2018 서울매거진 7월 전체(웹용 단면) by Seoul Selection

RICE REVIVAL

SONGNIDAN-GIL

NATURAL DAEJEON

Koreaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most beloved cereal grain experiences a renaissance

Gangnam embraces the slow, creative and artistic

The forests and mountains near Daejeon offer respite from the heat

ISSUE NO. 180

ISSN: 1599-9963

JULY 2018

Barley Field, Gochang 고창 보리밭

As I was shooting a pictorial against the backdrop of the barley fields just before sunset, I said, “OK! Let’s head to the final shoot location.” I think the model was the most excited at that very moment. Photographer/director Park Kyoung Goo, a.k.a. Keige, currently runs Nine Project, a photography and film production company that has done celebrity pictorials, album jackets and print advertisements as well as personal and family work. The company now produces and directs commercials and music videos. See more of Park’s work on Instagram at @director_keige.

The Lens

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EDITOR’S NOTE Publisher Kim Hyunggeun (Hank Kim) Editor-in-Chief Robert Koehler Copy Editor Anna Bloom Head Designer Cynthia Fernández Advertising & Sales/Producer & Coordinator Ha Gyungmin About the Cover Models Lim Jung-ah and Choi Gil-heon at Songnidan-gil Photographed by Hwang Sun-young Address 2nd fl., 43 Bukchon-ro 5-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul 03061, Korea / Tel 82-2-734-9567 Fax 82-2-734-9562 / E-mail hankinseoul@gmail.com / Website magazine.seoulselection.com / Registration No. 서울 라 09431 / Copyright by Seoul Selection Printed by (주) 평화당 (Tel 82-2-735-4001) All rights reserved. No part of this publication covered by the copyright hereon may be reproduced in any form or by any means – graphic, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise – without the written consent of the publishers.

Jamsil’s “Songnidan-gil” brings a bit of Gangbuk charm south of the Hangang River. Like other hip neighborhoods such as Gyeongnidan-gil, Mangwon-dong and Seongbuk-dong, Songnidan-gil boasts cozy alleyways lined by trendy eateries and cafés, in front of which long queues of smartly dressed young couples stand, smartphones in hand, Instagram accounts at the ready. At the same time, Songnidan-gil embraces its Gangnam heritage. The Lotte World Tower, the world’s fifth largest building, looms over the neighborhood like a giant, and within easy walking distance are lakes, parks, an amusement park and Seoul’s biggest shopping mall. This brings a mix of people quite different from some of the city’s other hot spots. Also in this issue, we look at rice’s revival, roam the forests and mountains near Daejeon, visually explore Seoul at night and more.

Contents The Lens

Leisure

Barley Field, Gochang 2

Seoul at Night 30 A Treasure Trove of History, Leisure and Culture 32

ADVERTISING

Korean Keyword

To advertise in SEOUL, call (02) 734-9567 or email seoulad@seoulselection.com or hankinseoul@gmail.com

Byeoldajul 6

정기구독 안내

Drinks Column

Seoul at Your Fingertips 8

Soju: A Sophisticated Return to its Traditional Past 34

Feature

Travel

Rice Revival 10

A Green Escape 36

Exploring Seoul

Arts & Culture 44

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Rice Revival Koreaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most beloved cereal grain experiences a renaissance Written by Hahna Yoon

Exploring Seoul

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Any young Korean who has tried to serve pasta to their grandparents knows how the older generation prefers to eat their spaghetti as a side dish to rice. Meanwhile, a mother might scold her teenage son for his eating habits, saying, “You told me you had lunch, but you only ate bread!” As the word for rice, bap, is nearly synonymous with “food,” the significance of rice in society cannot be overstated. It’s so important, in fact, that the greeting “Did you eat bap?” is as common as “How are you?” While the steady supply of rice over the last several decades may have made it possible for young people to take their rice for granted, we are now seeing a revived interest in this favorite cereal. Home-style restaurants that promote rice as their main feature are popping up all over the country, and more and more people are switching over from plain white rice to brown rice and white rice mixed with nutritious grains. This is about more than culinary trends or health fads. Indeed, Korea’s changing perception of rice is tied to its growing economic power and its national self-identity.

White rice versus multigrain rice Rice has been a dietary staple, a measurement of wealth and an important cultural item since the Neolithic era.

Some scholars say rice may have been introduced to the central region of the Korean Peninsula as early as the third millennium B.C. Cultivation later expanded to regions further south, where techniques improved. Full-scale rice farming began during the Bronze Age. For much of Korea’s history, there have been units of measurement related to rice. For instance, a majigi — approximately half an acre — is the amount of land that can be sowed with a bushel of seed. Only the privileged could afford to eat white rice at every meal. Commoners substituted or mixed white rice with grains such as barley, sorghum and millet. Two working-class examples are multigrain rice, or japgokbap, made with barley, black rice, brown rice, green peas and short grain rice, and five grain rice, or ogokbap, a mixture of glutinous rice, black beans, African millet and sweet red beans.

A national symbol in a new world Although rice has been a national symbol for ages, it wasn’t until the 1960s that rice became commonly available and until even more recently that consumers could be choosy about the rice they purchase. During the colonial era, the imperial authorities promoted modern farming, increasing rice yields. Much of the

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harvest, however, was taken to Japan, forcing Koreans to resort to grain substitutes. Rice shortages were rampant during World War II and throughout the Korean War. After independence, the newly founded Korean government discouraged rice-heavy diets, promoting instead the introduction of wheat bread into the diet. During the mid-1980s, foreign goods flooded the country, especially leading up to the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul. In her 2015 book, “Re-orienting Cuisine,” Kim Kwang-ok notes that some intellectuals, displeased by the drastic changes in the foodscape, began engaging in activism to protect and preserve “national foods,” one of which was rice. Nevertheless, ever more pervasive Western fast food chains such as McDonalds and KFC and “family restaurants” such as T.G.I. Friday’s and Coco’s challenged the primacy of the traditional rice-centric diet.

Falling numbers, rising interest Though it may seem counterintuitive, the story of rice’s rebound begins with falling rice consumption. According to the national statistical office, Statistics Korea, rice consumption per capita hit a fresh new low

in January of 2016. Per capita rice consumption fell from 130.1 kilograms in 1984 to 104.9 kilograms in 1996 and only 61.9 kilograms in 2016. On the surface, this might lead one to believe that interest in rice is declining in favor of bread and other Western foods. Experts and analysts believe, however, that people are finding new ways to consume their rice, even if they are reducing their rice intake overall. Moreover, rice surpluses over the years have encouraged companies to find new and creative ways to use available rice. At the same time, people are diversifying their diets with alternatives to rice such as wheat, barley, beans and corn.

Grains for gains It may seem ironic that as the nation grows ever more prosperous, Koreans increasingly value the common man’s rice. Dr. Lee Haeng-shin’s 2013 book, “South Korea’s Entry to the Global Food Economy,” confirms that while white rice is on the decline, the intake of whole grains has been on the rise. The article, which studies the shifts in consumption of foods between 1998 and 2009 based on data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, finds that

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the proportion of the population consuming whole grains doubled from 24 percent to 46.3 percent. Likewise, consumption of whole grains doubled over the same period. While it is easy to observe the increasing sales of multigrain rice, the question of why rice and why now is not quite as straightforward. The revival of grainheavy rice is inevitably tied to the healthy living trend, the so-called “wellbeing” trend that dominated the country between 2006 and 2011. In a 2011 Korean article entitled “White Rice Loses and Multi-Grain Rice Comes Ahead,” the business paper Money Today notes an increase in sales of brown rice, or hyeonmi, on the online shopping mall G-Market.

Sintoburi In “Re-orienting Cuisine,” Kim theorizes that changes in rice patterns — or for that matter, the recent renaissance of culinary cuisine in Korea — can be interpreted as a manifestation of the Buddhist philosophy of sintoburi. Translated as “body and earth are one,” sintoburi asserts, as Kim explains, that “health is maintained only when human physiology maintains harmony with food, which is produced by the water, soil, air, wind and sunshine in the land where the person lives.” Kim also suggests that with Korea being a crossroads between increasing nationalism and growing Westernization, people are rediscovering the past, even on the dinner table. “Along with growing nationalistic fever, these movements earned popular acclaim as a form of resistance against the modernization,” she says. “Eating rice, grains and vegetables ... came into fashion among the middle class. Foods once rejected as backwards by Koreans due to Western distaste have been re-embraced due to advances in both food science and cultural nationalism.”

Revival of native rice species As people take renewed joy in eating rice, farmers are rediscovering Korea’s indigenous species of rice. Up until the end of Joseon, Korea boasted a multitude of local variants of rice. A survey conducted by the Japanese at the start of the colonial era revealed no fewer than 1,451 species of rice. Most of these disappeared during the first half of the 20th century, however, when the imperial authorities introduced rice species from Japan in a bid to boost yields to exploit. The introduction in the 1970s of so-called Tongil Rice, a disease-resistant breed with high yields, greatly helped alleviate rural poverty, but it also pushed aside many of the indigenous breeds that had managed somehow to survive the colonial era. A handful of farmers, however, have begun efforts

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Up until the end of Joseon, Korea boasted a multitude of local variants of rice. A survey conducted by the Japanese at the start of the colonial era revealed no fewer than 1,451 species of rice. Most of these disappeared during the first half of the 20th century, however, when the imperial authorities introduced rice species from Japan in a bid to boost yields to exploit.

to save indigenous breeds of rice. In a small town just west of Seoul, for instance, Lee Geun Yi of WooBo Farm cultivates a variety of indigenous species of rice, including four breeds that were served during the state dinner held during U.S. President Donald Trump’s visit to Korea in November. The National Agrobiodiversity Center stores seeds for about 350 indigenous breeds of rice. Raising indigenous rice isn’t easy work, though. Though local breeds possess a wild beauty, they are also remarkably resistant to mechanized agriculture. Put a mechanized planter or harvester in a field of indigenous rice, and it’s likely to get tangled up. This makes cultivating indigenous rice a time-consuming labor of love.

Alternative uses for rice As rice surpluses have skyrocketed, government agencies as well as big business have been exploring ways to capitalize on leftover rice. In 2010, the Korean government gave stockpiles of rice to food companies, encouraging them to make rice-based products such as Korean snacks, bread, noodles, makgeolli, beer and other types of alcohol. Industry leaders such as CJ Cheiljedang, Nongshim, Pulmuone and Orion played a large part in developing these goods. Jang Jae-gu, a manager of the public relations division of Nongshim, told the English language daily Korea Herald, “The

company saw vast potential in rice, as it is symbolic of ‘health’ and ‘nutrition’ for the nation.” Alcohol has been one of the biggest targets of investments for rice surplus. There has even been a movement for “pure, chemical free” makgeolli as exemplified by brands such as Slow Village and Boksoondoga in recent years. Alternative uses for rice have not been limited to food and dining. Even makeup companies such as Skinfood have been jumping on the bandwagon with their rice-based facemasks. In autumn of 2017, Artspace Boan 1942 held an exhibition entitled “To Eat as an Art, Ssal” that examined traditional rice through contemporary art installations, video art, talks and seminars. The exhibition explored how the life of rice intertwines with our own, pondering the traditional role rice plays in our world.

The future of rice The future of rice is hard to predict. Over the past year or two, the trend of mixing into rice superfoods such as lentils and quinoa has increased the availability of Western grains in Korean supermarkets. While rice consumption is predicted to decline even further over the next decade, the current mood indicates that the traditional bowl of rice, while changing, won’t be disappearing anytime soon.

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송리단길

A Very Different Gangnam Style Songnidan-gil brings a slower, younger, more artistic vibe to Seoul’s posh south Written and photographed by Robert Koehler

The café Seoulism boasts one of the finest rooftop views in Seoul.

Exploring Seoul

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Songnidan-gil's trendy restaurants and cafés draw a younger crowd.

When you think of Gangnam, you imagine gleaming skyscrapers, neon lights, luxury boutiques, even more luxurious apartments, multimillion dollar entertainment companies, tides of humanity moving in and out of Gangnam Station. Well, Songnidan-gil isn’t that. Except for the gleaming skyscraper. Lining the stretch of road running southward through the low-rise, mostly residential district just south of East Seokchon Lake, Songnidan-gil espouses a slower, simpler, more visual way of doing things. Creative, sophisticated and, above all, young, the neighborhood embraces the gritty urban aesthetic pioneered by older neighborhoods north of the Hangang River; at the same time, it retains a distinctly Gangnam allure, with lakes, parks, mega malls and the 123-story Lotte World Tower all within easy reach.

No ordinary —nidan-gil Like other so-called “—nidan-gil” neighborhoods like Mangwon-dong’s “Mangnidan-gil” and Geumho-dong’s “Geumnidan-gil” (featuring in the June issue of SEOUL),

Songnidan-gil’s name playfully combines the location — Songpa-dong — with the granddaddy of Seoul’s alleyway hotspots, Itaewon’s Gyeongnidan-gil. Though the neighborhood really came into its own only last year, when it caught fire on social media, its evolution from quiet residential backwater to one of the city’s trendiest destinations began in 2014, when the Lotte World Mall opened on the northern shore of Seokchon Lake. Seoul’s largest shopping complex drew many more young people to the Jamsil area with a mix of commerce and culture, hosting popular, highly Instagrammable public art events such as Florentijn Hofman’s “Rubber Duck” and Craig & Karl’s “Hi Spirits,” a collaborative exhibit with Line Friends. It wasn’t long before some of these young people discovered the relatively low rents across the lake and began opening places of their own. To be sure, you’ll be tripping over hip, Instaready cafés, restaurants and boutiques, some of them local branches of popular shops from other “it” spots like Ikseon-dong and Yeonnam-dong. Nevertheless, Songnidan-gil differs in significant ways.

Exploring Seoul

Another Sunday couples coffee with traditional Korean rice cakes.

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Sammat Hotteok does Korean snacks with retro charm.

21 Ririrhim Studio's handicrafts and artwork celebrate nature and the environment.

22 At the end of almost every alleyway stands the 123-story Lotte World Tower.

Gabaedo serves sakurambo tea and panna cotta with panache.

Gabaedo's masterful use of space is one reason it has a waiting list to get in.

Seoul’s other “—nidan-gil” hot spots are north of the Hangang River, in the older part of the city where gritty residential and industrial districts are many. Songnidangil, however, is south of the river, in Gangnam, the newer, posher Seoul, where swank has historically trumped hip. Accordingly, just beyond this oasis of small-scale millennial cool are a lake (Seokchon Lake), an amusement park (Lotte World), a sprawling urban park (Olympic Park), a giant stadium (Olympic Stadium), one of Seoul’s largest malls (Lotte World Mall) and one of the world’s tallest buildings (Lotte World Tower), the last one visible at the end of nearly every alleyway in the neighborhood. And just beyond those are COEX, the corporate headquarters of Tehran-ro and the electric nightlife districts of Gangnam Station. This not only provides Songnidan-gil’s residents and visitors more leisure options, but also ensures a crowd that is both steady and diverse.

Something to eat The neighborhood is blessed with plenty of fine eateries where good food meets youthful design. One of the more popular ones is Mizza Sikdang (T. 02-425-0809), a fusion joint where the specialties include donkatsu with pollock roe and curry with crab and spinach. The food is good and the prices reasonable, but be prepared to wait

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in line, even if you get there early. Two doors down is Vert Vert (T. 010-9414-8094), a sandwich and salad bar popular with the brunch crowd. Another great little sandwich bar is New Zealand Story (T. 070-7523-6265), where the menu boasts some beautifully prepared and creatively named sandwiches, salads and soups. For a taste of Taiwan, try the beef noodle soup at Mienai (T. 02-422-0652). Even better, the open kitchen means you can watch the chefs prepare your meal as you wait. Menya Hanabi (T. 070-8959-1108) and Manfuku (T. 02-424-4702) serve delightful, simply prepared Japanese dishes — Nagoya-style noodles at the former, Japanese home cooking at the latter. ChangHwaDang, the Ikseon-dong dumpling shop, has opened a shop in Songnidan-gil. Like the original, it’s almost always full too, suggesting that they’re doing something right. On the same road is a branch of the Wangsimni dessert café Sammat Hotteok (T. 02-4237676), where you, too, can experience the unmitigated joy that is their Italian Hotteok. The flavors of the New World are well represented, too. God Eat (T. 02-487-9451) does some of the finest burritos and tacos this side of the Hangang River. Downtowner (T. 0507-1317-3696), the renowned

Downtowner's sign says it all.

Hannam-dong burger joint, has brought their Avocado Burgers and delectable fries here, too.

Editor’s Pick: Ririrhim Hidden in a quiet alley off Songnidan-gil’s main road, Ririrhim is a design studio, workshop and concept store offering handicrafts and artworks with a nature theme, including handmade candles, postcards and canvas tote bags. They also host classes on candle making and other crafts. T. 010-5425-5683

Coffee with class and one helluva view You can’t walk five meters in Songnidan-gil without passing a tastefully appointed place to caffeinate. Café Edit (T. 070-7787-2214) is a bit off the main drag, but it’s friendly and really brings the cute. To impress your Instagram friends, order the colorful Aurora Drink — the blue comes from tea infused with flowers. February Roasters (T. 0507-1420-1005) serves proper coffee in a minimalist setting. For something different, try their Espresso Green Tea Latte. Seoulism (@seoulism_gallerycafe) may be the neighborhood’s most popular café, and certainly it’s most photographed. And for good reason, too — the rooftop space boasts a jaw-dropping panorama of the Jamsil area, including, of course, Lotte World Tower. You might have to wait a bit to enter, but trust us, the view is worth every minute of it.

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Just as popular is Gabaedo (T. 02-423-4542), a Japanese-inspired café hidden on the second floor of an old commercial building. Many customers liken the place, with its vintage Japanese decor, to a visit to Kyoto itself. This writer ordered the sakurambo tea and panna cotta. He was impressed by both. In the mood for something a bit more Korean? Head to Another Sunday (T. 0507-1317-1031), a tiny, vintageinspired café serving creative takes on traditional Korean rice cakes, including a delightful steamed white rice cake, or seolgi, topped with cream. The artistically minded should head to MOCA (T. 02-421-2221), a basement café that doubles as an art gallery.

Best days still ahead? Songnidan-gil is hot, and it’s going to get hotter. Though you currently have to walk five or 10 minutes from Jamsil Station to reach the neighborhood, a subway station for Line 9 will open in October at Bangi Intersection, right at the entrance of Songnidan-gil. The subway will also connect the place more fully with other places in Gangnam, so expect bigger crowds and more energy later in the year. As the owner of one café said, “Many commercial spaces trying different things are popping up, and with the subway set to open, I think the neighborhood will gradually grow more lively.”

MOCA mixes coffee and conversation with art.

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Mienai ChangHwaDang

Manfuku

Sammat Hotteok Moca

New Zealand Story

February Roasters

Mizza Sikdang

Seoulism

Vert Vert Gabaedo Downtowner

Ririrhim

Another Sunday Café Edit

Seokchon Stn.

Seokchon Station (Line 8), Exit 2. Walk three blocks, turn left and you're there.

February Roasters does a mean Espresso Green Tea Latte.

For the Love of Noodles Chef Lim Soo Ho brings his unique take on Pyeongchang-style noodles at Namgyeong Makguksu Written by Jennifer Flinn Photographed by Romain John

There’s more than just buckwheat flavoring the noodles at Namgyeong Makguksu. Love is in the air: Love for Korean tradition, for a Pyeongchang grandmother, for a wife, the texture and chew and smell of the humble makguksu noodle, and for the ingredients that best enhance it. Chef Lim Soo Ho is a man brimming over with love for his noodles, his customers, and his life. “I’m not a person with a background in food. I was just a regular office worker, but I left it all to cook Pyeongchang-style buckwheat noodles,” Lim recalls. “At my company I was doing well. I had a place to live, I had friends, but I went on vacation and started thinking, ‘How can I live more happily?’ I wanted to try something I’d never done before.” Most people would have taken up a hobby. Chef Lim

quit his job, gave up the life he’d built, and told everyone he was moving back to his hometown of Pyeongchang in Gangwon-do to learn how to cook — no matter what anyone else thought of his plans. “I didn’t know how to cook anything,” says Lim, who faced some steep opposition. “All my friends and family hated the idea. When I showed up in Pyeongchang, I wanted to learn from a local grandmother, but even she told me I was crazy. Who is this young single guy who wants to learn to make noodles? The neighbors were nice, but they thought I was nuts and looked at me funny. The grandmother finally said, ‘Bring your wallet and come.’ I studied under her for three years before I finally came back to Seoul to start my restaurant.”

Chef Im Soo Ho (right) and Chef Jeong UiSeong of Namgyeong Makguksu

Dining | Chef Interview

Pursuing the taste of a grandmother’s noodles Lim’s first venture into noodle making went better than anyone could have hoped. All the people who questioned his ambitions ate their words as he found a space and started working his magic with buckwheat. But after being in business for a while, Chef Lim started to doubt his skills. People started to say that the flavors weren’t quite there, and maybe the quality was declining because Lim was getting bored with his venture. “I delayed reopening for three months to see what I was really good at, what I really loved. It turns out it was really the taste of that grandmother’s noodles, my teacher. I got good feedback from one of my regular customers, who told me not to do it the way the chains were doing it but the way I had originally been doing it. I had to keep doing it by hand, using the best ingredients. It’s the flavor of that granny’s noodles. From that point on, I started to relax and enjoy it again.” “I’m only looking to feed people who are really desiring these noodles. I’m so grateful to see people coming to enjoy my noodles,” says Lim. “I’m not doing this for the money. I want to give strength to people and live happily. That’s my ultimate goal.” If any noodles are capable of bestowing strength and happiness, it’s Lim’s makguksu. His buckwheat noodles manage the magic feat of being simultaneously chewy and tender, whether served in a thick, spicy sauce or in a clean, refreshing broth with gentle sourness. For real aficionados of the nutty, savory noodles, he also serves a sauceless version, and another topped only with

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ground wild perilla seeds, which turns it into a dish simultaneously rich and austere.

A love story with extra slurping The restaurant brought Lim more than just the satisfaction of running a business that makes him happy. It brought him love. “I met my wife as a customer,” Lim says, grinning from ear to ear. “She wrote her number on a napkin and left it for me! I was so busy those days, and I didn’t get around to calling her for almost a week. She was really annoyed! But it worked out well in the end, and now we’re married and have a baby together.” Without his delicious noodles, he wouldn’t have the family he has now. His brother joined him in the kitchen, making and serving up noodles. Lim gives them a lot of credit for the success of Namgyeong Makguksu. “My brother and wife are there to support me all the time.” As for the future, Lim’s path is clear: “The hardest thing is now to do it for a long time, to make a restaurant that can last for a hundred years or more. To make good, deep roots for what we’re doing. Lots of people want me to turn it into a franchise, but no matter what, it must stay true to the granny’s noodles.”

Namgyeong Makguksu 207-13, Jamsil-dong, Songpa-gu 02-417-0060

Songpa Dining Neighborhoods Songnidan-gil 송리단길 Songpa-gu 송파구

45-gil Baekjegobun-ro, Songpa-gu

Written by Cynthia Yoo Photos by Romain John

The city’s largest and most populated district, Songpa-gu is undergoing a dining renaissance

It’s official. Songnidan-gil is now on the map. Found behind Seokchon Lake, 45-gil Baekjaegobun-ro stretches into a growing neighborhood of hip, tasty eats, cafés and bars. The name itself is a play on Gyeongnidan-gil, a virtual food theme park found in Itaewon that’s now synonymous with all things youthful, global and hip. It’s a recent change and the neighborhood is still full of the usual basic but nondescript eateries selling barbecue, fried chicken and hoe. Seokchon Lake was famous too for its row of big, bland, and overpriced cafés and “Italian” eateries, with nothing but lakeside views to boast of. Recently, genuinely good eats like Ilil Hyang (02-421-8900) and Little Papa BEP (02-416-2788) have muscled into the main drag along with small soba shops, bakeries and izakayas, promising something more distinctive and delicious. Easiest way to begin your Songnidangil adventures is to enter the road at the corner of Ilil Hyang, famous for its eohyang dongo and old-fashioned jjamppong. Only a block in, you might notice a long line of folks waiting for their bowl of maze soba at Menya Hanabi (070-8559-1108). It’s a sight you’ll see again and again at popular but small restaurants like Manfuku (02-424-4702), famous for its salmon belly don and crazy long lines. If you do have the patience for small restaurants

and long lines, look no further than Mizza Sikdang (02-425-0809), with its homestyle-Japanese cooking and retro interior design. Not a fan? Try Niente (0704001-7846) across the road, also run by the folks at Mizza Sikdang. Here, it’s pasta, pork chops and panna cotta but there’s no lines, as they take dinner reservations. The neighborhood is also seeing a growing number of new Songpa branches of popular restaurants across the city. Jamsil residents can now line up for avocado burgers at their very own Downtowner (070-8868-3696). Tip: Order take-out and eat at Seokchon Lake. Feeling tacos? Try the local God Eat (02-487-9451). Ikseondong’s ChangHwaDang has a new Jamsil branch (02-411-6078) with much shorter lines for its dumplings and noodles. And a new Song Chef branch (02-4211178) can battle it out with the Seokchon Lake branch of Ilil Hyang. Note: It might not be that easy as Song’s owner-chef worked at Ilil Hyang and his restaurant features essentially the same menu. The crowds used to fill the streets of Seokchon Lake just for the Cherry Blossom Festival but now the new eats and cafés of Songnidan-gil draw them in throughout the year.

Dining | Dining Out

Saemaeul Market 새마을시장 Songpa-gu 송파구

12 gil Seokchonhosu-ro, Songpa-gu

Food Courts 푸드코트 Songpa-gu 송파구

Lotte, Garden 5, Tower 730

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Tucked in between huge apartment complexes, there’s a decades-old traditional market, Saemaeul Market. It survived the competition from supermarket chains, department stores and online shopping by offering a wide range of produce and foodstuff at competitive prices. The local business owners continually made improvements and modernized, including offering delivery services. Their efforts were

recognized by the city with the market’s recent official registration as a traditional market. It’s easy to make an afternoon of it at the market, shopping and trying out some of the popular eats. On a rainy day, try out one of the bindaetteok and pajeon restaurants with a bottle or two of makgeolli. The market fried chicken joints are delicious and super-cheap, but there’s also the popular Kim Panjoe Dak Gangjeong (02-421-4792) selling sweet and spicy sauced chicken fritters. Another famous take-out joint is Pao Pao (02-4129198) famous for its shrimp dumplings. But it’s not all chicken or fowl, and jokbal fans can head to Gongssinae (02-418-7197) famous for its jokbal and bossam available for take-out and dine-in. Bunsik shops line the market, so try the spicy tteokbokki and fritters at Color Bunsik (070-4078-1172) and Kketip Dakgangjeong (02-2203-1770).

Mall food is not a pejorative term for Songpa residents. They grew up with the bapjip and bunsik shops in the small arcades located inside each apartment complex. Even today, most families get their banchan and quick and cheap meals at the basement food stalls. Some have become franchises of their own, like the all-you-can-eat tteokbokki, Buwung Ppabang (02-4158033). Jangmi arcade has its Jeongsun Hambak (070-7721-1330), famous for its old-fashioned hambak steak. Ricenz arcade

are some good quality bapjips like Surasun (02-420-7775) and sushi joint, Choi Sushi (02-2202-5518). Of course these days, Lotte is ramping up its mall food line-up. The department store renewed its basement food hall and scouted famous Korean and international eateries into its “Open Dining Pub”. The newer Lotte World Mall is a smorgasbord of local and international restaurants and cafés. Try the signature pancake brunch at the elegant Bills (02-3213-4185), but there’s also chicken and waffles at Korea’s first Bruxie outlet (02-3212-4790). Garden 5 offers outlet shopping and more mall food, but if the selection is overwhelming, there’s a more edited line-up at Tower 730. The basement dining floor features the craft beer brewery and restaurant Amazing Brewing Co. (02-4205208).

Seoul at Night Photographer Noe Alonzo captures the beauty of a city that comes alive when the sun goes down Photography and captions by Noe Alonzo

Seoul has always been a night city in my eyes. There are shopping centers that are open 24 hours a day, people heading out for drinks with coworkers, families out enjoying dinner at their favorite restaurants, and there are lights everywhere. Night is the best time to see the city at its liveliest, but also at its most beautiful.

The jumbled and crowded stores with criss-crossing cables may not be appealing to most peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s eyes, but it is part of the city and is beautiful in its own way. Sometimes while walking down these old alleys, you come across beautiful views that you will not find in more polished areas.

Instagram.com/ noealzii Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easy to get lost in the crowd of people, especially in the streets of Seoul, but sometimes you just need to step back and find a nice rooftop bar with a view like this one in the middle of Jongro. There you can watch people go about their evening, having a laugh with friends, commuting to the next bar, or simply hanging outside a convenience store having a drink with friends.

Leisure | Nightlife

Seoul is a busy city with Jongro being the epicentre of activity during the evening. Jongro is one of the areas I enjoy shooting due to all the neon and LED lights all around. There are many people who head there after work for dinner or a drink with friends. Despite there being so many people, it’s not difficult to find intimate moments like this: a couple walking home after a night of socializing.

Gangnam has become synonymous with Seoul thanks to the hit song “Gangnam Style.” The Coex is located right outside Samseong Station, and its glitz and glamour are hard to miss. SM town, the cultural hub of SM Entertainment, is located directly behind it, so once people are done shopping, they hope to catch a glance of their famous K-pop artists

Motorcycle delivery is a staple of Seoul life. Restaurants have their own deliveryman or may be associated with a food delivery system allowing Seoulites to order anything they would like. In this shot, I came across this incredibly lit motorcycle delivery man. It seems almost cinematic on this rainy evening.

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When most people think of Dongdaemun, they think of the newly built spaceship-looking building. But Dongdaemun is actually an extremely large area that also caters to the locals. There was a man walking. Lured by the hof hosts, he took a look and decided it was the place for him.

Just a short walk outside of Jongro exit 5 you will come across the maze of alleys surrounding Gwangjang Market. It is much less sleek and dark than the neighboring areas. The alleys are quintessentially Korean and something you find less and less as new areas are developed. Getting lost in these pathways is something most tourists never experience, but they should.

A Treasure Trove of History, Leisure and Culture Olympic Park offers a space to reconnect with nature and the past Written by Lee Sang-ah Photographs courtesy of KSPO&CO

The bustle of the city fades quickly as you stroll through one of the paths at Olympic Park. Instead of the blare of sirens and the vroom of engines, birdcalls amidst a mild breeze surround you, and lush green trees and colorful flowers welcome you. Olympic Park may not be the first destination you might think of when in Songpa-gu, but the serenity and inner peace that this park offers is reason enough for Seoulites to visit. Moreover, Olympic Park â&#x20AC;&#x201D; home to a variety of animals that are hard to find in urban areas such as woodpeckers and raccoons â&#x20AC;&#x201D; epitomizes the dynamic city of Seoul, packed with history, leisure and culture.

Rich in history Olympic Park, managed by the Korea Sports Promotion Foundation (KSPO) was planned and constructed on the historic site of Hanseong Baekje, one of the ancient nations of the Korean Peninsula. This historic site of Baekje culture has changed a lot since it was confirmed as the site for the 1988 Seoul Olympic Stadium to

become what it looks like today. Amid the efforts to refurbish the area, Mongchontoseong Fortress, an earthen fortification surrounded by a deep moat from the third to fourth century, the era of Hanseong Baekje, was restored based on historical research. Precious relics and remains, including Baekje earthenware, weapons, fishing hooks, and stone mortars were excavated inside the wall.

Leisure | Diversions

These valuable historical artifacts are on display at both the Mongchon Museum of History and the Seoul Baekje Museum (open Tuesday to Sunday, free admission) in a corner of the park. Recently, Olympic Park has been adopting eco-friendly methods to maintain the park to preserve its past and present for coexistence between humans and nature, slowly transforming it into an ecological park.

Sports for all Olympic Park is also well known for its promenade. A housewife in the neighboring area who asked to stay anonymous said that she visited the park to exercise almost every day. Strolling through the park is relaxing, away from the complexity of the city, she said. There are five different walking courses across the park’s 1.421 square kilometer site, and a “stamp tour” is available to browse the top nine highlights of the park. A little sweat pays off with a small gift when the participants stamp the marks on the designated pamphlet with the proper seals at the nine highlights. The stamp tour course normally takes about two hours on foot, but there’s one more reward — while walking along the path in this eco-friendly park, participants can always be surrounded by green. Fitness facilities to enhance people’s wellbeing by helping them to improve their health is also one of the missions of this park. The swimming pool at Olympic Park boasts longer and deeper lanes then most local pools. Avid swimmers who want to experience the internationally standard 50-meter lane should take note because swimming pools open to the public in Seoul mostly have 25-meter lanes. Other sports facilities such as indoors tennis courts and a gymnastics stadium are also open to the public so that they can improve their health through leisure activities in a safe, accessible place.

Art and nature Almost 200 pieces of sculpture made by international artists are on display throughout the vast area of the park. As the artworks were selected from the International Sculpture Symposium and the International Sculpture Invitations, which were held as culture and art events of the 1988 Seoul Olympics, Olympic Sculpture Park was born on a global scale. Descriptions of the artwork are kindly provided in both Korean and English to help the international audience to appreciate them. Massive artworks displayed in the outdoor space give the audience the illusion of being in an artistic space in nature. Several sports complexes and halls are also used as venues for music concerts and performance. Concerts or events such as Sound City (international artists) and Genie Music Festival (Korean hip-hop and R&B) are slated to be held in the SK Handball Stadium

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this July. As all different sorts of events are scheduled to take place in various spots of the park, please check the website to find the relevant information.

Urban green space How long has passed since you last heard birds sing? You don’t need to go far. Even the sound of flowing water — which you’d normally hear near a brook or in the middle of the mountain — can be heard in this ecological park, where nature is in harmony with history, leisure and culture. Olympic Park is a good choice as a free time destination for all generations.

Olympic Park 424, Olympic-ro Songpa-gu, Seoul T. 02-410-1114 | www.olympicpark.co.kr

Soju: A Sophisticated Return to its Traditional Past There’s so much more to soju than the ubiquitous green bottle Written by Gloria J. Chang Photographed by Robert Koehler

You know of soju as the clear liquid magic (or headache) in little green bottles that accompany the sizzling grilled meat at Korean barbecue restaurants. Or maybe one of your favorite drinks is somaek, the blend of soju from same said bottle and mild Korean beer (maekju)? Friends, I have news for you: If the only soju you’ve had is from a cheap green bottle, you have not tasted the real stuff. Soju is one of three types of traditional Korean alcohol or jeontongju: takju, yakju and soju. Ju, as you’ve probably figured out, means alcoholic drink. All three types start with the same process. Rice is fermented with a wheat cake called nuruk, a fermentation starter that includes yeasts and molds that give jeontongju their characteristic taste. Once fermented, the cloudy liquid that settles to the bottom is called takju. You’ll know it as makgeolli, also available inexpensively, but in larger plastic bottles, that range in alcohol from 6 to 16% ABV. The transparent golden-colored liquid that rises to the top is called yakju, the premium drink reserved for royalty and the noble class in Korean history. You may know of it as cheongju, a name that many producers use today for marketing purposes, dissociating the drink from a name that sounds medicinal (yak also means medicine). Distill the yakju and you get soju: a clear, water-white alcohol that ranges from 20 percent to 50 percent ABV. What makes the green bottle soju not the real stuff? Because it’s made with the cheapest grains and fermented with a Japanese fermentation starter called koji, which results in a much simpler tasting alcohol. It is also volume distilled, diluted and then flavored with a variety of additives. History conspired to make this so. Though soju has been around since the 13th century, the Japanese Occupation outlawed the making of alcohol at home, which led to the commercial production of soju and other jeongtongju. In the 1960s following the Korean War when rice was scarce, a law banned the use of rice in the making of alcohol, which led distilleries to turn to sweet potatoes and tapioca for the alcoholic

Drinks Column

base. Though the ban on using rice to make alcohol was lifted in the late 1990s, today’s ubiquitous greenbottled soju is a highly distilled 95 percent ethanol that is diluted with water to between 17 and 25 percent ABV, and then flavored with sweeteners. Attempts to revive traditional soju came about in the 1990s as well, but now is the time to revel in artisanallymade jeontongju, including soju. A small but growing number of quality-conscious producers are making them as they were meant to be: fermented, filtered and distilled. So what does a properly made soju taste like? It can be smooth, rounded and aromatic. Or linear and more closed in personality and aromas. Rough or sweet, sour, fruity, spicy or nutty — good soju has a complexity of aromas and flavors.

Mr. Ahn’s Craft Makgeolli, a Korean restaurant and bar that serves a good selection of all three traditional jeontongju made without any additives in Gyeongnidan — as well as a very sophisticated take on traditional Korean cuisine — is one of two places I recommend to sip and revel in Korean traditional drinks. White Bear Makgeolli in Gangnam is the other. At Mr. Ahn’s, the soju menu is presented graphically along two scales. The horizontal X axis runs from plain or pure, to expressive or splendorous, while the vertical Y axis runs from smooth to rough. Here are three sojus to try — all in the smoother style. Order the Tong Samgyeobsal (통삼겹살), pork belly made sous vide and seasoned with doengjang to go with. You’ll wonder why you haven’t tried Korean soju, as it was meant to be made and drunk.

Where to sip Korean traditional alcoholic drinks: Mr. Ahn’s Craft Makgeolli Yongsan-gu, Itaewon-dong 257-4 T. 010-9965-5112 White Bear Makgeolli Gangnam-gu, Sinsa-dong 657-7 T. 02-540-7644

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풍정사계 둥 Pungjeongsaegye Dung 중정복도 정주 Jungjeongbukdo, Jeonju 화양 이한상 375 ml, 25% ABV This is the smoothest and plainest of the sojus served at Mr. Ahn’s. Clear and water white, it is smooth, slightly sweet, sour and yeasty. 이강주 Igangju 전라북도 전주 Jeollabukdo, Jeonju 전주 이강형 400 ml, 25% ABV Moving along the Y axis to the more expressive side, but still very much on the smooth side, this is the happy middle of the smoother sojus at Mr. Ahn’s and of my three recommendations. Clear and water white, the nose is more closed. On the palate are pears, cinnamon, ginger and nuts. 추성주 Chuseongju 전라남도 담양 Jeollanamdo, Damyang 주성고을 양대수 400 ml, 25% ABV On the most expressive and exuberant side, and slightly less smooth than the other two, this rounded and robust soju is clear and water white. Think roasty, chocolatey, spicy and perhaps even a hint of herbal medicine.

Exploring Seoul

장태산과 대둔산

A Green Escape Search for summer healing in the forests and mountains west of Daejeon Written and photographed by Nathaniel Merz

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Daedunsan’s photogenic pine trees make any sunrise more beautiful.

Summer rain often means beautiful skies in the mountains.

If the prospect of spending each day hopping between one air conditioned oasis to another sounds monotonous this summer, perhaps a trip outside of the city to greener — and cooler — surroundings is in order. Jangtaesan Recreational Forest and Daedunsan Provincial Park are two excellent options, both located 30 or 40 minutes south of Daejeon and both accessible by city bus.

An afternoon of healing “Healing” is a term that gets used often in advertising green spaces around the country, and in Jangtaesan, it appears the visitors have really taken the concept

to heart. Spaced evenly throughout the beautiful metasequoia trees are tents, picnic settings and even a few hammocks as families make the most of the cool shade and ample open space. Just a short walk away is a lotus pond where children take turns excitedly pointing out frogs swimming amongst the blooming lotus flowers and dragonflies landing on the lily pads. The amount of visitors on any nice weekend afternoon can admittedly be off-putting for some, but the relatively slow-paced atmosphere makes it far more relaxing than it ought to be.

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Crossing Daedunsanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cloud Bridge is a scenic thrill.

A forest adventure

Something for everyone

Any trip to Jangtaesan would be incomplete without a visit to the impossible-to-miss Skytower. Winding around the park a bit like a rollercoaster, the Skytower pathway takes visitors all throughout the metasequoia canopy and culminates at a spiraling tower that overlooks the forest and surrounding area. This short walk is certainly not without thrill, as the tower in particular can be quite wobbly. Nonetheless, the tower makes for a fun walk and an excellent place to grab a few photos.

Part of what makes Jangtaesan such a great summer getaway spot is that it really has something to offer a variety of visitors. When they are not out spotting frogs, children can play on the large playground or even right in the creek when things get really hot, and there is plenty of space for families to set up their own spot out of the way. With just over 5 kilometers of smooth walking and hiking trails, Jangtaesan is also quite popular with older family members looking a hiking experience that isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t quite so demanding.

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40 Skytower trail is a family-friendly adventure. Jangtaesanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

Exploring Seoul

The playground is a great place for cool forest fun.

A short pit stop While Jangtaesan itself does have a few convenience store-style cafés serving slushies, coffee and snacks, those in search of an Instagram-worthy spot should wait until the bus ride back, which makes a quick stop near Heukseongni Station at the very edge of southern Daejeon. Situated right across from a large rice paddy, the out-of-place Café Oneul caters almost exclusively to visitors on their way to and from Jangtaesan. After spending a long day walking around the the forest, proper espresso drinks and a variety of shaved ice options certainly provide an excellent pick-me-up and the cool interior offers the perfect place to end a day of relaxation and fun.

A different sort of healing For those in search of less crowded and more scenic weekend healing, head an extra 20 minutes south of Daejeon to Daedunsan Provincial Park. While certainly not the case in autumn when the beautiful fall landscape attracts large numbers of similarly brightly adorned hikers, summer in Daedunsan is a much quieter experience. That said, the lack of crowds certainly doesn’t mean the landscape is any less spectacular. Far from it — summer in Daedunsan brings lush foliage and beautiful morning fog for those who are adventurous enough to get there early and good views of summer

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meteor showers and the Milky Way for those brave enough to stay out late. Standing on the peak next to a miniature pine tree while fog rolls over the rocky cliffs is an experience that takes healing to new heights.

Endorphin rush Beating the crowds while enjoying such scenery doesn’t come easy. At 878 meters, Daedunsan isn’t anywhere near the highest peak of Korea, but the rocky path to the top is sure to get hearts pumping in even the fittest of hikers. Starting from the last bus stop at the Daedunsan rest area, the trail begins to climb quickly over a mix of small wooden stairs and large rocks before reaching the ridgeline that continues for an hour or so to the Nakjodae summit. From here, exploration of the highest ridgeline between the Nakjodae summit and Macheondae summit gives the best views of the rock cliffs and pine trees that Daedunsan is well known for. Fair warning, however: decent hiking shoes are definitely helpful here. This is not a hike that should be done in jeans and sneakers.

The easy way up If a two-hour hike sounds out of the question, a cable car takes visitors two thirds of the way up Daedunsan and offers its own fantastic views. A trail from the end of the cable car to the top of Macheondae peak still

Enjoy a walk high in the canopy or a picnic in the shade.

42 Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easy to love the metasequoia forest.

Travel A scene that sets the tone for a relaxing day at the park.

takes an additional 30 or 40 minutes, however. It’s also one of the only crowded trails on the mountain. Those who felt like Jangtaesan’s Skytower was too much of a thrill will want to avoid Samseon Staircase, a narrow and steep suspension staircase that bridges two rocky cliffs. In the end, for those looking to get to the peak, this is still the most convenient way to do it considering the cable runs every 20 minutes between 9:00 a.m. and 6 p.m. seven days a week. A round trip ticket costs KRW 10,500 and a one way costs KRW 7,500 for those who want to take the cable car up and hike the ridgeline back down the mountain.

Daedunsan and Jangtaesan are both accessible by bus from Daejeon. For Jangtaesan take bus 200 from Gasuwon and transfer once on bus 22 near Heokseongni Station. A taxi saves 30—40 minutes and costs around 15,000 won. For Daedunsan, simply take bus 34 in front of Seobu Terminal and get off at the final stop. Of course, to get to Daejeon from Seoul, simply take one of the many high-speed trains to Daejeon from Seoul Station.

More than a day trip Both Jangtaesan and Daedunsan have several options for those looking to extend their stay. In the middle of Jangtaesan lies a group of three separate pensions known as Supsokui Jip. Though they were closed for construction leading up to the summer season, they are set to reopen late June and run KRW 80,000 a night for a six-person unit. Daedunsan has decidedly more rugged accommodations, as while there are modest rooms available immediately in front of the bus stop, most overnight hikers and those looking to catch an early summer sunrise set up small tents or sleeping pads in front of the hut at Nakjodae summit. Spots inside the hut are available as well on a first-come, first-serve basis, but it is best to come prepared to sleep outside just in case. Roughing it for the night has its rewards, too, as not only does it make it catching sunrise easier, but Daedunsan is far away enough from the city that the stars at night can be spectacular.

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Jangtaesan Daedunsan

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Cinema

A Fantastic Way to Cool Off This Summer 22nd Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival features new animation, genre hits and more Written by Jason Bechervaise Images courtesy of BIFAN

“Gonjiam”

“The DMZ”

“The Underdog”

There is certainly no shortage of film festivals in Korea, a reflection of the appetite locals have for their cinema. One event that stands out is the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival, otherwise known as BIFAN, which focuses on genre cinema. As such, it has a unique character with its interesting choice of programming that includes terrifying horror films and enthralling thrillers, giving audiences a chance to cool off during the unbearably hot and humid weather in mid-July.

and 127 shorts that include 60 world premieres. In terms of Korean cinema, the main strand dedicated to local films, entitled “Korean Fantastic,” is broken down into different sections. Taking prominence is the competition section, which consists of nine features including Cho Sung-kyu’s “Deep” and genre specialist Oh In-chun’s “The DMZ.” A further seven features not part of the competition section includes Korean genres films released over the least year such as Jung Bum-sik’s surprise box office smash hit “Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum,” Yeon Sang-ho’s (“Train to Busan”) second feature “Psychokinesis” and Byun Sun-hyun’s noir thriller “The Merciless,” which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival last year. Among the shorts include films from established filmmakers: Lee Kyoung-mi (“The Lady from 406”), Yim Phil-sung (“The Nest”), Lee Won-suk (“Lala Land”) and Kim Jong-kwan (“Unknown Woman,” “The Other Day”).

12 features ranging from Kim Sung-su’s “Beat” to more recent films including the noir thriller “Asura: The City of Madness,” the inter-Korean relationsthemed action film “Steel Rain” and the Sewol ferry documentary “Intention,” which Jung narrated. The program appears to be part of an effort to forge closer ties to the Korean film industry under the leadership of Choi Yong-bae, a renowned film producer (“The Host”). Also part of this endeavor is the festival’s industry program that features forums focused on the Korean film industry including a science fiction writers showcase, a filmmakers’ workshop and a discussion on the issue of monopolization within the local film industry. The festival this year will also organize a special event to celebrate 20 years of the local film distributor Indiestory, which specializes in Korean indie cinema. It will screen 14 of their films including the critically acclaimed “A Midsummer’s Fantasia” directed by Jang Kun-jae. BIFAN takes place July 12–22.

‘Leafie, a Hen into the Wild’ collaborators return This year the 22nd edition kicks off on July 12 with the world premiere of the local animation “The Underdog,” directed by Oh Sung-yun and Lee Chun-baek, their second collaboration following Oh’s “Leafie, a Hen into the Wild” (2011), the most successful Korean animation in history. The film centres on a group of dogs who search for “The Place,” where they are free from the threats of demolition and brutal dog hunters.

Commercial Korean genre films included in selection There will be a total of 290 films from 53 different countries screening during the festival, consisting of 163 features

Jung Woo-sung spotlight and Korean film industry forums Akin to last year’s edition, which included a special program dedicated to the films featuring the actress Jeon Do-yeon, this year the festival will showcase the work of the star actor Jung Woo-sung with

More information is available from the festival’s website: www.bifan.kr/eng.

Arts & Culture

Korea’s Ever-diversifying World of Reality TV New shows push the boundaries of the reality genre Written by Miruh Jeon

With everything from travel shows set in the jungle to a cooking program that solely focuses on the art of making side dishes, TV shows are constantly thinking outside the box to stand out from the competition. Here are some new shows that are putting fresh spins on reality TV to inspire viewers to step outside their comfort zone.

‘Dunia: Into a New World’ Ever wondered what would happen if you were to find yourself stranded on an uninhabited island? Do you think you’d be one of those leader types that is quick on their feet and can keep things in perspective? Or do you think you’d start running around panicking? Well, MBC’s new variety show, “Dunia: Into a New World,” puts 10 celebrities to the test by teleporting them to an unknown virtual land called “Dunia.” The first episode begins with each of the cast members going about their normal day when all of a sudden they are time warped into a strange land filled with all sorts of dangers, including dinosaurs. This so-called “unreal” variety show is the first of its kind, as it combines reality TV with a bit of drama and interesting elements like viewer engagement. It’s the product of a collaboration between MBC and Nexon and, as many gaming fans may have already noticed, “Dunia” is based on “Durango,” a fictional universe that serves as the setting of one of their video games. U-know Yunho, Jung Hye-sung, Luda of Cosmic Girls, Sam Okyere, Din Din and Austin Kang are among the 10 cast members that must fend for themselves and complete various missions in order to survive in the wild. There are specific

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scenes in the series when viewers are encouraged to text in to decide the group’s next move — who should get the last morsel of food? Should they play it safe and stay put or boldly fly into the face of danger? Make sure to catch the series to find out what happens.

‘Where on Earth??’ For those of you longing to explore the world from the comfort of your own couch, KBS’s new travel reality show “Where on Earth??” might be worth checking out. Starring actors Ji Jin-hee and Cha Tae-hyun as well as comedian Jo Se-ho and model Bae Jeong-nam, the show ventures into some of the most fascinating places around the globe. The group’s first journey takes place in the middle of the Arabian Desert, and they chronicle their adventure through the vast desert all the way to the Arabian Sea. The catch is that they must complete their journey in three nights and four days while only traveling on foot. Plus, they are not allowed to use any sort of GPS and must solely rely on a map and compass to get to their destination. Catch the latest episode to find out where the group is heading next!

“Dunia: Into a New World”

“Where on Earth??”

Music

BLACKPINK is Back YG’s “It” girl group returns strong and sure after lengthy absence Written by Kristina Manente

Chances are that you’ve heard a certain song playing in every shop and subway station recently, and no, it isn’t BTS. BLACKPINK has finally had their longawaited comeback, and they’re back with a vengeance. And rightly so. Many fans had begun to worry that BLACKPINK would suffer the fate of many of YG’s artists: the dungeon. In a forever mystifying move, the idolproducing mogul tends to reward success with forbidding his artists from making future comebacks. Up until this latest release, BLACKPINK had only five songs to their name. Five. It was both bizarre and frustrating as this was despite topping Korean charts and widespread popularity both domestically and abroad. Instead of making more music, the

BLACKPINK girls were modeling or posting videos to their fans hoping they could make a comeback soon. And yet, we all waited. But finally patience has paid off, and “Ddu-Du Ddu-Du” not only swept the charts, but dominated every form of social media. “Ddu-Du Ddu-Du” hit the 50 million mark on YouTube just two days after its release, making it the fastest K-pop girl group music video to reach such a number. The record was previously held by TWICE’s “What Is Love?” It makes sense that their comeback would have a strong reaction, garnering views and repeat viewings; the fact is, it’s good. “Ddu-Du Ddu-Du” is high on visual pleasure, filled with strong, bold lyrics, and wonderful vibrant performances

from four members Lisa, Rosé, Jennie, and Jisoo. The mixture of traditional Korean instrumentals with the beat and bass of hip-hop is an auditory delight, and this is again repeated with Korean architectural elements in the music video itself. The more overt blending of the traditional and modern in many recent music videos is a trend that I am quite on board with and that I hope continues. It’s making K-pop music videos a touch more unique and I appreciate it. There’s a lot that makes BLACKPINK’s latest really work, and one of the things that stands out most is the fact they changed things up a bit. It’s Jennie who raps in “Ddu-Du Ddu-Du,” not Lisa. I love Lisa, she’s my favorite in the group, but it’s nice to see Jennie rapping again and doing a stellar job as well. Also, let’s not forget the dance. BLACKPINK has always been explosive in their performances, and “Ddu-Du Ddu-Du” is no exception; it’s big, bold, and gives each girl equal footing. Overall the track is entertaining, a true summer bop, and a most welcomed return to one of the best girl groups K-pop has ever produced. The success of “Ddu-Du Ddu-Du” isn’t a surprise, but it’s still a delight. I was starting to wonder if we were ever going to hear from them again, but hopefully this success will lead to more and more releases. In the meantime, go watch the music videow again and enjoy.

Arts & Culture

Books

High-strung Tension, Squirm-inducing Dread Jeong You-jeon’s “The Good Son” might prove true all the hype about Korean crime fiction Written by Barry Welsh

“The Good Son” Written by Jeong You-jeon Translated by Kim Chi-young Published by Penguin Books Paperback, 320 pages Available at Amazon

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The latest English translation of a Korean best seller arrives on a wave of hype, stellar reviews and high expectations. Jeong You-jeong’s psychological-crime-horror-thriller “The Good Son” has seen the multi-million selling Korean novelist compared to everyone from Patricia Highsmith to Jo Nesbo and dubbed as Korea’s answer to Stephen King. If Western literary pundits are to be believed, “The Good Son,” in its English translation, is seemingly poised to become one of the break-out hits of the summer season. Happily (?), Jeong’s disturbing dissection of the fraying mind of a man who might be a novice serial killer more than justifies the hype. Like Highsmith’s crime classic “The Talented Mr. Ripley” and Gillian Flynn’s recent mega-hit “Gone Girl,” the damaged young man at the heart of “The Good Son” is a decidedly unreliable narrator. You-jin is a stylish variant on this old literary trope and an ingenious creation. You-jin, we quickly learn, has suffered from extreme, epileptic-like blackouts since he was a child. As a result, his domineering mother and strangely antagonistic psychologist aunt have heavily medicated him and strictly control every aspect of his life. His story begins in almost shamelessly gripping fashion; You-jin awakes from a black-out covered in blood to discover the body of his mother, throat slashed, on the floor. He has no memory of what transpired. Did he do it? If so, why did he do it? Is he being manipulated? Why is he being medicated? Jeong fully exploits Youjin’s unreliableness to create deviously sustained scenes of high-strung tension and almost unbearable skin-crawling,

squirm-inducing dread. Add to this a family mystery surrounding the death of You-jin’s father, an adopted brother almost too well behaved to be true and a pair of local detectives investigating the murder of a local girl and you have a recipe for thrills and scares in equal measure. With novels like this and J. M. Lee’s “The Boy Who Escaped Paradise,” as well as forthcoming titles such as “The Plotters” by Kim Un-su, maybe the predictions that Korean crime fiction would become the next big international trend in genre fiction are becoming true. Because, make no mistake, Jeong’s novel reveals a master at work expertly plying her craft. “The Good Son” is brutally well written, compulsively plotted and cleverly structured.

Concerts, Festivals and More WEATHER D Museum Thru Oct. 28 KRW 9,000 www.daelimmuseum.org Take Bus No. 2016 from Hannam Station 한남역 (Gyeongui-Jungang Line)

This exhibition features the works of 26 international artists, each engaging with climatic phenomena such as sunlight, snow, rain, mist and thunderstorms from his or her own unique perspective. From the thunder and lightning of Greek mythology to storms of 19th-century British novels and the lyrics of contemporary pop songs, the weather has been an essential driving force in art, culture, philosophy, fashion, design and all areas of life since ancient times. This exhibition introduces the diverse approaches of artists creating weatherinspired works, ranging from aesthetically distinct photographs to installation works amplifying tactile and auditory sensations. Divided into three chapters — “Recognizing the Weather,”“Talking with the Weather,” and “Remembering the Weather” — the exhibition reads like an essay.

DONGGANG INTERNATIONAL PHOTO FESTIVAL DongGang Museum of Photography | Thru Sep. 21 | KRW 3,000 www.dgphotofestival.com

In its 17th year, the DongGang International Photo Festival is Korea’s oldest annual celebration of photography, one that offers exhibitions and educational programs. This year’s festival has eight exhibits — the “Main International Exhibition,” “International Open Call,”“DongGang Photography Award Exhibition,”“Gangwon Province Photographers Exhibition,” “Photojournalists’ Exhibition,”“Street Installation Exhibition,” “Yeongwol County Photographers Exhibition” and “Elementary School Photo Diary Exhibition” — and four workshops — the Yeongwol Photo Tour Program, Artists’ Talk, Elementary Students Photo Class and Continuing Education Exhibition.

SURVIVAL IS HISTORY Art Sonje Center | Thru Aug. 5 | KRW 5,000 | artsonje.org | Anguk Station 안국

역(Line 3), Exit 1

Art Sonje Center presents “Survival is History,” a solo exhibition by renowned artist Yook Keun Byung. Yook uses the eye upon the world and the intersecting gaze as means of questioning the nature of life and fundamental issues of the universe. The exhibition attempts to share with audiences the artist’s ongoing reflections on history and humanity, most notably through his famous work “The Sound of Landscape + Eye for Field” (2018) and his new work “The Statues of the Twelve Earthly Branches” (2018).

Previews

E.A.T. (EXPERIMENTS IN ART AND TECHNOLOGY): OPENENDED MMCA Seoul Thru Sep. 16 KRW 4,000 www.mmca.go.kr Ten minute walk from Anguk Station 안국역 (Line 3), Exit 1

Established in the 1960s by Bell Labs engineers Billy Klüver and Fred Waldhauer and artists including Robert Rauschenberg and Robert Whitman, E.A.T. started off as a pioneering group to promote collaborations and communication in fields ranging from art and technology to cinema, dance and even industry. Introduced for the first time in Korea, the exhibition on the history of E.A.T. adopts different perspectives as it explores the activities and works which embarked on a new chapter for artistic and creative expressions with its interactions between art and technology. It will include numerous archival materials related to the E.A.T., along with the collaborative artworks by many who have become masters of contemporary art today.

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SEMA 30TH ANNIVERSARY: DIGITAL PROMENADE SeMA Thru Aug. 15 Free sema.seoul.go.kr City Hall Station 시청역 (Line 1, 2), Exit 1, 11 or 12

“Digital Promenade” is an exhibition that selects 30 pieces from the museum’s collection of around 4,700 using the keywords “nature” and “stroll,” and shows 10 new commissioned works of young artists in the same space, inducing new interpretation, engagement and participation in the arts, art museums and collections. With the Fourth Industrial Revolution, artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), neuroscience and neo-biology are incessantly advancing and society faces massive changes. Paradoxically, this exhibition starts with the most basic questions about artwork, creation and artists. Questions such as: How has art represented society? How do artists handle different media and create art? Thirty pieces made between 1961 and 2017 were selected from our collection to find the answers.

FUERZA BRUTA Jamsil Sports Complex’s FB Theater Jul. 12—Oct. 7 KRW 99,000-132,000 fuerzabrutaglobal.com Sports Complex Station 종합운동장역 (Line 6), Exit 7

A performance with a fantastic imagination, with no boundaries between the stage and the audience. Set to music that will whip the audience into 70 minutes of frenzy Fuerza Bruta is an interactive performance breaking down the boundaries between the stage and the audience, making use of a 360-degree space including walls and ceiling. With a variety of creative devices, including actors you may or may not see, tanks pouring out of the sky and treadmills that run through the middle of the audience, it gives the audience a new experience unlike anything they’ve seen before. Beyond the scope of our imagination, the actors, audience and crew are all one in the Fuerza Bruta. Fuerza Bruta has performed 5,800 times in 58 cities in 34 countries since 2005, when it premiered in Argentina.

THE LAST MASTER OF JOSEON: JANG SEUNG-EOP EXHIBIT DDP | June 28-Nov. 30 | KRW 10,000 | www.ddp.or.kr | Dongdaemun History and Culture Park Station 동대문역사문화공원역 (Lines 2, 4, and 5)

The Kaesong Museum of Art presents about 60 works by renowned painter “Owon” Jang Seung-eop (1843–1897). Perhaps the last artistic genius of the Joseon era, a prodigy who discarded practice and drafts to create on-the-spot masterpieces whenever inspiration called, Jang was a free spirit, a man so adverse to social constraints that he even left life as a painter for the royal court — a prestigious position indeed — to walk the earth, painting and living as he wished. Many Koreans know his story from director Im Kwon-taek’s 2002 film “Chihwaseon,” a dramatization of the artist’s life. Jang’s repertoire spanned all genres, from landscapes to animal paintings.

JIYOON KOO: PURPLE NOISE Arario Museum in SPACE | Thru Aug. 19 | KRW 10,000 | www.arariomuseum. org | Anguk Station 안국역 (Line 3), Exit 3

Arario Museum in SPACE hosts a solo exhibition of Jiyoon Koo at Underground in Space, the museum’s venue for special exhibitions. Koo is a young painter known for her abstract works that portray contemporary society, which resembles fast-changing construction sites. The exhibition title comes from the experience of the artist when she traveled Hong Kong. The various sounds coming from the streets where the lights are never extinguished made her come up with this abstract expression. The noisiness approached her as a big purple mass with volume and weight, so she named it “Purple Noise.”

Previews

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MMCA MMCA MMCA Deoksugung Deoksugung Deoksugung

Martin, Tony TonyMartin, Martin, MerceMerce Cunningham, Merce Cunningham, Cunningham, John Cage, John JohnHaacke, Cage, Cage, Artists Tony Robert Rauschenberg, Robert Whitman, Hans Period Period May May – September 26 – September 16, 201816, 2018 David26 David Tudor, David Tudor, etc Tudor, etc etcPaik, Andy Warhol, Nam June Robert Breer, Jean Dupuy, VenueEntrance Venue MMCA SEOUL, MMCA SEOUL, Galleryall 6, Gallery 7 allall 6, 7 at MMCA Entrance Entrance Fee 4,000won(For Fee Fee 4,000won(For 4,000won(For exhibition exhibition exhibition at at MMCA Seoul) MMCA Seoul) Seoul) Tony Martin, Merce Cunningham, John Cage, Artists Artists Robert Rauschenberg, Robert Rauschenberg, Robert Whitman, Robert Whitman, Hans Haacke, Hans Haacke, Program Program Program schedule schedule schedule & Location Location www.mmca.go.kr/eng www.mmca.go.kr/eng www.mmca.go.kr/eng David Tudor, etc &&Location Andy Warhol, Andy Warhol, Nam June Nam Paik, June Robert Paik,Breer, RobertJean Breer, Dupuy, Jean Dupuy, Entrance Fee 4,000won(For all exhibition at MMCA Seoul) Tony Martin, Tony Martin, Merce Cunningham, Merce Cunningham, John Cage, John Cage, Program schedule & Location www.mmca.go.kr/eng David Tudor, Davidetc Tudor, etc Entrance Entrance Fee 4,000won(For Fee 4,000won(For all exhibition all exhibition at MMCA atSeoul) MMCA Seoul) Program Program schedule schedule & Location & Location www.mmca.go.kr/eng www.mmca.go.kr/eng

MMCA Deoksugung Birth Birth Birth of the of ofthe the Modern Modern Modern ArtArt Art Museum Museum Museum Art and Art Artand Architecture andArchitecture Architecture of MMCA of ofMMCA MMCA Deoksugung Deoksugung Deoksugung

MMCA MMCA Deoksugung Deoksugung Birth of the Modern

A GATHERING OF THE THREE BUDDHAS : BUDDHIST HANGING SCROLL AT YONGHEUNGSA TEMPLE

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National Museum of Korea Thru Oct. 28 Free www.museum.go.kr Ichon Station 이촌역(Line 4 or Jungang Line), Exit 2

On a spring day scented by flowers in the fifth month of 1684, more than ninety people took part in producing a gwaebul for use at outdoor Buddhist ceremonies at Yongheungsa Temple. This painting depicts a gathering of Śākyamuni Buddha, Bhai ajyaguru Buddha and Amitābha Buddha hosted by Śākyamuni Buddha, the ruler of the secular world. People prayed to these three Buddhas for a long life free from illness and rebirth in the Western Paradise. This exhibition provides an opportunity to view the large-scale Buddhist hanging scroll of Yongheungsa Temple that can only rarely be seen even at the temple. Presenting the Yongheungsa gwaebul alongside its storage case, sculptures of arhats with humorous facial expressions, “Painting of Guardian Deities” and “Painting of the Fifth King of Hell,” the exhibition invites visitors to appreciate the legacy of Yongheungsa, an ancient temple with a thousand years of history.

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Art Museum

This year This Thismarks year yearmarks marks the 20th the theanniversary 20th 20thanniversary anniversary of theofopening ofthe theopening opening Art and Architecture of MMCA Deoksugung

MMCA MMCA MMCA Gwacheon Gwacheon Gwacheon

Entrance Entrance Entrance Fee 3,000 Fee FeeKo won 3,000 3,000 (includes won won(includes (includes entrance entrance entrance to Deoksugung totoDeoksugung Deoksugung Palace)Palace) Palace) Artists An Jungsik, Huidong, Oh Jiho, Kim Whanki, Period Period May 3 –schedule May October – October 14, 2018 14, 2018 Program Program Program schedule schedule &3Location && Location Location www.mmca.go.kr/eng www.mmca.go.kr/eng www.mmca.go.kr/eng Park Sookeun, Lee Jungseob, and more Venue Venue All Galleries All Galleries at MMCA atDeoksugung MMCA Deoksugung Entrance Fee 3,000 won (includes entrance to Deoksugung Palace) *Close *Close on *Close Monday on onMonday Monday Artists Artists An Jungsik, An Jungsik, Ko Huidong, Ko Huidong, Oh Jiho,Oh Kim Jiho, Whanki, Kim Whanki, Program schedule & Location www.mmca.go.kr/eng Park Sookeun, Park Sookeun, Lee Jungseob, Lee Jungseob, and more and more Entrance Entrance Fee 3,000 Feewon 3,000 (includes won (includes entranceentrance to Deoksugung to Deoksugung Palace) Palace) *Close on Monday Program Program schedule schedule & Location & Location www.mmca.go.kr/eng www.mmca.go.kr/eng *Close on *Close Monday on Monday

MMCA Gwacheon Collection Collection Collection Highlights Highlights Highlights : Synchronic : :Synchronic Synchronic Moments Moments Moments

Collection Collection Collection Highlights: Highlights: Highlights: Synchronic Synchronic Synchronic Moments Moments Moments features features features MMCA MMCA Gwacheon Gwacheon Collection Highlights : Synchronic Moments

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Collection Collection Highlights: Highlights: Synchronic Synchronic Moments features features approach approach approach that seeks that that seeks to seeks reveal to toreveal reveal moments moments moments inexpose which ininexpose which the whichthe the The word “synchronic” in the exhibition title, meaning works works from the from museum’s the museum’s collection collection that that the the different different different elements elements elements ofof new ofof media new new media media art—moving art—moving art—moving and still and andstill still “sharing the same time frame,” a conceptual current current state of state new media new media art indicates in Korea. art in Korea. images, images, images, sounds, sounds, sounds, and to time—form and and time—form time—form a unity atitle, aunity with unity the with with the the approach that seeks reveal moments in which the The word The “synchronic” word “synchronic” in the exhibition in the exhibition meaning title, meaning viewer viewer viewer asthe they asasbecome they they become become overlapped overlapped overlapped and juxtaposed andjuxtaposed juxtaposed different elements of new media art—moving and still “sharing “sharing same the time same frame,” time frame,” indicates indicates aand conceptual a conceptual withinwithin within artworks. artworks. artworks. This to exhibition This This exhibition exhibition interrogates interrogates interrogates the the the the images, sounds, and time—form a unity with the approach approach that seeks that seeks reveal to reveal moments moments in which in the which meaning meaning meaning of the of many of the the many images many images images contained contained contained in the in work in the the work of workstill ofof viewerdifferent aselements they become overlapped andart—moving juxtaposed different elements of new of media new media art—moving and still and the six the the participating six six participating participating artists, artists, artists, and challenges and and challenges challenges what what the what the the within images, artworks. This time—form exhibition interrogates the images, sounds, sounds, and and time—form a unityawith unity the with the viewer viewer viewer is isis observing observing within within within these these moments these moments moments of overlap. ofofoverlap. overlap. meaning of the many images contained in the work of viewer viewer asobserving they as become they become overlapped overlapped and juxtaposed and juxtaposed the six participating artists, and challenges what thethe within within artworks. artworks. exhibition exhibition interrogates Period Period Period February February February 15This – September 15 15This – –September September 16,interrogates 2018 16, 16,2018 2018 the viewer is observing within these moments of meaning meaning of the many of the images many images contained contained in the work in theofwork of Venue Venue Venue MMCA MMCA Gwacheon, MMCA Gwacheon, Gwacheon, Circular Circular Circular Gallery Gallery 1 Gallery 1 1overlap. Artists Artists Artists Kimsix Heecheon, Kim Kim Heecheon, Heecheon, Nam Hwayeon, Nam Nam Hwayeon, Hwayeon, Park challenges Chankyong, Park Park Chankyong, Chankyong, the six the participating participating artists, artists, and challenges and what the what the Period February 15 – September 16, 2018 An Jungju, An An Jungju, Oh Jungju, Min Oh Oh and Min Min Jun and and Sojung Jun Jun Sojung Sojung viewerviewer is observing is observing within within theseGallery moments these1 moments of overlap. of overlap. Venue MMCA Gwacheon, Circular Entrance Entrance FeeHeecheon, Free Fee Fee Free Free ArtistsEntrance Kim Nam Hwayeon, Park Chankyong, Period Period February February 15&–Location September 15&Location –Location September 16, 2018 16, 2018 Program Program Program schedule schedule schedule www.mmca.go.kr/eng www.mmca.go.kr/eng www.mmca.go.kr/eng An Jungju, Oh Min&and Jun Sojung Venue Venue MMCA Gwacheon, MMCA Gwacheon, CircularCircular Gallery 1 Gallery 1 Entrance Fee Free *Close *Close on *Close Monday on onMonday Monday Artists Artists Kim Heecheon, Kim Heecheon, Nam Hwayeon, Nam Hwayeon, Park Chankyong, Park Chankyong, Program schedule & Location www.mmca.go.kr/eng An Jungju, An Oh Jungju, Min Oh andMin Jun and Sojung Jun Sojung Entrance Entrance Fee Free Fee Free *Close on Monday Program Program schedule schedule & Location & Location www.mmca.go.kr/eng www.mmca.go.kr/eng

*Close on *Close Monday on Monday

Expat Buzz RASKB: GANGJIN: LAND OF EXILE Jun. 30–Jul. 1 Gangjin, Jeollanam-do Brother Anthony of Taize takes participants on a multi-day tour of the southeastern town of Gangjin, a place of exile for several historical figures such as Hendrick Hamel and Jeong Yak-yong, and the birthplace or home of personages such as Yun Seon-do and Kim Yeong-nang. KRW 200,000 for members, KRW 225,000 for non-members raskb.com

RASKB: MYANMAR AND NORTH KOREA: DIVERGENT PATHS Jul. 3 Second floor Residents’ Lounge, Somerset Palace The stories of North Korea and Myanmar (Burma) are two of Asia’s most difficult. For decades they were infamous as the region’s most militarized and repressed, selfisolated and under sanctions by the international community while, from Singapore to Japan, the rest of Asia saw historic wealth creation. Andray Abrahamian, author of the recent book “North Korea and Myanmar: Divergent Paths” (McFarland, 2018), examines and compares the recent histories of North Korea and Myanmar, asking how both became pariahs and why Myanmar has been able to find a path out of isolation while North Korea has not. Free for members, KRW 5,000 for non-members raskb.com

BASS: ILJASAN MOUNTAIN FOREST TRAIL Jul. 4 Near Godeok Station This walk is along one of the easier sections of the Seoul Trail. It follows

BRINGING CONTEMPORARY DANCE TO THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY Korean Contemporary Dance Company workshop teaches students not only about dance, but about each other ther The Korean Contemporary Dance Company hosted a workshop on modern dance for international residents at the dance company’s studio at the Seoul Arts Center on the evening of May 30. About 20 people from Canada, China, France, South Africa, the United States and elsewhere attended the workshop, part of the Korean Contemporary Dance Company‘s outreach efforts to generate greater public interest and involvement in dance. Instructing the attendees was Fernando Melo, the Brazilian-born choreographer of Sweden’s Skånes Dansteater, who was in town as part of an exchange program between the two dance companies underway to celebrate the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and Sweden. During the workshop, the participants — some trained dancers, other novices but with an interest in dance — took part in a series of exercises designed to teach not only movement, but also awareness and trust. The exercises included walking and running, falling and following a partner’s lead. “It is a wonderful way for the Korean Contemporary Dance Company‘s audience to learn more about contemporary dance and to get to know each other in a different context,” said Melo. “It is also an interesting way for me as a choreographer to get closer to the audience.“ Pedro, a dancer from South Africa who attended the workshop, said, “It was interesting to see how [Melo] broke it down into fundamentals — just walking around and using our attention to keep track of people. That opened up a really new perspective because it’s something we do subconsciously.” He added, “It was a very useful experience and I definitely learned a lot. And the exercise were also fun and I will be sharing them with other people and other dancers as well.” a forest path along the gentle slopes of Iljasan Mountain before heading down and finishing at the entrance to the Olympic Park. Please bring a drink and a snack. Hiking boots are advisable. Free for members, KRW 5,000 for non-members britishseoul.com

SEOUL HIKING NATURE GROUP: FIREFLY WATCHING TRIP Jul. 4, Jul. 11, Jul. 18, Jul. 25 Unmunsan Mountain, Gyeongsangbuk-do

Endangered in Korea, the fireflies transform the deep, dark forest into a place of wonder. KRW 45,000 meetup.com/ seoulhikingnaturegroup

Take in the fireflies of the early summer at Unmunsan Mountain.

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BUSAN Jul. 6-8 Busan This tour of Korea’s second biggest city and largest seaport takes you to Jangsan, Haeundae, Geumjeongsanseong and other scenic spots. KRW 87,000

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SEOUL HIKING NATURE GROUP: RAFTING AND MORE IN INJE Jul. 7 Naerincheon, Inje Cool off this summer with a rafting trip to the Naericheon Stream of Inje. You can also take part in a little paintball warfare, ATM riding or bungee jumping. KRW 32,000 meetup.com/ seoulhikingnaturegroup

RASKB: VIRTUOUS AND SEXY: MAKING NATIONAL SUBJECTS IN 1960S NORTH KOREA Jul. 10 Second floor Residents’ Lounge, Somerset Palace This talk introduces current discourses on sexuality in North Korea during this period that sought to conflate sexual immorality with political disloyalty that allowed the North Korean state to exercise biopower over its population in accordance with the principles of political sovereignty, ideological independence, and economic autarky promoted by the new political philosophy of juche. Free for members, KRW 5,000 for non-members raskb.com

SIWA: DONGDAEMUN FABRIC MARKET Jul. 10 Dongdaemun The focus of this tour will be the Dongdaemun Fabric Market, a gigantic labyrinth of booths selling fabrics, notions, craft materials, buttons, upholstery, sewing services and more. The Fabric Market encompasses five buildings divided into A, B, C, D and the Shopping Town. There are over 5,000 shops located within these buildings with 5 floors and basements. Everything and anything related to textiles is here in this overwhelming heaven for

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sewists, crafters, DIYers! We’ll give you some tips on the layout of the shops so you can return with your shopping list. KRW 5,000 for members, KRW 15,000 for non-members siwakorea.com

AWC: HANGEUL MUSEUM TOUR Jul. 11 National Hangeul Museum The National Hangeul Museum showcases the history of the Korean alphabet through exhibits, activities and education. We’ll join an Englishspeaking guide to visit the gallery, showcasing the development of the language and exhibits showing everything from early manuscripts to Korean typewriters. KRW 5,000 for members, KRW 10,000 for non-members awcsouthkorea.com

SIWA: HEYRI VILLAGE Jul. 12 Paju, Gyeonggi-do Close to the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) there is a small village of small-scale contemporary buildings that couldn’t be more of a contrast to the heavily fortified border: Heyri Village. Conceived as a “book village” connected to the nearby publishing center of Paju Book City, Heyri Village has blossomed into a community of artists, writers, architects and other creative souls. KRW 5,000 for members, KRW 15,000 for non-members siwakorea.com

SEOUL HIKING NATURE GROUP: BORYEONG MUD FESTIVAL 2018 Jul. 14-15 Boryeong, Chungcheongnam-do The Boryeong Mud Festival is not just Korea’s dirtiest beach party, but also one of its biggest summer events. KRW 74,000 meetup.com/ seoulhikingnaturegroup

AUSCHAM: MID-YEAR SUNDOWNER 2018:

MILLENNIUM SEOUL HILTON

NEW HOT HAPPY HOUR BUFFETS AT THE OAK ROOM Spend your happy hours eating, drinking and having a great time with friends and colleagues at the Oak Room, the Millennium Seoul Hilton’s traditional English-style bar. The Oak Room offers a delicious buffet of sumptuous dishes from Saturdays to Wednesdays, and a barbecue buffet on Thursdays and Fridays. The Oak Room’s BBQ HOT Happy Hour buffet and Snack HOT Happy Hour buffet are offered from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and diners can receive unlimited refills of beer or wine while they feast. The HOT Happy Hour buffets offer great value, priced at only KRW 49,000 per person. The Oak Room Snack HOT Happy Hour buffet includes pork crisp with wasabi and garlic mayo, smoked chicken wrap sandwich, creamy chicken triangle sandwiches, pork hock with dipping sauce, beef meatballs with tomato sauce; spinach and onion quiche, chop steak, Korean fried chicken and Korean-style yaki noodles. The Oak Room BBQ HOT Happy Hour buffet includes barbecue skewers; chicken, beef and lamb skewers; minced kebabs and beef mini sliders; beef, chicken and pork sausages; fish, prawn and calamari on a stick; assorted dipping and steak sauces; fried sweet potatoes; and soft rolls. Your choice of local draft beer or red or white wine is included with the buffet. Enjoy unlimited refills during the HOT Happy Hour buffets. All for just KRW 49,000. Sit back with friends and colleagues as you enjoy great ambience, great drinks and delicious food. The Oak Room is a traditional English-style bar with a log fire for cold winter nights, but also features a patio with a breathtaking view of the garden and koi pond for when the weather is just right outside. Offering a wide selection of international beers and cocktails as well as a tempting menu, the Oak Room is the perfect place to unwind after work with colleagues or enjoy a casual meal with friends and family. For reservations or enquiries, please call the Oak Room at T. 02-317-3234. Tax and service charge are already included in the quoted price.

AUSSIE SUMMER NIGHT Jul. 20 Millennium Seoul Hilton Traditionally held at the Australia Centre, our recently revamp Mid-Year Sundowner will feature a night of Aussie wines, beers, beef and charity raffles, hosted at our Silver Member venue, Millennium Seoul Hilton in the Oakroom Garden. As our Sundowner’s have always been, there will be friends, beverages and raffle prizes to be won. KRW 45,000 for members, KRW 60,000 for non-members austchamkorea.org

SEOUL HIKING NATURE GROUP: JEONJU, GONJU AND DAMYANG Jul. 21-22 Jeonju, Gonju and Damyang Experience great food, ancient history and beautiful bamboo forests in this tour of southwest Korea. KRW 89,000–105,000 meetup.com/ seoulhikingnaturegroup

RASKB: CHALLENGES CONFRONTING WORKING MOTHERS IN S KOREA Jul. 24 Second floor Residents’ Lounge, Somerset Palace A presentation by Miliann Kang, Associate Professor in Women, Gender, Sexuality Studies, University of Massachusetts, Amherst and Fulbright Senior Research Fellow, Ewha University. This presentation examines the structural constraints which limit women’s abilities to combine work and family responsibilities in South Korea. While South Korea has achieved high rates of college-education for women, it has one of the lowest rates among OECD nations for labor force participation by college-educated women, especially after they become mothers. Thus, it challenges the assumption that women’s higher education levels translates into greater gender equality in the workplace. Free for members, KRW 5,000 for

The Therapist’s Couch

“We’re always one of Us…” Written by Jiaying Lim

“It’s Them that do the bad things.”* If we really put our minds to it, we can eventually discern one apple from another. Or oranges. Or eggs. Whatever item you wish to cultivate a “Spot the Difference” expertise in. There is just little survival value in us having this special power. Instead, we tend to simplify the world so as not to overtax our cognitive resources. Categorization refers to how we classify people, including ourselves, into groups in order to make sense of and understand this world and its inhabitants. Categorization is why, in Korea, we often get asked our age, nationality and marital status. The locals use that to understand who we are. Likewise, on occasion, we slip into making stereotypes, which are a form of categorization, when trying to adjust to a new environment. In part, we also wish to avoid cultural faux pas when in a foreign land, and stereotypes become general guidelines on how to not step on the toes of the locals. Local people are highly polite and bow all the time

non-members raskb.com

AWC: PAINT AND SIP: SEOUL STYLE Jul. 27 Jankura Art Space The talented staff at Jankura Art Space in Itaewon is welcoming AWC members for a private “Pop Art Selfie” class. Take a selfie at the studio or bring a photo of

a loved one or pet to transform into a pop art masterpiece. No experience required. All materials and instruction will be provided. We need at least 10 participants in order to hold the class. RSVP by Jul. 13. KRW 35,000 for members, KRW 40,000 for non-member awcsouthkorea.com

SEOUL HIKING NATURE GROUP: JOMUROK

(so I have to mind my p’s and q’s). Local food is extremely spicy (and I can’t take hot food). Simplifying our world creates more space for us to tackle other tasks in our every day, so categorization may arise even from innocuous and random labeling, such as people who wear glasses (geeky) versus not (gregarious). Social psychologist Henri Tajfel demonstrated, way back in 1970, that categorization is the minimal condition for in-group favoritism, that is, favoring the Us over the Them. Locking ourselves into an “Us versus Them” mentality can hurt how we adapt to a different culture. Start some self-care today by having a think about how you might be categorizing others, and yourself. * Full quote from novel “Jingo” by Terry Pratchett.

Jiaying Lim is a licensed clinical and registered psychologist with Couchology, a private practice in Seoul. For more information, visit www.couchology. com or like Couchology at www.facebook.com/ couchology/

VALLEY Jul. 28 Gapyeong, Gyeonggi-do Beat the summer heat with some watery fun in the cool, deep Jomurok Valley of Gapyeong. KRW 35,000 meetup.com/ seoulhikingnaturegroup

YEOL: KOREAN BUDDHISM IN THE

WORLD: YESTERDAY, TODAY AND TOMORROW Sep. 3 Seoul Museum of History Bernard Senecal, Director of the Institute for the Study of Religion at Sogang University, gives a general introduction to Korean Buddhism, answering some basic questions and examining what sets it apart from Buddhism in other countries. Free eng.yeol.org

‘Hair in its Natural State’

Quno Hair

served as Art Director at London’s renowned Rush Salon and nominated by the Guardian for ‘Best Hairdresser’ EXPAT BUZZ Trained at Toni & Guy and Vidal Sassoon Academy in UK Color, Perm. Magic Straight & Treatment Highlight &Lowlight...etc English Spoken

Gangnam/ Apgujeong Branch 02-549-0335 www.qunohair.com www.hairandjoy.com

HAIR & JOY

3F, 168-3, Donggyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul

Lotte Cinema (8F) UNIQLO (1F)

coco bruni About Me

NH Bank

Exit 8, Hongik Stn., Line 2

For more info, call Johnny Expat Buzz

Phone : 02-363-4253 Mobile : 010-5586-0243

SEOUL

NETWORK GANGNAM-UC RIVERSIDE (GNUCR): ENGLISH, KOREAN, CHINESE CLASSES

CAFÉ TTEURAN Café Tteuran is the first Hanok teahouse in the historic Ikseon-dong area, an increasingly popular neighborhood of old Korean-style homes. It serves medicinal teas made from the best ingredients and excellent red bean porridge and patbingsu made with the finest Korean red beans. Be sure to check out its lovely courtyard garden. 166-76 Ikseon-dong, Jongno-gu T. 02-745-7420, @café_innergarden (Instagram)

DR. ROBBIN Dr. Robbin offers healthy, delicious salads, pizzas, soups, pasta dishes, coffees, fruit juices and homemade gelato prepared from carefully selected natural ingredients. We use no sugar, butter or artificial enhancers. Try the Green Pasta, served with a bean cream sauce made from local beans and cooked using organic olive oil from Italy. It also uses a sugar-free syrup produced from stevia leaves, a zero-calorie sweetener that’s much sweeter than sugar. www.drrobbin.com

Study English in the heart of Gangnam and earn University of California credit and transcripts! Or brush up on your Korean with GNUCR’s Korean classes from Seoul National University. If Chinese is more your thing, GNUCR’s got that, too. Join the more than 20,000 students who have studied at GNUCR since the school’s opening in 2001. 02-546-3260 | info@gnucr.net | Kakao: @gnucr | www.gnucr.kr

As the preference for a full-service experience is increasing in hotels, Sheraton Seoul D Cube City Hotel offers an Urban Summer Package, which includes not only a comfortable stay in a spacious room but also other convenient benefits such as complimentary access to Sheraton Fitness, indoor swimming pool and Sheraton Club Lounge. Thru Aug. 31. Starts at KRW 323,000 (exclusive of 10% tax). T. 02-2211-2100.

IMPERIAL PALACE SEOUL: WATER SURVIVAL PACKAGE AND WATER FESTIVAL PACKAGE The Imperial Palace Seoul Hotel offers two options for a cool, pleasant stay-at-home vacation. The Water Survival Package provides a one-night stay, free use of the outdoor pool, two water guns and a bingsu from the Café Delmar. The Water Festival Package gets you a night’s stay, a 20 percent discount on using the pool, fried chicken and beer (or sparkling juice ) from the Garden Terrace and two mask packs. Thru Aug. 31. Water Surival Package begins at KRW 279,000, while the Water Festival Package begins at KRW 219,000. T. 02-3440-8000, www.imperialpalace.co.kr

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SHERATON SEOUL D CUBE CITY HOTEL: URBAN SUMMER PACKAGE

SHERATON GRAND INCHEON: B♭ HAPPY HOUR This is the best time and place to end your day. Make your day like a breeze blowing in the summer night with the fantastic combination of snack plate and a wide range of beverages. - Restaurant: Lobby Bar b♭(seats available on outdoor patio) - From 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. - Unlimited liquor (local draft beer, wine, vodka, gin, tequila) and one snack plate to enjoy - KRW 39,000 (KRW 35,000 booking with Naver Pay) - T. 032-835-1712 / 1713 - All prices are inclusive service charge and VAT.

Expat Buzz

Shorter Waits, Less Hassle My DT Pass system makes using the drive-thru at Starbucks a faster, more convenient experience Starbucks continues to improve the customer experience through innovations in information technology (IT). Starbucks Coffee Korea — the company that brought you the global debut of Siren Order, Starbucks’s mobile ordering and payment system — has launched another epochmaking digital service. On June 5, Starbucks Korea launched My DT Pass, its new drive-thru service. My DT Pass connects your car information to your Starbucks Card, billing you automatically for your order when you use the coffeehouse’s drive-thru service. This means you get your order without the nuisance of paying separately. When a car registered with My DT Pass enters the drive-thru zone, the system automatically recognizes the license plate, which in turn provides the barista with all sorts of information about the customers,

including his or her membership nickname, Siren Order history and coupons in possession. It also allows for automated payments through a registered Starbucks Card. For the barista, the service allows him or her to provide friendlier, more precise service, while for the customer, it shortens wait times by rendering unnecessary separate payments. In Starbucks’s own simulations, the new system shaved wait times by 13 to 15 seconds per car by providing baristas with information ahead of time and eliminating payment delays, cutting total wait time by roughly 10 percent. It also improves safety by keeping the driver’s focus on the road rather than his or her wallet and boosts convenience by freeing the driver from having to reach for paper or plastic in the narrow confines of

his or her car. The product of Starbucks Coffee Korea’s self-development efforts and an active response to big data analysis, surveys and customer demands for shorter waits at the drive-thru and more convenient payment options, the new service is a first in the local coffee market and for Starbucks worldwide. My DT Pass launched at 11 shops in the Seoul area, with plans to expand the service to 140 Starbucks drive-thru shops nationwide by August. My Starbucks Reward members can use My DT Pass immediately after registering their car’s license plate with the Starbucks app or through the Starbucks website. My Starbucks Reward is a loyalty program that offers a range of benefits to customers who use the prepaid, rechargeable Starbucks Card.