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Arts & Culture

Miyeokguk – A Taste of the Ocean

Arts & Culture 2024 SPRING

Miyeokguk – A Taste of the Ocean Miyeokguk, a soup primarily made with seaweed, soy sauce, and sesame oil, has a unique texture along with a savory taste that perfectly captures the essence of the sea. The dish is unique to Korea’s cuisine and a product of the country’s rich culinary tradition. Commonly served on birthdays and to new mothers, miyeokguk is closely associated with childbirth in Korean culture. In Korean, the term jjapjjalhada is often used to describe ingredients and dishes that are both savory and intensely flavorful. It also implies that the food is neither too salty nor too bland but has the perfect level required to elevate the overall taste. Achieving this delicate equilibrium is of great importance in Korean cuisine, particularly in dishes such as miyeokguk. SPECIAL YET COMFORTING Miyeokguk holds a special place in the hearts of many Koreans. While the soup is commonly served as the centerpiece of a meal, enjoyed as a side dish with drinks, or even eaten to help with weight loss, understanding what makes it so precious in the eyes of an entire nation requires a closer look. It has long been customary for Korean women to eat miyeokguk in the days after giving birth. But of all the diverse dishes in Korean cuisine, why seaweed soup? The chief ingredient, namely seaweed, is rich in protein, carbohydrates, fiber, calcium, vitamin A, potassium, and selenium, as well as other vitamins and minerals. Its high iron and iodine content is especially beneficial for promoting blood circulation and preventing anemia, making it the perfect food for women who have recently given birth. In line with this tradition, it has become common practice for families to gather on birthdays to enjoy a bowl of miyeokguk together as a way of commemorating the occasion. Conversely, there are times when Koreans intentionally avoid eating miyeokguk altogether, such as on the day of an exam or job interview. There is even a dictionary-listed Korean idiom, miyeokguk mokda, which translates to “eating miyeokguk,” and expresses the notion of failing an exam or interview. The meaning is rooted in a superstition that consuming the soup on such a day could cause a slip-up due to the seaweed’s slippery texture. A SIMPLE RECIPE The recipe for miyeokguk is relatively simple and only requires a handful of ingredients — dried seaweed, beef, sesame oil, salt, and gukganjang, a light soy sauce that’s an essential ingredient for Korean soups. First, the dried seaweed is soaked in water and allowed to expand, after which it is drained and cut into slices roughly four or five centimeters in length. The beef, which serves as a flavor enhancer rather than as the main ingredient, is cut into thin pieces of one or two centimeters. After these steps have been completed, sesame oil is heated in a pot, in which the beef and seaweed are stir-fried until they are evenly cooked. This process generates a cloudy broth with a delightful aroma and also imparts the seaweed and beef with a nutty and savory flavor. Once the broth starts to bubble, water is added. The soup is then seasoned with both salt and light soy sauce and left to simmer for another thirty minutes until the dish is ready to serve. Although plain water can be used, substituting it for anchovy stock, beef broth, or the starchy water left over from rinsing rice give the soup more depth and a richer taste. A small amount of minced garlic can also be added for extra flavor, but this step is usually omitted by those who wish to fully appreciate the underlying taste of the seaweed and beef. While the simplest type of miyeokguk only consists of seaweed and beef, there are many variations made with local ingredients that reflect regional culinary traditions. THE SECRET TO A DEEPER FLAVOR Thanks to its distinctively crunchy and smooth texture, the incorporation of seaweed, along with pieces of flavorful beef, significantly elevates the soup’s taste profile. The seaweed used in the soup is sea mustard, a kelp species native to cold-temperate coastal waters. It possesses a notably salty and fishy taste when eaten raw. However, much of this saltiness can be reduced by thoroughly rinsing and soaking it in water, which leaves behind a far subtler flavor along with a pleasant aroma reminiscent of the ocean. Stir-frying sea mustard with beef in sesame oil and then simmering them in water helps bring out the flavor in each of the individual ingredients. Hence, the longer miyeokguk is left to simmer, the more savory its flavor becomes. This is why it seems to taste even better when reheated. For a nourishing and satisfying meal, nothing beats a steaming portion of miyeokguk paired with a bowl of freshly cooked white rice and served with some well-fermented kimchi. This hot, hearty, and intensely savory soup boasts all the qualities Koreans look for in a dish. With sea mustard as its main ingredient, miyeokguk is a uniquely Korean dish. Indeed, the incorporation of seaweed in soups is uncommon in most other cuisines. Miyeokguk thus remains a somewhat unknown dish abroad. Tony Yoo, the chef-owner of Dooreyoo, a Korean restaurant located in Seoul’s Jongno District, recalls preparing miyeokguk for some friends when he was studying in Italy. Upon seeing the dish, the reaction of his friends, who hailed from all corners of the globe, was particularly memorable. “What’s that dark, slimy, strange-looking thing?” one of them even asked in horror. After tasting the soup, however, everyone asked for seconds, affectionately dubbing the dish “encore miyeokguk.” Although Tony’s friends were initially skeptical because they had never tried the dish, they quickly found it to be deliciously addictive. Sanmo miyeok, literally “seaweed for new mothers,” refers to freshly harvested seaweed that is sun-dried in the ocean breeze. It is known for its delicate texture and ability to produce a rich broth. ⓒ gettyimagesKOREA REGIONAL VARIATIONS Korean soups tend to vary slightly between regions and households, from their preparation all the way to their individual ingredients. This can be attributed to the differences in local specialties as well as the respective cooks’ personal preferences. Most standard miyeokguk recipes typically include sea mustard and beef, but regional variations may substitute beef for shellfish, such as clams or mussels, or even fish, such as flounder, hairtail, or Pacific saury. As such, this particular dish works with any kind of protein, whether from the land or the sea. On Ulleung Island, known for its Pacific saury dishes, miyeokguk is prepared with this popular catch instead of beef. To prepare the dish, the fish is first deboned and then shaped into little balls with starch and eggs before being added to the soup. Given its subtle flavor, Pacific saury blends nicely with the soup without overpowering it. In some parts of Gyeongsang Province, miyeokguk includes hand-rolled rice balls known as “saeal” that are made from glutinous rice flour. They boast a chewy texture that perfectly complements the seaweed’s crunchiness. The cuisine of Jeju Island includes a variation of miyeokguk made with wild sea urchin roe. Highly prized in Korea, it elevates the traditional miyeokguk into a gourmet delicacy thanks to its creamy, pudding-like texture, savory flavor, and refreshing marine scent. Other recipes include dried pollock, shredded chicken breast, or shrimp. REINVENTING A TIMELESS CLASSIC Ironically, despite the long history and numerous variations of miyeokguk that can be found throughout the country today, there used to be only few restaurants specializing in it. This is likely due to the soup’s widespread perception as a simple, everyday dish traditionally prepared at home. In recent years, however, miyeokguk restaurants have begun to emerge, many of which offer variations prepared with special ingredients. One visually striking example is gajami miyeokguk, which includes a whole flounder served in the bowl. Other popular adaptations include miyeokguk made with abalone, a highly prized delicacy, or more expensive cuts of beef such as brisket. These new establishments also take pride in preparing their own broths using a variety of shellfish and meat which they simmer for a long time to achieve a richer and deeper flavor. Characterized by the use of unique ingredients and specially crafted broths, these modern takes on the timeless classic have given rise to what can be considered an entirely new dish. Miyeokguk is a great dish for anyone visiting Korea. While the seaweed’s somewhat dark and slimy appearance may initially feel off-putting to some, trying this distinctively Korean soup steaming hot with a bowl of freshly cooked rice is a perfect way to change this perception. Hwang Hae-won Editor-in-chief, Monthly Food Service Management Lee Min-Hee Photographer

Silk Flowers Bloom Once Again

Arts & Culture 2024 SPRING

Silk Flowers Bloom Once Again Gungjung chaehwa, or Korea’s royal silk flowers, are artificial flowers crafted from fabrics such as silk and ramie that were used in court banquets and other royal ceremonies in the Joseon Dynasty (1392–1910). Once on the brink of disappearing completely, the recent resurgence of the traditional craft is often attributed to master artisan Hwang Suro. Her legacy is now sustained by her son, Choi Sung-woo, who has dedicated himself not only to crafting silk flowers but also to exploring their contemporary applications. Each royal silk flower is produced through a long series of manual procedures, including dyeing, pounding, cutting, and ironing. Choi Sung-woo, a certified trainee in the traditional craft, believes it is the meticulous handiwork that makes the flowers so closely resemble their natural counterparts. ⓒ Han Jung-hyun Walking the streets of Tongui-dong, a neighborhood situated across the road from Yeongchu Gate, the west gate of Gyeongbok Palace, one may encounter an old two-story building nestled among more modern structures. A weathered, old-fashioned signboard bears the name “Boan Yeogwan” (Boan Inn). Founded in 1936, this inn was a home to many writers and artists over the years and welcomed guests until 2004, when it closed its doors due to financial difficulties. In the early 2000s, the neighborhood underwent rapid urban development, leading to the gradual demolition of many old buildings and the emergence of new ones in their place. The abandoned Boan Yeogwan would have shared a similar fate if not for Choi Sung-woo, who, in 2007, transformed the by then uninhabitable building into an arts and cultural space that now pulsates with vibrant energy. Exuding vintage charm in the heart of modern Seoul, the building resonated with visitors and passersby to an extent that completely surpassed his expectations. It demonstrated the renewed significance of the past, and Choi, as the project’s CEO, gained recognition as a cultural planner instrumental to the revitalization of the Seochon area, also known as Seoul’s West Village. RESTORATION OF ROYAL SILK FLOWERS With a workshop on the fourth floor of the modern building to the left of Boan Yeogwan, Choi is also a certified trainee in the craft of royal silk flower making. His mother, Hwang Suro, is a master artisan who is credited with the revival of this traditional craft, which was almost lost after the Japanese occupation period. In recognition of her contribution, she was named the first heritage holder when the craft was designated National Intangible Cultural Heritage No. 124 in 2013. Chaehwa were artificial flowers crafted from silk or ramie fabrics that were used during the Joseon Dynasty. Those used for court banquets and royal ceremonies, called gungjung chaehwa, were broadly categorized into three types: junhwa, vases of flowers decorating the throne; jamhwa, flowery headpieces worn by banquet attendees; and sanghwa, banquet table centerpieces. Records documenting significant ceremonies and rites of the royal family, known as Royal Protocols of the Joseon Dynasty (Uigwe), feature illustrations depicting banquet scenes embellished with different kinds of royal silk flowers. Hongbyeok dohwajun, large vases with red and white silk flowers modeled after peach blossoms, sit flanking the throne. Jidangpan, a wooden platform recreating a lotus pond, is adorned with an array of silk lotus flowers. Notably, the head of every banquet attendee is adorned with red peach flowers bestowed by the king. Historical literature provides detailed information on the types, sizes, production processes, quantities, and costs of the flowers. In 1795, King Jeongjo (r. 1776–1800) held a magnificent eight-day banquet to celebrate the 60th birthday of his mother, Lady Hyegyeong. A comprehensive account of the event, entitled Records of King Jeongjo’s Procession to the Tomb of Crown Prince Sado in Eulmyo Year (Wonhaeng eulmyo jeongni uigwe), notes that 11,919 bouquets of royal silk flowers were used for the banquet. While none of these fabric flowers have survived, Hwang managed to recreate them using the historical documents as a guide. The process of creating royal silk flowers involves dyeing, assembly, and installation. First, silk cloths selected for flower-making are dyed using natural pigments such as safflower and gardenia seeds. The cloths are then starched and beaten with a wooden roller to enhance their gloss and elasticity. Then, they are cut into petal shapes, which are smoothed and shaped with beeswax on a heated spatula iron. After this, the petals are arranged in the shape of a blooming flower, and stamens and pistils coated with pine pollen are inserted. The final step involves arranging the completed flowers, together with leaves and buds, on stems and branches. Since the entire process is done by hand, even flowers of the same type may vary in color and form. The individuality and variation of the flowers is what sets them apart from factory-made versions. Hongbyeok dohwajun, large vases with red and white silk flowers modeled after peach blossoms, were placed on either side of the throne to decorate the audience hall. This three-meter-tall vase, filled with white silk flowers, exudes a sense of magnificence and dignity. Courtesy of the Korean Royal Silk Flower Museum Master artisan Hwang Suro crafted this jidangpan, a recreation of a lotus pond, placing two lotus blossoms side by side, surrounded by seven vases of peony flowers, on a wooden platform. This model is based on platforms used to decorate the stage for court dances at the banquet held at Changgyeong Palace in 1829. Courtesy of the Korean Royal Silk Flower Museum BECOMING HIS MOTHER’S PUPIL Choi was born in 1960 as the eldest of Hwang Suro’s three sons. He spent his childhood and school years living in his maternal grandparents’ home, a house in Busan’s Choryang-dong built during the Japanese occupation period. His maternal grandfather, Hwang Rae-sung, founded Taechang Corporation, a textile company that was the first in Korea to produce corduroy, while his own father, Choi Wee-kyung, was a Tokyo University-educated agricultural scientist who later succeeded his father-in-law as the company’s chairman. “Since my mother was the only child, I practically grew up under my maternal grandparents’ care,” Choi says, describing his upbringing. “My maternal grandfather was kind to me, even though he was usually so stern that even my mother, who was known for her strictness, was afraid of him. I believe it was my grandfather’s influence that led me to develop an interest in cultural management after I majored in Western painting at university.” In the early 1980s, amidst the political turmoil in the wake of the Gwangju Uprising, Choi spent most of his college years engaged in social activism through theater and traditional performances, after which he went to France to continue his studies. Having completed a doctoral program in art history at Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, he spent two years working as a research fellow at the French Ministry of Culture. Choi explains, “I participated in a program where one researcher each from 13 different countries was selected to experience the quintessence of European culture. We were given access to various museum collections and systems, a rare opportunity not usually offered to the general public. This experience opened my eyes to the cultural management that integrates traditional values into contemporary life.” After seven and a half years of studying in France, Choi returned to Korea in 1993. Circumstances dictated that he takes over the family business, a role in which he then spent almost a decade feeling out of place. He finally found his calling when he took over Boan Yeogwan. It was also around this time that the art of royal silk flower making caught his attention. “In 2007, when the exhibition Traditional Korean Crafts was held at the United Nations headquarters in New York, I assisted my mother in exhibiting vases of royal silk flowers for the first time. I saw visitors flocking to take pictures of our exhibits and realized that flowers are a universal language that needs no explanation,” Choi says. Royal silk flowers received a similarly enthusiastic acclaim at a 2013 exhibition in Milan entitled Constancy and Change in Korean Traditional Craft. Having watched his mother work, Choi was familiar with the handicraft from an early age, but inheriting her legacy was an entirely different proposition. “Those who learned the craft from my mother eventually left, even after they became certified trainees, because demand is inconsistent,” Choi explains. “I had no choice but to continue her legacy, but I couldn’t shake off the question ‘Why should I do this?’ Then, in 2014, while preparing for the exhibition Beautiful Royal Silk Flowers, I was truly awakened to the beauty of royal silk flowers.” Held at the National Palace Museum of Korea, the exhibition was acclaimed for its recreation of the 1829 banquet held at Changgyeong Palace in celebration of the 40th birthday of King Sunjo and the 30th anniversary of his enthronement. Afterwards, Choi dedicated himself to formal training under his mother until he was officially recognized as a certified trainee in 2019. In the same year, the Korean Royal Silk Flower Museum opened its doors. The museum was constructed in Yangsan in South Gyeongsang Province, at her own expense. In 2020, Choi opened the Royal Silk Flower Seoul Lab to develop and educate others on the traditional craft. He currently runs the lab while also serving as the director of the Yangsan museum, having succeeded his mother. “While the museum seeks to preserve traditional values that should not change, the lab is dedicated to promoting and experimenting with broader modern applications of the tradition,” Choi explains. Choi teaches at the Royal Silk Flower Seoul Lab, which he established in the belief that the traditional craft should be integrated into contemporary life. ⓒ Han Jung-hyun MODERN INSTALLATIONS Held at the Seoul Museum of Craft Art from September to November 2023, Choi’s exhibition Dialogue presented modern interpretations of royal silk flowers along with traditional recreations of red and white silk flowers in vases. Describing his work, Choi says, “I believe the sculptural beauty of royal silk flower installations is, in itself, one of the greatest analog representations of the world of nature. For traditional royal silk flowers to appeal to contemporary tastes, it is essential to use modern techniques, means, and methods.” As both a certified trainee and cultural planner, Choi is now focused on addressing the question of how to use this traditional handicraft in the present day. A scene from the exhibition Dialogue, held at the Seoul Museum of Craft Art in 2023. Choi collaborated with artists from the Royal Silk Flower Seoul Lab to create this contemporary interpretation of the traditional craft. Courtesy of the Korean Royal Silk Flower Museum Lee Gi-sook Writer

Animated Characters Ride the Korean Wave

Arts & Culture 2024 SPRING

Animated Characters Ride the Korean Wave Korean creators of animated characters are strategically expanding to the global market, using a wide range of platforms and outlets. Previously the domain of children and kidults, the notion of characters as a commodity is spreading to every demographic in Korea and beyond. A 15-meter-high version of corporate mascot Bellygom captivates visitors at Time Villas, a Lotte Premium Outlet in Gyeonggi Province, in May 2022. Created by Lotte Home Shopping in 2018, Bellygom is considered one of the most successful in-house Korean corporate characters. ⓒ Bellygom Before the 1980s, Koreans only deemed something a “character” if it appeared in comic books, cartoons, and movies. Since then, computers, smartphones, and the internet have refashioned where and how characters are used. The creative content industry spearheading this transformation has benefited from a growing number of outlets and demographics. Instead of just catering to children, the character-driven market is now targeting Koreans of all ages. For example, emoji and character usage on cellphone messaging services is so commonplace that it has become second nature to most people. Indeed, they are everywhere you look: on electronic devices, apparel, and household products, in public service campaigns, and of course in movies and on television. CHARACTER COMMERCE The commercialization of characters in Korea started to take off around the late 1980s and early 1990s. It paralleled the development of Korea’s domestic industry for cute stationery products. A prime example is Dooly the Little Dinosaur, a manhwa, or comic, by cartoonist Kim Soo-jung. Serialized from 1983 to 1993 in the comic magazine Bomulseom, it enjoyed great popularity for its interesting characters and charming dialogue. From the mid-1990s, the characters began to appear on a wide range of products, including toys, stationery, clothing, electronics, and even decorative flooring for children’s rooms. The late 1990s and early 2000s were marked by the emergence of high-speed internet networks across Korea, and online animations of this period introduced a flood of new characters. Notably, in a market that had long been dominated by imported characters, two Korean characters grabbed attention both at home and abroad. One was Mashimaro, the “bizarre bunny” protagonist of Kim Jae-in’s The Story of Mashimaro Forest, whose surging popularity paved his way to the United States and Japan; the other was Pucca, a superhuman noodle delivery girl created by character design company VOOZCLUB, which successfully entered the European market around the same time. The next stage in the evolution came with the advent of smartphones. In 2012, mobile messaging service KakaoTalk launched its own range of emoji characters, known as Kakao Friends. Designed by Kwon Soon-ho, also known as Hozo, they include Muzi, a playful piece of radish in rabbit clothes, and Tube, a somewhat insecure white duck whose alter ego is a furious, Hulk-like green duck that spits fire. The characters became so popular that they ranked first in a character preference survey conducted in 2017 by the Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA). Introduced to enhance communication, Kakao Friends differentiated itself by allowing users to better express their emotions. The original lineup of seven characters is credited with ushering in a new era in Korean character creation. FANDOM FORMATION Today, character content is entering yet another stage in its trajectory to the center of Korean consumer culture. The most notable change is the increasing number of companies developing their own characters. During a pop-up event in January 2024, a big crowd descended on the flagship outlet of convenience store chain GS25, hoping to see MOOMOOSSI, an anthropomorphic Tibetan fox introduced in 2022 by GS Retail, the chain’s operator. According to the company, MOOMOOSSI was so successful that cumulative annual sales of branded goods and merchandise exceeded 1 million units. To keep consumers engaged, MOOMOOSSI also has its own Instagram account with more than 20,000 followers. Another character playing an even greater role in attracting consumers and building fandom is Bellygom, a pink teddy bear created in 2018 by Lotte Home Shopping. Bellygom first gained traction through YouTube and amassed a huge fan base there and on TikTok. In 2022, it won the Presidential Award in the Best Character category at KOCCA’s Korea Content Awards. With Bellygom reaching an increasingly international audience, Lotte Home Shopping is even taking steps to boost the bear’s profile abroad. Character-based branding is also being embraced in the public sector. As early as the mid-1990s, local governments were already using characters in their campaigns. The massive success of Goyang Goyangi, or Goyang Cat, a feline character developed in 2011 by Goyang City, further demonstrated the immense potential of characters in promoting cities and regions. More recently, JOAYONG, the mascot of Yongin City, has been garnering attention. Launched in 2016, the horned green dragon has maintained its popularity across different platforms and formats, with new content constantly being developed. A recent JOAYANG product created in collaboration with Everland, Korea’s largest theme park, sold over 4,000 units within two weeks of its release, proving that characters from public organizations can also land commercial hits. Launched by GS Retail in 2022, MOOMOOSSI is a rising star with more than 20,000 Instagram followers and over 50 types of merchandise on sale. ⓒ GSRetail SIDEKICK STARDOM Sidekicks of popular characters have become marketable sensations as well. The titular character of the animated children’s TV series Pororo the Little Penguin made such a splash that he became known as the “Children’s President” in Korea. Unsurprisingly, merchandise inspired by the series sold like hotcakes; competitive with imported characters, “President Pororo” became a game-changer for the Korean character industry. Later, Pororo’s beaver friend Loopy went on to enjoy great popularity as an internet meme in 2019 and a KakaoTalk emoji in 2020. While Pororo was particularly loved by young children, internet meme’s iteration of the beaver, renamed Zanmang Loopy, became a favorite among people in their 20s and 30s. Brand ambassador Zanmang Loopy is a new iteration of a beaver character from animated children’s TV series Pororo the Little Penguin. In 2023, she collaborated with mineral water brand Jeju Samdasoo to deliver an eco-friendly message. ⓒ I/O/E/SKB PROLIFERATING PLATFORMS Ultimately, the character industry is about more than just selling merchandise. Characters are now building fandoms and even acting as influencers. This is largely due to the generational shift of their audience. People who grew up with cartoons and video games make up the main adult consumer demographic for today’s character industry. This means that characters, once considered the realm of children and kidults, are now firmly embedded in the culture of adults. In addition, the younger generation’s tendency to respect each person’s tastes and hobbies while delving deeply into individual interests has laid the foundation for characters to spread widely. Another factor compounding this development has been the industry’s strategic placement of trendy characters. In the past, fictional characters mainly appeared on TV and movie screens, but more recently, they are featured on a multitude of online platforms, including on YouTube, TikTok, and other social media. The result has been greater creative freedom, leading to new characters more attuned to the younger generation’s sensibilities. What’s more, where characters were once considered mere marketing vehicles, the focus is now on providing a diversified consumer experience. According to KOCCA, the domestic IP market for characters continues to grow steadily each year and is expected to reach 16.2 trillion Korean won (US$12.2 billion) by 2025. As the locus of character content shifts from Japan and the US to Korea, the future is certainly bright for Korean characters. Gallery Molang, a pop-up store in Yeonnam-dong, Seoul. First created by illustrator Yoon Hye-ji in 2010, the character was adapted into a TV series in 2015 by French animation studio Millimages. Molang’s popularity has led to collaborations with various brands. ⓒ Hayanori

Arts and Culture Calendar March to May 2024

Arts & Culture 2024 SPRING

Arts and Culture Calendar March to May 2024 K-Royal Culture Festival Korea’s leading cultural heritage festival is held every spring and autumn at the five Joseon Dynasty palaces and at Jongmyo, the Confucian shrine where Joseon kings conducted ancestral rites. The festival includes performances, exhibitions, experiences, and ritual reenactments that reflect the history and style of each palace and venue. DATE : Apr. 27 to May 5, 2024 VENUE : Gyeongbok Palace, Changdeok Palace, Deoksu Palace, Changgyeong Palace, Gyeonghui Palace, and Jongmyo (Royal Ancestral Shrine) WEBSITE : chf.or.kr Koo Bohnchang’s Voyages Over the course of nearly five decades, Koo Bohnchang has created an abundance of artworks, blazing a trail for contemporary Korean photography and art. This solo retrospective is unprecedented in size and illustrates his contemplative approach in bridging these genres. Koo Bohnchang’s Voyages takes viewers on a meditative journey, coaxing them to reflect on the meaning of our life and existence. DATE : Dec. 14, 2023 to Mar. 10, 2024 VENUE : Seosomun Main Branch, Seoul Museum of Art WEBSITE : sema.seoul.go.kr Long-Lasting Objects of Metalsmiths, 2023 Korea Zinc Project The Long-Lasting Objects of Metalsmiths exhibition originated from a question: “How can crafts contribute to a sustainable life?” Presenting works by recipients of the Metalwork & Jewelry Award — sponsored by Korea Zinc, one of the world’s leading refined zinc-producing companies — it illuminates how metalsmiths carefully integrate environmental considerations into their craft, fostering a path toward sustainability. DATE : Dec. 19, 2023 to Mar. 10, 2024 VENUE : Seoul Museum of Craft Art WEBSITE : craftmuseum.seoul.go.kr Seoul: There and then This special exhibition features photographs by Lim In-sik, a documentary photographer and war correspondent during the Korean War. On display are about 140 photographs selected from 1,003 total images donated in 2013. They represent a visual record of the lives and emotions of people living in Seoul from 1945 to 1965, a period of tumultuous economic and political change. DATE : Dec. 15, 2023 to Mar. 10, 2024 VENUE : Seoul Museum of History WEBSITE : museum.seoul.go.kr The Complete Performance of Pansori Since 1984, each new season of The Complete Performance of Pansori has been highly anticipated. The first half of the 2024 season features Heungbuga in March, Jeokbyeokga in April, Simcheongga in May, and Sugungga in June. These performances of traditional narrative songs, with accompanying commentary, are presented by the National Theater of Korea. DATE : Mar. 16, Apr. 13, May 11, and June 15, 2024 VENUE : Haneul Round Theater, National Theater of Korea WEBSITE : ntok.go.kr Finding Dragons at the Museum In celebration of the Year of the Blue Dragon in 2024, the National Museum of Korea is introducing fifteen dragon-related items from its permanent exhibition halls. Visitors are invited to examine these representations of dragons and learn about their rich history. DATE : Dec. 20, 2023 to Apr. 7, 2024 VENUE : National Museum of Korea WEBSITE : www.museum.go.kr Jung Youngsun: For All That Lives on Earth This solo exhibition explores the oeuvre of Jung Youngsun, Korea’s first licensed female landscape architect. Displaying a curated selection of representative works, the exhibition reveals the impact of Jung’s creativity on major public and private sites. Among her notable projects are the Asian Athletes’ and Olympic Athletes’ Apartment Complexes at Seoul’s Olympic Park; the Seoul Olympic Museum of Art and Sculpture Park; the Expo Science Park in Daejeon; and Seonyudo Park, located on an island in the Han River. Besides the exhibition, a specially created park offers visitors an immersive experience in Jung’s approach to landscape architecture. DATE : Apr. 5 to Sept. 22, 2024 VENUE : MMCA Seoul – National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea WEBSITE : mmca.go.kr Drawings from MMCA Collection MMCA Cheongju is the first place in East Asia equipped with designated facilities for specialized conservation of artwork by type. This exhibition, drawn from the museum’s Special Storage, provides the opportunity to explore shifts in the concept of drawing. Works on display include those of renowned modernist painters, such as A Boy (1943–1945) by Lee Jung-seob, Landscape (1956) by Park Soo-keun, and Mountain (mid-1970s) by Yoon Young-kuk. DATE : Dec. 14, 2023 to Jul. 31, 2024 VENUE : MMCA Cheongju – National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea WEBSITE : mmca.go.kr Korean Embroidery in Modern Times This exhibition traces the evolution of and trends in Korean embroidery, a lesser-explored aspect of modern and contemporary Korean art history. Woven into the intricate embroidery works are questions about a broad range of subjects, including gender, modernization, tradition, fine art and crafts, artisans, labor, and life. DATE : May 2 to Aug. 4, 2024 VENUE: MMCA Deoksugung – National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea WEBSITE : mmca.go.kr Lear The National Changgeuk Company of Korea presents a distinct adaptation of William Shakespeare’s tragedy King Lear, using the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of changgeuk, a genre of traditional Korean opera derived from pansori (traditional narrative songs). The troupe integrates the Korean language with a refined reinterpretation of traditional Korean music, all guided by meticulous direction and choreography. Lear provides a glimpse of the human condition through the struggles of characters driven by their desires. DATE : Mar. 29 to Apr 7, 2024 VENUE: Daloreum Theater, National Theater of Korea WEBSITE : ntok.go.kr

Online Comedy Takes Center Stage

Arts & Culture 2024 SPRING

Online Comedy Takes Center Stage When the curtain closed on TV comedy sketch shows, Korean comedians migrated to new media platforms. New, cutting-edge formats are now the mainstream, and through the worldwide reach of the internet they are able to reach global audiences. Singer Jeon So-mi, far right, banters with The Psick Show hosts Jung Jae-hyung, Kim Min-su, and Lee Yong-ju (from left to right). Their YouTube channel Psick University has subscribers around the world. ⓒ META COMEDY To Lee Yong-ju, he and his two partners, Kim Min-su and Jung Jae-hyung, are not just longtime comedians; they are groundbreaking artists. “I see a connection between comedy and art, as both fields share numerous similarities. With time, new voices emerge. We are to the comedy genre what artists like Vincent van Gogh, Paul Gauguin, and Paul Cézanne were to the impressionist era.” Lee, Kim, and Jung — Van Gogh, Gauguin, and Cézanne, respectively, in Lee’s analogy — are the creators of the YouTube channel Psick University. Comparing their stature to that of the renowned 19th century painters fits the comedians’ boisterous shtick. But there is no doubt they too are innovators; they have reinvented Korean comedy. DAWN OF A NEW ERA Before the rise of the internet, families gathered in front of their television sets every weekend night. Sketch shows such as Gag Concert, People Looking for a Laugh, and Gag Night dominated a golden age of broadcast TV comedy. But during the 2000s and 2010s, these shows lost their charm one after another. The decline culminated in June 2020 when Gag Concert, the last survivor, signed off. Freed from rigid formulas of TV producers and programmers, comedians drifted to YouTube, where they could experiment with fewer constraints. While traditional TV comedy was confined to production stages, internet media platforms allow for modest studio set-ups and spontaneous entertainment in different locales. Gag Concert unexpectedly made a comeback in November 2023, but it remains to be seen if it can once again attract viewers in an environment that has drastically changed since the show’s heyday. Psick University (pisik is an onomatopoeia for a giggle) is at the forefront of a new era. Initially, Lee, Kim, and Jung uploaded content that satirized the life of college students, exploring topics such as break-ups and final exams. However, the channel soon morphed into a contemporary style of sketch comedy. The trio’s breakout came in November 2022. Surprised by the high number of foreign viewers, the Psick University founders decided to create a show geared to international audiences. In THE TALK, the comedians pretended to be global celebrities guests on a TV talk show. Adding an international touch, the interviews were primarily done in English by a foreign host. The comedy trio exuded a confidence reminiscent of seasoned guests on Western talk shows. Their flamboyant style, audacious claim of being the “world’s best comedy group,” and deadpan sincerity expressed in intermittent bursts of Korean and broken English effortlessly gained more attention at home and abroad. Beneath the comedic exterior laid a significant move — a hat thrown into the ring. THE TALK ambitiously aimed to generate a fresh wave of comedy in a format that blended spontaneity, charm, and a dash of delightful awkwardness. Soon THE TALK transformed into The Psick Show, with Lee, Kim, and Jung featuring as interviewers. As the free-wheeling show’s popularity soared, Korean and international stars began to appear, often becoming good-natured foils for the comedians’ antics and exaggeration. The 80s Are Here depicts former college acquaintances now navigating life in their thirties. Viewers easily relate to the show’s presentation of everyday challenges. ⓒ META COMEDY Humor and gentle stereotyping have led to high viewership of Psick University’s Hansarang Hiking Club. The episodes highlight behavior and details commonly observed among ajeossi, or middle-aged men. ⓒ META COMEDY TAKING THINGS TO THE NEXT LEVEL Psick University has amassed nearly 3 million subscribers. The channel is behind hit shows like Hansarang Hiking Club, The 80s Are Back, and Online Date. Another popular channel, Shortbox, is the creative force behind Long-term Relationships, a sketch comedy series known for its hyper-realistic style. A notable collaboration between comedians Kwak Beom and Lee Chang-ho resulted in the creation of Bbangsongguk. Their innovative YouTube channel presented the duo Mad Monster, consisting of TAN and J.HO, by using an app to distort their faces. The production not only introduced alternative virtual characters but also gave rise to a distinct genre known as “worlds.” This immersion in virtual comedic realms, which captivated fans with imaginative settings, was then successfully monetized, not just through ad revenue sharing but also by selling merchandise featuring Mad Monster characters. By moving to an expansive platform like YouTube, Korean sketch comedy has found renewed vitality through novel subject matter and innovative styles. YouTube channels with distinct brand identities have even joined forces under a single commercial enterprise, Meta Comedy Inc. Their consolidation into a cohesive entity aims to facilitate practical business ventures. Any question that online comedy has a seat at the table of Korea’s entertainment establishment was dispelled last year, when The Psick Show was named the Best Entertainment Program in the TV category of the Baeksang Arts Awards. It was the first time that an online show was recognized by the prestigious awards, which honor excellence in film, TV, and theater in Korea. “To be honest, we thought it was great that Baeksang was trying to transform itself by nominating us,” said Jung. “We were grateful just for the chance to attend the award ceremony.” Mock K-pop duo Mad Monster is the key element generating viewership for the YouTube channel Bbansongguk. It features comedians Kwak Beom (left) and Lee Chang-ho whose fake looks are created by filters in a camera app. ⓒ META COMEDY INTERNATIONAL APPEAL? Can Korean comedy go even further and achieve global acclaim like K-pop and K-drama? Slapstick comedy, such as the performances of Charlie Chaplin or the iconic British sitcom Mr. Bean, has timeless, universal appeal. Comedic dialogue, on the other hand, is trickier because of differences in culture, history, and language. And yet, that has not stopped The Psick Show from standing out. Its appeal stems from the hosts’ broken English and over-the-top personas, as they engage with Korean stars such as RM from BTS and other global celebrities who play along with the hyperbole and silliness. When movie actor Chris Pratt, one of the stars of the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise, and James Gunn, its director, came onto the show, they asked the hosts, “You guys are world famous, right?” and joked that being invited was the highlight of their life. French science fiction writer Bernard Werber, author of Empire of the Ants and The Day of the Ants, was asked to predict the future of “stock market ants,” a whimsical reference to individual investors in Korea. Andre Rush, a former White House chef, military veteran, and host of the reality cooking show Kitchen Commando on YouTube, pretended to be a soldier being bullied in the Korean army and then a bullying U.S. officer. Walter Hong, a stand-up comedian from the United States, playfully chastised his hosts’ linguistic ability, declaring, “Your guys’s English sucks.” The putdown evolved into a delightful linguistic play as Yongju Lee humorously rendered “introduction” as “cow dog,” echoing the phonetics of the Korean word “sogae.” Hong then continued the word play with “cow crab,” which is pronounced the same way in Korean. Their clever banter effectively bridged the gap between Korean and English, showing how linguistic stumbles can help Korean comedy reach global audiences. Jung Duk-hyun Pop culture critic

Architect Choi Wook Explores the Void

Arts & Culture 2024 SPRING

Architect Choi Wook Explores the Void Choi Wook, president of ONE O ONE architects, says that while Western architecture is iconographic, Korean architecture is not. In pursuing something distinctly Korean through his designs, Choi focuses more on experience and intuition than on visual aesthetics. Choi Wook pays more attention to spatial composition than visual form. He focuses on the relationship between a building and its surroundings as well as communication between the interior and exterior. ⓒ texture on texture The Room of Quiet Contemplation was created in November 2021 in the National Museum of Korea to display two gilt-bronze pensive Maitreya bodhisattva statues. Designated as Korea’s National Treasures No. 78 and No. 83, the statues were made in the late sixth and early seventh centuries, respectively. Entering the clay-colored room after passing through a dark corridor reveals the serene smilesof the pensive bodhisattvas, which are beloved by many Koreans. For the design of the room, various aspects were taken into consideration. It boldly offers 360-degree views while ensuring the safety of the national treasures. It also preserves the meaning and value of the Buddhist statues and implements a new exhibition method. In all, the room itself seems to transcend time and space. Measuring 24 meters in length, it offers viewers the opportunity to examine the statues in a space the sizeof a small theater, the type in which audiences can observe actors’ expressions. The two pensive bodhisattva statues are intentionally misaligned on top of an oval platform. The walls are finished with naturally light-absorbing materials, such as clay and charcoal, and the ceiling and floor facing the statues have a one-degree incline. This allows only the gilt-bronze statues to shine in the exhibition room. The ceiling is covered with aluminum rods, designed to give the impression of a vast night sky. Describing how he approached this work, architect Choi Wook says, “I wanted to break away from the visual perspective. Without a visual center, people tend to move naturally, like circling around a pagoda when celebrating Buddha’s Birthday. I focused on conveying a spiritual ambience rather than following strict geometrical logic.” In his design, Choi moved away from a Western perspective and demonstrated a new approach to experiencing asense of space. The National Museum of Korea’s Room of Quiet Contemplation opened a newchapter in exhibition methods. The space was created to allow 360-degree viewing of the two pensivebodhisattvas and provide a precise distance between visitors and the exhibit. Courtesy of ONE O ONE architects; Photo by Kim In-chul SEARCH FOR KOREAN ARCHITECTURE “I went to study at the University Institute of Architecture of Venice [now Iuav University of Venice], oneof the schools in Europe that was attracting attention at the time for its progressive intellectuals andarchitectural scholars. Studying Western architecture, with its roots in logic and rationalism, made methink that it was based on a very different system from Korean architecture. During the Renaissance, spaceusing the perspectival method emerged, and naturally the façade became important. But Korean architecturedidn’t seem to place too much weight on the façade.” While in Italy, Choi was once asked an interesting question by a musician on the steps of the PalladioMuseum; did he consider traditional Korean music to be strange? The musician told Choi that it was hisbelief that Western music built harmony through exchange, while in contrast, Korean music consisted of a5-pitch scale without semitones. “Later, I understood that to be the world of juxtaposition. It’sdramatically different from Western composition.” His thirst to gain a better understanding of Korean architecture was gradually quenched after completing hisstudies abroad, when he returned to Korea and participated in a number of architectural field trips. Hebegan to focus on foundations, which were a means of adapting to Korea’s hilly terrain. Clusters ofsmall plots of land particularly fascinated him. In the early 2000s, he was dismayed to learn that the hanok, or traditional Korean houses, in Seoul’s Bukchonneighborhood were quickly disappearing due to redevelopment. Soon after, he found himself an office in oneof them, which gave him time to experience and observe traditional Korean architecture. His time thereyielded tangible results. Choi’s contributions to the Hyundai Card Library series, which included the 2012 Design Library andthe 2016 Cooking Library, paid great attention to the sensory experience provided by the light, sound, andsmell in each space. In his work on the Hyundai Card Yeongdeungpo Office Building in 2013, he made theboundary of the building effectively disappear by extending the lobby floor to the exterior. Many ofChoi’s high-rise buildings follow this pattern; the lower floors accommodate the flow of thesurrounding land in order to serve as a foundation, while the upper floors are lightened, rendering thefaçade more subtle. His lobbies invite in light from many directions, creating a bright, warm glow, withoutshadows cast into the space. Into these modern environments, built using Western architectural styles, Choiinserts his Eastern approach, using experience to incorporate sensory elements and feelings. Choi Wook renovated the Hyundai Card Design Library from an existing gallery inGahoe-dong to accentuate the beauty of void space. Windows were installed on the three sides surroundingthe courtyard to invite in light and contrasting materials such as wood and stainless steel were used. Courtesy of ONE O ONE architects; Photo by Namgoong Sun The Hyundai Card Yeongdeungpo Office Building was designed to blend in with thesurrounding environment. The flooring of the lobby was extended to the exterior to diminish the boundarybetween inside and outside, while the building’s curtain wall harmonizes it with the nearbystructures. Courtesy of ONE O ONE architects; Photo by Namgoong Sun FLOW OF SPACE “In traditional Korean architecture, the cross section of the ground and the foundation dictate thecharacteristics and size of a space as well as human movement within. It may sound simplistic, but we firsttry to understand the ground and the context. We look at the relationship between the land a building willsit on and the surroundings. In other words, we try to create a continuous sequence of planes. It’svery important to match the texture of the flooring with the temperature and color of thespace.” In 2022, Korean cosmetics brand Amorepacific opened a flagship skincare store and a tea house in ChoiWook’s Gahoe-dong Duzip, located in the eponymous Seoul neighborhood. The building clearlydemonstrates Choi’s approach to architecture. The project involved the renovation of a hanok residencebuilt in the 1930s and a Western-style house from the 1960s. Beyond simply connecting buildings of twodifferent styles and ages, Choi created a flow of space by faithfully reflecting the ground of the existinghanok. He also got rid of the six-meter retaining wall in order to connect the courtyard of the hanok in theforeground and the Western-style residence in the background via an underground floor. While this waschallenging, it helped solve structural problems. Choi also gave serious thought as to how to maximize the other merits of the hanok’s design.His solution was to install transparent glass doors and windows in the hanok, allowing one’s gaze to flow through the entire open space created by the two properties. Visitors can therefore experience what Choidescribes as “a new view with every step.” Gahoe-dong Duzip (Two Houses in Gahoe-dong) showcases the architect’sinterest in implementing a Korean-style space. In order to combine an existing hanok and a Western-stylebuilding, he removed the retaining wall that stood in the middle and created a courtyard. Courtesy of ONE O ONE architects; Photo by Kim In-chul UNIQUE DNA Choi’s perspective on architecture became more concrete when he published Domus Korea, a regional edition of the Italian architecture anddesign magazine Domus. Between 2018 and 2020, he released a totalof twelve volumes, providing him with an opportunity to contemplate the traits of Korean architecture thathe had long researched. In collaboration with critics, writers, and architects, Choi was able to considerkey concepts such as the land, ground, juxtaposition, clusters, and void. “The contents of the magazine are an expression of respect coming from the people who have lived in thisland. I’m not interested in discussing a grand concept of Korea; rather, I’m interested inKorea’s cultural DNA. I want to fully embrace it.” Choi’s work is characterized by its reliance on experience and intuition rather than logic. Heimplements these seemingly ambiguous terms in detailed measurements and elaborate construction. His currenthome, the House with Chukdae in Buamdong, and the Seaside House in Goseong County are near-perfect examplesof the type of buildings that Choi wishes to create.“Korean architecture interprets the conditions of the ground, the relationship with light, and the usage ofthe building. It’s not the façade but the ambience of the space that is important.” True to thesewords, both the House with Chukdae and the Seaside House do not maximize the exterior form of architecturebut generate a sensory experience from the spaces within, and from other elements, such as the sun, wind,waves, and birdsong. “Tai Soo Kim, who designed the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art Gwacheon, once said thatalthough people talked about modernism as the end of the age of masters, modernism too ended in the 1980s,when individualism took center stage in architecture. Each person draws on their own background, creatingtheir own foundation. I always tell my colleagues at ONE O ONE architects that memories and personalexperience are far more important than taste. You create and interpret work through your own narrative.” The House with Chukdae, where Choi Wook lives, is a perfect example of his brand of architecture. The house leverages the topography of the site, while walls are minimized allowing the change of seasons to be experienced more fully. The photo shows the dining space used by Choi and his wife Jinnie Seo, an installation artist. Courtesy of ONE O ONE architects; Photo by Namgoong Sun The Seaside House, which serves as Choi Wook’s second residence, was built modestly so that it would blend in with the humble fishing village where it is located. Its walls were finished with plaster. Less attention was paid to functional aspects, and many large windows were installed to bring the seascape into the house. Courtesy of ONE O ONE architects; Photo by Kim In-chul Hyundai Motors’ GENESIS Lounge located on the 5th floor of the Shilla Seoul was inspired by madang (courtyard) and daecheong (main hall) of traditional Korean houses. To make up for the low ceiling in the interior space, reflective materials were used on the ceiling to give a sense of height. Courtesy of ONE O ONE architects; photo by Kim In-chul Lim Jin-young CEO, OPENHOUSE SEOUL

Books & More

Arts & Culture 2024 SPRING

Books & More “ The Naked Tree ” By Keum Suk Gendry-Kim, Translated by Janet Hong 320 pages, $29.95, Drawn & Quarterly, 2023 A Beloved Novel Reimagined Cross-media adaptations have a long history. These days, we most commonly see written and graphic works, such as novels and comics, adapted to film or television. Keum Suk Gendry-Kim’s adaptation of celebrated Korean writer Park Wan-suh’s debut novel, The Naked Tree, however, reimagines it through the visual medium of the graphic novel. Park’s original novel is inspired by Park Su-geun (1914–1965), an artist who eked out a living during the Korean War by painting portraits for U.S. soldiers. He possessed artistic vision and genius but it went unrecognized until his death. Told from the perspective of Kyeonga, the author’s alter ego, the novel also deals with the clash of cultures between locals and foreign troops and the changes in social values that characterized the fledgling nation during the Korean War. Acclaimed for its vivid depiction and criticism of society at that tumultuous time, it won the literary prize for women writers offered by the Yeoseong Donga magazine. Gendry-Kim’s graphic novel adds another chapter to the history of this famous work. She intended to stick closely to the original, but the work gradually transformed into something new. The core narrative is the same, but the graphic novel adds a frame to that original story, introducing Park Wan-suh and her husband as characters who are reborn as their alter egos. Gendry-Kim also recreates several Park Su-geun works, inserting them in the core narrative and in the framing sections. This obscures the demarcation between the lives of the real people and the fictional characters based on them, adding further layers and depth to the story. In a novel, the images are created in the mind of each reader, whereas in a graphic novel, readers are treated to the singular vision of the artist. Gendry-Kim captures the Seoul of the Korean War in stark black-and-white drawings that can be haunting, frantic, painful, and beautiful. But she goes beyond simple graphic representation to fully employ the affordances of her chosen medium. For example, she often utilizes bleeds, where the image — in the words of comic theorist Scott McCloud — “hemorrhages and escapes into timeless space.” Gendry-Kim’s bleeds sometimes indicate a literal bleeding of time, signaling a transition in the narrative. Other times they depict the external chaos of the Korean War or the internal chaos of the characters’ hearts. Even when the artist does rely on the panels that form the basic structure of graphic novels, she plays with them in clever ways. When Kyeonga recalls her most painful memory, the depiction of her family members literally bursts out of the edges of the panels as a visual demonstration of how they refuse to remain in the past. Elsewhere, characters rest their arms or hands on the edges of the panels, as if they were part of the scenery. And in the chapter depicting the exhibition of Park Su-geun’s work, frames are reserved for the paintings themselves, while the characters walk and talk in the untethered space around them. Much more could be said of Gendry-Kim’s skill in rendering this beloved tale in a new medium, but the joy of exploration should be left to the reader. Whether you are returning to Park’s novel or discovering it for the first time, this graphic novel is a beautiful window on the work. “ Am I Not Your Sin ” By Choi Ji-in, Translated by Stella Kim 142 pages, ₩10,000, ASIA Publishers, 2023 One Poet’s Struggle Choi Ji-in opens his new collection of poems with a reference to places around the world where “incidents” have occurred: “Jeju, Okinawa, Taipei, Manila, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Madagascar, Haiti, Hokkaido” (“Curve”). War and conflict are woven through every line of this collection, creating a tapestry of memory and history. Through it all, the poet seeks meaning, confessing that “there is nothing that I can do other than to write” (“Curve”) but also admitting the hopelessness of his quest: “We cannot know what life is or what it means to be human” (“A New World”). Conspicuous references to biblical themes, such as “the Lamb of the earth carrying sins of the world” (“The End of Growth”), hint at hope, but ultimately it is an inversion of the wisdom of Confucius that seems most relevant: “I dare ask / about life / How could I know life / when I do not know death” (“Sowing”). Yet through it all, the poet still chooses to love. Whatever hope we might have, perhaps it is in this choice, and in the stories that we hand down so that we might never forget where we have failed. It is these memories that Choi seeks to preserve. “ Danuri Portal ” The World Under One Roof The “Danuri Portal” website offers information about life in Korea in thirteen languages, mainly from Central, East, and Southeast Asia (although English and Russian are also included). As might be guessed from the title — “Danuri” is a combination of the Chinese character for “many” or “multiple” and the native Korean word for “world” — the site is designed to support multicultural families, and the main target audience is female marriage migrants in Korea. However, other migrants will likely find some of the content helpful too. The information can be found primarily in two downloadable PDF books, titled Welcome Book for Immigrants by Marriage and Guidebook for Living in Korea. The former is a short bilingual booklet that summarizes important information for an easy transition to life in Korea. The latter is amore comprehensive monolingual booklet designed to help immigrants adapt to life in Korea. This, too, is primarily for multicultural families and marriage migrants, but much of the information will be useful to any foreign resident of Korea. The site can be a little tricky to navigate at times, but it provides a wealth of carefully prepared and curated content..

Korea’s Legendary Breaker

Arts & Culture 2024 SPRING

Korea’s Legendary Breaker Kim Hong-yul, better known by his stage name, Hong 10, became a professional b-boy as a teenager and has never looked back, winning multiple world titles. Now he has his sights set on the 2024 Paris Olympics. Participants cheer on Hong 10 as he shows off one of his signature moves, supported just by his fingers, during the Red Bull BC One Camp Poland, held in Gdańsk in 2021. ⓒ Lukasz Nazdraczew, Red Bull Content Pool 2023 was a banner year for Kim Hong-yul, better known as Hong 10, the face of Korean b-boying. Despite an injury suffered the previous year and the rust of the subsequent layoff, he managed to win a silver medal at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China. Weeks later, he triumphed at the Red Bull BC One World Final, the largest and most prestigious international breaking competition. The Red Bull title was Hong 10’s third at the event, adding to his 2006 and 2013 championships. The victory etched his name in the record books alongside Menno van Gorp of the Netherlands for the highest number of wins accomplished at the elite competition. This achievement effectively means that Hong 10 now ranks among the world’s top b-boys (break-boys). Breaking developed on the streets of U.S. cities in the 1970s and 1980s. By the next decade, it had grabbed the attention of Korean youth, including Hong 10, a middle schooler at the time. He invented his stage name after hearing b-boys from abroad struggle to pronounce the last syllable of his given name. He chose “10” because it is a homonym for “yul,” the native Korean word for “ten.” Professional breaking requires an extreme blend of strength, balance, and flexibility, and a dash of innovative flair. The signature moves of the highly inventive Hong 10 include the “Hong 10 Freeze,” an inverted headstand with his legs moving quickly to the music, and the “Two-finger Freeze,” an upside-down position supported by only two fingers of both hands. Top gymnasts must possess similar athleticism, as their floor exercise and pommel horse events resemble breaker moves. Most of them retire by their mid-20s but Hong 10, who is already 38 years old, continues to push forward. The injuries have been adding up, but he hopes to qualify for the 2024 Olympics in Paris. How did you feel after winning your third Red Bull BC One crown? After finishing second in 2016, I had the feeling it might be difficult for me to ever be champion again. That’s why I chose to take a break from competing for a while. I was invited again in 2022, but since I wasn’ t in perfect shape, there was no way I could go. Making my comeback last year after being away for so long felt great in and of itself, but being able to win on top of that made me very happy. Weeks after winning a silver medal at the Hangzhou Asian Games in 2023, Hong 10 took first place at the Red Bull BC One World Final. The championship put him alongside Dutch b-boy Menno van Gorp for the most wins ever recorded in the prestigious competition. Please describe the Red Bull final. I wasn’ t feeling my best then, either. I had been dealing with a knee injury before the competition, and I still had some lingering fatigue from participating in the Asian Games only two weeks prior. Strangely enough, though, I was in such a great mood throughout the whole competition that I didn’t feel nervous at all. In the final, I faced off against Phil Wizard, a fellow member of the Red Bull BC One All Stars team and a good friend of mine. Competing with him allowed me to enjoy myself, which must have had a positive impact on my performance. What got you into breaking? I developed an interest after seeing some friends break in my second year of middle school and decided to give it a try myself. One thing I like about breaking is the sense of exhilaration you get when you manage to pull off a technically challenging move. When I first got started, I found great pleasure in learning all sorts of new moves, but as time went by, I felt the urge to develop my own style. This led me to start creating my own moves, and since it was a lot of fun, I just kept at it. How do you invent new moves? Creating your own moves comes with its share of challenges. There’s no fixed formula. It’s difficult to invent something different. And even if you can come up with a great idea, there’s no guarantee that you’ll be physically capable of executing it. That's why it isn’t easy to create even one or two new moves a year. I always jot down ideas before experimenting with them, but this rarely ever leads to success. You just need to persevere and keep trying regardless of the outcome. I think the only reason I’ve been able to keep at it for so long is because I enjoy the process of creating something new. Have you ever been in a slump? I briefly stepped away from b-boying in 2003. The previous year, I had participated in famous international competitions, including the Battle of the Year and the UK B-Boy Championships, events I had known only through videos and ended up winning. It felt like a dream come true, and I found myself wondering what to do next. I took a break and worked a part-time job for about six months. Then, some friends came up to me one day to ask me to join their team for an upcoming competition. Preparing for that event allowed me to rediscover my profound love for breaking. Since then, whenever I feel that I’m in a downtrend, I redouble my efforts to improve myself rather than taking time off. Please tell us about your Asian Games medal. Initially, I didn’t grasp the full scale of the Asian Games, so I didn’t attach much importance to being selected to represent South Korea. However, once the competition got underway, I realized the seriousness of the event, and I began to feel mounting pressure and expectations. Unluckily for me, I had suffered a bad knee injury only two weeks earlier, and despite my best efforts to recover in time, it wasn’t enough. I had no choice but to push through with the help of painkillers. The competition took place over two days. On the first day, my only goal was to survive, and I did just that. On the second day, the first opponent I came up against was Amir Zakirov (stage name Amir) from Kazakhstan, who was considered one of the favorites to win it all. I decided to focus on executing the routine I had prepared instead of thinking about winning, and that gave me the boost of confidence I needed to come out on top. I went on to face Nakarai Shigeyuki (stage name Shigekix) from Japan in the final but had to settle for second place after losing by a single vote, leaving me a bit disappointed. Hong 10, a member of the FLOWXL crew, strikes a pose during a practice session at a rehearsal studio in Seoul’s Hongdae neighborhood. A breaker since his mid-teens, Hong 10 has been in the international b-boy limelight for over two decades. How are you preparing for the 2024 Olympics? If I want to make it to the Olympics, I’ll need to do well in the qualifiers that take place in May and June. Only by securing a spot in the top ten will I be eligible to compete in Paris. That’s why my current focus is on achieving a good result in the qualifiers. How much longer do you plan to compete? The roots of breaking are found in a combative culture. To quit would mean no longer participating in battles. Even if I continue to stay involved in breaking — for instance, as a judge — I’ll have to stop competing eventually. If I ever started battling simply to enjoy myself rather than to win, I think that could also be seen as a form of retirement. I’m not sure how much longer I can continue showing up in battles, but I’d like to keep breaking for as long as I can. That said, considering how hard I’ve been pushing, I’d like to take a little break after the Olympics. What do you hope your legacy to be? I hope people will remember me as someone who did his best to change the breaking scene in Korea. Compared with other countries, we don’t have as many young b-boys here. I’m thinking about ways to attract more young people to the sport. While I don’t have a concrete plan yet, I’m on the lookout for new ideas. I also have my own signature moves like the Hong 10 Freeze, which I hope will live on long after people have forgotten about me. That’s the most I could ask for. Yun DanwooDance Critic Heo Dong-wuk Photographer

Exploring Constant Day-to-Day Jitters

Arts & Culture 2023 WINTER

Exploring Constant Day-to-Day Jitters Bora Chung is a fiction writer who uses the surreal to depict the anxiety and fear lurking beneath the surface of everyday life. Her fast-paced narratives are not only gripping but also help console readers. After returning from the Berlin International Literature Festival, she shared her motivation and perspectives. (Clockwise from top left) Midnight Timetable, a new novel collection published in 2023 by Purplerain, a brand specializing in genre literature of Galmaenamu; revised Korean edition of Cursed Bunny released in 2023 by Influential Inc. through its imprint Rabbit Hole; U.S. edition of Cursed Bunny released by Algonquin Books in 2022; Korean novel About Pain published by Dasan Books in 2023; English edition of Cursed Bunny published in 2021 by Honford Star in the U.K. ⓒ Galmaenamu ⓒ Influential Inc. ⓒ Algonquin Books ⓒ Dasan Books ⓒ Honford Star Ltd. Bora Chung and her translator Anton Hur wear T-shirts bearing the title of Chung’s acclaimed novel at the International Booker Prize Shortlist Readings held at the Southbank Centre’s Queen Elizabeth Hall in London in May 2022. In 2022, the English translation of Bora Chung’s short story anthology Cursed Bunny (Jeoju tokki) was shortlisted for the International Booker Prize, one of the world’s most prestigious literary awards. Last year, the U.S. edition was also named a finalist for the National Book Award for Translated Literature. The collection of ten works was praised for offering a chilling portrayal of the underlying fears and pressures of everyday life through a unique blend of horror, fantasy, and science fiction. Five years after its initial release, the book eventually became a bestseller in South Korea, creating quite a stir. Born in Seoul in 1976, Chung grew up watching Korean Ghost Stories, (aka Hometown Legends; Jeonseorui Gohyang), a popular 1977–1989 TV series, and was exposed to her grandmother’s love for detective novels. After graduating from Yonsei University, Chung went to the United States to earn a master’s degree in Russian and East European Studies from Yale University, followed by a Ph.D. from Indiana University, where she wrote her dissertation on Russian and Polish literature.After returning from the U.S., she took up writing while teaching at a university, and had several novels and short story anthologies published. Over the years, Chung has also translated a number of Russian and Polish literary works, but after recently retiring from teaching, she now devotes all of her time to writing. I met with the author at a coffee shop in Seoul’s Hongdae area, a beehive of university students. She had just returned from the Berlin International Literature Festival where she had participated in discussions with fellow writers. What was the reaction to you being shortlisted for the International Booker Prize? Readers from around the world started to share their thoughts with me directly through social media. For example, some readers told me they were too scared to go to the bathroom after reading my story “The Head” (“Meori”) because of the scene in which a head pops out of a toilet bowl. Other than that, I don’t feel that much has changed, except that I spend more time thinking about what to write. How do readers view your stories’ fantasy elements?. At this year’s Berlin International Literature Festival, I participated in two events; one on the topic of horror, and the other on magical realism. Both were panel discussions with other authors, and I had the opportunity to tell many ghost stories. Korean historical texts such as History of the Three Kingdoms (Samguk sagi) and Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms (Samguk yusa), compiled in the 1 2th and 13th centuries, contain many accounts of unusual events and stories involving mythical creatures. It seems that people have always been fascinated by such stories. Not only do they capture our imagination, but I feel they also serve to broaden our horizons. I also had the opportunity to share ghost stories at events in Singapore and Malaysia, and the response was very enthusiastic. The audience was highly involved in the Q&A sessions, showing a keen interest in all things Korean and asking very pertinent questions. What makes Korean fantasy unique? While the themes and content of stories may vary from one country to another, people all around the world seem to share a particular interest in supernatural phenomena. In this sense, the only distinctive feature of Korean fantasy is the Korean setting. Otherwise, I don’t think readers would be able to relate to my works. Does your childhood influence your work? Yes, indeed. Korean Ghost Stories was a TV series that featured paranormal events, including ghostly apparitions. It was quite intriguing, and I enjoyed watching it as a child. My latest novel, The Fox (Ho), published this spring, is about a man who falls under the spell of a nine-tailed fox—a mythical creature known as Gumiho in Korea— just like in the TV series. That said, I think my story is different in that it offers a reinterpretation of the timeless legend in a contemporary setting. As an activist writer, do you think that writing alone isn’t enough to change the world? I certainly feel that way. Last year, I found out about my nomination for the International Booker Prize right after I had finished a protest against the war in Ukraine in front of the Russian Embassy in Seoul. I’m constantly trying to stay vigilant so as not to get stuck in my own head and become detached from reality. At the same time, I believe that one of the functions of literature is to comfort readers. At the risk of sounding overly ambitious, I hope that my works can evoke in my readers the widest possible range of complex emotions. Do you still see yourself as a realist writer despite your use of fantasy? One of the defining features of magical realism lies in its ability to portray strange scenarios in a strikingly realistic way. Whenever I write about people, I inevitably find myself having to deal with real-world issues. To me, the act of writing is a way of trying to make sense of things I don’t understand. How has your experience with literary translation affected your writing? Doing translation work for so many years has allowed me to learn a lot about writing fiction. To begin with, the process of translating different languages into Korean has helped me improve my writing skills in general. It has also made me think deeply about a number of aspects at the heart of fiction writing, from plot and character development to narrative perspective. I draw a lot of inspiration from early 20th century Slavic literature because all kinds of new writing were widely accepted at the time. How would you like global readers to engage with your stories? Without readers there would be no writers. That’s why I feel like a new writer every time I meet a new reader. I’m filled with infinite gratitude. Given that Cursed Bunny has been translated into many different languages, I hope that readers will put their trust in translators without worrying about how the translation might differ from the original work. What kind of works are you planning to write in the future? I don’t think I have any other choice but to keep pursuing utopia. I plan to continue writing about how we might be able to build a happier and safer society for everyone, while also taking action myself. I believe this is the most meaningful thing I can do. And of course, I also plan to continue writing ghost stories. Originally released in South Korea in 2017, Bora Chung’s Cursed Bunny was translated into English by Anton Hur and published by Honford Star in 2021. The following year it was shortlisted for the International Booker Prize. Although Bora Chung’s stories may seem odd and uncanny, they are rooted in the author’s anger at the social injustices she hears about daily. Cho Yong-ho Culture Desk Reporter, UPI News Heo Dong-wuk Photographer

Arts and Culture Calendar December 2023 to February 2024

Arts & Culture 2023 WINTER

Arts and Culture Calendar December 2023 to February 2024 Suki Seokyeong Kang: Willow Drum Oriole Willow Drum Oriole refers to the sages of yore who would read the movements and sounds of the oriole flying in and out of the leaves of willow trees, as if weaving a thread into the fabric of the landscape. Using this metaphor, the artist symbolically reveals a defining characteristic of her work: sen­sitivity to audiovisual and tactile awareness, combined with spatiotempo­ral experience. DATE: Sept. 7 to Dec. 31, 2023 VENUE: Leeum Museum of Art WEBSITE: www.leeumhoam.org The Most Honest Confession: Chang Ucchin Retrospective Chang Ucchin (1917–1990) is one of the representative members of the first generation of Korean modern artists who expressed the inherent spirit of Korea. This exhibition offers an in-depth look at his oil paintings, ink wash paintings, marker drawings, prints, illustrations, and paintings on ceram­ics. DATE: Sept. 14, 2023 to Feb. 12, 2024 VENUE: MMCA Deoksugung WEBSITE: www.mmca.go.kr Splash! Buncheong Ware with Fish Designs This exhibition introduces a diverse selection of Joseon-era buncheong ware. Featuring fish designs, the exhibition sheds light on the traditional Korean stoneware’s distinctive individuality stemming from a range of dec­orative techniques. Exploring the different fish designs provides an enter­taining way to appreciate buncheong ware. DATE: Sept. 23, 2023 to Apr. 25, 2024 VENUE: National Museum of Korea WEBSITE: www.museum.go.kr Hanyangga: An Ode to Seoul With a special focus on its use of Hangeul, this exhibition explores “Ha­nyangga,” or Song of Hanyang (the name of Seoul in the Joseon Dynasty), and offers insights into the past and present of the Korean capital. On dis­play are exhibits illustrating the changes in Seoul after the late Joseon peri­od; a woodblock-printed book that contains the original version of the ex­hibition’s eponymous song; and various other manuscripts. DATE: Sept. 27, 2023 to Feb. 12, 2024 VENUE: National Hangeul Museum WEBSITE: www.hangeul.go.kr Korea Artist Prize 2023 Launched in 2012, the Korea Artist Prize is an annual exhibition held at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea (MMCA), and a major award program that recognizes achievements in Korea’s contem­porary art scene. The exhibition features newly commissioned and exist­ing major works by the 2023 nominated artists, Byungjun Kwon, Gala Por­ras-Kim, Kang Seung Lee, and Sojung Jun. DATE: Oct. 20, 2023 to Mar. 31, 2024 VENUE: MMCA Seoul WEBSITE: www.mmca.go.kr Gala Porras-Kim: National Treasures This exhibition shows Gala Porras-Kim’s exploration of the intricacies that arise when ancient objects, history, and modern systems intersect. It show­cases three new works by the Colombian Korean artist that are based on Korean cultural heritage and ten national treasures drawn from the Leeum Museum of Art’s collection. DATE: Oct. 31, 2023 to Mar. 31, 2024 VENUE: Leeum Museum of Art WEBSITE: www.leeumhoam.org Wise and Unbiased: Royal Philosophy in Paintings and Calligraphy of the Joseon Dynasty To commemorate the 300th anniversary of the accession to the throne of King Yeongjo of Joseon (r. 1724–1776), this exhibition highlights the influ­ence of calligraphies and paintings that underpinned the philosophy of tang­pyeong, or political impartiality. One of King Yeongjo’s notable achievements was the philosophy’s institutionalization as royal policy, which continued under his successor, King Jeongjo. DATE: Dec. 8, 2023 to Mar. 10, 2024 VENUE: National Museum of Korea WEBSITE: www.museum.go.kr The National Orchestra of Korea’s 2023 Winter Concert The cherished year-end event by the National Orchestra of Korea returns to the Haneul Round Theater. The performance by an orchestra of 50 mu­sicians will combine Korean and Western instruments and feature works from famous movie soundtracks, enchanting carols, beloved selections from traditional Korean orchestral music, and exciting collaborations with spe­cial guests. DATE: Dec. 16–17, 2023 VENUE: Haneul Round Theater, National Theater of Korea WEBSITE: www.ntok.go.kr

Bindaetteok – A Timeless Comfort Food

Arts & Culture 2023 WINTER

Bindaetteok – A Timeless Comfort Food Made by frying a thick batter consisting of mung bean flour, meat, and assorted vegetables until it attains an attractively golden-brown color, bindaetteok is a traditional Korean dish notable for its distinctive crispy texture and nutty taste. Made with ground mung beans instead of wheat flour like most buchimgae dishes, bindaetteok is the very definition of “geot-ba-sok-chok,” a Korean term used to describe foods which are crisp on the outside and moist on the inside. Koreans use the term “geot-ba-sok-chok,” a portmanteau meaning “crispy on the outside and moist on the inside,” to describe various fried foods that boast this delightful textural contrast. One dish that perfectly fits this description is bindaetteok. CRISPY AND SAVORY GOODNESS Bindaetteok falls under the category of buchimgae or jeon, terms that refer to pancake-like dishes made by coating ingredients such as vegetables, meat, and fish in a flour or egg batter and pan-frying them in oil. Such dishes are a staple of traditional Korean holidays and other festive gatherings. What sets bindaetteok apart from other types of buchimgae is the use of stone-ground mung beans instead of wheat flour. To prepare the dish, ground mung beans are first mixed with ingre­dients such as vegetables and meat to make a batter which is then poured into a well-oiled pan, shaped into a thick pancake, and fried. Cooked over a high heat, bindaetteok develops a distinct crispiness thanks to the mung beans’ hard tex­ture, which results in a firmer and denser consis­tency in contrast to wheat-based buchimgae dish­es that tend to be softer and thinner. Bindaetteok has a rich, nutty flavor that envelops the palate, as well as a distinctively earthy aroma that goes per­fectly with the dish’s other ingredients. The result is an exceptionally savory taste. Traditionally, ingredients used to make bi­ndaetteok included bracken fiddleheads, mung bean sprouts, scallions, kimchi, and chili pep­pers, though these would vary from household to household. Wealthier families would have used a wider variety of ingredients including kimchi, ground pork, and different types of vegeta­bles, while those less well-off would have had to make do without such additions. However it is prepared, bindaetteok has long served as an inex­pensive and convenient meal option during eco­nomically challenging times. THE ORIGINS OF BINDAETTEOK Pork and vegetables are added to a mung bean batter and fried in oil on a sizzling griddle— preheated to over 300 degrees—until the mixture achieves a delectably crispy texture and nutty flavor. There are several theories regarding the origins of bindaetteok. Some purport that its begin­nings can be traced back to ancestral rites when the dish would have been smaller and used as a base on which portions of fried meat would have been stacked. Over time, it is argued, the dish would have become popular among people of less­er means, hence being served in heartier portions and earning itself the name binjatteok, or literally “poor people’s cake.” According to another theo­ry, the dish’s name may find its roots in the word bindae, which means “to host guests,” implying it may have been a food to entertain visitors. There are records indicating that during the Joseon Dy­nasty, in years of poor harvest, influential house­holds would prepare bindaetteok to give out to itinerants gathered outside Sungnyemun, one of the four main gates along the Seoul Fortress Wall, in an act of charity. One historical certainty is that bindaetteok has long been enjoyed in the provinces of Pyongan and Hwanghae in present-day North Korea. In fact, the dish was first brought to South Korea by refugees fleeing the North during the Korean War. Many public institutions and homes were de­stroyed during both the Japanese occupation and the Korean War, which led to the displacement and migration of millions of people. Many of them came to settle in ruined houses and shops where they began selling dishes such as gukbap, a hot soup served with rice, and buchimgae, as well as makgeolli, a fermented rice wine. Over time, bindaetteok became a comfort food for those who had been made homeless and separated from their families, helping to ease their sorrow and fill their stomachs. Other people also came to appreciate it as a cheap and filling meal option. A DISH LOVED BY ALL Both Gwangjang Market and the Euljiro area in Seoul are home to a number of bindaetteok establishments that have served the dish for more than four decades. The proper way of making bindaetteok requires the use of rendered pork fat, or lard. Using lard instead of vegetable or sesame oil gives bindaetteok its incomparably nutty and savory flavor. In order to achieve the perfect texture and flavor—crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and bursting with savory goodness—the mung bean batter, which al­so contains pork and vegetables, is fried in a siz­zling hot pan, preheated to over 300 degrees and generously coated in lard. Gwangjang Market and the Euljiro neighbor­hood, both located in the heart of Seoul, are home to many restaurants specializing in bindaetteok that have been in business for 40 to 50 years. One such establishment is Pakgane Bindaetteok, or “Park’s Mung Bean Pancakes,” which has been in operation for three generations and continues to make bindaetteok in the traditional way. The restaurant has remained a crowd favorite thanks to a unique menu that combines bindaetteok with pyeonyuk, a dish of thinly sliced boiled meat served cold, and eoriguljeot, or spicy pickled oysters. The chewiness of the pyeonyuk and the spiciness of the eoriguljeot perfectly complement the bin­daetteok’s savory taste and soft texture. Many other long-standing bindaetteok estab­lishments continue to thrive at Gwangjang Market and around other parts of Seoul, where the siz­zling sound of bindaetteok being fried in large, heavy-duty griddles can be heard throughout the day. Most of these older restaurants have open-style kitchens which offer passersby a glimpse of the frying process through the large windows. Visitors are often drawn by the mouthwatering smell and the sight of restaurant staff expertly frying the bindaetteok, which itself is a kind of performance.   VARIATIONS TO PLEASE EVERY PALATE Bindaetteok is versatile and can be prepared using a wide range of ingredients and toppings. Since it is a dish that is fried thoroughly, chefs can incor­porate a myriad of ingredients, including meat, vegetables, or even seafood. With a history of over 40 years, the JBD Jongno Bindaetteok franchise is known for its extensive menu, which includes, among others, bindaetteok variations with kim­chi, octopus, and other seafood. One particular­ly delightful variation is topped with a generous portion of oysters and fried to crispy perfection. This dish stands out thanks to the oysters’ dis­tinctive flavor which wonderfully complements the intense savoriness of the mung beans, making it a popular choice among foodies. Bindaetteok also pairs wonderfully with mak­geolli, hence the sharp rise in establishments spe­cializing in this combination. While some bin­daetteok restaurants boast modern interiors and elegant plating, others pursue a more retro decor and nostalgic atmosphere. These days, restaurants offering special bindaetteok variations alongside a wide selection of traditional Korean alcoholic bev­erages are becoming increasingly popular.   GOOD FOR THE BODY AND SOUL From its humble origins as a comfort food enjoyed by refugees to the current popularity of its many variations, bindaetteok continues to hold a special place in the hearts of many Korean people. Steeped in history, this delightfully crispy dish evokes a sense of nostalgia and has earned itself a reputation as one of the nation’s most beloved foods, whether paired with alcohol or simply enjoyed as a snack between meals. Lately, bindaetteok has also begun drawing attention for its purported health benefits. It is claimed by some that mung beans, its chief ingredient, not only boast detoxifying properties but are also effective in treating a host of skin problems, as well as in improving kidney function. As a result, a variety of semi-prepared and ready-to-cook bindaetteok products are being launched by a growing number of companies. Requiring no prior thawing, these frozen products can easily be fried at home in a well-oiled pan. In addition to their affordable prices, they offer a quality that compares favorably with bindaetteok served in restaurants, a factor that has contributed to their steady rise in popularity   Hwang Hae-won Editor-in-chief, Food Service Management Lee Min-Hee Photographer

250 Steps to Trot

Arts & Culture 2023 WINTER

250 Steps to Trot The producer, musician, and disc jockey known as 250 has breathed new life into ppongjjak, a subgenre of trot, the sometimes ignored or even ridiculed Korean music genre that has been around for nearly 100 years. His 2022 album Ppong contains his unique musical sensibilities and has garnered attention beyond the Korean music scene. Not only has he created award-winning music of his own, but he has also produced hits for other artists. The singer, DJ, songwriter, and producer known as 250 is a central figure of Korea’s contemporary pop music scene. He fuses electronic music with ppongjjak, Korea’s soulful pop music from decades ago. © Beasts And Natives Alike Imagine it’s your first time making Ko­rean instant ramyeon, or ramen. Simply adding the noodles and vegetable flakes to boiling water won’t do; the dish is only complete once you mix in the contents of the chili powder sachet that cre­ate the characteristic spicy broth. Just as buldak bokkeum myeon (lit. fire chicken stir-fried noodles) is known as the spiciest Korean ramyeon, 250 is widely recognized as the hottest music personality—both on stage and behind the scenes—and any discussion of contemporary Ko­rean pop music must include the 41-year-old music producer, DJ, and electronic musician, whose real name is Lee Ho-hyeong. 250 pioneered modern ppongjjak, a ground­breaking mixture of hip-hop, electronic dance music (EDM), and trot. In March 2023, his genre-bending debut album, Ppong, earned him top honors at the 20th Korean Music Awards (KMA), which prioritize musicianship and artis­tic achievement over popularity. The judges—mu­sic critics and reporters—bestowed 250 with the awards for Musician of the Year, Album of the Year, Best Electronic Album, and Best Electronic Song (“Bang Bus”). In addition, 250 received recognition as the producer behind K-pop juggernaut NewJeans. Since debuting in mid-2022, the quintet has up­ended the formula for girl groups, earning the most nominations and winning in three catego­ries at the 2023 KMAs: Rookie of the Year, Best K-Pop Album (“New Jeans”), and Best K-Pop Song (“Attention”). 250 has also worked on hits by K-Pop groups BTS, NCT 127 and ITZY. INSPIRATION 250 started dabbling in trot ten years ago, after buying a trot tape at a highway rest area on a trip back to Seoul. Initially, he simply wanted to have some fun remixing the music during his DJ gigs, but what started as a whimsical turn of the di­als soon transitioned into a serious exploration of blending trot with EDM. Trot is a shortened form of foxtrot, the ball­room dance style that influenced the rhythm of trot. The lyrics and vocal inflections evoke feel­ings of sorrow, romance, and joy often experi­enced by Koreans. Trot is Korea’s oldest style of pop music and instantly recognized by people of all ages. Yet, until recently, it was largely ignored and often dismissed as tacky and lowbrow. The name ppongjjak is a self-deprecating play on the onomatopoeic term kungjjak, which imi­tates the sound of Korean drums. Ppong alone con­jures bawdy images and is rarely uttered in every­day conversation. It was the title of a popular 1986 adult film and is also slang for drugs. “It’s funny, it’s strange, it’s dark... The single syllable ‘ppong’ embodies all these multifaceted, complex symbols and feelings,” says 250. I met 250 in Yongsan, a district in central Seoul that was long known as an enclave for ex­pats. These days, its retro vibe mostly attracts young Koreans and foreign tourists. Sitting in his studio, looking at me with his trademark se­rious expression, 250 recalls his “Eureka!” mo­ment when he was experimenting with formats that could work with trot. It struck while watch­ing Rear Window, a 1954 suspense thriller direct­ed by Alfred Hitchcock about a wheelchair-bound man who spends his time observing his neighbors across the courtyard. After watching it, 250 wrote a song and named it after the film. “It felt like ppong and non-ppong music were staring at each other across a transparent window,” 250 explains. That metaphysical window is key to understand­ing 250’s musical world. MUSIC PATH 250 majored in film music production at Hanseo University. In his early years, he composed music for TV soap operas and worked as DJ at Cakeshop, a renowned nightclub and hub for electronic mu­sic in Seoul’s Itaewon neighborhood. It was at that time that 250 bought the trot tape that changed his musical direction. As clubbers spread the word about a DJ who played eccentric music, 250 began to attract great­er attention. Before long, he was commissioned by SM Entertainment to remix the original music of major K-pop groups. He also produced “Every­where” and “Flight” for popular rapper E SENS. In 2018, 250 launched a low-budget documen­tary series called In Search of Ppong. The response from the music industry was light-hearted, essen­tially saying, “OK, so he’s as good at comedy as he is at creating beats.” The singles “Rear Window” and “Bang Bus” created a little buzz in 2018 and 2021, respective­ly, and finally in March 2022, when his debut al­bum Ppong was released, fans and critics respond­ed enthusiastically to his inventive music. The al­bum had been years in the making, during which 250 almost exclusively listened to trot and sought out famous trot entertainers to record the sounds that echoed the war, division, despair, and nostal­gia of 20th century Korea.   REVOLVING DEFINITION 250 considers ppongjjak to be the background mu­sic of the Korean cultural sphere, comparing its status to that of hip-hop in New York City or fave­la funk in Rio de Janeiro. “Hip-hop songs that use rudimentary equipment to play samples of music recorded long ago by great musicians or a 50-piece orchestra have a unique charm to them. The same goes for ppongjjak,” says 250. While exploring ppongjjak, he also realized that it is related to Korean food culture. “Kore­ans tend to enjoy spicy dishes like kimchi stew or jeongol (hot pot). They only feel satisfied when their food is hot and spicy. I recently traveled to Belgium for about a week, and as soon as I re­turned, my manager and I went to a local kimchi stew joint. Just like something spicy and excit­ing resonates more with Koreans than something bland, the dynamics of ppongjjak seems to appeal to them. I find the music very attractive as it com­bines decidedly sad sounds with something lively in an artless way.” 250’s definition of ppong has continued to evolve. “Ppongjjak is like the ramyeon soup powder that every Korean knows. When you’re making kimchi stew and feel something is miss­ing, you add a little bit of the powder, right? It may not be particularly sophisticated but it brings out the familiar and satisfying taste that lingers in your mouth. It is the last piece of the puzzle that all Koreans look for when something is amiss.”   RETRO TREND 250’s popularity has paralleled the retro trend in Korea, which includes music, clothing, and gad­gets from the past. Trot music in general has en­joyed a revival in recent years. What seems familiar yet unfamiliar, out of style yet hip and mysterious in 250’s world of ppong is most passionately embraced by fans in their teens and 20s. Surprisingly, they are the generation farthest from the 20th century when trot was closely intertwined with the daily lives of Koreans. “They live in an era where everything is well organized and neatly trimmed. So, instead of the even staircases in the city center, they enthusi­astically point their film cameras at the uneven staircases of old buildings on the outskirts of Seoul. Recently, country music has become in­creasingly popular on the Billboard charts. This phenomenon could be similar to the populari­ty of trot on the Korean music charts in recent years.” Aside from his music interests, 250 is also a fan of other “old school” things. He confessed to being fascinated by the logic-defying action scenes in Hong Kong films from the 1970s and 1980s, like those in Jackie Chan’s early works such as The Fearless Hyena (1979). “Someday, I want to try my hand at creating film music. I am particularly keen on films where you have to concentrate intensely on sound like A Quiet Place (2018), large-scale films like Inception (2010), and films that are famous for their signa­ture scores, like the ones that the late compos­er and music director Ennio Morricone was in­volved in.” His documentary, In Search of Ppong, was shown on a big screen for the first time at the 2023 Bu­cheon International Fantastic Film Festival. “I don’t have a specific role model, but I want to try everything musically, like music producer Quincy Jones or composer and musician Ryuichi Sakamoto, who died earlier this year.” 250 plans to call his next work America. “Now that I have explored Korean music with ppongjjak, I think it’s time for me to explore American mu­sic. It could be an album filled with fantasies about the America I admired and the American music I enjoyed during my school days.” Whatev­er he will be cooking up next, 250 will continue to add his unique ingredients. 250 is a play on the artist’s real name, Lee Ho-hyeong, which sounds like pronouncing the numbers 2, 5, 0 (ee-oh-yeong) in Korean. But contrary to his expectation, most people use the alternate pronunciation for zero and pronounce 250 as “ee-oh-gong.” © SEJONG CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS 250’s debut album Ppong earned him four accolades at the 20th Korean Music Awards. He feels the honor is all the more meaningful because winning in the Best Electronic Song and Best Electronic Album categories acknowledged that Ppong was electronic music. © Beasts And Natives Alike Lim Hee-yun Music Critic
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