Red Fever

Gold medal day

My sister Jennifer tipped me off to an event happening in Korea featuring Torino Olympic gold medalists Jennifer Heil and Canadian turned Australian Dale Begg-Smith. The event was a sanctioned F.S.I. World Cup freestlye moguls competition held at the Jisan Forest Resort, about an hour outside Seoul.

It was very exciting seeing these amazing athletes in action, and the low-key casualness of the event meant it was easy to mingle with the participants and meet them. I was lucky enough to get pictures with both Jennifer and Dale, both of whom easily won another gold medal for their growing collections at this event.

Click here to see more pictures from the World Cup moguls and Jisan Forest Resort.

Globe and Mail: Heil backs up Olympic gold with World Cup win

"It's great to be in Shanghai!"

For almost a year I have been waiting for someone worth seeing to come to town. Kenny G or Michael Bolton anyone? Until last night those were the most viable options (I think the obvious comment about Korean tastes best goes unsaid...).

Well, the long wait was definitely worth it. Last night was more than just a fantastic, entertaining concert — I witnessed the performance of a bona fide living legend, none other than the Godfather of Soul himself, James Brown. Not wasting anytime with an opening act, the hardest-working man in show business took the stage and delivered a solid dose of soul in Seoul (sorry, I couldn't help myself).

Considering the man is now in his seventies, Brown can still move. And sing. I was actually quite taken aback with the quality of his voice, and the spiritedness of his performance. Running through his deep catalog of hits backed by a powerful band of standout musicians, James worked the stage and drove the crowd wild. That said, he did manage to silence the stadium when he declared: "It's great to be in Shanghai!" The awkward moment passed though, and everyone was more than willing to forgive the classic wrong city faux pas.

Another blogger wrote this review of the show, and I think her comments are spot on. Click here to see my pictures of the big event, and click below to see a video clip (apologies in advance for the poor quality).

That's the East Sea to you buddy

I notice that Yahoo! has buckled to pressure from a Korean lobby group, the Voluntary Agency Network of Korea, and has added the label "East Sea" to their online maps (alongside the more commonly used "Sea of Japan"). This did not escape the attention of the Korean government who didn't miss a chance to crow about it on their official English-language information site.

Wikipedia has an interesting article on the naming dispute.

This reminds me of the faux pas I made when I first got to Kuwait and made the unforgivable error of referring to the Arabian Gulf as the "Persian Gulf". It only took a few stern corrections on the subject before I learned not to make that mistake again. Wikipedia has the background on this dispute also.

Behind the gates

Quiet suburban street in small town America? No — well, actually kind of. This idyllic neighbourhood is part of the Yongsan Garrison, the headquarters for United States Forces Korea.

Up until recently, the closest I could get to seeing behind the walls of the base was the view from my room. That changed a couple weeks ago when Anna's friend Karen and her American G.I. boyfriend invited Anna and I for lunch on "post".

I wasn't able to take a lot of pictures, but you can click here to check out the few I was able (or allowed) to get.

To appreciate the true incongruity of this scene, you have to know the context within which Yongsan Garrison sits. Using the amazing Google Earth you can get an excellent "bird's eye-view" of Yongsan and see the base as it is situated in the geographic center of Seoul. Click here to download a file that will plot all of the locations that I photographed in Google Earth.

Kimchi conditioners

LG Electronics is introducing a new line of air conditioners that purport to guard against bird flu. Their secret? What else, kimchi!

I've documented the supposed health benefits of kimchi previously, but this article from The Korea Times detailing LG's kimchi air conditioners is all a bit much. LG claim's that the kimchi extract used in the air conditioners is odorless, which I can tell you from my own experience, is a very good thing. I have no quibble with kimchi as a pleasant side dish on the table at dinner. However, recently my Korean neighbours been making kimchi, and lets just say I'm very grateful that the powerful smell of the rotting cabbage doesn't waft into my apartment!

Wax so bad, they're good

A couple weeks ago, Anna and I took in the World Wax Museum exhibition at COEX. This was kitsch at it's best!


Apparently some Korean millionaire has bought up some of the assets of the now defunct legendary Movie Land Wax Museum in Hollywood, and plans to construct a fancy new museum in Pusan as a permanent home for these figures.

As you can see from my pictures, many of these figures haven't aged that well, and others are so laughably bad they are almost unrecognizable. All in all, the exhibit made for a very enjoyable afternoon.

Lotte Mart

Going shopping in a Korean grocery store is an experience — and unless you enjoy people yelling at you at ear-piercing full volume, it is not usually a pleasant one. In almost every aisle of the store there is a "helpful" representative of some product, usually offering a sample, but almost certainly sounding like a carnival barker as they implore you to add whatever they are hawking to your cart.

Western-style grocery stores are all the rage these days. Relatively new on the scene, they resemble any grocery store back home, and are part of a larger department store. The most popular chains here in Korea are homegrown E-mart and Lotte Mart. These stores are clearly modeled after Wal-Mart, which interestingly enough does have a presence here in Korea, but is not very popular, and has actually had to close stores.


Recently I took my camera with me when I went shopping at my local Lotte Mart. These ladies are working the tofu case and paused their selling long enough for me to snap this picture. To see more pictures from my shopping trip, click here.

Barbie: art or commerce? Discuss...

Recently I took in "The Barbie Story", an exhibition at the Hangaram Design Museum. Billed as the world's largest Barbie doll exhibition, the display was sponsored by the Austrian Embassy in Seoul. (Huh? — can someone please explain the connection?). This was a fascinating experience on many levels, and raised some interesting questions about consumerism vs. art — not to mention the fetishization of a tiny plastic doll!

The growing cult of consumerism is explored in an excellent BBC World Service series on the subject. The programs can be heard on-demand at the web site for the series.

To see my pictures from the Barbie exhibit, click here.

To learn more about Barbie, read her entry on Wikipedia.

Memoirs of a Geisha

Although it has all the trappings that usually guarantee a sure-fire hit (period piece, costume drama, "exotic" culture), Memoirs of a Geisha has been both a critical and box office disappointment.

Now it seems it has been banned in China. Why? The Chinese government is concerned that the sight of Chinese actresses portraying Japanese geishas would stir a public backlash and cause civil unrest.

The issue at hand is Japan's lack of formal acknowledgment of atrocities committed during years of Japanese occupation.

Public sentiment is equally vociferous here in Korea. Korean actress Kim Yoon-jin (best known for playing Sun on Lost) famously rejected an offer of a starring role in Memoirs of a Geisha because she did not want her feature film debut to be as a Japanese character.

For more on the casting controversy, read this interesting article on Wikipedia.

Jello fun!

One of my student's favourite songs from Beeline Plus (the English book we are currently using) is a celebratory ode to the joys of lemon Jell-O. I was shocked to find out that Jell-O is an unknown commodity here in Korea. After trying to explain what Jell-O was, I made an off-handed comment that I would have to bring some back from my trip to Canada at Christmas. Well, they never let me forget that commitment, and reminded me at least twice each day leading up to my Christmas vacation.

Following the recipe for Jell-O Jigglers, I whipped up a few batches of Jell-O which were enthusiastically received!


It is a good thing I know Jell-O is so delicious, because after reading the following Wikipedia description of where it comes from, I'm not sure I would be willing to try it:

Animal rendering is a key step in the manufacture of gelatin desserts. The production of gelatin starts with the boiling of bones, skins, and hides of cows and pigs, in 70-foot vats to remove collagen, which is then soaked and filtered. The extract is then dried and ground to form a powder, and is mixed with sugar, adipic acid, fumaric acid, sodium citrate, and artificial flavorings and food colors.

What some more interesting Jell-O trivia? Did you know that Jell-O is reportedly the favourite snack of Mormons? In fact, Jell-O is the official state snack food of Utah, which is reported to have the highest per capita sales of green gelatin dessert of any U.S. state. This has earned Utah and the surrounding areas the label "Jello Belt".

Never-ending winter

As a born and bred Vancouverite, I'm accustomed to winter being a minor inconvenience that comes around for a couple weeks each year. Unfortunately, winter is serious business here in Seoul. I awoke this morning to yet another light dusting of fresh snow and bone-chillingly cold winds. The weather seems all the more unbearable when you consider the cruel irony that only a few short months ago I was complaining bitterly about how sweltering hot it was!

Back in the ROK

Regular readers (believe it or not, there actually are a few!) will have noticed that my posting has dropped off the last month or so. One of the main reasons for that is I was busy during the lead up to Christmas getting ready to fly home for the holidays. The two weeks I enjoyed back in the Western hemisphere were blissful, and confirmed for me (as if there was any doubt) that Vancouver is indeed the best place on earth.

To be fair, a Seoul/Vancouver comparison is a little unbalanced. With 10 million less people roaming the streets, it is no wonder Vancouver seems so much more livable! While there is definitely no place like home, landing at Incheon International this time felt very familiar, and it has been very easy to settle back into my daily routine. With only three months remaining in my teaching contract, my time in Korea is quickly coming to an end. I plan on blogging more regularly during the next few months as I try to get to all the items on my "Seoul to-do" list. Stay tuned...

O Christmas Tree

This is not a great picture, but it demonstrates the complete randomness that I find so endearing about Korea. This tree is literally in the middle of a busy six lane thoroughfare near my school where I catch the bus. It's not big or flashy like the official city Christmas displays, and it is not clear who set it up, or who it belongs to — it's just there for those passing by to enjoy. Nice.

Christmas in Korea

As I make way around Seoul during the lead-up to Christmas I can't help but feel full of the holiday spirit. This is partly because I'm counting down the days till I fly home to be with my family, but also because the city is just so downright festive. Energy costs be damned, Seoul has been set ablaze with lights. In fact, some buildings downtown are covered with so many white lights that the result is jaw-droppingly beautiful. The light display at Seoul Plaza in front of City Hall can be seen from ten blocks away, and the ice rink that has sprouted up on the lawn rings with the happy sounds of people skating under the stars (yes, you can actually see stars — I guess the smog free skies are one consolation of the bone-chillingly cold clear nights!).

On of the most spectacular displays can be found at the Millennium Seoul Hilton. When you consider that this tree is supposedly worth C$3600, then I can only imagine the price tag for the four-story behemoth that graces the Hilton's lobby. It was also nice to see that the reason for the season was so prominently commemorated.

Last night Jessica and I had a great time seeing The Nutcracker at the Sejong Center. This was my first time seeing a ballet, and I was awestruck by what the dancers could do with their bodies. Say what you want about ballet, but the athleticism displayed and the obvious punishment the dancers endure to their bodies is undeniable. I was impressed.

To get a small taste of Christmas in Korea, click here to see a slideshow of my recent Christmas-theme pictures.

South Korea stem cell success 'faked'

The stem cell research scandal continues to brew here with the BBC now reporting that much of the research of stem cell pioneer Dr. Hwang Woo-suk appears to have been faked.

Click here to view the BBC News report.

This is explosive stuff. Dr. Hwang had been elevated to the level of national hero, and success in the stem cell/cloning field has become a matter of national pride. Some are already calling these developments a "national humiliation". It is hard to overestimate the impact this story has here—even my grade four students know who Dr. Hwang is, and have talked proudly of his accomplishments. The shock of recent news is palpable.

Update: Dr. Hwang has been removed by the editors of Scientific American from his honored position as Research Leader of the Year on the 2005 Scientific American 50 list.

More news links:
The Cloning Crisis Clouding Korea
Hwang Crucial for Korea’s Image
SNU Sets Up Panel to Check Hwang Research
Hwang Shock Sends Stocks Into Freefall
U.S. Scientist Withdraws Name From Hwang Paper

South Korean families are driven to achieve, but at what cost?

There is an interesting article in today's Seattle Times that raises the question of whether or not children's identity as individuals is being compromised or even lost by Korean society's obsessive pursuit of academic achievement. From my perspective there is something just plain wrong with a third-grader being in class until 11 p.m., especially since I am skeptical about just how much learning is taking place versus rote memorization. As the article says, "Korean schools produce good bureaucrats but no creativity."

The Supercloners of South Korea

There is a very interesting piece in the New York Times (free registration required) today that raises some doubt about the widely acknowledged lead South Korea has in the field of human stem cell research.

This comes hot on the heels of the recent cloning scandal over ethics lapses that led to the doctor in charge resigning, and reportedly being hospitalized for extreme stress and fatigue.

For some interesting background on how South Korea rose to such prominence in the cloning and stem cell field, I recommend giving the Slate magazine podcast "The Supercloners of South Korea" a listen. The conversation includes some interesting tidbits about how the explosive growth of Korean Christianity squares with the seemingly amoral approach to this field of research, and the role that metal chopsticks has played in Korea's success.

Listen to the "The Supercloners of South Korea".

Knitting craze strikes Yang Hwa

My students have become preoccupied with knitting. An assignment from home economics class, every student has to complete a scarf—an appropriate project considering the chilly weather!

Open Class

First kimchi, now sauerkraut?

First kimchi was said to be the nature's vaccine against the bird flu, but now the Telegraph reports that sauerkraut might have the same magic healing powers. I haven't seen too much sauerkraut for sale on Seoul store shelves, but it would probably be a hot seller since "kimchi panic" continues unabated here in the local press. I've noticed lately that the story seems to have has caught on internationally too with stories by Reuters, the Financial Times, and San Diego Union-Tribune. Even the CBC did an item on the "kimchi crisis".

Remembering Korea

Remembrance Day is not commemorated as a holiday here in Korea. This year I really missed seeing people wearing poppies. This article appeared in the Chilliwack Progress, and is an interesting account of a Canadian veteran's experience in Korea. Looking around today, it is hard to reconcile his experience of war with the Korea of today.

I decided to mark Remembrance Day with a visit to the War Memorial of Korea. Despite this graphic taken from the official website which makes it look like a visit to Disneyland, the museum documents with a somber tone Korea's tragic state of almost perpetual war from the Three Kingdoms period through present day involvement in Iraq. As expected, the heaviest emphasis is on the Korean War. The cavernous museum makes extensive use of model dioramas to detail the brutal fighting between the two Koreas. English signs and display descriptions are few and far between, so I highly recommend the inexpensive audio guide that offers excellent commentary on all the displays.

If you plan to visit the War Memorial, try and do it on a Friday. At 2:00 pm on Fridays there is an Honour Guard ceremony that is quite an eyeful. Members of all branches of the Korean armed forces demonstrate weapon twirling and marching precision, then pose for photographs after the show. Watching the Koreans go crazy taking pictures after the show was as entertaining as the show itself. Click below to view a video clip from the performance.

To see my pictures from the War Memorial click here. Or, to view them as a slide show click here.

Pepero Day

Tomorrow, November 11, is Pepero Day. Pepero Day is a fake corporate holiday invented by the Lotte Corporation to sell their Pepero candy snack.

Pepero is basically a knock off of the better known Japanese snack Pocky — but don't tell Korean kids that. When my students gave me Pepero they asked if I had ever had it before. I made the unforgivable mistake of telling them no, but that it looked and tasted exactly like Japanese Pocky. They simply could not believe that Japan could have something as tasty as Pepero, and reacted with shock when I suggested that Pocky had been around long before Pepero. I don't for a minute want to minimize the Japanese atrocities committed against Korea, but sometimes the anti-Japanese animus I observe from my students is quite unsettling, especially since for the most part they are completely ignorant to the historical context that provokes it. Ironically enough, Lotte, one of Korea's biggest companies and the genius behind "Pepero Day," was actually founded in Japan by a Korean national that goes by the Japanese name Shigemitsu Takeo. Hmm, interesting.....

I highly recommend checking out the "Pepero Song" on the official website. You might have to wait a few moments for the animation to load, but it will be worth it to watch cartoon candy sticks singing and dancing, won't it? This short little cartoon provides more cultural insight to Korea that I can provide in this entire blog.

Gyeongbokgung

To see my pictures from Gyeongbokgung click here. Or, to view them as a slide show click here.

Happy Halloween!

I decided to give my students a break today from our usual rigorous English scholarship and instead we had a Halloween party. Although trick-or-treating doesn't happen here, the kids know all about Halloween, and especially the part about getting candy. They made quick work out of the Halloween theme word searches I prepared for them, and then it was on to the main event: It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. I'm not sure how much of the story they were able to follow, but judging from the uproarious laughter it seems Snoopy is able to transcend the language barrier!