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Aug 8, 2012 / Issue No. 540
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Translator Wanted
Seoul Selection is looking for a good Korean-to-English translator. Full-time or freelance work available. Send a resume to planner@seoulselection.com. After initial consideration, we will contact candidates individually to come in for a sample translation test. A final hiring decision will be made after the translation test.
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2012 Incheon Pentaport Rock Festival
Manic Street Preachers, Crystal Castles, and Snow Patrol
 Manic Street Preachers, Crystal Castles, and Snow Patrol are among the top acts at this year’s Pentaport, Incheon’s oldest rock festival and one of the highlights of the Korean rock calendar. They’ll be joined by Northern Irish indie giants Ash and a host of other top acts.
VENUE: Gyeongin Ara Waterway Incheon Terminal (Jeonseojin)
PERIOD: Aug 10—12
ADMISSION: 1-day pass: 77,000—88,000 won, 2-day pass: 132,000—143,000 won, 3-day pass: 165,000 won
Tickets: http://ticket.interpark.com/global
MORE INFO: 1544-1555, www.pentaportrock.com
GETTING THERE: Geomam Station, A’REX Line. Transfer to shuttle bus.
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Korea in Unexpected Places
As I write this, I am in Canada. For the last few years, I have returned to visit every summer vacation. The reason is to visit my family and friends, whom I miss dearly, but it also gives me a chance to compare two changing societies, Canada and Korea. For example, cell-phones are becoming ubiquitous in Canada too, and behaviors that annoyed me in Korea exist here as well.
Here, in the province of Quebec, Korea is very far away, and it feels it, too. The sparse population is spread over wide distances full of nature (unlike the cheek-by-jowl population density of crowded Korea), life is taken at a slower pace, and people are more laid-back. Korea is easy to forget.
However, there remain little reminders here and there.
The cell-phone that I bought for temporary use in Canada was made by LG, as were the ones owned by my friend and his wife. When I went to visit him, all three cell-phones in the house were made by the same Korean company.
My sister and her mother-in-law both use Korean washing machines.
During the recent coverage of the Olympics, Korean advertisers are visible.
Along St. Catherine’s street (the most major one in Montreal), there’s been a Korean epicerie (grocery store) and restaurant for a couple of years at least.* I think I counted one or two more restaurants this summer. Also, I saw a new shop called C&C: Cosmetiques Coreenne (Korean cosmetics).[1] In their windows were a couple of life-sized cutouts of female Korean celebrities.
After buying something in a Future Shop, I took an elevator with three asians. As we travelled down to the ground floor, I heard them talking, and then asked, “Hok-shi, han-guk saram ee-yae-oh?” (“By any chance, are you Korean?”). All three of them looked at me in silence, too stunned to speak. However, one of them overcame here surprise and spoke with me. She’s studying French in Montreal, and when I spoke to her in that language, I found that she could converse in it quite well. It’s a pity that I was not able to get contact information from them before we parted ways. I would have been interested in getting their impressions of Montreal.**
All of these were small reminders that, in this day and age, even being on the other side of the earth isn’t that far away.
* They’re located between the metro (subway) stations Atwater and Guy-Concordia.
** A former student of mine studied English in Montreal and had very favorable impressions of the the city.
Written by Richard Stansfield (smaug1004@hotmail.com).
The writer has been living and teaching English in Korea since 1996. The views of the writer do not necessarily reflect those of Seoul Selection.
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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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2012 World Electronica Carnival
Thanks to Jarasum International Jazz Festival, held every autumn in Gapyeong, Jarasum Island has grown a reputation as one of Korea’s best festival venues. Head there this August to see some of the world’s best electronica artists, including Benny Benassi, Armand Van Helden, Far East Movement, Yolanda Be Cool, Shinichi Osawa, DJ Shadow, Dexpistols, Studio Apartment and Daishi Dance at the brand new World Electronica Carnival.
VENUE: Jaraseom Island, Gapyeong-gun, Gyeonggi-do
PERIOD: Aug 10—12
ADMISSION: 1-day pass: 80,000 won, 2-day pass: 120,000 won
MORE INFO: (02) 6925-1316, http://worldelectronicacarnival.com
GETTING THERE: Jamsil Station, Lines 2 & 8. Transfer to bus No. 7000 and get off at Gapyeong.
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Super!Sonic
 Powered by Japan’s popular urban festival Summer Sonic, Super!Sonic is set to bring some truly big names to Seoul’s Olympic Park this August, including The Smashing Pumpkins, New Order, Soulwax, Basement Jaxx, Gotye, The Vaccines and Tears for Fears. The organizers are making clear that practically no music fans will be left turned off by Super!Sonic thanks to its inclusion of genres as diverse as pop, rock electronic and K-pop.
VENUE: Olympic Park
PERIOD: Aug 14—15
ADMISSION: 1-day pass : 150,000 won, 2-day pass: 240,000 won
Tickets: http://ticket.interpark.com/global
MORE INFO: www.supersonickorea.com
GETTING THERE: Olympic Park Station, Line 5, Exit 3.
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Marketa Irglova—Live in Seoul
 Most people get to choose their calling in life while, for some, life just seems to make that decision for you. For 23-year old Academy Award winner, Marketa Irglova, the latter scenario seems to have been the case. In 2006 at the age of 18 she was chosen to act and write music for a small independent movie that would thrust her into a global spotlight on Hollywoods biggest night. That moment and the subsequent success of her musical career as one half of The Swell Season were the furthest thing from her mind when she accepted the role of girl in the film Once. There was no plan in place, no career path, just a teenager enjoying an opportunity offered from a friend which led to a magical moment and the current of life sweeping her up and taking over.
VENUE: AX-Korea
DATE: Aug 15, 7pm
ADMISSION: 1st floor: 88,000 won, 2nd floor: 77,000 won
Tickets: http://ticket.interpark.com/global
MORE INFO: (02) 3143-5156
GETTING THERE: Gwangnaru Station, Line 5, Exit 2.
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Silkscreen: The Basics (2 day workshop)
With this 2-day, 8 hour workshop you will learn the basics of screen printing, get to create your own t-shirt design and print it. The class will be taught by artists DEKAL and jimmySK—collaborating artists who recently held a t-shirt art exhibition on Nami Island.
Registration for this workshop is open until Wednesday, August 8 for only TEN PEOPLE and is a flat rate of 120,000 won. Registration must be done in advance.
VENUE: Jankura Artspace in Itaewon
DATE: Aug 18—19, but registration is open until TODAY only. See above.
GETTING THERE: See link above.
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Family Camping Templestay
The Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism’s Templestay program is hosting a “Family Camping Templestay” program at Songgwangsa Temple in Wanju, Jeollabuk-do. The program includes camping, other family leisure programs and, of course, basic Templestay activities like meditation, bowing, chanting and other spiritual renewal practices.
VENUE: Songgwangsa Temple, Wanju, Jeollabuk-do
PERIOD: Aug 10—12
COST: 100,000 won for four (includes meals and tent)
MORE INFO: (063) 243-8090~1, www.songkwangsa.org
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RAS-KB Excursion: Excurison to Seoul Museum of History, Agricultural Museum and Rice Museum
This tour will take participants to three of Seoul’s more interesting museums: Seoul Museum of History, Agricultural Museum and Rice Museum. The tour includes a lecture tour by Ms. Rho Sun-he, Seoul Museum of History’s International Cultural Director, as well as a stop by Gyeonghuigung Palace.
VENUE: Seoul
DATE: Aug 18
COST: 10,000 won (members), 13,000 won (non-members)
GETTING THERE: See link above.
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Beautiful Skies over Gwanghwamun
The weather may have been hot, but at least the skies were lovely. 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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SEOUL Available at Subway Bookshops – Seoul Selection is pleased to announce that SEOUL magazine is now available at Hanuri book shops in 50 subway stations across Seoul. Pick up a copy and make that long commute to and from work a little bit easier.
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.
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
SEOUL
(August 2012)
Hanji – Everything You Need to Know about Traditional Korean Paper
Over My Dead Body
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New Books
Coexisting Differences – Women Artists in Contemporary Korean Art
K-Pop – Roots and Blossoming of Korean Popular Music
Dancing Korea – New Waves of Choreographers and Dance Companies
When the Korean World in Hawaii was Young 1903-1940
The History of Korea
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New DVDs
My Way
Papa
Overspeed Scandal (Blu-ray)
Dream High Vol. 1 + Vol. 2
The Blazing Sun (1984)
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