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September 2008 VOL. 4 NO. 9 

6 10 14 

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28 

06 National 

48 Travel 

Korea Celebrates 60th Founding Anniversary 

Enjoy Korean Cuisine above the Clouds 

A Trip to Namdo 

10 Diplomacy 

President Lee Meets Bush, Hu and Other World Leaders 

52 Food 

‘The FTA Ratification Will Benefit Korea, U.S.’ 

Ceramic Pots — Natural Preservers 

Cover Photo 

The special Chuseok dish: 

songpyeon 

14 2008 Beijing Olympics 

Best Olympic Run Ever for Korea 

54 People 

Prima Ballerina Kang Sue-jin 

A Veteran Artist’s Love of Dokdo 

33 

Publisher Yoo Jin-hwan 

Korean Culture and Information Service 

Editing & Printing Herald Media Inc. 

E-mail webmaster@korea.net 

Design toga design 

18 Science 

Korea Vies to Become Medical Tourism Hub 

Global Market Leaders Made in Korea 

Korea’s ‘Culture President’ Comes Back 

‘Next Mozart’ Premieres in Korea 

59 Events 

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Letters may be edited for clarity and/or space restrictions. 

22 Global Korea 

Korean NGO Offers Help to Swazi Children 

28 Chuseok 

Chuseok: Korean Thanksgiving Day 

Culinary Tradition — Hangwa 

Jecheon International Music & Film Festival 

National Palace Museum of Korea’s Special Exhibition 

64 Books 

‘Political Change in Korea’ 

‘Contemporary Korean Architecture’ 

42 

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35 Culture 

Korean Dramas Carve a Niche in Japan 

- Kathleen Morikawa, Columnist for the Daily Yomiuri 

Foreign Firms Turn to Korean Culture 

66 Foreign Viewpoints 

Korea Continues to Change Dynamically 

- René Francisco Umaña, Honduras Ambassador to Korea 

Korea’s UNESCO Heritage Site (7) — Gyeongju Historic Areas 

52 

4 KOREA SEPTEMBER 2008 

SEPTEMBER 2008 KOREA 5

NATIONAL 

Yonhap 

A Korean flag decoration at Independence Hall 

Fireworks over the Hangang River 

The area in front of Gwanghwamun, under restoration, is crowded with citizens celebrating the 60th founding anniversary on Aug. 15 

A traditional dance performance in Gyeongbokgung 



NATIONAL 

South Korea celebrated the 60th 

anniversary of its foundation and 

63 years since its liberation from 

Japan’s colonial rule on Aug. 15, with 

President Lee Myung-bak’s call for a 

new and hopeful start to the next 60 

years at a ceremony in central Seoul. 

The Government of South Korea, 

formally called the Republic of Korea, 

was founded on Aug. 15, 1948 — exactly 

three years after Korea was liberated 

from 36 years of colonial rule. 

The nation’s first parliament was 

convened the same year, along with 

the promulgation of its constitution 

and the creation of its armed forces. 

In Korea, a person’s 60th birthday 

— known as the “hwangab” — symbolizes 

the completion of a full cycle and 

the beginning of another. 

The anniversary ceremony in Seoul 

featured music and dance performances 

representative of Korea’s modern 

history. In a separate event, hundreds 

of officials and citizens gathered 

at the nation’s easternmost island of 

Dokdo, a recent diplomatic flashpoint 

between South Korea and Japan, in a 

celebration of Korea’s liberation. 

Concerts, musicals and other public 

performances were staged in celebration 

of the anniversary in Seoul and 

major provincial cities nationwide, 

while a large-scale celebratory concert 

was held aboard the Navy’s amphibious 

assault ship — named “Dokdo” after 

the islets — on Aug. 15 in Donghae, 

a port on the eastern coast. 

In his speech celebrating the 

Liberation Day and the national founding 

anniversaries, President Lee said 

the Government will vigorously push 

to link the trans-Korean railroad with 

Russian and Chinese transcontinental 

rail lines in preparation for the emergence 

of a unified Korea as the world’s 

logistics hub linking Eurasia and the 

Pacific Rim in the next 60 years. 

The President also urged North 

Korea to immediately abandon its nuclear 

weapons and embrace inter- 

Korean dialogue and economic cooperation 

to create a unified economic 

zone on the Korean Peninsula. 

“A unified Korea promises to be 

the main gateway for prosperity linking 

the Eurasian continent to the 

Pacific Ocean by land, air and sea. A 

train leaving Busan with cargo will be 

able to travel the trans-continental 

railway all the way to Central Asia and 

Western Europe...A unified Korea will 

A large Korean flag across the Cheonggyecheon Stream in central Seoul to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Korea’s founding 

leap toward the center of the global 

community,” Lee said in the address. 

“I want to share this dream with all 

the 80 million Koreans. I am not going 

to give up the dream of both Koreas 

living well together...First and foremost 

for that to happen, permanent 

peace must be brought about. The nuclear 

weapons program, which is the 

source of distrust and conflict, has to 

be eliminated completely,” the 

President said, proposing the resumption 

of across-the-board dialogue with 

North Korea. 

The two Koreas, divided shortly after 

the 1945 liberation, are still technically 

at war, with no peace treaty 

signed at the end of the 1950-53 

Korean War. 

During the ceremonial speech given 

in front of about 20,000 dignitaries 

and citizens, the President also declared 

that his administration has selected 

“low carbon, green growth” as 

the nation’s new vision going into the 

next 60 years. 

“If the last six decades since the 

nation’s founding have been spent 

achieving fundamental freedoms, the 

next 60 years should be dedicated to 

realizing freedom with responsibility. 

Only then will the founding of the 

Republic of Korea be completed,” said 

the President. 

Data released by the Statistical 

Office show that South Korea’s population 

increased 2.4-fold to 48.45 million 

in 2007 from 20.19 million in 1953. In 

the same period of time, its gross domestic 

product surged 746-fold to 

$969.9 billion from $1.3 billion. 

As a result, the per-capita gross 

national income soared from $67 in 

1953 to $20,045 last year. The nation’s 

trade volume increased 3,167-fold in 

the past 60 years. 

In the 1950s, South Korea ranked 

among the poorest countries. Today, it 

is the world’s 13th largest economy. 

Syngman Rhee was elected the 

first president of the Republic of Korea 

in 1948. On June 25, 1950, North 

Korea launched an unprovoked fullscale 

invasion of the South, triggering 

a three-year war which involved U.S., 

Chinese and other foreign forces. The 

entire Peninsula was devastated by the 

conflict. A cease-fire was signed in 

July 1953. 

Rhee was forced out of office on 

April 26, 1960 in the aftermath of the 

April 19 Movement, a student-led uprising. 

Park Chung-hee, who rose to 

power in a bloodless military coup on 

May 16, 1961, and became the nation’s 

new president, is largely credited 

with South Korea’s rapid industrialization 

through export-led growth. 

During Park’s tenure, per-capita 

income increased 20-fold, and South 

Korea’s rural, undeveloped economy 

was transformed into an industrial 

powerhouse. 

South Korea’s growth-oriented, 

export-led economic development 

since the 1960s was so remarkable 

that it earned the phrase “the Miracle 

A celebration takes place at Dokdo, the nation’s easternmost islets, on Aug. 15 

on the Han River” in the 1970s. 

Subsequently, Seoul successfully hosted 

the 24th Olympics in 1988, and 

South Korea co-hosted the 2002 FIFA 

World Cup soccer finals with Japan. 

After the year 2000, relations between 

South and North Korea remarkably 

improved, paving the way for 

initiating the peace process on the 

Korean Peninsula. In June, 2000, then 

South Korean President Kim Dae-jung 

and North Korean leader Kim Jong-il 

held the first inter-Korean summit, a 

landmark event in Korea’s modern 

history. 

Following the Kim Dae-jung government, 

liberal President Roh Moohyun 

governed the nation for five 

years from February 2003. The Korean 

people selected businessman-turnedpolitician 

Lee Myung-bak, an advocate 

of pragmatism, as their new president 

in December 2007. ■ 

Yonhap 


DIPLOMACY 

Yonhap 

A welcoming ceremony for Chinese President Hu Jintao (left) at Cheong Wa Dae on Aug. 25 

Presidents Lee and Bush at a joint news conference at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on Aug. 6 

Yonhap 

operation in the fields of civil space exploration and space 

science and in the peaceful use of nuclear energy. They also 

agreed to provide an opportunity for Korean university 

students to study English, work and enrich their knowledge 

and experience in the United States. 

Yonhap 

President Lee 

Meets 

Bush, Hu and Other 

World Leaders 

Summit with U.S. President Bush 

The leaders of South Korea and the United States urged 

North Korea to improve its human rights conditions 

and immediately complete its denuclearization as a 

prerequisite for normalizing its relations with them. 

A joint statement released after the summit between 

President Lee Myung-bak and U.S. President George W. 

Bush at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul said that the South Korean 

and U.S. leaders reaffirmed their commitment to improving 

the human rights situation in North Korea. 

As expected, Lee and Bush allotted a significant portion of 

their joint statement to North Korea’s denuclearization, urging 

the communist North to promptly complete its commitments 

in the second phase of the denuclearization process and, 

through third-phase actions, to implement full abandonment 

of all its nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programs. 

In addition, the joint statement broadly covered issues 

of bilateral alliance, ways to gain legislative approval for 

the South Korea-U.S. free trade agreement and policy cooperation 

on international issues. 

The two presidents agreed to actively promote close co- 

Summit with Chinese President Hu 

President Lee and his Chinese counterpart Hu Jintao issued 

a joint summit statement vowing to significantly deepen bilateral 

political, economic, cultural and personnel exchanges 

to follow up on the two countries’ strategic cooperative 

partnership agreed on in May. 

Hu flew into Korea on Aug. 25 for a two-day state visit, 

his second to the country while in office. His first visit to 

Korea as president was in November 2005. 

Lee and Hu have already met twice since the South 

Korean leader took office in February. During their first summit 

in Beijing in late May, Lee and Hu agreed to upgrade 

Seoul-Beijing relations from a “comprehensive cooperative 

partnership” to a “strategic cooperative partnership.” The two 

leaders met again in Beijing, after Lee attended the opening 

ceremony of the 29th Summer Olympics there. 

The joint statement also focused significantly on boosting 

bilateral economic and commercial cooperation, as Lee 

and Hu agreed to increase the annual volume of two-way 

trade to $200 billion by 2010, two years ahead of the previous 

target year. 

Notably, Lee and Hu agreed to consider launching a 

Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd pays tribute to Australian 

troops who died in the Korean War, during his stop at a war 

cemetery in Busan on Aug. 10 



DIPLOMACY 

1 2 

3 4 

President Lee held separate talks with Turkmen President Berdimuhamedov (1), Algerian President Bouteflika (2), Kazakhstan’s President Nazarbayev (3) and 

Uzbekistan’s President Karimov (4) during his visit to Beijing from Aug. 8 to 9 

government-level review of a bilateral free trade agreement 

on the basis of private-sector joint studies and research, 

while deepening bilateral cooperation in the fields of environmental 

protection, energy, communications, financial 

services and logistics. 

As part of efforts to promote private sector exchanges, 

the two leaders also agreed to designate 2010 and 2012 as 

“Visit China Year” and “Visit Korea Year,” respectively. 

Talks with Australian leader Rudd 

President Lee and Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd 

agreed on Aug. 11 to launch preliminary talks for a bilateral 

free trade agreement and to widen their cooperation in 

energy, trade and regional security. 

“They welcomed the conclusion of a bilateral FTA study 

group that a two-way free trade deal would be beneficial to 

both countries’ economic growth and trade expansion,” a 

Cheong Wa Dae spokesman said. The two countries concluded 

a joint private-level assessment of an FTA early this 

year. An FTA is estimated to increase Korea’s gross domestic 

product by up to $29.6 billon over 10 years and 

Australia’s by $22.7 billion, according to a study. Korea’s 

exports to Australia will increase by up to $4.3 billion and 

Australia’s shipments by $7.5 billion. Two-way trade is estimated 

at 17.9 billion last year. Australia is Korea’s eighth 

largest trading partner. 

They also agreed that the two countries would forge a 

comprehensive partnership, expanding ties currently focused 

on economy and trade into other areas. They also 

pledged to strengthen diplomatic cooperation in the Asia- 

Pacific region and the global arena to work together on climate 

change, arms control, nonproliferation and other international 

issues. Australia is Korea’s biggest trading and 

investment partner in the mineral resource sector. 

Lee’s diplomacy during Beijing Olympics 

With an eye to energy diplomacy, President Lee met with 

leaders of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and 

Algeria on Aug. 8 and 9 in Beijing, where he was visiting to 

attend the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games. 

President Lee and Turkmen President Gurbanguly 

Berdimuhamedov agreed to fully support the participation 

of Korean companies in an energy resources development 

project in the Caspian Sea region. They also agreed to encourage 

Korean firms to take part in infrastructure-building 

in Turkmenistan. 

In his meeting with Abdelaziz Bouteflika, the president 

of Algeria, Lee also proposed an expansion of energy development 

projects between the two countries. Lee asked the 

Algerian government to favorably consider Korean companies 

that plan to bid for petroleum and gas exploration and 

development programs scheduled for later this year. 

Lee also sought the cooperation of the Algerian government 

in assisting Korean companies to participate in urban 

construction projects. 

He also separately met with Kazakhstan’s President 

Nursultan Nazarbayev and Uzbekistan’s President Islam 

Karimov to discuss issues of mutual concerns. 

Lee encountered North Korea’s nominal head of state 

Kim Yong-nam at the luncheon hosted by Chinese President 

Hu Jintao. A Cheong Wa Dae official said the two Korean 

leaders shook hands but no official dialogue took place. ■ 

‘The FTA Ratification 

Will Benefit Korea, U.S.’ 

President Lee Myung-bak was 

confident that whoever became 

the next U.S. president would 

support the free trade agreement and 

an upgraded alliance between the two 

counties. 

“The FTA not only benefits South 

Korea but also has huge potential benefits 

for the U.S. economy and consumers. 

Whoever becomes the next 

U.S. president will look at the hard facts 

and make the right decision in the interest 

of the U.S. people,” he said in an 

interview with world-famous Internet 

portal Yahoo! (www.yahoo.com). 

This was the first such interview 

the Internet powerhouse has conducted 

with a non-American leader. 

President Lee also expressed confidence 

that inter-Korean relations 

would improve in the near future despite 

recent tension stemming from 

the shooting death of a South Korean 

tourist in North Korea. 

He told that he would continue 

with flexible and sincere policies to 

bring Pyongyang to the dialogue table 

and promote “mutual benefit and coexistence 

on the Peninsula.” 

“The ties between two Koreas are 

tense for now. But the relations will 

recover soon as we work on policies 

with sincerity and genuine concern 

about North Korea,” he said. The interview 

was conducted on Aug. 14. at 

Cheong Wa Dae. 

The 66-year-old President also 

said he believed that the two Koreas 

would reunite during his lifetime. 

“Reunification can come any day - 

and suddenly - so, we must always be 

prepared for that,” he added. 

On domestic issues, he said the 

economy was unlikely to turn around 

until the end of next year, appealing to 

the nation to unite to weather the 

tough conditions. 

He also reiterated his commitment 

to push economic reforms including 

overhauling the public sector and easing 

regulations. ■ 



2008 BEIJING OLYMPICS 

Best Olympic Run Ever for Korea 

Nation’s Leading Athletes 

Reach Another Level 

BY JEONG HYEON-JI 

STAFF WRITER 

Korean Olympians made their 

country proud at the Beijing 

Olympic Games, notching a series 

of sensational victories to consolidate 

its presence as a regional 

sports powerhouse. 

Korea captured 13 gold medals in 

Beijing, a record for the country in 

the Olympics. It also earned 10 silver 

and eight bronze medals. 

Korea witnessed better performances 

in events such as fencing, 

swimming, shooting and baseball, 

which traditionally have been dominated 

by Western countries. 

On Aug. 10, 19-year-old swimmer 

Park Tae-hwan won the men’s 

200-meter freestyle, giving Korea its 

first-ever gold medal in Olympic 

swimming. 

Nam Hyun-hee became the first 

Korean woman to medal in fencing 

on Aug. 12. The 28-year-old won a 

silver in women’s foil. She narrowly 

lost to world champion Valentina 

Vezzali of Italy, missing out on the 

gold medal by one point. Her silver, 

however, was a great accomplishment, 

as she was the only Asian in 

an Italian-dominated semifinal. 

Korean shooter Jin Jong-oh won 

the gold in the 50-meter pistol on 

Aug. 12. He also earned a silver in the 

10-meter air pistol. The victory by 

Jin, a silver medalist in Athens, marks 

the nation’s first gold in shooting in 

The Korea Herald 

Moon Dae-sung 

Elected to Athletes’ 

Commission 

Former Korean taekwondo champion 

Moon Dae-sung was elected to the athlete’s 

commission of the International 

Olympic Committee (IOC) on Aug. 21. 

Korea’s pull in the international 

sports arena is expected to get stronger 

with his election. Former Samsung 

Group chairman Lee Kun-hee joins 

Moon as the only non-athlete Korean 

member on the IOC. 

Moon won gold medals at the 2004 

Athens Olympics and the 2002 Busan 

Asian Olympics. Since stepping down 

from the national team, he has been lecturing 

at a university in Korea. 

Moon beat out 29 contenders for the 

election at the Olympic Village during 

the Beijing Games. The 32-year-old, 

who was named on 3,220 of the 7,216 

ballots cast, is the first Asian athlete to 

be elected to the commission, which 

was founded in 1981 to serve as a link 

between Olympic athletes and the IOC. 

Representatives of the 19-member 

commission are allowed to take part in 

meetings of other IOC commissions to 

voice their opinions on various matters, 

including doping and Olympic 

preparation. 

“I have rammed home the message 

that my leadership is going to be pure, 

powerful and peaceful,” Moon told reporters. 

“The world of sports is revolving 

around Europe and the United 

States, but I will work hard to give voice 

to Asian athletes.” ■ 



2008 BEIJING OLYMPICS 



16 years. Korea notched two golds at 

the 1992 Barcelona Games. 

Following a brief gold-medal 

drought after Sa Jae-hyouk won the 

men’s 77-kilogram weightlifting title, 

Jang Mi-ran shattered three world 

records to win the women’s over-75- 

kilogram event. A favorite to win the 

competition, the 25-year-old world 

champion beat her closest rival by 50 

kilograms. 

During the final stretch of the 

Games, four taekwondo athletes won 

gold medals in the sport. The four, including 

two-time world champion 

Hwang Kyung-seon, who braved a 

knee injury to win the women’s under- 

67-kg category on Aug. 22, demonstrated 

Korea’s stranglehold on the national 

sport. 

The taekwondo sweep was followed 

by an improbable gold-medal 

victory over Cuba in baseball. The 

game between Cuba and Korea came 

down to the wire. Leading by one with 

the bases loaded and one out, Korean 

Weightlifter Lee Bae-young Shows True Sportsmanship 

reliever Chong Tae-hyon successfully 

induced a game-ending double play. 

Korea won the bronze medal in 

baseball at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, 

while Cuba has claimed three golds 

since the sport was introduced to the 

Games in 1992. ■ 

Korean Swimming Sensation 

Park Tae-hwan 

Lee went for 184kg. He, however, fell with a 

badly sprained left leg, dropping the barbell 

on the ground. After receiving emergency 

treatment from his coaches, he went on for 

the second round, adding 2 more kilograms 

to his previous challenge. But a cramp ended 

his chances to medal. 

Even though it was evident that he would 

get disqualified, Lee showed up again on 

the stage, receiving a huge applause from 

Chinese fans. 

Lee, struck by muscle cramps, failed in 

his last attempt. But he couldn’t let go of the 

barbell until the end. His firmly clenched fist 

around the bar touched many people. 

After four years of training, the 29-yearold 

weightlifter said he couldn’t give up in 

the second and third rounds. “I still 

would’ve done it even though it meant taking 

my life,” he said. ■ 

Weightlifter Lee Bae-young failed to garner 

a medal but his sportsmanship touched the 

hearts of many people during the 2008 

Beijing Olympics. 

Lee, a silver-medalist at the 2004 Athens 

Olympics, was disqualified in the first round 

of the clean and jerk in the men’s 69kg 

weightlifting competition on Aug. 12 due to 

a sudden cramp in his leg. He lifted 155kg in 

the snatch, breaking the Korean record of 

154kg, set by himself in April 2008. 

In the first round of the clean and jerk, 

During the 2008 Beijing Olympics, 

Korea’s eyes and ears were on 

Park Tae-hwan, a 19-year-old 

swimming prodigy who garnered the 

nation’s first gold medal of this year’s 

Games. 

Park grabbed Korea’s first Olympic 

swimming gold by winning the men’s 

400-meter freestyle on Aug. 10. He 

then won the silver medal in the men’s 

200-meter freestyle on Aug. 12, finishing 

second behind America’s 

Michael Phelps. 

Born September 1989 in Seoul, 

Park first learned to swim when he 

was 5 years old, to treat his asthma. 

Before long, he stood out with brilliant 

performances and began to win all of 

the major swimming competitions in 

the country. 

However, he had many ups and 

downs since 2004, when he officially 

debuted in the international swimming 

arena. At the 2004 Athens 

Olympics, Park, then a middleschooler, 

was disqualified for a false 

start in the men’s 400m freestyle, after 

which the despondent swimmer 

locked himself in the changing room 

for two hours. 

But he quickly recovered by setting 

two Asian records at the 2006 

Doha Asian Games. He also defeated 

Olympic medalist Grant Hackett of 

Australia in the men’s 400-meter 

freestyle at the 2007 World 

Championship. 

After that performance, he got his 

famous nicknames of “Marine Boy” 

and “The nation’s little brother.” He 

stepped up from a swimming prodigy 

to a teen idol. 

“I feel great. I’ve been training 

with the world record in mind in the 

400m freestyle,” Park told reporters 

after arriving in Beijing on Aug. 9. 

His success can be attributed to his 

ceaseless training. He also receives 

much support from his coaching staff, 

which has applied the disciplines of 

sports science in his training. ■ 

Park Tae-hwan celebrates after winning the men’s 400-meter freestyle on Aug. 10 



SCIENCE 

Korea Vies to Become 

Medical Tourism Hub 


STAFF WRITER 

Many people think vacations 

are all about relaxation, 

sightseeing and playing 

leisure sports. But this idea is quickly 

changing because of the booming 

medical tourism industry. 

During a weeklong holiday, people 

can now easily fix their bad eyes or 

sore backs. Korea, equipped with stateof-the-art 

medical skills, has stepped 

into the global medical tourism scene 

by recently launching several medical 

tour programs. 

In late July, a group of 29 Americans 

visited Korea on a two-week medical 

tour program, organized by the 

Korea Tourism Organization and the 

nation’s major medical organizations. 

The program featured a full medical 

check-up and sightseeing around 

An American patient receives a full check-up at the Inha University Medical Center in Incheon 

Korea’s major tourist attractions. 

The medical service, which included 

both physical examinations and cosmetic 

treatments, received a very positive 

response from the participants. 

According to the Korea Health 

Industry Development Institute (KHI- 

DI) data, the global medical tourism 

market is estimated to be $60 billion a 

year — and it is expected to reach $100 

billion by 2012. 

In line with the growth of the global 

market, Korea’s medical tourism sector 

is aiming to attract 100,000 tourists 

by 2012, topping $37 billion. 

The number of patients visiting 

Korea’s major hospitals jumped to 

16,000 in 2007, up from 760 in 2005, 

according to the Welfare Ministry. 

The growth of medical tourism in 

Korea has been spurred by top-notch 

local doctors and, recently, by the 

Korean Wave. The nation’s oriental 

medical clinics and acupuncturists, in 

particular, have constantly been receiving 

foreign patients, who are keen 

to keep fit by using natural means. 

By the turn of the millennium, 

Korea saw an increasing number of 

Asian tourists visiting the nation, 

mainly for cosmetic surgery. This was 

bolstered by the positive image of 

Korea’s pop culture. 

The nation’s top-notch hospitals 

have helped fuel the growth. Wooridul 

Spine Hospital, which runs five hospital 

chains across the country, has operated 

an international patients’ center 

since 2005. 

The hospital, which purely focuses 

on spinal treatment, has seen over 

2,500 patients from 47 countries. The 

number is increasing by 30 percent 

every year. The hospital not only provides 

medical procedures and tours but 

also helps the patients get visas, insurance 

and other matters related to treatment. 

The hospital already is internationally 

well known for its expertise. 

Yonhap 

Jaseng Hospital of Oriental 

Medicine in Seoul, which also specializes 

in spinal treatment, has operated 

an international clinic since 2006. The 

number of overseas patients jumped to 

390 in 2007 from 185 of 2006. About 

60 percent of the patients are 

Japanese, according to the hospital. 

“Most of the foreign patients visiting 

our hospital are amazed that their 

problems can get better by non-surgical 

procedures such as acupuncture 

and oriental medicine,” said Yoon Jepil, 

head of the hospital’s international 

clinic. 

Both Jaseng and Wooridul have 

multilingual doctors and medical coordinators 

who are ready to accommodate 

foreign patients in their own 

languages. They are also members of 

the Council for Korea Medicine 

Overseas Promotion, an organization 

that promotes medical tourism to 

Korea and structures programs for it. 

Yonhap 

American Medical 

Tourists in Korea 

Give a Thumbs up 

Currently, there are 33 hospitals 

enrolled in the council. They hold seminars 

and promotion campaigns with 

travel agencies to develop this new industry. 

The member hospitals have 

signed contracts with international insurance 

companies to guarantee the 

quality of medical services as well. 

Among them are Seoul’s Severance 

Hospital and Hanyang University 

Medical Center, which have been 

looking into medical tourism for a few 

years, and are working with travel 

agencies in the U.S., Japan and China 

to create diverse tour packages. 

Jeju-do is also looking to make 

headway into medical tourism, taking 

advantage of its beautiful scenery and 

well-developed infrastructure. Along 

with specialized treatments, Jeju’s programs 

also include health options like 

obesity care. 

The Ministry of Welfare, Health 

and Family Affairs, to help foster the 

Denise Snyder, a yoga instructor from 

California, and 28 fellow Americans visited 

Korea on a two-week journey in July. But 

their trip was not like any other vacation. 

Upon their arrival, they were taken to 

Inha University Medical Center in Incheon, 

a 30-minute bus ride from the airport. They 

received a full-scale check-up, which includes 

a blood test, an electrocardiogram, 

a gastrointestinal endoscopy, an eye exam 

and a medical consultation. This was all 

done for $400. 

“All this would cost 10 times higher in the 

U.S.,” Snyder said. 

Kristi Knudsen and her daughter, 

Natalie, were also among the group of patients. 

She said she receives annual medical 

exams but this is the first time she’s 

getting an endoscopy and an ultrasonography. 

“There are so many people without a 

proper insurance scheme in the United 

States. And getting such a full-scale exam 

nation’s medical tourism industry, has 

been working to fix administrative 

flaws and revise legal procedures. 

As a result, the revised law now allows 

families or guardians of patients 

to be given long-term visas. And the 

process has become much simpler. The 

Government is also looking to improve 

medical laws to enable active 

overseas promotion and mediation. 

The Welfare Ministry is also expanding 

its education programs to increase 

human resource development. 

The Ministry is planning to open the 

International Medical Service 

Academy in a bid to provide education 

on world-class medical services. 

Foreign-language education will 

also be expanded, as language skills are 

heavily weighed when hiring new staff. 

More information on Korea’s medical 

tourism can be found at www.koreahealthtour.co.kr 

and www.visitkorea.or.kr. 

■ 

would cost thousands of dollars,” she said. 

Knudsen said she would like to take her 

mother to get her spinal cord checked in 

Korea next time. 

The next day, they went to a dermatologist 

in Seoul to get cosmetic treatments, 

such as magic lift, botox, oxygen treatment 

and crystal peeling. 

“I’ve been to Thailand many times for 

medical treatments. I’m thinking of coming 

back to Korea for further treatments in the 

future,” Snyder said. 

The group spent the rest of their journey 

traveling around Korea’s major tourist 

spots, including the Demilitarized Zone 

(DMZ) and Gyeongju. 

The program was well received by the 

participants. According to a survey conducted 

at the end of their itinerary, all said 

that they were highly satisfied with the 

medical services provided. But communicating 

with the medical staff in English 

could use some improvement. ■ 



SCIENCE 

Global Market Leaders 

Made in Korea 

BY HAN ARAN 

KOREA.NET STAFF WRITER 


Korea was one of the poorest 

countries in the world in 1960, 

with a gross national income per 

capita of a mere $79 and a trade 

deficit of $300 million. 

But less than fifty years later, global 

investment bank Goldman Sachs 

predicted in 2007 that Korea’s percapita 

gross domestic product will 

reach $81,000 by 2050. 

Such an increase would make the 

nation the world’s second-richest 

economy after the United States. 

According to research by the 

Ministry of Knowledge Economy, 

there are 120 Korean products that 

have clinched the number one spot in 

their respective fields as of 2006. And 

that number is still growing. 

The list includes not only hi-tech 

items such as semiconductor products 

but also small everyday items. 

Semiconductor products 

Until as recently as the 1990’s, 

Samsung was thought to be just a 

cheap microwave brand, but the brand 

is now recognized as an upscale, premium 

name in many product categories 

including mobile phones and LCD TVs. 

It all began in 1992 when the company 

made its name in the international 

market by becoming the world’s 

number one producer of D-RAM, or 

dynamic random access memory, 

chips, outpacing Japan. This marked 

the beginning of Samsung’s conquest 

in the semiconductor market. 

In 1995, the company clinched the 

number one spot in the S-RAM, or static 

random access memory, field. In 

2002, Samsung gained the number 

one spot in terms of the TFT-LCD, or 

thin-film transistor liquid crystal display, 

market. 

When it comes to the non-memory 

sector, Samsung also stands strong. 

It is the number one producer of 

Display Driver IC and System on a 

Chip, among others. 

Ships 

Shipbuilding is one of Korea’s leading 

heavy industries, and it has greatly 

contributed to making the country an 

economic powerhouse. 

Korea is home to seven of the 

world’s top 10 shipbuilders, with 

Hyundai Heavy, Samsung Heavy 

Industries Co. and Daewoo Shipbuilding 

and Marine Engineering Co., forming 

the club of the world’s top three shipbuilders. 

The Korean shipbuilding industry 

caught the world’s attention yet again 

last year by attaining a fifth consecutive 

“triple crown.” 

They swept the world market in the 

three main indicators, namely new order 

volume, construction volume and 

order backlogs in 2007, setting records 

for the fifth straight year since 2003. 

The industry takes up about 40 

percent of the global market and one 

out of every three new vessels in the 

world last year was made in Korea. 

Other noteworthy products 

Did you know that half of the world’s 

population uses Korean-made nail 

clippers? 

Founded in 1975, the Three Seven 

Corporation of Korea makes about 80 

million nail clippers per year and exports 

them to 92 countries around the 

world under its in-house 777 brand, 

which is famous for its sophisticated 

designs and high quality. 

The brand name is registered in 

many countries and is synonymous 

with nail clipper quality. 

The world-famous safes known as 

Eagle Safes are made in Korea as well. 

Sunil Safe, also known as Sun 

Safe, exports a variety of safes to 70 

countries around the world. 

The company made the world’s 

first fire-resilient safes. It also made 

the world’s first safes with digital 

locks. 

Not everyone uses tooth sterilizers, 

but among those who do, there is a 

high chance that they use sterilizers 

made by Esencia. The Korean company 

takes up more than 40 percent of 

the world market in the field. 

Paseco, a heating equipment maker, 

has maintained the number one 

spot in terms of kerosene stoves. 

Its Kerona brand sells in 35 countries 

including Germany, Iraq and the 

United States among others. The 

medium-sized company takes up half 

of its market. 

Neopharm is another medium-sized 

company that is making inroads abroad 

with its product Atopalm, which is 

good for healing skin affected by 

eczema. The product has been granted a 

patent in China, Japan, the United 

States and Taiwan as well as Korea. ■ 

Korea makes internationally premier 

products such as (from top) heating 

equipment, fire-resilient safes and topquality 

nail clippers 



GLOBAL KOREA 

Korean NGO Offers Help to 

Swazi Children 


STAFF WRITER 

ter that provide free medical services. 

The clinic, which was opened in 2001, 

concentrates on fighting unhygienic 

living conditions and providing pesticides. 

Every year, the organization 

provides 50 schools in the nation with 

vermicides and education on hygiene. 

With the support of the Korea 

International Cooperation Agency, the 

Sun Shine AIDS Shelter since 2005 has 

provided local citizens with education, 

diagnosis, counseling and medicine. 

“Over 60 percent of Swazi men are 

carrying the AIDS virus, so it is essential 

to provide students and young 

adults with correct information on 

HIV and AIDS,” Dr. Kim said. 

The organization is also working 

closely with Korean volunteers who 

are interested in Africa. During summer 

and winter vacations, the organization 

receives students from all over 

Korea, and sometimes, ethnic Koreans 

from overseas. Last year alone, they 

received some 10 volunteers. 

Kim Young-hee, a KOICA-registered 

nurse, worked in a Kapunga 

clinic with fellow volunteers for a 

year from April 2007. 

“Honestly, I was scared to go to 

Africa at first because there was 

nowhere I could get information about 

the country,” Kim said. 

She not only worked in the clinic 

but also went on daily house calls. 

“I was devastated with how bad 

their living conditions were. But I also 

found out that they had the most 

beautiful and happiest souls. All of the 

diseases and poverty couldn’t bring 

them down,” she said. 

Her duties included distributing 

medicine, giving injections and providing 

items like underwear and clean 

towels. 

Kim, who quit her job as a fulltime 

nurse to participate in this program, 

said she has learned many life 

lessons. 

“I’ve come to realize that it’s not 

the material things that make us happy. 

They have shown us unconditional 

love and respect. Having showers next 

to frogs or the lack of clean drinking 

water and electricity were trivial things 

for these people,” she said. 

Since 2003, the Future for African 

Children also operates education and 

job-training programs with the help of 

KOICA. Classes on engineering, electricity 

control, farming, computation 

and crafts are providing Swazi youth 

and housewives with essential skills to 

get jobs. The recently built Women’s 

Center, in particular, is expected to 

help boost women’s rights and help 

develop career skills. ■ 

(Photos courtesy of 

Future for African Children) 

Volunteers at the Future for African Children with residents of the Kapunga region 

Swazi children take classes at the Future for African Children’s kindergarten in the Kapunga region 

In the Kapunga region of Swaziland, 

five Koreans are busy working with 

children and teaching local women 

about sewing. Future for African 

Children, a Seoul-based non-governmental 

organization, has been running 

a kindergarten and a job-training 

center here since 2000. 

Dr. Kim Jung-hee, the chairperson 

of the organization’s Swazi branch, 

first visited the country in 1995 to 

provide Mbabane Government 

Hospital with emergency medical aid. 

After five years, the NGO established 

its first kindergarten in Mbabane with 

the help of the royal court. Now the 

NGO runs an AIDS shelter and a jobtraining 

center in the Kapunga region. 

She still remembers the first day of 

kindergarten in which the local children 

cried in shock after seeing the 

moving toys and education materials 

from Korea. 

“They had never seen a piano or 

toys for rehabilitation before, and 

some of them ran away to the other 

side of the room,” she said. 

Over the years, the organization 

established a clinic and an AIDS shel- 



GLOBAL KOREA 

Quiz Show Brings 

Vietnam and Korea Closer Together 


STAFF WRITER 

Nguyen Thi Thu Trang (center) receives a scholarship after winning the quiz show 

A22-year-old Vietnamese student 

won $3,000 on a Korean-produced 

quiz show — and she did 

it all in Korean. 

The public broadcaster KBS-produced 

quiz show “Golden Bell” ran a 

special episode featuring Vietnamese 

students majoring in Korean studies 

on Aug. 3. The show was recorded on 

July 11 at Van Thanh Resort in Ho Chi 

Minh City, Vietnam, under the Korea 

Foundation’s support. 

Golden Bell has been airing since 

late 1998 and is popular among students 

and young adults in Korea. The 

show revolves around participants who 

try to ring a golden bell after getting the 

right answer to a given question. The 

show became so popular that a local 

Vietnamese TV station, V-TV, imported 

and produced its own show in 2006. 

A total of 100 Vietnamese students 

from Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and 

Dalat took part in the show. The top 

prize went to Nguyen Thi Thu Trang, a 

senior Korean studies major at Hanoi 

University. She received a $3,000 

scholarship and a trip to Seoul. She 

said she would like to spend the scholarship 

money on studying design. 

The questions, all given in Korean, 

touched on issues such as Korean history, 

culture, economy and Vietnamese 

society. During the show, the students 

showed off their talents in singing 

Korean songs, taekwondo and traditional 

Vietnamese dances, such as 

Mua Sap. 

The Korean ambassador to Vietnam, 

Lim Hong-jae, said that these students 

are the foundation of Vietnam’s future. 

“They are very talented and hardworking. 

They will play an important 

role in connecting the two countries 

since they’re very interested in Korea. 

In fact, they know a lot about Korea,” 

he said during the show. 

This was the seventh overseas 

episode for Golden Bell. The show has 

also been recorded in three Chinese 

cities, Los Angeles, Uzbekistan and 

Japan. ■ 

KBS 


Korea’s B-boy Performers Thrill Audiences in Laos 

Korean Wave Makes a Big Splash 

BY BANG KYUNG-MIN 

CULTURE AND ARTS DEPARTMENT, KOREA FOUNDATION 

Lao National Culture Hall in Vientiane 

Korean B-boy teams perform in Vientiane , Laos 

Korea’s B-boy performers, who 

have become an internationally 

recognized cultural brand, had 

the rare chance to strut their stuff for 

audiences in Vientiane, Laos. In this 

way, the Korean Wave made its way to 

this little-known country in Southeast 

Asia, much to the delight of the locals. 

Korea’s hip-hop culture, in the 

form of B-boy performances, was successfully 

introduced to audiences in 

Vientiane, the capital of Laos, on June 

4-5. Rather unfamiliar to many 

Koreans, Laos is a country in the center 

of Southeast Asia, which is best 

known for its Golden Temple and 

Luang Prabang, a UNESCO World 

Heritage Site. 

‘Flying Higher — Korea’s 

B-boys’ 

Under the joint sponsorship of the 

Korea Foundation, the Korean 

Embassy in Laos and the Lao Ministry 

of Information and Culture, the performances 

were staged at the Lao 

National Culture Hall in Vientiane, 



GLOBAL KOREA 

THE BEAUTY OF KOREA-15 

Korea foundation 

Korean B-boys present the Chansavanh Secondary School in Vientiane with scholarships and school supplies 

under a title of “Flying Higher — 

Korea’s B-boys.” It featured one of 

Korea’s premier B-boy teams, Gambler 

Crew, along with a Poppin’ team 

Animation Crew, Girls Hip Hop Duo 

and a female singer. In this way, the 

so-called Korean Wave made its way 

to Laos, whose people are considerably 

less exposed to Korea’s popular culture, 

in comparison to nearby countries 

like Vietnam and China. 

In Laos, there is a serious lack of 

cultural content for the people to enjoy. 

There are two state-run TV stations, 

but they offer little in the way 

of cultural programs, so most households 

tune into broadcasts from 

Thailand. Moreover, since the development 

of the local performing arts 

culture is limited, people have a keen 

interest in cultural/entertainment 

events that are arranged by foreign 

embassies. According to the Korean 

Embassy in Laos, the performances of 

“Jump” and “Break Out,” which had 

previously been hosted by the embassy, 

were well received by local residents, 

thereby raising expectations of 

Korea-related performances. As a result, 

the Lao National Culture Hall was 

crammed with people hoping to watch 

the B-boy performers. Even heavy 

rain could not dampen the audience’s 

excitement. 

In line with the “Flying Higher” 

theme, the Korean B-boys deftly executed 

their high-flying maneuvers 

that seemed to somehow defy gravity. 

The dynamic break-dance movements, 

combining acrobatic and gymnastic 

agility, elicited gasps of amazement 

and appreciation from the audience. 

Animation Crew’s poppin’ performance, 

a kind of mime slapstick, 

easily had everyone laughing aloud. 

In addition, the Girls Hip Hop Duo 

and the female singer further energized 

the frenzied atmosphere with 

their choreographed dances and enchanting 

singing. The first performance 

attracted the attendance of 

prominent local figures, including 

government and diplomatic officials, 

such as the Minister of Information 

and Culture, who presented a bouquet 

of flowers to the performers as an expression 

of the Laotian people’s appreciation 

of Korea. 

Cultural diplomacy 

During the morning after the second 

performance, the performers visited 

Chansavanh Secondary School in 

Vientiane to present scholarships and 

school supplies to the students. Along 

with enthusiastically welcoming the 

performers, the students presented 

them with a handmade embroidery 

work, with a message of friendship between 

Korea and Laos. The embroidered 

message, in Lao, Korean and 

English, in addition to being carefully 

crafted, was a heartfelt symbol of the 

warmth of the Lao students. After an 

impromptu presentation for the students, 

it was time to depart for the airport, 

winding up the five-day visit. 

During the flight home, people shared 

photos and stories about their memorable 

experiences in Laos. 

For the otherwise reserved Lao 

people, the B-boy performance was a 

special occasion for them to thoroughly 

enjoy this new form of entertainment. 

The universal appeal of Korea’s 

hip-hop culture was readily evident 

and well received. 

Of note, with the people in Laos 

having a favorable perception of 

Korea, due to the promotional efforts 

by the Korean Government and business 

concerns, it seems natural for the 

Korean Wave to gain considerable 

popularity there, similar to the situation 

in Vietnam. Starting from popular 

culture, and then introducing the refined 

content of Korea’s culture and 

arts through exchanges, it could be 

possible to enrich the lives of the Lao 

people and develop more cooperative 

relations between the two countries. In 

this way, our cultural diplomacy efforts 

could contribute to tangible and 

practical results. ■ 

(Source: Korea Foundation Newsletter) 

Pensive 

Bodhisattva 

National Treasure No. 78 

This sixth-century gilt piece represents the 

popular style of Buddhist statues during 

the Three Kingdoms era (57 B.C.-A.D.668). 

The statue, in a pensive pose, is claimed to 

have originated from Buddha’s posture 

that contemplates a human being’s life. 

Its enigmatic smile, natural pose, clothing 

and harmony among body parts 

distinguish itself from National Treasure 

No. 83, another masterpiece that has the 

same posture. 

The piece has a tall crown decorated with 

shapes of the sun and moon, which 

scholars believe were influenced by 

contemporary Persian culture. 

Because of its focus on harmony, 

historians believe that it originated from 

the Baekje Dynasty (18 B.C.-A.D.660). ■ 

Photo courtesy of the National Museum of Korea 



CHUSEOK 

Time for 

Celebration and 

Sharing 


STAFF WRITER 

A family in their hometown for Chuseok 


Every autumn, the nation witnesses 

an exodus of people leaving 

Seoul to celebrate the most 

important holiday of the year, 

Chuseok. Largely known as “Korean 

Thanksgiving Day,” this year’s holiday 

falls on Sept. 14. 

Chuseok is not only a time to celebrate 

the harvest and remember one’s 

ancestors, but it is also a time to remember 

where one comes from and to 

share good times with family members 

and neighbors. Koreans, therefore, 

prepare a lot of good food to 

treat their family, neighbors and visiting 

friends. 

The holiday is thought to have 

originated from the practice of “gabe” 

during the Silla Dynasty (57 B.C.-A.D. 

935). On gabe, which was Aug. 15 by 

the lunar calendar, two teams of court 

ladies participated in a looming competition, 

and the losing team would 

have to throw a celebratory party for 

the winning team with food, drink, 

dancing and music. From this practice 

“hangawi” was born, a name which 

also refers to Chuseok. 

Traditionally, families hold 

“charye” in the morning of Chuseok, a 

memorial service for deceased family 

members and ancestors with newly 

Korean children dressed in hanbok on Chuseok 



A family visits the grave of a relative 


Expats Join 

CHUSEOK 

The exodus of people from Seoul to regional 

provinces (top). A family on a train heading to 

their hometown 

Chuseok 

Celebration 


harvested food and fruit. After charye, 

they visit their ancestors’ graves, a 

practice called “seongmyo.” 

Along with these two key traditions, 

traditional games are also popular, 

such as tug-of-war and “ssireum,” 

which is Korean-style wrestling. In the 

southern province of Jeolla-do, young 

women play “ganggang suweollae,” a 

whirling dance around a campfire under 

the full moon. 

On the night of Chuseok, people 

gather under the full moon, which is 

usually the biggest of the year, and 

wish for good luck and happiness for 

family and friends. 

Among the many special Chuseok 

dishes, “songpyeon” best represents 

the holiday. Songpyeon are crescentshaped 

rice cakes made with honey, 

walnuts, sesame, beans and pine needles. 

On the eve of Chuseok, families 

make songpyeon together. It is believed 

that those who make pretty 

songpyeon will have a pretty daughter. 

These days, many people prefer 

staying in the big city and spending 

the holiday catching up with their 

friends or relaxing at home. And some 

take this opportunity to go overseas 

for an extended summer vacation. 

Whether it is a trip to one’s hometown 

or abroad, booking a ticket well in advance 

is very important. ■ 

Korea is home to some 1 million migrant workers. Foreign communities will 

also join the Chuseok celebration and take this opportunity to learn more 

about Korean culture and traditions. 

Many migrant workers hold their own parties and celebrations with delicacies 

from their own country and specially prepared Korean food. They also participate 

in many events, such as the immigrants’ singing competition and talent shows 

Expats play a traditional Korean game called “yut” 

(Continued on Page 32) 



CHUSEOK 


Children of expats make 

songpyeon for Chuseok 

Culinary Tradition 

Hangwa 

BY MOON YOUNG-DOO 

CONTRIBUTING WRITER 

Hangwa is the term for traditional 

Korean sweets and cookies, 

appreciated for their decorative 

colors, patterns and pleasing taste. The 

common ingredients in hangwa are 

grain flour, honey, sugar, fruit or edible 

roots. 

It is often served with traditional 

beverages as an elegant dessert. 

Beautifully packaged baskets or boxes 

of hangwa make excellent gifts, especially 

appropriate for the elderly. One 

can find these confections at traditional 

cake and sweets shops, or in 

special sections of department stores. 

There are different kinds of hangwa: 

gangjeong, yugwa, yakgwa and 

dashik. 

Expats make rice cakes in 

the old-fashioned way in 

central Seoul 

that are nationally broadcast. 

Many outdoor activities are also held at museums and folk villages for the 

most important holiday of the year. At Namsan Folk Village in Seoul, they can 

participate in archery, javelin and shuttlecock kicking. They can also make rice 

cakes the old-fashioned way. ■ 



Yonhap 

CULTURE 

Korean Dramas 

Carve a Niche 

in Japan 

BY KATHLEEN MORIKAWA 

Korean Wave star Ryu Shi-won during a concert in Tokyo on Aug. 19 to 21 

Gangjeong: Light and 

fluffy, made from glutinous 

rice and honey. Deepfried 

and coated with 

popped rice, cinnamon, 

sesame seeds, etc. 

Yugwa: Glutinous rice 

cookie made by frying and 

kneading. 

Yakgwa: Soft cookie made 

from wheat flour dough 

mixed with honey, rice 

wine and sesame oil. The 

dough is cut into a flower 

pattern, then fried and 

marinated in honey before 

serving. 

Dashik: A tea snack. It is 

made by kneading rice 

flour, honey and various 

types of flour from nuts, 

herbs, sesame or jujube. 

The dough is pounded and 

cut with various pattern 

molds. 

Photos by Moon Young-doo 

The full force of the Korean Wave 

hit Japan in 2004. Four years 

later, the phenomenon known 

here as “Hallyu” has succeeded in creating 

a comfortable niche for itself in 

the Japanese TV and music world. 

In November, 2004, the initial 

frenzy clogged Narita Airport, as thousands 

of Bae Yong-joon fans flocked 

to welcome him to Japan, and ten people 

were injured as the crowd outside 

his Tokyo hotel scrambled to get a 

peek at him. Today, the Hallyu boom 

has evolved into a calmer, sustained 

and widespread interest in Korean pop 

culture that has increased the Japanese 

public’s desire to better understand the 

customs, lifestyle and cuisine of their 

closest neighbor. 

Of course, not everyone has rushed 

to ride the Korean Wave, but it has succeeded 

in widening the perceptions and 

perspectives of many. Here on the 

northern island of Hokkaido, where 

Korean TV dramas are especially popular, 

signs of the Hallyu presence are 

everywhere. Ladies gently shepherd 

each other out of the way to get at the 

wide array of Hallyu magazines at the 

local bookstore, and TV commercials remind 

us that the new “Winter Sonata II” 

and “Spring Waltz” pachinko (pinball) 

machines will be out soon. At the local 

music store, a large box containing a 30- 

centimeter Kwon Sang-woo doll decked 

out in the priestly robes he wore in the 

movie “Love So Divine” is propped up 

against shelves full of Korean drama 

theme music collectors’ boxes and DVDs 

from John-Hoon and Rain. 

In Hokkaido, five to six Korean TV 

series are shown each week on terrestrial 

(free-to-air) TV, mostly on weekday 

mornings and mostly without 

Japanese dubbing. Not only have 

many Japanese TV viewers discovered 

they love Korean dramas, but they 

have found that they are just as happy 

watching them in the vernacular with 

subtitles. That would have been utterly 

unimaginable even a few years ago 

— an indication of the amazing effect 

the Hallyu boom has had. Add in the 

plethora of dramas offered on Japan’s 

dozens of satellite TV channels, and 

those of us who have never been to 

Korea could easily spend every day 

there vicariously, if we liked. 

Nor is the exchange all one way. 

While Japanese TV tourists flock to 

Seoul, several Korean dramas have featured 

Hokkaido locales. This February 

and March, director Kim Jin-min was 

in the port town of Otaru filming a new 

TV drama starring Lee Dong-wook and 

Oh Yeon-su that has aired on MBC 

from May. Otaru is hoping it will be 

good for local tourism, too. 

The big question, of course, is just 

why has the Hallyu boom been so successful? 

Mutual profit, timing and 

quality seem to be the answers. The en- 



tertainment industries in both countries 

quickly recognized the lucrative 

potential of the pop culture exchanges, 

and have actively promoted them. It 

would be difficult to even try to estimate 

the reverberating economic impact 

of all the Hallyu spin-off industries, 

from publications and tourism to 

language study and licensing. 

The cross-cultural entertainment 

world influences are now so great, it’s 

hard to imagine that this all took off 

just four years ago with one memorable 

TV drama — “Winter Sonata,” 

starring Bae Yong-joon and Choi Jiwoo. 

NHK, the national public broadcaster, 

decided to try it Saturdays at 

11:10 p.m. in a time slot usually reserved 

for U.S. and British fare. Like all 

the Korean dramas shown on NHK 

since, it was broadcast with Japanese 

voiceovers. Japanese TV viewers, especially 

middle-aged women, quickly 

were carried away by the sensitive love 

story. Soon, glasses and wool scarves 

were fashion statements. Yonsama, as 

he affectionately became known, was 

being carved in ice at the Sapporo 

Snow Festival, and tours to the filming 

locations became all the rage. NHK 

quickly followed up with “Beautiful 

Days,” “All In,” “Spring Waltz,” and 

the historical dramas “Damo” and the 

very popular “Daejanggum,” which 

NHK also later ran in animated form 

for the kids. Asian dramas have occupied 

the Saturday 11 p.m. time slot 

ever since. Those desperate for “Desperate 

Housewives” or “ER” now have 

to wait until 1 a.m. As an added bonus 

for those who stay up even later, 

“Himawari” with Lee Byung-hun airs 

at 1:50 a.m. 

A Hallyu Cinema Festival featuring 

14 films, mostly starring actors who are 

familiar to Japanese TV fans, is running 

again this year in Tokyo and Osaka 

from March to May. The spring 2008 

travel brochures advertising Korean 

destinations are offering tickets to the 

popular musicals “Nanta (Cooking)” 

and “Jump,” besides promoting all-in 

sights Jeju, “Daejanggum” locales and 

dining experiences and, for the diehard 

Bae Yong-joon fans, a Yonsama 

“mo ichido” (once again) tour that 

even includes his college campus. JTB 

also sponsored special tours to the 

open sets used in “Jumong” in 

February and March. And the list of 

Korean actors and musicians coming 

to Japan for concert tours, fan meetings, 

dinner shows or to release albums 

here grows longer by the day. 

March promises Big Bang concerts 

and the release of the first “SG Wanna 

Be + Japan” album. 

With all the dramas and information 

now available, Japanese Hallyu 

enthusiasts are becoming increasingly 

knowledgeable. The latest directory of 

Korean stars includes the profiles of 

780 actors, directors and scriptwriters. 

Truly dedicated Hallyu fans can even 

test themselves on how much trivia 

they have amassed. 

“Kentei” (proficiency tests) in all 

sorts of subjects, from languages to local 

history, are popular in Japan, and 

the first introductory-level “Hallyu 

kentei” (a project done in conjunction 

with JTB) is currently underway. 

Those who pay for and successfully 

complete the test on-line will receive 

certificates of proficiency and be eligible 

for special TV tours to Korea. 

Those who think they have watched 

enough Korean dramas to qualify may 

want to try the mini-test at 

http://www.k-x.jp. 

Few fans take their fascination to 

this level, but even occasional and casual 

TV viewers will recognize the 

names of the stars of those first few 

NHK series — Bae Yong-joon, Choi Jiwoo, 

Lee Byung-hun, Ryu Shi-won and 

Lee Young-ae — and their works — 

“Winter Sonata,” “Daejanggum,” 

“Stairway to Heaven,” “Beautiful 

Days,” and “Hotelier” — which top a list 

of the most popular Korean dramas in 

Japan, according to a survey done in 

2007 by the TV Asahi program 

SMAStation of 1,600 Japanese, mainly 

women in their 30s. 

Even Japanese TV scripts have begun 

to recognize the Hallyu presence as 

a part of the modern 21st century 

Japanese lifestyle. In the recent 

Japanese TV series “Hatachi no 

Koibito,” the heroine’s colleague is a 

devoted Lee Byung-hun fan who reads 

Hallyu magazines on her breaks, and 

rushes off from work to attend his fan 

meetings. 

This brings us to the second important 

aspect of the Hallyu success: the 

timing was right. Had the Korean 

Wave arrived five or 10 years sooner, 

when Japan’s own TV dramas were at 

their peak and bringing in average ratings 

of over 30 percent, the Hallyu 

boom might have faced a more difficult 

challenge. But, for the last few 

years, Japanese dramas have been 

weathering a considerable slump. Only 

dramas starring SMAP’s Takuya 

Kimura have been consistently capable 

of climbing up over the 30 percent 

mark in the new century. Irritating or 

inconclusive endings, predictable dialogue 

and a trend away from serious 

romances have discouraged viewers, 

and created a vacuum that the quality 

Korean products have very conveniently 

filled. Serious drama fans have 

taken refuge in the parallel Hallyu 

world with its overall high quality, 

straightforward and sincere style, freer 

expression of emotions and romantic 

leading men. 

Hallyu dramas might even be able 

to help enliven the Japanese prime time 

lineup, now heavy with variety shows 

and trivia quizzes, if given a chance, 

but foreign TV series have been unable 

to significantly break through into the 

8-11 p.m. market. Since 1990, I can recall 

only one foreign drama that was 

able to crack that barrier to be welcomed 

into the Japanese prime time 

schedule — “The X Files” in 1995. 

Still, the Hallyu phenomenon has 

become secure enough in its niche that 

it has been able to make some dents in 

the barrier in two ways: Japanese remakes 

of Korean hits, and appearances 

by Korean stars in Japanese dramas. In 

2006, Tokyo’s Tomoya Nagase starred 

in a successful remake of “My Boss, 

My Hero,” a Korean comedy about a 

gangster who goes back to high school 

which was among the top ten-rated 

Japanese TV dramas that year. A 

Japanese remake of “Hotelier” was less 

successful, even though it featured a 

cameo guest appearance by Bae Yongjoon. 

SMAP’s Tsuyoshi Kusanagi and 

actress Reina Tanaka will appear in 

“Ryokiteki na Kanojo,” a remake of the 

2001 hit Korean movie “My Sassy 

Girl” beginning in April, 2008. 

While Hallyu fans in Japan might 

idolize the Korean stars, and rush to their 

fan club meetings, what they are really 

buying is the whole Korean drama package 

— the excellent camera work, the 

passion, the direction, the perkier dialogue 

and plots, the detail regarding 

fashion, and the beautiful background 

music that make them a distinctly 

Korean commodity. Thus, Korean stars 

might want to think twice before accepting 

roles in Japanese series. 

Korean actors who want to try 

their hand at Japanese dramas may 

find it educational, but it is also a career 

choice fraught with peril. 

Although Ryu Shi-won’s week-long 

guest appearance on the 2007 NHK 

morning serial “DonDon Hare” significantly 

helped spike ratings for that series, 

just look at what he faced in one 

romantic scene with Yukie Nakama in 

“Joshi Deka:” In the scene where she is 

so distraught that she hasn’t eaten all 

day, what does the script call for — a 

kiss, a hug, empathy, sympathy? Not 

even some concerned and caring 

Korean drama-style wrist yanking 

(which makes one wonder if repetitive 

strain injury is an occupational hazard 

for Korean actresses who have to rehearse 

scenes like that all day). 

No, Ryu Shi-won has to tell her to 

close her eyes. Then he leans over and 

pinches her nose while shoving a 

morsel of food into her mouth. 

Ridiculously unromantic and a waste of 

his talents. And the Japanese networks 

wonder why their drama ratings are 

plummeting, while the public craves serious 

romances. As long as Korean dramas 

continue to fill this void, the 

Hallyu boom should continue to be a 

lucrative niche industry in Japan. 

For now, it looks like the Hallyu 

TV boom is here to stay and will continue 

to bring the peninsula and the 

archipelago closer together through 

couch-potato diplomacy. ■ 

(Photos courtesy of 

Korean Cultural Center in Tokyo) 

Kathleen Morikawa, author of “The Couch 

Potato’s Guide to Japan: Inside the World of 

Japanese TV,” is a columnist for the Daily 

Yomiuri. – Ed. 

(From top) Japanese housewives make kimchi at the Korean Cultural Center in Tokyo. People learn how to 

play a Korean wooden flute, danso, in Tokyo 



CULTURE 

Foreign Firms Turn to Korean Culture 


STAFF WRITER 

GM Daewoo CEO Michael Grimaldi shows off his skills on the gayageum, a traditional Korean musical instrument on New Year’s Day 2008 

GM Daewoo 

HSBC Korea 

In May, the Seoul Metropolitan 

Government hosted the 2008 Seoul 

Traditional Artist Awards. Not many 

people, however, are aware that the 

sponsors of this event are from foreign 

lands. Whether it is in traditional music 

or art, foreign firms are now active 

followers of Korean culture. 

The project was initiated in 2007, 

in a bid to preserve and develop intangible 

cultural assets, which are in danger 

of extinction because of the dominance 

of pop culture, according to the 

Europe-Korea Foundation (EKF), an 

umbrella organization of the European 

Union Chamber of Commerce in 

Korea. Along with EKF, HSBC Korea 

and Maxxium Korea are the main 

sponsors of this event. 

This year, HSBC Korea supported 

six intangible cultural assets. And other 

EKF members, Boehringer- 

Ingelheim, a German pharmaceutical 

company, and Maxxium Korea, the 

distributor of Macallan whisky, supported 

one artist each. 

This year, a straw artist, a cabinetmaker, 

a pansori singer, a royal chef, a 

folk painter and a performer won 

awards. HSBC Korea presented the 

winners 5 million won ($5,000) each 

to support their activities and encourage 

the promotion of their artwork. 

Following the awards, their works 

were exhibited in the bank’s gallery 

and lobby for a month. 

“I hope this event can bring 

Korea’s traditional culture closer to 

more firms and the public,” said 

Simon Cooper, CEO of HSBC Korea. 

The bank said this will not only 

help realize the bank’s motto, “the 

world’s local bank,” but will also enable 

the bank to assimilate with the local 

community. 

“We knew that Korea’s traditional 

art circle was lacking in budget and 

sponsorships, and supporting it was a 

good way of showing what we stand 

for and what we believe in,” said Jung 

Last year HSBC set up a Christmas tree 

adorned with beoseon, traditional 

Korean sock 



CULTURE 

Toyota Motor Korea 

GM Daewoo 

Toyota Motor Korea President & CEO Taizo Chigira performs a traditional Korean ceremony to wish for the success of his firm 

Children from poor take a traditional pottery class with GM Daewoo officials 

Im-hyun, the bank’s assistant vice 

president. 

The bank celebrated last Christmas 

with a Christmas tree featuring Korea’s 

traditional sock, beoseon, instead of 

western socks. The bank’s culturefriendly 

strategy received warm responses 

from employers as well as 

customers. 

“Our employers are proud that the 

foreign bank cares about Korea’s culture. 

We think we have set an example 

for other foreign firms and banks to 

follow suit,” Jung said. 

Korea’s traditional music is another 

area in which foreign firms are actively 

engaged. 

Renault Samsung Motors Co., the 

French automaker Renault SA’s 

Korean joint venture, holds an annual 

music contest dedicated to traditional 

Korean music in collaboration with 

the National Theater. 

The 4th Korean Song Contest, held 

in August 2007, was attended by more 

than 1,500 people and 11 participating 

groups. The participants were encouraged 

to show off their musical skills, 

which combine Korea’s traditional 

music and various western genres 

ranging from rock to hip-hop. 

The winning team won 10 million 

won ($10,000). A total of 20 million 

won were at stake in this competition. 

Cho Young-don, Renault Samsung’s 

vice president, said the contest is laying 

the groundwork in developing and 

preserving Korea’s traditional music. 

“We think what’s most Korean is 

what’s most global. I think this annual 

festival provides a place to celebrate 

and enjoy our own music,” he said. 

This year’s contest is scheduled for 

Nov. 4 at the National Theater. 

The company is also keen on celebrating 

the nation’s traditional holidays. 

Every February, Renault 

Samsung hosts a festival celebrating 

“Daeboreum,” the first full moon of 

the lunar year. 

Held for the fifth time, this year’s 

event took place in Busan and Seoul’s 

main cultural venues. During the event, 

the company also donated scholarships 

to underprivileged children. 

Renault Samsung’s focus on 

Korean culture has paid off. It is now 

the nation’s fourth-largest automaker 

and one of the most favored auto 

brands among Koreans. 

Korean culture is a good medium 

for managers to communicate and 

mingle with employers, who are mostly 

Korean. 

“We sponsor these cultural activities 

and give back to the local community. 

By doing so, we have become a 

company that workers like to work at 

and local citizens are proud of,” the 

vice president said. 

Jinro Ballantines, the Korean 

branch of French-based Pernod 

Ricard, is the sponsor of Kukak 

National Middle and High School. It is 

a school that focuses on fostering the 

Korean traditional music of “Gukak.” 

The “Imperial Scholarship,” 

launched in 2002, supports students 

with exceptional talent in traditional 

Korean music. Along with the scholarships, 

which amount to some 200 million 

won ($200,000) a year, 12 students 

last year were given a chance to 

go on a music tour to the Czech 

Republic, Germany and Austria. 

“It is important that the students 

experience different music and get a 

chance to compare and learn about it. 

We believe these programs stimulate 

and motivate the students,” said Yoo 

Ho-sung, the company’s public relations 

manager. 

The company also sponsors the 

National Center for Korean Folk 

Performing Arts and the National 

Center for Korean Namdo Performing 

Arts. The two organizations hold annual 

performances in the suburban areas 

of Jeollanam-do, which is considered 

to be the home of traditional 

Korean music. 

Meantime, companies like GM 

Daewoo have sponsored Korea’s contemporary 

art scene. GM Daewoo, 

General Motors Corp.’s Korean unit, 

has supported the Korea Musical 

Awards and the University Musical 

Awards. 

These awards acknowledge the 

musicals composed and performed by 

Koreans. The company has also sponsored 

theaters and productions of creative 

musicals, which often lack proper 

funding. 

“Supporting creative musicals is in 

line with our corporate image of innovation. 

And we have limited the sponsorships 

to only Korean productions, 

so that the necessary funding can be 

used to raise Korea’s culture industry,” 

said Yoo Seung-hwan, a spokesperson 

of the company. 

GM Daewoo also operates an online 

website called “Passion of the 

Musical” dedicated to Korea’s creative 

musical. 

GM Daewoo CEO Michael Grimaldi 

has shown much interest toward 

Korean culture since he was appointed 

to the current position in 2006. This 

year, he wore a “hanbok” to spread the 

season’s greetings and showed off his 

skills on the “gayageum,” a Korean 

stringed instrument. 

“He (Grimaldi) shows a lot of affection 

toward Korean culture and tradition, 

and I think that’s how the company, 

even though most of the managers 

are from overseas, can grow into 

being a major automotive company 

here. I think the employees also appreciate 

that the managerial team tries to 

learn and understand our culture,” GM 

Daewoo’s Yoo said. ■ 



CULTURE 

Korea’s UNESCO Heritage Sites (7) 

Gyeongju Historic Areas 


STAFF WRITER 

Gyeongju is one of the places that 

best preserves the traditional 

side of modern Korea. The 

Gyeongju Historic Areas encompass 

ruins and cultural artifacts of royal 

families and Buddhist culture during 

the Silla Dynasty (57 B.C.-A.D. 935). 

Because of their historical significance, 

they were designated as a World 

Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2000. 

The areas can largely be divided 

into five parts, depending on the nature 

of the clustered ruins. The Mount 

Namsan Belt presents artifacts related 

to the prehistoric and Silla’s Buddhist 

eras. Buddhism was introduced in 

Korea during the fourth century and 

during the sixth century in Silla. Over 

120 temples and 60 pagodas are found 

in Mount Namsan. The various images 

carved into the rocks show the 

progress and maturation of Silla’s 

Buddhism and its artistry. 

The Tumuli Park Belt has three 

groups of royal tombs, most of which 

are shaped like mounds or domes. The 

Wolseong Belt has preserved the ruins 

of the royal house during the Silla 

Dynasty. Walking through Gyerim 

forest, the pavilions in Anapji Pond, 

Banwolseong Fortress and Cheomseongdae 

Observatory bring the 

1,000-year-old capital back to life. 

The Hwangnyongsa Belt has the ruins 

of the once great Hwangnyongsa 

Temple. Hwangnyongsa was the largest 

temple in Korea and covered an area of 

72,500m 2 . However, it was burned to 

the ground during the Mongolian invasion 

in 1238. About 40,000 historical 

artifacts have been discovered at the 

site, providing precious information 

about Silla’s culture. 

Also found in the area is 

Bunhwangsa Temple, which was once 

one of the most important temples in 

the history of Silla’s Buddhism. After 

several foreign invasions, all that is 

left is now a three-story stone pagoda, 

stone statues and a temple. 

The Sanseong Belt occupies 

Myeonghwal Fortress, which is believed 

to have been built in the fifth 

century. The fortress shows Silla’s advanced 

skills in architecture, which 

later influenced the Japanese. 

More information can be found at 

Gyeongju City Hall’s multilingual 

website www.gyeongju.go.kr. ■ 

(Photos courtesy of Gyeongju City Hall) 

How to get there 

Gyeongju is located in 

Gyeongsangnam-do province. 

It can be reached via KTX, 

the Saemaeul train and the 

express bus from Seoul and 

other major cities. 

If driving, take Gyeongbu 

(Seoul-Busan) Expressway and 

exit on the Gyeongju interchange 

after passing Daegu. 

The tombstone of King Taejong Mooyeol 

Cheomseongdae, the oldest observatory in east Asia 

The brick pagoda at Bunhwangsa Temple 

Chilburam Buddhist relics on Mt. Namsan 



CULTURE 

Wonju Hanji Festival 

Hanji, often translated as Korean 

traditional paper, is more than 

just something to scribble on. 

Made from “dagnamu” or paper mulberry 

bark, it was not only for holding 

the written word. It was also an indispensable 

part of everyday life in Korea 

used for making household items, 

kitchen utensils and decorations for 

festivals. Such decorations can still be 

seen in the form of artificial flowers 

and paper lanterns at Buddhist festivals. 

Hanji is made in three practical 

forms. The multi-layered form is sturdy 

enough to be made into 

wardrobes, cabinets, trunks and needle 

boxes; the paper clay form made 

of scraps of paper soaked in water 

and crushed and mixed with glue is 

used for making lids for bowls and 

scooping bowls; and paper cords are 

woven to make baskets, mesh bags, 

jars, trays and mats. Another surprising 

usage of hanji could be found in 

its facilitation as an inner-armor for 

protection from the cold and the 

piercing of swords and arrows. 

Back in 1985 the Korea Promotion 

Industry Agency concluded that wellpreserved 

hanji paper could last for 

700 years. Also in the same year the 

Venerable Yeongdam of Unmunsa 

Buddhist Temple succeeded in reviving 

seven or eight kinds of traditional 

hanji whose techniques of manufacture 

were considered lost. 

The Ven. Yeongdam came to revive 

the mulberry paper in Wonju of the 

same quality as that used in the making 

of “The Record of a Journey to the Five 

Indian Kingdoms,” written in A.D.727, 

and “The Essentials of a Buddhist 

Sermon” in 1377, two books currently 

kept by the National Library of France. 

Wonju Hanji House was founded in 

2002 and is run by the Hanji 

Development Institute in the National 

Park of Chiaksan. It is one of the major 

preservers of hanji craft in Korea, dis- 

Korean 

Traditional Paper 

Relives 

Its Glory Days 

BY KIM HEE-SUNG 


Hanji hanbok Hanji lanterns A hanji master demonstrates how 

Korean traditional paper is made 

Jeans made of hanji textile 

playing over 150 kinds of everyday 

products made of hanji materials from 

writing tools, neckties, wallets, socks, 

handkerchiefs and other various forms 

of paper craft. Some 15 percent of the 

buyers are from overseas. 

“Hanji is soft in texture, flexible, 

sturdy and allows air circulation. As a 

paper it absorbs ink fast, as a covering 

material, it blocks out sounds and vibration 

and maintains room temperature. 

It definitely has potential to make 

it abroad,” said Kim Jin-hee, executive 

officer of the institute. 

Hanji House also offers learning 

programs for both locals and tourists 

in various age groups. People will be 

able to test their skills in making a 

fruit tray, teacup holder, pencil box 

and pendant out of hanji. Lately it has 

opened additional classes for migrant 

women who wish to learn more than 

just how to speak Korean. 

How do you make clothes out of 

paper? Basically you cut hanji into 

thin pieces to make a thread to weave 

it into a cloth. Hanji textile to be made 

into a suit is composed of 35 percent 

hanji, 35 percent wool and the rest 

silk. Undergarments would be composed 

of 50 percent hanji and 50 percent 

cotton. Socks require 70 percent 

hanji and 30 percent polyester. 

It was in 2005 that hanji cloth first 

gained attention with a man’s jacket 

and necktie by P&S Korea Co. Ltd. 

Hanji jeans appeared the following 

year at the 2007 Hanji Festival. 

Despite comments that it is less soft in 

texture than average cloth and jeans 

are somewhat vulnerable to damage 

through washing, people also recognized 

its potential for its high antigerm 

and quick drying properties. The 

company, renaming itself papytex, 

expanded their products from there. 

Meanwhile, the Hanji Development 

Institute has chosen “MULBERRY” as 

its brand name for international patents 

and plans to develop over 300 hanji 

textile products covering a wide range 

of products, including doctors’ gowns 

and diapers starting from this year. 

In 2005 and 2006 the Hanji 

Development Institute held a grand 

show in Paris — a Hanji Cultural 

Festival that stressed the superior 

quality of hanji from Wonju made 

through delicate efforts of manual labor. 

The institute is also receiving calls 

from Germany and other countries in 

Europe after its successful debut in 

France. Hanji is also invited to an upcoming 

paper festival in Japan this 

coming October and 12 of its artifacts 

are also on permanent display at 

Korea House in Bangkok, Thailand. 

With the growing popularity of 

hanji, other provinces are also on the 

move to revive the traditional industry. 

Lately, Gyeongsangbuk-do, which 

grows the most number of mulberry 

trees in Korea and has a history of 

producing hanji since Silla Kingdoms, 

announced it would join the production 

of hanji. Another famous area to 

rival Wonju is Jeonju, also a leading 

site of hanji production, with its own 

annual festival every spring. 

In the meantime the institute is 

looking forward to the construction of 

the nation’s first hanji theme park, 

currently under construction. The 

theme park will be a two-story building 

with a basement equipped with 

display room, experience room, workroom, 

cafeteria, outdoor stage and 

square, and is expected to be completed 

by June 2009. The park will provide 

a full overview of the making of hanji 

from cultivation to processing. 

To better experience Wonju hanji, 

visit the Hanji House or even better, 

join the Wonju Hanji Festival — the 

biggest festival of its kind — which will 

celebrate its 10th year this year with 

paper dolls, flowers and wedding dresses 

from Sept. 24 to 28. For more information, 

visit the festival’s official website 

at www.wjhanji.co.kr/festival/. ■ 



CULTURE 

Yonhap 

Visual Stylist 

Director Kim Jee-woon 

BY LEE JI-YOON 

STAFF WRITER 

‘Kimchi Western’ Debuts to 

Great Interest 

BY HAN ARAN 


The much-awaited Korean movie 

“The Good, The Bad, The Weird” 

based on a spaghetti Western 

and nicknamed a “Kimchi Western” 

after the nation’s signature spicy national 

dish, has become the hottest 

pick of local theatergoers here but 

viewers overseas seem to want to get a 

taste of it as well. 

The film was directed by Kim Jeewoon 

and inspired by Sergio Leone’s 

spaghetti Western “The Good, The 

Bad, The Ugly,” the classic 1966 film 

starring Clint Eastwood. 

The story line follows three Korean 

men and their entanglement with the 

Japanese army, Chinese and Russian 

bandits, accompanied by many exciting 

action scenes set in Manchuria in 

the 1930s. 

The movie was screened in the gala 

section at the Cannes film festival this 

year and it is reported to have received 

a standing ovation. 

Derek Elley, a writer for the entertainment 

news magazine Variety, said 

in a review: “A Kimchi Western that 

draws shamelessly on its spaghetti 

forebears (Italo-Western) but remains 

utterly, bracingly Korean.” 

The poster for “The Good, The Bad, The Weird” 

And as if reflecting the good reviews, 

the movie has been garnering 

interest from foreign countries even 

before hitting local theaters. 

The distributor of the film, CJ 

Entertainment, announced a deal with 

the New York-based Independent Film 

Channel on July 15 to distribute “The 

Good, The Bad, The Weird” in five major 

U.S. cities including New York, Los 

Angeles and Chicago next year. 

The release is slated for the first half 

of 2009 and will start off with the five 

biggest markets for a total of between 

fifty and a hundred screens nationwide. 

(From top) Jung Woo-sung, Lee Byung-hun, Song 

Kang-ho in scenes from the movie 

The United States is not the only 

country that will show the film. “The 

Good, The Bad, The Weird” is also being 

exported to 11 other countries 

such as the United Kingdom, France, 

China, Singapore and more. 

The movie stars three of Korea’s 

most endearing actors: Jung Woosung, 

Song Kang-ho and Lee Byunghun, 

and has broken all domestic 

records in terms of budget and number 

of takes for shoots. 

Set in the 1930s when Korea was 

under Japanese colonial rule (1910-45) 

and a network of independence fighters 

were stationed outside of the country, 

the movie tells a story of three 

“good, bad and weird” guys on a wildly 

exhilarating cross-desert chase, 

while local Manchurian tribesmen and 

Japanese soldiers complicate things. ■ 

The ticket sales of “The Good, The 

Bad, The Weird” surpassed the 6-million 

mark at the domestic box office 

on Aug. 10, emerging as the most 

successful Korean film in the first 

quarter of this year. 

Director Kim Jee-woon is behind 

the strong performance from the starstudded 

cast and $17 million budget. 

Born in 1964, Kim studied dramatics 

at the Seoul Institute of the Art. But 

he quit the school early and learned 

theater acting, following his older sister 

Kim Jee-sook, a veteran actress. 

He appeared on stage and also directed 

some plays, experiencing the 

real theatrical world. 

In 1998 he made his debut as a filmmaker 

after his scenario for the film 

“The Quiet Family” won a prize. In the 

same year, the black comedy about a 

strange family involved in serial killings 

was invited to three leading international 

fantastic film festivals including 

Portugal’s Fantasporto, Spain’s Sitges 

Film Festival and Brussels International 

Fantastic Festival. 

Then he directed “The Foul King 

(1999),” a drama featuring a salary 

man dreaming to be a professional 

wrestler, and participated in a Korea- 

Hong Kong-Thailand joint project producing 

an omnibus film titled 

“Memories” in 2002. 

In 2003 he succeeded in satisfying 

both moviegoers and critics with the 

horror movie “A Tale of Two Sisters.” 

The movie sold over 3 million tickets 

at the domestic box office. The 

Hollywood remake of the movie, 

whose English title is “The Uninvited 

— A Tale of Two Sisters,” is scheduled 

to be released in the United 

States next year. 

In 2005, the Cannes Film Festival finally 

invited him and his film “The 

Bittersweet Life,” which is considered 

to be the greatest honor given to a talented 

filmmaker. 

For actor Song Kang-ho, who is 

well-known for his roles in Park Chanwook’s 

“Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance” 

and Bong June-ho’s “Memories of 

Murder,” this is the third time to work 

with director Kim after “The Quiet 

Family” and “The Foul King.” 

“Director Kim has a unique art 

world. He makes his own version in 

whatever genres he takes. Because 

he always makes me expect something 

different, I have wanted to work 

with him again,” Song said at a news 

conference for the latest “The Good, 

The Bad, The Weird.” ■ 



TRAVEL 

Korean Air 

Enjoy Korean Cuisine 

above the Clouds 


STAFF WRITER 

A first-class passenger is served Korean meal 

Korean Air 

Korean Air’s bibimbab meal 

Tourists point out Korea’s tasty local food is one 

of the main reasons why they choose to visit 

here. To meet passengers’ expectations, domestic 

and international air carriers are offering healthy 

Korean food in the air. 

Knowing that passengers fly in a small space for 

a long period of time, in-flight meals consist of ingredients 

low in calories that are easy to digest. Wellknown 

for its healthy ingredients, Korean cuisine satisfies 

both taste and nutrition. 

First introduced in 1997 by Korean Air, bibimbab, 

or rice with assorted vegetables, has become the most 

widely provided Korean dish as an in-flight meal. 

Various vegetables included in bibimbab help digestion 

and provide vitamins. 

Korean Air’s spicy Korean noodles, called 

“bibimguksoo” in Korean, are also favored for con- 

taining only 450 calories. A special process, which is 

developed by the company’s own research laboratory 

for air catering, keeps the noodles from swelling despite 

the long flight. Korean Air has been recognized 

twice by the prestigious Mercury Award for the usage 

of bibimguksoo and bibimbab. 

Another major Korean air carrier Asiana Airlines 

offers an opportunity for passengers to experience 

the royal cuisine, also well-known to foreign visitors 

through the Korean Wave drama “Daejanggeum,” or 

“Jewel in the Palace.” 

In cooperation with Han Bok-ryeo, the president 

of the Institute of Korean Royal Cuisine, a fourcourse 

meal, which is said to be consumed by ancient 

Korean kings, is served for first class passengers. 

Among the more than nine side dishes are grilled 

fish, grilled beef and seafood stew with abalone, scallop, 

sea cucumber roll. Of course, prior reservation is 

required. 

Business and economy class passengers can also 

enjoy various royal cuisine menu items such as tteokgalbi 

(grilled short rib meat patties) and agwijjim 

(spicy monkfish with soybean sprouts). Especially favored 

is the 2007 Mercury Award-winning ssambap, 

a Korean dish in which leaf vegetables are offered to 

wrap a piece of meat and boiled rice. Ssamjang, a 

special soybean paste, is accompanied, adding taste. 

In another effort to introduce Korean cuisine to 

foreign travelers, Asiana Airlines services traditional 

holiday foods each season. For New Year’s Day, 

tteokguk, a soup boiled with several thinly sliced rice 

cakes, is offered with traditional cookies and drinks, 

and for Chuseok, or Korean Thanksgiving Day, halfmoon-shaped 

rice cakes, called “songpyeon” in 

Korean, is provided as a dessert. 

Also, international air carriers prepare Korean 

food as an in-flight meal, aimed at both attracting local 

passengers and introducing Korean culture to foreign 

travelers. 

With the opening of the Seoul-Helsinki direct 

route in June, Finland’s flag carrier Finnair services 

more typical Korean food such as doenjangguk (soybean-paste 

soup) and miyeokguk (brown seaweed 

soup) along with bibimbab and kimchi. The company 

has employed Korean chefs residing in Helsinki for 

the development of the Korean menu. 

German airline Lufthansa introduces Korean cuisine 

such as galbi (grilled beef) and jeonbyeong 

(Korean pancakes enjoyed with various vegetables) 

and instant cup noodles are also popular. ■ 

(From top) Asiana Airlines’ nutritious juk, or Korean-style porridge, traditional 

snacks and the ssambab set 

Asiana Airlines 



TRAVEL 

A Trip to Namdo 

Jeollanam-do is an ideal place to travel during autumn, where nature’s beauty and 

culture are intertwined. If you wish to discover the beauty of Korea while savoring 

Korean cuisine, we suggest taking a trip to the following destinations. 

Travel Course You can tour this entire area within two days. If you leave Seoul early in the morning, you can arrive 

at Naganeupseong Fortress by lunch time and enjoy a festival in the afternoon. If you have made a reservation for a 

temple stay in advance, head to Songgwangsa Temple or stay in one of the traditional houses at Naganeupseong. On the 

next day, you can go to Boseong Tea Field, which is about an hour away, and if you leave by 2:00 p.m., you’ll be in Seoul 

in time for dinner. 

Day Two 7:30 Songgwangsa Temple 

Day One 11:20 Namdo Food Festival 

Day Two 11:50 Boseong Tea Field 

Day One 16:10 Naganeupseong Fortress Folk Village 

Every autumn, the celebration of southern cuisine takes 

place in Naganeupseong Fortress Folk Village in Suncheon, 

Jeollanam-do. People from 22 cities and counties of 

Jeollanam-do prepare their finest dishes and participate in 

competitions, making this festival a special event. The festival 

also provides wonderful opportunities for visitors to 

try foods from different regions in a single area. There are 

other traditional cultural events at the festival, such as 

making straw handicrafts, ceramics, and dyeing cloths. 

www.namdofood.or.kr 

About 100 straw-thatched roof houses rest in a scenic field 

of Suncheon, Jeollanam-do. Residents here thatch their 

roofs in an old-fashioned way, allowing you to view the architectural 

features of a traditional Korean village. 

www.nagan.or.kr 

Songgwangsa Temple is one of three major temples that 

represent the gems of Korean Buddhism — Buddha, Dharma 

and Sangha. The temple has produced many prominent 

monks and houses the greatest number of cultural properties 

among all temples in Korea. You can see these magnificent 

cultural properties in the temple’s museum. The temple 

food is also renowned for its beautiful pre-dawn ceremonial 

services, in which 200 monks begin bowing and 

chanting at 4:00 a.m. A temple stay program is also available 

for interested visitors. 

www.songgwangsa.org 

Boseong Tea Field is reputed as the most beautiful tea field 

in Korea. Lines of tea bushes cover the mountain side. 

Interestingly, the tea leaves do not lose their green hues 

even during winter. You can take walks between the bushes 

and enjoy green tea at a cafe nearby. 

www.boseong.go.kr 

(Source: Korea Tourism Organization) 

Korean Food Festivals 

Traditional Korean Drink and 

Rice Cake Festival 

This festival takes place between late March and 

early April in Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do. All sorts of 

Korean rice cakes and wines can be viewed and sampled. You 

can also learn how to make these delicious Korean rice cakes. 

www.sulddeok.gyeongju.go.kr 

Hadong Mountain Dew Tea Cultural Festival 

Around mid-May, Hadong hosts a festival for wild-grown 

tea. Hadong, which is located in Gyeongsangnam-do, is the 

largest wild-tea growing region in Korea. Special events include 

picking wild tealeaves, making and sampling high-quality teas. 

http://tour.hadong.go.kr 

Sunchang Gochujang Festival 

Sunchang in Jeollabuk-do is famous for its gochujang (red pepper 

paste) and holds an annual festival in early November to appreciate 

the essence of the ingredients of gochujang. Here, you can participate 

in making gochujang as well as other pastes, such as doenjang (soybean 

paste). 

www.sunchang.go.kr 

Geumsan Insam Festival 

The Geumsan Insam Festival takes place in 

Geumsan, Chungcheongnam-do around September. 

Geumsan is the largest producer of insam, or “Korean 

ginseng,” in Korea. Events include digging for insam, 

making insam dishes, and cutting up herbs. 

http://tour.geumsan.go.kr 



FOOD 

Ceramic Pots — Natural Preservers 

People visiting Korea’s countryside might be surprised to discover rows 

upon rows of large and small, brown earthenware pots situated on platforms. 

Spices and seasonings used to make Korean food are pickled and 

preserved in these pots, which include hangari and onggi (pots typically smaller 

than hangari). 

One factor that helps preserve the food or ingredients contained within is 

that the pots, despite the fluctuating temperatures of the seasons, tend to retain 

a constant temperature on the inside. This allows for the flavor of the seasonings, 

sauces and pickled foods to be retained for several years. 

While Korean housewives may add the devotion needed to make a dish 

complete, it would not be a stretch to say that these pots give birth to the very 

aromas and flavors found on Korean tables. 

1 Traditional soy sauce pots in Korea are 

usually very wide in the middle. The 

wider the pot is, the better it will retain 

the proper temperature inside the pot. 

2 Gochujang, or red pepper paste, is 

made annually and preserved in 

medium-sized pots. The medium-sized 

pots are placed in the front row or in 

the corner for convenient access. 

3 The taste of doenjang, or soybean 

paste, is enhanced by sunlight. In 

addition, sunlight also prevents 

doenjang from going moldy. Therefore, 

Koreans typically open the lid of the 

jar on sunny days. 

4 Hangari, or ceramic pots, are used to 

preserve kimchi, gochujang, and 

doenjang, which are made in 

accordance with the four seasons. The 

condiments used to make kimchi, such 

as salt and red pepper powder, are also 

stored in hangari. 

5 Since rice is a major staple of the 

Korean diet, these large-sized ceramic 

pots (sometimes called ssaldok, or rice 

pots) are used to store this essential 

grain. The pots prevent rice from 

decaying and being spoiled by insects. 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

Pot Arrangement 

and Functions 

Korean earthenware pots are typically 

lined up (with larger pots 

placed behind smaller ones for 

convenience) in two or three rows 

in well-ventilated areas with plenty 

of sunlight. This allows air and 

moisture to slowly seep through 

the walls of pots, which enhances 

the flavor of the food that is contained 

within. 

Over time, these pots have been 

known to help filter away toxins 

that are hazardous to humans. 

Having foods ferment inside pots 

for a long time ensures that the pot 

will retain the fresh quality of the 

food. 

Source: Korea Tourism Organization 



PEOPLE 

Yonhap 

Kang teaches junior ballerinas 

in a special class during her 

recent visit to Busan in August 

Prima Ballerina 

Kang Sue-jin 

Ballerina Kang Sue-jin 

Kang Sue-jin, a principal dancer 

of Germany’s Stuttgart Ballet, is 

probably the best-known 

Korean ballerina on the international 

dance scene. Kang has significantly 

contributed to raising the profile of the 

nation’s dance community globally. 

Born in 1967 in Seoul, Kang started 

to attend ballet classes at the age of 

13. She was considered too old for 

learning ballet when compared to other 

students who started learning ballet 

no older than eight. 

“I woke up at 4 a.m. and did my 

stretching and practiced ballet before 

going to school. I usually came back 

home late at night. It was really difficult 

for a 13-year-old girl who was already 

behind other girls who started 

ballet a few years earlier than me. But 

my daily practice nearly became my 

habit, which later made me overcome 

all those difficulties,” Kang said during 

a news conference, which was held last 

year to celebrate her 20th anniversary 

as a professional ballet dancer. 

Kang studied with Marika 

Besobrasova at the Academie de 

Danse classique in Monaco. In 1985, 

she became the first Asian to win the 

top prize in the Prix de Lausanne, and 

joined Stuttgart Ballet a year later. 

Appointed soloist in 1994 and then 

principal dancer in 1997, Kang was 

the first Korean dancer to achieve such 

high merits in the international ballet 

scene. As a member of the company, 

Kang made her debut as Juliet in 1993, 

a role that she still loves to play. 

Last year she also became the first 

Asian to be honored as “Kammertanzerin” 

(chamber dancer) by the German 

state government of Baden- 

Wurttemberg, a great honor often 

compared to being dubbed a knight in 

Britain. The title officially credits 

dancers and musicians, and is given 

annually in Germany and Austria only 

when there is a recipient worthy of 

the title. 

So far “youngest” and “first” have 

always been used to describe her and 

her ballet career. But, now at 41, the 

ballet star is considered the oldest ballet 

dancer still active in the international 

ballet scene and people don’t 

hesitate to ask her when she will retire 

from dancing. 

“I feel these days that my body and 

head have become one. I don’t want to 

be young again and start it all over 

again,” Kang said. “I feel more confident 

than ever.” ■ 

Yonhap 



PEOPLE 

Yonhap 

A Veteran Artist’s Love of Dokdo 


STAFF WRITER 

Yonhap 

Lee Jong-sang 

major was western painting, he 

changed to oriental painting because 

he was more interested in traditional 

art and paintings. 

Lee admires Jeong Seon, a wellknown 

painter in the Joseon era 

(1392-1910) who created a Koreanstyle 

landscape painting technique, 

which was very different from traditional 

Chinese styles. Sensing that the 

great artist who used to travel all over 

the country had never captured islands 

or seashores, Lee decided to draw islands 

with Dokdo as the central theme. 

His first exhibition of Dokdo paintings 

was held in Insa-dong, central 

Seoul, in 1977. In the same year, he also 

organized a group consisting of fellow 

artists to attract more attention to 

the rocky island. The group regularly 

visits the islets and holds artistic performances. 

For the 70-year-old artist, Dokdo is 

still inspirational. 

“Every time I visit Dokdo, I find a 

new aspect,” said Lee, who has visited 

Dokdo 36 times over the last 30 

years. ■ 

Korea’s 

‘Culture President’ 

Comes Back 


STAFF WRITER 

Singer-producer Seo Tai-ji 

Lee Jong-sang is a veteran artist 

dedicated to painting Korean islands 

and seashores, especially 

Dokdo in the East Sea, which is at the 

center of a diplomatic dispute with 

Japan. 

Recently he had submitted his 

Dokdo paintings to an art fair to be 

held in Tokyo. But pressured by 

Japanese right-wingers, the organizing 

committee asked him to send his 

other works and he turned down the 

exhibition proposal. 

“I didn’t think they would consider 

my paintings in relation to politics,” 

he said. 

“History is my important artistic 

inspiration. I couldn’t accept their request 

and decided not to participate in 

the event.” 

Then the art fair was cancelled entirely. 

Born in 1938, Lee studied paintings 

at the College of Arts of Seoul 

National University. Even though his 

Lee’s 1982 painting titled “The Spirit of Dokdo II” 

Seo Tai-ji’s latest album “Moai” 

has sold 150,000 copies in less 

than 20 days since it came out 

on July 29. 

The long awaited album consisting 

of four songs is the first single of his 

eighth regular album, titled “Seotaiji 

8th Atomos Part Moai,” which is 

scheduled to be released at the end of 

this year. 

Seo has experimented with various 

music genres such as alternative rock, 

heavy metal and hardcore music 

through his previous albums. The latest 

record transcends all the genres, 

according to Seo’s agent Seotaiji 

Company. 

Born in 1972, he started his professional 

music career playing bass guitar 

for the legendary rock band Sinawe 

when he was 18. 

Along with two other members, he 

formed the band Seo Tai-ji & Boys in 

1991. Even though the music and 

dance moves based on American hiphop 

were harshly criticized by experts, 

young people liked the way they challenged 

existing music styles and social 

values. He reshaped the K-pop scene 

of the 1990s. The singer-producer is 

considered one of the biggest cultural 

icons in Korea and sometimes referred 

to as “Culture President.” 

Seo Tai-ji announced his retirement 

with the band’s dismantlement in 1996. 

But he came back as a solo artist and 

every record he has released has gone 

platinum. The strong performance of 

his latest album is expected to stimulate 

the struggling K-pop market. 

Marking the release of his new album, 

he hosted a rock festival ETP Fest 

2008 (Eerie Taiji People Festival) at 

Seoul Jamsil Baseball Stadium on Aug. 

14 and 15. Rock stars from in and out 

of the country, including American 

hard rocker Marilyn Manson and 

Japanese hip-hop band Dragon Ash, 

were invited, attracting interest from 

music fans and the media. ■ 

Yonhap 

A record shop in downtown Seoul is crowded 

with Seo Tai-ji fans buying his latest album on 

July 29 



PEOPLE 

EVENTS 

Yonhap 

Yonhap 

Jay Greenberg, a symphony-writing 

teen musical prodigy who is 

often dubbed the “next Mozart,” 

premiered his chamber piece based on 

Korean folk tales, during this year’s 

International Great Mountains Music 

Festival & School. 

According to the festival’s Artistic 

Director Kang Hyo, the festival’s organizing 

committee had commissioned 

the 16-year-old composer to write the 

15-minute piece for string quartet entitled 

“Four Scenes.” It was performed 

by musicians of Sejong, a top-notch 

conductor-less string orchestra based 

in New York City, at YongPyong 

Resort in Pyeongchang, Gangwon-do, 

on Aug. 15. 

“I was drawn to the subtle but present 

differences between Korean and 

better-known European fairy tales,” 

wrote Greenberg in the festival’s program 

guide. “Most importantly, numerous 

such tales have not been softened 

up or prettified for more upperclass 

readers, as is common in Western 

literature, and thus end in violent, 

tragic, or unexpected ways and/or feature 

content that would have been 

considered unacceptable in Europe 

during the same period.” 

Born in 1991 in New Haven, 

Connecticut, Greenberg began playing 

the cello when he was three years old, 

and he later taught himself how to 

play the piano. His first formal lessons 

in theory and composition began 

when he was seven, and, from then, it 

took him only three years until he enrolled 

in a special program of New 

York’s Juilliard School of Music, as a 

scholarship student. 

So far, he has already composed 

more than 100 musical works, including 

five symphonies, 17 piano sonatas 

‘Next 

Mozart’ 

Premieres 

in Korea 

BY LEE YONG-SUNG 

KOREA HERALD STAFF WRITER 

and three piano concertos. Among 

them, his Overture to 9/11 received first 

prize in the composition competition at 

the Juilliard pre-college division in 

2003, and he won ASCAP Foundation 

Morton Gould Young Composers 

awards in 2004, 2005 and 2006. 

The Sony BMG Masterworks label 

released his first CD in 2006, which includes 

his Symphony no. 5 and String 

Quintet performed by the London 

Symphony Orchestra under the baton 

of Jose Serebrier, as well as by the 

Juilliard String Quartet with cellist 

Darrett Adkins. 

“‘Four Scenes’ is different to difficult 

contemporary scores, in that it is 

based on classical harmonies with 

highly melodic tunes,” said Kang Hyo, 

a celebrated violinist who has been on 

the faculty of the Juilliard School since 

1978, and is a visiting professor at Yale 

School of Music. 

Now in its fifth year, GMMFS is the 

first major music festival of its kind 

here, modeled after the famous summer 

festival in Aspen, Colorado. Like 

the Aspen Music Festival, the festival 

not only presents a month-long season 

of concerts but is also a summer 

music school that plays home to some 

of the most talented young musicians 

from around the world. 

In addition to the Sejong Soloists, 

the festival featured several internationally 

acclaimed performers, including 

pianists Paul Salerni and Plamena 

Mangova; violinists Chee-Yun and 

Frank Hwang; cellists Aldo Parisot 

and Jian Wang. ■ 

Jay Greenberg 

(From left) The opening film “Young@Heart” and the closing film “The Visitor” 

Jecheon International Music & Film Festival 

The fourth Jecheon International Music & Film 

Festival was held on Aug. 14 for six days, introducing 

82 flicks from 30 countries plus a 

variety of music performances. 

JIMFF, started in 2005, is Asia’s first musicoriented 

film event where moviegoers and music 

lovers can share opportunities to enjoy 

both. This year it has established a new competition 

section titled World Music Film Today, 

where 10 films from nine countries compete to 

win awards and a cash prize worth $15,000, in 

a bid to solidify its position as a film festival. 

Jecheon, a city of 140,000 in Chungcheongbuk-do, 

is known for its serene landscape 

and clean environment, and the festival’s 

rapid rise to public recognition is its 

unique combination of music and film, while 

inviting tourists to join related events, especially 

outdoor concerts featuring well-known 

musicians. 

The Jecheon festival opened with 

“Young@Heart,” an intriguing British documentary 

about a rock choir. What’s special 

about this energetic and powerful group was 

that the average age of its members is 81. In 

the film directed by Stephen Walker, the senior 

citizens, ages 75 to 93, defy conventions 

and prejudices in a refreshing style that celebrates 

music and also plays a fine opener for 

the festival. 

The closing film, “The Visitor” by Tom 

McCarthy, was equally music-oriented. In the 

film, a widowed college professor living in 

Connecticut travels to New York City to attend 

a conference and finds a young couple 

living in his apartment. The professor finds 

new meaning in life when the couple teaches 

him to play an African drum. 

The Cine Symphony section this year featured 

12 music-oriented films including 

Esteban Sapir’s “La Antena,” Ahmed El 

Maanouni’s “Burned Hearts,” Craig Zobel’s 

“Great World of Sound.” This section at the 

heart of the festival offered the latest movies 

that make music a central theme. 

The Music in Sight section featured 12 music 

documentaries that illustrated the colorful 

life of talented musicians. The Korean Music 

Film Now section revisited six Korean films 

that use plenty of music, including director 

Lee Jun-ik’s “The Happy Life” and Ha Ki-ho’s 

“Radio Dayz.” 

The Theme and Variations section brought 

audiences to the golden days of musical films, 

featuring seven well-known pieces such as 

“The Broadway Melody,” “42nd Street” and 

“The Jazz Singer.” 

Other popular events included a series of 

outdoor concerts entitled “One Summer 

Night,” introducing local and international musicians. 

Korean music groups such as DJ 

DOC, Jaurim and Crying Nut performed with 

foreign guests such as Chelsia Chan and 

MAU Project. 

For further information, visit the festival’s 

official website at www.jimff.or.kr. ■ 



EVENTS 

National Palace Museum of 

Korea’s Special Exhibition 

Box containing Royal Edict for Honorary 

King Jangjo upon his Appointment as 

Crown Prince/Joseon, 1872/ 

The National Palace Museum 

Chest for Scrolls and Albums of 

Chinese emperor Qianlong’s 

Calligraphy and Paintings/Qianlong 

Reign (1736-95), Qiang Dynasty/ 

The Palace Museum in Beijing 

Manuscripts and Illustrations of the Daoist “Yellow Court Scripture” 

(Huangting-jing)/Qianlong Reign (1736-95), Qing Dynasty/The Palace 

Museum in Beijing 

The National Palace Museum of Korea begins an exhibition showcasing 

antiquities that were used for decorating and preserving paintings and 

calligraphic works, starting Sept. 5 and running through Nov. 2. 

In ancient times Korean scholars used to communicate by exchanging 

writings and paintings. An interesting fact is that they cared about the decoration 

of their work of pictorial art and calligraphy as much as the contents. 

Colorful silk fabrics and papers were used for hanging scrolls, and wood 

sculptures and traditional knotting pieces added brilliant beauty to the storage 

boxes and frames. 

For the exhibition, the remains from China and Japan will be shown along 

with the masterpieces of Korean art during the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910). 

Invented in China, the decoration art was spread to neighboring Korea and 

Japan and has become a precious tradition shared by the three countries. 

For more information, visit the museum’s official website at 

www.gogung.go.kr/eng. ■ 

Portrait of King Taejo (Treasure No. 931)/Joseon, 1872/Jeonju City 

Documents of the So Family of Tsushima (Important 

Cultural Property)/Edo Period, 18th century/Kyushu 

National Museum 



EVENTS 

Onggi Expo Ulsan Korea 

Seoul Food Festival 

Under the theme of “Taste of Seoul,” a food 

festival showcasing various Korean foods 

was held at five popular spots in Seoul from 

Aug. 22-31. 

Emerging as a new tourist spot, 

Cheonggye Plaza attracted people with 

healthy foods such as bulgogi and bibimbab. 

Famous Korean chefs gave a cooking 

demonstration and traditional music performances 

are shown during the festival. 

At the Gyeonghuigung Palace, the royal 

cuisine of the Joseon Dynasty was revived 

for ordinary citizens to experience the culinary 

culture of ancient kings. The tea and 

snack ceremony event was held at the Seoul 

Museum of History. Also many citizens participated 

in the Seoul Food Fighter 

Competition during the festival, challenging 

Guinness world records. 

For more information, visit http://foodfestival.seoul.go.kr. 

■ 

Yonhap 

An Onggi master demonstrates the process of making traditional earthenware 

Tea and snack ceremony event 

Onggi Expo Ulsan Korea 

“Onggi” is traditional earthenware which 

has been widely used as tableware in 

Korean people’s daily lives. Compared 

to ordinary porcelain ware, onggi has a 

microporous structure helping the storage 

of fermented foods such as gochujang, 

doenjang and soy sauce. 

The city of Ulsan is stepping up its efforts 

to promote the scientific superiority 

of onggi by hosting the first international 

onggi exposition next year. In Ulsan, located 

70 kilometers north of Busan, 

there is the nation’s largest onggi producing 

village where many makers and 

vendors live together. The city has hosted 

its own onggi festival since 2001. 

Under the slogan of “Onggi, Earthenware 

of Life,” the event will provide a 

good opportunity for visitors to appreciate 

both traditional onggi and various 

earthenware from 40 countries. Along 

with onggi-related cultural and academic 

events, a variety of traditional fermented 

food events will attract visitors in and 

out of the country. Also prepared is a 

special program to experience making 

Korean red pepper and soybean paste. 

Onggi Expo Ulsan Korea 2009 will be 

held on Oct. 9 to Nov. 8 in 2009 for 31 

days throughout the city of Ulsan. For 

more information, visit the event’s official 

website at www.onggiexpo.com. ■ 

King’s dinner table is recreated at the Gyeonghuigung Palace in Seoul 

The World Congress of Korean Studies 

The 4th World Congress of Korean Studies opens in Seoul from Sept. 22 to 24. The annual event 

is the largest conference on Korean studies in the world. 

Under the slogan “Korean Studies Interfacing with the World,” this year’s event will be focused 

on sharing the latest achievements in Korean studies and forming an academic network 

of researchers around the world. 

Along with academic conferences and meetings, cultural performances will be presented for 

visiting participants to better understand Korea and its culture. 

For more information, visit www.aks.ac.kr/congress/. ■ 



BOOKS 

Political Change in Korea 

Edited by The Korea Herald and The Korean Political Science Association 

Publisher: Jimoondang 

Pages: 340 

Price: 20,000 won 

The Korea Herald has published “Political 

Change in Korea,” the third book in the 

“Insight into Korea” series. The volume has 

35 essays analyzing contemporary Korean 

politics. Written by top Korean political scientists, 

the in-depth analyses were all published 

in the paper between December 

2007 and May 2008. 

“Political Change in Korea” is intended 

to help readers better understand the 

tremendous changes that have reshaped 

the Korean political landscape since June 

1987. The civilian uprising that took place 

21 years ago set in motion a democratization 

process that has transformed Korea 

from authoritarianism to a liberal democracy. 

Korea’s transition to a vibrant democracy 

has been hailed by many foreign analysts. 

They regard Korea as a model, for it 

has achieved the twin goals of democratic 

development and rapid economic growth. 

But many analysts also note that 

Korea’s political development lags behind 

its economic development. Some describe 

Korea as a country with a First 

World economy and Third World politics. A 

Korean business tycoon once rated Korea 

as second-class in economic prowess, 

third-class in government efficiency, and 

fourth-class in political performance. 

“Most authors in this book discuss 

Korean politics from a critical perspective,” 

said Yu Kun-ha, managing editor of 

The Korea Herald, who oversaw the book 

project. “While acknowledging the 

progress Korea has made in democratization, 

at the same time, they point out the 

long road ahead in attaining full-fledged 

liberal democracy.” ■ 

Contemporary Korean Architecture 

Author: Kim Sung-hong and Peter Cachola Schmal 

Publisher: JOVIS 

Page: 263 


The first overseas exposition showcasing contemporary 

Korean architecture was held last year in Frankfurt, Germany, 

drawing a positive response from local visitors. 

Published by the well-known German publishing house 

JOVIS, this book features a total of 32 projects by 16 Korean 

participating architects shown during the event. 

Along with the photographs of buildings and city landscapes 

captured by photographer Ahn Se-kwon, the book also 

contains articles and columns on contemporary Korean architecture 

written by experts and journalists in and out of the 

country. ■ 

Panmunjom: 

Facts about the Korean DMZ 

Author: Wayne A. Kirkbride 

Publisher: Hollym 

Page: 80 


Panmunjeom is a village on the border between 

South and North Korea, where the 

armistice that halted the Korean War 

(1950-1953) was signed in 1953. For over 

50 years, the site has served as a sad reminder 

of the division of Korea. But recently, 

with the economic and cultural exchanges 

between the two Koreas increasing, 

it has also become a symbol for the 

peace on the Korean Peninsula. 

Even though Panmunjeom is frequently 

cited when important issues happen concerning 

the border village, not many things 

about the area are known to the public, especially 

people living overseas. This handy 

guide book will be helpful for future visitors 

and historians to know what Korea was 

like, when it was divided as a nation, and 

that peaceful reunification might happen 

anytime. 

The author, who retired from the U.S. 

Army as a Lieutenant Colonel, has written 

books on Panmunjeom and North Korea 

including “North Korea’s Undeclared War: 

1953-” and “DMZ: A Story of the 

Panmunjeom Axe Murder.” ■ 



FOREIGN VIEWPOINTS 

South Korea Continues to Change Dynamically 

It was in 1979 when I visited Korea 

for the very first time. I found that 

Seoul was more or less a modern 

city with its own attractions, such as 

parks, monuments, palaces and temples 

— all with their own beautiful 

characteristics. 

The only thing I knew about Korea 

was that it had previously had a war 

some 25 years ago in 1950 and that 

Koreans spoke Korean, a very hard language 

to learn and understand. But I 

came to like the country and its people. 

From 1979 to 1999, I traveled frequently 

to Korea and learned about its 

history, culture, language, customs, 

food and the way they lived — and I 

got to like Korea even more. 

During the past 30 years, I have 

seen the changes in this dynamic nation 

and learned about the efforts 

Koreans have made to develop their 

country, which is now the 13th largest 

economy in the world. 

Yet, Koreans aren’t complacent. 

They continue with their efforts to 

grow and grow more every day, 

emerging with great success to comply 

with the global standards of a developed 

country. 

Despite the political problems of 

the past and the financial crisis in 

1997, Koreans have found more ways 

to continue with their efforts to make 

their country better. With the developments 

in the IT, communications, automotive, 

electronics and shipping 

sectors, Korea has found a fertile soil 

to speed up their growth. 

BY RENÉ FRANCISCO UMAÑA 

HONDURAS AMBASSADOR TO KOREA 

The establishment of the first internet 

system, SDN, has contributed to all 

parts of society, speeding up the development 

of Korea. The internet, used by 

almost 95 percent of the population, is 

capable of providing information to 45 

million people instantly, influencing 

the development of new technologies. 

The development of these technologies 

has made industries like 

Hyundai, Samsung, LG, KT, STX and 

SK leaders in the world. They land billions 

of dollars worth of orders every 

year and make Korea stronger economically. 

The success of these companies is 

due to the new technologies, but it 

couldn’t have been possible without 

the people’s open mind, discipline, responsibility 

and spirit. 

Just 50 years ago, Korea was a 

very poor country, with only water as 

a natural resource. However, in a short 

time, Korea was able to construct what 

we know as “The Miracle on the Han 

River.” It was not a miracle. It was 

clearly a vision that tried to overcome 

every possible obstacle, and to prepare 

the road for a better way of living. 

Korea is now sparkling in the 

world with its own light. It is now the 

model for some developing countries. 

Korea is offering help to these needy 

countries economically and technologically. 

These countries are following 

Korea’s steps to achieve sustainable 

development. 

Through the Government’s new 

policies, development has been extended 

to the provinces. Even though 

almost half of the population is concentrated 

in Seoul metropolitan area 

and Gyeonggi-do, we can now see 

how the other eight provinces are 

emerging via the establishment of the 

three major Economic Free Zones in 

Busan, Incheon and Gwangyang. 

The economy is very important, of 

course. But we have to understand 

that the Government isn’t only interested 

in raising the GDP per capita to 

$40,000. The Government has taken 

care of every aspect of society: education, 

agriculture, science, language, 

culture, environment, etc. The reunification 

of Korea has played a very important 

role as well. 

Korea is becoming one of the world’s 

most important nations. It only needs to 

be advertised a little more, to let others 

know what this country is capable of. 

This way, many will stop thinking about 

the Korea of 60 years ago. ■ 

66 KOREA SEPTEMBER 2008

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