Korean cuisine to beat the summer heat

The scorching heat and oppressive humidity of a Korean summer makes people sweat a lot and saps them of energy.

To preserve one's vigor and prevent the heat wave from causing exhaustion of both body and soul, Koreans choose either of two ways:

One is to fight against the heat by consuming something cold while the other is to beat it at its own game by having something even hotter.

Either way, Koreans eat some special foods to effectively escape the sweltering summer sizzle.

* Samgyetang

Despite the scorching heat, Koreans are not afraid to queue up in a long line in front of samgyetang restaurants on the three Boknal Days, the hottest days of summer, in order to have the popular Korean ginseng-chicken soup. This is the most popular dish that Koreans have in mid-summer in order to fortify their health against the heat. It has been recorded that traditionally Koreans have eaten some special health foods in summer. Donguibogam, or "Principles and Practice of Eastern Medicine," which was listed in the UNESCO Memory of the World in 2009, said people should preserve their energy in order to mitigate the scorching heat in summer from damaging their health, especially on the three Boknal Days.

The main ingredients of samgyetang -- chicken, ginseng, glutinous rice, garlic and jujubes -- all have medicinal effects to help digestion and improve the intestinal operation. Chicken has a slightly sweet flavor, warms one's body and is good for stamina. Traditionally, Koreans believed chicken was the best medicinal ingredient to invigorate one's body and ward off evil spirits, because it heralds the beginning of the dawn. This traditional belief made samgyetang even more popular. Ginseng is also known to have warm properties, protects the energy of the intestines, calms people's minds, improves eyesight and reconstitutes poor health.

But samgyetang is also rich in protein and known as a high calorie food. So this dish may not be good for those who have warmer body constitutions, unless they are lacking energy. This dish is best eaten when it is served with vegetables and fruits as side dishes, since samgyetang is low in vitamin C and fiber.

* Naengmyeon

But those who prefer something cooler or don't believe in fighting fire with fire may choose to have a bowl of cold noodles in chilled broth with big ice cubes, cooling their tired bodies and minds. For them, naengmyeon - literally meaning cold noodle - is the favorite summer menu item that whets their appetites and boosts energy. (Left: Mulnaengmyeon)

This dish, consisting of thin noodles, a tangy iced broth, julienned vegetables, half a boiled egg and sliced beef, was originally a North Korean delicacy made of potatoes and buckwheat and consumed mainly in the winter time when people did not have enough food. But it has been widely enjoyed throughout the country after the Korean War (1950-1953), when many refugees brought their local delicacies south with them. Naengmyeon is often selected as one of Koreans' favorite summer dishes these days.

There are two kinds of cold noodles -- Pyongyang naengmyeon and Hamheung naengmyeon -- and both are famous for their uniqueness. The main ingredient for Pyongyang naengmyeon is thin noodles made of buckwheat and it is known for the clean taste of its broth without spiciness. Hamheung naengmyeon consists of thin noodles made of both potato and sweet potato starch and is famous for the hot and thick sauce made of various seasonings and chili powder.

Pyongyang naengmyeon is good for those who love a light and clean flavor with a hint of mustard and vinegar, while Hamheung naengmyeon is good for those who love sweet and spicy food. People who love Hamheung naengmyeon can choose one of three varieties depending on their preferences: bibimnaengmyeon (mixed noodles with chili sauce), mulnaengmyeon and hoenaengmyeon. Mulnaengmyeon is for those who love a cool and clean flavored soup, yet stronger than Pyongyang naengmyeon.

Bibimnaengmyeon is for those who love sweet and hot flavor. Hoenaengmyeon is a good choice for seafood lovers, since it is served with a few slices of marinated raw fish. Traditionally, the fish served with hoenaengmyeon was caught in the East Sea, where both cold and warm currents meet, due to the geographical features of the Korean Peninsula.

* Kongguksu

Naengmyeon is not the only kind of cold noodle you can have in summer in Korea. Another variety is kongguksu, or soybean noodle. This dish consists of noodles made of flour in a soymilk-based broth. Soybeans are regarded as "meat from the land" since it is high in protein and essential amino acids. Known as a particularly hardy plant, beans were used as a substitute for rice when people lacked food, according to old records such as Joseon Wangjosillok (Annals of the Joseon Dynasty), listed in the UNESCO Memory of the World Register in 1997. Kongguksu became a popular summer dish for commoners instead of other energy foods like samgyetang, since it was not easy for them to get chickens or other costly ingredients.

This dish is in the spotlight these days for its nutritional value and good effects on health. People love this noodle dish mainly for the thick and slightly salty flavor of the soybean milk broth.

* Bingsu

To cap off a good meal, a proper dessert is needed. In the midst of a hot summer, Korean food lovers get excited over a popular dessert menu item – bingsu, or shaved ice dessert. Often compared to an iced flower blooming in summer, pat-bingsu, literally meaning red bean and ice, is one of the most popular summer desserts for people of all ages, which heralds the beginning of the hot season. (Right: People eating patbingsu, Yonhap News)

The ingredients of patbingsu -- shaved ice, sweetened red beans, milk, various fruits, jellies and small pieces of glutinous rice cake -- offer cool satisfaction and a moment of sweetness which samgyetang can never give. The pleasure of mixing shaved ice and various toppings and then sharing the bowl with loved ones helps create joyful memories.

Other bingsu variations like green tea, yogurt and coffee are also popular these days.

Bingsu was initially sold by street vendors, but you can now enjoy it at every cafeteria, fast-food restaurants, convenience stores and bakery.

source:Korea.net

More foreigners study Korean academically

It has become quite common to find foreign nationals learning Korean as a hobby thanks to the huge popularity of Korean stars and television dramas overseas. Even television shows like “Misuda,” where a panel of Korean-speaking foreign nationals discuss Korea, have become familiar to most Koreans.

But it seems like more non-Koreans are studying Korean academically nowadays. Rather than attending private language academies, many choose to go to graduate schools to get a Korean literature & language masters or doctoral degree.

In fact, the number of such students has been growing sharply over the past few years to the point where some are saying that the number of foreign Korean literature & language students is similar to locals.

Experts explain that such a phenomenon has resulted from the increasing number of foreign nationals who desire to become Korean language specialists. This is thanks to the extra attention the country and its culture have been receiving from abroad.

“The international status of the Korean language has been elevated as the demand for studying the language more deeply has grown among foreign nationals. Some of them now choose to study even academic fields like traditional Korean literature,” Sungkyunkwan University Korean language professor Kwon In-han said.

Students at the Yonsei Korean Language Institute participate in a writing contest. More foreign nationals are studying the language academically these days, and attending graduate schools. (The Korea Herald)

Students gathering at the Korean literature & language departments of local universities vary largely in their nationalities.

Whereas in the past, the Chinese and Japanese comprised most of the foreign students, those from other countries including Uzbekistan, Myanmar and the United States have also been growing in numbers.

A recent incident Yonsei University Korean language professor Kang Hyoun-hwa experienced illustrates the trend.

Kang was surprised to see the long list of students for her contrastive linguistics course for the spring semester.

“It was the first time that I actually had to divide a graduate course into multiple classes. I even felt quite puzzled at first looking at the students of various races and nationalities,” she said.

The growing number of foreign graduate school students is not only the case for Yonsei University. The number of foreign graduate school students at Yonsei University; Korea University; Sogang University; Sungkyunkwan University; Hanyang University and Seoul National University was 237, which accounted for over 30 percent of the total.

Most of these students who select the Korean language or Korean language education as their major intend to work as Korean language professors, instructors or trade experts in their home countries after graduation.

The Korean government has played a big role in drawing foreign students to local universities. It has been offering scholarship programs like the “Study Korea Project” to promote Korean language and culture abroad.

The number of Korean language students coming to the country on the Korean Government Scholarship Program has increased by more than five times over the past nine years. The number increased from 7 in 2000, 20 in 2006 to 38 in 2008, according to the National Institute for International Education.

Meanwhile, professors and academics evaluate such a trend positively, saying that it would help boost Korean language studies in general.

“Due to the growing number of foreign students who study it, Korean has now become an international language. Thus we now need to be able to make Korean grammar and vocabulary ― which we often consider ‘natural’ ― more logically understandable for them,” Kwon said.

Kwon also said due to the increasing number of non-Koreans studying Korean-language education, the field has now become recognized as an independent discipline, with a considerable amount of papers and research published. Until now, it has been considered a branch of Korean literature studies.

source:Korea Herald

Kim Yu-na performing to 'Meditation from Thais'

'Study Korea' emerges as new national brand

Korea is emerging as the "land of opportunity" for many foreign students. The number of foreign students enrolled in Korean universities stood at 75,000 as of 2009, up by 19 percent year on year. This is a four-fold increase from a mere 17,000 in 2004 when the government began keeping records. Korea can expect many positive effects from attracting foreign students including the cultivation of excellent human resources overseas, creation of economic value added and nurturing of Korea-friendly leaders of foreign countries. Korea, the 15th largest economy in the world, joined the Development Assistance Committee last year, making it the first country in the world to turn itself from a recipient to a donor of assistance, and it is being recognized by the World Nuclear Association as the world's fifth largest exporter of nuclear power plants. On top of that, Korea has shown the fastest recovery from the global financial crisis among OECD countries and has recently been selected to host and chair the 5th G20 Summit, verifying its elevated national status. The G20 meeting is scheduled for November. Considering such an improvement in Korea's standing, it is no wonder that more and more foreign students are turning their eyes to Korea as the destination for their studies. They see the driving force behind the remarkable growth of Korea, a country with a small land and scarce natural resources, as its outstanding human resources. This has been attributable to the combination of national human resource management skills and the educational zeal of Korean parents for their children. It is clear that the education in Korea has been drawing attention from the international community to the extent that President Obama praised it many times while emphasizing the importance of educational reform in the United States. Against this backdrop, topics to be addressed in depth at this time are the overall review of foreign student policies, implementation of these policies and relevant future plans. Study Korea Project The government turned its attention to the policies for foreign students starting in 2001, when it came up with the comprehensive measures to attract foreign students. This marked a significant move for the government as it was the first government-level policy for foreign students in Korea. However, it was in 2004 when the government started to implement those policies on foreign students in earnest with the launch of the Study Korea Project. The initial goal was to attract 50,000 foreign students to Korea by 2010 with a view to position Korea as the education hub of Northeast Asia through the proactive development and utilization of foreign human resources. Subsequently, the concrete action plan (April 2005) and improvement measures (December 2005) for the Study Korea Project were devised. The number of foreign students studying in Korea soared to around 50,000 in 2007, reaching the target number of students for 2010 earlier than originally planned. Accordingly, the target number was adjusted upward, and the outline for attracting foreign students was redesigned, which ultimately led to the formulation of the Development Plan for the Study Korea Project in 2008. The government set a new goal to attract up to 100,000 foreign students by 2012 by undertaking policy tasks such as accommodating more foreign students into dormitories and extending medical insurance support for foreign students, as well as helping them locate employment opportunities. from quantity to quality The number of foreign students studying in Korea jumped from 49,270 in 2007 to 75,000 in 2009 with the number expected to reach 80,000 in 2010, bolstered by government's bolder policies to bring in foreign students riding on the wave of ever-rising Korea's position in the international community. However, despite the influx of foreign students, questions have been raised on whether excellent foreign students come to Korea to study or whether they are successfully adapting to the study environments in Korea to achieve their goals. In order to address these matters, the government restricted the issuance of visas or issued a corrective order for universities that had poor management or support for foreign students in 2009. In addition, the government announced the plan, Improved Support and Management for Foreign Students in an effort to attract competent foreign students and build the capacity of universities of Korea, and redesigned the Korean Government Scholarship Program into the Global Korea Scholarship (GKS) that could be compared to the Fulbright Grant Program of the United States. Such efforts marked the shift of focus in Korea’s national policies on foreign students from the quantitative expansion to the qualitative improvement. Global Korea Scholarship Global Korea Scholarship (GKS) is one of the flagship scholarship programs of the government. For 2010 alone, up to KRW 51.5 billion won was allocated to support 2,100 new scholarship students under the GKS. The program was designed to combine the two existing programs, the Korean Government Scholarship program and the Government Scholarship for Korean Students' Overseas Studies, and to provide new support programs (financial support for excellent non-scholarship students, study programs for incumbent leaders, etc.) for foreigners who want to study in Korea. GKS is being recognized as the representative scholarship policy of Korea for several reasons: First, GKS integrated various existing scholarship programs and its scope will continue to be expanded. Moreover, the government has an organization manage GKS so as to provide practical benefits for foreign students studying in Korea. GKS encompasses not only long-term degree courses (Korean government scholarship program) but also short-term exchange or training programs (for excellent exchange students or non-scholarship students, etc.) as well as study programs for incumbent leaders including high-ranking public officials and professors from overseas countries. Second, GKS selects outstanding foreign students through recommendations from overseas Korean missions or universities. Under the GKS program, the government has a council of universities provide counseling and mentoring services for the grantees to make sure that they complete their study successfully in Korea. Third, GKS includes a supportive program for the grantees which lasts after they go back to their home countries. This program is mainly about building a global human network, forging alumni associations by each nationality of the grantees and providing grantees with up-to-date information on Korea. In doing so, GKS is offering the grantees enhanced post-scholarship support. GKS is expected to contribute not only to the cultivation and utilization of quality human resources overseas by inviting outstanding foreign scholarship students to Korea but also to the establishment of a Korea-friendly global human network down the road. Living environments for foreign students The most important factor considered by foreign students in determining the destination of their studies is the environment of the country's universities. In an effort to enhance the capabilities of Korean universities in line with the launch of the Study Korea Project, the government has continued to provide support in opening English-only lectures and Korean language courses in universities from 2005 to 2009. Thirteen universities were selected as the beneficiaries of the support in 2005, nine in 2006, eight in 2007, 27 in 2008 and 14 in 2009. This turns out to have been very helpful to the foreign students who lack Korean language proficiency or those who are proficient in English. It helped to attract foreign students from diverse nationalities. In addition, the "Manual for Administrative Management of Overseas Students Studying in Korea for Degree or Language Study" is expected to further expedite the administrative work related to foreign students, considering that it requires universities to designate at least one employee to manage over 50 foreign students and newly establish an organization to deal with over 200 foreign students. Furthermore, the Manual specifies the rule to give priority to foreign students in terms of dorm room assignment to help reduce their economic burden. study programs in Korea The government has also taken steps to promote study programs in Korea. The 'Study in Korea Fairs' are held in eight to ten cities annually in Korea, and Korean universities participate in international education fairs in other countries to attract more overseas students. The government launched the webpage (www.studyinkorea.go.kr) in December 2002 to provide information on studying in Korea and to promote Korea as one of the most sought-after countries for foreign students. The website has constantly been upgraded since its opening. For instance, the information on the website was offered only in Korean and English in its initial stage, but now content including information on universities is offered in eleven languages including English, Japanese, Chinese, Russian, Vietnamese, Mongolian, Spanish, Turkish, Arabic and French. It was estimated that a total of over 350,000 people across the world have accessed the website. The government plans to further diversify the places where the Study in Korea Fair is held and to improve the website to enable foreign students to have easier access to the information on studying in Korea. Korean language and culture Currently the size of population using Korean language ranks 13th in the world, and the Korean wave, which refers to the trend of the growing popularity of Korean culture in overseas countries, is spreading beyond Asia to reach the Middle East, Europe and Africa. There is no doubt that the increasing use of the Korean language and the Korean wave contributed to improving the brand value of the study programs in Korea. For this reason, the government is supporting the establishment of the departments of Korean studies or language in overseas universities and operation of Korean language classes in 628 primary and secondary schools in 15 countries as part of efforts to increase the use of Korean language in the world. Particular focus is being placed on nurturing quality teachers as well as developing textbooks and a standard curriculum for education of Korean language in overseas countries. The Test of Proficiency in Korean (TOPIK) was developed as a barometer in foreigners' proficiency of the Korean language. The number of foreigners taking the TOPIK rose recently from 2,274 in four countries in 1997 to a whopping 170,507 in 36 countries in 2009. This is expected to increase thanks to the expansion of the use of Korean language and the Korean wave. Change in the direction of policies on foreign students: to attract excellent foreign students and diversify their nationalities In today's globalized era of limitless competition, securing outstanding human resources is a key to sustaining the national growth and to acquiring the competitive edge. In this context, it is time for Korea to overhaul its policies on studying in Korea with the goal of attracting excellent foreign students and diversifying the nationalities of incoming students to Korea. The government plans to achieve this goal by creating a milieu favorable for foreign students to study, which will help further enhance the status of Korea in the global community. future prospects Compared to Japan or Australia that have gone through trials and errors in their investment in programs for foreign students over the past twenty years, Korea has put forth the policies for foreign students in a shorter span of time. Korea has made the remarkable achievement in less than 10 years. Thus far, Korea managed to position itself as the hub of Northeast Asia in nurturing the next-generation of leaders in countries across the globe. By the time foreign students finishing their studies in Korea, assume leadership positions in their respective countries, however, Korea will be able to take the central role on the global stage in education. Program for foreign students ▪ The global Korea Scholarship GKS, Korean government's flagship scholarship program, by integrating the Government Scholarship Program and the Government Scholarship for Korean Students' Overseas Studies and by providing new programs such as financial support for excellent non-scholarship students, study programs for incumbent leaders, etc. ▪ To Improving the study & living environments in Korea, support is being provided for Korean language courses, English-only lectures and dormitories for foreign students, and inconveniences in terms of visa or insurance are being removed. ▪ Korea Promotes study programs in Korea, education fairs in Korea and in overseas countries are utilized, and the online system (www.studyinkorea.go.kr) is operated to provide guidance on studying in Korea ▪ The government supports the establishment of Korean studies departments in overseas universities, the development of textbooks and teachers in that field and theutilization of TOPIK.

Source:Korea Times

My experience in Jeollabukdo

Friends,Today I am going to introduce you about two places located in Jeollabukdo"a beautiful province of South Korea which is having lots of scenic beauty and nature,the most fertile land in South Korea.

I have passed my precious and unforgettable 9 months.I came here last year in Wonkwang University as a Korean Government Scholarship Student(NIIED).I have to go to Kangwon National University located in "Chuncheon" after this month but Believe me I got so much associated to this place, its culture and its kind and nice hearted people that I have started missing this place before leaving.Being an Indian during my beginning days here I was completely not familiar with Korean food.But right now due to this place's delicious food sometime I go outside and enjoy Korean food.

Anyways, I would like to start with some tourist attractions of this place which I have visited:First of all I am starting with "Gunsan" - the island of heavenly Nature and Rich Culture.

I got the opprtunity to visit this awesome place this month from World Students in Korea,Presidential council on Nation Branding. We visited Hyundai's new plant here and enjoyed the delicious sea food there.After that day too, I visited Geumgang river bank which is very famous for enjoying fishing and bird watching in the wintertime.The field of the reeds along the river's upperstream is also one of the major attraction of this place especially for seekers of romance.
Secondly, It is the turn of "Jeonju"(the home of Korea's top food)which I have visited several times after coming to Korea but among all those times exploring this place with World students in Korea(Presidential council on Nation Branding) was the best experience ever to this place.We shared almost every experience associated with this place including a night stay in Jeonju hanoak village-The traditional Korean House village.

I got very surprised after seeing thea awesome Korean traditional Hanoak village where all the houses are Korean traditional houses in this fast and moribund urbanised era.It was a totally different experience for me to have a night stay in that traditional house.I was feeling the Korean Culture that time.I also had a long talk with a Korean Uncle(아저씨)who explained me many things about this village.That uncle became our friend and he offered us(foreign students)traditional Korean tea too.We enjoyed Korean traditional tea, in a Korean traditional pot, and of course in a Korean traditional house.We felt that we are in different century of Korea i.e the Ancient Korea.The top quality taste and local flavour of Jeonju is represented by Jeonju "Bibimbap"which was counted among the three best foods of Joseon dynasty.It is made of more than 30 ingredients added by Balanced nutrition.

정말 맛있겠다!wow its delicious!

Teachers publish Korean history textbooks in U.S.

Teachers of Korean schools in California have published a textbook on Korean history and culture for second and third generation Korean American and local U.S. students.

The Korean Schools Association of Northern California said on its website on Saturday that it published a textbook titled “Find Korea!” for Korean schools wanting to expand their curriculum from the Korean language to Korean history and culture.

Officials of the association told Yonhap News that it took a group of its teachers a year and a half to publish the textbook since they began to research its themes. The teachers are educating mostly second and third generation Korean American students in Silicon Valley, California.

They previously received media attention for dropping “So Far from the Bamboo Grove,” a controversial textbook adopted by several U.S. public schools, from several schools' curricula.

“So Far from the Bamboo Grove” is a semi-autobiographical novel written by Yoko Kawashima Watkins, a Japanese American writer. Critics said that the book makes no mention of Japanese war crimes, including forced labor and forced prostitution, and portrays Koreans as the antagonists.

Textbooks on Korean history and culture, published by the Korean Schools Association of Northern California KSANC/Yonhap News

Korean American teachers had the book taken off the list of U.S. textbooks after making a successful case against it at a California state hearing in late 2008.

“After ‘So Far from the Bamboo Grove’ was expelled from the California reading list, we set out to develop our own textbook on Korean history and culture that Korean and U.S. schools may adopt,” Choi Mi-young, president of the association, told the news agency on Saturday.

“Find Korea!” deals with the geological location of Korea, including the Dokdo islets and the East Sea, the national flag and the national anthem, Korean traditional holidays and foods.

The association will present the textbook to teachers of Korean schools on July 23. VANK (Voluntary Agency Network of Korea), the National Institute for International Education, the Overseas Koreans Foundation and U.S.-based Korean American groups strongly supported the textbook publication. VANK is a Seoul-based private organization of volunteers who provide correct information about Korea to international textbook publishers.

At present, about 8,500 teachers teach the Korean language to about 59,000 students in 1,017 Korean schools across the U.S.

The Korean language was included in the U.S. SAT II in November, 1997. Since then, interest in Korean and necessity for education in Korean history have mounted, an official of the association said.

source:Korea herald

'Seoul’s 2nd Youth Hostel' to open this December

'Seoul’s 2nd Youth Hostel' will be open to the public in December in Yeongdeungpo-gu. With a total area of approximately 9,807 square meters, the hostel is seven floors high (plus, a basement level) and has rooms of different sizes: from single rooms to those sleeping up to 10 people.

Amenities within the building include a cafeteria, café, banquet room, seminar room, and a laundry room.

Situated in central Seoul, the youth hostel provides travelers with easy access to a variety of downtown attractions and popular destinations, including nearby Yeouido. There are a variety of Korean culture experience programs available for guests, as well as a Seoul-themed travel itinerary at the hostel tourist information center.

source:Korea tourism organistaion

Gwangju World Music Festival, August 2010

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Featuring 30 groups of musicians hailing from 15 countries!

The 2010 Gwangju World Music Festival will be held from Friday, August 27, 2010 to Sunday, August 29, 2010 at the plaza in front of the Asian Culture Complex in Gwangju. The festival will feature both international and local musicians comprising of 30 teams from 15 countries. From France's ‘chanson’ to Brazil's ‘bossa nova’ and Argentina's ‘tango,’ the festival is a prime opportunity to appreciate the history and culture of music from around the world.

Representing Korea’s cultural contributions is a selection of star performers of traditional Korean music, including Kim Deok-soo performing samullori, Ahn Sook-sun performing pansori, and Heo Yoon-jeong performing geomungo. In addition to the array of live musical performances there will also be an international world music forum, folkdance workshops, and a showing of international music videos during the festival period.

"The festival is designed to promote communication through the medium of music by offering a chance for international and local musicians to work together," said a festival official.

Source : Korea Tourism Organization

Korean animation “Metajets” makes its U.S. debut

The Korean animation “Metajets,” a project into which the City of Seoul itself invested, made its U.S. debut on the Cartoon Network on July 4, 2010. It was the first time a Korean animated series was broadcasted across the United States.

Metajets is comprised of forty episodes and each episode is thirty minutes long. When it was aired in Korea in 2009, it recorded the highest viewer ratings of any animation in the country.

American TV channels like CBS have broadcasted several Korean animations before, but it is the first time that the Cartoon Network, the biggest animation channel in the U.S., aired a Korean animation.

Cartoon Network U.S.A. announced that Metajets is scheduled to be aired five times a week, and it will begin with a special five-hour marathon on July 4.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government decided to promote the digital contents industry, and established a sixty billion won investment fund. As of July 2010, about 55% of the fund has been invested in animation, games, movies and new media.

The Cartoon Network was established in the U.S. in October 1992, and it is now the world’s largest around-the-clock animation channel, broadcasting in twenty-one languages in 160 countries.

About 193 million households watch the channel worldwide, and it has more than twenty branches in Britain, Germany, India, Latin America, and so on.

Source : Seoul Metropolitan City,Korea.net

Korean wave

The Korean wave spreads to the world

Kim Tae-hee, who starred in the hit show Iris (Photo: Taewon Entertainment)

In its home country, hallyu — the “Korean Wave” of TV series, movies and pop singers that swept across Asia — was once considered no more than a fad.While its biggest hits, such as Winter Sonata and Dae Jang Geum (aired in the U.S. as Jewel in the Palace), were sensations overseas, the resulting glut of hallyu-prefixed output was often of a vastly inferior quality, leading many to think that its days were numbered. But recently, hallyu has emerged stronger than ever, with its hits sweeping through Asia and onto the world stage.

Turning on the television in his hotel room on a recent business trip to Vietnam, K. from Korea was astonished. Though he had certainly glimpsed the posters of Korean celebrities adorning the shops en route from the airport, he hadn’t expected to see them all again on his TV in a seemingly endless procession of Korean drama shows. Seeing the actors dubbed in Vietnamese was also a source of amusement. On one show, he could swear that one person’s voice was dubbing every single character. Later asking a guide, who confirmed his suspicion, whether it wasn’t offputting to have one actor do all the voices, he was told no it wasn’t, because the dramas are just so addictive.

Actor Lee Jun-ko, heroine Nam Sang-mi and Jung Kyung-ho star in Time between Dog and Wolf

And situations like this aren’t limited to Vietnam. At 9pm, the “golden hour” for viewing figures, Korean dramas are a common sight on Hong Kong’s TV stations. ATV, one of the largest outlets, currently shows Korean programming from 8 to 10:30pm, Monday to Friday. Just a few years ago, Korean dramas were a marginal concern, with only two or three aired per year. Then Dae Jang Geum, a historical tale about a female physician in the Joseon Dynasty, seized a massive 50 percent audience share, taking Korean TV shows into the big time.

China has proved just as susceptible to the Korean wave. Again, the catalyst for success was Dae Jang Geum, which gained an audience share of at least 15 percent in 31 major cities across the country, followed by other big hits such as Full House and Stairway to Heaven. Such has been the success of Korean stars in the country, some are now appearing in homegrown Chinese productions. After gaining popularity in Successful Story of a Bright Girl, about a country girl falling for a big-city business type, Jang Na-ra co-starred in the Chinese drama My Bratty Princess with Taiwanese actor Alec Su. Its sequel, My Bratty Princess 2, featured another Korean actress, Chae Rim, who hit it big in All About Eve, in which two news reporters vie for a top spot in the network they both work for. Alongside Jang Hyuk, who gained popularity with Introducing My Girlfriend, Chae Rim is scheduled to star in the upcoming Chinese remake of All About Eve.

Stills from the drama Iris (Photo: Taewon Entertainment)

From Hong Kong, hallyu has also spread throughout Southeast Asia. Even Myanmar, a country not known for its cultural openness, has fallen for the charms of Korean entertainment, first with Winter Sonata and now Dae Jang Geum and a comedy gangster flick Marrying the Mafia. In cracking Southeast Asian markets, Hong Kong has proved a crucial conduit. Full House, to take one example, garnered a 52 percent rating in Hong Kong with 63 percent in Thailand, 42.3 percent in the Philippines and an astonishing 78 percent rating in Indonesia.

A scene from the drama Boys Over Flowers (Photo: Creative Leaders Group Eight)

Today, proving their remarkably adaptable appeal, hallyu shows have started creeping into Central Asia, Africa and even the Muslim world. Slushy hit Winter Sonata aired in Egypt in 2004, while Tunisia has developed a taste for Korean historical dramas such as Jamyeonggo. In 2007, after joining the long list of countries to fall for Dae Jang Geum, Iran became hooked on Jumong, which recorded a 60 percent audience share. Uzbek viewers saw Painter of the Wind; Mongolians watched Temptation of a Wife. And the recently finished Personal Preference, in which a straight man pretends to be gay in order to room with the female lead, is being exported to Central and South America, Africa, and the Middle East.

By Jeong Deok-hyeon

The international wave

Protagonist Lee Seung-gi from Brilliant Legacy (Photo: Pan Entertainment)

So how is the original market for hallyu, Japan, faring now? Though many believe the Korean wave petered out after Winter Sonata and Dae Jang Geum, the reality is that, though not on the phenomenal scale of those two shows, a string of Korean shows continue to do well there today. Having failed to lure audiences with dramas that mimicked the formula of the big hits, Korean TV producers are finding that homegrown successes are continuing to pull in Japanese viewers. Romantic comedy My Lovely Sam Soon, a huge success in Korea, took a 5.2 percent share in the highly fragmented Japanese market (where even 6 percent is rare), and historical dramas Yi San and Dae Jo Yeong also struck a big chord with Japanese viewers.

At home, the number of Korean dramas is rising steadily. From November 2008 to June 2009, the number of such shows increased from 27 to 42, with each channel raising its own quota of dramas from two to six. And with greater volume has come greater diversity. After Winter Sonata inspired a cult-like following among women throughout Asia, Korean producers saturated the market with sentimental romances with increasingly unfeasible plots. Now, however, subject matter includes noir (Time Between Dog and Wolf), family (Brilliant Legacy), history (Jumong) and even private educational institutes (Boys Over Flowers). By diversifying their output into fast-paced, more action-oriented historical series, producers have managed to lure male viewers into what was once an almost entirely female preserve — and now, viewers are getting younger, too.

Iris's stars Lee So-hyeon, Kim Tae-hee (Photo: Taewon Entertainment)

Iris is a prime example of how hallyu dramas have changed. On April 21, the espionage thriller was the first Korean drama to be aired on Japanese TV in the 9pm golden hour, with the first two episodes (broadcast consecutively) receiving a 10.1 percent overall audience share, a huge number by Japanese standards.

Nor were ratings the sole triumph for Iris. With much of the production and marketing duties shared with TBS, Iris starred Lee Byung-hun, one of Korea’s biggest stars, and TOP, a singer with popular K-pop group Big Bang, and featured a soundtrack by Shin Seung-hun, a fast-rising Korean star in Japan. By bringing such big and varied stars on board, Iris aimed for, and got, not just viewers in their 30s and older, but a younger demographic as well.

As a joint production with Japan, Iris also symbolized hallyu’s growing role as a truly pan-Asian phenomenon. From being made entirely in Korea, and then viewed in Japan and China, newer productions are often harnessing the strengths of all three countries. Kim Hyoo-jong, dean of the Graduate School of Arts Management at Chugye University for the Arts, defines the first phase of hallyu as the “made in” era, the next phase as the “made by” era (when the focus will be on the production company), and the current phase as the “made for” era, where the emphasis is on targeting groups that can receive the most value and enjoyment.

A still from Boys Over Flowers (top), A scene from Personal Preference (bottom) (Photo: Creative Leaders Group Eight, Victory Production)

Hallyu has become an industry where content is no longer restricted by national boundaries. China’s vast market, Japan’s marketing skills and Korea’s excellence in production are now combined to produce a single product. Having expanded its boundaries within Asia, the next stepping stone for hallyu has become the global market. Korean actors and actresses are starring in Chinese and Japanese dramas, and Korean directors and authors are working with Chinese and Japanese actors and actresses. Capital is no longer limited by national boundaries, and TV and movie moguls are searching for new investments throughout the region.

As hallyu aims to consolidate its success in Asia, producers recognize that they, too, have to change. Though not created specifically with the international market in mind, Dae Jang Geum is perhaps the best example of how Korean dramas can succeed across borders: by identifying universal themes that can appeal to viewers everywhere, and can be tweaked to speak to their own lives.


TODAY EUROPE, TOMORROW HOLLYWOOD

Jeon Do-yeon, who previously won the best female actress award at Cannes Film Festival in 2007, recently starred the film The Housemaid (Photo: Mirovision)

The internationalization of Korean TV dramas is every bit as evident in movies. In China, the list of Korean stars appearing in local productions includes Song Hye-kyo in Wong Kar-wai’s The Grand Master, Jun Ji-hyun in Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, and Kim Heesun in the historical movie Civil Wars. And while the focus for hallyu in Southeast Asia undoubtedly remains TV dramas, in other markets, notably Europe, it is the movies that are catching the critics’ eyes.

Among the films on show at this year’s Cannes Film Festival was Im Sang-soo’s The Housemaid, a remake of a cult Korean classic from the 1960s. Meanwhile, Lee Chang-dong’s Poetry received great acclaim and went on to win the award for best screenplay. Another Korean movie Hong Sang-soo’s Ha Ha Ha received the top prize in the Un Certain Regard category.

A scene from the movie HAHAHA, which starred Moon So-ri and Kim Sang-gyeong - the film received the top prize at this year's Cannes Film Festival (Photo: Sponge Entertainment)

While Cannes itself was, because of Europe’s ongoing economic problems, a somewhat dampened affair, Korean films enjoyed their most successful showing yet. Besides The Housemaid’s tally of 15 countries, Poetry and Lee Joon-ik’s Blades of Blood (which was not officially on show) were sold to four countries apiece. In addition, Kim Ji-woon, of The Good, The Bad, The Weird fame, sold his latest work, I Saw the Devil, to French distributor ARP. Though still unfinished, the movie is receiving a lot of attention thanks to its stellar cast, which includes Lee Byung-hun and Oldboy star Choi Min-sik.

Director of Poetry Lee Chang-dong and The Housemaid's director Im Sang-soo (Photo: Unikorea, Mirovision)

As seen at Cannes, Korean movies are slowly but surely gaining ground in Europe. But what of the movie Holy Grail, Hollywood? So far, hallyu has had considerably less success there. Yet two top stars, Rain and Lee Byung-hun, were cast in big-budget movies — respectively Ninja Assassin and G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra — and with the success hallyu continues to enjoy elsewhere, who would bet against a Korean-directed Hollywood film hitting it big in the next 10 years?

source: Korea.net

'Political relationship must be anchored by educational, cultural initiatives

The Academy of Korean Studies (AKS) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), which they expect will serve as a hub for Korean studies in South Asia. The academy has also extended a grant to the university (New Delhi) recently, spoke to Tirna Ray on how the initiative will strengthen the evolving relationship between India and Korea:

Why is 2010 a year of significance for Korea-India relationship?

It is significant because of the conclusion of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement between the two countries. Korea and India established their diplomatic ties in 1973. The two countries are bound by close cultural ties, which may be traced back to the ancient past. Buddhism, India's unique gift to the world, facilitated exchange of ideas and served as a bridge connecting the two civilisations (Korea and India). Close cultural ties bound Korea and India in the past. In the modern times, the two nations face the common destiny of colonial oppression and the task of nation-building.

What is the objective of Academy of Korean Studies?

AKS aims to promote Korean studies through in-depth research and innovative teaching of Korean culture. AKS has defined new frontiers of inquiry in Korean studies and fostered competent scholars in Korean humanities and social sciences with global perspectives and values.

What will the MoU between JNU and AKS imply?

First and foremost, it will facilitate exchange of students and faculty between India and Korea. Full-time professors from AKS can visit India and collaborate with teachers here or engage in teaching. Further, hopefully, the grant will enable academicians from JNU to visit Korea, collect material for their research, or start a journal which will publish articles by Indian scholars on Korea, and so on. As of now, the grant money has been awarded for three years and it amounts to about $ 65,000. It is important that we cultivate competent scholars of Korean studies and qualified graduates who understand Korean language, culture and society in its entirety. They in turn will be able to convey the core concerns of Korea adequately to the Indian audience. Only then will this initiative acquire a sustainable dimension. A political relationship or understanding between the two countries can have a future only when it is anchored by education and cultural initiatives.

As a Korean scholar, i am glad to know about the rich history of JNU's Korean Studies programme and of the role of its graduates in projecting and promoting close and comprehensive partnership between Korea and India. I am confident that with the two institutions - AKS and JNU - coming together, we will be able to forge a relationship of strategic partnership and take Asian studies to a new height.

Feb 10, 2010, 12.00am IST

The Times of India

source:Academy of Korean Studies/Kim Jung Be

S.Korea develops long-range cruise missile

S.Korea develops long-range cruise missile SEOUL: South Korea has developed a longer-range cruise missile capable of hitting nuclear or military sites in North Korea, a report said Saturday. The state-run Agency for Defense Development has begun manufacturing the ground-to-ground Hyunmu-3C with a range of up to 1,500 kilometres (937 miles), Yonhap news agency quoted an unidentified defence official as saying. The Hyunmu-3C missile would also be able to reach parts of China, Japan and Russia. The previous version of the Hyunmu had a range of only 1,000 km. The report could not immediately be confirmed. Under an agreement with the United States, which stations 28,500 troops in the country and guarantees a nuclear "umbrella" in case of war, Seoul limits its ballistic missiles to a maximum range of 300 km. But it is allowed to extend the range of its terrain-hugging cruise missiles as long as their payload stays under 500 kilograms (1,100 pounds). South Korea has pushed for longer-range weaponry to counter a threat from hundreds of North Korean ballistic missiles. The North has about 600 Scud missiles capable of hitting targets in South Korea, and possibly also of reaching Japanese territory in some cases. There are another 200 Rodong-1 missiles which could reach Tokyo. In addition the North has three times test-launched intercontinental Taepodong missiles. The two nations have remained technically at war since their 1950-53 conflict ended with just an armistice and not a peace treaty. Tensions have risen since the South and the United States, citing the findings of a multinational investigation, accused the North of torpedoing a South Korean warship near the tense sea border in March. The North angrily denies involvement and says a UN Security Council statement on July 9 -- which condemned the attack without specifying the culprit -- proves its point. After the UN statement it reiterated conditional willingness to return to stalled six-party nuclear disarmament talks. Seoul's unification ministry which handles cross-border ties said the North appears to be preparing a diplomatic offensive to lessen tensions. In a weekly newsletter the ministry said the North seems willing to "turn the critical mood around through active dialogue" following the UN statement, which Pyongyang claimed as a diplomatic victory. The South says its neighbour must first apologise for the attack on the ship which cost 46 lives and punish those responsible. source:AFP