(EN) Gwangju News January 2017 #179 by Gwangju International Center

Gwangju and South Jeolla International Magazine I January 2017 Issue No. 179

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January 2017 Issue No. 179 Published on January 6, 2017 Cover Photo: Kyu Sung Woo Cover Art & Design: Joe Wabe Gwangju News is the first local English magazine in Korea, first published in 2001. It covers local and regional issues, with a focus on roles and activities of the international residents and local Englishspeaking communities. 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. Gwangju News is published by Gwangju International Center 5, Jungang-ro 196 beon-gil (Geumnam-no 3 Ga), Dong-gu, Gwangju 61475, South Korea Tel: (+82)-62-226-2733~34 Fax: (+82)-62-226-2731 Registration No. 광주광역시 라. 00145 (ISSN 2093-5315) Registration Date February 22, 2010 Printed by Join Adcom 조인애드컴 (+82)-62-367-7702

THE EDITORIAL TEAM

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

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GwangjuNews

@GwangjuNewsGIC

We have plenty of opportunities for writers, copy editors, photographers, web and blog editors as well as graphic artists and creators. Please contact our managing editor at gwangjunews@gic.or.kr for volunteering inquiries. Email us today and start getting involved!

January 2017

Volunteering Inquiries and Feedback: gwangjunews@gic.or.kr Advertising and Subscription Inquiries: karina@gic.or.kr or 062-226-2733~34

Gwangju News always needs volunteers who want to share or gain expertise.

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PUBLISHER Shin Gyonggu EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Joe Wabe MANAGING EDITORS Kelsey Rivers, Anastasia Traynin ONLINE EDITOR Nathan Fulkerson COORDINATORS Minsu Kim, Cho Nam-hee, Karina Prananto LAYOUT EDITOR Karina Prananto PHOTO EDITOR Lorryn Smit CHIEF PROOFREADER Joey Nunez COPY EDITORS Laura Becker, Brian Fitzroy, Gabi Nygaard, Kelsey Rivers, Anastasia Traynin PROOFREADERS Lianne Bronzo, Ynell Lumanato-Mondragon, Teri Lyn, Paolo Mondragon, Kelsey Rivers, Erin Stewart, Anastasia Traynin RESEARCHERS Ahn Hyerang, Jang Jaehee, Park Chulhan, Son Saerom, Yu Ri

Are you looking for ways to be actively involved with your community while spending time with fun and engaging people?

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Contents January 2017

GWANGJU NEWS 04. Gwangju City News 05. Upcoming Events

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January 2017

COMMUNITY 08. New in Town: Galaxy Hotel Checks into Gwangju 10. Local Entrepreneurs: Sun’s Farm: New Wave Pears 44. Indoor and Outdoor Ice Skating in Gwangju 46. Donating Blood in Gwangju 47. Expat Living: Understanding Health Insurance 48. From Abroad: Brew Your Own Korean Craft Beer 50. My 2016 GIC DAY Story OPINION 52. Why Trump?: Explaining the US Election

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FEATURE

TRAVEL

16. Hands On: An Interview with Asia Culture Center Architect Kyu Sung Woo 20. Seollal: Then and Now 24. An Indonesian Expedition: A South African English Teacher Goes to Jakarta in Search of Her Roots

36. Lost in the South: Boseong Light Festival 38. Around Korea: Gyeongju’s Royal Treatment

ARTS & CULTURE 23. Ringing in the Lunar New Year – Korean Style 28. Photo Essay: The Story 32. Photo of the Month 34. Fantastic Mistake: Breaking Cultural Walls with Music 49. Movie Review: Kubo and the Two Strings

FOOD & DRINKS 41. Korean Food: Go Five-a-Day in the Korean Way 42. Where to Eat: Eating Vegetarian in Gwangju EDUCATION 13. Gwangju Youth Creative Hub ‘Samdi’ : Helping Local Youth Design Their Lives 46. KOTESOL: Writing Without Pain in the EFL Classroom 55. Talk to Me in Korean

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Letter from the Editor

e would like to wish you all a very happy new year from the Gwangju News team! The festive season may be over, but the New Year is upon us and winter is at its finest so do not retire into hibernation just yet!

For those lucky enough to be on vacation, the Hedgers Abroad went and explored Gyeongju to compile a great travel guide to this ancient city. If Gyeongju is too far, we got the lowdown on the Bosoeng Green Tea Fields Light Festival that runs until the end of the month. For your dose of winter sports, browse to the sports section for information on ice skating in the city.

“Every time you tear a leaf off the calendar, you present a new place for ideas and progress.” – Charles Kettering

In this month’s Where to Eat, Sean gives a string of recommendations for vegetarian-friendly restaurants. Butlers Korea also helps us out on the complicated subject of health insurance, Amy Badenhorst writes on the importance of blood donation, and we connected with a local e-commerce farmer and got to know the new addition to the music community: Galaxy Hotel. And lastly, our cover story on the very talented designer of the Asian Culture Complex, Kyu Sung Woo, might spark your inspiration for the new year. Stay warm and enjoy the year’s first edition of Gwangju News!

Lorryn Smit Photo Editor

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Gwangju City

News

Compiled by Ahn Hyerang, Jang Jaehee, and Park Chulhan

Government Streamlines Administrative Services for Multi-Cultural Families At a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, December 6, the Ministry of Government Administration and Home Affairs announced it will soon provide incorporated administrative services to multi-cultural families, through a newly streamlined bureaucratic portal. According to the ministry, multi-cultural families, foreign workers and even foreign students will be able to conduct administrative procedures through a one-stop ‘Multi-cultural Immigrants Plus(+)’ Center, which will reportedly be set up next year. The centers will be test-operated in 12 cities across the nation, and if successful, the service will be expanded across the country.

FINA Pledges Active Support for 2019 Gwangju Swimming Championship FINA (The International Swimming Federation) promises to provide aggressive support for the 2019 Swimming Championship.

The FINA Bureau, which consists of 23 members from various countries, is the highest decision making group of FINA. Cho Young-tek, the head of the 2019 World Aquatics Championship Organizing Committee explained Gwangju’s preparation and increase in the national budget to support the bureau while the other officials consulted with FINA experts about management, operation, doping, medicine and more. FINA Bureau members commented that the preparation is beyond expectation and promised to provide aggressive support to lead the championship to success.

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January 2017

According to the 2019 World Aquatics Championship Organizing Committee, its officials visited Canada to review its status at the FINA Bureau meeting.

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Vice Minister Kim Seong-yeol said the newly established centers are expected to provide easy and simplified services for all multicultural families across the nation.

Gwangju to Invest 93 billion won in Media Art Infrastructure As part of efforts to earn a UNESCO Media Art Creative City designation, the Gwangju metropolitan government announced a new management plan that will see some 93 billion won in funding invested in media arts over the next six years. The threestep project was announced at a recent press conference called the ‘UNESCO Media Art Creative City; Gwangju Platform’. The first phase reportedly involves the investment of 31 billion won into the creation of six hologram tech stations across the city, and the establishment of an Art and Media Technology Center. The 44 billion won second phase will take place from 2017 to 2021. The plan includes the construction of monuments, specialized streets, and experience spaces in areas around the Asia Culture Center. In the final phase, which is planned from 2022 to 2023, 20 billion won will be invested in the construction of two Media Art Theme Parks, and the creation of a Media Lake in the Pung-am Park area. The metropolitan government will even reportedly proclaim a new ‘Ordinance on Development and Support for the Media Art Creative City’ at the beginning of next year, in order to ensure smooth progress for its plans.

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Upcoming

제12회 여수마라톤대회

Events

Date: January 8, 2017 Venue: Yeosu City, Yeosu World Expo Exhibition Venue Admission Fees (won): General Course from 10,000 ~ 30,000 won Mania Course: 20,000 won *Mania entry does not include complementary gift set.

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지리산 바래봉 눈꽃축제

The 6th Jirisan Barae Peak Snow Festival will be held in Jiri Mountain’s Baraebong Peak and Herb Valley. Various programs include snow sledding, snow sculpture making, snow climbing, and eating roasted sweet potatoes. The 120m snow sled will be popular with adults as well as children. Date: December 31, 2016 ~ Early February 2017 Venue: 214, Baraebong-gil, Yongsan-ri, Namwon-si, Jeollabuk-do Admission Fee: 6,000 won Website: http://unbong.namwon.go.kr Telephone: 063-620-3818

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Website: http://www.ysmarathon.co.kr/ Telephone: 061-921-9906

Jirisan Barae Peak Snow Festival

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The Yeosu Marathon is the biggest winter marathon in Korea, kicking off on January 8th at the Yeosu World Expo exhibition venue. Attracting thousands of both domestic and international runners, it is expected to gather 10,000 participants this year. All participants will receive a complimentary gift set of a T-shirt, a medal and a completion certificate. The marathon course incorporates city parks, famous city landmarks, the Amble hotel, and the Yeosu marine cable car entrance.

January

GWANGJU NEWS

The 12th Yeosu Marathon Race

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Gwangju Metropolitan City Hall outdoor skating (ice sled) rink

Open Session

Weekday (Mon ~ Fri)

Weekend (Sat ~ Sun) & Holidays

10:00 ~ 11:00

11:20 ~ 12:20

12:40 ~ 13:40

14:00 ~ 15:00

15:20 ~ 16:20

16:40 ~ 17:40

18:00 ~ 19:00

19:20 ~ 20:20

Date: December 17, 2016 ~ January 31, 2017 Admission Fee: 1,000 won per person; 500 won for people subject to discount under the law. Venue: Gwangju Metropolitan City Culture Plaza (Gwangju City Hall) *Children under 6 are not allowed to enter the rink. Bus: 01, 16, 22, 25, 45, 46, 50, 65, 63, 64, 518, 1000

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January 2017

Picasso and His Passions

This is the biggest exhibition displaying a range of genuine drawings and works of Picasso. The show exhibits 370 works including his engravings, oil paintings, pottery and videos. Date: December 17, 2016 ~ February 18, 2017 Location: Kimdaejung Convention Center 30, Sangmunuri-ro, Seo-gu, Gwangju Admission Feeㄴ: Adults: 15,000 won, Students: 12,000 won Children: 10,000 won Exhibition time: 10:00~19:00 Website: www.espenter.com Telephone: 070-8886-9279/02-455-7980

Robot+, Gwangju National Science Museum

ACC in Flux

The special exhibition “Robot Plus” gives the opportunity to experience high-technology robots. It gives a glimpse of future coexistence between humans and robots.

ACC in Flux, which is the archive exhibition for the 1st anniversary of the Asia Culture Center (ACC), aims to demonstrate the ACC’s efforts to constantly redefine itself and communicate and converge with other fields in various countries. The exhibition will display the process of creating the ACC based on organization data collected before and after its 2015 launch and the contents of ongoing programs.

Date: December 17, 2016 ~ March 1, 2017 Venue: 235, Cheomdangwagi-ro, Buk-gu, Gwangju (Gwangju Science Museum) Admission Fee: 8,000 won Exhibition time: 09:30~17:30 Website: www.sciencecenter.or.kr Telephone: 062)960-6210~6211

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Date: November 23, 2016 ~ February 26, 2017 Exhibition Time: Tue-Sun: 10:00~18:00 Wed: 10:00~21:00 Sat: 10:00~19:00 Venue: Space 6, ACC Creation Contact: 062-601-4523

Club Monster

Meet a subculture club where popular music meets contemporary fine art. Anyone whose soul seeks to find the spirit of youth can join the club and enjoy cool-contemporary art exhibitions with dance and music. Date: November 23, 2016 ~ February 26, 2017 Exhibition Time: Tue ~ Sun: 10:00 ~ 18:00 Wed: 10:00 to 21:00 Sat: 10:00 to 19:00 Venue: Space 2, ACC Creation Admission Fee: free Entering the exhibition hall is allowed during designated times. Children over 7 years old are allowed. Contact: 062-601-4525 Info@actcenter.kr

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GWANGJU THEATER Chungjang-no 5-ga 62, Dong-gu, Gwangju (two blocks behind NC WAVE) TICKETS: 8,000 won INFORMATION: 062-224-5858

Your Name 君の名は (Kimi no na wa) <너의 이름은>

Genres: Animation, Drama, Fantasy Director: Makoto Shinkai Time Length: 106 minutes Starring: Ryûnosuke Kamiki, Mone Kamishiraishi, Ryô Narita Two high school kids who have never met — city boy Taki and country girl Mitsuha — are united through their dreams.

The Music of Strangers: Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble <요요마와 실크로드 앙상블>

Genres: Drama, Comedy-drama Director: Stephen Daldry Time Length: 111 minutes Starring: Jamie Bell, Julie Walters, Jean Heywood A re-release of the movie Billy Elliot (2000) tells the story of the life of a miner’s son in Northern England. Billy’s life is forever changed one day when he stumbles upon a ballet class on his way to boxing lessons.

The Reader < 더 리더: 책 읽어주는 남자 >

Genres: Drama, Romance Director: Stephen Daldry Time Length: 124 minutes Starring: Kate Winslet, Ralph Fiennes, Bruno Ganz A re-release of the movie The Reader (2008). Post-WWII Germany: Nearly a decade after his affair with an older woman came to a mysterious end, law student Michael Berg re-encounters his former lover as she defends herself in a war-crime trial.

It’s Only the End of the World < 단지 세상의 끝 >

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Seven Years- Journalism without Journalist < 7년-그들이 없는 언론 >

Billy Elliot < 빌리 엘리어트 >

Genre: Drama Director: Xavier Dolan Time Length: 97 minutes Starring: Nathalie Baye, Vincent Cassel, Marion Cotillard Louis, a terminally ill writer, returns home after a long absence to tell his family that he is dying.

For the full January movie calendar please visit: cafe.naver.com/cinemagwangju

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January 2017

Genre: Documentary Director: Kim Jin-hyuk Time Length: 111 minutes Starring: Noh Jong-myeon, Jung Yeong-ha, Cho Seung-ho, Choi Seung-ho A total of 17 journalists have been fired since 2008 in Korea, the beginning of Lee Myung-bak’s presidential term. These journalists who had fought against the companies

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Genre: Documentary Director: Morgan Neville Time Length: 96 minutes Starring: Yo-Yo Ma From the director of the Oscar-winning documentary 20 Feet from Stardom and the critically acclaimed Best of Enemies, the new film The Music of Strangers: Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble tells the extraordinary story of the renowned international musical collective created by legendary cellist Yo-Yo Ma. The feature-length documentary follows this group of diverse instrumentalists, vocalists, composers, arrangers, visual artists and storytellers as they explore the power of music to preserve tradition, shape cultural evolution and inspire hope.

they worked for, resisting succumbing to the desires of those above them who are corrupt, are now frustrated at a reality where censorship of the press by authorities has become a norm. Can they continue their careers as journalists in light of the growing corruption within their line of work?

GWANGJU NEWS

January 5

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NEW IN TOWN

COMMUNITY

Galaxy Hotel Checks into Gwangju

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January 2017

Words by Joey Nunez

osh Garcia and Carleen Kirksey comprise Galaxy Hotel, a band settling into Gwangju’s international music scene. The two American musicians were most recently playing in Portland, Oregon, before they traveled together to teach at ECC in Gwangju, a component of the YBM educational company. Galaxy Hotel’s roots really began along the roads of America’s Lone Star State: Texas. Kirksey had just moved back to Dallas from New York City. Garcia was living in Dallas and a part of three different bands, when the two musicians “started jamming together for fun.” Garcia contributes vocals,

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Photos Courtesy of Galaxy Hotel

drums and guitar, while Kirksey provides vocals, ukulele and bass to Galaxy Hotel’s sounds. The pair decided on their band’s name while driving around Dallas and busking (playing music for voluntary donations) in the summer of 2014. “We are citizens of the Galaxy” truly showcases the band’s purpose and provides the invitation for all citizens to enjoy their music too. How would Galaxy Hotel describe their own musicality? Garcia was raised on and has favorites from America’s oldies, rock n’ roll and MoTown, while Kirksey describes herself

as “a musical theater kid who fell into different genres in that way.” Kirksey has always loved Steven Sondheim, an American composer and lyricist known for such musicals as West Side Story, Sweeney Todd and Into the Woods. Returning to Garcia’s musical inspirations, he also offered an explanation of Galaxy Hotel’s own history of developing their music. “At first we just let ideas come to us and went with whatever sounded good, but now we have a little bit more of a focus when it comes to finding a sound we want for a song. Lately, we have been listening to a lot of surf music, old blues and

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1970s Nigerian jazz.”

Eden Jones is one of those artists. Jones is an American violinist who has played with Galaxy Hotel a few

Galaxy Hotel’s most memorable experience in Korea so far has been their appearance on GFN’s K-Pop Sing-

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Jones is very appreciative of Galaxy Hotel. “When they play their music, it is so clearly evident by the wide expressions on their faces that they love what they do and they have fun doing it.” Speaking of their own music, Galaxy Hotel has found their song “Mira” to be a crowd-favorite. For 2017, Galaxy Hotel is working on their first full album with a full band. Looking backward and moving forward, Garcia and Kirksey explained the importance of music with this simple explanation, “Music is there when no one else is. We believe in its power to lift your soul.” Find Galaxy Hotel on Facebook to enjoy their previous concerts and hear about their upcoming appearances.

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Galaxy Hotel is pleased with the welcoming atmosphere of Gwangju’s international community. “We have found a lot of really good artists in the area and have definitely found a home at Open Space Dreamers at Daein Night Market.”

As many international residents discover, Korea presents great opportunities for non-Koreans to be involved. With Gwangju’s continuing support of the arts, the pair enjoyed helping judge an all-boys high school talent show. Not knowing what to expect, they “just went with it. It ended up being a surreal experience, when we were escorted into a performance hall of about 300 screaming young men. It was great. We were [the] Beatles for about 10 seconds.”

ing Competition. After riding for one hour to the concert location, the group performed a cover of Korea’s 10cm’s “Americano.” Afterwards, “we ended up onstage dancing and clapping for three songs behind a Korean Pop Star.”

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When asked how the group communicates their music’s messages and themes, the pair describe the process honestly. Garcia stated: “We never go at it with a theme in mind. Well, it has never worked that way [for us] anyway. Usually whatever either of us is going through or thinking about will rear its head into the music.” Kirksey shared: “I think we both like storytelling in music, and talking about the human condition in a real way. A lot of inspiration has come from people we met while traveling. There is also an influence of nature.”

times and considers their style to be intimate. “Most of their music has a down-to-earth, acoustic sound. I could sit in a café and listen to them all day. The pair is a dynamic duo on more levels than one.” Jones is also amazed every time she joins Garcia and Kirksey. “I am always amazed at the vocal talent and creative ability of Galaxy Hotel when it comes to improvising.”

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COMMUNITY

10 LOCAL ENTREPRENEURS

Sun’s Farm: New Wave Pears

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January 2017

Words By Peter Gallo

Photos by Jeong Da-Woon

he interview at Sun’s Farm is an event. Soyeon, my wife and driver, and I have travelled the hour by car to Naju to see the show. We are safely guided into the neighborhood by GPS, but must be rerouted, and personally escorted through the gates, with farmer Lim Sun Kook sitting in the back seat. Lim, of Sun’s Farm, is a third generation Naju Pear farmer. The launch of www.sunsfarm.kr represents a new phase in the efforts of the farmerturned-entrepreneur. It is a basic commercial site, selling pears directly

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to Korean consumers, with no English or overseas shipping option. It lacks the presence of any social media links or Internet ads. Lim prefers to promote his website in person at events such as a seasonal holiday shopping market here in Gwangju. The Christ Market is hosted by the vegetarian buffet restaurant in downtown Gwangju near Art Street, and runs on Saturday evenings through December. Among the locally-made handcrafts, home baked goods, and food trucks, Lim is just another local vendor, selling small jars of

honey and foil pouches which contain the sweet pear juice from his family’s Naju orchard. Keeping in the holiday spirit, some juice packets are even spiked with doraji, the medicinal root of the bellflower. When in Gwangju, Lim stays with his wife, Erin O’Reily-Lim, who lives and works in the city as an ESL teacher at a local school. On weekends like this, the family can all be together, including their daughter, Minah, and their son Noah, who was born September 28, 2016. Minah’s image is intimately linked to the Sun’s Farm brand, being

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Lim tells me that the orchard is 10,000 pyeong, (about 8 U.S. acres), one of

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“I am 35 years old, (which is) pretty

young for farming.” Lim admits that he does know of one other younger pear farmer who started studying at a trade high school, but Lim’s experience comes purely from working at the orchard with his family. Being so young, he doesn’t yet get a lot of respect from the older farmers. The vast majority are male and of his father’s generation, which is nearly retirement age. If the website is conservative in nature, then Lim’s personal style is fashionable attire, like the basketball jerseys and hightop sneakers that he

January 2017

Along the driveway, we are welcomed by the naked orchard trees, which to the western eye somewhat resemble trellised grape vineyards. The branches, vastly supported with a matrix of cables and posts are, Lim explains, expertly shaped for easy access and maximum production of the fruit.

the larger- sized pear orchard operations in Naju. He explains that he doesn’t include any social media type content on the website, because it is strictly there to sell pears and other Sun’s Farm products. He has had some difficulties getting permission from his father, taking about ten years to convince him to allow him to launch the website. He shares his dreams of taking over the family farm when his parents retire. He would like to see Naju pears be as popular as oranges and apples some day.

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at the center of the banner heading at the top of the website. In the Sun’s Farm logo, she is holding a golden pear the size of the sun.

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January 2017

models on his Instagram site. He has even posed with a couple of large Naju pears atop a duel-mixing turntable. Lim confesses that he does fantasize about developing a small line of hats and shirts to promote the Sun’s Farm Brand that might appeal to Korean “rock-star farmers”, if they exist. Lim would also like to develop other products derived from the pears, such as hard cider. A previous effort by Naju Pear farmers was not successful, but Lim feels that modern pub drinkers would demand such a product if it existed. Outside again, the light is winter bright. The warehouse contains the entire operation, excluding the juice manufacturing, which is contracted out to a reliable off-site factory. Boxes, which will be packed with 7.5 kg of pears, are stacked on pallets along the warehouse wall. Customers have a few different impressively large-sized varieties to choose from. According to Lim, these boxes are likely be given as

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holiday gifts, and eventually, the pears will be placed on altars all over South Korea, or eaten. The weeks before holidays, such as Seollal and Chuseok, are the busiest times for the farm, but they don’t hire out labor for packing. Only during the pruning seasons do they need about 10 additional people to help. Since there is a lack of Korean farm labor available, Sun’s Farm is forced to hire immigrant farm workers, who can be found through daylabor centers. English and Korean are the main languages used to communicate, but the workers mostly come from Russia and Vietnam, so this can be logistically challenging. When Lim slides open the door to the “walk in” refrigerator, the towers of pear-filled crate stacks reach the ceiling of the warehouse. He grabs a couple of sample souvenir pears for me, and slams the door shut. The pears ripen slowly, and at that temperature they’ll be perfect by late January, when the next big rush of orders comes in.

One challenge, according to Lim, is that because the holidays are based on the lunar calendar, the market season is different every year. Lim stresses the importance of selling directly to consumers through the website, cutting out the middle man, and giving more profit to the family farm. The conventional Naju Pear market is run by an auction system, that sells mostly to department stores at twice the cost of what he can sell on his website. “You can buy Naju pears in the supermarket” Lim assures me, but since the pears that come from Sun’s Farm are rated among the highest quality in the nation, they are usually only sold at department stores.

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Gwangju Youth Creative Hub “Samdi” : Helping Local Youth Design Their Lives Words by Anastasia Traynin Photos by Gwangju Youth Creative Hub

EDUCATION was hatched to create a second model in Gwangju. Coinciding with the annual November 3 Student Independence Movement Memorial Day, the building came back to life in 2016, reopening as the Gwangju Youth Creative Hub. It was originally called ‘Youth Career and Vocational Training Center,’ but the name made the founders feel limited in their mission of providing meaningful extracurricular opportunities for Gwangju teenagers, so they settled on a name that would encompass their wide range of activities, using the direct translation from Korean as Youth Life (Sam) De-

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readings and many other gatherings throughout the years. With the historical building becoming too small and run-down to accommodate the programs, the Student Hall was permanently relocated to a newly constructed space in Hwajeong-dong, Seogu in 2005, followed by the moving of its library in September 2014. The final relocation left the old downtown space open to new ideas. Taking inspiration from Seoul’s Haja Center, or ‘Seoul Youth Factory for Alternative Culture,’ the first Korean model of an alternative career and education center for teenagers, a plan

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or the past several years, the alley with the ‘Yes, Maybe, No’ street survey and fortune-teller tents near the downtown Gwangju post office has seen throngs of passers-by come and go, some with little knowledge about the large empty building in the adjacent park. As the former site of the Gwangju Student Independence Movement* Memorial Hall, opened in 1967 and known as the Student Hall, the original fourstory building holds many memories for middle-aged Gwangju residents who went to the library, theater performances, art exhibits, poetry

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14 sign Center, or ‘Samdi.’ As a gesture of equality with the young people and community they serve, reducing the impact of directors and hierarchy, the Samdi staff has opted to use nicknames in their workplace rather than formal titles. On the afternoon of Friday, December 9, which coincided with Kimjang (kimchi-making) day at the Hub, staff member Abong told us about the Hub’s current mission, finishing with a tour of its garden and six floors with sweeping views of the city. “Our main goal is to match students’ strengths with what they want to do and learn, and for them to make the most of the spaces in the building,” Abong said. “Teenagers always have something they are good at and then something they want to do, so we want to match those up.”

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January 2017

At the main gate of the Gwangju Office of Education, concerned parents, teachers and other citizens have held an ongoing protest against the nighttime study sessions prominent at local high schools. Starting in 2017, the Office has agreed to make some changes in the system, with Samdi proposing to bring in thirty students for an initial evening workshop. Samdi’s first and second floors are open public spaces, including a study room and reading room, and the third through sixth floors are open for various community groups to make event reservations. One-day job experience programs for students include cooking, art, photography, body movement, music production and many others. A weekly Thursday community lunch program is followed by dinner, primarily aiming to provide students with an after-school meal instead of their normal convenience store snacks picked up on their way between school and hagwon. “What youth need the most is time to think about themselves and time

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to do nothing. Here, we do not want to give them pressure, but to make a place to rest and have fun which would lead to being involved in creative work. Humans have a creative instinct; making chopsticks, spoons, houses. So providing sessions for developing skills, such as sewing and woodcraft, even if they do not lead directly to them having that occupation, can give students confidence and to think, ‘Even if I do not have money or I did not go to a prestigious university, I can still survive through skills I have learned.’” The 14 staff members at Samdi have come together from diverse backgrounds with the common goal of wanting to work directly with young people. Abong came from her previous work at the Gwangju Cultural Foundation. “People from the world of music, book publishing, art and culture, woodwork are here,” Abong said. “As a mother of a young child, I also wanted to meet teenagers. More than a workplace, we get the feeling that we are learning and growing. Even

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15 though it is difficult sometimes, we are having fun.” Since Samdi’s opening, the most commonly asked question is, “how can adults in the community use the space?” Abong answered by saying that the Hub is first reaching out to those who have memories of this place, who can then bring their sons and daughters. “Actually, teenagers are really busy so they do not have much time to visit. Although we are mainly targeting young people, all citizens, including foreign residents, are welcome to come and participate together, as well as use the spaces for their own projects.” *The Gwangju Student Independence Movement of the colonial pe-

The Gwangju Youth Creative Hub is supported by Gwangju City and the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family.

Office Hours: Tuesday-Saturday 10-7, open space Sunday, off Monday Address: Hwanggeum-dong, Jungang-ro 160 beongil 31-37, Dong-gu, Gwangju (Formerly Student Union Hall)

광주광역시 동구 황금동 중앙로 160번길 3137 (옛 학생회관)

Phone: 062-232-1324 Space Reservation: 062-224-0545, guild@samdi.or.kr One Day Experience Program Reservation: 062-224-0542, mavin@ samdi.or.kr Fax: (062) 233-1324 E-mail: hello@samdi.or.kr Facebook: hellosamdi

January 2017

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Gwangju Youth Creative Hub www.gwangjunewsgic.com

riod was sparked by an incident on a Naju-Gwangju commuter train on October 30, 1929, in which a Japanese student sexually harassed female Korean students, leading to large-scale demonstrations in Gwangju on November 3 that quickly spread throughout Korea.

2017-01-06 ㄴㄴ 4:22:13

FEATURE

Hands On

An Interview with Asia Culture Center Architect Kyu Sung Woo Words by Murdock O’Mooney

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

January 2017

Photos courtesy of Kyu Sung Woo and Lorryn Smit

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f you have been to downtown Gwangju, chances are you have seen the Asia Culture Center (ACC). Recently, I was granted an interview with lead architect Kyu Sung Woo. I spoke with him over the phone from his home in Boston, Massachusetts. Woo has had a blessed career winning Korea’s Ho Am Prize and having been made Fellow in the American Institute of Architects. He also has graduate degrees from Harvard and Columbia. Some of his more wellknown designs include the Whanki Museum and Olympic Village Housing in Seoul, and the Arts Gallery of Korea in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Speaking about the ACC Woo recounted, “It was the most challenging project of my professional career.” He went on, “It took 10 years and the level of responsibility I felt was immense. 10 years is a long time for a project... it is a long time in a person’s life!” Woo explained that because the ACC was going to be a major cultural hub in the city center, and used by the public, he felt great pressure to do a good job.

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January 2017

On the ACC website Woo explains, “The overarching concept behind my design was the memory of May 18th Democratic Uprising.” Because of this, Woo put the square where the uprising took place at the center of his design. He also preserved historically relevant buildings on site, such as the former provincial office and Sangmu Hall. Woo goes on to say, “I wanted to create the kind of space in the busy center of the city that was more of a lung, than a heart.” He continues, “What I mean by this is that there needs to be plenty of breathing space... the answer to this was a public park.”

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The ACC came into being as part of ex-president Roh Moo-Hyun’s 2004 initiative to turn Gwangju into an international hub by 2023. President Roh allocated 4.8 billion USD to the project, and placed 680 million USD aside for the ACC, which was to be (and is) the largest cultural center in Korea. An international competition was held to find a design for the structure and Woo’s design won beating out 124 competitors. Woo called his proposal “Forest of Light.”

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www.gwangjunewsgic.com

January 2017

Photo by Lorryn Smit

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Photo by Lorryn Smit

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When he visited last year, he saw people lying on the grass of the large sloping field and children playing and riding bikes near the fountain. Woo said that it was nice to see the ACC fulfilling its purpose as a civic space, providing a place for people to enjoy life and just be.

“Light,” as seen in Woo’s design, not only references physical light but also the light of hope found in democracy and freedom. Woo wrote online, “The lights shot up by lighting artists at Ground Zero in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks were more touching than any tangible structures I had seen.” A similar sentiment is felt at the ACC, as skylight boxes placed around the grounds light up underground facilities during the day, and glow a bright white light at night.

However, the ACC did not come about without criticism. Many doubted the choice to build a massive cultural hub in a “remote southwestern city,” as one Korea Times writer put it. Woo said these doubts were understandable but now that the ACC is complete, he hopes critics can see the contribution the complex makes to the city.

Curious, I asked Woo what his favorite part of the complex was. “The people in the space,” he replied.

When asked if the ACC was a favorite project of his career, Woo surprised me with his professionalism, saying,

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I could tell that Woo was excited to discuss the ACC with me. Even though he did not directly admit it, I can only assume that having his name attached to the largest cultural complex in Korea brings him great pride. When asked what advice he might give to aspiring architects, he thought for a moment then responded, “Always follow your conviction.” He mentioned that the current architectural climate of today sometimes places more emphasis on style and architects, than the projects themselves. He said to this, “I do not worry about styles and labels too much, I just do the best I can. To me, architecture is part of life.” You can learn more about Woo’s approach to designing the ACC on the ACC website (acc.go.kr), or check out more of his buildings on his company’s website (kswa.com).

January 2017

“Forest” can easily be seen in Woo’s design because of all the greenery the ACC boasts — 30,000 pyongs in all. Tall bamboo trees line the perimeter of the complex and the grounds include a large grass field and rooftop garden. In this way, the ACC is an oasis of green space in an otherwise bustling downtown.

Shifting gears a bit, Woo began to explain his process to me. He told me that because the ACC was in Korea, his approach to design was different than it would have been for a building in another country. Woo said he tries to be sensitive of a building’s location, as well as the culture and space it inhabits. For the ACC, the overall layout “mirrors traditional Korean architecture, characterized by a center and periphery.”

“I think of myself like a doctor. There is a project that needs to be done, and so I do my best. After the building is complete, it takes on a life of its own.” In this way Woo explained that no one project is more important or prized than another, just different.

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Most would agree that Woo’s vision came to life, as the ACC does feel very much like a park. And yet, below street level lies a myriad of underground structures including a children’s museum, performance theaters, a library park, cultural exchange agencies and much more.

2017-01-06 ㄴㄴ 4:22:15

FEATURE

Seollal Then and Now

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January 2017

Words by Anne Murray

eollal, the Lunar New Year, is one of the most celebrated holidays in Korea, and the whole celebration is made up of many parts. It falls on the day of the second new moon after winter solstice and is the same celebration as Chinese New Year. Korean people travel back to their hometowns on the day before Seollal to make preparations. On Seollal Day, the family dresses up in brightly-colored hanbok or formal western attire and perform the ancient ritual called Charye, where they bow to

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Photos by Joe Wabe

their ancestors and pray for the wellbeing of their family (Protestant Korean Christians do not participate).

prefer to celebrate the day excluding the charye ritual, it is still a significant Korean tradition.

The family members gather in front of the Jesa ritual table and set on it an ancestral tablet and dishes of ritual foods. The rite begins with deep bows and greetings to the ancestor spirits, and the rite proceeds with offerings and the prayers before ending with bidding farewell to the spirits. This ritual is conducted to express respect and gratitude to one’s ancestors and to pray for the family’s well-being throughout the year. Although many

These days, prayers to ancestors include modern topics like getting a job, marriage, and protection from car crashes or injuries during military duty. In older times, prayers included protection from tiger attacks, receiving a good harvest of crops and preservation of the family’s health. At the end of this ceremony, the family shares the ritual feast together. Next is Sebae, which is a traditional

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21 Korea is now a multi-religious society, where individual families choose how to celebrate Seollal. These changes have caused the order of rites to change or be eliminated. For instance, the Korean Rite Jeongcho Jesa, the first observance on Seollal morning, is the act of praying for peace in the family by giving offerings to the house guardian deity Seongju and other household gods. It was a nationwide practice to observe the ritual for Seongju prior to holding the ancestral service, but these days the morning of Seollal begins with the ancestral rite of Charye for up to two generations of deceased ancestors. However, earlier in the Goryo Dynasty (918 C.E. to 1392 C.E.), up to four generations of ancestors were worshipped due to the influence of the Buddhist faith, in which it was believed that the spirits of the ancestors did not go to an afterlife, but instead remained with the family. In the Chosun dynasty, a Confucian practice of going to the family gravesite to offer food and bow to the deceased ancestors after Sebae became common. These days some families still practice this ritual, and then visit living relatives. Folk customs are also enjoyed during Seollal. Minsoksinang are Korean folk customs, such as playing yutnori, which developed independently and spon-

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The game involves throwing four wooden sticks which represent the sun, moon and other celestial planets. Two sticks are used in place of dice and represent the sun and moon. The circles on the board represent the seasons and planets, and the folklore was that the fortune you receive is based on the positions of the sticks you throw. In addition to Yutnori, other traditional games are jegi-chagi (a footbag-like game) neol-twiggi (making high jumps on a see-saw), tuho (arrow toss) and yeon-nalrigi (kite flying), which are played at palaces and parks. Koreans also believe that eating tteok-

January 2017

Modernization has changed the proceedings of rites at Seollal because

Yutnori is a popular betting game that all family members can play. Yutnori is a traditional board game and was played in Korea during the 3 Kingdoms Period (57 B.C.E. to 668 C. E.) in mountainous and farming areas and was used to determine which of the livestock to raise between pigs, dogs, sheep, cows or horses through fortune telling. These days it is no longer used for fortune telling, but is an opportunity for the entire family to engage in fun activities together.

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ritual of filial piety. Children wish their grandparents, parents, aunts and uncles a happy new year by performing a deep bow and saying, “please receive good fortune for the new year.” The elders reward this gesture by giving the children sebaetdon, New Year’s money in a white envelope as well as offering words of wisdom. Historically parents gave out rice cakes and fruit to their children. The roots of Sebae are in Mongolian Shamanism.

taneously in early Korea and were handed down to subsequent generations orally (resulting in regional variations.)

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“Modernization has changed the proceedings of rites at Seollal because Korea is now a multi-religious society, where individual families choose how to celebrate Seollal. ”

guk or rice cake soup instantly adds a year to one’s age. The tteok (rice cake) is made from finely ground rice flour and has been steamed, beaten and shaped. The earlier form of tteok was thought to be close to steamed rice. A steamer from the Bronze Age serves as evidence of the earliest rice cake.

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January 2017

Red beans are then used to make a layered cake called sirutteok, which was offered to household gods to prevent bad fortune, or aengmagi, which was believed to chase away evil spirits. The plain white cake baekseolgi symbolized cleanness and purity and was offered to higher gods including Cheonsin (Celestial God) Sansin (Mountain God) and Yongsin (Dragon God). Tteok became the most important sacrificial food in a ritual, taking on additional

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meaning. Hanging a bokjori bamboo rice strainer talisman by the door in one’s home represented obtaining an abundance of rice in the new year. Seollal gifts vary each year. The most popular ones are gift cards from department stores with cash. Popular gifts for parents include health products and massage chairs. Other common gifts are toiletries sets, hanu (Korean beef) and gift sets of spam or tuna, ginseng, honey, hangwa (traditional sweets and cookies), dried or fresh seafood and fruit. Koreans also turn on their televisions to watch the ringing of the Bosingak Bell in Jongno, Seoul, as the bell is rung 33 times in front of large crowds to bring in the New Year.

hen it comes to the traditional seasonal customs of Korea, including those surrounding the Lunar New Year holiday Seollal, few westerners are as qualified to speak on the subject as Dr. David Shaffer. Having lived in Korea since the early 1970s, the Chosun University professor emeritus has collected a wealth of information on the subject, both through first-hand experience and research, enough to write a book titled “Seasonal Customs of Korea.” Dr. Shaffer recently shared his insights concerning some of the fast-disappearing customs Koreans traditionally observed around the Lunar New Year. Many people in the western world associate New Year’s Eve with revelry which lasts well into the night, if not through to dawn. Traditionally, Koreans would also be awake though the last night of the year while keeping a vigil known as suse. “On this night, everyone was expected to stay awake until dawn.” Activities such as story-telling, games, and predicting fortunes for the coming year were undertaken to remain awake. Shaffer added that the gathering was perhaps not so different from our modern observance: “You could call it a vigil,

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KOREAN CULTURE 23

Ringing in the Lunar New Year – Korean Style Words by Bradley Weiss Photo by Joe Wabe

but you could call it a party too. Everyone was up enjoying themselves, probably with something to drink.”

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Likely familiar to many non-Koreans are the new year customs pertaining to showing respect for older relatives, both living and deceased. Rites involving offerings of food for the most recent few generations of deceased, accompanied with bows, are performed both at home and at the ancestral gravesite. “They have been practiced for centuries and even today remain the most fundamental elements of the new year celebrations.” Similarly, in a custom known as sebae, younger family members perform deep bows, touching hands and forehead to the floor while kneeling, to older family members, wishing them much happiness and good fortune in the new year. In return, they traditionally received small gifts of money, fruit, and good wishes. As for how the traditions have

Children, however, are also playing a role in the disappearance of many of the traditional customs. “A lot of the activities are for children. There was nothing to do at home, so they enjoyed all of these outdoor activities. ... Now that they have computer games.” To the question of whether it might be possible to preserve or revive any of the customs, Shaffer pointed to the government: “Where there might be a resurgence is not from the grassroots people themselves, but from promotion of events by the governments. That is the way they are preserving some of these traditions.”

January 2017

Not every aspect of the year’s end vigil was fun and games, though. Every room of the house would be brightly lit during the festivities. ” It was necessary to illuminate … every nook and cranny of the house to prevent evil spirits from entering the house and remaining there in the new year.” In fact, the party only got underway after a thorough cleaning of the house, inside and out. “This was a task to be done on the last day of the year … to drive off the evil spirits and misfortune of the past year and

Also in an effort to ensure an auspicious start, it was customary to settle debts before the start of the new year. “Getting outstanding debts paid off is still a thing,” explained Shaffer, “It’s a tradition, but it doesn’t always get done.”

changed over time, Shaffer noted that some were passed off to children. He cited the wearing of hanbok, traditional clothing, as an example: “When I came to Korea, the adults wore nice, expensive hanbok that they only wore at new year, and the kids were wearing their usual clothes. [Nowadays] you see children decked out in hanbok, and their parents are wearing their suit and tie. That’s changed 180 degrees.”

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The vigil had some unique folk beliefs associated with it. “It was said that if someone closed their eyes and fell asleep on this night, their eyebrows would turn white.” Shaffer recounted how he was able to tap into this tradition to have a little fun when his children were still young. After having failed to stay awake throughout a certain Seollal eve, his daughter was shocked to look in the mirror and find her eyebrows had indeed turned white. The effect, however, was achieved through a sprinkling of flour by her father as she slept.

to welcome the new year with a sense of cleanliness and sanctity.”

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An Indonesian Expedition: FEATURE

A South African English Teacher Goes to Jakarta in Search of Her Roots Words by Tasneem Daniels

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January 2017

photos by Jen Ackermann, alla ponomareva and Tasneem Daniels

t was not until I moved to Korea and became familiar with Asian culture when I realized my longing for Indonesia. In my first 3 months here, I was just another South African foreigner learning to say “annyeong haseyo” and acquire a taste for kimchi. Later on, many Koreans started asking me if I was from Pakistan, India or the Philippines. The final icing on the cake of my heritage interest was when an Indonesian woman at the Seoul mosque said to me in her native language, “Selamat Menunaikan Ibadah Puasa!” (Happy

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fasting!) during Ramadan, and I took it as a sign that I had to make my way back home to Indonesia. On August 5, 2016, I flew to Jakarta. I had no clue how I was going to uncover my roots. All I knew was that I deeply wanted to spend my time there talking to as many Indonesian people as possible and quietly observing their lives, and thereby try to find family links. During my hungry search for origin, I observed these characteristics of my culture in native Indonesians:

HOSPITALITY I recognized this quality easily, and I was pleased to observe that my hometown and I might have inherited this from Indonesians! The highlight of my trip was meeting Yoos and Rico, a chef and a businessman who were exhibiting their food and products at the Betawi Festival in Jakarta that weekend. After only meeting twice, they took me under their wing and introduced me to their family, sold me some honey (bubble-wrapping it up for me too!) and offered me multiple cups of filtered coffee while we

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25 DIVERSITY I attended a musical celebration at the Indonesia Museum, which was part of a “dialog masyarakat adat” (dialogue of the indigenous people). An American-Filipino musician at the event later told me that the celebrations were an attempt to unite everyone and initiate dialogues about land distribution for all Indonesian citizens. Many people of the Hindu, Buddhist and Muslim faiths gathered from all over Indonesia, and I learned for the first time how incredibly varied the Indonesian social culture is! Many audience members wore traditional outfits, and I caught a glimpse of a man wearing what my dad in Cape Town calls a “skuitjie kufia,” which refers to a fez that resembles a ship. I later asked my dad if this word refers to the slave ship which first arrived in the Cape during the 1600s, but he could not give me a definite answer (typical oral history responses – no one knows exactly when, where and how, but hey, I was

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LANGUAGE STORIES Though I never made use of the informal taxi service, I did find a way to pass the time during the traffic jams: I befriended a cab driver and had his help with translating various Indone-

January 2017

sat and spoke for hours. Earlier that evening, it started to rain all over the festival’s exhibition areas, causing a major flood, and a Javanese local was kind enough to shelter me under her tent as I finished her homemade “klappertaart” (coconut tart) and beef lasagne which she and her friends sold to me for 20,000 Indonesian Rupiah (less than 2,000 Korean won). Later on, this generous woman and I exchanged phone numbers so we could practice English.

CREATIVITY AND FLEXIBILITY Those of us who have travelled to Southern Asia before will know about the “motorbike mafia” culture on the streets. I discovered that the motorbike culture is an initiative by the Indonesians to get ahead of 24hour long bumper-to-bumper traffic in Jakarta. The motorbike culture also serves as an informal taxi service for anyone in Jakarta. If they are going to beat the traffic, they might as well be smart and make a buck out of it! They find ways to make life convenient with their motorbikes. I even saw motorbike passengers with buckets of water on their laps, and little boys fast asleep on the back of a bike!

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Photo by Jen Ackermann

on a mission to find out!).

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26 sewn on my arms! I also enjoyed the most interesting meals, which were pempek fish served with noodles and soy sauce, meaty kebabs with a peanut sauce served on a bed of banana skin and some unsweetened black tea on the side. HOW DOES MY INDONESIAN ETHNICITY FORM PART OF MY SOUTH AFRICAN IDENTITY? I was born into an ethnic community called the Cape-Malays in Cape Town, South Africa. The Cape-Malay group originated during the 1600s when its earliest members were enslaved and brought to Cape Town by the Dutch East India Company (DEIC), a Dutch corporation that formed colonies all over the world to participate in the spice trade with eastern Asian countries. The DEIC established colonies in Indonesia, Malaysia and India, and many Indonesian political and religious leaders who opposed Dutch presence were enslaved and sent to exile in Cape Town and elsewhere.

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January 2017

Photo by Alla Ponomareva

sian phrases on the streets. I learned phrases like “Tidak Dijual” (not for sale), and some words like “kantor” (office) and “pisang” (banana) which I discovered were absorbed into the Afrikaans language. I also frequently read “Hati-hati” (be careful!) on the streets, which made me later realize how significant language phrases are in revealing the patterns of behavior in a group of people. “Hati-hati” reveals the unsafe, treacherous roads in Jakarta in a similar manner to which “ppalli ppalli” suggests the fastpaced work ethic of Korean culture. Of course, I was over the moon to discover that “tramakassie,” a popular phrase used by Cape Tonians, is actually a derivative of “terima kasih” (thank you). This phrase has gradu-

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ally disappeared in Cape Town due to the Arabic language which has dominated our Muslim linguistic culture. I told everyone at home that I am bringing “tramakassie” back to Cape Town and I never missed an opportunity to use that phrase while I stayed in Jakarta. DECORATIVE IN FOOD AND CLOTHING Naturally I had to make my way to Tanah Abang, a traditional market in Jakarta to buy a few skuitjie kufias for my dad, and about 10 different Indonesian dresses for myself and family members. Outside of the Indonesia Museum, I came across a little market area where I bought handmade accessories and got some reed bracelets

The Indonesian community first introduced Islam to South Africa, a religious community which now forms part of about 2 percent of the South African population. Indonesian slaves were forced to learn the Dutch language to communicate with their masters, and the intermingling of these cultures in addition to the indigenous African cultural space which they now inhabited, eventually evolved into the Afrikaans language. Afrikaans is one of South Africa’s national languages which is made up of Dutch, German, Indonesian and indigenous South African languages and is used by multiple racial communities in South Africa. The Cape-Malay community has since evolved over a period of 360 years, and though we are a rich and varied culture, time has blurred our origins and many people in the current generation still need to learn about how we all got here.

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Photo by Jen Ackermann

MORE KOREAN EXPATS SHARE THEIR INDONESIAN EXPERIENCES!

My journey began in Lombok, an island with underdeveloped infrastructure. The airport is not big and fancy and there are not too many tall buildings. People live simple, satisfying lives that are not necessarily filled with the all the material comforts of first world nations. I was invited to a coming of age ceremony on my first night in Sengigi Beach and the family was very warm and happy to have me as a guest. The children looked at me with curiosity, not quite the way Korean children usually do before they whisper “Aprika saram”. On the Gili islands, no cars or motorcylces are allowed on the islands for environmental reasons, which is fantastic because you can walk around barefoot like some of the locals do! People ride bicycles and carry big pieces of luggage with a horse-car which is a traditional horse and cart. Sinovuyo Flatela, English teacher in Gangwon-do

“You must have roots before you can have wings”

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January 2017

Brianna Leigh (former English teacher in Jeollanam-do)

“I visited Lombok and two Gili Islands, Gili Air (pronounced ah-yer by the locals, and meaning water) and Gili Trawangan.

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“I was blessed to travel to Bali as a short-term missionary volunteer. My experience with Bali was not filled with rice field sightseeing, surfing lessons or fancy restaurants. I saw a Bali where people woke up at 3 a.m. to go fishing for a living, where children own one pair of worn-out shoes and where soccer games on the beach were the highlight of the weekend. Coming to Bali after a year of teaching English in South Korea, I saw many differences. Korea is neat and organized, whereas Bali is chaotic, bursting with patterns, vegetation and dust. Bali’s temples are very different from Korea’s. Balinese temples are made with square, black and volcanic rock bricks which you can find on nearly every block. Both Korean and Indonesian communities have respect for their culture and elders. It is also not uncommon to find a Balinese person wearing their traditional dress as an everyday outfit. When was the last time you saw someone wear a hanbok to the grocery store?”

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The Story Words and photos by Hon Hoang

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January 2017

ARTS & CULTURE

Photo Essay

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spent 24 hours in Tokyo. There was little time for sleep.

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January 2017

Most of my time was spent traveling on planes, trains and automobiles. I found myself sharing mundane moments with a populous moving about their day, on their daily commute, going to work, school, or wherever their final destination might have been. The quiet moments of thought and humanity that are overlooked were found here, during this time.

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I never thought I would be traveling to Tokyo, and never would have guessed it would be for 24 hours. It was a limited time to experience such a beautiful city, a city with so much culture and history, but I did my best to capture it. I wish I had more time there, but the weekend trip based on a whim and the request of friends only allowed for so much. There was not enough time to wish for more.

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January 2017

Staying away from the typical locations tourists would explore, I tried to live like a local, taking turns down obscure alleyways, walking aimlessly and wandering into places for Pachinko, capturing the little moments of life that are left unseen by most outsiders. I moved between Shibuya and Shinjuku; there was not much time for much else. As the sun set, the city became brighter. It began to breathe with light as neon signs gave guidance to the people in the night. The sounds of life began to grow louder as the night grew darker.

you are. You can fade and disappear into a sea of anonymity, like a grain of sand flowing through the bottleneck, collecting at the bottom of the chronograph. Time moves on and so do the people in this city. Blink and they might disappear, not stopping as they move about their day. The last grain drops and the hourglass turns over to repeat itself, passing new grains through the bottleneck. It is easy to disappear here, in Tokyo.

It is easy to disappear here, in Tokyo.

ABOUT ME I am a photographer from Los Angeles, California and am currently living in South Korea. I graduated from UCLA with a degree in Psychology and decided to pursue photography shortly after graduating. As I continue with photography, I want to capture little moments that are often forgotten, moments that dissipate into the ether of the past. It is the moments of daydreaming in others that go unnoticed. It is the raw emotions and thoughts that are transcribed as an expression; the honesty captured in time.

In a city like this, no one knows who

Instagram: honnnhoang

As the sun rose, the city grew quiet with the light. I found myself trekking on trains, planes, and automobiles to make my way back to South Korea. Street photography was an easier process in this city. I was able to be a part of the crowd, going about in anonymity as I did my best to capture life undisturbed.

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January 2017

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Photos of The Month Words by Joel Magid

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January 2017

ARTS & CULTURE

The Gwangju News is now going to feature a few photos of the month instead of only one on a regular basis. By making this change, we hope to create more opportunities to promote more photographers based in the Jeollanamdo-region and to show off our beautiful province from different areas and angles. Submissions can be posted in the “Photography in the South” Facebook group throughout the preceding month.

his picture is of the view from my apartment window looking over Inchang-dong in Guri-si. I live on the twelfth floor so I have a fantastic view of the city. On this day, it was just a typical dreary Korean morning, but I noticed that the sun was trying its hardest to bust through the overabundance of gray, dismal looking clouds. As the clouds moved in and out of the sun’s path, the sun began moving slowly across the city, highlighting only certain areas at a time. I grabbed my camera and I waited, looking out of my window, for the “perfect shot.” Finally, the sun shone down like a spotlight on the face of the buildings below me. The clouds and fog framed the buildings perfectly and made them stand out vividly. The scene only lasted for approximately ten seconds and I feel very lucky to have been able to capture this moment. After I took the picture, I immediately ran to the bathroom, where my girlfriend was getting ready, to show her because it was such a bizarre scene.

I am very happy with this image and I am glad that I happened to be looking out of my window when I noticed the strange lighting, instead of disregarding the day as just another dreary morning in Korea.

1. Photo by Joel Magid 2. Photo by Dongjin Kim 3. Photo by Sebastian Von Szuts

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January 2017

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ARTS & CULTURE

34 LIVE IN GWANGJU

Fantastic Mistake

Breaking Cultural Walls with Music

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January 2017

Words by Anastasia Traynin Photos by Park Taesang

he Dreamers space at the Saturday night Daein Art Market, started by Park Taesang in fall 2015, has become one of Gwangju’s central cultural outlets, bringing together Korean and international resident artists and passersby for lively musical performances every weekend. Since June 2016, a band called Fantastic Mistake has become a staple act at Dreamers and they have also branched out to other spaces around the city, even travelling as far as Mokpo for an international exchange festival. After their last Dreamers concert of the year, a Christmas special event on Decem-

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ber 17, the writer sat down with three of the band’s members: keyboardist and accordionist Andrew Vlasblom, singer and guitarist Lee Dong-min, and guest violinist Eden Jones, for a look at their six months playing together and what the future may hold for Future Mistake.

just started performing together and we have been playing together ever since.”

“It was originally called ‘Mistake,’” Vlasblom said. “Then, [Taesang] named it Fantastic Mistake. It was a mistake that we all met here at Daein Market. I had been coming here for a while and Dong-min and [singer] Hyeon-joong started coming and we played together. And then we

Lee and longtime friend Kim Hyeonjoong, who both work at a local animation company, had been making music together for about a year when they met Sri Lankan native Sahan Sithumina and another Sri Lankan friend Anu Bandara, finally adding Canada native Vlasblom to make a

Vlasblom said that the band’s name also reflects the way in which they play. “We make a lot of mistakes. We never practice. We never rehearse.”

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steady five-member group. Due to their free nature, U.S. native Jones said that Fantastic Mistake is two bands merged together, with a rotating cast of guest musicians. Though she referred to herself as an ‘extra,’ Vlasblom jokingly referred to Jones as the “main event.”

Jones mentioned a possible future recording. “We want to possibly eventually record and do original stuff. Andrew

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This spirit of sharing and collaborating has taken the band to the two regular weeknight open mics in Gwangju, happening at local Mexican restaurants Coronas in the Chonnam University back gate area and Tequilaz downtown. Vlasblom talked about the community’s reaction to their performances, and the group maintained that they are not aiming to be professional musicians. “When we are good, they are happy. When we are terrible, they are polite.

Other locations and events featuring Fantastic Mistake in 2016 have included an ACC outdoor festival, the third Synergy event at the Gwangju International Center, a café in Juwoldong and the festival in Mokpo, at which the band played on a big stage for its largest audience to date. “We are always open to playing gigs when there is time,” Jones said. “Right now, it is a busy time. We love to play for gigs.” While the Daein Art Market takes a break during the winter vacation, catch up with Fantastic Mistake at one of the open mics or other regular performance spaces around Gwangju and get ready to see them again at Dreamers in late winter or early spring.

January 2017

The band’s repertoire mostly consists of Lee and Kim singing classic Korean songs with diverse instrumental back-up, with their version of YB’s “I’m a Butterfly” always popular. The band’s occasional practice space is the Gwangju Youth Center “The Forest,” located in the underground shopping space below the YMCA.

Although Fantastic Mistake is a unique cross-cultural project, the members maintain that they came together purely for the love of music. “We just do communication with other people through music,” Lee said. “[Andrew] is a good musician and a good person. We just want to share our music.”

The community has been really supportive. None of us are musicians, actually. We all have different jobs.”

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“I am a guest violinist at times,” Jones said. “It is an eye-catcher I think. You do not see the violin that often.”

has a lot of really good original stuff and is amazing. Dong Min is also amazing. That is my comment. Everyone is amazing.”

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36 LOST IN THE SOUTH

Photo by Jessica Solomatenko

TRAVEL

Boseong Light Festival

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January 2017

Words by Rachel Johnstone Photos by Rachel Johnstone and Jessica Solomatenko

ut frankly, there is not a whole lot to do in Boseong around this time of year. Lucky for me, there was a light festival. Boseong County is famous for its green tea fields, so much so that it is regarded as the green tea capital of Korea. As a British expat, you can only imagine my excitement at this point in my planning process for the trip. What some may not know, however, is that around December every year Boseong is also known for a remarkable phenomenon, a phenomenon I had not quite prepared myself for: illuminated mythical creatures. It might seem fairly random, but this is indeed what myself and many others were met with when we arrived at the festival, and it was quite an experience. Before travelling to Boseong, I had done as little research on the light festival as possible (of course some was required to get myself there) but this was a deliberate choice

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in order to experience the festival with no preconceptions stemming from endless reading of Gwangju blogs. Perhaps a little naively, I had visions of winter festive grandeur when I pictured the light festival, as it is indeed “the season to be jolly.” This, of course, was my own fault, but I would not describe my feeling as disappointed — merely a little bewildered. When travelling to Boseong, I caught the hourly bus from Gwangju’s U-Square Terminal and was met with a pleasant and bearable hour and a half ’s bus ride to the town. As the light festival does not start until six O’clock in the evening, I caught a late afternoon bus which allowed for plenty of time to arrive in Boseong with enough daylight to briefly explore the small town, before catching a local bus to the festival site. During the transport time with nothing but mountainous terrain to look at, I began to imagine what the Boseong light festival might have in store for me; elegant fairy lights lighting up

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Photo by Jessica Solomatenko

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January 2017

On exiting the local bus caught from the Boseong bus terminal at a point where all you could see was a haze of red, blue and green lights, it became obvious that we had arrived. A personal favorite of Boseong’s light festival was the galaxy light tunnel which ran from the bottom of the event upwards and was a rather mesmerizing experience. The tunnel was certainly the main attraction, yet not ridiculously busy so as not to be able to enjoy it. It was a perfect picture spot for many families and couples, as I witnessed many doing just that. Alas, for me, this was perhaps where the wonder ended. The strangest part was the surprising presence of dinosaurs and dragons as light installations, which left us wondering what the point or

theme of the festival actually was. It seemed that the event was meant to be a celebration of the area, yet I felt there was a lacking in any form of representation of the green tea fields for being such an iconic part of the county’s landscape. Granted, at night one might find it difficult to appreciate the area’s natural beauty but it seemed a little at odds with what was being presented at this light celebration, which was really just a mismatch of unrelated items lit up in lights. With this being said, the Boseong Light Festival is advertised as a family festival, and with the numerous candy floss and food vendors and the odd wood burners dotted around the area, it made for a family-fun experience, I am sure. For me personally, the whole event was just a little bizarre for my taste. However, I will certainly be returning to Boseong to experience the tea fields in their prime.

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the green tea plantation, perhaps lanterns hanging from nearby trees, maybe even a firework or two. How wrong I could be.

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Gyeongju’s Royal Treatment

TRAVEL

Words and Photos By Ryan and Stephanie Hedger

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Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond

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January 2017

ocated approximately 360 km southeast of South Korea’s current capital city lies the former capital of the late Silla Dynasty: Gyeongju. While not as large as Andong, this city makes up for its size by hosting a myriad of historical, cultural, and architectural elements that are sure to please any visitor, regardless of the season. From the vibrant colors of summer to the muted hues of winter, Gyeongju has more to offer than most people realize and is always a great getaway from bigger, intensely modern cities. Burial Mounds Gyeongju is known for several cultural sites and traditional villages, but the burial mounds stand out as one of the most iconic locations you will see in South Korea. While most of the country is already blanketed

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with mountains and rolling hills, the nobility of the Silla Dynasty decided to construct their own miniature mountains to house their remains in a stunning fashion. Earth-stackedon-stone-stacked-on-earth has become a symbol for Gyeongju that separates it from other cities in the country. Several parks contain these tombs, but Tumuli Park is the best for a stroll through history with masterful landscaping and stunning scenes of Korea’s past. Bulguksa and Seokguram Equally as famous as The Royal Tombs for many people, the Bulguksa Temple Complex is an amazing destination for anyone interested in Korea’s philosophical and religious history. This temple complex is quite large and represents some of the most celebrated stylings of Bud-

dhist art from the time period. With massive stone staircases, beautiful artwork and endless corridors to explore, this temple goes a step further by housing seven of Korea’s national historic treasures. From stone stupas to ancient religious texts, Bulguksa has been an important temple in Korean history since the eighth century. If temples are your idea of fun, do not miss Seokguram Grotto. Located a short drive away, this grotto is a beautiful addition to Bulguksa and is quite unique when compared to the typical Buddhist structures in South Korea. Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond Once a royal palace, this partially restored property is left with only three of its former buildings standing. While being incomplete may not sound ideal, the pond at the rear of

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AROUND KOREA 39

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Silla Dynasty Burial Mounds

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Gyeongju Tower

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Gyeongju Bread

January 2017

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January 2017

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Bukguksa

the property more than makes up for its lack of walls and buildings. This property is astoundingly beautiful at night and visitors will immediately appreciate the artistic value of its design. With accent lighting caressing the stone walls rising from the water’s edge, Wolji Pond imparts mesmerizing reflections on the water that are well worth the wait as the sun goes down. The palace and pond are lovely during the daytime, as well, but make sure you plan to stay until after dark, that is when Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond come alive. Gyeongju Tower One of the most impressive architectural structures in this old capital city is Gyeongju Tower. Standing not only taller, but stylistically in a different millennium, this tower is a modern homage to the beautiful design of Buddhist stupas. A rectangular building with beautiful blue glass, this observation tower has a negative space tribute to Hwangryongsa Tem-

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ple’s nine story pagoda cut out of the middle of its 82-meter height. Gyeongju Tower stands in the Expo Culture Park and immediately faces the temple it attempts to honor. The tower and temple are beautiful compliments to one another and make for a very relaxing destination for walking. Gyeongju Bread A trip to a “destination city” like Gyoengju would not be complete without some unique food to dine on after seeing all of the city’s sights. While many pastries across the country have similar recipes, Gyeongju bread is visually unique with a chrysanthemum flower imprinted into the top of its round medallion shape. These little treats are delicious and have a perfect ratio of red beans to pastry. While unable to go into extensive detail on how they are different from other Korean pastries beyond their different shape, I can say that they are tasty and well worth their price tag.

Unexpected Gyeongju Whether you are thinking of visiting Gyeongju for its folk village, royal tombs or surprising modern architecture, this small city is all but guaranteed to satisfy. On each return trip to Gyeongju, we have become increasingly impressed by the diversity and quality of attractions and I am sure we will continue to be impressed on our future visits. ABOUT THE AUTHORS: Two wanderlusts from Oklahoma, Ryan and Stephanie sold all of their belongings and moved to South Korea in 2013. They are the duo behind Hedgers Abroad and have fallen in love with travel, photography and South Korea. Be sure to head over to their blog for more of their travels. Blog www.hedgersabroad.com Facebook: /hedgersabroad Instagram: /hedgersabroad

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KOREAN FOOD 41

Go Five-a-Day in the Korean Way Words by Cho Namhee

s part of my New Year’s resolutions, I took a risk by avoiding the expected topic, tteokguk, for the very first food story of the year. Instead, I will begin the first issue of 2017 with the fundamentals of Korean food to help you get ready for another year of tasty journeys with Gwangju News.

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January 2017

The sets of elements then have relationships between each other, creating two kinds of interactions: those that generate and those that overcome. Consequently, through those interactions, they create another set

You may not notice it at first glance, but try to visualize bibimbap for instance. The yellow egg yolk would always be in the center with other ingredients in various colors surrounding it. This applies to most of the traditional Korean dishes, even banchan, the side dishes. I hope this can be your introductory guide to the next series of foods that will be introduced in this column, as well as the variety of other dishes you will come across. May you discover the balance in the wisdom of the Korean ancestors.

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These significant colors originate from the idea of yin and yang in ancient Oriental philosophy. According to the Five Elements Theory (五行, Wu Xing), first, the two opposite forces yin and yang, both complementary and interconnected to each other, were created as the sky and the ground. Then those contrary forces created substructures of the natural world consisting of five elements. They are Wood (木 mù), Fire (火 huǒ), Earth (土 tǔ), Metal (金 jīn), and Water (水 shuǐ). The aforementioned colors and directions follow after these intertwining elements.

The applications of colors were made according to the meaning of each color and the intention of the meaning being given to the object. In accordance with Oriental philosophy, the Korean ancestors believed that each of the five core colors have different meanings: “wood” meaning spring and life, “fire” as the sun and creation, “earth” as the center of the universe, “metal” as truth and innocence, and “water” as wisdom.

For example, yellow represented the center of the universe, thus the king was the only one who could wear something in this color.

FOOD & DRINKS

While sitting down for a typical Korean meal, you may have noticed that the appearance of the food shares something in common not only with other sets of Korean dishes, but also across the fields of Korean clothing, art and architecture. The color spectrum is called obangsaek, the five traditional Korean colors — blue, red, yellow, white and black — representing the five cardinal directions and balance.

of color combinations called ogansaek. With a belief in the Five Elements Theory, a balance of health, prosperity and longevity, the spectrum of traditional colors and its combinations predominates in many aspects of Korea.

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Where to eat:

Eating Vegetarian in Gwangju Words and Photos by Sean D’Angelo

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January 2017

FOOD & DRINKS

42 WHERE TO EAT

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ow many of you out there are vegetarians? Let us see a show of hands. It is not easy being a veghead in Korea, and unless you cook for yourself, life is bound to be full of little compromises: “fish are basically vegetables,” “soup stock does not count,” “samgyupsal is thick bacon, and everyone knows bacon is related to broccoli… on account of the fact that they both start with the letter ‘b.’” My vegetarian friends can attest that when they came to Korea they had to loosen up on their principals just to survive. Even kimchi, the poster child of healthy eating, contains seafood derivatives. Try explaining that to your boss next company meeting. I come from a family of vegetarians, so I understand the struggle. That is why this month’s feature will be meatfree options for dinner out in Gwangju. Back in October my mother and father came round to attend my wedding, and planning our nightly meals was almost more stress than the matrimony. There are a couple of great temple food buffets that feature vegetarian cuisine near Mudeungsan, and another down in Pungamdong by Pungam high school. The most famous buffet would have to be Sujata (수자타), an all-you-can-eat style cafeteria with a huge array of side dishes like the ones you would find at a Korean temple stay. For the modest price of 10,000 won you can enjoy salads of mountain greens, seaweeds, crispy fried veggies, a plethora of tofus, rice cakes, and meat substitutes like seitan, any day of the week between the hours of 11:30am to 10:30pm. Despite being prepared in advance, the food is satisfying, the atmosphere vibrant and lively, and the service friendly. My mother, an accomplished chef in her own right with extremely refined standards, was especially impressed with the seitan and sweet potato stir-fried noodles. I am just an uncouth, drunken carnivore myself, so the highlight of my meal was the sujeonggwa (수정과) or cinnamon punch.

수자타 Sujata 운림동 468-3 062-222-1145 for reservations Open Daily 11:30-22:30 해뜨는집 Sunrise House 주월동 475-8 062-654-3450 for reservations Open daily 11:30-20:30 Closed Friday at 18:00 and all day Saturday 살림채식 뷔페 Sallim Vegetarian Buffet 주월동 371-38 062-675-3552 for reservations Open daily 11:40-15:00 and 17:20-21:00 Closed Friday at 18:00 and all day Saturday

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One final place worthy of note is just around the corner from Sunrise House, Sallim Vegetarian Buffet (살림 채식 뷔페) near Samyuk Kindergarten. With fare similar to Sujata, but offering a greater selection of western-inspired cuisine, Sallim is an excellent alternative to Sunrise House for a quick bite. On my parent’s trip we never got a chance to dine here, but if it lives up to the hype of its online reviews then it is certain to be worth both the trip and the 12,000 won. At the very least, it is another option for all you desperate vegetarians out there. Because, honestly, we all deserve a night-out at times.

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Another hit for the family was Sunrise House (해뜨는집), a Seventh-day Adventist Chinese restaurant located to the south in Juwol-dong near Samyuk Elementary school. In case you are not familiar, Seventh-day Adventists have been strict vegetarians for over a century. What mental fortitude. But who cares? Let’s talk about the food! Sunrise House cooks Chinese-inspired Korean dishes like sweet and sour pork (탕수육 “ttangsuyuk”), spicy seafood soup (짬뽕”jjambbong”), and black bean noodles (짜장면 “jjajangmyeon”), using mushrooms and potatoes in lieu of pork and seafood in all their dishes. Their “sweet and sour pork” is really “sweet and sour shitake,” fried crisp in sticky rice flour and drenched in a thick sauce made with carrot, pineapple, and Chinese green plum syrup. It made quite an impression on my father who grew up in Korea but still dubbed it “the most delicious ttangsuyuk he’s ever had.” But by far the star of the show at Sunrise

House is the spicy seafood soup. Its crisp and refreshing flavor comes from a combination of rich vegetable broth, Korean chili pepper, and ginger, combined with a medley of colorful vegetables and four different mushrooms — shitake, oyster, enoki, and French horn — to offer fun textural variation. The interior at Sunrise House is just as modest and unassuming as the owners, sparsely decorated with only about a dozen or so floor tables in traditional Korean style. They are rarely too crowded to accommodate a small group, but beware: they close early on Fridays and all day Saturday for religious observation.

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COMMUNITY

44 SPORTS

Indoor and Outdoor Ice Skating in Gwangju

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January 2017

Words by Kelsey Rivers Photo by Pedro Kim

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inter is finally upon us, and the cold weather is truly here to stay. When it is chilly out, not only does it become harder to pursue your favorite outdoor sports and activities, but it makes it painful to leave the warm comfort of your home at all! Luckily, this time of year has its own charms and snowy-weather specific activities that help keep the season enjoyable, no matter the temperature. Skiing and snowboarding are two particular winter favorites. However, these can be difficult and expensive to participate in if you do not have the necessary equipment, or easy access to a ski resort. Ice skating, however, is an inexpensive winter activity that can be found right here in our own city, accessible by public transportation. This makes it an ideal sport to enjoy during the winter months. GWANGJU FAMILY LAND Gwangju Family Land, the largest urban amusement park in Jeolla-do, already has a lot going for it with numerous rides and attractions to keep one entertained allyear round, despite its perhaps dated décor and machinery. But if the need to skate strikes you (whether inline or ice), Family Land has rinks to satisfy your craving. Of the skating options available, this might be one of the more expensive ones, with an adult one-day pass available for 25,000 won, which includes skate rental. However, there are the extra perks of rides, exhibitions and other sports facilities to enjoy beyond just ice skating. To get to the amusement park, take bus 26 from Gwangju U-Square Terminal to Uchi Park.

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January 2017

CITY HALL OUTDOOR SKATING RINK While the indoor options listed above can ostensibly be enjoyed all-year around, the City Hall Skating Rink is unique in that it is Gwangju’s only outdoor rink. To my mind, this makes this location particularly special. For only a limited time during the coldest months (late December to late February), this rink is open to the public, and you can truly experience the magic of the season as you skate outdoors in the chilly air, sharing ample skating room with laughing children, families, and couples. This is perhaps the cheapest skating option, with an adult entrance fee of 1,000 won that includes skate and helmet rental. The rink is open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. during the week, with slightly extended hours during the weekend. In the past, free beginner skating lessons have also been available on certain days and times of the week, so if you have never skated and are interested in doing so, this might be a good place to start! The rink is located just outside of City Hall, and can be reached via bus 01, 16, 25, 38, 64 and 518 from the bus terminal.

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YEOMJU SKATING RINK Another popular skating rink can be found at the Yeomju Gym, near the World Cup Stadium. This rink has been described as relatively busy, with skaters of all ages and levels of ability enjoying themselves on the ice. The rink is a decent size that can accommodate a large number of skaters. However, because it is busy you may find yourself navigating around other skaters more than you might like. Skating here is quite inexpensive, with adult admission only 3,500 won, and skate rental 3,000 won. An interesting facet of ice skating culture in Korea that I have not experienced in my home country, is that wearing gloves and a helmet are required to skate. Luckily, helmets are provided, but be sure to bring your own gloves. To get to the Yeomju Skating rink, take the 16, 20, 26, 47, 59, or 74 bus to Yeomju Gym bus stop. You can also walk from either Ssangchon or Uncheon subway stations, but it will take you about 20 minutes by foot.

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46 HEALTH

COMMUNITY

Donating Blood in Gwangju Words by Amy Badenhorst

lood is the most precious gift that anyone can give to another person — the gift of life. A decision to donate your blood can save a life, or even several people’s lives if your blood is separated into its components. Red cells, platelets and plasma can be used individually for patients with specific conditions. I headed downtown to the blood bank, which is right across from NC Wave, to find out how international residents can go about donating blood.

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January 2017

The Process First and foremost, I suggest taking a Korean friend with you if you are not proficient in Korean. Unfortunately, there is no one there currently who speaks English and the process is rather complicated without translation. As you enter the building, you will find several cubicles with computers on your left. Here you need to open an account and complete the questionnaire. Questions range from “How are you feeling today?” to “Are you on any specific medication?” I can justify all these questions — there is no bias attached to international residents donating. After that, you will proceed to the reception, receive a number and then head up to the second floor. On the second floor, a nurse will meet with you and ask further questions. She will also prick your finger, which should not hurt, to check if your blood and immune system are both in good condition for blood donation. If you are cleared and in perfect health, you can head to the blood donation beds. Here, the nurse will make you feel comfortable and at ease. She will even provide re-

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freshments while donating blood. The whole process can take 40-60 minutes, so give yourself some time to donate blood. It is not painful and the staff on hand are friendly and helpful. Conditions This is the tricky part. I have heard so many rumors, such as “In Korea, foreigners’ blood is only used for foreigners” or “Foreigners are not allowed to donate.” These claims are false. However, there are certain conditions for a foreigner, and these conditions are applicable in any country where you do not reside permanently. 1. In order to donate blood, you have to have lived in South Korea for at least one year. 2. If you have traveled abroad in the last two months, you are not allowed to donate. 3. Make sure you eat a hearty meal at least two hours before donating. 4. You have to weigh at least 100 pounds (45 kilograms). 5. Other aspects of each potential donor’s health history are discussed as part of the donation process before any blood is collected. Each donor receives a brief examination during which temperature, pulse, blood pressure and hemoglobin, or hematocrit, are all measured. You do not have to be a doctor to save lives! This is a gift worth giving into the new year! Gwangju Blood Bank’s Contact Information: Address: Chungjangno 3(sam)-ga, 32-3, Dong-gu, Gwangju Phone: 062-232-9494

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Understanding Health Insurance

Words by Kelsey Rivers

nderstanding health insurance can be a confusing and daunting task, even in one’s own country and native language. The stresses associated with health insurance can be compounded by being in a foreign country – but to lessen some of the strain, we present here some basic information on acquiring health insurance, what your health insurance entitles you to, and some other important things to consider.

Besides helping cover such costs, those in the health insurance scheme are entitled to some cash benefits as well. If you are a registered disabled person, the NHIS will pay part of the cost of appliances to help those that are physically challenged, hearing or visually impaired. The NHIS will also help pay for childbirth expenses, and will give the insured person a subsidy of 250,000 won (no matter the number of children born at the time, however). And finally, the NHIS has a lease program for care aids and other appliances for the disabled. Products like wheelchairs, walkers, walking sticks, crutches, and bathing devices can be leased through this program, to lower costs for the patients and keep resources circulating at the national level, for everyone’s benefit. Your enrollment in the National Health Insurance scheme ends the day after you leave Korea permanently. You will need your passport, departure certificate, and flight ticket in order to cancel the service.

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Remember, once you have applied for insurance, you are processed immediately and cannot be un-enrolled. International residents that are a part of the NHIS are entitled to the same services and products as Koreans. These benefits include health-checks, tests, treatments, surgeries, preventative care, hospital stays, nursing, rehabilitation and transportation. Usually, co-payments for hospital care is 20 to 30 percent, outpatient care is 30

to 50 percent, and pharmacy bills are 35 to 40 percent.

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Firstly, health insurance is not mandatory for international residents, although any resident of Korea, no matter their country of origin or profession, is eligible to enroll for the National Health Insurance scheme. Those who become employees of insured companies are automatically and compulsory enrolled by one’s employer. This typically applies for public school teachers, so insurance is something you do not necessarily have to worry about. In these insured companies, the employer will make the payment for you, but deducting half of the payment from your salary. In cases where you are not joining an insured company, or you are

self-employed, you will have to apply for the National Health Insurance yourself. This can be done by submitting the required documents at your local NHIS office. The required documents include the Application Employee Health Insurance Application Form and the report of the acquisition of the employee insured eligibility (for the non-insured company), or the Declaration of change in the locally insured person’s qualification that reports the eligibility of the self-employed insured. For the non-subscribing workplace, the employer must also include a copy of their business registration, and international residents must attach a copy of their alien registration card.

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48 FROM ABROAD

Brew Your Own Korean Craft Beer

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January 2017

COMMUNITY

Words by Ryan Walters

orean beer sucks, right? At least that is what I keep hearing. Cass and Hite reign supreme and each has their own nickname to reflect the virtue of their beer-flavored water. Personally, I have an affinity for the downtrodden blue-canned beauties, but their lack of quality cannot be denied. Nonetheless, the two giants remained unchallenged at the top of the Korean beer summit until recently. Until 2011, brewing licenses were restricted to companies that could produce a gargantuan one million liters per year. To put that in perspective, that would be a minimum of two million of the 500 milliliter bottles commonly accompanying your galbi on a night out. The amount of space, ingredients and sheer cost of that sized operation prohibited any potential startup from having a hope at making and distributing their own beer. Luckily, the laws loosened again in 2014 and since then, there has been a delightful boom not only in the number of craft breweries but also in the affinity for their full-bodied product nationwide. Simply put: craft beer is no longer only a foreigner-led domain. However, even with an increase in demand, the sad fact is that non-translucent beer is still hard to come by outside of the major cities. When found, it will burn a substantial hole in your pocket at places like Home Plus that can charge whatever they want. Luckily, there is an increasingly easier and cheaper middle ground to actually enjoy the beer you drink: make your own.

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If you have made tea and passed elementary school science, then you are ready to go. One of the many beauties of home-brewing is that it can be as simple or as complex as you would like it to be. In my homebrew circle, we range from a Google Ads expert that brews a few times a year to an environmental scientist that has been developing his own delectable recipes for years and pushing the boundaries of additions. A cherry imperial stout aged for a year in whiskey barrels? Don’t mind if I do. A carrot IPA? Why yes, I will have another! However, ornate beer does not need to be your thing to start or enjoy homebrewing. Keep it simple and just make what you like. Aside from keeping things clean and watching the thermometer closely, there are very few rules to home-brewing and every path leads to drinkable beer. If this hobby of a science experiment of crafting beer is not enough to entice you, home-brewing also makes drinking quality beer not only fun, but affordable. Ready-to-go recipes can be had for around 50,000 won and will produce up to 19 liters of beer. That is over 50 of the Indica IPA sized bottles that often go for 4,000 won a piece. While your first few batches may not live up to Indica’s standards, it is hard to argue that roughly 1,000 won per bottle of a tasty IPA you made yourself is not well worth it. The cost of homebrew equipment can be pricey if bought as a “starter set”

online, but that price can be lowered significantly by exploring one of the countless kitchen supply stores in every Korean town. Everything you need to get started can be had for as little as 50,000 won. Homebrew specific products like a bottle capper and a hydrometer (the instrument used to measure alcohol by volume) are all readily available and affordable through the magnificent Seoul Homebrew (seoulhomebrew.com). All in all, the total startup cost for equipment and your first recipe will hover around 150,000 won, which may seem like a lot, but is far cheaper than the 200,000 won you would have to pay for 50 bottles of Indica or another craft beer at Home Plus. Though unquestionably the little brother of soju, beer is as integral to Korean culture as kimchi and baseball. Digging a bit deeper into this vice and understanding how beer works is not only an engaging and enjoyable hobby to share with fellow international residents and Koreans alike, but one that can help to connect with coworkers and new friends. What better way to ingratiate yourself to Korean friends than by making alcohol with your bare hands? To really have some fun and impress friends, tie in some of the flavors of local cuisine that are begging to be paired with beer. Yuja teams up quite well with a golden or amber ale. The ever present gochu spices up a wintery porter to warm the cockles of any heart. The pairings between beer and Korean spices and produce is nearly limitless. So what are you going to get started with?

2017-01-06 ㄴㄴ 4:23:25

MOVIE REVIEW 49

Kubo and the Two Strings Words by Rachel Hill

here is nothing quite like a cozy animated film during a bleak Korean winter day, I often tell myself. Due to the length of the seemingly never-ending grey winters here, what I mean by “often” is, actually, “almost every day”. As a result, I watch a lot of animated films. One of the most classic and coziest films, for me, is the Pixar original, Toy Story. I gave it another spin recently, and for the first time, something really struck me about it — the animation is noticeably clunky. The story still carries the same punch it once did (and always will), but the animation has been obviously outclassed as computerized animation became the next big thing.

What really sets this movie apart is the animation. Created painstakingly by animatronics and green-screen, and rounded out in the background by vivid CGI, Kubo’s every frame is a work of art. As the credits roll, the creators give a glimpse into how the film was made: All of the main characters are physical robots being moved frame-by-frame as if they were char-

On a lighter note, the music is captivating and meshes beautifully with the art style. During the end credits, a Regina Spektor cover of the Beatles “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” presents the classic tune with an infusion of Kubo’s instrument that really fits the mood of the film. Otherwise, the soundtrack masterfully combines the twang of Kubo’s instrument, and an orchestral background: a beautiful pairing of Eastern and Western sound for a powerful, and emotional, visual and auditory experience.

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The story itself is a bit predictable, (it is a kids movie) which to be honest was a bit of a turn off. Corny jokes, monologues about love, and over the top exasperation often pulled me out of the narrative. The film has a serious vibe with some sobering themes presented through the lens of Japanese mythology, so the typical Hollywood gags felt out of place to me.

acters in claymation. Green-screen sheets hang around the -often quite large- robot models. The juxtaposition of the real-life characters and the settings behind them is so fluid and natural-looking that one might never know if they had not seen the behind-the-scenes credit roll exposé. I realize that watching a movie because of its technical feats seems like it detracts from a more casual reason for watching a movie, especially a kid’s flick: entertainment. However, I would say that this movie is important because it continues to push the boundaries of what animated films are willing to do to bring their stories to life. As consumers, we should value and support these sorts of innovations so that we do not always have to be content with the same old sequels; the same boring template as always.

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To be fair, the animation style in Toy Story was something different and exciting at the time. Unfortunately, it went over so well that nearly every large western animated release of the past decade has been done in very much the same style. I would say that Hollywood has slowed down in its innovation on animated movies. How many sequels can Pixar push? How many DreamWorks films can they release in a row with characters sporting the exact same smirking expression on the cover? The major studios are of course, businesses — and that means they need to release whatever is safest and makes money. It is sensible, but it is boring.

Because of this, I was quite excited to hear about the release of Kubo and the Two Strings: the sixth animated feature to come from studio Laika, (Coraline, The Corpse Bride). The film tells the story of a young boy in a fictionalized feudal Japan who goes to town daily to weave stories with the help of his magic Koto, which seems to be similar to a Korean gayageum combined with a banjo. Without giving too much away: a bad thing happens and Kubo has to go on a journey to face his destiny.

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My 2016 GIC Day Story

COMMUNITY

Words by Hwang Yoon-Seong Photos by UNESCO KONa Volunteers

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

January 2017

y name is Hwang YoonSeong. I go to Youchon Elementary School. I am in the 5th grade. I am going to share my 22nd GIC Day experience with you. On October 16, 2016, there was GIC Day. It is held once a year at the Democracy Plaza of the Asia Culture Center. On GIC Day, we can experience traditional foods and cultures from all around the world. It is a global festival, with foreigners (American, Canadian, French, Spanish, Japanese, Chinese, Filipino, etc.) who live in Gwangju and the Jeonnam area participating in the festival. In this global festival, the UNESCO KONA Volunteer students read their favorite Korean folktale book to the

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participants, or told their story to the people using puppets. I prepared the book The Red Fan and The Blue Fan’. For this day’s event I went to the KONA Storybook Center every Saturday and I practiced buddy-reading and the puppet show with my brothers and sisters. This year on GIC DAY, my mission was reading my favorite Korean folktale to 20 foreigners. Because of the strong rain, it was too difficult to gather foreigners at our tent. So I went to the other people’s booths to achieve my goal. I met Americans, French and Indonesians. At first, I was very shy as I did not think about many things because I just wanted to achieve my

goal. When I read the story book, foreigners had a curiosity about the story and they said that it was really fun. Finally, I met 20 foreigners that day. Also, I read my storybook with Lisa, Kevan Teacher’s friend. I did buddy-reading and it was really fun. The most memorable activity was playing the bamboo instrument, angklung with the people in the Indonesia booth. I heard a clear sound when I swung the angklung from side to side. There was rain all day long on GIC DAY. However, I learned that if I cooperate with other people, and have a strong belief that I can do it, I could achieve my goal. I am thankful to the KONA family, parents and GIC staff.

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51 Survival Korean includes the most essential Korean phrases you need to know while traveling or living in Korea. The expressions come with detailed explanations as well as fun and useful information about the situation where they are used.

Talk to Me In Korean

Grocery Shopping

Talk To Me In Korean and Seoulistic are proud to present to you

Survival Korean! Make your stay in Korea much easier and enjoy it to the fullest with Survival Korean!

Whether you are just traveling or living in Korea, this book, the perfect size that can fit right in your purse, will come in handy whenever you want something.

봉투 드릴까요? [bong-tu deu-ril-kka-yo?] : Do you need a (plastic/paper) bag? 종이 봉투 [jong-i bong-tu] = paper bag 종량제 봉투 [jong-lyang-je bong-tu] = registered garbage bag → Also known as 쓰레기 봉투 [sseu-re-gi bong-tu] = garbage bag Larger supermarkets will ask you this question. If you reply with 네 [ne] (yes), you will be charged a small fee for each bag. Most plastic bags that you receive at the checkout stand in large supermarkets are 종량제 봉투 [jong-lyang-je bong-tu], or registered garbage bags. These bags are certified to use for trash pick-up. If you use a non-registered bag, your trash will not be picked up. The word 봉지 [bong-ji] is sometimes used instead of 봉투. Small shops, on the other hand, or shops where the clerk does not ask whether you want a plastic bag or not, offer plastic bags for free since these bags cannot be doubled as official trash bags.

EDUCATION

COMMON PHRASES (item) + 어디 있어요? [(item) eo-di i-sseo-yo?] : Where is (item)? Most supermarket layouts in Korea are similar to those in other countries. Produce and meat are on the outer edges, with packaged and processed foods towards the center of the store.

행사 상품 [haeng-sa sang-pum] : promotional/discounted product 2+1 [tu peul-leo-sseu won] : buy 2, get 1 free Many promotional events (행사) in Korea revolve around the 2+1 model, where with the purchase of two items, a third is free. The numbers vary, and you will often see 1+1 or 3+1 deals. Smaller neighborhood supermarkets do offer these promotions, but this type of deal is more often found at larger retailers. (type of meat) (number) + -근/그램 주세요. [(type of meat) (number) + -geun/geu-raem ju-se-yo.] : Please give me (number) geun/grams of (type of meat).

(name of a fish) (number) + - 마리 주세요. [saeng-seon (number) + - ma-ri ju-se-yo.] : Please give (number) of (name of a fish). 마리 is the counter for animals, such as fish and chicken.

This book extract from Survival Korean is available at MyKoreanStore.com

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SAMPLE DIALOGUE Cashier : 봉투 드릴까요? [bong-tu deu-ril-kka-yo?] = Do you need a (plastic/paper) bag? Customer : 네. [ne.] / 아니요. [a-ni-yo.] = Yes./No. Cashier : (If the customer says yes) 종이 봉투로 드릴까요, 종량제 봉투로 드릴까요? [jong-i-bong-tu-ro deu-ril-kka-yo, jong-lyang-je bong-tu-ro deu-ril-kka-yo?] = Do you want a paper bag or a garbage bag? Customer : 종이 봉투로 주세요. [jong-i bong-tu-ro ju-se-yo.] / 종량제 봉투로 주세요. [jong-lyang-je bong-tu-ro ju-se-yo.] = Paper bag, please. / Garbage bag, please. Cashier : 포인트 카드 가지고 계신가요? [po-in-teu ka-deu ga-ji-go gye-sin-ga-yo?] = Do you have a point card? Customer : 네. [ne.] / 아니요. [a-ni-yo.] Cashier : (If the customer pays with a credit card) 할부 어떻게 해 드릴까요? [hal-bu eo-tteo-ke hae deu-ril-kka-yo?] = How shall I charge it? Customer : 일시불로 해 주세요. [il-ssi-bul-lo hae ju-se-yo.] / 3개월로 해 주세요. [sam-gae-wol-lo hae ju-se-yo.] = Just a single payment, please. / Three-month installment

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근 is a Korean quantity word used for meat servings as well as some produce items. For meat, one 근 is equal to approximately 600 grams, and a half 근 is 300 grams. Instead of 근, you can also use grams. “Gram” in Korean is 그램, but some people pronounce it as 그람 [geu-ram] as well. 한 근 [han-geun] = 600g 반 근 [ban-geun] = 300g

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52 KOTESOL

Writing Without Pain in the EFL Classroom

EDUCATION

Words and Photos Courtesy of Jessamine Price

he day after one of North Korea’s recent nuclear tests, a pair of middle schoolers in my English class wrote, “I am worried because of North Korea nuclear weapons.” Yes, there is a tiny error in that sentence, but I was thrilled. It was exciting to see normally shy students express themselves clearly in writing.

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

January 2017

Writing can be a useful tool in the TESOL classroom, even with lowlevel students. Middle schoolers are often reluctant to speak because of rocky adolescent self-confidence. But they have big thoughts. Writing gives them a chance to express themselves and sometimes even enjoy English. I have used methods inspired by educators like Peter Elbow (Writing Without Teachers) with a variety of EFL age groups from middle school students to adults. Here are some basic principles that can apply in classrooms at every level. WRITE BEFORE REVISING To get better at writing, we need to write without worrying about grammar and spelling. American writing educators say writing comes first, followed by revision. We should correct grammar and spelling errors during revision, not the writing process. But don’t EFL students need to focus on grammar? — Yes and no. Is the purpose of the activity to learn about

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grammar, or practice producing the language? If the purpose is to practice language production, we can better help students by de-emphasizing grammar. EFL students do need to use grammar. But using grammar is different from worrying about grammar. We can reduce worry about grammar by giving students the minimum grammatical tools they need for an activity. Then we should back off. I design my writing activities so that students will focus not on grammar but on sharing ideas or telling stories. During these activities, I do not offer unsolicited corrections. Instead, I help by answering student questions as they work.

CREATE A COMFORTABLE ENVIRONMENT Encouraging students to take risks and make mistakes is not just for conversation classes. It is important for teaching writing. Writing can also help us build a better atmosphere for conversation. Students who are afraid to speak often enjoy writing activities. After formulating their thoughts with care, quiet students are eager (or at least ready) to share their sentences out loud. Encouraging students to express themselves requires showing genuine curiosity about student ideas. As I give feedback, I try to ask big questions. What happens next in the story? Etc.

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53 When students have simple skills in English, it is easy to think their thinking is simple too. I remind myself that they have complex thoughts, and it is my job to dig them out. Students rarely feel comfortable writing creatively at first. But with praise from a teacher who believes in them, they realize it is within their abilities — and it is enjoyable. PLAY AROUND “Not thinking about grammar” is easier said than done. That is why we need to design writing activities with a playful approach. For Korean middle schoolers, a playful approach often means turning everything into a full-fledged game, with rules and scoreboards, winners and losers. But playfulness has a role in high school and university classrooms as well. If writing activities feel like fun, it is easier for students to forget grammar and engage. The “rules” can be simple, as long as the game gives students a goal other than “good writing.”

tences and their teacher is amused or appalled by their choices. For simple writing prompts, I use the target language of the current lesson and ask students to fill in the blank. For example, in a lesson on emotions, students finish the sentence, “I am worried because ______.” In a lesson on giving instructions, I challenge them to write the longest, most complicated instructions possible for an easy activity, like ordering chicken for delivery. For a more complicated activity, show students a short video with a

rudimentary narrative—an advertisement, a “language learners” dialogue, or a scene from a cartoon. Ask them to write what happens next. Videos do not have to be exciting to stimulate interesting stories, if students feel comfortable being creative in class. If you keep it playful, writing activities can be fun. And they are rewarding for teachers as well. The students who wrote about “North Korea nuclear weapons” forgot to use the possessive but they achieved real communication. I will remember those kids.

THE AUTHOR

Gwangju-Jeonnam KOTESOL Monthly Meeting Date: January 14, 2017 (Sat.) Place: Gwangju National University of Education

For full conference details: • Website: koreatesol.org/gwangju • Facebook: Gwangju-Jeonnam KOTESOL

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January 2017

Morning Reflective Practice Session (Kenya Café) Two Main Session Presentations of EFL Topics SwapShop – Share with the group an activity or teaching idea that you have.

Jessamine Price is a member of the Gwangju-Jeonnam Chapter of Korea TESOL (KOTESOL). On behalf of the Chapter, she invites you to participate in the teacher development workshops at their monthly meetings (2nd Saturday of the month). Jessamine Price is an educator and writer teaching English at a pair of public middle schools in Gwangju. She has an MFA in creative writing from American University and was a threeday champion on Jeopardy! in 2012.

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

The most rudimentary writing game is a writing competition in which the longest sentence wins. With a oneminute timer and list of prompts tailored for the class level, this writing game can work anywhere. Grammar does not matter, as long as the writing is understandable. The fun comes when students read their absurd sen-

The more interesting our writing prompts are, the more interesting student answers will be. Using Albert Bierstadt’s dramatic “Storm in the Mountains” makes even a lesson on the weather an opportunity for creativity writing. ▲

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OP-ED

OPINION

Why Trump?

Explaining the US Election

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

January 2017

Words by Matt Furlane

he 2016 US presidential election was a turbulent time of wild accusations, fiery punches and bombshell email leaks that sent Brexit-like shock waves around the world. After the election, I was approached by a Korean friend who asked me, “Why did America elect Donald Trump?” I paused, not sure how to answer the question adequately and just said, “I don’t know.” The reality is I know the United States’ election is not only hard to explain to Koreans but to Americans as well. So, in order to help everyone

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understand, I want to concisely address three reasons Trump won. First, America is not a pure democracy — it is a democratic republic. Our Founding Fathers, like James Madison and Alexander Hamilton, advocated a system of “Checks and Balances” that divides up power into three branches of government: executive, judicial, and legislative, in order to mitigate against the rise of government tyranny. But another ‘check’ is the controversial “Electoral College”. Originally placed into the Constitution because of fears of the “Tyranny of the Majority,” the Electoral College system is supposed to

offset the possibility that a popular faction will take over the country. So each of the 50 states are awarded an ‘elector’ based on population, plus 2 for each Senator. For example, California has 55 electoral votes while South Dakota has 3. The presidential candidates must win 270 or more of the 538 electoral votes. Trump won 30 states and 306 electoral votes, even though Hillary Clinton won the popular vote. But there is an inherent weakness in her popular vote victory, because it originates out of only two states, New York and California, where she pummeled Trump by nearly 6 million votes. What the Electoral College did was give a voice

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“What is important in giving an objective response to the question “Why Trump?” must center around American democracy, the economy and the media.”

to the other 48 states. This will make 2016 the fourth time in American history that the president has been elected based on the Electoral College.

The final reason Trump won was the failed media. FOX News and AM talk radio are expected to lean politically right while CNN, NPR, and the New York Times (NYT) are expected to lean left. Everyone who reads the news or studies politics accepts this paradigm. But during the 2016 campaign season there was a major shift in political bias and collusion by some major media outlets who published misleading polls showing Hillary leading by huge margins (one of the only media outlets to consistently show Trump winning was the LATimes/USC poll.) Today, just as Korea has had its own political turmoil because of leaked information, America is now going through a crisis of journalism as more information leaks about the media abandoning all pretense of objectivity in

I fully understand that other issues were involved and many people will bring up Obamacare, WikiLeaks, Russia, the FBI, or voter fraud. But what is important in giving an objective response to the question “Why Trump?” must center around American democracy, the economy and the media. These issues had the most impact and will continue to do so in 2017 and beyond.

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order to support one candidate. The violations of reporting ethics were so bad that after the election journalists have publicly admitted that they failed. In a surprising move the NYT has now apologized and their Public Editor, Liz Spayd, appeared on FOX news to discuss the problem. This crisis in journalism is still ongoing today and has degenerated into a shouting match over which news outlets are “Fake News” and calls for both Facebook and YouTube to increase censorship. The problem with American journalism needs to be corrected before 2020 or the next election will be another ‘surprise win’.

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

The second reason Trump won was his economic message. Breaking with the establishment, Trump campaigned on an “economic populist” message of higher tariffs, stronger borders and renegotiating free trade deals. The reason this message resonated so well was that millions of Americans felt abandoned by the Bush Republican party and thought Barack Obama had not helped them either. Despite America’s stock market being at all-time highs, the auto industry recovering, and unemployment being at 4.5 percent under Obama, millions of Americans were left out in the cold to struggle with stagnating wages, closed factories, and no opportunity to learn new job skills. These forgotten middle class American workers were overlooked by most pundits as a serious political voice, but the American workers

helped maintain Trump’s momentum despite political headwinds. Also, giving credence to Trump’s economic message was the opposing Democratic candidates who both came out against the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP). And Bernie Sanders, despite being an unknown candidate, managed to get a surprising 13 million votes, 43 percent, in the Democratic Primary with a similar economic message highlighting economic disparity. In an ironic twist, it was Bill Clinton in 1992 who beat Republican George Bush Sr. in part on the campaign slogan, “It’s the economy, stupid”.

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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. Advertise with us by contacting gwangjunews@gic.or.kr

UNESCO KONA VOLUNTEERS KONA Storybook Center (KSC) is a registered public small library supported by UNESCO KONA Volunteers (UKV). UKV is a registered organization that helps disadvantaged children to learn English independently through storybooks and story-maps. We guide family and children to develop the love of reading storybooks in English. We also guide them how to volunteer using 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.

GWANGJU INTERNATIONAL CENTER KOREAN CLASS The Gwangju International Center (GIC) provides Korean classes to international residents in Gwanjgu and Jeolla provinces. which help them learn Korean and understand Korean culture. Please join our Korean classes to improve your Korean skills with our awesome Korean teachers!

The days of KONA volunteering and the facilities are as follows: 1. KONA Storybook Center every Saturday 3- 5 p.m. 2. Gwangju Children’s Home 1st, 2nd and 4th Saturday, 3rd Sunday, 3 – 5 p.m. 3. Grandmother’s Community Children’s Center 4th Friday 4 – 6 p.m.

How to register: Try online registration through the GIC website www.gic.or.kr or drop by the GIC

For more information, please visit http://cafe.daum.net/konavolunteers or our Facebook page of KONA Storybook Center and UNESCO KONA Volunteers or contact Kim Young-Im 062-434-9887 or email konacenter@gmail.com

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Tuition Fee: Weekdays classes 120,000 won (100,000 won for GIC Members) Saturdays classes 90,000 won (70,000 won for GIC Members)

More information: Yangim Park Email: language@gic.or.kr Telephone: 062-226-2733 GWANGJU INTER FC The Gwangju International Soccer Team (Gwangju Inter FC) plays regularly every weekend. If you are interested in playing, email: gwangju_soccer@yahoo.com or search “Gwangju Inter FC” on Facebook.

COMMUNITY CLASS AT THE GIC Gwangju Art Class January 14, 21 – Room 3, 2F 12:30p.m. ~ 3 p.m. Price (vary) 5,000 ~ 10,000 won FB: Gwangju Art Class GWANGJU FREECYCLE Swap, Don’t Shop! February 17 10 a.m. ~ 4 p.m. Gwangju International Center Accepting gently used clothes, accessories, shoes, books, home goods, electronics and appliances Free, but donation to the GIC is appreciated. ONE DAY FLOWER LESSON February 12 2 ~ 4 p.m. Gwangju International Center 20,000 won (members) or 30,000 won (non-members) English translation available. How to register: Try online registration (goo.gl/kDqvSV) or drop by the GIC More Information: So-hee Jeong E-mail: culture@gic.or.kr Telephone: 062-226-2733

2017-01-06 ㄴㄴ 4:23:31

Attorney Attorney Park’s Park’s Law Law Firm Firm We're ready to serve your best interests in legal disputes. We provide affordable consultation & representation.

▶ Areas of Specialty contracts, torts, family law, immigration, labor ▶ Civil & Criminal Attorney Park, Duckhee

former judge, GIC board member Services available in Korean, English & Chinese

#402 Simsan Bldg, 342-13 Jisan-dong, Dong-gu, Gwangju Location: next to Gwangju District Court

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Tel: 062) 222-0011 Fax: 062)222-0013 duckheepark@hanmail.net

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