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Temple Adventures Rediscovered treasures on Gyeongju's mystical Mount Nam

The shelter protecting the Maae-bul in Yeolam-gok Valley in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province / Courtesy of Dale QuarringtonBy Dale QuarringtonThe mystical Mount Nam in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, is home to the spiritual endeavors of the Silla people. Now these aspirations are among some of Korea's most revered treasures. These include the “Rock-Carved Buddhas in Tap-gok Valley,” the "Rock-Carved Buddhas at Chilbulam Hermitage” and the "Stone Seated Buddha in Yongjangsa-gok Valley” to name but a few. In total, there are some 122 temples and temple sites, 53 stone statues, 64 pagodas, 16 stone lanterns, 36 monuments, royal tombs and even a fortress on Mount Nam. Yet despite all that is known about Mount Nam through numerous archaeological efforts both in mapping and preserving these sites, the mountain still has new secrets.In May 2007, a seated Buddha statue in Yeolam-gok Valley in the southern part of Mount Nam was discovered while the Gyeongju National Research Institute of the Cultural Heritage Administration, which is in charge of protecting an

Aug 8, 2023
[Temple Adventures] Rediscovered treasures on Gyeongju's mystical Mount Nam

Punk show supports marriage for all

Tom Rainey-Smith and family pose for a family portrait during the “doljanchi” (first birthday) of their youngest child. Before they move away to New Zealand, Rainey-Smith is throwing one last punk show to raise funds for Marriage for All Korea. Courtesy of Tom Rainey-SmithBy Jon DunbarThe legendary Seoul punk venue Skunk, recently reopened in eastern Sindang-dong, and is hosting a benefit show this Saturday for the Marriage for All Korea cause. It will feature the bands Drinking Boys and Girls Choir, DeadButtons, Dead Chant and Smoking Goose, as well as solo performances by folk musician Seth Mountain and the venue owner Won Jong-hee, going by the stage name Jonny Ruckus. It's a worthy cause and a fine lineup, but the show hides an extra meaningful impetus: it's a farewell party. Tom Rainey-Smith, who goes by the nickname Tom Raging Smith on social media, is moving with his family back to his homeland, New Zealand. “We're leaving the week after the show!” Raging-Smith told The Korea Times. “In fact, we have to leave our house the morning after the show,

Aug 8, 2023By Jon Dunbar
Punk show supports marriage for all

RESTAURANT OF THE WEEK Gino's NY Pizza achieves crust perfection

The NY Supreme pizza at Gino's NY Pizza / Courtesy of Shuttle DeliveryBy Mark BoeschGino's NY Pizza owner Eugene Kim founded Gino's in the back alleys of Itaewon in 2016 with a mission to bring New York pizza to Seoul. Fast forward to today and Gino's bakes slices and pies in Seoul at pizza shops in Itaewon and Apgujeong, and in Busan near Haeundae Beach. Gino's NY Pizza is so authentic you'll understand why Gino's reigns supreme with pizza enthusiasts across Korea.You can smell the aroma of freshly baked pizza from a few doors down, but it really hits you once you enter. A neon sign on the wall proclaims the restaurant's motto, “In Crust We Trust.” Their dedication to authenticity starts with the ingredients, like California tomatoes, imported cheeses and extra virgin olive oil. Gino's signature pizza dough is made entirely in-house using imported high-gluten flour. Almost everything is made from scratch and vegetables are sourced locally for freshness. Each pizza is produced with the restaurant's signature hand-tossed dough and then baked on a stone deck at blazing temp

Aug 8, 2023By Jon Dunbar
[RESTAURANT OF THE WEEK] Gino's NY Pizza achieves crust perfection

LIFE'S OLLE TRAILS 9 Reading a poem about death in the woods

A deer carcass decomposes on Jeju Island. Courtesy of Rachel StineBy Rachel StineIf you think the “Mama Universe” stuff I mentioned in the last column sounds like the ramblings of a California 'psychonaut' ... you're right! I got the idea from Duncan Trussell.One day, while walking down an olle, watching the orange sun flicker over the cattails, I found myself struck by his podcast comments:“Who loves us? Who's been loving us … who loves us, all the way into all age? That's the Earth. That's the Universe. It loves us until we dissolve right into it …“…we are in the embrace of the most incredible lover. A lover that has formed an entire universe around us. A planet around us. I mean, what's sexier than that? A lover who's decided to be all our lovers? 'Oh, don't worry. No, I'll be every lover you've ever had. I'll be every mother. I'll be every father … I'll be your child. I'll be your birth. I'll be your death. I'll be your thinking; I'll be your intelligence. I'm gonna be it all.'”His words would return to me on Olle Trail 15

Aug 6, 2023By Jon Dunbar
[LIFE'S OLLE TRAILS 9] Reading a poem about death in the woods

RAS Korea Oldest Korean studies group hits 1,500 lectures and counting

Brother Anthony of Taize, left, president emeritus of RAS Korea, poses with Rev. Steven L. Shields, current RAS president, during a book sale at the society's headquarters, Nov. 7, 2020. Korea Times photo by Jon DunbarBy Steven L. ShieldsOver its 123-year history, Royal Asiatic Society (RAS) Korea has sponsored almost 1,500 lectures, with only a few interruptions due to wars. James Scarth Gale, Homer B. Hulbert and George Heber Jones gave the first lectures in 1900. Lectures have continued since. Topics have been wide-ranging, from history, politics, economics, art, music, anthropology, archaeology and sociology. After a longtime member and prolific presenter at a recent lecture asked whether he might be the record holder for the total number of lectures presented to RAS Korea, I decided to do some digging. The task is not too challenging since RAS Korea maintains a running index of all lectures ever presented. In the early days, lectures were occasional rather than scheduled. In modern times, at least since 1953 when the Korean War ended, RAS Korea has ramped up its programs, with l

Aug 5, 2023By Jon Dunbar
[RAS Korea] Oldest Korean studies group hits 1,500 lectures and counting

PINNACLE'S ITAEWON Helping foreign residents settle in Seoul

This is the second article in the Serving Itaewon series exploring assistance-related agencies and businesses that aid the assimilation and development of migrant residents of Itaewon and surrounding communities.By Pinnacle TheHustlerTo settle in a bustling metropolis like Seoul, planning for the future is very important. Among all the things to consider, two essential aspects stand out ― real estate and insurance. Jee Kim, an experienced real estate agent who focuses on the Yongsan area, and Brian Shin, a risk consultant at Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance, both emphasized the importance of these fundamental components in securing a stable and comfortable life in Korea.Real estate agent Jee Kim / Courtesy of Jee KimJee Kim's journey in the world of real estate spans an impressive eight years, all of which have been dedicated to the Yongsan area, with a special focus on Itaewon and nearby multicultural neighborhoods. When asked about her dedication to this particular area, Kim explained that it's not just about business ― Itaewon is her home. Being born and raised in the area and

Aug 1, 2023
[PINNACLE'S ITAEWON] Helping foreign residents settle in Seoul

RESTAURANT OF THE WEEK Plant Cafe & Kitchen offers innovative vegan menu

Vegan food at Plant Cafe & Kitchen / Courtesy of Shuttle DeliveryBy Mark BoeschPlant Cafe & Kitchen is a pioneer in Seoul's burgeoning vegan dining scene. Founder Mipa Lee launched her business in central Seoul's Itaewon before opening a second location in Hongdae's popular Yeonnam-dong. Plant is on a mission to make the plant-based lifestyle simple and tasty, maintaining a steadfast dedication to producing 100 percent plant-based food with an innovative menu packed full of vegan delights.Visitors are welcomed to Plant with a friendly staff and relaxing atmosphere. The comfy, greenery-infused interior produces a tranquil, calming ambience. The staff are knowledgeable and helpful about making selections from their menu.There is something for everyone on the menu. Every item is crafted to satisfy the palette and the conscience, from tempting appetizers like loaded chili cheese fries or moussaka, a hot chunky eggplant cooked in tomato sauce with tofu feta crumbles and cilantro, to robust main courses like the scrumptious mushroom burger. Plant's chefs have mastered the art of fu

Aug 1, 2023By Jon Dunbar
[RESTAURANT OF THE WEEK] Plant Cafe & Kitchen offers innovative vegan menu

LIFE'S OLLE TRAILS 7 Healing perfectionism on Pyoseon Beach

A caterpillar on Jeju Island / Courtesy of Rachel StineBy Rachel StineSo how deep did this need for productivity run? I know we're going the way of Ganse, but there's no need for stories here. I have numbers.From 2018 to 2022, I ran a New Year's resolutions group on Facebook. Each year, members attempted to complete at least 70 percent of our goals, often using an app to track productivity. These are some of my stats:In 2019, I spent about 242 hours working on my New Year's resolutions.In 2020, it was over 550 hours.And in 2021, I spent a whopping 743 hours and 40 minutes on goals. That figure doesn't include the hundreds of hours I spent teaching to pay off American student loans, which in itself felt like a Sisyphean task.Every free moment on the bus was perfect for reviewing Korean flashcards. If some Monster-guzzling teenager could do it, I could too, right? Nothing like the Korean spirit of hard work! It built this country up from the ruins of war. Why shouldn't I try to copy that?Well … it was giving me OCD compulsions. That might have been a good reason to stop.But I re

Jul 30, 2023By Jon Dunbar
[LIFE'S OLLE TRAILS 7] Healing perfectionism on Pyoseon Beach

LIFE'S OLLE TRAILS 8 Confronting OCD in Woljeong-ri

Tiny life on Jeju Island / Courtesy of Rachel StineBy Rachel StineBy June 2022, I had just a few Olle Trails stamps left to collect. In true perfectionist fashion, I was adamant about completing my passport on June 18 ― my first anniversary of starting the trails. In order to achieve that, I had to hike every Sunday.That meant Saturday nights were for prep. Most evenings, I shoved a salad into Tupperware, tossed an apple in my bag and charged my camera battery. I double-checked all the bus schedules. Then, early Sunday morning, I would head to the northeast coast of Jeju Island.Olle Trail Route 20 was no different from other trips. The only problem was, halfway there, it started pouring rain.But I wasn't giving up. With all the stubbornness of an old bulldog, I slogged through the coastal course with no poncho and no umbrella. The rain was like watery needles stinging my eyes, and I had to pull the hood of my sweatshirt over my face to see.Surprisingly, I wasn't the only hiker out in these conditions. There were several older Koreans as well, and although they were equipped with ponc

Jul 30, 2023By Jon Dunbar
[LIFE'S OLLE TRAILS 8] Confronting OCD in Woljeong-ri

Say Sue Me brings Korean indie rock to Chicago

Members of Say Sue Me pose outside Chicago's Empty Bottle, July 20. Courtesy of Say Sue MeBy Kyle Decker CHICAGO ― Busan band Say Sue Me brought their unique brand of shoegazy surf rock (surfgaze?) back to Chicago on July 20. It was the second-to-last stop on their seven-city North American tour, the night after playing K-Indie Music Night in New York with Crying Nut.This was not their first time blowing the roof off the Windy City. They played an equally packed house in late 2019, also at the Empty Bottle, which has been one of Chi-town's most iconic small venues for 30-plus years. I was also able to catch the 2019 show and had planned on seeing them back in early 2022, but COVID-19 surges and finances forced the tour to be canceled, which was disappointing. But I have to say, this show was worth the wait. Pictures taken at a photo booth in Chicago music venue Empty Bottle show Busan Band Say Sue Me, July 20. It's a tradition for bands to be given free tokens for the photo booth. Bands keep the color ones, and the bar posts the black-and-white ones. Courtesy of Say Sue MeI first ca

Jul 29, 2023By Jon Dunbar
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