Slow...

To many international observers, Korea is the land of ppalli ppalli, or “quickly, quickly.” And to be sure, an irrepressible dynamism – and an indomitable will to get things done posthaste – is an inseparable part of the Korean experience.

The frenetic pace of our modern, ever-connected lives, however, has inspired many people in Korea, as in elsewhere, to take steps to slow things down and effect a better work-life balance. In this issue of KOREA, we’ll take a look at some of the ways individuals, organizations and even governments in Korea are encouraging people to take their collective foot off life’s gas pedal and make time to enjoy the simple pleasure of living.

We hope you, too, may find some inspiration in their efforts and take some time to smell the proverbial roses you can find blooming all around you... if only you stop for a moment to look.

_ Editorial staff, KOREA

Publisher Park Young-goog, Korean Culture and Information Service Executive Producer Han Seong-rae E-mail webmaster@korea.net Magazine Production Seoul Selection Editor-in-Chief Robert Koehler Production Supervisor Lee Jin-hyuk Producer Kim Eugene Copy Editor Gregory C. Eaves, Eileen Cahill, Hwang Chi-young Creative Director Lee Yusin Head Designer Lee bok-hyun Photographers Ha Ji-kwon, aostudio Kang jinju, RAUM Studio Printing Pyung Hwa Dang Printing Co., Ltd.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without permission from KOREA and the Korean Culture and Information Service. If you want to receive a free copy of KOREA or wish to cancel a subscription, please e-mail us. A downloadable PDF of KOREA and a map and glossary with common Korean words appearing in our magazine are available by clicking on the thumbnail of KOREA at the website www.korea.net. Publication Registration No: 11-1110073-000016-06

Korea in Brief

Korea Monthly Update

President Reshuffles Cabinet

The Park Geun-hye administration has reshuffled five ministerial posts to allow several previous Cabinet members to run in April’s general election. As part of the reshuffle, former Transportation Minister Yoo Il-ho was named the new deputy prime minister for the economy, while former Seoul National University Vice President Lee Joon-sik was tapped as the new deputy prime minister for social affairs and education. Hong Yoon-shik, former first vice minister of government policy coordination, was named interior minister; Joo Hyung-hwan, first vice minister of strategy and finance, took over as minister of trade, industry and energy; and lawmaker Kang Eun-hee assumed the gender equality and family portfolio.

Donations to Youth Hope Fund Top KRW 120 Billion

Over 100,000 people donated to the government’s Youth Hope Fund in its first three months, with total contributions surpassing the KRW 120 billion mark. President Park Geun-hye, who launched the crowdfunded foundation in September 2015 to create jobs for young people, made the first contribution in the amount of KRW 20 million. She also pledged to contribute 20 percent of her monthly salary. Since then, major corporations, business figures and even celebrities have been lining up to contribute. The government hopes the fund will provide job information to 125,000 young people and create 6,300 new jobs in 2016.

Korea Leads UN Human Rights Council in 2016

Veteran Korean diplomat Choi Kyong-lim was named the new president of the United Nations Human Rights Council for 2016, replacing Joachim Ruecker of Germany. Choi is the 10th president of the council, founded in 2006, and the first Korean to lead it. Choi is the permanent representative of Seoul’s mission to the U.N. in Geneva. In a statement, the Korean foreign ministry said the election “reflects the international community’s recognition of Korea’s advances in democracy and human rights as well as its contributions to global efforts to promote human rights by serving three terms as a member of the Human Rights Council over the past 10 years.”

FDI Tops USD 20 Billion for First Time

Foreign direct investment into Korea surpassed USD 20 billion in 2015, setting a record. FDI totaled USD 20.43 billion, an increase of 11.2 percent from USD 19 billion in 2014. Of the total, USD 15.19 billion actually arrived in Korea in 2015, also a record. The government credits the Korea-China free trade agreement, which was signed in June and went into effect in December, with attracting Chinese investors keen to leverage the brand image and technological sophistication of Korean goods, as well as other foreign investors eager to enter Korea as a gateway to China. In addition to Chinese investment, U.S., Middle Eastern, European and Japanese investors were prominent in Korea’s FDI market in 2015.

Jeju to Get Second Airport

To cope with a surge in tourism to the southern resort island of Jeju, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport is building a second international airport on the island. The new, single-runway airport will be built in the villages of Sinsan-ri and Onpyeong-ri in the city of Seogwipo, not far from the spectacular volcanic cone of Seongsan Ilchulbong, one of the island’s most popular tourist destinations. Jeju International Airport has been overwhelmed by a skyrocketing number of visitors, particularly from China. Traffic to the airport has more than doubled over the past decade, from 11.35 million users in 2005 to 23.2 million in 2014.

Korean Pharma Company Inks Diabetes Drug Deal

Korea’s Hanmi Pharmaceutical Co. signed a USD 435 million licensing deal with French pharmaceutical giant Sanofi to develop diabetes medication. Under the deal, Sanofi receives a worldwide license to develop and commercialize three experimental medications developed by Hanmi. The treatments developed by Hanmi make use of the Korean pharmaceutical company’s proprietary Long Acting Protein / Peptide Discovery Platform LAPSCOVERY technology, which minimizes the frequency of treatment and the dose required, thereby potentially lowering adverse event rates and optimizing efficacy.

Special Issue

“Pencil Vs Camera – 77,” Ben Heine

Foreign Artists
Flock to Korea

Social complexity drives Korea’s art scene

_ Written by Mimsie Ladner

As The New York Times introduced Seoul as one of the 50 places to visit in 2015, the newspaper stressed that the city had “over a million new square feet of art, architecture and design.” Speaking with the major Korean daily paper the Chosun Ilbo, Yong Sin, a Malaysian dancer who has lived in Seoul for the past six years, said, “In the dance world, both my Asian and European friends told me, ‘Go to Seoul now! Seoul is the hottest and trendiest city in the art world.’”

What makes Seoul such a rising force in the world’s international arts and culture scene? The answers can be found both inside and outside Korea. The country’s dramatic modern history, including the division of the country into South and North and its rapid march toward industrialization, has produced a multilayered society whose complexity provides fuel for artistry and creativity. Moreover, unlike more established international art centers such as New York, Paris and Berlin, which have reached such a state of saturation that it’s almost impossible for new artists to find a place, Seoul’s art scene is still fluid enough to allow young, aspiring artists to flourish, making the city a springboard for international success.

Newcomers welcome

Seoul is a city where life moves fast and the old and new coexist in sometimes jarring contrast. “Seoul is interesting for artists as we’re able to experience the ancient world and the modern world while sitting in one spot,” says Mike Stewart, an American printmaker who operates the city’s first foreign-owned art studio. “There’s just so much of interest to draw out there in the city. I love the smashing together of old and new buildings and how quickly things change. Painting and drawing outside feels like I’m racing a clock.”

German artist Bernd Halbherr turns 2-D landscape photos into 3-D spheres.

Canadian mixed media artist Paul Kajander

Korea is a new “land of opportunity” for international artists because it gives them room to rise. Gallery owners, art lovers and artists themselves frequently complain about the level of saturation in established art cities like Paris and New York. So much attention is paid to artistic “elites” that newcomers have almost no chance to break in. Indeed, even within countries such as the U.S., more and more young artists are leaving traditional bastions of arts and culture for smaller cities and towns with more opportunity.

Seoul has been a major beneficiary of this trend. Even though the city has the busiest art scene in Korea by far, it is still relatively open compared to other global art centers. Not only does this give artists more opportunity but it also allows more freedom, especially for foreign artists, for whom the lack of established contacts ironically provides greater freedom. “I think being a foreign artist in Korea is kind of special because you don’t have the contacts that local artists have, so you don’t find yourself in a box,” says American artist Hallie Bradley, who has lived and worked in Korea since 2006. “I think that can be beneficial because you can go with your gut and see what happens.”

What’s more, when foreign artists do arrive, they are likely to find a helping hand. Bradley says, “The foreign artists’ community is small, so it’s relatively easy to meet other foreign artists. Because it’s so small, people are very supportive and want to collaborate.”

Art of division

Geopolitical and socioeconomic realities serve to inspire as well. U.S. writer Toni Morrison once wrote, “All good art is political! There is none that isn’t.” Korea is no different. The tragedy of national division and the social contradictions caused by Korea’s fast-paced industrialization have provided much of the raw material for the Korean arts and culture world.

As was the case in Germany, where war, division and ideological confrontation informed much of the national art scene in the 20th century, the destruction of the Korean War (1950-1953) and the politics of Korea’s national division into communist North Korea and anti-communist South Korea features prominently in Korean art. True, the division left the Korean art scene in chaos, but the tragedy also serves to inspire. War and division brought with them pain, suffering and also forced a range of human qualities to the fore: heroism, cowardice, cruelty and kindness. In other words, the stuff of which good art is made. To the extent that art always addresses the issues of the day, it should come as no surprise that the national division is still a common motif in the Korean arts scene.

Likewise, South Korea’s historical experience of breakneck industrialization provides much fuel for artistic endeavors. On the positive side, however, Korea’s economic development created a class of people with the time and financial wherewithal to support the arts. It also allowed for the flowering of artistic venues, including large, state-built galleries and performing arts centers. The social challenges posed by development have fueled the Korean art scene in their own way, too, by providing the themes that continue to shape Korean art to this day. Indeed, in many ways, this history has helped give rise to that most distinctively Korean of emotions – unresolved sadness and bitterness, or han – that inspire so much of Korean music, dance, literature, cinema and visual arts.

French illustrator Samir Dahmani, who has been active in Korea since 2008

Programs by the Korea Arts Management Service, which supports international artistic exchanges

Unmatched dynamism

Social complexity, rapid economic development and Koreans’ love for cutting-edge technology have produced a country that never sleeps. Korea is a land where cities emerge out of nowhere in the space of just a few years and a decade can transform a centuries-old metropolis like Seoul almost beyond recognition. Unlike many Western countries, where doors close early in the evenings, Korean cities and towns are very much a 24-hour affair, with bars, clubs and major markets open until dawn. At night, Korean streets are awash with people running to and fro. Moreover, Korean companies wage a never-ending struggle to produce the very latest in their field.

The result is a country where, almost literally, something new is happening almost every second. This energy and dynamism becomes a wellspring of creativity. Seoul-based Italian filmmaker Marco Tessiore puts it this way. “Korea and its interesting, unsettled historical situation – with the country breaking speed records in economic development – and its fast-paced lifestyle is an attractive territory for artists, who can experience a very challenging path.”

“1620 and less than 5,” a work by German artist Julia Weissenber (Photo courtesy of Seoul Foundation for Arts and Culture)

“Lightheart,” Gonzalo Reyes Araos (Photo courtesy of Seoul Foundation for Arts and Culture)

Cover Story

Slow Living in a Fast Country

The Slow Movement takes hold in Korea as people strive for work-life balance

_ Written by Robert Koehler

Photographed by Ha Ji-kwon

__ ‘Slowing Down’ is a global trend in an increasingly fast-paced world, and Korea is no different. More and more people are seeking meaning in slow, simple living, whether it’s by taking up crafts, by returning to the countryside to farm or just by taking a slow, relaxing walk amid the natural splendor.

In March 2011, Son Hyung-jin and Park Jin-hyeong, a young couple who had grown tired of the endless consumerism of big city life, moved to the pastoral town of Jangheung on Korea’s southern coast. There, in a remote camellia forest in the mountains, they turned an old, clay-walled cabin into a home where they and their young child live an eco-friendly lifestyle. Freeing themselves from electrical power, running water and gas, the husband and wife, known by their respective nicknames of Haeol and Fedal, have become completely self-sufficient. In an iron kitchen cauldron of the type commonly found in Korean homes of old, they slowly cook food made from healthy, organic ingredients they grow in their own fields. They draw water from wells, and do their washing at a nearby stream.

To some urbanites who live fast-paced, perpetually connected lives of automation and consumption, Haeol and Fedal’s unplugged lifestyle in the country might seem like one of endless discomfort and toil. Free from television and other technological conveniences, however, they can truly enjoy the simple pleasures of nature and the changing seasons.

Haeol and Fedal aren’t alone in their pursuit of simpler, slower, more balanced lifestyles. In all sectors of society – food, lifestyle, the arts, publishing and even cosmetics – the Slow Movement is taking hold as more and more Koreans seek to break free from the ppalli ppalli or “Quickly! Quickly!” rat race in favor of simpler, healthier, more minimalist lifestyles that bring more personal satisfaction. Even in Seoul, one of the fastest-paced cities on the planet, residents are seeking regionally sourced and prepared foods, shopping at local, independent stores and shops and hitting the hills and trails to “heal,” or spiritually recharge by reconnecting with nature and community. It’s a movement the government has fully embraced, with local and national authorities exhorting people to relax and to take time to smell the roses.

Seeking a work-life balance

In autumn of 2015, the National Park Service of Korea undertook the “Slow Hiking” campaign, a USD 10 million effort to encourage people to slow down on hiking trails and to enjoy themselves. This might seem obvious, but it runs counter to the current mind-set of many people, who have hitherto focused on “conquering” the peak as quickly as possible, often in large groups. “Although I have truly loved hiking in the Korean mountains for 33 years now, I must confess that I rarely do so anymore with Korean partners,” says David Mason, a long-time resident of Korea and an expert on Korean mountains. “Even though there are beautiful waterfalls and views, magnificent trees and fascinating religious shrines along the way, they don’t want us to stop and quietly enjoy those things for a while. They just want to hurry! hurry! (ppalli ppalli) along the path.”

This tendency to hurry, while often credited with Korea’s remarkable economic rise in the postwar period, has had a detrimental effect on society’s general health. Koreans work 2,163 hours a year on average, more hours than anyone else in the OECD except Mexicans. The resulting “time poverty” has resulted in the proliferation of unhealthy eating habits, including the omnipresence of fast food. The stress – and the heavy drinking that often results – has led to a myriad of nationwide health issues, both physical and mental, including liver and heart disease, accidents, falling fertility, broken families and suicide.

__ Like many former city residents, Son Hyung-jin and Park Jin-hyeong have relocated to the countryside to take up farming. They’ve taken to their new lives with perhaps a bit more gusto than most, moving into a remote farmhouse without electricity in the middle of a camellia grove.

__ Jeonju Hanok Village is one of eleven Korean communities registered with the Cittaslow International Network. To become a member of the network, a community must have no more than 50,000 residents, produce local crafts in a traditional manner, and have a well-preserved cultural heritage.

The Slow Movement seeks to heal the overworked, overstressed urbanite of today’s cities by readjusting lifestyles in a manner that strikes a better work-life balance. The movement began in Italy in the mid-1980s with the so-called Slow Food movement, which has combated the spread of fast food and culinary homogenization by promoting traditional, local cuisine and sustainable food production. From food, the spirit of localism and sustainability grew into a broad lifestyle movement. In the 2004 book “In Praise of Slow,” one of the defining works of the movement, Canadian journalist Carl Honoré writes, “It is a cultural revolution against the notion that faster is always better ... It’s about seeking to do everything at the right speed. Savoring the hours and minutes rather than just counting them.”

The growing interest in Korea in DIY (do it yourself) crafts and handmade goods is a reflection of the slow spirit. As more and more people seek the feeling of relaxation and sense of accomplishment that comes with making something with your own two hands, consumer demand for craftsman tools and raw materials like paint and wood is increasing. Hobbies such as knitting and furniture making are taking off.

“Slow life” is a catchword even in the world of cosmetics. Manufactured with eco-friendly methods using entirely natural ingredients, slow cosmetics have been a hit in Europe and the United States. Korean brands are taking note. LG Household & Health Care, for instance, launched its “slow” cosmetic brand Davi in September 2015.

While primarily a cultural movement, workplaces and even the Korean government are making efforts to strike a better work-life balance by reducing work hours and instituting mandatory vacations. Some firms, such as major financial firm Shinhan, have even taken to locking employees out of the corporate computer system during vacation days. President Park Geun-hye said at an event on gender equality in July 2015, “Reconciling work and family is a must for the happiness of the people, and could help enhance corporate competitiveness.”

__ Nowadays, even city dwellers till the soil. In Seoul alone, the number of urban farmers grew from 66 in 2010 to 2,056 in 2013. This trend reflects the desire of urban dwellers to reconnect with nature. That longing is also manifest in urban farmers’ markets, such as Seoul’s Marche@.

Dropping out of the rat race

On Jan. 6, the Gyeonggido Agricultural Research & Extension Services announced it was recruiting students for its 2016 “return to farming/return to the countryside” training program. The nine-month program is designed to give 440 urbanites the skills they’ll need to adjust to life in Korea’s rural towns and villages. Lim Jae-wook, the head of the center, explains that city dwellers are heading to the countryside in growing numbers, with villages in Gyeonggi-do the favored destination. “A 2015 poll by our center showed that people are going to the countryside to live out their retirement, in search of the value of country living, to eat healthy food, a love of farming, to use farm land they already own or to live with their parents in the countryside.” One of the center’s students, an office worker for 30 years who is about to retire to the country, said, “Life in the city is convenient and fast, but you have to give as much as you get, including putting up with long commutes, frequent business trips and overtime, and fine particulate in the air. I couldn’t leave the city before for educational, medical and cultural reasons, but with my retirement approaching, I’m going to return to nature, which I’ve missed since my childhood.”

His story of leaving the big city and returning to the countryside to farm – a phenomenon called gwinong in Korean – is by no means an isolated one. As of August 2015, some 45,000 households had relocated to the countryside over the previous year, and the numbers are increasing. Korea is one of the few nations in Asia, in fact, where the urban population is dropping.

Aging baby boomers have made up a large part of the urban exodus as they search for cheaper, more tranquil spots to retire, but young families are increasingly making the gwinong, too. Many are moving to enjoy happier, simpler and more balanced lives in the country, where the pace of life is much slower. Kim Hyun-hee, another Seoul resident who moved to the countryside to grow berries, told U.S. broadcaster National Public Radio, “Life in the city is tied down. And that’s why we came to the countryside. We wanted our kids to be close to nature, and we wanted to live a life that’s environmentally friendly.”

The government has been keen to encourage young people to move to the countryside, both for their own personal happiness and to breathe life into rural districts, which have suffered from depopulation as local communities grow increasingly gray. In 2012, the Ministry of Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries took a series of measures to promote rural relocations, including tax benefits, education and training programs and deregulation. Then Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Suh Kyu-yong said, “Overall, the brisk return to farms and ranches is a win-win solution for both cities and rural areas.”

Some urbanites, however, are bringing the farm to the city instead. Between 2010 and 2013, the number of urban farmers in Seoul grew from just 66 to 2,056. That figure includes only those who farm on plots subsidized by the metropolitan government. It does not include the many “guerrilla farmers” who have set up unregistered farms and gardens on unused patches of land. Ahn Cheol-hwan of the Association of City Farmers in Korea told the Korea Herald, “City dwellers have been struggling with constant social unrest. The recent popularity of urban farming reflects the human desire to regain peace by reconnecting with the earth.”

__ You don’t need to quit your job and move to the country to slow down. Slow living might mean simply enjoying a cup of coffee in Seoul’s Yeonnam-dong (above) or making a piece of handmade furniture like this artisan is doing at the workshop STANDARD.a (below).

Korea’s Slow Cities

On Oct. 8, 2015, the city of Namyangju, a small community just a few kilometers east of Seoul, kicked off the first Namyangju Slow Life International Festival. A 10-day celebration of slow living and the local cultural and culinary heritage of Namyangju, the festival featured foods from 30 different countries, tastings of a wide range of Korean regional dishes, traditional arts performances and, of course, a farmer’s market.
Korea’s slow cities attempt to promote slow modes of life as a means of improving the quality of life of local residents. Older, more sustainable agricultural techniques are preserved, slow food is promoted, and rural scenery and landscapes are maintained as they are. As the Korea Tourism Organization explains, “The word ‘slow’ ... implies a connection to nature, a respect for the environment, taking the time to appreciate things like the change of seasons, taking life a little easier and making time for genuine soul-searching.”

It’s not easy to join Cittaslow’s list. To become a member of the network, the community must have no more than 50,000 residents, produce local crafts in a traditional manner and have a well-preserved cultural heritage. Korea currently has 11 communities in the Cittaslow International Network, the fourth-highest number in the world. Namyangju Mayor Lee Suk-woo says Slow Living is not just a matter of fast or slow, but rather about finding one’s own pace that makes life happier and healthier.

Jeungdo Island

Part of an archipelago of over 1,000 islands off the southwest tip of Korea, Jeungdo is famous for its pristine natural environment and expansive mud flats. It’s especially noted for its high-quality sea salt, produced using a traditional sun-drying method quite similar to that employed in the famous French salt-producing town of Guérande. One of the local scenic spots is the Jjangttungeo Bridge, a promenade over the island’s mud flats, which yield an abundance of shellfish and small octopuses, or nakji.

Susan and Pakdaljae, Jecheon

Just a short drive from downtown Jecheon brings you to a rural area of great natural beauty and historical importance. The scenic topography of Susan-myeon, literally, the “hamlet of water and mountains,” was largely formed in the 1980s, when Cheongpungho Lake was created by the construction of the landmark Chungju Dam. Walking trails take visitors all along this ruggedly beautiful piece of Korea, where the land and water strike a harmony that awes and inspires.

Cheongsando Island

Described in the introduction, Cheongsando is part of Dadohae Marine National Park. The island is covered in fields of barley and canola flowers, the latter of which transform the place into a riot of yellow blossoms and blue seas when they bloom each April. This is also when the island hosts the Slow Walk Festival, making it the best time to visit.

Yuchi-myeon, Jangheung

This small, secluded southwestern town is best known for its shitake mushrooms, cultivated on local pine trees using a centuries-old organic farming method. Villagers also raise dung beetles, which make the farming soil more productive. This region of Korea is known for having some of the best local cuisine in Korea – the southern-style banquet table, or Namdo jeongsik, is not to be missed.

Samjicheon, Damyang

Hidden away in the southwestern town of Damyang, which is best known for its bamboo, Samjicheon is home to many old Korean-style homes and charmingly rustic alleyways lined by stone walls. Extensive bamboo forests are located nearby. Like the rest of the surrounding province, the village is blessed with some great food, including locally produced traditional sweets, or hangwa.

Agyang, Hadong

Located at the foot of the Jirisan Mountains in the southeastern province of Gyeongsangnam-do, the village of Agyang specializes in green tea, which grows wild on the surrounding hillsides. Come in May to take in the Wild Tea Culture Festival, where you can try your hand at picking wild green tea. The village’s persimmons are also highly valued.

Yesan

Created in 1962, Yesan’s Yedang Reservoir is not only Korea’s largest, but it’s also a fisherman’s paradise with rich stocks of carp, eel and other fish. The local cuisine, based on the freshwater fish caught from the reservoir, includes steamed Crucian carp and freshwater fish stew, or eojuk. The town is also home to several Joseon Dynasty Confucian schools and an old administrative building from the same period.

Sangju

This rich agricultural town on the bank of the Nakdonggang River in southeast Korea is known for its rice, silkworms, beef, pears, grapes and especially its persimmons. Come in autumn and you can find many stacks of persimmons hanging from the roofs of local homes to dry. Largely flat, Sangju is also one of the most bike-friendly cities in Korea.

Joan-myeon, Namyangju

Just a subway ride from Seoul, Joan-myeon is a riverside district known for its organically produced pears, vegetables and maple sap. The area is also the hometown of Jeong Yak-yong (1762-1836), one of Korea’s most brilliant Confucian scholars and the burial place of Korea’s last two monarchs.

Jeonju Hanok Village

One of Korea’s most loved tourist destinations, Jeonju Hanok Village is a collection of hundreds of old Korean-style homes, or Hanok, located in the important cultural center of Jeonju in southwest Korea. The city is widely praised as having Korea’s best food. Of particular renown is the Jeonju bibimbap, a bowl of rice mixed with seasoned vegetables. The town is also known for its many traditional artists and artisans.

Pacheon-myeon and Budong-myeon, Cheongsong

A remote town in the mountains of southeast Korea, Cheongsong is surrounded by richly forested hillsides that turn brilliant shades of yellow and orange in autumn. Scenic spots include Juwangsan National Park, famous for its crimson fall maples, and misty, mysterious Jusanji Pond. The town has been producing high-quality white porcelain since the 16th century, a tradition carried on today by local artisan Ko Man-gyeong.

Yeongwol

The first slow city in the mountainous province of Gangwon-do, Yeongwol is home to the Donggang, a meandering river that cuts a beautiful path through the craggy landscape. The wandering 19th-century poet Kim Sat-gat, one of Korea’s most beloved literary figures, is buried here. It is also the location of the tomb of King Danjong, the sixth king of the Joseon Dynasty, who was sent to the isolated town in exile after being overthrown by his uncle, King Sejo. It is one of Korea’s top rafting destinations.

Interview

Slow Life Is a New Welfare Paradigm

Mayor Lee Suk-woo of Slow City Namyangju calls on us to find our own pace in life

To Namyangju Mayor Lee Suk-woo, Slow Life is much more than healthy food and outdoor living. It is, or at least could be, an entirely new and more fulfilling social model. “Slow life means sharing, and if each individual lives a happy life by finding a proper pace for his or her life, this will naturally lead to a culture of sharing,” he says. “It would be a society where all are happy together, rather than like the current welfare system where some of your wealth is taken and given to somebody else.”

Lee’s town of Namyangju has been one of Korea’s leaders in the Slow Life movement. In 2010, the district of Joan-myeon, a rural community on the banks of the Bukhangang River that is well-known for its organic farming and managed fisheries, joined the ranks of the Cittaslow Network. In 2013, the city successfully hosted Asia’s first-ever international Slow Food festival, which drew some 530,000 visitors from around the world. Carlo Petrini, the founder of the Slow Food movement, cited Namyangju as an ideal place to learn about authentic Korean cuisine, praising the town’s balance between development and ecological preservation.

Last year, Namyangju’s Slow Food Festival expanded into a celebration of Slow Life in its entirety.

He says, “Slow Life goes a step beyond Slow Food, beyond eating healthy food to deal with ‘dinner table culture,’ which is to say, who you eat with and what you talk about while eating.”

Ultimately, it’s all about pacing. “People have their own pace of life,” he says. “This goes beyond the simple concepts of fast and slow and means one’s own speed in which one can live happily and healthily. Most people nowadays cannot find their own pace, and instead live their lives either chasing something or loitering around.”

The Slow Life, he says, is a new paradigm to correct this imbalance. He says, “It is spending time joyfully, healthily, comfortably and leisurely, discovering your worth and finding your proper life pace.”

In August of last year, Namyangju launched an educational program to cultivate “Slow Life coaches” who can promote the myriad charms of Slow Food and Slow Life to the toiling, overstressed masses. “I hope we can create many coaches who can lead the Slow Life movement along with Namyangju,” he says, and points to the coaches as the future center of the city’s Slow Life movement.

Travel

Fishermen unload the previous night’s catch at the port of Jumunjin.

Seaside Spirit

A getaway for centuries, Gangneung offers inspiring sunrises, rich history, fresh seafood, and the perfect cup of coffee

_ Written and photographed by Robert Koehler

Preparing for the morning seafood auction at Jumunjin

While the rest of Korea comfortably slumbers in the predawn hours, the fishing port of Jumunjin springs into action. A magenta glow begins to appear on the sea’s horizon, and the docks are awash in energy. Grizzled fishermen, returned from their nightly patrols on the sea, busily unload their catch into waiting tanks or boxes of ice as merchants, restaurateurs and the odd tourist look on. Nearby, a man blows a whistle and bidders crowd around a colorful assortment of freshly caught sea creatures piled on the concrete ground of the auction floor. A matronly figure caters to the tired and hungry with a breakfast of freshly boiled fish cakes and instant coffee. Seagulls circle overhead as the red orb of the nearly risen sun bathes the port in its warm, golden light.

It’s a heck of a way to start a winter’s day in Gangneung.

The commercial heart of Korea’s northeastern coast, the city of Gangneung is many things to many people. Blessed with a beautiful location between the white-capped waters of the East Sea and the rugged peaks of the Taebaeksan range, Gangneung has been a travel destination since at least the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), when well-heeled aristocrats made the long trek through the mountains to vacation amid the town’s seaside splendor. Today, thousands of visitors flock here year-round to escape the daily grind and recharge, whether it’s by taking in the winter sea, enjoying some of the freshest seafood in the land, exploring the historical sites, or imbibing the rich aroma of one of Gangneung’s famous cups of coffee.

Fresh catch at the fish market

Fish market at Jumunjin

Inspiring mornings

Many visitors to Gangneung begin their trip by hopping on the night train from Seoul’s Cheongnyangni Station to Jeongdongjin, a scenic beach a few kilometers down the coast from downtown Gangneung. It is best known for its spectacular sunrises, some of Korea’s most romantic. The train, which drops you off almost on the beach itself, arrives an hour or two before sunrise in the winter months, leaving you time to warm up over a cup of coffee at one of the beach’s nighttime cafés. A nearby hill has an observation platform where you can take in the sunrise from above, but most visitors – including legions of photographers – prefer to watch from the sand. After bathing in the light of the new day, you can hop on a local bus to downtown Gangneung.

Jeongdongjin might have Korea’s most romantic sunrise.

In a single day in Gangneung, you can take in Korea’s most romantic sunrise, drink Korea’s some of Korea’s best coffee, and dine on some of Korea’s freshest seafood. There are plenty of other things to do, see and eat, as well.

Coffee by the sea, Anmok Beach

Jeongdongjin might be Gangneung’s best-known sunrise spot, but it’s not the only place to catch the early rays. At Jumunjin, described above, the rising sun is like a loudspeaker calling the community to action. Some 10 percent of the port’s population is employed in fishing, not surprising considering how the town’s harbor shelters one of the region’s largest fishing fleets. Commercial fishing is largely a nocturnal activity, especially for the squid boats, which take advantage of the tasty cephalopod’s attraction to light and nighttime feeding hours.

The boats typically return just before sunrise, and this is when the harbor area really begins to bustle. Of particular note is the daily seafood auction, where participants – largely merchants and restaurant owners – bid on the newly offloaded catch. The energy is infectious, and there’s no better way to appreciate the boundless aesthetic diversity of Neptune’s bounty, with fish ranging from the sleek and silvery to the horrifyingly hideous. Just be careful of the octopuses swimming around in plastic basins – they’ll sometimes douse an unsuspecting passerby with a powerful stream from their seawater jets.

Not far from the waterfront, meanwhile, is the vibrant Jumunjin Seafood Market, the largest seafood market on Korea’s East Coast. In addition to being one of the best places in Korea to pick up fresh seafood at extremely reasonable prices, it’s also a good spot to score some sliced raw fish.

City of scholars and nobility

Gangneung’s city core is a relaxed place where life moves slowly and the urban scenery retains a warm, welcoming rusticity. In the heart of downtown you’ll find the Chilsadang, a beautiful old government office that was rebuilt after a fire in 1867. Behind the Chilsadang is an old Joseon Dynasty government guesthouse, the Imyeonggwan. Most of the complex was restored in the 1990s, but the wooden gate dates from the late Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392), making it one of the oldest wooden structures in Korea. The mural-adorned alleyways around the Chilsadang and Imyeonggwan are also fun places to explore, lined by plenty of vintage homes and shops and other buildings from the early 20th century, including a historic Catholic church, a former church that has been turned into a theater, an old mill that has been renovated into a café, and a former Japanese army ammunition warehouse that is now a charming coffee house.

Gangneung’s most spectacular historical sites, however, are located just north of downtown near Gyeongpo Provincial Park, a popular lake and beach resort. The first, the Black Bamboo House, or Ojukheon, was the home of Gangneung’s favorite daughter, the 16th-century artist and writer Shin Saimdang (1504-1551) and the birthplace of her son, the renowned Confucian philosopher Yi I (1536-1584). Taking its name from a nearby grove of black bamboo, the historic villa typifies the grace and sophistication of the Joseon Dynasty’s aristocratic scholar-elite with its simple, refined elegance. Don’t miss the examples of Shin’s artwork on display at the home.

The epitome of Joseon Dynasty aristocratic architecture, however, is the nearby Seongyojang. The mansion is not only one of the largest private residences of the Joseon Dynasty with no fewer than 10 buildings and about 130 rooms, but also one of the best preserved. The wood, stone and clay home stands in exquisite harmony with the surrounding hills and pine forests. In front of it is a square lotus pond featuring a round island with a cluster of gnarled pine trees, an architectural representation of the Confucian cosmos. A graceful wood pavilion overlooks the pond, and the site is regarded by many experts as one of Korea’s finest traditional gardens embodying the essence of Korean beauty.

Unlike many other historic Korean houses, the Seongyojang is no mere museum – it’s a living, breathing home, resided in by members of the Naebeon Lee clan for 10 generations. It also offers a number of so-called Hanok B&B opportunities, whereby visitors can spend a night in the mansion’s tranquil surroundings.

Graceful pavilion and lotus pond, Seongyojang

Traditional kitchen, Seongyojang

Courtyard and pines, Seongyojang

From vending machines to artisan brews

Follow the Gangneung Namdaecheon Stream eastward from downtown and you’ll come to where the river empties out into the East Sea. As it does, it forms a narrow finger of land called Anmok, where you’ll find a sandy beach and a neighborhood full of old homes. You’ll also find one of Korea’s most unexpected culinary gems: a collection of 20 or so coffee houses serving some of the best java in the land. Welcome to Anmok Beach Coffee Street.

This remote patch of caffeinated bliss began in the 1980s. Like Jeongdongjin Beach, Anmok Beach was – and still is – a romantic spot to come, sit down, and think deep thoughts as you watch the waves crash upon the sand. Coffee always goes well with moody self-reflection, so coffee vending machines were installed up and down the beach. These proved a hit – in fact, you can still find about 30 of them along the beach, each one producing coffee with a unique flavor and aroma.

In the 1990s, Korea’s first generation of trained baristas began brewing real cups of coffee using roasted beans. Attracted to the seaside atmosphere, they established coffee shops along Anmok Beach. As the neighborhood’s reputation for coffee grew, more baristas set up shop.

Most of the 20 shops on Anmok Coffee Street are independent, although you’ll find a couple of chains in there too. Many have terraces or open roofs where you can look out onto the sea as you sip your coffee. This is as it should be. You’d be surprised how much tastier a cup of coffee can be when it’s accompanied by pleasant scenery.

WHERE TO STAY Most of the higher-end accommodations are along Gyeongpo Beach, including the Seamarq (T. 033-650-7000). Near Jeongdongjin is the spectacular Haslla Museum Hotel (T. 033-644-9414), a work of art doubling as a place to stay run by a husband-and-wife team of sculptors.

If you don’t want to pay to stay on the beach, there are reasonably priced motels and inns around Gangneung Bus Terminal.

WHERE TO EAT Chodang sundubu is a pure white soup consisting of tofu mixed with seawater, which imparts a light but delightfully salty taste. The Chodang Sundubu Village, located in the forested area south of Gyeongpo Beach, has several places serving this dish.

GETTING TO AND FROM GANGNEUNG Express buses to Gangneung depart from Seoul’s Express Bus Terminal. The trip takes three hours. There are also six trains a day to Gangneung from Seoul’s Cheongnyangni Station, but be warned – it’s a long trip through Korea’s mountainous backbone.

People 1

Bringing New Perspectives to the Korean Art Scene

New MMCA director Bartomeu Mari Ribas aims to take national art museum in a more globalized direction

_ Written by Jennifer Flynn

Photographed by RAUM Studio

The first non-Korean to lead Korea’s national modern art museum, Mari aims to help Korean art find a wider audience and to be better understood by placing artists and their works in a broader narrative. This, he says, can be done through storytelling.

Korea’s National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA) plays a leading role in bringing local artists to international prominence, while also working to connect them with other artists of global renown. Recently, the museum took an unprecedented step toward globalization by appointing Spanish-born Bartomeu Mari Ribas as its head, making him the first non-citizen to lead Korea’s national modern art museum. Mari is also the head of the International Committee for Museums and Collections of Modern Art (CIMAM). Previously, he headed Spain’s Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art and the Witte de With Center for Contemporary Art in Rotterdam in the Netherlands.

“I think Seoul is potentially one of the main hubs of contemporary art in Asia, but also in the world,” Mari said in an interview. “The facilities that the MMCA can put to work are fabulous, and the complexity and richness of the Korean art system are ready.”

Creating a narrative for the future

Having visited Korea seven times since 2005, Mari has long been fascinated by Korea. He is particularly attracted to the country’s creative potential. “Remember that I come from what they used to call the ‘Old Continent’ and I am very fascinated by the possibility of opening up, inventing, creating,” he says. “And I’ve had friends here since a long time, so I don’t feel like it’s a strange place.”

According to the well-traveled Mari, Korea is still finding its place in the international art world. One of his key missions is to help Korean art find a wider audience and to be better understood.

“For me, the Korean art scene is full of very interesting individuals,” he said. “I think it is very important to provide these individual voices with a critical context that makes them part of a broader history and a broader narrative.”

Mari frequently refers to “narrative” because he believes that art is something that goes beyond objects. For him, art’s main concern is the way we relate to the world and the way we exist in time.

Sleek architecture of the MMCA Seoul

While Mari will draw on his 30 years of experience in the art world, he also feels museums as we have known them are in need of a reformulation, and that the MMCA is the perfect place to invent rather than repeat or import.

This can only be grasped, Mari believes, through storytelling, and he sees it as the museum’s role to influence the stories being told by the next generation.

“My main concern is the quality of the exhibitions, the promotion of Korean art abroad and making the MMCA a first-level museum in the international world,” he said when asked to describe his mandate. “I am discovering a great team of curators and highly motivated staff, so I know we’re very well equipped to play with the engagement and support of artists.”

A new direction for art, a new model for museums

It’s not just the arts that Mari is hoping to promote, but a new model with which to engage the public.

“The MMCA is one of the biggest and most important museums of modern and contemporary art in the world,” he explained. “One of my main ambitions is to make the world aware of these qualities. I don’t think we are here to reinvent the wheel, and I don’t think the future of this museum necessarily goes through the repeating models that in Western cultures are in crisis.”

Mari will draw on his experience in the international art world, he affirms, while also seeking to create new systems.

“The museum as we have known it over the past 30 years needs a deep reformulation,” he said. “I think this is the perfect place to invent, not necessarily to repeat or import.”

Nevertheless, he says his three decades of experience in the art world will still prove useful. His capacity and will to invent new models is based on his experience. “That art world exists and the tradition is valuable.”

Contextualizing the arts

Mari is cautious about drawing comparisons between Korean artistic traditions and those in other countries.

“There is little to compare,” he said. “I think it’s very particular. I am discovering the creativity of the younger generation of artists. I am also discovering a strong tradition that is rooted in traditional forms of art, but also modern languages and avant-garde.”

The new director said it was interesting to investigate and elaborate on a specific vocabulary and specific chronology and put it in global context. Doing so for Korean art is another one of his objectives for the museum.

“I think the world is very prepared today to discover, to consider, to relate to different developments of modernity and different ways in which the language of contemporary art relates to a wider notion of culture,” he said.

Mari acknowledged that Korea and Spain shared striking similarities in terms of modern history. Both countries, he noted, are young democracies that evolved democratic liberal governments in the aftermath of wars.

“The role of art in both contexts lies more in the capacity of the current generation of artists to deal with the tensions and contradictions of the global system imposed on local identities,” he added. “Spain is multicultural and multilingual, and Korea is in the middle of a multicultural and multilinguistic geographic area. Still, in both cases, Spain and Korea, the public sector has a strong role in the promotion of public culture.”

A foreigner’s role

While he is keenly aware of the challenges involved in being the first non-citizen and non-Korean to head a cultural institution as important as the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, he does not see his foreignness as an obstacle.

“I have been a foreigner and I have had high institutional and public responsibilities in several other countries and contexts,” he said. “I believe that being a foreigner is a natural condition of many, many people today.” He believes that coming from abroad makes people like him more attentive, more generous and also more inclined to exchange.

Before closing the interview, Mari shared his dreams for the museum.

“I feel very privileged to be able to do this work, and I wish that the MMCA grows in recognition and in relevance as one of the most important institutions in this country, and that people enjoy to visit it.”

The role of young artists in Korea and Spain, says Mari, is to deal with the tensions and contradictions of the global system imposed on local identities. In both countries, the public sector takes a strong role in promoting the arts.

People 2

Good Soju Takes Time

Artisanal soju maker Kim Taek-sang preserves a piece of Seoul’s brewing traditions

_ Written and photographed by Dylan Goldby

Samcheong-dong, a cozy neighborhood directly east of Gyeongbokgung Palace, is well known among visitors and residents of Seoul alike for its many cafés, galleries and clothing stores as well as its street art. Following the main street, Samcheong-ro, as it winds east, soju master Kim Taek-sang’s distillery can be found wedged unassumingly along Samcheong-ro 9-gil.

Descending to the basement of the cramped two-story Hanok, you are hit with the smells of alcohol production. It is here that Kim produces Seoul’s eighth Intangible Cultural Property, Samhae Soju. Kim’s artisanal variety of the national drink is made by hand and ranges from 45 percent to 70 percent ABV, a far cry from the 16-20 percent content of the commonly consumed commercial varieties. He even takes orders from soju connoisseurs for higher percentages. Gone is the pungent scent that many associate with the alcohol. Instead, it is replaced by a more complex aroma. The resulting liquor may then be combined with fruits, such as grapes or flowers such as azaleas, to produce other flavors.

What is Samhae Soju?

Samhae Soju is the base for all of these, and it is quite different from its commercial brethren. The etymology for Samhae gives us a hint as to the first difference. Sam means “three,” and hae means “pig.” As such, the liquor itself is prepared in three stages in the same hangari, or fermentation pots, on the first, second and third dwaejinal, or “Pig Day” according to the Korean calendar, of the year. “The lower temperatures at this time of year slow the production and provide the highest-quality liquor from our process. Good alcohol takes time,” says Kim.

Kim’s family has been making Samhae Soju since the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), with the methods being passed down by word of mouth from generation to generation. Of course, with the many invasions Korea has suffered, there were breaks in the practice, especially during the colonial period when the family took its longest break from producing liquor. Their second-longest was during the rebuilding years after the Korean War, when making liquor from rice was banned. “Despite these official breaks in production, the practice continued in their houses in the countryside,” says Kim.

Kim himself has been making Samhae Soju for more than 30 years, after learning the method from his mother. Currently, he apprentices his son, who will take over in the years to come. “You never stop learning, even from those under you,” he says. He has no secrets, and he believes that this allows his business to develop high-quality products.

Kim’s family has been making Samhae Soju since the days of the Joseon Dynasty using methods passed down by word of mouth. More and more people, both local and international, are taking an interest in his product.

Modern consumption

“People are starting to realize that Korean traditional liquors don’t have to be inferior to foreign liquors,” Kim says. Although many locals drink whiskey or wine now, they have also found a place for Korean traditional liquors. Many of Kim’s short-term students are Koreans from all walks of life: men and women alike join his classes and learn how to make quality soju at home. “The first thing they do when they get home every day is check the hangari, and then they go about their lives,” he says.

Foreign tourists are also frequent visitors to Kim’s distillery. Given that many are visiting Korea for just a short time, he runs tastings and history classes for such visitors. “Most don’t realize that soju can be such high quality,” he says. They come in with the impression that commercial soju represents Korean alcohol, but are pleasantly surprised when they try quality alcohols made by the masters. He also adds that many foreign-born Koreans visit the distillery to learn more about their cultural history, taking home with them the secrets to making one of Korea’s finest sojus.

Arts & Entertainment

Classic or Trope?

‘Miss Granny’ remakes poised to sweep Asia by reviving timeless plot

_ Written by Colin Marshall

U.S. filmgoers are all too familiar with a tired genre that might best be termed the “body-swap comedy.” Think of Tom Hanks in “Big” or Jennifer Garner in “13 Going on 30” — stories in which adult characters suddenly find themselves in youthful bodies, kids age overnight, or both. Think of Kirk Cameron in “Like Father Like Son,” or the many versions of “Freaky Friday.”

The popularity of these movies peaked in the West in the mid-1980s, but the Asian film industry has begun to breathe new life into the genre. Hwang Dong-hyuk’s 2014 blockbuster “Miss Granny” sold 8.65 million tickets, and now its localized remakes are sweeping the rest of Asia.

After a visit to a mysterious portrait photographer, the film’s cranky 74-year-old widowed heroine looks in the mirror and sees that she has turned into a 20-year-old girl, her own younger self. In this form, she goes on to find romantic intrigue and fame as the lead singer of her grandson’s rock band.

Like the Korean original, the Chinese and Vietnamese remakes of “Miss Granny” have met with great success. In January of last year, CJ E&M and Beijing Century Media co-produced the first of the bunch, “20 Once Again.” The biggest Chinese-Korean co-production ever, the film took in more than USD 50 million. It was the second hit in China for the Korea-based CJ, which brought in USD 30.8 million in 2013 with the romantic comedy “A Wedding Invitation.”

In December, Vietnam got its own remake of Miss Granny. Phan Gia Nhat Linh’s “Sweet 20” did the unthinkable at the box office by beating out “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.” This cross-cultural impact attests to the universal appeal of body-swap stories. Who among us, no matter our nationality, hasn’t fantasized about what we would do if we woke up one day a different person: young, old, rich, poor, male, female?

The year of “Miss Granny”s premiere also saw the run of the MBC television drama “Mr. Back,” adapted from the popular novel “Old Man.” It envisioned the life of a cold and avaricious 70-year-old hotel conglomerate executive miraculously restored to his 30s. The following year, Kang Hyo-jin’s feature “Wonderful Nightmare” put a highly paid, high-powered Seoul criminal defense lawyer into the body of a lower middle class housewife.

Korean cinema enthusiasts will understand how well this type of film resonates here, giving its protagonists the opportunity to reflect on how badly they behaved in their original bodies. They can see with new eyes how they treated their elders or juniors, their parents or children, their families and friends.

This sort of thing resonates everywhere. Following the release of “Miss Granny,” CJ signed seven deals for localized remakes. “20 Once Again” and “Sweet 20” were just the start. Other countries slated to get their own versions of “Miss Granny” include Japan, Thailand, Indonesia, India and Germany.

The ‘one-source, multi-territory’ approach

All this is part of CJ’s “one-source, multi-territory” business strategy. It involves taking a single piece of versatile source material and adapting it for as many countries as possible, each time with a local setting and cast as well as tweaks to the story to reflect the tastes of its new audience.

CJ had intended for “20 Once Again” to be produced concurrently with “Miss Granny,” but the schedule of the Chinese film’s director – the busy Taiwanese-born hitmaker Leste Chen – couldn’t accommodate it. While Korean film and television have gained a reputation the world over for their mastery of the melodramatic, to which “Miss Granny” does no harm, the makers of “20 Once Again” decided to execute the concept with Chinese audiences in mind and heighten the emotion even further. Accordingly, the Chinese version places additional emphasis on the love-story subplot while toning down the slapstick comedy of the original.

The Chinese film features veteran actress Kuei Ya-lei in the role of the harsh old university professor and rising star Yang Zishan as the young woman she magically changes into. Unlike the protagonist of “Miss Granny,” who is at a spa when she realizes the full extent of her transformation, the freshly rejuvenated lead of “20 Once Again” is doing tai chi in one of China’s characteristic urban public squares. Whereas the Korean grandmother-turned-lovely-young-thing draws attention by singing captivating renditions of Korean oldies such as “Raindrop,” “White Butterfly” and “If You Go to Los Angeles,” her Chinese counterpart shows off her previously unacknowledged vocal powers with the songs of beloved Taiwanese folk and ballad singer Teresa Teng.

A story that crosses cultures, generations

The two pictures have far more similarities than differences, right down to the joyous new-wardrobe shopping montage that follows the main character’s return to youth. Scored with Roy Orbison’s “Pretty Woman,” it’s a clear homage to Garry Marshall’s 1990 modern-day Cinderella story starring Richard Gere and Julia Roberts.

Photos courtesy of CJ E&M

‘One source, multi-territory’ productions require strong, clear, understandable structures and classic, timeless plots. Themes should have universal appeal and be capable of crossing not only cultures but generations.

This evinces the thinking behind “one-source, multi-territory” productions. They require strong, clear, understandable structures and classic, timeless plots. Themes should have universal appeal and be capable of crossing not only cultures but generations. In a story like this, there has to be a solid framework on which to hang culturally specific details.

The Vietnamese version, “Sweet 20,” diverges from the Chinese version in that it dials up the humor of “Miss Granny,” working in more pratfalls and word play and filling the supporting cast with accomplished comedians. What alterations will the model have to undergo to attain success in Japan? Audiences will find out this April when “Suspicious Girl,” co-financed by CJ, Shochiku Films and Nippon Television, opens there. Japan’s own “Miss Granny” will star Mitsuko Baisho, a veteran of films by such auteurs as Akira Kurosawa and Shohei Imamura, as the older woman. The prolific young actress Mikako Tabe, well known for her roles on television comedies, will portray the heroine’s younger self.

As CJ’s made-to-measure editions of “Miss Granny” appear in more and more Asian countries and even begin breaking into Europe, fans may wonder whether the movie will eventually come full circle and appear as a remake in the United States. If an American version of “Miss Granny,” co-produced with a Hollywood company, were to rejuvenate the good old body-switch comedy in the very country where the genre began – and where it has long since devolved into a predictable trope – well, wouldn’t that be the most impressive feat of all?

Korea & I

Feathers and Folk

Veteran birdwatcher Robert Newlin finds camaraderie of the human and avian kind

_ Written by Robert Newlin

Illustrated by Kim Yoon-myung

You might think that bird-watching is an asocial activity: alone in the woods or on a mudflat, covered with mosquitoes or mud, waiting for some unpronounceable little creature that may or may not show up. How is that all like a fun night out with your friends?

Most of the time, you’d be right. The watcher is often alone, standing in a field at dawn as the cranes pass over in bugling lines, crouching by a streamside boulder while the merganser floats by, trudging up a mountain path as the warblers sing. Often alone, and happy to be so.

However, I meet many people when I watch birds in Korea – probably more people than birds – and that is a happy thing as well. There is, of course, my network of birding friends – more on that shortly – but I am thinking now of random encounters.

Chance meetings

It’s midmorning on Socheongdo Island, a four-hour boat ride from Incheon. Socheongdo is beautiful and rugged. I’m on a remote hillside, where I’ve been happily working the frost-furred thickets since dawn. Suddenly I meet two grandmothers. They have followed me up a goat path and are now shouting angrily at me.

“Did you eat breakfast? No? Foolish boy!”

Note: I’m closer to 60 than I am to 50.

“Here! Eat this!”

‘Here! Eat this!”

They shove a tinfoil packet at me and disappear. Roasted sweet potatoes: charred, still warm and absolutely delicious. I’ll never forget those two ladies.

There are also the people who pull over on country roads and offer a ride. Or the man who stops to ask what I’m looking at – I have him look through the telescope and then watch him tremble with wonder upon seeing a handsome duck in good light through a powerful optic. Or the two men to whom I showed a thrush one morning. They in turn taught me the right way to greet a goat. Or the Buddhist monk at the outer edge of an island who invited me in for tea. Or, on a different island, the pastor who shared his coffee and a good talk.

Bird-watching resources

Back in Seoul, things often start with a phone call. My friend is on the line.

“There are Pine Buntings at Paju. Gallaeyo?”

Next morning, he picks me up in front of our usual, still-dark Paris Baguette, and off we go. At the Pine Bunting spot, there are scores upon scores of the usually scarce birds – and almost as many birders. The morning is a combination of bird-watching and greeting old friends.

There are many bird-watching organizations in Korea, from neighborhood groups and university clubs to nationwide societies. Of course, you do not need a club to go birding. If you do want a framework, a wonderful organization for anyone interested in Korean birds is Birds Korea (www.birdskoreablog.org). It engages in fieldwork, advocacy and educational work and has a collaborative network (Korean and international) of bird-watchers, researchers and environmental activists. I’ve been a member for more than a decade and I highly recommend it as the first stop for new people – or the second, if you want to get out into the field first.

A welcoming haven

Korea was once known as the “Hermit Kingdom.” Nowadays, of course, the appellation hardly applies. In just one weekend on Socheongdo Island, I counted people from eight different countries. Most of them were there for the birds. The birds themselves, wonderful in variety and interest, reflected our diversity, too.

Korea has always been a popular travel destination for a rich array of avian visitors. In fact, it’s one of the most important migration corridors in Asia. Whether the visitors are bird or human, the country’s rich habitat makes it a welcoming haven for those who stop or stay.

Policy Review

Ballot Tech Goes Global

Kyrgyzstan adopts Korea’s electronic voting system

_ Written by Lee Kijun

Oct. 4, 2015, was a historic day for democracy. On that day, Kyrgyzstan held its first peaceful and transparent election since gaining independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.

Kyrgyzstan has a strong desire to achieve democracy. The country’s previous democratization attempts had been hampered by rampant voter fraud. The previous elections in 2005 and 2010 resulted in civil unrest.

This one was different. Every step of the process, from the casting of votes to the counting of ballots, proceeded smoothly and swiftly with little discord. Tuigunaaly Abdraimov, chairman of the country’s Central Election Commission, announced at a press conference that the country had held a successful election thanks to the automated voting system it had imported from Korea.

Ainura Usubecova, executive director of the most influential nongovernmental organization in Kyrgyzstan, agreed that the recent election wasn’t like the others, and that it completely reflected the will of the people.

“If it had been conducted in the same manner as past elections, we would already have been embroiled in controversy,” she said. “This election was fair and clean thanks to automated ballot counting.”

How the system works

The automated voting system that made October’s election possible centered on a key piece of equipment: a precinct-count optical scanner. These scanners identified voters through their fingerprints, counted the ballots, and aggregated the results from more than 2,300 polling sites. The results were sent to the Central Election Commission’s main server as soon as the polls closed, and were then disclosed to the public through the commission’s website.

The system only records one ballot per person, so it would be very difficult for anyone to manipulate the results.

A visiting team of election officials from several countries learns to operate Korea’s automated voting system during a mock election hosted by the Korean National Election Commission in Seoul.

Kyrgyz voters go to the polls on Oct. 4, 2015. The election was a successful one, in large part thanks to automated voting technology imported from Korea.

Kyrgyzstan’s adoption of Korea’s automated voting system and election management skills have made ballot stuffing a thing of the past, allowing the country to make great progress in its democratic transition, which had been plagued in the past by voter fraud.

Ballots were stored in the scanners so that they could be verified in the event of any doubt, an essential feature for a workable system in Kyrgyzstan, where ballot stuffing was a serious problem in past elections.

“Local election commission staff members were often bribed by political parties and put bunches of ballots in the ballot box,” said Central Election Commission Vice Chair Gulnar Jurabayeva. “Now that they can’t manipulate ballots anymore thanks to the scanners, they don’t want to be in charge. That’s why we had trouble recruiting local staff members for the election.”

Empowering voters through technology

Central Election Commission Chair Abdraimov learned about Korea’s automated voting system in October 2013 at the inaugural meeting of the Association of World Election Bodies in Incheon. Upon Abdraimov’s recommendation, Kyrgyzstani President Almazbek Atambayev arranged to discuss the matter with Korean President Park Geun-hye when she visited in November that year.

“People in Kyrgyzstan are heading toward democracy after studying the Korean model,” President Atambayev said at that time. “We’ve heard a lot about the excellence of Korea’s election management system. It would be great if Korea could help us have fair elections.”

In September 2014, the Korean government launched a project called “Empowering Election Management in Kyrgyzistan.” It involved providing precinct-count optical scanners, restructuring the election management system, and building a center for electoral data. The Korean National Election Commission and the Association of World Election Bodies invested a combined total of about USD 6 million in the project, including a USD 610,000 grant from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation.

Electronic Voting Process _ The automated voting system centers on precinct-count optical scanners. These scanners identify voters through their fingerprints, count the ballots and aggregate the results from more than 2,300 polling sites in Kyrgyzstan. The results are sent to the Central Election Commission’s main server as soon as the polls close, and are then disclosed to the public through the commission’s website.

It was not an easy task. Participants had to solve numerous problems. For example, they had to consider Kyrgyzstan’s poor telecommunications infrastructure and the many differences between the electoral systems in Korea and Kyrgyzstan. The scanners had to be designed to prevent every kind of voter fraud that could possibly happen. Old computer hardware had to be replaced.

Once those challenges were surmounted, one more remained. Even with the necessary hardware in place, the new system would have been meaningless without appropriate election procedures. The Korean National Election Commission collaborated with the Association of World Election Bodies, therefore, to reform Kyrgyzstan’s electoral system after carefully considering Korea’s experience. Dozens of administrators were dispatched to Kyrgyzstan to implement the necessary reforms.

“It wasn’t just some hardware that we exported,” Secretary General Kim Yong-hee of the commission said. “We transferred our election management skills and the experience we had gained as a result of our history.”

Korean Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan Jung Byung-hu concurred, saying the Central Asian country had very different political and cultural institutions from Korea. For example, Korean voters can usually choose one or two candidates per ballot, but their counterparts in Kyrgyzstan can select as many as 30.

“We can’t simply impose our model on them,” he said.

Nevertheless, he added, Korea can draw on its experience and technology to help Kyrgyzstan’s experts assess the risks of its current model and minimize trial and error as it makes the transition to a more modern system.

It’s a new model of official development assistance for newborn democracies. Having launched a successful automated voting system in Kyrgyzstan, the Korean National Election Commission is planning to offer similar technology assistance packages to other emerging democracies.

“We are analyzing the situation in Kenya and Ecuador,” Secretary General Kim said. “Kenya has already requested automated election equipment from the Association of World Election Bodies. Ecuador has been keeping an eye on Kyrgyzstan’s success.”

Jung sees Kyrgyzstan’s electoral reforms as a sign of hope for democracy.

“Once Kyrgyzstan’s improved election system becomes entrenched, it will become a model for other countries that share similar cultural and historical backgrounds such as Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.”

Brand Korea

Surveying ‘Koreanness’

Poll of non-Koreans reveals ‘amazing,’ ‘K-pop’ among top keywords to describe Korea

_ Written by Kim Hansol

In a survey co-hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the King Sejong Institute, non-Koreans have chosen “amazing” as the word that best describes “Koreanness.”

Some 24,605 participants across 117 countries – including Indonesia, the Philippines, the United States and Romania – took part in the survey, which was conducted between Sept. 7 and Nov. 8 as part of the government’s larger national branding effort. Those served were asked to complete the sentence, “For me, Korea is __________.”

“Amazing” was the most popular response. Other popular keywords included “beautiful” (No. 4), “wonderful (No. 5), “inspiration” (No. 7) and “awesome” (No. 8).

Respondents offered up some unusual responses as well, including “dopamine” (No. 2) and “endorphin” (No. 10).

Participants were also asked, “Tell us your experience of Korea.” To this request, “K-pop” proved the most popular response, followed by “food,” “culture,” “amazing,” “kimchi” and “Seoul.” Koreans, likewise, were described with mostly positive terms such as “kind,” “honest” and “friendly.”

The ministry interpreted the responses as indicating that Korea’s image is largely based on culture, including Korean pop culture and cuisine.

A number of high-profile figures took part in the ministry’s efforts with a video relay in which they offer their own thoughts on “Koreanness.” U.S. Ambassador to Korea Mark Lippert described Korea as “dynamic,” while his fellow envoy, Indian Ambassador to Korea Vikram Doraiswami, preferred the term “diligent.” Korean national football coach Uli Stielike went in a different direction, describing the country as “peace.” Their videos, as well as the videos of other personages, can be seen at the website koreaourstories.kr.

Social media analysis reveals interest in fashion, beauty, pop culture

The Korean Culture and Information Service (KOCIS), meanwhile, has spent three years analyzing social media in the United States and China in an effort to discover what the world regards as “Koreanness.” KOCIS found that not only were pop culture and pop stars frequently mentioned, but social media users in the two countries showed much interest in fashion and beauty too. With K-pop and soap operas taking off overseas, KOCIS explained, online information about Korean pop culture was expanding to include topics such as fashion and beauty. In China in particular, users showed great interest in travel, medical tourism and traditional culture, a reflection of the ever-increasing number of Chinese tourists who visit Korea.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism says a positive image of Korea represents potential added value, and that the ministry will continue to search for the definition of “Koreanness” based on data gathered in the recent keyword survey, the video relay and the study of overseas social media. It added it would continue its campaign to invite opinions from international residents in Korea and people living overseas about “Koreanness.”

Summit Diplomacy

Diplomatic Year in Review

President Park’s efforts to deepen and broaden international cooperation pay off

_ Written by Kim Eugene

President Park holds a trilateral summit with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan and Premier Li Keqiang of China on Nov. 1.

President Park meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Sept. 2.

President Park’s diplomacy in 2015 normalized ties with Korea’s Asian neighbors, strengthened alliances and found new partners in the international community.

On the diplomatic front, the year 2015 was a busy one for President Park Geun-hye. In addition to tours of the Middle East, South America and the United States, the Korean leader also worked hard to improve relations with China and Japan, Korea’s immediate neighbors, and upgrade ties with other Asian countries and traditional allies. Additionally, she worked to build new partnerships with emerging nations and others.

Neighborly relations

President Park worked diligently throughout the year to strengthen ties with Korea’s Asian neighbors, particularly its immediate neighbors, China and Japan.

On Nov. 1, President Park, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan and Premier Li Keqiang of China held a trilateral summit at Cheong Wa Dae. The three leaders discussed the state of regional cooperation and how to promote cooperation between Korea, Japan and China in sectors such as business, social affairs and sustainable development. They also discussed important international issues, including the global economy.

The talks were especially significant since they were the first such trilateral summit in three years. President Park said after the meeting, “All sides shared the view that trilateral cooperation has been completely restored by this meeting.”

On Nov. 2, President Park held a summit with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, the first bilateral meeting the two leaders had held since taking office. The two agreed to accelerate efforts to resolve outstanding historical issues that have hindered relations between Korea and Japan.

President Park had previously met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Sept. 2, where they discussed ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation and deepen friendly ties. President Park also attended China’s official celebration to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II.

The Korean president met with other Asian leaders as well, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The two leaders met in Seoul on May 18 and agreed to upgrade the bilateral relationship to a “special strategic partnership.” President Park lauded the progress the two nations had made in their 42-year relationship, saying, “In particular, the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement between Korea and India took effect in 2010. It solidified the basis for our bilateral economic cooperation and contributed to an increase in the exchange of the arts and people.”

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi receives a warm welcome during his visit to Seoul.

Strengthening bonds with longtime friends

President Park paid a four-day visit to the United States from Oct. 13 to Oct. 17, her second visit to the country since taking office. At a summit with U.S. President Barack Obama on Oct. 16, the two leaders discussed a variety of matters of mutual interest, including the advancement of the Korea-U.S. alliance, cooperation on the North Korean nuclear problem and other North Korea policies, collaboration on peace, stability and prosperity in Northeast Asia, the expansion of their global partnership, and finally, the promotion of substantive cooperation. President Park said the long-standing alliance between the two countries was “stronger than ever before. It is evolving as a comprehensive global alliance that encompasses security and economics, as well. The Korea-U.S. alliance is the key axis of peace and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region.”

President Park chats with U.S. President Barack Obama.

The two leaders also condemned North Korea’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs and affirmed that they “stand ready to offer a brighter future to North Korea” if Pyongyang abandons those programs and lives up to its international obligations and commitments.

The summit was the fourth between President Park and President Obama. President Park also met with many high-ranking U.S. political, military and business figures as well.

Korea touched base with another longtime friend, France, on Nov. 4. At a meeting at Cheong Wa Dae, President Park and French President François Hollande adopted an action plan to strengthen their comprehensive partnership for the 21st century and discussed ways to promote cooperation on politics, business, the creative industries, culture and science & technology. They also signed six MOUs covering exchanges between startups, space development, mutual recognition of diplomas and academic degrees, culture and the arts, public transportation and tourism.

President Park met with the leader of another Korean War ally, Ethiopia, as well. On April 14, she sat down with Ethiopian President Mulatu Teshome Wirtu, who was in Korea to attend the World Water Summit. During the meeting, the two leaders expressed hope that substantive cooperation between the two “blood brothers” would match the depth of their historical ties.

True global diplomacy

President Park’s diplomatic schedule over the last year reflects an effort to expand cooperation with newer partners around the world.

In March, the president conducted a four-nation tour of the Middle East, with stops in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar. During summits with the leaders of those nations, President Park discussed issues of mutual interest, including business, security and cultural exchanges. The Korean president took with her the largest business delegation ever, comprising 116 representatives of public and private companies, a reflection of the economic importance of her trip. It comes at a time when Middle Eastern states are taking pains to diversify their economies, offering business and investment opportunities to Korean corporations.

President Park also made a four-country tour of South America in April, stopping in Colombia – another old Korean War ally – as well as Peru, Chile and Brazil. The visit strengthened cooperation with fellow Pacific Rim nations, particularly in the field of trade, and bolstered cooperation in high-value-added sectors. These include defense, digital government, health and medicine, education, human resources and the arts.

The year ahead

The Korean government will continue its efforts to advance cooperation across the world in 2016. The need for international cooperation is all the more important following North Korea’s fourth nuclear test on Jan. 7. In a phone call with U.S. President Barack Obama immediately following the test, President Park said she looked forward to close cooperation with the U.N. Security Council and other international partners. In particular, the two leaders noted the need for cooperation between Korea, the United States and Japan, and for coordination with China, in dealing with the North Korean nuclear weapons issue.

French President François Hollande visits Cheong Wa Dae on Nov. 4.

President Park holds a summit with Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos.

President Park shakes hands with Qatari dignitaries.

Creative Economy

Making Exercise Fun with Smart Technology

New startup Amuseway Korea sends users on virtual bike tours

_ Written by Lim Jeong-yeo

“Exercise is never too difficult,” says Lee Gee-woong, the CEO of healthcare venture startup Amuseway Korea. “Putting our thoughts into action is.”

Lee, 48, observed that health-related New Year’s resolutions rarely last. Nearly everyone makes the same promises year after year, only to break them, citing lack of time or bad weather or the monotony of a typical gym workout.

To overcome these hurdles and make exercise more enjoyable for the wider public, Amuseway developed an indoor bicycle known as the Smart X-bike. Coupled with the Joywell smartphone application, it incorporates racing and virtual bike tours and makes it possible for users to interact with friends. Compatible video games are Asphalt 8, Beach Buggy Blitz, GT Racing 2 and Riptide GP2, with the list continuing to expand. The idea is to allow users to stick to a sustainable fitness plan regardless of outdoor variables.

The innovation drew attention even while in its nascent phase at the G-Star Global Game Exhibition in 2011 and 2013. In 2014, the company won a commendation from the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning.

An interactive platform

As users pedal away and enjoy the fun features, the Joywell app records the amount of time spent on the bike, kilometers covered and calories burned on a daily, weekly and monthly basis. This encourages detailed monitoring of one’s health markers.

Amuseway also provides video footage of picturesque scenery along the most sought-after bike routes in the world. Favorites include parts of New Zealand and Korea’s Jeju Island. Destinations that are on the way soon include Spain’s Santiago pilgrimage, Switzerland’s Interlaken and parts of Hawaii.

The Tour Sharing app, which will invite users’ contributions in a YouTube-like manner, will launch in February.

“We are the front-runners in the field of smart fitness equipment,” Lee said.

Although there have been previous attempts to combine sports with entertainment, the Smart X-bike is the first product that enables video game-infused indoor cardiovascular exercise and comprehensive monitoring of athletic progress while providing an interactive platform.

“Just as cell phones made a leap with the development of smartphones, we hope to lead the key developments in this area,” Lee said. “We expect to see the most growth this year, now that we have finally carried out our long-awaited product launch.”

Patience pays off

As of January 2016, Amuseway has a 12-member team of high-performing employees with experience working for Korean conglomerates.

Lee described his team as a group of easygoing people who actively take part in the company’s decision-making process.

“We gathered here believing that working can be fun,” he said. “Every day is a challenge for a startup like us. Through each of our difficult times, my team has been the source of my energy. It is thanks to them we have come so far.”

Recounting what he called “difficult times,” Lee said it can be disheartening when investors lack patience.

“It takes time for an idea that has only just budded to materialize and generate profits,” he said. “But unfortunately the investors’ expectations are always very high, the allotted time scarce, and the disappointments quick to arrive.”

Amuseway hopes to expand into wearable devices. As the company’s aim is to specialize in healthcare paraphernalia, Lee said he viewed existing wearable brands not as competitors but as potential collaborators.

For the moment, Smart X-bikes are compatible only with Android cell phones. An iPhone version of Joywell is under development, and its launch is expected in the latter half of 2016.

Global Korea

Connecting People

Korean messenger app LINE creates business opportunities for young Thais

_ Written by John Power

LINE, a popular instant messaging app, is seeking to consolidate its dominant presence in Thailand with a host of forays into the content business. Already Thailand’s most popular mobile messenger, LINE is used by more than 80 percent of mobile Internet users in the Southeast Asian country.

To stay ahead in a competitive market, where Facebook and WhatsApp also enjoy significant popularity, LINE has expanded its range of products and services to include games, stickers, videos and online comicstrips.

A Japanese subsidiary of the Korean search engine giant Naver, LINE sees the content business as a major plank of its growth strategy and expects related sales to reach KRW 100 billion (USD 83 million) this year.

While LINE was reported to have 33 million users in Thailand last year, a figure that has likely expanded since, stalled growth of its 212 million-strong user base has prompted its expansion into areas beyond mobile messaging.

Content creation

One key initiative has been the LINE Creators Market that boasts more than 100,000 users in Thailand. The virtual marketplace allows users to create and sell their own stickers, the colorful images that liven up messages sent through the app.

As the firm’s second-biggest market after Japan, Thailand has also been a testing ground for a host of new and exclusive features and services.

As far back as 2013, LINE hosted a flash sale of iPhone cases featuring its signature cartoon characters for its Thai users. The cases sold out in 25 minutes, reported technology news website Tech in Asia. LINE followed up with other flash sales of products including Maybelline lipstick.

“In Thailand, the messaging app LINE has shown the way in mobile commerce,” commented Tech in Asia.

Last February, LINE launched a delivery service in the country that allows users to order products delivered to their home. Adding to its commerce services, the firm devised an online gift shop for the Thai market later that year, giving users the option of sending real-world gifts, including coffee and movie tickets, to their friends and family.

Getting commercial

The firm also debuted LINE TV there, a video service that streams TV shows and music videos from several Asian countries, including Korea, reported Tech Crunch.

Reflecting its commitment to the Thai market, LINE opened an office in the country in 2014 and announced the launch of an R&D unit in November 2015.

Thailand is renowned for its passion for online social networks. A shopping mall in Bangkok is the most featured location on Instagram, while the Thai capital had the most Facebook users of any city worldwide in 2012, according to Tech in Asia.

Mobile commerce is also a growing business in the country. The Bangkok Post recently reported that the growing availability of high-speed Internet and affordable smartphones was reinforcing the significance of the online marketplace there.

On the back of its success in Thailand, LINE is determined to take off globally. In February, it announced the launch of a USD 42 million investment fund designed to bankroll the expansion of money-making services in various countries, reported Tech Crunch. The company has said it will delay an initial public offering until it has grown its global presence, with a particular focus on the United States, Indonesia, the Philippines, Colombia and Mexico.

Flavor

Rice Cakes Get Decorative Flowers

A modern, trendy take on an age-old Korean tradition

_ Written by Lee Kyehyun

Photographed by aostudio Kang Jinju

The Rice Cake with Decorative Paste Flowers is a visually appealing fusion of Korean tradition and modern design. According to Kim Seon-mi, who teaches a class on how to make the cake, the dessert is both a means to develop Korean tradition and culture and, of course, a treat we can enjoy in our daily lives.

The confection is based on Korean rice cakes, or tteok. Ordinary Korean white rice, or maepssal, is ground into flour, which in turn is molded into the shape of a Western cake. Additional ingredients such as sugar and other seasonings are added to give the cake flavor. The batter is then steamed in a bamboo steamer.

The intricate decorative flowers, meanwhile, blossom from a base of white bean paste made from lima beans and sugar. Flour of beet, cactus, zucchini, green tea and other ingredients are added as coloring. The pâtissier uses an icing bag to craft the flowers, which are placed on the steamed cake.

Making these cakes is a growing hobby for young women in their 20s and 30s. To craft this culinary masterpiece requires both a steady hand and an artistic sensibility. Learning the basics is easy enough, however, and the cakes are a popular gift choice for celebrations.

Tteok has been an important piece of Korean cuisine for centuries. No party, festival or celebration is complete without it, and even today, it is a staple on major Korean holidays and important rites of passage. The Rice Cake with Decorative Paste Flowers is one way to keep that tradition alive and relevant in an increasingly diverse and globalized market. Kim, the cake class instructor, says, “The cake can play a role in continuing Korea’s dietary culture and traditions and even help share that with the world.”

__ Bloggers and social media have turned Rice Cakes with Decorative Paste Flowers into a dining trend. The cakes are usually sold either online or at small workshops and typically cost between KRW 50,000 and KRW 60,000. If you’d like to learn how to make a cake, the good news is that there are plenty of classes, although many are small-scale affairs and few offer instruction in English. J Classic Cake, a bakery located in Seoul’s Garak-dong neighborhood, offers classes in English. Please see its website at www.jclassiccake.com.

A floral rice cake made by Kim Seon-mi of Eedo Cake

Korean Keyword

Jipbap

_ Written by Christine Kwon

Photographed by Ha Ji-kwon

A delicious
home-cooked meal

As the modern nomadic lifestyle becomes commonplace, it’s easy to feel nostalgic for home. Sometimes all it takes is a familiar aroma or flavor to awaken memories, uplifting or bittersweet, of bygone days and places. In Korean, home cooking is jipbap, literally “home rice.” Though bab is primarily defined as “cooked rice,” rice has been a chief staple of the Korean diet long enough for the same word to be used to mean simply “meal.”

The expression jipbap appears frequently in restaurant names, a hint for the hungry passersby as to what will be served inside: various side dishes, some soup and, naturally, a steaming bowl of rice, one of the countless possible iterations of Korean home cooking. Whether or not the meal is satisfyingly reminiscent of home is a different story. As Koreans say, “A mother’s sonmat – the word for that depth and singularity of flavor that only a mother’s dexterous, seasoned touch can impart – defies imitation.”

More people nowadays seem eager to try recreating this flavor in their own kitchens. “Jipbap Baek Seonsaeng,” one of the most popular television shows launched last year and regularly the most-watched cable program in its time slot, is all about jipbap. Headlined by Baek Jong-won, a chef and restaurateur known for his everyman approach to cooking, the program tasks an all-male celebrity cast with preparing different Korean dishes every episode – each on his own from start to finish. Whereas other shows highlight the expertise and artistry of veteran chefs, here the focus is on common dishes made by novices using readily available ingredients.

Typically, each participant attempts to make the version of the dish he knows best, not from ever having cooked it himself but from having had it growing up. Chef Baek, playing mentor and coach, encourages his pupils to imagine exactly what their preferred version tasted like. “Recipe?” he scoffs. Their memories – of flavor, color, texture – will be a more faithful guide.

In the popular ballad “Jipbap,” released in 2014, singer Kim Bum-soo describes coming home to a quiet house after a long workday, weighed down by woes and worries. “Jipbap,” he repeats in the chorus, crying out for the home and family it brings to mind. With its connotations of familial warmth, care and constancy, jipbap in Korean is not simply a meal but also a source of emotional nourishment and strength.

Korean Art through Coloring

Lotus and Water Birds Yeonhwa Sugeumdo

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Lotus and Water Birds
Yeonhwa Sugeumdo