The Korean traditional home, or Hanok, possesses a beauty that is both rustic and refined. Over the last several decades, these elegant homes have grown increasingly rare in the face of urban development and changing lifestyles. Recently, however, renewed interest in the Hanok has encouraged people to experiment with new forms and uses, bringing the dwelling into the 21st century.

Also in this issue of KOREA, we travel to far-off Udo, where the Jeju of old lives on; talk with Kevin O’Rourke, one of the pioneers of Korean literature translation; and even chat with PyeongChang 2018 organizing committee president Lee Hee-beom about the preparations for the upcoming Olympic and Paralympic games.

_ Editorial staff, KOREA

Publisher

Oh Yeongwoo

Korean Culture and Information Service

Executive Producer

Park Byunggyu

Editorial Advisers

Cho Won-hyung, Lee Suwan, Park Inn-seok

Email

webmaster@korea.net

Magazine Production

Seoul Selection

Editor-in-Chief

Robert Koehler

Production Supervisor

Kim Eugene

Producers

Park Miso, Woo Jiwon

Copy Editors

Gregory Eaves, Anna Bloom

Creative Director

Lee Yusin

Designers

Lee Bok-hyun, Jung Hyun-young

Photographers

aostudio Kang Jinju, 15 Studio

Printing

Pyung Hwa Dang Printing Co., Ltd.

Cover Photo

Designed by Hwang Doojin, the Mok Gyeong Heon is an award-winning Hanok home in Seoul’s Eunpyeong Hanok Village.

Photographed by 15 Studio

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 email 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

Cover Story »

Written by Robert J. Fouser, former associate professor, Department of Korean Language Education, Seoul National University
Photographed by 15 Studio

Behind the Hanok Boom

Korean traditional homes are adapting well to the modern age

After years of promoting apartment complexes, the Korean Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport established the Auri National Hanok Center in 2011 to support the burgeoning Hanok boom. Since the 2000s, people have rediscovered Hanok and have updated them into unique living spaces that combine the subtle beauty of traditional architecture with stylish contemporary design. Others have adapted them creatively to new commercial uses, turning them into cafés, restaurants, galleries, offices, guest houses and more. Still others have built completely new Hanok that allow for innovation not possible in existing buildings.

The five elements of a Hanok

In East Asian philosophy, everything in the universe comes from five elements: wood, fire, earth, metal and water. Similarly, a Hanok is made from five elements: clay, wood, paper, stone and metal. In the late 19th century, glass was added, and in the 20th century, bricks and decorative tile were added, but the basic materials have remained the same for centuries. Many of these materials are reusable and environmentally friendly. Used wood, for example, is prized for its strength and beauty.

Each of the five elements were manipulated by skilled craftsman. Roof tiles, windows, paper and metal accessories were made off-site, whereas carpentry, clay filling and stone cutting were usually done on-site. The master carpenter on site oversaw a team of carpenters and craftsmen, as a famous painting by Kim Hong-do (1745–1806?), one of the most important painters of the Joseon period (1392– 1910), shows so well.

The rise of the city Hanok

The Hanok in Seoul and Jeonju that tourists see have their origins in rural estates. The most notable feature of extant rural estates from the 18th and 19th centuries is the division of space into three main types: men’s quarters, women’s quarters and servants’ quarters. The men’s quarters consisted of a large study that was also used for meals and entertaining guests. The women’s quarters were larger and contained the kitchen and rooms for children. These quarters were in separate buildings, and a low wall and small gate were used to demarcate the exterior space. The servants’ quarters were located further away, near the main gate to the estate, which was surrounded by a wall.

In the 1920s, the “city Hanok” emerged as a new type of housing and developed rapidly in the 1930s as the population of Seoul soared, causing a housing shortage. The city Hanok used elements of traditional rural estates to create a small urban house that reflected people’s aesthetics and lifestyle. Tile roofs, ondol floors and extensive use of wood all come from traditional architecture. Unlike rural estates which have extensive grounds, city Hanok are designed to fit on a small lot and are built around a central courtyard.

Bukchon, the area of Seoul most famous for Hanok, sits between the two most important royal palaces of the Joseon period: Gyeongbokgung Palace and Changdeokgung Palace. The aristocracy lived in Bukchon but lost their wealth during the Japanese colonial period (1910–45), causing the area to become largely empty by the mid-1920s. Jeong Se-gwon (1888–1965), the most important house builder of the time, feared Japanese development in Bukchon would destroy the Korean character of the city. To prevent this, Jeong bought much of Gahoe-dong and filled it with city Hanok.

Hanok have continued to evolve, with modern designs and technology being incorporated to meet the needs of modern dwellers, resulting in a new surge in popularity for the traditional homes. Bukchon Hanok Village in Seoul is a neighborhood of traditional houses built mostly in the 1930s and is today the definitive picture of the urban Hanok. An increasing number of Hanok are being newly built or remodeled to accommodate a diversity of uses.

한옥이 현대적 디자인, 기술과 만나 현대인의 필요에 맞게 진화하면서 다시 ‘한옥 붐’이 일고 있다. 1930년대에 형성된 대표적인 도시한옥인 서울 ‘북촌한옥마을’에는 최근 다양한 용도에 따라 새로 지어지거나 개조되는 한옥이 늘고 있다.

Alleyway in Bukchon Hanok Village

Jeong Se-gwon first experimented with city Hanok in Ikseon-dong, an area just south of Bukchon. In 1930, Jeong bought a large plot of empty land and divided the land into smaller lots to build “Korean-style houses for Koreans” of varying sizes that were then sold to the public. Jeong’s success encouraged several other builders to develop Hanok subdivisions in other areas of Bukchon and later in other areas of Seoul.

Jeonju and Daegu also have large concentrations of city Hanok. As in Seoul, the Hanok in Jeonju were built out of nationalistic impulse. To prevent Japanese builders from dominating the city, influential Koreans encouraged the development of a Hanok subdivision. This area was declared a Hanok preservation district in 1977, making it the first such area in Korea. In the mid-2000s, the city invested in preserving the area, which has since become one of the most popular tourist sites in Korea. Daegu also has many city Hanok and has recently taken an interest in preservation.

The Korean War caused great destruction throughout the country, and reconstruction efforts after the war were slow. Some Hanok were built in the 1950s and into the 1960s, but by the 1970s, government policy had shifted toward stimulating the construction of apartment complexes. As the apartment gained hegemony, Hanok were no longer popular and construction stopped, forcing carpenters and craftsman to find other work.

Preservation and the Hanok boom

In the mid-1970s, prestigious high schools moved from Bukchon to the newly developed areas south of the Hangang River. Upper-middle class families quickly followed and property values plummeted, turning many of the houses into rentals that declined in quality as maintenance lagged. Changes in zoning laws in the early 1990s created a wave of construction as property owners were eager to turn houses into income-earning multi-family units. Under pressure from Hanok owners, historic district regulations in Bukchon were relaxed, causing some Hanok to be replaced with multi-family units. By the late 1990s, the City of Seoul feared that most of the Hanok in Bukchon would be demolished and developed a new preservation program in response. Instead of restricting renovation, the new plan offered owners grants and no-interest loans to encourage renovation.

The program was popular and renovation of Hanok in Bukchon began in the early 2000s. For the first time since the 1960s in Seoul, Hanok were being renovated and, in some cases, entirely rebuilt, creating work for craftsmen and encouraging younger people to enter the field as apprentices. To take advantage of city incentives, owners were required to submit plans developed by a professional architect, which encouraged architects to take an interest in designing Hanok.

Two architects stand out: Hwang Doojin and Cho Junggoo. Both men graduated from Seoul National University and received graduate education abroad. Neither was trained in traditional Korean architecture but took an interest in it as their architectural practice developed. In the mid-2000s, Hwang Doojin experimented with traditional Hanok aesthetics in a renovation in Bukchon. He later wrote a book documenting the renovation, which helped a broader audience learn about Hanok in Bukchon. Cho Junggoo, who lives in a Hanok in Seoul, has produced a large body of work with a focus on blending contemporary updates into the existing house. Activity in Bukchon also stimulated the building of new Hanok residences in cities and rural areas outside of Seoul. Many of these Hanok were built in the traditional style of a rural estate rather than a 20th-century city Hanok.

Traditionally, one lit the agungi, a kind of furnace, for heating the rooms and for cooking. The bathroom was located outside. Hanok hotels and guesthouses, while preserving the overall design and feel of the traditional house, usually have remodeled kitchens and bathrooms for the convenience of the guests.

전통 한옥에서는 방에 불을 때거나 솥에 불을 지피기 위해 아궁이를 사용하며, 화장실이 바깥에 따로 위치한다. 한옥의 원형은 살리되 현대 생활과 조화를 이루도록 부엌과 화장실을 개조한 한옥 호텔과 게스트 하우스는 외국인 관광객뿐 아니라 내국인에게도 환영 받고 있다.

The Rakkojae Seoul is a boutique hotel that utilizes a historic Hanok home.

Seen from the daecheong, the square open-air hall between the rooms of a Hanok, the cheoma, or curved roof edge, and the surrounding sky and trees make for a pleasant view. In this way, the Hanok is designed to harmonize with the natural surroundings and even with the changing seasons.

‘ㅁ’자 한옥의 대청에서 마당을 바라보면, 처마로 둘러싸인 하늘과 소나무와 한옥 전경이 자연스럽게 어우러진다. 한옥은 일년 사계절의 변화를 담아내며 자연과 소통하는 집이다.

Inner courtyard of Rakkojae Seoul

By 2010, many Hanok in Bukchon had been renovated and the neighborhood became a tourist attraction. The Hanok area in Jeonju was becoming a popular attraction at the same time, producing a “Hanok boom” that continues to this day. The tourist impact of the boom created problems for residents and caused commercial real estate prices to rise, but it helped the young generation that grew up in apartments discover Hanok for the first time and learn about traditional aesthetics.

Older generations, meanwhile, have begun to see Hanok as a comfortable environment for relaxing and retirement, rather than as a symbol of hardship during childhood. After years of living in apartments, some are renovating Hanok in older areas of cities, whereas others are building new Hanok in rural areas to enjoy a slower pace of life in retirement. These new Hanok often draw on the aesthetics of the 19th-century rural estate, but with a full range of modern conveniences, and have large vegetable gardens.

The Hanok boom also stirred new uses for Hanok and creative renovations to fit those needs. Hanok in commercial areas of Seoul had long been used for Korean restaurants, such as Yonggeumok, which dates to 1932. The 2000s witnessed the rise of Hanok cafés, pubs, shops and galleries; this trend accelerated in the 2010s. Unlike private residences, many Hanok used for commercial purposes underwent minimal renovation but used interesting interior furnishings to create a unique blend of old and new. Beginning in 2015, young entrepreneurs took an interest in Ikseon-dong, the first Hanok subdivision of the 1930s. Entrepreneurs had more freedom here to experiment with contemporary updates because the area is zoned commercial and not (yet) part of a historic district. Outside Seoul, young entrepreneurs began adapting local Hanok to new uses. These Hanok are usually larger and have more garden space that can be integrated into the commercial use.

In recent years, government, businesses and other institutions have taken a new interest in Hanok, which has helped feed the boom. In Seoul, the city and district governments use Hanok for public libraries and cultural institutions. One of the most experimental libraries is the Guro District Children’s Library designed by Cho Junggoo. The new two-story library makes better use of space but retains the balance of a tradition Hanok. The Gahoe-dong Catholic Church in Bukchon built a Hanok for events that blends in nicely with the new, contemporary-style church. JEI, a major publisher and education provider, opened a large Hanok guesthouse designed by Kwon Hyun-hyo, another noted Hanok architect, in the mountainous region Gyeongsangnam-do.

Like all booms, the Hanok boom has also stirred controversy. Strict preservationists have argued that renovated Hanok in Bukchon do not preserve enough of the original structure and that the aesthetic guidelines are more in keeping with a rural estate of the 19th century rather than a 20th-century city Hanok. Others have argued that Hanok preservation has forced long-term residents out because of rising rents. Taking the long view, however, Hanok preservation has been a success because it has helped prevent neighborhoods from being leveled to build apartment complexes, thus preserving a uniquely Korean cityscape for future generations. The success of Bukchon and Jeonju has encouraged other cities to preserve historic cityscapes and important structures within them. It has also cultivated a new generation of Hanok carpenters and craftsman who can pass on traditional Hanok techniques to the next generation. Above all, it helped stimulate a rediscovery and later recreation of one of Korea’s most unique forms of cultural production.

The wooden rafters that compose the roof of the Hanok are called seokkarae, though they can have different names depending on where they are placed. Hanok cafés, libraries and restaurants with modern-looking interiors will often feature exposed seokkarae as part of their overall look.

놓이는 위치에 따라 이름이 달라질 수 있지만 지붕의 뼈대를 이루는 나무를 ‘서까래’라고 부른다. 서까래를 노출시킨 천장 아래 현대적인 디자인을 구현한 인테리어가 카페, 도서관, 레스토랑 등 여러 공간에서 활용되고 있다.

Hyundai Card Design Library

Representative Modern Hanok

Hanok Residence, Suwon, Gyeonggi-do

Built in 2016, this is one of a few newly built Hanok in Suwon. The City of Suwon is working to promote the construction of Hanok to improve the cityscape inside Hwaseong Fortress. This house was designed by Ahn Guk-jin and Kim Se-won, two noted architects in Suwon, and built by Hwang In-beom, one of the most active Hanok carpenters working today. It was one of three Hanok to win an award in the Hanok Competition sponsored by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Auri National Hanok Center. The house combines features of traditional rural estates and city Hanok to create a unique urban Hanok.

Café Mua, Daegu

This is the only rooftop Hanok café in Korea. The owner of this traditional Korean dessert and tea café wanted something unique and asked Daegu architect couple Choi Young-joon and Woo Ji-hyun to design it. The Hanok was brought from the nearby countryside and reassembled on the roof. The roof is covered and can be opened and closed so that the space can be used in bad weather. The architects also designed the space surrounding the Hanok to highlight it.

Saint Lucia’s Garden, Gongju, Chungcheongnam-do

This Hanok café was designed by renowned architect couple Lim Hyoung-nam and Roh Eun-joo. The owners were on a tight budget, so the architects concentrated on minimal changes to turn a house into a café. They replaced walls with windows to brighten the space and to create views of the large garden from the inside. The house behind it was recently turned into a chocolate workshop, creating a revitalized commercial space and helping to revitalize downtown Gongju.

Seohak-dong Photo Studio, Jeonju, Jeollabuk-do

One of only a few galleries dedicated to photography in Korea, the Seohak-dong Photo Studio takes its name from the many commercial photo studios found in Korean cities. This Hanok and those in the surrounding neighborhood are examples of typical Hanok built in Jeonju in the 1960s and 1970s. Minimal renovations have transformed the house into a gallery and a small café where owner and curator Kim Ji-yeon enjoys spending time with visitors.

Hotel Gyeongwonjae Ambassador, Incheon

Opened in 2015 in the Songdo International Business District in Incheon, this hotel is the largest and most luxurious Hanok hotel ever built. Glass towers of the planned city fill in the background, creating a stunning contrast between old and new. The hotel is a complex of thirty Hanok with small courtyards. Rooms have a mixture of Western and Korean furniture, but traditional Korean decorative motifs are used throughout.

Travel »

Written and photographed by Robert Koehler

An Island Within an Island

Udo is a small and colorful piece of the Jeju of old

Udo’s fields of canola turn the island golden in spring.

Walls of volcanic rock mark properties and protect fields from Udo’s powerful winds.

Located just 2.8 km off the coast of Jeju’s mainland, Udo Island is arguably the most “Jeju-esque” place in the insular province. Its undulating volcanic landscape carved by the wind and the sea, bucolic fields and alleys lined by walls of volcanic stone, and idyllic fishing villages where female divers still search the depths for shellfish and other aquatic treasures hark back to a simpler, more pastoral time in Jeju’s past. It’s a place largely defined by its colors: its green and flaxen pastures, aquamarine seas, creamy white beaches, black volcanic rock and brilliant yellow fields of canola blossoms.

Even on Udo, however, tourism is booming, with over 3 million people visiting every year. Tourism has fueled changes in the island. Three-wheeled electric cars, the tourist transportation of choice, are a ubiquitous presence on the island’s roads, as are mopeds, bicycles and ATVs. Some visitors, though, still prefer to experience the isle the old-fashioned way — on foot, with a windbreaker and a sturdy pair of walking shoes.

The reclining bovine

Udo’s name translates as “Cow Island.” Seen from the port of Seongsan on Jeju’s mainland, the island resembles a giant cow lying down, with the peak of the appropriately-named Someori Oreum, or “Cow Head Crater,” as the great bovine’s noggin. Like the rest of Jeju, the island is the product of violent volcanic forces. It is a tuff cone, a small volcanic vent created by explosive underwater eruptions during the middle Pleistocene era.

Prior to 1679, when King Sukjong turned Udo into a royal pasture, the island was uninhabited. Now, some 600 families call the island home, making a living from the island’s volcanic soil, the thriving nearby waters or, increasingly, from the tourists who descend on the place by the ferry-load, especially in the spring and summer months.

Golden spring

Visually, Udo really comes alive in early spring, when the island’s fields of canola flowers bloom, adding a dash of bright yellow to the volcanic isle’s blue, green and black. Seen from the peak of Someori Oreum, the island’s villages look like patchwork quilts of gold and green. Enterprising locals have begun allowing camera-toting tourists into the fields for a small entry fee.

Not far from Udo-myeon Office is this writer’s favorite field, a quiet spot where the backdrop is a solitary tree and the majestic volcanic cone of Jeju’s Seongsan Ilchulbong Peak.

Ice cream with peanuts is a local favorite.

There are several large caves in the volcanic rock near Geommeolle Beach.

Someori Oreum, a volcanic crater, provides fine views over the island.

Black cliffs and peanut ice cream

On the southeast corner of the island, just below the peak of Someori Oreum, is Geommeolle Beach, a small strip of seashore whose name means “Black Sand” in the Jeju dialect of Korean. As advertised, the sand is indeed black, as are the beautiful volcanic cliffs that loom above it. At the bottom of the twisted lava cliffs are several large caves that visitors can enter, although some require the use of one of the tour boats that depart from the beach.

You’ll find several cafés around Geommeolle Beach, some specializing in peanut ice cream, a local favorite. Udo’s peanuts are especially prized, and islanders have found myriad ways to consume them, from peanut Gorgonzola pizza to peanut makgeolli rice beer.

Flanking the cliffs is a path leading to the peak of Someori Oreum, or Udobong. At 132 meters above sea level, the peak, which is actually the lip of a volcanic crater, offers sweeping views of both the island and the sea. The old lighthouse at the top, erected in 1906, is of historic interest.

Walking — or riding — the Udo Olle

Just 5.9 square kilometers in area, Udo can be explored on foot. The Udo Olle is an 11.5-km network of scenic hiking trails that rings the island. It takes about five hours to circumnavigate the island, although you could spend much longer if you stop to take in the sights and relax. The trail is an offshoot of the Jeju Olle, the mainland’s renowned trail network.

You don’t necessarily have to walk the island, though. Many, if not most, visitors opt to rent some form of transportation. On the roads, you’ll be dodging plenty of two-person, three-wheel electric cars. Younger visitors opt for mopeds and bicycles. You can find rental shops near the island’s two major ferry terminals.

Many of Udo’s roads, alleys and trails are lined by low walls built of black volcanic stones. These walls, which are found throughout Jeju, delineate properties and help protect fields and pastures from the province’s notoriously strong winds.

The Udo Olle passes several scenic seashores, but perhaps none as spectacular as Seobin Beach, a stretch of white sand that is actually grains of calcified red coralline algae. The arch-shaped beach, which enjoys views of Seongsan Ilchulbong and Jeju’s other volcanic cones, boasts water of hues that range from powder blue to cobalt, depending on depth.

Young people enjoy the view at a beach near the northern end of the island. (Bottom) Seaweed and sea urchin soup.

Where to eat
Being an island, Udo produces good seafood, including abalone and conch collected by the island’s community of diving women, or haenyeo. Bomal kalguksu are hand-cut noodles served with sea snails. Seongge miyeokguk is a bowl of seaweed soup served with sea urchin.

Where to stay
Udo has several guesthouses and bed and breakfasts, but the town of Seongsan, on the Jeju mainland, has many more accommodation choices.

Getting there
Ferries to Udo depart from Jeju’s port of Seongsan every hour between 7:30 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.

Seobin Baeksa Beach’s white sand makes it one of Udo’s most popular scenic spots.

People »

Written by Hahna Yoon
Photographed by 15 Studio

Contemplating the Word

Pioneering translator Kevin O’Rourke looks back at a life in Korean literature

“I’ve been doing these interviews for forty-plus years. Everyone’s already asked me everything,” says a warm but intimidating Kevin O’Rourke in the cave of books that is his personal office and library.

Speaking to him about Korean poetry, one can’t help but feel like a helpless tourist with a map trying to show around a local. After all, the officially-retired priest, translator and professor began translating poetry even before Korean-to-English translations in any genre became the phenomenon it is today.

The first non-Korean to receive a Ph.D. in Korean Literature from a Korean university, winner of the 1989 Korean National Literature Prize and honorary Seoul citizen, he is undoubtedly a heavyweight in both expat circles and Korean literature. Get a little deeper in conversation and what you’ll find more refreshing than his frequent use of the word “rubbish” is the youthful humility with which he continues to pursue poetry and a passion for the genre that goes beyond the desire for external recognition.

●
O’Rourke reminisces about his four decades in Korea in “My Korea: 40 Years Without a Horsehair Hat,” published in 2013.

Coming to Korea

“I got a little piece of paper about 1-inch square, and it said ‘Seoul, Sept. 30. Good luck!’” says O’Rourke about his “decision” to come to Korea in 1964 under assignment with the Missionary Society of St. Columban.

Arriving at Gimpo International Airport from Ireland, the only thing that he knew about Korea was “just that there had been a war.” Moments after sliding fluidly from English to Korean and back again, he says he wishes he could have spoken a bit of Korean before he arrived, but he doesn’t see how that could have happened since there was little information available back then.

A calling to translate

In 1968, after four years of studying Korean at a language institute, he entered the Graduate School of Yonsei University as the only foreigner on campus.

“Very little had been translated, so my professors would say ‘why don’t you translate this and that…’ so I started to do a bit of it and I liked it.” It seemed a very natural occurrence to O’Rourke, who had already grown up a lover of literature and saw it as a part of his calling.

“It’s the most important thing a foreign missionary can do in Korea — introduce Korean culture to the West,” he says. In a serious tone, he adds, “There are thousands of people in churches preaching at people and very few in the learning business. In order to translate, you have to learn, and I’ve been at that since the 1960s.”

Favoring poetry that is “zen in nature,” O’Rourke has never seen his love for poetry in conflict with his faith and sees the many ways in which Christianity, Confucianism and Buddhism intersect with one another, especially in Korea.

●
“The Book of Korean Poetry: Songs of Shilla and Koryo” contains 150 poems from Silla and Goryeo.

99.9 percent self-taught

Although today there are college courses on translation, magazines dedicated to translators and certifications to validate the quality of your translating abilities, O’Rourke knew no such luxuries when starting out. He says, “Back when I was starting translation, there weren’t even any translators! Everything I learned about translation was 99.9 percent self-taught. I never got instruction.” He says the first thing he learned “was the importance of the target language.”

He believes his experience as a professor at Kyung Hee University added to his enrichment. “I spent thirty years teaching English poetry like Yeats and Dickinson — a wide variety of English, Irish and American poets. I learned how poetry works in English, and that was an enormous help in trying to turn Korean poetry into English translation.”

In a suggestion to translators in training, he cautions, “It’s got to be an English poem or throw it out and try again.”

●
“The Book of Korean Shijo” contains 612 sijo poems written between the 10th century and the modern era.

Into the past

He began with some short stories from the 1920s which were published in an anthology entitled “Ten Short Stories” in 1974. He continued on to the work of post-Korean war poet Cho Byung-hwa, perhaps best known for the 1949 poem “The Heritage I Want to Disown.”

“The more I translated, the more I wanted to go back into history,” says O’Rourke, explaining different types of traditional poetry such as sijo, hyangga, Goryeo gayo and hansi.

●
Novelist Yi Mun-yol’s “Our Twisted Hero” satirically examines the dynamics of power through the happenings in a provincial elementary school classroom. An English translation was published in 2001.

To this day, he cites the best poetry in Korea as having been written during the Silla and Goryeo eras, his favorite Korean poet being Goryeo writer Yi Gyu-bo. Not only was it a genre that O’Rourke was genuinely interested in, working in this genre gave him a convenient reprieve from social quandaries of the translating world.

“I also found very early on that you got a lot of requests. Requests are a huge burden because if some poet says to you ‘I’d like you to translate my poems’ and you don’t like them — you’re stuck! You can’t insult the man and say ‘your poems are rubbish,’ so I tended to move away from the contemporary thing back into the safety of the past.”

Successes and challenges

O’Rourke believes that his first successful work of fiction translation was Yi Mun-yol’s “Our Twisted Hero” in 1988. He credits much of the novella’s success to the excellence of the original story and the publishers at Hyperion he worked with at the time. “They were incredibly critical and difficult to work with,” he says. “They pursued every word in the translation and made you think about it. It just ended up being a better translation that way.”

O’Rourke says one of the most challenging aspects of translating is the difference in form between Korean poetry and English poetry. “You’re constantly battling between a language that has no rules for poetry and a language like English that is all rules for poetry. Somewhere in between you have to park your car and make your decisions.”

Although it’s difficult to pick out a few titles from the over 2,000 works that he has translated, well-known works translated by O’Rourke include Choi In-hun’s 1945 novel “The Square” and the work of sijo (three-line poetry) entitled “The Fisherman’s Calendar” by Neo-Confucian writer Yun Seon-do.

The role of the translator

O’Rourke, who can still spend weeks pondering how to interpret a word and recalls verses of poetry more easily than some can remember their phone numbers, says that he feels insecure about his translations “all the time, all the time.”

When told of some debate to include the names of translators in certain publications, he jumps to say it is completely necessary and that for him “it’s not even a debate.” Unlike purists “who say the role of the translator is to reproduce an accurate text,” he believes that it’s impossible for the translator to stay out of the text completely. “Inevitably you get involved and some of you is reflected in the translation,” he adds.

Does he consider some of his translations better than the original text? “Yes,” he says after some hesitation, but notes, “It shouldn’t be better than the original… That’s what happens if you try to make the story a work of art in the target language; you are always in danger of improving it.”

A word about Korean literature

Although O’Rourke recognizes the developments that Korean literature has made, largely thanks to a growing number of successful women leading the way, he remains sharply critical of the Korean literature community. “In Korea, what we’re thinking of is how many novels and how many poems in how many languages in how many countries and how many awards… and there’s only one award that they’re really interested in,” he says referring to the highly sought-after Nobel Prize in Literature.

Although he believes the idea that Korea has yet to win a Nobel Prize due to low-quality translation is “rubbish,” he adds, “Translation also has a lot to be desired.” Instead, he suggests that a deeper contemplation of writing and a genuine appreciation for the word is key. “Literature is blood, sweat and tears, and unless you put in the blood, sweat and tears, you don’t get anywhere,” he says.

A poetic life in motion

Today, at the Irish Embassy in Korea, there is a library named the Kevin O’Rourke Library in his honor.

Although officially retired for 10 years now, O’Rourke published a memoir entitled “My Korea: 40 Years Without a Horsehair Hat” in 2013 and continues to work in fiction while studying Spanish as a hobby. “I just work on what I like now.” He says, with a chuckle, “I don’t have a rack of stuff out there, waiting for my talented hand. That day is gone.”

It’s hard to tell whether O’Rourke realizes how high of a standard he’s created in the world of translations. “If I die… If I die a hundred times… what could take away the loyalty to my Lord,” O’Rourke says, quoting Jeong Mongju’s sijo “Dansimga” mid-interview. Those sentiments ring resoundingly while thinking of O’Rourke’s devotion to Korea’s lost poetry.

Korea & I »

Written by Chong Go Sunim, an American monk at Hanmaum Seon Center
Illustrated by Kim Min Ho

The Jewels of Gyeongju

Seokguram Grotto and Bulguksa Temple reveal the brilliance of ancient Korea

One of my favorite places to visit in Korea is Gyeongju. From Mt. Namsan, or “South Mountain,” where hikers still occasionally discover Buddha statues that have been lost for a thousand years, to the ancient site of Gameunsa Temple and the nearby underwater grave of King Munmu, the capital of the ancient kingdom of Silla is a must for history buffs.

On the southern edge of the city, I visit the temple site with its black brick pagoda, where the great Buddhist master Wonhyo lived. From there, I walk to the site of the great nine-story wooden pagoda of Hwangnyongsa Temple. At more than 80 meters tall, it was the tallest building in the world when it was built. Looking closely at the ground, I find and touch fragments of its roof tiles, left over from when the Mongols burned the pagoda during the invasions of the 13th century.

Following the road that runs in front of the pagoda site, I pass the solemn tomb of Silla’s first queen, Seondeok, who sponsored the construction of the wooden pagoda. A few kilometers below this is Bulguksa Temple and one of my favorite places in Korea, the Seokguram Grotto.

Protective warmth of the Buddha

Today, much of the history of Gyeongju exists only as stories, but at Seokguram Grotto and Bulguksa Temple, I get a glimpse of the fabulous temple complexes and palaces that must have filled the valleys and mountains around Gyeongju during the golden age of Silla. Both Seokguram Grotto and Bulguksa Temple were built around 750 A.D. and have been fully restored.

The Seokguram Grotto is an artificial cave sitting high on the ridge above Bulguksa Temple. Behind a modern glass wall sits a magnificent two-meter-tall stone statue of the historical Buddha. An impressive dome made of stone blocks, lined with relief carvings of Bodhisattvas and Buddhist guardians, surrounds and protects this Buddha.

From here, the Buddha looks out over the East Sea, ever watchful for pirates. For this was the purpose of the grotto’s Buddha: to protect the people of Silla from seaborne raiders.

Years ago, I was fortunate enough to be allowed into the grotto itself. Here, Buddhist monks still chant daily ceremonies. Beneath the faint scent of incense, there was something else, something warm and hopeful. Perhaps it was a trace of that original purpose, still embracing all the people of the land and keeping them safe.

Modern lines, ancient stone

Below Seokguram Grotto sits Bulguksa Temple. This temple impresses me because it’s an example of a royal temple from the days when Buddhism was supported by the state. Most temples I’ve visited are from Joseon, when Buddhists were persecuted, and they were built on hillsides deep in the mountains.

Not so for Bulguksa Temple. Laid out on a broad, symmetrical plan with different compounds and great stone staircases, it represents the height of Silla Buddhism. Everything from the foundation stones to the tops of its famous pagodas was carefully planned and designed to teach and inspire.

One thing that surprised me about this temple is that it was built as a model of the heavenly realms. With its elaborate foundation, steep carved staircases and glimpses of its famous pagodas, Bulguksa Temple is spectacular even today. But can you imagine the sense of wonder it must have created in an era when most people lived in simple wood and clay houses?

Walking along the covered walkway that surrounds the upper courtyard, I’m always amazed to see its two pagodas, the Seokgatap and the Dabotap, and to realize that they were built nearly 1,300 years ago.

Somehow, it doesn’t seem like something that old should be so sophisticated. With their clean lines and proportions, the pagodas look like they could have been designed in the last hundred years. Looking at them, I realize that the people who built these were just like us. They wanted everyone to have good lives, to be safe and to have enough to eat; perhaps to awaken something beyond themselves, to touch some deeper aspect of who we truly are.

If you visit these pagodas, put your palms together and walk around them. See how you feel. Just for a moment, you might find yourself walking in Silla.

Arts & Entertainment 1 »

Written by Miruh Linda Jeon

Shin Saimdang, Rediscovered

TV costume drama reignites interest in one of Korea’s best known women

The history book “Saimdang: Drawing Loneliness” explores Shin’s life.

Seoul Museum’s “Saimdang: Her Garden” exhibit includes 15 of Shin’s best known works, including her “Drawing of Plants and Insects.”

Without question, Shin Saimdang is one of the most iconic female figures in Korean history. Born in 1504 in Joseon, she was a talented poet, artist and calligraphist. In the centuries after her death in 1551, she has been remembered as just two things, however — a wise mother and a good wife.

Fortunately, there has been a recent wave of efforts focused on debunking many of the misconceptions about her.

Back in the limelight

“Saimdang, Light’s Diary” began airing on SBS this past January, starring actress Lee Young-ae as the title character. The show focuses on Shin’s artistic talents and depicts her as an independent woman who is not afraid to pursue her passion.

Despite all the hype, the show’s ratings have been lower than expected. However, it did succeed in redefining Shin’s image and sparked renewed interest in the figure among the general public.

To complement the show, the production team began an online novel series called “Saimdang: The Herstory” and also released a coloring book featuring many of Shin’s famous paintings.

A woman misunderstood

The TV show has spawned numerous other productions, including novels and even self-help books that reflect the shift in perception of Shin from a devoted housewife and mother to an intelligent, self-sufficient person.

This is in stark contrast to her prevailing image of the past, when she was simply known as the mother of Yulgok Yi I, one of the most prominent scholars and statesmen of Joseon.

Many historians and writers argue that Shin’s image was oversimplified and distorted over the years by scholars and political leaders who depicted her in ways that suited their particular purposes.

For example, in his new book, “Saimdang: The Original Novel,” award-winning author Lee Soon-won says that during the Park Chung-hee administration, Shin was dubbed “the good wife and wise mother,” solely committed to caring for her family. The administration frequently compared first lady Yuk Young-soo to Shin and cast her as a role model for women. This is why Lee writes, “There’s no one as widely known as Saimdang, and no one as widely misunderstood.”

The book was the product of two years of thorough research, and Lee hoped it would shed new light on Shin’s life and clarify misunderstandings about her. While acknowledging her talents, he criticizes shows and books that describe her as a free spirit who constantly challenged the restrictions imposed on women by a Confucian society.

Portrait of Shin Saimdang, painted by Kim Eun-ho

During the “Saimdang: Her Garden” exhibit, Seoul Museum unveiled Shin’s “Orchid Drawing” for the first time since the museum’s founding.

However, other writers portray Shin in a much different light. In her new novel, “Saimdang Shin In-seon,” author Im Nakyung reinvents her character as a woman who yearns to be loved. Author Joo Wongyu calls Shin “Joseon’s Superwoman” in his book “Saimdang, Drawing a Sense of Longing” and applauds her artistic talents.

Historians have noted that Shin stood out among her sisters and peers as a very intelligent and skilled writer and artist. Her artwork has been praised for its impeccable detail, and Shin has been recognized as a brilliant artist who developed her own style.

Fifteen of her works are currently featured in a special exhibition entitled “Saimdang, Her Garden” at the Seoul Museum. Among the pieces is a painting of an orchid that is being revealed to visitors for the first time since it was last shown to the public on a TV show in 2005. The exhibition, which is scheduled to run until June 11, aims to give visitors an opportunity to view Shin’s work and acknowledge her as a gifted artist, not just as a mother and wife.

Saimdang, an inspiration to modern women

Although it took several hundred years, society is finally making an effort to set the record straight and give Shin the credit she deserves. This new surge in interest and popularity surrounding Shin is more relevant than ever, as it paves the way for the rediscovery of many more female figures in history at a time when millions of women continue to struggle for equality and recognition.

Arts & Entertainment 2 »

Written by Lee Jungjin

Guardian Fever

The hit TV show ‘Guardian: the Lonely and Great God’ may be over, but its music and international fan base live on

In this scene, the main characters of “Guardian,” Ji Eun-tak and Kim Shin, meet for the first time. The filming location, a jetty in Jumunjin, Gangneung, has since become a major tourist destination.

About a month ago, the show “Guardian: the Lonely and Great God” ended its run. It was the second fantasy drama from one of Korea’s top script writers, Kim Eun-sook, who captivated the nation with a series of hit shows. Kim’s hits include “Descendants of the Sun” (2016), “The Heirs” (2013), “Secret Garden” (2010) and “Lovers in Paris” (2004). Recording an impressive rating of 6.9 percent for its first episode, “Guardian” became Korea’s highest-rated cable TV drama of all time with a season finale rating of 20.2 percent, nudging out “Reply 1988,” whose finale earned 18.8 percent.

Thanks to its soundtrack, however, it feels like the show never ended. It isn’t unusual for a soundtrack to grow popular as a show becomes a hit. In fact, singers avoid coming out with new material in the middle of a hit show’s season. When the first four songs from the “Guardian” soundtrack became available on Korean music streaming platforms, they made the top 10 list. One even defeated previously unbeatable bands Big Bang and Exo. For a soundtrack to remain popular even after a show has ended, however, is very unusual. Songs from “Guardian” still dominate the Korean charts. As of the third week of February 2017, one of those songs, “I’ll Go to You Like the First Snow,” was No.1 in a weekly chart of music streaming service Genie Music.

Another filming location of “Guardian,” Woljeongsa Temple’s forest path boasts sublime scenery.

Parodies of the show are everywhere. Singers evoke “Guardian” scenes on stage, comedians mimic the main characters on talk shows, and college students celebrate their friends’ graduations with banners that play on the show’s signature lines. Ahn Hee-jung, the provincial governor of Chungcheongnam-do and a presidential hopeful, even used imagery from the show in campaign posters, with messages such as, “I’ll go to you like the first snow, as your president.”

Album jacket from the soundtrack of “Guardian”

The novel “Guardian” is based on the television show.

Global Guardian pandemic

“Guardian Fever” is spreading across the world, too. Broadcasters in Southeast Asia and the Americas bought the show even before it started its run. Every episode was available on Oh!K, a channel dedicated to Korean entertainment content, in Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei, Macau, Hong Kong, Indonesia and the Philippines almost immediately after it aired in Korea. Thanks to the show, the channel more than doubled its viewership and outperformed all other Korean content platforms in the region. “Guardian” will premiere in Japan this March, as tvN, the show’s original broadcaster, sealed a deal with Mnet Japan to sell the broadcasting rights of the show.

What’s even more impressive is that the show is also popular in mainland China at a time when Beijing is curbing imports of Korean cultural products because of a political row between the countries. Even though Beijing refused to allow local broadcasters to air the show, Chinese audiences found ways to enjoy it anyway. A few weeks ago, the most searched keyword on the social network site Weibo was “Gong Yoo,” the actor who played Kim Shin, the male lead in “Guardian.” According to QQ Music, a Chinese music streaming service, the show’s songs had been downloaded 8.81 million times as of Feb. 9. Korean weekly current affairs magazine Sisa Journal pointed out that had Chinese authorities cooperated, “Guardian” would have bested “Descendants of the Sun,” another Korean soap opera which became a hit in China.

It remains to be seen whether “Guardian” can continue its popularity streak in the coming months. Perhaps a new hit show will appear to grab viewers’ hearts. Until then, however, audiences at home and abroad will continue to adore it because, as Kim Shin tells his love Ji Euntak, “The day was good, because the day wasn’t good, because the day was just right. All the days were good.”

Korean Culture in Brief »

Landmark Skyscraper Opens to the Public

The world’s fifth tallest building is set to open to the public in April. The Seoul Metropolitan Government has approved the use of the Lotte World Tower, a massive 123-story skyscraper, in February. The tower will host residential space, a hotel, offices, a theater, a performing arts stage and even an aquarium. An observation deck on the 118th floor promises some of the best views of Seoul. Construction on the building, which tops out at 555 meters, began in 2010 and incorporated a great deal of advanced technology, including the use of four satellites to ensure the tower was erected straight.

Major Korean Film Festivals Open in April

Korea hosts two major international film festivals in April. The Jeonju International Film Festival, one of Korea’s most prestigious celebrations of cinema, runs from April 27 to May 6. Marking its 18th year, the festival highlights independent and alternative films from around the world. Last year’s festival featured 211 films from 45 countries. The Busan International Short Film Festival runs from April 25 to April 30. The festival, which marks its 34th year, explores the short film format by inviting a wide range of films from Korea and abroad. Last year’s festival featured 140 films from 40 countries.

Buddhist Monk’s Book Becomes Overseas Hit

A book written by a Korean Buddhist monk is quickly becoming a bestseller overseas. Haemin Sunim’s “Things You Can See Only When You Slow Down,” the English translation of his hit Korean-language book published in 2012, was released in February by major global publishing house Penguin Books. Soon after, it topped Amazon U.K.’s bestseller list, and consumers purchased 30,000 copies of the U.S. edition in the book’s first two weeks alone. The guide to mindfulness encourages readers to slow down in a fast-paced world and to find inner peace and balance in everyday life. Major international media, including Britain’s The Guardian and Daily Mail, have shown keen interest in the book, interviewing its author and running reviews.

Film on Wartime Sexual Slavery Wins International Awards

Several overseas film festivals have honored a film about Korean women forced to work as sex slaves for Japanese soldiers during World War II. Director Lee Na-jeong’s “Snowy Road,” released on Korea’s March 1 Independence Movement Day holiday, won a Rockie Award for TV movies at the 2016 Banff World Media Festival, a best picture award and best actress award for Kim Sae-ron at the 2016 Golden Rooster and Hundred Flowers Awards, and a Prix Italia for TV drama at Prix Italia 2015. The film tells the story of two teenage girls who are abducted and forced into sexual slavery in military-run facilities located in war zones.

Hangeul Design Exhibit Spotlights Potential of Korean Alphabet

An exhibit at Seoul’s National Hangeul Museum examines the potential of Korea’s indigenous writing system in contemporary design. The “Hangeul Design: Prototypes and Future of the Korean Alphabet” exhibit, which runs through May 28, celebrates the 620th anniversary of the birth of King Sejong the Great, the Joseon king who oversaw the creation of the Hangeul script in the 15th century. The first part of the exhibit, “Easily Learned and Conveniently Used: Letters of Consideration and Communication,” introduces the principles behind the writing system and its letters. In the second part, “Limitlessly Altered: Expandability of Hangeul Reinterpreted Through Design,” 22 teams of designers reinterpret Hangeul letters as they appear in the “Hunminjeongeum,” a 15th century text describing the writing system.

Literature »

Written by Chang Iou-chung
Photographed by 15 Studio
Illustrated by Kim Yoon-myung

Exploring Beauty and Violence

Literary star Han Kang meditates on the complex nature of humanity

Last year, the bestselling book in Korea, announced by one of the major bookstores, caught people’s attention as it was found to be: (a) a novel, (b) a Korean novel and (c) a Korean novel that was published years ago. The top-selling novel of 2016 was “The Vegetarian” by Han Kang.

Pundits say that the jump in sales of the Korean language version of the novel was mainly due to the fact that the English language version of the novel had won the Man Booker International Prize, one of the world’s most prestigious English-language literary awards. This was nine years after the book’s publication in Korean in 2007. When first published, around 60,000 copies were sold. After the award for the English version, however, Korean readers snapped up around 300,000 Korean copies of the novel in just three days.

This critical and commercial success is no surprise. Author Han Kang has been a unique voice in Korean literature for more than 20 years, ever since her debut as a writer.

Along with the “delicate, poetic, lyrical and beautiful” writing, another characteristic of Han Kang’s style is the question, “What are humans?” Her writing is the process for her to find the answer to that question.

Like father, like daughter

Han Kang has been wired to write from birth. The author, who was born in 1970, is the daughter of Han Seung-won, also a novelist. In fact, her siblings, an older brother and a younger brother, both write as well. Surrounded by books, she started to read literary magazines when she was an elementary school student. In her pre-teen days, she liked poems by Yoon Dong-ju, a forever-young “national treasure” poet from colonial times, and she was also a fan of author Lim Cheol-woo in her late teens, when she dreamed of becoming a writer.

Han, who studied Korean literature in undergraduate school, debuted as a poet after graduating in 1993 when her poem “Winter of Seoul” was published in a literary magazine. In 1994, her short story “Red Anchor” won the Seoul Sinmun newspaper’s literary award for newcomers. Finally in 1995, she published her first book, a story collection called “Love of Yeosu.” Ever since, she has been a passionate poet, novelist and even children’s book writer. In 2005, her short story “Mongolian Mark,” which later became part of the novel “The Vegetarian,” was unanimously selected to win one of Korea’s most prestigious literary awards, the Yi Sang Literary Award.

She’s not only a talented writer, but also a talented musician. She recorded an album with 10 songs that were all composed, written and sung by her. It was released as an attachment to her book “Quietly Sung Songs.” She also presented on a radio show and podcast about literature.

‘The Vegetarian’

“The Vegetarian” is a collection of three connected stories, making up a novel, published in 2007. All three stories are about a woman named Yeong-hye who has decided to become a vegetarian. It might seem like a common life choice, but in Yeong-hye’s family, it is not common at all. She decides to become a vegetarian because of a dream she had one night. None of her family members understand, or try to understand, her decision. Her story is delivered by three different voices from the family: her husband, her brother-in-law and her older sister.

“Mongolian Mark,” the second story in this three-part novel, is Yeong-hye’s story from the brother-in-law’s point of view. When it was announced as the winner of the Yi Sang Literary Award in 2005, critics said the story evidenced “the birth of a young meister.” Twelve years later, Boyd Tonkin, chair of the judging panel for the Man Booker International Prize, said, “This compact, exquisite and disturbing book will linger long in the minds and maybe the dreams of its readers.”

Han Kang’s literary world

Han’s father and a fellow writer commented on his daughter’s writing, saying, “Her writing is delicate, poetic, lyrical and beautiful. I’m also a writer, but I’d never be able to impersonate her style. It captures the younger generation’s thoughts and senses, but it’s not shallow. Her writing has depth and has tradition. That amazes me. Reading her writings and inspired by her writings, I revise my writings.”

Along with the “delicate, poetic, lyrical and beautiful” writing, another characteristic of her style is the question, “What are humans?” Her writing is the process for her to find the answer to that question.

She often questions human violence in the process of her stories. If she described a woman’s resistance to patriarchal violence in “The Vegetarian,” then she steps even closer to human violence in her more recent book, “Human Acts.”

First published in Korean in 2014 and then in English in 2016, the book tells the story of the everyday people who took part in the 1980 Gwangju pro-democracy movement and were shot down by the dictatorial police state that was running Korea. The author explained that she wanted to seek answers to her question of “whether we can endure in a world where violence and beauty coexist.”

Psychoanalyst and writer Susie Orbach said, “Han’s way of telling about the events of a 10-day insurgency in Gwangju, South Korea, in 1980, and its psychological, spiritual and political aftermath opened my eyes to the cruelty and viciousness perpetrated on the youth of that city. Her writing is spare and yet clotted with emotion.”

Eimear McBride, Irish author of “A Girl Is a Half-formed Thing,” said, “Neither inviting nor shying away from modern-day parallels, Han neatly unpacks the social and political catalysts behind the massacre and maps its lengthy, toxic fallout. [It] is remarkable... how she accomplishes this while still making it a novel of blood and bone. Han prepares us for one of the most important questions of our times: ‘What is humanity? What do we have to do to keep humanity as one thing and not another?’ She never answers, but this act of unflinching witness seems as good a place to start as any.”

Does this mean that Han believes humans are by nature evil? Does she think humans are born to be evil, but then socialized by education and training?

She answered this extreme question in an earlier interview. Han said, “I do want to believe that humans are good. I do believe in human dignity, and because I love humans, I feel tragedy and pain for the coexistence of beauty and violence in this world. That was why I suffered through writing the novel. However, I think I can find a key, an answer, from the pain.”

Publication in English

Not all of Han Kang’s books are available in English. Only two of her books, “The Vegetarian” and “Human Acts,” have been published in English. One more book will be added to the list soon, though. “The White Book” is expected to be published this year. It’s a meditation on the color white and on life, death and ritual.

In 2014, the author’s 20th year of being a writer, Han Kang said in an interview, “There are questions I bear in mind while writing. Because those questions have not been answered, I think I still have a long way to go. I’ve written for 20 years and I still have so many things to write about.”

On the dining table my wife had laid out lettuce and soybean paste, plain seaweed soup without the usual beef or clams, and kimchi.

“What the hell? So all because of some ridiculous dream, you’ve gone and chucked out all the meat? Worth how much?”

I got up from my chair and opened the freezer. It was practically empty — nothing but miso powder, chili powder, frozen fresh chilies, and a pack of minced garlic.

“Just make me some fried eggs. I’m really tired today. I didn’t even get to have a proper lunch.”

“I threw the eggs out as well.”

“What?”

“And I’ve given up milk too.”

“This is unbelievable. You’re telling me not to eat meat?”

“I couldn’t let those things stay in the fridge. It wouldn’t be right.”

How on earth could she be so self-centered? I stared at her lowered eyes, her expression of cool self-possession. The very idea that there should be this other side to her, one where she selfishly did as she pleased, was astonishing. Who would have thought she could be so unreasonable?

“So you’re saying that from now on, there’ll be no meat in this house?”

“Well, after all, you usually only eat breakfast at home. And I suppose you often have meat with your lunch and dinner so… it’s not as if you’ll die if you go without meat just for one meal.”

Her reply was so methodical, it was as if she thought that this ridiculous decision of hers was something completely rational and appropriate.

“Oh, good, so that’s me sorted then. And what about you? You’re claiming that you’re not going to eat meat at all from now on?” She nodded. “Oh, really? Until when?”

“I suppose… forever.”

(…)

Her chair pulled back at an angle, my wife spooned up some seaweed soup, which was quite clearly going to taste of water and nothing else. She balanced rice and soybean paste on a lettuce leaf, then bundled the wrap into her mouth and chewed it slowly.

I just couldn’t understand her. Only then did I realize: I really didn’t have a clue when it came to this woman.

“Not eating?” she asked absentmindedly, for all the world like some middle-aged woman addressing her grown-up son. I sat in silence, steadfastly uninterested in this poor excuse for a meal, crunching on kimchi for what felt like an age. (“The Vegetarian,” Portobello Books, 2015, p.13-15.)

Policy Review »

Written by Lee Kijun

Supporting Multiculturalism at School

Government strives to cultivate talents of Korea’s increasingly multicultural students

An elementary school teacher explains school life to non-Korean parents and their children.

Although 17-year-old Hong Dae-chol was born in Korea, he knows almost nothing about his country of birth. His ethnic Korean mother sent him to Yanji, China, only one year after his birth. He came back to Korea when he was 15-years-old, after his grandparents in Yanji died, and he is now living with his mother, who remarried. As he doesn’t speak Korean, he has few friends. He’s never attended school in Korea, either.

Multicultural schools provide a multicultural education to every student, regardless of background.

Many children from multicultural families share Hong’s situation. They experience many difficulties adjusting to Korean society, especially at school. Even if they enroll in school, they suffer from bullying, maladjustment and language barriers. A study by Hanyang University revealed that one in five multicultural middle school students drops out.

Nonetheless, the number of students with multicultural backgrounds is rapidly increasing. In 2016, the number of students from multicultural families in primary and secondary schools reached almost 100,000, an increase of 20.2 percent from the previous year. The number also represents 1.7 percent of the total number of students.

In elementary schools in particular, multicultural students account for 2.2 percent of total students, exceeding the 2 percent mark for the first time. Th at number is expected to grow. According to the latest data from Statistics Korea, 8.3 percent of all marriages are multiethnic in nature. “If we leave these children out of school, they can’t adjust to Korean society,” said Hanyang University professor Yang Seung-ju, who directed the research. “Then they would quickly fall into poverty and crime.”

Multiculturalism for everyone

To that end, the Ministry of Education announced the 2017 Support Plan for Multicultural Education in January. According to the ministry, the government will spend KRW 19.1 billion this year to help students with multicultural backgrounds.

Under the plan, the ministry will operate 30 more kindergartens for multicultural children, increasing from 60 such schools in 12 cities currently to 90 by the end of 2017. Research elementary schools, meanwhile, not only provide care for children but also conduct research to develop multicultural educational curricula and language programs. An official from the Ministry of Education said, “The government is now designing new learning models for such children based on research carried out in the schools.”

The plan includes launching mentoring teams that consist of university students who are familiar with Korean culture and language. These mentors will communicate with multicultural students in their mother tongue and provide assistance for students with academic difficulties. Preparatory schools for immigrant students like Hong will also be enhanced. These schools will provide language education and cultural experiences so that immigrant students can enroll in public schools more easily.

2017 Multicultural Education Support Plan

[picture] | University student mentoring team to support multicultural students
[picture] | Greater multicultural education and training opportunities for prospective teachers
[picture] | Nationwide expansion of multicultural kindergartens
[picture] | Increase in preparatory schools for Korean language and cultural education
[picture] | Research schools to promote multicultural education

Multicultural education for teachers and students who are not from multicultural families will be enhanced as well. The ministry laid out a required course on teachers’ roles in multicultural schools for pre-service teacher education. The number of specialized schools for multicultural education will be increased from 180 currently to 200 by the end of 2017. These schools provide a multicultural education to every student, regardless of background, so that students who are not from multicultural families can understand how to better get along with those who are.

Growing pains

Koreans are still learning how to fully embrace multicultural individuals. “Korea is not a racially homogeneous nation anymore. Now it’s a multicultural society where people of various ethnicities enjoy being part of diverse religions and cultures,” said Kim Joon-sik, honorary chairman of NGO Asian Friends, to the Korea Times. “Multicultural children in Korea will be a great asset for the nation. Therefore, we should encourage them with endless support.”

The government hopes its new plan will be a starting point for people to begin viewing multicultural families more favorably. Lee Joon-sik, deputy prime minister and minister of education, said, “The Support Plan for Multicultural Education will foster guidance for students from multicultural backgrounds in unfolding their talents and aptitudes, help all students to understand the differences between diverse cultures, and encourage them to value and respect one another.”

This is Pyeongchang »

Written by Colin Marshall

Hearty, Rustic Flavors

Olympic host city Pyeongchang and its environs offer visitors plenty of healthy, down-to-earth regional dishes

No visit to the Pyeongchang/Gangneung area would be complete without trying buckwheat noodles, or memil makguksu.

The PyeongChang 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games will bring untold numbers of people, athletes and spectators alike to the region for the very first time. Coming not only from the rest of Korea but from the rest of the world, they’ll all have to eat, and now, more than ever, they’ll want to eat the most thoroughly local cuisine they can. In recent decades, travelers have come to the conclusion that the best route to understanding a place runs through the stomach, and so they insist on the very same dishes the locals grew up eating. What, then, will Pyeongchang and its neighboring Olympic event-hosting towns of Gangneung and Jeongseon serve their hungry guests next year?

Land of buckwheat and trout

Located in the rural province of Gangwon-do, the greater Pyeongchang area’s nourishing traditional foods reflect the closeness of the region’s people to their land and water. Anyone arriving in Pyeongchang should first track down a bowl of memil makguksu — buckwheat noodles, vegetables and meat all mixed together in kimchi broth with a fortifying dose of red pepper paste. Though traditionally a summer food, it’s just as available in the winter, but those who taste it on an Olympic visit should consider returning to enjoy the dish again in a warmer season to experience first-hand the distinctive Korean preference for foods whose spiciness matches the temperature outside.

A specialty of Jeongseon, gamja ongsimi is a soup made with balls of potato dough.

Nevertheless, there’s no wrong time to eat memil makguksu, nor is there any wrong time to enjoy Pyeongchang trout. The fish thrives in the area’s cold fresh waters, and it has become such a point of local pride that the Pyeongchang Trout Festival now offers visitors, among other activities, their own chance to fish it right out of the ice every winter. Though perfectly tasty simply sliced up and eaten raw, those in search of a more home-style way to eat Pyeongchang trout might consider trying it both as a stuffing for dumplings and served over rice.

A bit of sea water with your tofu?

Discerning vegetable-lovers will savor the dishes on offer in Gangneung. Located right on the country’s northeast coast, the city specializes in an especially soft and light tofu made with salt water straight from the East Sea. Chodang Dubu Village — dubu means tofu in Korean — is the town’s most famous dining destination. You will find a host of establishments specializing in different dishes made with local tofu. Elsewhere in town, you can also find a variety of foods made with Gangwon-do’s famous potatoes, including the warming potato-and-vegetable dumpling soup gamja ongsimi.

When in Jeongseon, do have the buckwheat noodles, but don’t expect a repeat of the Pyeongchang memil makguksu experience. Here the dish to order is kotdeungchigi guksu, its noodles made with both buckwheat and potato, served in a beef broth and possessed of a distinctive texture that gives them a name which translates to “nose-hitting noodles.” Thanks to their unusual thickness, chewiness and overall resilience, they may well snap back and hit you in the nose — painlessly, anyone will assure you — as you eat them. Or so people say.

One of Gangneung’s best loved specialties is chodang dubu, a tofu dish made with sea water instead of salt.

Gondeure bibimbap is a bowl of rice mixed with seasoned thistle.

The noodles of kotdeungchigi guksu are so elastic, it’s said they snap back and hit your nose as you eat them.

Enjoying Gangwon-do food at the source

For a food that puts up rather less resistance, try Jeongseon’s gondeure bibimbap, a version of Korea’s iconic stone-pot dish of mixed rice and vegetables incorporating savory mountain herbs that give it a distinct taste from bibimbap served anywhere else. You’ll find it, as well as an abundance of other freshly-made Gangwon-do foods, at Jeongseon’s open-air five-day Arirang Market, which for half a century now has opened every second, seventh, 12th, 17th, 22nd, and 27th day of each month.

Simple though these specialties may sound, they’ve sustained generations and generations of the area’s people through countless harsh seasons while taking full advantage of the ingredients that grow most flavorful in its cold weather. They’ll do just as good a job sustaining all who arrive for the Olympics next winter and maybe even entice some visitors to come back another time for further culinary exploration.

Current Korea »

Written by Robert Koehler
Photos courtesy of the PyeongChang 2018 Organizing Committee

A More Accessible Winter Games

PyeongChang 2018 Organizing Committee CEO Lee Hee-beom says games pose challenges and opportunities

At Incheon International Airport, visitors take photos in front of the mascots of the PyeongChang 2018 Games.

Lee Hee-beom, the president and CEO of the Organizing Committee of the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (POCOG), knows that hosting a major international sporting event can be a challenge. A former minister of trade, industry and energy and executive at some of Korea’s biggest institutions and corporations, he has faced difficult tasks before.

If there’s something Korea has proven in the past, however, it’s that it knows how to pull off an international gathering.

“We have learned that organizing major sporting events requires sufficient planning, preparation, operational knowledge, experience and close collaboration with key stakeholders to create a truly successful event. Being able to adapt and react swiftly to unexpected changes will also help ensure that things can progress smoothly and that we stay on the right track.”

Challenges and opportunities

Lee notes that for organizing committees, including the Organizing Committee of PyeongChang 2018, the challenges are two-fold. On one hand, you have so-called hardware problems, meaning venue construction and infrastructural development. On the other, you have software problems, meaning operational know-how and experience.

“Our hardware is mostly on track,” says Lee. “For software, the POCOG team is using every test event as an opportunity to acquire the required operational experience.”

It’s not all challenges, however. The Pyeongchang region possesses innate gift s as an international sporting venue. Lee says, “The PyeongChang 2018 Winter Games have been able to use the geographical features of Gangwon-do to their advantage and were able to divide the competition venues into two clusters based on the sporting discipline and natural landscapes.”

Athlete-oriented, competition-centered games

The host area’s compact geography makes the PyeongChang 2018 Games especially accessible. The venues, Olympic Village and other operational facilities are located within 30 minutes from the Olympic Plaza.

“Ninety percent of the athletes will be able to reach their training and competing venues within 10 minutes from their accommodations,” says Lee. “It will enhance athletes’ performance and spectators’ accessibility for an athlete-oriented and competition-centered Winter Games.”

To make it even easier for athletes and visitors to reach the venue from Incheon International Airport, Korea’s primary port of entry, much effort has gone into expanding the railway and road network. In particular, a high-speed railway line, linking the airport with the Olympic venues, promises to bring passengers to Pyeongchang in just 98 minutes and to Gangneung in 113 minutes.

Five themes

Five themes form the backdrop to the PyeongChang 2018 Games. The games are to be “Economic Games” that bring economic benefits to the people. They should be “Games for Peace,” where political agendas are put aside in order to focus on sports, cooperation and peace. They should be “Cultural Games,” a unique opportunity to promote Korea to a global audience. They are also “Environmental Games,” with strategies implemented to make the games eco-friendly.

Lastly, they are “ICT Games.” Lee explains, “What this means for us is that we use info-communication technologies to create a barrier-free event, to ensure our games remain accessible to all.”

The PyeongChang 2018 Games are the first games to use 5G services, making use of one of the world’s fastest mobile networks. Software company HANCOM Inc., an official supporter of PyeongChang 2018, will provide Genie Talk, an automatic translation and interpretation app for eight languages: English, Mandarin, Japanese, French, Spanish, German, Russian and Arabic. Organizers are making wide use of the Internet of Things (IoT) and big data, too.

Lee emphasizes that PyeongChang 2018 aims to open up new horizons, not just in Korea but across Asia, too. “We want to ensure that the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games open up new horizons in Korea and across Asia by connecting the great passion of the athletes and spectators,” he says. “Within the theme of ‘New Horizons’ we want to provide a new stage for winter sports in Asia — for top level events but also as a winter travel destination for all.”

Global Korea »

Written by Diana Park

Washington, DC

Exhibit features modern installations with traditional Korean materials

From Feb. 3 to 24, the Korean Cultural Center in Washington, D.C., held an exhibition titled “Suspicious Growths.” The exhibition by artist Goh Tai Hwa features work combining various techniques like modern and colorful installations, prints and silkscreen using traditional paper. About 180 people, including D.C.’s culture enthusiasts and general visitors, attended the opening ceremony. They were impressed by the dynamic presentations and showed great interest in the diverse mediums and processes. Goh used traditional printing methods like piling, folding and binding thin paper to create organic, moving forms. The unique harmony of modern expression and traditional materials in each piece revealed artistic innovation and fluidity. Architectural elements resembling the human body also evoked personal connections to the attendees while introducing them to traditional Korean materials. This exhibition was the recipient of the Artist of the Year Award of the Korean Cultural Center in Washington’s yearly Open Call for Artists.

Osaka

Korean Buddhist art shares Goryeo coloring technique

From Jan. 14 to 21, the Korean Cultural Center in Osaka hosted an exhibition of Korean Buddhist art. The exhibition featured Korean contemporary works, including 18 pieces of jinyeong and 20 pieces of hwajodo (flower and bird paintings) by artist Hong Na-yeon. Jinyeong, or “true appearance,” represents modern portraits of Buddhist masters. The artist worked on these pieces for three years and applied the Buddhist art coloring technique from Goryeo in which she colored over a silk-and-paper canvas. This exhibition brought awareness to Korean Buddhist art portraits as well as introducing the traditional coloring technique to the Japanese audience. Attendees were inspired by the vivid details of beards and wrinkles and even experienced moments of inspiration as they gazed into the eyes of the masters. The exhibition will be one of many opportunities to share different genres of Korean art with its Japanese audience.

Kazakhstan

Cross-cultural unity forms through Korean music and performances

The Korean Cultural Service in Kazakhstan hosted PyeongChang Olympic Cultural Concerts to commemorate the opening of the Universiade Almaty 2017 and to mark the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. The concert kicked offon Jan. 25 in Kyzylorda, and aft er a tour around five different cities including Almaty and Uralsk, the final concert took place on Feb. 6 in Pavlodar. Noreum Machi, an internationally acclaimed Korean music group, awed the attendees with a repertoire combining Korean traditional dance and percussion. They created a one-of-a-kind audiovisual experience for the audience to engage musically beyond language barriers. The group also held a workshop where they taught Korean percussion instruments. These concerts carried a message of unity through its celebration of both Korean and Kazakhstani events. Visitors enjoyed the meaningful opportunity to learn about Korean culture through music and promote the upcoming 2018 PyeongChang games.

Philippines

Korean media art receives spotlight in the Philippines

On Feb. 9, internationally acclaimed Korean media artist Han Ho’s exhibition “Eternal Light” opened at the Korean Cultural Center in the Philippines. The opening day was a success with over 150 attendees. The program consisted of a performance art piece by Han Ho, followed by cultural director Oh Choong-suk’s welcoming address and a congratulatory address by Patricia Maria Santiago, the branch manager of the International Council on Monuments and Sites Philippines and the alumni chairperson of the Cultural Partnership Initiative of the Philippines. Also, the musical performance of “Can’t Help Falling in Love” by students added a dynamic, fun element. Before the opening day, attendees engaged in a Q&A session with the artist on the theme of “Art and Technology-21c Neo-Naturalism.” The exhibition explored the theme of light through 15 multimedia works including paintings, media arts and installation pieces.

Flavor »

Written by Cynthia Yoo
Photographed by ao studio Kang Jinju
Stylized by 101recipe

Bounty of Spring Namul

Naengijeon and dureupjeon prove lesser greens can be healthy and tasty

Some may dismiss them as common weeds, but many people know better. Spring namul like naengi, better known as Shepherd’s Purse in some parts, or dureup, also known as Fatsia japonica, are local favorites. Both of these hardy plants grow just about anywhere where there’s a pot or plot of soil. They grow year-round but are associated with the coming of spring.

Dureup namul is a dish where the edible parts of the young spring shoots of the plant are blanched, seasoned and served as banchan. Naengi too isn’t eaten whole. Its young leaves and roots are the edible parts of the plant.

Dureup is also a popular plant for its young shoots, which are eaten as namul or as ingredients of various jeon, hot pots and banchan dishes. However, dureup is also prized for its medicinal properties. People say that the plant relieves fatigue and improves stamina. It has been used in herbal medicine to treat various inflammation-related diseases, and current research studies have shown that the plant does contain potent anti-inflammatory agents. People also take dureup to clear their minds and reduce stress.

Not to be outdone, naengi is also famous the world over as an important herbal medicine. In pre-industrial Europe, it was used to stop bleeding infections and treat circulatory problems. During World War I, it was used as a drug to stop bleeding and as first aid treatment. Even today, a cotton swab of the plant’s juice is used against nosebleeds. A naengi poultice can be used to treat bad bruises. Women make tea made from naengi for premenstrual problems and menstrual cramps. Before the age of penicillin it was the go-to drug for folks in need of first aid.

Naengi is also a popular namul, most often used to flavor soups and stews like doenjangguk. Its edible leaves and roots have a slight bitterness that disappears when boiled or blanched. People also like to blanch dureup and serve it simply with some chogochujang or hot chili-pepper paste vinaigrette. Blanched dureup is also paired with bulgogi to make dureupjeok, and it can be used to make a variety of dishes including kimchi, fritters and even salads. These two spring namul have not only found a place at the Korean dining table but also in their medicine cabinet. Try the jeon recipes here — they’re as easy to make as to eat.

How to make naengijeon and dureupjeon:
Peel the dureup, cut off the shoot and trim it. Put one teaspoon of salt into water and boil it. Then lightly boil the dureup. Rinse the boiled dureup in cold water and dry it. Coat the dureup in flour, making sure to give it a good shake to remove any excess. Then coat it in eggwash and fry it until golden brown. Don’t fry it for too long, or you lose the flavor. Naengijeon is prepared in the same manner.

Learning Korean »

Written by Lim Jeong-yeo
Illustrated by Kim Yoon-myung
Script provided by Park Ji-eun

‘Won’t we meet eventually if there’s a reason we must?’

‘My Love From the Star’ discusses fated relationships

The TV show “My Love From the Star” (2014) was a sensational hit that’s credited for spreading fried chicken to even the most unlikely corners of the world.

The fantasy-romance is about the time-transcending love between top celebrity Cheon Song-yi, played by Jun Ji-hyun, and extraterrestrial Doh Min-joon, played by Kim Soo-hyun.

Doh has been stranded in Seoul since Joseon times. He has lived in the country for 400 years, biding his time until the day comes for him to return home. His only weakness is the saliva of another living being, which accelerates his heart rate to a dangerously abnormal speed. Whenever he kisses Cheon, it almost kills him.

Cheon is an actress and self-made millionaire. She’s also the reincarnation of Doh’s love from the Joseon Dynasty, who died sacrificing herself for him. She looks exactly like she did in her past life.

In the modern setting, the two’s paths cross for the first time when Cheon is 12-years-old. Running away from her home late at night, Cheon almost gets run over by a truck, but Doh spots her and saves her life. They don’t meet again for over a decade.

Without getting another chance to see Cheon, the day nears for Doh to finally return to his home planet. Doh remembers the girl whose life he saved and thinks to himself, “If there is a reason for us to meet, we will. If we don’t, then there must be a reason for that as well. This is the lesson I learned after my long time spent here on Earth.”

The Korean phrase for “a reason to meet” is mannaya hal iyu (만나야 할 이유). The verb mannada means “to meet” and iyu means “reason.” To create various sentences, use uri for “us” and neohui for the plural “you.” “A reason for us to meet” would be “uriga mannaya hal iyu,” and “the reason you (plural) should meet” is “neohuiga mannaya hal iyu.” To say the opposite, “why we should not meet” is uriga mannaji maraya hal iyu.

Korean Art Through Coloring

Ear-shaped traditional pouch Gwijumeoni

Thank you for your feedback

By sending in reader feedback, you enter a drawing to win a “Chochungdo” (a painting of plants and insects) eco bag. Five people who ~ ll out the Readers’ Comments will be chosen among those received before May 31.