(EN) Gwangju News May 2010 #99

Gwangju News International Magazine for Gwangju and Jeollanam-do

May 2010 Issue No. 99

2010 GIC 3rd Korean Language Class Saturday Classes

Weekday Classes Level

Days

Textbook

Level

Textbook

Beginner 1-1

Monday & Thursday

서강한국어 1A

Beginner 1

서강한국어 1A

Beginner 2-1

Monday & Wednesday

서강한국어 1A & 1B

Beginner 2

서강한국어 1A

Advanced

Monday & Wednesday

서강한국어 3A

Intermediate 2

서강한국어 1B

- Period : May 10 - June 25, 2010 (Twice a week for 7 weeks) - Class hours: 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (2 hours) - Tuition fee : 80,000 won (GIC membership fee: 10,000 won/ 6 months and textbooks excluded)

Note

- Period: May 15 - June 26, 2010 (Every Saturday for 7 weeks)

- Class hours: 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

(2 hours) - Tuition fee: 50,000 won (GIC membership fee: 10,000 won/ 6 months and textbooks excluded)

* The tuition fee is non-refundable after the first week. * A class may be canceled if fewer than 5 people sign up. * 2010 GIC 4th Korean Language Class will be from July 10 - August 27.

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 office for more information.

Phone: 062-226-2733/4 E-mail: gwangjuic@gmail.com Website: www.gic.or.kr

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Gwangju News May 2010

Contributors

Contents

Gwangju News May 2010, Issue No. 99

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Publisher: Shin Gyong-gu

The Korean Way No. 87: May 18 Gwangju Democratic Uprising

By 2Ys

Editor: Jon Ozelton, Minsu Kim

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Copy Editor: Kathleen Villadiego, Solim Sirgey

A Pilgrimage to the May 18 Cemetery

By Adam Bourque

Photo Editor: Debra M. Josephson

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Coordinator: Karina Prananto

The World Photonics Expo 2010

By Doug Stuber

Layout and Design: Karina Prananto Proofreaders: Pete Schandall, Solim Sirgey, Katherine Villadiego, Kyle Johnson, Steven Salinger, Selina Orrell, Laura Sparley, Katie Rayner, Sam Richter Address: Jeon-il Building 5F, Geumnam-no 1-1, Dong-gu, Gwangju 501-758, South Korea Phone: +82-62-226-2734

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GFN One Year Anniversary

By Moon Ha-young & Jang Young-hoon

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Miracle on the Mountain: Haeinsa, Temple of Dharma

By Jake Melville

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Canada’s Game: Growing in Popularity in Korea

By Andrew Dunne

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May 18 and its Reprecussions Around Asia

By Lee Jung-hyung

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Movie Review: Hwa-ryeo-han Hyu-ga 화려한 휴가

By Adam Bourque

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Gwangju Asia Forum: Be a Part of 518!

Fax: +82-62-226-2732

Email: gwangjunews@gmail.com

Website: gwangjunews.net

Registration No.: 광주광역시 라. 00145 Printed by Saenal (Phone +82-62-223-0029)

Photographer: Debra M. Josephson Cover Photo: At the Gwangju May 18 Cemetery, roses decorate the graves of those who died in the Gwangju Democratic Uprising. This year marks the 30th anniversary of 5.18.

By Chloe Simons Gwangju NewsMagazine is written and edited by volunteers.

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

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Living Tips: Postal and Delivery Service

By Mheng

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.

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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.

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Blossoms to Bottle Rockets: Jinhae’s Cherry Blossom Festival

By Jake Melville

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Photo Contest

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Art Review: Why Creativity is Important in Every Culture

By Doug Stuber

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Letter from China

30

Empty Orchestra

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Brewing Tea

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Korea Easy-cook Recipe: 떡볶이 Tteokbokki

Useful Korean Phrases

By Kang Nang-won

By Jacob Lotinga

By Selina Orrell

By Warren Parsons

Kim’ s Dental Clinic

By Kim Mi-so 35

Korea Maria: Jungfrau

By Maria Lisak

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Bar Review: Tequilaz

By Ivana Steyn

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Cartoon: Digby

By Leroy Kucia

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Upcoming Events Gwangju News May 2010

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The Korean Way

The Korean Way No. 87

May 18 (5.18) Gwangju Democratic Uprising

I

n the wake of President Park Chung-hee’s assassination on October 26, 1979, the collapse of the Yushin system was to soon follow. The Yushin system was a political machine instituted in the early 1970sthat made President Park’s despotic iron rule possible. In the six-month political and social vacuum after President Park’s death, the so-called New Military Faction made its appearance gradually, trying to wield political power as Park’s Republican Party did. The Gwangju Democratic Uprising broke out on May 18, 1980 trying to thwart the New Military Faction’s political ambitions. The Uprising was a failed event in that it was subdued by the Martial Law Troops, although it left an unerasable mark on the minds of the citizens of Gwangju and Jeollanam-do. The Uprising took place as follows.

Midnight, May 17, 1980: Emergency Martial Law was declared nationally and the 33rd and 35th battalions of Paratroop 7th Brigade were deployed at Chonnam University and Chosun University respectively. Both universities were occupied, so to speak, by the Martial Law Troops.

were also deployed at important junctures of the city and there were clashes between them and the demonstrators.

The paratroopers were supposed to be well trained and fit for dealing with demonstrators. But in Gwangju, in carrying out their duty, they overstepped their limits and mistreated the demonstrators unnecessarily harshly and almost inhumanly. Gwangju citizens were excited, agitated and mad to witness the paratroopers’ merciless and brutal behavior. This was why citizens joined forces with the students.

May 19, 1980: Citizens’ resistance increased. The paratroopers were reinforced by its 11th Brigade and continued demonstration suppression.

May 20, 1980: Additional deployment of the Third Paratroop Brigade increased the number to 3,400 troops.

Demonstrators set fire to MBC Broadcasting Station

May 18, 1980: It was early morning hours of May 18th and there were not many students on either campus ground.

Some students in the libraries and research institutes were told by the troops to go home because the Martial Law was to close the universities for some time. This was the first day of the Gwangju Democratic Uprising. The school gate was closed by the Martial Law Troops and students who were coming to school were urged to disperse and go home, but they would not comply. At Chonnam National University, the number of students who could not enter the school because of the gate closure increased by the hundreds, and students started shouting demonstration slogans: Lift the Martial Law! Down with Chun Doo-Hwan! (Chun Doo-hwan was a military strong man who later became President of the fifth republic.)

The students, unable to go into school, turned around and took to the street, demonstrating. The Martial Law Troops 4

Gwangju News May 2010

May 18th National Cemetery in Magwol-dong.

Gwangju City

The Korean Way

Tension and fighting in downtown Gwangju, May 1980. Na Gyeong-taek's iconic photo (center) captures the indiscriminate violence protestors faced from the government-controlled army.

because it did not report the truth in Gwangju. Martial Law troops in front of the Provincial Office fired at the demonstrators. This incited the demonstrators to arm themselves for self defense.

May 21, 1980: This was Buddha’s birthday, a supposedly peaceful day. The demonstrators felt that they needed to arm themselves for self defense since they were fired at by the Martial Law Troops. The only way to get weapons was to raid police armories and reserve army armories near Gwangju. They succeeded in getting a considerable amount of weapons and ammunition to arm themselves against the troops. Citizens called the armed demonstrators Citizen Army, and their morale was high.

They fired back at the troops, who confronted with this unexpected turn of events, made a strategic withdrawal to the outskirts of Gwangju to avoid a clash with the demonstrators.

May 22-25, 1980: Now the civic leaders, mindful of this unusual turn of events, spontaneously formed a citizens’ settlement committee to handle this urgent situation. The committee’s purpose was to collect the weapons and turn them in to the Martial Law Authorities and settle the demonstration. But of course there were pros and cons with the plan and doves and hawks among the demonstrators. Thanks to the activities of the committee, there was a lull in the storm during the three days.

May 26-27, 1980: With the nightfall of May 26, the Martial Law Troops closed in on the provincial

government building where the Citizen Army occupied positions. The Martial Law troops took the surrounding buildings one by one and encircled and isolated the government building. At the dawn of May 27, the Martial Law troops urged the Citizen Army to give up resistance and surrender. There was a sporadic gun fight before the final assault by the government troops putting an end to the 10-day bloody and tragic Gwangju democratic uprising.

The Significance of the Gwangju Uprising At first, the uprising started as a small scale demonstration by the students in front of a school gate, but the paratroops’ countermeasure was unnecessarily harsh and brutal, enraging and angering the citizens. Even though the citizens managed to arm themselves for self defense, they were of course no match for the well trained regular army. They were a cornered mouse biting a cat.

During the 10 days, the law and order were in the hands of the citizen army, but there was not a single case of looting or thievery. No crime was reported. Citizens became one unit of solidarity, a fact of which Gwangju citizens. They want to disseminate this fact, making it known to the people beyond the limits of Gwangju and Jeollanam-do because the people outside of this region do not know or understand the Gwangju Democratic Uprising.

By 2Ys (An audacious pen name standing for Too Wise, whose real initals are S. S. S.)

Gwangju News May 2010

5

Out and About

A Pilgrimage to the Gwangju May 18 Cemetery

D

espite living near Gwangju I knew little about the famous events of the May 18th Uprising before visiting the Gwangju May 18 Cemetery. I began to research what I could on the Internet and found out there was a national cemetery dedicated to the memory of the people who were killed during the events in May 1980. With the help of some Korean friends, I was able to locate the cemetery online in the north of Gwangju, on the road to Damyang and prepare for my pilgrimage.

I began the journey quite early in the morning. When the bus finally came, I enjoyed a very picturesque view of the Gwangju scenery on the way to the cemetery. I was worried because as I checked the English signs outside against the Korean map I had, I found they contradicted each other. I survived by asking each person that got off if this was the right stop. I was keen to see what kind of memorial had been erected in memory of the victims.

I was finally about to get off the bus and asked the bus driver if this was the right stop. He nodded “yes”, and I got off the bus, walking not even 10 feet when the bus driver pulled the bus alongside me and opened the door. He motioned that I had to walk to the right and not to the left of the fork in the road up ahead. I nodded very cautiously. I continued along the route the

bus driver had indicated and to my luck a sign saying “May 18 Democratic Cemetery” was ahead. I figured I was on the right track.

As I walked up the lane into the cemetery, I got the feeling of a park and not so much a cemetery. There were lots of trails, trees, shrubs and other beautiful plants. I walked further and came to realize that this was indeed the cemetery I was seeking. I was trying to find information so I looked for the tourist information office. I was curious to see if they had English pamphlets for education and other kinds of information, and I was pleasantly surprised by what I found.

I had done as much research as I could online to try and understand the events that led up to the incident.

The one fact that is absolutely indisputable is the inconsistency in the number of people reported to have died in the uprising. For this reason, it is impossible to determine how many died during this particular period in Gwangju's history. What I discovered during my visit, however, did not necessarily change my views but instead made them much more concrete.

I walked into what was called the Office of the Cemetery and quickly looked in. After I briefly inquired about finding some information, and some five younger men abruptly arose to their feet in order to try

Statue for a peaceful and prosperous world, May 18 National Cemetery.

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Gwangju News May 2010

Out and About

and assist me. When they realized I was looking for information, one man ushered me outside and very politely said “Follow me please.” How could I refuse?

He asked me why I was there, and I began to explain that I’d seen a movie about 5.18 and was now visiting the memorial. He asked if the movie was 화려한 휴가 (‘Hwa-ryeo-han Hyu-ga’). “I was an extra in that movie,” he calmly added. In that moment he became the proudest that I’ve ever seen a Korean.

We came to a building that housed a theatre. As he took me inside, he told me there was an English documentary I would watch. The documentary was in English and was very educational. It talked about not only the incident that took place from May 18 - 27 but also about those responsible and how they were brought to justice during the 1990’s. I was happy to see that South Korea as a nation recognized the Gwangju incident as a national incident and publicly announced who orchestrated it.

After watching the documentary, I walked quickly through the historical memorial, trying to ignore a large number of students on a field trip that were making a considerable noise. I left the historical hall and went outside to observe some more inspiring sights. There were two major divisions before the actual cemetery and although it wasn’t May 18, it was quite well kept. I didn’t feel that it was a place that was lacking respect at all.

When I began taking pictures of the murals and the large monument in the centre of the entrance to the cemetery, I noticed that the students who were so rambunctious before were now being educated on how to respect the customs of the graveyard. The class president had to put a certain incense into a special bowl and let it burn while the entire class held their heads down in a sort of moment of silence and the tour guide announced the school and grade they were from.

After seeing the students get a lesson in respecting the memories of the fallen, I wandered into the actual cemetery. I noticed workers doing maintenance on the graves themselves. At first I thought it was family or friends that were responsible for each grave site. But after quietly asking a worker for an explanation, he told me that there are a group of workers that maintain the graves year long. It was interesting for me as I too have worked in a cemetery pruning the graves of others in Canada.

Compared to Korean cemeteries, it’s very different.

In Korea, it appears to be very important to have a specific shape of mound when trimming the graves. Out in the country I’ve seen graves of ancestors before and

Memorial Tower of the May 18 Democratic Uprising.

they are a lot more round. The graves I noticed today are a lot longer and narrower, and almost remind you of a body. There are also three sections to the cemetery itself. The first is the area with burials. The second is an area with markers but no burials, which I am guessing is to honour the people who died or are missing and whose remains were never found. The third section is interesting because it is empty. It is a flat piece of land perhaps reserved for people who were survivors of the Gwangju incident and are still living. When they too pass away, they might be honoured in this cemetery.

A few things have resonated well with me since I left the cemetery. First, the people who are taking care of this cemetery want both Koreans and non-Koreans to know about what happened, as the educational areas are not only in Korean, but also in English and Chinese. Second, the documentary that I watched in the theatre showed the magnitude of the demonstrations that occurred. It was very informative because it gave real footage of the day depicting the tanks and protesters in the streets. And third, it connected with me because it was not a sad place for people to grieve. It’s a place for people to come and remember what happened and not to forget.

As I walked out of the cemetery, I felt like I had experienced the full weight of the May incidents and I now feel more connected to Gwangju than ever.

Story and photos by Adam Bourque

How to get there To get to the cemetery, take bus number 518 (numbered after the date of the incident) from either downtown, or in front of Munheung-dong Homeplus. The cost is 1,000 won each way.

Gwangju News May 2010

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Feature

The World Photonics Expo 2010

T

he World Photonics Expo, (April 2 to May 9) which was postponed due to Swine Flu in 2009, turned out a huge success and was spread over three large venues in Gwangju for the opening ceremonies on Friday April 9. Thousands of light and music lovers crowded the Cultural Center/Provincial Square to see major K-pop stars and French artist Alain Guilhot’s salute to the everexpanding use of lights. His work included slides, dancing neon lasers, and references to other performances both historical and contemporary.

Fireworks went off over trees along Guemnam-no and “Wedding Shop Street” that had eye-catching lights that lured those who may have otherwise been casually heading home after work on a Friday. Once taken in, the surprises kept coming as Guilhot, who also served as the artistic director of the Expo, created a tour-de-force art piece that surpassed even the music stars that had the schoolgirls screaming, as if the Beatles had arrived circa 1965.

Light displays also ran up and down the river, and out in Sangmu, Citizen’s Park, which was lightly attended probably due to the magnificence of the downtown

offerings, also hosted an opening show that included water stunts, a 3-D movie, LED artwork, amazing simulations by the Republic of Korea Air Force and the first-ever Korean display of the real Soyuz spacecraft.

The huge park also included live performance stages and a science-learning experience that makes the study of light fun for any age.

The ticket price of 12,000 won may be high for some, but 13-18 year-olds can get in for 9000, and 4-12 year olds for 4000, while disabled people, those over 65 or under 4, and those with distinguished service to the state all get free admission.

With so much to do, this may be the best bargain in the history of Sangmu.

For me the 18 art rooms were fascinating. It was great to see Ahn Ju-ya again, as his art uses the LED medium to accentuate fantasies, which would be rich in color even without lights. “Life Story” covers many themes in less than ten works, and shows why Ahn is one of the leading-edge artists propelling Korea to the forefront of photonic art.

Lanterns with the word 'light' in different languages decorate a dowtown street, to promote the Gwangju Photonics Expo.

Debra M Josephson 8

Gwangju News May 2010

Feature

Exhibits Ahn Yu-ja’s Life Story (left) and Jin Si-yon’s Thoughts on Light (upper-right); Lower-right: Photonics light-water show in front of the ‘Lumi-Bowl’; Doug Stuber (3), Second-left: An illuminated sculpture lights up downtown as part of the opening ceremonies Debra M. Josephson

Song Bong-chae’s “Dream Growing Tree” achieves threedimensional success in painstaking detail by repeating the same Zelkova tree on many polycarbonate panels. The result is part sculpture/part landscape and stopped viewers for an extra long visit. The artist hoped people would “look back on their past and cherish new hopes,” while looking at this work, and, judging by the time spent, there was time for all of that, and more.

One room, “the Abyss – Dark Chamber,” was pitch-black, but you are handed a small flashlight to see what Shin Yang-ho made. The sign billed the room as rated 19+ and inappropriate for young viewers, and the flashlights allowed only small areas of the anatomically correct human figures to be seen. Shin calls it a “dramatic feast created by the human body,” and the flashlights kept anyone from being overwhelmed by such a thing.

Other notable rooms included Lee Lee-nam’s “Light of Sharing” in which he recreated masterpieces in humorous ways, a Mr. Potato-Head Batman robot, and the wonderful effects of 3-D by Kim Jin-hwa that reminded me of the later work of Al Held: elongated checkerboards spiraling deep down and away from the viewers, again thanks to photonics.

Not to be outdone, further pavilions included a Light Science Experience stop and Light Industry and Technology pavilion that reminded me of the “rides” set up at Orlando Florida’s Epcot Center, in which industrial giants like Kraft and General Motors display their latest inventions. In this case, the Photonics industries of Gwangju held forth with laser displays, LED wizardry, optical instruments, and my favorite part of the photonics world: photovoltaic solar cells.

These cells, now becoming part of a worldwide effort to create electricity that causes no carbon or nuclear pollution, can actually be sprayed into place on rough burlap-style fabric that is housed in boxes facing the sun (south is best in most cases). Photovoltaic cells convert sun rays directly into electricity. This is one step further than the normal water-heating method of solar power that is effective for heating water and homes, but not so good at creating electricity. “Photovoltaic production has been doubling every 2 years, increasing by an average of 48 percent each year since 2002, making it the world’s fastest-growing energy technology,” reports Wikipedia.

While for many the 30-billion won spent on this event meant a chance to see and hear their favorite K-pop stars in downtown Gwangju, for others it was an event full of the achievements made in photonics, either as a charming art device, a scientific catalyst, or an important alternative energy that one day may become the world’s number one creator of electricity. The goal of the World Photonics Expo was more than as a science trade show, but meant to show how photonics can be an economic stimulator, entertainer and energy resource.

The money was clearly well spent, and one hopes that, even though the event had to be postponed initially, future Expos will increase the number of visitors from out-of-town and out-of-country. As the Asian Cultural Center gets closer and closer to completion, Gwangju is preparing to add to its already impressive line-up of festivals. Get ready for a World Music Festival in August and the Asian Culture Forum in September as a supplement to the Gwangju Biennale.

By Doug Stuber Gwangju News May 2010

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Interview

One Year Anniversary A

pril 1, 2009 was a ground-breaking day in Gwangju. At 11 a.m. that morning, Gwangju Foreigners’ Network (GFN) took to the airwaves for the first time. GFN is the only Englishlanguage radio station for Gwangju metropolis and surrounding areas.

GFN represents Gwangju’s newest English language broadcasting channel, and it also bolsters the city’s international standing. The station started at first with just a few programs broadcasting part of the day, but has now expanded their line-up to seven programs and shifted to 24-hour broadcast. They boast a wide repertoire of shows featuring not only music, but also current and local affairs. GFN now has seven different DJs and six locally-produced programs – City of Light, K-Popular, M-Town, Saturday Brunch, Sunday Bubble and, as of the last month, the newest addition, Hello Korea – whilst the remaining shows come from their sister station, tbs eFM, Seoul.

Last month marked the completion of this radio station's first year, so to commemorate the occasion, we met with "City of Light" host Michael Simning and "K-Popular" c0-host David St. John.

First we were fortunate to get to talk with David St. John, one half of “K-Popular with David and Soo”.

Originally from the United States, David worked in American radio before he came to Korea in 2006. He first lived in Mokpo, before moving to Gwangju one year ago to begin his GFN show. “K-Popular” airs every weekday from midday to 2 p.m. He describes his show as “the best Korean pop music. We play all of the great new songs that are coming out these days. Plus, we go back into K-pop history and play songs from the 90s, sometimes from the 80s, and we have one segment, we go back as far as the 60s and 70s so we can kind of trace the history of K-pop.”

We asked David what he had learned during GFN’s first year. He explained how he’d come to recognize K10

Gwangju News May 2010

GFN launch ceremony, April 2009.

Naver

pop’s inherent character. “K-pop is very similar to Western pop in many ways but K-pop still is able to maintain something very Korean about it – something very natural for this country. Western pop is made of so many influences that it is hard to tell sometimes if it is an American or British pop song. These songs are always in English but where they’re drawing from is hard to tell. Yet even though K-pop borrows from the West, it still remains very Korean.” Did he think Korean culture could be competitive in the U.S.? “I think it’s different. If you look at an American music chart, it’s almost all composed of American or British artists. It doesn’t transfer, so it’s hard to compare because of the attitude. I think it’s very different. One thing that can be compared is music production because Korea has a lot of the best music producers. So this is something that Korea can compete in successfully compared to any country in the world.”

He was of course positive about the benefit GFN offers to Gwangju. “I think, [being] in Korea over three years, I’ve seen how important English education is for

Interview

Left:David and Soo in the studio hosting their show "K-Popular"; Right: "City of Light" host Michael Simning (left, Santa hat) with contestants as he comperes last December's GFN Christmas quiz. www.gfn.or.kr (2)

parents and people who are hiring and for all people.

So GFN will help to raise people’s English ability. And my goal as broadcaster is also to help people through conversation,” he said.

Secondly, we also got the chance to speak with Michael Simning, Canadian host of “City of Light” and longterm Gwangju resident. He describes his show as “broadcast news and information, usually Koreafocused and mostly focused on Gwangju” which serves as a guide for residents in the Gwangju area, covering Gwangju’s news as well as common issues.

Simning told us that the most impressive news from the first year on the air had been the deaths of two former presidents Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun.

“President Kim Dae-jung wasn’t surprising because we knew that he was very sick,” he explained. “But he was a very important man for most Koreans and of course [important] in the Gwangju and Jeollanam-do area. So it was very sad to bring that news to the Gwangju people. And also there was the unfortunate news about President Roh Moo-hyun. It was the very last thing that I expected. So those were two very unfortunate events we had to tell to the people of Gwangju and foreign residents. It was really the saddest news.”

[offer a] wider variety of talk, and communicate to more people. So give more choices to the listeners,” The station has marked the one year milestone by making some schedule and program-format changes, as well as introducing a new locally-produced show, “Hello Korea”, airing at 11 a.m. weekdays, whilst Simning’s “City of Light” show has moved to its new time slot of 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, lengthening the show from one hour to two. The one year anniversary of GFN was to be marked by a grand concert on April 1, featuring big-name acts such as the Brown Eyed Girls and 2AM. Unfortunately the tragic sinking of the ship Cheonan occurred just a few days beforehand, causing the concert to be cancelled at the last minute. There are no plans to reschedule the concert as of yet.

After one year, GFN has gone from good to even better, and the future looks bright for Gwangju's only English language radio station. Tune in to 98.7 FM GFN, or listen online at www.gfn.or.kr.

By Mun Ha-young & Jang Young-hoon Mun Ha-young is a senior at Chonnam National University.

Jang Young-hoon is home-schooled.

How about a happier episode from the show’s first year? “My personal favorite memories were from our Christmas quiz show,” he said. “It’s a lot of fun. It was just a really good evening. I look forward to Christmas this year and I think we will also have a good time.”

Michael sees the future of GFN through expansion. “Of course [we need to] expand our range of programs and Gwangju News May 2010

11

Discover Korea

Miracle on the Mountain:

Haeinsa, Temple of Dharma

W

e left the city limits and soon we were driving through freshly-plowed fields still shrouded in early-morning mist. It always surprises me how suddenly Korean cities end without any of that suburban sprawl that I was used to back home. The towering futuristic apartment blocks gave way to old farmland so abruptly, it was as if they had been dropped in from space, squashing some poor farmer planting rice and seriously ruining his day.

After an hour or so, we arrived at a bustling tourist village nestled in between two large mountains. A short hike through the woods brought us to the entrance to Haein-sa, one of the Three Jewels of Korean Buddhism. Haeinsa, the 1200-year-old temple of Dharma represents the teachings of Buddha. It is home to the Tripitaka Koreana, the oldest and most complete collection of Buddhist scriptures carved onto 81,258 wood blocks sometime during the 13th century.

The bus continued onwards through the idyllic countryside. A couple of ajossis in front of us chattered like schoolboys, pointing out the window at unknown sights as the bus drove on. Muddy brown rice fields spilled down the side of the mountains before settling into valleys. A girl in a pink sweatshirt watched us indifferently as we passed through her small farming town: a cluster of houses and sheds, a mini-mart, a school, a salon and a norae-bang. The two-story buildings were dusty and faded, and I was reminded of a drive through the town in the Shenandoah Mountains in western Virginia where my Mom grew up.

Tourists and the faithful shuffled through the gate and up the steep stone steps to the entrance. An elderly woman stopped at the top to bow before entering the temple courtyard that was bathed in sunlight.

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Gwangju News May 2010

Administrative offices, an information center and two separate gift shops occupied the buildings surrounding the courtyard. In the center, a large maze-like design made from stones was set into the ground. Parents walked through the labyrinth slowly and quietly, with their hands together while their children scampered around the twists and turns, their peals of laughter ringing through the courtyard.

Discover Korea

Above, previous page: Haeinsa, the 1200-year-old temple of Dhama, is one of the Three Jewels of Korean Buddhism.

The woodblocks are kept in four 700-year-old storage halls at the top of the temple complex. Inside, tall racks of woodblocks stretched down the long halls loaded with hundreds of woodblocks. Official-looking people walked around, warning us to put our cameras away; there would be no pictures of the woodblocks. A man hawked prints in the courtyard.

Though the halls’ varying shades of brown were aesthetically simple by Korean temple standards, the methods to construct them and preserve the woodblocks are surprisingly complex.

Large windows were spaced at even intervals around the buildings, and when I peered into the darkness for a better look at the woodblocks, a soft cool breeze blew through thick wooden bars that obscured my view – strange because the air outside was perfectly calm.

Our guidebook noted these methods and others, and, with some awe, pointed out that they have yet to be matched by modern science. An attempt was made in the 1970s, but abandoned after test blocks began to mildew.

That I was peering through the windows at these blocks in the first place struck me as the greater miracle. These blocks had survived 700-some years of Korean history: the fires that had destroyed the temple time and again, but left the storage halls untouched,

foreign invasions that sought to wipe out Korean culture but ignored the woodblocks, and a civil war that bombed and shelled the country into rubble but spared Haeinsa because of an insightful, observant Korean pilot who remembered what treasures it held.

It’s easy to forget the length of Korean history when most buildings I see were built in the last 60 years, when ancient temples still smell of fresh paint, and when Gyeongju seems more modern resort than historical capital.

Peering through the bars at these woodblocks, however, I saw tangible evidence of that history. Just as the Gutenberg Bible is remembered not only as the first printed copy of the West’s Holy book, but as the beginnings of a printed revolution that would culminate in the Enlightenment, the Tripitaka Koreana seems significant, not as a complete, errorless copy of Buddhist scripture, but as proof of an ancient history; cultural relics to remind Koreans of their past.

Story and photos by Jake Melville

How to get there To get to Haeinsa, take a bus from Daegu’s Seobu Bus Terminal (1.5 hours) to Haeinsa. When you arrive, walk back down the road, then follow the signs up the path to the temple. Admission is free. Temple stay programs are available, call 055-934-3105 for information.

Gwangju News May 2010

13

Sport

Canada’s Game:

Growing in Popularity in Korea U

nlike Korea, which has four seasons – spring, summer, fall, and winter – Canada is a country of basically one: ice hockey season. As sports journalist Alan Adams once wrote, “Canada is a country that lives and breathes ice hockey 24 hours a day. It is part of the country's soul”.

Canada is an ethnically diverse country. However, ice hockey is the opiate of the masses in the Great White North. My parents can certainly attest to this. Before emigrating from Ireland to Canada in the late 70s, they had little knowledge of hockey, but it wasn’t long before they found themselves bleeding black, white, yellow, and orange – the uniform colors, at that time, of the local professional team, the Vancouver Canucks.

As a cornerstone of Canadian life, ice hockey has generated some of the country's greatest triumphs and upsets. The cancellation, for instance, of the complete 2004-05 National Hockey League season ignited a public outcry. Conversely, a 3-2 victory over the United States in the men's gold medal game at the 2010

Winter Olympics propelled Canadians, both in Canada and overseas, into a state of ecstasy. The friends and fellow Canadians who I watched the game with in Gwangju would no doubt agree. Despite being thousands of miles away from our homeland, we leaped and cheered when Sidney Crosby scored the winning goal.

While ice hockey enjoys immense popularity in Canada, the same cannot be said in terms of Asia and to my dismay, Korea, where martial arts and baseball have largely dominated the sporting landscape for decades. That said, ice hockey is gaining interest and momentum in Korea. At present, Korea has two professional teams that compete in the ALH (Asia League Ice Hockey), which was formed in 2003. Recent years have also witnessed the emergence of several recreational teams in cities throughout the country including Seoul, Anyang, Daejeon, and Cheongju.

There is also a team in Gwangju. Every week, a group of expat Canadians hailing from British Columbia, Alberta, and Ontario take to the ice at the Yeomju

As a measure of respect to the hometeam, Gwangyang, the Gwangju Fighters raise their sticks at centre ice.

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Gwangju News May 2010

Sport

A Gwangju player takes a 'slapshot' during warmups, while three of his teammates observe.

Sports Complex, along with several Korean and American players. The team, known as the Gwangju Fighters, regularly play games throughout Korea and hope to someday participate in tournaments throughout Asia.

For those unfamiliar with the game, ice hockey is a fast-paced team sport played on a rink, which is a rectangular sheet of ice with rounded corners and a wall around the perimeter which is approximately three feet high. A game consists of three periods of twenty minutes each. The teams change sides at the end of each period. The objective of the game is to direct a hard rubber disk – the puck – into the opposing team's goal using a stick that is curved at one

end. Each team consists of 20-22 players, including two goaltenders. Unless any players are in the "penalty box", there are five players and one goaltender per team on the ice at any time. The five players are divided into two defencemen and three forwards.

Unlike other team sports such as soccer and basketball, substitutions are permitted at any time during the course of the game without notifying the referee.

In contrast to professional ice hockey where body checking is allowed and even encouraged, and therefore injuries are a common occurrence, recreational ice hockey is considered safe, as long as certain safety regulations are adhered to. Perhaps most importantly, protective equipment should be worn.

This includes a helmet, athletic cup, gloves, shoulder pads, elbow pads, padded shorts, and shin pads.

Combined with common sense, such as avoiding contact with other players as well as the reckless use of one's stick, wearing equipment will result in an extremely enjoyable and safe game for participants.

For more information about ice hockey in Gwangju, or if you are interested in playing, contact Andrew at atdunne@gmail.com.

Until next time, keep your stick on the ice!

By Andrew Dunne Photos from Gwangju Fighters

A number of Gwangju players gather at centre ice for a quick team meeting prior to the beginning of a recent exhibition game played in Gwangyang.

Gwangju News May 2010

15

Perspective

May 18 and its Repercussions Around Asia H

ere comes May again! What strikes you about May? Cherry blossoms? Many weddings? When you are in Gwangju, you may think of the scent of May differently when you consider the city as the center of Korean Democracy.

One of the most significant moments in Korean history was the mass uprising in the city of Gwangju, from May 18 to May 27, against Chun Doo-hwan’s and then Park Chung-hee’s military dictatorship. The protest movement spread across the whole nation. This movement is often called “5.18,” or the Gwangju Democratization Movement.

to allow the people of China to vote on who would govern, rather than being dictated to. The protests were sparked by the death of a pro-democracy and anti-corruption official, Hu Yaobang, whom protesters wanted to mourn.

By the eve of Hu's funeral, 100,000 people had gathered at Tiananmen Square. It was the 15th of April, and it snowballed until the 17th of May. The demonstrations centered in Tiananmen Square to begin with but later spread to the streets around the square in Beijing. Largescale protests also occurred in cities throughout China, including Shanghai, which remained peaceful throughout the protests.

During this period, professors and students formed unions which were resisting Chun Doo-hwan’s dictatorship. "The Gwangju Democratization Movement As the protest became serious, has become a symbol of South Koreans’ not only students, but also many citizens came out to the street to struggle against authoritarian regimes and stand against Chun Doo-hwan’s their fight for democracy." army.

At the cost of many people’s lives, the movement paved the way for later movements in the 1980s that eventually brought democracy to South Korea. In 1987, the first direct vote, which was embarked upon in Gwangju, finally took place. The Gwangju Democratization Movement has become a symbol of South Koreans’ struggle against authoritarian regimes and their fight for democracy. It’s been said that we traded Gwangju’s blood for democracy.

The lives lost and human suffering inflicted still remain a source of bitter feelings though.

Following the seven-year struggle in Korea there were other democracy movements in Asia. Students in China started a faux-revolution that led to the Tiananmen Square protests that occurred in June 1989 in Beijing.

That protest began on April 14, 1989. Around this time, China was in a kind of chaos. Many protests urging democratic reform sprung up all over the country. Led mainly by students and intellectuals, and also laborers, the protests were attempting to force the Chinese government 16

Gwangju News May 2010

On May 17, the Chinese authorities fired guns at many people. The number of deaths is not known.

Unlike the 5.18 democratic movement of Gwangju, unfortunately, the goal of the Tiananmen Square protestors – the accomplishment of freedom and democracy – failed. The bullets, however, did not, and the massacre now serves to remind Chinese people not to try for democracy again, rather than bolster future attempts.

There have been other struggles in Asian countries in which protests ended up in victory for democracy. East Timor, a former Pacific territory, became independent in 2002. Once colonized by Portugal, East Timor also endured 24 years of occupation by Indonesia and three years of United Nations administration.

Indonesia invaded and annexed East Timor in December 1975 after it was abandoned by Portugal, its colonial ruler.

The occupation was particularly brutal. By 1979, the Indonesian government acknowledged, 120,000 people had been killed or died of disease.

About a thousand East Timorese died after an

Perspective

Left: Protestors gather at Victory Monument in central Bangkok, Thailand, and bring the city to a standstill in an effort to topple the current administration, April 2010; Right: Burmese Pro-democracy activist Aung San Suu Kyi addresses a crowd at a rally.

Y-Not ?/Flickr; www.dassk.org

independence referendum in August 1999, when gangs organized by the Indonesian military went on a rampage.

Australia, with Indonesia's consent, sent in troops to establish order until the United Nations could organize a peacekeeping force to take over.

In a referendum organized by the United Nations on Aug. 13, 1999, 78 percent of the voters chose independence. The result, which Indonesia had not fully expected, was followed by the destruction of Dili, the seaside capital, and other areas by the pro-Indonesia militia, as the Indonesian soldiers who had been occupying East Timor either participated or looked on. By United Nations estimate, about a thousand people were killed during the violence.

They gained their independence but at the sacrifice of so many people. It was another example of how the powerful countries weigh in when it comes to their own interests, but rarely step in to back the side of democracy when protests by the masses are essentially domestic. The United Nations has been mostly powerless as a force for democracy as well. Myanmar, a Southeast Asian country that was formerly known as Burma, has been under military rule in one form or another since 1962. The current junta, formed in 1988, threw out the results of a democratic parliamentary election in 1990 that was overwhelmingly won by the party led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, a 1991 Nobel laureate, who has been under house arrest for most of the past two decades. She remains a powerful symbol for the pro-democracy movement in her nation.

In August 2007 a decision by the government to sharply raise fuel prices led to street protests. The situation turned more serious when large numbers of Buddhist monks joined the protests. Over 100,000 participated in processions led by the monks, who marched to the gate of Mrs. Aung San Suu Kyi's home, where she greeted them. It was the first time she had been seen in public in four years.

Steps toward democracy have not fared well so far in Myanmar, but interns from Myanmar have been trained at the May 18 Foundation, and this gives hope that organizing a united front may change the country into a democracy.

Thailand, also, is currently in turmoil. At least 19 people died and over 800 were injured in fighting between antigovernment protesters and the military on the bloodsplattered streets of the capital recently this year.

Right now we see many countries are suffering in their attempts to gain a democracy. As we commemorate the 30th anniversary of May 18, 1980, it is important to remember that many countries do not yet have democracy.

In most of them, and in other dictatorships around the world, citizens are often unable to change their working, living or human rights conditions because of the threat or use of physical force, up to and including being killed.

Democracy does not assure any country that violence will go away, but remembering the victories won in the past can inspire others to challenge brute force in the present and future.

By Lee Jung-hyung

Does it mean there is a new change coming to democratize Burma?

Gwangju News May 2010

17

Film Review

For most foreigners in Korea, the language barrier means that Korean movies at the cinema are out of the question. However, thanks to the advent of DVDs with subtitles, and the commonness of DVD rooms and rental places, Korean cinema has become a lot more accessible.

Hwa-ryeo-han Hyu-ga 화려한 휴가 English Title: May 18 (Released: July 25th, 2007) Director: Kim Ji-hoon / Writer: Park Sang-yeon Starring: Ahn Sung-ki, Kim Sang-kyung, Lee Yo-won, Lee Jun-ki Genre: Historical Drama Running time: 125 mins

hen I realized that “May 18” is the record of the events in Gwangju during 1980, I decided to do some research before watching the film. I like to know some of the general facts myself before I watch historical dramas. So Googling away I went. I’m really glad I did, because having a general sense of what you’re about to watch really prepares you to understand the context of certain events and how they are portrayed. The interesting thing about historical dramas that attempt to portray dark events in a country’s own history is that they want to walk the thin line of addressing all aspects of the events and not step on people’s toes.

W

The beginning of the film began with three full information screens giving the viewer context of the events that lead up to where the movie begins. I wanted to reach for the remote and rewind it because they flashed the information by very fast.

The film focuses on people who are not political rebels. It begins by showing different perspectives including that of the army. The main character Min-woo drives a cab, and he and his co-workers are trying to get invited out to a church event.

Another storyline that gets focused on is a retired military captain who is Min-woo’s boss. He’s retired from the army but still has contacts in high places.

The first half of the film contrasts the regular life of ordinary people with absolutely no political agenda at all and shows how innocent life is in Gwangju at the time. Then very suddenly all the characters collide with protesters and get drawn into the whirlwind chaos that ensues.

The army storyline follows the paratrooper units that were deployed by the government to “handle” the situation. The paratroopers apparently are the elite soldiers of the army at the time.

The depiction of the violent episodes that occur are done in such a way that it doesn’t focus on the violence and doesn’t show the entire magnitude of the situation, but rather holds back and maintains a certain restraint.

Other historical films of Korean history like “Taegugki” have

18

Gwangju News May 2010

been done much better in terms of having a decent story line.

If you didn’t know anything about the events of May 18, you might shut the movie off in the first 30 mins because the film is focusing on the characters that are not directly involved.

But I recommend that if you feel your hand going for the remote, just sit tight and sit through it – it’s Korean history and you wanted to see it for that reason anyway.

Instead of trying to explain the entire event, which has been proving difficult, I will say the director did a very good job of capturing the humanity in a very difficult situation that occurred in Gwangju. Many scenes highlighted how an entire city united and came together to support itself when they were quarantined. There were clashes with the army but that is not what the film focused on. They gave a certain romantic quality to a dark event.

The ending of the film, featuring the storming of Gwangju Provincial Office as it is being held by Gwangju Citizen’s Defense force, was very quick and fast. A lot of the action in the film is very abrupt and well done. Urban warfare is difficult to accurately portray on film. The set they built looks exactly like the downtown provincial office, but being empty, it’s very weird.

The movie admits that the official figures are in dispute as to the number of people that died during the week. But one thing is for sure: they didn’t die for nothing. They died for something they believed in.

On a personal note, after watching this film, and walking 200 meters away from the DVD room, I was standing in the exact location of the incident, and it really hit me in a weird way. It is a very surreal afternoon when you tread the ground history is made on. You stand on the ground that the movie you just watched was based on. I think if you watch it at home, it might not have the same impact of course, but head to a DVD room in downtown Gwangju, check the film out, and then go stand near Provincial Office, and see how you feel about watching a movie that while not the best historical drama ever, was still well done.

By Adam Bourque

Gwangju Asia Forum

Gwangju Asia Forum:

Be a part of 5.18! t doesn’t take long for a newcomer to notice that the number 5.18 is of special significance in Gwangju.

Parks, monuments and even a city bus all feature the number 5.18. So what does this number mean for Gwangju citizens, and why is it such an important part of the city’s past, present and future?

I

5.18 actually refers to the date May (5) 18. In May 1980, Gwangju students led peaceful protests calling for a return to democracy and an end to General Chun Doo Hwan’s martial law. On May 16 the demonstration leaders decided to end the protests to give the government time to respond to their requests. The following day, however, army troops were secretly deployed to universities in Gwangju, and on May 18 the troops indiscriminately beat and murdered civilians regardless of age, gender, or involvement in the protests. Feeling that their city was under attack, shocked citizens began to band together. Taxis and buses carried protesters to the centre of the protest, Geumnamno, where they gathered in solidarity with one another. Sadly, the worst was yet to come.

On May 21 a new deployment of troops open-fired on civilians and even entered homes, dragging civilians onto the street where they were stripped and beaten or shot.

Eye witness reports speak of sexual assault, brutal beatings, and streets littered with corpses. In the days that followed, the army blocked food and communication lines in an attempt to seal off the city. Despite some citizens’

Event Overview Event: Gwangju Asia Forum Period: 17 (Monday) – 22 (Saturday) May 2010 Venue: Kim Dae-jung Convention Center, Gwangju Host: The May 18 Memorial Foundation Registration/Information: Please contact the Culture and Solidarity Team for a registration form.

Tel: 062) 457-0518 Fax: 062) 456-0519

attempts to negotiate with the army, the city was finally taken by the military commanders on May 23.

Gwangju Asia Forum Although the movement was crushed by the armed forces, Koreans in other parts of the country gradually began to learn the truth about the massacre. Their outrage sparked the movement which would eventually lead to the establishment of genuine democracy in Korea. In solidarity with Asian nations still struggling for true democracy, the May 18 Memorial Foundation hosts an annual forum where peace and democracy activists and civil society representatives can network and exchange information and support. The Gwangju Asia Forum 2010 is especially significant since this year marks the 30th anniversary of the uprising.

The forum includes workshops on contemporary democracy movements in Asia, climate change and environmental concerns, housing rights, freedom of the press, migrant worker issues, and inter-Korean relations.

Special events include the 30th Anniversary Commemorative Ceremony, the 2010 Gwangju Prize for Human Rights Award Ceremony, and the Opening Ceremony with keynote speaker Lee Hee Ho, peace activist and wife of the late former President Kim Dae Jung. Participants will also have the opportunity to join in the fun at the Annual Festival on the Eve of the May Uprising and a special Solidarity Night.

This event is not only for overseas activists. International residents in Gwangju also have the opportunity to participate in the forum. If you have an interest in human rights, peace and democracy issues, come and join activists from around the world in celebrating democracy and standing in solidarity with those still fighting for genuine freedom in their own countries!

Be a part of 5.18!

By Chloe Simons International Staff of Culture and Solidarity Team, The May 18 Memorial Foundation Gwangju News May 2010

19

Living Tips

Postal and Delivery Services

P

ostal and delivery services in Korea are easy to use and very economical. It is very easy to recognize Korea's post offices by their red signs and distinctive logo: three swallows symbolizing speedy, reliable, and safe postal delivery.

You can buy stamps and postcards and send letters and packages which most post offices have packing materials for.

have to fill out a customs declaration form.

Although writing the receiver’s name and address in English is possible, writing them using the Korean alphabet 한글 (Hangeul), will result in faster delivery and fewer problems. All letters and packages that you would like to send must have the recipient's postal code.

Each post office has a book listing every postal code for the country. If you are sending packages overseas, you

Post offices are open from 9:00 a.m. until 6 p.m.

Banking services are only available until 4 or 4:30 p.m.

Post offices are closed on Saturdays, Sundays and national holidays.

Besides sending letters and packages, the postal service also offers limited banking services, such as opening a bank account, wiring money to other accounts throughout the country, and paying bills. In certain remote areas, post offices can also reserve and sell train and airplane tickets.

The cost of postal and delivery services vary. Below is the list of prices for domestic and international mail.

Domestic Mail Type of Card

210 won

Letter

160 won 320 won

Up to 2kg

1,290 won 2,290 won

Letter Card Postcard

160 won

-

150 won

Reply Card

160 won

Ad Card

160 won

Weight

Letter

Up to 50gr Up to 50gr

Registered Mail

Regular Mail Fare

Cost

Type of Mail

Postcard

International Mail

North America/ Europe/

Africa/ Latin America/

Oceania

Middle East

400 won

400 won

400 won

450 won

450 won

480 won

500 won

350 won

350 won

350 won

350 won

Type of Mail

East Asia

Aerogram

400 won

Airmail Letter (up to 10 gr) Postcard

Southeast Asia

Printed matter (up to 20gr)

350 won

400 won

500 won

500 won

Registered mail (up to 20gr)

1,720 won

1,750 won

1,780 won

1,800 won

Registered Mail Sort

Weight

Regular Mail Fare

Up to 5gr

160 won

240 won

Standard Mail

5gr - 25gr

190 won

280 won

Registered Mail

Registration

20

Express Mail Fare

Description

25gr - 50gr

210 won

310 won

Up to 50gr

280 won

420 won

Every additional 50gr

90 won

130 won

Non-standard Mail 1 Letter

1,300 won

Gwangju News May 2010

Added to regular fare

1,490 won

Living Tips / Useful Korean Phrases

Prohibited Items Money and other valuables such as gold, silver, jewelry are not allowed to be sent through postal services.

Other items that are prohibited are drugs, pornographic materials, explosives, and flammable articles.

In case of sending money abroad, it is not advisable to insert money in mail. You can use bank services such as money gram for an easy, quick, and safe wiring of money.

Delivery Services Private quick service courier agencies deliver packages across town by motorcycle messengers. For instance, instead of going to a bookstore to buy some books, you

can call the bookstore and give the list of books you want to buy. A messenger riding a motorcycle will deliver the books you ordered after you transfer the payment to the bookstore’s bank account. The cost and speed of delivery depend on distance travelled and the size of the package. Although the sender usually pays for delivery, cash on delivery can also be arranged.

For larger packages that need to be sent across the country, Korea has several parcel service or 택배 (taekbae) companies. Drivers pick up and deliver packages door-to-door and most deliveries take one day. For international shipping, UPS, Federal Express, and DHL have local branch offices.

By Mheng

Useful Korean Phrases Dialogue A: 예약 좀 해 주시겠어요?

[Ye-yak jom hae ju-si-ge-sseo-yo?]

A: Please can we make a reservation?

B:일행은 몇 분이죠?

[Il-hae-ngeun myeot bu-ni-jyo?]

B: For how many people?

A: 여섯 명 입니다.

[Yeo-seot myeong im-ni-da.]

A: Six of us B: 죄송합니다만 좌석이 다 찼습니다.

[Jwe-song-ham-ni-da-man jwa-seo-ki da chat-seum-ni-da.]

B: I`m sorry. All our tables are full right now.

~을 해 주시겠어요?

(Would you like to ~N) Grammar 을 ~ 해 주시겠어요? (Would you like to ..?)

This expression is used when making a request.

Ex) 저와 함께 쇼핑을 해 주시겠어요?

(Would you like to go shopping with me?)

Vocabulary Exercise In this letter grid, try to find the following Korean words, joining letters horizontally, vertically or diagonally.

축제 (festival), 편지 (letter), 노래 (song), 주말 (weekend), 결혼 (marriage), 나무 (tree), 무등산 (Mudeungsan) and many more things are possible according to your Korean level.

향

사

지

파

곡

주

무

A: 대기자 명단에 올려주세요..

[Dae-gi-ja myeong-dan-e ol-ryeo-ju-se-yo.]

A: Could you put us on the waiting list?

충

축

미

다

소

터

등

민

제

바

나

무

자

산

B: 네, 알겠습니다.

[Ne, al-get-seum-ni-da.]

B: Sure.

호

족

초

포

노

미

축

사

편

지

카

결

바

기

프

코

노

래

혼

토

주

함

병

독

통

밭

콕

말

Vocabulary 예약 [ye-yak]: reservation 좌석 [jwa-seok]: seat 대기자 명단 [dae-gi-ja myeong-dan]: waiting list

By Kang Nang-won Nang-won is a student of Korean Language and Literature at Chonnam National University

Gwangju News May 2010

21

Festival Review

Blossoms to Bottle Rockets:

Jinhae’s Cherry Blossom Festival

W

e arrived on a crowded city bus from Masan, rambling down a hill covered in fluffy white trees. The driver stopped at a wide traffic circle, and we were swept off with the rush of passengers onto the sidewalk.

My girlfriend and I had come to Jinhae to welcome spring, continuing a tradition begun as students in Washington, DC, where we would walk hand-in-hand in the shade of freshly-blossomed cherry trees, jostling with hundreds of other bumbling tourists for the same prized view of the Jefferson Memorial across the Tidal Basin framed by that one perfect blossom-covered branch.

Though the Jefferson Memorial was some 7,000 miles away, we were determined to carry on our tradition as best we could – which meant jostling with hundreds of other tourists for the same prized view from the top of Jehwangsan at Jinhae’s Cherry Blossom Festival.

Held annually in the smallish port city just outside of Busan, the festival commemorates the beginning of spring and the life of Admiral Lee Sun-shin who defeated several Japanese invasion attempts in the area. Various cultural events are held throughout the two weeks of the festival, though the main event is the streets and hills of Jinhae which explode in pink and white for only a couple of weeks.

The festival conjures up mental images of an idyllic walk along the picturesque Yeojwacheon stream, your companion’s face dappled by the shadows of cherry blossoms as you munch on snacks purchased from a truck. Or maybe you dream of climbing Jehwangsan’s 365 steps (one for each day of the year) to take in the sweeping view of the city from the top of Jinhae Tower, stopping to snap a few artistic shots of lovers feeding each other kimbap on a bench under a branch of white flowers. Don’t feel like all those stairs? That’s okay, there’s a rail car that shuttles up the elderly, infirm, and out of shape, though you’ll miss the fortune tellers and palm readers that ply the shady steps to the top.

22

Gwangju News May 2010

A small stream runs through the cherry blossom festival, Jinhae

As we wandered through the streets, shaded by the ubiquitous cherry trees, we soon became distracted by the carnival-like atmosphere going on around us.

There was food everywhere. Men spun cotton candy like Rumpelstiltskin, and ajummas flipped pa-jeon loaded with peppers, scallions and squid, as giant cauldrons of soup bubbled next to them. Men pulled fish and shrimp, octopus and squid, sea cucumbers and those weird red pinecones from boxy blue tanks and served them under a tent with a bowl of makgeolli.

Festival Review

Left: A blossom-laden bough reaches out over the calm water; Right: A young couple enjoy a picnic under a beautiful cherry blossom tree.

Entire sides of pigs roasted over open charcoal next to a tent that may or may not have served whale and roasted baby chicks (I didn’t ask).

But not everything resembled an exotic foods show on cable; on every street corner stood a cart peddling familiar snacks. Dried cuttlefish hung from hooks, awaiting the jaws of a shredder. Vats of bundigie (silk worm larvae) bubbled infernally next to roasting corn, and skewers of mysterious meat rotated delectably over electric burners.

We washed down our lunch with a couple of beers in the center of Jungwon Rotary, watching the people enjoy the afternoon. Young lovers took photos of themselves, oblivious to the teenagers playing soccer with an empty coconut next to them. Children frolicked, playing with balloons, bubbles, and their newest carny prizes while making faces at the foreigners.

Our beers finished, we ventured into the tent-city once more, hoping to win one of those helicopters the kids were playing with at one of the carny games. The weighted cans seemed to magically repel the baseballs we threw at them, the basketball hoop seemed too small for the ball, the BB gun didn’t shoot straight, and the eel we dropped into the water swam into the wrong divider.

At night, we settled back on the lawn in the rotary to watch the final night of the festival. The smell of roman candles mingled with the sounds of traffic cop’s whistles and the whinnying from the speakers of the horse-drawn carriages. A small child, barely old enough to venture out of his stroller, waved around a roman candle that had only seconds earlier been launching sparkling white bursts into the sky. We ducked. An ajossi glared at us for an uncomfortably long time, then offered us some of his smoked cuttlefish.

The morning after, we woke up early. The streets were quiet and mostly empty from the night before – as if the whole city had stayed up too late playing with fireworks. Even the cherry trees showed signs of a hangover – many of them had lost their petals, and so the sidewalks looked like they were covered with snow in spots. Roving bands of youths threw them at each other – a springtime snowball fight.

I bent down to throw some at my girlfriend, when a cloud of white and pink exploded around me. I ran down the street after her, already plotting how I’d get her back next year.

Story and photos by Jake Melville

Gwangju News May 2010

23

PHOTO CONTEST

W I N N E R

Cherry blossoms in Jinhae at night.

Photo by Meghan Reynolds

Reflective spheres and towering glass architecture in Sangmu district

Photo by Mesa Schumacher 24

Gwangju News May 2010

Submit your best shot of Korea!

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

Two Korean men overlooking Mokpo's shores

Photo by Selina Orrell

Seo-seok Bridge and Gwangju River night view

Photo by Leroy Kucia Gwangju News May 2010

25

Art

May 18 painting by Kim Do Gi and friends:

Why Creativity is Important in Every Culture

S

ome might argue that spending tax dollars to hand out grants to writers, musicians, artists and the like is a serious waste of money. This line of thinking might continue that “in hard times, what the world needs is a lot more job-creating industries, not hand-outs to ‘creative types.’”

In an unscientific survey, about 60 Chonnam National University students were asked the question: “Why is creativity important in every culture?” The positive and varied answers included: “creativity leads to inventions that drive new economic strength; it is a release of stress for the active creators, and an entertaining stress-reliever for those who attend performances; and creative impulses solve problems.”

Gwangju has a huge stake in the creative world with its upcoming eighth Biennale, construction of the Asian Cultural Center and a commitment to being a “Hub City for Asian Culture.” Grants from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, UNESCO, and the Gwangju city government, along with other grants, support the Daedong Foundation, Gwangju Museum of Art, Gwangju

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Gwangju News May 2010

Symphony Orchestra, Gwangju Traditional Orchestra, numerous performing arts centers, and events like the World Photonics Expo, Gwangju International Center and the upcoming Asian Culture Forum in September.

The commemoration of the May 18 1980 democratic uprising is also a part of Gwangju’s creative schedule. Kim Do Gi won a city grant to produce historical paintings that represent the uprising and massacre. He assembled 18 artists, who are working in a watermelon warehouse near Jeesil, which is over the northeast side of Mudeungsan.

Makeshift scaffolding, mainly built with pushed-together desks, has been made for the two largest pieces. Artist meetings’ to discuss how to place history within the giant works last took almost as long as the time taken to paint the works. The three largest pieces are about 2.5 meters by 4 meters.

Individual artists have easels all over the rest of the room, and there is a sleeping room set up, and a nearly continuous flow of artists stream into and out of the warehouse. This type of creative flow is common in Jeesil.

Centuries ago, the area called Sosaewon housed the largest

Art

private garden in Jeollanam-do and was a famous meeting place for Chosun and earlier dynasty poets and philosophers. Sosaewon has a Hanok house that demonstrates the ondol heating system quite nicely and a famous rock bridge made with with pillars of rocks (no mortar) that has stood for scores of decades. It is worth the short walk from the parking lot across the street.

Back at the warehouse, the artists have taken great pains to accurately recreate scenes from May 1980. They have not been shy about the brutality of the attacks, nor the bravery of inspired citizens, when the people of Gwangju took on special-forces paratroopers. These troopers had been trained to be dropped behind enemy lines in North Korea and to keep killing until they themselves were all dead. Ironically, tragically, had the uprising been met by riot police, there is a chance that the democracy finally achieved in 1987 might have taken a lot longer, or not come about at all.

The artist recreated nighttime scenes of the fires that burned to rally people in Gwangju too. Photographs and sketches were made at a Sunday, February 28 “outside dinner” at which artists and their families came together to create a crowd that could later be incorporated into the work. The paintings represent five months of work, and will cover many different aspects of the uprising. Dozens of additional paintings will be added to complete the painterly history of that fateful month.

These works are important because they make a permanent record of the events of 1980, and another way for local educators to access the story. At a time when local youth are losing touch with the significance of May 18 1980, additional permanent histories can help teach in ways that the May 18 commemoration itself cannot. Last year, in a unique show of indifference, President Lee Myung-bak did not come to Gwangju to mourn the dead.

Kim Do Gi preparing to paint the largest painting

There is no way of knowing whether the president will be at this year’s commemoration, but if not, these paintings will be.

Perhaps even more significant is the paintings’ direct representation of facts. The commemoration day will have a full slate of activities around Gwangju, with vendors offering food and other commercialized stages that can take away from the purpose of remembering what happened.

A lot has changed since 1980, sometimes ironically. The once-burned MBC building, across from Chonnam Women’s High School, is now a police academy. It has a brass and concrete historical marker, but how many students around Gwangju realize the importance of the fact that MBC refused to air coverage of what was going on in Gwangju at the time? Some of the battles took place in what is now Sangmu. The 5.18 Foundation is now there, as well as 5.18 Park and a “People’s Park,” but most food and entertainment venues in Sangmu are priced above the average Gwangju citizen’s entertainment budget.

So the efforts made at the warehouse go beyond using grant money to support artists; they get to the heart of why 518 still matters. Rather than worrying about commercial success, the artists have used Korean ingenuity to set up a studio in a warehouse that won’t be used for watermelons for a few months yet. They have made enough paintings to cover a great deal of what happened. The three largest works are “museum sized,” which means they could get a permanent home, and they could be part of how people gain from the sacrifices made.

Kwon Hyuk, Kim Do Gi and Kwon Seung Yul looking at a large painting, discussing what should come next

When a city gains so much educationally informative work from a creative project, it is a very good use of grant money. As Gwangju takes further strides to become a “Hub City of Asian Culture”, it is good to see local artists benefitting the entire community with their work.

Story and photos by Doug Stuber

Gwangju News May 2010

27

People

Letter from China F

riends in Gwangju, Gwangju-ites, citizens of the world: lend me your ears (or more probably eyes).

Please join me as I take a break from writing about snowy Korean mountains, and instead embark on a light-hearted look at the contrasts between life in China and life in South Korea.

First, politics (a heavy subject). Here in China, we rejoice in a curious political system whose technical name is “democratic dictatorship”. This is quite distinct from Korean President Lee Myung-bak’s brand of “dictatorial democracy”. Instead of demonstrating noisily in the streets, as Gwangju-ites are accustomed to doing on Geumnam-no near the GIC, China’s citizens – the ones who put the “People” in the “People’s Republic” – can be seen quietly practising tai chi, qigong and outdoor synchronised dancing, as well as huddling intrigued and absorbed around board games and mahjong.

Next, grub. Chinese cuisine differs from Korean, despite the two countries’ proximity. Here in Sichuan province – home of giant pandas, giant Buddha statues, and innumerable teahouses – the food gets pretty spicy, yet it’s a distinctive spiciness that numbs and stuns the taste-buds, contrasting with every other spicy cuisine I’ve sampled from Indian to Mexican to Korean. Don’t worry about me, though – whenever I miss bean-paste stew (doenjang jjigae) or bibimbap, I head to one of the local Korean restaurants. They even give you banchan side-dishes, served by staff costumed-up to look more Korean than most people you ever meet in Jeollanam-do.

Vegetarianism can be tricky, though. On a recent research trip to Guizhou province in China’s southwest, a family took pity on this lone traveller and invited me home for their Spring Festival banquet.

Alas, there would be nothing but meat – not a vegetable in sight – and so the impeccably hospitable family delayed their meal and offered me a sweet rice 28

Gwangju News May 2010

One of the countless teahouses in the Sichuan provincial capital city Chengdu

cake as cooked by the Miao minority (the local equivalent of Korean tteok). This was tasty, and I praised it to the skies, but I can’t help wondering why vegetables continue to have such low status in China, such that they are excluded from the most important feast of the year. Still, it’s hard to miss Korea’s lavish veggie buffets while tucking into China’s noble tradition of imitation-meat dishes that employ vegetarian ingredients quite ingeniously to create the illusion of (ribless) spare-ribs or (duckless) Beijing duck.

Let’s turn next to public space: South Korea and China are virtual opposites in this regard. From the spacious and speedy coaches that ply the highways between Gwangju Bus Terminal and Seoul, Busan or Mount Taebaek (oops…), to the pristine and splendid m… (sorry, I promised not to mention them…), South Korea oozes space. China, in contrast, bursts with life, and with people – 1.3 billion of them, if you really want to know. It may seem chaotic and crowded – especially if you find yourself left with a ‘no-seat’ ticket for an overnight train ride, crammed together with other

People

Upper Left: exquisite Chinese-style gardening at Dufu's Thatched Cottage (where the celebrated and socially engaged Tang dynasty poet Dufu is supposed to have lived during his Chengdu years); Right: Scenes from Sichuan Opera (chuanju).; Bottom Left: shots of Sichuan University's old Wangjiang ('River View') campus

seatless passengers – but at the same time, this vitality, the hustle and bustle of Chinese life, draws you in and fascinates.

Size isn’t everything, or shouldn’t be. Many Chinese people are interested in South Korean popular culture – even that strangely popular ditty ”Nobody, nobody but you” can be heard over here – but occasionally I receive the comment, while introducing Korean culture as best I can in class, that South Korea is no bigger than such-and-such a province. I’m quite adamant that Korean culture is undervalued, overlooked and neglected – both in the UK, where most ‘Korea’ books cover the Korean War and you can hardly get a decent dolsot bibimbap, and in China, where too few people take the time to study Korean language.

Office life is different. In Gwangju, our leader (at the Education Office) was the wonjangnim. But in the languages and cultures department of the university over here, the highest-ranking figure is the Chinese Communist Party representative – who also appears to be a fine lecturer and very amiable.

University life differs, again. It’s customary for South Korean universities to be built on mountain slopes (Chonnam being a refreshing exception). Over here, campuses are flat, always. They are havens for cyclists, not hikers.

Access to stimulating reading material in English is one of the greatest problems both in Jeollanam-do and in Sichuan province. Over here, we have a library, bookshop and cultural centre called the Bookworm that hosts talks by writers and culturally interesting figures passing through town. On the very last evening of March, Simon Winchester – author of Korea: a Walk Through the Land of Miracles – regaled a packed house with tales of his long and fascinating career as a journalist and freelance writer. Meanwhile, as an antidote to all those bookshop corners with cellophane-wrapped books in English, Gwangju has the GIC library and a steady supply of articles covering all sections of society in the Gwangju News.

Such things are to be treasured – so cherish them!

Story and Photos by Jacob Lotinga

Gwangju News May 2010

29

Korea Experience

Empty Orchestra Friday night and the lights are low Looking out for the place to go Where they play the right music, getting in the swing You’re in the mood for a dance And when you get the chance...

Go to a NORAEBANG! rab that microphone, clear that voice and sing until everyone in the room either looks like they’re hurrying to grab their coat or shares the stage. To my surprise and also probably to those who know me well, I had been here well over a month before I stepped in front of numerous screens, with a ball bouncing from word to word. I can still see that bouncing ball in my dreams, when I’m on stage in front of millions of people who are going crazy to the sound of my delectable voice. However, on this soju-fuelled night, the smell of urine and the general creepiness of the noraebang that we chose, lessened the idea of stardom. Not to mention attempting to reach some, what I would like to consider, unreachable high notes.

G

Noraebang’s closest sibling Karaoke – Japanese for “empty orchestra”, not tone deaf, contrary to popular belief – was created by Japanese musician Daisuke Inoue in 1971. The first machine was a combination of a car stereo, coin box and an amplifier. Karaoke became popular in Asia before being introduced to the rest of the world. Now here it is, all over South Korea in the form of noraebangs, as a profitable form of lounge and nightclub entertainment. It can be seen that karaoke is so popular in Asian countries, such as Japan and South Korea, because it creates an element of release and a way to unwind in a culture that tends to have a reputation for being disciplined. Although a generalisation, it is a believable claim. However, on the flip side, perhaps it is more popular in Asian countries because they are not afraid to let go and release their inner singing superstar. Here there are more social restraints in day-to-day life but perhaps Westerners feel shame in other ways much more intensely. While it is debateable whether or not song rooms attain an underlying distinction between different cultures, what

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A ubiquitous noraebang inflatable sign

is important is the love of the music.

Noraebangs have created a different platform on which to appreciate music that stems away from iPods and clubs. They are an in-between land from iPods which are so very private and clubs which are so very open.

They are public to a certain degree, yet private because they are experienced with a small group of people. They provide the chance to engulf oneself in music, in a way that allows people to publicly release their appreciation

Korea Experience

Left, and above: Inside a typical noraebang room

never partakes in the noraebang because he knows he can’t sing, describes it as “interesting to watch, but it offers little release if you are not wanting to actively engage in noraebang.” At least some people can recognise when they can’t sing, unlike some such as myself , who get their microphone confiscated from their hand whilst attempting to rap.

for music, even though the audience might not appreciate it. Noraebangs allow one to release that inner celebrity and imitate what we constantly witness in the media, providing people with the chance to live the dream, or not. This is highlighted through the growth of reality television, such as the X Factor, providing the “ordinary” person with a chance to reach stardom. This can be seen to stem from karaoke, as it is essentially people copying what other people have already done, which can be amusing yet annoying.

When you get up in front of the screen and start mimicking Michael Jackson’s moon walk, twirling and yelling “ouch” whilst grabbing your crotch, although slightly entertaining, it tends to lose its novelty after a while.

In a recent poll taken in Britain, karaoke was voted the most irritating invention of all time. This could be the result of countless experiences of audience members who have watched people who cannot perform and who aren’t particularly pleasant to listen to. However, this could also be the opinion of those, who after a few glasses of soju and shots of tequila, find themselves with a microphone in their hand, singing Bon Jovi’s “Living on a Prayer”, dancing on tables and generally making a fool out of themselves. A friend of mine, who

For something that is so popular, it retains a stigma of being annoying and perhaps the two go hand in hand.

Generally the things people look at as annoying through time, tend to be popular. If you create a product that has become so popular that it becomes annoying, you’re going to be considered a pretty great inventor. Regardless of whether karaoke is irritating or not, noraebangs still live strong, particularly in the heart of Gwangju and have provided an entirely new way for people to learn to tolerate each other.

Here are my top ten karaoke songs to woo an audience with. Choose your weapon carefully: 1. Waterloo, Abba 2. Bohemian Rhapsody, Queen 3. My Way, Frank Sinatra 4. I Will Survive, Gloria Gaynor 5. Dancing Queen, Abba 6. Angels, Robbie Williams 7. Like a Virgin, Madonna 8. It’s Raining Men, Weather Club 9. Summer Nights, Olivia Newton John and John Travolta 10. I Should Be So Lucky, Kylie Minogue Story and Photos by Selina Orrell

Gwangju News May 2010

31

Feature

Brewing Tea The sixth and final part of our comprehensive look at all things ‘Tea’

Canto XVII The joy of savoring tea by oneself Like the sound of a bamboo flute or winds passing by a pine forest, Boiling tea sounds lonely and chilled.

In pure, free, bright body, The mind is awakened.

Only accompanied by you, bright moon in clouds, We, you and I, are here.

Doeen is sitting Reaching excellence by this The Venerable Cho Eui (tran. Chang Bae Kim)

Brewing Guide Weight: 2 grams for 6 fluid ounces

Water Temperature White tea, spring green tea, Japanese tea: 71-77C Green tea: “Column of steam steadily rising” 72-82C Oolong tea: “Fish Eyes” 82-93C Black tea: “String of Pearls” 88-93C Pu-erh tea: “Turbulent Waters” 93-100C

T

he most common type of tea produced in Korea is green tea. In April, after the cold has left and the warmth of spring touches the landscape, the tea plants push forth new buds and tiny leaves. Possessing the stored energy of the plant during the dormancy of winter, and the strength of renewal in the new season, these small buds are particularly fragrant and flavorful. The tea produced from this first flush is called ujeon in Korean. It is the most expensive of the year's teas, usually selling between 100,000 won to 200,000 won for 100 grams. It is justifiably exquisite, though ephemeral as the flavors become muted when dry leaves sit for more than a few weeks. Good ujeon can be infused up to five or six times, while retaining is flavor, thus dramatically reducing the cost per cup. The next flush is called saejak, which occurs at the end of April or the beginning of May. The leaves of this plucking are noticeably larger, however, they still maintain a noticeable freshness. Even though saejak can only be infused three or fours times, the similarity in flavor to ujeon and the drastic decrease in price make it excellent value. I generally drink saejak throughout the year. Junggak is the next flush, harvested at the end of May into June. These leaves are fully mature and lack the lightness of the previous two flushes, and can only be infused once or twice. This is a good everyday tea, as it is relatively inexpensive, and easy to find year round. These are the three traditional flushes in Korea.

Nevertheless, a lot of gardens harvest more than three times in the spring. Traditionally this is frowned upon, as the tea 32

Gwangju News May 2010

plants are not given enough time to regenerate properly and nutrients from the soil become diluted, thus the leaves become less concentrated. Generally the price of the tea is a good indicator of the quality, but many tea marketers have come up with expensive sounding names for proprietary flushes that are out of line with tradition. This only adds to the confusion when buying tea. The best thing to do is ask questions. Many producers use the name jakseol which means "bird's tongue;" this refers to the shape of the leaf, and generally denotes quality. Unfortunately, it is sometimes used as a way to make later flushes seem more desirable. Lastly, many producers continue to harvest mature leaves well into the summer. These large leaves are often used to make tea bags or sold as inexpensive "water" tea, to be drunk as the name implies.

Depending on the garden, plucking and production methods for green tea in Korea are distinctly different. In Hadong, for example, green tea is harvested by hand so as to retain the structure of the leaves. The leaves are gently rolled by hand on bamboo mats or in bamboo baskets, and then roasted up to twelve times in metal pans. The final leaves, when brewed, reemerge in their entirety as they were in nature. This is an avowedly Chinese aesthetic, and tea makers in Jirisan uphold traditions from the Three Kingdoms period. In Boseong, on the other hand, most tea is harvested by machine, and quickly shaped and dried in a highly mechanized fashion. Occasionally, leaves are steamed before being roasted, in order to produce a bright green color. In both cases, tea from Boseong is markedly greener than that from Hadong, and the liquor asserts a grassier flavor and luminescent color. This is a legacy from the Japanese colonial period, when many of Boseong's gardens were developed for the consumption of the Japanese empire. The cut, and misshapen leaves are a small price to pay for the intense color and "green" flavor preferred by the Japanese. Unsurprisingly, handmade tea in Boseong, called soncha, is exceptionally expensive, as it is a novelty. Surprisingly, however, handmade Hadong green tea is often the same price, if not cheaper than machine-made Boseong tea. Good tea is always expensive in Korea, on average much higher than other tea producing countries; still other considerations such as marketing and unquestioning consumers can artificially inflate prices. In the end, the choice of which tea is better is a personal one, as different people weigh different variables in determining quality.

Feature

In addition to green tea, many producers are now making partially oxidized teas and fermented teas. The harvesting method is the same as for green tea; differences in the final product are down to production techniques. Oxidized teas in Korea are often called hwangcha or "Yellow Tea," which is not like yellow tea from China. Korean hwangcha is similar to oolong tea, as the finished leaves of different gardens are oxidized to varying degrees. Coupled with the immense popularity of Chinese pu-erh tea and Koreans' fondest for fermentation, several gardens in Korea have tried to capitalize on the demand for fermented tea.

Fermented tea, or balhyocha, is made like it is in China; leaves with slight amounts of moisture and microorganisms are allowed to ferment. I have had both loose leave and compressed balhyocha and I found both of them to be much lighter than fermented teas from China, as they lacked the distinct earthy richness of pu'erh. Nevertheless, these teas are distinctly Korean, and deserve a tasting, even if the price is often discouraging.

Once you decide upon a tea, and are ready to drink it, the most important consideration, since it makes up almost all of the liquor, is water, which must be good, especially when making delicate green teas. If your water has a taste, it will interfere with the subtle flavors of your tea. The darker and richer the tea, the more compromising it is with off flavors in the water. When I drink green tea, I always use water that I get from a local spring in the mountain in Naju. Bottled water and filtered water are equally good, but do not use tap water. Fresh green tea is loaded with active compounds than react with the chemicals in sanitized tap water. If I have to use municipal water, I stick to tea-bag green tea or strong black tea. After water quality, water temperature is the next consideration. Many people claim to dislike good green tea because it is too bitter. Often this is the result of brewing assertive green teas with exceedingly hot water.

Generally when infusing green tea, the water should be well below boiling. For oolong teas the water should be slightly below boiling, cooler for less oxidized oolongs, and hotter for more oxidized. To brew black tea, the water

should be almost to a full boil. And for fermented teas, boiling water is not too hot.

The next consideration is the amount of tea to use. Tea comes in many shapes and sizes. Some teas are very dense; other teas have lots of volume but not much weight. The general rule is to use two grams of dry tea per six ounces of water. Using the proper amount of tea takes some mastering, but one good measuring tool is a teaspoon. For an average weight/volume tea, one teaspoon is about two grams, which is also the size of a standard tea bag. The final consideration is brewing time. Each tea has its own character, likewise for each tea the time and number of infusions vary. Generally good green teas, oolong teas, and fermented teas can be infused multiple times; three to five times is average for green and oolong, once or twice for black, and five to ten infusions or more is possible for some fermented teas. The first infusion is usually longer than the second or third, which are generally very short. The later infusions become progressively longer as the leaves loose flavor. When making a decent saejak tea, for example, I usually infuse for one minute at first. The second infusion is usually around 30 to 40 seconds and the last infusion is more than a minute. It is possible to brew more, but most of the flavor compounds have already been released and all that remains is the bitter substance of the leaves. Brewing is an art as much as it a science. Ask the tea maker, or the teashop about the character of the tea, or read the side of the package for general brewing instructions. In the end, making a tea the right way is the result of a personal relationship with the leaves, and many hours of practice and concentration.

Finally, there are a variety of additional considerations related to tea drinking, from the type of tea, tea wares and tea ware color, to the place, the people involved, the art on the walls, the music in the air and the scenery, which all add depth do the tea drinking experience. Sometimes when all the elements come together nicely, it is hard not to drink a dozen cups of tea while having a conversation with close acquaintances. The only deterrent is excessive caffeine consumption, but if it weren't for the caffeine tea wouldn't have it place in the world. Traditionally, and now scientifically, tea is purported to aid in alertness, due the caffeine, while at the same time relaxing and soothing the body, due to generous doses of polyphenols and cathechins. These are similar compounds to those found in red wine and chocolate. Whatever the case, as many have alluded to, including Korea's tea master Cho Eui, it is good to drink tea often, but not too much. All considerations aside, true enjoyment is in your mind.

Story and photos by Warren Parsons Further reading:

Above: Muwi Temple, Gangin County; Facing page inset: Cho Eui' Hermitage, Daeheung Temple, Haenam County

Cho Eui, Dongdasong (translated by Chang Bae Kim). Seoul: Solgwahak 2009.

Heiss, Mary Lou and Robert, The Story of Tea. Berkeley: Ten Speed Press 2007.

Kim, Chang Bae. Korean Tea Classic in Black and White Paintings.

Seoul: Solgwahak 2009.

Okakura, Kakuzo. The Book of Tea. Tokyo: Kodansha International Ltd., 2005.

Yu, Lu. The Classic of Tea (translated by Francis Ross Carpenter).

Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1974.

Gwangju News May 2010

33

Recipe

Korean Easy-Cook Recipe

떡 볶 이 Tteokbokki

I

n Korea, there are many cheap and popular street foods such as tteokbokki, twigim (deep-fried snacks), sundae (sausage) and so on. Among them, the most typical street food is tteokbokki. In the past, tteokbokki was only eaten by kings, because common folk living in that age were too poor to eat rice every day. ‘Tteok’ (rice cake) is made of rice so they couldn’t eat tteokbokki. However, times have changed. We can find out the restaurants that sell tteokbokki and it is a very popular dish for everyday people, due to its simple preparation and cost. We can make tteokbokki very easily, as you will see below, and the required ingredients are very cheap.

Another reason why tteokbokki is loved by people regardless of age and gender is it combines with unusual ingredients very well. The tteokbokki which I will introduce below is just the basic form, but you can make other variants depending on your tastes such as cheese tteokbokki, pizza tteokbokki and curry tteokbokki. In this way, tteokbokki developed in to various forms with new ingredients to become socalled “fusion food”. Finally, a tteokbokki festival will be held in Seoul from May 7 to 9.

(See www.topokki.com for more info – Korean language only) Story and photos by Kim Mi-so Kim Mi-so is a sophomore majoring in English literature at Chonnam National University.

How to make Tteokbokki

(serves 1-2 people)

Things to Prepare: A boiling pot, water 800ml, tteok (rice cake) 500g, two large pieces of fish cake, half of a carrot, an onion, two big spoon of red pepper paste(gochujang), two big spoon of starch syrup (or sugar), sesame Cooking Method: 1. Put the water in a saucepan and boiling it.

2 .While the water is boiling, slice tteok, fish cake, carrot and onion in thumb size.

3. When the water start to boil, put red pepper paste and starch syrup and mix them well until red pepper paste and starch syrup are melting in the water.

4. Add tteok, fish cake, carrot and onion, turn down the gas a little bit.

5. Wait about 10 minutes.

6. Sprinkle sesame on the finished tteokbokki.

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Gwangju News May 2010

KoreaMaria: Food Critic

Jungfrau Good

Sets from 29,000 won - 75,000won Appetizers & Salads: 13,000 won - 18,000 won Soups & Side dishes: 4,000 won -12,000 won Dessert: 6,000 won - 8,000 won Steaks: 13,000 won - 48,000 won Fish & Shellfish: 23,000 won - 65,000 won Rice & Risotto: 18,000 won Pizza & Pasta: 15,000 - 20,000 won Cocktails, Wine and normal drink stuff Bus 01, 17, 25, 27, 48, 59, 76, 95, 98 Yangrim Humansia Apt. bus stop (양림휴먼시아) Taxi: ‘융프라우 레스토랑’ at 방림동 062-653-4800 Namgu, BangRim1Dong 358-1 www.cyworld.com/happyjungfrau

Exterior, and interior to some extent, is like a Swiss chalet. Flowers galore welcome you every step of the way as you make your way in. This place is huge. Hopefully they will seat you upstairs with the giant chandeliers, butter yellow chintz loveseats or even on the outdoor balcony with a great garden view.

Salads and appetizers are my favorites. The rocket and prosciutto, the seared tuna, gravlax salmon, spinach with prawn and bacon, or the caesar salad are great choices. Other starts that are too-diefor: escargot, deep fried blue cheese salad, and tomato with basil and mozzarella. The quattro formaggi pasta is wickedly decadent with gouda as one of the four cheeses. The pan-fried sea bream is gorgeous in the mornay sauce. Meat eaters will love the chateau briand, lamb chops with rosemary and garlic, or the chicken leg in chili sauce. Make sure you try the minestrone as your soup; veggies in it vary in season.

Outrageously expensive, but always a guaranteed quality meal. The chef is wonderful. The staff, on the other hand, are terrible – too scared to speak English and actively look away from patrons, so they don’t need to help them – they gather together and hang out by the water station doing nothing.

You can choose your lobster when you walk in if you are getting one of the set menus which include a little something - something from nearly every category on the menu. You get some lovely foccaccia bread with fantastic balsamic vinegar and a quality extra virgin olive oil for dipping. A cute pickle mix of carrots, radish, onion, cucumber, and yellow pepper are served along with the requisite kimchi; served to help you digest the rich foods on the menu. The chocolate cake is like any slice you could get at Kenya Coffee Shop – pass on dessert as they are not worth the price and are a total step down in quality from the rest of the meal.

By Maria Lisak at Gwangju University Gwangju News May 2010

35

Bar Review

Tequilaz

S

o, you come to South Korea, expecting everything you always saw on the movies: neon lights flashing everywhere, temples on snow capped mountains, all the mysteries connected to an unknown world.

Arriving here you realize the reality fits the picture in your head perfectly.

It’s exciting to figure life out in a country where you don’t often see or hear English. Everything about your life here is an adventure, sampling the food, finding a bus route, shopping, hiking and learning the first few Korean words.

Korea – “land of the morning calm”. How wonderful.

After a few weeks though, you start to realize that you are missing familiar things like family or people who understand you… But most of all you miss the food!

For me the things I missed terribly were my family, a good cocktail and great food. Since I couldn’t have the first, I moved on with the list….

After having many soju blackouts, I started to miss going to a bar where the barman can actually pour me a cocktail, and after sitting back and sipping it, I didn’t feel like turning green in the face! Thank goodness Joe Wabe can pour a cocktail that will make you go back to Tequilaz again and again!! The best margaritas you have ever tasted in all the different flavors you can think of! There is not a single time that the quality differs from the first… always the same, smooth taste of tequila warming your throat.

Tequilaz's, located in a small alleyway of one of the main throughfares by Chonnam backgate, is the latest bar to be opened by Costarican-American, an 8-year Gwangjuresident, Joe Wabe and Sung Ju-kan, a Gwangju native.

They opened the bar February this year and describes it as a "Mexican-Latino Fiesta Bar. As a South African myself, I miss some dishes I can’t find in Korea a lot. Most cultures have a special connection to

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Gwangju News May 2010

food. Eating together is what makes a meeting more intimate. The few times when I felt lonely and isolated, I wanted just one thing: the comfort of food.

This is what makes Tequilaz so great: I can eat Mexican food. When Tequilaz opened, most foreigners gave a sigh of relief – finally Mexican food!

The menu is designed in a way that just by looking at it your mouth starts to water. The dish itself, when sitting in front of you, looks so delicious you want to take a picture.

Every time I have been to Tequilaz, I felt like I’ve filled that void. Not the physical hunger, but the sensation that I ate something non-Korean that tastes like a fiesta in my mouth! Personally I enjoy going to Tequilaz, not only for the food and cocktails, but because it is something completely different.

The interior makes you feel like you’re in a place far removed from Korea, a tucked away bar somewhere close to home. The vibrant inviting colors against the walls, and the tequila bottles everywhere just gives you the sensation that you want to be there! The random phrases against the walls invite you to make new memories, which might someday be up there for someone else to read!

Better yet the fact that Tequilaz is a non-smoking bar makes me just want to go there even more! No more smoke-reeking clothes that make you promise yourself the next day that you will never smoke again. No more “accidental” cigarette burns on your favorite coat or red burning eyes, none! The comfortable spot outside for smokers are just as convenient since the big windows makes it easy to keep track of what is going on inside, while being outside.

I enjoy the energy that fills the place, the genuine salsa music and the crowd of people who flock there for the same reasons I go there.

Now that the seasons are starting to change again, I can’t wait to enjoy a margarita outside on the wooden porch, while listening to salsa music and enjoying a wonderful Mexican dinner. Believe me, after going there and having the first shot of tequila, you will soon be a regular just like me!

By Ivana Steyn

Cartoon

Gwangju News February 2010 37 Gwangju News May 2010 37

Festival Preview

A Crimson Thread Entwines Our Fates An off-beat preview to Chosun Rose Festival It is estimated that William Shakespeare used over 3,000 puns in his works. (which is not to suggest in any way that the writer is Willy the Shake's peer) (CAVEAT LECTOR – This Is A Very Punny Tale) n a dimension parallel to our own, a weary world stews in its juices. Environmental degradation and overpopulation, long out of control, now threaten all life on the planet. In response, the powerful Vulgarian party issues a draconian decree: "Henceforth, all citizens must cultivate their own 'personal' plant." This "People's Plant," as its called, is a botanical breakthrough that it is hoped will help with two Herculean tasks: restoring the planet's atmosphere and feeding its teeming masses.

I

Although genetically engineered, these People's Plants still need Mother Nature. So, as their pitiful planet orbits its solitary star (with increasing wobble, I fear), the following appear on each plant, each in its season: one huge white flower in the spring; one gargantuan green leaf in the summer; one enormous yellow fruit in the fall; and one giant brown leaf in the winter.

Needless to say, on such a functionally fashioned plant, the flower of spring is NOT much to look at (even a cauliflower puts it to shame). Nor does its mass of immature cells do much for its fragrance (though "Wallflower Perfume" might one day bring it to market).

As for summer's solo shoot, well, she's much more of a 38

Gwangju News May 2010

swinger. Goes by the name of Sunshine Susie. Likes to work on her tan in the day; pose for soft porn at night. Got her own website, too. Calls it "Photo Sin Thesis." Shame she's not happy, though. Her boss, Old Sol's got the hots for her. Seems he can't get sweet Susie out of his system.

So, one day in the fall, when he's down south, Susie gives him the slip. Finds a cooler star.

A harvest moon hangs in the sky when Big B.B. Bean (aka "The Musical Fruit") steps on to the stage. As he saunters up to the mike, the crowd grows deathly silent (a premonition, perhaps). Then, with a shake of his neckless head; a roll of his shapeless hips; the Bean gets the show cooking. First, he booms out his signature greeting: "I AM - A MASS - OF GAS!" And, as if on cue, his fans all start THE chant: "MASS OF GAS, MASS OF GAS, MASS OF GAS" (some clown shouts: "GAS MASK," "GAS MASK," but, considering Bean's reputation, who can say if he's joking). Still, whoopee, the show's well under way and it promises to be one night to remember.

And, as fortune would have it, it is. For old Fickle Finger of Fate's in the crowd (thumbed a ride with the Grim Reaper) and the two need a pea (for a digital shell game down the road). Bean's the only pod in town tonight

Festival Preview

though, and despite his being a bit bloated (don't blame the Bean, its from soaking), they decide that he'll have to do. So, at a signal from Fickle, Grim leaps up on the stage and, spreading his flimsy legs, firmly sticks Bean with his sick sickle. Bean, always the ham, clutches at his chest as he crashes to the floor (screaming, "Who fired that shot?")

But, ladies and gentlemen, please remain in your seats.

True the fat man has sung, and the wind it has broken, and the Bean has slipped into his shell. But it's winter in LOB, and this show has four acts. Soon Susie's on stage for her final fling. So, though shriveled, shrunken, Beanless and bare, abandoned by Sol, who's gone south for the winter, Sweatshop Susie steps on to the stage. She dangles, she spins, she's ugly as sin. But it’s still a good show.

Some citizens stoop to collect her. Others jot little notes on her. Soon she's pressed into more serious service: Like questioning the state. Soon people are slamming its slogans (like the particularly irksome "Two Peas in a Pod" Program" (Promote the Practical and Praise the Productive). Why not three Peas people wonder? But the Pea they love most has no place in the pod, nor will it ever.

So, soon Rogue Romantics, those Lovers of Beauty, find more direct ways to challenge the Vulgarian Party, and particularly its powerful MINISTRY OF BEAST (Beauty's Expulsion: A State Task).

Unfortunately for this fledgling fourth estate, the MOB strikes back. They enlist bands of jackbooted boys they call Beanies, to track down these wayward Lovers of the Leaf (penalty for being caught is lobotomy!). But the LOL is one step ahead and are now nowhere to be found on the face of LOB (they're its first underground). And there, using techniques stolen from the Ministry of Graft, The Romantics soon have succeeded in growing beautiful flowers on their Plants. With, sweet Jesus, fragrant scents.

Of course, when the Ministry gets its first whiff, they're incensed. Soon Beanies with noses are tracking down the scents. Some sniff out these fragrant flagrants. (Many are actually caught in flagrante delicto. If you're gonna defy the BEAST, go all the way, heh?). But, fortune smiles on the Rogues, for the Boys suffer from a fatal flaw: they're predictable (and soft and lazy). So, predicting their raids depends on the season. Now, the Romantics see the solution: simply move their produce early each spring.

But, where? Weak points in the fabric of space are tested.

Sacred spots in the seams are examined. At last a worn spot is discovered. Nectar dissolves it further. Then, with a Big Bang, The Romantics break through (Bean would have loved it!)

And so, what is known as The Great Transmigration began. But, as Beauty pored through the hole (following

an unexplainable Mass of Gas) the Crimson Cord that contained it spun out of control. The plug went missing (hello, moon). Touchdown was a disaster (goodbye, dinosaurs). But, practice makes perfect. And at last the Romantics succeeded (in a place called Eden).

Now, after eons of use, the Crimson Cord is that connects our worlds is frayed but unbroken (I'm talking trillions of split ends, all going deep, all yelling "Hail Mary!"); strained but unrent (guess no one's found a way to charge them); tied but untangled (except up in Blue...ever seen a blue flower?). It brings blossoms to birth on earth.

Briefly, at first ㅠㅠ (for the Sniffers are fresh and move fast in their work). But, by May, they stay ^^ (when the Boys bivouac in the Valley of Roses).

And, in Gwangju, that's our special good fortune, I say

The annual Chosun University Rose Festival will be held in the Rose Garden on campus. May 14-16. The Festival, which was first held in May, 2003, features 227 different species of roses on 17,994 bushes (a lot of threads!). The festival itself will last three days, but the garden is open year round and (thanks to the lazy Snouts) the roses will be doing their thing right through the summer. Come out and join our annual anti-Vulgarian protest. PS: Best time for flowerviewing (and photography) is just after a rain clears our (relatively clean) air.

I will be holding a rose photo exhibition there. (unless the Vulgarians get me first) I invite you to visit.

By John Jackson www.zenfolio.com/jkjack Gwangju News May 2010

39

Upcoming Events June 5, 2010 Gwangju Culture & Art Center (Grand Theatre) Admission: 66,000 - 88,000 won

Festival

Exhibitions Jangseong Honggildong Festival May 7 - May 9 , 2010 Honggildong Theme Park Information: http://tour.jangseong.go.kr

Performances Digifesta Until June 10, 2010 Gwangju Biennale Exhibition Hall This exhibition takes up all four main halls, and ranges from photos of a popular TV Comedy show, all the way up to a Paik Nam June miniretrospective. The three digital rooms are very strong, and more accessible than the 2008 Biennale itself.

"Rookies" shows new video and digital artists. The main exhibition features 29 artists, all very strong, and the Paik room covers everything from his Haegum-of-tvs, to TV Robots, to a documentary about Charlotte Moorman, the "topless cellist" that sparked a big interest in Paik back in the 60s and 70s. The works were made between 1967 and 2000 of special note, a film including windsurfers on the Han in Seoul called "Bye Bye Kipling."

Section Four (the Exhibition Experience) offers a close look at the work of eight artists that lets you create what is happening whlie you are there.

Bitgoeul Lotus Lantern Festival Date: May 14, 2010 Venue: nearby Gwangju Park and old Jeollanam-do provincial office The annual Lotus Lantern Festival (Yeon Deung Hoe) will run on May 14 in Gwangju to celebrate Buddha’s birthday which falls on May 21, 2010; the birthday of Buddha is traditionally celebrated on the eighth day of April of the lunar calendar. The festival includes cultural performances, a massive lantern parade from Gwangju Park to old Jeollanam-do Provincial office.

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Gwangju News May 2010

Gwangju Symphony Orchestra Concert May 17, 2010 from 8 p.m.

Gwangju Art and Culture Center (Grand Theater) Admission: 10,000 - 30,000 won (50% discount for students) Performance Title: G. Mahler Symphonie Nr.2 c moll "Auferstehung" Gwangju Symphony Orchestra will perform a concert for the 30th anniversary of the May 18 Uprising with 518 people of civil chorus and two special performers who are selected through audition. The performance is to awaken the meaning of the Gwangju Democracy Uprising to the people.

Gwangju 5.18 30th Anniversary’s Opera “Mudeungdungdung” May 14 (7:30 p.m.), 15 (3 p.m., 7:30 pm), 16 (7:30 p.m.), 2010 Gwangju Art and Culture Center (Grand Theater) Admission: 10,000 - 100,000 won World of Dark Night, “Daehangno is going on strike” April 16 - May 23, 2010 Gwangju Gung-dong Art Theater, Admission: 8,000 - 10,000 won 1544-5010 The Magic Show, 2010 I Eungyeol: Again I Eungyeol Magic Show June 5 - 6, 2010 Gwangju 518 Memorial Center (Democratic Hall) Admission: 45,000 - 55,000 won 2010 Bobby Kim, Tour Concert “My SouL”

KBC Baby Fair Baby, child education supplies’ fair May 1 - 5, 2010 Second exhibition hall, KDJ Convention Center Admission fee: 2,000 won Contact: 062-650-3355 Hong Seongdam “White Light, Black Water” Until June 6, 2010 Opening: May 6, 2010 at Sangrok Exhibition Hall Hong is well-known as a May Gwangju artist. This exhibition will be shown to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Gwangju Uprising and to reproduce from past Gwangju to the city of Asia culture and human rights with new brand image of Gwangju.

Korea Green Energy Festival May 13 - 16, 2010 KDJ Convention Center Admission fee: free The exhibition shows the knowledge of energy resource and energy’s past, present and future. In addition you can see how to use energy efficiently through the experience programs.

The View of Seeing Today Until May 12, 2010 Gwangju Lotte Gallery The Time of Silence Until May 30, 2010 Gwangju Museum of Art Contact: 062-613-7141 The Newest Collection 2009 Until May 30, 2010 Gwangju Museum of Art Contact: 062-613-7141

Upcoming Events

Movies At Gwangju Theater Chungjangno 5-ga (two blocks back behind Migliore) Phone: (062) 224-5858 http://cafe.naver.com/cinemagwangju.c afe (only in Korean) Films change weekly to bi-weekly.

Shows films from several different countries. Korean subtitles available for all international movies. Check online for calendar and prices.

Admission fee: 7,000 won, 18,000 won for 3 films 1. The Class Genre: Drama Director: Laurent Cantet Starring: Francois Begaudeau, Franck Keita, Nassim Amrabt, Esmerelda Ouertani, Laura Baquela Language: French 2. A Serious Man Genre: Comedy Director: Jason Reitman Starring: Michael Stuhlbarg, Fred Melamed, Richard Kind, Aaron Wolf Language: English 3. Away We Go Genre: Comedy, Drama Director: Sam Mendes Starring: John Krasinski, Maya Rudolph Language: English

Speakeasy events May 8, 2010: Angry Bear

More live music at Speakeasy. A band called ‘Angry Bear’ from Seoul are coming to play Saturday, May 8. They recently completed their debut album ‘Gom’. You can can download the album for free online at Pirate Bay or buy it at the show for 5,000 won.

May 13, 2010: Drunken Spelling Bea This 13th of May Speakeasy will be hosting its first ever, ‘Drunken Spelling BEA’ (d'ya see what we've done there?).

There will be money prizes, drink prizes, and other specials throughout the night.

May 20, 2010: Bumper Bonus P-show Quiz Night It's a Thursday night, but the Friday is a holiday, so make the most of it with the Bumper Bonus P-show Quiz. 5,000 won per person entry, teams of 5, with prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd places plus bonuses during the night.

May 22, 2010: Local favorites Bettyass, 21Scott from Busan, and friends will be playing the Saturday 22nd May in an all Korean rock night.

Sports KIA Tigers Baseball Team Match Schedule Venue: Gwangju Mudeung Stadium (Baseball Field) 무등경기장 Buses 16, 38, 51, 53, 58, 89, 95, 98, 151 get off Mudeung Stadium bus stop Taxi direction: go to 무 등 경 기 장 (Mudeng Gyeonggijang gajuseyo.)

Advance Purchase: www.ticketlink.co.kr or 1588-7980

Date

Match Team

Time

4th 5th 6th 11th 12th 13th 18th 19th 20th 21st 22nd 23rd 28th 29th 30th

Hanhwa Hanhwa Hanhwa Nexen Nexen Nexen Lotte Lotte Lotte Nexen Nexen Nexen Hanhwa Hanhwa Hanhwa

18:30 14:00 18:30 18:30 18:30 18:30 18:30 18:30 18:30 14:00 17:00 17:00 18:30 17:00 17:00

Ticket Price: Adults 7,000 - 12,000 won Students (13-18 years old): 4,000 - 9,000 won Children (under 13 years old): 2,000 - 6,000 won Gwangju Sangmu Soccer Team Match Schedule Venue: Gwangju Worldcup Stadium (광주월드컵경기장) How to get there: Buses 6, 16, 20, 26, 47, 74 get off Worldcup Stadium bus stop Taxi direction: please go to 월드컵경기장 에 가주세요(Woldeukeop Gyeonggijange gajuseyo.)

Advance Purchase: ticketlink.co.kr Ticket Price: Adults 6,000 won (Advance Purchase 5,000 won) Students (13-18 years old): 3,000 won (Advance Purchase 2,000 won) Children (under 13 years old): free Date 9th 23rd

Match Team Gangwon Seoul

Time 15:00 15:00

Gwangju International Center May Concert Date: May 22, 2010 (Saturday); Time: 7.30 p.m.

Venue: Gwangju Art and Culture Center, Small Theater Unam-dong, near the Biennale Hall (Bukmun-ro #328-16, Unam-dong, Buk-gu) Bus 16, 18, 27, 51, 58, 84, 85, 95, 192 (Front gate of Gwangju Art and Culture Center)

For more information, please contact GIC at 062-226-2733/4 or visit www.gic.or.kr.

Host: Gwangju International Center

Collaborator: The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR)

*Funds raised will go to UNHCR which distributes funds to several causes.

Gwangju News May 2010

41

Upcoming Events

FUN Talk for International Exchange

Shall We Talk?

Target

Everyone interested in this talk

Date

1st: May 15 (Sat) 18:00~22:00 2nd: May 16 (Sun) 16:00~20:30

Place

Hub City of Asian Culture Information Center

Theme

1) My Secret Garden: Hanging Out in Gwangju 2) Home Away from Home

Call for the application Application Deadline:

May 10

How to Apply Download the application form at the blog below and send it to e-mail: shallwetalk@live.co.kr Benefits - All participants will be given a souvenir - The selected speakers will receive a free gift certificate, and their scripts will be on the brochure.

For an application form & more details, visit our blog at http://blog.naver.com/swtalk2010 *This Program is organized by the students of the Specialist Training Project for International Exchange (STPIE).

GIC Talk - May Schedule Time Change: Every Saturday, 15:00-16:30 Please note that there has been a change in the start time for the GIC Talks, and that as of April 3 they will now begin at the slightly later time of 3 p.m. every Saturday.

For more information, visit www.gic.or.kr or contact Singsing Kim at: gwangjuic@gmail.com Check out pictures from previous GIC Talks http://picasaweb.google.com/gictalk

Place: GIC office (5th floor of Jeon-il Bldg) May 22

May 1: No GIC Talk - May Day May 8 ‘My Life in Gwangju’ Art Show Please find more information on page 44

May 15 The Worst Place on Earth: Living and Working in Antarctica Speakers: Austin Lewis & Mesa Schumacher (ESL teachers) The frozen uninhabited continent of Antarctica has captured the interest, passion, and lives of scientists, adventurers and artists over the past centuries. Today's communities are a bit different, but no less bizarre. Join two former South Pole employees as we explore Antarctic history, modern life, and some decidedly strange ice stories!

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Gwangju News May 2010

The Plight of Refugees and the International Community’s Effort to Protect Them Speaker: Anne Mary Campbell (Representative, The UN Refugee Agency UNHCR) This year celebrates the 10th anniversary of World Refugee Day and the 60th anniversary of the Foundation of UNHCR. Anne Mary Campbell, the representative of the UNHCR Korea agency, will share her thoughts on the current status of some 34 million refugees and the efforts of the international society to protect them. She and the UNHCR Korea agency hope that Koreans will understand and sympathize with those who suffer the hardships of losing their hometown or are subjected to deportation due to violence and oppression, given that Koreans have experienced the Korean War 60 years ago. We have to realize that people like this exist in this world. She hopes that we can share their sorrows and pains.

May 29 Specialist Training Project for Intl. Exchange (STPIE) Project Review Speaker: 2nd STPIE Trainees

GIC News

GIC News Gwangju News: Contribute articles or photos. Edit or proofread. Assist with Gwangju News website. Assist with distribution (letter shop, delivery and promotion).

Contact Jon Ozelton or Minsu Kim at: gwangjunews@gmail.com or Maria Lisak gwangjumaria@yahoo.com GIC Talk: Presenters needed for the weekly GIC Talk, held Saturday at 3:00 at the GIC. Topics negotiable.

Contact Singsing Kim gwangjuic@gmail.com H o m e s t a y : Looking for host families for international students and visitors. Contact Minsu Kim gwangjuic@gmail.com International students and visitors looking for homestay, also contact Minsu Kim gwangjuic@gmail.com Volunteers: Volunteers needed for various programs.

Contact Taehyoung Kim gwangjuic@gmail.com Interns: Internships available for various programs.

Contact Singsing Kim gwangjuic@gmail.com Promotional Team: Please share your social media skills. Promote GIC and GIC related programs, projects and events. Contact Singsing Kim for details gwangjuic@gmail.com Volunteer Encouragement Team: Help us say thank you. We need volunteers to say thanks virtually through our website, blog, and e-mail.

Contact Maria Lisak gwangjumaria@yahoo.com Counseling: Please help us help our community. We are looking for pro bono experts in law, labor, mediation, domestic violence intervention and counseling, substance abuse recovery, mental health support, pension, insurance and financial counseling.

Contact Karina Prananto giccounseling@gmail.com S T P I E : Next Special Training Program for International Exchange (STPIE) starts in July. Eligible Korean candidates can contact Jiyeon Kim gwangjuic@gmail.com

meditation, positive thinking, database management, Photoshop, NGO specialists, motivation and leadership to give free workshops, seminars and training to GIC staff. In-house only.

Contact Maria Lisak gwangjumaria@yahoo.com Program Evaluators: Looking for HPT specialists and program evaluators for GIC programs and project.

Volunteer position only.

Contact Maria Lisak gwangjumaria@yahoo.com Membership Drive: Looking for membership event manager to plan and implement Membership Drive.

Volunteer position only.

Contact Maria Lisak gwangjumaria@yahoo.com "Ideas into Action" Grant Workshop: Turn an idea into a project. 3rd Saturday of the month 5-7 p.m. @ the GIC. This is an opportunity for you to put your idea into action. This is an opportunity to design, develop and implement your idea for our community with Maria Lisak acting as a mentor.

GIC membership required.

E-mail gwangjumaria@yahoo.com for questions.

Bridges – Connect the Gwangju International Community: Afternoon on 2nd Sunday of every month visit an NGO to introduce GIC and get to know those who use other organizations such as the Migrants Center.

E-mail gwangjuic@gmail.com.

Are you looking for a translation service?

Translation Service is available at GIC! Korean to English, English to Korean: - Certificates; Criminal History, Family relation certificate, Marital Statement, Medical Record, etc, - Webpages & catalogues - Abstracts, literature, etc.

Contact GIC for more information : 062-226-2733/4

Training Workshops: Looking for specialists in communication, various computer programs, Gwangju News May 2010

43

Community Board

‘Creativity Workshop & Support Group’ Twelve week program – daily writing, weekly readings & tasks, monthly gatherings .Purchase The Artist’s Way

by Julia Cameron @ the GIC. April 1 – Start reading Basic Principles & Tools & Week 1 of The Artist’s Way

by Julia Cameron. Continue reading one chapter per week for 12 weeks.

This is a 3-month commitment.

Monthly Gatherings (5 - 7p.m. @ the GIC) May 29 (Chapters 5 - 8 review) Jun 26 (Chapters 9 -12 review) Using the book, The Artist's Way, participants are able to kindle and support their personal creative projects. Maria Lisak facilitates this support group for community members to write, create artistic projects or just live life as your “art”. Advanced enrollment requested @ GIC or http://gicartistway.ning.com/. GIC membership required.

Gwangju Artist Collective We are a group of artists and art lovers. We meet up about once or twice a month at the GIc for workshops, discussions and community art events. Look for us on Facebook or send an e-mail to gicartist-collective@googlegroups.com Gwangju-Jeonnam Chapter of KOTESOL

Korea Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (KOTESOL) is a professional organization for teachers and other individuals interested in English Education. Our main goals are to assist members in their selfdevelopment and improve ELT in Korea. KOTESOL allows teachers to connect with others in the ELT community and find teaching resources in Korea and abroad through KOTESOL publications, conferences and symposia, and chapter meetings and workshops.

Meeting Dates/Times: Our chapter meets from 2:00-5:00 every second Saturday of the month (Spring schedule: April 10, May 8, and June 12) Usual Venue: Chosun University, Main Building, 2nd Floor, Room 2123 There will also be an outreach workshop at Mokpo National University on May 1.

To receive information about upcoming events, send an email to gwangju_kotesol@yahoo.com

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.

Sung Bin Orphanage Sung Bin Orphanage is looking for long-term volunteers. We would like you to give at least two Saturdays per month. As well as being a friend, you will be asked to teach basic English to girls aged 7 to 14. For more information please contact Mike at: sungbinvolunteers@gmail.com.

The Gwangju Women's FC Meets every Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. in Pungam-dong We welcome new members!

Check out 'Gwangu Women's FC' on Facebook for more details, or email cherrycoke52@hotmail.com for more information.

Free Health Clinic for Foreigners Venue: Gwangju Joongang Presbyterian Church.

Time: Sundays from 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m.

Offers: Internal medicine, Oriental medicine and Dental service. You could take some medicine after treatment. www.joongang.or.kr/clinic How to get there: Buses - 19, 26, 39, 59, 61, 74 (around Hwajeong crossroads) Subway - Exit 2 Hwajeong Station.

Apostolate to Migrants Center 969-10 Wolgok-dong, Gwangsan-gu Phone: 062) 954-8004 Buses: 18, 20, 29, 37, 40, 98, 196, 700, 720 get off at Wolgok market bus stop.

Mass: Sundays 3 p.m. at Wolgokdong Catholic Church

GAIA Gallery Artshow Come and join the celebration for the "My Life in Gwangju" art show and opening reception, May 8 from 3pm - 5pm at the GIC. Over the course of 3 months 12 members of the Gwangju community have been gathering to make, discuss and share their art about life in Gwangju. The group is comprised of individuals from Korea, Canada, South Africa, India and America; both teachers and students, professionally trained and self taught, the artists work reflects a diversity of people, experience and expression. The group show will include a variety of painting, drawing, collage and photography. Come on out on May 8 to see the work, meet the artists and learn more about upcoming art opportunities at the GIC. Facilitator: Sarah Epp Members: Alva French, Bae Sang-don, Debra Josephson, Doug Stuber, Jennifer Yamane, Lisa Mynhardt, Mandy Facer, Maria Lisak, Moon So-eun, Shilpa Rani

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Gwangju News May 2010

Advertisement

Please remember '21'

Gwangju News May 2010

45

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Gwangju News May 2010

Advertise in Gwangju News Target Your Customers!

Does your business cater to the foreign community?

Advertising in Gwangju News is the best way to reach your target market. 3,000 copies are printed and distributed every month. News about your services will spread like wildfire!

For advertising information contact Minsu Kim at (062) 226-2734 or e-mail: gwangjunews@gmail.com

Gwangju News May 2010

47