City of Love or City of Songs About Love?

There has been a human settlement on the banks of the Yeocheon River in this corner of Jeollabuk-do even before the Baekje Period and since King Gyeongdeok named it Namwon in 757 A.D., it has retained its name for almost 1,300 years. No mean feat and given its position in the history and culture of the country, I can’t understand why it isn’t given more prominence by KNTO. While it doesn’t have the architectural attractions of Gyeongju, I feel it still deserves at least one page on the KNTO website instead of simply a page dedicated to its annual Chunhyang Festival ( held in early May).

Whatever buildings of historic significance were probably decimated during the Imjin War when the town was besieged in 1597. Imagine 56,000 Japanese surrounding this town occupied by only 3,300 Korean and Chinese soldiers and 6000 women and children. Almost the entire population was wiped out in this invasion and Gwanghallu was also totally destroyed and had to be reconstructed much later. I suppose so little of the old town remained to warrant a museum dedicated to the memory of pre-invasion Namwon. All that's there to remind us of its past is one stone monument, one tomb and one small section of the wall surrounding Namwon Castle.

The Namwon Tourism Promotion Commission seems to have decided that romance is the way to go in selling the city as a tourist destination. Namwon has declared itself “the City of Love” on its promotional brochures but at the same time, sells itself as the birthplace of some of its most famous pansori compositions such as Chunhyang-jeon, Heungbu-jeon ( on brotherly love) and Song of Byeon-Gang-Soe ( on erotic love). Trouble is, there isn’t enough translation work done to make the exhibits in the National Center for Traditional Performing Arts accessible to those who can’t understand Korean.

There were booths where I could stand and listen to extracts of pansori performances but I didn’t understand what I was hearing and there wasn’t much in terms of explanation or elaboration. Perhaps there isn’t enough interest among tourists to warrant the expense and effort to offer lengthy descriptions in English. There were also free pansori performances offered on certain evenings ( third Tuesday between April and June, 7 pm) and afternoons ( second and fourth Saturdays) but unfortunately for me, I was at the place at the wrong day and time.

Click here for the official website of Namwon.

Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Namwon
http://asiaenglish.visitkorea.or.kr/ena/SI/SI_EN_3_1_1_1.jsp?cid=860612
http://asiaenglish.visitkorea.or.kr/ena/SI/SI_EN_3_2_1.jsp?cid=697200
http://en.namwon.go.kr/en/sub2/index.jsp?page_gubun=page1_4
Tourist brochure produced by the Namwon Tourism Promotion Commission ( 2007)

Which Is Your Favourite Couple?

Here's a mini-gallery featuring different versions of Chunhyang and Mong Ryong - two of Korea's most well-known characters in the literature of the country. For the story of Korea's Romeo and Juliet, click here.

Couple 1: from a museum dedicated to Chunhyang within the Gwanghallu grounds. There are other paintings by the same artist, featuring the most important scenes in the Chunhyang legend.

Couple 2: From Im Kwon-taek's movie which features a pansori singer recounting the tale and stars Lee Hyo-jeong as the heroine, Sung Chun-hyang and Cho Seung-woo as Lee Mong-ryong.

Couple 3: Unidentified couple dressed as the pair of Joseon Dynasty lovers in Gwanghallu.

Couple 4: Behind the glass but you could probably take home your own Chun-hyang and Mong-ryong dolls from the souvenir shops that line the outside perimeter of Gwanghallu.

Couple 5: Better still, you could rent the costumes and take home your very own versions of C&M. I like this one 'cos it makes me think of the line, "Grow old with me" and THAT's TRUE ROMANCE in my book.

Couple 6: If Couple 5 is too much reality for you, check out the manhwa or  manga version of the Chunhyang legend.

Han Chae-Young (한채영), otherwise known as Barbie doll and Jae- hee in the 2005 TV series, "My Sassy Girl, Chunhyang"  It's also known as Delightful Girl Choon-Hyang (쾌걸 춘향, Kwae-geol Chun-hyang). To my surprise, it's not featured in the Hallyu section of the KNTO website. You'd think the good folks in KNTO wouldn't pass up the chance to showcase the places in Namwon which were used in the outdoor shooting locations for this popular KBS drama.


sources:
www.ticket2010.com/index.php/New...s_id/933
http://www.minitokyo.net/Shin+Shunkaden
http://www.instrok.org/instrok/lesson1/page03.html?thisChar=6
http://ww.lifeinkorea.com/travel/ncholla/chunstory.htm#fact
http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_2_1.jsp?cid=697199
http://www.koreafilm.org/feature/100_21.asp
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/art/2009/09/145_46570.html
http://www.tokyopop.com/product/1232/LegendofChunHyangThe/1
http://www.dramabeans.com/2007/09/hyang-dan-jeon-the-story-of-hyang-dan/
http://www.orientalarchitecture.com/koreasouth/namwon/gwanghallu.php
http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Jirisan
http://www.youloveit.com/2/posts/4_Community/26_Events_and_Concerts_etc_/

Gwanghallu in Namwon

"You're here to see Gwanghallu, aren't you?" The ajumma at the yeogwan in Namwon asked me as I was about to explore the town. Huh? I wasn't even sure why I had come to this place - just a vague idea that it was the place where Im Kwon-taek had shot the movie, Chunhyang,  with a pansori singer narrating the story of Korea's Romeo and Juliet.

Obviously I hadn't done my homework but fortunately, it wasn't too late in the day for me to find my way to Gwanghallu, the main destination of tourists who visit Namwon. It's a Korean-style garden with a charming array of ponds, pavilions, bridges and cottages built during the reign of King Sejong in the 15th century.

According to the tourist brochure, " Gwanghalluwon represents a traditional house and garden structure which shows the philosophy and ideals of  (the Koreans') ancestors. There is a lake with Gwanghalluwon in the centre, and three islands in the lake, symbolising Hallasan, Geumgangsan and Jirisan."

The garden was originally known as Gwangtongru  but renamed "Gwanghallu" which was known as a mythical area where beauties resided on the moon. Indeed, it seemed the perfect setting for a young aristocrat to fall in love with the daughter of a kisaeng. Apparently the hero of the story was in Wanwoljeong Pavilion when he first spotted the heroine on a swing in the distance.

In the evening light, I could see a few couples strolling in the garden, presumably reenacting their own falling-in-love scenes as they drew inspiration from the soothing setting. it wasn't so easy though as there were also groups of giggling schoolgirls screaming with laughter. Romance wasn't on my mind either as I was busy shooting off emails in a small TIC booth which I was pleasantly surprised to find on the grounds.

sources:
http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_1_1_1.jsp?cid=264601

Korea's Girl on A Swing

SWING POEM by Seo Jeong-ju ( 1915-2000)

Hyangdan, push the swing.
Like pushing a ship
Far into the ocean,
Hyangdan.

Away from these wavy willows bowing politely to the wind,
The carpet of flower petals and meadows that lie beneath,
And the sweet butterflies and singing nightingales.
Push me away, Hyangdan.

To the sky where the corals nor islands exist.
Push me up.
Push me up like a coloured cloud,
Push this heart of mine that trembles.

I cannot go like the moon
That slowly runs away to the west.

Push me up away, Hyangdan
As the winds push the waves along.
Hyangdan.

"Seo Jeong-ju is a Korean poet from Jeollabuk-do who wrote three poems on Chunhyang. He dealt with the theme of transcendance through Chunhyang's words to her servant girl, Hyangdan."

What's interesting, for me, at least, is that Seo's Chunhyang, seems so different from the traditional heroine who's been held up as a model of steadfast loyalty to her lover. Instead Chunhyang here is a restless soul who expresses a desire to be elsewhere, a longing to escape the picture-like prettiness of her world. Modern-day misses in Korea may well appreciate the sentiments of Seo's persona instead of the heroine touted in the Chunhyang Festival in Namwon or in the literature books used in Korean schools. How many young Korean girls wouldn't prefer to emulate Han Bi-ya instead of the "Juliet" of the Joseon Dynasty?

Source:
Namwon, The City of Love,  A Tourist brochure ( produced by Namwon Tourism Promotion Commission).
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=527650&page=14

Seduced By Maps

Ever been seduced by the promising look of maps? They lay out before you an array of national parks, towns, temples, beaches like a generous buffet of appetizers, main courses and desserts. Whenever I start planning a DIY tour of Korea, I tend to get greedy and want to cram as many places as possible into a few weeks of travel. Maybe less is more but most of these places are really small towns and the main attractions can be covered within a short time though the locals may disagree.

This was my itinerary during my 2007 trip ( 26th March - 7th April). All connections made by inter-city or local bus. It wasn’t too difficult learning the basic phrases to buy bus tickets at the bus stations because I had learnt to read Hanguel ( thank you again, King Sejong for devising such an easy to read writing system!)

26. 3 Arrived Incheon International Airport – Gyeryeongsan ( Donghaksa)
27. 3 Gyeryeongsan – Jinju ( via Daejeon)
28.3 Jinju – Jinhae ( via Masan )
29.3 Jinhae ( Cherry Blossom Festival )
30.3 Jinhae- Namhae ( Daraengi Village)
31.3 Daraengi – Boriam in Namhae
1.4 Boriam – Ssangyesa ( via Hadong)
2.4 Hadong – Namwon
3.4 Namwon – Maisan ( via Jinan)
4.4 Maisan ( Tapsa) - Naesosa ( in Byeonsanbando) via Buan
5.4 Naesosa - Gyeokpo ( in Byeonsanbando)
6.4 Gyeokpo – Seoul ( via Buan)
7.4 Seoul – Incheon International Airport

Next post: Namwon!

Park Ji Sung's Fighting!

He’s struggled with rejection simply because he was considered too short( only 5 feet 8 inches) to make it big on the soccer pitch. He’s experienced disappointment when relegated to the bench for many matches and sometimes even passed over for other players even though he’s proven to be a strong team player. He’s had to live with the pain from a knee injury and operation and perhaps even worse, the humiliation from rude club supporters of PSV Eindhoven who thought it was a waste to bring him to Europe. He’s struggled to master English in his determination to play for Man Utd.

Back home, he’s affectionately known as Mickey Mouse or Sweet Potato. Among his teammates, he’s “Three Lungs” and “Oxygen Tank”. Rio Ferdinand who captained the Manchester United team in Moscow describes him as a “real player’s player”. Gus Hiddink, his former coach, expressed his appreciation for the way he does “dirty work for the bigger stars”. He also acknowledged how this smart player who’s very determined “is tireless and can go for 90 minutes”. His present boss, Alex Ferguson characterises him as “a bright little lad (whose) courage got him the goal.” His Man U fans have a ditty based on the tune of Achy Breaky Heart dedicated to him, “ If you sell my Park, my lovely Ji Sung Park, you’re gonna have a riot on your hands.”

Early on, he had told his father he wanted to play for Man Utd and no other club – “even if I have to sit on the bench. I want to learn.” When he was dropped from the final match in the European Cup tournament in Moscow and his team won, he simply said, “ The team won so I am happy. Personally it is frustrating not to play in such a big game. But there will be other opportunities.” The modest and hard-working boy from Suwon has already won international fame and considerable fortune but is apparently planning to spend his retirement coaching young Koreans in his own football academy in Gyeonggi-do. Now, THAT’s more impressive than his recent header that gave Man Utd sweet victory over its long-time rivals.

Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Park_Ji-Sung
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/mar/01/park-ji-sung-manchester-united
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/manchester_united/article7070431.ece
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1259581/Manchester-United-2-Liverpool-1-Park-Ji-sung-heads-champions-Liverpool-suffer-10th-defeat.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/mar/21/manchester-united-liverpool-premier-league

Insooni's Father

Pardon me while I sound sloppily sentimental but I happened to see Insooni in an old concert on TV singing "Father" and was reminded again of why she's made it twice to Carnegie Hall. It's not Father's Day yet but no matter, everytime I listen to this song, I must remind myself about all that I owe Dad ( and Mom).

A Stroll Along Anmin Road

Thanks to a kind ajumma who gave me a ride to the start of Anmin Road in Jinhae, I was able to realise another modest dream of mine. Eversince I saw the road lined with cherry blossoms in the drama series, Romance, I was set on seeing the place for myself.

Anmin Road , perched on the shoulder of the small mountain range, gives one a pretty good view of the city below. There were plenty of Koreans and a few foreign tourists on the promenade and I remember an elderly gentleman enjoying the spring air with his dog. Turns out that's his daily walk. Lucky man, lucky pooch.

Suggested Itinerary for Chasing the Cherry Blossoms

Here's the schedule from the KNTO webpage. If you plan on chasing the cherry blossoms, start south obviously and work your way north. Some places I'd recommend for cherry blossoms:

1. around 25th or 26th March, Jinhae

2. around 27th or 28th, Hadong though the festival is from the 2nd - 4th of April. ( don't take my word for it; call the organisers!)

3. around 2nd April, Maisan

4. around 6th April, Yeouido in Seoul

Jjimjilbang In Jinhae

Figured with the hordes of tourists descending on Jinhae for the cherry blossom festival, that the usual local BnBs would be full up and the prices jacked up. On that assumption, I decided I wouldn’t even bother to check out the yeogwans or minbaks and made straight for a 24 hour jjim - jil-bang ( 24 hour public bath cum sauna cum relaxation area where I could also sleep for a fee). This option had a few drawbacks though:

1. Location – it wasn’t central; in fact it was on the eastern side of the town. Had to take a twenty-minute bus ride from the town centre and get off near a shopping mall which housed the jjimjilbang. I’m sorry I didn’t note down the bus number or the name and exact location of the jjimjilbang. However it was within walking distance of the eastern end of the famous Anmin Road ( give or take 30 minutes)

2. The jjimjilbang was also quite crowded but I was mentally prepared to share sleeping floor space with seventy or so Koreans. What I didn’t expect was that we’d be woken up in the middle of the night ( or was it early morning?) by a pair of women arguing fiercely. It was a bit difficult going back to sleep after that.

3. Once I paid the entrance fee of 7000 won and entered the place, I had to be sure that my sightseeing activities were done for the day. Unless I was prepared to fork out another 7000 won, I couldn’t go out again. So it required a bit of planning and a lot of lugging of my backpack the first day I arrived in Jinhae because I was busy catching the sights before I took the bus to the jjimjilbang. Fortunately for me, some kind ajummas in the small restaurant inside the place kindly agreed to look after my bag on the second day so I was spared the trouble of hauling my load all over the town again.

The benefits?

First it only cost me 7000 won per night ( cheaper than a yeogwan or minbak which would have set me back anything between 30,000 and 150,000won a night and the entrance fee wasn’t not jacked up for the 2007 festival). For that modest sum, I had the opportunity to soak my weary carcass in tubs of hot water and to sweat some toxins in various sauna rooms with various temperatures and theme. I could also do my laundry and hang my washing on a line in the ladies’ bathing area, check and send emails in the ubiquitous mini-PC bang facilities, watch the latest TV drama sprawled out on the floor beside similarly-dressed Koreans and enjoy a bowl of bibimbap or naengmyeon in the in-house café.

Biggest plus? The nice lady who ran the eating joint even offered to give me a ride to the western end of Anmin Road the following day!

I wouldn’t recommend doing this if you’re not prepared for some inconvenience and some roughing it out ( no comfy mattresses!) but it is certainly something to consider for a more authentic local experience.
Sources:
http://www.jaunted.com/country/kp/2
http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_6.jsp?cid=626600
http://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jjimjilbang

Jjimjilbang - A Glossary

Stumbled upon this useful website  from Korea Times which provides some vocabulary related to the jjimjilbang, a wonderful Korean institution.

Travellers on shoestring budgets should  love 24-hour jjimjilbangs cum saunas that allow people to sleep and enjoy its facilities overnight. My first experience was in a place near Seoul Station. The next one was in Jinhae when I fretted over the difficulty of finding a place to sleep during the peak festival season. After I overcame my inhibitions about disrobing in the women's bathing section, I could've kicked myself for not overcoming my shyness  much earlier. Now  I look forward to spending some time in a jjimjilbang each time I visit Korea.

Here's the first set of words - and yes, that's a pillow on the right though it may look like a brick.

I feel like Alice in Wonderland each time I visit a jjimjilbang - so many different sauna rooms to experience!

Next posting: Jjimjilbang in Jinhae

source: http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/art/2010/03/273_51525.html

Information Brochure for Jinhae Cherry Blossom Festival

I only learnt about the existence of this brochure when I made my way to Jinhae in 2007. There’s an electronic version which you can download the brochure for the Jinhae Festival at this website. Click here.

1. The 2010 schedule for the 48th Jinhae Cherry Blossom Festival has yet to be uploaded. A great pity for the non-Korean visitors who want to visit Jinhae this year. Timing is everything and one hopes the person responsible for the Jinhae City webpage can put up the detailed schedule for this year’s festival VERY soon. It would also be useful for foreign visitors to know which activities or events are suitable for them because some of these events or exhibitions may only be accessible to those who understand or can read Korean.

2. A more detailed map would be useful particularly to highlight bus-stops or shuttle bus routes.

3. The brochure could also include the bus schedule for the locations which are further away from the town centre. It’s not exactly a small town where everything is within walking distance and though there are shuttle buses, there’s little information about these as well in the brochure.

Here then are the websites for transportation to and around Jinhae:
Local buses http://eng.jinhae.go.kr/02/08_05.asp
Intercity buses http://eng.jinhae.go.kr/02/08_06.asp
Express buses http://eng.jinhae.go.kr/02/08_07.asp
Trains  http://eng.jinhae.go.kr/02/08_04.asp

source:
http://eng.jinhae.go.kr/

Why is White Day White?

March 14, 2010 and it is PAYBACK TIME!!! for the men who received chocs from their wives or girlfriends in Korea. This date marks White Day, a follow-up to Valentine's Day except that in March, the guys give the girls candy and other kinds of gifts. But why is White Day white? Here's what I found out to answer my own question:

Perhaps it started way back in 1977, when a confectionery company in Japan started to sell marshmallows to men on March 14, and dubbed the occasion,  Marshmallow Day. Subsequently, candy makers also began marketing white chocolate. The range of gifts has broadened to include other edible and non-edible tokens of affection, such as bling-bling or white lingerie.

Eventually, the National Confectionary Industry Association in Japan established White Day in 1980 with a massive marketing campaign all over the country. According to wikipedia, "the name White Day is derived from the white color of the sugar used to manufacture candy, although it’s also said to be the color of marshmallows". Then again, white has been the symbol of purity to signify one's sincere intentions and affection.

The success of the marketing campaign can be seen from the way it's also caught on as a trend in Korea and Taiwan. Moreover, the different ways of celebrating White Day are increasingly varied. Instead of simply buying candy, more sophisticated men with deeper pockets can opt to treat their lovers to the 'Lovely White Day Concert’ at the Seoul Arts Center this Sunday. The concert also features Yiruma, the Korean composer/pianist.

sources:
http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_6.jsp?cid=261410

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Day
http://www.arirang.co.kr/News/News_View.asp?nseq=101107&code=Ne8&category=1
http://images.google.com
http://www.curiosite.com/scripts/news/ennews.php?frmIdPagina=10185

Looking for "Romance" in Jinhae

It was love at first sight. No, I wasn't smitten by Kim Jae-won, the male lead in the 2002 MBC TV drama, "Romance" which also stars Kim Ha-neul. Instead, I fell in love with the array of cherry blossoms featured in the early part of the series. The moment I saw them, I just knew I HAD to visit the spot.

Took me a while to figure out the location but eventually I got round to planning a spring trip to Korea specially  to catch the blossoms on the cherry trees in the naval port of Jinhae in the spring of 2007.

There were two scenes I wanted to check out in particular: first, Anmin Road where the star-crossed lovers take a stroll along a beautiful promenade.

The second is  Yeojwacheon Stream (여좌천)  where the main characters, Gwanu and Chaewon meet on a bridge flanked by rows of cherry trees in full bloom on both sides. It's become known since the drama series appeared as the ‘Romance Bridge’.




Both scenes can be found in this music video, Unfortunately though, the person decided to go in for a sepia like effect so the original colours can't be appreciated here. Thanks to chioyochan for posting this MV.

sources:
http://asiaenglish.visitkorea.or.kr/ena/SI/SI_EN_3_1_1_1.jsp?cid=827152
http://koreanfilm.org/tvdramas/index.htm#romance
http://www.arirang.co.kr/Blog/Arirang_Town.asp?code=Bl5&id=&page=11
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/iX6z6lmoaBu7CGbD9OHizw

Maehwa Festival

There are three places in South Korea where you have your fill of plum or apricot blossoms ( maehwa). Top of the list is  the Gwangyang Festival in the southern province of Jeollanam-do. it will be held between the 13th and the 21st of March this year.

Reason to head south to Maehwa Village a.k.a. Seomjin Village near Gwangyang City? It has the reputation of possessing the highest number of Japanese apricot trees ( more than 100,000 trees apparently).

 It's hard to imagine what life in this quiet village by the Seomjin River was like before Kim Ocheon brought the saplings from Japan to transplant them on the mountain slopes here around 1940. Other villagers soon caught the maehwa fever, continued his good work and now they can share the fruits ( literally and figuratively) with the rest of their countrypeople as well as tourists from around the world. We can now enjoy organic maekwa fruits as well as other related food and drink items made from the green variety known as Cheong-maesil.

If you have a car, take the scenic road which runs alongside National Road No. 19, with the Seomjingang River on its left. Don't forget to pack lots of film and batteries for your cameras as you're bound to get trigger happy capturing shot after shot of maehwa in all its pastel glory.

If you don't fancy sharing the joys of springtime with crowds of visitors, check out the second place which also has Japanese apricots at Bohae-maehwa (Japanese apricot) Farm in Yejeong-ri, Sani-myeon Haenam-gun, also in Jeollanam-do. It's the property of the Bohae Distillery Company  with around 14,000 Japanese apricot trees and you're advised to phone the farm beforehand (☎061-532-4959) to check when exactly is the best time to visit.

It may be too late already to catch the blossoming of these flowers in Jeju Island but you may make a note to be there next year at Hueree Nature Farm which also has a mini maehwa fest. If the timing is off, at least you have a great picnic and enjoy the pastoral setting complete with farm animals.
Sources:
http://asiaenglish.visitkorea.or.kr/ena/SI/SI_EN_3_2_1.jsp?cid=700154
http://www.gwangyang.go.kr/maehwa/

The Many-Splendoured Delights of Maehwa and Maesil

The plum blossom is not only pretty to look at but also pretty good for the body in more ways than one.

Koreans use the flowers ( maehwa)  to make apricot flower tea while the dried fruits ( maesil) are used to make Japanese apricot tea. The fruits have high levels of citric acid which help to boost your energy levels.

The Chinese and Koreans have been tapping on the medicinal properties of the maesil for more than 3,000 years. They've found that it's useful for dealing with stomach ailments and digestive problems. It's also been claimed that it can fight sterility, cancer, epilepsy and haliotosis.

Maesil is reputed to have four times the amount of calcium which can be found in an apple. Its iron content is also much higher, besides being rich in magnesium and zinc.  

Maesil-cha is a popular drink especially during summer while Maesil juice is sold as a health tonic.   You can buy the concentrated syrup from supermarkets - just mix a few spoonfuls into water to enjoy a glass of Maesil juice at your own convenience. 

If that's too tame for you, there's also Maesil ju (매실주). Some of the more well-known  names for the plum wine are  Mae Hwa Su, Mae Chui Soon, and Seol Joong Mae.  The whole fruits are also included in the liquor  bottles.  

 Apparently there's also chopped maesil mixed with gochujang (hot pepper sauce). Couldn't find a picture or Korean name for that dish but found on the KNTO website a picture of tteok shaped like maehwa.

sources:
http://discoverkorea.co.kr/bbs/zboard.php?id=gallery&page=2&category=&sn=off&ss=on&sc=on&keyword=&prev_no=&sn1=&divpage=1
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2008/03/115_20399.html
http://www.invil.org/english/speciality/fruit/others/contents.jsp?con_no=841962&page_no=1
http://www.foodinkorea.org/eng_food/korfood/korfood9_2.jsp
http://www.momoy.com/2007/03/15/japanese-apricot-flower-festival/
http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/FU/FU_EN_15.jsp?cid=969529
http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/images/wallpaper/0811/paper0811_01_1024.jpg
http://world.kbs.co.kr/english/culturenlife/culturenlife_tour_detail.htm?No=1351
http://www.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_2_1.jsp?cid=292955
http://www.korea.net/News/News/NewsView.asp?serial_no=20090223002
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/include/print.asp?newsIdx=41577
http://www.joonsfamily.com/lofiversion/index.php/t20373.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtFvdNZ1jwg
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/art/2009/10/203_20685.html
http://www.goldeneagletrading.com/korea/korea.html
http://english.bohae.co.kr/main.php?act=MATCHSOON&PG=A07
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/biz/2009/10/123_26078.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prun_mume

Maehwa With Many A.K.A.s

What’s in a name? A lot of confusion when it comes to maehwa or maesil (hangul: 매실; hanja: 梅實) from the Rosaceae family.

Also known as prunus mume, Chinese plum, Japanese apricot, Japanese plum,  and winter plum, it comes in a variety of colours as well, from pure white to red though the white ones seem more common in South Korea.

Flowers from this tree emerge in late winter ( end of January – early March) so they are regarded both as winter blossoms and harbingers of spring. 

Traditionally, the maesil / maehwa is one of the “Three Friends in the Cold Season, “Sehansamu”; the other two are the pine tree and bamboo and it also appears as one of the “Four Noble Men” or “Sagunja”, alongside the orchid, chrysanthemum and bamboo.

Plum Blossom Fan, Ink on paper fan, Late 19th century, Joseon Dynasty by Chong Tae-gyu (active ca. 1870), Korean Founders Society Purchase, gift of Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence P. Fisher.

Its delicate beauty which belies its hardy character is probably why it’s a popular subject in Korean art and literature.

 

Mother-of-pearl plum blossoms appear on the cover of a Gu-jeol-pan tray.

Just saw this photo featured in the JoongAng Daily - a timely reminder again of how the maehwa is a symbol of fortitude and endurance. Next posting: Food and drinks from the maehwa/ maesil.

Sources:

http://discoverkorea.co.kr/bbs/zboard.php?id=gallery&page=2&category=&sn=off&ss=on&sc=on&keyword=&prev_no=&sn1=&divpage=1
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2008/03/115_20399.html
http://www.invil.org/english/speciality/fruit/others/contents.jsp?con_no=841962&page_no=1
http://www.foodinkorea.org/eng_food/korfood/korfood9_2.jsp
http://www.momoy.com/2007/03/15/japanese-apricot-flower-festival/
http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/FU/FU_EN_15.jsp?cid=969529
http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/images/wallpaper/0811/paper0811_01_1024.jpg
http://world.kbs.co.kr/english/culturenlife/culturenlife_tour_detail.htm?No=1351
http://www.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_2_1.jsp?cid=292955
http://www.korea.net/News/News/NewsView.asp?serial_no=20090223002
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/include/print.asp?newsIdx=41577
http://www.joonsfamily.com/lofiversion/index.php/t20373.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtFvdNZ1jwg
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/art/2009/10/203_20685.html
http://www.goldeneagletrading.com/korea/korea.html
http://english.bohae.co.kr/main.php?act=MATCHSOON&PG=A07
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/biz/2009/10/123_26078.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prunus_mume

http://www.korean-arts.com/paintings/plum_blossoms/plum_blossoms_3.htm
http://www.korean-arts.com/bowls_plates/Trays%20and%20Coasters/plum_blossoms_gu-jeol-pan.htm

In the Mood for Maehwa

Thinking of spring flowers reminds me of Iljimae - the TV drama series that features Lee Jun-ki in a Robin Hood type role and Park Hyo Shin's lovely ballad. I thought the main character used the branch of apricot blossom or Japanese apricot ( maehwa) as his signature simply because it reminded him of the apricot blossoms in his childhood home.

But I've just learnt that the mae-hwa is one of the few trees that can withstand the freezing temperatures in winter and so has become a symbol of fortitude and endurance. The elegant profile of the blossoms on the branches is also associated with the virtues of the nobility.

More on maehwa in the next posting but in the meantime, enjoy the theme song from this popular drama. Thanks to lolgalygal for putting it up on youtube.


source:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtFvdNZ1jwg

The Yin and Yang of Snow

Weather forecasters in Korea have issued warnings about another heavy snowfall that's already affected Gangwon-do and will soon affect other parts like Seoul. The photos here from Yonhap News, remind me again about how life can be so breath-takingly beautiful and so back-breakingly bitchy at the same time.

Winter wonderland brings out the alliteration in me

Someone forgot to list shovelling snow off cars in this salesman's job description

Gyeokpo in Byeonsanbando

Spent the second last night of my 2007 trip to Korea in a small seaside town called Gyeokpo. It was easy enough to board the bus from Naeso-sa on the southern side of  Byeonsanbando on the west coast of Korea and only slightly more challenging to find a yeogwan that suited my taste  ( sea view, of course!) and budget ( under 30,000 won).

photo credit: Kim Byung-joon

The weather was good for a leisurely stroll around the small port-town which has a small supermarket, a small amusement park which has been better days, and many small seafood restaurants. It was more interesting walking down to the small lighthouse and back again, passing a long line of pojang-macha lookalikes except these were plying all kinds of fresh seafood.

photo credit: Kim Byung-joon

Actually I'd come here out of curiosity about Chaeseokgang, the cliff with slabs of rock that resembled a pile of books. Have to admit my curiosity was satisfied too quickly within five minutes. But I did spend more time in the seafood stalls,  poring over the variety of sea creatures available for one's gustatory pleasure or adventure. Click here for a video on autumn in Buan ( production of KBS World Radio); the video has some footage of Chaeseokgang amongst other things.

Getting to Gyeokpo: You can take an express bus to Buan from the Seoul Express Bus Terminal ( bus service available 15 times a day; approximately 3 & 1/2 hours). There're also the same number of buses from Jeonju Bus Terminal. From Buan Bus Terminal, you can board regular or deluxe buses to reach Gyeokpo.

Grave of Yi Hyang-geum a.k.a Mae-chang

Footnote: Came across a poet who's a local of Buan, the main town that connects Byeonsanbando with Seoul. Yi Hyang-geum or Maechang ( 1573- 1610) was a well-known ginyeo. That's a highly-educated female entertainer from the lower classes who performed for the nobility. Here's one of her poems:

All the world loves to fish yet I choose the harp,

Only today do I realise the hardships of life

Three times ashamed for missing my chance with two feet severed

In Hyeongsan I weep with jade rock in my arms.

The missing feet suggest the traditional punishment for a criminal while the story of the jade rock refers to a real person who, unfortunately, received such a sentence when the king refused to believe his claim that he was carrying a piece of jade. What I find interesting is the ambiguous tone of the poem - does the poet regret her choices in life or is she patting herself on the back for her noble values?

sources:

http://www.waymarking.com/gallery/image.aspx?f=1&guid=58f3e460-0f18-4db2-8ae9-8c3926e19cb8&lat=35.726683&lon=126.736733&t=4&id=Bus%20Station%20Car%20Wash%20%20-%20%20Buan,%20Korea

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yi_Maechang
http://www.seoulselection.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=1549&category_id=66&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=53
http://books.google.com.my/books?id=K17mLqrKA40C&dq=Yi+Maechang&source=gbs_navlinks_s
http://www.ocp.go.kr:9000/ne_pro_search/content_view.cgi?AC=00007128&mode=1&v_db=2&v_disp_type=4
http://www.ocp.go.kr:9000/ne_dasencgi/full.cgi?v_kw_str=&v_db_query=A4%3A35&v_db=2&v_doc_no=00007128&v_dblist=2&v_start_num=451&v_disp_type=4saeng
http://www.ocp.go.kr:9000/ne_dasencgi/full.cgi?v_kw_str=&v_db_query=A4%3A35&v_db=2&v_doc_no=00007128&v_dblist=2&v_start_num=451&v_disp_type=4
http://wiki.galbijim.com/Ki

The Poetic World of Classic Korean Women Writers by Lee Hai-soon ( Ewha Womens University Press, 2005)