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8/7/2019 KOREA magazine [January 2011 VOL. 7 NO. 1]
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JANUARY 2011
People & Culture J A N
UA R Y
2 0 1 1
GANGWON-DOENJOY A SNOW-WHITE WINTER SONATA
HOPE OF A NATIONKOREAN SPORTING SUCCESS BREEDS A NEW GENERATION OF PRODIGIES
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8/7/2019 KOREA magazine [January 2011 VOL. 7 NO. 1]
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CONTENTSJANUARY 2011 VOL. 7 NO. 1
PUBLISHER Seo Kang-soo,
Korean Culture and Information Service
EDITING HEM KOREA Co., Ltd
E-MAIL [email protected]
PRINTING Samsung Moonwha Printing Co.
Allrightsreserved.Nopartof thispublicationmabereproducedinanyformwithoutpermissionfroKOREA andthe KoreanCulture andInformationService.
Thearticles publishedin KOREA donot necessarepresentthe viewsof the publisher.The publishnotliableforerrorsor omissions.
Lettersto theeditorshouldincludethe writer’sfunameandaddress.Lettersmaybe editedfor claand/orspace restrictions.
Ifyouwantto receivea freecopyof KOREA orwisto cancela subscription,pleasee-mail us.
AdownloadablePDF fileof KOREA andamap anglossarywith commonKoreanwords appearingintextareavailablebyclickingonthethumbnailof KOREA onthe homepageof www.korea.net.
발간등록번호 : 11-1110073-000016-06
COVER STORY 04
Time flows, but the worth of a country’s
tradition goes forever. As you see Korea’s
crafts nowadays, you might recognize the
spirit of old beauty and modern challenges.
TRAVEL 26
Even though wind blows and snow falls,
winter is a fascinating season to visit
Korea, especially for sports lovers.
You can enjoy skiing and watching sea
at the same place.
GLOBAL KOREA 40
Korea’s floricultural industry grows bigger
and bigger. You can smell flower scents
and enjoy various kinds of flowers, which
are from Korea, all over the world.
NOW IN KOREA
Young Korean athletes are rising in
various kinds of sports field. Many
students take a huge interest and
concern to playing sports to find out
their own talents in the field.
PEN & BRUSH 16
Kim Jong-ku’s language of art is black steel
powder, not so common material in the
fields. He sublimates his personal experi-
ence into art work, with outstanding ability.
PEOPLE 20
As one of the leading architects in Korea,
Seung H-sang tries to find out his ultimate
goal in the philisophy of Korea’s old
architecture.
www.korea.ne
MY KOREA 32
It is not so easy to find soulmate, ir-
respective of all ages and countries. An
American finds out some trends about
dating and marriage culture in Korea.
SUMMIT DIPLOMACY 36
Due to North Korean attack last year,
South Korea’s diplomatic cooperation
gets more important than ever. President
Lee Myung-bak is about to reinforce a
relationship with allied nations.
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COVER STORY
04
KOREA
JANUARY
2011
K
JANU
ⓒ
D e s
i g n
H o u s e
I n c .
/ T o n g y
e o n g
C i t y ;
M i l l e n n
i u m
J e o n
j u O N N B r a n
d A g e n c y ;
D e s
i g n
H o u s e
I n c .
/ T o n g y e o n g
C i t y ;
D e s
i g n
H o u s e
I n c .
/ T o n g y e o n g
C i t y ;
D e s
i g n
H o u s e
I n c .
/ T o n g y e o n g
C i t y ;
K i m
N
a m - h
e o n ;
K i m
N a m - h
e o n ;
K o r e a
C u
l t u r a
l H e r i t a g e
F o u n
d a
t i o n
( c l o c
k w
i s e
f r o m
t o p
l e f t ) ; M i l l e n n
i u m
J e o n
j u O N N B r a n
d A g e n c y
( l e f t ) OLD
ANDNEW
KOREA’SCRAFTS:
In the modern world, the element of traditional culture that has remained closesto our daily lives is crafts. As a form of traditional culture, craft proves its value noby merely being handed down throughgenerations,but by reinventing itself assomething relevant in the lives of people
today. Times have changed enormously and people’s desires vary more than ever,original but by adapting while maintainingtheir spirit, traditional crafts remain a livinbreathing link to Korea’s history. by Lee Se-mi
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well as architectural techniques learned
through building temples, also laid the
groundwork for traditional crafts.
Crafts became important instruments of
statehood,so governments established
institutions that created masters. Crafts
centered around the needs ofnobility flour-
ished during the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392),
when highly artistic ceramic crafts and
Najeonchilgi (lacquerwork inlaid with
mother-of-pearl) came to the fore. When the
Joseon Dynasty took power,pragmatismbecame more important.Decorative items
took a back seat to white porcelain,
Buncheongsagi celadon and other straightfor-
ward and practical goods.
ART FOR LIFE Today,Korea has 50 designated
traditional crafts in seven broader categories,
with experts in those fields recognized as
jangin or “masters.”However, the term jangin
doesn’t simply imply a high degree of skill at
building things:it also suggests admiration
for someone who has made it to an artistic
level unreachable by others. A master is an
artist who breathes life into craftworks.
In Korea,artistic activities or skills thathave great historical,artistic or academic
value have since the 1960s been designated as
intangible cultural properties.Such are
divided into state-
designated
“important
intangible
cultural
properties”
and “intan-
gible cultural
properties,”
which are
decided by
municipal or
provincial govern-
ments.Sometimes,
they are also called
“human cultural assets.”
The seven state-designated
traditional crafts are ceramic craft (earthen
ware and roof tiles); metal craft (using gol
silver and other metals to produce tools an
decorate surfaces);woodcraft (the constru
tion of buildings,furniture and instru-
ments); stone craft; textile craft (weaving
fabric or making clothes and accessories);
leather craft (using animal skins or feather
and paper craft, which either produces pa
or decorates objects with paper.
Each niche craft has its masters, includin
sculptors who decorate the surface of metallic objects,woodwork masters who
make large frames for construction,cobble
who craft traditional shoes,and masters in
the art of making works of jade.
People we now call “masters”are the firs
generation of intangible cultural propertie
in craftwork. Even throughout Korea’s
tumultuous modern history, they were abl
to keep their crafts alive.
During Japan’s colonial rule and in the
aftermath of the liberation in August 1945
Korea’s traditional crafts and craftspeople
faced constant upheaval.Rapid industriali
tion brought Western technologies and
fashions,which often threatened to over-whelm traditional crafts completely.Throu
it all, the old masters dedicated their lives t
continuing their craft and passing it down
younger generations.They faced enormou
hardship,and many simply gave up or
turned their hand to more commercial
pursuits.And even now,decades later,just
making a living remains a major challenge
for many traditional craftspeople.
Cho Chung-ik, a master of traditional fa
making, became an intangible cultural pro
erty of Jeollabuk-do Province in 1998. He
began making his fans,adorned with taege
(the yin-yang) patterns similar to those on
the Korean flag, in the 1970s. Today,the fan
are renowned for their beauty and unfailin
practicality,and are a constant presence at
major events promoting Korean culture.
Cho says his fans are “the roots of our
people and the faces of Korea.” The fans
Crafts mirror the times they are created in. If
you want to know more about any given
period, all you need to do is look at work
produced from that era. If crafts refer to the
skills from which objects are made,tradition
can be thought of as the cultural body of
work created from such skills.
Traditional crafts develop according to
each historical environment. In the
prehistoric age,crafts developed out of
necessity,with our ancestors using naturalmaterials to make most of the tools they
needed in their everyday lives.They used clay
to make plates,knitted grass to make clothes,
and cut wood to build homes.
During Korea’s Bronze and Iron ages,
with metal readily available,people started
making accessories and weapons,too.
Weapons were for hunting, but they also
served to symbolize the holder’s status. It
was during this era that crafts began to
assume true artistic value.
Crafts blossomed during Korea’s dynastic
times, as nations emerged and governments
assumed more power.Buddhist culture
started to take root in people’s lives as well,
exerting a great influence on the develop-
ment of crafts. Crowns,earrings and other
accessories that represented the authority of
the royal palace were developed.Buddhist
temple bells and other religious artifacts,as
06
KOREA
JANUARY
2011
Cho’s work Yunseon fan,
a wheel-like shape made of
bamboo on display.
Cho Chung-ik, a master fan
maker, demonstrates his craft
(above left). One of Cho’s work
Hwangchildanseon fan, also
known as Banggubuchae, is
made of bamboo and hanji
paper (left). Cho’s Taegeukseonfan includes the traditional
Korean symbol, yin and yang
(top). Cho’s Mugunghwaseon
fan imitates Korea’s national
flower, Mugunghwa (above).
ⓒ
M i l l e n n
i u m
J e o n
j u O N N B
r a n
d A g e n c y
K
JANU
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the ongoing health of craftworks.To achie
that, it needs to look beyond the stereotyp
images of traditional craftworks and forge
deeper appreciation of the values behind
them. In between the extreme opposites —
an artwork displayed in a glass case in an
exhibition and a mass-produced trinket in
souvenir shop — traditional craft must
recover its identity as a form of living art.
Fortunately, traditional crafts have struc
some genuine chords with the public inrecent times. In universities across the
country,ever more students are applying f
programs related to traditional crafts. Craf
studios in the Bukchon region of Seoul are
offering various programs year-round for
Koreans and foreign tourists alike.By
crafting pieces there,visitors gain a genuin
affinity with traditional culture.
Elsewhere,masters have collaborated wi
contemporary artists,and architecture or
industrial design majors have offered desig
to intangible cultural properties from the
regions. In their own ways,these
are all examples o
tradition
gained their first international exposure at
the 1982 Asian Games in New Delhi,then
again at the 1986 Asian Games and the 1988
Olympic Games,both in Seoul. To someextent a victim of his own success,Cho
today finds himself having to balance the
competing interests of commercial gain and
maintaining the true spirit of his artistry.
Bamboo and hanji (traditional paper) are
the main materials for fan making, though
silk can be used as well. About 80 to 90 bam-
boo ribs are used in creating a taegeuk pat-
tern, and the peacock fan,which uses an
astonishing 8,000 bamboo ribs, takes any-
where between one and six months to make.
Despite his own success, Cho is worried
that no one will follow him into the taegeuk
fan craft after he dies. Pay can be very low
and the future is always uncertain,so govern-
ment support is often needed to keep crafts
such as Cho’s alive. For Cho,making fans
requires dedication to a notion ofeternal
beauty,even at the cost of tremendous
personal hardship. This is an outlook that,in
itself, is highly at odds with what we consider
a work ethic today.
“To become a master requires character.
It’s important how you make things and inwhat sort of mindset,” Cho says.“After you’re
done learning physical techniques,you have
to instill your heart and soul into your work.
There’s hardly any young people who want to
learn traditional crafts.Those who do come
don’t last more than a couple of months.
They have to be determined to learn tradi-
tional culture but since this doesn’t pay well,
they can’t stay on for too long. Craft is art.
You can’t apply economic theories to that.”
In the past, fans were indispensable during
summer.But with air conditioners and
electric fans around,traditional fans are now
recognized primarily for their aesthetic value.
So in order to preserve the tradition of fan-
making,Cho says, creativity and change are
absolutely vital.
“What’s important is the creativity.On the
foundation ofpride in our traditions, we
have to keep creating new pieces,”he says.
08
KOREA
JANUARY
2011
K
JANU
ⓒ
K o r e a
C u
l t u r a
l H e r i t a g e F
o u n
d a
t i o n
ⓒ
K o r e a
C u
l t u r a
l H e r i t a g e F
o u n
d a
t i o n
( t o p
) ; M i l l e n n
i u m
J e o n
j u O N N B r a n
d A g e n c y
( m i d d l e
, r i g
h t )
Jang Ju-won, a master of jade artwork is
well known his exquisite and elaborate
technique of carving the stone (above).
Korean knot full of layered patterns and
and beautiful color by Kim Hee-jin, a
master of Korean knot (below).
Hwahyejang , or a master maker of
Korean traditional shoes, Hwang Hae-
bong makes shoes (top). Bamboo is
split into many pieces and used as
material for Hanjibal , Korean traditional
curtains (above). Gayageum master Go
Su-hwan’s instrument (below).
“Cultural art is about creating beauty. A mas-
ter is an artist. The job is to delight people
and to create something new.”
When we say that crafts reflect their times,
it means that craftspeople have to respond to
what people need and want.Today,as in any
other age,crafts must be reborn to reflect the
modern world.Tradition isn’t static,nor is it
built over a short period of time.
REALITY REFLECTS THE FUTURE Preserving
tradition in a creative way means giving acontemporary twist to that tradition.While
inheriting ideas and a certain spirit,tradition
should adopt a new style that fits the current
times. Celadon during the Goryeo Dynasty,
one of the most significant ceramics at the
time, gave way to Buncheongsagi celadon
and white porcelain in Joseon times.
Tradition was inherited and developed while
adjustments were made to meet the demands
and objectives of a new era.
The balance between tradition and
modernity has exercised the minds of
masters for centuries.One example of this
trade-off can be found in the practice of
making string holes in the body of gayageum(12-string Korean zithers). The traditional
technique to make gayageum’s holes isn’t
very precise and even alters the shape of the
body,with strings likely to be left out of
position.A computer drill is far more accu-
rate, keep the body intact and saving time. In
order to ensure precision and efficiency,the
modern craftsman have to find the right
blend of machine and traditional handiwork.
With the recent growth in interest in all
things traditional, Korea’s old-time crafts are
looking as vibrant as they have done for
some time. Traditional craftworks are on
show all over Korea, and if you’re so inclined,
you can sign up for lectures or experience
programs.Aside from exhibitions, craftworks
can be found in art shops,department stores
or duty free shops in the form of small sou-
venirs right the way up to pricey luxuries.
But even these products don’t guarantee
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modifying to meet the needs of a different
time. Last October,the Seolhwa Cultural
Exhibition displayed a series of
items that combined traditional
elements with the work of industrial
designer Mah Young-beom. Cho
Dae-yong,a master who makes
bamboo blinds,displayed a piece
that connected optical fibers and bamboo.
Kim Hwan-gyeong, a master of lacquerwork,
drew modern patterns on Joseon-era wooden
furniture. Song Bang-woong, a masterspecializing in mother ofpearl, made a
cosmetics chest with mother-of-pearl pasted
on to metal instead of wooden plate.And
Yoon Byung-hoon,a bamboo master, built a
cabinet with tiny cut pieces of black bamboo.
When they went on display,these utterly
unique handiworks by the six masters caused
a minor sensation.
Crafts, which had long been considered
merely decorative,are increasingly reclaim-
ing their practical roots, too.While the
Seolhwa Cultural Exhibition mostly show-
cased hardware decorated with traditional
crafts, the 2010 Craft Trend Fair,which held
its fifth show in December last year, aimed todisplay the very latest trends in traditional
and modern crafts. Under the theme “Next
Craftsmanship — Change from Succession
to Application,”the exhibition presented a
picture of the future of Korean craft as
reflected in its essence. Visitors could take
look at craftworks and also purchase hand
works at an affordable price,while listenin
to masters’ first-hand account of their
production.It was a real chance for the
public to get closer to crafts.
THE CRAFT OF SOFTWARE In Korea,
biennales and festivals offer opportunities
people to get in touch with traditional craf
The World Ceramic Biennale, held every other year in Gyeonggi-do Province,is the
largest crafts event devoted to ceramics.
Potters from around the world flock to the
show to exchange skills and ideas.The big
increase of these regional festivals in recen
years means people can now experience
traditional crafts virtually anywhere.
In order to tap into modern consumer
markets — rather than just appeal to rich
collectors or tourists — it’s vital for crafts
adopt innovative approaches to sales.Man
have tried to take traditional crafts oversea
but they lacked design or marketing
strategies to compete in the modern globa
market.One big success,however, is212Design,which has set up shop in the
Soho of New York. To crack foreign marke
this design company used traditional craft
and techniques such as balwoo (bowls for
Buddhist monks) and Najeonchilgi to crea
contemporary products.
The Internet has played an important ro
in modern craft, and designing and dyeing
have relied heavily on computer program-
ming. Other prime examples ofthe old us
the new are online exhibitions and online
shopping malls for traditional crafts.
Today, there are many signs that traditio
al crafts are thriving — studios are doing
well, masters are working with brands and
designers, and university students are taki
a greater interest in them. Not confined to
museums or high-brow discussions,crafts
are adapting and staying relevant. This is
surely the best future for traditional crafts
K
JANU
ⓒ
D e s
i g n
H o u s e
I n c .
/ T o n g
y e o n g
C i t y
Designer Jeong Seok-yeon’s
pencil case and measuring tape
are made of wood, reminiscent
of tradional Korean craftwork.
(above). Jeong’s furniture art-
work Sabangtakja table (below
left). Sabangtakja tables,
designed by Kim baek-seon and
made by Jo Seok-jin, produced
using traditional skills in a
modern style (below right).
Gat , a Korean traditional hat
design, is used as a lampshade
in this modern interior. ⓒ
M i l l e n n
i u m
J e o n
j u O N N B
r a n
d A g e n c y
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12
KOREA
JANUARY
2011
Bukchon,in central Seoul, is the best place in
the capital to experience traditional Korean
culture.Some 20 studios here run programs
in folk painting,traditional paper, kites and
much else.Haneul Mulbit,which focuses on
traditional knotting,dyeing and patchwork,
is owned by 75-year-old Cho Soo-hyun,a 40-
year veteran ofknotting. Bucking the staid,
highly secretive world of traditional crafts,
Cho has drawn in a new generation offans
with her passion and openness.Today, her
son Lucas Hong, a researcher of traditional
dyeing, and her daughter Hong Gwang-hee,
who studies traditional patchwork, help their
mother run the studio.
Traditional knotting uses round-shaped
braids to create patterns, which are then used
to make accessories.Knotting was long used
in norigae (ornaments for women),belts,
pockets and seonchu (fan ornaments) and the
technique has continued to evolve to this day.
Involving spinning thread, dyeing it and
then tying it into knots, knotting is slow,
painstaking work.Becoming an expert takes
at least a couple of years, but just about any-
one can make something pretty in an hour
or two using ready-made thread.
The easiest knotting technique is known as
dongsimgyeol . Dongsim means “the same
heart,”and signifies that whichever direction
you tie the knots in, the four points ofthe
compass (north,south, east and west) will
still be pointing in the same directions.In the
one-day experience program,visitors make a
necklace or bracelet using this technique.
Kwak Soo-young,a jewelry designer, has
been going to Haneul Mulbit once a week for
six months.“I’ve always been interested in
traditional craftwork,” she says.“I signed up
for the class because I wanted to incorporate
some traditional knotting into jewelry
designing. It’s been difficult to master sometechniques but it is a lot of fun.”
Patchwork is similar to hand-made quilts
in many Western countries,so the patchwork
experience program is especially popular
among foreigners. Hong Gwang-hee, who
runs the program,says, “In patchwork,
depending on fabric and colors,you can
make a whole range of different products,
so it is never boring.”
It takes up to three months to make a
complete patchwork, so the one-day program
lets visitors make a hand mirror or a brooch.
The process begins with picking three or four
colors ofcloth, through the design,then the
sewing. All the pieces are ready to go on thesame day,making the visit ideal for tourists
passing through.
NATURAL DYEING One traditional craftwork
experience program is for natural dyeing.
Rather than using chemical dyes,traditional
Korean dyeing uses elements from nature to
create more natural-looking colors.Sources
for these dyes include persimmon,indigo,
walnut and bamboo. They can also be
extracted from red clay and squid ink — so
essentially anything with a color.
Cheongdo-gun in Gyeongsangbuk-do
Province is home to about 30 studios offer-
ing programs in natural dyeing. The county
produces about a quarter of all persimmons
consumed in Korea — but nowadays, much
of the crop has another purpose.
In July 2010,persimmons start falling from
the trees, and unripe ones are simply discard-
ed. When a typhoon passes through,a hug
number of persimmons accumulate on the
ground, with many going to waste.Then
many years ago, Cheongdo native Kim Jon
baek started picking up these persimmons
use as the source of dyes.When farmers
worried about wasted persimmons, Kim
would teach them how to dye using unripe
ones. It was such a success that Kim made
living out of it, and in 1998,he opened his
own studio,Kkokduseoni.Dyeing with persimmon is a simple
process.First, you need to wash a handker
chief or a piece of cloth in water and dry i
the sunlight.Then dip the fabric into the
persimmon extract,and work it in gently.
After 10 or 15 minutes, squeeze all the mo
ture out and hang it on a line to dry.The
color comes to life as it dries under the sun
The tannins in persimmon leave a brow
color when dried in sunlight.Different
shades are achieved by first spraying water
onto the dried cloth then drying for four o
five days. Repeating this process three to fo
times is the only way to get the full range o
persimmon colors.
Kkokduseoni also has a gallery of produ
displaying clothes,carpets and more. A vid
shows other dyestuff, such as tea leaves, and
chestnut blossoms. Enjoy traditional arts:
they will even color your heart and soul.
EXPERIENCING AND CREATINGKOREAN BEAUTY Creating traditional handicrafts, ratherthan just looking at them, makes youappreciate them all the more.Andthroughout Korea, there’s the opportu-nity to do just that in a series of craftshops that show you how to make tradi-tional pottery, knotting, embroidery anddyeing. This firsthand experience withtraditional craftworks, no matter howbrief, will open the door to a far greaterunderstanding of the artistry, practical
value and history of these remarkablepieces. by Lee Se-mi | photographs by Kim Nam-heon
K
JANU
INFORMATION ON
TRADITIONAL CRAFTWORK
EXPERIENCE
1. TRADITIONAL KNOTTING
> Place Haneul Mulbit Studio
(Bukchon Cultural Center or
Jeongdok Public Library
depending on how many
people sign up)
> Address 23 Gahoe-dong,
Jongno-gu, Seoul
> Information +82 10 9155
6352 (Reservations required)
> Fees 40,000 won (US$36)
for three hours
> Items Necklaces,
bracelets
2. PATCHWORK
> Place Haneul Mulbit Studio
(Bukchon Cultural Center or
Jeongdok Public Library
depending on how many
people sign up)
> Information +82 10 3751
7801 (Reservations required)
> Fees 30,000 won (US$27)
for two hours
> Items Hand mirrors,
brooches
3. NATURAL
PERSIMMON DYE
> Place Kkokduseoni Studio
> Address 593-1 Yudeung-ri,
Hwayang-eup, Cheongdo-gun,
Gyeongsangbuk-do Province
> Information +82 54
371 6135 (Reservationsrequired)
> Fees 10,000 won (US$9)
for two hours; includes
fabrics
> Items Handkerchiefs
COVER STORY
Traditional Korean patchwork art (top).
A bronze mirror is made with usinga
traditional quilt technique(above).
Patchwork is used as props and decorations in life. Sewing
teacher Hong Gwang-hee, right, shows a student how to se
(above left). Knot researcher Cho Soo-hyun, right, teaches
student about traditional knots (above).
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Seventy-one years since his birth, and 52
since he began learning his craft, Song Bang-
woong plies his trade in the Tongyeong Craft
Learning Center in the coastal city of
Tongyeong. Growing up in a city whose
breathtaking landscape had provided
inspiration for numerous Korean artists,
Song had dreamed of becoming a writer
while at school, but when he graduated, aged
19, his position as the eldest of five siblings in
a poor family meant he had little choice but
to follow his father into the family trade.
Song’s father,Song Joo-an (1901-1981),
was a towering figure in the najeon world,
and so the craft was ever-present as Song
grew up. “I started working on najeon even
before I was born,”he says.
Song spent 10 years learning the najeon
craftsman’s skills, battling physical and psy-
chological pain while having scarcely a friend
in the world. Once he reached a certain level,
he began setting new goals for himself. He
started to study art,so that he could imbue
his work with greater artistry. He pored over
stacks of books,and after picking out his
favorite pieces from them,he would find out
all he could about them and create almost
perfect replicas.As he did so, Song developed
an ever sharper eye for aesthetics.
“I was very impressed with our predeces-
sors’sense of aesthetic balance,at a time
when they didn’t even have rulers,”he says.
Song began producing his own, original
pieces in the 1980s.In 1985, he won awards
at the Korea Annual Traditional Handicraft
Art Exhibition and the Tourism and Folk Art
Work Exhibition, the two largest craft shows
in the country. By winning at shows focusing
on traditional pieces and more contempo-
rary ideas, Song was recognized as a master
of the traditional and the modern in
Najeonchilgi. In 1990, aged 50, Song becameKorea’s youngest ever officially designated
intangible cultural property.
LIGHT FOR A THOUSAND YEARS Tongyeong
has long been famous for Najeonchilgi, the
craft of mother-of-pearl. In 1604, there were
a dozen studios around Sebyeonggwan (the
former administrative capital for three
provinces — Jeolla,Chungcheong and
Gyeongsang,where Tongyeong is located)
that produced a wide range of goods,
including military supplies and offerings for
the royal palace.Of those,Tongeyong’s
najeon studio and the painting house gave
rise to Najeonchilgi.Located in the south,Tongyeong’s warm climate made it ideal for
craftsmen,while its abalone shells, the
material for Najeonchilgi, were renowned
for their brightness and smoothness.
Najeon,or jagae in the ancient tongue,
means processed abalone shell,while
Najeonchilgi refers to lacquered najeon.A
complete Najeonchilgi piece requires wood
(as the base), metal (for the handle that gives
it the practical purpose) and lacquer.
“Najeonchilgi is a work of art that
combines najeon craft,woodcraft, lacquer
craft and metal work,”Song says.“If a piece
of craftwork doesn’t perform its designated
function, that it’s merely a sculpture.”
Najeonchilgi has more than a thousand
years of history in Korea, dating back to the
Goryeo Dynasty.China and Japan also devel-
oped Najeonchilgi at the same time,but
whereas the Chinese version became more of
sculpture and the Japanese one turned into
painting, Korea’s Najeonchilgi has remaine
true to its original form. In its long heyday
Najeonchilgi was decorated with symbols
longevity and prosperity and given as gifts
envoys and rulers from overseas.
In the 1960s and ’70s Najeongchilgi was
symbol of wealth in Korea, and a series of
new studios popped up to cater to buoyan
demand. Such was its success that the supp
of abalone shells dried up,and other mate
als, such as pearl shells and turban shells,hto be imported from Taiwan,Australia and
the Philippines.In the 1980s,increasingly
exorbitant prices precipitated a major decl
in the Najeonchilgi market,to the point th
today,the tradition barely survives.
More than 30 complicated steps are
necessary to produce a single piece of
Najeonchilgi. First, in a process known as
baekgol , the frame must be built from woo
The frame is then sanded,wi th any gaps
filled in using special paint made of lacque
tree resin and clay. Jagae is then pasted ont
the frame, before some polishing work and
more lacquering.Finally,the piece is bur-
nished to create its remarkable finish.“When I produce something that I really
love,then I never sell it, no matter how
desperate I am for money.When I do sell
one, then I tell the buyer,‘Please take care o
my daughter.’ It’s as if I am marrying off m
daughter.No matter how well you’ve built
it has no value unless it’s used properly.”
Song’s most common pieces include jew
boxes,comb holders (for cosmetics), dalbi
chests (for wigs) and soban (small dining
tables). He also takes interest in works tha
apply modern sensibilities to traditional
najeon. This year,when making a cosmetic
chest, Song used a metal base and cut the
steel frame with a laser, before pasting the
najeon in the time-honored way.By embra
ing the modern while being master of the
ancient, Song is creating something new a
vibrant, as well as providing hope for the
future of this most venerable ofcrafts.
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From delicate hands comes a brilliantspectrum of light. Najeonchilgi, ormother-of-pearl craftwork, is really the face of Korean traditional craft-work. It has retained its beautiful lightfor more than a thousand years, andMaster Song Bang-woong — whoseskills have been designated among theimportant intangible cultural proper-ties in Korea — has devoted his life tocarrying on that tradition. KOREA
traces the roots of his dedication.by Lee Se-mi | photographs by Kim Nam-heon
A MODERNMASTER OF AN ANCIENT ART
COVER STORY
Making Najeonchilgi needs intense
concentration and patience (top).
Najeonchilgi coaster, resembling a
Christmas tree (above).
Master Song Bang-woong explains his
work (above). Song emulates old
objects which have faded away (below).
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Kim Jong-ku
Modern man has been tamed by the trappings of civilization.
What’s worse,many of us are now hopelessly addicted.Living
among a forest of tall steel buildings,we sometimes feelnostalgic for the forgotten.And it’s precisely this feeling that
Kim Jong-ku looks to stimulate through his work.
As the audience admires his landscapes,they often feel a
deep inner calm. On the flip-side of his works,however,is a
deep human sorrow.“My works are not landscapes filled with
joy,” Kim says.“Calligraphy written above my landscapes
expresses the sorrow flowing within man’s inner self.”
AN ARTIST’S SORROW LIVED THROUGH CALLIGRAPHY There
is an unfortunate tale behind Kim’s use of steel powder
instead of the ink normally used in traditional landscape
paintings.In 1996,when Kim was Korea’s best-known steel
sculptor, a large collection of his work was stolen from an
outdoor exhibition in Lewes, near London. Utterly dispirited,
he returned to his workshop to find the sole residue from hissculptures:black steel powder.
“I worked by grinding the steel bar and found that the final
sculpture and residue steel powder had different forms,” he
says.“As I recognized the worth of the steel powder, I was able
PEN & BRUSH
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FINDING FORM
FROM RESIDUEThe substance that best represents sculptor Kim Jong-ku is “black steel powder,” theresidue from cutting steel bar. In Kim’s works, steel powder gathers on a white canvasto form mountains and oceans on a traditional Korean landscape painting.Videocameras are installed above the painting, capturing changes in perception as theaudience walks by. A sculptor,photographer and painter, Kim says that “the mind of an artist should try to express his own artistic philosophy using as many languagespossible, irrespective of genre.” by Bang Geum-suk | photographs by Kim N am-heon
Steel powder paintings are produced using material collected during the transition
from steel to powder (top). He creates his own style by showing different views
(above). Artist Kim Jong-ku writes poetic inscriptions on his work (opposite).
ⓒ
K i m
J o n g - k u
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anxiety and energy alive 24 hours a day is the best way to
establish your own artistic philosophy.
The Grinding Project , another of Kim’s best-known wor
turns the actual process of carving steel bar into a work of
art. Kim is now preparing similar displays for exhibitions i
Korea and the United Kingdom,where he will carve pictur
and messages into a tank as spectators look on.
A NEVERENDING STORY, A GRINDING PROJECT Steel is
one of the strongest substances in the world and is also
sometimes portrayed as an expression of war.Kim plans to
carve representations of fighting and destruction into the
tank, and while the noise and sparks fly, the audience will
be able to watch and imbue the performance with the
meaning they feel it conveys.
Artists continue their careers because they are not satisfi
Philosophical anguish is like carving steel,where the artist
carves his own artistic beliefs. Kim’s own anguish means he
will never stop undertaking his own artistic experiments.“
want to give hope to the barren sensitivity of modern man
he says.Without art, Kim seems to be saying,we are no
different from robots.And that is one trapping of civilizati
that Kim will never tire of fighting.
K
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2011
to go beyond the characteristic values of sculptures.”
More recently, at the Spencer Museum of Art in Kansas in
the United States,Kim installed a 13-meter large mediainstallation called Mobile Landscape. He used snow that fell
while he was working to make the steel rust, and then wrote
calligraphy into the rust.Steel powder absorbs water and with
several layers being added to the calligraphy, the work now
weighs around 40 kilograms.Kim installed the Mobile
Landscape, and also captured images of the landscape on the
wall together with the audiences’moving feet.
SPECULATION AND IMMERSION Kim was captivated by
sculpture from an early age,and started studying it while
living with art teachers and artists in his high school years.
Later,Kim received bachelor’s and master’s degrees from
Seoul National University, and another master’s degree from
the Chelsea College ofArt and Design, London, in 1996.
While in college,Kim received the grand prize for sculptureat the National University Arts Festival in Korea,and subse-
quently traveled to India,Thailand and Singapore as student
representative. Coming from a country where foreign travel
was still restricted by the military regime, Kim’s journeys
were truly extraordinary:Among many other experiences,he
met Mother Teresa and imbibed of the spirit of Gandhi,
thereby learning the amazing power of altruism and nonre-
sistance in response to even the harshest of circumstances.
Kim’s work the man, on display on the Gwangalli beach in
Busan,is one of the works of his “the boxer”series that aims
to express the deceptively powerful spirit of nonresistance.
Kim has also imbued the work with a sense of humor by
installing a microscope, so visitors can see one of his largest
works from the smallest possible perspective.
Rain Tree, a fountain housed in Mapletree Business City,
Singapore,also shows Kim’s poetic sensitivity and the
enormous effort he puts into his work. This work was
inspired by weeping willows on the riverside of the Hangang
River,with 70 main water spouts expanding into 600 smaller
water spouts.This seemingly impossible creation took 14
months to complete,and called on all Kim’s artistic and
technical knowledge.
Kim is currently working as a professor at the sculpture
department in Ewha Womans University in Seoul. To his
students just starting to learn sculpting,he emphasizes that
they must have “passionate speculation.” He also says that
artists are by nature filled with anxiety, but keeping this
Kim with steel powder painting at ONEAND J Gallery (top). Mobile Landscape
Installation at Spencer Museum of Art, University of Kansas (above).
Korean ink-and-brush paintings and calligraphy using steel powder (above).
ⓒ
K i m
J o n g - k u ( l e f t , o p
p o s i t e )
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PEOPLE
The name Seung H-sang is synonymous with Korean architecture.He journeyed through an elite course of architectural education,studying at the Department of Construction Engineering at SeoulNational University and the Vienna University of Technology. In1989 he established his own architectural firm, “Iroje Architect &Planners,” and has since gained ever more admirers of his uniquecolors and philosophies. by Oh Kyong-yon | photographs by Park Jeong-roh
AN ARCHITECTGUIDED BYHUMANISM
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Architect Seung H-sang says reading is one of the main sources of his inspiration.
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Seung draws a rough sketch on a yellow tracing paper (top). He works at his
company’s office, Iroje, designed by himself (above).
Seung’s tools for drawing blueprints (top). A building minature (above).
“The Middle East is a charming and exciting locale for
architects,” says Seung.“The desert leaves no traces,just like a
clear canvas before a picture is drawn. It is like a dream
world,a world of fantasy.”
However, Seung’s most famous works are in Korea. One of
his best-known is Subaekdang (1998) in the city of
Namyangju, whose blueprints now reside in a permanent
collection at the Museum of Modern Art in New York
(MoMA).Other works that depict Seung’s architectural phi-
losophy — “the art of emptiness,” as he calls it — include
Sujoldang (1992),and Welcomm City (2000),both in Seoul.
BUILDING BOOKCITY At present,Seung’s main focus is thePajubookcity project in Paju,Gyeonggi-do Province.Seung’s
involvement gained international attention in the
architectural community because this project wasn’t just a
structure,but a loosely defined “book city”that had to be
conceived and constructed from the ground up.
Seung has invested more than 10 years in the project,
which has been a key factor in his being named an Honorary
Fellow at the American Institute of Architects and the first
architect to be named Artist of the Year by the National
Museum ofContemporary Art in Korea. Seung also received
considerable acclaim from international architects when he
introduced the Pajubookcity project at the Venice Biennale
of Architecture.
“The Pajubookcity project is where the publishing
industry teamed up with architects to create a large-scale,professional space that catered to their needs,” says Seung.“I
believe that we had almost complete freedom to design the
city,as no personal interests or formal concepts were i nvolved
at the outset.”
In such a vast,freeflowing project, it was inevitable that
some ideas simply wouldn’t get off the ground.Seung had
envisaged Pajubookcity being a “Slow City,”with speed limits
for cars of 20 kilometers per hour.But due to technical issues,
this was never realized.
At the end of 2010,construction began on a second
Pajubookcity project near the original site,but Seung
himself isn’t involved. When asked who is handling that one,
Seung is reserved, saying only that a younger architect far
more talented than he was in charge.
AIMING FOR AN INCONVENIENT LIFESTYLE Seung has
articulated his “art of emptiness”concept in works such as
Beauty of Poverty (1996) and Structuring Emptiness (2005).
But why does Seung turn “emptiness”into a virtue in a
Seung H-sang’s architectural boundaries are not confined to
the national borders ofKorea. He was invited to take part at
the 2002 and 2008 Venice Biennale of Architecture,and held
exhibitions at the University of Pennsylvania in 2003, Gallery
Ma, Tokyo, in 2004,and Aedes East Berlin in 2005. Seung isalso taking part in architectural projects around the world,
notably in Japan,Germany, the United Arab Emirates(UAE),
Malaysia and China.
Of all the international projects Seung has participated in,
the “Commune by the Great Wall”project in Beijing was
among his most memorable.In a lot near the Great Wall, 12
Asian architects worked together on a hotel complex, for
which Seung designed the main club house and 11 villas.
“With the historical architectural marvel of the Great Wall
in the distance, it was a truly unforgettable and worthy
experience,” he says.“But it was also very di fficult because we
were building a hotel on top of a mountain.Nonetheless, it
was tremendously exciting to experience the Chinese archi-
tectural scene which is quite different from that of Korea.”
Another memorable undertaking was the GuggenheimAbu Dhabi project located on Saadiyat Island,just off the
coast ofAbu Dhabi. The project enlisted the talents ofa
veritable who’s who of the architectural world, including
Jean Nouvel and Frank Gehry.
discipline that is basically about filling up empty spaces with
new buildings? In explaining his ideas, Seung cites the
example of the madang (yards) of traditional Korean style
housing known as hanok.
“The Korean madang is a space of undecided emptiness.
On its own it is just an incomplete and unstable space,but as
the inhabitants use the madang for various pursuits the space
is finally complete.”
Seung says that another definition of architecture should
be “anti-ecological.” He says,“The characteristics of
architecture make it work against nature.If I were to insist
on environmental protection in regards to architecture,it
would be in terms of architectural structure applications orsustainable maintenance.Ultimately, however, the industry
of architecture cannot be harmonized with nature.” It is for
precisely this reason that Seung is so skeptical of current
trends toward “environment-friendly architecture.”
Because he believes that architecture is by nature anti-
environmental, Seung has turned his attention to the
humanistic aspect of sociocultural ecology.
“Architecuture is finite and limited. We must be aware th
the structure will eventually collapse even before we embaron a project. However, the land on which the architecture i
raised is infinite and unlimited. The records and tales of th
land is what we must focus on.”
In Seung’s opinion, architectural design is “an addition
upon the records written on the land.”Because of this, his
greatest inspiration is the land and base on which the
structure will be erected.In coming up with plans, he is les
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concnered with blueprints than with the records of the land
in its earliest architectural stages.
Another architectural philosophy that Seung adheres to isthe “aim for inconvenience.” In this instance, Seung cites
Seoul’s Bukchon Hanok Village as an “ideal space” where
memories,records and traces of people have slowly passed
into the land. He believes that such places must be preserved
from redevelopment, even at the cost of discomfort or
inconvenience to the owners.
“The convenience of space was what the generation before
ours thrived on,” he says.“If the 20th century emphasized
speed and convenience, the 21st century will be a time for
remorse in this obsession with convenience, and perhaps a
push back toward a degree of ‘incovenience’in our lives.”
Seung’s architectural philosophies are in evidence in his
creations,most of which don’t even have elevators.Indeed,
the building housing the offices of Seung’s own firm and his
rooftop apartment relies entirely on stairs,too.
“I have to climb many flights of stairs.Whenever my wife
buys groceries,she summons me to the first floor to move the
groceries to the rooftop.That is when I regret not installing
an elevator in this building,”he says with a laugh.
GWANGJU DESIGN BIENNALE 2011 Seung laid out his plans
and tasks for this year at the beginning of 2010.Last March,
he accepted the general manager’s position for Gwangju
Design Biennale 2011, which will be held from September 2
through October 23.Almost every week, Seung has to find
time in his hectic schedule to commute to the city in Jeollado
Province.In what is the fourth year for the Gwangju event,
Seung is the first architect to be its general manager,a posi-
tion he is sharing with its first foreign general manager,
Chinese artist Ai Weiwei.
“I am trying to distinguish this Gwangju Design Biennale
from all the ones that have been held before,”says Seung.
Giving an example,designs will not be divided into sectionswithin the exhibition,but will instead harmonize within a
single large pavilion designated as a “city area.”
The theme for Gwangju Design Biennale 2011 is “Design is
design is not design.”This Zen-like slogan is actually inspired
by the first sentence of Laozi’s Tao Te Ching , a classic work
from the Taoist religions.“The Way that can be told of is not
an unvarying way; the names that can be named are not
unvarying names.”
The theme was chosen to simultaneously convey
traditional Asian values and new visions of design at the
heart of major civilizational changes.Seung cites the
weakening of designer brand concepts and power as a
characteristic of modern society,saying, “As today’s society
is symbolized with the ‘smart environment,’designers no
longer design.Instead, consumers become the principal
agent of design by creating the designs they want.”
To draw attention to what he sees as such a fundamental
shift, Seung will be asking the question “What is Design?”
and giving his answer in his capacity as the general manager
of Gwangju Design Biennale 2011.
DREAMING OF KOREA Seung’s ultimate aim is “returning to
the past,”and starting with truly Korean architectural styles.
Seung believes that while modern architecture does not have
a natural ecological point of contact,traditional Korean
architecture is built on the foundations of nature making it as
environmental friendly as any architectural form. He thinks
his other great idea,the art of emptiness,is equally true for
the foundations of traditional Korean architecture.
“When I visit ruins of old chogajip (traditional Korean
house where the roofis made from reeds and straw) and
hanok, they are utterly empty,”he says.“This is because the
structures were built from 100% natural materials like clay
and trees. Because these structures are built with natural
materials,traditional Korean architecture harmonizes with
the surrounding nature without any feeling that the
structures are intruding.My ultimate goal is to integrate th
characteristic of naturally ecologic architecture into moder
architecture designs,but this is not a simple task.”
The roots of Seung’s emphasis on humanism can also be
found in traditional Korean architecture.“Korea’s tradition
house are not just residences,but emphasized the importanof ethical relationships between households and people. An
example is the madang, where many people gathered to
establish relationships.”
I ask Seung, now almost 60,what he considers his greate
work. He mentions Oscar Niemeyer, a Brazilian architect w
still works despite being over 100. “Most architectural mas
pieces came about when the architect was between the ages
60 and 70. My major work? It will come soon enough.”
One of Seung’s representative architectural works Subaekdang , locates at
Namyangju, is seen (above).
Seung H-sang works on his computer (top). One of Seung’s distinctive designs,
Welcomm City , located in Jangchungdong, Seoul (above).
ⓒ
I r o j e ( o p p o s i t e b o t t o
m , r i g h t )
TRAVEL
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TRAVEL
Snowboarders enjoy High 1 Resort’s ski courses blanketed with s
Winter in Korea is a time for sports.After having itchy feet for much of the year,skiers and snowboarders can finally return to the slopes, with many
opting for Gangwon-do Province, home to the country’s finest resorts.Surrounded by the towering mountains, Gangwon-do Province boasts astring of world-class leisure complexes.Even if you’re a veteran of ski resortsworldwide, you’ll find a unique charm in Gangwon-do Province and itspicturesque resorts. by Chung Dong-muk | photographs by Kim Hong-jin
W inter S ports and
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Visitors skiing and snowboarding at Alpensia Resort (top). One half of a couple falls
over in a snowfield (middle). People can enjoy winter sports in High 1 Resort (left
above). Woljeongsa Temple in Pyeongchang is famous for the gentle fir trees either
side of the road to it (opposite).
The wind is howling. As if about to devour every living
creature in the vicinity,f erocious gusts rise like a giant wave
toward the top of Mount Jijangsan, right next to Mount
Baekunsan.It churns up snow on the mountain tops before
swooping and whistling down the mountainside.
But the people there are anything but afraid. They laugh
once the winds have passed and carry on what they’ve been
doing all day: skiing and snowboarding.With only one
shortish season available to them,Korea’s skiers and boarders
know they can’t be put off by occasional weather tantrums.
If anything,the occasional bursts of wind just add to the
pleasure ofthese most devoted of sports fans.
SLEEK SLOPES The ski hills at the High 1 Resort in Jeongseon
in Gangwon-do Province bustle with avid skiers and board-
ers. Colorful outfits and dazzling boards and skis dot the
slope’s big white canvas. So named because it sits higher
above sea level than any other Korean ski resort, High 1 has
some of the best slope and lifts in the country as well.
High 1 Resort has three peaks: the “Mountain Top”on
Mount Jijangsan and the two “Valley Tops” (1,376 meters
above sea level) on either side. There are 18 slopes coming
down from these three peaks, including one for beginners
and a giant slalom slope that has been certified by the
International Ski Federation.The 4.2-kilometer valley course,
stretching from the Mountain Top to Mountain Hub (1,250
meters high) through the ski house and Valley Condo,is the
highlight ofHigh 1. Take the 20-minute gondola ride,and
you can ski down a slope with a 645-meter drop in altitude.
High 1 has two authorized slopes for World Cup ski events,
an indication of its future ambitions.It has all the necessary
facilities to host the Disabled Alpine Skiing World Cup and
the Freestyle Ski World Cup. In addition, some 900 guest
rooms,a Korean restaurant and a fusion restaurant, plus an
outdoor spa with a gorgeous view of the province ensure
everyone has a comfortable stay.
If you wanted to know why most of Korea’s ski resorts are
located in Gangwon-do Province,you’d first have to
understand the country’s geographical quirks.Many Koreans
believe their peninsula resembles a rabbit — but more like to
see in it the shape of a gallant Korean tiger.
The highest mountain on the peninsula is Mount
Baekdusan,stretching 2,744 meters into the sky.This magnif-
icent mountain,up in the northern province of Hamgyeong-
do, is the tiger’s face.Stretching down south along the east
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Fishermen rolling up their net just after returning to port (top). There are several wind
power plants on Maebongsan Mountain in Taebaek (above).
Jeongdongjin Station is the railway station closest to the sea in Korea (above).
coast,there are Mount Duryusan (2,309 meters),Mount
Keumgangsan (1,638m),Mount Seoraksan (1,708m), Mount
Odaesan (1,563m),Mount Dootasan (1,353m),Mount
Taebaeksan (1,567m), Mount Sobaeksan (1,440m),Mount
Deokyusan (1,614m) and Mount Jirisan (1,915m).Thesemountains comprise the Baekdudaegan mountain range,
which forms the backbone of Korea and the spine ofthe tiger.
Right in the middle of the peninsula is Gangwon-do
Province,which has more high mountains and steep hills
than any other.It snows often and winters are very cold,
making it the perfect venue for winter sports.
The province is surrounded by big mountains,and it has a
beautiful,wide river with plentiful trout and salmon.With
four clear-cut seasons,Korean climates produce wondrous
natural scenery, and Gangwon-do sees the best ofit all. The
province is also home to Pyeongchang,which is bidding to
host Korea’s first Winter Olympics. Pyeongchang is blessed
with a wide range of excellent ski resorts,including Hyundai
Sungwoo Resort,Yongpyong Resort,Phoenix Park,
Daemyung Vivaldi Park and O2 Resort, to name just a f ew.
Alpensia Resort is perhaps the most exclusive of them all.
Built to emulate an Alps-style resort,Alpensia is not very big,
but aims squarely at top-end business. Its seven slopes cover
the range from beginners to expert, as well as slopes for the
bell (designated National Treasure No 36) in Korea.
Gangwon-do Province is also well known for its proximity
to the East Sea. Mother Nature has endowed Gangwon-do
with some extraordinary coastal backdrops,which are best
enjoyed on trains that run through stations at Jeongdongjin,
Donghae,Chuam, Samcheok Beach,Samcheok and,at the
end of the line,Gangneung.
Jeongdongjin Station,which is closer to the sea than any
other train station in the country, gained fame after appear-
ing in Sandglass, the most popular Korean TV series of all
time. The name Jeongdongjin is derived from its geographic
location,directly east ( jeongdong ) from Seoul.In the town,
docked on a mountainside like Noah’s Ark,is what appears tobe a ship, but is actually a hotel called Sun Cruise. Every New
Year’s Day,the hotel is packed with visitors come to get the
perfect view of the first sunrise of the New Year.
In Donghae,Mukho Port is well worth a visit. Markets and
seafood restaurants overflow with fresh fish caught the night
before. Pick the fish you want,and the restaurant owner will
catch them and slice them into hoe (sushi) right before your
eyes. Though it may seem a bit rough and ready for genteel
city types, it is a snapshot of real Korean coastal life.
Time stands still in Chuam and Samcheok Beach stations.
Take your time walking along the seafront there, and then
take a taxi to visit Samcheok’s famous Daei-ri cave region.
Hwanseongul and Gwaneumgul caves are among the most
beautiful limestone caves in the country, their interiors a
beguiling mix of eeriness and beauty.It’s winter in Korea,so the mountains in Gangwon-do are
submerged in snow.If you like skiing or snowboarding, Korea
may be one of the best places you’ve never tried. Though not
of the same scale,its resorts have a charm that distinguish
them from those in the Alps or North America.And wherever
you are, you’re never too far from the embrace ofthe sea.
<Information>
GETTING TO HIGH 1 RESORT
> Bus The resort runs a seasonal shuttle from Sinchon
Jonggak and Jamsil in Seoul. For more info, visit
www.inettour.co.kr or www.buspia.co.kr
> Train Take the train from Cheongnyangni Station to
Gohan or Sabuk stations, then take the shuttle bus. Fo
more info, visit http://info.korail.com/2007/eng/
eng_index.jsp. For shuttle info, visit www.high1.com/en
Hhome/main.high1 or call +82 1588 7789
GETTING TO THE EAST COAST
Take a train bound for Gangneung from Sabuk or Gohan
arrive at one of East Coast (Donghae) stations. For mor
visit http://info.korail.com/2007/eng/eng_index.jsp.
GANGWON-DO PROVINCE TOURISM INFORMATION
http://en.gangwon.to/page/index.html
SKI RESORTS IN GANGWON-DO PROVINCE
Alpensia www.alpensiaresort.co.kr
Tel +82 33 339 0000
Hyundai Sungwoo www.hdsungwoo.co.kr
Tel +82 33 340 3000
Yongpyong www.yongpyong.co.kr/eng/index.asp
Tel +82 33 1588 0009
Phoenix Park www.phoenixpark.co.kr/ global/english/default.aspx Tel +82 1577 0069(#1)
Daemyung Vivaldi Park www.daemyungresort.com/
asp/language/english/Tel +82 1588 4888
O2 Resort www.o2resort.com/english/
Tel +82 33 580 7000
exclusive use of tobogganists and snowboarders.
Alpensia,too, has no shortage of places to stay,with about
900 guest rooms and a smattering of five-star standard hotels.
There is also an indoor water park open year round, a 45-hole
golf club,a convention center for 2,500 people,a concert hall,a spa and a luxurious sauna.
SNOWY RAILWAYS BY THE SEA Gangwon-do Province isn’t
only about the skiing, however. Snow blankets the entire
province,so if you get tired of roaring downhill, go and see
some of Gangwon-do’s more serene wintery beauty.
One way to do so is to visit temples up in the mountains.
Most Korean temples are located on mountainsides,and
when they’re deluged in snow,they assume an even greater
air of peaceful beauty.
Woljeongsa is one of Pyeongchang’s most famous temples.
Located on Mount Odaesan, Woljeongsa Temple was built in
643 during Korea’s ancient Silla Kingdom. Its famous path
from the main entrance to the main temple stretches for
about one kilometer along a valley, and is lined on either side
by fir trees. This spectacular trail is named “Passage ofa
Thousand Years.” And if your visit to Woljeongsa whets your
appetite to see more Korean temples,then try going a little
farther up Odaesan to Sangwonsa,home to the oldest bronze
MY KOREA
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The first time I stepped foot in Korea was
in 2001.Skirts were longer,and publicdisplays of affection were more unusual.In fact,
at that time, my biggest clue for figuring out a couple’s
relationship status was whether or not they were wearing
matching outfits.
Ten years later, I walk down the streets and find it common
for couples to be snuggled up while waiting for a bus, sitting
in a coffee shop or whispering into each other’s ear.If you ask
me how I feel about this,I would say I find it refreshing; it’s
not, on the whole, openly sexual,but mostly sweet. When I
see a man carrying his girlfriend’s purse, I can’t help but
smile. However, catch me on a day when I’m painfully aware
I’m still single and “refreshing”may not be the word that
comes to mind.
So what’s a single girl to do? In Korea,one of the most
common ways to meet the opposite sex is online. Dating
websites such as Duo claim almost 23,000 members. As in
most countries,it’s common to meet at work or in school,
while a great many dates are also set up by friends or even
family members.I giggle when I hear female friends talk
about constantly being asked by concerned
ajumma (older women) if they are married or
have a boyfriend. I’ve listened to more than one
Korean friend lament about her mother’s excessive
concern for her being single.The idea of becoming an old maid is definitely somethin
to worry about in this country. When a female crosses the
of 30, she is getting close! The average marrying age is 28 f
women and 31 for men. But marriage in Korea isn’t merely
between a man and woman. It’s a marriage between famili
Due to the high value placed on marriage, it is still
common for a family to hire a matchmaker to find their so
or daughter a spouse — especially in upper class society. A
couple could also be introduced through their parents, an
arrangement referred to as a seon, which allows pre-screen
to be done by the family. However, in both cases the adult
children are not bound if they are uninterested.
In the last 10 to 20 years, dating and marriage in Korea
have begun to feel the influence of outside thinking.Minds
are beginning to broaden with the influx of foreigners
moving to Korea,as well as changing attitudes in the media
Things that were considered taboo are becoming openly
acceptable.Tradition that had been firm and unyielding is
beginning to loosen its grip on the younger generation. Is i
THELABORSOF
LOVEThe course of true love,as they say, never runs smooth.And whenthe partners come from countries that are practically cultural
opposites,that course becomes even more treacherous. Severalfriends of Ann-Cherise Simmons discovered that lesson for
themselves when they dated Korean men. But whilethe obstacles they faced were so difficult that
many gave up, the prize for staying thecourse were relationships of true
devotion.
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high up my list of priorities. Watching how my Korean
friends help each other out and honor their families leaves
me thinking: maybe this culture that shares one another’sburdens really does have something on the “my four and no
more”environment that I was been raised in.
For a person who prioritizes choice, equality and
individuality,it’s easy to perceive a culture that values
tradition and honor as narrow-minded. However, taking
time to step back and look at the dating and marriage world
of Korea has caused me to do a lot of my own re-thinking.
I believe one of the keys to Karen’s success in being able to
marry a Korean man comes from her desire to adapt to the
Korean culture as well as appreciating the cultural value of
honor.I found myself admiring her as I realized that what
could have embittered her (as it had my other friends), actu-
ally gave her greater respect for the man she was to marry.
When I asked Karen what she loved about dating a
Korean man,she replied: “I love the way intercultural
relationships open up our minds to new possibilities and
perspectives.I experienced Korea in a deeper way because
I’ve seen the way Korean families do things,and I’ve fallen
in love with Korean culture.”
So are Korea’s methods for dating, weddings and marria
really so unique? To be honest, I don’t know.But in my que
to learn more about these topics, I found myself growing inappreciation for this culture,and discovering that there rea
are many different ways to find true love. by Ann-Cherise
Simmons | illustrations by Jo Seung-yeon | photograph by Park Jeong-roh
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law? How would Karen cope with all the responsibility that is
placed on the daughter-in-law of their eldest son? Would this
foreign woman take her son away to another land? They
weren’t just worried for themselves, and their son — they
were genuinely concerned for her,too. Several months later,
however, Karen is treated as part of the family.
I’ve noticed that many Korean women seem higher
maintenance than the average American girl. I only say
American,because I can’t judge for other countries.My
friend interviewed a male friend of
hers for me, and he mentioned that
as a Korean man, he felt pressure
when he dated a girl to buy herpresents and do things for her.
On a first date,it is not
uncommon for a man to drop a lot
of money for one night.When it
comes to paying in a relationship, it is
normal for a man to pay about 70 percent
and the woman 30 percent. Could it be that
when a guy has to work harder for a girl and save
money for marriage, he appreciates her more? Is it possible
that in cultures where marriage is no longer regarded as
valuable and women insist on meeting men halfway that
women have unknowingly stolen something of their worth
in a man’s eyes? I have no idea what the answers are, but as I
dig into understanding another culture,I increasingly find
myself questioning my own.So what happens when a Korean couple decides to get
married? Most men and women start saving from the time
they get a job for their future marriage. It is common for a
man to save 100 million won and the woman 40 million won.
The 100 million won goes toward the house where they will
live,and the 40 million toward furniture and appliances.
Scrimp-ing and saving for so long may not sound like much
fun, but when I think of it in the long-term — how much
more my husband and I might appreciate the house,and each
other,if we’dsavedfor solong— itreallystartsto makesense.
Marriage is a huge deal in Korean culture.Family and
friends chip in large amounts ofmoney to bless the new
couple.I listened as one of my friends,who I knew wasn’t
exactly rolling in cash,told me she had to provide 100,000
won (US$88) for a friend’s wedding. Shocked,I asked why.
“It’s to honor and help the new couple.”
If you come from a country with an ingrained culture of
gift giving, this may seem normal.However,I know when I’m
stretched financially, giving wads of cash to newlyweds isn’t
good? Is it bad? That depends on who you are talking to.
Before I began writing this assignment, I held a somewhat
blinkered view of Korea’s conservative culture.While I had
many Korean friends that I loved,I di dn’t understand why
Korean parents were so controlling with their adult children.
I didn’t understand why friends were pressured to pay such
large amounts for wedding gifts.Why did my f riend need to
save money for years just to get married? Why were some
parents so harsh with foreign daughters
or sons-in law? From my impeccably
liberal Western point of view,these
things seemed so unnecessary.
The main complaint I heardfrom foreigners who dated
Koreans was regarding the family.
“What difference should a family’s
opinion make?” they would demand. I
know the passionate side of me would say,
“If he loves you, he should fight for you
— no matter what.”However, I feel
there’s an element to this equation that
many of us, myself certainly included, struggle to ever really
understand:honor.
Honor is laced into every aspect ofKorean culture. Because
Korea is more collectivist in nature than most Western
societies,honoring the family is often regarded as more
important even than one’s own feelings — and this certainly
extends to marriage.In researching this piece,I had the pleasure of interviewing
an Australian woman engaged to a Korean man. Several of
my friends had dated Korean men, and it had often ended
suddenly or rather badly. But as I sat down with Karen, I
gained a deeper insight into these international relationships.
Rather than being rejections or expressions of bad will, I
discovered that many of the problems I’d heard about could
have been mere misunderstandings.
For my new friend Karen, it took almost two years for her
fiance’s family to give their approval.She told me of her frus-
tration in the beginning when her boyfriend would leave her
to be with his family, or go to family events where she wasn’t
welcome.
The night the mother finally gave her approval for
marriage,she sat them down and warned them about how
hard it would be for them as a couple. Karen began to realize
that what had felt like rejection in the past was actually
concern.With family being such a high priority,how would a
mother be able to communicate with a foreign daughter-in-
PROFILE
Ann-Cherise Simmons is a
American who first came to
Korea in 2001, and later
received a Bachelor’s degr
in Psychology from the
University of Maryland,
Yongsan Army Post. In 200
she moved to the US, and currently back visiting Kore
for a few months. She enjo
traveling, meeting people a
going to coffee shops. She
likes seeing people have a
deeper understanding of th
selves and their importanc
the world around them.
SUMMIT DIPLOMACY
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condemning North Korea’s hostile
actions and urging Pyeongyang to
refrain from any further provocations.
In a statement on Nov 23,
Catherine Ashton, the EU’s high
representative for foreign affairs and
security policy, laid the blame for the
incident with North Korea, saying, “I
call on the North Korean authorities to
refrain from any action that risks
further escalation and to fully respectthe Korean Armistice Agreement.”
Julia Gillard, the prime minister of
Australia, said the North Korean
attack was a dangerous provocation,
adding that it “threatens strategic
stability in northeast Asia.”
Stephen Harper, the Canadian
prime minister, also said that the
Yeonpyeongdo shelling was one of a
series of hostile and provocative North
Korean acts that “represent a grave
threat to international security and
stability in northeast Asia.”He reaf-
firmed Canada’s support of South
It has already been more than a
month since North Korea fired artillery
at SouthKorea’sYeonpyeongdo Island.
Almost as soon as the shelling took
place last November, countries around
the world issued statements con-
demning the attack. Soon afterward,
South Korea started devising and then
strengthening a coordinated response
with the United States and Japan.
The eyes of the world are on theSouth Korean government. Though
opinions vary, the overwhelming global
consensus is that South Korea must
engage in multilateral diplomacy as it
seeks to pressurize China, and
ultimately the North itself, into bring-
ing an end to its provocative behavior.
Against this backdrop, all the major
overseas players — Japan, the United
States, Russia and China — are tak-
ing stock of the situation, and figuring
out just how to respond.
With the notable exception of China,
the vast majority of the world has
criticized the North and come out in
support of Seoul. Within hours of the
attacks, the White House was joined
by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon,
the European Union (EU), the Russian
foreign ministry and Brazilian
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in
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Sunset over the DMZ, demilitarized zone between
South Korea and North Korea (opposite). Secretary
of State Hillary Clinton, middle, gestures during a
news conference with South Korea’s Foreign minis-ter Kim Sung-hwan, right, and Japanese Foreign
Minister Seiji Maehara at the State Department in
Washington, December 2010 (below).
Korea and urged North Korea to ha
its reckless and hostile behavior.
Brazil’s President Lula said that h
country was “against any attack on
another country.”
RUSSIA ONSIDE IN DIPLOMATIC
WAR While South Korea was gratef
for all the statements of support, it
was especially pleased by the chan
in tone from one of its closest neigbors, Russia. Besides the stateme
from its foreign ministry, Prime
Minister Vladimir Putin also said: “W
should do everything we can to nor-
malize the situation. China has leve
age, especially in economic terms.
Russia has taken an increasingly
critical line in referring to the attack
on Yeonpyeongdo. After concluding
meetings with visiting North Korean
Foreign Minister Pak Ui-chun in mid
December, the Russian foreign min
istry said in a statement that “the
artillery shelling of South Korean
territory, which resulted in loss of li
deserves condemnation.” It temper
these remarks, however, by adding
that tension on the peninsula was
“fueled, in particular, by a series of
large-scale military exercises,” an
allusion to South Korean military
drills, sometimes in conjunction wit
the United States and Japan, in the
region. Nonetheless, the overall
response — expressing criticism
publicly and also in person to North
Korea’s top diplomat — was unpre
dented for Russia.
As recently as last March, Russia
issued no official condemnation wh
the North sank the Cheonan, a Sou
Korean warship. For Russia to expr
such open criticism should place S
North Korean ties under greater pre
sure, ultimately benefiting Seoul in
dealings with Pyeongyang. Amid thi
shift, South Korea and North Koreaare engaged in a diplomatic tussle
fully win over Russia. And Moscow’
position could be a huge factor in
post-Yeonpyeongdo diplomacy, alon
with high-level meetings between th
SOUTH KOREAN DIPLOMACY AND
ALLIANCES: BACKING FROM THE
US, JAPAN; SUPPORT FROM RUSSIA
The North Korean shelling of Yeonpyeongdo Island, off South Korea’s west coast,sent shockwaves around the world last November. In an address to the people of South Korea, President Lee Myung-bak vowed a resolute response against theprovocations, and pledged to do all he could to prevent it from happening again.Here, KOREA takes a look at the diplomatic cooperation between South Korea andits neighbors, and what President Lee is doing to prevent attacks like this fromhappening again. by Kwon Kyeong-hui
ⓒ
T o p i c P h o t o ( a b o v e ) ; S
e o u l E c o n o m y D a i l y ( o p p o s i t e )
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Foreign Minister Kim Sung-hwan, US
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and
Japanese Foreign Minister Seiji
Maehara issued a joint warning to
North Korea and implored China to try
and rein in its ally.
The three officials, according to the
document “looked forward to China’s
efforts to urge North Korea to adhere
to its commitments as articulated in
the September 2005 Joint Statement
of the Six-Party Talks.” This position
basically assumed that North Korea
has become increasingly hostile
because of China’s inaction. By
stressing their trilateral cooperation
and a joint response, the foreign
ministers were making a diplomatic
protest to China in all but name.
Additionally, their emphasis of the
importance of the Association of
Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) inAsia and their pledge to “enhance
preparatory efforts” for the ASEAN
Regional Forum (ARF) and the East
Asia Summit (EAS) also appear to
have been aimed at China. The
US and China.
In December, at the summit of the
Organization for Security and
Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in
Astana, Kazakhstan, Kim Sung-hwan,
Seoul’s foreign minister, sat down for
talks with his Russian counterpart,
Sergey Lavrov. Kim expressed his grat-
itude for Russia’s prompt criticism of
the North Korean attack, and the two
men agreed to keep in close contact
over the matter. In Seoul, Wi Sung-lac,
the top nuclear envoy for South Korea,
met with Grigory Logvinov, the deputy
nuclear envoy for Russia, and held in-
depth talks on North Korea’s uranium
enrichment program as well as the
Yeonpyeongdo shelling.
In December, Wi traveled to
Moscow for a meeting with Alexei
Borodavkin, the chief Russian nuclear
representative and the deputy foreign
minister, and sought Russia’s support
for South Korea’s position on the
Yeonpyeongdo attack and North
Korea’s uranium enrichment pro-
grams. Wi also stressed that in order
for the six-party talks to resume, North
Korea must first demonstrate its will-
ingness to forgo its nuclear activities.
PRESSURIZING CHINA TO PRESS
NORTH KOREA Seoul, Washington
and Tokyo held three-way talks in early
December, seeking to strengthen tri-
lateral cooperation. South Korean
ⓒ
S e o u l E c o n o m y D a i l y ( l e f t , t o p , o p p o s i t e b o t t o m ) ; Y o n h a p N e w s A g e n c y ( o p p o s i t e t o p )
unspoken message was that if China
continues to side with North Korea,
then South Korea, Japan and other
Asian states would strengthen their
ties at the expense of China.
At the same time, Kim, Clinton and
Maehara tried not to provoke China
too much. “What Japan intends to do
is bring the five parties together to
deal with North Korea, instead of
creating a situation of three (South
Korea, the US and Japan) versus three
(China, North Korea and Russia),”
Maehara said. While pressurizing
China, the ministers stressed they
want to leave the door open f or China
to come on board at any time.
Other North Korean provocations
were discussed at the meeting, includ-
ing its recent admission of having ura-
nium enrichment programs. The three
countries agreed to remain in close
coordination vis-a-vis the North, and
their ties are expected to grow
stronger in the months ahead.
Proposed by Secretary Clinton, this
was the first trilateral foreign ministeri-
al meeting to be held in Washington,
reflecting the US determination to beactively engaged in developments on
the Korean Peninsula. Admiral Mike
Mullen, the chairman of the US Joint
Chiefs of Staff, also traveled to Seoul
in another show of solidarity between
Washington and Seoul.
In a telephone conversation with
Chinese President Hu Jintao on Dec 5,
US President Barack Obama heavily
criticized North Korea, calling its
provocations “unacceptable.” Obama
is also reported to have told Hu that if
China continues to protect North
Korea, it may be putting its own secu-
rity in peril, as well as its standing in
the international community.
China doesn’t seem to have shifted
its North Korea policy yet, but it may
be feeling the heat more than usual.
In joint South Korea-US military drills
in early December, the USS George
Washington, whose previous presence
in joint exercises has been a major
sore point for China, was deployed to
the Yellow Sea. On this occasion, how-
ever, Beijing didn’t issue a statement
criticizing the action. China is also
said to have refused a recent North
Korean request for rice aid.
“At this point, China’s role should
be to quietly deter North Korea from
carrying out any additional provoca-
tions,” said Han Sung-joo, professor
emeritus of international politics at
Korea University in Seoul, and the
head of a diplomatic consultancy
group for the Lee administration. “If
China does anything publicly, then it
might be seen as giving in to South
Korean pressure and North Korea
would be opposed to that. China will
want to move as quietly as possible.”
“ThereasonNorthKoreawentahead
with the shelling of Yeonpyeongdo
after sinking the Cheonan is that the
North had concluded China wouldn’t
be able to criticize it for the attack,”
he added. “By defending North Korea
for building uranium enrichment opera-
tions and other provocations toward
South Korea, China ultimately lost
face and also some clout in the
international community.”
President Lee Myung-bak’s
“telephone diplomacy” is reported
as prompting the international
condemnation of North Korea for
its shelling of Yeonpyeongdo.
A BOUT OF FRIENDLY DIPLOMACY
On the day of the bombardment,
President Lee spoke to the the lead
ers of Britain, the US and Japan. H
expressed gratitude for their conde
nation of North Korea’s provocatio
President Lee’s friendly diplomac
also helped Russia’s decision to ba
South Korea. Since Dmitry Medved
took office in May 2008, Lee and t
Russian president have met every s
months. Most recently, Medvedev m
Lee before the opening of the Grou
of 20 (G20) Summit in Seoul in
November. In September, Lee visite
Yaroslavl, Russia for a keynote
speech at the Global Policy Forum
hosted by Medvedev.
“When President Lee flew to Rus
in September, some political oppo-
nents wondered whether he was tryto divert attention from the Cheona
sinking,” an official at the Blue Hou
said. “But it was that trip and othe
actions that helped Russia take ou
side this time.”
Current Chairman of the ROK JCS (Joint Chiefs of
Staff) Han Min-gu, right, held a joint press confer-
ence with Mike Mullen, Chairman of the US JCS, on
the topic of Korean Peninsula’s security (above).
President Lee Myung-bak received Vladimir Zorkin,
Russian Chairman of the Constitutional Court in
November last year (below).
President Lee holds an urgent inspection confer-
ence regarding security and the economy in
November 2010, just after North Korea’s attack on
Yeonpyeongdo Island (above). US Deputy Assistant
Secretary of Defense for East Asia Michael Schiffer,
left, makes a remark at the 27th Korea-US Security
Policy Initiative in Seoul, December 2010 (below).
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Two decades of research have yield
around 150 domestic species, incl
ing Pearl Red, Pinky and Magic
Scarlet, whose vivid colors and
longevity after being cut have made
them a big hit with foreign buyers.
At the International Flower Expo2009, the scarlet-colored Pearl Red
fetched 100 yen (US$1.20) per ste
confirming Korea’s place among th
elite of flower-producing countries.
From US$15.56 million in 2009,
exports reached US$30 million last
year — a growth rate of more than
80%.
Another big hit on global flower
markets has been the Magic Flowe
whose petals change color in differ
lights or temperatures. Despite sel
for four to five times the price of
normal roses, the Magic Flower has
also seen stellar rises in its export
numbers, more than tripling from
US$2.3 million in 2009, to over
US$7.35 million last year.By developing new species in Ko
producers are not only able to cate
specific market niches, they can al
make big savings on royalty payme
by cultivating fewer varieties from
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Researchers from the Rural Development
Administration check flowers at a laboratory in
Suwon (opposite). Korean cactuses hold more than
70% of the world market (above). Roses grown in
Korea are famous for various colors (below).
Korea began exporting flowers less
than 20 years ago. As it so often is,
the Korean government was soon at
the center of efforts to boost this
fledgling industry, opening a wholesale
flower market in Yangjae, Seoul, in
1991, and designating flowers and
plants as “promising export items.”
As a result, total flower exports surged
from just US$2.4 million in 1992, to
US$5.5 million in 1994, and then to
US$28.88 million in 2000. Exports
continued to soar in the last decade,
reaching US$52.15 million in 2005,
US$76.2 million in 2008, and almost
US$100 million last year.
Perhaps the greatest single factor in
this success has been Korea’s vigor-
ous development of new species.
Among the most popular Korean floral
exports today is the Baekma chrysan-
themum, which Korea’s Rural
Development Administration (RDA)
developed in 2004. A snow-white,
heavily petaled flower, the Baekma is
hardier and easier to breed than many
conventional species, making it ideal
to export. Today, it accounts for more
than 40 percent of Korea’s chrysan-
themum exports.“Conventional chrysanthemums
when cut typically last no longer than
15 days, but our Baekma lasts twice
as long,” says Kim Won-hee, a
researcher in the RDA’s floweringplants department. “Since we started
distributing it in 2007, exports exceed-
ed a million dollars in 2008 and 3.5
million last year, making it a real
treasure of a flower.”
“The Baekma grows well and flow-
ers almost immediately, meaning
shorter growing times. This makes it
very beneficial to farmers,” explains
Go Gwan-dal, manager of the horticul-
ture product department at the
National Institute of Horticultural &
Herbal Science (NIHHS).
“Baekma has already become a
major export item to Japan. Japanese
buyers import more than 10 million
bunches of Baekma every year, mak-
ing it almost impossible for supply tofully meet demand.”
EXPORT KINGS: CHRYSANTHEMUMS
AND ROSES Korean roses are enjoy-
ing similar levels of success overseas.
KOREAN FLOWERS TAKING ROOT
AT HOME AND ABROAD
Korea’s floral exports are blooming. Less than two decades ago,exports of Korea’s indigenous flowers — the full-petaled, snow-whiteBaekma, the enticing scarlet buds of Pearl Red and many more —
totaled just US$2.4 million. Today, that figure has soared to more thanUS$100 million. Korea’s flower industry can thank excellent researchand development, aggressive overseas marketing and a dose of good,old-fashioned hard work. by Seo Dong-cheol | photographs by Kim Nam-heon
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NOW IN KOREA
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Y o n h a p
N e w s A g e
n c y
44
KOREA
JANUARY
2011
S porting D reams
TAKINGWING
From the Vancouver WinterOlympics to the GuangzhouAsian Games,Korean athletesproduced some unforgettableperformances last year. Andwhile many of these took place inKorea’s traditional areas of strength — short track andarchery — the country bumpedup its medal hauls with a stringof victories in other fields too.This success is inspiring a gener-ation of kids and their parents toemulate Korea’s recent sporting
glory, and sports academies arefilling up with young athletes.KOREA sought out some of thesestars in waiting,and found teamsof youngsters with all the dedica-tion and passion of their heroes.by Seo Dong-cheol | photographs by Park Jeong-roh
The 16 th Asian Games’ bronze medalist Son Yeon-jae, one of Korea’s Rhythmic
gymnastics athletes put on an outstanding performance.
K
JANU
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Manchester United,Korea has Park Chu-young at AS
Monaco in the top French league;Lee Chung-yong at Bolton
Wanderers in England; and Ki Sung-yueng and Cha Du-ri
playing for Celtic in the Scottish Premier League.
And these aren’t the only Korean athletes making their
nation proud overseas.Choo Shin-soo (Cleveland Indians)
and Park Chan-ho,who played for the Pittsburgh Pirates in
2010,were the two biggest Korean stars in Major League
baseball.Yang Yong-eun,who in 2009 became the first Asian
to win a PGA Tour major,is one of a slew of Korean golfers
excelling on the links. Female golfers,following in the foot-
steps of pioneering women’s star Pak Se-ri, have done well
too.Today,there are five Koreans among the top-10 female
golfers inthe world, and 20 among the top 50.
Such outstanding performances by Korean athletes on the
global stage have given hope and inspirations to youngKoreans.Parents are taking a greater interest too, and going
to great lengths to find the best sporting opportunities for
their kids. And whereas kids once had to be forced to play
sports by their parents, children today often beg to join sports
academies or sign up for school teams.
“I get calls from parents who ask how they can get their
children into archery,” says Lee Dong-min of the Korea
Archery Association.“Today, young students voluntarily pick
up sports that they want to play.”
Thanks to stellar performances by the likes of Park Ji-sung
and Kim Yu-na,soccer and figure skating are perhaps more
popular among Korean kids than they’ve ever been. Since the
2002 FIFA World Cup, soccer academies have sprouted up
across the nation,but demand still exceeds supply. Park’s
football center, which opened last year,is also a popular
destination,with hundreds of children on the waiting list.“We are running a systematic,European style training
program for six to 13 year olds, and we have students that
come from quite far away,” says Lee Young-hoon, who teaches
at the center.“We have three or four dif ferent classes per age
group.There are more than 20 on the waiting list per each
class.After the 2002 FIFA World Cup, the Korea Football
Association has worked hard at nurturing coaches. That has
raised quality of teaching at the youth level and made train-
ing programs more systematic.Parents never stop calling.”
The “Kim Yu-na”effect has seen ice rinks around Korea
caught up in a figure skating craze. And Mokdong Ice Rink,
where about 100 short track speed skaters and figure skaters
train, is no exception. “After the Vancouver Winter Olympics,
we received a lot of calls about figure skating,” says Jang Ho-
sung,a coach at Mokdong.“In short track, we have enough
coaches for everyone.But in figure skating, we have more
than 50 children waiting to be picked up.”
Sports academies,where children can experience many
different sports,are becoming popular,too. They offer
swimming,soccer, golf, baseball and inline skating,and they
have separate programs for children showing special talent.
“We don’t grind children to the ground, trying to make
them become professional athletes.Instead, we work to
develop them socially,physically and mentally,” says Bae
Sung-min,head of the Little Kids Children’s Sports Club in
Uijeongbu,Gyeonggi-do Province.“With golf,we do also run
a special program for those that show particular promise.”
Korean athletes newfound success in a wider range of
sports is serving as a big source ofinspirations and hope for
children.Somewhere, at this very moment. the next Park Ji-
sung,Kim Yu-na, Park Tae-hwan or Choo Shin-soo is givingtheir all to realize their dreams. Certainly,not every one of
them will end up as a sports hero — but between them,
they’re lighting up the future of Korean sports.
48
KOREA
JANUARY
2011
A middle school student practicing shooting (top). Archers from an elementary
school shoot arrows during their lesson (above).
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K o r e a A r c h e r y A s s o c i a t i o n ( a b o v e ) ; K o r e a
S h o o t i n g F e d e r a t i o n
( t o p )
I B
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P r i o r i t y / P r i o r i l a i r e
B y a i r m a i l / P a r a v i o n
BR S / C C R I N° : 1 0 0 2 4 -4 0 7 3 0
NEP A S AFFR AN CHIR
N O S T A MP R E Q UI R E D
R E P L Y P A I D / R E P O N
S E P A Y E E
K O R E A ( S E O UL )
K O C I S
1 5 H y o j a -r o , J o n g n o - g u
S e o ul ( 1 1 0 - 0 4 0 )
R e p u b l i c o f K o r e a
`
`
ⓒ
C h o i J i - y o u n g
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