We’ve got an old accessory display cabinet (steel frame, height: 157cm, width: 114cm, depth: 73cm) that needs a new home. It’s yours for free if you can come to our bookshop and take it off our hands. It’s first come, first get, so call ahead (T. 02-734-9565) just to make sure nobody’s taken it yet. See map at bottom of the newsletter for directions.
Translator Needed
Seoul Selection is looking for a part-time Korean-to-English translator, preferably one who majored in economics. If you’re interested, please send a resume and cover letter to atoz@seoulselection.com.
SEOUL March Issue
Nowon-gu, Jinhae, hair designer Cha Hong and more
Welcome the spring with the March issue of SEOUL, our monthly travel and culture magazine. In this issue of SEOUL, we visit a new modern art museum and explore a soon-to-disappear piece of history in Nowon-gu, take in the cherry blossoms in Jinhae, talk with famous hair designer Cha Hong, learn about the historic Yi Tae-jun House, and much, much more.
If that’s not enough, there’s always our Goings On Around Town, one of the best roundups of the month’s concerts, exhibitions, festivals and other fun events.
The March issue is due out Friday, so look for it in stores then.
Around the Web
A miscellany of high-quality hyperlinks from the week, courtesy of SEOUL editor-in-chief Robert Koehler.
The Banyan Tree Club & Spa Seoul offers both travelers and weary city slickers a perfect getaway in the midst of the bustle of Seoul. Although set in the heart of the city, its serene atmosphere and abundant greenery provides a feeling of calm isolation, yet its convenient location near Myeongdong and N Seoul Tower offers quick access to all the city’s eclectic nightlife, restaurants and shopping.
Say goodbye to winter’s cold with the Banyan Tree Club & Spa Seoul’s spring package, available from March 3 through June 12. Prices start at KRW 847,000 per person (tax not included).
Indulge your appetite and relax with tea at the Granum Dining Lounge before rejuvenating your body with a massage at the Banyan Tree Spa. Guests are also provided free entrance to the sauna, indoor pool and fitness club, as well as a 20 percent discount at restaurants (beverages not included).
VENUE: Banyan Tree Club & Spa Seoul
PERIOD: Mar 3–June 12
PRICE: Starting from KRW 847,000
MORE INFO: 02-2250-8000, www.banyantree.com/en/seoul/
GETTING THERE: Take Namsan Circle Line Bus 02 or 05 from Exit 6 of Dongguk University Station, (Seoul Subway Line 3) and get off at the National Theater of Korea.
Korea International School Spring Open House
Korea International School invites interested parents to visit our campus during our Spring Open House events. These programs offer prospective parents the opportunity to tour our campuses, learn about our curriculum, meet our principals and see what makes KIS a dynamic learning community.
Pangyo Campus : Mar. 6 Thursday > 12:00PM Conference Hall
Seoul Campus: Mar. 13 Thursday > 11:00AM Multi-Purpose Room
MORE INFO AND RSVP: Call T. 031-789-0525 or visit www.kis.kr
SIWA Coffee Morning: “Why Are Korean Women Still Underutilized at Work?”
Guest speaker, Prof. Louise Patterson in her thesis investigates potential explanations for the persistence of gender discrimination, towards women, in South Korean workplaces despite decades of gender policy reforms and improved female education. The aim of her study is not to re-validate the existence of gender discrimination in Korea, but rather to identify what reproduces discrimination against women, and to explore why the under-utilisation and advancement of the Korean women in the workforce continues despite equal employment legislation.Louise is an Assistant Professor at the School of Management of Kyung Hee University, Seoul. As a Canadian with over twenty-five years of experience in educational instruction and business management, in and out of Korea, Louise is deeply interested in the status of Korean women.
In addition, February’s Coffee Morning is also dedicated to recognizing the Embassies that supported and contributed to the success of the SIWA Diplomatic Community Bazaar in 2013. The top country donations will be revealed at the event, and the diplomatic spouses are invited as our guests.
GETTING THERE: Yeouido Station, subway lines #5 or #9, Exit 3. Follow the underground passage, along the moving walkway, until you reach the IFC Entrance (L2). Walk to the escalators (located in front of the “8ight Seconds” store) and go up to L1. The entrance to Conrad Seoul is located between the “Stradivarius” and “Bershka” stores. Free parking also available.
Angela Hewitt Piano Recital
British/Canadian Angela Hewitt has performed around the world in recitals both as a soloist and with orchestras. She is best known for her 11-year cycle of Bach recordings. Her discography also includes works by Couperin, Rameau, Messiaen, Chabrier and other classical greats. In 2005, Hewitt launched the Trasimeno Music Festival in Umbria near Perugia, serving as artistic director. Her Seoul program is charged with Bach’s “English Suite No. 3” and Beethoven’s “Piano Sonata No. 31.”
VENUE: Seoul Arts Center, Concert Hall
DATE: Feb 25, 8pm
ADMISSION: KRW 40,000–100,000
MORE INFO: T. 02-599-5743, www.sac.or.kr
GETTING THERE: Nambu Bus Terminal Station 남부터미널역 (Line 3), Exit 5. Transfer to shuttle bus, or green bus No. 4429.
2014 Opera ‘AIDA’
The Seoul Metropolitan Opera is bringing back “Aida,” one of Giuseppe Verdi’s operatic masterpieces. “Aida” tells of a love triangle set in ancient Egypt. Aida is an enslaved Ethiopian princess. An Egyptian military commander, Radames, struggles to choose between his love for her and his loyalty to the Pharaoh. The local production is notable for being a community arts endeavor, inviting 90 Seoul residents to be singers and actors who take part in the climactic triumphal march in the second half of the opera.
VENUE: Grand Theater, Sejong Center for the Performing Arts
PERIOD: Feb 20–23
ADMISSION: KRW 20,000–120,000
MORE INFO: T. 02-399-1114, www.sejongpac.or.kr
Universal Ballet–30th Anniversary Gala
Universal Ballet, a leading force in the local ballet scene, is celebrating its 30th anniversary in a gala show. Performing both in Korea and abroad, the troupe successfully blends the grace of Asian sensibility with the strength and beauty of Western classical ballet. The gala program includes famous full-length classical ballets such as “Sleeping Beauty,” “Don Quixote,” and “La Bayadere,” as well as “Chunhyang,” an original production based on a classic love story of ancient Korea.
VENUE: Seoul Arts Center, Opera theater
PERIOD: Feb 21–23
ADMISSION: KRW 10,000–100,000
MORE INFO: T. 070-7124-1737, www.sac.or.kr
GETTING THERE: Nambu Bus Terminal Station 남부터미널역 (Line 3), Exit 5. Transfer to shuttle bus, or green bus No. 4429.
The National Changgeuk Company unveils “The Reincarnation of Sookyeoung,” a reconstruction of the traditional operatic rendition titled “Baebijang Jeon.” In the classical love fantasy, young countryman Seon-gun sees in his dream Lady Sookyeong, a fairy in exile. She tells him they are a match made in heaven and promises to meet three years later. Seon-gun then becomes lovesick from being unable to see her. Changgeuk is a operatic drama genre based on pansori, or Korean opera.
The Reincarnation of Sookyeoung
The National Changgeuk Company unveils “The Reincarnation of Sookyeoung,” a reconstruction of the traditional operatic rendition titled “Baebijang Jeon.” In the classical love fantasy, young countryman Seon-gun sees in his dream Lady Sookyeong, a fairy in exile. She tells him they are a match made in heaven and promises to meet three years later. Seon-gun then becomes lovesick from being unable to see her. Changgeuk is a operatic drama genre based on pansori, or Korean opera.
VENUE: National Theater of Korea
PERIOD: Feb 19–23
ADMISSION: KRW 20,000–50,000
MORE INFO: T. 02-2280-4114, www.ntok.go.kr
GETTING THERE: Dongguk Univ. Station 동대입구역 (Line 3), Exit 2.
RASKB Excursion: Korean War Remains and Migratory Birds in Cheorwon
Prior to the division of Korea, Cheorwon was a sizable town. The junction of the Seoul-Wonsan and the Mt. Geumgangsan lines, it was a major transportation hub. After the division of Korea, however, the city—located north of the 38th parallel—fell under North Korean control. The worst came during the Korean War: as the southern point of the Iron Triangle (a major invasion route to Seoul), the city was wiped off the map by merciless shelling, mostly courtesy the Americans.
After the war, the city was never rebuilt, per se, although a “New” Cheorwon was built several kilometers away. Old Cheorwon is now rice paddies and hills—much of where the old town used to be, in fact, lies across the Civilian Control Line, a military district bounding the DMZ where entry is by permit only. For Korean history buffs, however, the paddies are dotted with several ruins and bombed-out buildings from the period that are well-worth seeing.
The area along the DMZ is also one of Korea’s top spots for watching migratory birds. Come winter, some 110 species of birds—including several protected natural treasures—visit Cheorwon’s warm spring ponds. Bring your binoculars if you’ve got ‘em.
VENUE: Cheorwon, Gangwon-do
DATE: Feb 22
ADMISSION: KRW 42,000 members and KRW 50,000 for non-members.
Jwibul Nori at a Daeboreum festival in Gangdong-gu. Photo by Robert Koehler.
*Click the photo to see a full-size version at our website.
NOTE: If you have a photo you would like to see in our Everyday Koreans section, please sent it to story@seoulselection.com. Photos should be AT LEAST 950px wide. Send a one-line bio, too.
Notifications
Seoul Selection Offline Bookshop Sale: One of the greatest repositories of Korea-related English-language books anywhere, Seoul Selection is offering a 10% sale on any and all books published by Seoul Selection purchased from our OFFLINE bookshop next to Gyeongbokgung Palace.
Tell Us About ‘Your Korea’: If you’re a longtime resident of Korea and would like to share your story in KOCIS’s KOREA Magazine, shoot an email with your story idea to book@seoulselection.com.
Looking for Translators – Seoul Selection is looking for a few good translators (Korean to English) for general translation work. Those interested should send a resume and cover letter to Kyehyun at trans@seoulselection.com. Experienced translators only.
Seoul Selection eBooks – You can purchase some Seoul Selection titles in ebook format via Amazon.com (for Kindle) and Apple’s iBookstore. Titles include Ask a Korean Dude, Moon Tides, Doing Business in Korea, Once Around the Sun, and seven volumes of our Korean Film Directors series: BONG Joon-ho, IM Kwon-taek, KIM Jee-woon, LEE Chang-dong, LEE Man-hee, PARK Chan-wook, and SHIN Sang-ok.
Send Your Event Info – If you would like to advertise any upcoming events you are organizing, please send us the press release material at book@seoulselection.com by the preceding Friday in order for it to appear in the following Tuesday’s issue.
Freelance Contributors Wanted – SEOUL Magazine needs writers who are fluent in both Korean and English. Writers should have a strong interest in Korean culture and be able to interview Koreans. Send your resume and writing samples to book@seoulselection.com.
We Buy & Sell Used Books – Seoul Selection buys and sells used books in English. Unlike our regular selection of publications that specialize in Korea-related topics, our Used Book section carries books on all subjects. It’s all part of our effort to make life easier for the English-speaking community.
History of Economic Laws in Korea From Liberation to Present. 1: Historical Overview
Fasten Your Seatbelt, “Roller coaster”
New Books
TOPIK 만점에 도전하라: 중급 Challenge: Intermediate TOPIK out
The Unending Korean War: A Social History
Korean War
The Hen Who Dreamed She Could Fly
Hello Korean 3 English Edition
New DVDs
Days of Wrath
Veil
Miss Cherry’s Love Puzzle
The Face Reader
The Russian Novel
Publisher: Hank Kim / Editor: Robert Koehler
Seoul Selection reserves all intellectual property rights on information provided in this newsletter. Some event information has been provided by the Korea Foundation. The IPRs are protected by pertinent laws
Seoul Selection Web Site: https://www.seoulselection.com
e-mail: hankinseoul@gmail.com tel: 734-9567 fax: 734-9563
https://magazine.seoulselection.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/export2.png1019615rjkoehlerhttps://magazine.seoulselection.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Seoul-logo.pngrjkoehler2014-02-19 15:17:122014-02-19 15:17:12SEOUL Weekly: SEOUL March Issue
Guest speaker, Prof. Louise Patterson in her thesis investigates potential explanations for the persistence of gender discrimination, towards women, in South Korean workplaces despite decades of gender policy reforms and improved female education. The aim of her study is not to re-validate the existence of gender discrimination in Korea, but rather to identify what reproduces discrimination against women, and to explore why the under-utilisation and advancement of the Korean women in the workforce continues despite equal employment legislation.Louise is an Assistant Professor at the School of Management of Kyung Hee University, Seoul. As a Canadian with over twenty-five years of experience in educational instruction and business management, in and out of Korea, Louise is deeply interested in the status of Korean women.
Yummy yummy hotteok