) 780-3060 www.robotworld.or.kr Daehwa Station, Line 3, Exit 3. Transfer to shuttle bus.

KINTEX Oct 28—31

2010 Gangnam Fashion Festival

Sanuk, Sanuk, Thai Temple Fair 2010 in Seoul

COEX, Dosan Park & Garosu-gil Street Oct 15—17

Cultural Plaza, National Theater of Korea Oct 30, 2pm, 6pm

Free www.fashionfestival.or.kr

Take shuttle bus at Dongguk Univ. Station, Line 3, Exit 2 or take yellow bus No. 2 at Exit 6.

Free (02) 2280-4115~6

Baseball: 2010 KBO (Korea Baseball Organization) Season Major baseball stadiums in Seoul area: Jamsil Stadium—Sports Complex Station, Line 2, Exits 5 & 6 / Mokdong Stadium—Omokgyo Station, Line 5, Exit 3 / Munhak Stadium—Munhak Sports Complex Station, Incheon Line, Exit 2 Games every day thru Oct (except Mondays) English Service: (02) 3460-4632, 4643~4, Reservations: 1588-4567

Martial Arts: 2010 Chungju World Martial Arts Festival World Martial Arts Theme Park, Chungju-si, Chungcheongbuk-do Sep 29—Oct 3

2010 World Oriental Medicine-Bio Expo in Jecheon Jecheon-si, Chungcheongbuk-do Thru Oct 16 Free (043) 641-2056 www.hanbang-expo.org It takes an hour and half minutes to get from Seoul to Jecheon by express bus.

Jeonju International Fermented Food Expo 2010 Jeonju-si, Jeollabuk-do Oct 21—24 Free (063) 272-6988, 6998 www.iffe.or.kr It takes about three hours to get from Seoul to Jeonju by express bus.

Seoul Fashion Week S/S 11/12 SETEC Oct 22—28 Admission depends on program (online reservation required) www.seoulfashionweek.org Hangnyeoul Station, Line 3. SETEC is connected with every exits.

World Bike Show 2010 KINTEX Oct 22—24 1,000 won

Auto Racing: Formula1 2010 Korean Grand Prix F1 Racing Track, Yeongam-gun, Jeollanam-do Oct 22—24 www.koreangp.kr Tickets: http://ticket.interpark.com/global The unmistakable scream of Formula1 engines comes to the Land of the Morning Calm. The latest addition to Formula1’s ever-expanding global calendar comes in the form of Korea International Circuit at Yeongnam in southwestern Korea, 5.615km and 18 corners of burned rubber and adrenaline. Unusually, races run anti-clockwise around the circuit, making it an interesting challenge for the world’s top drivers. The 17th of this year’s 19 Grand Prix, Korea will see the likes of Fernando Alonso, Lewis Hamilton and Mark Webber vying for the 2010 championship in one of the fastest, most flamboyant sports on the planet.

FRESH DINING IN SAMCHEONG-DONG Admission depends on program (043) 850-6720~4, 7981~3 www.martialarts.or.kr

ENERGIZER Night Race 2010 with ADIDAS Seoul Grand Park Oct 2 Admission: 30,000 won www.energizer-nightrace.co.kr Seoul Grand Park Station, Line 4.

2010 Namsan Million-Person Walking Festival Namsan Park Square Oct 9, 10am Free (Registation: At the information desk on the morning of the festival) (02) 522-5448 www.seoulwalking.or.kr Take the blue bus No. 402, 405 or the yellow bus No. 02, 03, 05 and get off at Namsan Library Station.

15th Pusan International Film Festival (PIFF) Screening Venues in Haeundae & Nampo-dong, Busan Oct 7—15 (Asian Film Market: Oct 10—13) General Screenings: 5,000 won (051) 747-3010, www.piff.org It takes three hours to get from Seoul to Busan by KTX.

21st Century Cinema Now Cinematheque Oct 9—17 Adults: 6,000 won, Youths: 5,000 won, Seniors: 4,000 won (02) 741-9782 Jongno 3-ga Station, Lines 1, 3 & 5, Exit 5. Walk straight for 5 mintues. The theater is located in Nagwon Arcade.

Dalhangari Freshest Korean Seasonal Ingredients Feeding Your Body and Soul

Hi Seoul Marathon Seoul Plaza Oct 10, 8am Admission: full/half course—30,000 won, 10km—20,000 won (on-site registration required) (02) 361-1430 http://hiseoulmarathon.com City Hall Station, Lines 1 & 2.

NIKE We Run Seoul 10K

The 4th Seoul International Family Film Festival (SIFFF) CGV Songpa, Garden 5 Oct 27—Nov 2

Ttukseom Resort Oct 24 (Festival: 12pm, 10K Race: 4pm)

Around 5,000 won (02) 777-1444, www.sifff.org Jangji Station, Line 8, Exit 3.

Admission: 20,000 won www.werunseoul.com Ttukseom Resort Station, Line 7.

1st French Film Festival 2010

Cinema Russia—Eurasia Film & Culture Readings Cinematheque Oct 6—8 Free (02) 741-9782 Jongno 3-ga Station, Lines 1, 3 & 5, Exit 5. Walk straight for 5 mintues. The theater is located in Nagwon Arcade.

2010 Film Festival for Women's Rights (FIWOM) CineCode Sonje Oct 6—9 Admission depends on program (02) 3156-5400, www.fiwom.org Anguk Station, Line 3, Exit 1. Walk 7 minutes in the direction of Jeongdok Public Library.

Petite France, Gapyeong-gun, Gyeonggi-do Thru Oct 31 Free (Admission required for Petite France entrance— Adults: 8,000 won, Univ. Students: 7,000 won, Youths: 6,000 won, Children: 5,000 won) (031) 584-8200 www.pfcamp.com It takes an hour from Dong Seoul Bus Terminal to Cheongpyeong by bus. At the terminal, transfer to bus heading Goseong-ri.

CORRECTION: It has come to our attention that the information of 'The Korea Foundation Cultural Center's 5th Anniversary Festival: Thank-you' in the September issue of SEOUL was mistaken. We apologize for the error.

Tel. 02-733-7902 9:30am~9:30pm

Located in alley in front of Prime Minister's Office ('Chongni Gonggwan' Ap) in Samcheong-dong, 15 mins' walk from Anguk Station, Line 3,travel Exit 1 SEOUL 61 & culture

Goings on Around Town

Regular Events Nanta

Jung Dong: Mon—Sun 2pm, 5pm, 8pm Cheongdam: Tue—Fri 8pm, Sat 5pm, 8pm, Sun 5pm, Myeong-dong: Mon—Fri Sun 5pm, 8pm, Sat 2pm, 5pm, 8pm

Korean Folk Performance for Visitors

Ballerina Who Loves B-boy

National Folk Museum

LotteWorld Art Hall

Sat 3pm Free (02) 3704-3114, www.nfm.go.kr Gyeongbokgung Station, Line 3. Walk 15 minutes from Exit 5.

VIP: 60,000 won, S: 50,000 won, (Myeong-dong—A: 40,000 won) (02) 739-8288, www.nanta.co.kr/en Jung Dong: Seodaemun Station, Line 5, Exit 5. Cheongdam: Gangnam-gu Office Station, Line 7, Exit 4. Myeong-dong: Myeong-dong Station, Line 4, Exit 6 or Euljiro 1-ga Station, Line 2, Exits 5 or 6.

Sachoom Sachoom Theater (Nagwon Arcade)

Tue—Fri 8pm, Sat 4pm, 7:30pm, Sun 4pm 50,000 won (070) 8249-3023, www.sachoom.com Jongno 3-ga Station, Line 5, Exit 5.

Jump Jongno Cinecore Theater

Mon 8pm, Thu—Fri 4pm, 8pm, Sat 1pm, 4pm, 8pm, Sun 3pm, 6pm R: 50,000 won, S: 40,000 won (02) 722-3995, www.hijump.co.kr Jongno 3-ga Station, Line 1, Exit 15.

Seoul Namsan Gugakdang Regular Performance Seoul Namsan Gugakdang

Wed, Fri 7:30pm, Sat 5pm Adults: 20,000 won, Youths: 10,000 won (02) 2261-0515 www.sejongpac.or.kr/sngad Chungmuro Station, Lines 3 & 4, Exits 3 & 4.

Korean Traditional Stage, Miso Chongdong Theater Daily (no performance on Mondays) 4pm, 8pm

Pungnyu Hanmadang Theater Pungnyu, Korea Heritage Cultural Foundation bldg.

R: 50,000 won, S: 40,000 won, A: 30,000 won (02) 751-1500, www.koreamiso.com City Hall Station, Lines 1 or 2, Exit 1. Miso, one of Korea’s most popular traditional performances, now has its own dedicated theater in central Seoul. Chongdong Theater, in the historic neighborhood of Jeong-dong, is just down the road from the Deoksugung Palace and an ideal location to take in Miso’s compelling blend of traditional dance, music and percussion.

Every Friday, 7:30pm 5,000 won (02) 3011-2178~9, www.chf.or.kr Seolleung Station, Line 2, Exit 8. Walk in the direction of Gangnam-gu Office. The theater is located next to Ramada Hotel.

Battle B-boy B-boy Theater

Wed—Fri 8pm, Sat 6pm, Sun 2pm 50,000 won (02)323-5233 www.sjbboys.com Sinchon Station, Line 2, Exit 1. Transfer to bus No. 273. Get off at Samjin Pharmacy bus stop.

Changwoo Arirang Bukchon Changwoo Theater

Fri, Sat, Sun 11am R: 30,000 won, S: 20,000 won (02) 747-3809 Anguk Station, Line 3, Exit 3. Walk straight until you see the stone wall of Changdeokgung Palace. Turn left and pass Wonseo Park. The theater is located on the left alley.

Wed—Thu 8pm, Fri 5pm, 7pm, Sat—Sun 3pm, 6pm R: 50,000 won (02) 2266-3727 www.showbboy.com/language/english.asp Jamsil Station, Line 2, Exit 4.

Culture and Art in Seoul Plaza Seoul Plaza

Daily 7:30pm Free (02) 594-4325, www.casp.or.kr City Hall Station, Lines 1 & 2, Exits 5 & 6.

Legend of Flower Walkerhill Theatre, Sheraton Grande Walkerhill Hotel

Daily (no performances on Sundays) 5pm, 7:30pm S: 60,000 won, R: 80,000 won (02) 455-5000 www.legendofflower.com Take shuttle bus at Gwangnaru Station, Line 5, Exit 4 (in the direction of Gangbyeon Station.)

Saturday Performance of Korean Music & Dance National Center for Korean Traditional Performing Arts

Sat 4pm 10,000 won (02) 580-3333, www.gugak.go.kr Nambu Bus Terminal Station, Line 3, Exit 5.

PAN—The Korean Traditional Performing Arts directed by Kim Duk Soo Gwanghwamun Art Hall

Wed—Fri 8pm, Sat—Sun 2pm R: 40,000 won, S: 30,000 won (02) 722-3416, www.ghmarthall.co.kr Gyeongbokgung Station, Line 3, Exit 1. Walk 10 minutes along the Sajik Park and turn right.

Traditional Performing Arts Korea House

Mon—Sat 1st show: Dinner 5:30pm Performance: 7pm, 2nd show: Dinner 7:20pm, Performance 8:50pm, Sunday show: Dinner 6:30pm, Performance 8pm 50,000 won (02) 2266-9101~3 www.koreahouse.or.kr Chungmuro Station, Lines 3 and 4, Exit 3.

You can find more Korea-related events at

www.ClickKorea.org

62 SEOUL October 2010

an eye for an iphone

dining out

news

nightlife

lifestyle & leisure

shopping

LIVING

special report iii

AN EYE FOR AN iPHONE

How far does a foreigner in Korea have to go to get one? Written by Ben Jackson Photographs by Ben Jackson and courtesy of KT

More info Call (02) 2190-1180 to speak to English, Chinese or Japanese speaking representatives, or visit cs.SHOW.co.kr/eng.

Apple appeal: iPhone 4 Successor to the iPhone 3GS, the much awaited iPhone 4 sold 200,000 units in its first round of pre-orders in Korea alone. Key new features include Apple’s new ultra-sharp high resolution “Retina” display, a 5-megapixel camera with LED flash and autofocus, a front camera, HD video recording and much more. But the most exciting new feature is FaceTime video calling and the iPhone 4’s front camera, which enable iPhone 4 and new iPod touch users anywhere in the world to have unlimited video calls over Wi-Fi. Where Wi-Fi connection is free, so are FaceTime calls. New rival: Samsung Galaxy S Korean electronics giant Samsung’s latest major offensive on the global smartphone market boasts a bright four-inch, SUPER AMOLED display, 5-megapixel AF camera, HD video player and recorder, “Daily Briefing” personalized morning news feeds, an integrated calendar application, a Google Mapsbased “Car Mode” navigation system, wireless tethering, a “Layar Reality Browser” for providing extensive information on surroundings when the user simply takes a photo of them, and plenty more. Galaxy S operates on Google’s Android OS and is currently sold by KT rival SK.

64 SEOUL October 2010

lmost a year has passed since Apple’s iPhone stormed onto the Korean market hand in hand with local telecom company KT, leaving competitors reeling. Domestic handset manufacturers such as Samsung have now begun a major comeback with smartphones like the Galaxy S. But Korean consumers’ love affair with California’s most expensive fruit is far from over, as the recordsmashing number of iPhone4 pre-orders recently confirmed. Korea’s smartphone era has begun.

Minority discrimination? On the periphery of Korea’s iPhone storm, however, a disgruntled mob of foreigners with dumb phones has been looking for a piece of the action. Since the launch of the iPhone 3GS last autumn, expat-frequented blogs and foreign language media in Korea have buzzed with stories of frustrated attempts to sign iPhone contracts. Indignation has run high at a perceived denial of equal rights despite legal immigration status, stable employment, regular tax payment and flawless credit records. KT’s citing of frequent foreigner abscondment with contracts unfulfilled as grounds for refusal hardly helped calm matters down. SEOUL went to meet KT to hear the other side of the story.

Right vs privilege The bottom line for initial contract refusal was indeed a high rate of flight by foreigners, some of whom appeared to deliberately run up high bills before disappearing abroad, says Kim Dong-kyoon, manager of KT’s Marketing Strategy Team. “This was not just the case with the iPhone but with all of our contract phones,” he points out, “and foreigners have always been able to purchase the iPhone by paying for it up front, all at once, just not in installments on a contract plan. Not all Korean citizens are eligible for our installment plans either.” The question then returns to whether being allowed by a retailer to purchase an expensive object in installments is an inalienable right or a privilege and, if it is the latter, whether deciding to grant that privilege to certain customer segments and not others is fair or not.

Policy changes: new opportunities At any rate, Kim emphasizes, KT has reacted to the backlash with no less than three changes to its installment payment system for registered foreigners since last autumn. “Since July this year, we’ve no longer paid attention to the remaining length of sojourn on foreign visas,” he says. “In August, we extended contract

KT's Chris Sayun Kim, Kim Dong-kyoon and Kang Shin-young.

eligibility to nine categories of foreign visa. Even foreigners on visas outside these nine categories can sign contracts if their visas are valid for at least six months from the date of subscription, or if their monthly payments are made using a Korean credit card.” In order to further improve service for foreign customers, KT also now runs six “Global Stores” in the Seoul metropolitan region, where staff speak English and are trained in addressing foreign customers’ needs. Use of the BBB voluntary interpretation service over the phone allows customers to talk with staff in 17 different languages.

KT Global Store locations

New competition? Now that Samsung and other manufacturers are bringing out some rather smart phones of their own, is KT worried about the competition? “No,” according to manager Kim Young-geol. “The fact is that KT has the best network, meaning that other service providers cannot match us even with great handsets. It’s no good having an expensive supercar if all you have to drive on is dirt roads in the mountains. You need a properly paved highway. And even these two are no good if the toll at toll gates is astronomically high.” KT has solved these problems by offering Wi-Fi, WiBro (Korean equivalent to WiMAX) and 3G networks, as well as the world’s largest number of free Wi-Fi zones (34,000 nationwide now, rising to 100,000 in 2011). In terms of the “toll,” meanwhile, KT took the bold step of slashing wireless data charges by 85%, which nonetheless led to increased profit thanks to the flood of new users it attracted.

• Itaewon (Jongno Plaza) (02) 793-9010 736-11 Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul • Gwanghwamun (Olleh Square) (02) 733-0267 1st Floor, 100 Sejong-no, Jongno-gu, Seoul • Jongno (Jongno Plaza) (02) 735-9010 1st Floor, Gyudang Building, 6-3 Gwancheol-dong, Jongnogu, Seoul • Sinchon (IMT Global) (02) 322-6000 30-8 Changcheon-dong, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul

Don’t take our word for it: try out KT’s improved foreigner-oriented services for yourself and see if you get what you want. We strongly recommend that you visit one of the six Global Stores listed above, in order to find someone tha t spe aks yo ur language and avo ids communication problems.

• Kyunghee University (A-ram I&C) (02) 967-8006 31-1 Hoegi-dong, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul • Ansan (Miracle Telecom) (31) 495-1535 794-9 Wongok-dong, Ansan, Gyeonggi Province

travel & culture SEOUL 65

dining out

FRENCH CUISINE IN A HANOK

Chez Simon conceals masterful Gallic steak cooking in Korean traditional architecture Written by Daniel Gray | Photographed by Ryu Seunghoo 66 SEOUL October 2010

atching a French person eat is like an orchestrated waltz. There is a moment of reverence as the plate arrives at the table. After one revels in the appearance and the smell, the fork and knife are gingerly picked up and used to cut a small portion of the food, dip it in sauce, and then it is slowly brought to the mouth. Chewing is calculated as well—in order to get the full experience of texture. Then, more often then not, I see the French put down their fork and knife and resume in conversation. After a few minutes, they have another bite and put down the fork, knife, or spoon.

extended pleasure

MoRe info T. (02) 730-1045 Getting there: Line 3, Anguk Station, Exit 1. Take the first right and walk about 10 minutes until you get to Samcheong-dong. Walk on the elevated walkway and you’ll see Chez Simon up on a hill. See p.16 of our Maps & Guides Supplement.

My French friend Katherine put it best: “The French see a good meal as a way to good conversation. The pleasure should be drawn out as long as possible.” A meal at Chez Simon is just that type of restaurant. Tucked away on the hills of Samcheong-dong in a traditional Korean house, this unpretentious restaurant offers the French ideals from a Korean hand. The chef owner, M. Soon Shul Sim, is a graduate of the Paris Le Cordon Bleu and it is evident in the food he serves. On the several occasions I have had the pleasure to go there, I have found food to be perfectly cooked and well flavored. The menu changes about twice a week and although there is an a la carte menu, I recommend his lunch and dinner courses for the full experience.

Kind of bleu My lunch started with a mushroom and pork ravioli served atop a bean and tomato salad. The savory ravioli had hints of herb and green peppers—a subtle start. This was followed by a frothy potato and leek soup with hints of smoky Parmesan cheese. Then came the pasta course, a non-spicy puttanesca that had flavorful capers, sardines, roasted garlic, and mushrooms—a wonderful dish. A test for a good French restaurant is how well they can cook their steak. You should never get one “well-done” because that means that you’ll get the worst cut of meat (What’s the point of taking a good cut and cooking it dry?). At a French restaurant, I like to have it cooked “bleu.“ This means that the chef takes a lovely cut of beef and then starts a flame by adding a bit of oil to the grill and cooking the steak quickly at very high temperature so the beef is crispy on the outside and almost raw in the center. The contrast of textures is outstanding, and good chefs know the technique for doing it right.

Spoon too big Dessert was a perfect creme brulée that had a sheen of caramel sugar on top and vanilla flecked cream beneath. It was so flavorful that I wish I had a tiny spoon so I could have enjoyed the dessert for hours instead of minutes. The restaurant is not expensive. Our 6-course lunch set cost only 35,200 won. The dinner course costs only 51,700 won. Reservations are highly recommended.

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nightlife

STAND UP FROM SCRATCH

Meet Brian Aylward, the man behind Korea’s booming expat comedy scene Written and photographed by David B. Mann

tand up comedy has found a place in South Korea. In March of 2009, Canadian comedian and English teacher Brian Aylward created Stand Up Seoul as a monthly space for stand up comedians, and other like-minded people in South Korea. The idea first came to Brian in 2005, when he performed for the first time in Korea. “I figured there must be others and I wanted to create an ‘all comedy ’ room, which was separate from the music open stages,” he said. “Since [then], Stand Up Seoul has been a staple of the expat community in central Seoul.”

unique underground community Stand Up Seoul shows are usually held on the first Thursday of each month at different locations in Seoul, with recent events performing to a sold out audience. Each show will typically have two or three warm up acts and then the headliner. The warm up acts, which come from a small, yet stable pool of expats here in Korea are, according to Brian, “people with professional backgrounds in comedy and a few very funny newcomers who are aspiring professional comics.” The headlining acts that perform at the Stand Up Seoul venues are established professionals, such as Tom Cotter, who was the winner of several comedy competitions in the United States, and Ted Alexandro, who has appeared on such shows as “Late Night with Conan O’Brian“ and “The David Letterman Show.“ Ted Alexandro also had two Comedy Central specials to his credit. As for Brian, he was the 2008 Runner Up at the Hong Kong Comedy Festival.

irish dressing and racial discrimination These voices range from the witty situational comedy and word play of Scottish/Irish Tom Cotter talking about why there is no Irish 68 SEOUL October 2010

dressing, even though the Italians, French, and Russians have their own dressing... “It doesn’t matter anyway. We just pour beer right on the salad, and puke it up an hour later.” ...to the wry observations of Ted Alexandro talking about President Barack Obama, and the improbability of a white woman in Kansas having a baby with a black man from Kenya, and keeping it, in the 1960s. In the bit, the expectant mother is talking to a friend on the phone, dropping golden nuggets like... “Do you have a few minutes?” “Sure. We live in Kansas.” By the end of the bit, the expectant mother tells her friend that she is going to keep the baby, and that he will be president someday. “But, he can’t even vote.” After the crowd responds with a mix of laughter and groans, Ted gives a slight bow, a wry smile, and says, “I didn’t write that joke. History did.”

hot warm-ups The warm-up acts performing with Stand Up Seoul are just as diverse as the headliners, such as Fringe Festival participant Jeff Sinclair’s reading of real responses to fake letters and Rudy Tyburczy Dane...like ranting about being “ajumma ed” on the subway in Busan. Unfortunately for South Korea, Brian and his wife, Janice, will be returning to Canada so that he can pursue his stand up career on a full time basis. “I am leaving Korea in 2011. March 2011 will be the two-year anniversary show of Stand Up Seoul. I have hosted this room since its beginnings, but I hope it will continue long after I leave. It's such a special thing and the support has been amazing.” Until then, a night of comedy hosted by Brian Aylward and Stand Up Seoul should not be missed.

MoRe info Stand Up Seoul holds shows on the first Thursday of every month at various locations around Seoul. For tickets more info or tickets, send a mail to standupseoul@ hotmail.com, call 010-3037-8774 or look for Stand Up Seoul on Facebook.

GeTTinG TheRe Itaewon Station, Line 6, Exit 3. Walk straight ahead, cross the street at the intersection, pass the fire station and gas station. Once you come to the stairs on your right, Buy-the-Way and International Clinic on your left, Rocky Mountain Tavern is the second building on the right after the stairs. 2nd floor. See Maps & Guides p.22.

NEW YORK Wholistic Care

Beautiful Health, NY Wholistic Care The ultimate place to reenergize your mind and body, correct your structural imbalances and achieve optimum health and body awareness. Dr. Vincent Jong, a well-trained, experienced New York chiropractor, has a multi-faceted approach to patient care that integrates chiropractic care with individually custom-designed pilates and yoga. NY Wholistic Care is completely furnished with state-ofthe-art pilates equipment, including the most recent version of V2Max Reformers. Restore the normal balance of your body through soothing therapeutic massage. Don’t forget to sign up to explore your body composition with an Integrated Iridologist at NYWC. All staff are bilingual and internationally certified in their field of specialization. Take a direct path to wellness and vitality at NY Wholistic Care.

Chiropractic Pilates/Yoga Pre/Post natal care Therapeutic massage Integrated Iridology Office Hours Mon ~ Fri : 8am ~ 8pm Sat : 8am ~ 5pm

T. 02. 792. 2296 Dr. Vincent Jong US Board Certifed

www.nywc.co.kr

736-21 Hannam-dong Yongsan-gu Hyundai Car Dealer bldg, 2nd fl. 서울시 용산구 한남동 736-21 현대자동차빌딩 2층 travel & culture SEOUL 69

US, France, and other International Health Insurance benefits available.

lifestyle & leisure

Seoul Tennis

EXPAT EXERCISE

Whether you’re a marathon-before-breakfast fitness fanatic or just want to work up a thirst, Seoul has something to get you off the sofa. Written by Gregory Curley | Photographs courtesy of Robin Ash, Sanirang Alpine Networks and Canadian Ball Hockey Korea

Sanirang Alpine Networks

Given the fact that Seoul is surrounded by mountains, there is no shortage of options for those with little fear of heights. If the city has you feeling “snowed under” this would be the perfect way to rise above the strain. Sanirang Alpine Networks founder Peter Jensen-Choi is no stranger to climbing. Beginning in Korea several years ago he has climbed in China, Nepal, Thailand, New Zealand and the USA, and holds certification with both the Korean Alpine Federation (KAF) and the American Mountaineering Guides Association (AMGA). Sanirang Alpine Networks offers multiple courses, guided climbs, clinics, group outings and programs during both the rock and ice climbing seasons. All associate instructors and guides hold certifications with KAF or AMGA. Website: www.sanirang.net Contact: sanirang.info@gmail.com 70 SEOUL October 2010

Still cradling dreams of making it to Wimbledon? The Seoul Tennis club may be a place to start making that happen. Come down and compete against other enthusiasts while working that backhand. The premise behind the club is simple— individual tournaments in two successive phases (round robin and final board phase). Open to both men and women, matches are played in two winning sets, with overall standing based on the attribution of points. Each round robin win qualifies two players, allowing them to advance to the “final board” phase. A small participation of 25,000 won is required to cover expenses of the tournament such as trophy purchase, website maintenance, and partial financing of meals for all players. Website: www.seoultennis.com Contact: info@seoultennis.com (Olivier Mouroux)

Seoul Flyers Running Club

Never mind the treadmill—get outside and blow off some steam. The city’s premier running club, Seoul Flyers Running Club brings together runners from all over the world to forge friendships during training runs, races, socials and a host of other bonding events. Both charitable and not-for-profit, SFRC opened its doors on Sept 11, 2006, in Apgujeong Station. Since then, the club has been welcoming runners both old and young and from all backgrounds and walks of life. Running experience between members may vary, but there are courses and marathons to accommodate both. Website: www.seoulflyers.com Contact: seoulflyers@gmail.com

Unlimited calls to 25 countries worldwide for only 9,900 won a month! Just dial 1600-2042 from your mobile phone

Seoul Survivors RFC

First introduced by the expatriate community to Korea in 1972 when the Seoul Wanderers formed to play against the University and Army teams, the sport shows no signs of slowing down among the expatriate community. The club has an open policy as to who joins. The current roster includes a large number of expats, Koreabased military personnel and rugby-loving Koreans. To receive the latest information simply subscribe to the club’s mailing list by sending an email to: maybenextweekend-subscribe@ yahoogroups.com. Or head down to the main ‘office’ at Itaewon’s Scrooge Pub. Website: www.survivorsrfc.com Contact: info@survivorsrfc.com

Canadian Ball Hockey

From Canada? Raised on skates? Having hockey withdrawals? The Canada Ball Hockey Korea (CBHK) plays every Sunday during the fall and winter months at Jamsil Sports Complex Inline rink between 12pm and 8pm. Fees include end of season playoff matches and banquet, t-shirts for all players, both spring and fall international tournaments, Asian ball hockey tournament and pickup in the off season for the real enthusiasts. Spring season is February to June. Register through the official website (www.cbhk.org) by Feb 18. Fees (160,000 won) and must be paid by Feb 20. Fall season runs from September to December and registration must be completed by Aug 27. Fees (140,000 won) must be paid by Aug 29.

To apply, call 1600-2042 or visit www.16002042.com * Local call charges apply, according to your mobile phone service provider’s price scheme.

MoRe SPoRTS clubS • body & Seoul Martial Arts and Fitness Center—Martial arts and yoga. See www.seoulmartialarts. com. • Korea Touch—Touch, also known as Touch Rugby or Touch Football. See Facebook or www. koreatouch.com. • Scuba in Korea—See www. scubainkorea.com. • Seoul Sunday Football League— regular fixtures. See www.ssflkorea. com. • Seoul Hash House Harriers— ”drinking club with a running problem.” See Facebook or www. seoulhash.org. • Seoul PMS H3—women’s running/walking/drinking/social club. See Facebook. • Seoul RMT FC—women’s soccer. See Facebook. • Seoul Saturday Soccer League—See Facebook or www. seoulsaturdaysoccerleague.com. • Seoul Sisters Rugby Football Club—women’s rugby; calendar making. See Facebook. • SmileRun—another Korea-based running club. See www.smilerun. com.

travel & culture SEOUL 71

shopping

LIFE AT THE HIGH END

SEOUL explores a world where fashion meets art and seven-figure price tags Written by Sonya Beard | Photographed by Ryu Seunghoo

Where high design meets shopping Browsing the gallery at 10 Corso Como, visitors have to wonder if it's a chic boutique with a visual-arts theme or a museum gift shop with a high-fashion twist. An Andy Warhol display will keep enthusiasts guessing. Those iconic cans of vegetable soup have shown up on tableware (150,000 to 680,000 won), courtesy of Rosenthal, the fine china purveyor. Across the way is a tribute to a fellow artist with the compendium, Jean-Michel Basquiat 1981: The Studio of the Street (123,000 won), and a pair of Reeboks (1,890,000 won) commemorating the work of the neo-expressionist. Turns out 10 Corso Como, named after its address in Milan, is an emporium where art and architecture, fashion and design collide. Former editor Carla Sozzani launched the concept store 20 years ago to bring the pages of a magazine to life. The concept came to Seoul in 2008. It includes an impressive retail library that

72 SEOUL October 2010

stocks a biography of photographer Mathew Brady, a retrospective of architect Frank Gehry and a coffee-table book on designer Christian Dior. The Vivienne Westwood Opus (3,600,000 won), standing at one meter high, may need a bigger shelf. Nestled in the back is the men's shop accessible by its own easily overlooked entrance. Once inside, guys will find socks, scarves, sun shades and shoes of the wingtipped oxford, lace-up loafer and high-top kicks variety. There, they can shop for suits and basics by British labels Dunhill London and Casely Hayford London. Culinary arts are served at the sexy 10 Corso Como Cafe. Dim lighting make this cool spot seductive for dates, fun for a girl's night and perfect for evening solo. Try the divine sweet pumpkin gnocchi (25,000 won).

10 coRSo coMo T. (02) 3018-1010 www.10corsocomo. co.kr Getting there: Line 3, Apgujeong Station, Exit 2. Double back on yourself then follow the main road for a long way until you see 10 Corso Como on the right, opposite KIA Motors.

Asymmetrical tops and frosty frapuccino Just a few doors down an alley zoned for wine bistros and sake bars is BoonTheShop. A fourstory high strand of pearls dangle from the ceiling in this atrium-style boutique. On the top floor, style vet Yohji Yomamoto walks a dark line between navy and black with must-haves like a Laine wool coat (1,990,000 won), V-hemmed skirt (890,000 won) and long black sheath (1,910,000 won). An asymmetrical top (1,670,000 won) works as a blouse or dress, if you've got the gams. One level down, you'll find wearable separates by Michelle Obama designer Jason Wu, Beatles offspring Stella McCartney and Michael Kors' protegĂŠ Derek Lam. And Jean Paul Gaultier injected devilish details in conservative staples when he borrowed elastic ribbed cuffs from a sweatshirt for a navy pinstriped blazer (3,350,000 won) and gray suit jacket (3,150,000 won) and matching slacks (1,830,000 won). The second floor is home to Giuseppe Zanotti, Oscar de la Renta and Roger Vivier shoes. Behind a black velvet curtain tied with gold tassels is the Christian Louboutin showcase, where each red-soled stiletto has its own presentation dome for an array peep-toes, suede pumps and ankle boots. The decadent bake shop, Vecchia & Nuovo, refreshes shoppers with frosty Frapuccinos in flavors Heavenly Peach and Black Sesame served with honey and ice (10,000 won).

chilled ping-pong and lady Gaga

boonTheShoP T. (02) 3445-2841 www.boontheshop.com Getting there: Line 3, Apgujeong Station, Exit 2. Double back on yourself and go to the bus stop in front of Dunkin' Donuts. Take any bus that goes to Cheongdam Elementary School, get off at the stop of the same name and go down the alleyway between the DKNY store and the SK gas station.

DAily PRoJecTS T. (02) 3218-4075 http://dailyprojects.cafe24.com Getting there: Line 3, Sinsa Station, Exit 1. Go straight ahead for a long way until you get to Hakdong Intersection. Daily Projects is straight ahead, on the corner across the road.

Daily Projects, representing nearly 50 designers, has a more chilled-out vibe. In the foyer, a ping pong table and paddles are inviting to guests. A wall lined with European and Middle Eastern art magazines prompts guests to think hip upon entering. Get ready for Jeremy Scott, who's designed for Lady Gaga and Madonna, and his over-thetop yellow and black print jacket (1,424,000 won) and leggings (475,000 won). One rack features sand-colored statement pieces from Korean-based Giliyate. An elegant collection of creatively cut wool shrugs, vest and capelets (430,000 to 890,000 won) is worth the investment. Bless offers red denim pants (451,000 won) with leg scarves attached to wrap around your ankles. And just when fashion couldn't get any more fun, the German designers added leather and knit-woven boxing gloves (806,000 won) to match. Window shopping has never been this entertaining. For more information on locations of the places mentioned here, see our Maps & Guides supplement.

travel & culture SEOUL 73

news

DON’T SAY ANYTHING

Hi Seoul Festival goes non-verbal this autumn

MoRe info Hi Seoul Festival 2010 takes place from October 1—10. Call Dasan Call Center on (02) 120 Website: english. hiseoulfest.org

74 SEOUL October 2010

ver since the taciturn yet hyperactive kitchen mayhem production known as NANTA took Korea and the world by storm in 1997, a string of successful non-verbal performances has gained the genre a firm status in Korean culture. Non-verbal performance’s capacity to transcend language barriers and appeal to people of all generations with a heady mixture of compelling rhythms, slapstick comedy, music and flamboyant movement has caught the eye of this year’s Hi Seoul Festival organizers, so that audiences can now look forward to an abundance of non-verbal celebration around the city. This autumn’s festival will take place at a variety of indoor and outdoor locations around Seoul, while being centered on the cherry treerich financial hub of Yeouido Island on the Hangang River. A “Big Top Village,” consisting of four big tops, will be created in Yeouido Hangang Park for the duration of the festival. Festivalgoers can look forward to a feast of Korean and international artists, including specialist firework performance groups Groupe F and Coups de Foudre and the opening night

and ScrapArtsMusic and NANTA at the closing ceremony. Other acts to particularly look forward to include Australian aerial performance troupe Strange Fruit with their orb-top show “The Spheres,” where actors stand above huge glowing spherical paper lampshade-like balls supported only by flexible four-meter poles. Look out also for Korea’s ASF Centre d’Arts Sans Frontieres with their rope-dangling “Vertical Horizon” program. This year’s Hi Seoul Festival might not have much to say, but it should certainly keep you entertained. Here are some unusual performances recommended by SEOUL:

Genre Nationality Performance

Aerial theater

Street theater

Artist

France

Mobile Homme

Transe Express

France

Vide Accordé

Retouramont

Australia

The Spheres

Strange Fruit

Korea

Vertical Horizon

ASF Centre d’Arts Sans Frontières

Australia

T-rex Insects

Erth

Waterheads

Puppet theater

Music

Spain

Hotel Crab Trukitrek

Hungary

Budapest Bence Marionettes Sarkadi

Belgium

Post Scriptum

Canada

ScrapArtsMusic ScrapArtsMusic

Théâtre du Sursaut

Other genres include street dance, circus, musical play, mime, magic and more.

Tel 02 722 5622 fax 02 722 5623 Opening hours 11:30 a.m.~11:30 p.m.(Closed on Sunday) N°85 Susong-dong Jongno-Gu Seoul Korea Somerset Palace 1F, Exit 1 ortravel 6 from Anguk Station, Line 3 & culture SEOUL 75

news

INNER AND OUTER HIKING ROUTES TO CIRCLE CAPITAL Central and peripheral mountain loop construction to begin next year

he final shape of two Seoul circular mountain hiking routes has been confirmed, giving the green light for a construction and upgrading project due for completion in 2014. Traditionally considered the city’s first line of defense, Seoul’s four “inner mountains”—Mt. Bugaksan (north), Mt. Naksan (east), Mt. Namsan (south) and Mt. Inwangsan (west)—will be linked by a 20km culture and h i s t o r y- t h e m e d r o u t e . T h e f o u r “ o u t e r mountains”—Mt. Bukhansan (north), Mt. Yongmasan (east), Mt. Gwanaksan (south) and Mt. Bongsan (west)—will be joined in a much longer 182km trail based on nature and ecology. Seoul’s western “outer mountain” is in fact Mt. Deogyangsan, but its location outside the capital’s boundaries and practical difficulties in linking it to the loop have led to its replacement by Mt. Bongsan. Most of the eight mountains are already crossed by several hiking routes: this project will provide “greenway ” corridors where paths linking mountains are blocked by roads and urban development. It will also involve upgrading points on existing routes where

Seoul’s numerous hikers have eroded the paths or where current infrastructure is becoming worn down. The inner route, which consists of 13km of forested trail and 7km of “village trail,” will take up to ten hours to complete for the most leisurely stroller. The outer route will also be rich in forested stretches and should take experienced walkers between three and five days to complete. In the meantime, Seoul’s mountains remain favorite leisure destinations for the city’s casual walkers, motivated hikers and all-out rockclimbers. For more information on top mountain destinations around the capital, see our Maps & Guides supplement.

CHEONGGYECHEON EXHIbITION RELIvES 1970—80S FILM Central Seoul’s Cheong Gye Cheon Museum is hosting an exhibition of posters and other historical film memorabilia from the 1970s and 1980s until November 14. With 195 posters, screenplays, magazines and more on display, the exhibition gives a glimpse of popular culture in the two decades at the peak of Korea’s ultrarapid industrialization and modernization. The 1970s part of the exhibition focuses on the government propaganda films, martial arts flicks and “high teen” and “hostess” film genres that characterized an era of government control and depression. The 1980s section shows erotic

76 SEOUL October 2010

films and other genres consistent with the military government’s “3S” policy (screen, sport and sex/speed: commodities used by the government to dumb down the population and maximize political apathy), as well as realist films. Cheong Gye Cheon Museum is located by Cheonggyecheon Stream and accessible from Sangwangsimni Station, Line 2, Exit 2 followed by a short ride on maeul bus no. 8. It is open 9am—9pm Tue—Fri, 9am—6pm Sat, Sun and public holidays, and closed Mon. Admission is free.

KOREAN FASHION DECLARES INDEPENDENCE

The fifth floor of Myeong-dong’s Noon Square mall is home to Level 5, a collection of clothes, shoes, accessories and more by top Korean and international fashion labels. Within Level 5 is Lab 5, Level 5’s own brand, which houses one of the best collections of work by Korean independent fashion designers. Now, one year after Level 5 first opened, Lab 5 has been remodeled and expanded to contain the work of 100 independent Korean designers. Level 5 and Lab 5’s first overseas branch is due to open in Singapore this October, marking the beginning of global expansion for independent Korean fashion design. By matching the world-class talents of independent Korean designers with the capital and marketing power they lack, Lab 5 aims to compete with powerful international brands such as Zara, Mango and H&M. On August 15, the day when Korea celebrates independence from Japanese colonial rule, 100 independent designers gathered to sign Lab 5’s own declaration of Korean fashion independence. Head to Level 5 yourself to pick up your own piece of unique Korean fashion design, or visit the Level 5 website at www. level5.co.kr and flick through Lab 5’s beautifully designed on-line catalog.

FOREIGNERRUN RESTAURANTS MUSHROOM

SEOUL SELECTION INTRODUCES NEW vOICE IN KOREAN FICTION

Once Around the Sun by Melanie Steyn Seoul Selection proudly announces the publication of “Once Around the Sun,” a short novel based on the lives of four members—or three generations—of a Korean family in a rural fishing village in southern Korea. Steyn, who teaches in the Department of English Education at Suncheon National University and has lived in Korea since 2002, creates the fictional Lee family and narrates a year in the life of four of its members. Summer sees Dong-ju, the twelve-year-old youngest member of the family, involved in an Enid Blyton-esque episode of theft and naughty thief catching; Fall, where Dong-ju’s 16-year-old sister Ji-young undergoes something more sinister and is snapped abruptly out of her study-saturated youthful innocence; Winter, where the children’s mother Yun-hwa becomes aware of a hitherto neglected identity; and Spring, where grandmother Kyu-ah reminisces on the Korean War’s intrusion into their village more than half a century ago while watching her descendants negotiate their own lives. At around 130 pages, Once Around the Sun is also written in accessible and entertaining prose and is a rare and interesting example of a foreign writer creating and entering the minds of four Korean characters. Available at www.seoulselection.com. Price: 5,500 won.

The number of restaurants run by foreigners in Seoul has increased more than tenfold in the last decade. The number of registered foreigner-run restaurants in the city rose from 182 in 2000 to 1,956 in 2010, prompting authorities to publish guides on local food hygiene regulations in English and Chinese. Seoul’s registered foreign population also increased by a factor of four during the same period, from 61,920 in 2000 to 255,749 in 2009. The number of tourists and other temporary visitors to the city is also increasing, with 800,000 visitors to the vicinity of southern Seoul’s COEX alone last year. With the G20 conference approaching this November, the city is stepping up efforts to produce foreignlanguage restaurant guides and information

maps. Though foreign restaurants can be found all over the city nowadays, hot spots according to culinary nationality/region include: • Dongdaemun—Mongolian, Central Asian, Russian Garibong-dong and Daerim-dong: Korean Chinese (including lamb kebab) • Dongbu Ichon-dong—Japanese • Seorae village (Seocho-gu)—French • Itaewon—Muslim and wide variety of other international • Hyehwa-dong—Filipino market (near the Cathedral, on Sundays)

For more information on restaurants in the capital, pick up a copy of our Maps & Guides supplement and check out food blogs www. seouleats.com and www.zenkimchi.com.

travel & culture SEOUL 77

news

ENJOY AUTUMN CYCLING bY THE HANGANG RIvER

eoul’s Hangang River is drawing cyclists in ever greater numbers as projects to improve access from the rest of the city (bypassing the major roads near the north and south banks) start showing results. The latest riverside attraction is a 15km cycling course, starting at Ttukseom Hangang Park. The course heads upstream along the Hangang’s northern bank, before crossing Gwangjin Bridge to the southern bank, heading downstream again, crossing the Jamsil Bridge and returning to Ttukseom. The course hugs the riverbanks and involves almost no gradients, meaning the most you’ll have to contend with is a late autumn breeze. Here are some of the main highlights along the route:

1. Riverview 8th Avenue café at Gwangjin Bridge 2. Amsa-dong Ecosystem Landscape Conservation Areas 3. Jamsil fish course 4. Riverview Bom café at Jamsil Bridge 5. Ttukseom “J-Bug” observation point and cultural center

Bicycles can be rented under the bridge by the J-Bug in Ttukseom Hangang Park. Rental hours are from 9am to 9pm and the cost is 3,000 won per hour per person. 78 SEOUL October 2010

SEOUL SENDS 10,000 MOSQUITO NETS TO AFRICA

Seoul Metropolitan Government and the UN Foundation signed an agreement on August 22 to send 10,000 mosquito nets to Ethiopia by the end of the year. The UN Foundation (UNF) is a public charity created in 1998 to support UN causes and activities. Children’s health is among the major global issues that UNF supports, and the “Nothing But Nets” mosquito net campaign is a key element of this. The Korean branch of Nothing But Nets is called the Nets Go! campaign. The 10,000 nets paid for by Seoul Metropolitan Government will go to refugee camps in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, where a total of 40,000 nets are needed.

“Make your smile forever” * Professional clinic: Implant esthetic clinic, prosthodontics

esthetic clinic, endodontic restorative clinic, orthodontics esthetic clinic, oral & maxillofacial clinic, periodontics clinic, pedodontics clinic and power whitening clinic.

* Brand new equipment: State-of-the-art instruments, including

SEOUL EYES TOP ASIAN ‘CONvENTION + TOURISM + SHOPPING CITY’ STATUS According to a recent tourism competitiveness index developed jointly by Seoul Metropolitan G o v e r n m e n t a n d t h e Wo r l d To u r i s m Organization (UNWTO), the Korean capital currently ranks fifth in the Asia-Pacific region. Ahead of Seoul, currently ranked first to fourth, respectively, are Tokyo, Sydney, Singapore and Beijing. This evaluation measured up 12 major cities in the region, also including Hong Kong, Shanghai, Bangkok and Manila, among others. The overall index takes into account 61 individual indices in six categories: tourist environment and infrastructure, tourism price values, urbanization, tourism governance, tourism knowledge resources and tourism human resources.

lasers, fully digital X-rays (low radiation emission) and brand new equipment are ready for patients.

* Large-scale dental clinic: 13 separate rooms and 20 chairs. * English-speaking staff treat you like a V.I.P from beginning to end. * Aboveground parking provides you with large spaces for a hundred vehicles on the first floor of the building.

* Dental insurance forms completed * Weekdays Consultation hours at night

Han River Pizza Hut 3F

◀ Dr. Ha has appeared on “MBC Good Day” as a dental adviser.

Soonchunhyang University Hospital Free Parking (100 cars) is available.

• Opening Hours Mon. - Fri. 9:30 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. Sat. 9:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Sun. 9:30 a.m. -1:00 p.m. Venture B/D 3F, 76-6 Hannam-dong Yongsan-gu, Seoul Appointments in English | Tel: 02-795-1599 | www.chicagotooth.co.kr

travel & culture SEOUL 79

news

SEOUL GUIDED TOURS GATHER POPULARITY

Six-fold increase in foreigners taking voluntary guided tours of city

00 volunteers currently lead tourists on 13 tour routes across Seoul, providing insights into the city’s rich history and culture that guide books just can’t match. Use of their services almost doubled between 2006 and 2009, from 35,000 to 65,000 people. Among these, the number of foreigners has grown by an even more dramatic factor of six in the same period. The city’s voluntary cultural tourism guides currently number 197: 77 giving guided tours in

SEOUL WINS TOP SOUTH AMERICAN DESIGN PRIZE

80 SEOUL October 2010

Following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Seoul Design Foundation and the design organization Associação Objeto Brasil in February this year, Seoul has won a gold award in the design strategy and environment category of a Brazilian design competition run by Associação Objeto Brasil. Seoul Metropolitan Government stated that it was the first Korean organization to win a gold award in this category of IDEA/ Brasil, and that the award reflected high estimation of Seoul’s reform in all areas of city government through design.

Japanese, 72 in English, 34 in Korean and 14 in Chinese. Many of them are professionals, teachers or civil, or people who have lived abroad in one of the above countries. Some are only in their 30s, others in their 70s. They lead tours in areas such as Gyeongbokgung Palace and adjacent Hyoja-dong, Jongmyo Shrine and Changgyeonggung Palace, Bukchon and Unhyeongung Palace, the old city wall and traditional village on Mt. Namsan, and writer Choi Sun-woo’s house and Gilsangsa Temple in Seongbuk-dong, as well as offering guidance at the War Memorial of Korea, Insa-dong Info Center, the Sarangchae at Cheongwadae (a cultural space attached to the president of Korea’s residence), and elsewhere. In response to the growing demand, Seoul Metropolitan Government is planning to increase the number of guided tours from 13 to 20 by the end of this year, adding both classic tourist destinations such as the old city walls and the antique quarter of Dapsimni, and other less well-known but interesting parts of the capital. By 2014, the city aims to add 12 more languages to the range of tours available and increase the number of guides to 1,000. To book a guided walking tour, go to www. visitseoul.net’s English page and click on “Walking Tours.” Alternatively, call Insa-dong Info Center on (02) 737-7890 or Namsangol Hanok Village on (02) 2266-6923.

First held in 2008, the IDEA/Brasil awards are the result of a collaboration between the IDSA (Industrial Designers Society of America) and Associação Objeto Brasil. At the global IDEA awards, meanwhile, Seoul National University Professor Chae Jung-woo’s “Media Bus Shelters” also picked up one of the three Gold Awards in the Environments category. Located at the Seoul Train Station Bus Transfer Center, Chae’s 12 bus shelters each sandwich around 36,400 LEDs between two panes of glass to display over-scaled media.

news

STRIKING A CHORD WITH AUTUMN

Jarasum International Jazz Festival brings in top global jazz names

ince 2004, when a diverse group of locals and music enthusiasts decided to bring some life to the barren river island of Jarasum with a jazz festival, the event has enjoyed a year-on-year crescendo in popularity to become one of the country’s key jazz events. Last year it pulled in a record 150,000 visitors. This year, October is the perfect time to head out to Gapyeong in Gyeonggi Province and enjoy the combination of Korean autumn weather and jazz at Jarasum. The 2010 festival boasts a range of workshops, competitions, coffee and cocktails, but the main attractions—of course—are the more than 30 top jazz performers from around the world who will be making their way to Jarasum. Here are just a few of the acts to look forward to:

Michel bisceglia Trio Inspired in his early days by the work of Bill Evans, Lennie Tristano and Keith Jarrett and the music of Mozart, Rachmaninov and Stravinsky, which contributed to his compositions and orchestral instincts, pianist Michel Bisceglia has since released countless albums and collaborated with global artists as diverse as The Japan Symfonia, The Limburg Symfonic Orchestra in Portugal, Randy Brecker, Toots Thielemans, Dewey Redman Quartet and John Miles.

candy Dulfer & band Grammy nominated Dutch saxophonist and vocalist Candy Dulfer formed her own band, Funky Stuff, at the age of 14; by the age of 19 she had become an international recording artist and was soon touring the globe. She has performed with a host of artists such as her father Hans Dulfer, Maceo Parker, Aretha Franklin, Beyoncé, Van Morrison, Prince and Chaka Khan, and is currently recording the soundtrack for a documentary exploring the world of organic winemaking.

MoRe info Jarasum International Jazz Festival takes place from Oct 15 to 17 this year. Admission: 1-day ticket 25,000 won, 2-day ticket 40,000 won, 3-day ticket 50,000 won T. (031) 581-2813~4 www.jarasumjazz.com

GeTTinG TheRe Take a bus for Chuncheon at Dongseoul, Sanbong or Gangnam Express Bus Terminals and get off at Gapyeong. Or take a train bound for Chuncheon from Cheongnyangni Station and get off at Gapyeong.

The Watts Project (feat. branford Marsalis, Terence blanchard, Robert hurst) Grammy Award winner Jeff “Tain” Watts is known as the most influential and innovative drummer of his generation and as a recording artist, with six recordings as a leader and over 120 recordings as a sideman. Along with explosive power, blinding speed and mastery of complex rhythms and time signatures, Watts brings a rare sense of elegance, tried-by-fire composure, and a gritty street funk to his music. The Watts Project sees him collaborating with three equally talented and influential musicians.

travel & culture SEOUL 81

news

SEOUL: HELPING YOU MAKE YOUR CITY RUN LIKE CLOCKWORK International Program on Urban Transportation Policy for Sister City & Friendship City Officials draws global crowd

anaging transportation in a mega-city of more than 10 million people in one of the world’s largest economies is no easy task, yet it is one successfully performed by Seoul Metropolitan Government. This summer, a group of international civil servants dropped in to the city to see how it all works. “International Program on Urban Transportation Policy for Sister City & Friendship City Officials” was one of this year’s many c o u r s e s r u n b y S e o u l H u m a n Re s o u r c e Development Center, which offers education to city government employees from around the world in a variety of areas including traffic management, water supply, waste management, e-government and more. This urban transportation policy course was held from July 4 to 11 and attended by civil servants from 14 cities in 13 countries including Mexico City (Mexico), Nairobi (Kenya) and Hanoi (Vietnam). The course consisted of lectures, visits to key transport sites and a program of Korean cultural experience and tourism. Site visits included TOPIS (Transport Operation and Information Service), Seoul’s Expressway Traffic Control Center, the Smart Card company, a green parking zone and more. In the participants’ own words: “The event "Urban Transportation Policy", which lasted from the 4th until the 11th of July 2010, was organized by the Seoul Human Resource Development Center. 14 participants from Europe, Asia, Americas and Africa had a chance to take part together in such an interesting project. We have found the initiatives of the Seoul Metropolitan Government to promote city-to-city exchange extremely rewarding. I am convinced other participants of the project certainly share my opinion. I look forward to having another chance to exchange our experience and good practices with you in the future.” Katarzyna Kacpura Warsaw, Poland

82 SEOUL October 2010

“I went to Seoul last July thanks to an invitation to the Mexico City government from the Seoul Human Resource Development Center (SHRDC) to attend a course called 'International Program on Urban Transportation Policy for Sister City & Friendship City Officials'. Though the course was intense and contained expositions, technical visits, cultural and social activities, everything was very well organized and perfectly carried out. It was amazing how Ms. Park and all the team did a perfect job organizing and synchronizing everything on time.“ Sandra Luz Bacelis Roldan Mexico City, Mexico

“Life is short and complicated. You have only few memorable moments in your life. What I experienced during the 7-day stay in Seoul was one of the few memorable events in my life. It is not only because it was my first time to go abroad and to participate in an international training program, but also because there was something special about what I saw, whom I met, and what I learned in Seoul. I will remember the short 7-day visit to Seoul forever. Beautiful memories are not necessarily big ones; they are like a chain of many small memories. And they leave even a stronger impression. I will cherish these memorable events.“ JianYong Gu Zhejiang Province, China

Katarzyna Kacpura of Poland and Seo Kang-suk, President of the Seoul Human Resource Development Center

Seoul of zen

Never Miss Koan

Though deluded by brilliant dreams in spite of yourself, you should change your mind and keep doubting. When you, feeling your practice is not interesting, don't know what to do is when you are practicing well. Brace yourself up and pay all your attention to koan just as a cat does when it catches a mouse. Water becomes rather silent after boiling once. When trying to boil water, you should not stop fanning the flames but keep fanning with a dashing spirit until water boils though you are tempted to give it up because it is too hard.

Written by Master Subul Sunim of Anguk Zen Center Translated by Boo Ahm (Song Soo-kyong)

Never hesitate to continue your practice. Before long you will meet the moment of Karma if you keep watching the doubt of koan without missing it. Then, you will pull up what is stuck in the air, and the fresh feeling through your whole body will be beyond all comparison. The leasure of those who don't mind the phenomenal world you will enjoy on a boat without the bottom. travel & culture SEOUL 83

COMMUNITY PAGE niGht oF unity tEChno—thE sounD oF GErmAn rEuniFiCAtion oct 1, 8:30pm Platoon Kunsthalle, Nonhyeon-dong

Panel and DJ night hosted by the Goethe-Institut Korea. Discussion focuses on the relationship between club culture and society. Followed by a Hongdae club night on Oct 2 and “GAS Concert” at the National Theater of Korea on Oct 3. For more info, see www.kunsthalle. com.

rEtro olympiCs

oct 2, 2pm till dark Gecko’s Restaurant & Bar, Jukjeon, Bundang An afternoon of games including tug o’ war, water balloon toss, giant jump rope, limbo and more. Throughout the afternoon, refuel with tasty food from the BBQ and choose from a great selection of drinks at a retro price! Live music from Korea’s expat music scene will round off the day. Cost is 25,000 won in advance or 30,000 on door. See retroolympics.com.

niGht oF 1,000 plAys oct 2 & 9, from 7pm Roofers, Itaewon

39 originally-written short plays, performed at manic pace by eight groups of actors and directors. Each night features completely different plays! Cost is 10,000 won for one night, 15,000 won for both. For more info, see www. seoulplayers.com.

niGht FlEA mArkEt

oct 2, from 8pm Platoon Kunsthalle, Nonhyeondong

The first anniversary of Bling and Platoon Kunsthalle’s wildly popular night flea market with great clothing and accessories, beer, bbq, entertainment and much more. To join as a seller, contact www.thebling.co.kr. For more info, see www.kunsthalle.com.

AustChAm BrEAkFAst mEEtinG—Why korEA is not yEt uniFiED oct 6, 7:30am—9:30am Namsan Room I, 2nd floor Grand Hyatt Hotel

Journalist and author Michael Breen gives some history, talks about current circumstances and speculates as to whether Korea is likely to be unified any time soon. Cost is 40,000/50,000 won (ANZA/AustCham members/nonmembers). RSVP: by Oct 4 at www.austchamkorea.org or email exec@austchamkorea.org.

siWA nEWComErs’ mEEtinG oct 7, 10am Seoul Club, Mt. Namsan

New to Seoul? Go and meet members of Seoul International Women’s Association. Cost is 8,000 won. See www.siwapage. com.

ABC (AnythinG But ClothEs) pArty oct 8, 9pm—oct 9, 8am Club Atom, Itaewon

Ferrolino Ent. & Watz Up Korea... Presents—ABC (Anything But Clothes) Party, a social event whereby your outfit is made up of anything but clothing!!!

BAss CAtCh up CoFFEE oct 12, 10am—noon

Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, Itaewon

Catch up with old friends and meet new ones with this monthly BASS meeting. For more info, see www.britishseoul.com.

AWC CoFFEE morninG— oktoBErFEst

oct 15, 9:30am—noon Hillside Residence Club House

German food, beer and wine tasting. Cost is 22,000/28,000 won members/non-members. See awckorea.org.

AnZA sAntA FE hAt pArty oct 19

Details to be confirmed. Keep an eye on www.anzakorea.com for more info.

siWA CoFFEE morninG oct 20, 9:30am—11:30am Grand Ambassador Hotel

“Does food matter? Find out how much and what food could add to your wellbeing.” A talk by guest speaker Mary-Jane Liddicoat. Cost is 12,000/17,000 won members/ non-members. See www.siwapage.com.

TONI&GUY is the most powerful hairdressing brand in the world. The company is constantly evolving artistically and commercially. TONI&GUY is the only hairdressing company to be awarded 'SuperBrand' and 'CoolBrand' status and to truly represent the catwalk-to-client philosophy. * BEAUTY CARE - CUT, STYLING, PERMING, COLOURING, NAIL, MAKE-UP, WEDDING...

CHEONGDAM - HEAD SALON Tel : 02-541-9985~7 Fax : 02-3443-2026 New Address : 98-10 Cheongdam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. BRANCHES : APGUJEONG DOSAN BANGBAE JAMSIL ICHON MOKDONG HONGDAE MAPO JEONGJA SEOHYEON SUJI BEOMGYE ULSAN

Tel : 02-540-0061~2 Tel : 02-549-0335 Tel : 02-522-0456 Tel : 02-418-3437~8 Tel : 02-3476-0148 Tel : 02-2654-8858 Tel : 02-338-2773 Tel : 02-701-7782 Tel : 031-714-4691 Tel : 031-705-9515 Tel : 031-266-2136~7 Tel : 031-381-0749 Tel : 052-272-2934

www.moveonekorea.com

AWC nEWComErs’ lunChEon

ForEiGnErs’ FlEA mArkEt

Make new friends and socialize. Cost is 15,000 won. RSVP to Carmen Walker at cssimmons1214@yahoo.com.

See global.seoul.go.kr for further details.

nEW ZEAlAnD WinE ExpEriEnCE

oct 19—nov 23, selected Tuesdays & Saturdays The Korea Foundation Cultural Center

oct 22, 11am—noon (registration 10:30am) Vin Vino, Itaewon

oct 26, 8pm—10:30pm Seoul Plaza Hotel

Building on the success of last year’s event, “100% Pure New Zealand,” the Kiwi Chamber offers the Korean public a chance to sample the vast array of diverse wine types and flavors that New Zealand’s wine regions have to offer. To complement the New Zealand wine experience, tasty Kiwi finger foods will be provided during the evening, including Greenshell mussels and a variety of cheese for visitors to taste. Cost is 80,000 won. For more information and on-line registration, please visit www.kiwichamber.com or contact chamber@kiwichamber. com.

oct 30, 1pm—5pm Seoul Folk Flea Market, nr. Sinseoldong Station

2010 opEn lECturEs on korEAn CulturE

A series of lectures on the fine arts, architecture and music of Korea, accompanied by trips to related sites. Program Oct 19 (Tue) 7—9pm | Korean Fine Arts I: Pre-19th Century Oct 26 (Tue) 7—9pm | Korean Fine Arts II: Modern and Contemporary Oct 30 (Sat) 2—4pm | Korean Architecture: Hanok, its Typology and Aesthetics + group tour of Gahoe-dong Nov 6 (Sat.) 2—4pm | Viewing traditional performance Nov 9 (Tue) 7—9pm | Korean Music I: Samulnori Nov 16 (Tue) 7—9pm | Korean Music II: Pansori and Korean fusion music Nov 23 (Tue) 7—9pm | Korean

Making it easy every step of the way 02-372-7000 Services • Moving Services • Relocation Services • Secure Storage Services • Vehicle Transportation • Fine Art Shipping • Multilingual Staff and Services

G20 AustrAliAn BusinEss AWArDs 2010 oct 28, 6:30pm—10pm Grand Ballroom, Grand Hyatt Hotel

The Australian Chamber of Commerce in Korea is hosting its annual Business Awards gala dinner in the midst of the G-20 action in Korea this year. A total of 17 Korean and foreign companies will vie for the coveted awards of Best SME, Investment of the Year, Best Services Company, Trade Excellence and Business of the Year Award. It promises to be an excellent evening to celebrate the achievements of leading companies in the business community as well as network with key Australian, Korean and global company representatives. This prestigious black tie event will be attended by senior Australian and Korean business figures and community leaders. Business participants are encouraged to bring their spouses along too for an evening of high quality entertainment. SUADE, the famous a cappella group will fly in from Australia and perform for us while we enjoy a superb four-course menu complemented by quality Australian wines. Award trophies have been directly delivered from Australia and crafted by Australian artists from Stafford Studios, Western Australia. Book now for an excellent evening of networking and live entertainment. Cost is 120,000 won per person. RSVP on-line at www.austchamkorea.org by 22 Oct. For more information, contact Jennifer Kim at austchamkorea@ gmail.com or 010-3281-3229.

Global web: www.moveonerelo.com

travelKorea & culture SEOUL 85 Il Yang Bldg., 164-6 Yeomri-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul 121-874, Tel. +82-2-372-7000

Music III: Gayageum For more info, visit www.kfcenter.or.kr/english.

AWC Book Group 2nd Mon of each month, 1:30pm La Bocca, Itaewon area

Contact Vicki Frawley at frawley@ gmail.com for more info.

Club Day

Last Friday of every month, 9pm—5am 21 clubs in Hongdae area

Highly popular monthly club night— pay just 15,000 won for entry into all participating clubs and one free drink.

Environmental projects Seoul Environmental Group is looking for environmentally conscious and active people looking to take part in, or initiate, home based green projects. We are in west and southwest Seoul. Whether it's a roof garden, a beehive, a worm farm or something even more exotic, we're interested. E-mail: ianjamesgordon@gmail. com.

Expat groups on Facebook Korean Americans in Seoul Nightlife in Seoul—lively page with plenty of members ★Seoul-Circle★Drinking Beer, Networking with International Friends★—self-explanatory Seoul City Improv— improvisational comedy Seoul Veggie Club Vegan Korea Vegetarians in Korea

Korean Cooking Classes and Market Tour Learn authentic Korean cuisine in English from a Korean chef. Classes held at the O’ngo Cooking Studio near Insadong (Nakwon Sangga). After class, tour the market for your ingredients. Classes include dakgalbi (red chili chicken), haemul pajeon (seafood pancake), bulgogi, bibimbap, and more. Mon—Fri 10am and 2pm (special classes on Sat). Contact Daniel Gray at dan@ongofood.com or (02) 3446-1607.

O’ngo Korean Night Dining Tour & Taste Tour Night Dining Tours start at

Whether you’re a newcomer to Seoul, long-time expat or Korean resident,

SIWA

has something for you! Founded in 1952, the Seoul International Women’s Association is Seoul’s largest and oldest international women’s group. Bringing together women from over 50 countries, SIWA provides opportunitites for friendship, cultural exchange, personal growth and community service.

Come join the fun! Find out more at www.siwapage.com 86 SEOUL October 2010

Kwangjang Market and continue to historic Jongno 3-ga where you can eat Korean BBQ, drink makgeolli (rice wine) and dine at a tent (pojangmacha) restaurant. Korea Taste Tours send you with a culinary guide to visit a Buddhistinspired Korean restaurant, get a quick tour of Insa-dong eateries, stop by a teahouse, and enjoy rice wine and Korean bar food snacks. Both tours cost 80,000 won per person. For time and other info, contact Daniel Gray at dan@ ongofood.com or 02-3446-1607.

(Oct 30—31). Costs and departure times/locations vary according to tour. Advanced reservation necessary. See the RAS Korea Branch website (above) for more info, or contact Mrs Sue J. Bae at (02) 763-9483 or raskb@kornet.net.

RAS tours

Essential dancing practice as this years St. Andrew’s Ball (Nov 20, Marriott Hotel) approaches. Free admission but pre-registration essential. Contact Douglas Barrett at douglas.barrett@sky.com. No dancing partner necessary.

One of Korea’s most popular expat tour providers. Andong and Hahoe Village (Oct 2—3), Kiln Tour—Korean Pottery and Porcelain in Icheon Area (Oct 2), Bucheon World Intangible Cultural Heritage Expo (BICHE) (Oct 3), Jeonju City Tour—A Walk Through Joseon (Oct 9), Walking Lecture Tour of Chosun Dynasty Seoul (Oct 10), Seoraksan National Park and Waterpia (Oct 16—17), Jeollado (rescheduled) (Oct 23—24), Ganghwa-do (Oct 23), Danyang—Woraksan National Park Gosu Cave and Chungju Lake Boat Cruise (Oct 24), Jirisan and Namwon—A Journey into Korea's Scenic South Chollado

Scottish Dance Practice

Every Wed until Nov 17, 7:30pm Broughton Club of the British Embassy

SIWA October Tours Seoul International Women’s Association runs a lively program of tours and activities this month. See www.siwapage.com for more details.

Send your own items to writer@seoulselection.com and we’ll put them in our Community Page.

Oriental medicine

Respiratory Problems

Part 1: Bronchitis Dr. Raimund Royer (raimundroyer@jaseng.co.kr) is Korea’s only “Western” Oriental medical doctor and the medical director of the Jaseng Hospital of Oriental Medicine’s International Clinic (www.jaseng.net).

Coughing is a common symptom. Usually it is part and parcel of a common cold or viral infection, and it improves within a few days or at most a couple of weeks. In some cases, however, the cough might become very severe or chronic. In those cases, the underlying cause of the cough should be investigated, as it can be a sign of more severe diseases, including allergies, asthma, emphysema, bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), pneumonia and lung cancer, to name a few. Bronchitis is an inflammation of the breathing tubes (bronchi) that lead to the lungs. The inflammation results in an accumulation of mucus, coughing, sore throat, difficulty breathing, pain in the chest and/or back and sometimes fever. Bronchitis can be either acute or chronic. Acute bronchitis is usually caused by an infection following a cold or flu. Most people who develop bronchitis will recover within a few weeks; however, in some cases the condition may lead to pneumonia or chronic bronchitis.

Two kinds of chronic bronchitis Chronic bronchitis is a long term condition that lasts for more than 3 months. According to the clinical manifestations, the disease can be divided into 2 categories: simple chronic bronchitis and chronic asthmatic bronchitis. In the former, cough and sputum production are predominant. The latter type includes the aforementioned symptoms as well as dyspnea (shortness of breath) and wheezing, symptoms which indicate spasms in the smooth muscle of the bronchi. In Oriental Medicine, the Lung group, which includes the lungs, bronchi, nose and skin, is seen as the first and most superficial line of defense against external "intruders." Acute bronchitis is the result of a pathogenic invasion of either wind-cold or wind-heat. A wind-cold invasion involves symptoms such as a stuffy or runny nose and cough with watery, whitish mucus. A wind-heat invasion produces a drier cough with thick, yellowish-green mucus, a dry throat and thirst. Chronic bronchitis, on the other hand, is

caused by "deficiency of both Lung and Spleen," which results in the impairment of fluid movement and the retention of phlegm. This weakness of the Spleen and Lung manifests with symptoms commonly associated with bronchitis, such as a weak cough, spontaneous perspiration, shortness of breath, tendency to catch cold, and exacerbation of cough in contact with wind-cold. In order to improve Spleen and Lung functioning, herbal remedies that include codonopsis root, astragalus root and schisandra berry may be prescribed.

Flare-ups It is common for sufferers of chronic bronchitis to experience periodic acute flare-ups. These episodes are classified according to the accompanying symptoms as either "Interior Retention of Phlegm with Exopathic Cold" or "Stagnation of Phlegm-Heat". The former syndrome presents with cough that is accompanied by thin, whitish sputum and dyspnea. It is treated with remedies that include herbs with a warm character and pungent taste, like ginger. "Stagnation of Phlegm-Heat" produces symptoms such as a bad cough with thick, yellowish phlegm, thirst, a dry throat, yellow urine, constipation, a reddened tongue with yellowish fur, and a slippery, rapid pulse. This type should be addressed with herbs that have cold character, such as scutellaria root or trichosanthes seed. Medicinal treatments aside, chronic bronchitis sufferers need to take certain precautions to protect their airways. Irritants such as cigarette smoke, dust, and chemical vapors should be avoided. Drink plenty of warm fluids, which will help to liquefy bronchial secretions, making them easier to cough up. Use a humidifier at night, especially when using a heating system during the cold season. Last but not least, try to inhale through the nose instead of the mouth. Just a few extra centimeters of respiratory lining really do make a difference in moistening and warming the air to a point that is more comfortable for your bronchi, especially during winter. travel & culture SEOUL 87

SEOUL OCTOBER 2010

OCTOBER | 2010 FILM ISSUE

SEOUL IN THE MOVIES • YANGDONG VILLAGE

SEOUL IN THE MOVIES

DIRECTOR LEE JEONG-BEOM TOP CINEMAS YANGDONG VILLAGE GETTING AN iPHONE STAND UP COMEDY GOINGS ON GUIDE:

17 PAGES OF OCTOBER EVENTS!

HIGH-POWER SHOPPING ￦ 3,000

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Issue NO.87