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발간등록번호 11-1110073-000016-06

40Summit DiplomacySouth Korean president Greets Leaders of pakistan and Greenland

34Sportsa Climber at the topJain Kim

32Entertainmentneo-Renaissance of Korean Film

38Global Koreathe Knowledge Sharing program

36Special Issuethe First Female president-elect of the Republic of Koreapark Geun-hye

30festivalthe Seogwipo penguin Swimming Festival

16Peoplea Doctor for InstrumentsYu Je-se

12Pen & brush Kim Chi-haa poet of Resistance and Life

22Seoula Walk through Seoul plaza

26Travela Stage for Dancing birdsGeumgang estuary

20Great Korean an ancient hero of UnificationGeneral Kim Yu-sin

45flavortteokguka bowl of tteok soup for the new Year

42Now in Koreaten million Visit Korea a Year

49Learn KoreanIf you want to go skiing...

46My KoreaWhat’s in a name

contentsjanuary 2013 Vol.9 no.1

02

Cover Story

UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity ArirangKoreans and Arirang

Arirang Variations

Arirang as UNESCO’s Intangible Heritage of Humanity

korea january 2013 2 3

COVER STORY

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

UNESCO’S INtaNgIblE CUltUral HErItagE Of HUmaNIty

Arirang

korea january 2013 4

COVER STORY

5

group of songs in which the chorus repeats the word Arirang or a similar sounding word. Nobody knows the exact meaning of the word Arirang. Many people believe that it has no specific meaning.

Each variation of Arirang has a fixed melody and chorus, but the rest of the lyrics are changeable. That is, singers can either sing the traditional lyrics or creatively improvise. Thus, Arirang is traditional, but at the same time very extemporary.

Arirang was originally a hyangto minyo (rural folk song) in Gangwon-do and its vicinity, located in the mid-eastern part of the Korean Peninsula. People sang it while 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 widely thanks to the reconstruction of Gyeongbokgung Palace during the reign of King Gojong (r. 1863-1907). In order to boost 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 movie Arirang and used a remake of the most popular variation of tongsok minyo Arirang. The movie was a major hit; the theme song became known by all the Koreans and gained the

koreans and ArirangWhen South and North Korean athletes entered the Olympic Stadium together during the opening ceremony of the 27th Summer Olympic Games in Sydney in 2000, Arirang was played rather than the national anthem of either country. For Arirang is the single most iconic song that represents the entire Korean nation.

Korea was again full of excitement during the 2002 Korea-Japan FIFA World Cup. People wearing red shirts poured out onto the streets, and every city square in the country became a festive sea of red. One of the cheering songs reverberating through the streets was Arirang, 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 ARIRANGKorean folk songs (minyo) are broadly categorized as folk songs sung by the common people in rural areas (hyangto minyo) 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 you can hear on the radio or TV. Far and away the most widely known Korean folk song is Arirang.

Arirang is in fact not a single song, but a


COVER STORY

nickname “Bonjo Arirang” (lit. Arirang of the original melody). The boom of “Bonjo Arirang” precipitated a new and lasting trend of creating 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 WORLDArirang 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 unwillingly—still sing the song. Their Arirang has more sorrowful stories, as most Korean emigrants had to suffer hardships in foreign 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,

radio programs such as Arirang Collection (1936) and music albums including Song of Arirang (edited by Koga Masao, 1932) also featured 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 Germany. In 1925, German folklorists published a report on the folklore of prisoners of war of different ethnic backgrounds, including two 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

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 ARTArirang 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 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.

The poster of the movie Arirang from 1926

Arirang is sung to create a feeling of unity and energy when people are working together.

INTERVIEW

LOCAL IS GLOBALYun 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.”


COVER STORY

8180

Overview A pentatonic mode consisting of mi – la – do – re – mi (ascending) / mi – re – do – si – la – mi (descending), with la acting as the cadential tone. Stress is usually placed on do when descending to si, and the lowest tone mi is typically sung with a deep and wide vibrato. This pentatonic mode notably has no sol, which is characteristic of the musical language of the Jeolla area. It is to be sung with much excitement.

Ari arirang sseuri sseurirang my heart is broken Arirang eungeungeung my heart is brokenWhat is this gate on a hill called Mungyeong Saejae*, this winding trail brings tears to my eyesThe clear blue sky holds innumerable little stars and, likewise, inside our hearts we carry many hopes

Lyrics

SemachiRhythmic pattern

Mode

Mungyeong SaejaeA high hill in the city of Mungyeong in North Gyeongsang Province, it borders the Chungcheong region in the middle of the peninsula and the southeastern region of Gyeongsang.

Mungyeong Saejae

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 VariationsGenerally Arirang refers to Jeongseon Arirang of Gangwon-do (mid-eastern part of the Korean Peninsula), Bonjo Arirang of Seoul and Gyeonggi (mid-western), Jindo Arirang of Jeolla-do (southwestern), and Miryang Arirang of Gyeongsang-do (southeastern). They are called the four major Arirangs.

THE FOUR MAJOR ARIRANGS

BONJO ARIRANG (OR SIMpLy ARIRANG)Director Na Woon-gyu’s movie Arirang (1926) expressed so tellingly the sentiments of the 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

Koreans and eventually the representative form of Arirang.

JEONGSEON ARIRANGOne of the representative folk songs of Gangwon-do—a mountainous region that is in the mid-eastern region of the Korean Peninsula—is “Arari Sori.” A variation of “Arari Sori” that was sung in Jeongseon, Gangwon-do, spread to other regions under the title “Jeongseon Arirang.”

There are two versions of Jeongseon Arirang: “Gin Arirang” (lit. Long Arirang), which is slow, and “Yeokkeum Arirang” (lit. Weaving Arirang), which densely weaves stories into the lyrics. The two share the same chorus, but 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 ARIRANGThere is a theory that Miryang Arirang is a representative tongsok minyo of the

Gyeongsang-do legion originating in Miryang, Gyeongsangnam-do. A more credible theory is that it was derived from “Arong Taryeong,” 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 ARIRANGEvery 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 rhythm and melody combined with the witty lyrics can ease the greatest suffering and heartache.

ARIRANG SUNG By kOREAN CHINESEFor ethnic Koreans living in China, Arirang carries even more meaning. Most of the ethnic Koreans in China are descendents of Koreans forced out of their homeland by the Japanese in the 1930s and during the war in order to develop Manchuria. The locations where they lived were also strongholds for the Korean independence movement and warfare in the

1930s and 1940s. They were sources of medicine, arms, food, and information. Against this backdrop, Arirang became a kind of weapon in 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.

A memorial stone of Miryang Arirang


COVER STORY

Arirang became known internationally thanks to Paul Mauriat and his Orchestra,

who recorded Arirang with the title “Eastern Love Song” in 1975. This prompted releases of other recordings of Arirang in other countries including Czechoslovakia, Japan, and Germany.

Jazz vocalist Nah Youn-sun, who is more famous abroad, sings Arirang at every one of her performances. She interprets different 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 producing albums featuring Arirang. The 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 artists from home and abroad.

Volume 1 of The Name of Korean features artists who know Korea well, including 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 with the traditional music of other countries

Arirang as UNESCO’s Intangible Heritage Of HumanityArirang was recently inscribed on UNESCO’s 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 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,

angers, and sorrows of Koreans wherever and however they live. The song has comforted the suffering, and it has instilled patriotism into the hearts of Koreans and united them whenever the nation was in crisis, carrying more meaning 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 ARIRANGKoreans must research and maintain Arirang as a precious cultural property for all. The Cultural Heritage Administration (CHA) of Korea plans 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.

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.

The Name of Korean vol.1 The Name of Korean vol.2 The Name of Korean vol.3

Map Of aRIRaNgaRIRaNg IN DIffERENT REgIONS

Dancheon Arirang in Hamgyeongnam-do

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

Jocheon Arirang in Jeju

Seodo Arirang in Pyeongan-do

Haeju Arirang in Hwanghae-do

Bonjo Arirang, Gin Arirang, and Hanobaengnyeon in Seoul

Jindo Arirang in Jeollanam-do

collaborating with Asian artists from Vietnam, Kazakhstan, Indonesia, and Malaysia.

“It is easy to become familiar with Arirang,” says Yuhki Kuramoto, who participated in the production of the second volume, “Its melody is simple and bright, but at the same time feels sad.” He added that the song will become widely loved throughout the world.

arIraNg fOr all


PEN & BRUSH

Burning Even Brighter in DarknesssKim Chi-haA Poet of Resistance and LifeIn 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

The 1960s and 1970s were an age of light and dark for Korea. Korea

was a world of light for those who were excited about the country’s rapid industrialization and economic growth; it was a world of darkness for those who were oppressed and frustrated under the ironfisted military dictatorship. Countless intellectuals plunged themselves into arduous resistance against the darkness, and poet Kim Chi-ha was one of them. He was a symbol of the resistance against the dictatorship. His poetry was perceived as a threat to the very foundation of the government, and it was indeed more powerful and scathing than any other weapon that could be leveled against it.

WITH A BURNING THIRSTKim’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.

WITH A BURNING THIRSTby Kim Chi-ha

Translated by Gwon Seon-geun

In the back alley at daybreakI write your name, O DemocracyMy mind has forgotten you for too longAnd my legs far too long have strayed from you.But with a slender remembrance ofMy heart’s burning thirst,Secretly I write your name

Somewhere in the back alley before dawnThe rush of footsteps, urgent whistles, and pounding,Someone’s groan, wail, lamentfind their way into my heart,

Engraving themselves there.For your name’s sake,For the solitary splendor of your name,On a wooden board with white chalkI write awkwardly with shaking hand, trembling heartAnd raging indignationThe agony of livingThe memory of green freedom revivingAnd the blood-stained faces of returning friendsWho’ve been taken by the police

I write your name secretlyIn tears, subduing the cryingWith a burning thirstWith a burning thirstLong live Democracy!

The first part of the second stanza sharply reveals the terrors and pains of the age by invoking many different sounds such as footsteps and voices of 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.

Kim Chi-ha wrote a poem to commemorate the independence activist, Lee Hee-young.


LIFE IS A RAY OF HOPEHis poem Life marks a transition in his philosophy and poetry. Kim states “life is a ray of hope” in the poem. However frustrating the situation, life doesn’t weaken. The scene of a woman crying with her child in her arms is so sad, 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.

LIFEby Kim Chi-ha

Translated by Gwon Seon-geun

Life isA ray of hope.My life depends on itAs I stand here at the edge ofAn abyss.

I cannot go backOr forward.

This is the final stop for me.I can neither soarNor fall

A mother criesAnd embraces her child.The sorrow of lifeBreeds a ray of hope.

“I’m talking about building a new world where fighting is unnecessary, as all of us ultimately return to the fundamental world of life,” says the poet. “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 his poetry changed from resistance to directing attention to the inner world because of his revelations about life while in prison. He combined Donghak and Christianity to formulate his own philosophy of life. He founded the Yullyeo Society in 1998 to promote this philosophy on life and humanity and a new type of national culture.

ABOUT POET KIm CHI-HA Kim Chi-ha entered the Seoul National University Department of Aesthetics in 1959 and participated in the April 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.

He returned to school in February 1963 and began to write combative poems the next year. He had five poems published through the poetry magazine Poets in November 1969, taking his first step as a resistance poet. In 1970, he published Five Bandits in the May issue of the literary magazine Sasanggye. The poem satirized the 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 was pardoned and his works were no longer officially labeled “seditious.” By this time, he jumped into the life 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 a culture of life-giving against all cultures of killing. He believes that all the problems of humanity—political

oppression, social inequality, materialism, and environmental 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 transition is readily apparent in his poetry. His poems of the 1970s were full of the vigorous spirit of resistance, but in the 1990s he began writing calm, succinct, contemplative poetry that reveals his inner world. The poetry anthology Ilsan Sicheop is a good example.

Kim received the Lotus Prize for Literature in 1975 from the Afro-Asian Writers’ Association, when he was still in prison. In 1981, he received the 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 the Woods Full of Presentiment), and Yet Gayaeseo Ttuiuneun Gyeoul Pyeonji (lit. A Winter Letter from Old State of Gaya).

ABoUt tHE tRANSlAtoRKim WoN-jUNgKim 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 Ji-woo, and other Korean poets.

Kim combined Donghak and Christianity to formulate his own philosophy of life.

Kim argues that society must create a new type of culture based on respect for life and principles of life.

PEN & BRUSH


PEoPlE

ANECDOTE 1Yu worked for a construction company. One day, he met a friend in a music store. That was the first time in his entire life he’d ever seen a violin in person. It produced a sound that seemed to be of Heaven above. He was so shocked and overwhelmed that he was left speechless for some time.

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 to his workshop with a block of wood. Over the next three years, he did an apprenticeship at the workshop every weekend until he finally made 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 asked around for a professional repairer of musical instruments and heard about Yu. Chung’s presence was so imposing, and her 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

accords another virtuoso. From that moment, Yu was considered a “doctor” who restores the instruments of violinist Kyung-wha Chung and cellist Myung-wha Chung.

PASSION OVERCOmES LImITSWhen exquisite, nearly priceless instruments pass through Yu’s hands, they become even 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 after being struck with fascination for the violin, he went to Germany in 1990, already 34 years of age. Rather than taking a regular course 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,” recalls Yu, “but, one day a client who had an expensive violin asked about my education. Upon hearing my answer, he took back his 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

A Doctor for InstrumentsYu Je-seMusicians’ instruments are their alter egos. When such virtuosos as violinist Kyung-wha 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


PEoPlE

colleague’s daughter, and she went abroad with the violin to study music. He later took charge of the stringed instruments for the Daegwallyeong International Music Festival, which is the most prestigious classical music festival in Korea.

FATHER TO SONThere 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. (To this day, he travels the world to find better materials.) Clients were at first half in disbelief, but he soon made a name for himself. Musicians who had their instruments repaired abroad started to knock on his door instead.

Yu doesn’t work every single day. Conditions 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 the instrument. Every instrument commissioned leaves a meticulous record as he writes down all the details from the moment it enters his workshop until he gives it back to its owner. His work requires a high degree of concentration and artistry, and every instrument feels like

around me did their best out of the goodness of their hearts to discourage me from quitting my job. They only had the best of intentions for me and genuinely thought that learning how to make “fiddles” (their word for it) was ridiculous. This time, too, people tried the same thing, but 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, and learning was a slow process. He smoked and drank quite a lot. His diary was soaked in tears. He packed up and unpacked several times. One day, he felt himself becoming a nervous wreck, bit his finger, and wrote a pledge to himself in blood. It was the genuine start of a true fight against himself. Then, he realized that the client who had hurt his pride,

his own child. Yu became the great luthier he is today, even in the face of so many obstacles, in large part because of his diligent hands, sensitive ears, and unwavering tenacity.

His son studied business management in college, but his heart moved toward musical instruments as he watched his father give new life to old instruments. Yu’s son is now in Italy studying and training hard to follow in his father’s footsteps. Yu looks forward to working together with his son some day.

“The reason why instruments Guadagnini made more than three centuries ago and Stradivariuses made more than 250 years ago are still highly appreciated,” explains Yu, “is 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 a plot of land in Hoengseong, Gangwon-do and build a small concert hall where he will display instruments he has made or collected, allowing 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.

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causing him to go to Germany to study, was his other teacher in life.

After one year in Germany, Yu could hear and speak German fairly well. His handling of instruments had improved remarkably. His teacher recognized his great progress and started to pay him a salary. He even entrusted Yu with the key to the workshop. When Yu was about to return home, his teacher gave him a wooden worktable made in 1859 as a gift. To this day, Yu cuts and trims materials and tunes strings on this very worktable.

Koreans commonly make a huge issue out of educational background, which prevented him from gaining due recognition. During his struggles, one of his former colleagues extended 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


gREAt KoREAN

An Ancient Hero of UnificationGeneral Kim Yu-sinOver 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

where he achieved a remarkable feat. When the two sides first clashed, the Silla troops lost their fighting spirit, but Yu-sin charged into the enemy camp and came back with the head of the Goguryeo commander, winning the battle for Silla.

By that time, Yu-sin had met Kim Chun-chu, who was perhaps the most important person in his life. Chun-chu later ascended the throne as the 29th king of Silla and founded Unified Silla. The two became very close political partners as well as relatives through two marriages between their families.

Their mutual trust and friendship were very strong. When Chun-chu lost his daughter and her husband in a battle against Baekje, he went to Goguryeo to ask for military support. Goguryeo detained him rather than sending troops to help Silla. Yu-sin organized a special unit to rescue him. At this news, Goguryeo set Chun-chu free in order to prevent the outbreak of a major war with Silla.

The founding of Unified Silla was virtually sealed when Chun-chu, known for his extraordinary diplomatic finesse, and Yu-sin, a gallant and sagacious warrior, joined hands.

POSTHUmOUSLY ENTHRONEDYu-sin won victory after victory in a long series of battles against Baekje, Goguryeo, and the Tang Dynasty in China. When his men were exhausted, he took off his upper garment, mounted his horse, and led from the vanguard. In one of his more innovative actions, he harnessed drums and drumsticks to a herd of cows to be released in the event of a surprise attack to throw the enemy into confusion by the sound.

Yu-sin was devoted to the royal family and adamantly upheld the reputation of his family. When his son returned alive from a defeat at the hands of Tang forces, he requested the king to have his son beheaded. His son had to live alone in hiding for the rest of his life. In a sense, he was a pitiable hero who had to seek recognition because he was not from Silla but Gaya. However, his unwavering determination and feats as a military leader were so extraordinary that nearly all Koreans readily recall Kim Yu-sin when they think about Unified Silla.

Kim Yu-sin (595-673) was a military leader and politician of Silla who achieved great

feats in conquering Baekje and Goguryeo—the two other major kingdoms of Korea’s Three Kingdoms period (57-668)—and unifying the Korean nation under the banner of Unified Silla. He was not a member of the royal family of Silla, but he was so admired that he was posthumously granted the honorary title of King Heungmu the Great. Yu-sin was a grandson of the last king of the Gaya confederacy, but became an aristocrat of Silla when his grandfather yielded to them.

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 been in his mother’s womb for 20 months. As a teenager, he joined the Hwarang (lit. Flower Boys), an elite group of specially educated 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 WARRIOREven 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 only when he was 35 years old that he followed his father into battle against Goguryeo forces,

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

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SEoUl

a WalK ThrouGh

seoul PlazaSeoul Plaza bore

witness to nearly all

of the upheavals along

Korea’s turbulent

road to liberation and

modernization during

the last century. Today,

it is the city’s favorite

location for cultural

events and a quiet

place to read. A tour

of the city would not

be complete without

a walk through Seoul

Plaza. by Chung Da-young /

photographs by Lee Jae-hui


If 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.

AT THE HEART OF SEOUL’S mODERNIZATIONSeoul Plaza first took shape in 1897 when King Gojong returned to Deoksugung Palace after the 1895 assassination of Queen Min. A wide

road was laid between Gyeongbokgung Palace and the main gate of Deoksugung Palace and a modern plaza was constructed in front of Deoksugung Palace. The plaza was situated in 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 Court of Korea. It soon became the center stage for the nation’s liberation movement from Japanese occupation including, most notably, 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.

iNFoRmAtioNHow to get there City Hall Subway Station, Line 1 or 2, Exit 5

Skating RinkOpen: Dec 14, 2012 to Feb 3, 2013 / 10 AM to 10 PMSkate 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 LibraryOpen: 9 AM to 9 PM (weekdays), 9 AM to 6 PM (weekends)Website: lib.seoul.go.kr/www/html/en/main.jsp

Seoul Plaza came under the global spotlight during the 2002 FIFA World Cup when 80,000 people dressed in red shirts gathered there to cheer on the Korean national team. The mass 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 Government rebuilt the square to provide a better city environment and a green area for Seoulites. In 2004, the traffic lanes that cut across the square and the wide road that ran directly past the old City Hall were removed to make way for a vast green. The Floor Water 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 months.

Seoul Government hosts many cultural events throughout the year on Seoul Plaza including the popular Hi! Seoul Festival and various performances. This past October, the Korean pop star PSY held a free concert at the plaza as promised earlier to thank his fans for kick-starting the success of his viral hit 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 peak when the singer sang his hit song and more than 100,000 fans did the famous “horse dance” with the singer. According to the Seoul 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 traffic within a three-block radius.

Towards the winter festive season, the plaza transforms into a public ice skating rink for 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

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.

Ice skating in the middle of downtown Seoul is sure to be an unforgettable memory for many foreign visitors.

and helmets for young children are available free of charge. The 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.

NEW LIBRARY, NEW CITY HALLNew attractions of Seoul Plaza are the old City Hall, which reopened as the Seoul Metropolitan Library, and the new City Hall building right behind it. The old City Hall was built in 1926, during the Japanese Colonial Period.

After liberation in 1945, it served as a local government building, and for more than 60 years it served as the government building for the Seoul Metropolitan Government. The 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 government moved into the new building in September of last year, and Seoul Metropolitan Library opened its doors to the public. The 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 volumes and 20 computers to view 4,200 DVDs and audio books. Visitors are free to walk into the library to read books, catch up with current 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 room, and meeting room.

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SEoUl


travel

A Stage for Dancing Birds

Geumgang EstuaryGeumgang 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


temple, and residences from the period remain. Especially famous are Dongguksa Temple, a two-story wooden house built by a Japanese named Hirose dubbed “Hirose’s House,” and the railway village in Gyeongam-dong.

If you visit Gunsan with children, don’t miss the Jinpo Maritime Theme Park in the inner harbor. The park was built in commemoration of Jinpodaecheop (Great Battle of Jinpo), 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 Mu-seon, who was also a scientist and inventor, led Korean forces to victory using cannons of his own invention charged with a powerful 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 the parts of the temple including the main buildings, toilets, and bath are connected by a corridor, revealing some of the salient features of Japanese architecture.

The reed field in the village of Sinseong is not part of Gunsan but of Seocheon. Still, it is near the bird observatories and is one of the four most important reed fields in Korea. Seen

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.

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.

from the 1.2-kilometer embankment, the fields spread unbroken all the way to the Geumgang River and the hills of Gunsan far off in the distance.

When you get your first hunger pangs 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.

When the sun sinks below the horizon behind Geumgang Estuary and the sky

glows in shades of wine, a long island in the river comes alive. Did you read that correctly? What seemed to be a mere island a moment 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 continuously shifting shapes. People think of their impromptu movements romantically as “group dancing,” but in fact the birds are jockeying with one another to be as close to the

travel

what to eatJjamppong at BokseongnuDozens 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 topped with softly pan-fried pork as a garnish.

how to get thereCar 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.

travel information

Seoul

Gunsan

center of the flock as possible, where it is safer.The Korean Peninsula greets numerous

migratory birds from Siberia every winter. Geumgang Estuary is an especially important destination for those winged visitors with its shallow waters, gentle currents, and vast farms nearby that afford excellent spots for resting and hunting. Some 90 percent of the world’s baikal teals come to this very estuary every year to spend the winter.

The teals rest all day long in the river, and when the sun sets, they fly over Mt. Manghaesan to the Gimje Plains in search of food, coming back at dawn.

They can be seen from a number of bird observatories, the best of which is Napo Sipjatteul Bird Observatory.

A CITY OF HISTORYVisitors to Gunsan are strongly recommended to see the Geumgang River. Gunsan was the fastest growing city in Korea in the early 20th century, serving as the port of choice for the Japanese for shipping out their plunder of Korea’s bounty, be that rice, minerals, or other resources. The Japanese built a port and railways, and Japanese culture firmly took root across the entire city where about half the 16,000 residents were Japanese. The customs house,

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feStival

The so-called “polar bear swimmers” take a plunge into the cold waters in Vancouver

and New York City on New Year’s Day. At Haeundae Beach in Busan and Jungmun Saekdal Beach on Jejudo Island, the “penguin swimmers” venture into the sea to ring in the New Year with hope in their hearts. This year marks the 14th Seogwipo Penguin Swimming Festival. Extreme swimming enthusiasts will bring excitement to Jungmun Saekdal Beach by fearlessly plunging into the winter waters

JEJuDO AS uNESCO WORLD HERITAGEBeing Korea’s largest island, Jejudo is a fascinating tourist destination. It is off the southern coast of the Korean Peninsula. Marado, the nation’s southernmost island, is only eight kilometers off Jejudo. Jejudo is home to Mt. Hallasan, which rises from the center of the island and is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, along with the lava tubes that run all over the island. These and other unique features make Jejudo breathtakingly beautiful wherever you go.

Still, Jungmun, where the Penguin Swimming Festival takes place, is definitely one of Jeju’s best tourist destinations, famous for the Yeomiji Botanical Garden, the tiered Cheonjeyeon Waterfalls, and the Jungmun-Daepo Columnar Joints. The area has excellent accommodations and leisure facilities including hotels, condominiums, golf courses, windsurfing areas, and shopping centers. This is, needless to say, an extremely popular area for tourists.

Swim Your Dream in JejudoThe Seogwipo Penguin Swimming FestivalCourageous people gather together on Jejudo to swim in the cold winter waters to make a wish for the New Year. This is the 14th Seogwipo Penguin Swimming Festival. by Lee Jeong-eun

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 battle in the water to show off their health and youth. Yet, the water is so cold that even the heartiest of them have to get out after about half an hour.

This extraordinary winter event attracts locals and foreign visitors alike. Catherine Rusk, a Canadian English teacher at a middle school on Jejudo, mustered up the courage to become a penguin swimmer in January 2012. She recalls that it was indeed cold, but she had so much fun that the coldn was bearable enough.

One of the most delightful moments for penguin swimmers may be when they pick up a “ball of fortune” while swimming. The organizers of the festival scatter balls of fortune in the sea beforehand, and getting your hand on one of the balls means that you can stay at a hotel in the Jungmun tourist district, have a meal at the ICC Jeju (International Convention Center), or play golf at the Jungmun Golf Club free of charge.

The finale of the festival is eating traditional specialties of Jejudo—momguk (a thick pork and seaweed soup), dombe gogi (broiled sliced pork), and other wonderful dishes, all prepared by villagers nearby. This warms the bodies and hearts of the “penguins” after their jaunt in the winter sea.

on January 5, 2013. The theme of the festival this year is “A Power Start for 2013,” which encourages putting the last year behind and planning for a brighter new year.

The festival features lots of exciting things to see and do in addition to the swimming competition. Participants will send up balloons with their wishes for the New Year, ring the “Bell of Promise,” bury a time capsule containing their New Year’s resolutions, compete in the “Penguin Wrestling King”

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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.


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 STORIESThe Korean Film Council (KOFIC) attributes the milestone of 100 million tickets sold to the effective production systems of major Korean movie studios. They set specific audience targets for individual films and allocate funds accordingly. The movies All About My Wife and An Introduction to Architecture are cases in point.

Another factor was Pieta winning the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival. This put Korean movies in headlines all over the world and piqued the interest of the Korean public. Controversy over the oligopolistic structure of the Korean film industry continued to seethe, but positive publicity about Korean movies drew the public to the theaters in droves. The dense lineup of movies debuting all throughout the year was another important factor. There was no slow season in 2012.

Experts believe that the current boom in Korean movies is also very much due to their diversity in genres. At one time, film noir dominated the screen to the near complete

exclusion of all else, but numerous different genres are well represented today.

The audience is more diverse than before. According to KOFIC, each Korean watched 3.12 films in theaters on average in 2012, ranking Korea fourth in the world after the United States, France, and Australia. KOFIC explains that the diversity is in response to the screening of films of different genres dealing with a wider range of subjects targeting specific segments of the movie-going public. Films that dealt with social issues such as Unbowed brought back moviegoers in their 30s and 40s. The blockbuster The Thieves starred actors and actresses of different ages, attracting a huge bloc of moviegoers ranging in age from their teens to 40s.

Now that the neo-renaissance of Korean cinema is upon us, countless movie buffs at home and abroad are taking greater interest and eagerly anticipating what will come out of Korea next.

Back to the MoviesNeo-Renaissance of Korean FilmIn 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

For the first time ever, Korean films exceeded 100 million in annual ticket sales in 2012.

The average Korean person saw more than three Korean movies in theaters. Two Korean films even passed the threshold of ten million tickets sold: The Thieves and Gwanghae: The Man Who Became King. Another nine films each sold more than four million tickets.

The number of Korean films produced each year has remained remarkably steady for some time. Of the 441 films screened in Korea in the year to December 14, 2012, 146 were Korean, compared with 150 in 2011 and 140 in 2010. However, annual ticket sales are up sharply from 70 million only a few years ago, reflecting 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

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 Chang-dong’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.

korean filmS awarded at major film feStivalS

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.

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Jain Kim clinched gold in women’s lead climbing at the IFSC Climbing World Cup in

China in 2007 and has since remained No. 1 in the world. She is not bulky, but short, nimble, and pretty, standing a mere 153 centimeters 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 once within five minutes, only one attempt is allowed in lead climbing, which Jain feels suits her personality. Of course, she also enjoys bouldering, in which she can try climbing in different ways.

SMALL BUT STRONGIn 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 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 long-harbored dream of completing the final-round route. She burst into

SPORTS

A Climber at the TopJain Kim 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. When she climbs, she feels happy as if in

another world—concentrating with her hand in control of a hold, facing the unique challenges of the route at every moment, and feeling as 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 that she must focus more on keeping herself in good shape and avoiding injury rather than honing her skills further. She hopes to remain 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.

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In 2007, she lost to President Lee Myung-bak in the contest to win the party’s presidential nomination, but she made a strong comeback in the 2012 general election. Before the election, the party faced another serious crisis, but Park led the party to win a majority of 152 seats in the National Assembly as head of the party’s emergency response commission.

After her victory in the presidential election was confirmed, she delivered an address in Gwanghwamun Square in which she said she would usher in an era of happiness for all Koreans so that they can achieve their dreams and she would keep the three promises she made during the election. The three promises are that she would always take care of the well-being of the public, always act on her words, and help heal the divisions in Korean society.

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The First Female President-Elect of the Republic of KoreaPark Geun-hyePark 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

Park 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 progressive. With the victory, the Saenuri Party has consolidated its position and will remain in power for some time. The latest presidential election set some new records.

Park will not only be the country’s first-ever 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

1963 to 1979, and she is the first president- elect to win a majority of votes since the re-introduction of direct presidential elections in 1987.

Park garnered 15.75 million votes, or 51.6 percent of the total votes cast. Her major opponent, Moon Jae-in of the Democratic United Party (DUP), won 14.67 million votes, or 48.0 percent of the total votes. Some 75.8 percent of the 40,507,842 eligible voters, or 30,722,712 Korean citizens, turned out for this election. The margin of victory was only 1.08 million votes.

FIRST-EVER FEMALE PRESIDENT OF KOREAThe 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 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 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 saw it win 121 seats in the National Assembly.

SPecial iSSue

1

2

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.

Park Geun-hye, the presidential candidate of the Saenuri Party, was elected as the first female president.


individual partner countries’ needs. The theme of each KSP project is selected in accordance with the partner country’s demands and 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

they can achieve sustainable economic growth.Finally, the KSP is aimed at comprehensive

economic cooperation. To that end, joint research and policy consulting are conducted on the purposes of individual KSP projects. The program also invites the policymakers and experts of partner countries to Korea in order to maximize learning effectiveness and thereby forge solid, long-term cooperative relationships.

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 HELPThe first partners of the KSP were Vietnam and Uzbekistan, which joined the program in 2004. Since then, the KSP has conducted policy consulting and joint research on over 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

been incorporated into partner countries’ policies. In 2009, Korea and Vietnam signed a memorandum of understanding to expand 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

the KSP’s policy consulting into its five-year development plan, and Kazakhstan did so into its 2010-2014 industrial innovation and development plan.

Cambodia and Mongolia both introduced public-private partnership (PPP) programs after receiving the KSP’s consulting on how to attract private investment. The two countries are now 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 Korean technology and knowhow through the KSP, which benefits Korea as the country can have better name recognition in the 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

glObal kOReaglObal kORea

Sustainable economic growth and inclusive 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 Sharing Program (KSP), a Korean-style official development assistance (ODA) model designed to spread Korea’s knowhow in economic growth. The KSP is the brainchild of the Ministry of Strategy and Finance and the Korea Development Institute (KDI).

A country’s experience in and knowledge of

national growth is a priceless asset. Korea rose rapidly out of crushing poverty to join the ranks 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-ORIENTEDThe KSP is intended to provide comprehensive Korean-style policy consulting that addresses the specific needs and circumstances of partner countries.

The program has three salient features. First, it provides services designed to meet

Sharing Korea’s Experience in Economic GrowthThe Knowledge Sharing ProgramThe 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

Industrial inspection in Cambodia.

1 The final briefing in United Arab Emirates.2 The KSP project is selected in accordance with the partner country’s demands and requests.

1 2


SuMMiT DiPlOMacY

Prime Minister Kleist visited South Korea for official talks on the economic cooperation and development between the two nations.

President Lee and President Zardari inspect the Traditional Honor Guard at Cheong Wa Dae.

South Korean President Greets Leaders of Pakistan and GreenlandPresident 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

Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari visited Korea from December 3 to 5 for talks with

President Lee about bolstering economic and other cooperation between the two countries. President Zardari arrived on Monday for a three-day official visit and met President Lee

on the second day to hold a summit to discuss ways to expand substantial cooperation mainly in the areas of trade, infrastructure, and development aid. According to a statement

made by Cheong Wa Dae, the two leaders agreed to cooperate to develop hydroelectric power water resources, and rail infrastructure in Pakistan.

During the talks, the Pakistani president expressed his gratitude for Seoul’s official development assistance to his country and congratulated Lee on Seoul’s success in securing 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

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 Choong-soo and his Pakistani counterpart Yaseen Anwar signed a memorandum of understanding to share Seoul’s banking experience and technology with the country. Under the MOU, the two banks are to strengthen their cooperation and expand joint research regarding currency policy and foreign currency reserves. The two will also exchange staff to increase people-to-people exchanges.

GREENLANDIC PREMIER RETURNS VISIT

Following the visit of President Zardari, Greenlandic Prime Minister Kuupik

Vandersee Kleist arrived in Seoul on December 12 for a five-day visit at the invitation of South Korea’s Foreign Minister Kim Sung-hwan.

President Lee visited Greenland on September 9 and 10, laying the groundwork for cooperation in green growth and sustainable development of the Arctic region. Prime Minister Kleist’s visit was arranged to seek follow-up measures.

On the second day of his visit, Prime Minister Kleist met the South Korean president at Cheong Wa Dae for an official luncheon and discussed

matters to strengthen the development of the Arctic nation’s environmental policies as well as the opening up of polar shipping routes. The two leaders also agreed to continue efforts for economic cooperation and development between the two nations.

On the same day, Prime Minister Kleist visited several private minerals companies in Seoul including Hyundai Steel Company and Korea Gas Corporation. He was accompanied by ten-odd businesspeople from Greenland to seek ways to explore mineral resources in the Arctic region.

The Greenlandic leader also met Minister Kim and discussed ways to deepen cooperative ties between South Korea and Greenland in various areas, including economy, trade, sustainable development of the Arctic, climate change, environment, and South Korea’s bid to join the Arctic Council.

Prime Minister Kleist expressed his government’s support for South Korea to join the Arctic Council, a group of eight countries with territory in the Arctic Circle. As a temporary observer of the council, South Korea is working to be elected as a permanent observer of the Arctic Council.


now in korea

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 packages, and overseas school trips were the 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 believes that the surge in visitors to Korea in recent years is largely due to the success of the G20 Summit and the Nuclear Security Summit 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

Hallyu and ShoppingTen Million Visit Korea a YearThe 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

On 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 Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Korea Tourism Organization, the Visit Korea Committee, and Incheon International Airport 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 in Korean food and cosmetics, so I really wanted to come to Korea. Before coming to

Korea, I searched the Internet for information: 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.”

12 PERCENT RISE IN VISITORSThe number of visitors to Korea has increased ten fold over the past 35 years. In 1978 the 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

holding events such as 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 organized for the 2010-2012 period, designated as the Visit Korea Years.

SHOPPING AND HALLYUWhile walking along the alleys of Myeong-dong, dubbed the First Avenue of Shopping in Korea, 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 2010-2012 Visit Korea Year campaign.2 Major department stores are popular shopping destinations for foreign shoppers.

A group of tourists dance to a K-pop song at Gwanghwamun Square.

2

1


and Tourism’s 2011 survey on tourism, the 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, Gangwon-do, 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 aspect of tourism in Korea, followed by safety, hospitality, food, and entry and departure procedures at the airport. Tourists, however, also responded that the language barrier and finding information or signs in their own languages were often issues.

WHAT TO IMPROVEKorea has obviously become a popular global tourist destination, but ten million visitors also mean that efforts must be made to improve the tourism experience.

“We’ll develop more high value-added tourism sectors involving health services, performances, and MICE tourism (meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions),” says Choe Kwang-sik, 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.

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 attract audiences from across the Korea Strait. There can be no doubt that Hallyu has been a major attraction for Korea. Music fans listen 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 is increasingly enjoyed worldwide. All these factors pique global villagers’ curiosity about Korea.

KOREA AS SHOPPING HAVENAccording to the Ministry of Culture, Sports

now in korea

45

FLAVOR

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

TteokgukA bowl of tteok soup for the New Year

Myeong-dong is dubbed the First Avenue of Shopping in Korea.


MY korea

what’s in a nameThe Korean Language’s Deepest Rewards Are

Only Revealed with TimeKorean 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.by Joel Killin / illustrations by Moon Sin-ki

in society, which is as a man of good taste, one whom women like and can respect. This was sufficient explanation for my parents, but not nearly as well-explained as could have been done. I’m glad to have another opportunity here. Grant me your patience, dear reader, for I want to take you on a journey.

Sometime shortly after stepping off the plane for the first time at Incheon Airport, I knew that nothing would ever be the same again. Left, right, up, down – a series of indecipherable 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 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

about another word PSY used: oppan. Again, she mispronounced it – no, Mom, he does not say “open Gangnam Style”. After correcting her, she prodded me to explain about this word, too. I leaned back in my chair then, puzzling over how best to elucidate this concept.

Oppan is a variant spelling of oppa (in Korean: 오빠), particularly an adjectival form. Oppa, in its most basic meaning, is the word for older brother. In Korean, there are several words younger siblings may use to refer to their older siblings, depending on one’s gender. A boy with an older sister would call her nuna, but a girl with an older sister would say eonni. A boy with an older brother would call him hyeong, while a girl would call him oppa.

All this flashed through my head very quickly, as I mulled where to begin. My parents, however, were waiting with bated breath, so I plowed through an answer. In truth, all I was really able to convey to them was that when PSY repeats the mantra “Oppan Gangnam Style” throughout the song, he is referring to his status

So there I was a couple months ago, sitting 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

my gong. I concluded, “Just pronounce the initial G a little harder – like Gangnam,” I said. My dad had joined my mother at the computer by this time, and I heard them both pronounce it together – correctly. “There you go. Your first Korean lesson,” I said.

Next, they wanted to know what the song meant. I explained that Gangnam is a famous district in Seoul, known for its wealth and posh lifestyles. PSY, I told them, was elaborating on common perceptions toward the people who live in that district. My mom interjected, asking

Eemo (Auntie)!

Can I please get a bowl of rice?


about the writerJoel 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.

MY korea

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 grammar of the language itself. Moreover, this level of respect is not simply between children and adults. It extends to family, to friends, to authority figures, to business partners – and even to strangers.

For my first two years in Korea, I learned the basics. I learned how to read Hangeul easily, and I shored up my vocabulary so that I could navigate through just about any ordinary situation – ordering at restaurants, taking a taxi home, or getting directions. English, too, is common enough in many places that I often was able to rely on it solely, a fact that is truly a testament to the effort Koreans have made toward accommodating foreign residents. Anytime I did attempt to study further, all the respectfulness which is bound up in the language overwhelmed me, and it obscured for a long time that Korean is also a very affectionate language.

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 been in Korea just over two years, and all the 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 English teachers. Mark turned red and laughed, and in that moment became about as docile 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 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 an affectionate title. He said he liked it when anyone called him oppa, because it made him feel appreciated and respected. I tried calling 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 in Korean are terms of endearment. Oppa is just the tip of the iceberg. There are a number of others that are similar, more than I know – and way more than can fit here. Nonetheless, despite my incomplete understanding, it’s still fun using them.

The cook at my school, who is a sweet lady and wonderful at her job, I have started calling eemo, which means aunt. She smiles whenever anyone calls her that. I sometimes call my female Korean friends nuna, a distinction which makes them giggle so much that I start to giggle, too.

At 26 years old, I’m still fairly young. Only a few times have Korean women called me oppa. Every time they do, though, I am only able to laugh and sigh contentedly. Though it’s a pleasure that can take a while to understand, once you do it’s just another thing to love about Korea.

49

Learn korean

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.

B: 평창에 가려면 버스를 타야 해요.

You have to take the bus to Pyeongchang.Pyeongchang-e garyeomyeon bus-reul taya haeyo.

A: 서울에서 평창까지 어떻게 가요?

How do I get to Pyeongchang from Seoul?Seoul-eseo Pyeongchangkkaji eotteoke gayo?

A: 민수 씨, 스키를 타고 싶어요.

Minsu, I want to go skiiing.minsu ssi, ski-reul tago sipeoyo.

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...

Let’s practice Which place did you visit in Korea?Try to make a conversation as suggested by the following example and vocabulary.

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.)

쇼핑을 하다 - 동대문

shopping-eul hada – Dongdaemungo shopping

한정식을 먹다 - 전주

hanjeongsigeul meokda - Jeonjugo to eat Korean Table d’hote

도보여행을 하다 - 제주도

doboyeohaeng-eul hada – Jejudogo hiking

영화제를 보다 - 부산

yeonghwajereul boda – Busan go to film festival

스키를 타다 - 평창

ski-reul tada – Pyeongchanggo skiing

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Documents

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