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RESTAURANT OF THE WEEK Que Rico serves Mexican food in Pyeongtaek's ville

The food at Que Rico in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province / Courtesy of Shuttle DeliveryBy Mark BoeschThe “Ville,” adjacent to U.S. Army Garrison (USAG) Humphreys Main Gate in the Anjeong-ri village of Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, is home to a host of fantastic restaurants, cafes, bars and clubs. Restaurateurs began flocking to the area for the chance to serve U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) customers as USAG Yongsan underwent a slow relocation process to Humphreys over the last several years. For Pyeongtaek residents, this meant loads of new kebab spots, but also some really good Mexican food. There are a lot of really good Mexican restaurants in the area, but Que Rico is favorite to many and known locally for its authentic Mexican cuisine.Que Rico's proprietors Park Tae-sang and her husband Raul Ugalde Leon almost opened a jewelry studio instead. After traveling back and forth for four years between Korea and Cozumel, Mexico, the couple decided to open a taqueria and torteria, a Mexican restaurant with a menu focused on tacos and tortas, in Pyeongtaek. The couple rescued some tr

Busan's Goths on the Beach crafts hilarious take on new wave, surf rock

Goths on the Beach / Courtesy of Goths on the BeachBy Ali SafaviCombining 1980s new wave and surf rock with a tongue-in-cheek theatrical element, Goths on the Beach (GotB) is an exciting new band on the local scene.The Busan band has been making sad, gothy waves since forming last October. In that short time the group has already released an album, garnered international radio play (featured on BBC Stereo Underground, A1M Records Indie Rocks, Rock Rage Radio and Sounds from the Korean Underground, among other shows) and done a number of shows and festivals around the southern region of the Korean Peninsula, gaining a loyal fan base with their atypical stage performances and catchy songs. In a world that can be dominated by generic, plodding guitar bands, GotB is a last breath of fresh salt-sea air.The band's name in fact led to the style of music played by GotB. After a day on the beach in Busan, the band's two founders who introduced themselves as Kimberly Grave Roberts and Isaac Guillotine noticed there were a lot of goths on the beach. “We left Haeundae about an hour after t

LIFE'S OLLE TRAILS 13 Walking back, fast or slow

A stone wall on Jeju Island / Courtesy of Rachel Stine By Rachel StineI came to Jeju Island on Dec. 19, 2020. I was accompanied by my dog Miracle and the man I thought I would marry.On Dec. 29, 2022, I left, alone.During this time, I completed the Olle Trails, and healed three inner wounds I hadn't even realized I had.The first was OCD. While it's a genetic curse I'll always carry, I've made a full recovery from my May 2021 relapse. I'm off medication. That may not always be the case, but I'm hoping the new hiking boots and poles will keep me active and help stave off the minor flare-ups that can evolve into relapses.Modeling symptom management is important to me, because I also know I'm going to become a parent within the next few years. Whether I'm partnered or not, that dream is non-negotiable.Finally, I'm going to honor the humanity of political opponents, even if that makes me a target myself. My integrity is more important than any career. I can't scream at pe

LIFE'S OLLE TRAILS 12 Saying goodbye in Gueok-ri

Miracle the dog / Courtesy of Rachel StineBy Rachel Stine“Miracle's acting weird. You think I should take her to the vet?”I was at the home of two friends ― a couple that lived in a seaside apartment. We sat in front of their PlayStation 5, surrounded by beer cans and a mountain of fried chicken.“What do you mean, weird?” the younger one asked.I mashed the buttons on my controller. “I dunno. Not eating? She's just weird.” “Maybe she's stressed because of the move.”After so much reflection on the Olle Trails, I decided to return to Seoul to transition my career away from teaching. When I started packing our stuff into boxes, Miracle's eyes bulged out of her skull. Moving made her anxious.In fact, everything made her anxious. This was the same dog who had panic attacks when I took our quilts to the laundromat.Hairless except on her head and her feet, Miracle reminded me of a goth ballerina. A lady in Madison Square Park once described her as “dainty, with that little tail that flies out like a flag.” I adopted her from the cit

Japanese psych rocker celebrates 60th birthday in Korea

Sato Yukie performs with the band Moyu at The Studio HBC, Dec. 17, 2022. Korea Times photo by Jon DunbarBy Jon DunbarOne's 60th birthday is traditionally a big deal for Koreans. It's also a pretty significant milestone for Sato Yukie, a Japanese psychedelic and folk musician who has lived in Korea since 1995. He'll celebrate his “hwangap” with a series of four concerts with his band Kopchangjeongol from Wednesday to Saturday. In Korea, where the music scene didn't really explode until the 1990s, it's somewhat rare to find people of Sato's age at live shows. Sato pointed out that there are many good musicians in the scene who are still playing. But he also acknowledged that most of the people around are younger. “Of course, many young people play here (Hongdae). I am almost the same age as their parents. I am stimulated from them, and I preach 'learning from the past' to them,” he told The Korea Times. Sato Yukie performs with the band Yunawa Aidoru at The Studio HBC, Dec. 17, 2022. Korea Times photo by Jon DunbarWhile acknowledging that age is very important i

RESTAURANT OF THE WEEK Bruxie weds chicken and waffles

The food at Bruxie / Courtesy of Shuttle DeliveryBy Mark BoeschBack in 2020, and perhaps a little lost in the wake of the Nashville hot chicken trend, an American comfort food classic landed in Korea ― Chicken & Waffles. The LA-based franchise Bruxie reimagined it to create an entire menu of bold, fun and totally unconventional fried chicken and waffle sandwiches, righteously crispy tenders and creamy milkshakes. Bruxie now has locations at Lotte World Mall in southern Seoul's Jamsil and in Pyeongtaek's Sinjang-dong (near Osan Air Base), as well as in Anjeong-ri (near Camp Humphreys).The history of chicken and waffles is almost as delicious as the combination itself. This unlikely pairing emerged from southern U.S. soul food traditions where it's believed to have its origins in the late 19th century. Fried chicken, which represents the flavors of African American culinary traditions, and waffles, which were later introduced and popularized by Dutch Americans, were joined together in heavenly matrimony. During the Harlem Renaissance, chicken and waffles gained popularity in speake

270 multicultural family members learn about Korean laws in first half of 2023

Members of multicultural families attend a legal education program offered by the Ministry of Government Legislation at a welfare center in Sejong, March 28. Courtesy of Ministry of Government LegislationBy Nam Hyun-wooMore than 270 multicultural family members learned about Korean laws and regulations through tailored education programs run by the Ministry of Government Legislation in the first half of this year.According to the ministry, Sunday, the education programs were offered in 15 multicultural family centers and other institutions in Seoul, Sejong, Guri in Gyeonggi Province and Asan in South Chungcheong Province to help multicultural family members successfully settle in Korean society. As South Korea becomes increasingly diverse, the ministry is expanding these educational offerings. According to Statistics Korea, 6 percent of newborns in 2020 were born into multicultural families, an increase from 4.5 percent in 2015. As of 2021, approximately 2.2 percent of South Korea's total population comprises members of multicultural families.Against this backdrop, the ministry is ex

RESTAURANT OF THE WEEK Braai Republic

LIFE'S OLLE TRAILS 11 Worrying about comments section chaos

A bird sits in a tree on Jeju Island. Courtesy of Rachel StineBy Rachel StineWant to know another secret? I considered cutting the entire last section of this series, talking about IVF treatments. It seemed too intimate to publish. The face-to-face comments had stung, but I suspected the anonymous online comments would be a toxic typhoon of misogyny.But the words of an old writing professor came to mind as I reviewed it. “Don't flinch,” she said, meaning that pre-publication anxiety is an indicator that you've got good material. Once again, discomfort proves itself a valuable ally.So the “single moms are ruining society” crowd will have to scream their way through the comments section. I'll learn to let it go…because just as the Olle Trails confronted the OCD demon, they taught me to confront the social media demon, too.While in the woods, I didn't use the internet much…but I did think about it.When I was young, nasty internet comments didn't really bother me.I first hopped online in the late 1990s, as a kid trawling through Geocities and Angelfi

Sool Company aims to globalize Korean alcohol traditions

Julia Mellor, right, teaches two participants how to make makgeolli from scratch at an event run by The Sool Company. Courtesy of The Sool CompanyBy Emma SparkesTucked away in a pocket of Seoul's Gwangjang Market is Hosunseng, an eye-catching business that departs from the more traditional food carts and restaurants surrounding it. This place, with bright orange signage, neon lighting, and a window-fronted walk-in refrigerator, is a trendy establishment dedicated to traditional Korean alcohol. It is here that The Sool Company is holding its work dinner.Dedicated to fostering knowledge and appreciation of traditional Korean alcohol, or sool, the members of The Sool Company have a passion that is palpable, even in casual conversation.The Sool Company runs hands-on makgeolli brewing classes. Courtesy of The Sool Company“This is a precious bottle ― they only do one batch a year,” said The Sool Company Managing Partner Valentin Janiaut, holding up a bottle of Oh! Mija-ssi makgeolli, which is flavored with omija berries. Among the incredibly extensive selection of makgeolli, so