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