SEOUL Weekly: SEOUL December Issue

Judging from the snow falling outside our window, winter is upon us, and there’s no better way to stay warm than with a cup of your favorite hot beverage and the December issue of SEOUL, Seoul Selection’s monthly travel and culture magazine.

In this issue, we explore some of Gangnam’s chic modern architecture, hike the snowy majesty of Jejudo’s Mt. Hallasan, enjoy some seasonal eats and a holiday beverage or three, do some winter shopping and more.

And, of course, there’s always our Goings on Around Town, a list of the the month’s concerts, exhibits, festival and other events.

The magazine will hit the shelves of your favorite major bookstore Friday.

Enjoy SEOUL on the Go: Download our magazine app for your tablet! (iOS, Android)

Heavenly hot pot
Three ways to shabu shabu in Seoul
Wine by the glass
Four places to go when you only want a taste

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

• A new exhibit at the Horim Museum is a virtual “greatest hits” of Korean culture.
• Korean car culture in a glance.
• North Korea still wants you to keep your hair short.
• A cafe in Yongin in Seoul is giving North Korean defectors a chance to succeed.
• Korean webtoons are causing a global stir.
• Good-bye, Korean autumn 2015.
• Serious gingko leaves at Gyeongju’s Ungok Confucian Academy…
• Mt. Maisan and its reflections.
• More autumn beauty in southern Korea.
• Another week passes at Robert Koehler’s photo blog.

Monni Club Tour: Fix

Korean rock band Monni marks the 10th anniversary of its debut with a tour of Korean clubs in Busan, Daegu, Jeonju, Gwangju, Seoul and Jejudo. Previous Monni gigs have been at large-scale venues, but this tour gives fans an opportunity to experience the band up-close within the comfy confines of smaller clubs. The Hongdae performance is particularly meaningful to the group as it was in Hongdae that the band made its debut in 2005.

VENUE: Rolling Hall, Hongdae
DATE: Nov. 27
ADMISSION: KRW 44,000
MORE INFO: T. 02-782-9570
GETTING THERE: Five-minute walk from Hapjeong Station (Line 2), Exit 4

Chun Kyungja: Eternal Narcissist

Organized to present the unique world created by an artist who devoted her whole life to the development of Korean Painting, Chun Kyung-ja, Eternal Narcissist” brings together a collection of 30 paintings that have not been displayed in public in recent years. The exhibition presents an allegory of the art world created by Chun, who reflects her own life in her paintings – the joys and sorrows caused by her dreams, loves, and fantasies. She once said that her paintings “are my alter ego whether they depict a human being, a beast or a plant.” For her, painting is the mirror that reflects her own self-identity.

VENUE: Seoul Museum of Art
PERIOD: Permanent exhibition
ADMISSION: Free
MORE INFO: T. 02-2124-8953
GETTING THERE: City Hall Station (Lines 1 or 2), Exit 1

New Hair shop – L-Seven Hair

Want to change your hair style? Stop by L-Seven Hair, a new hair shop near Naebang Station. They provide 30% discounts for tourists and expats, too. Talented and experienced hair designers well-skilled in the handling of Western hair await you. Colorings, perms, cuts and more available.

MORE INFO and RESERVATIONS: T. 010-3567-1633 (ask for Charlie)
GETTING THERE: Five minute walk from Naebang Station (Line 7), Exit 2

Sheraton Incheon Hotel: the Faster, the Better.

In Songdo, the business hub of Northeast Asia, it is highly important to be always connected and open towards the world. Acknowledging the importance of this need more than any others, Sheraton Incheon Hotel now facilitated Giga Wi-fi. With Giga Wi-fi, you can experience the internet connection from three to ten times faster than the conventional Wi-fi, even with approximately 500 people accessing at the same time, without abruption. Now your stay at the Sheraton Incheon Hotel becomes even more effortless, as all information you need will be ready in a more timely and accurate manner. All you need to do is to relax your legs and enjoy the splendid view of Central Park and Songdo city while you work faster than the rest of the world. T. 032-835-1105.

Paik NamJune Groove _ Heung

Jan. 29, 2016 marks the 10th death anniversary of Paik Nam June, the father of video art. This exhibition will give a glimpse into his unique world and give the public further insight on his work. The exhibition aims to give viewers a clearer understanding of Paik’s work by exploring not only the exterior but also the inner meaning of each piece.

VENUE: Sejong Center for the Performing Arts
PERIOD: Thru. Jan. 29
ADMISSION: KRW 9,000
MORE INFO: T. 02-399-1152
GETTING THERE: Gwanghwamun Station­ (Line 5), Exit 1 or 8

DDP LED Rose Garden

In the rear garden of the Dongdaemun Design Plaza are 25.550 electronic roses spread out over a great field. Since its debut in April, it has become a local icon and a popular destination for couples and families. The reason behind the number 25,550 is to celebrate the 70th year anniversary of Gwangbokjeol, the holiday that celebrates Korea’s liberation from colonial rule (365 times 70 equals 25,550).

VENUE: Dongdaemun Design Plaza
PERIOD: Thru Feb. 29
ADMISSION: Free
MORE INFO: T. 02-2153-0000
GETTING THERE: Dongdaemun History & Culture Park Station (Line 2, 4 or 5), Exit 1 or 2

RASKB Excursion: Ganghwado

Ganghwado is the fifth largest island in Korea and is situated at the mouth of the Hangang River just south of the DMZ. Because of its location near Songdo (Kaesong) and Seoul, it was used as a place of refuge by kings fleeing from Mongolian and Manchurian armies during the Goryeo and Joseon periods. Ganghwado dominated the sea approach to Seoul and saw several clashes with foreign naval forces just prior to the “opening” of Korea in 1876.

VENUE: Ganghwado, Incheon
DATE: Nov. 28
COST: KRW 49,000 for members and KRW 58,800 for non-members
MORE INFO and GETTING THERE: See this link.

Gyeongam-dong Railroad Village in Gunsan, Jeollabuk-do. Photo by Robert Koehler, editor-in-chief, SEOUL.

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.