JB Life October 2016
The Fall 2016 issue of Jeollabuk-do's only English-language lifestyle and travel magazine.
The Fall 2016 issue of Jeollabuk-do's only English-language lifestyle and travel magazine.
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Jeollabuk-do’s International Magazine<br />
<strong>October</strong> <strong>2016</strong>, Issue #4<br />
Registration No. ISSN: 2508-1284<br />
164 Palgwajeong-ro, Deokjin-gu, Jeonju, Jeollabuk-do, Korea<br />
Tel:(+82) 63-214-5605~6 Fax: (+82) 63-214-5608<br />
Jeonbuk <strong>Life</strong> Staff:<br />
ANJEE DISANTO, U.S.A.,<br />
M.A. Communication & Rhetoric<br />
<strong>JB</strong> LIFE LAYOUT & DESIGN<br />
Anjee is a ten-year resident of Jeonju<br />
and visiting professor at Chonbuk National<br />
University. While living here, she<br />
has traveled to 42 countries as well as<br />
explored and photographed most parts<br />
of the Korean peninsula. She is the English<br />
editor of CBNU’s student magazine<br />
and has worked extensively with<br />
10 Magazine in Seoul.<br />
DAVID VAN MINNEN, Canada,<br />
B.A. Humanities/Classical Languages<br />
<strong>JB</strong> LIFE CHIEF PROOFREADER<br />
David came to Jeonbuk in 2004. In<br />
2006, he created the Jeonju Hub website<br />
to help foreign residents and has<br />
been highly active in outreach since.<br />
After 4 years operating a saloon and<br />
5 running a restaurant, he works as a<br />
corporate English consultant. He lives<br />
with his wife, Jeonju artist Cheon Jeong<br />
Kyeong, and two children.<br />
AMIYA MORETTA is a passionate storyteller interested<br />
in unearthing the poetry of everyday life. She<br />
is a Fulbright scholar and a graduate of Whittier<br />
College who is currently teaching English in Jeonju.<br />
You can see more of her work on her personal blog<br />
at ichoosetomove.com.<br />
BETSEY NORMAN has been living in Korea for about<br />
3 years. She teaches English speaking at Chonbuk<br />
National University High School. Before coming to<br />
Korea she was a high school teacher in Minnesota.<br />
Betsey loves writing, reading, eating and dancing.<br />
BONNIE CUNNINGHAM, U.S., B.A. Visual Arts, is a<br />
new teacher in Korea. She loves to travel and make<br />
artwork along the way. While she currently focuses<br />
on painting, her background is in film and video.<br />
She is excited to be living here and looks forward<br />
to whatever it lends to her artwork.<br />
DAN OCTON has lived in Jeonju since 2009 and,<br />
despite leaving soon, considers it a second home.<br />
He took up photography as a hobby two years ago<br />
and is actively trying to improve in all aspects of it.<br />
He loves movies, music, and football.<br />
DEAN CRAWFORD watches lots of films, meaning<br />
he’s a bit of a geek and spends a lot of time on his<br />
own in dark rooms. After working in the UK film industry<br />
at Hogwarts and the X-Mansion, Dean now<br />
resides in Jeonju where he writes about his two favorite<br />
things, films and food!<br />
GREG TIMLIN has been living, working, and aging<br />
in Iksan for over 12 years. He first settled in Asia<br />
in 1994, where his love for photography, traveling,<br />
and this region bloomed. Hobbies include exploring<br />
the countryside by motorcycle, exploring the<br />
mind through teaching, and nice wine.<br />
HEATHER ALLMAN, a U.S. native, has been living<br />
and teaching English in Jeonju for 1.5 years. With<br />
a background in International Relations and Spanish,<br />
she has a dexterity for language. Writing and<br />
traveling are her two favorites, so she thought,<br />
why not do them both at once?<br />
MARLI JANSE VAN VUUREN is from South Africa.<br />
She has degrees in both teaching and photography<br />
and and is a big fan of Dachshunds.<br />
<strong>JB</strong> LIFE is published by the <strong>JB</strong>CIA<br />
(Jeonbuk Center for International Affairs)<br />
전라북도 국제교류센터<br />
DOWON KIM, Korea,<br />
BA Biological Science<br />
<strong>JB</strong> LIFE <strong>JB</strong>CIA LIAISON<br />
Dowon is a member of <strong>JB</strong>CIA and<br />
delivers stories of what is happening<br />
in the center and what the center does<br />
for Jeollabuk-do. She has lived in New<br />
Zealand so she loves meeting new people<br />
from diverse countries. Passionate<br />
about food, cycle, music and dogs. You<br />
can ask about the center through her<br />
e-mail at dwkim411@jbcia.or.kr.<br />
YOUNG-WOO PARK, Korea,<br />
Ph.D. TESOL<br />
<strong>JB</strong> LIFE KOREAN CONSULTANT<br />
Dr. Park has been teaching English for<br />
33 years, with interests in various levels<br />
from young learner to university.<br />
He has worked for several universities<br />
in Jeonju, Gwangju, and Daejeon, and<br />
maintains strong connections with several<br />
Western and Asian universities. He<br />
is especially interested in training university<br />
students for their job searches.<br />
MIRIAM LEE, B.A. History/Anthropology, can most<br />
likely be found singing in the hallways of the Jeonju<br />
English Center, where she teaches 5th graders.<br />
Miriam, who avidly defends her noraebang title,<br />
also won 3rd place in a Care Bears coloring contest<br />
in Jersey City in 1986.<br />
RENEE McMILLAN has been living and teaching in<br />
Jeonju for five years. A recovering actress, Renee<br />
has become addicted to travel and photography.<br />
She enjoys sharing her stories and adventures,<br />
and is excited to work with <strong>JB</strong> <strong>Life</strong> in capturing the<br />
beauty of Jeollabukdo.<br />
SHELLEY ASPDEN has spent the last 4.5 years<br />
studying, practicing, and living yoga. She is an enthusiast<br />
for nature, health, and fitness. Jeonju has<br />
been her home and support network since 2009<br />
and emphasize how the community fostered her<br />
journey along the way.<br />
SILAYAN CASINO is a multi-lingual Eurasian American<br />
with nearly 6 years’ English teaching experience<br />
in Korea. Hobbies include traveling, writing,<br />
photography and learning languages. She teaches<br />
at CBNU and is an active member of Antioch International<br />
Christian Fellowship.<br />
SUSAN KIM, an L.A. native and Korean American,<br />
came to Korea to discover her culture. Although<br />
lazy most of the time, she does have a passion for<br />
travel, cooking, eating, and wine. She worked in<br />
the marketing and advertising industry for years<br />
before arriving in Korea.<br />
SUZANNE SCHNEIDER, co-founder of REACH ministries,<br />
is passionate about raising awareness on<br />
trafficking and prostitution. She is co-author of<br />
the textbook series Practical Writing and works at<br />
Jeonju University. Suzanne is president of Jeonju-North<br />
Jeolla KOTESOL.<br />
SWARNALEE DUTTA, a native of India, has been living<br />
in Jeonju for 2 years, working as a postdoctoral<br />
scientist at the National Institute of Agricultural<br />
Sciences. While her toddler keeps her happily busy,<br />
she loves to read and keeps learning whatever life<br />
holds out for her.<br />
Jeollabuk-do Global Living<br />
Fall <strong>2016</strong> / Issue #4<br />
Jeonbuk <strong>Life</strong> is a quarterly project of the Jeollabuk-do<br />
Center for International Affairs. Our goal is to spread news<br />
to Jeollabuk-do’s international community, as well as to<br />
carry news of Jeonbuk throughout Korea and abroad. This<br />
magazine is currently published once per season, in April,<br />
July, <strong>October</strong>, and January.<br />
To get involved, email jeonbuklife@gmail.com<br />
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07<br />
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20<br />
24<br />
34<br />
38<br />
40<br />
44<br />
50<br />
52<br />
54<br />
INTERNATIONAL BEAT<br />
- International Center News<br />
HISTORY<br />
- Cheonho Holy Grounds<br />
FEATURE STORY<br />
- Bhoga Yoga<br />
TOUR<br />
- Gimje Horizon Festival<br />
LOCAL FOOD<br />
- Getting Wild in Wanju<br />
PHOTO ESSAY<br />
- “Empty Man” by Greg Timlin<br />
ARTS<br />
- Painting with Words: Focus on Korean Calligraphy<br />
- Motopia: The Art of Mohamed Fawzy<br />
GLOBAL JEONBUK<br />
- Pho Hanoi<br />
SPORTS<br />
- Bubble Ball Korea<br />
WORLDVIEW<br />
- Confucianism in Jeonbuk<br />
SOCIAL SCOPE<br />
- Being Neighborly<br />
- Walk for Freedom<br />
LOCAL VOICES<br />
- Youngwoo Park<br />
- Susan Kim<br />
FICTION<br />
- Focus on Poetry<br />
GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION<br />
- “The Future is Dark”<br />
55<br />
JEOLLA DIALECT<br />
Jeonbuk <strong>Life</strong> 3
INTERNATIONAL BEAT<br />
Staying Global with the<br />
As of this fall, the Jeonbuk Center for International<br />
Affairs (<strong>JB</strong>CIA) has been in operation for a full<br />
year. During that time, this magazine, <strong>JB</strong> <strong>Life</strong>,<br />
has blossomed and published four quarterly issues as one of<br />
the Center’s projects. Next year, the magazine will move to a<br />
bi-monthly production. Besides this, the center has managed<br />
international YouTube vloggers and world-class foreign speakers<br />
and performers and has promoted a variety of volunteer opportunities<br />
to connect the international population of Jeonbuk<br />
to its local community. All in all, you could say it’s been an excellent<br />
first year. Now, looking forward to the end of <strong>2016</strong> and<br />
beyond, here are the programs the <strong>JB</strong>CIA is currently working<br />
on to push Jeollabuk-do to be even more globally minded.<br />
4<br />
1. NAKS (NATIONAL ASSOCIATION<br />
FOR KOREAN SCHOOLS)<br />
<strong>JB</strong>CIA attended the 34th annual Korean academic conference<br />
directed by NAKS (the National Association for Korean<br />
Schools) and sponsored by the <strong>JB</strong>CIA in July. It was held in<br />
Denver, Colorado for three days. This conference is held every<br />
year for Korean-American students and Korean school teachers<br />
from all the US states, including Hawaii, and also those<br />
from Canada.<br />
LEFT: A photo from the NAKS ceremony in Colorado. RIGHT:<br />
Participants in the first JISU Friends Day.<br />
<strong>JB</strong>CIA had a booth to display beautiful Korean letters<br />
(hangul) and beautiful Korean paper (hanji) to demonstrate<br />
how they are used in our daily lives. Center representatives<br />
gave a lecture for the teachers and judged a Korean speech<br />
competition, selecting one student who will be visiting Jeollabuk-do<br />
in December to take etiquette lessons and tour the<br />
province.<br />
Besides this, center representatives held a meeting with 14<br />
branches from all the other states to broaden mutual exchange<br />
between Jeollabuk-do and the U.S. The exchange will be mainly<br />
between each country’s elementary and middle schools. The<br />
hope is that students can share language, folk songs, dance, and<br />
so on to showcase the roots of where they are from and display<br />
the history and culture of Jeollabuk-do and Korea. The center<br />
hopes to enjoy more of such vivid exchanges in the future.<br />
2. “ JISU” FRIENDS DAY<br />
On August 20th, 40 people from JISU (the <strong>JB</strong>CIA’s Jeollabuk-do<br />
International Supporters Unity group) and Chinese<br />
students from overseas participated in a ‘Friends Day’.<br />
The supporters and foreign students were mixed into teams<br />
to work on the program. They visited Buan-gun to see the West<br />
coast and had a chance to dig out clams in the mudflats togeth-<br />
Members of the Foreign<br />
Students Public Relations Team.<br />
er. They also visited Naesosa temple, one of the famous tour<br />
sites in Jeonbuk. Here, they learned the history of Buddhism<br />
in Jeonbuk and had a short-term experience of temple life.<br />
There will be another ‘Friends Day’ in the middle of November<br />
geared toward a different nationality. If you wish<br />
to offer suggestions or to participate, please e-mail: dwkim411@jbcia.or.kr.<br />
3. FOREIGN STUDENTS<br />
P.R. TEAM CHANGE-OVER<br />
The <strong>JB</strong>CIA’s 1st Foreign Students Public Relations Team,<br />
formed from May to July to promote the province through<br />
photos and video, recently closed out their business and<br />
held an awards ceremony. Their work continues with a new<br />
team, though, as the 2nd Foreign Students PR Team also<br />
held their orientation. The second team’s activity has just<br />
begun with more diverse countries than the first. A total of 33<br />
students are currently signed up. They are from China(22),<br />
Vietnam(3), Sri Lanka(2), Mongolia(2), Taiwan(1), Ecuador(1),<br />
and Uzbekistan(1) and have been arranged into eight<br />
photo teams and three video teams. We look forward to each<br />
team’s photos and videos about Jeollabuk-do.<br />
<strong>JB</strong>CIA recently held its Jeollabuk-do International Exchange<br />
& Overseas Students Festival, and to light up the<br />
entrance, the center put up some materials to make a gallery.<br />
The content included an introduction of the Foreign Students<br />
PR Team and each team’s past activities. This gallery could<br />
be enjoyed by lots of students and community members who<br />
visited the festival on that day, seeing how much the PR team<br />
has worked on so far to promote the province, and many had<br />
Attendees of the<br />
Mock UN lead-up meeting.<br />
a joyful time using the gallery as a photo booth. The 2nd P.R.<br />
team’s students were also there, both enjoying their work<br />
and planning for the next event.<br />
4. MOCK U.N. MEETING<br />
The “Jeollabuk-do Mock UN Meeting” will be held on <strong>October</strong><br />
29th for two days. It is designed to enhance the global<br />
capacity of young people in Jeonbuk and to give a taste of<br />
debate and diplomacy on a pending issue. Participants will<br />
survey the steps involved in the international organization’s<br />
decision making.<br />
At this event, there will be both Korean-speaking and<br />
English-speaking committees. Topics are The Future of UN<br />
Development and Cooperation to Eradicate Global Extreme<br />
Poverty (for Korean-speakers), and The International Community’s<br />
Policy Responses to Threats of Global Climate<br />
Change (for the English-speaking committee).<br />
It took two months to gather the right university students to<br />
chair the group (7), form the delegations (49 middle school<br />
students, 31 high school students), and produce 20 observers<br />
and staff, all from Jeonbuk. All involved had an orientation<br />
on August 6th to see what a mock UN meeting is, how it<br />
progresses, and the steps and rules they follow. After the<br />
orientation, each delegation submitted a position paper and<br />
working paper for the nation it represents. These delegations<br />
have had unofficial meetings every month to practice progress<br />
and rules of order for the upcoming official meeting.<br />
CONTINUED ON PAGE 6...<br />
Jeonbuk <strong>Life</strong> 5
INTERNATIONAL BEAT<br />
HISTORY<br />
By DAVID VAN MINNEN<br />
Jeonbuk <strong>Life</strong> Co-Editor<br />
6<br />
5. INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGE &<br />
OVERSEAS STUDENTS FESTIVAL<br />
Jeollabuk-do has held events separately for marriage-immigrant<br />
women and also for international students. But<br />
until now, there was nothing offered that was directed at all<br />
foreigners inclusively. As such, <strong>JB</strong>CIA planned and held an<br />
event called the ‘International Exchange and Overseas Students<br />
Festival’ for foreign workers, immigrant women, international<br />
students, teachers, and any other expats. It took<br />
place on the 10th of September at CBNU’s Samsung Center.<br />
Among those present were Jeollabuk-do Governor Song<br />
Hajin, CBNU President Lee Namho, Ambassador Peteris<br />
Vaivars from Latvia, Consul-General Sun Xianyu of the<br />
Consulate-General of China in Gwangju, a total 9 different<br />
Embassy involved parties and Jeonbuk residents, foreigners<br />
living in Jeonbuk, etc. Over 2,000 people gathered and participated<br />
in the programs that <strong>JB</strong>CIA and CBNU prepared.<br />
The programs were mostly organized by <strong>JB</strong>CIA. There<br />
was a town-hall meeting with the Governor, a History and<br />
Culture Quiz with foreigners and residents, and a round of<br />
Golden Bell quiz game for international students. Especially<br />
well attended were the town-hall meeting with the Governor<br />
and special lectures on foreign relationships. The turnout<br />
was overwhelming and far greater than expected. The partricipants<br />
were passionate in learning and questioning. It was<br />
a very valuable time and a positive multi-cultural encounter.<br />
The multi-cultural showcase booths offered a splendid variety<br />
for the senses, including takoyaki, churros, mojitos, pad<br />
thai, Vietnamese rice noodles, and more. Participants also<br />
took part in traditional games and activities, tried on traditional<br />
clothing of various nations, and made handcrafted<br />
Vietnamese hats. The invited dignitaries also made a giant<br />
festival-sized bibimbap and took in a stage-based taekwondo<br />
performance. A diverse array of colorful costumes and a<br />
warm festival spirit was ever-present throughout the event.<br />
The evening program consisted of students’ performances<br />
and a bright highlight -- a special guest appearance by K-POP<br />
star, Hyuna.<br />
This was the first of hopefully many such events designed<br />
to give an opportunity to sample elements of Jeonbuk’s<br />
sprouting cultural diversity.<br />
[Photos of the International<br />
Exchange & Overseas Students<br />
Festival, courtesy of <strong>JB</strong>CIA]<br />
In the heart of the Korean countryside is a remote<br />
valley with rich soil and abundant fruit trees. This<br />
valley seems especially fertile, and tranquil. It is<br />
Cheonho, in the Gosan area of Wanju county, about 40<br />
minutes northeast of Jeonju. There is holy ground here.<br />
Many people take foot pilgrimages to reach this place,<br />
called Cheonho-Seongji (천호성지), in search of healing<br />
and spiritual growth. The site also serves to commemorate<br />
an important bit of local history. The people<br />
here say “it’s where yesterday meets tomorrow.”<br />
The place is about 25 minutes north-east of Bong-<br />
Dong. Drawing near, it is apparent that the Cheonho<br />
Valley’s soil is darker, and there are many fruit trees and<br />
greenhouses. The valley is distinctively fertile. If the<br />
healing vibe here is real, then the plants are certainly<br />
into it.<br />
Coming into the site itself, visitors are greeted by a<br />
Rio-esque statue of Jesus. The sprawling landscapes and<br />
stairways that follow are truly stunning, and blanketed in<br />
peace. There is a large cafeteria facility, and a spacious<br />
chapel. Then, the grand stairs up to the burial mounds.<br />
Here lie the remains of four priests and more than a<br />
dozen others. In 1866, they were arrested and brought to<br />
Supjeong-i, in Jeonju. There, they were beheaded, on a<br />
single split log, with one large implement. It was the second<br />
known Christian martyrdom on Korean soil. Their<br />
names were Jeong Munho “Bartholomew” (66), Son<br />
Seonji “Peter” (47), Han Jaegwon “Joseph” (33), and Yi<br />
Meongso “Peter” (47). Their heads were placed on pikes<br />
to discourage others from following their teachings.<br />
Today, the Cheonho Holy Grounds are a historic site<br />
renowned for healing powers. There is a newish chapel<br />
on the site, and a house next door, where couples can<br />
take a retreat, with discreet family counseling, all free.<br />
There is also a large, modern cafeteria, providing free<br />
lunch daily to area seniors and visitors.<br />
It is a quiet, welcoming place that wants nothing from<br />
you but offers peace. Step onto holy ground and into<br />
Jeonbuk’s rich history.<br />
ABOVE: The never-ending stairs to the top<br />
of the Cheonho Holy Grounds.<br />
[Photo by DAVID VAN MINNEN]<br />
Jeonbuk <strong>Life</strong> 7
FEATURE STORY<br />
By Shelley<br />
Aspden<br />
(Photos by<br />
Dan Octon)<br />
Six years ago, due to half a year of chemotherapy<br />
treatment, life wasn’t a bed of roses. However,<br />
the Jeonju community that we all know and<br />
love kept providing me with everything I needed. One<br />
of the biggest offerings was being introduced to a man<br />
who showed me a practice, lifestyle, and way of being<br />
that transformed me. I called him ‘Sonsaengnim’, and he<br />
taught me, and many others, Yoga.<br />
Yoga for me, at the start, was stretching. A physical activity<br />
that bendy people did, to become more bendy and so<br />
that you could sit cross legged. I suppose looking back, I<br />
wasn’t wrong: being flexible and being able to move your<br />
physical body freely without worry of pain or discomfort<br />
is a wonderful byproduct of yoga. Many people understand<br />
modern-day yoga to be a physical practice, like<br />
an exercise class, where you work the physical body to<br />
achieve physical strength, flexibility, balance; a form of<br />
body conditioning.<br />
However, yoga is much more. It is an esoteric science<br />
that explores the body, mind, and spirit as one entity,<br />
so that one can move toward balance in a systematic,<br />
soul-honoring way. Yoga originated in India over 5,000<br />
years ago. The philosophy and teachings come from ancient<br />
spiritual traditions, but it’s really important to emphasise<br />
here, YOGA IS NOT A RELIGION. Yoga takes<br />
beneficial teachings from all areas of life, such as culture,<br />
nature, science, and religion, to make a well-balanced and<br />
powerful tool, one which we can use every day to improve<br />
our lives. Many people are confused by what yoga is,<br />
where it comes from, why and how we practice. Hopefully,<br />
I will be able to briefly share with you my understanding<br />
of what yoga is, and help clarify what it is not.<br />
History of Yoga<br />
Yoga encompasses ancient holistic and spiritual practices<br />
that aim to find balance and harmony in the physical,<br />
mental, and emotional bodies. This balance is known as<br />
sattva in Sanskrit. Sanskrit is the ancient language of India,<br />
and is the language used in yoga. As yoga was born<br />
and created in India, it makes perfect sense that it has links<br />
to themes and language of Hinduism and Buddhism (the<br />
main religions of that time), however, it does not mean<br />
that the teachings of yoga are religious.<br />
There are certain traditional texts which are very important<br />
for a yogic aspirant to become familiar with in order<br />
to understand and benefit from yoga as a holistic practice.<br />
One of the most influential texts, which explains the<br />
depths of yoga is, ‘The Yoga Sutras’, written by Patanjali<br />
somewhere between 1,700 and 2,200 years ago. Patanjali<br />
gave simple directions on how to access our full potential,<br />
allowing us to move towards enlightenment. Other<br />
ancient texts, such as The Hatha Yoga Pradipika and The<br />
Bhagavad Gita also discuss these practices and how to<br />
achieve a state of homeostasis within the mind and body.<br />
What is Yoga?<br />
Yoga is a lifestyle, a way of living, that aims to bring<br />
harmony to the individual by helping them to become<br />
more sensitive and connected to their inner happiness,<br />
rather than external distractions. These external distractions<br />
are everywhere in modern societies: for example,<br />
food, music, clothes, relationships, TV etc. We are constantly<br />
looking for happiness from external objects, people,<br />
and situations. However, what we’ve lost and need to<br />
reconnect with is the ability to listen internally, to our true<br />
needs. When we begin to do this, our path and focus in life<br />
changes. This new path is not easy, and many challenges<br />
present themselves, but yoga gives us the tools to traverse<br />
this path with sthira (stability) and sukha (comfort).<br />
“Yoga is 1% theory,<br />
99% practice”.<br />
--Shri K. Pattabhi Jois g<br />
Jeonbuk <strong>Life</strong> 9
FEATURE STORY<br />
This quote sums up yoga beautifully. It’s all well and good studying, reading,<br />
theorizing and discussing about yoga, but we have to actually do it. I<br />
don’t just mean the asanas (postures), but all aspects, from the moral and<br />
ethical codes of conduct, to the surrendering to the Divine (whatever that is to<br />
you, Mother Nature, the sun, God, etc.).<br />
What are the Yoga<br />
Practices?<br />
In Patanjali’s ancient text, ‘The Yoga Sutras’, it discussed a path described<br />
as the ‘8 limbs of yoga’. These 8 branches of the yogic path start with the<br />
foundational practices allowing the aspirant to move towards Samadhi, enlightenment,<br />
in a harmonious and stable fashion.<br />
The 8 stages are:<br />
● Yama (universal moral values to create harmony with all beings)<br />
● Niyamas (personal ethical observances within oneself)<br />
● Asana (physical postures that create a resonance with beneficial universal<br />
energies, and aim to attain energetic balance within ourselves)<br />
● Pranayama (energy / prana control)<br />
● Pratyahara (detachment from the senses)<br />
● Dharana (concentration)<br />
● Dhyana (meditation)<br />
● Samadhi (the stage of realisation of the True Self and ultimate fusion with<br />
the Divine)<br />
10<br />
“Yoga chitta vritti nirodha”<br />
This Sanskrit phrase is probably the most common and widely known explanation<br />
of what yoga is. There are several translations, but the most simple<br />
to understand is that,<br />
“Yoga is the cessation<br />
of the fluctuations of the<br />
mind.”<br />
Basically, we aim to calm the uncontrolled thoughts of the mind, to find<br />
balance and harmony.<br />
By following these 8 paths of yoga, the uncontrolled thoughts within the<br />
mind stop, and we find balance and harmony in this stillness. The 8 limbs are<br />
the tools which we can use to find sattva (balance).<br />
As you can see, yoga is much more than the physical postures that you practice<br />
in a class. But I suppose you’re asking, why has the physical practice of<br />
yoga, the asanas, become so popular in modern society? Health and fitness is a<br />
booming industry, and people are always looking for new ways to make their<br />
bodies fitter and healthier. In the past 20 years, people<br />
have begun to notice the amazing physical benefits that<br />
yoga can have on the body. As modern society is very<br />
external, we are constantly engaging with the senses, and<br />
society has attached itself to the external, physical benefits<br />
of yoga which can be seen everywhere. For example,<br />
we see ‘Instagram yogis’ who are physically strong, agile,<br />
flexible, toned, etc., and naturally we want to look and<br />
be like that. But what people don’t understand is that,<br />
for many of those yogis, they have been on a long and<br />
never ending journey of self exploration, practicing not<br />
only the asanas (physical postures) but also the other 7<br />
limbs. What we need to highlight is that it’s the journey,<br />
(physically, mentally, and emotionally), that is important,<br />
not the end product, which in modern yoga, many view as<br />
the asanas (postures).<br />
Asanas/Postures<br />
I personally have had conflicting views and discussions<br />
with friends, fellow teachers and practitioners about the<br />
role asana (physical postures) has in modern society. My<br />
yoga journey began by practicing asana. If my teacher<br />
had tried to teach me about energy and the subtle aspects<br />
of my being, I probably would have never returned. As<br />
the classes were in Korean and my understanding of the<br />
language was limited, I didn’t understand what he was<br />
saying. But the feeling I was getting from the classes<br />
was changing me. At that point in my life, I didn’t even<br />
understand or have a relationship with my own physical<br />
body, so expecting me to understand subtle relationships<br />
relating to energy/prana would have been too obscure<br />
and confusing. Therefore I feel there is a genuine need<br />
for asana classes that focus on creating physical health<br />
and strength in the body. But at the same time acknowledging<br />
the deeper aspects of yoga is essential, though in a<br />
simple and progressive way. Unfortunately, here in Korea<br />
and many places in the modern society, yoga studios<br />
are just teaching exercise classes based on pilates and select<br />
yoga asanas. I have been to yoga classes in Korea<br />
that have had blaring K-pop, flashing lights, and full-on<br />
dance routines. This is not yoga in the traditional sense.<br />
However, if it’s a doorway for someone to then explore<br />
further into yoga, then we cannot deny it has a role.<br />
The asanas (physical postures) help prepare the physical<br />
body for the more subtle energy practices. If our<br />
physical body is not in good health, we cannot effectively<br />
practice energy control. The postures also act as<br />
g<br />
Jeonbuk <strong>Life</strong> 11
FEATURE<br />
a tuning device, like on a radio, so that we can connect<br />
with beneficial energies. The wonderful thing is that even<br />
though we don’t know we are doing it and cannot feel this<br />
at first, as long as our awareness stays internal and we follow<br />
the guide of the teacher, we will be connecting to these<br />
energies. The asanas help create physical space, giving<br />
us the physical ability to sit in meditative postures for long<br />
periods of time without discomfort. Also, practicing asana<br />
makes you feel good, physically and mentally. By using<br />
the physical body and focusing our awareness on a particular<br />
point, e.g the breath or chakra, the mind begins to<br />
quiet, become calm, and be less erratic, leading to feelings<br />
of relaxation and harmony.<br />
Energy<br />
So what are the practices in yoga that engage in energy<br />
control and balance? Everything is energy. This has been<br />
clarified by modern-day science, however, this simple but<br />
important fact was always known by ancient yogis. From<br />
the physical to the most subtle, energy is the life force within<br />
each and everyone of us. It is also the force that connects<br />
us to everyone and everything.<br />
Yoga uses many practices to help improve the quality and<br />
quantity of this energy, remove energy blockages and create<br />
balance within energy centers located within us. This<br />
energy is known as prana in yoga. Prana flows through<br />
energy lines within us, called nadis, and helps maintain all<br />
physical, mental, and emotional functions. Along these energy<br />
lines are energy centers called chakras. By maintaining<br />
good quality, free-flowing prana along blockage free<br />
nadis, our chakras can function optimally, allowing us to<br />
live a balanced and harmonious life.<br />
So from this, we can see that yoga is about energy. Energy<br />
in its grossest and most subtle forms. The grossest aspect<br />
of ourselves is the physical body, and the most subtle<br />
are those processes that go beyond the mind. In yoga, we<br />
aim to unite these aspects, the gross and the physical, the<br />
body and the mind, so we see that they are not separate,<br />
but one.<br />
Bhoga Yoga:<br />
Jeonju<br />
Now that I’ve explained what yoga is, let me introduce<br />
you to our beautiful yoga community here in Jeonju. Bhoga<br />
Yoga began in 2013, in a small taekwondo studio in Ajungli.<br />
As a newly qualified yoga teacher who was extremely<br />
nervous and apprehensive, I found the Jeonju community,<br />
as always, took a leap of faith with me and joined our<br />
weekly classes. From our humble days in Ajungli, we have<br />
developed and expanded. We are now hosted by Body for<br />
Mind Yoga studio in Hyojadong. The yoga director, Park<br />
Sang Mi, has been a supporter of Bhoga Yoga since 2014,<br />
and we are all so grateful for her help and support.<br />
The classes I teach range from beginner Hatha flow to<br />
intermediate vinyasa flow. Each class has 4 elements:<br />
philosophy discussion, meditation, pranayama, and asana.<br />
This helps give people an insight into the deeper aspects<br />
of yoga, not just the physical practice. I also teach regular<br />
workshops, ranging from Ashtanga Modified Primary series<br />
workshops to Chakra-specific workshops. The workshops<br />
are attended by all levels of practitioners from all<br />
over Korea. We are currently moving through a 7-month<br />
series of workshops, focusing each month on a specific<br />
chakra. This systematic approach to exploring the chakras<br />
allows people the time and space to build a strong foundation<br />
for their practice, as well integrating these practices<br />
into their everyday lives.<br />
This year and last, we integrated our yoga practcse into<br />
a beautiful mountain hike up Godoksan, near Jeonju. To<br />
practice in nature, with the fresh cool air blowing on your<br />
skin, really invigorates the soul! Our weekly classes are<br />
live-streamed on Periscope so our Bhoga Yogis who live in<br />
different areas of the world can join us too!<br />
The main intention of Bhoga Yoga, was, and still is, to<br />
create a community where people feel safe and supported<br />
to explore their true selves, whilst having fun!<br />
‘Bhoga’ is a Sanskrit<br />
word that means<br />
‘conscious enjoyment’...<br />
...and that’s exactly what we do during our classes and<br />
workshops. We maintain the playful mind of a child, while<br />
bringing our mind under control with compassion and kindness.<br />
For those who have had a consistent and regular practice,<br />
they will agree that taking the yogic path isn’t easy. We<br />
become more aware of everything and everyone, as well<br />
as becoming more sensitive to external disturbances. For<br />
many, the realization that we have the power to control our<br />
own lives is liberating. However, acknowledging that taking<br />
this challenge on is at times scary and difficult, makes<br />
people return back to old habits.<br />
But that’s the beauty of having a community like ours: we<br />
support each other. During the last three and a half years,<br />
the community of Bhoga Yoga has grown together. We’ve<br />
all experienced our own challenges, but have chosen to explore<br />
the potential in each one for growth.<br />
Jeonju has provided me the secure and safe space to develop<br />
as a yoga teacher, and to truly explore who I really<br />
am. For this, Jeonju, I am so grateful. My time in Jeonju<br />
is coming to a close, as I shall be leaving in November<br />
<strong>2016</strong>,to explore new challenges, hoping to become a fulltime<br />
yoga teacher. With only two workshops left at the end<br />
of September and <strong>October</strong>, I hope our Bhoga Yoga community,<br />
throughout Korea and the world, maintains their dedication<br />
to their practice and commitment to making their<br />
lives healthier and happier.<br />
For more information please check out our Bhoga Yoga -<br />
Jeonju Facebook group, and the BhogaYoga website (http://<br />
www.bhoga-yoga.com). For those residing in Jeonju after<br />
I leave, I also highly recommend checking out the studios<br />
that have helped me along the way in Jeonju, including<br />
Body for Mind studio in Hyoja-dong and Myeongsang<br />
Yoga in Inhudong.<br />
Jeonbuk <strong>Life</strong> 13
JEONBUK TOUR<br />
Among 43 cultural festivals taking place<br />
around Korea this year, the Ministry of<br />
Tourism chose the Gimje Horizon Festival<br />
as one of its featured Top 3. This was a fitting chance<br />
for an event that is now in its 18th year but has perhaps<br />
not gotten the attention it deserves.<br />
What makes this festival so special? First and foremost,<br />
the setting. “Horizon Festival” stands as the<br />
name among many aspects of the event because of,<br />
well, the horizon (in Korean, jipyeongseon). Gimje<br />
is said to be the only inland location in Korea where<br />
one can see the horizon over flat land. And at this<br />
time of year, what a spectacular horizon it is. The<br />
rice fields stretch on in a golden hue before harvest,<br />
accented by spreads of purple-tinged cosmos flowers.<br />
Locally crafted scarecrows and decorative hay<br />
bales also help craft the silhouette of sunrise and sunset,<br />
giving a particularly autumnal feel.<br />
For the festival time, though, there’s something noticeably<br />
different on the horizon – dragons. This is<br />
g<br />
By ANJEE DISANTO, Jeonbuk <strong>Life</strong> Co-Editor<br />
[Shots courtesy of Gimje Public Relations]<br />
Jeonbuk <strong>Life</strong> 15
JEONBUK TOUR<br />
mid-300s in the Baekje dynasty and was a key to irrigating<br />
land throughout tough times in Korea. It’s only<br />
fitting, then, to celebrate the prosperity of modern Korea<br />
and Gimje’s “rice bowl” in particular in this spot.<br />
While the Horizon Festival takes place just one weekend<br />
each Fall, the charm of Gimje and its local farming<br />
culture extend far beyond that single span of days. If<br />
the festival’s not on, come here to check out the golden<br />
or bright green rice fields, the handmade scarecrows,<br />
the lakes of white lotus flowers (in summer), the scenes<br />
of every season at Geumsansa, or the feast of local<br />
foods. And the dragons… well, in spirit, they are always<br />
guarding the area, but in body, they’ll be back at<br />
the same time each year.t<br />
the theme that likely comes up the most in people’s<br />
grand photos and memories of the Horizon festival.<br />
For one, two giant bamboo dragons loom on the horizon<br />
line over the festival, meant to represent the legendary<br />
dragons that are said to guard Byeokgeolje, the<br />
festival ground. These bamboo beasts stand against<br />
dramatic sunrises and sunsets in the daytime and below<br />
torrents of festival fireworks or launched lanterns<br />
at night. Two moving dragons manned by locals, a<br />
colorful white and blue, might be seen meandering<br />
and performing amid the grounds as well.<br />
Besides a bit of spectacle, the Horizon Fest offers<br />
some ways for locals and tourists to get back to the area’s<br />
roots (both figuratively and otherwise). The event<br />
has long served as a way to connect to the farming<br />
culture of the region, which many call the “rice bowl”<br />
of Korea. Of course this can involve “connecting” to<br />
farming in a more literal way, such as by learning how<br />
to harvest rice, but this getting down and dirty it not<br />
everyone’s cup of tea.<br />
Luckily, the experiences related to the farming culture<br />
extend much further. Take the case of samulnori.<br />
These percussion quartets involving two gongs and<br />
two drums serve as the rhythmic backdrop to so many<br />
events in Korea, but the practice itself is also rooted in<br />
rice farming and the celebration of a harvest. With this<br />
in mind, Gimje’s festival understandably features this<br />
art form prominently. Another performance rooted<br />
in farming culture, nongak, is a spotlight in Gimje as<br />
well. This is the dance we so often see in Korea with<br />
tri-colored pompom hats, circles of instruments, and<br />
mild feats of acrobatics. As with any festival in Korea,<br />
these more traditional music displays are mixed<br />
with modern performances like Kpop-style shows, so<br />
it’s easy to get your fill of whatever you fancy.<br />
As for other traditions, a giant tug of war contest<br />
and ssireum, Korean folk wrestling, are bound to<br />
be on the itinerary in this rural setting. Less daring<br />
activities like kite flying, which takes place in staggering<br />
amounts over the dragon-donning horizon,<br />
are available, too, along with special events: several<br />
years ago, festival-organizers endeavored to make the<br />
world’s longest rice cake, for instance, and this year, a<br />
makkeoli sub-festival featured a setting to sample the<br />
extra-local brew.<br />
Of course you’re sure to find a full spread of cuisine<br />
at the Horizon Fest, as is true of most large-scale<br />
Korean gatherings, as well as experiential programs<br />
like wearing hanboks. (Gimje’s festival also offers a<br />
full-on traditional wedding experience, if the hanboks<br />
themselves are not enough.)<br />
But a last thing to consider when noting the importance<br />
of this local festival is the history behind<br />
the setting. Byeokgeolje, the reservoir at the festival<br />
grounds, is said to be the oldest reservoir made my<br />
man on the peninsula. This feature dates back to the<br />
Side Trips<br />
While in Gimje, one might make a variety of side<br />
trips to take in the local culture and cuisine.<br />
Among the options, we’ll offer up just two ideas for this<br />
issue: historic Geumsansa and hearty local beef sashimi.<br />
Geumsansa, the treasured “Golden Mountain Temple,”<br />
rests on the back slope of Moak mountain nearby prime<br />
hiking trails. Built in the Baekje era around 600, the temple<br />
houses a variety of national treasures, including the<br />
three-tiered Mireukjeon Hall in the temple’s main courtyard.<br />
Besides its multiple stories, which are not that characteristic<br />
of Korean temple structures, this hall houses a<br />
trio of stunning, larger-than life golden buddhas, including<br />
a Mireuksa (future) Buddha. The carvings and artwork on<br />
many of the numerous temple doors and walls are exquisite<br />
here, too – a great place to look into the small, thoughtful<br />
details of Korean Buddhist architecture.<br />
Besides its treasures, Geumsansa is renowned for its<br />
TempleStay program and its scenery for any season.<br />
Cherry blossoms dot the grounds and the walk to the temple<br />
in the spring, a time when the courtyard comes alive<br />
with lanterns. Summer brings lush greenery and flowers<br />
all around, while the backdrop of Mt. Moak bursts into<br />
reds and oranges in autumn. Even winter is a site to behold<br />
at Geumsansa, when snow caps the mountain’s peak and<br />
icicles hang from each roof tile.<br />
If you work up an appetite while touring the Gimje area,<br />
many local foods are more than worthy of a try, but we’d<br />
particular recommend trying some yook sashimi, made<br />
with local hanwoo. Hanwoo is Korean beef, and while<br />
eating raw beef might be unusual in some cultures, it’s<br />
definitely a delicacy in Korea. The meat is typically served<br />
in relatively thin, red slivers alongside a flavorful sauce to<br />
kick things up a notch. And even to a skeptical Westerner,<br />
the taste might surprise you, as the meat itself has an almost<br />
melt-in-your-mouth consistency.<br />
For this beef sashimi, you might check out Chongche<br />
Bori Hanwoo Zone in Gimje’s Oksandong area, or, if willing<br />
to go a bit further, Wonpyeong Jipyeongseon Cheongbori<br />
Hanwoo Zone in Wonpyeong.<br />
These are only two of many things Gimje has to offer in<br />
addition to the Horizon Festival. Check out future issues<br />
of <strong>JB</strong> <strong>Life</strong> for more detail on these and other local high<br />
points!<br />
16
LOCAL FOOD<br />
By ANJEE DISANTO<br />
Jeonbuk <strong>Life</strong> Co-Editor<br />
I’ve always felt that Korean cuisine had an element of<br />
earthy, outdoorsy charm. Meats of every manner are<br />
barbecued upon open fires, ajummas pluck greens at<br />
the roadside to mix into delectable side dishes, and ranges of<br />
pungent and salty earth and sea critters pop up as unexpected<br />
accompaniments to many meals.<br />
But a trip to Wanju’s “Wild Food Festival” revealed an<br />
even deeper connection to the outdoors through local fare.<br />
In terms of food, the Wanju festival typically highlights two<br />
ends of a spectrum: the tame-yet-tasty modern specialties of<br />
the local region and the rarely used ingredients and cooking<br />
methods of the past. For many, it’s the latter that would naturally<br />
be of more interest, and this side of the festival definitely<br />
did not disappoint.<br />
One of the highlights: entomophagy. A section of the<br />
grounds devoted to Wanju-based entomophagy (insects as<br />
food) exhibited both traditional and fusion methods of eating<br />
some delicious creepy crawlies. Fried beetles were nicely<br />
spiced, crunchy, and only mildly disconcerting, while pinesmoked<br />
grasshopper skewers offered a similar yet somehow<br />
more gourmet experience. Salty clumps of meal worms<br />
seemed to be a favorite even with kids, one of whom commented<br />
they “tasted like French fries.” These worms made<br />
their way into lollipops as well.<br />
For the truly adventurous, fried frogs popped up alongside<br />
the insects, with chefs cooking them in pepper and sesame<br />
in front of audiences. Although I’d tried frog legs before,<br />
like many in attendance, I was skeptical; luckily, it turns out<br />
that the Korean style of breading and seasoning makes even<br />
the seemingly frightening taste food-worthy. And escargot<br />
cutlet? While a surprising addition to the mix, this fusion<br />
offering seemed rather similar to the pork dish we all love.<br />
Perhaps this is the cutlet of the future?<br />
Elsewhere on the festival grounds, foods became adventurous<br />
simply through their catching or cooking methods, even<br />
if the ingredients were rather normal. Young and old were<br />
invited to catch their own salmon in the nearby stream. Afterward,<br />
the winnings were coated in coarse salt and could be<br />
cooked en masse via oven or grilled patiently over charcoal<br />
and clay pits. Many chose the latter, opting for a chance to<br />
share the quiet camaraderie round an outside fire that we so<br />
miss in modern times.<br />
Clay and mud proved to be a common element in cooking<br />
here. Meat strips like samgyeopsal were wrapped in oiled<br />
paper or lotus leaves and stuffed into deep red clay, after<br />
which they cooked in a massive clay oven. A similar method<br />
baked chickens inside of weighty clay clumps. And the<br />
result? All of these truly earthen methods ended, for me,<br />
as proof of a personal theory of mine: that nearly anything<br />
cooked in clay will turn out delicious.<br />
Of course, the bulk of these adventures represent traditional<br />
methods and ingredients of cooking, ones which are<br />
rarely used today for the sake of convenience. This is why<br />
another half of the festival seeks to highlight the most common<br />
Wanju foods and ingredients of today.<br />
Eight ingredients are the most lauded in Wanju’s “wild”<br />
inventory, though the festival reflected that there are in fact<br />
many more. Dried, candied persimmons and persimmon<br />
vinegar are two of the eight, and appeared both solo and in<br />
dishes at the festival. Ginger, onions, garlic, and jujubes<br />
make up more of the local food treasures, along with hanwoo<br />
beef. Rounding out the list were strawberries, mostly<br />
on offer through thick smoothies of fresh-picked berries.<br />
And while fried frogs, snail patties, and clay-roasted<br />
samgyeopsal might sound exciting, the modern local foods<br />
and their accompanying market were just as worth a visit.<br />
There also I tasted and sampled items in ways that were foreign<br />
to me, from ingredients using every available bit of the<br />
lotus plant to extra-strong alcohols brewed from fruits I’d<br />
never seen in person. To any adventurous chef, the abundance<br />
of lesser-known grains, spices, and locally grown<br />
vegetables would be a great find, too.<br />
We often see our local “wild” ingredients only in small<br />
doses in local markets or at highway rest stops. The same<br />
goes for traditional cooking methods, which pop up only at<br />
specialty restaurants these days (if we’re lucky!). Any opportunity<br />
to easily escape to the countryside, and in some<br />
ways, to the past, ought to be an ultimate wish of any true<br />
foodie. In Wanju, it turns out, there are plenty “wild” wishes<br />
to be fulfilled.<br />
While the Wanju Wild Food Festival only runs once per<br />
year in the Fall, many of the mentioned ingredients and dishes<br />
can be experienced through local markets and restaurants.<br />
Visit www.wanju.go.kr/tour to browse the local foods and<br />
offerings.<br />
PHOTOS: [FAR LEFT] A clay oven and prepared samgyeopsal strips. [NEAR LEFT] A brave<br />
volunteer steps up to taste the body of a fried frog. [RIGHT, FROM TOP] Grasshopper skewers,<br />
18 snail cutlet, and salmon roasting over a clay-pit fire. [Photos by ANJEE DISANTO]<br />
Jeonbuk <strong>Life</strong> 19
PHOTO ESSAY<br />
Heosu Abi (허수아비) is the Korean word for scarecrow.<br />
The component parts of the term literally translate<br />
to “empty” and “man.” But to me, they are not empty<br />
at all.<br />
Scarecrows have been a fixture of farm-country since time<br />
immemorial -- probably since the dawn of agriculture. Over<br />
the years, in addition to fulfilling their bird-repelling duties,<br />
they have wended their way into the fabric of the human psyche,<br />
symbols of innocence or evil, in whatever form of media<br />
they are being portrayed. But in this day and age, do you really<br />
see them standing guard above crops anymore? Do you?<br />
Where I come from, the old-school strawman-scarecrows<br />
are all but gone, replaced by higher-tech solutions using<br />
shiny synthetic ribbons, “noise-guns” and the like. Big farming<br />
has taken all the art out of the endeavor.<br />
In Korea though, it’s another story.<br />
I have been living in Jeollabuk-do, South Korea’s most rural<br />
province, for over eleven years. It’s a world apart from<br />
the frenetic-paced, crowded streets of Seoul, with its sleek<br />
buildings and 24-hour everything. Over the past few years,<br />
I have taught at up to eight different schools a week for the<br />
Iksan Board of Education, almost all of them servicing tiny<br />
farming communities in the very outskirts of town.<br />
The largest of these schools has 45 kids. And the smallest<br />
of them has a student body of eight. Eight! There are more<br />
cars parked on its soccer field (it has no parking lot) than<br />
there are students (who are not numerous enough for a soccer<br />
team). Outside its yard are a handful of old houses surrounded<br />
by the crops this small community survives off of. Pretty<br />
much all of my schools are set in similar surroundings, and<br />
exploring these small hamlets while I make my way to and<br />
from work has become something of a passion.<br />
I’ve noticed that farming here seems to be on a much<br />
smaller scale than in North America. Often enough, crops<br />
are still sown and harvested by hand. Family and neighbors<br />
work the fields together and lay the goods they have grown<br />
on the sides of the roads to dry out in the sun.<br />
One day, on a dusty road that was barely wide enough for<br />
all four wheels of a mid-sized car, I stumbled upon a sight:<br />
the torso of a ghostly white boy in a polo shirt hovering<br />
above a muddy field, on a pole. It was an old mannequin<br />
re-purposed to ward off birds, cool and creepy as hell, out<br />
here in the middle of nowhere. So I took some pictures of it.<br />
Over time, I found more of these cleverly crafted scarecrows<br />
among the fields of these small farms, and started to<br />
see them as the folk-art that they are. I would meet<br />
Jeonbuk <strong>Life</strong> 21<br />
g
PHOTO ESSAY<br />
some of their creators when they come over to see why a<br />
Canadian dude was knee-deep in their crops, and could hear<br />
them speak with pride of their creations.<br />
Materials varied from scarecrow to scarecrow. Some had<br />
on dress-shirts, winter jackets, or dresses, some used ramyeon<br />
packaging, buckets, road cones, hats of all types, beer<br />
cans, flags, shoes, teddy bears, and much, much more.<br />
One thing became clear to me: some spoke of more than<br />
the farmer’s simple need to ward away birds. Some were<br />
telling a story perhaps, or were an outlet of creativity or<br />
emotion for their creators. They were beautiful.<br />
One of my favorite finds was taken on a gloomy day last<br />
December. I was buzzing around the wee backroads, as I do,<br />
when the sun unexpectedly penetrated the thick cloud-cover.<br />
I thought I might get a nice shot of a well-known local<br />
mountain, Mireuksan, in the awesome light that was then<br />
developing. Boots ankle-deep in water and mud, I found a<br />
vantage point I liked, looked through my view-finder, and<br />
zoomed in. There, exactly where and when I would most<br />
like a scarecrow to be, one was. A doozy! It was not one,<br />
but two scarecrows - combined! And not just any old pair of<br />
scarecrows, but clearly an “adult” and a “child.”<br />
I asked myself, why? Why would someone do this? Was<br />
this scarecrow couple scarier to birds than a solo one, or<br />
somehow more effective? I’m pretty sure that’s not the<br />
case. I tried to imagine scenarios that could explain their<br />
existence: a grandparent and child made them as a bonding<br />
experience? Or perhaps they were made by a parent in<br />
mourning? Or by a proud parent-to-be? I felt someone had<br />
a pressing desire to express something here, some emotion<br />
or story. And I will never know it. A mystery.<br />
And like some Rorschach test, I can’t help but wonder<br />
what these farmland sentinels reveal about my own state of<br />
mind as I see in them this persona or that facial expression.<br />
All the same though, I just can’t stop myself from seeking<br />
them out.<br />
Where I used to speed through the curvaceous uncrowded<br />
country roads on my motorcycle, I now troll them slowly,<br />
camera on the ready, scanning the fields and horizon for my<br />
new favorite subject.<br />
For more images of scarecrows and the Korean countryside,<br />
search for “greggusan” and his photostream on Flickr.<br />
Jeonbuk <strong>Life</strong> 23
ARTS<br />
Focus on<br />
Korean<br />
Calligraphy<br />
By<br />
Miriam<br />
Lee<br />
24<br />
On the edge of the friendly but quiet courtyard<br />
of the Korean Traditional Culture Center in<br />
Jeonju, the new and growing building just<br />
northeast of downtown (you have probably seen it walking<br />
from Art Box to HomePlus), there sits a glass-fronted<br />
calligraphy studio and shop. Inside, a warm and down-toearth<br />
man is crafting his passion, helping the young and<br />
old to love Hangul.<br />
Even the newest of foreign visitors to Korea will likely<br />
have heard the basic history and superiority of the written<br />
Korean language, Hangul. It is a remarkably straightforward<br />
and logical language. (You’ll have heard some version<br />
of how even a complete idiot can learn it in a week.)<br />
It is as reliable in its logic as English is not.<br />
Hangul was a genius invention, any proud Korean student<br />
or linguistics scholar will tell you, especially on the national<br />
holiday on <strong>October</strong> 8th, which is set aside to celebrate<br />
the language. It happens to follow International Literacy<br />
Day by exactly a month. Hangul is one of the proudest elements<br />
of Korean culture, and with good reason. It is probably<br />
at the core of Korea’s very impressive literacy rate (in<br />
fact North Korea proclaims itself first in the world at 100%<br />
literate). Hangul is a relatively young language, created by<br />
the much-loved Joseon ruler King Sejong around the year<br />
1446. It was designed to help the common people become<br />
literate, and it was extremely successful. Beyond simply<br />
being phonetically logical, the letters provide specific instructions<br />
for placement of lips and teeth.<br />
According to an article in the Economist on Hangul<br />
Day of 2013 (<strong>October</strong> 8), in the fifteenth century, Hangul<br />
wasn’t immediately embraced by the elite Joseon scholars,<br />
but was mainly used by women and less educated<br />
students. Its use was not encouraged until the 19th century<br />
by the Japanese, in an effort to gain control over the<br />
Korean peninsula from China. Later more control still<br />
was gained by forcing the use of the Japanese language.<br />
In a country with as much national pride as Korea, even<br />
without such a special language, it would seem to follow<br />
almost naturally that there would be a strong tradition of<br />
calligraphy. In many festivals around the country, a street<br />
performance of clacking drums and anachronistic drama<br />
can be seen; a man in flowing white robes wields a massive<br />
paint brush against a large white sheet on the ground.<br />
With speed and drama he drips and sloshes, scrapes and<br />
drags out a massive message. (If it wasn’t already a tradition<br />
it would make an amazing graphic novel - a frustrated<br />
protagonist fights an unseen dragon with an unrealistically<br />
large ink paint brush). The final product is large and<br />
loud black ink in thick, juicy slabs.<br />
I have to admit that I don’t entirely get it. These tend<br />
to be the displays that I’m left wondering why other<br />
tourists are so closely filming. It is certainly culturally<br />
interesting, but not exactly aesthetically breathtaking. I<br />
do consider myself a fan of calligraphy in general (and<br />
not just because I’ve found that my elementary students<br />
much prefer a swirly and loopy “Great Job!” on their<br />
workbook pages to any giraffe or Pororo sticker). I waste<br />
a great deal of time with handwritten letters and compilations<br />
of Pinterest and YouTube calligraphy videos. Still,<br />
I struggle to see the beauty in these calligraphic displays.<br />
Perhaps it is just that ornateness is not a strong suit of<br />
Hangul. In fact it is its simplicity and utilitarian purity<br />
that make it so special.<br />
I suspect that the artist in the KTCC calligraphy center<br />
might agree, as he sits down for a <strong>JB</strong> <strong>Life</strong> interview. Seo<br />
Jae Jook, a native of Jeonju, started his career in graphic<br />
design. As he describes the beauty and precision with<br />
which letters are arranged on a page, I can’t help but be<br />
reminded of Steve Jobs giving his inspirational “Stay<br />
Hungry” speech to Stanford and his revolutionary interest<br />
in the very same thing.<br />
When I ask about the calligraphy performances he<br />
gives once or twice a year, for the New Year and other<br />
holidays, he seems as lukewarm towards the idea as<br />
I am. He prefers to discuss the words themselves, how<br />
they make people feel. He offers classes to students<br />
Jeonbuk <strong>Life</strong> 25<br />
g
ARTS<br />
with enough of a command of Korean to explore dual<br />
meanings and word play. (Sadly, mine won’t do, as<br />
I demonstrate an inability to recognize the words for<br />
“smile” and “road” that have been cleverly displayed<br />
on the wall of the studio.)<br />
His cedar-scented studio is pleasantly arranged with<br />
examples of his work, curving and circling into one appealing,<br />
if hard to decipher, shape. The characters turn<br />
out to be a kind of visual onomatopoeia, with words<br />
playfully and poetically arranged to extend their meaning.<br />
The shapes are fat and friendly and unpretentious.<br />
A line of brightly colored clocks point toward his small<br />
office. He explains that the cultural center requested<br />
that he design clocks for the young building complex.<br />
When I inquire about what I assume to be a deeper<br />
meaning about time or life, he just says all the rooms<br />
needed new clocks.<br />
This is not the painfully precise lesson in perfect<br />
penmanship that I was expecting. Nor was it a deeply<br />
spiritual look into the beauties of imperfections I vaguely<br />
remembered from the Asian art history class I took<br />
fifteen years ago. In an effort to better understand, I<br />
watched a clip of a presentation given to the Korea Society<br />
by Korean calligrapher Park Byoung Chul. He calls<br />
himself a letter farmer, planting the seeds and letting<br />
the words bloom. He explains that what was a tradition<br />
named for “fashionable elegance” has taken on an entirely<br />
new life without restrictions or standards, which<br />
leaves immense space for expression and play. In fact,<br />
he claims that the only shared elements between traditional<br />
and modern calligraphy are the paper, the brush,<br />
and the ink stone and slab.<br />
Due to the youth and simplicity of the language, Mr.<br />
Seo explains, plenty of room for expression is left. He<br />
quickly draws a word I’ve seen surreptitiously appear<br />
on my classroom white boards many times: ddong!<br />
똥! He illustrates how the D sound can be slightly stylized<br />
to make a butt, the long line of the “oh” sound can<br />
represent the intestines, and the final velar nasal stop<br />
(-ng sound), usually a simple circle, can illustrate in<br />
various shapes the very word it is indicating!<br />
I ask about his favorite brush, gesturing to the hanging<br />
circles of perfectly clean but aged traditional paint<br />
and ink brushes prominently placed on the photogenic<br />
walls of his studio. I suppose I was expecting him to<br />
display his favorite teacher’s ancient tool, but I share<br />
his delight when, after waving his hand over shelves<br />
full of pens of different colors and tip sizes, he pulls<br />
from a secretive spot in his office a shining blue box,<br />
and with a grin opens it to reveal the complete rainbow<br />
set of, you guessed it, gel pens.<br />
This is the beauty of Korean culture, I think. The<br />
ancient and the modern can intertwine in a way that<br />
is both clashing and seamless. A seventy-five-year-old<br />
woman selling homemade tofu on a sidewalk in front<br />
of a loud cell phone store, an elegant hanok gracing<br />
the entrance to the most modern IMAX theater, both<br />
moving forward and honoring history. Feelings about<br />
the smell of rice in autumn in ancient ink and gel pen<br />
highlights. And how better to truly celebrate the Korean<br />
people’s history than with the honesty and unpretentious<br />
accessibility with which Hangul was created.<br />
For the New Year’s Day holiday, Seo Jae Jook can<br />
be found in the courtyard performing a calligraphic<br />
ceremony, painting encouraging and inspirational<br />
words for the new year. Around the studio there<br />
are many examples of positive and poetic messages,<br />
some his own and some quotations, on mugs and fans<br />
and even a dodecahedronal calendar. He says he often<br />
works with people to find the right message or word<br />
to have inscribed on a gift for a particular occasion.<br />
Gifts of calendars and coffee mugs are available for<br />
very reasonable prices, and you can even have your<br />
own name chop made, complete with the minute<br />
notches that will make your signature stamp uncopiable.<br />
He is quite proud to explain how he made a signature<br />
chop for a recent Norwegian visitor, and can do<br />
the same for you in twenty or thirty minutes.<br />
The shop at KTCC is open to visitors from Monday<br />
to Saturday from 10am until 7pm with additional<br />
Sunday hours during the holiday and festival seasons.<br />
PHOTOS: [PREVIOUS PAGES] Fans and scrolls<br />
decorated by the artist in his studio. [RIGHT] Two<br />
of the artist’s works on display in his workshop,<br />
and Mr. Seo himself explaining how to bend words.<br />
[Photos by ANJEE DISANTO]<br />
Jeonbuk <strong>Life</strong> 27
ARTS<br />
Inside the World of Mohamed Fawzy<br />
By SILAYAN CASINO<br />
Jeonbuk <strong>Life</strong> Contributing Writer<br />
What does “Motopia” mean? Well, it is derived<br />
from the word “utopia,” which means<br />
an idyllic world. It is also the nickname of<br />
an Egyptian artist, Mohamed, living in the vicinity of<br />
Gimje. Read on and learn more about Motopia!<br />
Beginnings<br />
workshops at the Jesuit Culture Center in Alexandria.<br />
This work eventually led him to Siwa Oasis. The Siwa<br />
Oasis is an Egyptian desert oasis found in Africa’s northeast,<br />
near the Libyan border.<br />
In Siwa, Mohamed built his own house. All he rented<br />
was a shelter. He used many recycled materials, salt<br />
stones, and whatever natural resources he could find to<br />
make a home for himself for about ten years. He also built<br />
a cultural center and library for the children. The families<br />
and children he worked with in Siwa were relatively<br />
g<br />
Mohamed was born in Alexandria and moved to the<br />
UAE as a young boy. The eldest of four children, he grew<br />
up with a loving father, an engineer, who taught him many<br />
things about art. They spent many hours making things by<br />
hand. This eventually sparked Mohamed’s interest in pursuing<br />
art as a career. But from the time he started elementary<br />
school, Mohamed was “forbidden” from doing any<br />
more art work. His art supplies and materials were hidden<br />
away from him, though secretly, he continued.<br />
In 1995, Motopia returned to Egypt, to Alexandria,<br />
where he at first pursued biology but later changed his<br />
academic focus to anthropology and art. Two years later,<br />
in 1997, he began working full-time in art and teaching<br />
art to children. He started offering private and children’s<br />
LEFT: A work that occupies a full wall in Fawzy’s<br />
Gimje studio. RIGHT: One of the many wire animal<br />
sculptures that are characteristic of Fawzy’s style.<br />
[Photos by ANJEE DISANTO]<br />
Jeonbuk <strong>Life</strong> 29
ARTS<br />
LEFT: A copy of a children’s book designed by<br />
Fawzy before coming to Korea.<br />
RIGHT: The artist himself in front of one of his<br />
large-scale works. [Photos by ANJEE DISANTO]<br />
poor and couldn’t afford much. For this reason, Mohamed’s<br />
art workshops were free. He used whatever he<br />
had earned or saved from Alexandria to make this contribution<br />
to the Berber-speaking people of Siwa. Why?<br />
One of Motopoia’s goals was to instill, release, creative<br />
expression in children. However, many in that<br />
Muslim culture consider art expression forbidden<br />
because of their religion. Through his workshops,<br />
though, girls and boys were allowed to do art together,<br />
where they normally wouldn’t have been allowed<br />
to, as gender segregation is common in Islam. His<br />
years in Siwa were good to him and he was grateful<br />
to have had the opportunity to live among that community.<br />
From Siwa, Motopia returned for a while to Alexandria,<br />
before moving to South Korea in 2013. His<br />
decision to move was a big one. His wife was Korean<br />
and they decided to make their life together in South<br />
Korea. When he left Egypt, Mohamad “threw away,”<br />
disposed of thousands of pieces of artwork he had<br />
collected in order to open up a children’s discovery<br />
museum. Unfortunately, that project was not realized,<br />
but coming to Korea was really a new beginning for<br />
Mohamad. It was not really his choice, but he is accepting<br />
his fate and is making the most of his situation.<br />
Major and Minor<br />
Experiences<br />
Over the course of his art career, Mohamad has<br />
had 40 solo exhibitions, seven of which took place in<br />
Korea. He has also participated in five non-solo exhibitions,<br />
mostly in Seoul, the most recent one having<br />
been in Busan. His exhibits consist mostly of paintings,<br />
drawings, sculpture, photography, and video art.<br />
In Egypt, in fact, he was featured several times in design,<br />
architecture, and art magazines, as well as on<br />
television.<br />
He has also gained much experience working with<br />
street children. He discovered that some organizations<br />
encourage work with street children and then take<br />
advantage of the earnings the children make. This<br />
brought him to work directly with the children to empower<br />
them more.<br />
In Alexandria, Motopia had a brief experience with<br />
modern dance and “live” painting. What is this, you<br />
may be wondering? It is a performance in which the<br />
back wall of the stage is covered in cardboard paper<br />
while paint and brushes front the wall. As the artists<br />
dance, they also pick up the brushes and paint. This<br />
was part of a one-month workshop during which the<br />
story and music were created. The modern dance with<br />
live painting performance was the culmination of this<br />
project.<br />
Another touching experience Motopia encountered,<br />
was in Kathmandu, Nepal. We learned that Motopia’s<br />
passion is working and helping children develop a<br />
more scientific and cultured side from within through<br />
art. In Nepal, for just a short time of about three<br />
months, he worked with blind children, teaching them<br />
sculpture and drawing. It may seem impossible, but<br />
the challenge certainly paid off. He was very pleased<br />
to see that the results of the blind children “were similar<br />
to those of seeing children of the same ages.” Truly<br />
amazing.<br />
<strong>Life</strong> in Korea<br />
Motopia’s life in Korea has not exactly been a utopia.<br />
During his time in Gimje, he has been harassed<br />
and targeted as a terrorist, simply because of his name<br />
and where he comes from. Mohamed does not even<br />
practice Islam. He was born into that religion, but<br />
being away from his family, with his lifestyle as an<br />
artist, he is content the way he is. Islam is a religion<br />
the same way Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism<br />
are religions. Terrorism exists in many,<br />
g<br />
Jeonbuk <strong>Life</strong> 31
ARTS<br />
not necessarily all, societies. It is an act of extremism.<br />
There seems to be a strong misperception or misunderstanding<br />
about exactly who terrorists are. Just because<br />
he is Muslim, he stresses, it does NOT mean he<br />
is a terrorist. Mohamed is an artist, and a very gifted<br />
one at that.<br />
Still, one of his neighbor’s whom he was helping<br />
with something reported him to the police. Mohamad<br />
is living in a foreign country, an unfamiliar culture,<br />
and has had to tolerate this kind of racism in his new<br />
home. Is this fair? No. Do his activities as an artist,<br />
participating in exhibitions around Korea, and taking<br />
part in artist in residence programs, reflect those of an<br />
extremist, a terrorist? No. To this day, his activities<br />
have been observed by police, though he is no longer<br />
being harassed. Despite this negative experience, he<br />
will pursue a life in Gimje. The language barrier, as<br />
for many of us expats, limits his ability to integrate<br />
into the community, though somehow he has managed<br />
for the past two years since moving to this rural area<br />
from Seoul.<br />
During his time in Korea, Mohamed has discovered<br />
new interests and new art mediums. He is fond of Korean<br />
paper, hanji, and would like to use it to make<br />
clothes at some point. In addition, he likes the Korean<br />
transparent fabric called boshi. He would like to use<br />
this to experiment making sculptures with wire. Calligraphy<br />
is another one of Mohamed’s interests. He<br />
has worked a little in combining Japanese calligraphy<br />
with Arabic calligraphy, and would be interested in<br />
doing something similar with Korean and Arabic calligraphy.<br />
Fairly recently, Mohamad also started drawing<br />
old Korean houses, from around the 1920’s. He<br />
lives in such a house himself (maybe a little younger<br />
than from the 1920’s) and enjoys the architectural<br />
form.<br />
Since 1996, Mohamad’s inspiration for working<br />
with children has been somewhat personal. He said,<br />
“I feel alive when I<br />
work with children.”<br />
The past two years, however, he has had few opportunities<br />
to teach or work with children. He said<br />
he doesn’t teach so much as help children “discover”<br />
what they can do. He added that working with children,<br />
he has the opportunity to get so many new ideas<br />
from them. Mohamed shared that in Egypt, children<br />
are generally deprived of experimenting with art. So<br />
he felt they needed someone to motivate them, to find<br />
a way to bring out their creativity as individuals. This<br />
may be similar in Korea, where parents’ focus on education<br />
is paramount and any sort of creative discovery<br />
is secondary.<br />
His hope is to stay in Gimje, to learn more Korean in<br />
order to be able to communicate with people around<br />
him, and to open workshops for children again. Eventually,<br />
he’d like to buy some land and build a big art<br />
school and library for children. His real, true passion<br />
is working with children to help them understand<br />
themselves; to help them discover certain social and<br />
cultural hobbies; and to develop scientific thinking,<br />
creativity, and imagination.<br />
If you’re interested in learning more about Motopia,<br />
seeing some art work, or coloring some of his<br />
pictures, it’s very possible. He has written several<br />
children’s books, including one in Korea that was<br />
published in 2014. It’s title is 해복 바다에 무슨 일<br />
이 일어났을까 by 모하메드 파우지 이브라힘 칼<br />
레드. He is also currently working on compiling a<br />
coloring book, for adults. You may view more of his<br />
works on his web site at http://www.motopia-art.net/<br />
or contact him by searching for “Mohamed Fawzy”<br />
on Facebook. He welcomes contact with anyone:<br />
artists, art fans, parents with children, and more.<br />
LEFT: Detail of an illustration from Fawzy’s<br />
Korean-language children’s book. ABOVE and<br />
RIGHT: Two large-scale cloth-based works on<br />
the walls of Fawzy’s studio..<br />
[Photos by ANJEE DISANTO]<br />
Jeonbuk <strong>Life</strong> 33
GLOBAL JEONBUK<br />
A Taste of Vietnam’s North<br />
34<br />
By DEAN CRAWFORD<br />
Jeonbuk <strong>Life</strong> Contributing Writer<br />
Jeonju’s inclusion into the Lonely Planet’s Top 10<br />
Places to Visit in <strong>2016</strong> primarily came down to<br />
two factors. The country’s largest Hanok Village<br />
is a sight to behold, particularly at night, when lanterns<br />
bathe the area in traditional lights, transporting you back<br />
through 1000 years of Korean history. And for those that<br />
reside in area, you’d be hard pressed to hear anyone deny<br />
that Jeonju is undoubtedly the culinary capital of Korea.<br />
Despite the city continuing to develop and the newest<br />
hotspot for food and drink, Shinshigaji, offering a wealth<br />
of bars and restaurants, the one slight complaint that Jeonju<br />
expats may bemoan is the foreign food choices, in particular,<br />
the options for authentic South East Asian cuisine.<br />
And when it comes to Vietnamese food, Ashley Bui, the<br />
owner and head chef at Pho Hanoi, would certainly agree.<br />
As a result, she took it upon herself to open a restaurant<br />
with one simple remit: to provide the authentic flavors<br />
of Vietnam to Korean diners via a genuine Vietnamese<br />
experience.<br />
“I want people to come<br />
here and feel like they are<br />
coming to my home.”<br />
“Vietnamese, Korean, foreigners…they can find a family<br />
here,” she says with a beaming smile.<br />
The latest in a family of culinary artists hailing from<br />
Hanoi, it took over 10 years of living in Jeonju for Ashley<br />
to finally take the plunge to open Pho Hanoi in April. Using<br />
recipes passed down from generation to generation,<br />
Bui simply decided it was time to bring the true taste of<br />
Vietnam to Jeonju.<br />
“There any many restaurants around that don’t feel like<br />
they are real Vietnamese and more fusion. Here we serve<br />
authentic Vietnamese food. People who have been to Vietnam<br />
can definitely find the taste that they like.”<br />
So dedicated is she to creating that authentic taste, she<br />
has weekly shipments of herbs and spices sent straight<br />
from Vietnam, as anything other than the best simply<br />
won’t do. Restaurants from Hanoi to Ho Chi<br />
g<br />
Jeonbuk <strong>Life</strong> 35
GLOBAL JEONBUK<br />
Minh have their distinct flavours, so she refuses to<br />
make her food generic.<br />
Having travelled much of Vietnam, I cant attest that<br />
Pho Hanoi certainly offers an authentic feel. Lotus<br />
flowers handcrafted by Ashley herself hang from the<br />
the ceiling, while soothing Vietnamese music plays<br />
over the PA. The aromatic smell of Cà phê đá (traditional<br />
Vietnamese coffee) makes this place feel unlike<br />
any other Vietnamese restaurant I’ve tried in the city.<br />
But Pho Hanoi is more than it’s handicrafts and coffee.<br />
Ashley exerts a painstaking effort to make sure<br />
that the food is the star of the show. Not only are the<br />
majority of her ingredients straight from Vietnam, but<br />
her mother also works in the kitchen, ensuring that<br />
the family recipes are being adhered to. To some,<br />
this might seem extreme, but Ashely has been cooking<br />
since she was 11. To her, this dedication isn’t an<br />
extravagance, but a necessity. When I asked why she<br />
doesn’t buy her ingredients locally, she simply replied,<br />
“I can’t find what I need in Jeonju, so that’s the<br />
only way to keep the flavor and traditional taste.”<br />
Consider the nation’s most recognizable dish, pho.<br />
What some may simply see as as a dish of steamed<br />
water and a few herbs is a dish for which her family<br />
has been perfecting the recipe for years.<br />
“The main flavor is the bone, but it takes a lot of<br />
work. We cook it for 12 hours, but for the first 2<br />
hours, I always have to check it. The heat rises, so I<br />
have to make sure the broth is always pure and clean.<br />
Unlike Korean food, which is cooked with a strong<br />
heat, I have to cook our broth on a low heat for a long<br />
time, putting in more water. We use brisket and muscle<br />
from the cow, which has a great flavour.”<br />
It is only then that she can add more traditional seasonings<br />
such as cinnamon, dry shrimp, onions, and<br />
ginger. It seems like a real labor of love in a quest<br />
for perfection, especially when she tells me that her<br />
brother makes a point of travelling all over her home<br />
country looking for the best pho combinations. While<br />
this may seem extreme, it is definitely worth the effort.<br />
Ashley informed me that one should be able to tell<br />
from the first sip if the broth is fresh, and fresh it is.<br />
It’s fragrant, flavorful and downright delicious. Without<br />
sounding too melancholic, the first taste took me<br />
back to eating pho on the streets of Ho Chi Minh. The<br />
Pho Bo was not too sweet and definitely not too salty.<br />
The fresh, aromatic taste left no desire to add the Vietnamese<br />
chili sauce provided. I can honestly say it’s<br />
the best pho I’ve had in Jeonju, if not Korea.<br />
While a food critic has no option but to try pho bo<br />
whilst visiting a Vietnamese restaurant, another dish<br />
that comes highly recommended from local expats is<br />
the Xoi Ga, fried chicken with a sticky rice. Cooked<br />
in coconut juice, cinnamon, star anise, and, as I was<br />
told, “a special seasoning from the forest in Vietnam”<br />
(which no doubt arrives in the aforementioned weekly<br />
package from her sister), the chicken is fried to perfection<br />
and pairs perfectly with the sticky rice. I also tried<br />
the spring rolls and a Vietnamese coffee. A fitting start<br />
and end to a delicious meal. Despite my best efforts to<br />
try everything on the menu, as I got a bit full on the<br />
delicious food, Ashley informed me of the other more<br />
popular dishes.<br />
“Foreigners love the Bun Cha (vermicelli with BBQ<br />
pork, meatballs and spring rolls) because President<br />
Obama came to Vietnam and tried it with a bottle of<br />
Hanoi beer. We place a topping with stir fried beef on<br />
top. So it’s really good for a hot summer day!”<br />
But what about the locals? What does the Korean<br />
population ask for?<br />
“For the Koreans, they really love the Pho Tap Cam<br />
Cay (satay rice noodle with seafood and beef) - it’s<br />
spicy! But we can reduce the spice made to order. They<br />
also love the fried rice (Com Bo Xao) with stir fried<br />
beef that is seasoned with lemon grass and many kinds<br />
of herbs. One bowl of pho and this is a very popular<br />
combination.”<br />
As she said this, I overheard a young Korean couple<br />
walk through the door saying “맛있는 냄새” and order<br />
exactly that. It is obvious that she knows her food and<br />
her clientele extremely well.<br />
“Koreans enjoy our<br />
restaurant because they<br />
have a feeling like they<br />
are in Vietnam.”<br />
She proclaims this with a shy smile. “My customers<br />
say this is the real taste (of Vietnam) and they come<br />
back again.”<br />
I know I certainly will.<br />
I felt nothing but welcome during my time in Pho Hanoi<br />
and left feeling more than satisfied. With opening<br />
hours of 10am - 10pm and no breaks taken even during<br />
national holidays, I suggest that you, too, take a trip off<br />
the main strip of Shinshikaji and give Pho Hanoi a try.<br />
PHOTOS: Previous pages -- A bowl of bun cha<br />
with the backdrop of Pho Hanoi’s bright dining<br />
room; a xio ga plate with fragrant sticky rice.<br />
[Photos by ANJEE DISANTO] These pages --<br />
classic pho [photo by ANJEE DISANTO] and cha<br />
gio [photo by DEAN CRAWFORD].<br />
Jeonbuk <strong>Life</strong> 37
SPORTS<br />
with “Bubble Ball”<br />
By HEATHER ALLMAN<br />
Jeonbuk <strong>Life</strong> Contributing Writer<br />
Over the past few years, Bubble Ball has quickly<br />
gained popularity worldwide. Now played<br />
in over 200 countries, it is a smashing way for<br />
groups of people to combine their love of fun, sport, and all<br />
things, well, bouncy. If you’ve ever had the urge to knock<br />
your friends down at full speed without any sense of regret,<br />
Bubble Ball is the sport for you.<br />
Think it’s a good time to score? Bubble Ball is available<br />
year round in the Jeollabuk-do area, as it can be played<br />
both inside and out. Nathan Weatherholt, a Florida native<br />
currently residing in Jeonju and Co-Founder of Bubble<br />
Ball Korea, found himself “desperately wanting to play,”<br />
as it was apparent that the sport’s popularity was gaining in<br />
the U.S. After numerous searches left them realizing that<br />
Korea lacked a certain elasticity, Weatherholt and his business<br />
partner had the idea to purchase some bubble balls for<br />
their group of friends to enjoy. Once they recognized the<br />
legitimate success the game had achieved across the globe,<br />
the two decided to assist others in getting in on the action.<br />
Operating for a little over a year, Bubble Ball Korea has<br />
received some outstanding feedback with an abundance of<br />
repeat customers.<br />
Those who have experienced Bubble Ball Korea firsthand<br />
only offer rave reviews. Referring to it as “so much<br />
more intense and exciting” than expected, and that they<br />
“have never played sports like this before but really<br />
want to play again,” veterans of the game say positive<br />
things. Dean from England declared his favorite part<br />
to be “hurling [his] mate across the pitch!” Bubble<br />
Ball isn’t just a game, it’s also “a great way to exercise,”<br />
and blow off some steam. If you’re concerned<br />
about the sport being too high impact, Lynn from the<br />
U.S. said that, “she’s a small girl, but can play like [the]<br />
Hulk!” Rest assured, Bubble Ball Korea is made to suit<br />
players of any age and stature.<br />
So what should participants expect? Weatherholt described<br />
it as “a very odd sensation when you first get into one. You<br />
take on a sense of invincibility, while running full steam at<br />
your friends, smashing into them, and watching them roll like<br />
a tumbleweed!”<br />
The typical Bubble Ball game is a very inflated take on the<br />
game of soccer, with two teams of five trying to get the ball<br />
into their opponent’s goal. Reality springs into action in the<br />
form of 5-foot-wide,10-kg inflatable bubbles adorned by each<br />
player. While these may sound difficult for some to tackle, the<br />
only restriction is that players must be 145 cm tall.<br />
Bubble Ball soccer may be the most popular version of the<br />
sport, but Bubble Ball Korea also offers games called “Bubble<br />
Blast,” “Team Bubble Blast,” and “Capture the Flag.” Although<br />
players are required to sign a waiver, all of the games<br />
are extremely safe. Referees are always present to ensure that<br />
water breaks and fair play are strictly enforced.<br />
Bubble Ball Korea wants their customers to know that<br />
“Safety and FUN are [the] two most important factors with<br />
this company.” On top of that, they guarantee an amazing<br />
time.<br />
If you think you’re ready to kick off, organizing a Bubble<br />
Ball event is easy. Games can be played with as few as six<br />
people, but the company suggests having a group of nine or<br />
more. Larger groups can take turns playing against one another.<br />
The customer is only required to find the playing surface<br />
and Bubble Ball Korea will take care of the rest. An ideal<br />
playing field is the size of a basketball court, but larger areas<br />
can be utilized as well. Bubble Ball Korea will accommodate<br />
customers anywhere within the North Jeolla area, but are willing<br />
to travel further at an additional charge. If you’re in a bit<br />
of a bind, Weatherholt said that they are “happy to help find<br />
fields or schools to fit the customer’s needs within Jeonju” for<br />
no extra cost. He noted that most venues will require a reservation<br />
fee to use their facilities, which will not be included in<br />
the Bubble Ball Korea prices.<br />
Bubble Ball events are priced at 300,000 KRW for the first<br />
hour, including: 10 inflatable bubbles, referees/facilitators,<br />
soccer balls, markers, scoreboards, goal nets, and liability<br />
waivers. Prices significantly decrease for added rounds. Special<br />
discounts are awarded to students and corporate/school<br />
events. The activity is suited for schools, businesses, churches,<br />
organizations, and groups of friends.<br />
For more information or to schedule events, visit bubbleballkorea.com.<br />
Further inquiries can be addressed to bubbleballkorea@gmail.com.<br />
Photos courtesy of Bubble Ball and<br />
bubbleballkorea.com.<br />
Jeonbuk <strong>Life</strong> 39
WORLDVIEW<br />
some regard Confucianism as suppression by cultural ideals<br />
some regard Confucianism as the ideal expression of culture<br />
it’s all about how we regard each other<br />
by David van Minnen<br />
Jeonbuk <strong>Life</strong> Co-Editor<br />
What is the most prominent feature of Korea?<br />
A variety of people will give you a<br />
variety of answers to that question, such<br />
as K-Pop, LG phones, complete domination of womens’<br />
golf, and... mmmm the FOOD! These are noteworthy,<br />
but they do not explain what makes Koreans stand out<br />
from all other nations. In practical living, Korea is by<br />
far the most strictly practicing Confucian culture on the<br />
planet.<br />
“The Korean way” is basically Confucian principles<br />
rigorously practiced in daily life.<br />
Looking at acedemia’s offering of Confucius is informative<br />
and formative, but looking at Korea’s real-time, fleshand-blood<br />
living offering of Confucianism sees it lived out<br />
with gusto. Living in Korean society is to breathe in Confucian<br />
ways. Even if you don’t live here, it’s easy to see<br />
the Korean presence on the international stage, in business,<br />
tech, animation, gaming, and music, just to name a few. It<br />
is the Korean worldview and work ethic that bear the load<br />
of the nation’s skyrocketing success.<br />
So it shouldn’t surprise anyone that there are many<br />
Koreans who are extremely proud of their heritage and<br />
see it ebbing away under the sway of modernism. Every<br />
developing nation can relate, in its own way.<br />
In Korea, people think and behave very strictly<br />
along a certain code. Living to that code<br />
gives belonging and tells you where you<br />
stand. Relentlessly. Korea is unique from<br />
all other cultures mostly because of its<br />
strict ‘lived out’ Confucianism. There is<br />
no competition, by far, anywhere, according<br />
to rooms full of seasoned travelers.<br />
What is<br />
Confucianism?<br />
Confucianism is an ethical<br />
system. It is a societal<br />
ranking system. It<br />
is a philosophy. A way of living. The principle component:<br />
honor thy father and mother. This is one of the<br />
Ten Commandments, too, right? “Yes, but the fourth<br />
commandment . . . it’s turned up way higher in Korea,”<br />
explained a precocious teenaged girl. The entire Confucian<br />
system is about how to properly honor and obey<br />
your superiors. And pleasing them is how you do well in<br />
life. Simple, right?<br />
Confucius Himself<br />
Confucius had a difficult life. As did we all in 500 B.C.<br />
It may come as a surprise that he did not believe in classes<br />
or a caste system, and his disciples were both rich and<br />
poor together, depending on their abilty; not their birthright.<br />
But he lived in an environment very different than<br />
his vision. It was a time full of armed conflicts. He spent<br />
most of his life just trying to stay alive.<br />
He was Chinese. He had a great mind. At one point, he<br />
was actually given a fiefdom and he had a chance to prove<br />
that his society would work. It did, and he drew a great<br />
following, and of course, enemies.<br />
Especially able amongst his enemies were lords who<br />
wanted him to stop decrying birthright. Confucius lived<br />
much of his later years in hiding and he died in failure,<br />
lamenting he had nobody whom he might<br />
mentor. If the honorable wise man were alive<br />
right now, he would be amazed at what massive<br />
influence he’d had, and the shapes it<br />
took in various regions.<br />
Confucius was about equal opportunity.<br />
He certainly did embrace an aristocracy,<br />
but not of birth. The better people were<br />
people of upright character. He<br />
said all people should be educated,<br />
without favorites. Elevation<br />
depends on merit. He<br />
had a great social welfare<br />
program. He believed in<br />
equality, in a way.<br />
g<br />
40<br />
Jeonbuk <strong>Life</strong> 41
WORLDVIEW<br />
If all people are basically good, and won’t use it wrongly,<br />
it’s a great system. Filial piety is great when theose in authority<br />
over you are good, and nice; but not if they’re not.<br />
His system works, and he knew it; but still, he died in<br />
failure, thinking nobody cared.<br />
Korea, the Epicenter’<br />
of Confucian Principles<br />
All of Asia knows Confucius now, to some degree.<br />
It varies from culture to culture how strictly it is in<br />
effect. When it comes to actual daily living, Korea<br />
is by far the most energetically Confucian society<br />
on the planet. One anthropologist claims all of Asia<br />
was much more Confucian, just Korea modernized<br />
late, and is an undried puddle of a former system.<br />
So Korea has the most residual Confucianism because<br />
it was so isolated and it was a late bloomer.<br />
This way of viewing it assumes modernity is the<br />
goal and Confucianism is a skin to be shed. However,<br />
another way of looking at it is that Confucianism<br />
works. All you need for it to blossom is freedom<br />
from tyranny. The Korean way has been a way interrupted.<br />
70 years ago, Korea was a little preoccupied<br />
with having Shinto principles drilled into them by<br />
occupation-installed Japanese schoolteachers. Officially,<br />
the Korean way was on pause. It needed a<br />
chance to grow. Then there was the war. This place<br />
was devastated, and not so long ago. But finally,<br />
the Korean way was free to bloom and grow. With a<br />
little help from friends, South Korea has skyrocketed<br />
to a great height on the world stage. Confucianism<br />
is not a skin to be shed, but an Iron-Man suit of<br />
successful principled harmony.<br />
Korea has risen like a Pheonix on the wings of<br />
Confucian principles. Buddhists and Christians may<br />
be eager to chime in about their influence, and these<br />
will be discussed in upcoming articles. Economists<br />
have a great deal to say to explain Korea’s growth,<br />
and that’s coming in the last installment of this series<br />
as well.<br />
The objective of this article is to assert that, of the<br />
several layers that make up the Korean worldview,<br />
the Confucian principles of piety wield the strongest<br />
influence on the culture, and to celebrate some<br />
of the good things, while identifying current trends.<br />
Current Trends<br />
The importance Koreans place on education leads<br />
to great competition, from which emerges great skill.<br />
Korea claims a 98% literacy rate. There is also the<br />
strong family bond that other cultures seem to have<br />
lost a generation ago. Korea has a very low street<br />
crime presence, without a menacing police force.<br />
Are some races just more well-behaved by nature?<br />
Doubtful. Not DNA, but intangible cultural heritage.<br />
It is the positive, unifying, ordering, and dominant<br />
worldview that is to take the credit--or the blame, in<br />
many conversations.<br />
“Confucianism isn’t a religion; it’s, like, an operating<br />
system,” illustrated a teenaged Korean guy,<br />
who had lived in several cultures.<br />
Like everywhere else, there are Koreans who celebrate<br />
the old way with ferocious pride, as a sage<br />
grandmother lamented, “The joy of ceremony, and<br />
of honor, in relations . . . it’s all disappearing and we<br />
are in danger of losing who we are.”<br />
And, like everywhere else, there are some in this<br />
dominant worldview that will do anything they can to<br />
get out, or get their kids out. This trend is alarming,<br />
as it poses an emigration brain-drain: the very people<br />
Confucius wanted to lead the country are leaving<br />
the country! That’s tragic. If indeed such a trend is<br />
afoot, this is worth talking about. What makes them<br />
want to get out to a Western country? The pursuit of<br />
knowledge. Can Confucianism flex and synchronize<br />
with modernity? What does it have to offer the rest<br />
world? And what to learn from them? Your input is<br />
encouraged. Send to Jeonbuk<strong>Life</strong>@gmail.com.<br />
Whatever your appraisal of Korea’s Confucian<br />
culture, everyone can agree that it is the most distinguishing<br />
feature of Korea. If you know any Koreans,<br />
or are Korean, the persistant question throbs in<br />
the air: ‘How Korean are you?’ To describe this as<br />
nationalism is overly political, and doesn’t see the<br />
bigger picture. This is about morality, and identity.<br />
It’s not something you can easily examine, when it<br />
is you. It’s not something you can reset or turn off.<br />
Socrates said, “The unexamined life is not worth<br />
living.” It is a very worthwhile pursuit to see how<br />
people tick. Especially when you are rubbing shoulders<br />
with each other. This topic is much too broad<br />
to adequately treat in a single article. Glancing off<br />
the tip of the iceberg, we will careen, in part 4, into<br />
the arms of Buddha, who exerted a huge influence<br />
upon Korea’s spendidly and tenaciously Confucian<br />
peninsula.<br />
PHOTOS :<br />
PREVIOUS PAGES -- Jeonju Hanggyo,<br />
a historic Confucian school in the Hanok<br />
Village. LEFT (top and bottom) -- Versions<br />
of the ‘sam-taeguk,’ a symbol that recurs<br />
throughout Neo-Confuciansim and also<br />
ties to shamanism, Daoism, etc. ABOVE --<br />
A ‘gat,’ a Korean hat often associated with<br />
Confucian scholars.<br />
[Photos by ANJEE DISANTO]<br />
42 Jeonbuk <strong>Life</strong> 43
SOCIAL SCOPE<br />
By Renee McMillan<br />
“Making sure kids without a<br />
family had a gift on Christmas<br />
was not only something I could<br />
control, it felt like something I<br />
had to control.”<br />
The foreigner community in Jeonju has a long tradition<br />
of working closely with local charities to<br />
provide services and to raise money for ongoing<br />
projects. From the annual Murder Mystery that raises funds<br />
for Esther Park and the Jeonju Three, to performances of The<br />
Vagina Monologues that donate to Jeonbuk Women’s Association<br />
United (JWAU), many foreigners and Koreans have<br />
spent countless hours donating time and energy to make a<br />
contribution to the city they call home. No group has worked<br />
as tirelessly and continuously as Neighbourly, Neighborly.<br />
Neighbourly, Neighborly is a group of local volunteers that<br />
works closely with orphanages in Jeonju to provide monthly<br />
visits, as well as annual Children’s Day and Christmas presents<br />
to approximately two hundred children. The Neighbourly,<br />
Neighborly Facebook group was established on January<br />
1, 2010 by Christina Murphy. Christina’s journey in creating<br />
Neighbourly, Neighborly was a long and deeply personal one.<br />
In 2009, Christina found herself at somewhat of a crossroads,<br />
and was uncertain in which direction to move. Feeling<br />
44<br />
Jeonju Expats Giving Back to the Community<br />
stuck and dissatisfied, and also feeling she had little control<br />
over her circumstances, Christina wasn’t sure where to turn.<br />
It was at this time she saw a post by David Van Minnen on<br />
the Jeonju Hub requesting help for the Christmas orphanage<br />
visits.<br />
“He needed volunteers and direction. It surprised me that he<br />
needed volunteers. I always thought there were loads of people<br />
helping out with that stuff. There always were, but such is<br />
life in Korea: people move, schedules change, and things get<br />
in the way. I was disappointed to realize that this whole time I<br />
thought it was being taken care of by lots of people, and guessing<br />
that there wasn’t a need for little old me, that actually, I<br />
could have just been participating.”<br />
Christina contacted Van Minnen, and when she asked him<br />
what he needed, he replied, “Everything.” Christina told him<br />
she would do everything. She is quick to add, “I wasn’t trying<br />
to be a hero. I just thought that my life was crap and I couldn’t<br />
do anything about that, but I could make other changes so other<br />
people’s lives didn’t need to be so crappy.”<br />
Christina and David went to work figuring out what they<br />
needed to do. They had two hundred and nineteen kids, ranging<br />
in age from zero to nineteen, that needed gifts. They also<br />
needed to buy gifts by gender and different preferences. They<br />
decided to fill gift bags with notebooks, pens, stickers, candies,<br />
gloves, and fun 1,000-won toys. Once they had determined<br />
exactly what they needed, Christina and one of her<br />
friends went shopping and bought everything. Christina adds,<br />
“In a weird way, it was the first time I’d felt good for a long<br />
while. My living room was filled with boxes of things, and on<br />
Christmas Eve, when David Van Minnen turned up to collect<br />
everything in his Santa suit, I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t<br />
awesome.”<br />
Santa had another request for Christina. He wanted her<br />
to visit the orphanages when the gifts were delivered so she<br />
could see the fruits of her labor. Christina was hesitant. “He<br />
gave me the directions and schedule for visiting the orphanages<br />
the next day, which was something I was completely<br />
not up for doing. I didn’t want to feel bad, as selfish as that<br />
sounds. I couldn’t take it.” Santa insisted she visit at least one<br />
orphanage, and when her friend who had helped said she<br />
wanted to go, Christina reluctantly agreed.<br />
It was raining heavily on Christmas Day, and as her friends<br />
prepared for a Christmas party, Christina walked through the<br />
mud to Hosung Children’s Home. Sitting on a chapel pew<br />
with her head down, surrounded by Christmas gifts, Christina<br />
met a young boy who would change everything. “This kid,<br />
about seventeen years old, came up to me and started talking.<br />
He was barely drawing breath as he told me about school, his<br />
football team, and what he wanted to be when he was older.<br />
He didn’t even see me as a foreigner. He just wanted to talk.<br />
That kid opened my eyes. That room full of ‘sad orphans who<br />
would make me feel sad’ was actually a room full of kids<br />
who were not in ideal situations. It embarrassed me to think<br />
of how I’d been so defeated by my own problems, when here<br />
were kids refusing to be defeated.” Christina helped Santa<br />
give out the gifts, and they stayed to chat and play with the<br />
ABOVE:<br />
Volunteers wrap gifts for the orphanages.<br />
(Photos courtesy of Deep Into)<br />
kids afterwards. When it was time to leave, Christina didn’t<br />
want to say goodbye, and she knew she wanted to see the kids<br />
again. On the way back to the car, Christina thanked Santa,<br />
and mentioned how surprised she was by how much the kids<br />
just wanted to be around people. David told her he wished<br />
they could visit more often. Christina couldn’t stop thinking<br />
about his words, or her experiences with the kids she had met.<br />
That night, while attending a Christmas party, Christina<br />
spoke with other members of the Jeonju community who<br />
were actively involved in different charities. Her mind went<br />
into overdrive, and she decided to start a Facebook group to<br />
see if they could create an open, ongoing community of volunteers.<br />
Christina named the group Neighbourly, Neighborly,<br />
using both the British and American English spellings, as well<br />
as Hangeul, on the website. She wanted to ensure that everyone<br />
felt included and welcome to participate.<br />
Although Christina did create the Facebook group for<br />
Neighbourly, Neighborly, she is very quick to point out that<br />
she was not the first person in Jeonju to volunteer at orphanages.<br />
She feels that she has often been given undue credit in<br />
that regard. “Koreans and foreigners of all walks of life had<br />
been visiting and volunteering at the orphanages and other<br />
places long before I turned up. Throughout the lifetime of<br />
Neighbourly, I myself, with a few friends, volunteered as<br />
English teachers for the Jeonbuk Women’s Association United<br />
(JWAU). It is from a lot of those experiences, from those<br />
people and my own, that I built the Neighbourly model.”<br />
While Christina gives credit to those that came before her,<br />
there is no doubt that her ideas and organization, as<br />
g<br />
45
SOCIAL SCOPE<br />
well as her passion and determination, were contagious. By the<br />
end of New Years Day, over one hundred volunteers had joined<br />
the Neighbourly group. People were excited, and were offering<br />
ideas. The first orphanage visit was arranged, and while not<br />
perfect, it was well received by the kids and volunteers. The<br />
group decided to give Children’s Day gifts, and began holding<br />
fundraisers. Month by month, Neighbourly grew, and a fourth<br />
orphanage was added. Christina worked with local businesses<br />
and artists, and met a lot of great people. Everything was going<br />
so well, she decided to stay in Jeonju and continue growing<br />
Neighbourly, Neighborly.<br />
One of the biggest concerns Christina had when she started<br />
Neighbourly, Neighborly was sustainability. When she was initially<br />
deciding how best to help the orphanages, and ideas for<br />
the group were first forming, she talked to other people who<br />
were raising money for the Jeonju Three. “I remember having<br />
a good conversation about sustainability.”<br />
“Whatever good we do,<br />
we need to make it so it<br />
can continue rather than<br />
just raising expectations.”<br />
This idea took on greater significance in the fall of 2013.<br />
Christina made the decision to leave Jeonju, and handed the<br />
group over to Michelle Aspden, Jasmin Shurgold, and Melissa<br />
Joynt. “It makes me really happy to see that now in its seventh<br />
year, and with different volunteers, that the Neighbourly group<br />
is still working,” Christina said.<br />
With new coordinators in place, Neighbourly, Neighborly<br />
continued under Christina’s model. In the fall of 2014, Ashley<br />
Mishell took over the group and Neighbourly really began<br />
growing again. Jasmin Shurgold explains, “No one could really<br />
fill Christina’s shoes until Ashley joined. She brings new<br />
energy and is very organized. There is never a moment when<br />
people don’t know what to do. She follows through and puts<br />
in the leg work when no one else will.” Under the direction<br />
of Ashley, the group expanded their fundraising efforts. They<br />
have added regular Bingo nights and evenings of language exchange,<br />
and are currently holding a photography contest.<br />
Ashley also works very hard to establish and maintain relationships<br />
with local business owners. She helped build a<br />
relationship with Our Shop India, who hosted a Holi Hai<br />
event in April. Ashley also works closely with the owners of<br />
Deep In, Deep Into, and Radio Star, who allow Neighbourly,<br />
Neighborly to hold regular fundraising events, special drink<br />
sales, and Christmas wrapping events in preparation for the<br />
Christmas orphanage visits. Ashley can’t stress enough how<br />
grateful Neighbourly is, or the importance of the role that the<br />
local business owners play, and states, “The business owners<br />
in Jeonju are amazing!”<br />
Neighbourly, Neighborly will be holding several events in<br />
the upcoming months. They will be hosting the annual Halloween<br />
party at Deep Into in <strong>October</strong>, as well as selling calendars<br />
that feature the winners of the photography contest. In<br />
December, there will be Christmas present wrapping in preparation<br />
for Santa’s orphanage visit. There is also the possibility<br />
of a potluck dinner being hosted in November. Please visit the<br />
Neighbourly, Neighborly Facebook page, or keep an eye on<br />
the “Jeonju Knowledge” Facebook group for further details.<br />
Neighbourly, Neighborly always needs volunteers, and there<br />
are many ways that people may get involved. There is still a<br />
need for volunteers at the monthly orphanage visits. The group<br />
provides visits to four orphanages on a rotating schedule, so<br />
that each orphanage should receive three visits per year. There<br />
will also be a need for people to help with the upcoming Halloween<br />
party, both with decorating and helping run the event<br />
the night of the party. And as always, people contribute greatly<br />
by attending the events that are held.<br />
If you would like to volunteer, you may do so by joining the<br />
Neighbourly, Neighborly Facebook group, or you may send an<br />
email to Jeonju.neighbourlyneighborly@gmail.com. You may<br />
also contact one of the current coordinators: Ashley Mishell,<br />
Hyuntae Kim, Elizabeth Vargas, or Sorcha Rattigan.<br />
Volunteering with Neighbourly, Neighborly is a great way<br />
to contribute to your community. Jasmin Shurgold explains,<br />
“When you look back on your time in Jeonju and what you<br />
did, you can always be proud of your volunteer work with<br />
Neighbourly, Neighborly. Many volunteers feel it’s a good<br />
way to give back, and to feel grounded. It gives perspective on<br />
your time in Korea.”<br />
PHOTOS: [TOP RIGHT] Two photos of costumed<br />
attendees at Deep Into’s annual Halloween party,<br />
an event whose proceeds go toward “Neighbourly.”<br />
(Photos by Sunwoo Hwang)<br />
[BOTTOM RIGHT] Two photos of the “Holi Hai”<br />
celebration in March, also partially sponsored by<br />
Neighbourly Neighborly.<br />
(Photos by Jyotiranjan Bal)<br />
Jeonbuk <strong>Life</strong> 47
SOCIAL SCOPE<br />
A21’s Fight AGAINST<br />
HUMAN<br />
TRAFFICKING<br />
By SUZANNE SCHNEIDER<br />
Jeonbuk <strong>Life</strong> Contributing Writer<br />
On <strong>October</strong> 15, <strong>2016</strong>, people around the world<br />
will unite in the war against human trafficking.<br />
A21’s Walk for Freedom is a global event that<br />
strives to bring awareness to human trafficking while raising<br />
money to rescue and restore lives from the clutches<br />
of this form of modern day slavery. A21 is a non-profit<br />
organization that was founded in 2007 in an attempt to<br />
combat the injustice of human trafficking through rescuing<br />
one life at a time. They opened their first shelter for survivors<br />
of human trafficking at the end of 2008 in Thessaloniki,<br />
Greece. Currently, they operate shelters, transitional<br />
homes, and administrative bases in 10 countries. The 3rd<br />
annual worldwide Walk for Freedom will include participants<br />
from over 250 different locations around the globe,<br />
including Jeollabuk-do. As Korea’s first host city, Jeonju<br />
will welcome walkers from throughout South Korea who<br />
desire to step out and walk for freedom.<br />
Over the past two years, Freedom Walkers have hit the<br />
streets of downtown Jeonju, distributing thousands of fli-<br />
ers in hopes of raising awareness about human trafficking<br />
here in South Korea. The event will be hosted by REACH<br />
ministries (a Christian organization founded in 2014 in Jeonju)<br />
with the hope of bringing awareness to the issue of human<br />
trafficking, and to reach out to victims with the love of<br />
their religion. Since its inception, REACH has been serving<br />
the women and men in the red-light district through prayer<br />
and outreach.<br />
Those desiring to participate in the 3rd annual Walk for<br />
Freedom can sign early or simply show up at the event. In<br />
order to sign up, send your name and contact information to<br />
reach.jeonju@gmail.com or Facebook.com/REACHjeonju.<br />
There is no fee to sign up. Participants can order an A21<br />
Walk for Freedom shirt before the event for 15,000 won, or<br />
simply wear a plain black shirt. The goal is to appear uniform,<br />
as a united front! Walkers will meet in the Jungbu<br />
Church parking lot at 1:30 pm in downtown Jeonju. The<br />
one-hour walk will begin promptly at 2:00 pm.<br />
Following the walk, REACH ministries will host a screening<br />
of Nefarious: Merchant of Souls. Nefarious is a hard-hitting<br />
documentary uncovering the disturbing reality of human<br />
trafficking, especially for the purposes of sexual slavery<br />
and exploitation. The film gives an in-depth look at how and<br />
where slaves are purchased and sold and includes footage<br />
from 19 different countries. In addition, Nefarious features<br />
expert interviews and analysis as well as moving survivor<br />
testimonies, ultimately ending with a promise of hope. The<br />
screening will begin at 3:30 in the second floor theatre, above<br />
Café TOV. Viewing is free of charge and all are welcome to<br />
attend, regardless of faith or religious association.<br />
For more information about the Walk for Freedom please<br />
contact reach.jeonju@gmail.com.<br />
“All that is necessary for<br />
evil to triumph is for good<br />
men to do nothing.”<br />
– Edmund Burke<br />
[Photos from last year’s walk<br />
by MARLI JANSE VAN VUUREN]<br />
Jeonbuk <strong>Life</strong> 49
LOCAL VOICES<br />
Looking at Korean<br />
Ethusiasm toward<br />
Education<br />
By YOUNG-WOO PARK<br />
Jeonbuk <strong>Life</strong> Co-Editor<br />
Many people around ask me why my fellow Koreans<br />
want to educate their children so enthusiastically.<br />
I often answer their question, “Because they<br />
want to build up their dreams through their children. Education<br />
is the major key that opens the gate to the rich.”<br />
This answer will be right in some sense, but it is wrong<br />
in some others. Education cannot give us a successful<br />
result at every turn. Though we are willing to educate<br />
our children eagerly, they are not ready to get this education<br />
without good motivation. This is why I want to talk<br />
about the method of Korean education.<br />
Generally speaking, those who have had higher education<br />
than others have better chances of becoming<br />
successful men and women. Korea has had its own particular<br />
social mood since the Joseon Dynasty through<br />
concepts such as the 과거시험. People could achieve<br />
their dreams through the exam only. If a man had passed<br />
the exam, he could have had a great position as a high<br />
public officer and he could have had power and money<br />
at once. All people wanted elevate their status by passing<br />
the exam, so they had to study very hard and needed to<br />
get a good education. This led to the overall remarkable<br />
enthusiasm toward education. Nobody can say this is too<br />
much, because this desire to be successful is natural.<br />
Some people say Koreans’ enthusiasm toward education<br />
is a good motivation for Korean development, but<br />
others are worried about its excess. Some parents cannot<br />
even be satisfied with the state-provided education<br />
for their children, so they are looking for some special<br />
places for private lessons. This takes a lot of money, but<br />
they are willing to pay for the lessons because they are<br />
sure a better education can give their children a more<br />
successful life.<br />
This has been the common Korean attitude toward education<br />
so far, but it has changed a little by little. The<br />
change should take place with any reason, but especially<br />
for personal happiness. We should remember, “So many<br />
men, so many minds.” We recognize the differences of<br />
people and respect the differences. Some people can be<br />
happy by singing songs and some with playing soccer.<br />
It’s good time to try to change some methods of education.<br />
We had better provide a wider range of possibilities<br />
for our children and give them some chances to choose<br />
their own special ways. Of course we should provide<br />
enough information about their choices to the children<br />
and talk a lot with them. We especially need to develop<br />
the right attitude toward college studies. Now, more than<br />
80% of Korean students are trying to enter universities,<br />
even some who are not interested in studying, but just<br />
want to graduate. This is not good for this society or the<br />
students themselves. Happiness cannot be attainedt from<br />
studying only. Try to adapt your personal attitude and let<br />
the children find their own happiness.<br />
From City <strong>Life</strong> to<br />
Small-town Korea<br />
By SUSAN KIM<br />
UNITED STATES<br />
“What strange phenomena we find in a great city,<br />
all we need to do is stroll about with our eyes open.<br />
<strong>Life</strong> swarms with innocent monsters.” – Charles<br />
Baudelaire<br />
spent the beginnings of my expat life in Busan, where<br />
I the scenery was more familiar to me. I enjoyed the<br />
smells of the sea, being able to sit on the beach all afternoon,<br />
just watching life pass me by. It was a great way to<br />
experience Korea for the first year. It got me acclimated to<br />
all that is Korea. I survived the culture shock and lack of<br />
personal space. There were plenty of places to see, museums<br />
to visit, people to meet, and amazing foods to fill my<br />
stomach. It was a great year, but after reassessing what<br />
I wanted to accomplish while in Korea, I decided it was<br />
time to move to a small city. So a new adventure began.<br />
After spending a few weeks in the Philippines, it was<br />
time to head to the mysterious new town I had chosen to<br />
live in. I had never been before, and all my Korean friends<br />
in Busan warned me that I was moving to the “country.”<br />
Since I have always lived in a big city, I was a bit apprehensive,<br />
but I was also looking for calm, peace, and<br />
tranquility. These are the images I think of when I think<br />
“country,” so I was excited for this new chapter to begin.<br />
As the bus from Busan drove into the new town on the<br />
interstate, I could see the welcome sign that read “Jeonju.”<br />
It started to really hit home that I was starting life<br />
over again, but this time is a very unfamiliar place. As<br />
we drove further into town, my fears started to disappear<br />
and I realized it wasn’t the “country” after all. In fact, it<br />
looked like every other smaller town in Korea, with all<br />
the apartment buildings, restaurants, cafes, parks, etc. My<br />
nervousness was starting to disappear, and I became more<br />
comfortable with the idea of moving from a city of 4 million<br />
to a city of 600,000.<br />
As we drove into the bus station, I was surprised at how<br />
small and old it was, but I was looking forward to all the<br />
possibilities. After I got all my bags and my dog off the<br />
bus, I called my only contact in town, David. He came to<br />
pick me up and drove me to my new apartment. He made<br />
my first day in Jeonju completely comfortable as he gave<br />
me a short 101 on Jeonju life and a tour of my area, even<br />
driving me to my new workplace so I could walk there<br />
with more confidence when I had to on Monday. All my<br />
boxes that I had sent him earlier from Busan were already<br />
in my new apartment, which was small, but clean. David<br />
even introduced me to my first wine bar in town. This is<br />
when I REALLY knew I would be able to survive.<br />
All my fears of the unknown disappeared, and I knew I<br />
would be fine. That was five years ago. I’m still living in<br />
Jeonju. It’s a great small town. It is easy to get around, has<br />
plenty of bars, restaurants, cafes, cinemas, and even foreign<br />
food. I’ve learned to really appreciate convenience<br />
store drinking, taking late night walks through parks and<br />
along rivers, and running into so many familiar faces as<br />
you do walkabouts around town.<br />
There is something about Jeonju that drowns out every<br />
delicious taco and falafel a big city has to offer. There<br />
is something about the sense of community one has in<br />
terms of friendships versus the smorgasbord of acquaintances<br />
a big city affords. Besides foreigners though, living<br />
in Jeonju has led to friendships I could never have<br />
guessed: the baker, who bombards me with hellos and<br />
free pastries whenever I pass his bakery; the café owner,<br />
who always provides freshly brewed free refills and<br />
kindness; the banchan store owner, who knows exactly<br />
what I want every time I go in. There are mountains and<br />
rivers close by that help you escape the concrete buildings<br />
and breathe in some fresher air. Jeonju is the town famous<br />
in Korea for its gastronomy. The name Jeonju literally<br />
means “Perfect Area.”<br />
Don’t get me wrong, I do miss the beaches of Busan<br />
and its fine, upscale restaurants, exciting nightlife, and<br />
the myriad of cultural activities, but I’ve learned to slow<br />
down and appreciate the important experiences of life,<br />
living in a small town.<br />
“A small town is a place where there’s no place<br />
to go where you shouldn’t” –Burt Bacharach<br />
50<br />
Jeonbuk <strong>Life</strong> 51
FICTION<br />
“A Gogi Lovin’ Vegetarian”<br />
by Amiya Moretta<br />
For awhile I struggled,<br />
I mean, NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!<br />
In this gogi lovin’ land<br />
First word: Gogi.<br />
“Ode to Jeonju”<br />
by Swarnalee Dutta<br />
O magpie! O magpie!<br />
As you fly up in the sky,<br />
Will you take me along with you<br />
To see the wonderful city below?<br />
This city, my friend, you should know<br />
Is growing fast but aging slow.<br />
Concrete buildings crowding in,<br />
Yet old-world charm is safe within.<br />
O magpie! O magpie!<br />
There by the river, just nearby<br />
Do you see the Hanok maeul?<br />
Therein dwells the city’s soul.<br />
Tradition intact amidst modern flow<br />
Like the child within us, who refuses to grow.<br />
Lined by trees of gingko and maple,<br />
Ondol warming houses are strong and stable.<br />
O magpie! O magpie!<br />
It is hard to say ‘Goodbye!’<br />
Sarangchae-Anchae and the courtyard,<br />
The charismatic Hanok will hold your heart.<br />
Hanbok, Hanji and Pansori music<br />
Bibimbap, kimchi and cultural relic<br />
The taste of Jeonju once you get<br />
I bet, you will never forget.<br />
--------------------<br />
Hanok –Korean traditional house<br />
Maeul - Village<br />
Ondol – Korean traditional floor-based heating<br />
Sarangchae – Male quarters of Hanok house<br />
Anchae – Female quarters of Hanok<br />
Hanbok – Traditional Korean dress<br />
Hanji – Korean paper<br />
Pansori – Korean vocal music art form<br />
“Jeonju”<br />
by Betsey Norman<br />
I am home. I am home.<br />
Feet to the pavement. Head to the ground.<br />
This tree is home. This stone is home.<br />
This park where the students cook samgeupsal<br />
though it’s not allowed<br />
That, too, is home.<br />
This door is home. These keys are home.<br />
This room with the crazed cat, is home.<br />
These shoes are home. These feet are home.<br />
Somehow along the way, I have come home.<br />
It seemed that I couldn’t<br />
Get the meat out of the meal,<br />
In the same way, you can’t get<br />
The kimchi out of the kiss.<br />
It just is.<br />
“Gogi neh,”<br />
I would say…<br />
And then sit and wonder,<br />
How a plate of pig flesh found<br />
Its way to my table…<br />
“Gogi neh,” louder and clearer,<br />
I would pray. Crossing my fingers,<br />
Until the meal was delivered.<br />
Bigger and bolder the meat<br />
Was displayed, a shining<br />
Smile as it came my way.<br />
Sighs of defeat.<br />
Appetite sinking.<br />
I nodded, confused.<br />
Sure, I was doomed…<br />
Until one day, I learned<br />
Something that forever<br />
Changed my Korean life:<br />
“Neh” means “Yes”<br />
“Anio” means “No”<br />
NEH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!<br />
Second word: Neh<br />
Third word: Anio<br />
Fourth word:<br />
O’TAKAY!!!!<br />
Needless to say,<br />
I’m a happier vegetarian these days.<br />
illustration by<br />
Bonnie Cunningham<br />
52<br />
Jeonbuk <strong>Life</strong> 53