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RESTAURANT OF THE WEEK This western Seoul restaurant will bowl you over

Located on Yeonhui-ro, within walking distance to Hongik University, Ewha Womans University and Yonsei University, Cali in the Bowl is making tasty West Coast-inspired eats straight outta Cali. Cali in the Bowl is less about the Golden State's surf and sun and more about bringing its vibrant, health-conscious ethos to the table, one bowl at a time. The menu is an ode to the bowl culture that's taken the world by storm, but with a twist that's uniquely its own. The terriyaki bowl and burrito bowl stand out not just as fan favorites but as a testament to Cali in the Bowl's commitment to fresh, vibrant and nutritious dining options. The teriyaki bowl is a menu standout and the most popular item with patrons. It is served over a bed of white rice and comes with your choice of protein, including teriyaki chicken, pork, salmon or steak. The teriyaki chicken is succulent and savory — the tender, juicy chicken is coated with a sweet and tangy teriyaki sauce and then topped with sesame seeds, chives and avocado, creating a harmonious blend of flavors. If you bring your appetite, it's availabl

Feb 28, 2024By Mark Boesch
[RESTAURANT OF THE WEEK] This western Seoul restaurant will bowl you over

Musician Ian Chung channels spirit of Ryuichi Sakamoto

By Daniel J. Springer “I was born in Japan but I don’t think I’m Japanese. To be a stranger, I like that attitude.” These words, attributed to composer and pianist Ryuichi Sakamoto in the 1980s just a couple of years prior to his move to New York, capture the very essence of an artist who was often a complete enigma, even to his very devoted fans. Best-known as a member of the Yellow Magic Orchestra and as a soloist, Sakamoto was responsible for a discography that was both wildly innovative and responsible for the rise of several genres of electronic music that would come later in his storied life. Responsible for nearly 50 film scores over the years, Sakamoto was the very first Japanese composer to win an Oscar, for 1987’s "The Last Emperor." In short, Ryuichi Sakamoto was simply a giant of modern music. That is, if one can focus and see him clearly through the fog and noise. One artist who certainly has done his homework on Sakamoto is composer Ian Chung, who is based in Seoul. On his latest single, Chung teams up with London-based cellist Akito Goto to pay tribute to an artis

Feb 28, 2024
Musician Ian Chung channels spirit of Ryuichi Sakamoto

Ureuk World Music House welcomes global music traditions

By Bereket Alemayehu Not long ago, I was invited to visit the Ureuk World Music House in Chungju, North Chungcheong Province, on a sunny autumn afternoon in rural Korea where local mountains, rice paddy fields and scattered houses have coexisted for centuries. The Music House is dedicated to Master Ureuk, a renowned musician from the sixth century said to be the founder of Korean music, who was exiled to Chungju where he created the gayageum, a Korean 12-string instrument. Located at the foot of a local mountain, the hanok-style house is owned by Anna Cybele, a musician originally from New York. Sipping traditionally brewed tea, I sat with Cybele to talk about the music house, her inspiration for founding it and her journey. “When I came upon the very unique traditional lord’s house, magical but abandoned, I was so enchanted that I immediately had a clear vision of the porch as a stage where musicians were seated playing, and the courtyard was full of flowers and guests entranced listening to the music," she said. "Every day for an entire year after stepping foot inside the courtyard

Feb 25, 2024
Ureuk World Music House welcomes global music traditions

Creative nonfiction slices of life in Korea captured on page

The world around us “play[s] host to a million daily dramas, whether we witness them or not.” So writes Frank Dax, who has captured some of those daily dramas in Korea in his new book, titled "Real Toads, Imagined Garden," published last December. "Real Toads, Imagined Garden" is a pleasing and leisurely stroll through a “lived” Korea, not a stage-managed country as we are often presented. The book takes us on a journey to seek what today’s Korea is about, and there are some magic-in-the-mundane sights and sounds along the way. Dax, came to Korea from the U.S. about 10 years ago, blends the boundaries of prose and poetry together. The end result is an eclectic collection, classifiable as “slice-of-life” essays. The time period, it seems, is primarily the late 2010s (for there is a lack of any hint of the pandemic). The book’s implicit question is: “What is life in Korea about?” No, maybe that’s not fully it; it’s probably just as much this: “What is life about, in Korea?” Everything around you is of interest, “if only you look long enough, probe hard enough

Feb 23, 2024By Peter Juhl
Creative nonfiction slices of life in Korea captured on page

RESTAURANT OF THE WEEK Star of Songtan's halal food scene

Star Kebab in Songtan has been serving expats and locals the authentic tastes of Turkey since 2008! After relocating to Korea in 2005, owner Cuma Gozukara, originally of Marash in the province of Kahramanmaras, was the first Turkish restaurateur in the Songtan Entertainment District just outside Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province. This casual halal eatery recently completed a major renovation and now the ambiance is as good as the food. They offer made-to-order kebabs and meat platters that deliver big, richly spiced flavors at stellar prices. Star Kebab’s new open kitchen concept and glass facade give both diners and passerbys front-row views of huge stacks of lamb and chicken turning slowly on vertical rotisseries. As you enter, the scent of spit-roasted meats and exotic spices whets your appetite. Kebabs are the namesake and undeniably the star of the show. Star serves a range of doner kebabs, each packed with your choice of lamb, chicken or a mix of the two. As the meat cooks on the rotisserie, thin slices are shaved off and stuffed into your choice of bread. The done

Feb 20, 2024By Mark Boesch
[RESTAURANT OF THE WEEK] Star of Songtan's halal food scene
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