Park Yong-ha, Why Add To The Sad Statistics?

It's a sad thing when I'm not so much shocked as just startled to hear about Park Yong-ha's apparent suicide.  This hasn't been the first time I've heard about suicides by Koreans, whether they were celebrities or ordinary people. After reading about the suicides of  Kim Kwang Seok, Choi Jin-shil and Choi Jin -yeong, Reverend Munsu and the part-time lecturer, and President  Roh Moo-hyun, I'm wondering if this social trend is getting worse.

Rest in peace, Park Yong-ha

The topic has been covered already by notable bloggers but it's worth revisiting time and again especially in the light of recent studies and statistics - South Korea has the highest number of suicides among the countries in the OECD; an average of 24 people out of 100,000 in ROK kill themselves each year ( in contrast to 21 per 100,000 in Hungary and 19 per 100,000 in Japan).

Other statistics gleaned from a KBS World Radio discussion indicate that it didn't use to be like this. Thirty years ago, the suicide rate was only 6.8, comparable to the figures of countries like Spain and Italy but now suicide is the fourth most common cause of death in the country.  Click here for the link to the video interview ( you need to click on the TV icon for the segment ) dated 9th April, 2010 entitled " Rising Suicide Rate in Korea and Methods of Prevention".

The findings from actress Park Jin-hee 's Masters thesis entitled "Studies on Depression and Suicidal Urges Among Actors" are also alarming. After interviewing 260 actors, she concluded that  "four out of every 10 actors here have been suffering from depression and have had suicidal urges from time to time....About 20 percent have actually purchased toxic agents or "devices" for suicide."

The usual suspects blamed for this disturbing trend  include:

• too much stress in an overly-competitive and achievement-oriented society
• the breakdown of family ties
• the over-reliance on anti-depressants to cope with one's mental illness instead of getting treatment from professional psychologists or psychiatrists
• the shortage of professional counsellors trained and employed in schools, colleges, civil and private institutions

 There's also the fear that there may be something like donor fatigue developing to the extent that this problem is ignored. One becomes so used to hearing such sorry tales that we lose our ability to be shocked enough and then we stop addressing  the problem. It's not just a problem for people in one country but it's particularly marked in this one so I'm interested to know how the trend can be reversed.

Some may think the initiative rests with the government but surely different parties and even individuals can do something as well. Couldn't English language teachers in Korea who come from cultures which are more open about depression consider this topic for discussion in class? Is not possible for  church groups or those in the Buddhist temples and mosques in the country to offer some kind of avenue to discuss these issues?

 The media can do a lot more;  for instance, one Australian paper which carried the report of Park's death put up  a helpline number for those who were suffering depression and feeling suicidal) so why can't the Korean media do the same?  Bloggers and even Twitterers can also open up discussions, not so much idle speculation about why Park chose to take his own life but what can be done to discourage similar actions in the future.

That's why I applaud Rain who dared to talk in public about his own struggle with depression . ( I didn't really see the interview but only read about it in another blog, though). We need more celebrities and ordinary people sharing their stories so that the stigma attached to depression can be removed.

sources:
1. http://www.allkpop.com/2010/04/park-jin-hees-suicide-thesis-paper-generates-interest
2. http://www.koreaherald.com/national/Detail.jsp?newsMLId=20100630000044
3. http://popseoul.com/2010/06/30/park-yong-ha-found-dead/
4. http://www.dramabeans.com/2010/06/park-yong-ha-discovered-dead-at-home/
5. http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/entertainment/view/1066628/1/.html
6. http://world.kbs.co.kr/english/news/news_focus.htm?lang=e¤t_page=2
7. http://k-popped.com/2010/04/rains-depression-story.html
8. http://www.rjkoehler.com/2007/04/24/coping-with-depression-and-mental-illness/
9. http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1847437,00.htm
10.  http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2010/04/117_64133.html
11. http://2sao.vietnamnet.vn/p1001c1011n20090804140117052/park-yong-ha-ky-niem-5-nam-hoat-dong-nghe-thuat-tai-nhat-ban.vnn
12. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/asia-stunned-as-south-korean-tv-star-and-singer-park-yong-ha-kills-himself/story-e6frg6so-1225886591214

Remembering Park Chan Wook's JSA on the 60th Anniversary of the Korean War

Park Chan Wook's 2000 movie, Joint Security Area, was the first film I saw,  that drove home the tragedy of a divided country. The video clip here features the last scene of the movie and its significance will be lost on those who haven't seen the film. But the combination of the camera work, and the director's great choice of music for the soundtrack ( a Russian folk melody, named "The Rush Light" or "Those Who Are Forgotten" was used for this scene) create a memorable movie moment.

A few years later,  I was able to visit one of the spots near the DMZ on a group tour. The image of  a barbed wire fence with hand-written messages tied to it remains a poignant memory.  I'm assuming the messages expressed wishes to meet long-parted relatives or the desire for reunification. The possibility of a united Korea seems even more remote these days and I'm indulging in a little despondency and wistfulness by replaying my favourite moments from Park's film.

sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_War
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joint_Security_Area_(film)
http://www.koreanfilm.org/kfilm00.html#jsa

Wanna Win A Hotel Voucher For Seoul?

KNTO has launched an essay competition which will run until the 31st of July, 2010.  Share your experiences and photos of your holiday in Korea  to win a hotel voucher, passport holders or mobile phone charms. Click here for more information. Anyone interested? Don't know how popular this contest will be among those who aren't living in Korea - after all, one would still need to get the air ticket to claim the first prize. I once won a similar prize but never got round to enjoying the free stay in Korea because so much time had lapsed between the time the winners were announced and my visit to the country.

Credit: Pics from KNTO website.

 

source:

http://asiaenglish.visitkorea.or.kr/IngEventMain.kto?func_name=freeRead&eventId=7963&jsp_name=HD/event/ena_20100621/main&lang_se=ENA&md=ena&repeat_yn=Y

North Koreans Watch World Cup, Thanks To ABU

It was interesting to read how many reporters in South Korea assumed the North Koreans were broadcasting illegally the World Cup matches when actually the free telecasts were courtesy of the Asian Broadcasting Union. It seems somewhat ironic to me that some South Korean broadcasting networks like KBS and MBC are planning to sue SBS for refusing to share broadcasting rights to the World Cup ( as apparently originally agreed upon) while those up north can watch for free.


Out of curiosity, I posed the following questions to John Barton, Sport Director of the Asian Broadcasting Union ( ABU). Many thanks once again, Mr Barton for responding so promptly!

1. Does the ABU have any idea how many N Koreans have TVs which would allow them to watch the World Cup matches?

J. Barton: "I don’t know precisely but I would imagine the penetration would be very high. Having been to Pyongyang and visited the national broadcaster KRT, I know that the vast majority of households have access to free to air television."

2. How much censorship is practised with regard to the games esp for last night's game with Portugal?

J. Barton: "Censorship is not the right word to use, though it is one that would come easily to reporters when discussing the DPRK. In contracts with major rights owners, such as Fifa and the International Olympic Committee, broadcasters are NOT told how to schedule. That is purely their own decision. So if a country wanted to run all games 24 hours later, they can. Naturally that is not a good strategy in most markets where, if you are not live, you are dead. What that means is by delaying your telecast the audience levels drop off dramatically and so, too, does revenue if you are a commercial broadcaster. In short it is very unwise to put games like these on a tape delayed basis."

3. Can you shed more light on the ABU decision to present this gift to NK?

J. Barton: "This is not a gift, as such. We have provided our signals for various events to territories free of charge for many years. Events such as the Olympics, Asian Games (15 countries will receive this year’s Asian Games free of charge), Fifa World Cup, and so on, where there is a proven inability to be able to pay for such a service. If we had to charge these countries would not get to see these events, hence the ‘gift’ as you put it. I prefer to say we are assisting in their development of television sports, and not penalising a population simply because they are poor!"

Pity,  though,  for the North Koreans that their team couldn't score against Portugal which played like a goal-making machine ( 7 -0 ) in its most recent match in South Africa. It would be interesting to hear what ordinary South Koreans think about the whole situation. I wondered if any  would be cheering for the North Korean team given the recent tensions over the Cheonan incident until I came across this article.

sources:
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2921629
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2921302

http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2010/06/16/2010061601309.html
http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2010/05/26/2010052601308.html
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2921954
http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2010/06/16/2010061601191.html
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2921964
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/sports/2010/06/136_67742.html
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/soccer/2010-06-15-2233360639_x.htm

South Korea vs Argentina - A Case of David vs Goliath?

Whose strategy will pay off? Will there be drama, courtesy of coaches Maradona and Huh Jung-moo?

Will the action on the sidelines be half as exciting as on the pitch?

Who will be the Player of the Match? Park Ji-sung or Lionel Messi?

OR neither???  Or will the match boil down to which goalkeeper performs better?

       Given the record, can Korea play David to Argentina's Goliath?

      The suspense isn't killing me but it's enough to keep me glued to the TV today ( at least for the first half).

Predictions, anyone?

Update:
Sadly with the final score at 4-1 (with the Argentinians dominating the game and an own goal even conceded by the Koreans), it wasn't a case of David vs Goliath after all. More like, an ordinary day for Goliath or was it David on an off-day?
sources:
http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2010/06/17/2010061700397.html
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2921964
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2921916

German Hip-hoppers Pay Tribute To Kim Kwang Seok

Stumbled upon "Die Orsons", a German hip-hop group on youtube. In this globalised age, it shouldn't surprise me that a group of European youths would dedicate an MV to a Korean, an ocean and a generation apart but I am still filled with wonder. Sorry to "Die Orsons", but the music doesn't do much for me but the earnestness of the lyrics and the 2010 MTV directed by Stephen Richter and shot in Vienna are something else. ( please watch the whole video ).

Some Koreans may grind their teeth over the reference to the dog in the lyrics but I think they'd be missing the bigger picture. ( BTW, sorry if so many of my postings of late seem to be about suicides in Korea but it wasn't intentional. It's just that so many stories seem to be cropping up this summer.)



Thanks to chimperator for uploading the video and posting the English translation of the lyrics:

In a country
where your vita is even more important than here
and you obey your boss almost like a dog
which they eat in restaurants there

There was a singer, pretty young
who did not like to sing on the radio or on TV
but in front of the audience
Like we do right now - hello

Let's get back to the story - he sang the saddest songs in the world
when he came back from his 1000th concert
everything was silent - 'cause he killed himself.

He "Curt Cobained" himself in 1996
Enter his name on youtube and cry

We spell him for you:

K - I -M - K - W - A - N - G - S - E - O - K

You've been the Bob Dylan of Korea
you've been Korea's Kurt Kobain
Your voice sounds like eternity
like Tears - please wait


After his 1000th concert
he locked up his room
He was only 32 years old
He sang about our happiness, sadness and our holiness
But nobody understood
because he sang Korean
and there was no youtube before 1996

He sang about the little people, like us
And we listen carefully right now
How is your name spelled, Kim?

K - I -M - K - W - A - N - G - S - E - O - K

For an earlier posting on the late, great Kim Kwang-seok, please click here.




Source
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRxDuRLC8d4:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSJ-IfrgNDA&feature=related

Free Rides From Seoul To Gyeongju and Jeonju

The Visit Korea Committee is certainly spoiling visitors - tourists can now enjoy free and comfy bus rides from Gwanghwamun area in downtown Seoul to Gyeongju and Jeonju.

1. Where?

• Gwanghwamun area in downtown Seoul (Donghwa Duty Free Shop),
• also free shuttle buses from Busan to Gyeongju ( from July 1)

2. When?

• Every day of the week except Monday

3. How long does this offer last?

• June 1, 2010 - December 31, 2010 ( so hurry! Make your weekend plans for day-tripping now!)

4. What times?

• Click here for details

5. How do I get it?

• Apply now at http://english.visitkoreayear.com (Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese)
• "Sign up in advance through the Visit Korea Committee official home page at www.visitkoreayear.com (two tickets per person). If more than 28 people make reservations for any given day, there will be a random drawing to decide the winners of the free tickets. Winners will be announced on the homepage or individually notified by phone."
• For more details on the free tickets, please email to qhyuni130@yahoo.com.
• Inquiries: +82-2-6272-7301 (English) 

6. What are the perks beside the free round-trip ride?

• The buses are comfortable 28-seaters, equipped with Internet connection, DVD systems with personal earphones, and various tourist guidebooks.
• You also get free guidebooks of Gyeongju and Jeonju, a booklet about Korean culture and tours, a welcome-kit and a souvenir of “Visit Korea Year"

7. What are the drawbacks?

• It seems to be only for day-trips and I can't imagine squeezing all the attractions of either city into a single day.
• It's only for non-Korean nationals so if you planned going with a Korean friend, that would be tricky.
• The drop-off and pick up point for Gyeongju doesn't seem very convenient as it is at the Bomun Lake Resort (Hyundai Hotel-Hilton Hotel-Concord Hotel) which is a distance away from the main attractions of Gyeongju. You'd have to get a bus or taxi to places like the tumulis, the museum, Seokguram Grotto or Bulguksa.

sources:
http://asiaenglish.visitkorea.or.kr/ena/FU/FU_EN_15.jsp?cid=1037293
http://www.visitkoreayear.com/
http://asiaenglish.visitkorea.or.kr/ena/SI/SI_EN_3_6.jsp?cid=996963
http://asiaenglish.visitkorea.or.kr/ena/SI/SI_EN_3_6.jsp?cid=794336

Everland Penguins Get World Cup Fever

First , Santas and now, contenders for the World Cup. The penguins don't look like they're complaining but I'd like to know if they put up a fight when they had to be decked out in national colours for this occasion. How does one put the soccer jersey on a penguin without being pecked with that pretty sharp bill? ( Some staff  in Everland must be getting pretty adept at dressing these critters. ) At least these players won't be peeing in their pants and I don't suppose any of these bird brains would mistake a mini ball for an egg.

Caption from KBS World: "Jackass" penguins wearing red uniforms from South Africa are playing soccer with a mini Jabulani World Cup ball at Everland theme park in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province on June third. The 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa is slated to open on June eleventh.(Yonhap News)


source:
http://world.kbs.co.kr/english/news/news_photo_detail.htm?No=14950

Munsu's Suicide To Protest Against The Four-River Project

The last time I heard of a Buddhist practising self-immolation to protest against something was actually the first modern or at least the most-publicised suicide by fire committed by a Vietnamese monk protesting against the regime of Ngo Dinh Diem on 11 June, 1963. Now Venerable Munsu who died on Monday, 31st May, joins a list of those who have chosen to fight various causes, political or non-political, by setting themselves aflame. Ven. Munsu ( and here I hesitate to use a pronoun because one website identifies Munsu as female while others assume the opposite) may well be the third South Korean in modern times to do this after Jeon Tae-il in 1970 who was protesting against unfair labour laws and Heo Se-uk, more recently in 2007, who was against the Free Trade Agreement signed between South Korea and the USA.

My feelings of dismay and revulsion are mixed with curiosity. What drives a person to do such things? How would the President respond to the suicide note which apparently reads: “The Lee Myung-bak administration must stop its four rivers restoration project immediately, eradicate corruption and do its best for poor and underprivileged people instead of the rich”? What will be the long-term impact, if any, of her/his suicide?

I have typed the word "sacrifice" but have backtracked and deleted it in this text because I'm not sure if using that word connotes something positive that would glamourise self-immolation,even though some Buddhists may have a different perspective on the value of life. In a society which already has a high suicide rate, one more death is one too many, even though it's not motivated by financial woes or personal despair. Today, reading the news about Ven. Munsu, I feel diminished.

 Lee Myung-bak, a.k.a. The Bulldozer, forges ahead, deaf to the calls of the self-immolating nun/ priest to stop the Four Rivers Restoration Project.

 Rest in Peace, Ven. Munsu. I hope your death is not in vain.

sources:
http://www.ucanews.com/2010/06/01/buddhist-monk-burns-to-death-in-river-protest/
http://koreawetlands.blogspot.com/
http://world.kbs.co.kr/english/news/news_Dm_detail.htm?No=73015&id=Dm
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2921282
http://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_entertainment/423695.html
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2010/06/117_66840.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_self-immolations

Tripitaka Koreana Goes To Seoul

Oh, to be in Seoul now that the Tripitaka Koreana ( a.k.a. Goryeo Tripitaka or Palman Daejanggyeong ("Eighty-Thousand Tripitaka") is making a brief appearance at  the 2010 International Archival Culture Exhibition. The theme for this year's exhibition is "기록으로 만나는 세계" - "A World Re-discovered in Archives" .

Monk checking on the condition of the woodblocks for the Tripitaka Koreana in Haeinsa

What's so special about the Tripitaka Koreana, aside from the way the name trips on the tongue?

It is...

1. National Treasure No. 32
2. one of the most comprehensive and oldest examples of Buddhist scripture; "Because of the accuracy of the Tripitaka Koreana, the Japanese, Chinese, and Taiwanese versions of the Tripitaka are based on this Korean version." ( from wikipedia)
3. listed in the UNESCO Memory of the World Register
4. an artefact from Goryeo Dynasty and has survived Mongol attacks and remained well-preserved over 1000 years
5. "...not only (historically) invaluable, it is also aesthetically valuable and shows a high quality of workmanship.( from wikipedia)

An excerpt from the Chosun Ilbo shows how important the TK is:

"To make its second public debut the scriptural work was transported from Haeinsa, a Buddhist temple in South Gyeongsang Province. Monks carefully moved the treasure onto a palanquin and held a special ceremony with over 400 followers. The blocks were delicately wrapped in Korean mulberry paper and placed in a special box before starting the four-hour journey to Seoul."

In addition, you can also see some uigwe featured at this exhibition.So, hurry! IACE 2010 will be held for less than a week between the 1st and 6th of June at COEX A hall, National Archives (Nara repository). Hope some blogger in Seoul will be interested enough to cover this event.  It would help if that person can read Hanja and translate! Ok -I'm half-kidding about the translating but please take lots of pics and check out the hands-on activities.

Sources:
http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2010/06/02/2010060200791.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tripitaka_Koreana
http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/737
http://www.iace.or.kr/eng/exhibition/writing_invitation.html?Fnum=70&Fnum2=71

Part-Time Lecturers Get Raw Deal

45 –year-old Seo was one of 58,000 “hourly lecturers” or part-time employees responsible for 55% of all the lectures conducted in universities across South Korea. (Another source puts the total number of these part-time lecturers at 85,000.) As his status was simply a “miscellaneous daily worker”, he could only expect to be paid between 30,000 and 40,000 won per hour with no fringe benefits like insurance. His monthly income was no more than 1.4 million won.

Although he had worked for 10 years in the same university, he still couldn’t get a full-time position. He had worked his way up the academic ladder to get his doctorate only to find himself acting as a part-time lecturer and ghostwriter. Seo said: “I wrote about 25 papers with this professor, one doctoral dissertation for the professor’s student, one Korea Research Foundation paper, four master’s theses, and four Korea Research Foundation presentation papers….. For all of the roughly 54 papers we wrote together, I wrote the papers and this professor just put his name on them.”

He also revealed, “I was asked to pay 60 million won by a university in South Jeolla two years ago and 100 million won by a university in Gyeonggi two months ago if I wanted to become a full-time professor.” Over eight years, he applied for a professorship and was rejected 20 times. When the years of frustration turned into despair, he wrote a five-page suicide note  last Tuesday to his wife, who worked more than 10 hours a day at restaurant to help support their two children.

According to The Korea Times, Kim Dong-ay, 61, a former full-time lecturer at a Seoul university and an executive of a temporary educators' union said, ``More than 70,000 part-time lecturers nationwide are being exploited without official labor contracts. Most of them earn less then 10 million won ($10,000) a year.'' They teach 40 % of classes at universities. Since their status was downgraded 34 years ago under the Park Chung-hee regime, they have been unable to enjoy basic benefits such as pensions and medical insurance.'' Since 2000, at least SIX part-time lecturers have killed themselves, driven to despair by the injustices and corruption in the education system.

Although the Supreme Court ruled in April 2007 that part-time lecturers must be accorded the same status as full-time professors, there has been little change as no-one dares to report instances of discrimination as the threat of summary dismissals is a real concern. To make matters worse, the Irregular Worker Protection Law, enacted in July 2007 stipulated that a "part-time lecturer is not part of the list of jobs that should be switched to permanent positions after two years of employment because they are regarded as a special group."  Elsewhere it was reported that Education Ministry statistics showed that  more than 1,000 part-time lecturers at 112 universities nationwide were dismissed in the autumn of 2009,  seemingly as a result of the Irregular Worker Law that requires employers to move irregular workers into regular positions after two years.

What I've culled from articles on the Net and summarised above is nothing new to many though it's something that I've only become aware of more recently. Perhaps it also explains in part why Seoul National University, the top tertiary institution in the country was only ranked  51st in the world by the Times Higher Education -QS World Universities Rankings for 2007. I can only hope that the situation will improve sooner than later, for part-time lecturers in Korea, for their sakes as well as for the sake of the students and the whole country.

Sources:

http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2921114
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2010/05/117_66639.html
http://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_national/422981.html
http://english.donga.com/srv/service.php3?biid=2010052805728
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2921146
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2008/03/113_21620.html
http://www.amrc.org.hk/node/1256/print
http://globalvoicesonline.org/2008/03/15/korea-part-time-lecturers-and-suicide/
http://stip.or.kr/bbs/board.php?bo_table=Solidarity&wr_id=10
http://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_opinion/284754.html
http://www.academicleadership.org/emprical_research/606.shtml
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2010/05/113_65182.html

How To Break A Watermelon With A Shuttlecock

Still on badminton but totally trivial this time.  Here are two videos featuring the Korean pair who won an Olympic Gold medal for mixed doubles in the Beijing 2008 Summer Games. Lee Hyojung and Lee Yongdae appear here on an Infinity Challenge TV show ( 2008). Did anybody record the speed of Lee's impressive smash when he slammed the shuttlecock into the watermelon? Flying shuttlecocks have been known to exceed 200km/hr.


Watermelon Cracked by Shuttlecock - Watch more Funny Videos

Caption from China's People Daily: Lee Hyojung and Lee Yongdae of South Korea stand on podium during victory ceremony of mixed doubles gold medal match of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games badminton event in Beijing, China, Aug. 17, 2008. Lee Hyojung and Lee Yongdae of South Korea won the match over Widianto Nova and Liliyana of Indonesia and got the gold medal.

source:
http://www.break.com/index/watermelon-cracked-by-shuttlecock.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGzXiHPn3vE
http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90001/90779/94835/6478399.html

Lotus Lanterns

Buddha's birthday is celebrated in Korea this year on May 21st. The main image associated with this occasion would be lotus lanterns. Koreans have been lighting these since the Shilla Dynasty (B.C. 57-935 A.D.). What is surprising is that lotus lanterns don't seem to be so prominent in other Asian countries where there are Buddhist devotees even though the flower has long been a symbol of purity, the aspiration to rise above the dirt and dust of worldly cares or above "the mud of delusion" and enlightenment. One source claims that "The lotus lanterns are unique to Korean culture; they cannot be found in Chinese or Japanese Buddhism." What about in India?

According to Ven. Hye-Kyeong, "Athough the blossom remains clean,  it doesn't force its surroundings to get cleaner. Buddha also teaches that everything has a purpose -  even dirt. If there is no dirt, there is no need for lotus blossoms as well." Hmmm.

All I know is it's not easy work making these lanterns.  Each paper petal and leaf is stuck by hand onto a wire frame with sticky starch and usually each temple or hermitage is decked out with hundreds or even thousands of these each year. I'm guessing from one visit in spring that an army of ajumma volunteers prepare the 연등  or yeondeung or lotus lantern weeks before the celebrations begin. Question is: what happens to them afterwards? Are they relegated to some bonfire as a some symbolic gesture or are they recycled or used again the following year? Surely Buddha wouldn't object to the latter in these environmentally-critical  times?

      Love this photo of lanterns at Jogyesa. Credit: Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul

sources:

http://www.buddhism.org/board/read.cgi?board=WhatsNew&y_number=4

http://www.buddhistchannel.tv/index.php?id=45,6287,0,0,1,0
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/art/2010/05/203_65815.html

Masan Ladies Make History

It's such a shame. I've checked a couple of Korean on-line newspapers ( in English) but none have featured the recent triumph of the Korean women's badminton team in the recent Uber Cup Championships held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Sports in Korea seems to be dominated by football, golf, baseball and ice-skating ( not necessarily in that order) and to my surprise, there's not even a mention of the achievements of the ladies who hail from Masan and how they've beaten the Chinese team in the badminton finals in this prestigious tournament in the world of badminton.

Let me quote the head coach, Kim Jong Soo to sum up this milestone: "This is a historic day for Korean badminton. We reached the finals five times before and we were beaten in all five by China. But today it was a different story, we were not the second fiddle.We've had enough of losing to the Chinese. The players were determined to break the jinx and we did it in Kuala Lumpur."

Just hope there'll be some welcoming committee for the ladies when they get back to Korea. It's a pity that badminton isn't such a glamorous sport as ice-skating but then again, who ever said that life was fair?


Here are the results:
Bae Seung Hee beat Wang Yihan 23-21, 21-11;
Lee Hyo Jung/Kim Min Jung beat Ma Jin/Wang Xiaoli 18-21, 21-12, 21-15;
Sung Ji Hyun lost to Wang Xin 14-21, 21-16, 7-21;
Lee Kyung Won/Ha Jung Eun beat Du Jing/Yu Yang 19-21, 21-14, 21-19.



sources:
http://badmintonlife.com/2010/thomas-and-uber-cup-2010-korea-stuns-china-to-win-uber-cup/
http://www.badzine.info/index.php/news/international/2508-fast-facts-about-the-2010-uber-cup.html
http://www.mysinchew.com/node/39072
http://sports.globaltimes.cn/moresports/2010-05/532085.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXyA1mgbJLM&feature=related

Congratulations to The Winners of Blog Korea! Visit Korea!

Congratulations to the three winners of the Blog Korea! Visit Korea! competition. Strange though that the results are posted in the KNTO website and not on the metablog for VANK.
Click here for the winners. Drumroll, please.

BTW, am taking a two week break as I've some pressing deadlines to meet.
Source:
http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/FU/FU_EN_15.jsp?cid=1011946

Have Squid, Will Gut

One of the stops made on a day tour I joined in Jeju was a seafood eatery of sorts. The dining area was tucked within some tents and I wasn't feeling too adventurous, having had a bad encounter with seafood the day before. So I was content to let the Korean tourists enjoy my share of the raw seafood while I watched the ajummas at work.

It was a great opportunity to have a free lesson in how to cut and clean squid. Spent at least a quarter of an hour watching them wield their knives so deftly. Too bad I don't ever cook squid in my own kitchen.

The following videos posted by others were taken in other parts of Korea but I think the technique is the same.



Thanks to ffej4321 for posting this on YouTube.



Thanks to lisaruck10 for this one!

sources:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVCkXzHW364&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36L_2Gi-sdI&feature=related

Think Twice Before You Touch That Shellfish!

Wasn't going to write about this embarrassing episode when I did a tour of half the public toilets on Jeju the day after I had some seafood stew for dinner in a restaurant on the island.  But after coming across a recent headline from the JoongAng Daily entitled "Toxin In Shellfish Is Spreading" ( date: 30th April, 2010), I've changed my mind. Don't want your vacation in Korea to be spoilt as mine almost was.

My seafood stew didn't look as good as this though.

Those who love their haemultang ( seafood soup), be careful. According to the news report, the heavy rainfalls this spring have caused toxin levels to rise in some shellfish. Looks like the farmers aren't the only ones who are facing hard times this spring, no thanks to the unseasonable conditions. ( see previous posting).

Extracted from the JoongAng Daily:

Because of the spread of paralytic shellfish poisoning, or PSP, harvesting bans have been put on many coastal areas, starting with Jinhae Bay, in Jinhae, South Gyeongsang on March 29. In less than one month, PSP spread north, crossing over Busan and onto Ulsan in the eastern coast, and then to the western coast. Experts say that this year’s poison levels are the highest ever for some areas, due to excessive rain......When humans digest PSP, it can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, a choking feeling and can even be fatal in extreme cases....the most common symptoms are “vomiting, which leads to difficulty breathing, and a muscle paralysis."

Fortunately for me, I  only suffered a mild case of food poisoning (must have eaten the wrong mussel or something as my travel companion had no problems and we shared the same dish) and didn't experience any of the symptoms described above. But I have sworn off seafood,  more or less, whenever I was on holiday.
I don't want to sound alarmist but just note in case your mouth starts swelling or a wave of nausea is sweeping over you after consuming any kind of shellfish.

It's been suggested that you:
1.  stick your finger down your throat to induce vomitting
2. drink lots of salt water
3. take Syrup of Ipecac ( if the finger-down-the-throat method doesn't get you retching quickly)
4. go straight to the hospital even though you've followed steps 1 to 3

sources:
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2919879
http://seagrant.uaf.edu/features/PSP/PSP.pdf
http://samedi.livejournal.com/326273.html

Cold Snap Bites Back

Are these disturbing signs of possible global warming?

A sorry sight and a farmer's nightmare - watermelons spoilt by the cold

Plastic sheets can't protect corn fields adequately

As temperatures plunge, food prices soar

sources:
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2919880
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2919810

From Hola To Olle in Jeju

Seo or Suh Myung Sook, director of Jeju Olle ( pic by Ahn Sang-soo)

It all began when Suh Myung-sook said Hello or maybe it was Hola to Henney from Britain somewhere along the El Camino de Santiago. After 23 years working in the media, Suh had decided to quit her post as editor-in-chief of OhmyNews and take time off in Spain. The chance meeting with a fellow walker from Britain and the positive experiences on the long walk prompted her to develop her own pilgrimage trail back home.

Ms Suh decided that Jeju had the most potential and it wasn't long before she hit upon the name "Jeju Olle" for her project as the word "olle" in the Jeju dialect refers to "the narrow path between the street and one's doorstep".

If I were a documentary film-maker, I'd trace the story of how Ms Suh's dream was realised as she set up her trail exploration team, persuaded the people of Jeju ( skeptical landowners in particular) to agree to letting strangers on their land, and enlisted the manpower of soldiers training in a local camp.

Unfortunately for me, the Olle trails weren't opened yet when I visited Jeju but since the first trail opened in September, 2007, at least 14 other trails have been established mostly along the coastline of Jeju and more than 100,000 people have been able to enjoy the fruits of Ms Suh's endeavours. Some have voiced concerns that the popularity of the trails may have an adverse effect on the local ecology but I can't comment on that. All I can say is the more I see the pics of the trails, the more I wish I was in Jeju right this minute. I am so ready to hit those trails - well, not physically ready but mentally and emotionally -yeah!

Jeju can often seem too touristy with its resorts, amusement parks and various galleries and museums. But with its Olles, visitors in search of the natural face of Jeju should be able to find plenty of opportunities to commune with nature. I know I will,

Click here  or here for Routes 1 to 13 and click here for Route 14.

Download guidebook on Jeju Olle here.

For examples, see below:

Route 1 Admire views of Seongsan Ilchulbong Peak as you climb an oreum, pass through salt fields and end up in Gwangchigi Beach.

For more details: Routes 1, 4 and 6

Route No 4  Start from Pyoseon Beach Resort and make your way up Mang Oreum through a pine forest. Pass an old beacon mound before you reach Namwon Port and Keuneong Promenade.

Route No. 6 -Take a ride across the Soesokkak Estuary on a Te-u ( traditional boat) before visiting the Lee Jung Seop Gallery and the eco park around the Cheonjiyeon Falls. The walk ends at Oedolgae Seaside Promenade.

sources:
http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_6.jsp?cid=726174
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/art/2010/01/144_52041.html
http://english.ohmynews.com/articleview/article_view.asp?at_code=437591
http://www.jejuolle.org/main/main.jsp
http://www.ssahn.com/archives/2008_03.htm

Jeju, Samseonghyeol: Begin At The Beginning

The first stopover in Jeju for many tourists in guided tours may well be Yongduam Rock. But my friend and I thought we’d start with Samseonghyeol, which was close to the Hanmi-jang Yeogwan in the old section of Jeju town. Click here for a video of the place.

In the nearby museum, it had been mildly interesting to watch the animated video which recounted the legend of Tamna, the settlement we know now as Jeju. Three demi-gods apparently emerged from three holes to found Tamna. Subsequently, Go or Ko, Yang and Bu, originally hunter-gatherers became farmers when they married princesses from the Byeongnang Kingdom. Each spring and autumn, their descendants still perform special rites to honour them at altars near the three holes

The holes are supposedly linked to lava tubes which lead who knows where. I don’t suppose anyone has really explored them, judging from the grass-covered appearance of the three depressions in the ground of this supposedly sacred site. I’d love to know if they actually lead to someplace interesting. One website made this claim: “The holes are forming triangular shape together and do not get wet by rain drops or snow. Trees surrounding them look as if they are bowing the three founders which amazes visitors.”

Don’t know about THAT but I was impressed by the peaceful ambience of the park. The trees did more for me than the holes of Samseonghyeol.

sources:
http://www.teachenglishinasia.net/samseong-hyeol
http://www.orientalarchitecture.com/koreasouth/jeju/samseonghyeol.php
http://english.tour2jeju.net/main/view.php?idno=50058
http://www.samsunghyeol.or.kr/introduction.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamna
http://english.tour2jeju.net/main/movie.php?idno=50058

Letter to An Ajumma In Jeju

Dear ajumma,

On the strength of the Lonely Planet's description of you as the friendliest person on Jeju, we chose to stay in your yeogwan, Hanmi-jang near the Dongmun Rotary in the old part of Jeju town. LP didn't lie - you were really friendly and hospitable. A basket of fresh mandarin oranges sat in one corner of your reception area, inviting us to help ourselves to sample the local fruits whenever we pleased. You helped us make a call to the agency which ran a local tour bus so that we could be picked up at a convenient time and place. You even offered us freshly boiled water when you saw us with our styrofoam containers of instant noodles.

One thing you never shared with us but that's not your fault because I was too timid to ask and didn't have enough Korean anyway - how on earth do you maintain such a wonderful complexion? You were more than twenty years our senior yet your face and smile were far more youthful than our own tired visages. What's your secret?

Fond wishes from
an ajumma abroad

It Happened In Jeju

Am ajumma enough to remember watching on VCD, "Wind Song, Love Song", the movie featuring Jang Dong-gun and Ko So-young, the couple who have now been dubbed the Brangelina of Korea ( though the basis for THAT comparison eludes me).

Jang Dong-gun's chemistry with Ko So-young in that movie didn't stand out ( though Jeju as the location for most of the film did impress in parts)  and I preferred Ko's performance in "One Day" where she plays half of a couple dealing with the loss of a child.

Anyway, reel romance has translated into a real romance and the two leads are tying the knot this May. Will they be returning to Jeju for their honeymoon? Don't think so. For more pre-wedding pics, click here. Meanwhile, enjoy the MV from the film that brought them together.



sources:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LE36E3_EWB0&nofeather=True
http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2010/04/23/2010042301045.html
http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/CU/content/cms_view_861743.jsp
http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2010/03/08/2010030801039.html
http://koreanfilm.org/kfilm99.html#lovewind

A Nation Mourns

This week, the whole nation mourns for those who died in the Cheonan Incident. As an outsider, I find these particularly moving  - photos of ordinary Koreans paying the respects to the dead sailors all across the country.

People even waited in the pouring rain for their turn to place a white chrysanthemum or say a brief prayer for those who had lost their lives recently.

Others preferred to post  messages of condolences and grief on public boards.

Update from Chosun Ilbo 30 April 2010: Sailors fly balloons in the Navy colors white and black at the funeral of the victims of the sunken Navy corvette Cheonan at a base in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province on Thursday.

Update: from the JoongAng Ilbo article "Heartfelt Poems To Mourn The Dead".
On April 29, the JoongAng Ilbo published a poem written by the parents of the late Petty Officer Third Class Cho Ji-hun.


“Become the sun./ The sun never goes away but it goes up every morning./ Become a bird and fly high. Come flying home to us.”

찬란한 태양이 되거라,/  없어지지 않고 매일 뜨지 않느냐. / 새가 되어 훨훨 날아라, / 우리 집에도 찾아오너라.

Condolences to the families of the all sailors and rescuers who perished in this tragic incident.

sources:

http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2919722

http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2010/04/27/2010042700412.html

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2010/04/117_64865.html
http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2010/04/30/2010043000423.html
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2919894

Happy Belated Birthday, Admiral Yi

Admiral Yi Sun-sin  would've been amused to see these elementary students mark the 465th anniversary of his birth by making their own versions of his turtle ships which helped to defeat the Japanese navy a few centuries ago. As a young boy, he may have built his own model boats and set them afloat down some stream in his hometown. Is there one among these adolescents who would be inspired to follow in the footsteps of Admiral Yi? Could one of them design in the future an invincible ship to avert the sad loss of lives at sea?

                                            (Yonhap News)
source:
http://world.kbs.co.kr/english/news/news_photo_detail.htm?No=14777

Why I'm Not Crying Over A DBSK Breakup

Many fans are probably lamenting the breakup of the hugely popular group, DBSK but if it means that Xiah Junsu has more time to develop a solo career to give more performances such as the one in this youtube, then I'm all for the change. Thanks to solene0193 for uploading this.


Xiah Junsu - Beautiful Thing
Uploaded by solene0913. - See the latest featured music videos.

Thank You To A Sentry In Bugaksan

Dear Sentry,

I'm writing this long overdue note (late by two years) to thank you for not shooting me down. You probably won't remember me but I still want to thank you for not assuming I was a North Korean spy with evil designs on President Lee.

Somewhere along the steep climb up Bugaksan, I had stopped to catch my breath and quench my thirst. The cap of my water bottle had slipped out of my grasp and fallen onto the no-trespassing zone. I was about to clamber over the low railing to get it when you came rushing up and gestured urgently that THAT was a NO-NO. I thought you'd hop over the fence to pick up the trespassing cap straightaway for me but even YOU had to get clearance from your superior through your walkie-talkie first.

It was a most embarrassing but memorable moment. Later, I saw the tree which was riddled with bullet shots when some North Koreans had attempted to assassinate President Park Chung-hee back in 1961. It drove home again the reminder that Korea is still officially a country at war and the peace over the Korean peninsula is still a fragile one. So once again, thanks for not jumping to conclusions when I was about to jump across the low fence and for retrieving  the cap of my water bottle in Bugaksan.

Gratefully,
ajumma


source:
http://english.seoul.go.kr/gtk/news/news_view.php?idx=561&cPage=101

Guess What The Russians Are Eating?

Thought that Asians were the only ones who eat instant noodles but have just learnt that it has become “Russia’s second bread”. ( This came from an article in 2001). Hard times and convenience have contributed to its increasing popularity in Russia over the past decade.

Many pooh-pooh its lack of nutritional value, and regard it as the poor man’s food, giving it a derogatory label, Bomi-paket, Russian slang which literally translates into “a tramp’s bundle”. However, many office workers, hikers find it a handy meal. Apparently, 20 packets of noodles is equivalent to one Big Mac in Russia.

Vladimir Kitov, whose article appeared in The Russia Journal, cited these other statistics:

“According to data from the GfK MR market-survey agency, sales of the noodle packages, which cost from 2 to 18 rubles, remained the fastest-growing segment of the Russian food market last year, totaling 1.7 billion rubles ($60 million). Overall sales of tomato ketchup, by contrast, came to just 40.1 million rubles ($1.3 million) for the same period.”

Doshirak is the Korean-based company with an enviable 20-percent market share in Russia. It even now sells instant noodles flavoured with black caviar. Check out the video clip by KBS World Radio here. ( Just click on the orange icon on the right).

sources:
http://world.kbs.co.kr/english/news/news_Cu_detail.htm?No=71810&id=Cu
http://www.russiajournal.com/node/5483
http://www.statemaster.com/encyclopedia/Instant-noodles
http://popsop.ru/wp-content/uploads/doshirak2.jpg
http://popsop.com/5648

What To Do If Stranded In Incheon International Airport

First of all, my sympathies to those have been stranded in various airports around the world, no thanks to the volcanic eruption in Iceland.  But honestly, for those who think they've got a raw deal being stuck in Incheon International Airport, I'd say I can think of worse airports to be stranded in for days. After all, it's been voted Best Airport for five consecutive years.

Granted it's not a cheap place to find yourself in especially with your won or US dollars running out. However, Incheon International Airport has some special facilities for tourists which could keep visitors occupied for some time. Eversince I stumbled upon the Cultural Experience Zone for example, I've made it a point to visit it while on my way home from Korea. In fact, once,   I was so engrossed in one activity that I had my name called out on the public address system because I hadn't boarded my plane yet.

I had been too preoccupied finishing up my hanji box container at the Traditional Korean Cultural Experience Zone on the third floor of the Passenger Terminal ( East Wing: Gate 24 / West Wing: Gate 40) It was a very relaxing time concentrating on applying glue to the readily-cut pieces of hanji paper to the parts of the box which I could take home in a bag with printed description of the traditional craft.

Visitors with half an hour to spare can make their own traditional kites, knots, fans or paper crafts with the complimentary ready-to-be-assembled materials and guidance provided by the friendly English-speaking staff there. In previous visits, I had brought home my own hand-made souvenirs such as phone accessories made from jewelled toned silk pouches and a paper tray.

Apparently there are also musical performances on traditional instruments but you'd have to be pretty fortunate in terms of timing to catch these. But the Exhibition of Korean Crafts Hall is open pretty much all the time on the fourth floor of the Transfer Lounge. When I was there the last time, some beautiful embroidery work was featured there. There are also exhibits from the Cultural Museum of Korea displayed on the fourth floor in the Concourse Area. So if you didn't have time to visit museum in Seoul, here's your chance to catch up on some Korean history and culture.

There used to be a small supermarket located in one of the lower floors near the basement of IIA but I looked for it in vain during my last visit in 2008. More expensive retail outlets have taken over, I'm sorry to note. Those who wish to do last-minute shopping for their instant noodles now have to take a shuttle bus to the nearby E-mart hypermarket.

Hallyu fans may want to check out the KNTO space devoted to the Hallyu Wave between Gate #12-13 and Gate #1-2 on the arrival floor.  ( Hours: 07:00 - 22:00; Tel: +82-32-743-2600~3). If you've lots of won to spare, pamper yourself to Hallyuwood star treatment in Spa on Air, a luxury spa within IIA. If not, spend your 500 won coins surfing on the Net in the many PCs available for use within the airport.

sources:
http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/GK/GK_EN_2_7_2_1.jsp
http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2010/04/20/2010042000398.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incheon_International_Airport
http://www.lifeinkorea.com/Travel2/440
http://www.airport.kr/eng/
http://www.korea4expats.com/news-Incheon-intl-airport.html
http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_1_1_1.jsp?cid=609933
http://www.kous.or.kr/foreign/eng/kous02.htm