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Publisher Woo Jin-Yung, Korean Culture and Inormation Service

Executive Producer Suh Jeong-sun

E-mail [email protected]

Magazine Production Seoul Selection

Editor-in-Chief Robert Koehler

Producer Ko Yeon-kyung

Editorial Advisors Jang Woojung, Hu Young Sup

Copy Editors Daisy Larios, Hwang Chi-young

Creative Director Jung Hyun-young

Head Designer Lee Bokhyun

Photography Ryu Seunghoo, RAUM Studio

Printing LEEFFECT

All rights reserved. No part o this publication may be reproduced in

any orm without permission rom KOREA and the Korean Culture andInormation Service.

I you want to receive a ree copy o KOREA or wish to cancel a subscription,

please e-mail us. A downloadable PDF fle o KOREA and a map and glossary

with common Korean words appearing in our text are available by clicking on

the thumbnail o KOREA on the homepage o www.korea.net.

11-1110073-000016-06

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CONTENTSMARCH 2013 VOL.9 NO.3

14 PEN & BRUSH

Pyun Hye-young

18 PEOPLE

Small Step or Giant Leap?

20 TRAVEL

Tongyeong

24 SEOUL

Independence Park

26 FESTIVALSMyeongdong Dance Night

28 SPORTSLee Sang-hwa

30 ENTERTAINMENT

The Korean Look

34 SPECIAL ISSUE I SUMMIT DIPLOMACY

President Park Geun-hye Takes Ofce

38 CURRENT KOREA

Koreas Healing Craze

40 GLOBAL KOREA

Protecting the Past

42 MY KOREAWhite Day and More

44 MULTICULTURAL KOREAKTO President Lee Cham

46 TALES FROM KOREA

The Fairy and the Woodcutter

48 GREAT KOREAN

Yu Gwan-sun

50 FLAVOR

Mugwort Rice Cake

Korean film talents spread their wings

on the international screen

C O V E R S T O R Y04

Korean Cinema Goes Global

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C O V E R S T O R Y

Korean lm talents spread their wings on the international screen

Written by Robert Koehler

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C O V E R S T O R Y

1. Tower(2012), an

example o Korea's

advanced CG technolo

2. A scene rom The

Berlin File.

3. A scene romA Gift

from Room 7

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On September 10, 2012, director Kim Kiduks

lm Pieta won the Golden Lion, the award

or best lm at the 69th Venice Film Festival.

American director Michael Mann, who headed Venices

jury, said Kims lm seduced you viscerally. Natalia Aspesi,

a lm critic with Italian dailyLa Republica, wrote that thelm will leave the average lmgoer with their hair standing

on end, while a review in ellow Italian dailyCorriere della

Serra said the lm was enough to leave even the most

inexorable and uneeling o souls shaken.

Kims Golden Lion at Venice was Koreas rst, but its only

one piece o evidence o a greater truthKorean cinema

has arrived. Once at risk o being dominated in its own

market, the Korean lm industry has transormed itsel

into one o Asias most vibrant. Koreas biggest box o ce

hit, 2012s Te Tieves, put over 12.9 million people in the

seats, a remarkable achievement or a nation o just 50

million. Over the last decade, highprole international

lm estivals like Venice, Cannes, and Berlin have bestowed

major awards upon Korean lms, directors, and actors.

Whats more, international lmmakers in the United States,

Asia, and elsewhere are increasingly eager to work with

Korean cinematic talent, as indicated by the rising presence

o Korean actors and directors in international cinema and

the growing number o requests or joint productions.

Development o Korean Film

Just as mighty trees grow rom little acorns, Koreas globally

prominent lm industry sprung rom humble roots.

Te history o lm in Korea goes back to the very end o

the 19th century, when French short lms were screened

in 1897 or 1898. Tis was just a ew years aer the Lumire

brothers held their rst lm screening

in Paris on December 28, 1895,

marking the beginning o the

cinematic age. By 1903, local

newspapers were advertising

screenings o largely imported lms.

In the 1920s, Korean lms began

to appear. Te 1924 silent lm Te

Story o Janghwa and Hongryeon

was the rst Koreanmade and

Koreanunded lm. In 1934, the rst Korean sound lm,

Te Story o Chunhyang, was released. Tese were di cult

times, howeverthe Korean lm industry aced technical

limitations, but more importantly, the Japanese colonial

authorities placed serious barriers to the development o

independent Korean cinema. As Japans wars grew andmilitarism increased, Korean lmmakers suered rom

worsening censorship and coercion.

With Japans nal deeat in the Pacic War in 1945, the

Korean lm industry was nally ree o colonial control.

Koreas liberation was soon ollowed by the division

o Korea and the Korean War, which destroyed lm

inrastructure and scattered personnel. Following the war,

however, the South Korean lm industry boomed as Koreas

pop culture and mass media developed. With its many lm

companies and theaters, the Chungmuro district o Seoul

became Koreas Hollywood. Korean cinema continued to

fourish throughout the 1960s, experiencing a golden age.

echnology improved, genre lms developed, and auteur

directors plied their trade with greater sophistication.

Te 1970s, by contrast, were a dark age or Korean lm, as

government censorship increased and cinema ound itsel

in competition with another medium o entertainment,

television. Tings began to improve in the 1980s, though,

as censorship was eased and Korean lmmakers gainednotice internationally. Director Im Kwontaek became the

rst Korean director to be invited to European lm estivals

aer his 1981 lmMandala won the Grand Prix at the

Hawaii Film Festival. Ims 1993 lm Seopyeonje, a beautiul

tale o a amily o Korean olk singers, was not only the rst

Korean lm to draw over 1 million viewers, it also sparked

a simultaneous revival in interest in Korean traditional

culture.

Ten came Shiri. Te 1999 blockbusterthe rst ever

in Korean historydrew 6.5 million people, sinking theHollywood blockbuster itanic to set a new Korean box

o ce record. More importantly, the slickly produced action

fick sparked a wave o wellmade and, more to the point,

commercially viable lms. Films likeJSA (2000) andMy

Sassy Girl(2001) were not only drawing millions, but they

were also holding their own against simultaneously released

Hollywood blockbusters. Te 2003 actiondrama Silmido

Cloud Atlas

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C O V E R S T O R Y

and the war lm aegukgiboth o which dealt with the

tragedy o national divisionbroke the 10millionviewer

mark.

Explaining this dramatic turnaround, Mark Siegmund o

the Seoul Film Commission said, Censorship got eased...

and a new generation o talented lmmakers came into theindustry. He added, Korea as an I country contributed

a lot to the development o VFX eects studios, CG, digital

intermediate and so on. I also think the establishment o a

star system similar to the United States and France helped

to boost the lm industry and make it the single most

important 'culture item' besides ood.

In the 21st century, Korean cinema has enjoyed

tremendous commercial success while maintaining a

healthy art house scene. Te last couple o years have seen

one box oce record aer another. Te 2012 crime caper

Te Tieves drew 12.9 million viewers, just nudging out

another 2012 release, the historical drama Gwanghae, which

drew 12.3 million viewers. Directors such as Bong Joon

ho, Park Chanwook, Hong Sangsoo, and Lee Changdong

regularly produce lms that combine commercial appeal

with artistic integrity. While not especially popular in his

homeland, art house director Kim Kiduk continues to

produce works that enthrall overseas audiences, including

European lm estival juries.

Korean Film inthe World

Pietas Golden Lion at the

69th Venice International

Film Festival in 2012

marked only the latest

in a series o ever

growing successes among

Korean lms, directors,

and perormers on the

international stage.

Te rst Korean lm

to garner attention in

an overseas lm estival

was Im Kwontaeks 1981

Mandala, a lm about

two Buddhist monks that

not only took the Grand

Prix at the Hawaii Film Festival but also got a showing

at the Venice Film Festival, a notable rst.Mandala was

only the beginning or Im, who became Koreas most

internationally respected art house director o the 1980s

and 1990s. Ims lms were xtures at international lm

estivals, culminating in two screenings at Berlin (the

rst or Kilsodeum in 1986 and the secondor Te aebaek Mountains in 1995) and a

Best Director award at Cannes in 2002 or

Chihwaseon. In honor o his contributions

to global cinema, Im was awarded an

honorary Golden Bear at the 2005 Berlin

International Film Festival. Ims success

has passed on to his actors, too.

Actress Kang Sooyeon won a Best

Actress award at the 1987 Venice Film

Festival or her role in Ims Te Surrogate

Woman and another Best Actress award at the

Moscow International Film Festival or her

role in Ims 1989 lm Come Come Come

Upward.

In time, however, Im was succeeded

by a younger generation o Korean

lm directors. Lee Changdonga

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novelist and director who later became a Minister o Culturewon a Best Director

award at the 2002 Venice Film Festival or Oasis, a moving tale o love between an

excon and a woman with cerebral palsy. Te lm itsel just missed out on a Golden

Lion or best picture, and actress Moon Sori was named Best New Actress.

Lees 2007 lm Secret Sunshine was likewise praised by critics worldwide, with lead

actress Jeon Doyeon taking home the Best Actress award at Cannes in 2007.A watershed in Korean cinema came in 2004 when Park Chanwooks gritty

vengeance tale Oldboywon the Grand Prix at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival, and

it would have taken best overall i le to the jury president, American director

Quentin arantino. Just as importantly, the lm sparked intense interest rom

overseas lm ans, who promoted the lm widely on lm sites like Rotten omatoes

and IMDB. Even overseas directors couldnt help but be impressedthe 2010

Miguel Sapochnik sciencection lm Repo Men seemingly mimics one oOldboys

most iconic scenes.

Ten there is director Kim Kiduk. Te enant terrible o Korean cinema, Kims

lmslowbudget art house lms that ocus on the grittier sides o Korean lie

have not been warmly received by the Korean moviegoing public. International lm

estivals, on the other hand, love them. Even beore Pieta won the Golden Lion at

Venice in 2012, Kims lms had racked up an impressive collection o major awards,

including a Best Director award or Samaritan Girlat Berlin in 2004 and another

Best Director award or 3-Iron at Venice, also in 2004. His 2011 documentary

Arirangwas also well received by the jury o Cannes, which gave it the Prize o Un

Certain Regard in its category.

Even outside o the lm estivals, Korean lms are gathering a ollowing overseas.

Most amously, Kim Kiduks lms have done extremely well on the European arthouse circuit. His 2004 lm Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring, a beautiully

shot lm that ollows the lie o a Buddhist monk, was even noted by American lm

critic Roger Ebert in his list o great lms; he said, Rarely has a movie this simple

1. Kim Ki-duk and stars oPieta at Venice

International Film Festival

2. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Kim Ji-

woon on set oThe Last Stand

3. Scene rom The Thieves, Korea's all-

time biggest box ofce hit

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10

moved me this deeply. I eel as i I could review it in a

paragraph, or discuss it or hours.

Hollywood Films, Korean Talent

In 2012, the Wachowski siblingsrenowned or their

Matrixtrilogyreleased the blockbuster Cloud Atlas,

based on the critically acclaimed novel by David Mitchell.

Te lm itsel polarized critics and audiences, but the

perormance o Korean actress Bae Doona as Sonmi451,

a cloneturnedrevolutionary in a aruture Seoul, earned

widespread praise and even sparked talk o an Academy

Award nomination or best supporting actress.

Baes perormance was also, to date, the most prominent

one by a Korean actress in an overseas blockbuster, and

certainly a sign o things to come. With Korean cinema on

the ascendancy worldwide and Hollywood increasingly

desperate or new ideas and talent, American production

companies are turning their eyes to Korea or inspiration

and manpower. Korean pop culture expert Mark Russell,

author oPop Goes Korea, said Hollywood has always been

a great maw o international talent, hungrily consuming

many o the best lmmakers rom around the world,

regardless o origins, so it is no surprise that Korean actors

and lmmakers are being recognized, courted, and hired

there.Initially, Hollywoods interest was conned to the

purchasing o remake rights. In the early 2000s, Hollywood

remade a number o successul Korean lms, including Il

Mare (remade as Te Lake House in 2006, starring Keanu

Reeves),My Sassy Girl, andA ale o wo Sisters (remade in

2009 as Te Uninvited).

Korean actors began

breaking into Hollywood

soon aerward. Te

Wachowskis were the rst

to turn to Korea when

they cast R&B singer

Rain in their 2009 action

fickNinja Assassin. Jang

Donggun, likewise,

was given top billing in

Sngmoo Lees overseas

production Te Warriors Way, starring Georey Rush and

Kate Bosworth. Neither o these lms were a commercial

success, but they did open the way. Actress Jun Jihyun,

with whom the world ell in love thanks to her 2001 lmMy

Sassy Girl, also starred in an Englishlanguage production,

2009s Blood: Te Last Vampire, a vampire action lmdirected by French director Chris Nahon.

Actor Lee Byunghyunwho earned worldwide notice

with standout perormances in a number o Korean lms

such asA Bittersweet Lie and Te Good, the Bad, the

Weirdmade his Hollywood debut in a supporting role as

Storm Shadow in the 2009 action lm G.I. Joe: Te Rise o

Cobra. He gets to reprise that role in the upcoming sequel,

G.I. Joe: Retaliation, set to open at the end o March. He will

also appear in RED 2 alongside G.I. Joe: Retaliation costar

Bruce Willis this summer.

Even grizzled veterans o the Korean silver screen are

making the leap. Actor Ahn Sungki, one o Koreas most

beloved perormers, will join ellow Korean Park Siyeon

and Hollywood stars Morgan Freeman and Clive Owen in

the medieval epic Te Last Knights (release date unknown).

More notable has been the draing o Korean directors. A

troika o major Korean directors have crossed the Pacic to

work on Hollywood productions released or set to release

in 2013. Te rst to debut was Kim Jeewoon, noted or hisKorean lmsA ale o wo Sisters, Te Good, the Bad, the

Weird, and I Saw the Devil. His action lm Te Last Stand,

starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, debuted in January 2013

to surprisingly good reviews.

Perhaps the most anticipated Koreandirected lm o

2013 is Stoker, a Gothic horror directed by Park Chan

wook, the man behind Oldboy. Based on a screenplay

byPrison Break star Wentworth Miller, the lmto be

released in Marchstars a number o major Hollywood

names, including Mia Wasikowska, Nicole Kidman, andMatthew Goode. Its a testament to the greater global

awareness o Korean cinema that Stokers poster proudly

proclaims, From the director oOldboy.

Bong Joonho, another Korean New Wave director lauded

or his lms Te HostandMother, makes his overseas

debut with Snowpiercer, a postapocalyptic thriller based

on the French graphic novel Le ransperceneige. Perormed

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Memories of Murder(dir. Bong Joonho) Bong's

best lm and one o the best Korean movies,

well, ever. Bong can do bigbudget spectacle

(Te Hostand his orthcoming international lm

Snowpiercer), butMemories o Murderis a smart,

beautiully shot thriller ull o dark humor and

sharp insights.

Virgin Stripped Bare by Her Bachelors (dir.

Hong Sangsoo) Hong has made a lot o movies

over the years eaturing many o the same

elements, but this is my avorite. Te blackand

white style is very attractive, and it is great to see

downtown Seoul shot so lovingly.

e ieves (dir. Choi Donghoon) Te most

successul Korean lm o all time and perhaps

the most symbolic o where Korean lms are

today big, slick, and international. It has an all

star cast, some creative action sequences, and a

hardtodene spark.

Sunny(dir. Kang Hyeongcheol) Kind o the

opposite oTe Tievesa small, un lm that

mixes nostalgia, music, and social insight. Plus it

was a surprise box o ce hit. An interesting take

on the changes Korea has been through over the

past 25 years or so.

Chunhyang(dir. Im Kwontaek) A great retelling

o the classic Korean tale by one o Korea's most

respected lmmakers. It's a ew years old now,

but it still holds up.

Awards or Korean Films in Overseas Film Festivals

Awards or Korean Directors and Actors1

2

1. Director Bong Joon-ho

2. Director Park Chan-wook

3. Director Kim Jee-woon

KOREAN CINEMA FOR THE UNINITIATEDFilm recommendations by Korean flm expert Mark Russell

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C O V E R S T O R Y

in English and put together by a joint Korean, American,

and French team, the lm eatures a bevy o Hollywood

talent including Chris Evans, Jamie Bell, John Hurt, ilda

Swinton, Octavia Spencer, and Ed Harris. Popular Korean

actor Song Kangho will star as well.

Joint Productions

Koreas rst joint production was the 1957 lmAn Exotic

Garden, produced with Hong Kongs Shaw Brothers. In

act, Korea participated in a great many joint productions

during the 1960s and 1970s, but these were oen Hong

Kong lms that were joint productions in name only.

Nowadays, the situation is quite dierent. Tanks to the

high production value o Korean lms and the rened

sensibilities o Korean artists, overseas lm producers are

actively reaching out to Korea to produce joint productions.

Te Korean Film Council supported 33 Koreanoreign

joint productions in 2012 alone.

One better known joint production was Tree... Extremes,

eaturing horror work by three Asian directors, including

Park Chanwook. Parks segment starred Lee Byunghun

and actress Kang Hyejung. While not a huge commercial

success, the lm was well received by critics.

Korean actress Kim Hyojin and Japanese actor Hidetoshi

Nishijima are teaming up orMumyeonin, a Korean

Japanese joint production based on sukasaki Shiros science

ction novel Te Genome Hazardand set or release this

year. Another potentially interesting joint production is the

upcoming KoreaUS dance lm Cobu 3D, inspired by Romeoand Juliet and starring Korean singer BoA.

Korean production talent has become a soughtaer

commodity, too. Te Chinese Civil War epic Te Assembly

(2007) is a typical example. A box oce hit in China, the

lms massive battle scenes and special eects were handled

by the very same Korean production team that had handled

the popular Korean War epic aegukgi.

Park Chan-wook on the set oStoker

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Why have Korean flmstaken o since 2000?

Korean lms had been on thecreative upswing long beore 2000,

earning respect on the international

lm estival circuit and enjoying an

explosion o new talent. Some o that

came rom the increased reedom and

internationalization Korea gained aer

the Olympics in 1988. Some o that was

rom growing richer.

But when it comes to the Korean

box oce, the dramatic rise o Korean

lms came rom a deliberate move

toward bigbudget, highrisk/high

reward business. Movies like Shiri,JSA:

Joint Security Area, and Friendtotally

changed lmmakers' ideas o what was

possible, really pushing the ambitions

o the industry to a higher level.

Tose changes, though, are part o

a much wider series o changes that

have swept Korea since the 1990s (and

that have swept much o Asia). Korea's

rst multiplex opened in 1997, and

since then the number o screens in

Korea has quadrupled. Te Korean

wave has made many Korean celebrities

amous around Asia and the world,

helping to increase cultural exports and

make producers think in international

terms. Te rise o China (rom close to

nothing in 2000 to the world's second

biggest movie market today) has greatly

changed the movie market around the

whole region.

What advantages doesKorea have going or it interms o flmmaking?

Korea really punches above its weight

when it comes to cinema. Koreanlmmakers are very ambitious and well

educated. Tey have been growing and

pushing or over 15 years, and that kind

o experience is invaluable.

Korean crews are really hardworking

and put in long, long hours or little pay,

which helps producers and directors get

the most out o their budgets.

And thanks to the Korean wave, there

is a deep pool o talented actors who are

well known internationally.

Te big movie companies (CJ E&M,

Lotte Entertainment, and Showbox)

have a lot o experience and know

how, too. Oldschool lmmakers may

think CJ has too much power, but when

you look at the top 10 Korean lms,

it is surprising how mixed it isjust

two CJ lms, our Showbox, two Lotte,

one Cinema Service, and one by Next

Entertainment (although CJ dominates

1120). But in this day and age, you

need size to compete internationally.

Are there particulartrends we should benoting in Korean flm?

One o the best trends over the past

couple o years has been an increaseddiversity, with bigbudget and small

lms both nding audiences and more

kinds o stories being told (not just

gangster/revenge lms). Diversity

real, organic, grassroots diversity, not

by government atis one o the most

important tools or the longterm

health o the Korean lm industry.

Aer a great blossoming o talent

in the late 1990s, the industry got a

bit insular or a while, with ew new

directors emerging. And the same types

o stories were getting a bit overtold

(especially gangster and revenge plots).

But that seems to have gotten better

over the past couple o years.

KOREA REALLY PUNCHESABOVE ITS WEIGHT WHEN IT

COMES TO CINEMADiscussing Korean cinema with

Korean pop culture expert Mark Russell


Photograph by Susan Hagopian

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P E N & B R U S H

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At the beginning o Korean writer Pyun Hyeyoungs rst novel

Ashes and Red, a man reerred to only as he gets sent by his

company to the country C, where optimism is as transient as

a shooting star.

Te story starts the moment he begins to realize he is isolated in a

oreign country by no ones intention, and it progresses through his pastmemories and into the dark puzzle o his exwies murder.

Despite the lack o inormation about the charactername, nationality,

age, or which country he is living in-the writer gives the man a striking

presence on the page with her poetic, yet gritty, descriptions.

I didnt want people to have stereotypes about the character by

identiying who he is and where he is rom, Pyun explained in a calm

voice during an interview with KOREA at a Hongdae ca in February.

Like most o her previous short stories, Pyun deliberately sends

her character to a place he has never been beore. I this sounds like

an exciting journey, it could be. Whats waiting or him is nothing but

torture, loneliness, and pain.

His characteristics are more like a deep refection o mysel. Im a

pessimist and that aects him in the plot, Pyun said, adding that she

has newly ound the gloomy side o hersel rom writing novels.

When my characters are in trouble, I dont easily give them hope.

Teyre lonely and devastated till the end.

Naturally, nicknames like dystopia author and grotesque author

ollow her ame, but anyone who has seen her gracious smile tells her

they have been ooled by her writing.People tell me they eel betrayed, saying its awkward or someone

who looks like a romance writer to write stories about people bleeding

and stabbing each other. Tis kind o irony is what Im drawn to, and I

apply that to my stories. Something that looks peaceul on the outside

can be catastrophic on the inside.

Te overall plot is strongly connected to an epidemic disease

that spreads rapidly around the world. Pyun says that while people

are always exposed to warnings o imminent dangerwhether its

an inectious disease like SARS or an earthquakethose constant

warnings are what place people in danger.Ironically, whats meant or peace and saety results in a bigger

catastrophe. When people read signs warning o danger, which are

oen metaphysical, they start by naming the disease, and all o a sudden

its all over you, though you dont know exactly what it is.

YetAshes and Redis more artul and less awkward than it rst seems.

Pyun created the book title by associating hopelessness with the color

grey and relating the protagonists ght or survival with the color red.

PYUN

HYE-YOUNGAuthor oAshes and Redlooksat a man in crisis

Written by Monica Suk

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Te mans ate is to live on, despite a series o tragedies

happening in his lie. Red has a dual image o blood and

struggle or survival. I nd much joy in contradicting images.

Naturally, that greyred color contrast is spotted

throughout the book through grey rats, a garbage

incinerator, a sky hazy with smog, and the man bleeding

or making someone bleedwhile trying to survive.

In a world where communication is missing and the

characters are stripped o dignity, Pyun has accomplished

the larger act o balancing grey and red.

Te initial plot I had in mind was the man being

isolated orever, nding himsel in a giant pile o garbage.

Ten my readers would think its the structure o the

world or society they should blame or his agony. But

sadly, the mans tragedy could be the result o his own

decisions or ear o imminent dangers.

Last August,Ashes and Redwas translated into French

and received fattering reviews. During a series o meet

andgreet events and book discussions held a month

aer its publication, Pyun says she was surprised by the

overwhelming response rom French readers.

It was promising to see people reacting so passionately

to my novel, though it was only about a month aer the

book hit the shelves there. Te book embraces emotions

that can be shared by the two countries, so thats probably

what caught the readers eyes.

When asked about her plans to publish the English

translation, she responded with a big smile, saying her agency

has a plan but that she is not sure when that will happen.

Korean novels have been knocking on oreign doors

or years now, and thats nally bearing some ruit. Korean

novels are now at a critical juncture, when both old and

new books are being actively translated. Its about time.

P E N & B R U S H

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(Excerpt- p.167169)Gazing into the dark, untreated sewage reminded him that he might have to go back to

that black water, just like he fowed there rom the park. Te man may have to let himsel

into the water to run away to the other side, or even drink it to survive. O course, these

werent going to happen anytime soon, but it will someday.

He wasnt worried about it. It was too ar to be concerned. All he could think about was

the past bearing on the situationit was enough or him. omorrow was too vast and too

ar away to surmise. All he knew about the uture was that it was time that had not come

to him yet. Looking into the petroleumlike water, he knew the clock wasnt always doing

its job. ime is sometimes stagnant, like it is stuck in the mud, and sometimes it fows very

slowly, mixed with sewage. So its not surprising i the uture doesnt come at all.

Like an old man who dwells on his past, he was preoccupied with past events while

staring at the black sewage. Only trivial, hopeless events lled his brain, and until then

he didnt realize that he would desperately miss the past: his exwie playing Chopins

Sonata on the last day o the year in an empty piano institute; the an with blue wings on

the ceiling o the hightemperature hotel room where they had slept together or the rst

time; the squeaking Ferris wheel the two rode together near a sea.

He also remembered his broken tooth rom chasing his riends and the tone o his

moms voice when she told him to throw the tooth to the roo, believing in some myth.

When looking at the dust pillars peaking through the manhole, he remembered his exwie breaking into laughter aer giving him a pedicure, streams o sunlight hitting the

living room foor. His toenails were too thick to eel the brush but her hair, smoothly

sweeping against his oot, tickled him. Once he orgot to remove the nail polish and was

embarrassed at a sauna in ront o his colleagues.

Years had gone by, but he was about to break into tears.

Despite the hot temperature in the hotel room and that

broken bluewing an, he didnt want to stop making

love with his exwie. He wanted to cry because o the

piano sound, the tooth thrown on the roo, and the red

pedicure. His tears werent coming rom regretting themeaningless past, but rom the act that he was getting

too ar rom the reality that was lled with unimportant

events. He may get even arther rom it. Te mans

tragedy came rom a thought that he may never ever

get closer to such small and trivial happenings o lie.

Knowing that he couldnt turn back time, the man ell

into a black hole o utter despair.

French translation oAshes and Red

(photo courtesy o the Korea Literature

Translation institute)

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P E O P L E

Rocket program director Cho Gwang-rae on Koreas recent successul Naro-1 launch

Written by Ben Jackson

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On January 30, Korean aerospace

history was made with the

successul placement into low

earth orbit o the countrys rst carrier

rocket, KSLV1, and the subsequent

successul deployment o a satellite. Telearning curve leading to the launch included

two ailures, in 2009 and 2010, making

Januarys victory over gravity all the sweeter.

Dr. Cho Gwangrae, director o Koreas

KSLV1 (Korea Space Launch Vehicle)

Program Oce talked to KOREA about the

origins and uture trajectory o the nations

rocket aspirations.

Chos rst experience with projectiles was in collecting empty

shotgun cartridges as a boy rom around Junam Wetlands near

his hometown, the southeastern city o Changwon, and selling

them back to the US military personnel who had been shooting

ducks there. Hal a century later, aer majoring in electronics

and entering the Institute o Space Science and Astronomy,

then aliated with the Electronics and elecommunications

Research Institute, Cho is the man in charge o launching

satellites on behal o Korea at the Korea Aerospace Research

Institute (KARI). Despite the recent deluge o media attention

ollowing the January satellite launch, he remains cheerul andpatient in answering naive aerospace questions rom non

experts.

Late Start

Te Soviet Union put Sputnik1, the worlds rst articial

satellite, into orbit in 1957, says Cho. Korea started its

rocket development relatively late because its economic plans

worked by selecting and intensively cultivating other areas o

industry. We launched KSR1, the countrys rst sounding

rocket, in 1988. KSR1 and 2 had solid uel engines. In 2002,

we successully launched KSR3, which used liquid uel.

Delivering heavier payloads, however, requires engine

technology on a dierent scalewhich Korea continues to

work on developing. A rocket consists largely o three elements:

guidance and control, communications, and propulsion, says

Cho. KSLV1, also known as Naro1 aer the southern island

rom which it was launched, was built through a collaborative

eort between Korea and Russia, drawing

on each countrys strengths in each element

o rocket technology. Russias input was

particularly crucial or the liquidueled rst

stage o the rocket, an area in which domestic

research has not advanced as ar as othertechnology.

Big Benefts

Most people agree that space development

is important or Korea, says Cho. I we

dont keep up with other countries, we risk

becoming a backward state in this area.

While successul rocket launches tend to prompt hyperbole

about imminent moon colony development and manned

trips to Mars, the capacity to launch payloads into space oers

more immediate and practical benets. Once a country has

the necessary technology, the next stage is launching its own

satellites, to avoid paying other countries to do so and to build

up a reputation or reliability, says Cho. Launching services

are a sellers market: theres no compensation or clients i a

launch goes wrong and their payloads are lost. Aer that stage,

you can start oering launching services to other countries.

Te prospect o autonomous space development and

providing lucrative launch services is appealing in the longterm, but Cho stresses the need or strong support at the

government level. Tis is a process that requires large

amounts o very longterm and highrisk investment, so the

private sector wont go near it, he says. With continued

support, Korea is set to continue development o domestic

propulsion technology; KARI has its eye on 2017 or the test

launch o an entirely Koreanbuilt rocket capable o delivering

a payload similar to Naro1.

Ongoing JourneyTis has been one success or us, but we still have a long way

to go. Te Naro1 launch was just the beginning, not the end.

Weve had both ailures and successes, but theyve all been highly

valuable in terms o how much weve learned rom them.

I Koreas space development, having gotten o the ground in

earnest, ollows a similar path to the countrys other industries, we

can expect to see it among the worlds top global players one day.

19

1. Naro-3 launch (photo courtesy

of KARI)

2. Dr. Cho Gwang-rae (photo by

Ryu Seunghoo)

2

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C O V E R S T O R YT R A V E L

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Great Battles Won

During the Joseon Dynasty, ongyeongs

strategic port was home to the Samdo Sugun

ongje Sayeong (Command Post o the Navies

o the Tree Provinces), an important naval

headquarters with command over much o

southern Korea. ongyeongs present name,

in act, pays tribute to this base. It was in the

waters o ongyeong that the pivotal Battle

o Hansando was waged on August 15, 1592,

in the early days o the Imjin War. Duringthis battle, a Korean feet o 54 ships led by

renowned Admiral Yi Sunsin destroyed a

much larger Japanese feet, and in so doing

completely changed the course o the war.

Memorials to ongyeongs place in history can

be ound all over town, including a massive

shrine or Yi on the island o Hansando itsel.

Aer Koreas orced annexation by the

Japanese in 1910, the Japanese imperialists

took great pains to develop ongyeongs port.

Tey dug a canal to give the harbor better

access to the sea and built an undersea tunnel

to ease transport. Tis inrastructure allowed

the Japanese to more eciently exploit their

colony but also allowed local students to more

easily seek educational opportunities abroad.

Over time, returning students would orm the

heart o ongyeongs dynamic arts and culture

community.

Naples o the Orient

ongyeong sits on a peninsula jutting

southward rom the Korean mainland. Te

peninsula, in turn, is nearly bisected east to

west by a ne natural harbor surrounded by

high hills. Te hills and sea recall the beautiul

Italian port o Naples, hence ongyeongs

nickname, the Naples o the Orient.Te downtown waterront is a colorul

place o docks, shing feets, and seaood

restaurants. An old canal links the harbor

to the seas west o the peninsula. oday, this

canal is crossed by several scenic bridges and

lined with a walking path. Te canal makes

or ne nighttime walks when the bridges are

lit up. O particular note is the historic tunnel

built underneath the canal. Constructed by

the Japanese in 1932, it was the rst undersea

tunnel built in East Asia. Vehicle trac is now

banned, but pedestrians still make requent

use o the tunnel, which now includes exhibits

on ongyeongs history.

o get the best views o the city, head to

Mt. Mireuksan (451 m), a high vantage point

south o town. Cable cars take visitors to the

T R A V E L

1. Dongpirang Village

2. Nammangsan Sculpture Park

2

1

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MORE INFO

What to Eat

Tongyeongs signature

dish is Chungmu

gimbap, a simple

dish of rice rolls

accompanied byradish kimchi and

slices of spicy squid.

Cheap and filling, this

dish is best procured from the row of restaurants

across from Tongyeong Ferry

Terminal.

If you prefer raw seafood,

theres plenty of that to be

had at Tongyeongs Jungang

Live Fish Market.

Where to Stay

The Chungmu Beach Hotel offers pleasantaccommodations at reasonable rates. Even

cheaper, but good value, is the Napoli Hotel,

with views overlooking the

harbor.

Chungmu Beach Hotel:

T. 055-642-8181

Napoli Hotel:

T. 055-646-0202

Getting There

BUS: Express buses to Tongyeong depart from

Seoul Express Bus Terminal (travel time: 4

hours).

peak, which oers inspiring views o not only the harbor but also the countless

islands o Hallyeohaesang National Park.

Arts & Culture

Because o ongyeongs brisk exchanges with the outside world, the city gave

birth to one o 20th century Koreas richest culture and art scenes. Among the

cultural gures who have called ongyeong home are poets Yu Chihwan and

Kim Chunsu, painter Jeon Hyuck Lim, and composer Isang Yun. Lim (1916-

2010), a pioneer o Korean abstract painting, maintained a gallery just across

rom ongyeong Bridge that is well worth a visit both or its art and lovely

views. Also worth a visit is the Cheongma Literature Hall, dedicated to poet

Yu Chihwan (1908-1967). Te museum overlooks the sea and is a rewarding

stop or anyone with an appreciation or modern Korean poetry. A more

modern contribution to ongyeongs art scene is Dongpirang Village, an older

hillside neighborhood beautied with colorul wall murals painted as part o a

successul public art project.

Te highlight o ongyeongs artistic calendar, however, is the ongyeong

International Music Festival (IMF). Held every spring and autumn, the IMF

brings some o the worlds top classical musicians to ongyeong or several days

o perormances, workshops, and competitions. Te theme o this years spring

estival (March 22-28) is Free & Lonely, a reerence to the lie o the estivals

spiritual ather, composer Isang Yun (1917-1995). Born in ongyeong, Yun

studied composition in Japan and Germany and eventually settled down in

West Berlin. In 1967, however, he was kidnapped rom Berlin and brought back

to Seoul, where the government charged him with spying or North Korea. Aninternational campaign by leading musicians led to his release; he returned

to Germany but never stepped oot in his homeland again. His compositions

harmonize Western avantgarde music and the sounds o traditional Korea.

Countless Islands

Te waters o ongyeong are part o Hallyeohaesang National Park, a maritime

park comprised o the scenic coastline and islands o southeast Korea.

ongyeongs seas are dotted with 150 islands, 41 o which are inhabited. Many

o these islands and islets can be seen rom the peak o Mt. Mireuksan. Another

good vantage point is Dara Park, where some o the nest sunsets in Korea can

be enjoyed.

Ferries rom ongyeong Harbor take passengers to some o the islands. One

o the most scenic ones is Somaemuldo, an island best known or its scenic sub

islet, Deungdaeseom Island. With white dramatic clis rising rom the blue sea,

the isletcapped by a historic lighthouseis one o the most photographed

sites in the country. Deungdaeseom Island can be reached rom Somaemuldo

twice a day by a narrow gravel causeway revealed during low tides.

Tongyeong

Seoul

Jejudo

Busan

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S E O U L

Seodaemun Independence Park is a monument to the sacrices made by Korean reedom

ghters in the nations darkest hour. Its centerpiece, the ormer Seodaemun Prison, was

the place o internment or many Korean independence activists during the Japanese

colonial era. Some, like the patriotic martyr Yu Gwansun, even met their end here. Te park

is hallowed ground or Korean patriots, visited by millions o school children, amilies, and

tourists who come to learn about Koreas 20th century struggle or national survival.

March 1 Independence Movement

Independence Park is most closely associated with the March 1 Independence Movement o

1919. Inspired by US President Woodrow Wilsons Fourteen Points, 33 Korean nationalists met

at a restaurant in Insadong to read the Korean Declaration o Independence, a proclamation

o Koreas reedom rom the colonial rule o Japan, which had orceully annexed Korea in

1910. Tis sparked peaceul proindependence gatherings elsewhere in Seoul, which were

brutally suppressed by the Japanese colonial authorities. Protests spread throughout Korea, but

these, too, were met with Japanese brutality. Many leaders and participants in the protests were

conned in Seodaemun Prison, Koreas largest penitentiary.

Historic prison sheds light on Koreas ght or reedom

1

MORE INFO

Seodaemun Prison History Hall

Admission: KRW 1,500

T. 02-360-8590

Getting There

Dongnimmun Station

(Line 3), Exit 5

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Te movement was ultimately crushed, but it inspired an entire generation o independence

activists. Foreign journalists and missionaries brought word o the uprising and Japanese atrocities

to the outside world, alerting the international community to the Korean struggle or reedom.

Seodaemun Prison History Hall

Seodaemun Prison was built by the Japanese in 1907, although most o the austere brick halls

date rom a 1920s reconstruction made necessary by the infux o prisoners aer the March 1

Movement. Te prison ollows the hubandspoke design common in older prisons worldwide.

Also preserved is the imposing ront gate, the old administration block and engineering wing,

and, in the back o the complex, an old, wooden structure where executions were carried out.

Te old womens wing, where emale prisoners were kept in unspeakable conditions, has also

been preserved.

Te Japanese authority imprisoned thousands o Korean independence activists in Seodaemun

Prison throughout the colonial era. It continued to be used as a prison even aer Korea won itsindependence in 1945. Under Koreas dictatorships o the 1960s, 70s, and 80s, many democracy

activists were imprisoned here. In 1987, the government replaced the prison with a newer acility

built outside o Seoul, and in 1992, the historic prison was converted into a museum.

Visitors are ree to explore the old brick halls. Some o the old prison cells are open to the

public, too. Tere are also displays that show visitors the torments suered by imprisoned

independence activists at the hands o the colonial authorities, as well as multimedia displays

explaining the acilitys history.

Independence Gate

Near the prison and also part o Independence Park is the picturesque Independence Gate, an

earlier monument to Koreas reedom struggle. Designed by a Western architect and completed in

1897, the granite gatemodeled aer Paris amed Arc de riomphewas erected at the behest

o the independence activist Philip Jaisohn and the Independence Club, a group o Koreans

dedicated to preserving Koreas reedom in the ace o imperial aggression. o build the gate, the

authorities rst demolished the old Yeongeunmun Gate, where Chinese envoys were received in

the days o the Joseon Dynasty. Te stone pillars o the old gate still remain, however. Te hall

where the envoys were welcomed was reconstructed nearby in 1996.

1. Main courtyard,

Seodaemun Prison

History Hall

2. Interior, Seodaemun

Prison History Hall

3. Independence Gate

4. Entrance, Seodaemun

Prison History Hall

2 3 4

1

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F E S T I V A L

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Seoulites and seasoned tourists

alike know that shopping hub

Myeongdong in Junggu, central

Seoul, is or buying, not dancing. In

Myeongdong, youre more likely to

spend your won on something like anoverwhelmingly pink Etude House

makeup basketor three. Or a bowl

o the amed Myeongdong kalguksu

(noodle soup).

o nd Seouls nightlie, common

knowledge dictates that you hit the bars

along Apgujeongs Rodeo Drive or do

a crawl o Itaewons various pubs and

lounges. And or dancing, you can shell

out ten thousand to several ten thousand

won or entrance into a swanky

Cheongdam superclub or a hip, grimy

basement venue in Hongdae.

Seoul never suered rom a lack

o places to play aer dark. So it was

perectly acceptable that Myeongdong

was never known or its nightlie; there

were always other spots. But then the

ambitious municipal government oJunggu decided to launch Myeongdong

Dance Night.

Myeongdong Dance Night was a

novel, exciting alternative to the same

old haunts. Tis monthly, openair

dance music estival, which debuted

in September 2012, had an enviable

outdoor venuethe space in ront o

Myeongdong Teater. And competitive

pricesit was ree. Te Myeongdongstrip, congested in the day and tomblike

at night, was reborn on Dance Night. But

there was more than dancing going on.

In its latest reincarnation on December

21, 2012, Dance Night number our

eatured a silent parade, where 200

or so participants would ollow and

execute missions individually piped

to them through wireless headphones.

Meanwhile the adjacent CGV movie

theaters were oering latenight,KRW 5,000 screenings where tired

dancers could unwind i they wished.

Te December Myeongdong Dance

Night attracted a crowd o about 2,500

energetic dancers who partied past

midnight despite subzero temperatures.

It might have had something to do with

the act that Myeongdong Teater was

also the only venue that night oering a

white prelude to Christmas, with snow

machines pumping fakes o snow into

the sky.

Aer that, Myeongdong Dance Nightlay dormant or a couple o months. But

its coming back this March to kick o

another year o monthly parties. And it

hasnt lain dormant in vain.

Te estival is hosted by the Myeong

dong Special ourist Zone Association

and sponsored by the district

government o Junggu. But we really

know that these Myeongdong parties

will dazzle again in 2013 because theyll

be directed by Sangsang Gongjang, the

guys behind the World DJ Festival.

Many things will remain the same,

such as the DJs, the VJs, the silent

parades, and the movie nights. And more

importantly, everything will happen in

the open air without any admission.

But 2013 does see a name change or

the estival, which will emerge rom itswinter hibernation under the new, more

inclusive moniker o Myeongdong Night

Festival. Its really not just about dancing

now.

Te h Myeongdong Dance Night

or the rst Myeongdong Night Festival

will be on March 9, no preparation

necessary. All you have to do is show up

at Myeongdong Teater around 10 pm

with a ew dance moves and a bucketloado stamina.

Finally, those who dance better with

a bit o alcohol in their system will

appreciate the addition o Beer Night,

which essentially means that nearby

restaurants and bars will be in business

or the nighthawks.

27

MyeongdongDance Night

Dancing the night away inSeouls beating heart

Written byViolet Kim

Photographs courtesy ofJung-gu Office

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S P O R T S

Written by Kim Tong-hyung

Speed skater Lee seems to be Korean sports next big thing

Lee Sang-hwa

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Kim Yuna, the gureskating megastar, seems

secure in her place atop the pantheon o

Korean sporting heroes. Whats interesting is

that her closest competition is coming not rom massive

spectator sports like baseball, ootball, or gol, but rom

the anonymous realm that has been speed skating, where

a surging Lee Sanghwa is building a case to coopt Kims

nicknameQueen o Ice.

Lee, a 24yearold who is just entering her athletic prime,

has been dominating the womens sprint competition inpast years with an authority ew have ever displayed.

While her lengthening list o accomplishments includes

a Vancouver Winter Olympics gold and multiple world

championship titles, it could be said that the highlight o

her career so ar came in January when she set a 500meter

world record in the World Cup Speed Skating event in

Calgary, Alberta.

Lee's time o 36.80 seconds lowered the mark o 36.94

seconds set by China's Yu Jing on the same oval about a

year earlier at the World Sprint Championships, makingher the rst Korean emale speed skater to break a world

record at any level.

I wasnt expecting to set a new world record here, a

surprised Lee told reporters at that time. I was hoping to

set it next week at the world championships in Salt Lake

City.

No need or complaints. While Lee came short o

setting two world records in a span o two weeks, she did

top the 500meter race sprint in the world championships

to mark her eighth consecutive rstplace nish in World

Cup competitions this season.

In Salt Lake City, Lee also set consecutive national

records in her 1,000meter appearances, conrming herstatus as a dual threat in the upcoming Sochi Winter

Olympic Games in 2014. Lee had never nished better

than h in international 1,000meter competitions, but

her pace o improvement in recent months allows or

higher expectations.

In her most recent appearance, Lee cruised to a rst

place nish in the womens 500meter sprint in the

National Winter Sports Festival at the aereung ice rink in

Seoul on Feb 16, dominating the nal competition to the

point where it looked like she was racing alone. Her time

o 38.45 seconds was a new record or the annual event.

Her growth as an athlete has been so quick its scary.

Its impossible to predict how good she really can be,

said Kim Kwankyu, vice president o the Korea Skating

Union, who coached Lee in the Vancouver Games.

Heading into Vancouver, a thirdplace nish or Lee

in 500 meters seemed like a reasonable goal. She ended

up winning the gold anyway. Some wondered whether

Lee was a fuke, but as everyone now knows, she was justscratching the surace o her immense talent.

While Lee is obviously in top orm, she intends to pace

hersel to assure she doesnt peak too early beore the big

show, the Winter Games in Sochi. However, Lee plans

to swing into high gear or the International Skating

Union (ISU) World Cup Speed Skating Final scheduled

or March 8-10 in Heerenveen, the Netherlands, a

competition she considers an Olympic preview.

Te World Cup nal is a very important event

in preparing or Sochi, Lee told reporters aer hervictorious lap at the aereung rink.

Nothing much has changed or me. I am getting o to

quicker starts and doing a better job in retaining my speed

throughout the race. Tat has really improved my time. I

have lost weight since the 2010 Vancouver Olympics and

worked mysel to get in better shape and strengthen my

muscles. Te dierence was immediate in speed.

1. A look o intensity at the ISU World Sprint Championships

2. Lee wins gold at the ISU World Sprint Championships

2

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ENTERTAINMENT

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1. Dakota Rose at a cosmetic

show or Etude House

2. SHINees Jong Hyun

modeling or Etude House

ake a ew steps rom the main entrance o the Myeongdong shopping

district across rom Lotte Department Store and you will notice at

once that you are standing at the center o a cosmetic empire.

Te massive shopping area is always packed with locals and oreigners on

the lookout or a bargain on beauty products. At least one or two cosmetic

brands take up space in each building, and that speaks volumes o the

Korean cosmetics industry, which is growing at a urious rate.

o lure in more travelers, owners o Myeongdong ranchise shops like

Etude invest in holding largescale promotions targeting oreign nationals in

dutyree shops and major tourism sites. Tey even hire Chinese and Japanese

natives as well as multilingual Koreans as parttimers.

As lowcost Korean makeup brands like Missha began to mushroom and

Korean dramas and lms became popular abroad in the early 2000s, this

phenomenon quickly ollowed suit.I enjoy watching Korean dramas and wonder how so many Korean

actresses have no acne whatsoever, said Jia Lin, a huge an o Kpop and

dramas living in New York.

My riends and I like to guess what brand an actress uses and then order

them online.

Going Behind Celebrity Power

It is di cult to estimate how broad and ar the Korean drama

boom has gone, but a makeup artist at a popular beauty salon in

Cheongdamdong notes that export volume or Korean skincare

and makeup products will ever increase as long as Korean V

shows stay popular in Asia and Europe.

I have Chinese tourists spending a whole day at the salon

just to get the exact look o Girls Generations Yoona rom

the KBS showLove Rain and actress Yoon Eunhye in the

MBC showMissing You, she says.

I give them a ull makeover and they go out the door with a

Written by Monica Suk

Korean beauty brands give global cosmetics market a makeover

The Korean Look

1

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complete list o products I used on their ace. Sometimes I eel like a

personal marketer or these brands.

When Missha and other shops such Te Face Shop and Skinood

emerged as bright spots in the industry, they were mostly recognized or

their price competitiveness.

With the help o top idol stars as the ace o these brands, however,

Korean beauty stores are now peoples goto places or trying the Korean

celebrity style.

Yes, Korean cosmetic products have gotten expensive over the last

ew years, but the result is good, and the quality is good, too. It lasts a

long time and matches my skin better, Lin said.

She added that she has been wanting to get the natural look o Korean

makeup style, which is why she subscribes to popular Korean makeup

tutorials posted by Oiseau88 on Youube.

Her avorite product is blemish balm cream, better known as BB cream,

because it can give her a very light and natural look, like Korean actresses,

she explained.

One o the reasons or the endless popularity o Korean cosmetics is

their continuous eort to develop, produce, and supply the worlds best

quality products, which are comparable to timehonored American

products like Estee Lauder and Kiehls.

Such eorts include introducing special labels or cosmeceuticals,

which reers to the combination o cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.

Estee Lauders Advanced Night Repair, the Brown Bottle, is soughtaer here in Korea, but most people in their 20s like me dont even dare

to buy it because o its expensive price, said Shin Yoori, who just got a

job at a PR agency last year.

Instead, I use Purple Bottle, the same kind o repair essence product

made by Missha. Its much cheaper but has the same eect. I dont

really see the reason to pay more to get the same result.

Trends in Mens Grooming

Men have been making a signicant contribution to the strong demand

or Korean skincare products. Tey are willing to drop a good deal o

money to pamper their skin and get that glowing look.

O course, such a pretty boy movement is powered by celebrities like

boy bands VXQ! and SHINee. Believe it or not, Korean rapper and

singer Psy is the latest to join this group o pretty boys.

In Korean cosmetic brand Flower Mens recent V ad, Psy is seen

looking at ladies and correcting their makeup in a nightclub bathroom.

He suddenly turns his chair towards the camera and shouts:

ENTERTAINMENT

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Do you know what theyre doing right now? Teyre getting ready to

seduce you all. But why is that these beautiul women are trying to firt

with everyone but you? Tis is or a person like you.

Ten he presents a product that targets male consumers, who account

or more than hal o the entire Korean grooming market. Tis is bigger

than in any other country in the world, even in Asia, where not a low

number o men preer the pretty boy look to manliness.

Overseas Market

For Korean companies, cosmetics have always been immune to

economic downturn. Despite the global recession rom 2008, exports o

South Korean cosmetics have been showing a steady increase over the

course o the years.

In act, its growth rate was more prominent between 2010 and 2011.According to the Korea Food and Drug Administration (KFDA)s

report last August, Korean beauty brands logged morethanexpected

overseas sales by recording USD 805 million, an increase o 34.8 percent

rom 2010.

Te steep increase is naturally infuenced by the growing number

o auction websites like eBay and their overseas shipping service.

According to eBay Korea, around 775,000 domestic cosmetic products

were shipped abroad in 2011 alone.

Not surprisingly, China was the biggest consumer, making up nearly 32

percent o Koreas total exports in 2011. Japan was the second biggest market

or Korean cosmetics, taking up close to 17 percent during the same period.

Te gure is likely to go up when including Chinese and Japanese

tourists purchases within the country. Shopping has always been a big

part o traveling, and gures show a 25-28 percent jump in Chinese

travelers during the Lunar New Year in recent years.

In the meantime, local cosmetics companies are implementing

aggressive expansion plans targeting Asian consumers, like partnering

with conglomerates.

Already, Missha runs 25 shops in Japan and Te Face Shop has spots in

400 supermarkets and drug stores. Speeding up, Te Face Shops goal is to

reach 1,200 by 2015.

I noticed that Koreans are very ashionsensitive and stylish people.

I wasnt surprised to see people spending countless hours shopping or

beauty products and clothes when I visited Seoul a ew years ago, Lin said.

Five years ago, my dresser was ull o American products, but now

theyre all Korean. Korean cosmetics rms know exactly what their

consumers want.

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SPECIAL ISSUE I SUMMIT DIPLOMACY

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Koreas rst emale president pledges to realize Second Miracleon the Hangang River

PRESIDENTPARK GEUN-HYETAKES OFFICE

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President Park Geunhye

took the oath o oce on

February 25 in the most

widely attended inauguration event in

Koreas history. Some 70,000 people

attended Parks swearingin, includingoreign dignitaries such US National

Security Adviser om Donilon, Tai

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra,

and Japanese Deputy Prime Minister

aro Aso. Even Korean rapper Psy

was in attendance, perorming his

globally renowned hit Gangnam

Style or the crowd.

Te rst emale president o the

Republic o Korea, Park assumes

oce at a time when Korea aces

great opportunities and challenges,

both domestically and internationally. With the administrative

vision A New Era o Hope and Happiness, Park aims to aect

a paradigm shi in governance that would allow Korea to

realize its ull potential through integration and sustainable

development. On the economic ront, the new administration

hopes to bring diverse economic parties together to pool

their strength. It is on this oundation that I will breathe newenergy into our economy and realize a Second Miracle on the

Hangang River that culminates in the happiness o the Korean

people, said Park in her inauguration address.

New Administration, New Philosophy

Te chie goal o the Park administration is to satisy what

it calls the call o the times, calling or a strong economy,

the aecting o social justice, maintaining national security,

promoting peaceul reunication with North Korea, and the

transormation o Korea into a reliable and exemplary nation

internationally.

o meet these demands, the Park administration will adopt

a very new administrative philosophy by which Korea will

move away rom the traditional governmentled development

model toward a symbiosis between the peoples wellbeing and

national development. Te ocus o the national administration

will shi rom the nation to individuals. Likewise, economic

policy will move away rom the

exportoriented, statisticscentered

game o catchup to a new game in

which Korea will take the lead in the

global market through qualitative,

wellbalanced growth ocused ondomestic demand. National policy

will place unprecedented importance

on issues o welare and social

progress, with a newound ocus

on social capital. No longer will the

government lead and the private

sector ollowthe public and private

sectors will now collaborate and

communicate on policy.

Te Park administration has

set out ve concrete goals, to be

implemented through trustworthy

governance based on openness and inormation sharing:

Goal 1: Jobscentered creative economy

Goal 2: ailored employment and welare

Goal 3: Creativityoriented education and

cultural enrichment

Goal 4:A sae and united society

Goal 5: Strong security measures or sustainable peace

on the Korean Peninsula

As part o these goals, the Park administration has set out a

urther 140 tasks to accomplish.

Raising Koreas Global Profle

Te Park administration aces a number o important oreign

policy tasks. Perhaps the most important o these tasks is the

establishment o sustainable peace on the Korean Peninsula.

Key to this is achieving a resolution to the North Korean

nuclear issue. It is my sincere hope that North Korea can

progress together as a responsible member o the international

community instead o wasting its resources on nuclear and

missile development and continuing to turn its back to the

world in selimposed isolation, Park said in her inauguration

speech. rust can be built through dialogue and by honoring

1. President Park Geun-hye takes the oath o ofce

2. Inauguration at the National Assembly o Korea

2

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SPECIAL ISSUE I SUMMIT DIPLOMACY

promises that have already been made. It is my hope that

North Korea will abide by international norms and make the

right choice so that the trustbuilding process on the Korean

Peninsula can move orward.

As peace is built on strong security, the Park administration

will take measures to strengthen Koreas deensive capabilities,

including the boosting o innovation in deenserelated

industries and the adoption o utureoriented deense

capabilities tailored to the everchanging strategic environment.

Te administration will also pursue the strengthening o

Koreas longstanding alliance with the United States as well as

strengthen deense cooperation with other states.As a key member o the economically dynamic East Asia

region, Korea will also strive to strengthen cooperation with

its Asian neighbors, including China and Japan. On the global

stage, the Park administration will elevate Koreas role as a

middle power that contributes to world peace. In particular,

the administration will promote the continued expansion o

overseas development assistance and implement exemplary

integrative development cooperation practices.

Opening a New Era o Hope

In her inauguration address, Park acknowledged that the

Korean success story, the Miracle on the Hangang River,

was built on the combined sacrices o the Korean people.

Te Korean saga that is oen reerred to as the Miracle on

the Hangang River was written on the heels o our citizens

who worked tirelessly in the mines o Germany, in the torrid

deserts o the Middle East, in actories and laboratories where

the lights were never turned o, and in the reezing ront lines

saeguarding our national deense, she said. Tis miracle wasonly possible due to the outstanding caliber o our people and

their unstinting devotion to both amily and country.

Noting the many challenges currently acing Korea, she

armed her aith in the Korean people and their ability to

succeed. Forging a new path is seldom an easy task, she

said. But I have aith in the Korean people. I believe in their

resilience and the potential o our dynamic nation. And so I

1. Multicultural choir perorms at the inauguration ( Jeon Han o korea.net) 2. Foreign dignitaries at the inauguration ceremony ( Jeon Han o korea.net)

3. Psy perorms in pre-inauguration show 4. President Park Geun-hye waves to the crowds 5. President Park Geun-hye enters Cheong Wa Dae, the presidential mansion.

1

2 3

4

5

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pledge to embark on the making o a Second Miracle on the

Hangang River premised on a new era o hope handinhand

with the Korean people.

Park talked o bringing about an economic revival by the

ostering o a creative economy. A creative economy is dened

by the convergence o science and technology with industry,the usion o culture with industry, and the blossoming o

creativity in the very borders that were once permeated by

barriers, she said. It is about going beyond the rudimentary

expansion o existing markets, and creating new markets and

new jobs by building on the bedrock o convergence.

Tis new economy will be one where single individuals can

raise the value o an entire nation. New opportunities to serve

their country will be opened to numerous talented Koreans

thriving across the global village, she said. And to those who

are equally enabled at the home ront, eorts will be enhanced

to allow them to become convergence leaders imbued with

creativity and passion as pillars o a uture Korea. She also

emphasized the role o economic democracy, saying, One o

my critical economic goals is to ensure that anyone that works

hard can stand on their own two eet and that through the

support o policies designed to strengthen small and medium

sized enterprises, such businesses can prosper alongside large

companies.

Park touched on the importance o social welare, one o thecatchphrases o the presidential campaign. She emphasized

the need or welare that matched the needs o its recipients,

saying, A new paradigm o tailored welare will ree citizens

rom anxieties and allow them to prosper in their own

proessions, maximize their potential, and also contribute

to the nations development. Park stressed the importance

o education and educational reorm in allowing individuals

to reach their potential. We need to provide active support

so that education brings out the best o an individuals latent

abilities, and we need to establish a new system that ostersnational development through the stepping stones o each

individuals capabilities, she said. Te day o true happiness

will only come when an increasing number o people are able

to enjoy what they learn and love what they do.

Park spoke about the importance o culture. In the 21st

century, culture is power, she said. It is an era where an

individuals imagination becomes creative contents She

said her administration would support creative endeavors

to create jobs and, ultimately, spark a global cultural

renaissance. Creative activities across wideranging genres

will be supported, while the contents industry, which merges

culture with advanced technology, will be nurtured, she said.

ogether with the Korean people we will oster a new culturalrenaissance, a culture that transcends ethnicity and languages,

overcomes ideologies and customs, contributes to the peaceul

development o humanity, and is connected by the ability to

share happiness.

Park also made it clear that prosperity was built on a bedrock

o security. urning her attention to the North Korean nuclear

issue, she warned, North Koreas recent nuclear test is a

challenge to the survival and uture o the Korean people, and

there should be no mistake that the biggest victim will be none

other than North Korea itsel.

She expressed hope that North Korea would end its sel

imposed exile and join the international community as a

responsible member. Trough a trustbuilding process on

the Korean Peninsula I intend to lay the groundwork or an

era o harmonious unication where all Koreans can lead

more prosperous and reer lives and where their dreams can

come true, she said. rust can be built through dialogue and

by honoring promises that have already been made. It is my

hope that North Korea will abide by international norms andmake the right choice so that the trustbuilding process on the

Korean Peninsula can move orward.

In concluding her address, Park spoke o the need to revive

Koreas communal spirit. In the needy days o our past, we

shared with each other whatever we had. Even in the midst

o their hardship, our ancestors had the generosity o mind

to leave aside a ew persimmons or the magpies during

the harvest season. We are a people that have long led a lie

o communal sharing, she said. Reviving that spirit once

again and building a society fowing with responsibility andconsideration or others will allow us to be condent that the

new era o happiness that all o us dream o is truly within our

reach. She ended by imploring Koreans to work together. Let

us all work together towards a new era o happiness and hope,

so that we can all become partners in another miracle or a new

chapter in the Miracle on the Hangang River.

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CURRENT KOREA

One o Korean broadcaster SBS' most popular programs is Healing Camp, which runs

every Monday rom 11:15pm to 12:25am. Entering its third year, the program brings

major Korean entertainers, sports stars, and public gures on to discuss the di culties

in their lives, and more importantly, coness their wrongdoings. Its V or the soulthrough

the conessions and discussions, both participants and viewers experience a sense o catharsis. So

popular is the show that during the 2012 presidential election, both presidential candidates made it

a point to appear.Te popularity oHealing Camp is but one illustration o Koreas growing healing culture. Te

stresses and demands o 21st century urban lie can be souldestroying and physically exhausting,

and as a result, many Koreans are exploring ways to heal both the body and the spirit. Te

quest or healing has taken many orms, rom hikes around Koreas scenic seashores and weekend

meditation sessions at Koreas Buddhist temples to bestselling inspirational reads.

Olle Trails and Meditation

One o the rst experiments with healing came in 2007 when ormer journalist Suh Myeong

sook established the Olle walking trails that ring Jejudo, a scenic island o Koreas southern coast.

Inspired by Spains amous Camino de Santiago pilgrimage trail, Suh established a series o relaxing

coastal hiking trails that link the villages and other scenic points o the volcanic island in order to

help ease people`s worries and anxieties, as she put it in a media interview in 2009.

Jeju Olle rails were a big hitover a million hikers a year descend on Jejudo to walk the trails.

Now several municipalities on the mainland have adopted similar hiking trails. Te East Sea coast

town o Yeongdeok, or instance, opened its Blue Road, a trail that runs the entirety o the towns

scenic seashore. Even Seoul has its Bukhansan Dullegil rail, where worldweary Seoulites can go

to recharge.

Realities of modern life have Koreans looking forphysical and spiritual renewal


KoreasHealing Craze

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Another healing experience has been the Jogye Order o Korean Buddhisms incredibly

popular emplestay program. Originally conceived as a more culturally insightul

accommodation option or overseas visitors who had come to see the 2002 FIFA World Cup,

the emplestay program has developed into one o Koreas best examples o cultural tourism

and is a superb way to recharge the mind and spirit. Some 109 Buddhist temples around Korea

host weekend sessions where participants o all religions learn about temple lie, engage in

meditation, perorm intensive bowing, chant, hike, and more. Fresh mountain air, healthyBuddhist vegetarian cuisine, early bedtimes and wakeup times, plenty o physical activity, and

lots o opportunities or introspection and selrefection can prove incredibly invigorating.

Jennier Flinn, a university employee in Seoul who has done two emplestays, said, emplestays

are like a minivacation, but with a greater spiritual angle that helps you eel better about

yoursel.

Healing on the Screen and on the Bus

While SBSs Healing Camp is the most popular healing program on V, its by no means the

only one. All the major stations now run healingoriented programming. MBC, or instance,

runs a weekly program called Dad, Where Are We Going?, which sends athers and their

children to remote mountain areas where they can spend two days learning about one another.

KBS, too, attempts to heal its viewers withMoonlight Prince, where guests discuss a dierent

book each week, using the opportunity to discuss their lives in a comortable environment.

Even bus companies have gotten on the healing bandwagon. In order to turn long intercity

bus trips into opportunities to recharge the soul, Dongbu Express has begun placing bestselling

books in its buses or passengers to read. Each month eatures the bestsellers o ve dierent

publishing houses, with books donated by the publishing companies themselves.

39

1. TempleStay

2. Healing Camp SBS

3. Blue Road. Photograph courtesy o

Yeongdeok-gun Ofce

1

2

3

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G L O B A L K O R E A

In 2010, Koreas Educational Broadcasting System (EBS) and Cambodias

National elevision Kampuchea (VK) collaborated to produce a

documentary on the history o the Khmer Empire o the 12th and 13th

centuries. Te spectacular documentary utilized Koreas 3D technology to

reproduce the ancient Khmer capital o Angkor Tom and the magnicent

Hindu temples o Angkor Wat, an internationally recognized symbol o

Cambodia. Trough advanced 3D imaging, viewers explored the unrivaled

beauty o these ancient monuments and the brilliance o the civilization that

produced them almost as i they were actually there.

Te documentary is only one example o Koreas eorts to assist other nations

in preserving and rediscovering their cultural heritage. From the jungles o

Southeast Asia to the deserts o Mesopotamia, Korean expertsand theirtechnologyare being put to work restoring and promoting humankinds

historic and cultural inheritance. Perhaps this is only natural or Korea, a nation

that or millennia has prized culture and civilization above all else.

From Angkor to Babylon

Over two and hal years ago, an EBS lm crew traveled to Iraq on a very

special mission. Using 3D imaging technology, they would recreate the

Protecting the PastKorea helps developing nations keep and restore their cultural heritageWritten by Robert Koehler

EBS Great Bab

EBS Great Babylon

EBS Angkor Wat

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majesty o one o historys most storied civilizations, ancient

Babylon. With the active support o the Iraqi government,

which sought to restore pride in a people traumatized by

a decade o confict, the crew traveled to ancient ruins to

rediscover the wonders o Babylon. Later, Korean computer

technology and cinematic imagination came together to li theveil on a abled but mysterious civilization in the documentary

Te Great Babylon. Te crew recreated ancient battles and

reconstructedi only on screenmonuments o legend such as

the ower o Babel, the Hanging Gardens, and the Ishtar Gate.

Te Great Babylon producer Kim Dongjoon explained the

signicance o the project. Tis is very valuable visual content

o Mesopotamian civilization because there has been a war

or a very long time and a lot o heritage was destroyed and

lots o exhibits in museums were lost, he said. Tis video is

in 3D, and is the only visual content in the world taken in the

last decade in Mesopotamia. I think this is very educational

or students and adult viewers in Korea as well as in other

countries.

Te Great Babylon was EBSs second venture in 3D historical

reconstruction. Te rst came in 2010, when they released the

documentaryAngkor Wat. Like the Babylon production, this

lm was produced with the support o the local authorities.

Te documentary explored not only the construction o

Angkor Wat and other monuments o the Khmer Kingdom,but also told the tale o the kingdoms greatest personalities and

the culture and customs o the Khmer civilization.

Temples Rise rom the Jungle

Te ancient temple complex o Vat Phao in Laos was, along

with Angkor in Cambodia, one o the jewels o the Khmer

Empire. Just south o Vat Phao are the ruins o another ancient

Khmer temple, Hong Nang Sida. Along with other Khmer

Empire temples and shrines in Champasak Province, it is

registered on UNESCOs World Heritage list. Unortunately,

the centuries have not proven kind to the temple, which is

almost entirely in a state o collapse.

Beginning this year, however, the Korean government

will undertake a KRW 6 billion project to restore the temple

to its ormer greatness. In January, the Cultural Heritage

Administration, the Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation, and

Laos Ministry o Inormation, Culture and ourism signed a

memorandum o understanding or the sixyear restoration

project. Koreas rst ever participation in the restoration o an

overseas cultural site is a turning point in Koreas overseas aid

program, which hitherto had shown little interest in overseas

cultural heritage. Said Kim Kwanghee, manager o the

international cooperation team o the Korea Cultural Heritage

Foundation, Koreas international reconstruction aid has so

ar ocused on inrastructure, but this is the rst time Korea

has participated in cultural property reconstruction. I think its

highly signicant that we are reconstructing a World Heritage

site that has allen into disrepair.

MORE INFO

http://home.ebs.co.kr/docuprime

EBS Angkor Wat

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M Y K O R E A

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Aer living in Korea or 10 years, I have almost gotten used to all the uno cial, or some might perhaps even say

contrived, holidays here. In act, I have actually started enjoying them or the ingenuity and unlled rivolity

they add to lie in Korea.

Written by Michelle Farnsworth

Illustrated by Kim Yoon-Myong

WHITE DAY

AND MOREExperiencing some o Koreas more

unique holidays

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In many parts o the world, November 11 is called Remembrance Day, Armistice Day, or

Veterans Day. Tis is a very somber and serious holiday that commemorates the end o World

War I and honors those who bravely gave their lives ghting or their country. In Korea,

however, November 11 is associated with a much dierent holiday, best known as Pepero

Day. Pepero are a relatively cheap, simple, and delicious pencilthin cookie oen covered inchocolate and then dipped in crushed almonds. Four Pepero sticks held up vertically next to

each other resemble the date 11/11. We assume that a clever marketer at Lotte Conectionery

recognized this and created the uno cial holiday. Walk by any convenience store in Korea on

the days leading up to November 11 and you will see that the marketing initiative has been a

huge success. Tere are Pepero o every size and favor on display wrapped up in baskets and

netting or nestled in the arms o a teddy bear. It is uno cially expected that Pepero be given to

anyone who sits near you at the o ce, interacts with you daily, or is ever so slightly more than

just an acquaintance. Te deeper the relationship, the more elaborate the Pepero gi that must

be given. I daresay that some o the most extravagant gi displays and promotional events I

have ever seen were outside a 711 on November 11, 2011.

While Valentines Day is celebrated all over the world, it has a slightly surprising twist in

Korea. I was really shocked when I rst learned that in Korea women are expected to provide

chocolate to their targets o aection on Valentines Day. Te men merely enjoy the attention

and the sugar rush. Te rules are very clear and very rm. No man would ever dream o giing

chocolates to their lady love on Valentines Day in Korea.

However, payback comes exactly one month later on White Day, when the men must

reciprocate with candies. Te rules here are also very clear. Men must gi candies to the lady or

ladies in their lives. It could be either candy or chocolate, and women need only thank the men

and enjoy the sweet treats. Tis is a day that I personally look orward to all year, as the chocolates

can come rom any man and are not necessarily meant as a romantic gesture. Men, mark your

calendars and do not orget to recognize all o the special ladies in your lie on March 14.

And exactly one month aer that, on April 14, Koreans observe Black Day. Tis is the holiday

that amuses me the most. Black Day is obse

korea [2013 vol.9 no.3]

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