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Communal spirits signal hope of future

By Chung Ah-young Two Korean city youths were thrown into schools in two very remote farming communities, one in the United States and the other in Korea. At first, the two old time friends resembled young urbanites lost in the countryside. Lee Hwi-young entered Geochang High School in South Gyeongsang Province while Lucy Jiyoon Han was admitted to Thacher School in Ojai, Calif. Geochang High School is renowned for its own unique mottos, which encourage students to “choose a guillotine, not a crown, do what your mother or spouse opposes, go where you probably won’t be promoted.” Meanwhile, at Thacher, freshmen are given a horse and are supposed to clear the stalls and feed the horse at six every morning and go to the bed at 10:30 p.m. For the two, it was a new, shocking experience that changed their views on the world. Their new lives at the schools motivated them to extend interest in farming communities and chose to explore seven communities both in Korea and the U.S. After experiencing and volunteering in the two respective farming communities over the past three

Aug 19, 2011

Bucheon comic fair enters digital era

By Chung Ah-young The 14th Bucheon International Comics Festival (BICOF) starts Wednesday under the concept, “Smartoon,” a combination of the words of “smart” and “cartoon,” at the Korea Manhwa Museum and Bucheon Media and Culture Complex through Aug. 21. This year’s festival highlights the potential and wide range of comics in the digital era and introduces foreign works of digital comics. The event explores the past, present and future of Korean digital comics. The exhibition consists of five themes ― Pioneers of Digital Comics; Hyung Min-woo and Priest; the Digital Restoration of the Ninth Myth; Present Conditions of Korean Digital Comics; and Digital Comics Technique. The “Pioneers of Digital Comics” section reinvents the early experimental pieces of web cartoons. Pioneers of online comics such as Scott Macleod, Daniel Merlin Goodbrey and Stephen van Dinther will participate to showcase their inspirational digital works. In the “Hyung Min-woo and Priest” section, prominent cartoonist Hyung’s illustrations and sketches will be on display. Renowned for his represe

Aug 16, 2011

Recent Books

Possession Ko Se-jin; Soonjung Books: 256 pp., 15,000 won “Non-possession” is one of the greatest legacies the late Ven. Beop Jeong left behind. The title of the book was also the core concept of the revered monk’s life time preaching and has long inspired numerous readers and followers even after his death. However, this book argues that a good possession is more meaningful than non-possession by sharing it with others. The author, a theologian and archeologist, says that it is wise to throw away obsession on materials and desires but possessing valuable things and sharing them with others is love and sacrifice. The right spirit of possession can be found in the life of Jesus Christ, the book says. When we share the things ― whether it’s spiritual or materialistic ― the world can be a better place. “Possession” is a practical and realistic response to the spirit of “non-possession.” The book doesn’t encourage people to avoid reality and leave for a remote and tranquil place seeking happiness. Rather, it tells about the art of living wisely and with contentment

Aug 12, 2011

English series features contemporary Korean art

By Chung Ah-young In a move to shed light on contemporary Korean art which is relatively unknown to the world, the Arts Council Korea (ARKO) has published a series of the books written in English. The “Contemporary Korean Arts Series” is designed to promote the current status and specialty of contemporary Korean art overseas and improve interchanges of the arts around the world. The series comprises of four volumes — “Daehangno: Theater District in Seoul”; “Diaspora: Korean Nomadism”; “Harmonia Koreana: A Short History of 20th-century Korean Music” and “City as Art: 100 Notable Works of Architecture in Seoul.” It is part of ARKO’s project of a total of 15 titles in five years. It will publish three more titles — “Contemporary Korean Dance,” “Popular Music in Korea” and “Modern Female Artists in Korea” — next year. Currently, there is a lack of reference material concerning contemporary Korean art for non-Koreans. The series will offer a window to contemporary Korean art worldwide and boost international artistic exchanges. “People are becoming more

Aug 12, 2011

Recent books

Keiden Son Tae Sang-ho and Jung Myung-seop; Neo Fiction: 392 pp., 13,500 won The book is a mystery novel mixed with realistic portrayals and thriller elements. Set in a war zone, it adopts a real spy incident in 1996 in Gangneung, Gangwon Province and the story of Hwang Jang-yop, a former secretary to the North Korean Workers’ Party who defected to South Korea in 1997, and the terrorist threats against the Korean Embassy in Afghanistan in 2003. With vivid descriptions of the characters, incidents and background, the story includes a variety of information and knowledge about military operations and situations. The male protagonist named Kim Yu-seon confronts his counterpart North Korean agent as they are both engaged in a special military operation. The story focuses on psychological developments during the process of a military operation entangled with anxiety, fear and tension. Most of characters realize death is around them while they are in any situation. The book shows how the characters respond to imminent death like they have never experienced before and how t

Aug 5, 2011

King Yeongjo’s writings reveal personal agony

By Chung Ah-young If China has Qianlong the emperor (1736-1795) who accomplished a plentiful literary legacy during his reign, Korea has King Yeongjo (1724-1776) who left abundant literary works. King Yeongjo was the longest-living monarch during the Joseon Kingdom (1392-1910) and also is one of the key rulers renowned for the big three political feats — the “tangpyeong” policy which literally means the policy for harmony and meditation when selecting people regardless of their party affiliation; “gyunyeok law” (military tax system); and the dredge project of the Cheonggye Stream. However, among others, he might be best defined as a talented writer who regularly penned one to eight works every year for his 53 reigning years, along with King Jeongjo, his successor and grandson. Yeongjo started to write with “Chinjejemun” after the death of his eldest son in 1728 and poured himself into his writing in 1774 during his late period after his second son Crown Prince Sado was put to death by his own order in a large rice chest as a result of a conspiracy and political disput

Aug 5, 2011

Recent Books

Bleaching Jang Gang-myeong; Hankyoreh Publishing: 352 pp., 11,000 won The novel looks into a dark and striking portrait of society depicting youngsters who are drifting for no reason. The author calls the young generation as the “bleaching” generation as they are forced to be “bleached” for society, which seems to be perfectly white outwardly. The male protagonist is a university student who returns to the school after completing his military service. He is not satisfied with his university and thinks he should move to a better school for a better life but he does nothing. One day, he gets together with some friends who have earned scholarships with the future looking bright for them. But one of them persuades the others to commit suicide and kills himself to become a pioneering leader among them. After the incident, other friends, including the protagonist, return to their normal lives but accidently encounter each other through a suicide website a few years later. The story reflects the gloomy social situation in which many young people choose to kill themselves an

Jul 29, 2011

Book probes transnational identity of ’hallyu’

By Chung Ah-young K-pop fever has been reignited, as illustrated by the success of recent concerts in Paris. Fans that have yet to see Korean performers on stage are forming flash mobs and group dances as they clamor for more K-pop concerts. The popularity of K-pop culture has truly become international. Korean television dramas, songs and movies originally grew popular in the early 1990s. The influence of “hallyu” or Korean wave, spread through Asian countries and reduced Western cultural dominance in the Asian market. A newly released book further investigates the worldwide phenomenon of Korean popular culture. Titled “Hallyu: Influence of Korean Popular Culture in Asia and Beyond,” the book, edited by Kim Do-kyun and Kim Min-sun and published by Seoul National University Press, delves into the origin of the phenomenon from the past to the present and analyzes the transnational identity of hallyu. Consisting of 16 chapters, scholars from various fields such as communications, sociology, history and international relations in the United States and Europe. Korea wrote

Jul 29, 2011

Recent books

Nonetheless, Be Happy Park Wan-seo et al; Book Ocean: 240 pp., 13,000 won When the 21st century opened, a new paradigm driven by modern information technology seemed to dominate the world and accelerate materialistic pursuits. Such expectations brought start-up companies and new riches. However, as time passed, people began seeking more spiritual happiness rather than material affluence. This book is intended to satisfy people’s quest for happiness through 20 mentors’ inspiring essays and writings. The late author Park Wan-seo wrote that she would not swap her small happiness of writing under a gentle lamplight at night while listening to her husband snore for anything in her essay “Listening to My Husband Snoring.” Celebrated poet Seo Jeong-yoon also wrote that happiness comes from small things in everyday life. Television personality Hwang Su-kwan took an example of a race horse which can never plow a field because it doesn’t know how to. “We don’t have to do all of the things every time. We should each play our individual role that we can do the best,” he said. The e

Jul 22, 2011

Meet authors in summer vacation

By Chung Ah-young Summer might be thought of as the perfect season for reading books as people escape to the beaches and mountains and sit back and relax with a good book. With vacation time available, there is no better time for reading. To help readers choose the summer reading selections, branches of Kyobo Bookstore, the nation’s largest book shop, has launched a special program for the summer vacation. Kyobo’s Gwanghwamun branch will hold autograph events in which celebrated authors will meet their fans. On July 23, comedians Park Jun-hyung, Oh Ji-heon and Yoon Seok-ju, who co-wrote “Gagmen’s Health,” will hold an autograph event at 2 p.m. The book reveals their exercise secrets and dietary habits and how they have transformed their lives as well as their figures. At 3 p.m. on the same day, Chung Yu-jeong, author of “Nights of Seven Years,” which has sold more than 100,000 copies in the three months since its release, will meet her fans in the guseojae section. She has been selected as “The Author of July” at the Gwanghwamun branch. The novel is divided into two par

Jul 22, 2011
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