July 31, 2015 / Issue No. 695
“Gluck Auf: Story of the Miners who Went to Germany”
Korean-language novel spotlights sacrifices of modern Korea’s unsung heroes
In the 1960s, about 20,000 young Koreans, seeking to escape unemployment and poverty at home, left for Germany to take up work as miners and nurses.

Their story, recently highlighted in the hit 2014 movie “Ode to My Father,” is now told in Seoul Selection’s newest Korean-language novel, Gluck Auf: Story of the Miners who Went to Germany.

Written by author Moon Young-sook and based on the real-life experiences of Korea National University of Education professor Kwon Yi-chong, who was one of those who went to Germany as a miner, the book is a testament to an important piece of Korea’s modern history and to the struggles of young people striving to achieve their dreams.

Korean edition only; KRW 11,000


FROM SEOUL MAGAZINE

Begin Your Adventure Worry-Free
Crown Relocations relies on 50 years of moving experience to make your transition to life abroad as painless as possible
Seoul Forest Station
Wood and water in one of Seoul’s most up-and-coming neighborhoods

AROUND THE WEB

A miscellany of high-quality hyperlinks from the week, courtesy of SEOUL editor-in-chief Robert Koehler

 


EVENTS

Pentaport Rock Festival

The granddaddy of Korean music festivals, the Pentaport Rock Festival revolutionized the country’s rock music scene when it debuted in 2006. Nine years later, it’s still going strong with a lineup headlined by German rock legends Scorpions of “Winds of Change” fame, trailblazing Korean hip-hop artist Seotaiji and English electronic dance music pioneers The Prodigy. The festival, held in Incheon’s seaside district of Songdo, is also an excuse to get out of Seoul for a weekend to take in the ocean breeze. Camping space is available, too — be sure to check out the website for reservation and tent rental information.

VENUE: Songdo Pentaport Park, Incheon
PERIOD: Aug. 7-9
MORE INFO: pentaportrock.com
COST: KRW 123,000-260,000
GETTING THERE: International Business District Station (Incheon Subway Line), Exit 1

Sandro Chia : Fantasy & Myths

Born a year after the bloody end of the Second World War, Sandro Chia is commonly touted as the “international reference of Italian transavantgarde art” as the leading figure in a movement that has spawned so many Italian neo-expressionist maestros. After traveling through Europe and India following his graduation from the Accademia di Belle Arti in Florence in 1969, Sandro Chia began exhibiting his work as “mythical conceptual art.” This exhibition will be making its run in Seoul after successful turns in Singapore, Hong Kong, Manila, and New York. It is divided into four sections that will each delve more deeply into the inspiration, style, and psychology of a most enigmatic yet brilliant artist.

VENUE: Hangaram Art Museum
PERIOD: Thru Oct. 4
MORE INFO: T. 1666-3539
ADMISSION: KRW 13,000
GETTING THERE: Nambu Bus Terminal Station (Line 3), Exit 5. Transfer to shuttle bus, or green bus No. 4429.

Pharrell Williams

Pop star, producer and style icon Pharrell Williams comes to Seoul for the first time. A winner of 11 Grammy awards, his career reached new heights in 2013 when his single “Happy” topped the U.S. Billboard charts for 10 straight weeks and, at 13.9 million copies sold in 2014, became one of the best-selling singles of all time. In Korea, too, “Happy” was the most played song at local music streaming sites in 2014. His live performances are high-spectacle, high-energy affairs, and to be sure, he’s bringing along some of the best production experts and sound and light engineers in the world, so expect to have your mind blown.

VENUE: Olympic Park Gymnasium
DATE: Aug. 14, 8 PM
MORE INFO: T. 02-3141-3488
ADMISSION: KRW 99,000-165,000
GETTING THERE: Olympic Park Station (Line 5), Exit 3

Kim Young Gap in Seoul

Ara Art Center in Insa-dong is hosting a rare opportunity for Seoulites to appreciate the work of late photographer Kim Young Gap. Marking the 10th year of his passing, this exhibit features about 70 of his photos, from his early work to his later panoramic masterpieces. It is the first large-scale showing of his work in Seoul.
Mainland-born and lacking formal photographic training, Kim settled in Jejudo in 1985 and spent the next 20 years taking stunning panoramic shots of Jejudo’s breathtaking natural scenery. His dedication to his craft was unparalleled — he would spend hours, and sometimes days, waiting out in the elements for the perfect light to present itself. In 2000, however, he was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s disease and spent the last five years of his life establishing the Kim Young Gap Gallery Dumoak in Seongsan, Jejudo.

VENUE: Ara Art Center
PERIOD: Thru Sept. 28
MORE INFO: T. 02-737-2505
ADMISSION: KRW 10,000
GETTING THERE: Anguk Station (Line 3), Exit 6

Seoul Fringe Festival

Seoul’s answer to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the Seoul Fringe Festival is Korea’s leading independent arts festival featuring the very best in alternative theater, dance, music, performance art, visual art and video art. Founded in 1998 as an opportunity for young artists to break away from the authoritarian climate of the art world at the time, the festival has blossomed into a vibrant, multi genre space of artistic freedom and experimentation. Formerly held in the artsy Hongdae district, this year’s festival moves to the specious confines of World Cup Stadium, which will be transformed into a creative community and alternative ecosystem linking artists and art lovers.

VENUE: Seoul World Cup Stadium
PERIOD: Aug. 1-9
MORE INFO: T. 02-325.8150 eng.seoulfringefestival.net
ADMISSION: Free
GETTING THERE: World Cup Stadium Station (Line 6), Exit 1 or 2

RASKB Excursion: Donggang One Day Rafting Tour

Join the RAS as it takes an adventurous rafting tour along the scenic Donggang River in Gangwon-do. The Donggang is a serpentine, 60 kilometer-long stream flowing through rugged limestone terrain in mountainous Gangwon province’s Yeongweol, Pyeongchang, and Jeongseon counties. Besides boasting breathtaking scenery, the Donggang is an ecological jewel, as it is the only remaining virgin territory in Korea, boasting a wealth of rare flora and fauna. It is often compared to Guilin in China, a world famous tourist destination owing to its picturesque limestone mountains; however, the Dong River retains a more pristine and serene atmosphere, according to tourist experts.

VENUE: Gangwon-do
DATE: Aug. 8
COST: KRW 83,000 for members and KRW 99,600 for non-members
MORE INFO and GETTING THERE: See link.


EVERYDAY KOREANS

Gwanghwamun Gate at night. Photo by Barrie Manners.

NOTIFICATIONS

Seoul Selection’s Free Book Giveaway – Our free book give-away continues! Check out the list in last week’s newsletter here.

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.

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 atoz@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 pubco@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 english@seoulselection.com.

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SEOUL (August 2015)


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