Jeju Island's English-language community newspaper. Providing the local community and overseas readers with news from the island. Email us at [email protected]
Vol. IV No. 87 April 2013 www.jejuweekly.com Publisher : Song Jung Hee Editor : Darren Southcott Designer : Yun Seong Un Address : Rm. 505 Jeju Venture Maru Bldg. 217 Jungang-ro, Jeju City, Korea Phone : +82-64-724-7776, 702-8885 / Fax : +82-64-724-7796 For advertizing or further inquiries please contact: [email protected] ߣ&DQROD DUH LQ IXOO EORRP RQ 8GR ORRNLQJ WRZDUG 0W +DOOD RQ -HMX ,VODQG Photo by .LP <HRQJHRQ By The Jeju Weekly HGLWRU#MHMXZHHNO\FRP Branksome Hall Asia (BHA) bade farewell to 31 Canadian students March 27 after a successful exchange trip, the first of its kind in Korea. The students from Toronto spent two weeks in classes at BHA, visiting tourist sites and spend- ing time with students from their sister school in Jeju Global Education City (JGEC) in Daejeong-eup. BHA was established on Oct. 15, 2012, and Principal Glen Radojkovich de- scribed the successful exchange as “the icing on the cake” after a successful semester, as the students broke up for the easter holidays. The JGEC now hosts three international schools, NLCS, KIS and BHA, with St Johnsbury and more soon to follow. The project has attracted some criticism due to the high percentage of Koreans enrolled, prompting some parents to question its international education brand. Radojkovich believes such exchanges are crucial to challenge this perception. “The exchange is of strategic benefit, ensuring a North American and an Asian connection...The students were able to explore both the country and the class- room to get an understanding of the culture,” he said. Such was the success of the exchange that there are plans to extend the pro- gram to eight weeks in the future. “We didn’t anticipate how quickly they’d become friends - it was instan- taneous,” said Radojkovich. The Canadian students echoed Radojkovich’s sentiments. At the closing ceremony, student Briana Wilson said, “As we say goodbye, we are deeply grateful...we share the same values and aspirations.” Fellow student, Kate MacMillan, said, “I didn’t expect to bond so well.” The girls The Weekly met all spoke of the success of the trip and how they enjoyed visiting Jeju’s tourist sites, along with its other attractions. “The shopping was amazing,” Mac- Millan said. The visiting students expressed their keenness to return the hospitality and show the BHA students the delights of Canada, such as maple syrup and pancakes. Radojkovich felt it was the Continued on page 5 BHA breaks ground with Canadian exchange program 7RURQWR VLVWHU VFKRRO YLVLW ZDV VHPHVWHUҋV ´LFLQJ RQ WKH FDNHµ VD\V SULQFLSDO ([FKDQJH VWXGHQWV JRW D WDVWH RI FODVVURRP OLIH DW %+$ Photo courtesy %UDQNVRPH +DOO $VLD
Transcript
Vol. IV No. 87 April 2013
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By The Jeju Weekly
Branksome Hall Asia (BHA) bade farewell to 31 Canadian students March 27 after a successful exchange trip, the first of its kind in Korea. The students
from Toronto spent two weeks in classes at BHA, visiting tourist sites and spend-ing time with students from their sister school in Jeju Global Education City (JGEC) in Daejeong-eup.
BHA was established on Oct. 15, 2012, and Principal Glen Radojkovich de- scribed the successful exchange as “the
icing on the cake” after a successful semester, as the students broke up for the easter holidays.
The JGEC now hosts three international schools, NLCS, KIS and BHA, with St Johnsbury and more soon to follow. The project has attracted some criticism due to the high percentage of Koreans enrolled, prompting some parents to question its international education brand. Radojkovich believes such exchanges are crucial to challenge this perception.
“The exchange is of strategic benefit, ensuring a North American and an Asian connection...The students were able to explore both the country and the class-room to get an understanding of the culture,” he said.
Such was the success of the exchange that there are plans to extend the pro-gram to eight weeks in the future.
“We didn’t anticipate how quickly they’d become friends - it was instan-taneous,” said Radojkovich.
The Canadian students echoed Radojkovich’s sentiments. At the closing ceremony, student Briana Wilson said, “As we say goodbye, we are deeply grateful...we share the same values and
aspirations.” Fellow student, Kate MacMillan, said, “I didn’t expect to bond so well.”
The girls The Weekly met all spoke of the success of the trip and how they enjoyed visiting Jeju’s tourist sites, along with its other attractions.
“The shopping was amazing,” Mac-Millan said.
The visiting students expressed their keenness to return the hospitality and show the BHA students the delights of Canada, such as maple syrup and pancakes. Radojkovich felt it was the Continued on page 5
Black Yak is “my sweat and tears,” says Jeju entrepreneur and mountaineer
By Song Jung Hee
Black Yak is an outdoor gear brand founded by a Jeju native that is fast becoming a world leader. CEO Kang Taesun is also much more than your average entrepreneur. He is a profes-sional climber who has conquered countless peaks, such as Mont Blanc, the Alborz Mts. as well as the Himalaya.
The birth of the Black Yak brand actually goes back to Kang’s time in the Himalaya in the mid-90s, when he visited the mountainous region and admired the hardy animals grazing at 4,000~6000m above sea level. The idea for Black Yak was born.
For Kang, the cutthroat world of a CEO makes the exhilaration of a mountain precipice, away from civilization, a ritual that enables transcendence, reaching a pristine state with nature: “the mountain only gives answers to those who climb it,” he says.
[The following is a summary of an interview between Black Yak President Kang Taesun and The Jeju Weekly, held at the Black Yak offices on March 29.]
Song: Black Yak began as Dongjin Leisure and for the 40th anniversary this March you stated that Black Yak had no competitors in the outdoor gear market. What did you mean by that?
Kang: Competition should be a battle with oneself. You should not copy others. When I said we had no competitors, I meant that competition should be with oneself.
Song: What are the characteristics of the Black Yak brand?
Kang: I am a mountaineer at heart... one cannot make a superior product without in-depth knowledge and under-
standing of the mountains. The products are the product of my sweat and tears...the Himalayan culture, nature, spirit, colors and soul have been inserted into Korean material.
Song: Can you tell us about the secret of Black Yak’s success in the tough-to-break Chinese market?
Kang: Even the mighty conglomerates were toppling over [when Black Yak entered in 1996 (after failing in its first 1993 venture)] and the market for hiking equipment didn’t even exist in China. My decision attracted pure derision at the time, but I had the conviction [that the market would turn around]. I opened the first Black Yak store in the heart of Beijng in 1998, while Korea was still in crisis. It actually took a whopping 14 years before Black Yak conquered the Chinese outdoor brand market. There are cur-rently 300 outlets in China and we plan to expand to 1000 within two years.
There is a huge market there, but many ventures fail because they cannot endure the fierce competition and cultural differences that lie within. I usually tell the PR representative to study Chinese history and culture before anything else, as they must know the Chinese mind. People say when doing business in China, the word “guanxi” - human network - is essential. This is true, but if you only rely on “guanxi” you are doomed to fail; two systems - both capitalism and socialism - exist in China.
Song: How does managing a company compare to climbing a mountain?
Kang: They are fundamentally the same. You can’t get to the summit just by taking a few steps...you have to take one step at a time and go over countless valleys and gorges. It would be impos-sible to experience the exhilaration and
sheer satisfaction of reaching the summit without actually climbing it.
[When climbing the Himalaya] There is that desperate instinct and desire to survive. No matter how experienced you are and no matter how totally prepared you are, it is possible to lose your life. It is the same in management. Some people say, “You have your hands full as it is, why do you have to climb dangerous mountains?” People are born to die eventually, and companies will one day disappear as well. How funny is it to say that because you are born to die, don’t live your life to the fullest?
Song: I am sure you have already been asked countless times about this but…why do you climb mountains?
Kang: Sir Edmund Hillary, the first to climb Mt. Everest, said that he climbed the mountain one step at a time. I cannot agree with this more. In addition, for me, going up a mountain is a healing process. Greed that gets accumulated uncon-sciously while trying to survive in a fiercely competitive world someho\w gets dissipated.
You go crazy [in the first three days without a cellphone], you feel nervous…you can’t help but think ‘how is the company running without me?’ After five days, the matter of saving your own skin, one step after another, becomes more urgent. You naturally forget about everything else. You feel more akin to nature, and suddenly everything feels more comfortable. Sometimes, I get epiphanic moments that offer key solu-tions to my business management prob-lems while climbing.
Song: Your hometown is Seogwipo City in Jeju. What does Jeju mean to you and what kind of message would you like to give to Jeju which aspires to be an Inter-
national Free City?Kang: A hometown is like a mother’s
bosom as well as a place which always offers life guidance. Jeju only occupies one percent of the whole of Korea in terms of population and size but I would say its potential and possibilities are limitless.
Song: I heard that Black Yak is also a pioneer in philanthropy and social responsibility.
Kang: One of the goals of Black Yak is to be ‘together with nature’. We try our best to use environmentally friendly products as much as possible. [To achieve this] we will soon launch the Black Yak Foundation. Domestically, there will be public campaigns, such as donating to the less fortunate in society and awarding scholarships to the families of deceased mountaineers. Interna-tionally, we are planning to support conservation of the Himalayan environ-ment and culture, as well as establishing schools.
Song: What would you say is your specific goal in this 40th anniversary year?
Kang: To become one of the top five brands globally by 2015, and then ranking as the top global brand by 2020. This is not just an abstract idea, I am convinced that it is actually a feasible plan.
Song: You published a book titled ‘Today is Another Challenge’ last August. What does the word ‘challenge’ mean to you?
Kang: Life itself is a challenge. Coming five minutes earlier to work might be a challenge for some people...Something trivial can be a big challenge. Climbing Mt. Everest and risking your life are not the only big challenges in life. Trying to eat something different... could be a huge challenge depending on how you look at it.
Jeju is renowned for golf. As a main-lander said recently, “When I told my friends I moved to Jeju, they told me I must play golf!” Jeju’s fame is known throughout Korea, yet building an international brand is proving more difficult.
Jeju Tourism Organization (JTO) in partnership with local golf courses is seeking to cement Jeju as an inter-national golf venue. The strategy is to market the island as a high-end destina-tion, with events such as the Jeju International Golf Festival and Jeju Tourism Organization President’s Cup adding variety to its golf product.
Back in 2008 Jeju held the prestigious European PGA event the Ballantines Classic at the Pinx Golf Club for the first time and this was repeated in 2009 and 2010. Jeju was all set to be East Asia’s premier golf destination, with stunning landscapes, quality facilities and inter-national golf tournaments. The province was on the 18th green, thinking of what tipple to enjoy on the 19th.
Some things, however, are out of the hands of industry specialists. The economic downturn hit hard, being coupled with the tragic 2011 tsunami and
subsequent nuclear meltdown at Fukushima, which slowed the flow of Jeju’s biggest market - the Japanese. The industry began to look east, to China, and this is where its crosshairs are trained for future growth.
Showpiece events go a long way in packaging Jeju as the finished product to international visitors and it is starting to produce results. Along with its image as a natural paradise, the golf industry is promoting Jeju as a golf paradise to the world. Quality courses are essential to this strategy.
There are currently 29 golf courses on the island, with more approved and seeking planning permission. Golfers, however, are more concerned with quality than quantity, which is just as well as golftoday.co.uk describes the Pinx course as “one of the best in the world.”
The 2011 International Golf Festival took full advantage of the quality on offer during the week-long event, which six golf courses participated in, attracting 400 participants, with an additional 120 companions. Marketers made much of Jeju’s natural beauty to appeal to Asia’s golf fanatics and one Japanese partic-ipant expressed his joy at having taken part.
“I was very satisfied with the golf courses in Jeju. It was cheaper and the quality was the same as in Japan. I’d like to participate next year again, but I would
like the festival to be two to three weeks longer next time,” said Mr Okada.
With the slowing arrival of Japanese tourists, the JTO has aggressively targeted growth markets in China and Southeast Asia, such as Indonesia and Singapore. Japan was not totally neglected, as Tokyo and Nagoya are recognized as key markets and Japan still provides around 70 percent of golf tourists.
The 2012 festival was hailed as a truly international event, with 900 tourists doubling the 2011 numbers and a variety of nations were represented. Partici-pating courses rose to 13 and the year also saw the inaugural JTO President’s Cup held across the island, providing a number of prizes and events for participants, such as hole-in-one and longest putt.
2013 is thus seen as a key year. It is essential that the industry continues the rebuilding that has occurred over the last two years, with both the 2013 Jeju International Golf Festival (July 1-14) and the JTO President’s Cup (year-round) looking for breakthrough years. Combined, 1500 tourists are targeted to make it a record-breaker.
To realize this vision, professional golfer Gloria Park (Korean name Park Hee-jeong) was appointed JTO honorary ambassador for Jeju Island. As one of the
top pros on the LPGA circuit, it is hoped she will propel Jeju on to the interna-tional stage.
“I’d like to foster golf tours as central to tourism on Jeju through diverse brand marketing. I’ll strive to revitalize Jeju’s golf business,” said Park.
Of course, Jeju has much to boast about besides its golf facilities. In 2011, it became one of the New7Wonders of Nature, which added to its UNESCO triple crown, and World Geopark and World Biosphere Reserve statuses.
Golfers, of course, like nothing more than mountains, the sea, and flowers in full bloom, so the marketers’ job is an easy one. Jeju’s temperate climate - four seasons of it - is complemented by high-quality infrastructure and accommoda-tion. Jeju is also cooler in summer than many competing Southeast Asian destinations, with winter also milder than local competitors.
Jeju surely has a great deal to offer golf enthusiasts, with many of the ingredients to make it a golfing paradise, but there is still some way to go. The JTO, with local golf-course support, hopes to attract a leading tour event to the island within the next couple of years.
Hopefully, if the JTO plays it cards right, Tiger Woods will be sinking a few hole-in-ones at Samseonghyeol before too long.
Global golf to tee off on Jeju IslandPhoto courtesy
Continued from page 1 shared identity of Branksome that helped overcome any cultural barriers.
“We expected it to take more time, but they were already Branksome girls so they had that group connection. We will continue this program when [BHA] students visit Canada for three weeks... [and] they will stay connected elec-tronically,” said Radojkovich.
BHA is the first international school in Korea to introduce such an exchange program. Kevin Byun, Operating Director
of Haewul Academic Foundation, man-aging North London Collegiate School (NLCS) and BHA at the JGEC, said, “It is a valuable asset in the [BHA] curric-ulum... it is a pioneering plan among international schools.”
Byun described the program as “top notch” and said it will become a com-pulsory part of the curriculum in the near future, currently being optional. Byun went on to praise the BHA education product: “when people see the facilities, their jaws drop...and the hardware should
be matched by the quality of education.”Reflecting on BHA as part of an
expanding JGEC, Byun recognized that “the pie is limited” and schools will have to market themselves as independent institutions with unique attributes to stand out from the crowd of acronyms at JGEC.
“Korean parents’ passion for education is even stronger than religious convic-tion... [and to appeal to them] we need to focus on what makes [BHA] unique and differentiates us ,” said Byun.
Around 13.5 percent of NLCS students
are currently non-Korean, as are 16 per-cent of BHA students. Byun recognizes this is a statistic that needs to be addressed - despite it exceeding expecta-tions - if schools are to market them-selves as truly international. Accordingly, he is currently “narrowing down targets” to increase international enrolment.
In the meantime, there is no better publicity than word of mouth and one student overheard at the closing cere-mony of the exchange program had this to say: “it was amazing.”
Photo courtesy
By Alexis Oesterle
Teachers on Jeju Island looking to spice up their classroom were given the opportunity to observe some creative ideas in play at a workshop hosted by the Jeju Chapter of KOTESOL (Korean Teachers of English as a Second Lan-guage) on Sat. April 6.
Guest speaker, Sara Davila led a group of 37 ESL teachers in demonstrating some creative ways to allow for more communication in the classroom. Laughter was prevalent as teachers, enjoying themselves on a rainy Saturday, let loose a little while participating in a number of activities designed to demon-strate ideas that will have students thinking “outside the box.”
Teachers interviewed before the
conference had the same response when asked what inspired them to come: each was looking for new ideas to take into their classroom environments. One such teacher, Petra Eastaugh, had this to say after the conference: “I was particularly interested in her [Sara Davila’s] take on creative thinking as a skill that can be taught, exercised, practiced and owned. I hadn’t thought of it like that.”
The Jeju Chapter has been trying to revive itself and its numbers in recent months. This workshop was the first of four for the 2013 year. Interested parties are urged to follow the Chapter on facebook (“KOTESOL Jeju Chapter”) or their website (www.kotesol.org) to find out about future activities. If you are interested in more information on the Guest Speaker or some of her creative ideas, please visit www.saradavila.com.
President’s absence intensifies calls for national 4.3 memorial day
By Darren Southcott
Mourners marked the 65th anniversary of April 3, 1948 on Wednesday, a date of infamy in Jeju and Korean history. Thousands of mourners gathered for a memorial service at Jeju April 3rd Peace Park, Bonggae-dong, Jeju City and were witness to speeches, songs, dances and recitals in bright sunshine, belying the somber mood.
The memorial service was led by President Kim Young Hoon of the Jeju April 3rd Peace Foundation, Jeju Governor Woo Geun-min and Korean
Prime Minister Jung Hong-won, attending on behalf of President Park Geun-hye.
April 3 marks the day in 1948 on which a number of police stations on Jeju Island were attacked by members of the island’s People’s Committees, left-wing political groups. Despite the causes being multifaceted, the attacks were in part a reaction against police aggression on the island - dating back to March 1, 1947 - and nationwide elections, which island-ers felt would divide the nation.
The incidents escalated tension between the community and the author-ities and an island-wide conflict between guerrillas and the Korean military raged
for six years until 1954, with the dead being numbered between 15 and 60 thousand. 80 percent of the killings were committed by state forces, says the Jeju 4.3 Peace Foundation.
A third of Jeju’s people were either killed or fled as the Korean government declared Jeju a “red island.” Islanders were slurred as being a communist fifth column within the newly created Repub-lic of Korea and entire villages were destroyed as the “jungsangan” (upland region above 200 meters) was declared enemy territory.
Prior to the memorial day, President Park had pledged to fight “Until all the pain of the Jeju people is relieved” and she was reminded of this, despite her absence, by Governor Woo. He also sup-ported Park’s commitment to making a national memorial day for 4.3.
“I will strive to revive the establishment of 4.3 as a national memorial day through reconciliation, coexistence, peace and human rights,” said Woo.
Head Councillor Bak Hui-su, of Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, reiter-ated President Park’s promise and urged the government to provide welfare and support for victims and the bereaved.
“I hope today’s memorial service can be an opportunity to heal the loss and hurt of the bereaved and provide solace to the souls of the dead,” said Bak.
Breaking the fetters of silence It may be 65 years since April 3, 1948,
but this has not been 65 years of reconciliation. Years of dictatorship ensured victims and relatives were
silenced and imprisoned for daring to speak out.
For 40 years the Jeju people bore their pain in enforced silence, for fear of being tainted communist, particularly under oppressive laws such as the Yushin Constitution (1972) under Park Chung-hee - continued in all but name under Chun Doo-hwan - and the National Security Act (1948), which is still active.
It was not until the fall of Chun Doo-hwan’s military government in the face of the June Democracy Movement in 1987 that victims’ voices began to be heard: the first official memorial day was held on April 3, 1989. Reconciliation for the victims of 4.3 was central to the popular democratization movement and relatives have since fought to clear victims’ names and receive apologies for the government aggression.
In 2000 the Jeju 4.3 Incident Special Law was promulgated, obligating an investigation into the massacre. The first official investigation reported in May 2001 that it had received 14,028 reports of 4.3-related deaths, which rose to 15,101. These were subject to further investigation.
In 2006 Roh Mu-hyun visited Jeju Island to attend the 4.3 memorial service, being the first - and only - Korean president to do so. A year later, after thorough investigation of claims, the official death toll stood at 13,564 victims and 29,239 bereaved relatives. Almost four years later, in 2011, the dead had reached 14,032 with 31,223 bereaved.
Governor Woo, in his address, empha-sized the gravity of the work ongoing. Between Dec. 1, 2012 and Feb. 28, 2013 an additional 350 deaths were confirmed and 27,442 bereaved, almost doubling the 2011 figure. He stated that recon-ciliation and unity were essential as Jeju moves to the future:
“I believe that it is the responsibility of we of the modern era to carry this bur-den,” said Woo.
The memorial service is a single day among 12 months of hard work and President Kim outlined some of the Jeju 4.3 Peace Foundation’s achievements over the past year, including ongoing translation work to “break the fetters” of silence and ensure that the truth of 4.3 is “spread across the world.”
“Like an April shoot sprouting from Jeju’s cherished earth, a bud of peace is rising, and like a warm spring breeze the wind of reconciliation is at hand,” said Kim.
In the moments of silence between the speeches, all that could be heard was the cawing of black crows, circling the skies above the park. The poignancy would not have been lost on survivors, who have spoken of battling against the carrion birds when burying the 4.3 dead.
Before flowers were laid at the memori-al, a poem in Jeju dialect was read. Penned by local poet Mun Chungseong, “The Whole Island” was recited movingly by Kim Seo-yeon, whose eyes glazed as she read the closing line.
Tears of goddess fall as Bukchon villagers bid farewell
By Darren Southcott
It takes some going to stand out among 18 thousand, but that is just what Yeongdeung Halmang, Jeju’s most revered goddess, does. She visits the island for two weeks as winter gives way to spring and her presence is marked in villages all over the island by “gut,” or shamanic ceremonial rites.
Although the most famous of these is Chilmeoridang Yeongdeunggut, at Sarabong, marking Yeongdeung Halmang’s farewell on the 14th day of the second lunar month, rites are held across the island.
Bukchon Village Yeongdeunggut is one of the smaller gut held in Jeju villages, between the goddess’ entrance at Hansu Village and exit at Udo Island.
Bukchon represents Jeju in multiple ways, both historically and into the modern era. The horrors of the Jeju Massacre were keenly felt here and the community of farmers and fishers, including many haenyeo, live closeted in winding alleys, of the sort that outwit apartment dwellers. An Olle Trail also passes through, number 19.
Expecting something of the heavy clouds of an aging cathedral, I was struck by the irreverence of the villagers. None
of the “quiet please, this is church” that an Englishman might expect at a reli-gious event.
The rites are steeped in local lore and the events are one of the last bastions of the seemingly impenetrable Jeju dialect. The shaman, or shimbang, diligently performed their duties, while the dangol (devotees) prepared, gossiped, groomed and, well, kicked back. The dangol, none younger than 40, even accommodated the press, handing out bingddeok (Jeju pancakes) to one and all: if they felt intruded upon, they hid it well.
The sounds were intense, and - reminiscent of shaman footage seen from the Amazon to the Kalahari - drumbeat was used to deliver the shaman to Yeong-deung. The shaman, sent somewhere apart for a few intense moments, returns slowly.
This may be a tradition in retreat, but it is very much alive for those within whom it lives on.
Names were called, with ages and grades, as Yeongdeung Halmang’s blessing for an abundant catch - she is in many ways the deity of the haenyeo - is now pleaded for alongside the modern harvest of school certificates; she can doubtless oblige.
The shaman approached the devotees, chanting hauntingly, eyes glazed. As she
began a solemn seeming elegy, tears began rolling down her cheeks. Villagers, females all, softly began weeping, lamenting the hardships of haenyeo life.
Among a pack of outsiders, notepads and cameras in hands, I felt I was intruding upon private grief, and shuffled backwards. The villagers’ tears, however,
soon dried and the smiles returned, before some more bingddeok were passed around.
Just before I left, feeling blessed to have witnessed Yeongdeung’s Bukchon passing, the shaman called out to the devotees.
Jeju Furey’s inaugural darts tournament was a success at CIty Hall’s Bull’s Bar.
The 16 team tournament raised approxi-mately 650 thousand won for the Furey Foundation, directly benefitting local families in need. It also honored the memory of Debbie Peachy, a former Jeju resident from Indiana who was lost to cancer in 2012.
After defeating Dave and Karma Cunning in the final, Brad Ingram and his partner Vamy emerged as the 2013 Jeju Furey Darts champions.
“We got pretty lucky,” said Ingram. “We had some good throws, and our opponents missed some that could have changed things. It was fun, and we’re always up to raise money for a good cause.”
Neither Brad nor Vamy are strangers to the darts board – Vamy gets plenty of practice on Island Vamy’s board, and Ingram has
been competing since he was a kid.“I’ve been playing darts since I was very
young,” conceded Ingram. “I’ve had lots of practice. Misspent youth – I like to hang out in bars too much.”
Their trophy will be on display at Island Vamy, which is located above Island Stone in Jeju City, and owned by Vamy.
Tournament organizer Sachin Mahajan was pleased with the sophomore showdown.
“I’m always overwhelmed after this,” Mahajan admitted. “A big thanks to [Bull’s Bar], our volunteers, sponsors, and partici-pants. We couldn’t have done it without them. Furey events are always loads of fun. I’m glad I got to put another one together, and give a lot of money to families that need it.”
Dave Cunning is a freelance writer from
Kelowna, BC, Canada. Read his blog http://davecunning.wordpress.com and follow him on Twitter: @davecunning
Bull’s eye for Jeju Furey Darts
Photo by
By Darren Southcott
It is that time of year when self-cam shots threaten to crash the Kakao system and the avenues of Jeju are full of would-be roman-tics, picking petals for their dearest, while bending to achieve the optimum 45-degree angle - into oncoming traffic - for that perfect shot.
Yes, the cherry blossoms are in bloom.
Traditionalists might prefer the erstwhile site down on Jeonnong-ro, while the unconventional sing the praises of Jeju National University’s blossoming avenues. Southsiders, naturally, scoff at these, proclaiming their first-in-the-nation bloomers as the benchmark.
Nevertheless, the Cherry Blossom Festival, March 29-31,
was held around the Jeju Sports Complex last weekend and the scenes on the banks of the Han-cheon (river) were something to behold, as blossoms bloomed and high school students flocked.
Those mainstays of the Korean festival, the white tents, fun-neling visitors towards the attractions, were also out in force. For many the tents are the attraction themselves, as an earthy feast of makkeoli (rice wine) and jeon (Korean pan-cakes) sweetens any festival experience.
If you can resist such temp-tations, a wander around the tents is a real assault on the s e n s e s . S i l k w o r m p u p a e (beondegi) scent pervades the air, mixing with roast pig, festival sweets and fruit. The initial joy of eating might even lead to regret as there is little room to try more.
Where there is a will, however, there is a way.
A great touch of the festival is the fact that the tents raise money for a supported cause. There was a tent for bereaved families of the Jeju Massacre, Jeju multicultural families, welfare programs, environmental programs, and many more. This really helps when making a decision on where to eat.
Of course, the main attraction are the blossoms. To the west of the bus station, on the east bank of the Hancheon, the blossoms are beautifully backdropped by the rocky dry river bed. With soft evening light dappling the petals and glinting through the boughs, it was the perfect walk to aid digestion.
After a few minutes you are ready to assault the tents again for round two.
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is operated)Q: How painful is it during the procedure?A: Anesthesia ointment is used. No pain, only tinglingQ: How long does it last? A: After 1 week the collagen is synthesized. After 2-3 weeks
the effects dramatically increase and last 1 to 2 years.
Q&A
Tel: +82-64-726-9500Tel: +82-64-726-9500
JTO has Free Independent Travelers all figured out in “My Jeju, my way”
By Petroc Kernow
I’ve got a new acronym for your glossary: the FIT - Free Independent Traveler - who hits out on their own to discover Jeju’s hidden treasures. Well, they are no longer on their own.
Long neglected on this honeymoon isle, FITs are now the target of the Jeju Tour-ism Organization, who have produced “My Jeju, my way,” a guidebook for those who don’t want to be spoon-fed all of the island’s delights.
The book has eight sections: Nature; Art and Culture; Food; History; Healing; Shopping; Island; Leisure. The way to a traveler’s heart is through his stomach, so let’s see what “My Jeju, my way” has to offer in the food department.
First, hats off to the JTO for the halal food suggestions. Indonesia is targeted as a growth tourism market, after all. 12 muslim-friendly eateries are listed across the island and the halal restaurants are given pride of place on one of the JTO’s glossy maps, something “My Jeju, my way” does very well.
A great feature of this section is the introduction of the food “geori” (streets) across Jeju: guksu geori (noodle street), heuk-dwaeji geori (black pig street), and a number of hoet-jip geori (raw fish restaurant streets), all with colorful maps. (They do these well.)
The reader is then introduced in more detail to Jeju’s local delicacies: gogiguksu (meat noodles) - “enough to fill the hungry stomach of an adult;” malgogi (horse meat) - “good for you;” and gamgyul (tangerines) - “it has a sweet taste, like candy.” The saliva-resistant gloss serves its purpose.
After all that I was definitely in need of some healing, something all the rage in Korea right now.
The healing section - “Powers of Clean Air and Beautiful Nature” - opens with a glossy map, something “My Jeju, my way” does very well. As the headline act in Jeju’s FIT pantheon, the Olle Trails are given
coverage along with a guide to all of Jeju’s woodland walks and a handful of oreum.
The information was good, but it left me wanting more. I still didn’t know how to get to the Olle Trails, let alone finish them. Glossy, but lacking the nourishing bones that a true FIT demands, I was fighting the urge to retreat to the perpetual safety blanket of tourists, Google.
There are more strings to this guide-book’s bow, however.
“My Jeju, my way,” like all quality guide-
books, uses a Jungian Myers-Briggs Type Indicator to.get into the mind of the traveler. Once profiled, the reader is placed into one of seven groups, marked A to E.
To separate the Gapa barley from the Udo peanuts, readers are posed a series of statements to either agree or disagree with. Some are easy to weigh up - “I’ve heard of “Jeju Olle” - while others are hard to disagree with: “I want to explore the hidden beauties of nature.” Well, who doesn’t?
Once manoeuvred, you have been typified. The typologies aren’t necessarily flattering - “You tend to wear out and worry easily” - and your designated tour might not even be well suited - Olle trails and oreum hiking. (For the weak and easily flustered?)
It was an interesting concept, none-
theless, and added to my guidebook-reading experience. This is how I ended up a Type B:
I’ve Heard of Olle (Yes) - I want to explore hidden beauties of nature (Yes) - I want to know more about Jeju as the winner of UNESCO’s triple crowns and one of the world’s New7Wonders of Nature (No) - I enjoy shopping in casual yet fascinating places [who doesn’t?] (Yes) - Type B.
As a Type B, I was “creative and
inquisitive,” ready to challenge social con-ventions and “immerse myself” in the local culture.
I started at pages 69 and 26, as all true adventures do. I was beginning to question whether the psychological pigeon-holing was becoming slightly un-FIT (see above).
Despite my cynicism, the JTO were bang on the money! I love a market and that’s where they sent me. They even gave me a quick rundown of what to expect: fruit, veg and meat! Who’d have thunk it? Off to Seomun for me.
How to get there? Well, apparently I should get the bus from the airport, luggage presumably in tow. I would normally check-in at the nearest love motel, but I am a Type B and we are good at thinking on our feet...
All marketed-up, next on the JTO FIT
FMB (float-my-boat) list was a galot-dying experience and I had the choice of three: two in Jeju City and one in Seogwipo. With the phone number alone, and no eup, ri, or dong address, I was on my own.
In my role as a fresh-off-the-boat foreigner, my attempts at getting directions over the phone were futile. My “creative and inquisitive” self came to a persimmon-less end at a bus terminal payphone, in an imagined downpour.
In conclusion, “My Jeju, my way” is a
worthy companion. Like a true travel buddy, it will prove itself frighteningly shallow if stuck with you in a motel room for over an hour, while three hours in a bar will convince you it’s both your soul mate and lover, all in one. It also does glossy maps, very well.
Is this a Lonely Planet? No. Will it provide good pointers to explore further elsewhere? Yes. Is it recommended? If you can pick it up for free.
The Jeju Weekly has three copies of JTO’s “My Jeju, my way” to give to Jeju-residents. To receive one, please email in your best suggestion for a Jeju guidebook theme or concept to [email protected]. Emails chosen by the editor will receive a copy. Please include your name and address.
Jeju downs Busan but Jeonbuk end Orange’s unbeaten run
Jeju Sports Complex to be ready for 95th National Sports Championships
By Dave Cunning
Jeju United maintained their impres-sive inaugural K-League Classic cam-paign after beating eighth place Busan I’Park 1-0 on Saturday, March 30.
12,826 fans packed into Seogwipo’s World Cup Stadium to see Jeju emerge victorious – their highest attendance since November 2012.
The game also marked the home debut
of Brazilian attacker Maranhão, who made his second start after playing two weeks previously in Daejeon.
The game remained scoreless through the first half, but business quickly picked up as teams took the field for the match’s second half.
Jeju immediately applied heavy pres-sure to their opponents and Bit-Garam Yoon hit the crossbar from a free kick after 52 minutes. Three minutes later, Soo-Il Kang was also unable to convert,
despite getting into Busan’s penalty area with the ball only mere feet from goal. Jeju had another free kick attempt on 64 minutes, but Juna Yang missed the mark just to the left.
Busan was up to the task, however. After weathering Jeju’s offensive storm, the visitors began to make life difficult for United around 70 minutes, forcing goalkeeper Jun-Hyuk Park to make a number of last-ditch saves.
Jeju was also able to survive the offensive
onslaught. The match finally saw its first goal scored at 74 minutes, when Jeju’s Juna Yang snuck in to Busan’s penalty area from midfield and directed a header into the net to give Jeju a 1-0 lead. It was 23-year-old Yang’s first goal since 2011.
Busan did not give up and threw everything they had at the home team. The intensity increased, and Jeju’s discipline began to wane as the game drew to a close – in the last twenty minutes, Jeju gave away two free kicks, Joo-Hyun Oh received a yellow card, and Ban-Suk Oh was lost to injury.
As the game entered injury time, Jeju knew they were on their heels, and pulled out all the stops in an attempt to run down the clock. Players took extended water breaks before performing throw-ins, and attackers purposefully caused confusion on set plays, which the referee ordered to be retaken.
Both teams had strong scoring chances within the final moments, but the match would end 1-0 in favor of Jeju.
In their next match on April 6, Jeju's unbeaten streak came to an end at the Jeonju World Cup Stadium as Jeonbuk Motors ran out 2-1 winners.
Jeju looked to be coming away with a point after Pedro Junior's 71st minute goal cancelled out Brazilian Eninho's 33rd minute opener for Jeonbuk.
Jeonbuk took the spoils, however, after supersub Sang-Min Seo scored in the 86th minute. Jeonbuk rose to fourth on 10 points, while Jeju dropped to 6th on 8 points.
Gangwon at home is next on April 13.Dave Cunning is a freelance writer
from Kelowna, BC, Canada. Read his blog http://davecunning.wordpress.com and follow him on Twitter: @davecunning
Photo courtesy
Jeju provincial government began the construction of an all-weather complex within Jeju Public Sports Complex on March 27th in preparation for the 95th National Sports Championships which will be held in Jeju October 2014.
15 billion won including 4.5 billion in government support will be invested in the project which includes a 9914㎡ four-floor sports complex. The first floor will house eight gateball courts and the second floor will accommodate 12 badminton courts and a 1200-seater stand. A training camp and public gym facilities are also planned at the complex.
Seong-Ji Construction Corp. (CEO Back Chan Hyo) was selected to head the project, chosen through an open bidding process for construction companies chiefly based on Jeju. If the plans to complete the construction by next January are realised, Jeju will boast a specialist badminton complex capable of holding international events.
For the 95th National Sports Championships, current stadium facilities will be expanded and upgraded to the tune of 80.6 billion won with the project due to be finished by July 2014. Provincial officials said that the benefits of this project include employment for 1200 people and the added prestige that holding national and international events will bring to Jeju.
A total of 2,350 MW of electricity from a new large-scale wind power plant could be generated to help meet increased electricity demand. The plant would be capable of producing 2,000 MW from offshore wind power and 350 MW from onshore wind power. The Jeju Special Self-Governing Province plans to build such a power plant by 2030. This year, wind power development districts will be designated both inland and offshore, and the construction of the first two plants will be started within the year.
Jeju will thoroughly follow all applicable laws and regulations and acquire any needed permits and approval for the project. Jeju will strengthen its administrative support to ensure the Jeju Energy Corporation takes on onshore wind power plant construction.
Meanwhile, the Korea Power Engineering Com-pany Incorporation and the Korea Southern Power Corporation have been promoting offshore wind power plant construction in Hallim and Daejeong since 2010.
Project for multi-cultural families gains popularity
A project aiding multi-cultural families in Korea has become popular among married immigrant women. According to the Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, the project aims to provide more jobs to multi-cultural families. Any married immigrants who have taken the Test of Proficiency in Korean, or TOPIK, can apply for the project.
From March to June, married immigrant women will introduce their culture and languages to children at daycare centers. Pairs have been formed out of those who applied, and together they visit various day care centers in Jeju City, teaching the children.
There is a growing positive response from teachers and parents due to these new learning experiences for children at daycare. Thus far, instructors from Vietnam, Japan, and the Philippines have registered for the program and are teaching young children about their respective countries.
Domestic flights from Jeju to be increased
The Ministry of Transportation said that domestic flights from Jeju will be increased for the summer season, from March 31 until Oct. 26. The number of seats for domestic flights will be increased to 440,000 per week, and flights will be operated 1,159 times as well.
Broken down by airline, both Korean Air and Asiana Air will offer flights 566 times per week, a 3 percent increase over current numbers. Low-cost airlines will increase their flight schedules by 16 percent, offering 593 flights per week. This temporary increase is expected to appease tourist complaints about lack of flight tickets.
Volunteers needed to promote nighttime tourism
In an effort to reinvigorate nighttime culture and help revive stagnant commercial areas, the Jeju Special Self-Governing Province is looking to open late night shopping markets.
Jeju Special Self-Governing Province decided to develop 'Tamna Culture Square' in the surroundings of Sanjicheon (river) in Jeju City. Botanical gardens, both international and traditional food vendors, as well as tourist stalls will be created at a total cost of 75.2 billion won. Projected for a 2015 finish, Jeju expects nighttime markets to spontaneously emerge through the Tamna Culture Square arrangement project.
Jeju’s exports steadily increasingDespite a global financial crisis, Jeju Province’s
exports are seeing steady growth, a factor contributing positively to the current domestic economy. Last year's total exports amounted to 460 million USD, a 12 percent increase over the previous year, and 2.2 percent higher than the year’s export goal.
Broken down, there was a 94 million USD, or a 7.9 percent increase, in major industry, and a 365 million USD, or 13 percent increase, in the export of industrial products.
Agricultural products such as tangerines, cabbages, and boat orchids also exhibited impressive growth last year. The 26.1 percent increase paints a bright future for the continued export of these goods.
Products of Jeju origin are increasingly exported globally, even to Africa and the Middle East, with 47 countries receiving Jeju’s exports. Countries include Japan, China, the United States, the UK, Taiwan, Venezuela, and Hong Kong.
These News Briefs are brought to courtesy of Arirang Radio, in a partnership agreement which sees content shared with The Jeju Weekly.
More support for Mom and Pop stores
In line with central government policy, the Jeju provincial government said it will continue to support small businesses to compensate for market domination by large corporations. A fund will be made available for remodelling, management consulting and marketing.
The support is being provided by the Jeju Special Self-Governing Province Cooperative Support Center and the measures are expected to confront the dominance of chain stores and improve sustain-ability and competitiveness for smaller traders losing trade and custom.
Since last year Jeju provincial government has supported small-scale remodelling and 7 million won is available per store. 40 new stores were provided with consultation last year, out of a total of 63 benefi-ciaries, with 30 stores having small-scale remodelling funded.
The policy also aims to improve the image of stores and provide business consulting to increase profits. Store owners, excluding chain bakeries, marts, and convenience stores are eligible to apply and the support program is scheduled to be rolled out in May.
Dolcorom‘Dolcorom’ in Jeju dialecthas the meaning of sweet.Suitably sized and unblemished,they are pretty tangerines.They soon become “goods” at market.
To contact the artist, email [email protected], or connect with “GREAM” on Facebook.
News Briefs
‘My Chagall, Your Picasso’ at Jeju Museum of ArtThe great masters of world art have come to Jeju. My Chagall, Your Picasso, the first such large-scale exhibition in Jeju, has opened at The Jeju Museum of Art. You can enjoy 97 world-class paintings including impressionists Edouard Manet and Paul Cezanne, cubist Pable Picasso, magicians of color Marc Chagall, Piet Mondrian and Joan Miro, as well as the ‘Prince of Pop Art,’ Andy Warhol. Plus, there is the chance to appreciate 31 works of Venezuelan art masters. The total value of the art on display is over 100 billion won, including Picasso's work which is almost 43 billion won.
Where The Jeju Museum of Art, 401 Shinbi-ro, Shin Jeju. For more info. call 710-4265
When March 19 to July 14, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday, closed Mondays (In July it will open until 7 p.m.)
Admission feeIndividual Group (over 20)
Adult 10,000 won 7,000 won 20 - 64 yearsYouth 7,000 won 5,000 won 14 - 19 yearsElementary school students 4,000 won 3,000 won 8 - 13 yearsConcessions Under seven years, over 65
years, men of national merit, the disabled (with one companion)
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