Jung Han Moon

CEO of pressed juice company

Tell us about yourself. I’m an owner of a cold pressed juice company.

Did you always live in Seoul? I was born in Seoul, lived in the suburbs in elementary school and moved to Canada in middle school. I came back to Seoul in 2007.

How did you start your business? Ever since I was young, I had a desire to become a businessman. Around 2010, I was interested in the food and beverage industry. I acquired a barista license, but the coffee market was too competitive. I was deciding between juice and smoothies. After research, I was drawn to the idea of consuming natural ingredients, so I chose pressed juices. For three or four years, I did research in the United States and Canada and made hundreds of different recipes.

Tell us about your beginnings. I opened the store in Garosugil in June 2014. Back then, we were one of the first pressed juice bars in Korea. It was a new market. Nowadays, there are many competitors and I always think about how to sustain our business.

What’s your business philosophy? Our philosophy is comprised of taste, health and beauty. I prioritize taste and health, but my consumers gravitate more towards beauty. Many people see pressed juices as diet products, but I hope to educate them about health values through my business.

Where is your office? We were located in Garosugil but moved our office to Sungsu-dong. There are many like-minded businesses and social enterprises here. We identify with it more than the profit-oriented Gangnam neighborhood.

What have you learned while running your business? In the beginning, I focused a lot on product branding and marketing. There were benefits to that, as it strengthened our image. But I now see an importance in building a sustainable and holistic business model.

Lisa Lee

Baker

Tell us about yourself. Since 2013, I’ve been running an online bakery with healthy baked goods.

Were you always interested in baking? If not, what were your interests? I’d actually wanted to be a fashion designer when I was young. I attended the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York, where I majored in fashion design. But I regretfully realized that though I loved drawing, I didn’t enjoy making clothes. I completed my two-year program and ended up opening a bakery a year later.

What inspired you to open your business? While I was taking a break in Korea, a friend suggested that I open a bakery. She’s always loved the baked goods I made as a hobby. I began to sell small batches to people around me. One day, I received a 100-cookie order and baked all night. I fully enjoyed the process, and recalled how I didn’t have the same satisfaction when I stayed up doing assignments in college. That’s when I decided to go full force with the business.

Why did you decide to sell healthy baked goods? In college, I was interested in dieting and nutrition science, and I baked for my health. Back in 2013, there weren’t many bakeries selling gluten-free, vegan products in Seoul. I wanted to share delicious, high-quality pastries that people can enjoy without worrying about their health.

Your favorite item in your menu? The banana chocolate chip muffin is special to me. When I was in the United States, I would visit a particular bakery just to taste their muffins. Though it’s still uncommon in Korea, I consider it a classic.

What is Seoul to you? It’s a place of opportunity. I regularly attend Marche, a farmers market with local food and craft sellers. I’m able to engage with thousands of people and enjoy offline opportunities that are not accessible to me everyday. I’m thankful for the community I have in Seoul.

Jinju Yi

Pianist and composer

Tell us about yourself. I’m a jazz pianist. I also produce, compose and arrange music. Since February 2015, I’ve been leading a band of jazz instrumentalists under my name.

How did you start playing the piano? I first started playing the piano when I was seven. I still recall how much I enjoyed playing even back then – and practiced more than my peers.

Tell us about your education in music. I originally studied classic composition, but felt like it wasn’t for me. I eventually took a year off. During that time, I got connected to jazz pianist Song Young Joo. She taught me a lot and eventually motivated me to apply to Berklee School of Music. I prepared for a year and was admitted into the contemporary performance program. During my time there, I was surrounded by musical talents from around the world and learned to express what I have with confidence.

Tell us about your album. In June this year, I released my first full-length album, “Freely, Naturally.” I specifically enjoy the fusion jazz genre where I merge familiar tunes with fresh interpretations. Jazz music can be difficult to understand, so I added funk, pop and gospel sounds into what I write and play. I wanted to communicate with as many people as possible, so I expressed jazz music in this way. My music is familiar yet new to the listeners.

What message do you want to share through your album? My album is essentially a musical expression of my emotions. The tracks are all melodies without lyrics, so I speak through instruments. So when a certain tune reminds the listener of a forgotten emotion or memory, that connection itself is a message. I hope my music will allow more people to connect with their emotions, both sad and happy.

What is Seoul to you? I lived in Namyangju for most of my life and have been living in Seoul for four years now. As I zone in closer to the city, I pick up stories in the smallest things. What I see is an immediate reflection of the people’s thoughts and interests. Seoul is not a place to be judged at first look, but must be observed for a period of time. As I observe more, I discover more meaning – and I’ll continue to repeat the process to create music that speaks.

Ko Seong Bae

Independent publisher and editor-in-chief

Tell us about yourself. Since 2014, I have been publishing, distributing and marketing books as a one-person independent publisher. I’m also the editor-in-chief of “The Kooh,” a magazine that explores my interpretation of Japanese otaku culture. I also made independent books like “Dream Collector” about people’s dreams and “Meteor” with old photos I collected from auction.

How did you start your magazine? I didn’t necessarily like figurines or comics, but people called me deokhu. Back then, deokhu was a negative title for people with obsessive interests. I see the deokhu lifestyle simply as a way to tell stories you like, and I wanted to convey that through “The Kooh.”

How do you fund your independent book projects? I often use a crowd-funding website. It’s a great way to get public participation for creative projects and gauge how people respond to my work. One of the most successful projects was a campaign to publish the book “Food Recipes from Comic Books” where I recreated foods from famous comic books.

How did the independent publication scene change since you started? People who make books have changed. Before, they were writers, designers and illustrators. Now, they are normal people without professional training. They can be office workers or high school students. If you have a story to share, you can easily make books.

How has your personal work evolved over the years? I’ve had more opportunities to share my work in public. I host lectures and workshops at independent bookstores. From April to July this year, I was part of the “Project Dukhoo: Finding Flow” exhibition at the Seoul Museum of Art. This exhibition led to a lecture series called “Artist Lunchbox,” where I host magazine-making workshops at SeMA for people of all ages.

Your thoughts about Seoul? Seoul carries many essences. There is a unified essence that defines cities like New York or Tokyo. In Seoul, different districts have their own image. There is no single, all-encompassing cultural landmark, either; landmarks are spread throughout the city. There are so many different aspects without a sense of unity. But because of that, you are able to enjoy many diverse experiences.

Hong Na Young

Café owner

Tell us about yourself. I run a Hanok café in Bukchon. I opened it in May 2017.

What did you do before? I taught English for five years in elementary and middle schools. I had to take care of my health, and I felt an urgency to do something I truly want to do. I’ve always wanted to open my own café, so I quit my teaching job and worked in restaurants and cafés for three years. Those experiences helped me to eventually open my own.

What inspired your health-conscious menu? Our main menu includes pressed juices and light healthy plates like kale rice wraps and avocado bowls. My husband lived in the United States for a long time and loves fast food. I started cooking healthier meals for him. I also love inviting people over and feeding friends. The menu is an extension of my cooking at home.

How did you choose the name of the café? My husband chose the name “Green Nap.” I like how it sounds in Korean better. It truly reflects the mood and atmosphere of the café. You know how people say you follow your name? Customers occasionally nap here (laughs).

Tell us about a memorable time in Seoul. I went to Hongik University and spent my 20s in Hongdae. I consider it my heart’s hometown. While exploring cafés and going to performances, I developed a desire to open my own café. The area changed a lot, but will always be special to me.

Your thoughts about Seoul? Seoul is a place of nostalgia and travel. I lived in Bucheon for most of my life until I moved out here few years ago. Even though I lived far away, my life pattern was in Seoul. I would spend most of my days in Seoul and just sleep in Bucheon.

Since May, I’ve been living in Buam-dong. I appreciate the jeong here. Even at the café, owners of surrounding businesses came by to welcome me when I first opened. I still have to wake myself to the reality that I work and live in Jongno-gu.

Since I moved here, I realize how I may have been looking at Seoul through a stereotype. I love it more daily and am excited for the future I’m building in Seoul.

Kim Cheon Ho

Chef and restaurant owner

Tell us about your business. Since September 2015, I’ve been running Quiet Evening in Changjeon-dong. It’s a one-chef restaurant with tapas and Italian food.

How did you start out? In 2014, I started the business as a food truck. The film “Chef” had just come out and food trucks were just becoming mainstream in Korea. I ran it for about a year and opened the restaurant.

Why did you choose this neighborhood? I love the quietness of Changjeon-dong. I don’t like crowded places. Rent isn’t necessarily cheaper, but I enjoy the mood here.

How did you start working in the Korean dining industry? I started off with an interest in wine but didn’t see it turning into a practical route in Korea. So instead, I worked as a kitchen assistant in an Italian restaurant and eventually worked my way up. Even when I served my three-year military term, I cooked in the military hotel. I started when I was 20, so I’ve been in the industry for over 10 years now.

What do you like about Italian cuisine? Italian dishes consist of basic ingredients like herbs, olive oil and tomato. They are simple on their own but create interesting flavors when they’re mixed well. The taste is simple and doesn’t feel heavy even when you eat a lot. I also love how the flavors gain another level with the right wine.

Where you do get inspiration for your cooking? I didn’t train at school and learned through working in restaurants and traveling. I travel once or twice a year, and I especially love visiting Spain and the Netherlands. Traveling is one my main inspirations to plan my menu.

How did the Italian food scene change in Seoul? When I first started working, there weren’t many Italian restaurants. Now, even small neighborhoods have one or two. I enjoy what I see when I explore around the city.

One downside is that people always ask for a new dish. I only change my menu seasonally and don’t change it as much as other restaurants. I like keeping consistency in my menu.

Any future plans? I’m getting married soon. My fiancé and I are planning to move to Gimpo for a more relaxed home environment. Also, my younger brother owns a bakery, and we eventually want to open up a space together.

Written and photographed by Diana Park

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Hyojung Jung

Musical actress

Tell us about yourself. I’m an actress. My work is primarily in musicals, but I’ve also played in theater and independent films. I direct a project theatre group called the Romantic Theater. Besides my work, I enjoy playing cello, taking photos and martial art sunmudo.

How did you discover your love for acting? In high school, I signed up for a poetry writing club. For one of our public presentations, I felt like plain reading was too boring so I made a performance out of it. The response was extremely positive. I got many compliments from my teachers and peers and felt like I found my life calling. I then went on to pursue theater and film in college.

How did The Romantic Theater come about? Last year, I met an owner of a guest house at Gwangju. He was organizing an event and wanted me to perform. I gathered a group of my actor colleagues and we decided to call the group the Romantic Theater.

Tell us about your group’s work. Since last December, we’ve been performing music drama readings called “Salon Projects” around Seoul. I love the salon scene and the gathering of artists and thinkers in France of the 17th and 18th centuries. We wanted to revive that tradition and created our unique performances bringing together literature and music. We incorporated some of our favorite works like French philosopher Roland Barthes’ essay “Camera Lucida” and Chinese director Peter Chan’s film “Comrades: Almost a Love Story.”

You were also commissioned by the city? Earlier this year, our group was chosen for the theater section of the commission project for Seoul’s young artists. I think the judges liked our idea of touring Seoul’s 25 districts and performing in cultural spaces where we can closely interact with the audience.

Your thoughts of Seoul? Seoul is romance. It’s a spectacle mixing the old and modern. It is full of cultural benefits and fuels my creativity. I especially enjoy the Gwanghwamun area with Jogyesa Temple, Kyobo Book Centre and many museums. I see how many office workers lead extremely tiring lives, so I’m thankful that I get to enjoy the city during the week as a freelancer. Recently though, I’ve been thinking about moving elsewhere and giving back all that I received here.

Sujeong Yeo

Perfumer

Tell us about yourself. I run a home fragrance brand and teach workshops at Make Sense, a cultural space in Haebangchon with a café, art studio and fragrance showroom. I previously worked as a marketer for over 10 years in various fields like city branding, home décor buying and the entertainment industry.

How did the home fragrance market evolve in Korea? I grew up seeing candles only in religious or ceremony settings, or as souvenirs from people who traveled abroad. In the early 2000s, boutique shops in Gangnam began selling American brand candles. The fragrance boom began with the introduction of candles in the mainstream home décor market. Around five years ago, the trend of niche perfumes coincided with novelty candles. Nowadays, people attained higher standards for fragrance but prefer budget-friendly DIY and handmade options.

What sparked your love for fragrance? In 2003, I lived in the U.K. for a year, and I was inspired by how fragrance is well assimilated into the culture. I was always interested in the market but didn’t realize how it can easily become part of daily living.

How did you start your brand? In 2015, I started making wax tablets and gifted them to people around me. I then received many purchase requests from strangers. I eventually left my marketing career to build the brand. I launched the online mall last year and collaborated with other creatives to open up the showroom this past May.

Your thoughts on Seoul? My family lived in Seoul for three generations in the Dongdaemun area. I never thought of being in any other place besides Seoul.

To me, Seoul is culture. People say that there isn’t much to show visitors here. For that reason, everything is concentrated on its people. They acquire many interests and adapt quickly to survive in an overpopulated country

What inspired your space? I met Make Sense’s café owner and artist at a drawing class I was attending. We all envisioned a space for our craft and decided to open one together.

What do you envision for this space? Healing is a luxury in a culture where people work without resting to save vacation days. I hope that people can experience rest here through engaging all their senses. Through good coffee, fragrance and art, people can heal within Seoul and even “travel” without an airplane.

Written and photographed by Diana Park

Ma Eunbi, Jo Eunsong, Park Hyejin

Pottery studio owners

How long have you lived in Seoul? Park: I was born in Gwangju and moved to Seoul in elementary school.

Jo: I grew up in Daegu and came to Seoul for college.

Ma: I lived in Seoul my whole life.

Tell us about your business. M: Since last October, we’ve been running a pottery showroom and teaching classes. We met in college and studied ceramics together. We collaborated for our graduation project and really enjoyed the process. After graduation, we kept in touch and eventually decided to open up Bright Room.

Why did you choose the name Bright Room? M: We got the name from a novel “Bright Room” by French philosopher Roland Barthes. The book talks about how an ordinary image can sometimes speak to us more than a renowned one. In the same way, we laugh a lot over ordinary things when we’re together – and we hoped that our small goods can brighten up someone’s room as well.

Why did you open it in Mangwon-dong? M: When I first visited the Mangwon Market, I loved the friendly atmosphere with people of different ages. The whole neighborhood is quiet yet vibrant.

J: We’re right by an elementary school. The sound of young children brings energy into our workspace. We also love being in a residential area where we are surrounded by people’s everyday lives.

Your thoughts on Seoul? P: I love Seoul. When I was having a hard time in college, riding the bus route around the city from Gwanghwamun encouraged me. I enjoy exotic experiences while traveling, but I prefer Seoul.

J: When I was in Daegu, Seoul was the city of my dreams. I don’t see the ppalli ppalli attitude as negative, but as Seoul’s signature vigorous and active lifestyle. It’s like an extremely large market with lots to see and take in.

M: To me, Seoul is the color blue. It’s a place that keeps my mind focused. Even though I’m tired, I’m able to go to work in the morning and find contentment. I’m continuously growing with the city. If I’m elsewhere, I’d be burnt out. If high-rise and aging buildings weren’t standing next to each other and were all organized, it wouldn’t truly be Seoul. The city is in progress.

Zach Holmes

Singer-songwriter and producer

Tell us about yourself. I’m a singer-songwriter and producer. I’m from Boise, Idaho.

Tell us about your life in Korea. My wife Megan got a teaching job here in 2008. We lived by the beach in Seokcho for three years, moved to Seattle for three years, and came back to Seoul.

In Seokcho, I had a lot of time to work on my craft. I set up a studio in the house, and wrote over 200 songs. My wife and I grew really fond of the Koreans during that time. We loved the welcoming and joyful environment. In Seattle, we talked about Korea all the time and even our friends knew we would return soon.

When I came back to Seoul, I started working at a music production agency as a songwriter and producer. In 2016, a friend suggested that I make K-pop cover songs videos on YouTube. I eventually participated in the TV show Fantastic Duo for their Exo episode. It was a surreal experience. Since then, I worked with few corporations for advertisement songs and music videos.

What is the difference between Seoul and other cities? Seoulites are full of energy, like they have a mission. They’re here because they are trying to live life to the fullest.

What is Seoul to you? Seoul is discovery. There is always something new to discover every minute. I love exploring and Seoul is perfect for that.

© Zach Holmes

Thoughts on your music career so far? I hear myself in theatres and radios. As a musician, you strive to be seen and heard. When I started getting exposure though, I had to rediscover why I’m doing music. My definition of success is not becoming big. That’s empty and hallow. I just want to be happy with songs I write and make good music that inspire me.

Future plans? I’m moving down to Jeju for few months with my pregnant wife to do a music project there.

Chuck Chun

Restaurant owner

How did you end up in Seoul? I’m from Orange County, California. In 2013, I came here temporarily to do marketing work for a beauty company. I returned in 2014 to start a private dining service called Chuck’s Table at my house. I asked customers about their preferences and cooked surprise course meals. It did well, led to burrito bowl and burger popups in Haebangchon and a restaurant opening in Gyeongnidan in July 2015.

How did your location influence your restaurant? I opened the restaurant in Gyeongnidan because I live here and know the needs of the community. I have a different sense of ownership when I share something here. So when well-intentioned businesses open here, I don’t see them as competition, but celebrate the new contribution to the neighborhood.

Tell us about your food philosophy. I like food more than most people. My grandma used to own a flour factory in Daejeon back in the day. She ran a government-funded four-story restaurant to feed many people. She told me, “If you decided to work in the food industry, make sure you enjoy feeding people.” We focus on people and food quality over money, and that sets us apart from other restaurants.

Thoughts on western food in Korea? The Korean dining scene is getting more diverse. But I feel that foreign restaurants look down on Koreans when their food caters too much to Korean taste. Koreans just need to be taught how to eat foreign ingredients. When you’re introduced to something for the first time, you have an aversion because you need time to adjust. We incorporate ingredients like cilantro into our cuisine and people are almost tricked into eating it (laughs). They are pleasantly surprised.

What is Seoul to you? It’s hard for me to see Seoul as home. I don’t think I’ll ever be enamored by it like others. But as long as I’m here, I want to be invested in its people. I don’t want to regret from not giving enough and will continue to extend myself to connect with people. Many people come through the restaurant – on their rough and best days – and our restaurant contributes to making Seoul better by serving the people. We make good food, and through that, care for people in a meaningful way.

© John Choi

John Choi

Music producer

Tell us about yourself. My name is John Choi. I was born and raised in Seoul and work as a music producer. I participate in various projects, including large-scale concert productions, K-drama soundtracks and artist recordings in local and international platforms.

Any experiences of living abroad? In middle school, I lived in Freiburg, Germany, for three years. I attended an international school and made my first international friends. I remember freely roaming the streets, listening to music and buying many CDs. When I listen to the music from back then, it’s still excellent. This time was foundational for my future music career.

© John Choi

Where do you work? I do most of my work in Gangnam-gu because many private and entertainment agency-owned music studios are in this area. Studios in Hongdae cater more to indie music.

Your thoughts on music and culture in Seoul? I traveled to many places and I’ve not yet found a place that rotates through trends as quickly as Seoul. Different types of music play in the streets and stores, and even people who don’t really know music are quick to judge. For example, when they go to a café, they evaluate how well the interior and music complement the space. So store owners who lack sensibility and adaptability to trends quickly go out of business.

I find value in observing and adopting these cultural patterns. I pay attention to what people wear and listen to. If I create something I have not lived, I produce an awkward imitation. So when I zone into a specific music genre, even my style changes accordingly.

© John Choi

Any passions other than music? I’m passionate about the youth. I occasionally speak at youth gatherings about my life and work to aspiring musicians and producers. I am thankful for the opportunity to help them because I didn’t have these kind of resources when I was growing up.

Words for aspiring musicians and producers? You can’t just be stuck in a studio and make music to become successful. You need to network and meet people. Music comes through relationships, and when you work with people, ideas bigger than yourself come to life.

You also have to realize that the music industry is extremely competitive and critical. I have a strong vision that grounds me in times of failure and disappointment. It inspires me to keep doing my best and expand my limits.

Written and photographed by Diana Park

Park Eunhyun

Artist and bookshop owner

Tell us about yourself. I manage a bookshop in Mapo-gu and also work as a freelance illustrator.

Why did you choose your neighborhood? I moved to Mapo-gu for a job. Since then, I’ve grown fond of its creative atmosphere. I also travel often on my bike. Hongdae has many hills, so biking is the fastest. I’m so content with living here.

What do you like about Seoul? The Hangang River. I especially love Seonyudo Park. It’s like an island within the city. I love how I’m looking out to the land from the river. Otherwise, I eat chicken and beer, exercise and visit the convenience store.

What would you change about Seoul? The expensive housing. Due to gentrification, franchises are replacing local shops. Last year, a café was getting kicked out and people donated funds to keep it.

What is Seoul to you? A picture. Seoul is always changing, so even though I go to a place I’ve been to, it feels different.

Your thoughts on Korea’s view of art? The interest is growing! Many people buy books and collect art items. Even people who didn’t study design are making books. So when someone tells me, “I’m interested in art, but I can’t make art because I can’t draw well,” I can say: “Someone may appreciate your style, so go for it!” That kind of acceptance exists now.

What is the Seoul life you’re drawing? People around me think my flexible lifestyle is special. I find that strange. A laid-back life is possible in Seoul, as long as you make space for it.

Instead of getting a TV, my husband and I placed two sofas. We just sit and talk. We chose not to make decisions based on others’ opinions. Doing what I love is the life I want to continue to live here.

Cynthia Yoo

Professor and food editor

Tell us about yourself and your work. I teach at Kyung Hee University. I also do freelance media work and write about the Korean dining industry. My career has been about building bridges between local Koreans, expats and foreign tourists and finding ways they can learn from each other.

When and how did you move to Korea? I’m from Canada and traveled to Korea from a young age. The real move was in 2009 when I was given the opportunity to teach and start an English language blog with friends.

©Cynthia Yoo

Where is your favorite neighborhood? I like Seocheon. Though it’s blooming, it is still more relaxed and manageable than its cousin Bukchon.

I also think it’s important to discover your own neighborhood. I live in Jamsil. It’s more famous for late-night drinking establishments and I find it hard to find good restaurants at times. But after searching, I find many places. Go out and discover your own gems because they’re out there!

Tell us about the Korean dining scene. There has been a lot of development recently. Many young Korean chefs studied in the best culinary schools and worked at top restaurants abroad. They brought back great ideas on how to innovate the Korean restaurant industry. Also, many Koreans who studied abroad and expats transplanting back raised the bar on what you can expect at a restaurant. That’s the evolution in the Korean dining scene.

How has Korea changed during your time here? Korea is huge. I’m always taken aback by the rows of apartments and how many people live here. Many people say Seoul is dynamic and ever-changing. Seoulites always try to catch the next new thing and want to be part of it. That’s one of the elements that really define the city.

©Cynthia Yoo

You’re a storyteller. What story is being written in Seoul? So many! Seoul is a city of millions of people, each with their own stories. Seoulites can be individualistic, but can also unite in big historical moments. Big or small, they’re all out there!

©Gyungmin Ha

Kim Youngboom

Developer

Please introduce yourself. I was born in Daegu and lived in Seoul for 25 years. I’m a developer at an IT company. It’s located in Teheranro, one of the most vibrant streets in Seoul.

Tell us about Tehenranro. Compared to office-packed areas like Yeouido or Gwanghwamun, Tehenranro is filled with various businesses from IT, finance to small print shops. It is an incubator for Korea’s leading IT companies, and I dreamt of working here as an aspiring developer.

Where is your favorite place in Seoul? Olympic Park. It’s one of Asia’s biggest parks and is a place I can rest and heal in the middle of the city. It’s also in Jamsil and near Seoul’s oldest fortress, Mongchontoseong; its tallest building, Lotte World Tower; and the amusement park, Lotte World. When you look around this neighborhood, time will fly.

©Gyungmin Ha

What do you like the most about Seoul? The nightlife! It’s one of the city’s defining traits. Where else can you find endless things to do at night like in Seoul?

If there is one thing you want to change about Seoul, what is it? The air quality. I enjoy walking or riding a bike along the river. I hesitate going out nowadays because of fine dust. Even without it, Seoul feels suffocating, being a big city. So if the air were better, I would be thankful.

How is Seoul different from other cities? Compared to other capitals, Seoul possesses a highly concentrated cultural influence. Seoul is the starting place for trends in Korea. Seoul not only represents Korea, but is Korea itself. So traveling in Seoul virtually equals traveling around Korea.

©Gyungmin Ha

What is Seoul to you? Seoul is my soul! I wasn’t born here, but it’s influenced me the most. No matter what kind of life I lead, I’ll say that my starting point was Seoul.

Every part of Seoul is always changing. It can be tiring to keep up, but I try to enjoy it like surfing over fast currents. Seoul will continue to change, tomorrow and in the days to come.

Lee Hyunduck

Laundromat bar café owner

Tell us about yourself. I lived in Seoul for about 10 years. I run a laundromat bar café in Haebangchon (HBC) and do interior design work as a side gig.

What inspired your concept café? I observed that people easily chat while waiting for laundry in Western cities. There aren’t many laundromats in HBC. Because many foreigners are here temporarily, they don’t want to invest in a machine. I thought opening a laundromat and café would encourage foreigners and locals to enjoy coffee and company while doing laundry.

Why HBC? For over 50 years, this area was dying due to inconvenient transportation and the hilly location. Because of the cheap rents, people were able to try new concepts, and this resulted in rows of independent bookstores, concept cafés and one-chef restaurants. HBC is one of the few neighborhoods in Seoul where foreigner and local owned businesses congregate together. Without traveling abroad, you can experience both foreign and Korean indie cultures.

What do you like doing in Seoul? I love taking walks. I’m from the suburbs and I’ve always loved nature. I live in Huam-dong and enjoy walking through Namsan, away from the busy city.

How is Seoul different from other cities? Seoul has the ability to absorb and reinterpret new cultures. Nowadays, spaces in Seoul don’t just imitate foreign examples, but represent looks and moods that are unique to the city. Seendosi and Soosunhwa Hotel in Euljiro are good examples. Their interiors utilize the space in the most “Seoul” way possible.

What is to Seoul to you? A platform. I can try different things and meet many people here. It’s a base camp for me to eventually support my hometown and surrounding regions, and even expand internationally. I’m fascinated that it attracts so many foreigners. They find fun in things I didn’t perceive before, and that allows me to see my own city differently.

Written and photographed by Diana Park

THE VOICES OF HEAVEN

size 130 x 190 mm
page 316 pages
price KRW 12,000

The Voices of Heaven can be purchased
through Seoul Selection’s online bookshop
(www.seoulselection.com)
or through Amazon.

Love and Secrets in Old Korea

Maija Rhee Devine’s novel The Voices of Heaven explores human relations in an era not so long ago

Maija Rhee Devine’s The Voices of Heaven (Seoul Selection, 2013) is about many things: war, love, family, and secrets, for starters. But above all, it’s a book about Korea, written by somebody who was born and raised here. “This isn’t secondhand material, but my own story,” said Devine at a press conference at the Seoul Selection bookshop on May 22. “It’s things I directly saw, heard, tasted, and cried about.”

The Voices of Heaven is a semi-autobiographical look at Korea during the traumatic years of the Korean War. While the war certainly plays a critical role in the book—as do many other important events in modern Korea’s political history—it is by no means the novel’s focus. Instead, the war serves as the backdrop to an examination of family structures in old Korea, a time when Confucian norms were applied much more rigorously and the birth of a male child was considered so important it necessitated concubinage, often with painful consequences for all involved. At times, the cultural setting appears so exotic that it’s easy to forget we’re reading about times well within the living memory of many Koreans, including the author herself.

Born and raised in Korea, Devine is a product of the times about which she writes. Like Mi-na, the main character in The Voices of Heaven, she grew up unaware that she had been adopted, abandoned by her birth family in favor of a twin brother she didn’t know she had. Also like Mi-na, she would have to watch the suffering of her adopted mother as her adopted father took a concubine to produce a male heir, a sine qua non in premodern Korea’s deeply Confucian society. This adherence to tradition, even amidst the worst of circumstances, is one of the most striking aspects of Devine’s book. “They lived with an unconditional belief in these commandments coming from Confucian tradition, Buddhist tradition, Taoist tradition, folk beliefs, and shamanism. They had an unconditional faith in these ideals taught by these philosophies as the way to redemption, as the way to finding true love, pure love that is lasting,” says Devine. “In a way, the individual’s struggle is paralleled by Korea as a nation.”

After graduating from Seoul’s Sogang University, Devine left for the United States to attend graduate school at Saint Louis University. She returned to take up a teaching position at what it today Sejong University, but after meeting her husband, a US Peace Corps volunteer (and currently head of the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library), she returned to the United States in 1970. She reunited with her birth parents and her twin brother in 1995.

Through The Voices of Heaven, Devine hopes to inform Western readers of Korea’s cultural uniqueness. “I want them to understand Korean culture as distinctly different from Chinese and Japanese cultures,” she says. She liberally peppers her prose with Korean folk sayings, the meanings of which can usually be ascertained through context. The love between two of the main characters is as “sweet as sticky rice,” for instance. Even character nicknames such as Noodle Leg get this treatment. “I really tried to stress how Koreans are different ethnically and culturally and in their everyday language,” she says.

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The Yonsei University Center for Counseling and Coaching Services provides counseling services to members of Korea’s foreign-born community. “Our department tries to serve foreigners in Korea, especially foreign workers and multicultural family members who need [foreign] language services,” explains Esther Jang, a pastoral counselor for the center. “So we have counselors from seven countries—[from] China, Japan, India, Africa, Cambodia—so they can speak their own languages.” Counselors who trained in the United States speak English. The pricing scheme reflects the diverse economic circumstances of Korea’s international community. Jang says, “We evaluate clients’ economic status. If the person is hired by an American company, for instance, insurance pays for it, so we charge, but if their economic status doesn’t provide for counseling services, we provide ten free counseling sessions”

Counselors are largely doctoral students in Yonsei University’s counseling department. Some have already gotten their doctorates, while others are still studying. For them, the center represents a clinical training process. Residents, interns, and staff counselors are present, too. The center’s counseling programs are tailored to the particular needs of foreign residents. “We are doing individual counseling—depression and anxiety issues,” explains Jang. “Adjustment issues—when you come overseas, you struggle on how to adjust to a new society.” Spiritual issues are not ignored, either. Says Jang, “We are also Christian-based, so we also do counseling on spiritual matters.” The center takes into account the needs of foreigners with families, too. “We also have a children’s play therapy, so if you have children who have difficulty adjusting to Korean schools, we have children’s therapy, too,” Jang notes. Addiction intervention is also offered.

The center currently has about 20 clients who come in on a mostly weekly basis. There are plans afoot to expand services. “We are trying to create support groups for foreigners or gyopo (overseas Koreans) who come back to Korea, and are training counselors from other countries so that when they return to their own countries they can start counseling programs,” explains Jang. “Especially in South Asia, where counseling is pretty new. They don’t have enough clinical places to get proper training, so perhaps our center could become a frontier for training.”

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Counseling and coaching sessions are by appointment only. To make an appointment, send an email to info@yiccs.or.kr.
http://yiccs.or.kr

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The main office is a 10-minute walk from Mapo-gu Office Station 마포구청역 (Line 6), Exit 3.

Letters from Joseon: 19th Century of Korea through the Eyes of an American Ambassador’s Wife

Dec 2012 | 432 pages

Softcover | 19,000 won

Available at Seoul Selection Bookshop (www.seoulselection.com) and Kyobo Book Center

LETTERS FROM JOSEON

An interview with writer and historical researcher Robert Neff

SEOUL Magazine got to talk with historical researcher Robert Neff, author of Seoul Selection’s recently released Letters from Joseon: 19th Century Korea through the Eyes of an American Ambassador’s Wife.

SEOUL: What was the inspiration for your book?

Neff: Professor Lew Young-ick and I were at a Royal Asiatic Society presentation and he told me that he had copies of the American ambassador’s correspondence with his family back in the United States, and he wanted to know if I wanted to do anything with it.

And so after about a year he finally presented me with a box of about 750 pages of photocopied images of a microfilm from the United States… That’s what inspired me. Wanting to see material that wasn’t in the original diplomatic dispatches.

SEOUL: What was the most enjoyable part of putting the book together?

Neff: Every time I found something that wasn’t published before. It gave me a thrill. Reading the gossip—you have to remember she was an elderly woman. Most of the correspondence you read from that time is very cleansed. Everyone was afraid of offending everybody, so you never really got the whole story on anything. But this is between her and her family, so she could talk truthfully.

SEOUL: What about the most difficult thing?

Neff: Transcribing the 750 pages of arthritic-plagued handwriting. That was horrible.

SEOUL: What should readers take away from your book?

Neff: What Seoul was like during that very torrid time. Everything was in turmoil. Everything was in question. I think you gain a sense of the uncertainty through her writing.

Dean of Hallyu Graduate School
Jin Ryong Yoo
ⓒ Seoul Selection

Hallyu Graduate School Opens, Offers Special Course for Foreigners

The Catholic University of Korea founded its Hallyu Graduate School in June 2012, naming former Vice Minister of Culture Jin Ryong Yoo as its first dean.

During its opening ceremony on Oct 9, Yoo said the goal of the school was to contribute to boosting the national brand value through the Korean Wave and to systematically analyze and research the Korean Wave at a time when raising national competitiveness through culture was growing in importance.

The Hallyu Graduate School will provide a basic intellectual platform for understanding Korean Wave culture and cultural industries through practical hands-on research, as well as for planning and producing a creative Korean Wave culture to lead the cultural content industries of the future. It also hopes to produce leaders who can create and spread a new Korean Wave by way of cooperation with various sectors through its more practical and flexible curriculum.

The school currently offers a Hallyu MBA program to produce cultural business experts and an Advanced Management Program for Global Hallyu Contents, a nondegree program. It also provides another non-degree program, the ACE (Attractive Cultural Experience) Korea Program, designed to give foreign residents in Korea a deeper understanding of the country through the Korean Wave.

Admissions Inquiries
T. 02-2258-7730, 7765, 7766
E-mail. hallyu@catholic.ac.kr

http://hallyu.catholic.ac.kr