korea magazine [august 2010 vol. 6 no. 8]
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August 2010 www.korea.net
People & CultureAUGUST
2010
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PRELUDE
The Beauty of KoreaLocated on the countryssoutheast coast, the area containing remnants dating from
the Cretaceous period of the Mesozoic era, includingfossilized eggs and dinosaur footprints, is the largest in the
world. The relics are situated in beautiful natural surround-
ings, with petrified wood, numerous geographical layers and
peculiar river drifts. Pictured on this page, the fossil site in
Goseong, in particular, is famous for the quantity and
variety of its fossils, with more than 4,000 dinosaur foot-
prints and 420 walking trails. Along with Haenam, Boseong,
Yeosu, and Hwasun, Goseong was included on UNESCOsTentative List of World Heritage sites in January 2002.
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CONTENTSAUGUST 2010 VOL. 6 NO. 8
PUBLISHERSeo Kang-soo,Korean Culture and Information Service
EDITING HEM KOREA Co., Ltd
E-MAIL [email protected]
PRINTING Samsung Moonwha Printing Co.
Allrightsreserved.No partofthispublicationmaybereproducedinany formwithoutpermissionfromKOREAandtheKoreanCultureand InformationService.
Thearticles publishedin KOREAdonot necessarilyrepresenttheviewsofthe publisher.The publisherisnotliableforerrorsoromissions.
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Ifyou wanttoreceiveafreecopy ofKOREAorwishto cancela subscription,pleasee-mail us.AdownloadablePDFfileofKOREAandamapandglossarywithcommonKoreanwordsappearinginourtextareavailablebyclickingonthethumbnailofKOREAonthe homepageof www.korea.net.
: 11-1110073-000016-06
COVER STORY 04
They make the phones and TVs you can
see, and the parts and DRAM chips you
cant. Find out how Koreas high-tech
giants are towering over global electronics.
TRAVEL 26
It has fabulous food, scenic landscapes
and intriguing museums. Is it any wonder
that Gangneung is one of the most popu-
lar holiday spots in Korea?
MY KOREA 32
When you think of all the things you like to
imbibe in summer, burning hot soup proba-
bly comes near the bottom of the list. But in
Korea, its a hallowed tradition and one
American expat is hooked.
SUMMIT DIPLOMACY 36
Ahead of Seouls G-20 Summit, President
Lee Myung-bak visited Canada, Panama
and Mexico, where meetings with regional
leaders yielded important agreements.
GLOBAL KOREA 40
Having swept the world with their goods,
Korean companies are now exporting phi-
lanthropy and compassion. Come and see
how Koreas conglomerates are doing
good in the farthest reaches of the world.
NOW IN KOREA 44
Ever since the countrys medical laws
were revised last year, Korea has wit-
nessed a boom in medical tourism. And
the industry is only going to get bigger.
PEN & BRUSH 16
He may be a bestselling novelist, but thats
not what keeps Park Beom-sin writing. More
than fame, writing for Park is as vital to his
health as eating or breathing.
PEOPLE 20
Having made names for themselves
playing in Europe, four Korean footballers
were at the heart of the national teams
World Cup run. These are their stories.
www.korea.net
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COVER STORY
TopicPhoto
RONIC DREAMSKOREAS ELECT
These are heady days for Korean electronics. Everywhere youlook, there are electronics gadgets that bear the Made in Koreastamp, whether they are cell phones and TVs or components inother firms products. Korea is now also a world leader in broad-band connection but the journeys only just begun. by Song Yeong-rok
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Andrea Bocelli, the world famous Italian tenor, is a big fan of
Korea. Unlike most Koreaphiles, however, Bocellis affection is
not a result of food or traditional culture, but of a braille com-
puter created by local firm HIMS Korea. Having been blind
since the age of 12, Bocellis life was improved immensely by
the device, which enables him to write music, send e-mails and
documents, and doubles as a braille score for when hes per-
forming operas. Korean IT, Bocelli said, changed his life.
World-renowned physicist Stephen Hawking is also a benefi-
ciary of Koreas IT industry. Though only able to move two fin-
gers due to the degenerative effects of Lou Gehrigs disease,
Hawking can communicate through a Korean-made speech syn-
thesizer. Produced by a firm called Voicewear, the device turns
computerized text into a human-sounding voice. Hawking
picked it, he said, because it was the best available anywhere.
With high-profile successes like this, Korean technology is
making a name for itself around the world. And having heard
these stories, visitors are coming from far and wide to learn
the countrys electronic secrets.
IT LESSONS Ask a Korean what the top must-see tourist
attractions in his capital are, and hell no doubt say the all-night
market at Dongdaemun or perhaps the traditional stores along
Insa-dong. However, rising quickly in the r anks of that list is
Samsung Dlight, an exhibition hall at Samsung Electronics SamsungElectronics(top,
left);HIMSCo.,
Ltd.
(leftabove)
SKTelecom(
top);Samsun
gElectronics(right)
Samsung Electronics new smartphone, Galaxy S is seen (top).
HIMS Koreas portable braille computer, Hansone, was developed
for the blind (above). Samsung Dlight is an exhibition hall for the
companys latest electronic products (below).
A spectator tests out an IT product, a body scanner, at SK
Telecoms ICT interactive hall, T.um (above). Visitors react to see-
ing their pictures on the screen of a wide monitor at Samsung
Dlight (below).
headquarters in Seocho-dong, southern Seoul. In just 18
months, this showcase of high-tech gadgetry has attracted more
than 800,000 visitors, or roughly 3,000 people every day.
Samsung Dlight has built its reputation as an interactive
digital space, managing to attract hordes of visitors from
overseas. Listed as a recommended stop in a Japanese travel
guide, the exhibition draws student field trips from Japan and
China, as well as delegations from Harvard Business School
and other top colleges in the United States.
Lately, weve had corporate visitors from the US and
developed European countries, and also from rising countries
like Vietnam, China and India, says Bong Ju-hwi, a manager
at Samsung Dlight.
Samsung Dlight is also famous for unveiling the companys
latest electronics products. The 9000 series of 3D TVs; the
NX10, a high-end digital camera; the N310, a mini notebook;
and the Omnia 2 and Galaxy S smartphones were all unveiled
for the first time in the exhibition hall.
T.um, SK Telecoms ICT (information and communications
technology) interactive hall, serves as another venue for visi-
tors to experience Koreas latest information technology first-
hand. Since opening in October 2008, the hall has hosted gov-
ernment officials, business figures and academics from 19
OECD members. Visitors include the US, Britain and France;
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SamsungElectronics(opp
osite);LG
Electronics(top);SK
Telecom(
middle);MinistryofPublicAdministrationandS
ecurity(bottom)
major trading partners including China, Thailand and Vietnam;
and from more unlikely locales like Mali and Tajikistan. In
February last year, Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet, Frances
Minister of State, paid a visit and saw Samsungs DMB and
IPTV, two kinds of mobile TV services, in action.
In March, T.um replaced its Ultra Mobile Personal Computer
corner with smartphones and, after some more renovations
that included the installation of a system that tracks visitors in
real-time, the hall was reborn as T.um 2.0. Every exhibit is
smartphone-interactive: With the body scanner, patrons can
create an avatar of themselves and try on virtual costumes,
while pressing certain keys on their smartphones will open the
door of a sports car they can take for a spin.
T.um 2.0 also includes the Play Dream hall, where you can
experience the ICT services of the future, and the Play Real
hall, which showcases SK Telecoms current technology and
services. The Play Dream hall lets visitors sample home
networking services using motion-detection technology,
futuristic games, real-time conversion of 2D into 3D, and
shopping services using image recognition. The Play Real hall,
meanwhile, has an array of core technologies currently under
development at SK Telecom, plus mobile network management
systems and high-tech services that are being provided or are
in development today.
Samsung Electronics held an consumer event, Super Smart Day, to
introduce the Galaxy Ss functions and applications on July 17 in
Seoul (above). Samsung recently unveiled its latest 3D TV series,
the Samsung PAVV hybrid 3D PDP TV, in two models (below).
ELECTRONIC POLITICS Koreas government is also playing a
central role in transforming the country into an IT powerhouse.
Demonstrating the nations pioneering role in the move toward
e-Government, Ministery of Public Administration and Security
of Koreas Minister Maeng Hyung-kyu and UN Under-Secretary-
General Sha Zukang last June agreed to jointly develop the
UN Public Administration Knowledge System, a project under
the auspices of the UN department of economic and social
affairs in Barcelona, Spain. The system will collect information
related to e-Government policies, infrastructure and evaluation
among the 192 UN member states, with a view to creating a
UN-centered global e-government in the future.
On behalf of Korea, Maeng also received the top prize at the
2010 UN Global E-Government Survey Special Award, a recog-
nition of Koreas leading position in the field. Looking to learn
from Koreas success, officials from 11 developing countries
visited in March, taking classes in Koreas e-Government poli-
cies and information technology. The tour included visits to
agencies that have already embraced the new e-Governmentsystem, such as the National Computing and Information
Agency and the Korean Intellectual Property Office. According
to the National Information Society Agency, over 3,000 public
servants from about 100 nations have taken part in special-
ized IT training programs in Korea since 1998.
Participants of the World IT Show 2010, an IT exhibition held in
Seoul from May 26 to 28, watch LGs 72-inch LED 3D TV (top).
People play a videogame at SK Telecoms T.um (above). The Korean
government hosts a civil affairs website, G4C ( below).
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LEADING THE WORLD Nowadays, no matter where you are in
the world, youre never far from a Korean mobile phone, TV,
washing machine or air conditioner. Koreas SamsungElectronics and LG Electronics are ranked second and third in
the world mobile phone market, and occupy the top two spots
in the global TV market. Nor are Korean firms focused only on
finished products. If youre using a Nokia or an Apple handset,
the chances are that some parts were made in Korea. Check
your HP or Dell computer, and the DRAM memory chips will
almost certainly be from Samsung or Hynix.
In the 3D industry, a booming field since the release of
James Camerons epicAvatar, Korea is also playing a pivotal
role. I think Korea will firmly establish itself as the world
leader in the new industry of 3D TV, Cameron said on a visit
to Korea in May. Korean consumers tend to be early adopters,
adjusting to new technologies quickly. And that will help com-
panies like Samsung and LG supply 3D TV sets, starting with
Korean households and then the rest of the world.
During his time in Korea, Cameron announced a deal withSamsung in which hisAvatar production crew would shoot
music videos for Korean pop stars including BoA and TVXQ
to be displayed in Samsung 3D TV retail outlets worldwide.
Korean firms, as major players in the mobile phone market,
are also working to increase their presence through smart-
phones. Samsungs flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S, will be
offered through more than 100 mobile service providers as the
company seeks to sell 10 million units.In the global semiconductor industry, Koreas strength is
even more pronounced. According to a recent poll by the mar-
ket research firm iSuppli, Samsung and Hynix respectively
accounted for 32.6 percent and 21.7 percent of the global
semiconductor market in the first quarter of this year. While
competitors have been holding back, Samsung and Hynix have
continued to make bold investments, ensuring their domi-
nance. Samsung recently announced a 9 trillion won (US$7.5
billion) investment in its semiconductor sector, while Hynix
plans to pour in 3.5 trillion won.
In terms of sales, Samsung is ranked first with 26.5 percent
and LG Display second with 23.7 percent. In February, both
firms surpassed an accumulated production of 500 million
large LCD units enough to cover 10,000 soccer fields
since beginning their operations in 1995.
For all their success, there still remains a feeling thatKoreas electronics industry still has the potential to grow.
Soon 3D TVs will come without glasses, chips will be smaller
yet even more powerful, and smartphones will do things wed
never imagined. And when they do, you can be sure that
Koreas electronics giants will be a part of them.LG
Electronics(top,
left)
NationalInformationSocietyAgency(top);SamsungElectronics(middle);HynixSemiconductorInc.
(bottom)
Fans watch the American NCAA mens final game in April on the LG
Electronics 3D TV at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, US (top).
LG Electronics launched a new 3D computer package, which pro-
vides 3D-effects for 2D images (above).
A Bhutanese IT official tests out the U-City Environment program,
supported by the Korean government, at Digital Media City in Seoul
(top). James Cameron, director of the famed 3D movie Avatar, visit-
ed the Samsung Digital City in Suwon on May 13 (above). Hynixs
semiconductor chip, 44nm 2Gb LPDDR2, is seen (below).
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Korea, The Age of the Apps has truly arrived.
Compared to just three months ago, the demand for
new apps has tripled, says Yang Soo-yeol, research chief
at Inpion Consulting, a web services company. To meet
this demand, we see more and more app developing com-
panies and individuals appearing almost every day.
As wildly successful as its been, Kims Chinese app is
just one of a flurry of hits designed by and for Koreans.Seoul Bus, designed by second-year high school student
Yoo Joo-wan, became a smash hit by telling Seoulites
exactly how long theyd have to wait for their bus, whichever
stop they were at. Since its release last December, Seoul
Bus has been downloaded 560,000 times.
Seoul Bus also served another, hugely important role:
teaching civil servants the value of openness. When the
app was first released, the governments of Seoul and
Gyeonggi-do Province on whose data Seoul Bus relied to
work tried to have it banned, saying that Yoo required
their express permission to use the information about the
buses. The public made their objections known, arguing
that the information in fact belonged to them. The govern-
ments soon relented, and an app sensation was born.
For many Koreans, it was inspiring to see a student
preparing for Koreas notoriously tough university entrance
exams find the time to create an app. The moral seemed to
be that whoever you were, and whatever your background,
you could develop and make money from these programs.
Another app thats been clocking up big sales is Facial
Recognition Physiognomy. Tapping into the old belief in
assessing peoples character through their faces, this app
lets users access facial shots saved in their photo album
then breaks them down into five areas. From this, it divines
insights into what the future holds for him or her. In a coun-
try where fortune telling remains a popular pastime, the
physiognomy app has been a big hit.
As anyone whos spent time in Korea will tell you, deliv-
ered food is a staple of the local diet. Little surprise, then,
that apps have appeared to cater to this demand, too.
Apps like Delivery Box and People of Delivery provide
locations and phone numbers for chicken places, pizzerias,
and a host of other take-out eateries. The apps offer
access to menus and coupons that are only available
through online orders, and even keep tabs on how long its
been since the order was placed. More than 30,000 estab-
lishments across the country have signed up with these
delivery apps, and more are doing so every day.
While catering to specific local needs, apps such as
Delivery Box are also creating brand new experiences and
new business opportunities. This, in turn, is creating a self-
perpetuating cycle of profit: As more innovative apps
appear, more people want to buy iPhones.
Within just two months of iPhones and apps going on
sale in Korea, the amount of online data used by Koreans
more than doubled. Today, Koreas iPhone users log an
average of 442 MB per month, 44 times higher than regular
cell phone holders. This exponential growth has had a posi-
tive knock-on effect to the economy. In the first quarter of
this year, there were 6,689 job notices in the mobile com-
munication and software sectors, up 51 percent from the
same period a year ago. Between December 2009 and
February 2010, there were also 1,325 companies newly
registered in the publication, video, broadcasting and
optional service provision sectors, an increase of 39 per-
cent year-on-year. This vast increase, of course, coincided
with the introduction of iPhone and the App Store in Korea.
According to KT, the Korean telecommunication company
that brought the iPhone to Korea, the mobile data market
could jump by 4.5 trillion won (US$3.8 billion) over the next
three years. The paid contents market could rise by 1.9 tril-
lion won over the same period, KT estimated.
From a country that held out against the iPhone longer
than most, its arrival has been nothing short of revolution-
ary. Korea may not have been an early adopter of apps, but
its a major player now.
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COVER STORY
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TopicPhoto
As the smartphonegains in popularity
in Korea, several
applications have
become hits. People
of Delivery, Kims
Chinese, Seoul Bus
and Facial
Recognition
Physiognomy apps
are seen (from top
left).
Though somewhat late to arrive tothe party,iPhones have taken off inKorea with a vengeance. And as theiconic smartphone has seen its salessoar,it s applications, or apps, havebecome a local phenomenon too.Just as amateur app designers havereflected local needs and tastesaround the world, Koreans arecoming up with their own games
and solutions with intriguing,lucrative, results.by Son Jae-kwon
Kim Si-hyun, head of the Chinese Character Education
Research Institute, is one of the most famous lecturers of
Chinese in Korea. Every semester his lectures at Hankuk
University of Foreign Studies, Dongguk University and
Sookmyung Womens University draw more than a thousand
students. Despite his common touch, however, Kim long
shunned the digital lifestyle. Social media or mobile phones,
he felt, only served to undermine human-to-human contact.
But this lifelong Luddite recently transposed his convention-
al popularity into a more high-tech form, with the hugely
successful Kim Si-hyuns Chinese Dictionary for Everyday
Living, which shot to No 3 in the Korean store for applica-
tions for Apples iPhone. So why the big change?
The story began in February of this year when Kim, who
didnt even own a mobile phone, was asked by his students
to develop an app for their iPhones that would help with
their studies. Kim gave it some thought, consulted with
business partners and, overcoming his technophobia,
decided to give it a go. Besides a Chinese dictionary con-
taining 2,300 key characters, Kim built several other apps
that offered help in studying for Chinese tests, then
watched as his creations became an overnight success.
Apples iPhone arrived in Korea on November 28, 2009.
In the nine months since then, the handsets and apps have
become a phenomenon. After joining the revolution late,
Koreas App Store now offers some 6,500 apps (there are
around 134,000 available in total).
In Korea, app development is no longer the exclusive
domain of techies. From corporations and public agencies
to teachers and restaurateurs, app makers are popping up
in all walks of life. As for apps themselves, their influence
is being felt in economics, industry, politics and culture. For
KOREA SETS
SAIL ON A SEAOF APPS
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COVER STORY
You may have never heard of them,but Koreas power bloggers areaffecting the goods you buy.By mak-ing their online voices heard in oneof the worlds most wired countries,bloggers and power usershavechanged the way electronics compa-nies do business to the benefit ofconsumers everywhere. by Son Jae-kwon
Earlier this year, as it prepared a conference to unveil the
worlds first LED TV, Samsung Electronics called in the bed-
room scribes. Inviting regular reporters and journalists for a
morning session, the company held a second event in the
afternoon, which was attended entirely by bloggers. Around
the same time, NHN, which operates Koreas top portal
site, Naver, did the same thing, holding a conference for
bloggers as it announced changes to its homepage.
In fact, more and more Korean tech and IT companies are
realizing the value of blogger opinion. Whether its launches
of TVs, smartphones or digital cameras, bloggers can
increasingly expect to be invited along to the party. In a few
cases, the boundaries between bloggers and old-school
media have disappeared altogether. At recent product
launches, LG Uplus (formerly LG Telecom) and Taiwans
smartphone company HTC invited bloggers and journalists
along to the same event though the reporters less than
ecstatic response suggests that not all of them are quite
ready for that level of intimacy yet.
Perhaps more than in most countries, Korean bloggers
have enjoyed a stellar rise in importance and status. In a
nation with one of the highest rates of broadband penetra-
tion in the world, and where upwards of 25 percent of the
population, according to surveys, consider themselves
early adopters of new technology, Koreas bloggers have
risen from minority tastes to wielding real influence on what
consumers decide to buy.
And Korean tastes matter to more than just domestic
companies. With Korea increasingly known worldwide for its
demand for the very latest technology, the San Francisco
Chronicle recently ran a feature story detailing how several
Silicon Valley companies try out their latest products there
as a barometer of how theyll work worldwide. Of course,
Korean firms have been doing this for a long time. In releas-
ing their products in Korea six to eight months earlier than
anywhere else, Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics
look to find out what early adopters think of their goods and
iron out any problems through consumer feedback.
Canon, the worlds top digital camera maker, once
altered its production process for its DSLR cameras follow-
ing suggestions from a Korean power user, as Koreas
influential early adopters are known. Having bought a DSLR
camera from the company, the user wrote that photographs
he took with it had some ring-shaped distortion. He com-
plained to Canons Korean branch, who forwarded the cam-
era to the companys Japanese headquarters, where techni-
cians discovered problems in the production process. As a
result, Canon issued an apology on its global websites and
offered a free clean up of the cameras mirror box for users
whod experienced the same problem.
Cowon, a Korean manufacturer of MP3 players, had a
similar experience. Having received a complaint that a
16GB player had taken three hours to fill with music files,
rather than the expected 20 minutes, the firm responded by
saying that their own tests showed no such problem with
the product. The disgruntled owner then fixed the problem
himself and posted his solution, along with a strongly word-
ed complaint, on the companys homepage. Cowon subse-
quently admitted that after further tests, certain models
were slower than advertised. Its online apology included a
reprint of the solution suggested by the irate power user.
These influential voices are an increasingly important
component of Koreas high-tech industries. For about three
years, Samsung and LG, among others, have been manag-
ing prosumer groups of 20 to 50 people. They are sent
on overseas inspections and their creative ideas and exact-
ing standards are frequently reflected in the companies
services or new products. And while an average of one out
of 25 products reportedly made it past the focus groups
last year, this year, that number fell to just one in 40.
Some groups made proposals that were so radical, they got
engineers thinking in entirely new ways.
Power users are also making their presence felt in the
electronic map sector. M&Soft, a Korean electronic map
maker, update its maps six times a year thanks to power
users. Consumers who have used the companys GPS navi-
gation systems find discrepancies between real maps and
the companys electronic versions, and then post their com-
plaints online. The company said there are about 150 com-
ments a day and more than 3,000 per year, with the num-
bers increasing by more than 20 percent each year.
In Korea, early adopters are a very distinct breed from
opinion leaders, the trendy, often high-profile folk who
both pursue and shape whats cool. Early adopters here
are real consumers, as eager to find high quality as the
very newest in electronics goods, and determined that their
opinions will be heard. Though you may not know their
names, they are a powerful force, whose voices increasingly
influence not just electronics in Korea, but in products inter-
nationally as well.
SamsungElectronics(opposite);LG
Electronics(top);Thinkware(above)
KOREAS EARLYADOPTERS SETTHE TONE FORELECTRONICSGIANTS
Samsung hosted
an event for
smartphone users
on May 14 in
Seoul (opposite).Power bloggers
discuss LG cell
phones at a meet-
ing hosted by the
company (above).
Korean Navigation
company
Thinkwares navi-
gation (left).
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Park Beom-sin
The young author. This is what people call Park Beom-sin.
With a literary career that began way back in 1973 when,
as a genuinely young man of 27, he won a major literaryaward from theJoongAng Ilbo newspaper Parks nickname
continues to sit well with the novelist who retained his origi-
nal sensitivity and passion 37 years later.However, for Park,
not growing out of that young man he was is less a blessing
than a curse. Although he has grown and transformed over
the years, his inner torment remains an inescapable burden.
Becoming a popular writer only a few years of his debut,
Park spent much of his 30s and 40s producing nearly 40 nov-
els that collectively sold millions ofcopies. His work captivat-
ed readers with its florid writing style and solid narratives
that focused on the problems underlying Korean society,con-
fronting social mores and class conflict.Reminiscing about
these years,Park says,with more than a hint of bitterness,I
lived half my life as a workaholic.
NOT READY TO DIE But just as he was at the height of hissuccess, as serializations of his work were drawing a huge fol-
lowing in daily newspapers,Park went silent. Literary circles
rang with speculation and his legions of avid readers began to
call it the end ofhis writing career.Why did one of Koreas
PEN & BRUSH
LONGING
FOR THEUNATTAINABLEWhen asked What defines theKorean novel? dont search for along-winded definition. All oneneeds to say is the name ParkBeom-sin. An author now synony-mous with the word novel, inKorea, Park draws readers right intohis prose with searing depictions ofpersonal pain and desire.Yet, asunflinching as his work can be,
underneath the layers it also showsa deep love for the world.by Lee Se-mi | photographs by Kim Nam-heon
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most successful novelists,at the peak of his popularity,just
give it all up?
A severe self-denial ofliterature. An ontological anxiety
and fear.And, an incongruity with the Peoples Literature
that came with the so-called democratization of Korean liter-
ature in the 1980s, Park says.If I had not been born in this
land, would I have undergone the process of ending my own
writing career.
The division of Korea for halfa century is a unique fate
that lives with all writers that call this country home, includ-
ing myself.The agony that writers faced under the militarydictatorships of the 1970s and 80s was also great.I felt that
writing a best-seller during the periods of military dictator-
ship was a disgrace. So I gave up all the privilege and prestige
Id attained from my literary accomplishments and returned
to a state of nothing-ness. I turned my back on my family and
retired to a remote cabin for three years, not writing a single
word. But during that period,I found myself to be more alive
and gained a unique freedom.
Eventually deciding to come out of retirement, Park
returned with the self-confessional Wagon Drawn by White
Cow. Unlike his previous novels,th is work focused on
essences beyond phenomena and the reality ofthe soul,
subjects that became increasingly real to him as he began
what would be 15 expeditions climbing the Himalayas.In
several works dealing specifically with his travels an essay
on meditation, Road to Kailas, a travel log about theHimalayas, Fragrance After Emptying, and the novelsCholatse
andNamaste Park began proselytizing his belief that pil-
grimage is an essence ofhuman nature.
For an author that says my dream is to become a pilgrim,
the icecap-topped Himalaya Mountains became like an altar
and a transcendental world but also a source of impene-
trable fantasy.In his many writings on the Himalayas,one
finds an unrelenting search for that essence, and the deeper
truth it always promises,but never yields.
The novel Eungyo, published last April,uses a love story
to unravel inner desires and the existence of transcendental
values. This ever-growing emptiness, the yearning for some-
thing that cannot be attained, Park calls simply longing.
The deepened longing felt through the fear ofexistence, Park
refers to as love.
Finished in just 45 days, Eungyo was published simultane-ously in paperback and in e-book form. Park says that his
desire to create this particular novel was so great, he could
have died happy while writing it.This passion, touched on in
many of his essays,is something that keeps the now not-so-
young writer so absorbed in what he does.
There lives a beast in my chest that never grows old,he
says.I call the beast nakji (small octopus) because it is
mysterious,reckless and provocative. Whenever I stop
writing, nakji tears open my sides during the night to come
out... I keep writing novels so that I will not die from my flesh
being torn by nakji,who is my literar y ego with many legs,
who never grows old and never dies.I write because I want to
live,t his world should be vivid,and most of all I still have a
lot of love within me.
LOVE AS A LITERARY LIFE As a teenager growing up in a
troubled home,Park would lose himself in books.After
graduating from college,he was appointed a teacher at a
school in a remote area, where he used to run 32 kilometers
twice a week to try and escape his loneliness. He only noticed
his literary gift when a friend read a piece he wrote to express
his emotions, and declared them to be a novel.Over 30
years on and a lifetime in literature later,Parks passion for
the written form remains undiminished.
His passion is also evident in his embrace of entirely new
outlets for his work.In 2009, Park became the first Korean
writer to publish a novel, Cholatse , on an Internet website
read by more than a million people. Despite the challenges,
Park did this with lofty notions of creating a better climate
for literature on the internet, and subsequently received
favorable comments from young readers.One newspapersaid of the incident:Park Beom-sin served a formal Korean
dinner on the Internet which is filled with fast-food.
Park compares publishing online to the appeal of live
concerts, saying that while writers should never compromise
the content ofthe ir work,they should be flexible about how
it gets to readers.Many of Parks own works have been turned
into dramas,modern dance and movies.Showing his
approval for these adaptations, Park turned his novel Cholatse
into a play last year,enlisting his son to direct it. He took
another of his novels,Namaste, to the stage last July. The
story focuses on a love between a Nepalese immigrant worker
and a returned Korean emigrant from the United States who
suffered terrible physical abuse.
When asked, Park says he wouldnt choose to be a writer
again if reborn in a next life so it is just as well his readers
arent willing to let him go.How must I write for my sentences to seep into my read-
ers like smoke, like the wind,like water, he once said.His
passion,j ust like those piercing eyes,retains all the depths
they ever did.
OUR FUNERAL> Language Turkish
This short novel Park Beom-sin wrote in 1976 tells
the tale of Bongchoo, who soothes the futility of
his life with glasses of rice wine and his wife. An
expression of the authors anger against the
severe poverty and inequality of 1970s Korea, the
story depicts the impoverished couples attempts
to bury Bongchoos dead mother in the middle of a
poor hillside village.
THE TRAP> Language Japanese
This tale appeared in Modern Korean Short Stories,
a collection of works by the masters of short story
form in Korea. With an aggressive, rough writing
style, Park Beom-sin depicts the life and social
atmosphere of a neglected class of people during
the 1970s and 80s. With a strange detachment
from the rights and wrongs of actual war and
fighting, the author depicts the greed and money-
lust of a group of neighbors as a form of violence.
Trapped within these confines, Park seems to say,
it is inevitable that the neglected ultimately resort
to physical violence.
MOLD> Language Japanese
This novel was published in 1993 after the end of
the Cold War, and a revised edition was published
in 2009. This novel suggests how the failed rea-
soning behind the traditional domination of Koreasruling class was being repeated during the often
brutal Yusin, or Revitalizing Reforms, of the Park
Chung-hee era.
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FOOTBALL STARSPUT KOREA ON THE MAP
Football is a game of space.Who secures more space andhow fast they secure it deter-mine which team is victorious.Competitiveness in modernfootball requires great move-ment and split-second agility.Just ask the Korean nationalfootball team, whose advance-ment to the second round ofthe 2010 FIFA World Cup inSouth Africa marked the fur-thest the team had progressedin a tournament held outside ofAsia. The teams feat was possi-ble with strong, cohesive team-work, coupled with playersworking to dominate the spacethrough all four corners of thefootball field. by Park Mun-seong
The Korean national football team poses for a photo before
playing against Nigeria at the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
MultibitsImage
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Park Ji-sung cuts through the opponents defense with his dribbling during the Korea
versus Argentina game, at the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
Lee Chung-yong fights a ball with the opponent dur ing the game against Greece.
MultibitsImage
YonhapnewsAgency
The Korean national football team has its own version of the
Fantastic Four: Park Ji-sung, Lee Chung-yong, Park Chu-young
and Ki Sung-yueng. By taking advantage of the field in all four
matches, these players between them had a hand in all of
Koreas six goals at the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
After waltzing through the defense, Park Ji-sung scored a fab-
ulous goal in the opening match against Greece. Park has now
scored in each of the last three FIFA World Cups, netting
against Portugal in 2002 and France in 2006. Lee scored
against Argentina and Uruguay, demonstrating that focus that
has made him a success in the English Premier League.
Against Nigeria, Park Chu-young scored an elegant free kick described as unbelievable by his AS Monaco teammate
and Nigerian footballer Lukman Haruna that was made all
the more stirring for coming in the very next match after Park
had scored an own goal when competing against Argentina.
Bolton Wanderers, Ki Sung-yueng plays for Celtic in Scotland,
and Park Chu-young turns out for AS Monaco in the French
Ligue 1. By honing their skills in some of the fastest, toughest
leagues in the world, the four players have become the
foundation for Korean national teams success, displaying a
confidence and resilience that ensured they would not be
overawed by their opponents.
FROM ASIA TO THE WORLD: PARK JI-SUNG The Korean team
has benefited from what is called the Park Ji-sung Effect.
Though Korea often qualified for previous FIFA World Cups, its
performances ranged from underwhelming to diabolical, largely
because the teams players lacked the experience and confi-
dence that comes with playing in the worlds top leagues.
In recent years, however, this has changed. From an unre-
markable team, Korea has developed into a cohesive unit with
a physical yet skillful style all its own. This has been achieved
largely through the exodus of Korean players overseas follow-
ing the groups run in the quarter finals of the 2002 FIFA World
Cup, co-hosted by Korea and Japan. Of the 23 men in the
2010 FIFA World Cup squad, 10 play or have played overseas
the biggest number in the history of Korean football.
The most important person of these expatriate football stars
is undoubtedly Park Ji-sung. As an important part of one of the
worlds top football sides for the last five years, Park has long
since transcended from being the best player in Korea, to the
finest football player in Asia. Having winners medals in both
the English Premier League and the European Champions
League, Park continues to be a key player for Manchester
United, scoring against top clubs such as Liverpool, Arsenal
and AC Milan last season.
Korean national team players describe the Park Ji-sung
Effect as an overcoming of the fear Korean players traditionally
felt when facing the worlds best. Through 10 years in Japan,
the Netherlands and then England and playing with and
against the likes of Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo and
Didier Drogba Parks success has opened the door for a
host of other Korean footballers. One of the most exciting is
Lee Chung-yong.
FOLLOWING IN HIS FOOTSTEPS: LEE CHUNG-YONG Park and
Lee are in fact markedly similar players. This is no accident:
Lee says that Park is the player he most wants to emulate, not
just in his playing style, but in how he lives his life.Last year, Lee signed with Bolton, a mid-sized city near
Manchester with a rich football tradition. Park, who lives just 20
minutes away, helped Lee settle in. And how he settled in: In a
league whose blistering pace makes it one of the hardest for for-
And finally, Ki Sung-yueng provided vital assists in both the
goals scored by defender Lee Jung-soo, while Lee Chung-
yongs goal against Uruguay saw its origins in a free kick by Ki.
But the importance of the quarter to the Korean team cannot
be measured by goals alone. With Park Chu-young as a striker,
Park Ji-sung and Lee Chung-yong on the left and right wings
and Ki Sung-yueng as a central midfielder, the Fantastic Four
efficiently control the tempo of the attack, unnerving opposing
defenses by running tirelessly and switching, improvising posi-
tions. The four men dont stick to a set pattern, but adapt their
directions according to the opponent. As many of the teams
whove played against them will agree, this constant move-ment makes Korea a very difficult team to defend against.
All four players ply their trade for top European football
clubs. Park Ji-sung and Lee Chung-yong respectively play for
the English professional football clubs Manchester United and
eign players to adapt to, Lee turned in a series of superb
performances that made him a firm favorite with the fans.
In 40 appearances, Lee scored five goals and made eight
assists. In his breakthrough season, Lee established himself
as a regular on the team and set the record for the most offen-
sive points in a season by a Korean football player in the
English Premier League.
Those unfamiliar with Lee were amazed by his adaptibility
and potential, not least his manager Owen Coyle, who placed
enormous faith in the young Korean. Lee capped an extraordi-
nary season by winning the Bolton Player of the Year, Players
Player of the Year and best newcomer awards. With his suc-cess at Bolton and his solid showing at the 2010 FIFA World
Cup, it should come as little surprise that several big clubs are
now said to be watching him closely.
In a world of monster egos, Lee is known for his caution and
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modesty traits he says he picked up from his mentor, Park
Ji-sung. He is grateful for the bigger and better opportunities
that have come his way, but is determined to keep his feet on
the ground.
Although Lee has ambitions and cares deeply about his
future, he says he draws ultimate satisfaction from playing the
game he loves. This devotion is a key reason why people
expect so much of the player. To hear his teammates and fans
tell it, Lees potential is almost limitless.
THE RETURN OF THE STRIKER: PARK CHU-YOUNG If we had
to pick one player who had the most to prove at the 2010 FIFA
World Cup, it would be Park Chu-young. Hailed as one of the
most natural born players of his generation, Park had long
failed to live up to his enormous potential, prompting many to
question whether he ever would.
Yet, after signing for top European side AS Monaco twoyears ago, much was expected of Park again at this years FIFA
World Cup. In the event, it was Parks excellent goal against
Nigeria that propelled Korea into the second round. And if his
free kick in the match against Uruguay hadnt hit the post,
Koreas FIFA World Cup adventure would very probably have
continued into the quarter finals.
Parks form first started to recover following his move to the
French league in 2008. Breaking free from the Korean football
league seemed to lift much of the crushing weight of expecta-
tion on his shoulders, and to visibly motivate him as well. Such
was the pressure he had felt at home, Park had become known
as an introverted, even diffident character. But those that really
know him attest to a talkative, cheerful soul whose attitude
can lift any gloomy locker-room spirit. For his teammates, as
much as for Park, the return of his confidence and good form
has been crucially important.
Realizing that his European adventure offered him the
chance to revitalize his career, Park grabbed the opportunity
with both hands. In his first season with AS Monaco, Park
secured a spot as the starting striker with the team and went
on to become the groups second highest scorer. With Park onthe team, AS Monaco enjoyed its best season in five years and
also reached the final of the French FA Cup.
As it invariably happens, success within his club and now at
the FIFA World Cup has alerted some of Englands top scouts
to this outstanding Korean player. If rumors are to be believed,
Park has already been contacted by Liverpool, Tottenham,
Fulham, Aston Villa and Everton. Although nothing concrete yet
has come of any of this reported interest, one thing is certain:
Parks true worth as a footballer has emerged through the time
he has spent in Europe.
BREAKING THROUGH THE LANGUAGE BARRIER: KI SUNG-
YUENG Ki Sung-yueng is another Korean player to have been
blessed with opportunity. Signing with Celtic, the Glasgow
team that is a traditional powerhouse of the country, Ki
became the first Korean player ever to play in the Scottish
Premier League.
For numerous reasons, Kis Korean fans were desperate to
see the young midfielder succeed. For one, Celtic is one of the
biggest, most storied clubs in Europe. Second, and perhaps
more importantly, Kis new career offered a chance for Korea
to produce its first truly successful midfielder in a foreign
league. Previous interest in Korean players, or attempts by
those who did come to fill the vital role, were often stymied by
the Koreans difficulties in communicating in English. Because
central midfielders play such a pivotal role in regards to the
team as a whole, having to communicate constantly with both
attackers and defenders, the deficiency in English was an
enormous handicap.
Having spent five years in Australia, however, Ki faced no
such difficulties. But his excellent English was only part of the
success story. Under the influence and tutelage of his father,
Ki Young-ok himself a former football player and manager, Ki
has developed perhaps the finest ball control skills of any
player on the Korean team.
Compared with Lee Chung-yong and Park Chu-young, Ki has
had a rather more difficult time adjusting to life in the Scottish
Premier League. Club manager Tony Mowbray, who recruited
Ki, struggled to take charge and was eventually sacked after a
poor run of results.
But having enjoyed a good FIFA World Cup, Ki can look for-
ward to the new season with confidence. And with Celtics
recent sigining of Kis FIFA World Cup teammate Cha Du-ri, who
moved to Scotland after several years playing in Germany, Ki
has another reason to suppose that this season will mark a big
improvement in the fortunes of him and his club.
Park Chu-young gives a thumbs up before shooting a free kick during the Round of
16, Korea versus Uruguay, at the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
Ki Sung-yueng runs for the ball at the game against Uruguay at the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
YonhapnewsAgency
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TRAVEL
Gangneung is one of Koreas most popular getaways. Its cool even during the sweltering sum-mer days, and is illuminated by green pastures and deep blue seas. In Gangneung, natural andartistic beauty come together to create an enchanting effect. by Oh Kyong-yon | photographs by Kim Hong-jin
The unique outdoor space Haslla Art World boasts an extraordinary sea view.
A SUMMER
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The traditional house of Seongyojang carries a 300-year-long history and extr aordi-
nary natural view with pine trees around the building (above).
Chodang Tofu Village is well-known for its traditional and nutritious recipes ( top left).
Unification Parks famous warship is now an exhibition hall (top middle). You can
encounter some distinctive artwork on the road in Haslla Art Museum (top right).
Drive northeast out of Seoul for about three hours and a sign
reading Gangneung City greets the visitor. To the west, the
Taebaek Mountains stretch languidly from the north to south.
The East Sea is sits adjacent to Gangneung in the east. The
city, a haven for nature, glows like a lush emerald in mid-sum-
mer. Cooling rains help balance the temperature when it gets
too hot and, even on the most scorching of days, you can
always find a crisp breeze to help you forget about the sun.
An old Korean proverb says that eating comes first even in
savoring a spectacular view. With this in mind, our first stop in
Gangneung is Chodang Tofu Village, one of Koreas best-
known sources of the food. This high-protein, low-calorie item
is enjoying a wave of global popularity these days, and the soft
tofu at Chodang is as irresistibly silky as it comes.
Chodangs tofu is made according to a 400-year-old recipe,
and uses an ancestral solution to reach its delicious flavor.
You take so much as one step out of the Gangneung
boundaries, and you cant find tofu as good as this, says Ahn
Song-ja, owner of the Donghwa Garden restaurant, who pro-
duces huge amounts of tofu twice a day. Ahn says the perfect
soft tofu of Chodang needs a combination of the following:
Water from the mountains, beans harvested in the region and
bittern extracted from 50 meters underground off the east
coast (Chodang tofu is certainly a local food). Ahn, who has
made tofu every day for the past two decades, has gained
such an expertise in her trade that she is able to eyeball how
much bittern to use according to the days weather.
The production process goes like this: You sieve the simmer-
ing soybean extract through a fine cloth and then pour it back
into the pot. Let it boil and it becomes soy milk. Adding bittern
will create a soft tofu, but those who enjoy the firmer variety
can let it harden by placing it in a netted frame to solidify. As
generous as she is knowledgeable, Ahn plates a dish of fresh,
soft tofu straight from the pot and says simply, Freshly
cooked tofu doesnt need anything else to taste great. After
a few delectable spoonfuls, I can see just what she means.
OF BEAUTY AND HEARTACHE After driving 10 minutes from
the tofu town, you reach Seongyojang, a traditional Joseon-era
house with about 300 years of history and a family whose 10
generations have lived there since it was built. Beautiful and
well preserved, the house has been used in a number of
popular TV dramas and big-screen historical epics.
By far the most prominent structure here is Hwallaejeong,a pavilion that seems to float on a pond. Half of the structure
sits above water, while the lower half is supported by stone
pillars beneath the surface. In August, its a great place to sit
down and drink tea, while reveling in the view of lotuses in full
bloom. Unusual for a pavilion, Hwallaejeong also has ondol, or
under-floor heating system, making it an intriguing mix of tradi-
tional Korean architectural styles.
Yeolhwadang, which served as the residence for the patri-
arch, is another enchanting part of Seongyojangs layout. Built
in 1815 with an entrance layered with copperplate,
Yeolhwadang was a gift from a Russian minister to Korea who
wanted to show his gratitude after staying at Seongyojang. Its
Russian-style balcony serves as a historical testament to
architecture from more than a century ago.
After touring Seongyojang, we drive for another 30 minutes
toward the East Sea before stopping at Unification Park. Built
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HOW TO GET TO GANGNEUNG
> By Car Take the Yeongdong Expressway from Seoul,
passing Yongin, Hobeop JC and Wonju, and exit at
Gangneung JC and Hongje Intersection.
> By Train Take the Gangneung-bound train from
Cheongnyangni Station, Seoul.
Outdoor Gallery Accommodation
Haslla Art World / Haslla Museum Hotel San 33-1,
Jeongdongjin-ri, Gangdong-myeon, Gangneung, Gangwon-
do Province Call +82 (0)33 644 9411 www.haslla.kr
Korean Restaurant
Seoji Chogatteul 259 Nangok-dong, Gangneung
Call +82 (0)33 646 4430
Chodang Tofu Village
Donghwa Garden 309-1 Chodang-dong, Gangneung
Call +82 (0)33 652 9885
Traditional Temple / House
Gangneung Hyanggyo 233 Gyo-dong, Gangneung
Call +82 (0)33 648 3667 (Mornings only)
Seongyojang 431 Unjeong-dong, Gangneung
Call +82 (0)33 646 3270 www.knsgj.net
Pine Field
Heo Gyun & Heo Nanseolheon Memorial Park 474-8
Chodang-dong, Gangneung Call +82 (0)33 640 4798
Museum / Memorial Park
Charmsori Gramophone & Edison Science Museum 36 Jeo-
dong, Gangneung Call +82 (0)33 655 1130
Gangneung Unification Park 3-5 Aninjin-ri, Gangdong-myeon, Gangneung Call +82 (0)33 640 4470
Tourism Department [Gangneung City Hall] 1001
Hongje-dong, Gangneung Call +82 (0)33 640 5420
www.gntour.go.kr
Chodang Pine Fields trail is seen (top). Charmsori Gramophone & Edison Science Museum
has a collection of vintage pieces (above). Haslla Art World runs a museum-cum-hotel, filled
with artistic rooms inside (top right). Traditional dishes from Seoji Chogatteul (above right).
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on an area attacked by a North Korean submarine in 1996,
the park today provides a poignant reminder of the countrys
division. Jeonbukham, a 3,471-ton warship that saw action
during the Korean War, now serves as an exhibition hall. The
captured submarine from 1996 and a wooden boat that North
Koreans used to escape are also on display.
WHERE THE SKY MEETS THE SEA Drive just five minutes
from the park and youll find Haslla Art World, an outdoor art
gallery and museum-cum-hotel. Compared to big cities like
Seoul and Busan, Gangneung is a quiet countryside, so its
quite jarring to see such a modern, creative place here.
Consider, however, that Haslla was built expressly to combine
both art and nature within an open beautiful setting, and the
sprawling, 109,000 square meter site makes much more
sense.
As enticing as the art here is, the natural backdrop makes it
truly extraordinary. The top of the hill near the cliff, with
Deungmyeong Beach serving as the backdrop, is dotted with
clever and witty sculptures. Nor do the artworks here focus
solely on the grandiose or larger than life the pathway itself
is punctuated with small paintings and colored stonework.
Keeping it simple is the best way to do it, says Choi Ok-
yeung, an art professor at Gangneung-Wonju National
University and co-founder of Haslla with his wife, sculptor and
professor Park Shin-jeong. The simple combination of the sea
and the mountain is Haslla Art Worlds biggest charm. Noting
that Haslla Art World is always looking for ways to improve,
Choi says he is working on paving a trail along the ridge of the
outdoor museum.
The museum hotel is also a must-see spot. As it is located
inside the art world complex, you can stroll straight out of your
suite and walk around the art gallery as if it were your own
backyard or garden. The colorful exterior and interior are them-
selves a work of art, their design and detail a testament to the
skills of the two owners, Choi and Park.
AESTHETICS OF PINE To say Gangneung is rich in pine trees
is something of an understatement. In fact, so covered in the
evergreen blanket is the Gangneung area that the fresh scent
is almost inescapable. The pine trees here are often called
Jeoksong, or Red Pine Trees, for the deep crimson of the bark
characterizing their tall, upright forms.
For the best place to see these famous pines, locals recom-mend Chodang Pine Field, located in the memorial park for the
famous scholar Heo Gyun and and his sister, poet Heo
Nanseolheon. Trees there are anywhere between 100- and
300-years-old. A favorite route among residents is to start at
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Gangneung Hyanggyo, the Confucian temple and school, holds a shr ine for the
famous philosopher Confucius, a sight so rar e that many Chinese people will visit.
the memorial park and walk for about 10 minutes among the
towering pines, which will take you to Gyeongpoho Lake.
Near Gyeongpoho Lake, the fascinating Charmsori
Gramophone & Edison Science Museum is home to some
4,000 gramophones and 150,000 records from 17 countries
around the world. Claiming the largest single collection of
Edisons inventions, the museum has the only light bulb stand
Edison ever made as well as the worlds first electric vehicle.
Best of all, if your timing is just right, the staff may crank up a
record on one of the scratchy, charming gramophones.
For the perfect end to your visit, drop by the traditional
restaurant Seoji Chogatteul for a taste of the old Korean coun-
tryside. Sticking faithfully to tried and true recipes, Seoji
Chogatteul uses only the freshest of handpicked ingredients,for an exquisite, culturally-rich Korean meal. Choi Yeong-gan,
the owner of the restaurant, says she is a big believer in tradi-
tion, and embraces the best nature has to offer. What better
place for her restaurant than Gangneung?
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MY KOREA
summer coolness I promised myselfI would try anything at least once, in
hopes of banishing the heat and reaching a new level ofcool.
Summer in Korea is a beautiful thing,save for the hot sun and humidity
which, when left unchecked,can leave anyone lifeless and drained.When
faced with moments like these I have options,three, to be exact: adapt, relo-
cate or die.Despite my healthy love for the dramatic moments of life, death
seems a bit much and,like most people, I hate moving house. I am then,in all
of my sweaty glory, dedicated to adapting. Like any good expat,this is one
more reason to get out there, dig in and go native.
When it comes to Korean people, some of the rumors are true.They love
All of the signs are here;long days,warm air
and humid nights.Summer has, once again,
found the Korean peninsula and as I sweat,
live and struggle to breathe,I am searching
for my own piece of siwonhada to ease the
pains of summer.Siwonhada is a Korean
term bearing similarity to the English expres-
sion cool.That is, in a literal and figurative
sense, as well as an internal feeling of revital-
ization and refreshment. So, on my quest for
active,outdoor sports, they are one of the tallest groups of Asians and they
thoroughly enjoy sweating over boiling hot stone bowls of spicy soup.Now, I
would let the former slide ifit were winter, but in this oppressive summer
heat, I never really understood why an entire group of people would punish
themselves with scalding soup on the hottest day of the year.So, like the curi-
ous foreigner I am,I asked. Lo and behold,I discovered a treasure-trove of
cultural insight.As I listened to my 78-year-old surrogate grandfather,the
pieces of the puzzle began to fall into place.
Grandpa Kim laid it all out for me Koreans fight fire with fire.Initially, I
didnt understand if he was speaking to me about the recent tensions with the
North Korea or something more culturally
subtle. Thank heavens he is a patient man
and had the wherewithal, as well as the
English-language capacity,to verbally flow-
chart it for me. He explained to me that
Korean people have a tradition of seeking hot
and spicy foods to cool them down when the
summer heat arrives.Now, I have heard of
people drinking warm beverages to cool
themselves, like taking in a hot mint tea in
SO
IKEIT OT
Summer has arrived,and with it,thoughts of ice cream, ice-colddrinks and exulting under aspray of cool water. In Korea,however, locals embrace a moreunorthodox approach: Foodthat makes you sweat away thehots. One American expatabandons her misgivings, headsoff to a chicken broth restaurantand fights fire with fire.
M
LE
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nourish depleted yin and yang,
gi and energy meridians. While
there now seemed to be hope for
my tattered gi,and while I was
eager to find my siwonhada, I
didnt want to do it alone.Any
new experience, heavy lifting or
excessive sweating calls for
good friends,and this was no
exception.I called in a lifeline,
phoned my dear friend Danae and
committed to the experience.
After thoroughly researching nearby
restaurants, I decided on one specializing in this revitalizing soup.On arriv-
ing, we were greeted by the owner ofthe establishment who gave us a broad,
curious smile.Then, he handed me a pink Post-it bearing the number 17.Yes,
there was a waiting line.Apparently, iyeolchiyeol is no joke. Danae and I,
along with what seemed like an ever-growing number ofKoreans, were all in
search of summer coolness.By the time 17 was called, another 15 people were
in line behind us.
We were ushered to a table, pre-set with all the necessities: Copious
amounts of spicy kimchi,a dish of locally grown hot Korean green peppers,
cucumber sticks, fiery hot pepper dip and what appeared to be a bone-bucket.
Interestingly enough,we never placed an order. They knew what we had come
for and,within minutes, two bubbling,boiling and steaming earthenware
bowls were placed on our table.With a delight matched only by children on
Christmas morning, I blew on the bowl to part the steam and catch my first
glance of this tasty treat. The feast my eyes beheld was truly awesome.
Samgyetang is a whole,young chicken stuffed with glutinous rice,jujubes,
dates, chestnuts, gingko nuts,garlic and young ginseng roots,served in a clear
broth. It all made sense now.I finally understood this Korean insight.
Grandpa Kims seemingly infallible wisdom had not led me astray. The
restorative properties of all of the foods used in samgyetang had the potential
to zap my muggy summer blues.
I rotated my chicken, investigating it,looking for the most logical place to
begin. Still not knowing,I took to social cues from my fellow diners. The con-
clusion I arrived at was just eat. So I did. I alternated between tender chunks
of chicken,p erfectly prepared rice and savory broth,tipped my bowl and con-
sumed every drop.Danae wasnt far behind me and,between the two of us,
we managed a dish ofkimchi, two peppers each, diced peppery radish,and
the whole lot ofcucumbers. Needless to say, we filled the bone-bucket.
We cleaned each dish on the table and stared at each other in amazement.
There we were,sweating brows and massive smiles, full and happy.Then we
looked around.We were not alone. The whole restaurant was filled with din-
ers, eating and sweating, sweating and eating.Audible murmurs of the word
masisseo (delicious) filled the air,and there wasnt an unhappy face to be seen.
As the line at the restaurant hadnt diminished rather,it had grown consid-
35
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KOREA
AUGUST
2010
PROFILE
Katie Mae Klemsen is anAmerican expat living in
South Korea. She is aprofessor of English
language and literatureat Hanyang University in
Seoul. With a joyful dis-position, she enjoysrunning marathons,
drinking coffee, talkingpolitics and tuning her gi
(vital life force in thebody). When she isnt
getting lost on thebeaches of Asia, she
canbefoundin Bundang,Gyeonggi-do Province.
Lost or found, she canbe reached at Katie.
you must release the heat. Of course, during summer in Korea that is easier
said than done.If I were left to my own devices,I might just lock myself in my
house and blast the air conditioning. But because this is not a practical
option,fighting fire with fire,or iyeolchiyeolin Korean,must be my succor.
Much to my dismay,the real summer heat lies ahead. The three hottest days
in Korea are referred to as chobok,jungbok and malbok, and collectively as
sambok. This year,they fall on July 19, July 29 and August 8. So, with my
newfound cultural insight, I pulled my bootstraps up and hit the scalding
pavement in search of Grandpa Kims cure-all, samgyetang.
Samgyetang is a traditional Korean chicken soup belonging to the group of
foods referred to as boyang foods.These foods are said to replenish and
Morocco.But the idea of seeking to sweat it
out, in an already balmy climate, was a lot
like me: Foreign.
I learned a lot from Grandpa Kim and his
aged-to-perfection wisdom.An ancient belief
in the East dictates that the human body will
only enjoy good health and harmony when
the elements offire, water, earth and metal
are balanced.Apparently, my yin and yang
was out of balance and mygi, or chi, was in
need of a good tune-up.So,h e told me,
erably we made our way to the cash regis-
ter and happily paid for our first iyeolchiyeol
experience.
As we left the protection ofthe covered
awning, I felt a cold drop.S omehow,while
searching for coolness,the humidity broke
and for the first time in a long time, big, cold
drops of rain began to fall. There was a new
skip in my step.Whether it really was the
soup,or some imagined benefits of it,I felt
phenomenal. I couldnt hold back and began
to sing the first song that came to mind: I
Feel Good. Through the corridor,down the
hall and out the door,we sang the whole
song. Im sure,as Koreans walked past us
smiling, they were thinking,must be the
samgyetang.
The rain didnt last,but it cooled the air.
Finally,the Korean summer felt as light and
fresh as I did. Danae and I didnt go home
right away.We loitered a while in the breeze
of a new summer night, laughing and talking.
We gushed about how satisfied and rejuvenat-
ed we felt, and the incredible energy now
running through us.And in a small pause,
between our laughs,I thought I heard a whis-
per.It was my gi. Do you know what it said?
Siwonhada. by Katie Klemsen | illustrations by Jo
Seung-yeon | photograph by Kim Nam-heon
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for Korean companies to take part in
international bidding for public proj-
ects in Mexico. He further pledged to
increase cooperation with Central and
North America.
G-20 SUMMIT IN CANADA: LEADERS
AGREE TO REDUCE DEFICIT The G-20
Summit in Canada ended on June 28
with a joint communiqu from the
members, in which they pledged to
halve their deficits by 2013. They
decided to discuss other pressing
matters, including financial reformand worldwide financial safety nets,
at the Seoul meeting in November.
With this, Koreas role as the host of
the G-20 summit assumed even
greater importance.
37
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2010
PRESIDENT LEE MYUNG-BAK
ATTENDS G-20 SUMMIT, TOURS
PANAMA AND MEXICO
Over eight days from late June to early July,President Lee Myung-bak attended the Group of 20 Summit in Canada before going on toPanama and Mexico to meet the countriesleaders. Ahead of the G-
20 Summit in Seoul this November, the Toronto summit and theaccompanying trips marked an important opportunity to gaugeLees plans and to learn more about his diplomatic policy towardNorth and Central America. by Kwon Kyeong-hui
SUMMIT DIPLOMACY
SeoulEconomyDaily
President Lee Myung-bak recently
undertook a seven-day trip in Canada,
Panama and Mexico. In his first stop,
Toronto, President Lee met with US
President Barack Obama ahead of the
G-20 Summit and agreed to postpone
the transfer of wartime operational
control, while also discussing ratifica-
tion of the Korea-US free trade agree-
ment. In the ensuing G-20 meeting,
Lee used his allotted time to suggestitems for the agenda of the G-20
Seoul Summit. Participating heads of
state said they were looking forward
to the meeting.
President Lee also secured ways
Leaders from G-20 Summit member countries take a
photo at MTTC in Toronto, Canada, on June 26.In their statement, the leaders said
they recognized that there is a range
of policy approaches to determine
responsibility for the financial crisis.
They agreed to let individual nations
adopt the approach that best suited
their needs.
Discussing the forthcoming Seoul
summit, President Lee said he would
do all he can to ensure substantive
talks take place on establishing a sys-
tem of global financial safety nets. In
the process, Lee officially declared
Seoul was ready to serve as the hostof the next G-20 Summit.
The occasion holds great signifi-
cance for Korea in that it marks the
first time an officially developing
nation has hosted such a top-level
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and the evaluation of its implementa-
tion, and the execution of plans for
members toimprovetheir fiscalhealth.
Sakong Il, head of the Presidential
Committee for the G-20 Summit, said,
What I sensed at this meeting was
that everyone wanted to take things to
Seoul. It seemed as though we were
attending a preparatory meeting [for
the Seoul Summit].
PRESIDENT LEES AMERICAN
DIPLOMACYFollowing his stop in
Canada, Lee traveled to Panama on
June 29, where he engaged in so-
called sales diplomacy with Central
American countries including Costa
Rica, El Salvador and Nicaragua.
That day, Lee attended the Korea-
Central American Integration System
(SICA) group summit at the Sheraton
Hotel in Panama City. The delegates
agreed to encourage Korean firms
investments in Central America and
endorsed a 13-point joint statement.
Founded in 1993 to coordinate
democratic integration and regional
economy integration in the region,
SICAs membership includes Panama,
Costa Rica, El Salvador, Nicaragua,
the Dominican Republic, Guatemala,
Honduras and Belize.
President Lee stressed at the
summit that Korean companies can
contribute to the development of
Central America by strengthening and
diversifying their investments in infor-
mation technology, energy, mining and
infrastructure. SICA leaders all recog-
nized the importance of hosting
Korean companies in their countries.
To bolster their ties with Korea,
SICA leaders proposed that Korea join
the Central American Bank for Eco-
nomic Integration (CABEI), a move that
Lee said he would seriously consider.
The Korean president also pleased
the assembled delegates by sayingthat Korea would take part as an
observer in SICAs activities and would
institutionalize its cooperation with the
organization. Currently, Spain,
Germany, Taiwan, Italy and Japan are
economic conference. Lee put on a
strong, confident display at the
Toronto meeting, raising hopes that
Koreas stewardship of the next event
would be a successful one.
President Lee worked hard to set
November as the deadline for the
readjustment of IMF quotas, with
government officials saying he hadalso played a major role in reaching
agreement on efforts to build global
financial safety nets. He proposed a
development agenda, the gradual
abolition of subsidies for fossil fuels SeoulEconomyDaily(left,oppositeabove);Cheongwadae(oppositeright)
President Lee attends the Korea-SICA (Central
American Integration System) Summit meeting and
listens to introductory remarks by President Ricardo
Martinelli of the Republic of Panama, on June 28
(above). President Lee and Mexican President
Felipe Calderon hold a joint press conference just
after the bilateral summit in Mexico on July 1
(opposite below).
non-member observers of SICA.
In order to strengthen security ties,
Lee pledged to have the Korean
National Police Agency run a training
program in maintaining public safety.
Expressing concern about security
problems in the region, SICA leaders
asked Lee for Koreas backing in next
years international conference on
security strategies in Central America.
The Central American leaders also
offered their best wishes for Seouls
successful hosting of the G-20
Summit in November and asked Lee
to help ensure that their positions are
taken into account during the summit.
In Mexico, his last stop, Lee suc-
cessfully reached a deal to allow
Korean firms to take part in bidding
for government projects, a privilege
usually granted only to companies
from nations that have FTAs withMexico. Lee asked his Mexican coun-
terpart Felipe Calderon to consider
allowing Korean financial companies
to enter Mexico, and Calderon reacted
positively to the idea.
Mexico agreed to work with Seoul to
ensure the international community
takes stern measures against North
Korea for its sinking of the Cheonan
navy ship in March. They said they
would also take a positive look at
Koreas bid for UN Security Council
membership from 2013 to 2014.
During this trip, President Lee
reaffirmed friendly ties with the US
through his summit with President
Obama, an official at the Blue House
said. And the president is also con-
sidering signing FTAs with Panama,
Costa Rica and Mexico. His economy-
oriented practical diplomacy, some-
thing hed pursued for a long time,
finally bore fruit during this trip.
President Lee and First Lady Kim toast with
President Calderon and First Lady Margarita Zavala
at a state banquet in Mexico, July 1.
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says Choi Eun-kyeong of the marketing
strategy team at Woongjin Coway.
Also since 2006, Woongjin Coway
has been running programs to help
underprivileged children in South
Africa become the countrys next gen-
eration of football stars. In that year,
the company donated uniforms and
balls to the Green Stars club, based in
one of the poorest regions in the
country. Today, Woongjin Coway issponsoring four football teams.
The Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group
is also actively giving back to society.
In a move that signaled its intent to
become more closely involved in chari-
table programs in North America,
Hyundai Motor joined the Boston
College Center for Corporate
Citizenship, a prestigious organization
for companies engaged in corporate
social responsibility.
This membership will help acceler-
ate our global efforts to give back to
the community, said an official at
Hyundai Motor. Last year, we
launched the Finding Three-Leaf
Clovers Worldwide program in six
countries, in which we granted the
wishes of children who had beeninvolved in motor accidents. We had a
great response.
Last October 17, the Hyundai-Kia
Automotive Group also participated in
the White Band Campaign as part of
Korean companies are expanding their operations overseas and
profit isnt the sole motive. In gratitude for the success they haveenjoyed through their foreign business,and wit h an eye on theirpublic image, Korean firms are now looking to give somethingback to the most underprivileged around the world. by Seo Dong-cheol
41
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2010
GLOBAL KOREA
KOREAS CORPORATIONS
DELIVER HOPE TO THE WORLD
Hyundai-KiaAutomotiveGroup(aboveright);HanjinGroup(right)
KBKookminBank
A member of Raon Atti, Kookmin Banks volunteer
group, takes a photo with local children while work-
ing (opposite). Hyundai-Kias Slovakian employees
participate at Hyundai-Kias Global Blood Donation
Campaign (above). The Hanjin Group organizes a
reforestation program in Mongolia (below).
Last April the residents of a village in
Cambodia, a country infamous for the
low quality of its water, watched their
visitor in anxious silence. Under the
scorching sun, a Korean was trying to
pump water from a well. As the 600 or
so villagers looked on, the minutes
ticked by with no sign of success.
Suddenly, the quiet was broken by a
noise coming from the underground
pipe, and water rushed outward. The
nearby people whooped with joy. It
was the 500th well that Woongjin
Coway, a Korean company, had suc-
cessfully pumped for water.
GENEROSITY WITHOUT BORDERS An
affiliate of the Woongjin Group,
Woongjin Coway manufactures water
purifiers, air purifiers and bidets.
Beginning in 2006 with 75 wells in 26
villages near Phnom Penh, the compa-
ny now aims to drill 100 wells per
year. In 2007, some 20 senior execu-
tives of the Woongjin Group took part
in constructing 100 wells across
Cambodia.
So far, the company has opened
526 wells and individual employees
have dug 210, and they benefit more
than 1,500 households in Cambodia,
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the International Day for the
Eradication of Poverty. The group ran
fundraising campaigns and hung large
banners across 20 sites in 10
nations, including the United States,
Germany, China and India. Hyundai-
Kia group has also operated a global
blood donation campaign since 2004,
and from last year, about 13,000
employees in the groups five over-
seas branches the United States,
India, Czech Republic and Turkey for
Hyundai, and Slovakia for Kia have
been taking part too.
At Hanjin Group, the subsidiary
Korean Air has been operating a refor-
estation program in Mongolia for
seven years. This May, Korean Airs
employees and about 200 college stu-
dents joined residents of Baganuur, a
district of Ulan Bator, to plant 10,000
poplar trees. The movement, which
began in 2004, is designed to help
prevent any further desertification of
Asia, and so far, about 46,000 trees
covering 314,000 square meters of
land have been planted. In recognition
of Korean Airs efforts in the country,
the Mongolian government has award-ed the airline with its highest environ-
mental honor.
The reforestation campaign has now
gone beyond Mongolia and into other
areas of the world. Korean Air has
been trying to cultivate a forest in
Chinas Kubuqi Desert, one of the epi-
centers of yellow dust, since 2007,
and has taken part in the Million Trees
Los Angeles campaign since last year.
In its efforts to reforest the planet,
Korean Airs campaign has taken on
a truly global hue.
SHARE AND SHARE ALIKE And what
of Samsung, Koreas biggest corpora-
tion? Befitting its global presence,
Samsung is involved in various pro-
grams and regions around the world.
Its best-known social responsibility
program is Samsungs Four Seasons
of Hope, a fundraiser in the United
States that draws on contributions
from star athletes and celebrities.
Since its inception in 2002, the pro-
gram has donated about US$25 mil-
lion to charities and educational pro-
grams for underprivileged youth.
In China, Samsung joined hands
with the China Disabled Persons
Federation to offer free cataract sur-
gery to 6,150 patients from 2007 to
2009. This year, Samsung built atraining center for guide dogs in
Beijing to help the deaf. In addition,
the company has set up about 80
Samsung Anycall Hope Primary
Schools in joint efforts with the
Chinese government to improve edu-
cation in underdeveloped areas. The
goal is to build 100 schools by the
end of this year.
Since the collapse of the Soviet
Union in 1991, Samsung has provided
US$140,000 in annual grants to the
Bolshoi Ballet; more recently, the
company created the Tolstoy
Literature Awards, to which it con-
tributes US$70,000 per year. Since
2003, the group has also helped track
athletes under 17 in Kenya as part of
its talent nurturing program. And
between August and November every
year since 2005, the corporations
Japanese arm has required that all its
employees take part in at least 40 vol-untary missions, including helping
take care of the environment and pro-
viding assistance to disabled people.
Kookmin Bank, Koreas largest, in
2008 launched a voluntary group for
college students called Raon Atti
(meaning pleasant friends in old
Korean) that helps Asian countriessuffering from poverty, starvation or
natural disasters. For five months
beginning August 2008, the first 50
members of Raon Atti volunteered in
seven Asian nations, including East
Timor and Cambodia, serving