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June 5, 2012 / Issue No. 531
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2012 KF Summer Concert for Foreigners
“Beautiful Seoul, Amazing Korea”
This summer’s concert for foreign residents in Korea is organized around the theme, “Beautiful Seoul, Amazing Korea.” It will include performances of Korean dance and traditional music styles like pansori and minyo (folk songs), along with programs where visitors can enjoy food outdoors and try on traditional hanbok clothing.
PERFORMANCES
June 21: Korean Traditional Music
June 22: Korean palace and folk dance
June 23: Traditional culture activity fair—Nanjang Art Market
IMPORTANT
To reserve a spot, visit the “Join the Events” bulletin board at the Korea Foundation homepage between June 7 and 14.
VENUE: Seoul Namsan Traditional Theater and Outdoor Stage
DATES: June 21, 8pm; June 22, 8pm; June 23, 3pm
ADMISSION: Free (but see info above)
MORE INFO: (02) 2151-6513
GETTING THERE: Chungmuro Station, Line 3 or 4, Exit 4 |
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A miscellany of high-quality hyperlinks from the week, courtesy of SEOUL editor-in-chief Robert Koehler.
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The Civilizations of Turkey: Emperors in Istanbul
 The latest in the NMK’s series of exhibitions introducing great world civilizations, Civilizations of Turkey: Emperors in Istanbul offers visitors a rare chance to encounter the largest collection of Turkish cultural artifacts ever exhibited in Korea. Having historically functioned as a crossroads between East and West, Turkey retains the legacies of various cultures including the ancient Hittites, the Greek and Roman Empires, the East Roman Empire, and the Ottoman Empire, which flourished in Istanbul. Divided into four parts—Ancient Civilization, Greek-Roman Civilization, Eastern Roman Civilization, and the Ottoman Empire—this exhibition will include 184 key artifacts from various leading Turkish museums, ranging in origin from ancient civilizations to the court of the Ottoman sultans.
VENUE: National Museum of Korea
PERIOD: Thru Sep 2
ADMISSION: 12,000 won
MORE INFO: (02) 2077-9000, www.museum.go.kr, www.istanbul2012.co.kr
GETTING THERE: Ichon Station, Lines 1 (Jungang Line) & 4, Exit 3.
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“U.S. Military Camptown Prostitution in Korea: 1945-Present”
The Women’s Global Solidarity Action Network (WGSAN) will be hosting a free hosting a workshop under the title “U.S. Military Camptown Prostitution in Korea: 1945-Present”. The workshop will be given by Professor Nah Young Lee.
VENUE: Columban Mission Center
DATE: June 9, 2pm
ADMISSION: Free
MORE INFO: womens.global.solidarity@gmail.com
GETTING THERE: To get to the center, take line 4 to the Sungshin Women’s University Entrance stop. Go out exit 4 and a building with a traditional Korean roof (hanok) will be in front of you. Go into the building and up to the second floor. Please note the center is very close to exit 4, and not on the University’s campus. |
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The Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra (w/ Conductor Paavo Jarvi, Violin Hilary Hahn)
Founded more than 80 years ago, the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra, Germany’s third oldest radio orchestra, is among the leading and most versatile European orchestras today. The orchestra’s range of musical styles includes the classical-romantic repertoire, discoveries in experimental new music, concerts for children and young people, light classics and demanding programming concepts.
Mendelssohn and Mahler are on the program this evening, and the orchestra will be joined by American violinist Hilary Hahn.
VENUE: Concert Hall, Seoul Arts Center
DATE: Jun 11, 8pm
ADMISSION: R: 220,000 won, S: 140,000 won, A: 110,000 won, B: 80,000 won, C: 50,000 won
MORE INFO: (02) 599-5743, www.sac.or.kr
GETTING THERE: Nambu Bus Terminal Station, Line 3, Exit 5. Transfer to shuttle bus, or green bus No. 4429.
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Jason Mraz in Busan + Rainbow Island 2012
Singer songwriter Jason Mraz strikes constant chords with his listeners with his special blend of music that incorporates genres as diverse as pop, rock, jazz and country. This year sees Mraz visit Korea for two performances: one as part of Hyundai Card’s “Culture Project” concert series, and the other as part of Rainbow Festival on Nami Island, where he will be headlining along with Christina Perri.
Jason Mraz in Busan
VENUE: BEXCO, Busan
DATE: Jun 8, 8pm
ADMISSION: Standing: 126,000 won, Seat: 110,000 won
Tickets: http://ticket.interpark.com/global
MORE INFO: (02) 3141-3488
GETTING THERE: Centum City Station, Line 2, Exit 1 or Busan Museum of Art Station, Line 2, Exit 7.
Rainbow Island 2012 (w/ Jason Mraz, Christina Perri)
VENUE: Nami Island, Chuncheon-si, Gangwon-do
DATES: Jun 9—10
ADMISSION: 2-day pass (1st Presale): 132,000 won
Tickets: http://ticket.interpark.com/global
MORE INFO: (02) 323-2838, www.rainbowfestival.co.kr
GETTING THERE: Take a train or bus. Get off at the train station or the bus terminal of Gapyeong. Take a taxi to Nami Island parking lot.
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Incognito—Live in Seoul
 In the words of Bluey of Incognito: “Say the word surreal and various things come to mind, dreamlike, unreal, fantastic, odd, bizarre or even weird. For me the experiences leading to the final outcome of this Incognito’s fifteenth studio album have been an amalgamation of all these synonyms and expressions!” Watch Incognito play songs from said album, “Surreal,” at Galleria Foret Convention Hall on June 9.
VENUE: Galleria Foret. Convention Hall
DATE: Jun 9, 8pm
ADMISSION: 99,000 won
Tickets: http://ticket.interpark.com/global
MORE INFO: (02) 511-2474
GETTING THERE: Ttukseom Station, Line 2, Exit 8.
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2012 b vocal Concert
 Spanish a cappella group “b vocal” in 2010 won the “A Cappella Competition of Harmony Sweepstakes.” The following year, the group earned the “Best A Cappella Group” on New York’s Broadway in 2011. During this concert, “b vocal” will sing world famous hit songs and opera music such as “Dancing Queen,” “Staying Alive,” “Sir Duke,” “Yesterday,” and “Handel and Rossini’s Opera Arias.”
VENUE: Seoul Arts Center
DATES: Jun 9, 7:30pm / Jun 10, 5pm
ADMISSION: VIP: 100,000 won, R: 180,000 won, S: 60,000 won, A: 40,000 won, B: 30,000 won
MORE INFO: (02) 523-5391
GETTING THERE: Nambu Bus Terminal Station, Line 3, Exit 5. Transfer to shuttle bus, or green bus No. 4429.
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Ute Lemper—Last Tango in Berlin
 Ute Lemper, the internationally renowned multi-faceted singersongwriter & actress, is coming to Seoul for the first time. Billboard named Ute Lemper Crossover Artist of the Year for 1993/1994. She has also made her mark in musicals winning the Olivier Award for Chicago. Her show, Last Tango in Berlin, takes the audience on an imaginary journey, which starts in Berlin with Ute’s root repertoire of Brecht and Weill and the Berlin Cabaret songs. It continues into the poetic universe of the French chansons by Jacques Brel, Edith Piaf, Leo Ferrer and further to the Argentinean world of Tango by Astor Piazzolla. Ute also performs her own songs to connect the yesterday with the today through her own stories about these places and about life.
VENUE: LG Arts Center
DATE: Jun 10, 7pm
ADMISSION: VIP: 120,000 won, R: 100,000 won, S: 80,000 won, A: 60,000 won, B: 40,000 won
Tickets: http://ticket.interpark.com/global
MORE INFO: (02) 2005-0114, www.lgart.com
GETTING THERE: GS Tower B1 floor is directly connected to Yeoksam Station, Line 2, Exit 7. Take the LG Arts Center elevator from there.
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Arab Cultural Festival
The cultures of the Arab world are on display throughout this fine festival. The Jordanian National Folkloric Group and Moroccan Andalusian Orchestra will be performing, and visitors will get a chance to experience Arab clothing and learn the beautiful Arab alphabet.
VENUE: COEX
PERIOD: Jun 7—10
ADMISSION: Free
MORE INFO: (02) 551-7130, http://korea-arab.org
GETTING THERE: Samseong Station, Line 2, Exits 5 & 6. |
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The Great Green Wall and the Fight against Desertification in China
Desertification is emerging as a central security issue for the world, and specifically for Northeast Asia in the current age. Climate change resulting from a diverse set of human activities is changing the ecosystem of Northern China, leading to the spread of deserts with profound implications for the region and the world. As the yellow sands from Mongolia and Northern China reach all the way to the United States, we must rethink the threat posed to the world by the misuse of land and dangerous misconceptions about the economy.
This seminar highlights the achievements of Future Forest and the project known as the “Great Green Wall,” an innovative approach to stopping the spread of the Kubuchi desert in Northern China through a combination of tree planting, land fixation technology and education in sustainable land management for local people that has proven the skeptics wrong. The “Great Green Wall” is an example of innovation in governance, education, agriculture and technology worthy of emulation and benchmarking that will be highlighted at RIO +20.
VENUE: The Asia Institute
DATE: June 28, 6:30pm
MORE INFO: See this link. GETTING THERE: See link above.
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Old Gunsan: Exploring the Remains of Colonial Korea
Once a small fishing village on Korea’s West Sea coast, Gunsan developed into one of Korea’s most important ports after it was opened to international trade in 1899. During the colonial era, Japanese traders, merchants and farmers settled en masse in Gunsan and the nearby Honam Plain, Korea’s most fertile agricultural region, and the city became especially important as the port of exit for Korean rice exports to mainland Japan. The Japanese left an indelible imprint on the city and, while they left following Korea’s liberation from colonial rule in 1945, their presence can still be felt in the city’s exotic historic architecture.
In this tour, participants will visit some of Gunsan’s historic colonial architecture and learn a bit about Japanese colonial rule in Korea.
VENUE: Gunsan, Jeollabuk-do
DATE: June 17
COST: TBA
MORE INFO: See this link.
GETTING THERE: See link above. |
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A very busy Jogyesa Temple. Photo by Robert Koehler.
*Click the photo to see a full-size version at our website.
NOTE: If you have a photo you would like to see in our Everyday Koreans section, please sent it to story@seoulselection.com. Photos should be AT LEAST 950px wide. Send a one-line bio, too.
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Looking for Overseas Partners – Seoul Selection is looking for overseas publishing/ advertisement partners for its travel and culture monthly SEOUL. See this link for more information. Those interested are advised to contact Hank at hankinseoul@gmail.com.
Brenda Paik Sunoo’s New Website – Writer and photographer Brenda Paik Sunoo, author of “Seaweed and Shamans,” “Vietnam Moment” and “Moon Tides: Jeju Island Grannies of the Sea,” has opened a multimedia website, www.brendasunoo.com. Go over and check it out now.
Shinhan Bank’s Seoul Global Center – Shinhan Bank has launched its own Seoul Global Center on the first floor of Gwanghwamun’s Seoul Finance Center. This is a branch specially made for foreigners, with financial consulting services for foreigners (individual/group), financial counsellings at your place of work (even for one person) and commemorative events such as special rates on currency exchange and interest rates. For more information, contact Deputy General Manager Jeon at (02) 773-3149 or 010-7275-9006.
 Learn Korean Traditional Dance – Chumsae Dance School is offering lessons on Korean traditional dance. Morning (10:00—11:30, Tue Thu), afternoon (4:00—5:30, Mon Wed) and evening classes (7:30—9:00 Tue Thu) available. Classes are limited to 10 persons each. Tuition is 200,000 won a month. For more information, call ( 02- 762-7731).
Send Your Event Info – If you would like to advertise any upcoming events you are organizing, please send us the press release material to book@seoulselection.com by the preceding Friday in order 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 be able to interview Koreans and also have a strong interest in Korean culture. Send your resume and writing samples to writer@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.
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Recommended
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(June 2012)
Drifting House
The Angel’s Breath
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New Books
Korean Genealogical Records
The Crisis of Civilization and Asian Response
And So Flows History
Min Yong-Hwan: A Political Biography
A Ready-Made Life: Early Masters of Modern Korean Fiction
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New DVDs
15th Anniversary 2011 YG Family Concert Live DVD
Sea Without Water
White Butterfly
Pink
Perfect Game
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