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Spring Blooms with SEOUL March Issue Hits the Stands  Not sure what to do this spring? Well, the March issue of SEOUL is here to help. In this issue of Seoul Selection's travel and culture magazine, we explore the electric Myeong-dong district, stroll along Suwon Hwaseong Fortress's historic ramparts, chat with violist Richard Yongjae O'Neill, and celebrate Korean independence at Seodaemun Prison Museum. We've also created a "Seoul Living" section to introduce to readers great restaurants, nightlife spots, shopping information and the latest in Seoul style. Of course, even if none of this appeals to you, there's always our Goings On Around Town section, the best roundup of the month's performances, exhibits and events anywhere. Pick up your copy at any major bookstore across Korea, including, of course, Seoul Selection, your one-stop center for English-language books and DVDs on Korea. If you're too busy to stop by the shop, you can always subscribe and we'll deliver it to your doorstep.
Korea vs. the Financial Crisis 'BEYOND THE CRISIS:
 Korea's Emergence from the Global Financial Storm of 2008' Seoul Selection is pleased to announce the release of Jun Kwang-woo's "BEYOND THE CRISIS: Korea's Emergence from the Global Financial Storm of 2008." The chairman of the National Pension Service of Korea, one of the top five pension services in the world, Jun provides an account of Korea's handling of the 2008 global financial meltdown in the hope that others may learn from Korea's experience. He also provides an agenda for a safer global financial environment. Written for those with a keen interest in the Korean economy, this volume is both insightful and thought-provoking.
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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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Looks like BoA has Given Up on America
Just a couple of days ago it was announced that this year, the tenth-year anniversary of her debut, singer BoA will make a return to Korea after an absense of about five years. Recently, she released her latest Japanese album, Identity, and is currently on tour in support of said album.[1], [2] Her Twitter account has been inactive since early November.[3]
With that, it seems that BoA has essentially given up on her American debut. What happened? She wisely released her album soon after the release of her debut single. (Contrast that with the Wonder Girls, whose album, if released in March, will come nine months after the release of the English version of "Nobody.") The album featured notable songwriters such as Sean Garrett, and some songs, like "Energetic" and "I Did It for Love" were (in my opinion) very good. However, the debut single, "Eat You Up" was (again, in my opinion) a weaker song. There were also problems with the music video. There were two versions, an American and a Korean one, and neither was adequate. BoA is attractive and a great dancer. The director should have simply pointed a camera at BoA and let her do her amazing dancing. If you want to be experimental and try to be the next Francis Ford Coppola, do it with another artist. The third version of the music video finally got it right. Another problem was that the album was one-dimensional. All of the songs were dance music, with (for example) no ballads to make it better rounded.
Perhaps the biggest problem is that there was no tour. Clearly, her handlers don't understand the American music scene as well as they think they do.* Touring is a necessary part of promoting. It doesn't matter if you have to perform in clubs, you have start somewhere and get yourself "out there." Just ask current star Lady Gaga. It seems that SM Entertainment was expecting the same kind of "instant success"** that is the norm in Korea.
So what now? BoA is very talented, and still very young (only 23). I'm sure that she will continue to entertain her fans for years to come. That her American debut didn't pan out is pity, though.
* The same could be said of the Wonder Girls and their manager, Park Jin-young. With the cancellation of their American tour, the promotions currently taking place in China, and their planned promotions in South Korea, it seems that they have given up on America before their debut album has even been released.[4], [5], [6], [7], [8], [9], ** By "instant success" I'm referring to post-debut. Trainees at SM/YG/JYP/DSP Entertainment spend years and years in vocal, dance, and (sometimes) linguistic training before they debut.
Related Topics:
BoA Releases First U.S. Album
BoA, Break a Leg (But Please, Not Literally!)
Written by Richard Stansfield (
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
). The writer has been living and teaching English in Korea since 1996.
The views of the writer do not necessarily reflect the views of Seoul Selection
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 If you want to know what it takes to make a box office hit that draws audiences of 22 million (not all at once) around the world, make sure you go and see the original and best " Riverdance" when it comes to Seoul this March. Having been performed more than 10,000 times at around 300 venues over the last 15 years, "Riverdance" is showing no signs of losing its momentum. The show depicts the process of water coming together to form a river, which then flows and meets the sea---its compelling rhythms will stay with you for a long time to come. VENUE: Sejong Grand Theater, Sejong Center for the Performing Arts
DATE: Mar 3~14, 8pm (weekdays) / 3pm, 7pm (Sat) / 2pm, 6pm (Sun)
ADMISSION: VIP: 150,000 won, R: 120,000 won, S: 90,000 won, A: 70,000 won, B: 50,000 won
MORE INFORMATION: (02) 541-6235
GETTING THERE: Gwanghwamun Station, Line 5, Exits 1 & 8 |
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Violist Richard Yongjae O'Neill, one of the brightest stars on the classical music scene in Korea today, is touring Korea this March to mark the release of his fifth solo album. "NORE---Songs without Words" sees O'Neill making a return to the viola and piano recital genre after recent success with his chamber music project, Ensemble DITTO. VENUE: Seoul Arts Center
DATE: Mar 5, 8pm
ADMISSION: R: 100,000 won, S: 80,000 won, A: 50,000 won, B: 30,000 won
MORE INFORMATION: www.sac.or.kr, (02) 580-1301
GETTING THERE: Nambu Bus Terminal Station, Line 3, Exits 4 & 5. Walk 5-10 minutes or take shuttle bus, or bus No. 12, 4429 |
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Seoul Players' "A Night of Shakespeare" is a diverse show of selected scenes and speeches from the Bard's greatest plays. An international cast---working mainly in English, but with a smattering of Korean and French for good measure---will present something for everyone: tragedy, comedy, romance, history, and plenty of blood and guts.
VENUE: Roofers, Itaewon
DATE: Mar 6 and 13, 8pm
ADMISSION: 10,000 won
MORE INFORMATION:
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GETTING THERE: Exit 3, Itaewon Station, Line 6. Swing a right just before the fire station and walk down the road until you see Roofers on the left.
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Join the RAS Korean Branch for a tour of the lovely Bukchon area and its distinctive galleries and museums. Bukchon, of course, is famous for its large collection of beautiful hanok homes, Seoul's largest. It is also home to a number of quaint museums, including the Museum of Korean Buddhist Art, Gahoe Museum and Seoul Museum of Chicken Art. Participants will also get a chance to participate in a little Korean traditional kite making with kite master Rhee Kitai. VENUE: Bukchon, Seoul
DATE: March 6, 10am~5pm
ADMISSION: 32,000 won for members and 38,400 won for non-members
MORE INFORMATION: Click here
GETTING THERE: The tour meets outside Exit 2 of Anguk Station, Line 3 at 10am |
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 65 years have passed since the concentration camp at Auschwitz was liberated by Soviet troops. Visiting the German Bundestag in January this year, Israeli President Shimon Peres implored everyone to remember the cruel crimes committed by the National Socialists, emphasising the importance of remembering this atrocious act of genocide---especially by the younger generations. This is what the exhibition " At Home Everywhere and Nowhere" hopes to achieve. It will be opened by Martin Doerry on Wednesday, March 3. Over the span of several years, photographer Monika Zucht and author Martin Doerry travelled through Europe and America to talk to those that had survived Nazi Germany's concentration camps, those that had been sent abroad for their own safety by their parents, as well as those that had survived the Nazi years by living in hiding. An insightful body of work by Zucht emerged from these encounters, with interviews and essays by Doerry. The photos portray 23 individuals; they are some of the last representatives of a time when the Jewish presence in Europe was strongly felt. VENUE: Korea Foundation Cultural Center
DATE: March 3~25
ADMISSION: Free
MORE INFORMATION: (02) 2151-6514, www.kfcenter.or.kr
GETTING THERE: City Hall Station, Line 2, Exit 9. Walk 5 minutes. The center is located inside of Joongang Ilbo bldg |
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 Goethe-Institut Korea will be welcoming bestselling author Martin Doerry, a long-time member of SPIEGEL's chief editing team, for the opening of The Art of SPIEGEL. SPIEGEL is the most significant current affairs journal written in the German language; published worldwide, and with more than 6 million readers, it counts as one of Europe's leading journals. Founded in 1947, it obtained its widespread significance by fearlessly advocating democracy and freedom of press, and exposing countless political scandals within its pages. "The Art of SPIEGEL" wills be showcasing more than 100 works by a variety of 60 illustrators that have been commissioned and published by SPIEGEL over the last 50 years. Not only will this exhibition offer a unique insight into international politics and trends from contemporary history, it will also give one the chance to learn about the work that illustrators and editors put into producing a SPIEGEL cover illustration.
VENUE: Korea Foundation Cultural Center
DATE: March 3~25
ADMISSION: Free
MORE INFORMATION: (02) 2151-6520,
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GETTING THERE: City Hall Station, Line 2, Exit 9. Walk 5 minutes. The center is located inside of Joongang Ilbo bldg.
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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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Bank Job
Bank of Korea Museum. Photo by Robert Koehler.
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Free Tickets for Inca Exhibit - Have you checked out the National Museum of Korea's "Great Myth and Mystery of the Inca Civilization" exhibit yet? Well, if you haven't, here's more reason to go: the museum will be giving out 25 free tickets (two tickets per person) on a first-come, first-serve basis---send an email to
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. BE SURE TO INCLUDE YOUR MAILING ADDRESS---the tickets will be mailed to you. This latest display of the mysterious Peruvian culture will feature 351 artifacts from major Peruvian museums, with 41 of them making their debut in Korea. For those fascinated by the medieval Andean civilization, this exhibit will be the perfect introduction to Peru's cultural heritage and history. Mt. Bugaksan Hiking Routes Open - The last of Mt. Bugaksan's hiking routes will be opened to the public on Feb 27. Now it will be possible to hike from the Bukgak Skyway to the Bugak Haneul-gil. See this Korean newspaper article for a small map of the new routes.
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 March, however, there are no films screening. Check back later 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
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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
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. 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: Suh Su Kyoung / 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:
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tel: 734-9567 fax: 734-9563 |
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