September 2010

Tips for Vegetarians

Foreigner's Day Football

Duty Free Shopping

Jirisan Trail

Tips for Vegetarians

Foreigner's Day Football

Duty Free Shopping

Jirisan Trail

Art • theAter • ConCerts • Film • Community • Fitness • Dine & Drink • nightliFe • trAVel

Korea awaits! • september 2010 Vol. 2 no. 12

printed using 100% soy ink.

Korea's Room CultureKorea's Room Culture tons of

fun events in our nationwide calendar!

외국인의 한국생활 노하우

08 Duty Free Shopping

If you don’t like taxes or lugging around your purchases, try these duty free stores.

14 Hyehyun Hong, Head Chef at NoxaShe didn’t go to any fancy culinary institutes,

but she sure makes a nice dish of gnocchi.

16Korean Pine Mushrooms

This hard-to-find fungus has an unusual, subtle taste that makes it a favorite with chefs.

18 Jirisan Trail

Forget about going up. This trail takes you around the mountain.

20 The Seoul Ceili

Join the Irish community of Seoul for an afternoon of traditional dance.

34 Hotel and Resort News

Chuseok presents and fall packages make up this month’s hotel roundup.

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THe VegeTaRiaN WayFrom how to say “vegetarian” in Korean to the dishes you should remember on your next dinner out, these guidelines

can help you keep your sanity in a meat-loving land.By ev e ellen bo gen

SEPtEMbER 2010 vol. 2 No. 12S

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41 galaxy S

Samsung’s latest smartphone gives the iPhone a run for its

money.

42 international Food

in itaewontest your chops at finding world cuisine in the ever-

popular expat haunt.

53 Foreigner’s Day with FC Seoul

beer, a hot dog, and a football match.

63 Climbing Walls

in DaeguWith these fun facilities, you can stay on the wall

rain or shine.

64 Dragon Dream

Dragons, caves, booze, and food. Need we say more?

66 Hallyu Dream

FestivalRide the Korean Wave with this

free superstar concert.

26

a RooM oF youR oWNNoraebangs, jjimjilbangs, DVD bangs—just some of the

“bang” (rooms) where Koreans go to socialize, but there’s no reason why expats can’t have a great time there, too.

By St eph en R ev eR e

CEO

Executive Editor

Managing Editor

Assistant Editor

Contributors

General Manager

Art Director

Marketing InquiriesCalendar EventsContributeQuestions/CommentsSubscriptions

Print

Sang-tae Kim [email protected]

Jai-yoon Kim [email protected] Revere [email protected] [email protected]

Michael Berry, Adam BootheRhys Brindle, Kyle BurtonDavid Carruth, Tom CoynerMatthew CromptonPeter DeMarcoDylan (WelkinLight Photography)Eve Ellenbogen, Jean HanScott Hemsey, Ciaran HickeyDami Kang, Song LeeMike Luedke, Stafford LumsdenLuke Martin, Paul MatthewsJoe McPherson, Brian MillerCharles MontgomeryConor O’Reilly, Anna OrzelChalica Pack, Megan PreeceHughie SampsonStacey Siebritz, Grace SunBarri Tsavaris, Bryce WeibleyDavid Wills, Lisa XingCharity Yoro

Kyoung-hee Lim [email protected]

Hugh Lee [email protected]

[email protected]@[email protected]@[email protected]

tara tps. Co., ltd

life in Korea is all about working hard—and playing hard, which is what photographer Dylan (welkinlight Photography) aimed to capture in this month’s cover shot. he joined cover model nikelola balogun at Jongno 2-ga for a photo shoot in the crazy glow of the neon lights. Nikelola’s fantastic fashion sense helped her bring off a dazzling norae-bang pose. For more on noraebangs, and other kinds of “bang,” see our cover story on p. 26.

From tHe eDitor

S eptember 2010 marks the 24th issue of 10 Magazine. yup, two whole years. I can hardly believe it either. It seems like just yesterday I was sitting in an office with just my business partner, Kyoung-hee Lim, peering over our

notebook computers and shooting questions to each other constantly. Now most of our communication seems to take place through email and Blackberry, and 10 has added three more full-time mem-bers to the team. It’s been a spectacular start, particularly when you consider that our first issue went out in October of 2008. Remember how the world economy was looking in October/November of 2008? We were just hoping for sur-vival back then. I kept saying it was much harder on the big magazines, because since we were starting from zero, we had nowhere to go but up! There was certainly some truth to that, as every contract, no matter how small, had a great impact on our bottom line.

Since then, we have not only survived but prospered, and as I look back at those first issues, I think about all that I’ve learned and how far we’ve come. At the time, we outsourced

design—a mistake in hindsight—but then in April of last year our full-time designer, Hugh Lee, came on the scene and our design has improved by leaps and bounds ever since. We also had no online presence, and now we have one of the most popular English websites on Korea. Our email–The Weekly 10—goes out to thousands every Thursday morning with the coolest 10 events in the country. Over 3,200 people “like” us on Facebook, but surely that number has grown even since this issue has gone to print. Our Reader’s 10 online survey gives us your opinion on everything from the best brunch to where you like to hang out in Korea (see this month’s column). We’ve discovered terrific ways to use technology to help reach our readership, and it’s helped us interact with our readers more and become a better magazine.

And with every advance and every new contract come more ideas and more ways to improve our service to you, our readers. Two years was just the begin-ning. Keep your eyes on 10, because there will be plenty more improvements and advances to come in upcoming months and years - and they’re all about improving your life in Korea. Korea Awaits!St e ph e n R e v e R e , M A NAgI Ng E DI T OR

10 Magazine SEPtEMbER vol. 2 No. 12

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(Registration: Seoul Ra 12065) ©10 Media Inc.Address 서울시 강남구 논현동 10-21

10-21 Nonhyeon-dong Gangnam-gu Seoul 135-010

Phone 02-3447-1610 www.10magazine.asia

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

please Recycle this Magazine

지지! [ji-ji] That’s dirty!Kids have a way of picking up everything in arm’s reach, don’t they? As soon as they can clasp their fingers and curl their arms they’re shoving stuff in their mouths. Then as they get older, they may just want to reach for and start playing with anything around, and often it’s dirty as sin. Here’s what Korean parents shout at their kids to let them know that it’s dirty and the kids shouldn’t be meddling with it. This word is almost never used with adults, but then again this is “the Korean lesson for people who don’t have time to learn Korean”—feel free to use it to elicit uproarious laughter from your Korean friends and coworkers.

지지! 만지지마. [ji-ji! man-ji-ji-ma] That’s dirty! Don’t touch it.

A Shot of Korean by Stephen Revere

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

4 | 10 Magazine September 2010

Subscribe today for over 30% off the cover price!W29,000 for a year • W15,000 for 6 months

[email protected], 02-3447-1610, www.10magazine.asia

Two Years and Counting

CoNtriBUtors

peter DeMarco (p. 18) lived in a yurt with Mongolian nomads, was an extra in a movie in Barcelona starring Corey Feldman, ate Moroccan chicken in Morocco and Peking duck in Beijing, and lived on Jeju Island for a year in both 1979 and 2009. He currently calls Busan home where he follows his bliss as a photojournalist and English teacher. See more of his photos at flickr.com/photos/the-nomad-within.

eve ellenboggen (p. 22) is from New york and has been in and out of Korea for the past three years. She spends her time teaching, traveling, writing, dancing, and badly abusing the Korean language in various bars around Hongdae. After Korea, she plans to hit the road with nothing but a backpack and a pen for several years of unfettered traveling and writing. Stay tuned.

Dami Kang has given a great amount of her time and passion to 10 Magazine over the last year and a half and has helped us grow immensely. She has been a terrific coordinator for us in that time, but she has decided she will be taking a break from the daily grind before putting her talents to work elsewhere. She will be sorely missed. Thanks for all the help Dami!

hughie Samson (p. 68) is a Canadian from Nova Scotia who lived in Winnipeg for five years before coming to Korea in March 2009. He contributes to gwangju Blog, the gwangju News, and now to 10 Magazine, and he can be heard every Friday evening discussing current Korean affairs on gFN 98.7 FM’s City of Light.

lisa Xing (p. 14) is an English teacher by day, journalist and historian by degree, and creative writer by night—or any other time she can fit it into her schedule. This sometimes means scrawling on envelopes, receipts or other semi-flat surfaces on which ink doesn’t smudge. Skin can sometimes be a problem.

10 Magazine September 2010

Where do you go when you need legal help? For many a foreigner in Korea, the best place to turn is The Korean Law Blog. Lawyer Sean Hayes has been in Korea for over nine years and was the first foreigner to work for the Korean court system. He now writes for the Korea Times and is a frequent contributor to TBS e-FM. He has been running his blog since 2007 and the topics vary from how to collect on debts to “inept Korean attorneys” to the legality of abortion in Korea. While most updates are reprints of his articles in the Korea Times, often the articles he posts serve up very practical answers to questions that are on the minds of his readers—which are usually people like you. And, yes, he does take questions. Postings can be a bit sporadic, fluctuating with Sean’s schedule, but recently 10 has been told that he’s got some new help in the office and readers can count on 3 - 4 posts a week starting this month. If you’d like to ensure that Sean covers your topic of choice, shoot him an article idea at [email protected].

Seoul-centric?I came across your magazine a few

months ago (maybe longer) and imme-diately got a full subscription. Much to the skeptical looks of my friends who run helpful websites around my city, I continued to be impressed with the level of sophistication and professional quality of the articles. At times I have felt that the articles have been a little “Seoul-centric” but I realized that the option to submit my own articles is always there. That being said, 10 Magazine’s events calendar always has full coverage of the entire country. With so many articles on every aspect of life in Korea, it is something that I will continue to read and recommend to all of my friends and students. This magazine has opened my eyes to a lot of great places to eat, things to do and places to go, and has pushed me to hone my own talents to hopefully grace its pages one day. Thank you to all of the 10 Magazine staff for creating such a stylish magazine! Jason Teale, Gwangju

Our goal has always been to supply expats all over Korea with local informa-tion about what’s happening each month. The fact is there aren’t enough expats in most areas of Korea to support a profes-sionally-made magazine, but the expats who are in areas outside of Seoul are in even more need of local event informa-tion combined with information on how to experience Korea. We may end up being a little Seoul-centric at times, although we try to avoid it, but the fact is that it’s the vast numbers of expats living in Seoul that allow us to provide information about every area of the country–because many of them want to travel there, too! If you’d like more local articles and information

for your area in our Calendar section, tell your local government they should pro-mote themselves through 10.

exploring Korea with 10My partner and I are staying at the

COEX InterContinental and we found 10 informative and useful. We read the “Multicultural Food District” by Matthew Crawford and took a ride to that location in Ansan. We found the underpass and took the lift and at the top saw the road sign on the lamppost, Damunhwa-gil, just as Matthew reported. Unfortunately it was a Thursday and Cafe Batavia Java and the other Muslim outlets were shut as Thurs-day is the eve of the Sabbath for Muslims! We then took the lift up to the 4th floor to the Thai restaurant. We had fried rice with vegetables and clear soup. Unpretentious. The outward train ride, before it got dark, showed us the vegetable plots and lifestyle of the working population of that part of Korea. Altogether it was an excellent way to spend an evening. Thank you for 10 and thank you COEX InterContinental Seoul for making 10 available in the guest rooms.

Bismillah Kader Internexia College, Malaysia

Thank you Bismillah! And we would like to thank the COEX InterContental too—along with all of the other hotels that care enough about their guests to supply them with 10 Magazine. One true sign of a 1st class hotel is that they go out of their way to make sure that guests are supplied with the most current information on what’s happening locally. Our magazine is not free, and we’re impressed every time a hotel goes the extra mile to provide their guests with a complimentary copy of 10.

Letters

how to win Free whole bean coFFee FroM caribou coFFee

1. type up a paragraph sharing your thoughts about 10 Magazine. tell us what you think of the September issue, and especially about the events you learned about from 10!

2. Email your letter to [email protected] by September 15th.

3. Excerpts from 2-3 letters will run in the September magazine. If you're chosen you will be sent 227 grams of whole bean coffee (W15,000 value) from Caribou Coffee by early october.


Blog of the Month

The Korean Law Blogthekoreanlawblog.com

Korea by the Numbers

Percentage of GDP Korea spends on military expenditures

Ranking in the world of percentage of GDP spent on the military.

#1 is Oman with 11.4% and #174 is Iceland at 0%. The US is #25 with 4.06%

The number of months required for the obligatory Korean military service - for men only. Women are not required to serve at all.

The approximate number of women serving as commissioned and non-commissioned officers (approximately 2.3% of all officers)

Source: The World Factbook www.cia.gov

Flag of the Ministry of National Defense, Republic of Korea

Send Us a Letter, and You Could Win W15,000 in Whole Bean Coffee from Caribou Coffee

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That’s a pretty impressive list, we have to say, and a great must-see list for anyone on their way to Korea. It should be noted that Busan was the only place outside of Seoul to hold a place in the top 10, with its respectable showing for Haeundae Beach. Who doesn’t love Busan’s beautiful Haeundae Beach? (Although you may avoid it like the plague in peak season, when the people seem more numerous than the grains of sand.)

And now our question for the month of October. Many people who were talking about their favorite area in Korea also ended up mentioning the bar or pub they loved in that area, which raises the question,

What iS youR favoRite baR, pub oR lounge?

Visit 10magazine.asia/favorite-bar-open-thread to post your choice in the Comments section before September 5th, and then vote for your favorite from September 6th - 12th at 10magazine.asia/favorite-bar-poll.

10 ’s readers have spoken, and the answer is Hongdae! With its prime location and great artistic influence (Hongik University is the #1 art school in Korea), the

area is brimming with art galleries, unique cafes, tons of great international dining, and incredible nightlife. Famous for being the hottest place to catch up-and-coming bands performing live, as well as boasting a wide variety of dance clubs allowing you to get your groove on, the Hongdae club/music scene features everything from jazz to 80s and 90s pop to the grungiest grunge and hip hop. And recently the trendy area has seen another growth spurt, threatening to gradually consume every bit of 1st f loor real estate in the area stretching from Hongdae Stn. to Hapjeong Stn. and from Sangsu Stn. to Sanwoolim Theater. We could think of worse things to happen.

tHe reaDer's 10


What’s your favorite place to hang out in Korea?

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ith10. Samcheong-dong, Seoul

9. Garosu-gil, Seoul

8. Cheongdam-dong, Seoul

7. Sinchon, Seoul

6. Apgujeong, Seoul

5. Insadong, Seoul

4. Haeundae Beach, Busan

3. Gangnam Station area, Seoul

2. Itaewon-dong, Seoul

1. Hongik University area (Hongdae), Seoul

Your Complete Guide to Duty Free Shopping in Korea

Lotte Duty Freelevel 9-10 of lotte Department Store in Myeondong, Seoul

D on’t have time for heavy duty shopping at the airport, but still want all your duty free products at their discounted tax-free price? Seoul is packed with duty free stores that house all the luxury boutiques, as

well as stocking a large array of cosmetics, gifts and accessories. All you have to do is bring your passport and plane ticket with you (or

remember your flight number), buy what you want, and pick it up on the day of your departure at the airport gates. Further discounts abound with certain credit cards and VIP benefits. Read on for more details.

There are multiple locations for this chain, but the best and biggest by far is the Lotte Duty Free located on two massive floors in the main Lotte Department Store in Myeo-ngdong, hosting a killer range of luxury retailers, cosmetics and accessories. This is the only place where you will find a Miu Miu store, as well as a nice range of bou-tique ladies shoes in La Collection, which houses brands like Marc by Marc Jacobs, Emilio Pucci, Givenchy, Kenzo, Donna Karan and Pedro Garcia. Other heavy hit-ters include Louis Vuitton, Hermes, Chanel, Dior, Fendi, Tif fany & Co, and Bottega Veneta. The mantra is that if you can find it in Lotte, don’t bother going anywhere else. This is your one-stop shop for all the favor-ite brands and then some. Don’t forget that you also have the rest of Lotte Department Store, Avenuel, Lotte Young Plaza and Myeongdong shopping at your fingertips.

VIP cards are available for Korean locals and foreigners. US $2,000 worth of pur-chases within two years gets you a Silver Card, providing 5-10% discount on most items, and US $10,000 in purchases over five years gets you a Gold Card and 5-15% discount on most items.

Making a purchase with a Visa card will get you a further 5-15% off items.

Directions: Euljiro 1-ga Stn. (line 2, Exit 7)kr.lottedfs.com 1688-3000


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WORDS By gR ace Sun

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Shilla Duty FreeJust down the hill from the Shilla Hotel is the Shilla

Duty Free. You’ll find all the usual suspects and more, the Shilla being the next biggest duty free after Lotte.

There are 3 types of VIP cards available. The basic card offers 5% discount with no requirements. The Sil-ver Card offers 5-10% and is for customers who have Asiana mileage cards, or who have totaled US $400 worth of purchases in two years. The simplest way is to just sign up online with no restrictions. The Gold Card, however, is only offered to travelers who have totaled US $3,000 in three years, and gives you 5-15% off.

If you use a Samsung card when purchasing items, you will receive a discount of W10,000 when you pur-chase over $200, and W20,000 when you purchase over $400.

Directions: about 200m from Dongguk Univ. Stn. (line 3, Exit 5). Seoul

dfsshilla.com 1688-1110

Lotte Duty FreeShilla Duty Free

STYLE

Open Run 4pm, 8pmChongdong Theater R: W50,000, S: W40,000, A: W30,000

CUT H

ERE

CUT H

ERE

Expires September 30th, 2010*Discount good up to four guests

*No performance on Monday

30% OFFChuseok Special

Korean traditional cookies for our audienceSeptember 21st - 23rd!

Happy Chuseok!Korean Thanksgiving Day

Happy Chuseok!Korean Thanksgiving Day

Located in the Sheraton Walkerhill Hotel, this duty free may be a little out of the way for most Seoul tourists, but for those who are visiting the Walkerhill Casino and W Hotels, this would be the per-fect shopping break in between blackjack and roulette games.

Although some big shot brands are missing here, style is most certainly not – with it brands like Manolo Blahnik, Chloe, and Tod’s all making an appearance.

A Silver VIP Card gives up to 10% discount, and all you need for this is your passport. For a Gold Card, purchases must be made up to US $10,000 over 5 years, and discounts are offered up to 15%.

Directions: Take the free hotel shuttle from Gangbyeon Stn. (line 2, ex. 1) or Gwangnaru Stn. (line 5, ex. 2)

skdutyfree.com 02-450-6350

This establishment, located on levels 1 and B1 of the Gwanghwamun Build-ing downtown, is usually packed with Japanese and Chinese tourists who come in droves in their tour buses. It is a popular choice for these groups, but a bit smaller compared to Lotte and Shilla Duty Free. You won’t be disappointed though, with Louis Vuitton, Celine, Bottega Veneta, Dior, Gucci and all the rest. A plus is that the line to pick up purchases at the airport is substantially shorter for the Dongwha Duty Free – vital when you’re running late for a flight!

Be advised that Korean cosmetics purchased by foreigners at Dongwha cannot be picked up from the airport, but must be taken with you at the time of purchase and then shown to customs upon departure. The VIP system includes a Silver Card that offers 5-15% for all and a Gold Card that offers further discounts for foreign-ers with an address in Korea that spend over US $2,000 over an unlimited period of time. Those with a platinum credit card will also receive a 5-15% discount.

Directions: Level 1 of Gwanghwamun (Dongwha) Building outside exit 6 of Gwanghwamun Station (line 5). Seoul

dutyfree24.com 02-399-3000

Dongwha Duty Free

Walkerhill Duty Free

Dongwha Duty Free


STYLE


Claiming Tax Back in CashGuess what? Even if you don’t shop in these duty free out-

lets, you can still save 7% on all your purchases and get your money back at the airport! Just take your receipts to the tax free lounge in all department stores, and you will be asked to fill in a form which you must then show to customs along with your products at the airport. You will then get the equiv-alent of 7% back on all your purchases in cash at the booth located near the departure gates at the airport. The staff at Incheon airport will give you cash back on the spot in either Korean won or US dollars, but Gimpo will make you wait up to 3 months for a deposit into your bank account. Unfortu-nately, this is only available for non-residents of Korea, which means those with an alien ID are not eligible. Doota Depart-ment Store in Dongdaemun also offers a similar benefit to for-eigners and will return your cash back on the spot. Inquire at the information desk on level 1.

Other Duty Free Shops• Aquascutum Duty Free pgworld.co.kr 02-755-0105

• Busan Lotte Duty Free busanlottedfs.com

• JDC Duty Free jdcdutyfree.com 064-740-9997

• Jeju Tourism Organization Duty Free jtodutyfree.com 064-780-7700

• Lotte World Duty Free kr.lottedfs.com 02-411-7565

• Paradise Duty Free paradisemall.co.kr 051-749-1300

For those that run out of time and miss out on duty free shopping, do not fear. Incheon International Airport is one of the largest and busiest in the world, with shopping spots to rival Hong Kong International Airport and Narita in Tokyo. In fact, many travelers choose to stop over at Incheon just so they can shop inside the airport! You can also use your VIP cards in the AK, Lotte and Shilla duty free stores here, although the product range is limited to cosmetics and gifts. International retailers include the usuals – Chanel, Hermes, Burberry and Gucci to name a few. airport.kr/eng/enjoy

Incheon Airport

STYLE

This month is Chuseok, the traditional harvest moon festival when Korean families get together to enjoy delicious traditional Korean food in their hometowns. Mrs. Moon Seong-Shil, a popular food blogger in Korea, shares some of her favorite beef recipes with us just in time for the holiday.

Korean Beef Meatballs (동그랑땡, Donggeurang Ttaeng)

A favourite jeon (Korean pancake) of mine for Chuseok is the “beef meatball” pancake. Normally, traditional pajeon is served after the ancestor memorial ceremony, but I find that the beef meatball version goes down better with families. These bite-sized pancakes are also perfect for lunchboxes, and kids love munching on the tender beef, mixed with a rich

amount of vegetables.

IngredIents Serves 5-6

• 300g minced beef • 1/2 onion • 1/6 carrot • 1/2 capsicum • 1/3 spring onion • 2 cups cheongju (clear rice wine)• 1 tblsp minced garlic • 1/3 tblsp spoon salt • 1/4 tblsp ginger powder• sesame oil• flour • 2 eggs (beaten)

Method

1. Marinate beef with cheongju (clear rice wine),

then squeeze gently with kitchen towel. Stand for a few minutes.

2. Shred onions, carrots, capsicum, and spring onions.3. Add minced garlic, salt, pepper, ginger powder, and sesame oil

together with the marinated beef and shredded vegetables. Mix with hands and make into small bun shapes.

4. Roll buns in a generous amount of flour, and brush off extra flour to prevent chunks

5. Marinate with beaten eggs.6. Heat up a pan with oil, and fry for around 1 min on medium

heat until the bottom side turns yellow. Flip and repeat 3~4 times until the whole bun is fully cooked. Cut in half to check if meat has turned brown.

7. Serve with soy sauce for dipping, and enjoy!

Steamed Ribs (소갈비찜 Sogalbi Jjim)

What is a good family meal without a rich steamed dish? This recipe is best if made with Australian beef ribs and cooked in a pressure cooker, which will give you very tender ribs. Although it requires a long cooking time, the finished product is a sure family favourite. Don’t forget to mix the sauce with rice when you eat it!

IngredIents Serves 3-4

• 1kg Australian beef ribs• 2 pieces white radish, 5cm each • 7 daechu (Korean dates)• 7 raw chestnuts • 20 eunhaeng (ginkgo nuts)• 1 red chili• 1 spicy green chili • 1 spring onion

• ½ pear or a small kiwi• ½ minced onion • 2 minced garlic cloves• 1/3 minced ginger • 12 tblsp soy sauce• 3 tblsp mul yeot (starch syrup)• 2 tblsp brown sugar • 1 tblsp oyster sauce • 5 tblsp matsul (Korean cooking wine),

Method

1. Leave ribs in cold water for 3-4 hours. Change water 2-3 times while waiting. Once finished, roughly chop the beef into bite-sized pieces.

2. Prepare sauce while waiting. Mince pears (or kiwi) and onions with a blender. Mix together with all the ingredients for marinade in a bowl.

3. Marinate the chopped ribs with the sauce, and leave overnight in the fridge.

4. Cook marinated ribs in a pressure cooker or in a deep pot. Cook for as long as necessary until the beef becomes soft. Remove extra oil from the top with a spoon.

5. While the beef is cooking, chop the vegetables – radishes, chestnuts, dried daechu (Korean dates), and chilies.

6. After removing excess oil, place all ingredients together and continue cooking until ingredients become soft, and soup is reduced. Ready to serve!

About Mrs. Moon

Mrs. Moon Seong-Shil is a mother of 6-year-old twins and a well-known figure in the Korean blogosphere. A full-time housewife, she has made a career out of blogging, partnering with media and the food industry, and is the author of four books. Her cooking blog (blog.naver.com/shriya) is one of the most read in Korea, with over 60,000 visitors a day.

Marinade:• 4 tblsp cheongju (clear rice wine)• 2 tblsp tabasco sauce

• 1/3 tblsp pepper • ½ tblsp sesame oil

Festive Recipes for Chuseok


aDvertoriaL

3F, 59-11, Kuui-dong, Kwangjin-ku, Seoul, Korea | Tel; 02-454-3435 | Fax; 02-458-1302

Itaewon is hoppin’!!!...and Kobeak is there....and Kobeak is there.

Kobeak Foods® is an Australian joint venture company specializing in supply to restaurants concerned with safe, high quality meat products from around the world. We carry all varieties of meats–beef, pork, poultry, lamb, venison, sausages, hamburgers and much more. Look for the "Kobeak Foods" mark at your favorite restaurant to ensure you are getting the best and safest quality products available.

Like Lan Kwai Fung in Hong Kong, Itaewon is becoming the place to eat in Seoul. From the Canadian Rockies to New York and then on to Ireland and Austria, authentic foods prepared by authentic hands. The concern for quality is never ending in these fine establishments and is why they all choose Kobeak Foods as their meat supplier. We directly import the finest meats from around the world.

W hen Hyehyun Hong flew to Italy more than 20 years ago, it wasn’t to study the cuisine. 19 years old when she arrived, she spent six years at fashion school

studying specialized makeup. But in a country like Italy, it’s hard to ignore the cooking. Hong’s first foray into Italian cuisine was when she lived with an elderly woman in Perugia. Each Friday, her sons would visit home. Midweek, she gave Hong a huge gro-cery list. For someone who only knew the words “si” and “no,” she was forced to learn food names quickly, and all in Italian.

“School was only during the daytime, but after 3 pm, it was so boring!” Hong remembers. So, she studied fashion by day and began taking cooking courses by night. This didn’t inspire her to pursue it as a full-time job—at first. After returning to Korea, she spent the next seven years immersed in her specialty, from

makeup for a TV drama to fashion marketing. But after all those years, she wanted a change.

And that’s exactly what she got. In 2007, the owner of her favorite café told her he wanted to sell his business. She said that the second he told her, she jumped at the chance, snapping her fingers to emphasize her impromptu decision. A week later, Hong quit her job in marketing and opened Benvenuti, “Wel-come” in Italian. At the time, Italian food wasn’t popular with Koreans so she wanted to do just that—welcome them to Italian cuisine.

This might just be why this chef is making Noxa Lounge, where she currently works, a household name in Seoul Italian cuisine. “My focus is a little bit weird. Italian food is kind of a homey and slow food,” she says. Her recipes and techniques didn’t material-

ize from school, but rather from real life: what she ate and experienced while living in Italy. But this unconventional chef does admit that part of her “training” took place while she worked at a hotel kitchen in Seoul during her vacations from the café. “I mainly prepared cold dishes, but I could watch how they cut the filets. It was kind of like spying,” she says, smiling mischievously.

From these experiences, Hong developed her vision for cooking. One of her sayings is that the most important part of a restaurant’s interior is the people. Another is that you have to treat every order with respect. “Every single dish of food is like a son. So how can you judge which is the best?” And it seems people are responding to each dish. Noxa is abuzz with customers, and the head chef says she plans to stick around the kitchen. “To live, you have to eat. Eating is like air,” she says with the same mischievous smile.

WORDS AND SHOTS By liSa Xing

Hyehyun Hong, Head ChefNoxa Lounge

in the KitCHeN


Chef hong’s ricotta-stuffed Potato gnocchi with Cream sauce

ingredients (6-8 servings)

• 5 russet potatoes (2 1/2 - 3lb)

• 2 eggs • 1 teaspoon salt

• olive oil • pepper to taste

• 1 1/4 cup plain flour

• 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

• 100g ricotta for stuffing

Method1. Steam the potatoes. While still hot, peel the skins and mash.2. After letting the potatoes cool completely, slowly add the other ingredients and mix them evenly.3. Knead the dough until it’s no longer sticky.4. When it becomes springy, move the dough to a bowl, add shrink wrap, and let sit for 2

hours in the fridge.5. Form the dough into little balls and stuff in ricotta cheese. 6. boil the gnocchi in salt water until they float to the top.7. Fry fresh sage with butter and then add a little cream and white wine for the sauce. 8. Mix the sauce with the boiled gnocchi.

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K orea has been blessed with a great amount of wonderful homegrown ingredients, but none have the mystique and romance of the songi beoseot, or pine mushroom. This rare

and elusive fungus is found only in a few select regions and at a cer-tain time of the year. Like many of the world’s great delicacies it can-not be cultivated, making it a specialty. For epicures and gastronomes, its high price tag and fine taste put it in the top tier of “things I must eat before I die” category along with Italian white truffles and Beluga caviar.

The Korean pine mushroom industry is mostly concentrated in the county of yangyang in gangwon Province. The mushrooms can be found in the shade of certain pine trees high up on the slopes of the local mountains. Mushrooms aside, this is a beautiful part of Korea, well worth the 3-hour drive from Seoul.

The ha r vest of th is mush room is decreasing yearly, causing the price to rise as access to the picking areas decline.

As a result, the areas are confined to pro-fessional pickers only, making it nearly impossible for non-professional pickers to harvest these mushrooms in season. For those who want to take advantage of a rare opportunity, every autumn yangyang holds the Pine Mushroom Festival, where visitors can try their hand at picking this special mushroom. This year’s festival will take place from the 24th to the 28th of September.

Apart from its rarity, the pine mushroom is prized for its delicate, woodsy taste. Its flavor is unlike any other mushroom, mak-ing it a popular choice among chefs. Most

major restaurants and hotels in Seoul will feature pine mushrooms on their menus when they are in season. Most of the top grade mushrooms are exported, where they command a high price, which in turn drives up the price at home, so be ready to pay for the privilege.

On my trip to yangyang I was lucky enough to try a lot of different dishes fea-turing songi. Since gangwon Province is well known for its fresh water salmon with its delicious, distinctive red flesh, the first dish I tried was salmon cooked with local potatoes and pine mushrooms. It’s not always easy to find this fish in Seoul, so it was a real treat.

I also had the pleasure of trying a bul-gogi dish made with pine mushrooms. It was a pleasant change from the usual ver-sions I had tried before. Along with this dish I had steamed rice cooked in a clay pot with pine mushrooms. The mushrooms gave the rice a fantastic flavor as it cooked. It was expensive for a rice dish, but the taste was right up there with truffle risotto.

This amazing mushroom is truly one of Korea’s treats. When you see it on sale in autumn, nestling on a bed of pine needles, do yourself a favor and try it. Consider it one more thing crossed off your culinary bucket list before you hit the caviar!

September 24th – 28th

Pine Mushroom FestivalParticipants can enjoy the fresh air of pine forests and natural landscapes while partaking in tastings, educational seminars and guided tours. the festival also features a home stay program at pine mushroom farms where people can experience living in Korea’s countryside, as well as a half marathon where participants run along the Namdaecheon stream, surrounded by thick woods. For drama lovers, taksangsadoegi, one of yangyang’s traditional folk plays, is featured during the festival. Restaurants in the region offer special menus with dishes in which songi stars as the key ingredient. the festival is also popular in Japan, with many visitors making the pilgrimage to try this “diamond of the forest,” known as Mat-sutake in Japanese cooking. the festival is held in yangyang-gun on the coast in Gangwon Province. festival.yangyang.go.kr 033-670-2724

WOR DS By ciaR an hicK ey, EXECUTIVE CHEF OF THE W SEOUL WALKER HILL

Colockwise: Songi mushroom Jeongol; fried Songi; mushroom salad; steamed songi rice; Fried songi, beef and vegetables16

Songi BeoSeotKorean Pine Mushroom

The caviar of Korea, this forest mushroom will make your jaw drop with its great taste—and high price.

A taste oF Korea


Rural Korea on the Jirisan Trail

Pack your bag, lace up your boots and get ready for a

slow-life adventure like none other.


“D ynamic Korea” does not strike most people as a very laidback country. From eating to driving,

the “ppalli ppalli” or “hurry up” mentality per-meates almost every aspect of the culture today. Fortunately, though, there are still some places left in this country of speed where you can kick back and soak in the slow life. Look no further than the Jirisan Trail to take you on a journey back in time to Korea’s simple agrarian past.

Not to be confused with the trails that go up to the peak of Jirisan, Jirisan Gil (지리산길) is a 300 km trail that encircles Jirisan National Park. The trail also connects a web of 16 towns and 100 villages around the outskirts of the park. Currently, only five sections of the trail (about 70 km) are open. However, an additional 80 km of trail is projected to open by the end of 2010.

a YeLLow BriCK roaD of sorts

Walking along the trail feels uncannily like being in the Wizard of Oz. Bright orange balls of fruit hang from persimmon trees. Scarecrows stand guard in open fields of spicy red and green gochu (peppers). There are even a few Korean grandmothers selling noodles along the trail who, on a dark night, can surely be mis-taken for witches.

The highest peak along the trail is about 700 meters but most of the trail snakes over roll-ing hills, along terraced rice paddies, bamboo stalks, rivers, fields, farms, forests, beekeepers tending their hives, and quaint villages. The Jirisan National park is so rich in biodiversity that it contains 30% of the 1500 species of plants known to Korea and 100 species of ani-mals. Buddhism also f lourished in the peaks and valleys of Jirisan. Today there are around 400 temples in the park registered as Korean cultural treasures.

Red and black arrows clearly mark the way along the Jirisan gil so you don’t have to worry much about getting lost. The terrain changes from single-track dirt trails to paved or dirt roads near farms and villages. Shops and food stands are few, so be sure to bring some snacks along with you.

W o R D S A N D S h o t S b y P e t e R D e M A R C o

From top left: A village resident, a trail sign directs hikers along the Jirisan Gil, fall foliage along the Jirisan trail, persimmons in the fall, the raw beauty of the Jirisan Gil.

Next page: Gochu (peppers) ripen in the mountain air

KoreaN DestiNatioNs

18


sUggesteD 1-2 DaY itiNerarY

Of the sections of the Jiri-san Trail that I’ve hiked, the route from In-wol to geum-ge offered the most to see and the best home stay options. If you are pressed for time, you can complete the 19.3km in one day if you make an early start and are in great shape. However, a more leisurely option is to spend the night in Changwon (roughly 5k before geum-ge), a small hillside farming village. If you have more time and would like to hike the full 70 km from Ju-cheon to Su-cheol, you’ll need about 4 days.

wHere to staY

Probably the best thing about the Jirisan Trail is that the local tourism board has set up a loose network of home stays along the trail. Visit one of the information centers or better yet, call ahead to reserve a place in a local home. A village home stay for one night will cost about W30,000 for 2-3 people. Since most of the small farming villages where the home stays are located don’t have any restaurants or markets, you’ll probably want your host to cook for you. This only costs W5,000 - W6,000 per meal per person.

Another option is to spend the night in one of the many pen-sions along the trail. you should definitely reserve your pension ahead of time, especially if you are staying over the weekend. you can find information about pensions on the English website below or call the information number.

Home sweet Home staY

On my last hike along the trail we slept in an idyllic mountain-side village. The 30 or so houses were shrouded in a thin blanket of smoke, and you could smell the burning wood from the fire-places. The sign with the name of the village on it, Changwon (창원), could have easily read “get Away From it All.” There wasn’t a store in sight. No ubiquitous 7/11, phone shop, or neon sign to spoil the view.

When we got to the village, we called the local representative of the home stay network. She met us and brought us to the home we would spend the night in. Surprisingly enough, our host family had a small barn with two cows in it right next to their house. Our host family couldn’t say more than “Hello” in English but it didn’t matter. We smiled, laughed, and talked in broken Korean over a meal of grilled duck, some of the freshest vegetables I’ve tasted, and glasses of beer. At night, it was refreshing to just walk around the empty streets under the stars and breathe in the fresh crisp evening air. “Now this is the simple life at its best,” I thought.

tHere aND BaCK agaiN

go to the Dong Seoul Bus Terminal and take the bus for Nam-won, Inwol. Look for the Jirisan Trail info center near the Inwol bus station. From other points in Korea, you may need to go to Hamyang first and transfer to the Inwol bus. Alternatively, take an express bus to Jinju or gwangju and get on a local bus to Inwol from there. Another choice is to take a train to Namwon station. From there, get a city bus or taxi to Namwon Bus Termi-nal and board the bus to Inwol.

Once you hike to the end of a section of the trail, there are local buses that will take you back to one of the main bus terminals.

MoRe infoRMation (in KoRean)Website: trail.or.kr Phone: 063-635-0850

Valid date September 30th, 2010

20

featUre


Irish Ceili Is Your Chanceto Dance

you don’t have to be Irish to enjoy the dancing at this month’s Ceílí in downtown Seoul.

O n September 19th, the Irish community will take to the streets for the second time this year with the return of the Seoul Ceílí (pronounced “KAy-lee”) to Insadong. This once

annual dance returns after a hiatus of several years to show another side to the diversity of Irish culture available in Seoul. Céilithe (the plural form) have been popular events on the social calendarsof Irish communities across the globe, and the Irish Association of Korea will return Seoul’s name to the list of cities that host similar events.

This will be the third céilí hosted by the Irish Association of Korea but the first since 2005. The céilí is an event that all Irish people are familiar with, and many

still take place all over Ireland. They aren’t tied to any particular time of year or part of the coun-try, instead remaining informal but lively and social occasions. Seoul’s event will follow the same lines.

A céilí is a traditional dance pattern in which people form into groups usually of two or four. These small groups then dance together and with the group that has formed opposite them. After each stage, they move on to dance with the fol-lowing group. It sounds complicated, and there is the potential for some disorder. However, if you pay attention to the steps, you’ll soon get the hang of it and it won’t take long for everything to fall into place.

Also, being as the céilí is far from a formal occasion, keeping to the exact steps isn’t all that important anyway. What is most important is getting up and trying your best. All the dances are certainly lively affairs with plenty of spin-ning and dancing in and out with your partner or the person standing opposite to you, guarantee-ing lots of laughs and a unique experience not to be matched elsewhere in Korea.

If you’re worried about getting lost in the mass of swinging bodies, there will be volunteers on hand to guide you in the right direction. As it is an Irish event it wouldn’t be complete without the mandatory cups of tea, of which there will be plenty, as well as other refresh-ments to keep you lively in case you try to use the old excuse of having danced too much so as to avoid further revelry.

If dancing just isn’t your thing, there will be plenty of space to sit back and enjoy the live music pro-vided by local Korean and Irish musicians, all residents of Korea, who will be on hand to dish out an afternoon’s worth of authentic and lively Irish traditional music.

The Seoul Céilí will return to its old home right in the heart of Insadong in the Daesung group’s car park, which is about half way down Insadong-gil regardless of which end you approach it from. It is an excellent location with plenty of space for dancing or to sit back and enjoy the festivities right in the middle of Seoul’s cultural center. The Seoul Céilí will start at 2 pm and carry on until 6 pm on Sunday, September 19th and is organised by the Irish Association of Korea with help from Seoul City and the Dae-sung group. This céilí, like all céilithe, is free to all who wish to attend.

For more information about the Irish Associa-tion of Korea, please visit iak.co.kr.

geTTiNg THeRe Most residents of Korea will know how to get to Insadong, but in case you’re a newbie, start out by Anguk Stn. on line 3. Walk straight out of ex. 6 and take your first left to reach this popular tourist street.

W o R D S b y C o n o R o ’ R e i L LY A N D S h o t S b y t o M C oY n e R

that all you vegetarians out there have experienced at least one of these things since coming to Korea. While it can be challenging to be a vegetarian here, it’s a much more navigable road than one might think.

My key to dining out in Korea is to throw all assumptions out the window. Kamjatang (potato soup), kimchi jjigae (kimchi stew), sundubu jjigae (tofu stew), kimbap—all of these dishes sound vegetar-ian, but all of them usually come with meat or fish. Kamjatang has pork spine. Kimchi jjigae is made with pork, and kimchi itself is pickled with fish. Sundubu jiggae contains either fish broth or shellfish, and kimbap is made with mystery meat. Even the Vietnamese pho that I ordered for dinner a while back (which my waitress swore came without meat) had bits of minced chicken sprinkled on it. (“Oh? So you

“C hae-sik-ju-ui-ja.” It’s not that hard to translate “veg-etarian” from English to Korean, yet it seems that there is so much room for error in a country that

just loves its meat. Have you ever bitten into something omelet-esque and found

yourself gagging on a piece of Spam? Have you ever specifically ordered a cheese pizza but found it covered in meat? (Or, for that matter, been denied a cheese-only pizza because it wouldn’t be “delicious” without the meat?) Have you ever tried to go out for dinner with friends of a different eating style,

only to end up picking ham out of your 7-Eleven kimbap while they chow down on their galbi? Maybe I’ve just had bad luck, but chances are


SPECIAL FEATURE

Deodeok root with seasonal greens at baru by Matthew Crompton

You might want to avoid the places that serve pig

intestines and dog soup, while you’re at it. I doubt

that any amount of language mastery will help

you there.

WOR DS By ev e ellen bogen

the Vegetarian Way

22

Korea can daunt vegetarian newbies, but with practice, patience, and a dash of courage, you can be on your way to dodging the

meat without missing out on the cuisine.


don’t eat meat or chicken?”) Hence, my sacred rule: Always ask about the ingredients.

Here are a few helpful words and phrases you will need to know:

chae-shik-ju-ui-ja (채식주의자) vegetariango-gi (고기) meatso-go-gi (소고기) beefdalk (닭) chickenhaem (햄) um… hamdwae-ji go-gi (돼지고기) porkbe-i-keon (베이컨) baconhae-mul (해물) seafoodsaeng-seon (생선) cooked fishjo-gae (조개) shellfishcham-chi (참치) tunasae-u (새우) shrimpdu-bu (두부) tofuya-chae (야채) vegetablesgye-ran (계란) eggu-yu (우유) milkdu-yu (두유) soymilkyuk-su (육수) meat brothmas-sal (맛살) crab meat

• mog-eo-yo ( 먹어요) —I eat . ex. ya-chae mog-eo-yo. – I eat eggs

• an mog-eo-yo ( 안 먹어요) —I don’t eat . ex. Go-gi an mog-eo-yo. - I don’t eat meat.

• iss-eo-yo? ( 있어요?) —do you have ? ex. Du-bu iss-eo-yo? – Do you have tofu?

• ppae-ju-se-yo ( 빼주세요) —No , please. ex. haem ppae-ju-se-yo. – No ham, please.

Let’s see how this works in practice. I was recently at my favorite café in Hongdae in Seoul and decided to try their new, seasonal pasta dish, which happens to come with squid.

Me: Haemul deureo isseoyo (해물 들어 있어요)? – Is there seafood in this?Sweetest waitress in Hongdae: Ne (네). – yes.Me: Ar-ass-eo-yo (알았어요) – Okay. I-geot ju-se-yo (이것 주세요)

– I’ll have this please. Hae-mul-eun ppae-juseyo (해물은 빼주세요). –

– Please leave out the seafood.Sweetest Waitress In Hongdae: Ne (네). Okay.

And there you have it. It was delicious.So by now you are a pro with the veggie vocabulary and you

can eat at almost any non-galbi restaurant in this country. In fact, you might also want to avoid those places that serve pig intes-tines and dog soup, while you’re at it. I doubt that any amount of language mastery will help you there. But what about restaurants that specialize in vegetarian or vegan food? Believe it or not, there are some authentic vegetarian havens in Korea. Here’s a small smattering:

tHe LoviNg HUtWith over 37 restaurants in Korea (and hundreds scattered over

ten countries around the world), The Loving Hut offers savory

vegan food at affordable prices. My local Hut serves mandu dumplings, jjigaes, noodles, and even has “burgers,” among other dishes. In addition, most locations also offer vegan items for sale, such as cookies, birthday cakes, frozen dumplings and veggie burgers, among many others. Check it out: lovinghut.kr (English translation on the upper right-hand side).

CHeoNg-gUK-jaNg restaUraNtsUpon walking into a cheong-guk-jang (청국장) restaurant, it’s

easy to mistake the smell of the food for the odor of rotten socks, but don’t let that fool you! This tasty dish smells kind of funky at first, but the goodness of those fermented beans mixed with rice and vegetables is enough to make your mouth water every time you remove your sweaty gym shoes. yes, it’s that good. The best way to find one of these gems is by asking a local.

jUKJuk (죽) warms you right down to the soul and

is used to cure illnesses the way we Western-ers use chicken soup or, in my family, matzah 24


SPECIAL FEATURE

1

3

45

6

7

2

1. Soybean Cutlet 2. tossed Salad 3. Mushroom Noodle Soup 1-3 images provided by the loving hut (lovinghut.kr)4. Dishes at baru, Jujeonburi - fruit and vegetable chips (center), soup made with soy beans (bottom center) 5. baru 6. Rice wrapped in wild leaves 4-6. Shots by Matthew Crompton 7. buddhist monk food at Sanchon (sanchon.com/english) 8. bibimbap 7-8 Shots by Chalica Pack

ball soup. Best described as rice porridge, juk comes in dozens of varieties with a plethora of possible ingredients. Some of my favorites are soft tofu and broccoli, sweet potato, and wild mush-room. The Bon Juk (본죽) franchise is easy to find, but if you’re not in the mood for restaurant dining, individual, ready-made portions can be found in most supermarkets. bonjuk.co.kr

BUDDHist tempLesRemember that scene in the original Willy Wonky and the

Chocolate Factory when gene Wilder sings about a world of pure imagination and then opens the door to chocolate heaven? That’s what it was like for me the first time I entered the dining room of a Buddhist temple in Korea. The tastiest, most wholesome, homegrown, well-prepared and (gasp) vegan food I had ever eaten. Even the kimchi is vegan! For fine temple dining, a good place to start is Baru, located across from Jogyesa in downtown Seoul. Fantastic taste meets exquisite presentation at this gourmet temple food restaurant. baru.or.kr

DisHes wortHY of HoNoraBLe meNtioNbi-bim-bap (비빔밥): Better ask them to hold the beef. Note

that Jeonju bibimbap, a specialty that is different from normal bibimbap, is made with rice soaked in meat broth (yuksu 육수), so be sure to ask!

ya-chae-rice (야채라이스): If you can keep the ham out, this vegetable and rice dish is a good staple for a late-night session at the kimbap shop. Similar to this is omurice (오무라이스), which is like yachaerice, but with an omelet on top. Again, be sure to ask for it without meat.

Kal-guk-su (칼국수): This hearty noodle soup is a good find, as long as you overlook the shellfish-based broth. Some restaurants will make this completely meat free. So, once again, just ask.

W ell, now you know all that I know, and maybe more. you should be ready to hit these meat-loving streets with the kind of ravenous fervor known only to veg-

etarians living in Korea. At times, you may come eye-to-eye, or even tongue-to-flesh, with a bit of dead animal. In my early days on the peninsula, I greeted those moments with the most adolescent behavior I could muster. (I once slammed the door to my hagwon bathroom before attempting to vomit loudly after eating a serving of supposedly vegetarian bibimbap that actually contained beef. I lost a lot of pride that day.) And yet, I still love Korean food and Korean restaurants. They’re part of my experi-ence, good or bad, and I’m planning on saving the worst stories for my memoirs. So no matter your own experiences, remember to be bold, be strong, and be dedicated in your vegetarian pursuit. The world needs you to keep on saving those animals, one chae-sik-ju-ui-ja at a time.


8

Y ou may have noticed already, but Koreans aren’t big on talking to people they don’t know. Elevator interaction is rarely smiles and friendly “Hi!”s, but typically a solemn averting of one’s gaze to avoid eye contact. Bars and res-

taurants arrange seating for pairs or small groups to enjoy each other and seldom if ever does mingling come into play. Western influence only recently has brought in the concept of mixers, as signified by the new phrase which has worked it’s way into the lan-guage: 스탠딩 파티 - “standing party” - as in a party where people don’t just sit in small groups of friends, but stand, walk around and mingle. Nice restaurants always offer small, private dining rooms and there can be a 1-hour wait at the local Outback while the bar is

full of empty seats. Go figure.This may seem unfriendly to those who are not

well-versed in Korean ways, but alternatively there is an automatic camaraderie that comes with a shared experience with another person. Upon two

Koreans meeting for the first time they will search out that com-monality like they’re looking for the Shin Raymeon in a an Ameri-can grocery store.

“Where are you from?” Same home town? “Buddies!” “How old are you?” Same age? “Friends!” “What school did you go to?” Same Alma mater? “Let’s do

some business together.”There are no fraternities or sororities here because the class-

mates in your major are the equivalent of your brothers and sis-ters - right down to calling each other brothers and sisters! The point is that small rooms, or “bang” (방, with the “a” pronounced like the doctor tells you to say “Ahh”), are another way in which small groups of Korean like to get together and have fun. While some of these “bangs,” such as the PC-bang or the Jjimjil-bang, may be communal areas rather than actual separate rooms, you will find that the interaction is still limited to small groups of friends and family. Nonetheless, it’s hard to find a better way to

Have a Blast in a Bang!

Words by Stephen Revere, shots by Dylan Goldby and Scott Hemsey

A look into Korea’s “bang” (room) culture and the wide variety of entertainment that it offers


26

solidify friendships with Koreans (or Westerns for that matter) than a good few hours spent in any one of the fol-lowing “bang”. It’s another way to get that ‘shared experience’ but in this case, it’s one that you actually get to share.

Norae-bang (노래방) First appearance: circa 1991Cost: W9,000 - W17,000 per hour

The original “bang,” the Norae-bang takes full advantage of the Koreans’ great tradit ion of peer pressuring people into singing front of each other. From an expat’s point of view Koreans may seem to have have astoundingly melodic voices, which probably stems from the fact that they are given great positive encouragement to start sing-ing at a young age - kind of like dancing babies in Brazil (Youtube that one if you haven’t seen it already.) Fear not, as willingness to get involved is prized over skill, and liberal doses of alcohol and reverb are sure to help you carry it off. Nowadays there are the super, upscale Norae-bangs for you to enjoy, the most famous of which is Su Norae-bang. Originally they started out in Hongdae (see our Reader’s 10 on page 7) but now they’re a chain with nationwide locations, which you can find at skysu.com - if you can speak Korean.

“A Noraebang is always a good end to the night, or let’s say the beginning! You start off agreeing to stay for just one hour no more, no less - then 3 hours later and your mates sneak back into the room giggling, ‘Oops I went and got another hour!’ And so it begins.” Daniela De Tena, 28, Uijeongbu

DVD-bang (디비디방)First apperance: circa 1995 (in the form of “Video-bang” of course)Cost: W10,000 - W15,000 per movie

You can’t go wrong with dinner and a movie. But what if that movie you wanted to see isn’t in theaters anymore, or you haven’t got tickets and the theater’s sold out? For less than the cost of tickets for two to the theater, you can get your own little room with a nice big screen so you can enjoy the movie without any of the disadvantages of the theater. And they also provide a little privacy so you and your date can snuggle a little if you’d like - but don’t get too close. Regulations require that there be windows on the doors that allow people to see into the room, and you wouldn’t want to put on a show for the staff.

DVD-bang can vary greatly in quality, so it may be a good idea to ask to see the room you’re going to be getting before you make your final decision. They also usually sell snacks and drinks to enjoy with your movie, although no Rasinets or Jordan Almonds.

Have a Blast in a Bang!

Norae-bang by Scott hemsey


Jjimjil-bang (찜질방)First appearance: circa 2000 (via Wikipedia, so take that for

what it’s worth)Cost: W6,000 - W10,000 per person

First you enter the bath area, and there will be plenty of them. Varying temperatures and herbal concoctions give you a pletho-ra of choices, but be careful - the brutal temperatures Koreans endure could singe some of that body hair that Koreans may lack. Steam rooms, saunas and cold pools add to the options. Then you dry off, put on your pre-supplied shorts and T-shirt and head to the communal area where you can experience dry sau-nas at varying degrees of heat, a salt room, an oxygen room, a charcoal room, a hwangto (yellow earth) room, and just about whatever other clever room they could think up. Larger jjimjil-bang will also have restaurants, often serving alcohol. Budget travelers should also be aware that the entrance fee is usu -ally for up to a 24-hour period, making jjimjil-bang perhaps the cheapest accommodation option available - and a lot more fun than a cot at a youth hostel!

“My first experience at a jjimjil-bang was at Hur Shim Chung in Busan, supposedly the largest of its kind in Asia. I guess I thought if I was going to get naked with Koreans, I might as well start with as many as possible. Walking in, I was a little shy, but there was so much going on my modesty was forgotten in an instant. With so many pools to explore, of multiple temperatures and infusions, I had plenty to be getting

PC-bang (피시방) First appearance: circa 2000Cost: W1,000 - W1,500 per hour

There was a time pre-2000 when, like the rest of the world, these places were called “Internet Cafes.” Their connections were slow and their locations were few and far between. The main peo-ple who frequented them were expats seeking to exchange emails with friends and family back home. Then came Starcraft. The bor-derline insanity for this game that followed was a boon to these “Internet Cafes” and left foreigners dumbfounded at 2-hour waits for a computer (yes, myself included). But that didn’t last long. Soon “PC Bang” were on every corner charging a piddly W1,000 an hour and both expats and Koreans rejoiced at both the ubiquity of locations and high-speed Internet which seemingly appeared overnight. It’s no exaggeration to say that Starcraft and PC-bang played a key role in Korea’s meteoric rise to the fastest Internet speeds in the world, a title which it still holds today.

“Ah, the PC-bang, the traditional retreat of the harried husband and game-playing child. Relax in the cool dark, drink little cups of super-sweet coffee, and smoke ‘em if you got ‘em! At first the PC-bang might seem to break the general rule that Koreans like to do things in groups of friends, but look more closely and

you’ll see that most Koreans are either playing Massive Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games (MMORPGs) or on social media sites like Cyworld.” Charles Montgomery, 50, Seoul


28

on with. I’m now totally hooked on Korea’s jjimjil-bangs - from the hot soaks in outdoor, rose-tinted pools, to the vigorous scrubs by ajummas in lacy knickers. I never knew skin could be so smooth!” Hannah Stuart-Leach 27, Seoul

Multi-bang (멀티방)First appearance: circa 2009Cost per hour: W8,000 - W17,000

The original concept is that here you can do what-ever electronic wizardry al-lows - play Nintendo Wii or PlayStation, use the PC to check your email or play

Starcraft, watch a vast selection of movies - kind of the “killer app” of bangs. There’s a comprehensive system that allows easy switching amongst the many entertainment options, easily allow-ing you to choose from a huge selection of games, songs and movies.

Recently, however, the press on Multi-bang has been that they’ve gotten a little too comfortable, giving young adolescents a little too much privacy. But then again this is nothing new, as DVD-bang and Norae-bang have been accused of this for years. Some owners of “multi-bang” are obviously trying to avoid this reputation by banning liquor, not allowing obviously drunk people to enter, and not allowing minors during evening hours. Others are targeting it, with locks on the door and renting rooms over-night - perhaps a nice option of you’re a traveler looking for some inexpensive lodging. As a rule, if you walk in the entrance and it’s brightly lit with a friendly, attentive staff, you can be confident that you’ve found the first category. Charles Montgomery contributed to this article.

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Previous Page:

• PC-bang by Dylan goldby

this page from top:

• bathtub at termeden; Image provided by

Icheon Termeden Hot Spring Resort

• hwangto-bang in Jjimjil-bang

• Multi-bang by Stephen revere

EDITED By DaviD caR Ruth AND Kyounghee liM


gastronomic News

Buy the Way and 7-eleven Put Snacks on SaleRibeye Steak added

to Menu at Between

eric Kayser imports Traditional French Bread

Itaewon’s newest hot spot, the Italian restaurant and lounge Between, opened this past May 22nd and remains the place to be and to be seen. The latest addition to its already enticing menu is the Ribeye Steak (W38,000). Made of top-quality Korean beef and comple-mented with Radicchio Strudel, this superb steak is marinated in herb oil until tender and offers a taste you can’t find anywhere else. 02-795-6164

Anyone who has wished they could find a real baguette at their local Paris Baguette is in for a treat. This past July 29th, the first Eric Kayser bakery opened at the 63 Building in Yeouido, Seoul. Eric Kayser, a fourth-generation baker from Paris, was schooled in the skills and secrets of authentic French baking from a young age. Later, while employed as a professor at the national baking school, he passed down baking traditions to his students while combining originality and quality in his

own research into better bread. He has since created a worldwide bakery chain with shops in countries such as the Arab Emirates, Greece, Russia, Morocco, Taiwan, and Japan. His bread has been recognized for its quality by top-ranking hotels and Michelin star restaurants. www.erickayser.co.kr 02-789-5987

The discounts of fered in the Seoul Grand Sale don’t only apply to high-dollar buys.

36 branches of Buy the Way and 7-Eleven around Myongdong and Jongro and a thousand other branches in Seoul are also participating in the sale. Food favored by expats in Seoul such as gochu-jang (red pepper paste) and instant jug (porridge) are 10-20% off, and triangle kimbap and sandwiches will be 30-50% cheaper through September 12th. All prices and product descriptions will be written in four languages for expats’ con-venience. The Seoul Grand Sale runs through September 23rd.seoulgrandsale.com

30


expats Take 1st and 2nd in Mountain Bike Race

ToMS Shoes give More the More They get

Marie & M Salon Wants you to Model

On August 1st, a sweat-drenched Sunday, nine ex-pat riders from Team IGK hammered their pedals at the 11th National President’s Prize Mountain Bike Race in Geumsan, South Chungcheong Province. Heather Holmes and Julie Jan took first and second spots on the podium in the women’s advanced category while Mike Moses placed 5th in men’s interme-diate. This is the strongest showing by a foreigner-based team in the race’s history.

Korea’s rugged terrain makes it particularly well-suited for mountain biking. Foreigners can get started by joining the Yahoo Group Mountain Bike Korea (sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/mtbk), an excellent site for meeting other riders. For more about Team IGK and iGuideKorea’s efforts to expose expats to Korea’s exciting wilderness, visit their website. iguidekorea.com [email protected]

TOMS Shoes was founded by an American traveler, Blake Mycoskie, dur-ing his trip to Argentina in 2006. In an effort to help bare-footed children, TOMS Shoes carries out the One for One project, which provides a pair of shoes to children in need each time a pair of shoes is purchased by cus-

tomers. As of April 2010, 600,000 pairs of shoes had been distributed to children in Argentina and South Africa. The more shoes that are purchased, the more children will benefit from TOMS Shoes generosity. tomsshoes.co.kr

Who wouldn’t want to be a model for a day? Marie & M hair salon in Seocho-gu is looking for ladies who are ready to receive a bold makeover from the salon’s fabulous stylists. The Marie & M team will pick out an appro-priate, attractive style, and apply it at no charge. Don’t miss this chance to get your hair cut and dyed for free as the Marie & M model. blog.naver.com/mariembeauty02-512-3798

Discount on Miso Tickets for Chuseok

It’s Korean Thanksgiving time, otherwise known as Chuseok. This year the folks at the traditional Korean musical Miso are giving you something to be thankful for. There’s never been a better time to enjoy the musical, with a full 30% discount on tickets for the month of September. And, if you just happen to be in the audience during the three-day Chuseok celebration on the 21st, 22nd and 23rd, then you’ll also enjoy some traditional Korean cookies and treats along with the show. If you haven’t seen Miso, now’s a great time to enjoy it and get a little warm up for the 2010 holiday season. koreamiso.com

expat News

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EDITED By DaviD caR Ruth AND Kyounghee liM

aTeK’s 2nd Presidential election

Discounts and More with Citicard’s New english-Language Service

Next month marks the completion of ATEK President Greg Dolezal’s one-year term as president of the organization. The organization has grown and achieved significant successes during his tenure. With President Dolezal set to leave office, ATEK is announcing its second presidential election.

This August, our presidential candidate is Ms. Jaehee Oh, a labor officer from the Busan PMA. Ms. Oh, a Korean citizen from Busan who lived in America for eight years, has been teaching English in Korea for five years and is fully bilingual in Korean and English. Her understanding of both Korean language and culture makes her an ideal candidate to build connec-tions with Korean organizations and institutions.

You can learn more about becoming an ATEK member at the ATEK website. atek.or.kr

Starting this September, Citibank is offering some attractive discounts at Haddon House in celebration of their recent launch of the Citicard English-language service. English-language services include SMS notifications, e-statements, internet and mobile banking, and a 24/7 CitiPhone customer service line. In addition, customers can apply for any one of three select Citicard products (Citi PremierMiles, Shinsegae Citicard Quattro, or a Citi Revolving Visa Card with a gas discount) via an English-language application form. Once approved, customers under this service receive all relevant information about their new card in English.

This September, customers who already have one of these prod-ucts can enjoy 5% off their grocery bill at Haddon House, a popu-lar supermarket among expatriates in Seoul located near Hannam-dong. Now expatriates can make the most of life in Korea with Citicard English service and enjoy all the benefits that Citicard offers. For additional information about Citibank Credit Card prod-ucts and promotions, call or visit their website. citibank.co.kr 02-2004-1004


Prestigious Chuseok Gift Sets Ritz-Carlton Seoul From September 1st - 30th, The Ritz-Carlton, Seoul, will be featuring prestigious gift sets for Chuseok. Their chefs have cooked up impressive hampers with great gift items such as the finest beef or crab marinated in soy sauce. The hotel has also prepared a smoked salmon and wine gift set (W300,000) and various selections of meat.ritzcarlton.com 02-3451-8184

Jeju Olle Food Fair Lotte Hotel Lotte Hotel’s buffet restaurant La Seine (2F) hosts the Jeju Olle Food Fair, featuring diverse specialties from the beautiful island of Jeju through September 30th. La Seine will present a wide array of Jeju delicacies prepared with hairtail, sea urchin, sea bream, abalone, as well as black pork, hallabong, and bracken. The lunch and dinner buffet prices for adults are W57,000++ and W61,000++, respectively. Private rooms are available. lottehotel.co.kr 02-11-7811

interContinental Seoul The grand InterContinental Seoul and COEX InterContinental Seoul are introducing hamper sets for this Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving). They include hotel vouchers and buffet certificates as well as a set of high quality meat. Also, a special wine set chosen by the hotel sommelier and fruit basket composed of fresh seasonal fruits, cheese, and ham await guests. The hamper sets are delivered to Seoul and most of gyeonggi Province free of charge. (W120,000 – W2,000,000). seoul.intercontinental.co.kr 02-559-7653

Sheraton grande Walkerhill To celebrate the opening of the Sheraton grande Walkerhill’s new European restaurant and bar Clock 16, located on the 16th floor of the hotel, all customers will receive a special 16% discount on the 16th day of every month until November. The Weekend Pasta Set (W39,000+) is yet another delicious treat for visitors during weekend lunch hours. The set includes an appetizer, a pasta dish, dessert and tea. Reservations are required. walkerhill.com 02-450-4516

Chuseok Package Combines Culture and Cuisine grand Hyatt Seoul The grand Hyatt Seoul is offering a special Chuseok Package (W210,000++) featuring one night’s accommodation in a grand Double or Twin room, your choice of a lunch or dinner buffet for two persons at The Terrace, complimentary use of the hotel’s spectacular gym and pool and free shuttle service to Namsangol Traditional Village (10 am - 6 pm) from Sep 19th to 24th. seoul.grand.hyatt.com 02-799-8888

Lunch Promotion at Newly Opened Clock 16


JW Marriott Seoul Celebrates 10th Anniversary JW Marriott Seoul The JW Marriott Seoul has planned three big promotions. Anyone who uploads a photo of a griffin to the website by September 30th can register to win a gift. The hotel has also created unique multi-course dining set menus in honor of the 10th Anniversary (W100,000++) including a complimentary bottle of wine per dinner through Sept.30. Plus, the 10th Anniversary Room Package runs through November 30th (except Nov. 7th – 12th). jw-marriott.co.kr 02-6282-6262

EDIT ED By J ea n h a n A N D Song lee + = subject to 10% VAt, ++ = subject to 10% VAt and 10% service charge

Chuseok Hamper Sets

Unforgettable Fall on the Beach Seacloud Hotel

The Seacloud Hotel is now offering its Autumn Package, available through November 30th, for a memorable autumn trip spent on Haeundae Beach. In addition to a Superior Half Ocean View room (W140,000++), other benefits include breakfast for two adults and special discount coupons for attractions such as the Busan Aquarium and the Tiffany 21 Cruise. Additional charges apply on weekends and the day before national holidays. seacloudhotel.com 051-933-1000

Autumn Package Includes Sports and Sauna Access Novotel Busan

The Novotel Ambassador Busan is offering the Autumn Package (W160,000++) for fall vacationers in Busan through the end of November. Receive free admission for two to the natural salt spring sauna, fitness center, and swimming pool as well as 10% off hotel restaurants. you can also experience golf, squash, billiards, and table tennis in the Ryan & Lillian at a 50% discount (not including screen golf). novotelbusan.com 051-743-1234

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


Beef, Wine, and More in Chuseok Gift SetsBusan Lotte Hotel

The Busan Lotte Hotel offers Chuseok gift sets, available at Delica-Hans on the

1st floor, until September 20th. The highest quality corvina,

Korean galbi, Australian beef, wine and other carefully selected items are included (051-810-6490). Also, talented chefs at the hotel offer dishes made from freshly delivered pine mushrooms in Korean, Chinese and Japanese cuisine through the end of October. lottehotelbusan.com 051-810-1000

Chuseok Hamper Sets

Are you new to Se ou l? Have you ever felt lost in this city

and clueless about how to get around? We’ve all been there. you can’t find the theater you’re looking for, or you find yourself wandering around in an unfamiliar neighborhood, looking for a place to eat. Perhaps you’re trying to get good tickets to a show or to the movies, but you have no idea where to start. It can be tough city to navigate sometimes, especially if you don’t speak Korean. But luckily getting around Seoul just got a lot easier thanks to i Tour Seoul.

In a recent survey, we asked visitors and expats living in Seoul to tell us about their experiences with this new service. “I thought getting around Seoul was going to be impossible,” said Sharon, a 29-year-old accountant from Tal-lahassee, Florida. “I actually printed these lists of places, like itineraries, and maps every day at the hotel lobby and found my way around and did everything without the help of a tour guide.” Sharon was using the i Tour Seoul website (www.visitseoul.net) and found the recommended itineraries, walking tours, and was able to reach every destination using the maps that are also available on the site. She even booked herself tickets to see Nanta and paid for everything using her credit card. When asked if she’d use the service again, she commented, “yes, I’d definitely use this again because it’s really, really easy!”

Anyone with a smartphone and access to the Internet could also find all the tools that Sharon had used by visiting m.visitseoul.net, the mobile version of the website.

Sharon highlighted one of the best features of the i Tour Seoul service: the ability to buy tickets online. All visitors and foreign residents in Seoul can now find show times for movies and performances, and then book their own tick-ets without entering an ID number or registering as a mem-ber. Since the site accepts all major credit cards, anyone in Seoul will now have the chance to purchase their own tickets

without having to ask a Korean friend for help.

glenn is a 22-year-old grad student from Swe-den who recently stopped t h r ou g h Se ou l fo r a weekend on his way back from Japan. He rented an iPhone at Incheon Air-por t for a mere 3,000 won a day and sent in rave reviews about the i Tour Seoul mobile phone a p pl ic a t ion . “ I t wa s crazy. I’ve never been to Seoul before, but I was

able to know exactly where I was the whole time,” he com-mented. glenn was able to use the i Tour Seoul app to pin-point his location and list the surrounding restaurants, sights, shops, accommodation and travel information. “I really liked the maps in English,” he said. “It was so much better than finding and carrying around a bunch of paper maps for each area.” Any newcomer to Seoul will be able to find his or her way around in no time with i Tour Seoul Maps, which even lists public transportation routes for buses and subways.

There’s a learning curve that comes with public trans-portation in a new city, but i Tour Seoul makes the adjust-ment a lot easier. As easy as i Tour Seoul is to use, it’s even easier to sign up for the website. The smartphone application is available for the iPhone, Android and Win-dows Mobile phones. iPhones can be rented at gimpo and Incheon Interna-tional Airports, and other rental sites will be opening soon. i Tour Seoul makes the city so manageable, it’s hard to imagine being in Seoul without it.


Find everything you need to know for travelingand living in Seoul, all in one place.

aDvertoriaL

Customer Service Contact• iPhone Rental: 1588-0608 (SHOW Global Roaming Center)• Seoul Tourism: 120 (Seoul Tourism Guide Service “Dasan Call Center”)

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gYeoNggi proVinCe 60

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Sangre Flamenca: Flamenco Dance muSical “Sangre” means blood, and this flamenco performance will be infused with all the red-blooded passion of Latin dance and the Gypsy spirit. The performers are Spanish dancing duo Rojas and Rodriguez and their flamenco troupe Nuevo Ballet Español, which has toured in countries such Continued on p. 47

Find everything you need to know for travelingand living in Seoul, all in one place.


Movies BY PAUL MAT THEWS

NatioNwiDe CaLeNDar

Toy Story 3Directed by Lee unkrich

Third time’s a charm for Pixar’s latest outing as

Woody, Buzz and friends find themselves aban-doned by their owner

Andy and stranded in a rather dangerous daycare

center. There are the usual sight gags and fantastic action set pieces (on a miniature and

not-so-miniature scale), as well as some new toys to meet. Tom

Hanks, Tim Allen and Joan Cu-sack all reprise their voice roles,

backed by a fantastic ensemble

is Joseph gordon-Levitt who surprises most with the charming, acrobatic Arthur.

Inception requires its audience to think and won’t allow you to just sit back and let the film wash over you. However, if you’re willing to concentrate a little harder than usual, you’ll find your-self wrapped up in this intriguing heist movie. The special effects are stunning (especially in IMAX), the performances are solid and by the end of the movie you’ll be ready to book tickets to see it again. See this on the biggest screen you can and prepare your-self for one of the best films of 2010.Inception

Directed by Christopher NolanConfusing, complicated and refusing to compromise, Inception

is perhaps the most intelligent Hollywood action film out there. Christopher Nolan confronts us with a science fiction tale of dream invasion that may make your brain hurt a little, but will reward you with an incredible cinematic experience.

After messing up his last contract (stealing ideas from dreams), Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) has been forced into the hardest con of his life. His task is to infiltrate the dreams of Robert Fischer (Cilian Murphy) and plant an idea there, an idea that Fischer will think is his own. After putting a team together, Cobb and his right hand man Arthur (Joseph gordon-Levitt) create a plan to pull off the impossible.

Nolan has imagined an amazing dream world, where he manages to combine twisted science fiction concepts with large-scale action set pieces. The plot can be convoluted at times, but even getting lost in Nolan’s world is a lot of fun. Di-Caprio gives one of his best performances in years as Cobb, but it

Moss 이끼 Directed by Woo-seok gang

I have to admit that I was a little wary of Moss. Director Woo-seok Gang (Silmido and Public Enemy) has made his fair share of hits and misses, and a 163-minute-long mystery movie based on a “webtoon” didn’t really sound too promising. However, I was pleasantly surprised by the creepy ride I was taken on.

Upon hearing that his estranged father has died, Hae-guk (Hae-il Park) makes his way to the village where his father lived and attempts to start a new life there. However, the villagers aren’t particularly friendly and the circumstances of his father’s death are in question. Chief Young-deok (Jae-yeong Jung), an ex-detective with a checkered past, seems to be hiding something and Hae-guk is determined to get some answers.

With a strong ensemble cast (and a stand-out performance by Hae-jin Yu), Moss manages to hold your attention for almost three hours, twisting and turning its way through a rather enjoyable murder mystery. It’s no masterpiece, but this moody tale of judgment and revenge will keep you on the edge of your seat and leave you satisfied.

| 3910 Magazine September 2010

the tournament UK Robert Carlyle, Kelly hu, Ian Somerhalder; dir. Scott Mann. the world’s most dangerous killers turn an unsuspecting English town into the site of a high-stakes competition.

intangible asset number 82 땡큐, 마스터 킴 Australia Dir. Emma Franz. this documentary follows a jazz musician on his quest to find a secretive Korean shaman. intangibleasset82.com

lymelife USA Alec baldwin, Cynthia Nixon, timothy hutton; dir. Derick Martini. Fifteen-year-old Scott discovers the cracks forming in his family in this film set in the 1970s.screenmediafilms.net/lymelife

bedevilled 김복남 살인사건의 전말 Korea yeong-hui Seo, Seong-won Ji, Jeong-hak Park; dir. Cheol-so Jang. hidden behind the deceptive tranquility of this little island are betrayal, murder, and revenge.

break away 탈주 Korea yeong-hun lee, yu-jin So, I-han Jin; dir. Song-hui-il lee. A drama about soldiers who go AWol and the shocking reason behind their decision.

the Kids are all right USA Annette bening, Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo; dir. lisa Cholodenko. In this comedy, the two children of a lesbian couple decide to locate the anonymous sperm donor who is their father. filminfocus.com/the_kids_are_all_right

Mulan China/USA Wei Zhao, Jaycee Chan, Rongguang yu; dir. Jingle Ma. based on the same story as the Disney cartoon, this movie is the tale of a brave woman disguised as a man who leads the Chinese army. mulan.sina.com.cn

earth’s women 땅의 여자 Korea hui-ju So, Seon-hui Kang, Eun-ju byeon; dir. Woo-jeong Kwon. three Korean college students quit their classes and head to the countryside in this documentary about rural life. earthwomen.co.kr

the borrower arrietty Japan Kirin Kiki, Ryunosuke Kamiki, Mirai Shida; dir. hiromasa yonebayashi. Studio Ghibli’s latest film is an adaptation of Mary Norton’s fantasy books about little people living under the floor. karigurashi.jp

the 8 Sentiments 여덟 번의 감정 Korea yeong-ho Kim, In-yeong hwang; dir. Ji-hye Seong. In this contemplative drama, Jong-hun’s feelings slowly change on his trips from Seoul to busan to see his girlfriend Eun-ju.

resident evil: afterlife USA/UK Milla Jovovich, Ali larter, Wentworth Miller; dir. Paul W.S. Anderson. the Resident Evil film series continues as Alice searches for survivors in lA and finally confronts the head of the Umbrella Corporation. residentevil-movie.com

cats & Dogs: the revenge of Kitty galore USA/Australia James Marsden, Nick Nolte, Christina Applegate; dir. brad Peyton. Cats and dogs must set aside their differences to forestall the schemes of one crazy cat.catsanddogsmovie.warnerbros.com

oki’s Movie 옥희의 영화 Korea Seon-gyun lee, Seong-geun Mun; dir. Sang-su hong. this collection of four short films traces the complex relationship between the three main characters. blog.naver.com/okismovie

Quiz King 퀴즈왕 Korea Su-ro Kim, Jae-seok han, Seung-nyong Ryu; dir. Jin Jang. Fifteen clueless game show contestants battle for 133 billion won in prize money.

wall Street: Money never Sleeps USA Shia labeouf, Michael Douglas, Susan Sarandon; dir. oliver Stone. Michael Douglas returns as Gordon Gekko twenty years after the original Wall Street. wallstreetmoneyneversleeps.com

eat Pray love USA Julia Roberts, Javier bardem, billy Crudup; dir. Ryan Murphy. In this film inspired by the memoir of Elizabeth Gilbert, an unhappy woman escapes her marriage and sets off to travel the world. letyourselfgo.com

grand Prix 그랑프리 Korea tae-hui Kim, Dong-geun yang; dir. yun-ho yang. After losing her horse and her confidence in an accident on the racecourse, Ju-hui (Kim tae-hui) goes to Jeju to get away from it all.

cyrano agency 시라노; 연애조작단 Korea tae-ung Eom, Min-jeong lee, Daniel Choi; dir. hyeon-seok Kim. the Cyrano Agency, which claims a 100% success rate in arranging romance for unlucky lads, faces its greatest challenge yet. cyranoagency.com

a better tomorrow 무적자 Korea/Japan/Hong Kong Jin-mo Ju, Seung-heon Song, Gang-u Kim; dir. hae-seong Song. A remake of the 1986 film by hong Kong director John Woo, but this time with North Korean defectors and crime lords. go-together.co.kr

troubleshooter 해결사 Korea Gyeong-gu Seol, Jeong-jin lee; dir. hyeok-jae Kwon. Double-crossed and framed for murder, this bad boy will need all of his fighting skills and wit to survive. ction2010.co.kr

NATIONWIDE

NeW ThIS MONTh (dates are subject to change) EDItED by jeAn hAn AND DAviD CARRUth

of performers.Whether it’s the blossoming romance of Barbie and Ken, the

ridiculous bickerings of the Potato Heads or the lunacy of a brainwashed Buzz Lightyear, the film cooks up plenty of laughs and surprises, managing to metamorphose from wacky comedy one minute to gritty prison drama the next, interspersed with mo-

ments of heart-breaking poignancy.It’s the greatest film of the series and puts lame franchises

like Shrek to shame. Pixar deserves its reputation as the best in the business, and it’s proven itself yet again with a laugh-out-loud family film that will keep both parents and children entertained.

WeDneSDAY, SePteMBeR 1St thURSDAY, SePteMBeR 16th

thURSDAY, SePteMBeR 2nD

thURSDAY, SePteMBeR 30th

thURSDAY, SePteMBeR 9th

thURSDAY, SePteMBeR 23RD

tBA

Books BY CHARLES MOnTGOMERY

Popular Books not by Stieg Larsson that Cost W9,590

With Larsson taking the first two spots on the bestseller list, he’s difficult to avoid (as July readers will remem-ber). But this month we take a look at

the books Larsson is keeping out of first.

Nine Dragons Michael Connelly

This is the latest in a series of books focusing on LA detective Harry Bosch. In this case, he

is investigating the death of a Chinese convenience store owner. Security footage and assistance from Detective Chu, a member of the Asian gang Unit, lead Harry to the Triad, the Chinese extor-tion outfit. But is Chu trustworthy? If he is, then who is leaking information?

And that’s when Harry’s daughter Madeline, who lives in Hong Kong with her mother Eleanor, goes missing. He drops the LA case to travel across the Pacific to save his daughter. Are her dis-appearance and the case related? When Eleanor falls into harm’s way, Bosch’s guilt grows and the investigation becomes even more complicated. The book runs along at a whiz-bang pace and feature multiple plot twists. It’s worth picking up.

384 pages, W9,590

Ozzy Osbourne Scream Sony Music

The crazy train just keeps on rollin’, and Ozzy never seems to slacken his grip on the melodic, well-crafted metal that has become his signature sound. Ozzy is definitely “all things to all people” in the metal world, and his pedigree is fully established. Never one to shy away from attempting to blend metal

mayhem with commercial cachet, Ozzy throws a plethora of sounds, influences, and styles into Scream. The result is a more-than-adequate metal melange incorporating sounds that evoke Motohead (“Let Me Hear you Scream”), old Sabbath from the Vol. 4 days (“Fearless”), Brit metal à la Iron Maiden and Judas Priest (“Soulsucker”); and Ozzy’s own days with Randy Rhoads (“Let It Die” and “I Want It More”). There’s even a paean to the Beatles (“Strawberry Fields”) that is an unmistakable presence on “Time.” Once again another leading figure in the old guard of rock dem-onstrates both ability and endurance, and keeps the metal flame burning. This crazy train is nowhere near the end of the line yet, and all and sundry are still welcome aboard! By M ich a el beR Ry

SHINee Lucifer SM Entertainment

How a group can make a “come-back” after leaving the spotlight (but not the public consciousness) for less than a year is a mystery, but somehow SHINee managed to do it. Now, with their second full-length album Lucifer, the group is intent on adding nuanced

vocal harmonies, songwriting credits, and poetry to their already impressive resume. Indeed, the album’s most striking feature is its variety. Though lead single “Lucifer” gives Super Junior’s “Bonamana” worthy competition, it can’t rival the vocal flexibility and authentic angst of “Obsession” or the all-encompassing boy band montage of synths and safe pop hooks on “Ready Or Not.” True, the album is still a little heavy on R&B ballads that require little more than swells of tortured crooning, but it compensates with an amalgam of electro, hip-hop, and rap. A comeback it may not be, but it’s competent and a clear improvement over last year. SHINee keeps proving SM Entertainment’s phenomenal ability to produce hits. By a n na oR z el


The Chemical Brothers Further Virgin/Warner Korea

The Brit music press likes it; their Yank counterparts, not so much. Further, the latest release from major British electronic luminaries Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons seems destined to be one of those albums that marks a directional shift in a band’s musical sojourn,

musically and career-wise. In terms of their contributions to the burgeoning electronic music scene, The Chemical Brothers certainly have nothing more to prove. Yet this album, with its foray into a slower, more melodic and at times progressive/psychedelic realm, seems to evince an attempt to go beyond. Whether it’s the techno-folk extravaganza of “Escape Velocity,” the quirky push into high-end melody on Swoon, or the percussive determinism that defines “K*D*B,” this due of likely lads has chosen to march in a different direction from previous efforts. “Horse Power” does step back a little into more familiar territory, but overall this is definitely a new sound: less intrusive and incessant than before and one that might garner more than a few WTFs! Daring? To be sure, but a guaranteed success? The jury’s still out on that one, I’m afraid. BY MICHAEL BERRY

NatioNwiDe

NATIONWIDE

Hotlines

emergency 119

Police 112

Directory assistance 114

Medical information center 1339This is a 24-hour, nationwide hospital

information service available in English, Korean, Chinese and Japanese.

Foreigner Assistance/Translation

bbb 24-hour language assistance 1588-5644

Kto tourism 24-hr infoline 1330

Korea immigration immigration.go.kr 1345

Korean customs customs.go.kr 1577-8577

Seoul Dasan (city info) 02-120

Transportation

asiana flyasiana.com 1588-8000

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intercity express bus kobus.co.kr 1588-6900

Korea railroad corp. korail.com 1544-7788

Seoul/gyeonggi interactive Subway Map smrt.co.kr

Mobeom taxi Service nationwide 1588-2255

The nationwide “black taxi” number will put you in touch with a driver who speaks English, but these taxis cost about twice

as much as taxis from the rest of the color spectrum. Otherwise call 1330 for regular

taxis in your area.

Investment Assistance

Kotra kotra.or.kr 02-3460-7114

invest Korea investkorea.org 02-3460-7545

Korean Banks

Shinhan bank Seoul global center 100-768 1st Floor, Seoul Finance Center 84 taepyungro 1-ga Jung-gu Seoul 02-773-3131

Korea exchange bank (KEb 외환은행) keb.co.kr 02-729-0114

Sc First bank (SC 제일은행)scfirstbank.com 02-3702-3114

Major Foreign Banks

american express americanexpress.co.kr 02-2000-8100

australia & new Zealand banking group 02-3700-3100

china construction bank ccbseoul.com 02-6730-1718

citibank citibank.co.kr 02-3455-2114

Deutsche bank 02-724-4500

bank of america 02-2202-4500

bank of china 02-399-0368

bnP Paribas bnpparibas.co.kr 02-317-1700

hSbc 02-311-0060

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

Pizza Delivery Order

Nationwide English-speaking ServiceDomino’s 1577-3082

Papa John’s 1577-8080

Pizza hut 1588-5588

The Lucky One nicholas Sparks

Nicholas Sparks wr ites unabashed romances, and this is one of his best. Three-term Iraq War soldier Logan Thibault finds a picture of a pretty woman which he pock-ets. Soon it becomes clear that in war, as in poker, the photo is a lucky charm. Logan’s friend Victor figures this out, and while sticking close to Logan also teases him that fate will lead to the unknown woman in the picture.

When luck runs out for Victor, Logan is crushed and returns to the United States to search for the mysterious woman in the photo. He finds the woman, named Elizabeth, and it quickly becomes clear to him that it is fate that brought the two of them together. There is one last secret, however, the very secret of the photo, that puts everything in peril. This is a well-done work in a genre I’m not normally keen on.

332 pages, W9,590

Charlie St. Cloud Ben Sherwood

This book was originally published in 2004 as The Life and Death of Charlie St. Cloud. Charlie and his brother have a terrible acci-dent as teens and as a result, Charlie “sees dead people.”

This is convenient as he becomes an undertaker, but inconvenient in that he manages to make that predictable and sappy. Tack on a ghostly romance, and you have a perfect storm of treacle. If you took the movie The Sixth Sense, the book The Five People You Meet in Heaven, and Robin Wil-liams’ What Dreams May Come and tossed them into a trash compactor along with a fifty-pound sack of sugar, this might well be the result. Con-sequently, the original was a massive success and is now a movie starring Zac Efron. Sometimes I just don’t get it!

306 pages, W9,590

W hen it comes to phones in Korea, the buzz word is definitely “smartphone.” Despite KT selling over 800,000 iP-

hones since November of last year, it’s local powerhouse Samsung that, perhaps predictably, is shaping Koreans’ expectations of smartphones and winning mind share when it comes to the new mobile computing paradigm.

The galaxy S is not Sammy’s first smartphone offering by any means. Believe it or not, it was only two years ago that the Samsung BlackJack set the standard, albeit on the now defunct Win-dows Mobile platform. The galaxy is not Sam-sung’s first try at taking advantage of google’s Android operating system either. But with 400,000 buyers since March, it seems that these previous efforts only paved the way for what Samsung is calling the “iPhone Killer.”

There is no denying that the galaxy equals and in some cases bests the iPhone 4. The 1gHz pro-cessor makes Android snappy and fast. The “Su-per” AMOLED display is a joy to look at with bright vibrant colours consis-tent with Apple’s Retina Dis-play, and its resolution makes viewing movies shot on the phone in HD 720p quality look that much crisper.

Speaking of movies, the galaxy makes watching a flick probably the sim-plest for any phone on the market. The common DivX format for movies

is supported, meaning users can just copy their movies to the external memory card and watch their films on the go. (In markets outside Ko-rea, James Cameron’s Avatar actually came pre-loaded on the phone!) And speaking of on the go, the Korean market gets the ubiquitous DMB (mobile TV), meaning you will never miss a broadcast of a Starcraft II match while commut-ing on the subway.

Samsung is aware of the threat that Apple poses to its domestic dominance. As such, it has done two things. First, it has stopped supplying phones to KT, the exclusive carrier for the iP-hone, so you’ll only find the galaxy S at SK Tele-com. Second, they have undertaken a massive marketing campaign promoting the phone and the Samsung and Android brands. The main fo-cus of the marketing is that the galaxy S, despite its somewhat hardcore geek credentials and spec-ifications, is an everyday device for everyday users. Check out the galaxy S Blog (blog.naver.com/galaxyblog) for stories from “everyday” Ko-rean galaxy S users (hand-picked by Sammy).

The galaxy is a serious and credible challenge to Apple’s iPhone. Samsung’s TouchWiz inter-face is a little sluggish compared to HTC’s Sense

UI or the default interface on the Nexus One, but its tight integration with google services should seal the deal for most.

The galaxy S is available from SK Telecom at various prices depending on contract. Many thanks to the team at the Samsung A/S cen-

tre in yeokgok for letting me play with the galaxy S and ask them questions in stilted Korean for half an hour on a rainy Thursday afternoon.


The Galaxy SSamsung’s Answer to the iPhone

BY StaFForD luMSDen

B efore coming to Korea you may have heard about Itae-won. What exactly you heard will depend a lot on the date of entry of the person who you heard it from. It has

not always been what it is, and it won’t always be that way ei-ther. Compared with the rest of Seoul, it’s not really that old. Since its humble beginnings as a few bars and tailors catering to the nearby US army base, it has been in a constant state of f lux. Old-timers (as in people who came before the 2002 World Cup)disparage what they see as the gentrifica-tion of a legendary gritty inland sailor’s village. yet even that period of Itaewon was relatively short-lived. For the past couple of years, the con-stantly changing neighborhood has been going through its greatest metamorpho-sis. Itaewon now caters to an internation-al crowd in addition to the soldiers, and despite frequent procrastination, the US army base will move south one day. This environment has spawned an exciting din-ing scene that native Seoulites are finally starting to discover. Sometimes I like to go there to explore different international cuisines, which I call “globing it.” This ar-ticle will offer you a little walking guide to some of our faves.

wHere woULD oBi woN go?There are three landmarks in Itaewon

you usually refer to when meeting some-one: the Hamilton Hotel, gecko’s Terrace, and Quizno’s (formerly Burger King), all of which are just outside Itaewon Station (line 6, the brown line). Let’s start with exit 4, the gecko’s exit. gecko’s (1) is not only a good place to grab a steak pie and a beer; it’s also sort of the Star Wars cantina of Seoul. Everyone goes through there at one point. It’s a great mix of nationalities, ages and professions. Investigators look-ing for missing persons would be wise to start their searches here—and I have been approached by one who did.

Behind gecko’s is chef Meili (2). Our resident Austrian chef has breathed life into this sector by whipping up classic schnitzel and chateaubriand in a relaxed setting while also manning a full-service deli. And by full service I mean the man

cures his own meats and bakes his own breads. He’s also a good source for a rare lobe of foie gras if you’re in the market for it.

going down the hill you can get some Paraguayan empanadas at El Comedor on the left and one of the best burgers at The Wolfhound (3) on the right. A new find that we’ll go into detail in a future issue is

the Sultan Restaurant. This place has real shish kebabs that taste like a Saturday eve-ning backyard barbecue. As of this writ-ing, they’re closed for renovation.

Passing Sultan and climbing up the stairs, turn left and walk to the end of the street. At the corner is the legend-ary Suji’s, the restaurant that sparked Ko-rea’s brunch craze. They serve some mean breakfast. Now they’re going for an encore by bringing New york deli sandwiches to Korea. Here’s to hoping that this will also become a trend.

from tUrKeY to moroCCoFor the second touring route, start at

Quizno’s, walk around the hungry cus-tomers lined up at Taco Bell and turn left at the first back street. you’ll imme-diately hit Sultan Kebab House (4), the place that started the whole kebab trend

WOR DS A N D SHOTS By Joe Mcph eR Son

SEOUL


1

2 4

5

6

3

International Food in Itaewon

For those times when kimchi just doesn’t cutit, these four walking routes will guide you to the best in international dining.

FOODIE FINDS

in Seoul in 2006. It’s still the best. Head-ing all the way up to the intersection and turning right, you can find Roofers (5). We’ve talked about Roofers before, but if you’re a newcomer you weren’t here for that. I’ll shorten it in Twitter-speak: Roof-ers is gd 4 ThaiTunaMelt, gr8 brgr n beer on rooftop.

Across the street and up a ways you hit the Foreign Food Mart. This is the best bet for hard-to-find items from almost any international cuisine, especially lamb and curries.

The last find on this leg is a bit of a walk. Back on the main street, head to-ward the big Cheil Building. you’ll pass by Rocky Mountain Tavern, an authentic Ca-nadian tavern with great wings and pizza. Next to it is Marrakech night (6), Korea’s best stop for authentic Moroccan food.

tHe restaUraNt rowNow for the Hamilton Hotel side. This

is where the big restaurant renaissance has been occurring over the past five years. It’s not on the main street but immediate-ly behind the hotel. Slightly more upscale ethnic restaurants populate this restaurant row, starting with the granddaddy le Saint ex (7) French bistro across from the 3 al-ley pub. you can find great desserts at the former and great goulash soup at the lat-ter. Or pick up a strawberry-rhubarb pie from Tartine, which is close by. This street is where to go for the world mix: Bulgarian at Zelen, greek at Santorini, Brazilian at Copacabana and the beach barbecue envi-ronment of bungalow (8), serving skewers with dozens of world f lavors. We’re only naming a few on this one because the es-tablishments come and go rapidly. For the rest, here are some handy guidelines: if it’s lively, it’s good. If it’s only waiters stand-ing out front, it’s struggling. If there’s a line out the door, stay away. It’s overhyped.

roaDs Less traveLeDNow for the less-traveled areas. From

Itaewon Station, go out of exit 1 and walk towards the Burger King. Two streets be-fore BK, turn right up the hill. Tucked

away on this street is the other restaurant of royalty, chili King (9). great chili. go figure. A little further to the right is Irani, a tiny friendly restaurant that is a favorite of long-time Itaewon insiders.

For the final part of our quick walking tour, we return to the Burger King area. Count three streets beyond that—the last small street before the large junction lead-ing to Noksapyeong. This road ramps up and around, eventually leading to the ex-pat neighborhood of Haebangchon. If you’re in the mood for a soothing cup of herbal tea and some enticing pan-Asian treats, check out berlin (10). For our friends from Oz, Tony’s Aussie Bar & Bistro serves all the comforts of home, in-cluding beetroots, vegemite, meat pies and Tim Tam Slams.

We end our journey at the top of the hill overlooking the edge of Itaewon. pe-tra (11) stands on the rock and has crys-

tallized its reputation as one of the oldest and best stops for Middle Eastern cuisine and the origin of the Itaewon pastime of hookah smoking.

I t’s been quite a tour, but we still haven’t completely covered the neighborhood. That’s because it’s

still growing. The Hannam-dong east-ern edge offers some upscale fine dining, and there’s a row of Japanese izakaya in between. And at night, it has the most di-verse street food in Seoul. Feel free to ex-plore and share your favorite finds as com-ments on the online version of the article at 10magazine.asia.


Gecko’s

Wolfhound

Chef Meili

Sultan Kebab

Roofers Foreign Food Mart

Rocky Mountain Tavern

Marakech NightQuiznosTaco Bell

Le Saint Ex

3 Alley Pub

Tartine

Chili King

Burger KingBerlin

Tony’s Aussie Bar

Suji’s

Petra

Bungalow

HamiltonHotel

Ex.1 Ex.2

Ex.3Ex.4Itaewon Stn. Line 3

7 9

10

11

8


Fantastic footwork at frequent b-boy jams keeps Seoul in the center of breakdance worldwide.

I have long been suspicious of any subculture employing the use of adjectives like “sick,” “nasty,” or “dope” to serve as high praise. Sideline for the battles at the R16–the in-

ternational b-boying competition held recently in Olympic Park–however, I find myself being quickly converted. As crews from eight countries throw down impossible airflares, gravity-defying freezes, and crisp toprock footwork, I pick my jaw up off the floor, forced to admit that yeah, that move was simply dope.

Nomenclature aside, what you may not know is that alongside profligate alcohol consumption, ingestion of pickled cabbage, and the manufacture of flat-screen TVs, the southern half of the Ko-rean Peninsula is also a world leader in the international b-boying and breakdancing scene. Seoul in particular is home to more upper-echelon toprockers and powerheads per capita than al-most anywhere on earth, including R16 champion crew Jinjo and former Battle of the year winners gamblerz. And if you find yourself here in the Land of the Morning Calm, you owe it to yourself to check it out.

Practice spots and studios dot the city, from Namguro to Nowon to Apgujeong, with Hongdae serving as a major locus, and events and b-boy jams happening every month. Like any other scene that is constantly changing and evolving, the in-ternet is your best source of information on current spots, up-coming events and classes for those keen on developing their six-step.

The Bboy World forums (bboyworld.com/forum: free reg-istration required; check out “Training Spots Asia” for the

Seoul sticky) remain an excellent source of information, but for the most up-to-date info, join the Seoul Bboying guide Facebook group, an active and responsive online community. Check out the Photos tab, especially page 1, for cu r rent event fliers.

Before you hit that first event, though, be forewarned. Regular exposure to anything this dope may be habit-forming.

WoRDS AND ShotS by MAt theW CRoMPton

the B-Boy next Door

SEOUL

seoUL DisCoVeries


Find a weekend’s worth of enlightenment at this 500-year-old temple hidden in the middle of Seoul.

T emple stay programs are a great opportunity to experi-ence Korean Buddhism in an authentic and inexpensive way. Of course, many temples are located in remote areas

of the country and are often difficult to get to. Myogaksa, however, offers the perfect getaway without hav-

ing to get away. Tucked away in the bedrock of Mt. Naksan in the middle of Seoul, Myogaksa is a historical Buddhist holy ground dating back 500 years to when the city was much smaller than it is today. Not only is Myogaksa easy to reach, but it also offers programs in English. your guide is yeo-yeo, a friendly nun who has been at the temple for nearly 10 years and teaches about Bud-

dhism in fluent English. Myogaksa offers two programs, an overnight

stay (W50,000) or a one-day program (three-and-a-half hours, W30,000). The overnight stay usually commences on a Saturday afternoon; however, if you are booking with a large group, it is possible to reserve any day of the week. The weekend program begins with registration at 2:30 pm. During your 20-hour stay, you will have the opportunity to make beaded prayer bracelets, practice meditation, and walk up the mountain to Naksan Park where you can watch the sunrise. your sojourn concludes with a tea ceremony at 10:30 am, when you are free to

ask any questions you may have to one of the monks or nuns. Whether you are looking to fulfill a spiritual need, learn about

Buddhism, or simply try something new, the temple stay program offered at Myogaksa is sure to suit your needs.myogaksa.net 02-763-3345 [email protected]

GettinG theRe

Start at exit 2 of Dongmyo Stn. (line 6). take your first left and your first right and then walk up the hill and follow the sign boards leading to the temple.

WoRDS AND ShotS by K YLe BURton

SEOUL

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though September 5thPop Art Superstar Keith haringthroughout the 1980s, Keith haring used his simple yet powerful images to send a message about critical social issues. Soma Museum at olympic Park near Mongchontoseong St. (line 5, ex. 1). 10 am – 6 pm. Adults W12,000, teens W10,000, children W8,000. haring.co.kr 02-410-1343

through September 11th Blindness in the City Inspired by the book by Jose Saramago, this unusual exhibit is held at boan yeogwan near Gyeongbok Palace. Noon – 9 pm. cafe.naver.com/boaninn.cafe 02-720-8409

Dynamic State exhibitIn the art garden outside of the Sejong Center

through September 26th

Modern english Landscape Paintings this is your chance to assess the artistic value of 18th and 19th century English landscape paintings by masters like J.M.W. turner and John Constable. Seoul Arts Center. 11 am – 8 pm

thrugh october 3rdthe Calligraphy of Sang-hyeon Lee


seoUL CAlenDAr

SEOUL

Design & Fashion

September 8th – october 31stFormula one: the Great Design Race Get ready for the Formula one Grand Prix scheduled for october with this exhibit about the race to design the perfect car. Seoul Arts Center. 11 am – 8 pm. Adults W12,000, teens W10,000, children W8,000. sac.or.kr/f1

September 18thMio Fall 2010 trunk Show See the latest designs from this children’s clothing brand that emphasizes fine fabric, dainty design, and sanguine spirit. hallasan at the Seoul Club. 11 am - 7 pm. mioseoul.com 0505-258-2525

Art

Every Saturdayhongdae Free Market It’s called “free,” not “flea,” because the objects on sale here are hand-crafted by the vendors and not second-hand products. held in the playground across from hongik University (line 2). 1 - 6 pm. cafe.daum.net/artmarket, [email protected]

through September 4thWalker evans Photo exhibit American photographer Walker Evans is best known for his work chronicling the hardships of farmers during the Great Depression. hanmi Photography Museum. Mongchontoseong Stn. (line 8, ex. 2). Weekdays 10 am – 7 pm. Weekends 11 am – 6:30 pm. photomuseum.or.kr 02-418-1315

EDITOR’S PICK

Design & Fashion September 17th – october 7th Seoul Design Fair

Much to the surprise of those who grumble about the mo-notonous apartments and ugly signs, Seoul was named the 2010 World Design Capital. In response, the city has planned dozens of programs, exhibitions and conferences for the Seoul Design Fair. The events for this year’s fair roughly fall into the catego-ries of economy, participation, and education. Among the eco-nomic events, the Seoul Design Market will bring together ma-jor designers and prospective buyers. The participation theme includes the Seoul International Design Competition, which has drawn thousands of submissions. For education, the Hall of Idea Imagination offers children inspirational tours of design exhib-its. These and other events take place at the main pavilions set up at the Jamsil Sports Complex, as well as other design clusters in Hongdae, Dongdaemun, guro, and Sinsa. Most events are open to all and free of charge. sdf.seoul.go.kr


Sejong Center. 10:30 am – 10:30 pm. Dark Mondays

through october 10th

Fernando Amorsolo, Philippines, Rice Planting, 1924, oil on canvas, 69 x 99cm,

Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Paulino QueAsian RealismAlmost 100 paintings by artists from ten Asian countries. National Museum of Contemporary Art, Deoksugung Palace branch. City hall St. (line 1, ex. 2). Closed Mon. 10 am – 5 pm. Sat 10 am – 8 pm. Adults W5,000, teens W2,500. moca.go.kr 02-2022-0600.

through November 14th White Porcelain jars: embracing Joseon Ideals and Ritualsthese delicate and intricately designed white porcelain jars embodied the lives and attitudes of people in the Joseon Dynasty. National Museum of Korea, Ichon St. (line 4, ex. 2). tue, Wed, Fri 9 am – 6 pm. Wed, Sat 9 am – 8 pm. Sun 9 am – 7 pm. museum.go.kr 02-2077-9000

through December 26th“Flight” exhibit A number of young Korean artists explore the themes of youth, challenge, and the future. Mapo Arts Center. 10 am – 6 pm. Closed Mon. Free

August 6th – November 7th over the Rainbow 1 Nine artists present Dorothy as she makes nine bizarre journeys through time and space. Sungkok Art Museum near Gwanghwamun St (line 5). 10 am – 6 pm. Closed Mon. Adults W5,000, students W4,000. sungkokmuseum.com 02-737-8999

September 7th – November 17thMedia City Seoulthis is the 6th Seoul International biennale of Media Art, held at the Seoul Museum of Art and other venues. Free. mediacityseoul.org [email protected]

September 9th – 11thSeoul DMC “Culture open” FestivalFeaturing the Digital Media Art Festival, DMC high-tech Street Festival, and Culturenomics. Digital Media City (DMC) in Mapo-gu. sedco.sba.kr 02-3153-7124

September 9th – 13thKorea international Art Fair thousands of pieces of art are for sale at the KIAF, held at CoEX. thu – Sun 11 am – 8 pm, Mon 11 am – 5 pm. Adults W15,000, students W10,000. kiaf.org 02-766-3702

Theater & Dance

ongoingthe Ballerina Who Loved a B-Boythis story of a would-be ballerina who falls for a b-boy street dancer is a

genre-bending mash-up of break dance and ballet. lotte World Art hall at Jamsil St. (line 2). Wed – thu 8 pm, Fri 5 & 8 pm, Sat – Sun 3 & 6 pm. Dark Mon & tue. W50,000. showbboy.com 02-2266-3727

Battle B-Boy Romance at a dance tournament serves as the setting for this exhibition of awesome dance routines and soaring aerial moves. hongdae. tue - Fri 8 pm Sat 6 pm, Sun 2 pm. W50,000. sjbboys.com 02-323-5233

Billy elliot: the Musical Since its release in 2005, the musical Billy Elliot (based on the 2000 movie) has won dozens of awards and has been staged successfully in major venues across the worldwide. In Korean. lG Arts Center by yeoksam St. (line 2, ex. 7). Weekdays 8 pm, Weekends 2 & 7:30 pm, dark Mon. W50,000 – W130,000. lgart.com 02-2005-0114

Bubble World though geared toward younger children, anyone can enjoy this creative presentation of bubbles, fans, lighting, and lasers. Myungbo Art hall in Jongno. Wed 3 pm, thu & Fri 3 pm & 8 pm, weekend 2 & 4:30 pm (and 8 pm on Sat). bubbleworld.co.kr 02-2263-9742

Drawing Show Art exhibit or performance? the drawing show is as fun to watch as it is hard to classify. Drawing Show theater in Daehangno in Seoul (hyehwa Station, exit 1). Weekdays 8 pm. Sat 4 pm, 7 pm. Sun 3 pm, 6 pm. Closed Mon. Adults W30,000, children W20,000. afe.daum.net/drawingshow, [email protected] 02-766-7848

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

Conveniently located at the 63 building in yeouido. tue - Sun 8 pm. W32,000 - W50,000. fanta-stick.co.kr 02-789-5664

jump First performed in 2003, this non-verbal show combines a comic story with martial arts moves and impressive visuals. Downtown near Jonggak Stn. Mon 8 pm, tue – Sat 4 & 8 pm, Sun 3 & 6 pm. W40,000 – W50,000. hijump.co.kr 02-722-3995

Korea house Performance head over to the Korea house for two daily performances based on traditional Korean culture. you can also sample Korean royal cuisine before the show. Chungmuro Stn. (lines 3 & 4, ex. 3). 7 – 8 pm, 8:50 – 9:50 pm. Dinner starts at W68,000. Performance is W50,000. kangkoku.or.kr/eng 02-2266-9101

Legend of Flower this romantic tale of two lovers

redefines what a performance can be with stunning sound effects, tantalizing aromas, holographs, and more. Walkerhill theatre at the Sheraton Grande Walkerhill. Mon – Sat 5:30 & 7 pm. W60,000 and up. legendofflower.com 02-455-5000

Miso Chongdong theater presents Miso, a story of one woman’s encounter with love told through traditional dance, percussion, and music. City hall Station.

SEOUL

EDITOR’S PICKS

theater & Dance September 8th – 12th Sangre Flamenca: Flamenco Dance MusicalContinued from p. 37as the United States, great Britain, and germany and received awards including the Best Flamenco and Spanish Dance Com-pany (1999) and the Villa de Madrid Prize for Best Dance In-terpreters (2005). Their dances transcend traditional flamenco, maintaining its essence while adding elements from classical and modern Spanish dance. In Sangre Flamenca, six male and four female dancers take the stage to exhibit their explosive routine. The highlight of the work is the dynamic duo perfor-mance by Rojas and Rodriguez. Complementing the dancing will be the powerful but plaintive gypsy music of seven musi-cians and singers. Universal Art Center. Achasan Stn. (line 5, ex. 4). Weekdays 8 pm, weekends 3 & 7 pm. W55,000 – W150,000. superflamenco.com 02-517-0394

theater & Dance September 24th – november 7th theatre olympics

Think of the great theatre centers of the world, and you are sure to evoke visions of New york City’s Broadway, London’s West End, and even Moscow’s Theatre Square. As the host of the 5th Theatre Olympics, it may not be long before Seoul is added to the list of cities showcasing some of the finest new theatre talent in the world. Last October, a 14-country commit-tee chose Seoul to host the festival, which will attract hundreds of performers, directors and writers from all over the world to the city in September 2010. Performances at the festival will take place at the National Theater of Korea, Arko City and the Myeongdong Arts Theater. For more information and a de-tailed schedule, visit the website. theatreolympics.or.kr 02-747-2901 WORDS By baRRi tSavaRiS

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ArKO ArTs THeATer Hyehwa Stn. (line 4, ex. 2) arko.or.kr 02-760-4840

COeX Samsung Stn. (line 2) coex.co.kr 02-6000-0114

MAPO ArTs CenTer Daeheung Stn. (line 6, ex. 2)

mapoartcenter.or.kr 02-3274-8600

nATIOnAl THeATer OF KOreA Shuttle available from Dongguk

Univ. Stn. (line 3, ex. 6) ntok.go.kr 02-2280-4114

sAngsAng MADAng ArT sPACe Hongdae

sangsangmadang.co.kr 02-330-6200

sejOng CenTer Gwanghwamun Stn.

(line 5, ex. 8) sejongpac.or.kr 1544-1887

seOul ArT CenTer Nambu Terminal Stn. (line 3, ex. 5)

sac.or.kr 02-580-1300

seTeC (Seoul Trade Exhibition Center)

Hagyeoul St. (line 3, ex. 1) setec.or.kr 02-2222-3811

seoUL CAlenDAr4 pm & 8 pm. Closed Mon. W30,000 – W50,000. miso.mct.or.kr/eng 02-751-1500

nanta this kitchen percussion extravaganza is the non-verbal stage show that nearly everyone sees at least once. two Seoul locations and performances almost daily. Refer to website for more details. W50,000 – W60,000. nanta.co.kr 02-739-8288

nori Madang traditional Performance Every Sunday at 3 pm, Korean dancers and singers present you with all the vivid colors and exotic sounds of a traditional performance. Free. Sokchon lake Park near Jamsil Stn. (line 2, ex. 3). 02-120

Pan An exciting combination of Korean folk songs, minstrel music, and percussion of all kinds. Gwanghwamun Art hall. Weekdays at 7:30 pm, weekends at 4 pm, closed Mon and tue. 90 min. W30,000 – W50,000. ghmarthall.co.kr 02-722-3416

Sa-Choom A non-verbal dance performance telling the story of three friends’ coming of age. tue – Fri 8 pm. Sat 4 pm, 7:30 pm. Sun 4 pm. W50,000. lovedance.co.kr 070-8249-3023

through September 11ththe Phantom of the opera In Korean. tue – Fri 8 pm. Sat 3 & 8 pm. Sun 2 & 7 pm. W40,000 – W140,000. Charlotte theater near Jamsil Stn. (line 2 & 8, ex. 3). phantomoftheopera.co.kr 02-501-7888

September 1st – 3rdLe nozze Di Figaro: the operaSeoul Arts Center. Wed – thu 7:30 pm, Fri 3 & 7:30 pm. W10,000 – W50,000

September 3rd - 4ththe Flaming Sword: the DanceDance troupe black Sonata performs The Flaming Sword, inspired by the Pablo Neruda poem of the same name. Arko Arts theater. Fri 8 pm, Sat 5 pm. W15,000 – W20,000. 02-2220-1338

September 3rd – 19ththe King is the King: the Playthis Arabian play is presented as part of the modern drama series. Subtitles available in Arabic and English! Weekdays 8 pm, Sat 3 & 7 pm, Sun 3 pm. W20,000 – W30,000. Sejong Center

September 4th – 5th Shakespeare on Love, Sex, and Romance Amateur Shakespearean drama troupe Actors Without barders has carefully assembled the bawdiest of the bard’s dramaturgy for your literary delectation. theater Gori near hyehwa Stn. (line 4, ex. 4). 9/4: 7 pm. 9/5 3 & 7 pm. W10,000. [email protected]

September 9thtomorrow Starts Yesterday: Puppet

Show Russian puppet troupe ognivo performs this show for youngsters. Mapo Arts Center. 8 pm. W10,000 – W20,000. 02-3274-8600

September 9th – 11thLa traviata: the opera one of verdi’s masterpieces. Seoul Arts Center. thu – Fri 3 & 7:30 pm, Sat 7:30 pm. W10,000 – W50,000

September 10th - 11th Simia Concumbia: the Play this new play by boots McMartin will be presented for the first time by the Workshop Division at Roofers in Itaewon. 9 – 11 pm. W10,000 includes a drink. roofers.co.kr, [email protected]

September 17th - 19thCosi Fan tutte: the operaSeoul Art Center. Fri 7:30 pm, Sat 3 & 7:30 pm, Sun 4 pm. W10,000 – W50,000

othello: the Play A modernized version of the tragic tale of envy and desire. National theater of Korea.

Weekdays at 8 pm, weekends at 3 pm. W20,000 – W70,000

September 18th – 19thShakespeare Festival See Shakespeare’s plays performed in the original language (i.e.

English). National theater of Korea. 7 pm. Free. 010-7300-0266

September 21st – october 24thRomeo and juliet: Musical PlayWith the Mokhwa Repertory Company. Korean language. Sejong Center. Weekdays 8 pm, weekends 3 pm. Dark Mondays. Adults W30,000, minors W20,000

September 25thAga 雅歌 (“Bright Song”): the DanceAn expression of the Korean spirit through dance. Arko Arts theater. Sat 4 & 7:30 pm, Sun 7:30 pm. W20,000 – W30,000. 02-704-6420

Russian national Classical BalletIf you’re wondering why so many performances this year feature Russian artists, it’s because this is the 20th anniversary of normalizing diplomatic relations between Russia and South Korea. 9/25: Sleeping Beauty. 9/26: Swan Lake. 3 & 7 pm. Sejong Center. 02-737-6614

September 25th – 30thRaymonda: the Ballet this famous Russian ballet was composed in the late 19th century, but this performance features more recent choreography by yuri Grigorovich. Seoul Arts Center. Weekdays and Sat 7:30 pm, Sun 3 pm. W5,000 – W120,000

September 30th – october 20thSeoul international Dance FestivalInternational dance acts bring new life into the Korean contemporary dance scene at this yearly festival. Events held at the Seoul Arts Center, Sejong Center, and other venues. sidance.org 02-3216-1185

Concerts

September 1stthe ik-tae An Memorial Concertthe KbA Symphony orchestra performs beethoven’s Egmont overture and Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 24, along with short pieces by Korean composers. Seoul Arts Center. 8 pm

September 2nd – 5thSeoul international Computer Music Festival twenty-six artists were


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SEOUL

concerts September 4th – 30th the Seoul Drum Festival

If you’re looking for a little rhythm, the Seoul Drum Festival may be just what you need. On the main stage, the headlining performances (9/24 – 9/26) feature twenty teams from Korea and seven teams from countries including India, Japan, and France. But why remain a spectator when you can join a huge percussion parade 10,000 people strong (9/25) in an attempt to set a guinness World Record? Applications for the parade are accepted online. Other events include a Chuseok Drum Concert (9/23), a Percussion Art “Market” (actually more of a group showcase), and fringe drum performances (9/4 – 9/26) at several locations throughout Seoul To get there, head to Ttuk-seom Stn. (line 2, ex. 8) and listen for the sound of drums. seouldrum.go.kr/English 02-757-2121

concerts September 12th isang Yun Concert

Mistrusted during his life and admired after his death, clas-sical composer Isang yun is a testament to the tragedy of the Korean War. He was abducted by South Korean agents while living in West germany and would have been executed as a spy had Western musicians not intervened. He spent the rest of his life in germany, forbidden to return to his native land, and he died in 1995 before pardon was given. Since then, South Korea has recognized his contributions to classical music with the Tongyeong Music Festival, established in his honor. At this concert, you can hear yun’s 2nd Symphony, performed for the first time in Korea and Edouard Lalo’s Symphonie Espagnole The Wonju Symphony Orchestra performs with Chi-yong Jeong conducting. Seoul Arts Center near Nambu Terminal Stn. (line 3). 8 pm. W20,000 – W70,000. sac.or.kr 02-580-1300

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EDITOR’S PICKS

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seoUL CAlenDArchosen from the 200 who submitted a composition to the judges. the guest ensemble is the influential German group Aventure. Seoul Arts Center. 7:30 pm. W10,000

September 2nd – 11thYeo Woo Rak: “our Music is here” Festival

9/2 – 9/3: Gong Myeong. Apparently, Korean world music, which sounds like an oxymoron. 8 pm.

9/4 – 9/5: Noreum Machi. Famous for their work in The King and the Clown. Sat 6 pm, Sun 3 pm.

9/7 – 9/8: Sonagi Project. 8 pm. 9/9 – 9/10: Dulsori. 8 pm.

9/11: Jam Concert. All of the groups team up for a joint concert. 4 & 7 pm.

National theater of Korea. W20,000 – W30,000

September 3rdjunge Munchner PhilharmoniePerforming beethoven’s Egmont overture, Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concert No.2, yong-Jin Kwon’s Kyung-hee Fantasia Through the World, and Dvorak’s Symphony No. 9. Seoul Arts Center. 8 pm. W30,000 – W150,000

September 3rd, 8th, 15th, Seoul Philharmonic orchestra in Free Concert Seoul Plaza near City hall Stn. (line 1 & 2). 7:30 pm. seoulphil.or.kr

September 4th Gwacheon Academic Symphony orchestra Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 2 and Mahler’s Symphony No. 3. 2:30 pm. W10,000 – W20,000. Seoul Arts Center

An evening of Love the Camarata Music Company will perform a selection of romantic pieces with Ryan Goessl conducting. the concert will begin with the choral harmonies of brahms’ Liebeslieder Walzer and move on to the Rachmaninoff’s turbulent Suite no. 2 for two Pianos. 7:30 PM at Chungdong First Methodist Church, near City hall Station. camaratamusic.com 010-9806-8655

September 5thKorea-China-japan Culture Shuttle Concert Ensemble Ditto performs Dvorak’s Piano Quintet op.81 and Schubert’s Piano Quintet The Trout. Seoul Arts Center. 2:30 pm. W30,000 – W80,000

ji-eun Yun Piano RecitalPiano pieces by Chopin and Schumann. Sejong Center. 8 pm

Korea W Philharmonic orchestra: A Stroll through Musicals and jazz“over the Rainbow,” “Phantom of the opera,” and many more. Seoul Arts Center. 8 pm. W22,000 – W77,000

September 7ththe Women Pavarotti Loved: the Concert three years after the death of luciano Pavarotti, the Prime Philharmonic orchestra performs Wagner’s Prelude to The Mastersingers of Nuremberg, Mascagni’s Cavalleria Rusticana, and more. Seoul Arts Center. 8 pm. W20,000 – W70,000.

September 10thSeoul Philharmonic orchestra: Masterpiece Series iii Spanish conductor Jesus lopez-Cobos and cellist Alban Gerhardt join the Seoul Phil

for Falla’s El Sombrero de Tres Picos, tchaikovsky’s variations on a Rococo theme, and Schumann’s Symphony No. 1, Spring. Seoul Arts Center. 8 pm. W10,000 – W50,000

Schumann Chamber Music Festivalon the 200th anniversary of the death of Schumann, the Sejong Center will hold a concert featuring Schumann’s Märchenbilder for viola and Piano op. 113, Märchenerzählungen for Clarinet, viola and Piano op. 132 and other pieces. 8 pm. W30,000 – W80,000. 02-780-5054

September 10th – 11thG3: extreme Guitar ConcertPopular Korean indie groups like Galaxy Express and Kingston Rudieska will cover songs by classic rock favorites like Chuck berry and Elvis on the 10th and metal groups like Metallica and Megadeth on the 11th. W20,000 in advance, W25,000 at the door. Sangsang Madang Art Space in hongdae

September 12thBassist Anthony jackson in KoreaNew york-based Anthony Jackson, who exclusively uses a six-string bass that he calls a contrabass guitar, has had a

massive influence on the contemporary electric bass scene. Mapo Art Center. 6 pm. W33,000 – W77,000. 02-3274-8600 September 13thGangnam Symphony orchestraPlaying Mendelssohn’s overture to Die Hebriden; beethoven’s triple Concerto for violin, Cello & Piano; and brahms’ Symphony No. 3. Seoul Art Center. 8 pm. W10,000 – W50,000

September 14thBeethoven Complete Sonata Series: Su-jin Park Piano RecitalWith Sonata No. 1, 2, and 3, as well as the well-known Moonlight Sonata, No. 14. Seoul Arts Center. 8 pm. W20,000

September 15thLondon Philharmonic orchestraSeoul Arts Center. 8 pm. 1577-5266

September 16thLondon Philharmonic orchestravassily Serafimovich Sinaisky is conducting this world-renowned orchestra. Guest violinists Stefan Jackiw and Richard yongjae o’Neill bring their distinctive charm to this performance of beethoven’s Leonore Overture, Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante, and tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5. Sejong Center. 7:30 pm. W40,000 – W200,000. 02-751-9607

Pianist emmanuel Strosser and Cellist Yang Sung WonPlaying pieces by Schumann and brahms’ cello sonatas. Kumho Art hall near Gwanghwamun Stn. (line 5, ex. 7). 8 pm. W8,000 – W30,000. kumhoarthall.co.kr 02-6303-7700

September 17thLondon Philharmonic orchestrathe lPo performs for a third consecutive night in Seoul with soloist Sarah Chang on the violin. the program includes Weber’s overture to Oberon, brahms’ violin Concerto, and Dvorak’s Symphony No. 8. Seoul Arts Center. W50,000 – W280,000

Seoul Philharmonic orchestra Free Concert With a program focusing on woodwind concertos included in movie


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September 7thLecture on Brazilian Cinemaon brazil’s Independence Day, award-winning brazilian filmmaker tizuka yamazaki will be delivering a lecture at the Korea Foundation Cultural Center. 3 - 5 pm. Free, but seating is limnited. brasemb.or.kr 02-738-4970

Family & Community

ongoing Can You Drive a Subway train?With the Seoul Metropolitan Rapid transit Corporation, the answer is yes! Every Sat and Sun from 2 – 6 pm, four lucky souls will get to take the wheel of one designated train. Applications available at smrt.co.kr 02-6311-2200

namsangol Korean Style Culture outing the Namsangol hanok village gives you your daily dose of Korean style. try calligraphy in hangeul, learn how to drink tea properly, wear some hanbok, make hanji (Korean paper), or play gugak (traditional music). Namsangol hanok village near Chungmuro Stn. (lines 3 and 4, ex. 4). 11 am – 5 pm. Activities range from W3,000 – W8,000. hanokmaeul.seoul.go.kr 02-2266-6923

traditional Cultural Performance “Misuda” try on traditional garb, snack on Korean food, and hear the music that might have been played for King Sejong himself. located at the Seoul Namsan traditional theater near Chungmuro Stn. (line 3). 4 pm. W50,000. sngad.or.kr 02-2261-0512

scores. Seoul history Museum near Gwanghwamun Stn. (line 5, ex. 1). 11:50 am. seoulphil.or.kr 02-724-0190

September 18th Asian Rock Bus 2010 Featuring essential indie groups Crying Nut, Doberman, and Galaxy Express. v-hall in hongdae. W33,000. ticket.yes24.com 02-326-3075

Zach hill in Concert Eccentrically excellent indie musician Zach hill will visit Freebird in hongdae on his Asian tour this fall. supercolorsuper.com

September 21stYeong-im Kim in Concertbe awed by this gugak (traditional Korean music) singer’s powerful voice. Sejong Center. 2 & 5:30 pm. W40,000 – W120,000. 02-2233-1755

September 28thFamous Korean Choral MusicNational theater of Korea. 8 pm. W15,000 – W30,000. 02-2280-4115

Film

September 1st – 7th experimental Film and video Festival (eXiS) If you’re sick of hollywood plot clichés and predictable cinematography, then this experimental film fest may be for you. Arthouse MoMo and other venues. ex-is.org 02-3141-1841

September 2nd – 8thGreat Short Film FestivalFilms cost W5,000 each. Sangsang Madang Art Space in hongdae

SEOUL

Film September 2nd – 10th Chungmuro international Film Festival

I t wa s i n C hu n -gmuro that Danseong-sa, the f irst Korean theater, was built in 1907, and it has re-m a i ne d a p r ov i ng g round for Korean cinema ever since. This will be the fourth year that this histori-cally significant area will host the Chun-gmuro International Film Festival in Seoul, which provides Seoul cinephiles with a clos-er alternative to PIFF in Busan, scheduled for this October. This year, CHIFFS will be screening nearly 100

films from 28 countries in theaters including Lotte Cinema and Myeongdong CgV. There are a variety of programs to sat-isfy even choosy viewers. Try Panorama to catch up on current trends in cinema, or revisit classic films and influential direc-tors of yesteryear with Cine Retro. Movies cost W5,000 with discounts for packages. There are English subtitles available for all films. For up-to-the-minute information, refer to the helpful English website. eng.chiffs.kr

EDITOR’S PICK

SEOUL

seoUL CAlenDArtraditional Wedding Ceremonyheld every Sunday at 3 pm at the Namsan hanok (traditional Korean house) village near Chungmuro Stn. (line 3 & 4, ex. 3). visitseoul.net 02-2266-6923

All MonthKFCC 5th Anniversary Festival this month marks the 5th anniversary of the Korea Foundation Cultural Center. to celebrate the occasion, the center presents exhibits, marimba and tango concerts, a lecture, and movie screenings. Events are free. Detailed schedule on site. kfcenter.or.kr 02-2151-6500


Seoul Grand Sale Sponsored by the Seoul Metropolitan Government and Seoul tourism organization, the Seoul Grand Sale is an effort to increase Seoul’s reputation as a shopping destination. last year, 810 stores participated, but this year a whopping 5000 will offer deals. Pick up the coupon book and “big 20” card for the best bargains. seoulgrandsale.com 02-120

through February 28th Children’s nanta Activity at CoeXNanta is the popular non-verbal percussion show. Sessions held several times each day. CoEX Atium Performance hall near Samsung Stn. (line 2, ex. 6). Adults W13,000, children W20,000. i-pmc.co.kr

September 17th – 19thhanseong Baekje Culture Festivallong before Joseon and Goryeo was the kingdom of baekje, and at this festival the culture and traditions of this ancient people come to life. held at Peace Plaza at olympic Park near Mongchontoseong Stn. (line 8, ex. 1). hanseong.songpa.go.kr 02-2147-2823

September 19th

Céilí: traditional irish Dance the Irish Association of Korea will be hosting the third Seoul Céili, an afternoon of traditional Irish music and dance with light refreshments. 100% craic guaranteed! See article on p. XX for more. 2 pm - 6 pm. DaeSung Group Car Park, Insadong near Anguk Stn. (line 3). Free. iak.co.kr

education & Conferences

Every thursday and SaturdayMeeting of the Mindz Language exchange Ever wanted to learn languages like English, Korean, Japanese, Chinese, thai, tagalog, Swahili or French? this free language exchange program is your chance to start. 7 – 9 pm. [email protected]

through November 30th Korean War exhibition the artifacts, pictures, and videos here tell the story of the Korean War and its effect on the following 60 years. War Memorial near Samgakji Stn. (line 4 & 2, ex. 12). www.koreanwar60.go.kr 02-709-3139

through December 31st UneSCo World heritages in Korealearn more about the UNESCo intangible cultural heritages and world heritage sites located in Korea through this photo exhibit. lotte World with access from inside Jamsil Stn. (line 2 & 8). lotteworld.com 02-411-2000

September 3rd - october 3rdAmusement Book Project An exhibit dedicated to the art of self-publishing. Sangsang Madang in hongdae. 1 – 10 pm. Free. 02-3141-7030

September 7th YeoL Lecture on Korean CeramicsCarolyn K. Choo, professor emeritus at Chung-ang University, will be delivering a lecture on science and art in traditional Korean ceramics culture. Seminar room (2nd floor) at the Seoul Museum of history. 10:30 am - noon. W10,000 per lecture. [email protected] 02-736-5868

September 8thRASKB Lecture: Korean Sounds in the World imagination Many are familiar with the surge of interest in K-pop outside of Korea, but gugak (traditional Korean music) may be next. Professor John Seales from the University of California at Santa Cruz will share contemporary American composers’ attempts to combine Korean and Western musical elements in their work. W5,000 for non-members. raskb.com 02-763-9483

September 9th – 12thSeoul Gift Show the imported goods that are the focus of this expo range from cameras to clocks to collector items. trade visitors only. CoEX. 10 am – 6 pm. seoulgiftshow.com 02-2698-0003

September 11thKoteSoL Seoul Workshop on online teaching tools English teacher Carl Kwan will be leading a workshop titled “Click Away: Integrating online Resource into English lessons.” teachers will enjoy useful tips for enhancing their lessons with the internet and new media. Room 105 Injaeguan Center, Sookmyung Women’s University. 2:30 – 5 pm. kotesol.org

September 12th – 13thStudying Abroad in japan expoUseful for those wanting to add another language to their skill set. SEtEC. 10 am – 5 pm. 02-3452-5999

September 13th – 15thKorea Games Conference Experts and leaders in the field of games worldwide will be present at this expo to discuss trends and developments. CoEX. kgconf.com 02-3153-2782

September 15th – 18thYour Future job expoCoEX. 10 am – 5 pm. Admission is free. yourfuture.co.kr 02-6000-1431

September 30th – october 3rdeducare Fall 2010 for ChildrenFind the latest products and programs to aid your child’s development. CoEX. 10 am – 6 pm. Adults W5,000, children W3,000. Preregister for free admission. educare.co.kr


SEOUL

Remodelling expo and heating and Air expo SEtEC. dong-afairs.co.kr 02-780-0366

sport & Fitness

october 10thSeoul hi Marathon Full, half, and 10k at the Seoul Plaza at 8 am. Sign up by Sep. 18th. hiseoulmarathon.com 02-361-1430

November 21stGi-jeong Son MarathonGi-jeong Son, a gold medallist in the berlin olympic in 1936, had to compete on the Japanese team since Korea was occupied at the time. Full, 32k, hall, 10k, and 5k at Jamsil Sports Complex. 8 pm. W40,000 – W5,000. Sign up by oct 15th. sonkijung.co.kr 02-723-1666

K-League Football League

4th Seoul vs Gwangju at 7pm11th Seoul vs Daegu at 7pm

at Seoul World Cup Stadium

KBo Professional Baseball

All games held at Jamsil Stadium, home of the Doosan twins.1st - 3rd vs SK at 6:30pm4th/5th vs Kia at 5pm8th vs nexen at 6:30pm11th/12th vs Lotte at 5pm

All games held at Jamsil Stadium, home of the LG twins.9th vs Lotte at 6:30pm14th vs hanhwa at 6:30pm16th/17th vs SK at 6:30pm18th/19th vs Kia at 5pm

All games held at Mokdong Stadium, home of the nexen heroes.1st vs Samsung at 6:30pm3rd vs LG at 6:30pm9th vs Kia at 6:30pm10th vs Lotte at 6:30pm17th vs Doosan at 6:30pm18th/19th vs Doosan at 5pm

Travel

September 18th – 22nd Ulleungdo and Dokdo trip this may be your only chance to visit this exotic and little-known corner of Korea. Ulleungdo, a ferry ride away from ports on the East Sea, puts you within easy reach of the much-disputed islet of Dokdo. W369,000. Contact Adventure Korea at adventurekorea.com 018-242-5536

Dine & Drink

ongoingKorean Cooking Classes and Market tour learn authentic Korean cuisine in English from a Korean chef. Classes held at the o’ngo Cooking Studio near Insadong (Nagwon Sangga). After class, tour the market for your ingredients. Classes include dakgalbi (red chili chicken), haemul pajeon (seafood pancake), bulgogi, bibimbap, and more. Mon – Fri 10 am and 2 pm (special classes on Sat). [email protected] 02-3446-1607

Korean night Dining tourtake a crash course on Korea’s late-night food and drinking culture. Start at Kwangjang Market and continues to historic Jongno 3-ga where you can eat Korean bbQ, drink makgeolli (rice wine) and dine at a tent (pochamacha) restaurant. W80,000 per

person (3 people minimum) includes food, drinks, and guide. thu – Sat night from 7-10 pm. [email protected] 02-3446-1607

Korea taste tour Experience culture through cuisine! With your culinary guide, visit a buddhist-inspired Korean restaurant, get a quick tour of Insadong eateries, stop by a teahouse, and enjoy rice wine and Korean bar food snacks. W80,000 per person includes, food, drinks, and tour guide. tours are usually thu – Sun (3 people minimum) 12 – 3 pm. [email protected] 02-3446-1607

toque Diner’s turkey DinnersGet your turkey fix with help from toque Diner. have a traditional turkey buffet set up at toque Diner, or order half or whole turkeys with all of the fixings to enjoy at home. 02-794-3834

through September 30th Absolute Deals at Between Score a vanilla & Fruit Kiss and tapas plate for W40,000 (normally W55,000) or a bottle of Absolute and a tapas plate for W140,000 (normally W155,000). between in Itaewon. After 10 pm. 02-795-6164

Discount on voga Champagne at B1 From W100,000 down to W93,000. b1 in Itaewon by the hamilton hotel. 02-749-6164

August 31st - September 2ndh.o.t. Pepper Festival Pass the pepper! yeongyang-gun’s spicy little treats make their way to the Seoul Plaza for some exciting events. festival.yyg.go.kr 054-682-2241


oktoberfest at the Grand hilton Seoul Inspired by one of the world’s greatest festivals, oktoberfest features the German band Erdinger, a buffet full of great German fare, and of course, unlimited beer. Grand hilton Seoul. 7 pm. W120,000. grandhiltonseoul.com 02-2287-7456

September 26th – 30thSeoul Gourmet 2010 Celebrate the culinary creativity and diversity with some of the world’s greatest chefs. the highlight of the expo is the exclusive Star Chefs Dinners, in which chefs will prepare Korea-inspired feasts for a lucky few. seoulgourmet.org 02-3788-0877

nightlife

September 3rd - 4thA night of Professional ComedyStand Up Seoul brings professional comedian ted Alexandro, veteran of David letterman, Conan o’brian, and Comedy Central Presents, to our humble corner of Asia. Comedy, a dinner buffet and one drink for W35,000. Roofer’s Rooftop bar (02-749-2970) in Itaewon at 9 pm. [email protected] 010-3037-8774

September 4thSeductive Summer ShakedownGlobal-Asia Promotions bring you this adults-only party at Jane’s Groove in hongdae. Sangsu Stn. (line 6, ex. 2). W10,000. 010-8690-1135


EDITOR’S PICK

10 Magazine Foreigner’s Day with FC Seoul

September 11th

T he World Cup may be over, but more football fun may be closer than you think. At 10 Magazine Foreigner’s Day with FC Seoul, you get food and

booze to go with admission to a match with one of the hottest football teams in Korea.

If the K-League were Major League Baseball, FC Seoul would be the yankees. Boasting strong sides and an ex-cellent winning record, they draw crowds and attract rising stars. Big names on the Korean national team such as Park Chu-young (AS Monaco FC), Lee Chung-yong (Bolton Wanderers FC), and Ki Sung-yong (Celtic FC) all made their debut on FS Seoul. Meanwhile, after three years with Turkish coach Şenol Güneş at the helm, Portu-guese Nelo Vingada took charge last year.

The football would be fun enough by itself, but FC Seoul and 10 Magazine are teaming up to add some refreshments to the action. At Foreigner’s Day (September 11th), you get admission to the match between FC Seoul and Daegu FC plus a beer and a hot dog for only W10,000. For the tickets, stop by Dillinger’s, Holly-wood grill, Pita Time, Rocky Mountain Tavern, Wolfhound, or Sam Ryan’s in Itae-won or Beer O’Clock, Chois’ Tacos, or yale-town in Shinchon. All games held at 7 pm near World Cup Stadium Stn. (line 6). fcseoul.com

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hotels/Accommodations

Koreahotel.com Korea’s version of Expedia. koreahotel.com

4-5 StAR hotElSastoria 02-2268-7111coeX intercontinental 02-3452-2500courtyard 02-2638-3000grand intercontinental 02-555-5656Jw Marriott 02-6282-6262Millenium hilton 02-753-7788renaissance 02-555-0501ritz-carlton 02-3451-8000hoStElSguest house baenang Yongsan ghbaenang.com 010-9071-4641

guesthouse Korea Jongno guesthouseinkorea.com 02-3674-2205

bebop guesthouse Hongdae

bebop-guesthouse.com, 070-8261-4835Kim’s guesthouse Hongdae kimsguesthouse.com 02-337-9894

namu guesthouse Hongdae namugh.co.kr 070-8291-4878

olympic Parktel Jamsil parktel.co.kr/english 02-410-2114

Seoul backpackers Myeongdong seoulbackpackers.com 02-3672-1972

Foreigner Assistance

ateK (Association for teachers of English in Korea) atek.or.kr

Seoul Dasan (City Info) 02-120Seoul global center global.seoul.go.kr 02-1688-0120yeoksam English 02-3453-9038yeonnam Chinese 02-6406-8151Seorae French 02-570-6009Ichon Japanese 02-760-2018Itaewon/hannam English 02-796-2459

Museums

gahoe Museum gahoemuseum.org 02-741-0466

world Jewelry Museum wjmuseum.com 02-730-1610

Kimchi Field Museum kimchimuseum.co.kr 02-6002-6456

Kyung-in Museum of Fine art Kyunginart.co.kr 02-733-4448

leeum Samsung Museum of art leeum.org 02-2014-6901

Museum of Korean traditional Music ncktpa.go.kr 02-580-3130

national Folk Museum nfm.go.kr 02-3704-3114

national Museum of Korea museum.go.kr 02-2077-9000

national Palace Museum of Korea gogung.go.kr 02-3701-7500

Seoul art center sac.or.kr 02-580-1300

Seoul Museum of art seoulmoa.seoul.go.kr 02-120

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

war Memorial warmemo.or.kr 02-709-3139

Transportation

international taxi (English Speaking) 1644-2255

Jumbo taxi Service (more expensive) 02-888-2000

interactive Subway Map smrt.co.kr

Travel Agencies

cosmo.jin tour cosmojin.com 02-318-0345

Fides travel fidestravel.co.kr 02-755-5470

unique travel itaewon uniquetravel.co.kr 02-792-0606

Xanadu travel xanadu.co.kr 02-795-7771

Korean Tours

adventure Korea adventurekorea.com 018-242-5536

Korean Safari koreansafari.com 019-542-2955

o’ngo culinary tours Korean Food tours and Cooking Classes in Seoul. tours and classes are taught by Korean food experts. Experience the culture through the cuisine. ongofood.com 010-6661-7769

royal asiatic Society Korea branch raskb.com 02-763-9483

uSo DMZ tours affiliates.uso.org/korea 02-795-3028

wow corea tour wowcoreatour.com 02-739-3337

Classes

access consciousness What if the life you imagined was actually possible? Regular classes held in Seoul & around Korea. Contact Nate at 010-6285-6283 or [email protected]

bellydance lessons with belynda azhaar W20,000 per 90 minute session. azhaardance.com

bellydance lessons with eshe Morning, afternoon, and evening classes, plus Sunday classes at the Well being Studio. [email protected]

Fine art class Myeongdong 7 -1 pm Fridays. cafe.daum.net/artd 02-771-2026

international guides of Korea Courses in ice climbing, rock climbing and more. iguidekorea.com

Jai center for yoga and health jaicenter.co.kr 02-3443-9642

SUBWAYLINE 4,7

ISU St.

KB BankLEADERS MUSIC

ACADEMY

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

Blues R&B Funk Jazz Rock

leaders Music academy Whether you’re interested in jazz, blues, R&b, or funk, the graduates of berklee College of Music teaching at this academy can help you achieve your musical goals. lessons offered for voice, piano, guitar, bass, and drums. leadersmusic.com 02-6085-8727 / 010-5316-2331

Plaisir gourmand Do you want to learn how to make tasty Korean food? Plaisir Gourmand cooking studio is the perfect choice. A famous Korean chef offers an English-language cooking demonstration plus hands-on cooking and tasting. located right in front of Gangnam Stn. various class times available. blog.naver.com/plaisir_g 02-3482-7482

Pottery classes at yido academy Gahoe-dong in Seoul. Fri 10 - 12 am. [email protected] 02-744-0756

Salsa lessons in english top bar near Apgujeong St. Call Crys at 010-4755-4728

Sanirang alpine networks this climbing service offers lessons, clinics, and guided tours. sanirang.net/about.html, [email protected]

Studio-X-Fitness A expat-operated, personal and small group training studio. highly-qualified foreign and Korean instructors dedicated to providing the most complete and optimized fitness experience. studio-x-fitness.com 02-794-3330

Suseonjae Meditation and Deep breathing classes [email protected] 019-201-5958

wise-up workouts lose weight and get lean in less than 30 days guaranteed? Author and creator of the No. 1 gym-free program is now in Korea. 1 to 1 service. Grab the book “Wise-Up Workouts” at www.wiseupworkouts.com 010-4998-8722

Medical Services

a Plus Dental aplusdental.co.kr 02-3442-7616

CHIRO-PILATESCHIROPRACTIC & PILATES

GANGNAM

Dr. Andrew Park

www.seoulchiropracticinfo.com

Gangnam St. Exit #6

Center Plaza Bldg 5F,510

BurgerKing BodyShop

Woori bank

Kyobo bldg. Hannam Bridge

Sin-nonhyun St. Exit #6

Subway Line 2

Subway Line 7

APPOINTMENT (02) 533-5124FREE consultation by appointment

gangnam chiro-Pilates chiropractic & Pilates If you’re dealing with joint and muscle ailments, English-speaking chiropractic doctor Dr. Andrew Park offers the best treatments to restore balance to your body. Stop in for a free consultation if you have symptoms including neck pain, sore back, headaches, scoliosis, numbness, wrist pain, sports injuries (golf) etc. Seocho-dong 1307-7 Center Plaza 5F 510. seoulchiropracticinfo.com 02-533-5124

hus hu Dental & Skin clinic hus-hu.com 02-519-8013

seoUL DireCtory

SEOUL

SEOUL


All The Sports You Can HandleUnder One Roof!

8 Giant Flat-Screen TVs – Not a Bad Seat in the House

Put Your Stomach Where Your Mouth Is...Finish our 72 oz (2kg) Rib-eye Steak Challenge under an hour

and Sam Ryan's Picks Up The Tab!

Thirsty ThursdaysW1,500 OB Draft ‘til 10 pm

Saturday & SundayBuild Your Own Brunch from 11 - 3 pm

Mexican MondaysW1,000 Tacos*, Specials on Margaritas, Nachos & Tequila

WednesdaysSports Trivia Night

TuesdaysW500 BBQ Pork Ribs*

Business HoursMon – Fri: 4 pm ‘til LateSat – Sun: 10:30 am ‘til Real Late

*with drink purchase (10-rib minimum)Jaseng hospital of oriental Medicine Are you suffering from back or neck pain? visit the non-surgical spinal specialists. jaseng.net 02-3218-2167

Korea counseling Psychological association krcpa.or.kr 02-498-8293Korea hiV/aiDS Prevention & Support center khap.org 02-927-4322

ra Dental clinic 02-569-8745

Seolleung St. Subway Line 2

Posco Center

Tufts DentalBuilding No. 437

www.tuftsdental.net (02) 553-7512

Samseong St.

HyungdaiDepartment Store

COEX

Design your smilewith a licensed

American dentist.

Tufts Dental Clinic

tufts Dental clinic ADA member Dr. Gina Sohn is a tufts University graduate licensed in MA, Ct, and NJ. Near CoEX at the PoSCo intersection. tuftsdental.net 02-553-7512

Radio

tbS eFM FM 101.3american Forces network AM 1530 / FM 102.7

Religious

bUDDhIStSeoul international Zen center seoulzen.org 02-900-4326

Vairocana international buddhist Meditation center 02-735-5347

Jetavana Meditation center [email protected] 02-595-5115

CAtholICbomun 02-928-2049/02-924-2706chunma 02-765-0870Dongducheon 02-928-2049/02-924-2706hannam international church English, Italian, Spanish, French 02-793-2070

hyewha-dong catholic church 02-764-0221 (press 6)Jinjob 02-928-2049/02-924-2706Keumchon 02-928-2049/02-924-2706Philippine center Tagalog 02-765-0870Pastral center for labor English, Vietnamese, Thai 02-924-2721

Salesio labor center Tagalog, Daelim 1 dong 02-765-0870

Sung-dong Social welfare center Tagalog 02-765-0870

yoksam-dong church 02-553-0801catholics in South Korea Facebook Group, Annamarie at [email protected]

ISlAMSeoul central Masjid 02-794-7307

PRotEStANtgwanglim church 02-2056-5732international lutheran 02-794-6274 Jubilee church 02-569-2293Kumnan church 02-490-7000Myungsung Presbyterian 02-440-9000

onnuri church 02-793-9686Somang Presbyterian 02-512-9191Seoul union church 02-333-7393yoido Full gospel church 02-782-4851yongsan baptist church 02-796-0284

Restaurants

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

bonji bistro Just behind Itaewon hotel and under Gecko’s Garden, bonji bistro offers a terrific menu of salads, sandwiches, pastas and classic tapas along with an unbeatable bar. the floor-to-ceiling window door-walls open wide, making it the perfect place to be for their delicious weekend brunch. geckosterrace.com 02-795-9656

gecko’s terrace the original Itaewon foreigner hangout, with a comfortable atmosphere, delicious food including great sandwiches, salads and pasta, and English-speaking staff that know how to make cocktails and shots right. geckosterrace.com 02-749-9425

seoUL DireCtory

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

Itaewon St.Hamilton Hotel

HOLLYWOOD GRILL

Police St.

(3rd floor)

hollywood grill the place for Premier league Football and other sports, hollywood has a great menu of pizza, pasta and steaks along with darts, foosball, pool and Golden tee. hollywoodgrill.co.kr 02-749-1659

Pancakes original Story Itaewon Mon – Sat 9 am – 10 pm. 02-794-0508

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

Suji’s Itaewon Great American fare in a New york-style bistro atmosphere. sujis.net 02-797-3698

toque Itaewon 02-794-3834AUStRIANchef Meili Itaewon 02-797-3820bRAZIlIANcopacabana Itaewon For only W29,000 you get all-you-can-eat of 7 different cuts of roasted meat and a tremendous brazilian buffet. Make your reservations today! 02-796-1660

bUlGARIANZelen Itaewon 02-749-0600ChINESEho lee chow Serving up the best North American-style Chinatown cuisine in Korea since 1998, with 5 convenient locations in the greater Seoul area to serve you. holeechow.co.kr. Itaewon 02-793-0802, Apgujeong 02-514-1730 Jamshil 02-411-0688, Dogok 02-3461-4468, Bundang 02-711-9071

FRENChla cigale Monmartre Itaewon 02-796-1244

le Saint-ex Itaewon 02-795-2465ItAlIAN

antonio’s Apgujeong Join chef Sebastiano Giangregorio for an authentic Italian culinary experience. live Jazz performances: tuesday–Saturday, starting at 7:30 pm and Sunday at 1 pm. 93-8 Cheongdam-dong Gangnam-gu. antonios.kr 02-3443-4333

Fradia Gangnam Gaze out on a panoramic view of the Seoul skyline as you dine on choice Italian food at this cafe floating on the han River. fradia.co.kr 02-3477-0033

la bocca Itaewon We can’t decide whether it’s a cafe, pastry shop, deli, or wine bar, but what we are sure about is that the food is fresh and the taste is divine. labocca.co.kr 02-790-5907

Sortino’s cucina Itaewon Classic Italian trattoria cuisine in a comfortable, homey atmosphere. 02-797-0488

noxa lounge Noksapyeong 02-790-0776Villa Sortino’s Itaewon An incredible tuscan villa interior matches perfectly with some delicately prepared Italian flavors. Just across from the Itaewon fire station. 02-553-900

KoREANbulgogi brothers Delicious Korean-style barbecue at locations throughout Seoul including Gangnam, Myeong-dong (02-319-3351), Seoul Station, and times Square. 11:30 am - 10 pm. bulgogibros.com

Pulhyanggi Gangnam A tasty concoction of traditional Korean dishes and a contemporary slow-food sensibility, plus performances in the evenings. Close to CoEX. 11 am – 10 pm. pulhyanggi.co.kr 02-539-3390

MEXICANamigos Itaewon 02-795-9711on the border the #1 American chain

hits that craving for fajitas, chimichangas, tacos, burritos, enchiladas and even margaritas. ontheborder.co.krSinchon: 02-324-0682CoEX: 02-565-0682times Square: 02-2672-0682

Pancho’s Itaewon 02-792-4767taco amigo Itaewon 02-749-5253tomatillo grill locations at Jonggak Stn., Samseong Stn., and yeoksam Stn. tomatillo.co.kr 02-734-9225

MIDDlE EAStERNistanbul Noksapyeong 02-796-0271Marakech nights Itaewon terrific Middle Eastern cuisine from Rhiti Mostaffa, former chef for the Moroccan ambassador to Korea. 02-795-9441

Petra Itaewon 02-790-9441thAI

buddha’s belly Itaewon A lounge atmosphere with full bar and cocktails along with great authentic thai food. 02-796-9330

eat Me Itaewon thai fusion dining and lounge, late night kitchen in Itaewon. Relax in the intimate yet casual dining area and outside patio. Sophisticated atmosphere is sure to please. 070-7624-3149

My thai Itaewon 02-794-8090thai orchid Itaewon 02-517-1135thai garden Itaewon 02-792-8836

Cafes

Caribou Coffee Popular in America, Caribou Coffee has expanded to Korea with locations at Ewha University, Sinchon, yangjae, and Incheon Airport. Support fair trade with the Rainforest Alliance Certified coffee sold here. cariboukorea.co.kr 02-3461-5680

Bars/Lounges/Pubs

Wine BARSDulce y Suave Garosugil Stop by this classy Sinsa-dong wine bar for an extensive wine list that won’t break your budget. 5 pm - 3 am. club.cyworld.com/dulceysuave. 02-515-6750

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

LoUnGeS / PUBS3 alley Pub Itaewon Rub shoulders with long-term Seoul expats and try your hands at darts or pool in this comfortable foreigner-owned pub.

116-15 Itaewon-dong, yongsan-gu. 3alleypub.com 02-749-3336

b1 Itaewon one of the most hopping bars in Itaewon on any given night, with guest DJs and a good vibe. 7 pm - 3 am. 02-749-6164

bar rouge Itaewon luxurious wine and tapas bar in the basement of the JW Marriot in Gangnam. happy hour tue - thu 6 - 9 pm. 02-6282-6763

Berlin Noksapyeong Combining a restaurant, cafe and lounge, berlin boasts a varied menu, plus wines and all types of music. Noksapyeong St. (line 6). 457-1 Itaewon-dong, yongsan-gu. [email protected] 02-749-0903

Between Itaewon this multi-level lounge serves contemporary Italian and Spanish mains, lunch, brunch and tapas in a sophisticated atmosphere with live DJs and a spacious terrace. 124-7 yongsan-gu, Itaewon-dong. 02-795-6164

bliss Itaewon Fresh beats by DJ Shine and a reasonably priced menu. Itaewon. 4 pm – 4 am. 02-798-1125

bricX Hongdae, Itaewon Chill out at either of bricX’s two locations. hongdae 6 pm – 5 am, 마포구 서교동 409-1, b1, 02-3141-5571. Itaewon 7 pm – 5 am, 용산구 이태원동 119-10, b1, bricx.com 02-795-5572

the bungalow Itaewon this quirky beach-themed bar has sand on the floor, swinging chairs, and candle-lit rooms. 02-793-2344

coffee bar K Cheongdam-dong A Japanese franchise, they may just have the best bartenders in town. Mon – Sat 6 pm - 2 am. 02-516-1970


To inquire about getting a logobox for your business,

email to us at [email protected]

SEOUL

Dillinger’s A classic-styled bar with seven beers on tap, great food and drink specials. Come enjoy our large flatscreen tvs, dartboards and Wii games. A great atmosphere for you and your friends. 02-793-7232

ghetto Vox Itaewon Itaewon’s first art and music space. 용산구 이태원동 132-5 (3rd floor) Itaewon-dong, yongsan-gu. ghettovox.com 010-3370-2979

Jane’s groove Hongdae A good place to relax over a drink. 7:30 pm – 3 am. Closed Mon. [email protected] 02-336-1664

Mike’s cabin Sinchon this Western bar has a casual atmosphere and holds special events. Near the yonsei University front gate. 02-325-7808

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

Monkey beach Apgujeong thailand is just a subway ride away if you head to Monkey beach. 7:30 pm – 5 am. 02-548-7930

Mix lounge Garosu-gil It may look like a white greenhouse, but it’s actually a bar serving killer mojitos, lychee martinis and more. 6 pm – 3 am. Closed Sun. 011-9650-7055

noxa lounge Noksapyeong Great home-style Italian cuisine with late night cocktail lounge. 02-790-0776

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

rocky Mountain tavern Itaewon Canadians feel right at home with all the hockey jerseys hanging on the walls and great live music and events, along with some of the best buffalo wings in Korea. Don’t miss the Stand Up Seoul comedy night the first thursday of each month. rockymountaintavern.com 010-5775-2327

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

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

Scrooge Pub/Dicken’s lounge Itaewon A great little sports bar with pool, darts, delicious food and plenty of English-speaking staff. 02-797-8201

Seventy Four Cheongdam-dong A beautiful date spot featuring exotic drinks such as cheese martinis, banana mojitos and cuba libres. 7 pm – 4 am. 02-542-7412

So Much More Apgujeong Combining a hip interior design with the hottest music and the coolest drinks. Noon - 2 am. blog.naver.com/so_much_more 02-3447-7890

tony’s aussie Shop Itaewon Authentic Australian food and beer. open mic night held every Wednesday 8 pm – 11 pm. 455-35 Itaewon-dong yongsan-gu. writers.meetup.com/779 010-460-54326

watts on tap Sinchon Check out the parties, language exchange nights, and live music nights. 6 pm – 2 am. club.cyworld.nate.com/wattsontap 02-3142-8439

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

Live Music

JAZZall that Jazz Itaewon 02-795-5701 cheonnyeondongando (천년동안도) Daehangno (Hyehwa St. Line4) chunnyun.com 02-743-5555

club evans Hongdae clubevans.com 02-337-8361

club Palm Hongdae clubpalm.co.kr 02-336-9016

once in a blue Moon Apgujeong onceinabluemoon.co.kr 02-549-5490

LINE 2Samseong

Stn.

Line 2Samseong

Stn.

InterContinentalHotel

Teheranno

OakwoodPremier

HyundaiDepartment Store

WooriBank

CO

EX

tokyo Jazz Authentic jazz music performed Mon-Sat, 9:30 pm - 12:30 am by European, American, and Korean musicians. two minute’s walking distance from the CoEX and Grand InterContinental hotels. 153-44 Samsung-dong. 02-3453-4472

RoCKFreebird Hongdae cafe.navercom/clubfreebird 02-335-4576

Jammers Hongdae jammers.co.kr 02- 325-3914

Just blues Apgujeong justblues.co.kr 02-542-4788

Soundholic Hongdae cafe.daum.net/SoundHolic 02-3142-4233

Clubs

answer Cheongdam-dong After a short-lived stint as gala restaurant le Nuit blanche, the club we all know and love is back. clubanswer.co.kr 02-514-4311

ben @blue Spirit hongdae Great Japanese curry during the day and soju cocktails at night. hit up the weekend parties. 360-18 Seokyo-Dong, Mapo-Gu. 02-3142-5301

eden Gangnam New mega club with top DJs, sizzling sound, and model nights. 역삼동 602 yeoksam-dong,


SEOUL

Gangnam-gu, Ritz Carlton hotel. eden-club.co.kr 010-9913-3919

Function Itaewon the boutique club hidden in the fancy Macaroni Market restaurant. tue, Wed, thu 6 pm – 2:30 am; Fri and Sat 6 pm-3:30 am. 737-50 hannnam1-dong yongsan-gu. 02-749-9181

heaven Gangnam the newest member of Seoul’s club scene combines top-notch technology with divine DJs spinning house and electro beats. W30,000 general admission, W40,000 for after club hours. Near yeoksam St. clubheaven.co.kr 02-3444-4997

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

Koobar @blue Spirit Apgujeong hip music for a classy crowd. 664-11 Shinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu. 02-518-5115

M2 Hongdae this long-running club is party central for college students. Sun – thu 8 pm – 4 am, Fri and Sat 7:30 pm – 6 am. Cover starts at W10,000. 367-11 Seogyo-dong Mapo-gu. ohoo.net/m2 02-3143-7573

Mansion Hongdae this new club pumps out sizzling house, electro, and nu-disco grooves, bringing in quality acts like Roni Size and Goldie. [email protected] 02-3143-4037

Mass Gangnam the dance club for the “masses.” 9 pm – 6 am. Sun – thu W15,000, Fri and Sat W20,000. clubmass.net 02-599-3165

nb Hongdae, Gangnam Supposedly the first hip-hop club in Korea, it has one bar, two stages, and a packed crowd. clubnb.com 02-326-1716

Pulse Itaewon this chilled-out club pumps out danceable tunes in all genres of electronic music until sunrise. Everyday 8 pm – 7 am. Fri W10,000, Sat W15,000. 02-792-6662

Q-vo Hongdae A popular hip hop club with strobes pulsing above the dance floor. Mon, tue, thu, Sun 8 pm – 4 am and Wed, Fri, Sat 8 pm – 6:30 am. W10,000 - W15,000. 121-210 ohoo b/D 367-1 Seogyo Dong. clubqvo.co.kr 02-3143-7573

Saab Hongdae Fashion-conscious twenty-somethings congregate here for a wide variety of music styles. Weekdays 6 pm – 4 am, weekends 6 pm – 6 am. W10,000 cover on weekends. 02-324-6929

Volume Itaewon A true “music lovers” club, volume is found in the basement of Crown hotel. Fri and Sat 9 pm - 6 am. W15,000 - W30,000. Crown hotel b1 clubvolume.com 1544-2635

woo bar Check out the split-level lobby lounge for cool music and exclusive parties. No cover charge. 21 Gwan-gjang-dong wseoul.com 02-465-2222

Massage

healing hands Massage Studio healinghands.co.kr 070-7504-8090

Community

brazilians in Seoul Also known as brasileiros em Seul, this group meets up on the 3rd tuesday of each month. [email protected] 010-9631-2133

republicans abroad Monthly meetings, events, and lectures for supporters of the USA Republican Party. [email protected] 010-8688-9810

Charity

Salvation army thrift Store Donate your used goods or shop at the stores. All proceeds support the Adult Rehabilitation Center. nanumistore.org 02-365-7084

Salvation army thrift Store Donate your used goods or shop at the stores. All proceeds support the Adult Rehabilitation Center. nanumistore.org 02-365-7084

Beauty

English-speaking StaffHigh light and Low light

CuttingStyling

Hair spa

Hongik Univ.CoffeeBean

SamgeoriPocha

RecordShop

Mom &Dad

Line 2Hongdae St.

tony&guy Whether it’s a cut, highlight, low light, or hair spa that you want, you’re guaranteed to get professional service from the English-speaking stylists at toni & Guy. Near hongik University. 02-338-2773

Florists

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

Overseas Accommodation

BaliVilla Orchid

bali orchid Villa Available for short or long term rental. Check website and then e-mail or call for exclusive Korea-only low rates. villaorchidbali.com email: [email protected] 010-7307-6555


SEOUL

seoUL DireCtory

K-League Football4th Gangwon vs Suwon

at Gangreung Stadium 7pm26th Gangwon vs Seongnam

at Chuncheon Stadium 3pm

Dine & Drink

through September 5th Chuncheon Dakgalbi Makguksu Festival With thousands of athletes in Chuncheon for the World leisure Congress and Games, the city is pulling out all the stops with this festival based on its most famous foods, dakgalbi and makguksu. mdfestival.com 033-250-4347

September 24th – 28th Yangyang “Songi” Pine Mushroom Festival For the full story on this festival, see taste of Korea on p. 16. song-i.yangyang.go.kr

Art September 9th – 12th Wonju hanji Cultural Festival learn more about hanji, the craft-friendly traditional Korean paper, at this festival in Wonju. Special events include an awards ceremony for the Korean hanji Contest and a hanji Fashion Show on the 9th at 7:30 pm. wjhanji.co.kr 033-766-1366

Theater & Dance

September 1st – 5thChuncheon international theater Festival With theater groups from Poland, Japan, Russia, and the Czech Republic. located at the Chuncheon Art Stage across from City hall. W10,000 – W30,000. citf.or.kr 033-241-4345

Concerts

September 8th – 12th Wonju tattoo: harmony through Music you’re not likely to see many tattoos here, as this festival actually refers to performances by military bands. hear twelve Koreans bands and seven bands from other countries. Wonju tattoo Concert hall. W1,000 – W5,000. wonjutattoo.com 033-763-5981

September 9th ensemble Ditto: Bohemian the classical group Ensemble Ditto featuring violist Richard “yongjae” o’Neill will be playing brahms’ Piano Quartet no. 1 in G Minor and Schubert’s Piano Quintet in A Major. Chuncheon Culture and Arts Center. 7:30 pm. W50,000 – W70,000. ccac.or.kr 033-251-3474

Film

September 2nd – 4th Chuncheon Animation Forum Amateur animators and industry professionals will enjoy a variety of events including the Asian Animation Summit, 3D Film Festival, and a conference on industry support. Anitown in Chuncheon. caf21.org 033-425-6100

Family & CommunitySeptember 1st – 5th Gangwon Gamyeong FestivalNamed for Gamyeong, the capital of Gangwon during the Joseon Dynasty, this festival includes offerings made to the mountain gods and other traditional activities. Ilsan-dong in Wonju. gamyeong.com 033-744-1838

September 3rd – 12th hyoseok Culture Festival hyo-seok lee, author of the short story “When buckwheat Flowers bloom,” is the most famous son of bongpyeong-myeon in Pyeongchang-gun. hyoseok.com 033-335-2323

sport & Fitness

through September 5th World Leisure Congress and Leisure Games 15,000 athletes from 50 countries compete in the first-ever World leisure Games, with sports including inline marathon, wakeboard, paragliding, and billiards. Songam Sports town. worldleisure2010.org 033-250-4204 october 24thChuncheon Marathon Full marathon to begin near Soyang lake in Chuncheon at 10 am. W40,000. Register ASAP. marathon.chosun.com 02-724-6333

GANGWON

GA NGWON DISCOv ERY

The Charming Coast of Gangwon Province

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chuncheon online info tour.chuncheon.go.kr/eng

libraries

chuncheon city library iccl.or.kr 033-254-3887

taebaek Municipal library tbmlib.or.kr 033-550-2755

Amusement Parks

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

Museums

arari Puppet house Jeongseon-gun arari.net 033-563-9667

bangsan Porcelain Museum Yanggu-gun bangsanm.or.kr 033-480-2664

byeolmaru observatory Yeongwol-gun yao.or.kr 033-374-7460

chuncheon animation Museum animationmuseum.com 033-245-6444

chuncheon Makguksu Museum makguksumuseum.com 033-250-4134

Forest art Museum Hoengseong-gun jjsoup.com 033-342-6833

haslla art world Gangneung haslla.kr 033-644-9411

ilhyeon art Museum Yangyang-gun ilhyunmuseum.or.kr 033-670-8450

institute of traditional Korean cooking Pyeongchang-gun ktfce.com/ktfce.pdf 033-333-1012

Joseon Folk Painting Museum Yeongwol-gun minhwa.co.kr 033-375-6100

Marisorigol Musical instrument Museum Hongcheon-gun great.go.kr 033-430-2016

Mooee arts center Pyeongchang-gun mooee.co.kr 033-335-6700

Sokbong ceramic Museum Sokcho dogong.net 033-638-7711

Sokcho Museum Sokcho sokchomuse.go.kr 033-639-2977

teddy bear Farm Sokcho teddyfarm.net 033-636-3680

Medical services

gangwon national university hospital Chuncheon knuh.or.kr/html/index.asp 033-258-2000

gangnam hospital Chuncheon ekangnam.co.kr 033-240-7000

hyundai animal clinic Chuncheon dog7582.co.kr 033-256-7582

ye Dental clinic Chuncheon English-speaking service available.

ccye.co.kr 033-262-2078


WoRDS AND ShotS by ChARit Y YoRo

C atching some rays shouldn’t be your only reason for heading to the gangwon coast this season. Sure, it’s a great place to relax, but there are also

sights to be seen and coastal cuisine to be had. Intrigued but don’t know where to start? Here are some suggestions for a weekend trip:

off the Beaten (Beach) Path

An hour north of Sokcho is a little town called geojin, where the beaches are beautiful and the people less per-vasive. Enjoy a leisurely hike to the town’s lighthouse, an afternoon at the beachside aquarium, or even a visit to the DMZ. With direct buses to and from Sokcho, you can still have your squid sundae and eat it too.

take the Midnight train

Not much rivals a sunrise at the beach, especially if it’s at the famed Jeongdongjin beach. The four-and-a-half hour train ride to the coast departs around midnight from Wonju. And don’t worry—the mart at the train station has plenty of Hite on demand to make the perfect sunrise complete.

it’s not a Real Beach if there Ain’t no Burgers

After you’ve had enough of the sun and sand at gangneung’s Anmuk Beach, catch a cab downtown for the best burger and fries joint this side of gangwon. In a city that also boasts Kraze and Ashley’s, the local Sim’s Burgers is gangneung’s hidden gem you must discover for yourself.

Art

through September 5th Color x Art x Play x 2 this family-friendly exhibit teaches kids about art through play. oulim Nuri Arts Center in Goyang. Wondang St. (line 3, ex. 4). tue - thu, Sun 10 am - 6 pm, Fri - Sat 10 am - 8 pm. W5,000 - W6,000. 031-960-9730

through September 19thMatching Point Just in time for the museum’s 10th anniversary, this exhibit examines trends in art today. yeong-eun Museum of Contemporary Art in Gwangju (Gyeonggi). 10 am – 6 pm. Adults W5,000, students W3,000, children W4,000. youngeunmuseum.org031-761-0137

through September 26th Painters Who had to Leave home Commemorating the 60th anniversary of the Korean War with works by artists of the time. Aram Nuri Arts Center in Goyang. W3,000 - W5,000


lee, heung-duk; buddha and Jesus Come to Seoul, 1998 oil

Collection highlights With 300 pieces by more than 200 Korean artists including luminaries Su-geun Park and Jung-seop lee, this exhibit provides newcomers with a perfect introduction to the world of Korean art. National Museum of Contemporary Art in Gwacheon. Free

through october 3rd in the Shade of Language: Korean-Spanish exchange exhibitFeaturing works on loan from the barcelona Contemporary Art Museum by artists such as Antoni tapies and Joan Jonas. National Museum of Contemporary Art in Gwacheon. Adults W5,000, minors W2,500

though october 14thjohn Moores Contemporary Painting Prize Show the thirty artists displayed here represented some of the finest English painters working today. Seongnam Arts Center. Adults W4,000, teens W3,000, children W2,000. Dark Mondays

through october 17th

Animaris Percipiere Primus 10 x 2.7 x 2m theo jansen “Animals Modular” exhibition Sometimes referred to as the leonardo da vinci of the 21st century, Dutch artist-engineer Jansen uses simple ingredients like

cable ties and plastic tubes to create massive skeleton-like structures that use the power of the wind to walk by themselves. Gwacheon National Science Museum, Seoul Grand Park St. (line 4, exit 5). 9:30 am – 8:30 pm. Adults

W13,000 and students W8,000. theojansen.co.kr 1566-0329

through october 31stjangheung Art Market: jAMthis innovative new art market offers original paintings, pictures, crafts, and objects d’art for viewing and buying. Jangheung Art Park in yangju. held on weekends and public holidays. 11 am – 6 pm. artpark.co.kr 031-877-0500

through December 26thForgotten War, Divided Country this collection shows you the bloody

scenes of war through the eyes of Korean artists. National Museum of Contemporary Art in Gwacheon

September 11th Rhythm and Art in RoK for Bucheon 3 live music, prizes, poker, and art, and all to raise money for the Rodam tree house, a charity for elderly Koreans (koreacare.org). Rhythm and booze in bucheon. 4 – 8 pm. 032-323-0161

September 13th – 15thWinning entries in the G Design FairA contest for high school students aspiring to be designers. KINtEX in Goyang, Daehwa St. (line 3), ex. 2. gdesignfair.org 031-259-6151

September 15th – 19thiCC & BiCoF ICC (International Comic Artist Conference) and bICoF (bucheon International Comic Festival) are both taking place at the Korea Animation Institute in bucheon. bicof.com 032-661-3745

September 18th – 19thLake Comic FestivalGet a closer look at the comic book and animation subculture that exists among Korean youth today at lake Park in Ilsan and the convention center there. lcf.kr

Theater & Dance

September 1st – 19ththe Last empress: the MusicalKorea’s first musical, which debuted in 1995, tells the story of Empress Myeongseong, assassinated by the Japanese in 1895. tue & Wed 11:30 am, thu & Fri 8 pm, Sat 3 & 7:30 pm, Sun 3 pm. Dark Mon. 2 ½ hours. W30,000 – W90,000. Seongnam Arts Center

September 11th - 12thPeterpan: the Musicaloulim Nuri Arts Center in Goyang. Wondang St. (line 3, ex. 4). Sat 11 am, 2 & 5 pm, Sun 11 am & 2:30 pm. W40,000 – W50,000. artgy.or.kr 1577-7766

September 25th – october 3rd Miss Saigon: the MusicalIncheon Culture and Arts Center. Weekdays 8 pm, Saturday 2 & 7 pm, Sun 1 & 6 pm. Dark Mon. W20,000 – W80,000

September 29th – october 3rdGwacheon hanmadang FestivalGet a taste of traditional Korean performances in Gwacheon just south of Seoul. gcfest.or.kr

art September 1st – 30th incheon international Digital Art Festival

It’s only appropriate that you should visit the city of the future to experience the art of the future. And at the Incheon Digital Art Festial (INDAF) in Songdo, Korea’s first interna-tional city, art is experienced and not only viewed. you might even say that the artwork here is not as much on display as it is in operation, and it demands the viewer’s participation to complete its function. The DIy Rock Band piece allows visi-tors to make their own music, much as in the Rock Band video game. Find works like this that hover on the border of art and technology in sections including Mobile Art, BLUR, Tomor-row Public Art, and Nine Scenery. guests can also take part in a number of conferences and workshops. Step into the art of tomorrow at Tomorrow City and Songdo Convensia near Uni-versity of Incheon Stn. (Incheon line, ex. 4). indaf.org 032-210-4045

theater & Dance September 9th – 12th incheon international Clown

Mime FestivalProbably few will be surprised to find that “Clown mime” is exactly as it sounds: clowns doing mime. What’s more surpris-ing is the delightful group of entertainers

assembled for this festival, now in its 15th year. Along with the Clownmime team from Korea,

Djuggledy from germany, Fire Fingers from Israel, Duo Cappu-

chino from Russia, Mr. Qwirk from New Zealand, Acrobuf-fos from America, and yui from Japan bring you laughs from around the world. The “mime” part of the perfor-mance means there’s no talking, so all communica-tion comes in the form of non-verbal humor. Specta-tors will enjoy the journey

to the strange and hilarious world of clown mimes. Performances are scheduled at the

Little Theater Dolche, Incheon Dohobu Office (dohobu.org), Bupyeong Culture Love Community (bpcl.or.kr), and the Bupyeong Art Center (bpart.kr). For a detailed schedule, refer to the website. Tickets are W20,000 for adults and W10,000 for students. clownmime.com 032-772-7361

VeNUeS

Aram nuri Arts Center Goyang. Jeongbalsan Stn.

artgy.or.kr 1577-7766

Incheon Culture and Arts Center Arts Center Stn.

art.incheon.go.kr 032-427-8401

national Museum of Contemporary Art

Seoul Grand Park St. Weekdays 10 am – 5 pm, weekends 10 am – 8 pm,

closed Mon. Free. moca.go.kr 02-2188-6000

seongnam Arts Center near exit 1 of Imae St. on

the Bundang line. snart.or.kr 031-783-8000

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EDITOR’S PICK

Concerts

September 3rdFriday Arts Stage: Free jazz Concert outside stage at the Incheon Culture and Arts Center. 7 pm. 032-420-2732

September 4thjunge Muenchner Philharmoniethe young Philharmonic orchestra of Munich will play beethoven’s Egmont overture, Saint-Saëns’ Cello Concerto No. 1, Dvorak’s New World Symphony No. 9, and others. Aram Nuri Arts Center in Goyang. 7 pm. W20,000 – W70,000

September 10th incheon Philharmonic orchestra: Fall Concert With tchaikovsky’s Romeo and Juliet, Saint-Saëns’ Piano Concerto No. 2, and Dvorak’s Symphony No. 7. Incheon Culture and Arts Center. 7:30 pm. W5,000 – W10,000. 1588-2341

September 12thjunge Muenchner PhilharmoniePerforming beethoven’s Egmont overture, triple Concert and Dvorak’s Symphony No. 9. Seongnam Arts Center. W20,000 – W70,000

September 14thFrom the Baroque to the PresentIn addition to bach’s Concerto No. 1 in A Minor and haydn’s trumpet Concerto in Eb Major, classical string group i-Sinfonietta will perform three original compositions dedicated to Incheon and illustrated by images of the city on the screen above the stage. Incheon

Religious Services

grace & truth church Anyang, Ansan, and Suwon Sunday 9:30 am, 11 am, 1 pm, grace-truth.org 031-443-3731

Dongsan church Ansan Sunday 11:30 am, 010-2910-7809

Museums

central america culture center Goyang. latina.or.kr 031-962-7171

elvis Presley Memorial hall Paju paju.go.kr 031-948-3358

Face Museum Gwangju (Gyeonggi Province). visagej.org, 031-765-3522

Korean lamp (Deung-Jan) Museum Yongin deungjan.or.kr/eng 031-334-0797

waltz & Dr. Mahn coffee Museum Namyangju wndcof.com 031-576-6051

Transportation

international taxi (English speaking) 1644-2255

Jumbo taxi Service (more expensive) 02-888-2000

Radio

uS armed Forces networkDongducheon AM 1197/FM 88.3Pyongtaek AM 1440/FM 88.3Songtan AM 1359/FM 88.5Uijeongbu AM 1161/FM 88.5

Restaurants

la Mia cucina Ilsan the kitchen is always open at this English-friendly Italian pub with great outdoor seating all set for the summer months. 7 pm – 4 am. 010-2327-8882

First nepal restaurant Incheon . firstnepal.com 032-525-8771

Bars/Lounges/Pubs

the Park Bucheon 010-3136-0153rhythm & blues Bucheon 032-323-0161Frog and toad Ilsan 010-9950-7399west island Ilsan 031-917-2225

Jukjeon gecko’s Yongin bundang and yongin expats should be ecstatic to know that the famous Gecko’s chain is expanding south. Near the Shinsegye department store. geckosterrace.com 031-262-9974

Clubs

club Psycho Anyang bcmusicworld.com 010-7754-0409

Culture and Arts Center. 7:30 pm. Adults W15,000, students W10,000. 032-834-1055

September 15th Coffee Concert with the Mostly Philharmonic orchestraCome to this concert for a performance of some of Mozart’s most beloved symphonies. Incheon Culture and Arts Center. 2 pm. W10,000

September 16thMatinee Concert take an imaginary journey to England and North Europe with pieces by Elgar and Grieg. Seongnam Arts Center. 11 am. W24,000

Film

through September 11thitalian Film & Art Festival Film screenings and an art exhibit at the Songdo Dio Art Center (dioartcenter.com) in Incheon give you a chance to immerse yourself in contemporary Italian culture. ifaf.co.kr

Family & Community

ongoingSaturday Performance at hwaseong head down to hwaseong Castle in Suwon for court dancing, folk music, tight-rope walking, and more. Every Saturday at 2 pm. hs.suwon.ne.kr 031-251-4435

September 7th – 12thAnseong namsadang Baudeogi Festival this festival refers to baudeogi, a famous and talented leader

of the Namsadang traveling performers. For five days, Anseong Riverside Park will be transformed into a 19th century old market. eng.baudeogi.com 031-676-4601


through December 31stthe Bible expo the Good book is the theme of the art, activities, and exhibits displayed in the spacious Songdo Central Park. outside of Central Park Stn. (Incheon line 1, ex. 4). W15,000 at the door, W13,500 in advance. bibleexpo2010.com 02-541-1100

September 28th – october 12th

Bucheon World intangible Cultural heritage expo If you enjoy colorful costumes, traditional dances, and artifacts from times past, this cultural expo will be right up your alley. the bucheon video Culture Complex. bucheonexpo.org 032-625-8320

September 30th – october 1stincheon investment Promotion FairSongdo Convensia in Incheon. Incheon University Stn. (Incheon line 1). songdoconvensia.com 032-210-1114

sports & Fitness

September 11th – 12thYongin Cyber Festival this e-sports event began 10 years ago—which happens to be about when Starcraft was released. Events include a robot tournament, a science fair, and lots and lots of video games. the yongin Public Gymnasium. ycf.or.kr 1577-1122

october 10thosan Doksan Castle half Marathon 4.2k (W10,000), 10k (W20,000), and half (W30,000) to depart from osan Sports Complex at 8 am. Sign up by September 5th. emarathon.or.kr

K-League Football1st Seongnam vs Suwon

at tancheon Stadium 7:30pm4th incheon vs Busan

at Incheon World Cup Stadium 7pm11th Suwon vs jeju

at Suwon World Cup Stadium 7:30pm18th Seongnam vs jeju

at tancheon Stadium 7pm18th Suwon vs Gyeongnam

at Suwon World Cup Stadium 7:30pm26th incheon vs jeonbuk

at Incheon World Cup Stadium 3pm

KBo Professional BaseballAll games held at Munhak Stadium, home of the SK Wyverns.4th vs LG at 6:30pm5th vs hanhwa at 5pm7th vs Dusan at 6:30pm8th vs hanhwa at 6:30pm12th vs Kia at 5pm

Dine & Drink

September 19th - 20thGimpo Grape Festival No grapes of wrath here, or sour grapes for that matter. Just round purple goodness. bukbyeon Public Parking Garage in Gimpo. tour.gimpo.go.kr 031-980-5097

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Film September 9th – 13th DMZ Korean Documentary Festival

There’s nowhere else in the world quite like the DMZ, and if the DMZ Korean International Documentary Festival has its way, there will be no other festival quite as good at bring-ing together noteworthy documentaries. Held at indoor and outdoor venues in Paju Printing Town and the Peace Park in Imjingak, both disconcertingly close to the barbed wire at the border, the festival aims to give visitors access to stories and sights they would not be able to hear or see otherwise. Seven-ty-four films from thirty-five countries will be presented at the film fest. They are divided into the competitive categories of International and Korean and the non-competitive categories of World Spectrum and Special Feature. As this year is the 60th anniversary of the Korean War, this last program brings together documentaries exploring the cruelty and inhumanity of armed conflicts from all corners of the globe. See the web-site for a detailed schedule and directions. dmzdocs.com 031-955-8623

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EDITOR’S PICK

EDITOR’S PICKS

religious services

central Presbyterian church Nonsan 041-736-1002

Presbyterian church Cheonan 041-675-2008

central Presbyterian church Gongju 011-382-1862

Sanseong church 042-585-8111 Daejeon [email protected]

Classes

yegok natural Dye workshop Okcheon-gun Dye clothing or make natural soap. yegok.co.kr 043-733-0978

entertainment

Kumdori land Daejeon kumdori.co.kr 042-862-4000

o-world amusement Park Daejeon oworld.kr 042-580-4820

Museums

Alcohol Museum: Liquorium Chungju liquorium.com 043-855-7333

Gonam Shell Mound Museum taean-gun Anmyeon Island museum.taean.go.kr 041-670-2337

jincheon Bell Museum Jincheon-gun jincheonbell.net 043-539-3850

Korea traditional Architecture Museum Yesan-gun English site: ktam.or.kr 041-337-5877

Hotels/Accommodations

new Korea hotel Asan 041-542-8151onyang hot Spring hotel Asan 041-543-2141

cheonan central hotel Cheonan 041-564-9100

yuseong Daejeon 042-822-9591 the Sky blue bird Seosan 011-382-1862golden wave Taean 041-675-2008

Medical services

Konyang international health care center Daejeon kihcc.kyuh.co.kr 042-600-9978

Sun hospital Daejeon 042-220-8000

restaurants/supermarkets

gasan Korean, Cheonan 041-561-9500Spain house Spanish, Cheonan 041-571-7474

olive Farms Buffet, Cheongju 043-215-3311

live Music Venues

barker’s live bar Gyeryong 042-841-0470

club in Sky 2 Daejeon cafe.daum.net/tjinsky 042-223-7117

Bars/lounges/Pubs

rolling Stones Cheonan 041-562-9824MJ Cheongju “MJ bar” on Facebook. 043-273-8366

road King Cheongju 010-8301-5936blue Moon Cheongwon 043-285-0399brickhouse Sports bar & grill Daejeon “the Daejeon brickhouse” on Facebook, 010-9867-0921

J-rock Daejeon 010-4564-7721Santa claus Daejeon “Santa Claus 2008” on Facebook, 042-825-5500

the Shisha house Daejeon 042-825-4157Sponge Daejeon 042-471-3373

Art

through September 26thLeonardo Da vinci, Michelangelo, and Raphael Murals Asia Museum in Daejeon. 10 am – 6 pm, Sun 1 – 6 pm. Closed Mon. Adults W12,000, teens W10,000, children W8,000. frescoart.co.kr 042-863-0055

Family & Community

September 3rd - 6thCheongju jikji Festival 78 years before Gutenberg printed his first bible, monks in Korea created the world’s first-recorded movable metal print text, called the Jikji. Cheongju Arts Cetner. jikjifestival.com 043-200-4407

September 9th – 12thhongseong naepo Festival What is called hongseong-gun today was once hongju, famous for its bustling market. this festival recreates that old-timey market with plenty to see, eat, and enjoy. hongseong-gun. naepofestival.com 041-632-3616

September 19th - 23rdWooreuk Culture Festival held for nearly 40 years, the festival honors great musicians like Wooreuk with a diverse array of activities in the works including fireworks, sports, martial arts, and a daeyageum contest. Chungju. wooreuk.org 043-847-1565

Dine & Drink

September 3rd - 5thCheongyang Red Pepper and Gugija Festival this is the site of the spicy pepper eating contest from the movie Too Beautiful to Lie (그녀를 믿지마세요). the traditional market in Cheongyang-gun. cygg.kr 041-940-2371

September 3rd - 7th Yeongdong Grape Festival Pick your own fruit, make your own wine, and have yourself a grape time at yeongdong-gun. Near yongdu Park. ydpodo.co.kr 043-740-3474

September 3rd - 12thGeumsan insam Festival See the ginseng rice cake mallet show or try sowing and gathering the pungent root yourself. Geumsan-gun. geumsan.go.kr 041-750-2391

sport & Fitness

September 29th – october 3rdChungju World Martial Arts Festivalthe competition is fierce with 1,000 athletes from Korea and two hundred from overseas. World Martial Arts theme Park. martialarts.or.kr 043-850-6720

october 3rdeco-1 Seonyang Masai “Barefoot” Marathon 5km and 13km walking or running in the forest paths on Gyejok Mountain in Daejeon, starting at 10 am. Apply by Sep. 24th. masaimarathon.com 042-527-1880

october 10thDaecheongho Marathon 5k for W15,000, 10k and half for W30,000. 9 am at Daecheong Park in Daejeon. Apply by Sep. 6th. dcmarathon.or.kr 042-934-8890

K-League Soccer Schedule at Daejeon World Cup Stadium11th Daejeon vs Busan at 3 pm19th Daejeon vs Gwangju at 3 pm

Pro-Baseball at Daejeon Stadiumvs Samsung 2nd – 3rd at 6:30pmvs SK 9-10th at 6:30pm, 11th at 5pmvs nexen 15th 6:30pmvs Lotte 17th at 6:30pm, 18/19th at 5pm

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Tucked away in the Asan countryside is Chinook (시누크), a bar whose soft lighting, comfortable sofas and vintage vinyls make it stand out from the crowd—that, and the fact that it’s a giant helicopter.

The owner, Mr. Jong Hee Jang, hand-built this replica Chi-nook from scratch. It was truly a labour of love, spanning seven years during which, he says, he “lived on water and noodles.” The bar, with its eclectic mix of rock and roll memo-rabilia and Air Force artifacts, has attracted visitors from over 59 countries. Mr. Jang proudly states, “I wanted to make a meeting place…a Mecca of artistic and cultural riches.”

This month, Chinook hosted a band night in aid of Cambodian charity ABCs and Rice, featuring music from local talent The Spanish Lounge, Namji Slaps Chichis, and Hongdae club FF favorites Like a Fox. Mr Jang hopes this will serve as a prototype for future fund-raisers and plans to host an outdoor rock festival in the fall. 016-457-3656 [email protected] WORDS By Stacey SiebRitz AND SHOTS By RhyS bRinDle

September 18th – october 17th Great Baekje World Festival

Nearly 1,400 years after the Silla and Chinese armies crushed the forces of Baekje, the ancient kingdom is reborn—at least for the duration of this festival. Co-hosted by gongju and Buyeo County, the month-long festival offers a rare look into an oft-forgotten chapter of Korean history. It has been held each year since 1955, during which time it has become one of Korea’s most highly regarded cultural events. Visitors this year can see performances including the riverfront military drama Sama Iyagi and the on-the-water cultural show Sabimir. In addition, there will be parading soldiers in traditional attire and a reen-actment of the fatal battle of Hwangsanbeol between Baekje and Silla forces. Events held near gomanaru Ferry in gongju City and at the Baekje Cultural Complex in Buyeo County. baekje.org 041-857-6955


Helicopter Hijinks

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Climbing Walls in Daegu

With both indoor and outdoor rock faces within easy reach, Daegu gives you plenty of chances to work on your climbing skills.

WOR DS By DaviD W illS AND SHOTS By Mega n pR eece

L ike much of Korea, Daegu offers a lot of options both for hiking and climbing. Surrounded by mountains, you’re never more than a short bus-ride from soaring peaks,

steep trails and rocky outcrops. To the north there’s Palgong Mountain, to the south Ap Mountain, and in between a number of indoor and outdoor climbing facilities.

Probably the best known place to climb is the World Cup Sta-dium, which one can find from almost anywhere in Daegu thanks to the abundance of giant brown tourist signs. Follow the roads back towards the mountains and you’ll find the Daegu Sports Park Rock Climbing Wall. There aren’t many signs for the wall itself, but if you head towards the drive-in cinema behind the bus parking area, it’s hard to miss. This wall is enclosed, so it’s great for climbing even in the rainy season. It’s also suitable for climb-ers of all abilities with simple beginner’s trails that build up to a fifteen-meter-high peak with a 155 degree overhang. The Daegu Sports Park Climbing Wall is open 9 am to 5 pm from December to February, and 9 am to 6 pm throughout the rest of the year. Climbing classes are available for a mere W2,000 won per two-hour session.

Much less well known, but very close to the Daegu Sports Park Climbing Wall, is a small wall on Uksoo (욱수) Mountain. If you head east from the World Cup Stadium to gyeongsan, there’s a large bowling pin next to a spa called Worldpia. Follow the road for about five minutes and you’ll find the wall on your right hand side. It is an untended crag and thus free to use, with nine routes suitable for intermediate or advanced climbers.

If you’re in the Siji area of Daegu (near the World Cup Sta-dium) you’ll definitely want to visit Challenger – perhaps the best known indoor climbing facility in the city. It’s run by a very friendly couple, who will help beginners master the basics of climbing. The gym features some simple exercise equipment, but the main draw is the climbing routes, which are extensive and

challenging for such a small place. It costs W5,000 to use the fa-cilities, or W50,000 for a one month pass, and is open from 11 am until midnight. you’ll find Challenger very near the Sinmae sub-way stop on the green Line. Come out of exit 1 and walk past the row of English academies. A small road leads down to the right, and you’ll see a doorway with a yellow sign above it that says “암벽등반 Challenger.” cafe.daum.net./chgcc

On the south side of Beomeo Park (near the Suseong-gu Office subway stop on the green line) there is a small outdoor climbing wall. There isn’t a lot to do here, but it’s extremely peaceful, nes-tled among the trees and hills. If you’re just learning to climb and don’t want to learn in front of anyone else (except the numerous chipmunks and squirrels that inhabit the area), there is nowhere better. This is absolutely secluded, and largely unknown to both foreign and Korean climbers. To get there, enter Beomeo Park and head to the southwest corner. It is completely unsigned and difficult to find, but if you can manage it you’ll have your own private wall for as long as you like.

Finding these climbing gems isn’t always easy, but it is cer-tainly rewarding. There is good exercise, great friendships, and sometimes a bit of peace and quiet to be found at Daegu’s indoor and outdoor climbing locations.

Get tinG theRe:

Daegu is located two thirds of the way down the KtX line joining Seoul and busan. As one of Korea’s major metropolises, Daegu is easy to reach from any major train or bus station.


beomeo Park climbing wall, shot by David Wills

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Art through october 13thPhotographic Meditation: A Gwang-ho Choi Photo exhibition you won’t find a lot of digital shots in this exhibition. Choi’s use of overexposure in capturing birth, death and rites of passage in Korean society provides a photographic history of Korea’s last three decades. the exhibiting museum boasts that “oxygen generators are installed in each hall so the audience can see photographs with exhilarating air.” No open flames nearby please. Goeun Museum of Photography. tue – Sun 10 am - 7 pm. goeunmuseum.org 051-746-0055

September 6th - November 15th

Busan Biennale Art expositions this massive don’t happen every day people. We’re talking about only once every two years. this year’s theme is evolution, both of art and of the human race. busan Museum of Art and other locations. 2010.busanbiennale.org 051-503-6111

Starting September 10th off the Wall Fifteen exhibitors will have approximately 32 paintings and 18 sculptures on display. Clayarch Kimhae Museum. Exhibition runs through February 27th. clayarch.org 055-340-7004

September 28th Daegu Modern history Photo exhibition Follow the modern history of Daegu through the photographs of eight different exhibitors. Photographs begin during the Japanese occupation circa 1930 and run through the Korean War, ending with the 1960s. A rare chance for a peek at life in Daegu before all the factories got there. through october 24th at Daegu’s bongsan Cultural Center. Free entry. bongsanart.org 019-9021-3989

Theater & Dance

ongoing the Ballerina Who Fell in Love with a B-Boy this b-boy-meets-ballerina story is a genre-bending mash-up of break dance and ballet. Seomyeon bb theater in busan. Mon - Fri 8 pm , Sat 4 and 8 pm, Sun 3 and 6 pm. W40,000 - W50,000. bbtheater.co.kr 051-804-2252

jump In its second decade, this popular martial arts comic show shows no signs of slowing. lotte Art hall. tue - Fri 8 pm, Sat & holidays 5 pm & 8 pm, Sun 6 pm. W40,000 – W50,000. hijump.co.kr 051-744-4885

Wizard of oz in englishthis is a tremendous opportunity for those of you expats with children anywhere near busan. An English version of The Wizard of Oz helps keep the kids in touch with their roots. the bad news is that you’ll probably need someone who speaks Korean to help you get tickets. W10,000. Saturdays at 2 pm. Near Seomyeon Station. Migliore Department Store, 6th floor. Cotton

Candy Art hall. cafe.daum.net/somsatanghall 051-922-4545

September 2nd – 5thDaegu international jazz FestivalShowcasing some of the best domestic and international jazz talents in Korea. the lineup includes the Raon Park Quartet, Natsuki Morikawa, the Ronn branton Quartet, and the Seoul Soloist Jazz orchestra (don’t ask us about how you can have a “soloist” orchestra). W30,000 - W60,000. Susong Artpia, Jungangro outdoor Stage, along with other venues. dijf.co.kr 053-744-5235

September 3rd – 5th

Mamma Mia! Ever heard the music of AbbA made into a comical musical that over 42 million people have seen—In Korean? Synopsis from the site: “on the eve of her wedding, a daughter’s quest to discover the identity of her father brings three men from her mother’s past back to the island they last visited 20 years ago.” Now that you know the storyline, you can see writer Catherine Johnson’s tony Award-nominated musical and experience AbbA in Korean. sungsanart.or.kr 055-268-7900

September 14thCellist Seon-won Yang’s Serenade of Schmann and Brahms Mr. yang and his team will be playing pieces from brahms Cello Sonatas and Schumann. Sungsan Art hall in Changwon. sungsanart.or.kr 055-268-7900

Yeongnam Percussion Band Founding Performance 7 pm at Daegu’s bongsan Cultural Center, Gaon hall. Free. bongsanart.org 010-7288-1930

September 15th

Sangre Flamencathe original Flamenco Artists directly from Spain. 7:30 pm at Suseong Artpia. W30,000 - W100,000. virus infected site: ssartpia.or.kr 053-668-1530


C arved into the side of a mountain in the heart of Busan, Dragon Dream serves traditional Korean food and drink in a uniquely subterranean setting. A keen sense

of direction is needed to navigate the twists and turns to get there, but it’s worth the effort, as any previous patron will at-test. Known to the foreigner crowd as “The Cave Bar,” what was once a bomb shelter now attracts clientele with a craving for pajeon (onion pancake), grilled prawn, and other seafood specialties – all with a generous side of cave drippings. The specter of a seven-foot dragon stares on as din-ers enjoy their first bites of dubu kimchi, arguably the best in Busan, while wait-ing for their meal.

Although the food is deli-cious and reasonably priced, the main attraction beside the atmosphere is the dongdongju and bamboo soju found on the drink menu. In regular or ginseng flavors, the dongdongju comes in a heavy kettle with enough liquid to satisfy your thirst and leave you wanting just one more bowl. The din within the restaurant gradually elevates with each passing kettle, and so

too the ambiance of this strangely en-chanting restaurant within a cave.

Come hungry and thirsty and let the fruits of this dragon’s dream satisfy your desire.

Get tinG theRe: take subway line 1 to beomil-dong Stn., exit 7. take a right

at the top of the stairs walking past hyundai Department Store. Cross the pedestrian footbridge and go left to the first crosswalk. Cross the street and turn left until reaching a meat restaurant with a red sign that translates to “Samgyeop Party.” Go right and then take a quick left at So hee hair Salon. About 30 meters ahead, look for a simple red and white sign on the right reading 용꿈 (yong Ggum), which translates to “Dragon Dream.” 051-646-5924

WoRDS by MiKe LUeDKe , ShotS by BRYCe WeiBLe Y

Dragon Dream

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Center on Geoje Island. geojeart.or.kr 055-680-1000

September 7th, 14th and 28thDaegu Gukak (traditional instrument) troop tuesday Performances tuesday the 7th, 14th and 28th enjoy a completely free performance in the Daegu Culture and Art Center’s outdoor theater. artcenter.daegu.go.kr 053-606-6338

September 8thBusan Philharmonic orchestrabeethoven’s overture to Fidelio, Schumann’s Cello Concerto, Glinka’s overture to Ruslan and Ludmilla and more. 7:30 pm at the busan Culture Center. W5,000 - W10,000. culture.busan.go.kr 051-607-3114

September 10thDaegu Symphony orchestrathe orchestra is going to play Suppé, bruch and Rimsky-Korsakov. Palgong hall, Daegue Culture and Art Center. W10,000 - W20,000. 7:30 pm. artcenter.daegu.go.kr 053-606-6313

Kim Deoksu Samulnori Don’t let any Koreans tell you that Samulnori is centuries old. It’s not. Deok-su Kim created it with his team in 1978. Sure the instruments, symbols and drums existed in different forms on the farms but it was Mr. Kim who brought them together, coining both the performing art and the term Samulnori. he is now a legend for creating the quintessential Korean “folk art.” See the man himself perform and brag to your children later. Daegu’s Dalseogu Advanced Culture Center. 7:30 pm. W20,000. dsac.or.kr 053-667-3081

September 16thBusan Philharmonic orchestrathe busan Philharmonic orchestra introduces well-known classical pieces of Sibelius, Grieg, Mozart, tchaikovsky and many more. busan Culture Center at 7:30 pm for W2,000. culture.busan.go.kr 051-673-3111

September 17th

Japanese Rock band : Doberman

Asian Rock Bus (Busan)Crying Nut and Doberman team up for the busan leg of this tour, which you can catch in Seoul on the 18th. held at busan MbC lotte Art hall. W33,000. mbcarthall.com 02-326-3075

Lasse Lindh in Busan Swedish musician lasse lindh begins his tour in Korea starting from busan. his sweet ballads will attract quite a crowd. haeundae Cultural Center. 7 pm. W22,000 - W33,000, haeundae.go.kr 051-749-7651

September 19thLasse Lindh in Daegu Swedish musician lasse lindh continues his Korean tour in Daegu. Suseong Artpia. 6 pm. W33,000, ssartpia.or.kr 053-668-1530

September 25th – 26thLucid Fall (voz e violao)Part of the “voice and Guitar” series. Sat 6 pm, Sun 5:30 pm at the haeundae Cultural Center in busan. W33,000. hcc.haeundae.go.kr 051-749-7651

September 26th

Sarah jang Concert with the Daegu Symphony orchestra Mendelssohn violin Concerto No. 1. W50,000 - W150,000. Daegu Susong Artpia yongji Art hall. ssartpia.or.kr 053-668-1530

September 28ththe Divine Comedy: the Dance7 pm at Daegu’s bongsan Cultural Center, Gaon hall. W20,000 - W40,000. bongsanart.org 010-3357-8060

September 30th – october 3rdArim Art Festival one thing you can count on at a Korean festival is a fireworks show, and this one starts right off the bat with one during the opening ceremonies on the 30th. From there the festival will include arts such as photography, Chinese calligraphy, dance, traditional Korean instrumental performances and more. held in Geochang-gun, Geochang-eup (read: the boonies). arimje.co.kr 055-945-2234

September 30th – october 30thDaegu international opera Festivalthe city of Daegu is really trying to make a name for itself with a few big festivals, and the Daegu International opera Festival is one of them, now in its seventh year. As is common with these things in Korea, their website only works right on a PC running MS Explorer. diof.org 053-666-6111

Concerts

Every SaturdayBonghwangdae Regular night Performances Gyeongju has put together regular Saturday night performances for the community and the website says they’ll be continuing through october 23rd, but the new schedule isn’t up yet. Check the website one more time before calling. Nodonggobun Special Stage. e.guide.gyeongju.go.kr 054-779-6770

September 2ndDaegu Symphony orchestra Plays tchaikovsky o. Nicolai’s overture The Merry Wives of Windsor, Debussy’s Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune along with tchaikovsky’s Symphony No.4 and Piano Concerto No.1 among other pieces. W10,000 - W20,000. artcenter.daegu.go.kr 053-606-6313

September 3rdthe 7th Annual Geoje national Choir Contest National choir contest for amateur groups of singers composed of 20 to 50 people. 1:30 pm at Geoje Art


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concert September 10th - 12th

hallyu Dream Festivalgyeongju has put together the end-all-be-all Hallyu

(Korean Wave) event. The first night, entitled Date with Hallyu Stars, will host a few heart throbs for the young ladies out there: Sang-hyun yoon, Bum Kim and Tae-woong Uhm. The second night will see the Lee young Hee Fashion Show, and acts from the previous night will again take the stage. But the real event is the climactic concert on the 12th: The Hallyu Dream Concert. The list of acts performing reads like a who’s who of Korean pop: Super Junior, Davichi, 2PM, Kang-ta, Se7en, 4Minute, T-ara, Kara, Secret, After School and loads more! The big bonus: tickets are free to foreigners! Visit their great Eng-lish website to check out the schedule and apply early for the (first-come-first-served) tickets. hallyudreamfestival.or.kr 053-950-3332

conference September 10th - 13th

Busan international travel Fair If you are thinking about traveling abroad at some point

(and let’s face it, what expat isn’t looking to travel Asia while located in Korea), then here is a terrific opportu-nity. All those destinations you’re contemplating will be represented at the fair: China, Japan, Sri Lanka, Macao, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Phil-ippines, Thailand, Taiwan, Mongolia, as well as farther destinations like Slovakia, Turkey, Croatia, Canada, Mexico, South Africa. you can get tons of information from natives of the country you’re thinking about visiting, and there will be foreign foods from a variety of countries on sale in the food court as well. Takes place at Busan’s BEXCO exhibition. Only W2,000 to enter. bitf.co.kr 051-740-3570

September 29thBusan Philharmonic Youth orchestra: French night the orchestra plays “Music of ballet” from Faust and pieces like Symphony on a French Mountain Air for piano & orchestra for this French Night. 7 pm at the busan Culture Center. W2,000. culture.busan.go.kr 051-673-3111

September 30thBusan Philharmonic ochestra Well-being Concert Under the title of Well-being Concert, the orchestra presents a number of pieces of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, händel, beethoven and Mendelssohn to the audience. busan Culture Center at 11 am. W10,000. culture.busan.go.kr 051-673-3111

Daegu opera Festival A story about one old man who falls in love with Marguerite yet makes a deal with the devil, the opera Faust plays at the Daegu opera house. 7:30 pm. W10,000 - W70,000. operafestival.or.kr 053-666-6111

Family & Community

Saturdays in Septemberthe Ceremonial Walk of Queen Seondeok Watch the queen and her entourage parade by if you’re in Korea’s historical landmark city, Gyeongju, on a Saturday at 2:30 pm. eguide.gyeongju.go.kr 054-779-6770

September 11th – 15thYeongcheon herb Medicine Festivalthere is no better chance than this to experience the herbs which are a key part of oriental medicine. All kinds of different herbs will be displayed and can be purchased. yeongcheon yakjeon Street. herb.yc.go.kr 054-330-6068

September 18thMoon and King Festival As visitors follow the path, they can participate in traditional archery, samulnori, magic shows, and more. Mungyeong Pass outside Stage in Mungyeong. mgmtour.co.kr 054-555-2571

September 24th - october 3rd

Andong Mask Dance Festivalthe mask dance is the most significant tradition in Andong’s cultural heritage. Maskdance Park, hahoe Park village. maskdance.com 054-840-6398

September 30th – october 24thonggi expo in Ulsan KoreaEncounter traditional Korean pottery, also known as onggi (옹기) at oegosan onggi village, Ulju-gun, Ulsan. onggiexpo.com 052-257-8830


September 1st - 4thenvironment and energy tech 2010held at busan’s bEXCo. entechkorea.net 051-740-7456

September 2nd – 4thColor & Design Week 2010 held at Daegu’s EXCo Convention Center, 3rd floor. colorweek.co.kr 035-601-5085

Lighting & Display Koreaheld at Daegu’s EXCo hall 1. lndexpo.co.kr 053-601-5366

September 8th - 11th2010 it eXPo held at busan’s bEXCo. itexpo.or.kr 051-740-3417

September 10th -12thinternational Beauty and Cosmetic Surgery Medical Industry Expotakes place at busan’s bEXCo. ibps.kr 051-740-7707

September 30th - october 3rdBusan international Architectural Culture Fair biacf.org 051-888-4758

through october 29thWorld Confucianism FestivalGyeongsang Province is where Confucianism was most prominent in the past. this festival presents details of Confucian culture in the region. Events will take place at nine different venues. worldcf.co.kr 054-851-7182

Dine & Drink

September 10th - 12th

omija Festival in Moongyeongomija, a fruit that is said to contain five different tastes, can be experienced through various activities at the festival. A detailed schedule can be found on the official website. Dongro Elementary school. 5mija.kr 054-554-7555

September 30th – october 3rdBonghwa Pine Mushroom FestivalA good chance to experience the region’s specialty, Songi mushroom. Also see our article on the topic on page 16. Chaeyuk Park, bonghwa-gun. bonghwafestival.com/songi 054-679-6321

sports & Fitness

october 24th jinju namgang Marathon Sign up deadline is September 30th. 5 km (W10,000), 10 km (W25,000), half marathon (W30,000) or full marathon (W30,000) next to the Namgang in Jinju. gnmarathon.co.kr 055-751-1085

K-League Soccer 1st Pohang vs FC Seoul

at Pohang Steel yard 7:30pm4th Daegu vs Sungnam

at Daegu Field 7pm11th Gyeongnam vs Ulsan

at Changwon Soccer Center 8pm18th Ulsan vs jeonnam

at Ulsan Munsu Soccer Field 5pm18th Busan vs Gangwon

at busan Asiad Field 7pm18th Daegu vs incheon

at Daegu Field 7pm25th Busan vs Ulsan

at busan Asiad Field 5pm25th Gyeongnam vs Daegu

at Changwon Soccer Center 7pm

KBo Professional Baseball League All busan games held at Sajik Stadium, home of the Lotte Giants.1st vs LG at 6:30pm4th/5th vs Samsung at 5pm7th vs nexen at 6:30pm14th/15th vs SK at 6:30pm

All Daegu games held at Daegu Field, home of the Samsung Lions.8th vs Lotte at 6:30pm10th vs LG 6:30pm11th/12th vs LG 5pm19th vs SK at 5pm


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www.ibhotel.com

DeaguHotel Inter-Burgo DAEGU: 300, Manchon-dong, Soosung-gu, Daegu, Korea. Tel: +82-53-6027-114Hotel Inter-Burgo Exco, Sangyeok 2-dong, Buk-gu, Daegu, Korea. Tel: +82-53-3800-114

WonjuHotel Inter-Burgo Wonju: 1401-10, Bangok-dong, Wonju-si, Kwangwon-do, Korea. Tel : +82-33-769-8114



busan Foundation for international activities bfia.or.kr 1577-7716

geoje Foreign resident association gfra.net 055-687-9332

ulsan global center 052-229-2810ulsan online ulsanonline.com

religious services

bujeon church Busan 051-807-3331Suyeongno church Busan 051-740-4500Podowon church Busan 051-333-3736baekangro church Busan 051-898-3740Pusan university of Foreign Studies Busan 051-640-3445

okpo Joonang Presbyterian Geoje Island 010-2586-7520, 010-3873-1652

Sumgim Presbyterian church Geoje Island sumgim.org 017-577-3096

education

ayurveda yoga academy Certification course for would-be yoga teachers in Daegu. Sat 10 am – 7 pm. Call yatren at 011-9547-5181

Sand Sculpture classes haeundae beach. Every Sun 1 - 3 pm. W10,000. 051-749-7611

yoga classes Each 1st and 3rd Sunday from 12:30 – 1:30 pm. buy the book Cafe in Daegu. [email protected] 010-7794-1218


4 – 5 Star hotelsBusanlotte hotel 051-810-1000novotel ambassador 051-743-1234Seacloud 051-933-1000Daegunovotel ambassador 053-664-1101hostelsbusanarpina 051-740-3228Zen backpackers 010-8722-1530

restaurants

busanganga Indian opposite haeundae beach. ganga.co.kr 051-740-6670

gecko’s Western Perched on lovely haeundae beach at the Pale de CZ, you can get all of that authentic Western food you’re used to back home, and you’ll find bartenders who know how to mix a real margarita. 051-747-3069

Kebabistan Russian 051-581-4050Sunset lounge American 051-742-2959Gumiwaegook cook American waegookcook.com 054-444-3775

Daeguberkeley Italian hof Street. 053-421-8577buy the book Western this bookstore and café is your source for free yoga, theater, and parties. Downtown Daegu. open weekends. [email protected]

café Francesco Italian 053-252-9625hami Mami’s American 053-475-5242

053-423-4048

3rd Floor Sports Lounge2nd Floor Restaurant

the holy grill Western owned and operated by Canadians, the Grill provides expats with fantastic sandwiches, burgers, tex-Mex and breakfast in a chilled-out environment that feels more like a lounge than a burger joint. Move up to the 3rd floor to catch major sporting events. 053-423-4048

leo chow Mexican A decent selection of burritos and tacos. 053-255-7111

Maya Indian Gyeongbuk University. 053-214-1916

Samarkland Russian Daegu station. 053-252-4021

Siji taco Mexican Spicy tacos at competitive prices 053-791-5050

South St. Western Philly cheesesteaks and cold cuts in Suseong-gu. blog.naver.com/southst105 053-768-7867

live Music Venues

club interplay Busan cafe.daum.net/interplaycafe 051-517-4773

club heavy Daegu cafe.daum.net/clubheavy96 010-2338-1340

club Metal boys Gyeongju cafe.daum.net/metalboys 011-9599-8370

Bars/lounges/Pubs

busanaligote Wines, cheese platters, and excellent service. haeundae. 6 pm – 3 am. aligote-busan.com 051-731-3322

basement open mic nights on tuesdays and parties galore. 011-9294-2391

Fuzzy navel Great drinks and great Mexican food as well. 011-1757-6349

the hQ bar Kyungsung’s only foreigner-owned bar with sports and dart games. [email protected]

rock ‘n’ roll house Western-style bar with darts and pool and a great view of haeundae. 051-742-5553

Sosa bar A cozy latin bar close to Pusan National University. 051-513-0070

DaeguPing bar Great drinks, a pool table, and music upon request. Samdeok Catholic Church. 7 pm - 5 am. [email protected] 053-422-7708

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Art

through September 2nd the Beautiful World of Buddha: ju-yeon jo’s Solo exhibition Sori Cultural Arts Center in Jeonju. 011-671-3782

BiSA exhibit: “the Meeting of teacher and Student” Sori Cultural Arts Center in Jeonju. 010-3655-3885

north jeolla Art Fair In this art fair, around 480 pieces by 32 artists are on display and for sale. Sori Cultural Arts Center in Jeonju. 063-276-9475

through october 3rd Let’s Play with Picture Books this exhibit gives children a chance to browse through colorful storybooks and meet fascinating characters.Gwangju Museum of Art

September 1st – 5th Art Gwangju 2010: int’l Art FairGwangju keeps the culture coming with this art fair, a sister event to the Gwangju biennale. the relaxed atmosphere suits the theme of the meeting of fine art and design. In addition to works from galleries and design firms across the world, viewers will enjoy the Emerging Asian Artists exhibit. Kim Daejung Convention Center in Gwangju. kdjcenter.or.kr 062-611-3005

September 3rd – 7thSouth jeolla Photo Contest exhibit and Awards the photos in this contest offer an artistic look into the traditions of Jeolla Province. Sori Cultural Arts Center in Jeonju. 7 pm. sori21.co.kr 063-270-8000

September 10th – 16th Yong-geun Kim Solo exhibitionSuncheon Culture and Art Center. 8 pm. scart.or.kr 010-7622-0894

September 26th – 30th Suncheon Art CompetitionSuncheon Culture and Art Center. scart.or.kr 061-749-3516

Theater & Dance

September 1st – 5th jeolla-Gyeongsang theater Festival: “Four-City Fest” this theater festival attempts to improve ties between the Jeolla and Gyeongsang regions, the residents of which are not known for being especially friendly to each other. 9/1: Dragon and Dog. 7:30 pm. 9/2: Clowns (non-verbal). 7:30 pm. 9/3: Until Dark. 7:30 pm. 9/4: the Inn Without a Number. 4 pm. 9/5: bae bi Jang Jeon at 4 pm and Korean War concert at 6 pm. Korean ability required. Sori Cultural Arts Center in Jeonju. sori21.co.kr 063-277-7440

September 8th Yun-suk Son Ballet troupeSuncheon Culture and Art Center. 7 pm. W5,000. scart.or.kr 010-9866-8100

September 11th – 12th Cloud Bread: Kids’ Musical based on the best-selling children’s book about the kittens who break off a piece of cloud so mother cat can bake them some cloud bread. Korean ability required. Sori Cultural Arts Center in Jeonju. 2 – 4 pm. W20,000 – W25,000. sori21.co.kr 063-270-8000

September 12th jeong-gyun Kim’s Dance: A Sweet Fragrance this dance, presented by the Jeong-gyun Kim Dance Company, expresses the pleasures and desires of human life through the metaphor

of smell. Sori Cultural Arts Center in Jeonju. 4 pm. Adults W10,000, students W5,000. sori21.co.kr 070-8777-9472

September 18th – 19th Maninbo: the Play this play is inspired by Maninbo, the mind-bogglingly huge collection of poems by Korean writer Eun Go, which was completed earlier this year with the publication of the 30th volume. Performed by the Jeonju City theater troupe. Sori Cultural Arts Center in Jeonju. Sat 7 pm, Sun 2 & 7 pm. Adults W15,000, children W10,000. art.jeonju.go.kr 063-273-1044

Concerts

September 2nd jeonju Symphony orchestraSeok-hui Kang directs a performance of Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No. 3 in D Minor and tchaikovsky’s violin Concerto in D Major with Won-jin Song on violin and Se-jin Song on piano. Chonbuk National University Cultural Center in Jeonju. 7:30 pm. W5,000 – W7,000. cnucc.chonbuk.ac.kr 063-281-2748

September 2nd – 30th thursday Gugak Art Stage these free weekly performances sponsored by the North Jeolla Province Gugak Center give the audience a chance to experience Korean opera, dance, music, and other traditional forms of artistic expression. Sori Cultural Arts Center in Jeonju. 7:30 pm. sori21.co.kr 063-710-1395

September 3rd – 6th Bang-ul Lim traditional Music Festival and Competition hailing from Gwangsan-gu in Gwangju, pansori singer bang-ul lim (1904-1961) gave voice to the sadness and suffering of Koreans during the Japanese occupation. the contest held in his honor includes pansori instrumental music, dance, poetry and farm music. Events held at various locations in Gwangju. imbangul.or.kr 062-521-0731

September 4th Dream Philharmonic orchestraWith the Dream Philharmonic orchestra, made up of junior high and high school students who are passionate about music. beethoven’s 5th Symphony and other compositions. Sori Cultural Arts Center in Jeonju. 7:30 pm. sori21.co.kr 010-6611-8060

September 4th – 25th Free outdoor Concerts in Gwangjuhead to the Kim Daejung Convention Center each Saturday night for some great entertainment at no cost. 9/4: Jazz dance and magic show. 9/11: traffic music concert. 9/18: Swing dance. 9/25: Acoustic guitar and jazz dance. 7 – 9 pm. kdjcenter.or.kr 062-611-2228

September 9th jinju YMCA Choir Sori Cultural Arts Center in Jeonju. 7:30 pm. sori21.co.kr 063-224-5501

September 10th 11 AM happiness ConcertSori Cultural Arts Center in Jeonju. 11 am. W15,000. sori21.co.kr 063-270-8000

September 11th evergreen Band this unusual brass band is composed of older musicians who travel around sharing their love of music with the poor and disadvantaged. Sori Cultural Arts Center in Jeonju. Free concert. sori21.co.kr 010-2627-4658

Gwangju Family Music FestivalIn addition to a music competition, festival attendees can enjoy an exhibit

JEOLLA

jeoLLa CAlenDAr

The Gwangju Biennale: 10,000 Lives

WoRDS by hUGhie SAMSon

T he eighth gwangju Biennale, which opens on September 3rd, presents a compelling investiga-tion of the relationships which bind people to im-

ages and images to people. The exhibition is named 10,000 Lives (만인보) after a

thirty-volume epic poem conceived of by Korean author Eun Ko while in solitary confinement for his participation in the gwangju Uprising in 1980. Encompassing a diverse range of media with a particular emphasis on portraiture, it engages our love of images and our need to create sub-stitutes, effigies, and avatars for ourselves and our loved ones. The pieces on display examine how images are used as sites of affection and means of survival, how they are fabricated, circulated, and exchanged, and what their power consists of.

The Biennale is Asia’s oldest biennial of contemporary art and a highlight of the international contemporary art biennale circuit, and this year’s artwork will not disap-point. An installation of one-hundred life-size sculptures depicting the suffering of Chinese peasants will be pre-sented in its entirety at the Biennale for the first time in an Asian country outside of China, and it is merely one of the hundreds of highlights which visitors to the Biennale can look forward to encountering this year. In all, it will feature the work of 134 different artists from 28 differ-ent countries with new work by Pawel Althamer, Roberto Cuoghi, Keren Cytter, and others.

The exhibition will run daily from 9 am until 6 pm. It will continue until November 7th, and three venues neighboring each other within Jungoui Park will host it: gwangju Biennale Hall, the gwangju Museum of Art, and the gwangju Folk Museum. For more information, visit gb.or.kr and 10000lives.org or call 062-608-4114.

EDITOR’S PICK


with instruments from around the world, face painting, and more. City hall in Gwangju. 3 -6 pm. fmsong.or.kr 062-514-1195

September 15th Mang-sin Yu ConcertProkofiev’s violin Concerto No. 2, Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 2, and other pieces by the Jeonju Symphony orchestra. Sori Cultural Arts Center in Jeonju. Free. sori21.co.kr 063-281-2748

September 17th jung-hyeon Sin Live in Concertthe godfather of Korean rock and roll and soul. W55,000 – W77,000. Suncheon Culture and Art Center. scart.or.kr 010-4127-1567

September 18thAmabile Piano ConcertSuncheon Culture and Art Center. 7 pm. scart.or.kr 010-3674-3013

South jeolla CBS Children’s orchestra Suncheon Culture and Art Center. scart.or.kr 061-749-3516

Family & Community

September 3rd - 4th Bunam Riverside Festival Muju offers lots of old-fashioned fun with stargazing on the evening of the 3rd and water activities like rafting, a water balloon fight, and a race the following day. bunam-myeon Athletics Park in Muju-gun. tour.muju.org 063-320-2647

September 17th – 19th Bulgap Mountain Resurrection Lily Festival there’s no better place in Korea to see these beautiful pink flowers than bulgap Mountain in yeonggwang-gun. Explore the resort

while you’re there. yeonggwang.go.kr/tour 061-350-5752

September 19th – 21stMaryangmi harbor Festival Cast a rod in the fishing contest or saddle up for some horse riding at this picturesque harbor located between Gogeum Island and Maryang-myeon in Gangjin-gun. gangjin.go.kr 061-430-5582


Simcheong Festival Simcheong is the pansori character who exemplifies the Korean virtue of hyo (효), or loyalty to one’s parents. In the legend, she sacrifices herself so that her father can regain his eyesight. hear the rest of the story at the train village near the Seomjin River in Gokseong-gun. simcheong.com 061-363-2011

September 30th – october 3rd iksan Seodong Festival long before Romeo and Juliet but centuries after Paris and helen, the Korean love story of Seodong and Seonhwa was first told. As the story was set in Iksan, the city holds a romance-themed festival each year. Couples in particular will enjoy somewhat hokey events such as the love Relay, the love Post office, the Door of love, and a special chance to declare your love in public. seodong.iksan.go.kr 063-831-0541


ongoing GiC talks the Gwangju International Center organizes a lecture in English nearly every Saturday from 2:30– 4 pm. typical speakers include professors, writers, and diplomats. See website for this month’s lectures. gic.or.kr 062-226-2733

September 7th – 9th Asia Culture Forum held in Korean and English, this forum will look at the sweeping economic, political and cultural changes that are creating a “new Asia.” the forum is expected to help Gwangju as it prepares for the National Asian Culture Complex scheduled to be built there. Kim Daejung Convention Center in Gwangju. acf.or.kr 062-226-2731


ACe (Asia Content and entertainment) industry Fair 2010 Along with exhibits on broadcasting, video, gaming, and animation, this media-focused expo will also host the 4th Int’l Character Design Contest and the Gwangju e-Sports Festival. Kim Daejung Convention Center in Gwangju. acefair.or.kr 062-611-2241

Gwangju Science FestivalKim Daejung Convention Center in Gwangju. kdjcenter.or.kr 062-611-2000

September 29th – october 1stjinju Local Government expoSupport grass-roots activity and the little guy along with representatives from hundreds of local organizations from all over Korea. Jinju Indoor Gymnasium and around City hall. partner.or.kr/expo 055-749-2114

Dine & Drink

September 10th – 12thjangsu hanwoo and Apple Festivalbeef and apples are the major farming products of Jangsu-gun, and both are well-represented in this festival. Events held at Uiam Park, hannuri Performance hall, and other locations. jangsufestival.com 063-350-2751

sport & Fitness

K-League Football4th jeonbuk vs Pohang

at Jeonju World Cup Stadium, 7pm4th jeonnam vs Daejeon

at Gwangyang Field, 7pm10th jeonbuk vs Gangwon

at Jeonju World Cup Stadium, 7pm12th Gwangju vs incheon

at Gwangju World Cup Stadium, 3:10pm25th jeonnam vs Seoul

at Gwangyang Field, 7pm26th Gwangju vs Suwon

at Gwangju World Cup Stadium, 3:10pm

KBo Baseball All games held at Gwangju Stadium home of the KiA tigers.2nd/3rd vs Lotte at 6:30pm7th/8th vs hanhwa at 6:30pm14th/15th vs Doosan at 6:30pm16th/17th vs Samsung at 6:30pm

jeoLLa proviNCe


gwangju international centergwangjuic.or.kr 062-226-1050

religious services

antioch Presbyterian church Jeonjuandiok.kr 063-274-3228

iri Joongang church Iksan 063-851-4311

Musangsa Muan-gun 042-841-6084

Museums

gochang Dolmen Museum 9 am – 5 pm. Closed Mon. Adults W3,000, teens W2,000, children W1,000. gcdolmen.go.kr 063-560-2576

iksan Jewel Museum 10 am – 6 pm. Closed Mon. Adults W3,000, students W2,000, children W1,000. jewelmuseum.go.kr 063-859-4641

Jeonju oriental Medicine cultural center 10 am – 6 pm. Closed Mon. hanbangcenter.com 063-232-2500

Jeonju traditional alcohol Museum 9 am – 6 pm. Closed Mon. Free. urisul.net 063-287-6305

Jeonju traditional cultural center jt.or.kr 063-280-7045

Mokpo natural Museum 9 am – 6 pm. Closed Mon. Adults W3,000, students W2,000, children W1,000. museum.mokpo.go.kr 061-294-3655

Mokpo ceramic livingware Museum 9 am – 6 pm. Closed Mon. Adults W3,000, students W2,000, children W1,000. doja.mokpo.go.kr 061-270-8480


gwangju youth hostel 062-943-4378ramada Plaza gwangju ramadagwangju.com 062-717-7000

radio

tbS eFM Gwangju FM 98.7uS armed Forces networkGunsan AM 1440/FM 88.5Gwangju FM 88.5

restaurants/supermarkets

First nepal restaurant firstnepal.com 062-225-8771

tequilaz Gwangju’s first Mexican cantina serves up your south-of-the-border favorites with magical margaritas and, of course, killer tequilas. tequilaz.com, [email protected]

underground grocers Gwangju this foreigner-run food shop has those hard-to-find cheeses, taco shells and other delicacies you crave. 062-232-2626

live Music VenuesBars/lounges/Pubs

Art & travel Cafe Jeonju open mic nights every Wednesday from 9 pm. Facebook group, 011-9437-0208

Deepin Jeonju Popular expat bar with texas holdem on Sundays. 019-9646-1028

Led Zeppelin Art Space Jeonju hosts underground bands both expat and Korean. cafe.daum.net/k250073 018-607-6321

Speakeasy Gwangju the fun never stops at this fantastic bar owned and operated by honest Irishman Derrek Hannon. 010-4713-3825

San Antonio Latin Bistro Suncheon Suncheon surprises with this latin-themed restaurant and bar. Facebook group, [email protected] 061-724-2234

JEOLLA

choco Pie heaVen

If you’re a fan of choco pies then you need to head down to the PNB Bakery (풍년제과) in Jeonju for a taste of their unique spin on Korea’s favourite chocolate snack. For only W1,200 you can get your hands on this super-sized treat. PNB have taken two delicious circles of nutty chocolate cake, glued them together with strawberry jam and butter cream and then covered the whole mess in chocolate. It’s a calorie counter’s nightmare, but a heav-enly experience for those with a sweet tooth. Far superior to the standard mass-produced choco pie, this cake offers a quirky experience you definitely don’t want to miss if you’re in the area.

PNB is the oldest bakery in Jeonju (started in 1951) and can be found at the intersection of Chungkyung-ro and Paldal-ro in downtown Jeonju. you can call them at 063-285-6666. WORDS AND SHOT By paul MattheWS

J EOLLA DISCOv ERY


Spirited GardenIs life stressing you out? Do you feel like you need to

get away from it all? Then make your way to the Spirited garden, a garden sanctuary hidden away from the rest of the world. Reviewed as the number one Jeju tourist attrac-tion by the Jeju Tourism Board and hailed in print as one of the most beautiful gardens in the world, this garden is not your average botanical or bonsai garden. It’s a place where you can relax and meditate while communing with nature. Rejuvenate your spirit while walking amongst diverse plant life, waterfalls and colorful garden art. If you’re hungry, try one of the healthy meals at the garden restaurant. From November to February hours are from 8:30 am - 6 pm, from March to October, 8:30 am - 7:30 pm. Admission costs W9,000 (adults), W7,000 (elderly/youth) and W5,000 (children).

spiritedgarden.com 064-772-3701 WORDS By Jean han

Family & community ongoing

jeju traditional Five Day MarketForget E-mart and Homeplus—if you live in Jeju the best place to go for your shopping needs is the Five Day Mar-ket (오일장) located on the outskirts of Jeju City. Opening on the 2nd, 7th, 12th, 17th, 22nd, and 27th days of each month, this open-air market has just about anything you could ever want to buy. At the market you will be greeted by smiling old Korean women selling their carefully grown produce from tents, stalls, and even floor mats. In addition to fresh produce, you can also find rows upon rows of fish and seafood piled up high, and a meat market with a butcher’s shop where you can get the freshest meat money can buy. 8 am to 1 hour after sunset. An English language leaflet about the market is available from tourist information booths. 02-1330 WORDS By Jean han

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JEJU ISLAND

Art

through September 26th “Close encounter” exhibit this exhibit, which marks the 1st anniversary of the museum, presents artwork representing the “slow life” of Jeju citizens as opposed to the rapid changes in the larger world. Jeju Museum of Art

September 4th – 5thjeju Museum of Contemporary Art Weekend Bus tour the museum offers Jeju residents and tourists a chance to go on a tour of several of Jeju’s museums. 1 pm - 5:30 pm. the bus is free, though current museum costs apply. jejumuseum.go.kr 064-710-7803

September 17th - 19th jung-seop Lee Art Festival this annual festival celebrates Jeju’s most famous painter and features installation art, performance art and traditional Korean folk music. Jung-seob lee Art Gallery in Seogwipo City. culture.jeju.go.kr 064-760-2484

Theater & Dance

nanta Nanta, the non-verbal performance that got started ten years ago, is a feast for the ears that turns ordinary kitchen pots and pans into a rhythm section. Jeju Media Center in Jeju City (064-727-7800). 90 min. Sun 8 pm, tue – Fri 8 pm, Sat 4 pm, 8 pm. W40,000 - W50,000. nanta.i-pmc.co.kr 1544-1555

Concerts

September 3rd Philip Morris Korea Concert for jeju Residents Philip Morris Korea sponsors this free concert with the Seoul Pops orchestra performing under the direction of Maestro Sung-ho ha and featuring trot singer hyun-bin Park and soprano hye-wuk Goh. Jeju Culture and Art Center. 7:30 pm. jejuculture.or.kr 02-593-8760

September 5th David Lanz trio this performance will feature lanz classics as well as music from their recent release liverpool: Re-Imagining the beatles. Jeju Culture and Art Center. 5 pm – 7pm. W30,000 - W50,000. arts.jejusi.go.kr 02-582-4098

sports

September 1st – 4thBonggae Peace trekking Festivalthis festival gets participants in touch with nature with four kinds of treks in and around 4-3 Peace Park and Jeolmul Recreation Forest. culture.jeju.go.kr 064-721-0282

K-League Football4th jeju vs Ulsan

at Jeju World Cup Stadium, 7pm26th jeju vs Pohang

at Jeju Stadium, 3pm

religious services

Jeju anglican/episcopal church Sinjeju 010-2500-6780

Classes

woodcarving and engraving workshop Jeju Museum of Art. Weekdays 10 – 11:30 am, 2 – 3:30 pm; weekends 10 – 11:30 am, 2 – 4 pm.


hotel lotte Jeju 5-Star 064-731-1000Jeju hiking inn Hostel hikinginn.com 064-763-2380

Medical services

Dr. chung’s Pediatric [email protected] 064-748-1546

hanna women’s clinic hannaobgy.com 064-711-7717

Pyeonhan Dental clinic e-pretty.co.kr 064-758-2800

radio

arirang radioJeju City: FM 88.7 Seoguipo: FM 88.1

restaurants

bagdad cafe Indian. Delicious, authentic Indian food made from local ingredients in a gorgeous atmosphere. Near City hall in Jeju City 064-757-8182

Dom Jang Japanese. Spectacular sushi in several locations all over the island. the best atmosphere is in Jungmun. 064-738-2550

el Paso Mexican. Rather bland but adequate Mexican food in a central location in Jeju City. 064-752-8252

island gecko’s Western. A varied menu of terrific Western food, plus maybe the best cocktails and service on the island. the bbQ nights every weekend will blow you away with ribeye steak, sausages, and more for only W19,000. Jungmun. geckosterrace.com 064-739-0845

the Plate this modern bistro serves up a great American-style hamburger along with other thai dishes. 064-746-8008

Bars/lounges/Pubs

boris brewery 064-726-4141bull’s Darts bar 064-759-5559Modern time 064-748-4180


J E J U DISCOv ERY

EDITOR’S PICK

NETWORKING CALENDAR

every Thursday BIWA Informal Lunch

Noon at Ono's Bene City in Busan. biwa-korea.com 010-8568-1888

Wednesday, September 1st BIWA Coffee Morning

10 am - 12 pm at the Starbucks in Pale De Cz, next to the Paradise Hotel in Busan. Non-members welcome. biwa-korea.com

Thursday, September 2nd AUSTCHAM Breakfast with Professor Lyn Beazley

Grand Hyatt Hotel. 7:30 - 9:30 am. Non-members W50,000. austchamkorea.org

2010 Commonwealth Chambers Networking Evening

Join AUSTCHAM, BCCK, CANCHAM, ICCK and the Kiwi Chamber for a networking opportunity with the nations of the commonwealth. Grand Hyatt Hotel, Waterfall Garden. 6:30 – 9 pm. Non-members W70,000 (includes buffet dinner, beverages and taxes). canchamkorea.org

SIWA Newcomers' Meeting If you are new to Seoul or to SIWA, this meeting is a great chance to get to know more about the organization and the city of Seoul. Seoul Club. 10 - 11:30 am. W8,000. siwapage.com

Friday, September 3rd Leeum Samsung Museum of Art Guided Tour

Join the SIWA ladies for an English-guided visit of the traditional section of the Leeum Samsung Museum of Art and the Hong-do Kim special exhibition. Meet at Hangang-jin Station, exit 1. 10 am - 1 pm. Non-members W30,000. siwapage.com

Saturday, September 4th AMCHAM Labor Day Picnic 2010

Misari Public Park, Mini Soccer Field. 11 am

- 3 pm. Adults W50,000, children W35,000, children under 8 free. amchamkorea.org

Wednesday, September 8th Hantaek Botanical Garden Tour

Join the SIWA ladies for an English-guided tour of Korea’s biggest botanical garden. Meet at the Freedom Center lower parking lot (next to Seoul Club). 8:30 am - 3 pm. Non-members W40,000 (includes transportation, admission and lunch). siwapage.com

Friday, September 10th AWC Coffee Morning with Concierge K

James Kim from Concierge K, a nationwide lifestyle management company for expats in Korea, will be giving tips on how to make your life abroad simpler and more enjoyable. Seoul Club. 9:30 am - noon. Non-members W15,000. awcseoul.org

Saturday, September 11th ANZA Membership Sign-Up Night and Bledisloe Cup BBQ

Join ANZA, AUSTCHAM and the Kiwi Chamber for a BBQ dinner, unlimited beverages and live coverage of the game. Millenium Seoul Hilton Hotel. 6 pm. W50,000. anzakorea.com

Monday, September 13th - Friday, october 1st Business Start-Up School for Foreigners

The Seoul Global Business Team welcomes you to the 3rd session of their Business Start-up School, a program that offers expats a chance to learn from helpful courses and network with colleagues. Seoul Global Center. Free. global.seoul.go.kr 02-2075-4139

Wednesday, September 15th SIWA Coffee Morning

This monthly get-together is a chance to make new friends and chat with old ones. There will also be an interest group sign-up for members to take a class and learn something new, with more than 20 classes to choose from. Grand Ambassador Hotel. 9:30 - 11:30 am. Non-members W17,000. siwapage.com

Thursday, September 16th Han River Cycling Tour

Join the SIWA ladies for a relaxing morning bike tour along the Han River. Meet at Oksu Station. 10 am – noon. Non-members W5,000. siwapage.com

Wednesday, September 22nd Terrace Café Networking Club

Every 4th Wednesday, the Terrace Café at the Novotel Daegu hosts a social networking party with unlimited French wine, beer and buffet food. Everyone is welcome. 7:30 – 9:50 pm. W25,000 + tax. RSVP at [email protected] or 053-664-1169

Tuesday, September 28th BASS Monthly Meeting

The British Association of Seoul is hosting its monthly get together. Catch up with friends and sign up for BASS events. All are welcome at this relaxed morning tea. Seoul Club. 10 am - noon. Non-members W14,000. britishseoul.com

NetworKiNg CAlenDAr

aMCHaM American Chamber of CommerceaNZa Australian and New Zealand Association of KoreaauSTCHaM Australian Chamber of CommerceaWC American Women’s ClubBaSS British Association of SeoulBCCK British Chamber of Commerce KoreaBiWa Busan International Women’s AssociationCaNCHaM Canadian Chamber of CommerceiCCK Indian Chamber of Commerce in KoreaSiWa Seoul International Women’s Association

EDI T ED By J ea n h a n

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K oreans have some unusual ideas concerning the appro-priate amount of what I refer to as man-space. Man-space can be defined as the distance that you feel nec-

essary between you and all others of the male species. It’s a pro-tective aura of sorts. This concept of man-space is not born from homophobia; in fact, it is much more utilitarian.

Everyone can benefit from man-space. Man-space can protect you from such threats as uncomfortable shoulder rubbing, myste-rious smells emanating from strangers, awkward seating arrange-ments and the bad touch. Because Korean men have no concept of man-space, they fail to distinguish between good touches and bad touches.

Coming from the South, I grew up with a very traditional (read: unenlightened) concept of good versus bad touches. It was simple: any touch coming from a dude was a bad touch. Obvi-ous exceptions could be made during sporting events or while intoxicated and, more often than not, these exceptions were not mutually exclusive. High five: good, butt grab: bad. Butt grab after a touchdown: good.

When I f irst ar rived, I was taken aback by the lack of man-space that Koreans showed to one another. It wasn’t just that the holiness of man-space was being violated; it was that the viola-tion was welcomed and encouraged. I remember I once walked into my class-room at an intensive private camp. The university-aged males were all napping on the floor, scattered everywhere like fallen soldiers. When they saw me they motioned me over. One guy tapped his thigh to indicate that it might make a suitable pillow. I disagreed and sat away from them. I have seen enough prison movies to know how that scene ends. My shape and appearance would make me

Piggy if this were to become a Lord of the Flies type thing. No one wants to be Piggy.

going out with Korean friends offers more chances for inap-propriate touching. Drinking with friends, I am often hugged and held. Every few minutes there is a mini-celebration. guys throw their arms around me without hesitation. But it’s cool, accord-ing to the man-space rules, because we are drinking. However, even the drinking rule has its limitations. Korean men are fond of thigh rubbing as a way of showing closeness and camaraderie. I’m all for respecting cultures and “When in Seoul, do as the Seou-lites,” but I’m not trying to let someone get to second base just so he can save face. What kind of guy do they think I am?

Despite my minor complaints, women here have it much worse. Crowded subways can be a nightmare of prodding and pinching. Unwittingly, I was once guilty of this myself. During rush hour we were all packed in to the subway car. My hands were stuck inside my hoodie’s front pocket with my iPod. We were smashed

in pretty tight for a few stops. I was zoning out and started skipping tracks on my MP3 player. After a few songs, I realized that my tiny finger motion was rubbing against the backside of the woman in front of me. Immedi-ately I straightened up and looked around in an attempt to appear inno-cent, as if someone else had reached over and fondled her, not the guy stuck right behind her. I did my best to look casual, preparing to ignore her gaze.

But, the gaze never came. She out-ignored me. She let me slide because that sort of thing just happens. I real-ized that’s the best strategy when deal-ing with bad touches: just ignore them. Since then, I have gotten over my rigid idea of man-space. Some touches are neither good nor bad, they just are.

WORDS By aDaM boothe, ILLUSTR ATION By luKe MaRtin

Good Touch, Bad Touch


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Documents

September 2010