Taking the KTX Catching a Taxi Hopping on the Bus

Getting bigger and better, now with more than 2000 copies printed every month
Vol. III Issue VII
the Ulsan Pear
www.ulsanpear.biz
January 2007
Getting Around
Taking the KTX
Catching a Taxi
Hopping on the Bus
and more inside...
Cover photo by Bennett Ho
Taehwa Rotary
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2 THE ulsan Pear
Emergency Contact Numbers
Do not panic, ask for English
Ambulance 구급(Gu-Guep)
Fire 화재 (Hwa-Jay)
112
Police 경찰 (Gyeong-Chal)
1366
Women Emergency CAll
00799
International Operator
By the time you read this, another year will have started, hopefully
with a great holiday season behind all of us. New Year's is a time for
resolutions, setting new goals and dreaming big. Now is the time to
think of all the things you'd like to experience during your time in
Korea, and make the most of the mostly dry, sunny winter weather.
One thing we should all endeavour to do is see more of the country
we are living in. This issue provides lots of information on how to get
around Ulsan and Korea, so get out and explore!
speak very slowly, and clearly.
119
Dear Pear Readers,
We’re also taking a look at the possible future of Ulsan. I hope you
all enjoy the trip through the looking glass.
Happy New Years from all of us at the Ulsan Pear!
Kevin Forman
Editor-in-Chief
the
Ulsan Pear™
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December 24th was the Ulsan Pear’s Christmas Formal
We’d like to give a big Thank You to everybody who helped make this the best Christmas
Formal yet! Troy from Benchwarmers for the fantastic dinner, the organizing committee,
the setup volunteers, Gino and Dan for the music, the Tombstone boys for their donation,
Santa Jeff and his Funny Elf, to everyone who came out and supported the event, and
most especially, thanks to the Ulsan International Volunteer Centre for the use of their
space and for the lovely poinsettias. Without everyone’s support to make events like
this happen, Ulsan wouldn’t have such a strong, active ex-pat community. Thanks for
helping to make this a better place to live.
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Staff Writers:
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Fin Madden
Jim Saunders
Jason Teale
Contributors:
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Adamo DeFazio
Chris Devauld
Andrew Fawcett
Shawn Hines
Chris Linton
Matthew Murray
Katie Peavler
Jason Pratt
Rick Ruffin
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Jason Teale
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Fin Madden
Jim Saunders
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THE ulsan Pear 3
Speed and Style on Korea’s KTX Service
Jason Pratt
Contributor
Finding the best transportation
option is always hard. Questions
of time, cost, and availability
are ever present in a traveler’s
mind. However one need look
no further than the Korea Train
Express or KTX.
make everyone feel comfortable.
The ride is so smooth and
everything outside passes by in a
sort of slow motion as the train
continues it’s journey at an amazing
speed. On board speedometers
let you see how quickly the train
you to. As corny as that sounds
it is nothing but the truth. It is a
feeling rarely felt on any kind of
public transportation service.
The train runs quietly without the
noise pollution that is a normal
stop after a certain period of time.
Also, it is equipped with the latest
braking and impact absorption
technology
that
contributes
greatly to the overall safety of the
KTX. It is also energy efficient
and, because it runs on electricity,
to the KTX website at http://ktx.
korail.go.kr and, luckily for most
foreigners, it has an English option
to make things easier.
The KTX is a great way to get
around the country quickly and
The KTX high speed trains and
lines took approximately 12
years to build and both lines
opened in April 2004. Ever
since then, travelers have been
taking advantage of everything
it has to offer. The KTX is in
good company with the high
speed trains in France, Japan,
and Germany to name a few.
All trains are comprised of 20
compartments, 16 of which
are for passengers. It can reach
speeds of 300km/h, with plans to
surpass that on higher speed rails
in 2008.
Currently, for people in Ulsan,
the station is Busan and that can
take you to Seoul in roughly two
and a half hours. The fare from
Busan is 45 000 won and the
ride is worth every bit. It doesn’t
matter if you travel in groups
or solo, the KTX is something
everyone can appreciate. Staring
out the window and watching
the beautiful scenery with music
from an Ipod playing in your ears
is almost surreal as the sun shines
upon your face. The friendly staff
pass by every now and then to
check on their passengers and to
offer food and beverages to help
Photo by Jason Teale
Inlay Photo by Fin Madden
accelerates and decelerates. A part
of you just can’t look away from it,
until settling into the comfortable
and spacious seats that are easy to
fall asleep in. However, the sheer
sense of adventure that floods
through your body won’t allow
turn-off for travelers. This is truly a
marvel for a machine that runs on
18,200 horsepower. Technology
is a wonder on this machine. If
anything happens to the operator
and he/she can’t drive safely, the
train will bring itself to a complete
is very environmentally safe.
The easiest way to purchase tickets
for the KTX is to get them at the
ticket counters in the stations, but
you can also reserve tickets over
the internet and through travel
agents. For more information go
in style. It is an experience that
anyone can have and should be
considered. Have fun riding the
rails!
jas.pratt@gmail.com
4 THE ulsan Pear
The Busan Subway
Chris Devauld
Contributor
I’m rather used to being stared at,
but for some reason whenever I
ride Busan’s subway I feel like I’m
naked with a neon sign flashing
above my head. What’s worse
is that this time I’ve forgotten
to brush my teeth and there’s a
suspicious stain on my shirt. No,
I’m not a creep—I’m just a hungover ESL teacher . . .
Thankfully, Busan’s subway is
designed so just about anyone
can find their way. This subway
has seen a lot of changes over the
years: from the recent addition of
a third line, to the massive, World
Cup “Englishing.” But don’t
worry, you won’t get lost. Unless
you try.
I decided to explore the “intricate”
network of rail lines, bird noises
(more on that soon), and strange
smells. I started at the end of
line 1, which, if you’re arriving
from Ulsan, is called Nopo-dong.
You will shell out 1,100 for a
single line trip, but be warned:
if you plan on transferring to
another line buy a two-line ticket.
Otherwise, you will look mighty
stupid as you stand locked on the
other side of the ticket machine
at the end of your journey, while
Koreans snicker at you as they
pass on through. Of course, you
can just jump over the ticket
machine, but that would be illegal
now wouldn’t it?
I hopped on at Nopo-dong and
decided to let randomness take the
wheel. The first stop that went by
was Beomosa, which is home to
a fabulous temple and a fantastic
hiking experience that starts
behind the temple and works
its way over the surrounding
reminding me that this next stop
was a line transfer. Anyways, I fell
asleep . . . and woke up at the very
end of the line!
(a huge train station that takes
you to many other places in
Korea) and Seomyeon (the most
popular nightclub, restaurant,
and shopping place in the city).
Heading east on Line 2, I decided
that the best destination would be
Haeundae beach.
Obviously the most popular
foreigner spot in the city,
Haeundae has some good night
clubs (definitely check U2), an
assortment of restaurants (even
Outback!), and an interesting
underground aquarium right
on the beach. But my reason for
going was a delicious hot dog
stand called New York Hot Dogs.
It’s right across the street from the
aquarium. Don’t miss it!
Photo by Jason Teale
mountains. Yeah right—too cold!
Instead, I decided that some
Starbucks (I am a sucker for
spending money needlessly)
made more sense. Stop 129
is Pusan National University.
This neighborhood, as its name
implies, is loaded with students
and is one of the more popular
Friday night party spots, with a
couple foreigner bars playing live
music and so forth.
Starbucks burnt my coffee and in
my nervous Hangul I said hello
instead of thank you, but that’s
okay. I decided that Bejeon-dong
would be my next stop because
of its delightful fish market and
music shops.
Basically, it’s a good place to take
a stroll and gross yourself out.
Before making it to this stop,
however, I noticed a chirping
sound coming from the speaker,
Taking a reverse direction on
Line 1, I noticed some popular
stops: Nampo-dong (like a little
Seoul in Busan), Busan Station
And then back on the subway I
went. This time, I decided to
travel back down line 3 to check
out the Sports Complex stop. This
was a surprising area. Nice and
clean and if you are into baseball
or soccer this is where you want to
be. There are also other sporting
The Busan Subway System
areas around here, but I didn’t
stay too long seeing as my body
was starting to shut down and it
even started snowing.
Back on the subway, I noticed that
a bunch of elderly people looked
at me with disgust as I sat and
relaxed. I didn’t really know what
was up until I remembered that
I was in the “Aju” seating. Stay
away from the seats at the very
end of each subway car because,
like the yellow seats on the buses,
these are only for the eldery and
disabled.
Other than that, I would say I
had a very successful unplanned
subway trip. There are 91 stops in
total, and about 90 km worth of
area covered by the subway line,
so yes—you can really traverse a
lot of ground in a very short time.
So wake up early, finish off your
beer or grab a coffee, and do some
exploring like I did. Maybe you’ll
meet a movie star . . .
christopherdevauld@hotmail.com
THE ulsan Pear 5
Riding The Bus
By Shawn Hines
Contributor
Transportation in your home
country was easy! You understand
the road signs, you can drive
and it’s comfortable. Now you
have immersed yourself into a
totally different culture and are
probably thinking, “How do I get
around?”
the most part. Looking to the
left on this page, you will see the
heading “Transportation Info”,
and under that is the link to the
City bus. Clicking here will take
you to the city bus page that will
bus graphic, you can type a bus
number into the box and click
the button. This will find the
above stated information for that
specific bus. This is helpful to
see the routes for your local bus
South Korea offers many
different types of transportation
for foreigners. Trains, planes and
automobiles (taxis) are the easiest
to understand. The trains travel
on a specific track, planes fly
from one airport to another and
you can tell the taxi driver where
you want to go; sort of…
Buses are a bit more difficult
to understand, but with some
patience and some research, you
can find they provide a valuable
service. Buses are the cheapest
form of transportation in the
cities and finding a bus usually
only takes a few minutes wait
at the local bus stop. Currently
it’s 900 won to ride the bus, but
the fare is expected to go up in
2007.
Trying to figure out what bus you
want and where it goes is a major
hurdle for foreigners who have just
entered the country. Randomly
picking a bus to figure out where
it goes is not a good idea; a 3 hour
round-trip ride is not pleasant
(personal experience).
The Ulsan City website offers a
nice way to find the buses you
need. The website is
http://english.ulsan.go.kr/main/
main.htm and is in English, for
Photo by Jason Teale
show you all the buses and their
times and routes.
stop; better than the “pick-a-bus”
system.
When you are reviewing this
page, you will notice the bus
number and its route. The next
column is the time the bus starts
and stops running. The next 3
columns to the right are helpful,
the middle column is the total
time of the route, and the last
column is the distance of the
route in kilometers.
At the top of this page, under the
Clicking on the bus number will
bring up a small map that will
allow you to view the bus route.
You can see the general direction
of the bus, but you are not able to
zoom in to see the route closer.
Green Printing
Using this website can save some
valuable time in learning Ulsan’s
bus system. Asking foreigners
who have been here for some
time is a great help, too. You
can also look through the Pear’s
archives online (www.ulsanpear.
biz) to see what other writers
have shared about the bus
system.
bus. It stops at Nopo-dong and
from there you can take the
subway into Busan. The bus
fare is 1,800 won and takes a bit
over an hour, but on a budget,
that’s a great savings!
Note: taking the 1127 to Busan
is much cheaper than the express
jhines86@hotmail.com
6 THE ulsan Pear
Taking the Boat From Busan Ship Builiding 101
Helen Clayton
Contributor
It’s the perfect time of year to
head out of Korea; it’s cold,
wet and there’s not much to
do apart from the odd bit of
skiing or DVD watching at
home in the warm. There is
however a nice little island an
overnight boat ride away from
the peninsula that is currently
boasting temperatures a good
bit above freezing and that has
a number of interesting sights
to visit, including oddities such
as Loveland and the Mysterious
Ghost Roads.
The ferry for Jeju-do leaves
around 7pm every night, except
Sunday, from Busan’s Domestic
Terminal near to the Jungangdong subway station, and eleven
hours later you land at Jeju-city,
after a good rest in a cabin with
beds and a shower, or if you want
to go cheap, in a big ondol room
with two hundred other people.
There are two ferries operating;
personally I much prefer the
Seolbong, it’s newer, cleaner and
a much nicer experience than
the Cozy Island.
A three-bed room will set you
back around 50,000 won, but
it’s worth it if you plan to sleep.
The ondol starts at 25,000 won,
but is cramped, noisy and not
that much fun. You must stake
out your spot as soon as you
board and if you’re on last, you’re
out of luck. You would do well
to take a sleeping mat and bag
if you choose this option as the
floors are not the cleanest I’ve
ever slept on, to say the least.
Coming
back is
the same;
the ferry
leaves
J e j u city
at
7pm and
arrives
back into Busan early in the
morning the following day. It’s
a great alternative to flying and
since you get to sleep, sing, go
to a nightclub or just drink on
the ferry, the time passes quite
quickly. Bookings are taken on the
fourth floor of the ferry terminal,
although if you plan to travel at a
busy time, such as Chuseok, then
you will need to plan a long time
in advance. Jeju itself is gorgeous,
with green fields, horses, volcanic
mountains, and plenty of freshair.
Goje Island is a little over an
hour away from Busan by boat;
a great little summer get away
with beaches and mountains, a
not-quite-so-authentic prisoner
of war camp memorial, and a few
other little attractions. Mainly
it is home to the huge Daewoo
shipyards and a lot of open space
and beaches.
The boats run almost every hour
to one of three towns on the
island, it takes between forty mins
to one hour twenty minutes to get
there and costs 20,000 won each
way; a little more expensive than
the bus but about 3 hours quicker.
I didn’t think there was a lot to
do there, but you can get a group
together, head down and camp on
the beach round a campfire,
Deirdre Madden
The Ulsan Pear
“The person who thinks a job is
possible is the one
who is going to get it done”
Chung Ju-Young
though the police may come along
to stop you.
If Jeju or Gojae are not your
thing there are also a number of
destinations in Japan to choose
from, ranging from the infamous
three hour trip to Fukuoka to
the 2-3 hour trips to Izuhara and
Hitakasu on the Tsushima Island.
PanStar runs a cruise to Osaka on
Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday
each week, leaving at 4pm and
returning alternate days. A cabin
will cost you anywhere between
125-225,000 won per person,
each way, depending on the class.
Reservations can again be made
at the terminal or directly with
PanStar ferries by calling 051 462
5482, or visiting www.panstarline.
com.
If you are feeling a little romantic
there is always the PanStar night
cruise around Busan’s islets,
leaving at 4pm on a Saturday and
returning Sunday morning around
9am. The cruise takes in all the
sights of Busan by night, including
Gwangan Bridge, and Haeundae,
and you also get a chance to view
the sunset and sunrise from some
quite pretty locations. To make
a reservation or more details call
PanStar on 051 4646 400.
helenclayton76@yahoo.com
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The Pear could hardly do an
issue on Transportation in Ulsan
without mentioning Hyundai.
Between Hyundai Motor, the
country’s largest car factory,
and Hyundai Heavy Industries
(HHI), the worlds largest ship
yard, there’s a whole lot of
transporting going on.
In 1972 Chung Ju-Young, the
founder of Hyundai, decided to
build a shipyard in Ulsan. He
convinced a Greek ship operator
to buy two cargo ships from
him, and broke ground in Mipo
The world’s largest shipyard, HHI
stretches along four kilometres
of Mipo Bay at the mouth of the
Taehwa River, covers 1200 acres
(over four square kilometres or
1.2 million pyong) of land and
boasts nine dry docks and six
“Goliath” cranes. 2005 brought
in a revenue of 5.34 trillion
won ($5.72 billion US) and the
projections for 2006 are over
6.47 trillion won ($6.93 billion
US) in revenue.
HHI currently has a backlog of
over 250 ships on order. That’s
Photo by DeirDre Madden
Bay building the facilities as he
built the vessels. Two years later
workers completed both the
yard and the two ships. Chung
Ju-Young died in 2001, leaving
one son in charge of Hyundai
Motor and one in charge of
Hyundai Heavy Industries.
enough to guarantee work for
the next two to three years
without bringing in a single new
contract. Now you know why,
when most of Korea has been
facing an economic downturn,
Ulsan continues to grow and
expand like mad.
Hyundai Heavy Industries is
a main factor in why Korea
has risen from the rice paddies
to take it’s place as the world’s
tenth (or eleventh, depending
on the source) largest economy,
and the third strongest economy
in Asia after Japan and China.
Building
tankers,
carriers
and Naval vessels, including
submarines, HHI launches
approximately one new ship
every five days. This is pretty
incredible considering some of
these suckers are fifteen stories
high (49 metres) and the length
of three American football fields
(109 metres). They’ve completed
1170 ships in their thirty-four
years of existence. This year they
broke the industry record and
produced 74 ships.
HHI alone accounts for 15% of
the world’s shipbuilding market,
but it’s not alone in Korea.
Both Samsung and Daewoo
have shipyards on Goje Island.
Together, the three companies
produce about 44% of the
worlds commercial ships.
So the next time you’re driving
out to Bangeojin to get your
Subway fix, take a moment to
marvel at the shipyards as you
pass. We may be a small hick
town, but the backbone of the
Korean economy is right in our
own back yard.
deirdrefm@yahoo.ca
THE ulsan Pear 7
Taxis In Ulsan
Jim Saunders
The Ulsan Pear
they may press a button to start
increasing the fare by 20%.
According to the tourist literature
available on tour2korea.com,
taxis are plentiful, clean, safe, and
inexpensive in Korea. Make what
you will of this claim – everyone
has their own stories and anecdotal
tales about a ride in a Korean taxi.
Yet for those without their own
transport in Ulsan, they remain
very much a viable alternative,
especially once the bus services
have stopped running for the
night.
Calling for a taxi should cost an
extra 1,000 won but it is not often
noticed on top of the total fare.
One of the first things that people
wish to know is how much a
taxi fare is going to cost them.
The minimum fare in Ulsan
begins at 1,800 won for the first
two kilometres and increases by
100 won for every 144 metres
thereafter. Taking a taxi between
12 midnight and 4 a.m. will
mean an increase of 20% on the
minimum fare. 2160 being the
new minimum, rising at 120 won
thereafter.
After 4 a.m. passes the minimum
fare immediately returns to 1,800.
If your driver places it on the
higher fare question this action or
ask them to stop and get straight
out. 4 a.m. and beyond means
1,800 won.
Be aware if the driver touches
the meter at any point during
the journey. There is only a need
to touch it twice, once when the
journey starts and once when it
is over that is unless your journey
starts shortly before midnight
and continues past in which case
You may also see that some taxis
in the city are sporting large
and prominently displayed “free
interpretation” signs, a service
that is functioning somewhere but
perhaps not in that particular car
anymore. It is a hangover from the
2002 World Cup when supporters
needed English speaking assistance
getting to places, so do not get too
excited when you spy this sign in
a window.
Ulsan taxis have three different
coloured lights on top. Blue and
Green are part of a company and
the yellow/red lights represent a
drivers safety record of having no
incidents for upwards of ten years.
The same applies for the “Best
Driver” awarded taxis some may
see in the city.
If you do have a bad taxi ride and
feel compelled to report the driver
then comment cards are sometimes
available on the dashboard. If not,
take their personal details (usually
found on the front passenger seat
glove box). Don’t worry about
writing it in English as it can
be passed on to someone who
can translate it to the relevant
authorities.
So armed with this information
enjoy your ride in an Ulsan taxi!
jimshady2k1@hotmail.com
Taxi Language
Deirdre Madden
Ulsan Pear
Bus Terminal
Ulsan Yeok = Train Station
You may have noticed that
addresses are hard to decipher
here, so the best way to get
anywhere is to give the taxi
driver a landmark destination
near your intended destination,
then give small directions
from there with wenchok (left)
orenchok (right) and chikchin
(straight). Here’s a list of some
of the landmarks that all cab
drivers know. Be prepared to try
numerous pronunciations until
the driver finally says the same
thing you first said, but this
time with a lightbulb on over
his head.
Seongnamdong (old downtown)
Shinae = downtown
Shigaetap = clock circle
Samsongdong (new downtown)
Lotte Bek hwa jam = Lotte
Department Store
Kosok Buseu Terminal = Express
Adamo DeFazio’s View
Photo by Jim Saunders
Empty Car
빈차
Drive (start meter)
주행
Extra Price (12 midnight & 4a.m.)
할증
Mugeodong
Ulsan Daehakyo = Ulsan
University
Bangeojin
Gwahak Daehakyo = Ulsan
College
Ilsan hae su yuk jang = Ilsan
Beach
Telephone Call
호출
Time
시계
Pay
지불
Complex (If in the taxi prior to midnight and continuing after the fare will now increase at a20%) 복합
Other helpful words - just put the sagori = intersection
area name in front of them, and Ulsan Daegongwon = Ulsan
you’re set.
Grand Park
gongwon = park
byeong won = hospital
shejang = market
hae su yuk jang = beach
chodung hakyo = elementary
su yuk jang = swimming pool
school
kyo = bridge
jung hakyo = middle school
godung hakyo = high school
gonghang = airport
Blue Call Taxi
227-6728 (Nam-Gu)
Now you’re fluent in Taxi Cab
Korean. Get out and explore the
city!
Jin Heung Taxi
273-2035 (Nam-Gu)
info@ulsanpear.biz
Speed Call Taxi
223-8282 (Nam-Gu)
8 THE ulsan Pear
The Future is Here
Fin Madden
The Ulsan Pear
Words like ‘skyline’, ‘architecture’,
‘world class’, or ‘modern’ are not
the first ones that pop into my head
when I describe Ulsan. The city
has a reputation as a factory city.
It is marketed as Korea’s Industrial
capital. But like a recent university
grad with his first paycheque in
hand, Ulsan is shopping for a
new image. The city government
(as well as Hyundai and SK) are
spending a lot of money to clean
up the city. With plans in place
and construction started Ulsan is
going to be a vibrantly different
city by 2012.
Lotte C
41 St
132
Majestower
35 Stories
396 Units
Riversuites
33 Stories
Since 2000 Ulsan has seen
the completion of the Munsu
Worldcup Stadium, The Ulsan
Grand Park phase I and II and
Dongcheon Stadium complex.
These projects only mark the
beginning of Ulsan’s leap from a
regional city to and international,
modern metropolis.
The west end of the city is currently
undergoing dramatic changes. The
districts of Beomseo and Eonyang
are both rapidly growing, with
new apartment complexes being
started almost everyday. The
Ulsan KTX extension is under
construction, with the new station
(as well as new bus stations) to
be located in Eonyang. There are
plans to build Ulsan National
University in Beomseo,
with hopes of eventually
even challenging Seoul
University. Added to
this is the construction
of the Busan-UlsanPohang
expressway
which will run right
through
Munsusan
and run north past
Beomseo.
From the KTX station
a Light Rapid Transit
(LRT) will run. This
will be a high tech
streetcar, similar to
ones in many European cities.
The first line will run from
Eonyang, through Mugeodong
and past Munsu Stadium, through
Gonguptap to Ulsan Station, and
then north to Hyomun Station
(near Dongcheon Stadium). This
project will cost a forcasted 1.4
billion dollars. There are further
plans to build 3 more lines,
including one around Bangeojin
to the Hyundai Mipo Yards.
Lotte Innovation
~47 Stories
To Ulsan KTX Station (Eonyang)
and Ulsan National University
S
Sinbok Rotary
Doosan
48 Stories
278 Units
Light R
apid T
Taehwa
Munsu Stadium
ransit
Syste
m (Sta
ge 1)
Gon
Welltz Towers
25 Stories
253 Units
Lotte Castle Kingdom
30 Stories
196 Units
World Meridian
25 Stories
Light Rapid Transit...KTX...National
THE ulsan Pear 9
Kukdong Skyclass
30 Stories
188 Units
Castle
tories
Units
Ulsan 2012
As the city spreads outwards, it
also beings to reach upwards.
Currently there is no building
taller than 25 stories in town.
There are plans to build 15
different buildings taller than
this, and the tallest twin towers
will reach 54 stories. Most
of this development is based
around Seongnamdong, which
is currently a rather rundown
neighbourhood. By 2010 there
will be a remarkable skyline along
the Taehwa river. Most buildings
will be ‘Offictel’s which include
shopping on the lower floors,
offices in the midranges, and
the top floors for apartments.
An average luxury apartment
in these towers will cost around
$500 000.
Exordium
54 Stories
Hyomun
Station
Dongcheon Stadium
Shinae/Seongnamdong
Sante ville
32 Stories
188 Units
There are also plans to build either
‘Ulsan Grand Bridge’ or Yeompo
Tunnel to reduce traffic problems
on the Asanno. These projects are
currently under review. Bridges
add much more to a skyline then
tunnels, though.
The city also plans to go hi-tech
for traffic. They are currently
building an Intelligent Traffic
system which will not only
quicken traffic flow, but it will
also include such neat things as
computerized signs at bus stops
telling you exactly how long
your bus will be. Some of this
technology is already visible in
computerized signs telling of
traffic flow on various roads. This
system will be further developed
in the coming years with PDA
and handphone applications.
If all of these plans come to
fruition Ulsan will rapidly climb
from an industrial stopover to a
business center. The shear number
of highways, railways, apartments
and skyscrapers being built is
mind numbing. If you sit in an
empty parking lot long enough
there is a good chance that a high
rise will be built around you.
finmadden@yahoo.ca
LRT Routes
a Rotary
Lotte Hotel
Ulsan Station
Amuty
33 Stories
212 Units
nguptap Rotary
m
o
Ye
po
n
Tu
l
ne
Hyundai Mipo
Skyrex
40 Stories
268 Units
The Prestige
32 Stories
149 Units
Artnouveau
33 Stories
127 Units
Jangsangpo
Bangeojin
l University...Ulsan Grand Bridge
10 THE ulsan Pear
The Pear’s Events Calendar FOR JANUARY 2006
THE CUT-OUT & KEEP GUIDE TO FORTHCOMING EVENTS ACROSS ULSAN
PHOTO OF THE MONTH
River in Jeju By Park Su-chun
usluts@yahoo.com
Martial Arts Training
www.imasgroup.us
Ki Muzu Ryo Do
Official certificates and Belts
English Language Only
imarartsociety@yahoo.com
Mobis Basketball home games
played at Dongcheon Gymnasium
MONDAY
Free Alcohol!
Photo of the month is a contest sponsored by Benchwarmers.
Each winner recieves a 20,000won tab. Send your photo to: info@ulsanpear.biz Artistic shots or
Konglish signs are welcome as submissions.
TUESDAY
1
WEDNESDAY
2
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
3
SATURDAY
4
5
SUNDAY
6
Mobis Basketball
Game 3pm
Seoul Int’l Marathon March 18th.
Runners and Supporters wanted. Training 4 days a week.
Beginners welcome. alexisrnewman@yahoo.com
7
Won Shot Wanderers
1-3pm Nongso
Frisbee 3pm
Bowling Tuesdays & Poker on Thursdays @ Tombstone
8
15
9
10
11
Hyundai Arts Center
Childrens Magic Show
(In English)
2pm & 5pm
10,000 - 15,000won
Mobis Basketball
Game 7pm
Hyundai Arts Center
Childrens Magic Show
(In English)
2pm & 5pm
10,000 - 15,000won
Writers Group @ McKenzie’s 10:30pm
Poker @ Tombstone
Hyundai Arts Center
Childrens Magic Show
(In English)
2pm & 5pm
10,000 - 15,000won
16
17
18
Mobis Basketball
Game 7pm
22
23
Poker @ Tombstone
24
Books and Booze
Literary Discussion Group.
“Water for Elephants” by
Sarah Gruen
McKenzie’s, Mondays
at 10pm. Email
deirdrefm@yahoo.ca
for details.
30
25
14
Won Shot Wanderers
1-3pm Hyomun
Frisbee 3pm
Mobis Basketball
Game 5pm
19
20
21
Won Shot Wanderers
1-3pm Yangjeong
Frisbee 3pm
26
Hyundai Arts Center
Kim Chang Gyoon
Violin Recital 8pm
Tickets 10,000won
27
28
Frisbee 3pm
31
Running - Hash House Harriers meet every second Sunday at the
Foreigners compound in Bangeojin at 10am.
Paintball
Can organize paintball days for
groups of twenty-five to thirty.
Contact Benchwarmers.
13
Mobis Basketball
Game 7pm
Writers Group @McKenzie’s 10:30pm
Poker @ Tombstone
29
12
Mountain Bike Club - UMTBC
Jung Sang Young, Samchuly Bicycle
between Gongeobtap and Taewha
Rotaries. 052-260-3000.
Writers Group @ McKenzie’s Bar: Share your short stories, poetry and music. Or just come and listen. kristianna@gmail.com
The Ulsan Ugly Playboy Rugby
Team are back. Interested? Contact Benchwarmers at
benchwarmersbar@yahoo.com
Rock Climbing - Most Saturdays
and some mornings.
ulsanrockclimbing@googlegroups.
com
THE ulsan Pear 11
The Challenges of Learning Korean
Rick Ruffin
Contributor
Living in a country and not
learning the language is like
eating a meal with a mouth full
of Novocaine. You must learn
the language to fully appreciate
your time spent in Korea.
unimagined to the Westerner.
The sounds are utterly
different, the pronunciation
is challenging at the least,
and Koreans often don’t use
subjects when they speak. If
they do, they are buried away
somewhere in the middle or at
the end of the sentence, leaving
the reader clueless as to what is
going on.
If you are here for any
considerable length of time it
is essential that you learn the Also, pronouns are rarely
language. It will make your used and verbs are conjugated
sojourn here that much richer. according to the other person’s
age (known as honorifics).
The good news is that Korean People are referred to by titles,
is composed of a phonetic or through a complex series
“alphabet,” Hangeul, which of hierarchical and family
is relatively easy to learn nomenclature such as aunt,
(unlike China’s thousands of uncle, big brother, big sister,
ideograms). The bad news is esteemed elder, teacher, etc,
that it is a language totally etc.
unlike any other--Japanese is its
closest linguistic relative--full of Order is, of course, the greatest
nuances and thought that often challenge, and many people
comes out in ways completely think that is why Koreans have
verb is at the very end of the
sentence. Strange stuff. But
such is the challenge of living
in an exotic country.
Truly—is knowing what words
and expressions to use. The ones
you find in the newspaper or
in the dictionary are often not
used by the common people.
Another challenge is the way There is a considerable gulf—
words are put together. Korean unlike in English speaking
is a language of chopping, countries—between
written
slicing and dicing. For example and spoken Korean.
meegook means USA, ilbon
refers to Japan, and hangook If you do decide to learn Korean,
means Korea. However, Korean- it is important that you practice
American is hanmee instead everyday. If you are young and
of hangookmeegook; Japanese- have a good memory, and a
American is ilmee, and Korean- desire to know what everyone
Japanese is translated as haneel. around you is saying, you have
Unless you know the Chinese a particular advantage. Few
(hanja) roots to these words, non-Koreans can speak this
you’re going to spend a lot of challenging language. I say go
time guessing which part of the for it.
word to keep, and which part
from Korean will read: “To to leave on the cutting room Rick Ruffin lives in Donghae,
Kangwon Province. He’s lived in
mail a letter, to the bank go.” floor.
Korea on and off for 10 years.
The first thing the foreigner
Probably
the
most
frustrating
asks is “Who goes to the bank?”
Again, there is no first person thing about trying to learn
rick_ruffin@yahoo.com
singular pronoun, and the Korean—at least for Yours
difficulties learning English-because they “think backwards.”
Or perhaps it is we who think
backwards. A typical sentence
translated literally into English
The Unbearable Lightness Of Bicycling
Katie Peavler
Contributor
home tiresome. A bicycle proved
the perfect solution.
internet offered such miraculously
cheap finds.
All of the searching, the waiting,
the teamwork had paid off. As
I jetted into the chilly winter
night of Ulsan, floating over
cracked concrete and cigarette
butts, I knew if I rode fast
enough I could drift right back
into my childhood memories
of late night alley races and
summer trail treks. To have
a bike in Ulsan makes for a
magical, albeit dangerous,
experience.
I think we all know what happens
when we tell our Korean co-
The bike arrived at the end of the
week, and my co-teachers helped
me to assemble it
right in the lobby of
our academy. The
self-assembly could
be considered a
downside to internet
purchasing, but it
actually was not
difficult at all. Most of
the requirements were
as self-explanatory as
joining two pieces of
bread for a sandwich.
Anything
a
bit
confusing was dealt
with in the Korean
instruction manual,
which should not
pose any problem
if you have some
Koreans to help you.
Sure, throwing yourself amidst
traffic, pedestrians that include
darting, sugar high children and
ultra slow ajummas, and facing
the horrendous bumps that
Ulsan’s curbs present (whatever
happened to handicapped
accessible?) makes for a
daunting task. I must confess
that I have thus far kept to the
sidewalks and find the idea of
riding in traffic to be completely
mystifying, if not suicidal.
I decided to buy my bike one
lazy morning after the fifth time
of rolling over in bed because my
gym was “just a bit too far away”
from my apartment. The distance
certainly wasn’t far enough for
a taxi ride, which would be
extremely guilt-ridden after half
an hour’s attempt of burning
off those weekend rounds of
soju, but it was just far enough
to make the post-workout walk
Photo by Jason Teale
teachers of a new idea. Our idea
becomes their idea. They must
be part of its solution, or face
certain embarrassment from not
having wisely shown their foreign
counterparts the ropes. So two
minutes after asking what would
be a good store from which to
buy a bike, my helpful Korean
co-worker was surfing through
bike ads on G-Market. There was
much tut-tutting over my naïve
idea that I could find a good
deal in an actual store, when the
After a little legwork,
I have found that
bikes in stores can range from
80,000 won at the cheapest up
to whatever amount you can
imagine for the bells and whistles
some professional cyclists might
pursue. However, online they are
very cheap, as my own bike was
around 50,000 won, including
shipping.
Another delicious reason to
make an internet purchase is
that competing sellers offer their
own freebies to make theirs
the sweetest deal. My bike, for
example, came with a free basket,
bell, and cable set. Its folding
capability supposedly lends itself
to easier portability, such as a
taking it on a bus across town,
or in the trunk of a taxi. I have
not done this as of yet, but I have
tried folding it and found it to be
quite easy.
So the next time you’re headed to
a favored location and faced with
the conundrum of it being just
too far to walk and just too close
for a taxi, consider purchasing
yourself a bicycle to further add
to your Ulsan experience!
aujourdhui.me@gmail.com
12 THE ulsan Pear
The Ride Guide
The Hyosung Rally 50 : A Great Thrill Ride
Fin Madden
The Ulsan Pear
on the bike steel lock. Any bike
that my sister can pick up is very
easy to steal.
People used to
tell me that I was
crazy riding a bike
here. After years of
research, I can only
confirm what I was
originally told. At
first it seems like
all the drivers are
out to kill you, you
quickly
discover
that this is not true.
Most drivers are out
to kill you, some are
satisfied simply with
a good maiming.
You may as well
make it a challenge for them.
For the transportation issue
I decided to test something
comparable with the cost of
riding the bus, a 49cc scooter.
The Hyosung Rally is Hyosung’s
top of the line 49cc scooter.
First thoughts
Riding a scooter was once
compared to riding a kitchen
stool through traffic. This image
still comes to mind whenever I
hop on one. The Rally was the
second scooter I ever owned, I did
some long trips on one, and I have
fond memories of it. In the name
of good research, I borrowed one
from Ulsan Autobike, and within
seconds of taking off into traffic I
had a huge grin on my face. These
bikes are simply fun to ride.
Acceleration
Zero to twenty in 4.2 seconds. It’s
basically a riding lawnmower, so if
you are looking for tire squealing
Maneuverability
Incredible. With the wide tires,
light weight and tiny wheelbase this
bike is a dream to bounce through
traffic. Unlike some scooters that
scrape on almost every corner, this
bike can be heeled over quite far
and still seems stable. It’s fun to
race through heavy traffic on this
bike.
Style
None. Jamie Oliver might have
brought the Vespa back into style,
but this bike has none of it. Retro
scooters are cute, the Rally is an
eyesore. Luckily it was dark so
nobody saw me test drive the pink
model.
Photo by Fin Madden
power, you’ve bought the wrong
bike. The engine is just strong
enough to get you ahead of the
cars at a red light. On a flat
stretch of road it takes about 30
seconds to reach the top speed of
70 km/h.
Braking
At 90 kg, this bike is quite light.
It doesn’t take much to stop it.
It’s got a single disc in the front
and a drum in the back. Because
of the lower speeds involved with
riding a 49cc bike emergency
braking isn’t a problem. You can
comfortably tailgate in hopes of
drafting behind almost any car or
truck.
Comfort
It’s small. This bike was designed
with a 50 kilogram (110 pound)
coffee girl in mind. The foot box
is small and gets cramped on long
rides. There isn’t much room to
move your butt around either, as
the seat is quite tiny.
Cost
Cheap. Wrapped in plastic this
bike will cost you no more than
1.3 million won. A used model
will run between four and six
hundred thousand. If you don’t
crash it too often you can even get
a decent resale price.
Fuel efficiency
Filling the tank from empty for
my test drive cost 3800 won.
That’s about as much as a decent
pair of socks. I drove around the
city for an hour and the gas gauge
stayed at full. At these prices who
really cares about kilometers per
litre. All that matters is that this is
a cheap ride.
Reliability
Good. I drove one of these
bikes for 6 months, including a
1000km weekend, and I had no
problems with it. It’s two stroke
(bad for the environment, good
for acceleration), so make sure
that you’re always carrying an extra
bottle of oil. The biggest problem
is that 49cc bikes attract thieves
like soju causes trouble. If you buy
one, spend the extra twenty bucks
Passenger
My passenger refused to get on
because the bike was too ugly.
But remembering back to my
scooter long ago I can tell you
that the Rally seemed to die with
somebody on the back, on hills
the bike became almost comically
slow.
Scootering
is
dangerous.
Scootering could very well be
considered a mental disease. I love
it. They are the cheapest, quickest,
most efficient way to get around
the city, and a fun day out of
town on the weekend. Some of
my fondest memories of Korea
are my friends and I racing off at
50km/h to some remote mountain
temple. Buy one, have fun, just
BE CAREFUL.
finmadden@yahoo.ca
THE ulsan Pear 13
Matthew Murray
The Ulsan Pear
Che Kyung Shin was just a normal
high school girl, but now she’s
learning just how much being
a princess sucks. Every day is
scheduled down to the last minute,
she can’t live with (or even see) her
family anymore and her husband
(the crown prince) is a jerk.
So Hee Park’s Goong is set in
a world were Korea still has a
royal family and operates as a
constitutional monarchy. The
royal family are absurdly popular
with the general public, despite, or
perhaps because of, their extreme
ties to tradition. So when Shin
Lee, the crown price or “seja,”
starts going to Che’s school, she’s
excited. Until she actually talks to
him and discovers he’s a jerk who
she wants nothing to do with.
Unfortunately, things don’t go
that way. It turns out that Che’s
grandfather was best friends
with the prince’s grandfather
(the former king) and before the
king died they decided that their
grandchildren (Che and Shin)
would marry. In the twenty-first
century it seems unlikely that you
could convince two teenagers,
especially ones that don’t like
each other, that they should get
married, yet in volume two they
do. So what happened?
At first Che is going to say no,
but having her mother prodding
her towards marriage because she
would rather have her daughter
be unhappy for the rest of her life
than her father-in-law feel guilty,
doesn’t exactly help. But when
Che realizes that this could be a
way for her family to escape the
poverty they live in, she relents.
She is willing to sacrifice herself
for her family.
However, Shin’s motivations are
nowhere near as self-sacrificing.
The prince thinks Che is a clutz
and a fool and only agreed to
marry her because he knows the
life of a princess is horrible. “Do
you think I’m crazy enough to
make the one that I love be forced
to live in the palace like a doll?
Since I don’t care what happens
to you, I am letting you be sejabin
[crown princess].” He also says
that later, when things get really
horrible, he’ll just divorce her.
How nice!
will she end up with his brother
who seems nice (yes!) but may be
too good to be true?
poet and his work is not lost on
foreigners with any particular
Korean experience.
Goong is one of the most popular
comics currently being made in
Korea, and has also been made
into a TV drama. If you want to
brush up on your Korean, you can
pick up the graphic novels easily
enough. Thankfully, it’s also now
available in English, just check
amazon or somewhere.
Chun Sang-byung was a great
man in as much as any poet can be
great at being a man. He embraced
it as his way of life from an early
age and never wavered. He was
recognized by the age of 22 for
his skills, and began a brilliant
career of poetry and literary essays.
Sadly, he was arrested during
the terror of the late 1960’s and
severely tortured. He survived the
horrendous torture but spiritually
and emotionally he lost a great
deal.
tomorrowboy@gmail.com
Chun took to a hard drinking
vagabond lifestyle and in 1971
disappeared from all friends and
family. Chun Sang-byung has the
distinction of being a poet who
lived to see his work published
posthumously as he was thought
dead during that time. He was
found in an asylum some time
later and brought back into the
world by his friends and loved
ones.
At this point you can pretty much
figure out this isn’t the start to a
typical romance story.
It is, however, funny and mostly
undercuts things expected from
this type of comic. At times a
page will show what will happen
in normal romance comics, and
then the next page will have
what actually happens in Goong
(usually featuring characters doing
something stupid).
The art is heavily influenced by
Japanese comics (as are most
Korean comics), but it looks good
and works well with the story (a
lot of effort has been put into
making the characters’ clothes look
fashionable). At times it becomes
super-deformed, which is strange
the first time you see it, but is part
of this artistic style.
Romance stories aren’t really my
thing, but Goong is good and
different enough to pull me in.
Will Che fall in love with Shin
(don’t do it, he’s not worth it!) or
Chris Linton
The Ulsan Pear
So many Korean people are wary
when they see foreigners reading
their literature. They always fret
that foreigners cannot understand
their art. This is for various
reasons, mostly because of Korea’s
insulated existence, their singular
world view. Sometimes, it is a
valid concern, especially with the
poets.
The work of Chun Sang-byung is
as familiar to me as any Western
This collection of poetry from
the Cornell East Asia Series, Back
to Heaven, Selected Poems of
Chun Sang-byung contain works
beginning in 1971 and ending
with his own death in 1993. He is
a lyric poet and a vagabond poet,
living a life marked by poverty but
with an eye for the harmony of the
world; love and sorrow marked
in all creation. The accessibility
of his poetry comes through the
romanticism in his work and his
many allusions to Western literary
figures and religion. Nature and
God intertwine, in the Chinese
sense of heaven and nature, and
figure heavily into Chun’s work
without fettering it to Catholicism.
He is a solitary figure in his work,
beautifully so in his
poem, “In A Tavern,”
where the narrator-poet
sits at dusk and wonders
at the smoothness
which the day takes
on from such a seat.
With another drink the
boundaries become hazy
and he is able to see with
calm eye past the city,
over the mountains and
to a mountain clime
of children playing,
“infinitely
cheerful.”
The poet figures into
most of Chun’s poetry
and it is a poet who gives
wonder and thanks to a
god for allowing him so
much beauty.
Korean Literature corner
Goong (궁)
Chun
Sang-byung’s
work is wonderfully
translated by Brother
Anthony of Taize
and
Kim
Youngmoon. Certainly, there
are some places of
difficulty but on the
whole the reading is
very rewarding. Here is
a poet of often childish
glee which could easily
be
under-estimated.
Here is a poet for your every day,
for reading on buses, for taking
on hikes. The Cornell East Asia
series offers a wide variety of
Korean poetry translated notably
well. They are available at any
large bookstores in Korea. The
volumes have the English and the
Korean so these novels are often
not found in the English book
section. Keep your eyes peeled for
a new translation of Yang Gui-ja’s
1998 bestseller, Contradictions,
translated by Stephen Epstein and
Kim Mi-Young.
christopherlinton@gmail.com
14 THE ulsan Pear
The Host
Chris Linton
Contributor
“The Host” is a movie which
could be categorized as drama,
sci-fi, horror, comedy, action,
thriller and more. Movies which
successfully pull off multiple
genre storytelling are few and far
between. These are notable movies
and are the work of competent
direction with a solid story line.
much loved and
cared for by her idiot
father, grandfather,
venerable
actor
Byon
Hie-bong,
her aunty (lovely
Bae Doo-na) and
uncle (Park Hae-il).
Hyun-seo, thought
dead, manages to get
a fuzzy call to her
father in the hospital.
The family is
committed to
finding
their
lost daughter.
Simple, right?
Photo by Kevin Forman
Andy Fawcett
Contributor
On Saturday December 9th,
Tombstone held its first Henry
the VIII feast. The evening
consisted of a 5 course meal,
games and excellent acting from
some of Ulsan’s finest thespians.
King Mitchy and Queen Colleen
presided over the event and were
quick to make their presence
known, sending late comer Sir
James to “Ye Ole Box O’ Shame”
for his tardiness. Attending the
evening’s events were the houses
of Tudor, Normandy, Windsor,
Stuart,
Hanover,
Chosun,
Gryffindor and Slytherin. The goal
for each group was to be named
the King and Queen’s favourite.
The houses were judged on a
variety of criteria including, but
not limited to, dancing ability,
quiz smarts and most importantly,
etiquette. Court chamberlain
Gareth made sure the event
ran smoothly and was quick to
admonish any and all unruly
guests. His constant ringing of the
royal bell and frequent shouts of
“HERE YE, HERE YE” provided
continual amusement for those in
attendance.
As for the guests, Slytherin house
were a particularly ill-mannered
group, often challenging the
court’s authority with shouts of
“Down with the King”. Were it
not for Sir AJ’s exquisite dance
moves, they all most certainly
would have been drawn and
quartered. Tudor were thought
to be strong favorites as they
represented the King and Queen’s
very own house. However, their
troublemaking ways had them in
front of the King and Queen more
often than not.
When the houses were not
fighting amongst themselves or
giving the King and Queen a hard
time, they found time to indulge
in a delicious meal put on by Jeff,
Mark and Aussie Nate. Turkey,
roasted chicken and pumpkin pie
all appeared to be crowd favorites,
while the unlimited draft beer
had a few drinking themselves
to another place and time.
Buxom bar wenches Kristen and
Nicole worked the room in style,
charming the audience with their
grace and good humour.
In the end, it was Gryffindor
who took top honours, due to
their good looks, high level of
participation and sophisticated
magic skills. They narrowly beat
out the House of Stuart, whose
opening toast introduced the
King and Queen to rap music and
its deadliest weapon; the human
beat box. Bringing up the rear
was the House of Windsor, whose
one highlight was a controversial
victory in the frozen fish duel.
Tombstone would like to thank
everyone for helping make this
event such a success.
ttafawcett@hotmail.com
Photo by Jim Saunders
“The Host,” by Bong Joon-ho
(“Memories of Murder”) is a
movie with no identity because it
lacks a solid story line and good
direction. It is classified with
multiple genres because it is not
much of anything; it is a movie
one struggles to care about.
The movie’s premise is based on
the actual event of an American
military facility staff who ordered
the dumping of large amounts
of formaldehyde down the drain
and into the Han River. That
man was tried and eventually
convicted without any penalty
served. The event was big news
and illustrated how helpless the
Korean government and the
Korean people are to the American
military’s actions. This reference
to a major news event grounds the
story in reality making it clear the
director’s intention to tell more
than a monster movie.
Korean Movie corner
Hail To The King And Queen!
There is a
monster which
eats people, the
monster may
also be carrying
a deadly virus,
there is the
American military and
Korean government who
are orchestrating a massive
Big Brother quarantine
and there is the family who
believe Hyun-seo is still
alive.
The family fights a lot too. The
movie is shattered into slapstick;
monster
rampages;
death;
government conspiracy; public
paranoia; family drama; societal
problems in modern Korea;
emotional problems in these
characters; and perplexingly
humorous patricide. There is
no end in sight and finally the
person next to you says, “What
the hell is this movie about?”
Bong Joon-ho directed the
chilling thriller, “Memories
of Murder” (see Ulsan Pear,
September 2006) which was a
genre bending story based on the
unsolved serial killings of women
in rural Korea during the 1980’s.
With mastery he told a basic
serial killing story which fed off
of Korea’s political environment
of the day. “The Host” with all
its notable actors and actresses,
and great special effects, fails to
Five years after the formaldehyde tell one story or another.
dump, a big mutant beast leaps
out of the Han River and all hell It must be noted that the first
breaks loose. The beast, hungry 15 minutes of the movie, when
and pissed off, does more than it was a movie about a monster
eat people. It also sucks a few up rampaging through Seoul told
and brings them to his layer in through the experience of one
the sewers of Seoul. Why does it family, were promising. This
do this? We never know. But, the movie may have been impressive
beast takes a middle school student, enough to sell tens of millions of
Hyun-seo, who is the daughter of a tickets in Korea but I want my
man-child beach worker played by 2000 won rental fee back.
the usually reliable, Song Kang-ho
(“Memories of Murder”). Hyunchristopherlinton@gmail.com
seo lacks a mother but she is
Beyond Ramyeon
Chow Down At Tombstone
Jim Saunders
The Ulsan Pear
Quesadillas, Club
Sandwiches, Poutine, Grilled Cheese
Toasties, Hamburgers, Thai Chicken
and a number of
Nacho dishes. Just
a casual glance over
the Tombstone food
menu is enough to
make even the most
Koreanized foreigner’s mouth water.
Available all week
until late into the
night, many people
in Ulsan get cravings
for this food.
It’s because the ingredients going into it are predominantly ingredients from back in the west
via Costco in Daegu. And then
it’s non-greasy, well prepared
and well cooked. The end result
- whatever your choice - is not
typical heart-attack-on-a-plate
bar food.
Regular Nachos, Chicken Nachos, Bacon Nachos, Deluxe Nachos - a wide variety to choose
between and a must try on the
menu (from 6,000 won). For
1,000 won more sour cream is
available as a side. Extra salsa is
also available on demand if you
run out over the course of your
food.
A Quebecois item, Poutine, (from
5,000 won) containing fries and
cheese curds smothered in thick
brown gravy, is another must try.
In Quebec the cheese curds go in
first and the piping hot gravy is
THE ulsan Pear 15
The Pear’s Classifieds
FOR SALE
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Photo by Jim Saunders
used to do the melting. However,
Tombstone actually smouther
potato wedges in gravy and then
bake cheese over the top in the
oven. Despite this difference it’s
very tasty. It could be likened to
mixing chips and gravy for those
from the UK.
Other items such as the Grilled
Cheese Toastie (3,000 won) is
done well. The Tombstone Burger (4,000 won) is homemade and
hits the spot.
Some dishes also have a vegetarian option or can be made vegetarian upon request - just ask.
And not one of the aforementioned choices above is unreasonably priced either. Which means
that it’s not something that becomes an occasional treat like the
western chain restaurants in the
city. If you’re in the area after a
day at work it makes a great eating alternative.
The main cooking duties usually fall to the head chef. Always
polite, always apologetic if food
is taking a while one evening, he
does a good job.
Tombstone also has food you
can buy to take home with you.
Check the board on the back wall
behind the pool table for what’s
available on any given week. Past
and present items have included
Honey Nut Cheerios, Campbell’s Tomato Soup and blocks of
Cheddar Cheese with half blocks
available too. Specials appear regularly with home-made Lasagne
to eat there or take away. There
will be some soup and salad combinations appearing soon.
Though many of you reading this
may have tried the menu already,
this serves a friendly reminder of
just how good it is.
Tombstone provides a home
away from home with a cosy atmosphere in which to enjoy your
food. The menu earns a very positive recommendation.
jimshady2k1@hotmail.com
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Editorial : 2006 Year In Review
Kevin Forman
The Ulsan Pear
Looking back at the past 12
months, 2006 has been a
memorable year.
Starting with the Ulsan Pear, we’ve
seen tremendous growth. Last
January the Pear was eight pages,
with a much smaller circulation.
Since then, thanks to all the hard
work of the volunteers here, we’ve
increased to sixteen pages, and
had a great increase in circulation
as well.
The Pear has also seen the
departure and arrival of many
writers and board members. We
miss all those that have gone on
their way, and we welcome all the
ones who have joined.
The city of Ulsan has also
continued to change. As the city
has expanded, the international
feel within the city continues
to increase as well. Food plays a
big part in our lives, and we’ve
managed to find some excellent
Italian, Indian and Mexican
restaurants, among the other
cuisines looked at in the Pear.
There has also been a flourish in
the number of family restaurants,
so ubiquitous to every large city.
The city has also seen an increase
in the number of recreational
facilities. The Ulsan Grand Park
has expanded, as well as the Munsu
Stadium Complex, and Ulsan
College. Add these with various
other sports complexes, and
cultural areas, there is increasingly
more to do in the Ulsan area.
The city also continues it’s facelift,
both in terms of green space and
architecture. It is interesting to
watch the city grow and change,
and every week it seems as
though there is something new
appearing.
The foreign community has also
seen some memorable times in
2006. From the third annual
sports Triathlon, fourth annual
Inferno, and hash runs, to a new
book club and bingo night, there
is always something to do.
There have also been successful
celebrations and weddings that
many people have been a part of.
Hopefully, 2006 was a good year
for all of our readers, and we here
at the Pear hope that 2007 will be
prosperous and exciting for all of
you.
pearkevin@yahoo.com
LETTER
TO THE
EDITOR
I have recently made a trip
(my first) to Korea (Ulsan)
to attend my nephew’s
wedding. While there, I
accompanied him on his
rounds of a routine “day in
the life of...”. While at his
Bar, I noticed several editions
of “The Ulsan Pear”--no
doubt due to the (by now)
unfamiliar characters in
which it was written (a, b, c,
d, etc.).
Anyway, the Paper’s origin
was explained to me at
which time I inquired if
I might take some copies
home. I wanted them as
mementos of my nephew’s
life in Korea, where he has
been for the past 7 years.
So, here I am, home again.
Now, I must be brutally
honest. Upon opening these
papers, I did a very quick
visual scan for any sign of
my nephew’s name or any
references to his Bar. I know,
I know! This is very shallow
and perhaps, in a vicarious
way,
even
somewhat
narcissistic. I do not care. Of
myself and my 2 siblings, my
nephew is the only progeny; and
I never pass up an opportunity
(much to his chagrin at times, I
am sure) to express my pride in
him.
A Look Back at the Ulsan Pear in 2006
THE ulsan Pear 16
Next Issue:
Anywaaaaaaay, at some point on
my marathon run through these
papers, the actual content began
to emerge in my extremely biased
Arts and Culture!
The theme of our February issue is Arts and Culture.
Drama? Movies? Sculptures? Paintings? Performance Art? What is
there in Korea to prevent you from becoming a philistine? All contributions are welcome, and other topics will be accepted as well.
Please send 500 words (and an accompanying photograph) to info@ulsanpear.biz before January 19th. If you
have any questions, please feel free to ask!
brain. I found myself slowing
down, re-reading and thoroughly
enjoying the content. If ever I
were to find myself in Korea
again, I do not think I would
leave home without consulting
“The Ulsan Pear”.
Even though such a trip, for me,
would be unlikely, you may think
the content of the Paper would
be irrelevant to say the least.
Probably so. However, that did
not diminish my enjoyment of it
in any measure. I found the style
of writing amusing and, in some
parts, laugh-out-loud funny.
In the issue on “food”, I could
commiserate with your writers as
they deliberated most ingenuously
on their first impressions of the
epicurean delight of Korean
Society.
Unfortunately, I was not
there long enough to gain an
appreciation for it; however, on
a brighter note, I did manage to
leave several pounds behind me
to enjoy the country as they so
choose.
I must admit I did blush several
times as I read, “Eating Etiquette
in Korea”. I am quite certain I
may have broken about 1/2 of
the rules listed in this column.
Oh yes, guess what I gave my
nephew and his beautiful new
bride as a wedding gift--a clock.
It was a beautiful clock; however,
according to Korean Superstitions,
“never give a clock as a gift.”
It did not signify the potential
retribution for such an offense,
but I cannot help wondering if
the gift went out with the trash
the day I left.
I do not know if you accept “Letters
to the Editor” from transients,
but I do hope you will pass on to
your staff the admiration of one
person from a tiny little place in
Nova Scotia, Canada (South Bar,
Cape Breton). Your paper is like a
“how-to” manual to live, play, eat
and, ultimately, be happy in an
alien environment.
As I mentioned, I did not expect
to be entertained by information
I might have thought to be
detached from myself and my life
1/2 a world away. However, the
writing prowess of your staff with
the injection of their personal
anecdotes make this Paper a
must-see to anyone who might
have access to it.
Susan MacDonald