10magazine 2010 May

Art • Theater • Concerts • Film • Community • Fitness • Dine & Drink • Nightlife • TRAVEL

Korea awaits! • may 2010 VOL. 2 NO. 8

A Hiker's Paradise The 10 Mountains You Don't Want to Miss Open Mic Nights Nationwide Expat Comedy Clubs The Steve McCurry Photo Exhibition Lotus Lantern Festival

Printed using 100% soy ink.

Plus tons of fun events in our nationwide calendar!

Shinhan Bank’s extraordinary new Shinhan Seoul Global Center has been made with Korean visitors and expats in mind.

Boasting a beautiful new facility conveniently located in the heart of downtown Seoul and a completely bilingual staff catering specifically to the needs of non-Korean customers, the center is truly the long-awaited answer to the prayers of the foreign community in Korea.

With services range from opening new accounts, Internet banking, credit card applications to foreign exchange, the Shinhan Seoul Global Center is your one-stop shop for all your international banking needs.

SHINHA N BAN K SEOU L G LOBAL C EN T E R 100-768 1st Floor, Seoul Finance Center 84 Taepyungro 1-ga Jung-gu Seoul Phone: 02 -773-3131, Fax: 02-773-3164

Coupon for 10 Magazine Readers [101704]

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FROM THE EDITOR

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CONTRIBUTORS

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LETTERS / A SHOT OF KOREAN KOREA BY THE NUMBERS

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READER’S 10

10 STYLE

Seoul Fashion Week in Review 14 LIFESTYLE NEWS 18 A TASTE OF KOREA Mandu and You 20

IN THE KITCHEN Wonseok Shin at the Daegu Novotel

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ART The Afghan Girl in Seoul

24 10 QUESTIONS

Stephen Frawley:

Senior VP of HR at SK Telecom 26

COMMUNITY 26 Where the Funny Things Are 28 Testing, Testing: Open Mic Nights

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May 2010 vol. 2 No. 8 32

THE 10 HOTEL & RESORT NEWS

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COVER STORY Top 10 Mountain Treks

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LOCATIONS WITH 10

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CALENDAR & DIRECTORY 44 Nationwide 48 Regional 79 Networking

48 FOODIE FINDS

From the Rooftops: Roofers Bar 50

WINE REVIEW Green Gallery

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LIVE MUSIC The Big Black Boxes

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KOREAN DESTINATIONS Lotus Lanterns Light Up Seoul

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A HAPPY ENDING Culture Vulture

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FROM THE EDITOR

The Most Important Part of 10

CEO

Sang-tae Kim sangtaekim@10magazine.asia

n mid-April, I went along with my friend, business partner and co-worker Kyoung-hee Lim to have dinner at an Indian restaurant, thinking that we would probably mention that we run a magazine and would like to have them advertise if they were interested. We ordered one palak panir (I love that stuff) and one tomato and cheese nan. The food came out, and we were surprised at the amount of nan, but it was cut up so we assumed they just make a really big nan at this place. We went to pay, carrying up a magazine and business cards to introduce ourselves. When we looked at the bill, we saw that the guy had charged us for two nan. I said, “But we wanted one.” He said, “But one is not enough for two people, so I gave you two.” I said, “But we’ll never come back again.” He said, “But one is not enough for two people, so I gave you two.” I said, “Okay”, we paid the bill, and we walked out.

That restaurant never got a card or a magazine.

I went for a take-out sandwich the other day at what I thought was a potential advertiser and paid W9,500 for a crabmeat sandwich with no side dishes. Seemed a little steep, but I thought, hey, it’ll be worth it for a good sandwich. I got home and was left wondering where the crabmeat was hidden amongst the bread. No follow up with them.

The ads in 10 are as important as the content. There are no advertisers in this magazine that I wouldn’t visit myself in a heartbeat. Mostaffa at Marakech Night runs a tremendous Moroccan restaurant with some of the best Middle Eastern food you’ll ever get. A Reuben sandwich from Suji’s Restaurant and Deli is piled high with roast beef and fresh sauerkraut and paired with fresh pickles and real coleslaw – some customers actually complain it’s too much meat! (Go in and tell them it’s perfect before they reduce the portions, please!)

The boys at Holy Grill in Daegu put together one of the most delicious, bestrun Western restaurant-bars in Korea, bar none. I went to a little jazz bar across from the InterCon Hotel in Samsung-dong that put on such an incredible show that I just had to chase them for an ad. Tokyo Jazz just started advertising this month. I skeptically went for treatment at Jaseng Oriental Hospital after a couple days of back pain, and after one hour of being adjusted and stuck with needles, I woke up the next day just fine. We gave them a small free ad for 3 months before they finally relented and signed up as a long-term advertiser. I’m proud of our advertisers, and I hope they’re proud to be in 10.

At the same time, the advertisements are separate from the content, and it’s going to stay that way. I’ve caught hell on more than one occasion for having a review or an interview or whatever that wasn’t about our advertisers, but rather about a competitor. And every time I hear it, I explain that separation of ads from content is exactly why people read 10, and that’s why we put out more magazines than any other English magazine in the country (we’re in almost 8,000 hotel rooms every month – and that’s just the hotels!). At the same time, we don’t avoid reviewing or interviewing our advertisers because they offer exactly the kinds of terrific products and services that English speakers in Korea are desperately searching for – from brunch to a root canal, you can find them in 10. But in our articles even then they are often profiled right next to non-advertisers who provide the same service. So when you do visit one of our advertisers, let them know that you went because you saw them in 10 – because without them there wouldn’t be a 10 in your hands right now. And we’ll be sure to keep finding more great places for you to visit for the products and services you so desperately need and love.

Executive Editor

Jai-yoon Kim jaiyoonkim@10magazine.asia Stephen Revere sr@10magazine.asia David Carruth dc@10magazine.asia

S t e p h e n R e v e r e , M anaging E ditor

10 Magazine is published monthly by 10 Media Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Printed by Kyohaksa Publishing. Co., Ltd

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10 Magazine May 2010

Managing Editor Assistant Editor Contributors

Brian Aylward, R. L. Baldwin Michael Berry, Simon Bond Kyle Burton, David Carruth Jessica Coyle, Gregory Curley Nickolai Furenski, Dylan Goldby Joshua Hall, Ciaran Hickey Jeremiah Hill, Michael Hurt Shirley Hwang, Austin James Davis Jung, Dami Kang Sonia Knapp, Daniel Lenaghan Barrett Lione-Seaton Kyoung-hee Lim, Paul Matthews Ben Min, Joe McPherson Charles Montgomery Anna Orzel, Hyeon-seong Ryu John Scheid, Grace Sun Chris Tharp, Margaret Whittum Alaric Willi, James Wolver Chris Wright, Agnes Yu

General Manager

Kyoung-hee Lim kl@10magazine.asia Dami Kang dk@10magazine.asia

Coordinator Art Director

Hugh Lee hlee@10magazine.asia Ethan James ej@10magazine.asia

Photography Marketing Inquiries Calendar Events Contribute Questions/Comments Subscriptions

marketing@10magazine.asia calendar@10magazine.asia contribute@10magazine.asia comments@10magazine.asia subscribe@10magazine.asia Our cover story author and cover model, J ohn S cheid has spent time in Denver, Buenos Aires, and now Seoul. The genuinely kind people and hospitable atmosphere of Korea have made it an easy place to call home, and the adventures he’s had exploring Korea's abundant mountains, coastlines, and cities keep him occupied when he's not studying or working. js@10magazine. asia. Our cover photo was taken by B arrett L ione - S eaton

Please Recycle This Magazine 10 Magazine May Vol. 2 No. 8 등록번호 서울 라 12065 (Registration: Seoul Ra 12065) ©10 Media Inc. Address 서울시 강남구 논현동 10-21 10-21 Nonhyeon-dong Gangnam-gu Seoul 135-010 Phone 02-3447-1610 www.10magazine.asia

CONTRIBUTORS

Regular readers of 10 Magazine may have noticed that one of our most consistent contributors, Ethan Jam e s , has gone missing in recent months. Just to let those of you who miss his tremendous photography know why, we present C l ara W e i r Z e l l e Jam e s , who was born April 3rd, 2010 at 5:18 am in Chicago, Illinois. Send Ethan and his wife Bess your congratulations at ej@10magazine.asia. (p. 28) is a transplant from Chicago living in sunny Busan. He enjoys aimlessly wandering through big cities, consuming vast amounts of kimchi and trying everything new. Always passionate about art and pursuing it all over the world, he has come to Korea to focus on photography and build a remarkable portfolio. Check out his photos at austiniswayfun.blogspot.com.

Au st i n Jam e s

Dav i s J u ng (p. 22) graduated with a degree in Art Semiotics. Semiotics is the study of signs. This is ironic because Davis always misses the sign. In his free time, he endlessly compares his life to epic fantasy series and futilely wishes he could develop wizard powers. He enjoys spending lazy days in art galleries, especially at closing time.

S on i a K na p p ( p. 4 0) h a s l ive d , worked and traveled in Korea on-and-off since 1998. She’s now at home in Jeonju, where she works as a visiting professor at Jeonju University. Every weekend she’s looking for rocks to climb and beautiful places to pitch her tent.

( p. 28) i s from Richmond, Virginia and enjoys meeting new people, playing music and trying new things. Chris has been participating in Open Mics for a number of years. Currently, he hosts the Anyang open mic, teaches and is the singer-songwriter and guitarist for the rock and roll band Hardtack and Gruel.

C hr i s W r i ght

10 Magazine May 2010

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LETTERS I live in Geoje Island (Okpo) and wait every month for my 10 Magazine. There are several foreigners in Korea who live with their families which include young children. This is my case, with a 7-year-old daughter and a 5-year-old son.

We have been in Korea since 2007 and will stay until 2012. My wife and I have taken the kids to Lotte World, Everland, Nanta, Jump, to the Dinosaur Park in Go-sung, Busan Aquarium, Oedo Island etc. However, sometimes it seems difficult to find new places for the young ones and we end at the same places. What I would like to see is more suggestions from 10 Magazine for the kids.

Next month (May) it is Children’s Day in Korea, how about a section dedicated to children?

Rodolfo Pellicano, Geoje Island T h a n ks fo r th e su g g e sti o n Ro d o l fo! We w ill certainly keep it in mind as we grow and expand pages and content. We currently cater to families with our Calendar events, but we agree that it would be great to have a monthly column devoted to families as well. Look for us to add something along those lines in coming months. Sorry, but we weren’t able to do it by this Children’s Day. Check our Calendar for events to attend with the kids.

* * * I think you guys just crossed the border of ordinary Joes saying ‘I think I could make a better English-language magazine on Korea’ which makes a lot of us rest easy that we can rely on a publication with solid editorial standards.

And which is to also say of course that I was impressed with the latest issue of 10 on the stands. And I’m much more impressed with the rapid - dare I say Korean-speed leapfrogimprovement since 10’s inception. I enjoyed almost every page this month, including the ads.

I know such endeavors take a lot of work. Thanks for delivering great value and I hope you guys keep up the great work!

Sean Lim, Seoul

A Shot of Korean by Stephen Revere

어머! [oh-mo] Oh, my gosh!

Look, most of these short expressions are simply to give you a line to make Koreans laugh, because that’s all most people have time to learn. Here’s one that is said almost exclusively by women – to an extent that drives me nuts. Korean women have to be the most easily startled women on the planet. Walk into a room in the morning and say, “Good morning” and you’ll frequently get this response – “Oh-mo!” It can also be used to show surprise at something considered shocking or a scandal (think Tiger Woods), and usually in that case you’ll hear them say it three times fast – 어머 어머 어머! 어머, 설마! [Oh-mo, seol-ma!] – Oh my gosh, that can’t be true! 어머, 진짜? [Oh-mo, jinjja?] – Oh my gosh, are you serious?

Check out Survival Korean and Survival Korean: Basic Grammar Skills for more Korean lessons from 10’s Managing Editor, Stephen Revere.

Se ou l Su b→u r b a n

seoulsuburban.com This is the first offering in our new “Blog of the Month” series, and we’ll of course be getting to some of the bigger names later, but for now we Blog of the Month want to prof ile a new little upstart out there that has a concept we just love. Seoul Sub→urban follows the exploits of Charles Usher and Elizabeth Groeschen as they explore the area surrounding random subway stations in the nation’s capital.

Charles mans the pen and Elizabeth the camera as they search out obscure areas of Seoul that you never knew existed. You can live in Seoul your entire life and never get to a lot of the neighborhoods in this giant metropolis, but with a little help from Charlie and Liz, you can get a glimpse and maybe even find out about a new destination you’d like to check out – after a nice subway ride of course.

Korea by the Numbers

16,970,000 2.9 432 8 |

10 Magazine May 2010

Vehicles registered in Korea in 2007.

The US has over 245 milion, while Spain, with a slightly lower population than Korea, has over 27 million cars.

People per registered car in Korea in 2007.

The comparable number in China is 33.1 and in the US it is 1.2.

Kilometers of high-speed rail that Korea had running in 2006. At the same time France had 2,798, while the US had (and still has) zero.

421 Airplanes owned by the domestic airline carriers.

5 times the number of planes owned in 1970.

Statistics courtesy of Korea Statistical Information Service (KOSIS)

THE READER'S 10

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hese Reader’s 10s just keep delivering us more and more surprises. We were under the impression that there was no way anything but a chain could win our readers’ poll on coffee shops, but then came along the impassioned patrons of The Shisha House in Daejeon. This place must provide quite a service to the English-speaking community of Daejeon because it didn’t just win our poll, it almost doubled the votes of the second place winner – Starbucks! That’s a pretty amazing showing for a little upstart café we’d say.

10. Angel In Us

angelinus.co.kr 9. 7 Monkeys 8. A T wosome Place

twosome.co.kr 7. E spressamente Illy

espressamenteilly.co.kr 6. Holly 's

hollys.co.kr 5. Tom & Tom's

tomntoms.com/eng 4. Caffé Bene

caffebene.co.kr 3. Coffee Bean

coffeebeankorea.com 2. Starbucks

istarbucks.co.kr 1. The Shisha House

theshishahouse@gmail.com

Now last month’s issue on the best brunches in Korea was one of our most successful issues ever, with Kyobo Bookstores selling out and new subscribers calling and saying, “Be sure to start my subscription with this month’s brunch issue.” We listed what our brunch experts had chosen as the ten best brunch places in Korea, and of course, as everyone’s got an opinion, we got a little pushback and even flat-out disagreement. So now it’s time to hear what our readers think. Next month’s Reader’s 10 is –

“W hat is your favor ite place for brunch in Kor ea?”

Polls open at www.10magazine.asia the last week of April and close on May 12th at 11:59 pm. Comments and discussion are welcome. Have at it folks!

Subscribe today for over 30% off the cover price!

W29,000 for a year • W15,000 for 6 months subscribe@10magazine.asia, 02-3447-1610 www.10magazine.asia

10 Magazine May 2010

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style

Seoul Fashion Week Words by Grace Su n

The WINNERS

shots by M icha el H u rt

Seoul Fashion Week – a whirlwind few days of undeniably fabulous fashion, and a gathering of the hippest trendsetters in the country and beyond. 10 Magazine’s fashion editor Gracie shares her shortlist of the best collections for F/W 2010.

First Place Lee Doii

Hands down my favorite designer, Doii’s first gig was with the great John Galliano. Not long after, she was collaborating with Christian Dior before being handpicked by Antonio Marras to work at Kenzo.

We can see these influences peek through in her own label “Doii Paris,” which epitomizes the meaning of romanticism.

Her collection this year was no exception – we just cannot get enough of these gorgeous couture gowns. “Superstar” is an understatement, and this year she wins first prize by a landslide for truly outstanding designs.

Designer Lee Doii takes a bow

Second Place G e e C hoon - H e e & M i ss G e e

Once again, this veteran proves her status as the designer most worn by Korean celebrities. Sexy and feminine, her showstopping collection this year has a distinct 40’s theme. Oh so glamorous, the epitome of class.

10 | 10 Magazine May 2010

Third Place Im S e on - oc

Ever pushing the boundaries, this avant-garde designer tells a story with every new season – each bearing little resemblance to the last. This year, her dreamy collection is no exception.

Trained in Japan and citing Yohji Yamamoto and Rei Kawakubo as her main influences, her designs are a fashion paradox - minimalist yet complex. A true artist.

HIGHLY C OMMEN D E D

1 J u ng H u n J ong Oriental prints and bright eyepopping colours in sophisticated shapes

2 Yang H e e Deu k Retro designs and lots of fur give this season’s bold look a whiff of attitude

Apr-Dec: 4pm, 8pm

INTRODUCING: D-Style by

Chongdong Theater

(No performance on Monday) R: W40,000, S: W30,000, A: W20,000

D oroth y Nam

For her debut at Seoul Fashion Week, KoreanAmerican Nam’s collection featured works that included an eclectic mix of silk prints and funky scarves, all inspired by the artwork of Lim Chae-wook, and rooted in traditional hanbok colours and shapes.

For more pictures, check out f e etmans e o u l . com

CUT HERE

20% OFF Expire: May 31, 2010 *Discount good up to four guests Chongdong Theater | 02-751-1500 | www.koreamiso.com

CUT HERE

Advertorial

Young Chef Pencil Box Culinary Challenge 2010

C

ooking competitions are certainly not a new phenomenon, but a culinary challenge that originates in Korea for young Korean chefs is an event that undoubtedly resonates strongly with the local community.

Now in its fourth year, the MLA Korea Young Chef Pencil Box Culinary Challenge is what some would call a triumph in the local culinary world. Inspired by the MLA Black Box Culinary Challenge – a global cooking contest for professional chefs – the Pencil Box Culinary Challenge is exclusive to Korea and was launched with the purpose of fostering the talents of young chefs under the age of 25. This year, 20 finalists were chosen from a pool of 538 applicants. The top 10 chefs received trophies and a total cash prize of 4.4 million won, and the top 6 were awarded further with a trip to Australia.

How it wor ks:

Eager contestants from two categories - high school and college level culinary students - are hand picked by organizers to participate in a cooking showdown.

Contestants have three hours to complete two dishes (one beef and one lamb), using only the mystery ingredients supplied in the “pencil box” that are disclosed to them on the day of the event.

The judges evaluate each stage of the cooking process, and contestants are judged based on their preparation methods, cleanliness, creativity, presentation and taste.

This year, the participating judges were Alan Palmer, global competition coordinator of the MLA Black Box Culinary Challenge; Nick Flynn, executive chef of the InterContinental Hotel; and Paul Schenk, director of food & beverage at the InterContinental Hotel Jim Lim, regional manager of MLA Korea, said, “The competition has grown tremendously in the last four years in both capacity and quality. We had a record number of applicants this year, and we expect next year’s event to be even bigger.

“It’s a great opportunity for us to support young

Contestants hard at work

•••••

Winners from the high school category with the judges

chefs-to-be who will undoubtedly be the emerging global leaders of modern cuisine. The competition also brings hope and inspiration to young people who have aspired to make a career out of their cooking skills – it’s certainly a dynamic and rewarding industry to be in. Our goal is to prepare these culinary leaders to become the future leading chefs of the world.”

The trip to Australia gives the young chefs a chance to learn about the food industry from paddock to plate. For these six winners, it will be a memorable experience, providing them with a benchmark for exploring cuisine and becoming future ambassadors for Australian beef and lamb. The event was covered by local TV stations, such as SBS, Food TV, and CJ Media. Watch the video at youtube.com/ watch?v=KrO2t_A17NU

W inning Dishes • • • • •

Win a 2kg wagyu Beef Set Worth W100,000

High School Group (L to R) 1st, 2nd and 3rd place

College Group (L to R) 1st, 2nd and 3rd place

12 | 10 Magazine May 2010

Submit a beef recipe along with a picture by May 31st, and the best entry will receive a 2kg chilled wagyu beef set worth W100,000.

The winner will be announced in July’s 10 Magazine. Send your recipes to gs@10magazine.asia.

Edited by K you ngh ee Li m and Dav i d Carru th

Fair Trade Coffee Is Beautiful Coffee 2.5 billion cups of coffee are drunk around the world every day.

How much of this is bought at a fair price? To add a pinch of justice to your cappuccino, try buying from the Beautiful Store, which purchases its coffee directly from farmers. Under this model, both farmer and consumer can get more out of their cup.

Through your purchase, farmers can become economically independent and you can feel proud about buying fair trade goods.

Beautiful Coffee is 100% Arabica coffee that is ecofriendly and organic. The coffee beans are acquired raw

from Nepal, Peru, and Uganda and roasted in Korea every week to ensure freshness and long-lasting flavor. beautifulcoffee.com

Gecko's Goes to the Beach Gecko’s has been providing the foreign community with all of their favorites from the old country for over a decade now. Lasagna with real ricotta and mozzarella, fish and chips, bangers and mash, quesadillas and lovely brunch are served up at their locations in Seoul, and they’ve brought these authentic tastes to faraway lands like Jukjeon and Jeju Island as well. Now you can enjoy Gecko’s great Western fare while staring out at the Sea of Jap—oops, the East Sea at Busan’s Haeundae beach. That’s right, beach-front brunching on Haeundae with all of your Gecko’s favorites.

Enjoy! 051-747-3069

Sendai Izakaya Brings Japan to Cheongdam-dong Wishing you could visit an authentic Japanese pub? You don’t need to catch a flight to Osaka since Chef Hoe-jin Jeong at Sendai is bringing it to you. After two years in Bundang, Sendai just opened up its first Seoul branch, and Japanophiles and gourmets are taking note. Swing through the doors to see the cooks chopping up fresh sushi and kebabs.

The second floor recreates the mood of a modern-day izakaya with quaint decorations and cozy seating. If you’re feeling swanky, move on to the third floor for up-market black and red décor perfect for small groups or a date. You won’t regret ordering the tasty charcoal-grilled kebab and premium sushi. 02-3445-7397 14 | 10 Magazine May 2010

Edited by K you ngh ee Li m and Dav i d Carru th

Comic Music Show Fanta-Stick Rolls Out New Concept

Make the Most of Sangsangmadang with New “Open Ticket” Say you’d like to catch a f lick. Or see a show. Or browse through an exhibit. What if you could do all that, all month, for only W15,000? That’s exactly what culture space Sangsangmadang in Hongdae is offering. Valid from the first till the last day of the month, this free pass gives you access to all of the services and programs held at Sangsangmadang. You can buy the ticket online for W15,000, but note that only 100 will be sold, and only on the first day of the month. sangsangmadang.com 02-330-6203

Prime Minister’s Office Consults with ATEK ATEK (The Association for Teachers of English in Korea), an all-volunteer support network with nearly 1,000 members, has recently responded to a request by the Prime Minister’s office to provide suggestions about how to improve the lives of expats in Korea through changes to immigration and labor policies. Recommendations included creating a national electronic database of teachers’ academic and legal information, building a governmentsponsored English website with pertinent legal information, and involving expat teachers in the creation of orientation materials for new teachers.

ATEK has also taken steps to reach out to the community by inviting Korean English teachers to join the association.

Recently, the Busan Metropolitan Association recruited ATEK’s first Korean member, who is interested in acting as a mediator in 16 | 10 Magazine May 2010

In a city filled with competing shows, Fanta-stick has always stood out for its striking premise. On open run at the 63 Building in Yeouido, this non-verbal performance begins with a myth about a magical drum and moves on to the conf lict between a family of drummers who run an auto repair shop and a cursed family of musiciansturned-ghosts.

But since March 23rd of this year, there’s been a big change, and the designers have taken the show’s (Fanta-)stick shift and pushed it into a higher gear. The new version of the show brings a genuine antique Ford Model A shipped from America on stage for the new “carformance” (“car” plus “performance”).

This new prop is no mere decoration, however. The car engines are swapped for drums, and the two doors, steering wheel, and wipers all add to the percussive fun. But in addition to being a mobile drum set, the Ford also doubles as a DJ kit. The DJ uses the equipment stored in the driver’s seat to pump out electronic beats and to control the LED lighting on the eight massive exhaust pipes behind the car, which pulse in time with the music.

Fanta-stick’s combination of percussion, string music, breakdance, traditional Korean art forms, and martial arts made it one exciting show. And now, the addition of the “carformance” is revving up the engine even more. Be sure to take a ride on this live fusion music performance. fanta-stick.co.kr 02-789-5663 G ett i ng T h e r e

Take the free shuttle bus that stops at Daebang Stn. (line 1, ex. 6), Saetgang Stn. (line 9, ex. 1), Yeouido Stn. (line 5, ex. 5), and Yeouinaru Stn. (line 5, ex. 4). It runs from 11:30 am – 5:30 pm and 9 – 11 pm on weekdays and Saturdays and 9 am – 11 pm on Sundays and holidays.

Call 02-789-5663 for more info (Korean).

labor disputes. Anyone who teaches English in Korea legally can become a voting member or hold elected office.

“Bringing Koreans into the association fosters a much stronger connection to the community,” said ATEK President Greg Dolezal. “Surely having more Koreans involved is an asset that will improve our inter-cultural awareness and promote greater harmony between employees. The language skills and knowledge of the culture they bring are a huge benefit.”

The association is actively seeking new volunteers to help with issues ranging from emergency needs to professional development. To join, go to www.atek.or.kr/join.

A TASTE OF KOREA

All images provided by Foodwar e co. , ltd.

Mandu (만두) Delightful Dumplings

Words by Ci aran H ick ey, Ex ecutive chef of w hotel seoul

I

have to start by saying that mandu are big in our house. Not physically big, but popular. My three-year-old can make them disappear at a frightening rate, and my wife and I snack on them while watching TV. I blame all those free samples in the supermarkets: one or two bites and we were hooked.

My first food-tasting trip with my team was to a mandu restaurant where we had both steamed mandu and mandu soup. I was amazed by how many of these golf ball-sized dumplings my guys could put away.

My personal limit was four (though I’m pretty sure sitting on the floor didn’t help my digestion).

Basically, mandu are Korean dumplings consisting of minced meat and vegetables wrapped in a thin piece of dough. The filling can be made from shrimp, ground beef, pork and fish. The vegetables can include scallions, bean sprouts, mushrooms and kimchi, among others. At the W Hotel, we have also made them with foie gras, lobster and salmon, to name but a few non-traditional ingredients. Actually, I have always enjoyed Asianstyle dumplings, from Japanese gyoza to Chinese-style “potstickers” in the US. The kimchi mandu here in Korea are particularly addictive.

Korean mandu can be cooked i n sever al ways: si m mered i n beef stock (mandu guk), steamed or fried (my favorite). A dipping sauce of soy sauce and vinegar is usually served on the side. In the past, mandu were made at home, but as I mentioned there is a huge amount available in the supermarket nowadays. Be careful as some of them are made with a lot of flavor enhancers that will stay with you long after the dumplings themselves are gone.

If you do want to buck the trend by making your own, a great way to start is to buy frozen won ton or egg roll wrappers, preferably round, between 8 and 10 cm across.

My favor ite thi ng to st uff the mandu with when I cook is prawn and kimchi. It’s not traditional, but I like to add a little ginger to the recipe. They can be steamed in a bamboo basket or fried in a tiny amount of oil on a non-stick pan. I love the crisp texture of the skins when they are fried.

Korean "Netizen" Picks for Mandu Sinpo Woori Mandu (신포우리만두) It started as a family store in 1971, and in the past forty years it has become one of Korea’s staple mandu chains.

Unlike many Korean restaurants, the menu here is vast with more than thirty-seven options including the store specialties of mandu and jjolmyeon. In addition to all the regular kinds of mandu, they offer hard-to-find varieties like seafood and leek mandu and shrimp mandu. There are nine stores in Seoul but it’s easiest to locate for residents of Jeolla Province. sinpomandoo.co.kr, 063-546-7501 18 | 10 Magazine May 2010

Myeongin Mandu (명인만두) You could translate the name of this restaurant chain as “Master Mandu,” and in the thirty years they’ve been in business they’ve had plenty of time to master their food of choice. With dozens of stores in and around Seoul and in other parts of Korea, this is a prime spot to enjoy the mandu basics, with kimchi, meat, and gochu mandu to choose from. Snack on kimbap, ramyeon, and tteokbokki if you’re still hungry after the dumplings. mi-mandoo.co.kr, 1544-7731

by Dav i d Carru th

T e am M a n d u

Jjin Mandu (찐만두)

This refers to steamed dumplings, a popular culinary choice.

Gogi Mandu (고기만두)

These dumplings contain minced pork.

Kimchi Mandu (김치만두)

Along with the meat, the added kimchi here packs an extra punch.

Gun Mandu (군만두)

These crispy pan or deep-fried dumplings often accompany Chinese food.

Mul Mandu (물만두)

These boiled dumplings are served in a water bath.

Wa n g M a n d u (왕만두)

These big steamed dumplings are the “wang” (king) of mandu.

IN THE KITCHEN

W

hen Wonseok Shin was a teenager, he was bitten by the cooking bug. In high school he loved cooking Western foods such as pasta and steak. Then he got involved in French literature, which led to his life’s passion in French cuisine. He journeyed to Paris and enrolled in Le Cordon Bleu academy, learning French cuisine along with American, Japanese and fellow Korean students.

Korean and Japanese students were plentiful, which spurred them into healthy competition.

Chef Shin has a special place in his heart for Paris. Since it has had centuries of multicultural traffic, it has long been used to foreigners, and he felt there was little racial discrimination. He also thinks Parisians appreciate the amount of money Koreans spent there.

Even though he noticed that the French were interested in Korean food, he has had frustrations in introducing French food to Daegu citizens as head chef at Daegu’s swanky Novotel hotel. Daegu diners turned their noses up at his Gallic cuisine, saying it was too foreign and heavy.

“Daegu needs more multiculturalism,” explains Chef Shin. “This is many Koreans’ first time trying French food, but someday they will like it.”

A good example was his attempt to serve the clas-

sic French dish escargot borginon, which is snails steeped in butter, garlic and parsley. These diners were appalled at the thought of touching snails, even though they scarf them down anyway in Korean dishes such as golbaengi muchim.

Rather than continue to force classic French food down his customer’s throats, Chef Shin experimented with altering French food to his customers’ tastes. To the escargot dish, he added more garlic and some ginger. People started enjoying the dishes more.

This started Wonseok Shin on the path of introducing Korean ingredients to French techniques, creating exciting new f lavors and textures. One such dish is a Pork Blanquette in Doenjang Cream Sauce, which mixes Korea’s complex fermented soybeans with a smooth sauce in a dish that sounds like something you wouldn’t mind cuddling up with.

Chef Shin doesn’t just use any Korean ingredients, however. He makes sure to source locally, getting the best doenjang, seafood and even the famous cheese from Imsil, one of the few cheesemaking regions in east Asia. With this arsenal, Chef Wonseok Shin plans to woo the taste buds of Daegu citizens and wake up their palates to a world of amazing flavors.

Wonseok Shin, Head Chef Hotel Novotel Daegu City Center Words and shots by Joe McPh erson Ingredients • 2 L bouillon - 2 L water - 3 bay leaves - 200 g onion - 5 cloves - 50 g doenjang (soybean paste) - 3 kg cubed pork • 100 g roux - 50 g butter - 50 g flour • 100 g doenjang (soybean paste) • 1 L cream • salt and pepper • 200 g diced and sautéed onion • 200 g diced and sautéed mushroom Instructions 1. Add the pork, bay leaves, onion, cloves, and a bit of doenjang to the water and boil for 40 min.

Wonseok Shin's Pork Blanquette in Doenjang Cream Sauce

2. While it boils, skim off any froth that rises to the top. It’s done when you can stick a fork into it easily.

3. Remove the meat and slice it into cube-shaped pieces.

4. After straining the broth, add cream as you boil it down.

5. Use a blender to mix the doenjang with a bit of cream and add it to the broth and cream that you are boiling down.

6. Make the roux by cooking butter and wheat flour and add it to the mix until you reach the proper concentration.

7. Season with salt and pepper, and add the pork to the sauce again.

8. Stir-fry the onions and mushrooms separately.

Add them and let cook a little longer.

10 would like to correct the record on last month’s article on Nick Flynn, Executive Chef of the InterContinental Hotels. Mr. Flynn worked in Germany, Switzerland, England, Singapore, India, but never Austria as we printed. He also believes that dinners introducing select dignitaries to Korean food, both domestically and overseas, can be very useful and productive, the direct opposite of which was portrayed in our article. We sincerely apologize to Nick Flynn and the InterContinental Hotel Seoul for our mistake.

S om e D e l ic i o u s C row

20 | 10 Magazine May 2010

Art

The Best Shot

Steve McCurry in South Korea Words and shots by Dav is J u ng

“T

he Afghan Girl”—most people are familiar with this internationally famous photograph of a young girl, red scarf draped loosely over a weathered face containing the most piercing set of sea-green eyes to grace the cover of National Geographic. Her face would later become “the most recognized photograph” in the history of the magazine. This photograph, which appeared in 1985, found renewed interest after the 9/11 terrorist attacks as the United States set out to fight in Afghanistan. Ever since, we have seen this portrait in photo books, posters, and print media all across the world.

It was Steve McCurry, one of America’s most eminent photojournalists, who managed to capture this image. Though busy as an active photojournalist traveling the globe in search of images like “The Afghan Girl,” Steve McCurry recently stopped by Seoul to give a presentation on his philosophy of photography.

At the seminar, viewers were first treated to a National Geographic documentary that followed Steve McCurry back to Pakistan and Afghanistan in order Exhibit Steve McCurry: to find the unknown Afghan girl 17 years later. Having heard that the refugee camp in which he had photographed her in 1985 was to be Unguarded Moment Locat i on demolished, McCurry knew that this was his last chance to find her.

Sejong Center for Despite the lack of official records, he was able to locate Sharbat Gula the Performing Arts D i r e ct i ons with the help of local clan elders and other refugees. Yet, over 17 years, Gwanghwamun St. The Afghan girl had become an Afghan woman, unaware of her fame, (line 5, ex. 8) who had lived a hard life of poverty in the countryside of Afghanistan.

Dat e s Through May 30th Moved by her story, National Geographic set up the Afghan Girls fund Time to help educate young Afghan girls and women.

11 am – 8:30 pm In his seminar, McCurry also discussed the impact of “The Afghan Pr i c e Girl” and gave viewers a show-and-tell of other images he had taken.

Adults W8,000, teens W5,000, He also took part in a Q&A where he fielded questions from aspiring children W3,000 Korean photojournalists and art students. His advice on becoming a C ontact world-famous, successful photographer? Don’t expect it to come while mccurrykorea.com you’re young. It takes patience, maturity, and time to develop your own 02-3412-1700 22 | 10 Magazine May 2010

brand of unique images.

M o s t of t h e p h o t o g r a p h s t h a t McCurry discussed in his presentation are on display at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, a huge culture center located in central Seoul.

It’s actually McCurry’s largest solo exhibition and contains an impressive array of photography. When viewing McCurry’s photography as a whole, you can see how he took his advice about a photographer developing his own unique style to heart. His photography shows a perspective on the world that is particular to him. As a photojournalist, much of his photography is taken in developing countries, often amidst strife, poverty, and war. While McCurry doesn’t gloss over these subjects, his photos contain an indescribable grace to them. Much of this can be attributed to his excellent eye for color and composition. He finds amazing blues, reds, and yellows, and he knows exactly how to frame a shot. The fact that as a photojour nalist he rarely has control over the lighting or other aspects of his mise-en-scene makes the aesthetic and technical perfection of his photos all the more impressive.

Other than his photography skills, what makes McCurry’s artwork really

stand out is his incredible ability to find narrative in por t rait u re. T hough his landscapes are also fantastic, it’s his portraits (like “The Afghan Girl”) that make him the superstar that he is. In the fine arts world, photo portraiture is often looked down upon as a medium without substance, used for vanity or pure representation. Yet McCurry’s portraiture is undeniably worthy of being displayed. His work exemplifies the saying that a picture is worth a thousand words. Each face in a McCurry photograph tells a story. Some of the stories are heartbreaking, and others joyful, yet they all become biographies, told through the expressions of his subjects.

Hongdae Art Galleries Alternative Space Loop has trippy architecture even for a modern art space, which aids its mission of mixing Korean and international modern art. The jagged circular staircase alone is worth the visit, but also expect to see great exhibitions by international artists. galleryloop.com 02-3141-1377 Sangsangmadang (상상마당) is a huge art space (11 floors!) with a performance hall, gallery, cinema, and studios. It’s a great place to watch indie films that wouldn’t be shown in your local CGV, and they regularly hold art classes and seminars by young and cutting-edge artists. sangsangmadang.com 02-330-6200 Ssamzie Space is Hongdae’s leading and largest avant-garde art hall.

The space pursues artists that are interested in subverting, intersecting, and combining multiple mediums. A great forum for underground and postmodern art. ssamnet.com 02-338-7624 Team Preview is a small, hard-to-find gallery that helps find and promote unknown artists as Hongdae’s art scene becomes more commercialized. Though the presentation of the art is not glossy or fancy, you can find artwork that reflects the new generation.

The artwork here ranges from immature to innovative. teampreview.com 02-337-7932 Yogiga Expression Gallery is a performance hall and gallery devoted to alternative musical performances for musicians that explore sound, noise, and the performativity of musical expression. Some of the events here can be a bit strange, but their dedication to avant-garde music makes it an important part of the Hongdae art scene. yogiga.com/tt 02-3141-2603 10 Magazine May 2010 | 23

10 Questions 1. How long have you been working in human resources?

I have worked in the human resources and organizational learning and development fields for more than 25 years.

2. What made SK Telecom want to look outside of Korea for a Senior VP of HR? I believe their selection criteria included experience with leading global companies (GE, Pepsi, Seagate Technology and Amoco in my case), strong educational background (graduate degrees including a doctorate in organizational learning and development, MBA, and MA in HR), and personal characteristics, particularly being open and adaptable to a much different culture and environment. Maybe they also knew I like kimchi!

3. How long have you been here with SK now?

I began my employment with SK Telecom at the end of July 2008 and remain the only non-Korean executive of more than 100 executives.

4. What are the big differences between working at an American (Western) company and a Korean company?

Certainly the cultures differ, particularly when comparing the US to Korea. First, we tend to have a greater focus on individualism in the US versus collectivism (group focus) in Korea. This has implications for how we reward and reinforce employees in both countries. Another difference that I notice from time to time is the strong emphasis on maintaining harmony in the workplace (and life in general) in Korea. Whereas in the US, people are more likely to confront and challenge each other in solving a problem or issue, this is often not the case in Korea. Finally, we tend to look and react to our leaders quite differently in each country. There tends to

Interestingly, Americans tend to have strengths and development needs that are the opposite of their Korean counterparts. Americans may be more effective at planning and creativity, but may lack a strong sense of urgency. I believe that some of these differences are rooted in how Korean and American employees view the concept of work. On more than one occasion, I have heard Korean people say that “we live to work,” whereas in the Western world the philosophy tends to often be “we work to live.”

6. How much longer do you think you’ll be with SK? I have a two year contract that expires at the end of July this year. I’m not sure at this point in time what lies ahead for me and my career.

7. What are some of SK Telecom’s long-term plans?

Publicly, we have announced a shift in our business model from strictly a Business to Consumer (B to C) model to include a Business to Business (B to B) approach. We feel we are in a good position to leverage our technology and capabilities to help other industries such as health care, auto, educational learning and financial services become more productive, creating win-win opportunities.

I believe most people recognize that the mobile communications market is at a 98% penetration rate here in Korea. A company like SK telecom will always be on the lookout for good opportunities that create value for customers, while satisfying an everincreasing consumer appetite for wireless data services.

8. SK must be seeing a lot of competition from iPhone, Blackberry and Android. Does that have an effect on sales, or are you simply the service provider, so it doesn’t matter?

SK Telecom has made a strategic decision to support the Android platform, so that determines our path moving forward. We believe in the long run there are many advantages inherent with the Android platform, including a plethora of applications that will provide consumers with more choice. Also, as I mentioned above, we have extended our reach beyond proSenior Vice President of Human Resources at SK Telecom viding services only to consumers.

9. Do you have any recommendations for other HR managers in Korea on how to Shots by Dy l an ( W elk i nLight Photogra ph y ) do business here?

Sure. For those who are new to Korea, learn about the culture and invest some be less hierarchy in the US and it’s more time lear ning the Korean language. acceptable to challenge and disagree with Also, make sure you understand your the CEO and leaders in general. This has business and how your work aligns with the advantage of helping empower people and supports business strategies. Finally, to make decisions without waiting for it’s helpful to maintain an open mind and guidance from their leaders above. It is a sense of humor in navigating crossimportant to keep in mind that neither cultural issues. the Korean nor US perspective is right or 10. What do you enjoy about your work wrong, it’s just different—and that is why in human resources? it is critical to have an open mindset when dealing with issues of cultural diversity.

I enjoy work that leverages my education, The real challenge as I see it then becomes experience and accomplishments in the how we take the best that each nation’s culture has to offer and human resources and learning and organization development fields combine that to create a stronger and more diverse organization. in building strong organizations and great leaders. I also am drawn 5. What are the strengths and weaknesses of Korean workers vs. to organizations that exhibit passion and commitment for bringing about change. Throughout my career, I have tried to position the strengths and weaknesses of American workers?

I typically don’t like to generalize or stereotype different groups myself with leading companies such as GE, Pepsi, Amoco and because there are always exceptions. On various occasions, I’ve others that are market leaders in their industry. I have learned a lot observed that Korean people excel in execution, work well in and at this juncture in my career, I would enjoy helping an orgateams and do whatever it takes to get the job done, despite sig- nization that aspires to become a market leader. This organization must share my mission in wanting to help unleash individual talent nificant obstacles.

In terms of areas for continued development, sometimes Korean by creating a positive work environment where people are creative, employees may lack creativity in their quest to get fast results. engaged, and look forward to coming to work every day.

Stephen Frawley

24 | 10 Magazine May 2010

community

Something to Laugh About Expat Comedy Groups

D

o you have a lack of laughter in your diet? Signs may include the following: irritableness, a nervous tic, and the “long face” your Korean co-workers are always bugging you about. To get some nutritious servings of healthy humor, you don’t have to watch online reruns of Stephen Colbert: just hit up one of these home-grown expat comedy groups. Grab the mike and stand in the spotlight or let the pros do the funny stuff and simply sit back and enjoy it.

Edited by Dav i d Carru th

The Ha-Ha Hole

The Ha-Ha Hole is Busan’s monthly comedy open mike. It was started six months ago by Chris Tharp and Roy Early, both veterans of the port city’s expat scene. Both Tharp and Early had done comedy back home and were frothing at the mouth for a venue to release their pent-up comedic stylings, but weren’t sure if the town could support a regular 1 comedy mike.

A year ago Tharp read an article about Stand Up Seoul and immediately contacted Brian Aylward. Before long the two of them were doing shows together, and it became quickly apparent that not only could Busan support a comedy mike, it needed one. So the Ha-Ha Hole was born.

In 2006, Tharp and some fellow Busanites produced the infamous sketch show “Babopalooza,” which succeeded in getting all of them arrested and nearly deported. This produced a chilling effect on the expat performance scene in Busan for a couple of years, but now folks are once again feeling free to jump on stage and get their funny on.

The Ha-Ha Hole is open to any and all performers. It takes place the first Friday of every month at 10 pm at Crossroads Bar (PNU). Contact Chris Tharp at tharp42@gmail. com or just walk-in and sign up.

Words by C hr i s T har p

Seoul City Improv

Seoul City Improv is Seoul’s first English-language improv comedy troupe. SCI began as a short form improv group, in the style of Whose Line is it Anyway? Favorite games include What?, Asides, Freeze, Party Quirks, and Countdown. Beginning in late 2009, they expanded to include long form as well, with games such as Montage and Meanwhile, Elsewhere.

Margaret Whittum, an American actor/director living in Seoul, founded SCI in July 2007. With over 35 shows in the past 3 years, SCI regularly performs in Itaewon, Haebangchon and sometimes Hongdae. Over 40 performers from all over the world have graced the SCI stage, and 3 over 100 have participated in rehearsals. Most shows are free, but occasionally SCI will host charity events. Nearly 3 million won was raised in 2009. SCI also had its first international show in Taiwan in April 2010.

SCI will host its next show in Seoul in mid-May. They are always looking for new talent and the troupe is open to all. You don’t need any experience to join, simply a desire to make people laugh and a commitment to rehearse and improve your skills. Rehearsals are typically 1-2 times a week in the evenings in Itaewon. If you are interested in joining, or if you would like information about upcoming shows, please email seoulimprov@gmail. com.

Words by M argar et W h i tt u m 26 | 10 Magazine May 2010

2 1-2. Haha Hole by Austin James, 3. Seoul City Improv 2 year anniversary show by Ben Min, 4-5. Brian Aylward and Nevada at Stand Up Seoul by James Wolver, 6-7. Under the Radar Comedy1 by Jessica Coyle

The Spotlight Comedy Club It may not be a communitybased group, but the Spotlight Comedy Club does offer a great chance to see professional standup comedians perform in Korea. Depending on their availability, the club brings comedians from overseas to Korea for a show. It also offers expats a chance to participate by allotting a ten minute slot between the headliners for local talent.

To inquire about applying for this ten minute slot or to be added to the mailing list for the next show, please contact spotlightcomedyclub@yahoo. com

Stand Up Seoul

Stand Up Seoul is Seoul’s first English-speaking comedy room. Created and hosted by Brian Aylward, it was established in March, 2009. This packed room has become a hilarious hangout on the first Thursday of every month at 4 Rocky Mountain Tavern in central Seoul’s Itaewon district.

The show starts at 9 pm. Since it’s an open mic event, all comedy acts are welcome--stand 5 up, musical, improv, sketch, spoken word and novelty acts. If you are filled with the funny, Stand Up Seoul is for you.

The evolution of expat entertainment continues with Stand Up Seoul showcase shows. These shows showcase Korea’s top expat comedic talent at venues across the country. Stand Up Seoul has offered such shows throughout Seoul, Daegu, Suncheon, Gwangju, Gimhae and Busan. Please contact Brian if you want to bring Stand Up Seoul to your corner of Korea.

In addition to the monthly comedy room and showcase shows throughout the country, Stand Up Seoul also hosts professional standup comedy nights. Sponsorship now allows them to import world class comedy acts to perform at prestigious Seoul venues such as the COEX InterContinental Seoul. Recently, these soldout shows have received rave reviews. Stay tuned for more world-class standup comedy in the coming months.

For more information, join “Stand Up Seoul “ on Facebook or contact Brian at brianaylward11@hotmail.com.

Words by Br i an Ay lward

Under the Radar Comedy

Under the Radar Comedy (formerly Waygugin Parade) had its first rehearsal in August of 2008. Ursula Burgess, the group’s founder, told the new members that she wanted to create a comedy troupe with a focus on loose-form improvisational comedy, a style with fewer rules than the one made famous by Whose Line is it Anyway. Jessica Coyle, current leader of Under the Radar, expanded the group to include sketch comedy.

The group has since performed dozens of sketches for radio station TBSefm and performed roughly every three months on stages in Sinchon, Hongdae and Itaewon. Their past two shows have been fundraisers for PLUR, a volunteer group based in Seoul. Their most recent performance, a Christmasthemed show before the group’s winter hiatus, included sketch comedy, several musical numbers as well as improv games.

The g roup cu r rently meets once a week to write and develop sketch comedy and practice loose and long-form improv. Long-form, most popular in Chicago and New 6 York City, involves creating elaborate s c e n e s f r o m s i m ple s u g g e s t io n s .

7 Anyone interested in tr ying their hand at perfor mance or comedy w r i t i n g c a n v i s i t t h e g r o u p’s facebook page or email Jessica at UndertheRadarComedy@gmail.com.

Words by J e ss ica C oy l e 10 Magazine May 2010 | 27

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community

Your Fifteen Minutes of Fame Words by C hr i s W r ight

Not Amateur—Live and Free!

W

hen people hear “open mic night,” they often think amateur performers and poor performances. Well, that’s just crazy talk! The word “amateur” originates from old French, when it meant “lover of.” It’s true that the modern meaning is somewhat more negative, but open mic performers are amateurs only in that they don’t get paid for their performances. They do it because they love it and are usually accomplished at what they do, be it music, poetry, stand-up, or even magic.

The Olympics are for amateur athletes, but you never hear anyone saying those performances aren’t worth viewing because the athletes are “amateurs.” After all, they’re the best in the world.

Likewise, performers at open mics are often very talented people.

You might not have heard of them yet, but one day you could.

Open mics are great ways to find emerging talents.

Take Brian Aylward, a Canadian standup comedian who got started at an open mic in Anyang in 2005. Since then, he has been runner-up in the 2008 Hong Kong International Comedy Festival, has performed in several Asian countries, and has been the opening act for professional standup comedy shows in Korea.

He is also the creator of Stand Up Seoul, a monthly open mic comedy night at Rocky Mountain Tavern in Itaewon. In 2010, he will be headlining shows in Jakarta, Singapore, Malaysia, India and Japan.

Another good example is Greg Hanford, who got started playing open mics back home in the UK. In Korea, he sought out open mics to play at, eventually landing gigs around Seoul and other cities as a solo artist and as part of a band. He currently endorses a line of guitars and is planning an Asian tour. In March, Greg released 15 videos on his website in which he performs songs from his CD.

Open Mic Nights

28 | 10 Magazine May 2010

Signing Up, Plugging In, and Rocking Out

S

o what exactly happens at an open mic? These events can be divided into three categories. First are general open mics. At these events, anything goes, and performers can do any sort of act they want. There will be solo performers as well as groups performing in a variety of musical genres, doing spoken word, or putting on a comedy sketch. The second category is comedy/spoken word events. These are specifically for those doing standup, skits, poetry and story-telling. The third

could be labeled acoustic. At these events, the performers are usually musicians playing acoustic instruments, though there may also be other kinds of acts like poetry, comedy or magic.

Every open mic has a few simple rules, but they are generally open to anyone who wishes to perform. Many of the events have a sign-up period at the beginning of the evening so that the organizers can assign time slots for the performers. Some try to get advance notice via email. At least one event, “Wordz Only” at Cafe Radio in Busan, has all of the participants put their names in a “f loating lunch box” from which the first performer is drawn. When this person finishes, he draws the name of the second performer, Previous page: Stand Up Seoul by James Wolver, top: Sunday night Live at Roofers by Becca Baldwin, middle: OL'55 by Austin James, bottom: performer at PX2 10 Magazine May 2010 | 29

community the second draws the third, and so on. Others are much less formal and allow people to ask if they can perform whenever an act finishes.

Whether your thing is comedy, music, or some other kind of performance, open mics let you get your feet wet and test your mettle in the spotlight. It’s daunting when you first step up on a stage in front of a room full of people. And it’s just as rewarding when you get a positive response.

Even if you don’t care to perform yourself, the great thing about open mic nights is that they expose you to a variety of entertainment and are a great chance to socialize and make new friends. Open mics in Korea present an excellent opportunity to see folks from all over the world apply their talents in a live environment. And best of all, there’s never a cover charge!

Open Mic Nights Across Korea

C

urrently, there are at least twenty active open mic events throughout Korea in cities with significant expat communities. Tracking them all down is difficult because many are promoted only by word of mouth in their areas. New ones start and old ones stop, so keeping an accurate count is difficult. That being said, this list is about as comprehensive as it gets!

Seoul

Venue: Bar Mario

(Hyehwa St. line 4) Category: general Date: 2nd Thursday at 8:30

pm Facebook group: Bar Mario Contact: 010-3902-2154 Venue: Olde Stompers Rock

Spot (Itaewon) Category: general Date: Tuesdays at 9:30 pm Facebook group: Olde Stompers

Rock Spot – Itaewon Contact: itaewonstompers@

gmail.com,

02-794-1198 Name: Stand Up Seoul Venue: Rocky Mountain

Tavern (Itaewon) Category: comedy Date: 1St Thursday at 9 pm Facebook group: Stand Up Seoul Contact: brianaylward11@

hotmail.com Name: Sunday Night Live with

Seoul Artists Network Venue: Roofers (Itaewon) Category: general Date: 1st and 3rd Sunday

at 8 pm (sign up at

7:30 pm) Facebook group: ROOFERS

Rooftop Bar

(Itaewon, Seoul) Contact: mosey_34@hotmail.

com, 02-749-2970 30 | 10 Magazine May 2010

Venue: Tony’s Aussie Bar &

Bistro (Itaewon) Category: music and spoken

word/standup Date: music Mondays at

8 pm; spoken word/

standup Wednesdays

at 8 pm Online: TonysItaewon.com Facebook group: Tony’s Aussie

Bar & Bistro (Itaewon,

Seoul, Korea) Contact: info@tonysitaewon.

com, 02-790-0793 Note: non-smoking venue Anyang, Gyeonggi Venue: Club Psycho

(Il Bon Ga) Category: general Date: 3rd Friday at 11 pm Facebook group: Anyang Open

Mic Contact: redbaeksh@hotmail.

com, 010-7754-0409 Venue: Happidus

(Beomgye St. line 4) Category: acoustic Date: Sundays at 8 pm Facebook group: Happidus Pub Contact: chriskang3@gmail.

com, 070-8185-3303 Bucheon, Gyeonggi Venue: Rhythm & Booze

(Jung-dong) Category: general Date: Tuesdays at 9 pm Facebook group: Rhythm &

Booze

From top: Indie Suwon, provided by Suwon Open Mic, Tony's Aussie Shop

by RL Baldwin

Contact: mangchi62@hotmail.

com, 032-323-0161 Bundang, Gyeonggi Venue: Dublin Bar (Seohyeon

Station) Date: Wednesdays at 9 pm Facebook page: Dublin Irish Bar,

Bundang Contact: 031-708-7942 Suwon, Gyeonggi Venue: Indie Suwon/The Big

Chill (Rodeo-gil) Category: general Date: every 4th Saturday

at 8:30 pm Facebook group: Suwon Open

Mic Contact: chunahm@yahoo.ca Name: The Acoustic Garden

Café Sessions Venue: The Big Chill

(Rodeo-gil) Category: acoustic Date: 1st Wednesday

at 9 pm Facebook group: “The Big Chill” -

Suwon, South Korea

Contact: edwardjorgensen@

gmail.com Venue: The Now Bar

(Yongtong) Category: acoustic Date: Wednesdays at 9 pm Facebook group: The Now Bar Daejeon, Chungcheong Venue: Santa Claus

(Gung-dong) Category: general

(amps, no drums) Date: 1st Saturday at 9 pm Facebook group: Daejeon Open

Mic Contact: DaejeonDIY

@gmail.com Busan Venue: Basement

(PNU, Seomyeon) Category: general (no poetry) Date: Tuesdays Facebook group: Basement,

the shizzle

Fun Facts about Open Mics • All open mics have a time limit of some sort for each performer. The rule of thumb is 15 minutes per act.

Some have song limits as well. Strictness varies at each venue.

• Most open mics have obvious names like “Open Mic at Name of Bar,” but some get more creative. See “The Monthly Ha-Ha Hole” “Acoustic Garden Café,” and “The Seoul Artist Network” among others in the list below.

• Open mics are often held on an off-day for the businesses hosting it like Tuesday or Wednesday. For bars that hold open mic events, they’re a great way to get business on typically slow evenings.

• Open mics seem to be primarily an expat activity.

Koreans do join in on some open mics (in Suwon, for example), but almost every open mic in Korea has some relation to the expat community.

• One could argue that some “live bars” are like open mics since they allow patrons to get on stage and play, but of course these are not regular

By James Wolver events.

Venue: The Crossroads

(PNU, Seomyeon) Category: general Date: Thursdays at 10 pm

By Austin James

Name: Wordz Only Venue: Café Radio

(Kyungsung) Category: spoken word Date: one Saturday a month Facebook group: WordZ Only Contact: knthdmay@yahoo.com Daegu, Gyeongsang Venue: Commune’s Rock Club

(Jung-gu Samdeok-

dong) Category: general Date: Wednesdays at 9 pm Facebook group: Commune’s

Rock Club Contact: hhsik67bach@

hanmail.net

Name: Ha-Ha Hole Venue: The Crossroads

(PNU, Seomyeon) Category: comedy Date: 1st Friday at 10 pm Contact: tharp42@yahoo.com

Venue: Sugar Joe’s

(Kyungpook Univ’s

North Gate) Category: general Date: Thursdays at 10 pm Facebook group: Sugar Joe’s Ulsan, Gyeongsang

Venue: Ol’ 55 (Kyungsung) Category: general Date: Wednesdays at 9 pm Facebook group: Busan,

S.Korea. Drinkin in

OL’55 Contact: medmunds11@

hotmail.com

Venue: Benchwarmers Category: general Date: every other Thursday

at 9 pm Facebook group: Benchwarmers

Alumni Contact: benchwarmersbar 10 Magazine May 2010 | 31

E dited by Dam i K ang and Dav i d Carru th

+ = subject to 10% VAT, ++ = subject to 10% VAT and 10% service charge

New Lunch Buffet

The Novotel Daegu City Center The new affordable lunch buffet at The Square, the restaurant at Daegu’s premier downtown hotel, features Asian and Western cuisine in an elegant atmosphere. Signature dishes including fresh seafood, roast beef, European desserts, and pasta made to order create an unforgettable experience. The dinner buffet features a complimentary lobster per person. The buffet is yours for W25,000+ at lunch and W35,000+ at dinner. Children 6-12 get 50% off. novoteldaegu.com, 053-664-1168

BBQ Brunch

Poolside Barbecue Opens Grand Hyatt Seoul

The Ritz-Carlton’s Outdoor Garden The barbeque brunch at the outdoor garden of The Garden restaurant at The Ritz-Carlton Seoul has got everything from a great setting to food that’s delicious and good for you, too. Head to the BBQ station for seafood and meat selections and the open kitchen station for choices ranging from seafood stew to pastas and pizza.

The restaurant also provides dessert and wine stations to satisfy your sweet tooth. Available every weekend from May 2nd until the end of October from 11 am - 2:30 pm. W60,000++. ritzcarlton.com, 02-3451-8271

Starting May 12th, the Grand Hyatt Seoul opens up its grills for a poolside barbeque affording a breathtaking view of the city at night. The buffet menu features seafood such as prawns, lobsters, and squid along with a selection of prime beef, lamb, chicken and sausages, all charcoal-grilled to perfection. In addition, side dishes including smoked salmon and trout, grilled Mediterranean vegetables, and garlic sautéed mushrooms complement the entrées. 6 – 10 pm every evening. Adults W62,000++, children W31,000++. Upgrade to unlimited champagne or draft beer for W80,000++. grandhyattseoul.co.kr, 02-799-8495

Breads of the World Exhibition The Busan Lotte

Hankering for some baked goods? Stop by the Busan Lotte Hotel for its annual Breads of the World Exhibition, held from noon – 7 pm each day from May 1st – 5th. This is your one-stop opportunity to try out breads, cookies, coffees, teas, cheeses, and wines from around the world discounted as much as 50% off the original price. Soccer fans will also appreciate the hotel staff “Red Devils” soccer outfits as well as soccer-themed cakes and bread. lottehotel.com, 051-810-6490 32 | 10 Magazine May 2010

The Seacloud Hotel Enjoy the brisk sea breeze and the waves at Haeundae Beach with this promotion (valid through May 31st), which introduces you to the most beautiful sight-seeing courses around the beach with a map for you to download from the Seacloud hotel website. The package also includes breakfast for two adults and two children.

Enhance your tour of Busan with special discount coupons for the Busan Aquarium, Tiffany 21 cruise, and Dongbak cruise. Prices start at W140,000+ (superior half-ocean view). seacloudhotel.com, 051-933-1000

E dited by Dam i K ang and Dav i d Carru th

+ = subject to 10% VAT, ++ = subject to 10% VAT and 10% service charge

Macallan Whiskey Promotion

Jeolla Province Cuisine

JW Marriott Seoul The JW Marriott Seoul celebrates its 10th anniversary with traditional Korean delicacies from six provinces offered at the buffet restaurant Marriott Café over the next six months. The first designated province is Jeolla (May 1st – 23rd), known for its strong seasonings and intense taste. Korean cuisine chef Mr. Kang introduces Jeolla dishes such as Jeonju bibimbap, Mokpo octopus, Boseong grilled green tea marinated pork, Damyang bamboo shoot dishes, and tteokgalbi. Prices start at W46,000++. marriott.com, 02-6282-6731

Coffee Breeze Package

The Courtyard by Marriott Seoul Visit the MoMo Bar at the Courtyard by Marriott Seoul for this chance to enjoy fine whiskey without paying a premium. Get free upgrades on bottle orders along with MoMo Bar’s best side dishes. Get 15-year Macallan with a side dish set for the price of a 12-year bottle. This offer is good through May 31st. courtyardseoul.com, 02-2638-3081

Oakwood Premier COEX Center Get the caffeine dose you need to keep from dozing off with Oakwood Premier COEX Center’s Coffee Breeze Package. The Residents’ Lounge provides you with two cups of coffee to go during your stay. Available through May 31st, the package also includes breakfast discounts, 10% off various restaurants, complimentary use of facilities, and two free DVD rentals. Package rates range from W200,000++ to W330,000++. oakwoodpremier.co.kr, 02-3466-7000.

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BBQ Festival

Imperial Palace Hotel If you’re ready for some ribs, you’ll want to know about the BBQ festival planned for Café Amiga and Buffet Familia at the Imperial Palace Hotel offered through May 31st. At Café Amiga’s lunch buffet and dinner wine buffet, the chefs stand by at the grill to prepare LA beef ribs, pork ribs, lamb ribs, and drumsticks (lunch W44,000, dinner W62,000). Meanwhile, Buffet Familia also serves fresh grilled LA beef ribs, charcoal-grilled ribs, lamb ribs, and pork ribs (lunch W58,000, dinner W67,000). imperialpalace.co.kr, 02-3440-8000

Children’s Day Events The InterContinental Seoul

On Children’s Day this May 5th, families with children who dine at restaurants in the Grand InterContinental and COEX InterContinental Seoul will receive a coupon to participate in a cake-making event. The hotels will provide all the ingredients necessary to make a 1-pound cake.

Kids can also enjoy animal-shaped cakes at the Grand Kitchen deli, photo zones with a clown at the Grand Kitchen and Brasserie, and menu items like mini-burgers, pizza, and spaghetti that cater specifically to children. seoul.intercontinental.com, 02-559-7608, 02-3403-8610

Ten Treks

Korea’s National Parks, Mountains, and Trails Wor ds by John Scheid

K

orea teems with hundreds of impressive mountains, and whether this spring is your first in the country or you’ve lived here your whole life, now is the perfect time to explore some of the peninsula’s most scenic natural resources. Last autumn we outlined 10 of the best hikes around Seoul, and this spring 10 Magazine is providing readers with trekking suggestions all over the country.

South Korea’s cities are densely populated partly due to the fact that the modestly sized country is fully loaded with mountainous terrain: 70 percent of the land is covered by foothills, trails, valleys and peaks waiting to be explored by hikers. The wide array of treks and variation in hiking destinations offer plentiful options suitable for everyone from novice hikers to the most seasoned mountaineers.

Hallasan (한라산) Jeju Island

A prime location which offers a multitude of outdoor activities is Korea’s famed Jeju Island. This subtropical paradise boasts the country’s tallest mountain, Hallasan. Many travelers visit the island with the sole intent of conquering this substantial landmark. Hallasan is actually an inactive volcano that reaches heights of 1950m and on a clear day can be seen from any point on the island.

Climbers can reach the summit and descend the mountain within a single day, but be prepared for an arduous 8 to 10 hour hike. For those willing to endure the upward journey, Hallasan’s peak offers a rewarding lake in the crater at the top and grants spectacular views of the island. However, if the inclusive 1950m sounds too laborious, the area offers a diverse collection of trails which will appease 36 | 10 Magazine May 2010

all levels of hikers. There are multiple trails that provide less strenuous hikes which can be completed in just a couple of hours. Flights from multiple cities on mainland Korea depart daily to Jeju-do. There’s also ferry service from Incheon, Mokpo, and Busan, if you really have time to kill.

Jirisan (지리산) NOETH JEOLLA PROVINCE

Like Hallasan and many of Korea’s notable mountains, Jirisan is located within an expansive national park.

The park’s area is so massive that it actually spans several provinces, including Jeollabuk-do, Jeollanam-do, and Gyeongsangnam-do; multiple visits are certainly necessary to experience all the park has to offer.

Last year, we explained to readers that “san” (산) is Korean for “mountain,” but now that we are covering larger areas and more national parks, you should understand that “bong”

(봉) means “peak.” A close second to the island mountain, Jirisan’s highest peak, Cheonwhangbong, rises to 1915m and is located in the park’s Jeollabuk-do portion.

Although the park can’t take claim to the nation’s tallest bong, Jirisan does offer several distinct incentives to endure the hike. The most popular reason to visit Jirisan is for its impressive sunrise views, which are said to be the most stunning in all of Korea.

Another sight not to be missed is the Nogodan “Sea of Clouds.” The sensation of f loating above the clouds is well worth the hike to Nogodan-bong (accessible via Hwaeomsa Valley).

Blossoming azaleas in the spring are another reason to visit Jirisan, though the park is continuously engaging and can be toured during any season.

Top Baekrokdam, Hallasan, shot by Kiseung Kang, Bottom Banyabong, Jirisan, shot by Gyedu Lee. Both provided by Korea National Park Service

1

Seoraksan (설악산)

Sobaeksan (소백산)

gangwon province

NOETH chungcheong PROVINCE

Seoraksan is part of Korea’s Taebaek Mountain Range (태백산맥) which is often referred to as the backbone of the Korean peninsula. Seoraksan’s highest peak, Daecheong-bong (대청봉) is the nation’s third highest at 1708m. This national park is found in Gangwon-do and can be easily accessed from Seoul and Gyeonggi-do in just a few hours. If only able to visit Seoraksan National Park once, do so in the autumn as the mountainside is transformed into a sea of yellow and orange. The park is most easily accessible from the eastern city of Sokcho which can be reached by bus from neighboring provinces.

A nother g roup of peaks stemming from the Taebaek Mountain Range are the Sobaek Mountains in Chungcheongbuk-do. Though the name actually translates to “small white mountain,” rest assured that the area provides numerous sizeable peaks prime to summit. Sobaeksan National Park contains multiple hikes that sur pass 1,000m. Five peaks, including Birobong (1,439m), Gungmangbong (1,421m), First and Second Yeonhwabong (1,394m and 1,357m, respectively), and Dosolbong (1,314m) are linked together along Jungnyeong Pass. Also be sure to visit Sobaeksan Cheonmundae to see an impressive mountaintop astronomical observatory and the ancient Buseok Temple, originally constructed in AD 676. The national park can be easily accessed from neighboring Yeongju-si by bus.

Songnisan (속리산) NOETH chungcheong PROVINCE

2 3

38 | 10 Magazine May 2010

Also located in Chungcheongbuk-do, Songnisan is a unique range whose name can be translated as “mountain remote from the ordinary world.” Like many of Korea’s mountainous parks, Songnisan is comprised of granite peaks and subterranean valleys.

Munjangdae (문장대), a scenic peak within the park, only reaches 1,033m though it offers superb views of neighboring peaks. Another reason to visit Songnisan is for the awe-inspiring Beopjusa Temple, which is the location of

one of the world’s largest Buddha statues. The park is a short twentyminute bus ride from Boeun Intercity Bus Terminal.

Juwangsan (주왕산) NOETH gyeongsang PROVINCE

Another subsidiary of Taebaeksan Range, Juwangsan is a more secluded park that is home to canyons, waterfalls, and pagodas. The park is located in Gyeongsangbuk-do and, unlike the usual granite peaks that cover much of the Korean peninsula, this national park offers something different with its limestone pinnacles and diverse natural scenery. Juwangsan climbs to a humble 721m, making it a perfect leisure trail or an exciting trek for the novice hiker. Transport from Cheongsong Intercity Bus Terminal takes visitors directly to the park’s entrance.

Mureung Valley (무릉계곡) gangwon province

Located in the southeast corner of Gangwon-do, Mureung Valley is a breathtaking crevice that stretches f r om D ut a s a n t o C he o ngok s a n .

This site is similar to Deokyusan in the sense that both its valleys and mountains are filled with impressive scenery. Buses are available from Donghae Intercity Bus Terminal.

1. Seoraksan, provided by the Korea National Park Service

2,3. Both images of Munjangdae, Songnisan, provided by Songnisan National Park

4. Sobeaksan, provided by Sobaeksan National Park

5. Jusangji, Juwangsan, provided by Juwangsan National Park

6. Ssangpokpo (Twin Waterfall) Mureung Valley, provided by Donghae City Hall

4

5 6

Camping in Korea

Woraksan (월악산) NOETH chungcheong PROVINCE

This mountain is an ideal place to escape the crowds that sometimes plague Korea’s better known trails and is also home to wildlife that is absent in other natural areas of South Korea. Woraksan, which reaches 1,094m, is known for challenging yet rewarding hikes. Attentive hikers may even be fortunate enough to view the wild antelope that have been introduced to the park. To reach Woraksan, take a local bus from Chungju or head straight for the mountain from Dong Seoul Bus Terminal.

Mungyeongsaejae (문경새재) NOETH gyeongsang PROVINCE

Mungyeongsaejae is not a national park or a particular mountain. Rather, it is a provincial park whose name literally means “bird pass” due to its height. Mungyeongsaejae is said to be one of Korea’s most dangerous passes, and its name is derived from a fable which claims that the pass is too high for even birds to fly over. This park is lined with boundary gates and packed

with historical significance so be sure to brush up on the area’s past before visiting. Buses run from Mungyeong Intercity Bus Terminal.

Deokyusan (덕유산) NOETH JEOLLA PROVINCE

Part of the Baekdudaegan mountain range, Deokyusan straddles the border of Jeollabuk-do and Gyeongsangnamdo. The mountain has a sizeable peak measured at 1,614m, and although the mountains themselves are impressive, the extensive valleys that mirror Deokyusan’s expansive ridgeline are well worth their own exploration. In particular, Chilyeon Valley is noted for its splendor and impressive waterfall.

The park is also home to the Muju Ski Resort and offers substantial accommodations year round. The area is accessible from the Muju Bus Terminal.

W

ith the abundance of national and provincial parks i n Sout h Korea , t here’s nothing to stop you from heading up one of Korea’s mountaintops to witness the country’s natural splendor. Korea’s plentiful hiking trails provide outdoor enthusiasts with endless trek king destinations, so take advantage of the nation’s many peaks and crevices to discover inspiring cloud vistas, regenerating sunrises, and tranquil Buddhist t e mple s d u r i ng t he warm seasons.

Top. Yeongbong, Woraksan, provided by Woraksan National Park, Bottom. Jogokkwan–the 2nd gate among three, Mungeyongsaejae, provided by Mungyeongsaejae Provincial Park

40 | 10 Magazine May 2010

Words by Sonia Knapp

Whether camping is integral to your life, you want to see Korea from a different perspective, or you’re aching to get away from the hustle of the city, Korea has something to offer every type of camper.

Campsites are inexpensive and offer basic amenities: bathrooms and (cold) showers, cooking areas and parking. Some campgrounds hire tents and mattresses—a great option if you want to try camping before investing in gear. Bigger campgrounds may feature playgrounds, sports facilities, and even noraebang (karaoke) equipment.

Foreigners should keep in mind that Koreans are traditionally very group-oriented. Campers tend to come in groups and often incorporate drinking and singing into their experience. During peak season, expect noisy neighbors and don’t be surprised by loudspeakers and whistles at 7 AM. Few Koreans camp alone or as a couple, and as a foreigner, you will likely be invited to join in activities, meals, and drinking. Don’t be shy! You’ll learn something about Korea and create a memorable vacation for both you and your hosts.

Where?

Korea’s national or provincial parks provide beautiful settings, cultural sites, hiking trails and other attractions. These parks are well run with a developed infrastructure and well-appointed campgrounds, several offering tents and mattresses for hire. Booking in advance is recommended during the peak season, from late July to August, as camping is first-come, first-serve. Most campgrounds close in the winter.

Campgrounds and tourist resorts run by municipal governments and private companies can be found near cities and coastal areas, offering “resort” style camping for a moderate fee. There may be amusement parks, playgrounds, swimming and sports available on the premises or nearby. These campgrounds usually have tents and bedding as well as restaurants and shops and often have hot water and electricity.

Korea’s many islands, mountains and rivers offer additional opportunities for more experienced campers who want to venture off the beaten track.

There are many “hidden gems” in rural areas across the peninsula, though the sites are more primitive— with a natural spring for your water, a fire ring and picnic tables—and are better suited for RV and auto camping. Many forests and mountainous areas allow camping, though you should ask if it’s on private land.

One problem at many campsites in Korea is trash from previous campers. Set a good example and bring extra bags for garbage. Pack in what you pack out, and maybe even pick up a little from the previous party. A clean campsite makes an impression on the next party to use the site.

When?

Korea’s four distinct seasons mean that the best time for camping is late spring to early autumn, though for the hardcore, year-round camping is possible if you plan ahead and dress/gearup accordingly. During spring and autumn, the campsites are often deserted, while during the summer, national parks, beaches and other popular destinations can easily fill up, or at least strip away any illusion you are away from it all!

A Place to Pitch Your Tent Edited by Dami Kang and David Carruth Ready to grab your gear and head out on your camping trip?

Steady there, partner. You’ve got to choose a destination first! Here are some ideas to get you started.

Korea’s National Parks Stop by the Korean national parks website for English info on getting around the great outdoors. english.knps.or.kr Nanji Campground For those curious about an urban camping experience, there’s Nanji Campground, located in Nanji Park on the banks of the Han River in western Seoul. The mosquitoes are a bit of a problem, but it’s easy to reach and has awesome facilities. If you forget to bring something, you can always rent or buy it here. Driving is the best way to get there, but if you’re set on public transit you should take the subway to World Cup Stadium St. (line 6) and then take bus 8776 from the Homeplus parking lot to the camping ground.

W3,750 each. nanjicamping.co.kr (Korean) 02-304-0061

Further Afield There are plenty of other camping spots out there, most of which welcome traditional campers as well as RVs. Get a Korean to help you with details on pricing and location.

Gangwon Province • Donghae Mangsang RV Park Donghae campingkorea.or.kr 033-534-3110 • Sogeum River RV Park Gangneung gangneung.go.kr 033-640-4114 • Yangyang Naksan RV Park/Campground Yangyang-gun camping.kr 033-672-3702 Gyeonggi Province • Chuknyeong Mountain Natural Forest Gapyeong-gun chukryong.net, 031-592-0681 • Gwacheon Seoul Grand Park Natural Campground Gwacheon 02-500-7541 • Hantan River Resort RV Park North of Seoul hantan.co.kr 031-833-0030 • Jarasum RV Park Gapyeong-gun jarasum.gp.go.kr 031-580-2700 • Yongin Natural Forest Yongin yonginforest.net 031-336-0040 Chungcheong Province • Bambyeol Campground Chungju cafe.naver.com/bambyul 010-3870-3436 • Cheongpodae Pavilion RV Park Taean-gun cafe.naver.com/seacamping 017-426-6259 Jeju Island • Olle Campground Seogwipo cafe.naver.com/bamgi 064-792-2753 10 Magazine May 2010 | 41

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10 Magazine Needs You for The Reader’s 10 Now last month’s issue on the best brunches in Korea was one of our most successful issues ever, with Kyobo Bookstores selling out and new subscribers calling and saying, “Be sure to start my subscription with this month’s brunch issue.” We listed what our brunch experts had chosen as the ten best brunch places in Korea, and of course, as everyone’s got an opinion, we got a little pushback and even flat-out disagreement. So now it’s time to hear what our readers think.

Next month’s Reader’s 10 is –

“W hat is you r favor ite place for bru nch i n Kor ea?”

Polls open at 10magazine.asia the last week of April and close on May 12th at 11:59 pm. Comments and discussion welcome. Have at it folks!

42 | 10 Magazine May 2010

Seoul World DJ Festival The usually peaceful Nanji Park in Seoul will be transformed into a party-person’s paradise at this massive DJ festival. To celebrate the onset of summer, partygoers from Korea and beyond move out of the dance clubs and into the open air for this

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GaNGwon PROVINCE

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CHUNGCHEONG PROVINCE

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GYEONGSANG PROVINCE

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JEOLLA PROVINCE

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JEJU ISLAND

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NETWORKING CALENDAR

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NATIONWIDE CALENDAR Take Off 국가대표

NATIONWIDE

Directed by Yong-hwa Kim Take Off is based on the first ever Korean ski jump team’s efforts to win the gold at the 1998 Winter Olympics, and this new director’s cut stretches the story to just under two and a half hours. We are subjected to an uncomfortable mix of drama

Movies Clash of the Titans

by Paul M atthews

Directed by Louis Leterrier Clash of the Titans attempts to update the 1981 Ray Harryhausen stopmotion extravaganza for the CGI generation, taking us into the world of ancient Greece where Zeus (Liam Neeson) rules supreme and his brother Hades (Ralph Fiennes) is itching to make the throne his own. The people of Argos are feeling rebellious and the gods decide to take extreme measures against them. They threaten to set loose the Kraken (played by a large and not particularly scary CGI creation) on the city and only one man can save them: the demi-god Perseus (Sam Worthington from Avatar, who seems to be playing a US Marine despite being in ancient Greece).

So Perseus sets off on a quest to save the city with a troop of Argonauts, while Hades sends his henchman, Calibos (played with gusto by Jason Flemyng) to deal with this band of rather forgettable brothers. Joining in the fun is Perseus’ protector, Io (Gemma Arterton), whose main purpose in the film seems to be to explain away the major plot holes. Giant scorpions are fought, witches are met and our heroes face up against the gorgeous Gorgon, Medusa.

Fun? Not really. Despite the promise of monsters, Clash of the Titans is not very enjoyable. The acting is wooden, the story doesn’t make sense and Sam Worthington makes for one of the most uncharismatic leads I’ve seen in a while. Most of the thrills aren’t thrilling, the monsters aren’t scary and the climax is most definitely anti-climactic. If you’re looking for some epic fun on the big screen then stay away from this campy piece of nonsense and save your won for Kick Ass and Iron Man 2.

44 | 10 Magazine May 2010

and comedy as we meet a bunch of misfits who are brought together to form a rag-tag band of skiers ready to take on the world. One is an adoptee searching for his birth mother, another a former drug addict, the third suffers at the hands of his abusive father and the fourth lives in poverty with his grandmother and retarded brother.

The first 105 minutes are messy, flabby, occasionally offensive and mostly boring; but once we get to the Olympics the film comes into stride and the last 50 minutes or so are actually rather good.

The ski jump footage is beautifully shot and you may begin to feel an emotional attachment to the characters. However, you’ll be better off watching 2008’s Forever the Moment (우리 생애 최고의 순간) if you want a taste of Korean Olympic dreams.

Green Zone

Directed by Paul Greengrass Green Zone, a gritty political thriller set during the 2003 invasion of Iraq is a non-stop nail-biting journey through the heart of Baghdad with Chief Warrant Officer Roy Miller (Matt Damon) as he tries desperately to find out whether Iraq is hiding weapons of mass destruction. Inspired by Rajiv Chandrasekaran’s non-fiction book Imperial Life in the Emerald City, the film is a big-scale actionpacked ride, but also has a strong political message and brings forth some uncomfortable moments that reminds us that what we are watching is based on a real war and not just a fantasy.

Matt Damon is superb as the skeptical Miller and his costars Greg K i n ne a r, Bre nd a n Gle e son a nd Jason Isaacs (sporting a remarkable mustache) deserve credit for bringing some serious acting talent to the film. However, it is Khalid Abdalla who stands out as the put-upon Freddie, an Iraqi bystander who tries to help Miller out and gets tangled up in this messy, nasty, and thoroughly enjoyable flick.

New This Month (dates are subject to change) Tuesday, May 4th

I Know You Know England/Germany Robert Carlyle, Arron Fuller, David Bradley; dir. Justin Kerrigan. Welsh director Kerrigan explores the relationship between a paranoid father and his trusting son.

Wednesday, May 5th Toy Story (3D) USA Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Don Rickles, Jim Varney; dir. John Lasseter. This re-release adds another dimension to the classic story of toys coming to life in preparation for Toy Story 3, scheduled for later this year. pixar.com/featurefilms/ts Toy Story 2 (3D) USA Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Kelsey Grammer; dir. John Lasseter, Lee Unkrich. Along with the original Toy Story, the sequel will also be released after a makeover by Disney Digital 3D. pixar.com/featurefilms/ts2 Brothers USA Jake Gyllenhaal, Natalie Portman, Tobey Maguire; dir. Jim Sheridan. When a marine goes missing in a helicopter crash, his younger brother must take care of his wife and children. brothersfilm.com The Song of Sparrows Iran Mohammad Amir Naji, Hossein Aghazi, Maryam Akbari; dir. Majid Majidi. An ostrich-farmer crosses a cultural chasm when he ventures from his country town into Tehran. thesongofsparrows.com Thursday, May 6th Ha Ha Ha 하하하 Korea Sang-gyeong Kim, Jun-sang Yu, Sori Mun; dir. Sang-su Hong. Two men reminisce about their summer adventures over some rice wine. blog.naver.com/hahahamovie Republic of Korea 1% 대한민국 1% Korea Byeong-ho Son, Won-hui Lim, Ahee Lee; dir. Myeong-nam Jo. Female marine commander Yu-mi Lee (Ah-ee Lee) finds it hard to get respect from the soldiers on her elite recon team. korea1pro.co.kr Thursday, May 13th Robin Hood USA/England Russell Crowe, Max von Sydow, Cate Blanchett; dir. Ridley Scott. In this new take on an old tale, Robin Hood and his band fight for England in its darkest hour. robinhoodthemovie.com

Poetry Korea Jeong-hui Yun, Yong-taek Kim, Kim Hui-ra; dir. Chang-dong Lee. An old woman struggles to find beauty in the world when she unexpectedly is assigned to teach a poetry class. poetry2010.co.kr The Housemaid Korea Do-yeon Jeon, Jeong-jae Lee, Yeo-jeong Yun; dir. Sang-soo Lim. In this thriller, a housemaid enters an illicit relationship with the owner of the mansion where she works. housemaid.co.kr

Thursday, May 20th A Nightmare on Elm Street USA Jackie Earle Haley, Rooney Mara, Kyle Gallner; dir. Samuel Bayer. A remake of the 1984 slasher film about the ghost of a serial killer who haunts people’s dreams. nightmareonelmstreet.com Tokyo Taxi Korea/Japan Masashi Yamada, Hajime Yamazaki, Ha-na Yu; dir.

Tae-sik Kim. The lead singer of a Japanese band who is deathly afraid of flying hires a water taxi to get to his concert in Korea.

Thursday, May 27th The Godfather USA Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan; dir. Francis Ford Coppola. The quintessential gangster film returns to Korean theaters 38 years after its initial release. thegodfather.com Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time USA Jake Gyllenhaal, Gemma Arterton, Ben Kingsley; dir. Mike Newell. An Arabian prince must join forces with a headstrong princess to prevent a dangerous artifact from being unleashed. adisney.go.com/ disneypictures/princeofpersia And When Did You Last See Your Father? England/Ireland Jim Broadbent, Colin Firth, Juliet Stevenson; dir.

Anand Tucker. Blake (Firth) must come to terms with his father Arthur (Broadbent), who is suffering from a terminal illness. sonyclassics.com/ whendidyoulastseeyourfather Dreams Come True 꿈은 이루어진다 Korea Seong-jae Lee; dir. Yun-sik Kim. North and South Korean troops on the DMZ work together to find a way to watch the 2002 World Cup. TBA Ip Man 2: Legend of the Grandmaster Hong Kong Donnie Yen, Lynn Hung, Simon Yam; dir. Wilson Yip. In this second film about legendary martial arts master Ip Man, he travels to Hong Kong to find more students. ipman2-movie.com 10 Magazine May 2010 | 45

NATIONWIDE

One Night Stand 원 나이트 스탠드 Korea Ri-u Jang, Ju-seung Lee, Man-suk Jeong; dir. Yong-geun Min, Yu-rim Lee. Hun Jang. Three directors tell three erotic stories about what happened on one quiet night.

Sunrise/Sunset: Dalai Lama 14 China/ Indonesia/Russia Dir. Vitali Mansky. This documentary covers one day in the life of the Dalai Lama, from 3 am when he wakes up to sunset when he goes to bed. dalailama-film.com

NATIONWIDE CALENDAR

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club

Stereophonics

Keep Calm and Carry On Universal I d o n’t k n o w w h e t h e r Stereophonics’ lead singer Kelly Jones is a fan of Australian 80s rock icons Rose Tattoo, but his vocal delineations on “She’s Alright,” the opening track on the Welsh quartet’s 8th and latest release, channel the Tattoo’s singer Angry Anderson in an uncanny way. Appropriately perhaps, since this album sees the band moving fur ther away from the groovier, quasipsychedelic infusions of their earlier outpourings toward a more derivative rock sound. The Oasis inf luences that crept in a little while ago are still occasionally evident (“Beerbottle,” “Live ‘n Love”), but the harder edge is definitely front and centre, with tunes like the opening track, “I Got Your Number,” and “In Trouble” carrying the torch high. There is also a more introspective bent to some of the tunes, with hints of Coldplay (“Could You Be the One”) and Brit rock a-laArctic Monkeys (“Stuck in a Rut”) set alongside the more anthemic rock of “Wonder” and “Show Me How.” Perhaps this album won’t resonate as well with the old-time fans, but it might help grab some newer (and younger) ones.

by M icha e l B e rry

Beat The Devil’s Tattoo Vagrant Records Basically formed as a rock trio in 1998 in San Francisco when Robert Turner and Peter Hayes harnessed British drummer Nick Jago to their nascent musical vision, BMRC (yes, they did take the name from the film The Wild One) have gone on to grab a loyal following drawn to their reinterpretations of musical influences gleaned from bands like The Stone Roses, Jesus and Mary Chain, and My Bloody Valentine. This gives them a distinctly British edge to their American lyrical iconoclasm and is one reason for their durability over seven albums. This latest release, while a tad more uneven in its musical continuity than such acclaimed earlier releases as their eponymous debut in 2000, 2005’s Howl and the loud, hard rock extravaganza Baby 81 from 2007, sees the band back on the rock track (after 2009’s electronic/ambient effort The Effect of 333 sank badly). While there are a few quieter interludes, when BMRC nail it, they really nail it: “Mama Taught Me Better,” “River Styx” and “War Machine” reprise growling hard rock perfectly, and the 10-minute closer “Half State” takes off into the prog rock realm with

by M icha e l B e rry verve. Result = rock trio 1; complacency 0.

Girls’ Generation (소녀시대 SNSD)

Oh/Run Devil Run SM Entertainment While it’s ridiculous to examine any of a culture’s sociological constructs on the basis of one song, whole dissertations could be written on SNSD’s discography: girls love boys, but they love making cute, exaggerated facial expressions even more. As a result, “Run Devil Run” is nothing short of revolutionary: this fast-paced lead single off their repackaged second album attacks the foundation of hyper-cute on which the group is built. It’s true that a man’s roving eye seems to be the only thing that finally lights a fire under these girls, and being upset about a “super playboy” lover isn’t much better than their original objective of falling in love. But even though they’re still pretty occupied with boys, this song shows the girls can have negative emotions without being vague about their feelings. In contrast, the rest of the album, balladsaturated with an equal number of high-tempo ditties with quirky synth effects slapping off the walls, seem timorous. As dynamic emotions finally emerge, so

by A nna O rz e l does their talent.

Books The Last Song N icholas S parks

The Last Song won the Goodreads Choice Award for Chick Lit (2009) and is now a terrible movie starring Miley Cyrus. This should give a pretty good triangulation on the book, which its publishers describe a s “compell i ng fa m ily d r a ma a nd a heartrending tale of young love.” Veronica “Ron nie” Miller is 17, and when her mother sends her, with her brother Jonah, to spend the summer with her estranged father, she is unhappy. The story is a slow telling of their reunion, spiced up by an imbalanced teen lovetriangle and Ronnie’s experience with true love, true tragedy, and pretty much every other over-amped emotion that teens can generate. The plot seems obvious at times and the characters contrived. Still, Sparks has decent heartstring-pulling skills, and The Last Song will leave you damp-eyed and sniffling if it doesn’t 46 | 10 Magazine May 2010

by C harles M ontgomery

seem corny and manipulative. You know who you are and what you will buy. 413 pages, W17,990

Shanghai Girls L isa S ee

The story begins with two Chinese sisters in love with “all things foreign, from the Westernization of [their] names to the love of movies, bacon, and cheese.” Unfortunately, the sisters are forced to move to California. In order to make good on gambling debts, their father sells them to two Chinese men in America. Thus begins a two-decade rollercoaster ride replete with rape, murder, penury, and betrayal. As a reader would expect, it is the bonds of sisterhood that keep the sisters together and, ultimately, help them get through. The writing is very occasionally creaky and a reader should be aware that the story ends without complete

The Bum Magnet K . L . B rady

Much chick lit focuses on chipper (if put-upon) 20-something white women overcoming the dastardly deeds of equally white men. Which is why it is a pleasure to recommend The Bum Magnet, as it focuses on Charisse

Tyson, an African-American heroine. In some ways Charisse comes with the normal chick lit accoutrement—a great job, a snazzy car, and an upscale love pad. But she is also a size-14 sex symbol dating primarily black men. As the book begins, Charisse is told that “a good man is like Santa Claus, believing in him feels real good until you find out he doesn’t really exist.” For the rest of the book, Charisse, after reading a self-help article, haltingly attempts to sort her love life out, a process that is confused by the amusing range of untrustworthy men she meets. If you want your chick lit with snappy dialogue and solid laughs, this is the right book. 292 pages, $12.78 only on Amazon

Gear

by A laric W illi

nationwide Hotlines Emergency

119

Police

112

Directory Assistance

114

Medical Information Center

1339

This is a 24-hour, nationwide hospital information service available in English, Korean, Chinese and Japanese.

Foreigner Assistance/Translation BBB 24-hour Language Assistance

1588-5644 KTO Tourism 24-hr Infoline

1330

Korea Immigration immigration.go.kr

1345

Korean Customs customs.go.kr

1577-8577

Seoul Dasan (city info)

02-120

Transportation Asiana

flyasiana.com 1588-8000

Busan Air flyairbusan.com 1588-8009 jejuair.net 1599-1500

Jeju Air

Korean Air koreanair.com 1588-2001 Intercity Express Bus kobus.co.kr

1588-6900

Korea Railroad Corp. korail.com

1544-7788

Seoul/Gyeonggi Interactive Subway Map smrt.co.kr Mobeom Taxi Service Nationwide 1588-2255 kindle , ipad

Getting a Grip on Your E-Reader

I just can’t get excited usually Korea is not one of about e-readers. I guess them. Sony’s Reader Store, that’s just the kind of guy fo r ex a m ple , o n ly h a s I am. However, with an options for Canada, GerHow to Digitalize Your array of new models being many, France, UK, NethReading Experience released ever y month, I erlands and the US. can’t ignore them anymore.

There are usually Currently, there are over 30 different e-readers two solutions to this. The first option is to use sold by 17 companies around the world including a Korean provider such as Interpark (Biscuit Sony, Samsung, Amazon and iRiver. They can Reader), but most of the books are in Korean. significantly vary in price and specification, with The second is to work around the problem. The some being not much more technological than Amazon Kindle international model should work your average calculator and others as capable as in Korea, though you have to use a Western billmodern smart phones. However, they all have the ing and shipping address. This usually means same core function of letting you read a digital sending it to relatives and then having them forcopy of a book known as an e-book. ward it to you. Once you do this, you shouldn’t The way in most popular e-readers (like have a lot of problems using the Kindle in Korea.

Apple’s iPad and Amazon’s Kindle) work is that But what about the iPad? iBooks is currently they are tied to an online store that sells e-books. only available in the US, so you won’t be able to You simply go to the online store either on your use iBooks on the iPad in Korea for now. There computer or on the device itself, purchase an is an Amazon Kindle app for the iPhone—if you e-book, and then either have it wirelessly deliv- can stand to read a book on its tiny screen.

The alternative to all this fuss is simply to ered to your e-reader or copy it to your e-reader via USB. You run into problems with e-readers in buy an e-reader that accepts a USB connection.

Korea when you try to purchase something from Websites like ebooks.com allow you to downthe online store. One issue is the site (and books!) load an e-book in the format of your choice and being in Korean. Another one has to do with then copy it to your e-reader. This way, you location of purchase. When book sellers purchase give yourself a wide range of device choices the rights to sell a book from the publisher, those without getting stuck buying from the same rights may only extend to certain countries, and store every time.

The nationwide “black taxi” number will put you in touch with a driver who speaks English, but these taxis cost about twice as much as taxis from the rest of the color spectrum. Otherwise call 1330 for regular taxis in your area.

Investment Assistance KOTRA kotra.or.kr

02-3460-7114

Invest Korea investkorea.org

02-3460-7545

Korean Banks The following are the only banks that offer English online banking and international debit cards.

Korea Exchange Bank (KEB 외환은행) keb.co.kr 02-729-0114 SC First Bank (SC 제일은행) scfirstbank.com 02-3702-3114

Major Foreign Banks American Express americanexpress.co.kr 02-2000-8100 Australia & New Zealand Banking Group 02-3700-3100 China Construction Bank ccbseoul.com 02-6730-1718 Citibank citibank.co.kr 02-3455-2114 Deutsche Bank Bank of America Bank of China

02-724-4500 02-2202-4500 02-399-0368

BNP Paribas

bnpparibas.co.kr

02-317-1700

HSBC

02-311-0060

Websites shown are specifically for the Korean branches of listed foreign banks.

Pizza Delivery Order Nationwide English-speaking Service Domino’s

1577-3082

Papa John’s

1577-8080

Pizza Hut

1588-5588

10 Magazine May 2010 | 47

NATIONWIDE

resolution. It seems fairly obvious that a sequel is coming. The bond of the sisters, the historical background, and the range of experiences portrayed in Shanghai Girls, however, make it a book with appeal beyond the chick lit genre.

336 pages; $10.20 on Amazon, but coming to Korea shortly.

Foodie finds

SEOUL

Raise the Roof!

Roofers Words and shots by J o e M cPh e rson

I

taewon has been shaking off its seedy image the past few years. The Land of Juicy Bars (and not-so-juicy patrons) has surrendered to swanky wine bars and gourmet international restaurants. This front has moved from its epicenter at the Hamilton Hotel as far as the foot of Hooker Hill. We may see a day soon when Hooker Hill will just be another name where the reality doesn’t match the moniker.

At the foot of the hill, across from King’s Club, is an establishment that until now has been a well-kept secret. Roofers has established itself as the new “event bar” in the area by hosting open mic nights, live improv performances and stand-up comedy. This is partly due to the efforts of part-owners Brian and Janice Aylward. You may already know Brian as Korea’s up-and-coming standup comedian superstar. The efforts they are making have upped the ante for the local watering holes.

Being the young bar it is, its draft selection is limited to two beers, but one of those beers is the bold, hoppy Alley Kat, a Canadian microbrew that has grown popular with the long-timers. But it’s the menu where Roofers stands out. Cheeseburgers are infused with rosemary, which give them a unique character in the increasingly competitive burger trend. The quesadillas are super stuffed, and their vegetarian options are faves, even among the carnivorous demographic. Yet the item to get is the meat pie, which is such a hit that they regularly run out. A flaky, crispy crust is stuffed with ground meat and a rich gravy accompanied by—cheese?

It may upset a few Anglo purists, but I find it a nicely decadent touch.

The atmosphere is informal and doesn’t feel like a meat market, making it ideal for catching up with old friends. They regularly have a couple of DJs throwing on a great mix of smooth, ambient retro hits and a few classics while projecting videos on the big screen.

48 | 10 Magazine May 2010

Clockwise: quesadilla, burger, wings and meatpie

Starting in late April, they will open their namesake roof. A sneak peak revealed an area that, though a little precarious on the stair climb, will be the place to enjoy some good food and good times in the open air with a decent view of the city. They will even install a kitchen that will serve expanded menu items, including their much anticipated brunch.

Did I mention that they also have hookahs available for W10,000? These days, it’s a requirement for a decent pub in the ‘Twon. Pretty soon, Hooker Hill may become Hookah Hill.

10 Magazine reimburses reviewers for their meals and never notifies restaurants that they will be reviewed.

English menus Allowed Ample vegetarian selections Difficult access Reservation Optional Burgers, beers and good comfort foods Kitchen can run out of menu items W5,000 to W15,000 02-749-2970 Seoul Yongsan-Gu Itaewon-Dong 132-5 3rd Floor roofers.co.kr

Even Better Than the Grill Thing

A Taste of France in Sinsa-dong

Looking for dessert but short on ideas? Crepes may be just the solution. The owner of La Creperie Maurina (off Garosugil in Sinsa-dong near Apgujeong St., line 3, ex. 5) is always on the hunt for the freshest of ingredients, a trait he learned in France. The menu is broken up into two categories: salty (buckwheat-based) and sweet (flour-based). A house favorite is the American Pie (W16,000 won), loaded with chunky slices of apple, a dollop of vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce. If you’re dropping in for brunch, consider the Sunrise (W13,000).

Stacked with eggs, bacon and onions, it covers all the bases.

There’s also hot chocolate (W9,000) done the old-fashioned way – by mixing melted Belgian chocolate with milk. With cozy ambiance and a discreet location, La Creperie Maurina is sure to please. Open Tue – Sun noon - midnight. 02-541-8283

by G r e gory C u r l e y

I’ll let you in on one of Seoul’s best kept burger secrets. Pepper Grill gives you a real grilled burger experience without drowning you in grease or slipping you suspect ingredients.

The owner, Mr. Chung, grinds the beef daily and pairs it with fresh locally g row n, produce.

Each burger is grilled to perfection over high-grade wood charcoal, sealing in the juices for a tender, smoky masterpiece.

Their signature burger combines fresh cheongyang peppers and mozzarella for a spicy treat. You can also try their unique black burger made with a house espresso BBQ sauce.

Burgers start at W5,900 and you can add toppings like cheese, bacon or a fried egg. An extra beef patty for meat lovers is only W3,000 extra. Enjoy your burger with San Miguel draft or a glass of wine every day except Mondays 12 – 11 pm. On the right 250m out of Hongdae St. (line 2, ex. 4). 02-333-7138

by N icko l a i F u r e nsk i

Enjoy

Three locations serving original Turkish kebab.

The healthy fast food.

Enjoy your meal guilt free!

Itaewon Main Branch: 127-28 Itaewon-dong Yongsan-gu, Seoul 02-749-3890 Nakseongdae Branch: 1687-23 Bongcheong-dong Gwanak-gu, Seoul (Nakseongdae St. Ex #8) 02-887-8555 Guri Branch: 486 Sutaekdong Guri, Kyonggido 031-567-2340 sultankebab.co.kr

Where Vegetarians and Meat-Eaters Collide

All hope is not lost for vegetarians on the prowl for a bite to eat in Itaewon, an area more famous for carnivore-favoring restaurants. Nestled rather inconspicuously above Dunkin Donuts just minutes away from Itaewon Station (line 6, ex. 3), Dubai restaurant, with its clean interior and friendly service, leaves a lasting imprint. Notable dishes are the bite-size falefel (W7,000), a generous serving of hummus (W8,000), hearty lamb kabsa (W13,000) and flavorful baba ghanoush (W7,000).

Bread (W1,000) is also highly recommended to mop up all that extra sauce. Portions here are generous, with appetizers substantial enough to count as entrees themselves. Count on leaving with a full belly without ransacking the wallet.

02-798-9277

by G r e gory C u r l e y

www.stickyfingers.co.kr Contact Yoon Park 02-542-9274

No Butter, No Milk, No Egg No Trans Fat 100% Vegan Bakery from Washington D.C. t 4IJOTFHZF %FQBSUNFOU 4UPSFT @ Myungdong (B1) @ Gyeonggi (B1) t )ZVOEBJ %FQBSUNFOU 4UPSFT @ Mokdong (B2), @ COEX (B1) t -PUUF %FQBSUNFOU 4UPSF @ Gangnam, @Jamsil t ", 1MB[B @ Bundang

10 Magazine May 2010 | 49

Nightlife

SEOUL

Green Gallery Words by Josh ua H a l l and shot by shawn park er

G

reen Gallery is a special place with an amazing garden dotted with intimate alcoves, gazebos and palms. This Bundang wine bar and tea house has carefully groomed moss along the wall, tropical ferns, herbs and masses of greenery that wrap around heated benches and tables under huge trees. It’s like a giant conservatory with good wine and refined teas.

There’s a reasonable selection of pastas, salads and pizzas on the menu which go for an average of W16,000. There are also dinner sets starting at W28,000. Stay away from the quesadillas but go for the mushroom pizza: herby, savory and just the right amount of cheese.

On the menu are twenty-five teas to choose from including rooibos and elderberry, which is good for flu or recovering from last night’s excess. The wine list here is limited but there are some good options at W80,000. Avoid the Gluhwein, but if you’re looking for something refreshing and fun, the red wine smoothie isn’t bad. It’s really a slushie with wine. My friend kept raving about it.

The service at Green Gallery is quick, attentive and there’s a little bit of English spoken. Unfortunately they have some absurd ideas about glasses here and serve red wine in white wine glasses.

The reason according to them is that the red wine glasses take up more space on your table. Insist on them giving you proper glasses.

Green Gallery has plenty of atmosphere and is a real haven from the hustle and bustle of city life. It’s family friendly and the soft jazz adds a nice touch. It’s a truly unique place to enjoy good wine and food. And they throw in a free potted plant with the bill.

Green Gallery is open 11 am to 1 am every day. Reservations essential on weekends. 031-717-1678.

Directions: Green Gallery is a 5-minute walk from the subway. Go out exit 4 from Jeongja station (Bundang line). Take the first left, then the third right. Walk 30m.

It’s on your right. There’s a gazebo and a big dog outside. Underground parking is available.

B e y e r sk l o o f S y n e r g y C a p e B l e nd 2 0 0 5 This is an intelligent blend of grapes from one of South Africa’s top producers. It’s 43% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Pinotage, 19% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot. This wine had a gamey nose, smoky notes and some earthiness.

Dash of wood and wild bush. You can really taste the 20 year old vines. Oak aging for 14 months adds some cream and vanilla. Modern but finely put together. A well structured wine with good balance. Seriously good for W69,000 a bottle.

50 | 10 Magazine May 2010

1

SEOUL

The Big Black Boxes

Words by Dan i el L e naghan and shots by R L Ba l dw i n

O

ver the past few months, we’ve introduced you to clubs memorable for their quirks and character. Both Lydian and Bowie are such clubs, along with Club TA and Club Freebird. Part of the charm of such a club is its uniqueness, but there’s an undeniable shortfall of clubs like these. If someone wants to create a club that could really make money, be versatile enough to showcase electronic one night and folk the next, quirks and character can get in the way. What you need is the kind of club that I’m going to call a Big Black Box. It’s a plain name, calling such a place what it is: spacious, painted black from wall to wall and ceiling to floor, featuring only large lighting rigs and enormous sound setups and a plainness of space that any good performer will occupy and make their own.

We have already reviewed one such venue in Hongdae, V-Hall, which is beneath the Seogyo Hotel. But two others, closer to Hapjeong Station (line 2 and 6), offer almost identical opportunities to see performers in a completely undefined performance space. Such halls are Rolling Hall and Rollercoaster. There’s little to say; we’ll let the photos speak for the venues.

2 3

1-2. Rollercoaster, 3. Bridget Martin at Rolling Hall

R ollercoaster

club.cyworld.com/ClubV1/Home.cy/53627398 (Korean), 070-8281-4612 R olling H all

rollinghall.co.kr or cafe.daum.net/ROLLING (Korean), 02-325-6071 10 Magazine May 2010 | 51

SEOUL CALENDAR EDITOR’S PICK

Design & Fashion April 29th – May 2nd Seoul Jewel and Watch Fair Open to serious buyers only. COEX. 10:30 am – 6 pm. jewelfair.com 02-600-5823 May 20th – 22nd Kids Fashion Exhibit Think pint-sized Prada and Calvin Klein for Calvin and Hobbes. This is junior fashion at its finest. COEX. 10 am – 6 pm. Thu & Fri 10 am – 2 pm are for buyers only, while Fri 2 – 6 pm and Sat are open to the public. W3,000 at the door, free with online registration. kidsfashion.kr

Art

SEOUL Art April 29th – May 3rd

Seoul Photo Fair

In its third year, Asia’s first dedicated photo art fair brings into focus different aspects of the ever-growing field of photography. Since Spain is the “guest of honor” for this year’s fair, you can expect to see plenty of top-notch Spanish photography on display. If your Korean’s up to snuff, you may want to attend lectures held on Saturday concerning the history of Spanish photographic art (noon – 3 pm) and self-portraiture in Japan (3 – 6 pm). Held alongside the Seoul Photo and Imagining Show (10 am – 6 pm photoshow.co.kr) at the B Hall in COEX. 11 am – 8 pm (Mon till 6 pm). W8,000. seoulphoto.org, 02-736-1214

52 | 10 Magazine May 2010

Shrek, and other animation favorites along with a claymation workshop. Seoul Arts Center near Nambu Terminal St. (line 3, ex. 5). 11 am – 8 pm. W14,000. worldofanimation.co.kr 02-580-1300 Through June 19th “Rough Impact” Exhibit In the Art Garden at the Sejong Center Through June 20th “The Aroma of Flowers Filling a Room” Exhibit The ten large peonythemed folding screens are on exhibit for the first time since the museum obtained them 80 years ago. National Museum of Korea Through June 27th Seong-geun Jeon’s Hangeul Ceramics Exhibit Sejong Center.

10:30 am – 10:30 pm. Closed Mon

Every Saturday Hongdae Free Market It’s called Through July 11th “free,” not “flea,” because the objects “The Moment” Photo Exhibit This on sale here are hand-crafted by the selection of shots by some of vendors and not secondKorea’s best photographers hand products. Find VENUES everything from hand-bound COEX Samsung St. (line 2). show the city, nature, and the people living in them. 63 Sky diaries to hand-stitched coex.co.kr 02-6000-0114 dolls. The playground across Hoam Art Hall hoamarthall. Art at the 63 Building near Yeouinaru St. (line 5, ex. 4). 10 from Hongik University (line org 02-751-9606 am - 10 pm. Adults W12,000, 2). 1 - 6 pm.

LG Arts Center Yeoksam teens W11,000, children cafe.daum.net/artmarket, St. (line 2, ex. 7).

W10,000. 63.co.kr artfreemarket@hanmail.net lgart.com 02-2005-0114 02-789-5663 Mapo Arts Center Through May 23rd Daeheung St. (line 6, ex.

Through July 25th “Invitation to a 2). mapoartcenter.or.kr Tomb Paintings of Suspicious House” 02-3274-8600 Goguryeo If you’re tired of Exhibit Featuring pieces National Museum of placid paintings of Joseon from the permanent Korea Ichon St. (line4, women washing their collection. Guests can also ex.2).

Tue, Wed, Fri 9 am clothes in the stream, head chat with artists.

– 6 pm. Wed, Sat 9 am – back to Goguryeo (37 BC Seoul Museum of Art Annex 8 pm. Sun 9 am – 7 pm.

– AD 667) for these paintings museum.go.kr “Seoul in Popular Music: of landscapes and the “four 02-2077-9000 Singing Seoul” Exhibit An symbols” (dragon, tiger, exhibit of the albums from the National Theater of Korea phoenix, and turtle). National Shuttle available 1950s to the present that Museum of Korea from Dongguk Univ. St. celebrate the city of Seoul. (line 3, ex. 6).

April 28th - May 10th Cheonggye-cheon Museum. ntok.go.kr 02-2280-4114 Mr. Kim Goes to the Weekdays 9 am – 9 pm.

Exhibit Hoping to start an Nowon Culture and Arts weekend 9 am - 6 pm.

Center nowonart.kr art collection but unsure Closed Mon. Free.

02-951-3355 how to do it? Head to this cgcm.go.kr 02-2286-3410 Sejong Center near art fair for affordable artwork Gwanghwamun St. by middle-aged artists.

Through May 25th (line 5, ex.

8). sejongpac.

W5,000. Seoul Arts Center Seogyo Sixty: Sangsang’s or.kr 1544-1887 Archive Seoul Art Center Nambu April 30th – July 24th Sixty of Korea’s most Terminal St. (line 3, ex. 5).

Cecil Beaton: Beauty of promising young artists are sac.or.kr 02-580-1300 the Century See famous included here with two beauties and celebrities of works apiece. Sangsang the 20th Century such as Audrey Madang Live Hall in Hongdae.

Hepburn, Elizabeth Taylor, and Marilyn sangsangmadang.co 02-330-6200 Monroe through the lens of portrait and Through May 30th fashion photographer Cecil Beaton.

Korean Art Finds Its Way through Seoul Arts Center. 11 am – 8 pm.

Modernism Learn more about forgotten Adults W9,000, Korean modern artists from Chusa to teens W8,000, children W6,000.

Su-geun Park. 11 am – 6:30 pm. Dark May 3rd - 12th Mondays. Free. Seonhwa Gallery.

Gyeong-ju Park Pottery Exhibit: Gwanghwamun Stn. (line 5, ex. 6).

The Fantastic Space Not just boring seonhwafoundation.org 02-2002-7777 old pots, the pieces on exhibit here Steve McCurry: “Unguarded offer a fresh and funky look at the Moment” Displaying over 100 photos possibilities of pottery. Yido Gallery in taken by this daring photojournalist, Gahoe-dong. yido.kr 02-722-0756 famous for “Afghan Girl,” which appeared May 5th - 11th on the cover of National Geographic.

Tapestry of Culture Exhibit Sun-im Sejong Center. 10 am – 8 pm. Adults Koh’s students contribute artwork W8,000, teens W5,000, children W3,000 inspired by their home countries.

Through June 4th Gallery La Mer in Insadong. 10:30 am Joseon Dynasty Art Leeum Samsung - 6 pm. suziwal@gmail.com Museum of Art near Hangangjin St. May 5th – July 4th (line 6, ex. 1). leeum.org 02-2014-6901 The Moon Is the Oldest Clock: Floating Hours National Museum of Through June 13th Contemporary Art, Deoksugung Palace Exciting World of Animation 3D branch. City Hall St. (line 1, ex. 2). screenings of Thomas and Friends,

Closed Mon. 10 am – 5 pm. Sat 10 am – 8 pm. Adults W3,000, minors W1,500 moca.go.kr 02-2022-0600 May 6th – 16th “Dreaming Through South East Asia” Photo Exhibit This exhibit features photos taken during a backpacking trip through Thailand, Indonesia, and other southeast Asian countries by photographer and sculptor Jin Lee. Gallery Through located in Itaewon near the Hyatt Hotel. 02-798-1900 May 8th – 13th Korean Calligraphy and Painting Exhibition Seoul Arts Center.

11 am – 8 pm. (5/13 till 4 pm)

May 13th – 23rd ASEAN Photo and Multimedia Exhibit: “Emerging Wave” The ASEAN-Korea Center invites 27 photographers from Korea and Southeast Asia for this exhibit. Seoul Arts Center. 11 am – 8 pm Korean Watercolor Association Exhibit Seoul Arts Center. 11 am – 8 pm May 14th – 21st Mun-gyu Jeong: 50 Years Exhibit Celebrating Jeong’s 50 years of work as a painter. Seoul Arts Center. 11 am – 8 pm. Free. 010-4447-2505 Yeong-geun Choe’s Lacquer Art Exhibit Seoul Arts Center.

010-2924-7370. Free May 15th – 20th Korean Buddhist Sutra Society Exhibition Seoul Arts Center.

02-335-2186

English Staff High light and Low light Cutting Styling Hair spa

Battle B-Boy Romance at a dance tournament serves as the setting for this exhibition of awesome dance routines and soaring aerial moves. Hongdae. Tue - Fri 8 pm Sat 6 pm, Sun 2 pm.

W50,000. sjbboys.com, 02-323-5233 Bubble World Though geared toward younger children, anyone can enjoy this creative presentation of bubbles, fans, lighting, and lasers. Myungbo Art Hall in Jongno. Wed 3 pm, Thu & Fri 3 pm & 8 pm, weekend 2 & 4:30 pm (and 8 pm on Sat). bubbleworld.co.kr 02-2263-9742 Drawing Show Art exhibit or performance? The drawing show is as fun to watch as it is hard to classify.

Drawing Show Theater in Daehangno in Seoul (Hyehwa Station, exit 1).

Weekdays 8 pm. Sat 4 pm, 7 pm. Sun 3 pm, 6 pm. Closed Mon. Adults W30,000, children W20,000. cafe.daum.net/drawingshow, drawingshow@gmail.com 02-766-7848

SEOUL

May 9th – 29th “Les Fleurs du Mal” Photo Exhibition Vincent Sung expresses his vision of human beauty in combination with close-up shots of flowers taken during his travels. The exhibition pays homage to the poetry of 19th century French writer Baudelaire (author of Les Fleurs du Mal). Opening event with drinks May 9th 1 – 5 pm. Berlin Lounge in Itaewon. 02-2235-8364, seoulartproject@gmail.com

Sat 3 & 6 pm. Dark Mondays. W50,000. showbboy.com 02-2266-3727

Fanta-stick This slapstick nonverbal show offers young ones lots of laughs.

Conveniently located at the 63 building in Yeouido. Tue - Sun 8 pm. W32,000 W50,000. fanta-stick.co.kr 02-789-5664 Jump First performed in 2003, this non-verbal show combines a comic story with martial arts moves and impressive visuals. W40,000 – W50,000. hijump.co.kr 02-722-3995 Legend of Flower This romantic tale of two lovers redefines what a performance can be with stunning sound effects, tantalizing aromas, holographs, and more. Sheraton Grande Walker Hill. sheratonwalkerhill. co.kr/eng 02-455-5000

Hongik Univ.

Line 2 Hongdae St.

Coffee Bean Record Shop

Samgeori Pocha Mom & Dad

Guekdong Broadcast 7-Eleven

Line 6 Sangsu St. Exit #2 Line 6 Sangsu St. Exit #1

407-2 Seogyo-dong Mapo-gu, Seoul, Korea, Tel: 02 t 338 t 2773

Miso Chongdong Theater presents Miso, a story of one woman’s encounter with love told through traditional dance, percussion, and music. City Hall Station. 4 pm & 8 pm.

Closed Mon. W30,000 – W50,000. miso.mct.or.kr/eng 02-751-1500

May 16th – 30th Modern Korean Painting Exhibit Held at Gansong Art Museum, which is only open for two weeks in May and October each year. Seongbuk-dong near Hansung University Stn. (line 4, ex.

5). 10 am – 6 pm. Free. 02-762-0442 May 22nd – 27th Korean Calligraphy Exhibition Seoul Arts Center. 11 am – 8 pm May 24th – June 3rd “Beautiful Mountains and Rivers” Exhibit Featuring artwork depicting the four Korean rivers that are endangered by recent construction projects. Seoul Arts Center. 11 am – 8 pm. Free May 26th – June 6th Blue Dot Asia 2010 Seoul Arts Center. 11 am – 8 pm.

02-3701-1620

Theater & Dance Ongoing The Ballerina Who Loved a B-Boy This story of a would-be ballerina who falls for a b-boy street dancer is a genre-bending mash-up of break dance and ballet. Lotte World Art Hall at Jamsil St. (line 2). Tue - Thu 8 pm, Fri 5 & 8 pm,

Nanta This kitchen percussion extravaganza is the non-verbal stage show that nearly everyone sees at least once. Two Seoul locations and performances almost daily. Refer to website for more details. W50,000 – W60,000. nanta.co.kr 02-739-8288 Nori Madang Traditional Performance Every Sunday at 3 pm, Korean dancers and singers present you with all the vivid colors and exotic sounds of a traditional performance.

Free. Sokchon Lake Park near Jamsil Stn. (line 2, ex. 3). 02-120 Pan An exciting combination of Korean folk songs, minstrel music, and percussion of all kinds. Gwanghwamun Art Hall. Weekdays at 7:30 pm,

10 Magazine May 2010 | 53

SEOUL CALENDAR weekends at 4 pm, closed Mon and Tue. 90 min. W30,000 – W50,000. ghmarthall.co.kr 02-722-3416

May 12th – 30th

Sa-Choom An exciting non-verbal dance performance telling the story of three friends’ coming of age. Tue – Fri 8 pm. Sat 4 pm and 7:30 pm. Sun 4 pm.

W50,000. lovedance.co.kr, mr4u@nate.com 070-8249-3023 Through May 4th Festival Bom 2010 Introducing avant-garde Korean and international works. Various locations and prices. festivalbom.org, festivalbom@gmail.com

SEOUL

Through May 5th Coppelia: The Ballet Seoul Arts Swan Lake: The Ballet Matthew Center. Weekdays 7:30 pm, Sat 3 & Bourne’s modern adaptation of Swan 7:30 pm, Sun 3 pm. Dark Mon. Lake in dance-musical form at For more W5,000 – W30,000 the LG Arts Center. 3, 7, 7:30, detailed venue and 8 pm. W60,000 – 120,000 Through May 16th information, Stones in His Pockets see p. 52 May 13th – 18th Comedy ensues when a small Semiramide: The Opera The Irish town is invaded by a Hollywood two-act tragic opera by Rossini. Seoul film crew trying to capture the romance Arts Center. 7:30 pm. W30,000 – of the country. Brought to you by BH W330,000 Productions. Vin Vino near Itaewon St. May 15th – 21st (line 6, ex. 2). Thu & Fri 8:30 pm, Sat & Orpheus and Eurydice: The Opera Sun 4:30 & 8:30 pm. stonesinkorea@

By Viennese opera composer yahoo.com 016-695-4624 Christoph Gluck. Seoul Arts Center.

Through June 2nd 8 pm. W30,000 – W70,000 Youth Performing Arts Festival May 22nd A month-long festival of plays and The Shorts Show Creative folks put concerts geared toward children. their latest ideas to the test in this night National Theater of Korea. Prices vary. of short performances (no more than 20 minutes each). rootexperience.com, April 30th – May 1st roots.korea@gmail.com Little Donkey: Family Musical Nowon Culture and Arts Center.

May 24th – 30th 02-951-3355 Shim Chung: The Ballet Seoul Arts Center. 3 pm, 7:30 pm.

May 4th – 7th W10,000 – W80,000 La Bohème: The Opera One of Puccini’s most famous operas. Seoul May 28th – 29th Arts Center. 7:30 pm. W30,000 – W150,000 Swan Lake: The Ballet May 5th – 8th

Sejong Center. Fri 8 pm, Sat 5 pm.

W20,000 – W70,000 May 29th – June 13th The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee: The Musical Seoul Players presents this hilarious Broadway musical at Roofers in Itaewon (Itaewon Stn., line 6). Fri 8 pm, Sat 8 pm, Sun 5 pm. W10,000. seoulplayers.com, seoulspellingbee@ gmail.com

Executive Chef Sebastiano Giangregorio, the best ingredients, the gracious Italian hospitality and the sophisticated atmosphere make dining at Antonio an evening to remember.

Uncle Vanya: The Play Lev Dodin directs the Maly Drama Theatre of St. Petersburg in their staging of the play

by Chekov. Words in Russian with Korean subtitles. LG Arts Center.

4, 6, and 8 pm. W30,000 – W70,000 May 7th – 8th

Gangnam-gu Cheongdam-dong 93-8 Tel 02-3443-4333 www.antonios.kr 54 | 10 Magazine May 2010

Through June 30th Samcheonggak Premium Lunch Concert “JAMI” Every Mon, Tue, and Wed at 12 pm at Samcheonggak restaurant north of Anguk Stn (line 3).

W50,000 includes a concert, meal, and traditional Korean tea. samcheonggak.or.kr 02-765-3700 April 30th – May 1st Philadelphia Orchestra Charlie’s Detroit conducts Stravinsky’s Firebird and Rite of Spring. Sejong Center. 7:30 pm. W40,000 – W200,000

Happy 4th Anniversary!

Bar 9:30pm

Concerts

Check Out Puppet show for children and parents. Nowon Culture and Arts Center. 11 am, 3 pm, 4 pm.

W10,000 – 15,000

May 1st Acoustic Café Concert Hoam Art Hall. 3 pm, 7:30 pm.

W30,000 – W70,000

May 11th Ballet Highlights from Shim Chung and La Bayadère Performed by the Universal Ballet at Theater Yong near Ichon St. (line 4, ex. 2). 11 am.

W20,000. theateryong.or.kr 1544-5955

Robin Spielberg in Concert This new age musician performs at the LG Arts Center. 3 pm, 6 pm. W66,000 – W88,000 Sae-hui Kim Piano Recital Sejong Center. 2:30 pm. W10,000

EDITOR’S PICK

SEOUL

Concerts May 29th

Shot by J e r e m i ah H i l l

Haebangchon Music Festival

It’s been about six months since the last Haebangchon Music Festival took place. For Halloween last year, more than fifty artists performed in six venues around Haebangchon.

This year, the show schedule is already bursting with energetic groups and artists like Solitaire Love Affair, John Valentine, and guests from Japan and Italy ready to rock the stage. Mixed in with the music acts are comedy routines and theater sketches. The festival kicks off around 2 pm. Venues are located in Haebangchon. To get there, head straight out of Noksapyeong Stn. (line 6, ex. 2). Three venues in Itaewon add their support later in the evening. Also keep an eye out for the compilation disc (produced by festival organizer Lance Reegan-Diehl), featuring songs by many of the participating artists. HBCfest.com Soprano Shin-Ae Go Recital Sejong Center. 7:30 pm

than 30!) since the 1960s. Sejong Center. 4 & 8 pm. W60,000 - W120,000

Yoshio Suzuki and Isao Sasaki: “My Dear Pianists” Concert Mapo Arts Center. 7 pm. W20,000 – W60,000

Myeongji Piano Duo Concert Sejong Center. 7:30 pm. W20,000

May 2nd

Seoul National University Alumni Choir Concert Seoul Arts Center.

2:30 pm. W20,000 – W50,000 May 3rd – 4th

Chuck Mangione Live in Seoul Best known for “Feels So Good,” the smooth jazz tune that was selected in 1980 as the most recognized melody since the Beatles’ “Michelle,” flugelhorn player and composer Chuck Mangione has been filling concert halls and releasing best-selling jazz albums (more

Philharmonia Orchestra Directed by Vladimir Ashkenazy. Fri Schumann, Sat Brahms at the Seoul Arts Center. 8 pm.

W60,000 – W250,000 May 3rd Janacek Philharmonic Orchestra Led by Theodore Kuchar at the Sejong Center. 7:30 pm. W50,000 – W180,000

10 Magazine May 2010 | 55

SEOUL CALENDAR Kyung Eun Han Piano Recital Sejong Center. 7:30 pm. W20,000

May 8th – 9th

May 4th Ho Young Pi Violin Recital Sejong Center

SEOUL

Leif Garrett in Concert Hear “I Was Made for Dancing” live at Olympic Hall near Olympic Park Stn. (line 5). Sat 7 pm, Sun 6 pm. W66,000 – W99,000. kspo.or.kr 1600-1716

Kelly Clarkson’s First Korean Concert American Idol-winner Kelly Clarkson is on tour in Korea for the first time. Hear this successful, multiGrammy Award-winning pop artist at Olympic Hall near Olympic Park Stn. (line 5). 8 pm. W77,000 – W132,000. kspo.or.kr 02-538-8181

May 9th Classic Café Family Concert Performing Le Carnaval des Animaux

by French composer Saint-Saens.

Hoam Art Hall. 3 pm. W20,000

May 5th Children’s Day Concert With Myung-hun Jeong directing the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra at the Outdoor Concert Hall in the Children’s Grand Park near Children’s Grand Park Stn. (line 7, ex. 1). 7 pm. 02-3700-6300 Family Classic Ditto Carnival Enjoy classical music with the family on Children’s Day at Hoam Art Hall. 2 pm, 6 pm, W30,000 – W50,000 Modern Harmonica Ensemble Recital Sejong Center. 7:30. W10,000 Seoul Arts Center Kids Concert Seoul Arts Center. 3 pm. W10,000 – W30,000

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56 | 10 Magazine May 2010

JW Marriott

GS Gas St. Seoul National Univ. of Education St. Line 2

Mr. Pizza

St. Line 3,7,9

Seoul Youth Orchestra Concert Mahler’s Symphony No. 5, Tchaikovski’s Violin Concerto.

Taeyoung Park conducts, Kyoungsun Lee plays violin. Sejong Center. 7 pm.

W5,000 – W30,000

May 5th – 18th Seoul Spring Festival of Chamber Music With at least one performance May 10th every night of the festival, you’re sure to The Beauty of Chamber Music get your fill of chamber music. Concerts Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra. 1 pm. held at the Sejong Center, Hoam Art Free. seoulphil.or.kr 02-3700-6300 Hall, the Nowon Culture and Arts May 11th Center, and other locations in Seoul.

Dr. Park’s Fun Classical Music: See website for a detailed schedule.

Understanding Woodwinds seoulspring.org 02-712-4879 With the Seoul Philharmonic For more May 6th detailed venue Orchestra at the Seoul Museum National Chorus of Korea of History near Gwanghwamun information, Seoul Arts Center. 8 pm.

Stn. (line 5, ex 8). 12 pm. Free. see p. 52 W10,000 – W30,000 seoulphil.or.kr 02-3700-6300 National Symphony Orchestra Korean Chamber Orchestra: Tango Featuring Mahler’s Symphony No. 1. of Piazzolla Seoul Arts Center. 8 pm.

Sejong Center. 8 pm. W50,000 W20,000 – W150,000 W100,000 May 11th – 15th May 7th Seoul Jazz Festival The jazz scene in Pianist Christopher Park Debut Korea heats up with this four-day Recital Hoam Art Hall. 8 pm. festival, which features some truly W30,000 – W50,000 outstanding acts.

May 7th – 8th 5/11: Lyrical and Romantic Night with Young Im Kim’s Parents’ Day Jae-hyeong Jeong, Wouter Hamel, and Concert Sejong Center. Fri 4 pm & Sweet Sorrow. Sejong Center. 8 pm.

7:30 pm, Sat 2 pm & 5:30 pm.

5/12: Neo Soul Night with Eric Benet.

W44,000 – W132,000 Sejong Center. 8 pm.

5/14: Stylish Jazz Night with Matt Bianco May 8th and D’Sound. Olympic Hall near Xiu Xiu in Concert California-based Olympic Park Stn. (line 5, ex. 3).8 pm. indie group Xiu Xiu have just released 5/15: Latin Jazz Day with Sergio their seventh album Dear God, I Hate Mendes, Fooditorium, and Seong-ha Myself on the Kill Rock Stars label.

Jeong. Olympic Hall near Olympic Rolling Hall in Seoul. W35,000 presale, Park Stn. (line 5, ex. 3). 5:30 pm.

W40,000 at the door. supercolorsuper. privatecurve.com 02-563-0595 com, supercolorsuper@gmail.com

May 12th Drakensberg Boys’ Choir in Korea Seoul Arts Center. 8 pm.

W30,000 – W90,000

May 18th

May 13th Carmina Burana Meets B-boy Find out what happens when Orff meets break-dancing at the Sejong Center. 7:30 pm. W10,000 – W50,000 Great 3B Series: Beethoven Seoul Arts Center. 8 pm. W20,000 – W40,000

May 14th BBC Symphony Orchestra Chamber Concert Hoam Art Hall.

8 pm. W20,000 – W40,000 The Beauty of Chamber Music With the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra at the Outdoor Concert Hall in the Children’s Grand Park near Children’s Grand Park St. (line 7, ex. 1). 3 pm.

Free. seoulphil.or.kr 02-3700-6300 KBS Symphony Orchestra Seoul Arts Center Let’s Play with the Orchestra: Songpa-gu With the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra at Jamdong Elementary School near Jamsil Stn. (line 2, ex.7). 10:30 am. Free. seoulphil.or.kr 02-3700-6300 May 14th – 15th Seoul Metropolitan Traditional Music Orchestra Sejong Center.

7:30 pm. W30,000 – W150,000

Deep Purple Live in Korea Hard rock and heavy metal lovers won’t want to miss this one-night-only concert at Olympic Hall near Olympic Park Stn. (line 5). 8 pm. W30,000 – W130,000. kspo.or.kr 3443-9969 Kyung Seun Pee Piano Recital Sejong Center May 19th Bella Voce Recital Sejong Center Korea-Czech Concert Seoul Arts Center. 8 pm. W20,000 – W120,000 May 20th Los Coreanos Guitar Concert Sejong Center. 7:30 pm.

W10,000 – W30,000 Oleg Lundstrem Jazz Concert Mapo Arts Center. 8 pm.

W10,000 – W20,000 Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra Pieces from Tchaikovsky and Mussorgsky conducted by Iurii Botnari at the Nowon Culture and Arts Center.

7:30 pm. W60,000 – W80,000

May 15th Invitational BBC Symphony Orchestra Jiri Belohlavek conducts and Ji Yong plays Greig’s Piano Concerto. Olympic Park near Olympic Park Stn. (line 5). 7 pm. W10,000 – W80,000. kspo.or.kr 318-4301

Naji Hakim’s Pipe Organ Sejong Center. 7:30 pm (pre-concert discussion at 5:30 pm).

W10,000 – W50,000

Una Broadcasting 3rd Anniversary Concert Traditional Korean songs at Hoam Art Hall. 5 pm. W30,000 – W40,000

Schumann Chamber Music Festival Hoam Art Hall. 8 pm. W30,000 – W70,000

May 16th BBC Symphony Orchestra Jiri Belohlavek conducts and Jiyoun Kim plays Sibelius’ Violin Concerto in D minor. Seoul Arts Center. 8 pm.

W50,000 – W200,000

Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra’s Explorer Series 3 Seoul Arts Center.

8 pm. W10,000 – W100,000

George Winston Solo Piano Concert Seoul Arts Center. 2:30 pm.

W50,000 – W120,000 Great Singers in Korea Sejong Center. 5 pm. W20,000 – W150,000 Violinist Dong-Suk Kang and Friends Pieces from Schubert, Mozart, and Beethoven at the Nowon Culture and Arts Center. 4 pm.

W30,000 – W40,000 May 17th Around the World in 80 Minutes with Les Bons Becs French clarinet music at Hoam Art Hall. 8 pm.

W10,000 – W40,000 May 17th – 18th Pipe Organ Concert Learn more about the pipe organ for only W1,000!

Sejong Center

SEOUL

Let’s Play with the Orchestra: Gangdong-gu With the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra at Kuhwa School near Sangil-dong Stn. (line 5, ex.1). 10:30 am. Free. seoulphil.or.kr 02-3700-6300

May 21st Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra Performing pieces by Mussorgsky, Rachmaninov, and Tchaikovsky with Yuri Simonov directing. Seoul Arts Center. 8 pm. W50,000 – W200,000 May 21st – 22nd Green Plugged Festival Are you green? Join 100 musicians (including Clazziquai, MC Sniper, YB, and Humming Urban Stereo) as they perform to raise awareness for eco-friendly living. Noeul Park in World Cup Park near World Cup Stadium Stn. (line 6, ex. 1). W15,000 – W68,000. greenplugged.com

– Expires May 31st –

May 22nd DATpolitics in Concert French electronic art-pop group DATpolitics have performed with the likes of Kraftwerk, Architecture in Helsinki, YACHT, and Jagga Jazzist. Rolling Hall in Seoul. supercolorsuper.com, supercolorsuper@google.com

10 Magazine May 2010 | 57

SEOUL CALENDAR Emmanuel Pahud, Trevor Pinnock and Jonathan Manson Trio Seoul Arts Center. 2:30 pm. W30,000 – W100,000

the Seoul Arts Center. 8 pm.

W50,000 – W200,000

Richard Strauss’s Alpine Symphony Seoul Arts Center. 8 pm

May 30th CAU Wind Orchestra Concert Seoul Arts Center. 2:30 pm

May 23rd Cellist Young Song: A Latin American Journey Seoul Arts Center.

2:30 pm. W33,000 – W99,000

Nan-sae Geum’s “Song for Victory” Sejong Center. 6 pm.

W30,000 – W100,000

Ilbum Chang’s “The Moon in Bella Napoli” Hoam Art Hall.

3 pm. W20,000

Trio Revolution Live in Seoul European jazz at Mapo Art Center.

5 pm. W30,000 – W60,000

The Joy of Orchestral Music: Yongsan-gu With the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra at the National Museum of Korea. 5 pm. Free admission. seoulphil.or.kr 02-3700-6300

Family & Community

SEOUL

Ongoing Traditional Wedding Ceremony Held every Sunday at 3 pm at the Namsan Hanok (traditional Korean house) Village near Chungmuro Stn. (line 3 & 4, ex. 3). visitseoul.net 02-2266-6923 Through May 9th Walker Hill Spring Flower Festival Find food, drinks, and performances as you hike the trails around Pizza Hill near the Walker Hill Hotel. Free shuttle near Gwangnaru Stn. (line 5, ex. 2) and Gangbyeon Stn. (line 2, ex. 1). Noon – 10 pm. sheratonwalkerhill.co.kr 02-455-5000

152-60 Samsung-dong Gangnam-gu Seoul, Tel: 02-539-3390 5 minutes from COEX, Open 11 am-10 pm, www.pulhyanggi.com

Through June 30th World Frog Exhibition The insect exhibit hall at the Seoul Zoo (located in Gwacheon, south of Seoul on line 4) is filled with the croaking of hundreds of Kermit’s cousins. grandpark.seoul.go.kr 02-500-7780 Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra Conducted by Yuri Simonov. Sejong Center. 7 pm. W50,000 – W200,000 May 23rd -31st Seoul International Music Festival For details, see website.

W20,000 – W200,000. esimf.com 1544-5142

May 1st – 9th Tour of the Green Character Village The world needs a little saving, and even comic characters are getting in on the act. You can get in free to For more detailed venue the character exhibit, face information, painting, and comic house, but see p. 52 other events cost W5,000 each.

Held at the Seoul Animation Center near Myeongdong Stn. (line 4, ex. 1). ani.seoul.kr 02-3455-8346

May 24th Korea Male Chorus Seoul Arts Center. 8 pm. W50,000 – W100,000

Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra’s Musical Story Discussing instruments, maestros, Debussy, and more at the Sejong Center May 25th Gala Concert: Celebrating 25 Years Hoam Art Hall. 8 pm.

W20,000 – W40,000 Seoul Classical Players Seoul Arts Center. 8 pm May 26th Yonsei University Orchestra Concert Seoul Arts Center. 8 pm May 27th Korean Symphony Orchestra Violinist Ko Woon Yang performs works from Brahms and Sibelius at the Seoul Arts Center. 8 pm. W10,000 – W50,000 May 28th KBS Symphony Orchestra Seoul Arts Center. 8 pm May 29th Dongduk Women’s University: Centennial Anniversary Concert Seoul Arts Center. 2:30 pm Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra Directed by Paavo Jarvi at

58 | 10 Magazine May 2010

May 2nd Invisible Children Documentary Global-Asia promotions brings you a free screening of the documentary on child soldiers in Africa. Roofers in Itaewon. 4:30 – 6 pm. DVDs available for W10,000. Facebook: “ROOFERS Rooftop Bar,” 02-749-2970 May 6th – 9th Cosmobeauty Seoul Forget your dreams of dreamy cosmonauts and get set for an exhibition of cosmetics and cosmetology products. COEX. 10 am – 6 pm. Free admission if you register online. cosmobeautyseoul.com 02-761-2512 May 7th Raising Awareness in Korea 2010 Fundraiser RAK 2010 is a World Bellydance Day event dedicated to raising funds and awareness for Bear Necessity Korea (bearnecessitykorea. com) and the Dasi Hamkke Center (dasi. or.kr). The program includes dance, comedy, spoken word, hip-hop, and live music acts to the theme of “Rescue, revive, recover, rejoice.” Club Ta in Hongdae. W15,000 includes 1 free drink. 10 pm. azhaar@azhaardance.com May 8th ANZA Ball: All That Glitters ANZA (The Australia New Zealand Association of South Korea) has

planned a gorgeous ball to be held at the ball room of the Grand Hyatt Seoul near Namsan. The RSVP deadline has expired, but it couldn’t hurt to ask if there are any seats left. anzakorea. com, anzakorearsvp@gmail.com May 15th – 16th

of an average Greek. Adults W10,000, teens W9,000, children W8,000 May 6th – 9th Korea International Women’s Invention Exposition In addition to various exhibits, there will be a contest for best new invention. COEX. kiwie.or.kr 02-538-2710 May 7th – 9th Rural Tourism Edutainment Expo COEX. eduexpo.co.kr 02-557-6776

May 20th -23rd Arab Culture Festival Hosted by the Korea-Arab Society. Events held at the National Theater of Korea and the Korea Foundation Cultural Center. arabfest.org/index.html 02-551-7130 June 5th PDK Seoul Chapter’s Chalk Walk 2010 The Chalk Walk is a fun, active event to raise money to honor and support great teachers. Sponsored by the Seoul Chapter of Phi Delta Kappa, the Chalk Walk aims to elevate the status of the educational profession.

Itaewon in front of Suji’s Restaurant. 9 am - noon. Suggested donation of W30,000. pdkchalkwalk.org, kkwishin@yahoo.com The Queen’s Birthday Ball This yearly charity event organized by the British Association of Seoul puts the “fun” in “fundraising.” For more info, see the networking calendar (p. XX). bassqbb@britishseoul.com

Education & Conferences Ongoing Can You Drive a Subway Train?

With the Seoul Metropolitan Rapid Transit Corporation, the answer is yes!

Every Sat and Sun from 2 – 6 pm, four lucky souls will get to take the wheel of one designated train. Applications available at smrt.co.kr, 02-6311-2200 Through June 25th Blooming Cruise All aboard for a spring-themed Han River cruise!

Hundreds of flowers are blooming on board and a cool breeze blows outside.

Departs from the dock at Yeouido (Yeouinaru Stn., line 5). 1:30, 3:30, 4:40 pm. 70 min. Adults W14,000, children W7,000. hcruise.co.kr 02-3271-6900 Through June 27th Changes in Korean Wooden Construction The exhibit surveys the development of wooden structures from primitive Neolithic shelters to the vast palaces of the Joseon Dynasty.

National Museum of Korea May 1st – August 29th Gods, Heroes, and Mortals: Art and Life in Ancient Greece After exhibits on ancient Persia, the Egyptian mummies, and the Incan civilization, the National Museum of Korea turns its attention to classical Greece, cradle of Western civilization. Four distinct sections cover the mythology of Greece, the Greek concept of the body, the ancient Olympics, and the life

SEOUL

Lotus Lantern Parade Colorful lotus lanterns stream down the streets of Seoul in a massive parade celebrating Buddha’s birthday. Near Jogyesa Temple. Head to p. 66 for the full story. llf.or.kr 02-120

May 10th -14th Seoul International Writers’ Festival The Korea Literature Translation Institute invites writers from the USA, Denmark, Iceland, and other countries for readings and workshops.

Held at the House of Literature (imhs. co.kr) near Chungmuro Stn. (line 4, ex.

4) and other locations. sywf.org 02-6919-7700 May 11th RASKB Lecture: Modern Art in Korea Presented by art historian Dr. Chaeki Freya Synn. Somerset Hotel near Anguk Stn. (line 3). W5,000. raskb.com 02-763-9483 May 12th – 16th Seoul International Book Fair Events include a chance to meet the authors in town for the Seoul International Writers Festival and an exhibit of the most beautiful books in the world. COEX. 5/12 is for buyers and sellers only, but the other days are open to the public. Check website for open hours. Adults W3,000, minors W1,000. sibf.or.kr May 14th – 16th The Art of Living Course Join a teacher from India to learn meditation techniques to help you face life’s challenges. Four sessions: Fri, Sat, & Sun evening. W150,000. artoflivingkorea.org 010-3632-8789 May 25th – 28th World IT Show See just how much of a technology powerhouse Korea really is at this expo. COEX. 10 am – 5 pm.

W5,000. wisexpo.co.kr, 02-555-7153

Sport & Fitness Ongoing Free Climbing Clinics Through June, Sanirang Alpine Networks offers free top-rope artificial wall climbing clinics for beginning and intermediate climbers.

Gear is free for the day. Daechi-dong Outdoor Physical Fitness Facility. 9 am –12 pm. sanirang.net, info@sanirang.net

Marakech Night Restaurant

Itaewon’s Finest Moroccan Cuisine with Rhiti Mostafa former chef for the Moroccan Ambassador to Korea

May 5th Kickball to Mayo Tournament Get a bit of kickball action for Cinco de Mayo (AKA Children’s Day). Ichon Park near Ichon Stn. (line 4). 1 – 7 pm.

W50,000 per team, with the pot split between the top three teams. Eight players minimum. sreyes1979@hotmail.com May 20th – 23rd XGOLF Exhibition SETEC (Seoul Trade Exhibition Center) near Hagyeoul Stn. (line 3, ex. 1). 10 am – 6 pm. fair.xgolf.co.kr 1544-9017 May 22nd Free Fencing Lessons Offered on the 4th Sat of each month by the Fencing Training Center located at Ttukseom Stn. (line 2).

2 – 4:10 pm. Be sure to apply at the Seoul Metro website. seoulmetro.co.kr

Weekend buffet only W17,000!

Every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday

Hamilton Hotel

Itaewon Hotel

Noksapyeong Itaewon St. Exit.3

Hannam-dong Fire Station

Marakech Night Cheil Restaurant Communications Building

02-795-9441, marakechnight.co.kr 10 Magazine May 2010 | 59

SEOUL CALENDAR EDITOR’S PICK

May 25th – 30th

Dine & Drink May 6th – 8th

Seoul International Wines and Spirits Expo

SEOUL

Not quite sure of the difference between cognac and brandy? This comprehensive spirits expo brings together companies from over 20 countries exhibiting alcohol varieties of all kinds as well as related snacks and accessories. Fun events include “The World Cup of Sommeliers” for fifty talented winet asters (5/6). T here are also lectures (with Engl ish i nt e r pret ation!) including “The C ha r m of Japa ne se Alcohol” (5/6 at 12:50 pm), “Famous Chinese Liquors” (5/6 at 3:30 pm), “Premier Italian Wine Tasting” (5/7 at 11 am) and “Wine by Design” (5/7 at 1:30 pm). For more info on signing up for these seminars, please call 02-394-7284. Pacific Hall at COEX. 10 am – 6 pm.

Buyers only on 5/6; everyone welcome on 5/7 – 5/8. W20,000 admission includes a wine glass. swsexpo.com, 02-761-2512

May 18th – 20th Doosan Bears vs Hanhwa Eagles Jamsil Stadium at 6:30 pm May 21st – 23rd Doosan Bears vs LG Twins Jamsil Stadium at 5 pm May 25th – 27th LG Twins vs KIA Tigers Jamsil Stadium at 6:30 pm Women’s Beach Volleyball World Tour 70 teams will be competing at the Han River Park near Jamsil Stn. (line 2 & 5, ex. 6). culture.seoul.go.kr 02-120 May 15th Han River Tourism Marathon 5k, 10k, half and full at the Mapo Bridge, to begin at 9 am. W25,000 for half and full, W20,000 for 10k and W10,000 for 5k. Sign up by May 12th. tourmarathon.com, 1644-6667 May 16th World Cup Warm-up Match The Korean National Team goes head to head with the Ecuador Team for an exhibition match at the World Cup Stadium. World Cup Stadium Stn. (line 6). sportsticket.co.kr 02-120 May 29th Queen Magazine Family Marathon 5k, 10k and half at the Sangam-dong World Cup Stadium, to begin at 9am.

W30,000 for 10k and half and W20,000 for 5k. Sign up by May 7th. queen.co.kr/run 02-3210-1667 May 30th Macao Tourism Marathon 5k, 10k, half and full at the Jamwon soccer field by the Han River, to begin at 9am.

W30,000 for 10k, half and full and W20,000 for 5k. Sign up by May 10th. tourmarathon.com 1644-4219 K-League Soccer

May 5th FC Seoul vs Seongnam Seoul World Cup Stadium at 3 pm KBO Baseball

May 1st - 2nd Doosan Bears vs Nexen Heroes Jamsil Stadium at 5 pm May 4th and 6th LG Twins vs Doosan Bears Jamsil Stadium at 6:30 pm May 5th LG Twins vs Doosan Bears Jamsil Stadium at 2 pm May 7th LG Twins vs KIA Tigers Jamsil Stadium at 6:30 pm Nexen Heroes vs Hanhwa Eagles Mokdong Stadium at 6:30 pm May 8th – 9th LG Twins vs KIA Tigers Jamsil Stadium at 5 pm Nexen Heroes vs Hanhwa Eagles Mokdong Stadium at 5 pm May 11th – 13th Doosan Bears vs Samsung Lions Jamsil Stadium at 6:30 pm May 14th LG Twins vs Lotte Giants Jamsil Stadium at 6:30 pm Nexen Heroes vs Samsung Lions Mokdong Stadium at 6:30 pm

60 | 10 Magazine May 2010

May 15th – 16th LG Twins vs Lotte Giants Jamsil Stadium at 5 pm Nexen Heroes vs Samsung Lions Mokdong Stadium at 5 pm

May 28th Doosan Bears vs Samsung Lions Jamsil Stadium at 6:30 pm Nexen Heroes vs LG Twins Mokdong Stadium at 6:30 pm May 29th – 30th Doosan Bears vs Samsung Lions Jamsil Stadium at 5 pm Nexen Heroes vs LG Twins Mokdong Stadium at 5 pm

Travel May 5th Paintball Game on Children’s Day Ilyoung Resort in Gyeonggi Province.

W41,000. adventurekorea.com 018-242-5536 May 8th – 9th Flying and Kayaking at Anmyeondo W149,000. koreansafari.com 019-542-2955 May 9th Bukchon Walking Tour Professor David A. Mason will lead this tour of the Bukchon Hanok Village, an area containing many of Seoul’s hanok traditional houses. 9:30 am – 1:00 pm.

W24,000. raskb.com, raskb@kornet.net DMZ Trip W41,000. adventurekorea.com 018-242-5536 May 15th Tour of Doseongsa Temple Take a guided tour of one of Korea’s most important old Buddhist temples located in Bukhansan National Park. Professor David A. Mason, an expert on Korean Buddhism, leads the way. 10 am – 2:30 pm. W42,000. raskb.com, raskb@ kornet.net May 21st – 22nd Return to the Past Jindo Trip Enjoy traditional music and dances at the Naemdo Performing Arts Center.

W98,000. koreansafari.com 019-542-2955 May 29th – 30th Seonyudo Island Bike Tour Seonyudo is outside of Gunsan in Jeolla Province. W99,000. adventurekorea.com 018-242-5536

Dine & Drink Ongoing Toque Diner’s Turkey Dinners Get your turkey fix with help from Toque Diner. Groups of 15 or more who call a week in advance can have their own turkey buffet at Toque Diner, or you can order half or whole turkeys with all of the fixings and enjoy it with friends at home. 02-794-3834 May 1st Great Green Grill The proceeds from this delicious vegetarian BBQ go to support animal shelters. Roofers in Itaewon. Facebook: “ROOFERS Rooftop Bar.” 02-749-2970

EDITOR’S PICK

SEOUL

Nightlife May 8th – 9th

Seoul World DJ Festival

continued from p.43 2-day event in which acclaimed local and international DJs like the UK’s Freemasons and Australia’s Vandalism deliver hot hits day and night. Jump and stomp to the beats or trip the light fantastic at this year’s weekend wonderland where “0% audience, 100% participation” is the leading motto. You can also drop some cash at one of the many merchandise or booze booths located all over the grounds. Don’t miss the 10 Magazine booth for some awesome prizes! 5/8 2 pm – 5/9 6 am. W55,000 at the venue. worlddjfest.com, 02-3141-6063 words and S hots by k y l e b u rton

May 7th – 9th Tteokbokki Festival Pan-fried rice cake mixed with fish cakes drenched in spicy pepper paste. It doesn’t get much more Korean than this. aT Center in Yangjae-dong (atcenter.co.kr ). 10 am – 6 pm. topokki.com, 02-503-5044

comedians deliver monologues and rants about expat life and other topics.

New acts are welcome! 9 pm the first Thursday of every month at the Rocky Mountain Tavern in Itaewon. Facebook: Stand Up Seoul, brianaylward11@hotmail.com

May 8th Cinco de Mayo Party It’s not on the day itself, but Tomatillo makes up for it with W2,000 tacos, drink discounts, four live bands, and more. Tomatillo Grill near Yeoksam Stn. (line 2) Noon – 8 pm. tomatillo.co.kr 02-734-0628

May 7th Digital Sensation Club Volume in Itaewon. clubvolume.com 1544-2635

May 15th Exclusive Alsace Wine Party Mr. Christophe Ehrhart, winemaker from Domaine Josmeyer in Alsace, offers seven of his top cuvees. Baguettes and Korean snacks provided. Vinestock in the French Village near Express Bus Terminal Stn. (lines 3, 7, 9). 5:30 - 7 pm.

W99,000. thomasscheidt@yahoo.co.uk 02-536-6081

Lifestyle Vol.11 With free temporary tattoos all night and three coupons for real tattoos. W10,000 with one free drink.

Club Volt in Hongdae. 02-322-1902

Nightlife May 1st “Emerald Day” Electronic Festival Rolling Hall in Hongdae. 7 – 9:30 pm.

W25,000 includes a drink. partyluv.com 02-6245-6268 Moon Lounge Party Mansion in Cheongdam-dong. 10 pm.

W20,000 includes a drink. afternoon.co.kr 02-518-7935 May 4th DJ Jerome Isma-ae Club Volume in Itaewon. clubvolume.com 1544-2635 May 6th Stand Up Seoul Comedy Night Korea’s finest English language

May 8th Half Moon Festival Club Volume in Itaewon. clubvolume.com 1544-2635

May 15th Encore: World Class DJ Show With DJs that performed at the main stage of the World DJ festival the previous weekend. Mansion in Hongdae.

Facebook group: “Mansion Hongdae Seoul.” mansionseoul@gmail.com White House: Season 3 M2 in Hongdae. clubm2.com 02-3143-7574 May 28th Beat Torrent This is the first time that five-time world DJ champions team C2C, composed of French DJs Pfel and Atom, will perform in Korea.

Mansion in Hongdae. 10 pm – 4 am.

W20,000 plus one free drink. brokenteethmusic@gmail.com 010-5595-1909 Club Day The best night to experience the Hongdae disco scene. On the last Friday of each month, W20,000 gets you into 20 clubs. 11 pm – 5 am. Buy tickets at participating clubs like NB, M2, and Q-vo. One drink included. theclubday.co.kr

10 Magazine May 2010 | 61

KOREAN DESTINATIONS

SEOUL

The Oneness of a Thousand Lanterns The Lotus Lantern Festival Words and shots by Si mon Bond

T

he crown jewel of Korean festivals? A rather bold statement, but the Lotus Lantern Festival is an impressive event that you shouldn’t miss.

The festival happens the week before Buddha’s Birthday (May 21st) and is mainly centered on Insadong and Jogyesa Temple in central Seoul.

A good way to get started would be to take in two of Seoul’s most famous temples. At Jogyesa, you’ll be greeted by the amazing “lantern roof” that extends all around the temple. The lanterns contain people’s wishes, written for the upcoming holiday. You might also see people making lanterns for the parade. The next place to visit is Bongeunsa Temple near COEX mall. At Bongeunsa from May 14th to May 23rd you can see a lantern exhibition containing lanterns of different shapes and sizes.

The main events take place on the weekend of the 15th-16th of May. Head to Insadong on the evening of the 15th to take part in “yeondeung nori” (lotus lantern games). Be prepared to be dragged into the dancing going on there as the festival feeling builds! The next day at midday, head to Jogyesa temple for

62 | 10 Magazine May 2010

the street fair taking place outside. The street fair has several stages with performances going on throughout the day. If you like crafts, you can make your own lantern at one of the street stalls. For lunch, try some of the traditional Korean temple food for sale. Adventurous pilgrims might consider a visit to Dongguk University Stadium (Dongguk University St., line 3, ex. 6), which hosts the Buddhist cheer rally from 4:30 till 6 pm as the evening builds towards the crescendo of the parade.

The parade starts at 7 pm, running from Dongdaemun through the Jonggak intersection and finishing at Jogyesa. Once the parade arrives, you’ll be entertained for well over an hour as floats and lanterns-bearers pass by. There are thousands of lanterns, but some of the most spectacular are the fire-breathing dragons and the large lotus-shaped lanterns. The smaller lanterns though are also enchanting, especially as they are lit up at night. The costumes worn in the parade are also quite beautiful, and there are participants from many different Buddhist countries including Thailand and India.

If you wish to get a good spot to see the parade, it’s advisable to get there early, as the crowds for this parade are invariably huge. Subway options include Jongno 3-ga St. (lines 1, 3, and 5), Jonggak St. (line 1), and Jongno 5-ga St. (line 1).

The final event of the evening is a big celebration at the Jonggak intersection, which goes on till 11 pm. On the following Friday, Buddha’s birthday, there will be ceremonies in temples across Korea.

If you’re in Seoul, the best place to be for Buddha’s Birthday is Jogyesa.

For mor e d e t a i l s a b out t he fe st iva l , v i sit llf.or.kr/eng or call 02-2011-1744.

SEOUL DIRECTORY Meditation Center

02-735-5347

Jetavana Meditation Center jetavanacenter@gmail.com

02-595-5115 Catholic

Seoul

Bomun 02-928-2049/02-924-2706 02-765-0870

Chunma Foreigner Assistance

ATEK (Association for Teachers of English in Korea) atek.or.kr Seoul Dasan (City Info) Seoul Global Center global.seoul.go.kr

pain, sports injuries (golf) etc. Seochodong 1307-7 Center Plaza 5F 510. seoulchiropracticinfo.com 02-533-5124

02-120

Yeoksam English 02-3453-9038 02-6406-8151

Jinjob

02-570-6009

Seorae French

Design your smile with a licensed American dentist.

Tufts Dental

Building No. 437

Seolleung St.

Hyungdai Department Store Subway Line 2

Samseong St.

Posco Center

Medical Services

A Plus Dental aplusdental.co.kr 02-3442-7616 Hus Hu Dental & Skin Clinic hus-hu.com 02-514-8013 Korea Counseling Psychological Association krcpa.or.kr 02-498-8293 Korea HIV/AIDS Prevention & Support Center khap.org 02-927-4322 Ra Dental Clinic 02-569-8745

Yongsan Baptist Church yongsanbaptist.org 02-796-0284 Classes

02-764-0221 (press 6) 02-928-2049/02-924-2706

SEOUL

FM 101.3

02-333-7393

Yoido Full Gospel Church english.fgtv.com 02-782-4851

Salesio Labor Center Tagalog, Daelim 1 dong 02-765-0870

COEX

American Forces Network

AM 1530 / FM 102.7

Seoul Union Church seoulunionchurch.org

Pastral Center for Labor English, Vietnamese, Thai 02-924-2721

Transportation

TBS eFM

02-793-9686

Somang Presbyterian Church english.somang.net 02-512-9191

Philippine Center Tagalog 02-765-0870

Itaewon/Hannam English 02-796-2459

Radio

Onnuri Church

Keumchon 02-928-2049/02-924-2706

Ichon Japanese 02-760-2018

International Taxi (English Speaking)

1644-2255 Jumbo Taxi Service (more expensive)

02-888-2000 Interactive Subway Map smrt.co.kr

Hannam International Church English, Italian, Spanish, French 02-793-2070 Hyewha-dong Catholic Church

02-1688-0120

Yeonnam Chinese

Dongducheon

02-928-2049/02-924-2706

Myungsung Presbyterian Church 02-440-9000

Tufts Dental Clinic www.tuftsdental.net (02) 553-7512 Tufts Dental Clinic ADA member Dr. Gina Sohn is a Tufts University graduate licensed in MA, CT, and NJ. Near COEX at the POSCO intersection. tuftsdental.net 02-553-7512

Sung-dong Social Welfare Center Tagalog 02-765-0870 Yoksam-dong Church 02-553-0801 Catholics in South Korea Facebook Group, Annamarie at sunshineamore25@gmail.wcom Islam Seoul Central Masjid

02-794-7307

Protestant Gwanglim Church

02-2056-5732

International Lutheran Church ilcseoul.net 02-794-6274 Jubilee Church

02-569-2293

Kumnan Church

02-490-7000

Access Consciousness What if the life you imagined was actually possible?

Regular classes held in Seoul & around Korea. Contact Nate at 010-6285-6283 or nhkent@gmail.com Bellydance Lessons with Belynda Azhaar W20,000 per 90 minute session. azhaardance.com Bellydance Lessons with Eshe Morning, afternoon, and evening classes, plus Sunday classes at the Well Being Studio. navah@live.com

GANGNAM CHIRO-PILATES CHIROPRACTIC & PILATES

Dr. Andrew Park r 6 4 /BUJPOBM #PBSE $IJSPQSBDUJD %PDUPS r $FSUJĂ FE *#5 r $FSUJĂ FE &YFSDJTF SFIBC Sin-nonhyun St. Exit #6 Subway Line 7 Kyobo bldg.

Woori bank BurgerKing

BodyShop

Gangnam St. Exit #6

Hannam Bridge

Center Plaza Bldg 5F,510

Subway Line 2

(02) 533-5124

APPOINTMENT FREE consultation by appointment

www.seoulchiropracticinfo.com Gangnam Chiro-Pilates Chiropractic & Pilates If you’re dealing with joint and muscle ailments, English-speaking chiropractic doctor Dr. Andrew Park offers the best treatments to restore balance to your body. Stop in for a free consultation if you have symptoms including neck pain, sore back, headaches, scoliosis, numbness, wrist

Jaseng Hospital of Oriental Medicine Are you suffering from back or neck pain? Visit the non-surgical spinal specialists. jaseng.net 02-3218-2167 Religious

Buddhist Seoul International Zen Center seoulzen.org 02-900-4326 Vairocana International Buddhist

10 Magazine May 2010 | 63

SEOUL DIRECTORY Fine Art Class Myeongdong 7 -1 pm Fridays. cafe.daum.net/artd 02-771-2026 International Guides of Korea Courses in ice climbing, rock climbing and more. iguidekorea.com Jai Center for Yoga and Health Vinyasa yoga classes near Apgujeong Stn. English lessons Sat at 11 am and Sun at 3:30 pm. jaicenter.co.kr

02-3443-9642

Museum of Korean Traditional Music ncktpa.go.kr 02-580-3130 National Folk Museum nfm.go.kr

Chili King Itaewon Beefy burgers and chili served up by owner Kevin Cyr. 02-795-1303

02-3704-3114

National Museum of Korea museum.go.kr 02-2077-9000 National Palace Museum of Korea gogung.go.kr 02-3701-7500 Seoul Art Center sac.or.kr

02-580-1300

Seoul Museum of Art seoulmoa.seoul.go.kr

02-120

Hamilton Hotel

Itaewon St.

Seoul National Science Museum ssm.go.kr 02-3668-2200

SEOUL

Jazz Rock Blues R&B Funk KB Bank

War Memorial warmemo.or.kr

02-709-3139

World Jewelry Museum wjmuseum.com

02-730-1610

Hotels/Accommodations

Pita Time Haebangchon The salads, pitas and pizzas here provide a low-calorie, healthy meal. 11 am - 10 pm. pitatime.co.kr 02-790-8891

SUBWAY LINE 4,7 ISU St.

3 MINUTE WALK FROM ISU STATION (LINE 4,7) EXIT #4

Leaders Music Academy Whether you’re interested in jazz, blues, R&B, or funk, the graduates of Berklee College of Music teaching at this academy can help you achieve your musical goals.

Lessons offered for voice, piano, guitar, bass, and drums. leadersmusic.com

02-6085-8727 / 011-316-2331

Salsa Lessons in English Top Bar near Apgujeong St. Call Crys at 010-4755-4728

KoreaHotel.com Korea’s version of Expedia, it’s the easiest and cheapest way to rent a hotel room in Korea. All English site. koreahotel.com

Sanirang Alpine Networks This climbing service offers lessons, clinics, and guided tours. sanirang.net/about. html, info@sanirang.net

4-5 Star Hotels

Suseonjae Meditation and Deep Breathing Classes jihye@suseonjae.org 019-201-5958

Courtyard

Travel Agency

Police St.

Hollywood Grill The place for Premier League Football and other sports, Hollywood has a great menu of pizza, pasta and steaks along with darts, foosball, pool and Golden Tee. hollywoodgrill.co.kr 02-749-1659

LEADERS MUSIC ACADEMY

Pottery Classes at Yido Academy Gahoe-dong in Seoul. Fri 10 - 12 am. yidostyle@hanmail.net, 02-744-0756

HOLLYWOOD GRILL (3rd floor)

02-2268-7111

Astoria

COEX InterContinental 02-3452-2500 02-2638-3000

Grand InterContinental 02-555-5656 02-6282-6262

JW Marriott Millenium Hilton

02-753-7788

Renaissance

02-555-0501

Ritz-Carlton

02-3451-8000

Cosmo.jin Tour cosmojin.com

02-318-0345

Hostels

Fides Travel fidestravel.co.kr

02-755-5470

Guest House Baenang Yongsan ghbaenang.com 010-9071-4641

Unique Travel Itaewon uniquetravel.co.kr

02-792-0606

Guesthouse Korea Jongno guesthouseinkorea.com 02-3674-2205

Xanadu Travel xanadu.co.kr

02-795-7771

Bebop Guesthouse Hongdae bebop-guesthouse.com, 070-8261-4835

Bonji Bistro Just behind Itaewon Hotel and under Gecko’s Garden, Bonji Bistro offers a terrific menu of salads, sandwiches, pastas and classic tapas along with an unbeatable bar. The floor-to-ceiling window door-walls open wide, making it the perfect place to be for their delicious weekend brunch. geckosterrace.com 02-795-9656 Gecko’s Terrace The original Itaewon foreigner hangout, with a comfortable atmosphere, delicious food including great sandwiches, salads and pasta, and English-speaking staff that know how to make cocktails and shots right. geckosterrace.com 02-749-9425

Suji’s Itaewon Great American fare in a New York-style bistro atmosphere. sujis.net 02-797-3698 Pancakes Original Story Itaewon The complete American-style brunch spread you’ve been waiting for. Brunch special only W6,800. UN village.

Mon – Sat 9 am – 10 pm.

Sun 9 am – 4 pm.

02-794-0508 Toque Itaewon

02-794-3834

Austrian Chef Meili Itaewon

02-797-3820

BRAZILIAN

Kim’s Guesthouse Hongdae kimsguesthouse.com 02-337-9894 Korean Tours

Namu Guesthouse Hongdae namugh.co.kr 070-8291-4878

Adventure Korea adventurekorea.com

018-242-5536

Korean Safari koreansafari.com

Olympic Parktel Jamsil parktel.co.kr/english

019-542-2955

Seoul Backpackers Myeongdong seoulbackpackers.com 02-3672-1972

Royal Asiatic Society Korea Branch raskb.com 02-763-9483 USO DMZ Tours affiliates.uso.org/korea

02-795-3028

WOW Corea Tour wowcoreatour.com

02-739-3337

02-410-2114

Restaurants

American

“All You Can Eat” My Chelsea

Museums

Gahoe Museum gahoemuseum.org Kimchi Field Museum kimchimuseum.co.kr

COPACABANA GRILL

02-741-0466 02-6002-6456

Kyung-in Museum of Fine Art Kyunginart.co.kr 02-733-4448 Leeum Samsung Museum of Art leeum.org 02-2014-6901

64 | 10 Magazine May 2010

Terrific Burgers, Hot Dogs and Homemade Chili Nike

Itaewon St. Exit.1 Outback

Gecko’s Garden Legendary for its gorgeous home-style atmosphere, Gecko’s Garden has now started offering a delicious buffet, with steaks and pasta made to order. Don’t worry; the tapas menu is also still alive and well.geckosterrace.com 02-790-0540

KFC

Hamilton Hotel

Subway Line 3 Itaewon St Ex. #1

Copacabana Itaewon For only W29,000 you get all-you-can-eat of 7 different cuts of roasted meat and a tremendous Brazilian buffet. Make your reservations

today!

02-796-1660

Bulgarian Zelen Itaewon

02-749-0600

Chinese

Tuscan Villa interior matches perfectly with some delicately prepared Italian flavors. Just across from the Itaewon fire station.

02-553-900 korean Bulgogi Brothers Delicious Koreanstyle barbecue at locations throughout Seoul including Gangnam, Myeongdong (02-319-3351), Seoul Station, and Times Square. 11:30 am - 10 pm. bulgogibros.com

SEOUL

Pulhyanggi Gangnam A tasty concoction of traditional Korean dishes and a contemporary slow-food sensibility, plus performances in the evenings. Close to COEX. 11 am – 10 pm. pulhyanggi.co.kr 02-539-3390 Mexican Ho Lee Chow Serving up the best North American-style Chinatown cuisine in Korea since 1998, with 5 convenient locations in the greater Seoul area to serve you. holeechow.co.kr. Itaewon 02-793-0802, Apgujeong 02-514-1730 Jamshil 02-411-0688, Dogok 02-34614468, Bundang 02-711-9071 French La Cigale Monmartre Itaewon

02-796-1244 Le Saint-Ex Itaewon

02-795-2465

Italian Antonio’s Apgujeong Join chef Sebastiano Giangregorio for an authentic Italian culinary experience.

Cheongdam-dong. antonios.kr

02-3443-4333 Fradia Gangnam Gaze out on a panoramic view of the Seoul skyline as you dine on choice Italian food at this cafe floating on the Han River. fradia.co.kr 02-3477-0033 La Bocca Itaewon We can’t decide whether it’s a cafe, pastry shop, deli, or wine bar, but what we are sure about is that the food is fresh and the taste is divine. labocca.co.kr 02-790-5907

Amigos Itaewon

02-795-9711

Pancho’s Itaewon

02-792-4767

On the Border The #1 American chain hits that craving for fajitas, chimichangas, tacos, burritos, enchiladas and even margaritas. ontheborder.co.kr Sinchon:

02-324-0682

COEX:

02-565-0682

Times Square: Taco Amigo Itaewon

02-2672-0682 02-749-5253

Tomatillo Grill Locations at Jonggak St. (line 1), Samseong St. (line 2), and Yeoksam St. (line 2) tomatillo.co.kr

02-734-9225 Middle Eastern Istanbul Noksapyeong 02-796-0271 Marakech Nights Itaewon Terrific Middle Eastern cuisine from Rhiti Mostaffa, former chef for the Moroccan ambassador to Korea. 02-795-9441 Petra Itaewon

02-790-9441

Thai

Sortino’s Cucina Itaewon Classic Italian trattoria cuisine in a comfortable, homey atmosphere.

02-797-0488

Buddha’s Belly Itaewon A lounge atmosphere with full bar and cocktails along with great authentic Thai food.

02-796-9330

Noxa Lounge Noksapyeong

02-790-0776 Villa Sortino’s Itaewon An incredible

Eat Me Itaewon Thai fusion dining and lounge, late night kitchen in Itaewon.

Relax in the intimate yet casual dining area and outside patio. Sophisticated atmosphere is sure to please.

070-7624-3149

10 Magazine May 2010 | 65

SEOUL DIRECTORY My Thai Itaewon

02-794-8090

Thai Orchid Itaewon

02-517-1135

Thai Garden Itaewon

02-792-8836

Bars/Lounges/Pubs

Wine Bars Dulce Y Suave Garosugil Stop by this classy Sinsa-dong wine bar for an extensive wine list that won’t break your budget. 5 pm - 3 am. club.cyworld.com/ dulceysuave.

02-515-6750

SEOUL

Vin Ga Apgujeong Immaculate service and a subdued atmosphere make this the wine bar of choice for dinner parties and business meetings. Podo Plaza building near Apgujeong St. podoplaza. co.kr 02-516-1761

floor, swinging chairs, and candle-lit rooms.

02-793-2344

music nights. 6 pm – 2 am. club.cyworld. nate.com/wattsontap 02-3142-8439

Coffee Bar K Cheongdam-dong A Japanese franchise, they may just have the best bartenders in town. Mon – Sat 6 pm - 2 am.

02-516-1970

Wolfhound Itaewon Terrific Irish/British classic food in a true Irish Pub atmosphere, including shepherd’s pie, toad in a hole, fish n’ chips, bangers n’ mash along with Guinness and Kilkenny on draft. wolfhoundpub.com 02-749-7971

Ghetto Vox Itaewon The Hive’s sister venue, this is Itaewon’s first art and music space. 용산구 이태원동 132-5 (3rd floor) Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu. ghettovox.com 010-3370-2979 Jane’s Groove Hongdae A good place to relax over a drink. 7:30 pm – 3 am.

Closed Mon. janesgroove@gmail.com

02-336-1664 Mike’s Cabin Sinchon This Western bar has a casual atmosphere and holds special events. Near the Yonsei University front gate.

02-325-7808

Vin Vino Itaewon Wines by the bottle and the glass plus a menu of salads, pastas, and even kangaroo steaks. vinvino.co.kr 02-711-9171

Monghwan Sinchon Come for the nice décor, live art and music events, and the signature cocktail soju. club. cyworld.com/monghwan 02-325-6218

3 Alley Pub Itaewon Rub shoulders with long-term Seoul expats and try your hands at darts or pool in this comfortable foreigner-owned pub.

116-15 Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu.

3alleypub.com 02-749-3336

Monkey Beach Apgujeong Thailand is just a subway ride away if you head to Monkey Beach. 7:30 pm – 5 am.

02-548-7930 Mix Lounge Garosu-gil It may look like a white greenhouse, but it’s actually a bar serving killer mojitos, lychee martinis and more. 6 pm – 3 am.

Closed Sun. 011-9650-7055

Woobar (W Hotel) Seoul’s trendiest hotel also boasts one of its trendiest bars, with professional bartenders who really know how to make a drink.

02-2022-0333

Live Music

Jazz All That Jazz Itaewon

02-795-5701

Cheonnyeondongando (천년동안도) Daehangno (Hyehwa St. Line4) chunnyun.com 02-743-5555 Club Evans Hongdae clubevans.com

02-337-8361

Club Palm Hongdae clubpalm.co.kr

02-336-9016

Once in a Blue Moon Apgujeong onceinabluemoon.co.kr 02-549-5490

Platoon Kunsthalle Apgujeong Showcasing underground artists and a fine selection of cutting-edge performances. 11 am – 1 am. Closed Sun. 97-22 Gangnam-gu, Nonhyeondong. kunsthalle.com 02-3447-1191

Bar Rouge Itaewon Luxurious wine and tapas bar in the basement of the JW Marriot in Gangnam. Happy hour Tue - Thu 6 - 9 pm.

02-6282-6763

Roofers Itaewon Come hang out in a warm, friendly atmosphere. Sample the mouthwatering menu, relax on the spacious rooftop and enjoy numerous expat events. Facebook: Roofers Rooftop Bar. 02-749-2970

Scrooge Pub/Dicken’s Lounge Itaewon A great little sports bar with pool, darts, delicious food and plenty of English-speaking staff. 02-797-8201 Berlin Noksapyeong Combining a restaurant, cafe and lounge, Berlin boast a varied menu, plus wines and all types of music. Noksapyeong St. (line 6).

457-1 Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu. awakeinseoul@gmail.com 02-749-0903

Seventy Four Cheongdam-dong A beautiful date spot featuring exotic drinks such as cheese martinis, banana mojitos and cuba libres.

7 pm – 4 am.

02-542-7412

Bliss Itaewon Fresh beats by DJ Shine and a reasonably priced menu.

Itaewon. 4 pm – 4 am.

02-798-1125

So Much More Apgujeong Combining a hip interior design with the hottest music and the coolest drinks.

Noon - 2 am. blog.naver.com/ so_much_more 02-3447-7890

BricX Hongdae, Itaewon Chill out at either of BricX’s two locations.

Hongdae 6 pm – 5 am, 마포구 서교동 409-1, B1, 02-3141-5571. Itaewon 7 pm – 5 am, 용산구 이태원동 119-10, B1, bricx.com 02-795-5572

Tony’s Aussie Shop Itaewon Authentic Australian food and beer. Open mic night held every Wednesday 8 pm – 11 pm. 455-35 Itaewon-dong Yongsangu. writers.meetup.com/779

010-460-54326

The Bungalow Itaewon This quirky beach-themed bar has sand on the

Watts on Tap Sinchon Check out the parties, language exchange nights, and live

66 | 10 Magazine May 2010

Heaven Gangnam The newest member of Seoul’s club scene combines top-notch technology with divine DJs spinning house and electro beats.

W30,000 general admission, W40,000 for after club hours. Near Yeoksam St. clubheaven.co.kr 02-3444-4997 Hive Itaewon Art shows, live music, DJs, classes, and more. 137-8 B1 Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu. thehiveuniverse.blogspot.com

010-3994-6694 J.J. Mahoney’s The drinks don’t come cheap, but this nightclub at the Grand Hyatt is a favorite with the over-30s crowd. 747-7 Hannam 2-dong. seoul.grand.hyatt.com 02-797-1234

M2 Hongdae This long-running club is party central for college students. Sun – Thu 8 pm – 4 am, Fri and Sat 7:30 pm – 6 am. Cover starts at W10,000.

367-11 Seogyo-dong Mapo-gu. ohoo.net/m2 02-3143-7573

InterContinental Hotel Oakwood Premier Woori Bank

COEX

46//: 5&33"$& t .0%&3/ "4*"/ $6*4*/& 8*/& $0$,5"*-4 t 46/%": .*.04" #36/$)

Function Itaewon The boutique club hidden in the fancy Macaroni Market restaurant. Tue, Wed, Thu 6 pm – 2:30 am; Fri and Sat 6 pm-3:30 am. 737-50 Hannnam1-dong Yongsan-gu.

02-749-9181

Koo Bar Apgujeong Formerly known as Club Air, Koo Bar caters to a classy crowd. 664-11 Sinsa-dong, Gangnamgu. partyluv.com 02-518-5115

Rocky Mountain Tavern Itaewon Canadians feel right at home with all the hockey jerseys hanging on the walls and great live music and events, along with some of the best buffalo wings in Korea.

Don’t miss the Stand Up Seoul comedy night the first Thursday of each month. rockymountaintavern.com 010-5775-2327

Sam Ryan’s Itaewon This newcomer to the Itaewon scene offers sports fans eight flat screens throughout the bar along with the meanest plate of pork ribs to be found in Seoul. samryans.com 02-749-7933

Elec Cheongdam-dong A two-floor small but chic lounge and club.

Weekdays 9 pm – 6 am, weekends 9 pm – 10 am. No cover. club.cyworld. com/eleclounge 02-6326-1320

Joker Red Hongdae Minimal, techno, trance and underground electronic for those who dare to be different. Fri and Sat 9 pm – 5 am. W10,000 includes a free drink. jokerred.co.kr 019-345-7122

Noxa Lounge Noksapyeong Great home-style Italian cuisine with late night cocktail lounge.

02-790-0776

B1 Itaewon One of the most hopping bars in Itaewon on any given night, with guest DJs and a good vibe.

7 pm - 3 am.

02-749-6164

Eden Gangnam New mega club with top DJs, sizzling sound, and model nights. 역삼동 602 Yeoksam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Ritz Carlton Hotel. eden-club.co.kr 010-9913-3919

Hyundai Department Store

Teheranno

LINE Line 22 Samseong Stn.

Tokyo Jazz Authentic jazz music performed Mon-Sat, 9:30 pm - 12:30 am by European, American, and Korean musicians. Two minute’s walking distance from the COEX and Grand InterContinental Hotels. 153-44 Samsung-dong.

02-3453-4472 Rock Freebird Hongdae cafe.navercom/ clubfreebird 02-335-4576 Jammers Hongdae jammers.co.kr

02- 325-3914

Just Blues Apgujeong justblues.co.kr

02-542-4788

SoundHolic Hongdae cafe.daum.net/SoundHolic

02-3142-4233 Clubs

Answer Cheongdam-dong After a short-lived stint as gala restaurant Le Nuit Blanche, the club we all know and love is back. clubanswer.co.kr

02-514-4311

Mansion Hongdae This new club pumps out sizzling house, electro, and nu-disco grooves, bringing in quality acts like Roni Size and Goldie. mansionseoul@gmail.com

02-3143-4037 Mass Gangnam The dance club for the “masses.” 9 pm – 6 am. Sun – Thu W15,000, Fri and Sat W20,000. clubmass.net 02-599-3165 Miro Gangnam Be ready for a long night (or morning) at this stomping afterhours club. Fri and Sat 11 pm – 8 am.

Seolleung St. (line 2).

02-544-9930 Naked Gangnam Leading the Gangnam club scene into the early hours. 10 pm – 8 am. W15,000 before 1 am, W20,000 after.

010-5417-4417 NB Hongdae, Gangnam Supposedly the first hip-hop club in Korea, it has one bar, two stages, and a packed crowd. clubnb.com 02-326-1716 Pulse Itaewon This chilled-out club pumps out danceable tunes in all genres of electronic music until sunrise.

Everyday 8 pm – 7 am. Fri W10,000, Sat W15,000.

02-792-6662 Q-vo Hongdae A popular hip hop club with strobes pulsing above the dance floor. Mon, Tue, Thu, Sun 8 pm – 4 am and Wed, Fri, Sat 8 pm – 6:30 am.

W10,000 - W15,000. 121-210 Ohoo B/ D 367-1 Seogyo Dong. clubqvo.co.kr 02-3143-7573 Saab Hongdae Fashion-conscious

twenty-somethings congregate here for a wide variety of music styles.

Weekdays 6 pm – 4 am, weekends 6 pm – 6 am. W10,000 cover on weekends.

02-324-6929

Florists

Vera Hongdae Come for a fun night of funky house, electro-house, trance, and psychedelic music. 10 pm – 6 am. 356-1 Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu. 02-338-0957 Via Hongdae Combines local DJs and VJs, the full spectrum of electronic dance music, and a pinch of Western party flair.

011-257-5154 Volume Itaewon A true “music lovers” club, Volume is found in the basement of Crown Hotel. Fri and Sat 9 pm - 6 am. W15,000 - W30,000. Crown Hotel B1 34-69 Itaewon-dong, clubvolume.com 1544-2635

SEOUL

W Hotel Check out the split-level lobby lounge for cool music and exclusive parties. No cover charge. 21 Gwangjang-dong wseoul.com 02-465-2222

Massage

Healing Hands Massage Studio healinghands.co.kr 070-7504-8090

Charity

Salvation Army Thrift Store Donate your used goods or shop at the stores.

All proceeds support the Adult Rehabilitation Center. nanumistore.org 02-365-7084

Oxana Garden You are invited to the botanical life. Enjoy the fresh aroma and the cozy environment these plants will bring to your home. Find the perfect flower among the various options on sale here. Hannam St. (Jungang line). oxanagarden.com 02-798-6787

A 10 Magazine Quiz Why should you sign up for the Weekly 10? a. To find something fun to do this week. b. To experience more of Korea. c. To win prizes like restaurant gift certificates and tickets to concerts and exhibits. d. To impress your friends with your knowledge of upcoming events. e. All of the above Hear about the 10 best events happening this week in Korea with The Weekly 10, the email update we send out each week.

To sign up, visit our website at 10magazine.asia and click on the link on the right side of the page.

10 Magazine May 2010 | 67

GYEONGGI CALENDAR EDITOR’S PICK Theater & Dance May 10th – 23rd

Uijeongbu Music Theater Festival If you’re one of those who a p p r e ciat e wh at happens when a stage, songs, and actors are brought together, you’ll love this year’s UMTF. This festival has been offering an excellent venue to see musical theater from around the world since it was f irst held in 2002, and there are plenty of performances scheduled for this year, too.

May 26th – 27th “Sagunja” Traditional Dance With the Gang Yunseon Dance Troupe. Aram Nuri Arts Center. 8 pm.

W10,000

Concerts May 1st Incheon Gugak Art Troupe Incheon Culture and Arts Center. 4 pm. W10,000 – W15,000

GYEONGGI

5/10 – 5/11: Dulcinea. 8 pm. W10,000 – W40,000 5/11 – 5/12: Searching for My Father/Spinning Around. 8 pm. W20,000 5/14 – 5/15: Shadow Orchestra. Fri 7:30 pm, Sat 3 & 7 pm. W20,000 5/15 – 5/16: Macbeth Slam. Sat 5 pm, Sun 3 pm. W1,000 – W10,000 5/15 – 5/16: Les Gaspard. Sat 2 & 5 pm, Sun 3 pm. Free open-air show.

5/18: Ichunpung Nanbonggi. 3 & 7:30 pm. W20,000 – W30,000 5/18 – 5/19: Legend of the White Snake. 8 pm. W20,000 5/21 – 5/22: Fantasticks. Fri 6 pm, Sat 3 & 6 pm. W20,000 5/21 – 5/22: Paper Window. 8 pm. Free open-air show 5/22 – 5/23: The Overcoat. 3 pm. W20,000 – W40,000

Uijeongbu Arts Center. umtf.or.kr 031-828-5892

Art Through May 30th Who’s Afraid of the Museum? Artist of the year Kiwon Park dispenses with traditional mediums and uses the museum space as the material for Air Wall, Dim, and Background, the three pieces on display. National Museum of Contemporary Art. Adults W3,000, children W1,500 Through May 30th Color and Stripe Exhibit Jangheung Art Park in Yangju. Weekdays 10 am – 6 pm. Weekends 10 am – 5 pm. Closed Mon. Adults W7,000, children W5,000. artpark.co.kr, 031-877-0500 Through June 6th Young Searchers Exhibit 100 pieces on display by over 40 different artists.

National Museum of Contemporary Art. Adults W5,000, teens W3,000 Through June 30th Mirror, Mirror: The People in the Pictures Designed to help children enjoy their visit to the museum. National Museum of Contemporary Art

Theater & Dance May 1st Miss Saigon: The Musical Inspired by Madame Butterfly, this musical portrays the ill-fated love story of an American GI and a Vietnamese bar girl at the end of the Vietnam War. Korean. Seongnam Arts Center. W44,000 – W99,000. miss-saigon.co.kr May 5th Dancing Fairy Tales This performance by the Incheon Dance Troupe

68 | 10 Magazine May 2010

May 22nd Shadow Orchestra The “shadow orchestra” is composed of Xavier Mortimer and the shadows that parade on the screen behind him. Simultaneously musician, magician, and mime, Mortimer has prepared a show like no other.

Hwaseong Art Hall. 3 & 7 pm. W10,000 – W20,000. hcf.or.kr, 031-267-8800

transforms famous fairy tales like “Beauty and the Beast” and “The Little Mermaid” into an exciting dance. Incheon Culture and Arts Center. 2 & 4 pm. W10,000 The Drawing Show in Gunpo This quirky show presents three creative figures who blur the line between art and performance. Gunpo Culture and Art Center. 11 am, 2 pm, & 5 pm. W5,000 for members.

Teeth: English Musical Korean parents get to test their kids’ English ability and teach them the dangers of not brushing properly.

Everyone else can brace themselves for this fresh take on the “Sleeping Beauty” story. Seongnam Arts Center. 1 & 3 pm.

W10,000 – W20,000 May 7th – 8th The Wizard of Oz: The Musical Produced by the people who brought us Nanta. Korean. 5/1 – 5/2: Incheon Culture and Arts Center. Sat 2 & 4:30 pm, Sun 11 am, 2 & 4:30 pm. 5/7 – 5/8: Hanam Arts Center. Fri 10:30 am & 1 pm, Sat 2 & 5 pm. W20,000 – W30,000

The Jazz Bundle That the Chameleon Untied Jazz performance. Aram Nuri Arts Center. 7 pm. W10,000 May 1st – 2nd “Beautiful Mint Life” Music Festival Interested in Korean musical acts that aren’t composed of seven look-alike teenyboppers? See a great lineup including acts like Kim Yun-a, Daybreak, Lucite Rabbit, and Rooftop Moonlight. Outdoor theater at the Aram Nuri Arts Center.

1-day pass: W44,000, 2-day pass: W77,000. mintpaper.com, 02-332-0014

May 13th Ansan Choir: “Family Concert” Featuring vocal music from across the world and hit tunes from the world of musicals. Ansan Arts Center.

7:30 pm. W3,000 – W5,000 VENUES

Ansan Arts Center ansanart.com

031-481-4000 Aram Nuri Arts Center Goyang Jeongbalsan St. (line 3, ex. 3). artgy.or.kr

1577-7766 Bucheon Citizen Center Jungdong St. (line 1), ex. 2. bcf.or.kr 032-320-6300 Gunpo Culture and Art Center gunpoart.net

031-390-3501 Gyeonggi Arts Center Suwon. Free. ggac.or.kr

031-230-3440 Hanam Culture and Arts Center hnart.or.kr

031-790-7979 Incheon Culture and Arts Center near Arts Center St. (Incheon line). art.incheon.go.kr

032-427-8401 National Museum of Contemporary Art Seoul Grand Park St. Weekdays 10 am – 5 pm, weekends 10 am – 8 pm, closed Mon. Free. moca. go.kr 02-2188-6000

May 13th – 23rd The B-Boy and the Ballerina The story of two colliding worlds set to heart-pounding choreography. Incheon Culture and Arts Center. Weekdays 8 pm, Sat 3 & 7 pm, Sun 2 & 6 pm. W40,000. 1688-6675

May 14th Guri Philharmonic Orchestra With Yeong Song on violin and Eun-jeong Kim on flute. Seongnam Arts Center. 7:30 pm. W20,000 – W100,000 May 19th Gyeonggi Gugak Company: Meet the Strings Featuring music for traditional Korean stringed instruments. Gyeonggi Arts Center. 7:30 pm. W5,000 – W50,000 May 20th Matinée Concert Pieces by J. Strauss and F. Schubert.

Seongnam Arts Center. 11 am. W24,000 May 22nd An Instrument Is Something You Can Beat Featuring the percussion group Jamstick. Incheon Culture and Arts Center. 7 pm. Open-air free concert

May 27th Gyeonggi Philharmonic Orchestra With Rachmaninov’s Concerto for Piano No. 3 and Symphony No. 3. Ansan Arts Center. 7:30 pm.

W10,000 – W30,000

Seongnam Arts Center near exit 1 of Imae St. on the Bundang line. snart.or.kr 031-783-8000

May 4th José Cura in Korea Argentinean José Cura is an operatic tenor renowned for his intense portrayal of characters. Aram Nuri Arts Center.

8 pm. W30,000 – W200,000 May 6th

Seoul International Music Festival Despite the name, this is neither a festival nor is it in Seoul, but it is a good chance to hear pieces by Robert Schumann and his wife Clara.

Seongnam Arts Center. 3 pm. W20,000 Sora Lee Concert: 3rd Spring Concert Incheon Culture and Arts Center. Sat 7 pm & Sun 6 pm. W44,000 – W66,000

Philharmonia Orchestra This Londonbased orchestra is one of the most recorded orchestras in the world. Seonuk Kim joins on the piano and Vladimir Ashkenazy will conduct. Aram Nuri Arts Center. 8 pm. W60,000 – W200,000

Tango in Piazzolla A. Piazzolla is often credited for bringing tango into the mainstream. Aram Nuri Arts Center.

7 pm. W10,000 May 30th A Night of Gugak Referring to traditional Korean music. Incheon Culture and Arts Center. 7 pm. W20,000

Family & Community

May 8th A Meeting of “Pan” Samulnori and Jazz Aram Nuri Arts Center. 7 pm. Free May 13th – 15th “Xin Chào”: Vietnamese Bride Presented by the Minjung Dance Company as part of its multicultural family theater series. Aram Nuri Arts Center.

Thu – Fri 8 pm, Sat 3 & 7 pm. W10,000

sand on the glass table, an orchestra provides musical accompaniment.

Incheon Culture and Arts Center.

7:30 pm. W10,000 – W20,000

Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra Featuring Sir Roger Norrington as conductor. Haydn’s 1st Symphony, Brahms’ Violin Concerto in D Major, Dvorak’s Symphony No. 7. Seongnam Arts Center. 8 pm. W40,000 – W130,000 May 11th Sand Animation Music Concert As the big screen magnifies the art that Artist Ha-jun Kim creates out of the

Through May 2nd Flower Festivals Pick a flower, and there’s probably a festival for it. Apr 30th – May 2nd: Guri Rape Flower Festival. guri.go.kr, 031-550-8354. Through May 2nd: Everland Tulip Festival in Yongin. everland.com, 031-320-5000 Through May 5th Bucheon Tulip Exhibit Get your fill of this beautiful flower with 63,000 tulips in 7 species including the spectacular pink diamond variety. Bucheon Ecology Museum. ecomuse.go.kr, 032-678-0720 Through May 24th Pottery Festivals If you’ve taught kids English, you’ve probably been on a field

trip to one of the ceramic workshops in Gyeonggi Province. Learn more about this thriving art at these three festivals.

Through May 24th: Gwangju Royal Ceramic Festival at the Gyeonggi Pottery Museum. goodceramic.or.kr, 031-760-2104.

Through May 16th: Icheon Pottery Festival ceramic.or.kr, 031-644-2944.

Through May 9th: Yeoju Pottery Festival ceramicexpo.org, 031-887-2282 Through May 30th Spring Outing at the Garden of Morning Calm The flowers are out, and there’s no better place to see them than this stunning garden located in Gapyeong, east of Seoul. For a full description, morningcalm.co.kr, 1544-6703

May 1st – 29th Karakuri Art Exhibit It’s no wonder that robots are so popular in Japan!

Karakuri were mechanical moving dolls produced in Japan from the 17th – 19th centuries. W3,000. Hanam Arts Center May 5th Star King Bubbleman Bubbles: the perfect way to spend Children’s Day. Incheon Culture and Arts Center. 11 am, 2 & 4 pm. W25,000 May 15th - 16th Guri Han River Rape Flower Festival Celebrate spring with a picnic in fields full of these gorgeous yellow flowers. At the Guri Citizen’s Park next to the Han

May 22nd – 23rd Eun-gyeol Lee Magic V Show According to the promotional material, Lee’s magic show can be described by five “v” words: variety, venture, visual, vision, and vehement. Our advice: stick to the tricks. Gyeonggi Arts Center. Sat 3 & 7 pm, Sun 2 & 6 pm. W30,000 – W50,000. 1544-9857

Education & Conferences April 30th – May 5th Ansan Aviation Fair Ride a simulated hang glider, board a plane, hop on a hot air balloon—no, this isn’t air force boot camp, it’s the Ansan Aviation Fair. The air show is scheduled for 10 am – 12 pm & 2 – 4 pm.

South of Hanyang University in Ansan. 9:30 am – 6 pm. Adults/kids W3,000/W2,000 in advance, W2,000/W1,000 at the door. skyexpo.or.kr, 031-401-0649

Dine & Drink May 12th – 15th Seoul International Food Industry Exhibition This huge exhibit is divided into two sections, one focused on foodstuffs and one on culinary technology. KINTEX in Goyang, Daehwa St. (line 3), ex. 2. Wed – Fri 10 am – 5 pm, Sat 10 am – 3 pm. 5,000. seoulfood.or.kr, 02-3460-7269

Nightlife May 1st Double Elimination Beer Pong Tournament Rhythm & Booze in Bucheon. 5:30 pm. mangchi62@ hotmail.com, 032-323-0131

FOODIE FINDS

May 14th Club Party Vol. 6 Featuring DJ Sticker (from the main stage at the World DJ Festival) and DJ Mino. Rhythm & Booze in Bucheon. 5:30 pm. mangchi62@ hotmail.com, 032-323-0131

Sports & Fitness May 21st Guro Rape Flower Festival 5k, 10k, half and full at Sinjeong Bridge near Anyang River, to begin at 9 am. W25,000 for half and full, W20,000 for 10k and W15,000 for 5k. Sign up by May 18th. tourmarathon.com, 1644-4219 June 12th Imjingak Love Marathon 5k, 10k and half at the Peaceful World Park in Imjingak, Paju, to begin at 9am. W30,000

for all courses. Sign up by May 31st. marathonkoreace.co.kr, 02-556-9374

K-League Soccer The home team is written first.

May 2nd Seongnam vs Pohang 1 pm May 5th Suwon vs Daejeon 3 pm May 8th Seongnam vs Chunnam 3 pm Suwon vs Ulsan 7:30 pm May 9th Incheon vs Seoul 3 pm

KBO Baseball All games held at Munhak Stadium, home of the SK Wyverns May 1st – 2nd vs LG Twins 5 pm May 4th/6th vs Nexen Heroes 6:30 pm May 5th vs Nexen Heroes 2 pm May 14th vs Doosan Bears 6:30 pm May 15th – 16th vs Doosan Bears 5 pm May 18th – 20th vs Nexen Heroes 6:30 pm May 28th vs Lotte Giants 6:30 pm May 29th – 30th vs Lotte Giants 5 pm

the CGV in Jung-dong. Open at 4 pm on Mon – Fri, 11 am on weekends.

Facebook group, 032-323-0131

gyeongGI province Religious Services

Grace & Truth Church Anyang, Ansan, and Suwon Sunday 9:30 am, 11 am, 1 pm, grace-truth.org 031-443-3731 Dongsan Church Ansan Sunday 11:30 am, 010-2910-7809 Museums

Central America Culture Center Goyang. latina.or.kr 031-962-7171 Elvis Presley Memorial Hall Paju paju.go.kr 031-948-3358 Face Museum Gwangju (Gyeonggi Province). visagej.org, 031-765-3522 Korean Lamp (Deung-Jan) Museum Yongin deungjan.or.kr/eng 031-334-0797 Waltz & Dr. Mahn Coffee Museum Namyangju wndcof.com 031-576-6051 Transportation

International Taxi (English speaking)

1644-2255 Jumbo Taxi Service (more expensive) 02-888-2000

Frog and Toad Ilsan On La Festa’s main strip, Frog and Toad is a favorite for darts and the Wednesday late-night open mic. frogandtoadilsan@hotmail. com 010-9950-7399 West Island Have a chat with the friendly staff or kick back and watch the fire show on Fri and Sat. 6 pm – 5 am. club.cyworld.com/westisland

031-917-2225 Indie Suwon Suwon Get your groove on at Suwon’s premier live music stage, home of the Suwon Open Mic Night held every 4th Saturday. Facebook group, edwardjorgensen@gmail.com The Big Chill Chill out in a big way with the friendly crowd while enjoying a game of pool, darts, or wii. Opens 8 pm on Wed – Sat and 4 pm on Sun. Facebook group, edwardjorgensen@gmail.com Clubs

Club Psycho Anyang Proud location of the only open mic night in Anyang. Right next to the GS25 just outside ex. 5 of Anyang St. (line 1). bcmusicworld.com

010-7754-0409

Radio

US Armed Forces Network Dongducheon AM 1197/FM 88.3 Pyongtaek AM 1440/FM 88.3 Songtan AM 1359/FM 88.5 Uijeongbu AM 1161/FM 88.5 Restaurants

Real Pho, Real Phast

The area across the street from Ansan Station on the number four line is what I call “Epcot for grown-ups.” It’s a wondrous mix of nationalities, displaying a wealth of ethnic restaurants and markets. A find among the eateries there that is catching on with expats is Dieu Hien Quan. This place is so authentic that there is no English and very elementary Korean on the menus. Yet somehow people who speak neither Korean nor Vietnamese are able to get served with cilantro-loaded pho, bright spring rolls, and even a frozen durian drink for the brave. To get there, go through the underpass and take the second left. It’s on the right. Look for the Vietnamese flag.

031-493-3756

by J o e M c Ph e rson

Sushi Mom Bucheon Free sushi delivery in the Bucheon area. English service. letseat.at/sushimom 032-332-0058 La Mia Cucina Ilsan The kitchen is always open at this English-friendly Italian pub with great outdoor seating all set for the summer months. 7 pm – 4 am.

010-2327-8882 First Nepal Restaurant Incheon Bringing you the authentic flavors of India and Nepal. firstnepal.com

032-525-8771 Bars/Lounges/Pubs

The Park Bucheon There are three kinds of draft beer and cocktails for your thirst, Western food for your hunger, and four LCD TVs for your sports fixation. Jung-dong in Bucheon.

Facebook group 010-3136-0153 Rhythm & Booze Open mic nights, movie nights, sports, concerts, and parties make this a favorite of Bucheon’s expats. Behind

Jukjeon Gecko’s Yongin Bundang and Yongin expats should be ecstatic to know that the famous Gecko’s chain is expanding south. Near the Shinsegye department store. geckosterrace.com

031-262-9974

10 Magazine May 2010 | 69

GYEONGGI

April 23rd – May 9th Goyang Korea Flower Show Exhibitions range from the bonsai hall to the bulb garden, with lots of additional events planned like a flower magic show and a flower painting contest. Lake Park in Ilsan, Goyang. 9 am – 7 pm. W4,000 presale, W6,000 on-site. flower.or.kr, 031-908-7750

River. guri.go.kr, 031-550-8354

GANGWON CALENDAR EDITOR’S PICK

of the Mostly Philharmonic Orchestra and featuring The Most, a 10-member male vocal ensemble. Yes, those are the actual names. Taebaek Arts and Culture Center. 2 & 7:30 pm. W6,000 presale, W8,000 at the door.

May 2nd Mi-ja Lee: 50th Anniversary Concert Titled “The Songs I Have Sung Through Time.” Chuncheon Culture and Arts Center. 2 & 5 pm. W50,000 – W70,000.

033-251-3474 May 15th Patty Kim in Concert Baeckryung Art Center in Chuncheon.

3 & 7:30 pm. W55,000 – W88,000.

Family & Community Ongoing Migratory Bird Watching in Cheolwon-gun Tour departs from Goseongjeong People’s Resort at 10 am Wed, Sat, and Sun. Adults W7,000, teens W6,000, children W5,000. Call to reserve your spot at least three days in advance. tour.cwg.go.kr, 033-450-5365 Nature Activities at Takjangsa Village Outdoor activities like fishing with rods and nets, nature walks and pottery making are available at this rustic village in Yangyang-gun. takjangsa.go2vil.org, 010-4248-6746

GANGWON

May 18th – June 19th

Dine & Drink May 14th – 16th Yanggu Gomchwi Festival Restore your energy with the fresh taste and pungent aroma of gomchwi, a Korean herb that grows on the slopes of Daeam Mountain. Sample different gomchwi products and take part in fun games.

Near Pallang Falls in Yanggu-gun. ygtour.kr, 033-481-2191

Sport & Fitness May 5th K-League Soccer Gangwon FC vs Incheon United Gangneung Sports Complex at 3 pm

gangwon PROVINCE Foreigner Assistance Chuncheon Online Info tour.chuncheon.go.kr/eng

Libraries Chuncheon City Library iccl.or.kr 033-254-3887 Taebaek Municipal Library tbmlib.or.kr 033-550-2755

Amusement Parks Dreamland Amusement Park With a large zoo and plenty of rides, there’s lots of fun to be found at this park at Chiak Mountain near Wonju. W20,000 for adults, W18,000 for children. mydreamland.co.kr 033-732-5800

Museums

Art May 23rd – 30th

Chuncheon Mime Festival

Sure, there are mimes here, but the exciting part about this festival is how much diversity that category provides for. Last year’s acts included awesome aerial stunts straight from a circus as well as non-verbal performance art of all kinds. Teams come from Korea and abroad, and the ample festival grounds give you room to explore, meet fun folks, and maybe even learn to juggle. Chuncheon is easily accessible by train from any part of the country. mimefestival.com, 033-242-0585 Korea for this family-friendly exhibit.

10 am – 6 pm. Closed Mon. ilhyunmuseum.or.kr, 033-670-8450

Art Ongoing Outside Sculpture Exhibit The International Museum of Contemporary Art has 60 large-scale works by artists from various countries on display in its sculpture garden. Yeongweol-gun. ywmuseum.com, 033-375-2752 Through July 4th Asian People Through the Eyes of a French Artist Featuring the full-colored engravings of Frenchman Paul Jacoulet. Chuncheon National Museum. Weekdays 9 am – 6 pm, weekend 9 am – 7 pm. Free. chuncheon.museum.go.kr, 033-260-1500 May 1st – 30th Ilhyun Art Festival The Ilhyun Art Museum in Yangyang-gun joins 68 other private museums all around

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Theater & Dance April 27th – May 9th Show by the Chuncheon Puppet Troupe Chuncheon Puppet Theater

Gangneung Dano Festival Falling on the 5th day of the 5th month of the lunar calendar, Dano was a day when women played on swings and dyed their hair while men had wrestling matches (no joke). The main events take place June 12th – 19th, but you can see the brewing of alcohol which will be offered to the mountain deity on May 18th. Most events held at the Dano Festival Grounds by the Namdae River in Gangneung. danojefestival.or.kr, 033-641-1593 May 22nd Fan Yang’s Bubble Fantasy Bubbles may not be your thing, but Fan Yang, the Canadian bubble whiz who has set numerous records in the field, is sure to delight the kids. Baeckryung Art Center.

W25,000 – W35,000. 010-2438-8919 May 28th – 30th

May 11th – 23rd Little Red Riding Hood Chuncheon Puppet Theater

VENUES

Baeckryung Art Center Chuncheon kwbc.co.kr 033-747-7725 Chuncheon Culture and Arts Center ccac.or.kr 033-251-3474 Chuncheon Puppet Theater W5,000 presale, at the door W7,000. theatre.cocobau.com 033-242-8450 Taebaek Arts and Culture Center taebaek.go.kr 033-550-2781

May 28th L’elisir d’amore (The Elixir of Love): The Opera Taebaek Arts and Culture Center. 7:30 pm. W8,000 – W10,000

Concerts May 1st Family Concert: “Spread the Love” Hosted by Sang-hyeon Park

Arari Puppet House Jeongseon-gun arari.net 033-563-9667 Bangsan Porcelain Museum Yanggu-gun bangsanm.or.kr 033-480-2664 Byeolmaru Observatory Yeongwol-gun yao.or.kr 033-374-7460 Chuncheon Animation Museum animationmuseum.com 033-245-6444 Chuncheon Makguksu Museum makguksumuseum.com 033-250-4134 Forest Art Museum Hoengseong-gun jjsoup.com 033-342-6833 Haslla Art World Gangneung haslla.kr 033-644-9411 Ilhyeon Art Museum Yangyang-gun ilhyunmuseum.or.kr 033-670-8450 Institute of Traditional Korean Cooking Pyeongchang-gun ktfce.com/ktfce.pdf 033-333-1012 Joseon Folk Painting Museum Yeongwol-gun minhwa.co.kr 033-375-6100 Marisorigol Musical Instrument Museum Hongcheon-gun great.go.kr 033-430-2016 Mooee Arts Center Pyeongchang-gun mooee.co.kr 033-335-6700 Sokbong Ceramic Museum Sokcho dogong.net 033-638-7711 Sokcho Museum Sokcho sokchomuse.go.kr 033-639-2977 Teddy Bear Farm Sokcho teddyfarm.net 033-636-3680

Medical Services

Taebaek Mountain Rhododendron Festival Each year around the end of May, the slopes of Taebaek Mountain are dyed pink with rhododendrons. Use your visit to Taebaek as an excuse to hike up the rewarding trails found here. festival.taebaek.go.kr, 033-550-2085

Gangwon National University Hospital Chuncheon knuh.or.kr/html/index.asp

033-258-2000 Gangnam Hospital Chuncheon ekangnam.co.kr 033-240-7000 Hyundai Animal Clinic Chuncheon dog7582.co.kr 033-256-7582 Ye Dental Clinic English-speaking service available everyday but Wednesday. ccye.co.kr 033-262-2078

CHUNGCHEONG CALENDAR EDITOR’S PICK

Concerts May 4th Cheongju Philharmonic Orchestra Mendelssohn’s violin concerto and Dvorak’s Slavonic Dances and “New World” Symphony. Cheongju Arts Center.

7:30 pm. W5,000 – W10,000 Chungnam Symphony Orchestra Gongju Culture and Art Center. 7:30 pm.

W2,000 – W5,000. acc.gongju.go.kr, 041-840-2467 May 14th “Classical Music in Movies” Concert Performed by the Joyful Flute Orchestra.

Daejeon Culture and Art Center.

7:30 pm. W10,000 – W20,000

Concerts

May 23rd

Drakensberg Boys’ Choir in Concert

What better way to get in the spirit for this year’s World Cup than by attending a performance by this South African boys choir? Located in the Drakensberg Mountains in eastern South Africa, the Drakensberg Boys’ Choir school was founded in 1967 as a multi-racial, multi-cultural boys choir.

Over the years, they have grown to 100 members and have shared their message of hope and unity with audiences across the globe. Daejeon Culture and Art Center. 5 pm.

W30,000 – W80,000 Art

Center. Fri 7:30 pm, Sat 7 pm.

W10,000 – W70,000.

May 1st – June 25th Sherlock Holmes Visits the Museum Bring your family to the Daejeon Museum of Art to join the great sleuth as he tries to solve art mysteries.

May 26th – August 22nd Special Exhibit for Children The fascinating pieces on display in this innovative multi-dimensional space will help children develop their creativity and imagination. Daejeon Museum of Art

Theater & Dance Through May 4th A Journey Into Folk Tales The Cheongju Dance Troupe presents this children’s musical which takes traditional Korean folk tales and adds music and dance to make them more interesting for today’s kids. Cheongju Arts Center. Thu 7:30 pm, Fri 11 am & 7:30 pm, Sat 5 pm, Mon & Tue 7:30 pm. W5,000 April 30th – May 1st Onegin: The Ballet With the Universal Ballet Troupe. Daejeon Culture and Arts

May 8th – 9th Indigo Twilight: The Play Folk Art Company Ugeumchi will be performing this play, which draws viewers attention to the neglect and depression experienced by many older people in the “twilight” of their lives. Korean. Daejeon Culture and Arts Center. Sat 3 & 7 pm, Sun 3 pm.

W20,000 – W30,000.

May 15th The Drawing Show How interesting can the process of drawing be? Find out in this dynamic non-verbal show featuring three quirky performers who are ready to show you some fascinating artwork. Eumseong Culture and Arts Center.

3 & 7:30 pm. W8,000 – W12,000. esart.kr, 043-871-3883 May 26th Peter and the Wolf Prokofiev’s orchestration, which includes a distinct leitmotif for each of the characters, is complemented by gorgeous ballet choreography. To be performed by the Korea Soloist Orchestra and the Seoul Wise Ballet Theater. 7:30 pm.

W12,000 – W30,000. 1644-9289

May 28th Daejeon Philharmonic Orchestra Daejeon Culture and Art Center Great Belcanto Concert “Belcanto,” Italian for “beautiful singing,” refers to the Italian style of opera singing. The concert includes a selection of famous operatic numbers performed by Italian musicians and singers. Bongseo Hall near Cheonan City Hall. W1,000. 7:30 pm. 1644-9289

Family & Community Through May 2nd Yuseong “Yes” May Snowflower Festival Yuseong-gu in Daejeon wants to show that it’s possible to have fun while being environmentally conscious. In addition to the Recycling Stage, there will also be concerts, dances, and volunteers giving foot massages. 5yess.kr, 042-611-2114 Through May 16th Korean Dinosaur Discovery Zone This exhibit follows up on the wildly popular EBS documentary on the terrible lizards.

Kotra Trade Exhibition Center in Daejeon.

10 am – 7 pm. Adults W13,000, children W15,000. hellodino.com, 1688-3693 Magok Temple Spring Festival Come enjoy the flowers in bloom on the gentle slopes of Taehwa Mountain. The program includes classical performances and more. Magok Temple in Gongju. tour.gongju.go.kr, 041-840-2114

Sport & Fitness April 30th - May 2nd Daejeon Golf Fair Putters, irons, and many more golf goodies to view and buy at the Daejeon Convention Center (DCC).

Register online to get in for free. golf-fair.com, 042-538-4002 May 1st K-League Soccer Daejeon Citizens vs Incheon United Daejeon World Cup Stadium at 7 pm KBO Baseball All games to take place at Daejeon Stadium, home of the Hanhwa Eagles.

1st – 2nd vs Samsung Lions 5 pm 11th – 13th vs LG Twins 6:30 pm 14th vs KIA Tigers 6:30 pm 15th – 16th vs KIA Tigers 5 pm 21st – 23rd vs SK Wyverns 5 pm 25th – 27th vs Nexen Heroes 6:30 pm

Travel Weekend Stay at Musangsa Temple More relaxed than the winter retreats,

CHUNGCHEONG PROVINCE Religious Services Central Presbyterian Church Nonsan 041-736-1002 Presbyterian Church Cheonan 041-675-2008 Central Presbyterian Church Gongju 011-382-1862 Sanseong Church 042-585-8111 Daejeon jungwonh@hotmail.com

Classes Yegok Natural Dye Workshop Okcheongun Dye clothing or make natural soap. yegok.co.kr 043-733-0978

Entertainment O-World Amusement Park Daejeon oworld.kr 042-580-4820 Kumdori Land Daejeon kumdori.co.kr 042-862-4000

Museums Alcohol Museum: Liquorium Chungju liquorium.com 043-855-7333 Gonam Shell Mound Museum Taeangun Anmyeon Island. Closed Mon. museum.taean.go.kr 041-670-2337 Jincheon Bell Museum Jincheon-gun 9 am – 6 pm. Closed Mon. jincheonbell.net 043-539-3850 Korea Traditional Architecture Museum Yesan-gun Closed Mon. English site. ktam.or.kr 041-337-5877

Hotels/Accommodations Yuseong Daejeon

042-822-9591 Golden Wave Taean 041-675-2008 The Sky Blue Bird Seosan 011-382-1862 Onyang Hot Spring Hotel Asan 041-543-2141 New Korea Hotel Asan 041-542-8151 Cheonan Central Hotel Cheonan 041-564-9100

Medical Services Sun Hospital Daejeon 042-220-8000 Konyang International Health Care Center Daejeon kihcc.kyuh.co.kr 042-600-9978

Restaurants/Supermarkets Gasan Korean, Cheonan 041-561-9500 Spain House Spanish, Cheonan

041-571-7474 Olive Farms Buffet, Cheongju

043-215-3311

Live Music Venues Barker’s Live Bar Gyeryong Club In Sky 2 Daejeon cafe.daum.net/tjinsky

042-841-0470 042-223-7117

Bars/Lounges/Pubs Blue Moon Cheongwon 043-285-0399 Brickhouse Sports Bar & Grill Daejeon Tasty food, fun events, and the drinks to wash it all down. “The Daejeon Brickhouse” on Facebook, 042-223-6515 MJ Cheongju Where Cheongju’s coolest people party. “MJ Bar” on Facebook.

043-273-8366 Road King Cheongju Hit up the Road King for a good time while you’re in town.

043-265-1340 Rolling Stones Cheonan 041-562-9824 Santa Claus Daejeon One of the premier foreigner bars in Daejeon with a killer western style menu, crowd-controlled DJ set-up and a monthly open mic. “Santa Claus 2008” on Facebook, 042 825-5500

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CHUNGCHEONG

Through May 16th May 5th Digital Landscapes Landscapes as a Frogs: Classical Music Play theme have been around just as long as For Children’s Day, consider taking artists have. To better understand how your kids to see this cute musical that the idea of a landscape is combines elements of “The VENUES sustained and subverted in Frog Prince” and musical Cheongju Arts Center contemporary art, see these history. The plot deals with cjac.or.kr 043-200-4421 nine pieces by Myeong-geun Rainbow Town and the frogs Daejeon Culture and Go, I-nam Lee, and Jeong-ju who live there, one of whom is Arts Center Jeong. Daejeon Museum of Art Beethoven! Korean. Daejeon djac.or.kr 042-610-2222 Culture and Arts Center. 11 am Daejeon Museum of Art Through June 6th & 2 pm. W10,000 – W20,000 10 am – 6 pm. Fri till 9 There Is Laughter Tired of long faces and snobbery at the pm. Closed Mon. Adults May 7th – 9th W500, minors W300. museum? Finally, an exhibit Nanta in Daejeon Now in it’s dmma.metro.daejeon.kr that takes humor seriously. The 042-602-3200 13th year, the hilarious kitchenmodern and contemporary themed non-verbal percussion Korean art here will bring a smile to your show Nanta can be viewed in Daejeon face. Divided into four sections: novel wit, three days this month. Daejeon Culture pleasing humor, biting satire, and serious and Arts Center. Fri 8 pm, Sat 3 & 7 pm, jokes. Daejeon Museum of Art Sun 3 pm. W20,000 – W60,000

May 22nd “The Great Moment” Concert With stand-out Korean pop artists Hwiseong, Lissang, Jeongin, and Yeong-hyeon Lee performing. Kotra Trade Exhibition Center in Daejeon. 8 pm. kotrex.com, 1644-0488

these weekend programs involve a Sunday meditation class and Dharma talk. Details on the English site. musangsa.org, 042-841-6084

GYEONGSANG CALENDAR EDITOR’S PICK

Ongoing Jump In its second decade, this popular martial arts comic show shows no signs of slowing. Busan Lotte Art Hall. Tue - Fri 8 pm, Sat & Holidays 5 pm & 8 pm, Sun 6 pm. W40,000 – W50,000. hijump.co.kr, 051-744-4885

Theater & Dance May 1st – 10th

Busan International Performing Arts Festival

Whether you’d rather get on stage or stay in the crowd, the BIPAF gives you your fill of quality theater. Awesome troupes from Italy, France, Germany, Russia, Japan, and of course Korea attempt to “define the boundaries of theater” with dozens of performances in genres including jazz dance, traditional dance, puppetry, and mime. Some recommended shows include the Italian group Treatise of Mannequins, which uses dance and music to tell a moving tale about coming of age that transcends language. There will also be a 10-minute open play program that is free to watch in which amateurs put together a 10-minute show and compete for cash prizes. Adults W15,000 per show, students W10,000. A special 5-show pass gets you into five shows of your choice for only W50,000. bipaf.org, 070-8672-8010 (10 am – 6 pm), 010-2879-4856 (after 6).

Art

GYEONGSANG

Ongoing Architectural Ceramics: Now and New Displaying hybrids of ceramics and other genres of art. Clayarch Gimhae Museum Modern Interpretations of the Human Body Head to the plaza to see this sculpture exhibit. Gyeongnam Art Museum in Changwon. gam.go.kr, 055-211-0333 Shivering: Perceiving Space All of a Sudden The installations, drawings, and art objects of Ho-deuk Kim. Cyan Museum in Yeongcheon. 10:30 am – 6:30 pm. Closed Mondays. cyanmuseum.org, 054-338-9391 Through June 2nd

The Ballerina Who Fell in Love with a B-Boy This b-boy-meets-ballerina story is a genre-gending mash-up of break dance and ballet.

Seomyeon BB Theater in Busan. Mon - Fri 8 pm , Sat 4 and 8 pm, Sun 3 and 6 pm.

W40,000 - W50,000. bbtheater.co.kr, 051-804-2252 May 1st 24-Hour Theater Project in Daegu Could you put together a play in 24 hours? Head to Buy the Book Café in downtown Daegu at 9 pm to see the results of one day’s work by some of the most creative expats around. kristinmyers19@hotmail.com

VENUES BEXCO (Busan Exposition and Convention Center) bsculture.busan.kr 051-120 Busan Cultural Center bsculture.busan.kr 051-120 Busan MBC Lotte Art Hall mbcarthall.com

051-760-1357 Busan Museum of Art 10 am – 6 pm. Adults W700, students W300. art. busan.go.kr 051-740-4241 Clayarch Gimhae Museum 10 am – 6 pm. Adults W2,000, students W1,000, children W500. clayarch. org, info@clayarch.org Daegu Culture and Arts Center 10 am – 8 pm.

Closed Mon. artcenter. daegu.go.kr 053-606-6114 EXCO (Daegu Exhibition and Convention Center) excodaegu.co.kr

053-601-5000 Seongsan Art Hall Changwon sungsanart.or.kr

055-268-7900 Ulsan Culture and Art Center ucac.or.kr 052-275-9623

Deok-su Kim Group’s Samulnori Samulnori is an energetic type of Korean music played with four percussion instruments.

Seongsan Art Hall. 019-522-9758 May 1st – 5th

Through August 15th Brick: Opening Modern Korea The humble brick is the focus of this extensive exhibit exploring the ceramic, architectural, and artistic sides of the material. It’s divided into four sections: Birth of the Material, Modern Brick Architecture in Korea, Reuse and Continuing Possibility, and Bricks, Their Contemporary potential. Clayarch Gimhae Museum April 27th – May 2nd Daegu Calligraphy Exhibition Works by members of one of Korea’s representative calligraphy associations.

Daegu Art Center. 053-592-7777

May 25th – 30th Trekking Mt. Everest in Nepal: Photo Exhibit It’s no easy feat to take pictures of the stunning mountain scenery above the snowline on treacherous Mt. Everest.

Daegu Culture and Arts Center.

053-767-7283

May 15th – June 6th Mamma Mia! What do you get when you put together Abba’s greatest hits? One of the greatest musicals of the past decade. Busan Citizen’s Hall. Weekdays 8 pm, Sat 3 & 7:30 pm, Sun 2 & 6:30 pm.

Closed Mon. W40,000 – W110,000. citizenhall. busan.kr, 051-630-5200 May 16th Changwon Dance Company Seongsan Art Hall. 7:30 pm May 21st - 22nd Stones in His Pockets In this hit play by Marie Jones, Charlie and Jake are two locals employed as extras in a small Irish town invaded by a Hollywood film crew. The two end up playing all 15 characters. BH Productions, Ol’ 55 in the Kyungsung area of Busan. Fri & Sat 5:30 & 9:30 pm. W16,000. stonesinkorea@yahoo.com, 016-695-4624

May 21st – 23rd A Fairy Tale Journey with Ppororo Ppororo couldn’t care less about kids’ stories until he is sucked into the world of fairy tales and has to rescue his friend Krong who has been nabbed by Captain Hook. Ulsan Culture and Art Center. 11 am – noon, 2 – 3 pm, & 4 – 5 pm. 25,000 May 22nd – 23rd Jump: Non-Verbal Performance In a comedy show based on traditional Korean martial arts, a couple of thieves accidentally break into the house of some karate experts. Ulsan Culture and Art Center. Sat 3 – 4:30 pm & 7 – 8:30 pm; Sun 2 – 5:30 pm & 6 – 7:30 pm.

W30,000 – W40,000

From Monet to Picasso Featuring masterpieces from the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Busan Museum of Art. 10 am – 5 pm. Adults W12,000, teens W9,000. pma.chosun. com, 051-740-4205

May 4th – 9th “A-ONE” International Contemporary Art Festival Daegu offers you a chance to discover the similarities and differences between the contemporary art of major Asian nations including Japan, China, and Korea. Daegu Culture and Arts Center.

053-322-6027

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May 14th – 15th Daegu Dance Troupe Daegu Culture and Arts Center

Theater & Dance

Concerts The Doggy Poo Story The English language version of this Korean fairy tale shows that nothing is without purpose, not even a dirty pile of doggy poo. 5/1 – 5/2: Busan MBC Lotte Art Hall. Sat 11 am, 2 & 5 pm. Sun 2 & 5 pm. W22,000 – W33,000. 5/4 – 5/5: Suseong Artpia. 11 am (Korean), 2 pm (English). W20,000. 051-760-1357 May 2nd Latin American Dance Performance Seongsan Art Hall. Adults W30,000 – W50,000. Students W20,000.

May 4th – 5th The Wizard of Oz: The Musical Brought to you by the people who made the Nanta show. Korean. Daegu Citizen Center. Tue 2 & 4:30 pm, Sat 11 am, 2 & 4:30 pm. W30,000 – W35,000. dgcitizencenter.or.kr, 1599-2005 May 8th Ulsan Dance Troupe: “Light of a Thousand Years” Gyeong-su Lee, new choreographer at the Ulsan Dance Troupe, presents a variety of significant pieces of dance that have been difficult to see for some time. Ulsan Culture and Art Center. 4 – 5:30 pm.

W5,000 – W10,000

Ongoing Daegu Gugak Company Tuesday Performance Classics of traditional Korean music every Thursday. Daegu Culture and Arts Center. 5 pm May 4th Spring of Joy Classical This short concert gives office workers a chance to enjoy some music and tea on their lunch break before returning to work.

The program features Mozart’s Serenade No. 13, Ion Ivanovici’s Waves of the Danube Waltz, and Brahms’ Hungarian Dances. Gumi Art Center.

12:30 pm. gumiart.or.kr, 054-451-3040 May 5th Little Angels Art Company Geoje Culture and Art Center. 3 & 7 pm.

W30,000 – W70,000. geojeart.or.kr, 055-680-1000 May 6th – 7th Xiu Xiu in Concert California-based indie group Xiu Xiu, whose name comes from a Chinese film, have just released their seventh album Dear God, I Hate Myself on the Kill Rock Stars label. 5/6: Basement in Busan. W20,000 presale,

W24,000 at the door. 5/7: Guess in Daegu. W13,000 presale, W20,000 at the door. supercolorsuper.com Korean Festival Ensemble: “Maestro Interview Concert” A variety of shorter pieces including Mozart’s Clarinet Quintet in A Major, Bach’s Air in G, and Tchaikovsky’s String Quartet No. 1 in D Major.

Seongsan Art Hall. 11 am. W15,000 May 7th Daegu Philharmonic Orchestra Daegu Culture and Arts Center. 7:30 pm May 8th Happy Concert for the Whole Family Whether you’re just a couple or have kids in tow, you’re sure to enjoy the musical numbers, opera arias, and soundtrack songs in this concert. Ulsan Culture and Art Center. 7 – 8:30 pm.

W20,000

May 19th Daegu Gugak Company: “The Willow Becomes a Thread” The program is made up of traditional Korean songs that exult in spring, the season of growth. Daegu Culture and Arts Center. 7:30 pm. W10,000 May 20th Be the Voice in Concert Audiences love this Japanese duo for its cool bossa nova stylings and the sultry voice of its female lead singer. Suseong Artpia. 8 pm. W44,000. 1544-1555 Busan Symphony Orchestra: “Wellbeing Concert” This concert attempts to explain the sensual and passionate spirit of “southern” countries like Italy and Spain with pieces by Bizet, Mendelssohn, Vivaldi, and Bernstein.

Busan Cultural Center. 11 am. W10,000 Daegu Symphony Orchestra Daegu Culture and Arts Center. 7:30 pm

May 11th Dongseong Dream World Orchestra: Family Concert Geumjeong Cultural Center in Busan.

7:30 pm. culture.geumjeong.go.kr, 010-8007-8087

May 22nd Gyeongnam I Maestri Vocal Ensemble Proceeds from this “sharing, love, and happiness” concert go to benefit the handicapped. Seongsan Art Hall. 7:30 pm. W10,000. 010-2861-7767

Korean Festival Ensemble: “Maestro Interview Concert” A variety of shorter pieces including Mozart’s Clarinet Quintet in A Major, Bach’s Air in G, and Tchaikovsky’s String Quartet No. 1 in D Major.

Seongsan Art Hall. 11 am. W15,000

May 25th Prime Phil Orchestra Daegu Opera House. daeguoperahouse.org, 053-666-6000

May 13th Changwon Philharmonic Orchestra Seongsan Art Hall. 7:30 pm May 14th

May 26th Busan Children’s Orchestra Romantic music of our generation.

S. Barber’s Adagio for Strings, R. Strauss’s Concertino for Clarinet and Bassoon, and more. Busan Cultural Center. 7:30 pm. W2,000

GYEONGSANG

Jazz Vocalist Mallo Mallo is famous for her catchy jazz “scat-singing,” improvised nonsense singing. Part of the “Building Jazz Culture” Project.

Suseong Artpia. 8 pm. W30,000 May 24th

Busan Symphony Orchestra: “BBB Concert” Referring, of course, to classical composers Beethoven and Brahms in Busan. (The music, that is, not the actual composers.) The program includes Beethoven’s Symphony No. 4 and Brahms Symphony No. 4. Busan Cultural Center. 7:30 pm. W5,000 – W10,000 May 15th In Korean Symphony Orchestra Beethoven’s Egmont Overture, Triple Concerto, and Symphony No. 7. Busan Cultural Center. 7:30 pm South Africa Drakensberg Boys’ Choir This multicultural choir has been opening musical doors for the youth of South Africa since the 1960s. Suseong Artpia. 7 pm. W20,000 – W30,000 May 16th and 22nd Cellist Yeong-hun Song: Latin American Journey This classical trio plays outstanding tango tunes. 5/16: Suseong Artpia. 5 pm. 5/22: Busan Cultural Center. 5 pm. W33,000 – W55,000

Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra Russia’s premier orchestra along with pianist Konstantin Scherbakov will perform M. I. Glinka’s Russlan and Ludmilla Overture, S. Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No. 2, and Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5. South Gyeongsang Province Culture and Arts Center. 8 pm.

W30,000 – W50,000. 1544-6711 May 25th Jinju Chamber Orchestra South Gyeongsang Province Culture and Arts Center. 010-2590-8933 May 28th Jinju Youth Chamber Orchestra South Gyeongsang Province Culture and Arts Center. 7:30 pm. Free May 30th Ulsan New Spring Concert Ulsan Culture and Art Center. 7:30 – 9:30 pm.

W10,000. 010-3163-2934 May 31st Ars String Quartet Busan Cultural Center. 7:30 pm

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GYEONGSANG CALENDAR EDITOR’S PICK

April 29th – May 2nd Yeongcheon Starlight Festival See what’s at the end of the universe, or near enough, from the observatory at Bohyeon Mountain near Yeongcheon. star.yc.go.kr/main, 054-330-6068 April 30th – May 9th Mungyeong Traditional Tea Bowl Festival This yearly ceramics celebration focuses on Mungyeong’s rich history of being a center of production for tea implements. Near Mungyeong Saejae. sabal21.com, 054-550-6395 May 1st – 2nd Hwangmae Mountain Rhododendron Festival Enjoy the flowers blooming on Hwangmae Mountain as you take part in the hiking competition, singing contest, photo contest, and other events. Near Hwangmae Mountain near Sancheonggun. gntour.com, 055-970-7221

Education & Conference May 15th

KOTESOL National Conference in Daegu

T he 2010 Nat io n a l C o n fe r e n c e i n D a eg u c o nt i nu e s KOTESOL’s tradition of quality teacher conferences beyond Seoul. Featuring globally-acclaimed author and young learner’s specialist Aleda Krause and TESOL training expert Steven Cornwell, the one-day event is targeted to teachers who seek practical solutions to classroom issues. Join over 200 fellow teachers in 30 sessions on teaching English, TESOL materials on display, and networking. UCC Center at Daegu Technical College. 10 am – 6 pm. Members W15,000, non-members W30,000, students W12,000. kotesol.org, 053-580-5938

Film

GYEONGSANG

May 12th – 16th Busan International Short Film Festival What was formerly the Asian Short Film Festival has expanded to include more international offerings from countries including Germany, Italy, and Croatia. To accommodate cinema lovers from various countries, both English and Korean subtitles will be provided where appropriate. Each 70-minute screening (including several short films) costs W5,000. The opening ceremony will be held at Haeundae Grand Hotel, with screenings at Lotte Centum Cinema near Centum City St. (line 2).bisff.org, 051-742-9600. For English inquiries, contact Hyeon-hwa Lee at bisffint@naver.com

the river where both drowned. Events held around Jinju Castle. jinjunongae.com, 055-749-2114 Milyang Arirang Festival Arirang is the one Korean folk song that you’ve likely heard before, and the version found in Milyang, north of Busan, is believed to be similar to the original. airang.or.kr, 055-353-3550

Juwang Mountain “Sudallae” Azalea Festival Legend has it that Juwang was shot with an arrow near Juwang Mountain. His blood stained the stream flowing nearby and resulted in a beautiful new variety of flowers that began growing on the spot. tour.cs.go.kr, 054-873-0101

May 8th – 10th Ulsan Soeburi Festival Seoburi, meaning “blacksmithing,” refers to the mines and ironwork that have long been a big part of Ulsan’s economy. The festival performances and reenactments pay homage to Ulsan’s heritage. Near the Buk-gu district office plaza. sbr.bukgu.ulsan.kr, 052-289-9999 May 22nd – 23rd

Through June 13th

Through May 2nd

74 | 10 Magazine May 2010

April 28th – May 2nd Gaya Culture Festival A perfect chance to get introduced to the art and culture of an ancient civilization.

Daesongdong Gobungun in Gimhae. gcfkorea.com, 055-335-3382

May 13th – 15th Busan Contents Market The name is a bit Konglishy, but you can expect seminars on TV programming and the cable market.

BEXCO. ibcm.tv, 051-747-6440 May 14th – 16th Korean English Education Fair The ultimate irony here is that the English page wasn’t working when we went to print. EXCO. 10 am – 6 pm.

W3,000 (W2,000 if you preregister). englishfair.co.kr, 053-384-7244

Dine & Drink May 1st – 5th

Hadong Wild Tea Festival The people of Hadong-gun have been harvesting Hadong tea from the wild since it was brought to Korea from China more than a thousand years ago. Events include the Korean Green Tea Cooking Contest. festival.hadong.go.kr, 055-880-2375 May 4th – 10th Sancheong Medicinal Herb Festival With hundreds of years of history behind it and Jiri Mountain rearing up close by, the Sancheong Herb Festival serves as a great introduction Oriental medicine. On the banks of the Gyeongho River in Sancheong-gun. jirisanherbfestival.or.kr, 055-970-6789

Family & Community

Jinju Nongae Festival Nongae is one of the most famous women patriots in Korean history. During the Japanese invasion of the 16th century, she led a Japanese general to the riverside, embraced him, and dragged him into

May 6th – 8th Daegu International Optical Show One thing’s for sure: you’ve got to admire their vision. Featuring 620 booths with 150 companies represented. Free.

EXCO. English website available. diops.co.kr, 053-350-7830

May 1st – 5th Daegu Yangyeongsi Herb Medicine Festival This herb medicine expo, which can be traced back to the Joseon Dynasty, represents an excellence opportunity to learn more about alternative medicine and herbs. herb.daegu.go.kr, 053-253-4729

Through May 9th Mungyeong Traditional Tea Bowl Festival Mungyeong, north of Daegu, has been a pottery production center for over a thousand years. Located on Saejae hill. , 054-571-0709

Happy Family Land Fun rides for kids including a miniature train, paddle boats, and an indoor bungee jump. Shows include a magic show, bubble show, a mini-zoo, and other events. CECO (Changwon Exhibition Convention Center). Adults W9,000, children W11,000. ke5.co.kr, 055-212-1550

Education & Conferences

Comic World Busan Anime clubs have a chance to sell products and their members can participate in contests including best club newsletter, best illustration, best cosplay, and best postcard. BEXCO. Sat 11 am – 5:30 pm, Sun 10 am – 5:30 pm. W4,000. comicw.co.kr, 051-583-2470 May 29th – 31st Busan Harbor Festival This festival offers the chance to have some fun in the harbor with water sports, board a naval vessel, and much more. Events held at the Busan Harbor International Cruise Terminal. tour.busan.go.kr, 051-888-3392

May 21st – 23rd Yeongyang Mountain Vegetable Festival Bet you didn’t know that the plants you trampled on your last forest hike were edible! Find them on sale and display at Ilwol Mountain and Yeongyang Market. tour.yyg.go.kr, 054-680-6062 May 21st – 24th Treasure Island Garlic Festival They’ve got cloves, and we’re not talking about those wimpy cigarettes.

Get a little more intimate with the bulbous vegetable through exhibits, games, and more. Located at Treasure Island Garlic Land in Namhae-gun. garlicland.net, 055-860-3985 May 26th – 30th Daegu World Tea Culture Festival Learn how tea is produced, experience tea therapy, and get a taste of teas from around the world. EXCO. 10 am – 6 pm.

W5,000. tea-festival.kr, 053-768-2516

GYEONGSANG DIRECTORY Sports & Fitness Through May 9th Busan International Motor Show Let’s get this show on the road! Displaying personal cars, company cars, and motorcycles representing 150 companies from ten countries (and of course racing girls). BEXCO. bimos.co.kr, 051-740-7467

K-League Soccer 1st Ulsan vs Gwangju Ulsan 3 pm

2nd Daegu vs Gangwon FC Daegu 3 pm Busan vs FC Seoul Busan 3 pm 5th Pohang vs Ulsan Pohang 1 pm Gyeongnam vs Busan Changwon 2 pm 8th Pohang vs Jeju Pohang 3 pm 9th Busan vs Daejeon Busan 3 pm

KBO Baseball All Busan games held at Sajik Stadium, home of the Lotte Giants 1st – 2nd vs KIA Tigers 5 pm 7th vs Doosan Bears 6:30 pm

8th – 9th vs Doosan Bears 5 pm 11th – 13th vs SK Wyverns 6:30 pm 21st – 23rd vs Samsung Lions 5 pm 25th – 27th vs Doosan Bears 6:30 pm All Daegu games held at Daegu field, home of the Samsung Lions 4th/6th vs Lotte Giants 6:30 pm 5th vs Lotte Giants 2 pm 7th vs SK Wyverns 6:30 pm 8th – 9th vs SK Wyverns 5 pm 18th – 20th vs LG Twins 6:30 pm

South St. Western Philly cheesesteaks and cold cuts in Suseong-gu. blog. naver.com/southst105 053-768-7867

Live Music Venues

gyeongsang province Foreigner Assistance Busan Foundation for International Activities bfia.or.kr 1577-7716 Geoje Foreign Resident Association gfra.net 055-687-9332 Ulsan Global Center 052-229-2810 Ulsan Online ulsanonline.com

Religious Services Bujeon Church Busan 051-807-3331 Suyeongno Church Busan 051-740-4500 Podowon Church Busan 051-333-3736 Baekangro Church Busan 051-898-3740 Pusan University of Foreign Studies Busan 051-640-3445 Okpo Joonang Presbyterian Geoje Island 010-2586-7520, 010-3873-1652 Sumgim Presbyterian Church Geoje Island sumgim.org 017-577-3096

Education

Bars/Lounges/Pubs Busan Aligote Wines, cheese platters, and excellent service. Haeundae. 6 pm – 3 am. aligote-busan.com 051-731-3322 Basement Open mic nights on Tuesdays and parties galore. Pusan National University. cullivan@hotmail.com

011-9294-2391 Fuzzy Navel Great drinks and great Mexican food as well. Four locations.

011-1757-6349 The HQ Bar Kyungsung’s only foreignerowned bar with sports and dart games. busankart@yahoo.com Rock ‘n’ Roll House Western-style bar with darts and pool and a great view of Haeundae.

051-742-5553

May 4th Cinco de Mayo Night Since the 5th is a Korean holiday, the party gets started the night before. Party includes pitchers of margaritas, coronas, tequila shots, Mexican food, and more.

Benchwarmers in Ulsan. benchwarmersbar@yahoo.com

Sosa Bar A cozy latin bar close to Pusan National University.

051-513-0070 Daegu Ping Bar Great drinks, a pool table, and music upon request. Samdeok Catholic Church. 7 pm - 5 am. withhyk@hanmail.net 053-422-7708

Clubs Daegu Club That Located on the rodeo just down from the Samdok fire station. clubthat.co.kr 010-6587-4147 Old Skool Hip hop bar great for dancing, socializing or drinking. “Old SkooL: Daegu Muzik Club Bar” on Facebook.

Busan Elune Lots of international acts.

Paradise Hotel.

010-5525-4055 Maktum Club dancing, events, launching shows, sports parties. 9 pm – 6 am. maktum.co.kr 051-742-0770 NEO Starface “Latin Club” Free salsa classes weekdays from 8 pm.

Saturdays boast a live band and/or DJs. Haeundae. neostarface.com

051-746-1746 Vinyl Underground Delivers fresh breaks, house, funk, electro, tech house, hip hop. B2 Han La Building. 9 pm - 6 am.

051-628-0223

GYEONGSANG

Ayurveda Yoga Academy Certification course for would-be yoga teachers in Daegu. Sat 10 am – 7 pm.

Call Yatren at 011-9547-5181 Sand Sculpture Classes Haeundae Beach. Every Sun 1 - 3 pm. W10,000.

051-749-7611 Sunday Yoga Classes Buy the Book Cafe in Daegu. megan.deutsch@gmail. com 010-7794-1218

next to Haeundae.

051-742-2959 Gumi Waegook Cook American Gumi’s original foreign-owned and operated restaurant, serving steaks, hamburgers, seafood, pastas, and German cuisine. waegookcook.com Daegu Berkeley Italian Hof Street. 053-421-8577 Buy the Book Western This bookstore and café is your source for free yoga, theater, and parties. Downtown Daegu.

Open weekends. buythebookcafe@yahoo.com Café Francesco Italian Italian cuisine and good coffee. Near Rodeo Street.

053-252-9625 Dijon French Up-market French and Mediterranean cuisine. 053-422-2426 Hami Mami’s American One of Daegu’s best brunches. 50m from the US base.

8 am – 10 pm.

053-475-5242

Club Interplay Busan cafe.daum.net/interplaycafe 051-5174773 Club Heavy Daegu cafe.daum.net/clubheavy96

010-2338-1340 Club Metal Boys Gyeongju cafe.daum.net/metalboys 011-9599-8370

Nightlife

Hotels/Accommodations 4 – 5 Star Hotels Busan Lotte Hotel 051-810-1000 Novotel Ambassador 051-743-1234 Seacloud 051-933-1000 Daegu Novotel Ambassador 053-664-1101 Hostels Busan Arpina 051-740-3228 Zen Backpackers 010-8722-1530

2nd Floor Restaurant 3rd Floor Sports Lounge

Radio Stations TBS eFM Busan FM 90.5 American Forces Network Jinhae AM 1512 / FM 88.5 Daegu AM 1080 / FM 88.5 Pohang AM 1512 Waegwan AM 1080 / FM 88.5

Restaurants Busan Ganga Indian Opposite Haeundae Beach. ganga.co.kr 051-740-6670 Gecko’s Western Perched on lovely Haeundae Beach at the Pale de CZ, you can get all of that authentic Western food you’re used to back home, and you’ll find bartenders who know how to mix a real margarita.

051-747-3069 Kebabistan Russian Uzbeki restaurant serving kebabs, soups and stews.

Busan Station.

051-581-4050 Sunset Lounge American Drinks, Western food and fun delivered

053-423-4048 The Holy Grill Western Owned and operated by Canadians, the Grill provides expats with fantastic sandwiches, burgers, Tex-Mex and breakfast in a chilled-out environment that feels more like a lounge than a burger joint. Move up to the 3rd floor to catch major sporting events.

053-423-4048 Leo Chow Mexican A decent selection of burritos and tacos.

053-255-7111 Maya Indian Gyeongbuk University.

053-214-1916 Samarkland Russian Daegu station.

053-252-4021 Siji Taco Mexican Spicy tacos at competitive prices 053-791-5050

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JEOLLA CALENDAR EDITOR’S PICK

who have graduated from painting departments. Sori Cultural Arts Center.

010-8626-6990

Theater & Dance May 7th – 9th Two Operas with the Honam Opera Troupe Featuring the operas Gianni Schicchi and Mushroom Pizza. Sori Cultural Arts Center. Fri 7 pm, Sat & Sun 3 & 7 pm. W15,000 – W50,000. Students W10,000 May 13th “Sotaesan” Jung-bin Park: Original Opera Jung-bin Park is the founder of Won Buddhism, Korea’s only indigenous religion. Sori Cultural Arts Center.

7:30 pm. W20,000

Art Through June 10th

Digifesta: Media Art Festival

The technology surrounding us continues to change at a pace so rapid that we can barely keep up with it, and the transformation it brings affects the world of traditional art.

To see some of the ways in which the digital revolution has affected art, visit the “Digifesta” media art festival, held at the Gwangju Biennale Exhibit Hall. The main exhibit “Sisok 2010” (a play on words that suggests the speed of sight) emphasizes our changing digital environment with work by thirty artists from both East and West who manage to combine advanced technology with artistic vision. Other exhibits include the “rookie” exhibit, featuring the winning submissions of up-and-coming artists, and a special Namjun Baek exhibit, with 50 pieces displayed for the first time.

Adults W10,000, teens W8,000, children W6,000. digifesta.com, 070-7721-5768 Art Through May 6th Jeonju Photo Festival An international exhibit with 200 works on display. Sori Cultural Arts Center. 010-5338-7071 Through May 23rd Twelve Animals of the Chinese Zodiac Various works of art representing the animals found in the Chinese zodiac.

Gwangju Museum of Art

May 7th – 21st North Jeolla Province Art Contest: Submissions Displaying the pieces submitted in the contest.

Sori Cultural Arts Center May 14th – 20th North Jeolla Province Art Contest: Judges Want to check up on the artistic credentials of the judges? The 300 pieces on display here are your chance to do just that. Sori Cultural Arts Center.

010-8626-6990

JEOLLA

May 21st – 27th Through May 30th Ink Stick Society Exhibit Featuring Jeong-ung Ha Collection: Poetry calligraphy, paintings, and of Stillness Artwork that more. Sori Cultural Arts reflects on the meaning VENUES Center. 011-680-3881 of tranquility and stillness.

Chonbuk National Gwangju Museum of Art University Cultural National Elementary and Center Jeonju Junior High Art Contest cnucc.chonbuk.ac.kr Through May 30th Displaying the winning entries

063-270-2089 New Acquisitions Exhibit in the contest. Sori Cultural Gwangju Museum of Gwangju Museum of Art Arts Center. 011-650-8901 Art 9 am – 6 pm. Adults W500, teens W300, Through June 6th May 22nd – June 11th children W200.

Homo Ludens: Humans artmuse.gwangju.go.kr Digital Korean Art History at Play Exhibit A variety of

062-510-0149 Exhibit The tagline is “learn artists examine the creative Jeonbuk Province Art 10,000 years of Korean art impulse from the perspective Museum Wanju-gun in an hour.” Sori Cultural Arts Closed Mon. 10 am – 6 of play. Around 200 pieces Center pm.

Free. jbartmuse.go.kr on display. Jeonbuk Province

063-280-4343 May 28th Art Museum Kim Daejung Convention Speaking Through Pictures Center Gwangju Through June 6th You could say that the pictures kdjcenter.or.kr Amazing Media Art you’ll find here aren’t artwork

062-611-2000 Exhibit The five artists in this at all. Rather, they’re the Sori Cultural Arts Center exhibit present pieces that pictures created by students Jeonju sori21.co.kr straddle the divide between in an art therapy program

063-270-8000 digital media and digital that attempt to capture their Suncheon Culture and art. Jeonbuk Province Art personal philosophy. Sori Art Center scart.or.kr Museum Cultural Arts Center.

061-749-3516 10 am – 6 pm May 7th – 13th North Jeolla Province Calligraphy Contest 60 pieces. Sori Cultural Arts Center. 011-682-2060

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May 28th – June 3rd Umuk Society Exhibit The members of this society are all active artists

May 21st – 22nd Ppororo and the Chamber of Secrets: Kid’s Musical See what secrets await in little penguin Ppororo’s room. Korean.

Sori Cultural Arts Center. 11 am, 2 pm, 4:30 pm. W25,000 – W30,000 May 27th Blood Wedding: The Play The play by Spanish poet and playwright Federico Garcia Lopez has been adapted for the Korean stage. Sori Cultural Arts Center.

7:30 pm

Concerts May 1st A Night of Fantasy with the Neos Ensemble Sori Cultural Arts Center.

7 pm. W5,000. 010-3679-2868 Pianist Eun-yeong Lee: “In Praise of Great Men” Performing pieces by Chopin and Schumann. Sori Cultural Arts Center. 5 pm. W5,000 – W10,000 May 2nd Dream Philharmonic Orchestra: “Cinema Festival” The program of music taken from movie scores is chosen to match the Jeonju International Film Festival, which is taking place at the same time. Sori Cultural Arts Center. 7:30 pm May 4th Jeonju Philharmonic Orchestra Presenting a special children’s concert called “hearing with your eyes” with pieces that young folks will love, including Mozart’s Toy Symphony in C Major, Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker, and Dukas’ The Sorceror’s Apprentice. Sori Cultural Arts Center. 7:30 pm. W4,000 – W5,000 May 6th – 8th Family Concert with the Suncheon Choir Suncheon Culture and Art Center May 11th Asia Art Symphony Orchestra Suncheon Culture and Art Center.

7:30 pm. 010-6631-1585 Gyeongno Gugak Concert Gugak refers to traditional Korean music.

Chonbuk National University Cultural Center. 2 pm. Free May 12th Jeonju Gugak Troupe: Children’s Concert Sori Cultural Arts Center.

7:30 pm. W3,000 – W5,000 May 14th Hye-seon Baek and Dong-hyeok Lim Piano Recital Pieces by Chopin.

Suncheon Culture and Art Center. 7 pm.

W66,000 – W88,000. Call to confirm.

011-620-6640 The Meeting of Schumann and Chopin Featuring the Jeonbuk Chamber Ensemble. Sori Cultural Arts Center. 7:30

pm. W5,000 – W10,000. 010-2242-3682 Musical Tales at 11 AM The pleasure of drinking a cup of coffee as you listen to an exquisite melody. Sori Cultural Arts Center. 11 am. W15,000 May 15th Mi-ja Lee “Dutiful Children” Concert Mi-ja Lee has been singing for more than fifty years. Sori Cultural Arts Center.

3 & 6 pm. W55,000 – W88,000 May 19th Gloria String Orchestra The Piazzolla Tango Ballet and other pieces. Sori Cultural Arts Center.

7:30 pm. 010-8647-2821 May 28th Jeonju Philharmonic Orchestra Sori Cultural Arts Center. 7:30 pm.

W7,000 – W10,000 May 29th Belcanto Society Conference This music society is dedicated to the advancement of singing. Sori Cultural Arts Center. W3,000 – W5,000.

010-3656-1362

Film April 29th – May 7th Jeonju International Film Festival Bibimbap’s not the only thing worth seeing in Jeonju. Along with its bigger brother in Busan, Jeonju’s yearly weeklong film fest is one of your best chances to catch up with recent developments in Korean cinema. More serious film buffs might want to see some entries in Jeonju’s signature short film competition or less accessible experimental features available through the “Stranger than Cinema” program. eng.jiff.or.kr, 063-288-5433

Family & Community Through May 2nd Saemangeum Flag Festival In April 2006, the 33km-long Saemangeum Seawall was finally constructed after nearly 15 years of construction (and obstruction by environmental groups).

This festival celebrates its completion with flag-themed exhibits, performances, and more. Events take place from Apr 23rd – 25th, but the flags are on display through May 2nd. Near Gunsan. flagfestival.kr, 063-280-3355 Through May 9th Hampyeong Butterfly Festival Got butterflies in your stomach? Actually, you’re not supposed to eat them. Watch the butterflies flutter by you and join in one of the numerous activities and games planned at this mostly outdoor festival. The butterfly, bee, dragonfly, and beetle exhibits give you an up-and-close look at these mostly friendly creepycrawlies. Hampyeong Expo Park, west of Gwangju. inabi.or.kr, 061-322-0011 Through May 23rd Barae Mountain Rhododendron Festival Around the end of April, the slopes of Barae Mountain just west of Namwon turn bright pink as the rhododendrons begin to come into bloom. tour.namwon.go.kr, 063-620-6601 Jiri Mountain Baraebong Rhododendron Festival Jiri Mountain’s worth visiting any time of the year, but it’s especially gorgeous when the purple rhododendrons start to bloom all over

the mountain. Baraebong Herb Valley in Namwon. gojb.net, 063-625-4537

diplomats. See website for this month’s lectures. gic.or.kr, 062-226-2733

May 1st – 5th Jeonju Hanji Culture Festival Visitors on May 1st can attend the awards ceremony for the National Hanji Craft Competition, and the winners will be on display through May 4th. The festival gives you plenty of chances to try making your own hanji. Around the Jeonju Hanok Village. jhanji.or.kr, 063-271-2503

Through May 9th Gwangju World Light Expo The spotlight’s on Gwangju as it gets set for a fantastic festival that aims to shed some light on light. Highlights include the return module of the Soyuz capsule that took astronaut So-yeon Lee into space, a real F-5 fighter that you can board, and the light fountain with 200 LED bulbs and orchestral music. Held at Sangmu Citizens Park and around Geumnam-ro in Gwangju. photonics-expo2010.org, 062-611-3731

Living and Housing Fair Covers the whole process of building a house, from construction to furnishing. Kim Daejung Convention Center. 10 am – 6 pm. W2,000 at the door, free with preregistration. livinghousing.com, 062-650-3355 May 3rd – 6th Yeosu Jinnam Festival Honoring those who fought and died to preserve Korea’s freedom. Cultural events and performances takes place all over the city with major events at the Citizens Center and Yeosu Station. jinnamje.com, 061-664-4250 May 5th Fan Yang’s Bubble Show He’s got bubbles, he’s got lasers, and he’s almost certain to have your kids’ rapt attention for the duration of the show. Chonbuk National University Cultural Center. 11 am, 2 pm, 4 pm. W22,000 – W44,000. 1544-7579 May 5th – 8th Yeosu Turtle Ship Festival Taking place at the same time as the Jinnam Festival, this festival commemorates the turtle ship designed by famed admiral Yi Sun-sin which made the crucial difference in defeating the Japanese invasion in the 16th century. Events held around the Yi Sun-sin Plaza in Yeosu. festival.yeosu.go.kr, 061-690-2041 May 7th – 9th Jangseong Hong Gil-dong Festival Hong Gil-dong, a character from a famous Korean novel, is the Korean version of Robin Hood. Events include riding a tank, going rafting, catching fish, and splashing around in a paddle boat. tour.jangseong.go.kr, 061-393-1989 Wando Jang Bogo Festival Jang Bobo was a Silla warlord from the 9th century AD who for a time controlled sea traffic between Korea, Japan, and China.

Events held At the Wando Coastal Park and the Jangbogo Memorial Center. tour.wando.go.kr, 061-550-5114

May 27th – 28th Jeonju Daesaseup Games The Olympics of traditional Korean art forms with categories including pansori, instrumental music, archery, and more. At the Jeonju Indoor Stadium and Deokjin Park. 063-278-8333 May 28th – 30th Jeonju Dano Festival Jeonju’s version of the Dano celebrations, complete with wrestling, hair-dying, and swinging (as in from a tree). These traditional holiday festivities are held at Deokjin Park in Jeonju. 063-281-2541

Education & Conferences Ongoing GIC Talks The Gwangju International Center organizes a lecture in English nearly every Saturday from 2:30– 4 pm. Typical speakers include professors, writers, and

Dine & Drink May 1st – 5th Boseong Green Tea Festival There’s no better time to visit these gorgeous green tea plantations located in Boseong than the beginning of May. Located at the Sound of Tea Park in Boseong. dahyang.boseong.go.kr, 061-852-2181 Gunsan Boiled Barley Festival This festival recalls a time when rice was so expensive that ordinary people had to buy barley as a cheaper alternative. In front of the Miseong-dong Office in Gunsan. gunsanbori.co.kr, 063-450-4439

Family & Community May 1st – 5th

Damyang Bamboo Festival

In the distant past, all of the Koreans in a village would gather together on May 13th to plant bamboo shoots. This custom is long gone, but a few years ago this festival was organized to celebrate it. This year, you can learn more about this versatile plant at the Bamboo Expo (5/1 – 5/5, 10 am – 8 pm, Damyang Sports Complex), featuring all kinds of bamboo-related products. Or you can join in the Bamboo Wellbeing Walking Contest on 10 am – 12:30 pm on the last day of the festival at Chuseong Stadium. Stop by the bamboo bonsai exhibit for some adorable miniatures. Events at the Damyang Bamboo Museum in Damyang-gun just north of Gwangju. bamboofestival.co.kr, 061-380-3151 Ramada Plaza Gwangju ramadagwangju.com 062-717-7000

Sport & Fitness Through May 2nd Cheongsan Island Slow Walking Festival Cheongsan Island (in Wandogun) was the first city in Korea to be designated as a “slow city” (in a good sense). Korean website. slowcitywando. com, 061-550-5114 June 12th Gwangju Light Village Ultramarathon 100k at the Gwangju City Hall Ampitheater, to begin at 6 pm.

W50,000 for the course. Sign up by May 25th. gjmc.org, 011-608-3541

K-League Soccer May 1st Chunnam Dragons vs Suwon Samsung Bluewings Gwangyang Stadium at 3:30 pm May 2nd Jeonbuk Hyundai vs Gyeongnam FC Jeonju Stadium at 3 pm May 5th Chunnam Dragons vs Jeonbuk Hyundai Gwangyang Stadium at 3:30 pm May 8th Jeonbuk Hyundai vs FC Daegu Jeonju World Cup Stadium at 5 pm May 9th Gwangju Sangmu Phoenix vs Gangwon FC Gwangju Stadium at 1 pm

KBO Baseball All games held at Gwangju Stadium, home of the KIA Tigers May 4th/6th vs Eagles 6:30 pm May 5th vs Eagles 2 pm May 11th – 13th vs Heroes 6:30 pm May 18th – 20th vs Giants at 6:30 pm May 21st – 23rd vs Heroes at 5 pm May 28th vs Eagles at 6:30 pm May 29th – 30th vs Eagles at 5 pm

JEOLLA PROVINCE Foreigner Assistance Gwangju International Center gwangjuic.or.kr 062-226-1050

Religious Services Antioch Presbyterian Church Jeonju andiok.kr 063-274-3228 Iri Joongang Church Iksan

063-851-4311 Musangsa Muan-gun 042-841-6084

Museums Gochang Dolmen Museum 9 am – 5 pm. Closed Mon. Adults W3,000, teens W2,000, children W1,000. gcdolmen.go.kr 063-560-2576 Iksan Jewel Museum 10 am – 6 pm. Closed Mon. Adults W3,000, students W2,000, children W1,000. jewelmuseum.go.kr 063-859-4641 Jeonju Oriental Medicine Cultural Center 10 am – 6 pm. Closed Mon. hanbangcenter.com 063-232-2500 Jeonju Traditional Alcohol Museum 9 am – 6 pm. Closed Mon. Free. urisul.net 063-287-6305 Jeonju Traditional Cultural Center jt.or.kr 063-280-7045 Mokpo Natural Museum 9 am – 6 pm.

Closed Mon. Adults W3,000, students W2,000, children W1,000. museum.mokpo.go.kr 061-294-3655 Mokpo Ceramic Livingware Museum 9 am – 6 pm. Closed Mon. Adults W3,000, students W2,000, children W1,000. doja.mokpo.go.kr 061-270-8480

Hotels/Accommodations Gwangju Youth Hostel 062-943-4378

Radio TBS eFM Gwangju FM 98.7 US Armed Forces Network Gunsan

AM 1440/FM 88.5 Gwangju FM 88.5

Restaurants/Supermarkets First Nepal Restaurant

firstnepal.com, 062-225-8771 Tequilaz Gwangju’s first Mexican cantina serves up your south-of-theborder favorites with magical margaritas and, of course, killer tequilas. tequilaz.com, tequilaz@gmail.com Underground Grocers Foreigner owned and operated, Gwangju’s local imported food shop has all of those hard-to-find cheeses, taco shells and other delicacies foreigners in Korea crave. One minute from the McDonald’s in Hwangguem-dong. 062-232-2626

Live Music Venues Bars/Lounges/Pubs Led Zeppelin Art Space Jeonju It just opened in February, but it’s already hosting lots of fun underground bands. cafe.daum.net/ k250073 018-607-6321 Art & Travel Cafe Jeonju Open mic nights every Wednesday from 9 pm.

Facebook group, 011-9437-0208 Deepin Jeonju Popular expat bar with Texas Holdem on Sundays.

019-9646-1028 Speakeasy Gwangju The fun never stops at this fantastic bar owned and operated by honest Irishman Derrek Hannon in the heart of Gwangju.

010-4713-3825 San Antonio Latin Bistro Suncheon Suncheon welcomes this new Latinthemed restaurant and hang-out.

Facebook group, pyroz@hotmail.com

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JEOLLA

May 15th – 23rd Namwon Herb Festival For many Koreans, Namwon represents the story of Chunhyang and Jiri Mountain, but recently it has become more famous for the herbs grown there. herbfestival.or.kr, 063-620-4892

May 29th Jeonju-North Jeolla Regional Conference Attend seminars on young learners, extensive reading, and life as a teacher in Korea. Head to an Italian dinner (W25,000) and charity trivia event for socializing afterward. Geun Young High School English Center in Jeonju. Members W5,000/W8,000, non-members W10,000/ W12,000 in advance/on site. Noon - 6 pm. kotesol.org, jnjconference@gmail.com

EDITOR’S PICK

JEJU CALENDAR EDITOR’S PICK

Art Ongoing Heung-su Kim and Gwang-jin Park Exhibit These two Korean painters’ works are featured in the permanent collection at the Jeju Contemporary Art Museum.

9 am – 6 pm. Adults W1,000, students W500. jejumuseum.go.kr, 064-710-7801 Through May 30th Econotest: Between Art and Language Work by 15 Korean artists examines the reciprocity between art and language and between image and text. Jeju Museum of Art Samda (三多) Story: Wind Art Exhibit Referring to the old saying that Jeju has three things in abundance—women, rocks, and wind. This exhibit focuses on the wind. Jeju Museum of Art Traveling Through Art and Science This “science playground” offers children a delightful setting to draw connections between science and art.

Jeju Museum of Art

Art

Through May 31st

Jeju International Photo Competition

UNESCO recognized the aweinspiring beauty of Jeju Island by registering it as a World Natural Heritage Site in June 2007. This photo competition encourages Koreans and foreigners to capture a bit of this beauty themselves through the medium of photography. Under the theme of “Embrace Jeju Island,” contestants are asked to submit between three and five images of the landscape and ecology (plants and animal life) of Jeju. Prizes start at W200,000 with the grand prize clocking in at a whopping W10,000,000. jeju-photo.co.kr of music. Jeju Culture and Art Center.

7:30 pm. W10,000. 010-3224-2754

April 29th – May 3rd Korean-Vietnamese Calligraphy Exchange Exhibit Jeju Culture and Art Center. 016-695-0607 May 14th – 19th Jeju’s Best Young Artists With Eun-hyeong Park, Yunju Kim, and Ji-hyeon Bu. Jeju Culture and Art Center.

016-691-7211

May 5th Heoteun Gut: Traditional Performance Includes samulnori, pungmul, pansori, and other VENUES traditional forms of Korean music. Jeju Culture and Jeju Culture and Art Center jejuculture.or.kr Art Center. 7:30 pm. Adults

064-710-7605 W7,000, students W5,000.

Jeju Museum of Art 010-4002-3226 9 am – 6 pm jmoa.jeju. go.kr 061-710-4300

May 20th – 25th Yong-hwan Kim Private Exhibition Jeju Culture and Art Center.

011-699-2818

Theater & Dance Ongoing

May 12th Jeju Buddhist Joint Choir Festival More than ten choirs will be singing. Jeju Culture and Art Center.

7 pm. Free. 064-759-1080 May 15th Halla Wind Ensemble in Concert This performance is dedicated to cordial relations between Korea and Japan. Jeju Culture and Art Center. 7 pm. Adults W5,000, students W1,000. 010-6798-1155 Su-bong Shim in Concert This is the Jeju stop on Korean singer Su-bong Shim’s concert tour. ICC Jeju. 3 & 7:30 pm. W55,000 – W77,000. 02-720-8500 May 20th Young Artists Concert The program includes Mozart’s 1st Violin Concerto and eight other pieces. Jeju Culture and Art Center. 5:30 pm. Free. 010-9989-5539

JEJU ISLAND

Nanta on Jeju Island Nanta, the nonverbal performance that got started ten years ago, is a feast for the ears that turns ordinary kitchen pots and pans into a rhythm section. Jeju Media Center in Jeju City (064-727-7800).

90 min. Sun 8 pm, Tue – Fri 8 pm, Sat 4 pm, 8 pm. W40,000 - W50,000. ticket.interpark.com, 1544-1555 May 7th The Princess’s Moon: Children’s Musical Korean. Jeju Culture and Art Center. 10:20 & 11:20 am. 010-6524-2009 May 30th – 31st Die Fledermaus (Bat): The Operetta This light opera was composed by Johann Strauss II. 7:30 pm. W10,000.

010-2309-6255

Concerts May 1st Jazz Piano Concert: Life and Freedom This ambitious piano concert features original compositions that attempt to depict life, freedom, and Jeju’s four distinct seasons all through the form

78 | 10 Magazine May 2010

May 21st – 22nd Mun-se Lee “Red Sunset” Concert Lee is famous for “Red Sunset” (붉은노을), a song that has been covered countless times. ICC Jeju. 7 pm.

W77,000 – W99,000. 064-744-0766 May 23rd Memorial Concert for Famed Singer Myeong-suk Lee Jeju Culture and Art Center. 7:30 pm. Free. 011-9660-3980 May 29th Junior Sinfonietta Mozart’s 40th Symphony and Cimarosa’s Concerto for two flutes. Jeju Culture and Art Center.

7:30 pm. Free. 010-7447-4664 Trees and Birds Guitar Festival A delightful collection of guitar groups, including the Jeju Acoustic Guitar Ensemble, Jeju Acoustic House, The Guitar People, and The Donkey Ensemble. Jeju Culture and Art Center.

7 pm. Free. 010-2699-1126

Family & Community May 28th – 30th Halla Rhododendron Festival and Hiking Contest Join crowds of ajummas and ajossis wearing the latest

Taiwan, Singapore, and the Philippines will be present. This is your one chance to compete on some of the most beautiful grass in Asia. Gang Changhak Sports Complex in Seogwipo. koreaultimate.net, 064-747-7688 May 5th K-League Soccer Jeju United FC vs FC Daegu Jeju World Cup Stadium at 1 pm June 13th Jeju Marathon Festival 10k, half and full at the Kimnyeong Beach, to begin at 9 am. W20,000 for 10k and W30,000 for half and full. Sign up by May 14th. jejumarathon.com, 064742-8861.

Dine & Drink May 7th – 9th

high-tech hiking gear on paths lined with blooming rhododendrons. Located near Eorimok Plaza. culture.jeju.go.kr, 064-759-0848

Sport & Fitness May 1st – 2nd Jeju Gnarly Nines Ultimate Frisbee Tournament Join in the high-spirited, low-contact fun at Jeju Island’s annual ultimate tournament. Players from all over Asia including China, Japan,

Bomok Damselfish Feast A festival for visitors and locals alike to try out the seafood delicacies of the south part of the Island. Near Bomok Harbor in Seogwipo. 064-733-3508

JEJU ISLAND Religious Services Jeju Anglican/Episcopal Church Sinjeju 010-2500-6780

Classes Woodcarving and Engraving Workshop Jeju Museum of Art. Weekdays 10 – 11:30 am, 2 – 3:30 pm; weekends 10 – 11:30 am, 2 – 4 pm.

Yoga Classes Milana Hall in Shin Jeju. Mon 5:45 - 6:45 pm, Wed 7:30 - 8:30 pm. See the Jeju United Clubs group on Facebook for info on this and other classes. W15,000. bryantka55@hotmail.com

Hotels/Accommodations Hotel Lotte Jeju 5-Star hotellotte.co.kr Jeju Hiking Inn Hostel hikinginn.com

064-731-1000 064-763-2380

Medical Services Dr. Chung’s Pediatric Clinic chung56@pednet.co.kr 064-748-1546 Hanna Women’s Clinic hannaobgy.com 064-711-7717 Pyeonhan Dental Clinic e-pretty.co.kr 064-758-2800

Radio Arirang Radio Jeju City Seoguipo

FM 88.7 FM 88.1

Restaurants Bagdad Cafe Indian. Delicious, authentic Indian food made from local ingredients in a gorgeous atmosphere. Near City Hall in Jeju City.

064-757-8182 Dom Jang Japanese. Spectacular sushi and sashimi in several fabulous locations all over the island. By far the best atmosphere is in Jungmun.

064-738-2550 El Paso Mexican. Rather bland but adequate Mexican food in a central location in Jeju City.

064-752-8252

Island Gecko’s Western. A varied menu of terrific Western food, plus maybe the best cocktails and service on the island.

The BBQ nights every weekend will blow you away with ribeye steak, sausages, and more for only W19,000. Jungmun.

064-739-0845 geckosterrace.com

Bars/Lounges/Pubs Boris Brewery The brewer at the successful Modern Time Brewpub is opening up another shop with beer and Spanish sangria based on a 30-year-old recipe.

064-726-4141 Bull’s Darts Bar They’ve got five dart boards, a variety of games, and even a women’s dart league. Near City Hall in Jeju City.

064-759-5559 La Vie No one’s quite sure whether it’s the company, the conversation, or arguably the best burger in Jeju that makes this such a popular watering hole for local expats.

064-700-1138

NETWORKING CALENDAR

Sponsored by Allied Pickfords Saturday, May 1st Traditional Korean Hanbok Fashion Show Join SIWA for this trip to Yunhwasa Temple in Yangju, an hour’s drive from Seoul. The fashion show starts after the pear blossom viewing and a delicious dinner. 4 – 9:30 pm.

W20,000 for transportation. siwapage.com Tuesday, May 4th AWC Coffee Morning Handbag Auction Looking for a new or gently used handbag?

Join AWC at their handbag auction. Donated handbags will be auctioned at reasonable prices. All proceeds go to charity. Orchid Room on the 19th floor of the Grand Ambassador Hotel from 9 am. Nonmembers W15,000 awckorea.org FKCCI Roundtable on HR Challenges in Korea With the Korean workplace growing more complex, HR managers face greater challenges. Panelists at this roundtable address the widening generation gap and cross-cultural differences. COEX. 11:30 am – 1:30 pm. Non-members W75,000. fkcci.com, infos@fkcci.com Introduction to Korean Antiques SIWA gives you a chance to enjoy coffee and croissants while learning about traditional Korean furniture. Plus, you get a 20% discount on purchases at the store through May 16th. Koreana Antique Furniture and Folk Craft across from the Itaewon Hotel.

10:30 am – noon. Non-members W10,000. siwapage.com, 02-790-6641 Thursday, May 6th SIWA Newcomer’s Meeting New in Seoul, or looking to expand your social network? This is your perfect chance to learn more about this great social and charitable organization.

Seoul Club at 10 am. W8,000. siwapage.com Saturday, May 8th ANZA Ball: All That Glitters ANZA’s ball features divine food, excellent wines, music, prizes, and more. Grand Hyatt Seoul near Namsan. 6:30 pm. Non-members W240,000. The RSVP deadline has passed

but you can inquire about open seats. anzakorea.com, anzakorearsvp@gmail.com 2S2 Expat Community Meetup Showing expats that the drinking circuit isn’t the only way to get connected. Held at various locations on the second Saturday of each month at 2 pm (hence the name). Search Facebook for 2S2 Community or visit 2s2community.blogspot.com. roboseyo@gmail.com Tuesday, May 11th R ASKB Lecture: Modern Art in Korea Presented by art historian Dr. Chaeki Freya Synn. Somerset Hotel near Anguk Stn. (line 3). W5,000. raskb.com, 02-763-9483 Sunday, May 16th AFC Tennis Tournament Join the members of this Francophone club on the courts at the Yangjae Tennis Club. Nonmembers W40,000. klebnikoff@yahoo.fr, 010-5388-5610 Tuesday, May 18th CANCHAM Leadership Seminar Interested in finding solutions for encouraging female leadership? Hear four speakers at CANCHAM’s leadership seminar held at COEX. 1 – 6 pm. Individuals W135,000, corporate groups of three or more W100,000. canchamkorea.org, info@canchamkorea.org Wednesday, May 19th SIWA Coffee Morning Enjoy good company over a good cup of coffee at the Grand Ambassador Hotel, 9:30 - 11:30 am. Members W12,000, non-members W17,000. siwapage.com Friday, May 21st AWC Coffee Morning Whether you’re new in town or a long-time resident, this is a great chance to make friends and learn more about your home away from home. Somerset Palace Seoul, 10 am. awcseoul.org Tuesday, May 25th BASS Monthly Meeting BASS hosts its monthly get together at the

Seoul Club. Catch up with friends and sign up for BASS events. Members and non-members are welcome at this relaxed morning tea.

10 am - noon. events@britishseoul.com Friday, June 4th CWC Canadian Backyard BBQ Come out and enjoy an evening with fellow Canucks with this event sponsored by the Canadian Women's Club and the Canadian Embassy. Schofield Hall at the Canadian Embassy from 5:30 – 9 pm. W10,000 includes BBQ and entertainment. Proceeds donated to First Steps (a humanitarian organization) and Aeranwon (a shelter for unwed mothers). Reserve your ticket now! cwckorea@live.com

2010 June

FRI

4 th

Queen’s Birthday Seoul

Organized every year

by BASS, this is one of the year's biggest international fund-raising events for Korean charities. Guests enjoy gourmet food and wine, a live auction, a raffle, and dancing to the superb music of the British band The Lightyears. The night’s theme will only be unveiled when you arrive at the ball. Grand Hyatt Hotel.

Cocktails served from 6:30 pm. For tickets or more information, contact BASS at bassqbb@britishseoul.com 2S2 2nd Saturday at 2 PM AFC Association des Francophones des

Corée ANZA Australian and New Zealand

Association of Korea AWC American Women’s Club BASS British Association of Seoul CANCHAM Canadian Chamber of Commerce CWC Canadian Women’s Club FKCCI French-Korean Chamber of Commerce

and Industry RASKB Royal Asiatic Society Korea Branch SIWA Seoul International Women’s

Association Ed i t e d by Dav i d Carru th

NETWORKING CALENDAR 10 Magazine May 2010 | 79

Culture Vulture Words by Samantha Di x-H i ll , I llustration by H y eon - seong Ry u

B

eing an expat allows you to reinvent yourself over and over again. Every time you leave one country and enter another you clean the slate, so to speak. You meet a whole lot of new people and surround yourself with acquaintances who accompany on your short journey, only to be left and all but forgotten once you embark on your next adventure. At some stage you will eventually return to your own country and slide into home base like you’ve never left the game.

My favorite part of relocating is the intercultural training thoughtfully provided by my husband’s company each time we move. Thanks to this I know how to conduct business in most Far Eastern countries and one or two Western ones, too. Sadly I’ve never conducted business in any, even though I came to Korea fully prepared to consume alcohol until my liver held up a red card, and sing my lungs out at noraebang. I was willing to go that extra mile and cause myself serious bodily harm all in the name of cultural understanding. Pity I don’t have a job.

But all is not lost. I’ve managed to make a few cultural observations of my own and I’m rant, be sure to photograph your food before eating it. Always have a camera with thinking of rewriting the company’s manual. you, but if you forget, there’s always your mobile phone camera. I must apoloTwo things come to mind immediately that I gize for not being able to tell you why it’s important to photograph your meal but feel are worth sharing. First and most important; everybody does it; ergo, you should too. And of course I welcome any insight into when driving in Korea, do not use your indicawhy this is such an important local custom. tor to show that you would like to change lanes; While on the subject of food, if you really want to ingratiate yourself with the what this means is that you would like the car locals then it’s always a good idea to tell them how much you enjoy their food. in your lane of choice to speed up and close the Personally this has been my biggest downfall, and possibly the sole reason why gap, thereby prohibiting you from making such I will never truly be accepted into Korean society. I just don’t like Korean food. a foolish move. If you are really serious about There, I’ve said it. I’m willing to admit that it’s entirely my fault as I choose not to changing lanes, do not indicate it at all, merely eat meat unless I’ve done the monstrous deed of killing it myself, and this narrows move over and all will be well in the world. If down my options enormously. For sure I can see the joy of a Korean barbeque, but you hear loud hooting this is merely the other sadly it’s true, lettuce is the only food that cannot be cooked. drivers showing their approval of your dexterous I’m truly fascinated, if not a little suspicious of the foreigners splashed across move. You may flash your lights to acknowledge the mid-section of my morning newspaper, boldly cooking their favorite Korean their approval. Or hoot right back. food and extolling the joys of the local cuisine. It is my dream to absorb a new My second tip is this; when visiting a restauculture as effortlessly as they seem to do.

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