SEOUL Weekly: SEOUL September Issue Out!

Welcome in the Korean autumn by picking up a copy of the September issue of SEOUL, our monthly travel and culture magazine. In this issue of SEOUL, we learn about biking in Seoul, visit the mountains and rivers of Jeongseon, talk with Italian-born Korean celebrity Alberto Mondi, enjoy some exotic eats and much, much more.

If that’s not enough, there’s always our Goings On Around Town, our listings of the month’s concerts, festivals, exhibits and other happenings. So go out and get a copy while it’s still warm.

Available for purchase at Seoul Selection bookshop (of course!) and major bookstores around Seoul.

Wild Beauty
Jeongseon County is a rugged tapestry of towering peaks and winding rivers

Live music culture incubates in Seoul
The future of Korean indie music has never appeared so bright. Or cloudy.

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

• A USC professor looks at the Korean Wave.
• An upcoming concert brings together the traditional music of Korea and the world.
• Demand is growing for foreign foods.
• The JoongAng Ilbo looks at Afreeca TV’s “eating broadcast” programs.
• The number of Korean university students has dropped for the first time.
• Light floods through the window into Seoul Anglican Cathedral.
• Korea’s moss-covered valleys.
• Buk Seoul Forest in all its glory.
• Damyang’s lovely Metasequoia Road.
• Another week passes at Robert Koehler’s photo blog.

Korea Grand Sale

The Korea Grand Sale is a shopping/tourism festival designed to give international visitors a good time by offering them exciting shopping benefits, an experience of Hallyu (Korean Wave) and the joys of sightseeing. Now in its sixth year, the Korea Grand Sale will provide you with lots of opportunities to find out about good Korean-made goods, experience Korean culture and visit exciting tourist destinations, in addition to enjoying the diverse benefits offered in shopping, hotels, transportation, food, beverages and entertainment. It’s also the time of year when you can take advantage of the biggest possible discounts on air tickets and hotel guest room rates. Come and have a great time shopping and enjoying Korean culture.

VENUE: All over Seoul
PERIOD: Thru Oct. 31
MORE INFO: www.koreagrandsale.co.kr

Lay back and relax at the urban oasis Dragon Hill Spa!

Refresh body and Seoul at Seoul’s most famous spa, conveniently located just next to Yongsan Station, Line 1.

And if you bring the coupon in SEOUL, you can get get in at KRW 2,000 less!

Dragon Hill Spa is a one-stop leisure emporium, with saunas, pools, tanning facilities, massage rooms and top-quality restaurants bound to revive your heat-oppressed tastebuds.

MORE INFO: www.dragonhillspa.com, e2@eyangji.com, T. 02-792-0001
GETTING THERE: Yongsan Station (Line 1)

Credia Park Concert: Chung Myung-whun

Join maestro Chung Myung-whun, the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, cellist Mischa Maisky, violinist Zia Hyunsu Shin, soprano Seo Sunyoung and others for an evening of Beethoven in the park. Marking its sixth season, the Credia Park Concert series was launched to give the general public access to world-class performances of classical music, finding inspiration in renowned festivals such as the BBC Proms in London Hyde Park and the New York Philharmonic at Central Park. On the program this evening are Beethoven’s Triple Concerto and Symphony No. 9 in D minor.

VENUE: Olympic Park, 88 Grass Field
DATE: Sept. 9
ADMISSION: KRW 40,000-70,000
MORE INFO: T. 1577-5266
GETTING THERE: Olympic Park Station (Line 5), Exit 3

Ultimate BBQ@Garden Terrace

Gather with your friends and family on a cool autumn night at the outdoor garden terrace of the Sheraton Seoul D Cube City Hotel and enjoy unlimited beer with assorted salads, soups, BBQ and chef’s special desserts. The barbeque menu includes flank steak, lamb chops, chicken, prawns and grilled vegetables. The salad bar includes hot dishes such as prawn fried rice, tteok galbi, sweet and sour pork, baked penne with spinach, tomato and cheese and more. A fresh garden salad is offered with fresh vegetables, dried fruits and mixed nuts with various kinds of salad dressings and smoked salmon, squid with olive oil and lemon dressing and more will be presented as cold dishes. The barbeque dinner is completed with cakes and special desserts.

VENUE: Outdoor Garden Terrace, Sheraton Seoul D Cube City Hotel
DATES: Sept. 4, 11, 18, 25 (Every Friday) – Reservations required!
COST: KRW 48,000-55,000
MORE INFO: T. 02-2211-1702
GETTING THERE: See this link.

Seoul Culture Night

As a highlight of this year’s Seoul Culture Night, 15 world music musicians will perform throughout the night, from 7:30 PM on Aug. 28 to 5 AM on Aug. 29. Special programs featuring traditional Korean culture, plays, and musical instruments will be held, too, including a modern interpretation of Baekjung Nori (Baekjung Festival) and Ganggangsullae, a traditional Korean circle dance performed under the moonlight to traditional Korean music.

This year’s festival, held under the theme “Seoul Summer Night Cultural Recharge,” will consist of four different programs: Seoul Baekjung Nori (at Seoul Plaza), Night Owl Festival (at Dongdaemun Design Plaza), Citizens’ Plaza (at Seoul Plaza), and Cultural Excursion (at various locations in Seoul).

In cooperation with the festival, the Seoul Museum of History, Seoul Museum of Art, and other cultural spaces in Seoul will extend their operating hours to 10 PM.

VENUE: Seoul Plaza, Dongdaemun Design Plaza, and other places throughout Seoul
PERIOD: Aug. 28-29
ADMISSION: Free
GETTING THERE: www.seoulculturenight.com

RAS-KB Excursion: Donggang River Rafting

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 South 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: Donggang River, Gangwon-do
DATE: Aug. 29
MORE INFO: See here.
PRICE: KRW 83,000-99,600
GETTING THERE: See link above.

Looming ominously against the night sky, the Lotte World Tower evokes a certain cyberpunk beauty. 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.