South Korean Children: School... then more School

by Vivian Tong

Korean Students taking the Crucial Exams for University

It’s become a common fact that South Korea churns out world-beating exam scores year after year envied by the western world. The reason for this nation’s large number of bright students lies in the Asian mindset of achieving top academic results that the Korean parents widely adopt. Like a lot of parents from neighboring Asian countries, they believe top grades are essential to a professional career, which they thrust upon the shoulders of their offspring to achieve. This is done through the method of cramming, which is an approach deeply embedded not only in South Korea, but also in other Asian countries as well which is widely seen as the most efficient way to “learn”.

But the story behind their success goes beyond the bright side which the western world is blinded by. It is one of a more intricate problem that is beginning to worry the Korean government. As the education system in Korea is very competitive due to wide quest for positions to good universities, a recent phenomenon start to arise where students attend tutor centers (학원 hakwon) outside of school in order to improve their grades. These hakwons are intensive learning centers that occupy these young children to extreme hours of the night. The Korean government realizes this as a problem to the welfare of this young generation, and began to take measures such as setting a curfew, going as far as carrying out raids at night to stake out cram-schools that are violating the government-imposed curfew. The Korean government acknowledges the inflexibility of the Korean education system, as the heavy grades-based form of assessing these students only encourage these bright young children to pursue academics through numbers. However, some hagwons still continue to ignore the government’s laws and continue to operate pass the curfew, reflecting how widely the education system is dominant to the blunt academics approach students continue to undertake in South Korea.

Source: Time magazine Issue October 3, 2011

LOTTE WORLD!

by Nicolia Ng

Indoors

Outdoors

Adventure. Magic. Kids. Laughter. These are what one would find in an amusement park. That’s right, my friends. Located in the heart of Seoul, Lotte World is the perfect place for entertaining, sightseeing and shopping. Lotte World is divided into two sections—“Adventure Land” (indoor theme park) and “Magic Island” (outdoor theme park). Start you fun in Adventure Land and make your to Magic Island then come back to Adventure Land by 9pm to catch the laser night show before you head home!
Now, what’s an amusement park without thrilling rides? Located next to the dazzling Magic Castle, the thrilling high-altitude rides are constantly full of people waiting in lines. The Gyro Drop and Gyro Swing are the most popular rides—a steep drop with an altitude of 70m or a thrilling sensation of being inside a tornado. Besides the excitement of these rides, are fantasy parades, films, laser shows and all sorts of international cuisines to enjoy inside Lotte World.
Lotte World is a perfect place not only for kids and their parents, but also for couples going on dates (how romantic). The most popular “couple ride” is the carousel because it starred in one of the scenes in the Korean drama Stairway to Heaven. Oops, did I not mention that Lotte World was one of the locations that was used to film Stairway to Heaven (천국의 계단)? Now that I mentioned it, does it make you want to go to Lotte World more?
Hesitate no more.
Just go.

Visit Korea – The DMZ (De-militarized Zone)

Kenneth Lee

For those born after the collapse of the Soviet Union, to get a glimpse of the last standoff point between communism and democracy, they must travel to Korea’s DMZ, the only surviving, and operational, artifact left from the Cold War. This unique 248-mile iron curtain – loaded with various military tools of war – separates the North and South Koreas, who are technically still at war with each other: the Korean War ended with a truce, not a peace agreement.

Visitors on a guided tour to the DMZ will first stop at Camp Bonifas, a large military vase that serves as the base camp of the United Nations Command Security Force of the Joint Security Area (JSA). There, you get to be briefed, usually by a US officer, about the JSA’s history and regulations. You should also check out ‘The World’s Most Dangerous Golf Course” – a par-3, one-hole course where you get to lose your golf balls together once you hit them, lest you wish to die from the live mine fields surrounding it.

Korean Crossword puzzle!

Bored? Need something to fill those eager young minds of yours?
Check out our crossword puzzle made by member Cherie Ho.
If you have been reading along with our material, you will find it a breeze.

http://www.armoredpenguin.com/crossword/bin/crossword.cgi

Sohn Ki Chung - a National Hero to remember

-Yanna Lee

"Kitei Son! Kitei Son of Japan is first to cross the finishing line!” On August 9th, 1936, Sohn Ki Chung won the Gold Medal for the marathon competition in Berlin at the 11th Olympic Games. Apart from simply the sheer talent and athletic abili-ties, Sohn deserves to be lauded for his perseverance and loyalty to Korea.

Sohn Ki Chung crossing the Finishing Line

After breaking the world record with 2:26:42 on 3rd November, 1935, Sohn had dreams of entering the Olympic Games of 1936. That period, however, was a dark one for Korea. From 1910 Japan had taken over Korea, making it a colony of Japan. With the ongoing war, Japan ended up extracting many resources from Korea in order to supply its own military base. 1936 in particular was part of the most repressive period in Korea’s colonial history, since the administration was moving from previous apartheid-style policy (system of segregation based on race) to a forced assimilation.

Consequently, when Sohn applied for the Olympic team, he was only allowed to apply as a Japanese national. This led to Sohn Ki Chung’s becoming “Kitei Son,” the Japanese pronunciation of his Korean name. Even to this day, there are some websites that contain references to “Son Kitei of Japan” who won the 1936 marathon race.

The Awards Ceremony - The two Korean athletes bow their heads in protest

What is to be remembered is the amazing bravery of Sohn Ki Chung. He would only sign his name in Korean, and also go to authorities to explain that Korea was separate from Japan. During the awards ceremony, Sohn once again showed great nationalism. Emotional and humiliated, Sohn listened to the Japanese national anthem and saw the Japanese flag raised to celebrate his victory. In silent protest, Sohn kept his head bowed for the whole of the ceremony, and expressed "silent shame and outrage" by covering the Japanese flag on his shirt with a small oak tree.

October 2011 - KCC Issue 5

KCC Issue 5

Visit Korea - Coex Mall

- Kenneth Lee

Coex is…


☑ The biggest underground shopping mall in Asia

☑ Where the G20 Summit of November 11-12 2010 was held

☑Also a place for seasonal events and public appearances by celebrities (especially the Megabox theatre)

To unleash your inner shopaholic alter ego, do visit the COEX Mall when you visit
Seoul. This underground shopping mall is the largest one in Asia, comprising

of about 85,000 square meters. Here, you can find a wide variety of shopping,

entertainment, dining, and even cultural activities – we recommend you spend

your afternoon or your night here scouting for souvenirs, and stay for the many

restaurants that await you here.

May 5th, Children's Day!

- Yanna Lee

note: May 5th is Korea’s Children’s Day, treated as a national public holiday

Celebrating the 89th (2011) Children's Day in Korea

May 5th is like a second Christmas for the children of Korea. Stores are packed as children gush over new toys, and theme parks are congested with families that have come to enjoy the beautiful spring weather. Chil-dren’s day! It is one of the most awaited joyous days by children, when they enjoy some luxury for themselves. This may often bring up the question, is it really necessary for such a Children’s Day when Korean children are already living in such good conditions?

Such a day originated from a harsh period for children, during the Japanese colonization of Korea. At that time when adults were deemed as individuals who needed respect, children were neglected. This brought upon a Children’s movement aiming to improve the lives of children, and remind the society that the children were the seeds of the future. Consequently, in 1922, storyteller and children’s writer Bang Jung hwan found-ed Children’s Day in order to instill in the children a sense of independence and national pride. Children's Day highlights the dignity of children and their need for love, care, and respect, henceforth the motto, "Be a brave and genuine child and love and help each other." Despite the Japanese occupation, and the weak economic and political state Korea was in, its passion grew stronger, as can be seen not only from this proclamation for children, but also from the previous March Independence Movement (1919).

While the Japanese occupation re-stricted the holding of such events regularly, the movement for chil-dren’s rights still stood strong. Subse-quently the word “eorini” (어린이), meaning child, was created. This was a more respectful term for “child” than previously used names with derogatory connotations; this word was created to raise children’s position in society. To emphasize the im-portance of the children in Korea, a Child Welfare Constitution was passed in December 1961, and was finally officially established as a national holi-day in 1975.

A NOTABLE SECTION OF THE KOREAN CHILD CHARTER:

“The Constitution prohibits any form of discrimination against a child by securing the universal equality of all citizens”

“The parental guardians have the right and duty to protect and educate the child.”

Visit Korea—Gyeongbokgung (경복궁)

- Kenneth Lee

Attraction information
Address Seoul-si Jongno-gu Sejong-ro 1-1
Directions Take Seoul Subway Line 3 to Gyeongbokgung Station and use exit #5.
Admission fee Adult: 3000 won; Child: 1500 won; persons aged 6 or under: free
Check out this site for more info: http://visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_1_1_1.jsp?cid=264337

Originally built in 1394, Gyeongbokgung (경복궁), or “Palace of Shining Happiness”, is a royal palace located in northern Seoul – in fact; it was the main and largest palaces of the Five Grand Palaces built during the Joseon (조선) Dynasty.

Following Nicolia's Post

After being enlightened by Nicolia's article (check it out below!), I did some research of my own.
Guess what I found?

Yes. So I discovered that apparently which part of the bungeoppang (붕어빵) you eat first reflects your character... your true self. No really. Well, this may be as true as any of those horoscopes that those of you out there many enjoy (I personally enjoy reading them too. I amuse myself by picking out the things that are actually true and obviously overlook those that don't really fit). Since I know many of you may not understand, I have dragged my tired fingers away from the (Korean) cookies I was eating and begun typing up the translation into English. But hey, I can't let you guys out of the fun, right?
Enjoy.

1 To those who choose the dorsal (the top spines/fin):

Rather than socializing with people, you like solitary activities, eg. reading a book or self meditation/contemplation. You are a very sweet person, easily swayed by and sympathetic to the stray animals you see. As you are such a compassionate and sensitive person, you may even be more inclined towards the arts, and demonstrate clear artistic sensibility.

2 To those who choose the head:

You are the sanguine, happy-go-lucky type consumer who disregards small details.On the other side you are also quite competitive and tenacious, unwilling to give in to another person's views. You are also quite straightforward, saying all of your thoughts and quick to flare up in anger. Yet you are a strong leader, and are quick to resolve your anger, so all in all if you pay a little attention to your character you can live quite a happy life.

3 To those who chose the stomach:

You are quite a masculine character, quite active and participating in a variety of activities (including regular exercise). You are lively and bright, have high sociability and consequently have many friends (quite popular, actually). However you are not prone to rejecting people's requests and can thus find yourself in distressing situations.

4 To those who break the fish in half and choose the head:
You are a person with great fortitude - once you set your mind to something you will definitely achieve it. You are also very strong at sports and people consider you a formidable opponent. You are also quite sensitive to financial aspects and are thus quite hesitant with lending or borrowing money. However your bright nature and the way you always put in 110% clearly serves as your strong point.


5 To those who choose the tail:
You have great consideration for others and always look before you leap. You are quick to share and give even the smallest things, and demonstrate a platonic approach to most relationships and promote candid conversations. You also know how to dress up well, and can be quite attractive/good looking. However you also have a bit of a ignorant side where you may not realize that somebody has a crush on you. Please take more care and pay attention to these people!


6 To those who break the fish in half and choose the tail side:
You are very well-mannered and have great consideration for your friends and family and thus receive a lot of trust from them. You also have a great sense of financial management, and can earn nice sums of money. However, when an important decision is necessary you can have weak judgement and be quite hesitant. Just make sure that every choice is well thought out and  done properly, and there you are fine!


-Yanna Lee

Food Glorious Food - Bungeoppangs

-Nicolia Ng

A just made Bungeoppang (붕어빵) ready for eating. Yum.

Imagine this: It is a cold winter’s morning and you’re on your way to school.  You’re wearing layers of clothes, but you’re still shivering. While you rub your hands together to warm them, a delicious aroma wafts through the air. You walk to the vendor selling this mouthwatering pastry and you think: what could be more heavenly than warming your poor frozen hands with a steaming hot Bungeoppang? Let me tell you— eating it.

A real Carassiuis/Bungeo/붕어

Oh yes, with each bite into that oh-so-crispy skin, the flavours of the waffles and red beans would swirl and collide in the most mouth-watering explosion. While you eat this sweet, crunchy-yet-chewy snack, I’m pretty sure there is only one thing on your mind: Can life be any better? Well at least that was what I thought when I had my first Bungeoppang. (Seriously.)

Restaurant Review: Kaya Korean Restaurant

- Nicole Wong

Address:
6/F, 8 Russell Street, Cause-way Bay
Telephone Number:
(852)2838 9550
Rating:
★★★★☆
Price:
Ranges from $160 – 300 per dish
Comments:
Overall, great food but a little bit over priced.


Once you step out of the elevator on the sixth floor in the building on Russell Street opposite Times Square, you im-mediately become entranced with the soothing green back-drop. As long as you make a reservation, there shouldn’t be any trouble grabbing a table. But in general there isn’t much of a wait.

Bibimbap - enlightenment.

- Robyn Houghton

돌솥 비빔밥 (Dolsot Bibimbap) when served

I remember having my first taste of the famous Korean dish Bibimbap, on a plane to Korea during a school trip overseas. Yanna Lee – the standing president of the KCC, in response to my complete disbelief at the luscious, mouth-watering quality of this dish especially since it being airplane food, said ‘really? This is nothing compared to the real Korean Bibimbap’. Having tried this dish, I gained both a feeling of enlightenment and interest with regards to Korean Cuisine.  

Bibimbap was first mention in an anonymous cookbook called Siuijeonseo (시의전서) in the late 19th century. It is frequent within the Korean households due to its convenience of preparation.

Bibimbap,  meaning  ‘mixed meal’ in Korean, is essentially slightly moist steamed rice topped with namul 나물 (sautéed and seasoned vegetable), your choice of sliced meat usually served in a

Mr. Simple: my SUPERMAN

-Dorothy Yu

...And they're back! Looking as good as ever!

                                                                                                                              

Super Junior makes another epic comeback with their 5^th studio album, “Mr. Simple”. SM Entertainment, the comp
any that manages Super Junior, is known for releasing teasers and singles for their upcoming albums. From day one, SM Entertainment had made all Super Junior fans (ELFs) eager for the album’s release. The album, “Mr. Simple”, consists of 17 different songs. Super Junior moves away from the traditional songs electro songs and ballads that they have included in Bonamana, and introduces a new variety of rap-based songs and rock-based electro songs. The first song released is called “Mr. Simple”, and it is

Korean TV and the Hallyu Wave in Hong Kong

- Vivian Tong
In recent years, the increased popularity of South Korean culture around the world is significant enough to be given its own term as the “Korean Wave” or the “한류” (Hallyu). Beginning in the late 1990s, the Hallyu wave is led by Korean TV Dramas and reaches overwhelming popularity in places such as Hong Kong, Taiwan, and China. According to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism in Korean, more than 9.4% of the total amount of the broadcast programs that South Korean export to otherAsian countries is directed to Hong Kong.

The Huge Hit Drama of 2006, 대장금  (Dae Jang Geum)

It is surprising to see how Korean TV has inte-grated so well into Hong Kong culture, and theimpact that it has not only on the younger demographics, but on older generations as well. The subject of Korean TV has become a hot topic of discus-sion and has made its way into the conversations of teenagers and adults alike. In 2006, the Korean drama “대장금” (Dae Jang Geum) received much interest in Hong Kong, which led to the drama garnering views surpassing the record of highest drama ratings set in 1991. A recent study by RTHK on the Hallyu wave on Hong Kong shows that more than half of the people surveyed view Korean dramas as the driving force of the Korean wave.

Another Popular Drama of 2006, 궁 (Goong, or Palace)

This interest of Hong Kong peo-ple in Korean dramas is fueled by the unanimous opinion that the quality of locally produced TV series are declining. The TV dramas that Hong Kong produced was once acclaimed throughout the Chinese speaking world. However, in recent years, people could not but feel that they have taken a dip in quality.

FOR ALL THOSE KDRAMA LOVERS OUT THERE...

-Yanna Lee

dramabeans.com
^ Click it.
You.Will.Not.Regret.It.

What can I say? This is probably one of my MOST frequently visited sites that I ABSOLUTELY LOVE. Ranging from drama recaps, variety show recaps, to just news pertaining to Korean culture, the site brings a thorough view of the Kdrama side of Korean Culture.

[ I would like to just add, I see a day when this blog will be as good as (or better than!) dramabeans. Let us hope ]

Organization is neat, clean-cut. You know where everything is, since the buttons explain everything (even a computer user like ME can use it. And if you wanted to know, I don't work well with computers.) With the top posts clearly shown on the front page, and a page just of all the drama recaps posted, the blog is like a heaven to all of you A-Korean-Drama-Is-Like-Coffee-Right-Before-You-Pull-An-All-Nighter people.

Floods in Korea - JUNE 24~28TH

-Yanna Lee

Some of you may have heard or seen the great floods that unexpectedly occurred in Korea. Having seen for myself the unrelenting nature of the storms in Korea, I must say I have never seen so much rain before. The torrential rainfall brought road closures and landslides.

Seoul was also in chaos, as a central region, Kangnam, was suddenly flooded and brought the standstill of the traffic.

K-pop Sensation Coming to Hong Kong!

-Yanna Lee


The hottest K-pop stars are coming to Hong Kong for the first time! The concert is entitled "KPOP Girls in Love & Boys in Power LIVE in HK 2011" 

The hot girl group f(x),
Members: (from left to right: Sulli, Amber, Krystal, Victoria, Luna)

The event takes place at AsiaWorld-Arena, at 8PM on August 23 and 24 (Tuesday & Wednesday), 2011, respectively. The much awaited performers include KARA, f(x), miss A, Sistar, 2AM, CNBLUE, FTISLAND and ZE:A, who have become Asia's rising stars and will definitely marvel fans.
While many Korean pop (Kpop) artists such as 2AM, Rain (bi), or SS501 have come to Hong Kong to perform, there has never been an event when a group of such popular artists have come to Hong Kong together. It is expected that the charisma of the Korean singers will bring forth a top-notch concert and a greater revival of the Hallyu Korean wave.

June 2011 - KCC Issue 4

KCC Issue 4

May 2011 - KCC Issue 3

KCC Issue 3

April 2011 - KCC Issue 2

KCC Issue 2

March 2011 - KCC Issue 1

KCC 1