People & Culture

june 2011

jindo island
a phenomenon of
land and sea

WHITE collar bands

becoming rock
stars by night

korean
dance
The evolution of traditional forms
ISSN: 2005-2162

www.korea.net
Contents
june 2011 VOL.7 NO.06

02
cover story
Korean traditional dance grows with the times.
02
12
pen & brush
Artist Park Seo-bo is a pioneer of modernism.

16
people
Professor Kym Hyo-gun ties logic with music.

20
great korean
Hyecho’s epic travels took him to the Silk Road.

22
seoul
Teheranno combines beauty and convenience.

24
24
travel
Peek into the splendors of Jindo Island’s nature.

28
festival
The Ganghwa Mugwort Festival boosts health.

29
flavor publisher Seo Kang-soo,
Enjoy cool naengmyeon noodles in summer. Korean Culture and Information Service

30 Editing HEM KOREA Co., Ltd

now in korea e-mail webmaster@korea.net

A movement of workers’ bands gains speed.
printing Samsung Moonhwa Printing Co.
34
special issue All right reserved. No part of this
publication may be reproduced in
Commemorate fallen allies of the Korean War.
any form without permission from
KOREA and the Korean Culture and
36 Information Service.
special issue
Hallyu finds new strength in Europe. The articles published in KOREA do

38
not necessarily represent the views of
38 the publisher. The publisher is not liable
for errors or omissions.
summit diplomacy
President Lee Myung-bak visits Europe. If you want to receive a free copy of
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46
of www.korea.net.
my korea
A look into the charms of Gosa ceremonies. 발간등록번호 11-1110073-000016-06
cover story

The definition of Korean dance is being stretched to include not just

traditional dances from the past, but new ballets depicting Korean stories,
dances that weave traditional motions into the modern and even the
remarkably popular iterations of b-boy crews featured in tourism
advertisements. by CedarBough T Saeji | photographs by Park Jeong-roh

© Yonhap News Agency

Dancers perform in the National Dance Company of Korea’s 2009 Gaya.


A solo violinist in a black suit and
fedora walks across the stage, playing
a haunting melody from the classical
Western tradition as an overhead
spotlight leaves his face shadowed by
his hat brim. As the music changes,
the stage lights reveal five women in
white, shoulder-baring dresses, gliding
dramatically across the stage on their
toes before pausing in long-limbed
extension. Although still performed on
Western instruments, the music changes
to the tune of a Korean folk song sped
up to double time to accompany the
now violent and explosive movements
of the dancers. This is the opening of
Soul, Sunflower, a full-length modern
dance concert borrowing elements
from Korean traditional dance. It is
also one of the major touring pieces in
the repertoire of the National Dance
Company of Korea.
National dance companies tend to
feature the cultural heritage deemed
authentic to their own locale, so it
is not surprising that the company,
founded in 1962, originally focused on
Korean traditional dance. However,
04 | korea | june 2011
the company’s works such as Soul,
Sunflower have increasingly used Korean
traditional movement vocabulary and
stories as elements in modern dance
works. Many regard the integration of
Western and Eastern elements as the
future of dance in Korea.
INTEGRATION OF MODERNITY No
discussion of modern dance in Korea
would be complete without mentioning
the queen of modern Korean dance
Ahn Eun-me. One of Korea’s most
active and innovative choreographers,
Ahn has presented around the world
and frequently works with non-Korean
dancers. Ahn’s choreography includes
traditional elements in some of the most
creative ways since she first incorporated
Lee Jeong-yun, a longtime member of the
gayageum (12-string Korean zither) into unstoppably modern work,” a sentiment National Dance Company of Korea, piece by both the National Dance
performs in a modern work alongside
the piece Please, Catch Me. that properly encapsulates much of what fellow company dancers (above). Company of Korea and Ahn Eun-
Dancers perform in the domestic
KOREA sat down with Ahn in a is happening in the modern dance world production Model House at the me). Chunhyang is best known as an
quiet cafe in Itaewon to talk with her in Korea today. International Modern Dance Festival epic narrative pansori song; it is the
(MODAFE) in late May (opposite below).
about traditional dance, her most recent “I am much interested in A female lead strikes a stance during a Korean Romeo and Juliet. The original
performance of Model House,
work, Dancing for Grandmother, and incorporating traditional elements into choreographed by Park Hae-joon, which
version tells the story of Chunhyang,
her upcoming presentation of her piece my choreography,” Ahn says. “People explores the many roles of family in life. the daughter of a gisaeng (Korean
Princess Bari at the Edinburgh Fringe usually believe that tradition has to be geisha), and Mongryong, the noble son
Festival in August 2011. Princess Bari is presented in a certain specific way, but of a governor, who secretly marries
the well-loved Korean story of a fearless I don’t think so. Tradition continues her. They are separated by fate and
© The National Dance Company of Korea (top); International Modern Dance Festival (left, opposite below)
and devoted daughter who ventures to change, and I also want to take my social obligations, and in Mongryong’s
to the underworld to bring back the roots, these Korean stories and Korean absence, Chunhyang’s great beauty is
water of life for her ailing father. In this consciousness, and create something noted by a corrupt local politician.
performance, Ahn incorporates four new.” A similar motivation seems to These new Korean ballets have begun
traditionally-trained dancers, a pansori have even spread to the world of ballet. touring extensively overseas, with the
singer to belt out the tale and musicians Although ballet, a classic of the Western current schedule presenting The Love
playing Korean traditional instruments dance canon, is unlikely to adopt the of Chunhyang, Shim Chung and Prince
to fuse Korean tradition with modern use of Korean movement or dancers Hodong in more than 40 cities including
dance. Combining these traditional trained in Korean traditional dance, the Naples, Italy; Singapore; Taipei, Taiwan;
elements with a more empowering re- Universal Ballet Company has added Moscow; and Johannesburg between
interpretation of the tale, Ahn fuses the ballets Shim Chung and The Love 2011 and 2013. In fact, Korean ballet has
traditional and modern dance to create of Chunhyang to their repertoire, and grown up quickly. With several Korean
a moving, award-winning production, the Korea National Ballet Company has ballerinas and ballerinos winning major
which showcases the best of dance developed Prince Hodong. The story of international competitions in 2010,
in Korea. An MBC reporter closed Chunhyang is a true Korean classic (it ballet has become a hot trend, especially
her news spot on the Princess Bari has been made into an award-winning with the new emphasis on Korean
series saying, “Culture from Korean movie by Im Kwon-taek, a popular stories which renders the art form more
antiquity has been given new life in this Korean TV drama and a modern dance approachable to the Korean public.
www.korea.net | 05
 Some of these works have appeared
in MODAFE, the International
Modern Dance Festival held
annually in the late spring (May
18 to 29) which has become one of
Korea’s most exciting international
modern dance showcases. Each
year the festival includes not only
a selection of established and
emerging Korean modern dance
stars, but also several overseas
dance companies. Since
MODAFE began in 1982,
performers from countries
around the world including
Israel, the Netherlands,
Belgium, Australia,
the United States and
France have presented
their choreography in
sold-out halls. After
performances, MODAFE’s
format frequently allows for dialogue
between the choreographer and the
audience, an opportunity for insights
that eager young dance students
relish.
Given the wide popular
support and quick explosion of the
Korean b-boy sensation in recent years,
tourism advertisements here are helping
spur the genre of the modern iteration
of 1980s break dancers as Korea is
currently home to half of the top
competitive b-boy crews. Korean crews
are highly regarded overseas and have
become a fixture on the international
circuit, winning acclaim and awards at
events such as Battle of the Year, Red
Bull BC One and R-16 Korea. R-16 was
started in Korea only a few years ago,
but it has already become one of the
biggest hip-hop and b-boying festivals
in the world.
THE INFLUENCES OF HISTORY The
innovative appropriation of traditional
06 | korea | june 2011
dance vocabulary into modern dance is
a natural step forward, both for modern
dancers and for Korean traditional
dancers. Surprisingly, the Korean
government - which once focused
almost exclusively on the protection
of the traditional arts, particularly
during the Park Chung-hee, Chun
Doo-hwan and Roh Tae-
woo administrations - is
now embracing the fusion
of Korean dance and
contemporary dance from
around the world.
(From left to right) The lead
dancers in the Korea National
Ballet Company’s modernized
piece Prince Hodong embrace in a
singular movement; Ballerinas
dance en pointe for the
Universal Ballet Company’s
retelling of the classic Shim
Chung folk tale; Company
members perform scenes
in hanbok, Korean
traditional dress, for the
National Dance
Company of Korea’s
Dance Chunhyang.
In the past, Korean dance was Korean traditional dress. In addition to medley of 10 Korean traditional dances. major classics of the dance canon,
inseparable from Korean society. Court the ubiquitous hanbok, there are certain This dance concert contains all the such as Salpurichum (shamanic ritual
dances were needed in the era of a court key elements to be found when staging elements an audience expects in Korean exorcism dance) and taepyeongmu
that received international envoys and Korean traditional dance. For example, traditional dance, including dancers in (great peace dance). The distinctive
wanted to show some form of sedate Korean dance does not have intricate swirling pink, manipulating oversized motions show the dancer casting off
and Confucian entertainment. Koreans placements or gestures with the fingers fans trimmed with feathers dyed fuchsia the undesired, even drawing an invisible
© Korea National Ballet Company (left); Universal Ballet Company (bottom); The National Dance Company of Korea (opposite)
danced, sang and played musical and hands - the hands are often relaxed in Korean classic fan dance. sword to scare away unseen forces. Yi
instruments as part of the daily life in and move together with the wrist and However, many other dances are Yun-seok, National Living Treasure
cooperative agricultural communities, arm. Most of the typical gestures trace credited with deeper ties to Korean for Goseong Ogwangdae, explains,
lightening group work, building interesting curving patterns in the air history; amongst the most fascinating “Traditionally this motion was to
community and enlivening important and the shoulders are loose, relaxed and of Korea’s staged performing arts are banish ghosts or malevolent spirits. In
annual festivals and village rites. In the even slightly hunched, particularly in the mask dance dramas. Combining the modern world where many regard
modern era, people no longer believe folk dance. The basis of movement is elaborate masks, music, dance motions belief in ghosts as a superstition we can
in village tutelary guardians and they a duck-footed stance and dancers step and stories that reflect a snapshot of think of this motion as casting off stress,
use tractors to harvest their barley, heel to toe. But in the fastest folk dances Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) society, the heartbreak or failure and banishing it
reducing or even erasing the relevance the legs stay close to each other with the preserved mask dance dramas remain from our lives.”
of the traditional folk arts. Many of the feet close to the floor, although they lift crowd-pleasing favorites. One of the Dance in Korea, whether the
arts that remain strong in Korea are to knee height in the most physically most captivating is Goseong Ogwangdae, movements are modern Korean or the
part of the lineage of the professional demanding folk dances. from the small town of Goseong on story alone harkens back to an idyllic
entertainers called gisaeng, because only Dance performed by gisaeng the south coast near Busan, so focused past, is vibrant and well established
the arts of the gisaeng were created for entertainers was on occasion suggestive, on dance that little to no dialogue is with myriad institutions for training,
an audience, allowing them to translate but suggestive motions in Korean dance included. promotion and production. As the
well to the proscenium stage. do not isolate or feature the hip, backside The dances within the traditional barriers between different forms grow
In Korean traditional dance, the or chest. All of these traits can be seen in drama are so widely loved that in the more permeable, we can expect to see
performers are generally clad in the National Dance Company of Korea’s modern era this deotbaegichum is ever more creative works arising on the
voluminous skirts of the hanbok, or major touring work, Korean Fantasy, a staged by unmasked dancers alongside Korean stage.
© (From left to right) Yonhap News Agency; Hanwha Eagles; Lotte Giants (2)
www.korea.net | 07
cover story
An Ideal Life
Lee Jeong-yun says his life is ideal the way it is right now. A principal
dancer at the peak of his career, Lee has the respect of his colleagues and
the satisfaction of loving his work.
Within a few moments of meeting
Lee Jeong-yun of the National Dance
Company of Korea, he is posed in front
of the photographer on the balcony
of the National Theater of Korea. Lee,
34, is confident and not the slightest
bit afraid to strike a dramatic pose, but
his personality escapes between shots
in a grin that extends to his eyes, the
bandaged wrist and part of a black-
ink tattoo peeking out from above his
waistband.
Adjourning to a studio for an indoor
shot, he can’t restrain himself from
tearing into a fast-paced beat on a set of
drums, his hands flying through a series
08 | korea | june 2011
of motions so dynamic they seem a blur.
Commenting on Lee’s comfort level with
the photography, I find he has made a
conscious effort to learn to be a natural
in front of a lens.
He explains his frustrations with
popular reality TV shows such as I Am a
Singer, where stars of the past are forced
to prove their chops all over again.
Compared to such programs, Korean
dance has been relatively neglected,
so now Lee takes every opportunity
to publicize its traditions and the
new creative works which draw from
traditional movements. A desire to
build a more favorable environment for
the performer’s student. Kim was also
a student of Jeong Jae-man, a National
Living Treasure for the Salpurichum
(shamanic ritual exorcism dance). Had
Lee learned it from his teacher?
“More than saying I’ve learned
Salpurichum, I would like to say that
traditional dance takes a very long time
to master,” he says, showing a respect for
tradition. Lee’s background is in more
than just Salpurichum. His traditional
dance training has extended through
most of the classics, including seungmu
(monk’s dance) and mask dance dramas
like Bongsan Talchum, Hahoe Byeolsin
Gut Tallori and Goseong Ogwangdae.
Hahoe Byeolsin Gut Tallori, the mask
dance drama from Hahoe Village near
Andong, Gyeongsangbuk-do Province,
was incorporated into one of Lee’s
performances in April. The concert Lee
Jeong-yun and Etoile was the first time
in the history of the National Dance
Company of Korea that a single dancer
was able to present a full-length show on
the main stage.
Coinciding with Lee’s 10th year with
the company, the performance showed
the depth of his training, creativity and
influences. Lee passionately explains that
dance is dance, no matter if it’s ballet,
Korean dance, particularly to the benefit modern, creative or Korean. Hence, his
of the next generation of dancers, is a concert moved through the spectrum
recurring topic of conversation. of genres without regard for artificial
At one time he had been one of those boundaries, using Korean sentiment and
young hopefuls himself, and with the thought as its foundation. Lee chuckles,
support of his parents and teachers his eyes twinkling, as he describes the
he made the decision to pursue dance great pride and happiness he felt when
when he was 15 years old. After a rehearsing and presenting the piece with
period of learning modern dance, he his friends.
© The National Dance Company of Korea
happened to attend a performance by One of those friends was female lead
noted traditional dancer Kim Choong- Kim Joo-won, the prima ballerina of
han. Lee describes the concert as the the Korea National Ballet Company
moment he was hit with the beauty of and Lee’s girlfriend of the past several
Korean traditional dance. Just watching years. The two dancers are both so busy
was enough to convince young Lee that with their rehearsals and performances
he had to move to Seoul and become all around the world, Lee explains,
National Dance Company of Korea member Lee
Jeong-yun poses in front of the National Theater
of Korea (above). Lee, who has studied both
traditional and modern dance forms, extends his
body gracefully in a piece for the company
(opposite).
that they rarely even meet. When they
do, however, their dates might include
watching other dance performances. On
occasion they have even met up while
both were touring shows overseas.
Lee obtained all of his dance training
in Korea. For his bachelor’s, he attended
Sungkyunkwan University, where he
spent half of each day in classes devoted
to theory and the other half practicing
dance. At that time, the Korea National
University of Arts (K-Arts) dance
program had only recently opened.
Through friends, Lee learned that at
K-Arts, the students were focusing
on practice to the extent that no one
changed out of their dance clothes; a
shockingly radical but highly appealing
approach.
Lee entered K-Arts for his Masters
degree, where he excitedly rushed from
class to class auditing a wide variety of
undergraduate practices, while carrying
out thesis research on nabichum,
the Buddhist ritual butterfly dance.
Following a period of post-graduation
independent study, Lee entered the
National Dance Company of Korea in
2002.
Lee explained that the company is
about displaying the best of Korean
dance, no matter what type. Dancers
rehearse Korean dance from 10am
to noon everyday and receive special
training from leading traditional dancers
such as Jeong Jae-man for Salpurichum.
Likewise, they are taught by various
experts in modern dance and ballet,
as well as rehearse choreography. The
bottom line, according to Lee, is that
some people have a negative opinion
of Korean traditional dance. They
think it’s slow, boring and for the older
generation, and this is an attitude Lee
wants to change. He wants to show the
dynamism of traditional in partnership
with modern dance, see the dance world
freed from the fantasy that tradition
does not change, and allow a natural
evolution of the traditional performing
arts.
Lee’s eyes glint with pride as he
describes the staging of ogomu, the
five drum dance, comprised of a line
of 13 men powerfully beating on the
instruments in perfect synchronicity.
When I ask him about memorable
roles, he highlights the romantic male
lead in Dance Chunhyang. He describes
his realization of growth in his own
ability brought about by performing
Mongryong in the story, 10 years after
his first performance of the part. His
joy in his own development shows
the passion that has made him an
indispensible member of his company.
After the interview winds down, Lee
heads back inside, the empty practice
room’s siren call echoing in his ears.
www.korea.net | 09
cover story
Dancing for Life
A large number of organizations associated with Korean dance in all its many
enumerations are keeping Korean traditions alive. These institutions help Korean
dancers receive the support they need to excel in classical and contemporary dances of
the Western world, and to blaze new conceptual trails.
Education is the key to the future of the
arts. According to the latest government
statistics, there are 32 middle and high
schools for the performing arts, five of
which focus specifically on traditional
arts. These programs for young,
talented individuals allow students to
get the head start needed to develop a
solid foundation. Once they graduate,
though, there is one university that
has increasingly become the preferred
destination: the School of Dance at the
Korea National University of Arts.
10 | korea | june 2011
The K-Arts university dance
program, founded in 1996, features
three departments: Dance Performance,
Dance Theory and Choreography.
Students in the Dance Performance
major are divided into four areas:
ballet, Korean dance, modern dance
and creative dance. The students are
taught under the guidance of faculty
members such as Kim Hyun-ja, the
former director of the National Dance
Company of Korea, and Jung Seung-
hee, a master of seungmu (monk’s
in May called Princess Kongji. This
work, like many of their other pieces,
capitalizes on well-known Korean
folktales that have been made into
Korean dramas (in this case, Lie to Me).
The company is housed at the large
National Theater of Korea complex, a
warren of practice rooms and theaters
of various sizes, along with the National
Orchestra of Korea, the National Drama
Company of Korea and the National
Changgeuk Company of Korea. The
company employs more than 50 dancers,
most of whom have a solid rooting in
Korean traditional dance. A typical day
at the theater complex runs from 10am
to 5pm, with rehearsal supervised by
senior company members, and classes
under the artistic director. At present the
company has three major works: Korean
Fantasy, Dance Chunhyang and Soul,
Sunflower. In 2011, they will present
more than 40 full-length dance concerts
in Korea and make seven full-length
international appearances. Whether
Princess Kongji will join the regular
repertoire has yet to be decided.
In 2010, the Ministry of Culture,
Sports and Tourism created a new state-
A ballerina warms up for rehearsal at the Universal Ballet Company (below). Dancers
perform sanjo chum, a composition that uses traditional dance vocabulary (opposite left).
A character from the mask dance drama Dongnae Yayu performs (opposite right).
dance). In addition, some dance
majors also attend the K-Arts School of
Traditional Korean Arts, where one can
collaborate with students from other
music or performance fields. Two full-
time professors in this entirely practice-
based program are noted performers of
taepyeongmu (great peace dance) and
hakchum (crane dance).
© CedarBough T Saeji
cornucopia of companies The
National Dance Company of Korea,
founded in 1962, premiered a new work
funded company specifically to explore
the field of contemporary dance. The
Korea National Contemporary Dance
Company is based out of the Seoul
Arts Center and for the moment is
comprised of a 10-person staff. Unlike
other nationally supported performing
arts groups, the Korea National
Contemporary Dance Company
secures dancers for each individual
performance through auditions, instead
of keeping a permanent company. The
inaugural director, Hong Sung-yop, was
a ballerino before his 20-year history as
a choreographer, and will remain in the
position for at least the first three years
of the company.
The Modern Dance Promotion of
Korea is the powerhouse at the center
of the Korean modern dance world.
Their major goals include providing
support for modern dance in Korea,
promoting the academic study of
and research on dance, nurturing
choreographers, creating opportunities
for international exchange and
fellowship and maintaining a database
of Korean modern dance works and
individuals. Some of the activities that
the association has engaged in while
pursuing these goals include running
the Seoul International Choreography
Festival since 1992, hosting the Seoul
International Youth Dance Festival since
1997, publishing the dance magazine
Images of Dance since 1989 and giving
out awards to recognize the promotion
of Korean modern dance since 1990.
domestic and abroad Traditional
dance in Korea is protected under
the auspices of the Cultural Heritage
Administration, a subsidiary of
the Ministry of Culture, Sports
and Tourism. The seven protected
dances are Salpurichum (shamanic
ritual exorcism dance), seungmu,
taepyeongmu, Cheoyongmu (dance of
the hero Cheoyong), Jinju geommu (Jinju
sword dance), seungjeonmu (victory
dance) and hagyeonhwadae hapseolmu
(hakchum, that is, crane dance).
The online Keep Korean Rockin’
(www.koreanroc.com) is the go-to site
for information on the b-boy/b-girl
scene from a local perspective. The same
organizers also oversee the quarterly
Korean competitive performance called
Rockin’ Sensation. For non-Korean
speakers, the website supplies a rich
trove of videos and links to the major
Korean b-boy/b-girl crews, as well
as international crews, dancers and
websites for major competitions.
There are several overseas
organizations that concentrate on
maintaining Korean traditional dance
culture. The Korean Dance Studies
Society of Canada can be found in
Toronto and the OngDance Company
is located in the San Francisco area.
The East Coast is overseen by the
Korean Traditional Performing Arts
Association, Inc in New York and the
Halla Huhm Foundation covers those
located in Hawaii.
www.korea.net | 11
pen & brush
Master Pioneer of
Contemporary
Park Seo-bo is one of Korea’s most
famous modernist painters. His work
has been featured in countless art fairs
and galleries, and was on the cover of
the popular textbook Art
Fundamentals: Theory and Practice,
found in art schools around the world.
Though now 80 years old, Park hasn’t
slowed down and spends an average
of 14 hours a day on his artwork, often
wearing a black sweater permanently
stained with watercolors.
by Choi Hye-jung | photographs by Kim Nam-heon
Park Seo-bo’s studio is a world of simplified colors.
12 | korea | june 2011
Art
He’s been called a leader of contemporary Korean art, a master
of monochrome painting and the pioneer of Korean Avant-
garde. Park Seo-bo has led an illustrious career over the
last half century, and it’s unlikely that he will put down his
paintbrush any time soon.
“Ever since my 20s, I’ve spent more than 14 hours a day
on average on painting,” Park says. “I never let myself get
distracted and have walked on that single path. Sure, there
have been hard times, but I’ve never been disappointed
or frustrated with myself. Whenever I was faced with [a
problem], I drove myself even harder and overcame adversity.
And I would always ask myself, ‘Have I been right?’ Without
looking at yourself in the mirror, there’s no progress. When
you get tough on yourself and try to think, act and express
your thoughts differently than others, only then do you
produce good pieces of work.”
Saying he couldn’t ask for more because his job has been a
labor of love and received critical acclaim to boot, Park looked
content when KOREA visited him in his studio.
“From late last year to early this year, I held three exhibitions
at Kukje Gallery in Seoul, Johyun Gallery in Busan and the
Busan Museum of Art, almost simultaneously. More than 100
pieces were put on display, but the storage unit didn’t seem
empty. That felt great,” Park says with a laugh.
“I don’t usually put up my pieces for sale,” Park continues.
“Money is a vice for artists. If you’re tempted by money, then
you’re bound to get lazy. I have no other interest than painting.
Unless it’s for my exhibitions, I don’t even travel. But in my
heart, I am really happy. Looking at my storage unit full of my
paintings, which are really extensions of myself, and losing
myself in painting in the quiet studio, I can’t ask for anything
more. I don’t think there’s a rich man happier than I am.” Park Seo-bo

Park Seo-bo’s Ecriture No 090916 was painted in 2011.
Ecriture No 090513 is one of Park’s recent works.
An Auspicious Beginning Park Seo-bo was born in 1931
in Yecheon, Gyeongsangbuk-do Province. His childhood was
filled with omens of his future greatness.
“My mother was a lot younger than my father,” Park recalls.
“My maternal grandfather saw his daughters pass away one
by one, during labor, so he went to see a fortuneteller for my
mother and was told that she should marry a man who had
lost his wife. That way, she would live long and give birth to
great sons. So my mother married my father, and I am their
third son.”
Park’s father, who was a lawyer, adored the young Seo-bo.
14 | korea | june 2011
At one point, Park’s father had a vision that Seo-bo
would be very successful in law. “When I showed
him my letter of admission to the art program,
of course he went berserk,” Park says. “At the
time, people who painted for a living were called
‘daubers.’ My father didn’t eat for two weeks, but
my mother accepted it and said it was my destiny.
Looking back, I am glad I didn’t become a lawyer.
I don’t have to worry about others and I don’t have
to retire by a certain age.”
After studying art at Hongik University, Park
led efforts to introduce expressionistic abstract
paintings in the late 1950s, when representational
paintings were popular in Korea. His Protoplasm
series, which was launched in 1957, revealed
the painful and devastating consequences of
the Korean War (1950-1953). Art critics praised
the series as the scream that broke the silence
following the war. In 1958, Park joined forces
with Kim Tschang-yeul and Ha In-du to found
the Korea Association of Modern Artists, and
bring the Informel Movement, which emphasized
spontaneous and unconscious painting, to Korea.
Master of Monochrome In the 1960s, Park
began to focus on monochromatic painting. In his
Ecriture series in 1967, he applied light watercolors
on the canvas and drew lines over the paint before
it dried. He would then paint more colors on top of
that and draw more lines.
As the late critic Lee Il said, “By overcoming the
dualistic structure of the Western painting that
distinguished support and surface of the canvas,
[the series] realized the naturalization of Korean
modernism.”
By reinterpreting Western style from an Eastern
perspective, Park, in the words of art critic Yoo Jin-sang,
“changed the idea that emphasized the essence of drawing,”
which is the foundation of painting.
After the 1980s, Park attempted another transformation. He
brought hanji, Korean traditional paper, to the Ecriture series.
He would dip pieces of hanji in water mixed with watercolors,
paste them onto the canvas, and would roll over them using
some tools that left marks on the canvas. The process captured
the texture of hanji. In the 21st century, Ecriture evolved once
© Park Seo-bo
again, as Park applied repeated brush strokes to the hanji-
covered canvas, producing vertical patterns. Park said that one
of his goals with the series was to bring natural scenery and
colors into his artwork.
“No form of art is more beautiful than nature,” Park says.
“Once, I was riding in a taxi on Jejudo Island, and I saw the
sky, the sea and the island all become one, like they were
connected by a single line. It was just absolutely spectacular.
I started thinking, how could I turn this into a painting?” Park
continues. “You know my piece where a rectangular window
is put on the long, single-color line? That was what I saw on
Jejudo that day. That square is what I called a ‘breathing space,’
as in, the mind breathes through it. Nikos Papastergiadis, a
professor at the University of Melbourne in Australia, called
it a ‘window of the mind.’ They say there’s that expression in
Greek philosophy.”
Art as Therapy For Park, painting isn’t an egotistical
exercise to show off talent, but a therapeutic way to “empty”
himself of the anxieties of modern life.
“The 20th century was an era of analogue, and at the time,
people thought they had to expose themselves,” Park explains.
“Art has to reflect its time, and when the time changes, art has
to change with it. In the digital era, when the pace of change
picked up and a lot of people are greatly stressed out, paintings
that only show the artist’s personality and own greed are
mentally abusive. I just think it’s wrong. That’s why I chose to
‘empty’ myself to go with the flow of the time,” Park adds. “Art
in the digital age has to be like blotting paper that absorbs all
worries and anxieties of its audience. In other words, it has to
be therapeutic.”
“I believe colors can heal people’s feelings,” he says. “That’s
why I’ve moved from achromatic colors such as black and gray
to monochromatic paintings with red, blue, green and other
colors with high saturation. In my paintings, fluorescent red
can convey calm feelings, something that doesn’t come to the
surface but that gets saturated underneath. Foreigners noticed
this right away, too. Once, the head of the National Museum of
Monaco and his friend who came to my exhibition at Wellside
Gallery exulted, ‘This is the art of therapy.’”
Park’s unique use of the layering of colors has helped him
receive attention from all corners of the world. Next year, Park
expects to hold his first solo exhibit in Brussels, an emerging
center of contemporary art.
Park is about to receive even more international attention
with the publication of several books on his artwork. Joan Kee,
an art history professor at the University of Michigan at Ann
Arbor, plans to publish a book on monochromism in Korea
featuring Park through the University of California Press.
Overseas Exhibitions by Park Seo-bo
Park Seo-bo, who led the monochromism movement with his Ecriture
series in the 1960s, pioneered abstract painting in Korea. Starting with
his first exhibition abroad at the World House Gallery in New York,
Park has since displayed his work in the United States, Europe,
Australia, Japan and China in a variety of exhibitions.
2010 Art Taipei 2010, Wellside Gallery (Booth No 43), Taipei, China
2008 ‘Empty the Mind,’ Gallery Arario New York, New York
Wellside Gallery, Shanghai
CIGE 2008, Wellside Gallery, China World Trade Center, Beijing
2007 Gallery Arario Beijing, Beijing
CIGE 2007, Gallery Samtuh, China World Trade Center, Beijing
2006-2007 Cabinet des Dessins, Musee d’Art Moderne de Saint-
Etienne Metropol, Saint-Etienne, France
2006 CIGE 2006, Gallery Samtuh, China World Trade Center, Beijing
2005 Shanghai Art Fair 2005, Gallery Samtuh (Booth No B-35),
Shanghai Mart Hall, Shanghai
CIGE 2005, Gallery Samtuh, China World Trade Center, Beijing
2004 CIGE (China International Gallery Exposition) 2004, Gallery
Samtuh, China International Science and Technology Exposition, Beijing
2002 Ace Gallery Los Angeles
Melbourne Art Fair 2002, Gallery Samtuh, Melbourne, Australia
Remba Gallery, Los Angeles
2000 Tokyo Gallery, Tokyo
1997 Ace Gallery, Los Angeles
Remba Gallery, Los Angeles
1996 Basel Art Fair, Park Ryu Sook Gallery, Museen Basel, Basel,
Switzerland
FIAC (International Contemporary Art Fair) 1996, Johyun Gallery,
Espace Eiffel Branly, Paris
1994 Remba Gallery, Los Angeles
1993 ART LA 1993, The 8th International Contemporary Art Fair, Los
Angeles Convention Center, Gallery World
NICAF 1993, Sun Gallery, Yokohama, Japan
1989 ART LA 1989, The 4th International Contemporary Art Fair, Los
Angeles Convention Center, Jean Art Gallery
1985 Ina Gallery, Tokyo
1978 Tokyo Gallery, Tokyo
1973 Muramatsu Gallery, Tokyo
1957 World House Gallery, New York
A famous Swiss publisher is also releasing a book on
Korean monochromism by Miki Wick Kim. Kate YK Lim, a
Korean artist in Singapore, is working on an English-language
biography of Park. It looks like the famous art critic Robert
C Morgan’s prediction that Park “will be the world’s top artist
within a few years” is coming true.
At Park’s 80th birthday party last November, he told his
guests, “I’ve still got long ways to go with my painting, but
the sun is setting. Let it set then. I’ll just use some artificial
lighting.” As art critics and historians begin to look back on
Park’s 60-year career, it is important to remember that he is
no great master of the past, but a living legend whose body of
work keeps expanding.
www.korea.net | 15
people

un
o-g
Hy
ym
K
Kym Hyo-gun performs in a concert at Ewha Womans University.

Songs to Comfort
Professor and songwriter Kym Hyo-gun manages to find the sweetest balance
between business and music. Twenty years after his debut as an unexpected
maestro in a contest, this multifaceted individual shares the secrets of his joy, craft
and philosophy. by Lee Se-mi | photographs by Kim Nam-heon

In 1981, a song called Snow won the top prize at the MBC
University Music Festival. With its beautiful lyrics and
catchy melody, the song quickly became a contemporary
favorite. Interestingly enough, the man responsible for
writing the piece, Kym Hyo-gun, wasn’t a music major. In
fact, to the public’s great surprise, he was studying business
© Kym Hyo-gun
which attempts to explain knowledge as three-dimensional
cubes, Kym was also the first person to introduce the concept
of “knowledge management” to Korea. A well-known scholar
whose theories have been adopted in many of Korea’s largest
companies, Kym is also a first-rate composer, and his unique
background attracts as much attention today as it did before.

administration. Kym was in his third year of studies at Seoul National

The person responsible for the “knowledge cube” theory, University when he wrote Snow, and was the only non-music

www.korea.net | 17
major to participate in the festival where he would win the
grand prize by a landslide. Afterward, the panel of judges was
quoted as saying, “How could a student majoring in economics
write a song like this, with poetic lyrics, real harmony and a
melody that works perfectly?”
Some write songs by first coming up with the lyrics, while
others start with the melody. With Snow, Kym worked on both
the lyrical and the harmonious elements at the same time, and
reveals the inspiration for his debut piece in the very first line:
On a little snow-covered path, I wish I could leave a trace of my
small footprints forever. Kym says, “I first decided to try writing
songs in January 1981. I went to a nearby stationary store to
buy some sheet music paper and then got working when I
returned home. It was snowing heavily outside and I wanted
to capture that feeling.”
Kym’s love of music was initially sparked during his first
year in middle school. The only student at an all-boys school
who could play the piano, he became the pianist for his
school’s chorus. As someone who felt an instant affinity with
classical music after listening to Chopin for the first time, Kym
practiced the piano by himself and used to listen to cassette
tapes and read scores on his way home. His interests ranged
from choral music to orchestra.
Despite his talent, his family’s lack of money and his
parents’ opposition stopped Kym from choosing a career in
music. But Kym was also an excellent student and eventually
gained entrance into Korea’s most prestigious college, Seoul
18 | korea | june 2011
National University. Although he enrolled in the economics
department, he never gave up his creative passion, attending
courses in the music department to learn more about
composition.
However, after winning the top prize at the MBC University
Music Festival, he decided to leave behind the media attention
and study in the United States, choosing again to pursue
business administration instead of music. “When I went
to study overseas after finishing school, I distanced myself
from music. For 15 years, until I returned to Korea in 1992,
I concentrated on my studies. It wasn’t that I didn’t want
to pursue music; I just knew I wouldn’t be able to stop if I
ever started down the music path. It was only when I felt
my research was on track that I finally started playing music
again,” Kym explains.
Return to the scene When he returned to Korea, two more
of Kym’s songs would make it on air: Autumn Song and I Miss
You. His real comeback wouldn’t happen until 2007 though,
when he fortuitously met some of Korea’s leading composers
at Our Poetry, Our Songs, a group of creative minds.
Kym began sharing new pieces with the group, which
held an annual concert to feature virgin works. To his
disappointment, the music scene was not the same as it once
was. Dismayed, Kym realized that his peers were much more
interested in pop than the traditional songs he sang.
“Pop music in the 1980s featured guitars and a kind of
pop group sound,” explains
Kym. “As a result, Korean
traditional songs sung by well-
trained singers who had an
orchestra backing them up
could, relatively speaking,
easily attract the attention
of music fans. But music
witnessed a huge development
across all genres, from pop
to jazz, ballads and rock.
Then, with the rising trend
of atonalism and chance
music, contemporary classical
music became difficult for
the public to appreciate.
Korean composers were also
influenced by this trend and
© Kym Hyo-gun
wrote more complex songs.
But no matter how beautiful
they were, the public found this type a number of excellent traditional
of music too inaccessible.” numbers which can appeal to
Kym tried to overcome this audiences anywhere in the world,
challenge by writing familiar, even though the genre has a history
Korean traditional songs using going back less than a century.
complex musical elements, but his The ‘fine arts’ factor alone that is
endeavors were not well received. required for classical music has not
Many composers began to feel been able to appeal to the public for
pushed to create music that listeners the past 25 years. No kind of music
would like, oppressing their own that doesn’t have a certain popularity
artistic expressions. Kym just wanted Kym Hyo-gun speaks about his side career as a musician in to it can last. That’s why I created
a presentation at Ewha Womans University, where he is a
to create an original sound that professor of business administration (opposite). Kym Korean art/pop, which I believe has
composes his own original pieces (above).
incorporated elements that everyone both artistic elements to it as well as
from the ages of 20 to 40 would like, popular appeal.”
in a way that melded different genres together. Kym believes music should be “pleasant to sing and listen
A Thousand Winds (2010) was the outcome of his efforts. to,” the word “pleasant” reflecting the feeling that one gets
The album, categorized as a new type of “Korean art/pop,” when a song resonates with one’s own emotions. As a result, a
features eight classical songs, including a rendition of Snow. pleasant song should be sympathetic to, at least partly, human
Profound messages are delivered through simple yet elegant sentiments such as joy, sorrow, love and longing. A keyword
melodies and sung by Yang Jun-mo, who is more familiar to that resonates throughout the album is “love,” be it platonic
the public than most classical singers, which enabled Kym to love, romantic love or a mother’s love for her child. For Kym,
reach a wider audience. love is about a search for eternity: “Love, nature, God … that
“My goal is to write songs that older people listen to longing for something absolute and everlasting hasn’t changed
nostalgically, but younger music fans want to hear time and at all in the last 30 years. That’s my musical inspiration.”
again after their first listen,” says Kym. “Korean traditional
music is a genre that combines poetry and music. Once a Singing a message of truth Kym has been working on
melody is added to a poem, it lasts a long, long time. There are a new project for the past two months, translating 10 of his
songs into four different languages: English, French, Chinese
KyM HYO-gUN (B.1960) and Japanese. Kym plans to take the sage words of great
philosophers, thinkers and writers from throughout history
Musical Career
- Snow wins the top prize at the and put them in his songs. His goal is to add a melody to the
inaugural MBC University Music message of our lives - from birth and death to growing up
Festival, 1981 and feeling desire - so that the message reverberates to all
- Performed The Song of Fall and
I Miss You at KBS-FM’s New ages. For example, the lyrics from the title track, A Thousand
Traditional Music Concert, 1994 Winds, were translated from a Native American poem that
- Performed Wedding Song and clearly highlights their beliefs.
Ferryboat at the 1st New Traditional
Music Concert, 2007 “The song reflects their concept of love,” Kym explains.
- Performed Promise of a Thousand Years and Motherly Love at “They believe people don’t actually die even when they pass
the 2nd Korean Traditional Music Festival, 2008 away. Instead, they remain with the living in the surrounding
- Released debut album A Thousand Winds, 2010
nature. I tried to suffuse this belief into my own song. Simply
Academic Career put, my future work will be creating songs from the Analects of
- BA (Economics), Seoul National University, 1983 Confucius, the Bible and Buddhist scriptures.”
- MBA, Seoul National University, 1986
- PhD (Business Administration), University of Pittsburgh, 1991 He described this project as a “marriage between a musical
- Assistant Professor, University of Alberta, 1991-1992 composition and my academic interests.” For him, business
- Director of Knowledge Innovation & Systems Science, Ewha administration and music are just two genres with the same
Womans University, 1998-present
- Professor of Business Administration, Ewha Womans logical structure. Perhaps it is this ability to weave between the
University, 2003-present two worlds that makes Kym seem as free as the wind.
www.korea.net | 19
great korean

Korea’s first man

site, and shows traces of Indian Buddhism, Chinese Taoism and Persian
Zoroastrianism. The memoir was considered a valuable part of Pelliot’s
research on East and West trade history.

of the world,
The Wang Ocheonchukguk Jeon demonstrates Hyecho’s lyrical wordings
in various portions of the work. Many of the expressions depict his longing

Hyecho
for his homeland and his exhaustion from traveling:
“On a moonlit night I looked toward the homeward path,
Floating clouds return by the wind.
I wish this letter to go with this opportunity,
The wind blows too fast; the clouds neither listen nor return.”
Around 1,300 years ago, a 15-year-old boy from Unified Silla The memoir is considered one of the world’s best travelogues along with
traveled alone to China. After studying under a Buddhist the Great Tang Records on the Western Regions by the Chinese Buddhist
monk, he then continued his journey to India, embarking on a monk Xuanzang and Il Milione by Marco Polo.
20,000km trip that led him to become the first Korean to travel
CROSSING INTERNATIONAL BORDERS Hyecho traveled to Guangzhou,
on the Silk Road. His name was Hyecho. by Seo Dong-chul China, in 719, while studying Esoteric Buddhism (a subset of Mahayana
Buddhism founded in India in the late 7th century) under the famous
Indian monk Vajrabodhi. Four years later, a 19-year-old Hyecho embarked
Last December, a landmark event set the Korean Buddhist community and on his pilgrimage, first traveling to India by boat. The young monk visited
locals abuzz. The Wang Ocheonchukguk Jeon (Memoir of the Pilgrimage each of the five kingdoms of India, including Lumbini, the birthplace of
to the Five Kingdoms of India), a traveler’s journal written by Hyecho, was Buddha, and Sarnath, where Buddha first taught the dharma. Afterwards,
returned to Korea for a short while after nearly 1,300 years away from its Hyecho traveled through Gandhara, Persia, Arabia, the Pamir Plateau and
native land - since the Buddhist monk first embarked on his trip. The arrived in Chang’an (currently Xi’an).
record, which chronicles the journey of the first Korean to travel to Asia After his return to China, Hyecho concentrated on studying Esoteric
and Europe via the Silk Road, came to a three-month exhibition at the Buddhism with Vajrabodhi. With the passing of his mentor, Hyecho later
National Museum of Korea before being returned to France. became a student of Amoghavajra, and focused on translating Esoteric
The memoir was first made known to the world in 1908. Paul Pelliot Buddhism texts into Chinese. Chang’an in the 8th century was a prosperous
discovered the records in Dunhuang, Gansu Province, China, and it has international city in China. Merchants and
been in the possession of the La Bibliothèque nationale de France to this students from around the world gathered
day. The travel journal, considered the first of its kind to come out of there, resulting in an amalgamation of
Korea, had never before left the museum. The exhibit in Seoul marked different cultures. Hyecho is also considered
the return of Hyecho after more than 1,000 years and also the work’s first to have greatly contributed to the
public showing since it was unearthed a century ago. Accompanying the development and organization of Esoteric
literary work were relics from the Silk Road, illuminating the extent of Buddhism in the cultural hub of the time.
cultural exchange during that era, and a replica of the Dunhuang Grottos. Hyecho passed away in China in 787,
The Buddhist monk wrote the epic piece during his four-year pilgrimage having never set foot on Korean soil
of the five kingdoms of India and surrounding countries. The Wang again. Why did he never return to his
Ocheonchukguk Jeon contains rare information about India and Central homeland, whilst longing to return? For

© Park Jin-ho (right top); The National Museum of Korea

A gold buckle from
Pyeongyang circa the 1st
century is a Silk Road find.
Asian countries during the 8th century, including political situations, Hyecho, ending his life’s journey in a
economy, culture, religion and customs. Only a fragment of the full foreign country would only be fitting, as a
memoir is currently intact, a portion which is measured at 358cm long, researcher of Buddhism in foreign lands
and is composed of 227 lines and 5,893 letters. where international
Pelliot, who was knowledgeable in Oriental studies and fluent in borders are rendered An artist’s rendition of
Chinese, instantly understood the importance and value of this work meaningless. He was Hyecho as he would
have looked on his
when he discovered it in the Dunhuang Mogao Grottos, the gateway to Korea’s first man of travels (right top). A
the Silk Road connecting China and Central Asia. The grottos, where the world, 1,300 years bronze guard of honor
from China is a Silk
Hyecho’s journal had rested for centuries, is a UNESCO World Heritage ago. Road relic (right).

20 | korea | june 2011 www.korea.net | 21

seoul

“I thought Teheranno would have been full of business
facilities but there are a lot of exclusive cosmetic
surgery centers, spas and hotels to make the place a
trend-setting spot,” says one Japanese tour director,
who visited Korea to develop tour programs in the
opened multilingual websites in order to communicate
directly with foreigners who are fans of Hallyu stars and those
who are interested in visiting Korea. The nearby convenience
of shopping malls, designer boutiques, upscale spas and
salons along the avenue helped attract those who wanted to
Tip!
Gangnam Bus Tour, which includes stops to Bongeunsa Temple,
Kukkiwon, and the Kimchi Museum, makes the trip to Gangnam
easier. The bus runs twice a week, on Tuesdays and Fridays, for foreign
tourists. More information about the tour can be found in four
different languages at http://tour.gangnam.go.kr.

Gangnam-gu District, south of the Hangang River. experience a pampered life, Seoul-style, for a couple of days.
He said he was fascinated by the nightly scene in Just as all cities have two facets - the old and the new
Teheranno, a uniquely Korean style associated with a - so does this capital with Myeong-dong and Teheranno. Choi Ah-rum, manager of the well-known upscale salon
culture of affluence. “Every evening career women in While the former continues steadfast in its appeal, the latter is Beautypia, has stood witness to the subtle, but rapid changes
nice suits drive their imported cars here to just enjoy a establishing itself as the next big thing. Already equipped with on Teheranno over the last seven years. Beautypia has
life of beauty … A lucky person might meet a Korean convenient transportation and concentrated foreign business seen more clients recently, as it was introduced in several
celebrity in the store right next to his or her nail salon. facilities, it became a natural step for the launching of new international publications as a popular beauty salon for Hallyu
I didn’t expect to see such a fantastic world like this in tour programs for medical operations, Hallyu and more. celebrities. “This area changes every year … These days, we
Seoul.” The enterprise-rich area appeals to more multinational even have customers who call from Japan or Singapore just to
Teheranno, which stretches from the major visitors than ever before, with tourists from the Middle East, find out where our salon is located,” says Choi.
intersection by Gangnam Station to the Samseong Europe and other countries making headway into the country Teheranno shows the dynamic adaptability of Korea.
Bridge, is becoming the “new face” of Seoul in terms former “Hermit Kingdom.” Combining the latest with the trendiest, the demands of
of tourism. It’s where Korea’s high-tech industry “I searched for reliable plastic surgeons in Seoul on the visitors are met in a stylish and comfortable setting. Whether
meets cosmetic treatment, satiated with a variety Internet and I found a medical care tour program that includes you’re ready for a new look or hoping to spot a certain celeb,
of dynamic foods and beguiling attractions such as a simple cosmetic procedure,” says Sameshima Yuki, a 29-year- it’s time to head to the most-buzzed street in Seoul.
luxury shopping. The area provides a different kind of old Japanese tourist who recently had plastic surgery in a clinic
service from the tourist attractions north of the river, near Gangnam Station. An all-in-one package allowed her to
by combining beautification with tourism for a chance enjoy both a practical and a leisurely visit. She adds, “It was
to feel like a celebrity. The fact that many well-known pretty good, as I could get counseling in Japanese before the
Hallyu, Korean wave, faces frequent the area doesn’t surgery and look around Gangnam after.”
hurt either. Five-star hotels joined the boom by
Tours exploring the myriad offerings of Teheranno placing medical centers within their hotel
started becoming popular roughly two years ago. As buildings and implementing aggressive

Teheranno
the Korean won lost its momentum, masses of tourists marketing strategies to attract foreign
from nearby countries began to crowd to vacation- visitors. Lotte Hotel World in Jamsil, which
opened a medical center in December 2007,

Reinventing Beauty is a pioneer in this business. With a multi-

Are Myeong-dong and the ancient palaces
some of the major attractions in Seoul?
Yes, but there’s one more contender for the
top tourist spot in town. Teheranno, or
Tehran Boulevard, lures in visitors with its
one-stop approach to shopping, luxury
and beauty. Some 20 upscale hotels, mega
shopping malls like COEX, chic salons
and cosmetic surgery options line the
street to form the latest face of Seoul.
by Lim Ji-young | photographs by Choi Ji-young
care medical center that includes Oriental
medicine, dermatology, plastic surgery
and dental implant-specialists, Lotte Hotel
friendly Seoul. Hotels in Myeong-dong, one of the World now greets twice the number of
most-profiled and popular areas in the capital, were foreign guests it did before. Particularly
unable to accommodate all the visitors, so many for those seeking out Gangnam for
turned their sights to Gangnam. The urban beauty medical tourism, the idea of resting from a
belt haven called to those tourists who wanted to try procedure in plush bedding surrounded by
something new, something better. amenities is just the thing they need.
© The Imperial Palace Hotel (far right)
As visitors began to shift their destination a Intercare HPC, a general health
few kilometers south, the tourism infrastructure clinic opened in 2008 at the Grand
of Gangnam quickly adapted to handle the influx InterContinental Hotel, jointly developed
of visitors. Dermatologist and dentists that boast medical tour programs with other tourist
(Clockwise, from above) The Imperial Palace
Hotel offers package medical tours; beauty
celebrity clientele, such as Bae Yong-joon (Winter facilities such as the Seven Luck Casino, products sold at a clinic; a tanning bed; News
clippings spotlight the recent beauty salon trend.
Sonata) and Lee Young-ae (Jewel in the Palace), which markets to foreign tourists. A bird’s eye view of Teheranno (opposite).

22 | korea | june 2011 www.korea.net | 23

travel
Island of Mystique
In the past, Jindo was an island few could visit due to its location. Fortunately,
this preserved the archipelagos, and today the spot has become well-known for
its yearly, mysterious parting of the sea. by Chung Dong-muk | photographs by Choi Ji-young
Not many Koreans know exactly where
Jindo Island is. The image that comes to
mind when most people think of Jindo
is the eponymous dog, known for its
loyalty and intelligence. The Jindo dog
is able to find its way back home even
when stranded hundreds of kilometers
away, and most learn of the legendary
characteristics of the animal as young
children in the classroom.
As I travel to my destination, I try to
remember all the distinctive traits of this
particular man’s best friend. The Jindo
dog never backs down from an enemy
and has the courage to stand against,
even when facing a tiger. Koreans are
© Korea Tourism Organization
The sea off the southwest corner of the Korean Peninsula parts once a year on Jindo Island.
very fond of the breed, believing its traits
match those of the people’s - in the
mien of forerunning the international
IT industry from a small corner of Asia
and orchestrating massive construction
projects worldwide without fear or
doubt. Similar to the Jindo dog, Koreans
enjoy nature from time to time, but once
their sights are set, will concentrate on
reaching their goal.
Remembering the Hero Jindo Island
is located on the southwestern tip of the
Korean Peninsula and is the third largest
island, behind Jejudo and Geojedo.
When Koreans refer to Ttangkkeut
Maeul, or “Land’s End Village,” they are
referring to the Haenam region, which
is the southernmost tip of the country.
From Haenam, Jindo can be reached by
crossing the Jindo Bridge, which is the
only easily accessible land connection. A
KTX (Korea Train eXpress) train stops
at nearby Mokpo, allowing visitors to
access the island within four hours from
Seoul.
As they cross the bridge, visitors can
expect to meet the hero and symbol of
the Korean people, Admiral Yi Sun-sin
(1545-1598). Yi’s legacy can be found
all across the southern coast, but many
consider Jindo the best place to reflect
on his spirit.
Yi was a commander of the Naval
A water lily-strewn pond
accentuates the view
inside Ullim Sanbang
houses (above). A time-
worn bell is seen inside
Ssanggyesa Temple, which
dates back to the 9th
century (left). The Jindo
Bridge is the most
accessible route to the
southern island (below).
the incoming fleet did not know. The with a view of both the bridge and Yi’s of the ocean captivates all those resting long, 40m-wide road that appears at a
currents of Uldolmok, where the waters statue. He stands as if yelling commands their eyes on its beauty after climbing parting of the sea, a phenomenon that
of the Yellow Sea and the South Sea to his fleet 400 years ago. the mountain. Amongst the deep blue occurs from an exceptionally low tide.
meet, flow in the opposite direction are the small islands of the archipelago Another site that visitors should not
around noon, due to the changing tides. Sunsets and Sea Roads Visitors can that decorate the ocean with each having miss is Sebang Sunset, where visitors can
The Japanese fleet rode the northwestern reach the base of the guardian mountain its own distinguishing figures. enjoy a first-rate view of the sinking sun
currents towards the Korean fleet, of Jindo, Cheomchalsan, by taking “You’re late,” a lady from Okcheon, into the deep ocean.
which valiantly resisted, holding their National Road No 18 to downtown informs me. “The sea parts in March As I cast my eyes west to the horizon.
ground until the currents flowed Jindo, Local Road No 9 and then Local and April.” The woman manages a snack I am once again reminded of Admiral
backwards, determined not to waste this Road No 15 to the east of Jindo. The cart at the entrance to the sea road in Yi Sun-sin, feeling as he would have,
opportunity. As a result, 31 Japanese beauty of the mountain captivates Hoedong-ri, Gogun-myeon. With our greeted by this spectacular sunset. The
ships were sunk and the Japanese visitors, hiding the Ullim Sanbang hopes of walking the sea road shattered, brave admiral is known to have written
general was decapitated; Yi’s insight on Houses and Ssanggyesa Temple within. we rest in the shade of the snack car, poems and drawn up battle plans in the
the surrounding geography and nature’s Though not a particularly tall mountain, enjoying a dish of sea squirts while face of death, and I brace myself as well
advantageous characteristics had led him being only 485m above sea level, its admiring the view. People from all over for life ahead, not to sacrifice today for
to victory. The Battle of Myeongnyang is “skyline” curves flow elegantly like the the world gather to witness the 3km- tomorrow.
considered one of the greatest historical shoulders of a woman.
Naval battles in the world. At the foot of the mountain are the
The currents at Uldolmok are still Ullim Sanbang, Korean traditional travel information
as strong as the days of the great houses with a garden where Joseon
Myeongnyang Battle. The currents Dynasty painter Huh Ryun (1808- Directions
Taking the KTX to Mokpo Station is
are the fastest in Korea, clocking in at 1893), renowned as a master of Namhwa convenient. The high-speed train departs twelve Seoul
11.5knots-per-hour. Before the Jindo (Chinese painting of the Southern times a day from Yongsan Station on weekdays.
Bridge was built in 1984, most people School), resided in his later years. The Travel time is 3 hours 20 minutes.
From Mokpo Station, it is best to rent a car and
did not dare to cross the strait. The garden in front of the dwelling looks travel to Jindo. Travel time is 1 hour.
Jindo Bridge was the country’s first spectacular paired with the pond, lotuses Mokpo KT Kumho Rent-a-Car

© Korea Tourism Organization (left bottom); Yonhap News Agency (opposite left and right); Nakjo Pension (opposite middle)
cable-stayed bridge and a second, floating on the water and grape myrtle Domestic Call: 061 274 8000
International Call: +82 2 797 8000 Mokpo
parallel bridge was added in 2005 to trees encircling the shore. The beauty of
jindo Island
accommodate the high traffic. Across, the scenery is enhanced when the trees Food
people can visit the Nokjin Observatory, blossom in summer. As an island, the best of Jindo cuisine is
Next to the gardens is Ssanggyesa, seafood. Chungho Bokjip (+82 61 544 6998), located downtown, is famous for its cod and
anglerfish soups that are light and not too spicy. For visitors in search of a dish other than
forces, and is known for having used where Buddhist monks roast tea leaves. seafood, Naju Gomtang (+82 61 542 7179) in the downtown area is a good option. The
unique tactics to fend off forces during The small leaves are roasted nine times gomtang (beef-bone soup) is boiled for a full day, keeping to the traditions of Naju, Jeollanam-
the two Japanese invasions of Korea a day in order to tease out the true taste. do Province, the home of gomtang.

(1592-1598). In September 1597, a Ssanggyesa was built in 857AD and gets

Accommodations
Japanese naval fleet consisting of 133 its name from the Cheomchalsan creek There are no high-end hotels in the area, although numerous pensions with picturesque
ships advanced toward Uldolmok that divides and flows on each side of the views of the archipelagos can be found. The Nakjo Pension (+82 11 308 4006) and the Noeuli
(now known as Myeongnyang Strait). temple. The creek’s source is covered by Meomuneun Jip (House Where the Sunset Resides) (+82 11 9404 3234) are recommended to
enjoy Sebang Sunset. Rooms cost from 50,000-80,000 won a night. The Prince Motel (+82 61
The Japanese fleet had accumulated a thick pine forest, designated the 107th 542 2251) is a clean, affordable option downtown, and credit cards are accepted.
countless victories up to this point, Natural Monument of Korea. Different
boosting morale. Learning of the fleet’s species of tree grow in this area, from
advance, Yi gathered and commanded camellia and holly to bilberry, and each
his last remaining 13 ships to guard the individual tree is hundreds of years old.
entrance of Uldolmok on the Yellow Intertwined vines climb the trunks and
Sea. The Japanese fleet outnumbered the offer visitors a view of untainted nature.
Korean forces by 10 to 1. The mysterious sea road of Jindo can
However, there was one thing that be found past Cheomchalsan. The blue Jindo Hongju liquor View from Nakjo Pension Jindo dog

26 | korea | june 2011 www.korea.net | 27

festival flavor

Finding Cool
Respite in
Naengmyeon
Right at the turn of summer, when cool breezes give way to While the idea of iyeol-chiyeol, or fighting
the sun’s heat, there’s one particular thought that begins to
fire with fire, is one of the most time-tested
haunt all locals: a mouth-watering, refreshing bowl of ice-
cold naengmyeon, or chilled noodles. Though popular in
ways to beat the heat during summers in
Seoul, the secrets of the delectable dish originate in North
Korea, a popular alternative is simply to
A live performance opens the 2010 Ganghwa Mugwort Festival (above left). Hands-on, educational activities are available for the family (middle, right).
Korea. The two main varieties of naengmyeon arrived cool down with an icy bowl of springy
south of the DMZ after the Korean War (1950-1953), by noodles. So if you’re not ready to sweat it
out, slurp it up. by Ines Min

The Many
and stuffed into pillows and duvets in place of cotton. way of Pyeongyang and Hamheung, the second largest city
The Ganghwa Agricultural Technology Service Center after the northern capital.
hosts the festival at the start of the main harvesting season, at Pyeongyang-style mul-naengmyeon is characterized

Uses of
the 52,900sqm Armiae World - a complex centered around by its broth, which often includes chunks of crushed ice
mugwort that combines an educational space with a processing floating neatly beside the noodles. The broth, made from

Mugwort
plant. This will be Armiae World’s third mugwort festival since a beef or pheasant stock and dongchimi (radish water
it opened in 2009, and a full line-up of events will be offered kimchi), has a light and refreshing taste. The buckwheat
to visitors. At the Agricultural Exhibition Hall, visitors can noodles are topped with julienned cucumbers, Korean
explore what the life of a farmer was like in old times, and the pear, thinly sliced beef and half of a hard-boiled egg.
Mugwort Well-being Hall’s spa room is open for relaxation. Contrasting flavors of lightly sweet and subtle sour are
If you’re more familiar with mugwort as an Performances and events will be held during the opening integrated with vinegar and mustard for a layered flavor.
unwanted weed peering from roadside on June 4, so entertainment will be available for the whole Noodles representative of Hamheung, on the peninsula’s
cracks, take the opportunity to become family. Those who are interested northeast coast, are bibim-naengmyeon, a broth-less
in the forms mugwort takes variation known for its zesty gochujang, or red pepper
reacquainted with the edible green at the

© Ganghwa Mugwort Festival (opposite top); Topic Images (opposite below); Han Sang-mooh (right)
when placed on the dinner paste, sauce. The noodles are often made of a sweet potato
Ganghwa Mugwort Festival. by Ines Min table should peruse the foods starch, as opposed to buckwheat, which lend it a darker
exhibition. Popular mugwort color and al dente chew. Similar to its sister dish, cucumber,
dishes include colorful variations pear and egg are added, though flavored with vinegar and
Mugwort might not be synonymous with “mmm” in the West, of tteok (rice cakes) and ssukguk sugar, to balance out the
but the plant, called ssuk in Korean, carries within its verdant (mugwort soup), but it can also be used roaring spiciness of the
Hot Spots
leaves a bounty of healthy vitamins. The annual Ganghwa in banchan (side dishes) and even juices. gochujang.
Mugwort Festival (June 4 to 6) helps introduce those known Mugwort beef and naengmyeon (chilled One well-known trait Woo Lae Oak A family-run
properties to the rest of the world. Ganghwado Island, located restaurant that has branched all the
noodles) will also be available to those of naengmyeon is the
way to the US and one of the oldest
northwest of Seoul, is famous for its medicinal mugwort, hungry festivalgoers. long strands of noodles. naengmyeon establishments.
which grows in the Yellow Sea’s salty winds. Symbolic of longevity, it 118 Jugyo-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul
Mugwort is most popularly known as a health food across Phone: +82 2 2265 0151
is traditional to leave the
How to get there Ohjangdong Hamheung
Korea, but Ganghwado’s variety carries a strong aroma and noodles at their original Naengmyeon A popular stop for
bitter taste that makes it well adapted for medicinal uses (in Ganghwado Island is located northwest of length, although most spicy bibim-naengmyeon lovers and
2010 alone, Ganghwa-gun produced 397 tons). It can be drunk well-known for its delectable
Seoul and can be reached by bus (under two people today will cut
hours) from anywhere in the capital. For seafood variety.
in the form of tea to prevent ulcers, added to baths for a body- detailed information on directions, visit
the noodles for easier 90-10 Ojang-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul
soothing experience and to increase circulation, or even dried http://armiae.com/eng/about/map.asp. consumption. Phone: +82 2 2267 9500 A refreshing bowl of bibim-naengmyeon is served.

28 | korea | june 2011 www.korea.net | 29

now in korea

The Show
When films like The Happy Life (2007) and Bravo,
My Life (2005) were released, most people found the
storylines of determined, amateur musicians to be
far-fetched. But contrary to what the skeptics might
think, there are those who do put their ambitious
dreams to action. by Lim Ji-young | photographs by Kim Hong-jin

© Yonhap News Agency (left bottom); Cloud Band

Gapgeunse Band practices in a studio
(above). A “silver” band, comprised of
elderly members, perform in an
outdoor concert (right). Cloud Band
plays a set at a concert (far right).

30 | korea | june 2011 www.korea.net | 31

Surprisingly, there are a number of
amateur office workers’ bands that
are as passionate as those featured
in recent films. The nonfiction book
Office Workers’ Bands That Start at
30 contains stories of exactly those
people in Korea. The main band
depicted in the novel, Office Workers’
Band in its 40s, is especially eminent
among the local scene. The distinct
hodgepodge of band members, from
author of the book Jeon Mi-young -
who was persuaded by the middle-
aged engineers to become their
synthesizer player - to drummer
Stick Man who is the oldest member
and Mr Synthe who commutes just
for band practice, relay enthused
stories about their experiences. One
of the most endearing dreams of the
band is to simply play a rocking rendition of Deep Purple’s
difficult Highway Star, which they finally do with practice and
determination. The author, who initially doubted her own
musical skills, transforms the tale into one of realism and
humanism.
One factor in the recent resurgence of office workers’ bands
is the coming of age of musicians in two major 1970s music
competitions: the University Music Festival and the Riverside
Song Festival, both hosted by MBC. At that time, many student
bands were formed just so they could compete in the festivals.
With most of the key members from the then-numerous
bands now in their 40s or 50s, some were influenced at least in
part by the band culture of their time.
The Nostalgic Band Boom One of the inaugural office
workers’ bands in Korea is the Gapgeunse Band, which formed
in 1998. Gapguense, which means “Grade A Income Tax,”
became the talk of offices across town for both its clever name
and fresh sound.
Cho Young-Min, a former vocalist in a university group and
member of Jeongdeun Band, is now one of the managers of the
online 7080 Office Workers’ Band Cafe. Ten complete bands,
including the official 7080 Office Workers’ Band, Jeongdeun
Band, Triple A and Sunday Seoul, are members of the Internet
site that seeks to introduce and collaborate with peers.
Established in 2004, the Internet group now has a membership
of roughly 3,400.
32 | korea | june 2011
and had to take out a loan for the deposit. Later, we paid it
back with membership fees and income from events. It is now
our own space, but even with all the teams rotating practices,
there’s not always enough time for everyone,” he says.
Networks Built on Music In the early days of office
workers’ bands, groups were formed with close colleagues
and friends. These days, musicians can look for other possible
bandmates through online classifieds and related sites. An
Tae-han, guitar player for Triple A says, “We formed our
band through the help-wanted ads. We only began last
March, so we’re still recruiting members like a bass player and
keyboardist. We’re waiting for applicants from the ads.”
As helpful as the Internet has been in creating new groups,
it is now as equally easy to disband. Online-based groups seem
to be less cohesive than offline-based bands, and it’s common
to find band members leaving one group for another that
better fits their taste in music. In some cases, some disband
simply because it’s difficult to match schedules. Business trips,
overtime and unemployment can also affect stability, and
“I thought about the KBS program Campus 7080, and that many bands see high turnover through the years.
show reminded me of my old singing days in school. I thought It’s difficult for some to integrate their musical lives with
about organizing a band again and, coincidentally, met my their office ones. Kang Hyung-Seok, a member of a new band,
middle school alumni, and we head into a band practice confesses that his colleagues have no idea where he heads to
room,” Cho says. As they began to gain popularity through
media outlets, other workers began to show interest, heading (Clockwise from
to the Web in order to meet and organize new bands. By the right) Gapgeunse
Band performs in
mid-2000s, the fever of office groups had spread and a number Yeouido in spring;
of Internet groups and sites began to appear. The 7080 Office
Workers’ Band plays
The Korea Arts and Culture Education Service decided to a concert in 2010; A
saxophonist from
provide support to the Mapo Art Center’s Office Workers’ Gapguense Band
Band Promotion Project. “We selected four teams, prepared plays from sheet
music. Feel Band
practice rooms for them and supported them with lessons plays a live set for a
© Gapgeunse Band (top); 7080 Office Workers’ Band (right); Feel Band (opposite)
concert at the
from expert instructors for every musical instrument. After National Theater of
six months of training, they were offered an opportunity to Korea (opposite).
perform at Mapo Art Center,” a center spokesperson says.
It is estimated that the current number of workers’ bands in
Korea is anywhere from 2,000 to 3,000. Along with this rapid
growth, related performance agencies and competitions were
created, and websites connecting sponsors (both private and
governmental) and studios exploded in the Sinchon, Hongik
University, Konkuk University and Bangbae-dong areas.
Most workers’ bands collect dues from members in order
to rent a practice room, while the 7080 cafe has its own space
in Yongsan. But the group has had difficulties of its own, says
Cho, who speaks candidly of the financial difficulties he faced
in the beginning. “We bought a monthly rental practice room
after 6pm. “I am afraid that my colleagues will find out what
I do after I leave the office. I don’t think that they’ll be happy
about it. And I don’t want others to think that I’m focusing
more on my music than my work, so I keep my band a secret
even though I’m proud to be doing it.”
Living the Dream As the workers’ band trend grows, people
have also come to love the music of the older, amateur bands.
Local festivals and events provide these groups with a stage,
while an increasing number of businesses have asked them to
participate in promotional events.
There are at least 10 national competitions for office workers
today, including KBS’ Top Band, which holds auditions to
find the best group. “We actually need to limit the number
of participants, because there are so many interested in
participating in the contests,” says Kim Neung-Soo, the events
director.
While some bands work with original songs, many pull in
the crowds by playing covers of past hits, catering to audiences
of all ages. Because of their popular appeal and familiar
repertoire, they’re able to gain greater audience participation
from diverse crowds.
Slowly, as the workers’ band gains wider recognition,
they’re also able to focus more on their music for a living and
represent their craft in concerts across the country. More than
for simple financial reasons though, they play music to fill an
emotional desire.
“We feel a sense of catharsis when playing music. In the
office, we can’t let out our stress because we’re just a part of
a bigger organization. But we can work off our energy and
spirits through the
band. It’s like there’s a
closed off, dark prison
and our music is the
small window that
leads outside,” says
Goo Ja-jung, leader of
Gapgeunse Band.
Office workers’
bands do not work
solely on musical
instruments, but their
hearts. They awaken
their own basic
instincts with their
passionate, thrilling
notes.
www.korea.net | 33
special issue

This year marks the 61st anniversary

of the Korean War (1950-1953) and
the 60th anniversary of the decisive
battles of Gapyeong and Imjin, where
more than 1,100 international soldiers
were lost. The allies who fought are
commemorated each June in Korea
alongside domestic veterans, and this
year, the world continued to remember
the past heroism and suffering of those
soldiers.

GREATS OF BATTLE RECALLED On

April 22, 1951, battalions from Australia
and Canada helped defend the route to
Seoul from the Chinese Communists
along the Gapyeonggang River for
three days. The 3rd Battalion (Royal
Australian Regiment) and the 2nd
Battalion (Princess Patricia’s Canadian
Light Infantry), along with the UN (Clockwise, from opposite top) Some 230 Imjin and Gapyeong Battle veterans gather at the Seoul
forces, fought valiantly to protect the National Cemetery on April 21. Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard stands with vets in Gapyeong;
Vets reunite at the Incheon International Airport; US Rep Charles Rangel is honored for his service.
capital. Though outnumbered by the
10,000-strong opposition, the forces

Allied Korean War Vets

won a victory for the UN command. Shouldering the bulk of the battle, the GOING HOME In early May, the remains
On an official visit to South Korea, brigade was successful in stopping of RAF Flight Lieutenant Desmond
Prime Minister of Australia Julia Gillard Chinese forces from reaching the capital Hinton were returned to his nation,

Earn Recognition
visited the War Memorial of Korea,
becoming the first in the Australian
government to commemorate the fallen
heroes of Gapyeong in Korea. Joined by
The 60th anniversary of the Korean War last year reminded many of the long, difficult
22 Australian veterans, some of whom
struggles it took to reach the present day. International allies came to the aid of Korea, and were making their first return to Korea
while it may be called the “Forgotten War,” veterans were once more remembered across the in six decades, Gillard recognized all the
world with honor this year. by Ines Min lives that had been lost.
of Seoul.
PATRIOTIC HONORS In the United
States, President Barack Obama showed
appreciation for vets of the Korean War
by posthumously awarding the Medal
of Honor to two soldiers: Anthony T
Kaho’ohanohano of Maui, Hawaii, and
following a ceremony at the DMZ,
where British Ambassador to North
Korea Peter Hughes received the
remains. Hinton’s fate, whose plane had
been shot down in January 1952, was
lost to his family for 60 years.
The remains of others have also
been returned, such as those of Primo

© Yonhap News Agency (left, far left, opposite); The Dong-a Ilbo (top)
“No one who fought, who suffered,
who died during those 1,000 bloody
days, will ever be forgotten,” Gillard said
at the event.
Other veterans paid tribute to the
anniversary in a visit to Seoul National
Cemetery in late April, with more than
200 vets from Canada, the UK, New
Zealand and Australia. The Imjin Battle,
which took place at the same time as
Gapyeong, was won with the strength
of the British 29th Infantry Brigade.
Henry Svehla of Newark, NJ, earned the
US’ highest honor. Kaho’ohanohano was
a mere 19 years old, while Svehla was
no more than 21. Both of them died in
combat, refusing to retreat in front of
their foes.
“In the hearts of their families,
they remain forever young. Today, we
honor them with the highest military
decoration that our nation can bestow:
the Medal of Honor,” Obama said in the
presentation ceremony.
Carnabuci, which were flown to
Connecticut last month. Last seen
during battle, Carnabuci and 600 other
US soldiers have been listed MIA since
1950. His older brother Dominic held
out for news, and he finally received it
earlier this year. Though the war cannot
be undone, Carnabuci is still glad to
have his sibling home. “When they put
him in ground, I’ll feel better, relaxed,”
he told a local paper. “I’ll know where he
is now.”

34 | korea | june 2011 www.korea.net | 35

special issue
Over 300 young French teenagers suddenly swarmed in front
of the iconic glass pyramid of the Louvre in Paris around 3pm
on May 1. Faces pink with excitement, they started to sing
along to their favorite K-pop songs, frantically waving photos
of boy bands like Super Junior and SHINee. Some expertly
rubbed their hands as if doing a prayer, others danced to Super
Junior’s Sorry, Sorry.
What the ardent K-pop fans wanted was a second show
of SM Town Live in Paris. They led the protest for an hour,
arguing that otherwise they would have no choice but to
buy tickets resold through the Internet for a whopping 500
euros. When ticket sales for SM Town Live in Paris, SM
Entertainment’s first-ever concert at Le Zénith de Paris on June
10 opened on April 26, the show completely sold out within
Hallyu Steps it Up
15 minutes. SM Entertainment is one of South Korea’s biggest
entertainment agencies and manages the popular K-pop
groups TVXQ, Super Junior, SHINee and Girls’ Generation.
Luckily, the K-pop fans’ dreams came true. SM Entertainment
© Seoul Metropolitan City (right above); Yonhap News Agency (opposite bottom); SM Entertainment (opposite top)
announced in late May that a second concert will be held on
June 11, after realizing the force of the K-pop fans in France.
The tickets sold out again, this time in 10 minutes.
A Wave Has its Reasons Though it is situated thousands
of miles away, France is one of the countries most affected by
Hallyu, or the Korean wave. France’s 2TV aired a 30-minute
long program focusing on how K-pop, Korean dramas and
films are sweeping the nation. For two weeks in April, 54
French girls in their late teens and early 20s visited Korea to
meet their beloved K-pop groups. Organized by the Korea
Tourism Organization and Korean Connection, a prominent
Hallyu, or the Korean wave, is not just a passing craze in nearby Asian countries. Hallyu fan club in France, the trip allowed the girls to visit
Unexpected parts of the world like Paris and Manipur, a rural area in India, are hooked on the studio of a popular music show and attend a SHINee fan
Korean pop culture for their own reasons. In Southeast Asian countries where the Korean meeting.
culture is already deeply immersed, the Korean wave is taking on the role of a springboard “K-pop singers are complete artists and entertainers. They
to create new cultural content. by Park Min-young can sing, they can dance and they look very trendy ... This is
the main difference with French singers who mainly prefer
to focus on the lyrics and almost never dance. Many of them
36 | korea | june 2011
don’t sing very well and don’t really care about their looks,”
says Maxime Paquet, president of Korean Connection.
A remote region in India called Manipur is another area
where Hallyu is significant. In October last year, BBC’s news
program Close-Up featured a series on Indians who are
influenced by Korea’s pop culture. According to the footage,
many street vendors sell DVDs of Korean films, TV dramas
and CDs of K-pop stars. Photos of Korean celebrities cover the
walls of hair salons, which recommend “Korean-style” cuts.
Manipur became completely hooked on Korea’s pop culture
soon after Arirang TV, Korea’s 24-hour English-language
network, and KBS World began airing there. They became
entertainment alternatives after Bollywood films were banned
by secessionist groups.
(From left) Pencil
Pictures shoots a
scene for Hello
Stranger at the
Cheonggyecheon
Stream; Thai actors
pose in Myeong-
dong; cameras set
up in Seoul for a TV
drama.
A Cultural Springboard Seoul is rising as a hot shooting
location among Southeast Asian filmmakers ever since Hello
Stranger, a Thai rom-com flick filmed in Seoul, became a
big hit in its home country. It topped the Thai box office for
several months and won many local awards, including the best
actress award at the Thai Annual Film Festival 2010, shooting
female lead Nuengthida Sophon into the spotlight.
“We figured that setting the movie’s backdrop as Seoul was
the reason for the success and decided to shoot two more
movies there,” says an official from Pencil Pictures, the film’s
producer. The production house had discovered the beauty
of Korea as a backdrop in 2010, when it shot a TV drama,
The Calling of Nami Island, in Seoul. In April, Pencil Pictures
brought two Malaysian works - TV drama No Marked
Grave and the film I Have … You? - to film in Seoul at
Cheonggyecheon Stream, Mount Namsan, Dongdaemun and
the Myeong-dong area.
The Seoul Metropolitan Government has been giving them
a boost, running a program to support 25% of the production
costs (capped at 100 million won) spent in Seoul for movies or
dramas that feature the city. It also licenses permits to shoot
films in public areas, restricts traffic and even provides safety
helicopters in case of fire.
www.korea.net | 37
summit diplomacy
Blue House Builds Bridges
President Lee Myung-bak and first lady Kim
Yoon-ok visited Germany from May 8 to 11,
for a seven-day European trip. Following
to Europe
the official visit to Germany, a state visit to
Denmark took place from May 11 to 12 and
an official visit to France took place from
May 12 to 14.
Lee’s visit to Europe came in an
Europe has always been a significant economic, trade and cultural partner for Korea. important time, shortly after South Korea’s
During a seven-day trip to Germany, Denmark and France in May, President Lee Myung- National Assembly approved a free trade
bak met with state leaders as well as top policymakers, businessmen and scholars of the agreement with the European Union. The
three European nations to take Korea’s ties to the next level. by Ser Myo-ja trade pact, which the European Parliament
already approved in February, takes effect
on July 1, and will lift most tariff and trade
barriers between the two sides in the next
five years.
During his trip, Lee paid special attention
to improving Korea’s economic and trade
ties with Europe. “The outcome will be
a drastic enhancement of cooperative
relations between Korea and its important
trading partners in Europe,” said the
Korean presidential office, Cheong Wa Dae
(the Blue House). The European tour also
served as a milestone toward building a
special relationship with Europe, especially
in the field of green growth cooperation.
President Lee’s signature campaign of low-
carbon green growth has been welcomed
by European nations, especially Germany
and Denmark.
Other issues, such as efforts to reunify
the two Koreas and cooperation with
France for the upcoming Group of 20
Summit, were also discussed. Korea is
the outgoing chair of the G20 Summit,
and France is the incoming host of the
© The Chosun Ilbo (opposite); Yonhap News Agency
important global gathering slated to take
place in November.
PURSUING KOREAN UNIFICATION The
first stop of Lee’s busy schedule in Europe
was Berlin, and he began the trip with an
informal meeting with Korean residents
on the evening of May 8. During the
meeting in the symbolic city of German
reunification, the president stressed that
the South will seek unification with the
38 | korea | june 2011
The procession of Danish Queen Margrethe II
leads President Lee Myung-bak to Fredensborg
Palace in Copenhagen on May 11 (top). Lee
commemorates war veterans from the Korean
War during his visit to Paris on May 13 (above).
Lee walks with Berlin’s mayor Klaus Wowereit in
front of Brandenburg Gate on May 9 (opposite).
North, adding that he believes the historic
event will take place in the future “not far
away.”
Calling Pyeongyang’s nuclear arms
programs an obstacle to unification, he
urged the North to give up the weapons
programs for peace and prosperity.
“The existence of nuclear weapons on
the Korean Peninsula will only delay
unification. If we are unified while
possessing nuclear weapons, neighboring
countries won’t easily accept it,” the
president said. “Though there are various
difficulties, I firmly believe that we have to
realize unification.”
On May 9, following a summit meeting
with German Chancellor Angela Merkel,
Lee made an important proposal to North
Korean leader Kim Jong-il. “If North Korea
agrees to denuclearize in a firm promise to
the international community, I am willing
to invite North Korean [National Defense
Commission] Chairman Kim Jong-il to Seoul
for the Second Nuclear Security Summit,
where about 50 leaders from around the
world will participate,” Lee said in a joint
news conference with Merkel. “It will be
an opportunity for the North to receive a
guarantee for a brighter future.”
About 50 global leaders, including US
President Barack Obama, will attend the
Nuclear Security Summit in Seoul next
spring to discuss efforts to make the world
more safe. The inaugural summit was
hosted by Obama in Washington in April
2010.
The two Koreas have been separated
since the Korean War (1950-1953) ended in
a truce. Tensions on the Korean Peninsula
have grown steadily due to North Korea’s
nuclear and missile programs. While six-
party talks attended by the two Koreas,
China, Japan, Russia and the United States
were stalled for years, the North carried
out two deadly attacks on the South in
March and November last year.
Lee’s proposal, if realized, will serve
as an epoch-making international debut
for the reclusive North Korean leader.
Although North Korea issued a statement
to criticize President Lee’s offer, Blue House
officials said more efforts will be made to
communicate with Pyeongyang about the
proposal.
The following day, Lee met with four
former German officials who were deeply
involved in the 1990 unification of East
www.korea.net | 39

and West Germany and discussed efforts to
better prepare South Korea for unification.
The German participants included Lothar
de Maizière, the only freely-elected prime
minister of East Germany, and Wolfgang
Schäuble, the former West German interior
minister who signed the reunification
treaty in 1990.
ADVOCATING GREEN GROWTH Perhaps the
most successful achievement of President
Lee’s visit to Europe was his promotion
of green growth. During the Korea-
Germany summit, Lee and Merkel agreed
to improve the two countries’ cooperation
in environmentally-friendly projects.
Green growth was the absolute
highlight of President Lee’s trip to
Denmark, which took place from May 11
to 12. Lee is the first Korean president
to make a state visit to Denmark since
the two nations established diplomatic
relations in 1959. Lee and Danish Prime
Minister Lars Rasmussen held a summit on
May 12 and announced an unprecedented
“Green Growth Alliance” to declare their
40 | korea | june 2011
President Lee Myung-bak, third from left, toasts
with Queen Margrethe II at an official state
dinner at Fredensborg Palace in Copenhagen,
Denmark, on May 11.
commitment to support environmentally-
friendly technologies and open up new
markets for green products and services.
The two leaders also announced the
establishment of strategic partnership
to expand bilateral cooperation in the
political, security, economic and trade
arenas.
“The two leaders emphasized the
importance of green growth as a tool for
the creation of employment, prosperity
and protection of biodiversity, as well as
in contributing to global CO2 reductions,
reducing environmental risks and
promoting sustainable use of natural
resources,” the joint statement said.
Calling Denmark a “first mover” and
South Korea a “fast mover” in green
technologies, Lee said the alliance made
the two countries “green growth smart
movers” to lead the world economy to a
new direction, urging other countries to
join their move.
A key element of Korea-Denmark
green growth alliance was the Global
Green Growth Institute, an international
think tank launched by Korea last year.
A Copenhagen branch of the institute,
the first overseas office of the project,
was formally launched on May 12 and
Lee attended the opening ceremony to
welcome Denmark’s participation in the
project. Nine MOUs were also signed
between Korea’s Ministry of Knowledge
Economy and Denmark’s Ministry of
Climate and Energy as well as between the
enterprises of the two countries to further
bilateral cooperation of renewable energy
and other green technologies.
The two leaders also agreed to hold a
global green growth summit in June in
Seoul. Denmark will host the first global
© Yonhap News Agency
green growth forum in October and
Korea will host the second event in June
next year.
“Denmark is a frontrunner of
environmentally-friendly economic
growth,” said Kim Sang-hyup, secretary to
the president for the national future and
vision and the architect of Lee’s low-carbon
green growth policy. According to the Blue
House, Denmark has declared its intent to
completely eliminate the use of fossil fuels
starting in 2050. Denmark has decided to
choose Korea as its green growth partner
as the country has seen the 600% growth
in the renewable energy industries and
rapid development in electronic cars, LED
and smart grids over the past three years
under Lee’s trademark policy, Blue House
sources said.
ECONOMIC DIPLOMACY AT WORK South
Korea is the first Asian nation to sign a
free trade agreement with the EU, and
the trade accord will take effect on July 1
to lift most trade and investment barriers
between the two sides.
Lee’s trip included meetings with
economic policymakers and business
leaders in Germany, Denmark and France.
In a roundtable discussion in Frankfurt on
May 10 with senior executives of Germany’s
top companies, Lee urged the German
firms to expand their investments in
Korea and benefit from his country’s free
trade network. “For German companies,
investing in Korea will create a bridge to a
broader market,” Lee said. “I hope German
businesspeople understand that investing
in Korea will not only open up ways to
enter the Asian market, but also the United
States.”
Building a free trade network is one
of President Lee’s key economic visions,
as Korea is highly dependent on exports.
In addition to the Korea-EU FTA, another
important free trade agreement with the
United States was concluded last year and is
waiting to be ratified by the two countries’
legislatures. Since the first FTA with Chile
President Lee Myung-bak, center, observes the
flag of the French Korean War veterans in Paris on
April 13 (below). First lady Kim Yoon-ok attends a
“Forest Kindergarten” in Copenhagen on April 12
during a state visit (bottom).
in 2004, Korea’s FTAs with 16 economies
including, Peru, ASEAN and India, have
already taken effect.
During his meeting with business leaders
in Denmark on May 12, Lee also expressed
strong hope for increased bilateral trade
and investments, his spokeswoman Kim
Hee-jung said.
Another achievement of President Lee’s
economic diplomacy was his agreement
with French President Nicolas Sarkozy.
During a summit on May 13, the two
leaders agreed to step up cooperation
to ensure that the members of the G20
will follow through with their previous
commitments to overcome the global
financial meltdown. New agendas of food
and energy security were also discussed by
the two leaders.
“France and Korea express their shared
concerns about commodity markets. They
are determined to work on concrete and
operational solutions to reduce food and
energy price volatility and mitigate its
impacts on the most vulnerable,” according
to a joint statement issued after the
summit.
The two leaders also reaffirmed
their joint efforts to “ensure a strong,
sustainable and balanced growth” at the
next G20 Summit. They also urged the
global community to strengthen their
oversight of the financial industries.
Korea and France are two of the three
members of the G20 “troika,” which
represents the past, present and future
chairs of the premier economic forum.
Korea chaired the G20 Summit last year,
and France will host this year’s event in
Cannes in November.
In France, Lee also attended a forum
for South Korean and French business
representatives, and met with Angel
Gurría, the secretary-general of the OECD,
to discuss bilateral and global economic
issues.
Wrapping up the three-nation trip, Lee
returned to Korea on May 15.
www.korea.net | 41
global korea

Love without
Borders Korea is proud to be a country that sends
medical volunteers overseas, but in the past
decade there has been a particularly sharp
Doctors collaborate with volunteer organizations to help rise in the number of its nationals being
bring medicine and health care to people in underprivileged dispatched to every corner of the world.
situations. A recent rise in medical volunteers from Korea Organizations running medical volunteer
programs for the underprivileged in
brings the focus to these individuals. by Lee Se-mi
poorer nations are generally divided into
government agencies, NGOs and religious
institutions. These people help organize
groups of medical and administrative
personnel to engage in medical volunteer
work. A project with one of these groups
can last anywhere from one or two weeks
to a couple of months, in order to help
those who need it most battle poverty and
illness.
The Korean government has been
sending medical personnel overseas since
it first sent trained individuals to remote
parts of Africa in 1968. For the next 40
years, up until 2008, it sent a total of 115
doctors to help the sick in Africa, Asia, the
CIS, Central and South America and the
South Pacific. These men and women have
devoted themselves to the prevention and
treatment of illnesses despite the immense
medical challenges they faced. On top of
that, more than 60 groups made up of

© Good News Medical Volunteers (opposite, right above); World Vision Korea (right bottom)
NGOs, missionaries, university students and
medical institution employees have gone
overseas as medical volunteers more than
once between 2007 and 2009, and that
number is growing every year.

EMPOWERING COMMUNITIES Vision Care

Service is Korea’s largest ophthalmological
NGO, and is registered at the World Health
Organization’s International Agency for
the Prevention of Blindness. The group,
which consists of ophthalmologists, nurses
and opticians, has offered free operations
to people in underdeveloped countries
since 2002. These volunteers focus their
attention on the treatment of cataracts
and ran more than 20 camps a year up until
2010. The camps, called Free Eye Camp,
offer free medical treatment to people
A volunteer from Good News Medical Volunteers
organizes recreational activities in Ghana (top).
World Vision Korea donates bicycle ambulances
to Zambia (above). A Good News volunteer
examines a patient in Malawi (opposite).
with serious eye problems, especially
cataract surgery. To date, more than 6,500
patients in 23 countries have benefited
from the 76 camps. The camps operate in
Asia and southeastern Africa. Starting in
Karachi, Pakistan, they have also been run
in Cambodia, Myanmar, Vietnam, Laos, Sri
Lanka, Malawi and Nepal. Cambodia’s first
Free Eye Camp operated out of the capital,
Phnom Penh, in September 2007.
These camps usually take at least a year
to set up, as research first needs to be
done on local medical conditions, such as
the state of ophthalmology in a particular
place, the general healthcare level, and
local organizations or hospitals that can
be worked with. In addition, medical
volunteers often pay for their own airfare,

42 | korea | june 2011 www.korea.net | 43


food and housing. On average, one Vision
Care Service volunteer camp can help
up to 620 patients and perform 95 free
surgeries. The ultimate goal of the group,
however, is to transfer both technology
and knowledge to local medical personnel,
enabling them to take care of local
residents independently.
In 2010, a Vision Care Service camp was
held in Ethiopia for local war veterans and
staffed by 200 Korean War veterans and
their family members. Organized on the
60th anniversary of the Korean War, Vision
A patient hugs her doctor from Vision Care
Service after undergoing surgery in Pakistan
(above). Volunteers from Vision Care Service
wheelchair a patient following his eye surgery in
a Malawi Free Eye Camp (below).
active in 22 overseas branches from Beijing,
Vladivostok and Urumqi to Myanmar, New
York and Missouri. They not only support
the underprivileged and foreign laborers
in Korea with free medical service, but
also send volunteers overseas for medical
services in underdeveloped areas and
operations and medical supplies, while also
providing free medical services on a regular
basis to local residents.
WHAT TO DO There has been a growing
awareness that prevention in partnership
with local communities is more important
than simple firsthand treatment. Medical
volunteer activities in areas that have little
access to health care are just stop-gap
measures. Thus, many volunteer groups
are turning their attention to long-term
projects to enhance the overall health care
level of an area by improving the health
industry, while putting an emphasis on
education and training.
World Vision Korea became financially
independent from World Vision
International in 1991, and is currently
engaged in a project to enhance health
care for women and children in Mumbwa,
Zambia, in alliance with World Vision
Zambia, Zambia’s health authorities and
the local government of Mumbwa. The
five-year project, set to run from July 2009
to 2014, aims to help improve the health
and nutrition of women and children
who are part of the lowest tier in terms of
basic health care indexes, which include
the mortality rate of children under five,
the maternal mortality rate childhood
malnutrition.
As one person from World Vision put
it, “It’s difficult to have access to quality
health care service in rural areas, where
60% of Zambians reside, due to the high
infection rate of HIV/AIDS, a lack of medical
personnel, lack of funds and transportation
problems. What is needed most is to
prevent malaria and diarrhea, both of
which are common in children who are
exposed to unsanitary conditions, and to
provide adequate health care to pregnant
women.” Action is now being taken to
achieve these goals by establishing a unit
just for mothers in hospitals and a shelter,
delivering education on general health
care, treating children’s illnesses, providing
ambulances, building drinking water
fountains and offering medical supplies.
The Good News Medical Volunteers
is an organization that was launched
by seven members of the International
Youth Fellowship. They met at a youth
camp in Africa in 2008 and decided to
start a medical volunteer group on their
own. The Good News Medical Volunteers
is made up of surgeons, physicians,
pediatricians, dentists and pharmacists.
The group recruited 105 medical personnel
to participating doctors so that they services offered is expected to expand in
could work in conjunction with Malawi the summer of 2011.
medical staff. In addition, medical students Park Jin-young, an emergency medical
from Kenya had a chance to learn about technician who has been participating in
advanced medical technology, assisting volunteering programs in Africa for three
Korean medical personnel with treatments years through the Good News Medical
and operations. Volunteers, says, “I don’t even remember
When the Haitian government had to the patients I treat because there are more
deal with an outbreak of cholera after than 1,000 of them a day. Still, when I
the earthquake in January 2010, the return the following year, someone always
Good News Medical Volunteers answered remembers me clearly. The destitute
the call by sending 25 volunteers. They conditions I have seen there and the spirit
worked with local medical personnel and of the people make me return to Africa
volunteers to treat 7,400 patients over every year.”
seven days. In addition, the International Instead of just increasing the scale
Youth Fellowship held youth camps in 40 of aid, a growing number of volunteer
countries around the world in 2011. Last groups are focusing on offering medical
January, Thai medical workers volunteered assistance to improve the quality of life for
in Africa through one of the camps people around the world. Overseas medical
based in Pattaya, Thailand. With Chinese volunteers become more empowered
volunteers now joining the Good News when they work in close cooperation with
governments and local communities.
Medical Volunteers, the scope of medical
Global Korea chart
This data comes from a survey conducted by the Korea Foundation for International
Healthcare (KOFIH) between Oct 26-Nov 8, 2009. Respondents included people from 62
groups that sent medical volunteers overseas: domestic NGOs, medical missionaries and
university groups. KOFIH is a professional health care aid organization under Korea’s
Ministry of Health and Welfare, and conducts medical support projects.
Overseas Medical volunteer activities
Unit: percent, multiple answers
94.6

Care Service carried out the camp when disaster zones. in 2009 and started volunteering at once, 57.1
51.8
they found out there were Korean War vets Its first overseas volunteers were as governments in Ghana, Kenya and 46.4 42.9
28.6
in the area in 2008. Most of the veterans dispatched to Yanbian, China, in 2002. Tanzania helped with visa waiver programs 10.7
7.1
were over 80 years old and suffering from The group’s mission was later expanded and found them places to work. The
cataracts. After establishing a branch in to help cover those affected by disaster, volunteers treated 1,000 patients a day Free Health care Establishing Inviting Training local Enhancing Vaccinations Other (e.g.,
treatment education facilities patients for personnel living donating
Ethiopia, Vision Care Service now has including earthquake victims in Sri Lanka, on average and delivered courses on basic surgery conditions equipment)

plans to open camps in 13 African nations,
including Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Botswana,
Mozambique, Zambia, Malawi, Burundi,
Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda, over the next
four years.
Pakistan, Indonesia and Sichuan, China. health care.
When a powerful cyclone hit Myanmar in When the Good News Medical medical volunteer dispatch locations
Unit: percent, multiple answers Actual Planned for 2010
2008, 13 medical personnel went to help Volunteers made their third trip to Africa 71.4
62.5
and contributed in saving many lives. In for a month in July 2010, a total of 256 46.4
44.6
addition, they established a Green Doctors medical workers and other volunteers 35.7 33.9
© Vision Care Service

26.8 25.0
23.2
Founded in 2004, Green Doctors is a hospital in Dala, a village that had been visited Ghana, Togo, Benin, Kenya and 19.6
8.9
5.4 5.4 5.4
Korean NGO that was based on another completely destroyed by the cyclone, Malawi. Malawi’s Health Ministry allowed 3.6

volunteer group organized in 1997. Today, hiring a local physician, dentist, and two them to use a national hospital with 2,000 Southeast East Asia South Asia North CIS Central and Other None
Asia America South
they have more than 30,000 members nurses. Green Doctors paid for the cost of beds and issued temporary medical licenses America

44 | korea | june 2011 www.korea.net | 45

my korea
Pigs have always been a constant feature in my life, since
long before I came to live in Korea. In one form or another -
though not really inhabiting my daily thoughts - pigs have
loitered on the fringes of my life.
I’ve never tried to ride a greased pig, but I do admit that,
growing up as a child on a farm on Prince Edward Island in
eastern Canada, I did indeed try to ride an everyday, run of
the mill, ungreased pig. I’ve never seen the proverbial pigs
fly, though I have on occasion enjoyed listening to Pigs on the
Wing by Pink Floyd. I’ve enjoyed their culinary offerings and
delighted in cute piglets squealing in the pen and scrambling
for scraps my grandfather would dump into their pen. Ours
wasn’t primarily a pig farm, however, and we just had a few
that we would raise for our own meat. It was a small farm with
seldom more than 10 of any animal at any given time.
And I, bent more on becoming the next Keith Moon or
John Bonham, didn’t really spend as much time feeding cows,
or shoveling that smelly gold that made crops grow, as my
father would have liked. I was constantly aware that we had
pigs, cows and horses, yet I didn’t really give much thought to
them. At times you could almost forget there even were such
creatures as pigs, being more interested in soccer balls, playing
hockey in my grandmother’s kitchen or beating drums.
Dreaming
of pigs
Exploring Gosa Ceremonies
A Canadian expat goes to a traditional Gosa ceremony, a folk
ritual that comprises showing respect to a pig’s head. Practiced
to ward off bad luck and bring good fortune when a new
business is opened, a new house is built, to appease the spirits
and just because it’s tradition, the ceremony is one of the
unique aspects of life in Korea. And, whether or not you
believe in it, Gosa holds a certain charm.
46 | korea | june 2011
But in a certain season each year, a particularly odiferous
and unmistakable fragrance from our neighbor’s pig farm
on top of the hill reminded me that pigs do most definitely
exist. Even today, coincidentally, before I’d even had the
slightest notion I’d be writing an article about a pig ceremony,
I named my percussion group Seoul Rhythm Pig. Pigs are just
everywhere, even if you don’t notice them.
As to whether or not pigs should be thought of in positive
or negative terms in daily life, I was a bit ambivalent. I just
never gave much thought to them before Korea. Whether or
not we of the Western world can decide on whether pigs are
cute and clever, or smelly and unfortunate animals, one thing
is for sure: in Korea, pigs are lucky. If you’ve lived here for any
amount of time, you’ve probably heard a Korean friend or
coworker tell you how lucky you are if you have a “pig dream.”
They are symbolic of riches and good fortune, and are also
said to ward off bad luck.
I wondered where this belief came from. Talking with my
wife, who is Korean, and her friends, they speculated that
perhaps it was because pigs have many babies. So in terms of
reproduction, they are productive, which could be a metaphor
for the productivity you hope your business has. At first, I
was surprised that they didn’t know automatically why pigs
www.korea.net | 47
 represent such good fortune,
but, thinking more on it, I
realized that it’s similar
to my way of using
idioms. When my
students ask me why
a phrase means what
it does, I struggle to
give them a good
answer. It’s one of
those things; I just say it
because it’s what people say.
If you are an expat in Korea or even just a visiting tourist
wandering around Namdaemun Market or one of the many
sijang (traditional markets), you are likely to see a pig’s head
among the mazes of stalls. It was at Namdaemun that I saw
my first pig’s head - I remember thinking how exotic it was. It
was one of those things that makes you reach for you camera,
makes you feel like you need to show this to folks back home.
If you are staying in Korea for a little longer, you will probably
make Korean friends, and those friends will invite you to
weddings, first year birthday parties and, if you’re really lucky,
perhaps a friend will open a new business and invite you to a
Gosa ceremony. Just such a thing happened to me.
It was about four years ago while I was living in Ansan, a
satellite city to the south of Seoul, where I made my home for
four years. I used to play drums with some Korean musicians
every weekend at a bar that is no more. One of the regulars
who came and always watched us play was a local painter
name Du Chan. Although Du Chan spoke little English and
my Korean was pretty bad, we soon became friends. He would
say things like “you drum power,” and I would smile and try to
make small talk in turn.
Later when he established his own art studio, he invited
me to the opening. I accepted the invitation with keen
expectations that I’d be able to drink in his creations and match
his compliment with my own broken-Korean equivalent.
The day of Du Chan’s studio opening arrived and I left
my apartment to make my way to his new place. I got off a
tiny, worn down elevator and walked down the length of the
old building’s hall. I could hear voices inside, so the party
was already underway. It was a fair sized gathering, and I
recognized most faces as regulars from the bar. The studio
was large and the walls were lined with huge billboard-sized
paintings.
As I moved closer to the crowd, the smell of incense curled
its way to my nose. The sounds of friendly chatter, laughter,
48 | korea | june 2011
congratulations and wishes of good luck were all present,
standard to any gallery opening. But then my eyes made
a beeline to a table with an abundant spread of food: rice
cake, seaweed soup, fruit and vegetables, all lorded over by a
severed pig’s head. The head sat in the middle, like the center
of a shrine. I thought to myself, “What’s going on? Do they
have voodoo in Korea?” I was pretty sure they didn’t practice
voodoo, and mentally reminded myself not to watch so many
movies.
As I watched, people bowed to the pig, on their knees with
their foreheads to the ground, palms on the floor, in what
looked like a form of Buddhist prostration. I’ve since learned
that this bow shows up in many other traditional Korean
ceremonies. Koreans do it to pay one’s respects to the deceased
during jesa (ancestral rites) on the anniversary of their passing.
Children perform the bow to their elders on seollal, the lunar
New Year, and I did the same to my wife’s parents when we
were married.
As if the presence of the pig’s head and the bowing were
not bizarre enough to my expat eyes, people were also placing
colorful bills into the pig’s nose, mouth and ears - basically
any orifice. I followed suit but later, upon researching Gosa
more thoroughly, I regret that I only offered a mere 10,000
won (US$9). I was later told by a friend that if it’s the Gosa
of a close acquaintance, offering upwards of 100,000 won is
considered acceptable.
The ceremony is based on a shamanistic ritual, of which
there are many in Korea, some of which offer food and drink
to spirits or ancestors. In this particular ceremony, the pig’s
head is placed in the middle of the table, then other incense,
fruits, tteok (rice cakes) and more are organized around the
centerpiece. You then bow to bring good luck and bounty,
and to protect the new venture from misfortune or angry
spirits. Afterward, you offer the pig money, and it’s said that it’s
good luck if it’s is
smiling.
It’s hard to
remember for
certain now if the PROFILE
pig smiled or not,
but I know I sure Trevor Clements is a professor
did. in the International Business
Language Department at
by Trevor Clements
Seokyeong University in
| illustrations by Seoul. He lives with his wife
Jo Seung-yeon | Lee Eun-ju in west Incheon
and plays drums in The Dirty
photograph by Kim 30s, Kimchi Cowboys and
Nam-heon Seoul Rhythm Pig.
 ne pas affranchir
Priority / Priorilaire
By airmail / Par avion
ibrs / ccri n° : 10024-40730
no stamp required
reply paid / réponse payée
korea (seoul)
koCis
15 Hyoja-ro, Jongno-gu
Seoul (110-040)
Republic of Korea
© Choi Ji-young
Sanbang Houses on Jindo Island
A thatched cottage in Ullim
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 korean heritage

The Pansori Epic Chant Pansori, Korean

traditional narrative song, is performed by
a sorikkun (singer) and a gosu (drummer).
A variety of different singing styles can
be found across the country. Lee Eun-
kwan (pictured), 94, is a master singer and
practitioner of Korea’s Important Intangible
Cultural Property No 29, Seodo sori (a
variety of pansori). Pansori was inscribed
in 2008 on UNESCO’s Representative List
of the Intangible Heritage of Humanity
(originally proclaimed in 2003).
© Newsis