CHU NGD A HM
THE Instructor CORNER PLACES& SPACES
SUMMER2011
Branch SPOTLIGHT
culture
features
CONTENTS
What is Pizza Bus? I had previously been with Chungdahm between the...
Minimize Me
I decided to do this diet a few months ago after seeing...
Pinnacle TheHustler
Well, I took on the name “Pinnacle” when I was in middle...
spotlight
rainy season adventures . inter-branch debate competition
places&spaces
sydney in southeast asia
corner
screen golf . future cheating is unstoppable and it’s okay?
13 17 20
3 7 9
Project Manager Editor-in-Chief & Designer Travis Stewart Andrew Kim Special thank you to all of the contributors who made this quarter’s issue of the CULTURE possible! For future inquiries regarding the CULTURE, please contact facultylink@chungdahm.com. Thank you!
contents
rainy season adventures by celeste maturen (shinsongpa)
Rainy season in Korea does not beckon many to venture out in search of natural adventures, but if you’re willing to gamble with Mother Nature, you just might get lucky. The entire week before the trip to Inje, it rained so hard I had to return home on at least two occasions to peel off soaked clothes and search for a replacement umbrella since the mangle of metal and ripped cloth I returned with did not seem likely to repair itself. I was pretty sure the weekend would be a downer. Early Saturday morning the sun etched its rays into my bedroom window. After days of rain, Saturday was beautiful. I remembered to pack everything one could possibly need for a river rafting, laser tagging, paint balling trip, except for an umbrella!
After two hours on the bus we arrived at “Sudden Attack “ to play laser tag. The mazes were big with lots of good places to obscure yourself while gunning for the other team. I’m not a natural marksman, but I did come away with some clarity— I finally realized what EC students mean when they shout “Sudden Attack” before sound attack. Next, we made our way to the river, where we suited up in life jackets, learned about rowing, and then got in the boats. Our guide, the self-proclaimed best, guided us down the river in synchronized strokes of one–two, one–two, until he got bored and started pushing all the girls overboard. (No wonder he made all of the girls sit in the back.) Everything was going swimmingly until the real fun began. To be honest, it only lasted a few minutes, but they were worth it! Our boat surged up upon a rock and held securely against the rushing tide. We were not gonna budge. 3
FBranchise spotlight
SPOTLIGHT
Our guide motioned for the second boat, holding the other half of our group, to slam into us. In theory, the plan was solid. In reality, things played out a bit differently. The boat behind us successfully crashed into us, and then began to tip. Some people were carried away by the current and sailed down the river on their own. Our guide, giving swift commands in Konglish, salvaged our boat by instructing all of the men to stand on the giant rock. The plan must have been to jump back into the boat once it was freed, but the current swiftly carried the boat away down the river and left some stranded on the rock. After we recollected our group and reached the end of our rafting tour, some of us embarked on other adventures. One group member rode the zip line and a few others bungee jumped over the river. Then, when we arrived at our pension, our dinner, a delicious smorgasbord of samgyupsal, kimchi, rice and vegetables, was ready and waiting. After we finished eating everyone split off to play different games. There was night-kick-volleyball, Jenga, and Catchphrase. The next day, Mother Nature was not as kind, but our tour guide was more than accommodating. The paintball course is usually closed on rainy days, but he opened
SPOTLIGHT
it for us. The rain fogged our mandatory goggles and made playing more challenging. After three intense games we loaded the bus and headed back to Seoul. It was such a great weekend, I’m glad I took the gamble against Mother Nature. So don’t let the rain stop you from exploring Korea!
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FBranchise spotlight
rainy season adventures
inter-branch debate competition by michael kunkel (bundang)
From
my perspective, life as a Korean student is not exactly enviable. In addition to their regular assignments, many students attend several academies and special tutoring sessions. Oftentimes, you hear of students preparing hours for extra competitions that fill up their weekends. It is not entirely surprising when some people, especially students, argue that Korea should place less emphasis on education. Yet, while attending one of these very same contests, one Chungdahm student asked her fellow classmates, “Are you not enjoying this competition?� The overwhelming positive response seemed to indicate that there was something special about this particular event. In fact, the event to which she was referring was the 2011 Summer Term Inter-Branch Masters Debate Competition held on Sunday, July 17th at the Chungdahm Branch in Seoul. From across the nation, sixteen teams of students gathered to show off their oratorical skills, demonstrate their critical thinking capabilities, and determine who would be recognized as some of the most talented young debaters within the Chungdahm system. As one of the eight adjudicators officiating the debates, I was lucky enough to attend this event and witness the truly remarkable talent that these young people possess. From the hours they spent researching the topics to the way they effortlessly thought on their feet in the debate, these students truly embodied the immense amount of ability and drive that resides within each of our locations. As the day progressed, what most impressed me was the enthusiasm and joy that radiated from all of those involved. First and foremost, the students themselves relished the opportunity to hone their skills and experience
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FBranchise spotlight
SPOTLIGHT
FBranchise spotlight
inter-branch debate competition
the thrill of competing against peers who would gladly challenge them. Even after some teams were eliminated from the competition, many of them stayed to see the semifinal and final rounds in which some truly outstanding debates were contested. Beyond the students, many of the adults in attendance, including current instructors, staff members, relatives, and friends, were rightfully awed by the talent that was on display. There were countless speeches made by those who helped organize the event praising the students for their superb performances. In fact, witnessing this competition inspired me to return to my own classroom eager to challenge my students believing that they too could reach those heights. In the final round, with over a hundred spectators watching, the three students representing the Mokdong Branch were declared the winners over the Minsa team representing the Chungdahm Branch. Although only one team could be declared the champion, all of the students who reached the semifinal round or better were rewarded with new MP3 players in recognition of their superb efforts. Given the success of the event, there are already discussions about hosting
SPOTLIGHT
additional debate tournaments that could accommodate even more teams in the near future. Although I have now met so many skilled debaters, I think you would be hard pressed to find even one student who would be willing to oppose the idea of another competition.
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places& spaces: sydney in southeast asia
PLACES
by sydney langford (pyeongchon)
Well hello again, CULTURE Readers, it’s been a while. I tried to grace these pages
:cambodia
during Spring term, but alas, I was traipsing around Southeast Asia and just couldn’t cancel that 5th Thai massage to finish my article. So, now, here you have it: the fabulous stories, advice, and adventures of my first glimpse at other Asian cultures. As you know, the infamous Pyeongchon branch has tons of waegookins working here. So when it came time to plan a mini vacation home, I got the news that I could actually split a term with someone. Hmm. One week of unpaid vacation or six? ...Six, duh. And there began my travel plans BEFORE the travel plans to Sweet Home Chicago. First things first, I started Momondo.com-ing and AirAsia-ing my days away. Not surprisingly, my dear coworkers were right on when advising cheap countries to travel. I solidified a pretty standard lineup: Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam. And those were just a precursor to the big surprise I had planned at home. Next, it was time to start Couchsurfing. And if you take anything away from this article, let it be this: CS is revolutionizing travel in more ways than one. I know you may be thinking it’s creepy. It’s not. Join it. It’s like Facebook for traveling, and you can pick the people you want to contact/crash with. Not only did I save 16 nights worth of paying for a potentially sketchy hostel, but I met the most AMAZING people. Sharing their culture, lifestyle, and spare bedrooms/couches with me was what they signed up for, and the experience was more than anything I could’ve anticipated it to be.
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I’ll be honest right from the start Phnom Penh wasn’t exactly my favorite. But as the first leg of my trip, it was probably the most intense culture shock I’ve ever felt. Tuk-Tuks and motos? Child beggars? USD preferred over their currency? I was never really panicked, but maybe a bit nervous at times, perhaps because I was traveling alone. But either alone or with my new CS buddy, Manu, I couldn’t believe the amount of hassling I encountered while walking even 1 block. I was unprepared for this aspect of Cambodian culture, just as I was stunned at what I came to find at the Killing Fields and Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum. It was chilling to say the least, and I was curious as to why I’d never really learned anything about it before. This ignited my desire to uncover more, and after reading a memoir of a woman who survived the Khmer Rouge, I find myself wanting to go back in order to better appreciate the history, and more i m p o r t a n t l y, t h e s u b s e q u e n t s l o w development of the entire country. Siem Reap and Angkor Wat was a nice breather for a day trip, as it is much more ‘tourist-friendly’ and clean. However, I wish I would’ve made it a 2-day trip and rented a bike, even though Tom my Tuk-Tuk driver was simply awesome. I brought him into the temples with me since I had no one to snap pictures with. He was famous that day I think —all of the other tuk-tuk guys were jealous.
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places& spaces
SPACES
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:thailand
I knew when I flew into Bangkok and was ushered to a taxi stand that I was being ripped off, but after spending about $10 a day in Cambodia, I wasn’t going to complain. Especially when I heard the driver go, “Ooh, wow” at the mention of my destination. Bangkok is where I met Pichy and Dan for the first time, a couple that lived in a very nice penthouse suite in a hotel-condo-super-swanky-skyscraper. They had a spare bedroom, bathroom, and even a cell phone for me to use. We ate together every day that I stayed with them, and I must say that Thai cuisine made me question the love I have for my favorite Korean/Chinese/Japanese dishes. Clubbing in Bangkok was a must, and the scene was ultra cool. Think block-party style: the clubs were all connected by an outdoor patio/lounge, and were massive when you crossed over to the other side. Koh Chang Island was a big recommendation by the outstanding Chris Herron, and I’m glad I listened to him. Although I could’ve laid out at Pichy and Dan’s private pools and cabanas for a week, I am more than happy that I ferried over to Koh Chang for a few days and chilled. Thailand is perfect for chilling. If I didn’t feel like sight-seeing, I didn’t. And that was the most liberating part of traveling alone. Koh Chang allowed me to revel in this, as I read on Lonely Beach, accepted any massage I was offered, tried every fresh fruit smoothie under the sun, and of course rode on Benny the Elephant. Then, things got a bit crazy when I decided it’d be a brilliant idea to get a bamboo tattoo (I was burnt to a crisp). I found Chris’s friend Boo, and that in itself was such a happenstance that I felt it necessary to partake in the unique experience of getting a bamboo tattoo (and playing with a baby monkey that donned an earring). It was long and painful, but definitely a stand-out moment of traveling.
:chi-town
I surprised my mom into hysterics when I popped out of the back room of the restaurant where we had planned her surprise 50th party. Needless to say, it was an amazing cap to an amazing vacation. 8
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Vietnam welcomed me with a slightly different feeling—for one, the weather was crap compared to Thailand. And then my Couchsurfing host was apparently in the hospital. Instead of freaking out, I booked a hostel in the Old Quarter of Hanoi and hopped on a bus. Well, it turned out that the whole situation was a blessing in disguise. After settling in, the hotel staff immediately helped me book a trip to Halong Bay for the next morning, but “your roommate on the boat is a man, is that okay?” Hmm…how old? It turned out that my boat roomie was also a solo traveler and we became friends right away. Plus, there were two other couples around our age on the same boat and we all had a rowdy good time! Not to mention, Halong Bay is— in the words of Theran BrigoWATZ—like Jurassic Park. Everyone should go see this marvel on the north side of Vietnam. stop4
:vietnam
Tip: The prices were less than I’d ever heard of, so if you want some ink, go hang with Boo in Koh Chang.^^ PS. My new CS friends are now lifelong pals that I will be visiting in Hawaii next month. I’m telling you, go Couchsurf!
CORNER
screen golf
by anthony greene (daechi)
instructor
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I was dead wrong! One day last summer I walked into one of the random screen golf centers near my home in Gangnam. I approached the desk, and was warmly received by a worker who showed me to private room. The basement level facility had 10 norebong style rooms, with varying sizes, and different furnishings depending on how many people you have playing (the max is 4 at most places.) Once inside the room, which is roughly 25 ft x 25 ft, you immediately stare at a screen that has a projected image of a driving range. To your left is a full set of clubs. Most facilities have a nice choice of Titlest and Nike clubs, which definitely makes playing much more enjoyable. I always have used and swore by my Nike clubs, but after using last year’s Titlest Burner driver, I will definitely switch my Nike Sasquach out of my bag. After you select your club, you step up to the tee and take a shot. You can choose the tee height from the CPU located near the ball feeder. However, the only shots that you are able to tee up are drives, so for par 3s, you need to hit off of the astro turf, which is fine as well. Before you play a round, you can practice on the driving range, usually for as long as you want, but its customary to practice for 10
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I began playing golf recreationally when I was in high school. Among the many jobs that I worked while in school, on Saturday and Sunday mornings I would wake up at 7AM and drive to a local golf course to work as a caddy. Up to that point, my golf education consisted of playing Tiger Woods on Playstation (yes, I mean the original) and watching Tiger on television. I picked up the job for extra cash, not expecting to fall in love with the game. In my twenties, I finally had some money to afford to get my own clubs and play seriously. By this time golf had become an obsession, one that would distract me at work, and consumed much of my free time on the weekends. When I decided to move to Korea and work for Chungdahm, I did some research on the courses here and found that one had to be a member or know a member to get on, and then pay hundreds of dollars to go out. (As a New York City resident I had access to 12 public courses, all accessible by subway or bus within one hour of my Manhattan apartment, with greens fees ranging from $20-$45 depending on the day. In other words, I was spoiled.) I read two guidebooks about Korea, and saw a small mention in one about this thing called screen golf. Honestly, it did not sound like much, and I just assumed that I would not be playing much golf while living and working here.
in the 80s. While the SG might inflate your score by a few shots, nothing can take away the sheer hours of practice I have put in on my swing, pace, and rhythm. That is almost impossible to match stateside, unless you live on a course and have year-round access to the driving range. Although I have been in Korea for over a year, I have to say that many things have surprised me about living here. Outside of the usual (food, language, local customs, etc) things that foreigners grow accustomed to, I have discovered one of the greatest things that Korea has to offer, and, believe it or not, is a reason why I want to continue to live and work here. I’d love to write more, but I have a tee time to get to…
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minutes. The balls are automatically re-teed mechanically, so you can get a lot of shots in a very short amount of time. The most amazing part of the experience is the technology. First, the surround sound soundtrack consists of birds chirping, water running, and grass rustling when you hit into the deep rough. It is so eerie at times that you have to hold back your swing because there’s a bird chirping in your ear, which can definitely happen when you are out on a real course. Next, the visual simulation is nothing short of amazing. It is a three-dimensional representation of real courses, ranging from all over the world. You can play almost any course in Korea, or visit the birthplace of golf (my personal favorite) St. Andrews and attack the Old Course. There’s many in between, and all are so realistic that you can see yourself playing at these courses in the future and having an advantage due to the simulation’s detail. You can choose from match play, stroke play, skins, tournament, Stableford scoring, and online competition. The best part of SG is that it enables you to play year-round, which makes your game so much better. I came over to Korea shooting in the high 90s and low 100s, but I am now routinely scoring
CORNER
instructor
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screen golf
CORNER
future cheating is unstoppable and it’s okay? by jacob miller (bundang)
worked. Multiple driving factors will push cheating technology into lower and lower level classrooms over time, and educators may face radical changes in the way they evaluate students as a result. These technologies are relatively expensive at the moment, and were essentially unavailable five years ago, but as with all other electronics, their price and size will likely continue to decrease rapidly. This strategy is also dependent on using a mobile internet service connected to a bluetooth enabled cellphone running Android. These mobile networks can be dodgy and their bandwidth can fluctuate. Re-establishing the connection if it is dropped during the test can be an awkward process, and risks exposing the cheater. As the mobile broadband services become more ubiquitous and reliable, we can expect these
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On Amazon.com right now, for less than $300 you can purchase a wearable camera that looks like a button on your shirt. You can purchase a button microphone for less than $100, and a bluetooth earpiece the size of a watch battery for around $200. The earpiece is so small because it is intended to be inserted into the ear canal farther than the eye can see. It cannot be removed by hand, instead a neodynium magnet on the end of a plastic wand is used for removal. These technologies are already seeing widespread use in high pressure university classes. Those of you who still have nightmares of organic chemistry tests can imagine the advantage of having a compatriot on the other end of the wireless connection who could see the problems on the page and help you find solutions while you
system will undergo revolutionary change. Genuine personal education will become akin to apprenticeship rather than mass indoctrination and examination. The genuine solving of real world problems may be the only standard by which individuals can be judged in the future. It will have to be understood that this problem solving may or may not be collaborative. If an assistant on the other end of the camera makes a doctor’s diagnosis and prescription more reliable, there is no loss to the patient. If that same doctor passed organic chemistry with outside help, it doesn’t mean he’s a bad doctor. It means he is good at collaborating, knows his own limits, and knows when to ask for the expertise of others instead of arrogantly going it alone. Our current education system was designed to train soldiers and factory workers, and it was incredibly successful. Now it must either adapt or become irrelevant. The grandchildren of the factory workers are equipped and ready to go. Defeating standardized tests is going to look more and more like a simple game with each passing year. As that happens, the value of a degree will continually decrease. Bachelor’s degrees are already treated essentially as cardchecks, proof that you’ve been stamped with the mold. If we continue as we are for another decade, they will become essentially worthless, representative of nothing besides parental resources and the clever ability to cheat. This is an amazing opportunity for flexible and creative teachers. The demand for lecturers will plummet, but an apprenticeship system will mean a drastic increase in the demand for teachers who can fill that role. One on one interaction and mentorship will be the key for teachers, and self-motivation will determine which students reach the top, instead of test taking and memorization ability.
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obstacles to become less and less burdensome. Currently these technologies are spreading within the fraternities of major universities, thus readily supplying the manpower on the other end of the call during the test. As the technology burdens are surpassed, people outside the fraternities will need access to compatriots willing to help them cheat. This may be resolved through the use of outsourcing to contractors in the developing world. If an English speaker in India has a reliable connection that is fast enough to handle the video downstream, he could potentially profit from rich students in the English speaking world who need remote assistance on exams. In a less exotic version, perhaps more appropriate to Korea, we can envision an unscrupulous mother helping her elementary student make perfect scores on his standardized tests. Thus she becomes the envy of all her friends when her son is selected to enroll in an elite middle school. Making this problem into an arms race between schools and students will be counterproductive. Electronic jamming of cellphones is currently illegal, and could not easily be confined to specific buildings, without disrupting wide swaths of a university campus. As the electronics become smaller and smaller, concealing them becomes easier. Being patted down at the airport is bad enough; if we take the step of strip searching students coming to an exam, we will have truly become a police state. The advent of mobile technology means that cheating must be redefined, and tests must be remade or eliminated. Teachers may finally be forced to give up the easy “objectivity” of standardized mulitple choice tests, which may never have been truly objective in the first place. Examinations in math and the sciences will be hardest hit, but the emphasis placed on memorization in lower level science classes is already one of the most counterproductive features of a science education. If a teacher makes a test in which cheating is relevant and possible, then it is not a valid test. The burden will be shifted more fully onto teachers, and the educational
CORNER
instructor
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future cheating is unstoppable and it’s okay?
PIZZABUS (1/4)
(former chungdahm instructor)
When and why did you decide to start up the Pizza Bus? Many people think up ideas like these, what was your motivation to follow through with it? My partners and I started the conception and menu of Pizza Bus in October 2010. It took about 7 months to plan out our business. It was a long meticulous process but our passion for great food kept us going.
pizzabus
1103
an interview with peter kim
You used to be a former Chungdahm Learning instructor. Where and how long were you at your previous location? I had previously been with Chungdahm between the years of 2005-2009. I started working at Seodaemun Chungdahm as an instructor then moved on to work with HQ and then the sub-pool. My last two previous jobs were with the wonderful people at SuwonYeongtong & Dongtang Chungdahm locations. I have also worked the SKT and SK C&C Business English classes in recent months. I would like to thank all the great mentors I have had at Chungdahm! Seodaemun, TC/RC, April Team, Hwajeong, Eunpyeong, Gangseo, Imae, Gwangu, Changwon, Yeongtong, and the list goes on!
PIZZABUS (2/4) Without my partners this idea would still just be a thought. We have a professionally trained chef who has a yearning to test his creativity. We also have a great accountant who makes sure our book balances at the end of the day! What were some of the biggest difficulties that you encountered both in getting things started as well as after the process got rolling? How did you overcome these obstacles? With starting any business there are countless obstacles that have to be faced. The biggest challenge for us was to stay motivated and follow through with the plan. Once we started the day operations gave us a few curveballs. There were definitely things we could not anticipate (weather, mechanical malfunctions, wild animals^^), but with some perseverance we were able to overcome these obstacles. Did you ever suffer any cutbacks or difficult problems dealing with logistics/people/customers? Can you give any examples? Our long planning process enabled us to project many logistical issues with respects to getting equipment, suppliers, etc. But the monsoon season was a trying time for us. For the most part people would stay indoors and foot traffic was quite low. On the flipside we mastered crossword puzzles and Sudoku^^ Our customers are great. They have been very patient, encouraging, and constantly give us suggestions to better our business (which we appreciate very much!). For example, people noted that they would really like to sit and enjoy the pizza immediately after they’d bought it. And to that, we introduced tables and stools. Back home we would just fold the pizza in half walk and eat, but a lot of our customers wanted take out boxes or places to sit and eat.
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How does this food truck differ from all of the other many food trucks that are in Itaewon, Hongdae, and other parts of Seoul? The most common food trucks (pojjangmacha) you see in Korea are the ddeokbokki stands. In Itaewon there is a different phenomenon with a scattering of Kebob trucks with a mix of western style food. We wanted to have late night pizza like we remembered back home. Many of the Korean brand
PIZZABUS (3/4) pizzas are geared for the Korean palate (sweet potato, corn, sweet sauce). Our brand uses an Italian style crust and more traditional toppings. We make all the pizzas fresh to order. We roll out the dough, sauce it, and put the ingredients. We sell full 11” (diameter) Pizza’s rather than slices. Our dough is made daily using a sourdough starter—it’s what gives our crust its great flavor. Our sauce is made with ripe whole tomatoes with a secret blend of spices. We use a 100% block mozzarella cheese, and most of our toppings are original homemade creations. We try to make everything from scratch (even growing our own basil!). At the end of the day, we sell Artisan Gourmet Pizzas. I feel that we can honestly say that we have one of the best pizzas in Korea. If you had the chance, what other food truck idea would you possibly start up in Korea? Why? We have been talking about other ideas. Keep on the lookout.^^ When others (family and friends) became aware of your decision to follow through with this plan, how did they respond to the idea? At first, some of our friends and family had reservations about our starting a food truck. They hadn’t tasted our food and they had heard some negative stories about food trucks. But once business started and people became familiar and receptive to our food, the encouragement poured in. What are you plans for Pizza Bus in the near future? As with most new businesses, we hope to continue to grow our brand. One of the ways we’re already doing this is through catering events. We go to a client’s location and set up for a couple of hours where people can enjoy our delicious pizzas without having to go into restaurants. Our first catering job was with Chungdahm R&D Center! For any Branch or Franchise locations who want catering please contact us! Ultimately we would like to have a brick and mortar location. We are always on the lookout to collaborate with like-minded people. If you ever want to chat with us come by the bus or contact us at:
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pizzabusrok@gmail.com www.twitter.com/pizzabusrok www.facebook.com/pizzabusrok
PIZZABUS (4/4)
Pizza
Price
Pepperoni Cheese Garlic Sausage White Mushroom Pepperoni& Mushroom Margherita Pesto Chicken Herb Chicken Carnivore Caprese Style Samkyupsal
5,000won 5,000won 5,000won 7,000won 7,000won 7,000won 7,000won 7,000won 7,000won 7,000won 7,000won 7,000won
First Festival: Mud Fest was a great experience for us. We partnered up with GTP/JamROK productions for our first major festival. We had a tremendous reception from the attendees at the event. We are planning to do many more festivals in the near future! Hours of Operation Tuesday (Itaewon) 10:30PM–5:00AM Wednesday (Itaewon) 10:30PM–5:00AM Thursday (Itaewon) 10:30PM–5:00AM Friday (Itaewon) 10:30PM–7:00AM Saturday (Itaewon) 10:30PM–7:00AM Sunday (Hongdae) 12:00PM–7:00PM We will also be attending PentaPort Rock Festival and Beach Fest this summer!
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Our menu has a staple of three pizzas: Pepperoni, Cheese, and Garlic. We also rotate in specials daily depending on seasonal ingredients.
MINIMIZE (1/3)
Minimizeme an interview with an anonymous chungdahm employee
When and why did you decide to do this intense diet and training? How long was the program for? In about 2 to 3 sentences, can you briefly summarize your regimen? I decided to do this diet a few months ago after seeing a magazine that featured people on various diets. The before/after pictures were drastic, and always contained the caption “results will vary” under each picture. I was just curious about how extreme I would have to diet in order to achieve the same results. My regimen consisted of a 4-week low carb, low fat, and high-protein cutting phase.
People who know me know that once I set my mind to something that I feel needs to be done, there is no stopping me no matter what. I am a big proponent of self-motivation; I don’t need some thing/someone to motivate me, and I also don’t understand people who just “give up.”
What were some of the biggest difficulties that you encountered during the process? The biggest difficulty was actually the preparation phase. I basically had to shove down anything that resembled any type of food product down my throat. I had to eat at least 4000 calories a day for two months straight prior to beginning the diet. Believe it or not, it’s actually hard to eat that much food in a day. Food, even sweets and desserts (which I LOVE), stopped being recognized by my body after a while. Did you ever sustain any injuries or health detriments while on this workout regimen? Multiple. During the preparation phase, my elbows and shoulders were worn down from overtraining so I just bought a few braces and went back at it. When I started the cutting phase, my body didn’t like the fact that I was not feeding it any carbs or fat, and it wasn’t shy on letting me know how it felt. I was super irritable and constantly hungry for a good 2 weeks.
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How were you able to continue this rigorous workout/diet plan consistently without breaking? What was your motivation?
MINIMIZE (2/3) Were there any particular moments that you can recall where you almost gave up? Were there any blind spots where you allowed yourself to take a slight indulgence outside of the diet/workout plan? There actually wasn’t a time where I almost gave up; the diet wasn’t easy to begin with but I once I got used to it, it just became a part of my lifestyle. There was a time though when I was “forced” to drink when I went out on a Saturday. After the first time, I learned my lesson so I just stayed in. When others (family and friends) became aware of your decision to follow through with this plan, how did they respond to the idea? They thought I was nuts and thought that it couldn’t be done. They would tease me with sweets and then say, “Oh wait, you can’t have that, sorry.” I responded with, “We will see who has the last laugh.” Would you recommend this diet/workout plan to others? If so, is there any additional advice that you would offer to those people since you have experienced and completed the plan yourself? If you want to look good and shed a lot of weight in a very short period of time, then I would
Protein Shake
Lunch:
Chicken Breast Vegetables
Snack:
Can of Tuna Hard-boiled Egg Whites Protein Shake
Post-workout:
Protein Shake
Dinner:
Turkey Breast Vegetables
Bedtime:
Protein Shake
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Breakfast:
DAILY DIET
MINIMIZE (3/3) absolutely recommend this diet. I lost a total of 10 kg (22 lbs) during the cutting phase while retaining all muscle. The most important thing is to stay focused; try to visualize how you would look at the end of your diet. Or watch Pumping Iron or other Hollywood films featuring men overdosed on testosterone flaunting their masculinity. Do you have any plans for new diet/workout regimen ideas in your near future? Not in the near future, but I’m always willing to try new and extreme diets; it keeps my life interesting, as sad as it sounds. So, I’ll probably think of something later on.
Exercise #1
Monday
Lying Machine Squats
Exercise #2 Exercise #3 Cycling: 60 minutes
Lying Machine Calf Raises
Lying Leg Curls
Exercise #4
Leg extensions
Cycling: 60 minutes Tuesday
Deadlift
Bent-over Barbell Rows
Wide-grip Lat Pulldowns
Close-grip Lat Pulldowns
Cycling: 60 minutes Wednesday
Barbell Bench Press
Incline Smith Machine Press
Cable Crossovers
Pec Flys
Cycling: 60 minutes Thursday
Dumbell Curls
Dumbell Hammer Curls
Tricep extensions
Rope pulldowns
Cycling: 60 minutes
Smith Machine Shoulder Press
Barbell Upright Rows
Bent-over Rear Deltoid Raise
Saturday
Cycling: 90 minutes
Sunday
Cycling: 90 minutes
Note
Morning Cardio, Evening Weights - 5 sets per exercise
Shoulder Shrugs
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Friday
PINNACLE (1/3)
an interview with jason waller
Why “Pinnacle TheHustler”? Where did this name originate from? Well, I took on the name “Pinnacle” when I was in Middle School. I learned it in a vocabulary book. Pinnacle basically means “the highest point”, and this is what I’ve always wanted to achieve in whatever endeavor I choose, whether it be law, teaching, writing or music. “TheHustler” was essentially an acknowledgement to the people that had an appreciation for the things I do. When I moved out to Korea, my friends back home would kind of joke with me by saying things like, “man, you’re always hustlin’, now you’re in Korea!” Or, “I’m going to start calling you ‘Pinnacle the hustler’”. I liked the way “Pinnacle the hustler” sounded, so I decided to add “TheHustler” behind “Pinnacle”. Almost as if I was creating a new persona; first name, last name; Pinnacle TheHustler.
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We saw your CULTURE debut in the 2010 Winter issue. How has your music developed or progressed since then? Well, since then, I created an LLC called “Planet Hustle”. Also, I’ve been on the cover of two magazines and I (along with my co-host, Elliott Ashby) acquired a radio show called “Night Vibe” on TBS eFM 101.3 that airs 7 days week (10pm–midnight). Furthermore, I’ve had the opportunity to travel to more places in Korea to perform.
PINNACLE (2/3)
With regards to your radio show, could you tell us a little about the program? What’s the show’s purpose? How do you try to make it unique from other radio DJ’s trying to get more exposure on the radiowaves? Night Vibe is a high-energy, action packed radio show that boasts impromptu skits, character changes and reoccurring segments, all from two radio hosts, Pinnacle TheHustler and Elliott Ashby. Each night yields a different theme and a different guest:
You had a recent concert/show in Busan earlier this summer, could you share your thoughts on the overall vibe and outcome of that event? It was an absolutely wonderful event, the vibe down there was spectacular! It felt like an old school hip hop event! DJ Tom Slick and Judonomi had the crowd going crazy, Black Ilumin and Trouble Makerz had amazing performance, and I wasn’t too shabby myself. However, it’s unfortunate that the main promoter of the event, John Fox, didn’t pay everyone the money that he promised them. I’m hoping that we can do another event in Busan to that caliber, but, this time, make sure everyone gets paid properly. What kind of preparations went into carrying out an event like that? Did you run into any obstacles along the way? Well, the preparations for the Busan trip were very extensive because I set up a private 21
Have you endured any setbacks or hardships with your music career since your time in Korea? Of course I have. On a societal level, it’s truly not easy being Black in Korea. Moreover, as a musician and a radio host, many times I am put into a box where I’m only expected to create and/ or play only Hip Hop music. However, once you overcome, those hardships become your springboard for success. For example, when I play with my band, Pinnacle & The Antidote, some attendees in the audience are shocked to see a young, Black emcee performing with a rock band. I’ve experienced, on more than one occasion, a nonblack person coming up to me to say something like “man, I hate hip hop/ I thought this was going to turn into a rap show, but I really loved your show, man.” Or, on Night Vibe, we’ll make it a point to play multiple genres, ranging from K-Pop–Hip Hop, from Indie Rock–R&B. We just simply play good music; and I’ve heard from many people that they weren’t expecting us to play too much more than Hip-hop and R&B. It’s funny that it’s unfathomable to so many people that an African American emcee can perform with a rock band or is even cognizant of bands like Jane’s Addiction or artists like James Blake, but, given these circumstances, I guess it makes me all the more cooler. =)
bus to take down people from Seoul that wanted to attend the event. It was very successful, I am planning on having another event in Busan at Vinyl Underground on Saturday, September 24.
PINNACLE (3/3)
Do you have any other shows coming up within the next 2 –3 months? If so, can you give us any small promos regarding them? Sure, I’ll have a show Pinnacle & The Antidote on August 20 at Stompers in Itaewon. It will be free to everyone that goes to www.facebook. com/pnamusic and “likes” our fan page! Also, the Busan event that I just previously mentioned. As any artist, continually developing one’s own style and image is an ongoing process. Do you have any near future goals set up for yourself? Anything you want to accomplish in particular with your music by the end of 2011? Well, I was in the process of creating an LP which was to be entitled, the “North Korea LP”, but due to a professional disassociation, this project is incomplete. I intend on completing this LP by the end of 2011.
Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
Sunday
Funk & Soul Music, with a different guest interviews each week. “Rhythm & Groove”—All R&B music. Guest Segment: “Get Out The House With Mean Gene”—this is a segment where Mean Gene tells us about cool stuff to do around Korea or even in different countries, i.e. how to go sky diving, low-cost airlines, etc. “Whatever We Want Wednesdays”—we pick different themes, i.e. colors, elements, numbers, and play songs that match the themes. Guest segment: “Kickin It With Mimi” —Mimi comes in with a run down of the hottest events going on in Seoul. “Fresh Produce”—The newest music from all genres that came out for that week. Guest Segment: “What’s Poppin With Poppa Red”—Poppa Red brings in underground music and gives us a run down of who these artists are. “The Pre-Game”—Club music to get you ready to start your Friday night right. Guest segment: “Live Set With DJ Tom Slick”—DJ Tom Slick takes over the last part of the show mixing on the turntables. “The Movement”—All Hip Hop music, all night long. We take it back from the old school to current Hip Hop. Guest Segment: “Tha Underground With Soomin”—Soomin brings in current underground music and underplayed old school music and provides information about the artist(s). “Top 5 Live/Smooth Sundays”. The first hour of show is dedicated to a battle called Top 5 Live, where Elliott and I display our list of top 5 female vocalists, dumbest songs ever, best soundtracks, etc. During the second hour of the show, we slow things down for Smooth Sundays, this is when we play slower tempo, relaxing music of all genres. It’s the perfect way to end your weekend and start your week! 22
Monday Tuesday
Night Vibe