(EN) Gwangju News November 2014 #153

Gwangju & South Jeolla International Magazine

#153/ November 2014

YOUR HELP You Should Know

Lee Hye-gyoung

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Meet Our Contributor SIMON BOND (Gwangju News Photo Editor and Writer, U.K.)

Since 2012, Simon Bond has curated our magazine’s photo essays, judged which submissions should become our photos of the month, and written a monthly how-to column on his lifelong passion.

Gwangju News knew its luck when he agreed to take on those duties. Having had his work featured on the cover of National Geographic, Simon is a photographer of professional caliber.

That is why we are loathe to inform our readers that this issue will be his last as photo editor and as a contributor, as he has recently relocated to Malaysia.

Simon Bond offers his own goodbye and a final lesson in photography in this issue. His column, Gwangju Clicks, will be discontinued.

Join Our Team!

Gwangju News always need volunteers who want to share their expertise or gain some.

We welcome anyone who would like to join our team of enthusiastic individuals to bring Gwangju to the world.

Feel free to contact us with your interest and your idea to get involved!

The Gwangju News Print Team needs illustrators, photographers and writers.

Please contact the print editor at gwangjunews@gic.or.kr.

The Gwangju News Online Team needs online editorial assistants.

Please contact the online editor at gwangjunewsonline@gmail.com.

Email us today and start getting involved!

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Cover Photo: Gwangju Dongbu Police Station Foreign Liaison Lee Hye-gyoung

CONTENTS

Photograph by Joe Wabe

Gwangju & South Jeolla International Magazine

November 2014 #153 Publication Date: October 27, 2014 Publisher: Professor Shin Gyonggu

GWANGJU NEWS PRINT Editor-in-Chief: Professor Robert Grotjohn Editor: Adam Volle Senior Coordinator: Kim Minsu Coordinator and Layout Editor: Karina Prananto Photo Editor: Karina Prananto Chief Proofreader: Bradley Weiss Copy Editors: Kate Blessing, Brian Fitzroy, Heinrich Hattingh, Kate Jarocki, Joey Nunez, Jon Ozelton Proofreaders: Lianne Bronzo, Christie Fargher, Don Gariepy, Jessica Keralis, Fellin Kinanti, Jannies Le, Gabriella Nygaard, Katie Rayner, Stephen Redeker, Pete Schandall, Kelly Shepherd, Teri Venable Creative Consultant: Warren Parsons Researchers: GIC Foreign Support Team: Lee Jeonghwa, Kim Hyunyoung, Han Jeongbong, Han Juyeon, Yong Yurim

GWANGJU NEWS ONLINE Editor: Ana Traynin Online Editorial Assistants: Matthew Jacob, Amanda Miller, Jacqui Page, Adriano Salamone Website: www.gwangjunewsgic.com E-mail: gwangjunews@gic.or.kr Registration No.: 광주광역시 라. 00145 (ISSN 2093-5315) Registration Date: February 22, 2010 Printed by Join Adcom 조인애드컴

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For Help in English:

Get to Know Lee Hye-gyoung, Gwangju Dongbu Police Station’s Foreign Liaison

Solace in Beauty: Four Paintings You (Probably) Missed

Gwangju News is published by Gwangju International Center Address: Gwangju International Center 1-2 Fl., 5, Jungang-ro 196 beon-gil (Geumnam-ro 3 Ga), Dong-gu, Gwangju 501-023, South Korea Phone: +82-62-226-2733~4 Fax: +82-62-226-2731 Website: www.gic.or.kr E-mail: gic@gic.or.kr Copyright by Gwangju International Center. All rights reserved. No part of this publication covered by this copyright may be reproduced in any form or by any means - graphic, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise - without the written consent of the publisher.

Special thanks to the City of Gwangju and all of our sponsors.

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Imported Music: Gwangju’s International Bands

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FEATURES For Help in English: Get to Know the Gwangju Dongbu Police Station’s Foreign Liaison Staying Safe in Gwangju Solace in Beauty: Four Paintings You (Probably) Missed Imported Music: Gwangju’s International Bands

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LOCAL Gwangju Works: Pedro’s House: Gwangju’s Guesthouse Gwangju Talks: What would you do if you were the victim of a crime, and how confident are you that justice would be served?

Gwangju City Hall News Gwangju Plays: The GPP Jeolla-Do-Re-Mi’s Gwangju Cooks: Tteok Pizza Gwangju Eats: Samarkand

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PLACES TO SEE My Korea: Korea’s Autumn Leaves Departing Gwangju: Karakorum, Mongolia

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PHOTOGRAPHY Photo of the Month: Suncheon Bay Gwangju Clicks: Travel Photography Photo Essay: AlleyCon 2014

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CULTURE Behind the Myth: Did King Sejong Design Hangeul?

Korean Poetry by Han Yong-un Gwangju Writes: A Cafe in Paris: A Short Story

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GIC GIC Culture Tour: Hwasun and Ssangbong Temple Stay GIC Talk Preview: Planets and Us GIC Talk November Schedule

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GENERAL Health: Sleeping Positions: Belly Sleepers, Lefties and Rights – How Sleeping Patterns Dictate Dreams BIRDS Korea: Gambling on the Future KOTESOL: Conferencing for Self-Improvement

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INFO National Pension Service: Social Security Agreement for Hungarian and French Nationals Community Board “Willkomen!” It’s the G.P.P. Cabaret Night!

Upcoming Events

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gwangjunewsgic.com

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GwangjuNews

@GwangjuNewsGIC

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[COVER STORY]

For Help in English:

Get to Know the Gwangju Dongbu Police Station’s Foreign Liaison Words by Benjamin Grady Young Interpretation by Kim Hyunyoung Photos by Joe Wabe

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ee Hye-gyoung has investigated gambling rings, cracked down on sex trafficking, worked security at Incheon’s airport and escorted foreign VIPs to their destinations, but now she can be found in plain clothes at Gwangju’s universities and multicultural centers, where she gives presentations, hands out public safety literature and performs the myriad other duties that come with being the foreign liaison for the Gwangju Dongbu Police Station.

Lee possesses the rank of a gyeongsa — literally “third-rank police” but sometimes translated as “sergeant.” She is one of only 15 officers charged with protecting Gwangju’s continually growing foreigner population, some members of which know her by her English name Monica. Moreover, she says, “I am the only police who can speak English in [Dong-gu’s] Foreign Affairs division.” Dong-gu alone is home to over 1,200 foreign residents, as well as multiple expat-run businesses where the rest of the city’s English-speaking expats typically gather.

Lee joined the police force after majoring in geology at university. Inspired by an English club at her alma mater and wanting to broaden her way of thinking, Lee told Gwangju News she joined the police force primarily to meet a greater variety of people. She also sheepishly admitted to being a lifelong fan of both Sherlock Holmes and the Korean television show “Susa Banjang,” which she described as Korea’s “C.S.I.” From these innocent motivations began what she describes as an exciting and fulfilling career of service. She once raided a gambling den in which migrants were betting money on games of mahjong.

Her team found the den’s illegal profits hidden inside an industrial-sized container of red pepper paste.

While working in Incheon, she found herself with the unfortunate task of helping U.S. trade representatives through a crowd of anti-F.T.A. protesters, who pelted her with eggs.

But though Lee has had her share of encounters over the course of her 14-year career, she said she feels very much at home in an office, and that she derives a great deal of satisfaction from helping the foreign community of Gwangju. For helping her through the difficulties, she credited her husband, 12-year-old daughter and 9-year-old son. “They always support me. Whenever the foreign events are held after work and on weekends, they happily join me.”

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Lee regularly gives presentations about public safety and the finer points of Korean law to foreign students, English teachers and migrants. One particular responsibility she has is the production and distribution of police literature in the form of posters, pamphlets and notices, informing foreign residents about laws and regulations that may be slightly different from their home countries but which can get them in trouble nonetheless. While there is no shortage of pamphlets, however, Lee admits that online resources available for non-Korean speakers are very limited. In an effort to rectify this oversight, Lee plans to soon establish and monitor a Facebook page dedicated to Gwangju foreign residents’ legal problems and questions. The page should be up next year.

Also conspicuously missing from available reading material is information about what residents are enabled by law to do when they find themselves in an emergency situation. During her interview for this article, Lee was asked how people may legally defend themselves if attacked. This is actually a partic-

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ularly important question for foreigners; according to Lee, statistics indicate that more than half of all crimes in which foreigners are involved are assaults.

“There are drunken assaults around the clubs on Chungjang-ro and group assaults in the Pyeongdong complex area in Gwangsan-gu,” she explained.

“And there is especially domestic violence in which migrant women are victims.”

If attacked, Lee recommends fighting back but not escalating the situation; retaliating against an unarmed assault with a weapon might land the victim in more trouble than the aggressor, with the exceptions of sanctioned pepper-sprays or other alternatives.

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During the interview, Lee was able to go into great detail about the ideal flow of a case, and the common hiccups that can complicate matters. She stressed above all that reporting an incident immediately, preferably while victim, perpetrator and witnesses are all still present at the scene, is the most helpful thing anyone can do to aid in the pursuit of justice. Quick reporting can turn a case from a three-week ordeal into a three-day turnaround.

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GWANGJU CRIMES IN 2013:

PERPETRATORS BY COUNTRY:

Total 287 reported crimes by non-Koreans

Total 351 internationals committed crimes

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the

53 fraud

9 sex

ft

94 117 assault

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77 traffic and miscellaneous

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Other nationals

161 Chinese 16 Uzbek can n i r a e i l m go 25 A 38 on M Vietnamese 7 1

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117 assault 77 traffic 9 sex 53 fraud 31 theft

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5 1, 2. Lee offers literature to international residents.

3. Lee’s interview with Gwangju News at Gwangju Dongbu Police Station.

4. Lee credited her family, pictured, for her success.

5. Lee attended GIC Day annually. She attends many international events in order to interact with the foreign community.

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In the event that the crime is reported a significant amount of time after a strict protocol is followed in which victims and suspects must be located and interviewed separately, after which a case file must be sent to the prosecutorial branch of the Korean National Police (KNP). The KNP then makes a determination about what action should be taken. This slow progression through what is said to be an understaffed system can take over a month to come to any meaningful conclusion, leaving victims to wonder if the police are pursuing their cases at all.

Lee wants internationals to know the police are indeed committed, especially her. “Last night I got a call from a victim who has been worried about her safety from a suspect, so I chatted with her to make her relieved… I have been chatting even if it is late at night. Even after work hours, I get some calls which need my help. and I try to do my best to solve the problems.”

Crime prevention is a two-way street, though. “I am only one person managing foreign affairs in the Dong-gu district, so I will be glad if the foreign community becomes my eyes and ears, so I can listen to and to understand your difficulties and some problems.”

If you are an international resident of Gwangju, she encourages you to contact her with any questions or concerns. Her e-mail address is monika1004@ naver.com.

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Staying Safe in Gwangju Words by Maria Lisak and Kate Jarocki Photos courtesy of the Jeolla Safety Alliance

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nlike crimes committed by non-Koreans, the Gwangju Police Agency does not keep track of how many crimes are committed against foreigners. This rather questionable oversight means that any understanding of international residents’ safety is at least somewhat anecdotal. But there are enough anecdotes to suggest that while Gwangju is a relatively safe city, residents should still take precautions.

Theft, for example, certainly occurs: the editor of Gwangju News recently watched CCTV footage of a deliveryman stealing his wife’s mail.

Violent crime also remains a concern. All of Gwangju was recently reminded of what potential exists for violence just this past September, when a Korean man in Gwangju murdered his Korean girlfriend, his girlfriend’s mother and his girlfriend’s daughter, all within a timespan of two hours, because his girlfriend gave him the cold shoulder when he attempted to mend the relationship. Violence is common against migrant women too, especially those from Southeast Asia. And the city’s English-speaking community of internationals has recently buzzed about two separate incidents at a popular expatoperated bar. Less dramatic but still vexing is the harassment reported by female internationals. Some native English teachers have pursued prosecution of gropers, often Korean ajeossis.

It can be difficult to cope with the fear and possible trauma involved in a problem requiring the help of the law. Add in the difficulty of language barriers some non-Koreans face when trying to communicate a statement and the process can feel overwhelming.

Several organizations exist to help, however. On December 3 of last year, Hollaback! Korea launched a website targeting street harassment. Both the site

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The Jeolla Safety Alliance was founded by Laura Sparley, Maria Lisak and Nancy Harcar in 2012.

A still from CCTV footage of a deliveryman stealing a foreigner’s mail after noticing English on the envelope.

and Facebook page remain highly active and include many residents of Gwangju. Gwangju is also home to the Jeolla Safety Alliance (JSA), an organization that aims to help foreigners with personal safety matters throughout the South Jeolla Province.

Formed in November 2012 by Gwangju expatriates Nancy Harcar, Maria Lisak and Laura Sparley, the group was created largely in response to the rape of an English teacher in Gwangsan-gu by a taxi driver.

Although inactive at present, its Facebook page and

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RESOURCES • Emergency: 112 (Police) • Emergency Support Centers for Migrant Women 가정폭력방지본부 Address: 5th Fl., 1001-25 Wolsan-Dong, Nam-gu 503-230 Tel: 062-366-1366 Website: www.wm1366.or.kr/ E-mail: kjmw1577@hanmail.net • Gwangju International Center Address: S5, Jungang-ro 196beon-gil, Dong-gu, Gwangju 501-023 Tel: 062-226-2733~4 Fax: 062-226-2731 Website: www.gic.or.kr E-mail: gic@gic.or.kr, counseling@gic.or.kr • Gwangju Women Sexual Violence Counseling Center Tel: 062-363-0442 Website: www.gjhotline.org/gj2010/ E-mail: kjwhl@hanmail.net • Gwangju Dongbu Police Station, Foreign Affairs Address: 20 Daeui-dong, Dong-gu, 501-709 Tel: 062-606-5276 E-mail: monika1004@naver.com • Jeolla Safety Alliance E-mail: info@JeollaSafetyAlliance.com or Facebook group page

site remains accessible and its members willing to help with situations.

The JSA prevailed upon Gwangju News sometime back to include a cut-out emergency-contact card inside every print issue for foreign residents.. In addition to space for personal information, the card has a place to write the names of Korean contacts one can turn to for help. More than saving an international from relying on his or her phone for an important number, the card offers an opportunity to open a dialogue between Koreans and foreigners on the subject of safety. This dialogue is helpful in deciding how emergencies should be handled and in what ways the native speaker can offer support. It also assists in spreading the word that safety should be a top concern and not something to be thought of only after an emergency has occurred.

Have that conversation about safety today.

Jeolla Safety Alliance is a group of Koreans and international residents alike to create awareness of crimes.

This safety card is for you to cut out and keep handy!

FB group: Jeolla Safety Alliance

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Solace in Beauty: Four Paintings You (Probably) Missed Words by Tim Snell Images courtesy of Seo Gi-moon

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he horror of modern art is in its ego. In a world dominated by brands and shiny celebrities, the beauty of art is commonly displaced by controversy and renown. Take Tracey Emin’s neon signs and Damien Hirst’s $50,000,000 “For the Love of God,” for examples. There was no ego in Professor Seo’s exhibition, however, at Gallery D in Dong-gu, Gwangju (behind old GIC’s office), the paintings have considerable invention and beauty.

The exhibition was an exploration of humans and nature. One might think, on seeing two portraits of tree huggers, there was a green agenda in place. On closer inspection these paintings, collectively titled “Listening,” are portraits of Professor Seo and his wife with their eyes closed, as they listen to Nature’s voice. His humility and playfulness emerges, as un-

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beknown to Professor Seo a so-jjukk — a Korean bird similar to an owl — watches him on a nearby branch. In this self-portrait Seo paints himself, painting a tree, surrounded by wasteland. Its inspiration is a quotation from the philosopher Spinoza: “Even though the world should see the end tomorrow, I will plant an apple tree.”

The most compelling and strikingly realistic painting is a watercolour dubbed “For Lyrical Poetry.” It took the artist four months working 4-5 hours every day and is a devotion to nature at work. The wind shakes the hay, the sun casts shadows and birds are playfully hidden in a complex bundle of straw. It is as beautiful from a distance as it is up close.

Reflecting on the title “Human Nature,” one might

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equate cows grazing in the field with a young man on his laptop: technology as an extension of human nature. However, this painting is more accurately a nod to the past, present and future. Strapped around a traditional tree is rope, which holds the wishes of the Korean people. The young man’s computer is not a lament about the loss of nature; this is a thoroughly optimistic work.

Symbols from Korean culture in the paintings are spliced with modern images — the young man on his laptop appears as a motif in several paintings in the exhibition. These rhyming images create paintings that work together: a visual poem. While studying them I asked Professor Seo, “What is more im-

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“Faith” “Listening” “Consideration” ”Human Nature” “For a New Start”

portant: meaning or beauty?”

Professor Seo answered: “Art is always searching for beauty in what it represents.”

As of publication, it is too late to visit the exhibition; the paintings are now back in Professor Seo’s studio. Perhaps their brief exposure adds to their beauty, their temporariness adding to the sense of something lost or something special-lived. Either way, it does not mean Professor Seo will no longer paint. For him the exploration of humans and nature is continuous. If another opportunity comes to see his work in person, take it.

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Imported Music: Gwangju’s International Bands Words by Matt Endacott Photos by Relja Kojic and courtesy of Malarkey

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welve years ago, a Canadian musician named Dave Martin traveled to Seoul in order to recruit musicians to play at Speakeasy, his pub in Gwangju.

He found some and after their positive experiences, word quickly spread that Speakeasy was a great place for bands to play. Derek Hannon, the bar’s current owner, has seen a great many musical talents come through over the years, and enjoyed the ride.

“Even if they aren’t from Gwangju, most bands want to play their last gig here,” Derek explained. “Nobody sits. Everybody is in your face dancing. It gets nutty when bands come.”

One local musical gem which occasionally plays there is Malarkey. The band began as a trio of heavy rockers but has since evolved to showcase more diverse musical styles and appeal to a wider audience. Now they perform as a cover band, as well as compose music of their own. The band has toured all over South Korea, but the recent exodus of a few members left the group seeking new musicians.

Its lone original member, Dan Lloyd, has been a part of the Gwangju music scene for many years, playing in the locally popular band Feed the Boats and the Dave Martin Band. He explained that one of the biggest difficulties of having a band in South Korea is that many expats are more interested in traveling and pursuing other experiences than committing to practice and performing regularly, so recruiting new members is hard.

However, Malarkey has re-vamped its line-up with a new lead guitarist, bassist and keyboardist. At time of writing, the members were excited to play their next live show at Speakeasy’s Halloween party on Saturday, November 1. The returning band members spoke of the last show they played at Speakeasy as the most fun they have had in the band. “It was our home

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crowd. We fed them energy and they fed us energy.”

A new addition to the waeguk music scene is a band named Poster Child, which began six months ago when singer Lisa Crone decided to try her hand at starting a band. Poster Child is a cover band with a growing arsenal of songs. Like Malarkey, they are also working on developing their own original content. Most of their shows have been at Speakeasy on Jazz Night, but their last performance was at AlleyCon, where they pleased the crowd by rocking the house in original Star Trek outfits.

The members of these bands have varying levels of musical experience, but they share common ideas and sentiments about playing in a band. They are

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1. Poster Child guitarist Will Revak performs at AlleyCon 2014.

2. Malarkey, clockwise from topleft: Dan Lloyd, Heather Aikens, Wil Rawlins, Paul Holland, Stanley MacDonald, Relja Kojic.

3. Poster Child, from left: Will Revak, Lisa Crone, Chad LaRouche, Doug Stuber.

passionate about music and entertainment, enjoy the connections they make with each other and their audiences, and maintain a high work ethic, sacrificing their time and energy to prepare for performances.

“You have to make a choice; it’s an everyday decision to put forth the effort,” said Dan from Malarkey.

Go out and support our local foreigner bands while they treat you to great times and performances. The dates for upcoming shows at Speakeasy include: Saturday, November 1 (Halloween Party with Malarkey); Saturday, November 8 (Hypnotic’s Album Release); Friday, November 14 (Jazz Night with Flying Jazz); and Saturday, November 29 (Angry Bear).

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Pedro’s House Words by Kate Jarocki Photos courtesy of Pedro Kim 1

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edro’s House is a relatively new guesthouse located in Gwangju. Officially opened just over a year ago on August 19, 2013, this guesthouse aims to fill a niche. The first of its kind in the city, the guesthouse not only offers guests a place to sleep, but also shows guests the sights and offers a personal tour guide — the owner himself, Kim “Pedro” Hyeon-seok.

An avid traveler, Pedro wanted to open a guesthouse to fill a need he felt was unfulfilled in Gwangju. Sure, there were places to stay, but it was difficult for foreigners to find them, as they were only advertised on Korean websites such as Naver.

One of the things Pedro wanted to do was make his guesthouse foreigner-friendly. He accomplished this goal by only advertising on international websites such as airbnb.com, hostelworld.com, and booking. com. People from all over the world have found his

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guesthouse on these websites, and also from word of mouth; a recent guest from Poland had heard about Pedro’s House from a previous guest while she was traveling in Italy.

Pedro’s other aim is for Pedro’s House to be more than just a hostel. According to Pedro, the word “hostel” brings to mind a lot of people crammed into small rooms without much interaction from the hostel staff. Pedro wanted to make his guesthouse more intimate, so that he and his guests can get to know each other while they explore local culture.

When a guest stays at Pedro’s House, they can look through all of the information he has on Gwangju and identify places they want to visit. Pedro often accompanies his guests and provides an insider’s view of the city.

WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT AS A GUEST AT PEDRO’S

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5 1. Pedro Kim, an avid traveler, long wanted to open a foreignerfriendly guesthouse.

2. Pedro Kim gives information to a guest.

3. Pedro’s House has a rooftop terrace.

4. The double room.

5. The male dormitory.

wants guests to make themselves at home, and having a friendly host is advantageous in making that happen.

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HOUSE? Pedro’s House currently has four rooms and can accommodate up to 11 people a night. There are two dormitory-style rooms, one male room and one female room, which sleep three and four people, respectively. Sharing a bathroom with the dormitories is a private room. A larger private room with en suite bathroom is available for those who require more privacy. There is also a rooftop terrace where guests are welcome to sleep in tents when the weather is suitable in the event no other rooms are available. A family suite will become available in the coming months, complete with separate sleeping and living rooms as well as a private bathroom.

In addition to the various rooms and rooftop terrace where guests can enjoy barbeque parties, weather permitting, amenities at Pedro’s House include a free breakfast, free wi-fi, easy access to public transportation and a travel guide, with discounted Lonely Korea trips during travelers’ stays. If you want to check out the sights within the city, Pedro might even accompany you, free of charge. Pedro

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PEDRO’S HOUSE IN THE COMMUNITY Born and raised in Gwangju, Pedro has become a staple in the Gwangju community and is known by Koreans and foreigners alike. He is a supporter of the Gwangju International Center, Sung Bin Orphanage and Alleycon, this year offering a shuttle service for the convention.

Pedro’s favorite part about having his own guesthouse is making friends. He also enjoys learning about the different cultures, religions and jobs of his guests. He says: “It’s about life. Life is unpredictable. Everyone has a different reason to travel.”

FUTURE PLANS It is important to have goals for the future, and Pedro has his own for Pedro’s House. His immediate plan is to create a two-room family suite. In the next two or three years, Pedro hopes to open a second location that offers rooms on top floors with a travel cafe on the ground floor. His goal is to bring guests and Gwangju residents together to create an atmosphere conducive to sharing culture and making friends.

For more information on Pedro’s House or to book your stay, visit pedroshouse.com.

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[Gwangju Talks] Each month, Gwangju News surveys a particular demographic of Gwangju’s residents for their perspective on a topic of interest. What topics would you like to see discussed, and from what viewpoint?

E-mail your requests to gwangjunews@gic.or.kr.

What would you do if you were the victim of a crime, and how confident are you that justice would be served?

Compiled by Lee Jeonghwa, Kim Hyunyoung, Han Jeongbong, Han Juyeon, and Yong Yurim

LUCAS, ENGLISH TEACHER What to do is fairly easy; I would call the police. I speak Korean enough to talk with the police, and I have found most officers to be courteous and helpful. Would I get justice? That is a very difficult question. Our cultural concepts of justice are very different. It depends heavily on what kind of crime it was.

An example I can think of: imagine I am in a bar with my friends. Suddenly a man gets angry and punches me. He breaks my nose. I do not know him or why he did it. My experience is Korean people do not like to get involved or start trouble. No one would want to tell the police what they saw or who the man was. If he were identified, he could offer to pay for my hospital bills and a little extra. The police would in turn encourage me to take the money. It is very unlikely he would be charged with a crime, because after all, no one wants to testify and the prosecutor might not want to take on a case of my word versus his.

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This is unsatisfying to me because to me it is not a question of money; it is a question of whether one can “buy” the right to put another person in the hospital when he or she is angry. I do not think this is unjust to Korean people; he was forced to compensate me for my damage.

Therefore answering this question is complicated.

By my culture’s standards, I am unlikely to get justice, but then I am not in my country. I do wish Korean people were less shy to get involved when they see one person hurting another.

JAMES, FROM AUSTRALIA If I were the victim of a crime in Korea, I would first talk to a Korean coworker or friend to ask them to assist me. As I cannot speak Korean well, I could not go to the police. I would not be confident of getting justice at all as Korean police have a very bad reputation and they, along with the justice system in Korea, are said to have a bias against foreigners.

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MATT, ENGLISH TEACHER FROM THE UK It depends on the type of crime. I would want to call the police. But I feel I would not be able to communicate with them. So I would call a Korean friend and have him call on my behalf. If I had a real emergency, I would be worried because the language problem would mean it would take a long time to get the details across. I wish there were a separate emergency number for foreigners.

I am not very confident I would get justice because I think the Korean police and court would show favoritism.

JEROME, FREELANCER FROM THE PHILIPPINES If I were the victim of a crime, I would immediately call 112 and would explain all the details of the situation that happened to me. As far as I know, my voice would be recorded and it would be used to investigate the incident. In my opinion, however, it is not enough to be safe. The thing which is very significant and which must be done is collecting the evidence ourselves. It is common knowledge that the pictures taken at crime scenes offer obvious hints to reveal the incident. Therefore, I strongly insist that we should take a number of pictures around us.

XIAOCHEN, EXCHANGE STUDENT FROM CHINA Nowadays, our society is developing rapidly. But with prosperity, the rates of crime have also soared.

In my opinion, awareness of how to protect ourselves should be raised so that we do not become victims of crime. If I were a victim of crime, I would ask a related department for help, like a police office. They can protect us. I would be a witness as well. Describing the criminal to police can also help to solve the crime.

In general, people are not aware of something if it did not happen to them. Making the police and others aware of a crime that happened to you can help to raise awareness of crime, which can lower the rate of criminal incidents as well.

As for being a victim, I am really confident that I would get justice. Due to the increasing rate of criminal activity, the actions taken by the government have also improved. People… should trust their police and local government and ask the authorities for help whenever they need them. People should not live in a terrifying environment.

www.holidayinngwangju.com

Welcome to November!

Mexican food Promotion for Dinner Indulge yourself with a complete set today!

Special Mexican food is available November 7 to December 21 at the Hourglass buffet restaurant

THE WINE DINNER ON NOVEMBER 14 AT LOBBY LOUNGE A unique occasion to digest delicious, iconic tacos or quesadillas by our chef, flown directly from Los Cabos to deliver you the great experience of authentic Mexican food. Don’t miss it.

Happy Hour at Cloud Lounge Experienced the western way of enjoying drinks accompanied by light snacks. It’s not only about food or about drink; it’s not like a diner. Its Happy Hour Time!

Every Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.

29,700 won per person includes a snack buffet and unlimited wine, beer (local) and soft drinks.

A Unique Lifetime Experience at Holiday Inn Gwangju For more information: 062-610-7063~4

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[This Month in Gwangju] Our municipal government would like to share some information with you.

Gwangju City Hall News Words by Benjamin Grady Young Compiled by Lee Jeonghwa, Kim Hyunyoung, Han Jeongbong, Han Juyeon, and Yong Yurim Photos courtesy of Gwangju City Government

TAP WATER

Reception held to commemorate the 65th anniversary of the Republic in China

CHINA-FRIENDLY The Chinese consulate in Gwangju held a reception on September 12 to commemorate the 65th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China. The event serves as a reminder of Gwangju’s recent bid to support tourism, particularly from Korea’s largest neighbor. Events like the Summer Universiade and the Gwangju Biennale have historically attracted tourists from China and other countries. City Hall is also strengthening services and support for the burgeoning medical tourism industry, fueled in no small part by Chinese patients. The number of Chinese nationals seeking medical treatment has increased almost ninefold in the last five years.

The Gwangju Office of Waterworks published its clean water statistics this past month. The report indicates that all four of Gwangju’s filtration plants met with national standards. The water reserves on which Gwangju relies, and the purification plants the city employs, must pass a strict inspection covering the levels of nearly sixty organic and inorganic compounds. An inspection of integral pipes, reservoirs and taps indicated that potentially hazardous elements capable of leaching into the water — like zinc and copper — were all below the baseline of analysis.

PHOTO ZONES While Gwangju residents have always been able to enjoy Gwangju’s myriad parks for the fresh air and distraction they provide, a new program to establish “photo zones” will add a cultural element to the city’s current natural beauty. In these photo zones, park-goers will be able to see selected photos from local photographers, as well as take their own photographs. There are currently photo zones in Dong-gu Pureungil Park, Seo-gu Sangmu Park, the 5.18 Memorial Peace Park, Central Park, Buk-gu Jungoe Park, Uchi Park and Gwangsan-gu Ssangam Park. The city has plans to further expand the program.

READING TOGETHER IN THE LIBRARY On September 27th the Gwangju City Library held its third cultural festival, dedicated to highlighting the importance of reading, in Sangmu Civil Park. The theme of the festival was “Sharing Through Reading” and the day included a variety of activities, including a Golden Bell Reading Challenge, a Mock Fairy Tale area and a Book Flea Market. Mudeung Library put on a play for the attendees, and guest author Kim Sung Bum led a program called “Books and Moving Sluggishly.”

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Subway stations without screen doors will have them installed to improve the safety of passengers.

Photo: Johannes Barre

Performance held for Korean and Chinese seniors

GWANGJU SUBWAY SCREEN DOORS

KOREAN AND CHINESE SENIORS

City Hall has secured 8 billion won to install screen doors on the Gwangju Subway Line. The doors will improve safety while reducing dust and noise pollution on the platform. The City maintains its dedication to accident prevention over mere response, and will be expanding infrastructure to achieve this.

In another international gesture, Gwangju hosted two hundred Chinese seniors who participated in a cultural exchange with a group of Korean seniors.

The Chinese participants shared a traditional Taeguk sword dance, tai chi chuan and health exercises. The Korean participants reciprocated with a taekwondo demonstration and a traditional Korean musical performance. The events were hosted in Gwangju’s Bitgoeul Assisted Living Community, one of the foremost care facilities in Asia. The visitors also spent time touring the area and participating in other leisure activities.

ASIA ARTIST RESIDENCE PROGRAM A gallery show exhibiting the work of twelve artists participating in an international “Asian Artist Residency Program” was held from October 4th to the 11th in the 5.15 Gallery. Prior to producing the displayed work, the artists visited prominent artistic and cultural centers in Gwangju, such as the 5.18 Memorial Cemetery, the Gwangju Biennale and the Asian Cultural Complex. They were then tasked with creating works that embodied the essence of Gwangju and either their relationship with the city or their view of it, to be displayed in the 5.15 Gallery.

RESIDENTIAL AREA PLANNING In an effort to assist ailing regions of the city, City Hall has announced an initiative to establish multiple “autonomous villages” throughout the city.

The project will involve community leaders working together with economists and local government to choose areas for development in each city district.

The initial phases of the project are due to be completed by the end of 2017.

GWANGJU ON THE OLD MAP While City Hall’s focus is often on the future, it is important to look back to where the city has come from as well. In this spirit of self-reflection, the Gwangju Folk Museum is holding an exhibition highlight- ing old maps of Gwangju, from the Joseon Dynasty to 1950. The exhibition includes twenty antique maps and many more cultural artifacts. There was also a guest lecture on the history of the towncastle. The exhibition transitions from a ‘pre-industrial Korea’ focus to a 20th century focus in the third and fourth sections of the exhibition, including modern maps and images from the Japanese Colonial Period.

The exhibition will be held from October 2 to November 9 with more than 90 items for display. The museum opens from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily (closed on Mondays). For more information please contact the museum directly: 062-613-5337~8.

Please scan the QR Code for more info on Gwangju

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[Gwangju Plays] Gwangju Plays publicizes sports and recreation opportunities in Gwangju.

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The GPP Jeolla-Do-Re-Mi’s Words by Karly Pierre Photos courtesy of Relja Kojic and the Gwangju Performance Project

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hat do Tetris, James Bond and Game of Thrones have in common? Any member of the Jeolla Do Re Mi’s would say: great music. Their theme songs were just a few of the classic compositions that Heather Aiken, the GPP’s choir director, drew from when arranging a commissioned “geek” medley for AlleyCon this September. While AlleyCon, a local gaming convention, was only the second performance for Gwangju Performance Project’s new choir, it was also an experience that gave them a glimpse of their potential.

“I was really humbled by the response of the choristers,” said Aiken. “They worked so hard. They were excited about the pieces we were doing because they knew them from when they were kids. The best bit about it was that we were able to change and

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rewrite the pieces to work with the voices that we had, and I think that they really took that seriously and were very respectful of that.”

Aiken, an Australian, has studied music since she was a child. In addition to playing both piano and cello, she also performed with a range of eclectic choirs that sang everything from chorals to jazz and pop. So naturally, when she moved to South Korea last year, she was drawn to the local arts scene, making friends with foreigners of various performing arts backgrounds. It was while being involved in a local play that she was struck with the idea of starting a choir.

“I was intending to start a choir after the play,” said Aiken. “But then I read on the Gwangju [Facebook]

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Choir members pose before performing at the Gwangju International Center’s May Concert 2014.

Several choir members competed at Gwangju Kimchi Festival 2014 to raise money for the choir.

The members also performed at the Alleycon 2014

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page that someone wanted to know if there was a choir in the area, then I thought, ‘Yes, let’s do it.’”

After advertising on Facebook and holding an initial membership meeting at The First Alleyway restaurant this spring, Aiken began the GPP choir — the only foreign choir in Gwangju. The meeting sparked the curiosity of opera singers and novices alike, among them Kristy Dolson.

“I wanted to join because I missed being in a choir,” said Dolson. The Canadian soprano had been involved in choirs throughout high school. “I love that I get the opportunity to sing different songs that I wouldn’t get to sing on my own. I love the fact that it’s foreigners from all different areas of the world coming together here and we have so many different talents and backgrounds.”

There are currently 13 members in the group with diverse skill levels, experience and musical preferences. Every Saturday at 3:30 p.m., they meet in a small classroom in the Gwangju International Center (GIC) for rehearsal. The atmosphere is casual and friendly, with snacks donated by a member each week. Members ease into warm-ups with scales and then try a few bars of a new song.

“Sometimes Korea can be kind of a lonely place if you don’t find the avenue to get involved in some way,” said choir member Erin Stewart. Stewart, an American, has years of experience singing with a cappella choirs specializing in ancient chorals. She likes the choir because everyone can contribute,

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but the level of commitment is flexible. “I would really encourage [anyone interested in the choir] not to worry… Just come. It’s pretty low key.”

The group’s first performance was with a semiprofessional group at a GIC concert this May. “The score was in Korean,” laughed Aiken. “That was an interesting way to get us all started.”

Aiken stressed that her goal is to create a fun and non-exclusive outlet for the foreign community to experience music.

“It’s challenging, and the sort of thing you can join and put in as much or as little work as you want,” explained Aiken. “But you can come and end up feeling inspired to work harder.”

This December, the group plans to carol through downtown Gwangju to raise funds for a local children’s charity.

“For me, a choir is such a great way to make yourself happy and to feel good,” said Aiken. “There are scientific studies showing that singing is great for you. So you get the chance to perform and not feel judged for your voice, and to understand that when you’re part of a choir it’s not about making one voice stand out. It’s about creating a community.”

To join the Jeolla Do Re Mi’s, email gwangjuplayers@gmail.com or contact the group through Facebook at gwangjuperpro.

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[Gwangju Cooks] Gwangju Cooks equips would-be cooks with recipes for both classic Korean dishes and innovative fusion food.

Tteok Pizza Pizza with Sliced Rice Cakes Words and photos by Lee Jeonghwa

INGREDIENTS (serve 1-2 persons)

sliced rice cake 150g, mozzarella cheese 100g, vegetables (to your liking), ham 50g, corn 4ts, sauce (pizza sauce, ketchup, mustard), and cooking oil

TOOLS

knife, cutting board, pan, sifter

COOKING METHOD 1.

Wash sliced rice cakes and put them in the sifter.

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Measure and cut enough rice cake to cover the bottom of the pan.

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Prepare the vegetables.

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Chop the ham.

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Fry the vegetables and ham for 30 seconds. Then, remove.

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Place the rice cake in the bottom of the pan. (If needed, add some oil to prevent sticking.)

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Spread the prepared vegetables, ham, and corn over the top of the rice cake like a pizza.

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Add mozzarella cheese.

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Cover the pan and cook on low heat for 3 to 5 minutes or until the cheese melts.

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[Gwangju Eats] Gwangju Eats highlights the best and most unique dining experiences in Gwangju and South Jeolla.

Samarkand Words and photos by Cody Jarrett

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ussian and Uzbek food may not be at the top of most people’s foreign food wish lists; with a growing number of Italian, Southeast-Asian and Mexican restaurants in town, many people might think of it all as just “meat and potatoes.” But Samarkand is here to show why the region’s food deserves a closer look, and how some truly wonderful things can be done with those meat and potatoes.

ATMOSPHERE AND SERVICE At first glance, Samarkand does not seem to be the most inviting place. You will not be greeted loudly by a smiling staff and the menu, as large as it is, will probably only have half of the dishes available on a good day. Also, it would be helpful to know either Hangeul or Cyrillic, as only some of the menu has English descriptions. The food will come out in waves, one or two dishes at a time, so this is not somewhere to go if you are in a hurry. However, the service is always friendly and the food is fantastic.

FOOD Whatever happens to be on the menu on any given day, it is always good. The usual starter is a samsa, a flaky, meat- and onion-filled pastry, and shurpa, a lamb and potato soup with a heavy broth. Next, move on to pelmen, which are small, Russian meat dumplings, or manty, larger Uzbek meat dumplings.

Both types come with large dollops of sour cream.

The most impressive dishes at Samarkand are the

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shashlik. These giant skewers of grilled meat are popular throughout Russia and Central Asia, and it is easy to see why. The meat comes out on long metal skewers fresh from the grill, sizzling and crispy on the outside. The meat is perfect with a few pieces of thinly-sliced onion. As Uzbekistan is primarily a Muslim country, expect to see mostly beef and lamb on the menu, a nice change from the usual pork-heavy offerings available elsewhere.

Most dishes range from 7,000 to 10,000 won and shashlik are 4,000 to 5,000 per skewer. Bottled Baltika, a line of Russian beer, is available for 6,000 won.

Vodka, wine and Armenian cognac are also available for around 20,000 won per bottle.

DIRECTIONS Take a bus to Wolgok Market. With the market on your left, walk along the main road until you come to a block with a fire house next to a police station.

Make a left at the police station and walk until you see Samarkand on the right.

광주광역시 광산구 월곡동 52-1 52-1 Wolgok-dong Gwangsan-gu Gwangju 010-5444-0029 Daily 10 a.m. – 11 p.m.

Bus no 18, 20, 29, 37, 40, 46, 98, 196, 700, 701, or 720, get off at Wolgok Market

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26 places to see

[My Korea] My Korea allows readers the opportunity to explain why particular locations in Korea are special to them.

To submit your own recollection, e-mail: gwangjunews@gic.or.kr

Autumn Words and photos by Lianne Bronzo

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lose your eyes (actually, keep them a little open to read this) and visualize the following scene.

Crisp winds send pumpkin spice scents to your nose, as you pull your burnt orange infinity scarf tighter. A flannelclothed scruffy dude, clinging onto a sixpack of Pumpkin Ale. Dessicated leaves, crunching as he walks up the driveway for the carving party.

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Ah, it must be autumn.

Having spent six years in the one-season state of Florida, I was captivated by my first autumn experience in Korea. I have since taken a liking to leaves and am always seeking the best sites to view foliage, so much so that my partner has begun surprising me with beautiful leaves rather than flowers. After all, “Autumn is a second spring, when every leaf is a flower.”

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Leaves are both the gatherer and producer of food for the tree. During spring and summer, leaves thankfully soak up the sunlight as they provide us with shade. As days get shorter and nights longer, there is less sunlight for the leaves to devour. The leaves’ chlorophyll thus breaks down, allowing other pigments their chance to shine — yellows, oranges, browns and reds — pigments not usually visible due to the overpowering chlorophyll. The result: the Earth is blanketed with such colors as amber and burgundy.

Come September, post-summer Korea rejuvenates with life. Festivals sprout around the country each weekend and people spend more time outdoors than in fluorescently lit airconditioned rooms. From the brilliant yellow gingko trees to the miniature leaves of Korean maples, taking a stroll under the vibrant colors is a mandatory autumn activity.

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Gwangju resident Adam Greenberg with a leaf mask Damyang from a bridge Ehwa Women’s University, Seoul Feeling of autumn at Daedun Mountain Author’s father climbing at Daedun Mountain

Luckily, one does not have to travel far from Gwangju to savor autumn’s charm. One of Korea’s most famous places for foliage, or danpung, is just an hour northwest of Gwangju. Literally meaning “secret inside,” Naejang Mountain National Park has plenty of hiking trails for active folk, along with serene temples and waterfalls for casual mountain-goers. For a more leisurely day, bypass the hikers on the cable car that lifts people to the second-highest peak.

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It is no secret that Naejang Mountain is beautiful, but with that beauty comes hefty crowds. Baekyang Temple, a part of the national park, is a quieter place surrounded by excellent hiking trails. Buses from the Gwangju and Unam Bus Terminals run to and from the entrance of the temple.

is an exceptional option. Its autumn landscape is commonly called Samhong, which means “three reds.” The valley is so famous for its crimson leaves that it holds an annual Autumn Foliage Festival. But plan fast, as the festival is only on November 1st and 2nd. Buses from Gwangju run frequently to Gurye.

Then, take a 50-minute bus to Yeongok Temple, which is the largest on Jiri Mountain. The hike in the valley is more of a stroll and suitable for beginners.

For a longer day trip, Jiri Mountain, two hours east of Gwangju, is a great place to bask in the autumn foliage. As the largest national park in Korea, it may be difficult to decide where to begin. Piagol Valley

As they say, winters are getting longer and fall shorter, so go outside and enjoy “Autumn … the year’s last loveliest smile,” to quote poet William Cullen Bryant.

See you in the curbside leaf pile!

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28 places to see

[Departing Gwangju] Departing Gwangju is Gwangju News’s monthly travel column. To submit your own adventure, e-mail: gwangjunews@gic.or.kr

Karakorum, Mongolia Words and photos provided by Bradley Weiss

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he fortunate occurrence of the Chuseok holiday combining with a weekend provided an opportunity for me to travel abroad this past September. Considering the limited range one can travel in six days, along with a desire to seek a cooler locale at the end of Korea’s hot, humid summer, my inner travel compass pointed me to a less-visited destination — the open steppes of Mongolia.

My travel companion and I booked a three-day tour through our guest house in Ulaanbaatar. For a very reasonable sum, we were provided with a driver and guide, as well as all food and lodgings. Our ultimate destination was the site of the imperial-era capital of Karakorum. We set out on a chilly Saturday morning and, after exiting the city, quickly found highway travel to be slightly different in this stilldeveloping country. The driver was often forced to reduce speed and swerve to avoid washed-out, crumbling sections of road, as well as flocks and herds of sheep, goats, horses and cattle. Several long stretches of highway were out-of-service, necessitating off-road detours parallel to the highway — no mean feat for a mid-sized sedan, but one handled in impressively adroit fashion by our driver.

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The first night was spent with a family living the traditional nomad lifestyle, herding animals and dwelling in gers, sturdy but easily-transported felt tents.

After furnishing us with a mutton dinner, including the ubiquitous milk tea that is a part of every meal, the family also provided the opportunity for a 90-minute horse and camel ride to the sand dunes on the outskirts of their campsite. The temperature hovered right-at-freezing — slightly unseasonable for early September, but not unheard of in Mongolia. Thanks to a generous fire in the stove, we spent the night in the ger comfortably.

We set out for the modern site of Karakorum in a morning marked by blue skies, offering both dramatic vistas of the steppe and the promise of warmer temperatures. Genghis Khan established Karakorum as a base in the mid-13th century, and his son Ogedei constructed an imperial capital on the site.

Despite flourishing for nearly half a century, Karakorum fell into decline, and Ming soldiers finally de-

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29 places to see

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2 Previous page: View from ovoo overlooking Erdene Zuu Monastery 1. A few of the 108 Stupas surrounding Erdene Zuu Monastery 2. Interior view of top of a ger, traditional nomadic tent home 3. Champion racehorse skulls dedicated at ovoo overlooking Erdene Zuu Monastery

stroyed it in 1388. The city’s ruins were used at the end of the 16th century to construct Erdene Zuu, the earliest surviving Buddhist monastery in Mongolia.

stands a stone turtle, one of four, that serves as a last vestige of the ancient capital. Nearby the turtle was an ovoo, a type of shamanistic stone pile that one finds all over the country. Ovoos are often decorated with bright blue prayer scarves and other offerings. Local custom dictates one must circle three times around the ovoo and add another stone when one encounters it. Skulls of champion race horses, another element at the heart of Mongolian culture since ancient times, also adorned this particular ovoo. It was alongside these boulders that we watched the sun set behind the mountains that serve as a backdrop for Erdene Zuu, while a dayfrom-full bright moon rose in the sky behind us.

Erdene Zuu is striking to behold, both for its impressive size — housing between 60 to 100 temples and 300 gers at its peak — and the 108 white stupas spaced along the surrounding walls, which dramatically pop out against the backdrop of the seemingly endless, brilliant blue of the Mongolian sky. The afternoon following our visit to the monastery was capped off with another quintessentially Mongolian experience: back at our new ger camp, we indulged in a few bottles of airag, or fermented mare’s milk.

The final highlight offered by Karakorum was a short trek to the top of a hill overlooking the city. There

Our tour also included visits to both a pre-Mongolian archaeological site and Khustain National Park to view a small herd of taakhi, the unique wild horse recently reintroduced to Mongolia. We also enjoyed another full day in Ulaanbaatar, where we availed ourselves of all that the increasingly modern capital offers, including a traditional music and dance performance. However, when we look back, that sunset atop the hill, surrounded by history, flanked by culture and encircled by expansive natural beauty, succinctly encapsulates all that Mongolia has to offer.

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[Photo of the Month] Interested in taking the spot of Gwangju News’ Photo of the Month?

Send your pictures of Korea and background information to our photo editor at: gwangjunews@gic.or.kr

ABOUT THE PHOTOGRAPHER OF “SUNCHEON BAY”

Right after the typhoon hit, we ran up to Suncheon to take this picture! I was still nursing a sprained ankle, but we could not pass up the opportunity to catch those clouds!

Christina is an elementary school teacher living in Yeosu. It was only recently that she started getting interested in photography, after her husband started using her photos for his website. They are currently working together as a husband-wife team to capture moments across Korea at dukestewartwrites.com!

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[Gwangju Clicks] Gwangju Clicks offers advice each month to amateur photographers. This is its final instalment.

Travel Photography Words and photos by Simon Bond

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his month’s subject is something close to my heart, and that is travel photography. Travel photography is a niche of the art, and yet it requires the photographer to be proficient in just about every photography discipline there is. How do you tell the story of a place? Well, you set the scene (as one learns to do by taking landscape photos), tell the story (as in street photography), look at the culture (as with performance photography), enjoy the food (food photography) and, of course, take photos of the people (portrait photography).

Over the last year-and-a-half that I have been writing this column, I have covered each of those niches. If you have read them all and practiced, the skill set to make a great travel portfolio should now be available for you.

I have recently left Korea and I am now living in Malaysia. My inner nomad was calling, so it is with some sadness that I leave a great country behind and embrace a new country with a lot of travel photography opportunities. My hope now is to develop an income from photography that is enough to support me and the expenses that come with travel photography.

I wish everyone well in Gwangju and at the GIC. I leave you with five photos from Malaysia and Korea, a small travel portfolio to show off both countries.

1, 2. Korea: a country with some amazing architecture that fascinates people around the world. The country has a rich food history that is relatively unique, and like Malaysia, there are a lot of people making a living from the fruits of the sea.

3, 4, 5. Malaysia: a country of amazing tropical beaches, where not-far-away fishermen live in wooden shacks. The country has a diverse mix of cultures with Indian, Chinese and Malay cultures and customs all present.

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Simon Bond is a travel photographer from the U.K. who has been published around the world, including the front cover of National Geographic. He has recently relocated to Malaysia to take up a position mentoring Malaysian teachers. He will continue his photographic journey in Malaysia, while looking forward to the day he can return to Korea.

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[Photo Essay] Each month Gwangju News publishes the pictures and accompanying reflection of a photographer in South Jeolla.

If you would like to submit your own, e-mail gwangjunews@gic.or.kr.

ALLEYCON 2014 Words and photos by Relja Koljic

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n Friday, September 26, the geeky celebration of pop culture that is AlleyCon 2014 officially began with an ice-breaker event at The First Alleyway restaurant. As the site of AlleyCon last year, The First Alleyway was the perfect location to kickstart what will now become an annual event in Gwangju for the foreseeable future! Surrounded by fantastic people and buzzed by the exclusive drinks offered in honor of the special weekend, I knew Saturday’s main event would be a fantastic day all-around.

Saturday morning rolled upon us and while the Con attendees slept, the Grey Council — the organizers of AlleyCon — were hard at work at Kwangju Women’s University, putting together the final pieces of the puzzle they had been working on for months.

They knew that AlleyCon had to be bigger and better than last year, and without a doubt, they delivered.

Not only were there video games, board games and a cosplay contest, but there was a dedicated Magic: The Gathering tournament, live performances by the Gwangju Performance Project, shows by local bands Poster Child and Malarkey, food from ’Cause Banana Bread and The First Alleyway, drinks from nFuze Tea, Gwangju souvenirs and resources from the Gwangju International Center, the D&D Pay2Play, Skype interviews with international sci-fi authors and appearances by local authors and artists!

AlleyCon raised a whopping total of 3,539,520 won for various charities, including this year’s Adopta-Child and the Mike Simning Ndwara Scholarship Fund.

In this case, bigger was definitely better, and AlleyCon delivered a massive experience for all.

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[Behind the Myth: Exploring Korean Tradition] Behind the Myth examines the origins of Korean myths and traditions.

Did King Sejong Design Hangeul?

Words by Ali Saleh

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he television special Ppuri-gipun Namu is a good example of the popular conception of how King Sejong oversaw Hangeul’s creation in the 15th century.

The show highlights the tension between Sejong and his political contemporaries, depicting ignoble nobles fiendishly plotting ways to sabotage the king’s group of “secret” scholars, a team of carefully chosen ministers and commoners — women and men alike. The sabotage afflicted on this team ranges from spying and theft to outright assassination.

Almost everyone agrees that King Sejong actually did go against his contemporaries and much of the aristocracy in creating Hangeul, as fanciful as Ppuri-gipun Namu’s interpretation is. His new system made it possible for commoners to read and write under a regime that abused their illiteracy, especially in the court systems.

But how was the language designed? One common story is that the king’s first vision of Hangeul came when he mentally divided the boards of a traditional Korean window, which of course consisted of a series of lines and squares. The anecdote accounts for most of the letters, as many of them are made up of horizontal and vertical straight lines, but of course does not explain the curved symbols. A less poetic account by Japanese imperialists suggests that Sejong had a similar experience with the square tiles on his bathroom floor, while sitting.

Another popular belief is that Hangeul’s design is

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derived from the shape of the speaker’s lips, tongue, and throat. Some even claim that Sejong, in madscientist fashion, performed autopsies on human bodies to observe and replicate the affine characteristics between the mouth and letter shapes.

One scholar, Gari Ledyard, rejects these explanations almost entirely, claiming instead that the phonetic correlation was simply a way to mask Hangeul’s true source. It is stated in the postscript to Jeong In-Ji’s Hunminjeongeum, the book which introduced Hangeul to the world, that Sejong adapted the Chinese “Old Seal Script” to create Hangeul. This detail, however, has frustrated linguists because Hangeul has little concrete similarity to the Chinese seal script. Ledyard believes that the “gu” referenced in the old Chinese script title is actually a pun on the Menggu, or Mongol, seal script, which was designed to look like its Chinese counterpart. This supposition is backed by the fact that Mongolian manuscripts were both accessible and well-known to Sejong’s ministers.

If Ledyard is right, Sejong would have had very good reason to hide any semblance of the Mongol script in his adaptation into Hangeul. His ties with China would have been under question, since the Chinese literati held the commonplace view that the Mongols were barbaric at best. They would have shut down any chance for Hangeul to flourish — and Sejong could not have helped the Korean people interpret what they see, hear, and utter on a daily basis.

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[Korean Poetry] Korean Poetry translates the works of Korea’s prominent poets into English.

Poetry by Han Yong-un Words by Choi Jeongrye Photo and translation by Park Yeon-seong

Han Yong-un (1879–1944) was a twentieth century Korean Buddhist reformer and poet. In 1905 he received the robes of an order of monks at Baekdam Temple. In 1908, he went to Japan and visited several temples, where he studied Buddhism and Eastern philosophy. In 1919 he was one of the patriot signatories to the 1919 Declaration of Independence. His poetry dealt with both nationalism and human love. One of his more political collections was “The Silence of Beloved,” published in 1926. These works revolve around the ideas of equality and freedom, and helped inspire nonviolent resistance in the Korean independence movement.

님의 침묵

The Silence of Beloved

님은 갔습니다. 아아 사랑하는 나의 님은 갔습니다.

He has gone.

Ah, my beloved is gone.

푸른 산빛을 깨치고 단풍나무 숲을 향하여 난 적은 길을 걸어서 차마 떨치고 갔습니다. 황금의 꽃같이 굳고 빛나던 옛 맹세는 차디찬 띠끌이 되어서, 한숨의 미풍에 날아갔습니다.

Breaking the blue light of the mountain, through the narrow lane leading to the maple woods, he’s gone.

Our oath which was bright like the golden flowers turned to black chaff and was blown away by the breeze of sigh.

날카로운 첫 키스의 추억은 나의 운명의 지침을 돌려놓고, 뒷걸음쳐서, 사라졌습니다. 나는 향기로운 님의 말소리에 귀먹고, 꽃다운 님의 얼굴에 눈멀었습니다. 사랑도 사람의 일이라, 만날 때에 미리 떠날 것을 염려하고 경계하지 아니한 것은 아니지만, 이별은 뜻밖의 일이 되고 놀란 가슴은 새로운 슬픔에 터집니다. 그러나 이별은 쓸데없는 눈물의 원천을 만들고 마는 것은 스스로 사랑을 깨치는 것인 줄 아는 까닭에, 걷잡을 수 없는 슬픔의 힘을 옮겨서 새 희망의 정수배기에 들어부었습니다. 우리는 만날 때에 떠날 것을 염려하는 것과 같이, 떠날 때에 다시 만날 것을 믿습니다. 아아, 님은 갔지마는 나는 님을 보내지 아니하였습니다. 제 곡조를 못 이기는 사랑의 노래는 님의 침묵을 휩싸고 돕니다.

The sharp memory of our first kiss stepped backward and vanished after it changed the direction of my destiny.

I was deafened by his fragrant voice and blinded by his flowery face.

Love is also a human affair, therefore I was worried and cautious against parting when I first met him. But his departure came so suddenly that my faint heart burst in new grief.

Yet if I shed tears, it will mean the real end of our love, I`d rather pour the power of unbearable grief into the marrow of new hope.

As we care about parting when we meet first So we believe in meeting again when we part.

Alas, he`s gone, but I haven`t sent him yet.

The melody of a love song which cannot bear its own tune is floating around the silence of the lover.

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[Gwangju Writes] Gwangju Writes presents the poems, short stories and creative nonfiction of South Jeolla residents.

To submit your own work, e-mail: gwangjunews@gic.or.kr

A Cafe in Paris

A short story by Richard Wilwhite

H

e would have preferred to have been at a cafe

and had good legs. Her eyes were larger than average. He

in Paris. Surrounded by people sipping coffee and smok-

wouldn’t have called her pretty. Cute was a better word.

ing cigarettes. The sound of sidewalk conversations on a

But she spoke good English. He thought he could recall her

summer afternoon. He would have preferred also to have

saying something about having once been a flight attendant.

been sitting across from a pretty French girl. Perhaps one

They had only slept together a handful of times. He thought

named Colette. Or Marie. Or Madeleine. Or whatever

he should sleep with at least one while he was there. When

pretty French girls were going by these days.

she came back and sat down she took out her cell phone

But sadly for him, he was not at a cafe in Paris.

and set it on the table beside the pager the barista had given

And he was not sitting across from a pretty French girl

them. He closed his book and looked at her.

named Collette. Or one named Marie. Or even one named

It hasn’t gone off yet, he said.

Madeleine. He was at a cafe in Korea.

They’ve been busy since we came in.

Surrounded by the same sounds, the same smells that one would have been met with at the same sort of

Well, I don’t see how since it’s five bucks for a cup of coffee.

establishment along the banks of the Seine. The clink of

The girl shrugged. She looked down at her phone and

ceramic cups. The smell of roasting coffee. Sidewalk con-

traced a finger across the screen. Out on the sidewalk he

versations on a summer afternoon. But except for him, all

watched a man pass by with a French poodle. The tuft of

the people in the café were Korean, even the girl he was

hair on its head and the tip of its tail were painted pink.

sitting across from. Her name was Hye-jin. That was one

Derek, the girl said.

of the easier ones. He remembered it like, “Hey Jen!”

Yeah.

When she got up from her chair and went to the ladies

Are you going to tell me the truth this time?

room he looked up from his book and watched her go. She

Yeah.

had long black hair halfway down her back and she was slim

She frowned. Are you even listening?

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Yeah, I’m listening. I was just looking at the dog.

What about it?

She stuck out her lip and made a pouty face. From her mouth came a little mewing sound.

It’s strange.

Please, oh please, oh please, she said.

I think it’s cute. What’s so strange about it?

He glanced back at the bar. One of girls by the

Nothing I guess. Now what were you saying before?

counter was tall with hair that had a red tint to it. She

Just if you liked it or not.

wore a t-shirt that said, “MISTAKES PEOPLE’S MAKE.”

Yeah, I liked it.

I don’t know, he said. I’m not really in the mood for fish again.

No, tell me the truth this time. Did you like it or not?

Then what are you in the mood for?

Yes I liked it. I don’t know why you don’t believe me.

He looked down at the pager again. The little red lights

Because you didn’t eat all of it.

were going off and it was vibrating against the tabletop.

I was just full from lunch. And the portions were too big.

Hold on to that thought, he said. I’ll be right back.

You didn’t eat any of the kimchi.

The boy at the bar smiled at him when he walked up and

He laughed. He looked at the pager. I never eat

slid a plastic tray towards him across the counter. Behind the

the kimchi, he said. You know that. I think it’s just one of

bar above the espresso machine and the bottles of flavored syr-

those dishes you have to grow up eating.

up was a picture of the Eiffel Tower. The boy repeated his order

But you liked the makchang right?

in broken English and then bowed and thanked him in Korean.

Yeah, I thought it was good.

Derek gave him a nod and thanked him back in English. Then

Really?

he turned and took the tray over to the drink station. On the

I mean, I don’t think it is as good as samgyeopsal.

tray were two cups of coffee and a pair of Puits d’amour, one

You can’t eat samgyeopsal the whole time you’re in Korea.

raspberry and the other vanilla cream, both in little lace paper

He looked at the pager again. He looked across the

wrapping. He set the tray on the counter and looked down into

room to the bar. One of the baristas was pouring milk

his cup. The coffee was light brown and full to the brim. A little

into a blender. Another was talking to a customer.

smiley face of frothed milk was smiling up at him.

I know, he said. I like dak galbi too.

On the drink station a bottle of sugar water stood

The girl shook her head. What about that maeuntang

beside the straws and the napkin holder, and he held the

place I was telling you about. We could go there tomorrow.

cup beneath its spout and pumped a few jets into the cof-

I don’t know. Sundays are busy for me. I’ve got to

fee and then reached and got a stirrer and stirred out the

lesson plan.

November 2014.indd 38

face. He didn’t touch hers.

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When he came back to the table she was holding her cell

He shrugged and looked at the sidewalk. He could

phone up in front of her face. She reached and tucked a loose

hear the barista pouring the coffee grounds into the grinder.

strand of hair behind her ear and then smiled and took a picture.

Why do you always have to do that everywhere we go? he asked.

Because it’s fun, she said. I guess you wouldn’t know since you don’t have a smart phone. You should just get one.

He shook his head.

So you don’t like this place all of a sudden? she said.

You were the one who chose it.

I know, he said.

What’s wrong with it?

I don’t know. The tables are sticky and the decor is a little tacky.

You might like it, she said in a sing-song.

What is tacky?

I think I’ll pass.

Don’t worry about it. Just forget I mentioned it.

She held the phone up for another picture. This time

She stuck her lip out and then made her eyes look sad.

she made her pouty face. He watched her and bit into one

At the bar the grinder came on and the sound of it whirred

of the Puit d’amours. It was a little tart.

through the room. He leaned across the table. He wanted to

How is it? she said It’s okay.

Just okay?

He swallowed and then wiped his mouth Well I had expected it to be better, he said.

She shrugged and then sat back with her cell phone,

take her hand but they did not usually touch in public.

If you didn’t like it, she said, why didn’t you say so before we came?

I don’t know. I thought it would be different once I got here.

She sat with her lip out looking at him.

typing into the keypad. She had yet to even touch her

Please, let’s go, he said with the same face.

drink. At the bar one of the baristas was opening a pack-

Well okay, she smiled, but just wait a second. I want

age of coffee grounds. Derek sipped his coffee.

to take one more picture.

Just let me know when you’re ready to go, he said.

He nodded and turned from the girl that was not

She looked up frowning from her phone. The skin on

French and not named Collette and he looked out across

her face and neck was very pale. He thought that if not

the street at the city that was not Paris. In the cafe where

for her eyes she could have passed for white.

he sat the coffee grinder whirred at the counter and other

We just got here, she said. And now you’re already ready to go?

November 2014.indd 39

people sat sipping coffee and smoking cigarettes. The sound of sidewalk conversations on a summer afternoon.

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[GIC Culture Tour] Each month the GIC’s knowledgable guide offers a new, budget-friendly chance to experience the authentic South Jeolla. Sign up now!

Hwasun and Ssangbong Temple Stay GIC Culture Tour

Words and photos by Warren Parsons Date: November 22-23, 2014 Price: GIC Members 120,000 won/ Non-Members 140,000 won/ Pre-schoolers 70,000 won Contact: 062-226-2733 (이보람 Boram Lee) or gic@gic.or.kr / gictour@gic.or.kr

November 22 November 23

Gwangju

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Jeokbyeok Pavilion

Lunch @ Smokehouse Restaurant

Makkeolli Making Experience

Ssangbong-sa Temple Stay Experience

UNESCO Goindol Park

Lunch @ Black Goat Restaurant

Gwangju

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N

ovember falls upon us with a breath of winter on the horizon. This month the GIC Culture Tour visits Hwasun to embrace the beauty of its mountains and lakes, its delicious local foods and its intriguing Neolithic dolmen, as well as partake in the Tour’s annual ritual: an overnight temple stay!

The high mountain areas of Hwasun have attracted generations of poets, travelers and exiles to admire its natural splendor. In particular, the sandstone cliffs known as Jeokbyeok, so called by 16th-century poets because of their resemblance to the majestic red cliffs in China, hold a high place in Korea’s literary imagination. The cliffs overlook Dongbuk Lake and since the area is a protected water reserve, access to the watershed is limited. As such, the scholarly pavilions Mulyeom-jeong and Manghyang-jeong command views over especially pure scenery.

After visiting Jeokbyeok, the bus tour will make a full circuit around the lake and then continue to a smokehouse restaurant for a hearty meal of smoked duck. Without added salt, sauce, or artificial ingredients, the chef uses only natural wood to smoke his duck in the old-fashioned manner, long and slow.

This is nothing like what other restaurants offer, a treat truly bursting with smoky flavor.

After lunch, the tour will progress to the charming town of Iseo at the base of Anyang Mountain for a dessert of sweet red bean bread, and to learn how to make makkeolli the traditional way. Using only the traditional yeast nuruk, sticky rice and water, participants will be able to appreciate the time-honored method for making real rice wine. In addition to the hands-on experience, participants can also taste freshly fermented makkeolli and even have some to take home!

Finally, the tour will travel across Hwasun County to Ssangbong Temple to begin the temple stay. Originally built at the end of the Unified Silla period in the mid-9th century, the current site still boasts an exquisite sari budo, with the relics of the temple’s great teacher Cheolgam Seonsa protected inside. Upon arrival, participants will be impressed by the elegant three-story wooden Daeungjeon Altar Hall, a rarity in Korea that is only seen here because the monastery sits on a flat plane in the warm lowlands, instead of tucked high in a deep mountain valley. Walking up the steps past a quaint turtle pond and into the convivial temple grounds, participants will be greeted by the monks hosting their stay.

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On the second day, after completing the program at Ssangbong Temple, the tour will visit the UNESCO Goindol Park for a short trek through a fascinating Neolithic dolmen site. Korea has more dolmen than anywhere else in the world, and the majority of them are in South Jeolla. The site is a fantastic place to see these mysterious stone monuments from the past.

Afterwards, lunch will be provided at a restaurant in Hwasun’s town center. The chosen dish is black goat stew, an invigorating meal and a specialty of the county.

This is an overnight tour, so please pack accordingly.

Keep in mind that the weather at night in November can be quite cold, especially before dawn, when morning services are held. Come prepared with an open mind and a sense of adventure, along with a respectful attitude. Staying in an active living temple with monks is a rewarding experience and may provide a little bit of a challenge for some. Accommodations will be shared and divided by gender, and meals will be vegetarian.

SSANGBONG TEMPLE STAY PROGRAM: Day 1: November 22 (Saturday) 4:30-5 p.m.: Arrival, Check-in, and Orientation 5-6 p.m. : Dinner 6-6:30 p.m.: Bell Ringing and Evening Worship 6:30-8 p.m.: Tea and Conversation with Monks 8-9 p.m. : Preparing for Bedtime & Lights Out Day 2: November 23 (Sunday) 4 a.m. : Wake-up 4:30-5 a.m. : Morning Service 5-6 a.m. : 108 Bows, Stringing Prayer Beads, & Meditation 6-7 a.m. : Free Time/Temple Walk 7-8 a.m. : Breakfast & Room Clean Up 8-9 a.m. : Temple Painting Experience 9-9:30 a.m. : Check out & Departure

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[GIC Talk Preview] GIC Talk Preview samples the discussion being had at this month’s GIC Talk.

See the GIC Talk Schedule for more information.

Planets and Us Words and image provided by Deepika Pathak

A

strology is the study of the influence that distant cosmic objects, such as stars and planets, have on human lives. The position of the sun, the moon, stars and other planets at the time of one’s birth is said to shape people’s personalities, affect their relationships and predict their economic fortunes, among other things.

Astrology is not a modern invention dating back only few years, decades or even centuries, but a subject which has been studied for millennia and dates as far back as recorded history. The relationships between planets and their interactions are mathematically based, and astrologists study these mathematical cycles.

To produce accurate readings, astrologers check to see what signs each planet had at the time of a person’s birth. The planets and signs, combined with other elements such as an individual’s house and its angle positions, form a complex and often very specific profile of a subject’s personality, life and future p r o s pects.

Each sign represents a different aspect of humanity.

November 2014.indd 42

For example, Aries starts the cycle that represents the self, and Pisces completes it, representing the mass subconscious of all mankind. In between Aries and Pisces, the other signs carry the energy of different phases of man’s evolution within the universe.

In astrology, there are nine planets, and every planet has a different effect on human life.

1. Sun: self, ego, personality, confidence, leadership, soul, capacity, strength, fame, power, father 2. Moon: subconscious mind, emotions, caring nature, nurturing, imagination, family, heart, mother 3. Mars: aggression, physical desire, competition, sports, male, land, defense, enemy, accidents, activeness 4. Mercury: intellect, conscious mind, analytical, speedy, nervous system, communication, friend, business speech 5. Jupiter: philosophy, knowledge, wisdom, spiritual, teacher, wealth, religious, optimistic, opportunity, cheerful 6. Venus: love, art, music, sexual desires, beauty, marriage, harmony, society, female, sympathy, luxury, sex organs 7. Saturn: responsibility, seriousness, determination, man’s power, misery, sorrow, impotency, old man, pessimistic 8. Rahu: materialism, foreign travel, bad habits, research, darkness, expenditure, accident, eccentricity 9. Ketu: spirituality, mysterious, dreams, evil spirits, sudden death, salvation, occult science, wounds, worms Come to hear these points and more on Saturday, November 1, at 3 p.m. on the GIC’s First Floor.

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[GIC Talk Schedule] Are you a fan of TED Talks? Koreans and internationals gather weekly to hear and discuss a variety of presentations.

GIC Talk November Schedule Time & Location: Saturdays from 3 p.m. – 4 p.m., GIC Auditorium (Samho Center, 1st Floor) For more information, contact gictalk@gic.or.kr

NOVEMBER 1 Speaker: Deepika Pathak Currently self-employed Topic: Planets and Us See the GIC Preview article on the previous page for more information about this GIC Talk.

NOVEMBER 8 Speaker: Matt Furlane Currently an English Teacher in Gwangju Topic: Urban Design and the Future of Gwangju Everything around us has been designed. Cars, phones, chairs and cigarette cartons have all been created for us by other human beings. But even more important to our everyday lives is understanding that the urban areas we call cities have also been designed by people. In this talk, the speaker will introduce the concept of “urban design” and how good and bad urban design affects our health, our safety and economics. The speaker will also recommend ideal design ideas specifically for the city of Gwangju.

NOVEMBER 15 Speakers: Kostayntyn Kostin and Natalia Kostina Currently a senior surveyor for Bureau Veritas: French Register of Shipping (Kostyantyn), Homemaker in Korea (Natalia) Topic: Russia As It Is Have you ever been to Russia? Do you think that it is a cold and wild country where bears walk on the streets playing Russian mandolins and drinking vodka?

This GIC Talk welcomes you to a brief exploration of what makes Russia beautiful. We will talk about “must-see” places, Russian culture and traditions.

Other topics pertaining to Russia will be broached, including basic geography, historical and modern traditions, current social news and interesting places to visit.

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While we will refrain from discussing Russian politics, all other questions will be welcomed at this special GIC Talk.

NOVEMBER 22 Speaker: Jayanthi Vijaysankar Currently a homemaker in Korea Topic: Role of Pediatric Physiotherapy in Disability and Rehabilitation Pediatric physiotherapy is the branch of medical science which pertains to treatment for children who suffer limitations in range of motion, strength, co­ ordination, postural control, quality of movement or gross motor development, due to various disorders related to congenital genetic, musculo­skeletal and neurological problems. Pediatric physiotherapists work with children of varying ages, from premature babies to adolescents, to ensure near-normal physical functions and development. The aim of pediatric physiotherapy is to provide programs which children will enjoy, while at the same time encouraging them to participate and become independent. This GIC Talk will focus on helping people understand various neurological disabilities, like ADHD, Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome, Dyslexia and Muscular Dystrophy and the rehabilitation methods used, like ADHD, autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, dyslexia and muscular dystrophy and the rehabilitation methods used.

NOVEMBER 29 Speaker: Kristy Dolson Currently an English teacher at Hwasun Foreign Language Center Topic: An Introvert’s Journey with the Gwangju Book Club This talk will detail the speaker’s struggle with being an introvert in Korea and how joining the Gwangju Book Club opened the doors to new friends and new experiences within the Gwangju community. The speaker will also describe the schedule for a typical meeting and how the group selects their books.

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[Health] The health column is written by a health professional to inform on health-related issues.

Sleeping Positions Belly Sleepers, Lefties and Righties: How Sleeping Positions Can Dictate Your Dreams Words by Kristal Lee

I

did it, you guys! In the name of science, after tens of tens of heuristic trials, I present to you, ladies and gents, the conclusive scientifically-conclusiveconclusion on mastering your dreams. After hearing that body posture during sleep can affect dream experiences, I decided to put it to the test, and here is what I found.

Before reading up on any of the sleep studies, I slept in a different sleep position each night and wrote down what type of dream I had. I tried each position three times, and surprisingly, almost all three dreams in each position were of the same type. After reading studies on sleep position and dreaming, my notes and trials matched up exactly with other studies. Fluke?

Perhaps, but the results were uncanny enough to suggest giving it a try, even if just for kicks.

A flip-flop sleeper by nature, with inconsistent sleep positions that typically leave me splayed diagonally across the bed, I found that the studies I will soon present to you explain how my sleeping behavior accounts for my erratic dream patterns. If you, too, are a flip-flopper, the sleep position you wake up in is the position below you should be reading about.

RIGHTY The same Turkish study reported that the right-sided sleepers had calmer dreams, ones that evoked themes of joy, peace and love. Emotions of relief and safety were also more common among right-sided sleepers. Needless to say, right-sided sleepers felt better rested, more able to focus and suffered less dysfunction throughout the day.

BELLY A Hong Kong study published by the American Psychological Association indicates that belly sleepers are more prone to dreaming of sexual, erotic, or persecutory things, such as being intimate with a celebrity, feeling smothered, or being tied-up or entangled. The study looked at dream intensity and dream motifs, as well as the personalities of 670 participants.

Though the study produces these correlations, the association under investigation between personality and sleep position is weak. Speaking non-scientifically, a better explanation just may be that lying on your stomach, facedown on a pillow with your pelvic area pressed against the sleeping surface provides a physical trigger.

See if this holds true for you, and happy sleeping!

So what kind of sleeper are you? A lefty, righty, or belly?

LEFTIE A Turkish study published in the International Journal of Sleep, Dream and Hypnosis analyzed sleep position, characteristics of dreams subjective, sleep quality, dream recall, nightmare frequency and dream emotions. Of the 63 participants, the rate at which left-sided sleeperse experienced nightmares and bizarre dreams was far higher — a large 40.9% compared to the 14.6% of right-sided sleepers.

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[Birds Korea] Birds Korea advocates for the conservation of birds and their habitats through research, education and public-awareness raising.

Gambling on the Future Words and photos provided by Dr. Nial Moores, Birds Korea

1

2

1. Dr. Nial Moores giving a speech at the Convention of Biological Diversity 2. People protesting against the building of a ski resort

W

e humans are a peculiar species. We have the ability to marvel at the enormity of galaxies and at the intricate structure of particles, yet many of us know little of the living environment that surrounds us or of our impact on it. Indeed, we share our small planet and its limited resources with millions of other species, yet we continue to exploit these unsustainably. Why is biodiversity so undervalued by modern societies?

Only last month, governments and experts from many of the world’s nations gathered in Pyeongchang in Gangwon Province. There an Olympic ski resort, complete with manicured lawns and casino, was converted for a fortnight to host the biannual meeting of the intergovernmental Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and other associated highlevel meetings. Much of the main meeting’s focus was on assessing progress toward meeting the Aichi Biodiversity Targets, which since 2010 have called for every nation to reduce the rate of loss of natural habitats and to stop the decline of threatened species within this decade. As reported in opening statements on October 6, however, more species are globally threatened in 2014 than in 2010, and many important habitats continue to be degraded, some at increased rates. The Aichi Targets, like earlier targets, will therefore likely be missed, unless there is an immediate change in policies and lifestyles.

November 2014.indd 45

We should all be deeply concerned by this collective failure. After all, biodiversity is the web of life that surrounds and sustains us. The ongoing degradation and loss of biodiversity does not only mean the near-future extinction of rare and exotic species like giant pandas or spoon-billed sandpipers; it also means the decline of common species. The barn swallow, for example, used to be abundant throughout Korea, often nesting in people’s houses.

In the past few decades, however, it has declined by perhaps more than 99%, and many children born this century have never even seen one. The rapid rate of decline has apparently been driven by agricultural practices that now take more than the land can give, even while the nation elects to import the majority of our food. And of course, the swallow is but one of a huge number of species in decline, each indicating the demise of the ecosystems of which they are a part, putting at risk future national and global food security.

The CBD meeting should have provided a great opportunity to mobilize public support for biodiversity conservation, but there was little media coverage or public attendance. Nonetheless, the Pyeongchang casino provided an apt setting: after all, we are now gambling with our planet’s future.

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[KOTESOL] KOTESOL promotes scholarship, disseminates information, and facilitates cross-cultural understanding among persons concerned with teaching and learning English in Korea.

Conferencing for Self-Improvement Words and photos by Dr. David Shaffer

W

hen English language teachers think of professional development, what usually comes to mind is reading a book on English language teaching (ELT) or taking a course. Actually, there are many and varied self-improvement methods available to the English language teacher, but here I will concentrate on just one — a major event that took place in Korea in October. This annual fall event is the KOTESOL International Conference (KIC), by far the largest event of its kind in Korea. Just ask the over 1,000 teachers who attended. There are more than a dozen ELT associations in Korea with annual conferences, but none of them comes near to KOTESOL in participation of conference-goers and exhibitors.

Here I will point out some of the conference offerings that I think I have facilitated my growth in ELT over the past two decades.

THE PEOPLE AND NETWORKING I cannot think of any other event in Korea where so many ELT people congregate in one place. They are varied and dynamic. Many are native English speakers and many are from outside of Korea, and they are set in many different ELT contexts. Teachers of young learners, teenagers, university students and business people, as well as private institute teachers, teacher trainers and school administrators — all have experiences to share, a desire to learn and a sense of adventure. Aside from the presentations offered, simply being a part of this event and interacting with attendees would make the conference worthwhile. The conference is a prime time for networking. The “KOTESOL Cafe” set up at the conference was abuzz throughout the two days of the event, as was the “Members’ Networking Social” at the close of the first day. There was buzz about what people heard in the presentations: new classroom techniques, interesting research results, teaching philosophy and theoretical insights.

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THE CONFERENCE SESSIONS This year’s KIC was held October 3-5. During the two days of the main conference, there were over 150 concurrent presentations given. Unlike other ELT conferences in Korea, in which other conferences limit themselves almost entirely to research-based presentations, KIC caters to sessions presenting practical classroom techniques. Over 300 presentation proposals were submitted to this year’s KIC, from which about 150 were selected. Most other Korean conferences, on the other hand, must select almost all of their submitted proposals in order to form a program of 30-50 presentations. As the KIC is an international conference, close to half of the proposals regularly come from outside of Korea.

Attendees can pick up a new technique or activity that they can use back home in their class on Monday morning. You can walk past some very quiet sessions presenting research findings, but further down the hall the noise level in the session room may be high, as the attendees try out a new technique or participate in a class activity. There is something for everyone and more than enough for anybody. Everyone leaves with their bag of classroom resources, much fuller than when they came and their store of ELT knowledge much richer.

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ers, Cengage Learning, Collins Learning, Helbling Language, and YBM Sisa. Materials include teacher’s handbooks, student coursebooks, graded readers and much more. These products are offered at discounted prices to attendees.

THE BONUSES Participants often transform from conference-goer to conference presenter, honing presentation skills that carry over into better teaching skills. Some present at conferences outside of Korea. KIC does not put itself on: it requires the skills and dedication of a large group of KOTESOL volunteer members. These conference organizers meet throughout the year to plan the annual KIC and, in the process, learn more about their professional field, develop bonds with their fellow conference planners and end up putting together an exceptional conference. If you haven’t yet been a part of a KOTESOL International Conference, or one of its national or regional conferences, you would do well to consider doing so for your self-improvement as an English teacher.

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KOTESOL MONTHLY CHAPTER MEETING

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Conference attendees networking at the KOTESOL Cafeé during KOTESOL 2014 Plenary Session by renowned Prof. Scott Thornbury from The New School University of New York at KOTESOL 2014 Members of the KOTESOL 2014 International

THE NAMES In addition to an international slate of session presenters, the KIC invites big-name speakers to participate in the conference. These renowned authorities on ELT and applied linguistics come from many corners of the globe to give plenary and featured presentations. Some of these include Scott Thornbury, David Nunan, Keith Folse, Paul Nation, Thomas Farrell, Jack Richards, Stephen Krashen, Rod Ellis and Michael Long. This year’s event included a series of pre-conference workshops in which a dozen of our plenary and featured speakers participated, giving the attendees in these smaller sessions a greater chance to interact with “the names.”

THE EXHIBITORS KIC also offers a materials exhibition for the attendees. Dozens of exhibit booths line the corridors, offering books and other ELT materials by familiar publishers such as Cambridge University Press, Oxford University Press, Macmillan Publish-

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Date & Time: November 8 (Saturday), 1:45 p.m.

Place: Chosun University, Main Building, Left Wing, Rm 4211 Admission: No Charge Morning (11:00) Reflective Practice Session 1. Presentation: The “I Am Happy” Project: Working with Young Learners

By Billie Kang (Master Teacher, Taebong Elementary School) 2. Presentation: Ten Poetry Activities for the EFL Classroom

By Dr. Yeong-Seon Park (Chonnam National University) For more details: Facebook: Gwangju-Jeonnam KOTESOL Website: http://koreatesol.org/gwangju Email: gwangju@koreatesol.org Twitter: @GwangjuKOTESOL

ABOUT THE AUTHOR David E. Shaffer is the President of the Gwangju-Jeonnam Chapter of Korea TESOL (KOTESOL). On behalf of the Chapter, he invites you to participate in the teacher development workshops at their monthly meetings and special events. Dr. Shaffer is a professor of English Language at Chosun University, where he has taught graduate and undergraduate courses for many years. He is a long-time member of KOTESOL and a holder of various KOTESOL positions, including Publications Committee Chair. He is also a repeat recipient of the KOTESOL President’s Award and a recipient of the KOTESOL Lifetime Achievement Award.

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[National Pension Service]

Social Security Agreement for Hungarian and French Nationals Foreigners 18-60 years old who are residing and working in Korea, regardless of their nationality, should be covered under the National Pension Service (NPS). Foreigners whose countries do not cover Korean nationals, however, are excluded from the coverage of NPS. Even so, if there are relevant provisions under the Social Security Agreement (SSA) between Korea and a foreigner’s country, those provisions will be applied.

To protect the rights of foreigners, the SSA is publishing a series of articles highlighting SSAs in cooperation with Gwangju News. This month’s featured SSAs are for foreigners from Hungary and France.

SSA between Korea and Hungary entered into force: March 2007 SSA between Korea and France entered into force: June 2007

EXEMPTION FROM DUAL COVERAGE In general, an employee is subject to the legislation of a Contracting Country in which he/she is employed.

A self-employed person is subject to the legislation of a Contracting Country in which the person ordinarily resides.

If a person is employed in the territory of one Contracting Country and is self-employed in the territory of the other Contracting Country for the same period, he/she is subject to the legislation of the Contracting Country in which he/she originally resides.

A detached worker is exempt from coverage under the legislation of the Contracting Country which he/ she is sent to for less than 3 years if he/she is covered under the legislation of his/her home country.

This 3-year limit can be extended to 6 years with the proper consent between agencies of both countries.

BENEFITS UNDER THIS AGREEMENT Even though your periods of coverage in one country are not sufficient to qualify for pension benefits,

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you may be eligible for benefits after this agreement has entered into force. This is possible due to totalization of coverage in both countries.

KOREAN NATIONAL PENSION BENEFITS UNDER THE SSA If you have more than 12 months of insured period in Korea but do not have enough periods of coverage (e.g., 20 years for Full Old-age Pension) to qualify for pension benefits under the Korean pension system, you may be able to qualify for Korean benefits by totalizing periods of coverage under the Korean pension system and (Hungarian/French) pension system. However, those periods creditable under (Hungarian/French) pension systems must not coincide with the periods under the legislation of Korea.

Your benefit is calculated by dividing the Korean periods of coverage by the total periods of coverage and then multiplying by the Theoretical Benefit.

The Theoretical Benefit is calculated based on the totalized periods in both countries.

(HUNGARIAN/FRENCH) PENSION BENEFITS UNDER THE SSA

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If you have more than 12 months of insured period in (Hungary/France) but do not have enough periods of coverage (e.g., 20 years for Full Old-age Pension) to qualify for pension benefits under the (Hungarian/French) pension system, you may be able to qualify for (Hungarian/French) benefits by totalizing periods of coverage under the Korean pension system and the (Hungarian/French) pension system.

However, those periods creditable under the Korean pension scheme must not coincide with the periods under the legislation of (Hungary/France).

Your benefit is calculated by dividing the (Hungarian/French) periods of coverage by the total periods of coverage and then multiplying by the Theoretical Benefit. The Theoretical Benefit is calculated based on the totalized periods in both countries.

If you do not have enough periods of coverage to qualify for French pension benefits under the French Pension Plan (CPP), you may be able to qualify for French pension benefits by totalizing periods of coverage under the Korean pension system and the French Pension Plan (CPP). However, those periods creditable under the Korean pension scheme, must not coincide with the periods of the French Pension Plan (CPP).

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A person who is or has been subject to the laws of one Contracting Country and who resides within the territory of the other Contracting Country shall, together with his dependents, receive equal treatment as the nationals of the other Contracting Country in the application of the laws of the other Contracting Country regarding the eligibility for and the payment of benefits.

A Korean lump-sum refund is paid to (Hungarian/ French) nationals. However, whether a lump-sum refund is paid to a national of a third country depends on the reciprocity principle stipulated in the Korean National Pension Act. However, since there is no provision for a lump-sum refund in the legislation of the (Hungarian/French) Social Insurance Pension System, Korean people cannot be paid a lump-sum refund from the (Hungarian/French) Social Insurance Pension System. Instead, the contributions to the (Hungarian/French) Pension System may be calculated toward pension payments according to the legislation of the (Hungarian/French) Social Insurance Pension System.

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Community Board Have something you want to share with the community?

Gwangju News’ community board provides a space for the community to announce clubs’ activities and special events. Please contact gwangjunews@gic.or.kr for more information.

UNESCO KONA VOLUNTEERS UNESCO KONA Volunteers is a registered organization that helps underprivileged kids by teaching English through storybooks.

We are looking for long-term volunteers who desire to enrich their lives. We are asking volunteers to commit to helping at least once a month: one Friday afternoon, Saturday afternoon, Sunday morning or Sunday afternoon per month.

If you have any picture books, storybooks, puppets or any educational items, we accept all donations in order to distribute them to the local children’s homes or community children’s centers in Gwangju.

For more infomation, please visit: 1) http://cafe.daum.net/konavolunteers 2) www.facebook.com (UNESCO KONA Volunteers) 3) contact KONA (Kim Young-im) at 062-434-9887 or at konacenter@gmail.com

GWANGJU ICE HOCKEY TEAM Looking for men and women of all ages to join us every Saturday night from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at Yeomju Ice Rink near World Cup Stadium.

If you are interested, contact Andrew Dunne at atdunne@gmail.com GWANGJU INTER FC The Gwangju International Soccer Team (Gwangju Inter FC) plays regularly every weekend.

If you are interested in playing, e-mail: gwangju_soccer@yahoo.com or search ‘Gwangju Inter FC’ on Facebook.

JOIN THE GWANGJU PERFORMANCE PROJECT CHOIR No experience is necessary and all are welcome.

The choir will be learning and singing a wide variety of material, including pop, jazz, choral, and musical theater!

PHOTO GWANGJU PLUS For photographers, Google+ has become a tool and part of their overall social media strategy.

There is a lot to love. If you are an aspiring photographer that is looking for inspiration, education and other individuals to connect with and share your passion for photography, we have an opportunity for you. If you are serious about photography and want to walk a couple steps higher, there is a community that shares pictures that you are more than welcome to join.

For more information, please visit “Photo Gwangju Plus” at #photogwangjuplus.

GWANGJU MEDITATION CLASS Every Monday evening from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.

by Maria Lisak from September 1st to December 29th.

Venue: GIC Office Participation fee: Free Please contact Gwangju Meditation Group on Facebook or Maria Lisak at gwangjumaria@yahoo.com for more information.

WAYGEEK Waygeek is a Gwangju-based celebration of geek culture and a safe space for all geeks, regardless of race, gender or planet of origin.

Check out our Facebook page and our website at waygeek.me

The GPP Choir meets every Saturday from 12:30 - 2:30 p.m. on the second floor of the Gwangju International Center.

For more information, visit our Facebook page or e-mail at gwangjuplayers@gmail.com

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“WILLKOMEN!”

It’s the G.P.P. Cabaret Night!

Words by Adam Volle

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n order to raise funds for its December production of the dramatic play “Proof,” the Gwangju Performance Project (GPP) is holding a one-night-only cabaret on Saturday, November 22, at 7 p.m. The evening of entertainment will be held at Concert 57, a new venue located close to the Downtown Megabox.

The show will feature a selection of song and dance numbers from eight well-known musicals, including “Chicago,” “Wicked,” “Les Miserables” — and of course, “Cabaret.” Julian McNulty, a veteran GPP member whose roles have included Don in “The Universal Language” and Reverend Mike in “Why Torture Is Wrong and the People Who Love Them,” will serve as the master of ceremonies. For the 20,000 won admission fee, guests will receive a three-course dessert. Drinks will also be available.

Much like the forthcoming “Proof,” which will be

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“At the Moulin Rouge, The Dance” by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec “Un Bar aux Folies-Bergere” by Edouard Manet

the GPP’s first non-comedic production in some time, Cabaret Night represents a departure in tone for GPP events. Rather than promoting the informality that has characterized the group thus far, guests will be encouraged to dress nicely and leave the kids at home in order to enjoy a more mature, even slightly racy night out.

The show is being directed by Heather Aikens, founder and co-director of the Jeolla Do Re Mi’s choir. Caitlin O’Neill, the Jeolla Do Re Mi’s other director, is the event coordinator. Anna Volle, GPP president, is producing.

Tickets are limited in number, so potential attendees are urged to quickly decide if they would like to go — and if so, to reserve their tickets in advance by e-mailing the GPP at GPPTickets@gmail.com.

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Upcoming Events November 2014 Compiled by Lee Jeonghwa, Kim Hyunyoung, Han Jeongbong, Han Juyeon, and Yong Yurim

exhibitions

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Gwangju Biennale 2014 광주비엔날레 Biennale Exhibition Hall, 111 Biennale-ro (Yongbong-dong), Buk-gu, Gwangju September 5 - November 9 9 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Adult 14,000 won Bus no 83 or 64 and get off at the Biennale Exhibition Hall 062-608-4114 www.gwangjubiennale.org

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Gwangju Biennale 20th Anniversary <Sweet Dew> 광주비엔날레 20주년 <달콤한 이슬> Gwangju Museum of Art August 8 - November 9 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. (Mondays Closed) Free Bus no 19, 36, 37 or 72, get off at the Sangnok Building, or take bus 1187 and get off at the Seogu Health Center 062-613-7100 artmuse.gwangju.go.kr

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Gwangju Biennale 20th Anniversary Ha Jeong-woong Exhibition 광주 비엔날레 20주년 하정웅컬렉션특별전 Gwangju Museum of Art August 8 - November 9 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. (closed Mondays) Free Bus no. 64 or 83, and get off at the Gwangju Biennale. Or take bus no. 83 and get off at the Gwangju Biennale Entrance 062-613-5393 artmuse.gwangju.go.kr Song-kyu Jeong <Everything Will Be Fine> 정송규 개인전 <다 괜찮을 거야> Mudeung Hyundai Museum September 3 - November 20 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. / Closed Mondays Free Bus no. 09, 35, 49, 50, 51, 54 or 76, and get off at Jeungsimsa 062-223-6677 mdmoca.com

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The 1st Asia Design Forum 아시아 디자인 포럼 Gwangju Design Center November 4-9 Asia Design Forum, Thesis presentations delivered by graduate students from Korea, China and Japan, Cultural experiences, Design exhibitions, and more ￦ Free Bus no 27, 39, 40, or 46, and get off at Gwangju Design Center 062-611-5024 www.gdc.or.kr/eng Bitgoeul Crafts Fair 2014 2014 빛고을 공예 페어 한마당 Gwangju Design Center Exhibition Hall October 30 – November 2 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. ￦ Free Exhibition (ceramics, metal craft, textile, paper arts, etc), Performances, Outdoor auction, Flea market, etc.

Bus no. 27, 39, 40, or 46, and get off at Gwangju Design Center 062-611-5055 www.gdc.or.kr/eng 2014 Gwangju Design Week 광주디자인위크 2014 Gwangju Design Center October 30 – November 23 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. ￦ Free Joint exhibition by Design Community in Gwangju (Industrial Design, Architecture design, Space Design, Exhibit from universities, etc) Bus no. 27, 39, 40, or 46, and get off at Gwangju Design Center 062-611-5075 www.gdc.or.kr/eng

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Pulitzer Prize Exhibition In Gwangju 퓰리처상 사진전 광주 Gwangju Art Culture Center, 60 Bukmundae-ro (Yongbong-dong), Buk-gu, Gwangju September 19 - November 30 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.

Adult 12,000 won Bus no. 16, 18, 27, 58, 63, 83, 84, 85 or 192 and get off at Gwangju Cultural and Art Center Entrance 1588-0766 www.ticketmaru.co.kr

Gwangju International Food Fair 2014 2014 광주 국제식품전 Kimdaejung Convention Center November 6 - 9 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Free Bus no. 1, 64, 38, 518, or 1000 get off at the Kimdaejung Convention Center Bus stop, or Bus no.

2,62,73,19,20,39 get off at the Jeonnam high school.

062-611-2213 www.foodshow.kr

performances

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2014 KIMDONGRYUL CONCERT in Gwangju 김동률 콘서트 – 광주 Grand Theater, Gwangju Culture and Art Center November 15 – November 16 7 p.m. November 15 / 6 p.m. November 16 R Seats 132,000 won / S Seats 121,000 won / A Seats 99,000 Bus no. 16, 18, 27, 58, 63, 83, 84, 85 or 192 and get off at Gwangju Cultural and Art Center Entrance 1566-6668 ticket.hanatour.com ‘Cats’ in Gwangju 캣츠 – 광주 Gwangju Culture and Art Center November 21 – November 23 November 21: 7:30 p.m., November 22~23: 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., VIP Seats 140,000 won / R Seats 120,000 won / S Seats 90,000 won / A Seats 70,000 won / B Seats 50,000 won Bus no. 16, 18, 27, 58, 63, 83, 84, 85 or 192 and get off at Gwangju Cultural and Art Center Entrance 062-613-8364 ticket.interpark.com

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movies at Gwangju theater ￦

Chungjang-no 5-ga 62, Dong-gu, Gwangju (two blocks behind NC WAVE) 8,000 won per person per film Bus no. 06, 07, 12, 45 74, or 170 get off at Gwangju Tax Office Bus Stop or 06, 07, 12, 45, 55, 59, or 74 get off at Chungjang Police Center Geumnam-ro 4 Ga Exit 2 062-224-5858 cafe.naver.com/cinemagwangju

Boyhood 보이후드 / R, Drama Director: Richard Linklater Starring: Ellar Coltrane, Patricia Arquette, Ethan Hawke Language: English Synopsis: A child and his parents journey from his childhood to adulthood.

Tess 테스 / PG/ Drama, Romance Director: Roman Polanski Starring: Nastassja Kinski, Peter Firth, Leigh Lawson Language: English Synopsis: A young peasant girl in Victorian-era England receives the affection of two men.

The Truth Shall Not Sink With Sewol 다이빙벨 / Documentary Director: Ahn Hae-ryong Starring: Lee Jong-in Language: Korean Synopsis: This documentary explores the sinking of the passenger ferry Sewol in April 2014.

The Act of Killing 액트 오브 킬링 / Documentary Director: Joshua Oppenheimer Starring: Anwar Congo, Herman Koto, Syamsul Arifin Languages: Indonesian, English Synopsis: In this documentary, Indonesian death-squad leaders reenact their mass-killings.

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BRITISH CLASSIC MOVIES SPECIALS (NOVEMBER 28-DECEMBER 7) The Edge of the World 세상의 끝 / Drama, Romance Director: Michael Powell Starring: Niall MacGinnis, Belle Chrystall, John Laurie Synopsis: A story about a trio who live in Outer Hebridean Island and the dying way of life of the old fishing port.

The Lady Vanishes 숙녀 사라지다 / PG-13, Comedy, Mystery, Thriller Director: Alfred Hitchcock Starring: Margaret Lockwood, Michael Redgrave, Paul Lukas Synopsis: While traveling in continental Europe by train, a rich young girl meets a case which turns her into finding someone missing on the train.

Great Expectations 위대한 유산 / Drama, Romance Director: David Lean Starring: John Mills, Valerie Hobson, Tony Wager Synopsis: A young orphan who lives with a kind blacksmith becomes a gentleman with the help of an unknown benefactor.

I Became a Criminal, They Made Me a Fugitive 그들은 나를 도망자로 만들었다 / Crime, Drama Director: Alberto Cavalcanti Starring: Sally Gray, Trevor Howard, Griffith Jones Synopsis: An ex-RAF soldier is drawn into the world of crime after the war.

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festivals

Hampyeong Chrysanthemum Festival 대한민국국향대전 Hampyeong Expo Park, Hampyeong-gun, South Jeolla October 24 – November 9 Indoor and outdoor exhibitions, Traditional folk play, Picking edible chrysanthemuns, Kite making, etc.

Take the local bus no. 500 from the Gwangju Bus Terminal and get off at Hampyeong Bus Terminal (about 2.5 hours). Or take the regional bus from the Gwangju Bus Terminal and get off at Hampyeong Bus Terminal (0.5 hours).

061-320-3364,3349,3733 www.hampyeong.go.kr

Yeongam Wangin Chrysanthemum Festival 영암왕인국화축제 Historic Site of Wangin, Yeongam-gun, South Jeolla October 29 – November 9 Indoor and outdoor flower exhibitions Take the regional bus from the Gwangju Bus Terminal and get off at Yeongam Bus Terminal (1.5 hours). Then, take the local bus for Mokpo at Yeongam Bus Terminal and get off at Historic Site of Wangin (0.5 hours).

061-470-6583, 6587 mum.yeongam.go.kr/home/mum/

The 11th Gunsan World Migratory Birds Festival 군산세계철새축제 Migratory Birds Observatory, Lake Geumgang, Gunsan-si, North Jeolla November 14 - 16 Migratory birds watching tour, Migratory birds golden bell, Special exhibitions, Boa birds (sick birds who need protection) releasing, Lake, etc.

Take the regional bus at Gwangju Bus Terminal and get off at Gunsan Bus Terminal (1.5 hours). Then, take the local bus no. 82 at Palma Square Terminal (near bus terminal) and get off at Geumgang Migratory Birds Observatory (20 min.).

063-454-5680~7 www.gmbo.kr/festival.htm?gNum=4

Gwangju Human Rights Film Festival 광주인권영화제 G cinema, 6th floor, Gwangju Visual Cultural Center, Dong-gu, Gwangju November 20 - 23 Human rights movies: please check website for schedules Bus no. 09, 36, 37, 45, 51,52, 54, 55, 59, 80, 95, 98, 150, 151 or 152, and get off at Dong-gu Office. Or take the subway and get off at the Culture Complex(use exit no.1).

062-529-7576 www.gjhrff.com

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