Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Korea (2008 Vol. 4 No. 10)
Korea (2008 Vol. 4 No. 10)
Korea (2008 Vol. 4 No. 10)
net
Opening a communicative space between Korea and the world
October 2008 VOL. 4 NO. 10
10 24 34 44
6 National 46 Food
Korea Focuses on Green Energy Industry Provincial Delicacies
2008 Ramsar Convention Coming to Korea
48 Cultural Figure
13 Diplomacy ‘A Poet on the Piano’ — Pianist Paik Kun-woo
Korea Enhances Economic Ties with Romania and Uruguay
Seoul and Moscow Agree on Strategic Economic Cooperation 50 People
Chinese Actress Named Goodwill Ambassador for Korea
Cover Photo
Uponeup in 16 Global Korea Castro Praises Korea’s Olympic Baseball Team
Gyeongsangnam-do
Korea’s Public Servants Training Offers Top-notch
Publisher Yoo Jin-hwan International Program
52 Topic
Korean Culture and Information Service World-class Ships Coming to Busan
Editing & Printing Herald Media Inc.
Dolphin Funeral in Korea
International Tattoo Fest Brings Global Marching Bands
E-mail webmaster@korea.net
to Korea
Design toga design
54 Events
Dokdo in the Eyes of Foreign Reporters
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be repro- World’s Top National Theaters Perform in Korea
duced in any form without permission from Korea and the
Pusan Film Fest Aims to Be the Best Yet
Korean Culture and Information Service. 30 Sports
The articles published in Korea do not necessarily represent the Korean Athletes Shine at 2008 Paralympics
Gwangju Biennale Fuses Art and Spectacle 56
views of the publisher. The publisher is not liable for errors or
omissions.
63 Books
Letters to the editor should include the writer’s full name and address. 34 Culture
Letters may be edited for clarity and/or space restrictions.
Korean Heritage
The Beauty of Hangeul Transcends Modern Designs
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A New National Strategy for Korea
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Korean words appearing in our text are available by clicking on the 66 Foreign Viewpoint
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Diplomacy in the Internet Age
Sea of Autumn Colors — Seoraksan National Park
발간등록번호: 11-1110073-000016-06
60
Yonhap
“green energy” meeting at Cheong Wa Dae on Sept. 11
ment President Lee’s vision for “low carbon, green growth.” Jeollanam-do by the end of this year, and build a commer-
Speaking at an Aug. 15 event to mark the 60th anniver- cial power plant with a capacity of 90 megawatts by 2013.
sary of the nation’s founding and the 63rd anniversary of The Government plans to establish a pan-national im-
national liberation from Japan’s colonial rule, President Lee plementation system for the green energy industry, while
said, “We will support job creation and overcome chal- forming a “committee for the promotion of the green ener-
lenges from climate change and high fossil fuel prices gy industry” under the joint sponsorship of economic orga-
through green growth, which helps reduce greenhouse gas nizations and the Ministry of Knowledge Economy.
emission and environmental pollution.” Along with the Government, a growing number of busi-
“Green growth is also a new national development par- nesses are choosing environmentally friendly management
adigm that nurtures new growth boosters and creates jobs as a priority to maintain growth. Consumer patterns are al-
with green technology and clean energy,’’ he added. so changing in favor of the environment, and awareness is
The Government will also concentrate on developing a growing that buying environmentally friendly products
Windmills in Daegwallyeong, Gangwon-do variety of new renewable energy sources. It plans to in- benefits consumers.
crease supplies of solar energy to 400 megawatts and wind Big companies like POSCO and Hyundai Motor are also
energy to 1 gigawatt by 2012. joining the efforts. Since two years ago, POSCO has been pur-
To utilize maritime energy resources, including tidal suing fuel cell and solar panel technology that emits no car-
Korea Focuses on
power and currents, the Government will complete the con- bon dioxide as part of projects to secure new growth engines.
struction of Sihwa Power Plant in Gyeonggi-do with a ca- E-Mart, Homeplus, Lotte Mart, GS Retail and other large
pacity of 254 megawatts, the world’s largest tidal power retailers have already linked with manufacturers of food
plant, by 2009. and household products to launch a green mileage program
The Government will also build a 1 megawatt-class ex- that aims to reduce the amount of packaging used in con-
K
orea is fast turning the green energy industry into a plan to President Lee Myung-bak on Sept. 11.
new growth engine after world leaders vowed to cut The ministry highlighted nine key sectors: solar and
CO2 emissions to address global warming issues dur- wind power, light-emitting diode (LED), hydrogen fuel cells,
ing the G8 summit in Hokkaido, Japan, in July. gas-to-liquid and coal-to-liquid energy, integrated gasifica-
The Government has decided to spend 3 trillion won tion combined cycle (IGCC), and energy storage.
($2.6 billion) until 2012 on researching and developing new If the Government’s investment project proceeds as
and renewable energy in cooperation with the private sector. planned, the output of the green energy industry will likely
It also said it will increase production of “green” energy reach $17 billion by 2012. Besides that, about 105,000 new
nine-fold, from $1.8 billion last year to $17 billion. jobs will be created by 2012.
The Ministry of Knowledge Economy unveiled the am- The ministry’s “development strategy for the promotion
Yonhap
bitious project to build a “Green Korea” and reported this of the green energy industry” is an action plan to imple-
T
he 10th meeting of the con-
tracting parties of Ramsar
Convention will take place in
Changwon, Korea, in October.
Under the theme “Healthy Wetlands, Healthy People,”
the meeting will be held for eight days from Oct. 28 to Nov.
4 at the Changwon Exhibition Convention Center. More
Coming to Korea
International Environmental Convention in Ramsar, Iran, in
1971. The purpose of the convention is to protect disap-
pearing wetlands. A total of 1,752 lands from 158 countries
are registered on the Ramsar List and are being managed.
Uponeup
A swamp in Changnyeong-gun,
Gyeongsangnam-do. It is the
oldest natural swamp in Korea. It
was registered as a Ramsar site in
March 1998. Area: 8.54 square
kilometers.
Yonhap
Preparation for 2012 Yeosu Expo
President Lee Myung-bak with Romanian President Traian Basescu (left) and Uruguayan President Tabare Vazquez
Gets Started
BY JEONG HYEON-JI
STAFF WRITER
Korea Enhances Economic Ties with
The Korean delegation of the 2012 Yeosu Expo receives the BIE flag at the closing ceremony of the 2008 Zaragoza Expo on Sept. 14 in Spain
Romania and Uruguay
P
reparation for the 2012 Yeosu folk music group performed the tradi- mote sustainable development of the
Expo is expected to go into high tional Korean music “nongak.” seas and oceans and to cope with mar-
gear since the 2008 Expo closed Korea successfully won the bid to itime problems and environmental is-
T
its curtains and Yeosu has officially host the 2012 International Expo in sues faced by many developing coun- he leaders of Korea and Romania under construction or are planned for tion and manufacturing center in
taken its place as the future host. the southwestern coastal city of Yeosu tries. have agreed to boost economic completion by 2016. Europe since its admission to the
At the closing ceremony of the last year with its timely theme “The The expo is slated for May 12 cooperation between the two “The two sides aim to further European Union in January 2007.
2008 Zaragoza Expo held in Spain Living Ocean and the Coast,” which through Aug. 12, with over 80 partici- countries in the fields of nuclear pow- strengthen bilateral economic cooper- On Sept. 1, President Lee held sum-
Sept. 13-14, Chang Seung-woo, the focuses on the growing concerns on pating countries and 10 international er, seaport construction and energy re- ation, taking into account the contin- mit talks with Uruguayan President
committee chairman of the Organizing global warming. organizations. An estimated $8 mil- sources. ued growth of economic relations be- Tabare Vazquez and agreed to promote
Committee of 2012 Yeosu Expo, re- The 2012 Yeosu Expo seeks to pro- lion will be invested in this project. ■ Presidents Lee Myung-bak and tween the two countries in recent bilateral cooperation in agriculture, fish-
ceived the BIE (Bureau of International Traian Basescu signed a joint declara- years,” the joint statement said. eries, forestry and other economic fields.
Exposition) flag from the BIE The masterplan for the 2012 Yeosu Expo venue tion to upgrade bilateral ties to a strate- Two-way trade was estimated at Vazquez became the first
Secretary-General Vicente Loscertales. gic partnership at the conclusion of a $930 million last year. Korea’s exports Uruguayan president to visit South
“By receiving the BIE flag, Yeosu summit at Cheong Wa Dae on Sept. 11. to and imports from Romania were Korea since the establishment of bilat-
reclaimed its position as the next host During the summit in Seoul, $850 million and $80 million, respec- eral diplomatic ties in 1964. During
of the global exposition. We will do President Lee asked the Romanian gov- tively, in 2007. the summit, Vazquez stressed the need
our best to make this a successful ernment to include Korean companies in Korean companies such as ship- to boost cooperation in trade and en-
event during the next four years,” projects to build infrastructure, nuclear builders, electronics firms and steel- ergy fields and asked South Korea to
Chang said upon receiving the flag. plants and container ports. Basescu wel- makers invested $340 million in increase its investments in the South
The closing ceremony was attend- comed Korean firms’ participation. Romania last year. American country.
ed by high-level delegates such as Korea is the world’s sixth largest A Cheong Wa Dae official said After the summit, the two leaders
Juan Carlos I, the King of Spain, and generator of nuclear power and is run- Romania will provide Korean compa- observed their Cabinet ministers sign
Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, the ning 20 commercial nuclear-power re- nies with a gateway to expand into memorandums of understanding on
Spanish prime minister. To celebrate actors. Ten more are planned to be in European markets. Romania has closer cooperation in forestry and fish-
Yonhap
this special occasion, Korea’s national operation by 2020. Another eight are emerged as a major logistics, distribu- eries businesses. ■
Yonhap
P
resident Lee Myung-bak and his ship, which is now mainly economic, from Vladivostok after 2015. its transportation and infrastructure.
Russian counterpart Dmitry and pursue closer coordination in se- The state-run Korea Gas Corp. and The two leaders promised to contin-
Medvedev held a summit at the curity, diplomacy and global issues, Russia’s Gazprom signed a memoran- ue to cooperate in developing gas pro-
Kremlin on Sept. 29 and signed an Seoul officials said. dum of understanding for the import jects and building a LNG plant and a gas
agreement to forge a strategic partner- The countries will launch a vice- deal. They also agreed to study the chemical complex in Russian Far East.
Yonhap
ship, promote various joint business minister-level strategic dialogue on creation of a pipeline though the Medvedev also backed South
projects, and cooperate to dismantle security matters soon, and promote di- Korean Peninsula for the gas delivery. Korean companies’ bids to participate
Pyongyang’s nuclear programs. verse exchange programs through The amount of natural gas will ac- in infrastructure construction in of the railway section between North railway links will not only develop lo-
Lee arrived in Moscow on Sept. 28 their existing bilateral channels, the count for 20 percent of Korea’s gas Vladivostok and Sochi, scheduled to Korea’s port Rajin and Russia’s station gistics industries in eastern parts of
for a three-day visit. statement said. consumption. The nation imports most host the Asia-Pacific Economic Khasan in the Primorye territory Oct. 3. their countries, but also will deepen
He and Medvedev agreed to up- On the sidelines of the summit, the of its gas from the Middle East and Cooperation summit in 2012, and the Russia will help rehabilitate the economic interdependence among
grade their ties to a “strategic cooper- nations signed 26 agreements to coop- Southeast Asia and is seeking to diver- Winter Olympics in 2014. 54-kilometer railway section and those three nations and thus con-
ative partnership.” Their predecessors, erate in the oil, gas, minerals, trade, sify its supply sources. The two presidents also affirmed pushes to construct a container termi- tribute to regional peace and stability.
Roh Moo-hyun and Vladimir Putin, science, information technology, aero- The two sides also agreed to restart their willingness to promote linking an nal and related infrastructure in Rajin. This is the second meeting be-
established a “mutually trustful and space, education and other fields. a suspended joint oil drilling project off inter-Korean railway with Russia’s Lee proposed joint projects to devel- tween Lee and Medvedev. They con-
comprehensive partnership” in 2004. The leaders agreed on a deal under the far eastern Kamchatka peninsula. trans-Siberian line. op ports in Russian Far East in connec- ferred in July on the sidelines of the
Under the agreement, the two which Korea will import 7.5 million Russia is the second-biggest oil ex- In late August, Russia and North tion with the continental rail projects. expanded G8 summit in Toyako,
countries will enhance their relation- metric tons of natural gas per year porter in the world and controls a Korea agreed to launch reconstruction The two leaders concurred that the northern Japan. ■
COTI
sik, COTI president. have learnt in the classroom. new development system, often sup-
COTI’s international programs COTI’s international programs in ported with funding of the Korean
kicked off in 1984 and in the last 24 recent years have evolved to meet the Government. Recently, however,
years, over 3,000 government officials needs of modern days. “It is important many countries like Japan, Russia and
from 165 countries have received train- to identify new training needs to cope China are voluntarily taking cus-
ing here. The length of the program with the new challenges of the chang- tomized programs to train their offi-
varies from two to three weeks. During ing global environment,” the presi- cials. A customized program of 15
those weeks, officials are expected to dent said. participants is estimated to cost ap-
take courses on Korean culture, society COTI works closely with the Korea proximately 20 million won ($17,500).
and legal system, as well as administra- International Cooperation Agency Not only working-level staff but
tion and economic development. The (KOICA). Together, they invite officials senior executive officials of participat-
highlight of the program will be the from developing countries to impart ing countries have received training
field trips and excursions to industrial useful information and educate them here including Partha Sarathi Ray,
and cultural sites of Korea where par- on implementation capabilities to help India’s foreign affairs senior director,
ticipants can see and feel what they advancement of their countries and Nguyen Phu Biah, Vietnamese vice
Customized Program
Participants take a lecture at COTI’s seminar room Key to Official Training:
COTI President
Korea’s Public Servants Training Offers
Top-notch International Program After 35 years of service in the local and
central Government, Chung Jang-sik now
BY JEONG HYEON-JI heads the Central Officials Training
STAFF WRITER
Institute (COTI).
He says the greatest reward from work-
ing for COTI is the feedback from former
A
group of Paraguayan govern- Korea and developing countries. And great progress in the IT sector in participants.
ment officials were intently lis- it recently turned itself into a revenue- Paraguay,” said Nicolas Pereyra “COTI’s international programs are Chung Jang-sik, COTI president
tening to a lecture on Korea’s e- producing engine inviting officials Molinas, Civil Cabinet of the aimed at mutual development of partici-
government system in Gwacheon, from developed countries as well. Presidency in Paraguay, who’s partici- pating countries and Korea. It is great to So, what’s so special about COTI’s pro- as well.”
Gyeonggi-do on Sept. 22. These 15 This year alone, there are 14 train- pating in the program. see how the former participants are taking grams? He says COTI stands out because it He envisioned that the institute’s pro-
high-ranking officials from the remote ing programs scheduled for some 240 “What’s happening in Korea’s IT advantage of the techniques they have encourages each participant to see and feel grams will become more user-friendly. IT
South American country were here on public servants of countries like sector is splendid and we’re here to learned here in their own countries,” he from the curriculum outside the classroom. education, human resource development
a 10-day program to learn about Malaysia, Vietnam, Japan, Russia, learn about it. Only 4.2 percent of said. “Our lectures and field trips to various and government administration are some
Korea’s e-government system in an Afghanistan and Tunisia. Paraguayans are using the internet He said many former participants come industrial and public sites make the partic- of the most sought-after sectors by partic-
aim to facilitate the implementation of The e-government program is one daily and only 0.3 percent of them are back to Korea for a second trip, many ipants see and feel for themselves where ipating countries, he said.
the system in their homeland. of the recent curriculums and is in using the broadband service,” he said. times with their family members. Korea’s growth came from,” he said. “We will expand our official develop-
The Central Officials Training high demand by South American, “Korea’s advanced IT technology is “It is true that they become representa- Chung said he and the COTI crew feel a ment assistance programs in cooperation
Institute (COTI), under the Ministry of Southeast Asian countries and Russia. setting a role model for other coun- tives of Korea in their respective countries. great responsibility as civil ambassadors. with Korea International Cooperation
Public Administration and Security “We lack in general infrastructure and tries. But really, it’s a win-win for both Last December, former Malaysian partici- “Each of us at COTI considers ourselves Agency to provide developing countries
(MOPAS), operates training programs know-how in establishing e-govern- Korea and the participating country. pants and their families visited Korea for a civil ambassadors. And interacting with with a chance to come here and learn. We
for both local and foreign government ment. With Korea International Korea’s trade and overseas investment week, and we threw them a welcome-back government officials of other countries has hope more countries will benefit from the
officials. Its international program has Cooperation Agency’s help and the greatly benefits from these Korea- party. That is now a great memory.” helped us improve our global awareness study-visit programs at COTI.” ■
played a significant role in connecting program here, I think we can make a friendly officials,” said Chung Jang-
I
popular in Japan and other Asian na- n a recent event, the National Folk fairytales. to cultural education programs and
tions. In Southeast Asian and African Museum of Korea and its Japanese The two groups began having ex- performances.
countries, economic and human re- counterpart have consolidated their changes during the 2002 Korea-Japan Yi Ki-won, the deputy director of
source development is the key subject. partnership to better promote each World Cup. In celebrating the global cultural exchange and the education
“We consider ourselves as civil other’s folk culture. event, the two museums held exhibi- division, said these exchanges provide
diplomats as we believe what we do At an annual conference held on tions to promote better understanding good means to promote mutual under-
here greatly contributes to our global Sept. 4 at Seoul’s National Folk of each other’s culture and lifestyle. standing of both cultures.
competence. COTI’s international pro- Museum, researchers from the Followed by this successful exhibi- “Folk culture provides a good ref-
grams will get more customized to suit National Folk Museum of Japan pre- tion, they signed a memorandum of erence to understand each country’s
each participating country’s need,” sented their studies on Asian fairy- understanding in 2003 to further con- spiritual culture and its people.
Park said. tales and animal characters in folk- solidate their relations to continue the Exchanges between Korean and
More information is available at lores. This year’s conference touched promotion of each other’s folk culture Japanese folk museums will provide
www.coti.go.kr. ■ on subjects ranging from the moral and to increase exchanges. Since the people of both countries with a re-
values of leading animal characters 2003, the activities have ranged from liable source in learning about each
Cultural immersion program
to the origins of snake and feline itinerant exhibitions and conferences other’s culture.” ■
A
mid the nation’s growing efforts to promote multi-
cultural communities, a three-day event dedicated to
Vietnam offered citizens a chance to better under-
stand Vietnamese culture.
The National Museum of Korea and Hana Financial
Group hosted “My Friend Vietnam” event from Sept. 5 to 7
in a bid to provide the public with a place to learn about
Vietnamese culture and traditions.
The events included a famous Vietnamese puppet show
A Vietnamese band performs traditional Vietnamese music performed by the Thang Long Water Puppet Troupe. The
puppeteers control the puppets underwater during the show,
which farcically demonstrates a Vietnamese farmer’s life.
Pham Tini Phuong, a Vietnamese who immigrated to
Korea for marriage, said, “I always heard about the puppet
show back at home but I never had a chance to see it until
now. I’m glad I could see it with my son.”
Following the puppet show, there was a children’s play
based on the Vietnamese nursery tale “Taam va Caum.” The
play received positive reaction from Koreans who were
pleasantly surprised to find out how similar Vietnamese
and Korean sentiments are.
Along with other events and performances, classes on Children decorate a board after watching a Vietnamese play
Vietnamese history and culture were offered by renowned
professors.
The three-day event was attended by some 3,000 peo-
ple, including Vietnamese immigrants, their families and
local citizens interested in Vietnamese culture.
The National Museum of Korea runs programs dedicat-
ed to multicultural communities through the year. The pro-
grams not only target the foreign community, but also chil-
dren of multiracial parentage.
Each year, the museum hosts three events dedicated to a
particular country. This year, the museum dedicated an event
to Mongolia and a festival for multicultural families. ■
(Photos courtesy of the National Museum of Korea)
A scene from a Vietnamese water puppet show A scene from a water puppet show
World-class
Ships
Coming to
Busan stroyer Suzunami, while from China,
Harbin, a destroyer, will participate,
BY KIM JI-HYUN
KOREA HERALD STAFF WRITER the Navy said. The October fleet re-
view will be China’s first experience in
the international event.
60th anniversary of the foundation of Russia, which hopes to revive its
the Korean Armed Forces this year. naval powers based on its growing
This is the second time Korea has economic prowess, will participate
hosted such an event. The 7,600-ton with its destroyer the Mashal
A
n assortment of top-notch naval Sejong the Great, a top-of-the-line de- Shaposhynikov.
vessels, including a Korean stroyer equipped with the Aegis com- The Navy predicted that the review
aegis destroyer, will take part in bat system, will be among the ships to will be an opportunity to view a wide
an international fleet review in Busan take part, along with United States air- assortment of world-class ships.
in October. craft carrier George Washington and More information can be found at
Around 50 vessels and 30 aircrafts its aegis destroyer John S. McCain. its official website at http://fleetre-
from up to 12 countries are slated to Japan, ranked as owning the view.navy.mil.kr. ■
show at the fleet review, which will be world’s second most powerful navy, (Photos courtesy of
held between Oct. 5-10 to mark the will participate with its 4,650-ton de- the Republic of Korea Navy)
The U.S. aircraft carrier George Washington The Chinese destroyer Harbin The Japanese destroyer Suzunami The Russian destroyer Marshal Shaposhynikov
The opening ceremony of the International Tattoo Festival in Wonju, Gangwon-do on Sept. 5 A performance by Korea’s Defense Ministry marching band A traditional Korean drum performance
M
usical groups of East and Festival, which was held Sept. 5 to 9. Teams from home and abroad dent bands and local musicians. Kim Chan-soo, the secretary-gen- has truly added to its uniqueness. It is
West became one during a The annual international military joined the festival this year — O’Shea Both Koreans and immigrants eral of the Wonju International Tattoo our goal to make Wonju a center of
five-day festival held in and marching band festival is famous Ryan Irish Dance Team from Australia, joined the street parades and festivals, Committee, said the annual festival international culture through the na-
Wonju, Gangwon-do, in September. for its uniqueness, which range from Pipe & Drum Marching Band from which involved traditional wedding was conceived in Wonju but has truly tion’s only military marching band
Participants and local citizens of Western genres of orchestra and clas- Canada, Lampang Kanlayanee student ceremonies of various countries, tradi- become an international event in only festival,” he said.
Wonju city had a great time enjoying sical music to Korean traditional mu- band from Thailand, the 8th army mil- tional performances of the participat- five years. More information on the festival
street parades and concerts during the sic — gukak, pop music and b-boy per- itary band from the United States, and ing countries and samulnori perfor- “This year’s festival featured many can be found on its multilingual web-
2008 Wonju Tattoo International formances. Korea’s national military bands, stu- mances. global teams and local citizens. This site at www.wonjutattoo.com. ■
A street parade in Wonju on Sept. 6 Australia’s O’Shea Ryan Irish Dance Team
KOIS
Dokdo among fishermen on Japan’s western coast who
in the Eyes of want greater access to the rich waters between Japan
and the Korean Peninsula.”
F
or such a small island, Dokdo has evoked much Hyung-jin in an Aug. 27 AP article entitled “S. Northeast Asian History Foundation in Korea, as
hard feeling and discomfort between Korea Korean emotions run high over island dispute.” saying.
and Japan for over a century. Once seen as a The article describes the painful past of Japan’s Another example of Korean fervor about the is-
silly dispute over “a few pieces of rock” from over- annexation of Korea from 1910 to 1945 and gives land surrounds the U.S. Board on Geographic
seas perspectives, these days, even the world’s press quotes from policemen, Dokdo residents and a pro- Names, which recently changed the island’s status
is taking a peek into the rocky site that Korea is so fessor, who all express bitter sentiments toward from “South Korean” to “undesignated sovereignty,”
fiercely defending. Japan. until President Bush intervened before heading to
In a recent trip by foreign correspondents to “I explode with anger whenever they say it’s Seoul for a summit. The change was reverted back to
Dokdo, sponsored by the Korean Government, much their territory,” Kim Sung-do, 68, a resident of its earlier status.
emphasis was given to local sentiment toward the is- Dokdo was quoted as saying. Kim is one half of the In Marie-France Han’s article “S. Korea steps up
land that goes beyond mere questions of territory or only couple residing on the island. His house dis- defense of disputed islets,” Reuters reported on the
resources. plays seven Korean national flags. Korean coastguards keeping an even closer eye on
“It is hard to overstate the emotional impact the The piece goes on to explain that for Japan “the Dokdo. It said, “South Korea has responded by form-
dispute over the tiny islets — which if placed in New dispute appears not to arouse anywhere near the ing [a] research institute, sending ships to fortify
York’s Central Park would occupy just 0.5 percent of same level of public emotion as in South Korea” ex- Dokdo’s defenses and saying it would build even
A Korean landmark in Dokdo
its total area — has for South Koreans,” wrote Kim cept as a “favorite cause of the vocal right wing and more structures on the islands it controls.” ■
K
orea’s first multilingual radio station targeting immi-
grants started service on Aug. 15. Korea is home to
over 1 million immigrants as of 2007.
“Multicultural Radio” currently offers programs in four
languages — Chinese, Vietnamese, Tagalog and Thai — to
accommodate the immigrant groups. The shows are aired
via the local satellite TV operator Sky Life and C&M Cable
TV 24 hours a day.
Next year, the service will be available in eight lan- This bottle from the Goryeo
guages, including Russian, Arabic, Mongolian and Dynasty (918 - 1392) is well
Japanese. balanced with a voluptuous
Woongjin Foundation, the sponsor of the radio station, body and a long neck.
hired native speakers of the respective countries as the The bottle’s mouth is shaped
show hosts. They are themselves immigrants. like a flower, and the body,
“Native speakers host the programs, most of which will separated into eight parts with
be presented in their language with short Korean transla- bold lines, is inlaid with peony
tions at the end of each program. It will help foreign audi- and chrysanthemum patterns.
ences learn Korean, and it will also help Korean listeners The bottom is decorated with a
learn other languages,” said Park Byung-bai, the founda- lotus flower pattern.
tion’s secretary general. This type of bottle originates
The shows include traditional and modern music of from the Tang Dynasty, but it
adopted the features of Korean
each country. There are also educational and cultural pro-
celadon during the Goryeo
grams, which give information on medicine, legal counsel-
period. This bottle, in particular,
ing and jobs. The shows introduce Korean culture and cus-
exudes balance and warmth
toms, the foundation said.
with its rounded lines.
Getting information in a foreign country would be eas-
It is on display at Seoul’s
ier if it was provided in their mother tongue, the foundation National Museum of Korea.
said of the endeavor. National Treasure No. 94 is
“Our program aims to help immigrants maintain their similar to this bottle, but it has
cultural individuality while becoming part of our society,” no decorations.
said Park. (Photo courtesy of the National
Radio stations in China, Vietnam, the Philippines and Museum of Korea)
Thailand have signed memoranda of understanding to pro-
vide long-term support for the programs. Authorities at
DJs with the Multicultural Radio: (From top) Laddawan Sattathamkul
from Thailand, Peng Li Ying from China, Maria Regina Panol Arquiza
embassies and culture ministries are also working together
from the Philippines, and Hoang Minh Ngoc from Vietnam to provide useful content for the programs. ■
Korean Athletes
Shine
at 2008
Paralympics
BY JEONG HYEON-JI
STAFF WRITER
A
ugust and September were points. Lee, who lost use of her legs in
months to cheer in Korea as a car accident in 1996, began shooting
athletes provided outstanding just two years ago with the help of her
performances at both the 2008 Beijing fiancée, a career soldier and sniper.
Olympics and the Paralympics. She finished second in a world compe-
Korean athletes in the Paralympics, tition in Germany last year.
held Sept. 6-17 in Beijing, garnered a Lee Ji-seok also won gold in the
total of 31 medals, including 10 gold men’s mixed R5 10-meter air rifle
medals. But what was more significant competition on the same day.
than the number of medals was their Park Keon-woo, 18, won gold in
courageous performances and true the mixed individual BC3 boccia class.
sportsmanship during the 12-day Boccia, similar to curling, is played by
event. They all overcame their physi- athletes with cerebral palsy and other
cal and psychological obstacles. locomotive disabilities. Park, the
Korea dispatched a team of 131 youngest athlete on the national team,
members, including 77 athletes for 13 has the most serious case of cerebral
Korean national team enters
events in this year’s Paralympics. palsy among participants. He con-
the main stadium of the 2008
Beijing Paralympics Some 4,300 athletes from 148 coun- tributed to his team in garnering gold
tries and regions participated in the in the group event, defeating Spain 8-1.
Beijing Paralympics, the largest num- Park attributed his victory to his
ber of participating nations in history. current high school teacher, who sup-
Korea gained four gold medals in ported his sporting career with finan-
shooting, and two golds in archery cial aid.
and boccia each. Table tennis and “I would’ve never made it this far
track events also each brought one without the support of my school
gold medal. teacher who, despite his low salary,
Korea’s medal rally started on supported me immensely,” Park said
Sept. 9, as female shooter Lee Yun-ri in an interview.
won the women’s 50-meter sport rifle In the wheelchair racing event, Hong
competition, bringing Korea its first Suk-man won gold in the men’s 400-
gold medal. meter T53 with 47.63 seconds to set a
Lee, 34, shot a world record total new world record on Sept. 11. He also
Lee Hwa-sook, of 676.9 points, edging out her com- brought home a bronze in the men’s
Park Keon-woo, a gold medalist in boccia Culture Minister Yoo In-chon (center) a gold medalist in female archery
patriot rival, Kim Im-yeon, by 5.9 200-meter T53 category on Sept. 15.
H
angeul, or the Korean language, on their shirts and pants?” it is important to share Korean with the
is one of the most distinguished
features of Koreans and their Hangeul Transcends Local media in France referred to
his white gowns adorned with black
rest of the world and provide more
places to learn the language,” he said.
culture. As the Korean Wave, or hal- calligraphy of Korean language during He also urged the need to preserve
lyu, took over many Asian countries,
the popularity of the Korean language
Modern Designs the 2007 Paris Pret-a-Porte as the
“representation of oriental yet modern
and protect the language amid an era
of globalization and multiculturalism.
also saw a huge boost. BY JEONG HYEON-JI aesthetics,” and “balance between “It’s a pity that there are few pub-
Hangeul was promulgated in 1443 STAFF WRITER fashion and geometric beauty.” lications dedicated to the Korean lan-
by King Sejong the Great in a bid to Hangeul gained the world’s spotlight guage. Korean is changing with the
increase literacy among Koreans who through his design and put Korea on growing multicultural society, and the
could not read nor write Chinese char- the fashion world map. nature of the language and vocabu-
acters, the medium of writing in those “I wonder how many nations have lary are going through transitions as
days. It is so important that Oct. 9 is their own writing system and lan- well. Collecting data and establishing
designated as a day wholly dedicated guage. I think sometimes Koreans for- a solid database are some of the urgent
to the language. get how precious and beautiful their tasks we face,” Lee said.
Korean is now the world’s 13th language is because they take it for Meantime, a series of events and
most-spoken language. It is spoken by granted. I wanted to let all the people celebrations are scheduled in central
over 77 million people around the in the world know its beauty through Seoul on Oct. 9 to celebrate the birth
world, including South and North my design,” Lie said. of hangeul. More information can be
Korea, North and South America and His attempt took off commercially found on the Ministry of Public
various Asian regions, according to as well. Variations of hangeul designs Administration and Security’s web-
Korea Educational Development are now found everywhere — on lavish site at www.mopas.go.kr and the
Institute data. mobile phones, diaries, kitchenware, Hangeul Organization’s website at
The number of Korean speakers building exteriors, wrapping paper and www.hangeul.or.kr. ■
has also grown among non-ethnic street signs. This popularity gave birth
Koreans. Applicants for the Test of to the online shopping mall Tiummall, American actress Lindsay Lohan in designer
Proficiency in Korean (TOPIK) grew to which specializes in products and sou- Lie Sang-bong’s T-shirt featuring hangeul
some 150,000 people in 2008, up over venirs inspired by hangeul.
100 percent from 72,300 a year earlier. Seok Geum-ho, CEO of Sandol
The test, which started in 1997, is con- Communications Inc., a company that
ducted twice a year in 31 countries, in- “Power of Youth,” by Korean artist Kang Ik-joong, is on display at Paris-based UNESCO building specializes in corporate contents de-
cluding Turkey, Laos and Indonesia. velopment and typography, said the
These days, Korean is not only a potential of hangeul-inspired design
means of communication but also an lies in its cursive lines.
inspiration for artists and manufac- “The lines found in Korean lan-
turers. And wearing a T-shirt or a guage are very different from those of
dress with Korean on it is now consid- Japanese or Chinese. They are subtle
ered cool among many hipsters. and elegant. And these are great advan-
Lie Sang-bong, a renowned fash- tages when developing a typography
Lie Sang-bong
ion designer based in Seoul and Paris, and other product designs,” he said.
features hangeul in his design. He said Lee Sang-gyu, director-general at
hangeul is not only a language but al- Hangeul-inspired designs and products the National Institute of Korean
T
o many foreign eyes, Korea is an porary Architecture in Korea” exhibi-
iconic country of rapid econom- tion, held in Frankfurt in 2007 and
ic growth and the home of af- Berlin earlier this year, showcased the
fordable household electronics and nation’s 16 leading architects and
high-tech gadgets. their most significant projects through
The country’s artistic and aesthetic the lens of renowned photographer An
sides, however, have long been under- Se-kweon.
appreciated, partly due to lack of ex- Ursula Kleefisch-Jobst, a German
posure. Recent exhibitions in architectural historian and critic,
Germany, however, have brought called Seoul a city dominated by
Korea’s modern architecture into the breathtaking diversity.
spotlight. “The buildings in Seoul are needles
The “Megacity Network, Contem- in a haystack in search of their own “Boutique Monaco” (right) in southern Seoul
Gahoeheon, a modern take on hanok by Hwang Doo-jin identity and a balance between the
past and present, men and nature,
Korean with a critical attitude. But
Korea’s charm really is found in those
Korean Architects Aim to Set
public and private and also Eastern
and Western architectural language,”
specifically ‘Korean’ things. The mas-
sive expansion of the city, the com-
New Global Trend
she said. plexity and dynamic nature found in BY JEONG HYEON-JI
STAFF WRITER
In fact, Seoul has become one of Korean architecture has a potential
the most populated cities in the world. that can’t be found in other places in
The city is home to some 10 million the world,” he said.
The Beauty
of Korean Tradition
Hanbok
S
ince ancient times, Koreans have been ty were influenced by China from the of marriageable age, the wedding costumes
wearing the traditional dress known Unified Silla to Joseon times and the every- known as wonsam for the bride and gwan-
as hanbok. This generally consists of day dress of jacket and pants for men or bok for the groom, and the red skirt and
Hwarot, ceremonial pants or a skirt with a jacket and robe, a tri- jacket and skirt for women remain largely green jacket worn by a newlywed woman.
dress of a princess of partite arrangement that has remained un- unchanged. There are many varieties of hanbok, all of
the Joseon Dynasty changed since ancient times. Another dis- This basic dress was worn by everyone which are full of dignity and elegance. ■
tinctive point is the importance attached to from royalty to peasants, but distinctions of (Source: Korea Tourism Organzization)
the hat, known as gwanmo. Koreans have status were marked by official clothes, sac-
worn different clothing according to their rificial robes, and ceremonial dress. The ba-
social status, making dress an important sic costume also varied with the seasons,
(Photos courtesy of Lee Young Hee Hanbok)
mark of rank. The ruling class, including lined clothes being worn in spring and au-
royalty, wore impressive costumes with em- tumn, unlined clothes in summer, and cot-
broidered insignia on the front and back and ton-wadded or quilted clothes or furs in
adorned themselves with necklaces, winter. The common people made their
bracelets, rings, and other jewelry. clothes out of undyed material, which is
As seen in a mural of the Goguryeo why Koreans are often called the “white-
Tomb of the Dancers in Manchuria, men clad folk.”
and women wore jackets that came down to Hanbok can be classified according to
their hips with pants or a skirt underneath. function: everyday dress, ceremonial
Over this they wore a robe with the collar, clothes worn on formal occasions such as a
hem, and cuffs trimmed in a different color. child’s first birthday, weddings and funer-
From then until Goryeo times, the king and als. Costumes were made for special pur-
officials wore colorful clothing while com- poses, such as those worn by the officiants
moners were restricted to an undyed plain at Jongmyo Shrine, shamans, or performers
jacket and pants. This simple costume of the of traditional dances. Popular forms of han-
common people was maintained through- bok included the striped costume worn by
out the Joseon period. The official and cer- children on their first birthday, the red skirt
emonial dress of the ruling class and royal- and yellow jacket sported by young women
plauded the quality and deep histories like relations between young and old public. Local media did not reflect its changes, the development of the
shown in Korean films. generations, or the difficulties of a sin- presence here, and an opportunity was Korean Wave is a real challenge.
But, still, the impact of the Wave gle or divorced mother in contemporary missed to open our eyes and minds to The improvement of communica-
was not strong, and nowadays it seems societies, as was the case in “Jibeuro.” other expressions. tion systems all over the world facili-
like it is losing momentum. After the In some cases, the public is also at- May I suggest the utilization of tates the actions taken within this con-
first Wave, there were no more. tracted to films that shed light on an more innovative methods, among text. Even though there are limitations
The peak of Hallyu was when the unknown topic. One such case here which I would include the promotion in personal human exchanges, the use
films “Jibeuro” and “Spring, Summer, was “Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter ... of Korean cartoons. Cartoons appeal to of the latest technologies — if correctly
Fall, Winter — and Spring” were pre- and Spring,” which contains a strong the eyes and imaginations of younger managed — can lead to a deeper knowl-
sented in Argentina and stayed on the and compelling visual story with generations. This should be the target edge between two distant peoples.
screens for many weeks. Buddhist influences, not so common of Korean producers if they want to Universities are doing their part.
The question we have to address is in Argentina. create long term interest. Exposing We created the Argentina Association
why Hallyu did not take root here, like Two years ago, while in Seoul, I kids to Korean cartoons will create fu- for Korean Studies, joining the efforts
it did in other places. Also, why was it had the extraordinary opportunity to ture consumers of Korean films, music of ten Centers for Korean Studies ac-
only limited to cinema productions? participate in one of the most interest- and other artistic expressions. Those of tive in the country. The AAKS has or-
Let’s try to find the answers. ing and peculiar expressions of Korean us born in the sixties spent our child- ganized its annual Congress since
First of all, we should say that geo- Art: “Nanta Cookin.” This show is in- hood watching Disney’s productions — 2005 with unexpected success. More
The popular Korean show, “Nanta Cookin”
graphical distance is the key factor to novative and presents a perfect oppor- the only exception was Astroboy — than sixty researchers are studying
understanding the cultural distance be- tunity to export the image of Korea to while our kids, born in the nineties, different aspects of Korea, including
T
he world is still surprised by the heart of the Earth, after crossing it, tween the two countries. This physical the world — music, acting and cook- watch Digimon, Pokemon, Dragon Hallyu. This is an asset that we offer to
popularity of Korean films, pop you will find yourself drinking our limitation is there and nobody can ing, all together. It is a great formula Ball Z and other Japanese anime. In this shared construction.
music and TV dramas. A country traditional beverage “mate” in change it. A flight from Seoul to to get the attention of the public. At both cases, they influenced the forma- In sum, there is a lot to do in order
with a small territory is showing its Argentina’s Pampas. Nevertheless, Buenos Aires takes at least 30-35 hours, that time I dreamt about having them tion of our minds and spirits. Why to increase the presence of Korean cul-
huge dimension in cultural terms. Argentina has also felt the influence of including waiting times at airports. As in Argentina. don’t we envision a future with more ture and art in Argentina. Our country is
After leading one of the most impres- Hallyu, or the Korean Wave. a result, both peoples do not have a Fortunately, it turned into reality Korean influence thanks to the promo- considered one of the leaders in the field
sive processes of economic develop- It is also true that as distance deep understanding of each other. very fast: In 2007, the Korean Cultural tion of Korean cartoons? of art, education and culture in Latin
ment in world history, Korea is now grows, the strength of the Wave fades. The themes also play an important Center, located in Buenos Aires, cele- In the end, the future expansion of America, and the public is open to new
consolidating its power in the field of Within the three most visible expres- factor in whether or not pop culture in brated its first anniversary with a rich Korean culture in this part of the world expressions of these. Moreover, our tra-
arts and culture. sions of this trend, pop music, TV dra- one part of the world could ever catch agenda of activities. One of the events will be conditioned by the possibility dition is open to the world’s influence;
Argentina is not excluded from mas and cinema, it was the last one on in another. Sometimes, themes or was the performance of “Nanta of increasing bilateral personal ex- we do not have a strongly nationalistic
that influence. Being a most distant that has been most successful. certain storylines are not understood by Cookin.” changes. Acknowledging the immense attitude towards culture. The environ-
country from Korea — the tale says Special screenings in the biggest people with a different cultural back- Argentineans were amazed when distance between Korea and ment here is, therefore, fertile to in-
that if you are drinking ginseng tea, in cities of Argentina attracted the atten- ground. This is one of the reasons why they saw the performance, but besides Argentina, even in terms of cultural crease the presence of Korean culture. ■
Insa-dong, downtown Seoul, and you tion of the public, avid to receive new the most popular films were those with those who attended the session, there affinity, historical experiences, politi- (Photos courtesy of
decide to dig a hole straight to the expressions of world art. Critics ap- themes common all over the world — was no other impact on the general cal relationships or economic ex- Korean Cultural Center in Buenos Aires)
BY LEE JI-YOON
STAFF WRITER
A
Daecheongbong Peak round this time every year, mountains
and roadside trees in Korea turn brilliant
red and yellow showing off the beauty of
autumn colors. Among them, it is widely known
that autumn is best appreciated at Seoraksan in
Gangwon-do, eastern Korea.
As the highest mountain located in the
Taebaeksan mountain range, sometimes called
“the backbone of the Korean Peninsula,”
Seoraksan is the third highest mountain in Korea
after Hallasan on the southern resort island of
The Korea Herald
B
orn in Seoul in 1937, virtuoso sic of renowned musicians such as
Korean pianist Paik Kun-woo Rachmaninov, Mendelssohn and Liszt
gave his first concert at the age by performing all their piano pieces. In
of 10 with the Korean National December last year, he performed all
Orchestra (now the Seoul Philharmonic 32 of Beethoven’s piano sonatas at the
Orchestra). Later he studied at the Seoul Arts Center Concert Hall — for
Julliard School in New York, and in two hours a day over seven consecu-
London and Italy with Rosina tive days.
Lhevinne, Ivona Kabos, Guido Agosti Paik is also the first Korean pianist
and Willhelm Kempff. to perform in China in 2000. His pop-
Following wins at both the ularity in the country has been grow-
Naumburg and the Busoni ing since he performed with the KBS
Competitions he went on to give sig- Symphony Orchestra in Beijing back
His repertoire is nificant debuts at the Lincoln Center in 2002. Last year he staged a highly
extensive and and Carnegie Hall to launch his inter- successful concert with the
national career. Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra in
incorporates a His repertoire is extensive and in- Guangzhou with the more than 1,400
wide range of corporates a wide range of styles and
genres. An artist with a quiet intellect,
tickets being sold out long before the
concert.
styles and straddling the cultures of East and Now living in Paris, he is the artistic
West, Paik often successfully com- director of the Emerald Coast Music
genres. An artist bines a conventional repertoire with Festival in Dinard (France) and was
with a quiet the more unusual. made “Chevalier de I’ordre des arts et
He is also well-known for pursuing des letters (Order of Arts and Literature)”
intellect, the entire music pieces of one compos- by the French government in 2000. His
straddling the er. Starting with the pieces of Ravel at
the age of 26, he has explored the mu-
wife Yoon Jung-hee is a famous silver
screen star in the 1960s. ■
cultures of East
‘A Poet and West, Paik
often
Credia
48 KOREA OCTOBER 2008 OCTOBER 2008 KOREA 49
PEOPLE
Chinese actress Li Bingbing (left) and Culture Minister Yu In-chon at the minister’s office in Seoul on Aug. 20
Castro Praises
Korea’s Olympic
Baseball Team
BY LEE JI-YOON
STAFF WRITER
F
idel Castro, Cuba’s revolutionary patriarch, praised the
Korean baseball team for its stunning victory over Cuba The website of Granma
in the Beijing Olympics.
In his recent column titled “A gold medal for honor,” the
former Cuban leader, who is a well-known baseball fan, the article, he also commended Cuban players’ achieve-
said, “The final match against South Korea was dubbed the ments during the Olympics, especially the amateur baseball
tensest and most extraordinary that the Olympics had ever team which, he said, is trained to serve the country, not for
known.” profit.
“The adversary’s professional baseball players were like Fidel Castro, 81, stepped down as president in February
batting machines. They had a left-handed pitcher (Ryu this year, ending his long tenure as head of the communist
Hyun-jin) who threw varied speed balls with surgical preci- state. Castro writes regularly for the paper’s “Reflections of
sion,” he said. Fidel” section.
Starter Ryu Hyun-jin had pitched brilliantly despite giv- The Korean baseball team came into the Olympics tour-
ing up two solo homeruns. He limited the powerful Cuban nament hoping for a bronze medal, and that seemed to be
batters to 5 hits over 8 1/3 innings. an uphill task, as Japan, Cuba and the United States were
Yonhap
The column was published on the website of the the three teams generally considered favorites. But a combi-
Granma, the official publication of the Cuban Communist nation of strong pitching and timely hitting allowed the
Party, on Aug. 24, the day after the gold medal match. In Korean team to pull off upsets against all three teams. ■
C
hinese actress Li Bingbing re- pointing out Kwon Sang-woo’s “Stair-
Chinese cently accepted a new role — ways to Heaven” as her favorite
The dolphin at right is dying and is being raised for air by other dolphins on Five dolphins team up in groups of two and three to bring the dying dolphin The dying dolphin stops moving as its companions keep lifting it up above The rest of the dolphins swim for another hour around the area where the
Korea’s east coast on June 27 to the surface the water dead one disappeared
Dolphin Funeral A
dolphin funeral was recently documented by a na- it showed no signs of injuries.
tional research team on Korea’s eastern coast, provid- The Cetacean Research Institute, which is under the
ing valuable information to cetacean studies. NFRDI, said dolphins’ altruistic behavior is common.
On June 27, while on a routine whale watch, the “Dolphins tend to establish strong bonds with each oth-
National Fisheries Research and Development Institute er. This behavior of bringing a dying individual to the sur-
(NFRDI) found a school of five common dolphins, 18 kilo- face to help it breathe is similar to a human funeral proces-
in Korea
meters off Jeongja Port in Ulsan, Gyeongsangnam-do. sion,” said Kim Jang-geun, the director at the institute.
The marine mammals were helping a dolphin breathe by “Such altruistic behavior had only been observed in
bringing it to the surface. The researchers took photos and man-made fish tanks. The video footage and photos provide
video footage of this behavior. precious data to reaffirm the unique social behavior of dol-
Researchers said this behavior continued for over an phins,” he added.
BY JEONG HYEON-JI
STAFF WRITER hour — until the dolphin finally died. The dolphin, some 2 More information can be found at NFRDI’s website at
meters long, is believed to have died of natural causes since www.nfrdi.re.kr. ■
World’s Top
National
Theaters
Perform in
Korea
BY HAN ARAN
KOREA.NET STAFF WRITER
The Korean traditional performer An Suk-son in a Russia’s State Academic Maly Theatre’s “Three Sisters”
scene from “Cheong” by the National Changgeuk
Company of Korea
T
he National Theater of Korea, the of Korea holds the 2nd annual mance at the Peer Gynt Festival of
first of its kind in Asia when it International Festival of National Norway for 20 years, and has tradi-
was established in 1950, has Theater from Sept. 5 to Oct. 30. tionally been performed on open
been staging a wide variety of afford- The festival features 18 prestigious stages but this time has been modified Orchestra of Korea.
able performing arts pieces to the pub- theatrical performances from eight for indoors. These Korean performances have
lic for over half a century. countries — Korea, Germany, Russia, “Raise the Red Lantern” by the made inroads overseas as well.
Last year, it tried something Thailand, France, Moldova, Norway National Ballet of China will close the For one, “Four Rivers Flowing to
broader. and China. festival. The Sea” is a combination of four or-
It hosted the world’s one and only Russia’s State Academic Maly It is a ballet production based on chestral musical pieces representing
festival dedicated to stepping up cul- Theatre presented “Three Sisters,” the award-winning 1991 Chinese- the different spiritual worlds of Korea
tural exchanges between the national written by 19th century Russian play- Taiwanese film directed by Zhang — Christianity, Buddhism, Taoism and
theaters of different countries to pro- wright Anton Chekhov from Sept. 25 Yimou. shamanism — and has been invited to
vide the audience with opportunities to 27. The National Theater of Korea also a Korean festival to be held in Brussels
to experience the unique cultures and The play, which deals with the fall takes part in the festival, with a reper- in November.
trends in the international arts scene of the Russian aristocracy and finding toire staged by its four resident com- Furthermore, “Cheong” by the
by inviting representative performers the meaning of life in the modern panies: “Terrorist Hamlet” by the National Changgeuk Company of
from several national organizations. world, was directed by Russia’s fa- National Drama Company of Korea, Korea will be staged in Norway and
At the same time, it promoted mous actor and director Yuri Solomin. “Cheong” by the National Changgeuk the United States next year.
prominent Korean performing arts It presented the life and dreams of (a unique style of Korean traditional For more information, visit the
troupes to the world’s top theaters. a family of three sisters and a brother. opera) Company of Korea, “The Scent festival’s official website at
“The Scent of Spring”
Offering a wide selection of per- Another performance that is gar- of Spring” by the National Dance www.kfnt.kr. ■
by the National Dance forming arts — theatrical drama, dance nering great interest is “Peer Gynt,” Company of Korea and “Four Rivers (Photos courtesy of “Raise the Red Lantern” by the
Company of Korea and folk music — the National Theater which is regularly performed during Flowing to The Sea” by the National the National Theater of Korea) National Ballet of China
Korean
Yonhap
Traditional
Performing
Artists
Encounter India
A
group of Korean artists will vis-
it India to stage traditional per-
formances Oct. 1-8, aimed at
increasing cultural exchanges be-
tween the two countries.
Chongdong Theater, the organizer People visit the Bongpyeong buckwheat field in Bongpyeong, Gangwon-do
of this tour, has gathered the nation’s
top traditional performers and up-
A
graded the “Miso (smile in Korean)” round this time every year, Now in its 10th year, the Hyoseok narrow path through the seemingly
program, which was shown in India Bongpyeong in Gangwon-do is Culture Festival, which is unique in endless buckwheat fields, especially
2006, receiving a positive response dotted with buckwheat gardens combining literature with tourism, the one near the house of Lee’s birth.
from locals. where the white flowers are in full was held from Sept. 6 to 15 with the In addition, performances were put
Themed around a love story, the bloom, looking just like sprinkled salt blossoming of the white buckwheat on to entertain you and there will also
show will present traditional music or snowflakes. flowers. be traditional folk programs — includ-
and dance performances for about 70 Every September, Bongpyeong The festival offered excursions to ing making meals with buckwheat,
minutes both in India’s Mumbai and hosts the Hyoseok Culture Festival to places mentioned in the story as well farming, and riding on horse or ox-
New Delhi. commemorate the late writer Lee Hyo- as experiences of the rural lifestyle, drawn carts.
The joint performance of classical seok (1907-1942), who was born in food-sampling and other literature- Other programs include tasting
orchestral music and traditional per- nearby Pyeongchang, and who has based events and performances. meals made of buckwheat, cockfights,
cussion quartet, called “samulnori,” been praised for his unique realism- In the marketplace, you can savor and dyeing fingernails with garden
will open the show. Various programs based aestheticism. various kinds of dishes such as acorn balsams.
and dynamic performances are pre- The flowers of Bongpyeong were jelly, Korean-style pancakes, bibim- The Bongpyeong buckwheat field,
pared for Indian audience. made famous in his short story “When bap and noodles, all made of buck- measuring about 500,000 square me-
Scenes from For more information, visit the Buckwheat Flowers Bloom,” a master- wheat. ters, is also magnificent when seen in
the Korean
theater’s official website at piece of the Korean literary canon, set Even if you don’t know anything the moonlight.
traditional
performance www.chongdong.com. ■ in Bongpyeong and published in about the writer or his works, you can For more information, visit
“Miso” (Photos courtesy of Chongdong Theater) 1936. enjoy yourself just strolling along a www.hyoseok.com. ■
Yonhap
A scene from the opening film, “The Gift to Stalin”
Chungmuro Film Festival Links
Past and Present
BY HAN ARAN
KOREA.NET STAFF WRITER
O
rganizers of the 13th Pusan Central and Southeast Asia, in addi- ties and movie studios have moved out pand its coverage and attract more for-
International Film Festival tion to inviting more selections from to other areas as well as multiplexes eign movies for local moviegoers.
have taken some major steps to non-Asian countries. mushrooming in Seoul, it is now more American filmmaker Michael
address past criticisms and ensure Previous editions of the PIFF were picked to open the festival, which will remembered as a historic or symbolic Cimino led the jury for the interna-
maximum convenience for guests and mainly for East Asian films, with se- run Oct. 2-10. During that time, 315 center of Korean cinema. tional competition section, along with
participants this year. lections outside of the region premier- films from 60 countries will be Efforts have been underway to four other jurors.
“The means of purchasing tickets ing out of any competition. screened. counter the phenomenon and an inter- Among the 11 finalists including
have been updated. One example is “We noticed that other major film “We felt that this film deserved as national film festival was launched Johnnie To’s “Mad Detective,”
the ability to buy tickets by using festivals around the globe were ne- much exposure as it can possibly get last year to restore the fame of Antonello Grimaldi’s “Quiet Chaos,”
your cell phone,” said Hur Nam-sik, glecting the Central and Southeast because it moved us to the core. What Chungmuro as the center of Korean film- and Amos Kollek’s “Restless,” and
the festival director, at a press con- Asian regions,” said Jay Jeon, the better way for it to get that exposure makers. This is the annual Chungmuro “The Mermaid” by Anna Melikyan,
ference on Sept. 9. deputy director of the festival. than for it to be the opening film?” International Film Festival. the $30,000 grand prize went to The poster for “The Trap,” the grand prize winner
“We’ve also done our very best to “The quality of the films that were said Kim Ji-seok, who is the executive This year’s festival featured 170 Serbian killer thriller “The Trap,”
ensure that commuting to and fro submitted from Southeast Asia con- programmer of the festival. films from 40 countries at the Daehan which was also shown at the closing
around the festival venues and vari- vinced us that it’s a region which has Yoon Jong-chan’s “I Am Happy,” Cinema, ChungAng Cinema and ceremony of the festival. “From Here to Eternity” and Martin
ous sites hosting special events will been unjustly neglected, so we decided starring Hyun Bin and Lee Bo-yeong, Myeongbo Theater in Seoul. Besides Higuchi’s remake and the Scorsese’s “Raging Bull,” to more con-
be as hassle-free and convenient as to reach out. It is also a way for us to has been chosen to close the festival. The festival opened with Higuchi International Competition winner, temporary titles such as Kim Hyun-
possible.” truly distinguish ourselves from the For more information, go to Shinji’s “Hidden Forest: The Last other movies were screened for public seok’s “Scout” and Yoon Seong-ho’s
In terms of the national origin of rest of the festival organizations.” www.piff.org. ■ Princess.” The film is a remake of Akira viewing of course. “Milky Way Liberation Front.”
the films, organizers of this year’s A Kazakh film, “The Gift to Stalin,” (Photos courtesy of Kurosawa’s 1958 film, “The Hidden The movies ranged from interna- For more information, visit http://of-
competition have gravitated towards directed by Rustem Abdrashev, was the Pusan International Film Festival) Fortress,” which is widely known to tional classics such as Fred Zinnemann’s fice.chiffs.kr/eng/. ■
Yonhap
O
The opening ceremony of the Gwangju
ne of the nation’s biggest fine
Binennale on Sept. 5 arts events, the Gwangju
Biennale, kicked off on Sept. 5
and runs through Nov. 3 at the five
venues in the southwestern city of
Gwangju. The venues are Biennale
Hall, the Gwangju Museum of Art, the
Uijae Museum of Korean Art, the
Daein Traditional Market and the
Cinema Gwangju.
Titled “Annual Report,” artistic di-
rector Okwui Enwezor’s congregation
of exhibitions challenges viewers’ per-
ceptions of fine art.
“Bokdukbang Project” by Park Sung-hyen Visitors check out the Biennale Hall
The biennale’s “Bokdukbang
Project,” in particular, blurs the line
between art and spectacle.
Enwezor lauded it for being “con-
ceptually interesting but significant,” by melting into decay or by being nib- much art. run around forming the Japanese
saying, “Bokdukbang Project has tak- bled to death. At times stunning and at times less words: solid rock, coal mine and
en on the logic of the city of Gwangju,” American artist Bruce Conner’s than lackluster, the uneven body of greenless island.
at a press conference in Gwangju. collaged photographs of bands from work reverberates with themes of eth- But the tour de force of this bien-
Located inside the putrid and grit- the 1970s are distinctly less delectable. nicity, immigration and displacement. nale is Isaac Julien’s five-screen video
ty Daein Traditional Market, Park Tinged in silver and frayed by the pas- Enwezor himself noted that, “By keep- installation “WESTERN UNION: Small
Sung-hyen’s exhibition hides within a sage of time, a powerful scent of stale ing our minds open, a cluster of Boats.” In a bold and beautiful stroke
winding series of stalls selling every- memories pervades his works. themes emerged.” of cinematic artistry, he melds luscious
thing from pigs’ heads — snout and Praneet Soi, an Indian artist current- Though the artistic director re- scenes of the Sicilian seaside village of
ears intact — to skatefish. Even the ly living in Amsterdam, depicts the hor- frained from cluing the press in on Agrigento with opulent shots of the
market vendors find themselves fasci- rors of the abuse of prisoners at Abu what those themes were, one cannot Palazzo Gangi — the location for
nated by the works of art, masquerad- Ghraib by U.S. military personnel escape the overall sense of an underly- Visconti’s 1963 masterpiece “The
ing as stalls, lined up next to their through his pristine miniature paintings. ing fascination with this trio of topics. Leopard” — and fuses them with his
own fleshy wares. The sight of distorted, hooded fig- It is evident from the moment you tragic plot.
This exhibition is not for the faint of ures is nothing less than disturbing. set foot inside Gallery 1. There, in a Referencing the thousands of
heart. The combination of the scent of In a nod to the great master of tra- profuse range of sculptural glory, Africans and Asians who escape terrible
raw pork, chicken and fish mingles with ditional Korean painting to whom this stands Kerry James Marshall’s recre- economic and human rights conditions
the fragrance of ginseng and herbs to museum is dedicated, Enwezor and his ation of the environment of a black by traveling from North Africa to the
create a malodorous combination. team saw fit to leave several of the neighborhood. southern coast of Sicily, he recreates the
Within the Uijae Museum of painter’s works on display. Right behind Marshall’s works, a horrific journey, painting a tale in
Korean Art, there is a definitive note Uijae Huh Baek-ryun’s paintings series of photographs of Asian- which refugees are transferred to small,
of pensive gravitas, save for exude a vigorous energy that evokes American male models posing in full overcrowded fishing boats and left to
Venezuelan artist Mariana Bunimov’s the verdant beauty of the surrounding Civil War regalia captivates. The odd drift on their own until they are rescued
T
he Seoul Drum Festival will be variety of percussion performances
held from Oct. 3 to Oct. 5 in will be put on stage by Korean and in-
Ttukseom, eastern Seoul, attract- ternational drum musicians. Other The Cultural Heritage Administration, a state-run
ing drummers and percussion artists programs such as the Percussion Art organization which is dedicated to the preservation
both in and out of the country. Market will offer a good opportunity and introduction of Korea’s cultural properties, has
This year marks the festival’s tenth for participants to share information released its quarterly magazine’s autumn issue.
anniversary since the city of Seoul and communicate through music. Containing writings by experts and colorful
photos, this book will be helpful for overseas
started the event to celebrate the new Ordinary visitors can learn playing
readers to better understand Korea’s precious
millennium in 1999. The annual event percussion instruments from around
cultural heritage.
has been an exciting opener for im- the world and join surprise perfor-
In an article on the Sungnaemun, which was
portant events such as the Asia- mances at the festival venue.
destroyed by an arson attack in February, the au-
Europe Meeting in 2000 and the 2002 For more information, visit the
thor explains the history and restoration process
Korea-Japan Soccer World Cup. festival’s official website at
of the No. 1 landmark of Seoul, popularly known
During the three-day festival, a www.drumfestival.org. ■
as the Namdaemun.
The Photo Gallery section features the royal
graveyards of the Joseon Dynasty. Located in
Seoul and its environs, the royal tombs are har-
monized with modern buildings. And one can find
Korean ancestors’ sense of humor in their draw-
ings of animals, a unique art genre called “min-
wha,” or Korean folk paintings.
The on-line version of the magazine is also
available on http://english.cha.go.kr. ■
A royal tomb in Seoul
(Photos courtesy of Cultural Heritage Administration)
Kim Su-yeong, the managing chief edi- The Korea Herald The National Folk Museum of Korea has launched a set of DVDs containing over
tor of Moonji Publishing and head of the has published “A 40,000 photographs of Korean folkways and a guidebook.
quarterly’s editorial committee, said the New National The photographs were captured by the museum’s employees during their field trips
magazine covers mostly notable books Strategy for Korea,” across the nation in preparation for the publication of the Korean folkway dictionary,
published in the past year, but also in- a book designed to which was released early this year.
cludes steady sellers. help the nation As valuable folkways records, this collection will be useful for teachers to educate
“Striking a balance in terms of genre, chart a course to a young students about old customs seen in every part of the country, and for ordinary
publication date and publishers was one of more secure and users it can be an interesting material to trace the forgotten tradition.
the key issues,” Kim said. prosperous future. This collection is not for sale and will be distributed to public organizations including
The content of the quarterly will be re- The book offers 36 essays focusing on the national universities and libraries. The online version is also available on the museum’s
views by leading Korean critics, and top- key elements of Korea’s new strategy to website at www.nfm.go.kr. ■
notch English and Chinese translators. safeguard national security, promote
The quarterly’s editor-in-chief, Kim Hae- democracy and spur economic growth.
seung, said the publication team took great Written by prominent Korean and foreign
care to ensure a high level of translation, scholars, the articles were all published in
targeting foreign publication experts and The Korea Herald between February and
critics. April of 2008.
“Although it was a very complicated The authors analyze the challenges facing
The state-run Korea Literature Translation process, we have checked all the names the Lee Myung-bak Government and suggest
Institute introduced “List_Books from and spelling by talking to authors and pub- ways to address them. Collectively, they de-
Korea,” a quarterly magazine focusing on lishers,” Kim said. lineate an overarching strategy that can en-
Korean books and authors, in a project The quarterly’s attempt to ensure accu- sure Korea’s security and prosperity.
aimed at offering foreign readers wider ac- racy comes as a welcome move. There are The scholars seek to formulate a new na-
cess to Korean literature. many different ways to spell an author’s tional strategy which takes into account the
“The first-ever quarterly about Korean name, creating confusion among foreign changes that have occurred domestically and
books comes in English and Chinese, and readers and critics. internationally since 1987, the year Korea
this project is part of the Government’s ef- The KLTI is currently working on a new embarked on a path toward democracy.
forts to promote the export of Korean intel- database that offers standard spellings of The approach they suggest differs not only
lectual property,” said Yoon Ji-kwan, pres- Korean authors and their titles. from the developmental-state model followed
ident of the KLTI, at a press conference in Some 3,000 copies of the English ver- by President Park Chung-hee in the 1960s
August. sion will be sent to major publishers around and 1970s, but also from its variants pursued
Featuring some 100 titles, the quarterly the world, and 1,500 copies of the Chinese by the succeeding governments.
provides special feature stories about lead- version will be mailed to publishers in “A New National Strategy for Korea” is the
ing authors and publishers, while offering China and other Asian nations. fourth book in the “Insight into Korea” series
brief book reviews so that foreign publish- The 84-page quarterly features an inter- published by The Korea Herald. Launched in
ers and agents can know about the latest view with leading novelist Hwang Sok- June 2007, the series is designed to produce
literary trends in Korea. yong and top comics artist Huh Young- English-language books that can help read-
The quarterly’s Chinese version has al- man, as well as introductory articles about ers better understand the transformations in
The photo collection of the
ready been released, and an English ver- 14 up-and-coming Korean writers such as Korean society since 1987. The three previ-
National Folk Museum of Korea
sion will come in early September, Yoon Kim Ae-ran, Lee Ki-ho, and Park Min-kyu. ous books were “Insight into Korea,” “Social contains over 40,000
said, adding that an electronic version in For further information about the quar- Change in Korea” and “Political Change in photographs of Korean folkways
PDF form will be available soon. terly, visit www.klti.or.kr. ■ Korea.” ■ taken across the country