(EN) Gwangju News March 2012 #121

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March 2012 Issue No. 121

Independence Movement the long road to freedom

Gwangju’s Got Talent meet Kim Chan Yang

Plastic Surgery under the knife in Korea

www.gwangjunewsgic.com

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Gwangju News March 2012

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March 2012 THE EDITORIAL TEAM Publisher: Gyonggu Shin Editor-in-Chief: Julian Warmington Editors: Seth Pevey, Kathleen Villadiego, Minsu Kim Assistant Editor: Stephen Redeker Copy Editor: Emma Dooley Coordinators: Karina Prananto, Jihyun Kim, Jayeon Jung Layout and Design: Karina Prananto Proofreaders: Jon Ozelton, Samantha Richter, Tom Barber, Somin

ON THE COVER Photographer: Courtesy of Gwangyang City Cover Photo: Apricot blossoms in bloom

Cha, Andrea Galvez, Daniel Lister, Emma Dooley, Pete Schandall

Online Editors: Andrea Galvez, Caitlin Jacobs Researchers: Hyeon Kim, Dongjun Yang, Jinseon Jang, Hyejung Jeong, Changho Yoon Special thanks to the City of Gwangju and all of our sponsors.

Gwangju News is published by Gwangju International Center Address: Jeon-il Building 5F, Geumnam-no 1-1, Dong-gu, Gwangju 501-758, South Korea

Phone: +82-62-226-2733~4 Fax: +82-62-226-2731 Website: www.gwangjunewsgic.com E-mail: gwangjunews@gmail.com Registration No.: 광주광역시 라. 00145 (ISSN 2093-5315) Printed by Logos (Phone +82-62-444-8800)

Copyright by the 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 publishers.

Gwangju News welcomes letters to the editor (gwangjunews@gmail.com) regarding articles and issues. All correspondence may be edited for reasons of clarity or space.

Gwangju News is written and edited by volunteers.

We welcome your contribution for proofreading, copy editing, administration, layout/ design and distribution. Please write to gwangjunews@gmail.com and your area of interest.

18 DMZ

22 Internet Shopping

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CONTENTS Features

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Regular Columns

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Feature Gwangju’s Got Talent; Following Your Dreams

By Jarrod-John du Plooy

7

Local News This Month in Gwangju

By Gabriel Ward

16

Feature Korean Independence Movement Day

By Charles Murray

8

Upcoming Events

Feature Along the Western DMZ

By Julian Raethel

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Photo Contest

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30

Photo Essay

By Jimmy McIntyre

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Feature Plastic Surgery in Korea

By Seth Pevey and Lee Mi Sun

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International Home Pages

22

Living Tip Internet Shopping in Korea for Expats

By Emma Dooley

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Culture Behind the Myth: “Whistling with Consequences”

By Stephen Redeker

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Food and Drink The Lounge Bar

By Kathleen Villadiego

40

Language Study Letters to KOTESOL

By Dr. Dave Shaffer

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Sport K-League Approaches for Gwangju FC

By Darrell Slater

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Language Study Basic Expressions

By Soo-a Jung

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Perspective Rural Life

By Jennifer Peedin

45

Movie Review Arrow, the Ultimate Weapon

By Seth Pevey

37

Perspective Work it Out! By 8ball

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Literature Selected Poems Translated by Chae-pyong Song and Darcy Lee Brandel

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Living Tip National Pension Scheme

By National Pension Service

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Fashion Fash-on with xxl jjdp By jjdp

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Essay Immigration Policy and Korea’s Future

By Kim Won-sook

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Food and Drink Cafe Bari e

By Gabriel Ward

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Literature Pa-da (Korean Ocean)

By Charles Murray

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Food and Drink Sundubu jjigae

By Hyejeong Jeong

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Puzzle Puzzle Pages

By Emma Dooley and Brian Paredes

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Community Board

Gwangju News March 2012

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Meet the Contributors!

Seth Pevey (USA, editor) came to Korea in 2010, and has since been a regular contributor to the Gwangju News. He is an English lecturer working at Chonnam National University in Gwangju, and co-hosts a weekly segment about Korean movies on GFN's "Hello Korea" on Mondays at 10:30.

Karina Prananto (Indonesia, layout and design) is a coordinator at Gwangju International Center and has been working for Gwangju News since 2007. She enjoys traveling and reading.

Samantha Richter (UK, proofreader) taught a year in Gwangju and loved it. She is currently teaching in Italy, but hopes to return to the UK to continue teaching English. She misses Korea, especially the food and the wonderful community of expats in Gwangju. Although she no longer lives in Korea, she still continues to proofread for GN.

Mark Eaton (USA, photo contest judge) is a published fine art photographer who exhibits in public and private venues internationally.

He regularly contributes to art and news publications, both hard copy and online. He is happily married and the father of three successful and entrepreneurial daughters.

xxl jjdp (South Africa, writer) New York - London - Korea.

Inspire and be inspired.

Just have fun and remember every moment is an opportunity to just Fash-on. Peace.

Gabriel Ward (New Zealand, writer) “I've been contributing to Gwangju News for about a year and a half and I thoroughly enjoy it. It's a wonderful opportunity to be able to contribute to a magazine while living in Korea.�

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news

This Month in Gwangju

A brief roundup of news stories from in and around Gwangju

By Gabriel Ward

Music in the park Anyone interested in music might like to go to one of the Bitgoeul Korean classical music performances in Majae neigbourhood park. The performances will be held every Thursday at 7 p.m. up until December 20th (except for a one month hiatus in August). The performance is free.

Travel voucher cards a success Gwangju recorded the highest travel voucher card usage rate in the country in 2011. Low-income Koreans can obtain access to a travel voucher card system which helps them to cover traveling expenses.

According to a survey by the Korea Tourism Organistion, Gwangju had the highest rate of travel voucher card holders using the system at 87%, the highest among 16 local governments. The system is locally managed by the Gwangju Cultural Foundation and provides subsidies not only to lowincome Koreans, but other socially disadvantaged groups of people who struggle to make ends meet such as disabled people and refugees. Each card had 150,000 to 200,000 won loaded on it. With the success and high rate of usage of the system last year, it is expected that the program will continue and expand throughout 2012.

New cultural heritage sites Two houses from the Chosun Dynasty period have been selected by the Cultural Heritage Administration to be registered as important cultural heritage sites.

The two houses are the house of Shin-wa and the house of Oh-hun, and are located in Jangheung.

They are indicative of a typical house that the aristocrats, or Yangban, of the Chosun era lived in.

Both houses are in well preserved states and comprise of a main building and annexes, thus providing a good source for scholars interested in studying the architectural style of the peninsula’s south. They are also a good source for those interested in studying the living conditions, ceremonies, and religion of the period.

throughout the city such as City Hall and community centers. Furthermore, the local government has also published a guidebook for international visitors to the city, which is distributed at the bus terminal and airport. It includes information relating to accommodation and dining, and is published in four languages: Korean, English, Chinese, and Japanese.

For inquiries, please call 062-350-4556.

Not to be confused with these two guides, the GIC has finished the second edition of its fabulous Gwangju Guidebook. Since the publication of the first edition, the guidebook has been an inimitable source of information about Gwangju for English teachers living in the city. The first edition had become difficult to come by last year as they’d sold out. The new second edition of the guidebook will be available at the GIC. If you’re new to the city, or just want to learn more about the place you live in, then be sure to go to either of these places and pick up a copy.

The new Gwangju Guidebook 2nd Edition will be available for pick up in early March 2012.

Helping visitors to Gwangju A new guide map has been published by the local Gwangju government. It contains street names and shows 210 suburbs throughout the city. It’s in color and is 26x38cm. It is distributed at public offices Gwangju News March 2012

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Upcoming Events

This month’s Upcoming Events contributors: Hyeon Kim, Dongjun Yang, Hyejung Jeong, Jinseon Jang, Changho Yoon (GIC Int’l Residents Support Team)

Movies @ Gwangju Theater Chungjangro 5-ga (two blocks behind Migliore) Phone: 062-224-5858 Films change weekly to bi-weekly.

Check online for more movies, schedule and prices. (http://cafe.naver.com/cinemagwangju) The Bang Bang Club 뱅뱅클럽 Genre: Drama Starring: Ryan Phillippe, Malin Akerman, Taylor Kitsch, Frank Rautenbach Country: Canada, Republic of South Africa Language: English (Korean subtitles) Synopsis: The Bang Bang Club is the true story of four young combat photographers bonded by friendship and their sense of purpose to tell the truth. They risk their lives and use their cameras to tell the world of the violence associated with the first free elections in postApartheid South Africa. Ryan Phillippe, Malin Akerman and Taylor Kitsch star in a film that explores the thrills, danger, and moral questions associated with exposing the truth. (www.rottentomatoes.com) Kamome Diner 카모메 식당 Genre: Drama Starring: Satomi Kobayashi, Hairi Katagiri Country: Japan Language: Japanese (Korean subtitles) Synopsis: Based on a novel by Yoko Mure, Kamome Diner stars Satomi Kobayashi as a woman named Sachie who has started up a new cafe in Helinski, Finland serving Japanese food. However, it has yet to attract any customers. Eventually, a Finnish anime fan comes in for coffee and becomes the fledgling cafe’s first regular.

Soon another Japanese woman in Helinski named Midori (Hairi Katagiri) meets Sachie and begins working at the cafe alongside her. Later, an older Japanese woman named Masako (Masako Motai) finds her way to the cafe after the airport loses her luggage and also begins working there as more customers start to show up daily and chat with these three unique women. (www.nipponcinema.com) Toilet 토일렛 Genre: Drama Starring: Masako Motai, Alex House, David Rendall, Tatiana Maslany Country: Japan Language: Japanese (Korean subtitles)

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Synopsis: In the film, three part-Japanese siblings, Maury, Ray, Lisa, begin living together with their Japanese grandmother after their mother’s death. Baa-chan can’t speak English at all, but she still manages to dole out unspoken wisdom as her grandkids begin to form familial relationships with one another for the first time.(www.nipponcinema.com) Planet of Snail 달팽이의 별 Genre: Romance Starring: Youngchan Cho, Sunho Kim Country: Korea Language: Korean Synopsis: There is a man who cannot see or hear and a very small woman.

This film shows the life of these two people getting married and living together. It is about the trivial matters in their lives and the rhythm of their special lives. Their daily life is another world that is composed of the symphony of these two people who may be slow, but are sensitive. They are from the planet of snails. They need their sensitive antennas to reach out to each other.

Chores like changing a light bulb need the husband's sensitive hands and the wife’s detailed guidance to get the job done. The two get through situations they couldn’t have alone, together. The film focuses on capturing and delivering the rhythm of the special life they build. (www.jiff.or.kr) 2 Lines 두 개의 선

Genre: Documentary Starring: Ji Min, Lee Cheol Country: Korea Language: Korean Synopsis: "Must We Get Married?"

Ji Min and Cheol met in university ten years ago and now live together as roomates and lovers. People ask them why they won't get married since they're at that age but they've never seen the reason to. Life was happy enough as it was. They didn't want to get involved with intrusive rules and institutions. Sometimes they think about a life with a child but that's only thinking; it's too much for a woman who makes documentaries and a man who offers lectures by the hour. Then they meet two dark red lines.(www.hancinema.net)

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Performances Mr. Choi’s Magic Concert 최현우의 상상극장 Location: Grand Theater, Gwangju Culture Art Center (광주문화예술회관) Date: March 3 and 4 Time: 3rd 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. / 4th 2 p.m. and 6 p.m.

Admission fee: Seat VIP 60,000 won, Seat R 50,000 won, Seat S 40,000 won Phone: 1600-6689 Musical-Notre Dame de Paris 노트르담 드 파리 내한공연 Location: Grand Theater, Gwangju Culture Art Center (광주문화예술회관) Date: March 8 – 11 Time: 8th, 9th 7 p.m. / 10th 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. / 11th 2 p.m. and 6 p.m.

Language: English Admission fee: Seat VIP 165,000 won, Seat R 132,000 won, Seat S 110,000 won, Seat A 88,000 won, Seat B 66,000 won (Children under 7 years old cannot be admitted into the theater) Casting: Matt Laurent, Candice Parise, Robert Marrien, Dennis Ten Vergert, Ian Carlyle, Stephen Webb, Lilly-Jane Young.

Phone: 1588-0766 For more information go to: www.notredamedeparis.co.kr Nanta 난타 Location: Democratic Hall, May 18 Memorial Culture Center (광주 5.18 문화센터 민주홀) Date: March 17 and18 Time: 17th 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. / 18th 1 p.m. and 4 p.m.

Admission fee: Seat R 50,000 won, Seat S 40,000 won Phone: 1566-7674 For more information go to: www.518center.gjcity.net Nanta is a famous South Korean musical. The musical has a simple back story of three cooks attempting to finish preparing a wedding banquet within a strict time limit while the manager installs his incompetent nephew among the kitchen staff. The show involves acrobatics, magic tricks, comedy and audience participation. The unifying element throughout the musical is the use of traditional Korean samul nori music, which in this case is performed with improvised instruments, such as cutting boards, water canisters and kitchen knives. The performance is almost completely non-verbal. The very few words which are spoken are in English.

This Month at Holiday Inn Gwangju Dear Friends, Welcome to March and here’s what’s happening and what’s new at Holiday Inn Gwangju.

Hourglass Restaurant At dinner time our great buffet will feature a new triple-deck chocolate fountain. Dip your marshmallows on a stick plus other delights.

We are also featuring great new dishes including some new Chinese choices.

Dinner is 35,200 won per person and lunch is 29,700 won per person

Beautiful strawberries at Lobby Lounge Our Lobby Lounge is again offering wonderful fresh strawberry juice for 13,200 won.

Cloud Lounge Special Dinners In February the Hotel held a wonderful Sake Dinner in our Cloud Lounge located on the 10th floor. A beautifully prepared nine course Japanese dinner was accompanied by nine different sakes. The evening was a great success and we will continue through 2012 with a special dinner each Month.

Friday, March 23rd will be our Wine Dinner featuring a variety of red and white wines to accompany a very special seven course dinner.

The price is 88,000 won per person. For reservations phone 062-610-7063 or 062-610-7064.

March 21st will be the official one-year anniversary of the opening of Holiday Inn Gwangju. The staff and I want to thank all those people who have supported the Hotel and continue to return. It has been a wonderful journey and I must say one of the highlights during our first year was the week of the Korean Formula One Grand Prix last October.

We all look forward to seeing you at Holiday Inn Gwangju.

Best wishes, Michael Wilson General Manager Holiday Inn Gwangju Michael.Wilson@ihg.com

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Festival The Gwangyang’s Maehwa Flower Festival springs into action again from the middle of March. The distance of just a brief bus-ride through the beautiful countryside beyond the borders of Gwangju city, the idyllic setting is the perfect place to celebrate the end of the chilly winter months and enjoy a return to outdoors life.

The Maehwa, or Japanese Plum tree flower, is amongst the first to blossom with the advent of warmer spring days, and so the country village puts on a festival to herald the arrival of the trees’ pretty white flowers, share the beauty of local nature, and promote their town’s specialty products. Including traditional and modern musical performances and the sale of festival and regular locally produced food, there are many things for anyone to enjoy in the day out in the countryside.

Known internationally as the capital of the Maehwa tree, the local village’s tree’s fruit, described variously as a cross between a plum and an apricot, produces a sweet, smooth wine. Sampling the tasty drink alone is a fair reason to visit and enjoy the festivities under the warm spring sun.

Many people take the trip to enjoy the festival, buy some samples of alcohol or dwenjang, and enjoy a stroll and a picnic amongst the natural scenery. Set on a hill beside the river, the town and trees together lend to an atmosphere of relaxed peacefulness and sweet-smelling fun under warm spring skies.

By JJ Parkes Festival Information: Date: March 17 - 25 Venue: Seomjin village,Daap-myeon, Gwangyang and riverside of Seomjin-bridge Activities: Cherishing the memory of deceased people/the flower way’s concert/ cooking contest/ exhibition/ drawing contest To get there: take a bus to Gwangyang from U-square Bus terminal then take village bus #34 (get off at Seomjin Village bus stop) Phone: 061-797-3714 / 3715

Gurye Sansuyu Festival 구례산수유꽃축제 Date: March 23 – 25 Venue: Jiri-mountain hot-springs district, Sandong-myeon, Gurye, Jeollanam-do Activities: ceremony for rich year/ Korean traditional opera/ photo contest offering ten million won/ drawing contest for children/ Children’s song contest/ sansuyu flower-way tracking To get there: take a bus to Gurye from U-square Bus terminal. From Gurye Bus Terminal, take a bus going to Sandong 산동 (the bus will have no number, please check the destination in front of the bus).

Phone: 061-780-2727

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Exhibitions

Sports Gwangju FC Soccer Team March Match Schedule Date

Match Team

Time

11 18

Pohang Steelers Jeju United

3 p.m.

5 p.m.

Venue: Gwangju World Cup Stadium (광주월드컵경기장) Direction: Buses 6, 16, 20, 26, 47, 74 get off Worldcup Stadium bus stop Ticket Price: VIP 10,000 won, Gold 5,000 won, onlineticketing at 10% off For more information, go to: www.gwangjufc.com

KIA Tigers Baseball Team March Match Schedule Date

Match Team

Time

27 28 31

LG LG Hanhwa

18:30 18:30 18:30

KIA Tigers Baseball Team April Match Schedule Date

Match Team

Time

10 11 12 20 21 22 24 25 26

Samsung Samsung Samsung Lotte Lotte Lotte Hanhwa Hanhwa Hanhwa

6:30 p.m.

6:30 p.m.

6:30 p.m.

6:30 p.m.

5 p.m.

5 p.m.

6:30 p.m.

6:30 p.m.

6:30 p.m.

There are exhibition matches in March. The regular season will start in April.

Venue: Gwangju Mudeung Baseball Stadium (무등경기장) Directions: Take buses 16, 38, 51, 53, 58, 89, 95, 98, 151 and get off at Mudeung Stadium bus stop.

Ticket Price: Adults 7,000 - 12,000 won; Students (13 - 18): 4,000 - 9,000 won; Children (under 13, 2,000 - 6,000 won) Website: www.tigers.co.kr (Korean)

Beijing Blaze 북경질주 Gwangju Museum of Art 광주시립 미술관 (1st and 2nd floors, Sang Rok Gallery) Date: until March 18 Admission fee: 500 won Phone: 062-613-7100 For more information go to: www.artmuse.gwangju.go.kr The Picture of the Ancient Palace 고궁의 그림 Location: Gwangju National Museum 국립광주박물관 Date: until May 6 Admission fee: free Phone: 062-570-7000 For more information go to: www.gwangju.museum.go.kr

Donated Relic Exhibition of Tamjin Choi 탑진최씨 기증유물전 Location: Gwangju National Museum 국립광주박물관¸(The Planning Gallery) Date: until April 1 Admission fee: free Phone: 062-570-7000 For more information go to: www.gwangju.museum.go.kr Thread the World 세계를 누비다 Location: Chosun University Museum of Art Date: until March 10 Admission fee: free Phone: 062-230-7832 Looking hoveringly back 서성이며 돌아보다 Location: 577-2, Sotae-dong, Dong-gu, Gwangju, Korea (갤러리 생각상자, Gwangju Nam Elementary School Bus stop, Buses no. 15, 25, 45, 52, 76, 150, 151, 152 ) Date: until March 10 (Closed every Sunday) Admission fee: free Phone: 062-676-8986 The 24 Artists Who Embrace Gwangju 광 주를 품은 예술가 24인의 광주 이야기 Location: Gwangju Museum of Art 광주시립 미술관 (Main building, 3rd floor, 6th gallery) Date: Until March 25 Admission fee: 500 won Phone: 062-613-7100 For more information go to: www.artmuse.gwangju.go.kr

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[ GIC Talk ]

Time & Place: Every Saturday, 3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m., GIC office (5th floor of Jeon-il Bldg) For more information: visit www.gic.or.kr or contact gic@gic.or.kr Check out pictures from previous GIC Talks http://picasaweb.google.com/gictalk Click for the highlight clips of GIC Talk at www.youtube.com/GICTALK

March 3 Speaker: Bradley Weiss (An English teacher at Mun Hwa Language School) Topic: History and Archaeology of Ancient Pompeii

This talk will briefly summarize the history of Pompeii’s excavation site, including its destruction in the eruption of Vesuvius and how its rediscovery has allowed it to become a world-famous resource in the study of Roman antiquity.

The speaker will share his experiences excavating at one of the most prominent archaeological sites in the world, from the daily life of a Roman archaeologist to an example summary of a single excavation season.

March 10 GIC Gallery Opening by Tessa Guze

This will be a solo exhibition sampling various styles of Guze’s work. The artist has three main areas of interest in her: fine art, portraiture and children’s book illustration.

Two sections will show the portraiture work, both human and animal. The third section will show the artist’s children’s book illustrations, featuring various works and some from a soon-to-be published children’s book. The last two sections will show fine art works, which are larger paintings about humanitarian subjects.

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March 17 Speaker: Rebecca Zhao Topic: Toronto and multiculturalism March 24 Speaker: Shawn Roe (Founder/Owner of SRoeCo Solar) Topic: Basics of Solar PV: What, How and Why

What do Chonnam, Chosun, Nonghyup, Google and Brad Pitt have in common? The answer: solar panels. You’ve heard the hype, but what exactly is solar PV, how does it work and why should you care? This talk will cover the basics of solar PV, explaining useful vocabulary, how solar panels provide electricity and why renewable energy sources like solar PV are important for our future.

March 31 Speaker: Jessie Calderon (Instructor of English at Chosun University) Topic: "The Life Lived Full."

How is it that some people who have so little are so happy, while others with more are not? Why do some people have the ability to have a life lived full and how can you?

Drawing on history, research and personal experience, speaker Jessica Calderon will explore the answers to these questions.

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feature

Gwangju’s Got Talent; Following your dreams Words and photo by Jarrod-John du Plooy Still photos courtesy of TvN’s Korea’s Got Talent Season 1 Background photos courtesy of Firstlook (www.firstlook.co.kr) Interpreter Jayeon Jung

I

t’s early on a chilly Saturday morning and excitement is already building. The sun is shining and I am on the way to interview a budding young star. All I know about my interviewee is that he has appeared on one of the most-watched survival audition shows in the country, Korea’s Got Talent (KGT) and that he sometimes works parttime as a barista at his mom’s coffee shop, Golden Rabbits.

We are scheduled to meet at Golden Rabbits downtown, which is conveniently located just behind the GIC. Upon entering the café one is immediately welcomed by huge banners of the young star bursting with charisma as he smiles from ear to ear. Still cuts from the KGT stage show him playing the piano and also showcase various modern dance positions from his most noted performance on that show. The interview stage is also set and I try and figure out what makes this young man tick. What will he be like? A prima donna with an attitude like Nicki Minaj and then some? Will he live up to the persona I feel like already I know?

Enter Kim Chan Yang, a 20-something guy neatly dressed in jeans, a blue shirt and a tousled hairdo that says “I don’t care, but I do”. With introductions complete, I couldn’t have been more surprised by his positive and down-to-earth attitude as he apologises for being a tad late. He initially seems very nervous and shy, but after a sip of coffee he relaxes and we proceed with the interview.

Born in Gwangju in 1992, Kim Chan Yang is the eldest child in his family and started actively learning new skills in the performing arts arena in his second year in middle school. After failing his college entrance exams, he began pursuing alternative methods to achieve his dream of becoming an actor and performer and this is when

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he decided to enter one of the highest-rated television shows in the country and this gamble seems to have paid off.

At 21, he seems confident and self-assured about achieving his goals which have been fuel-injected by the fact that only three weeks ago he found out that he had been accepted into one of the most prestigious performing arts schools in the country, the Seoul Institute of Arts. The school was established in 1962 and has harbored and harnessed the talents of renowned Korean actors such as Kim Ha Neul, Lee Jun Ki, Goo Hye Sun, Kim Bum, as well as the host of Running Man and Infinite Challenge, Yoo Jae Suk.

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The road has not always been the smoothest though, and after having missed the opportunity to audition for performing arts schools last year due to an unfortunate accident, Chan Yang took some time off to re-evaluate and re-motivate himself to better prepare to fulfil his dreams. Chan Yang notes that, “Missing out on the chance to enter performing arts school last year was a huge turning point for me, and after watching the enormous responses to the overseas audition show Britain’s Got Talent, as well as [taking] some guidance from my mentors I decided to enter [the Korean version]�. To his delight, audience members fell in love with him and soon started voting for him in droves. After working hard and making it through the audition process he realized that a much more difficult task lay ahead of him, as unlike many other survival contestants who relied only on singing, his performances depended heavily on highly choreographed dance and fight sequences that always had to be fresh and exciting.

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“My driving force was not only to make my family and the audience proud, but to stay true to myself as well”. He thus worked tirelessly in order to perfect his final performances and his efforts were duly rewarded by being placed 1st in the third semi-final of the show with over 30% of the audience votes, a whopping 10% more than the second-placed contestant.

When asked what the scariest part of the competition was Chan Yang replied, “The live shows were very scary. I was always afraid I would make a mistake. And satisfying the viewers’ expectations weighed heavily on my mind at all times. I worked tirelessly to make every performance the best. I even learned ballet and capoeira from scratch. At some points this lead me to have some burn-out, but I loved working so hard. And a funny story is while performing in the semi-final, my mind went totally blank and I had to create freestyle choreography during the last moments of my performance, but the results were amazing”.

Amazing indeed, as Chan Yang is undoubtedly a natural performer and also believes that the essence of an artist is versatility and being able to manipulate performances to suit the occasion or even the mood of the audience or the performer themselves. These days in the ultra-competitive entertainment industry, one ultimately has to be an all-rounder.

Of course, with Gwangju being his hometown, he also astutely notes that, “Gwangju has a great artistic community that believes in the integrity and passion of performing. Unlike the performing industry in Seoul which can be very technical and mechanical at times, Gwangju fosters more wellrounded performers, and focuses on technique, passion and expressing individuality. For now, my biggest motivation is to love what I am doing, work hard at it and make my family, friends and a special lady I have my eye on proud of me”.

This is a great attitude to have, especially for someone who has chosen one of the hardest industries to work in. I asked if he already gets

recognized on the street. Chan Yang replied that, “It has only happened once and it was very embarrassing because I’m not used to it. But once I am more well-established and have reputable performances behind me, I am sure I would feel more comfortable with the attention, but for now I’m just a normal guy”.

Yes, from a normal guy, to a finalist on Korea’s Got Talent, to hopefully being on our screens soon, I wish Kim Chan Yang the best and hope that he studies hard and will soon join the ranks of the other megastars from Gwangju, including You Know Yoonho from Dong Bang Shin Gi, Seungri from Big Bang, Minji from 2ne1, Suji from Miss A. as well as multiple award-winning actress Moon Geun Young.

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feature

Koreans celebrating Korea Independence Movement Day (stsupporter.tistory.com)

Korean Independence Movement Day

By Charles Murray

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n March 1 of this year, Koreans will celebrate one of their most important national holidays, Korean Independence Movement Day. It has been called Korea's "Easter Rising" (after the 1916 Irish rebellion against British rule) and holds a powerful significance for Koreans as a day to celebrate its nation's independence from all foreign powers.

Also known as Samil, this is a day for serious reflection for Koreans regarding Korea's hard-won liberation, and the long, brutal journey that was required to attain it.

The first Independence Movement Day occurred on March 1, 1919, when the Korean people decided to create a fierce resistance to the vicious and degrading Japanese colonial rule which had begun in 1910 and lasted until 1945. It was after this day that the Korean people began to organize strikes and intellectual resistance to Japan's dictatorial occupation.

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The roots of this galvanizing movement can be traced to An Chang-ho, widely known by his nom de plume, "Dosan". Dosan had been in the United States for years but returned in 1907, eager to help his country modernize its schools and reform its education system, as well as to ignite its patriotic zeal. He established the Shinminhoe (New Korea Society) upon returning to his homeland in order to fight the Japanese Occupation, and many great Korean patriots got their start there, including An Chung Gun who later assassinated the Japanese resident General of Korea, Ito Hiroburi.

Dosan was thrown in prison more than five times by the Japanese for his fervent patriotic activities, as well as for his connection with Ahn Chung Gun's assassination of Hiroburi. He was also tortured mercilessly for his refusal to abandon the cause of Korea. Dosan was also the primary composer of "Aeguka", South Korea's national anthem. Sadly, this firebrand did not live to see his dream of a free

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Korea come to fruition, as he died in 1937, eight years before Korea threw off the yoke of Japanese oppression.

Korean people printed many textbooks on Korean grammar and spelling from 1910 to1919, and they did so covertly, for the Japanese made it a punishable crime. The Japanese used torture and prison sentences to intimidate the Korean people into submitting to their culture and language, not respecting the rights of Korean people to self govern or even maintain their own culture or language.

Korea was finally liberated from the Japanese Occupation in 1945, after the United States dropped nuclear bombs on Nagasaki and Hiroshima, ending World War II and also putting an end to Japanese rule in much of Asia. The United States also came to Korea and China with soldiers to help supervise the mass exodus of Japanese soldiers.

Korea, a country which has a 5,000 year history, has been invaded, on average, about once every two years-a staggering statistic. The Korean people resisted the Mongol invasions for 32 years before succumbing, and were then set upon by hordes of Chinese and Japanese soldiers for many hundreds of years. This is reminiscent of the historical realities of Ireland and Italy, and like those people, Korea had to develop itself under the cloak of secrecy for much of its history. Like America's 8-year Revolutionary War with England, Korea resisted stubbornly and passionately the foreign invaders who sought not only to conquer Korea, but to rob her of her very essence.

Midway between Kunsthalle and the Grand Hotel, across the main street at the traffic lights from the Crown Bakery.

On the 3rd floor of the T World building.

Korea has made tremendous progress since the dark days of the Japanese Occupation, both economically and socially, and is considered one of the four Asian tigers (economic powerhouses of Asia). Korea has truly taken off as a nation, and has earned its nickname, "The Miracle on the Han River." Like everything worthwhile, it came with the heavy price of blood, sweat and tears.

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feature

Along the Western DMZ Words and photos by Julian Raethel

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t’s the final frontier. The cruel reminder of a nation so bitterly divided and remnants of the Cold War era which seems so long ago. It’s been almost 60 years since the stalemate which ended the three-year Korean War was signed between the Communist North and the United Nations (representing the Democratic South). The clear dividing line, measuring four kilometers, between the two nations along the 38th Parallel, keeps the two ideologies at bay.

Gwangju News took some time to head along the western part of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) to find out more of the sites and history in what has become an uncertain period in the icy relationship between North and South Korea.

How We Got This Far The Korean War (1950 – 53) began only five years after the last shot was fired in World War II. The nation was divided along the invisible line of the 38th Parallel after the Soviets liberated Korea from 35 years of Japanese rule. Hope was high as the Russian troops marched through the country, but the US sent a desperate telegraph and urged the USSR to stop at the dividing line. While the major powers spun their influence, both Koreas got to work. One of the heroes of the liberation campaign against the Japanese was Kim Il-sung, a guerrilla fighter who took control of Pyongyang in the North and had Chinese and Russian support.

Syngman Rhee won the UN-backed free elections of the South.

After a surprise attack over the 38th Parallel by the Northern Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK) on the 25th of June 1950, Korea felt the pain of war again. Three years and three million lives later, the Armistice Agreement was signed, with the country once again divided along the 38th Parallel. Rhee opposed the agreement but the UN command signed it anyway, dampening his dream of seeing his nation once again united and independent.

There have been several border “skirmishes” since 18

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Wikimedia Commons

the stalemate of 1953. The “Axe Murder Incident” of 1976 rocked the region when the attempted pruning of a poplar tree near the Joint Security Area (JSA) in Panmunjon by South Korean and US soldiers led to a brutal attack by North Korean soldiers with axes. Two US soldiers were killed and a further four US and five South Korean soldiers wounded. Another recent dangerous reminder was experienced through the Cheonan shipsinking of 2010. Thought to have been carried out by the North Koreans, the incident saw 46 South Koreans tragically lose their lives.

Easy Come, Easy Go An alarming reminder of the threat from the North has been the discovery of four infiltration tunnels all along the DMZ. The third tunnel, discovered in 1978, 44 kilometers from Seoul, was found based on information from a North Korean defector. It is two meters in both width and height and almost two kilometers in length. This particular tunnel, if fully operational, would have seen 30,000 lightlyarmed soldiers hit Seoul in less than an hour.

Official tour guide Park Seok- jin is a founding member of Adventure Korea, which takes tours to many areas along the southern DMZ. He has been doing it for over ten years now. “The government says there are over 20 tunnels, while North Korean refugees and some generals have claimed there are 40 or 50,” he explains, “The South Korean

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government might know some of them already, but will be trying to hide the matter from the people so not to scare them.” If true, this could lead to a very frightening predicament on a very tense Korean Peninsula.

Heading south from the Third Tunnel, Dorasan Train Station is currently the northern-most train station in South Korea. In December 2007, the line was opened, heading into North Korea to supply materials and workers at the joint Gaeseong Industrial Complex, which can be seen from the Dora Observatory (just north of the station). As relations froze over, the North government closed the border crossing a year later, in December 2008, and Seoul has since approved the halting.

Park muses, “It seems useless at the moment, but it will grow bigger in the near future. If we can get to North Korea then the train can travel right through Asia to Europe.” Seeing the train up close, it appears agonisingly eager, just waiting for the lines to open again.

The Gaeseong Industrial Complex has been a cooperative economic workplace for both Koreas.

However due to current conditions, relations over the area are strained. The workers themselves offer a sharp contrast between lives in the two Koreas.

On their break, workers are given a Choco Pie. But it is said that the North Koreans never eat it, as they can sell one single item on the black market in North Korea for the equivalent of 20,000 South Korean won! Absolutely crazy considering you can buy a whole box of them in South Korea for less than 5,000 won.

The Great Successor With the death of Kim Jong-il on the 17th of December 2011, the peninsula held its breath for but a moment to see what could be made of the new regime. Kim Jong-un, the 27/28-year-old son of the late “Dear Leader” has now assumed responsibility

of the most secretive nation in the world. Many fear that his inexperience will lead him to attempt to prove his strength. Whatever that attempt may be would not be good news for the South.

A military coup may not have been out of the question in the immediate aftermath of Kim Jong-il’s death. Needless to say, some of the older guard would have been (secretly) brooding over the fact that the successor, a young, untested man, was promoted to four-star general without really earning it. However, that tiny window for revolution has well and truly shut now. Kim’s uncle (Jang Song-thaek) and aunt (Kim Kyong-hui) have been amongst the party fold and will pull the strings of their young nephew as he takes hold of the reigns of 24 million people. Will he reach out to the South? Or will the brutal regime of secretive death camps and starving millions continue to eat away at the nation?

Although there seems to be no immediate resolve, Park Seok-jin is optimistic. “It is my goal in life to see reunification…it depends on how the government handles the new situation with the North.” When asked about people visiting Korea and the DMZ, he believes, “Most are scared before they come here, since the outside media twists and exaggerates every event that happens.”

The DMZ and relations with the North are at the forefront of the minds of any who visit this heavilypatrolled border. A gaze over the barbed wire and the stretch of distrust is all that separates the two Koreas, so different yet very much the same.

There are a number of organizations that offer guided tours of the DMZ with varying times and pick up points around Seoul. Here are the websites for two of the more popular tours.

USO (United Service Organizations) tours are run by Koridoor: www.koridoor.co.kr Panmunjom Travel Center: www.panmunjomtour.com

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feature

Plastic Surgery in Korea

By Seth Pevey and Lee Mi Sun

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f you take a look around Korea, you can easily see many kinds of plastic surgery advertised; liposuction, double eyelid modification, face lifts, tummy tucks, and nose jobs are all freely and unabashedly peddled in magazines and on signboards.

It is curious and frightening to imagine what can happen in any of the many plastic surgery clinics across Korea. The trend has been getting worse— more and more teenagers, particularly girls, are fighting a vain battle to appear thinner, sexier, and craft a face more beautiful than nature ever intended, often with horrific results. Many students aspire to replace themselves with the glitzy looks of their favorite K-pop idol. In Seoul, this lust for glamour means big bucks for the most popular plastic surgery doctors.

When people surf the Internet or read magazines, many kinds of ads showcase a “before and after” profile, vividly trying to entice the reader’s curiosity and to pander to those who may already be addicted to shallow lookism. A lot of people from other countries seeking to alter themselves also come to Korea, to famous Seoul clinics situated in “Apgujeong-dong” and “Gang-Nam” areas.

Koreans are renowned for their delicate hand eye coordination, and at the big clinics in Seoul they hire teams of interpreters to help foreigners get exactly the “treatment” they are looking for.

This begs the question, what kind of a person purposely undergoes the knife for the sake of beauty? Are these people bold, courageous and rational? Or rather, does it show an underlying problem in Korean society?

The International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery confirms that South Korea is indeed the country with the world's highest per capita rate of cosmetic plastic surgery. But why?

Being a country with a lot of deep-seated

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Confucian ideals, Korea is a place where the thoughts and attitudes of the community towards an individual are extremely important to the success and acceptance of that individual. Thus, being perceived as attractive becomes a means to achieve things within that community, which in turn creates a culture where merit is more and more based solely on looks. Even so, judging people based on their appearance is not unique to Korea, nor is it new to these modern times.

The mass media worsens the cycle, subconsciously telling us the standards of beauty. Therefore, people are willing to take the risk to look beautiful.

Society has amplified the importance of looks, and an emphasis on sexual attractiveness and beauty seems to supersede all else. Appearance now plays a key role in finding a job, a marriage partner and so on.

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People have the right to do as they see fit with their own bodies. Becoming more attractive can help people grow their confidence and self-esteem. But how sound and stable can your confidence and sense of self-worth really be if based solely on some silicon facial modification? Although one person’s life may be improved by plastic surgery, what example are we setting if we allow this vicious cycle to continue?

Instead of surgery, women across this peninsula should learn to appreciate themselves for who they are. Why not give yourself a big smile, look into the mirror, and think to love yourself as you really are, the greatest accomplishment in the world. Keep in mind that if you don’t love yourself as you are inwardly and outwardly, you cannot truly have the courage to love others in your life. Don’t judge a book by its cover!

It is time for our society to face reality, taking into consideration the risks and harmful side effects of plastic surgery, as well as the long term damage to the psyche of our populace and the profound and wretched consequence of a culture that becomes so shallow as to actually have mothers gifting their daughters plastic surgery as graduation presents.

Has this not gone too far?

No matter how much medical technology improves, no surgery is risk free. There are scars left sometimes physical and sometimes deeper.

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living tip

Internet Shopping in Korea for Expats

By Emma Dooley

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hopping as an expat in Korea located outside of Seoul can at times be a difficult task, especially when you’re looking for Western goods. English books tend to be limited to the latest bestsellers and popular series like Harry Potter and Twilight in Gwangju bookstores (the Yeongpung store at the bus terminal has the largest selection). Western foods can be found in large Lotte Marts, as well as at Homeplus, E-mart and of course, The Underground Grocers. The basement foodhalls of Lotte Department Store and Shinsegae can also turn up some Western surprises. There are several websites that can make life a little easier when it comes to shopping, and a selection of these has been detailed below.

This is by no means an exhaustive list of websites, but it does cover all the essentials.

Books and Magazines: www.whatthebook.com

What the Book is an English language bookstore based in Itaewon in Seoul and their online catalogue boasts over a million titles. As well as the latest fiction, you can also purchase used books and magazines (either year-long subscriptions or individual copies). Delivery is free on many orders and twoday shipping is available. To use the site you must set up an account. Payments can be made with a Korean or International credit card or via bank transfer. www.bookdepository.com The Book Depository is an online bookseller based in the UK. Its warehouses hold over six million titles and shipping is free on everything, worldwide (including Korea). Prices tend to be significantly cheaper than those of What the Book, although shipping takes a little longer (usually a week or so).

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Vitamins, Supplements and Food: www.iherb.com iHerb is an American online retailer selling vitamins, supplements and a plethora of health foods, including a wide range of gluten-free items. It also sells cosmetics, skincare, baby food, diapers and home cleaning products, all of the environmentally-friendly variety. Shipping is extremely fast (around four days) and, from personal experience, the customer service is to be commended. If you enter the code TEK651 at checkout, you will receive $5 off your first order.

Shipping to Korea is currently half-price if you spend over $60. www.bakingschool.co.kr Baking School’s website is entirely in Korean, so you may need a Korean friend to help you navigate it, but the prices make it worth the extra effort.

Multipurpose Sites: www.nicemarket.net Nice Market (formerly Nice Deli) is primarily a food site, although it also has a small selection of English board games and a wide selection of kitchen equipment, from ovens to Pyrex dishes. A range of seaweed skincare products from Jeju Island is also available. The minimum order is 25,000 won and deliveries are made once a week on a Wednesday or a Friday. Delivery charges range from 5,550 won to 7,500 won and payments can be made via bank transfer or PayPal. www.ezshopkorea.com EZ Shop Korea is a site which allows you to shop at Costco online. There is also a “non-Costco” section, but the selection of items is very small and several listed categories are empty of products. Delivery is made 2-3 days following your order and payments can be made via bank transfer or credit card.

Orders over 250,000 won are shipped free. EZ Shop Korea operates a points system where you can earn points on all purchases and then use them as part-payment for future orders.

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www.fatbag.co.kr Fatbag is a relatively new site, with products still be added on a weekly basis. Fatbag markets itself as a shopping Mecca for foreigners in Korea and the bulk of its products are from IKEA. There is a serious discrepancy between Fatbag and IKEA.com prices though, with some items more than double or even triple the IKEA price. Fatbag also has a selection of organic foods, as well as a global foods section and fairly extensive amount of Korean arts and crafts items.

Fatbag accepts all major credit cards (both Korean and foreign) and payments can also be made by bank transfer. One benefit of Fatbag is that customers can avail of online customer support in English. Various shipping options are available, including same-day delivery. IF you ‘Like’ Fatbag on Facebook, you will receive a 1,000 won discount on one order. http://english.gmarket.co.kr/ GMarket sells everything from furniture to food to clothing and is perhaps the most popular Internet shopping site for expats in Korea, although it is, to put it mildly, quite difficult to use. The following tutorial makes the purchasing process considerably easier: http://worldbeyblade.org/Thread-How-to-useKorean-Gmarket .

Lingerie: www.audacelingerie.com Audace Lingerie is a store in Seoul (run by Frenchwoman Gina François) which caters for female expats and stocks cup sizes from A to H. While not technically an online store, this is probably for the best as an in-person fitting is key to finding the right size for you. The collection may be viewed online and prices can be emailed on request.

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food and drink

The Lounge Bar

By Kathleen Villadiego Photos courtesy of Holiday Inn Gwangju

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onveniently situated in the modern neighborhood of Sangmu is the Holiday Inn, and within this fairly new 5-star establishment is Lounge Bar; a place where you and your friends, partner, or colleagues can go to treat yourself to fine wine, cool draft beer, and scrumptious aperitifs. It’s the perfect setting before hitting the clubs, or for a more relaxed gettogether away from the noise and racket of downtown bars.

What draws patrons into Lounge Bar on certain evenings each week at a particular time is the “Happy Hour” promotion. When you polish off a glass of wine, you can have another or ten more – if your body is accustomed. You can put together a perfect plate carefully combining all the fine food served up at the buffet, or heap it all on and come back for seconds, thirds, fourths, until your hunger is satiated. Regardless, it’s all the same for your wallet.

During happy hour all are welcomed to Lounge Bar to take advantage of their offer of unlimited food and drinks for a very reasonable price.

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For this patron and food-lover, the buffet is the main enticement. You can start off with something light to whet the appetite like a vegetable or pasta salad, then move on to the more filling items like spicy chicken wings and chicken skewers, or meatballs and mini burgers. And like breakfast, you shouldn’t skip dessert which includes an array of fresh fruit and fine delectable cakes.

You may also have your fill of drinks. My preference is to stay on the red, but there’s also beer which will be a welcome in the summer. For friends who made it their New Year’s resolution not to drink, they have their choice of soft drinks.

For me, it’s hard to enjoy good-quality food and wine if the service is not up to par, a facet which leaves a lasting impression. The service at Lounge Bar has been, on all my visits, above-standard. The maitre-d’ is very welcoming, and the wait staff friendly and attentive. They pick exactly the right time to offer you another drink, refill your water, or

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take away your plate: neither overdone nor neglectful.

Lounge Bar is spacious, modern, elegant but not pretentious. In general it is aesthetically satisfying with seemingly nothing out of place. You can seat yourself at an openly-exposed table, or for those who want some privacy, you can find a place a little tucked away.

Lounge Bar provides the food, drink, and atmosphere at a great price; all you need to do is bring along good company. Bottoms up!

“Happy Hour” at Lounge Bar, Holiday Inn takes place every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. For only 21,500 won, you get unlimited drinks – house wine, local draft beer, soft drinks, and unlimited cold and hot snacks from the buffet.

How to get there Holiday Inn is located near the Kimdaejung Convention Center.

By subway: Get off at Kimdaejung Convention Center, Mareuk station exit 3. Heads towards the Kimdaejung Convention Center, walk for about 5 minutes. Holiday Inn is opposite the center.

By bus: Bus no. 38, 64 will take you to the convention center. Buses no. 1, 63, 64, 518, and 1000 go to the 5.18 Liberty Park which is also very near Holiday Inn.

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sport

K-League Approaches for Gwangju FC Words and photo by Darrell Slater Gwangju FC team photos courtesy of Gwangju FC

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he K-League season is fast approaching and local team Gwangju FC are determined to improve on their inaugural season results.

After becoming the K-League’s 16th franchise and newest team at the start of the 2011 season, Gwangju FC finished a credible 11th place in last year’s final standings.

President of the club, Park Byeong Mo, said “This year our goal is to become the number eight team in the K-League.

“We have brought in some new foreign players to help us achieve this goal.”

As the playoff places have expanded to include the top eight clubs at the conclusion of this year’s regular season, Gwangju’s ambitions would mean them being involved in the end of season playoff picture, certainly a step in the right direction.

In its first year Gwangju FC struggled in the shadow of the city’s established Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) team, the KIA Tigers. Apart from the opening day of the season attendances were generally low at The Guus Hiddink World Cup

Players from Gwangju Inter attend a ceremony with Gwangju FC staff to become an official supporters group of the team

Stadium, not helped by the team’s inconsistent form throughout the year.

Baseball-crazy Gwangju residents could not be turned away from the diamond at Mudeong Stadium when the teams played on the same day.

The marketing team at Gwangju FC are hoping to increase the teams appeal this year – to both foreign residents and locals.

Gwangju FC recently signed a memorandum of understanding with the local foreigner soccer team Gwangju Inter FC. The memorandum is aimed at increasing the popularity of soccer throughout Gwangju with the two clubs working together to achieve this goal.

Gwangju Inter also became an official supporters group of Gwangju FC. As part of the deal the team received discounted season tickets for its players as well new training kits and equipment.

Gwangju Inter team member Gary Farr said “We will all be there as a team at the opening home game of the season to cheer on our sister team (Gwangju FC).

“We look forward to developing a close relationship between the teams in the future”.

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The new players President Park brought in to play at Gwangju FC are Bogdan Milic and Adriano Chuva, both attacking players who President Park hopes will add more goals and excitement to the team while also adding bums to seats in the stadium.

Milic, from Montenegro, stands at a lofty 2.01 centimeters (6 feet 7 inches) tall and could prove to be a shrewd acquisition to the squad.

Time after time last season Gwangju made openings and provided crosses into the box for their strikers only to come up empty handed. Milic may be the answer to add that extra height needed to get on the end of high passes.

The jury is still out on Milic though as not much is known about him and his professional record of goal scoring (only 18 goals in his last nine seasons) is not that great.

Adriano Chuva, 33 from Brazil, is a journeyman soccer player who has made Gwangju FC his forth home in Korea. Having previously played for Daejeon Citizen, Chunnam Dragons and Pohang Steelers in the K-League, he brings experience to a team of youngsters that could prove valuable throughout 2012. Chuva netted four times for Pohang last season.

With the bulk of the squad still together from last season, including Brazilian playmaker and top scorer Joao Paulo, Gwangju have certainly improved their chances of obtaining the eighth place finish that President Park is looking for.

The new additions add extra options for coach Choi Man Hee, especially in attack. Gwangju struggled last year to score the goals that could have elevated them up the table towards the illusive K-League playoffs.

The season officially kicks off on March 4th for Gwangju FC with a game away to Sangju Sangmu to start the season.

The first home game of the season is a week later on Sunday, March 11th. Kick off is at 3 p.m. and Pohang Steelers will be the visitors.

With baseball season still a month away, and with the chance to take in some live sport at a low price, Gwangju residents are urged to get down to the stadium to cheer on our local K-League representative.

Shows, giveaways and fireworks will mark the occasion – if its anything like last years opening game at home (a 3-2 victory

Gwangju play their home games at the Guus Hiddink World Cup Stadium.

Ticket prices range from 6,000 – 10,000 won and can be purchased on the day.

It is also of note that you can BYO anything you want into the stadium – including alcohol!

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PHOTO CONTEST Photo of the Month

Haundae Beach at sunset

Photo by Jannies Le

Pagoda at the top of the hill in the 5.18 Memorial Park 28

Gwangju News March 2012

Photo by Jimmy McIntyre

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This month’s photo contest was judged by Mark Eaton.

Mark Eaton has exhibited his photographic work in art galleries as well as other public and private venues in the United States and South Korea.

Submit your best shot of Korea!

To enter the Photo Contest, simply send your name, photo and picture description to gwangjunews@gmail.com.

The Photo of the Month will be displayed at the GIC for that month.

Jinju Lantern Festival Photo by Stephen Gale

Working hard in Myeongdong

Photo by Christian Oey Gwangju News March 2012

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photo essay

Strange L ands

Photos by Jimmy McIntyre

immy McIntyre, a 30-year-old Englishman from Newcastle, is a keen amateur photographer, language learner and traveller. His goal in life is to make photography and travelling his career. In the next three years he'll spend six months in six different countries, learning the language and documenting his journey through his lens. Feel free to visit his travel blog (http://strange-lands.com/) and say hello.

J

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international

Home Pages Want to write about news from your country?

Contact the Editor for more information: gwangjunews@gmail.com.

Philippines

Ireland Beware the Cat Kilkenny is a county famous for its champion hurling team, “The Cats” and its comedy festival, “The Cat Laughs”. Well, this county in the sunny South-East deserves its nickname now more than ever because there is a cat on the loose! Not a kitty but rather a panther, according to locals in the south of the county. The local paper, The Kilkenny People, featured the story on Wednesday, January 25th. Sightings have been recorded in recent years of an animal the size of a Rottweiler but “with the head of a cat” and with “huge eyes and jaws”. Stories of a similar “beast” have been making the headlines in England too these days. Surely only the mythical hound Cúchulainn would have the ability to jump across the Irish Sea! Oh, and Kilkenny has also just laid claim to George Clooney. Apparently the actor's great-great-grandfather Nicholas hails from south Kilkenny. Now where's Catwoman?

By Patrick Conway

Natural Disaster The provinces of Negros Oriental and Cebu are recovering from a major earthquake, with a magnitude of 6.9, that struck on February 6th. The area is in a state of calamity, especially since the earthquake caused landslides and huge cracks in the roads causing difficulties for rescuers. With broken roadways, and no electricity or communication, the locals have asked the Philippine government for assistance. The death toll from the disaster is more than fifty-five and that number is increasing as rescue efforts continue. There will be a ripple effect with respect to the damage caused by the earthquake, as many agricultural fields were destroyed. The rice and corn farmers were hit hard and losses are abundant. Let’s pray for the people who have lost loved ones, as they pick up the pieces of their lives.

Wales

By Rubie Lee

Prison Cuisine A prison in Cardiff is to open a fine-dining restaurant staffed by convicts. “Clink” is designed to rehabilitate Category B prisoners and transform them into trained chefs and waiters. In what promises to be a unique dining experience, customers will need Home Office clearance to book a table. Patrons will also be subjected to a full body search on arrival and will have to give up their mobile phones at the door.

Three-course gourmet meals will be created and served by a staff of around 20 inmates using organic produce grown at another Welsh prison near Usk. The restaurant will cost around £500,000 to open and is funded by private individuals via the Clink Charity and subsequent sales.

By Andrew Thomas 32

Gwangju News March 2012

India We are Happy!

A survey carried out by Ipsos Global has found that Indonesians, Indians and Mexicans were the most contented people on the planet. Happiness here is relative, while one person may possess magnificent wealth and still cry, another could find contentment in a “cooked meal” or “a roof over one’s head”, which probably explains the moderate levels of happiness experienced by people living in the US, Canada or Britain. Family too, was a source of solace and comfort. We are the happiest people in the world, despite economic woes, corruption and other problems.

By Sreejith

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U.S.A

Korea

Pythons on the prowl Burmese pythons have found a new home in the Florida Everglades, a vast area of wetlands in central and south Florida. In the past twelve years over 1,800 of these giant snakes have been captured, as reported by the National Park Service. This is causing a huge problem within the ecosystem as these snakes are joined by other breeds of constrictors and are eating up all the small mammals and birds that are native to this habitat.

The problem stems from people. Most of these snakes are released by people who bought them as babies to keep as pets. When they grow too large (some over 16 feet and over 150 pounds), their owners set them free! What happens when all the wildlife in the Everglades is eaten up and the snakes have to migrate to places where people are living in search of dogs and cats to eat? This is a threat already posed by alligators. This is one reason a law has been enacted to prevent Burmese pythons and other constrictor snakes from being transported across state lines or even imported into the United States.

The Chalaryman Recently an overprotective, nosy lady turned one university hospital in Seoul upside down. A nurse with three years of work experience was advised to go to graduate school and change her major because her boss found her struggling with her job in the hospital. Later her mother came to the hospital and complained that her daughter didn’t do anything wrong. This girl can be described as a Chalary man (child + salary man), also known as a person who relies on his or her parents to deal with problems in the workplace, or for financial support even after they land a job. This phenomenon is triggered by overprotective parenting and failure to adapt in society, particularly in the workplace. I think it is essential for Chalary men to learn how to make decisions on their own. Otherwise, their parents will follow them around for every petty, trivial problem.

By Kim Dong-hun

By Stephen Redeker

New Zealand Bernard Bellamy at his Pahiatua coffin factory Windsor Industries, with a coffin which measures 1050mm wide.

XL Coffins The western meat-based diet obesity epidemic continues apace even in New Zealand. Thirty-five years ago, the average number of “Kiwis” who were overweight in such a way that their health was affected was 10 percent. Just three years ago it was closer to 30 percent. Now, even coffins need to be upsized, causing funeral directors to have to order even larger coffins, and crematoriums which have to enlarge their furnaces. Funeral Directors' Association president Tony Garing said: “I'm aware of a funeral director in one North Island town who once or twice a year has a need for a coffin the size of a single bed."

By JJ Parkes

Gwangju News March 2012

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perspective

Rural Life

Words and photos by Jennifer Peedin

S

can the ESL job postings and you will most likely see advertisements like this: “New exciting jobs in Seoul, Busan and other cities!” Rarely do you see, “Small town job. Not much excitement, but it’s still a job!” Most people looking to move overseas desire jobs in large cities. They offer a neverending stream of entertainment, as well as group after group of foreigner communities, all while keeping some culture in the mix. When you’re done exploring your neighborhood you can simply hop on a subway and find something new. If you don’t get along with a particular group of other English speakers then wait a week and you’ll be surrounded by new people. However, there are a few groups of expats who either decide to try something different or don’t care for the strain of living in an overcrowded city who take up EPIK’s offer for more money with a rural placement or listen to recruiters excitedly telling them that they’ll get to experience the real Korea.

All expats are tied together in the brotherhood of “life as a foreigner”. No one will understand this crazy life that we live and that we chose like another foreigner, but for those of us who chose the road less traveled (literally), there are few who can really understand.

Life is different, really different. Expat life in a rural setting has a new set of difficulties added onto the ones experienced by expats living in metropolitan areas. The two largest and most difficult obstacles that are posed by a rural life are convenience and community. If a friend who lives in the city asks me to come out for the night I usually pause while I weigh my options. I could take the hour bus/subway ride to the desired location, stay out after the buses stop running and spend 40,000 won on the taxi back, pay 30,000-45,000 won on a love motel room, sleep on the floor of a friends’

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apartment or leave the city by 10 p.m. to catch the last bus home. So maintaining a social life requires a bit of extra effort, not to mention extra money. Ask a local young Korean what there is to do on the weekends here and they’ll reply, “Go to Gwangju.” Most of the time it’s a weekend spent with the few other local foreigners debating what we should do before settling on food and a local bar, or movies and pizza at one of our apartments, all the while grumbling, “There's nothing to do in this town.” If you don’t particularly get along with the other English speakers in your town then, well, you’re going to have to learn to get over it because the expat community is limited. You must either learn Korean quickly and make Korean friends, learn to get along with others, or get used to loneliness.

Places such as Emart, Lotte Mart, and HomePlus are luxuries that we don’t have easy access to.

When I desperately want a taste of home, just something simple like a bag of M&M’s, then it’s a forty-five minute bus ride to satisfy that craving. I

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usually just settle for Pepero sticks. Life can be frustrating in a town where there are only a handful of grocery stores and a few glorified convenience stores that carry dairy products.

Options are limited in restaurants, nightlife and bars. The new Ministop was a celebrated event amongst me and my friends.

In larger cities, residents have easy access to subways, buses, and taxis. Here in my town, there are two buses that hit the highlights of the town, so if you’re without a car, you walk everywhere. If you have a friend who lives on the other side of town and you want to meet, you meet in the middle. Or if it’s raining, snowing, too cold or too hot, you don’t meet at all.

Life in a rural area is hard and sometimes I’m left with the unsatisfied thought that I’m not having the experience I should be having in Korea.

Sometimes I feel that I should be able to go out whenever I want regardless of a lack of buses and outrageous taxi fares, to walk down streets teeming with people, lights and smells. I don’t have access to a Mexican restaurant or a movie theater, but living in a small town gives me things that I would miss even more than a trip to the movies. When I walk home at night I can see the stars, and even pick out constellations. Every night I can hear the nearby Buddhist temple drums echo in the mountains. The man at the post office gives me a piece of candy every time I visit, and

the elderly man always sitting outside of his store drinking says, “Hello I love you” whenever I pass by.

If I remove the outdoor gyms and street lights I can see Korea the way it was sixty years ago and how it earned the name “Land of the Morning Calm”. Life is unhurried and relaxed away from the city lights.

Korea’s “bali bali” way of life is traded for slow moving ajummas bent with age, tanned and leathered by years in the fields, with the things they have seen written on their faces. I can walk through town and breathe fresh clean air, pass buildings built 700 years ago, see the mountains with a view unobstructed by skyscrapers and neon lights and be greeted on the streets by the locals.

So no, life here in rural Korea isn’t easy and there are several times in a week when I long to live in the city, but I’ve grown extremely fond of my town and its simple lifestyle. At the end of the day my town is like my mother: I’m the only one that’s allowed to badmouth her.

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culture

Behind the Myth: Exploring Korean Tradition This series of articles will shed light on some Korean myths, folklore, traditions and superstitions. Every country has their own share of beliefs, fact or fiction, and many foreigners living in Korea are yet to hear or understand the basis of various Korean beliefs as they become apparent.

“Whistling with consequences”

By Stephen Redeker

T

here are a number of social faux pas that people avoid doing in public, as not to bother those around them. For example: using offensive language, coughing or sneezing in someone’s face, and speaking loudly on your mobile phone in the subway or on the bus. Among others, these are actions we refrain from around strangers (although they seem to occur more than not). Would you consider adding whistling to the list?

The art of the whistle can evoke a few different reactions depending on where you are in the world. Most western countries regard whistling in a positive light. An elderly man enjoying a walk while whistling his favorite tune on an ideal day might be a pleasant memory many of us have from our childhood days. Those who whistle as a habit tend to do so when they feel no stress. Let’s not forget all the recorded music which contains whistling, or the tunes handed down by generations of whistlers (“Camptown Races” comes to mind).

The innocent, “everything is right with the world” emotions induced from the sound of joyful whistling ends in Korea. It’s met with a different reaction in this part of the world. Young people aside, many Koreans frown upon the act of public

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whistling. Those who are superstitious are especially likely to tell you to stop whistling if they hear it.

What’s the big deal? Why is such a lighthearted act met with such disdain?

Whistling in public is very unusual for normally reserved Koreans, but it goes a bit beyond being shy. Just like many other Korean myths, the main culprit is superstition. It’s said that whistling, especially at night, will attract snakes and/or ghosts. Similar to the story of the Pied Piper who used his flute to round up all the rats in the city, the sound of your whistle (or playing the flute) in the cool night air will bring about evil spirits, hissing reptiles, and who knows whatever else.

Do people actually believe this is true? Possibly not, but this is the reason why whistling is frowned upon by many. It might go back to the early days before Korea had widespread electricity. Candles and oil were at a premium. Families would go to sleep early in order to wake up at dawn and tend to their farm. Children often played woodwind instruments and parents needed a way to keep them quiet after the sun went down. This is the most likely reason why the myth came about in the first place.

It has survived through the generations and today it still keeps whistlers at bay.

Have you noticed any Koreans walking around and whistling? Probably not. Learning how to whistle is not a part of the maturing process for young Koreans. What about foreigners? Should you continue to whistle while out and about? Unless you want to elicit the displeasure of a nearby ajumma, it’s best to steer clear of your whistling ways.

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perspective

Work it out!

By 8ball (Kim Dong-hun)

T

here is one saying that Korean people don’t easily agree with – “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” In our belief those who work their fingers to the bone without rest should get ahead in life and they deserve as many rewards as possible. As many of you are well aware, a lot of Korean people are believed to be hard-working and diligent. Thanks to perspiration, effort and sacrifices made by former generations, Korea has achieved remarkable economic development. In the past our parents and grandparents worked very hard so that they and their families could live a better life. In their viewpoint any time spent not working was regarded as unproductive, worthless and wasted.

For them resting is nothing but a luxury and working around the clock is the best and most effective way to success. But is that so?

When Korea faced the “IMF crisis” between 1997 and 1998, many people were laid off and a lot of companies went bankrupt. At that time we often said to ourselves that we had popped the champagne bottle way too early and we believed that that was why we had such a hard time. From that moment on we decided to go back to the way our parents and grandparents had done things in order to revitalize the economy – working as many hours as possible and not looking back.

Unfortunately, many people from the older generation still keep that in mind and believe that the longer they work, no matter what the outcome and regardless of efficiency, the better workers they will become. Even if they rest after work, coworkers often hang out together – for example, they drink until they pass out or sing songs at a noraebang semi-unconscious with a necktie around their forehead. So technically, they are not resting at all but working, just in a different way.

Even on weekends when they are not supposed to go to work, they play sports such as golf, tennis or soccer with their bosses, co-workers or business partners. When will they ever take a rest from this seemingly never-ending cycle of all work and no real play? Are we destined to work incessantly till the end of our lives?

We need to rest. We are not machines or robots.

No one wants to spend every single day working without any specific purpose or proper rest. If you keep doing this, you will end up getting sick, stressed out or exhausted. We all need to rest our bodies after working, and this allows us to be more refreshed so that we can think more creatively and be productive the following day. Some people even say that we can brainstorm much better and come up with all our good ideas when we are not doing anything in particular.

Being Korean myself, I think that a lot of us have no clue as to what we should do while we’re not working. A lot of us spend our free time going to the movies, drinking with friends or taking long naps. Sometimes these things can help you relax, but it doesn’t always work like that. I believe people should try different things to blow off steam and rest their body and soul.

Sometimes we may need to work many hours when we have to finish a very important project before the deadline. There can be some joy and pleasure while working like this, especially when the end result is good. However, if this pattern continues in the long-term, it can wear you out.

I’ve seen many people in similar situations who eventually give up or feel sick and tired of what they’re doing. They distance themselves from their loved ones because of the enormous amount of stress they feel from their heavy workloads.

We all have an idea of what we need to maintain a work-life balance. I think it’s good to plan ahead not only when working but also when resting. If you have no specific plan for resting, there is no distinct boundary between work and rest. When you work, just work and when you are done with it, just forget about it and focus on resting, both for you and for your loved ones. We all have goals and objectives we wish to accomplish for a better life, especially in terms of our work, but at the same time people need a long-term plan for resting. We deserve to live a good life and feel satisfied with it.

Gwangju News March 2012

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living tip

National Pension Scheme

By National Pension Service

What is the Korean National Pension Scheme?

The National Pension Scheme is a social security system implemented by the government to contribute to the stability of life by determining contributions and paying pension benefits for insured people or their dependents to prepare for retirement or unexpected risks such as disability and death.

Are foreigners compulsorily covered under the NPS? Foreigners who are aged between 18 and 60 and who are residing and working in Korea, regardless of their nationality, should be covered under the NPS. Foreigners whose countries do not cover Korean nationals, however, are excluded from the coverage of NPS.(Article 126 of the National Pension Act. Despite the above provisions, if there are relevant provisions under the Social Security Agreement between Korea and any foreign countries, those provisions will be applied. (Article 127 of the National Pension Act) Could you tell me about Korean Benefits?

If foreign insured persons are entitled to Old-age, Disability, or Survivor Pension, they will receive the same pension benefits as Koreans.

Old-age Pension - The Old-age Pension is paid monthly to those whose insured period is more than or equal to 10 years and who are aged over 60 for the rest of their lives. The pensionable age will increase by 1 year every five years starting from 2013 until it reaches 65 in 2033.

Disability Pension - The Disability Pension is paid to those with disability after treatment of diseases or injuries incurred during the insured period according to the degree of disability. Annuities will be paid to those with 1st, 2nd and 3rd degree disabilities and lump-sum benefits will be paid to those with 4th degree disabilities.

Survivor Pension - If currently insured persons or pensioners are deceased, the Survivor Pension will be paid every month to their surviving dependents whose livelihood was supported by the deceased person.

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What is the contribution rate?

For Workplace based Insured Persons, the insured persons and their employers should each make contributions amounting to 4.5% of the standard monthly income based on their earned income (for the employer of a non-corporate workplace, based on income gained from wholesale, retail, manufacturing and other businesses).

The Individually Insured Persons should make contributions amounting to 9% of the standard monthly income based on the income that they report.

There is no discrimination in terms of the contributions rate between foreigners and Koreans. The payment should be made no later than the 10th day of the following month. If the 10th day is a holiday or Saturday, however, the deadline will be extended automatically to the following business day.

How is the standard monthly income calculated?

The standard monthly income is different from the actual earnings received by the insured person in any given month. What does this mean?

The standard monthly income is calculated by dividing the insured person’s total annual income from the previous calendar year by 365 (total days in a year), and then multiplying that number by 30 (days in a month). The resulting figure is the standard monthly income (non-taxable income is excluded from the calculation of real monthly income). The insured person’s standard monthly income is applied from July of any one year through June of the following year, regardless of any changes in the insured person’s real monthly earnings.

For those individuals who have yet to work a full calendar year in Korea, their standard monthly income, till June of the following year, will be almost equal to their earnings in the first calendar month of their employment in Korea. At June of the following year, their standard monthly income will be recalculated by dividing their total income received in that year by the total number of calendar days in the period of their employment. As above, this will

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be applied from July of that year through June of the following year.

Upon completing a full calendar year of employment, the insured person’s standard monthly income will be recalculated accordingly.

In which circumstances am I eligible for a Lumpsum refund?

- In the case that a foreigner falls under any of the following conditions, a lump-sum refund will be paid.

- In cases where a foreigner whose home country grants Koreans a benefit corresponding to a lumpsum refund under the National Pension Scheme.

Under this rule, only the nationals from the following 31 countries may receive the Korean lump-sum refund. Please refer to Article 126 of the National Pension Act and Article 113 of the Enforcement Decree of the National Pension Act. In cases where a foreigner whose home country has concluded a social security agreement with Korea regarding the payment of the lump-sum refund.

Regardless of nationality, in cases where a foreigner, who has been covered under the national pension scheme with a stay visa of E-8 (Employment for Training), E-9 (Non-professional Employment), or H-2 (Visiting Employment) returns to his/her home country.

Gwangju Regional Office 3rd Floor, Kukminyeongeum Gwangjuhoegwan Bldg. (국 민 연 금 광 주 회 관 ), 1582-4 Usan-dong, Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju Tel : 062-958-2075 How to get there: Bus 20, 29, 37, 70. Get off at Station of Ilsin Apartment or Honam Hospital.

If you get off at station of Ilsin Apartment, Walk straight about 200 meters to Honam Hospital.

You can find Kukminyeonkum Gwangju Building around Kukmin Bank or Honam Hospital.

Dong-Gwangju Regional Office 8th Floor, Amore-Pacific Building, 5 Geumnam-ro, Gwangju Tel: 062-230-0789 How to get there : Bus 38, 39, 57, 70, 79, 160, 170, 180, 180-1, 1187. Get off at Lotte Department Store.

Subway : Get off at Geumnam-ro 5 ga station, take exit No. 1. Walk for about 2 minutes.

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language study

Letters to KOTESOL

By Dr. Dave Shaffer

If you have a question for Dr. Dave, please send an e-mail to gwangjunews@gmail.com letting us know your question, students’ age and proficiency level.

Dear Dr. Dave, I work for a government teacher training scheme here in the south of Korea. From a previous Gwangju News article, I believe you have a career spanning nearly forty years, and I am left to wonder what your secret is to staying motivated to continuously go back to the classroom/lecture room.

Best regards, Eyes on the Future Dear Eyes, I like your question; it’s not a difficult one to answer. I keep going back and stepping into the classroom because of the challenge that is still there. New students, new challenges, continually replace the old ones. I go back for the sense of fulfillment that comes with seeing students improve their language skills by challenging themselves and feeling a sense of satisfaction when they feel a sense of satisfaction in their accomplishments. Being in a university program, I have some of the same students for up to two years, sometimes more. I get to see their improvement over time and get to know them through our interactive classes. And then there are the unexpected rewards, like the former student who came to my office eight years after taking a course from me and saying that I was the only professor she remembered because my course challenged her, and because of that she learned a lot and was grateful. What other occupation offers you this type of satisfaction?

Dave

Hello Dr. Dave, First-time syllabus designer here. I would like to ask you what basic advice you would give to someone tasked with designing a syllabus. It’s a reading class for adults at an intermediate level.

I would love to make a course of a suitable level yet challenging material, one that will sustain interest throughout the 24-lesson semester but quite frankly I don’t know where to start.

Thanks, First-Timer Dear First, For someone new to syllabus design and teaching a new course, I recommend that you first look at reading coursebooks. You can find them at your local English book store (Top Book Store in Gwangju) or in the online catalogues of ELT book publishers. Select a 40

Gwangju News March 2012

coursebook that is at the appropriate level for your students and with interesting content. You can base your syllabus on the table of contents for the course.

Such coursebooks focus on intensive reading (reading for detail). Detail is important, but it is good to devote a portion of the course to extensive reading (casual reading of interesting, easy material for global understanding). For this, graded readers can be used, with students choosing books they like and exchanging them. Forming in your students the habit of extensive reading is probably the best thing you can do for them in a reading course. This way they will continue reading after the course is finished and continue improving their English skills.

Good luck, Dave

Dear Dr. Dave, Do you believe it is ever suitable to date students?

A colleague of mine who teaches adults is considering the prospect of developing a relationship with an adult student. The program will finish soon, and the student will move on, highly unlikely to ever return to our institution. Am I right to take the moral high-ground and view this as a big “no-no,” or is this acceptable to any extent in the modern-day student-teacher relationship?

Curious Observer Dear Curious, As a global statement, dating one’s students is considered unacceptable in Korea. However, you are talking about a situation where the students are adults. Rather than dating during the course, meeting with a group of students in the class, including the student of interest, and having dinner together is an option that is acceptable and could let the student know of the teacher’s interest. If the interest is mutual, this could lead to a closer relationship after the course is finished. During a student-teacher relationship, however, it is important that the relationship remain a student-teacher relationship. Appearances to the contrary could lead to undesirable consequences from one’s workplace superiors.

Dave

Dear Dr. Dave, As a teacher trainer, my job is to help teachers of Gwangju become better equipped in an EFL style of teaching. Obviously, many of the teachers here have excellent classroom

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management and knowledge of English grammar superior to many native speakers.

Sometimes, attendance on the courses I teach is mandatory and many of these trainees don’t wish to attend; this often leads to disruptive students that can poison the atmosphere of a class who are otherwise enthusiastic and very productive. Considering many are much older than me, the situation is delicate and your advice would be much appreciated.

Many thanks, D Dear D, Much importance is placed on age in Korean society.

There are those that are of the mindset that there is nothing to be learned from someone younger than themselves. To keep students of any age from being disruptive, you need to keep them interested and motivated. To do this with your adult students, try playing to their strengths. Find out what their strengths and interests are, and assign each student a time and a topic to present to the class or to lead the class in.

Topics may range from explaining the third conditional or useful figurative speech to discussing the meaning of a poem or the lyrics of a song, or finding the best solution to a predetermined problem. This way your older students get to show off their stuff in a nondisruptive, interesting, and informative manner.

Good luck, Dave

Gwangju-Jeonnam KOTESOL March Chapter Meeting Date & Time: March 10 (Sat.), 12:30 p.m.

Place: Chosun University, Main Building (Bon-gwan) Schedule: Split Plenary Sessions on Intensive Reading and Young Learners Parallel Sessions on General Teaching Topics (2 strands), Extensive Reading, and Young Learners & Teens [12 sessions in all] Pecha Kucha Sessions [4 short presentations] Admission: Free Facebook: Gwangju-Jeonnam KOTESOL Website: www.koreatesol.org/GwangjuJeonnam Email: gwangju_kotesol@yahoo.com

“Dr. Dave” is Dr. David Shaffer, current President of the Gwangju-Jeonnam Chapter of Korea TESOL (KOTESOL). On behalf of the Chapter, he invites you to participate in the teacher development workshops at their monthly meetings and the March conference.

Dr. Shaffer is a professor of English at Chosun University, where he has taught, graduate, undergraduate, and postgraduate courses for many years. He has recently received the KOTESOL Lifetime Achievement Award.

Gwangju News March 2012

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language study

Basic Expressions

By Soo-a Jung Soo-a Jung is an instructor of the GIC Korean Language Class

Saying Hello 1. 소라 : 존씨, 안녕하세요? [ Jonssi, annyeonghaseyo ?]

Sora : Hello, John. 존

: 소라씨, 안녕하세요? [s o r a s s i , a n n y e o n g h a s e y o ? ] John : Hello, Sora.

존

: 걱정 마세요. 별일 아니에요. [g e o k j e o n g m a s e y o . b y e o r i l a n i e y o . ] John : Don't worry about it. It's no big deal.

Saying Good-bye 1. 소라 : 안녕히 가세요. [annyeonghi gaseyo.]

Sora : Good-bye.

Saying Hello 2. 소라 : 어떻게 지내요? [ eotteoke jinaeyo? ] Sora : How are you? 존

: 잘 지내요. 어떠세요? [j a l j i n a e y o . e o t t e o s e y o ? ] John : I am fine. How about you?

Saying Good-bye 2.

Saying Thanks 1.

존

소라 : 고마워요. [gomawoyo. ] Sora : Thanks. 존 : 천만에요. [cheonmaneyo. ] John : You're welcome.

Saying Thanks 2. 소라 : 감사해요. [gamsahaeyo. ] Sora : Thanks. 존 : 뭘요. [ mworyo. ] John : You're welcome.

Apologizing 1. 소라 : 미안해요. [gmianhaeyo. ] Sora : I'm sorry. 존 : 아니에요. 괜찮아요. [ anieyo. gwaenchanayo ] John : No, it's OK.

Apologizing 2. 소라 : 죄송해요. [jo oesonghaeyo.. ] Sora : I'm sorry.

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존 : 안녕히 가세요. [ annyeonghi gaseyo. ] John : Good-bye.

Gwangju News March 2012

소라 : 안녕히 가세요. [annyeonghi gaseyo.]

Sora : Good-bye. : 안녕히 계세요. 다음에 또 만나요 [a n n y e o n g h i g y e s e y o . d a e u m e t t o m a n n a y o . ] John : Good-bye. See you later.

Reference: 김성희 외. (2009). 서강한국어1A 서울: 도서출판 하우 서강한국어. Retrived February 10, 2012 from http://korean.sogang.ac.kr

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essay

Immigration Policy and Korea’s Future

By Kim Won-sook (Head of Gwangju Immigration Office)

I

n the 21st century, Korea seems to stand at a historical juncture to become an obvious multicultural society that may internationally contribute to world peace and anti-poverty, and domestically create an environment for people with different ethnicities to live in harmony. What is behind the idea is Korea's close friendship with other countries since it only has the history of realizing economic development and democratization after all the pain under the Japanese colonialism, war and division, rather than participating in such brutal invasions. Currently, Korea has about 1.4 million foreigners from all over the world with high hopes and dreams, living harmoniously with the local citizens.

The immigration policy of Korea offers ways to grant temporary or permanent social status to foreign nationals desiring to migrate to the Republic of Korea and to deal with matters on necessary infrastructures for their living in Korea from an overall perspective: political, economic, social and cultural. Philosophical and academic in-depth research is needed prior to policy-making and its implementation because it strongly affects the whole society not to mention the individuals including Korean citizens.

Below is a brief explanation of the Korean immigration policy from the period of liberation on August 15th, 1948 to the current administration.

Firstly, the basic direction for immigration control policy should become a balance between regulating and welcoming foreign visitors, since immigration control was regarded as a matter of life for the citizens. The policy for foreign workers was designed to invite outstanding talents and to restrict the inflow of unskilled workers. Such approaches still remain even in the current Lee administration despite much of the problems eased under the Employment Permit System for foreigners introduced in the previous Roh administration.

Secondly, since 1993, the issue of the human rights of foreigners has become a major concern, particularly on the treatment of industrial trainees. The Kim Youngsam administration took various corresponding actions for the trainees with Korean workers and the Kim Dae-jung administration strived to prevent human rights abuses and discrimination against foreigners by launching the National Human Rights Commission.

Only after 2004 when the Roh administration introduced the Employment Permit System, did the controversy end over the mismatch between legal and real status of industrial trainees. As the number of married migrants in Korea started to dramatically increase in the 2000s, issues regarding their rights have also surfaced.

Thirdly, the Roh administration marked a watershed in the history of the immigration policy. In detail, the immigration policy under the Roh administration transformed the policies from focusing on regulation and control to social integration mainly focusing on better treatment and human rights protection for foreigners. The Roh administration also reformed the immigration policy system to a comprehensive and systematic way from the previously fragmented way through various government agencies. As a result, Korea’s immigration policy has seen a quantitative change where it functions and serves as a tool to integrate multiple cultures and values in society rather than the simple order-keeping of the past immigration control policy.

Finally, the social integration policy in Korea draws on the open-door multicultural society as a basic direction, where Korean citizens and foreigners live in harmony by embracing different cultures and foreigner-friendly policies. Such a basic idea is not only universal in a civilized society but also cultural in parallel with the founding principle of Korea “Hong-ikin-gan”, meaning humanitarianism, or the basic principle of the constitution. Therefore, when it comes to social integration in a multicultural society, it will be desirable to flexibly undertake the social integration policy not just by applying western multiculturalism or assimilation to Korean society.

The immigration policy is a relatively new subject for many Koreans. However, many people from other countries are coming to Korea with dreams of happiness and opportunities. Immigrants will help the nation grow and prosper and make the society more dynamic. Immigration is no longer an option but a must to promote major national interest in this 21st century. It is highly necessary to come up with a new immigration policy and a system that meet the new demands for the new era to maximize advantages and reduce the burdens from immigration.

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literature

POETRY

Pa-da (Korean O cean) Words and photo by Charles Murray

Pa-da eternal, ocean of Korea, Tell me your secrets, Show me your ways, Unveil paths unknown.

Teach me to ride the wind, Oh, ancient one, Teach me the lessons Which have escaped me, Open portals to infinity.

My Western spirit struggles to let go Of life's detritus and folly, But as I breathe and smell your essence I feel truth's ambrosia, Every whooshing wave, Cleansing my life-force back to a new, Brighter dawn, Feeding my dormant, primal spirit With nature's elixir; Now I can embrace the blissful infinity Of serenity, mixed with Dynamic living.

Korean pa-da, Long have I searched but not found How many other turbulent souls have you guided through the eons, The eternal groove, Oh pa-da?

The rhythmic balance; What untold number of countless seekers Can you remove the clouds which obscure my view Have found refuge Of the true sun and sky?

In your deceptive simplicity?

It staggers my mind to ponder, The patience of the cobra, But I know you have The grace of the crane, Offered the myriad your secrets.

The playful spirit of the monkey, And the genius of the leopard-Yet still, I wonder, Pa-da, can you Have any truly understood your arcane designs?

Take me there?

How much more is there for me to unravel In your eternal sea?

Pa-da, Have I even begun?

Drench me with your briny wisdom, Let the grand symphony of your timeless, soothing music Calm and replenish my weary American soul; Allow your omniscient wonder Help me to master the give-and-take, And fill the in-betweens.

Charles Murray was born in Boston and graduated from Notre Dame High School. He graduated from Central Connecticut State University in 1992. His poetry, essays and short stories have appeared in Poetry Motel, Gypsy Blood Review, Lost Worlds, Weekly Reader, Toward Freedom Magazine, The Hartford Courant, Regional Standard, The Westchester Writer and Mystic Fiction. In 1994, Charles received an award from Writer’s Digest Magazine for Fiction for his short story "Screaming in the Night."

Charles taught creative writing workshops in Connecticut and served as the literary editor of The Westchester Writer from 1993-1997. Charles has lived and taught in Korea with his Korean wife, Myong since 2008, and currently teaches at Cheomdan Elementary School in Gwangju.

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movie review

Arrow, the Ultimate Weapon 최종병기 활

By Seth Pevey

e eons,

U

nfortunately for the children of the Han, Korea has spent most of its existence under incessant bombardment from outside forces, most of which were far more powerful than itself. With each successive wave of invasion came a change, leaving some profound and often bitter pages in the history book of this modern “Asian Tiger” we call home.

Such deep and numerous scars are bound to show up in pop culture, even centuries later, and those bad days often appear in some surprising media.

Take 2011’s Arrow, the Ultimate Weapon, also called War of the Arrows and by its original Korean title 최종병 기 활; it tells the woeful story of one particularly actionpacked and thrilling pillage of the Korean heartland.

Set around King Injo’s reign (Injo of Joseon, 1595–1649), the movie rather graphically depicts the incursion of the Manchurians as they scorched the earth across the peninsula (historically known as the “Manchu Invasions”). While the textbooks tell a sad story (Korea actually succumbed in reality, with the surrender of the Joseon to the Qing Dynasty in 1636), the movie shows us quite a proud (and obviously fictionalized) account of just how dearly the invading usurpers had to pay for Korean soil.

The main character, Na-mi, might be best described as the “Chosun Rambo”. Armed with a bow and arrow rather than an assault rifle, he seeks revenge for his sister and his country, which have both been defiled by the foreign warmongers. They messed with the wrong guy though, as throughout the film he slaughters the hordes of soulless and cold enemies— and oh yes, it is personal.

Kim Han Min (Headphone, Paradise Murdered) both directed and wrote the film. While he seems to paint a bit of a nationalistic picture, Arrow is no worse than say, any of Mel Gibson’s films in terms of enemy vilification, simplification of conflict and an overly black-and-white perspective of war.

Kim is guilty of all these things and more, but in the end, the film is quite entertaining.

While one may wonder at the “shrimp among whales” complex apparent in modern Korean cinema, they will certainly benefit from simply enjoying the ride.

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literature

POETRY Choe Seung-ja 최승자) (최

Translated by Chae-Pyong Song and Darcy L. Brandel

Author’s Brief Biography

최승자) was born in Yongi, Chungcheongnam-do. She studied Choe Seung-ja (최 German literature at Korea University. Her poetry collections include Love in This Age, A Pleasant Diary, The House of Memory, My Grave—Green, Lovers, and Forlorn and Faraway. Often employing extreme, radical language and imagery, she writes to resist social discrimination, especially patriarchy.

Translators’ Brief Bios Chae-Pyong Song is an associate professor of English at Marygrove College in Detroit, Michigan, where he has taught since 2001. His translations of Korean literature have appeared in Gwangju News, list, The Korea Times, New Writing from Korea, Sirena, Metamorphoses: Journal of Literary Translation, and Azalea: Journal of Korean Literature and Culture. His fields of interest include twentieth-century English literature, post-colonial literature, translation studies, and globalization of culture.

Darcy Lee Brandel is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of English and Modern Languages at Marygrove College in Detroit, Michigan, and coordinator of the English graduate program. Her fields of interest include literature by women, multi-ethnic literature, comparative women’s studies, critical theory, aesthetic theory, creative writing, Buddhism and translation. She is currently working on her first manuscript of poetry.

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I Remember

나는 기억하고 있다

The road has disappeared the road existed for sure the road I ran on over and over

길이 없었다 분명 길이 있었는데 뛰고 뛰던 길이 있었는데

Time, where the road disappeared is infested with darkness

길 끊어진 시간 속에서 어둠만이 들끓고 있었다

(Shuttered-down shops the shops of darkness with their lights out where only invisible footsteps scurry)

(셔터가 내려진 상가 보이지 않는 발자국들만 저벅거리는 불 꺼진 어둠의 상가)

The decade is disappearing I don’t see the road yet but I remember for sure the road was there the road I ran on over and over

그 십여 년 고요히 끝나가고 있다 아직은 길이 보이지 않는다 그러나 분명 길이 있었음을 뛰고 뛰던 길이 있었음을 나는 기억하고 있다

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From Early on, I

일찍이 나는

From early on I was nothing.

Mold flowering on dry bread wet urine stains on a wall, layers upon layers of urine a corpse dead over a thousand years still covered with maggots.

일찍이 나는 아무것도 아니었다. 마른 빵에 핀 곰팡이 벽에다 누고 또 눈 지린 오줌 자국 아직도 구더기에 뒤덮인 천년 전에 죽은 시체.

No parents reared me.

I lived sleeping in a rat hole and leeching off of the wretched dying anywhere endlessly from early on I was nothing.

So when we brush by momentarily like falling meteors do not tell me you know me Idonotknowyou Idonotknowyou YouThouBeloved, Happiness You, Thou, Beloved, Love That I exist is nothing more than an everlasting rumor.

아무 부모도 나를 키워 주지 않았다 쥐구멍에서 잠들고 벼룩의 간을 내먹고 아무 데서나 하염없이 죽어 가면서 일찍이 나는 아무것도 아니었다. 떨어지는 유성처럼 우리가 잠시 스쳐갈 때 그러므로, 나를 안다고 말하지 말라. 나는너를모른다 나는너를모른다, 너당신그대, 행복 너, 당신, 그대, 사랑 내가 살아 있다는 것, 그것은 영원한 루머에 지나지 않는다.

Autumn Like a Dog

개 같은 가을이

Autumn invades like a dog.

An autumn like syphilis and death visits on twilight’s paralyzed leg.

개같은 가을이 쳐들어온다. 매독같은 가을. 그리고 죽음은, 황혼 그 마비된 한 쪽 다리에 찾아온다.

Everything loses moisture the borders of roads wear down the old singer’s voice on a record warps hello, is this Jooksun? Hey Jooksun? Jooksun? a phone line loses a receiver in the empty air and lovers who leave never return, not even in dreams.

모든 사물이 습기를 잃고 모든 길들의 경계선이 문드러진다. 레코드에 담긴 옛 가수의 목소리가 시들고 여보세요 죽선이 아니니 죽선이지 죽선아 전화선이 허공에서 수신인을 잃고 한번 떠나간 애인들은 꿈에도 다시 돌아오지 않는다.

And at time’s barroom where memory’s stagnated water reeks endlessly of horse piss I, disheveled, ask in the voice of a person waking from a coma How far have we come? How far should we go to see the river turning into the sea?

그리고 그리고 괴어있는 기억의 폐수가 한없이 말 오줌 냄새를 풍기는 세월의 봉놋방에서 나는 부시시 죽었다 깨어난 목소리로 묻는다. 어디 만큼 왔나 어디까지 가야 강물은 바다가 될 수 있을까?

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fashion

Fash-On with xxl jjdp Good Gr(ay)des

By jjdp Photos by Brian Klein and Delsie Kwon

T

ime for this months edition of fashon with xxljjdp. Are you surviving the bitter cold? Are your ready to lighten up?

Well this month we are taking a look at how to upgrade your wardrobe for the coming brighter months with textured layering for comfort and sophistication utilizing one color.

I am a huge fan of gray. Some might think of it as a gloomy color or a non-color actually, but it, along with other neutral colors are one of the easiest and most functional hues to wear with unlimited mixing potential taking you from casual to formal and refined in no time. And because it is a neutral it also fits well with any accent from the color spectrum.

Grey in commonwealth countries, and Gray in America, different spellings for the same great seasonal transition color, has already been seen predominantly on the runway of Burberry for next season. Why wait so long to bust out in the finest, when you can wear it well now?

Gray can be described as an achromatic color as it can become a warmer or cooler shade when more pigments are added to it. Gray with a tinge of yellow or orange create a warmer tone, whereas if you add a touch of blue it becomes cooler. In eastern cultures gray is mainly used as an accent color in Feng Shui, bringing clean and crisp energy to space and emphasizes the dynamic properties of Metal elements.

In this feature I have played around with various hues and tones to showcase the versatility of gray and how you can also create your own definite style. From Charcoal, slate, ashen, lead, silver, dove gray, powder gray and even oyster, get some good Gr(ey)des for this March.

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If you are brave and you purchase one of these it will be one of the new season’s defining statement pieces. Here it is a bit more like an oversized fedora but you can work it into many wardrobe combinations adding a regal edge to your look.

For the second look, I have switched proportions and created a lighter ensemble with dove gray as the palette. Skinny ash gray jeans are placed side to side with a bulkier cardigan and blazer combo.

Like I mentioned earlier do not be afraid of individualizing the look by adding texture and contrast. This is easily achieved by using different fabrics. First take a 100% cotton pinstriped poplin shirt and then add and oversized slate gray cardigan. Try and get a longer cardigan so that you can play around with proportion. Round off the look with a fitted Merino wool blazer contrasted with tweed elbow patches. Complete the look with a silk scarf, fedora and a pair of detailed military boots with three buckle detail in suede.

With all of this in mind and considering that gray is pretty much its own palette, when dressing all you have to do is ensure that your clothing create a great contrast and that it fits well. From light to dark you can easily make and outfit for any time, no mess, no fuss. As always never forget to customise your outfit and I have used many different fabrics, layers and details to make the looks appear less dull.

Also in this edition we are looking at proportion. I have particularly concentrated on this in the form of trousers and have first played around with a more bulky voluminous trouser and then showed how to work with a skinnier tapered leg. It is always very important to keep balance in mind as too much volume can be very unflattering and make you look heavier than you are or if everything is too skinny or fitted you might look very uncomfortable and rigid. Therefore like from Winter to Spring we have to gradually create a fine balance.

For the main look I have taken vintage Thierry Muglier pure wool draped trousers and paired it with a simple black t-shirt and cardigan combo.

Here you can clearly see the shape contrast. The bulk in the trousers perfectly compliments the fitted style of the cardigan. Also the gray palette of this look is darker and thus creates a more casual look.

I have also finished off the look with a one of this seasons most sought after accessories, the wide brimmed hat.

The point here is to create visual interest because of the similarity in the palette. Therefore I tried to get as much detail into the styling of the outfits without letting it overpower the look. Remember to go for harmony.

Well now that you are set to tackle the new month with some new looks, what are you waiting for? Go out and have an adventure utilising your A+ Gr(ay)des and your new perspective on proportion.

Shot on location at Gwangju Student’s Movement Monument Ssangcheon dong Clothing Look 1: Dark gray trousers - Vintage Thierry Muglier , Black Tshirt - Uniqlo, Cardigan - Guess Jeans, Boots - All Saints at Asos.com, Fedora - Migliore Look 2: Dove gray skinny Jeans - Basic House, Long oversized cardigan - The Gam, Customized Fitted Blazer Ralph Lauren - Seoul, Scarf - Underground shopping mall Gwangju , Boots - All Saints at Asos.com, Fedora - Migliore

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food and drink

Cafe Bari e

Words by Gabriel Ward Photos courtesy of Cafe Bari e (www.cafebarie.com)

B

etween January and February I enjoyed two meals with friends at Cafe Bari e. It’s an Italian restaurant downtown; if you’re at the Ministop near German Bar facing the river, turn right and take your first left. It’s on the right at the end of this street.

My friends and I shared five pizzas between six of us the first time we went there. We had the Margherita, bacon spinach, gorgonzola, and funghi salsicia pizzas. On the whole the pizzas were pretty good but I’d be lying if I said they were as good as you’d expect a woodfired pizza to be back home. I particularly enjoyed the Margherita pizza, and Bari e understands the way Italians think of pizza as each pizza had around three toppings on it. There was some miscommunication with the waiter when clarifying what the funghi salsicia pizza was, because we thought it had mushrooms on it but they were nowhere to be found when it was brought out to us. The pizzas are all around 15,000 won each and essentially one pizza serves one person.

While the pizza left me unconvinced, Bari e has oodles of atmosphere, and feels very Western and modern. There are jars of pasta set up on a big shelf in one of the front windows, the furniture is all wooden and there is an art display downstairs.

Thus, while the pizza could do with improvement, the vibe and aesthetics of Bari e make it a great place to just sit and enjoy a meal with your friends.

The second time I went to Bari e was in early February with two friends and we all got pasta. We were greeted by a waiter when we went in and shown to a table. The service at this point was a little lackluster as we had to wait quite a while for our orders to be taken, though not because the staff was very busy. However, once our orders were taken the service was great, and the waiting staff was very attentive 50

Gwangju News March 2012

to us, constantly refilling our glasses of water when they were empty and making sure we were happy customers.

My two friends got the cream seafood and carbonara pastas, which were 16,000 won and 13,000 won respectively. They were happy with the taste of their dishes but were left feeling as if they could’ve eaten a bit more. I got the chili tomato seafood pasta which was 16,000 won, and I was satisfied with it both in terms of taste and portion size. The thickness of the sauce was superb and it had a perfect amount of saltiness to it. There was also a bit of bite to the pasta.

On the whole I’d recommend going to Bari e at least once, as it’s a great place to enjoy the company of your friends. I’d say what would be ideal would be to share a pizza between your group as a starter, and then have pasta as your main course. Bari e is definitely one of Gwangju’s better options for Italian dining if that’s the kind of thing that you particularly enjoy back home (like me).

Afterward I’d recommend going to the Big Apple which is just back the way you came on your right. It’s a wine/lounge bar with a very capacious interior and great decor. They don’t serve food there, except for a couple of desserts, but you can get the likes of Beck’s and Hoegaarden there for 5,000 won. It is the perfect setting to enjoy a drink with your friends after dinner.

Oh and I almost forgot to mention that both Bari e and the Big Apple have rooftops that will be fantastic for enjoying the evenings with a beer once the weather starts to warm up!

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food and drink

Sundubu jjigae

순두부찌개

By Changho Yoon

S

undubu jjigae is a widely loved Korean food.

Recently, The New York Times called it an ideal winter food. In the article, they mentioned how tofu is known in America as an alternative to meat, but here it has its own characteristics. Although eating burgers and barbeque is popular among young people living in Korea, tofu is still a major source of protein.

It is no wonder they think sundubu jjigae is an ideal winter food. As a high-quality protein food, it’s very suitable for those who are dieting. Even if you’re just a bit hungry, it will ignite your appetite!

Source: blog.naver.com/jua5084

How to make Sundubu jjigae 12 dried anchovies, 1/3 cup of kelp, half onion, 5 cloves of garlic, 3 shiitake mushrooms, 100 grams of beef, 1 cup of mixed seafood, 3 shrimps, 2 green onions, 1 green chili pepper, 2-5 tbs. of hot pepper flakes, olive oil, sesame oil, 2 tubes of sundubu (soft tofu), 2 tbs. of fish sauce, and 1 egg

Cooking Method: 1. Pour 5 cups of water into a pot and add 12 dried anchovies after removing intestines.

2. Add half an onion, dried kelp, dried shiitake mushrooms, garlic cloves and boil it over high heat.

3. Approximately 10 minutes later, lower the heat to low-medium heat and boil for another 20 minutes.

4. Set aside the stock, remove the mushrooms and chop them into small pieces.

5. Heat your earthenware (or ceramic pot) on the stove and put 2 teaspoons of olive oil in.

6. Chop 100 grams of beef and put it into the pot then add chopped shiitake mushrooms and stir.

8. Add 2 – 5 tablespoons (1/4 cup) of hot pepper flakes and keep stirring for 1 minute. *tip: 2 tblsp.—mild, 3 tblsp.—medium, 4 tblsp.—hot

9. Pour in 2 cups of the stock you made. It will sizzle.

10. Add 1 cup of mixed seafood and 3 shrimps and add 2 tbs. of fish sauce.

12. Cut the 2 tubes of sundubu in half, squeeze them into the pot and break the tofu with a spoon several times in the pot.

13. When it boils, add 2 chopped green onions and 1 chopped green chili pepper.

14. Crack an egg into the hot soup and drizzle some sesame oil on the top before serving.

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puzzle

PUZZLEs

By Emma Dooley and Brian Paredes

Please submit your answers to: gwangjunews@gmail.com.

The winner of this month's puzzle pages will be published in the next issue.

Winners will receive a collectors' edition GIC mug which can be picked up at the GIC.

Crossword Across 4. A paste or dip made from chickpeas (6) 7. Pleasing to the eye (5) 8. Lead singer of Pearl Jam, Eddie ...... (6) 9. Author of "The Inferno" (5) 12. German physicist, winner of the Nobel Prize in 1921 (8) 14. Ancient Greek god of war (4) 15.Tallest mountain in Korea (8) 16. To feel about with the hands (5) 18. Unyielding, severe, strict or harsh (10)

Down 1. Hormone that stimulates the contraction of uterine muscle (8) 2. Forename of "Franny and Zooey" author (6) 3. Tidal wave caused by underwater earthquake or volcanic eruption (7) 5. Ancient Roman god of war (4) 6. Small bunch of flowers, a posy (7) 10. Legume more commonly thought of as a nut (6) 11. Extinct flightless bird from New Zealand (3) 13. To cause to turn round and round; roll (5) 17. Dwarf planet and Disney character (5) 52

Gwangju News March 2012

Congratulations to Mathew Valamparampil who won last month’s puzzle and will receive a complimentary mug from GIC.

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Visual Puzzles

A polygon whose interior angles are equal and whose sides are equal is a regular polygon.

Can you cat the regular hexagon shown in the diagram into 12 congruent quadrilaterals?

Last Month’s Puzzle Solution

Here is a map of the newly discovered cities and waterways on the planet Mars. Start at the city marked with T, at the south pole, and see if you can spell a complete English sentence by making a tour of all the cities, visiting each city only once, and returning to the starting point.

Sudoku

Visual Puzzle There are seven groups of triangles shown in the diagrams above. Each group consists of exactly five triangles with every triangle rotated 72 degrees around the center of the pentagon; one triangle from every group is highlighted in the respective diagram. So the total number of the triangles in the pentagon is 7x5=35.

Visual Puzzles

Source: www.puzzles.com

Gwangju News March 2012

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community board Sung Bin Orphanage Sung Bin Orphanage is looking for creative/ active/ energetic/ outgoing/ enthusiastic long-term volunteers to join in our regular Saturday program. We would like you to give at least two Saturdays per month. Meet every Saturday at 1:30 p.m. in front of downtown Starbucks. All are welcome. For more volunteering information please contact Daniel Lister at: daniellister7@hotmail.com.

GIC Journal: of Disquiet Social Discourse ep er to sa y th at ’s de ng hi et G ot so m ondering W ? ue log ve tra than the latest cultures e in between about the spac Have e? ar sh lessons to and have some ‘get’? t n’ do lly ra ne ge art that people space for me at SDoD. A You have a ho pundits, phers, writers, artists, photogra ng ju, wa G t ou ab sh ar e an d cr itic s to al A, pit ca a t art withou the art scene, , clarity ion us nf co ur yo and expressing ea tiv e th ro ug h yo ur cr an d ko ok ine ss t the ou k olved. Chec ventures. Get inv website: . wordpress.com http://gicjournal. e: ut rib nt Contact us to co gmail.com selina.gicjournal@

onoloques The Vagina M rmance? rested in perfo Are you inte race, on s ue k dialog e doing Want to spar ar e sexuality? W gender and na gi Va e Th ce of a performan u want to in 2012. If yo Monologues act Leigh nt co se ea , pl get involved Hellman at om. We’ll riors@gmail.c gwangjuvwar u. yo r fo e ac d sp be sure to fin

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Gwangju News March 2012

Gwangju Men’s Soccer The Gwangju international soccer team plays regularly most weekends. If you are interested in playing, e-mail: gwangju_soccer@ yahoo.com Gwangju Ice Hockey Team Looking for men and women of all ages to join us every Saturday night from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Yeomju Ice Rink near World Cup Stadium. If you are interested, contact either Andrew Dunne at atdunne@gmail.com or Chris Wilson at: kreeco@rogers.com

Brazilian Jiujitsu in Gw angju 522-3 Jisan-dong, Do ng-gu, Gwangju Phone: 010-9354-627 9 Location: Basement of the 20000 Eyeglass shop near Salesio Gir ls High School.

Buses: 1, 15, 17, 27, 28, 35, 36, 55, 80 (bus stop: 살레시오여고 - Salesio Yeogo) Tax i dir ec tio ns: "Sa les io Ye og o jun gry u jang gajuseyo".

Method of instructio n is in Korean-English .

Weekday Classes: 7:3 0 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. (from Monday to Frid ay)

Gwangju Irish Club The group has existed since the late 90s but is currently growing in numbers rapidly due to social networking sites such as facebook and meetup.com.

The Christmas fundraiser in Seoul was once again a success and now attention is focused on the upcoming Saint Patrick's Day Festival, also held in the capital. However the group is anxious to spread it's reach nationwide so a new fb page 'Gwangju Irish' has been started. The hope is to have a monthly meeting of Irish and Irish-loving people in Gwangju, with the founding of a GAA sports club here as another goal.

Gwangju Artist Collective Our group is organic and multidisciplinary: painters, photographers, illustrators, and media artists. It includes members from all around the world. Our aim is to stimulate the flow of creative energy through workshops, discussion and community art projects.

Facebook: Gwangju Artist Collective E-mail: gwangjumaria@yahoo.com

Apostolate to Migrants Center 802-4 Son gjeong -2 dong, Gw gu, Gwan angsangju Phone: 062954-8004 Subway: G et off at So ngjeong Pa 정공원) St a ti o n a rk (송 nd Songjeong Middle Sch w a lk to w a rd o Busses: 29, ol.

38, 39, 62, 97, 98, 99. at Yeongg Get off wang-ton g intersec st o p a n d tion bus w a lk to w a rd So n g Middle Sch je o n g ool.

Sunday m asses: 10 a .m East Timo . (Indonesi r); 3:00 p.m an/ . (English) Migrant C at the enter; 6 p .m. (Vietn 2 n d Su n d amese). a y: 1 1 a .m . M a ss fo cultural fam r m u lt iilies.

The Gwa ngju Pho tograph The Gw an yC place w gju Photograph lub here ma y Club is ny diffe a can me rent pe et, share ople advice, a n d p ra g c ti c e p h o to g ra ive ideas, month, phy. Ev the Pho e ry to on a p graphy h o to o C u ti n g to lub goes places aro d if fe re nt to c a p und the city a nd cou tu re th ntry e mom practice e n w e lc o m ew techniques. n t a n d e to jo in Anyone g ro u p is th e p h o and h to g ra p h e lp s h e x p e ri e y a re in nce. T th e o jo in search th Gwang ju Photo e g ro u p , on Face g raphy C book. lub

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2012 GIC 2nd Korean Language Class Weekday Classes Level

Days and Times

Intensive Beginner (Beginner 1 & 2)

Tuesday to Friday 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Saturday Classes Cost 150,000 won

Beginner 2 Tuesday & Thursday 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

80,000 won

Level

Days and Times

Cost

Beginner 1

Tuesday & Thursday 7 p.m. - 9 p.m.

80,000 won

Beginner 3 Intermediate 4

(10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.)

Level

Cost

Beginner 1

50,000 won

Beginner 2

50,000 won

Intermediate 2

50,000 won

Period: Weekday: March 6 - April 20, 2012 (Twice a week for 7 weeks)

Saturday: March 10 - April 21, 2012 (Once a week 7 weeks)

NEW from this term! Evening Class Enrich your life in Korea by studying Korean and learning Korean culture with the GIC!

(GIC membership fee: 20,000 won/ year and textbooks excluded) cash only.

A class may be cancelled if less than 5 people sign up.

GIC is located on the 5th floor of the Jeon-il building, the same building as the Korean Exchange Bank, downtown. The entrance is located immediately to the north of the bank. Contact gic@gic.or.kr (or by phone 062-226-2733/34 and www.gic.or.kr for more information.

Gwangju News March 2012

55

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