Houses In Korea I Fell In Love With, Part 3

Actually I'm not crazy about the house featured in Secret Garden ( starring Ha Jiwon and Hyun Bin) - it's too white, too Zen, too contemporary for my old-fashioned tastes.  The exterior is another story, though. Loved the wooden walkway leading to the apron overlooking the small pond outside the house. The eulalia and maple trees plus the ceiling-to-wall glass windows allow for wonderful vistas which can be enjoyed throughout the seasons.

It's not going to be easy for K-drama fans to make a pilgrimage to the Maiim Vision Village which is the shooting location for this hugely popular dramatic comedy about role reversals. Getting to the Maiim Vision Village which was also the location for some scenes from  other K-dramas like "Winter Sonata" and  "Star's Lover" isn't really the problem. See the map below.

The tricky part is gaining admission onto the grounds which cover 330,000 square meters in Yeoju in Gyeonggi-do as it's  not open to the public. Unless you are a member of the press or better still, an employee who is supposed to undergo training under Maiim Group, a company selling cosmetics and health food products, your chances of getting close-up snapshots of the grounds and buildings are as slim as Ha Jiwon's character gaining approval from her snobbish mother-in-law. Otherwise, you may be lucky enough to explore its dorms, community area and sports facilities and lovely gardens. About ten years ago, it existed as a youth hostel but was converted into a training centre when the land was purchased by Maiim Group.

That being the case, you may as well be an armchair traveller and explore the place via cyberspace. One of the most significant buildings here is the Mud and Stone House. The architect, Bae Dae-yong, was responsible for this hybrid of contrasting textures which featured a stone section as a working space on the upper part of a hill and the "mud" section on the lower slope inteded as guest rooms.

Bae remarks: "Beauty is nothing but something that is hidden in nature, being revealed accidentally. It can be declared that there is no essential beauty not rooted in nature. For beauty belongs to nature. Beauty is not created but discovered, and we should approach the nature as near as possible if we want to discover it, and we men cannot create such a beauty but can only make it revealed." His ideas about how design can harmonise with nature can be found in his book, "Removing, and Becoming Transparent”.

Here are some examples of Bae's work.

 

My favourite room is probably the library - see above right. The suspended window on one end  of the room looks like a painting in itself while the rock is a pretty large token of Nature making its presence felt in this airy, ample interior.

Here's another instance of Bae's work - this time for a wealthy couple in Seoul. The ceramic tableware, stone lantern and bamboo are the traditional touches to this otherwise very Western design.

See also:

Houses In Korea I Fell In Love With, Part 1

Houses In Korea I Fell in Love With, Part 2


sources:
http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/CU/CU_EN_8_5_1_68.jsp
http://www.soompi.com/news/secret-garden-press-conference-features-house-and-actors
http://www.soompi.com/content/type/2/0/3/9995
http://www.soompi.com/image/335575
http://www.bnadesign.co.kr/home/project.bna?proc=view&cateNo=100000011&index=128&lang=E#
http://www.bnadesign.co.kr/home/design.bna?lang=E
http://www.kdb.co.kr/screen/jsp/IHIre/down/new/2011.02-16.pdf
http://www.architecturaldigest.com/homes/homes/archive/pavlik_article_112002
http://www.maiim.com/eng/01_Story/03_Company_Brief.html?pageNum=1&subNum=3&ssubNum=1

Learning Korean Through Donga Cartoons

Here's another source of Korean cartoons with translations - useuful for learning Korean in small doses.

1 ) 버티던 평가원 - The persistently denying Korea Institute of Curriculum and Evaluation


2) 복수정답 인정하고 (평가원) -2) Admits its mistake of dual answers


3) 전 사퇴하겠습니다 (원장) - 3) I resign (KICE President)


4) 그 말이 정답이네 - 4) "That is the correct answer!"




source:
http://english.donga.com/srv/service.php3?bicode=140000&biid=2007122532998

Wanna Hang Out...New Hanji At A Korean Palace?

Oh to be in Korea now that spring is here. I'd make a beeline tomorrow  ( 23rd April, 2 pm) for the Tongmyeongjeon Hall  at Changgyeong-gung ( palace)  to volunteer for the  ‘Royal Palace Maintenance Reenactment and Participatory Program’. You may have already missed the demonstration of the cleaning of the Jegi ( wooden bowls used in the Jongmyo ancenstral rites which will be conducted on the first Sunday of May) - this was held on the 16th of April but it's not too late to take part in other palace maintainence traditions.

Be prepared to get your fingers sticky as you help to rip off the year old hanji from palace windows and doors and replace them with fresh sheets of Korean traditional mulberry paper. You may also observe the palace housekeeping staff cleaned the floors the good old-fashioned way without benefit of domestic robots. All you need to pay is the normal admission charge for this privilege sneak peek into the behind-the-scenes palace life.

And if you miss the event tomorrow, the third part of the program will be at the Seongjeonggak Pavilion of Changdeokgung Palace on April 30th (2:00 pm).

Tourists at Changdeokgung can now admire spring  blossoms on palace grounds as well.
Click here for the comprehensive list of activities at the different palaces.

Click here for an earlier posting on the Quintessential Spring Pictures

source:
http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/FU/FU_EN_15.jsp?cid=1259075
http://www.korea.net/detail.do?guid=46044
http://ajummasjournal.blogspot.com/2009/09/andong-hanji-andong-part-6.html
http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2011/04/15/2011041500362.html

Hanbok Gets The Boot From Shilla

In case you haven't heard and don't get the significance of the cartoon above, here's a quick translation:
The Hotel Shilla Seoul pushes out a woman in hanbok, Korean traditional costume, saying, "No admittance! It's because hanbok is dangerous." The woman gets angry and asks, "What country's hotel is it?"

The hoo-ha started when hanbok designer Lee Hye-sun of Frozen Flower fame ( who usually goes around in hanbok) was denied entrance into the ParkView buffet restaurant at the Shilla Hotel  on the grounds that she was ...well, wearing a hanbok. Apparently compliants from some hotel guests have  prompted the hotel staff to discourage guests from wearing the national dress of Korea for fear of causing people to trip over its billowing and long hemlines.

It didn't take long for Shilla to respond to the furry of comments by enraged Netizens with a formal apology from none other than the Shilla CEO herself, Lee Boo-jin. BTW, she also happens to be the oldest daughter of Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Kun-hee.

The affronted designer and the  CEO who had to do some damage control

I'm just wondering what's happened to the over- zealous  staff member simply carrying out orders who unfortunately became the one who said "Anio"  to the pride of the nation, couture-wise. OR Perhaps it was not even a Korean employee but a clueless foreign worker who didn't have enough proficiency in Korean to explain the hotel policy diplomatically.

Then again, what is really Shilla Hotel's policy on the hanbok? Wouldn't it be better for the hotel to put up notices to remind guests to be careful where they tread? For goodness's sake, surely that shouldn't even be necessary as everyone should exercise common sense and be careful when approaching someone in a hanbok. Personally I'd prefer to admire from a distance and would steer clear of any ajumma in a hanbok because I doubt I could afford to pay for her laundry bill  if I accidentally bumped into her and spilled some gochujang on her dress or worse, if I have to  pay compensation for a torn hanbok. Do you have any idea how expensive and hard to maintain these beautiful and delicate garments can be???
sources:
http://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_entertainment/473002.html
http://www.koreaherald.com/lifestyle/Detail.jsp?newsMLId=20110413000988
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2934882

Touring Korea From The Air

How many tourists would be fortunate to have a pilot in the family or have enough won to afford to hire a small plane just to appreciate these enormous artworks? While I applaud the creativity of these landscape artists who have given crop circles their own Korean spin,  I wonder how viable a tourist attraction their creations would be? 

Perhaps pilots of budget airlines plying the Seoul-southern province routes may be persuaded to fly over this area on a regular basis but it wouldn't do much for reducing our carbon footprints.

From the Hankyoreh: "The first photo shows a majestic view of rice fields near the Suncheon Bay by the Suncheon City, South Jeolla Province. The city created hooded cranes, the representative migratory bird at the Suncheon Bay, one of the world five wetlands, with colorful rice plants including black ones among ripened yellow ones."

It may be possible to get a bird's perspective of the second scene below without resorting to wings. If one is willing to clamber up the nearest mountain or hill overlooking this giant moral, one may be rewarded by this striking if less inspiring sight. Still, I can't imagine hordes of tourists making the effort, though.

From the Hankyoreh: The second is a photo of green fields with young rice plants in the Goesan County, North Chungcheong Province. The county displayed neolttwigi, a traditional Korean jumping game on a plank similar to a see-saw, with a sentence reading, ““Wow! She’s really taking off!”....Recently, scenic farming, also called beautiful farming, has become increasingly popular in South Korea. It has attracted tourists in addition to income from the produce.

(Photos courtesy of the local governments)

sources:
http://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_entertainment/472378.html
http://www.designswan.com/archives/mysterious-crop-circles.html

BMK's When Flowers Bloom Again In Spring

Here's another version:




꽃피는 봄이 오면BMK (비엠케이)
니가 떠난 그 후로 내 눈물은 얼 수 없나 봐
얼어 붙고 싶어도 다시 흐른 눈물 때문에
널 잃은 내 슬픔에 세상이 얼어도
날이 선 미움이 날 할켜도

뿌리 깊은 사랑은 이젠 떼어낼 수 없나 봐
처음부터 넌 내 몸과 한 몸이었던 것처럼
그 어떤 사랑 조차 꿈도 못 꾸고
이내 널 그리고 또 원하고 난 니 이름만 부르짖는데

다시 돌아 올까? 니가 내 곁으로 올까?
믿을 수가 없는데 믿어 주면 우리 너무 사랑한
지난 날처럼 사랑하게 될까? 그 때의 맘과 똑같을까?
계절처럼 돌고 돌아 다시 꽃피는 봄이 오면

기다리는 이에게 사랑 말곤 할 게 없나 봐
그 얼마나 고단한지 가늠도 못 했었던 나
왜 못 보내느냐고 오~ 왜 우냐고
자꾸 날 꾸짖고 날 탓하고 또 그래도 난 너를 못 잊어

다시 돌아 올까? 니가 내 곁으로 올까?
믿을 수가 없는데 믿어 주면 우린 너무 사랑한
지난 날처럼 사랑하게 될까? 그 때의 맘과 똑같을까?
계절처럼 돌고 돌아 다시 꽃피는 봄이 오면

참 모질었던 삶이었지만 늘 황폐했던 맘이지만
그래도 너 있어 눈부셨어
널 이렇게도 그리워 견딜 수가 없는 건
나 그 때의 나 그 날의 내 모습이 그리워

시간에게 속아 다른 누굴 허락하고
다른 누군가에게 기대 서로 묻고 산다고 해도
날 기억해 줘

한 순간이지만 우리가 사랑했다는 건
너와 나눈 사랑은 참 삶보다 짧지만
내 추억속에 사는 사랑은 영원할 테니까
꼭 찰나같아 찬란했던 그 봄날은

Korean to English translation ( See how Google translator can mess up?)

After that you're gone can not get away my tears, look at the Earl
Tears flowed again because I want to freeze transfixed
The world froze in my sorrow, I have lost
Hate me, the day halkyeodo

I can not get away and pulled off a deep-rooted love Look
You like my body, beginning a momyieotdeon
What I can not even dream that dream
And you want within your name I was crying

Could come back? You could come to my side?
Believe if I can not believe we loved so much
The last day when I would do? I wonder when the heart and the same?
When spring comes round again, like the seasons around

Has anything better to do I see waiting yiege
I had not even measure how much hardship or if
Why not send a calling me Oh why I'm crying
I keep blaming me and rebuke me, but I can not forget you

Could come back? You could come to my side?
I believe if I can not believe we have loved
The last day when I would do? I wonder when the heart and the same?
When spring comes round again, like the seasons around

Mozilla had been so devastated lives, but always mamyijiman
But you still got nunbusyeoteo
I miss you too so what I can not stand
I figure that I miss the day when I

Hours to allow anyone else to be fooled
Hope someone else can live with each other to ask
Remember me me

I mean, one moment, but we
Divided by the true love you more than life is short
I'll love to live in my memories forever
The spring is glorious moment I think

sources:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvqR7fnqMl8&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DH3-Wa6LAZE&feature=related

On Air In Jinhae Midst Cherry Blossoms

Aside from Romance, On Air was the other K drama that got me drooling over cherry blossoms in Jinhae. In episode 12, Lee Gyeong-Min ( played by Park Yong-ha) and his entire production team take a break from their hectic schedules to admire the springtime blossoms. There's another scene in which Seo Yeong-Eun ( Song Yoon-ah ) goes off for a solo walk to admire the cherry blossoms at night, but she is soon joined by Lee Gyeong-Min.

Wonder if Song Yoon-ah looks up at the cherry blossoms and feels a pang for her co-star who committed suicide last year.

Shooting location for On Air

sources:
http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/CU/CU_EN_8_5_1_40.jsp
http://www.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_6.jsp?cid=261560
http://koreanfanscommunity.blogspot.com/2010/10/on-air-2008.html

Spring Cleaning For Trees?

Can't decide which is more impressive - the sight of an 872-year-old juniper  near Seocho Station in the southern part of Seoul OR the sight of an employee of the municipal council giving it some serious TLC?

Wish people in my corner of the cosmos had half the regard these people here have for trees. We prefer to chop down branches so that they don't smash our windowscreens during a thunderstorm. We'd even sooner chop down all the trees to convert the land into prime real estate or plantations or golf courses. Instead of admiring a tree-lined avenue, we'd opt for the space to be cleared for extra parking space.

 

What puzzles me is the exact treatment the trees are getting here - pardon my ignorance but why on earth would they need washing?

Korea Times photo by Won You-hon

sources:
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2011/03/115_83791.html
http://tripwow.tripadvisor.com/slideshow-photo/these-women-were-cleaning-the-trees-by-travelpod-member-bee7bea-kyongju-south-korea.html?sid=12304232&fid=tp-15
http://world.kbs.co.kr/english/news/news_photo_detail.htm?No=16237&current_page=

Say "Kimchi" Pretty Please, Baby?

I'm guessing that few would've bothered to give these babies a second look if they were photographed  with their mothers. And even then, when K-pop celebrities are posing with them for photographer Jo Se-hyun, the babies aren't likely to get as much attention as Hallyu stars like Lee Seung-gi,  Jang Geun-suk or Kim Ok-bin.

The photos are part of an exhibition organised by the Social Welfare Society to create awareness for the issue of adoption so I'm a bit puzzled as to why these particular babies were chosen as they're not orphans. According to the Chosun Ilbo, these belonged to single mothers or they were babies with disabilities ( which isn't the same as an orphaned baby who needs a new set of parents).

If you're interested in the where and when of the exhibition, it's somewhere in Busan and will be open from the 25th to the 31st of  March.

BTW, looks as if Ms Kim Hee-ae is the most successful in coaxing a smile from her partner for her monochrome shot. Lots of  fans would love to be in the embrace of  Lee Seung-gi and Jang Geun-suk  but these babies look neither thrilled nor impressed.

Clockwise from top left, Kim Ok-bin, Lee Seung-gi, Kim Hee-ae, Han Hyo-joo and Jang Geun-suk posing with unidentified and  uncredited babies.


source:
http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2011/03/15/2011031500863.html

Cherry Blossoms Schedule for 2011

As I'm typing this, the cherry blossoms are supposed to be blooming in Jeju already. Guess I have to be satisfied with recollections of my visits to Jinhae, Hadong and Namhae during the spring of 2007 and remind myself that spring isn't really my favourite season. Sour grapes, huh?

Anyway the cherry blossom schedule is already out on the KTO website for those of you who are planning to catch the sights in Korea this season.  Happy planning for your itinerary!

Click here for the full details for where and when the cherry blossoms are expected to make their appearance and click here for the predictions for forsythia and azaleas.


sources:
http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/FU/FU_EN_15.jsp?nCategoryID=1&SearchType=&keyword=&gotoPage=1&cid=1224040&cCode=&nCategoryID=&searchType=&searchKeyword=
http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/FU/FU_EN_15.jsp?cid=1223280

To Market, To Market..Within A Korean Train Carriage

If you're a Seoulite who prefers buying fresh and cheap greens directly from the farmer but you can't be bothered to drive out to the countryside, what do you do?

Hurry down to Cheongdam Station on Line No 7 of the Seoul Metropolitan Rapid Transit Corporation ( which runs subway lines 5, 6,7 and 8) and look for a parked train on a spare line. This is the "5678 Happy Market" - a springtime initiative which brings together Korean farmers from 20 different rural areas who wish to sell the produce directly and urban ajummas looking for cheaper Napa cabbages or radishes which can be discounted between 10 to 20 percent. Talk about a win-win situation.




BTW, marine products - ie the dried varieties-  are also available . Cash or credit cards are accepted and what is even more impressive is that some delivery service is also provided.

Hurry, though - this unique market ends on 24 March.




sources:
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2933827
http://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_entertainment/469465.html
http://www.smrt.co.kr/Eng/Culture/Culturemap/Culturemap_06.jsp
http://korea.tc/go/137140
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2927231
http://www.arirang.co.kr/News/News_Vod_Full_Pop.asp?VodURL=1&VodSeq=55723

More On Learning Korean Through Cartoons

What's the Korean word for ...?

Tsunami - 해일 or 쓰나미

Radioactive - 방사성

A woman shops at a supermarket flooded with water that reads, “Tsunami of foot-and-mouth disease,” and says, “This time it’s radioactive...” 　　

A fish on the shelf says to her, “It’s hard to eat and live, isn’t it?”

Japanese fish and vegetables contaminated by radioactivity have made South Korean households more nervous about food safety and prices compounded by the domestic outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease.　

(Hankyoreh Geurimpan Mar. 21)　


sources:
http://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_entertainment/469037.html

K's Only Human

Kang Yoon-sung a.k.a.K's hit, "Only Human" from the Japanese drama "One Litre of Tears" seems appropriate for the moment.



English translation of lyrics:


On the other shore of sadness,
It is said that there is a smile,

On the other shore of sadness,
It is said that there is a smile,
Finally we arrived.
But what are we waiting for?

The purpose is not to run away,
It's to chase after dreams
We should have gone out to travel
On that summer day so long ago

In a place worn down by sadness
something called a miracle, is waiting
Yet we are still searching
for the sunflower that grows at the end of spring
The warrior who awaits the morning light
before he can clasp it with red nails,
his tears glitter and fall

Even if we’ve grown used to loneliness
only relying on the light of the moon
We have to fly away with featherless wing
just go forward, just a little further

Even tomorrow, if you see it
Though there isn't a sigh either.
Like a ship going against the current flow.
Right now, go forward, move ahead.

Even if it cuts through the rain and clouds,
The wet roads shine,
Only the dark will teach,
A stronger and stronger light,
Be strong, go forward, move ahead.

Japanese lyrics

ONLY HUMAN by K

kanashimi no mukou kishi ni
hohoemi ga aru to iu yo

kanashimi no mukou kishi ni
hohoemi ga aru to iu yo
tadori tsuku sono saki ni wa
nani ga bokura wo matteru

nigeru tame ja naku
yume ou tame ni
tabi ni deta hazu sa
tooi natsu no ano hi

asita sae mieta nara
tame iki mo nai kedo
nakare ni sakarau fune no you ni
ima wa mae he susume

kuru shi mi no tsu ki ta basho ni
shiyawase ga matsu to u yo
boku wa ma da saka shi te i ru
kisetsu ha zu re no hi mawari
ko bu shi nigi ri shi me
asahi wo ma te ba
aka i tsume a to ni namida ki ra ri o chiru


kodoku ni mo na re ta na ra
tsukia ka ri tayo ri ni
hame na ki tsubasa de tobi ta to
mo-to mae he susume


amakumo ga kireta nara
mu re ta michi ka ga ya ku
nami da ke ga hoshi e te ku re ru
tsuyoi tsuyoi hikari
tsuyo ku mae he susume

source:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpqoPX_CLaM&NR=1

Seoul Has Shifted

A friend was asking about the direction of movement of land following the 9.0 magnitude earthquake in Japan. Looks like the Korean Peninsula has shifted to the east, according to the report from the Chosun Ilbo below. The extent of the slide ranged from less than 1 cm to slightly over 5 cm, depending on the region. But that's nothing compared to the dramatic change experienced by Japan -  it moved eastwards up to a maximum of 2.4 metres (7.92 feet).


Earthquake Shifts Japan, Korea Further Apart

The devastating earthquake off the northeastern coast of Japan on Friday caused Korea's easternmost Dokdo islets to shift around 5 cm to the east. Tokyo claims sovereignty over the rocky islets, which lie between the two countries in the East Sea. Japan shifted altogether 2.4 m to the east due to the earthquake, moving further away from Dokdo.

The Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute said Wednesday that data from global positioning systems in 11 locations throughout Korea show that the Korean Peninsula has shifted 0.8 to 5.16 cm to the east, depending on the region. Seoul shifted 2.11 cm to the east, while Daejeon, Mokpo and Dokdo moved 1.96, 1.21, and 0.89 cm east, respectively, according to KASI.

Mar. 17, 2011 09:44 KST

sources:
http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2011/03/17/2011031700683.html
http://news.softpedia.com/news/Japan-Earthquake-Shifts-Earth-s-Axis-189203.shtml
http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-03-quake-shifted-japan-korea-scientists.html

FMD in Korea - Not So Hot For Tourists But Worse For Locals

FMD ( Foot and Mouth Disease is also known as Hoof-and-Mouth Disease) does not usually affect humans. It doesn’t mean that if you come into contact with a cow which has FMD, you will get infected. The odds are HIGHLY unlikely. Moreover, Wikipedia states that the virus “ that causes FMD is sensitive to stomach acid” so “ it cannot spread to humans via consumption of infected meat, except in the mouth before the meat is swallowed.” BTW, FMD is not to be confused with HFMD “hand, foot and mouth disease” which is usually caused by the Coxsackie A virus.

The reason government officials have been discouraging visits to farms and travel around the country is that the FMD virus can be carried and spread easily by humans and animals when equipment, cars or clothes are exposed to it. That’s why:

• The Lee MB administration tried to discouraged people in the ROK from making their annual return visits to their hometown s during Seollal celebrations earlier this year

• Tourists can expect many closures of zoos and cancellations of festivals especially those in the rural areas

• Lovers of bulgogi or samgyeopsal -gui can expect to fork out more won for these favourite meat dishes as wholesale prices have risen and imports from the US or Australia have increased. Those who cannot do without their daily glass of milk may also suffer escalating prices.

• Government workers especially veterinarians and health officials in the agricultural sector have been forced to cancel their leave and have had very little rest as they are on the front-line fighting the spread of the disease. If there have been human deaths related to FMD in Korea, the cause may well be indirect as they’ve been exhausted, working round-the-clock to contain the virus.

Just a word of caution – be careful what you drink. According to one article in The Korea Times some “groundwater sources near animal burial sites have been classified ‘undrinkable’ due to concentrations of colon bacillus – a bacteria group that includes E.coli – that exceed the legal minimum.” When health officials ran out of the lethal injections to kill the cows and pigs in a humane way, it led to the desperate mass burial of live animals. The hasty culling of the animal livestock may have inadvertently compromised groundwater sources as the tarpaulin used to line the burial pits may have been torn by the struggling animals.

Sources:
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2042942,00.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jan/18/south-korea-foot-and-mouth
http://www.circleofblue.org/waternews/2011/world/foot-and-mouth-disease%E2%80%94will-mass-animal-burials-cause-water-contamination-in-south-korea/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hand,_foot_and_mouth_disease
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foot-and-mouth_disease
http://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_national/459153.html
http://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_national/457708.html

Cherry Blossoms In A Ring Of Fire

Older generations of Koreans may have an ambivalent attitude towards the appearance of cherry blossoms  on the Korean landscape as they evoke bitter memories of the Japanese occupation. According to Hannah Kim, "Already on the 50th anniversary of the Japanese surrender in World War II, some of the cherry blossoms that were planted by the Japanese were chopped down at Gyeongbok Palace in Seoul because they were identified as painful remnants of the colonial past. "
 

Cherry blossoms, for others, may simply spell the end of winter and start of spring. It's a popular motif on wedding cakes and some people even like it as a tattoo. However, long before the samurai and kamikaze pilots adopted the flower as their special symbol, the cherry blossom has symbolised for the Japanese the "transient nature of life" or fleeting beauty. When the sakura starts to appear in Japan around mid-April this year, there may not be so many cherry-blossom viewing parties under the trees with the attendant sake-drinking and feasting. Instead, the delicate blooms will probably be viewed silently with a wrenching of the heart and a sting in the eye.

So this posting is dedicated to all those who were killed in the recent 9.0-magnitude earthquake cum 10-meter tsunami disaster in Japan. They may have been ordinary citizens of Japan, or Koreans living and working there and there may have also been various nationalities visiting , working and living there but the forces of nature weren't discriminating. May their souls rest in peace.

BTW, check out this ominous article by Simon Winchester on the devastation in Japan which uncovers a conspiracy of triple whammies - geography, topography and geological history. His commentary begins with this sombre reminder:

"All of those broken bones in northern Japan, all of those broken lives and those broken homes prompt us to remember what in calmer times we are invariably minded to forget: the most stern and chilling of mantras, which holds, quite simply, that mankind inhabits this earth subject to geological consent—which can be withdrawn at any time."

sources:
http://www.newsweek.com/2011/03/13/the-scariest-earthquake-is-yet-to-come.html
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/opinon/2011/02/168_63676.html
http://epoch-archive.com/a1/en/us/nyc/2009/04-Apr/08/B2.pdf
http://photography.nationalgeographic.com/wallpaper/photography/photos/cherry-blossoms-gallery/imperial-palace-cherry-blossom/
http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/indepth/seasonal/sakura2011/index.php
http://www.stolaf.edu/people/kucera/YoshidaWebsite/evolution/essay_pages/stephanie_cargile.htm

Learning Korean Through Hankyoreh Cartoons

Here's an idea for cramming a quick language lesson while putting your finger on the pulse of the Korean society. Cartoons are a regular feature of the on-line Korean papers and it's interesting to compare and contrast their perspectives on various issues like politics and the economy.

For instance, it's quite amusing to see the difference in their depictions of MB - that's President Lee Myung-bak for those new to the lingo of Korean cartoons. That's not just his name but the  Hankyoreh cartoonist has cleverly played on the words "muneung" ( incompetence) and "bupae" ( corruption) as well. See the second cartoon below.

In contrast, the partiality of the JoongAng Ilbo towards MB is not hard to miss when it tries to persuade its readers of parallels between the founder of Apple and Mr Bulldozer. I'm not sure how Steve Jobs would feel about MB being compared to him but  at the very least, I can't imagine MB ever wearing a turtle-neck sweater and jeans or matching Jobs' ability to inspire. If you want a crash course on the current controversies surrounding the LMB administration, look no further than the icons on MB's "iPad". For an explanation of what each represents, click here.

As far as I can see, only the Hankyoreh goes the extra mile to offer to some degree translations in its texts that accompany the original cartoons in Korea. Cartoons in the JoongAng Ilbo and the Korean Herald are only given in English, so then Hankyoreh is your best bet for language learning through cartoons. A pity though that it doesn't translate every word or phrase in its cartoons.


sources:
http://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_entertainment/464078.html
http://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_entertainment/467195.html
http://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_entertainment/466787.html
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2932976

ETA for Spring Flowers 2011

According to KBS, the KMA has issued the ETA for spring flowers for this year:

ETA for Forsythias

Jeju-do - around 13th March
Southern regions- between 15th and 26th March
Central regions - between 27th March and 1st April
Northern regions - after 2nd April.


ETA for Azaleas

Jeju-do -around March 15th in Jeju
Southern regions - between 17th and 28th of March
Central regions -  between 29th March and 3rd April
Northern regions -  after April 4th.

The peak flowering season for each region comes seven days after these dates.
Best time to see these flowers in  Seoul ? Around April 5th and 6th.

Previous Postings on Spring Flowers in Korea:

Forsythia

Azaleas


sources:
http://world.kbs.co.kr/english/news/news_zoom_detail.htm?No=6160
http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/FU/FU_EN_15.jsp?cid=966240

Stumbled Upon This Umbrella....

Came across this pic of an umbrella sold by a Korean company. What would poor van Gogh have thought if he saw this instance of commercialization of his painting, "Almond Blossom, San Remy" ?

Still, I'd sooner buy this than an imitation of a Burberry brolly. Puts me in a chirpier frame of mind. In the mood for springtime blossoms.

Source:
http://www.tradekorea.com/product-detail/P00245332/_Almond_blossom_san_remy_printing_3_steps_auto_folding_umbrella.html#
http://www.1artclub.com/almond-blossom-san-remy-by-vincent-van-gogh/

U-Taek's Sijo For Spring

Sijo on Spring by U-Taek (1262-1342)


청산에 눈녹인바람 건듯불고 간데없다

적은덧 빌어다가 머리위에 불리고저

귀밑에 해묵은 서리를 녹여볼까 하노라

The spring breeze melted snow on the hills then quickly disappeared.
I wish I could borrow it briefly to blow over my hair
And melt away the aging frost forming now about my ears.


Does spring seem to mock one the older one gets?


U-Taek’s poem contrasts wistfully the youthfulness of the season and his own physical decline. If only one’s white hairs could vanish as easily as the melting snows. I’m more worried about the frost between my ears, though. Slip sliding away into senility doesn’t keep me awake at night but I find myself working at Sudoku puzzles a little more earnestly than before.

sources:
http://www.ahapoetry.com/sijo.htm
http://www.sejongculturalsociety.org/writing/current/sijo_samples.html
http://world.kbs.co.kr/english/news/news_photo_detail.htm?No=16127

Inspiration For New K-Drama

While surfing through the JoongAng Daily on-line, it occurred to me that some news stories had the potential to be new plot lines for Korean TV. It’s been some time since I’ve actually followed a new Korean TV drama so excuse me if the following suggestions aren’t trendy, clichéd or plain dull.

First off, here’s an idea for wholesome entertainment, suitable for the whole family – an elementary school somewhere out in the boondocks of Korea is under threat of closure with its shrinking numbers until a young teacher comes along with fresh ideas to turn things around. Start with some conflicts with over-aged students, conservative principal or staff and anxious parents.

Then mix these with some heated debates about whether encouraging creativity undermines discipline. Finally spice it up with pastoral scenes of the children harvesting their own sweet potatoes in their own school vegetable garden and you may have a recipe for a heart-warming though awfully clichéd story that may be a throwback to Sidney Poitier’s To Sir With Love.

Too treacly for your tastebuds? How about this other school-based story with a nod towards Park Chan-wook’s Sympathy For Lady Vengeance? A ex-army retiree has the local eyebrows raised when she volunteers to be a school sheriff. Comic scenes of how she bungles during her training sessions turn into sinister moments as she takes advantage of her placid demeanour and position to do away with the fourth-grade teachers one by one.

Plot No. 3 – An ex- government worker receives a windfall and pursues his dream of setting up a bar. Things go well for him until he comes to the defence of a young employee who’s being bullied by his colleagues to take part in drinking rounds of soju. The underbelly of corporate culture comes under scrutiny here through the eyes of the bartender cum pub owner – to drink or not to drink, is that simply the question?

Plot No 4 – A study of a family business in a barbershop - across three generations. The colourful lives of their patrons like the corrupt politician and head of a chaebol will form the substance of each episode. Woven into this story would be the generational clash between the family patriarch who wants to “keep what is sacred” and his grand-son who wants to move to Gangnam.

Finally, a grim story based on the memoirs of a retired prison guard whose guilty conscience drives him to seek atonement for taking part in the execution of innocent political prisoners. Set against the turbulent politics of the 1950s, we get a chance to see what Seoul was like in the post-war years.

So what do you think? !%$i$(&##%@*^%#@$%

OK , OK - I'm sticking to my day job.


sources:
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2929813

http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2932715
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2931620
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2932556
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2932085

Expect The Unexpected This Spring

If you're planning a trip to South Korea this spring and wondering what to pack - I'd suggest that you include some winter woollies. Last spring was a bit of a meteorological roller-coaster so be prepared for some unpredictable weather again in 2011.  See below.


Photo on right - 10th March 2010 - Snows fell on spring blossoms ( Yonhap)

From KBS Website:
No Unusual Weather Conditions Forecasted for Spring

"Temperatures in South Korea have been warm this week, but forecasters are predicting the weather to be highly variable into mid-March.The Korea Meteorological Administration predicts that this spring will see similar temperatures to previous years, except for the unusually low temperatures recorded last spring. However, a cold front from the north will expand to the Korean Peninsula around mid-March, temporarily driving down temperatures.Also, the eastern part of Korea will witness low temperatures in April. Precipitation in March and May will be similar to that seen in previous years, but April will likely be relatively dry."

Photo on left: Snow fell in Seoul  on 22 March 2010

Photo on right: Strong winds ravage Seoul on Tuesday, with wind chill temperatures falling below zero degrees Celsius. 27 April 2010



Let's see how accurate this KMA is in its predictions for this year.

sources:
http://world.kbs.co.kr/english/news/news_Dm_detail.htm?No=79669&id=Dm
http://world.kbs.co.kr/english/news/news_photo_detail.htm?No=14619&current_page=16
http://world.kbs.co.kr/english/news/news_photo_detail.htm?No=14539¤t_page=16
http://world.kbs.co.kr/english/news/news_photo_detail.htm?No=14788¤t_page=14

Free Bus For Tourists From Seoul To Busan

Good news for foreigners who'd like a free ride to Busan. Click here for important update.

From March 2nd, you can hop on a free shuttle bus from Seoul to Busan, if you're a non-Korean .

The service in a 28-seater limousine bus operates each weekday except Mondays.
Wifi access is available on board, alongside DVD players and materials with useful tips on tourist attractions in Busan.

Starting point : outside Dongwha Duty Free Shop in Gwanghwamun
Stops at the Lotte Hotel and Paradise Hotel in Busan

Other info from the KTO website:

Make reservations for the shuttle service through the Visit Korea Year website www.visitkoreayear.com (Korean, English, Japanese and Chinese).
Two tickets are available per reservation. Reservation must be made 10 days in advance to guarantee seating. Remaining unreserved seats will be allotted on a space available basis.

Don't forget your passport!

Click here for info about similar services that ply the Seoul-Gyeongju and Seoul-Jeonju routes.


* For more information: 02-1577-2507, E-mail: visitkorea@chesstours.co.kr

* 1330 call center: +82-2-1330 (Korean, English, Chinese, Japanese)


sources:
http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/FU/FU_EN_15.jsp?cid=1214472
http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_6.jsp?cid=609796

Spring's Here, For Some At Least

Snow on Haeundae Beach, Busan - 14 February 2011

While those in the east coast may still be shovelling snow from their rooftops of their houses and cars or pathways outside homes or shops, those on the west coast of the Korean peninsular seem to be enjoying balmy temperatures already.

Snow-covered roofs in Gangwon-do, 17 Feb 2011

Let's hope this spring will be a mild one and more predictable than last year. The cherry blossoms didn't oblige photographers and enthusiasts by appearing on schedule.  There were also unpleasant surprises for Korean farmers last spring.  

Red plum blossoms have appeared at the UN Memorial Park, Busan

KBS reports: "Spring flowers are beginning to bloom on Jeju Island. Rape blossoms, which are regarded as harbingers of spring on the island, are blooming in some coastal areas. The blooming will be at its peak in March and April. Japanese apricot flowers are also in full blossom, signaling that winter is giving in to spring. The temperature even reached as high as 15 degrees Celsius on Jeju last week. Tourists to Jeju are busy bidding farewell to the severe winter and ushering in spring on the southern island." 

White plum blossoms in Hallim Park, Jeju

sources:
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2932471
http://world.kbs.co.kr/english/news/news_Dm_detail.htm?No=79584
http://www.korea.net/news.do?mode=detail&guid=53309
http://world.kbs.co.kr/english/news/news_photo_detail.htm?No=16025&current_page=
http://world.kbs.co.kr/english/news/news_photo_detail.htm?No=16077&current_page=

One Standing Egg with Cat, Broccoli, Bell Peppers and So On

Check out this collaboration between this Korean band and a Japanese animator. Such a refreshing change from girl groups  in short shorts.

Particularly enjoy resting my eyes on  the background of patterned strips of cloth in different shades. Makes me want to go shopping to redecorate the interiors of my home. How long did it take to create the stop-motion video? Kudos to the patience of the designer who made strawberries look like Ethel Merman's group of synchronised swimmers.

BTW, this is the second "La La La" song I've featured on this blog - the first by SG Wannabe is here. Why am I attracted to songs with such lame titles?


Details:
Standing Egg -Debut Mini Album "lalala2010.04.21 RELEASE

My Space http://www.myspace.com/standingegg

Video : Taijin Takeuchi

Very comprehensive posting on this group here.

source:
http://www.allkpop.com/2010/12/unhyped-talent-standing-egg

Form Versus Substance In Jwibulnori

Ok - call me old-fashioned and a party-pooper, but I find something about the first photo from Yonhap News mildly unromantic. The children here, playing with LED lights, are giving a modern spin on a traditional activity known as Jwibulnori.

The custom is observed on Daeboreum, the first full moon night of the lunar year. It's nice that these children are having fun and continuing some ancient tradition and their parents would probably approve the new devices which are safer and save more energy. The kids can also delight in the wider variety of coloured lights compared to the traditional lit charcoal pieces in a covered tin-can.

Give me the heat, warmth and incandescence of the original anytime.

I also  wonder how many of them were familiar with its cultural roots - the serious practical purpose behind the game?

An excerpt from a source:
"Historically, people played the traditional game named jwibulnori (쥐불놀이) the night before daeboreum. They burned the dry grass on ridges between rice fields while children whirled around cans full of holes, through which charcoal fire blazed. These cans fertilized the fields and got rid of harmful worms that destroyed the new crops."

I'm not sure how much of that custom is based on some old wives' tale and how much of it has any scientific basis. How do the ashes of the charcoal fires help to get rid of harmful worms while sparing the useful or innocuous ones?

It probably means little to urbanites anyway. So many agrarian-based practices are barely observed these days because we don't see the relevance. It would be interesting to see if Koreans living abroad will still have or play jwibulnori.

sources:
http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/FU/FU_EN_15.jsp?cid=1200048

http://www.korea.net/detail.do?guid=52832&thiscode=eng010003&mode=popup&TB_iframe=true&height=420&width=700
http://www.lifeinkorea.com/culture/festivals/festivals.cfm?Subject=Jeongwol
http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/FU/FU_EN_15.jsp?cid=1197854
http://www.asiarooms.com/en/travel-guide/south-korea/busan/festivals-and-events-in-busan/jeongwol-daeboreum-daljip-(straw-heap)-burning-busan.html
http://www.investkorea.org/InvestKoreaWar/work/ik/eng/nr/nr_01_read.jsp?no=608300001&l_unit=90202&bno=902040007&page=4&sort_num=78
http://www.korea.net/news.do?mode=detail&guid=53151
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daeboreum
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Korea-Daeboreumnal-Full_Moon_Festival-05.jpg
http://samedi.livejournal.com/361102.html
http://www.wordiq.com/definition/Culture_of_Korea
http://www.freewebs.com/tb2korea/Korean%20Festival/Daeboreum.jpg