korea magazine [feb. 2010 vol. 6 no. 2]

8/14/2019 KOREA magazine [Feb. 2010 VOL. 6 NO. 2]

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FEBRUARY 2010 www.korea.net

ISSN:

2005-

216

2

COMPUTERGRAPHIC:

A NEW STAR IN

KOREANMOVIES


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G a t e w a y t o K o r e a

Koreas official multi-language website has:


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The Beauty of Korea Located in south-eastern Seoul, Namhansanseong is a mountain

fortress with about 200 historic sites and buildings.

The fortress was included on UNESCOs Tentative

Lists in January 2010.

ChoiJi-young

PRELUDE


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CONTENTSFEBRUARY 2010 VOL. 6 NO. 2COVER STORY 04CG is being incorporated more and more fre-

quently into Korean movies. Haeundaeand

Take Off, movies in which CG played a

prominent role, were both big hits last year.

PEN & BRUSH 16Novelist Sung Suk-jes works are entertain-

ing, but also touching. His knack for com-

bining both humor and interesting subject

matter can also be seen in his essays.

PEOPLE 20The classical music cafe Art for Life, man-

aged by oboist Seong Pil-gwan and his wife

flutist Yong Mi-joong, is an extraordinary

place in Buam-dong, Seoul. Two concerts

are held at the cafe each week, showcasing

the pairs philosophy about art and sharing.


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PUBLISHER Kim He-beom,Korean Culture and Information Service

EDITING HEM KOREA Co., Ltd

E-MAIL [email protected]

PRINTING Samsung Moonwha Printing Co.

Allrights reserved. No part of this publication maybe reproduced in anyform without permission fromKOREA andthe KoreanCulture andInformation

Service.

The articles published in KOREA do not necessarilyrepresentthe views of the publisher. Thepublisher isnotliable forerrors or omissions.

Letters to theeditor shouldinclude thewritersfullname andaddress. Letters maybe editedfor clarityand/or space restrictions.

Ifyou wantto receive a freecopyof KOREA or wishto cancel a subscription, please e-mail us.A downloadablePDF file ofKOREA and a map andglossary with common Korean wordsappearing inourtext areavailable by clicking on thethumbnail ofKOREA on the homepage of www.korea.net.

TRAVEL 26Inje, which lies on the eastern side of the

Korean peninsula, takes its winter celebra-

tions to heart. Here, you will find that winter

festivals, outstanding local food and

snow-white landscapes are ubiquitous.

MY KOREA 32Certain cultural quirks can seem odd to for-

eigners but therein also lies the charm.

An Englishman living in Seoul confesses

that singing in a noraebang, Korean karaoke,

is indeed strange, but an interesting experi-

ence nonetheless.

SUMMIT DIPLOMACY 36Korea is to build and operate nuclear power

plants in the United Arab Emirates, worth

US$40 billion. It is said that the global

nuclear reactor market will double over the

next two decades.

GLOBAL KOREA 40The Comprehensive Economic Partnership

Agreement (CEPA) between Korea and India

took effect January 1. As a country with

tremendous growth potential, India has been

predicted to bring great economic opportuni-

ties to Korea.

NOW IN KOREA 44Even the harsh cold weather cant stop

Koreans passion for winter sports. From

snowboarding to ice climbing, there are a

myriad of winter activities to enjoy in Korea.

www.korea.net


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COMPUTER

GRAPHIC:A NEW

STARIN KOREAN

MOVIES

COVER STORY

TopicPhoto


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When a massive tsunami approached the shores of BusansHaeundae Beach, the excited chatter of vacationers was instantlytransformed into hellish screams. In the summer of 2009, Koreanspacked movie theaters to watch Haeundae, the nations first naturaldisaster blockbuster. The film, which sold more than 10 milliontickets, owes its success to computer graphics technology.by Min Yong-jun


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CG on the Korean ScreensA film chronicling the rise of a hopeless group of ski jumpers quickly garnered fame in

Korean theaters. Take Off(2009) follows the tale of five young men who train in ski

resorts without any proper ski jumping facilities, in the hopes of someday winning an

Olympic gold medal. The hit film sold more than 8 million tickets and combined with

Haeundae, the two blockbusters sold nearly 20 million tickets domestically more

than 10 percent of the entire nations 156 million movie ticket sales in 2009. Both

films took advantage of Koreas own virtual effects (VFX) technology, particularly in the

area of computer graphics (CG).

But even before recent box office hits like Haeundaeand Take Off, CG played a

prominent role in Korean cinema. Blockbusters such as Tae Guk Gi: Brotherhood of War

(2004), director Kang Je-gyus Korean War epic that breathtakingly recreated the mis-

ery of the battlefield on the silver screen, and fantasy film The Restless(2006) also

made extensive use of CG. In 2007, Dragon Wars: D-Wartook the technologys potential

to a new level, setting the bar higher within the Korean film industry. Director Bong MofacStudio


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Joon-hos The Host(2006) was also recognized for its use of the technology. In

essence, CG has grown to become a secret weapon that can make almost any image

into reality.

However, the use of CG is not some effortless, quick and simple wave of a magic

wand. CG is only a part of VFX, which functions as a means to artificially portray extraor-

dinary scenes normal cameras are unable to capture. The increasing incorporation of CG

in Korean films means VFX supervisors are playing a more important role than ever. As

Jeong Seong-jin of EON Digital Films (the VFX supervisor for Take Off) puts it, For the

last 30 minutes of Take Off, the whole crew had to make a huge collective effort.

Creating an explosive finale, while at the same time giving viewers a sense of realism,

was important to us. It was also vital that CG supported the dramatic emotions of the

main characters, who were facing the risks of ski jumping in spite of bad weather, while

delivering a sense of real speed.

Jeong underscores that CG is not simply a device used to buttress movies on a techni-

cal basis; its a catalyst that enables more effective drama, but is an addition that

should not interfere with the overall flow of the film.

Jang Seong-ho, president of Mofac Studio (the VFX supervisor for Haeundae), alsosaid, We could have achieved a better quality of CG than we did if the production com-

pany had told us to look for ways to create CG with our own technology from the begin-

ning of the project. [Furthermore,] we could have done it for half as much as was spent

in the US (when we outsourced the material). In any event, its a relief that we were able

to bring the level of CG up to a point that viewers found acceptable, though I would not

be honest if I said the project was completed with total satisfaction. In fact, the quality

of the computer-generated data in Haeundaes water scenes bought from the American

company was originally so bad, in part due to a lack of budget, that Jang completely

reworked the data he was given. Mofac Studio ended up changing the texture and light-

ing of the CG cuts, rendering them over and over, and adding extra details. They spent

roughly two months focusing on the final composition of more than 640 CG cuts.

A still from the movie

Haeundae(opposite), CG

works from the TV drama

Legend(left, right above)

and also from the TV

drama Tamra, the Island

(right below).

before

before

after

after


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The experience of learning to use CG provides another opportunity. Director Yoon

Je-kyoon and JK Film are now in the early stages of putting together an underwater

monster movie called Sector 7. Mofac Studio is working on preproduction together

with JK Film for the project.

The creature in The Hostwas brought to life by an American VFX company called

The Orphanage. Back then, a movie featuring a huge monster was an unprecedented

challenge in the Korean film industry. For a blockbuster that cost around US$9.1

million to make, the producers had to be careful when making choices to ensure they

didnt lose money, which is why The Orphanage was chosen over every other Korean

company. While The Orphanage was known for the CG work it did on a texture called

hard surface, through its work for The Host, the company acquired the necessary

technology to create a new kind of monster, which in turn helped raise its own standard

of quality.

Not to be outdone, the making of Haeundaewas also an amazing achievement. JK

Film stipulated in its conditions that all technology would transfer to Mofac Studio

when it signed a contract with the foreign VFX company. The resulting data from

Haeundaethus became the property of Mofac Studio, which ultimately helped improve

Koreas own VFX technology.

In a similar move, Weta Digital, a New Zealand visual effects company, grew leaps

and bounds with Peter Jacksons The Lord of the Ringstrilogy. More recently, it helped

Learning from Experience

Still and CG works from the movie The

Forbidden Kingdom(top, below), CG works fromthe movie The Restless(bottom).

before

before

after

after

DTIPictures


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work on the science fiction epic Avatar(2009). Keep in mind that although New

Zealands movie industry is, relative to Hollywood, underdeveloped, Peter Jackson

helped his own New Zealand-based VFX company become one of the worlds most

respected in its field by bringing it in to help in the making of his hugely successful

movie project.

Its not practical to always depend on just one company do all the work. At the same

time, overcoming huge challenges is a prerequisite for positive growth. Previously,

Insight Visual took part in the production of Kang Je-gyus Tae Guk Gi: Brotherhood of

War, and is now working on D-Day(working title), Kangs first overseas project that is

still in the planning stages.

At the time when Tae Guk Giwas being made, Kang didnt trust our CG team very

much, says Son Seung-hyeon, Insight Visuals production director. But afterwards I

think he learned to trust the role CG plays in movies. I think hes decided to use CG a

lot more from now on.

The most important part of D-Dayis location, as the movie is based around the

Normandy invasion. The production department is planning on shooting in China,

Germany, Hungary and Korea, but continues to discuss the necessity of each location.Additionally, theyre examining different ways to get the effects they need without

spending too much of the budget to film in all those locations.

Although the movie has substantial funding of around US$27 million, shooting will

be hard to execute because of its sheer scale, which is why CG is bound to play an

important role. It is likely that matte painting, a cost-cutting technique used to copy

and paste peoples movements for a particular shoot in the form of digital data, will be

used in D-Daybecause of the way it positively impacted Tae Guk Gi.

Still and CG works from TV drama, Iris(top and

above, below).

before

before

after

after

NextVisual


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The Future of Korean VFXPerhaps the greatest benefit of CG technology is that it allows for more diverse story-

telling. From Haeundaeand Take Off, to a recent movie called Woochi(2009), Korean

cinema is attempting to deal with genres and subjects that would have been impossible

in the past. The same applies to TV dramas. The Legend(2008) and Iris(2009) were

both large-scale projects that captured the attention of viewers with their unique use of

CG. As a result of technological developments, Koreas movie and video game industries

gained new freedoms in sharing their stories.

At the same time, its important to think seriously about how efficiently CG will be

used in the future. Yang Seok-il, a manager at DTI Pictures, cautions, Some producers

just hate CG but others heavily depend on it. For example, when shooting a car chase

scene where a car is flipped over, producers need to think about whether their action

team or CG team can reconstruct it better, and then also consider which one is more

within their budget. Im not saying you have to use CG and spend more money, but it is

important to decide which part of a movie definitely needs proper CG.

The box office success of Haeundaeand Take Offis definitely encouraging. Indeed,

the success of big budget movies that make liberal use of CG has led to the planning of InsightVisual


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2010

other such movies, with companies able to study and apply the new technology to them.

Korean VFX companies usually work on several projects simultaneously three to four

at any given time. Although there is an educational benefit for the film crew they can

gain an intimate understanding of the overall flow of each movie or TV drama they work

on it is born from a grueling work process.

Today, Korean VFX companies are turning their sights to overseas markets. In an

effort to promote Koreas VFX industry, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and

the Korea Creative Content Agency jointly sponsored Koreas seven leading VFX compa-

nies by participating in the American Film Market (AFM) the largest motion picture

trade show in the world in 2009.

Before the event, few Korean companies received requests to help make foreign

movies. One notable exception was when DTI Pictures, Macrograph and Footage all took

part in the postproduction of The Forbidden Kingdom(2008). Yang Seok-il of DTI

Pictures explained it this way: The price difference wasnt very big. Breaking into

Hollywood doesnt guarantee success. What you need to do is respond to business

strategically. Mofac Studio also took part in the production of the soon-to-be released

movie, The Warriors Way(2010). While it wont be easy for Korean VFX companies tobecome an inseparable part of extravagant Hollywood films any time soon, they will

need to search for more long-term targets when considering overseas markets.

The expansive achievements of Koreas CG technology will be rendered useless if not

given the chance to be properly used, but opportunities arent created solely through the

efforts of a single individual. So far, there have been the select few who have worked

hard to develop the industry, but now it is time to understand where the country stands,

from an industrial and international perspective. The CG industrys ambition to re-create

the future of Korean cinema with its technology can only begin to be realized after this

understanding comes about. Looking only at the progress so far, the results are encour-

aging. Based on the diverse range of experiences Korean VFX companies have had so

far, they will one day be able to create such comparable CG works as that of Avatar.

CG work from the movie

Hong Gil-dong(oppo-

site), a still from the

movie Tae Guk Gi(left),

CG works from the movie

Modern Boy(right

above) and from the

movie Private Eye(rightbelow).

before

before

after

after


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Anyone who has been paying close attention to the end credits

of Hollywood blockbusters for the past several years will have

noticed the occasional Korean name scroll by. Today, there are

actually quite a few Korean VFX artists working on some of

Hollywoods top productions and at some of Americas leading stu-

dios. These talented men and women represent the future of the

Korean VFX industry.

Koreans had a hand in Avatar(2009), James Camerons epic 3D

motion picture that has fundamentally altered the movie industry.

The listincludes lighting technical director JungByung-gun(above),

digital modelers Chang Jung-min and Lo Eung-ho, senior facial

modeler Lee Jin-woo, modeler Lee Sun-jin, visual effects artist Im

Chang-eui, FX ATD Sean Lee, motion editor Kim Ki-hyun and sen-

ior animator Park Jee-young. A total of nine Korean artists were

involved in the historic cinematic project, two of whom sat down to

talk with KOREA about their lives and the VFX industry.

INTERVIEW

KOREAN ARTISTSTO LEAD CG BLOCKBUSTERS

JungByung-gun


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Q How did you end up working overseas?

AJung Byung-gun After graduating from Hongik University with a

degree in Department of Art Studies, I enrolled at the Academy of

Art University (AAU) in San Francisco in 1996. I then worked on

three feature films and one short animation at the Walt DisneyStudios before landing a job at Weta Digital. In the past, Ive also

worked for Paramount Studios and Sony Computer Entertainment,

the maker of the Sony PlayStation. Early on in my career I spent

three or four years in the field of game cinematics, working for

companies like SNK, Activision and Sony.

Park Jee-young In character animation at the California Institute of

the Arts (CalArts), I started work at an indie movie production

company as a 2D key animator. At the time, many 2D animators

were transitioning into 3D, and I was no exception. Three years

ago, I saw an announcement saying James Camerons Avatarwas

going into preproduction, and, of course, thats when I applied to

join Wetas animation team.

Q What exactly did you do on Avatar?

AJung In November 2008, for the first eight months of produc-

tion, I worked as a texture artist, developing colors and textures for

CG character backgrounds and objects, and then for the last four

months I worked as a lighting technical director, designing the

lighting for scenes to create the final images. This transition

between departments enabled me to experience a wider range of

the movies production process.

Park I worked on Avataras a senior animator. All of these crea-

tures, none of which exist in the real world, were created fromscratch through nothing but animation.

Q What did you think was special when you first saw how

Hollywood productions were made and became a part of it?

A Park The first things that come to mind are the massive amounts

of capital investment, the systematic production pipeline in place,

and the abundance of trained professionals. A particular focus is

placed on preproduction and planning, during which an efficient

production plan is drawn up, while developing the necessary soft-

ware and technologies and creating a coherent storyline at the

same time. Such thorough preparation, combined with an efficient

work environment, saves a lot of time. During the preproduction of

Avatar, which lasted several years, James Cameron and 20th

Century Fox developed a new camera technology called the Pace

Fusion 3D camera system. Another strength of the Hollywood VFX

industry is that there are so many artists who know how to use all

these new technologies really well.

Q How do you think Koreas VFX technology is coming along?

A Park Thanks to Koreas soaring interest in VFX and how its revi-

talizing the entertainment industry, investment in VFX movies is

growing every year and movies out there are becoming more and

more expressive. The use of VFX is only going to increase in Koreain the future. Its also noteworthy that there are a growing number

of professionals who are well-versed in this field.

Q What do you think about Koreas intention to take its VFX

overseas?

AJung Its great that Korean VFX companies are collaborating on

overseas projects and making inroads in other markets, and they

should definitely keep up with this. Its difficult to expect the

Korean VFX industry to grow if companies just target the limited

domestic market with its small number of moviegoers. Producers

in Hollywood are turning their attention outside the country to cut

costs. So as long as you have solid qualifications and a good com-

mand of English, theres a good chance you can sign some kind of

a deal with an overseas company for VFX or animation production.

We have to figure out what our strengths and weaknesses are, and

deal with the particular problems we face. Korea has a domestic

movie and game market base, and a professional workforce. On the

other hand, there is a lack of experts with high-end production

experience and a language barrier in place. You also have to keep

in mind that most of the countries doing VFX and animation work

for the US right now are English-speaking ones like Canada, India,

New Zealand, Singapore, India and the UK.20th

CenturyFoxKorea


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HELPING THE CG INDUSTRYGAIN GROUND WORLDWIDE

In November 2009, seven Korean VFX companies shared a booth

at the American Film Market (AFM), the largest motion picture

trade show in the world. The companies were involved in a project

aimed at actively promoting the technology of Korean VFX compa-

nies through business meetings with international film profession-

als, an endeavor spearheaded by Koreas Ministry of Culture,

Sports and Tourism (MCST) and the Korea Creative Content

Agency (KOCCA).

The two government groups backed the companies promotional

efforts by arranging business meetings with buyers from

Hollywood, which Jo Ha-sup, an assistant manager at KOCCAs

Future Convergence Content Group, expounded on when he said,

It is very difficult for small Korean companies to open booths at

international festivals because of their limited budgets. Thats why

the government provided an opportunity for these small businesses

to share a booth.

Park Sang-uk, who works at the MCSTs Convergence Content

Team, adds, The AFM is part of the bigger promotional packagepicture. The main part of the program is aimed at supporting

Korean CG companies participating in movie/broadcasting projects

both in Korea and overseas by paying for part of the production

costs. The goal is to help these companies enhance their price

competitiveness and the quality of their product. In this context,

participation in the AFM can be seen as an additional marketing

support tool.

The industry welcomes the move. Hollywood tends to keep

going back to companies that have proven themselves time and

again. Initially, we predict we will not achieve exactly what we

want, but I do think that we will be able to improve our relations

on a lasting basis once we successfully complete our first project,

says Son Seung-hyeon, production director at Insight Visual. In

essence, government support is like fertilizer, supporting the

industry until companies can stand on their own two feet.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism made an official

announcement about the project to promote Korean CG companies

in foreign markets on January 14, 2010, with Minister Yu In-chon

explaining, The government plans to inject around US$181 mil-

lion into its computer graphics industry by 2013. The action plan

includes creating a special CG fund of around US$45 million,

offering tax breaks that include refunding the cost of production,

KMC

ulture


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and providing support in the form of equipment to small compa-

nies to enhance their technological competence.

On top of that, the government will help individual companies

which have had difficulty finding investment for their technolo-

gies, with their R&D efforts. The project aims to improve the tech-

nological prowess of all Korean VFX providers and secure new 3D

technologies emerging around the world. The MCST plans to

spearhead participation in overseas projects involving Korean com-

panies and to provide further marketing opportunities by bringing

relevant businesses together in overseas markets, including the

Cannes International Film Festival and the American Film Market.

If all goes according to plan, this will create sales of 100 billion

won and 30,000 new jobs by 2013.

The governments policy initiative was brought about after

Korean companies would not leave the issue alone. The outcome

of their hard work to coordinate these demands was the establish-

ment of the Korea Computer Graphics Industry Alliance (KCGIA) in2009. The idea of a council was conceived in 2008 and came to

fruition in August 2009 as an advisory committee to the govern-

ment. In a nutshell, the success of this policy depends on how well

government officials are informed of what is really going on in the

industry. People are paying attention to whether this meaningful

first step can lead to an even bigger leap.

Stills from the recently released movie Woochi(above) and last years

hit movie Take Off(below).

ZipCinema


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ngs taste for fun and interesting subject matter can also be seen in hisessays. I easily laugh. During my years in uni

PEN & BRUSH

Sung Suk-je


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For 24 years, Sung Suk-je has brought his readers laughter and

tears with a writing style that encompasses both his strong per-

sonality and quick plot pacing. Although he has built a strong

resume based on his novels, he first appeared on the literary

scene as a poet.

In 1986, Sung entered the field with his poem Window

Washing Person, which won a prize at Munhaksasang. He went

on to write his first novel, The Last 4.5 Seconds of My Life, in

1994. Since then, his works have continued to win numerous

awards, including the Oh Yeong-soo Literary Award in 2005.Sung has procured a steady reader base with his prolific pub-

lished writings of two collections of poetry, 10 short novels,

essay collections and four novels.

Sungs literary works are easily accessible for most readers. He

does not seek to affirm his own innocence nor does he bask in

novelty. He also does not tease readers with ostentatiously com-

plex questions. In his youth, Sung admired colorful patchwork

quilts, and his literary career is often compared to the eclectic

works that were once so impressed upon him.

I like mixing it up. Id rather have people than one person in

my stories. Ive written about whatever my mind shows, like a

patchwork quilt, and that is what I believe my literary world to

be. Literature is communication between author and readers.

Literature is conveying stories Ive heard and made. Literature is

an inanimate object that springs to life with human interaction.

Unless awoken by human touch, a literary work will just be an

ordinary marker left at a specific location.

Though Sung is happy with the self-reflection poetry induces,

he also enjoys the interaction that novels bring. Happiness can

be a personal, one-sided emotion but, comparably, when some-thing is entertaining it must be shared and is hardpressed to be

kept secret. The writer also found new ways of interacting with

the audience with his essays, which, like his novels and poems,

portray his personal side.

Writing sentences means the domain of fiction has started,

and essays are also kind of a fabrication of fiction. But essays are

usually written with some sort of fact or phenomenon. You can-

not write an essay without them. With these in hand, I have to

magnify and characterize a specific portion to get my point

across clearly. Essays have a different fun to them.

Sung Suk-jes novels are entertaining,even touching. His stories are like acheerful folk dance. Spectators unknow-ingly follow the beat and start dancing.

However, as one excitedly follows his sto-ries, one suddenly flinches into an abruptsilence. Excitement is suddenly trans-formed into tears, enlightening the reader

with a sudden intuition that the source oflaughter and grief is one and the same.Drawing pathos from everyday life, this is

why we believe in his writing.by Lee Se-mi | photographs by Kim Hong-jin

DEEP INTO THE

WORLD OFEVERYDAYLIFE


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into obscurity again, the point is the journey itself.

And Sung is, indeed, a fun person. If it is not fun for me, it

cannot make others laugh. I cannot tolerate boredom.

Literature fundamentally has no meaning if its not read, and a

powerful force that makes people read is when the content is

fun. Whatever the result, there must be something that makes

me excited and curious. However, even if I think the material is

fun, and if my readers do not agree, then ultimately there is no

fun in the material for me either.

Sungs taste for entertainment saturates his writing. I laugh

easily. During my years in university, I was once scolded for

laughing out loud by my professor who said Why do you laugh

at something so simple? So I walked out of the classroom and

laughed all I wanted before returning. His love for jocosity is

one reason he believes novels should be read carefreely, without

the obligation that something must be learnt from the material.

Sungs novels are much closer to realism than any ideologicalphilosophies on the origins of our human nature. The weight of

life and its layers of intricate truths can be very easily simplified

with a gallant and bold bout of laughter.

In earlier works, his novels often began with bizarre charac-

ters whose idiosyncracies are expressed playfully, at odds with

their environment. By the mid-2000s, his novels, among them

Mothers SongandA Really Good Day, began to develop a heav-

ier feel to them, progressing into new territories of, perhaps,

maturity. More recently, in his new novel Currently Happy,

Sung has returned to his previously playful characters that are

completely introverted into their own lives, but have reconciled

themselves with their surroundings. The characters reflect the

perspectives of the author as his view of the world becomes

more tolerant. However, one aspect of his novels has never

changed, which Sung calls showing the extreme.

My interest in the extreme has not changed. Today I focus

less on a beings extreme characteristics, and try to focus on

expanding that extremity. It is less evident as it is covered up.

People can change any way they like, whether tragically or

comically or coincidentally. I always keep that in mind.

His characters are pushed to their limits through gambling,

drinking, dancing, or acts implicitly demonstrating that the act

of losing oneself is a form of liberation. His extremes are notmetaphysical, but a form of experiential immersion.

In writing, Sung is interested in hedonistic paradigms of the

world, such as crime and money. But in person, he enjoys activi-

ties such as hiking, listening to music or riding his bicycle when

faced with writers block.

He is currently writing about strangers who connect to form

a family. Until then, his readers will have to lie in wait for the

next laugh, intermingled with sobs. As one of his poems cau-

tions, dont expect this world to be this warm. Sung Suk-je,

the storyteller, is a true player.

SUNG SUK-JES SHORT STORIESThe Last 4.5 Seconds of My Life (Die letzten viereinhalb

Sekunden meines Lebens)

> Language German

> Publisher Peperkorn (Germany)

> Published year 2009

Sung Suk-jes collection of short stories, The Last

4.5 Seconds of My Life (Die letzten viereinhalb

Sekunden meines Lebens), includes nine of his

major works, including the title work The Last 4.5

Seconds of My Life, First Love, Early Spring, Jo

Dong-gwan Yakjeon, Wandering, Novel Writing

Person, Under the Shadows of the Oleander,

Hwang Man-geun Said, and Cheonaeyullak.

The characters in The Last 4.5 Seconds of My Life

are people on the boundaries of society. Sung

expresses the characters cleverness and simplicity

through a lovable combination, using comfortableand witty writing that only he can. Examining a few

works in his collection of short stories, the title work

The Last 4.5 Seconds of My Lifeis a piece that uses

satirical allegory to express the transformation of a

man moving from a period dominated by physical

strength, to a period of ideologies. The writer depict-

ed the last 4.5 seconds of a gangsters life, like a

slow video motion film, as he falls off a bridge to his

death in his car. Without any frivolous excess or

humor, Sungs mixture of mythology makes the

novel multi-emotional in dimension.

Hwang Man-geun Saidis a short story of a farmer

who is below average in all aspects of life. Hwang

Man-geun works diligently and helps his neighbors,

while never avoiding humiliation from others until

his sudden accidental death. He comes back to life

in this short story as an outsider who sees his true

worth. What would have Hwang Man-geun said?

He never did leave any special message, but his

duty-fulfilled life urges the reader to reflect on their

own, which are littered with desires and

selfishness.

Jo Dong-gwan Yakjeonis a

piece that shows the true

essence of Sungs writing.

The writer exquisitely express-

es the short life of a gangster

named Jo Dong-gwan and his

roughneck life, and how he

gained fame as a gangster.

Jo leaves to catch his runaway

wife but fails to to get her. On

his way back home, he breaks

all the windows of a police

station. He is arrested, con-

victed, and ultimately sent to

a juvenile facility. With the

death of Jo, the indescribable

effects of his death on the

villagers are used to expose

the hypocrisy and authority of

older generations.


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PEOPLE


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THE ART OF

SHARINGA cafe can serve as an atmospheric environment to sip awell-brewed coffee, a gathering place for artists and writers, a casu-al restaurant to catch a light meal, or a simple getaway to enjoy

stimulating conversation. Combine the romantic ambiance of Cafede la Rotonde in Paris, where Jean Cocteau and AmedeoModigliani discussed the arts, with the Korean peoples affinity forcommunity, and you get Art for Life, a prime example of Seoulsunique blend of cafe culture. Situated at the foot of Buam-dongstranquil mountains, this charismatic space of traditional architec-ture radiates with a progressive philanthropy.by Jeong Se-young | photographs by Kim Nam-heon


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Novelist Oh Jung-hee once wrote: In the evening as I wash rice,

I look up through the window greeted by the sunset hiding behind

the horizon of mountains and woods as a white bird flies by leaving

a trace of mystery, and my heart is filled with a vague sadness

towards my life. The scenery of this passage matches that of

Buam-dong, which boasts the idyllic figures of Mounts Bukhansan

and Inwangsan in its landscape. The best vantage point can be

found just past the Whanki Museum a landmark in Buam-dong

and up the slope; spectators are rewarded with a picturesque

scene unlike the world that was left behind the bend. Taking a

deep breath as you look around, its easy to forget this quaint cafe

village is actually in the center of Seoul. Mountain ridges glow in

the sunset, smoke rises from traditional houses as families prepare

dinner, a stray cat follows the scent of rice, and a thick snow blan-

kets the rooftops.

Buam-dong is located in Jongno-gu, Seoul, at the eastern foot of

Mount Inwangsan, and bordered by Samcheong-dong to the eastand Pyeongchang-dong to the north. The neighborhood was named

after Buchim, a mythical boulder borne of traditional folklore. It

was believed that if you rub a rock on the boulder the number of

times equal to ones age, it will stick to the stone and that person

will be given a son. Recently, Buam-dong started to gain fame as

it became the prominent stage for hit Korean dramas. Young

artists ranging from designers, photographers, musicians, film pro-

fessionals and chefs began to show a great deal of interest in

Buam-dong. Its winding alleyways elude to a simpler lifestyle sur-

rounded by nature, far away from the city bustle.

Buam-dong has become the popular it place to open an

artists studio, joining the prestigious ranks of Hongdae and

Garosu-gil, Samcheong-dong and Seorae Maeul, Gahoe-dong and

Hyoja-dong. Though the area has countless charming cafes, the

oldest and most sought-after is the classical music cafe Art for

Life, managed by former Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra oboist

Seong Pil-gwan and his wife, flutist Yong Mi-joong. The couple

acquired the mountaintop home seven years ago.

By the age of 38, Seong had studied culture, philosophy, poli-

tics and economics in both the Netherlands and France. During

his studies in Paris, where he first experienced authentic cafe cul-

ture, he dreamt of achieving the same level of connectivity in

Korea that he found abroad: the phenomenon of people freelyexperiencing salon concerts in a setting of synergy. The first thing

he did upon returning to Korea was sell his 23-year-old apartment

building to construct a house in the mountains within Seouls city

limits. Seong hired four contractors to create his dream structure,

a house of arts and sharing. The final design included a main

building, large enough to house three generations, a small theater

for weekly concerts, an outdoor terrace for exhibitions, and a cafe

where one can order warm food and tea. Though many an obstacle

was faced in completing the building, Seong and his wifes kept

their spirits up, and 18 months later their dreams were realized.

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As soon as Art for Life opened, musicians, photographers,

poets, entrepreneurs, professors, doctors and passersby in love

with classical music flocked to their establishment. Many cus-

tomers were introduced to the establishment based on word of

mouth recommendations. But guests of Art for Life always

return and now, seven years later, they have become the cafes

family. Regulars gather each week on a volunteer basis to perform

and recite poems, partake in delectable cuisine and drink. Then,

at the end of the day, profits are sent to help those in need.

A FESTIVE LIFE At the entrance of the cafe are the words AFestive Life. The phrase, which would seem to echo the prema-

ture epitaph of a musicians life well-lived, is meant to inspire visi-

tors to define what happiness means to them. Though it may seem

at odds with those the couple wishes to help (those suffering from

misfortune), the catchphrase became the couples life slogan after

they found religion. Seong graduated from Hanyang Universitys

College of Music, majoring in the oboe, and became a member of

the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra at the age of 21. He lectured at

Hanyang University, Sookmyung Womens University and

Chung-Ang University and was on the short path to success.

Seong Pil-gwan, 55, is an oboist and the owner of the cafe Art for Life (opposite). Thecafes entrance is seen covered in snow (top) and a monochromatic sign indicates the

restaurant concert hall (above).


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KOREAFEBRUARY2010

That is until when, in 1992, he left everything behind to study

abroad in Europe. Seong confesses that he was full of conceit,

having achieved so much at an early age. Music was all I knew;

it was my life ... But one day, I met God. Everything changed after

that. During his studies in Paris, the young musician learned of

an organization named Emmas, led by a priest named Abbe

Pierre. Through the charitable work of the group, Seong came to

realize that art was not only fun, but that it could be used to create

happiness in others as well. He learned that to spread joy, one

must share and live among those in society who are in need. He

came to regret the years spent enjoying his talents selfishly, and

instead wanted to give to others. Seongs own festive life started

when he decided to share and use his talents for his neighbors.

The cafe now holds two concerts every Tuesday and Saturday;

a busy schedule that has the calendar booked through 2012.

January through March of this year will showcase jazz, March to

June will present classical music, July will return to jazz, andAugust will present 15th and 16th century music. Though this year

is filled with Western music, the upcoming year will have tradition-

al Korean performances featuring instruments such as the

gayageum byeongchang, geomungoand haegeumaccompanied by

dances. Film festivals and a myriad of events are also scheduled.

Performance profits are donated to the impoverished and others

in need. The philanthropic couple has helped foreign women living

in Korea who have no way to maintain their livelihood obtain

Korean citizenship, and has sponsored five orphaned minors

every year for the last three years, by giving them 1 million won

each month.

Art for Life does not stop at helping others materially. The

pair also help children learn and gain a better understanding of the

arts. Seong buys the paintings the children make at 5,000 won

(around US$4.50) per piece and hangs them in the cafe. He

hopes to teach children that art is not free, but that it is a relation-

ship of exchange and growth. Children draw very well. After lis-

tening to music, we ask the children to draw their impressions and

we get such unique paintings filled with their infinite imagination.

These paintings are worth more than any piece of art in the profes-

sional world. The paintings Seong has collected over the years

from children are enough to cover all the walls of his cafe.

Another method to expand a sense of community is to give visi-

tors a chance to write poems. Providing people with the opportuni-

ty to recite verse about subjects which they never had a chance to

express serves as a moving catharsis. Through this process Seong

has grown close to his patrons, and once received a letter he will

never forget. One woman, after arguing with her husband, wrote

him a letter after deciding to take her own life. By the time Seongreceived the letter the woman had already passed away, but in her

final moments she knew she could reach out to someone, and was

not alone. Seong once again realized, upon reading the letter, the

importance of connecting emotionally to others.

After this incident, Art for Life started couples art therapy

classes. The class Ieum (connection) helps estranged married

couples re-establish a close bond. The intimate and raw emotions

of the meetings have melted even the coldest of hearts, from

wealthy business people to busy celebrities who are often

detached from the lives of others.

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COOKING CULTURE One of the main reasons Seong has an easy

smile and optimistic lifestyle is his other half: Yong Mi-joong. The

couple first met in an audition for the Seoul Philharmonic

Orchestra (as an auditioning student and judges panel member),

and later married. Though Yong is seven years younger than her

husband, the couple work smoothly as a team, with Yong often-

times taking charge with organizing and preparations. When Seong

invites a large group of people without considering the circum-

stances, it is Yong who gets busy. The disciplined flutist prepares

all the food, while also performing and conducting other duties.

Yong says that she is happy to share her music and cooking

with others. Throughout the interview with KOREA, the musician

never once left the kitchen until discussions about food began.

Lately, she says, she has been enamored with enzymes. The mod-

est Yong says that she is still learning, but her exquisite cuisine

belies her humble words. Enzymes, created by fermentation, can

be called an ingredient that grows life. In the chefs words, foodthat embraces everyone is closer to peoples hearts than any par-

ticular food trends. She began to study food philosophy and

learned that cuisine that is healthy and natural caters to all

palettes. Yong says her dishes are inspired by the Eastern philoso-

phy of the Taoism, and that tastes and culture are reflected in

ones writing, music and cooking. She has started to read more

about the unseen forces of connectivity and philosophy, and began

to learn about meditation.

Yong first developed a passion for food from a desire to cook for

patients in hospices. As spicy and salty foods can be hazardous for

the sick, she began to research and learn more about well-being.

Quality ingredients and minimal seasoning are best Italian cui-

sine is a case in point, as it is one of the worlds best-known health

foods, she says. After Yong completed a professional course in

Italian cuisine, she moved on to study French cooking. Next, she

dreams of learning to prepare a variety of Korean cuisine from

across the country, taking to heart recipes handed down from gen-

eration to generation. These gastronomic historians, people who

have perfected their dishes after years of preparation and practice,

are the true philosophers of food. These recipes contain not only

ingredients, but the souls of people, and they incite inspiration,

calm, anger and give strength to the weak this is the level the

dedicated chef strives for.When Yong cooks for visitors who have recently argued, she uses

dried ingredients instead of fresh vegetables or fruits. Raw dishes

have a tendency to be rough. For people who have fought, these

dishes will only add to their anger and not suppress it. In contrast,

dried ingredients have a good taste and energy, giving the dish a

gentle and soft feel. A verse from The Book of Unholy Mischiefby

Elle Newmark describes the chef that she dreams of becoming.

Luciano, food has power. Each dish works its own magic, a kind of

alchemy that changes our body and minds, but is easily consum-

able with no need to chew. So it helps ease a persons mind.

Seong plays the oboe in the restaurant concert hall (opposite below). The name of the cafeis painted on a colorful wall (opposite top). Chidrens paintings hung in the cafe (opposite

above). Yong Mi-joong, 49, plays the flute (above).

ArtforLife


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TRAVEL

Winter Song

A TRANSPARENT

Inje lies on the eastern edge of the Korean peninsula, an area where the mountains arehigher and the valleys deeper. Each year, Inje takes its winter celebrations to heart. Oncethe fine crystal structures of snowflakes start to appear, they continue to fall endlessly fromthe sky, in all their ephemeral beauty. Similar to the local specialty, hwangtae(dried pol-lack), which deepens in flavor by melting and refreezing with the cold, visitors to the regionmust allow their hearts to open to new experiences, despite the sub-zero temperatures.by Cheon So-hyeon | photographs by Park Jung-ro


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In December, when the temperature drops below

minus 10C, the residents of Hwangtae Village in

Inje begin to stir in an excited frenzy. On the

same ground where the villagers raised corn and

peppers just months before until autumns end,

deokwooden frames are set up on which millions

of myeongtae(a wall-eye pollack) are hung. The

myeongtaes, which have been frozen and thawed

every night and day for the past three to four

months, become hwangtae once the lengthycycle is completed. The process is similar to that

of ice wine, in which grapes are repeatedly frozen

and thawed. The rings on the skin of the hwang-

tae reflect the mercury dips of winter.

When we arrived at Choi Yong-siks hwangtae

deokjang(drying facility) for a visit, he was hav-

ing a meal with his employees on their last day of

hanging the local grub. This winter Choi dried

2.7 million of the fish. Yongdae-ri village, popu-

lation of 550, has 30 deokjang, and an annual

production of 17 million hwangtaes or 70 per-

cent of the total hwangtae consumption in Korea.

A PASSIONATE LIFE In Nam-myeon, Inje, where

the arms of the Soyanggang river slow with the

cold, a large-scale bingjang, or ice plaza, is cre-

ated every winter. Many people wait for the cold

season to visit the area, so that they can fish for

bingeo, or smelt. The annual Inje Icefish

Festival, now in its 14th

run, has become aregional event. The key to enticing friends to

come out to the site is the thrill of ice fishing, an

activity which cant be done just anywhere in

Korea. Once a person masters the gentle motion

of the catch, strings of bingeo no bigger than

your index finger can be pulled from the small

holes in the ice in no time.

The skin of bingeo is translucent, showing the

entirety of their inner structures. The small fish

are typically eaten with gochujang, red pepper

Hwangtae deokjang(drying pollack facilities)in Inje(above).Injesmountains and valleys are seen from Misiryeong pass(oppposite).

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becomes defined and clear. On the snow, the

footprints of a rabbit skipping to look for spring

water are imprinted like a winter shadow. Only

after crossing two bridges and climbing three

hills causing sweat to caress my forehead

does the Iljumun gate appear. I cross the last

bridge, the Susingyo, and finally I arrive at the

Baekdamsa temple.

One of the founding temples of the Jogye

Order of Korean Buddhism, only 40 people a

year undertake the challenge of pursuing the

temples strict teaching the first step to

becoming a monk. To catch a glimpse into a

monks life without the six months of training,

visitors can easily participate in a temple stay.

The short program offers lessons on meditation,

the 108 bows, dado(tea ceremony),balwu-gongyang(eating practices) and yoga. For

those who cant stay long, relax for a warm cup of

green tea and add a stone on the pagoda at the

temples entrance, which symbolizes leaving

behind ones worries.

My footsteps climbing down the mountain are

lighter, the weather warmer. Its a delight to see

the animals, invisible from a cars vantage point,

while walking the silent wintry road. Winter in

Inje this is spiritual training.

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KOREAFEBRUARY

2010

The water of Soyanggang river lies frozen (above). The bell ofBaekdamsa temple (opposite top). A woman is enjoying ice fishing

on bingjang, ice plaza in Inje (opposite bottom).

paste, right after they are caught. If the raw meal

seems too bold, bingeo can also be prepared

cooked and seasoned. You dont have to look too

far for restaurants there is a line of snack bars

shielded from the chilly winds by tents pitched

around the festival venue on Soyangho lake.

Though the 2010 Icefish Festival was held from

January 28 to 31, die-hard bingeo afficionados

start visiting the frozen rivers from mid-January

to early February, when the river starts to freeze.

Mount Seoraksan was the fifth mountain to be

designated a national park in Korea. When peo-

ple hear the name, they might think of its main

gateway city, Sokcho, but the inland region of

this mountain is actually located in Inje. Mount

Seoraksan is divided into Naeseorak(Inner

Seorak), Waeseorak(Outer Seorak), andNamseorak(South Seorak). Naeseorak is located

in Inje, Waeseorak in Goseong and Sokcho, and

Namseorak in Yangyang and Inje. The mountain

peaks and ridges have become the natural bor-

ders dividing the regions, creating different tradi-

tions and lifestyles for each. There are 96 moun-

tains in Inje and some 91 percent of its total

area consists of peaks and rivers, creating the

depth of its valleys.

Though the fiery-hue of autumnal foliage is

typically the first image to grace peoples minds

when they hear Mount Seoraksan mentioned, the

landscape is actually pure white and snowy for

most of the year. The mountains snow cover

remains for so long, in fact, that is said that

snow from Chuseok(the Korean harvest holiday

in September) doesnt melt until Dano(the fifth

day of the fifth lunar month, around mid-June of

the solar calendar). This is how it earned its

name, which in Korean means a snowy mountain

that is difficult to climb.

A SPIRITUAL WINTER On a recent winters day,heavy snowfall froze all roads and stopped all

shuttle buses. Visitors to the area were told that

they would have to walk 14km to reach

Baekdamsa temple. The suddenly-limited traffic

saw Baekdamsa return to its past, when it was

once a secluded temple with few visitors. After

walking along the solitary valley for two hours, it

feels as if the world had widened and broadened.

There are few people willing to take on the

mountains, and the chirping of the birds

HOW TO GO

> By Bus Take a bus at Dong (East)

Seoul Bus Terminal ([02] 446-8000) or

Sangbong Bus Terminal ([02] 323-

5885). The ride takes around two

hours and 20 minutes to Inje.> By Car Take Gyeongchun

Expressway from Seoul through Dong-

hongcheon to Inje (an hour and 30

minutes), or Youngdong Expressway

through Wonju and Hongcheon to Inje

(two hours and 30 minutes). You must

take National Road No 44 from

Hongcheon. For more information, call

the Inje Tourism Information Center on

1588-6226, [033] 460-2170 or visit

www.inje.go.kr.

HWANGTAE FESTIVAL, YONGDAE-RI

> Date Feb. 26-Mar. 1, 2010

> Address Yongdae 3-ri, Inje.For more information, call [033] 462-

4808 or visit www.yongdaeri.com.

BAEKDAMSA TEMPLE

> Address 690 Yongdae-ri, Buk-

myeon, Inje. For more information, call

[033]462-6969, Temple Secretariat

[033] 462-5565 or www.baekdamsa.org.

> Temple Stay Fee Rest for one day

(30,000 Korean won [US$27.27]), two

days & one night (70,000 won

[US$63.63]), three days & two nights

(100,000 won [US$90.90]), etc.


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MY KOREA

Singinin the

ROOM----------NoraebangNights

Just how canKoreans derive such

joy fromgathering in a dimlylit room, blasting a

synth-cheeseversion of their

favorite pop song,and then singingand dancing with

face-twistingabandon?

by Niels Footman

photograph by

Kim Nam-heon

illustrations by

Jo Seung-yeon


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2010

Ask a Korean the biggest cultural oddities facing a Westerner in his country, and

you will likely hear a commentary on terrifyingly spicy food, unfailing reverence

for the elderly or the perils of trying to master chopsticks. Ask a Westerner, how-ever, and the list transforms. What the heck is with these devil-may-care drivers?

They will demand. Why do older people barge through me as if I didnt exist?

And how can Koreans gather in a small room, and sing and dance with face-

twisting abandon? True enough, karaoke, or noraebang(literally song room)

as it is known here, is one of those oddities, but it is far from unique to Korea.

My earliest brush with it actually took place in Hong Kong, where I lived and

worked for three years in the mid-90s.

My first time, as such things tend to be, was unforgettable. Though a lifelong

lover of rock and pop music, and a passionate bathroom and mirror-front singer,

I had never for a second countenanced going out with friends to a karaoke, much


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less singing at one. After much prompting, and emboldened by generous amounts of

beer, I finally summoned the courage to unleash my debut songAbbas Dancing

Queen, if memory serves on an expectant public. Gradually shedding my stiff

British reserve, my voice grew from a timid crackle to a triumphal bellow, drawing

whoops of approval from my companions. It was nothing short of liberating. Havingbeen thus blooded in karaoke, I was at something of an advantage when the norae-

bang call inevitably came in Korea. In my earliest visits there, I could see much of

what I recalled from my previous karaoke experiences: the disco lights, cavern-esque

rooms and tinny musical accompaniments were all present and correct.

Yet things were a bit different here, too. For one thing, the song lists, while con-

taining the usual English-language standards, also had strikingly outr inclusions

(who could resist a singalong to metal titans Helloween or Pantera?). For another, in

a country not known for its abstemiousness, most noraebang were, and still are,

completely dry (although, thankfully for my own singing career, some places do sell

booze). And crucially, thanks to the relative ease of learning the Korean alphabet,

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37/52

hangeul, I was able from a very early stage to sing a song or two in Korean,

which, for an audience unaccustomed to hearing a foreigner speak Korean, never

mind sing it, was often met with something approaching hysteria.

Subsequent noraebang visits with local friends yielded glimpses of Korea that

no guidebook, and certainly no visit to the usual tourist sights, could ever pro-

vide. For me, this was especially the case after I took up a job in a big publishing

firm, where all the other staff were Korean. Every few weeks our department or,

on bigger occasions, the entire office would troop off for the infamous hoesik, or

after-work food and drinks, gorge on barbecued pork and soju(the local grog)

and then, with thudding certainty, make our way to the nearest noraebang.

The change in these people I worked with was often extraordinary. On coming

into contact with a mic, a squelchy soundtrack and a backing video depicting

unfeasibly happy people bounding through a Swiss hamlet, the sternest of clients

and middle-aged office managers would transform into louche rockers or heart-

felt crooners. The daintiest, most introverted young women would open their

mouths to reveal lungs of fire. And while the famous Korean office hierarchy per-

sisted even in these unceremonious surroundings

the most junior staff wouldsing first, drinking etiquette was scrupulously maintained and no one left until

the boss did there was, at least through the mist of several shots of whiskey too

many, an undeniable sense of camaraderie, a feeling that tonight, at least, every-

one was as one in the crucible of behaving very foolishly indeed.

On the times I subsequently went in groups including newly arrived foreign

friends, though, I was newly reminded of just how alien karaoke was to many of

them. Some would refuse outright to sing, while others would flick endlessly

through the pages of the song catalog, never quite finding the right one. Still

others would choose a song, raise the mic to their mouths, then freeze and shrink

back into their chairs. Having never experienced the joys of karaoke at home,

these greenhorns were consumed with the kind of deep-rooted dread that only

singing in front of their peers could inspire: A fear that their voice would be so

bad, it would make a gaggle of alley cats sound like a barbershop quartet.

As I had once done, though, the karaoke refuseniks were rather missing the

point. As Ive discovered through my many visits, there can be few places any-

where where notions of making a fool of yourself are not so much disregarded as

simply irrelevant. While a few of my Korean noraebang companions have been

accomplished singers who clearly put in a bit of practice, the overwhelming

majority were unashamedly poor, murdering everything from K-pop songs to

old, maudlin Korean ballads to Gloria Gaynor with the same relentless vigor and

effort. But just by taking to the floor, and warbling along as best they could, they

invariably prompted claps, cheers and equally woeful dancing among the onlook-

ing crowd. In just this way, I have had some of my most hilarious nights out inKorea (the best ones, admittedly, helped along with a drink or six).

Ive done P-Diddy in my native Scottish accent. Ive sung late-night Scorpions

duets with old friends. Ive pogoed to A-has Take On Me. And, most stirring-

ly of all, Ive stolen the show with stuttering renditions of Korean pop songs. Just

as my friends back home would find moments of genuine poignancy by getting

sloshed on beer, putting their arms around each others shoulders and howling

along to the jukebox, Koreans, it has always seemed to me, find a real sense of

togetherness in their song-room serenades. And as mystifying as karaokes may be

for the uninitiated, the friendships formed over drunken, cacophonous norae-

bang nights may just be the ones that stay with you the longest.

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KOREAFEBRUARY

2010

PROFILE

In his eight years in

Korea, UK native Niels

Footman has taughtEnglish, taken a

Masters degree, edited

at a local newspaper

and magazine, and is

now working in public

relations. When hes

not hard at work for

his company, he loves

writing, reading, getting

outdoors and, of

course, the occasional

visit to the noraebang.


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KOREAFEBRUARY

2010

The UAE nuclear power plant deal is

being hailed as a gold mine that willraise the countrys national profile. After

setting its first nuclear power plant in

motion in Gori in 1978, with the aid of

US technology, Korea will now get to

export its indigenous nuclear power

plant (APR 1400) for the first time, ush-

ering in a renaissance of nuclear power.

Korean President Lee Myung-bak says

China plans to build 100 nuclear power

plants, with 400 additional plants by

2030 worldwide and about 1,000 more

in the long term. Korea has joined the

likes of the United States, Japan, France

and Russia as exporters of nuclear powerplants, Lee said.

President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed

Al Nahyan and I discussed building com-

prehensive and strategic partnerships in

nuclear power as well as in education,

the latest technology and security, Lee

added. Our relations with the UAE

should bring us the second Middle East

boom. Unlike in the past, we should

make headways in high value-added

industries, centered on plants.

The UAE deal includes the construc-

tion of the first 1,400-megawatt reactor

by 2017 and a total of four reactors, in

the capital Abu Dhabi and Sila, 330km

to its west, by the year 2020. Over the

next 10 years, the construction contract

will amount to US$20 billion, which

would equal the amount generated by

exporting 1 million units of mid-sized

sedans or exporting 180 units of major

oil tankers weighing 300,000 tons.

Another US$20 billion will be earned

during the 60-year lifespan of the reac-

tors as Korea would oversee operations

and replace equipment as necessary.

The UAE order will generate

110,000 jobs over 10 years, a Blue

House official said. Considering other

effects related to construction, equip-

ment manufacturing, architecture,

nuclear technology development and

financing, the deal will have an impact

on the nations economy as a whole.

President Khalifa expressed hopes for

cooperation with Korea in various fields.

Mohamed Al Hammadi, CEO of the

Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation,

said, We were impressed by the world-

class safety the KEPCO consortium pre-

sented and thats why we selected it.

Hammadi, who will oversee the coun-

trys first nuclear power plant project,

added that the deal will be an important

starting point for the UAE nuclear power

industry, which will continue to develop

into the future.

In the bidding, we regarded safety as

the most important factor, Al Hammadi

explained. The KEPCO consortium

received higher marks in safety than its

competitors. Whether the leading con-

sortium company could be held account-

able for participation of its partners and

whether the companies could honor the

deadline were other important criteria,

the CEO added. The consortium con-

vinced us that it could deliver the know-

how for 30 years of successfully operat-

ing nuclear power plants.

Al Hammadi then added that ENEC

and KEPCO will form a joint venture to

operate the UAE nuclear power plants,

adding, The two companies will be able

to create other joint ventures in areas

such as fuel supply. Were also consider-

ing sending our personnel to Korean uni-

versities or institutes to develop our

nuclear technology. The UAE is trying to

reduce carbon emissions and use

nuclear energy for peaceful purposes for

sustainable growth, Al Hammadi con-

tinued, We expect the two countries to

maintain a long-term relationship.

Nuclear power plants in Yeonggwang, South Jeolla

Province, Korea (above). Construction of nuclear

power plant in Gori, Korea (right).

KoreaHydro&

NuclearPowerCo.,

Ltd

MultibitsImage


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NEW REACTOR TECHNOLOGY The APR

1400, the nuclear reactor to be built inthe UAE, is the fruit of long-term nuclear

power development in Korea. Its a

third-generation light-water reactor

based on the design, construction and

operation of the OPR 1000, the Korean

standard for nuclear power plants.

To produce the APR 1400, the

Korean government launched a project

to develop next-generation nuclear reac-

tor technology in 1992. By 1999, the

basic blueprint was completed and the

name APR 1400 came to be. In 2002, it

won national design certification, and

five years later, the standard was appliedto nuclear reactors in Korea.

The 1.4-million kW unit has an opera-

tional lifespan of 60 years and can be

built in 54 months. This reactor is said

to suffer less than one core damage per

1 million years. It has 10 times the safe-

ty and economical benefits of OPR

1000. In terms of economics, among the

third-generation reactors based on OPR

1000, APR 1400 has the most competi-

tive overnight cost per kilowatt atUS$2,300. In comparison, the figures

for the French reactor (EPR) measured

at US$2,900, while those for the

Japanese (ABWR) and the US (AP 1000)

models were US$2,900 and US$3,582,

respectively.

Its also convenient to operate and

maintain. There is twice as much time

up to eight hours from four hours to

respond to the halting of operations,

while the amount of time workers are

exposed to radiation has been reduced.

A system to make maintenance and

inspections more convenient has alsobeen bolstered. Currently, APR 1400

construction works are under way for the

New Gori Nos 3 and 4, the first commer-

cial reactors, and for New Uljin Nos 1

and 2. A new model of APR 1400 for

the European market is in development,

and Korea is also trying to win US design

certification in order to enter the

American market.

38

KOREAFEBRUARY2010

A brand-new nuclear power plant built in Gori,

Korea, on February 28, 2009 is shown (above).

Korean President Lee Myung-bak and the UAEs

President Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan announced

the results of the Korea-UAE Nuclear Power Deal

at Abu Dhabi on December 27, 2009 (below).

YonhapnewsAgen

cy

YonhapnewsAgency


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DAWN OF THE NUCLEAR AGE The glob-

al nuclear reactor market is expected to

double over the next two decades.

Today, 31 nations are running 436 reac-

tors. By 2030, an additional 430 reac-

tors are expected to be built. The United

States will resume building reactors after

a 30-year hiatus. Italy, which stopped

building new reactors after a 1980 refer-

endum, will join the party in 2013.

France, one of the leading nuclear

states, will rely on nuclear power for 78

percent of all its electricity. Japan is also

trying to expand its scope.

China, the worlds largest emitter of

greenhouse gases, is ahead of everyone

else in nuclear power plant construction.

It plans to increase its nuclear energy

generation to 40 gigawatts by 2020 so

that up to 6 percent of all its electricity

will come from nuclear power.

The world is turning its eyes toward

the resource because alternative renew-

able energies have been secured, and no

other form of fuel can effectively reduce

greenhouse gases. Though nuclear power

accounts for only about 15 percent of

electricity production, it can only

increase from here as countries continue

to expand their industries.

Even considering the massive con-

struction costs, risks of casualties and

contamination through radiation, and

problems with disposing of nuclear

waste, there is hardly any doubt that

nuclear power with no carbon emis-

sions will replace oil and coal as the

major source of energy. Nuclear reactor

technology has reached a point where

dangers can be controled and carbon

neutrality has emerged as the new

value for all nations.

Many countries are in stiff competi-

tion for contracts to build reactors. To

construct reactors in Vietnam, Japan has

been lobbying the government and civil-

ians for 20 years. To make up for its loss

over the UAE deal, France will be in hot

pursuit of the Vietnam order. France has

also reportedly told Kenya that it would

like to join the African countrys first

reactor construction in five years.

Russia is known to have signed deals

or to be in negotiations for deals with the

likes of Vietnam, Egypt, Morocco,

Malaysia, China, Brazil and Algeria over

nuclear reactor construction or uranium

exports. Canada and India have recently

completed negotiations with Trinidad

and Tobago over nuclear power coopera-

tion and are finalizing a deal.

The nuclear reactor market is compet-

itive and the national strategies and sup-

port will be the key determinant. In an

attempt to raise its competitiveness in

an increasingly fierce market, theKorean government plans to invest

around US$350 million through 2017

to turn nuclear plant construction into

a new export industry.

Using the UAE deal as the stepping

stone, Korea wants to develop this niche

industry and place it on par with semi-

conductors, shipbuilding and automo-

biles the leading export industries.

The government aims to export 10 reac-

tors by 2012, and 80 by 2030, assum-

ing 20 percent of the global nuclear

power plant construction market.

The additional 80 reactors would beworth US$400 billion. Thats more than

the entire Korean export level last year of

US$363 billion. Building these plants

would create 75,000 jobs annually for a

total of 1.56 million new jobs. Revenue

for small and medium enterprises relat-

ed to nuclear power plant equipment

could reach more than US$24 billion. If

Korea can achieve all these goals, it

would become one of three leading

exporters of nuclear power plants.

Today, France, the US and Japan

make up the top three. Westinghouse

and GE account for 28 and 20 percent

of the market, while Areva of France,

which has pursued deals in the past sev-

eral years, has a 24 percent share. Japan

entered the fray when Toshiba took over

Westinghouse in 2006.

To develop this into an export indus-

try, the Korean government will concen-

trate on the following areas: customizing

exports and aggressively reaching out to

nuclear power plant operation and main-

tenance markets; making technology

independent and promoting global com-

petitiveness; nurturing technical experts;

securing fuel for power plants; bolstering

export capabilities of core materials and

equipment; and strengthening export

industrialization.

By forming strategies to turn nuclear

power plant construction into an export

industry, weve laid the ground work for

what will feed us over the next 50

years, said Minister of Knowledge

Economy Choi Kyung-hwan. We will

concentrate our efforts on constant tech-

nological innovation and the nurturing of

new talent.

ASIA

CURRENT GLOBAL USE OF NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS AND PROSPECTS(Unit: number of plants)

GLOBAL NUCLEAR PLANT BUILDING PROSPECTS

(Unit: MW, number of plants in parentheses)

RUNNING

US25,000MW(19)

UNDER CONST. FINALIZED PLANNED

109 148

EUROPE 197 932013

N. AMERICA 122 153 22

OTHER 8 1 6 32

ITALY17,000MW(10)

Source: World Nuclear Association

POLAND10,000MW(5)

INDIA20,000MW(15)

VIETNAM8,000MW(8)

CHINA79,000MW(90)

RUSSIA36,680MW(37)

UKRAINA27,000MW(20)

ENGLAND6,000MW(4)

UAE15,500MW(11)

35 94

39

KOREAFEBRUARY

2010


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41

KOREAFEBRUARY

2010

With the CEPA in effect, the tariffs on

automobile parts will drop from 12.5percent to 1-5 percent within eight

years. And over the next decade, tariffs

on 85 percent of the goods will fall, thus

opening up the export market for Korean

companies. With a 1.15 billion popula-

tion, India represents the worlds second

largest market for Korea. The nations

economic map has grown larger.

This agreement, called a virtual FTA,

or Free Trade Agreement, will accelerate

the pace with which Korean companies

have already been entering India. India

is the next giant of the global economy,

hotly pursued by Japan and theEuropean Union. As of 2008, India had

the worlds second biggest population,

and the 12th-largest gross domestic prod-

uct at US$1.2 trillion. Its the

fourth-largest consumer market behind

only the United States, China and Japan.

India is a country with tremendous

growth potential, so much so that it

managed a positive growth despite the

global economic recession, said a

researcher at the Korea Institute for

International Economic Policy. Reach-

ing the CEPA with India is significant

for Korea in that it has given our

exporters the opportunity to secure the

huge emerging market with nearly 1.2

billion people.

India has reached free trade deals

with only Singapore, Sri Lanka and

Thailand, among others. Most are small

countries and major economic powers

arent among them. India is negotiating

with Japan and the EU, but Korea is the

first nation with economic sway to have a

free trade deal with the country.

From this perspective, the signing of

the Korea-India CEPA has laid the foun-

dation for Korean exporters to beat oth-

ers to the massively growing market.

Korea has signed the CEPA ahead of

other competing powers such as China

and Japan, said Lee Seong-han, head

of the FTA Promotion and Policy

Adjustment Authority under the Ministry

of Strategy and Finance. Exports are

expected to grow by four times the

amount of imports.

The main reason why India is called a

land of opportunity is its seemingly infi-

nite growth potential. Since 2005, India

has maintained around a 9 percent

annual growth rate. From April 2008 toMarch 2009, during the global econom-

ic downturn, India averaged a 6.7-per-

cent growth per month. Last year, the

Indian economy is estimated to have

grown 6.5 percent and is expected to

grow 8 percent this year.

Its per capita income soared from

around US$400 in 2000 to US$1,000

last year. Its middle class is expanding,

making it an even more attractive emerg-

ing power with a potentially major con-

sumer market. The middle class consist-

ed of 50 million (5 percent of the total

population) this year and could rise morethan tenfold to about 583 million (43

percent) by 2025.

Indias economy is driven more by

domestic consumption than by export,

which makes it less sensitive to global

economic shifts. The Indian government

focuses on stimulus measures through

tax breaks and supplying liquidity.

The growing middle class is a huge

strength for India, since consumption

has also increased. Compared with

China, it has just gotten on track for

economic development. With sustain-

able growth, foreign investments that

left India previously are returning. The

BSE Sensex index, which nosedived to

8,000 in 2008 because of the exodus

of foreign capital, has climbed back up

to 20,000, the pre-economic downturn

level.

The biggest appeal about India is

that its economy is growing rapidly,

said an official at the Korea Institute for

Industrial Economics and Trade. The

economy is about US$1 trillion today

but it should surpass US$2 trillion by

2020, when India will become the

sixth-largest economy in the world.

Other experts say India is growing so

fast that in 20 years, it could trail only

the United States, China and Japan.

We have to keep in mind that the

CEPA with India has given Korean com-

panies an upper hand in the Indian mar-

ket. Prices are so important in India that

companies there will choose cheaper

options over its partners for 10 or 20

years. As tariffs on most goods are elimi-

nated thanks to the CEPA, our products

will have that much of an edge.

India is a country with great potential; it is the

fourth largest market in the world, and also

attracts lots of foreign tourists for its beautiful

landscapes and cultural heritage, as shown by

above and opposite images of Taj Mahal.

YonhapnewsAgency


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Wild WithWINTERSPORTSNot even the harsh cold weather can freezeKoreans love of winter sports. The year 2010began with a blanket of white snow covering theentirety of Seoul, accompanied by temperaturesbelow minus 10C, resulting in one of the coldest

winters in recent memory. Despite the unbearably

cold weather of late, the season is filled with activi-ties nobody wants to miss. From amateurs to pros,many are braving the elements to enjoy wintersports. by Oh Kyong-yon | photographs by Kim Nam-heon

A snowboarder jumps off a slope at Phoenix Park ski resort.


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KOREAFEBRUARY2010

On December 11, 2009, an unusual scene was observed in the

heart of Seoul, the capital city of the Republic of Korea. In

Gwanghwamun Square, a 34m-high and 100m-long jump ramp

was built and covered with snow, and top the worlds top snow-

boarders came to show off their skills. The 2009 Seoul Snow Jam,

co-hosted by Seoul City government and the Korea Ski Instructors

Association, is a snowboard competition that caught the attention

of about 200 media channels in 100 countries around the world.

The following night, Kim Deok-kyeong, who came from out of

town to watch the competition, commented, The place is so

crowded with spectators its a little hard to enjoy. But he gave it

the thumbs up because its a unique opportunity to see snow-

boarders live, jumping from up in the skyscrapers. For those keento get involved rather than just watch, there are plenty of winter

sports to enjoy in Seoul. Ice skating at Gwanghwamun Square,

World Cup Park and Olympic Park is both fun and affordable

about US$0.90 per 60 to 90 minutes.

Lee Se-na, who has been skiing since she was five years old, is

well-known as a ski fanatic among her friends. She cant stand the

cold but every year she waits for winter. Until I was in college, I

always bought a season pass and went skiing every weekend. But

now that I have a job, I cant come so often, Lee said. When

asked what attracted her to the sport, she said, the fresh feeling

The landscapes of Phoenix Park ski resort (top left). World figure skating champion Kim Yu-na carried the Olympic flame in Hamilton, Canada, on last December (top right). Summer

Goh from Singapore, in the middle, says that she likes having ski lessons in Korea (above).

APPhoto/TheCanadianPress,

DarrenCalabrese/YonhapnewsAgency


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KOREAFEBRUARY

2010

when I slide down the slope. I try out new techniques every time I

descend. Carving is a popular technique now and once I master

that, I cant say enough how accomplished I will feel.

There are more than 20 ski resorts throughout the country,

many in the snowy, mountainous region of Gangwon Province. Ski

resorts are not just for skiers and snowboarders but are also the

perfect place for families and workshop attendees, because they

are designed as entertainment complexes that offer accommoda-

tions. According to statistics, an estimated 6.7 million people will

visit ski resorts in Korea this winter.

A haven for skiers, Gangwon Province has many destination

cities such as Pyeongchang, Hongcheon, Jeongseon and Wonju.

KOREA headed to Pyeongchang, a county with a well-developed

infrastructure that is currently making its third bid to host the

Winter Olympics. Phoenix Park ski resort in Pyeongchang, a place

thats loved by younger generations and often called Phi-park, is

crowded with skiers and snowboarders on every slope even onweekdays. The resort has eight lifts and gondolas, all of them busy

transporting skiers and snowboarders to the

korea magazine [feb. 2010 vol. 6 no. 2]

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