SEOUL Weekly: Seoul Selection at the AAS Annual Conference

Seoul Selection at the AAS Annual Conference
Don’t miss CEO Hank Kim’s presentation on Mar. 24

Seoul Selection will be attending the Association for Asian Studies (AAS) Annual Conference in Chicago, Mar. 26–29. The conference, held for four days each spring, is devoted to planned programs of scholarly papers, roundtable discussions, workshops, and panel sessions on a wide range of issues in research and teaching, and on Asian affairs in general.

In particular, Seoul Selection will be giving a 15-minute presentation at the Forum on Korean Studies Resources at 5:45 at the Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers, Ohio Room. CEO Hank Kim will be discussing our role as a book-exporting book vendor and introducing our services.

For those who would like to say hello and take a look at some of our books, just stop by booth 610 – that’s where we’ll be.

MORE INFO: https://www.asian-studies.org/Conference/index.htm
 

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

• Locals and foreigners alike seem to like Korea’s food delivery services.
• How do North Koreans cut loose?
• Learn about Kenneth Rowe, an elderly Florida man who defected from North Korea in 1953…with a MiG-15.
• The JoongAng Ilbo introduces Kyobo’s famous message board in Gwanghwamun.
• Record numbers of people are abandoning the city for life in the country.
• Maritime beauty in Yeosu.
• The Jinhae blossoms in advance.
• It’s clearly springtime in Busan.
• Green tea plantation in Jeju.
• Another week passes at Robert Koehler’s photo blog.

Dulwich Talks: Selecting Your Subjects for the IB Diploma in Year 12 (age 16+)

Dulwich College Seoul cordially invites all prospective parents to attend the latest in our Dulwich Talks series. Dulwich College Seoul is currently an IB Candidate School with the intention of offering students an IB Diploma starting August 2015. Experienced IB Coordinators, Mr. Chris Vernon (Head of Senior School) and Mr. Graeme Salt (Headmaster) will share their expertise on the subject selection process, as well as details of the school’s upcoming pre-college program.

VENUE: Dulwich College Seoul
DATE: Mar. 25, 10 AM
RSVP: Admissions@dulwich-seoul.kr
MORE INFO: 02-3015-8517 or see www.dulwich-seoul.kr
GETTING THERE: See here.

Gustavo Dudamel and the L.A. Philharmonic

Kumho Asiana Cultural Foundation is hosting the L.A. Philharmonic Orchestra, headed by charismatic Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel. The young maestro learned his craft through Venezuela’s praised musical education program, El Sistema. Since then he has astounded classical music fans around the world as musical director for the L.A. Philharmonic, a position he earned in 2009 at the age of 26. Under the dynamic leadership of Dudamel, the L.A. Philharmonic has performed to a wide range of audiences, playing more than 300 concerts every year at places like Walt Disney Concert Hall and Hollywood Bowl. For its Asia tour, the orchestra will perform Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 6 in A minor (“Tragic”), John Adams’ “City Noir” and Antonin Dvorak’s Symphony No. 9 in E minor, “From the New World.”

VENUE: Concert Hall, Seoul Arts Center
DATES: March 25-26, 20:00
MORE INFO: T. 02-6303-1977, www.sac.or.kr
ADMISSION: KRW 50,000-340,000
GETTING THERE: Nambu Bus Terminal Station 남부터미널역 (Line 3), Exit 5. Transfer to shuttle bus, or green bus No. 4429.

The Story of Bohemian Glass

Bohemian glass, or Bohemian crystal, refers to glasswork produced in the Bohemia region of Europe, a territory that is now part of the Czech Republic. The distinctive pieces from the region are known for their quality and mastery in craftsmanship, and to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Korea-Czech diplomatic relations, the National Museum of Korea will host 340 exquisite examples of Czech glasswork. At the exhibit, viewers will see how the Czechs’ history and culture are reflected in the artistry of each piece, with some dating way back to the Iron Age.

VENUE: National Museum of Korea
PERIOD: Thru Apr. 26
MORE INFO: T. 02-2077-9000, www.museum.go.kr
ADMISSION: Free
GETTING THERE: Take the underpass at Ichon Station 이촌역 (Jungang Line, Line 4).

The Caucasian Chalk Circle

The National Changgeuk Company of Korea and Korean-Japanese playwright Jung Eui-shin have created a changgeuk (Korean classical opera) rendition of the German play written by Bertolt Brecht. The original play tells the story of a peasant girl that raises a child abandoned by wealthy parents. The play was recreated to tell the multidimensional story in a dramatic pansori, or performance of Korean musical storytelling. The moving satire will surely spark both laughter and tears among audience members.

VENUE: National Theater of Korea
PERIOD: March 21-28
MORE INFO: T. 02-2280-4114/6, www.ntok.go.kr
ADMISSION: KRW 20,000-70,000
GETTING THERE: Dongguk Univ. Station 동대입구 (Line 3), Exit 2

RASKB Excursion: A Walk through Lower Seochon: Tongui-dong to Sajikdan

In this excursion, the RASKB will explore part of Seochon (West Village), a neighborhood of Seoul that sits between Gyeongbokgung Palace and Mt. Inwangsan. Composed of 13 small administrative districts called “dongs,” the neighborhood is a showcase of the layers of 20th-century urban history. Korean-style houses (hanok) and winding alleys represent the 1930s-1950s; markets, commercial strips, and two-story houses represent the 1960s-1980s; and concrete-tile residential buildings represent the 1990s-2000s. The present is represented by new galleries and coffee houses.

VENUE: Seoul
DATE: Mar. 29
MORE INFO: See this link.
ADMISSSION: KRW 20,000 for members, KRW 25,000 for non-members
GETTING THERE: See link above.
 

Incheon Bridge, seen from Songdo. Photo by Robert Koehler.

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.

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.