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Math rock band Mountains celebrates 'Old Friends'

The three members of Mountains / Courtesy of MountainsBy Jon DunbarThe emo-math rock band Mountains currently doesn't exist together in one place, but that didn't stop its three members from recording their latest album, “Old Friends” released June 9, across borders. “We were actually a remote band before it became trendy,” said Joel, the band's drummer since 2018. Not long after joining the band and releasing the 2019 EP “Midnight,” Joel moved away to Vietnam. But the band wasn't done with him, and he reunited with his bandmates Ali and Steve on a tour of Japan before the pandemic hit. He's since moved on from Vietnam, and for this latest album, he contributed the drum tracks from a studio in Guadalajara, Mexico. “The whole process of remote-recording definitely takes longer but overall it's worth the time,” said Ali, the band's bassist, who recorded his parts in Korea along with his bandmate Steve, the guitarist. They recorded their instruments in Steve's room in Ulsan, and went to a studio in the city to lay down the vocals using mor

Aug 22, 2023By Jon Dunbar

Math rock band Mountains celebrates 'Old Friends'

Hazara refugees in Korea raise their voices against Taliban

Rezayi Qudratullah and Asil Kohammad Arif pose outside Hanokers in downtown Seoul, July 30. Courtesy of Bereket Alemayehu By Bereket Alemayehu The Afghanistan community in South Korea has an estimated population of about 1,000, and among that number about 200 of them are believed to belong to the Hazara ethnic minority.Rezayi Qudratullah and Asil Kohammad Arif are refugee applicants of the Hazara ethnic group from Afghanistan who have lived in Korea for about five years. They have been raising their voices on behalf of the Hazara people, sharing information about their ethnic heritage and the genocidal crimes against their people ― of the past as well as the present at the hands of the Taliban government of Afghanistan ― in addition to their own story of living in exile far from their homeland. As the world's attention fluctuates between headlines of geopolitical rivalries and international conflicts, the media often neglects to portray the full picture of Afghanist

Aug 17, 2023By Jon Dunbar

RESTAURANT OF THE WEEK Ceviche 210 brings Peru to Songtan

The spread at Ceviche 210 in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province / Courtesy of Shuttle DeliveryBy Mark BoeschOpposite the front gate of Osan Air Base, in the Sinjang-dong neighborhood of Pyeongtaek (closest to Songtan Station on Seoul Metro Line 1), lies the bustling Songtan Entertainment District, known to locals affectionately as “The SED.” The district is home to a wealth of restaurants offering a diverse range of international cuisines which cater to the air base community. Among them ― and perhaps the most revered by regulars ― is the Peruvian restaurant Ceviche 210.Peruvian cuisine has captured the interest of foodies around the globe with its mouthwatering blend of flavors and ingredients that reflect the nation's diverse topography and rich cultural legacy. Drawing influences from indigenous ingredients, Spanish colonial traditions and Asian and African immigrants, the menu at Ceviche 210 features Peruvian classics like ceviche, arroz chaufa (fried rice), tacu tacu (beans and rice), empanadas (fried turnovers) and so much more.The pillar of Peruvian cuisine ― and the na

Aug 15, 2023By Jon Dunbar

[RESTAURANT OF THE WEEK] Ceviche 210 brings Peru to Songtan

Metal band Varim brings doom to Korea's scene

The four members of Varim / Courtesy of Lee Hyun-woo @boiledpicBy Jon DunbarVarim, a Seoul-based band encompassing elements of fuzz, stoner rock, doom metal, sludge, psychedelic and classic heavy metal rock, is holding a release party for its latest single “Die Or” this Saturday.“ “It is about choosing to distance yourself from degenerates and toxic people,” Varim guitarist Chris Bubp told The Korea Times."I'd rather die than be with people who are selfish and have filthy desires,” said the band's bassist and vocalist Yoon Ju-hyun, who wrote the song. All parts of the recording were made, edited and mixed by the band members themselves, at Doom Saloon, Yoon's rehearsal space and recording studio, which has also released music by GetBetter and Pigeon Grinder, the latter of which is Yoon's other band. Yoon also plays in the band Green Frog with Varim drummer Barend. “We used only our own equipment,” said Bubp, who used to be in the local rock band Foreign Object and is also a member of the mega-metal band Rogue Warriors. “All of us

Aug 15, 2023By Jon Dunbar

Metal band Varim brings doom to Korea's scene

Underground musicians support 10-year-old girl's liver transplant

Eileen Ha, below, poses with her Korean father Victor and mother Japanese American mother Tamiko. Courtesy of Victor HaBy Jon DunbarEileen Ha is not an ordinary 10-year-old Korean girl. If there were any justice in the universe, she would be. She was born with biliary atresia, a condition in which the bile ducts around the liver are blocked. “Eileen is a child who brings joy,” said her Korean father, who's known among his foreign and Korean friends as Victor Ha. “She's incredibly cute and pretty. She's growing up receiving plenty of love from her mom, dad and two older sisters. She enjoys adorable characters and likes to sit quietly to draw or do crafts. At school, she's an ordinary child and gets along well with her friends.” She was born to a Japanese American mother and a Korean father who's known in underground music circles around the world as the lead singer of the hardcore punk band Things We Say. Both those facts are a little unusual in Korea, but hardly abnormal.“There aren't many significant differences (between Eileen and her peers). In fact,

Aug 14, 2023By Jon Dunbar

Underground musicians support 10-year-old girl's liver transplant

Jamboree pulls off blowout finale, beset by religious zealots

A K-pop concert closes the 25th World Scout Jamboree after the closing ceremony held at Seoul World Cup Stadium, Aug. 11. YonhapBy Jon DunbarScouts and International Service Team (IST) adult volunteers from around the world who attended the World Scout Jamboree closing ceremony on Aug. 11 had good and bad things to say about the event. The event had originally been scheduled at the initial Jamboree site on reclaimed land in Saemangeum, North Jeolla Province, but after the site was evacuated ahead of Typhoon Khanun, the closing ceremony and K-pop concert were moved to Seoul World Cup Stadium. “I'm impressed with what the government managed to put together in just a few days,” said an IST volunteer from a South American country. “It was great to see all of the people that came to the Jamboree back together for at least a couple of hours.Depending on who you ask, the arrival and departure at the stadium went either smoothly or poorly. “The closing ceremony was poorly organized at the beginning with it being hard to get to our seats, taking over an hour,” a

Aug 13, 2023By Jon Dunbar

Jamboree pulls off blowout finale, beset by religious zealots

World Scout Jamboree participants look back with mixed emotions

Scouts from around the world who visited Korea for the World Scout Jamboree prepare to depart for their home countries from Incheon International Airport, Aug. 12. YonhapScouts thank Koreans for helping them so muchBy Jon DunbarNow that the 25th World Scout Jamboree has wrapped up, most of the 45,000 or so Scouts and International Service Team (IST) adult volunteers who came to Korea are either heading home or about to. And it's safe to say the event was overall a colossal embarrassment that will stain Korea's global reputation. But that doesn't mean the Scouts from over 150 countries worldwide aren't going home without any good memories. Through it all, they persevered, made good friends, learned a lot ― and all the while continued “memeing.”“It's very enjoyable to see everyone from every corner of the world come together and complain as one, and they are usually very relatable because everyone is going through the same stuff as you are, be it heat, rain, food or the events,” said a Redditor with the username Mr_Skosula who said he was part of Sweden's IST. C

Aug 13, 2023By Jon Dunbar

World Scout Jamboree participants look back with mixed emotions

LIFE'S OLLE TRAILS 10 Confronting the subconscious saboteur

A field of Gueok-ri on Jeju Island / Courtesy of Rachel StineBy Rachel StineThe Olle Trails open a quiet space for hikers to confront our subconscious saboteur. In my case, that confrontation occurred on Trail 14-1 ― a short inland route that stretches from Jeoji to the O'Sulloc Tea Museum.Route 14-1 started pleasantly enough. As I walked past the inland farms, I asked myself: “Are you ready to commit to the life you've built in Korea?”Well…yeah. Mostly. I was in my early 30s. I had spent 10 years fundraising for the North Korean Underground Railroad. The dog I adopted in university had lived with me in three countries, and together we had formed deep, global friendships. Every continent had a couch for us to crash on.That didn't seem so bad.But as Trail 14-1 progressed, my mood soured. My thoughts went from “this is good, actually” to a grown-up temper tantrum. Instead of being grateful for what I had, I hyperfixated on what I lacked. (This, unfortunately, seems to be humanity's factory setting.)Silently, I fumed in my head.“Why did the one long-

Aug 12, 2023By Jon Dunbar

[LIFE'S OLLE TRAILS 10] Confronting the subconscious saboteur

PINNACLE'S ITAEWON Seoul's best neighborhood for Mexican food

Food at Coreanos, a Mexican restaurant in central Seoul's Itaewon / Courtesy of CoreanosBy Pinnacle TheHustlerSeoul's vibrant culinary scene continues to amaze locals and visitors alike, with various international cuisines leaving their mark. Among the array of options available, Mexican food has carved a special place in the hearts of many in the multicultural neighborhood of Itaewon. While most restaurants in the area cater to local tastes, offering their own twists on Mexican dishes, a handful of establishments proudly serve up authentic Mexican cuisine based on traditional recipes. The exterior of Taco Amigo in its new location in Itaewon's Gyeongnidan-gil / Courtesy of Taco AmigoTaco Amigo: An Itaewon taste of MexicoOwned by Wayne Bessant, Taco Amigo is a prominent name in Itaewon, reflecting the growing popularity of Mexican cuisine in the area. Originally opened way back in 2005, it reopened recently in Gyeongnidan-gil, after moving from its previous spot near Itaewon Station. Wayne acknowledges that many restaurants have adapted their menus to cater to local preferences, crea

Aug 12, 2023By Jon Dunbar

[PINNACLE'S ITAEWON] Seoul's best neighborhood for Mexican food

Gov't to prioritize Korean language ability as part of immigration reform

gettyimagesbankBy Jung Min-hoKorea will now place more of a weighting on an immigrant's ability to communicate in Korean over other skills, as the country moves to accept more foreign workers after plans have been implemented to reform its immigration policy.In its response to questions sent recently by The Korea Times, the Ministry of Justice, which is expected to announce policy details regarding immigration system changes later this year, said that Korean language ability would be a significant factor in terms of obtaining E-7-4 visas.The visas are issued to those meeting certain requirements, including a minimum amount of work experience (four years). They effectively permit a permanent stay in Korea, offering a three-year base period with unlimited renewals.“Korean language ability is the most basic and crucial element in order for immigrants to assimilate as members of our society, as was the case for other countries,” the ministry said. “We are planning to give more points if those with excellent language ability wish to change their visas (to E-7-4).”T

Aug 12, 2023By Jung Min-ho

Global Community

Global Community

Math rock band Mountains celebrates 'Old Friends'

Hazara refugees in Korea raise their voices against Taliban

RESTAURANT OF THE WEEK Ceviche 210 brings Peru to Songtan

Metal band Varim brings doom to Korea's scene

Underground musicians support 10-year-old girl's liver transplant

Jamboree pulls off blowout finale, beset by religious zealots

World Scout Jamboree participants look back with mixed emotions

LIFE'S OLLE TRAILS 10 Confronting the subconscious saboteur

PINNACLE'S ITAEWON Seoul's best neighborhood for Mexican food

Gov't to prioritize Korean language ability as part of immigration reform

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