Shopping for Seollal?

Don't know what gift to get your Korean boss, neighbour, friend or sweetheart for Seollal? Try some attention-grabbing gift packages like the gift box above available at Hanhwa Galleria.

Each set of four ostrich eggs costs  250,000 won ($223) and has four ostrich eggs. Why on earth would anyone want to give someone ostrich eggs,  you ask?

1.The size is impressive and seems to suggest abundance.

2. Koreans seem to love eggs - witness how often it's sold as a snack in jjimjilbangs and on board trains. Though I wouldn't recommend cracking an ostrich egg on your beloved's head as they do on K dramas!

3. Ajummas in a hurry in the kitchen can save time cracking several eggs to make their omelettes. Just crack one and voila! You've got enough to feed at least three people. Correction: On second thought, make THAT 20 people.

4. The shells would make great containers,  decorative and conversational pieces after you've emptied out the yolks and whites and cleaned them up.

Of course, if you don't find the notion appealing, you can opt for more conventional gifts like those below.

Sources:

http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2916020
http://asiaenglish.visitkorea.or.kr/ena/SI/SI_EN_3_6.jsp?cid=505985
http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/NEWKHSITE/data/html_dir/2010/01/13/201001130051.asp

Missing Bobby Kim

Deep sigh - so near yet so far. Commitments make it impossible for me to make it to the Esplanade Concert Hall in Singapore next week on the 1st and 2nd of February where Bobby Kim will be performing with composer/ lyricist/ arranger Oh Joonsung, Mario and Shinee.

Singaporean fans of K dramas are bound to have a great time as Mr Oh  will conduct his 9-piece band, Green Cacao alongside a 23-piece orchestra specially put together for the concert as he presents a number of his OST hits from popular K dramas such as My Girl and Boys Over Flowers. Other Kpop stars, Mario and Shinee will also delight their fans by appearing as well for the two- night concert.

It matters zilch to me that I won't be there in the Concert Hall to hear them but oh, Bobby Kim - that's another matter. (....Sound of another deep sigh from ajumma).

To console myself, I'm pinching this music from youtube.




source:
http://www.esplanade.com/whats_on/programme_info/korean_drama_favourites/index.jsp
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhSyB_4avJY&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TRfg4BhwlY&feature=related

How To Organise A Winter Festival, Korean-Style

Here's a brief and totally frivolous guide on how to hold a winter festival, inspiration courtesy of  the Inje Icefish Festival, currently held in Gangwon Province.

1. First, you need a cute mascot
....to helm your festive activities. This blue fella here reminds me of Doraemon but I can't decide if he or she's an otter or seal or some other creature.

2. Give visitors something to look forward to...
...such as fish they can savour on the grill at the end of the day. Make sure visitors have high chances of success so as to encourage annual returns to the festival. The smelt, a small silvery fish (Osmeridae family),  is easy to catch with basic fishing gear and is found in abundance during winter so it makes a great focal point for the Inje Festival. For more tips on how to catch your smelt, click here.

If Dads are too engrossed to teach the kiddies how to hook the bait, there are fishing classes for children.

3. Make sure your ice fest caters to all interest groups.
As the unofficial slogan for the Inje Ice Fest goes: "Ice fishing for dads, Smelts dishes for moms, Ice park for kids, Exotic dating courses for couples, and lots of recreations and winter sports to participate!"

3a. Haven't a clue what the exotic dating courses for couples means actually - I'm guessing either a bland ride around the lake in some snow sled or are there tiny igloos for couples to get really close and cosy?

3b. Give the foreigners something truly exotic to write home about  or post on their blogs by having contests to see who can eat the most raw smelt.



Remember to hold cooking lessons featuring recipes using smelt  for ajummas who may not fancy their fish raw.

3c.  Arrange for sporty visitors to take part in  matches on the ice or competitive games such as football or  tug-of-war.

3e. Don't forget those attracted to intellectual games - they can even play Chinese chess with the ice as their enlarged chessboard.

For full schedule for the 2010 fest, click here.

3f. Be prepared to cater to the variety of  interests - from kids who prefer to race each other to animal lovers who'd watch a real dog race to those who prefer more passive sports like playing PC games such as the one below.

sources:
http://world.kbs.co.kr/english/news/news_photo_detail.htm?No=14315 ( pics from Yonhap News )
http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_2_1.jsp?cid=292929
http://images.google.com.my/imglanding?q=inje%20ice%20festival&imgurl=http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/cms/resource/90/673990_image2_1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_2_2.jsp&usg=__ywJQHCIlBjHxFtPGrLHExMPZg7g=&h=333&w=500&sz=74&hl=en&um=1&tbnid=hJpm0jwgraZyzM:&tbnh=87&tbnw=130&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dinje%2Bice%2Bfestival%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26um%3D1&sa=N&um=1&start=3#tbnid=hJpm0jwgraZyzM&start=7
http://www.injefestival.co.kr/english/sub3/sub5.asp
http://adventureteachingkorea.wordpress.com/
http://www.gamesetwatch.com/2009/04/koreas_dogsledding_mmorpg_husk.php
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISKh68C-Hxk

Too Early for Yellow Dust BUT Never Too Early for Plum Blossoms

Saw this photo in the JoongAng Daily with the following caption:
"Pedestrians cover their mouths with mufflers on Mount Paldal in Suwon, Gyeonggi, to avoid the yellow dust that blew into the country for the first time this year yesterday."  [NEWSIS]

Isn't it too early for the yellow dust which I thought was synonymous with spring? After all, January isn't even over yet. Then again, the plum blossoms are already out in Japan. See the pretty in pink pic below.
Can anybody tell me when plum blossoms usually appear in South Korea?

Photo credit: AP

source:
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2915785
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2915846

Two Great Voices

Here's something for a friend of mine who rather belatedly has discovered the charms of Lee Byeong-hyeon ( of present Iris and G.I. Joe fame).



She's fallen for his deep voice but I'm hoping she'll also fall in love with the soulful voice of Kim Kwang-seok, the folk rock singer whose "Letter To A Private"  ( 이등병의 편지) was featured in JSA: Joint Security Area  - a compelling film by Park Chan-wook. Still relevant movie today, given the most recent tensions between the North and South. Let's hope and pray good sense prevails.

source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kim_Kwang_Suk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4-heEUdUl8&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6q9O7QVILo&feature=related

Jeonju Wish List - Jeonju Part 8

Here's my wish list for Jeonju if I get to revisit it!

a. Stay in  the Hanok Village for at least one night so I can do a leisurely, DIY walking tour of the place.
Didn't have enough time when I visited Jeonju back in 2003 with a tour group as we had spent almost the whole day at the Jeonju Traditional Cultural Centre. Here's a list within a list of places I'd like to check out in the Hanok Village which evolved as a kind of patriotic response to the Japanese occupation when the traditional Korean houses were in danger of being overwhelmed by Japanese style homes:

i. Gang Am Calligraphy Gallery - it' s hard to believe that this is the only calligraphy gallery in the country.My main interest here would be the paintings of  Dan Won also known as Kim Hong Do whose works were featured in the SBC TV drama, Painter of the Wind.


ii. The Jeonju Traditional Oriental Herb Culture Center, found on the Wooseok University campus. You may be able to get a traditional physician's analysis of your physical condition but I'm more intrigued by the prospect of  the Building Hanok Experience in the Outdoor Experience Yard ( do they really mean an honest-to-goodness hanok or just a miniature version?) if that's not possible, I'll settle for a herbal footbath.

iii.   Jeonju Traditional Hanji Center  & The Jeonju Craftworks Exhibition Hall - the Jeonju Hanok website mentions another activity which I'd love to do i.e.dyeing clothes using yellow soil water ( stupidly used to think they used persimmon juice!)

Where's the best bibimbap in town?

b. Sample all the best restaurants renowned for bibimbap and omogary

Omogary means earthernware pot and a delicious spicy seafood stew is usually served in it.

Jeonju's home to the Dano Festival as well as other festivals.

c. Visit the place during its various festivals such as the Film Festival and the Sori Festival.


d. Try making paper and admire the exhibits at the Paper Museum.

e. Hanbyukdang is a pavilion built in 1404 as the private cottage of Choi Dam, a high-ranking government official in the early Joseon Dynasty. It was built by breaking and sculpting a cliff on the skirts of Mt Seungam. People in old days called it “Han beok chung yun A” and regarded it as one of the finest eight sights to see in Jeonju. Hanbyeokdang is a pavilion with an octagonal roof, with 3 units in front and 2 units on the sides. It is located towards Namwon from Hanok village, and was built in 1404 (4th year of King Taejong) by Choi Dam. There is a cave underneath the Hanbyukdang, where there are still dome holes made by bombs during the Korean War.





sources:
http://hanok.jeonju.go.kr/FLSite/default.aspx

http://hanok.jeonju.go.kr/FLSite/ContentView.aspx?menuID=2&subID=7
http://tour.jeonju.go.kr/open_content/english/tour/noted_place/local/list.jsp
http://tour.jeonju.go.kr/open_content/english/tour/food/hanokmaeul.jsp
http://tour.jeonju.go.kr/open_content/english/tour/food/omogary.jsp
http://tour.jeonju.go.kr/open_content/english/culture/festival/dano_arts_festival.jsp
http://www.sorifestival.com/

Drum Class, Jeonju Part 7

Found this youtube posting for a drumming class which is very similar to the session I attended at the Jeonju Traditional Cultural Centre.
Take my hat off to the citizens of Jeonju and whoever else funded this project so that foreign visitors could enjoy a truly memorable hands-on experience on the traditional drums.



source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rd3CYDZIf0

Connecting the Dots at the Confucian Academy - Jeonju, Part 6

There were two reasons I woke up early in the morning to look for the Confucian Academy ( Hanggyeo) in Jeonju when I travelled in a tour group to Korea in 2003.

First the Lonely Planet described two ginkgo trees which were over 400 years old on the grounds of this old school. Wasn't going to pass up on the chance to see what the four century old trees would look like.

Second, when I was in Jeju on my very first visit to Korea in 2002, I'd met some gentlemen from Jeonju at a Confucian academy. They had made a special trip to the island for a special ceremony related to their position as Confucian scholars and their friendliness in inviting my friend and I to observe their rites had created an impression.

So when the opportunity to visit Jeonju came up the following year, I couldn't resist the chance to connect the dots. Trouble was, it was very early in the morning, no-one was around and the gates were locked. Had to be satisfied with the very minor achievement of actually locating the place ( a stone's throw away from the Hanok Village and the Traditional Cultural Centre ).  The trees didn't look terribly ancient to my untutored eye - half expected to see stilts supporting the older branches but the twin trees seemed to be holding up pretty well ( if I saw the right ones!)

Here are some other interesting titbits which I found on a website on Jeonju:

1. Ginkgo trees, which don't easily fall prey to insects, have a special significance for Confucian scholars as they symbolise an upright moral character which cannot be corrupted.
2. There are five big and old ginkgo trees on the grounds of the Confucian School. The one in front of the West gate is over 400 years old.

3. The ginkgo tree on the right side of Daeseongjeon in the Confucian academy is regarded as a bisexual tree as "male turned into female to produce ginkgo”.
4. According to a local legend , you can pass your important exams if you make a wish in front of the 250-year old ginkgo taken in front of Ilwok Gate.

If you happen to be in Jeonju and if your timing and luck are better than mine, check out this place and say "Hi" to the gentlemen scholars and the ginkgo trees for me.

source:
http://www.knto.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_1_1_1.jsp?cid=264422&nearBy=tran
http://tour.jeonju.go.kr/open_content/english/tour/noted_place/local/view.jsp?idx=32&cpage=1&keycat=1&keycode=&keyword=
http://hsinhisn.pixnet.net/blog/post/23402611
http://hanok.jeonju.go.kr/FLSite/ContentView.aspx?menuID=3&subID=17

The Three Cs of Jeonju - Jeonju, Part 5

Those who've been to Singapore may have heard about the national 'concern' with the five Cs ( cash, credit card, condo, car and country club membership).  Jeonju has its own Cs - it has culture, cuisine and crafts and a great introduction to all three in one place is the Jeonju Traditional Cultural Centre which is part of the Hanok Village.

We were a bit puzzled when our tour bus stopped beside the nondescript building. What a stopover it turned out to be. Little did we know that this modest-looking centre contained a music theatre, a dining hall where visitors can experience hanjeongsik, kitchens where visitors can learn to cook Korean dishes, a civic education hall, a traditional wedding hall, a tea house and an open space for performances and outdoor games. We would pass through one hall to another, experiencing a wide variety of Korean culture in the space of a few hours.

 We were delighted to discover many of the experiences would be hands-on. First up in the kitchen, we donned aprons and started slicing and frying up our julienned carrots, mushrooms etc to assemble our own bibimbaps in the kitchens specially designed for cooking classes. The photo below was taken from another person's blog as the kitchen  and aprons look very similar to the ones we used.

Pic credit: http://hangooksummer.blogspot.com/2007_08_01_archive.html

Making a good bibimbap is quite a bit of work. If you're truly fastidious, you'd julienne all the veggies into matchsticks of equal lengths and thicknesses. Next, you'd dutifully stir-fry each kind of veggie with just the right amount of sesame seed oil before assembling them oh-so-slowly, carefully and neatly in the ricebowl before serving it for your guest who will straightaway use the chopsticks to undo your painstaking, tidy arrangements unceremoniously in less than a minute.

Of course, my bibimbap didn't look as neat as the one above but I was  so eager to sample my creation, I forgot to take a pic. Later on, we were escorted into a spacious dining hall called Hanbyeongnu where an impressive banquet was waiting for us - it wasn't really hanjeongsik ( royal banquet) but you could've fooled me with the sizeable number of side dishes ( banchan) that we struggled to empty.

Next, we sat down for a short drumming class, using drums like the one below:

Imagine a bunch of tourists of different generations, from the five year old child to the seventy-plus grandma, all banging away in partial unison. Imagine, I mean, the sight and the sound. Not exactly a standard for Carnegie Hall but we all had great fun.

Later that night, we returned to the Traditional Cultural Centre for a pansori recital. It was in an intimate hall and we sat cross-legged on the floor for a riveting performance. I sat beside a  Korean teenager who was following the singing cum recitation with the entire script/ lyrics in her exercise book. Before we trooped out into the chilly autumn night, we passed by an exhibition displaying craft works using hanji (paper).

So anytime you wish to immerse yourself in an authentic Korean experience to enjoy its cuisine, culture and crafts, look no further than the Jeonju Traditional Cultural Centre near the Jeonju Hanok! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

For more on cultural experiences in Jeonju, click here.

sources:
http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_6.jsp?cid=799726
http://www.koreanculture.org/bbs/skin/webzang_gallery_trn/show_pic.php?file=data/news/DSC_8759.jpg
http://www.korea.net/cheditor40_asp/cheditor/attach/200792817234622594.jpg
http://oaklandnorth.net/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/drumming31.jpg
http://www.chf.or.kr/chf/eng/facilities/jt/jt.jsp
http://world.kbs.co.kr/english/event/korea_2009/sub01.htm

How To Look At A King - Jeonju, Part 4

Used to think that portraits weren’t as interesting as landscape paintings or sketches of folk scenes. But after watching the SBS drama, Painter of the Wind, I’m now more inclined to give this genre more than a cursory glance.  Pity that I hadn't seen the drama series before I visited Gyeonggijeon in Jeonju. I would've spent a more enriching time there if I had known the following earlier:

Royal portraits ( eojin or ojin) were particularly important during the Joseon Dynasty as it had embraced the Confucianist tradition of ancestral worship. The Joseon kings had their visages depicted in portraits as a way of representing their “aspirations for the perpetuation of their dynasty”. When ordinary citizens bowed before the portrait of the king, it was as good as pledging allegiance to him. That's why Yi Song-gye, a.k.a. King Taejo, founder of the Joseon Dynasty, sought to validate his rise to power by a coup d’etat by commissioning no less than fourteen official portraits.

 Here's what I've gathered so far about the do's and don'ts of admiring portraits of the royalty in Korea.
 

1. DON'T march up to the shrine and hop over the low hurdle as if you're about to say Howdy to King Taejo. Instead, approach the shrine INDIRECTLY as a sign of respect. I guess eyeballing the royal portrait head-on  is a no-no as it can be interpreted as a sign of impertinence. That's why that low barricade is there in front of the entrance - to signal to visitors that they need to approach the portrait in an oblique fashion by using the side entrances.

2. Observe first the backdrop of the portrait. According to an article in the Spring 2006 edition of Koreana,  the "panels depicting the sun, moon and five peaks..( are) in accordance with the traditional practice.... In this way, the portrait of Taejo is being respected as if he were still the ruling sovereign". Strange thing is - I can't see any moon or mountains? We could be talking about different copies of portraits - the artists tended to make changes according to trends or personal preferences whenever they made reproductions so copies were never fully alike.

Also, the contrast between the simple lines of the figure and the details in the clothes, throne and carpet are intended to underscore the "authority and dignity of the king".

 

3. Note the position of the subject in the portrait. In most Joseon Dynasty portraits, the subject is seated at an angle but one has a straight-forward view of King Taejo. Some experts believe the perspective was meant to set him apart from the rest as the founder of the Joseon Dynasty.

4. Next, pay attention to the black headpiece perched on the head of the monarch. The ikseongwan has flaps sticking out from the back which symbolize a cicada's wings. Its "piercing sound is said to be expressive of sovereign dignity and its metamorphosis a symbol of rebirth".

5. Consider now the emperor's clothes...oops.. I mean, the king's clothes. He's decked out in blue ( "a carry-over influence of the Goryeo-style protraits") unlike late Joseon kings who preferred red.

6. Finally, take a close look at the face of King Taejo. Look out particularly for the mole above his right eyebrow. Portrait painters were careful to present unidealised faces of their sitters as the complexion reflected the personality of the subject. Verisimilitude of visage was so important to the Joseon kings that King Yongjo proclaimed that if a single strand of hair in the painting was different from the original, he would not consider that portrait to represent his ancestor.

So the scars, moles, pockmarks and other distinctive facial features had to be depicted as accurately as possible by the Joseon painters. Indeed, so faithful were they that Dr Lee Sung-nak was able to present a research paper, " An Analysis Of Skin Ailments Shown In The Portraits of the Chosun Dynasty"!

 Note: All quotes here are from Koreana, Spring 2006 edition.

Source:
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/art/2009/12/148_7813.html
http://www.clickkorea.org/arts/curator/file/2-2_Portraits%20of%20the%20Choson%20Dynasty.pdf
http://koreana.kf.or.kr/pdf_file/1992/1992_AUTUMN_E034.pdf

Switch Off And Multiply???

Just saw this amusing snippet from AFP in the papers this morning:

South Korea's Health Ministry, charged with boosting the nation's low birth-rate, is turning off the lights in its offices once a month to encourage staff to go home early to make more babies...The switches will be flicked off at 7.30 pm every third Wednesday in the month to "help staff get dedicated to childbirth and upbringing". (AFP)

1. Ministry officials must be very optimistic if they think couples can and will go home earlier to procreate. Even if one partner is able to take time out and willing, what about the other who is probably not working as well for the Health Ministry?

2. Moreover, what are the chances of a couple getting pregnant if they get it on in the middle of a stressful week??

3. Wouldn't couples be more likely to seek comfort in each other's arms if the heating was turned off instead of the lights???

4. Wouldn't the workaholics simply continue to slog at their workstations in the dark?

Perhaps the officials should consider other factors - see below:

source:
http://world.kbs.co.kr/english/news/news_graphic_detail.htm?No=2883&lang=e

Gyeonggijeon - Jeonju, Part 3

Our tour guide in September, 2003 was most anxious that we didn't miss this site during our stop-over in Jeonju.  At that time I wasn't in the right frame of mind to appreciate why he was willing to pass up on Pungnammun. Instead he was determined  that we spent a good part of an hour listening attentively to the local guide explain, not very coherently or clearly, the significance of this place. After all, most tourists come to the country without the benefit of Korean History 101 so a crash course in the various dynasties is likely to give the average person mental indigestion. Which comes before which -  Baekje or Joseon or Shilla?

Gyeonggijeon Shrine -a stone's throw away from Jeondong Cathedral

So very often, visits to sites of historical importance end up being clashes between the desire and pride of the patriotic and earnest Koreans who want to share their past and the befuddled foreigners  in packaged tours who can barely recall which city they were in the day before. Ironically TV dramas may help boost interest especially if one can relate the 3D reality of a building or temple to an exciting dramatic moment featuring some dashing general or unenlightened monarch with some ambitious concubine or vengeful lady-in-waiting.

To be honest, what mildly impressed me about Gyeonggijeon when we went there was its general atmosphere of peace and quiet. We had just emerged from  the noise of traffic and crowds in the city centre to find ourselves in this unexpected haven of tranquillity.

Though the shrine was enclosed within low walls, there was still a sense of space with long paths leading up to the main buildings.

The fact that the place was built to hold important artefacts like the portrait of the founder of the Joseon Dynasty, the mortuary tablets for a royal couple, palanquins ( see pic below) and a stupa housing some royal's placenta ( or is it umbilical cord?  See pic above) barely registered.

It was only after watching the TV drama, Painter of the Wind  a few years after that tour, that I had a better appreciation and stronger interest in royal portraits. Sometimes one can be in the right place at the wrong time. We were also probably too late to see the local seniors have their daily meetings here to play Korean chess or simply chit-chat. So we had to make do with the silent company of these figures mounted on the walls.

sources:

http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_1_1_1.jsp?cid=264419

http://www.orientalarchitecture.com/koreasouth/jeonju/gyeonggijeon_gallery.php?p=gyeonggijeon01.jpg

http://www.ocp.go.kr:9000/ne_dasencgi/full.cgi?v_kw_str=&v_db_query=A4%3A35&v_db=2&v_doc_no=00002437&v_dblist=2&v_start_num=131&v_disp_type=4
http://jikimi.cha.go.kr/english/search_plaza_new/EMapResultView.jsp?VdkVgwKey=13,03390000,35&queryText=(v_esidocode=35%3Cand%3E%20v_elcto=11)&strGuCode=11&strSidoCode=35&requery=
http://koreana.kf.or.kr/pdf_file/2006/2006_SPRING_E048.pdf
http://www.worknplay.co.kr/entertain/travel_view.php?num=497

Pungnammun - Jeonju, Part 2

When you're on a packaged tour, you're at the mercy of the tour guide who wants to stick to the given itinerary. So,  when I was in Jeonju in 2003, I was dismayed to find that no time was given for even a quick peek at National Treasure No 308. Hence, this posting is to make up for what I missed in this city, the birthplace of the Joseon Dynasty.

Pungnammun,  the symbol for Jeonju,  can be found in the southern part of the city. It is the only remaining gate from the original four that were part of the city walls built during the Joseon Dynasty(1768).  Partially destroyed during the Japanese invasions (1592-1598), Pungnam- mun  ( gate)  was finally reconstructed in 1978.

Take time to admire the double pavilion structure with its eight-layered roof. There are four old pillars on the first floor which continue up as pillars for the second level. Apparently this is an unusual characteristic for Korean gate pavilions. Decorative carvings, such as the heads of dragons, here are typical of the late Joseon period.

Pungnammun may be even more attractive at night if you're lucky enough to see it lit up like this!

sources:

http://www.knto.or.kr/cms/resource/71/167071_image2_1.jpg
http://www.knto.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_1_1_1.jsp?cid=264412&nearBy=tran&

Picture of Summer for a Wintry Day - Deokjin Park, Jeonju Part 1

Got a little weary of the stark whiteness of winter pics so I've decided to post a summery pic instead. Actually as my postings for the next few days will feature Jeonju, this photo of Deokjin Park serves as a sneak preview into this city.

Unfortunately I visited Jeonju in the wrong season - it was too late in September to see the lotus blooms cover the pond. ( The best months are July and August.) So my own photos turned out to be pretty dull instead of pretty in pink.

Citizens of Jeonju have Park Gi-soon to thank for being able to enjoy Deokjin Park for free as this wealthy gentleman donated this private park to the city in 1929. Much earlier,  the pond used to be part of a swamp before it was coverted into a moat to defend a castle which once stood here.

Ajummas from around the country used to wash their hair or even bathe in the waters of Deokjin as part of the ancient annual rites when they prayed to the sea deity for good health. These days, things are less exciting - just tourist groups who may exclaim with disappointment when they realise they're in the right place at the wrong time.

sources:

http://www.korea.net/news/news/newsView.aspserial_no=20070702044&part=108&SearchDay=2007.07.03

http://www.knto.or.kr/ena/SI/SI_EN_3_1_1_1.jsp?cid=313019
http://www.igougo.com/journal-j12910-Jeonju-Where_Dynasties_Begin.html#ReviewID:1152391

Ondols for the Highways???

Hardy Walkers Making Their Way Up A Winter Wonderland, Mudeung-san near Gwangju

Are these brave or reckless souls? Don't know whether to envy them or shake my head in perplexity as they prefer to contend with the frigid temperatures instead of staying indoors and enjoying the comforts of an ondol.

Back in the city and highways, drivers can look forward to fewer traffic snarls induced by snowstorms in the near future as geo-thermal technology will be used to prevent snow from building up on roads. The Korea Expressway Corporation plans to install pipes 5 cm below the surface of roads which will have heated water coursing through them.

Sounds very much like the ondol system! What will they think of next???

source:
http://world.kbs.co.kr/english/news/news_Sc_detail.htm?No=69652
http://world.kbs.co.kr/english/news/news_photo_detail.htm?No=14239¤t_page=
 
 

Sorikkun + Gosu + Buk = ?

What do you get when you put a sorikkun with a gosu and buk together?

Answer: Pansori




Here's a quick breakdown, not in alphabetical order, of the main elements of a pansori performance:

• Pansori - a  genre of Korean traditional music. The term 'pan'  means "a place where many people gather", and 'sori' stands for "sound".
• Sorikkun/ kwangdae  - the pansori singer
• Gosu - the drummer who accompanies the pansori singer
• Buk - the barrel drum used in a pansori performance
• ??? - fan used by singer for dramatic effect and to signal transitions in the story
• Aniris - descriptive speech
• Changs - song
• Chuimsae - short exclamations to encourage or spur on the singer; made by the drummer or audience
• Madang - a full story narrated and sung by a pansori singer; made up of aniris alternating with changs.
• Sopyonje - feminine style of singing from south-western Korea (inspiration for  the film Sopyonje)  
• Tongp'yonje - the more "masculine" style
  
  BTW, did you know that pansori singers need super-human lungs, memories and stamina? Performing the full version of  "Song of Chunhyang" without any breaks, for example, would take more than EIGHT hours.
  I wonder about the stamina of the audience as well.

source:
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pansori
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezljMPj9c4w&feature=related

Ladies, ajumma Salutes You!

photo credit: Yonhap

Dear ladies,

Talk about sticktoitivity !!! ( have I spelled that correctly????)

Temperatures may be hitting all-time lows in Seoul but there's no dousing or dampening your fiery determination. I solemnly salute you for holding your 900th rally on Wednesday 13th January 2010 in front of the Japanese Embassy.

Just realized from the JoongAng Daily that you've held this rally every Wednesday since 16th January, 1992 to fight for your right to a formal apology and compensation from the Japanese army.

Every time now that I feel lazy about maintaining this blog, or doing what I'm supposed to be doing, I'll remind myself of your inspiring example.

Yours most respectfully,

ajumma

source:

http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2915289Yonhap

Pat Yourself On The Back, SMG! However.....?

Just saw a news snippet on the website of KBS World Radio that was a pleasant surprise: the Seoul Metropolitan Government is coming to the rescue of some wild animals by providing them food in this particularly harsh winter.

According to the report,"30 tons of vegetable by-products from wholesale markets and 800 kilograms of grains" will be distributed along eight different habitats along the Han River.

What puzzles me is this: Where on earth are SMG workers themselves going to find food for the critters?

Earlier on, the JoongAng Daily had featured the photo of an empty holding area in the Garak Market in southern Seoul as heavy snowstorms disrupted the supply lines. Prices of food items have skyrocketed in recent days because of the traffic snarls. Great intentions, SMG but can you really walk the talk? Hope YONHAP can feature soon photos of the birds and other animals along the Han River getting some food.
source:
http://world.kbs.co.kr/english/news/news_Dm_detail.htm?No=69564&id=Dm
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2914964
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKKehbSZ9waZHniYf7SUsPXONTqgfRPMhVdkggMj9P_XpTb07D_kiFA60Y6sYxgL-m8SSAzaE1x6658tCkG0L8Q4OU20jm_kWEr_0y9GcZZGeom7OEJgPuWO6oShoSDwFM-8AZCyCNKtc/s320/han+river-1.jpg