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Don't Miss the Jarasum January Festival
Winter Fun Just an Hour Away
Gapyeong's JARASUM JANUARY FESTIVAL begins this Saturday! A great opportunity to take in Korea's spectacular winter scenery, the Jarasum January Festival is winter fun for the whole family. You don't have to be a sportsman to enjoy the ice-fishing, one of the festival's most popular events. The kiddies (and kids at heart) will love the Korean traditional ice sledding, snow sledding, star-gazing, wish-making and Friday evening jazz concerts. Jarasum, a small island in the Bukhangang River, is perhaps most famous for its autumn international jazz festival, one of Korea's most famous. The Gapyeong area, with its wild rivers and dramatic valleys, is wonderfully scenic, and even better, just a short trip from Seoul. VENUE: Gapyeongcheon Stream and Jarasum Island, Gapyeong-gun, Gangwon-do DATE: Jan 9---31 ADMISSION: Depends on program, but fees can be redeemed for discounts on goods and services in Gapyeong. MORE INFORMATION: (031) 580-2065, 4628, www.jazzcenter.co.kr/singsing (in Korean). GETTING THERE: Jamsil Station, Line 2. Transfer to a Gapyeong-bound bus from Dong Seoul Bus Terminal. The bus trip takes less than an hour. Likewise, you can take a train to Gapyeong from Cheongnyangni Station. |
Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival
Beauty Mountain Scenery... and One Tasty Fish
The beautiful mountain town of Hwacheon (see here) plays host to the Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival, one of Korea's biggest winter festivals. Dedicated to the sancheoneo, an indigenous freshwater mountain trout that thrives in the county's ice cold rivers, the festival's signature event is ice fishing. There will be equipment on hand to help you do this, although if you like (and some do), you could try it barehanded, too! It's really quite good fun, and even if the fish don't appeal to you, there's plenty else going on, like sledding and skating. If nothing else, it gives you an excuse to visit. VENUE: Hwacheon-gun. Gangwon-do DATE: Jan 9---31 ADMISSION: Depends on program MORE INFORMATION: 1688-3005, www.narafestival.com/icenara GETTING THERE: Buses to Hwacheon depart from Seoul's Dongseoul (14 buses a day) and Sangbong (13 buses a day) terminals. The trip takes about three hours, with all buses passing through the provincial capital of Chuncheon first. Indeed, if you prefer, you can take a train from Seoul's Cheongnyangni Station to Chuncheon, from which buses to Hwacheon depart frequently. From Chuncheon, it takes about an hour to get to Hwacheon. |
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- Good tours of the DMZ are conducted by the USO (795-3028) and TOURDMZ (755-0073). For more information on their tours, click here (USO) and here (TOURDMZ). - The Seoul City Bus Tour is a great way to explore the city of Seoul, especially if you're new to town. For more information, click here or call 777-6090. - The Royal Asiatic Society conducts entertaining and informative tours to some of Korea's most historic sites. Click here for more information, including schedule. - For self-starters, the Seoul City Tourism website has several walking tours and self-directed tours. You can also give them a ring at 2171-2461. - The Korea Tourism Organization website is another great place to get information. If you're on the road, just call 1330 for up-to-date tourist information.
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Armed with its fifth and latest album, "The Resistance," English alternative band MUSE finally makes the journey to Seoul for a rocking party. Like all of the group's other consistently sold-out concerts, this gig is expected to be a blockbuster milestone for the new year of 2010. Come dance the night away with one of the world's best live rockers.
VENUE: Gymnasium No. 1, Olympic ParkGymnasium
DATE: Jan 7 (Thu), 8pm
ADMISSION: Standing / R: 99,000 won, S: 77,000 won, A: 66,000 won, B: 55,000 won
MORE INFORMATION: (02) 3444-9969
GETTING THERE: Olympic Park Station, Line 5, Exit 3.
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"TOM TOM NANGRANG TOM" relates the story of the "Jamyeonggo" legend, the tale of two star-crossed lovers from warring Korean kingdoms. But now the National Theater of Korea has refashioned the traditional story, injecting Korean dance and traditional instruments into the onstage experience. These elements have won "Tom Tom Nangrang Tom" designation as a masterpiece representing Korea at the 2010 Seoul Theatre Olympics.
VENUE: Small Hall 'Dal', National Theater of Korea
DATE: Jan 6---14, 2010, 7:30pm (weekdays) / 3pm, 7:30pm (Sat) / 3pm (Sun). No performances on Mondays
ADMISSION: R: 50,000 won, S: 30,000 won, A: 20,000 won
MORE INFORMATION: (02) 2280-4115~6
GETTING THERE: Take shuttle bus at Dongguk Univ. Station, Line 3, Exit 2 or yellow bus No. 2 at Exit 6.
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Seoul Museum of Art pulls out the carpet from under orthodox concepts of sculpture with "AGAINST THE SCULPTURAL: THREE DIMENSIONS OF UNCERTAINTY." More than 50 works by 22 artists, showing a post-sculptural tendency, are on display here, exploring the state of the genre from positions on the boundaries between sculpture and non-sculpture, material and immaterial. Running until February 16th, the exhibition offers a view of the experimental trend in contemporary art. The essence of traditional sculpture is that of a lump or mass; gravity was regarded as the phenomenon that made it possible. But although in today's art, the line between sculpture and painting, three-dimensional and flat, has long since been blurred, experiments by contemporary artists to escape the essential elements of sculpture---mass, gravity and monumentalism---continue...
VENUE: Seoul Museum of Art
DATE: Thru Feb 16
ADMISSION: Adults: 700 won, Youths: 300 won, Others: Free
MORE INFORMATION: (02) 2124-8935
GETTING THERE: City Hall Station, Line 1, Exit 1 or Line 2, Exits 11 & 12. Walk 5 minutes.
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Dr. Byeon Gyewon will be lecturing at the Royal Asiatic Society on " TRADITIONAL KOREAN MUSIC IN CONTEMPORARY SOCIETY." In Korea, Pansori is the most popular and well-known traditional music genre today. It was developed by professional folk musicians at the beginning of the eighteenth century and is usually performed with a drum accompanist. The prefix "pan" refers to a place where people gather together, and the suffix "sori" means sound and refers to the singing voice or song in this context. Pansori used to be performed in an open space, such as a market place, courtyard, or sitting room of a wealthy patron. Sanjo is also one of the most popular genres of traditional music today, a staple of national and international performance tours. It comprises a set of related pieces for solo melodic instrument and drum. A number of "school" (ryu) are recognized, each based on the performance style of a master musician, usually, but not always, a musician from an earlier generation. Sanjo was first devised for the gayageum, 12-stringed plucked long zither, but is now played on all major Korean instruments. In this lecture, a pansori singer and a haegeum, two-stringed fiddle, player will be invited to perform pansori and sanjo. With detailed explanations about these genres, this will be a good opportunity for those wishing to understand genuine Korean traditional music and art. VENUE: Somerset Palace, Seoul DATE: Jan 13, 7:30pm ADMISSION: 5,000 won for non-RAS members MORE INFORMATION: http://www.raskb.com/ GETTING THERE: Anguk Station, Line 3, Exit 6
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The Korea Foundation is hosting Italian Style - Dressing Home as its first exhibition in 2010. In collaboration with the Sartirana Art Foundation, Cultural Institute of Italy, and Embassy of Italy, the special exhibition will feature more than 180 pieces of representative Italian design works that are utilized in our daily living, such as silverware, furniture and lamps. Viewers will identify the distinct "Italian Style" in the exhibited works of well-known manufacturers and studios that are deeply rooted in traditional Italian craftsmanship. VENUE: KF Cultural Center DATE: Jan 15---Feb 20, (10:00---18:00 Mon---Sat, 10:00---21:00 Wed) ADMISSION: Free MORE INFORMATION: 02-2151-6514, www.kfcenter.or.kr GETTING THERE: City Hall Station, Lines 1 & 2, Exit 9. Walk 5 minutes.
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| These are just some of the diverse events taking place in and around Seoul. SEOUL Magazine's ever-expanding events section is colorfully designed and jam-packed with the latest information. For the complete round-up pick up a copy of SEOUL Magazine at any of the quality bookstores in the city and you'll never have to spend another month in the dark. |
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Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow
Snowfall just adds to the charms of Bukchon. Photo by Robert Koehler.
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Learn Korean Traditional Dance - Chumsae Dance School is offering lessons on Korean traditional dance. Morning (10:00---11:30, Tue Thu), afternoon (4:00---5:30, Mon Wed) and evening classes (7:30---9:00 Tue Thu) available. Classes are limited to 10 persons each. Tuition is 200,000 won a month. For more information, call (02- 762-7731).
KFCC Films - The Korea Foundation Cultural Center runs regular screenings of both Korean and foreign films, with subtitles. In January, the KFCC will be screening "Planet B-Boy." Click here for more information. Korean Language Classes - The Korea Foundation Cultural Center Offers free Korean language classes for foreigners residing in Korea. The classes, led by Korea Foundation volunteer teachers, are held at 7:00-9:00 pm every Monday, Wednesday and Friday (two classes at 4:00 and 7:00 on Wednesdays). Anyone interested in learning Korean language and willing to participate in the language class is welcome to join. For more information, click here. Calling all photographers - SEOUL WEEKLY could use your help with our Everyday Koreans photo section. If you have a camera and enjoy snapping shots capturing everyday scenes in the Republic of Korea, send your photos in along with captions and a brief, one- line bio. Send Your Event Info - If you would like to advertise any upcoming events you are organizing, please send us the press release material to reporter@seoulselection.com by the preceding Friday in order 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 be able to interview Koreans and also have a strong interest in Korean culture. Send your resume and writing samples to reporter@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.
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Publisher: Hank Kim /
Editor: Robert Koehler /
Designer: Jun Shinwook / Website Manager: Ray Hong
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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.
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Seoul Selection Web Site: http://www.seoulselection.com e-mail: hank@seoulselection.com tel: 734-9567 fax: 734-9563 |
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