Arirang

contents
january 2013 Vol.9 No.1
02
Cover Story
UNESCO’s
Intangible
Cultural Heritage of
Humanity
Arirang
Koreans and
Arirang
12
pen & brush
Kim Chi-Ha
A Poet of
Resistance and Life
16
People
A Doctor for
Instruments
Yu Je-se
20
Great Korean
An Ancient Hero of
Unification
General Kim Yu-sin
22
Seoul
A Walk Through
Seoul Plaza
26
Travel
A Stage for Dancing
Birds
Geumgang Estuary
30
festival
The Seogwipo
Penguin Swimming
Festival
32
Entertainment
Neo-Renaissance of
Korean Film
34
Sports
A Climber at the Top
Jain Kim
36
Special Issue
The First Female
President-Elect of the
Republic of Korea
Park Geun-hye
38
Global Korea
The Knowledge
Sharing Program
40
Summit Diplomacy
South Korean
President Greets
Leaders of Pakistan
and Greenland
42
Now in Korea
Ten Million Visit
Korea a Year
45
Flavor
Tteokguk
A bowl of tteok soup
for the New Year
46
My Korea
What’s in a Name
49
Learn Korean
If you want to go
skiing...
Arirang Variations
Arirang as UNESCO’s
Intangible Heritage of
Humanity
publisher Woo Jin-Yung,
Korean Culture and Information Service
Editing the book company
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발간등록번호 11-1110073-000016-06
COVER STORY
UNESCO’s Intangible
Cultural Heritage of Humanity
Arirang
2 korea january 2013
The Korean folk song Arirang has been inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of
Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Arirang is more than a folk song: for generations,
singing Arirang has given Koreans comfort and brought them together as one.
by Lee Jeong-eun and Im Sang-beom / proofread by Kang Deung-hak (professor at Gangneung-Wonju University)/ in cooperation with the Korean
Traditional Performing Arts Foundation, the Korea Creative Content Agency and based on A Study on the Problem of Administrative Protection of
Arirang in Relation to Its Cultural Traits by Kang Deung-hak and Arirang co-authored by Kim Yeong-un and Kim Gi-hyeon
3
COVER STORY
koreans and arirang
group of songs in which the chorus repeats
When South and North Korean athletes entered
Nobody knows the exact meaning of the word
the Olympic Stadium together during the
opening ceremony of the 27th Summer Olympic
Games in Sydney in 2000, Arirang was played
Arirang. Many people believe that it has no
specific meaning.
Each variation of Arirang has a fixed melody
rather than the national anthem of either
and chorus, but the rest of the lyrics are
song that represents the entire Korean nation.
traditional lyrics or creatively improvise. Thus,
country. For Arirang is the single most iconic
Korea was again full of excitement during
the 2002 Korea-Japan FIFA World Cup. People
wearing red shirts poured out onto the streets,
changeable. That is, singers can either sing the
Arirang is traditional, but at the same time very
extemporary.
Arirang was originally a hyangto minyo
and every city square in the country became
(rural folk song) in Gangwon-do and its
reverberating through the streets was Arirang,
the Korean Peninsula. People sang it while
a festive sea of red. One of the cheering songs
which every Korean—young or old—knows by
heart.
Poet Ko Un once defined Arirang as “staples
and stars to Koreans and the nameless general
of history that lives have accumulated.” What
greater proof could there be that Arirang is
more than a folk song for Koreans?
Arirang represents Koreans—whether they
are South or North Koreans, whether they live
on the Korean Peninsula or in other parts of the
world—and it is the single element that unites
the Korean nation.
BIRTH OF ARIRANG
vicinity, located in the mid-eastern part of
gathering firewood or wild herbs, planting rice
seedlings, weeding paddies and fields, doing
house chores, or simply killing time together or
alone. Variations of Arirang included “Arari,”
“Yeokkeum Arari,” and “Jajin Arari.”
In the mid-19th century, professional singers
belonging to sadangpae (troupes of travelling
actors) from Seoul started singing Arirang on
stage, giving rise to tongsok minyo Arirang
(Arirang as a popular folk song). Those
professional singers added their musicality
to the traditional Arirang and named the new
songs “Arirang Taryeong.”
Arirang Taryeong became known more
Korean folk songs (minyo) are broadly
widely thanks to the reconstruction of
common people in rural areas (hyangto minyo)
King Gojong (r. 1863-1907). In order to boost
categorized as folk songs sung by the
and popular folk songs for professional
performances (tongsok minyo). Industrialization
and urbanization have brushed aside rural folk
songs as rural communities have gradually
disappeared. Today, the term minyo generally
refers to popular Korean folk songs which
Gyeongbokgung Palace during the reign of
the morale of laborers from across the nation,
sadangpae singers sang Arirang for them. When
the reconstruction was completed, the laborers
returned home and spread Arirang Taryeong in
their hometowns.
In 1926, director Na Woon-gyu made the
you can hear on the radio or TV. Far and away
movie Arirang and used a remake of the most
Arirang.
movie was a major hit; the theme song became
the most widely known Korean folk song is
Arirang is in fact not a single song, but a
4 korea january 2013
the word Arirang or a similar sounding word.
popular variation of tongsok minyo Arirang. The
known by all the Koreans and gained the
5
COVER STORY
miners who went to Germany also sang Arirang
to soothe their sorrows from the hard labor and
challenges of life abroad.
Arirang united the Koreans who emigrated
to Hawaii more than a century ago, those who
went all the way to the Yucatan Peninsula
in Mexico to Cuba, and those who scattered
throughout China, Japan, Russia, and Central
Asia, and it still gives a sense of unity to the
over seven million ethnic Koreans abroad
including the descendents of Korean emigrants
who left their homeland a century ago.
ARIRANG IN ART
The poster of the movie
Arirang from 1926
nickname “Bonjo Arirang” (lit. Arirang of the
radio programs such as Arirang Collection (1936)
precipitated a new and lasting trend of creating
(edited by Koga Masao, 1932) also featured
original melody). The boom of “Bonjo Arirang”
Arirang-inspired popular songs in the 1930s
that continues today.
Opinions of the value of Arirang vary greatly.
There was a time when scholars of Korean
literature regarded Arirang merely as an old
folk song and a material for etymological
research. Perhaps Arirang is not musically the best folk song, but historically it is of
utmost importance. Reflected in the mirror of
national history, Arirang is a spitting image
of the Korean nation, which has survived
countless ups and downs over the millennia
through pain and joy and sorrow and
suffering.
ARIRANG AROUND THE WORLD
Arirang is not only sung in Korea but also
in Japan, China, the United States, Russia,
Germany, and many other parts of the world,
because Koreans who left Korea—willingly or
Arirang. Perhaps due to such exchanges, almost
every record on Korea written during the Showa
period (1926-1989) mentions Arirang. Korean
artists also played a role in spreading Arirang
in Japan. Classical vocalist Kim Anna sang
Arirang as part of her repertoire, and dancer
Choi Seung-hee’s Arirang was also famous.
“Sanghang Arirang” is a variation created
by Korean Americans. The word “sanghang”
refers to San Francisco. There is a story that
Ahn Eak-tai, a renowned conductor in the
1940s, arranged Arirang and dedicated it to his
teacher, Leopold Stokowski. That version of
Arirang, entitled “Arirang Hill,” was created
at the request of Philadelphia-based publisher
Elkan-Vogel Co., Inc. Printed on the cover of the
score is “The first manifestation of the Korean
music by EAKTAE AHN from Korean Life for
Voice and Piano.”
Literature on Arirang can also be found in
unwillingly—still sing the song. Their Arirang
Germany. In 1925, German folklorists published
emigrants had to suffer hardships in foreign
different ethnic backgrounds, including two
has more sorrowful stories, as most Korean
lands. The lives of Koreans in Japan, which is
often dubbed a close but far neighbor, were
especially difficult. Arirang was officially
introduced in Japan by a Japanese official named
Nobuo Junpei, who visited Korea in 1876. Later,
6 korea january 2013
and music albums including Song of Arirang
a report on the folklore of prisoners of war of
Koreans who fought for Russia as mercenaries.
The report includes details on three variations of
Arirang that the two Korean mercenaries sang.
They are “Arirang Sseurirang,” “Harirang,”
and “Arirangga.” In the 1960s and 1970s, Korean
Arirang embodies the Korean nation’s history
and everyday feelings more than anything else.
It has been an object of research for scholars
and a rich source of inspiration for artists.
Numerous books have come out; some collect
Arirang is sung to create a feeling of unity and energy when people are working together.
many variations of Arirang, and some delve
into the Arirangs of a certain region.
TV programs were made that appeal to the
collective subconscious of Koreans captured
in Arirang. The sitcom LA Arirang, set in Los
Angeles where many Korean-Americans live,
was a great hit in Korea. Reputable novelist Jo
Jung-rae published a 12-volume novel entitled
Arirang in 1994 telling of Koreans’ tenacious
fight for survival and independence and the
heartbreaking stories of Korean emigrants
during Japanese occupation. The long novel
features numerous characters to depict Korean
history in the most vivid way.
Musicians are also lovers of Arirang. Many
albums have come out at home and abroad
in different versions. Some are arranged as
Western classical music or pop music. Some
albums feature Arirang played on the gayageum
(traditional Korean zither with 12 strings)
or other musical instruments. Old albums
featuring Arirang include one released in 1931
with singers Park Wol-jeong and Kim In-
suk singing a version of Arirang arranged by
Columbia Orchestra and an album that featured
pop singer Sugawara Tsuzuko’s rendition of
Arirang.
INTERVIEW
LOCAL IS GLOBAL
Yun I-geun, Director of the Jindo National Gugak Center
Nearly every small child in Korea can sing
Arirang. At no other time do Koreans have
such a great feeling of unity than when singing
Arirang together, and this sense of unity gives
them explosive energy. Koreans continue to sing
Arirang together when the times call for it, when
they need to join hands to achieve a common
goal. There is no known literature on Arirang.
Instead, Koreans have passed the song down
through the ages merely by singing it, hearing
it, and engraving it in their hearts. And they will
continue to do so indefinitely into the future.
“With the inscription of Arirang on UNESCO’s Representative List of Intangible
Cultural Heritage of Humanity, Korean culture is getting more attention,” says
Yun I-geun, the director of the Jindo National Gugak Center. “The inscription
has also boosted the morale of Koreans living across the globe.”
Yun believes that the inscription will fuel the spread of Korean culture globally
along with Hallyu. He emphasizes that Koreans should first know more about
the many variations of Arirang including Jindo, Miryang, and Jeongseon Arirang
and that efforts should be made to research the vast variety of Arirangs sung in
North Korea and outside the Korean Peninsula and help consolidate them into
artistic works and performances.
“The most Korean is the most global,” asserts Yun. “Each and every member
of the Korean nation should strive to increase the value of traditional Korean
culture.”
7
COVER STORY
Gyeongsang-do legion originating in Miryang,
1930s and 1940s. They were sources of medicine,
is that it was derived from “Arong Taryeong,”
backdrop, Arirang became a kind of weapon in
Gyeongsangnam-do. A more credible theory
which was sung in the first half of the 20th
century in Seoul, because it has features of both
the Seoul style of music and the Gyeongsang-do
style of music. The mood of Miryang Arirang is
very bright and gallant.
Jindo Arirang
Every variation of Arirang bears the
characteristics of the region where it is sung.
Jindo Arirang is a case in point. It is also easy
to follow and is extremely rousing. The exciting
arms, food, and information. Against this
the anti-colonial struggle; that is, it was sung as
a secret signal.
Ethnic Koreans in China sang Arirang in
their yearning for home and in lament at the
tragic situation of their motherland to soothe
their nostalgia and express their anti-colonialist
sentiments. Arirang remains synonymous with
“fatherland,” “mother,” and “hometown” in
many songs, performances, and literary works
by ethnic Koreans in China.
rhythm and melody combined with the witty
lyrics can ease the greatest suffering and
heartache.
ARIRANG SUNG BY KOREAN CHINESE
For ethnic Koreans living in China, Arirang
carries even more meaning. Most of the ethnic
Koreans in China are descendents of Koreans
Arirang is an image of the
Korean nation, which has
survived countless ups and
downs over the millennia
with vitality through pain, joy,
sorrow, and suffering.
Arirang Variations
Koreans and eventually the representative form
in the 1930s and during the war in order to
of Arirang.
develop Manchuria. The locations where they
independence movement and warfare in the
Korean Peninsula), Bonjo Arirang of Seoul and
Jeongseon Arirang
One of the representative folk songs of
do (southwestern), and Miryang Arirang of
is in the mid-eastern region of the Korean
A memorial stone of Miryang Arirang
Generally Arirang refers to Jeongseon Arirang
of Gangwon-do (mid-eastern part of the
Gyeonggi (mid-western), Jindo Arirang of JeollaGyeongsang-do (southeastern). They are called
the four major Arirangs.
THE FOUR MAJOR ARIRANGS
Gangwon-do—a mountainous region that
Sori” that was sung in Jeongseon, Gangwondo, spread to other regions under the title
“Jeongseon Arirang.”
There are two versions of Jeongseon Arirang:
“Gin Arirang” (lit. Long Arirang), which is
expressed so tellingly the sentiments of the
the lyrics. The two share the same chorus, but
Koreans of the day. They were groaning under
Japanese colonial occupation. The movie became
a huge hit and was screened across the nation.
Its theme song, which was later nicknamed
“Bonjo Arirang,” also became a sensation. It was
a remake of the then most popular variation of
tongsok minyo Arirang and became iconic for all
lived were also strongholds for the Korean
Peninsula—is “Arari Sori.” A variation of “Arari
Bonjo Arirang (or simply
Arirang)
Director Na Woon-gyu’s movie Arirang (1926)
8 korea january 2013
forced out of their homeland by the Japanese
slow, and “Yeokkeum Arirang” (lit. Weaving
Arirang), which densely weaves stories into
the verses are different. Sometimes, the verse is
sung first, followed by the chorus, but only the
verses are sung with the chorus omitted.
Miryang Arirang
There is a theory that Miryang Arirang
is a representative tongsok minyo of the
9
COVER STORY
Arirang as UNESCO’s
Intangible Heritage Of
Humanity
angers, and sorrows of Koreans wherever and
Arirang was recently inscribed on UNESCO’s
the nation was in crisis, carrying more meaning
Representative List of Intangible Cultural
Heritage of Humanity. The decision was made
at the
7th
session of the Intergovernmental
Committee for the Safeguarding of the
Intangible Cultural Heritage held at UNESCO
Headquarters in Paris in December 2012.
The committee recognized that Arirang is a
popular form of Korean folk song that bolsters
a collective identity and unity among Koreans.
It also stated, “Arirang is constantly recreated
in various social contexts, places, and occasions,
serving as a marker of identity among its
bearers while promoting values of solidarity
and social cohesion, and an inscription of
Arirang on the Representative List could
promote greater visibility of intangible cultural
diversity and creativity, particularly because of
the great variety found within a single element.”
It added, “A great virtue is its respect for human
creativity, freedom of expression, and empathy.
Everyone can create new lyrics, adding to the
Arirang has been
inscribed on UNESCO’s
Representative List of
Intangible Heritage of
Humanity. The photo is a
celebration of the inscription
with on Arirang performance.
song's regional, historical, and genre variations,
and cultural diversity.”
Arirang indeed does not represent only one
region, but has transformed into many different
versions and variations incorporating the joys,
Arirang for All
however they live. The song has comforted the
suffering, and it has instilled patriotism into the
hearts of Koreans and united them whenever
than the national anthem.
The inscription of Arirang on the
Representative List signifies that it is now more
than a Korean folk song, but is heritage for all of
humanity. What was added to the list was not
a single regional variation such as Jeongseon
Arirang, Jindo Arirang, or Miryang Arirang,
but Arirang as a collective reference to all
the songs of which the choruses end with the
phrase “Arirang, Arirang, Arariyo.”
Back in 2009, the South Korean government
applied for the inscription of Jeongseon Arirang
on the list, but the committee did not add
Arirang that year because it only considers a
certain number of candidates from any one
country each year. Later, there was an effort
to have all the Arirangs sung throughout the
Korean Peninsula added to the list, but the
South failed to elicit cooperation from the
North on this issue. So, in 2012, the South
Korean government alone filed an application.
With the latest inscription of Arirang, Korea
now has 15 cultural properties on the UNESCO
Representative List of Intangible Cultural
Heritage of Humanity.
FUTURE OF ARIRANG
Koreans must research and maintain Arirang as
a precious cultural property for all. The Cultural
Heritage Administration (CHA) of Korea plans
A
rirang became known internationally
thanks to Paul Mauriat and his Orchestra,
who recorded Arirang with the title “Eastern
collaborating with Asian artists from Vietnam,
Kazakhstan, Indonesia, and Malaysia.
“It is easy to become familiar with Arirang,”
Love Song” in 1975. This prompted releases of
says Yuhki Kuramoto, who participated in the
including Czechoslovakia, Japan, and Germany.
is simple and bright, but at the same time feels
other recordings of Arirang in other countries
Jazz vocalist Nah Youn-sun, who is more
famous abroad, sings Arirang at every one
of her performances. She interprets different
production of the second volume, “Its melody
sad.” He added that the song will become
widely loved throughout the world.
variations of Arirang including Gangwon-do
Arirang, Jindo Arirang, and Jeongseon Arirang
in a jazz style. “Not only Korean but also
European audiences love the song,” says Nah.
More and more renowned artists are
Map of Arirang
Arirang in Different Regions
producing albums featuring Arirang. The
Dancheon Arirang in
Hamgyeongnam-do
Korean Traditional Performing Arts Foundation
under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and
Tourism released a series of albums entitled
Arirang: The Name of Korean in cooperation with
Seodo Arirang in
Pyeongan-do
artists from home and abroad.
Haeju Arirang in
Hwanghae-do
artists who know Korea well, including
Bonjo Arirang,
Gin Arirang, and
Hanobaengnyeon
in Seoul
Volume 1 of The Name of Korean features
Yuichi Watanabe, Inger Marie Gundersen,
the European Jazz Trio, and Sergei Trofanov.
Volume 2 includes Arirangs by such famous
artists as The Real Group, Yuhki Kuramoto,
Lee Ritenour, and Ithamara Koorax, alongside
Korean musicians such as Shin Hyun-sik,
Kang Eun-il, and Nah Youn-sun. The third
volume focused on harmonizing Arirang
Gangwon-do Arirang,
Jeongseon Arirang,
Gangneung Arirang, and
Chuncheon Arirang in
Gangwon-do
Miryang Arirang,
Mungyeong Arirang,
Dongnae Arirang (Busan),
Ulleungdo Arirang,
Yeongcheon Arirang in
Gyeongsang-do
Chungju Arirang,
Chungju Araseong,
and Boeun Arirang in
Chungcheong-do
Jindo Arirang in
Jeollanam-do
Jocheon Arirang in Jeju
with the traditional music of other countries
to designate Arirang as a national intangible
cultural property and build an archive on it,
which will be open to anybody. The CHA also
plans to support performances and research
on Arirang. However, to keep all the different
variations of Arirang sung in every corner
of the country alive, national agencies and
scholars as well as each and every Korean need
to appreciate the value and spirit of the song in
order to share all the different versions with the
rest of the world.
10 korea january 2013
The Name of Korean vol.1
The Name of Korean vol.2
The Name of Korean vol.3
11
PEN & BRUSH
WITH A BURNING THIRST
by Kim Chi-ha
Translated by Gwon Seon-geun
In the back alley at daybreak
I write your name, O Democracy
My mind has forgotten you for too long
And my legs far too long have strayed
from you.
T
he 1960s and 1970s were an age of
light and dark for Korea. Korea
was a world of light for those who
But with a slender remembrance of
My heart’s burning thirst,
Secretly I write your name
Engraving themselves there.
For your name’s sake,
sharply reveals the terrors and pains
On a wooden board with white chalk
sounds such as footsteps and voices of
For the solitary splendor of your name,
I write awkwardly with shaking hand,
trembling heart
And raging indignation
The agony of living
The memory of green freedom reviving
And the blood-stained faces of
returning friends
Who’ve been taken by the police
were excited about the country’s rapid
Somewhere in the back alley before
I write your name secretly
it was a world of darkness for those who
The rush of footsteps, urgent whistles,
With a burning thirst
the ironfisted military dictatorship.
Someone’s groan, wail, lament
industrialization and economic growth;
dawn
were oppressed and frustrated under
and pounding,
Countless intellectuals plunged
find their way into my heart,
The first part of the second stanza
In tears, subduing the crying
With a burning thirst
Long live Democracy!
of the age by invoking many different
lament. There is no clear explanation
of what is happening, but amid those
sounds, the reader’s imagination
conjures up vivid images of its own.
In the latter part of the second stanza,
the narrator, stricken with anger and
grief, writes on a wooden board. In the
third stanza, it is revealed that he has
written with soundless sobs, “Long
live democracy,” more powerfully
witnessing the political reality of the
day than any writer could hope to do
in prose.
themselves into arduous resistance
against the darkness, and poet Kim Chiha was one of them. He was a symbol of
the resistance against the dictatorship.
Kim Chi-ha wrote a poem to commemorate the
independence activist, Lee Hee-young.
His poetry was perceived as a threat to
the very foundation of the government,
and it was indeed more powerful and
Burning Even Brighter in Darknesss
Kim Chi-Ha
A Poet of
Resistance and Life
In the 1960s and 1970s, poet and
playwright Kim Chi-ha put his
eloquence to work in vehement
resistance against the military
dictatorship. Today, he is leading the
way in the “life movement.” Here is a
brief look at his life and poetry.
by Im Sang-beom / translations by Kim Won-jung
scathing than any other weapon that
could be leveled against it.
WITH A BURNING THIRST
Kim’s poem With A Burning Thirst,
published in 1975, is a monumental
work singing of the people’s yearning
for democracy in the mid-1970s,
when the oppression of the military
government was at its height in the
wake of the so-called “October Yushin”
in 1972, an anti-democratic amendment
to the Korean Constitution. The first
stanza of the poem poetically describes
the dire reality as the narrator could
write “democracy”—what then seemed
a forlorn hope—only secretly in a back
alley at dawn. This stanza is smeared
with bloodstains.
12 korea january 2013
13
PEN & BRUSH
LIFE IS A RAY OF HOPE
His poem Life marks a transition in his
LIFE
by Kim Chi-ha
philosophy and poetry. Kim states “life
Translated by Gwon Seon-geun
frustrating the situation, life doesn’t
Life is
with her child in her arms is so sad,
My life depends on it
is a ray of hope” in the poem. However
weaken. The scene of a woman crying
beautiful, and noble. Only life begets
life; no living thing can live without
depending on other living things.
In life, human beings and all other
things in this universe become one.
The realization of that unity, boundless
respect for life, and desperate efforts
to protect life cast a ray of hope that
pierces the darkness of reality.
A ray of hope.
As I stand here at the edge of
An abyss.
I cannot go back
Or forward.
About Poet Kim Chi-Ha
oppression, social
University Department of Aesthetics
and environmental
world where fighting is unnecessary,
Kim Chi-ha entered the Seoul National
fundamental world of life,” says the poet.
in 1959 and participated in the April
as all of us ultimately return to the
“While in prison, I studied Donghak,
an academic movement from the late
Joseon Dynasty. Its basic philosophy is
innaecheon, which means humans are
Heaven and to serve the people is to
serve Heaven. Donghak upheld equality
and humanitarianism, transcending
class barriers. I added Jesus to it.”
Kim explains that the purpose of
19 Revolution (which overthrew the
Syngman Rhee government) in 1960.
Later, he became a student activist as
a South Korean representative in an
association of South and North Korean
students pursuing national unification.
He had to go into hiding, working at
sea ports and in mines, because he was
put on the most wanted list after the
May 16 Coup d’État in 1961.
This is the final stop for me.
his poetry changed from resistance to
Nor fall
because of his revelations about life
1963 and began to write combative
and Christianity to formulate his own
poems published through the poetry
I can neither soar
A mother cries
And embraces her child.
The sorrow of life
Breeds a ray of hope.
Kim combined Donghak and Christianity to formulate
his own philosophy of life.
“I’m talking about building a new
directing attention to the inner world
while in prison. He combined Donghak
philosophy of life. He founded the
He returned to school in February
poems the next year. He had five
magazine Poets in November 1969,
Yullyeo Society in 1998 to promote this
taking his first step as a resistance poet.
new type of national culture.
the May issue of the literary magazine
philosophy on life and humanity and a
pollution—are
byproducts of building
a culture of killing. In
order to heal the culture
of killing and make
the world humane, he
asserts a culture of life-
giving—a culture that is
rooted in principles of life
and respect for life. He
discovered many ideas
about life in Donghak,
an academic movement
that thrived during the
closing years of the Joseon
Dynasty.
This philosophical
In 1970, he published Five Bandits in
transition is readily
Sasanggye. The poem satirized the
His poems of the 1970s
corruption and decadency of the
nation’s leaders through the rhythms
of pansori (a genre of traditional
Korean music), making him an icon of
resistance overnight.
Kim was completely freed from the
shackles of dictatorship in 1984: he
apparent in his poetry.
were full of the vigorous
spirit of resistance, but in the 1990s
he began writing calm, succinct,
inner world. The poetry anthology
Ilsan Sicheop is a good example.
Kim received the Lotus Prize for
Literature in 1975 from the Afro-Asian
By this time, he jumped into the life
still in prison. In 1981, he received the
movement based on his philosophy
of life. The shift was not motivated by
any change in society but by his own
realizations. During his more than
seven years in prison, Kim suffered
nearly to the point of insanity, but he
saw the strong power of life in a clump
of grass that had taken root in a crack
in a concrete wall. From that moment,
his fight became about establishing
Writers’ Association, when he was
Bruno Kreisky Award for Services to
Human Rights from the Bruno Kreisky
Foundation for Human Rights and
the Great Poet Award from Poetry
International. His publications include
the poetry anthology Kkotgwa Geuneul
(lit. Flowers and Shades) as well as essay
anthologies Saengmyeong (lit. Life),
Yullyeoran Mueosinga (lit. About Yullyeo),
Yegame Chan Sup Geuneul (lit. Shades of
a culture of life-giving against all
the Woods Full of Presentiment), and Yet
the problems of humanity—political
Winter Letter from Old State of Gaya).
cultures of killing. He believes that all
Kim argues that society must create a
new type of culture based on respect for
life and principles of life.
contemplative poetry that reveals his
was pardoned and his works were no
longer officially labeled “seditious.”
14 korea january 2013
inequality, materialism,
Gayaeseo Ttuiuneun Gyeoul Pyeonji (lit. A
About the Translator
Kim Won-jung
Kim Won-jung is a professor of English
Language and Literature at Sungkyunkwan
University. He has translated a variety of
Korean poems and prose into English. His
translated works include eight books of poetry
by Kim Chi-ha, Jeong Hyeon-jong, Hwang Jiwoo, and other Korean poets.
15
PEOPLE
A Doctor for Instruments
Yu Je-se
Musicians’ instruments are their alter egos. When such virtuosos as violinist Kyungwha Chung and cellist Myung-wha Chung are ill, they must go to the doctor, but when
their instruments are out of order, they go to Meister Yu Je-se.
by Yang In-sil / photographs by Moon Duk-gwan
Anecdote 1
accords another virtuoso. From that moment,
he met a friend in a music store. That was the
instruments of violinist Kyung-wha Chung and
Yu worked for a construction company. One day,
first time in his entire life he’d ever seen a violin
in person. It produced a sound that seemed to
Yu was considered a “doctor” who restores the
cellist Myung-wha Chung.
be of Heaven above. He was so shocked and
PASSION OVERCOMES LIMITS
some time.
pass through Yu’s hands, they become even
overwhelmed that he was left speechless for
Afterwards, the melodies played through
his mind again and again, and he badgered his
friend to introduce him to an expert maker of
violins. He said that he also wanted to make
one with his own hands. He was introduced to
an expert craftsman, and the next day he went
When exquisite, nearly priceless instruments
more exquisite. Already full of violins, cellos,
and other stringed instruments commissioned
for repairs, he finds few moments of rest
because of frequent phone calls and visits from
musicians.
Yu did not study music in college. Some years
to his workshop with a block of wood. Over the
after being struck with fascination for the violin,
workshop every weekend until he finally made
of age. Rather than taking a regular course
next three years, he did an apprenticeship at the
a violin by his own hands.
Anecdote 2
Violinist Kyung-wha Chung was on a
nationwide concert tour of Korea when she
found something wrong with her violin. She
he went to Germany in 1990, already 34 years
on instrument repair, he went to a renowned
luthier (a craftsman of stringed instruments)
and studied under him until returning home in
1993. Yet, he hadn’t originally planned to train
abroad.
“I was confident I could be a good luthier,”
asked around for a professional repairer of
recalls Yu, “but, one day a client who had an
Chung’s presence was so imposing, and her
Upon hearing my answer, he took back his
musical instruments and heard about Yu.
extremely detailed demands aroused anxiety.
After closely watching him restore her other
self, she relaxed and flashed a bright smile.
She politely expressed her gratitude with the
kind of respect and dignity that only a virtuoso
16 korea january 2013
expensive violin asked about my education.
violin and left. I couldn’t sleep that night. The
next day I made up my mind to go to Germany.
My son was four years old, and I couldn’t speak
a word in German. Before becoming a luthier,
I worked for a good company, and the people
17
PEOPLE
colleague’s daughter, and she went abroad with
his own child. Yu became the great luthier he
the stringed instruments for the Daegwallyeong
in large part because of his diligent hands,
the violin to study music. He later took charge of
International Music Festival, which is the most
prestigious classical music festival in Korea.
FATHER TO SON
There had only been a few people who
professionally made and repaired stringed
instruments in Korea. Clients were as rare,
and they generally used cheap materials. Yu
decided to use only the best quality materials.
need to be just right. Instruments are very
sensitive to humidity and temperature, so he
constantly monitors the weather. If he is ill at
ease, he does not take up his knife, because he
believes that his mood and mind permeate into
my job. They only had the best of intentions for
After one year in Germany, Yu could hear
me and genuinely thought that learning how to
and speak German fairly well. His handling
This time, too, people tried the same thing, but
teacher recognized his great progress and
make “fiddles” (their word for it) was ridiculous.
nothing could change my resolve.”
Studying abroad was never even remotely
a fairy tale experience. Yu could not say
that everything went well even if he faced
a challenge with the greatest passion and
persistence. Communication was always
difficult, his family was far away in Korea, started to pay him a salary. He even entrusted
Yu with the key to the workshop. When Yu was
start of a true fight against himself. Then, he
realized that the client who had hurt his pride,
together with his son some day.
“The reason why instruments Guadagnini
Stradivariuses made more than 250 years ago
because they have been maintained by good
hands. The older an instrument, the deeper
its sound; the more experienced a luthier, the
more exquisite his hands. I won’t put down
instruments from my hands until I die. I hope
someday I will make a truly superb instrument
with my name and see a performer play it.”
Yu Je-se has another dream. He wants to buy
the instrument. Every instrument commissioned
a plot of land in Hoengseong, Gangwon-do and
all the details from the moment it enters his
instruments he has made or collected, allowing
leaves a meticulous record as he writes down
workshop until he gives it back to its owner. His
work requires a high degree of concentration
and artistry, and every instrument feels like
build a small concert hall where he will display
children to study music and music lovers to
gather together, play instruments, and share
good times.
1 Violins await repairs by the luthier.
2 Yu repairs old violins through intricate and delicate work and transform them into instruments of Heaven.
this day, Yu cuts and trims materials and tunes
strings on this very worktable.
Koreans commonly make a huge issue out
struggles, one of his former colleagues extended
pledge to himself in blood. It was the genuine
father’s footsteps. Yu looks forward to working
wooden worktable made in 1859 as a gift. To
in tears. He packed up and unpacked several
nervous wreck, bit his finger, and wrote a
studying and training hard to follow in his
about to return home, his teacher gave him a
of educational background, which prevented
times. One day, he felt himself becoming a
life to old instruments. Yu’s son is now in Italy
of instruments had improved remarkably. His
and learning was a slow process. He smoked
and drank quite a lot. His diary was soaked
18 korea january 2013
other teacher in life.
instruments as he watched his father give new
are still highly appreciated,” explains Yu, “is
Yu doesn’t work every single day. Conditions
of their hearts to discourage me from quitting
college, but his heart moved toward musical
but he soon made a name for himself. Musicians
started to knock on his door instead.
causing him to go to Germany to study, was his
His son studied business management in
made more than three centuries ago and
who had their instruments repaired abroad
around me did their best out of the goodness
sensitive ears, and unwavering tenacity.
(To this day, he travels the world to find better
materials.) Clients were at first half in disbelief,
1
is today, even in the face of so many obstacles,
him from gaining due recognition. During his
a helping hand. When one colleague let him use
his house as a workshop, Yu’s eyes brimmed
with tears. He named the workshop “Yu Je-
se String Music Workshop.” The first violin he
made in the workshop was dedicated to his
2
19
GREAT KOREAN
An Ancient Hero of Unification
General Kim Yu-sin
Over 1,000 years ago, the three kingdoms of Silla, Goguryeo, and Baekje were in a
continual state of war, each trying to expand its territory on the Korean Peninsula
and beyond. General Kim Yu-sin of Silla finally brought lasting peace by conquering
Goguryeo and Baekje with his outstanding strategy and military prowess. Let’s trace
the footsteps of this great general of Silla. by Im Sang-beom / photographs with courtesy of Tongiljeon
K
im Yu-sin (595-673) was a military leader
and politician of Silla who achieved great
3
feats in conquering Baekje and Goguryeo—
the two other major kingdoms of Korea’s Three
The founding of Unified Silla was virtually
Kingdoms period (57-668)—and unifying the
Korean nation under the banner of Unified
sealed when Chun-chu, known for his
family of Silla, but he was so admired that
gallant and sagacious warrior, joined hands.
extraordinary diplomatic finesse, and Yu-sin, a
Silla. He was not a member of the royal
he was posthumously granted the honorary
title of King Heungmu the Great. Yu-sin
where he achieved a remarkable feat. When
Yu-sin won victory after victory in a long series
when his grandfather yielded to them.
their fighting spirit, but Yu-sin charged into the
Tang Dynasty in China. When his men were
the Goguryeo commander, winning the battle
mounted his horse, and led from the vanguard.
the two sides first clashed, the Silla troops lost
of battles against Baekje, Goguryeo, and the
enemy camp and came back with the head of
exhausted, he took off his upper garment,
for Silla.
In one of his more innovative actions, he
been in his mother’s womb for 20 months. As
who was perhaps the most important person in
cows to be released in the event of a surprise
Boys), an elite group of specially educated
the 29th king of Silla and founded Unified Silla.
sound.
as well as relatives through two marriages
adamantly upheld the reputation of his family.
Not much is known about Yu-sin’s childhood
before his teenage years except an episode in
Samguksagi (History of the Three Kingdoms of Silla,
Goguryeo, and Baekje, 1145): Yu-sin had reportedly
a teenager, he joined the Hwarang (lit. Flower
and trained boys. He was such an excellent
swordsman that he became the Hwarang leader.
He travelled across the kingdom with his
followers to train both his mind and body.
A GALLANT WARRIOR
Even at the height of the ongoing conflicts
among Silla, Goguryeo, and Baekje, Yu-sin
hesitated to venture out onto the battlefield
because he was of Gaya descent, not Silla. It was
20 korea january 2013
POSTHUMOUSLY ENTHRONED
was a grandson of the last king of the Gaya
confederacy, but became an aristocrat of Silla
1
2
only when he was 35 years old that he followed
his father into battle against Goguryeo forces,
By that time, Yu-sin had met Kim Chun-chu,
his life. Chun-chu later ascended the throne as
The two became very close political partners
1 General Kim Yu-sin paved
the way for Silla to unify the
Three Kingdoms.
2, 3 The tomb of General
Kim and the statues
of the Twelve Zodiac
Animals at Gyeongju,
Gyeongsangbuk-do
harnessed drums and drumsticks to a herd of
attack to throw the enemy into confusion by the
Yu-sin was devoted to the royal family and
between their families.
When his son returned alive from a defeat at the
very strong. When Chun-chu lost his daughter
have his son beheaded. His son had to live alone
went to Goguryeo to ask for military support.
was a pitiable hero who had to seek recognition
troops to help Silla. Yu-sin organized a special
However, his unwavering determination and
Chun-chu free in order to prevent the outbreak
that nearly all Koreans readily recall Kim Yu-sin
Their mutual trust and friendship were
hands of Tang forces, he requested the king to
and her husband in a battle against Baekje, he
in hiding for the rest of his life. In a sense, he
Goguryeo detained him rather than sending
because he was not from Silla but Gaya.
unit to rescue him. At this news, Goguryeo set
feats as a military leader were so extraordinary
of a major war with Silla.
when they think about Unified Silla.
21
SEOUL
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22 korea january 2013
23
SEOUL
I
f you are walking around downtown Seoul,
you will almost certainly pass through
Seoul Plaza. Located in the heart of the city,
the Seoul Plaza is at the crossroads to all
areas of old Seoul – Sejong-daero road will
lead to Gyeongbokgung Palace, to the north is
Cheonggyecheon Stream, and Myeong-dong
and Namdaemun are a short walk away. The
Plaza has witnessed many history-changing
events in Korea for more than a hundred years.
1 Desks are available
all around the library for
studying and reading.
2 The library is spacious
and full of light for the
convenience of visitors.
3 The five-meter high
bookcase is a popular
feature of the library.
AT THE HEART OF SEOUL’S
MODERNIZATION
Seoul Plaza first took shape in 1897 when King
Gojong returned to Deoksugung Palace after
the 1895 assassination of Queen Min. A wide
3
road was laid between Gyeongbokgung Palace
Seoul Plaza came under the global spotlight
and the main gate of Deoksugung Palace and
during the 2002 FIFA World Cup when 80,000
Deoksugung Palace. The plaza was situated in
cheer on the Korean national team. The mass
a modern plaza was constructed in front of
a central location near the Central Government
Complex in Gwanghwamun, the Parliament
Building (now used as the Seoul Metropolitan
Council), and the Seoul Museum of Art building
in Jeong-dong, which was once the Supreme
people dressed in red shirts gathered there to
of supporters clad in red, known as the Red
Devils, cheered in a highly organized cadence
of shouting and clapping in front of jumbo
screens.
After the World Cup, the Seoul Metropolitan
Court of Korea. It soon became the center stage
Government rebuilt the square to provide a
Japanese occupation including, most notably,
Seoulites. In 2004, the traffic lanes that cut
for the nation’s liberation movement from
the March 1st Independence Movement in 1919.
The square was later an important location for
the pro-democracy movement in the 1960s and
rallies throughout Korea’s modern history.
better city environment and a green area for
skating rink was first
installed in 2004, and
it has since become
a popular dating site
for young couples
and a special treat for
children with their
parents.
to make way for a vast green. The Floor Water
New attractions of
directly past the old City Hall were removed
Fountain was built at the west corner of the
plaza. The fountain, a circle of water holes
bored into in the sidewalk with 48 floor lights, is
an attractive feature of the plaza in the warmer
events throughout the year on Seoul Plaza
including the popular Hi! Seoul Festival and
various performances. This past October, the
NEW CITY HALL
Seoul Plaza are the
old City Hall, which
reopened as the Seoul
Metropolitan Library,
and the new City
4
Hall building right behind it. The old City Hall
was built in 1926, during the Japanese Colonial
Period.
government building, and for more than 60
for kick-starting the success of his viral hit
for the Seoul Metropolitan Government. The
song “Gangnam Style.” The singer had earlier
vowed to perform topless if his song topped
the U.S. chart, and he kept his promise despite
remaining at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100
for a second week. The concert reached its
years it served as the government building
government city decided to build a new city hall
to house the expanding government offices and
staff, and remodel the old City Hall as a public
library.
After four years of construction, the
peak when the singer sang his hit song and
government moved into the new building in
dance” with the singer. According to the Seoul
Library opened its doors to the public. The
more than 100,000 fans did the famous “horse
Metropolitan Police, this was the largest crowd
in Seoul Plaza since the 2002 FIFA World Cup.
The city government supported the event by
providing the square grounds and diverting
September of last year, and Seoul Metropolitan
library restored the main marble staircase and
halls of the old City Hall, symbolizing the
historical heritage of Seoul.
The library has a collection of over 200,000
traffic within a three-block radius.
volumes and 20 computers to view 4,200 DVDs
transforms into a public ice skating rink for
the library to read books, catch up with current
Towards the winter festive season, the plaza
Seoulites and foreign visitors alike. The grass
is temporarily removed from the square and
an ice skating rink is built over the grounds.
Ice skates can be rented at a reasonable rate of
KRW 1,000 (USD 0.93) for one hour, and lockers
Ice skating in the middle of
downtown Seoul is sure to
be an unforgettable memory
for many foreign visitors.
After liberation in 1945, it served as a local
Korean pop star PSY held a free concert at the
plaza as promised earlier to thank his fans
24 korea january 2013
free of charge. The
NEW LIBRARY,
Seoul Government hosts many cultural
2
children are available
across the square and the wide road that ran
months.
1
and helmets for young
and audio books. Visitors are free to walk into
affairs, or just take a break from walking. The
third floor displays the most iconic features of
the library where visitors can see the restored
and remodeled old Mayor’s Office, reception
INFORMATION
How to get there City
Hall Subway Station,
Line 1 or 2, Exit 5
Skating Rink
Open: Dec 14, 2012 to
Feb 3, 2013 / 10 AM to
10 PM
Skate Rental Fee:
KRW 1,000 per pair of
ice skates, 30persent
discount for group
reservation of 20
persons or more.
Website: www.
seoulskate.or.kr/eng.
php
Seoul Metropolitan
Library
Open: 9 AM to 9 PM
(weekdays), 9 AM to 6
PM (weekends)
Website: lib.seoul.
go.kr/www/html/en/
main.jsp
room, and meeting room.
25
travel
A Stage for Dancing Birds
Geumgang Estuary
Geumgang Estuary in Gunsan is an excellent spot to observe
baikal teals. They appear to dance in groups when they take to the
sky. The city of Gunsan flourished during the Japanese colonial
period, and vestiges of that time remain here and there.
by Lee Jeong-eun / photographs by Moon Duk-gwan
26 korea january 2013
27
travel
1
W
hen the sun sinks below the horizon
5
temple, and residences from the period remain.
from the 1.2-kilometer embankment, the fields
glows in shades of wine, a long island in the
migratory birds from Siberia every winter.
two-story wooden house built by a Japanese
River and the hills of Gunsan far off in the
What seemed to be a mere island a moment
destination for those winged visitors with its
behind Geumgang Estuary and the sky
before is a colony of migrant birds. These birds
hunt together and soar high into the sky every
day around sunrise and sunset. When the
leader takes off, hundreds of thousands follow,
blocking out the sky with their numbers and
making for a spectacular, surreal scene of
The Korean Peninsula greets numerous
Geumgang Estuary is an especially important
shallow waters, gentle currents, and vast farms
If you visit Gunsan with children, don’t miss
of Jinpodaecheop (Great Battle of Jinpo),
year to spend the winter.
and when the sun sets, they fly over Mt.
as “group dancing,” but in fact the birds are
food, coming back at dawn.
Manghaesan to the Gimje Plains in search of
They can be seen from a number of bird
observatories, the best of which is Napo
A CITY OF HISTORY
Visitors to Gunsan are strongly recommended
harbor. The park was built in commemoration
a major Korean triumph against Japanese
infiltrators in the Geumgang Estuary in
August 1380, the sixth year of the reign of King
U of the Goryeo Dynasty. General Choe Museon, who was also a scientist and inventor,
led Korean forces to victory using cannons of
form of gunpowder. On display in the park are
retired military vehicles used by the Korean
Army, Navy, and Air Force.
Dongguksa is a typical Japanese temple
surrounded by a lush bamboo forest. All
20 century, serving as the port of choice for
buildings, toilets, and bath are connected by a
th
the Japanese for shipping out their plunder
of Korea’s bounty, be that rice, minerals, or
other resources. The Japanese built a port and
the parts of the temple including the main
corridor, revealing some of the salient features
distance.
When you get your first hunger pangs
The reed field in the village of Sinseong is
not part of Gunsan but of Seocheon. Still, it is
residents were Japanese. The customs house,
four most important reed fields in Korea. Seen
near the bird observatories and is one of the
3, 4 Vestiges of the Japanese
colonial period remain all
over the city.
5 The Japanese chose
Gunsan for shipping out their
plunder of rice and resources
from Korea, building a port
and railways.
during your visit, you may want to try a bun
stuffed with adzuki bean paste at Yiseongdang,
Korea’s oldest Western-style bakery, which
was founded in 1909 and run by Japanese
owners before liberation in 1945. Every day, the
bakery sells about 1,000 rice buns stuffed with
adzuki bean paste. It also offers vegetable buns
and croquettes stuffed with curry and glass
noodles.
Travel information
what to eat
Jjamppong at Bokseongnu
Dozens of people can regularly be seen lined
up in front of Bokseongnu eagerly waiting for a
bowl of Gunsan-style jjamppong, a big bowl of
noodles filled to the brim with soup containing
lots of seafood such as
cockles and clams and
Seoul
topped with softly panfried pork as a garnish.
of Japanese architecture.
railways, and Japanese culture firmly took root
across the entire city where about half the 16,000
spread unbroken all the way to the Geumgang
his own invention charged with a powerful
to see the Geumgang River. Gunsan was the
fastest growing city in Korea in the early
2
the railway village in Gyeongam-dong.
baikal teals come to this very estuary every
and hunting. Some 90 percent of the world’s
continuously shifting shapes. People think
jockeying with one another to be as close to the
named Hirose dubbed “Hirose’s House,” and
the Jinpo Maritime Theme Park in the inner
The teals rest all day long in the river,
of their impromptu movements romantically
Especially famous are Dongguksa Temple, a
nearby that afford excellent spots for resting
Sipjatteul Bird Observatory.
28 korea january 2013
4
center of the flock as possible, where it is safer.
river comes alive. Did you read that correctly?
1 Numerous migratory birds
from Siberia return to the
Geumgang Estuary every
winter.
2 Gunsan was the fastest
growing city in Korea in the
early 20th century.
3
Gunsan
how to get there
Car It takes about two hours from Seoul to Seocheon
Interchange via Seohaean Expressway.
Train It takes around three hours from Yongsan Station to
Janghang Station.
Bus It takes roughly one hour from Seoul to Janghang.
29
FESTIVAL
contest, search for “gifts of fortune” buried in
the sand, and enjoy a celebratory performance
by a brass band. These other events will start at
9:30 a.m. and the swimming contest begins at
11:00 a.m.
The “penguin” swimmers will warm up
by doing aerobics with professional aerobics
practitioners, and then jump into the water at
the sound of a Korean traditional gong called
jing.
How many will turn out on the beach
to swim this winter? Every year, beautiful
Jungmun Saekdal Beach has seen 500 to 800
people take the penguin plunge, with more
than 2,000 visitors enjoying the other events.
The penguin swimmers are of all ages. Children
usually have fun paddling their feet in the
water, and some group participants give shouts
of joy and excitement or play a mock cavalry
Swim Your Dream in Jejudo
battle in the water to show off their health and
Jejudo AS UNESCO
heartiest of them have to get out after about half
Being Korea’s largest
youth. Yet, the water is so cold that even the
WORLD HERITAGE
an hour.
island, Jejudo is a
locals and foreign visitors alike. Catherine Rusk,
destination. It is off
on Jejudo, mustered up the courage to become a
the Korean Peninsula.
that it was indeed cold, but she had so much fun
southernmost island, is
This extraordinary winter event attracts
fascinating tourist
The Seogwipo
Penguin Swimming Festival
a Canadian English teacher at a middle school
the southern coast of
penguin swimmer in January 2012. She recalls
Marado, the nation’s
that the coldn was bearable enough.
only eight kilometers
Courageous people gather together on Jejudo to swim in the cold winter
waters to make a wish for the New Year. This is the 14 th Seogwipo Penguin
Swimming Festival. by Lee Jeong-eun
penguin swimmers may be when they pick
home to Mt. Hallasan, which rises from the
organizers of the festival scatter balls of fortune
UNESCO World Heritage List, along with
on one of the balls means that you can stay at
These and other unique features make Jejudo
T
he so-called “polar bear swimmers” take a
on January 5, 2013. The theme of the festival
One of the most delightful moments for
off Jejudo. Jejudo is
2
up a “ball of fortune” while swimming. The
center of the island and is inscribed on the
in the sea beforehand, and getting your hand
the lava tubes that run all over the island.
a hotel in the Jungmun tourist district, have a
breathtakingly beautiful wherever you go.
Center), or play golf at the Jungmun Golf Club
Festival takes place, is definitely one of Jeju’s
meal at the ICC Jeju (International Convention
planning for a brighter new year.
free of charge.
best tourist destinations, famous for the Yeomiji
swimmers” venture into the sea to ring in the
to see and do in addition to the swimming
specialties of Jejudo—momguk (a thick pork and
Waterfalls, and the Jungmun-Daepo Columnar
marks the 14th Seogwipo Penguin Swimming
with their wishes for the New Year, ring
and other wonderful dishes, all prepared by
and leisure facilities including hotels,
containing their New Year’s resolutions,
hearts of the “penguins” after their jaunt in the
and shopping centers. This is, needless to say,
and New York City on New Year’s Day. At
Haeundae Beach in Busan and Jungmun
Saekdal Beach on Jejudo Island, the “penguin
New Year with hope in their hearts. This year
Festival. Extreme swimming enthusiasts will
bring excitement to Jungmun Saekdal Beach
by fearlessly plunging into the winter waters
encourages putting the last year behind and
The festival features lots of exciting things
The finale of the festival is eating traditional
1 The Seogwipo Penguin
Swimming Festival is held to
put the last year behind and
plan for a brighter new year.
2 Around 2,000 to 3,000
people visit the festival every
year.
Still, Jungmun, where the Penguin Swimming
this year is “A Power Start for 2013,” which
plunge into the cold waters in Vancouver
30 korea january 2013
1
Botanical Garden, the tiered Cheonjeyeon
competition. Participants will send up balloons
seaweed soup), dombe gogi (broiled sliced pork),
Joints. The area has excellent accommodations
the “Bell of Promise,” bury a time capsule
villagers nearby. This warms the bodies and
condominiums, golf courses, windsurfing areas,
compete in the “Penguin Wrestling King”
winter sea.
an extremely popular area for tourists.
31
ENTERTAINMENT
a reversal in 2007 and domestic movies soon
represented less than half of the market. Korean films were performing poorly and
racking up substantial losses in 2008, posting
the worst-ever average return to investment of 43.5 percent.
In light of this setback, the recent comeback
of Korean movies is especially gratifying. When cumulative annual ticket sales topped 100 million in 2012, many industry experts
declared a renaissance of Korean cinema.
A STRONG SYSTEM AND GOOD STORIES
exclusion of all else, but
the milestone of 100 million tickets sold to the
well represented today.
movie studios. They set specific audience
diverse than before. According
accordingly. The movies All About My Wife and
theaters on average in 2012, ranking Korea
The Korean Film Council (KOFIC) attributes
effective production systems of major Korean
Neo-Renaissance of
Korean Film
In Korea, more than 100 million people of all ages went to the
theater to see domestic movies in 2012. This is an astounding
figure, and it naturally raises the question: what brought
people back to the movies? The answer is well-planned
production of films spanning various genres with compelling
stories. by Yang In-sil
The audience is more
5
to KOFIC, each Korean watched 3.12 films in
An Introduction to Architecture are cases in point.
fourth in the world after the United States,
Lion at the Venice Film Festival. This put
diversity is in response to the screening of films
and piqued the interest of the Korean public.
of subjects targeting specific segments of the
Korean movies in theaters. Two Korean films
the Korean film industry continued to seethe,
issues such as Unbowed brought back moviegoers
sold: The Thieves and Gwanghae: The Man Who
drew the public to the theaters in droves. The
starred actors and actresses of different ages,
than four million tickets.
the year was another important factor. There
age from their teens to 40s.
F
Another factor was Pieta winning the Golden
France, and Australia. KOFIC explains that the
or the first time ever, Korean films exceeded
Korean movies in headlines all over the world
of different genres dealing with a wider range
The average Korean person saw more than three
Controversy over the oligopolistic structure of
movie-going public. Films that dealt with social
even passed the threshold of ten million tickets
but positive publicity about Korean movies
in their 30s and 40s. The blockbuster The Thieves
Became King. Another nine films each sold more
dense lineup of movies debuting all throughout
attracting a huge bloc of moviegoers ranging in
100 million in annual ticket sales in 2012.
The number of Korean films produced each
year has remained remarkably steady for some
was no slow season in 2012.
Experts believe that the current boom in
Now that the neo-renaissance of Korean
cinema is upon us, countless movie buffs at
time. Of the 441 films screened in Korea in the
Korean movies is also very much due to their
home and abroad are taking greater interest
compared with 150 in 2011 and 140 in 2010.
dominated the screen to the near complete
Korea next.
year to December 14, 2012, 146 were Korean,
diversity in genres. At one time, film noir
1 Gwanghae: The Man
Who Became King passed
the threshold of ten million
tickets sold.
2 The Thieves attracted a
wide range of viewers with a
cast of different ages.
3 A Werewolf Boy was an
unexpected success during
the off-season of the film
industry.
4 Unbowed was the most
noteworthy low-budget
independent film of 2012.
5 Nameless Gangster is a
noir blockbuster that attracted
over 4 million viewers.
and eagerly anticipating what will come out of
However, annual ticket sales are up sharply
2
from 70 million only a few years ago, reflecting
3
audiences’ rising interest in Korean movies. In other countries, the market share of domestic
movies is somewhat lower: 35 percent in
Germany and France and 49 percent in Japan in 2011.
The Korean movie industry grew rapidly
in the early 2000s. It hit an intermediate peak
in 2006 when almost 98 million tickets were
sold and the market share of domestic movies
reached 63.8 percent. The industry experienced
32 korea january 2013
numerous different genres are
targets for individual films and allocate funds
1
Back to the Movies
4
korean films awarded at major film festivals
Director Kang Dae-jin’s The Coachman was the first
Korean movie to ever win a major international award.
The film won the Silver Bear Extraordinary Jury Prize
at the Berlin International Film Festival in 1961. In the
2000s, an especially transformational period for Korean
cinema, international film festivals started taking much
more notice of Korean directors. In 2002, director Im
Kwon-taek won the Best Director Award at the Cannes
Film Festival for Chihwaseon, while director Lee Changdong’s Oasis won four awards including the Best
Director Award at the Berlin Film Festival. In 2004,
director Kim Ki-duk received the Best Director Award at
the Berlin Film Festival for Samaritan Girl and also at the
Venice Film Festival for 3-Iron. In the same year, director
Park Chan-wook’s Old Boy clinched the Grand Prix at
Cannes. In 2007, Jeon Do-yeon became the first Korean
actress to receive the Best Actress Award at Cannes
for her performance in Secret Sunshine, directed by
Lee Chang-dong. Park Chan-wook’s Thirst won the
Jury Prize at Cannes in 2009, and Lee Chang-dong’s
Poetry received the Best Screenplay Award at the same
film festival in 2010. In 2012, the jury of the Venice
International Film Festival honored Kim Ki-duk with the
Golden Lion for Best Film for Pieta, making him the first
Korean director to win major awards at the three most
important international festivals.
33
SPORTS
J
A Climber at the Top
Jain Kim
ain Kim clinched gold in women’s lead
climbing at the IFSC Climbing World Cup in
When she climbs, she feels happy as if in
China in 2007 and has since remained No. 1 in
another world—concentrating with her hand in
and pretty, standing a mere 153 centimeters
of the route at every moment, and feeling as
the world. She is not bulky, but short, nimble,
Jain Kim is ranked No. 1 in the world in professional lead climbing with a score of 545.91
points according to the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC). Her toes are
contorted; her hands are coarse, but her tiny body moves with incredible strength and
nimbleness to the awe of spectators. by Im Sang-beom / photographs with courtesy of AT Sports
tears, overwhelmed with joy.
and weighing 43 kilograms. When her tiny
body climbs spectators hold their breath, nearly
awestruck.
Her parents met at an alpine club, naturally
hiked the mountains frequently as a small
child. Jain was in sixth grade in elementary
school when she first started climbing. Her
major discipline is lead climbing in which
competitors climb a 15-meter route and attempt
to reach a higher position. Unlike bouldering,
where a climber can attempt a route more than
control of a hold, facing the unique challenges
one with the rock. The joy of being immersed
and the thrill of completing a route draw her
toward climbing like a powerful magnet. Only
when climbing does she have a serenity of
beingness that few others ever experience. This
explains her utter determination to not let go of
the experience and to keep climbing as long as
she can. Towards that end, Jain forces herself to
adhere to a strict diet of only one meal and two
pieces of fruit a day.
Now that she is in her mid-20s, Jain believes
once within five minutes, only one attempt
that she must focus more on keeping herself
suits her personality. Of course, she also enjoys
honing her skills further. She hopes to remain
is allowed in lead climbing, which Jain feels
bouldering, in which she can try climbing in
different ways.
SMALL BUT STRONG
In any discipline of sport climbing, Jain
demonstrates remarkable flexibility and
endurance. In order to overcome the
disadvantage of her small size, Jain has spurred
herself with the most stubborn doggedness. She
has to attempt more jumps than
in good shape and avoiding injury rather than
in competition as long as her stamina allows
it. She wants to compete in the 2020 Olympic
Games should sport climbing become an
official Olympic sport by then. She will be 32 in
2020, and we also want to see this diminutive
dynamo continue to climb for years to come.
Indeed it is not for nothing that she is popularly
known as the empress of climbing, spider girl,
and the Kim Yu-na of climbing.
1 Kim feels the happiness of
life when she climbs.
2 Kim hopes to remain in
competition as long as her
stamina allows.
taller climbers in order to reach
distant holds, which requires
extreme flexibility and dexterity.
She likes to “high-step,” swinging
her foot up higher than her
shoulder, because it affords her an
advantage with her tiny body and
exceptional flexibility. Her bantam
size is also an advantage in tight
spaces.
She became a sport climbing
athlete about 12 years ago. The
2009 World Championship in
Qinghai, China is her most
memorable competition. She won
silver after achieving her long1
34 korea january 2013
harbored dream of completing the
final-round route. She burst into
2
35
special issue
FIRST-EVER FEMALE PRESIDENT OF
KOREA
The media at home and abroad has noted the
fact that Korea will have a woman as president,
marking a watershed in the history of the
Republic of Korea. Le Monde, AFP, The New China
News Agency, and other major foreign media
outlets reported that Park clinched victory with
strong leadership in a male-dominated society.
Dubbed the “Iron Lady,” Thatcher
demonstrated more powerful leadership than
many male leaders and is fondly remembered
by many for having put an end to the so-called
“British disease” by reviving the economy,
especially through tight fiscal policies.
Thatcher reportedly called herself a “politician
of convictions,” and Park likewise says she
emphasizes keeping promises and principles.
In her autobiography, Park described the
common traits of the two by saying that
the economic and diplomatic policies that
Chancellor Merkel pursues are similar to hers
The First Female President-Elect of the Republic of Korea
Park Geun-hye
and that both are the leaders of conservative
parties. Merkel studied physics and Park
studied electronic engineering in college.
Park became a politician in 1998 when she ran
in a by-election in Dalseong County, Daegu. She
Park Geun-hye, the presidential candidate of the Saenuri Party, was elected in December 2012 as
president of the Republic of Korea for the next five years. She is the first woman to be elected president
of the country at a high percentage of 51.6 percent. by Lee Jeong-eun
took the helm of the Grand National Party (the
forerunner of the Saenuri Party) when the party
was in crisis just before the general election
slated for April 2004. In that election, she
prevented a political disaster for the party and
P
saw it win 121 seats in the National Assembly.
ark Geun-hye, the presidential candidate
of the Saenuri Party, became the first
female president-elect of the Republic of Korea
in the recent presidential election, which was
seen as a contest between a conservative and a
Park will not only be the country’s first-ever
Park Geun-hye, the
presidential candidate of the
Saenuri Party, was elected
as the first female president.
36 korea january 2013
female president but is also from the family of a former president. She is the daughter of Park Chung-hee, who was in power from the party faced another serious crisis, but Park
was confirmed, she delivered an address in
Gwanghwamun Square in which she said
she would usher in an era of happiness for all
opponent, Moon Jae-in of the Democratic Koreans so that they can achieve their dreams
and she would keep the three promises she
or 48.0 percent of the total votes. Some 75.8
made during the election. The three promises
percent of the 40,507,842 eligible voters, or
are that she would always take care of the well-
30,722,712 Korean citizens, turned out for this
million votes.
in the 2012 general election. Before the election,
After her victory in the presidential election
Park garnered 15.75 million votes, or 51.6
election. The margin of victory was only 1.08
nomination, but she made a strong comeback
emergency response commission.
in 1987.
United Party (DUP), won 14.67 million votes, in the contest to win the party’s presidential
the National Assembly as head of the party’s
re-introduction of direct presidential elections
in power for some time. The latest presidential
In 2007, she lost to President Lee Myung-bak
led the party to win a majority of 152 seats in
elect to win a majority of votes since the percent of the total votes cast. Her major
election set some new records.
1 Park delivered an address
in which she said she would
usher in an era of happiness
for all Koreans.
2 Some 75.8 percent of
eligible voters voted. Voters
are taking pictures in front of
a polling station.
1963 to 1979, and she is the first president-
progressive. With the victory, the Saenuri Party
has consolidated its position and will remain
1
2
being of the public, always act on her words,
and help heal the divisions in Korean society.
37
global korea
individual partner countries’ needs. The theme
been incorporated into partner countries’
with the partner country’s demands and
a memorandum of understanding to expand
of each KSP project is selected in accordance
requests.
Second, the KSP focuses on policy. The
program helps partner countries accomplish
their development objectives by providing
specific and practical policy solutions so that
policies. In 2009, Korea and Vietnam signed
bilateral cooperation, and the KSP provided
comprehensive consulting on the entire
economy of Vietnam, based on which
Vietnam devised its 2011-2020 socioeconomic
development strategies. Kuwait reflected
1
Sharing Korea’s Experience in Economic Growth
The Knowledge Sharing Program
The Knowledge Sharing Program (KSP) shares Korea’s experience and knowhow in economic growth with
other countries, especially developing countries. Since 2004, the KSP has helped provide uniquely Korean
policy consulting to 39 countries. by Yang In-sil in cooperation with the Korea Development Institute
they can achieve sustainable economic growth.
the KSP’s policy consulting into its five-year
economic cooperation. To that end, joint
into its 2010-2014 industrial innovation and
Finally, the KSP is aimed at comprehensive
research and policy consulting are conducted
on the purposes of individual KSP projects.
S
development require sound policies and
systems, and knowledge about economic
development policies and systems should be
shared across the world for the prosperity of
all. One of the ten major programs of Korea’s
international outreach is the Knowledge
of advanced countries and is now widely hailed
as one of the greatest success stories of all time:
a one-time aid recipient that is now a donor
with a great deal to offer.
PARTNER-ORIENTED
to spread Korea’s knowhow in economic
Korean-style policy consulting that addresses
growth. The KSP is the brainchild of the
Ministry of Strategy and Finance and the Korea
38 korea january 2013
rapidly out of crushing poverty to join the ranks
Sharing Program (KSP), a Korean-style official
development assistance (ODA) model designed
Industrial inspection in
Cambodia.
national growth is a priceless asset. Korea rose
Development Institute (KDI).
A country’s experience in and knowledge of
The KSP is intended to provide comprehensive
the specific needs and circumstances of partner
countries.
The program has three salient features.
First, it provides services designed to meet
development plan, and Kazakhstan did so
development plan.
public-private partnership (PPP) programs after
to maximize learning effectiveness and thereby
private investment. The two countries are now
experts of partner countries to Korea in order
It is no wonder that the KSP program
encompasses a broad range of fields: economics,
science and technology, agriculture, education
and training, green growth and new and
renewable energy sources, and e-government.
PRACTICAL HELP
The first partners of the KSP were Vietnam
receiving the KSP’s consulting on how to attract
amending applicable laws concerning PPP.
The KSP also helped establish the Indonesia
Bond Pricing Agency (IBPA) in 2009. Cambodia
is seeking to found a trade promotion
organization in cooperation with the KSP, while
the Dominican Republic is planning to found
an export and investment center and an import/
export bank, also in cooperation with the KSP.
Partner countries have naturally acquired
and Uzbekistan, which joined the program
Korean technology and knowhow through
policy consulting and joint research on over
can have better name recognition in the
in 2004. Since then, the KSP has conducted
440 subjects in 109 projects with 39 countries:
12 in Asia, nine in Latin America, seven in the
Middle East, and one in Eastern Europe.
In many cases, KSP policy consulting has
1 The final briefing in United
Arab Emirates.
2 The KSP project is selected
in accordance with the
partner country’s demands
and requests.
Cambodia and Mongolia both introduced
The program also invites the policymakers and
forge solid, long-term cooperative relationships.
ustainable economic growth and inclusive
2
the KSP, which benefits Korea as the country
international community and Korean companies
can seize more opportunities to do business in
the partner countries. Ultimately, the KSP will
benefit both Korea and partner countries alike.
39
SUMMIT DIPLOMACY
ties in 1983, the leaders praised two-way trade
volume reaching USD 1.56 billion last year.
They also recognized South Korean companies’
increasing involvement in a variety of sectors
in Pakistan including construction, chemistry,
steel, and transport, Lee’s office said.
Following their summit, Korea’s Ministry
of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs
and Pakistan’s railway ministry signed a
memorandum of understanding on bilateral
cooperation in the country’s railway
development.
The two governments also signed an
agreement on Seoul’s assistance to spur
Pakistan’s social and economic development,
strengthening Korea’s legal and institutional
grounds for more systemized support to the
country.
Separately, Bank of Korea Governor Kim
South Korean President Greets Leaders of
Pakistan and Greenland
President Lee Myung-bak met President Asif Ali Zardari of Pakistan and Prime Minister Kuupik Kleist of
Greenland in Cheong Wa Dae on their official visits to Korea. by Chung Da-young
korea, pakistan to expand
development cooperation
P
akistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari visited
Korea from December 3 to 5 for talks with
President Lee about bolstering economic and
power water resources, and rail infrastructure
in Pakistan.
During the talks, the Pakistani president
expressed his gratitude for Seoul’s official
three-day official visit and met President Lee
congratulated Lee on Seoul’s success in securing
on the second day to hold a summit to
40 korea january 2013
agreed to cooperate to develop hydroelectric
other cooperation between the two countries.
President Zardari arrived on Monday for a
President Lee and President
Zardari inspect the Traditional
Honor Guard at Cheong Wa
Dae.
made by Cheong Wa Dae, the two leaders
discuss ways to expand substantial cooperation
mainly in the areas of trade, infrastructure,
and development aid. According to a statement
development assistance to his country and
a non-permanent seat on the UN Security
Council for the years 2013-14. Recognizing that
the two countries’ ties have deepened in various
sectors since the opening of their diplomatic
matters to strengthen the development of the
Choong-soo and his Pakistani counterpart
Arctic nation’s environmental policies as well
understanding to share Seoul’s banking
The two leaders also agreed to continue efforts
Under the MOU, the two banks are to
between the two nations.
joint research regarding currency policy and
visited several private minerals companies in
exchange staff to increase people-to-people
Korea Gas Corporation. He was accompanied
Yaseen Anwar signed a memorandum of
as the opening up of polar shipping routes.
experience and technology with the country.
for economic cooperation and development
strengthen their cooperation and expand On the same day, Prime Minister Kleist
foreign currency reserves. The two will also
Seoul including Hyundai Steel Company and
exchanges.
by ten-odd businesspeople from Greenland to
GREENLANDIC PREMIER RETURNS VISIT
Arctic region.
F
ollowing the visit of President Zardari,
Greenlandic Prime Minister Kuupik
seek ways to explore mineral resources in the
The Greenlandic leader also met Minister
Kim and discussed ways to deepen cooperative
Vandersee Kleist arrived in Seoul on December
ties between South Korea and Greenland
Korea’s Foreign Minister Kim Sung-hwan.
sustainable development of the Arctic, climate
September 9 and 10, laying the groundwork for
join the Arctic Council.
development of the Arctic region. Prime
government’s support for South Korea to
follow-up measures.
countries with territory in the Arctic Circle.
Kleist met the South Korean president at Cheong
Korea is working to be elected as a permanent
12 for a five-day visit at the invitation of South
President Lee visited Greenland on
cooperation in green growth and sustainable
Minister Kleist’s visit was arranged to seek
On the second day of his visit, Prime Minister
Wa Dae for an official luncheon and discussed
Prime Minister Kleist visited
South Korea for official talks
on the economic cooperation
and development between
the two nations.
in various areas, including economy, trade,
change, environment, and South Korea’s bid to
Prime Minister Kleist expressed his
join the Arctic Council, a group of eight
As a temporary observer of the council, South
observer of the Arctic Council.
41
now in korea
Hallyu and Shopping
Ten Million Visit Korea a Year
The number of annual visitors to Korea surpassed ten million for the first time in 2012.
Why are they coming? Interest in Hallyu (Korean wave)? International events? Let’s have a
closer look at Korea as a tourist destination. by Yang In-sil in cooperation with the Visit Korea Committee
three million Japanese, 600,000 Americans, and
roughly 1.5 million from Southeast Asia.
The appreciation of the Japanese yen,
the spread of Hallyu, and regional tourist
attractions such as the Boryeong Mud Festival
and the Andong Maskdance Festival increased
Japanese traffic to Korea. The Chinese were
accorded a visa waiver to Jejudo, although
incentivized group tours, shopping tourism
O
n the afternoon of November 22, 2012,
the arrival hall of Incheon International
Airport was crowded as usual, but one
foreign visitor was given a special greeting.
She was Li Tingting (
) from Shanghai,
the ten millionth visitor to Korea in 2012. The
I visited the homepage of the Korea Tourism
Organization and so on. I had no difficulties
getting information even though I cannot speak
Korean well.”
main factors in the increase in Chinese visitors
to Korea. According to the World Travel and
Tourism Council, Korea’s tourism industry
expanded 13.2 percent in 2012, the fastest
growth of any G20 country.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism
the Busan Fireworks
Festival and the
Jeju Olle Walking
Festival and its efforts
to streamline the
country’s visa issuance
process. Yet another
factor cited by the
ministry is effective
overseas marketing
by the Visit Korea
Committee which was
1
organized for the 2010-2012 period, designated
as the Visit Korea Years.
Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the
12 PERCENT RISE IN VISITORS
believes that the surge in visitors to Korea in
SHOPPING AND HALLYU
Committee, and Incheon International Airport
ten fold over the past 35 years. In 1978 the
G20 Summit and the Nuclear Security Summit
dubbed the First Avenue of Shopping in Korea,
Korea Tourism Organization, the Visit Korea
Corporation together celebrated the ten million
mark in the number of annual visitors.
“My mom and I enjoy watching Korean TV
soaps,” said Li Tingting, “and I’m interested
A group of tourists dance
to a K-pop song at
Gwanghwamun Square.
Korea, I searched the Internet for information:
packages, and overseas school trips were the
holding events such as
in Korean food and cosmetics, so I really
wanted to come to Korea. Before coming to
The number of visitors to Korea has increased
country received one million visitors; by 2000, it
was five million. In 2011, it reached 9.8 million,
and finally hit ten million in 2012. Recent years
have seen an explosive rise in tourists from
China and Japan. Some 2.44 million Chinese
visitors came to Korea in 2012, along with
recent years is largely due to the success of the
hosted in Seoul, Pyeongchang’s winning the bid
to host the 2018 Winter Olympic Games, and the
rising tide of Hallyu, all of which have improved
worldwide awareness and perceptions of Korea.
Other important factors are the ministry’s
cooperation with regional governments in
While walking along the alleys of Myeong-dong,
you could be forgiven if you thought you were
in China or Japan. Much of the conversation is
in foreign languages in the crowded streets. This
area alone now sees over 1.5 million shoppers
browse and purchase things displayed in shops
lining the streets and alleys annually.
1 Hallyu Dream Festival
commemorates the 20102012 Visit Korea Year
campaign.
2 Major department stores
are popular shopping
destinations for foreign
shoppers.
2
42 korea january 2013
43
FLAVOR
now in korea
The rise in foreign shoppers also means more
sales of products made in Korea. Sales of Korean
products have been somewhat weak because of
the lukewarm domestic economy but they are
now selling briskly through duty-free shops.
One of Korea’s duty-free chains received more
than six million shoppers in 2012, a 27-percent
rise from the previous year. The surge in
tourists caused tourism revenues to soar from
USD 6.1 billion in 2007 to USD 14.3 billion in
2012, or by 134 percent in only six years.
Chinese and Japanese tourists are still seen
at the tables of a café that was a major part of
the setting of a Hallyu TV drama five years
ago. Musicals featuring Hallyu entertainers
number one reason why foreign visitors came to
Korea was shopping. The second and third most
common answers were to try Korean food and
to enjoy the beauty of Korea. The most-visited
districts were Myeong-dong, Dongdaemun
Market, and Namdaemun Market in that order.
The most-visited cities and provinces were
Seoul, Gyeonggi-do, Gyeongsang-do, Gangwondo, and Jeju Island in that order. The most
commonly purchased items were perfumes and
cosmetics, food, and clothing, while the most
popular shopping places were Myeong-dong
and duty-free shops at airports.
Shopping was also the most satisfactory
attract audiences from across the Korea Strait.
aspect of tourism in Korea, followed by safety,
major attraction for Korea. Music fans listen
procedures at the airport. Tourists, however,
There can be no doubt that Hallyu has been a
to PSY’s “Gangnam Style” and other K-pop
songs all over the world, director Kim Ki-duk’s
Pieta and other Korean films are recognized in
international film festivals, and Korean food
hospitality, food, and entry and departure
also responded that the language barrier and
finding information or signs in their own
languages were often issues.
is increasingly enjoyed worldwide. All these
WHAT TO IMPROVE
Korea.
tourist destination, but ten million visitors also
factors pique global villagers’ curiosity about
Myeong-dong is dubbed the
First Avenue of Shopping in
Korea.
and Tourism’s 2011 survey on tourism, the
KOREA AS SHOPPING HAVEN
According to the Ministry of Culture, Sports
Korea has obviously become a popular global
mean that efforts must be made to improve the
tourism experience.
Tteokguk
A bowl of tteok soup
for the New Year
Tteokguk is a Korean traditional dish enjoyed during
the celebration of the Lunar New Year. It is also
sometimes eaten on New Year’s Day, January 1st.
According to Dongguksesigi, a 19th century history
book, the custom of eating tteokguk in the morning
of the Lunar New Year’s Day goes as far back as
108 BC. It is believed that a bowl of tteokguk would
bring good luck for the forthcoming year and ensure
that one lived through the next year. Thus came the
custom of asking “How many bowls of tteokguk have
you eaten?” to ask a person’s age.
White tteok called garae-tteok is sliced into long
ovals and cooked in a broth to make this dish.
Traditionally, pheasant was used to make the broth,
but most households today use beef as the base for
the soup. The dish is usually garnished with lightly
cooked eggs, marinated beef, and dried seaweed
called gim.
by Chung Da-young / photographs by Lee Jin-ha
food & styling by Kim Young-bin
“We’ll develop more high value-added
tourism sectors involving
health services, performances,
and MICE tourism (meetings,
incentives, conferences, and
exhibitions),” says Choe Kwangsik, Minister of Culture, Sports
and Tourism. “With a target of 20
million annual foreign visitors by
2020, we’ll improve the tourism
infrastructure.”
Korea also needs more lodging
facilities to accommodate the
ever-increasing number of
tourists, develop more tourist
attractions across the country,
and diversify tourism attractions
besides Hallyu in order to make
more tourists want to come back
again and again.
44 korea january 2013
45
MY KOREA
what’s in a name
The Korean Language’s Deepest Rewards Are
Only Revealed with Time
about another word PSY used: oppan. Again,
in society, which is as a man of good taste, one
say “open Gangnam Style”. After correcting her,
sufficient explanation for my parents, but not
she mispronounced it – no, Mom, he does not
she prodded me to explain about this word, too.
I leaned back in my chair then, puzzling over
how best to elucidate this concept.
Korean has a reputation for how the language has built-in levels of respect. But what might
surprise you is the level of affection that is also embedded in it.
Oppan is a variant spelling of oppa (in by Joel Killin / illustrations by Moon Sin-ki
Korean: 오빠), particularly an adjectival form.
S
in my apartment on a quiet, cool Sunday
morning, chatting on Skype with my parents.
My mom was telling me with excitement that
a Korean song had become popular of late
in the U.S. “The singer is PS-PSY?” she said
uncertainly. “The song is called Gangnam
Style,” she finished, mispronouncing the first
syllable of the title. I laughed. “It’s not like
‘gang’,” I replied, “as in: a gang of thieves stole
my money.” No, I told her, it’s pronounced
closer to ‘gong’, as in: the gang of thieves stole
with an older brother would call him hyeong,
by this time, and I heard them both pronounce
while a girl would call him oppa.
it together – correctly. “There you go. Your first
All this flashed through my head very
Korean lesson,” I said.
quickly, as I mulled where to begin. My parents,
Next, they wanted to know what the song
however, were waiting with bated breath, so I
meant. I explained that Gangnam is a famous
plowed through an answer. In truth, all I was
district in Seoul, known for its wealth and posh
really able to convey to them was that when
lifestyles. PSY, I told them, was elaborating on
PSY repeats the mantra “Oppan Gangnam Style”
common perceptions toward the people who
throughout the song, he is referring to his status
live in that district. My mom interjected, asking
I want to take you on a journey.
Sometime shortly after stepping off the plane
Left, right, up, down – a series of indecipherable
a girl with an older sister would say eonni. A boy
My dad had joined my mother at the computer
here. Grant me your patience, dear reader, for words younger siblings may use to refer to their
boy with an older sister would call her nuna, but
initial G a little harder – like Gangnam,” I said.
done. I’m glad to have another opportunity
for the first time at Incheon Airport, I knew
older siblings, depending on one’s gender. A
my gong. I concluded, “Just pronounce the
nearly as well-explained as could have been
Oppa, in its most basic meaning, is the word for older brother. In Korean, there are several
o there I was a couple months ago, sitting
whom women like and can respect. This was
that nothing would ever be the same again.
signs greeted me, along with arrows telling me
to go left, right, or straight. I found immediate
comfort in the English translations underneath
all the signage. Not having slept for roughly
24 hours at this point, I carried myself slowly
all the way to baggage claim. About the
time I reached the immigration counter just
before baggage claim, however, I realized I
still hadn’t filled out my arrival documents.
Scrambling, I ducked out of line and went to
write my information on the papers. Less than
30 minutes later, laden with my two suitcases
and an overstuffed backpack, I was through,
wide-eyed, into the arrivals hall, exhausted and
Eemo
(Auntie)!
Can I please get a
bowl of rice?
relieved.
That was over four years ago. The succession
of experiences that followed was nothing short
of life-altering. The food, of course, was a kick
to my taste buds, which, I discovered, were
woefully unprepared for the burst of flavor
that came with my first meal at a dwaeji galbi
restaurant. The interpersonal customs, too,
stuck out – the way people bow to one another,
how one is supposed to accept a gift, or the
manner in which one pours drinks for other.
Korea is an amazing and unique country, and certainly one could come, live, and
experience numerous of its pleasures in a short
visit. In fact, many do just this, hopping in for
two weeks or a month or some other length
of time. Some of Korea’s secrets, though, take
time to unravel. For instance, the language.
When one sits down to learn it initially, it is
46 korea january 2013
47
MY KOREA
Learn korean
As I said, some pleasures take time to
unravel; and you’d be surprised how much you
miss until someone points it out bluntly. For
me, that moment came one day at work. I had
What do you want to do in Korea? There are many attractive places in Korea. If you
want to go skiing, ski resort in Gangwondo is recommendable. If you want to go
hiking, Jeju Island is recommendable. Let’s talk about what you want to do in Korea.
If you
want to go
skiing...
been in Korea just over two years, and all the
A: 민수 씨, 스키를 타고 싶어요.
Minsu, I want to go skiiing.
minsu ssi, ski-reul tago sipeoyo.
sudden I heard a couple of the Korean teachers
refer to my coworker Mark as oppa. “Oppa,”
they said together, “it’s your turn.” They meant
it was his turn to take out the trash, a task my
school rotated from week to week among the
B: 나오코 씨, 스키를 타려면 평창으로
가 보세요.
Naoko, I suggest you go to
Pyeongchang for skiing.
naoko ssi, ski-reul taryeomyeon
Pyeongchang-euro ga boseyo.
English teachers. Mark turned red and laughed,
and in that moment became about as docile
A: 서울에서 평창까지 어떻게 가요?
How do I get to Pyeongchang from
Seoul?
Seoul-eseo Pyeongchangkkaji
eotteoke gayo?
as I ever saw him. When he came back, I took
the opportunity to ask him what the girls had
called him.
That was the moment I first learned about
B: 평창에 가려면 버스를 타야 해요.
You have to take the bus to
Pyeongchang.
Pyeongchang-e garyeomyeon busreul taya haeyo.
oppa. I had already known before this time that
oppa meant older brother. However, Mark was
definitely not the older brother of my Korean
coworkers! He explained to me how it was
very evident that Korean is a language built
around respect. In every culture, of course,
there is a difference in how one – for example
– speaks to children versus how one speaks to
adults. The Korean language takes this a step
further by cementing this respect into the very
him that once not long after, forgetting that
oppa is only for a woman to say. Mark laughed
riotously and said, “You’re not a girl!”
I have since learned many other words which
of others that are similar, more than I know –
For my first two years in Korea, I learned the
basics. I learned how to read Hangeul easily,
and way more than can fit here. Nonetheless,
a testament to the effort Koreans have made
female Korean friends nuna, a distinction which
도보여행을 하다 - 제주도
giggle, too.
doboyeohaeng-eul
hada – Jejudo
go hiking
makes them giggle so much that I start to
At 26 years old, I’m still fairly young. Only
a few times have Korean women called me
the respectfulness which is bound up in the
able to laugh and sigh contentedly. Though it’s
language overwhelmed me, and it obscured
for a long time that Korean is also a very
affectionate language.
한정식을 먹다 - 전주
eemo, which means aunt. She smiles whenever
toward accommodating foreign residents.
Anytime I did attempt to study further, all
ski-reul tada
– Pyeongchang
go skiing
yeonghwajereul
boda – Busan
go to film festival
The cook at my school, who is a sweet lady
anyone calls her that. I sometimes call my
was able to rely on it solely, a fact that is truly
shopping-eul hada
– Dongdaemun
go shopping
영화제를 보다 - 부산
fun using them.
situation – ordering at restaurants, taking a
is common enough in many places that I often
스키를 타다 - 평창
hanjeongsigeul
meokda - Jeonju
go to eat Korean Table
d’hote
despite my incomplete understanding, it’s still
and wonderful at her job, I have started calling
taxi home, or getting directions. English, too,
쇼핑을 하다 - 동대문
just the tip of the iceberg. There are a number
and I shored up my vocabulary so that I could
navigate through just about any ordinary
48 korea january 2013
feel appreciated and respected. I tried calling
and adults. It extends to family, to friends, to
even to strangers.
Joel Killin is an American
who moved to Korea in
2008 with the intention
to "stay two years" if he
really liked it. More than
four years later, Korea still
fascinates him. He loves
music and has had his
music criticism published,
as well as some of his
fiction and poetry. He
also enjoys economics,
comedy, and, best of all,
being with the friends and
strangers who make life so
memorable.
anyone called him oppa, because it made him
in Korean are terms of endearment. Oppa is
authority figures, to business partners – and
About the Writer
an affectionate title. He said he liked it when
grammar of the language itself. Moreover, this
level of respect is not simply between children
Which place did you visit in Korea?
Try to make a conversation as suggested by the following example and vocabulary.
Let’s practice
oppa. Every time they do, though, I am only
a pleasure that can take a while to understand,
once you do it’s just another thing to love about
A: 나오코 씨, 스키를 타고 싶어요?
(Naoko, do you want to go skiing?)
B: 스키를 타려면 평창으로 가 보세요.
(I suggest you go to Pyeongchang for
skiing.)
Korea.
49
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“Group dancing” of migratory birds at the Geumgang Estuary
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2013
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