Feb 19, 2013 / Issue No. 568

Seoul Selection Bookshop is looking for one full-time staffer and a part-time staffer. The full-time position is for 9:30am to 6:30pm, Monday to Friday, plus a half-day every other Saturday. The part-time position is 2pm to 5pm on Saturday. Applicants should speak Korean and English. Send a resume and cover letter to Hank Kim at hankinseoul@gmail.com.

Around the Web

Koreans get a good look at the history of American art.

Korea begins to shun the workaholic lifestyle.

The history of Korean marijuana use, courtesy of Yonhap.

Brazil’s Carnival celebrates Koreans and Korean immigrants.

So where does Brand Korea go from here?

Central City has its charms, too.

The snow-covered heights of Daegwallyeong Samyang Ranch.

How to play baduk.

Your guide to the TOPIK.

Hiking Gyeongju’s wonderful Mt. Namsan.

Events

Following its resounding success here in early 2012, the London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) is returning to Korea for a two-day concert program from Feb 28 to March 1. Under the skillful baton of Dutch maestro Bernard Haitink, the orchestra will present Benjamin Britten’s Four Sea interludes, Mozart’s piano concerto No. 17, and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7 on the first day. The second-day program will be devoted to Beethoven’s piano concerto No. 2 and Anton Bruckner’s symphony No. 9, featuring the seasoned pianist Maria Joao Pires as a collaborator. Founded in 1904, LSO is the oldest of London’s symphony orchestras.

VENUE: Concert Hall, Seoul Arts Center

DATES: Feb 28, 8pm / Mar 1, 7pm

ADMISSION: R: 350,000 won, S: 250,000 won, A: 180,000 won, B: 120,000 won, C: 70,000 won

MORE INFO: T. 02-599-5743, www.sac.or.kr

GETTING THERE: Nambu Bus Terminal Station 남부터미널역 (Line 3), Exit 5. Transfer to shuttle bus, or green bus No. 4429.

American singer-songwriter Rachael Yamagata is coming to Seoul, hoping to expand her fan base here following the notable success of her concert tours in Korea last year. This time, she will cater to her younger, more devoted fans, performing at Ewha Womans University’s Samsung Hall on Feb 23 and 24. Yamagata became the vocalist for the Chicago group Bumpus and spent six years touring, writing, and recording with the band before leaving in 2001 to begin a solo career. Her songs have appeared on numerous television shows and she has collaborated with other musicians, including Jason Mraz, Rhett Miller, Bright Eyes, Ryan Adams, Toots and the Maytals, and Ray Lamontagne.

VENUE: Samsung Hall, Ewha Womans Univ.

DATES: Feb 23–24, 7pm

ADMISSION: 88,000 won

MORE INFO: T. 02-3143-5156, www.s2enter.com

GETTING THERE: Ewha Womans Univ. Station 이대역 (Line 2), Exits 2 & 3

An alternative rock trio formed in 1993 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Ben Folds Five is making its first appearance in Korea with a Feb 24 concert. Consisting of lead vocalist Ben Folds, bassist Robert Sledge, and percussionist Darren Jessee, the group achieved mainstream success in the alternative, indie, and pop music scenes. The band is best known for the hit single “Brick” from their 1997 album Whatever and Ever Amen, which gained airplay on many mainstream radio stations. Though disbanded in 2000, the trio reunited in 2008, releasing a new album titled The Sound of the Life of the Mind.

VENUE: Uniqlo AX

DATE: Feb 24, 6pm

ADMISSION: 110,000 won

Tickets: http://ticket.interpark.com/global

MORE INFO: T. 02-563-0595

GETTING THERE: Gwangnaru Station 광나루역 (Line 5), Exit 2

The San Francisco-based pop band Thee Oh Sees is holding a concert in Korea for the first time on Feb 24. The band is noted for its prolific album releases as well as its energetic live shows, featuring Dwyer on guitar and vocals, Brigid Dawson on vocals and tambourine, Petey Dammit on bass, and Mike Shoun on drums. In 2007–8, the band released two hit albums under the German Tomlab label. Thee Oh Sees returned in September 2012 with Putrifiers II, an album combining Castlemania‘s fractured pop sensibilities and Carrion Crawler/The Dream‘s ferocious rock experimentation.

VENUE: KT&G Sangsang Madang

DATE: Feb 24, 6:30pm

ADMISSION: 40,000 won (35,000 won in advance)

Tickets: http://ticket.interpark.com/global

MORE INFO: www.roundx2.net/7214

GETTING THERE: Hongik Univ. Station 홍대입구역 (Line 2, A’REX Line), Exit 9

The Korea Foundation and the Australia–Korea Foundation have joined hands for the presentation of a multifaceted exhibition that introduces diverse aspects of the culture and people of Australia.

The exhibition also includes various public programs, such as the special lecture “Redefining Australia” (Feb. 21) It is our great pleasure to invite you to this interesting exhibition.

VENUE: The Korea Foundation Cultural Center

PERIOD: Feb 14–Mar 7

ADMISSION: Free

MORE INFO: T. 02-2151-6520, www.kf.or.kr

GETTING THERE: Mirae Asset CENTER 1: Euljiro 1-ga Station 을지로입구역 (Line 2), Exit 4. Turn left along Hana Bank. The bldg. is located behind SKT Tower.

Drinks, dinner, entertainment, live music, and a silent auction at the
American Women’s Club of Korea’s Mardi Gras 2013 masquerade charity ball. Grand Raffle Prize: two business class tickets courtesy of United Airlines to any city in the United States served by United.

VENUE: Renaissance Hotel

DATE: Feb 23, 7pm–Feb 24, 2am

Theme: Masquerade Party

MORE INFO: www.facebook.com/awc.seoul

GETTING THERE: Yeoksam Station 역삼역 (Line 2), Exit 8

Internationally acclaimed Irish sword swallower Murray Molloy will perform his mind-blowing version of the ancient Indian art of sword swallowing in Platoon Kunsthalle on Feb 23 to celebrate World Sword Swallowers Day. Molloy is one of only one hundred performing sword swallowers on the planet, and of these, one of twenty-five that swallow curved swords, and one of the ten that swallow multiple swords at once! His repetoire also includes escapology, clown, comedy, fire manipulation, fakirism, pirotechnics, and contortionism.

VENUE: Platoon Kunsthalle

DATE: Feb 23

MORE INFO: http://www.facebook.com/mrmurraymolloy

DATE: Feb 23

COST: 39,000 won for members and 46,800 won for non-members

MORE INFO: See this link.

GETTING THERE: See link above.

Everyday Koreans

Panoramic view of Suncheon Bay Ecological Park. Photo by Nino Sandil, a tourist from Manila.

Notifications

Seoul Selection via Ingram – Seoul Selection now has a direct wholesale distribution agreement with Ingram Book Group, the world’s largest wholesale distributor of publisher content. By choosing to allow Ingram to represent our material, we have opened our titles to a wider audience. Our titles will be available for order through Ingram at more than 35,000 distribution channels worldwide. Ask your local bookstore to have Seoul Selection titles available!

Send Your Event Info – If you would like to advertise any upcoming events you are organizing, please send us the press release material at book@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 book@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.

SEOUL

(February 2013)

47 Korean Pronunciation for Foreigners 1

A Company Man

Poems of 3 Modern Korean Poets

Poems of 99 Modern Poets Korean

Yonsei Korean Reading 6 (with Audio CD)

Consumer Trend in Korea 2013

Bee-bim Bop!

Perfect Number

I AM: SMTOWN LIVE WORLD TOUR in Madison Square Garden

Fermentation Family

Arang and the Magistrate

The Spies